Yuki Kazikura [D] vs. Maria di Valentina

[CaptainL]

To anyone looking on at the ring right now, it looked as though Yuki was in control, holding onto her opponent's legs and punishing her back as Maria was left thrashing with fury. But in Yuki's mind, things were still just as tense. She had taken control, but for how long? Maria was definitely giving her a run for her money with how much she was fighting against her attempts to control her, and she could start to feel her fingers slipping, inch by painful inch. So too, the screams and threats coming from the Italian were ringing in Yuki's ears, threatening to drown out her carefully cultivated focus on the match. She didn't want to cede any bit of distance if she could help it. The joshi rookie's breaths quickened, and she bit at her lip. She had to concentrate!

Little by little, Maria began to drag herself over to the ropes, but Yuki fought with her every step of the way. She tugged against her legs, leaning back a little further to arc her foe's back some more. Eventually, though, Maria caught hold of the ropes, signalling the referee to urge Yuki to let go. The Japanese girl released Maria then and there, rolling off her back and getting to her knees as she caught her breath. She had done well enough already, she was sure, and such a break in the action would give her the time to clear her mind.

[overlordofkings]

"Uggghhhh..." Maria groaned as she felt some relief when the referee ordered Yuki to release the hold and the Japanese girl complied. Sore all over, Maria panted as she used the ropes to help her stand up. The aristocrat hated how weak she looked right now, but knew that pride had to take a backseat to practicality. The Italian had to conserve as much stamina so she that she'd be able to exploit an opening in Yuki's offense.

So in the meantime, the di Valentina glared a hole through Yuki. That low-class bitch had the gall to use a submission on her! And to add insult to injury, Yuki even listened to the referee when the diminutive woman declared a rope break. Was this some sort of "holier-than-thou" attitude? Some attempt that Yuki was somehow morally better than Maria di Valentina because she showed some low-life official a modicum of respect.

The thought of Yuki looking down on her made Maria's Italian blood boil. She narrowed her eyes and waited for Yuki's next move. Maria was going to have so much fun when she took the advantage from this lucky peasant!

[CaptainL]

Yuki needed some time to get her breath and regain her composure. Even if she had managed to turn the tide, she was still feeling the pain in her arm, and when she wasn't lost in the intensity of the hold she had locked in, that pain returned to her. Clenching her teeth, the girl went to grab at her shoulder again, trying to dull the pain. But she shook herself. She wouldn't be letting that bother her when so much was at stake.

Maria was getting up, and Yuki was well aware that there would be trouble if she allowed her to get on her feet before she did. Luckily, the Italian aristocrat was slowed down by the fact she needed the ropes to support herself, and Yuki could get back up in time to lock eyes with her. She sucked in a breath, holding her arms up to stay on guard as she advanced cautiously towards Maria.

By the looks of things, Maria was anticipating her next move. Yuki was normally careful and calculating in how she approached matters, but she realized, even as she was closing in and formulating her plan, that Maria would walk all over her if she gave her too much of an edge. But she hoped she might be able to catch her by surprise - and suddenly, she broke from her measured advance to charge straight for Maria with a cry, raising her knee when she came close to slam it into her stomach!

[overlordofkings]

Maria glared icily at Yuki as the rookie joshi advanced towards her. It wasn't like last time when Yuki charged at the di Valentina, where the Japanese woman ran blindly like some uncouth cretin. No, Yuki's movements were calm, calculating. Not unlike movements Maria herself would make when she advanced on an opponent. The comparison made Maria narrow her stare.

The Italian aristocrat didn't have more time to scowl at Yuki, as the joshi broke her measured advance for an impetuous, complete with a battle cry. Maria gasped and widened her eyes. That little tramp had caught her off guard again! And before Maria could find any sort of time to raise her guard, she found Yuki's knee buried in her stomach.

"OOF!" Maria cried as she doubled over Yuki's strong knee. What Yuki was going to do next, Maria didn't know but there was one thing that Maria had full faith in. Yuki will pay her pound of flesh in full!

