Post by Ryder on May 21, 2017 6:18:47 GMT
The sounds of electronic slot machines and the dull roar of people losing their livelihoods echoed in the background as Ryder made the rounds, serving drinks and keeping an eye on the place. ~Good grief this place must be making a fortune all the time with a customer base like this.~
To understand why a woman of Ryder's nature would be working a cocktail girl gig around a Casino's game floor requires we take a glimpse into the events of a few days prior.....
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“What did you say!?” A voice filled with surprise suddenly erupted from Ryder’s voice in response to the doorman at the Satan Elysium- number one Casino Resort of Satan City and the Eastern Lands as a whole.
“I said, Miss, that today we’re hosting a Royal Rumble in the arena, with over twenty participants fighting it out for the prize- without Ki at a level normal people can follow. Would you like to buy a ticket? Only one thousand zeni.”
“Tell me about this prize you mentioned, how much is it?”
“Nobody knows exactly how high the winner’s purse is going to be. It’s ten percent of the profit off ticket sales and let me tell you lady, these tickets have been selling like hotcakes. Wait… why are you asking? You look kind of fit lady, but if you try to go in there and you won’t last a minute. Worse, everyone else is already signed up, if you registered now you’d be first out into the ring.”
A playful smirk split the woman’s face at the doorman’s remarks. If she didn’t seize such an opportunity when it presented herself- given the sheer amount of funds she now knew she needed to improve her training equipment- then she wouldn’t be Ryder.
“I really appreciate the advice sugar, but I’m a big girl who can make my own decisions for myself. How do I sign up?”
“You uh… if you’re sure you want to risk it, there’s a booth set up in the main lobby to accept last minute entries. If I remember right the cutoff time is noon.”
“Noon! Why the fuck didn’t you tell me soon!” A quick glance at the clock revealed that Ryder was running short on time. The minute hand had already ticked past 11:50.
Ignoring the dumb shit at the front door, Ryder hastily rushed inside and cast her gaze about until she found the booth in question. Disappearing from the vision of ordinary people in a burst of speed which released a gust of wind throughout the lobby, the woman appeared in front of the booth.
“I’m here to sign up for the Royal Rumble. What do I need to know and what do I need to do to participate?”
The woman behind the booth blinked a few times, shock in her eyes at the way Ryder had simply appeared in front of her without any warning. “You uh… first you need to sign the sheet on the desk there with your stage name and legal name in the appropriate boxes. Signing them is also signing a liability release, the text is at the top of the sheet so make sure you read it before you sign”
Without complaint or hesitation, Ryder hefted the pen and set about dealing with the paperwork. A brief skim of the text to ensure she wasn’t agreeing to anything she didn’t want was all it took before the paper was signed. ‘Ryder’ in the stage name and ‘Samantha Aaron’ in the legal name.
“What next?”
“Next, you will need to head to the female locker room and find a uniform that suits your tastes. We have a seamstress stationed there who will adjust the outfit to a perfect fit…” with that the woman paused, running a curious eye over Ryder’s slender core and ample curves “... it looks like you’re going to need the use of her services.
“Anyway, once you’ve got your outfit prepared, you’re free to relax and enjoy the amenities here at your own expense. This event starts at six tonight, be back in the locker room by five for briefing and final preparations.”
Just as Ryder turned and began to walk away, a voice called out to her from behind. “Aren’t you forgetting something? I haven’t given you your entry number and map yet. Get your fat ass here if you want to participate.”
A curious glare shone in Ryder’s eyes as she made her way back to the booth, more amused than angry. It had been a long time since she had been insulted by a normal person like that. Looking over the woman behind the booth more closely than before, she could tell why. Skinny stick figure secretary type with a chip on her shoulder and probably nothing to lose.
“Thanks for the reminder, I appreciate it.” Rather than make waves and risk getting kicked out of the casino before she got to participate, Ryder chose to go with the flow and let the insults go as she politely took the papers in question. If there was one gift her year in secluded meditation had given her regarding human interaction, it was detachment. Fists and Blasts may break her bones, but words had lost their power.
Leaving the secretary behind in a stupor, Ryder referenced the map and made her way casually towards the locker room, careful not to get entangled with any men bolstered by too much liquid courage. A handful tried their hand at making passes, but a gentle refusal and a smooth sidestep was all it took for most… harsher words or blatant lies [such as claiming no interest in men] dealt with the remainder.
Before long Ryder found herself passing through the threshold into the women’s locker room. A small cluster of women could be seen chatting in one area near a door. In the middle of the room sat a large rack of clothing filled with various colorful and mostly skimpy outfits fit for all manner of female professional wrestlers. From Lucha to Traditional Mat Wrestlers to straight Brawlers, outfits for Baby Faces and Heels abounded.
Peeling out of the clothes in which she’d come, Ryder began to try on one potential fit after another. Each time she moved on the piece she had just tried was tossed into one of two piles, one for costumes far from fitting and one those her chest and rear fit nicely… that pile would need the core taken in but would need fewer adjustments than the others.
Persistence usually pays off and this time it certainly did. After trying more than two dozen outfits, Ryder finally found herself in one that really spoke to her. Silvery purple latex shimmered in the dim light as it clung to her curves. The abdomen region was mostly open, so the work required was far less than a more modest outfit. It even came with leggings to match, obviating the need for boots or shoes.
~This is the one. But man have I made a mess on the floor… I guess it doesn’t matter since I’m the final entry, they can pay someone to clean it up.~
Personal clothing in hand, Ryder made her way past the handful of other female contenders- mostly either big and beefy or thin and wiry. Ryder only saw one other ‘full figured’ contestant, a brunette who was of far softer and squishier make than herself, with plump thighs and no visible muscle at all. Even her personality seemed softer than the others, said softy was the only competitor to put on a friendly face and offer some advice.
“You shouldn’t go in yet. That seamstress lady is super strict and hates being disturbed while she’s working. Wait until she calls one of us in to get our modified uniform, then you can go in to have your measurements taken and drop yours off. Take it from me, I got here an hour ago and she almost bit my head off when I didn’t wait.”
A bit of a playful smirk played on Ryder’s lips at this woman’s comments. Her competitor was afraid of a clothes adjuster? Even so, she was reliant on this woman to make her uniform fit, so the hermit took the proffered advice and took a seat next to the squishy girl.
“My name’s Sadako. I work in a small local pro wrestling roster but I feel like my managing staff aren’t taking me seriously. So I’m hoping to make a name in this event and put some cash in my pocket. You?”
While she hadn’t sat with the intent to chat, Ryder wasn’t terribly worried about the competition lined up. Rather than reprimand Sadako, she opted to indulge the squishy ‘pro’ for the time being.
“Name’s Ryder. Former military looking for some quick cash and a chance to cut loose and crack some heads.”
“I see… that’s… nice I guess? Since you signed up after me, that means we’re going to be first out into the ring. Let’s make a great show of it!”
Ryder couldn’t help but to chuckle a bit. This squishy girl really did have wrestling burned into her bones. However now that she thought about it… the better the show the more profitable it would be… the greater chance of additional such easy money opportunities and the more money to be had.
“A great show indeed… since we’re going into the ring first and are going to be competing for the longest, why don’t we reduce our handicap a bit?”
“You mean…” a look of understanding dawned in Sadako’s eyes, followed by a cheerful smile. “You mean to cooperate, work as a team until we get down to the last few competitors?”
“You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“Hey, you’re the blonde one here muscle brains” no sooner did she return fire than Sadako giggled playfully, immediately disrupting the tension. “Trash talking aside, I am willing. You’re the thirtieth competitor, that’s a long time to be in the ring. If you’re as tough as you seem, we should be able to go far as a team.”
”Number twenty three” a harsh, grating and barely feminine voice suddenly appeared in the room.
Ryder rose to her feet in response, respectfully making her way through the doorway behind the woman whose number was called. Inside she found herself face to face with a world-worn woman of haggard appearance. Tired eyes set deep into a skull-like face, a sewing needle held in one of her bony hands while she handed an adjusted uniform to the other woman in the room, presumed contestant ‘number 23.’
