Target Acquired

[winner3]

The backstage area of the LAW was home to all sorts of occurrences. Scuffles, discourse between staff, friendly meetings, sometimes not to friendly meetings, the list goes on. But sometimes things were as simple as having some simple and convenient, mundane arrangements mades. In the backstage locker rooms, still getting acclimated to her life at LAW given her having recently signed with the rising company, Katherine was getting her things together in her locker. She had just made arrangements with the staff to have her locker moved from its assigned slot.

"Aaaaannnnnd there we have it. That's the last thing!" she said as she tossed the last spare mask she had into her reassigned locker. "Tracy is gonna be so psyched when she finds out I moved my locker next to hers!! She starts in a week or two, but LAW better lookout! The Super Kitty and The Circus Cat are absolutely gonna tear the roofs off their stadiums!" Kat said aloud with her usual confident smile. Having been one of the few wrestlers to sign with LAW while also working at AFW, her reputation at AFW, compounded with her reputation in indie companies back in the USA preceded her. Many of the more hardcore fans and followers of pro wrestling were aware of her ventures at other wrestling promotions. They knew that she wouldn't be a woman easily beaten inside or outside the ring. And she was well aware of this. It was one of the many reasons Hart believed in herself so much and always carried herself with an air of confidence. The reason Tracy and other aspiring wrestlers practically idolized her and pursued a similar career in the squared circle.

But when you get to a certain level in any competitive expertise, becoming notable in your own right often functions as a double-edged sword. And the feline-themed wrestler could tell you of many times where that was the case back when she was wrestling in promotions in Mexico and a couple other places. In recent years, there were very few times this status of Kat's would make liable to be called out or challenged by others. Even at this point in her careers, it was often Kat that would need to approach others and seek out opponents. But things might be different this time around. LAW was a different sort of place. And on this day where all that was on her agenda was to familiarize herself with the LAW facilities and move her locker room belongings from point A to point B, these differences would begin to make themselves apparent.

"Alright! Now to close this up and be on my way." Kat said as she closed and locked her new locker.

[Ironsoldier]

Iron Soldier was more then just a ring moniker. Zarya Volkov had, in fact, been a soldier in the Russian military, where she earned a reputation for her cast iron resolve. She never spoke of those years, but those few who'd known the former amateur wrestler before her time in the service noted a definite... change, in her demeanor. Perhaps she'd always been the bitter, cruel individual who'd proven to be such a loose cannon that she was dishonorably discharged from service. Perhaps something she experienced in the military snapped her mind like a twig. Either way, she was now a permanent figure in the outlaw world of female combat sports... to the misfortune of many.

Among the skills she'd learned during those harsh years was how to stalk, how to move silently and catch an unsuspecting enemy unawares, moving with stealth one wouldn't expect from a woman of her size. That was how she slipped into the locker room undetected, having waited patiently for this very moment when Katherine was completely alone. It was an opportunity she had considered for quite some time. The Iron Soldier and the Super Kitty had crossed paths in other promotions, but had never actually had a match or anything other then a passing comment or look backstage. Zarya had long wanted to make an example out of Katherine Hart, to take that joyous optimism and crush it into a fine powder. Usually, she only fought for money. Occasionally, it was worth hurting someone just to raise ones profile, or to inspire fear... or just for the twisted pleasure of it.

She announced her presence by palming the back of Kats head and driving the top of her skull into the steel locker with sudden, explosive violence. Zarya gave the feline-themed fighter no chance to recover before wrapping a muscular, battle-scarred arm around her throat in a blatant strangle-hold that would have never been deemed legal in an actual wrestling match. Particularly not when the Russian mauler pressed her free hand against the back of Super kitties head and pushed forward, putting even more excruciating pressure on her neck and further constricting her windpipe.

"pri-Vet! Who you talking to? Only crazy people talk to themselves, you know?" Zarya's spoke in a low, contralto growl of a voice, dripping with menace even when she sounded playfully amused, as she did now. Her entertainment generally came at someone elses expensive.

