Isha vs. Kurenai Yamazaki - Aruarian Dance

[BlackAkuma]

***
Match Type
Accepted Submissions
Victory Conditions
The match only concludes when one wrestler submits and her opponent accepts this submission.
***

The lights, the sounds, the energy - it was everything that Kurenai had dreamed of. As she sat in the gorilla position and meditated, she closed her eyes and let the moment sink in, absorbing every facet of it, every detail.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

It was hard to believe that she had come so far, and yet, here she was. Such a long way from the village, away from the only home she had ever known, that it might as well have been a world away. Ever since she had come to the mainland, she had been bombarded with the wonders of the modern world - the technology, the mannerisms, the customs. So many of it was still strange to her, and she would need many years to adjust, if she ever could. She was very much the square peg fitting into the round hole, and smoothing the edges would take time.

But this? This arena, this ring, this fight? This she could know. This, at least, was familiar to it. She was trained for this, had been her entire life, and she was confident that there was nothing she would face in this match that she could not handle. She would be at home from the moment the bell rang till the moment it rang again.

Her

came up and one of the stagehands gave her the thumbs up. It was time.

In. Out. ”Ganbare.”

Kurenai made her way out from the curtain a moment later, walking down the ramp with a casual stroll. The crowd was more than receptive, giving her a good round of applause for someone making their in-ring debut. Whether they were just being kind or the appreciated her outfit, she couldn't tell, but she waved back at them all the same, letting her smile brighten the way as she came over to the ring. Kurenai leaped up on the apron, then grabbed the rope, and quickly vaulted over, making her way in with two swift moves that left the crowd reasonably impressed, before she made her way over to her corner.

She was already feeling good, so she didn’t much see the point in doing last minute stretches. Instead, she hopped up to sit on the turnbuckle, crossed her legs, and gazed out to the ramp as her music started to die down, wanting to get a good look at her opponent as she entered.

Kurenai is ready.

[dlamp]

Isha took slow breaths as she finished through her stretches, pulling herself from the split she was holding and smoothly rising to her feet. She felt out the rest of her body's joints, giving them small rolls and movements to keep them loose and ready. The coming match would be an intense one for sure. Not in terms of the violence that would be happening, but the test of endurance. Accepted Submission Matches were a favorite among LAW, at least accord to her sources. Matches were a skilled fighter could stretch, bend, and ruin their opponent as without giving rest or mind to their pleads if they so wished it. The complete destruction of the opposition to make yourself as dominate as possible. "Hm..." And yet, as Isha ruminated on that fact her face was completely expressionless, intently staring off into a space as her mind focused on what she'd have to face. All she knew was that her opponent was a new wrestler on the scene from some small community off the Japanese mainland. An unknown in almost every sense.

Well, she'd have a chance to learn as they fought.

Spoiler

As the plucky strings of her theme rang out Isha took her cue and appeared on the stage, her entrance marked by a low mist that hit the floor like a morning lake. She practically glided down the ramp as she moved, her face stoic and focused forward as she denied the audience watching her any reaction. Like a doll that couldn't be touched, or a flower just out of reach, she moved as if the only thing in her view was the ring and the other woman standing in it. Once at the ropes, she slid inside in a smooth, fluid motion, dipping under the low ropes and pulling herself up into a standing position.

There, she finally met eyes with her opponent, her muted red eyes scanning her traditional and flashy opponent sitting atop the turnbuckle. A ninja... Her neutral expression shifted to a very slight frown. Not exactly a new gimmick or angle, but it gave her some clues about her opponent's possible fighting style. Stepping toward the center of the ring, Isha bent down slightly in a curtsy. "Greetings," She stated politely, returning to her neutral expression. "I am Isha, and I hope you've steeled yourself for the match to come. For both our sakes."

[BlackAkuma]

Kurenai liked Isha from the first moment she saw her. Whether that would remain true, who could say, but the first impression was good.

She tilted her head to the side as her opponent came out, emerging through the mist like a phantom on the lake. She moved with a praticed elegance that she wouldn’t have expected to see so far away from home, gliding along the floor with evey step, almost as if she wasn’t touching it. Kurenai was vaguely familiar with such dancers, had heard about ballet and caught glimpses of the act, but this was her first time experiencing that poised grace firsthand. It was truly a sight to behold, and it made her all the more excited to face this woman in combat, to see how she could apply such a haunting style.

