Lacey Whitman vs. Zhu Chao-Xing

[ReticentCone]

Chao-Xing, being a very serious, stone hearted person, did not easily find the humor in things. Satisfaction & pride, certainly, but rarerly did she ever find someone, something, or somr situation, funny. This, however, would be such an exception. Poor little inexperienced and naive Lacey had come into this match expecting a basic, no stakes exhibition match, yet here she was now, quite possible fighting for not only her career, but potentially her quality of life. Something Chao-xing hsd years of experience inflicting & escaping. It was just the reality of combat sports. You couldn't take risks against anyone, so rookies like Lacey mught go up against thise they couldn't adequately protect themselves from. The experienced, face wear & tear that leave themselves ever more vulnerable as well. It didn't have to be purposeful, it rarely was.

This, howver, on The Crimson Lotus's part, was full intentional. She wanted nothing more than make an example out of Lacey and she was doing just that. If the weakness she felt in her hands & could see with her eyes wasn't telling her that, the pathetic crowd watching the cute little girl approach her end, helpless to do anything but launch a barrage of boos, atested to the ongoing success of her efforts. She held onto the crossface, with crippling intent. If she could break the girl's back, right then and there, it'd save her time & drama. Yet the count went up & no crack came, soon enough it was time to let go. It was a disappointment, but not exactpy a set back.

After she held on to a submission hold that Miss Whitman could neither break out of her tap out, of for over half way through the count out she let the girl go to climb back into the ring to reset the count. Chao-xing then returned outside, smiling toward the crowd to piss them of further, before turning back to her struggling prey. The Girl was crawling, slowly and visibly painfully, toward the ring corner, towards the steps. Then Chao-Xings cruelest idea yet came to mind. She'd already made a mockery of the girl by copying her moves, now was the time to well & truly devestate her spirit, body and visage with one.

Chao-xing stayed back, but positioned herself around the girl as she reached and hung over the steel steps. It was right then and there that the Crimson Lotus truly sprung into action. Her aim? Executing a vicious corckscrew kick, one of Lacey's finishers. If all went well, the Macau woman's foot would come around hard, not to her opponents back, but to the back of her neck, which would be gravely damaging alone, but would if succesful be made even worse by Lacey's head going down face first into the steel steps. This would certainly break barbie & let LAW management know never to put her in a match with the likes of Lacey ever again. Yet at the same time it'd solidify as too electric of a heel to put her in matches with less pathethic faces.

It all depended on her move landing, which the Crimson Lotus thought a forgon conclusion the moment the idea for attack had come to mind, so the girl had gotten lucky a few times, but with all the damage done to her back, the Crimson Lotus was convinced thst there was no way the girl could hope to avoid a disfiguring fate. All that was left, surely, was the cracks of impact & the splatter of her blood across the steel steps.

[CaptainL]

Even after Chao-Xing had let her go, Lacey's whole body hurt - her face was contorted in a wince; her eyes were squeezed shut to try and hold back tears spurred on by the pain alone. She could only take slow, haggard breaths, and there were a few times when she slipped and dropped onto her face, letting out a pained whine as she did, when her footing slipped and delivered her into the floor. But she couldn't let that stop her. One way or another, she needed to get back in the ring. It was too dangerous to be out here - really, nowhere around Zhu Chao-Xing felt safe, but Lacey at least knew she had to get back in before she was counted out!

"One! Two!"

She winced as she heard that count. As she crawled along, Lacey asked herself if this was even worth it. Should she go back in the ring, and keep up the fight? Should she keep fighting, knowing it meant exposing herself to danger? If she just stayed out here and let herself get counted out, the match would be over, and she could move on. She wouldn't have to put herself in harm's way any more. She could call it a day and move on with her life.

But...that also meant she would be admitting defeat. Not just to Chao-Xing, but to the whole world, who would see just how hopeless she really was! Lacey couldn't stand to do that! As long as there was still a chance, she still had to fight with all her might to make it there! She wouldn't get anywhere by giving in to fear - if she was really supposed to go somewhere, in her career and in her life, she needed to reach out and take hold of that potential!

