The Midas Touch, Episode 11: Headbangers Ball

[SuckerPunch]

Theme

(Start at 1:21 for replays)

The sudden pounding of music brought with it lights that flared in time with the beat. The song was instantly recognizable. Music that had become synonymous with the League's Self-proclaimed Ace! Every pump of bass brought on another flicker of gold stage lighting. And with it another brief vision of the Venomous Vixen herself!

And when the beat dropped, the gold-toned lights flared fully to life! Gold confetti rained ceremoniously down from the ceiling. It refracted the light in a dazzling display of gaudy gold. And at the top of the stage stood the Lightweight Champion!

Spoiler

Rose Gold once again stood at the top of the ramp... Radiant. Her trademark golden hair was tipped with brilliant pink. Her lips were painted as black as her intentions, highlighting her alabaster skin and the soft blush upon her cheeks. Her eyes were swept with black liner, angular and sharp. It made her honey-gold orbs glitter, 24kt.

A spade shaped hairband made of her namesake, rose gold, pulled her hair back and exposed her face. Her attire was more complex. Sleeves and Leggings were both speckled with shiny rose gold highlights. A collared top with a window that exposed the valley between her firm, perky breasts. Like her hairband, this too was cut to the shape of a spade, though this one was inverted. Both symbolic of her status as Ace.

Her bottoms were practically lingerie. Barely there at all. So high-cut were they that the muscles of her kissable inner thigh were bare to the world. A centimeter or two from indecency. The back was cut like a thong, allowing her round, athletic backside to bounce with every step she took. Every aspect of her femininity was accentuated. One look at her was enough to make even the most vigilant of opponent feel their heart beat hasten.

And lastly, she carried the symbol of her reign. The crown that made her Queen. The Lightweight Title. It hung over her shoulder, clutched by one hand. It's face was showing, her name embroidered prominently upon it.

She marched towards the ring with a microphone in her other hand. But unlike other nights, she wasn't grinning. It was only last week when Dan DeFranco, Owner and Operator of LAW unfairly forced her into a match with Aurora Estrella, of the SWAT Cats. An undefeated Lightweight who was as beloved as she was a threat to her title. It put her in a terrible mood! She mounted the apron and slipped into the ring.

She brought the microphone to her lips. "LAW!" She demanded attention! "You don't deserve me!" She growled the words out! Her flirty demeanor was gone. Her arrogance was replaced by seething frustration.

Dan thought he could do whatever he wanted? Well she could too. And her plan tonight was to draw out one of his 'prospects' and crush her under her heel. She'd not let another Aurora be built up! She'd extinguish this candle before it could become a bonfire! The crowd knew what was coming. And they were roaring.

"Enough baying for my attention!" She barked. The crowd didn't stop. In fact, they grew louder. Spurred on by the extra attention they were getting from the dominant diva in the center of the empty ring.

"Chris Yukine!" There was no preamble. She simply said the woman's name and glared at the ramp.

"This is -your- chance at my attention." She held her belt up, letting the shimmering trophy speak the rest of the challenge.

[GolemGuardian]

A few moments would pass, no sign of the challenge being answered. The crowd would begin to wonder if someone would deny the seething champion what she wanted, what her demand. But no, such would not be the case. The rockstar had no intention of letting a chance like this, one that would never usually arise for someone who had only fought with two people - one multiple times by this point - would get. All she was doing was waiting for the tipping point, where anxiety and excitement were hand in hand and the tension was palpable. After all, it wouldn't be just the Caustic Cutie and her fight that would be in the spotlight tonight.

Spoiler

The lights died, her theme beginning and white lights flashing around with the beat. Chris' silhouette was barely visible behind it, now on stage. Once the song picked up the pace, the rocker threw up her usual rock on devil's horns, columns of fire erupting all along the stage as the lights returned, revealing the rocker in a brand new attire. One she had ordered long before she debuted, that had taken longer than expected and forced her to debut in her work out clothes. This was challenge was not only her rare opportunity, but it would also be where she debuted her real wrestling attire.

Spoiler

Her long, white hair, tied off into four, ribbon tihn tails, trailed along her back while her lavender eyes stared forward in determination. Her black top, only broken by a white 'V' on her right and a single white line on her left, hugged her chest tight, beneath a white, sleeveless coat that turned crimson last her bust. A single white shoulder pad lay on her left shoulder, while a sleeve of equal paleness wrapped around her right arm upbto her bicep. She sported a pair of white bottoms, barely passing past her hips, and leaving a bit of skin exposed before her black stockings with white and red accents came to cut in. And too finish her look would be her white boots, extending up to her knees.

