Nariko Inazuma vs Scorpio

[Alex Smiley]

Reminder:

- Word limit for Group Stage matches is 1500.
- 1 RP per wrestler per match.
- Deadline: December 30, 2018, at 11:59PM Pacific.

[Russ]

Draw... Me Like One Of Your French Girls

"... is... is it broken? Oh my God it's BROKEN! Oh my fucking God I can't... I can't..."

Some panting is heard behind a blue curtain in the make-shift medical bay of the O2 Arena, London, England, before the click-clack of high-heeled shoes echoes out. We see Crème de la Crème, wearing an incredibly tight rhinestone-clad bodysuit, marching through the hallway and approaching the area. He looks concerned as whimpers of pain sound out from within the cubicle and Crème takes a deep breath and rips the curtain back. He gasps in shock and over his shoulder we see a tearful Scorpio, his mascara running down his face as he looks up at Crème.

Scorpio: "It's broken. That bitch broke it. I don't know what I'm going to do?"

Crème tries to force himself to put on a reassuring face as Scorpio slowly holds up his right hand, revealing a snapped sparkling pink false nail on his ring finger. Immediately the drag queen's face falls as he realises the extent of the injuries our dear Scorpio is complaining of, however before he can berate his associate another voice cuts in—

"Keep it down Barbie..."

Both members of Desert Sex turn with a start as an irate and beaten-looking Georgie Nickles stares both of them down, an eyebrow raised, and an icepack held to her shoulder. There's a brief silence between the two One Ring Circus compatriots before the Rebel Child steps into the cubicle, beaconing in Crème, and closing the curtain behind them. She sits on the gurney next to Scorpio and offers a half-smile.

Georgie Nickles: "Well, we're no closer to the Elimination Chamber than we were two hours ago, huh?"

Scorpio: "Not exactly... I've survived Artemis Kaiser and her brutal regime... you've still got that glorious experience to go..."

Georgie Nickles: "Fair point. More importantly, you hear about Thunder?"

A look of horror spreads over Scorpio's face and he goes wide-eyed, looking from Nickles, to Crème, and back again. Crème is the one who steps forward, clearing his throat.

Crème de la Crème: "The Eternal Circle weren't coming here, they went to Tokyo. They got Thunder... trapped his neck in a chair... stamped on his head. Most we've heard is he'll be fit for the next match, but it sounds like the Circle are back in this fight all guns blazing.'

Absent-mindedly The S-Factor pulls off the broken acrylic nail, throwing it to the floor, before he runs a hand through his perfectly-coiffed hair and looks up, first at Crème, then at the Rebel Child.

Scorpio: "... shit."

Georgie Nickles: "Agreed. As much as ours is the dramatic tale of the immovable object and the unstoppable force—"

Scorpio: "You're the immoveable object."

Nickles swings a punch at the S-Factor's arm, and he gives a slight yelp as she rolls her eyes.

Georgie Nickles: "What I was trying to say was that we need to have each other's backs, at all times. There's the tournament, there's the gold..."

Scorpio: "And then there's the sport we've forged our legacies within being ripped apart by the likes of Benevolence and Legion. Of course I'm in, Georgie. Consider me the best-dressed, most fabulous fucking bodyguard you've ever had."

The Rebel Child offers a half-smile before she pats Scorpio on the shoulder and gets to her feet. Nickles gives a nod to Crème de la Crème and walks out of the cubicle, leaving Scorpio and his mentor in a comfortable silence. A few seconds pass as The S-Factor runs a hand through his hair and sighs deeply, shaking his head; however before he can say anything the curtain swishes back revealing Georgie Nickles once again.

"Oh by the way, watch out for Nariko. She may be pretty, she may be young, and she may weigh less than one of your gigantic fur coats... but damn she's got some skills to boot. Good luck Priscilla, that girl's the future."

* * * * *

Our scene re-opens in a dressing room. The lighting is dim as the camera pans past a dress rail full of sequinned leotards, iridescent tights, and over-sized bejewelled coats and jackets. The camera then moves to a mirror surrounded by light bulbs, the only light source in the room, before it pans back revealing The Most Decorated Bitch in TFWF History. Scorpio is sat smiling at the camera, is face made-up to perfection, his hair beautifully styled and slicked back, and he is clad in a gorgeous ruby-red and gold kimono. Some may call it cultural appropriation, to the S-Factor it is in fact an homage to the biggest diva herself, Madonna.

Scorpio: "Watashinonamaeha Scorpio de, watashi wa anata no seikō o owara seru tame ni koko ni imasu. [My name is Scorpio, and I am here to put an end to your success.]"

He gives a slight smile to the camera.