It seemed her opponent was of much the same mind, as well, as she wasted no time skipping to the center of the ring, looking eager to face off. Kurenai smirked, then stood up on the turnbuckle and vaulted off, flipping through the air and coming down only a few feet away from her opponent. She gripped the sides of her kimono and mirrored the woman’s curtsey, hoping she took it as the sign of respect it was meant to be and not the insult it could’ve been misinterpreted as.

”Hello.” She tapped her chest. ”Kurenai. And likewise. “ Simple introductions for simple women. What more need be said?

Kurenai stepped back and lowered into her stance, facing Isha from the side on, while she kept on arm back and extended the other, both with open palms. She didn’t move in when the bell ring, but began to strafe to her side, taking slow and deliberate steps, keeping her eyes locked with Isha’s. As tempting as it was to rush in, something warned her against it. Those expressions were interesting. Perhaps worrying.

[dlamp]

Isha only gave a curt nod in response to her opponent's returned greeting. She was polite, at the very least. It was a good sign to not have the first seconds of meeting be filled with tasteless boasts and flippant insults. This girl, Kurenai, would at least take this match seriously, and that gave Isha some mild comfort. She wouldn't be torturing someone ignorant of the things to come. "Then let us begin,"

*DING*

As if her words signaled it, the bell rang and the match was one. The audience was at the edge of their seats in wait, but neither girl made any immediate movements. Isha readied herself, her body primed and light, feet slightly apart and hands slightly outstretched, ready to move at any moment. However, she simply looked over her opponent, noting Kurenai's cautious and slow movements as she strafed and circled her. It contrasted the original excitement the dancer saw on the woman's face at the start of her entrance. And it didn't feel like Kurenai was a naturally cautious person either. The straightforward greeting and confident tone she introduced herself with said otherwise. This likely wasn't her usual or preferred tactic. She was holding herself back, waiting. Smart... Isha pursed her lips, her gaze locked onto Kurenai with slight approval and respect.

She'd prove the woman's caution correct.

Isha lashed out like a whip, her back leg shooting up in a quick and lethal arc to cleave across Kurenai's lowered face for ruthless roundhouse.

[BlackAkuma]

Closer. Closer. Closer.

Kurenai’s eyes remained trained on Isha, never wavering for an instant, even as the bell rang and the crowd cheered. She was still trying to get a read on this woman and figure out what her story was. Lithe and light, quick on her feet, so she was certain kicks would be coming her way. Tae Kwon Do, perhaps? Savate? Self-trained?

The hammer would fall soon, and she wanted to be ready for it. She bounced on her toes and stayed on the edge of where she guessed Isha’s range would be, trying to bait her into a kick. She made such a tempting target, after all, with her chest open and her stance wide. Go for it…

The kick came, swift as an eagle’s strike, a roundhouse kick that sliced through the air. Kurenai was only just able to move back, letting the kick whistle past her body, so close she could catch a quick whiff of her foot. She moved in as soon as it was clear, ducked down, and swung her leg low, trying to knock out the dancer’s lovely legs with a sweep.

[dlamp]

Kurenai was ready for the kick it seemed, nimbly and narrowly dodging what would have Isha's foot slicing into her face. A near miss that had the crowd on edge as Isha's eyes locked onto Kurenai's, focused with intent and curiosity. And just as she was moving her back into position she saw Kurenai go even lower, her legs starting to poke out from under Isha's sight. A sweep. She noted, her eyes lighting up in mild amusement. She wasn't going to be that easy to take down, but neither was Isha.

Continuing to follow the arc and momentum of her kick, Isha stayed light on her toes and twirled her body back, giving a smooth and graceful pirouette as she spun out of Kurenai's range with an elegant spin.

The narrow misses had the crowd cheering with loud excitement, but Isha's gaze remained focused on Kurenai. A woman able to remain calm under pressure and even try to work in a counter. "Not bad." She noted, then darted forward and giving a short hop while shooting a leg out forward in another kick aimed at her opponent's face.

[BlackAkuma]

Kurenai didn’t expect her sweep to work, to be honest. Just based off their initial reactions, she could tell Isha was light on her feet, not the type that would’ve fallen prey to such a move easily. It was less about hitting the move and more about seeing how she reacted to it, gauging her reflexes, and getting a sense of her style. So far, she was impressed.