"Three! Four!"

The green-haired girl's teeth locked in a grimace as she mustered up the strength she needed to pull herself just a little bit further. The more she thought about it - how she was standing up to Chao-Xing; how she was confronting her fear - Lacey began to feel more and more encouraged; more like she could do it! As she grew closer to the ring, it just seemed more and more possible that she really could make that miracle happen! With a smile on her face, she reached out and took hold of the steel steps, going to pull herself up higher, onto one step and then the next...

Except it was right then that Chao-Xing decided to strike. So caught up in her own inner monologue, Lacey had almost forgotten about where Chao-Xing was, and what she was doing. But it wasn't long before she made her presence known - hard. Just then, her foot whipped around, slamming right into the back of Lacey's neck. It landed with a loud crack; that impact alone sent a searing pain shooting down her spine. But Lacey didn't even have a moment to contemplate what she felt before her head was flung straight down - right into the steel steps!

"...AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGH!!!"

The sound of her screams was mixed with a loud, metallic CLANG that echoed up to the ceiling. Almost immediately, the boos grew deafening; a few candy wrappers and empty soda cans were hurled in Chao-Xing's direction. But Lacey barely noticed any of that. Everything hurt. Her ears were ringing; her head felt like it was splitting open! She sobbed and cried out in pain as she went rolling off of the steps, clutching at her face and kicking her legs in the air as blood ran from in between her fingers. Around her, the world spun and blurred into a numbing haze. She couldn't even focus on the hope of salvation any more. All Lacey knew was pain.

[ReticentCone]

Had any one element of Chao-Xing's move been present by itself, it'd be extremely excessive. That they all came together, a kick to the back of the neck sending her face first into steel steps, was utterly maniacal. Just the way the Crimson Lotus liked it. She never went easy on her opponents, as a matter of course, she would do whatever it took to win, whenever. As long as it fit within the letter of the rules. In this case though, winning was only a secondary goal, the maiden of macau's primary goal was to leave a mark on Lacey, the more literal the better. There were no rules that stopped her from using the steps like this against her foe, so why not do it. The spirit of the rules? She couldn't care less. This was a standard match, not a hardcore match, sure the fans didn't show up here for even a fraction of this brutality. But now they'd know better than that when Chao-Xing was on the card, any match with her could get bloody at any moment, that was what made her the Crimson Lotus.

The boos & pelting her with garbage that the fans engaged in didn't stop Lacey from writhing on the floor, her crying her eyes out as she covered her face, with her blood running between her fingers. The pretty little barbie wouldn't ever be the same after this. Her face could heal or be repaired, but the trauma would linger. Her own finisher, used to do this to her, even if her career went on, she'd always remember that.

"FIVE!"

The referees count out continued. At this point, Chao-Xing could probably just head into the ring. If Lacey had any sense, she wouldn't dare follow after her, she'd just settle with her count out finish & already be outside the ring to receive the medical assistance she needed. But another count to five was quite a while, even if the referee picked up the pace. Which also mean't that The Crimson Lotus could use the woman's utter helplessness to even do worse to her & still have time to get back in the ring. Lacey's spine had gotten of comparatively well, compared to her face, so it made some sense too equalize that.

By the time five had been counted, Chao-Xing was. Well on her way to grab Lacey up from the floor by her hair, making sure to jerk her neck around as she did, pulling her some distance from the steel steps. Next, she'd pull her up to her feet & wrap an arm around her neck. As soon as she had a free hand, she used it to punch Lacey in the side. It wasn't her hardest punch, it was out of petty disdain and a desire to keep her compliant.

"SIX!"

That same hand would then be used to l help lift Lacey up, in a stalling suplex position. The boos were only getting more intense & Chao-xing smirked thinking about how much worse they were about to become. She wanted first for Lacey to get a good idea of the position of the top of the steep steps relative to herself, which was something the Maiden of Macau picked with percesion.

