Post by EmmaWoods007 on Aug 5, 2018 21:52:41 GMT
“Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit! Please welcome first…she hails from Santa Fe, New Mexico, standing at five feet and ten inches and weighing in tonight at one hundred and forty pounds. Representing uh…FlC?...she is known as the Hollow Girl…HARRIET LARKIN!”
The eyes turned to the entranceway were likely expecting to see the random strobing and the eerily cheery indie lyrics that usually announced the presence of FlC. But despite the announcer’s claim it seemed that Larkin was here on personal business tonight. As such the strobes were replaced with low orange lighting, while a grungy guitar strummed out into the auditorium.
MOANING LISA SMILE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z71df68qLp0
As the song roared to life several gouts of real flame shot out from the entranceway, announcing the arrival of the Hollow Girl to the arena. Sure enough Larkin’s imposing figure strode out, showing little acknowledgement of either the crowds or the veritable inferno of pyro around her. Perhaps more pertinently she seemed to be alone in her travels, no sign of Lyra Faulk’s impish form.
HARRIET LARKIN
Perhaps aware that tonight marked a very considerable step-up in terms of exposure and competition from her previous singles encounters, Harriet had chosen to change up her outfit, or possibly just make it more practical for the carnage ahead. Her usual white blouse and bra combo had switched for a sporty maroon affair, and her plaid skirt revealed matching boyshorts. Those long pale legs were still unadorned save for black boots, and her auburn hair hung loose to her shoulders. But to remind everyone of her tag roots she still wore the odd double-chevron of paint over her left eye, muted charcoal and bronze highlighting the vivid green of her pupils.
Carried at some speed by those flawless pins, Larkin hit a dead sprint shortly before she reached the ring and used that momentum to slide in under the bottom rope. She took a second to glance around, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. And then she moved off to her corner. Or rather a corner; not the one assigned to her, but if she knew this she didn’t display any sign.
With Larkin in the ring and steadfastly ignoring the efforts of referee Craig Long, the Announcer brought out her adversary for the evening. “And introducing her opponent, hailing from Glen Echo Michigan, she stands at five feet seven inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and thirty-one pounds. Representing the Black Court, they call her the Raven… LENORE LEMARCHAND!”
LENORE LEMARCHAND:
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Kula Shaker’s ‘Hush’ winged its way into the arena and a cloud of ’Ravens’ went up, Lemarchand’s flock larger than ever despite the painful setback she’d suffered last month. The Red, White & Bruised throng cheered all the louder when Emily West’s Lady in Waiting brushed through the curtain scant seconds after her name was called. Ignoring the roar of the fans in favor of a cold, steady gaze trained upon the towering ingénue, Lemarchand murmured, “Different set of rules tonight, my smug little ginger anarchist. It’s time you learned that everything, even entropy, can bend to my will.” The promise was fresh on her lips when she hooked her thumbs together and hoisted the Raven sigil directly overhead. This was greeted by the largest Unkindness yet, more than enough moral support to set Lemarchand on her way down the ramp.
For this teachable moment against a brat that’d dared attack her following a brutal battle, Lenore wore strappy bikini bottoms hued in a purplish-black and emblazoned with a faint design that careful inspection revealed as feathers. Her top was halter style, with the color and pattern matching her briefs, while her elbow and kneepads were matte black, the latter still obscured by loose, bell-flared 'leggings' that started just south of mid-thigh and dropped to ankle length. Those leggings were also black and featured a stylized version of Lemarchand’s raven insignia done in stark white. Her look was finished with shiny black boots and purple wrist tape that matched her togs.
Though Lenore’s attention was understandably focused on Harriet (and make no mistake about it, Harriet returned her gaze with equal intensity) Lemarchand deigned to look away when a sign on the aisle caught her eye.
ELIOT’S A PUNK AND SO’S LARKIN!
POETRY SLAM HER ASS THROUGH A TABLE, LENORE!
“Now, now, Eliot’s not for everyone, but he’s hardly a punk. It’s not his fault he attracts sad sack poseurs in record numbers.” With that she spun away and broke into a limber run that brought her under the bottom rope in a matter of heartbeats. On her feet even faster, she made for Harriet’s corner only to stop in the center when her adversary didn’t so much as twitch. Irritated, but not really surprised, she hoisted the Raven sigil one more time, then backpedaled to the opposite corner so Long could carry out final inspections.
Larkin and Lemarchand came forward as soon as the bell sounded, the pair of leggy grapplers covering the distance in a few long strides despite the fact that neither of them looked particularly interested in the other. Hands raised to brawl in case the flighty little bird was foolish enough to accost her head on, Harriet circled to the right and offered the faintest of smiles as she looked the Raven up and down. “Hmmmh, guess I can be punctual from time to time.” she said softly. “All the worse for you, I suppose.”
Lenore didn’t quite scoff, but Larkin didn’t miss the incredulity that flashed across her face. “As if you’d miss the opportun--”
Harriet exploded forward, her right leg coming up for a Big Boot that would’ve caught Lemarchand in the chin if she hadn’t spun out of the way. Brushing by on the newcomer’s right, Lenore let her fingertips drift beneath the hem of Larkin’s skirt, just enough to ‘flip’ it up for a single heartbeat. The tactic raised a cheer that Lemarchand didn’t even hear. All her attention was focused on Harriet, whose lack of reaction to the skirt flick was itself a sort of reaction. Filing this away for future reference, the Fair & Radiant Maiden settled into a grappler’s crouch and joined her adversary in a slowly tightening spiral.
