Yuki Kazikura vs. Rose Gold II - Unsanctioned Match

[CaptainL]

Explanation

LAW user @SuckerPunch, the owner of the then-current Lightweight Champion Rose Gold, has announced his departure from LAW. In light of this, upon consulting with him and @Epicsnivy, the plan is for Rose to forfeit the belt in-universe and for number-one contender Annie Clark to become champion effective immediately. Epicsnivy has chosen that he would prefer to focus on the path forward and move on with Annie’s first title defense.

In order to work this turn of events into the storyline of LAW and to bring Rose’s run to a satisfying conclusion, I have obtained permission from all parties involved to conclude this arc myself. Using the outline for a match SuckerPunch and I had planned before his departure, I will be writing this match out as a solo effort, as an unsanctioned event that will not impact any LAW records, with the intent of being a proper sendoff to Rose’s character. This match was always going to happen, more or less as presented; I’m just using those plans to make something worthwhile out of the situation. Stay tuned!

Continued from here

Match Type: Unsanctioned Match
Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout. No disqualifications. This match takes place on an indie show outside of LAW and will not affect either participant’s official LAW record.

----

This was it. This was the match that everyone who had been following Yuki Kazikura, and her career, had been waiting for for years now.

The last time Yuki’s paths had crossed with Rose Gold had been all the way back at We Are LAW 3 - a Mercy Match that had seen Yuki going in confident and ready to show the world what she could do on the grand stage, and ended with her begging hopelessly in Rose’s grasp as she made a spectacle of her to the world. It had been the first time Rose had shown her new persona. And if anyone thought that would be the end, Rose would be the first to show them it was only the beginning. Since then, she had only proven to be a greater and greater menace to LAW, capturing the Lightweight Championship from Aoi Fukiwara and going on to dominate and beat down every eager hopeful in her path. She had declared herself the Ace of LAW - but to Yuki, she was the one to beat.

Long before any of this, Yuki had been encouraged to pursue the championship by Rose - Kelsea Rose - herself. She had helped her realize her true potential, and motivated her to make that a reality. Before everything changed. Yuki had taken on Aoi, and she had given her a fight that quite nearly saw herself being crowned champion. Even if she’d lost, Yuki still came away from it all with Aoi’s admiration for her effort, and Kelsea had encouraged her not to lose hope. So even if the Kelsea Rose Yuki knew had gone mad with power; even if she had lost sight of the person she once was…if she was now the champion, she was in Yuki’s sights.

But it wasn’t just about that. It wasn’t merely that Rose Gold was someone Yuki had to beat because she was the champion. It wasn’t even that she felt the need to avenge her loss. Rose Gold had won the championship by breaking Aoi’s leg and nearly taking her career down with it. She had humiliated every opponent in her path, picking her fights against foes that she knew she could beat, and using every dirty trick she could to get ahead - even in their own match, Yuki had been leading the charge before Rose managed to throw her off her game, and catch her while she was distracted. In going up against Rose, Yuki wasn’t merely pursuing her dreams - she was looking to right a wrong. To stand up for what it meant to be a professional wrestler, and to be a champion.

But even beyond that…it was personal. Yuki had fought to harden herself into a woman capable of taking on the champion. She had taken on more and more dangerous matches in order to prove she was capable of it, all to show the world that she belonged in the same ring as Rose. Her matches against the likes of Amano Jaku and Skylar Jones had left her with injuries and scars, but she had put herself up to them nonetheless, no matter the danger - just to get a shot at Rose again. And the feelings were mutual. Rose knew full well that Yuki was afraid of her, that she didn’t feel ready, and she was willing to exploit that. That was why, when Yuki entered herself in the Lightweight Classic, Rose had shown up - not even attacking her; all she needed to do was show up - and that alone was enough to frighten Yuki into submission, long enough for her opponent to land the killing blow. But Yuki came away from that realizing that she never wanted to be that weak and that helpless again. No, she wanted to be better than that. She had to keep pushing herself, and to keep improving, just so that she could face Rose Gold again.

And this time, Rose Gold had gone a step further than ever before - just before she was set to face off against Annie Clark at Fight the LAW 3, she suddenly vacated her championship and fled the scene. Many had wondered what her reasons might have been, but Yuki was convinced of it. Rose knew that Yuki would soon be challenging her again. And, knowing that she was faced with opponents who stood a chance of beating her, Rose decided to drop the title and run, rather than admit defeat.

