Student-Teacher Workout

[Devastated]

Becky Welsh found herself in the gym of LAW on this fine and early Sunday afternoon. It was about 1 PM give or take. She wasn't entirely sure, all she knew was that she was supposed to meet her former teacher Muriel Spencer here at 1 PM. Candy Cane wasn't too sure about why Miss Spencer had wanted to meet her here. Heck, Candy Cane didn't even know she had come to Japan. Had it been a while back, Becky might have just turned her down...but at the moment the Punk-Rocker felt as if perhaps she could use a training session with her old teach.

Ever since meeting Reiko Hinomoto here in LAW, things had certainly taken their twists and turns...and when her feud with Rowdy Reiko herself had ended in a rather painful way. Becky couldn't exactly say that anything had gone well for her after all that? She hadn't been able to beat the former Middleweight champion Tina Armstrong in their rematch, and she felt more so than ever as if she was in a slump. Whatever other matches she had, against a feisty cowgirl or whoever else had ended either in a draw or a defeat on her part.

Maybe. Just maybe, a spar with Muriel Spencer would be able to turn things around? Perhaps she could be pulled out of her funk...but she wasn't sure at this point. Becky wondered if maybe she should just try and return to her Punk-rocker career, but she had sort of run away from that to focus on wrestling...because it hadn't been going well. So if this wasn't going well then...yeah.

Candy Cane released a groan as she stretched out her arms while walking through the gym. She had just left the locker-room, having gotten dressed for whatever her former teacher might have planned for her, whether spar or general workout.

Spoiler

"Hmm. Hope I ain't too late?" Becky asked out loud as she would look around, trying to catch a glimpse of Muriel.

[BlackAkuma]

Muriel paced about the ring for what had to be the hundredth time in ten minutes, still nervously flitting about. To the casual eye, she had to appear quite silly - a grown woman, dressed in a black sports bra and shorts, anxiously wandering around in circles around the practice ring, muttering to herself like a crazy person. She was certainly attracting stares from the other women, but she couldn't help herself.

Candy Cane. She was going to have a sparring match with Candy Cane.

When the younger woman had contacted her for this, Muriel had nearly gone into shock, scarcely believing it to be true. While the two hadn't been on bad terms the last time they spoke, she had figured the younger woman would not wish to be seen cavorting with her former teacher, that she had secured bonds and friendships all her own. Years had passed, and LAW was such a wide-open field, it seemed only natural that such a bright, vivacious woman as Ms. Welsh would be quite to make new friends. She expected to only see her in passing, or until they happened into a match against one another.

That was not to be, it seemed. She was flattered that her former student would reach out to her for help, but also frightened. The two of them had always had a fraught relationship. Enemies at one point, allies at another. Close. Too close, for some. Though chemistry was not her field, even she could see the combustible elements coming together, the potential for great disaster.

And yet, here she was.

Muriel finally stopped at the center of the ring, hands on hips, as she breathed deep and forced calm to take hold. It was a spar—a simple spar—a testing bout between colleagues—nothing more, nothing less. She was a professional, and she would carry herself as one. Martial yourself, Muriel. In all things, composure.

All the same, she could not ignore the skipping beat of her heart when she caught sight of Candy Cane, her bright red hair shining like a beacon. Time had been kind to her, as if she hadn't aged a day since they parted ways. She was still the radiant young beauty, a font of unending energy.

Eager, she rushed over the side of the ring and waved to the approaching Candy Cane. ”Ms. Welsh! Over here!”

[Devastated]

Candy Cane was feeling like perhaps this was a mistake, as she wandered a bit in the gym. She wasn't sure if this was the right call anymore and she was starting to feel butterflies in her stomach. She shook her head to try and calm, down whatever emotions she was feeling right now, maybe she was nervous of seeing her old teacher again, after all she didn't exactly feel as if she had amounted to a whole lot in the time since they last met. In fact things had been pretty rough for her....Was she caught up to date? Would she have to talk about it? All of that was currently in the final hour dawning on her as being things that would be difficult to handle, she had a moment of mini panic....and then took three deep breaths, then breathed out. She calmed herself enough to bear with it.

