Match Type: Standard Match Rules: Victory by pinfall, submission, or knockout
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At last, the time had come. After plenty of drills and sparring in the Young Lioness Program, it was finally time for Shizuka Matou to take her first step into a LAW ring, on the night of a big show. It wasn't her first time wrestling - she had, after all, partaken in apartment bouts before coming to the League - but this would definitely be a step up. Here, she'd be in a higher-production affair, under bright lights, in an arena surrounded by more cheering fans than she could ever have anticipated.
It was an intimidating thought, for someone who had never wrestled in front of much of a crowd before. But what was even more intimidating was that Shizuka would now be going up against fully trained, skilled professional wrestlers. She knew her opponent was a member of the main roster - and she knew full well that she was not expected to win this match. Her opponent would have leagues more experience, and know moves that Shizuka wouldn't even be able to fathom. Victory wasn't really why she was here - she was here to get experience working in front of a crowd, knowing her way around the ring, and performing under pressure.
But even then, Shizuka was going to give it her best shot. That was what she vowed to herself as she sucked in a deep breath. With her mother Yuna being a big name in LAW, she was under a lot of pressure to live up to her example. But, as she pushed her glasses up her nose, she reminded herself that she wouldn't get anywhere by holding back. If the people wanted to see what the next generation of the Matou family could bring, Shizuka would make sure this outing was worth their time.
"Coming first to the ring, from Tokyo, Japan! Standing at 5'3, weighing 123 pounds, and making her debut in LAW tonight! SHIZUKAAAAA MATOU!!" Spoiler
At the sound of her name being called, Shizuka stepped out onto the entrance ramp. She put her boldest face forward, holding a fist up in the air. A few of the fans, recognizing her last name, cheered - though others snickered at the sight that she hardly possessed her mother's figure. Still, she grit her teeth, keeping her focus trained on the ring as she marched toward it and slipped in under the ropes. As she straightened herself to her feet, she stopped and cracked her knuckles - she just needed to do her best.
The lights dim down, casting the stadium in darkness speckled with camera flash. Heavy guitar strums begin to pour from the arena PA, with vivid green and purple lasers dancing along the stage and ramp's edge. The titantron comes alive with Katsumi's logo, a pair of green felid eyes and her name in gnarly, stylized purple, fades in against an ominous moonlit sky. Katsumi's Intro Video
When the music's preamble hits its pumping crescendo, Shizuka's rival for the evening steps out into view. Her athletically slender body is generously exposed in no small thanks to the wrestling gear she wears; a pair of hip-hugging black trunks circled with a gold-studded belt, a similarly gold-studded bralet, strappy, punky boots with gold accents, and a pair of black knee and elbowpads, with black gloves. A color scheme is obviously at play here. However, her upper-body is wrapped in a leather jacket, and a pair of sunglasses rests perched upon her button nose. The Entrance Attire
She props one fist against her hip and thrusts the other into the air, resulting in a burst of brilliant amethyst cold sparks showering around her. The audience drowns her in a mixture of praise and scorn, split heavily between two distinct camps in the crowd. Despite the overwhelming response, the commentators are quick to point something out: she does not look happy.
Katsumi had been working hard to establish herself since her makeover. It wasn't simply cosmetic, though those who knew the spritely punkette before may be hard-pressed to even recognize her anymore. Hair grown out in luxurious, silky tresses, a new superstar-quality set of gear, the works. Everything worked to cut the gemstone of her looks out of the rough rock bed that originally signed up with LAW, and she was abundantly aware of it. Though she may not overtly acknowledge it, she loves that she's getting more lingering looks, even swoons. Tough exterior aside, it's the prettiest Katsumi's ever felt her entire life.
The irritation, however, comes from the other side of her personal renovation. Because that other side was a noticeable uptick in training. Though she'll never truly get away from her brutish, rough nature, she's no longer merely a barbarian. She's a technician. Slick, savvy, and vicious. And she's been working twice as hard to push for the top, to finally lay her hands on gold and justify... everything.
But here she is. Staring down what she believes to be a newbie in the ring. Yet again being used as the rookie welcoming committee. This match is expected to go a certain predictable, if unsurprising way. No one expects it to move the needle. She hates that. So with a slam of her right fist into her left palm, she decides she's going to make this match memorable. She's going to make sure it's one people will talk about.
"And her opponent!," begins the announcer. "Standing at a height of five feet, seven inches, and weighing in at one hundred and twenty-four pounds! From Osaka, Japan! The Punk Princess! KATSUMIIIIII! OOOOSHIIROOOO~!"