Once twenty-three departed with her uniform, the seamstress beckoned Ryder over with a curl of her palm. “Come on then, let’s get you measured and get it over with I haven’t got all day.”Not one to waste time- Ryder did precisely as instructed- hastily making her way over to stand before the older woman.
“What on earth have you been eating to grow a body like this child?” Surprise echoed in the woman’s voice as she began to take the measurements. “36 inch overbust, 42 inch bust, 29 inch underbust, 26 inch waist, 46 inch hips and 21 inch thighs…” she mused, almost as though she were looking at something of a joke. Under her breath the woman muttered ‘must’ve had some kind of surgery, there’s no way this shape is natural.’
Ryder’s eye twitched at the comments, being called ‘child’ she would tolerate from her elder, being pushed to rush was understandable from a professional, but this criticism annoyed the hell out of her. Slowly she took deep breaths, washing away the agitation. ~Think of it as tempering your temperament Ryder, let go of your attachments to this mortal coil.~
“Alright girly, we’re done here. Tell me your competitor number, leave your uniform in the next available space on the table and get out. I’ll call your number when it’s finished.” Whilst the woman began to work on the only remaining uniform on the table Ryder swiftly stripped, changing back into her evening gown before depositing the uniform and departing the sewing room.
“See what I mean Ryder? She’s terrifying isn’t she?” As Ryder returned, she realized Sadako was the only one remaining.
“Terrifying no, testing? Yeah that b… lady can really get on a girl’s nerves. So tell me Sadako, since you’re a pro why don’t you have a uniform of your own?”
The brunette put on a playful childish face and lightly knuckled herself in the forehead. “I didn’t realize this thing was happening until I got here on my vacation, that’s why I was a late entry today and didn’t get into the random start time drawing. There’s no way I could drive all the way back to East Capitol, get my uniform and come back in time.”
“Looks like we’re both going into this contest without any preparation, we’re a good fit to work together. So what’s the plan, do we openly start working together?
“Non non Ryder, there’s no good reason to show our hand like that. Neither of us look the part of a serious fighter…. Though you’re closer to that ideal than I am. We start off fighting each other really weak like a couple of amateurs who tried for the fun of it and were lucky enough to be matched together at the start.
“With the advantage of that weak front, we’ll switch to working together after the competition shows up, hiding our true strength behind teamwork. When the need arises for us to give it everything we’ve got, we’ll have the power of surprise on our side.”
Ryder couldn’t help but to give the squishy brunette an approving nod. This chick might look like she was made of marshmallows, but her strategy was incredibly sound. It was more like the strategy she would expect going into a life and death battle than one planned for an athletic competition.
“Sounds like a plan, Sadako. Oh, right, since we’re both here right now, what are the elimination rules for this contest? I watched a little wrestling in my youth but I don’t remember this type of event.”
“Pretty simple really, in a Royal Rumble you’re eliminated by being thrown off the top rope and having your feet hit the floor. There’s some variation between whether a single touch on the floor is an elimination or both feet are required. Some Royal Rumbles may permit victory by pinfall or submission as well, but during the heat of the match that’s usually incredibly difficult because of the chaos that comes with having a multiple fighter free for all in the ring.”
“Thanks. If you don’t have anything else important to discuss, I’m going to meditate on the upcoming match while I wait for my suit.” Closing her eyes, Ryder relaxed in body and mind, opening her senses as she pondered the scenario.
The greatest threat to her that she could think of wasn’t some random competitor, it was the possibility that beneath Sadako’s friendly face lay a treacherous rat. A treacherous rat with as much tactical acumen as she had already displayed and far more physical power than she let on.
~I will have to hide as much of my strength as I can start to finish. The less dangerous I appear the less likely she is to backstab me in the middle of the match. Even so, I’ll have to commit a certain amount of focus to her lest she blindside me when I least expect it.~
Time ticked away until more than thirty minutes had passed when that same grating voice called out once more “Number twenty nine.”
“Well that’s my queue, I’ll be seeing you, Ryder. Here’s to a splendid partnership until the end, may the best woman win.” Just like that, Sadako went to retrieve her uniform and departed into the casino to kill time until Game Time.
In complete silence Ryder sat and waited in meditation, pondering Sadako’s earlier comments about making the show amazing. ~If I’m going to ‘make the show amazing’ then I’m going to need some ‘special moves.’ Flashy stuff that will get the crowd going. Well, it’s not like there would be an opportunity to register the names of moves so no point in putting too much thought into them advance. It’s more a mentality I should adopt, to pump up the crowd like the best of gladiators, rather than go for the quick and easy victory.~
To her chagrin, time continued to tick on for far longer than it had for Sadako’s. Ryder sat alone in the locker room for a full hour until at last the seamstress called her number. “Number Thirty”
As Ryder made her way in she could see something… different… about the seamstress. She seemed less business and more… fulfilled? “Child it’s been a long time since I’ve had such a challenging project. Go ahead and try it on, see how it fits.”
Not one to wait on ceremony Ryder slipped out of her evening gown and squeezed into the silvery purple latex suit, only to find a far better fit than she’d encountered in over a decade. Better even than her own handiwork with needle and thread. The latex clung to her figure perfectly without the slightest wrinkle or gap, optimally suited both to showcase her shape and permit as much flexibility and freedom of movement as possible.
“This is amazing, I can’t even remember the last time something fit me so well.”
Behind her work table the seamstress merely smiled with self-satisfaction at her handiwork. Even the most mundane of professions require some form of challenge now and then to motivate and inspire their practitioners. The same is true of tailors as is of fighters.
“Go on and get out of here child. You’ve still got a few hours you can enjoy this place before you have to get in the ring with those savages. You should make the most of the time you have, even if you don’t wind up in the hospital you probably won’t want to get out of bed for days by the time they’ve had their way with you.”
Holding her opinion to herself Ryder simply nodded in gratitude. Slipping back out of the outfit the woman once more donned her evening gown and carried her uniform out into the locker room. Before long she’d secured a locker and secured her uniform inside.
“Now that I’ve got that taken care of… what should I do during these hours I have left….?”
…though the temptation to gamble or game was strong, Ryder chose instead to make her way into the arena itself, briefly stepping into the ring. With a keen eye she observed all the details, the spring in the ring mat, the tension and flex in the ropes, the height of the ropes and size of the gaps, all of it.
She casually began to bound around the ring, experimenting with the feel of the mat beneath her feet, the spring of the ropes when she bounced against them or leaped off of them, and so on for a good five minutes.
With a better grasp of the environment in which she would be competing, the woman made her way back into the locker room. Rather than waste time playing she would instead calm her mind and prepare for the battle that lay ahead. How easy would it be to lose oneself in the indulgences of a casino, only to enter the Rumble with a scattered mind.
Deep in meditation, Ryder was eventually roused by the sounds of people entering the locker room. Out of thirty competitors, eight were women. Opening her eyes to gaze around once more, she saw a few faces she hadn’t seen earlier. She caught sight of Sadako as well but did not linger. No sense in tipping their hand this early in the game.
Suddenly the opposite door opened and a fierce looking official stormed into the locker room. “Good, you’re all here. Looks like I won’t have to disqualify anyone. Listen up ladies! Fight night starts in one hour. I’m here to remind you that it’s not all about winning, there will be prizes and opportunities available for putting on a great show as well. Once you step out of this ring you’re more than competitors, you’re entertainers!
“On that note, Contestant number thirty, Ryder!”
“Yes Ma’am!” Ryder responded instinctively, rising to her feet and standing stiff at attention, though without the salute.
“Didn’t that dumb bitch at the signup counter tell you anything? You were supposed to select music to be played when you walk out.”
“No ma’am! That dumb bitch at the signup counter told me as little as she could get away with.”
“I see. Here, take this” the admin woman offered a touch screen gadget similar to a smart phone or mp3 player. “It shows the list of songs being used in which order, as well as a massive list of songs we are willing to pay the royalty fee for. Make your choice now girlie we ain’t got all day.”
