Rose Gold (c) vs Astrid Ostberg (c) - Champion vs Champion

[SuckerPunch]

The two wrestlers were face to face. Rose Gold's defiant scream echoed in her eyes and seemingly reverberated in Astrid's skull!

The world flashed white for the Lightweight Champion. A sound like thunder filled her head and the next thing she felt was her butt hitting the canvas. The canvas swam, the bright blue of the surface moving in waves like the ocean itself. She pushed her heels against the mat and kicked at it as if doing a backstroke. She scooted and bounced back against the center of the ropes.

She was stranded at sea without a life vest. Her pretty little nose was darkened. Her right eye was closed and a cut had opened on her forehead where the headbutt had struck. A slow river of crimson flowed over her eyelid and down her cheek. Her blonde hair on the right side became a mix of her pink highlights and a more scarlet mixture of gold and blood.

"Ha-" It was a short breath. "Ha... haha!" But the second set confirmed that despite this... She was laughing. "Hahaha!!!" Her expression twisted and dark and satisfied despite the crimson mask forcing one of her eyes closed.

"That's it, Ostberg!" She half laughed as she forced herself up to her feet with the assistance of the ropes! She planted her feet and grinned wide. A toothy shark's grin. "That felt good, didn't it?! Come on!" She planted her feet and called her forward. Her fists came up and her hips squared.

Given that Rose Gold had taken the majority of the physical damage thus far, she might have seemed delusional... But Astrid's mental state was decaying. Infected by the venom of the Foul Temptress on the other side of the ring! And rage was the enemy of technique.

[CaptainL]

After what seemed like a sure-fire victory for the Heavyweight Champion, Rose had taken back control at the last minute, turning the pin around into a rollup that almost counted Astrid out. The same fans that were cheering uproariously for Astrid to save the day and put the meddlesome lightweight in her place a few seconds ago had begun booing and shouting insults at the smaller blonde, and as the ref began to count, they only grew louder. Astrid had come too far for Rose to take her out so easily with such a cheap trick, and no one would have it. As a matter of fact, Astrid herself wouldn't either! She was proud of her strength, her family legacy, and her achievements in the ring, and she wasn't going to let Rose take all of that away from her with an eye rake and a rollup. When she threw her head against Rose's own, it was an act of defiance, a dare of refusal to be cut down so dishonorably. And when the blow landed with a crack, the force great enough to practically fling Rose off of Astrid, once again the crowd went back to cheering the Norsewoman for turning things around!

Astrid brought herself up to a seated position in the middle of the ring, catching her breath. She climbed back to her feet, dusting herself off and looking at where Rose had fallen - but before she could do anything to follow up, she heard the wicked laughter coming from her opponent's throat, even as the blood dripped down her face. Astrid had taken a single step forward, but now she froze, her blood running cold in her veins and her muscles going stiff. Even through all the pain of taking a headbutt straight to the skull, Rose was going to laugh it off like it was nothing!

Astrid's brows furrowed, her eyes narrowing in a glare. She bent over closer, her heel stomping at the mat like she was a bull getting ready to charge. She realized how it was now. If Rose was going to laugh at her, Astrid just had to make sure that she'd hit her back hard enough to shut her up. "Oh, that felt better than you could ever imagine," she retorted. "And for that matter...so will THIS!"

The Norwegian took off, hurtling across the ring at top speeds to catch up to Rose. Even despite her bulky frame, her sheer determination to punish her foe was enough to fuel her onward. If she could get close enough, Astrid would swing her arm outward, her elbow aimed for Rose's head. However, she was letting her anger take control, and every other possibility seemed to fade from her thoughts. If Astrid was a charging bull, then Rose was the matador. And whatever she had up her sleeve, Astrid wouldn't see it coming...

[SuckerPunch]

Both women were seeing red. The right side of her face had become painted with her own blood. But Astrid was practically feral. She was adrift in a tumultuous sea of bloodlust and fury. Neither woman was steady on their feet. Rose literally, and Astrid metaphorically.

"Oh honey, believe me, I don't need to imagine how good it feels to hurt people." She licked her lips. The tip of her pink tongue was dyed red before slipping between her black lips. "And it feels even better when they can't do anything to stop you. Like little Meiyun!" She braced herself as she gave Astrid a final verbal push. If she didn't have a full head of steam before, she was sure her furnace was full now!

