Yukino Fuyumi vs. Carolina Reine Youngren - Apex Qualifier Match

[CaptainL]

Match Type: Standard Match
Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout. Completion will count to each participant's required Apex Qualifier matches.

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Yukino took a few deep breaths as she waited backstage, putting her head down and clearing her thoughts. In just a few moments, she would be taking part in her first Apex qualifier, building herself up toward challenging for the Openweight Championship. In truth, when Yukino signed with LAW, she didn't have her mind set on going after the company's top title right away. That was too far off, and she would be ready when the time came. She knew that her best friend Nashi wanted to throw herself into the competition, but she knew how headstrong she could be, and she was wary about biting off more than she could chew.

But that all changed when she decided to step up following a disastrous match between Kira Kusangi and Mizuki Sakura that left Kira torturing the lightweight even after she started begging for mercy. Yukino simply couldn't let her get away with her deeds any longer - and in doing so, she had attracted Kira's ire. It had landed her in a match that ended just as badly for her. And not only did it leave Yukino beaten and humiliated, it also decided that Kira would choose her Apex qualifiers. The white-haired girl might not have wanted to join Apex at first, but when her back was against the wall, she knew what she had to do. She couldn't back down, and shatter her credibility as a wrestler before she'd even built it up. She needed to show the world she was capable, that she wasn't afraid - and after her loss to Kira, she needed to restore her dignity all the more.

She just hoped she'd have it in her.

"The following contest is scheduled for one fall! Coming first to the ring, from Tokyo, Japan! At 5'2, weighing 124 pounds, representing the Idol Dragons - YUKINO FUYUMI!!!"

Spoiler

Yukino sucked in a breath, hearing her name being called. There was no more time for deliberation. It was time to make her entrance! As she stepped through the curtains, holding her arms out wide to show her new ring gear to the world, she heared the cheers and chants coming down from the stands. But as she marched down to the ring, she didn't wave to the crowd, or strike any poses for the pictures. Instead, her head was turned down, her eyes squeezed shut in focus. At this point in time, Yukino couldn't afford any distractions. She had more at stake than just winning this match - this would determine whether or not she could still look at herself in the mirror and believe she was worth everyone's while. She needed to win this, for her own sake!

As the reached the ring, Yukino rolled under the bottom rope, getting up in her corner. Now, all she could do was wait for her opponent...

[SRG]

Nashi was ready to accompany Yukino down to the ring for her first apex match! Unfortunately she had to make a pit stop to the ladies room. After she was done she went to Yukino’s locker only to see she had already left”OHHH NOOOO!!!!” she clasped her hands on her cheeks shouting. Thankfully she was able to reach the curtain before her opponent did and came out next holding a microphonenoo im not the opponent…. I’m just a ring girl for tonight” She lightly chuckled nervously, walking down fast to he at Yukino’s ring corner “Sorry!!! Got caught up in the ladies room….” Nashi chuckled nervous scratching the back of her hair.

[ReticentCone]

This was, in some sense, just another Apex qualifier match for Carolina. There was no pressure to win, really, as a loss would not prevent her from qualifying. All she had to do was put on enough of a show for the judges and she'll have done what she needed to do. But especially since she was new to LAW, every match would count something for her reputation. That provided its own pressure. It didn't feel too long before it was time for her exit from backstage to head toward the ring, as the announcer introduced her:

"...And her opponenent, From Canada, weighing 165 pounds, the Lioness of the North - Isljoninna!"

Spoiler

Carolina would pirouette once at the top of the ramp before making her way toward the ring, hands on her hips. The woman already in the ring was around 40 pounds lighter than her and significantly shorter. Carolina would make using that size difference a point of emphasis throughout the match. On her way to the ring, she caught sigh of red-headed girl, clearly there to support her friend. Rather than entering by climbing the ring steps, Isljoninna would take a detour by the redhead to deliver her a warning.

"Stay out of my way, or I'll gladly hurt you, too." Carolina said to Nashi with a sneer, before making her way to her corner of the ring, hopping onto the apron and stepping between the ropes.

[CaptainL]

When Yukino had been so focused in her own thoughts, she didn't even realize that when she stepped out to the ring, Nashi was nowhere to be found. That was, until moments later, when she got into the ring - and heard another burst of cheers, looking up to see her partner running to take her place at her side. Her face going red, she held a hand up to cover her mouth as she slowed her steps, letting Nashi get caught up to her. "Nashi-! No, no, it's okay..." she said.

With how close they were, and how far they went back, Yukino felt guilty for not even noticing that Nashi wasn't there. But she smiled at her anyway as she took to her corner. No matter what had happened, Nashi was here now. She cared enough about Yukino to make sure she wouldn't miss her match. And that told Yukino everything she needed to know about how good a friend she was. She stood up a little straighter, nodding her head to Nashi. When the two of them were together, Yukino felt all the more ready to do her best, for her sake. Now, she'd carry that into her first qualifier!

Then, though, it was time for Yukino's opponent to arrive - and as soon as the white-haired girl looked back at the entrance ramp, she took in a gulp. Carolina clearly eclipsed her in size - not as bad as Kira, at least, but she could still tell she was at a disadvantage, and when she seemed so confident about what she was doing, it only made Yukino worry all the more that she would have the skills to back it up. But when she turned her attention to Nashi, that was a step too far. No matter how scared Yukino might have been...Nashi was still her friend, and someone who had stood up for her time and time again! Now, it was her turn to return the favor. If Carolina wanted to go after Nashi, that was something Yukino couldn't forgive!

Her eyes narrowed in a glare, Yukino stepped in front of Nashi and held her arms out at the side protectively. "Don't you touch her! I swear-!"