Taking the proffered device, Ryder first reviewed which songs were already being used before swiftly scanning the available list. It truly was a massive list of songs well over 1,000 years old - songs which ought to be public domain by now- but she narrowed in on a single band from antiquity. The band in use by the very last participant set to enter the ring.
“I’ll take Thunderstruck by AC/DC” she responded, making the selection, setting the start point and assigning a few sound effects before handing it back to the admin.
“Now that Blondie’s got her groove, I can take care of business. Put on a good show out there, give the audience passion. I don’t give a damn if they love you or hate you, but if they forget you then you can forget about any rewards or participating in this again.
“The rules are fairly simple and straightforward. If any part of your leg or foot touches the ground after being thrown over the top rope, you’re out. If you were thrown over the top rope but get all the way back into the ring without touching a leg to the ground, you’re safe. You can also win by three count pinfall or submission. Don’t make it easy on each-other though, a Royal Rumble pinfall should be one of those freaky crazy events that almost never happens. Something the audience will remember for years to come.
“Similar goes for submissions but you have a little more room there. If it truly becomes too painful or dangerous to go on, go ahead and submit. We will be reviewing the tapes though, if we feel you pussed out when you could have continued, you will not be welcome again. Do I make myself clear? Also! Low blows, bites and weapons are against the rules, but if the referee doesn’t see it then it doesn’t matter. Whether you make it look desperate or devious is up to you.”
“Yes Ma’am!” Ryder and one other woman responded, while the rest of the competitors simply nodded their heads.
“You’ll be going out ninety seconds apart. Use that time wisely, you’ve got people already in the ring and another coming behind you in another minute and a half. Ryder you’re the exception. You have sixty seconds to make your entrance before we send in the next competitor. When your music starts, you leave through the door I’m using and make your way to the ring.
“If you’re wondering why there is no screen in here, it’s because what goes on in the ring before you leave is none of your damned business. We find things are more interesting if you go in blind to the goings on during your wait.
“Now that you’ve all been given the ground rules I will leave you to your planning. Please feel free to discuss possible moves or plots with one another. I know this is a competition, but try to work together to make this a great show for our guests.”
Without further ado, the admin woman made her way back out the door from whence she came, heels clicking with each step. No sooner did the door slam closed than the room fill with the sound of bitches bullshitting each-other. Trash talking abounded, either against one another or against that ‘dumb bitch’ who expected competitors to work together.
Rather than join the hubub, Ryder simply sat there silently, eyes closed and mind focused towards the task at hand. Seconds slipped into minutes which slipped away until at last the sound of a wicked guitar riff could be heard erupting throughout the arena and into the locker rooms.
“Ah- ah -aaah- ah” Boom a sound of thunder erupted through the speakers, to the tune of Ryder bursting out of the locker room. Surrounded by crackling holographic lightning that shimmered during the singing, Ryder sauntered confidently down the aisle to the ring. With a smooth motion she bounded inside in three leaps, the first onto the mat, the second onto the top of the second rope and the third cleanly into the ring. Her timing was perfect, slamming feet first into the mat in as the first verse ended with ‘You’ve been… Thunder struck!”
Given her slow and methodical entry, there was no time to woo the crowd further as a new song took the stage away from Ryder’s. A country song with a voice that was all too familiar… it sounded just like the wrestler it represented... this was no random song pulled from the archives. It was a cover Sadako had performed herself and apparently carried with her on her mobile.
From her place in the ring Ryder casually leaned against a corner opposite the stairs, watching on as Sadako jiggled her way towards the stage, her stride both confident yet playful and sexy. She slowly walked up the stairs, waving to the crowd as an idol to her audience.
No sooner did Sadako lean down and step foot over the second ring than Ryder exploded with modest mundane speed, pushing off her corner before running and then leaping towards her newly arrived adversary. She ‘flew’ feet first into the woman’s chest, knocking her back out of the ring.
“Aaaand there we have it. Contestant’s Ryder and Sadi have made first contact and what a brutal one! Ryder didn’t even allow Sadi to enter the ring before sending her flying off and crashing into the mats below!”
An eager smirk could be seen on Sadako’s face as she rose to her feet, looking up at Ryder who gazed down from above like a Queen on a pedestal. Ryder raised an arm and beckoned Sadi up with a curl of her hand.
‘Sadi’ didn’t waste much time, picking a spot of the ring away from Ryder and sliding straight into the ring in a smooth motion… only for a bare foot to ‘gently’ slam into her ribs, more pushing than kicking as it sent her rolling sideways until her back bounced off the bottom rope of a different side.
Ryder didn’t delay, intent on making the most of this warm up and play up the crowd. She followed the rolling Sadi and planted her foot on the girl’s upper chest/throat.
Sadi seemed to struggle for a moment before she reached up and grasped hold of Ryder’s ankle… suddenly bouncing her thick legs against the ropes to borrow force and roll with Ryder firmly in hand.
Ryder went down like a fallen tree, catching herself on her hands and violently twisting herself around. Her free foot flew towards Sadi’s head, only for the woman to shift her head out of the way. In only a moment the tides were turned and Ryder had ‘become’ putty in Sadi’s hands, her ankle twisted into a lock with just enough pressure to inflict a little legitimate pain. Pain that Ryder played off like a pro, screaming and groaning in false agony.
“Just like that the tides have shifted! Contestant Ryder’s fallen into Sadi’s submission! Can she break out, or will she crumble? Here in the early stages is the best chance for a submission elimination!”
‘Desperately’ Ryder struggled to grab hold of the bottom rope, ‘forcing’ Sadi to release the submission.
“What is this!? Sadi just released her submission in a no holds barred match! What sportsmanship folks!”
Sadako snapped her eyes to the announcer acting shocked, as though she hadn’t realized that the ropes weren’t a ‘get out of submission free card.’ Of course she knew, the submission and pinfall protection in this match was the rest of the competition, not the ropes.
Just as Ryder made her way back to her feet another song lit up the arena. I am a real Satanican, released during the generation immediately following the tenure of our lord and savior Mark Satan, when nationalism ran rampant. A hulking warrior garbed in white with a head full of golden hair and mustache stormed down the aisle.
Ryder and Sadi continued to tussle casually as they kept their eyes on the big man, watching and waiting for their moment to strike. Before stepping foot into the ring the newcomer tore his shirt in half and cast it aside, leaving himself wearing only white shorts and green bands.
“Here comes the Golden Hulk! How will these dazzling young ladies deal with the arrival of such a mountain of man?”
As the Golden Hulk made his way into the ring, Ryder allowed herself to be thrown against the ropes in a classic ‘clothesline’ setup… only to leap on top of Sadi’s shoulders and then leap towards the Golden Hulk from above.
She landed crotch-first against his face, her 170 pounds slamming into the high point of the man’s body at high speed. The same instant she made contact Ryder wrapped her legs tightly around his neck, riding his backwards fall into the ropes and timing her next move with the rebound of the ropes themselves.
In that second when he bounced off the ropes Ryder snapped her body backwards and to the side in a modified Huricanrana that launched him to the floor. Sadi was waiting off to the side, ready to rip. No sooner did the Golden Hulk fall than she bounded four feet into the air, timing her fall perfectly to slam hard into his face with her ass cheek.
Ryder was quick to follow up even as the Golden Hulk shoved the fat ass off his face and forced his way up onto his knees… just in time to catch a latex legging wrapped foot to the jaw that snapped him up into an upright kneeling position.
”This is incredible! The instant the Golden Hulk showed up Ryder and Sadi set aside their differences to double team him with incredible proficiency! If I didn’t know better I would say they trained for this together! What teamwork!”
The Golden Hulk borrowed the upward force to stagger up onto one knee… and then the other. “Hulkamania’s gonna put you broads in your place, back in the kitchen!”
The two women looked at each other and smirked, each stepping to throw casual punches at the Hulk, only for him to catch them and send them careening into the opposite ropes. As they rebounded he rushed towards them for a double lariat… which they ducked under. Bouncing off the ropes on the other side they doubled back, Shooting his knees at the last second.
Two shoulders slammed into those hulking knees causing them to buckle before the ladies swept him off his feet into a shared Over the Shoulder Carry and hauled his ass to the ropes before tossing him up and over them…
… only for the Hulk to grab hold of the top rope and save himself at the last second, landing feet first on the outer mat.
