The Sparkling Premiere - Judith Lanster(D) vs. Laxia von Roswell

[Letta]

Match Type: Standard.
Victory Conditions: Pinfall, Submission or Knockout.

Continued from here...


Ever since their little backstage spectacle, Laxia had been counting down the days until she could put that conceited actress in her place. Every visit to the communal locker room made the wait a little less bearable. She would undo a few buttons, only for the door to swing open and send her scrambling to fasten them again. More than once, she had been left stranded halfway through changing, clutching her clothes against herself while the other wrestlers finished their interminable conversations and finally saw fit to leave. Then there was the business of finding space for her belongings on benches cluttered with other people’s things, not to mention the constant coming and going that made even a moment’s peace an unreasonable request. In the end, she simply had to wait for the room to empty before she could change in comfort. A lady of her standing could hardly be expected to undress in front of just anyone!

With every fresh indignity, the same face inevitably came to mind. While Laxia stood there clutching her clothes, that actress would be lounging in the VIP facilities. Enjoying all that space, all that privacy, as though such luxuries were her unquestionable birthright. Probably wearing that insufferable smile, too. The thought alone tightened Laxia’s grip on the fabric. Why should that woman be monopolizing the treatment she herself deserved?

Judith...!!

Their confrontation had attracted attention almost immediately. Hardly surprising, considering how enthusiastically the reporters had latched onto it. It hadn’t taken long to get the match booked, either. The problem was that the date itself had been set considerably farther off than Laxia would have liked. Surely they weren’t making her wait for some terribly important film shoot. Or a red-carpet appearance. Or a magazine cover. If any of those were the reason, she would find it especially difficult to be forgiving. She had no idea what had actually dictated the schedule, but every possibility she entertained added another item to the actress’s growing list of offenses.

Of course, she hadn’t spent the intervening time merely nursing her resentment. Laxia had faced different opponents in a variety of matches, steadily accumulating experience inside the ring. She was beginning to spot movements she once would have missed, and when things went wrong, she found it a little easier to keep her composure and consider her next move. Actual competition had a way of teaching its lessons, whether she appreciated the delivery or not. Remembering those improvements made the wait rather more tolerable. Here she was gaining experience, while that actress had yet to wrestle her very first match. As if she stood much of a chance against me before. The gap must be even wider now... The thought brought a satisfied curl to Laxia’s lips. Not that she intended to show any mercy on that account. Had the match been scheduled a little sooner, it might have served as both women’s debut. Instead, while Judith continued waiting for her in-ring debut, Laxia had received another booking. And then another. Now, which of them had been so fond of talking about marketability and star power? It seems perfectly clear which of us is actually in demand here~~... Viewed in that light, the long wait didn’t seem quite so objectionable. She rather looked forward to finding an opportunity to point that out to Judith in person. Granted, her record still contained more losses than victories. She preferred not to linger over that particular piece of bookkeeping. Instead, she remembered the voices calling her name during her previous matches. More people were recognizing her. More fans were cheering her on. There would be plenty of time to improve her record.

Lindsey Stirling - Shadows

And at last, the day arrived. The entrance stage lit up, her familiar theme spilling through the arena speakers. Laxia emerged to the music and paused at center stage, placing one hand on her hip and lifting her chin as she presented herself to the crowd.

Laxia

A roar greeted her. Cheers and whistles cut through the music. Hands and signs rose throughout the stands. Laxia remained where she was for a moment, surveying the spectacle before a thoroughly satisfied smile spread across her face. All this, just for my entrance... She couldn’t remember ever walking out to a louder crowd. Her shoulders drew back a little farther, her chin rising another fraction as she basked in the reception. She was still a rookie herself, of course. Even so, the thought of someone about to step into the ring for her very first match inspired an unexpected flicker of sympathy. I do hope she isn’t too intimidated by all this cheering for me~~ But what could be done? Reality could be terribly unaccommodating. Surely the actress hadn’t imagined that being a movie star would take care of everything here as well? If so, tonight promised to be quite the wake-up call.

