A Return to Form: Akari Ito vs Parker Ward

[Misfit_Alien]

The 'Sea Turtle', Akari Ito vs Parker Ward, the 'Northern Star'
Match Type: "Standard."
Win by scoring a pinfall of three seconds on the opponent, forcing a wrestler to submit, or knocking the wrestler out. Additionally, if a wrestler remains outside the ring for too long, they will be disqualified after a ten-count. Furthermore, if a wrestler performs an illegal move and is caught in the act by the in-ring official, they will be disqualified.
Standard rules - DQs, Count-outs, and the submission or pinfall MUST happen within the confines of the ring.

Spoiler

"Entering first, fighting out of Tokyo, Japan, standing at 5'6 and weighing 132 lbs...Fighting with a one-of-a-kind, jaw-dropping rhythm and making waves across the world from coast-to-coast, shore-to-shore, sea-to-sea...an ICON in the making...THE SEA TURTLE...AKARI ITO!!!"


Here she was...standing atop the ramp, energetic as ever and grateful to be back...or at least, that's how it appeared on the surface for the Sea Turtle. Akari was glad to be here again, having taken some time off following her loss to Kyoko, screwing up at the last second despite victory being in her grasp, inches away from claiming the Middleweight Title...and then she failed...and then she left, returning home to try and spend time with her sickly father, only to lose him too. At least now she had managed to get through the grieving process, but that pain wouldn't ever truly leave her. She'd only learn to live with it, and to focus on the memories...the good and the bad...to look for strength in those moments. It's what her dad would've wanted, after all.

On the other hand, now her mother was a pro-wrestler alongside her...and judging by her sister's eagerness to rush through college, it seemed like she wanted to follow along too. It gave Akari some solace, and her smile softened as she walked down the ramp, a little slower in her pace tonight. She wasn't in any rush. She took her time, breathed, and entered the ring, ready to put on another show for all these lovely fans of hers.

This would be her first match back on a LAW card, and while she kept herself sharp by training her mother and participating on the indies for a bit, she needed to cut her teeth against some real competition if she wanted to stay in top form. Word traveled through the grapevine rather quickly, and Akari knew that there was a new sea of faces waiting for her. Her 'spot' wouldn't keep itself warm, not without her. So, the Sea Turtle couldn't beat around the bush for long, returning the weekend prior and demanding a match in the following days. The crowd seemed rather joyful to have their raven-haired beauty back in action, and she was delighted to greet them with another explosive performance, striking her signature pose in the center of the ring as she flashed a bright smile, showered with praise and thunderous cheers. The Sea Turtle was BACK!!!

Spoiler

[Parker]

Good 4 U - Olivia Rodrigo

The arena lights dimmed to a faint blue shimmer before a soft, upbeat guitar riff echoed through the speakers, crisp, clean, and full of motion. A subtle northern glow effect rippled across the big screen, and the crowd responded instantly, buzzing with excitement as the next name was called.

“And her opponent, fighting out of Rainy River, Ontario, Canada… standing at five feet seven inches tall and weighing one hundred and forty-two pounds… one of LAW’s newest shooting stars, ★THE NORTHERN STAR★… PARKER WAAAAAAAARD!”

The fans rose with genuine enthusiasm as

emerged from the curtain, a bounce in her step and a smile on her face. While things hadn’t been going her way, it didn’t get her down. Every stumble, every tough opponent, was a chance to learn and grow. Her quiet confidence had carried over well, earning her a fanbase waiting for her time to finally come, and she was eager to make that come sooner rather than later.

She paused in the middle of the stage, pumping her fist a few times to the music, the cheers bubbling up a little higher each time until she threw her fist up the final time, opening her hand panomiming an explosion.

She moved down the ramp at a light job, giving high fives and waves, pointing to the occasional sign she saw for her in the crowd to call attention to it. Her energy was warm but controlled, she didn’t need pyros or theatrics to make her presence felt. When she reached ringside, she jogged the last few steps and leapt lightly onto the apron. A quick wipe of her boots, then she ducked low and rolled under the bottom rope, popping up on her feet with smooth ease.

Parker took a moment to scan the crowd before turning her attention to Akari across the ring. She offered a friendly grin and a respectful nod. “A birdie backstage told me this is something of a return for you. You’re a bit before my time, I’m the new blood. Welcome back.” she said, just enough to carry across the ring. She gave Akito a small nod. “Let’s make it a good one.”

[Misfit_Alien]

Parker presented herself professionally and calmly, yet still carried this fun energy about her, one that quickly captivated the audience with her jovial and upbeat nature. It was rather infectious...and Akari liked that. She studied her opponent as she made her way to the ring. No theatrics or explosions, no over-the-top drama. She was straightforward, to the point, and yet so appealing. She was cool without even trying, and she had a friendly face to boot. Respectful, warm, and very pleasant, Akari admired her. With her last match being against that tyrannical and insufferable Kyoko, the Sea Turtle was grateful for a nice change of pace, especially in her return match.

