Shonen Showdown: Yunaka Rubi vs Meiyun Lai

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Best of 5 Rounds, Win by Submission Only

After an especially lopsided second match, it seemed LAW was back to trying to find ways to throw Yunaka Rubi off of her game. She had been made to fight a 2v1 in her debut, and now Yunaka had been matched into a multi round submission match. Submissions, were rather easily the weakest part of the redhead's wrestling game. She'd performed them before, but only really basic and simple ones. For all the fighting experience Yunaka had, she had very little experience with wrestling. So with submissions being somewhat wrestling specific, Yunaka had yet to really learn them yet.

The best of five stipulation was something that Yunaka had to ponder on a bit. The conclusion she came to was that with her first to fights ending rather quickly, LAW might be trying to coax out a weakness in the redhead by forcing her into a longer match type. It was also possible that the fans wanted to be able to see Yunaka dominate more and LAW was just catering to that. After all, not everything was malicious.

Yunaka didn't hold this against LAW, assuming that she was being targeted by these rulesets. After all, she was running roughshod over a Young Lioness program that both she and LAW knew that Yunaka was too much for from the start. It was only reasonable that they'd try to handicap her how they could until they could force Yunaka up into the main roster. The sounds of Yunaka's introduction interrupted her train of thought, cueing the redheaded wrestler to prepare for her entrance.

Music

Yunaka

"ZZZZAPPY!" Yunaka shouted to the crowd as she burst out into the arena. That little cheer of a catchphrase at grown into Yunaka's signature trait. She was even beginning to hear other fans greeting her with it, as well as outright incorporating it into their natural speech in some cases. From what she'd heard, Young Lionesses usually didn't take off like anything near this when they began. But then again, for better or worse, Yunaka really wasn't like other Young Lionesses.

Yunaka made her way into the ring to cheers and applause, with the redhead returning their enthusiasm as she jumped around and waved at the crowd. She made a journey around the ring before settling into her corner of the ring and grabbing a mic. "And in this corner... it's Yunaka!" The redhead gave herself a little introduction, earning more love from the crowd as they responded to her pep and energy.

[CaptainL]

Meiyun was well aware of the reputation Yunaka had acquired among the Young Lioness Program, proving to be a force to be reckoned with that far outstripped her classmates. She hadn't had much opportunity to deal with the girl face to face, but she had heard plenty of stories going around about what she could do. Some might have been intimidated...but not Meiyun Lai.

In truth, Meiyun was excited. Part of it was because she had seen Yunaka's infectiously energetic personality and felt she would be fun to be around. But more to the point, she was thrilled for the challenge this match would bring. She had been picked to face Yunaka, in a marathon of a match - five whole falls, with all of them to be determined by submission. Meiyun didn't know much about submissions, but that didn't matter. She was up against a deadly foe, in a match type that was sure to push the two of them to their limits; an epic battle could only hope to ensue! It would be the perfect opportunity for her to put her strength, endurance, and determination to the test. Her heart was pumping with excitement just thinking about it. Tonight, she felt like a hero. She was going up against a menace to the program, and she would get to showcase everything she had in her to take her down! Someone backstage evidently had faith in her, and if she had anything to say about it, she would live up to their hopes!

Meiyun had plenty of reasons to believe she could hold her own, too. She had grown quite a bit since her last match. She'd gone on excursions to other promotions, making a few appearances overseas in USPW. She had developed and honed her skills further. And - even if it had led to a humiliating defeat - she had Rose Gold herself on the ropes in a Midas Touch match that nearly saw her becoming the new Lightweight Champion. If anyone could take Yunaka down, she'd be the one to do it!