Yuki wouldn’t have that, though. Yuki couldn’t give her that dignity. Not after all she’d done. Not after how far she had come, just to be able to stand on her level. She wouldn’t let Rose get away with something like this. She wouldn’t let all she suffered along the way be for nothing. And that had led her to issue the challenge - one more match, with nothing on the line but their dignities, to settle the feud once and for all. LAW wouldn’t be involved. The title wouldn’t be involved. Yuki had finally realized that at the core of it all, all that stood between herself and Rose Gold was the unfinished business she was out to close the book on. She’d given Rose an offer she knew she couldn’t refuse - a chance to prove that she could still beat Yuki. She knew she would put it all in the public eye, where if Rose refused, everyone would know that she had dodged the fight. She’d baited Rose into the chance to finish it all. And this time…Yuki was the one who was ready.

Now, as she stood backstage in the arena, Yuki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Korakuen Hall. The site where she had faced off against Aoi Fukiwara all that time ago. Tonight, that arena had been booked for an independent joshi event - but with the conclusion to a legendary rivalry in the cards, plenty of promoters had bid on the opportunity to showcase what was sure to be a top-drawing match. The fans had followed - the arena was packed, with everyone eagerly awaiting one last match from the Sinister Siren, and to see Yuki Kazikura at the fullest of her potential. Now that the match was about to begin, everyone was at attention.

But there was no one, perhaps, that this meant more to than Yuki Kazikura herself.

Yuki stood behind the curtain, taking in a deep breath. Her head was bowed low, her eyes shut, her stance almost meditative. In just a few seconds, she would be called to the ring, to what may well have been the most important match of her life. The match that would answer once and for all who would come out on top in the feud between her and Rose; the feud that had consumed her entire life. But to Yuki, failure simply wasn’t an option. She was standing up for herself. But she also knew she needed to win this match, just to prove that Rose’s tricks wouldn’t work any more. Just to prove she couldn’t walk away from it all unscathed. Yuki had prepared for this. She had sought out Aoi Fukiwara and trained under her, even adapting her finishing move into her arsenal, and she had gotten herself an audience with Rose’s own trainer, Mina Takemi, to better understand her enemy. And above all else, Yuki had motivation on her side. At this point, she had no fear - this, she knew, was too important to give herself any chance for failure.

Music

The lights dimmed. Yuki’s entrance music began playing over the speakers - and that was the cue everyone needed to know that the match was about to begin. The arena had already burst into cheers as the curtains parted, and Yuki stepped out. A spotlight followed her every step on her way down to the ring, and she wore a yukata around her shoulders, with a white hachimaki headband tied around her forehead with the characters 必勝 - hissho, “determined to win” - superimposed over the red Rising Sun. Dressed in the traditional attire of the area, Yuki had put forth the image of the peoples’ champion - someone just like anyone in the audience, who was going to fight her hardest to win for their sake. But no matter how many cheers Yuki received on the way down, she never so much as looked in the fans’ direction. Her gaze was focused solely on the ring. This was her fight - and she was prepared to win it.

Spoiler

When she came to the ring, Yuki clung to the ropes, climbing up solemnly onto the apron and slipping into the ring. There she shed the robe and headband to reveal that she was debuting a special new attire for this match. In place of her typical leotard, now Yuki wore a two-piece outfit designed after that worn by Aoi Fukiwara herself, with the former champion’s blue replaced by her signature orange. The message was clear - Yuki had nominated herself as Aoi’s successor, and she was here to settle a score that had been started when Rose first won the title to begin with!

And now, as Yuki made her way to her corner, she took in a deep breath and turned to face the entrance. Now, all that was left was for Rose to arrive. The question was…would she? The blonde had been notably reclusive ever since Fight the LAW. And Yuki was counting on an event of this caliber being enough to draw her attention…

[CaptainL]

And then, it happened.

Just as Yuki had settled in the ring, the lights went dark. A few gasps could be heard in the crowd - was it just a matter of faulty wiring? No - it couldn’t be. It all seemed too coincidental that in a match this big, in a match this important, everything would cut out right as soon as it was time for Rose to make her entrance. The timing was just too perfect. And the fact that Rose hadn’t said a word about any of this prior to this point just made it seem all the more suspicious. Something big had to be happening.

And sure enough, it was.