As she heard the loud yell from the practice ring, she turned her head and would raise an eyebrow. Muriel Spencer in the flesh, she still looked good, very good actually. It seemed as if she hadn't missed a day in the gym, keeping up with wrestling...Candy's eyes remained on her for a couple of seconds before she would start to walk towards the practice ring.

"Yeah yeah, I see you teach." Becky spoke out as she would approach the sparring ring, she'd start to climb up onto the ring apron and lean over the top ropes, not getting into the ring just yet. "S-so....ready to spar?" Candy Cane asked, a bit hesitant. She wondered if Muriel was going to ask her why she had called her out for a spar, or maybe she was already aware, she wasn't sure how close Muriel Spencer followed the life of her former students, but considering she had once chased her all the way to Rumble Roses, well Becky might have an inkling that Muriel kept a close eye on the progress of her students.

[BlackAkuma]

There was a palpable tension in the air as Ms. Welsh approached, and Muriel would’ve been remiss if she said she didn’t notice it. She had planned this moment for years, thinking of what she would say next when she saw this amazing young woman. She had stayed abreast of her career, was aware of her trials and tribulations, and could even hazard a guess as to the purpose of this spar, but all those topics fled from her mind as the redhead approached the ring.

Though it had been some time since they parted ways, she had grown no less radiant in the years. Perhaps even more so - while her youthful exuberance remained, there was a more mature air about her now, a measured control that colored her every step. Words could not convey the pride that swelled through Muriel in the moment, but she tempered her emotions and did her best to put on proper poise.

”Indeed, I am.” Muriel stood ramrod straight and looked down on Ms. Welsh as she made her way up onto the apron. ”I’ve seen some of your progress in LAW thus far, but I’m eager to experience it firsthand. I’m-” She ground her teeth for a moment, before pushing through. ”I’m glad you called me for this, Ms. Welsh. It does my heart well to see you.”

Muriel did her level best to not look too excited, as she sat on the middle rope and opened the way for her student to enter the ring.

[Devastated]

Candy Cane would watch as Muriel stood firm and straight in the ring whilst she climbed up onto the apron and would then slip in between the ropes. She was quite surprised once she stepped into the ring and stood rather up close with Muriel Spencer. The eyes of the redhead would trail down and then back up as she checked out her former teacher's body. It wasn't the first time she had done so, but last she did was when they faced off in a mud match back in Rumble Roses. Muriel Spencer still had it. She hadn't lost any of her looks, in fact she practically looked as fine as last time they had met.

Becky would place her hands on her hips as she waited for Muriel to finish what she was about to say. Though at first it seemed to be more in the lines of what a rival or an opponent would say....she ended it off with a more sappy and sweet set of words. Candy Cane was forced to groan out as she took a step back, raising her hand up to the back of her own head and scratching at it.

"Ah gee teach! Don't get all sappy on me." The punk-rocker said as she would back up a few steps and lean back against the ropes. She'd stretch her arms out over the top ropes. " L-look. it ain't like I'm not glad to see ya. But...can we skip all the sappy stuff." Candy Cane had a light blush on her cheeks, feeling a bit embarrassed as the genuine tone of Muriel's words had caught her off guard.

[BlackAkuma]

Muriel regretted those words when they came out of her mouth, chiding herself for being so careless with her thoughts to let them spill out like that. Ms. Welsh was right, though she wished the redhead had chosen to word things so carelessly. This was a platonic meeting between acquaintances, nothing less and certainly nothing more.

”I see time hasn’t robbed you of your wit.” Muriel straightened up and nodded towards her former - and in some small ways, current - student. ”Very well, then. No more ‘sappy stuff’. Though you might, perhaps, wish we had spent more time reminiscing once I’ve finished with you.”

It was the closest thing to a taunt that she could muster. Never her strong suit, that.

”Let us begin.” She moved back, raised her hands up in a traditional grappling posture, and motioned for Ms. Welsh to join her in the center of the ring. Once they were both in position and the bell rang, she began to circle her opponent, taking care never to move too close, dashing in and out of range to assess her reactions. She had always been an impatient sort, keen to start a fight and land the first punch. Had that changed?