Scorpio: "Nariko... wow... I've got to say that is how to make an Experts debut, bitch. Take it from me as Georgie Nickles' constant rival, taking her to the extreme like that, throwing yourself off the top rope to take her down from the outside, holding her to a hard-fought draw... that was fucking impressive. I may not have much direct experience of your father's work, but you can't spend five minutes in this sport without hearing of his prowess and his celebrity. The man's a star, and it seems his genetics and his training are forging a legacy far beyond anything championship belts and tournament wins can bring. I'm sure he's more than proud of your first outing at The Experts."

The S-Factor sighs deeply and his face falls slightly. He briefly looks to the floor and composes his thoughts, before looking back up at the camera.

Scorpio: "This is tough, Nariko. In an ideal world this would be the opportunity for me to pass the torch. Once upon a time I was the new face in this sport, I was the high-flying youngster making the world sit the fuck up and listen with some impressive performances and huge victories. Year by year I battled my way through the ranks, up the ladder, against legends and behemoths of professional wrestling to become what I am today. I sit here in front of you a legend of my own; The Most Decorated Bitch in TFWF History, the bitch that ended Drake Mosa, the up-and-comer that took the TFWF World Championship off of Fallen Angel in his prime. I've been you, I've trodden the path that you're undoubtedly going to follow, I paved the way. It would only be right for me to see this as a chance to show the world what Nariko Inazuma can do... but I can't.

Right now there is a threat in this sport, and from the rookie in their first training session through to the legend who ought to have retired a decade ago, it is our duty to take it down. The Eternal Circle, Jack Benevolence, Russell White; they are a cancer in this organisation and a disgrace to the True Expert Championship. I would love to pass the torch to the likes of you on the grandest stage of all, the Extreme Tournament, but I don't trust anyone other than myself to take these fuckers down. And ultimately that means taking you down, Nariko."

The words hang in the air for a few seconds as Scorpio takes a deep breath.

Scorpio: "You're going to be standing across from one of the most fabulous, incredible, and successful bitches in the history of professional wrestling, and you're going to learn exactly why I will be in that Elimination Chamber snatching this tournament's crown. You're the future Nariko, but I am the present, and I will do whatever the hell it takes to get two points out of this match and take myself one step closer to winning the group. You're going to taste the heels of my Louis Vuitton's in your face, you're going to taste the mat when I drop you with the AGR, and you're going to taste what it really means to be in the Extreme Tournament.

Nariko, from what I've seen in just one match I have no doubts that one day you're going to be a star, one day you're going to rule this sport and be the one they're all trying to catch. Today isn't going to be that day darling. I want this win, I want this tournament, and I want to end The Eternal Circle. You're in my way..."

He stares into the camera, his emerald-green eyes showing the fire and determination that turned the S-Factor into the legend he has become.

"I'm sorry my dear, but this is where your journey ends."

Fin.

[Strike]

"Well, that could have gone much better..."

She still had a towel over her head and her left hand holding it there, feeling the bump on her head after the crash from the impact of that modification on her own reverse hurricanrana that knocked her out silly (and apparently did the same to Georgie Nickles). A draw was the kind of result that at least two people within this group may have not been expecting but as the realization dawned on Nariko Inazuma that she couldn't pull off victory to put herself in the best position for the tournament, there was a tinge of dread beginning to set in. It was more than likely that Artemis had probably taken care of business against Scorpio and was already on the top of the rankings for their group. She didn't get the chance to see the match while preparing for her own encounter, but Nariko knew Artemis too well along with her reputation. Nariko made her own debut two years prior in another tournament known as the "Young Guns Cup" hosted by her now-home promotion in Shooting Star Wrestling Alliance against the "God of Anger" and it wasn't the flashy, rookie debut with a shocker finish...no, Nariko got absolutely trounced in the process and learned right there and then about some of the cruelties of professional wrestling.

But she also learned the kind of level that it takes to succeed in it. No better first lesson could have been given to her.

So after having checked in the doctor and passing through all the protocols that basically involved the "hey look, you didn't crack your head and gave yourself a concussion, you doofus" routine...Nariko gingerly returned back to the general locker room area where a majority of The Experts talent kept shuffling in and out of, the particular screen that was turned on showcased none other than Kyle Bacon and the group standings for the course of the night.

She wasn't expecting to get hit about as hard as she got by Georgie Nickles with the next sentence that left the announcer:

"...With that, the group in London is all tied up at one point a person while Lisa Seldon and James Raven are the clear leaders in Toronto, and MDK and Michael Thunder take the lead in Tokyo..."

Nariko Inazuma blinked.

There had been another draw beforehand? Artemis didn't beat him? Scorpio didn't beat her?

...It was a draw.

All of them were still in it.

"Holy shit," she muttered to herself.

...She still had a shot at this. But that's when dread suddenly settled upon her.

The Herculean task of defeating the legendary Scorpio was now at hand.



"Scorpio...Eighth sign of the Zodiac, to most. But to anybody who has picked up a wrestling encyclopedia, they'll find that name there as one of the greats to have ever laced a pair of incredibly fabulous boots."