No sooner did he land, however, than Ryder’s foot slipped through between the middle and bottom rope, slamming hard into the same knee she had kicked earlier. At the same time, Sadi drove a palm strike into the ogre’s chin, sending him careening backwards.
He barely managed to hold on with one hand, leaning backwards as fresh music .erupted from the speakers once more burst forth with a Competitor’s Music.
A masked Luchadore of modest height and build glided into view of the audience, his small frame heavily tanned and packed with muscle.
The man didn’t waste time pandering to the audience or playing with his music. Instead he hastened to the ring just in time to spider-climb up the ropes from the outside and lock the Golden Hulk’s head in his arm. Just like that the newcomer- who had yet to step into the ring- Bulldogged the off-balance Golden Hulk into the floor below the ring.
”What is this? Mysterious Mask has eliminated the Golden Hulk! Our first elimination came from a competitor who hadn’t even set foot in the ring! What a match!”
Mask made no apologies for the opportunistic strike, swiftly rolling clear of the Golden Hulk’s reach before running around the ring. He’d seen the girl’s working together to deal with the Hulk, the last thing he wanted was to get himself hammered on his way inside.
Once he got his opening the man leaped inside in one fell swoop, immediately targeting the closer of the women… Ryder. Leaping backwards to plant the soles of his feet into the top rope, the man bounced forward explosively with arms extended to grab hold of her.
Ryder put up only a token resistance, raising her arms in an ‘attempt’ to block, only for him to grab hold of her and bodyslam her back onto the mat.
”One, t-” the announcer began to count until a pair of thick thighs wrapped around Mask’s neck, flipping him off of Ryder and sending him squirming for an escape. Not one to waste an opportunity, Ryder grabbed hold of Mask’s ankle for a classic Ankle Lock even while Sadi continued to choke him out.
Losing his consciousness on one end and prevented from doing much of anything to prevent it with an additional helping of pain from the other, Mask continued to struggle and squirm to the best of his ability.
”Mysterious Mask is fading fast. His arm’s twitching, can he somehow muster the will to keep fighting!?” suddenly the sound of his arm twitched with the instinct to tap out until he found hope in the sound of a new entrance song erupting from the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen welcome R! V! D! The question that remains, can Mysterious Mask hold on until he arrives and how will RVD’s arrival alter the course of this match!?”
The new arrival garbed in white pants and a black tanktop rushed towards the ring, leaping onto the barricade that separated the audience from the action before leaping clean over the ropes feet first.
*BOOM!* the impact shook the ring as RVD slammed feet first into the ribs of Mysterious Mask, sending all three opponents sprawling. He didn’t waste any time, backflipping onto the top ropes in the corner before leaping high into the air, rotating mid-leap to come down on top of the trio with another ring shaking crash. He landed elbows into Ryder, knees into Mask and toes into Sadi.
“It’s a Five Star Frog Splash! Nobody, and I mean nobody gets higher than RVD! Remember kids, don’t do drugs and don’t try any of what you’re seeing here at home.”
Bouncing back up after the impact, RVD ran towards the ropes on the side of the ring, leaping up towards them and planting his feet against the top rope, only to bound backwards in a powerful, high flying Springboard Moonsault that got a good ten feet of lift over the ring surface.
Just as he was about to land on the three of them, Ryder rolled onto her side, planting an elbow onto the sternum of Mysterious Mask with a fist aimed right into RVD’s abdomen.
“Holy mother of god look at that move by Ryder! At the last second she used her body to turn RVD’s moonsault against him and concentrate its power between two of her enemies! Can… can either of these men even get up after that?”
Blood spewed from Mysterious Mask’s mouth with his violent coughs as he rolled over, struggling to regain his footing. RVD wasn’t faring much better, hunched over his lower abdomen in agony. A few inches lower and he just might have lost any possibility of becoming a father in the future.
Selling the impact like a pro, Ryder struggled to her feet with the use of her other arm acting staggered and injured. Rather than allow the opportunity to go to waste, she went back to work on Mysterious Mask, stomping casually on his chest and forehead.
Sadi was better off, rolling gracefully to her feet and going to work on RVD. One firm kick to the gut near his injury sent him rolling back to the mat, followed by a few kicks and then a leg drop. When she rose she lifted him up with her, sending punches and knees into his wounded guts.
Just when it looked like the ladies were about to have their way with these men, RVD suddenly seemed to snap back to reality. Grasping hold of Sadi’s thigh with one hand [and her butt with the other] as she kneed his gut, RVD drove her forwards and slammed her spine into the corner turnbuckles.
Stepping up onto the bottom rope and pinning her into place with his knees against her chest, the man began to pound her face with his fists.
Meanwhile Ryder found Mysterious Mask seemed to have lost all the fight in him. Raising him back to his feet, Ryder grasped hold of his wrist and launched him running into the corner where RVD was pounding Sadi’s face.
To Ryder’s surprise, Mask managed to salvage the situation, backflipping to land backwards against RVD’s body with his legs, pulling himself upwards and then leaping over to stand on the top ropes of the turn buckle.
This position was incredibly dangerous in such an elimination match. Were RVD to decide to turn on Mask he could easily eliminate him here and now. But for the time being the two had common enemies in the form of a pair of women working together. Thus Mask simply springboarded back off the ropes as he made contact, twisting as he flipped in mid-air intending to land facing Ryder once more… only to find himself caught sideways at breast height… and then slammed violently down onto the woman’s knee.
“What is this!? Ryder’s not just a pretty face. She’s not only predicted Mask’s movements but caught him after he’d fallen for a good ten feet and delivered a brilliant backbreaker! What’s this!? Ryder’s grasped Mask by the legs and is lifting them up!? Could she be setting up for a submission hold!?”
No, Ryder hadn’t grabbed the legs of Mysterious Mask for a submission hold. Rather- between the injuries to his sternum and now his spine she figured it was time to get rid of him before the next competitor could clutter the ring up into even more of a clusterfuck.
With his legs locked in her arms Ryder fell backwards fast and hard, Ryder launched Mysterious Mask flying towards the side of the ring. There was so much force from the catapult that- given their placement- Mask was on course to fly over the top rope and out of the ring.
Not one to go out without a fight- however- Mask reached downwards and just barely managed to clasp hold of the top rope, flipping his body vertically until his lower legs- bent at the knee- slipped onto the mat and under the ropes. Though he wasn’t yet eliminated… he was not safe yet. Not by a long shot.
Ryder hadn’t simply laid on her back and watched and waited for Mask to fly away. No sooner had she released him than she flipped back up onto her feet just in time to leap into the air as Mask flipped over the ropes….
*SMACK!* Ryder’s latex-clad feet slammed into the back of Mysterious Mask’s head with a violent drop kick delivered between the top and middle ropes. Caught off-guard by the sudden impact Mask lost his grip on the top rope and fell forward.
“I don’t believe it! Not only did she manage to catapult a grown man at least her own weight if not heavier clear above the ropes, Ryder was even able to capitalize on his desperate efforts and turned back to clinch it and eliminate Mysterious Mask! Wait a minute… what is this!? Mysteroius Mask has not been eliminated!!! He’s still in this!”
With his knees bent beneath the ropes, Mysterious Mask had managed to save himself by locking them in that bent position, hooking the bottom of the rope with his ankles. Desperately he shoved off the side of the ring in an attempt to force himself back upright.
Ryder watched on in shock from where she had landed after the dropkick, a slight hesitation in amazement at the man’s determination and ingenuity. That hesitation lasted for only an instant, but an instant was all it took for Mysterious Mask to get back up and grasp the ropes once more.
“Oh no you don’t!” She hollered as she rolled to her feet once more, diving backwards violently to slam her backside against him… only to strike empty space. No sooner had Mask returned to an upright position than he used his grip on the ropes to slide under his assailant, safely back into the ring.
As Ryder rebounded off the ropes he latched hold of one of her ankles, knocking the woman off her feet. Struggling back to his own feet, the man watched on and waited as Ryder arose, his eyes flickering with intensity.