The colossal woman charged her and Rose Gold's eyes met hers in another stark contrast. Astrid's were focused, only for her. And Rose Gold's were wide with shock! There was a flicker of panic in them! After all, she was still leaning on the ropes. Astrid's elbow fired like a cannon, lashing out straight for her head, no doubt intending to strike her vulnerable cut! She was cornered with nowhere to go!

Except for down!

Her weight dropped! She clung with one hand to the top roped and dragged it down! Astrid's elbow grazed overhead, nearly cutting her hair! But the reckless swing would likely leave her off balance! And Rose Gold would guide her shoulder right into Astrid's abdomen! Her free hand would sweep between her thighs as she briefly shouldered the burden of Astrid's over-indulgent momentum! Her tiny frame forced the Norwegian Warrior's momentum to redirect, like an ice-slicked ramp.

"Ita-" She winced as her shoulder made contact, but cut her own whimper off.

And to the shock of all watching, Rose Gold would attempt to use her expertise in Judo to roll the heavyweight over the top of her body, over the top rope, and right out of the ring!

[CaptainL]

Astrid was already enraged. No one would question that - the mere sight of Rose Gold seemed to light a fire in her, stirring on an impulse that wanted nothing more than to see the Lightweight Champion humbled and punished for all the disreputable deeds that had led the two of them to this point. But when Rose mentioned Meiyun, Astrid was reminded of why she was fighting. She knew why she was here - and she knew everything Rose had done to earn her fury. Her fists coiled even tighter, and her teeth ground against each other like a knife against a whetstone. She couldn't stop now. She hadn't done enough - nothing she could even think of doing would be enough. There was no question any more - Rose had to pay. Astrid didn't even have any words for her - her body language and her actions said enough for what she thought of her opponent! Without another word, Astrid took off in a charge, looking to plow into Rose with all her might!

If she made contact with Rose at full force, Astrid would surely have bulldozed her smaller opponent. Not only was she much larger, she was also firing on all cylinders, with every thought devoted to flattening her foe. Even when the crowd saw Rose reach out to grab Astrid's elbow as she approached, hardly anyone thought it could actually work. There was no way she could move someone of Astrid's size - not even the most talented of judokas could gather enough force behind them to move someone who could flatten them underfoot, and who was throwing every pound of weight they had into hitting them like a cannonball.

And yet...it happened. Astrid's strike came close to Rose - but not close enough. The lightweight leaned back, just barely being clipped by the arc of the shot. Astrid tipped forward. She had struck for Rose so hard that the momentum was bound to offset her balance. All she would need was a little extra force, applied in the right direction, to tip her over the edge. And that was what Rose was going to provide. As she leaned in against Astrid, pressing her shoulder into her gut and her arm between her legs, the Norwegian's eyes went wide in shock. Everything felt like it was going by in slow motion. She felt herself teetering forward, little by little. Her body folded over the top rope - and then, it came toppling down the other side. Suddenly, everything sped back up as Astrid found herself in free-fall, her sheer size drawing the force of gravity against her. It pulled her straight down - and there, she landed with a thud against the floor, ramming into it face-first!

For a time, all went silent. No one in the crowd wanted to believe Astrid was really out - but the force with which she had struck the floor gave no one much hope for her recovery. With how hard she fell, she surely couldn't just bounce back from that. Not even if she was Astrid Ostberg! Even the referee had gone silent, looking on with a blank stare, as though she was hoping some miracle might happen; that Astrid might somehow get back up. But nothing came. After what seemed like an eternity, she sucked in a breath and raised her hand for the first count. "One-"

And then, that miracle did happen. As soon as the ref had named the first number, Astrid had already sprung back to her feet in one swift motion! The crowd let out a cheer at the sight. She had taken a hard spill, but Astrid knew what she had to do. She had a purpose. She knew exactly why she was here. She wasn't going to let anything stand in her way when it came to making it a reality!