Nariko Inazuma found herself this time under the recording camera that was stationary inside of a closed room in incandescent lighting that was adorned by framed championship belts all over its four walls alongside having various framed pictures and memorabilia as well. As the cameras settled in and Nariko sat in a pillow with her legs crossed indian-style, one could make one a faint but familiar logo in all of the championship belts, in all of the memories inside of this room, a logo bearing four very simple initials: "TFWF."

"After everything that happened two weeks ago with the pair of draws, the world is wide open for us in our group. We're all fighting for our proverbial lives and the right to move forward, the right to be that one person who enters the Elimination Chamber in the finals...and I know that Jack Benevolence and the Eternal Circle have given you plenty of reasons, Scorpio. You've seen the damage they've been capable of doing in past and present tense but in order to really understand just how far you are willing to go in this fight for the life of The Experts itself...I needed to refresh on my own history. It's why I found this place in London...a TFWF Ultra from way back in the day still had all of this in his basement."

Nariko raises her right hand up, presenting the very walls surrounding her and the contents within them.

"Yeah, all the major championships of the company, pictures capturing moments in time, a way to remember a company that has been dead for nearly a decade now but one that made the careers of legends such as yourself and during those days...you were something else. To put it bluntly, you were the craziest bitch in that squared circle anytime you stepped through those ropes and through your years with that company, you practically won every single championship you could and become the most decorated person to ever step in TFWF...but I know most people remember your war with Drake Mosa a whole lot more than they do possibly every accolade..."

Nariko exhaled, certain bits of that history she'd been eager to revisit coming to mind.

"Last Monster Standing."

She let those two words hang in the air before finally speaking up again.

"You nearly sacrificed your life altogether to get just a measure, just an iota of revenge on Drake Mosa for everything that he did to you. Re-watching that match, seeing everything that you went through and what you put Mosa through in order to get what you wanted...it helped gain some perspective. Even if the years passed, even if you're not in the same shape as you were back then...the drive for you is still the same. Your enemy is different, but you're willing to push yourself through the obstacles to fight and there's no doubt that you, Georgie, Thunder and MDK are going to be able to do that...

But like I said to Georgie, I will not allow myself to be intimidated neither your reputation nor your ability.

There's...something for me here too."

The Extreme Tournament was always a test of endurance since its inception, no matter the format. Nariko knew as much and as her eyes averted to the pictures around her, there it was...the iconic moment where Scorpio leaped off from the balcony, arms hooked around Drake Mosa's neck as the two took the plunge from balcony to concrete below. She could see herself getting the same treatment but only with the fortune of a ring canvas and less of the murder-death-kill desire...and yet, she gritted her teeth as she looked at what would be ahead of her if she were to succeed...and if someone else were to succeed as well.

"This tournament was a chance that was handed over to me because someone else you know well couldn't be here. That much I have spoken on about again and again...but after the match against Georgie? A door opened for me, Scorpio. In those few minutes that I spent with the Rebel Child, I proved that I could take a beating and come back for seconds. I proved that I can hang with those who are far above me in the matter of accolades and experience. Just like Artemis Kaiser proved that you can be beaten, no matter the legendary influence that you have and no matter how tough you are.

But I...Scorpio, I need to know how much further I can go. I need to know my own limits and I need to break through them. So just like the Rebel Child, I am going to push beyond my own limits once again and I am going to spike your head into the mat, Scorpio. I am going to take everything you can dish out and throw it right back at you twice as hard until either I get the pinfall or I submit you.

My motivations are simple. They may not carry the same weight as yours...but it's my weight to carry. And right now, that weight feels like the world on my shoulders and like Atlas, I'm just barely hanging on for dear life. For two years, all I knew for the most part was losing. Losing in fighting efforts, being told 'you'll get them next time' and enduring the weight of being told that maybe I just am not good enough to be a professional wrestler. For two years, I have learned how to lose...

But in the Extreme Tournament, I will learn how to win!"

A certain image appeared in Nariko's head now, as she closed her eyes and just took a second to reflect on what was being said...and on all that she could possibly do moving forward. The matches would all happen, but the consequences of her victory here and something else in their group working out meant that one snide comment on social media many moons ago before this tournament ever started could be a promise kept from her end of the bargain.

"So for now...all that I can do is to pull out victory from the jaws of defeat! Because Scorpio, this isn't about making history, this isn't about trying to get one over a legend and this certainly is not about looking ahead to fight a great war...I can't afford to look this far into the future! This is just about winning for me!

Because if I win...and if she wins..."

Nariko thought back to those words from before on Twitter...

'Although Scorpio is right... They did put the Group C decider last.'

"Then I can finally meet her once again in the squared circle and hold my head up high when I do it."

'...Isn't that right, Artemis?'

"And I will grow much stronger for it!"

Fade to black.