Match Type: 2-out-of-3 Falls Match Rules: Winner is determined by who can get two victories out of a possible three falls. Falls are awarded by pinfall, submission, knockout, count-out, or DQ. The victor will compete in the tournament to crown the inaugural Heart and Gold Junior Heavyweight Champion. All Japan qualifiers will be held at the Nippon Budokan Nippon Budokan
The Nippon Budokan, one of Japan's largest venues with a total capacity passing fourteen thousand. A dream location for many aspiring musicians. It may not have been why it was first created, but thanks to the Beetles and many other western musicians performing there the purpose shifted. While they still had a myriad of other events, such as judo contests and sometimes wrestling shows, the highly acoustic and giant arena was more known in the modern age for the concerts.
Even if the people in attendance were there for the wrestling, Chris didn't plan to simply just let her entrance play and enter the ring. No, she was a hard rocking musician and entertainer! If she didn't pull out as many stops as possible and make this performance grand, then it would be a disservice to herself. While she couldn't go overboard, the rocker would make sure this entrance would be perfect.
No, more than perfect. She'd looked into Sanae after learning of the match. The girl wanted to be an idol, and joined LAW for that reason. With another musician being her opponent, Chris couldn't just give the historic venue her best. While it had to be within reason, she needed to give 130 - no, 180%. Not only so she wouldn't be upstaged, but to ensure whatever Sanae had planned wouldn't compare. The rocker was planning to win the match, and show the Young Lioness what a real rock and wrestling star was before the match began.
The arena grew dark, a lull falling over the crowd. And then, a single chord reverbed throughout the budokan. "Hajimemashite, minna-san!" The rocker's voice rang out, stepping out onto the stage in her wrestling attire, obviously, and with a wire headset and red guitar in hand. Spoiler
"Who's ready to see a hard rocking battle, in the one and only budokan!?" The roar of cheers was the only response the rocker needed. "Then put! Your! Hands! Up!" She cried out, red lasers beaming from all across the stage and revealing a few extra musicians she had convinced management to hire.
And with that, the opening notes sounded out. This wouldn't be her normal theme, but rather another song of equal popularity and personal favorite of hers. TRUST HEART
A slow start, the lasers flashing in time with the cymbals. The song quickly picked up pace as the rocker walked towards the ramp, until finally two bursts of red sparks shot out from the stage. She began to sing, a rare staple she saved only for her biggest matches, walking down the ramp slowly. All eyes were on her, all ears were listening to her. The titantron would cut between close ups of her singing face, the deftness of her fingers across the strings, and occasionally the extras who also deserved their own share of credit. The biggest audience she could ever have, and she was giving them her best performance ever.
By the second chorus, she finally would reach the ring, climbing the steel steps and walking around the apron until she neared the chorus' end. There she would slip between the top and middle ropes, climbing up to the top of turnbuckle, facing the crowd as she began her guitar solo. A mixture of quick sequences and extended notes, motioning foe the cameramen to get a close up of the instrument.
And finally, to finish her solo off, the high-flyer did as she did. Chris leapt backwards out if the corner on the final note. She was sure some would gasp from the display, but the rocker landed on her feet with no issue. And when she did, a shower of golden sparks fell from above and around the ring, the final chorus accompanying the effect. Chris skipped around the ring, giving all the crowd an equal amount of attention as the song neared its end.
And with one final cry and the final notes, it was over. A simple, perfect entrance for the amazing match she was sure to soon have. The snow haired hard rocker handed her guitar to a ring attendant, who in turn set it down just outside the ring. Leaning against the ropes, Chris wiped her brow of sweat and smirked like she already had won. 'Let's see you try and top that, Saitou-san,' she'd think to herself as she awaited to see what her opponent had in store, if anything.