“As I was saying, you weren’t about to miss this opportunity.”
“Don’t overestimate your importance, skinny. I could’ve chosen any--”
Lenore THWHAKED a quick kick to the side of Harriet’s left thigh, grimaced as the Hollow Girl treated her to one of the same. Seemingly impressed (or at least satisfied) with Larkin’s striking power, Lenore beckoned her in and when Harry didn’t respond she replied, “Yes, you could have. You might’ve picked Charlotte Coles or Frankie Sellers and you’d get a match on the pre-show or possibly even jerk the curtain, but instead you went after me and look what it got you. Your very first singles pay-per-view bout! At the top of the third hour no less!”
Larkin snorted, a derisive, angry sound. “You think that’s what this is about? Simple career advancement?”
Lenore shrugged, darted out a hand and pulled it back when Harriet fetched her forearm a quick slap. “Actually I think it’s nothing more than a cry for attention. You’re no anarchist, Larkin. You’re an Edge Lord. And no self-respecting Edge Lord would ever miss a chance to be the center of attenEERRRGGH!”
Harriet snatched the brunette’s head in both hands and reared back for a hellacious Headbutt only to snarl in dismay as the Courtier STAMPED on her toes! Larkin raised the sore foot without thinking about it and paid for it when Lemarchand whipped around, caught her in a Three Quarters Facelock and flipped her onto her rump with a quick Snapmare. Measuring the distance between them in the blink of an eye, Lenore rushed forward and dropped to one knee, the point of which she promptly jabbed between the redhead’s shoulders!
SLIDING BASEMENT KNEE:www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wbYWuCmOa4
Harry cursed, rolled to all fours, then cursed again because the brunette caught her at the waistband and the nape of the neck. Balanced on her right foot, she flicked her left leg out straight, then came down and in to THWHUMP the redhead’s ribs.
KNEELIFT TO RIBS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DscwU8t7ElI
“Bytch!” Larkin snarled as she rose to one knee and reached for her attacker.
Lenore let her grab on, it gave her a valid reason to retaliate with a pie-face that could’ve smeared Harriet’s lips across her cheeks if it’d been any stiffer. “Is this what you had in mind when you jumped me?” Lemarchand taunted following a single brisk slap. “Taking a knee in the center of the ring while I slapped you around for the delight of a sold out OOOOFFFFHHH!”
The Hollow Girl hooked onto the brunette’s waistband and tugged her into a straight right hand to those washboard abs. Lenore didn’t quite double over with the first shot, so Harry punched her twice more, then stood up and reeled her into a Front Facelock. “If you actually knew what was on my mind when I had you mewling against those tiles, you never would’ve accepted this match.” Larkin sneered as Lenore slapped and pawed at her glossy flanks. “And if you must know, THIS is only the slightest taste of what I have in store for you.” She raised her free hand to the rafters, crooked that arm into a tire iron and brought it THWHAPPING down across Lemarchand’s back no less than half a dozen times.
That last shot dropped the brunette to one knee, so Harry curled her hand into a spade and raaaaaaaaaaaaaaked it up the Courtier’s back once, twice, thrice! This failed to raise an interesting response from Lenore, so Larkin grabbed hold of her opponent’s purple briefs and pulled until that slender crescent of glute was a generous half-moon.
“POSEUR TRAMP!” Lemarchand yipped as the wedgie forced her to rise as high as the Front Facelock would allow.
Clearly savoring the brunette’s displeasure, Harriet relinquished the wedgie, or rather, she shifted her grip to Lenore’s hip after slinging the other woman’s near arm across her shoulders. Turning them so Lemarchand’s increasingly distended togs were pointed at the hard camera, Larkin dipped her knees and muscled the bendyback directly over--”NGH!”
Emily’s Lady in Waiting brought her right knee up into the crown of Harriet’s skull, forcing the big redhead to return her to the canvas. Alas a single shot wasn’t quite deterrent enough, meaning it was a matter of mere moments before Larkin reset her hooks and hauled Lenore back into the “NNNGGHH!” Lemarchand caught her with a second Kneelift to the noggin, then followed it with a shot that landed *just* below Larkin’s navel.
Freed from the Facelock when Harriet staggered back from the impact, the Raven straightened up and immediately spun around on her right foot to paste a quick Forearm Smash to the side of her attacker’s noggin. It wasn’t a light shot by any means but Harry only swayed on the spot, so Lenore drew a bead on the ingénue’s navel and SKEWERED it with a low Super Kick! That finally dropped Larkin to all fours, though the set of those strong shoulders told Lenore she’d be rising at any moment. But Lemarchand liked Harry’s current arrangement quite a bit, so she sidled around to the redhead’s left and hopped off that foot to THWHACK the length of her right shin against the line of Larkin’s jaw.
ROLLING ELBOW, LOW SUPER KICK & BICYCLE KNEE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHnDS60K7-E
Harriet finally flopped onto her back so Lemarchand dropped to her knees for a cover only to lean back on her haunches when Harriet rolled onto her stomach. Quick to understand she wasn’t going to blow the redhead’s doors off tonight, Lenore straddled Larkin’s lower back and claimed ownership of her left arm. With both knees wedged against the anarchist’s ribs, Lemarchand folded the captured limb up between Harriet’s shoulders in a Hammerlock extremely familiar to both women.
“Already ripping off my moves, huh bird brain?” Harriet muttered. “Who’s the poseur noMEERRGGHH!”