Spoiler

With all that progress came a new entrance. Meiyun had reached the part of the program where she was allowed to define herself and stand out from the crowd, and tonight was the perfect night to show it off! She had on a new, unique outfit, a two-piece top-and-skirt design influenced with traditional Chinese motifs - and on her arm, she wore another token of her progress; a black armband with her initials and the word "THE REFORMATION," celebrating her admittance to a stable. And for her entrance to the ring, she was putting her dance training to good use. She waggled her hips and twirled in circles as she walked, swinging a pair of fans through the air as yellow ribbons dangled from her belt, whirling with every move she made. The sight of her moves drew plenty of cheers from the fans. But when Meiyun came to the ring and set eyes on her opponent, a smirk came to her face. All that was just showing off. Now, it was time for the real action to begin!

As she hopped up on the apron, Meiyun tossed her fans into the air, catching them as they came down and taking a bow to the cheering fans. Then she climbed through the ropes, slipping off her belt and handing it and the fans to the ring attendants. She turned to face Yunaka, and a grin flashed across her face as she sank lower into a stance. Now was the time for the match to begin - and she was ready for it!

"You better be ready!" Meiyun called out, with all the dramatic bravado of the shonen hero she believed herself to be right now. "I know you're tough...but I'm gonna fight through everything you throw at me, and that's a promise! Someone's gonna take you down...and that's gonna be ME!" She finished off her statement by thrusting a finger straight toward Yunaka, making her intentions clear!

Spoiler

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In only two matches, it appeared that Yunaka had built a reputation that preceded her. Meiyun spoke to her as if she was some great and mighty obstacle to be overcome. Although for a Young Lioness, perhaps that is what Yunaka was. For her own part, the redhead wasn't particularly intimidated by the confidence or showmanship of her opponent. Yunaka knew Meiyun was probably the strongest person she had fought so far at LAW, but she'd have to clear a lot more than just that bar to win.

But Yunaka did appreciate the enthusiasm that Meiyun came at her with, as it was quite easy to play off of. "Well by virtue of the match rules, I'm almost sure you'll last longer than my last two opponents combined, if nothing else," said Yunaka. "But I'm all for it! Give me a fight! My matches have just been attack training so far!"

To be honest, Yunaka had no problem with getting easy wins. They were a lot less painful and dangerous than tough wins or losses. But as a face, Yunaka knew that declaring a desire for a "good" fight was the right thing to say for the situation. Of course, that didn't mean Yunaka had any intention of backing down if Meiyun did prove to be a strong opponent. That would only mean Yunaka would get to showcase what she was really made of.

When the bell rung, Yunaka would come forward a bit before running back into the ropes near her own corner, using them to propel herself at Meiyun at speeds even faster than what she could normally run at. In her last match, Yunaka had boosted off of the ropes before killing her momentum on a dime and slowing down to fake out her opponent. Yunaka's charge would once more be deceptive, but in a different manner. The redhead would leap forward, threatening a huge dropkick once she had gotten close enough to Meiyun for her feint to be believable. But instead of a dropkick, Yunaka would land on her feet. Inches away from Meiyun, trying to use the threat of a dropkick to get Meiyun to act defensively in order to cover her admittedly risky approach. If she got away with it, Yunaka would then grab Meiyun, wrapping her arms tight around the diner girl's body in an attempt to bearhug her. "Well, I'd say it's time for you to make good on your word," Yunaka would say as she began to squeeze.

[CaptainL]

Meiyun wasn't the least bit intimidated. Was Yunaka strong? Sure she was - she had heard plenty of stories from her classmates to tell her the redhead was a threat worth taking seriously. But Meiyun would be ready for her. Since her last excursion to America, she had grown stronger than ever, and her dynamic new entrance was proof enough of how far she had come. Now it was time to show LAW how much progress she had made, and she couldn't think of a better opportunity to test her skills than by becoming the first Young Lioness to take down the fearsome Yunaka Rubi. It was a challenge to be sure, but it was a challenge she was thrilled to put herself up to!

