Arcane Storm: Alizeh vs Shimmerlace

[Malkavia]

Match Type: Standard Match
Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout

LAW had a reputation as a brutal and cutthroat promotion—a reputation well-earned, as the Seelie Maître's own experience showcased. To compete here was to risk not just slander, bruises and lacerations, but much more personal assault. Under the mantle of wrestling, monsters here might strike at your pets, your bodily freedom, or worse.

But for all that, LAW had its brighter edges. Take Alizeh Mirdori. Top-card as they came, both by reputation and skill. You might expect a girl like that to pick up an ego—why not? She'd deserve it. But the like best of her ilk, the Emerald Storm seemed to remember her roots and took time from her rigorous regime of training to lower a ladder down to the Lioness leagues. Those lucky enough to face her would enjoy a wealth of opportunities to learn.

"Cunts!" Following her entrance, with Jefferson Airplane still blaring, Shimmerlace hopped to the second rope, leaned out towards the audience, grinned. "And cuntesses! Of the Eastern Hemisphere." A flick of the wrist—a puff of glitter and pink confetti and an apple materialized in her fingers. She took a bite, resplendent top to bottom in the pink frills and white lace and purple coattails of her fey attire.

The Feychild's Attire

With her mouth still half-full of apple, she called out to the crowd. "Gooood morning! And—a question for those in the stands! What crime will they charge me with after I put a folded up wee emerald kitten out in the street?"

The feychild let the question stretch for one tic, two tics. Murmurs from the stands filled the deadspace as Shimmer's grin grew an inch a second. Then, pushing up with her elbows, she leaned another few feet over her rope, and finished: "Littering."

[Bare]

Alizeh smirked softly to herself as she cracked her neck, stretched her arms and a did a final overlook of her attire tonight. Dark black and purple, a nice little change up compared to her usual look. Plus given the circumstances of her match tonight it only felt appropriate to mix things up a bit. After issuing another rookie open challenge it had been met by several promising talents from the young lioness program, all of whom interested Alizeh, but being a fair woman she chose the person who responded first.

Spoiler

Shimmerlace Snuggleblossom. Odd name aside she seemed like quite the talent and Alizeh was interested in testing just what the girl could do. Watching her entrance from the guerilla position Alizeh would smirk softly at the sophisticated trash talk. Not all that offended, in fact, more so pleasantly surprised that she was at least doing so in a different way. "Welp time to do some littering." Alizeh said to herself as her entrance music began to play through the arena, crackles of lighting sounding with the riffs of guitars as the crowd immediately began to cheer in response!

Spoiler

Coming out from behind the curtain and posing with her biceps flexing Alizeh would smile out at the crowd proudly before focusing on the ring, and her opponent. Walking forward with a confident gait Alizeh would nod and smile at fans before breaking out into a run halfway down the ramp before leaping into the ring between the ropes and rolling forward before popping into a pose for the fans. Standing straight Alizeh would smile at her opponent from the center of the ring and hold her hand out. "I hope thou is ready for the major butt kicking I'm about to bestow upon you're perk behind." Alizeh said in a deliberately poor imitation of Shimmerlace's speech style while waiting to see if she would accept the hand shake.

[Malkavia]

Shimmerlace’s eyes lingered on the audience, scanning from face to face, popcorn-stuffed mark to the distracted wee girl in her phone. Once again she searched, and once again the stands were found wanting, empty of treasure. The Pixie glowered.

But then—thunder! The gristle of electricity, followed by tectonic chords from an electric guitar, and the storm arrived in a flurry of rock and roll. Though—less emerald than advertised. Perhaps more the Twilight storm? In any case, Alizeh took a dive into the ring that blew your hair back. Fuck, that looks fun. I ought to try it sometime.

Shimmerlace tossed the apple core into the stands, offering her applause alongside the cheering from the gallery. Once she heard the kitten talking back at her, though, she transitioned into an intricate, deep curtsy.

"Ayyyye, madam green, our Court most verily shalt prepare our bare bodkins for a wee drummin’.” With a flourish, she threw back an imaginary cape. Grinning, she caught Alizeh’s eye, before she let her smile droop to a more neutral expression. "Though, with respect, I’d advise ya to take this seriously.”

A beat. Then the smile came back. Shimmerlace skipped across the mat, a zig, then a zag, caught Alizeh’s hand and shook. "Right, ‘Lizeh! Ready to show the nimrods out there some fuckin’ lightning and wind like they’ll never forget?”

