Pick Yourself Up, Dust Yourself Off

[winner3]

The following takes place after the events of Angelina Tarrant vs Shimmerlace Snuggleblossom in the Undercard of Fight The LAW 2

In their shared cabin aboard the Maritime LAW Cruise Ship, the world tag team champions were watching a recording of the undercard matches of the PPV. Training and preparation for their own matches coming up took priority during the day but now that they were winding down from their usual drills and studying up on their opponents, it was time for some downtime.

Aurora Estrella had been ready to call it a night early. She was in her bed in white lingerie. Her legs folded in a lotus position with her hands behind her head so that she could undo her afro puff and let her hair down.

Katherine has been putting on sweats and a tee shirt. It was loungewear, but she was near the door, intending to head out to grab another bite to eat. She had announced this intention to her tag partners moments ago and asked them to pause the recording for her.

Tracy was stark naked, her captivating, curvy, pale form stood to the side of the TV in their room so that Kat and Aurora could watch alongside her. Canon had just paused it a few moments after the bell. The three of them looked on in silence for a moment.

"Man, that was rough. What's that girl's name again?" Kat asked.

"Shimmerlace, I believe it was. Shimmerlace Snuggleblossom. An angelic and whimsical name....I feel for her....." Aurora answered.

"Yeah, I've been wrestling a long time. I don't think I've ever seen anyone lose their pet rabbit in a wrestling match. Poor girl really went through it out there...."

"Can....can we help her?!" Tracy's voice trembled. Kat and Aurora looked at each other before looking at her.

"Hmmmm maybe. How many hours ago was this?" Hart began.

"At least a few. Though I can't imagine if feel any better about having watched this live if we were there in the crowd." Aurora answered.

"That means she's been stuck there in that gibbet! For hours!" Tracy would turn abruptly and exclaim. Her tone was more resolute. She was bent on the idea of doing something about this!

"I know, Trace. I wanna help. All three of us do. But....we need a plan."

"Indeed." Aurora nodded in agreement.

"Screw plans! She's hurting! She's crying! Every second we sit here "planning" is another second Shimmer despairs! Imagine being stuck there for the rest of this dang cruise! Is anyone even feeding her?!" Tracy would get up in arms and begin power walking towards the door.

"Trace, you're naked!" Katherine would place both hands on The Circus Cat's shoulders and block her path.

"I knew that!" Tracy would protest.

"Trace, we're with you but it's not as easy as rushing in. If we go free her as a group without thinking ahead, all we'll accomplish is call attention to ourselves and alert everyone that we've freed Shimmer.....like it or not, we do need some sort of plan."

"Fiiiiiiine! Fine! Fine! You're the brains, right, 'Rora? What do we do? I wanna help her as soon as possible!" The redhead turned to the lightweight in the room

"Same here." Kat chimed in.

"The worst case scenario is that everyone finds out it was us and they punish all four of us. I don't really care if management slaps us on the wrist. But if she gets punished...if Shimmerlace has to get put through worse than this because of our actions, I'll feel like crap." Kat firmly asserted her point.

"We need a way to get in and out and we need a way to help her avoid any possible repercussions." Aurora followed up.

"What if....what if just one of us goes?" Tracy volunteered her idea. Kat would nod.

"Yeah...that would help and it's a lot less conspicuous than if we all went. But we still need to think about what we do after we get her out....And even with just one of us, there's still a chance that whoever goes gets recognized, no matter how we dress. There's lots of fans with SWAT Cat masks but if even one person discovers us, word will get out quick...." As Kat spoke, the three luchadoras continued trying to put their heads together.

"I'm stuck on the "after" part." Tracy confessed.

"We can keep her with us, here can't we?" Aurora answered.

"There's no way around the fact that people will notice Shimmer's absence. But if we come forward after and plead with the GM, maybe we can make sure that we're the only ones punished. Not her."

Katherine nodded in approval.

"Yeah, I think that might actually work. I was more stuck on the first part. We might make it past fans but if any of our rivals in this company spot us, they'll either snitch or call attention to us."

