Raya sat on a bench backstage, her hands behind her head as she relaxed. She wasn’t sure who her next opponent should be, but had recently started putting more effort into her training regimen after a series of humiliating losses. Surely today would be the perfect time to redeem herself in the eyes of law, although she had told herself that plenty of times and they all ended up the same, with her defeated and begging her opponents to spare her. This time, she vowed most importantly of all to have her dignity remain intact, even if she lost she would not degrade herself as she had done time and time again. Spoiler
More importantly though, her time at law had quickly come to a screeching halt. The times of her believing she would rocket up through the ranks had long since passed, she was no longer under any illusions, Raya knew her rise would not be meteoric, but slow and methodic. Her newfound discipline in training had been part of her new plan, and it would start with her crushing whoever tonight’s opponent was.
Of course, she did not feel the pressure she did during her first few matches, a loss here would be no big deal as she would be in the same place she was right now: Rock bottom. A part of her thought that this lack of healthy fear might lead to an apathetic state of mind which might backfire on her, but she quickly brushed it away.
When the time came, Raya made her way into the arena and walked to the ring with an air of composure. She had once before broken her refusal to interact with the fans by taunting them and celebrating cockily in the middle of a match, but it had cost her greatly and so in the aftermath she’d vowed to never again make such an embarassing mistake, and so she made sure to ignore everything around her and remain laser focused on the ring, and when she finally entered, she’d lay back lazily on the ropes, waiting for whoever her opponent was to show up so they could get things started.
Raya Ashberry. Canadian. About thirty pounds heavier, two inches taller. Nothing approaching insurmountable. But then, even if she were a heavyweight, the Egyptian wouldn't consider her too steep a challenge. Nothing would be. Absolutely nothing. Because nothing would be allowed to stand between her and her ultimate ambition.
There is nothing less than the smoldering drive to push forward and dismantle opposition. Everything else is just... details.
Nefret passed the intel aside to Aneksi, and the mousy assistant politely dipped her head before excusing herself from the dressing room. Nefret always preferred the silence before a match; it was her time to focus. Her time to ensure everything was in its proper place. The time to make sure she's looking exactly as she should in the mirror, with her scant golden wrestling gear revealing her athletic physique perfectly.
And just as it had before, a knock on the door heralds her match. It's time to make new believers in the audience...
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The arena lights dim out into darkness, leaving only a series of flickering phone camera lights. The massive screens then come alive with with
, flooding the arena with ominous vocals and a heavy drumbeat to begin. Vivid yellow laserlights dance along the walkway connecting the stage to the ring.
When the music starts properly, the curtains are drawn back by a pair of stagehands to create a wide opening. Four shendyt-wearing men, their faces obscured with wraps, emerge from the shadows carrying a gilded lectica in procession. Lofted upon the plush purple cushions reclined the sorceress, herself; languid and regal, a confident smirk tugging the corner of her lips with her gaze trained steadily upon Raya up ahead. A tall, muscular dark-skinned man in a suit and tie brings up the rear, his expression firmly set in frown.
"And her opponent!"
"Standing at a height of 5'8", and weighing in at 136 lbs.!"
"From the umbral realm of the Duat!"
"The sorceress! The Great Shadow!"
"NEEEFREEEETIRIIII!"
She never gets tired of hearing that. And now that she's hearing it in a new setup, with a different language, it's all the more thrilling. Not that this is shown no her face, no. She's dedicated to the image of aloof superiority, pleased only by the anticipation of subjugating a new rival. Of proving her superiority.
As the lectica is brought alongside the ring, Nefretiri reaches up to grasp the middle rope. Her bare feet transfer to the edge of the ring, and with a single pull, she smoothly draws herself up to her full height. One long, toned leg weaves between the ropes, then the other joins on the mat, bringing herself delicately across the barrier to stand in the ring proper.
She steps to the center of the ring and suddenly throws her arms wide, a wicked smile playing on her otherwise pretty face. Almond eyes finally sweep over the audience as she turns a slow circle, presenting herself to them and welcoming in their enthusiastic cheer. And that cheer is enthusiastic. Raya and Nefretiri are a pair of physical specimens, visually arresting when occupying the same ring - both sleek-bodied and toned, both wearing what essentially comes down to wrestling bikinis without shame or shyness.
The difference is the level of apparent confidence. Raya has taken a more relaxed, maybe even subdued posture. Nefretiri radiates with it, practically shining in the center ring.
At last, her arms lower to her sides and she turns to face the other girl. Her gaze dips to her boots, and slowly sweeps up to her face again, taking in every details, every ridge of muscletone, every curve of her figure, before finally landing at her face again.
"I'm going to enjoy breaking you," she says finally in English, her voice rich with Middle Eastern accent. "How long will you survive tonight?"
As Raya waited, completely relaxed on the ropes, the lights suddenly dimmed out, the music started playing, things she had gotten used to, but then her eyes fixated on her opponent's entrance as the woman was carried in like royalty.
"What the hell..?" Raya muttered, she couldn't help but let out a wide grin as she fixated on the show before her. She had seen a few self-indulgent entrances, but nothing quite on the level as this woman, and she had to give her props for that at the very least. She waited and watched as her opponent got in the ring at last, stepping to the center with her arms wide, clearly putting on a show, before turning to speak to Raya.
"I gotta admit, that entrance was superb. 10/10, no notes." She says in response with a slow clap as she finally gets off the ropes and steps towards her foe, facing off against her in the middle of the ring. "Unfortunately, your words, uh, leave a bit to be desired in comparison, to be honest. I mean seriously, do you know how many wrestlers ever have claimed they're gonna "break someone"? It's pretty lame at this point."
After cracking her knuckles threateningly, she'd continue in an unusually rambling manner, perhaps a way to unconsciously cover up the slightest bit of intimidation put into her by that whole spectacle.
"I don't know you and I honestly don't care, just some nobody with an ego thinking you're gonna take over. Well here's a newsflash: everyone thinks that, and what happens is that someone's gonna bring you down a peg here at law, and sadly for you its turned out to be me, so expect no mercy even though you got a pretty face."
Afterwards, Raya would walk towards her corner waiting for the match to start, and when it did she'd immediately offer up her arms in a lock up for the usual test of strength she'd gotten used to, confident she would put this woman in her place.
