Tomás Ferreira vs. Asp -First Time For Everything

[GoingBananas]

It was only from the first moments in this bout that Tomás could learn from. The tricky movements, the footwork, the serpentine nature of how fast she could fire a strike. At first, he was panicking and the added pressure of the stipulation didn’t do much to steady his mind. But there were no surprises now, and the only thing that Tomás had to think about was fighting. And only fighting.

One too many times, going with the feint had conditioned Tomás to expect it this time. A successful block, though it didn’t stop Asp’s leg from nearly pushing his forearm to his head. Snappy and quick as those attacks are, a dancer’s legs are still strong. He learned that much from Eliza.

And Tomás would be rewarded with a clean strike that sent Asp rebounding from the ropes. There were many options he could take coming off the teep. The follow-up depended on the distance one ends up in. Asp made up for lost ground. All the while, Tomás would greet the redhead again with his strike.

Raising his knee, it seemed as if the Portuguese would follow up with another kick. Perhaps a knee? It would be a good option, though Asp might be prepared for another body blow. Instead, as soon as Asp was in the optimal distance, Tomás would lower his leg to step in, swiftly spinning around before an arm swung round. Seeking to catch the snake with a spinning back fist on the side of the head. If Asp was into the tricky attacks, so could Tomás.

[BlackAkuma]

Sophia had warned Asp about this sort of thing during their training, cautioning her about using deception as a tool. Asp excelled at mind games, reading her opponents and using their expectations against them, but all things came with diminishing returns. A more skilled fighter would only fall for such tactics so long before they cottoned on, adapted, and made her pay for using them.

A skilled opponent like Tomas.

She pondered that wisdom as she was sent staggering back, hit the ropes, and came stumbling forward with an awkward gait, an easy target for whatever her opponent had in mind next. Her gaze went low as he moved in, expecting another kick aimed at her midsection, the ideal target, but no - his ambitions were higher.

Asp never saw the backfist coming, but she certainly felt it, as the blow struck her brow like lightning, compounding with her own momentum for devastating effect. Her body spun about, a full rotation, hair flying about, before she flopped to the floor in a lifeless heap, coming down hard on her side.

It looked like she might be out for a moment, and the referee moved towards her with that thought in mind, but Asp began to stir before anything could be done. She rolled over to her back, took a moment to check her teeth with her tongue, then began the arduous process of sitting up, with the faint hope that she might be allowed to stand on her own power.

[GoingBananas]

In the opening salvo of this match, it took a few hits and a poisonrana for Tomás to be in trouble. Weirdly, it was the polar opposite, taking a few hits from the Portuguese Nak Muay to drop Asp to the ground.

He did like going for that set-up after the teep. Back when he was training, the ashen-haired man caught many aggressive opponents with that, being all gung ho in getting back into the thick of it rather than reset. While Asp was more or less stumbling his way back to him, Tomás treated her all the same. No doubt Asp would baulk at the idea that he was holding back for her sake.

The spinning backfist landed and he saw the redhead spin like a top before landing on the floor. The man stopped after completing his spin, slightly dropping his guard as soon as he saw Asp lying there. Sure, a spinning backfist is enough to get a lucky, quick KO here and there, though with the night just starting, Tomás had hoped there would be much more.

Of course, Asp would not disappoint as she would stir before the referee would come to a decision. As she checked her teeth with her tongue, Tomás felt relief that he hadn’t knocked them out of her mouth. Sure, things happen in the ring, but he would have felt a lot of guilt. That’s just the kind of guy he is.

Tomás would come towards the Water Snake, seeing her moving to sit up. While many had assumed that he’d attack the redhead while she was down, Tomás opted for something else. An extended, outstretched hand. Offered to help the redhead up to her feet. An odd choice. However, the reason was twofold: 1) He did not have many options to do anything while she was on the ground and 2), he was swayed to grant her the favor. With how much she was gracious to him, the least he could do was to pay it forward.

