Michiko Shimizu vs. Maria Castillo

[CaptainL]

Match Type: Standard Match
Rules: Victory by submission, pinfall, or knockout

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It was looking like another match was in store for Michiko, as she stood backstage preparing herself in front of the mirror. As she took a moment to ensure that her hair was fixed right in her ponytail, a grin crossed her face, and she struck a confident pose, holding a fist up in front of her. "I got this!"

Such an assurance, in fact, was rather necessary - as here she was going up against a veteran of the ring, someone with years of knowledge and experience behind her. Maria was definitely a big name, and while Michiko was hardly brand new to this, she still clearly wasn't the favorite to win this match. Nevertheless, she was determined to turn things around!

"Coming first to the ring, at 5'8 and weighing 150 lbs...MICHIKO SHIMIZU!"

Spoiler

It was this confidence that showed in Michiko as she stepped out onto the ramp, tossing her head back and forth and stretching out her fingers as she got ready to face her opponent. "Heeeeere we go!" she cheered, hyping up the crowd as they sent up a cheer of their own back. With that, she was ready to run down the ramp towards the ring, lunging in through the ropes and sliding to a stop before she popped back up to await the entrance of her opponent.

[SleeperAgent94]

The applause was cut short as all the lights went dark, bathing the arena in the thick, inky depths of darkness. The crowd gasped, murmuring among themselves as to what was going on. An ambush? A faulty wiring? What was happening here?

The single ray of light from above struck the center of the ring, as a figure entered from the shadows beyond. A elaborate Dia de los muertos mask, gray and blue in the harsh light, was the first to emerge, followed by a pair of wicked scythes. As the figure moved into the light, the speakers crackled, almost distorting the voice from above,
" And I looked, and behold a pale horse
And the name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him"

The woman lifted the blade of the scythe to her neck, slowly gesturing as she moved it across, barely missing the caramel skin. Then, with a swish of her cloak, the lights were up, presenting the legendary Luchadora La Parca, to which the crowd exploded into cheers! Years after her supposedly career ending injury, the masked spectre had returned to the ring!

[CaptainL]

The lights suddenly going out was disappointing to Michiko, who let out a sigh and looked down at her feet. All that enthusiasm she had rallied behind her, and then technical difficulties had to come along and ruin everything for her? On what was set to be the biggest match of her career thus far, even if she hadn't been told who exactly her opponent would be? It all just seemed unfair.

Then the light came on, drawing Michiko's attention upwards. It would soon begin to dawn on her that this was no mere accident, but an entrance. And what an entrance it was! The girl's eyes went wide when she saw the masked figure coming down the ramp, and then the scythe coming up at her side. And things started to click. She had to admit that she hadn't been one to actively follow La Parca's exploits, but it was still a name that anyone in the wrestling business would surely recognize - and that entrance was unmistakable. Michiko jolted to her feet, an audible cry of "WHAT!?" escaping her lips as she realized who she was dealing with. Then the fear started to set in when the excitement faded. How, then, was Michiko supposed to stand up against an opponent like this? She gulped, but quickly stepped forward, doing her best to collect herself as she made eye contact.

"I-It's...an honor to be here in the same ring with you, Miss...Parca!" Michiko stammered, doing her best not to lose track of herself. "I really do respect the dedication you put in your career, and...well...I never thought I'd be standing in front of you-! But I'll do my best to make sure I don't let you down!"

[SleeperAgent94]

With a dramatic flourish, Maria chucked her cloak out of the ring, where an attendent caught it effortlessly. THe crowd gave another rising applause upon the reveal of her ring gear. She was in some beautiful dark blue tights, with a matching tight top that hugged her figure quite well, showing how much shape she was in. It was nearly incredible. Aside from the light leg brace on her left leg, one could hardly tell the difference!

Despite Michiko's bubbling and stammering at her presence, Maria gave a slight incline of her head, opting to keep her speech to a minimum as she had done for quite some time, "Fight well Senorita."
She pounded her fists together, shaking the rust from her legs as the ref checked for weapons, before calling for the bell!!!

[CaptainL]

Even when she was standing before her in the ring, Michiko could hardly believe she was standing before such a legend in the wrestling world. She bit her lip, and her hands were squeezed tight into balled fists just to keep them from trembling. She hoped she would do her best, and that Maria would be proud of her. And she was even talking to her now-! No, wait, Michiko thought, she couldn't get too fangirly. There was a match to be had here!