[Bare]

So maybe using fancy talk wasn't the best idea in hindsight. Cause Alizeh was barely able to translate most of what Shimmer had said in response. But she understood it as 'Yeah lets get ready to kick ass.' More or less at least.

Didn't matter though. What did matter was that like her Shimmer was dropping some of the formalities and getting ready to brawl. Something that Alizeh could very much appreciate as she nodded towards the girl. "Trust me young lioness or not you'll get no quarter from me." Alizeh said eagerly with a grin while hopping from foot to foot in anticipation.

After shaking hands Alizeh would put hers up, immediately getting ready for a fight while staring the girl across from her down. "I just hope you're ready for this." Alizeh said before stepping forward, aiming to lock up with Shimmer and enter a test of strength against her!

[Malkavia]

There’s always a switch—the moment when you slip from pre-match, from glass pipe and rose fog and preening, to match. The crowd quiets, the air tightens, and, ready or not, it’s time to dance.

Shimmer met Alizeh’s eyes with a grin, but that quickly gave way to a grit-jaw grimace. The Emerald Storm piled onto Shimmer like a rockslide. Their arms locked. Shimmer’s back went diagonal. Give it another half second and her thighs would start trembling and likely as not the Courtly Maître would find herself introducing face to mat.

But by now the feychild had faced an array of such contests. Across almost a dozen matches, three had opened thus, Dr. Mina’s being the most memorable. (Something about Shimmer's slender frame must have invited such contests of might—she could only muse as to what). The feychild had tried an array of responses: Lean in (and get broken), redirect the momentum towards the ropes (and eat a fuckin’ lariat)...And so on. Many are the paths to KERSPLAT.

What to try this time? Every match has its goals and rules. This one had two: Survive as long as you can and sparkle doing it. So let’s fuckin’ sparkle.

Suppose Alizeh took the contest and pushed. Then, wound up in Alizeh’s grip and quick collapsing, Shimmer would jump. Then there’d be momentum with nothing to oppose it. Shimmer’d kick forward, aim to wrap her legs around Alizeh’s waist, and the two of them would go tumbling.

Then—

But that’s as far as Shimmer’s thinking went before shit splattered the proverbial wings.

[Bare]

Alizeh smiled at Shimmer as the approached one another, hands up and ready for at test of strength. Alizeh wasn't sure what the girl's experience and history was with such openings, but she seemed like a smart girl, so Alizeh was expecting out of the gate an opening with some technicality behind it. Sure enough Alizeh would find herself correct as in moments after their hands met Shimmer would leap up, wrapping her legs around Alizeh's waist and allowing her weight to carry them down to the mat!

'Ngh not bad.' Alizeh thought to herself as her waist got crushed by Shimmer's surprisingly strong legs. However despite the tightness of the scissors, Alizeh still had options. First of all Alizeh's hands were still holding onto Shimmer's which meant Alizeh would release them and instead shift to wrap around the girl's shoulders instead.

As she did so Alizeh would work to get up to a kneeling position before trying to slide her feet up and if able, she would try and push herself up to her feet, one step at a time as she would try and stand up bearing Shimmer's weight with a grunt of effort.

If she managed it though Alizeh would leap up, with Shimmer's arms locked to drop down once more, this time in a seated position, with Shimmer landing tailbone first on the mat, her arms and shoulders forced to take a large shock of pain with a wing clipper if she managed to land the move!

Spoiler

[Malkavia]

As a girl, Shimmerlace carved her own chess set. Personalized pieces, slender knights with wings and tall queens with moon-capped sceptres, made it easier to bear the games forced on her. Her chess teacher emphasized expertise: Know the board arrangements so well that a glance makes possible futures appear like a net.

Alizeh stood one boot at a time. Shimmerlace felt her back, moist with sweat, peeling from the mat. The air was cool as she hung, suspended from her opponent’s shoulders. The position shouldn’t have been surprising (Alizeh could probably deadlift two of you, nimbrain), but her thighs tightened in anticipation, as if a firmer squeeze might keep her from tumbling off the ledge.

BAM!

