Standard Match: Winner to be determined by Pinfall, Submission, or Knockout
Minami rolled her neck softly in preparation for the match ahead. It was the first since her crushing defeat against Freia Kagami but strangely it wasn't affecting her much. Mostly because of how their... relationship had developed since. But that was neither here nor there, what mattered more was not allowing the same to happen here. After all not only was it her big come back match, and her first representing Freia's faction the Fallen Angels who Minami had joined as part of the condition for losing to the woman, but to top it all off, her opponent tonight was a fellow former Wrestle Angel.
Blade Uehara. One of the more rough and tumble girls that Minami remembered, a bit of an up and comer at that point but one of the most gifted at Aerial maneuvers that Minami had seen in the promotion at the time. So to say that she was in for a challenge would be an understatement. But it was a challenge that Minami felt she was up for as got up and approached the entrance curtain as her music began to play. Spoiler
Coming out and standing atop the entrance ramp Minami would be treated to a chorus of boos, many fans having turned on her for her arrogant and cold attitude towards newcomers, even before Freia but since aligning with her it definitely didn't help her relationship with the fans at all. It didn't bother Minami whatsoever though as she began making her way down the ramp. Cheers or boos, loved or hated it never bothered her, she was who she was and that's that, even now as she wore her classic attire it was evident that while she may officially be a heel and working with someone many wouldn't expect her too, she was still the Venus of Submissions. Spoiler
Reaching the ring apron and climbing up the steps Minami would look out at the crowd and let out a soft "Tch." As if in disgust before lifting her leg up and over the ropes and stepping through, making her way towards the ring corner. Turning and leaning against it Minami would turn her attention to the ramp, waiting for her opponent to come down, focused and ready for the right ahead.
Stretching out her back within the confines of her private dressing room, it dawned on Blade that she never much cared for those high school reunions of hers. A sentiment she bets that plenty of others share thanks to the reluctance of being reminded of teenage awkwardness, and the potential for contentious encounters with old bullies. Unfortunately, this was one reunion whose invitation Blade couldn't crumple into a ball and huck into a trash bin. Not without being in breach of her LAW contract, anyway. Blade couldn't exactly blame the executives for arranging this match considering Wrestle Angel reunions always did big business wherever she roamed. But fuck her if they didn't toss her into the lion's den right outta the bat since Toshimi Minami wasn't exactly renown for her hospitality and cordial sociability. A demeanor Blade doubted had gotten any friendlier ever since she's been "taken in" by Freia Kagami's crew of misfit minions. A small bit of Blade actually was rooting for her throughout all of that unpleasantness, but it was also a little satisfying seeing Toshimi get served a piece of humble pie. Blade smacking her cheeks to hype herself up after being in contemplation long enough for what was awaiting her as she made way down the hallway towards the gorilla position. Theme Music
Making her entrance to a substantially louder bit of cheering fanfare than the prickly submissionist received, Blade came sauntering out from behind the curtain to her rocking theme music and an appreciative pop from the masses around the arena. The Aerial Artist offering a diamond symbol with her hands before beginning to jaunt down the ramp, showcasing her nimble fluidity and rambunctious energy as she came towards ringside with smacked high-fives for several extending their hands outward. Afterward scampering up the steel steps before climbing the turnbuckle from behind, one foot placed on the top turnbuckle as she seemingly scanned around the arena with a hand above her eyes as if she were a pirate searching treasure island, smirking from the fan adulation before vaulting into the ring with a nimble hop. Blade approaching the middle of the ring once signaled to by the referee and seemingly offering Toshimi a handshake...but retracting it with a waved index finger before Toshimi could reciprocate. "Nyu-uh-uh...I know firsthand what you can do with someone's arm, Toshimi. Gonna have to work harder for it, m'afraid. I'd ask what you've been up to, but I guess anyone with access to the Rated-R segments of this show would know already, huh?" Blade Uehara
Minami barely paid attention as the music of her opponent started up or to the near deafening amount of cheers that were doled out for her opponent compared to herself. No instead Minami's sole focused attention was on the woman coming down the ramp. Seeing the way she posed and postured on her way down was a stark reminder that in many ways Blade was her opposite. One of them stuck to the ground utilizing submissions and holds while the other took flight like a mock bird of sorts, one was cold and serious, the other more bright and receptive to the fans, and, even prior to her joining Freia, Minami much more aligned with heels then faces unlike Blade, barring a few exceptions.