The Chinese girl stood with her feet apart and pounded one balled fist against an open palm, assuming a stance in a show of strength and focus. And Yunaka was going to start this match off with a bang, it seemed - from the moment the bell rang, she took off toward the ropes, pulling back on them in preparation to launch herself toward her opponent like a slingshot! Meiyun's eyebrow rose at the sight of it - she was definitely going to some daring tactics. But then, that would just make things all the more exciting - and it would make her look all the more impressive when she managed to triumph over them regardless! Bending low at the knees, Meiyun prepared to make her move. Already, she had a counter in mind, and she grinned wider at the thought of it. She could see Yunaka was going for a dropkick - so, when she came her way, she was going to duck down and roll under her, both getting out of the way and showing off her carefully coordinated dance skills in the process! Everything played out picture-perfect in her mind, and she couldn't wait to show it to the rest of the world!

But Meiyun's plan wasn't to be. Just then, Yunaka closed into range, and she bent over forward, prepared to launch herself into a sommersault. Except rather than hit the dropkick, Yunaka stopped right where she was, skidding to a halt just in front of her foe! Meiyun gasped, looking back up at Yunaka as she came to a stop. She wasn't expecting this at all, and it threw her completely off her momentum! Now she had frozen in an awkward position, halfway down into a roll, with her arms out at her sides. And that gave Yunaka the perfect opportunity to throw her arms around Meiyun, dragging her into a bear hug!

"Gah-!!" Throwing her head from side to side, Meiyun coughed and gagged, trying to bear through the pressure. She could feel Yunaka's strong arms sinking down against her from either side, and her ribs felt like they were going to be flattened! A low, hoarse wheeze left her lungs as Yunaka forced the air out of her. But just as Meiyun could feel her eyes starting to roll back in her head as her body grew limp, she heard one other thing. Yunaka was daring her to live up to her promise, and fight back! Even now, when she held the advantage, she wanted to bring forth the best in Meiyun! Hearing that, the brunette stopped, nodding her head to her foe. Her face, even if it had gone red from the strain, still turned to a look of determination. She was reminded of why she was here! If she was being put to the test, she owed it to herself to deliver!

"Let me...show you..!!" With that, Meiyun would try to throw her legs into the air, aiming two simultaneous knee strikes to Yunaka's ribs - one for each side!

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Yunaka's fake out worked perfectly. It didn't threaten Meiyun into a defensive option, but it did stop her counterattack attempt cold, and freezing the Chinese girl like she was a deer in headlights. With that accomplished, it was no trouble at all for Yunaka to wrap her arms around Meiyun and begin squeezing. The start of what would hopefully prove to be a very damaging attack.

It certainly looked as though Yunaka would get her wish. Meiyun looked to be fading fast. She screamed, gagged, and wheezed. Her resistance quickly weakened as the redhead continued to put the squeeze on. But when Yunaka was starting to think that Meiyun would make it easy on her, the diner girl would strike back, sending her knees up into Yunaka's ribs as a counterattack.

"Gah!" gasped Yunaka as she was caught off guard by the attack. Meiyun's knees struck on either side of Yunaka's body, almost pinching the peppy wrestler's waist. Yunaka's hips shot back on reflex to pull away from Meiyun's knees. She also lost much of her grip on Meiyun as well. Yunaka's arms were still wrapped around the Chinese woman, but there was no longer any pressure to her grip to actually hold her up. As Meiyun came back down to the ground, her face would catch on Yunaka's breasts as the redhead's backwards movement pulled Meiyun forward into her.

Not wanting to give Meiyun a chance to mount a full on counteroffensive, Yunaka would respond with a knee of her own. Attempting to send one up right underneath Meiyun's chest. The redhead recovered quickly from the diner girl's attack, so there would only be a very small window of escape for Meiyun from when her feet hit the ground to when Yunaka would hit her. But she would need to take advantage of it. Because if Meiyun got hit by the knee, then only luck could save her from Yunaka's follow up attack.

