Chapter 12
"It's another exciting night here at the Xtrema Arena!" the announcer shouted to the crowd. "After what happened at the last show, proud wrestlers on the Xtrema roster are just itching to settle their feuds! Not only that, but we've got some people willing to address their latest accomplishments. Will these feuds be resolved or will they grow into something even greater? Stay tuned and watch the action happen!"
*Kyoko Natsumi vs Mantis*
It's a martial arts battle as well as a wrestling match. At the front row of the crowd, Natsuki Okumura and Kanae Fujishita watched while taking pictures and notes. First off, Kyoko Natsumi came out with a kimono and a geisha fan. She slowly made her way to the ring, and when she stepped into the center, she removed her kimono revealing her black one-piece suit and her muscular arms and legs. She flexed her muscles and went to her corner giving her equipment to the ring crew.
After that, the next entrant ran in. Mantis charged in with wearing her usual green outfit and her green stripe painted across her face. She also had on her fake bug wings on her back. Once she approached the ring, she slid underneath the bottom rope and flipped herself upwards without losing momentum. She removed her wings and gave them to the staff when she went to her corner.
"Are you as excited about this as I am? I hope so! At the last show, the captivating Kyoko Natsumi and the vengeful Mantis had a heated marital arts battle that they both believe didn't end properly! Perhaps tonight will allow them to settle the score!"
DING-DING!
Both Kyoko and Mantis started the match by immediately charging toward each other. Mantis attempted the first strike with a high kick, but Kyoko raised her arm to block it. Mantis sent a kick aimed at the kabuki's torso, but she jumped backwards to avoid it.
It was Kyoko's turn. She went for a straight, solid punch which Mantis blocked with both arms. Kyoko sent a kick, but Mantis dodged, grabbed her leg, and flipped her to her stomach. She didn't let go and tightened her hold with an ankle lock. Kyoko gritted her teeth, but she knew her lower limbs were much tougher than that.
"Kyoko, do you give up?" the referee asked.
"No." Kyoko shouted. She crawled over to the side and gripped the rope. The referee counted to three before Mantis let go.
Right when her foot was released, Kyoko sent a kick to Mantis' stomach which caught her by surprise. Kyoko got up, grabbed Mantis' foot and gave her own ankle lock. Mantis felt the pain she inflicted before.
"Give up?" the referee asked.
"No!" Mantis shouted. Unlike Kyoko, she had her own escape method.
Instead of using the ropes, Mantis flipped herself over and sent a kick to Kyoko using her free leg. The Kabuki fell to her side, but landed on one knee. Mantis regained her momentum and kicked Kyoko with a shining wizard. She then hooked the leg for the referee.
1… 2…
Kyoko kicked out, but she remained backfirst on the mat. Mantis saw this as her chance. She jumped over Kyoko and climbed up the top rope. She was preparing her finishing attack, the Cricket Crunch. She leaped off the turnbuckle, flipped forward, and aimed both her feet to stomp on Kyoko's body. Only, at the last second, Kyoko rolled away. Mantis hit the ground, but Kyoko used her legs to trip the bug girl over to her side.
Kyoko got back up while Mantis took the time to roll out of the ring. She tended to her feet to recover. Meanhile, Kyoko ran to one side of the ring and returned to the side where Mantis escaped from. She jumped over the ropes and connected to Mantis with a crossbody slam. The both of them hit the floor.
The referee had finished counting to three when Mantis returned to her feet and perched leaned on the corner, Kyoko got up too and prepared another kick, but at the last second, Mantis moved out of the way making Kyoko's leg make a strong impact on the corner. She yelled when she felt the cold, hard sting on her shin. Mantis returned to her and threw her back in the ring before following her.
Mantis grabbed Kyoko's injured leg and prompted it on top of the bottom rope. She then sent a hard stromp on it making it worse. Thinking Kyoko was too injured to get back up, Mantis went for the pin.
1… 2…
She was wrong. Kyoko kicked out making her more upset. She went to stomp on the leg again, but Kyoko moved it out of the way. She then used her other leg to go after Mantis' foot and trip her again. With great strain, Kyoko stood back up on her feet. She managed to ignore the pain.
Kyoko Natsumi went to Mantis as she used the ropes to stand back up. She grabbed her wrist and threw her to the other side of the ring. Mantis bounced off the ropes and impacted on Kyoko's lariat knocking her down. Kyoko went for the pin.
1… 2…
Mantis kicked out. Kyoko took a step back in order to give her leg a chance to rest. Meanwhile, in front of her, Mantis rose back to her feet. Both martial artists looked at each other dead in the eyes. The crowd didn't know whether it was respect between them or a bloody need to one-up each other.
