Three Minute Challenge: Astrid Ostberg vs. Nashi Dragneel

[CaptainL]

Astrid had always championed fair play and abiding by the rules. In any contest, she wanted the victory to go to whoever had the most skill, strength, and athletic merit; who had strived the hardest for success and proved themselves superior. She was the last person anyone would ever have expected to pick up her opponent and slam them against the side of a steel cage. But even Astrid had her limits. When Nashi had escalated things this much, leaving Astrid's skull stinging from where the back of her head had been slammed into the bars, the Norsewoman knew this had become an all-out war. It hardly made any difference if Astrid brought herself to her level. It seemed as though she'd need to if she wanted to survive! And if that was the fight Nashi wanted, it was what she'd get!

The whole cage rattled as Nashi was rammed into the wall, and the reverberations could be felt through the arena. A number of the fans winced and looked away, shaken by the raw power of such a blow. For a moment, Astrid stood there, watching Nashi. Her hands were pinned to the girl's shoulders, holding her in place; it was only by virtue of Astrid's strength that Nashi didn't drop to the floor. And even then, the Norsewoman panted and gasped, bent over at the waist as her shoulders rose and fell with every breath she took. She still winced from the pain; her body quivered from the exertion she'd put herself through. But even as Astrid's face dripped with blood and sweat, when her eyes settled on Nashi's, she smiled. "Don't make any apologies for what you do!" she cheered, urging Nashi on even as she put her through greater and greater torments. "If you can draw blood from a champion...you have what it takes to go far! You have that will in you, even when you're outmatched! You fight to succeed!!"

In fact, Nashi wasn't going to stop now! She pressed forward with her relentless assault, kicking up her legs and wrapping them around Astrid's throat! The champion tried to stay on, pushing her weight forward, but little by little, her grip began to slip - one finger at a time, her hold on Nashi gave way, until at last, gravity pulled her the rest of the way down. Her footing gave out. With her head trapped between Nashi's legs, she began falling to the floor. Astrid didn't have anything to hold onto Nashi with any more...so instead, she would settle matters in other ways, kicking off the ground to throw herself down on top of Nashi and slam her into the mat with a reverse faithbreaker!

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_HxPhXHclY

[SRG]

Nashi was between a cage and Astrid keeping her locked in place. She winced in pain before hearing Astrid’s praise”thanks because there’s more blood that I can beat out of ya!” She shouted she began to lock her legs around Astrid’s neck”sorry Astrid but with these legs I can keep you till the cows come home” The Idol grinned and as Astrid began to drop to the floor, or so it seemed. Astrid was as strong as a horse and pulled herself up and pushed her backwards Nashi this time will be pancaked between the mat and Astrid!!


“GAH!” The idol coughed as she laid under her opponent half awake”I can’t… give up…” She said weakly as a mark of blood was on her forehead. Nashi began to use what little strength she had, to try and push Astrid off.

[CaptainL]

No matter how much punishment Nashi took, she wasn't going down. Astrid, a woman who easily eclipsed her in size and strength, was slamming her up against the steel bars of the cage, and she refused to break a sweat - she was making the same threats and boasts, determined to stand up to her opponent! Even as Astrid had her pinned against the cage, she still found it in her to kick out with her legs, prepared to bring Astrid to the ground. Yet, it was the Norwegian who took control of even that, crashing into Nashi with all of her weight as she drove her into the floor beneath her!

For a moment, the two women lay there, panting for breath, their bodies mashed up against one another. Astrid dripped with sweat; her muscles were sore from fatigue, and she groaned and felt her joints pop every time she moved. Yet, she clenched her teeth in a grimace and swore to bear through it all the same. Nashi still refused to go down. Astrid had to be prepared to fight her to the end, and she would do anything she needed to put a stop to her once and for all!

Slowly, she planted her hands on the ground beside her, starting to lift herself up an inch at a time and groaning all the way. But before she could get to her knees, Nashi reached up and grabbed Astrid's shoulders, trying to force her off of her. In their weary states, Nashi could barely bring Astrid to budge. But all the same, it had sent a message. The very fact that Nashi had it in her to resist at all was a sign that the fight was still in her, and Astrid had to keep at it until even those embers were exhausted.

With another shove backward, Astrid forced herself to her feet. She teetered uneasily, still finding her balance, but she settled nonetheless. Then, she looked down at where Nashi lay at her feet. Sucking in a breath, she ducked down lower, grabbing Nashi by the arm with one hand and her hair with the other - and she yanked her up to her feet, where she would proceed to throw her arms around Nashi to pull her to her chest, squeezing hard with a bear hug! The fans let out a gasp at the sight - they knew this was Astrid's finisher, and a move she perfected. But Nashi would doubtlessly fight it as hard as she could - which was something Astrid knew, too. In fact, it was starting to concern her.

As her arms wrapped tightly around Nashi's sides, Astrid brought her head closer, their foreheads brushing against one anothers'. There, she muttered a few words, in a whisper hushed under her breath. No one in the crowd could hear it - this was for Nashi, and Nashi alone.

