Clara Gaster vs Wisteria Khan - Standing at the Apex!

[Vc0m]

Texas Deathmatch match
Winning Condition: Submission or opponent being off their feet for a count of 10
This is an Apex Qualifying match

Clara wasn't scared of a match in a while.

On paper, it was just a slightly more hardcore stipulation (even if the word "Deathmatch" unnerved her) that she could still win - submissions were a factor...

...but the choice of her opponent, for a qualifying match for LAW's Openweight title event no less, was someone she would've considered in a tier above her.

Early last year, Wisteria Khan defeated Chika Igarashi in a Last Woman Standing match, as part of the 2021 version of the annual tournament. Chika was someone she respected immensely, as both a friend, gym partner and a rival...but one thing she believed was that Chika was still a tier above her on the totem pole of wrestling. To see someone better than her face off, lose and then have her fight that person...

It was scary.

Wisteria didn't even seem like a bad person in the slightest, even! And she was still scared of facing off against her. This was Clara's sole qualifying match, and win or loss didn't matter as much as performance...but in a way it was worse, because it gave her less time to impress the LAW Comittee about putting her into Apex.

As she sat in the locker room, getting ready for an important match of her career, Clara slapped her cheeks. She knew she could beat Wisteria. She was going to do it.

Spoiler

Clara came out to her triumphant theme and her cute new attire, tugging at her ribbon at the entrance ramp as she made her way towards the ring, as announcer explained the match's rules (Clara trying not to show fear throughout) as she clapped hands with all her fans cheering for her as she came down the ramp. For a lot of people, the Shadow Lord was a favourite to win the entire Apex event.

Clara rolled into the ring, checked her attire one final time, and did some stretches as she awaited Wisteria's arrival.

[Bare]

Sheena was nervous. Beyond nervous in fact. Tonight was her first qualifying match for the LAW apex event. A massive event to decide the first ever LAW Openweight Champion. Something that Sheena at first wasn't even considering to enter in the first place. She just felt too new and too unprepared for such a momentous task, but she had been convinced by both her cousin and her friend Alizeh Midori to take part in the event.

Yet here she was slated in her first match to go against Clara Gaster of all people! The girl was one of the main fixtures of LAW since its inception, nearly the inaugural lightweight champion and arguably one of the favorites to win the openweight belt. Sheena would be lying if she said she wasn't a little starstruck and nervous about the match she was slated for.

But she had to try and do her best, after all she beat Chika and several others since her debut and nearly won the whole Last Woman Standing Tournament. Giving herself the mental pep talk Sheena would make sure one last time that her tight purple attire was secure and in place, last thing she wanted was for some wardrobe malfunction in the middle of her match after all.

Spoiler

Seeing that everything was secure and tighty Sheena would nod to herself, prepared for the inevitable. "Alright... Ready as I'll ever be." She said to herself in a resolute tone as she marched her way through the hall and to the gorilla position. Nodding to the worker there to say she was ready he would not and begin to play her theme music, Hollow Purple.

Spoiler

Coming out to the purple lights and electronic beats Sheena would smile for her fans that knew her as Wisteria Khan. If nothing else their acknowledgement and encouragement was a definite confidence booster and made Sheen just a bit more comfortable with this match. So turning her attention to the ring Sheena would begin marching her way down, a small, confident smile on her face, one that betrayed how tumultuous she was feeling internally.

Hopping onto the ring apron Sheena would look sideways at the fans and throw a hand up, posing for them once again before throwing a leg up and sliding her way into the ring. Standing up fully she finally came face to face with her opponent. Technically speaking Sheena had a definite size and height advantage with the purple haired fighter towering over the shadow lord, but she wasn't stupid enough to let that make her overconfident. Instead Sheena would approach the middle of the ring, holding her hand out to the Shadow Lord... er former Shadow Lord as Sheena reminded herself that Clara didn't really use that gimmick much anymore.

Even so Sheena waited to see if her lightweight opponent would accept her gesture of good faith. "Lets have a good match." Sheena added as she leaned forward, waiting to see what the Brit would do and how she would respond, but Sheena just hoped the two could at least start out on good terms.

[Vc0m]

Clara couldn't deny, Wisteria looked impressive. While she looked kind, she had very powerful and fierce looking frame. If the purple-haired woman had any fears or doubts, she wouldn't show it in her kind smile...

Once Wisteria got into the ring and finished her entrance, she stepped into the middle of the ring with an outstretched hand, Clara meeting her with a determined gaze as she accepted the handshake...quite firmly in fact:

"Indeed...but I am going to win this!", Clara tried to talk big game to hide her own worries, before the two women separated to go to their respective corners...

...and an idea popped into Clara's head...to do the same tactic as the last time she fought a foe in a match she was worried in.

DING DING DING!

The moment the bell rang, Clara dashed out of the corner, jumping in the middle of the ring as she tried to take the bigger woman by surprise with a dropkick!

[Bare]

As Sheena entered the ring and spoke to Clara for the first time, a new wave of nerves rolled over her, reminding Sheena who she was sharing the ring with and the experience gap that existed between the two.