Astrid jumped back onto the apron, grabbing the top rope and leaning over it to settle a glare on Rose. Her eyes narrowed in a hateful glower that shot straight through her; her entire body was coiled like a serpent ready to strike. Every muscle in her body was pulled taut, and her lips were pulled back, her teeth locked into a grimace. Rose could see it - everyone could. Astrid felt only one thing, and that thing was pure, unrestrained rage. She wasn't trying to win the match any more. She wasn't trying to prove her strength and stand up to showcase the skills that earned her the championship. Astrid might have lived for such things in every other match she went into - but this was different. Rose had gone a step further beyond. She deserved no honor, no respect. She only deserved punishment, and Astrid's whole life had become devoted to bringing that to her.

In that time that passed, with their eyes locked on one another, Astrid could see something in Rose, too. She was hurt. She could see it in the look on her face, the way she winced, the squint in her eye - the pain was still lingering in her body, holding her back. She could see it in how she held her body to the side, keeping one arm away from her - the same arm Astrid had hit, and the same one she had used to bear the weight of her body, even through the strain it put on her. She saw it, too, in how heavy she was, and how she leaned inward to support her own weight. Fatigue had sapped her strength, and all Astrid needed was to land one more hit on her. That would be all it took - one good hit, and Rose would be down. And if she hit her just right, she could send the whole house of cards toppling.

Astrid knew what she had to do. Letting out a roar of defiance, she swept a chop through the air, aiming it right at Rose's injured shoulder!

[SuckerPunch]

Astrid hit the mats on the outside with a meaty thud. Rose Gold allowed herself to fall backward and onto her backside now that Astrid was out of commission. The execution of her Judo Technique had been flawless! Her tiny body had been little more than fulcrum for Astrid's rage-fueled momentum, allowing her to manipulate the great amount of weight and kinetic energy that Astrid had become in that moment. But even just being a pivot had taken something out of her.

"Haahn~ Haah~" She panted and wet her lips as the referee approached the ropes. The arena was buzzing in the wake of the impressive feat and dramatic turn of events. Astrid had been dumped bodily outside of the ring. Rose hadn't seen her land, but with any luck, it was atop her head. Either way, Rose Gold wasn't about to check. Rose Gold would be happy to claim a count-out victory in this bout... Pride be damned! But even some time to recover would be welcome... She'd earned it!

"Hurry up and count!" She growled. The act of shouting caused a dull ache in her head that brought a hand against it immediately. She was in bad shape...

The referee did her job. But the first count was as far as she got. Astrid, like a leviathan emerging from the depths of the sea, surfaced. Rose Gold's eyes went wide and she began to scoot further away from the boundary that separated them. "N-no..." She absentmindedly muttered. That clever maneuver had earned her a total of two seconds of space...

It wasn't enough!

Rose Gold scrambled backward against the corner and the fear in her eyes was obvious. Not just to Astrid or the referee, but to the whole world. Her dark make-up had smeared and painted her otherwise pale face. Her mouth was agape as she took big, heaving breaths from it. And her eyes were wide, giving the world a look at the horror within those golden orbs.

She pushed against the turnbuckle, using it to help support her weight and get her back to her feet. She pressed her bad shoulder against it, supporting it. "W-wait!" She spat pointlessly as Astrid had already begun her charge!

It was just like before. Except for this time she wasn't ready for her! This wasn't a part of her plan! It had backfired...

Astrid's roar boomed like a lion! And she lashed out, whip-quick! With a vicious malice that surprised the Lightweight Champion! The strike was strange... It hadn't aimed for her head or body... But at the thing that Rose Gold was protecting! Her injured arm! Astrid wasn't trying to win the match anymore... She was trying to injure her!

"Iyaa~!" She let out a scream as she spun out of the way! Astrid's chop narrowly missed her arm, and only because of her defensive posture! Her fingertips had slid just out of range, and the edge of her top grazed along Rose's bust.

Rose Gold stumbled into the middle of the ring. And at that moment, her top split horizontally. The briefest contact from Astrid's chop had cut a line across the cut out upon Rose Gold's breasts. The upside-down spade she wore as a symbol of her status as Ace was hewn in two. The fabric spilled down, nearly exposing her.

She bit her lip to distract herself from the pain in her shoulder. And then turned to face Astrid. She put both of her arms up this time... And led with her injured arm. "You want to destroy me, Ostberg!? WELL COME ON! I'M RIGHT HERE! COME ON!" She wasn't hiding it... Her pain or its source.