Abruptly, Tracy would remove her mask. The three of them still had their respective masks on from their training session earlier.

"Kat, please hang onto this for me." Tracy handed her signature pink and white mask to her best friend and mentor Kat Hart.

"Tracy...are you sure?"

"Yeah..." Tracy would nod with a determined look in her eye.

"I'll put on my dress. I'll blend in."

"Is this the part where I tell you not to do anything stupid? We can still go with you, you know?" Estrella would protest.

"Nuh-uh! I was actually paying attention this time! If two or more of us go, even unmasked, the odds of us getting recognized as The SWAT Cats only go up!" Tracy wagged her finger at Aurora. Aurora would facepalm. Kat was already halfway across the room. She grabbed Tracy's phone and tossed it to her. Tracy would catch it seamlessly.

"If you run into any trouble, text us, okay?" Kat said in support of her partner.

"Just....be safe, Trace." Aurora said sincerely.

"I've got this!" Tracy nodded as she skilled into her usual pink dress, sans mask and took off.

Tracy Canon (without the mask)

-Some Time Later-

It took some prying with a few random fans and staff, but eventually, The Circus Cat would find her! Tracy would arrive on the scene of a large, empty, dark room. There were hardly any sounds besides the sounds of the waves, the people in far-off distances, and the murmurs of one Shimmerlace Snuggleblossom. Tracy did her best to tread lightly. The poor damsel in distress had been there so long that it seemed anyone that was in charge of presiding over her had already left and decided it wasn't worth their time.

"Pssssst..." Tracy would whisper to the Young Lioness.

"I'm here to help!" She said, with the flat of her palm near her mouth in a loud whisper.

[Malkavia]

One did not let it slip to the audience, but Charlotte had been in and out of gibbet all morning. Though some fans might like to imagine a brutal game of high consequences where every wound is a personal burden to bear, LAW management liked to keep its talent breathing. So—morning passed in the medical bay. The shallow laceration in her side got cleaned up and stitched closed (No high-exertion movement for at least two weeks and then we’ll check back up), her nose got bandaged, and in general there’d been a lot of alcoholic swabs pressed into a lot of scrapes and bruises. And even some Ibuprophen, for good measure.

Then—and she suspected Greg Karagi had something to do with this, as she’d seen him talking to the stage manager before she was hauled off—the crew wheeled her here. Alone, in the dark. Somehow she thought the people booking this match pictured something more…well. Spectacularly humiliating. Camera candy in the middle of the ship’s cafetera. Tanner playing Tinkerbell Pinata with a wee baton or something.

Thank God for Karagi.

So she’d sighed, curled up with her knees as best she could, and closed her eyes. Let’s sleep off the cruise. It would have been a decent plan, were it not for the rabbit knocking around her head. Thistlebro. Bro what’s a thistle. Before the match, she’d worried Angelina might hurt her wee furball. Now she just pictured them playing together, and that was much worse.

And then—the wee sotto voce whisper.

Who?

Charlotte’s eyes bleared open. She squinted between her legs, trying to make out the other person in the room. Staff, fan, or talent? Talent, she decided pretty quick. Either that or the most jacked fan she’d ever seen. Cute face and fetching dress couldn’t cover for arms that looked like they could crush full 1950s era soda cans.

”Ah… Help, ey?” A pink eye spied between bandaged up legs, face and body hidden in the dark. Her voice was quiet and carried a bounce that felt more than a touch forced. ”That’s…very kind, miss. Kinda don’t have my. Ah. Face on right now, though. So.” What kinda fuckin’ sense does that make? Enough, hopefully

[winner3]

Tracy could only imagine where poor Shim was at mentally right now. But as she established with her fellow SWAT Cats, restoring Snuggleblossom's smile came second only to restoring her safety and dignity from the punishments she'd been faced with as part of the fallout from her match with Angelina.

"Hm? Your face?" Tracy raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips.

Though her reaction came across as perplexed at first, Tracy knew full well what Shimmer was referring to. She hadn't been the one to catch a beatdown in her PPV outing yet. No, hers was due later in the week when she was set to defend the tag titles. In good health and in good spirits, she seemed to be able to see Shimmer much more clearly than Shimmer was able to see her.