'Wow... that new outfit of Clara's... really accentuates her curves.' The purple haired girl thought, fighting the urge to blush as she bit her lips softly. The fact that Clara was also very attractive and being so close to her now for the first time didn't help Sheena whatsoever as she took a deep breath to focus herself as she locked eyes with the green eyed britt.

Hearing her words Sheena would nod in appreciation for the determined nature of them. "We'll see about that." Sheena said in a determined tone of her own as she clenched her fists as the bell rang, officially starting the bout between them!

Immediately as the match began Sheena would dart forward, knowing how much of a grappler Clara was and expecting to lock up with her, Sheena's plan to use the close proximity to take advantage of her size and power advantage!

But it appeared as if that Clara had either scouted Sheena's expectation for how Clara would fight, or Clara was just changing things up of her own accord. Either way Sheena would soon be cut off halfway to the center of the ring by Clara's feet smashing into her chest! "Agh!" Sheena would yelp, getting taken off her feet and landing on her back holding her chest in pain from the blow!

[Vc0m]

Clara usually began her matches slowly, trying to get a feel for her foe's strategy, strength and skill...

...but for a hardcore match, she had no time to check for any of those. In that time, her foe would unleash a brutal attack against her, and beat her into the ground for a while. She needed to get a jump on her foes first! And in this case, with Wisteria, it worked a treat!

Quickly, Clara would seize her foe's powerful legs, and drag her to the middle of the ring, before trying to lock her foe in a Cross Kneebar! Best way to hurt a foe in a Last Woman Standing-esque match? Take their legs from under them!

[Bare]

Sheena wasn't a fool. She always did research on all of her opponents before going into matches, the only exceptions being when she was surprised with a match and didn't have the time or if it was someone new without much matches under their belt. Neither of those were the case in this massively important match against a vet like Clara.

But despite her research Sheena found herself caught off guard as Clara came charging in with a dropkick, way outside the girl's usual method of starting a bout! As a result Sheena found herself taken off her feet and to the mat with a groan of pain. 'What the heck?' Sheena thought to herself in surprise that Clara would start off that way.

However Sheena would be reminded that she had bigger problems to worry about. Namely because despite a change up in opening tactics Clara was still very much the technician that Sheena had studied up on. As her foot was grabbed and she felt herself being dragged Sheena would curse knowing this was a bad set up for her.

Then when Clara dropped down wrapping her legs around Sheena's she had to keep herself from screaming in pain. "Ngh!" Hissing in pain from the hold Sheena would pull her free leg back and start sending kicks at Clara's legs and if possible her hands holding onto her leg. "Let go!" Sheena hissed out, trying to kick at Clara with everything she had to make the shadow lord let go!

[Vc0m]

It felt awkward starting a match like this against a new opponent, one who, from all her research, was an incredibly great individual (even if Chika ranted about using weapons against her), but the circumstances made Clara decide that this was the best way to go about the match. Taking her Middleweight foe by surprise was already yielding great results for the Shadow Lord...

Clara tried to milk the hold for all it's worth before Wisteria began ramming her free leg into Clara's body, and then her arms. After keeping the hold for around 4 seconds, not long enough to do too much lasting damage on her rival as she rolled away from Wisteria, hoping to not get caught for a potential counter attack from the purple clad wrestler!

[Bare]

Things had started off badly for Sheena in this major match for her. Clara went against virtually any and all precedents for her style with a dropkick that had floored the purple haired girl off the bat. On top of that Clara had grabbed Sheena's leg and locked her into a tight leg bar that left her groaning in pain while kicking at Clara to make her let go!

Thankfully the kicks had yielded results and within moments Clara was forced to relinquish the hold freeing the purple haired rookie! "Hagh..." Sighing in relief as she rolled away from the woman Sheena would pull her feet under her and get to her feet, shaking her leg out a bit with a wince. Looking up at Clara the rookie would narrow her eyes as she began to circle the shadow lord. "Changing up you're strategy huh?" Sheena asked with her hands raised, prepared already for whatever her opponent may try next.

[Vc0m]

Both women would come back to a position resembling a more traditional start of the match, as the two circled around the middle of the ring as Wisteria addressed Clara's choice of strategy.

"Catching difficult foes by surprise? I want to win this no matter what...so sorry if I..."

Cutting herself off mid-sentence, Clara would dash straight for purple clad woman's left leg, trying desperately to grab it to try and topple her!

[Bare]

Sheena would begin circling Clara, hands clenching and releasing in anticipation and readiness as she focused on the dark haired woman across from her. Circling each other in a manner more traditional for a wrestling match Sheena would prepare herself in the event of a sudden change in Clara like before.

"Fair enough." Sheena said in response to Clara's words, subconsciously smiling a little at being called a difficult opponent by the veteran. Sheena wouldn't be left to enjoy the compliment as Clara cut herself off and came flying at her! "Whoa!" Sheena said as Clara came in going for her legs!

But the difference between a few seconds ago and now was that Sheena was prepared for the lightweight! "I don't think so!" Sheena said as she spread her legs out while digging her feet into the mat to help prevent herself from being taken down. As she did so Sheena would attempt to wrap her arms around Clara's waist and if she was successful than Sheena would attempt to lift Clara off her feet while turning her hips, trying to throw Clara clear to the side and away from her!