Backstage Reunion

[Highfly]

Raquel was soaked in sweat, her small, tight body glistening after her hard fought victory over Gambit. She was gasping for breath, visibly limping along towards the locker room. She wanted to clean up and change although hydrating was a more immediate need. Not to mention grabbing food. She could stand being a sweaty mess if it meant not passing out from dehydration.

She ambled along the way down the hall, not as elegant a saunter as usual. As she rounded a corner Raquel saw a familiar face. Katsumi Oshiro. The jury was still out on whether or not she was happy or angry to see the talented, big mouthed woman who was victorious over her in the ring.

Raquel slinked along less noticeably than before. If Katsumi said anything Raquel would react and adjust accordingly, although in the beat down shape she was in now she hoped that things would stay civil if not pleasant.

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi Oshiro, Punk Princess of LAW, has a match coming up. One that she's a little concerned over. And though she doesn't have a match scheduled tonight, she remains prepared to do promo work, be ambushed, ambush someone, herself...

Being an entertainer in this industry means being opportunistic. And though she may be gnarled up on the inside with worry, she has to make a strong impression with the fans. Nothing less. She may not have much of a chance of it in the future.

So the girl is wearing her typical wrestling attire of black short shorts centered with feline-themed belt, black wrestling boots, sportsbra-style top, and black choker. She's minding her own business, watching the corner television wired to the show's live feed.

A stray bit of movement draws her attention. Bright green eyes turn to peer over her shoulder, only to spot Raquel! She recalls their match in vivid detail - especially that end.

"Well, if it isn't killer, herself!," Katsumi muses. "Look at you, coming away with the W!" Fists plant to narrow hips, impish smile taking to her lips.

[Highfly]

Raquel's career had been a mixed bag. She had blown quite a few matches at the last minute, just about to win only to lose. She has shown flashes of top level talent, but also shown relative inexperience or bone headed moves inside the ring which cost her. Simply put her level of success wasn't near where Katsumi's was.

Costume saw Raquel and began to speak. Raquel was on her guard as she wasn't sure if this was going to turn into the woman belittling her or genuinely congratulating her on her win. "Thanks.... 'bout time I guess." She said looking Katsumi over and keeping her distance to a degree. Raquel tried to hide a wince as she stood up straight to the full extent of her not-so-tall 5'2'' height. "So ah, how have you been?" Raquel asked, still trying to get a feel for what Katsumi was aiming for while doing her best to be at least somewhat polite while things were civil.

[CyanDimitrik]

The wince was noted. It's like blood in the water, with the Punk Princess having those cold, glassy doll eyes.

It's a labored metaphor just to say she's sharky. Katsumi's eyes are neither glassy, nor cold in this moment. Instead, the bright emeralds seem to sparkle a little in amusement. It's likely because she just saw the match and reason why Raquel is in rough shape. As it turns out, she's not a soulless undersea chainsaw after all.

She does, however, step up to Raquel to offer a light slug against her shoulder - definitively a playpunch. "Kickin' ass. Doing what I do." Except for the last match, wherein she lost embarrassingly to Sienna, and now has a HUGE, career-ending stipulation hanging over her head. Just don't think about that.

"Anyway, lookin' good out there." Oddly generous, perhaps, coming from her.

[Highfly]

Raquel nodded and grinned a bit as Katsumi continued on. The shoulder tap punch was nothing aggressive thankfully. "Yeah, whenever I see you things seem to be rolling right along." Raquel said trying to pay some sort of compliment to Katsumi. She took a deep breath as Katsumi spoke of her match this evening.

"Thanks. I mean she was way stronger than me and took a beating. It seemed like I had to chip away at her when one big move from her jarred me every time. I got lucky to some extent but I appreciate it." Raquel said as she looked over at a TV watching the participants of the next match making their way down. "So, got any big matches coming up? I bet you know ahead of time instead of being booked mostly day-to-day to fill in injury holes and such like me."

[CyanDimitrik]

"Ugh, oh my god, be less modest!," chastises Katsumi. Despite it, she's wearing a bemused grin. It somehow reads predatory, but that's just as likely her fault for past behavior.

"I do know of my matches ahead of time usually. Except tonight. Probably won't have any, since I'm scheduled for that Sienna rematch." The grin fades considerably. "Which you'd better believe she's gonna lose."

She has to lose. Otherwise, it's all over.

"Anyway," Katsumi diverts, her eyes shifting aside. "You should quit being a jerk to yourself. That's my job. Even when I'm not getting paid for it!"

Sure, Katsumi wasn't particularly hard on Raquel when they wrestled, but the bravado is half the fun of the sport! And it gives the girl enough leeway to square herself defiantly to Raquel, fists planted to hips, cocky smile on her face.

[Highfly]

Raquel stood with a raised eyebrow tilting her head to the side. The smile, the stance, everything about Katsumi screamed confidence bordering on cocky. "If you think facing me again would be like some sort of warm up for Sienna you are wrong. I'd kick your ass and leave you in awful shape for your matchup with her." Raquel answered back defiantly, crossing her arms across her chest, smiling slightly back at Katsumi. Raquel always had a hard time trying to figure out Katsumi. She wasn't the easiest read. She could be nice one minute then doing whatever it took to win or humiliate someone the next minute.

Raquel was going to see what her own bravado earned her soon enough it seemed.

[CyanDimitrik]

"Is that what you think?," asks an incredulous Katsumi. Her palms set against her backside, elbows bowing out. The act pushes out her chest and rolls her shoulders back, her slender body confidently taut on display. "Raquel, a warm-up is exactly what it'd be! Get you in the ring with me and have you flat on your back beneath me for the three-count in no time!"

Despite her words and posturing, there has been zero change to her smile, nor that effervescent sparkle in her eyes.

"I'd say for us to do it for the next show, but there's that match with Sienna. And tonight, you're already beat up!"

She moves a hand forward to lightly nudge against Raquel's stomach, resting the durability of her muscle. "Don't think those abs could hold up to much more!"

[Highfly]

Raquel scowled and shook her head. The smile that was almost comforting from Katsumi now seemed more taunting. "Oh those are nice little excuses to try to dodge me aren't they? You want to fight tonight I will fight you tonight!" Raquel said, trying to hide the pain she felt in her body after the toll her previous match had on her. She did stay still and not bend though when pushed by Katsumi. However her face did not hide her aches as well as she had hoped.

"You want to do it in the ring or right here? I am fine either way." Raquel said, using a sort of false confidence to hide some insecurities she was feeling as well as a sense of doubt. She was hurting, Katsumi was fresh. Katsumi had already defeated her.... what was she thinking?

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi blinks. Then blinks again. She's genuinely surprised by the challenge and push-back from Raquel. The Punk Princess pushes people's buttons, it's just what she does. But she didn't intend for this kind of response. What's this thing she's feeling? Guilt? Did she back Raquel into a corner and put her in a position to have to do this?

"H-hey," she says, the smile downshifting into a small frown. She's been bitten before for trying to be nice. In fact, she was tempted to be nicer to Raquel last time they faced off in the ring, but opted to play it safe and stick to her comfortable sass. Now, though? Could she wreck this girl's night over ego? Is this the sort of legacy she'd be okay with leaving behind, should things go bad in her next match? "I'm not- I'm not trying to dodge you. You want your ass kicked so bad, we can do it. But you- I mean-," she struggles. She has no idea how to word this without one of them seeming weak. "I don't... geh.."

Katsumi.exe has stopped working. All that's left is a punkette, soundlessly floundering. If she has to fight her, she will. And she'll fight her with the intent to beat her. But she's not going to feel good about it. She'll have to try to make it up to her.