It was hard to imagine a more perfect matchup for this qualifier. Sanae and Chris had a lot in common. Both were high-flying lightweights who made the most of their agility, using it to fuel death-defying stunts that wowed the crowd as much as they came down on their targets with brutal force. Both put just as much effort into setting the right impression as they did in winning the match, always striving to deliver the fans a spectacle of thrills and excitement that they weren't soon to forget. And both of them had started their careers as aspiring musical artists, found their way to the wrestling world, and by one way or another were soon pulling double duty as both wrestlers and musicians. A match between the two of them was sure to be a feast for the eyes. When this match had been booked for two out of three falls, giving the two girls all the more time to show off their skills, it was quickly becoming a hotly anticipated event.
And the fact it was booked for the Nippon Budokan could only make the offer more attractive to the two budding performers. Sanae was well aware of the arena's propensity for musical acts. She had performed at that very stadium before, but only because she had been able to translate her success as a wrestler into fueling her career as a pop idol. She had never actually taken to the ring there - until today. She was sure that some of the people coming to see her would have been in the stands last time, and she was every bit as determined to give them a show worth watching now as she had back then. It was perhaps the greatest indicator of how similar the two competitors were that, completely independently of one another, both had devised special entrances to this match that made the best use of the arena's acoustics. But Sanae was an idol at heart, and she was going to let that side of her shine!
In Sanae's case, the music would start before she made her appearance. The red lights that filled the arena a moment ago swiftly changed to the blues and greens that dominated her color scheme, and the music changed to a more upbeat pop tune, one that Sanae's fans might recognize. She too had a few of her backup instruments come along - and, while they hadn't expected Chris to have her own entourage, they quickly got the hint and set up on the other side of the ramp, while a few backup dancers hopped up onto the stage. Either way, everyone was in position to hit the notes as soon as Chris had finished her act. And just as the music kicked into gear, and fog began to flood the stage, the curtains flew open to herald Sanae's arrival! Spoiler
Sora Tokino - Hot Limit
The fans were already cheering as Sanae jumped out onto the stage, waving one hand high to the crowd, while she sang into a microphone with the other. A shower of sparks burst from the pyrotechnics the moment her feet touched down on stage, and she did a twirl as she came dancing down the ramp, placing every step with purpose, as though her very walk to the ring was a part of her show! Waving her hips and twirling in place, she darted back and forth from one side of the aisle to the other, punctuating lines of her song with waves and kisses blown to the crowd. The whole time, the spotlights followed her every move, keeping her illuminated in their glow, and the jumbotron lit up with a live multi-camera view of her entrance, using picture-in-picture technology to show every move of her carefully choreographed dance moves from different angles. Unlike Chris, she didn't have an instrument to play. Her voice was well enough for her!
Like Chris, when Sanae came to the ring, she hopped up onto the apron, and began to ascend the ropes, climbing higher and higher as the song built to a crescendo. As she came to the top rope, she turned and faced the crowd, throwing her arms out wide and greeting another burst of cheers! There, she finished her lyrics before dropping the mic, but the orchestra kept playing in the background to set the score for the next part of her entrance - as Sanae, too, pushed the ropes lower with her feet before taking off, shooting herself high into the air! She tucked her knees to her chest and spun in place, once, then twice, than a third time - right before she caught herself on the mat in a three-point landing as the song finished!
Needless to say, the fans were cheering louder than ever! As the lights began to fade, Sanae picked herself back up to her feet, brushing back her hair. The last image the big screen caught was her smiling face as she looked back over her shoulder, thanking all her fans for all their support. But as she got back to her feet, Sanae turned to her opponent - who she was just as eager to greet, as she offered her hand to Chris for a shake!
"Great entrance!!" Sanae cheered, unaware of any resentment the white-haired rocker might have held. "This is gonna be a great match, so let's give it our all for all our fans, okay?" Then, she raised her voice a little higher to reach those fans, as the referee held her microphone out toward her. "And for all our fans...don't forget to cheer your loudest for us, because we're gonna bring this house down!!~"
As soon as her perfoAwwrmance was over, Sanae's immediately began. It... wasn't half bad, the rocker thought. Hers was limited by the fact she decided to play her guitar during her micro-concert, but she couldn't do a show at the budokan without showing both her lyrical and instrumental ones. Would she have changed anything? Definitely not. But that didn't mean she wasn't making some mental notes from the greenette's performance for the next time - if there would be one - she got to play here.
