Tigers in the Moonlight: Bengal VS. Eleanor Moonlight (D)

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

The referee responded to Eleanor's summons, quickly sliding out of the mat and kneeling on the floor next to the lifeless Tiger. She began to count: "One!" The hand drumming down next to Bengal's ear seemed to rouse her somewhat. Her head rocked from side to side, though her eyes remained closed. The official's palm came down again: "Two!" The fans were on their feet, practically dancing in the aisles of the stands as they anticipated a shock win for the young debutant!

Unfortunately, their celebration was premature. The Tiger hadn't been quite conscious of the first count, so suddenly hearing the second sent her into a panic. It felt like the bottom had suddenly dropped out of her stomach. Was she really about to let herself lose to a nameless newbie? "NO!" Bengal screamed, accidentally answering her own question as she rolled her shoulder up from the mat, breaking the pin at the last instant. Her arm thrust out blindly; by sheer luck, her clenched fist drove into Eleanor's shoulder, right where the rookie had dislocated the joint previously! Would the blow aggravate Eleanor's earlier injury? Or was the British brawler too pumped up to even care?

[TrixVii011]

The referee ran towards the fighters in for what seemed to be an eternity to Eleanor, when she heard the first clap hit the ground felt her heart racing with the expectation of scoring her first victory not only against an experienced veteran but in a debut that had become personal.

-Don't get up, don't get up- she thought as grimaced nervously, hoping for a favorable outcome.

-TWO!

Every fighter who appreciates themselves no matter what position they are at knows that this number is cursed, receiving it is an alarm signal and giving it is a misleading result. Suddenly Bengal made a movement with her arm, breaking the count, Eleanor felt that sting of numbing pain so she knew it had hit against her shoulder, whether or not it was intentional no longer mattered to her. She stood up.

-One and one, we're even Tiger!- she shouted towards her opponent.

Eleanor would go for an all or nothing, slightly crouched down waiting for Bengal to get up and try to connect another of her signature moves THE TWIN ROCKETS (a running double knee facebreaker) ending this fight once and for all. The question was, would she will make it?

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal staggered to her feet, her nerves still rattled from the near fall. "Even?" she spat at Eleanor, trying her best to keep her voice steady as she spoke. "You'll never be 'even' with me, you worthless runt, you-" Before she could finish her insult, the other woman rushed her, grabbing Bengal's head and folding her body into a double knee facebreaker!

Eleanor's signature TWIN ROCKETS connected, smashing Bengal across her sweat-slick forehead - but in the instant before the young fighter's knees made contact, the Tiger made her move. As the rookie wrapped her arms around Bengal's neck, she jabbed Eleanor between the legs with a low blow! The Englishwoman's snow-white slit skirt flew upward from the force of the punch. The crowd booed noisily, yelling for Bengal to be disqualified. Unfortunately, the referee hadn't noticed the illegal move.

The facebreaker hit its mark regardless, and Bengal collapsed back to the floor, open for another pin attempt. But would Eleanor be able to recover in time to make one, after suffering such a devious attack?

[TrixVii011]

When her two feet left the ground Eleanor knew that her signature move would connect no matter what, her grip was firm and she wasn't going to let go of Bengal for any reason so even if she wanted to counter Eleanor would take her to the ground.

-EHH!- she thought as she felt a blow to her lower area.

As promised her move had not failed but instead of standing up she found herself with the face pressed against the floor and clutching the area affected by the low blow, Eleanor knew perfectly well that feeling because of her great friend Violet who loved to use it especially on her, despite of that it didn't stop hurting like the first time.

-Hmmph- mumbled in pain as she crawled with great difficulty towards Bengal's lying body, when she was close she impulsed herself slightly, letting her weight fall on top of Bengal and searching for the second pin.

Raising her head slightly she saw the referee totally distracted, if she wanted to get his attention she needed to yell.

-Reff...ref..erre...co...oount- she tried to say letting out just smalls sighs.

-AHHHH FUCK-she thought.

The situation was complicated, even if the referee realized what was happening too much time had passed, to get to two would be a miracle let alone three. Eleanor knew that the next move was important for either of them...whoever recovered first would retake the fight in her favor.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

After an immense effort, Eleanor finally made it to Bengal, crawling across the hard floor in spite of the injuries to her groin and shoulder. She threw her sculpted arm across the Tiger for the pin, demonstrating her impressive endurance. But the referee was preoccupied with some rowdy crowd members, and hadn't noticed. Luckily, the rookie was able to get some attention, using the last of the air in her lungs to call out plaintively.

The count begun, although it was noticeably late. "One! Two!" To the dismay of the audience, the combination of the low blow and the official's distraction had given Bengal enough time to regain her strength, and she thrust up her shoulder the instant before three. The fans were howling with outrage, hurling abuse at the Tiger and the referee alike. If the odds hadn't been so stacked against her, the rookie fighter would almost certainly have won the match right then.

But this was L.A.W., and "would haves" didn't count for anything. Bengal pushed her opponent off her, and the two rose together, straining their trembling limbs. After everything Eleanor had done to her, the Tiger knew better than to waste time with more trash talk. In fact, she didn't speak at all. She simply let out an animal growl and lunged at the younger woman, throwing a murderous backhand chop at her pale chest!