Mantis took a deep breath and slowly shifted her body. She moved herself into a kung fu mantis pose. She took a deep breath while Kyoko was feeling uneasy. She wanted to attack, but it felt like she was walking into a trap. Then, as soon as Mantis opened her eyes, she disappeared. One second, she was in front of Kyoko Natsumi, and the next, she was not. Basically everyone was at a loss for words.
Suddenly, Mantis appeared in a crouching position right in front of Kyoko's startled face. She sent a kick upwards and struck Kyoko making her step back. Mantis disappeared again only to reappear behing her opponent sending a strong elbow to her spine. Mantis kept up the routine: disappearing, reappearing, and striking different parts of Kyoko's body. Eventually, Kyoko sent a strong dropkick to her opponent making her fall on her back.
Mantis kept up the speed heading up the top turnbuckle. She flipped off and attempted the Cricket Crunch again. Only this time, her double-foot stomp connected landing right on Kyoko's torso. Mantis went for the pin again.
1… 2… 3!
DING-DING!
"Holy smokes! What a match, everyone! Things were pretty back and forth for a while, but in the end, Mantis managed to unleash a great amount speed to win the match! Can't wait to see where this goes in the future!"
"Now, that was impressive!" Natsuki said. "What's next?"
"Apparently, it's Clementine Cirrus against Willow Powell." Kanae said. "For some reason, Willow is really bothered by Clementine being in the company, so she's doing what she can to get her out."
"She's a starstruck snob." Natsuki said. "They get disgusted easily. Honestly, I hope Clementine wipes the floor with her."
"Truth be told, so do I."
*Willow Powell vs Clementine Cirrus*
Diana Diaz was the first to strut down the ramp. She had on her wrestling gear plus a pair of sunglasses and a boa around her neck. Once she made it onto the ramp, she arrogantly removed her entrance gear and tossed them to the ringside staff.
"Scratch zose and I'll rip your hand off." She threatened as she prompted on her corner.
Clementine Cirrus rode in wearing a cowboy hat and a checkerted jacket without sleeves. Tina Armstrong followed her to the ring. Clementine climbed over the ropes and gave her hat and jacket to her second.
"Give her hell, Clem." Tina said.
Clementine nodded and went to her corner.
"It's another feud that started in the 24/7 Championship Scramble! During her investigation in Sayuri Rogue's office, Clementine Cirrus was ambushed by Willow Powell. However, the wild western managed to turn the tables on the stuck-up starlet! Now, they continue their feud here!"
The referee was about to call for the bell, but Clementine stopped her. She then turned her attention to Willow.
"Before I drop you on your ass, Willow, tell me. Why are you targeting me?"
"Because ze fact zat I have to share a locker room with a big, odious cow like you sickens me to my core." Willow answered. "I'm going to put you down so hard, you'll retire back to your pig farm and leave ze stage to real stars like moi."
"Fine. If that's how you want it." Clementine turned to the referee. "Ring the bell."
DING-DING!
Willow made the first move. She ran towards Clementine. The cowgirl reached out her arm to sotp her, but Willow stopped herself and jumped backward at the last second making her miss. Taking advantage of Clementine's position, Willow ran again to strike against her midsection. Fortunately for Clementine, she didn't stop. Instead, she continued her swing and hit the movie star with a backhand punch. It connected onto her face making her fall over backward.
Clementine flexed her biceps to the crowd before wrapping her arms around the fallen opponent's chest. She rolled the both of them over without letting go before giving one last squeeze. Once she was let go, Willow crawled over to the bottom rope. Clementine went to pick her up, but right before she could, Willow shot her arms out, grabbed Clementine's shoulders, and tossed her so her neck would collide with the ropes. While the cowgirl was coughing, Willow stood right back up and slammed her forearm on Clementine's back knocking her down.
Willow sent a strong kick to Clementine's stomach putting her on her back. She then crouched down and locked in a headlock. Clementine tried to raise herself up, but Willow tightened the hold and kept pushing her down with it. Clementine struggled to escape Willow's wretch while Tina urged from ringside.
"Come on, Clementine! You can do this!"
Willow sat Clementine up only to slam her head down. She then lifted her to her feet and threw her to the corner face first. Willow grabbed onto Clementine's head again and slammed it on the top turnbuckle with great force. Clementine was left leaning with her back on the corner while Willow went to the other side. Willow ran and connected her elbow to Clementine's face knocking her down face first. She then hooked her leg for a pin.
1… 2…
Clementine kicked out. Willow grabbed onto Clementine's legs and placed her in a Boston Crab hold. Since submission techniques were part of her arsenal, Willow knew how to apply it firmly even to the biggest opponents. For extra effect, she took her fingers to squeeze Clementine's inner thighs making her scream.
"Clementine, do you give up?" the referee asked.