[winner3]

Still minding her own business, Hart would be caught completely off guard when the Iron Solider skulking the backstage halls and locker rooms snuck up behind her. Zarya struck no sooner than a second after she closed her locker door. Before Kat could even fetch her lock to seal the compartment, her head and masked would be violently bounced off the metal door of her own locker! She'd barely have time to let out a yelp before a hulking, imposing arm was wrapped around her throat, constricting it in a blatantly illegal maneuver that Kat recognized immediately. Zarya augmented her choke by using her other arm to push the back of Katherine's head and neck forward with clear and malicious intentions. The purple feline fighter could only let out one loud, audible gag before attempting to salvage the situation. And as she did, she heard Zarya's comment. There was only one thing on Kat's mind in this very moment. And Zarya's words made this extremely apparent in her mind.

This...this was pre-meditated.

At this point, Kat still didn't know her aggressor's identity. The possibilities were too large in number to deliberate that at the moment. She had joined LAW at the same time as over a hundred other girls. A good number of them were heavyweights exceeding even Katherine in mass and strength. But now wasn't the time to be playing 'guess who'. Regardless of whether Kat knew her or not, it was apparent that Zarya already knew of her. Well enough to orchestrate this attack, at least. And Kat was going to do what she could to show her that this wasn't her first rodeo.

After finding herself in her opponent's vicious choke, the masked wrestler would clutch the arm that choking her. She'd attempt to react before the chokehold could slow her down seriously enough to make her easy prey. The woman would attempt to stand up straight and lift her legs in an effort to plant her feet on the very locker her cranium was just thrust into! Kat would try to push off the locker with her feet with as much force as she could manage, hopefully driving Zarya back into a wall, locker, or other such fixture in the locker room! If she was successful in launching the both of them backwards and colliding with something, Kat would attempt to plant her feet on the ground and throw an elbow behind her, into the Iron Soldier's midsection before reaching back with her other arm and trying to grab hold of the back of her attacker's head or hair. If The Super Kitty made it this far, she'd summon all the strength she had available in this moment and attempt to pull downwards and throw Zarya over her shoulder to free herself from the choke!

[Ironsoldier]

Zarya didn't expect the Super Kitty to go down easily. Stupid, cutesy ring handle aside, Katherine was well known as a tough competitor. Of course, as the Iron Soldier learned long ago, sometimes the best move was to pick out a worthy target... and stomp them into the ground.

It didn't take long for Kat to start resisting, and she didn't disappoint, pushing off the locker and sending both women stumbling backwards until Zarya slammed into the lockers on the other side of the room. The russian mauler answered by tightening her grip, attempting to lift Kat off her feet and shake her violently in the hold. Only a sharp elbow, courteousy of the Super Kitty, stopped her, and then Kat was reaching upwards, grasping Zarya's hair. Often it was cornrowed tight against her scale, but at the moment her mohawk style cut was loose and wild, making for a decent handhold.

Unfortunately for her, Zarya knew what she was trying to do and kicked hard at the back of Kats right knee to stop her. All the while she maintained the choke, knowing it was only a matter of time before lack of oxygen turned muscles leaden and made her target much more pliant and controllable.

[winner3]

Kat never went down without a fight and character trait of hers was certain not to change on this day or any other for that matter. The Super Kitty succeeded in pushing off her own locker with her feet and propelling both herself and her assailant across the room. She was able to further curtail Zarya's assualt by firing back an elbow behind her and attempting to set her foe up such that she could throw Volkov over her shoulder and free herself. But to her surprise, there wasn't much hair to grab at all! In the heat of the moment, with her larger foe stalking her from behind and seeking to maul her, Hart couldn't even tell that she was grasping at cornrows. She still hadn't even gotten a good look at Zarya. Kat would simply yelp in surprise when her attempts to free herself only took her so far! It seemed as if fortune would swing back in Kat's favor when her foe's hair was cut loose, but by that time, the Iron Solider had already found a suitable answer to the masked woman's offense!

A stiff kick from Zarya to the back of Katherine's knee brought her down to a kneeling position. With this added leverage, it would only be seconds before Zarya's choke would incapacitate Kat and succeed in her attack. In a final act of desperation, Kat would use her current position to hook an arm around the back of one of Zarya's legs. She attempted to rise up and lift Zarya off the ground even slightly to counter with some sort of slam. Counters were one of Kat's many strong suits. But ultimately, it would prove to be a fruitless attempt. Partway through trying to life Volkov, Katherine would succumb to the choke and fall. Her body would slowly become limp. She'd murmur in a weak voice before finally passing out and becoming completely motionless in the clutches of Zarya's beefy, defined arms.