[TrixVii011]

The referee shouted two when the count was interrupted by Bengal's reaction, the audience reproached the lost time and gave a moral victory to Eleanor while, even though she had failed in her mission to finish the match, smiled as realizing that was having the audience on her side, Eleanor just learned Bengal's limits and it was just a matter of making the right decisions the only thing separating her from a win.

Both stood up, Eleanor expected some comment from her opponent but after sharing looks she realized that there would be no such. With a quick movement Bengal had hit her with a powerful chop to her chest, Eleanor felt it deep inside, never had she felt someone give one so hard.

-That's how a professional does it?- said to herself while holding back the pain, convinced that she had been acting tough as before, obviating the notorious grimace she was showing.

-Come on, ANOTHER!!!- shouted as she called the audience to get on her side.

Showing her chest inviting, or one might say CHALLENGING Bengal, she put up no obstacle to a chop. Involuntarily Eleanor closed her eyes. Did she know she was giving herself away and risking all by attacking Bengal's pride? She could saw it as brave or laughable. It was undeniable that Eleanor had shown how strong she could be but her extreme fear and nervousness is just the way she is, she could not hide her personality. Nothing could change that what was to come will hurt...a LOT.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

The crowd loved the way that Eleanor egged her opponent on. The boos echoing from the stands shifted to cheers for the young woman's bravery. Bengal, however, did not share these positive feelings - quite the opposite, in fact. Her orange eyes narrowed to angry slits as she glared at the defiant rookie. She wanted another hit? Fine, then. That's exactly what she would get. Blinded by rage, Bengal didn't even consider the possibility that the invitation might be a trick, or a way for Eleanor to set up a counter. The only thing she was considering at the moment was how much she could make the Englishwoman hurt.

"Be careful..." she started in a low rumble, drawing her arm back like a coiled snake. "...WHAT YOU WISH FOR!" Bengal's voice rose to a roar as she swiped her hand through the air again, even faster and harder than her previous strike. She was even aiming for the same spot - but instead of the back of her hand, she was using her keenly sharpened nails! Her white-painted "claws" gleamed in the overhead lights as they flickered forward like a hail of daggers. Eleanor was well-trained in traditional strikes, but how would she fare with the Tiger's wild slash?

[TrixVii011]

Feeling the blow coming Eleanor braced herself to withstand the pain that would come with it.

-Agggh!- exclaimed as she recoiled almost losing her balance.

That had not been a chop, it didn't feel like one. An intense stinging began to emerge in her chest as she looked down to confirm that was not imagining what had just happened, she was just beginning to process what she saw when blood began to flow from the wounds. Four thin and long crimson marks were beginning to be noticeable, the cut was not deep but it had been lethal enough to draw a considerable amount of blood, the cut was not clean either so the marks were very irregular and they hurt considerably.

-You pretend to be better but you always end up cheating-Eleanor began to reproach Bengal as she slowly approached.

Trying to concentrate a considerable amount of blood on her fingertips Eleanor sought to distract Bengal, being very close she would raise her arm in an attempt to create confussion,when she was in front of her face Eleanor would throw the accumulated blood into her eyes, a couple of small drops would be enough to leave her momentarily blinded. If succeeded she would use her elbows to, with several blows, place her against the ringside barricade.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal's nails dug in deep, scoring four jagged marks across Eleanor's front, right between the straps of the rookie's black-and-red top. The Englishwoman stumbled back, clutching her chest, which the Tiger took to be a sign that she was getting overwhelmed. Crimson blood was already starting to trickle from the wound, beading on Eleanor's skin and mixing with her exhausted sweat. The Tiger pursued her opponent, eager for a follow-up.

As she stalked forward, she heard Eleanor whine something about her "cheating". The Tiger bristled, clenching her blood-stained hand. What right did this young cub have to judge her? She hadn't been through what Bengal had, hadn't been pushed to the edge like she had. "I fight to win," the Tiger fired back, nostrils flared. "When you've been doing this as long as I have, you'll understand." She cocked her arm once more. "But you won't get the chance-"

Before Bengal could unleash another slash, however, Eleanor whipped her arm forward, throwing a shower of her own blood into the Tiger's eyes! The scarlet droplets stung and burned, sending the Indian fighter reeling back. While Bengal enjoyed seeing her prey bleed, she wasn't accustomed to a close-up experience like this. "Bloody...bitch!" she swore, squeezing her eyelids shut instinctively. She reached up an arm to wipe her face, leaving her midsection unguarded. Eleanor seized the opportunity, pumping repeated elbow strikes into the larger woman's gut, driving her into the ringside barricade.

Bengal braced herself against the metal railing, gasping for air. She lashed out with a snap kick, hoping to drive her opponent back and gain some distance. But the blood in her eyes was still blinding her, making it impossible to aim her attack precisely. Would the Tiger score a lucky blow, or miss and leave herself wide open?

[TrixVii011]

That little card under her sleeve had been effective, Eleanor watched with satisfaction as Bengal tried desperately to get her off.

-How about before barking...- She was just starting to speak when a kick passed just a few centimeters from her flank.

Eleanor hadn't paid much attention to it.

-...you taste your own medicine- finished as she leapt over the barricade.

The crowd went crazy as Eleanor entered their zone, she wasted no time in pulling Bengal trying to get her chest ready for a healthy round of chops.