"SEVEN!"

Just as the seventh count hit, Chao-xing turned 180 degrees with Lacey suspended. If it wasn't already clear what she inteded to do, now it certainly was. Lacey Whitman was perfectly position so that if The Crimson Lotus were to complete the suplex, it'd send her falling lumbar section of her spine crashing into the end of the steps. If she already disfigured this barbie, here is where she break her for good. The crowds boos were now at their height of desperattion & ferneticism, mixed in she could pick out a few premature, but ultimately reasonable, screams. Perhaps from friends, or family? Lacey's fall, the Maiden of Macau had already decided, would come at the unlucky number eight.

[CaptainL]

The moment Lacey's head came down against the steel steps, the moment that resounding THUNK rang out, the green-haired girl's entire world fell away into a blaring hum of static. She could barely even make out the boos of the fans any more, no matter how loudly they were calling for everything short of Chao-Xing's head. To her, there was only the droning hum and the throbbing sensation that pulsated through her temples. She was dizzy - everything around her seemed to be in motion; the ground tilted this way and that. Thinking too hard made her head hurt even more than it already did. Still clutching at her bleeding face with one hand - she couldn't tell what shape it was in when everything was numb, but she could feel one eye swollen shut, and the gash that split down the middle of her forehead - she used her other hand to paw and grope around blindly at the floor around her, as though trying to find her balance. Everything hurt. Her stomach churned. She just wanted everything to stop, and for everything to go back to normal.

And that was a luxury that Zhu Chao-Xing had no intentions of affording her. Dazed as she was, Lacey wasn't capable of paying enough attention to her surroundings to know that the Chinese woman was coming up behind her. She barely even knew where she herself was. But when Chao-Xing grabbed at her hair, everything froze - and at once, Lacey was thrown back into the cold, stark reality of where she was. She wasn't safe yet. And things could only get worse from here.

Lacey could do little more than let out a mewling yelp as Chao-Xing dragged her up from the ground. She was too dizzy to know up from down. But the motion with which she was forced to rise threw her situation into context - horrible, horrible context. When she looked down beneath her, she could see how she was suspended above the steel steps, which had never seemed further away. Lacey didn't know if she could handle another blow to any part of her body - let alone her vulnerable spine. If this hit, it would almost certainly take her out of action. Perhaps even for good. Even in the fog she was lost in, the thought of having her spine shattered in one fell swoop was enough to stir an undeniable fear out of the back of Lacey's mind, a fear that chilled her to the bone. This was it, she thought - if this hit, it was all over. But could she even fight back, at this point? She gulped, gritting her teeth at the thought that her only choice was to take it head-on...

...But then, at the last minute, another thought came to her. It came through so loud and clear, despite the daze she was in, that she could've mistaken it for a miracle. But she realized, then, that not all hope was lost. She was a gymnast, after all. She knew a thing or two about how to roll and how to descend from great heights. And she could see an opportunity, right here and now, even in the face of despair! It was her only shot!

Just then, Lacey tucked her legs in, bringing her knees against her chest. Her ears would only ring louder and louder as she leaned her head inward - but she knew what she had to do! She would turn all her weight forward to tip Chao-Xing off her balance point, and hopefully bring her down - at the very least, she needed to roll into the ring!

[ReticentCone]

Chao-Xing had went into this match with every intention of making a statement that would reverberate throughout the rest of her career. To make it difficult to see her anywhere, in person, on television or on merchandise, without having at least a vague recognition of who she was and what she did.

That was something very difficult to do, with a random exhibition match so early into one's career in LAW. So if that match didn't mean anything in of itself, she'd make it mean something with what she did in it. Hence her absolute focus on only on beating, but destroying Lacey Whitman. Far beyond what was necessary to win, or even send a message to her. The girl wasn't that important, everyone else watching, was.