Lenore halved the Hammerlock, buried a hand in those long burnished locks and stuffed Larkin’s cheek against the canvas. “You had so many lovely quotes to share during our first meeting, I felt bad not responding in kind.” the Raven murmured as she punished the larger woman with that pair of simple holds. “So here’s one of my favorites. Stupidity is a talent for misconception.”
Larkin growled, reached up with her free hand and got the back of her head paintbrushed for the effort.
Revelling in her opponent’s discomfort, Lenore indulged in a single quick hair-pull, then flattened that palm against Harry’s cheek to keep her face snug against the rough canvas. “Don’t like that one, bytch? Try this one. The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” Message delivered, Lemarchand leaned down to whisper in Harriet’s ear. “Remember that when you’re trying to figure out just how badly I’m going to punish you tonight.”
On that she took the lobe of Harriet’s ear between her teeth and nipped until she heard the lowest of pained growls rumbling deep in the redhead’s chest.
On that she took the lobe of Harriet’s ear between her teeth and nipped until she heard the lowest of pained growls rumbling deep in the redhead’s chest.
Whilst it was immensely satisfying for Lenore to begin repaying just a small amount of the annoyance the newbie had inflicted on her, the bite also meant that her head was now within easy reach of the stuck Hollow Girl. Larkin realised that too, reaching up with her free hand to grab a handful of dark locks and tugging violently to one side. This had a short-term cost in that the Raven’s bite ripped at her earlobe, but at least it was enough to lessen the hammerlock and earn a grunt from Lemarchand.
“Not very impressive, new meat” Lenore snarled, “My grip is legal and there’s no way you’ll ARGH!” She might have had cause to regret her words when the redhead shifted her hand down and took a firm (but rather more legal) grasp of her ear, nipping her nails in and using the grip to tug her further off balance!
“Even if that shyt mattered, we both know I’d rip you bald before the stripy dickhead remembers how to count. Now get the hell off before I take your ear.” Harriet punctuated her sentence with another big yank while bucking her body in the opposite direction. It wasn’t pretty, but it did seem to loosen the Courtier’s grip, Lemarchand loosening the hammerlock for a second and using the captured limb to pull her upright. For a second Larkin thought she was free, then her world was darkened as the Raven demonstrated her flexibility by hopping off both feed and ‘SMECK’ing her legs tight around the Hollow Girl’s skull!
KIMURA AND HEADSCISSORS
]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLFJufcDi3o
Head clamped on both sides by the ivory-skinned steel of the Raven’s legs, Harriet could do little more than reach up with her free hand and paw at her captor, the pressure in her shoulder forcing a groan from her lips. Lemarchand smiled down at her.
“While you sit there all weak and dreary, something to ponder. Everyone in this arena knows I can stretch you out any time I want because I’ve done it to everyone else in FAWN. But they don’t know much about you because you’ve been here five minutes and spent that time trying to get attention instead of earning your place. So here’s the deal. Show me that you’re tough enough to last for a count of five without begging, and I’ll let you live to fight for just a little bit longer. Deal?”
Harriet’s only response was to dig her nails into those encroaching flanks, provoking a tut form the Raven. “Well I guess you just made things worse for yourself. Mr Long?” She smiled sweetly up at the referee, hovering to check for submission. “Harry here would like you to count to five please.”
“Uh…you don’t need a count miss, the hold is legal.” Lemarchand’s smile widened a few notches. “It is now, but it won’t be when I do this!” She leaned down, her jaws once again biting into the redhead, this time the bony joints of her captured fingers. The volume of Larkin’s groaning increased considerably, but her free hand did nothing but claw even harder into the brunette’s buttocks. With ‘FIVE’ just on Craig’s lips Lenore popped the hold open, allowing the larger woman to flop onto her side and roll away nursing her fingers.
Once she’d got to her haunches Larkin reached up, dabbing at her ear and then checking her fingers for blood. There was none in sight, but there was the figure of the Raven, up on her feet and looking faintly pleased with herself. “Biting me really wasn’t a good idea.” Harriet growled at her. “Foreplay is great, but once it’s over you get f*cked.”
“How very poetic.” The sarcasm dripped from Lenore’s voice. “Where are all those clever Eliot quotes now, smart girl? It’s hard to stay eloquent when you’re choking on the big stage?” Larkin growled and surged forwards from the mat, only for the Raven to swoop on intercept path with one knee raised at decapitation height. Harriet couldn’t avoid the blow but she pushed up further and brought her arms forward to absorb it into her chest, shoving that knee back down to leave Lenore off balance in front of her.
Driving upwards with all the power in those long legs, Harriet jammed her shoulder into the Raven’s pale midriff and pushed, the sort of impromptu grounded Spear thwapping into Lenore’s core and lifting her up and backwards. Head tucked under one flailing arm, Larkin pushed up further lifting the smaller woman off her feet and arching up and backwards to dump her into the canvas spine-first!
NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrxoO7LK0D4
Classically a wrestler delivering a suplex should maintain a bridge, holding their opponent down to the matt. Harriet did almost the exact opposite, releasing the instant Lemarchand’s back hit the canvas and scrambling to her knees at one side of the prone Courtier. Both hands were raised high in the sky and then dropped, a Double Axe Handle slamming once more into the brunette’s flat stomach.
Deciding that she wasn’t going to give the redhead another swing, Lenore rolled to her front and looked to power upwards, only to feel a weight dive onto her back as she tried to reach her knees. Two strong hands reached under her chin and pulled back, the simple but effective Rear Chinlock keeping her grounded while putting an increasing pressure on the top of her spine.
