Blazin' Bright (Blaise Cameron Vs Estelle Bright)

[Cosmos]

Standard Pro Match
Victory Conditions: Pin, Submission or KO
Normal rules apply.

"From what I've been able to gather, your first ever opponent hasn't exactly had the most stellar of starts to his LAW career. A string of losses and unremarkable performances. Yet there's a gap in his records." Joshua tapped the paper he held with his index finger, a troubled expression on his face. "There's no paper trail of him in the last 12 months. No one knows where he's been or what he's been up to. Until his unexpected return a short while ago. And that concerns me."

He peered up to see his adoptive sister doing a series of squats in front of their dressing room mirror. His face twisted, taking an unamused form. "...Not as much as your inability to listen concerns me, mind you."

"Excuse YOU!" Estelle huffed towards her brother. Arms folded, her cheeks swelling. The obvious signs that she took offence. "I heard every word! But what's the big deal? Who cares if this guy turned up today or a year ago? Not like he's going to call upon some otherworldly forces and transform into a monster or something!"

"I'm saying you need to be cautious." Joshua replied. "He may not be the same worthless jobber that was last here all those months ago." A pause. He knew Estelle wasn't going to like the suggestion, but he was still going to bring it up all the same. "...I know you don't agree with it, but if you just let me intervene during the match, I cou-"

"No, Joshua." There was her refusal. Adamant. Clear. Final. "The only kind of victory sneak attacks can bring you is a shallow one. I don't want my first ever win thanks to you cheating. Dad would never have done that sort of thing - you KNOW that!" Her brother seemed to be on the verge of arguing with her, a tense silence between them as they stared. Eventually, he yielded with a sigh. He knew when a battle was lost.

"Fine. But I swear, you are far too sincere for your own good." Shaking his head at her, although his expression had softened. "At least let me be at ringside, supporting you." He was caught off-guard when she bounded forward, hugging him as his body froze.

"Aw, of course! I'd never say no to you cheering me on! Just no underhanded tactics, okay? I want this to be fair - it's important to me. Promise?"

"I-I promise." Awkwardness welled up within the pit of his stomach. "...We should get moving. You have a match to attend, after all."

"Too true!" She released him from the hug, but Estelle's hand quickly seized Joshua's arm with a vice-like grip. "Time for us to show LAW what the Brights are made of in the ring!" Leading him out of their room and through the backstage corridor, the siblings made for the arena. Or to be more accurate, Estelle dragged Joshua with her.

Estelle

Joshua

As a non-combatant, Joshua was in casual gear - a simple t-shirt and jeans with sneakers. Estelle was one of the two stars tonight entering the ring, so naturally she was kitted out in her ring gear. To her singles entrance theme, the pair emerged to the blinding skylights above and the thunderous cheers of the audience greeting them. Estelle couldn't help but marvel at how every seat was filled, how huge this place was...

"We're here, Joshua! The Bright siblings are finally in LAW! Isn't this just so COOL?!" Her brother nodded humbly as she made her way down the entrance ramp to the ring, still gripping his arm tightly. Once she was at ringside, the girl finally released him and slid under the ropes, bouncing to her feet with an enthusiastic hop as Joshua nursed the red mark on his arm from where she had been clutching him. The girl's eyes fell upon the nearest turnbuckle, leaping onto it as she flashed a peace sign at the audience with a beaming grin, warmly received as they cheered for her.

Hopping back down, Estelle settled herself into that very corner, allowing the referee to check her for any foreign objects. Once satisfied, they backed away, allowing her to stretch her limbs with her eyes glued to the entrance ramp, much like Joshua's were. Waiting for her first ever opponent on foreign soil...

[CyanDimitrik]

"It's kind of weird, right?"

The clamor from the backstage hallways is mostly drowned out into a persistent, ambient hum of white noise. That much is normal, especially for an opening match of the evening. The voice of the youth carries easily in the mostly empty room, cellphone in hand, bright blue gaze affixed to the screen. He's already decked out in his wrestling gear - simple and functional, but chic; sapphire blue trunks streaked in black tribal patterns, black and blue kneepads, elbowpads, and boots. Color coordination at its most marketable.

Receiving no answer to his question, Blaise lifts his gaze to the exceedingly severe older man frowning beside the door. Their gazes meet, neither breaking their expression. Finally, the older man relents with a scoff, turning his head. "Maybe. But it doesn't matter."