The woman didn’t just avoid her sweep, she did it with an ease and grace that few would’ve been able to muster, and Kurenai wasn’t even sure she could count herself in that number. A deft spin, pivoting on the toes - there was a fancy name for such a maneuver, but she couldn't recall it off the top of her head. Either way, it spoke of her skill, and it made her complement all the more meaningful.

[color=#80000]”Thank-”[/color]

Kurenai was a woman of precious few words, but she wasn’t even able to get two out before Isha was on the attack again, lashing out with a front kick aimed at her face. The ninjette had to hop back with this one, letting it flash in front of her face, so close that it blew some of her hairs back. Instead of moving back in, though, she kept stepping away, as a small idea struck her - it was time to get a little wild.

Kurenai bounced against the ropes, then launched herself forward, coming towards Isha with some added momentum. She threw herself forward into a roll, letting her legs come up and over as she tried to hit her opponent with a Rolling Koppu Kick.

[dlamp]

Again Isha's kick missed, but it wasn't unexpected anymore. Kurenai had proven she had the reflexes to match her speed, and the cool head to react. Still, not landing a blow was getting frustrating. There was no point in going all out only to miss and waste energy. And as Kurenai backed away further toward the ropes Isha rose an eye. She wasn't just dodging, but getting distance, pushing herself against the ropes. Something big was coming, Isha could feel it. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her body primed and she prepared to move at a moment's notice.

Then Kurenai shot herself forward with a wild kick, her heel moving to cleave into Isha's body. Already primed and ready to move, Isha bent her body and spine back far, pushing the flexibility of her body as Kurenai's heel teasingly brushed along her nose, causing the woman's cheeks to blush at the near miss. The crowd let out a gasp at the feat of both wrestlers, eyes fixated on the two. Interesting... That definitely wasn't the maneuver of a fresh rookie, that was for sure. This woman had Isha's curiosity now, and she stepped back to straighten herself out.

[BlackAkuma]

There was no way of knowing how well this kick would land, so Kurenai was taking a gamble. It was one of the more dangerous moves in her collection, something bordering on high risk, and it wouldn’t be the last of such moves she used in this match. She was already starting to get a taste for the sort of fight that was coming her way, putting Isha down as an evasive opponent, not unlike herself.

That meant she needed to take chances. That meant she needed to be bold. No risk, no rewards. No guts, no glory.

In this case, it didn’t work out in her favor, as her opponent moved away just in time - just in time - to avoid her rolling kick, coming inches away from a solid hit. Kurenai rolled through and came up to her knees with her hands up, defensive, but there was little need. Isha held back for the moment, clearly cautious, giving her space. Kurenai ever-present smirk grew an inch wider. They understood each other, now.

She stood back up and moved in again, raising her hands and wiggling her fingers as she approached. She’d sampled Isha’s striking ability, and now she wanted to see how much of a grappler she was, as she gave a silent challenge for a test of strength, looking to lock horns.

[dlamp]

After that trading of blows and misses, it seemed the two now shared a little more common ground now, a mutual respect for the other's skill. Both were capable strikers, able to lash out and dodge the other in a dance that could likely go a few more engages if the two wished it. Neither were new to combat or had any hesitation to use intense blows to knock the other around. With that groundwork laid Kurenai now wanted a test of strength, gesturing Isha to approach and lock hands. Isha pursed her lips, looking over her opponent carefully. With the kicks they threw out it was clear both were at home striking, but with neither landing a blow the next phase would obviously be to forgo striking and move onto true close-quarters with grappling and submission. It was a field Isha was well versed in, but...

This could be a trap. Being that close with little way out could be a prime chance to sneak in a hit, even a light one. Her opponent was a ninja after all. Still, the earnest look on the woman's face told her otherwise. Kurenai had made it clear she was competitive, and her gesturing also made it clear she wanted to be straightforward about. So, after a short pause, Isha rose her arms and nodded in response, tightly clasping hands with Kurenai. Very tightly.

Tight enough to lock her in place.

"Wrong move." It was all the warning she gave before she acted, shooting her leg up fast. First her knee, then snapping her leg upward in a split kick right for Kurenai's chin below!