“Safe! Mysterious Mask has safely returned to the ring! But how far can he really go with those injuries!?”
To understand why a woman of Ryder's nature would be working a cocktail girl gig around a Casino's game floor requires we take a glimpse into the events of a few days prior.....
****************
“What did you say!?” A voice filled with surprise suddenly erupted from Ryder’s voice in response to the doorman at the Satan Elysium- number one Casino Resort of Satan City and the Eastern Lands as a whole.
“I said, Miss, that today we’re hosting a Royal Rumble in the arena, with over twenty participants fighting it out for the prize- without Ki at a level normal people can follow. Would you like to buy a ticket? Only one thousand zeni.”
“Tell me about this prize you mentioned, how much is it?”
“Nobody knows exactly how high the winner’s purse is going to be. It’s ten percent of the profit off ticket sales and let me tell you lady, these tickets have been selling like hotcakes. Wait… why are you asking? You look kind of fit lady, but if you try to go in there and you won’t last a minute. Worse, everyone else is already signed up, if you registered now you’d be first out into the ring.”
A playful smirk split the woman’s face at the doorman’s remarks. If she didn’t seize such an opportunity when it presented herself- given the sheer amount of funds she now knew she needed to improve her training equipment- then she wouldn’t be Ryder.
“I really appreciate the advice sugar, but I’m a big girl who can make my own decisions for myself. How do I sign up?”
“You uh… if you’re sure you want to risk it, there’s a booth set up in the main lobby to accept last minute entries. If I remember right the cutoff time is noon.”
“Noon! Why the fuck didn’t you tell me soon!” A quick glance at the clock revealed that Ryder was running short on time. The minute hand had already ticked past 11:50.
Ignoring the dumb shit at the front door, Ryder hastily rushed inside and cast her gaze about until she found the booth in question. Disappearing from the vision of ordinary people in a burst of speed which released a gust of wind throughout the lobby, the woman appeared in front of the booth.
“I’m here to sign up for the Royal Rumble. What do I need to know and what do I need to do to participate?”
The woman behind the booth blinked a few times, shock in her eyes at the way Ryder had simply appeared in front of her without any warning. “You uh… first you need to sign the sheet on the desk there with your stage name and legal name in the appropriate boxes. Signing them is also signing a liability release, the text is at the top of the sheet so make sure you read it before you sign”
Without complaint or hesitation, Ryder hefted the pen and set about dealing with the paperwork. A brief skim of the text to ensure she wasn’t agreeing to anything she didn’t want was all it took before the paper was signed. ‘Ryder’ in the stage name and ‘Samantha Aaron’ in the legal name.
“What next?”
“Next, you will need to head to the female locker room and find a uniform that suits your tastes. We have a seamstress stationed there who will adjust the outfit to a perfect fit…” with that the woman paused, running a curious eye over Ryder’s slender core and ample curves “... it looks like you’re going to need the use of her services.
“Anyway, once you’ve got your outfit prepared, you’re free to relax and enjoy the amenities here at your own expense. This event starts at six tonight, be back in the locker room by five for briefing and final preparations.”
Just as Ryder turned and began to walk away, a voice called out to her from behind. “Aren’t you forgetting something? I haven’t given you your entry number and map yet. Get your fat ass here if you want to participate.”
A curious glare shone in Ryder’s eyes as she made her way back to the booth, more amused than angry. It had been a long time since she had been insulted by a normal person like that. Looking over the woman behind the booth more closely than before, she could tell why. Skinny stick figure secretary type with a chip on her shoulder and probably nothing to lose.
“Thanks for the reminder, I appreciate it.” Rather than make waves and risk getting kicked out of the casino before she got to participate, Ryder chose to go with the flow and let the insults go as she politely took the papers in question. If there was one gift her year in secluded meditation had given her regarding human interaction, it was detachment. Fists and Blasts may break her bones, but words had lost their power.
Leaving the secretary behind in a stupor, Ryder referenced the map and made her way casually towards the locker room, careful not to get entangled with any men bolstered by too much liquid courage. A handful tried their hand at making passes, but a gentle refusal and a smooth sidestep was all it took for most… harsher words or blatant lies [such as claiming no interest in men] dealt with the remainder.
Before long Ryder found herself passing through the threshold into the women’s locker room. A small cluster of women could be seen chatting in one area near a door. In the middle of the room sat a large rack of clothing filled with various colorful and mostly skimpy outfits fit for all manner of female professional wrestlers. From Lucha to Traditional Mat Wrestlers to straight Brawlers, outfits for Baby Faces and Heels abounded.
Peeling out of the clothes in which she’d come, Ryder began to try on one potential fit after another. Each time she moved on the piece she had just tried was tossed into one of two piles, one for costumes far from fitting and one those her chest and rear fit nicely… that pile would need the core taken in but would need fewer adjustments than the others.
Persistence usually pays off and this time it certainly did. After trying more than two dozen outfits, Ryder finally found herself in one that really spoke to her. Silvery purple latex shimmered in the dim light as it clung to her curves. The abdomen region was mostly open, so the work required was far less than a more modest outfit. It even came with leggings to match, obviating the need for boots or shoes.
~This is the one. But man have I made a mess on the floor… I guess it doesn’t matter since I’m the final entry, they can pay someone to clean it up.~
Personal clothing in hand, Ryder made her way past the handful of other female contenders- mostly either big and beefy or thin and wiry. Ryder only saw one other ‘full figured’ contestant, a brunette who was of far softer and squishier make than herself, with plump thighs and no visible muscle at all. Even her personality seemed softer than the others, said softy was the only competitor to put on a friendly face and offer some advice.
“You shouldn’t go in yet. That seamstress lady is super strict and hates being disturbed while she’s working. Wait until she calls one of us in to get our modified uniform, then you can go in to have your measurements taken and drop yours off. Take it from me, I got here an hour ago and she almost bit my head off when I didn’t wait.”
A bit of a playful smirk played on Ryder’s lips at this woman’s comments. Her competitor was afraid of a clothes adjuster? Even so, she was reliant on this woman to make her uniform fit, so the hermit took the proffered advice and took a seat next to the squishy girl.
“My name’s Sadako. I work in a small local pro wrestling roster but I feel like my managing staff aren’t taking me seriously. So I’m hoping to make a name in this event and put some cash in my pocket. You?”
While she hadn’t sat with the intent to chat, Ryder wasn’t terribly worried about the competition lined up. Rather than reprimand Sadako, she opted to indulge the squishy ‘pro’ for the time being.
“Name’s Ryder. Former military looking for some quick cash and a chance to cut loose and crack some heads.”
“I see… that’s… nice I guess? Since you signed up after me, that means we’re going to be first out into the ring. Let’s make a great show of it!”
Ryder couldn’t help but to chuckle a bit. This squishy girl really did have wrestling burned into her bones. However now that she thought about it… the better the show the more profitable it would be… the greater chance of additional such easy money opportunities and the more money to be had.
“A great show indeed… since we’re going into the ring first and are going to be competing for the longest, why don’t we reduce our handicap a bit?”
“You mean…” a look of understanding dawned in Sadako’s eyes, followed by a cheerful smile. “You mean to cooperate, work as a team until we get down to the last few competitors?”
“You’re not as dumb as you look.”
“Hey, you’re the blonde one here muscle brains” no sooner did she return fire than Sadako giggled playfully, immediately disrupting the tension. “Trash talking aside, I am willing. You’re the thirtieth competitor, that’s a long time to be in the ring. If you’re as tough as you seem, we should be able to go far as a team.”
”Number twenty three” a harsh, grating and barely feminine voice suddenly appeared in the room.
Ryder rose to her feet in response, respectfully making her way through the doorway behind the woman whose number was called. Inside she found herself face to face with a world-worn woman of haggard appearance. Tired eyes set deep into a skull-like face, a sewing needle held in one of her bony hands while she handed an adjusted uniform to the other woman in the room, presumed contestant ‘number 23.’
Once twenty-three departed with her uniform, the seamstress beckoned Ryder over with a curl of her palm. “Come on then, let’s get you measured and get it over with I haven’t got all day.”Not one to waste time- Ryder did precisely as instructed- hastily making her way over to stand before the older woman.
