Michiko Shimizu vs. Maria Castillo

[CaptainL]

Michiko didn't know how long she could hold on. It was true that the had already kept this hold locked in for longer than she thought she would have my this point, but the girl couldn't deny that Maria was a veteran and a legend, and she was sure that even a hold like this wouldn't be able to put her down. So too, Michiko could feel her own grasp weakening; the longer she held the position the more her own limbs began to tire, and she started to pant with short, hoarse breaths. She just hoped that Maria would be forced to succumb before she had to release her...

And Maria, of course, would not be taken out that easily! She threw her weight backwards and hurled the two women through the air, Michiko letting out a yelp of surprise as her ponytail swung in an arc behind her. She came crashing down onto the mat with a thud, knocking the wind out of her and forcing her to let her opponent go as she crumpled with a groan!

[SleeperAgent94]

The maneuver, while successful in releasing Maria from the hold, came with a cost. The slam left them both weak and prone in the center of the ring, clearly struggling to make it to their feet. Even now the ref was beginning the much dreaded 10 count. The luchadora scrambled as fast as she could, panic starting to eat away at her head, even as she slung her arm over the top rope! Placing a palm to her skull, she shook off the pain and the cobwebs, slowly turning to finish off the downed rookie!

[CaptainL]

Michiko, too, took a moment to get herself back up, the landing having jostled her and left her breathless. As the referee started to count, her body slowly stirred, wriggling from side to side as she tossed her head, her violet hair splayed out all around her on the mat. But even as she groaned, she was still in better shape than her opponent was. After all, all things considered, Michiko had not been caught in a brutal octopus stretch just a moment before.

Maria was rising to her feet, but now, so too did Michiko. She pulled herself back up to her feet, leaning against the ropes to regain her breath as she took in a few pants. But soon, she shook herself, straightening her body once again to stare her opponent down. Seeing that Maria was still steeling herself, Michiko held out a hand, beckoning the veteran luchadora closer. "C'mon! You gonna come get me?" she said. But whatever Maria did next, it didn't matter to Michiko. Her offer would be little more than a taunt, and to buy herself time - as her next move, upon regaining her stamina, would be to whip her body around in an arc to swing a superkick for Maria's jaw!

[SleeperAgent94]

Every bit of movement made the Luchadora's limbs scream in protest, the leg in her brace throbbing as she began to sway on unsteady footing. The pair of warriors glared at one another, Maria answering Michiko;s taunt with a devilish war cry, throwing herself forward....RIGHT INTO THE SUPERKICK!

The boot snapped the veteran's head back, spit flying into the air and leaving the woman out on her feet, knees knocking and arms waving to keep her balance! Her vision was doubled, and her mind went momentarily blank as to where she was and what was happening!

[CaptainL]

Michiko could hardly believe what she was seeing, or how easy it had been. Maria was a legend! She was someone that Michiko herself admired as one who had come before her, and who she had looked up to in her training to follow the same path. And yet, she had completely fallen for Michiko's trap, running right into the path of a superkick! It all happened in a blur - her foot flew forward, slamming into the luchadora's chin and causing her head to go backward with a crack. And all the while, Michiko gasped, her eyes going wide from the sight before her! She didn't quite realize that she was looking at a real scene before her until Maria had already been staggered for a few seconds.

But once she did, she shook herself, trying to snap out of her haze. After all, Maria wasn't just an object of awe and admiration to Michiko. She was, for the purpose of this match, her opponent! And now that her head had been shaken up by the introduction of Michiko's boot, she was in prime territory to capitalize, with Maria leaning forward to slump against her as her footing finally gave out. Michiko knew what to do, as a determined look crossed her face. She would have to finish this - and she bent forward to scoop Maria up, turning her upside down, before she dropped back to a sitting position to deliver Maria to the mat with a piledriver! "HAAAAAAAH-!!" she cried.