[CaptainL]

It seemed impossible that such a thing could happen. When Rose managed to catch Astrid by her elbow and send her toppling over the ropes, not even the fans watching could believe what they were seeing unfold before their eyes. But there was no denying it had really happened - Astrid certainly felt it, as she struck the floor with a hard thud, her body going numb from the impact! In her blind charge toward Rose, she had put herself off balance, and all the lightweight needed was the right shift in position to fling Astrid of her feet. She made it look deceptively easy, but oh so devastating, and the heavyweight, splayed out on her back and groaning, was feeling it. The referee took a pause, too; whether it was out of disbelief that Rose would be able to throw Astrid with such ease, or if she was too afraid of the consequences of letting Rose win, she was unwilling to start the count. But it wouldn't matter anyway - soon, Astrid jumped back up, mounting the apron to lock a hateful glare onto Rose!

Her whole body was tense and rigid with anger now. Her face was red, her muscles taut and her biceps bulging, her fingers already curved inward with the anticipation of grabbing onto Rose and squeezing the life out of her. Astrid might have been sore, she might have hurt. Her hair was mussed, her body dripping with sweat, and a slight trickle of blood was dripping from a cut over her temple. But the instant she set eyes on Rose, she seethed in rage, her fists trembling as the air escaped her lungs with a hiss. She knew why she was here - what her mission was. Rose needed to be punished. No matter how much it hurt, Astrid was dead-set on that one, singular goal, and nothing could slow her down!

Astrid had noticed one thing about Rose Gold in their staredown, and it was one thing that stuck with her. For all Rose boasted, for all she held herself as the pinnacle of professional wrestling, and for all she seemed to be able to so effortlessly bring down opponents that easily dwarfed her in size, she wasn't invincible. Rose was hurt - Astrid knew that, and Rose knew it, too. It had been a hard-fought battle for the Norsewoman, one that had tested the limits of her strength, her stamina, and her determination; even when Rose was much smaller than she was, whether it was through cleverness, trickery, or just sheer annoyance, she had managed to wear away at Astrid's nerves, and even put her in trouble a couple of times by this point. Astrid may have felt she lacked the honor of a true champion, but she was certainly on her level when it came to ability. But all of that would end, soon. Astrid knew Rose's arm was her weak point. If she could just get one more good hit on her, if she could target the arm, everything would come crashing down. She was so close to victory; she just needed to chase after that! That hope was pushing her forward!

Astrid didn't say a word as she stepped back through the ropes. All she did was growl at Rose, her teeth bared like a wild animal stalking its prey. Her last attempt at striking her had missed, but Astrid wasn't going to let that stop her. She'd just try again! She was past talking, past even thinking things through. She knew what she had to do, and she wouldn't stop until she had done it.

She strafed from side to side as she tailed after Rose, throwing her arms out in her direction - always aiming for the injured one. With each turn Rose took, Astrid would grab for her; she kept grabbing only air, but hopefully, at least one time, it might work. She bit at her lip, the tension growing stronger and stronger with each passing second; she knew this was all she needed, if she could just bring it into reality!

At last, Rose offered her arms. Knowing Rose Gold, and her reputation, most would be wary to take any such offer - it seemed like an obviously telegraphed trap. But Astrid was too far gone. She could only look at Rose, and what she was doing, through a haze of anger and frustration that could only be quenched with her destruction. The crowd tried shouting warnings to Astrid not to do it - but it was no use. With a roar, she lunged forward and grabbed for Rose's weakened arm!

[SuckerPunch]

The lure seemed to work wonderfully. Rose Gold danced about the ring like a matador. Astrid's eyes were caught on her lead arm like a bull to a red cape. And every time she drew close, Rose Gold pulled away. Sliding her arm narrowly away from the Heavyweight Champion's horns! It was a grim dance that brought the audience to the edge of their seats.

"That's it, Astrid! Let the world see who you really are! You're a beast! No better than any of us!" Every sentence was punctuated by another slip of Astrid's grip!

Rose Gold appeared to have the advantage. After all, the dynamic dodges made Astrid look slow and made Rose look clever. But the reality was that Astrid was using very little energy to walk Rose down. Whereas every one of Rose Gold's dodges was a feat in defiance of death. And each came with a wince. She couldn't hide her pain... Astrid kept her hands out, trapping her inside of a slowly shrinking cage. And with every failed attempt, Rose Gold's world was shrinking!