The crowd cheered, some louder as she had a built up a bit of a devoted fan base with her music and matches, the flames dancing with the music like a Ruben's tube. When her vocals hit the fire died, Chris walking down the ramp to where the Caustic Cutie awaited her. Chris couldn't wait to see just what the lightweight champion thought of her little spectacle, whether it be impressed, shocked, or perhaps even furious. But she would first give many in the audience highfives as she passed by. Championship chance or not, she was always a crowd pleaser first and foremost.

Finally reaching the ring, Chris hopped up on the turnbuckle by the steps, and threw up her arms for one last pop from the crowd before she backflipped off and onto her feet, now facing Rose Gold with an eager smile on her face. Her stomach was in knots, nerves a complete wreck, but she didn't allow it to show. The rockstar wouldn't allow herself to show any weakness as she aimed to rock out all over the ring with the champ.

"So," she began. "Now that -I- have your attention, are you ready to see if you, Ms. Ace of LAW, haven't bitten off more than you can chew?" She stood confident, knowing just how make or break this opportunity could be for her.

[SuckerPunch]

Rose Gold watched with her arms crossed as Chris Yukine made her way to the ring. A rising star in the lightweight division and a fan favorite. Her bombastic entrance, spirited approach to matches, and budding talent made her a shoe-in for any number of internet wrestling culture lists. All from a woman who didn't even bother to wear wrestling attire until tonight. She was everything that Rose Gold hated in the Lightweight Division. A gimmick based on a different profession. Pixie positivity. And worst of all... Potential to one day steal away everything she'd worked for.

Chris had made it to the ring by the time Rose Gold had finished her inner monologue. The two were now face to face and Rose Gold allowed Chris to break the standstill and speak first. Her words drew a cheer from the audience. Fickle fans were eager to cheer whatever they could latch their eyes on. They made the Champion sick! Unless they were cheering for her, of course.

She rolled her eyes at the other woman's words. There were no sugar-coated threats. No honey to lure her into a trap. She simply lifted her belt up high, between the two of them. It spoke for her. After a moment she dismissively threw it into the Referee's chest. The stripe-wearing official bungled it before catching it and taking it to the timekeepers' area.

"No special rules tonight. This is your chance to grab the brass ring. Prove you're good enough and become the face of MY division." In the end, she couldn't help herself. The inevitable pageantry began, however stunted it might have been.

"But be warned. I'm in no mood tonight. I'm not just going to beat you, little rock star. I'm going to humiliate and expose you! I'll give these degenerate fans something to -really- cheer about. And believe me. They'll cheer. Whether you're singing one of your little songs, or singing for me." She licked her lips, her own threat fostering a deeper hunger for violence within her.

"So what'll it be princess? Think carefully, because I'm not hunting to eat tonight. Just to kill."

[GolemGuardian]

Unlike the crowd, Rose would seem callous towards her and her updated attire. She knew the girl was in a sour mood, and she hadn't been expecting a warm welcome, but even so it was less reactivate than she expected. All she seemed to do was glare at Chris and roll her eyes at her boldness. Maybe she just got a bit too used to a certain other girl's taunts and back and forth.

And then, again, the lightweight champion presented her belt. The symbol that she was the most skilled lightweight, at least for now. The rockstar couldn't help but stare at the symbol. It was still hard to believe that this was a legitimate shot she had. She was still just a fledgling in LAW, and yet an opportunity most trained and fought their entire careers for was there just a few inches out of her grasp. Literally and figuratively, given how Rose was barely taller than her.

And then she flung the belt at the poor ref, who fumbled a bit before catching it, before starting off on her thinly veiled threats. But no matter what venom this Caustic Cutie spat at her, Chris wouldn't flinch. She refused to show any sign of weakness to her, no matter what she may try. Not even Rose hungry eyes, like a lion would give a gazelle, would seemingly phase her.

Once she was done, Chris immediately responded. "Thanks for the warning, but if that was meant to scare my newbie ass away then you should try harder Rose." The rockstar unclipped her red cape, tossing it away to flutter who knows where. "And like I sang in one of my early covers, 'Here I am.'" Chris spread her arms out, dead serious as she glared at the champ, seemingly leaving herself wide open. "And I'm gonna rock you like a hurricane."