“What on earth have you been eating to grow a body like this child?” Surprise echoed in the woman’s voice as she began to take the measurements. “36 inch overbust, 42 inch bust, 29 inch underbust, 26 inch waist, 46 inch hips and 21 inch thighs…” she mused, almost as though she were looking at something of a joke. Under her breath the woman muttered ‘must’ve had some kind of surgery, there’s no way this shape is natural.’
Ryder’s eye twitched at the comments, being called ‘child’ she would tolerate from her elder, being pushed to rush was understandable from a professional, but this criticism annoyed the hell out of her. Slowly she took deep breaths, washing away the agitation. ~Think of it as tempering your temperament Ryder, let go of your attachments to this mortal coil.~
“Alright girly, we’re done here. Tell me your competitor number, leave your uniform in the next available space on the table and get out. I’ll call your number when it’s finished.” Whilst the woman began to work on the only remaining uniform on the table Ryder swiftly stripped, changing back into her evening gown before depositing the uniform and departing the sewing room.
“See what I mean Ryder? She’s terrifying isn’t she?” As Ryder returned, she realized Sadako was the only one remaining.
“Terrifying no, testing? Yeah that b… lady can really get on a girl’s nerves. So tell me Sadako, since you’re a pro why don’t you have a uniform of your own?”
The brunette put on a playful childish face and lightly knuckled herself in the forehead. “I didn’t realize this thing was happening until I got here on my vacation, that’s why I was a late entry today and didn’t get into the random start time drawing. There’s no way I could drive all the way back to East Capitol, get my uniform and come back in time.”
“Looks like we’re both going into this contest without any preparation, we’re a good fit to work together. So what’s the plan, do we openly start working together?
“Non non Ryder, there’s no good reason to show our hand like that. Neither of us look the part of a serious fighter…. Though you’re closer to that ideal than I am. We start off fighting each other really weak like a couple of amateurs who tried for the fun of it and were lucky enough to be matched together at the start.
“With the advantage of that weak front, we’ll switch to working together after the competition shows up, hiding our true strength behind teamwork. When the need arises for us to give it everything we’ve got, we’ll have the power of surprise on our side.”
Ryder couldn’t help but to give the squishy brunette an approving nod. This chick might look like she was made of marshmallows, but her strategy was incredibly sound. It was more like the strategy she would expect going into a life and death battle than one planned for an athletic competition.
“Sounds like a plan, Sadako. Oh, right, since we’re both here right now, what are the elimination rules for this contest? I watched a little wrestling in my youth but I don’t remember this type of event.”
“Pretty simple really, in a Royal Rumble you’re eliminated by being thrown off the top rope and having your feet hit the floor. There’s some variation between whether a single touch on the floor is an elimination or both feet are required. Some Royal Rumbles may permit victory by pinfall or submission as well, but during the heat of the match that’s usually incredibly difficult because of the chaos that comes with having a multiple fighter free for all in the ring.”
“Thanks. If you don’t have anything else important to discuss, I’m going to meditate on the upcoming match while I wait for my suit.” Closing her eyes, Ryder relaxed in body and mind, opening her senses as she pondered the scenario.
The greatest threat to her that she could think of wasn’t some random competitor, it was the possibility that beneath Sadako’s friendly face lay a treacherous rat. A treacherous rat with as much tactical acumen as she had already displayed and far more physical power than she let on.
~I will have to hide as much of my strength as I can start to finish. The less dangerous I appear the less likely she is to backstab me in the middle of the match. Even so, I’ll have to commit a certain amount of focus to her lest she blindside me when I least expect it.~
Time ticked away until more than thirty minutes had passed when that same grating voice called out once more “Number twenty nine.”
“Well that’s my queue, I’ll be seeing you, Ryder. Here’s to a splendid partnership until the end, may the best woman win.” Just like that, Sadako went to retrieve her uniform and departed into the casino to kill time until Game Time.
In complete silence Ryder sat and waited in meditation, pondering Sadako’s earlier comments about making the show amazing. ~If I’m going to ‘make the show amazing’ then I’m going to need some ‘special moves.’ Flashy stuff that will get the crowd going. Well, it’s not like there would be an opportunity to register the names of moves so no point in putting too much thought into them advance. It’s more a mentality I should adopt, to pump up the crowd like the best of gladiators, rather than go for the quick and easy victory.~
To her chagrin, time continued to tick on for far longer than it had for Sadako’s. Ryder sat alone in the locker room for a full hour until at last the seamstress called her number. “Number Thirty”
As Ryder made her way in she could see something… different… about the seamstress. She seemed less business and more… fulfilled? “Child it’s been a long time since I’ve had such a challenging project. Go ahead and try it on, see how it fits.”
Not one to wait on ceremony Ryder slipped out of her evening gown and squeezed into the silvery purple latex suit, only to find a far better fit than she’d encountered in over a decade. Better even than her own handiwork with needle and thread. The latex clung to her figure perfectly without the slightest wrinkle or gap, optimally suited both to showcase her shape and permit as much flexibility and freedom of movement as possible.
“This is amazing, I can’t even remember the last time something fit me so well.”
Behind her work table the seamstress merely smiled with self-satisfaction at her handiwork. Even the most mundane of professions require some form of challenge now and then to motivate and inspire their practitioners. The same is true of tailors as is of fighters.
“Go on and get out of here child. You’ve still got a few hours you can enjoy this place before you have to get in the ring with those savages. You should make the most of the time you have, even if you don’t wind up in the hospital you probably won’t want to get out of bed for days by the time they’ve had their way with you.”
Holding her opinion to herself Ryder simply nodded in gratitude. Slipping back out of the outfit the woman once more donned her evening gown and carried her uniform out into the locker room. Before long she’d secured a locker and secured her uniform inside.
“Now that I’ve got that taken care of… what should I do during these hours I have left….?”
…though the temptation to gamble or game was strong, Ryder chose instead to make her way into the arena itself, briefly stepping into the ring. With a keen eye she observed all the details, the spring in the ring mat, the tension and flex in the ropes, the height of the ropes and size of the gaps, all of it.
She casually began to bound around the ring, experimenting with the feel of the mat beneath her feet, the spring of the ropes when she bounced against them or leaped off of them, and so on for a good five minutes.
With a better grasp of the environment in which she would be competing, the woman made her way back into the locker room. Rather than waste time playing she would instead calm her mind and prepare for the battle that lay ahead. How easy would it be to lose oneself in the indulgences of a casino, only to enter the Rumble with a scattered mind.
Deep in meditation, Ryder was eventually roused by the sounds of people entering the locker room. Out of thirty competitors, eight were women. Opening her eyes to gaze around once more, she saw a few faces she hadn’t seen earlier. She caught sight of Sadako as well but did not linger. No sense in tipping their hand this early in the game.
Suddenly the opposite door opened and a fierce looking official stormed into the locker room. “Good, you’re all here. Looks like I won’t have to disqualify anyone. Listen up ladies! Fight night starts in one hour. I’m here to remind you that it’s not all about winning, there will be prizes and opportunities available for putting on a great show as well. Once you step out of this ring you’re more than competitors, you’re entertainers!
“On that note, Contestant number thirty, Ryder!”
“Yes Ma’am!” Ryder responded instinctively, rising to her feet and standing stiff at attention, though without the salute.
“Didn’t that dumb bitch at the signup counter tell you anything? You were supposed to select music to be played when you walk out.”
“No ma’am! That dumb bitch at the signup counter told me as little as she could get away with.”
“I see. Here, take this” the admin woman offered a touch screen gadget similar to a smart phone or mp3 player. “It shows the list of songs being used in which order, as well as a massive list of songs we are willing to pay the royalty fee for. Make your choice now girlie we ain’t got all day.”
Taking the proffered device, Ryder first reviewed which songs were already being used before swiftly scanning the available list. It truly was a massive list of songs well over 1,000 years old - songs which ought to be public domain by now- but she narrowed in on a single band from antiquity. The band in use by the very last participant set to enter the ring.
