The Lynx and the Duchess - Alena Stepanova vs. Keiko Yamamura

[CaptainL]

Alena might have been knocked into a daze by Keiko's poisonrana, but even that wasn't enough to take her down for long - certainly not when she was so eager to have shared the ring with such a worthy opponent! Knowing that Keiko had fought just as hard as she had, and both of them had pushed each other to the limits of their potential, encouraging each other to plumb new depths and reach to higher heights, could only leave Alena with the tingly sensation of a job well done. She always wanted to give her all in her matches, and here she had succeeded with flying colors. And what was even better was knowing that this wouldn't be the end. Alena knew that a match of this caliber couldn't possibly just be a one-off. If anything, their next match could only be even better! As long as she and Keiko were rivals, and as long as they were so dedicated and so evenly matched, they could keep encouraging one another to push their boundaries and perfect their craft through each others' example. When Alena was as dedicated as she was to achieving success, that seemed like just the thing she needed in her life!

She gripped Keiko's hand tighter, giving it a shake that was perhaps more vigorous than the Japanese girl was prepared for. "Da, you're right!" she said. "Admittedly, I didn't see that last move of yours coming..." She winced a little, stopping to rub at her head. But then, she stood up straighter and flashed a grin. "But that won't matter! I'll just train hard for that rematch, so I'm ready for it. And I should hope I can count on you to do the same, if what I've seen is any indication!"

As the two of them broke away, Alena didn't hesitate to return Keiko's gesture, bowing to her as well. It was the least she could do for the woman who had proven herself to be as worthy an opponent as she could ask for. Even when Keiko turned to head for the back, though, Alena stood and watched after her with a grin on her face. This was only the beginning - and she couldn't wait for what the future had in store.

Winner by Pinfall: Keiko Yamamura