“Está bem, menina?” Tomás would ask, a slight smile crept upon his lips. “Good to see your teeth are still intact.”

[BlackAkuma]

Everything was still where it was supposed to be good.

As much as she’d trained, as hard as she had worked, there were some things that Asp could only learn about fighting through experience, and being able to take a punch was certainly at the top of that list. Up until LAW, she had gone her entire life without ever being struck in such a way. The closest she’d ever come was a schoolyard scrap with some mouthy child whose name she didn’t care to remember, and since then, she’d stayed mostly out of trouble and never built up a good tolerance for pain. At least, not that sort of pain.

A blow like that was a painful reminder of what she was up against, and she was proud of herself for taking it. However, she had the wherewithal to realize that she was wide open down here, and that it would only be a matter of time before Tomas followed this up with an elbow drop, or mounted her, or…

…offered her a hand up. Unexpected, this.

The crowd was displeased by the offer of mercy, wanting this match to shift towards uninterrupted violence, but Asp merely regarded the hand with a curious eye, unsure of what to do with it at first. After a moment, she gingerly took it and allowed him to help her up. While she wasn’t sure what he said, she could make an educated guess based on the inflection. ”I’m well, thank you.” She wagged a finger his way as she stepped back. ”But this match is going to go for a long while if you check on me every time I fall down. Please - don’t hold back. I want you at your best.”

She gave him a slight nod, then moved once more into her fighting stance, poised to strike. She moved in slower this time and tried to prod at his defense with swift strikes, sending light jabs towards his face to test his reaction, trying to stay loose enough to move away in an instant if need be.

[GoingBananas]

Everything is still where it was supposed to be. That's a relief.

It was odd, and even Tomás could feel the crowd's displeasure with this choice. But it was his choice. The Portuguese felt led to give this bit of reprieve, if only because Asp had been gracious to him thus far. He knew there was a chance that the Water Snake could just as well throw it in his face and, in some ways, Asp would be well within her rights to do so. Protect yourself at all times, and all that has been drilled into the Nak Muay, and it would be unwise to drop your guard when handling a snake.

The good thing is that Asp accepted the offer to get to her feet, though not without chiding him a bit as she returned to her stance. Tomás wasn’t sure just how much experience Asp had when it came to combat, but she held the belief of a warrior. Not wanting him to hold back or go soft on her. It’s the kind of respect that all fighters should receive. He can respect that.

“Don’t be mistaken, víbora.” Tomás tilted his neck to get some kinks out. “That’s the only one you’ll get. Não há segundas chances.”

With that out of the way, the fight resumed, Tomás lightly bouncing on his feet while Asp was the one being cautious of sorts. Prodding at his defences, light jabs towards him, which would have the Nak Muay slightly leaning back, making sure that those jabs were just out of reach. Eventually, Tomás would give his reaction. His back hip came forward as if looking like he was about to throw a big kick with his rear leg.

What ended up following was Tomás took a step in from the outside, his fist shooting out with a hook towards the redhead’s side, a few inches under those ribs. Should that work as intended, the ashen-haired man sought to bring his rear leg up for real, seeking to drill his knee into the woman’s abdomen.

[BlackAkuma]

Asp didn’t want to be too hard on Tomas - after all, she knew he meant well, that offending her was the last thing on his mind. Even though they had only just met, he struck her as a true gentleman, the sort that would respect her despite her demeanor and appearance. She knew the image that she was casting out in the world and was well aware that there were those who would underestimate her simply because she didn’t come from the same fighting background as they did.

Even so, the last thing she wanted was pity. If she was to be successful in LAW, as she planned to be, then it would only be right that she learn to handle even the toughest wrestlers. A sink or swim sort of situation. No handholding, no mercy. ”I’m glad we understand each other.” She nodded her appreciation his way with a knowing smile, just to ensure he knew there were no hard feelings. ”Let us continue.”

