The Idol’s Challenge - Amika vs ??

[The_Queen]

Amika was thrown off the cover as Bandita kicked out, rolling onto her side before catching herself with a palm against the canvas. For a split second, disbelief crossed her face. She had been certain the DDT would be enough, especially when Bandita hadn't reacted to either of the first two counts.

Then she saw Bandita's raised arm slowly fall back to the mat.

Amika's expression changed immediately.

Bandita had escaped the pin, but it looked like she spent nearly everything she had just to do it. Amika pushed herself onto one knee, looking from her grounded opponent toward the ropes. The realization brought a grin to her face as an idea clicked into place—one that the fans familiar with her wrestling immediately recognized.

Instead of attempting another pin, Amika reached down and took Bandita by the wrist and shoulder. She pulled the luchadora farther toward the center of the ring, making sure there was plenty of distance between Bandita and any potential rope break. Once satisfied, Amika released her and hurried toward the ropes herself.

The crowd began growing louder.

Amika stepped through the ropes and climbed onto the apron, keeping one hand wrapped around the top cable as she positioned herself. Despite the punishment she'd taken throughout the match, some of her old idol showmanship returned as she glanced toward the audience and raised her free hand high. If she wanted to end her LAW debut, she wanted to do it with something they would remember.And that something was her signature move.

"Hope you’re ready Bandita, because here comes the Soaring Sunshine!"

Amika grabbed the top rope with both hands and crouched, loading her legs beneath herself. Then she sprang upward and backward, releasing the cable as her body rotated into a moonsault over the ropes.

As she completed the rotation, Amika straightened herself above Bandita and extended both legs beneath her, aiming to bring both boots crashing down onto her grounded opponent with the moonsault double-foot stomp.

This was it. Amika wasn't looking for another exchange. She was looking to finally put down the luchadora for good and come out on top in this hard fought match.

[CyanDimitrik]

Amika wasn't exactly wrong. Bandita needed more time to collect herself, to rally. And lacking that, she wasn't able to move much. Everything felt heavy and sluggish. So when Amika took her arm to rather indecorously drag her across the mat, the Latina could offer no resistance. She's limp, and by all visual accounts, completely vulnerable and at her mercy.

Internally, Bandita is counting the seconds. It's keeping her grounded, focused on the moment as best she can, trying to wade through the remaining fog of her mind. The more she can count the numbers with clarity, the more the rest of the world starts to come into focus. She can feel the tremors along the ring as Amika makes her way to the cornerpost. She can't hear her climbing the ropes, however - the audience is too loud. They've hit another crescendo.

As a performer, she knows what that means.

At last, the eyes blink open fully to stare up at the overhead lights. Her right arm twitches as she tries to will herself to move. Her knees shift, heels dragging against the canvas. And all at once, she can feel how vulnerable she is in this position.

Her name. Amika has called her name! Her head turns to look over, noting the idol perched with her back turned to her. "..ah..?"

She watches the girl leap into the air, her slender figure twisting in a graceful backflip. It looks perfect. Exquisite. So very well-practiced. A part of her is tempted to just embrace the compress of Amika's body landing across hers, to let it happen, to let the girl enjoy her desperately-fought victory. She isn't sure she'd be able to kick out of a full moonsault at this point.

But..

..she can't.

She can't let it happen. Not only is that a disservice to Amika, but to herself! And to her family! And the management that put faith in her! And the fans who've been cheering for her, the new ones she's made since coming to Japan!

"Nn'gah!"

Bandita throws herself to the side, rolling towards the turnbuckle sharply. And as she rolls over, she realizes Amika was leading feet-first.

'D-Dios mio, she meant to stomp me...!'

The tumble ends with Bandita lying on her stomach, her hands resting on the mat beneath her chest.

[The_Queen]

Amika had already committed by the time Bandita began to move.

Coming out of the rotation, the former idol's eyes had been fixed on the target beneath her, legs straightening as she prepared to drive both boots down and punctuate her comeback with the Soaring Sunshine. The crowd was roaring, Amika's body was positioned perfectly, and for that brief moment everything seemed to be lining up exactly as she'd practiced it.

Then Bandita rolled.

Amika's teal eyes widened in midair, but there was no stopping herself now. She had already completed the moonsault, and gravity was doing the rest. Instead of Bandita's body waiting beneath her boots, there was suddenly nothing but bare canvas.

"Ah—!"

THUD!

Both of Amika's boots slammed into the mat. The crowd gasping from the missed attack.

The missed stomp sent a violent jolt straight up through her legs. Her knees buckled immediately on impact, and Amika pitched forward, catching herself on both hands before she could crash face-first. Momentum carried her another step into an awkward stumble, forcing her to drop onto one knee while the other foot remained planted in front of her.

"Nngh...!"

Amika stayed there for several seconds, one palm against the canvas as her other hand grabbed at her lower leg. The Soaring Sunshine had been designed around transferring the force of her landing into an opponent; taking all of that impact through her own feet and legs instead left them aching and momentarily unsteady. She tried to stand quickly, knowing immediately how dangerous it was to remain down after missing something that big, but her first attempt only got her halfway upright before her leg wobbled underneath her.

The audience's reaction had shifted just as quickly. The anticipation surrounding Amika's signature had turned into a collective gasp, followed by another rising wave of noise as everyone realized the opening Bandita had created.

Amika heard it too.

Her head snapped around, messy brown-and-pink hair whipping across her face as she searched for Bandita. The luchadora was still nearby, having rolled toward the corner to escape the stomp. Amika immediately planted both hands against her raised knee, attempting to force herself upright while trying to ignore the soreness running through her legs.