So needless to say despite their shared origin there was no love lost between the two as her opponent entered the ring and approached, seemingly with a hand out only to pull it away to mock Minami who just raised an eyebrow as if saying 'really?' before sighing. "One way or another... that arm will be mine. Regardless of what you do to protect it." Minami said as if stating a certainty rather than an opinion before turning to walk back to her corner only to stop and look over her shoulder at Blade. "I'd ask what you were doing... Except I know it wouldn't matter since it was nothing of importance." Minami said coldly before making her way fully to her corner and turning to lean against it, looking out at Blade with a ice cold gaze, waiting or the bell to ring and once it did she'd step forward and look to lock up with Blade right away!
"WELL...Alright than. Good talk..." Blade sarcastically quipped once given Toshimi's trademark frigid shoulder as the polarizing Ice Queen left the middle of the ring with subarctic temperatures in her wake. One could surmise this cantankerous reaction was all because she was withholding lingering bitter resentment over being subjugated into one of Freia's obedient trysts after an especially demoralizing defeat...but no. This was just how Toshimi was on a regular day. Blade could truthfully attest to that after several years of having shared locker rooms with the taciturn submissionist. And here Blade wondered if her former co-worker had unpuckered that backside of hers one iota during their time apart. Once confirming that was most certainly not the case, Blade sauntered back towards her own corner as well while scratching the back of her scruffy-haired head.
Blade returning Toshimi's glacial glare with a wink and cocksure smirk as she slumped lackadaisically against the turnbuckles with legs crossed, earnestly wondering if bringing up one of the more embarrassing losses of Toshi's career wasn't exactly an appropriate conversation starter...until the ringing of the bell signified that they were officially off to the races. Blade springing out of the corner with a spirited spring in her step, approaching the Venus with arms offered outward in the lock up she reciprocated. One hand secured behind Toshi's neck with Blade's toned legs extended behind her and seeing eye to eye with Toshi for the first time in their careers, Blade reckoned. Shortlived though as Blade abandoned the hold for an attempted arm-wringer against Toshi with stiffened rigidity. "Aww, come on. I know you missed me, everyone does. I'm just so damn lovable, ya know?"
Needless to say Minami was not being particularly receptive to Blade despite the years apart between them. Walking silently back to her corner, ignoring Blade's parting words as Minami then turned to lean back against it, waiting calmly for the match to start. Once the bell did ring to officially begin the match Minami would step forward silently, eyes locked not on Blade's own but the woman's body, watching each and every movement she made as the two closed the distance and locked up, hands going to each other's necks and forearms as they pushed against one another!
However it wouldn't last for long before Blade broke the deadlock and twisted Minami's wrist for an arm wringer! "Tch... I could have gone another few years without hearing that voice of yours." Minami hissed out in annoyance with a scrunched up face. But Minami wasn't about to let her compatriot one up her out the gate. Ducking down and twisting to the side Minami would undo the grip on her arm before shooting past Blade, looking to get her arms around the woman's waist from behind in a waist lock before lifting her up and down, trying to reverse things with a waist lock take down with Minami, if successful, trying to force Blade onto her stomach so she could take the advantage from above!
Lackadaisical and carefree though Blade could appear, the Aerial Artist was nevertheless enough of a journeywoman professional to know when to put her wrestling game face on and shelve some of the playful buffonery. They didn't call Toshimi the Venus Of Submissions just as a clever marketing ploy. Well, it wasn't the only reason. She's bear witness to her adversary contorting the joints of women practically twice her size, and Blade surmised that Toshimi's scandalous squash at the hands of Freia had the Venus locked into headhunter mode. Eager to rebound and retain the shattered remnants of her old school aura. Shame that Blade wasn't about to provide Toshimi with anything else besides some aerial athleticism and another humbling loss added to her tally that she can cry home to Mommy about. The Okinawan willing accepting the lock-up but wasn't stupid enough to engage in hand-to-hand grappling with Toshimi for long.