And continue they did. Asp was more cautious this time, prodding at him, looking for weaknesses but finding precious few. Tomas had the sort of instinct that couldn't be taught, that only came from countless matches and hard-earned experience, and it left her with precious little to bite on. She waited, waited, knowing the hammer would fall.

All at once, it did. Tomas came in fast and threw a punch, a clean hit that struck Asp in her toned stomach. She winced, but there was some luck, here - her midsection was one of her sturdier areas, better built than most thanks to her dancing career. While the blow was no picnic, she could tough it out well enough to see what was coming next, a swift kick coming straight for her abdomen.

She couldn't hope to block such a move and she was too close to dodge, which left her with one option: ducking. She threw herself down into a quick swat, avoiding the kick with inches to spare, so close that she could feel it through her braid as it passed overhead. A close call, but one that worked in her favor, as she deftly maneuvered behind him, spinning as she slipped away.

Asp kept that momentum going, twirling around as she shifted out of his view. She knew he would correct and turn to face her in an instant, but when he did, she planned to have something ready for him. She twisted about and used all that momentum to launch a tornado kick, a powerful roundhouse coming straight for his face.

[GoingBananas]

There were no hard feelings there. Tomás knew how Asp felt there and that was the only time he would grant such a mercy. He knew there was a good chance that could come back to bite him in the ass. He knew that could be what decided the match in the end. Regardless of what the future would bring, he felt led to do such an act. It wouldn’t sit well with himself if he didn’t do that.

Regardless, Tomás and Asp would resume where they left off, and the Portuguese Nak Muay didn’t let things simmer for too long, getting into the thick of it. Getting very close within range, the ashen-haired man struck at the redhead’s side. It was only a brief moment from when his bare fist collided with her stomach, but he felt there wasn’t too much give, aside from what was natural. Though this didn’t surprise Tomás, having previously engaged in a duel with another dancer and being aware of the strength of their core. The kind that would handle most of what a Nak Muay could throw at. Considering the many hours of training required to withstand hits over there, Tomás knew from experience.

However, that was the first of many, if Tomás had any say about it. His hips twisted, ready to launch a hard strike with his back leg. Trained motions, the kind that was taught through countless sessions. Muscles flexing, leading towards a more debilitating blow to the abdomen.

That was until the redhead ducked underneath his leg. Tomás was left carrying on with the momentum, showing just how much he committed to the strike itself. They say a kick could be like a baseball bat, so blocking wouldn’t have been a great idea for the Water Snake. Tomás clicked his tongue, already spinning around to meet Asp face-to-face.

Instead, Asp would greet him with a foot to the face. One that had his head snap in the opposite direction from which he spun. The Nak Muay stumbled a few steps, blinking hard as he shook his head. Knowing from before how this could snowball if he doesn’t end it, Tomás settled himself before stepping back in. His right fist tightened, telegraphing something obvious as the Portuguese man loaded a hard, straight punch, twisting his hips in the same direction. Once he got close enough, Tomás hopped forward, firing a Superman punch with his other fist, looking to nail Asp in the same target.

[BlackAkuma]

Asp had to be careful here, exceptionally so. She was highly cognizant of the damage this man could do to her if given half a chance, the power a body like that was capable of. As lover of both the male and female forms, she could recognize the power that a physique such as his could generate and knew well what it would do to her body if he landed even a single flush strike.

There was little room for error here, but so far, things were going decently well. Not only did her kick land, but it connected clean, slapping him right across the cheek. She could feel the impact through her bare feet and knew it had to have delivered serious damage. Had she suffered a move like that, she would have been out on her feet.

When she turned back to him, she expected to see him. Instead, he was on the attack and advancing. Rapidly. Disturbingly.

Asp’s light feet served her well here, allowing her to dart back with ease as he advanced, keeping a healthy gap between them. Her focus went to his fist - loaded up, potent, deadly. It demanded her attention, perhaps too much, and she found out why in the next moment as the real threat came at her from the other side. A leaping punch from an unorthodox position, coming straight towards her face.