If Yunaka's knee hit, then she would push Meiyun down if she wasn't doubled over already, so that she could lay her upper body on top of her diner girl's back and wrap her arms around Meiyun's belly. Then Yunaka would lift Meiyun upside down, a piledriver clearly coming next. "Congratulations. You've officially done better than anyone else I've fought here at LAW," said Yunaka. A bit of bragging, a bit of teasing, and a bit of genuine praise for her opponent. But with words aside, Yunaka would proceed to drop down to her butt, attempting to execute a piledriver that'd give Meiyun a nasty headache if it landed.

[CaptainL]

Meiyun had...perhaps made a mistake in the opening few moves of this match. She expected everything to work out fair and square, and assumed that she could treat Yunaka as she would any other opponent. But this was the part in her story where Meiyun was to learn that not even the lessons she'd learned and the moves she'd trained in were strong enough to take down an even greater foe. Yunaka wasn't any ordinary opponent. She was a threat greater than any Mei had needed to contend with to date, and when she let her guard down around her, she was soon swept up in a brutal bear hug for her troubles!

The pressure closing in around her sides left Meiyun's head spinning; her vision began to blur and grow dark as the air was forced out of her lungs with a few hoarse coughs. But she reminded herself this wasn't the end. She still had time to make her comeback - in fact, it would only prove even more impressive if she fought her way back from this to take control once again! That thought steeled her spirit as her eyes locked on Yunaka's and narrowed in determination, and as she kicked her legs up to land against her foe's ribs with a crack!

Sure enough, the redhead was forced to teeter backward from the blow, her grip on Meiyun easing in the process. A smirk flashed across Mei's face with the satisfaction that her plans had worked. But Yunaka was far from finished. Before Meiyun could take control, she fell forward against Yunaka's chest, briefly finding her face buried in her cleavage before she pulled her head back and shook herself out. And that had stalled her momentum just long enough for her opponent to get in a hit of her own - swinging her knee up in a pointed strike to Meiyun's chest!

"GAH-!!" The impact was forceful enough to cause Meiyun's breasts to bounce as she reeled back in an arc, stumbling back a few steps before she bent over forward. And from there, Yunaka could shove her face-first into the mat, where she landed with a thud. Meiyun hissed through her teeth - she couldn't let her opponent push her around like this, she thought. It wasn't doing her any good to sit around absorbing offense; she had to throw herself back into the action! She tried to get the palms of her hands underneath her, moving to push herself back up to her feet...but it was there that Yunaka's arms latched around her sides, sweeping her up into the air!

Meiyun let out a yelp as she suddenly found herself upside down, her legs kicking in the air as her arms and ponytail dangled to the mat below. She twisted and turned, struggling to break free - anything to get Yunaka's hold just a little looser - but it was all too clear to Meiyun what would happen next. She had her locked in position for a piledriver, and if that hit...it could well take her out then and there! For just a brief moment as the thought set in, her eyes widened in shock as she sucked in a breath. Here and now, she was in grave danger!

But then, Meiyun thought of what Yunaka had said. She'd landed a good hit on her, which was better than any of the redhead's opponents to date. That meant she had to be doing something right - and it was that thought that gave her hope, a grin spreading across her face as she lingered on it. She couldn't let this stop her now. She was better than that - even Yunaka knew as much! This was the moment she was backed into the corner, where all hope seemed lost, only for her to pull out her secret weapon! Meiyun was counting on that working, and Yunaka gave her reason to believe!

Just before Yunaka could kick her feet off the ground, Meiyun's legs latched into place around Yunaka's head. There, she would throw all her weight to the side, trying to bowl her over! If she could, she would try and reverse the position, bringing Yunaka down with a hurricanrana!

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Yunaka's big grin had left her when Mei managed to strike knee her, but it returned to the redhead's face when it was her own knee plunging into Meiyun's body. The Chinese girl nearly dropped to the floor on her own, so Yunaka had no issue with forcing her down all the way. Then once Meiyun's body was securely under Yunaka's control, the redhead lifted her opponent up off of the ground to prepare for a piledriver.

