Scarlet & Crimson Collide! (Hakune vs. Scarlaheart)

[dlamp]

"Raaagh!" Hakune dragged herself into the ring with a roar, the crowd's cry seemingly fueling the Samurai's comeback. "I'm... not out!" She rose to her feet, pumping a fist as the crowd roared its approval and Hakune locked eyes with Scarlaheart, watching her reaction. Her displeasure was obvious, from the dismissive scoff to the previous stomp and order for Hakune to stay down. But... surprisingly, the woman soon gave nod.

"... ..." Hakune rose an eye. Did she... gain this woman's respect? Vile and violent as she was, did Scarlaheart actually acknowledge her? "... ... ..." As the woman approach, Hakune readied herself, hands up and in knife-like position as her body tensed and readied itself for another battle. "Ah-" And in abrupt fashion, Scarlaheart snatched Hakune by the hair, dragging her right back to the center. "T-Tebanasu!" She demanded, grabbing at the woman's wrist and trying to pry it off. An effort that showed no result as her movement continued unimpeded.

Then she was sent up.

In a harsher clinch and heave, Scarlaheart had Hakune in the air, her eyes growing wide as she left the ground, forced to look at the mat she just left. "I-Ie..." The fall didn't come fast. She remained up for a time, the crowd's previous fervor at Hakune's revival slowly turning to silence. And for a moment, the arena held its breath.

Then, she fell.

Hakune didn't even have time to scream the fall came so suddenly. She only hit the mat back-first in a near splat, a small yelp cut off from the slam as the crowd's cheers shifted to gasps. And Hakune's body... barely moved afterwards.

[Monsy]

Neither Maria moved much. Her front face-lock released, and she sprawled spread-eagle to count the lights with her dear samurai friend. “I’m not one for much fanfare…” Her tired voice spoke plainly, “But… You almost make it fun.”

The Reinhardts monarchs looked on, with scrutiny, interest and confidence alike, all stowed in their tightened stare, lopsided grins and lax posture, with Karla and Karolina leaning on their armrests, and Johanna leaned forward, elbows on her thighs and bridging her hands beneath her chin. Adelaide was the only one who stood narrow, with the depth of her yellow-ringed eyes squinting ever-more. “She’s just playing with her food. How funny.” Adelaide commented, and Karolina replied, “Yes… That’s the only trait she retained after the incident.”

Then Karla’s hand slapped the armrest. “Tch… Does she really need to lay with her AFTER the suplex?” She barked.

“I want to see a slam.” Johanna added, and Adelaide reached out to tap her hulking daughter’s arm. “Soon.”

“Have some faith, second-born.” Karolina said.
“I don’t.” Both Karla and Karolina exchanged glares, with Adelaide taking a loud sip from herbal grey tea in a porcelain cup. “Oh, look, she finally woke up.”

Maria threw herself forward, almost face-planting between her legs before she thrust out a gloved hand. The other rubbed her nagging dead eyes, and she blinked rapidly until they grew wet. “Phew…” Then she turned onto her knees, reached and snagged their hair once again. One foot planted the mat, and she stared up, and she placed her cheek onto her shoulder, “Maybe… When this is done… You can teach me all this Japanese stuff you’re saying…”

Then she stood and tried to yank them with. If they couldn’t stand, or stand fast enough, then Maria would walk towards the corner, with the hair-grip like tugging a dog on its back. And only when they reached the corner would Maria force the stance if they couldn’t, then turn their face to the turnbuckle pad, where Maria got so close, her breath could patter on their cheek. “But first. I’m going to make you punch drunk.” She whispered, then rammed their face against the turnbuckle.

Not just one.
Not two. Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine…

But not ten. She’d take a few steps back, then tried to make them both run towards the corner, where Maria could chuck their Bushido-butt-face right into the pad and release the grip.

[dlamp]

"Uuuug..." By some miracle, Hakune was still conscious. The splat had forced a white flash through her vision, but the Samurai was still had some bearing of her surrounds. Though her body couldn't make the same claim, left sluggish and throbbing from the mounting blows and slams she took. Just breathing was a challenging, and her breaths were labored and ragged. But the most shocking thing of all was probably Scarlaheart's voice. Not just the surprising weariness in her tone, but the words themselves. Was it respect... or mockery? Either way, the Samurai answered honestly. "Our battle... is meant to draw out our passions... so it should be fun..."

But whatever respect Scarlaheart had was soon pushed back as she rose up first, giving one last bit of conversation before abruptly forcing Hakune up by her hair. "A-Ah...!" She made little struggle to fight, barely having the energy to do more than stand on her own two feet to try and lessen the tension on her hair, forced to follow Scarlaheart's movements until finally see there destination. And at the sight of what seemed to be Hakune's fate, the crowd was silence, praying for the deed to be quick. Hakune swallowed, a slight blush on her cheeks as she felt Scarlaheart's tired voice make her threat clear.

And Hakune's jaw tightened, eyes narrowed forward at her brutal fate. "Do your worst."