“Did you think I’d forgotten about what that Indian chick did to your neck? Let’s see how it feels when I’m done.” If Harriet had expected pain from the Raven what she got instead was a laugh, albeit one totally without humour. “Amara is a hack b…but at least she has pedigree. You’re just an attention whore who’s wilting in the spotlightAghN!”
Returning to an old favourite, Harriet broke one half of her grip and drove the point of her elbow into the back of the Courtier’s neck once, twice, three times. “Kinda ironic to be called edgy by someone who put Marilyn Manson posters up in middle school and never took them down again. Newsflash goth girl, you aren’t half as important as you think you are. You should try accept that, you’ll enjoy life a whole lot moWHOAHH!”
Aware that she was unlikely to win in any contest of strength with the big redhead, Lenore instead demonstrated her technical acumen, needing only one smooth movement to bring her body around to release the pressure and then bridge upwards to roll the larger woman on her back. Harriet’s chinlock became an anchor holding her shoulders to the canvas as referee Craig Long dropped for the first time in the match and counted…
ONE
TWO
Harriet broke her grip well before the three and burst her way out of the pin, scrambling around to try to stay on top of the brunette. She wasn’t quite quick enough though, Lenore on her feet in a trice and delivering a thwapping kick into the New Mexican’s chest. Larkin let out a hiss, and then another when Lemarchand’s boot again lit up her décolletage. The third kick was considerably worse for her though, Lenore darting away and returning from the ropes to staple a running punt square into her collarbone!
PENALTY KICK
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy44TWMlbq4
Collapsing backwards with a damp splat, Larkin stayed prone as the Raven flew on top of her, hooking one leg up high and tight to keep her glued to the canvas. Again Long dropped, hand slapping the mat for…
ONE
TWO
The Hollow Girl heaved upwards and shoved Lemarchand off with authority, rolling to one side and once again scrambling to her feet. She was still a beat slower than the brunette but the extra distance allowed her to duck under the charging Raven, who instead hit the ropes. Lenore returned from the strands with even greater speed but this time the redhead seemed to be one step ahead, uncorking a huge Back Elbow which clunked into the smaller woman’s forehead and sent her thumping down to the mat.
She didn’t stay there for long though, sitting up all by herself and then being dragged the rest of the way to vertical by Harriet, who half dragged and half threw her into the corner. Another big Elbow Smash thumped into Lenore’s jaw, and then another, Larkin shoving a kneestrike into her gut for good measure then leading with yet another elbow. Lemarchand had little choice but to cover up under the flurry of strikes and stomps, dropping to her butt in the corner to better protect herself. No let-up from the Hollow Girl though, not stepping back until Craig Long had tired of cajoling her and reached ‘FOUR in his count’.
Even then Lenore was only left alone for an instant, Larkin stepping in and grabbing two big handfuls of sweaty locks. “Time to fly, bird girl!” she yelled, tugging the hurt Raven’s head up under her arm and then lifting upwards. But again Harriet broke with suplex tradition, lifting her burden up to stall point and then simply dropping her to crash down onto her back!
DEADLIFT SUPLEX TOSS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v0w_W59r1g
Lenore plunged from at least five feet, her spine crunching into the canvas-covered plywood with a sound like meat hitting a slab. Immediately she arched up, lifting her back as if the mat was electrified, but she was brought back to prone again by a big New Mexican boot stomping into her gut. Harriet stepped around to the hurting Courtier’s head, dropped to a seat above it, and used another handful of hair to lift Lemarchand’s noggin off the matt, the better to slide her own legs around it. With her trap set the Hollow Girl crossed one leg over the other and clamped down, trying her best to crack the brunette’s skull like a coconut.
FIGURE FOUR HEADSCISSORS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=asIovJYnl8Y
Confident that she had finally shut the haughty brunette’s mouth, Harriet looked down in satisfaction at her writing victim. “You know all that ‘count of five’ crap you were talking? Well that’s just not my thing. So here’s my deal for you. I’m going to keep squeezing until either I get bored or you pass out and they drag me off. And whichever of those comes first, you can’t do a damn thing about it. How’s that for a deal, little miss Lady in Waiting?”
Lemarchand didn’t or couldn’t answer, such was the power brought to bear by the redhead’s constricting gams. Silence did not equate to helplessness however, as Harriet discovered when her adversary curled both hands into claws and raaaaaaaaaaked her practically from hip to knee. Larkin snorted, then rewarded these contemptible efforts (of which there were two more) with teasing slaps to the other woman’s forehead. “Seems that boredom looks likely to win out.” she said with a disappointed sigh. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so fragERRRRRHHHH!”
The Fair & Radiant Maiden hooked her left thumb into the pit of Harriet’s left knee and gouged away at the pressure point she found there. Baring her teeth as the hold started to shiver, Larkin snatched hold of Lenore’s offending wrist with one hand and curled the other into a hook which she promptly applied to the brunette’s nose. “Scream for me.” Harriet demanded halfway through the first eye-watering twist. “Scream as loud as you can and maybe I won’t tear your nose--”
Lenore twisted clear of Larkin’s wrist control only to snatch some of her own. A firm grip on her other wrist (the one currently trying to crush the Raven’s beak) didn’t end the painful grip, it just gave Lemarchand enough leverage to dig her heels in and scoot back as far as she could, an adjustment that stacked Harriet on her shoulders for the…
ONE…
TWO…
“UUUNNNNNNGGGHHH!” Harriet popped her hips and pulsed her thighs to send her opponent back to the deck with such authority it was practically a Keester Bounce! “A diversion as brief as it was amusing.” Larkin sneered as she planted her hands and hoisted her own tush several inches off the canvas. “Good thing I know how to make my own funNNOOOOOWWW!”
