L.A.W. - League of Anime Wrestling

"Breathe in....breathe out. Breathe in...breathe out."

Aaliyah muttered, trying to calm her racing heart admist the storm of nervousness that swelled within her. So many peoole, so many eyes were about to be on her, watching her every move...and every mistake. Wringing her gloved hands, Aaliyah's gaze was practically glued to the floor as her traitorous mind thought of every single way she could make a fool of herself. Slipping off a rope, tripping on the steps, having a wardrobe malfunction and more rained down in her mind like a storm.

Aaliyah Izara

This was her first real match, her first steps as a wrestler. And who does she get as her first opponent? A full on professional! She just got the fundamentals down, what is she gonna do against that?! Letting out a deep sigh, the prodigy looked at the clock and saw that there was only 5 minutes left. Or in her mind, 5 minutes until she's getting butt kicked all around the ring.

But before she could simmer in her flood of doubt any longer, a knock on her door snatched her attention away as she called out,

"O-oh, don't worry Steve, I don't need anything! Thanks for checkin' though!" She said, but when she went to try and stew back own self-doubt, a familiar haughty scoff pulled her right back to see her big cousin standing in the doorway with a grin plastered on her regal face.

Reina Izara

"Of all the things I've been called, Steve is a first. Regardless, how're you doing Aali?"

"Shoot, uh-hey Rei! I'm doin' just fine you ain't have to visit me." She chuckled nervously.

"While that is true, I could hardly miss your debut." She stated, making her way in the locker room with a hand on her hip as she looked down on her cousin with a look that screamed, 'are you serious?' "But from the look on you you look like you've already decided you're going to lose." She said, making Aaliyah feel like she got stabbed through the chest with her words.

"I'm that obvious huh?" She muttered, "Sorry Rei I just keep worrying I'll mess up. Like what if make myself look like a fool out there? What if lose? What if-"

"Aali!" Reina called, cutting through Aaliyah's stream of words with a tired, amused look on her face.

"Rei?" She asked.

"Listen, the only thing that will matter from here on out is what you do in the ring. A "what if" in this way is pointless." Reina spat, "what truly matters now is what you do when the bell rings. Am I clear?"

"Yeah...yeah ya are. Thanks Rei." Aaliyah smiles, feeling as if a massive weight slipped from her shoulders as she stood up to meet Reina.

"Good, then in that case, I'd say it's about time you let the world know you've arrived, don't you?" She asked as three words sounded from the hall.

"Izara, you're up!" Said Steve the stagehand.

"Yeah, yeah I do!"

Moving to the side to let Aaliyah through, Reina made her way to her seat in the crowd as a lone guitar riff heralded Aaliyah's arrival. And with it, Aaliyah's donning of her persona.

Entrance music

"And now, making her in ring debut as a young lioness, standing a 5'5", and weighing in at 119 pounds, AALIYAH...IZARAAAA!" The announcer called, as out from the curtains strutted Aaliyah. Hand on her hips with a look of calm confidence, the lioness buried her real fear down and showed off the look of a prodigy. Comfident in her skills, assured of her victory, Aaliyah's gaze was locked on the ring as Aaliyah's looked to the crowd and saw Reina giving a proud nod from a front row seat.

As Aaliyah made her way to the center of the ring, ready as she'll ever be to face her opponent.

Lyssa skulked backstage as she waited for her singles match call up, buzzing with anticipation.

“Looking forward to this. I’ve been itching to get my hands on a new toy, and they’re giving me a rookie to play with!” Lyssa gloated to her tag team partner, Storm, who was sitting casually on a nearby bench.

“Rookie doesn’t mean walkover,” Storm cautioned. “They’re an unknown, with something to prove…”

“Yeah, prove how well they take a beating!” Lyssa cackled dismissively. “You really don’t need to hang around, Storm, especially if you’re gonna be such a buzzkill – thinking I will keep this one all to myself!”

Storm raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and slumped back against the bench. She was more than used to Lyssa’s bravado, the blue-haired girl’s capacity for sadism matched only by her capacity for recklessness. Still, Lyssa DID need to build more of a singles profile, so Storm was happy to sit this one out.

The stagehand called her name, and Lyssa felt a rush of excitement.

Appearing in the arena, she strode quickly and confidently onto the entrance ramp, as her guitar music blazed. She always cut a striking figure, as far as first appearances went – her sleek, electric-blue hair (and matching nails) saw to that. Her short black vest top and denim shorts left much of her pale, athletic figure on display. Black boots, wraps and choker gave her a slightly rougher look than you might expect from an impish middleweight, with her darkly lined eyes and wolfish smile hinting at her domineering streak, once you looked closely enough.

“Her opponent tonight… standing at 5’ 7’’ and weighing 135lbs, it’s ‘LIGHTNING’ LYSSA WATTS!!”

A mixed reaction met the blue-haired woman. She wasn’t a household name in LAW, and what reputation she had built, was based on being somewhat of a brattish bully. Lyssa didn’t care in the slightest. Briskly making her way to the ring, she held out her arms in knowingly arrogant self-adulation. She was here to put a rookie to the test, and she intended to do a thorough job of it.

Her eyes were fixed on Aaliyah. Pretty little thing, thought Lyssa, and confident into the bargain. The British wrestler skipped nimbly up onto the apron and through the ropes, light on her feet as she found her corner. Lyssa brushed past the ref girl and walked to the centre of the ring, holding out a hand for Aaliyah to shake. Concealed in her palm was a small joy buzzer, intended to prank the rookie with a low-voltage shock if she wasn’t wary enough...

Lyssa