Tigers! In! Space! Bengal VS. Project Cosmolux

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal let go of Cosmo’s wrists, watching with a smirk as her opponent attempted vainly to cover her all-too-human face with the shredded remnants of her mask. The young woman’s purple lipstick had blended together with the blood trickling from her nose, forming a dull brown crust that made her look as if she’d been eating mud.

“That’s disappointing,” the Tiger sighed, pushing the other woman onto her side with the toe of her boot. “All that buildup, and you’re just some alien cosplayer? I was expecting a few tentacles, or something…what a letdown!”

Her gaze fell on Cosmo’s quavering lip, and the tears swelling in those bright green eyes, now plainly visible through the lenses she’d shattered with her knee strikes. “Ugh, please don’t tell me you’re gonna start crying,” she griped, her nose wrinkling with disgust. “I liked you better when you were just talking nonsense. Then again…” She bent down behind her opponent as she spoke, nestling close against her. “...Maybe you shouldn’t talk at all!”

With that, Bengal hooked her fingers into the eyeholes of the mask and began pulling in opposite directions, attempting to rip the visor in half. If she succeeded, she’d stuff the larger of the two pieces into the other woman’s mouth, gagging her with her own costume! Once this humiliation was complete, the Tiger would apply her infamous Terror’s Clasp submission, securing Cosmo’s arm behind her shoulder, then wrenching on her trapped head until her spine was strained to its breaking point. The sweat-soaked fabric pressing down on Melody’s tongue would make a verbal submission impossible, leaving her with no choice but to tap, tap, TAP!

Terror's Clasp

[SweetHeart]

RRRIIIP!

The sound of tearing plastic and reinforced fabric was sickeningly loud in Cosmo's ears, before the piece of her torn visor was suddenly crammed into her mouth. The taste of plastic, and sweat filled her senses. Before she could even process the gag, Bengal wrenched up and the Terror's Clasp was locked in, and agony exploded through Cosmo's shoulder and neck. A strangled, wet gurgle was all she could manage past the plastic in her mouth.

The pain was immediate and overwhelming. Her free hand, the one not trapped in the brutal hold, flew to the mat in a frantic, desperate drumming.

TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP!

The referee would call for the bell, and the referee would then order her to let her go! Once she did, the moment the pressure released, Cosmo convulsed forward, coughing and retching, the torn mask fragment falling from her lips with a wet clatter onto the mat. She didn't look at Bengal. She didn't look at the crowd. Scrambling on all fours, she lunged for the ropes, tumbled through them, and collapsed in a heap on the outside floor.

Her hands, shaking uncontrollably, immediately flew to her face, clutching at the remaining tatters of her mask and pulling her hood lower, trying to cover every exposed inch of skin as she curled into a tight, trembling ball. Broken sobs hitched in her chest, audible even over the fading boos of the crowd, the humiliated girl hiding in the shadow of the ring.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

“You know, I think I get your gimmick now,” Bengal called out to Cosmolux, putting her hand to her lips to be heard over the growing chorus of boos. “If I looked like that, I’d wear a mask too!” She vaulted over the ropes and dropped to the floor, standing imperiously over her defeated opponent. The fallen fighter was lying curled up on the concrete like a dying bug, frantically trying to hide behind her hands. Perhaps she was hoping that her tormentor would disappear if she couldn’t see her.

No such luck. Bengal grabbed Cosmo by the front of her outfit and pulled her onto her knees, then wrenched her fingers away from her face, exposing her tear-streaked cheeks. Grasping onto the other woman’s wrists, she began dragging her steadily toward the barricade, hoping to complete her humiliation by revealing her identity to the entire crowd. “C’mon, Cosmo! Don’t be shy,” she shouted encouragingly, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Time to meet your fellow ‘Earthlins’!”

Unfortunately for Bengal, she soon realized that she’d misjudged the situation. She’d expected the fans to jeer Cosmo after seeing her true face, but she’d underestimated the popular support for the alien girl. Instead of mocking the young woman, the crowd rallied in support of her, surging toward the steel barrier to shove the Tiger away. One especially generous lady handed Cosmo a scarf to wrap around her face, while a couple of broad-shouldered men climbed over the barricade to shield her from Bengal’s view.

Sensing a potential riot brewing, security came rushing in to separate the fans from the wrestlers. The match ended in a confused scrum, while the staff struggled to herd the unruly mob back into the stands so the next event could begin. The announcer’s voice rang out over the fray: “Ladies and gentlemen, here’s your winner…THE BLAZE TIGER! BENGAL!”

The result was official, yet there was no referee to raise Bengal’s arm in victory. The Indian fighter had slipped away in the chaos, and was already headed backstage. She was clutching the mangled remains of Cosmo’s mask tight in one hand, like some grisly hunter’s trophy. Stealing clothing from one’s opponents was a blatant violation of LAW rules, but the Tiger wasn’t concerned. If she ever wants it back, she knows where to find me…

Winner by Submission: Bengal