New Road, New Stakes - Fran vs Shion (D)

[3ho]

Alex was right.

Fran needed more villains to oppose to build her brand. Good versus evil was an easy concept to understand and wrestling, thankfully, had that in spades with Faces against Heels. So far she hadn't faced a fully-fledged heel, just wrestlers that she faced weren't strictly booked as heels. Although she might argue the particulars on that, but it did come down to fan perspective so fair in the point department.

However, this next match would soon change that.

A brand new wrestler to the league and penciled in as a heel. It was the perfect match. A chance for Fran to grandstand and claim, "Your kind isn't welcomed here!" but presented more in a way against the type of person rather than the person herself. Although maybe it would be a "Cheaters never prosper" message? "Scum and villainy is kept in check by the likes of me." No, that sounded too super-hero-y.

"Miss Douglas, you're on in five!"

The attendant announced, finally removing his gaze from his wristwatch. Poor guy had his first day here likely, as Fran watched him sweat every detail. There was a bit of work involved with Fran's pregame that she certainly didn't help with. A water here, fetch her bag there, etc. A little of her Primadonna was coming out today but hey, she liked to torment the cuter assistants with that.

Fran rose out of her seat and turned. "Great!" She said walking towards the door but not before giving the assistant's hand a squeeze as she passed. "Thanks for all the help today~" She met his stunned gaze, frozen as if he was tongue-tied. She didn't let him wallow in that introverted stupor for long, winking before releasing his hand and walking out. He'd be telling his friends that later, for sure, wondering if he ever had a shot if he just happened to say the right things. Maybe, but Fran always thought it depended on what they brought.

Intro Music

Yeah turn it up!
Yeah turn it up!
Yeah turn it up!

Ah, she loved that song.

As dated as it was for her show, it certainly had a timeless quality to it. Meme-able, memorable, and instantly recognizable that it should be the jaw dropping moment when it plays on her sudden appearance to a scene she didn't belong to.

Wrestling Attire

Emerging onto the ramp, Fran gave an immaculate air as she walked down towards the ring. Her start had certainly caused waves but now she needed a win so whoever her opponent was, she needed to put away. Today, Fran leapt up onto the apron and leaned against it as gave the cheering audience a glance, smiling before she slipped in.

Ready or not, Fran's victory was today!

[Unrelated]

The moment was approaching, with a weight and energy that threatened to crush the unready.

So much more than "like the indie circuit except bigger," in the same way that the indies were more than wrestling for cameras in a rented warehouse. The anticipation of a fight, the sounds of a real crowd rushing over the constant murmur of the backstage efforts that make all the production value possible. Echoes rolling through the little tunnel toward the stage like waves with a resistance of their own.

Waves that washed over Shion, waiting, taking a deep breath with her eyes closed, her fists clenching and relaxing. The creaking of her leather gloves lost in the current, but still felt as the leather scrunched against her palms and stretched over her knuckles. The fact that her opponent was some American actor-turned-wrestler meant little to her one way or the other. Wouldn't be the first time she faced some model with minimal experience in a ring.

Why was she thinking about all of this?

...For all the noise, it was too damn quiet.

Entrance Music

Finally. The first harsh notes hadn't even finished, but Shion's head was raised, eyes open, mouth cracking a cocky grin. Her coat swung as she sprung to motion, taking bold steps into the light.

WITH A MAIDEN LAUNCH
A COLLISION COURSE IS SET
RIDE TO DESTINY

The crowd may as well have not existed in Shion's perspective, intensely focused as she was on her opponent while she advanced down the ramp without slowing. She smoothly shrugged off her coat, to be left at the apron as she pulled herself between the top and middle ropes.

Wrestling Attire

"Oiii, California," she called out at her opponent in surprisingly fluent English, "you ready to make some noise tonight?! Let's fucking do it!"

Win or lose, she was here to ride hard, wherever the road may lead.

[3ho]

Everyone had a gimmick.

Fran had her former stardom and vampire slayer thing going. It was recognizable, western, but not too over the top. Her outfit meshed between a corset out of a vampire setting mixed with the 90s and 80s all in a veneer of California paint with the bell bottom hippie look. It sounded like a lot but it really wasn't. For most people, their brain could pick up on it.

That should be the case for everyone because it made sense. Yet for her opponent tonight, Fran wasn't sure what was going on. The music sounded like a rift from the classic Misirlou song. Not everyone knew that song's name, but they definitely heard the song linked with a surfer vibe. That gave Fran an idea to maybe have an alternate sometime where she leaned more into the California theme for herself, but that aside, her opponent.

She appeared in some coat with all kinds of Japanese writing, an armband, and colors. Sadly, reading Japanese wasn't something she could count herself blessed with but the distance anyway made it impossible anyway. There was a lot of color but what was the gimmick? Fran wasn't familiar and again, skill issue on her part as this probably had something to do with some subculture in Japan, like Fran's California thing.

The blonde lounged in her corner and watched until her opponent, rather animated, spoke to her in English. Surprising but Fran could tell there was ancestry outside of Japan, perhaps?

"Wow, you are animated." Fran said, stepping forward. "What's your thing, though?", she asked but realized she needed to clarify as she approached the center of the ring. "Your gimmick because the outfit is colorful but I'm not getting a theme. Fran slays the colorful girl doesn't quite have a ring to it."

Fran mused at the idea just as the bell rang.

DING DING DING!

"Tell you what. You can tell me what it is when I get done pinning you." Fran stepped forward, lunging to try and tie up her opponent in a standard lock-up!

[Unrelated]

This gal seemed out of place even with herself. Gothic corset, loose pants, blonde hair in a messy bun... did she roll out of bed and go straight to picking things at random from the wardrobe for her look? Not to mention a name straight out of the 1950s. Fran. One wondered if her middle name was something like Ethel or Gertrude.

Shion made one last adjusting tug on her gloves, thinking the blonde may just be clueless... until she opened her mouth and removed all doubt. The cute naivety put the grin back on her face, her impatience for the start of the match boiling over.

"My thing? It's-" she started in English, interrupted by the ringing of the bell. Shion suddenly arched her back, shouting out in Japanese as that fired up intensity burst forth.

"BRING ON THE FIGHT!"

Shion sprang forward, body shifting low as she got close. That flavor of smugness from the blonde spoke plenty, having all the energy of someone who runs their mouth freely because it's never been punched before. Rather than meet the grapple, Shion aimed to slip under Fran's arms and roughly shoulder-check the blonde, while keeping the momentum to drive her back and follow with a cheap elbow to the midsection!