ashley vs ichika

[pikazard]

After the devastating moves that Ichika had put Ashley through the blonde was in little state to fight, even breathing didn't come easy as every attempt made it feel like she had hot coals trapped in her lungs. With the pain she was in Ichika rolling off of her gave her little relief, her head was swirling and she couldn't tell up from down, it took the sharp voice of the referee beginning their count to break the blonde out of it and bring Ashley back to reality "Uuungh..."

Even as she fought to get up it would take until the count of four for Ashley to actually start moving, rolling onto her front and climbing up to her hands and knees while fighting the urge to just stay down and get counted out so she could rest. With an audible groan of effort Ashley would make her way to her feet, almost falling once before managing to stand up on wobbly legs just before the count of 9, and as the count stopped she was met with cheers for her determination!

But determination alone didn't ease pain or exhaustion and Ashley was still quite out of it. That was why even as the match continued Ashley did not move towards Ichika but instead fought to raise her arms and wait for Ichika to come to her "Hah... hah..."

[Violet]

As Ichika leaned against the turnbuckle for support, the bluenette couldn't be more glad that the match is finally drawing down its curtains. There was a modicum of regret in going out for the ringside route as she watched Ashley laid out on the broken announcer table. And Ichika didn't leave unscathed too! Her mind swam in a haze. Her arm wound tight around her midsection, a pulsing ache that urged her not to move, overwhelming her with nausea. That stunt sucked! But it must have sucked even more for Ashley who took the brunt of her fall! But she could rest now... well, Ashley could rest now!

"..N~no!" Those thoughts left the Blue Flame with a shaky disapproval! Ashley still willed herself up to move. She was battered but not yet broken. She admired Ashley's zeal but this was going out of hand. "You should have stayed down!" Ichika's expression was clouded with concern, not just for herself but for Ashley too!

"Tch!" Ichika then clicked her tongue for what she was about to do! Ichika rushed to Ashley even before she could find time to recover! Her boot sailed through the air and crashed to Ashley's midsection to fold her over!

"I'm sorry Ashley! But I can't let you rest" Ichika wasted no time and locked the blonde's head between her legs. "If I do, you'd just get up!" Her arms darted to hook theirs and pulled upward! "Again and again" Pulling until she could feel their fragile rotator cuff strain, making sure her head would smash to the ground clean "Than for your own good!" And so she'd jump, trying to nail Ashley in the same wreckage they've caused with a Pedigree!

[pikazard]

Ashley might have managed to climb back up to her feet before she was counted out, but that was only by a hair so she was far from at her best state. That was why when Ichika rushed her Ashley took the boot straight to her gut even though she saw it coming, letting out a loud grunt as she was forced to bend down "Uuungh!" Saliva splattered the floor as Ashley's mouth hung open in agony, standing with her top half hanging parallel to the ground, a position that made it easily for Ichika to pull her in so that Ashley's head was trapped in Ichika's legs.

Realizing that her opponent most likely intended to use a Pedigree Ashley knew she had to act quickly, least this move finish her off for good. So she would take advantage of her hunched over state to grab the bluenette by the back of her knees, hoping to prevent her attempt to jump by weighing her down as much as possible while stopping her legs from moving properly. Should she succeed at this then she only had moments to work with, so she'd use her grip on Ichika's legs and start lifting her by the legs while also fighting to straighten up, with her end goal to be standing and holding Ichika by the legs while she dangled facing Ashley's back. She would then lunge forward while yanking on Ichika's legs, hoping to flip the girl over her shoulders to send her down for an Alabama Slam, only she'd take advantage of their position to slam Ichika onto the barricade to really pile on the damage! "Ora!"

[Violet]

Endings should be beautiful. The ribbon that ties a brutal match together. A homage for the duel of fighters with a move to seal all the pain they have given. That was what Ichika tried to bring. A graceful yet devastating maneuver. But when Ashley rose back from what should have been the end, all grace left the blue fighter. If she has to end it the cruel way, she would! Ichika thought another move would do the job.

And so, her expression looked as if she'd seen someone rise from the dead as Ashley stirred! The willful grab on the back of her knees froze her.

“N-noo! No!” Her fear materialized as Ashley hoisted her up. Forcing her to lie on their back chest first. Ichika thought a weird variation of piledriver was afoot! But that couldn't be farther from the truth as she sailed clockwise through the air and her back impaled to the barricades!

"Gahh!" Ichika's defiance disintegrated as her lithe frame bent upon the steel that almost cracked her in half! The threatening sound pierced the arena in shock! The crowd right next to the action cringed as they saw the bluenette's face silently twist in agony. Her eyes white-out and her mouth gaped as if to scream but can't. The damage her back took from the very beginning of this tournament finally seethed through her bones!

Everyone knew she was done for! But even then. Even as she was supposed to flutter and slump down the mat so the ceremonial count could finally begin, Ichika's arm subconsciously hooked over the barricade to keep her up! She looked not unlike a warrior standing tall at the face of death! The crowd was awed at this testament of the rookie's will! Ashley has to do more than that to win!

[pikazard]

The end of the match was but a hair away, this was obvious to anyone, the only mystery was who the winner would be. If Ashley was so much as a second slow with her counter it easily could have been Ichika's victory. But her counter didn't fail, and instead Ichika had all of the fight slammed out of her with a Fallaway Slam onto the barricade! The crowd winced in sympathy as the young fighter had the match brutally turned on her head with a sickening attack to her already hurt back, at that moment everyone knew the match was over.

Everyone, except Ichika, who in spite of her inability to fight back anymore still stood tall in the face of her adversary. Ashley would ignore the cries of her body that demanded her to rest and walk up to Ichika; the rookie had proven her strong will and grit to Ashley, and as such Ashley decided that she deserved nothing less than her best to finish this match off. Ashley would drag Ichika away from the barricade and keep her standing so that Ashley could get behind her and loop her head between Ichika's thighs to get her sitting atop Ashley's shoulders when she straightened up "You did well" Ashley would say simply, before grabbing Ichika by the shoulder and falling down into a seated position while pulling the girl forward to slam her on her shoulders for Ashley's finisher: the Bitch Drop!

Once the move landed Ashley would release Ichika and allow her to fall onto the mat, laying spread-eagled unconscious. The referee would move in to count Ichika out, but at this point it was merely a formality, there was no movement from the girl other than her chest rising and falling as she took shallow breaths "...9! 10!" the referee yelled, signalling for the bell to ring and end the match!

Ashley took a deep sigh of relief and finally allowed herself to rest and slump against the ring. As silly as it might sound Ashley didn't feel a hundred percent sure that Ichika wasn't about to get up until the final count. She would pump her fist in the air to get a pop from her cheering fans, but apart from that Ashley did little to celebrate despite how great a victory she had just achieved. She still had her finals match against Wisteria Khan to go, but she was already so drained from this match, so she wouldn't allow herself to celebrate just yet.

Instead she would walk back up the ramp with her head held high, she wanted to help Ichika and encourage her efforts but she knew that anything she had to say would just rub salt in the rookie's wounds, and she needed all the rest she could get before her final match. So with one final look back to confirm that medics were tending to Ichika Ashley would leave to prepare for the finals.