When they finally came face to face, Akari smiled while she took Parker's words in stride, feeling comforted by the warm reception from both her and the fans...truthfully, she needed it a lot, more than she'd ever know. However, she couldn't afford to let such heavy emotions weigh her down. At least, not while she was about to perform and kick ass. So, she returned Parker's nod with warmth and friendliness before sparking up a little conversation, cocking one eyebrow, and smirking ever so slightly as she jutted her hips out to the side while crossing her arms, a look of amusement in her eyes as she laughed a little at one of the Canadian woman's previous comments.

"Well, talk about a welcoming party~...I should be saying 'welcome to LAW'...but you don't look as shiny and polished as the rest of the newbies around here. Fresh on the market, sure, but already a little battle-tested? Lemme guess...amateur wrestling? Heh, if only we had met before we stepped out here. I would've loved to ask how your time has been so far. Speaking of...Before your time? C'mon now...you're gonna start making me feel old." She said, showcasing that bright and bubbly personality that many within the locker room had come to love and admire, her raven hair softly flowing with every little bob and bounce as she loosened up with a bit of small talk. Before long, the referee would signal for the bell. Not wanting to get caught with her pants down, Akari quickly removed her jacket, tossing it out to the audience for a lucky fan to snag as a souvenir, trying to make it so that this return was something special...and given the look in Parker's eye, she was certain that this match would be just that.

Spoiler

DING DING DING!!!


Without further ado, the match was on, and the crowd was eagerly awaiting to see the Sea Turtle's first move back. While she may not always win, the raven-haired Japanese woman was NEVER one to disappoint her fans with a lackluster performance. On top of that, she wasn't one to take it easy on a fresh-faced competitor. After all, if Parker had made it this far to join LAW, it'd be disrespectful not to come at her like an equal. It was time to see if this 'new generation' could handle the weight of expectations set by those who had come before. From the moment the bell rang, Akari EXPLODED forward, demonstrating that she hadn't lost a step since her 'break' from the ring. The practice on the indies and with her mom kept her in decent shape, and after coming back from a title shot loss and the grief of losing her father, she had a clear chip on her shoulder.

After closing the gap in just a couple of seconds, Akari would drop down low, much lower than most would anticipate. She swung her body around and stuck out one leg, bringing it around a blade, clearly aiming to sweep Parker off her feet. However, to the faithful Sea Turtle fans, they knew EXACTLY what she was going for. It was one of her signature moves. The initial sweep kick was a glorified feint. Sometimes, it'd catch people by surprise, knock them to the ground, and allow Akari to capitalize. However, the real plan was to force them to dodge it by jumping over it given how telegraphed it seemed...only for Akari to reveal her true plan as she popped herself up off the ground, twisting her body and pivoting that same leg back up into the air while her opponent was coming back down, aiming to crack them upside the head with a sudden and unexpected Capoeira Kick...a little trick Akari had worked into her routine for years, all thanks to her breakdancing experience helping with her coordination and speed.

Spoiler

[Parker]

“Come on now. I may be a bit scuffed up, but I shine all the same. I’m the North Star after all, thats the brighest one other there… yaknow, besides the sun.” She snortly softly, scratching her nose with her thumb before giving a little shrug. She canted her head slightly at the other girls words and had a bit of a chuckle. “I mean, you’re positively ancient history. It’s almost like I am watching your hair go grey in real time, spooky stuff.” Parker flashed Akari a look of mock discust before breaking into a smirk, giving the girl a small wink.

The bell rang, and the moment it did, Parker dropped instinctively into her grappler’s stance, knees bent, weight centered, hands open and ready. Her eyes stayed locked on Akari, the veteran’s body language screaming experience and confidence. There was a rhythm to the woman’s movements, a tempo Parker had seen before in her debut, deceptively loose, almost dancing. But the rookie wasn’t about to be caught off guard so easily, not affer learning her lesson so thoroughly the first time.

When Akari swept low, Parker clocked the movement, that little shift in her hips, and reacted in kind. She lifted her front leg, stepping over the sweeping kick with a prompt, deliberate motion that left the crowd gasping in surprise. It wasn’t luck; she’d seen this kind of setup before. She’d been burned by a similiar setup before, against Ami and learned to never ignore the threat of a low-to-high combo.

Sure enough, Akari spun with that signature grace, her leg twisting back around for the high sweeping kick that came slicing through the air, but Parker was already moving. She dropped into a sharp sprawl, chest pressing to the mat, ducking clean beneath the flashing kick as it whistled past overhead. For a heartbeat, both women were parallel, eyes locking in the brief pause that followed, Parker’s expression half smirk, half admiration for the veteran’s cheeky attempt at an opener.

But hesitation wasn’t in her nature. From her sprawl, Parker surged forward in a fluid motion she had perfected over her years rolling on the mats, pushing off the canvas with explosive energy. She lunged toward Akari, reaching out to clamp one hand down onto the Sea Turtle’s shoulder, using the leverage to keep her bent low, while her other arm shot around Akari’s neck. She tried to wrench her into a snug necklock, nothing fancy, just control and if she could tighten her grip and adjust her footing, she’d have the foundation to roll right into a guillotine choke. The threat was there.