[SleeperAgent94]

It all happened so fast, Maria realized. The sharp crack of the boot slamming into her jaw, the taut ropes pushing her swooning body against Michiko, and those arms wrapping around her waist. Before she could even fully comprehend what was happening, Michiko sharply turned her upside down, using the momentum to spike the legend on her skull with a brutally efficient piledriver!

The impact shook the ring, easily laying Maria out, her arms falling heavily above her head, face laying to one side with a few twitches from her fingers and legs. For all intents and purposes, Michiko may have just won this match! Question was, how long before her opponent could capitalize on the sudden swing of momentum in her favor!?

[CaptainL]

Michiko could hardly believe it herself. Just the fact that she'd managed to get this far, against a veteran and a legend of the ring like Maria was, was impressive; thinking about it made her heart pound harder in her chest as she welled up with excitement. She figured she must have been dreaming, but at the same time she knew she wasn't. It was all so real. She felt every bit of it - the weight of Maria's body against hers, how the two had gone plummeting to the ground, and the thud of her head against the canvas and how it had shook against the impact, rattling through Michiko's own well-built form. That was all real.

And because of that...it meant Michiko would have to keep pushing the advantage she had fought so hard for! She bit her lip, now focusing her attention on her prone opponent. She leaned over Maria, now reaching behind her to hook her leg and bridge into a pin, as the referee dove over to them. This could be it!

"One!"

[SleeperAgent94]

The piledriver turned Maria's lights out for a good 30 seconds, enough for her body to slump to the side, and for Michiko to roll the woman onto her back, barely lifting the leg up for the pin! Sliding in, the ref slapped her hand onto the ground, beginning the pinfall that could seal La Parca's doom!

"ONE.......TWO....." the ref called, her hand coming down for the third count, only of Maria to buck her body, one arm shooting up a mere half second before the count was complete! The crowd went ballistic, even as Maria collapsed onto her stomach, breathing heavily as it had taken all her energy to just kick out of that! Hopefully she could use this precious few moments to recover and get her bearings!

[CaptainL]

As the count continued, drawing ever closer to counting Michiko as victorious against the returning veteran, she kept her weight borne down against Maria, panting under her breath. Her arm pulled back on Maria's leg as she used the other to secure her shoulder, but their bodies were still pressed against each other, face to face, with only a precious few inches separating Michiko's dangling breasts from grazing Maria's own as her chest rose and fell with her breaths. She had never in her life expected she'd end up this close to someone like Maria - let alone winning - but at the same time, it excited her! As the ref's hand began to fall, it looked as though Michiko's wildest dreams were about to come true...

But things were subverted at the last moment, as Maria bucked upwards, shaking Michiko off in the process! The lilac-haired girl tumbled to her side before she rolled back to her hands and knees, wiping off her brow. "You're good..." she said with a nod. "Not...that I expected any different, but..." Still, she straightened herself, getting back on her feet and shaking out her arms as she looked across at Maria. She clenched her teeth then, taking on a stance. Even if she hadn't won quite yet, she still had a chance - Maria looked winded, so she would be open for Michiko's next move! She could still win this! As soon as Maria got up, Michiko would move in on her with purposeful strides to close the distance, aiming a forearm toward her!

[SleeperAgent94]

Maria was far too woozy to fully comprehend what exactly Michiko was saying. The piledriver took it's toll on her, and she was taking far too long to wake up from the impact. Her hand waved in front of her, finally grasping the bottom rope to pull herself up on spaghetti legs, with one hand clutching her skull. She was knocked clean out of her daze by a sudden surge of adrenaline , seemingly bringing Maria back to it all. The sensations of pain, the sore throbbing of her muscles and the dull ache in her leg. But she was AWAKE, and now....she could fight. Seeing Michiko running toward her, she suddenly ducked under the woman, scooping her onto her shoulders! Turning to face the crowd, she pitched the woman off her shoulders, meeting her on the way down with her trademark finisher, the KISS of the Reaper!