[SuckerPunch]

Chris gave her a reply and Rose's lips spread in a serpent's smile. She stood before her, presenting herself. Posing like a willing human sacrifice while proclaiming her intent to win. It was a foolhardy move, many a woman who'd come before her had seen that exact posture rewarded with a brutal boot to between their thighs. But tonight, Rose simply pushed her bangs back and gave the referee a look that could kill.

"Ring the bell." She snarled before turning her attention back to Chris. A sneak attack wouldn't be sufficient for tonight's event. She was here because she wanted to do more than hurt someone. She wanted to break her. She sought to leave tonight's Midas Touch contestant without excuses.

"Come on then, honey. I'm looking forward to hearing that voice of yours." And Rose Gold, in contrast to Chris, took on a fighting post. Her legs spread and square. Her hips were low. And her arms were out. It was the stance of a grappler. A judoka. Her heritage.

"I'm going to make you sing. Whether you like it. Or not!"

*Ding Ding Ding!*

[GolemGuardian]

There was very little Chris knew of the lightweight champion. Other than that, how she was usually a little more flaunting about her status as 'Ace of LAW,' her skill in grapples and other such areas Chris dare not delve into, and how she would often go for sneak attacks of some kind. She had intentionally 'left herself open' in anticipation of such a tactic only for it to never come. Did she make it too obvious? Or was she just obvious enough for a champion's eye to see?

Or could it be, an even worse situation, that she really was messing with a different beast than she had expected to face?

Chris lowered her arms as Rose took up her squared stance and raised her arms. The rock star shook her limbs, limbering up while the Caustic Cutie began her threat. This was it, no backing out now. "Don't worry, you'll be hearing plenty of my sweet vocals."The bell would soon ring, and the match would be underway. "After I perform the aria of your defeat here!"

Chris would try to kick things off, literally, by throwing her foot at Rose' gut. She had no expectation of it connecting though. If it did, then yay. But in reality it was a gambled feint. She'd need to be quick enough, and just hoped she was. She'd leap off of her opposite foot, trying to land an enzugiri on Rose as she either was hopefully distracted by the kick, either by taking the hit, dodging it, or if she caught her foot.

Their match started with them too close, she wouldn't be able to really utilize her speed in that scenario. She first needed to get the blonde staggering if only for a second. So if it worked she'd try to run the ropes and leap at Rose, leaping last second and wrapping her hands around her head and spin to land a sling blade. If she could get Rose grounded, she could start trying to wrack up the damage to her. This wasn't without its risks, of course, but like with her taller opponents the reward should outweigh them. As long as she was allowed to capitalize them.

[SuckerPunch]

These Midas Touch bouts had recently been a stunted affair. The gap in skill often led to Rose Gold toying with her opponent. Landing an attack and taunting. Or the other girl approaching with a measured uncertainty. Tonight, however, this match opened with a flurry of motion!

Chris immediately lashed out with a kick. One that had to travel past both of Rose Gold's arms if it were to sink home. Impossible. But a jab was seldom thrown with the intent to knock someone out. The Rocker was testing the waters. That much was clear!

Rose Gold's body slid to the side, her left arm hooking the girl's right boot and securing it harmlessly beside her hip! She took a step forward to sweep Chris's other leg and found the motion fruitless. The other leg was already airborne!

Chris twisted in mid-air, her calf sailing mercilessly at the champion's head!

"GCK!" the toe of Chris's boot hooked around the back of Rose Gold's head as the elegantly delivered attack hit home! Her shin sank into the side of the petite blonde's neck, causing her expression to twist into a grimace of pain! Her head knocked in the other direction by the force of the kick! And her legs slipped out from under her.

Rose Gold's eyes narrowed, spinning her momentum as she fell, not unlike Chris's! She turned over in mid-air and took hold of the leg above her shoulder with both hands! She flowed with the motion of the enziguri. Intentionally leaving her feet helped to relieve some of the damage of the strike. And when she came down, she did so with Chris's leg ensnared in her grasp! Forcing her to fall belly down! Spiking the knee of Chris's kicking leg directly into the canvas!

It wasn't a counter by traditional means. She'd taken the blow, even if she had deflected some of the damage. It was really more of a trade. Accepting Chris's striking prowess and giving her a taste of her expert grappling skills in exchange! It delivered a statement the fans weren't used to... Rose Gold wasn't here for fun. She was hungry for a fight!