Meiyun wasn't going to just take the piledriver however. As Yunaka held her up, the diner girl got her legs around the redhead and started trying to drag her down. "No you don't!" grunted Yunaka as she threw her own weight back in the opposite direction of Meiyun. Her heavier frame allowed Yunaka to stay on her feet, and then she would waste no more time in bringing Meiyun down.

Yunaka jumped up, sticking out her legs in front of her, and then spiking Meiyun down into the mat on impact. Both women bounced up off of the mat. The difference was that Yunaka bounced up off of her butt, while Meiyun bounced off of her head. "Hey Mei," Yunaka would say once Meiyun was settled on the ground. "I hope you're still awake, cuz you gotta submit!"

Yunaka would attempt to get that submission by first making her way to Meiyun's legs. She would take them in her hands, crossing them over each other around one of her own legs as Yunaka stepped over them with her other leg. Then if she was able to get the setup completed without interruption, Yunaka would drop down onto her back and lock Meiyun into a Figure Four Leglock.

[CaptainL]

Seeing that Meiyun was about to reverse the piledriver into a move of her own, taking Yunaka down in the process, a burst of cheers went up from the stands. Despite whatever odds she might have been facing, the brunette wasn't the least bit intimidated, and it looked as though she was about to pull off a daring counter! A confident grin flashed across her face. The very thought of her being able to bring Yunaka down was a thrilling one; it told her she could live up to her expectations and stand in the way of her foe's dominant streak! And the cheers she was getting just made her all the more confident it would work!

But just as Meiyun was about to fall back...Yunaka called out to her in defiance! "What-!?" At her words, her jaw dropped in a gasp. She had been so confident in her success that she would never have prepared for Yunaka to turn things around on her...up until she felt her center of balance shift and give way, as Yunaka threw her backward, hurling her to the canvas! Meiyun landed with a thud, her arms and legs kicked up into the air as she came down, and the momentum of her landing caused her to tumble over on her side a few times before she came to rest in a heap. Slowly, she rolled over on her back, groaning and clutching at her aching head. If having her attempt at a counter denied at the last minute hadn't left her dizzied, her impact with the canvas certainly had!

And Yunaka wasn't going to stop there - once again, she was on the move! Meiyun shook the cobwebs out of her head just in time to look up and see the red-haired girl grab her by the legs, twisting them into place. She let out a yelp; she knew what was to follow - and sure enough, Yunaka dropped down onto her back, forcing Meiyun into the figure four leglock!

Against the pain that went coursing through her body, Mei screamed, her back arching up off the mat against the pressure. Her eyes squeezed shut from the strain, and her teeth clenched. The referee moved over to check her for any signs of submission, asking if she would give up. But Meiyun opened one eye, the other still held tightly in a squint, and she shook her head. "NO!! Never!!" She wasn't done yet! She knew this wasn't going to be an easy match. Yunaka was a worthy foe, and Mei was going to need to fight through adversity and hardship in order to overcome her. But she was ready for that - she was willing to put her determination and her passion to the test if it meant proving herself to Yunaka, and to the world! That was what heroes did!

"I'm not gonna...go out that easily-!!" Shouting back in defiance, Meiyun attempted to throw herself over to the side, trying to roll over and reverse the hold! It would be difficult, knowing she was smaller than her opponent, but if she did this, she could take control!

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When it looked like Yunaka was about to get reversed by Meiyun's attempt at a Hurricanrana, the crowd cheered at the prospect of the redhead finally being brought down a peg. Yet when Yunaka beat Meiyun's attempt and drove her into the floor, the people then cheered at the power and dominance of the woman quickly becoming the bane of the Young Lionesses.

With Meiyun stunned by Yunaka's Piledriver, it was no issue to get the Chinese Lightweight into a submission hold. Yunaka chose a Figure Four Leglock because it was both effective and flashy. It was a hold where people knew exactly what was coming before it was locked in, and it almost always held a rising buzz of excitement and anticipation up until the attacker dropped down to their back to complete the move.