It was all she could say before her face was slammed right into the turnbuckle.

Again.

And again.

Several times, each blow making the crowd wince and look away. At the fourth slam jeers rang out. At the seventh slam those jeers soon turned to pleads for mercy. And each blow forced a new bruise to appear on Hakune's face, every time consciousness threatened to fade another slam jolting her back to the world of the living. And just when the small pause gave the crowd a slight relief they were immediately gasping at the forced run Scarlaheart put her and Hakune through.

The final slam had the Samurai's body spasming out before her body slackened. "A-Aaagh..." She tried forming words, but so addled in pain her mouth could only let out babbled. "Not... ye..."

[Monsy]

One knock after the other; wrought a melody that only a Reinhardt can enjoy. They played well to remain defiant, steadfast and even bare their teeth before she punished them. Oh, how she could stay here forever. And for the crowd. Well. Cry your hearts out. After the tenth, however, Maria’s fingers coiled deeper into their hair, pinning their face to the pad like a thumbtack holding up paper. She rolled her fist back to peel them off, looming from above as she tapped on their nose. “Well, you still there? I think I am starting to understand what you mean by passion… I feel alive. Thank you for that…” A hand laid on Hakune’s shoulder to turn them over, then Maria’s shoulder stabbed into their stomach. Her arms came around their tiny waist, and she bent her knees, then rose with Hakune in tow. She stepped forward and tried to prop them on the top turnbuckle pad, using one hand to push on their neck to straighten them, then her other to flick their forehead. “I think you’ll like how I finish you off. How you land, afterward, is well, none of my concern. So, safe flight samurai. I’ll make sure to send you a video copy when this is over.”

Maria laughed, then stepped back, straightened her hands and jutted the thumb, turning one underneath the other to form a frame with Hakune’s head in the centre. A deep breath sucked in. Now she bounced foot-to-foot, breathing heavily, timing it, revving up with a stronger bounce, then holding her air as she turned her feet, peering at them over-shoulder after a twist. Her back-leg came around, the knee postured up, and the one grounded lifted off. The motions were fluid, a second’s worth and the wind caught behind that strike could whistle. It whipped like a cutting rapier, descended upon them like a mace, careening towards their cheek in a gale that was Maria’s MTK Tornado kick!

[dlamp]

"A-Aaah..." Bruised and battered, Hakune's body rose up as Scarlaheart dragged her, the crowd's initial fears coming to life as they witnessed the Samurai's face, now wearing small welts along it and blackening bruises. A series of gasps and jeers rang out at the brutality. But the most surprising fact of all, despite the punishment and hits the Samurai took. "A-Aag..." Was the fact that Hakune was still conscious afterwards, still able to look around at the panicked crowd and process things. She could even still make out Scarlaheart's words, as sarcastic as they felt to her. But... it looked like things were about to end.

There was little resistance from the Samurai. She let out a small groan from the sudden blow to the stomach, but was practically limp as her opponent hoisted her atop the ropes. She head Maria's final remarks and then... she watched...

Maria bounced up and down like a kickboxer, gather momentum for what was likely a big move. Hakune could see it, her bruised and blurry eyes watching as Scarlaheart built herself up. I... have to... She swayed about, her eyes looking over Scarlaheart's form. It was coming, she could see the leg move. Have to... Her body stiffened for a moment, sitting up straight just as the kick started take form and Scarlaheart turned herself. The small bits of logical in Hakune's mind screaming for her body to act. And just as Scarlaheart's body fully twisted, the since of danger in Hakune's mind broke through.

I HAVE TO MOVE!

"Yaaaah!" With her warcry to gather strength, the Samurai sprang back to life, throwing her body forward just as the kick started to come out, getting narrowly clipped at the top of her forehead as she pushed herself down to Scarlaheart's other leg supporting her.

[Monsy]

Perhaps there was something to be desired. It went beyond winning. But a feeling beyond exhaustion. The way the crowd reacted, this girl’s spirit; it was putting a smile on her face to break them down. She could feel the power surge inside her finger-tips. Time and reality can warp around her. Maybe feel like a Queen, just as she’s born to be. It just needed this one kick, the spin of a foot and a move Maria couldn’t botch by her lethargy but execute in crisp perfection, just as she practised over a thousand times for this one payload. But it was missed. Something solid nicked the bottom and Maria was sent into another turn to recuperate. There was no time to bulge her eyes before they collapsed onto her supporting leg. She slammed onto her hip, one shoulder down, and her other aligned with the ceiling. Pain numbed her fall. A hand reached onto the canvas and pushed up, and she looked over-shoulder to gander at how they put her weight down. There were almost three moments of hesitation. Her heart stopped and she felt everything sweat. Heat rampaged in her face for a second, drowning in surprise before she began to squirm her leg. “Excuse me! Just what kind of counter is that?! Get off me! You’re ruining my moment!”

[dlamp]

Time had slowed, and it felt like Hakune could see in different dimensions.