Trying to ignore the pain in her legs, she answered, "No!"
Clementine shifted her arms to turn her and Willow around to a specific direction. With a great amount of strength, Clementine quickly straightened her legs throwing Willow off. The starlet was catapulted right to the corner where her face was slammed on the top turnbuckle.
After relieving the pain in her thighs, Clementine stood back up. Seeing Willow prompted on the bottom turnbuckle, the cowgirl prepared her signature move, the bronco buster. She ran towards her and jumped, but Willow rolled out of the ring letting the cowgirl land on her butt.
Slipping out of the ring, Willow saw that Clementine's legs were hanging outside on opposite ends of the corner and smiled wickedly. She grabbed onto both of Clementine's ankles and prepared to pull back to ram Clementine's crotch onto the metal pole. But before she could, Tina ran up to her and confronted her.
"Don't even think about it!" Tina warned.
"Oh, and what are you going to do?" Willow asked. "You touch me and you're going to be eje…"
Before she could finish, Clementine wrapped both of her legs around Willow's body and pulled her backward hitting her with the corner. When Willow fell over, Clementine followed her. She gave Tina a high-five before picking Willow up and throwing her back into the ring.
Clementine had one last idea. She climbed up to the apron, but didn't stop there. She continued up the corner until she was on the top turnbuckle. She leaped off of the top rope and landed a crossbody on Willow's prone body. She hooked her leg for the pin.
1… 2… 3!
DING-DING!
"Clementine Cirrus wins! Despite Willow Powell's tactics, the cowgirl managed to secure a win thanks to the assistance of her friendly rival! And it looks like they're ready to celebrate!"
Tina climbed into the ring and raised Clementine's hand in the air. They both waved to the cheering crowd. After that, the two of them walked off backstage.
They laughed as they walked down the halls.
"That was amazing!" Clementine said. "Thanks for having my back!"
"Hey, I've got too much respect for you to let you get damaged like that." Tina said.
"Spoken like an ideal rival." Sayuri Rogue said as she approached the two.
"Oh, hey, Ms. Rogue." Clementine said.
"Ms. Cirrus, why don't you go on ahead?" Sayuri said. "I've got some business to discuss with Ms. Armstrong."
"All right." Clementine said. "See ya later, Tina." She continued down the hallway. As soon as she was gone, Sayuri and Tina began to talk.
"What's up?" Tina asked.
"I understand you and Clementine have been waiting for a rematch, am I right?"
"Yeah. Are you going to put us in a match next show?"
"No, but I do have something better planned." Sayuri said. "Just hear what I have to say…
*Diana Diaz vs Lady Kai*
Diana Diaz stomped her way down the ramp with a less than amused look on her face. She had her newly won Xtrema TV Championship Belt around her waist. Her new manager and partner, Poison, followed her cracking her horsewhipe to her sides. Diana stepped into the ring with a stoic attitude as she removed her belt and passed it to her second.
Once Diana had settled in, Lady Kai suddenly appeared from an explosion of smoke at the stage. She had black hair tied into a short ponytail. She also had on black clothes like a ninja, but her arms didn't have sleeves. She also had black gloved that covered her hands. She even came with a ninja mask over her nose and mouth. Lady Kai jumped onto the top of the barricade and ran across it. Once she reached the end, she jumped so high, she made it over the top rope and roll into a cross-legged seating position. She got back up and went to the corner opposite of Diana Diaz.
"Here we are, everyone! For tonight's visitor, we have the mysterious, elusive, and clearly skilled kunoichi of wrestling, Lady Kai! And in the other corner, an amazon who specializes in using her size and strength to her advantage, the Xtrema TV Champion, Diana Diaz! Now, rumor is that she's still very upset that she didn't get the opponent she demanded earlier, so Lady Kai might want to watch out for the champ's rage! Not only that, but Diana Diaz has the famous wrestling promoter, Poison, as her manager and she is known for being a hardcore woman! Lady Kai's definitely going to have her hands full here!"
DING-DING!
Lady Kai made her first move with a taunt. She held out her hand and curved it in a "come here" motion. Clearly, Diana Diaz didn't like that. Diana went to grab her, but Lady Kai ducked and countered with a low kick to her gut. Diana took the hit and found her chance to grab Lady Kai and throw her to the ropes. The ninja bounced off the ropes, but attacked with a front-flip followed by a dropkick. However, Diaz clenched her chest just before the feet made contact letting her drop to the ground.
Diana lifted Lady Kai by her arm and hit her with a clothesline. She picked her back up and hit her again. One more time and she was done. She sent an elbow down on Kai and called for the ref while her arm was across her shoulders.