[ReticentCone]

"If she isn't a nusiance, I won't, if she is, I'll do a lot worse than touch her, I can promise you that." Carolina said with a smile as she as she headed toward Yukino and waited for the refree to signal the start of the match. The moment the referee signaled the start of the match, she'd attempt to drop to the ground and take Yukino off both her guard and feet by deploying her signature

Terrablading

move was quickly as possible. Yukino almost certainly had a significant speed advantage over her, but taking someone by surprise always had a chance of making up for that.

[CaptainL]

Yukino's teeth clenched into a grimace as she listened to Carolina's taunts, and her stance stiffened. Her eyelid twitched nervously as she glanced back and forth between her and Nashi. It was bad enough that she'd threatened her best friend - but when she was outright gloating about it, that was a step too far for Yukino to entertain. In that moment, any hesitation the white-haired girl might have held about this match was forgotten. She was willing to put herself up to anything, no matter the risk, if it meant standing up for Nashi. Yukino hissed through her teeth as she watched Carolina warily with a narrowed eye. At any moment, she'd be ready to strike.

*DING DING DING*

Seeing the tense staredown, the referee felt this was as good a time as any to signal for the bell - and the match was afoot! Yukino had begun to move forward, looking to close into range on her opponent - but just as she was setting her foot down, Carolina swung out with a sweep of her ankle that took her completely off guard! With a yelp, she fell back on her rear, wincing from the landing. Not the best start to a match - and she knew that would mean trouble!

[ReticentCone]

Carolina was able to tell that the threats aimed at Yukino's friend were concerning her and considered it likely that they wre partially responsible for helping her catch the faster woman off guard with her match opening signature. Not wanting to give Yukino any time to recover from the sweep, she'd attempt to use her lucky break catching her by surprise by trying to hamper Yukino's speed advantage early in the match.

Isljoninna would attempt to deliver three quick stomps to Yukino's left knee while she was still seated on the ground, while finishing with a fourth jumping stomp, trying to put all of her near-heavyweight mass onto her foe's knee.

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

Yukino knew that Carolina was going to be trouble from the moment she walked into the arena - her threatening presence, and above all the way she threatened Nashi to her face, told her as much. She knew she would need to be on guard against such a cruel opponent. But Carolina was already thinking a step ahead, and before Yukino could so much as make a move, the blonde swept her off her feet, sending her sprawling to her back! Once she saw her advantage, she was quick to seize on it - with Yukino taken by surprise, she was able to hammer a few quick blows into her knee, and with each blow that landed, Yukino threw her head back with a cry of pain from the shock rippling through her body. She had made a mistake in falling for Carolina's tricks this early in the match, and that could well prove a mistake she would pay for through to the finish.

However, when Yukino saw Carolina jump up from the mat, she realized this was her chance! Even if she was hurting, she knew that if she let the blonde land the final blow, with all the power of the drop behind it, it would surely cripple her for the rest of the match - maybe even literally. But while Carolina was setting it up, she'd have a few seconds with which she would be able to get out of the way, and that could make all the difference in this match! In those few seconds, Yukino kicked up her legs, hoping to use the momentum to roll herself out of the way such that Carolina's stomp would come down against the mat instead. Hopefully, that would stun her long enough for Yukino to counterattack - because with that same motion, she would attempt to roll toward the ropes behind her, pulling herself up before pushing off of them to spring herself back at Carolina in order to grab her head and slam it down with a bulldog!

[ReticentCone]

Carolina was more than quick enough to start attacking the Yukino's knee before she could react, each stomp eliciting a rewarding cry of pain from the smaller woman. No doubt she was significantly hurting this woman's knee. But damage, while useful Carolina, would not be enough to satisfy. Given the oppertunity, she'd gladly injure the woman's knee and spend the rest of the match more or less ragdolling her opponent around the ring.

So after a few stomps, she took a couple steps back and jumped, aiming to send her full weight down onto Yukino's knee. But just before impact, Yukino managed to roll out of the way just in time, Carolina's foot unexpected hitting the canvas rather than her foe's knee. The impact shot up through her body as she lost track of Yukino. It wasn't particularly painful, but it was enough to catch her off guard for something that cetainly was.

Suddenly Carolina would feel the back of her head grabbed and sent towards to the canvas. She intinctively realized what was happening and streched her hands out to cushion the blow somewhat, but her face still hit the ring floor. Isljoninna bounced up and rolled onto her back, holding her forehead and looking up at the arena lights.

[CaptainL]

Yukino winced as she straightened herself to her feet. She was still aching from the pain in her knee, and putting too much pressure on it caused a wave of shock to ring out through her body, causing her to go tense and clench her teeth. But she knew she couldn't let that stop her now. Now that she was back on her feet, she had her best chance of striking back against her opponent and getting a solid hit in on her, and she wasn't going to waste that opportunity!

Sure enough, when Carolina landed on the mat, it was enough to stun her for a few short seconds. Brief as they might have been, that gave Yukino all the time she needed to launch herself off the ropes, throwing herself back at Carolina to grab her by the head and slam her to the mat! The ring rumbled under her landing, but when the dust cleared, she lay there stunned. Rolling up to her knees, Yukino looked up with a grin on her face and pumped her fist in the air in celebration. Now she had the chance to pay Carolina back for her tricks. And if she got her way, this would only be the beginning!

Rolling up to her feet, the white-haired girl took off running, throwing herself into the ropes once again to draw on their momentum. This time, when she shot herself back at Carolina, she would jump off her feet and drive her elbow downward into Carolina's stomach as she fell!