She saw it all as she dragged herself forward. The individual faces of each audience member, the look over every Reinhardt as she latched onto Scarlaheart's leg, the surprising amount of weight she was forcing onto her opponent's body as they both toppled over. And from the crowds utter shock and silence, it felt like some law of the world was shatter.

Hakune's eyes were shut tight right before the crash, only coming back to life as Scarlaheart's leg shook and brought the Samurai back to earth. She... was still in the fight. "Wha-?" She blinked, looking over at Scarlaheart as she groaned and complained.

That's right, she was still in this fight.

"Fine then!" She shouted, her voice a mixed of determination and exhaustion as she peeled herself off of her opponent. "Then have your moment of reckoning, Scarla-san!" And with that, Hakune moved to grab onto Scarlaheart's shoulder and force her up. As foolish as it'd be, the Samurai wasn't going to strike a downed opponent, not like this. No, she'd give this woman a taste of her own medicine: forcing her to her feet and knocking her back down with a roundhouse kick of Hakune's.

[Monsy]

Who knew to counter her most potent strike, they need only flop their weight. It was like having this giant constrictor snake up her leg, coiled and not letting go. She thrashed, button-mashed and tried to dash back, but still couldn't even turn over with this woman's weight. In the window that she found some ease, she turned onto her shoulder, but found her postured side gripped, and Scarlaheart scrambled up with legs like newborn lambs. Her thighs melted together and she reached out, but Hakune's kick went underneath and caught her right in the breasts. They ballooned back into her chest. The bone against malleable flesh clapped, and she yelped like a kicked puppy. "GAH!" She collapsed onto her back, this time shoulders down, gasping for air. "I rather not!"

Open palms pressed onto the canvas, and pushed, giving Maria a few sacred centimetres, finished with a grunt. Not just once, however, but continuing, like rowing a canoe down a stream, Maria was paddling for her life back towards the opposite corner, looking over-shoulder, then forward, making sure to grant this doggish growl and squinted hues. She wasn't sure what to do. Everyone was watching her. That pumped her heart rate into over-drive, punching against her ribs as she had sweat licking the sides of her face, going down her smooth jawline.

[dlamp]

"Yaaah!" Hakune put all the torque she could into her kick, slamming her shin right against Scarlaheart's chest. The surprisingly shrill yelp she got from her opponent nearly had the Samurai staggered back after placing her foot back down. She fell Scarlaheart right onto her back to the roar and cheer of the crowd, and Hakune remained standing, staring with widened eyes. "Haa... Haa..." The momentum had finally started to turn her way. After all the brutality and mercilessness Scarlaheart forced onto her, the Samurai was able to keep standing and finally be rewarded for her tenacity. I... I can do this! Even with Scarlaheart's rejection of the situation it didn't deter the Samurai's spirit, she only responded by bringing her hands back up in knife-like fashion, looking down at Scarlaheart with a sharp glare.

And Scarlaheart soon proved her words, pushing herself off the ground in slow fashion as she got to her feet. "Very well..." Hakune then moved back, going to the ropes and turnbuckle to climb atop them. As Scarlaheart was slow to rise, Hakune would take full advantage, standing on the top of the turnbuckle corner that her opponent so cruelly slammed her into. The crowd gasped, murmuring at what Hakune's plan might be.

Then, Hakune crouched, pushed off on her knees, and jumped.

With one leg high above her head, she dropped down for the ropes with her heel slicing downward right for Scarlaheart's rising head using both her momentum and weight. This was it, the Samurai's sword-like finisher to end this match and prove her justice against this cruel soul:

"ZANSHIN!"

[Monsy]

This woman’s stance was utterly ridiculous to Maria. Tiny hands and tiny arms, and tiny spirit and tiny legs. Tiny mind. It irked her to be knocked down, but also intriguing. Was there something she was missing from this? She couldn’t fathom just what it was, or why she missed nor how her strike had such a simple counter. The crowd seemed in awe, that much irked those above, whose expressions turned to collective glares and condescending scowls, well, except for Adelaide who grew more and more bemused. Scarlaheart looked down, turning onto all fours then planting a knee. She looked at her shaking hands, the sweat in the creases, turning them over to see even the rattle inside her fingernails. Pain inside her chest was but secondary as she rallied both hands on her knee, and pushed her weight up, then…

Crack.

A sledgehammer-foot smashed whatever brains remained. Her head dipped down, then rebounded up, with dizzied eyes enchanted by all the dozens of looming lights, reaching the hundreds as her sense of barring slipped away, and felt like she was floating. Her arms slipped off her knee and she rattled. The leg underneath her slipped out and her other leg followed, splayed outward as she laid on her said, then folded over its partner as she spilled onto her back. Velvet hair swiped across her eyes, leaving small gaps to see the dilating pupils before it fell, and a cheek pressed into the ground, her mouth open and drooling. Her fall was all but silent but a passing moan of what seemed Scarlaheart’s last bastion of fight, snapped away in one stroke. The crowd roared, and perhaps the referee was pleased to make this count…