It was in this pleasantly charitable mood that Laxia started toward the ramp, her attention drawn to a sign held high by one of the spectators. Someone had drawn her as an anime character. The features were exaggerated, but there was no mistaking the care that had gone into it. She offered its owner a small smile and a delicate wave of her fingers. Japan, of course. Feeling rather indulgent now, she let her gaze wander across the surrounding seats. ...Wait. What was that..? A familiar face stared back at her from a few rows over. A glossy movie poster. A dazzling smile. She certainly didn’t need a second look to identify its owner. Judith. And there she was again, a little to the side. And farther back. Some spectators were holding her movie posters; others had brought photographs. There were even anime-style drawings of Judith, just like the one Laxia had spotted of herself. Having noticed the first, she suddenly found it rather difficult to stop noticing the rest. Her smile stiffened.

She fought back a scowl and looked ahead again, affecting an air of perfect indifference. Laxia dismissed them as movie fans attending their first wrestling show merely for a chance to glimpse that actress. The posters they were holding only made her more certain. There was no reason to let the tastes of a few celebrity sightseers trouble her. Laxia lifted her chin again. Farther back in the stands and up in the upper tiers, more signs bearing red-haired figures bobbed above the crowd. She couldn’t make out the faces or lettering from here, but reassured herself that those, at least, were all for her. With that comfortably settled in her mind, she saw no reason to inspect every last one. Instead, she quickened her pace toward the ring. At the steel steps, Laxia slowed once more. She climbed with light, measured steps and stepped onto the apron before gently easing the ropes apart. Turning sideways, she bent gracefully at the waist and slipped between them. Her movements were unhurried once again, elegant and just a little teasing, giving the audience ample time to appreciate them. She then made her way to the nearest corner and climbed up, steadying herself with the ropes. After letting her gaze sweep leisurely across the stands, she placed one hand over her heart and bowed, acknowledging the crowd with all the practiced poise of a noblewoman receiving her guests.

The cheering swelled again. Laxia straightened with a smile. This time, the expression came rather more easily. Instead of immediately descending, she lingered atop the corner for another moment. Yes. She was the one standing in the ring right now. Only after thoroughly savoring the reception did Laxia step gracefully back down. She rolled her shoulders and flexed her wrists, steadying her breathing as the smile she had offered the audience gradually faded. Her eyes narrowed, fixing on the entrance stage. All that remained was for that ostentatious starlet to make her entrance.

[killcarrion]

Somewhere within her subconscious, Judith had the nagging suspicion someone out there was bearing some manner of deep seated grudge against her...At least this was the somewhat reoccurring thought whenever she found herself indulging in the luxurious accommodations of her executive suite locker-room, a private facility brimming with opulence and immaculate cleanliness. A nonchalant shrug of her shoulders dismissing those thoughts regardless as she allowed the soothing waters of the bubbled jacuzzi to transport her into a blissful state of sublime relaxation~...the starlet ended up spending extra time here than she anticipated given the peaceable state of mind she could attain thanks to the seclusion and appreciated separation from the hectic hustle and bustle of her everyday life. Movie shoots taking up soooooo much of her precious time these days, especially with rewrites and pretentious directors incapable of knowing what they even wanted from a specific scene. Not to mention those labyrinthine press junkets were a whirlwind of appointments and congenial banter with interwoven gotcha questions Judith slipped passed and evaded as any professional should. Compounded with certain late night escapades tacked on alongside her fledgling wrestling career tossed into the mix, and one can imagine why Judith embraced any locale where she could achieve peace of mind~...

Thankfully LAW knew what they were signing up for when they officially hired a contracted A-list celebrity to their roster, and were graciously accommodating when it came to her demanding work schedule and postponed her official debut for several weeks. Ensuring the actress that her adversary had no qualms whatsoever with the delays either...although in actuality the LAW staff merely shoved Laxia down the scheduling totem pole, never seeking her opinion whatsoever and saddling her with other matches in the meantime. With the extra time, Judith dove into her own wrestling training headfirst and with the same gusto she'd tackle any of her acting gigs. Embracing the role with intensified vigor, perpetual scrutiny of her performance, and the occasional reminder that she couldn't request a stunt double whenever the physicality started becoming a little overbearing. Trainers really putting her through the wringer on this role...but eventually certain natural instincts started taking over. Judith taking her licks, burning herself out through the pain, and really putting the work in until her coaches deemed her fit to square off against her debut opponent...er, who was it again? The sparkling starlet earnestly needing to read through the script before being reminded of the name of the fancy pants noblewoman she'd confronted in the LAW lobby what seemed like...ages ago. *Oh right...her...*

