Collision Course! Bast vs. Stone [Apex Qualifier]

[BlackAkuma]

Bast wouldn’t say she didn’t care about the crowd’s cheers, but they were the furthest thing on her mind when she kicked out of Stone’s pin. They might as well have been on the other side of the planet, for all she could process - distant noise, vague rumblings, nothing she could grasp onto. All she could hear, now, was the pounding of her own heart and her opponent’s. Two heavy, thunderous drum beats, moving at a feverish pace.

This match had taken a lot out of both of them, and it hadn't even been that long of a fight - the blows and moves had been so intense that it felt like they were brawling for hours, when it had only been ten minutes at the longest. But you wouldn’t know that from the way their warily moved, the sweat running down their brows, the way they heaved and fought for every single breath they took.

They were reaching the end of their lines, both of them, and it was only a matter of who would cross first, at this point.

From the looks of things, it might very well be Bast, as Stone once again moved in for the kill at Stick’s instructions. The mauling mammoth of a woman reached down and scooped her up like a child, holding her close and tight in her clutches. Her arms clamped down around her waist with a force that was meant to crush bones, and all she could do was thrash about in the hold, twisting around and pushing away her attacker’s chest. She might as well have been trying to push down a brick wall for all the good it was doing her, and her struggles grew weaker with each passing second.

It was a grisly, worrying scene, and it would’ve greatly stressed Cersei…if she’d been paying attention to it. However, in the interim, she’d found something more important to do with her time. Namely, she had finally reached her peak with Stick’s constant commanding. While the battle raged on and her counterpart looked set on having her moment of triumph, she’d grabbed a chair from the timekeeper’s area and moved around the ring.

Without any warning or preamble, Cersei made her way around the corner, hopped up, and hit Stick across the back with a steel chair, swatting her off the apron like she was a fly.

[thesteedman]

There was no doubt about it that Bast was in serious trouble! Those massive arms continued to enclose around her bare midriff when it felt like there was no more space to take up. Such was the power of the bearhug that it made it hard to think for Bast. The larger woman struggled in the brutal finishing embrace of the behemoth, but it seemed to do her no good. Her arms continued to enclose, squeezing tighter and tighter, bringing both powerful forms up against each other. If Stone was not trying to crush the fight out of Bast, it might have almost been a sensual moment, as both powerfully sculpted midriffs docked and grinded together, with both women face to face.

The crowd were watching with anticipation, feeling that this was the end of the match! It would only be a matter of time before Bast would be forced to tap, or simply stopped moving entirely. Already she could be seen weakening, despite still fighting to break free of the terrible and debilitating bearhug! So many of the LAW had been put out by the colossal submission hold, all whilst Stone looked upon Bast almost emotionless, looking like the hold was easy despite holding up and crushing a fellow heavyweight against her own powerful form! Bodies continued to press and grind, and all the while Stick was singing Stone’s praises, laughing out loud and knowing that the end was nigh!

She was so focused upon Stone squeezing the near life out of Bast that she had not been paying attention to her manager. Whilst she had been engrossed with what felt like inevitable victory, Stick failed to pick up that Cersei was very much on her way to her, picking up attention from much of the crowd when she grasped onto a steel chair. With Stick’s undivided attention on Stone crushing Bast and enjoying what she witnessed… there was little she could do about the sudden ambush that came from behind. The impact echoed out, as Stick screamed out loud, arching her back before she collapsed from the ringside.

Such was the sound that Stone turned towards Stick, and immediately caught sight of Cersei holding the chair. Though not the sharpest knife in the shelf, even Stone could put two and two together, and all at once she knew what had happened. Something changed in Stone as she watched Stick collapse, her eyes widening whilst her normally stoic and uncaring expression suddenly shifted. It became a face of anger and rage! Stone dropped Bast roughly, allowing her to fall to the mat, before she began to rush towards Cersei. Her intent was to make her pay in kind for what she did to her manager, as she moved surprisingly well for a woman of her size.

In no time she was slipping out of the ring, in hot pursuit of Cersei, looking to try and get her powerful hands upon the smaller lady!

[BlackAkuma]

Bast was not going to tap.

Bast was not going to tap.

But God, her body wanted to, despite her mind's stubborn protests. It seemed strange on paper, given all the elaborate and deadly holds that she’d found herself in, to think that something so simple could put her in such a devastated state, but here she was. Stone’s power was truly overwhelming, one of the few women who could turn such a gimmicky submission into something so terrifying. Bast could feel her spine giving way under the oppressive crushing, as if she were being squeezed in half. She had some ideas, but she wasn’t sure if she’d have the strength left to even attempt them…

She was only dimly aware of a large, metallic clash coming from the ringside area, and then, all at once, the pain was gone. Stone released Bast, letting her flop to the floor, hard on her back, and the mammoth of the woman moved out of the ring with real urgency. It made no sense at all, at first, until she realized Stick was no longer on the apron, heard Cersei’s screams, and saw Stone running at full tilt around the ring, as the referee yelled at her to get back inside.