"Girl, I don't know watcha mean! You look every bit as cute without the full get-up as you do with it, you know!" The redhead would smile before stepping closer.

"But you do look banged up. And worse yet, they've got you cooped up in here? Are there any restraints on you? Handcuffs? Rope?" Tracy inquired earnestly.

"Let me save you. We'll grab a bit to eat and then I'll stash you away in my quarters, yeah? I saw your match. You deserve a lot better than...all this." Canon would gesture broadly all around her.

[Malkavia]

Charlotte breathed slowly through her nose—full, deep breaths that made her ribs ache—while she continued to stare one-eyed at Tracy. She was fighting the urge to say something rude.

You’re extremely lucky, she had to remind herself. You have friends stashing you in safe corners and strangers asking to buy you food. Don’t be ungrateful.

Nevertheless, Charlotte kept her body hidden. ”That’s…very kind. Fresh attire sounds...better than food right now. For one thing, already had a bite. For another…”

Charlotte trailed off. She didn’t like to explain these things. To anyone. But when someone offers to jailbreak a girl from her well-earned perch, it creates a sort of debt and makes it harder to hold things behind the curtain.

”Mmm. Well. People hold a kinda version of you in their heads, aye? And you have a vision in your head of yourself. Well, people seeing me right now—I might be cute. I might be rancid. Whatever, that bit doesn’t fuckin’ matter. Point is they wouldn’t see me, you dig? And then I’d live in their head like that. Wrong.”

[winner3]

Tracy continued her snooping, looking for a way to pull Shimmer from this space she thought of as a makeshift dungeon. She couldn't yet determine that Charlotte was making a conscious effort to hide her lithe frame and the damage that had been done to it.

"Gotcha. My Fairy Princess here needs new clothes, stat." Tracy snapped her fingers before resuming with looming things over. She listened intently as Shimmer continued.

"Pfffft...." Tracy let out an annoyed, yet understanding exhale.

"Aw man, I can relate to that." The redhead agreed.

"Part of the reason I'm very much the same person in the ring as I am outside of it is that I find it so exhausting to put on airs, you know. It's work to have to put in a whole new persona just to do your thing. Life's just easier when I get to be me all the time."

"I had quite enough of that life. Putting on different hats and masks depending on where I was and what I was doing way back when in my days as a...." Canon wanted to reminisce about her days in the circus. She nearly spoke without thinking. Fearing the idea that revealing her identity

"Performance... artist." She realized how off she sounded. Tracy would try to deflect by doubling down on springing Shimmer from her captivity.

"They've got you in here pretty good, huh? But don't worry. We're gonna get you out. And soon. I promise!" Tracy would ball her fists in front of her with conviction. She wore a determined smile on her face. Canon wasn't lacking for heart and conviction. But she was struggling with finding a way to get Shim out.

[Malkavia]

Getting out had never really been on the menu. What would she do? Where would she go? The cruise ship itself was a kind of prison, full of people who knew where she should be. “Freedom” would just put a spotlight on the mess. This talk of Fairy Princesses and new clothes, though—that caught your girl’s attention.

This woman seemed to ride her feelings like a balloon riding the wind, insistently, aggressively cheerful. Definitely a wrestler, from the way she talked of masks and performance. Charlotte squinted through the gloom at this strange sprite, thick as a bull, bright as a poppy flower, smiling and gesturing and stumbling over her own words. She really wanted to spring Shimmerlace.

”Hmm.” There was a pause. Charlotte breathed deep, then sighed and sat up, creaky, as if she were a rusted automaton whose gears swept away spider webs when they came to life. As her face rolled into the light, she revealed a flesh-colored splint for her broken nose plus the uneven swelling over her eyes and various facial lacerations. Her eyes, however, and the smaller part of a smile focused on the woman.

”I might have a solution.” As she spoke, she combed her hands through her hair, and her fingers collected pink glitter, which she then gathered into a pea-sized lump by rubbing her palms together. ”Gotta get the pixie dust first, though, you know. Union rules have it for us fey folk—no magic without pixie dust and eh. Twirly fingers.”