Of course, having made that choice, it followed that the more she hurt the girl, the better. Beating her up in the ring was great, but outside was where to she could do real damage. Lacey no doubt felt that in her bloody broken face. Yet Chao-Xing wanted more, because she could do more & in her mind, needed to do much. Which was why she'd lifted her up, aiming to suplex her to the cold sharp edge of steel steps.

The Crimson Lotus' was aiming to do no less then break Lacey's back, then re-enter the ring with only a few seconds to spare to win the match by count-out. She was so convinced that it was a foregone conclusion to the match, she held the young woman up for longer than she needed to, so she & everyone in the arena would know for certain what was coming. Perhaps she thought, it'd even be enough for the referee to call of the match, not that she wouldn't just fall back regardless This would be Chao-Xing's undoing.

EIGHT!

Suddenly, just before she was about to drop backwards to seal Lacey's fate, she'd suddenly find herself losing her balance, falling forwar The petulant young girl was saving herself & Chao-Xing's failure to just do what needed to be done rather than show off was costing her. Her reaction time was only fast enough to interpret what was happening, but not do anything about it, as Lacey managed to spike the top Chao-Xing's on the thinly padded concrete.

NINE!

If pin was valid out her, Lacey might have taken the match that way, but she wouldn't need to. The Crimson Lotus would remain laid out on the outside of the ring as the countout reached...

[CaptainL]

If Lacey didn't do something now, it would all be over. This match, and quite possibly even her career. The world around her was spinning; her movements had grown slow and everything was blurry. It felt like she was swimming through the air, fighting against a current. But she still knew that, as much. She knew that she was facing certain doom in the face. Chao-Xing had already shown her she was capable of truly terrifying things. Her body was battered and broken, and in no shape to keep going - if she came down now, onto the hard floor, she wouldn't have a chance to bounce back from this.

But then, a glimmer of hope came back to her, shining through the darkness, right when Lacey needed it most. There was still time. She still had a chance. She heard the count of the referee growing higher and higher, and then it all hit her. Was it risky? Yes. But the alternative was even worse. If she stayed where she was, she would've lost, and quite possibly ended up paralyzed - or worse. But if she did make her move? It wasn't guaranteed, but it was still a chance. And it was a chance she had to take.

Just then, with the last of her strength, Lacey tucked in and rolled. She managed to break free of Chao-Xing's grip, taking the Chinese woman backward with her - and knocking her head against the turnbuckles, causing her to fall off the apron! As she fell to the floor below, Lacey dropped down into the ring, where the whole arena broke out into cheers. At the very last minute, at the exact second it seemed like all was lost...Lacey had made the save! And now, Chao-Xing was the one in trouble, still outside the ring and with the referee counting! Surely, by this point, it was too late for her to do anything!

"TEN!!!"

And with that, it was confirmed! The bell rang! Lacey was safe - and Chao-Xing was disqualified by way of ring out! All the fans who had supported Lacey, who had rooted for her against the odds, who had booed and cried when Chao-Xing brutalized her - they had now been vindicated by an almost-too-perfect stroke of luck!

Back in the ring, Lacey's head was spinning. Even after she'd fallen, she didn't move for a couple of seconds - she felt too heavy and too stiff. Slowly, she began to rise to her hands and knees, but the whole world seemed like it was teetering back and forth around her. Her skin flared with heat. With one hand, she reached up to rub at her face, which had gone numb, bruised, with one eye swollen shut. Her shoulders heaved up and down with ragged gasps. She coughed a few times, spitting out blood onto the canvas, and was that a tooth? She cringed a little to think of it...but she also knew, deep in her heart, that she had made it.

"Here is your winner, by way of disqualification - LACEEEEY WHITMAN!!"

When the referee stepped over to lift Lacey's arm, she couldn't stand. She tried to rise at the ref girl's side, but her footing gave out a moment later and she dropped to her knees, causing a few fans to gasp and groan in sympathy for her. All she could do was pant a few times, but then, a weak voice came up from her nonetheless as she turned to the official. "Thank you..."