______

Judith's Entrance

Unbeknownst to Laxia, the millisecond that the noblewoman stepped off the entrance ramp, scrambled personnel committed themselves towards unfurling a luxurious red carpet stretched down the entrance ramp. Militarist precision also accomplished the task of setting the stands for velvet rope, an obvious showcasing of favoritism towards the entrance ceremony of her forthcoming adversary. Several audience members bearing signs brandishing Laxia's likeness flipping them around to reveal Judith's portrait instead once the

of the

played through the speakers. Soaring screams and cacophonous adulation dwarfing the reaction towards Laxia's entrance once the blackened curtains parted for Judith's commanding strut down the red carpet. Accompanied by a crew of photographers capturing ever poised step taken by the starlet wearing the latest in designer wrestling fashion along with Versace sunglasses. Sparkled camera flashes twinkled from cellphone cameras throughout the audience as well as Judith sauntered towards ringside, hipful sashays taken as she stepped up steel steps and climbed towards the top turnbuckle. Judith tilting down her sunglasses before dramatically snatching them off with a shimmering smile and blown kisses towards her fans, an explosion of pyrotechnics alongside the entrance ramp completing the theatrical package as she hopped inside the ring. Offering her sunglasses and jacket towards her personnel, make-up artists and various handlers at ringside before she approached the middle of the ring to converse with...

"Princess Pantaloons~...How has life been treating you since we last met? You're looking as...snobbish and uptight as ever, it seems. I trust you haven't forgotten about our little wager, ya know. Putting the VIP suite up for grabs and everything. But hey, even if you lose, my offer still stands. Just say the word and I'll have you hired as a background extra in any one of my movies. We could use more bit players making the actual stars shine brighter, ya know?~..."

[Letta]

Even after the entrance stage sank into shadow, Laxia’s gaze remained fixed on the curtains, as though sheer indignation might persuade them to part sooner. Arms folded, one foot tapping impatiently against the canvas, she waited for Hollywood’s darling to finally deign to appear. Surely the illustrious actress could spare a few minutes for the wrestling match attached to her grand entrance. Yet the opening notes of Judith’s theme suggested the evening was straying from Laxia’s preferred script. The black curtains parted, revealing that infuriating vixen beneath the brilliant lights, sunglasses in place as though she had simply stepped from one premiere into another. With the unhurried confidence of a woman who considered keeping everyone waiting part of the performance, Judith stepped leisurely onto the red carpet...

...Wait.

Carpet?

Laxia blinked, her arms still folded. A red carpet. There it was, stretching the length of the very ramp she had walked down only moments earlier. Stanchions lined either side at perfectly measured intervals, linked by plush velvet ropes hanging in neat, even curves. The whole arrangement looked so meticulously prepared that it might have been there all evening.

When...?

Had they staged all this in the time it took her to enter the ring and acknowledge the crowd? Laxia glanced between the stage and the ramp. Apparently, someone had changed the entire set while her back was turned. Surely this was a prank. Any moment now, someone would emerge to explain that the lavish production was an elaborate joke at her expense. Otherwise, how was she supposed to account for it? Then the crowd erupted, making her shoulders twitch involuntarily.

Screams and cheers surged over the music, making her own reception seem positively restrained. Laxia promptly planted her feet and straightened. She could hardly allow the crowd’s enthusiasm for that woman to knock her off balance. A glance around the stands offered little consolation. What had happened to all those handmade signs she’d been so certain were for her? Some had unquestionably featured her face. Yet now, Judith’s name and likeness seemed to monopolize every sign that caught her eye. Every promising glimpse of red hair brought another disappointment, courtesy of the lettering beneath it or that unmistakable movie-star smile.

Laxia’s fingers dug into her upper arms. The woman had yet to make her wrestling debut. Not a single match to her name here, not one victory to justify the fuss, and this was her welcome? Had professional wrestling truly fallen so low that it needed Hollywood to fill its seats? There were athletes here. Competition. The thrill of an actual contest. Apparently, none of that could compete with a famous face and a pair of sunglasses. Why hand the entire establishment over to some visiting celebrity? The state of the industry was positively disgraceful. This was a serious concern, deserving of serious scrutiny. Her personal feelings had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Surely this had to be a prank...

“Oh, honestly...!”