Having her tailbone driven into the thinly-sheathed plywood was far from pleasant, yet the resultant jolt loosened Harriet’s coil just enough for Lenore to sink her teeth into the meat of the redhead’s calf! Instinct almost forced Larkin to relinquish her grip, which was why she took great delight in hooking her index and middle fingers into the Courtier’s nostrils for a savage pull!
“BITE ME AGAIN, BYTCH!” the powerful tyro roared down at her nasally shrieking prey.
In truth Lemarchand didn’t bit her again, she simply kept on biting, thus forcing Craig to intervene on behalf of both his charges. “All right ladies, let’s clean this up!” he swatted Harriet’s wrist and Lenore’s shoulder. “The Headscissors are fine, but you can’t mangle each--”
Harry did as bade just so she could drive a single hard Hammer Punch into the other wrestler’s forehead. Breaking the Scissors immediately thereafter, she spun to one knee and plunged a hand into Lemarchand’s dark hair. “Congratulations bird brain, you managed to capture my attention again… and to think you could’ve gone quietly.”
“Choke on it you simpering poseur tramPPAAARRRRHHH!”
Lenore’s angry response devolved into an equally infuriated yowl as Larkin hauled her to verticality with a double handful of hair. Disoriented though she was, Emily’s Lady in Waiting managed a pair of stiff hooks to Harry’s midsection, so the Hollow Girl quieted her down with a trio of machine-gun burst Kneelifts to the navel. Turning her back without breaking the hair-hold, Larkin used it to flip Lemarchand onto her butt with a Snapmare, then took off for the ropes by planting her right foot between Lenore’s shoulders! The improvised Facebuster bounced Lenore’s forehead off the canvas with enough force to bounce her back to a seat, meaning she was the perfect target when Larkin returned and THWHUMPED both heels into her chest with a Basement Front Dropkick.
BASEMENT FRONT DROPKICK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ygr5LCir8w
Lemarchand was knocked flat by the shotgun power of her foe’s stems, so Harriet straddled her neck in a Schoolgirl Pin so high it was almost a Front Face Sit. Hands on her knees, Larkin mashed her thighs against the Courtier’s cheeks while Lon and the FAWNatics counted…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Lenore arched up in a bridge high enough to tumble Harriet onto all fours with a whisper to spare. The escape guaranteed her at least another three seconds of match participation, alas that was about all, as the groggy-headed Raven was promptly peeled off the canvas by the towering anarchist. Holding Lemarchand’s right wrist in her left hand, Harry lunged forward and THWHAPPED her prey across the chest with a Short-Arm Clothesline that put her back on the deck. “Now that I think about it, I’m glad you didn‘t go gentle into that good night.” She hauled Lenore up, nudged her back with a miniature Shoulderblock and promptly reeled her back in for a second Short-Arm Clothesline. “After all, I want every one of these people that thinks you’re some elegant gothic badass to hear you squealing in terror as I tear you apart!”
SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINES:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=drvMGZT7UZc
Larkin flattened Lenore with a third Clothesline and promptly peeled her off the deck for yet another only to come up empty when Lemarchand dipped low at the last possible second! Circling around behind the startled ingénue, Lenore grabbed a Waistlock and dropped her hips to “OOOFFFHHH!” Harriet snatched her attacker’s wrists and held on tight, thus thwarting the German Suplex just long enough to drive the heavy curve of her backside into Lemarchand’s exposed tummy. “Let me show you how it’s done, birdy.” Larkin huffed as she spun free of the Waistlock to secure one of her own. Feet planted flat, she got low and popped her hips to send the Fair & Radiant Maiden flying up, over and dowNOOOO!
Lenore spun into the tumble to come down on her feet, or rather a heavy, awkward crouch that still managed to earn an impressed cheer from those assembled. Aware that something had gone awry, Larkin hurried to verticality and turned around in time to see the Courtier’s right foot flying at her chin! Harry raised both hands with every intention of swatting the blow aside, but she never got the chance because Lenore brought the Big Boot down a heartbeat early and whipped around in a half circle that ended with the point of her left elbow THWHUMPING against Harry’s left cheek! Groans of surprise and sympathetic anguish from those assembled as Larkin’s head snapped back in a veritable firestorm of coppery locks. Stepping in fencepost holes in the wake of the brain-rattling shot, Larkin almost made it to the ropes before she lost her balance and went down hard on her hip and shoulder.
BOOT FEIGNED BACK ELBOW:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=66cPFRwFMR0
Lenore saw this and rushed forward to nudge the New Mexican out of the ring, but Harriet did it for her by easing off the apron to the floor. “Where you off to, tuff girl?” Lemarchand barked after the retreating redhead. “Weren’t you going to tear me apart?” Larkin answered with a raised middle finger, a show of defiance only slightly undercut by her death grip on the bottom rope. Lenore heard the referee coming over to start a count, so she raised her hands and backpedaled to a corner on the far side of the squared circle without so much as a word.
Craig, good credulous fellow that he was, took this as a show of good faith from the Raven and so he focused solely on the other member of the match. This proved unwise only in that it meant he didn’t get to watch Lenore race across the ring in a looping crescent that ended with her vaulting over the top rope to THAWHUMP both heels into Larkin’s chest in a gorgeous Dropkick!
