One for the Books: Bengal VS. Nix Severin (D)

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Welcome to LAW, Delalily! Thanks for having this match with me.

Match Type: 1v1, Falls Count Anywhere

Whenever Bengal’s manager informed her that she was booked against a LAW rookie, the Blaze Tiger made a big show of acting excited for “another easy win”, even though her record against said rookies was far from perfect. It was all just a front, and not a very convincing one. Beneath her prideful posturing, the Indian fighter felt deeply disappointed in herself. She had hoped to be challenging for championships at this point in her career, but she simply didn’t have the record to justify a bid like that. With no other outlet, she decided to take out these frustrations on her upcoming opponent.

She hadn’t been able to find much information about Nixanne Severin, besides the young woman’s nickname (“Nix”) and former work experience (librarian). Bengal couldn’t imagine a less likely career transition, although she knew that people came to LAW from all sorts of different backgrounds. Her own path to the league had hardly been a traditional one. At least I never wasted my time sorting books, she thought bitterly to herself. I just hope she doesn’t try to shush me…

The night of the match soon arrived, and Bengal was scheduled to enter first. She emerged from backstage through a cloud of smoke and sparks, swaying her hips to the opening riff of her entrance theme. More pyrotechnics flared around her while she advanced down the entrance ramp, their firelight reflecting off her oiled skin, and casting eerie shadows on the arena walls. As she leaped onto the ring apron, the announcer’s voice boomed through the overhead speakers, cutting over the music and the pop of the fireworks alike: “The following contest is a Falls Count Anywhere match! Introducing first…from Kolkata, India…THE BLAZE TIGER! BENGAL!”

Spoiler

The response from the crowd was decidedly muted, especially for such a veteran competitor. They were probably just worried about what the Tiger would do to this unfortunate rookie - at least, that was what Bengal tried to tell herself. She twisted her face into a forced smile, before ducking under the ropes and into the ring. As she stretched in the corner, she kept her amber eyes fixed on the top of the ramp, waiting for her opponent to arrive.

[Delalily]

Backstage, Nixanne stood just out of sight of the entrance ramp, her fingers nervously drumming against her thigh. Her heart pounded in her chest as the announcer’s voice echoed through the arena, introducing Bengal. This was it—her debut match. The moment she had been waiting for since leaving the quiet, orderly world of the library behind.

Spoiler

Nix adjusted the straps of her golden ring gear, designed to mostly compliment her blonde hair, but yellow was also her favorite color. She adjusted her hair as her fair skin seemed to glow faintly under the harsh backstage lights. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the flurry of emotions swirling inside her. Excitement. Fear. Doubt. But also, determination. She had chosen this path for a reason, and she wasn’t about to let her first match—against a seasoned competitor like Bengal, no less—pass her by without making an impression, especially in a Falls Count Anywhere match.

Her entrance music began to play, "Get Back" by Britney Spears—her favorite song—warning all that she wasn't going to let you invade her space without a fight.

Spoiler

Nix stepped forward, her expression shifting from nervousness to steely focus. The crowd’s reaction was initially hesitant, but a ripple of curiosity spread as they took in the newcomer. She moved down the ramp with deliberate grace, but with a firm conscience.

As she reached the ring, she climbed onto the apron and slipped between the ropes, her eyes locking onto Bengal’s from across the squared circle. There was no trace of fear in her gaze now—only resolve. The announcer’s voice boomed once more: “And her opponent…from San Francisco, California…making her LAW debut…NIX!”

The crowd’s murmurs grew louder, some expressing skepticism, others intrigue. Nix didn’t let it distract her. She straightened her shoulders and gave a subtle nod, as if silently acknowledging the challenge ahead. Bengal smirked in response, but Nix could see the flicker of curiosity in the veteran’s eyes. This wasn’t going to be just another easy win for the Blaze Tiger.