”Oh, come on…”

Cersei, meanwhile, was running for her life around the ring, moving as fast as a woman in high heels with spinal problems could ever hope to go. She’d dropped the chair when she saw Stone coming after her, knowing full well it would do her little good, and put all her effort into making distance. While the beast of a woman was no long distance sprinter, she was much taller, and carried a lot of ground with each step, leaving Cersei to just outpace her.

And then she slipped.

She was coming around the corner, overestimated her weight on the high heels, and fell to her knees. It wasn’t for long, but enough time for Stone to catch up to her, even as she scrambled to her feet. ”Samira, Samira! Helphelphelphelphelphelp-”

[thesteedman]

Stick was still down, clutching at her back and looking as if she had been knocked over by a truck. For all her game talk, the poor manager was not so good when it came to taking hits, especially from that of a chair. She had collapsed to the outside of the ring, her face awash with pain, her body writhing as she lay on the mat outside. With no one telling Stone what to do, she was taking her own initiative, something she only did when the behemoth knew that her manager was in trouble! She stormed after Cersei, her large strides making her keep up with the fleeing manager of Bast as she had an expression of dark intent upon her features.

The ref had begun counting Stone out, but it was all white noise to her ears as her focus was on the one that dared to attack Stick! Fortune would favour the giant of a woman when Cersei would trip upon her high heels, more focused on where Stone was than where she should have been looking! The smaller woman was not down for long, but by the time she was on her feet to once more flee, a massive hand had already reached out, grasping the back of her neck in a powerful grasp. Stone was livid, her expression of pure anger, something that had not been seen upon her since her time in the LAW. With one hand, she seemed to lift Cersei up as if she weighed nothing at all. It was an impressive display to be certain, and the ref continued to slowly count Stone out, painfully aware that her attacking the manager beyond the confines of the ring was not quite illegal enough to warrant action.

It spelled doom for Cersei, as Stone turned her, bringing her into a unique embrace. Her massive arms wrapped around Cersei's chest, holding her into a lofted bearhug, trapping her arms at her sides and leaving her legs dangling! Such was the positioning however that Cersei's features ended up wedged deep into Stone's impressive chest. The arms of Stone seemed to suddenly grow and flex, showing that she was squeezing Cersei in a brutal hug around her upper chest, before she slowly leaned forwards, pressing her own impressive chest deeper into Cersei's own face. It all amounted to a brutal looking bearhug and smother combination. As Stone squeezed, her own chest seemed to expand, engulfing Cersei's face.

There seemed to be no stopping Stone, her focus on punishing Cersei for her transaction against her beloved Manager. It was unique to see how protective Stone was of the smaller woman considering how brash and annoying she was. Many assumed Stick treated Stone awfully... and yet Stone was here giving Cersei payback, squeezing her tighter and tighter, driving her deeper into a smother. Whilst this was going on though, Bast was given ample time to recover from her own ordeal against Stone moments ago... and that count was beginning to increase to concerning levels!

[BlackAkuma]

”Samira, Samira, oh god, come on, help, help, please, help, come quick, come on, help, help, please, come on-“

Cersei screamed bloody murder as Stone came bearing down on her, making for one of the most horrifying sights she could ever imagine. She knew this woman was big, obviously, she’d been sitting at ringside for the duration of the match, but there was such a big difference between seeing her in the ring and seeing her up close and getting closer with every second. ”Stop, stop, I’m just an advocate, oh, God-“

Cersei flailed about as this bestial woman hoisted her up with ease, lifting her like a rag doll and giving her just as much care. To make matters worse, the referee just stood by and watched, not caring in the least. ”She’s going to murder me, you idiot! Stop counting and, and-”

Oh. Oh, no.

Cersei squealed as her face was buried within Stone’s sweaty breasts, engulfed by hardened flesh as her thin frame was crushed. She could feel her bones bending and threatening to give, as her entire body was pressed together, as sure as if she were been squeezed by metal girders. She struggled, kicked and bucked, but she might as well have been a baby in her mother’s grasp. There was no escape, no release, nothing she could do against this living leviathan.

”PUT HER DOWN!

Bast had been busy recovering in the ring, catching her breath, but he sister’s frantic screams had breathed new life in her. As soon as her body was able, she’d rolled out of the ring and rushed over to see what was happening, rounding the corner to see the horrific vision of Cersei’s shrinking form. She knew her sister’s medical history better than anyone, and knew what someone with Stone’s power could do to her in mere seconds.

Bast rushed towards Stone, moving faster than she’d ever done in her entire life, and rammed her shoulder into the large woman’s side at high speed. Her goal wasn’t even to hurt her, really - she just needed her to let Cersei go.

[thesteedman]

It was looking bleak for Cersei. With her face smothered between Stone's impressive and glistening cleavage, even if she could endure the terrible bearhug, she would not last without air. Her world had been engulfed in both pain and suffocating darkness, a few clicks and muffled creaks sounding out as Stone's incredibly strength began to test what little fortitude Cersei had in her form. Breathing was impossible due to the constricting grasp and the inability to draw breath from the deep smother, and it felt like Stone had no intention of letting her go. What felt like an eternity seemed to pass, as Cersei began to move less and less within the terrible embrace, but solace would finally come... and it came in the form of a fierce charge from Bast.

