Yamato Nadeshiko vs Melody Serperior

[Vc0m]

A drop of sweat went down Melody's right brow right as she approached the turnbuckle Yamato was standing on, and quite clearly, prepared to jump off of. Said drop almost made her way to the greenette's eye, causing her to blink.

Melody closed her eyes for less than half a second, less than a quarter even, but by the time Melody opened her eyes, Yamato was nowhere to be found.

Before she could even look up into the air, she felt Perfect Woman's frame land on her shoulders, her legs trapping her head!

And before she could even react, Yamato forced Melody to flip forwards, painfully impacting her head, upper back and neck with the momentum from Yamato's Dragonrana!!!

"AAAAAH!!!", Melody screamed, as Yamato took hold of both her legs, while sitting on her chest, trapping her foe in a picture perfect Rana pin, as the crowd were at the edge of their seat for, seemingly, the final count of the match!

"ONE!"

The greenette stirred underneath Yamato, trying to press her palms to the mat, to force both herself, and her rival for the tourney up!

"....!", but she simply couldn't. The match took a lot out of her. At this point, it was impossible for her to lift both herself, and her opponent, off the mat, even for a split second in order to lift her shoulders, to kick out. Melody's heart filled with panic as the referee shouted:

"TWO!"

[winner3]

Despite the wear and tear she suffered exchanging moves with her opponent, Yamato lived up to her moniker in the execution of her Dragonrana finisher! Yamato overcame the fatigue and damage to pull off her aerial maneuver with the coordination and grace she needed into order to flip her foe down and pin her. The audience cheered as they witnessed the Japanese native finesse her way into trying to finish the match.

When the referee's hand slapped the mat a first time, cheers had already begun. Yamato realized that Melody would begin to offer some resistance after the first count. She'd lean forwards and push down her opponent's legs, further securing the pin!

By the time the two count came, Melody had trying to place her palms on the mat and kick out. Yamato would look down between her legs, looking Melody in the eye with a determined facial expression. The spirited contest between the hometown hero and the green clad brawler seemed to culminate into this very moment. From Yamato's perspective, the moment lasted several counts, not just one. But then it came. The final count.

"THREE!"

With that, Yamato would release Melody's legs and exhale deeply while smiling. She was satisfied with this win and this chance to go on and compete for the gold. The Japanese Native would begin to find her way up. She'd stand over her foe and raise her arms to the sounds of voluminous applause!

"YAATTAAA!!" She'd yell in celebration.

[Vc0m]

With a spirited fire in them, Melody's eyes locked with Yamato's in their own contest, as the Perfect Woman gained more leverage on her pin, making it even more difficult for the greenette to kick out! Melody tried as she could to push both herself and the massively cheered Japanese native up, to break the count, and to avoid losing the match and her spot in the tourney...

...but, despite all the power she put into the last push, she failed, and the ref's hand came down for the final time...

"THREE!"

DING DING DING!!!

Melody laid on the canvas with a defeated look on her face after Yamato stood up off of her, the disappointment washing over her...she closed her eyes in shame, as she realized that she lost her spot to the Perfect Woman, failing to prove that she was better than perfect...

[winner3]

Applause filled the arena and validated the efforts of both wrestlers. Yamato smiled and raised her arms in celebration, but after a second, she'd notice Melody's somber and disappointed facial expression. The closed, yet somehow still sad eyes. The leotard clad middleweight would part her hair and look down before flashing a smile. She would lower her hand down towards Melody, waiting to for the green-ette to open her eyes and notice. And to hopefully accept her help to rise up to her feet.

[Vc0m]

Hearing someone approaching her, Melody assumed it was the ref, wanting to help her up and to the back. Opening her eyes, however, she saw Yamato standing over her, with an outstretched arm, offering to get her back to her feet!

Melody fired a smile back at the Perfect Woman. She was still disappointed at herself that she lost, but at least she didn't feel bad for losing to both a great wrestler, and a professional person in Yamato Nadeshiko, with the high flier truly leaving up to her moniker.

Melody accepted the winner's hand as Yamato would pull the greenette up to her feet. Standing tall against her opponent, Melody would return the respectful display from Yamato, lifting her arm up in the air while still holding Yamato's!

[winner3]

Yamato would smile warmly at Melody as she helped her up. The two seemed to wordlessly garner respect from one another. After assisting Melody to her feet, Yamato would be taken by surprise when the green haired girl raised her arm in a show of sportsmanship.

The crowd roared for both women and Yamato let out a mirthful but embarrassed giggle. Good feels washed over the arena as their contest continued to receive praise. The Perfect woman would blush slightly before leaning into Melody and slowly wrapping her arms around the bare waist of Serperior. She'd place a hand on the back of Melody's head and hold her close while whispering to her.

"You were great, Melody-chan. If I...when I get the gold, you're my first opponent!" She said, validating Melody's efforts at gaining entry into the tourney.

Yamato had to prepare for the championship tourney. She promised herself to further honor Melody and all her opponents along the way, giving weight to her victories over them by securing LAW gold!

[Vc0m]

Melody planned to simply let go of Yamato's hand, but the blushing Perfect Woman wouldn't let the greenette go just yet. She would get her arms around surprised Melody's waist, hugging the green girl as she whispered praise into her ear.

Melody would blush herself, while her eyes waterred from the heartwarming moment, hugging Yamato's waist, as she simply whispered: "Thank you. You fully deserve to win it, Yamato..."

After the two ladies released the hug, Melody would rub her eyes, too prideful to cry on camera, as she bowed one last time to the crowd, before rolling out of the ring, waving good bye to the Perfect Woman as she disappeared into backstage to allow her to celebrate her victory, still with a bit of heavy heart from losing.

[winner3]

Yamato looked on as Melody took her leave. It was a bittersweet ending for sure. But it was satisfying in its own way. Yamato would bow in kind when Melody did, earning approval in the forms of more cheers from the fans. She smiled when Melody disappeared into the backstage area and resolved to make this up to her by making it a priority to seek the green-ette out as a her first challenger for her hopefully future reign as inaugural L-A-W Middleweight Champion!

Winner via pin fall: Yamato Nadeshiko