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Nixanne nodded toward Bengal as she entered the ring, but the Blaze Tiger didn’t return the greeting. Her only response was an arrogant smirk - and of course, a bit of trash talk. “Get Back? That’s appropriate,” she sneered, as the rookie’s entrance theme began to fade. “You should get back to San Francisco before you hurt yourself, little bookworm!”

Despite her words, Bengal was actually surprised by her opponent’s choice of music. The pulsing, energetic dance beat didn’t exactly bring to mind the stereotypical, horn-rimmed librarian. Neither did Nix’s impressively muscular physique. The young woman looked as if she spent more time in the weight room than between the stacks. Or maybe she’d just been lifting some extraordinarily heavy books.

The Tiger felt an electric tingle run down her spine. All her instincts were telling her that this was going to be a difficult fight. She couldn't afford to show any mercy - not that she'd been planning to do that, anyway. She tensed her muscles, waiting for the sound of the bell. DING-DING! The instant the first peal struck, Bengal exploded forward like a sprinter off the block, hoping to overwhelm the rookie with her speed. As she closed with her opponent, she leaped into the air, then thrust up her right leg in a blur of black and orange, aiming a jumping knee strike at Nix’s jaw!

Jumping Knee Strike

[Delalily]

Bengal’s knee just missed Nix’s jaw. Her eyes widened with surprise and a sudden rush of adrenaline. It wasn’t just the strike itself that caught her off guard; it was the speed. Bengal moved like a predator, her instincts razor-sharp. Nix hadn’t expected the Tiger to be this aggressive right out of the gate.

She quickly stepped back, putting some distance between herself and her opponent. Her mind raced as she tried to process what had just happened. She’s fast. Faster than I thought. Nix’s analytical nature kicked in. She began to study Bengal’s movements, looking for patterns, weaknesses, anything she could exploit. The Tiger’s confidence was palpable, almost overwhelming, but Nix knew that overconfidence could lead to mistakes, she'd been there before.

As Bengal paced in front of her, flexing her arms and smirking, Nix kept her expression neutral. Her heart still pounded, but she forced herself to breathe steadily. This wasn’t the library anymore. There were no quiet corners or neatly shelved books to retreat to. This was chaos, raw and unfiltered, and she had to adapt—quickly.

Still, a part of her couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement. This was what she had trained for, the completion of her mother's dream. Bengal was a challenge, yes, but challenges were there to be overcome. I’m not going to back down, Nix thought, her resolve hardening. Not now. Not ever.

The crowd’s murmurs seemed to fade into the background as she focused on the task at hand. Bengal was still pacing, her amber eyes glowing with anticipation. Nix readied herself, her muscles coiled like a spring. She didn’t know what the Blaze Tiger would try next, but she was determined to be ready for it. This wasn’t just a match—it was a test. And Nixanne was not about to fail.

Nix’s moment of introspection didn’t last long. As Bengal continued to pace, her smirk growing wider with each step, the rookie decided it was time to take control. She couldn’t just stand there and let the veteran dictate the pace of the match. No, she needed to strike first—and strike hard.

With a quick burst of speed, Nix darted forward, closing the distance between herself and Bengal in an instant. The Blaze Tiger’s eyes widened briefly in surprise, but she recovered quickly, raising her arms to defend herself. Nix wasn’t aiming for a straightforward strike, though. She swerved to Bengal's right, wrapping her arms around Bengal's waist. Her knees cinched tight and her footwork sharpened to a razor’s edge as she lowered her stance, coiling her strength as she perfors a thunderous German Suplex, slamming Bengal into the mat.

Nix's German Suplex

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal’s knee whickered through empty air as her opponent dodged nimbly out of the way, avoiding her attack. The Tiger had been hoping to intimidate Nix with her speed, but now, she was the one struggling to control her own momentum. She landed hard, skidding on her heels as she spun to face the other woman. Again, the rookie seemed to predict her movement, twisting behind the older fighter and cinching her arms around Bengal’s midsection.