Katsumi struts down the ramp with hips asway, confident, aloof, and focused on the girl in the ring. Both hands are raised with palms held out to either side somehow acknowledging and dismissing both haters and fans simultaneously. Upon reaching the ring, she grabs the middle rope to swing herself up smoothly on the apron. Then, gripping the top rope, she vaults neatly overtop to land on the mat with a soft bounce, light on her feet.
Though her eyes are hidden behind those shades, the turn of her head is locked onto Shizuka as she passes by on her way to the far turnbuckle. It's a quick, annoyed staredown. And then up the turnbuckle she rushes, perching with boots poised upon the middle ropes, arms spread wide to either side presenting herself to the raucous crowd.
Finally, she hops down from the corner post and makes her way to her corner. The shades are plucked from her face at their corner, and with a quick flick of the wrist, are folded up and tucked away into an inner pocket of the jacket. Then the jacket is shed, shedding the extra layer in preparation for the match. After depositing the jacket out to the ring apron, she turns to plant her back against the pads and hang her arms over the top ropes at either side, striking emerald eyes affixed to the smaller girl across the ring from her. Katsumi Oshiro, minus the smile!
The referee, blissfully unaware of any brewing animosity, just gives her the typical pat-down!
Last edited by CyanDimitrik on Sun Feb 02, 2025 6:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
As her opponent took her place in the ring, Shizuka drew in a deep breath. She rolled her shoulders a few times to get herself limbered up before placing her hands on her hips, then rolled her neck back and forth. Even so, when she looked up at Katsumi, she still had the slightest tinge of anxiety in her gut. Even before a single blow had been thrown, it was plain for everyone to see that this was far from an even match. Shizuka was a Young Lioness and she looked like a Young Lioness. No big entrance, no fancy gear. It was her first match, so no one would have known what she could do or get hyped up for her unless they had an interest in apartment wrestling, which was far more niche of a subject. She did get some cheers, yes, but mostly that was because her mother was already a famous wrestler here, and Shizuka had name recognition on her side.
Katsumi, on the other hand? Maybe she wasn't especially active, compared to some of the big names in LAW, but she had been around a while, and garnered a fanbase. She had come out to bright lights, with a slick jacket that gave her a cool, calculated look, and her black and gold attire tailored perfectly to her body only accentuated the look of an established name. And it also wasn't lost on Shizuka that she was gorgeous - even with the frown on her face, she could catch the glint in her eye, and she saw the way the fans lingered on her through every step of her way down to the ring. Her breaths quickened a little, and she balled a fist. Even if Shizuka had cut her teeth in raunchier things, that was mostly due to her family name. She didn't exactly have a body that made anyone look twice. Even if she was around as long, with as much experience, she doubted she would've gotten as much attention as Katsumi did. Was this just going to be like high school again? Her always having to compare herself to the popular girls, and coming up short? She bit at her lip, hoping such feelings wouldn't hold her back.
Shizuka had to remind herself what she'd reminded herself in her first apartment match - whatever happened now, the only thing that mattered was that she did her best. Maybe Katsumi was far more skilled than she was, but this was her chance to put forth her best effort in front of a crowd. Maybe, at least, she could show them she had potential. Maybe she could give them a reason to give her another look.
Taking in a deep breath, she took a step closer to Katsumi. "I'm ready," she said. It wasn't entirely true, but she supposed it was as ready as she'd ever be.
It doesn't help that Shizuka is noticeably shorter than Katsumi. As she stepped forward, Katsumi's head tilts downwards a little to glower down at her; gaze hooded, lips pressing into a thin line. She marches closer to her, disregarding the referee-girl trying to establish command of the ring.
"That so?," asks Katsumi.
Internally, the punkette has already zeroed in on the fact that the girl is wearing glasses. In the ring. To face her. Is she not taking her seriously? How new is this chick!? Doesn't she know who she is!?
"I want a good, clean match!," insists the referee as she inserts herself into the staredown, albeit off to the side. She doesn't want to get in the way of the picture-esque moment, after all! "And I'm calling the shots! Everyone understand?" The mousy girl looks to Shizuka, then Katsumi. Katsumi hasn't stopped staring at her opponent.
"Okay! Matou-san, ready!? Oshiro-"
Suddenly, Katsumi has closed the final few feet of distance between her and the other girl. Her right arm extended, she torques to launch her arm in a stiff swing, attempting to collide her bicep against the other girl's throat in an opening, brutal lariat.
"AH! Ring it! Ring it!," flails the referee to the timekeeper.
