A Matter of Pride: Katsumi Oshiro vs. Raquel Masters

[CyanDimitrik]

(Takes place shortly after this...)

Katsumi does not feel good about this. She didn't want to push Raquel. She didn't mean to push Raquel. But she did. Raquel wanted a fight just after she'd already won her last one. And that last one was rough, it looked like. Katsumi, on the other hand, is fresh as a daisy. And though she wanted to tell her no, doing so would've made her look weak. And she couldn't even afford to say to wait for another show to wrestle. Her next match against Sienna may be her last. It's now, or potentially never.

God, she hated this. She was trying to pay Raquel a compliment. How'd it wind up this backwards?

Katsumi is standing behind the curtain, already lacking her typical outer-wear of pink t-shirt and decked out in her normal wrestling attire; a black sportsbra-style top clings to the modest curves of her bust, her trim and sleek midsection left bare, a pair of black short-shorts hugging her hips, circled with a cat-themed belt, thighs and legs for the most part left open, with a pair of black shin-high wrestling boots. Aside from a black choker centered with a golden coin, the only other thing Katsumi wears is pink lip gloss.

Katsumi

And she looks miserable. The usual pep and eagerness to throw down is absent from her. Her expression is drawn, her brow knit, and she only bobs a little on her boots in an effort to raise her energy level. She has to fight. She has to win. She can't eat nothing but losses before her career ends. She can't go out like that. She has to make a statement on Raquel. And she's gonna hate herself a little for it.

Her music kicks on in the arena. A flourish of vivid green and deep purple laserlights swirl and pulse in rhythm with the synth-techno.

The Tune...

Katsumi presses her palms into her face, trying to focus out the frustration and guilt. She's never wrestled someone feeling guilty before. Raquel's not even done anything to make her mad. She already tried coming up with a reason to hate her! She wound up with nothing! This sucks so bad.

"Our next match! Scheduled for one fall!," begins the announcer. "Making her way to the ring! From Osaka, Japan! The Punk Princess herself! KATSUMI! OOOSHIROOOO!"

The young woman steps out into the spotlights. She's wearing a smile, but it looks somehow beaten. Battered. Weak. Her left hand raises to the audience, receiving their mixture of cheers and boos. Lately, she's been getting cheers. It's bizarre. But here, tonight, in this situation? She's not the hero. She's the villain. Somehow, that makes her heart hurt. It's not like she isn't used to this.

She's the first to the ring this time, so she doesn't have an opponent to toy with for her entrance. So she just makes her way down the ramp, palms outturned in a mixture of acknowledgment and rebuffing the audience at either side of the aisle. Upon reaching the ring, she climbs up onto the apron and swings to profile.

Her eyes set on the titantron, showcasing her intro reel. Her highlights since joining the federation. The weak smile fades away. Katsumi ducks to slip between the ropes, and she simply makes her way to the corner of the ring. By now, even the commentators have picked up that something's troubling her. But all she can do is lean back into her corner and await Raquel.

[Highfly]

Raquel showed that she could win, and hell if she could ground Katsumi tonight they may call her the iron woman! She was still sore, aching from her last match. However right now Raquel was trying to run on adrenaline, the thought of walking away with two victories fueling her. Sure even fresh she was a fairly big underdog against Katsumi but right now she didn't care about any of that. Still clad in her ring attire, still a light layer of sweat casting her glistening body she was ready. At least as ready as she could be.

Her music played once more and she appeared, the crowd surprised and cheering her more loudly than usual. Was she picking up a few fans? Were people starting to see something in her? That thought alone brought a giant smile to Raquels face as she pumped her fist, hopping with spring in her step down the ramp. She usually jumped up onto the apron in one leap then over the ropes but this time she settled for a running slide into the ring. She paraded around her area of the ring, pumping her fist again a few times to keep the crowd riled up. To show that there was no apprehension on her part she settled in the center of the ring looking over at Katsumi.

"I am ready whenever you are. This time I am walking out with my hand held high." She said confidently as she stared down Katsumi.

[CyanDimitrik]

And there it is, Raquel's music. And there she is, Raquel.

Katsumi didn't know what to expect from her opponent. But she seems to be either riding the high of her last victory, or feigning confidence for the sake of the audience. Or perhaps it's for Katsumi's sake, to try to psyche her out. Either way, Katsumi knows how heavily the odds are stacked against her. And though she's gonna thoroughly hate it, she has to wipe that smile off her face.

Katsumi foregoes her usual taunt and sass, though there are a few moments that would seem to lend itself to it. And it's her natural urge to do so. Just, not tonight. Not like this. There's no fun in genuinely hurting someone, and that's what it comes down to. She feels like she's about to really hurt the brunette flexing on her. And not in the fun, physical, domineering way. But in the emotional, god-please-don't-let-her-cry way. It's not that she pities her. She feels like she's wrongly taking away something that Raquel earned. Tonight was supposed to be hers. And now...