"I dunno, man," Blaise says, looking back down at the screen of his phone. Specifically, the app used to notify performers of upcoming events! And his docket has been emp-to-the-tee. When out of nowhere, he found himself booked to face off with a newcomer. As an opening card. He's trying desperately to not let it eat at him. "The re-debut went well, didn't it?"

"Yes. Very well. You learn well. Like completely new person."

Why Handa was insisting on speaking English, Blaise wasn't sure. But the gravel-voiced stoicism was the same in any language.

"So then, why am I-"

"Doesn't matter," Handa abruptly cuts him off. Blaise looks up again. "Yesterday was yesterday. Tonight is tonight. This is new audience. Fight hard, be strong, look forward. The Phoenix already rose from ashes. Now," he cants his head, "it's time to spread wings."

With Blaise still staring, Handa turns and excuses himself from the room. "...I should'a got a flashier outfit."

He slots his sunglasses over his eyes. Go time.

<<<Fast forward~!>>>

Blaise waited behind the entrance, bobbing eagerly on his boots and incidentally in time with his opponent's music. Being a dancer, it's difficult to resist the rhythm when it hits. If he were conscious of it, he'd make no apologies! As to the specifics of his opponent - he really doesn't know anything about her. He got a quick picture of her, at least! She's cute! Gives that tomboy vibe! But that's about all he's managed to learn about her.

Things settled, and the music faded. And just like that, Blaise's own tune kicks on - the unmistakable Americana that is Bon Jovi, introduced with two highly recognizable guitar licks. The titantron comes alive with his intro video...

The Intro Vid

"And her opponent!," begins the announcer, "From Malibu, Florida, at a height of 5'10" and weighing in at 171 lbs.! Blaise, the Phoenix, Cameron~!"

At the top of the vocals, Blaise dashes out into view, pausing at the top of the ramp to throw his arms high, sleekly trim body framed by a row of gushing pyrotechnics at either side!

Blaise

After soaking in the immediate audience pop, he points forward at the ring. Suddenly in motion, he sprints to the apron and leaps, sliding smoothly beneath the bottom rope on momentum and ending with a sudden handstand. Swapping to a single-handed poise, he uses the free hand to shoot a fingergun towards his opponent in her corner.

The bracing arm gives a pump, and he pops into the air, flipping over to land on his feet smoothly. Turning, he next points out at the crowd with a radiant smile, nods, then thumps a fist over his heart; communication doesn't always need words. And finally, he turns to the referee who'd been patiently waiting for him to return to his corner, and plucks the shades from his face only to slide them gingerly to rest over her crown. Her blushing fluster is met only with a wink. "Hang onto those for me."

At last, he moves back into his corner. And once the referee has composed herself, she moves forward to inspect him for foreign objects. As she carries out her duties, Blaise's gaze is settled on the girl across the ring from him; studying her, but not in an unfriendly or icy manner. There's a relaxed smile on his face, confident but warm. And should she meet that gaze, he'll add a quick two-fingered wave.

[Cosmos]

Estelle didn't have to wait too long for her opponent to make himself known. He emerges to flames firing into the air either side. Making much of a dramatic note than she did. She made a mental note to request something similar...but maybe she'd need to impress the higher ups before they granted her wish. Then he sprints! Dashing forward, past the spectators, past Joshua and sliding under the bottom rope! His execution was smooth, well-practised. Well, even if his record is less than stellar, he knew how to entertain.

...That turned out to be an understatement. Suddenly he was inverted, performing a handstand! Switching to just one hand as the other indicted her. A friendly gesture? A threat? She couldn't really say at this point. The fact that he's wearing sunglasses doesn't help. Then he flips right side up, executing that smoothly as well. Hard to believe this guy was apparently considered a joke at one point. And the way he takes the shades from his face and slips them over the crown of the referee, subtly flirting with her. Is he some kind of playboy? Those types do tend to wear minimal gear like him...

When he settles into his corner, the referee checks him over as well. And then Estelle can feel him staring at her. Examining her. Not in a hostile manner, a calm one. Well, he's smiling at least. And the two-fingered wave, acknowledging her. And his eyes, free from those dark shades, seem to suggest he's sincere. Of course, Joshua would lecture her on how important it was not to let first impressions sway you...yup, she glances over and sees him frowning with those amber eyes. The obvious message. "Don't be deceived." But it's her in the ring. Not her sibling.