Music

The moment the music hit, everyone knew what was going on. Everyone could recognize the theme that had become synonymous with LAW’s most infamous of heels. A few cheers, and a few boos, could already be heard in the darkness, even before anyone had shown themselves. But as the music picked up, the lights began to spark up gold with every pump of the bass, just as they had so many times in the LAW arena. And when the beat dropped - just as it had so many times in the LAW arena - the lights all sprung back to life, capturing the glint off a shower of golden confetti that rained down from the ceiling.

And standing right there, in the middle of it all, in her first appearance since her title run, was Rose Gold herself.

Spoiler

She was standing there bathed in the lights, as tall and as confident as ever. The fact that she didn’t have the Lightweight Championship with her barely even seemed to dampen her demeanor at all. The same smug smile was plastered across her face, and it only grew wider at the tips when her gaze settled on Yuki. The sight of Rose alone had sparked an outpouring of cheers, boos, and everything in between from the stands - but in spite of it all, Rose didn’t even show the slightest hint of a reaction. Her attention was focused on one thing and one thing only - Yuki Kazikura. And as she sauntered down the ramp, her long legs cutting through the air with every slow and purposeful footfall, her eyes never left her opponent.

”Ah…Yuki, Yuki, Yuki Kazikura,” she said. ”Would you look at that - you actually showed up. If there’s anything I have to give you credit for, it’s this - you simply don’t know when to quit. You would think that after what you went through the first time we shared this ring, you would have learned your lesson. But you didn’t, did you? In spite of it all, you still saw fit to pursue me. Through one match after another. Even though you knew you weren’t ready. Even though you knew you couldn’t do it.”

“And now…you’ve finally decided you want another go? I’m curious, Yuki…really, I’m curious.” She took a step onto the apron, leaning in against the ropes, where she cast her hungry eyes on the dark-haired girl. ”What tells you this is going to be any different?”

[CaptainL]

The whole time, with every step Rose took, Yuki could feel the tension rising through her body. Her fists balled tighter; her teeth clenched. Her heart was rising in her chest, beating faster and faster. After it all - after all these years, after so many matches; so many attempts to reach toward Rose; so many crushing failures and heartbreaking disappointments when she didn’t measure up - she was actually at the point she had been building toward. It almost didn’t feel real. The fact that she was actually in the same room as Rose now, that she was seeing her in the flesh, after she had spent so long looming over Yuki’s every thought and fear, was almost surreal. But it was at that point that Yuki knew she couldn’t turn back. It was far too late to turn back.

That tension was rising in her body as Rose closed in on the ring, and as she stepped up onto the apron. As she cast her glare in Yuki’s direction, it was almost stifling. Her muscles were rigid. Her chest felt so tight she could hardly breathe. But the whole way through…the cold composure on Yuki’s face never broke. Her face was carved of stone, never flinching and never shifting. She knew what would happen if it wasn’t. She knew she had to be ready. The greatest danger Yuki knew was falling short now, when it mattered to her the most. And that danger never felt greater than it was right now.

It felt like an eternity before it happened. But Yuki took a step closer. Her very presence here - in front of Rose - was an unspoken challenge. She wasn’t running away any more. No, she was coming closer. She was ready.

”Here’s the reason this is going to be different, Rose,” Yuki said, her voice flat, cold, and piercing - there was no hesitation; no unease. ”All those previous times we met? You were in control. You set things up in your favor. You knew I would be afraid - and you wanted to use that against me. All the last times our paths crossed…you had already known, before the bell rang, that you were going to win.”

“But let me ask you, Rose…who’s in control now? You don’t have the same power here. We’re not even in LAW. You’re here because I challenged you. Because you knew you couldn’t turn away from someone doing what everyone else only wished they could, and calling you out face to face. And you responded.”

Another step, and then another. Yuki was growing close enough to look Rose dead in the eye, and then, she pressed her forehead against hers. Even a few months ago, it seemed, Yuki would never have done anything quite like this. The thought of being this close to Rose would have paralyzed her where she stood. But this was different. Something had finally pushed Yuki through any fear and hesitation she might have felt. Now, she was ready.

”You didn’t have to come to this match, Rose. You could have kept running away. Like you always did. Like you did with Annie. But when it was me, you knew that you had too much to lose. You knew that all eyes were on us - and you were too attached to your image to let that go. You knew that everyone would know how much of a coward you’d be if you ducked this challenge. Did you really want to do this? Or were you just that determined to save face, one last time?”