Retreat was no long an option, the ropes were too close for her to move out of the way. With few options, she went for a more daring path: As he came in, she reached up, grabbed the incoming wrist, twisted about, and tried to pull him over her shoulder, using a move that Scar had used on her numerous times but she had never executed herself. A shoulder throw, a move that would put him on his back.

If that succeeded, she wouldn’t be letting that arm go, either. She planned to keep hold of it and plant her foot on his face, keeping the wild man under control.

[GoingBananas]

Keep moving forward. Tomás kept repeating that in his mind with each step he took. Things were getting intense, with each side exchanging blows, and despite not being trained like the Portuguese, Asp’s movements, timing, and cunning enabled her to stay in the fight. The crowd responded, almost forgiving the fact that Tomás paused the match just to give Asp mercy. They watched intently, knowing that one second might be all it takes to decide the outcome of the match.

Tomás can hit hard, and he knew that it takes a few defining blows to turn the tides for him. Her abs may take damage, but the other parts of her body wouldn’t be as tough, he believed. One solidly placed strike from the Portuguese would be enough. And yet, the hardest part was hitting her. Her nickname is apt, Asp seemingly knowing exactly where to dodge to, escaping that last kick by near inches.

Now, many fans have the same thoughts in their minds. The ashen-haired fighter came in, fist tightened to gather strength, only to suddenly perform a bait & switch and fire the other fist. Considering she was very much near the ropes and the lunging nature of the punch, there wasn’t any chance to escape.

At least, in his mind, there wasn’t. Fighting outside of Muay Thai rules can bring many surprises.

Tomás was already flying towards her and that same momentum would unfortunately work in the redhead’s favor. Asp leaned in and took Tomás by the arm. And suddenly, the forward momentum became curved downwards, tipping the balance point over so that it was impossible for him to stop himself. Asp leaned in and took Tomás by the arm, causing the forward momentum to curve downwards and tipping the balance point over. Tomás sailed over Asp’s back and, as soon as his fist released, the Nak Muay slammed to the mat with a thud that resembled the impact of a meteor. The crowd could only gasp at such a seemingly impossible reversal. Tomás would have done the same if it wasn’t for the fact he’s knocked breathless.

Reeling from the brunt of the impact, Tomás barely processed what was happening as a sole foot pressed on his face, pinning his head down to the mat. The several seconds where he couldn’t breathe in or out, combined with the immediate sharp and crushing pain in the chest & stomach area, left the ashen-haired man paralyzed. Save for some suspicious twitching underneath his silk Thai shorts.

[BlackAkuma]

Asp was, needless to say, surprised that her little maneuver worked. Pleasantly surprised, but surprised all the same. She was still in so many ways a neophyte to fighting in general, so being able to pull something off like that on the fly, a maneuver that wouldn’t have come natural to actual practitioners of the art, was a feather in her cap. She wasn’t the type to think highly of herself, but she couldn't resist a tinge of pride at the result.

Now, the only challenge was that she had to make something of it. She was keenly aware of the bullet she had dodged, and while the audience was giving her flowers over the performance, she recognized that there might not be another chance like this. She needed to do something substantial, something that might tip the scales in her favor, but her options were limited. She was tempted to put him into a submission move, but most of the ones she knew targeted arms, and his legs were the real threat.

Moreover, she didn’t fail to notice the rising bulge in his pants, either, no doubt still carrying some heat from their earlier intercourse. While an orgasm woudn’t net her a victory at this point, there was nothing stopping her from still appealing to sensuality, was there? It was still one of her greatest tools, and if she could use it while also doing real damage…

She had it.

Asp promptly stepped over Tomas’ body and took a seat on his lap, pressing against him and settling on his hardness. Her legs intertwined with his own, slithering around them, wrapping them up and spreading them out, while she pinned his trapped hand about his head and loomed over him like a lover. She split her legs, stretching him further and further, using her flexibility to push him beyond the breaking point.

A grapevine. Simple and seductive, effective and efficient.