The brunette girl comes forward as the referee beckons both wrestlers to meet in the middle. "Blaise, huh? Gotta say, you're not like any phoenix I've ever met before." Her tone is casual, going so far as to offer a little joke. "...Not that I've ever met any, actually. Hey, that was a pretty cool handstand you did just there. Just hope you don't take it easy on me because I'm new here...or a girl, for that matter. Because I don't plan to pull any punches, for the record." As to emphasise her point, her fist clapped into the palm of her other hand, where she clenched it tight.

"Ready when you are!"

[CyanDimitrik]

Any concerns about meanings behind the booking, any insecurity about his situation or how everything might be on the verge of coming to an end are put firmly in the back of his mind. The opponent isn't allowed to see him fret. The audience isn't allowed to see him worry. All they'll get to see is the face of a spirited contender. And when the referee finishes her inspection, she slinks back to the middle of the ring and signals the two fighters to approach.

That bright blue gaze remains steady on Estelle, and he moves to the center of the ring with a light bounce, weight shifting from one foot to the other. Energetic bugger, he is. But what she says at first gets a quick, good-natured grin. "It's the feathers, right?," he jokes to her, concerning his lack of bird qualities. Though when she mentions the idea of him going easy on her, the grin fades. It doesn't vanish - just fades. "Yeah, going easy on ya isn't really an option. Just, for the record? So it's said before I have to start hurting you? You've got pretty eyes." The smile returns. "'Kay, good to go now."

The referee waves a hand to signal the bell. DING!

And Blaise wastes no time in lunging forward, attempting to kick off the match in the usual manner. Hands seize for the smaller foe in a lockup, intent on either grabbing her at the shoulders with both hands, or one on the collar, the other on the elbow if she reciprocates quickly enough! And once locked in, it's his immediate intention to test her stability and strength by pressuring the girl quickly back into her corner of the ring.

[Cosmos]

He responds well to her joke! Good, she hasn't made an outright fool of herself from the outset. Seems like he's got no qualms about going all around against her. Good. She can tangle with the opposite sex no problem. Prove to them that the daughter of Cassius Bright can stand on her own two feet in the ring. Absolutely nothing can faze her!

"You've got pretty eyes."

Except that. It takes a few seconds for Blaise's compliment to register. At first, she feels she must have misheard him. Then it dawns on her that, no, she heard him perfectly. He's flirting with her. Her face, slowly turning into a pink hue, flushes with embarrassment. She's not used to this! Guys are usually put off by her tomboyish nature. Maybe he just hasn't seen it yet. But it disarms her, well and truly.

The bell rings. DING! "Wha..." The next few seconds are a blur. Blaise closes the gap between them in an instant. His hands upon her, her own rising up in a hasty defence! But she's hesitated too long. He grips Estelle's shoulders and begins to force her back to her corner. She has to settle for clutching his arms underneath, trying to pry him from her. The girl presses her feet against the canvas, trying to slow her movement as she inches closer to the steel turnbuckle. It only delays the inevitable however, as he succeeds in forcing her back against the metal pole.

Even in this precarious moment, Estelle scowls at him. "D-Don't think you can sweet talk me into letting you win!" The girl chides him. Her face is still pretty pink, still trying to process his earlier compliment.

[CyanDimitrik]

It wasn't an intentional tactic! Blaise had no nefarious machinations up his sleeve! The compliment was motivated purely by the desire to make someone smile; because at the end of the day, that's his jam. Newer training may have taken some of the joy out of wrestling for him, results be damned, but it couldn't change who he is fundamentally! And though she didn't smile, per se, the coloring in her cheeks certainly pleased him. She's cute when she's flustered. Cuter than she looked in the pictures he saw before the match.

Though does he feel a little guilty about the initial advantage the flirt gained him? He's pretty sure that's how he managed to work her back into the corner so readily - those first steps are critical ones. It might twinge a little, but he just said he wouldn't take it easy on her. So even if he wanted to back off and let her regain her footing, that would be a mistake. And Handa would hit him. Likely with either a newspaper or a trout.

It's complicated.

But once the girl has found herself backed into the corner, Blaise presses his hands tighter to her shoulders to assert the pressure and refuse the dislodging tugs of her hands. It does, however, bring the two of them eye-to-eye again. "Wouldn't dream of it! Just bein' honest!," he assures.

Abruptly, his right hand slips from her shoulder and draws back, only to rocket forward with the intent to nail the girl in her bare stomach. Hopefully that'll take some of the wind out of her sails for the moment! And the hand bracing on her shoulder will keep her from slumping too much, and allow him to land a second for good measure, testing the firmness of her abdominals!

