Petal to the Metal: Kyoko Matsumoto vs Katarzyna Zawiślak

[Misfit_Alien]

Kyoko was worried...while her move had its lasting effects on Kate, the hulking woman barely seemed affected in the long run. She literally appeared to shake off any lingering consequences of the rookie's submission maneuver, leaving the floral-themed fighter very dissuaded as she stared back at what felt like an approaching tiger hungry for its next meal. She and Kate were on a level of 'understanding' that saw the two recognize how awful something like this was but Kyoko didn't want her to take it easy on her just because...she wasn't to be pitied, she was to be treated like any other wrestler. She KNEW she could do this. She just knew it! However, when Kate slipped in so suddenly, it woke Kyoko back up from her temporary lapse back into an ocean of self-doubt, leaving herself open for long enough to allow Kate to easily SLAM her fist into the young woman's head, battering her with a nice hook. The force of the impact felt explosive. To someone who never faced a person as dangerously powerful as Kate before, every blow felt bone-breaking...Kyoko was worried about the state of her jaw as she writhed on the ground, trying to nurse the seemingly neverending bout of pain.

[ThatPolishDude]

It didn't feel good to be just mercilessly beating someone up. Kate loved to fight and she was certain that with more training and some prep, Kyoko had the makings to give her one hell of a fight but as things were now, it didn't feel fair to either of them. Still, what would be even worse would be to go easy, to pity her opponent and look down on her as someone in need of mercy. The girl already proved she could be dangerous and Kate owed it to her as a fellow fighter to not pull her punches!

Seeing Kyoko fall dawn, she would follow her to the ground, wrapping her arms around her head, one going under the armpit with her won head pushing at the limb to force it snug against the smaller woman's throat as she squeezed and moved sideways to tighten the choke, this time however there was nothing delicate or merciful about it, Kate was going at it as if Kyoko's escape could mean her losing the match though a part of her wanted the girl to break free and fight on!

[Misfit_Alien]

Kyoko was immediately grounded by the punch, left reeling in shock after getting blindsided by such a power blow. To make matters worse, Kate was immediately upon her with a tight chokehold...this time, one without any restraint as Kate was respecting Kyoko's wishes not to be taken so lightly. She was a wrestler, the same as her, even if they weren't in the same league in terms of skill and willpower. Still, Kyoko didn't want to go out looking like a total pushover. She wanted to strive to be her absolute best even when faced up against a challenging foe like Kate. However, as the purple-haired woman slowly locked the hold in further, Kyoko could feel the life draining from her body as her eyes began to glaze over. Her sluggish body felt number and number as the weight of Kate's muscular figure weighed down on her further, keeping her trapped from doing anything or moving an inch. She gasped for air, trying to kick her legs about as some means of resistance but it wouldn't be too long until those futile movements ceased completely, the referee moving in to hold Kyoko's arm up once...then twice...and then for the final time until-


A spark of life erupted from the young woman as Kyoko managed to keep her arm raised up in the air for a second!!! With one last push, Kyoko grits her teeth, trying to find the willpower to break out somehow as she squirmed with all her might, shuffling around and fighting against Kate's hold with every last fiber of her being...until, in spite of everything, the last embers of her fire slowly petered out as she began to fade for the last time, the referee calling for the bell after testing her once more, confirming she had slipped into unconsciousness, signaling Kate as the victor of this match.

[ThatPolishDude]

Kate held the choke as tight as she could, shifting with every move Kyoko made to adjust and maintain pressure. She put as much effort into the hold as she would if forced to fight a champion and the fact that despite that, her opponent continued to struggle solidified in her mind that the girl deserved as much respect as any actual champion. If nothing else, her sheer grit and willpower would rival any of them, something made abundantly clear by how she refused to pass out for so long, even going as far as interrupting the referee's check.

Her struggle would however cease and another check made it clear the girl was out. Kate would let go as soon as the referee gave the signal, making sure she was alright. Then she sat by the girl's side until she'd wake up, it should only be a few seconds, the announcer wouldn't even be done proclaiming the result. She wanted to honour her opponent in whatever small way she could, it was the least the girl deserved after being put in a match as unfair as this.

[Misfit_Alien]

Minutes later, thanks to the use of some smelling salts, Kyoko would awake with a startled reaction. The Japanese rookie shook about for a moment, coughing and wheezing before turning over on her side, groaning as all the pain came flooding back to her, making her feel slightly sick to her stomach after enduring so much punishment...and all of it for nothing. It didn't take her long to realize that she had lost. It wasn't a surprise to her. She didn't bother trying to reason with anything or delude herself into thinking she just passed out from exhaustion after somehow managing to defeat someone of Kate's caliber. No, what surprised her the most was the fact that Kate was still here, sitting by her side until she had woken up. That felt like the most surreal thing ever because never before had Kyoko had an opponent shown her this much courtesy...was she here to beat her up after the match? No, it didn't seem like it...so that begged the question-

"W-why are you still here?"

[ThatPolishDude]

It took a bit for Kyoko to wake up, which was not surprising given the match but Kate was right there when the woman did wake, though she did not expect the greeting she would get. She was taken aback for a moment but it was a fair question, she just now realised that it might have seemed a bit intimidating even if she did not intend it. Then again, she did not even think through what she wanted to say, she knew what she wanted to express, sure but the question of how to do it did not get a timely answer and now she had to improvise. She chuckled nervously ”I-ummmm. I just wanted to say that you did a good job out there and… ummmmm… If you ever need help with training or anything, i’d be happy to do so. And, ah, how do I say it?” Kate stuttered through her words, not sure exactly how to put everything together and feeling like she did not come across the way she intended and at the very end not realizing she said the quiet part out loud.

[Misfit_Alien]

Kyoko looked at Kate and simply nodded in response before looking off to the side wistfully, finding some semblance of comfort in the fact that her opponent was so understanding and kind. It was fortunate, too...had this been anyone else, it likely would not have ended well for the rookie. She could take solace in the woman's friendly gesture and warm attitude, however nervous she may be about it. It was earnest, genuine...heartfelt. Kate could've moved on and mocked her, treating Kyoko like the rubbish most might've seen her as, yet she didn't...she wouldn't. And it was in that fact that Kyoko could relax, taking Kate's hand as the two left the ring together, paraded by a sea of applause for such camaraderie and sportsmanship.


Winner: Katarzyna Zawiślak