1… 2…
Lady Kai kicked out and kicked herself upward back into a standing position. When Diana got back on her feet, Kai sent a palm strike that hit her right in the face. Disoriented, Diaz turned her back on her opponent, which gave Kai the opportunity she needed to jump on the giant's shoulders and apply a figure-four headscissors.
Diana didn't get on her knees and growled in frustration. She reached her arms up and managed to grab the back of Lady Kai's head with both her hands. She then dropped backwards letting Kai's back made full impact on the mat letting her go. Diana got back up and caught Lady Kai with a sleeper hold. Her superior size made this hold very effective.
"Don't make me angry, ninja girl. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Diaz warned mimicking the Hulk's catchphrase. "Either pass out or tap out. Those are the only options you have that'll let you leave in one piece."
Lady Kai wasn't having any of it. With great effort, she made it to the corner and used her feet to climb up. The momentum she generated gave her enough strength to flip Diaz over and cover her for the pin.
1…
Diana wasn't out yet. After that one count, she kicked out and rolled to her stomach. She stood back up, but when she did, Lady Kai hopped to the middle rope and sent a strong kick making Diana land in a sitting position. Kai went for a straight kick, but Diaz caught her foot. That didn't stop Kai though as she used her other foot to kick Diaz into letting go and at the same time, bounce off of her to the ropes for another springboard kick. When Diana fell on her back, Lady Kai went to the ring post and climbed on top of it. She then motioned for Diana to get back up.
"What's happening?" Natsuki asked.
"It looks like she's preparing her finishing move, the Shinigami Dive." Kanae said. "All that's needed is for Diaz to stand on her own feet."
And that's what Diaz did. With her might, Diaz managed to return to both her feet and Lady Kai prepared to dive, but before she could, Poison made her move. She pulled out a steel chair and hit one of the top ropes that Lady Kai was standing on. The ninja lost her balance and fell with the top turnbuckle hitting between her legs. The crowd ooh'd at the sight of that.
"What was that?" the referee asked as she looked down at Poison. "You know the rules!"
"Hey, it's not like I hit her directly." Poison said. "You can't eject me for that."
While the ref and Diaz' manager were arguing, Diana took the opportunity and lifted Lady Kai from the top rope. She then dropped her with a piledriver to her head.
"You should have tapped when you had the chance, ninja freak!" Diaz shouted. "Now, you're gonna pay!"
Diaz anger was finally unleashed. She grabbed Lady Kai by her hair and slammed her head over her knee. She lifted her up again and dropped her with a clothesline. After that, she carried her right next to the nearest ropes and lifted her body. She threw Kai upward before grabbing her ankles and slamming her right outside the ring.
Diaz walked right outside the ring where Lady Kai was gripping the back of her neck trying to hold back on the pain. But Diaz was merciless. She grabbed Kai's legs and prepared for a swing. She delivered the strongest swing she could use… and the side of Lady Kai's neck made direct impact with the ring post. The crowd gasped and screamed at the sight of it. Even Sayuri Rogue, who was watching from the skybox, gave a worriful face of shock.
The referee ran out of the ring and separated Diaz from Kai. She knelt down to look at the ninja to take a look at the injury. She didn't like what she saw and gave a signal.
DING-DING!
"That... That was brutal." Natsuki said. "That would..."
"End a wrestling career?" Kanae asked as she rubbed her back. "I might understand."
"I.. I'm at a loss for words! Lady Kai seems to have taken a serious injury! The referee has even ordered the paramedics to the ringside to pick the ninja away! And it appears that just like that, Diana Diaz is the winner!"
The crowd boo'd, but Diaz didn't care. Instead, she took back her title belt and held it to the air while Poison presented her like a game show host. When she was done, Diaz and Poison walked backstage.
Like Clementine and Tina, Sayuri Rogue approached Diaz and Poison, but with a furious look on her face.
"Do you realize what you just did?"
"If I may," Poison said, "What my client did was win the match. She defeated her opponent like any other wrestler would."
"No other wrestler would do what you did! She's not even on the Xtrema official roster! You injured her on purpose!"
"Hey, I already told you how frustrated I was!" Diaz argued. "What did you expect from me?"
Sayuri released a serious gust of breath from her nose before answering. "You're lucky I got the rest of the night to look out for! You better hope Lady Kai's condition isn't as bad as we fear! But rest assured, we will be discussing this!" She stormed out.
"Not to worry, Diana." Poison said patting her partner on her back. "Just let me worry about Rogue. For now, let's continue scouting out the competition."
Diana nodded and continued to roam the hallways with her partner.
Author's Note: Another night starts, and I must say, this was pretty brutal if I do say so myself. Now, you see why I made Lady Kai (an OC), but not make her an official member of the roster. But not to worry. This is only the beginning of another storyline I have planned. Next time, we'll finish off the night with surprises and catty confrontations.
Any and all comments are welcome.