“I’ll take Thunderstruck by AC/DC” she responded, making the selection, setting the start point and assigning a few sound effects before handing it back to the admin.
“Now that Blondie’s got her groove, I can take care of business. Put on a good show out there, give the audience passion. I don’t give a damn if they love you or hate you, but if they forget you then you can forget about any rewards or participating in this again.
“The rules are fairly simple and straightforward. If any part of your leg or foot touches the ground after being thrown over the top rope, you’re out. If you were thrown over the top rope but get all the way back into the ring without touching a leg to the ground, you’re safe. You can also win by three count pinfall or submission. Don’t make it easy on each-other though, a Royal Rumble pinfall should be one of those freaky crazy events that almost never happens. Something the audience will remember for years to come.
“Similar goes for submissions but you have a little more room there. If it truly becomes too painful or dangerous to go on, go ahead and submit. We will be reviewing the tapes though, if we feel you pussed out when you could have continued, you will not be welcome again. Do I make myself clear? Also! Low blows, bites and weapons are against the rules, but if the referee doesn’t see it then it doesn’t matter. Whether you make it look desperate or devious is up to you.”
“Yes Ma’am!” Ryder and one other woman responded, while the rest of the competitors simply nodded their heads.
“You’ll be going out ninety seconds apart. Use that time wisely, you’ve got people already in the ring and another coming behind you in another minute and a half. Ryder you’re the exception. You have sixty seconds to make your entrance before we send in the next competitor. When your music starts, you leave through the door I’m using and make your way to the ring.
“If you’re wondering why there is no screen in here, it’s because what goes on in the ring before you leave is none of your damned business. We find things are more interesting if you go in blind to the goings on during your wait.
“Now that you’ve all been given the ground rules I will leave you to your planning. Please feel free to discuss possible moves or plots with one another. I know this is a competition, but try to work together to make this a great show for our guests.”
Without further ado, the admin woman made her way back out the door from whence she came, heels clicking with each step. No sooner did the door slam closed than the room fill with the sound of bitches bullshitting each-other. Trash talking abounded, either against one another or against that ‘dumb bitch’ who expected competitors to work together.
Rather than join the hubub, Ryder simply sat there silently, eyes closed and mind focused towards the task at hand. Seconds slipped into minutes which slipped away until at last the sound of a wicked guitar riff could be heard erupting throughout the arena and into the locker rooms.
“Ah- ah -aaah- ah” Boom a sound of thunder erupted through the speakers, to the tune of Ryder bursting out of the locker room. Surrounded by crackling holographic lightning that shimmered during the singing, Ryder sauntered confidently down the aisle to the ring. With a smooth motion she bounded inside in three leaps, the first onto the mat, the second onto the top of the second rope and the third cleanly into the ring. Her timing was perfect, slamming feet first into the mat in as the first verse ended with ‘You’ve been… Thunder struck!”
Given her slow and methodical entry, there was no time to woo the crowd further as a new song took the stage away from Ryder’s. A country song with a voice that was all too familiar… it sounded just like the wrestler it represented... this was no random song pulled from the archives. It was a cover Sadako had performed herself and apparently carried with her on her mobile.
From her place in the ring Ryder casually leaned against a corner opposite the stairs, watching on as Sadako jiggled her way towards the stage, her stride both confident yet playful and sexy. She slowly walked up the stairs, waving to the crowd as an idol to her audience.
No sooner did Sadako lean down and step foot over the second ring than Ryder exploded with modest mundane speed, pushing off her corner before running and then leaping towards her newly arrived adversary. She ‘flew’ feet first into the woman’s chest, knocking her back out of the ring.
“Aaaand there we have it. Contestant’s Ryder and Sadi have made first contact and what a brutal one! Ryder didn’t even allow Sadi to enter the ring before sending her flying off and crashing into the mats below!”
An eager smirk could be seen on Sadako’s face as she rose to her feet, looking up at Ryder who gazed down from above like a Queen on a pedestal. Ryder raised an arm and beckoned Sadi up with a curl of her hand.
‘Sadi’ didn’t waste much time, picking a spot of the ring away from Ryder and sliding straight into the ring in a smooth motion… only for a bare foot to ‘gently’ slam into her ribs, more pushing than kicking as it sent her rolling sideways until her back bounced off the bottom rope of a different side.
Ryder didn’t delay, intent on making the most of this warm up and play up the crowd. She followed the rolling Sadi and planted her foot on the girl’s upper chest/throat.
Sadi seemed to struggle for a moment before she reached up and grasped hold of Ryder’s ankle… suddenly bouncing her thick legs against the ropes to borrow force and roll with Ryder firmly in hand.
Ryder went down like a fallen tree, catching herself on her hands and violently twisting herself around. Her free foot flew towards Sadi’s head, only for the woman to shift her head out of the way. In only a moment the tides were turned and Ryder had ‘become’ putty in Sadi’s hands, her ankle twisted into a lock with just enough pressure to inflict a little legitimate pain. Pain that Ryder played off like a pro, screaming and groaning in false agony.
“Just like that the tides have shifted! Contestant Ryder’s fallen into Sadi’s submission! Can she break out, or will she crumble? Here in the early stages is the best chance for a submission elimination!”
‘Desperately’ Ryder struggled to grab hold of the bottom rope, ‘forcing’ Sadi to release the submission.
“What is this!? Sadi just released her submission in a no holds barred match! What sportsmanship folks!”
Sadako snapped her eyes to the announcer acting shocked, as though she hadn’t realized that the ropes weren’t a ‘get out of submission free card.’ Of course she knew, the submission and pinfall protection in this match was the rest of the competition, not the ropes.
Just as Ryder made her way back to her feet another song lit up the arena. I am a real Satanican, released during the generation immediately following the tenure of our lord and savior Mark Satan, when nationalism ran rampant. A hulking warrior garbed in white with a head full of golden hair and mustache stormed down the aisle.
Ryder and Sadi continued to tussle casually as they kept their eyes on the big man, watching and waiting for their moment to strike. Before stepping foot into the ring the newcomer tore his shirt in half and cast it aside, leaving himself wearing only white shorts and green bands.
“Here comes the Golden Hulk! How will these dazzling young ladies deal with the arrival of such a mountain of man?”
As the Golden Hulk made his way into the ring, Ryder allowed herself to be thrown against the ropes in a classic ‘clothesline’ setup… only to leap on top of Sadi’s shoulders and then leap towards the Golden Hulk from above.
She landed crotch-first against his face, her 170 pounds slamming into the high point of the man’s body at high speed. The same instant she made contact Ryder wrapped her legs tightly around his neck, riding his backwards fall into the ropes and timing her next move with the rebound of the ropes themselves.
In that second when he bounced off the ropes Ryder snapped her body backwards and to the side in a modified Huricanrana that launched him to the floor. Sadi was waiting off to the side, ready to rip. No sooner did the Golden Hulk fall than she bounded four feet into the air, timing her fall perfectly to slam hard into his face with her ass cheek.
Ryder was quick to follow up even as the Golden Hulk shoved the fat ass off his face and forced his way up onto his knees… just in time to catch a latex legging wrapped foot to the jaw that snapped him up into an upright kneeling position.
”This is incredible! The instant the Golden Hulk showed up Ryder and Sadi set aside their differences to double team him with incredible proficiency! If I didn’t know better I would say they trained for this together! What teamwork!”
The Golden Hulk borrowed the upward force to stagger up onto one knee… and then the other. “Hulkamania’s gonna put you broads in your place, back in the kitchen!”
The two women looked at each other and smirked, each stepping to throw casual punches at the Hulk, only for him to catch them and send them careening into the opposite ropes. As they rebounded he rushed towards them for a double lariat… which they ducked under. Bouncing off the ropes on the other side they doubled back, Shooting his knees at the last second.
Two shoulders slammed into those hulking knees causing them to buckle before the ladies swept him off his feet into a shared Over the Shoulder Carry and hauled his ass to the ropes before tossing him up and over them…
… only for the Hulk to grab hold of the top rope and save himself at the last second, landing feet first on the outer mat.
