Victory Conditions: Pinfall, Submission or Knockout.
Continued from here...
Ever since their little backstage spectacle, Laxia had been counting down the days until she could put that conceited actress in her place. Every visit to the communal locker room made the wait a little less bearable. She would undo a few buttons, only for the door to swing open and send her scrambling to fasten them again. More than once, she had been left stranded halfway through changing, clutching her clothes against herself while the other wrestlers finished their interminable conversations and finally saw fit to leave. Then there was the business of finding space for her belongings on benches cluttered with other people’s things, not to mention the constant coming and going that made even a moment’s peace an unreasonable request. In the end, she simply had to wait for the room to empty before she could change in comfort. A lady of her standing could hardly be expected to undress in front of just anyone!
With every fresh indignity, the same face inevitably came to mind. While Laxia stood there clutching her clothes, that actress would be lounging in the VIP facilities. Enjoying all that space, all that privacy, as though such luxuries were her unquestionable birthright. Probably wearing that insufferable smile, too. The thought alone tightened Laxia’s grip on the fabric. Why should that woman be monopolizing the treatment she herself deserved?
Judith...!!
Their confrontation had attracted attention almost immediately. Hardly surprising, considering how enthusiastically the reporters had latched onto it. It hadn’t taken long to get the match booked, either. The problem was that the date itself had been set considerably farther off than Laxia would have liked. Surely they weren’t making her wait for some terribly important film shoot. Or a red-carpet appearance. Or a magazine cover. If any of those were the reason, she would find it especially difficult to be forgiving. She had no idea what had actually dictated the schedule, but every possibility she entertained added another item to the actress’s growing list of offenses.
Of course, she hadn’t spent the intervening time merely nursing her resentment. Laxia had faced different opponents in a variety of matches, steadily accumulating experience inside the ring. She was beginning to spot movements she once would have missed, and when things went wrong, she found it a little easier to keep her composure and consider her next move. Actual competition had a way of teaching its lessons, whether she appreciated the delivery or not. Remembering those improvements made the wait rather more tolerable. Here she was gaining experience, while that actress had yet to wrestle her very first match. As if she stood much of a chance against me before. The gap must be even wider now... The thought brought a satisfied curl to Laxia’s lips. Not that she intended to show any mercy on that account. Had the match been scheduled a little sooner, it might have served as both women’s debut. Instead, while Judith continued waiting for her in-ring debut, Laxia had received another booking. And then another. Now, which of them had been so fond of talking about marketability and star power? It seems perfectly clear which of us is actually in demand here~~... Viewed in that light, the long wait didn’t seem quite so objectionable. She rather looked forward to finding an opportunity to point that out to Judith in person. Granted, her record still contained more losses than victories. She preferred not to linger over that particular piece of bookkeeping. Instead, she remembered the voices calling her name during her previous matches. More people were recognizing her. More fans were cheering her on. There would be plenty of time to improve her record.
Lindsey Stirling - Shadows
Laxia
It was in this pleasantly charitable mood that Laxia started toward the ramp, her attention drawn to a sign held high by one of the spectators. Someone had drawn her as an anime character. The features were exaggerated, but there was no mistaking the care that had gone into it. She offered its owner a small smile and a delicate wave of her fingers. Japan, of course. Feeling rather indulgent now, she let her gaze wander across the surrounding seats. ...Wait. What was that..? A familiar face stared back at her from a few rows over. A glossy movie poster. A dazzling smile. She certainly didn’t need a second look to identify its owner. Judith. And there she was again, a little to the side. And farther back. Some spectators were holding her movie posters; others had brought photographs. There were even anime-style drawings of Judith, just like the one Laxia had spotted of herself. Having noticed the first, she suddenly found it rather difficult to stop noticing the rest. Her smile stiffened.
She fought back a scowl and looked ahead again, affecting an air of perfect indifference. Laxia dismissed them as movie fans attending their first wrestling show merely for a chance to glimpse that actress. The posters they were holding only made her more certain. There was no reason to let the tastes of a few celebrity sightseers trouble her. Laxia lifted her chin again. Farther back in the stands and up in the upper tiers, more signs bearing red-haired figures bobbed above the crowd. She couldn’t make out the faces or lettering from here, but reassured herself that those, at least, were all for her. With that comfortably settled in her mind, she saw no reason to inspect every last one. Instead, she quickened her pace toward the ring. At the steel steps, Laxia slowed once more. She climbed with light, measured steps and stepped onto the apron before gently easing the ropes apart. Turning sideways, she bent gracefully at the waist and slipped between them. Her movements were unhurried once again, elegant and just a little teasing, giving the audience ample time to appreciate them. She then made her way to the nearest corner and climbed up, steadying herself with the ropes. After letting her gaze sweep leisurely across the stands, she placed one hand over her heart and bowed, acknowledging the crowd with all the practiced poise of a noblewoman receiving her guests.
The cheering swelled again. Laxia straightened with a smile. This time, the expression came rather more easily. Instead of immediately descending, she lingered atop the corner for another moment. Yes. She was the one standing in the ring right now. Only after thoroughly savoring the reception did Laxia step gracefully back down. She rolled her shoulders and flexed her wrists, steadying her breathing as the smile she had offered the audience gradually faded. Her eyes narrowed, fixing on the entrance stage. All that remained was for that ostentatious starlet to make her entrance.