“All this time, I was afraid of you. And now…I think that you were just as afraid of me, this whole time. Because you were terrified by the thought that you might lose, to me. But the thought of fading into obscurity…that scared you even more. And this time…I was able to turn that against you.”

Yuki stepped back, spreading her arms. ”I’ve got my own reservations about going into a match like this. I can’t say I’m not afraid. But I know that I can’t just let this go unanswered, Rose. And I know you feel the same. And it’s for that reason…that I finally feel like you and I stand on even ground, right now!”

[CaptainL]

Rose stood there for a while. She stared at Yuki - rather, she stared through her. A few times, during the dark-haired girl’s speech, her face began to twitch; the hint of a scowl crept into the corner of her lip. The cameras focused in on that - and anyone watching could only watch in stunned silence. Had Yuki actually gotten through to her?

But just a moment later, with a huff, Rose stepped through the ropes. And as she held herself back up straight, she pushed at Yuki’s shoulders, enough to make her stumble back a step. ”I’m impressed,” she said. ”Impressed that after all these long years of running away, and freezing up at the very mention of my name, you actually have it in you - the nerve - to throw out accusations like this. You’re a bold one, Yuki, bolder than I’d ever thought of you. But…it’s still not going to save you.” She shook her head. ”The championship never mattered. You must know that, too, if you’re going to challenge me here, even without it out of the picture. I never needed a title on me to prove what really matters. I’m better than you. Better than anyone. I’m going to prove it, right now.”

When she looked back up at Yuki, a sinister grin split her face. She licked her lips in anticipation, studying Yuki’s face, waiting for the moment the girl’s composure would break when she realized just how much danger she was really in. ”So talk as big as you want. Throw around these boasts all you want! It’s not going to help you when we all know the truth! In fact, I should thank you!” She reached out her hand, placing it against Yuki’s cheek as she leaned in with a devious smirk. ”You’re going to give me the satisfaction of breaking you all over again. It’s not often I get that opportunity. And when you have that much further to fall…that impact is going to sound so much sweeter.”

[CaptainL]

When Yuki felt Rose’s hand caressing her cheek, it did make something tense up inside of her. Her breaths quickened just a little, and her fist balled at her side. But she never took her eyes off Rose all the same. She never let the composure slip. She couldn’t, any more. Everything was resting on this.

”I’ll say this. Whatever happens…neither of us are going to run away, Rose. We all know what this is. It’s a cage match. Neither of us have anywhere to run. But the cage isn’t made of steel. It’s your pride. And mine.”

Rose took a step back from Yuki, chuckling to herself and dusting off her hands. ”If that’s the case…so be it,” she said, beginning to settle into a stance. ”I don’t think I have anything more to say. Well, anything more than this.” A glint flashed across the Sinister Siren’s eyes as she uttered the same taunt she had thrown against Yuki in their first match. ”Ganbare, Yuki.” ”Good luck, Yuki.”

Indeed, Yuki pulled a grimace at the corner of her mouth. But she settled down into a stance of her own, lowering herself at the knees and raising her hands. Whatever happened, she couldn’t let it get to her. ”Yeah. We both know we’ll all need it!”

*DING DING DING*

And with that…the match years in the making would begin!

[CaptainL]

The bell had rang, and the match was on. Both girls leaned in toward one another, their hands joining in a mutual lock. Their fingers intertwined, squeezing at one anothers' hands with enough pressure to make their knuckles go white under the strain. Yuki leaned in, pushing back at Rose with all her might; her teeth were locked in a grimace. But no matter how hard she pushed, Rose met her with equal force, bringing the two of them right back to where she started. Both Rose and Yuki were equally determined to win this - to gain control over their age-old rival. With both of their hearts burning just as brightly, a lockup like this could only turn into a desperate struggle.

But Rose had no intentions of keeping this lockup even for long. Yuki knew that, even before she'd made a single move. Because Yuki knew Rose, and she knew how she thought. She knew that Rose Gold would never stand to be anyone's equal - no, she had to be better, superior, if she had the chance to do so. At any moment, Yuki thought, Rose was going to strike at her - to try and catch her off guard with some underhanded move, and win control of the lockup in the process. So Yuki would be ready for that.

Sure enough, Rose let go with one hand, about to draw her forearm back to deliver a strike. She was firing from point-blank range; it should by all means have been impossible for Yuki to see it coming. But, as if she was moving on instinct, tempered by all the matches she'd been in and the tape she'd watched, Yuki knew to parry just in time! Rose's arm cut through the air - but Yuki managed to swing her own arm up just in time, causing her opponent's blow to land against her guard!