[GolemGuardian]

The crowd was loving the change of pace Chris offered. How she took initiative, showed no fear in front of such a revered, and equally feared, wrestler. And what's more it was a sample of what was likely to come from the rock star.

Rose Gold easily dodged her leg and caught it, which was actually her hope. It gave her the perfect fulcrum for the enzugiri that followed, unintentionally dodging a leg sweep that would have put her in a precarious position. Her sttack hit as intended, her shin digging into the champion's neck and she began to fall. Chris had drawn first blood, or so she had thought.

Time seemed to slow as her excitement turned into confusion. She couldn't place what exactly, but something felt off with the hit. It landed, that much she was certain, but it felt weakened. And that when it clicked. Rose had taken the hit, yes, but she flowed through it to lessen the damage. She had been fast to attack, but her opponent was quick enough to react.

As the two twisted in the air, Rose controlling their momentum and course as she gripped the leg by her neck, the rock star couldn't help but admire the champ's reactions. "Aaagh!!" She hit the mat hard, and her knee even harder as the two landed and Rose Gold drove her knee into the mat. The two had traded their attacks, and the crowd was cheering for both of them.

Even though her knee hurt, she didn't want to give Rose a second to try and work her legs, essentially her life blood in wrestling, any further. The white haired rock star would try to roll away, wanting to give Rose Gold the idea she was retreating. If she fell for it Chris would try to trip the blonde up by kicking at her leg and send her falling back down before attempting to lock her in an STF to wear her down.

[SuckerPunch]

Chris's scream was everything she could have hoped for. It wasn't simply a yelp of impact. She'd damaged something important to her. Something that should come as no surprise to anyone who followed the typically agile and graceful Lightweight division.

Rose Gold moved a hand to her neck, it still ached from the kick. And that ache pushed Rose Gold further into fury!

Chris attempted to roll away! And Rose Gold followed her! A more patient grappler would have wanted for her to try to base up. When her body was compact and devoid of leverage. But Rose Gold didn't -want- to wait. She wanted blood! "Where do you think you're going!?"

The rocker's roll was a single fluid motion. She was moving away, but she also intended to lash back out at her attacker! Her boot dug into Rose Gold's shin as she moved forward! Her base was displaced and the result was that she tumbled top over teakettle onto the mat.

The uncontrolled fall saw her roll once. And that was more than enough time for Chris's multi-layered attack to commence! The other lightweight entangled herself in Rose Gold's limbs. Trapping one leg betwixt two of her own and then securing her chin with her hands! An STF. Just as Rose Gold seemed to be focused on Chris's legs, it seemed that Chris was focused on Rose Gold's head and neck!

The champion bit back a scream of pain. An action that would be worthy of applause except for the fact that Chris had yet to -really- torque the move! "Let go! This instant!" She demanded through jaw-creakingly clenched teeth.

[GolemGuardian]

It was true Chris' knee hurt from the impact with the ground, but it wasn't terribly so. In her earlier matches she didn't have any forms of protection for her limbs. But now that her attire was complete, she actually had something there to take some of the hit. It hurt, but definitely not as bad as it could have if she wasn't in her attire.

As she rolled away she saw the champion stalk after her, just as she wanted. She no doubt angered her with that enzugiri, if she could have been more pissed off that is, and didn't want the rock star to return to the vertical. That, or she just wanted to follow on her promise to make Chris hurt. Either way, the hunter fell right into the hunter's trap. One last roll and a kick at the legs was all it took to bring the Caustic Cutie down to the ground, ripe for Chris to lock in her hold.

Her leg was trapped between her own no problem, and her hands locked right under Rose Gold's chin. She wasn't pulling hard yet, purposefully so. She wanted the champ to know she had been trapped, that this was the consequence for going after her so blindly. She wanted to target the neck and spine to slow her down, so her own agility would shine through and give her more of a chance.

She leaned right next to Rose Gold's ear, and decided a nice friendly taunt was in order. "Do you know what my favorite movie trope is?" She tightened her hands together in preparation. "When the hunter becomes the hunted!" And unless the champion acted, Chris would pull back and actually start torquing Rose Gold's neck and spine. She was certain she wouldn't get a tap out from it, but the more work she could put in now the more of an advantage she could have later.