No sooner did he land, however, than Ryder’s foot slipped through between the middle and bottom rope, slamming hard into the same knee she had kicked earlier. At the same time, Sadi drove a palm strike into the ogre’s chin, sending him careening backwards.
He barely managed to hold on with one hand, leaning backwards as fresh music .erupted from the speakers once more burst forth with a Competitor’s Music.
A masked Luchadore of modest height and build glided into view of the audience, his small frame heavily tanned and packed with muscle.
The man didn’t waste time pandering to the audience or playing with his music. Instead he hastened to the ring just in time to spider-climb up the ropes from the outside and lock the Golden Hulk’s head in his arm. Just like that the newcomer- who had yet to step into the ring- Bulldogged the off-balance Golden Hulk into the floor below the ring.
”What is this? Mysterious Mask has eliminated the Golden Hulk! Our first elimination came from a competitor who hadn’t even set foot in the ring! What a match!”
Mask made no apologies for the opportunistic strike, swiftly rolling clear of the Golden Hulk’s reach before running around the ring. He’d seen the girl’s working together to deal with the Hulk, the last thing he wanted was to get himself hammered on his way inside.
Once he got his opening the man leaped inside in one fell swoop, immediately targeting the closer of the women… Ryder. Leaping backwards to plant the soles of his feet into the top rope, the man bounced forward explosively with arms extended to grab hold of her.
Ryder put up only a token resistance, raising her arms in an ‘attempt’ to block, only for him to grab hold of her and bodyslam her back onto the mat.
”One, t-” the announcer began to count until a pair of thick thighs wrapped around Mask’s neck, flipping him off of Ryder and sending him squirming for an escape. Not one to waste an opportunity, Ryder grabbed hold of Mask’s ankle for a classic Ankle Lock even while Sadi continued to choke him out.
Losing his consciousness on one end and prevented from doing much of anything to prevent it with an additional helping of pain from the other, Mask continued to struggle and squirm to the best of his ability.
”Mysterious Mask is fading fast. His arm’s twitching, can he somehow muster the will to keep fighting!?” suddenly the sound of his arm twitched with the instinct to tap out until he found hope in the sound of a new entrance song erupting from the speakers.
“Ladies and gentlemen welcome R! V! D! The question that remains, can Mysterious Mask hold on until he arrives and how will RVD’s arrival alter the course of this match!?”
The new arrival garbed in white pants and a black tanktop rushed towards the ring, leaping onto the barricade that separated the audience from the action before leaping clean over the ropes feet first.
*BOOM!* the impact shook the ring as RVD slammed feet first into the ribs of Mysterious Mask, sending all three opponents sprawling. He didn’t waste any time, backflipping onto the top ropes in the corner before leaping high into the air, rotating mid-leap to come down on top of the trio with another ring shaking crash. He landed elbows into Ryder, knees into Mask and toes into Sadi.
“It’s a Five Star Frog Splash! Nobody, and I mean nobody gets higher than RVD! Remember kids, don’t do drugs and don’t try any of what you’re seeing here at home.”
Bouncing back up after the impact, RVD ran towards the ropes on the side of the ring, leaping up towards them and planting his feet against the top rope, only to bound backwards in a powerful, high flying Springboard Moonsault that got a good ten feet of lift over the ring surface.
Just as he was about to land on the three of them, Ryder rolled onto her side, planting an elbow onto the sternum of Mysterious Mask with a fist aimed right into RVD’s abdomen.
“Holy mother of god look at that move by Ryder! At the last second she used her body to turn RVD’s moonsault against him and concentrate its power between two of her enemies! Can… can either of these men even get up after that?”
Blood spewed from Mysterious Mask’s mouth with his violent coughs as he rolled over, struggling to regain his footing. RVD wasn’t faring much better, hunched over his lower abdomen in agony. A few inches lower and he just might have lost any possibility of becoming a father in the future.
Selling the impact like a pro, Ryder struggled to her feet with the use of her other arm acting staggered and injured. Rather than allow the opportunity to go to waste, she went back to work on Mysterious Mask, stomping casually on his chest and forehead.
Sadi was better off, rolling gracefully to her feet and going to work on RVD. One firm kick to the gut near his injury sent him rolling back to the mat, followed by a few kicks and then a leg drop. When she rose she lifted him up with her, sending punches and knees into his wounded guts.
Just when it looked like the ladies were about to have their way with these men, RVD suddenly seemed to snap back to reality. Grasping hold of Sadi’s thigh with one hand [and her butt with the other] as she kneed his gut, RVD drove her forwards and slammed her spine into the corner turnbuckles.
Stepping up onto the bottom rope and pinning her into place with his knees against her chest, the man began to pound her face with his fists.
Meanwhile Ryder found Mysterious Mask seemed to have lost all the fight in him. Raising him back to his feet, Ryder grasped hold of his wrist and launched him running into the corner where RVD was pounding Sadi’s face.
To Ryder’s surprise, Mask managed to salvage the situation, backflipping to land backwards against RVD’s body with his legs, pulling himself upwards and then leaping over to stand on the top ropes of the turn buckle.
This position was incredibly dangerous in such an elimination match. Were RVD to decide to turn on Mask he could easily eliminate him here and now. But for the time being the two had common enemies in the form of a pair of women working together. Thus Mask simply springboarded back off the ropes as he made contact, twisting as he flipped in mid-air intending to land facing Ryder once more… only to find himself caught sideways at breast height… and then slammed violently down onto the woman’s knee.
“What is this!? Ryder’s not just a pretty face. She’s not only predicted Mask’s movements but caught him after he’d fallen for a good ten feet and delivered a brilliant backbreaker! What’s this!? Ryder’s grasped Mask by the legs and is lifting them up!? Could she be setting up for a submission hold!?”
No, Ryder hadn’t grabbed the legs of Mysterious Mask for a submission hold. Rather- between the injuries to his sternum and now his spine she figured it was time to get rid of him before the next competitor could clutter the ring up into even more of a clusterfuck.
With his legs locked in her arms Ryder fell backwards fast and hard, Ryder launched Mysterious Mask flying towards the side of the ring. There was so much force from the catapult that- given their placement- Mask was on course to fly over the top rope and out of the ring.
Not one to go out without a fight- however- Mask reached downwards and just barely managed to clasp hold of the top rope, flipping his body vertically until his lower legs- bent at the knee- slipped onto the mat and under the ropes. Though he wasn’t yet eliminated… he was not safe yet. Not by a long shot.
Ryder hadn’t simply laid on her back and watched and waited for Mask to fly away. No sooner had she released him than she flipped back up onto her feet just in time to leap into the air as Mask flipped over the ropes….
*SMACK!* Ryder’s latex-clad feet slammed into the back of Mysterious Mask’s head with a violent drop kick delivered between the top and middle ropes. Caught off-guard by the sudden impact Mask lost his grip on the top rope and fell forward.
“I don’t believe it! Not only did she manage to catapult a grown man at least her own weight if not heavier clear above the ropes, Ryder was even able to capitalize on his desperate efforts and turned back to clinch it and eliminate Mysterious Mask! Wait a minute… what is this!? Mysteroius Mask has not been eliminated!!! He’s still in this!”
With his knees bent beneath the ropes, Mysterious Mask had managed to save himself by locking them in that bent position, hooking the bottom of the rope with his ankles. Desperately he shoved off the side of the ring in an attempt to force himself back upright.
Ryder watched on in shock from where she had landed after the dropkick, a slight hesitation in amazement at the man’s determination and ingenuity. That hesitation lasted for only an instant, but an instant was all it took for Mysterious Mask to get back up and grasp the ropes once more.
“Oh no you don’t!” She hollered as she rolled to her feet once more, diving backwards violently to slam her backside against him… only to strike empty space. No sooner had Mask returned to an upright position than he used his grip on the ropes to slide under his assailant, safely back into the ring.
As Ryder rebounded off the ropes he latched hold of one of her ankles, knocking the woman off her feet. Struggling back to his own feet, the man watched on and waited as Ryder arose, his eyes flickering with intensity.
“Safe! Mysterious Mask has safely returned to the ring! But how far can he really go with those injuries!?”