Laxia gave a quiet scoff and folded her arms more tightly. It was the lobby all over again. She was right there in the ring, yet apparently her part in Judith’s production amounted to little more than set dressing. Camera flashes punctuated the actress’s every step, photographers following in her wake while phone screens glittered throughout the stands. Judith accepted it all as though applause were included in her contract. Even the steel steps required a leisurely ascent, complete with a sway of her hips. Laxia’s mouth twisted. Had she come to wrestle, or merely to ensure every camera captured her good side? Upon reaching the turnbuckle, Judith lowered her sunglasses, then swept them off with a theatrical flourish. The audience rewarded this astonishing achievement with another roar. Laxia rolled her eyes, unfolded her arms, and briefly threw up both hands.

“Oh, this is painful to watch...!”

She had removed a pair of sunglasses. Apparently, that alone warranted an ovation. But the production still had its grand finale to deliver. Judith smiled, blew kisses, and hopped into the ring as pyrotechnics erupted along the ramp with clockwork precision. Light and thunder swallowed the entrance stage, supplying an appropriately excessive curtain call. Laxia narrowed her eyes against the glare. Her own requests for pyrotechnics had inspired an exhaustive lecture on safety, smoke, and the inconvenience of disrupting the show. This effect needed trimming. That one had to go. By the time they finished, she might as well have requested a sparkler. For Judith, however, a display seemingly designed to set the entire arena ablaze was apparently perfectly acceptable.

Safety concerns, they’d said...?

Oh, she would be demanding an explanation for this preferential treatment. This time, no one was escaping into a phone call or hiding behind a conveniently rehearsed excuse. Meanwhile, Judith was still handing off her sunglasses and jacket to the small army assembled at ringside. Makeup artists, assistants, assorted attendants. Apparently, getting one actress into a wrestling match required an entire supporting cast. And this woman had the nerve to make jokes about Laxia’s butler. Laxia raised a hand toward the referee, pointedly tapped her wrist, and added an impatient shrug. Surely the message required no subtitles. The response was a maddeningly patient gesture to wait. She let out a sharp breath and turned her gaze back to Judith. Judith might have removed her sunglasses, but Laxia still viewed her through lenses darkened by weeks of simmering resentment. She had spent far too long counting down the days until she could put that infuriating actress in her place. The dazzling beauty that held the rest of the arena spellbound stood no chance of shining through a grudge she had nursed so diligently.

At last, Judith approached the center of the ring, bringing that tiresome nickname along with her. Laxia’s eyebrow twitched. She endured the greeting, the reminder about their wager, and even the offer of an extra’s role behind a carefully composed smile. The actress would not be granted the pleasure of watching her composure crack. A soft, mirthless laugh accompanied her reply. “Oh, quite well... Thanks to you, I’ve even had the novel experience of using a communal locker room...!” She lingered over communal as though the word left a bitter taste. It summoned every wretched moment spent clutching her clothes and waiting for everyone else to leave. Her hand curled into a fist again as heat crept into her cheeks. “Our wager? How could I forget? That suite will soon belong to its rightful owner.” Laxia took a step forward. “As it should have all along.” The cameras and the crowd faded into the background as Laxia fixed her attention on Judith. Her chin remained proudly raised, her smile as polished as it was cold. “Thank you for the offer, but I must decline. I have no interest in your little games of make-believe, and I certainly won’t be losing to you tonight.”



Laxia advanced another measured step, her smile retaining its polish while surrendering the last trace of warmth. “Are we ready to wrestle, or do you need another round of applause? Your action-star routine ends here. It’s time you found out what a fight feels like without a script. And all those devoted fans came to see you shine, too... What a pity.” One corner of her mouth curled upward, betraying just how little sympathy accompanied the remark. “I wonder... will you still be smiling for the cameras when this is over?” She tapped a fingertip twice beneath her lower lip, underlining the taunt with a perfectly composed smile of her own. Then she turned primly on her heel and returned to her corner. Once the referee’s checks were complete, Laxia resumed staring holes through the official. Judith’s entrance had already consumed the evening’s entire allowance of patience, as far as she was concerned. Her pointed silence demanded that they get on with it. With an almost resigned air, the referee finally raised a hand to signal for the bell.

DING DING DING - !!!

Laxia shot out of her corner on the very first clang. Her timing left precious little daylight between an eager start and a premature one. Weeks of carefully nursed resentment had finally found an outlet, and she had no intention of wasting the opportunity on opening courtesies. Whether Judith was ready for such an abrupt introduction to the ring was entirely Judith’s problem.

“Haaah...!!”

She bore down on the actress, swinging an arm toward her neck in a running lariat. Laxia intended to knock that infuriating starlet flat onto the canvas before she could make herself comfortable in the leading role...!