"Don't be like that," said Yunaka once Meiyun refused to submit. "You gotta pace yourself. If you let yourself take too much damage here, you'll just be tripping yourself up for all the other rounds." The redhead wasn't actually expecting Meiyun to submit. Yunaka was pretty sure she'd done more even to Star Power before she passed out. But Yunaka did like to end fights fast if she could, so she was a bit more impatient since she knew she'd have to submit Meiyun two more times.

As more Meiyun's reversal attempt, Yunaka had something in mind for that as well. She'd start by simply shifting her weight in the opposite direction of her opponent, as one does when executing a Figure Four Leglock. But Yunaka was trying to build up a reputation as a flashy, exciting wrestler that people wanted to come out to see. So she had something that was getting cute at best, and completely stupid, unnecessary, and self sabotaging at worst. Likely leaning more towards the latter, but Yunaka figured that the worst case was a little pain, so she'd do it anyway.

Yunaka would suddenly shift her weight so that she was turning the same direction as Meiyun, willingly rolling onto her stomach and giving her opponent the reversal she was fighting for. But if the redhead's plan succeeded, it would only be for a very short moment. Yunaka was trying to turn with so much force, using Meiyun's own to aid her, that she would roll both of them over completely. So that they were both right back to square one on their backs. A bit closer to a set of ropes maybe, but still out of reach for Meiyun. If Yunaka succeeded, she'd sit up a bit, raising her hands to the ceiling as she shouted her catchphrase with a laugh, "Ha ha! Zappy!" She'd then go back down to her back before addressing Meiyun with a grin, "Still sure you wanna keep picking this fight?"

[CaptainL]

Meiyun wasn't going to back down now. The match had just begun, and she was determined to stand up against the threat that was Yunaka Rubi, no matter what she had to overcome in the process! She could hear the redhead cautioning her about her stubborn refusal to submit, but all it did was cause Mei to clench her teeth in a snarl and shake her head. This wasn't just another training session where advice like that would be welcomed. This was an epic battle of good versus evil, and she was the hero proudly standing up to the villain who had terrorized her fellow Young Lionesses for too long! A true hero wouldn't give up now - not when so much was resting on her victory! Not when doing so would prove she would let Yunaka best her! "I'm not going to give up!! Never!!" Meiyun shouted back, with all the defiant bravado of the shonen hero she imagined herself to be. "No matter what it takes...as long as there's still a part of me that yearns to fight, I'll do it!! Even if I'm hurt, my fighting spirit will carry me through!"

Fortunately, Meiyun had learned enough about the figure four leglock to know its ins and outs. It might have hurt, but as far as submissions went, it would be relatively easy to reverse, as long as she could throw herself over to the side! Sucking in a breath and bracing her arm against the mat, Mei threw all her weight into reversing the hold, pushing off from the canvas to give herself a boost! The more she pushed herself, the more she felt the strain in her legs; the veins in her neck bulged as her teeth ground tightly in a grimace. But she had to fight through it, just to prove Yunaka wrong!

But then, to her surprise...Yunaka went to roll, too! When Meiyun landed on her stomach, she barely had a second to celebrate her success before Yunaka turned the rest of the way, flipping them over with a sudden burst of speed! Landing on her back again, the brunette let out a gasp as she found the same pain that had once stretched her legs to the breaking point clamped down just as hard, and that gasp of shock soon turned to a scream as her already sore legs were forced to bear the brunt of the hold, now more painful than ever! All the while, the crowd let up an even louder cheer at the sight of Yunaka's daring and spectacular move!

But Meiyun wasn't going to let this keep her down. She just had to keep on fighting! If it was hard, then she'd just have to work harder! She looked over to see the ropes just nearby, and though she panted for breath, she knew that if she could drag herself just a little closer, they'd be in reach. She wriggled from side to side with her back and shoulders, trying to work her way just a little closer to the ropes - if she could do that, she would stretch her body and arm out as far as it could go, wincing against the strain she put on herself as her fingers stretched toward her salvation!