"It's why you couldn't save your Young Lioness friend! All those lofty words and ideas! In the end, you just want to cause pain! Just! Like! ME-" Her final word became a shocked yelp! Her back hit the ropes and she stumbled forward! Astrid's open hand filled her vision! "Y-you!" She gasped as her palm made contact with her shoulder and her fingers bit down on the joint like talons sinking into a rabbit!

There was a cry of pain! And the crowd gasped! Rose Gold's face was exposed on the big screen. Her eyes were wide! Her mouth agape! Astrid had finally caught her!

But her expression wasn't one of horror-

"Simpleton!" -But joy!

Rose Gold hadn't hit the ropes by accident! She had utilized them to give herself the horizontal momentum she would need to drive her sword into the bull's side!

She gripped Astrid's arm with the same hand! Linking them together! Then she put all of her body into turning into her! The sudden shift was meant to offset Astrid's balance once again! She struck her inner thigh with her hips, shifting the Heavyweight to one leg! And then, utilizing the principle of bottom-up Judo! She thrust Astrid's body upwards into the air with a one-armed shoulder throw!

Spoiler

And drove her head first into the canvas!

The crash of the heavyweight being struck with the earth was deafening! But something pierced through even that! It was a shrill, agonized scream the followed in the wake of another gut-wrenching sound! It sounded as if someone snapped a carrot in a microphone!

The throw had been a success! But Rose Gold's shoulder couldn't bear the torque! And she was left screaming as it fully dislocated!

The arm hung limply by her side. The pale flesh of her shoulder had already turned a dark purple from internal bruising. But Rose Gold was up upon her knees. Her smile persisted, though it was half grimace of pain!

"O-o" She struggled to get the words out as her body began to move. She suddenly shifted with reptillian speed! her hips swung over Astrid's shoulders and her thighs locked around the norse woman's head head as if they were the jaws of a great serpent trying to consume her! The arm that clutched her shoulder was now grasped within Rose Gold's hand, pulling it up and weaving it between Astrid's throat and Rose Gold's legs! Tieing a noose about the Heavyweight's neck utilizing their limbs! Even utilizing her devastated left arm to help isolate the one that had gripped it!

"Owari!" She had focused on Astrid's head and neck the entire match. Targeting one area to make it vulnerable. Weakening her armor to expose a chink!

And with all the finality of pulling the opposing strings in a knot, she locked her legs behind Astrid's neck! "DA!"

And the crowd gasped as they realized... Even beasts needed to breathe!

And Astrid was trapped:

In the Midas Clutch!!!

[CaptainL]

The tension in the match had all but come to a tipping point, and not a single soul in the crowd wanted to so much as blink, lest they miss a second of the action. Indeed, things were at a point where that one second just might have been all it would take to decide the outcome of the match. Everyone knew that Rose was in rough shape. She was staggering, she was bloodied, she was out of breath, and Astrid had hit her hard. One more solidly placed blow from the Norsewoman would have been enough to take her down - and yet, the hard part was actually hitting her. Again and again, Astrid threw herself closer, her fists cutting through the air. They weren't the carefully thrown punches and grabs of a trained sportswoman any more, but blind flailing in her target's direction, desperate to hit something. They shot from every direction, but each time Rose seemed to know exactly where to dodge to, escaping each blow by mere inches.

The same thoughts were on the minds of many a fan, now. Astrid just needed one more hit on Rose, and she would win. She would prove her point, she would avenge Meiyun, and everything would be made right. But she just couldn't do it. Many asked the question - if Rose was so weak, why was she dodging so much, and so effortlessly?

Those who were more versed in martial arts, particularly the judo that Rose had cut her teeth on, knew the answer. Rose wasn't dodging - she was directing Astrid right where she needed her.

Every word out of Rose's mouth was stirring Astrid's rage more and more. Her muscles tightened up, and her fingers were already curled into a fist, waiting to bury itself in her face. Each step she took hit the mat with thunderous force, and her teeth were locked in a hateful grimace. This, more than anything else, was why she was here. In Astrid's other matches, she entered the ring to prove her strength, to demonstrate her worthiness to bear the honors she did, and to uphold the legacy of the Ostberg name. There was none of that now. Now, all Astrid cared about was righting the wrongs Rose Gold had brought into the world. And to be reminded of them - to be reminded of how Meiyun, and everyone else, had suffered at the lightweight's hands - was what kept her going. She had to stop Rose, just to quench that rage.