Like a car approaching the top of a roller coaster, Bengal felt her stomach lurch as Nix hoisted her into the air. A second later, she slammed down onto her shoulders, flattened by a picture-perfect German Suplex! The crowd roared with approval, impressed by the former librarian’s power - and satisfied to see the Tiger get taken down a peg.

Meanwhile, Bengal somersaulted backward, briefly doing a headstand before collapsing onto her stomach. Groaning with pain, she pushed herself onto her hands and knees, but was too dizzy to stand upright. She clearly needed some time to recover her strength. Unfortunately for her, there were no time-outs in the wrestling ring!

[Delalily]

As Bengal struggled to rise, her vision swimming and her body aching from the impact of the German Suplex, she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. Blinking to clear her blurred sight, she looked up just in time to see Nix scaling the turnbuckle with effortless grace. The rookie’s movements were deliberate as if every step she took was part of a well-rehearsed plan. Bengal’s stomach sank as realization hit—her opponent wasn’t done yet.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Bengal muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with both frustration and a hint of disbelief. She pushed herself to her knees, her arms trembling as she tried to stand, but her legs felt like jelly beneath her. The crowd’s cheers grew louder, their anticipation building as Nix perched herself on the top rope, her silhouette outlined by the arena’s harsh lights. The rookie’s calm, focused demeanor was almost unnerving, a stark contrast to Bengal’s current state of disarray.

Nix paused for a moment, her gaze locked onto Bengal. There was no taunting, no gloating—just a quiet intensity that sent a chill down the Tiger’s spine. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Nix launched herself into the air, her body swinging as she executes a moonsault from the top rope.

Nix's Moonsault

Bengal’s instincts kicked in just in time. Despite the dizziness still clouding her mind, she managed a roll to the side, narrowly avoiding the full impact of Nix’s moonsault. Nix crashed onto the mat with a resounding thud, her landing more awkward than devastating as the crowd gasped.

For her part, Bengal staggered to her feet, her breathing heavy but a triumphant smirk creeping back onto her face. “Nice try, bookworm,” she taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “But you’re going to have to do better than that if you want to take me down!”

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Deep down, Bengal felt a twinge of sympathy for Nix after the rookie’s failed moonsault. As someone who was also prone to taking risks in the ring, the Tiger was no stranger to aerial moves gone awry. But that feeling was just a distraction, she chided herself. There was no room for pity here - not if she wanted to win.

Repeating that thought like a mantra, she took a few careful steps back, then sprinted toward her opponent, pumping her arms furiously. As she drew near the other woman, Bengal pitched her body forward recklessly, targeting the back of Nix’s skull with a Kinshasa! If her running knee strike landed, it could cause some serious damage. On the other hand, if she somehow missed, her uncontrolled momentum might have its own consequences.

Kinshasa (Running Knee Strike)

[Delalily]

For a heartbeat, everything narrowed to a single, violent point of collision. Bengal’s knee cut through the air like a bullet, her entire bodyweight coiling behind it. There was no pulling back, no hesitation — just raw acceleration and bone aimed at bone. The sound came first: a sharp crack buried inside a deeper, meatier thud as her knee drove into the base of Nix’s skull. The force rippled visibly through Nix’s frame — shoulders jerking, fingers spasming, her spine arching involuntarily from the shockwave that seemed to detonate from the point of impact and surge down her body.

Time seemed to stop the instant Bengal’s knee smashed into the back of Nix’s head. The impact rang out, sharp and decisive, and Nix’s body reacted before her mind ever could. Her eyes shot wide — then rolled back until only the whites showed, the light behind them seemingly extinguishing in a blink. Every muscle in her body froze for the briefest second. She felt a rigid, unnatural stillness overtaking her as if all control of her body was lost.

Then everything released.

The tension drained out of her all at once. Her arms slackened at her sides, fingers uncurling uselessly. Her knees buckled without resistance, no instinct left to catch herself. There was a strange, weightless beat where she simply tipped forward — completely limp, completely gone — before gravity claimed her. She fell face-first, her body offering no protection as she slammed into the mat with a heavy thud that seemed to echo even louder than the strike itself.