Whatever ailments Bast may have bared herself, it was nothing compared to the urgency she felt to protec her manager and sister. Despite being sapped and even squeezed of energy earlier, Bast moved like a woman possessed, managing to scramble towards the outside before she charged like a Rhino towards Stone! The crowd gasped out when she managed to make contact... and make contact she did in spectacular fashion. Those with an up close and personal view in the crowd might have thought Stone had been hit by a truck if they did not see otherwise, as Stone was taken up off her feet. She instantly released Cersei from her grasp, allowing the manager to collapse against the mat below.

Bast would run with Stone, managing to lift the behemoth of a woman before ramming her into the time keepers table! The impact decimated it instantly, as Stone fell through it with Bast right on top of her. The crowd went nuts over the display, as both women lay upon the wreckage of the table, breathing deeply and glistening with the studio lights above shining upon them. All this... and the referee was still counting.

7!...

She managed to announce whilst motioning with her fingers! Such was the time Stone had spent, that it was getting dangerously close to a count out. Both women looked exhausted, but there were still clear signs of life in both of them... It was a question now if either of them could get back into the ring before it was too late!

[BlackAkuma]

…where was Cersei?

She opened her eyes and found herself staring up at stadium lights, which meant that she must’ve been in the LAW arena, but for a few seconds, she couldn't even recall how she’d gotten there. The crowd was cheering, so there was a match, but it obviously had nothing to do with her. She couldn't fight. Hell, she could scarcely move. Why couldn't she move, come to think of it? Why did everything hurt? What was that sound nearby, that groaning noise, it almost sounded like-

”Samira?”

She looked over, saw her sister in the wreckage, and everything came together all at once. The fight. Stick and Stone. The match. The rules. The referee.

”7!”

”No!” Cersei gasped and turned toward her sister, who was just picking herself out of the debris that had once been the announce table. She didn't quite understand how Bast had gotten there, but it didn’t matter. She had to get in the ring. Now. ”Samira! Samira!”

”I know!” Bast bellowed back, as she dragged herself toward the ring on hands and knees. It wasn’t the most dignified sight, but dignity was the last thing on her mind.

”8!”

She was at the ring apron now and grabbed hold of it, using it as a support to pull her way up. One hand, then the other. It was funny how much her weight was noticeable in a situation like this - she had never thought of herself as a particularly heavy woman, but now, as gravity fought her every move, she could feel every inch bogging her down.

”9!”

Bast grabbed the bottom rope, gripped it tight with both hands, and yanked her way in under the bottom rope at the last second, tumbling in with her arms akimbo. She stayed there, too, just catching her breath as the referee threw her hands out one, final time.

”10! Ring the bell, ring the bell!”

The bell did, in fact, ring, with Bast’s theme music kicking in soon after. The crowd went into a frenzy, a mix of appreciative cheers and disappointed boos, but she couldn't hear much of it over the rushing blood in her ears. She’d won. That was all that mattered, right?

…right?

[thesteedman]

"Stone! Get up! Get up now and get in the ring!" Stick bellowed out in pain. By the time she had recovered from the vicious chair shot, she knew it was already too late. Bast was already making her way into the ring, and only now was Stone rising on command. She looked beaten, some clear bruising and cuts from being slammed into the table, her body glistening with sweat, yet even still she responded even now despite being near decimated by the impressive spear. The issue was that Stone did not do all that well on her own initiative, and it was showing!

It was clear she still had energy to move. Not much, given what her body had been put through, but if Stick had been there sooner Stone could have been on her feet and back in the ring. The count was already on 9 by the time Stone was approaching the ring, her pacing a little slow and sluggish. By the time she was raising herself as Stick complained and yelled out, the 10 count had already been declared, and though Stone was making an effort, she was still outside of the ring by all accounts. The ref began to motion for the end, with Bast being the clear winner due to the situation. Stick began to swear out loud, cursing as mixed reactions began to burst out from the crowd. Though the match had been an entertaining one, the ending felt somewhat of a denial. The rage was aimed more at the referee than anything else, but rules were rules and the referee was not going to make exceptions it seemed.

Despite how beaten and battered Bast was, she would reach down and lift her arm to declare the winner. There was no clear cut favourite for the crowd, and thus this was not an undesirable result to see Bast get a win over Stone, but no doubt there would be calls for a rematch, not just from Stick either. As it just so happened...
"I want a rematch! You hear me?! You may have won but you didn't defeat Stone! Next time I want no stupid count outs! We settle this as it should have been settled tonight!!" Stick would almost screech at Bast, pointing an accusing finger towards her.
"And you... you just made an enemy for life!! You best watch your back!" Stick would hiss towards Cersei on the outside, her tone full of venom and her glare almost frightening! Stone was still climbing into the ring, making Stick shake her head as it was all too little too late now.

With a motion, she signalled for Stone to follow her, not wanting to stick around for the end.
"This isn't the end, mark my words!" Stick would warn, favouring her back as she looked to make a sharp exit.