But when the anger had all but completely overtaken Astrid's mind, she wasn't thinking about what Rose wanted. She never bothered to think about how she could dodge this much, or even entertain the thought that she was leading Astrid along by a string. And when Rose offered her arm for her to take, daring her to make a move, Astrid settled a glare into Rose's eyes and leaned forward to do so, no questions asked.

That was a mistake.

When Astrid reached out toward Rose, when she finally caught her, and when she saw the panic flash over her face for those few scant seconds as her impending fate sank in, the Norwegian woman smirked. At last, she had done it. She now had Rose under control, and she was ready to carry out justice! She had even managed to strike fear into the heart of her seemingly unshakable opponent. This wouldn't just be a victory. This would send a message. Astrid would show the world how she wouldn't put up with Rose's dishonorable ways any more. She would prove that even Rose Gold could be defeated! That LAW would no longer have to live in fear of her name!

But just then, Rose shouted a taunt back at Astrid. And in that instant, the blood drained away from her face, leaving her with a pale face staring back wide-eyed and with a gaping mouth. In all her anger and all her desperation, Astrid had guided herself directly into Rose's trap. And now, she was paying the price!

Rose leaned in to take Astrid by the arm. And, as she struck at the blonde's legs, she kicked them off the ground, shifting her weight just enough to tip her balance point over! Astrid sailed over her back, Rose planting her to the mat with a thud that fell like the impact of a meteor! The crowd could only gasp at such a seemingly impossible reversal - a lightweight like Rose, overpowering a heavyweight like Astrid! But the momentum with which Astrid charged at Rose could now be turned against her, and Rose had used it to deliver her straight into the mat! Even if she had to practically tear her own arm out of its socket to do so, she was going to do it!

Astrid had been knocked breathless by the brunt of the impact, but even so, when she looked up to see Rose's arm dangling limply - and that not even slowing her down as she swung her legs around her head - she could only let out a gasp! Rose would truly stop at nothing to take Astrid down. She hadn't faced such ferocity even in some of her heavyweight opponents. Yet Rose Gold, even if she was practically half their size, had them all beat!

Astrid could barely process what was happening to her as the next phase of Rose's plan fell into place, and the lightweight's arms snapped shut around the arm still in her clutches. She felt Rose's weight shift and her hips roll forward over her, coming down over her face and stifling her airways; each muffled groan she made could only come hot and strangled against Rose's groin. Astrid kicked with her legs, and she shook her head from side to side in defiance. But it seemed as though the impossible had happened. Astrid Ostberg was in the Midas Clutch!

The crowd was booing and chanting for Astrid to fight back. The referee fell by Astrid's side, asking if she would give up. But the Norsewoman knew that to do so would be unthinkable. Not when she had made so many promises. Not when she had pledged to take Rose down! She balled a tighter fist with her free hand and pounded it against the canvas, giving her head another struggling shake. Astrid would rather die than give up to someone like Rose Gold! But were there any other options?

[SuckerPunch]

Rose Gold was focused as she deftly weaved her left calf into the bend of her right knee to complete the figure four about Astrid's head! To seal the Midas Clutch! It was in!

The Lightweight Champion was mounted upon the Norsewoman's face! Her legs were locked around Astrid's neck and the Heavyweight's arm was pulled through, completing the knot in the metaphorical noose around her neck! The Midas Clutch was a mounted triangle choke, a blood choke. It worked by restricting the carotid arteries in along each side of the neck to prevent the flow of blood to the brain, preventing it from getting oxygen. Shutting the brain of its' victim down! Regardless of their will to fight back!

And Astrid immediately recognized the peril she was in! She began to groan and struggle! To kick and fight against fate itself!

Rose Gold's lithe body was riding upon Astrid's face! Her crotch smothered Astrid's nose and mouth, blocking her airways with her sweat-soaked attire! The shaking of her head only helped to push her features deeper into the Sinister Siren's nethers. And her groaning and erratic breathing sent tickles across her most sensitive places.