Nix After The Kinshansa

Bengal stood over her fallen opponent, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. She glanced down at Nix, a flicker of pride sparking in her amber eyes.

To Bengal's shock however, Nix groaned, her fingers weakly twitching. Her head pulsed with every movement, a blistering pain spreading through her skull. She could taste blood in her mouth and her ears rang faintly, drowning out the crowd. Despite the pain, despite the fog clouding her thoughts, one thing was clear: she couldn’t stay down. Not here. Not now

[BengalTheBlazeTiger]

Bengal was undeniably surprised when she noticed Nix begin to stir. She’d been so sure that her Kinshasa had knocked the rookie unconscious. Her mouth gaped wide, and it took her a few seconds to find her voice again. “Time to close the book on you, librarian!” she crowed, shoving the toe of her striped boot beneath the other woman’s ribs, trying to flip her onto her back. Even as she did so, she cringed internally at her own corny pun. Perhaps a joke about Nix looking “checked out” would have played better. But hindsight was 20/20, and besides, she had more important things to worry about right now. This was a wrestling arena, not a comedy club.

After turning her opponent over, Bengal would stomp the blonde’s chest repeatedly to knock the wind out of her, leaving her breathless and dazed. Then she’d leap high into the air, casting a long shadow across Nix’s golden bikini top, as she kicked her legs out in opposite directions. She seemed to hang suspended in midair for a long moment, before plummeting down into a Split-Leg Drop!

It was a risky gambit, especially so early in the match. If the Blaze Tiger hit her mark, she’d fold her opponent’s body at a right angle, flattening Nix’s torso against the canvas while hooking her arm around the rookie’s legs. This would put her in the perfect position for a pin attempt. However, if her target moved out of the impact zone, she’d have nothing to cushion her fall…

Split-Leg Drop

[Delalily]

As Bengal split her legs, Nix’s vision blurred, her mind screaming at her to move, to roll out of the way, but her body refused to obey. Her limbs felt like lead, her chest burning with every shallow breath she took. The girl could only watch helplessly as Bengal’s shadow loomed larger and larger above her, the split-leg drop descending like a guillotine, decapitating the last vestiges of her spirit.

The impact was brutal. Bengal’s legs slammed down onto Nix’s torso, her full weight driving the air out of the rookie’s lungs in a pained gasp. Nix’s body folded at the waist, her chest flattened against the mat as Bengal’s arm grabbed her outstretched leg, trapping her in a precarious position. Bengal threw her other arm wide, basking in the crowd’s reaction, her smirk triumphant as she waited for the inevitable pin.

The referee slapped the mat once.

“One!”

Nix’s head swam, her vision darkening at the edges. Her chest felt like it had been crushed under a boulder, her ribs aching with every shallow breath.

“Two!”

Bengal’s smirk widened, her victory seemingly assured. But as the referee’s hand rose for the third count, something inside Nix sparked. A flicker of defiance, a refusal to let her debut end like this.

With a guttural cry, Nix twisted her body, her shoulders lifting off the mat just enough to jerk her arm free. “Two and a half!” The referee’s hand froze mid-air as Nix’s foot pounded against the mat, kicking out with everything she had left. Bengal’s smirk vanished, replaced by a look of pure disbelief as she scrambled to her feet, staring down at her opponent. The crowd erupted, their cheers deafening, as Nix lay gasping, her body trembling but her spirit unbroken.

Bengal’s smirk vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of pure disbelief. She scrambled to her feet, her amber eyes wide as she stared down at her opponent.

Nix lay sprawled on the mat, her chest rising and falling. Her body trembled, slick with sweat and streaked with the evidence of her struggle, but her eyes, those piercing, determined eyes, remained locked on Bengal. There was no surrender there, only a fire that refused to be extinguished as she slowly rose back to up to her feet.