The two lightweights reeled backward, both of them propelled by the momentum of the impact. But they didn't fall - and Yuki wouldn't let herself be intimidated! "Not going to work!!" she barked back, in defiance. Shifting her weight onto her back foot, she braced herself - and then came charging in toward Rose, throwing a forearm of her own! But just as quickly as Yuki had parried her strike, so too did Rose swing back with a chop aimed right at the raven-haired girl's arm, deflecting it to the side!

Yuki reeled back in an arc, practically spinning in place. Rose tailed after her, swinging her elbow at her - only for Yuki to whirl around to meet her, throwing her arm into hers! It was as if they were two duelists in a sword fight, each parrying and riposting off every movement the other made - but the only weapons they needed were their own bodies! And the tensions were rising as high as ever as the two of them locked glares onto one another, arm pressed against arm. Both of them were leaning on each other with as much force as they could muster, but neither wanted to move an inch!

"Such timing...if it was coming from anyone else," Rose mused, "I'd be impressed. But from you? The fact that you've put so much work into settling a feud that should have ended years ago...is just pathetic!"

Yuki hissed under her breath, straining against the weight her opponent put on her; her eye twitched, and her teeth clenched. But she wasn't going to go down now! "I don't care how pathetic it makes me!" she cut back. "You've made me what I am, Rose! All I've done, and all I've been through...it was all so that I could one day stand where I am right now! And right now...I have no regrets!"

"Stubborn as always..." Rose shook her head, even as the two of them shoved and strained against one another. "Then I'll have to make you regret the path you've set for yourself!" Yuki's arm was within reach - and so Rose grabbed for it with her free hand, attempting to twist at the Japanese girl's wrist and elbow with a joint lock! Yuki threw back her head, her face contorted in a wince. She could feel all the strain Rose was putting on her...but she also knew that, as long as Rose was locked onto her, she was within reach. Rose had always been well-known for her counters - but Yuki could play that game, too!

Groaning through her teeth as she mustered the strength she needed to fight back, Yuki jerked her arm as hard as she could toward herself - she even braced herself by grabbing onto her own elbow just to gather more force. At the same time, she swept her foot off the mat to slam it into Rose's thigh with a stomp in order to unseat her balance. If all went well, Yuki would pull Rose toward her, and bring her down as she threw herself to her back!

[CaptainL]

Whipped around by the momentum of Yuki's kick, the two lightweight rivals were swept to the mat, going head over heels. They fell to the mat with a thump, shaking the canvas beneath the force of their landing. But even then, the intensity of their struggle wouldn't be tempered one bit! Yuki was determined to win control of the impromptu lockup they'd found themselves in. But even if she was doing her best to brace herself, Rose still had her arm under control - and she was targeting her wrist, torquing at the joint! Even if Yuki tried to hold on, Rose was still yanking and tearing at the ligaments with every passing moment. And Yuki could feel it burning beneath her fingers!

"N-Nngh..!! Gaah..!!" Yuki's teeth were locked in a grimace as she tried to shake her head, using all her effort to try and focus herself on this moment. She had always had a low tolerance for pain - and when she looked up and saw the devious look in Rose's eyes, the grin that lit up across her face, Yuki was all but convinced that Rose somehow knew that, and wanted to exploit it. But the last thing she wanted to do was to give in. Her whole body felt like it was burning - but if she made even a hint that she was in pain, Rose would see that as a moment of weakness to lord over. And more than anything else, Yuki wanted to deny her that opportunity!

"Hurts, doesn't it, Yuki!?" Rose taunted, punctuating her words with a cackle of sadistic glee. "We know you want to, so just let it out! C'mon! Scream!" And yet, Yuki couldn't. The veins in her forehead and her neck only bulged under the tension rising through her body as every muscle went rigid. She didn't dare scream. No matter how much it hurt. That was what Rose wanted. And Yuki couldn't hand over such a thing.

The dark-haired girl began to kick her legs up, aiming kicks at Rose's sides to try and knock her away. But the Sinister Siren just rolled one way and then the other, trying to manuever with the momentum and dodge her blows. "Fine, fine! Be that way! If you aren't going to scream...I'll make you scream myself!"