As she spoke, Shimmer rolled forward, flipped over on her belly, jostled until she was on her knees. She leaned down to get eye-level with the lock, then—Poof. Blew the sparkling puff of pink over the device. Then she lifted the latch and—

CREEEEEAK! Out swung the door.

In truth, it had been unlocked from the start. When Sakura had visited earlier, the Feychild had slipped a hairpin off her, and picking the lock after afforded a solid several minutes of entertainment. But this woman needn’t know that. Shimmerlace tossed her a wink. ”...I also do card tricks and the ball and cups during Thursday shows.”

Shimmerlace, naked but for a bandage wrapped around a long and deep cut in her side, slid out of the cage, yawned, stretched until her spine popped, then swung her arms to get the blood flowing. ”...Byyyy the by!” She groaned through a particularly tight stretch. ”Name’s Shimmerlace. Don’t think I caught your name, though, miss?”

[winner3]

Tracy was animated. She continued thinking on her feet. Her heels clicked against the ground as she motioned left and right to work out this locking mechanism. Magic never was her forte; acrobatics was. All the magic she had been capable of was her ability to wow a crowd with her big athletic displays and her even bigger personality. The magic she had crafted in the last few years was cultivated between the ropes of the ring.

As luck would have it, she didn't need to pull a rabbit out of a hat or mess with a stack of playing cards. The spirited redhead would have the fortune of making a good enough first impression for Charlotte to step up and step into the light!

It was obvious before but poor Shim was looking worse for wear. But rather than recoil or voice more concern over it, Tracy flashed a slightly concerned, slightly proud half smile. There was a noticeable shift in tone, demeanor, and so on. If the woman she had come here to save was ready to take action, perhaps they were already off to a good enough start.

"Oh, you've got something? Sweet! It would have taken me wayyyy too long to bend these bars." Tracy said only half-jokingly, sure of herself that her biceps and her could get the job done given enough time.

Tracy would watch with a wide-eyed look of heavy emotional investment on her face as a very beat-up Shimmerlace scrounged together some glitter between her fingers and gathered it into a tiny lump. Of course, Tracy had seen many a magic trick in her days, but that didn't make them any less special to her. She might as well have been an enamored, devout member of Shim's very own Tea Set Coterie as she stood there in awe and watched the fey girl get into character and do her thing.

"Ohhhhhh~!" Canon would place her hands on her hips as she watched the door slowly swing open.

"Heheh!" Tracy's wide smile would grow even wider when the girl winked at her. In truth, Tracy wasn't entirely uninitiated. Her struggles with executing these parlor tricks didn't make her any less privy to how many of them worked. She realized that the lock was likely undone this entire time. But it was the presentation- Shimmer's ability to sell her on this that she really appreciated and found touching.

"I'll be sure watch this coming Thursday. Maybe you could teach me a thing or two." Tracy would humor the now-freed French girl and approach her to see if she needed to be assistance getting up or walking. After allowing Snuggleblossom to stretch, Tracy would gesture to offer her shoulder to lean on.

But then came the first of what likely be several very understandable questions. A light blush came over Tracy's face when she was prompted for her name.

"Heh, after your match, I think a good number of people the world over now know who Shimmerlace is..." Tracy spoke earnestly. As she looked to the exit. There were many things to consider at this point. She did have a plan to deliver on her promises. She had already texted Kat to express deliver some of her spare clothes to someplace nearby somewhere Tracy could grab them. Never mind the fact that they'd likely not fit well. Tracy was a real go-getter, but she excelled at the "go get her" part much more so than she is at meticulously planning. She broke eye contact for a moment. A bead of nervous sweat formed on her brow. Whether or not she was making her way out of here with Shimmer leaning up against her or with the two of them walking side by side, she realized that she'd need to inspire a little more trust in the girl she was trying to rescue.

"You can call me Miss....Miss....lady in shining armor- er- shining dress-" Tracy would run her fingers down the fine, silky fabric that accentuated her statuesque form and curvy figure.