Chris rolled her eyes after the entrance was over, but still gave a half hearted clap for the greenette. Much as the rocker borderline despised pop music or the standard idol culture, she wasn't so salty she couldn't deny a good performance when she saw one. She took the Young Lioness' hand, giving her a firm handshake when it was offered, though her expression remained blank.
"Yours wasn't too bad either, Saitou-san." Chris let go and backed up a step as the ref came forth and offered a mic for Sanae, who gave a cheerful request for their respective fans to cheer their hardest. With a click of her tongue in annoyance, the snow haired girl leant towards the mic, grinning as she decided to give her own retort. "You're right that this is gonna be a great match. Anything less would be an insult to this esteemed arena." A smile spread across her face, turning to the crowd as she continued. "This may be just a qualifier, but you can all be sure this will be a match to remember!" The crowd roared their agreement, cheers and claps filling the giant venue.
Chris then turned back towards her opponent, the smile vanishing and replaced with a serious glare. "And when it's over, I hope you won't be too upset when I lay your idol ass out." That was the last she planned to say, shoving the mic back to the ref and backing off until the bell rang to start.
Though both Sanae and Chris had decided to lean into their musical careers when it came to their entrances, the presentation they put forth stood in stark contrast. While Chris had focused on her instruments, Sanae had provided the vocals, and the green-haired girl's upbeat, energetic pop number stood apart from the hard-hitting metal riffs Chris was used to. But even if the two girls hadn't reached quite the same audiences, the fans erupted in cheers for each of them all the same. No matter one's musical tastes, everyone could agree on one thing. Both of them had put their hearts and souls into their performance, striving to make an unforgettable impact in the leadup to this match. If they could carry that same energy and enthusiasm into the bout itself, it could only be a spectacle to behold!
As she heard Chris's praise, a grin lit up across Sanae's face, and she nodded her head to the rocker. She couldn't have said it better herself. Both of them had been impressed with what they'd seen of each other, not only in the leadup to this match but in light of the many exhilarating high-flying moves they had pulled off in their respective matches from before. They both had a flair for the dramatic, but both were dedicated to putting their best foot forward all the same, and to prove they had what it took to succeed in the ring - and to be in contention for the Junior Heavyweight Championship. And now, their hearts were beating as one, with both women wanting to make sure this match would be as much a feast for the eyes as it was a test of their mettle. Sanae and Chris might not have had the same style, but they were definitely of the same spirit. And when they both brought those same feelings to the ring, that could only make this a match worth watching!
But Chris wasn't just here to show off. She wanted to win - and as soon as Sanae heard her challenge, the grin on her face too went serious as she leaned in closer to her foe, her hands planted on her hips. "You haven't seen anything yet!" she shouted back. "I'm more than just an idol, and the strides I've made and the opponents I've taken down stand as proof of that! And come the end of this match...you will too!"
*DING DING DING*
Sanae wasted no time. As soon as the bell had rung, she was out to display the agility and adrenaline she brought to all her matches! She took off in a charge straight toward Chris, and as she came close she would jump up to throw both legs into the air, attempting to land a rising knee to her chest. She belted out a battle cry as she threw all the force she could gather behind the blow. Sanae was out to send a message - she was going to take this seriously!
It was true the two shared a passion in their performances and giving their audience a memorable show. Chris as a rock singer and musician, and Sanae as a pop idol. They both had different tastes and reached different people. That was fine, and Chris could respect that of the greenette - her own feelings about the trash genre aside.
But that was it. This was the third chance the rocker had gotten to go for gold. One in a farce of a segment meant to boost the despicable blond, and the second in a tourney for a wrestling promotion that was absorbed into a bigger company. Sure she had seen how impressive the Young Lioness' journey to and through Apex, but that wasn't going to change the outcome. As Sanae answered her statement with an equally determined remark, Chris merely brought a hand up and motioned for her to 'bring it.'