Just then, Rose's free hand crossed the distance between their faces - a distance that had grown to little more than a few inches, the two of them close enough to feel the heat radiating off their bodies. Her fingers were curled, and her nails cut a short sweep across Yuki's eyes! She moved so quickly, it was impossible for Yuki to react in time - but in an instant, her vision had gone dark, and her face was burning!

This time, Yuki couldn't hold out any longer. From the pain and the shock, she threw her head back with a wail, letting go of Rose and tumbling aside. Her eyes were watering, too much so for her to see anything through them. Hissing and groaning, she tried to rub at her face to dull the pain. But she was aware, the whole way through, she was prone, blind, and vulnerable in front of Rose Gold. And that was nowhere she wanted to be.

Rose got up to her feet, shaking out her arm where Yuki had grabbed her. But she looked down to see her age-old rival struggling hopelessly at her feet - and, with a smile, she reflected on how such a thing was music to her ears. Yuki had tried to crawl away, trying to get to safety - to at least get some distance from her foe. But she couldn't get far. And Rose was going to take advantage of that, as she stormed closer and brought down a hard stomp against Yuki's ribs that caused her to fall flat, face-first against the canvas!

"No, STAY down! I never told you you could get up, Yuki...and you should know your place!"

[CaptainL]

Yuki's world was burning. From the moment Rose's talons ran across her face, everything felt like it was on fire - the searing pain had taken over her senses, and her vision grew blurry beneath tears. She tried desperately to rub at her face, trying to clear it away. But even doing that made her sick to her stomach. It was too dangerous to slow down, she told herself; she had to keep fighting. She had to keep moving. Yuki knew Rose Gold. She knew what kind of person she was, how she thought, how she fought. And she knew that if she slowed down for a moment, Rose would see her opportunity to strike.

But Yuki couldn't do it. She hurt too badly to find that strength in her, and she had melted against the mat. With everything stinging, she could hardly focus. But what hurt worst of all, worse than any wounds Rose could have inflicted on her, was how she had betrayed the slightest sign of pain. She had gone into this prepared to stand up to Rose - prepared to show her how much stronger she was than anyone thought she could be; how she was ready for this. And yet, here she was, when it was more important than ever that she live up to the promises she'd set for herself - she couldn't find that strength in her. In that moment, she had let everyone down. She'd let herself down. Rose had seen that she had gotten the better of Yuki. And Rose was going to exploit it.

With a resounding thud, the Sinister Siren brought her foot down on Yuki's back in a brutal stomp! Yuki fell face-first against the canvas, causing the ring to rumble beneath her landing. As her face met the mat, Yuki cried out in pain again, and immediately she could feel the bile running down her throat at the thought that she was letting herself succumb - that she was letting herself be so weak. Her teeth clenched, trying to hold back the pain she felt and the urge to so much as groan about it. Rose couldn't know she hurt.

But then, Rose knew better. Rose knew Yuki, too - she'd studied carefully how she thought and how she acted; how she would react to any stimulus. Really, it was almost pathetic how easy it was to mold the dark-haired girl into anything she desired. Even if Yuki had called her out, it would be Rose who would decide how this ended. And she had already decided it was going to end with Yuki crushed beneath her feet; the pedestal beneath her shattered. Yuki was out to show the world she was stronger than her fear...but Rose was going to prove her wrong!

She ground her heel against Yuki's back, causing the joshi wrestler to shudder under the pressure. All the while, though, Rose stood proud, her hands on her hips as she thrust her chest out to pose for all the camera flashes that came her way. Cheers and boos alike greeted her - she couldn't say she cared what they thought, so long as their attention was on her! Yuki wanted this to be her undoing - but Rose would make it her moment of triumph!

Bending down slowly, her back arching with all the grace of a model's, Rose settled her glare on Yuki. Every movement she took seemed to fall with an artist's precision, as though it was effortless for her to not only dominate Yuki, but turn every frame of this match into a tableau of her prowess. "I don't think that was quite loud enough..." she chided. "Let's see if we can make that louder!"

Rose had her foot pinned against Yuki's back, and she knew exactly how she could exploit this! She reached down to snatch up Yuki's wrists - and, pulling back hard on them, she twisted the girl into an arc around the fulcrum that was her foot, contorting her spine in a surfboard hold! Yuki could feel her vertebrae pop and shudder into place, and the muscles in her back stretched and tore against the pressure. She couldn't help it any more - once again, she threw back her head with an even louder scream! And Rose only laughed harder - Yuki was playing right into her hand, showing the world how weak and pitiful she really was!