"....why....."

[Ironsoldier]

Zarya could have left it there, her target neutralized and her message sent, but she was never a woman to settle for half-measures. She hefted Katherine's unconscious weight in her arms and lamented her lack of time. If security wasn't already on their way, someone was bound to alert them soon. They might stop her, call the authorities.... or worse, bill her for the damage! Zarya knew that she had little time and had to make it count.

She released the choke hold and immediately wrapped her arms around Kat's waist instead, lifting the woman up as if performing a German Suplex. Of course, the lockers directly behind them meant the move was stopped cold as the Super Kitties head and shoulders crunched into locker doors. Even then, Zarya wasn't done, maintaining her grip on Kat's middle and dragging her away from the lockers, turning so that one of the locker rooms long wooden benches were directly behind them.

The Iron Soldier ducked her head beneath Kat's left arm, shifting her grip for her most devestating move yet, lifting an already limp and helpless Katherine into a backdrop driver and sent her head and shoulders first through the bench with a violent splintering of wood. Finally, satisfied, Zarya stood and peered down at her fallen victim with a cold, maniacal gleam in her eyes. She couldn't help but inflict one last indignity.

She crouched down beside Katherine, unlaced the back of her mask and tore it off her head. If she had time, she would have broken the locker door open and stolen the spare mask as well... but this would do. She slipped out of the locker room, knowing security would be there momentarily.

[winner3]

Kat was now helpless to take action against an aggressor who's identity she wasn't even aware of at this point in time! She could only remain limp in The Iron Soldier's grasp after having fallen victim to this attack. To make matters even more inauspicious for The Super Kitty, this wasn't Zarya's first rodeo. She knew security would come, and soon. And with the little time she had, she knew what to do to leave a lasting impact on those who fell victim to her. The brutish, musclebound Solider would hoist Katherine up and reorient her limp body by securing her grasp around Kat's waist. When fans and staff would look back at security camera footage, at this point, it would have seemed like Zarya was considering German Suplexing the unconscious masked woman into the lockers. And just as it seemed that she entertained the idea in her head, the red clad heavyweight would toss Katherine back and have her head and shoulders collide with the doors of the lockers immediately behind them, making large, visible dents in the locker doors!

Kat's arms flailed as she impacted the lockers. She was still out cold, but the force of the impact, though stopped almost immediately by the lockers she collided with, jostled her limp limbs. Still, Volkov wasn't done here. She kept her rear Waistlock applied and proceeded to drag Hart towards the benches and looked down at the tiny fixtures that seemed almost comically sized for for a woman os Zarya's stature. Just one look at the woman's face and anyone could tell that what she had planned was gonna hurt no matter how unconscious her victim was. Zarya had finished her womanhandling of Hart by tucking her head below the woman's arm and assaulting her head and shoulder area one last time by drilling her into the wooden locker room benches with a Backdrop Driver! The force of the move made the bench shake conspicuously! Even in her unconscious state, Katherine held the back of her head and grimaced, trying to cope with the pain as best she could. It was all she was capable of doing in her current state. Leaving her vulnerable when Zarya crouched down and undid the lacing on her mask before taking it and making off. If there was going to be any act in this encounter that would incite Kat's fury, this would be it.

Kat would lie there while Zarya took off. Just a few minutes after Zarya left, security and doctors would come to attend to Kat and bring her to the doctor's offices. As she woke up, she'd feel out her head and neck area, immediately noticing that along with a slew unwelcome aches and pains, her signature purple cat themed mask was missing. Upon learning that her mask was stolen, her countenance would immediately change to show that she was irate to no end. Word of the incident would spread backstage and an official would eventually bring the security camera footage to her attention. Later in the day she'd get to see the incident play out on tape and ID her aggressor. She'd silently and angrily contemplate these events. Replaying them in her head as she did on her phone, thinking of what she could have done differently to thwart Zarya's attacks. In the end, only one statement would Hart's lips. Thoughts of her next act

"Zarya Volkov....you WILL pay."