DING DING DING
The bell rang, and her opponent came out like a firecracker. With a mighty scream she charged forth, closing whatever distance lay between the two in little to no time. Chris braced herself as the poised knees rose and struck her in the chest, knocking her to the ground. The crowd cheered for the idol taking the first hit.
However, before Sanae could try anything else, the grounded rockstar thrust her legs and body up, aiming to wrap her ankles around the greenette's head. If she was successful, the rocker would give her own battle cry as she twisted her whole body, aiming to bring Sanae down with a headscissor.
The two girls had laid the groundwork for the match. They'd both done their part in building things up and setting the stage for what was to follow, and they had exchanged pleasantries, making sure both of them knew how prepared the other was to put their best effort forward. But wrestling was a full-contact sport, and there was only so far one could get with talking. When the bell rang, all bets were off as to what might happen next - and Sanae wasted no time at all in charging straight into the thick of battle!
With a roar of determination, the green-haired girl threw herself toward Chris knees-first, flattening her opponent straight out of the gate! Sanae had vowed, ever since her very first match, to always push her limits and to strive for something even greater than what she had accomplished before, and when the offer of a championship was right in front of her, she would do all she could to prove she was worthy of being in the running. As Chris crumbled to the mat beneath her weight, Sanae flashed an eager grin, throwing a fist into the air in celebration of her success. But things were far from over - before Sanae could get up, Chris struck out with a counter of her own!
Feeling the surface beneath her rock with the motions of Chris's body, Sanae let out a gasp. One moment, she was in control, but the next, Chris was giving her reason to keep up her guard! Her legs swung out and encircled Sanae's head, and a moment later, the green-haired girl was rolled over into the mat, with Chris taking the lead with the headscissor! Feeling the pressure closing in around her skull, Sanae cried out in pain, and her legs kicked in the air, her feet drumming against the canvas as she tried in vain to vent her frustrations. She twisted her head, pulling it this way and that, but Chris would barely budge. It seemed like if Sanae was going to escape, she'd have to do so by force.
But then, she was ready for that! Gritting her teeth in defiance, the idol reached up again, this time going to grab Chris by the ankles, and she pushed with all her might to try and pry herself free! She could feel her head throbbing from the building tension, but her teeth gnashed together as she fought harder and harder to stay in control! If Sanae could get Chris a little looser, she would attempt to plant her feet against the mat to brace herself - and if that worked, she would try to force herself back up to her feet, hoping to break away from her foe in the process. If all went well, she would be up on her feet with her hands still wrapped around Chris's legs - and from there, she could hopefully pull back at them to strain the rocker's joints in a double ankle lock!
Last edited by CaptainL on Sat Aug 12, 2023 7:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
There was two things the two wrestling musicians knew well enough. Firstly, to keep the audience energized and entranced. Their back to back entrance and words had more than gotten their respective fans attention. And secondly, actions spoke louder than words. They could have kept talking, but their match in the ring would fulfill anything left unsaid between them.
Sanae took the initiative with her knees, but it took no time for Chris to take it back. She got her ankles around Sanae's neck, twisting her body for a headscissor takedown. And rather than rise up for anything else, the rocker quickly moved her legs into place for a headscissor. Sanae may have taken first blood, but Chris wasn't going to just let her build more momentum.
The rocker may not have been the strongest or most technical, but she knew enough to make the greenette's escape difficult. Sanae tried rolling one way, Chris twisted the other. The idol tried to pry her legs apart, the rocker merely squeezed harder. If Sanae wanted free, she was going to have to work for it.
But her slightly taller opponent seemed like that wouldn't be too hard. Sanae grabbed Chris by her ankles and with a bit of effort finally lodged her head free. The rocker was briefly impressed by the greenette's show of strength, only stopped when she was turned on her stomach and pain shot through her ankles once Sanae moved into a double ankle lock. Chris grit her teeth as she sucked in air, doing what she could to ignore the pain. She could give her opponent praise later.
The snow haired woman weighed her options, bearing with the pain and shaking her head. She wasn't close enough to the ropes for a break, and Chris wasn't certain she could reach them before Sanae pulled her away. So instead, she'd besr with the pain as she tried to pull them out of the idol's grasp. She had no delusion of breaking free, she just wanted Sanae to pull back. Damn did it hurt, but it would be worth it if it went as she expected.