"FUCKIN—” Her thighs bounced, head whipped, jaws clenched. "...CHRIST ON A STICK…” While the shockwave ripped from butt to brain, her shoulders bore the brunt of the force. She tensed like a cat about to yowl. Welling pain made her face turn red, and her voice dropped to a growl as she glared over Alizeh’s shoulder. ”...Shit pops and weasel cunts…”

Focus— Her ankles stayed locked, but the Pixie’s pale legs hung loose. Alizeh was much stronger. What Shimmerlace needed was space to do—what exactly? She tried to imagine what furious knife-thrust of a move the Marauder would whip out. Make some space, shit for brains. Shimmerlace dug her heels into the mat and PUSHED, hoping to roll and slide away from her arse-slamming, shoulder-busting opponent.

[Bare]

Despite the rather creative attempt on Shimmer's part Alizeh was physically strong enough to hang with it, literally and pull the girl up before dropping her down with a wing clipper, the move definitely doing its job well if the girl's rather... loud reaction was anything to go by.

Still despite that the posh princess didn't seem quite done just yet. Using her feet rather smartly to push herself away from Alizeh and gain some distance making Alizeh nod in approval. At this stage of the girl's skill level, and with the damage she just took getting some distance was good. But as she stood up Alizeh would look down at her opponent and grin.

"You know I initially didn't expect you to be so surly when you answered my open challenge." Alizeh said as she started walking towards the downed girl an ominous aura about Alizeh as she bent down, looking to grab Shimmerlace's ankles!

"Normally I'd let ya get to your feet but..." Speaking as she rose back up, lifting Shimmer's legs in the process Alizeh would flash a evil grin at the young lioness. "You did ask me not to hold back." As she said this Alizeh would then cross the girl's legs around her own, and if uninterrupted she would fall back, aiming to lock Shimmerlace in a brutal figure four leg lock!

[Malkavia]

…Didn’t expect her to be surly? Shimmerlace creased her brow. What had been her tweet’s exact words? Something like she was out to uncork the Emerald Storm’s teeth, right? Surely that had qualified, at least, as surly? The Pixie gave an irritated grunt as she realized just how loud she’d have to bellow to make an impression on this cunt.

But the hand on Shimmer’s ankle short-circuited any further thought, as the Pixie peeled her back off the mat and grabbed at Alizeh’s wrist. There was a struggle. Shimerlace spat, yowled, clawed, but the grip squeezed tight. Alizeh grinned—leered, more like—a silhouette against the skylights, and snapped Shimmer’s legs in a steely trap.

The pain was immense, but what made Shimmer grind her molars and twitch at her eyebrow was the humiliating immobility. When she squirmed, or tried to move her legs in any way at all, all she could manage was to pivot at the hip. Her body curled up, jaw clenched, then flopped down. Splat. Like a dead fish nailed tail first to the mat. She hated that image as much—no, more than she hated the screws of pain twisting into her knee. She collapsed, breathing hard. Hold it the fuck together.

“ONE!” The ref’s hand slapped the mat.

”Fuckin’…Piss off!” She twisted one shoulder off the mat. She glared at Alizeh, just in time for the hold to tighten for another wave. Shimmerlace had seen her nose broken, side cut open, back bent at unnatural angles, but none of that blurred her vision. This, though—this made her toes clench, her breath hitch, made her breathe hot and heavy until her head felt light as a hydrogen balloon tied by a thin string to her spine. Squeeze a bit tighter, and she might float off to the clouds. She screamed. She beat the mat.

And yet, there was that challenge, wasn’t there? You did ask for this. And as the hold sank in, and as the trauma-response adrenaline started to pop like fireworks in her brain, a grin formed, jagged, at the corners of her mouth. Her eyes, pink, sank to meet Alizeh’s, and—red in the face, gleaming with sweat—she spat ”Aye, I did fuckin’ request that, now, did I not?” Trembling, she pulled herself up, almost sitting. ”So...Lizeh...Why the fuck are ya still holdin' back?” As she said this, Shimmerlace swung at Alizeh's face. The angle was bad, but the jack-o-lantern grinning rage fuelled it fast and hot.

[Bare]

Having Shimmer locked into the figure four Alizeh would smirk softly while letting out some verbal taunts towards the girl as she bent in and constricted her legs. What was most interesting to consider however was that despite the pain of Shimmerlace the girl was defiant as hell, something that Alizeh greatly approved of in any opponent, let alone a newer wrestler coming up. As she did so however Alizeh would look at Shimmer with a raised eyebrow as the girl spoke... and asked why she was holding back! "Wait are you- UGH!" Response cut off by Shimmer and a well timed punch to the face Alizeh's went cross, her arms getting shaky as she almost dropped back... key word being almost. But she held firm but it was clear she was stunned, and a vulnerable target for Shimmer if she could muster more!