"Nashi...don't let this match be the death of you. The fact you've lasted this long has already proven you can survive in the cage with me. But if you keep going, you'll hurt yourself. If you want to grow as a wrestler, you need to know when to stop, too..."

[SRG]

Nashi had to win no matter what. She has been working hard ever since her debut on law to get a chance to face against Astrid to even the score. While she did take some losses she got some good wins, and tonight she settled on beating her rival! The match had been going well, Nashi got some good hits in but Astrid fired back with her own brutal blows.

Which brings us to this moment. Nashi was running low on strength if she didn’t find a way to end the match, she would be nothing but a sack of potatoes. Thankfully Astrid got up but at a cost of grabbing Nashi and putting her in a pain splitting bearhug! “AHHHHHHHH!” The loudest scream she ever let out rang across the arena for all to hear. The blonde champion told Nashi nows the time to surrender, but in her stubbornness she couldn’t”NOOO I CANT GIVE UP Y- AHHHH” she continued to scream out as when she tried to raise her arm she felt the worst pain. The match had been the most brutal the idol has been in and it was starting to take its toll. If Nashi continued her arm would snap leaving her to be suspended or worse… having to take early retirement. Nashi thought about it before finallu whispering”I…. Surrender….” she said softly into Astrid’s ear waiting for the Norwegian to release her from the hold.

[CaptainL]

Every second that Astrid put the pressure of the bear hug down around Nashi's sides, the pink-haired girl's ribs and back were surely erupting in pain. It was the trademark finishing move of the Ostberg family, a move that they had trained and honed to perfection, and now Nashi was taking one on at full force, after she had slowly but surely been whittled down to the limits of her stamina. There was simply no way Nashi would be able to hold on any more. Her cries split the air in the arena, leaving a fair few fans wincing at the thought of how much pain she had to be under. And the whole time, Astrid watched her closely, her eyes locked on the idol's as she waited for her to make the choice. Would she continue to struggle blindly and hopelessly? Or would she know when to back down?

At last, Nashi could take no more. She expressed her surrender - and at that, Astrid nodded her head to her. She eased her grip around Nashi's sides, bending low to the ground to gently set her down against the side of the cage. They might have been brutally ramming each other into the steel bars a moment before, but now, Astrid would let Nashi down easily. And when she looked back at the pink-haired girl, she smiled to her, as though the grueling match they had just been through had never happened. Even after it all, Astrid had only respect for her foe.

"I'm proud of you," the champion explained, as the bell rang. "Even if you lost...you've learned a valuable lesson. You could have kept pushing yourself onward, even when you couldn't handle it, and hurt yourself. I can't help but fear you would've done that, if you were still the person you were when we first met. But this time, you knew when to stop. You're learning that sometimes, it's better to admit defeat when you're outmatched and to be ready to fight another day than it is to try to win at all costs. That means you're learning there's more to being a wrestler than just doing moves. And when you can put your pride aside for the sake of your own well-being...that's the mark of a true wrestler." She ruffled Nashi's hair gently before placing her hand on her shoulder with a nod. "You're going to go far. I'm sure of it."

[SRG]

Nashi finally submitted admitting that for the second she couldn’t defeat Astrid in the ring. Thankfully the champion bended down letting the pinklette rest on the floor. She thought about the words the champ said, as the ref came out and went to give Astrid her belt, and raise her arm up with the crowd cheering for the heavyweight champion!

To everyone’s surprise, Nashi began to push herself up standing face to face with Astrid. She gestured for a mic and the ref handed her one”Astrid thank you, that means a lot to me, and I realized that I came close or at least I did better than last time” She giggled lightly into the mic”but still this was one of the best matches I’ve had, and while I may have lost let’s make a deal, after I win a belt we have a rematch and if so what do you want the rules to be?” The crowd gasped in shock, after the brutal beating she received she asked for another match and was offering her to pick the rules!? Everyone had their attention on Astrid wondering what she’ll say.

[CaptainL]

Astrid and Nashi had just been through a hard-fought and grueling battle, one that had left both of them bloodied, battered, and panting for breath. It had pushed both of them to their limits, and it had brought new sides of each woman to the surface - strength and aggression and determination they didn't know they had in them. Had this been a match between mortal enemies, no one would have been surprised if it turned out this way. But this was between a champion who was determined to uphold the values of LAW and of wrestling as a whole for the new generation, and an up-and-coming rookie who was out to make a name for herself. Even after it all, no matter how hurt or how tired they were, they both respected the effort that had been on display. And they could still look to one another with a smile.