[CaptainL]

For the most part, Yuki prefered to take things slow in a match. If she had the time to monitor her opponent and anticipate what they would do, then she would be better able to prepare her own moves accordingly, to strike back with the retaliation most appropriate for that moment. But such a style had its shortcomings, too - as, in assessing Maria's posture and demeanor, Yuki was sure she was studying her too, and that if she took too much time in formulating her next move, the Italian would already have a counter in store. Yuki's best bet was to throw caution to the wind and come charging in with the knee strike - and luckily for her, this seemed to work out in her favor, as she delivered a sharp blow to the stomach of her opponent, knocking the wind out of her!

Now, with Maria bent over her knee, Yuki had a good position to take advantage, and she wasn't about to waste it. She reached down to wrap her arms in place around Maria's head, hoisting her back up, before she grabbed her head, hopped off the canvas, and hurled Maria to the ground face-first, going to bring her down with a facebuster!

[overlordofkings]

Maria gasped for air as Yuki held her knee in the Italian's stomach. Fury rose inside Maria. How dare some... working class yokel humiliate her like this! The di Valentina was also angry at herself. A noble like her being outfought and outthought by some rookie. And the worst part of this was that Maria had to just take it until an opening presented itself.

Alas, Maria would have to keep waiting, as Yuki followed up the knee strike by grabbing Maria's pig tails once more!

Grah! Really?! Again?!" Maria shrieked. Though she only had a few seconds to be indigent as Yuki would violently throw Maria down face-first in that canvcas in a facebuster!

"ARGH!" Maria cried, though the mat muffled her moans of agony. The Italian noble continued to lay on her stomach, wondering what Yuki was going to do next.

[CaptainL]

It might have been a low blow, going for the hair again - but really, Maria had given her the perfect opportunity, and fueled by the competitive spirit and the urge to prove herself against an opponent so determined to belittle her and tear her down at every opening, it was easy for Yuki to get caught up in the moment. She siezed her foe by the pigtails once again, this time to slam her straight into the canvas!

With the shake going through the mat beneath her feet, Yuki felt assured that she had left Maria stunned, and that she was in prime territory to take the advantage. As the crowd was cheering on the yellow-clad rookie, Yuki looked up, raising a fist into the sky in a show of force and vigor to herald that she was about to step up her game! She went to the ropes, going to climb to the top in the hopes that she would be able to come down onto Maria with a body splash!

[overlordofkings]

Maria seethed and moaned as her face flared up in pain. Pain that her back wasn't unfamiliar with. To think that this rube would actually manage to harm Maria. If the Italian aristocrat had the energy to pound the canvas, she would. Sadly, she was too stunned and drained to do so. The di Valentina soon heard the rabble in the crowd cheering.

"Those cretins... cheering this peasant for fulfilling some moronic revenge fantasy against their betters. Well, I'll be more than happy to crush their stupid, sick fan-" Maria thought... and she was sure those thoughts would've continued if she didn't fell about 50 kilograms crash on top of her!

The formally aching pain in Maria's back graduating to throbbing and the wind crushed out of her. The aristocrat only had one reaction.

"AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!"

[CaptainL]

Lost in her own mind as she felt herself plummet from the top ropes, Yuki hardly gave any thought to what Maria was thinking as she went to spring some aerial offense against the Italian. While Yuki may not have been the biggest or the strongest, her agility was where she really shined, and she was able to use gravity to her advantage in building force behind her blows. As was the case now, as Yuki hurled herself straight down on to Maria!

The crowd let out a cheer as she came down with a thud, forcing a scream out of Maria's lungs. Yuki stopped to catch her breath herself, laying atop her stunned opponent. But from there it would hardly be difficult for her to go to take advantage of the lull in the action, as she went to hook Maria's leg for the pin!

"One!"

[overlordofkings]

Maria found herself moaning and groaning, Yuki on top of her and the crowd cheering. The Italian could do little when Yuki rolled her over and hooked the aristocrat's leg for a pin. The referee rushed over to get into position and counted.

THUMP!

"One!" The crowd chanted.

Maria was still dazed, but knew what was going on. Much as she hated it, she had to wait. Just one more second...

THUMP!

"Two!"

Gathering all of her energy, Maria was going to find out if her conservation efforts were going to be worth as she'd use all her energy to try to kick out right before the referee 's hand hit the mat for the third time!