[Devastated]

Becky would smile a bit as Muriel when she was complimented by her teacher...that was a compliment wasn't it? Candy Cane had always had a bit of a hard time when it came to telling what her old Teacher saw as a good or bad trait in her. Though Muriel's next words did cause Becky to take a step back, a bit surprised that Muriel even would taunt her. She comically raised her arm up as if to shield herself from Muriel's words.

" Gasp! Teach! Such stern words! Pffhahah!" Candy Cane spoke in an over the top manner and a somewhat mocking tone to boot, before erupting in a light laugh to herself. She'd roll her shoulders next and seeing as Muriel Spencer had decided to adopt a grappling stance, Candy Cane would decide to bring her arms up as well, moving towards the center of the ring. She would start to circle with Muriel in the center of the ring...though that only lasted for a second or two at most. Candy Cane was still an impulsive and impatient fighter...

The redhead would surge forward and rush at Muriel, though she wouldn't go for a punch! She had a different plan in mind as she would try to dive low and go for a double leg-takedown! Trying to tackle the legs of her former teacher and bring her down onto her back.

[BlackAkuma]

Try as she might, Muriel could not help but smile as her former student chided her, playing off her challenge with a mocking tone. Her humor was at the top of the list of all the things she had missed about the redhead. She was blessed with a boundless, effervescent energy that she sometimes wished to emulate.

Enough, she could admire her later, after they had a proper spar. With a nod, Muriel began to circle the ring, picking up speed as she moved to keep in step with her younger opponent. While she had no doubt this was a different wrestler than the one she had known years ago, she was still willing to bet that Ms. Welsh’s impulsivity had not faded, that she would remain a tenacious, explosive opponent. She only had to wait, any…

Ah, there it was.

Muriel’s arms came up on instinct as her opponent closed in, heedless of the danger, and she prepared for a wild strike. She would be ready when it connected and counter with aplomb, more than likely using an arm drag to throw her away.

That plan came to naught when Ms. Welsh ducked down instead, seized her legs, and caught her with a quick double-leg takedown, dropping the ex-teacher in a heartbeat. It was a momentary lapse, and she reached to try and secure her opponent’s skull with a headlock, hoping to keep her under control.

Still, an impressive move.

[Devastated]

Becky had charged right in, and it seemed to the surprise of her Teacher that she had gone for a low double leg takedown! She dropped the ex-teacher down onto her back and then quickly tried to push up, she had plans for those legs after all. Though her attempts to rise up were swiftly yanked away from her, as the arms of Muriel Spencer came around her head, snagging around her skull. The rising Candy Cane was pulled down, and dragged in close to the older blonde woman....

The Punk-rocker released an annoyed grunt, as she would place her hands on the canvas at either side of Muriel. She would groan and shift, trying to find a way free from the headlock. She decided to bring her hands up to Muriel's arms, and try to push them up and off her head, as she tried to struggle for control on top of Muriel!

[BlackAkuma]

It did Muriel’s heart well to know that her student had been improving her technical skills in her absence. In Rumble Roses, Candy Cane had been known as more of a high-flyer, the consummate risk-taker of their group, eternally bent of putting her body in mortal danger to deal damage. While she didn’t want to dissuade her student from finding her own path, she had always wished the woman would build up her fundamentals. Learn the rules before you start breaking them.

At a glance, it seemed like she had taken those suggestions to heart at some point since they parted ways, as this takedown showed a more methodical side to her technique. If Muriel hadn't been so well-versed in such techniques herself, the woman might have been able to seize the moment for a mount, but she was, fortunately, on her game today. As usual, though, Ms. Welsh was never one to be so easily corralled, fighting to get her head free. With her superior position, there was little Muriel could do but slow the process.

Knowing that, she thought it best to at least force a reset. She threw her body hard to the side, trying to get on top of Ms. Welsh, then released the hold and pushed away, trying to rise up to her feet and make some distance between them. She might have tried for something more aggressive had this not be a spar, but she decided there was no reason to be this early on.