ON EBON WINGS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD8q2iu1Zr4
Clambering to her feet amidst a cacophony of ‘HOLY SHYT!’ chants, Lenore hooked her thumbs together and raised the Raven sigil high overhead. This brought on another thunderous round of applause that was still going strong when Lemarchand hooked a handful of her opponent’s waistband and hauled her to boot-leather. “So you liked picking apart my neck after Amara did all the heavy lifting, huh?” Lenore sidled in beside the redhead, then bent down and laid claim to her left ankle. From there she wedged her head beneath Larkin’s left arm and folded that leg up so Harriet’s heel was snug against her backside. With the Hollow Girl reduced to one good leg, Lenore hooked her other arm around Larkin’s waist and teased, “Then something tells me your next opponent is going to love this.”
“Nuuuhhhh…. not as much as you love the sound of your own voiWHOOAAAARRRRRHHHHHHH FAAAAAAAAAHK!”
Harriet snarled in surprise when Lenore muscled her into the air, then shrieked in agony once the vengeful Courier dropped her left knee on the edge of the apron with a hatefully dull THUD!
The rest of Harriet’s body followed quickly after, her full weight pressing down over the abused joint before flopping off the apron into a messy pile on the ringside matting. Standing above her, the Raven reached down and snagged that hurting leg again. “Actually I much prefer the sound of you screaming. Let’s do that again, shall we?” Lenore made it clear that this wasn’t a request, thumping two short, stiff kicks into the back of the redhead’s knee and then yanking upwards and slamming it down into the lightly padded concrete.
Unsatisfied with the hiss of pain this elicited, the Raven slammed that joint into the ground one more time then shovelled her up onto the ring apron, sliding after to stop the referee’s count. She didn’t stay for long though, dragging Harriet over to the nearby ringpost before slipping back to ringside with that long leg in tow.
It was the work of a second for Lenore to wrap those stems around the post in a brilliantly augmented figure-four shape, Larkin realising her predicament and trying frantically to pull herself free. “No, don’t!” she yelled, eyes wide. Lemarchand regarded her coolly. “Remember when you said I just do things because I want to? Well I really want to do this.” She lifted one leg up, wrapped it over one captive ankle, and then hauled back with all her weight to squeeze the redhead’s knee against the unforgiving steel with hellacious pressure.
RINGPOST FIGURE FOUR
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L5eeV0YMk8
Now the screams flowed freely, Harriet protesting violently with both her voice and by frantically bucking to get free. No sign of let-up from Lemarchand, at least until Craig Long leaned down between the ropes and yelled his count from close quarters. Even so she held on until ‘FOUR’ had left his mouth, releasing as late as she could and dropping to her back before rising to another ‘holy shyt’ pop from the crowd.
The referee didn’t seem nearly so impressed. “This isn’t a hardcore match miss,” Long reminded loudly, “and I will disqualify you if you try anything else.” The Raven just smiled at him. “Don’t worry, the new meat is nearly done. I’ll even get back in the ring for you, but there’s just one more thing I need to do first.”
Dragging the hurting redhead back out onto the apron again, Lenore slammed a quick forearm into her face on general principles and then swanned over to the barrier, reaching over into the crowd and beckoning to one particular fan bearing a bucket of soft drink. “Do you mind?” she asked demurely, smiling at him. The man looked flustered for a second before handing over the soda. In return he received a wink before the Raven strutted back over to Larkin’s prone form.
“You really need to have a word with makeup,” she began, reaching one hand down to cup under the newbie’s chin, “someone’s been drawing chevrons all over your face. Let me wash that off for you.” Larkin growled but couldn’t quite buck herself free in time to avoid the vat of soda which was dunked over her head! The nearby audience were mostly left giggling but there was no humour in Lenore’s eyes when she brought her other hand up in a pie face which roughly wiped away the redhead’s warpaint!
For her part Harriet seemed shocked, although she had enough wherewithal to give the brunette a big shove to give herself some space. Lenore came to a stop a few feet away as the Hollow Girl dropped to her feet from the apron. “Much better,” she snarled, “now let’s check on that kneUGHN!”
Storming towards the woman who had tormented her, Larkin reared back her head and drove forwards. The ungodly Headbutt clunked into Lenore’s temple with a sound like wet cement falling on concrete, the brunette’s noggin flying backwards to leave her in a stunned sprawl on the matting. This time the only response from the crowd was a sympathetic ‘ooooh’ at the sheer viciousness of the blow.
THEN SPOKE THE THUNDER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw0T9q1bi7M
With sopping wet hair and her togs drenched in Mt Dew, Larkin should have looked funny as she stood over the stunned Raven. In fact she just looked apoplectic, those eyes blazing fury as she reached down and dragged Lenore to her feet. Any thoughts of a counter were swiftly quelled the redhead powering her up to horizontal at shoulder height and then adjusting position slightly so that she was angled over the crowd barrier before simply dropping her burden. Lemarchand’s descent was interrupted brutally by the lightly-padded barricade clunking into her forehead!
Slumping onto her knees, Lenore palmed at the welt on her forehead and tried to blink away the cobwebs in her eyes. Larkin turned away briefly and rolled into the ring, staying just long enough to make sure the referee’s count was reset before slipping back out again. Her actions brought a groan from Craig Long.
Larkin just stared at him for a second, then stomped over to Lemarchand’s slowly recovering form and powered a short, vicious kick into her spine. A second followed before the Hollow Girl reached down to snag one of Lenore’s arms. Yanking upwards, she spun on her heel, the movement enough to pull Emily’s Lady in Waiting to her feet and then swing her around into the nearby ring steps with a THUMP!