Yuki's eyes had welled up with tears of pain, and her teeth locked in a grimace. Still, she sucked in a breath. She summoned all the strength she had left in her body - she made a vow; this couldn't stop her! Bracing herself against the pain, Yuki wriggled her hips from side to side, worming her way across the canvas and toward the ropes. As her back stretched a little further, she gasped and coughed as another shock of pain shot through her system. But it couldn't stop her!

[CaptainL]

Every inch Yuki crawled across the canvas, her body burned. Rose's foot was planted solidly against her back, with her heel digging into her spine; she ground it back and forth just to torment the dark-haired girl even more, drawing a wail from her lungs as she threw back her head. With her rival bearing all of her weight against her, Yuki's body was being strained near to its limits, and every time she moved, it brought her spine into an even tighter, more painful position. Tears bubbled up in her eyes, and her face was growing red under the pressure. But...she was moving toward the ropes, little by little. Yuki couldn't give up hope now. If she could make it there, she thought, she could still escape. She could still turn everything around! And more to the point...she couldn't give Rose Gold what she wanted!

That being said, Rose wasn't making it easy for her to hang on. At every moment, she was standing tall and proud above Yuki, yanking back harder at her wrists to stretch her back even further. "Isn't this what you wanted, Yuki?" she taunted, her words dripping with the venom in her voice. "You called me out just to face me! You knew what you were going into! And now, everyone can see where it landed you. Beneath my feet! Just like always! Are you happy yet? Have you made your point yet!?"

As her face contorted in agony, Yuki's head dropped back down against the mat. She could hardly withstand it any longer. Everything hurt, and everything felt stiff. Even when she panted desperately for air, the mere rise and fall of her chest sent a burning sensation through her. But when she looked up...she could see that the ropes were right there; right in front of her. Rose still held her hands. But if Yuki could push herself just barely an inch, she just might make it!

All of her strength had to be put into moving that one inch! Her eyes squeezed shut and her teeth gnashed as she tried to summon everything out of her reserves. The toe of her boot pressed into the canvas, trying to gather as much force behind her as she could. It felt like her spine was about to give way beneath Rose's footing, but she couldn't let that stop her! Her whole body stretched; every muscle pulled tight, and every bone along her spine creaked. Her nerves were pulled taut under the strain. Yuki roared in pain just putting herself through the motion. But...she managed to push herself just a little bit further. And that was enough - her forehead came resting against the ropes!

And...nothing happened.

Yuki expected a referee to start counting. She expected Rose to let go. But...nothing. At first, it confused her. But then, the realizations hit her full in the face - and when they did, the blood in her veins ran cold. Rose spoke up at the same time, realizing the same thing.

"What's that, Yuki? Are you trying to get your way out with a rope break? Did you forget the rules you set? This is an unsanctioned match, remember? There's no referee to save you. No disqualifications to point to! I can do whatever I please! And oh, I shall!"

Something dropped in the pit of Yuki's stomach as everything hit her at once. In the hopes of getting Rose's attention, she had offered to make the match unsanctioned - one that wouldn't be recognized by any company, so that they could leave their allegiances out of it and focus only on settling the feud between them. But in doing so, she had undercut herself. If no one was sanctioning the match, no one could hold them accountable to the rules. She'd opened the door for Rose to use whatever dirty tricks she pleased, and there was nothing she could do about it!

Rose did let go of Yuki's arms - but not because of any rules. It was because she saw an even better opportunity to hurt her! As Yuki fell limp to the mat, the Sinister Siren wrapped Yuki's hair around her fingers, hoisting her to her feet. Her stamina spent, Yuki could only rise limp and weak, hissing from the pain in the back of her scalp. Her limbs dangled beneath her, her muscles too weak to sustain a stance. Now, Rose had the perfect handhold with which to control her - and she would put that into practice, as she shoved Yuki's face into the ropes, rubbing it there!

Yuki let out a scream as the coarse ropes grated against her eyes. They were already stinging from where Rose had clawed her a moment before - and this could only reawaken all the pains she felt! She doubled forward, but that only caused her body to press down even firmer against the ropes, dragging her lower beneath her own weight! And Rose would look to make use of that, too - she pulled up on Yuki's head to move it into position, only to give a sharp shove to the back of her skull that rammed her throat right up against the ropes. The cables stretched, and her windpipe narrowed, causing her to sputter and gasp as the blonde strangled her with the ropes alone!