[Misfit_Alien]

All that talk and teasing, Akari was liking this gal more and more. That casual attitude, paired with the button-pressing jokes. It made her feel ancient. To think she'd be the veteran in a match like this. What a strange sensation. However, she wouldn't have time to focus on that as the fight got right underway. To Parker's credit, she managed to spot the feint ahead of time, evading a VERY dangerous kick to the head before meeting Akari on the ground, their eyes meeting for a moment as Akari smiled right back at the Canadian, curious to see what she'd do next.

Then came the Necklock...Yeah, she was definitely dealing with a grappler, alright. The 'kid' had spunk, a sort of dry wit that the crowd seemed to enjoy. Likely...collegiate wrestling background? MMA maybe? Something close to that, surely...It felt so grounded and real. Brush away all the theatrics of professional wrestling, and what do you have left? Pure fundamentals.

Grapples, locks, holds, and everything else in between. With this one move, Akari managed to connect the dots that Parker was one of those types. Admittedly, it was a tight hold, very well-executed...if this were a sparring session under more private circumstances with a crowd roaring in the background, Akari would openly commend Parker for such refined skill and passionate effort. A hold like this was effective in numerous ways, and was something that would work on most people...

However, Akari Ito wasn't most people.

This was a woman who had climbed through the indies all the way to a shot at the Middleweight Championship, one of the higher tiers of fighters here at LAW. She had built up experience against a vast array of opponents. Grapplers, strikers, brawlers, submission specialists, rookies, veterans...you name it, she's fought it. All of them with such a unique mindset going into a fight, each little difference between them creating a new challenge for Akari to overcome. Paired with her MMA training when she was younger, this Necklock wasn't as scary to her. Dangerous? Of course...but Akari had been through this plenty of times across various scenarios.

She could handle this.

With a deep breath, she offered no resistance, letting things play out for a moment as she kept her composure, not uttering a single word as she kept her breath steady. She didn't want to thrash around and risk tiring herself out or straining her neck. Instead, she simply waited-...and once Parker started to roll for that Guillotine Choke attempt, Akari made her move, planting her feet down once Parker pulled her in, halting the Canadian woman's momentum before muscling her up to a standing position. However, before Parker could react to the sudden change in scenery, the Sea Turtle would demonstrate just how impressive a piece of 'ancient history' like her could be as she HOISTED the Northstar off the mat, holding her in the air and countering the initial Necklock with a Brainbuster!!!

Spoiler

[Parker]

Parker cinched her forearm tighter across Akari’s neck, muscles in her biceps and shoulders flexing hard, sliding into that familiar, instinctive rhythm she trusted more than sight or sound. Her thighs shifted, angling her hips just right, her boots planting for the transition she wanted. She felt Akari’s breath against her ribcage, felt the veteran’s balance adjust, and Parker pressed in deeper, arm cutting across the throat with practiced precision.

This was her world. Her wheelhouse. Necklocks, scrambles, chokes, it was where she lived. That’s how she knew something was off. Akari wasn’t fighting. No frantic pulling at the arm. No panicked twisting of the hips. No attempt to pry free or tangle limbs to counter her grasp. Just… steady breathing. Calm. Controlled. Like she was counting ceiling tiles or listening to wave sounds on a meditation tape.

Parker’s brow creased.

“Uh… you good down there?” she muttered through gritted teeth, half-joking, half concerned, half very aware she’d run out of halves.

Still no struggle. No resistance. Just a slow, patient coil of someone who’d been here many, many times before. It put a knot in Parker’s gut, like Akari knew a secret she hadn’t shared yet. But uncertainty wasn’t going to bail her out; hesitation never saved anyone in a match. Parker inhaled sharply, tightened her grip, and dropped her weight, trying to roll Akari into her guard and snap fully into a guillotine choke.

Except she never touched the mat. Akari’s feet planted. Hard.

Parker’s eyes went wide, she felt it in the shift of balance, the sudden stop that froze the transition halfway through like someone had hit pause.

“Uh… wh-”

Her words cut off as the world tilted.

Akari’s arms surged with veteran strength, ripping Parker clean off the canvas in one explosive pull. The Canadian’s boots left the ground, her legs kicking uselessly as her body went vertical, her stomach lurching with the weightless terror of a ride she hadn’t agreed to board. Unprepared, attempts to wriggle free or kick through to flip out of the vertical hold left her mind, so confused and in awe of the sudden turnover.

“W-wait-Akari-!”

Too late.

The Sea Turtle drove her down in a brutal, emphatic BRAINBUSTER.

Parker’s head spiked the canvas first, her body jolting from the momentum, the rest of her following with a whiplashed snap that flattened her against the mat unbraced. Air burst from her lungs in a sharp, rough gasp as she bounced once, then sprawled flat, limbs limp for a moment as she processed the sudden, violent shift in control.

Her chest rose and fell in quick, shocked breaths, fingers curling instinctively toward her neck where the hold had died the second she left the floor. She stared up at the lights, dazed, stunned, the match roaring around her without her ears catching any of it yet.

“…okay,” she wheezed, barely above a whisper, “that… was something…”