Lenore slumped down against the metal, head slowly lifting up so that her eyes met Harriet’s. Anger still rolled off the redhead, as she knelt down with her legs either side of Lenore’s and lifted the Raven up slightly so that her head was above the level of the steps. “I hope you had your fun laughing at what ceases to amuse,” she told the brunette, “because laughing is going to be pretty hard in a second or two…”
It looked briefly like the Raven was opening her mouth for a response, but she had no chance to give one as Harriet crooked one elbow and slammed the point of it around into her temple. The force knocked her head backwards, neck grinding against the angle of the ring steps, and drew a groan.
But this increased tenfold when Larkin simply swung again, driving three more elbow smashes into Lenore’s face while simultaneously crunching the top of her spine into the steel. Again it was only the sound of Craig Long leaning down and shouting FOUR from close range that brought a pause in the barrage.
“I’ll give you the same warning I gave her!” Long’s voice was very demanding now. “Cut the hardcore crap or I will disqualify you, and get her back in the ring!” The look Harriet gave him was so withering it could have curdled cheese, but in the end she climbed slightly gingerly to her feet and grabbed hold of Lemarchand’s bottoms, shovelling the brunette up onto the apron while simultaneously yanking those togs into her undercarriage. As Lenore yelped and reached to adjust her wardrobe, Larkin scrambled up behind and clambered through the ropes.
She was all set to reach down and drag the brunette up to standing when, Lenore swung a leg out from her seated position and jabbed the boot square into Larkin’s damaged knee. Harriet’s knee jarred backwards and sent her stumbling away, allowing the Raven the space she needed to stand up. And that in turn meant that Lenore’s second kick was far more orthodox, swung with enough force and accuracy to buckle Harriet’s leg and force her to take a knee in the centre of the ring.
“Sorry dear,” Lenore told the genuflecting newbie, “It’s a nice gesture but the Black Court isn’t looking to take on any overmatched rookies right now. Maybe you could ask again when you’ve actually achIEEE!”
Unwilling to be the butt of any more of the Raven’s jokes, Larkin swung out a straight right which thumped into the centre of Lemarchand’s trunks! The brunette’s mouth formed an ‘O’ of pain and both hands flew to her hurting center, Harriet rising in front of her. One long leg swung up, the redhead’s boot clunking into Lenore’s face and dropping her to the matt on her back!
BIG BOOT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIOfWRlyIRs
A growl of pain escaped Larkin’s lips, the thumping blow clearly jarring her own knee as well as the Raven’s jaw. But after a second she dropped down on top of the Courtier, wearily pressing Lenore’s shoulders to the matt as Craig Long dropped to count…
ONE
TWO
Nooooo
Lenore had spent the past several years building up a reputation as one of the hardest women in the promotion to put away, and she proved it once again by kicking out with authority, punching one arm up off the matt and turning herself over to prevent any sort of repeat cover. Apparently that reputation hadn’t reached Harriet Larkin though, the redhead seeming first surprised and then infuriated by her opponent’s durability. For a second it looked as if she might be about to take that frustration out on Craig Long, but then she had a better idea, turning her gaze back to the prone Raven.
Clambering through after her, the Hollow Girl knelt to press down over Lemarchand’s back. She looped one hand under the brunette’s chin, the other elbow placed on the back of her captive’s neck, then bent forwards to whisper into the Raven’s ear. “Remember this position?” she cooed.
Lenore’s wriggles were enough to indicate that she did, but the arm on her windpipe prevented a verbal response. “Last time I let you go with just a scream, but this time I think we need a little more. I know you like to play games, and you already know the rules of this one. Either crawl on your belly to get to those ropes, or admit your arrogance and give the hell up.”
If Larkin had hoped for some show of indecisiveness from the trapped Courtier, she was sorely disappointed when Lenore gouged a white-knuckled fingers into the canvas and began dragging them both toward the edge of the ring. Her progress wasn’t quick by any means, but the fact that there was any forward momentum whatsoever made Harriet seethe, so she shifted her weight so that the point of her good knee grrrrrroooooound into the small of her opponent’s back. “Yeah, that slowed you down.” she snapped at the groaning brunette. “Why don’t you go ahead and submit, bird brain? I’m starting to get bored and if that happens I might just turn your head around backward.” Larkin emphasized the veracity of this threat by gouging the point of her elbow into the nape of Lenore’s neck.
The Raven chirped pitiably, but she waved Long off when he got close and she’d resumed her journey shortly thereafter. Lips set in a thin, pale line as Lemarchand drew them closer and closer, Harriet adjusted again, this time planting the full weight of her backside in the hollow of her foe’s spine. Abandoning the Chin-Pull and Elbow Grind for a moment, she laid claim to Lenore’s biceps and drew them back over her thighs. The crowd bellowed their disapproval, alas this didn’t take the edge of Lemarchand’s screams when Harriet cupped her chin and reefed back on the Camel Clutch!
“Give it up, bytch.” Larkin barked over her foe’s wails. “Tell these people you’re a scrawny little bookworm playing dress up and maybe you don’t leave this ring in a neck brace.”