"That's sticking her neck out to try and lend a helping hand to someone she respects....heh, I'd give you a business card but I don't know how all of that's fitting on a card, let alone into my wallet...." Tracy realized this answer, as earnest as it was, might be less than desirable.

"Look, let's prioritize getting you dressed and getting you to safety. I swear to everything that I love that I will come clean with you. But the longer we stay here and chat, the more likely it is we'll both get thrown under the bus." The redhead would whip out her phone with her free hand and continue texting.

"There's a broom closet one floor up from here. A really good friend of mine left some clothes you can use for the time being. So...if you'll still have me as your hero...shall we?" Canon would motion towards the door.

[Malkavia]

This woman in the fabulous dress was what those in the biz might call “rabbit-ready,” the kind of participant who wants the magic to be real and supports the work onstage. They watch wide-eyed, they gasp on cue, they applaud, if you ask them to participate in the trick they’re always good sports and never try to pull any pranks. Good people, in other words.

Shimmerlace knew she was being humored, maybe even made an object of condescension, but—well, fuck, she wanted to be humored. She gave a stiff little bow and curtsy-like flourish. The only time her smile faded was when her rescuer started throwing out words like respect.

”Ah…” Heat rose in Shimmer’s cheeks. ”Well that’s—I mean, then, sorry about the…ehm, neck and all. Metaphorically.” A metaphorical apology. The Feychild’s eyes were drawn away from the woman’s towards the roof, settled on a vent, and her free hand, which she held behind her back, picked absently at the bandage around her waist.

Big ol’ breath now Shimmer. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Worst case scenario you disappoint her, right? And, ultimately, she’s just some… And Shimmer’s thoughts trailed.

”Anyway.” She cut in before this woman could slap her apology down. “You don’t got tell me fuck all you don’t want to tell. I just need a bit o’ nomenclature for my rescuer’s all. A knight you say?” Shimmer eyed this woman with new attention, finger to her lips, brow furrowed, appraising. She stepped, left, raised an eyebrow. Tsk tsk. Clicked her tongue, circled right, then nodded. ”Ayyye, knight indeed. Suits you. A warrior’s mighty frame, polished with noble purpose and manners gallant. So then!”

Shimmerlace hopped, then stood at attention breathing-distance from the Knight, stiff, naked, serious. ”I shall dub thee… Mmm… the stalwart Dame Sunflower, on account of your being a size or four larger than most flowers, and also a fair sight more eh. Bright. And Sunshiney.”

One curt nod confirmed the nickname, before the fairy turned on heel towards the door. Which she stared at. Realizing just how achey her legs had become, with her back worse and her side already pulsing like a siren. Not to mention, there were people out there. People and eyes and…

”Mmm.” She turned back round towards Dame Sunflower. Closed her eyes and coughed into a hand. Her ears once more seeped with red. ”I…don’t suppose our newly knighted…knight would feel up to carrying us?” When Shimmer’s eyelids slid back open, she was staring off to the side, and she added quickly, ”—might make for a quicker journey.”

[winner3]

Spending one's time deep in the recesses of the Maritime LAW ship in what seemed to essentially function as a dungeon didn't seem like most people's idea of a good time. Yet somehow Tracy was enjoying the Fey Princess's company here.

But the mission was still the mission! And surely, Shimmer's company was an even greater asset in a place that was less dark and less dingy. In The Circus Cat's mind, spending any amount of time here must be a trying time for anyone, let alone being made to do so while countless others actually get to enjoy the experience of being on a cruise ship, and all this over a wrestling match, no less!

Tracy texted Kat furiously. Questions of whether or not articles of clothing would fit were the initial concern. But surprising Shimmer with the company of her friends now would surely throw a wrench in things. Kat and Tracy quickly agreed to have Kat stash the change of clothes in the broom closet, closest to the "dungeon" and Kat got in and out in a hurry. The time spent on the quick text exchange denied Tracy the chance to scrutinize the metaphorical apology, not that she wanted to.