"You dug your grave, Yuki! Now! Get in it!!"

[CaptainL]

Yuki's blood had run cold. Rose Gold had thrust it right into her face that there was absolutely nothing she could do to save herself, and that, in trying to pick an unsanctioned match, it was her fault they were even in this predicament at all. Worst of all...Yuki knew that Rose was right. She had challenged an opponent she knew was devious, and who had achieved many of her victories through dirty tricks and deceit just as much as she had with her own talent. And, in arranging an unsanctioned match, Yuki had inadvertently given Rose free reign to use those tactics against her as much as she pleased. One of the things that made Rose Gold so deadly was her willingness to rig things in her favor, even against opponents who wouldn't dare to stoop to such lengths. Opponents who believed in fair play and respected the rules of wrestling, wanting their success to come from their own merits. Opponents like Yuki Kazikura.

Now, thanks to that, she had ended up with her throat pressed tightly against the cables - and with Rose shoving up against her from behind, forcing her neck tighter and tighter against the ropes. Yuki's face had grown red, and her brow ran with sweat as all that left her lungs were gasps and groans. Her head was swimming, and her body felt heavy. Her throat burned. She didn't know how much longer she had before she passed out. And if she did, it would all be because of her own doing.

"You're not doing anything about it, Yuki," Rose whispered in her ear - something that only sent another shiver down Yuki's spine, raising the hairs on the back of her neck at the thought. Rose was closer than ever, and that cloying tone in her voice told her how much control she exerted over Yuki in that moment - control that the joshi wrestler could do nothing to break. Rose knew it, too. Seeing Yuki's struggles, and knowing that that fire in her had been snuffed out in one fell swoop, just made her lick her lips. "Or, more accurately...you don't want to, do you? You could just as easily claw my eyes, or kick me in the groin. But you won't. I know you, Yuki. This is all just a power trip for you, isn't it? And you want to prove that you could beat me even without any tricks. It's almost a shame that's all a lie..." Drawing her hand back, Rose delivered a chop across the rope that caused it to vibrate - and it rubbed up even firmer against Yuki's throat, causing her to gag and spasm as her already compressed airway flared up like it was on fire! She wanted to throw back her head, but Rose held her in place. She wanted to scream, but only a wheeze left her throat!

Leaning in even closer, Rose ran the tip of her tongue across Yuki's shoulder and along the slope of her neck, slowly and sensually. Just as much as she needed to to remind Yuki of who was really in charge here, and how unsafe she really was. Yuki could feel her temples throbbing - and as much as it was from the pressure clenching down around her throat, that sensation was coming from the thought of how helpless, how vulnerable, she felt right now, when she needed the most to be strong. Rose had managed to use her own words and actions against her. She'd trapped Yuki in a prison of her own making. And that was enough to shatter any hope Yuki had of fighting back...

Or at least, it did for a few brief moments. Because when Yuki thought of how small and weak and vulnerable she felt right now...it angered her. She had come all this way to settle her feud with Rose. The last thing she could stand for was to let her win now. Not in this match, and not in knowing that she had managed to break the raven-haired girl's composure, which Yuki knew full well Rose would let get to her head. As the anger welled up inside of her, her teeth grit and her muscles tensed. That indignation was giving her strength. And soon, she realized, she wouldn't need to let Rose win - she had the strength she needed to resist!

Just then, with a roar, Yuki managed to bring a foot behind her - and she shoved at Rose, causing the Sinister Siren to go stumbling backward! "What-?" Rose blurted out, her jaw dropping as her eyes went wide - she hadn't even seen such a move coming. She was so caught up in the intoxication that was dominating her rival that she had let her guard down. She wouldn't even consider it possible that Yuki had it in her to resist! But Yuki did - and she was about to shove that in Rose's face!

As the pressure was released, Yuki pushed herself up a little straighter, gasping for breath. She wheezed and coughed - the aches in her throat were still there, and a bright red mark had been left around her neck. But she was free, now. And even if she was sore...she couldn't let it slow her down for a moment when the pressure was on! Her fingers would only coil tighter around the ropes to steady herself in place, and she would use them to fix her in position as she leaned forward and kicked her feet off the ground! Yuki whipped herself around in a circle, her body cutting through the air as she pivoted around her own axis. And when she came back around, both legs kicked outward hard to nail Rose in the side, throwing her to the mat with the brunt of a 619!