[Cosmos]

Just being honest her foot!...Or perhaps he was being genuine. It doesn't really matter right now. What does matter is that her reaction and delay has put her in a precarious position right now, sandwiched between Blaise's toned physique and the steel turnbuckle behind her. He's pretty resistant to her hands trying to pry him from her. And she's soon forced to stop entirely, as his right hand removes itself, drawing back...BAM! Her exposed stomach takes the brunt of his knuckles, knocking some of the air from her lungs. "Oof!!"

She would have slumped down from that, had he not kept his palm on her shoulder. But he's not being courteous or gentlemanly. No, he's keeping her upright to strike at her abdominal region again, striking her with his fist! Estelle winces again, feeling wind tear itself from her lips as she almost doubles over. She's panting a little. He's done pretty good with just two hits. But she's got stamina. And a wildcat of a personality to match it too. She can feel Joshua's attention on her, as if silently pushing her... "Wait for it...wait for it..." Her hands shift onto the ropes, gripping them to brace herself for her maneuverer... "Now!"

"HaaaAAA!!!!" Estelle would duck down and bring her arms down, looking to curl them around Blaise's midsection. With a yell, she rams herself forward. Although any impact against his gut is sure to be beneficial, her big aim right now is to get him on the canvas. If she manages that, she would send Blaise toppling on his back, following him to the ground as she attempts to mount him!

[CyanDimitrik]

Blaise's goal was pretty straightforward in the opening gambit - weaken the girl's core. It's an often overlooked target, as most go straight for the head. But the core controls everything! Breathing, muscle support, power, abdominal muscles are even needed to kick out of pins! So Estelle's stomach is looking like his prime target for this match.

The fist draws back again, and- dip! She's gone! Arms suddenly wrap around his middle, and she's thrusting her weight against him with surprising force! The young man is rocked back on his heels before being taken down to the mat flat on his back with a surprised, "Unf!" The impact to his midsection wasn't too terrible, as thankfully she didn't have a whole lot of room to rev up. But he certainly felt it! A spear from her would be horrid!

Not that his mind is on that right now. Thanks to that more recent training, Blaise is less focused on ancillary (or, perchance, admiring the girl's toughness) and instead on turtling up defensively. His right arm lifts, flexed close to his face, while the left hand swings out in an effort to catch her by the wrist and avoid a full-blown ground and pound.

[Cosmos]

Blaise is quick to react even as she succeeds in bringing him down to the canvas. That right arm raises, obscuring his face, the left seizing her wrist...ah, he assumes she's going to rain blow after blow down upon his head. While that seems like the obvious conclusion, it isn't actually what Estelle has in mind. Since the boy was kind enough to offer his left arm up to her, she takes it in hand with a smirk. Bringing it to her chest, almost securing it between her breasts, as she falls onto her back.

Her legs, meanwhile, stretch out to clamp her thighs around his throat. The hemline of her skirt would tickle Blaise's face, and if the youth turned approximately 90 degrees...well, he'd see London, he'd see France...you get the gist. Of course, Estelle isn't thinking about that. Oh no, she's too preoccupied working on applying her armbar/headscissor combo, looking to test the endurance of this spunky male! Squeezing her thighs around his neck to make it harder for him to breathe, while yanking his arm in her direction and against her modest chest.

"C'mon tough guy, you can get out of this, surely?!" She'd challenge him. She wants him to break out of it. It's no fun for her if he taps out here and now! The best matches are always drawn out, after all!

[CyanDimitrik]

To be fair, catching a glimpse of Estelle's spanks (he's assuming!) is the last thing on his mind as the match is genuinely underway! Especially so, since she didn't go for the approach he expected, but rather seized on the arm he so generously provided.

Whoopsies.

Perhaps he'd misjudged her for a scrapper, when she's actually more technically-minded. Either way, he maneuver pays off, she flops back, his arm is nestled between her legs, slotting between her breasts - okay, that he notices. And her thighs clamp on his throat to restrict breathing. He'd appreciate the position more if it weren't for the hyper-extension on his arm and the difficulty breathing!

Unable to really see her face beyond her hips - that is to say, up her skirt - Blaise can only grimace in response. But rather than spend the energy to try to counter out of the hold, instinctive ring awareness brings to attention that they're quite close to the corner. "Ghh-!" Hips and legs shimmy and kick respectively to rotate their bodies along the mat, before attempting to sling a boot over the bottom rope to force a rope break!