But the reality was that Rose Gold too, was only barely hanging on! The look on her face was one of weary determination! One entire side of it was now painted red from the cut Astrid's headbutt had opened up on her forehead! The effort of maintaining the hold had only caused the bleeding to become more pronounced, causing the blood to flow down her chin and neck! It ran like a river into the opening Astrid had made in her top when her chop had slashed open the spade cut-out in her attire.

The loss of blood and successive concussive attacks had left her in a weakened state. Every one of the powerful heavyweight's bucks caused her light body to jolt. Her hold was in, but it lacked the authority the fans were used to seeing. She was clinging to it! And even then, with only one arm. The other was being used the best it could, but it was unresponsive. It flopped like a marionette's with every one of her mount's attempts to force herself free! Even the adrenaline couldn't keep her from feeling the pain of it.

"Go to sleep, Ostberg!" She gasped as she loomed over her opponent. She stared into her eyes, wanting to see the lights in the heavyweight's eyes go out. But even her own brilliant trademark shining gold eyes had faded to something more of a dull bronze. The fire of her determination battling with the weariness and damage she'd suffered throughout the bout!

But she just needed to hold on! She just needed to maintain the hold! She'd stuck the bull right in its' vitals! And it was bleeding out, just like her! "Just! Die! OSTBERG!"

She just needed to hold on!

[CaptainL]

From the moment Rose's legs crossed over one another, falling into place around Astrid's head, a hushed silence fell over the crowd - there wasn't anyone watching who wasn't keenly aware of what this meant. Rose's judo skills were well suited to taking down opponents who dwarfed her in size, and she had put them to good use against Astrid. Now, she had her right in her trap, and she had just completed the series of motions that LAW's faithful were all too familiar with as the setup to the Midas Clutch. Astrid was in trouble now - no matter how much bigger and stronger she was, even Astrid Ostberg could only last so long when Rose's legs were compressing her carotid, blocking off the flow of blood to her brain. Already her vision was growing blurry, and her muscles felt weighed down with exhaustion. As Rose pulled her face even deeper into her groin, causing Astrid to let out a long but muffled cry of futile resistance, the Norwegian could only feel her breaths stifled more and more, heating up her face with her exhalations. And not only was this a move capable of felling people even larger than Astrid herself...it was also the feared finishing move of Rose Gold, one that had spelled doom for countless opponents before! By all means, Astrid was in trouble!

Yet, the fans hadn't given up hope for Astrid just yet. Everyone could see how much the match had taken its toll on Rose, too - they could see the blood running down her face, the way her body wavered and swayed with the weight of fatigue, the way her breaths were slow and hoarse, and the way the lights had dimmed in her eyes. If Astrid could just push the envelope a little bit further - if she could overcome the odds, if she could break Rose's hold on her - she could turn it around; the Lightweight Champion could crumble with one well-placed blow! All Astrid needed to do was to escape her clutches. She only had a few precious seconds to act, it seemed, before she left the realms of consciousness. But if there was anyone who could do it...it was Astrid Ostberg.

The fans thought that. Slowly, a chant began to build in Astrid's favor, starting out soft, but growing louder and louder as more voices heard her name being called and joined in. Feet stamped at the floor, and fists pumped in the air. Everyone wanted to see Astrid make a comeback - to be the first to break the Midas Clutch! They saw that Rose was weak. They saw that her hold wasn't being applied at its full power. And if that was the case, it seemed all the more likely that, just maybe, Astrid might be able to pull through!

Any sounds that Astrid heard were muffled against her opponent's body - but, as the chants grew louder and louder, she came to hear them. At first, they came dreamily to her ears, fading in and out as she struggled to hold her head above the clouds that crept into her thoughts. But the louder they grew, the more she heard them. And the more she heard them, the more determined she felt. Everyone wanted her to beat the odds, and she was all the more motivated to make their hopes a reality! Suddenly, the aches and the soreness and the heaviness in her body were all forgotten. Astrid couldn't let herself be conquered - not when so many were counting on her!

She brought up her hands, pawing around at Rose's legs, but coming to rest on her thighs, where her fingers coiled around them firmly to hang on tight! There, securing a grip on Rose, she began to rise higher, slowly but surely lifting her back up from the mat, with Rose still perched on her shoulders. Her vision blurred and swirled, but she squeezed even tighter to Rose with a white-knuckled grip. She could do this! If she could just get up all the way, she could turn this all around!