Astrid held a hand out for Nashi, moving to help her back to her feet; she kept a hand on her to make sure she could stand steady. She nodded her head, her smile growing even wider as she looked the pink-haired girl in the eye. "As a matter of fact," Astrid explained, "you did much better than last time. And I think that's bigger proof than anything else that you deserve to be standing right where you are. When I beat you before, Nashi, you didn't prove to be much of a threat...but I could tell that you wanted to be so much more, and that you were willing to do whatever it took to get there. Now...I can see that you've made it. You really gave me a fight worth fighting, and the fact you were even able to is proof that you've been committing to your training and striving to get better. That's what means the most. You made good on your promises, and I'm so proud of you for it."

She leaned in a little closer to Nashi. "By the way..." she said, "if this was still about surviving three minutes...you'd have already won by now." She winked, and the crowd cheered, hearing the confirmation that Nashi had proven she had what it took to survive against a champion.

When Nashi proposed the next part of her wager, Astrid raised an eyebrow curiously - the fact that she was thinking of championship reigns in terms of when meant that she had a lot of confidence about her chances. But not just that, she was willing to face Astrid in a rematch, one where the Norsewoman would decide the stipulations herself! Surely she had to know what a dangerous prospect this was, but she didn't show the slightest bit of hesitation!

"Well then," Astrid chuckled, placing her hands on her hips. "if you're going to make offers like that, I should hope you know what you're getting into - but then again, if this match tells me anything, it's that I can trust you to be ready for even the most daunting of challenges. So, what about this - you and I in a Last Woman Standing match?" She flashed a grin at Nashi, eager to see how she might respond. She surely knew of Astrid's endurance, and that it would be no easy feat to keep her down for a ten-count. But Astrid had a feeling that Nashi would be ready for it all the same - she always was, after all.

"But, of course...that's something for another day. Until then...keep up the good work. And perhaps the next time we see each other, it'll be Champion vs. Champion?" The crowd cheered even louder at that, knowing that the dream was alive to see Nashi win a title!

[SRG]

Nashi was thankfully given help by the blonde wrestler so she’d be standing properly. When Astrid spoke of how well the idol did, it made Nashi have a small tear go down her cheek”thank you… Astrid…. That means a lot” She smiled titling her head. Soon that smile would go away when Astrid made her realize she could’ve won had it just been the regular 3 minutes”well hey give me a minute without the bearhug and I could’ve pinned ya” She laughed towards the heavyweight champ.


When Astrid brought up a last woman’s stand Nashi pumped her fist in the air”heck ya Astrid and when we do I’ll be the one with the win kay?” She gave a smirk before taking the microphone and saying”well I don’t know about you Astrid, but I thought of something, we’ve worked ourselves dirty in this ring why not you and I do a beach contest for everyone to see!?” She offered the champion with the crowd cheering. Nashi would soon give the mic for Astird with the crowd in eager anticipation.

[CaptainL]

"Any time." Astrid nodded her head as she listened to Nashi give her thanks. Even after she had taken a beating in a grueling match, one that had tested the limits of her stamina and her fighting spirit, she could still get back up and smile, proud of the progress she'd achieved. In their first match, what struck Astrid the most about Nashi was how, even when she lost, she was still willing to apply herself and improve - she knew she would have to put in work to achieve her potential, but that wasn't going to keep her back. She had promised to grow stronger, and she had succeeded at that with flying colors. That same spirit was alive in her now - when, even after a loss, she could smile on what it meant.

Astrid gave Nashi a pat on her shoulder, taking care not to make it too hard in case the girl was still sore. She did chuckle when Nashi boasted that she could have pinned her had she not locked in the bear hug, and that she could beat her on their rematch - "We'll see about that," - but she was still glad to see her enthusiasm, and she nodded her head all the same. And when Nashi made her next proposal, it was enough to make Astrid raise an eyebrow.

"A...beach contest, you say?" It certainly wasn't something Astrid was used to - she preferred to let her in-ring skills speak for themselves rather than her looks or her name, as much as she was happy to represent the company as a champion. However, she did have experience in such things - when she and Alaina Sanders joined in a bikini contest during an autograph signing it was Astrid who ended up winning. She had only seen that as a stroke of luck, and it was a one-off thing, but she couldn't deny the passion she saw in Nashi when she put forth the idea, and she was afraid to tell her no. It might be nice to deal with her in something outside the ring - and after a couple of rough matches, it might be a nice way to unwind.

She shrugged her shoulders, looking to Nashi with a smile. "I'm sure we can talk about it. I bet LAW Magazine woul be happy to cover such an event!"

[SRG]

Nashi would smile proudly as Astrid felt as if she was becoming an accomplish wrestler. When the Norwegian girl was asked about the beach contest, the crowd would be in eager anticipation. I mean who wouldn’t want to see the heavyweight champ in a bikini? When she replied the crowd got relied up and so did Nashi. The idol jumped for joy and took back the mic”what makes it better is, while i maye not have a belt, I’ll be winning a trophy for my first beach contest on law” She gave a playful wink before turning her attention to the exist”see ya then Astrid, thanks for the match” Nashi would begin to leave, as she walked up the ramp the crowd applauded her, seeing how far the idol had grown.