When she felt Shimmerlace cast her gaze upon her, a part of her was worried there would be trust issues. But as the girl looked her up and down in search for a name to call her. As the battle-scarred, bandaged princess brought her finger to her lips and inspected her. And where many men or women would have feared such scrutiny, Tracy placed her hands on her hips and hit a power stance with a big smile on her face! She patiently awaited the verdict!

"Mmmhmmm! I like it!" The redhead nodded.

"Dame Sunflower just hits right. And like the sun and the sunflowers, I'm here to brighten your whole day!" The girl would raise her fist in the air. She began to muse to herself as the two of them began to make for the door.

"You know, I think that's the first time anyone's ever gotten a good look at me without talking about my...assets..." Canon thought aloud. But a cough from Snuggleblossom wrested her attention!

"Oh no! You okay? I mean I know you're not in the best shape right now but are you good to walk?" Tracy placed a caring hand on the half-naked woman's shoulder. Upon being asked to be carried, Tracy didn't hesitate!

"Of course! You don't have to ask me twice! C'mere you!" The girl would take the blonde in her arms, carefully caressing her shoulders before gliding one hand carefully down Shim's back.

"Stop me if anything hurts, okay?" Canon would put Shimmer's comfort first. She made sure to handle the girl delicately. If all went well, she'd align the girl such that her feet would go through the door first and they could be on their way!

"A knight should make sure their queen is comfortable, shouldn't they?" Tracy would wink. If all went well. She'd carry the girl up some stairs and through several corridors until they eventually made it to the close in question. Inside, they'd find a slew of supplies, but very conspicuously on a shelf near the door were a set of pink flip-flops, baggy purple sweatpants, and a white tank top. The pants and top were sized for Kat, and likely oversized on Shimmer, but the shoes were Tracy's, and would hopefully be a close enough fit.

[Malkavia]

Sunflower made the glide from standing to horizontal as neat as crawling into a hammock. The woman looked about as soft as a Rodin sculpture, but the reality was soft skin, gentle grip, and a swing in the air that made a girl’s tummy flip. Shimmerlace arced her arms around Dame’s neck, sighed, and let her cheek rest on the larger woman’s chest. She closed her eyes.

”Haven’t been carried like this since I was…real tiny.” Foggy golds and browns floated past the opposite side of Shimmer’s eyelids, and she could Sunflower’s movement—though not half as sharp as she might have thought, especially on her side.

When they got to the closet, Shimmerlace let her grip on the woman’s neck linger. She opened eyes, looked around, then up at her dame, and smiled. ”Y’know…I could almost just. Nap here.” She smirked like it was a joke, but…she genuinely could have. She could have napped long and hard and been happier than in many a bed.

But! There was skin in need of stitching. Once Shimmerlace had hopped to the deck and twisted her shoulders and rolled her hips, she took to the inspection. One hand to her hip, she stuck the free index finger in her mouth and bit the nail while her brow furrowed.

Not exactly five star attire, now is it...

She put on the tanktop first. It fell just below her knees, fitting her form with the matchbox precision you might expect. Undeterred, she lifted the sweatpants horizontally in front of herr. She folded one leg over the other so that the crease hinged down the middle of the crotch and the paints formed a long, thin strip of fabric.

”Us fair folk, being of European origin and all, aren't much practiced with robes or kimonos or the like…but perhaps with a bit of imagination...” As she spoke, Shimmerlace draped the sweatpants around her waist. She tucked an edge here, tightened a drawstring there, slipped her stolen hairpin there and—it more or less stuck. She looked…like a half-nude urchin who'd seen the wrong end of a scuffle before being stuffed into a tanktop and bound at the waist in someone else’s sweat pants. But fuck, she was trying. She smiled anyway.

”So!” Shimmerlace turned on the ball of her foot, kicked her feet into the sandals, and came back crisp and straight to look at Sunflower. ”Step one accomplished. I'm eh…” She swallowed. ”That is, thank you. For all that. I suppose now we’re onto step two! Though I am, I must confess, a touch in the dark as to the contours, like, of step two. What are we doing, exactly?”