Blade cinching in the arm wringer and hyper-extending the limb as best she could with some chattering banter as well, but it was an advantage woefully short-lived as the Venus pivoted ahead and reversed the tension on her arm. Blade scoffing in agitation from losing control of the match alongside Toshimi's arm as her adversary sidestepped around her with blistering swiftness, accompanied by the terrifying feeling of constricting arms around her waistline. An expletive barked out from Toshimi seamlessly hefting Blade up face first into the canvas, but the scrambling aerialist glared behind her and wasted little time in swiveling her torso enough to crank on a grounded side-headlock meant to undo the waistlock as well. "Tch, well now you're starting to hurt my feelings. Ever think there's a reason why the only friends you have now are ones who just wanna crack a whip on your ass?" Blade immaturely questioned with Toshi snuggled against her sideboob.
Minami and Blade were off to the races and with Minami taking the lead after her opponents attempt at an arm wringer, attempting to take the two down to the mat. Minami's intention was to still be kneeling and in control of her opponent and use this position to transition into an even stronger submission later on.
Unfortunately however Minami was bucked off by Blade suddenly twisting her hips, the aerial artist turning and proceeding to catch Minami in a side headlock hold! "Ngh!" Minami grunted out as she was squeezed! Ignoring the mocking words of her opponent Minami would push herself up before rolling the two over to one side, twisting as she did so to get her head free of Blade's arm in the process.
Not one to let an opportunity slip past Minami would hold onto the arm that was previously holding her down, and with Blade now on her back then Minami would lift her legs up on either side of the arm, falling back and wrenching on Blade's arm to lock in a arm bar on the woman!
Succeeding in this match still might not be as arduous a task as getting Toshimi to lighten up one of these days. Blade assuming the Venus Of Submissions could read an entire joke book from cover to cover and never once crack a smile. Not that Toshimi had much to smile about now given she was currently in a grounded side-headlock, a predicament she wouldn't be languishing in much longer once she swiveled them both over and squirmed her cranium out of the headlock in the process. "Dammit..." Blade uttered in the milliseconds she had to react to Toshimi's freedom before noticing her arm being stretched outward. Alarm bells ringing immediately once she felt the precursor of pain in her snatched limb, springing to action via tucking and rolling in her adversary's direction. Tucking Toshimi into a trussed-up ball with Blade's arm still caught, but the Venus' shoulders now leveraged against the canvas in an impromptu pin attempt. A competitive glare locked onto Toshimi's own eyes all throughout...
Battling Blade in a surprisingly heated technical battle from the start of this match Minami was quite ready to show the woman just why she was known as the Venus of Submissions and that's exactly what she did. Managing to pull Blade's arm into a tight arm bar to start wearing the woman's limb down for later.
However Blade was quick to push up, folding Minami's body up in the process for a pin fall of sorts! 'Shit!' Minami thought to herself knowing right away that this was bad. Gritting her teeth tightly Minami would twist her hips to one side while bucking up in order to break her opponent's balance and cause her to fall chest first on the mat.
If this worked then Minami would try to maintain her grip on the arm in order to drop down into a seated position on the woman's shoulder and back before lifting up on the arm between her legs, transitioning the previously standard arm bar into a seated variant!
Scrambling from one precarious situation was most definitely not Blade's preferred method of starting out this match. Especially against one of the most seasoned and gifted mat technicians there may have ever been, whom apparently, she'd righteously pissed off to the nth degree. Blade's own veteran instincts and honed wrestling skills being the only reason she's been capable of staying in lockstep and countering Toshimi up until this point. Audience members enticed by the mat-based grappling as befitting Wrestle Angel Veterans with Blade's latest ploy having trussed up Toshimi into an unorthodox pin attempt that she thought would make her adversary either relinquish her arm or forfeit the match altogether. Guess this was why they called her The Venus though, because in one deft swivel a befuddled Blade gasped when pivoted onto her front side. "HAGHFUCK..." Blade barked out once the torturous armbar was tautly applied, the tactician’s curvaceous backside situated right on her foe's shoulder as Blade's free hand clawed into her hair. No answer was given this time as Toshimi finally secured a submission on the aerialist with no counter in sight...