"R-Right, right!" Michiko said, quickly dropping herself into a stance. "I will!"

With the sound of the bell signaling the match's opening, Michiko closed in towards her opponent, trying her best to put her star-struck state behind her. Right here, it didn't matter that Maria was a storied veteran in the ring. For the purposes of this match, she was just another opponent, and Michiko would need to treat her as such. As she got herself in range, Michiko thought to test the waters by sending a forearm towards Maria, which, if it hit, would be followed by a few more strikes to try and soften her up.

[SleeperAgent94]

Maria hopped from one foot to the other, carefully analyzing Michiko's approach. The poor girl was too overwhelmed with being in the ring next to a legend. With the bell rung, the younger wrestler had taken off at a charge, slamming a forearm into Maria's collarbone . The force of the blow sent her back, if only slightly, as more strikes rained down on her torso. A neccesary sacrifice. Putting her body at risk to gauge her opponent's strength...and weaknesses.

When the barrage slowed, Maria stumbled back into the ropes, before rebounding and spearing Michiko in the stomach! The Luchadora rolled with the momentum, tucking and rolling to her feet with a practiced ease.

[CaptainL]

Getting the forearm off into Maria's chest was encouraging to Michiko. She'd actually managed to get a hit in on her! Imagine that! The thought of actually being able to stand up against such a legendary foe was a rush to the girl, whose heart beat faster in her. But she couldn't let that slow her down, as she sent a barrage of punches and elbows at her opponent. She had to keep at it, and she knew that if she let up, Maria was sure to take advantage.

Alas, that was an inevitability. In Michiko's excitement, she failed to realize that all the attacking she was doing was only tiring her out, and soon she would have to fall back to catch her breath. But as she looked up, she saw that Maria was going into the ropes, so at least it wasn't all bad. At least she was doing something productive!

...Or so she thought. Because Maria came right back at her off the ropes, and Michiko barely had any time to straighten herself before she was taken to the ground with a spear! The crowd erupted in a cheer for Maria as she came to her feet; barely anyone would have suspected her to still be coming off a prior injury from the agility she displayed. Michiko was far less able to bounce back after that, only slowly pushing herself back to her knees as she gasped for breath.

[SleeperAgent94]

Despite the apparent ease of which Maria recovered from the attack, she was still far from her prime. Even now her leg twinged a bit should she land wrong. Of course she was still medically cleared to compete, as the LAW medics could never let her see a ring again if there was even the slightest possibility that she was not in tip top shape.

Better to just take things slow for now and test what she could do. The crowd could do with a show. After all, it isn't every day the Reaper returns to the ring. Practically gliding over, she grasped at Michiko's jaw, giving a firm tug to drag the rookie up to her feet. Locking her wrist, the luchadora patted her leg guard to hype up the crowd, before she systematically began slamming her leg into her opponent's abs over and over while the crowd counted along.

[CaptainL]

Even if Maria may have had to wrestle at a more relaxed pace, she was still at a different level from Michiko entirely, and the lilac-haired girl was having trouble keeping up. Still on her knees, she wasn't able to right herself in time, and soon she was dragged back up to her feet, right into the path of Maria's barrage of knee strikes!

With each blow that landed, Michiko doubled forward, coughing. It seemed as though she didn't even have more than a moment to recover before the next one came, and it wasn't long before her midsection was becoming quite sore indeed. But she couldn't give up now. She clenched her teeth, steeling herself to fight back, and tried to get in a blow of her own as she swung an elbow for the luchadora's head - with more planned to follow it up if it landed. She didn't care how much she hurt, as long as she could trade some offense of her own. She was going to really be hurting once this was over, but right now, she had other things on her mind.

[SleeperAgent94]

Maria respected her opponents, regardless of skill or age. She wouldn't hold back on anyone. That's the values that were taught to her by her father. Givee 100% and expect twofold back from your opponent. That was how she was raised on the family tradition of Lucha Libre.....

The veteran was shaken out of her thoughts when Michiko broke away from the barrage of knee strikes! The legend didn't have time to backpedal before a sudden elbow struck her square in the jaw. What the girl lacked in years she more than made up for in striking power. She staggered back, hand clutching at her caramel skinned chin with pain radiating in her eyes.