Katsumi exhales a soft sigh and leans out of the corner. She makes her way to Raquel in the center of the ring, intent on stepping right up to the other girl, chest pressing to chest. Her head is canted towards her, those vivid green eyes affixed to hers, but not in a glare. To the audience, it'd seem an intense moment. But what she says to Raquel is anything but tough-talk.

"I hate that we're doing this."

Just a moment of honesty with her before they have to go through with it. Before Katsumi goes all out on her.

The referee-girl signals the bell, and unless Raquel is on the spot or has moved back, Katsumi is immediately flashing in motion. Her left arm will attempt to catch the girl around the neck as she turns, and raises a knee with the intent to ram into her stomach!

[Highfly]

"Why? Afraid there is more to me than you expected?" Raquel said turning around. As the bell rang she faced Katsumi who was moving fast! Before Raquel could react she found herself grabbed and doubled over, a hard knee strike hammering her abdomen! The pain from her last match seemed to flare up but Raquel was determined. She doubled over stumbling to a knee herself as she wheezed. With Katsumi being close she tried to slow her down by grabbing her with her left hand around the waist, sending a couple punches towards the abdomen of Katsumi with her right fist!

[CyanDimitrik]

She didn't get it. Katsumi couldn't tell if that was better or worse. Maybe she'd be offended if she knew why Katsumi was feeling bad about it? Or maybe she'd give her the assurance that she wouldn't hold it against her after the match? Or, Hell, during. But Raquel seemed to be in good spirits.

She's gonna have to ruin that. She takes no joy in it, except for what can be derived from the fight itself.

Her knee rams up into Raquel's toned stomach, and she decides to try to clarify. "No, you di- houf!," she's cut off as a couple shots land against her own bare midriff! Alright, Raquel isn't going to take it easy. She knew that coming in. She can't explain things now. It'll have to wait.

With one arm still around Raquel, the two effectively grappled together, Katsumi grits her teeth and attempts to deliver another punishing blow into her opponent's stomach with a knee! At the moment, it seems the fight is starting with a brawl! But if she can get the girl stunned for a moment, she intends on yanking her head between her thighs and locking her hands around that battered belly, intent on swinging her body into the air inverted and in piledriver position!

[Highfly]

Raquel wanted to keep swinging but the next one dropped her to her hands and knees! "Ooomph!" Raquel shook her head and felt herself lift up with her head aimed right down at the mat. This was not good!

Raquel was worn out, hurt and aching all over. However she was also determined also feeling as if she can prove a point tonight. She grit her teeth trying to swing her legs around hoping to kick Katsumi in the face as many times as needed to free herself before having her head spiked to the canvas!

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi hefts the brunette into position, aligning her body against hers. Arms hug around her waist, and she's ready to spike her head against the mat to give her a clean, clear finish and put an end to the match - yes, this early. Sure, beating people up is fun, and she definitely gets a kick out of wrestling. But what she's gotta do tonight, in this ring, is practically joyless.

Heck, the audience is even booing her. She was starting to enjoy the sound of their cheer, with the recent situation with Navi. Having an audience's support was foreign, and even fun! Energizing! But tonight, they're against her again. Same story.

A knee rams against her forehead.

"Ahnf!"

Then another. And another!

Katsumi haphazardly drops Raquel to stagger back, arms raised around her head defensively!

[Highfly]

Raquel's landing was hardly graceful however it was much less painful than allowing Katsumi to have her way! Raquel tried to stagger up to her feet, turning around to run at the ropes, bouncing off to build up speed! Raquel felt like the more she moved, the more she focused on Katsumi the less achy her body felt from her previous match! She was fired up, really feeling like this was a way to really make a name for herself.

Raquel really just wanted to prove that she was competent, that she was better than people in LAW thought she was. Raquel rushed right back at Katsumi lowering her shoulder as she tried to spear Katsumi to the mat! Raquel wasn't the biggest lady around by any means, but she hoped that she had built up enough speed to put some force into smashing into Katsumi!

[CyanDimitrik]

Katsumi is still gathering her wits from the hit she took to the head, giving it a quick shake. "You're just making this harder on yourself. I was wantin' to make it quick'n easy for you!," she laments. When her focus returns, it's just in time to see the brunette launching forward.

Shoulder rams into trim midsection, and the punkette folds around her body as she's driven down to the mat. "Ghhkk!" She curls inwards from the hit, eyes squeezed shut as she recoils from the pain of the blow, breathless and stunned.

[Highfly]

Raquel succeeded in surprising Katsumi, taking her down hard. She moved to quickly mount Katsumi in order to land a couple fast punches in an effort to disorient her. While she hoped the strikes hurt they weren't her main focus.

Raquel hoped Katsumi would raise her arms up to stop the strikes, doing her best to focus on one limb. From there she would leave her usual comfort zone of offense and attempt to latch on to one arm to pull back, doing her best to lock in an arm bar!