If things followed as she hoped, after maybe almost half a minute, the rocker pushed her legs back. Like one of those childish tug of wars, where one let go or pushed rather than pulled, the idea was to make her green haired opponent fall backwards and let go. It wasn't the smartest or most cunning option for sure, but if it was effective Chris believed it could give her an opening to get up and strike back.
Despite all outward appearances - one sweet and smiling and upbeat; the other darker and harder-edged - Sanae and Chris had more in common than they had differences. Both were willing to put on a show and entertain the crowd. Both were swift fighters who drew on their agility and their fast-paced aerial manuevers to make a difference. And so too, even if they were known as high-flyers first and foremost, for both women, that was far from the only thing they were good at. Chris was displaying a respectable degree of technical aptitude in how she pushed the advantage with the headscissor now that she had Sanae locked down - every time the green-haired girl tried to roll one way, she pulled back in the opposite direction, and she held on even tighter to coax more force out of the hold no matter how hard Sanae tried to loosen it by force. The fact that she was able to keep it up for so long stood as proof that Chris knew the ins and outs of such a move, and how to use it to its full potential. Even Sanae had begun to groan from the strain on her temples, her face twisted into a scowl. But Sanae, too, had her hidden depths. She had a strength in her that belied her size, and she too had expanded her technical repertoire through her training with Alizeh. That was what allowed her to find what she needed to finally yank herself free of Chris's grip - and she had hardly taken a breath before she shoved herself back up to her feet, pulling Chris's legs along with her to stretch both ankles as far as she could!
Her teeth gnashed in a grimace, and her forehead furrowed from the strain she was putting on herself to uphold as much force as she could summon. But she couldn't hold back - she had to keep fighting; she had to cause Chris as much trouble as she could! Even if she couldn't force a submission here and now, she at least hoped she could put enough strain on the white-haired girl's legs to cripple her mobility for the rest of the match. Even if her own muscles grew sore the further she stretched, that was something she was willing to put up with to further her cause!
But for all Sanae had thrown herself into the thick of competition, she wasn't invincible. She'd grown single-minded in her pursuit of victory, and Chris was willing to take advantage of that. Just then, the rocker shoved forward with her legs - and when the tug-of-war suddenly shifted, Sanae didn't know how to respond. All she could do was fall, with her balance disrupted. Her grip gave way and she dropped straight down, landing with a thud on the mat before her foe. For a moment, she rubbed her head to try and recenter herself. But she would quickly try to roll to the side, hoping to get out of the way before Chris pushed the advantage. She knew better than to sit around and leave herself vulnerable!
Both Chris and Sanae were performers, aiming to please the crowd with their high flying moves. But that didn't mean either girl didn't have any technical ability. Chris first showed her hand after her headscissor takedown and subsequent headscissor. While she wasn't any expert, she at least knew enough to keep it held for awhile. Turn against how the Lioness rolled, squeeze a little tighter when she tried to pull free, just some of the basics.
But that didn't deter her forest haired opponent, working past the pain and wrenching her head free. Sanae even decided to show her own technical prowess off, along with a slight show of strength, by locking the rocker in a double ankle lock. Chris grimaced as her ankles were harshly stretched as far as they could go, trying to twist her legs out to no avail. Sanae was intent on hindering her as much as possible, and the rocker would make that as difficult as she could.
A little tug of war commenced between the two, putting a bit more strain on the white haired woman's ankles. It hurt like hell, but it would be worth it. When she felt Sanae was too engrossed in her tugging, Chris' legs shot out towards her and knocked her over. As the idol checked her head, the rocker checked her ankles. They hurt, but nothing she couldn't push past.
Her Young Lioness opponent quickly rolled away, allowing the rocker to get back up without any issues. Chris would run towards the closest set of ropes, rebounding back towards Sanae as she got back up. If it went as the rocker planned, she'd send the greenette back to the ring floor with a running clothesline.