Barely a foot from sanctuary, Lenore planted on both knees and slid as best she could, but any progress was incremental at best and imagined at worst. Galled at the thought of submitting to the same hold on back to back pay-per-views, Lemarchand drew her head up the tiniest bit and growled, “Yuuuuhhhh… you always capitalize on work started by someone else, Larkin? No wonder everyone’s got Faulk pegged as the breakout sta--”
Harriet slipped two fingers into the brunette’s mouth and she would’ve strained her smile in new and interesting directions if Lemarchand hadn’t chomped down like she meant to take them off at the second knuckle! “FAAAAAAAAAAAHK!” Larkin forgot all about the Chinlock in favor of hammering on the side of Lenore’s head, which, painful though it was, actually allowed the suffering bendy-back to cinch one desperate hand around the bottom rope.
Aware that hostilities between his charges had escalated in record time, Craig Long didn’t bother asking for a break, he simply began a count that got dangerously close to ‘FIVE!’ before Harriet stood up and stormed to the center of the ring. “GET UP!” the Hollow Girl roared at Lemarchand as she stalked back and forth. “GET YOUR ASS UP SO I CAN BREAK YOUR BONY LITTLE ASS OVER MY KNEE!”
Lenore did as bade, gamely refusing to tend to the hellacious ache in her neck as she did so. Breathing a sigh of relief as she reached verticality, Lenore flicked hair out of her eyes, then, in what Larkin regarded as a galling show of disrespect, she braced her elbows on the top rope and settled in quite comfortably. “My ass is up.” the Fair & Radiant Maiden said with a nonchalance she certainly didn’t feel. “Now are you actually going to carry through on that threat or would you prefer to posture a little while longer, you pathetic cos-play anarchist?”
Harriet charged at her like red death with a Forearm Smash honed in on the smirking crescent of Lenore’s mo-- Lemarchand went low and exploded off her back foot to THWHUMP a shoulder into Larkin’s thigh *just* above her injured knee. The collision sent Lenore to the mat in a heap while Harriet whipped through a midair somersault to land flat on her back, that damaged leg already clutched tight against her chest.
Exhausted in the wake of Larkin’s brutal machinations, Lenore rolled onto her back in relatively short order but she didn’t bother to sit up until the referee reached ‘SEVEN!’ on his count. Doing so resulted in monstrous bolts of pain in her neck and right shoulder, yet she was still on her feet before ‘EIGHT!’ Harriet joined her at ‘NINE!’ though it was a close thing to be sure, as all her weight was planted on her uninjured right leg.
“Stop the match, Craig.” Lenore told Long. “She can’t put any pressure on that leg.”
Larkin took a tottering step forward, growling as her left foot touched the mat. “I only need one leg to kick your overrated ass, sweetheart.”
Lenore snorted and moved away, daring the redhead to follow her out into deep water. “Oh sweetie, I don’t care how tough you think you are, that leg is useless. I lock you up now, you’re leaving on a GUUUHHHHRRRK!”
Harriet lunged forward, wrapped her right hand around Lenore’s throat and squeezed until the brunette was wheezing like a tea-kettle. Slinging the Courtier’s near arm over her right shoulder, Larkin reached around with her left hand and snagged a huge handful of Lemarchand’s bottoms. “I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope,” Harriet rasped into her rival’s ear, “For hope would be hope for the wrong thiNNNNNNNGGGGHHHHH!”
Lenore cut her off with a single brutal Kneelift between the thighs, a stern receipt for Larkin’s earlier liberties with her trunks. Forced to abandon the Goozle to focus on her traitorous knees, Harriet started to clinch but Lenore dipped under her sweeping arms and picked the big redhead’s left leg off the canvas. The Hollow Girl landed flat and lost her breath, only vaguely aware that Lemarchand still possessed her left foot. Turning so her back on the powerful newcomer, Lenore threaded Harriet’s captured stem around her right leg, then bent down and took hold of Larkin’s right leg, which she angled over her opponent’s left shin before finally trapping it between her thighs. With those powerful stems all knotted up, Lenore let spun down onto her tush, then put one hand against the mat for support and pushed up as high as she could in hopes of torturing a surrender from Harriet’s left knee.
TELLTALE LEGLOCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tub7xwpZGxo
“AAAAAARRRHHHHHHH YOOOOUUUU BYTCH!” Larkin pushed onto her palms, or rather palm, as she reached back to pound at that ungodly tangle of limbs.
“Give it up, punk!” Lenore barked. “Your knee can’t take much more of this!” She jostled the hold up and down to impress Larkin with the severity of her situation. The FAWNatics did their part with a raucous ‘TAP!’ chant that grew all the louder when Harriet pressed her brow to the mat and wrapped her head in both hands. “I said QUIT!” Lemarchand put even more strain on the redhead’s knee only instead of wailing her surrender, Harriet rose up on her hands and began dragging their combined weight toward the ropes! Momentarily at a loss, Lenore didn’t ease the pressure, but she didn’t increase it either, which was probably what allowed Larkin to grab hold of the bottom rope.
“GET OFF ME!” she screamed at once. “GET OFF ME OR I SWEAR I’LL AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW FAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”
Emily’s Lady in Waiting poured on everything she had left in those last ‘FOUR!’ seconds, the longest of Harriet Larkin’s burgeoning professional career. Yet the redhead’s grip on the strand never wavered and she struggled to one knee the instant Lemarchand released that murderous coil. Now holding the ropes for leverage rather than security, Larkin forced herself to stand, then took several deep breaths before rounding on the wide-eyed Raven. “Was that your best, bird brain? I was expecting… mor--”
Lenore flitted in and CRAAAACKED the redhead with a Bytch Slap that put Harriet’s butt on the middle rope. Clearing off as the taller woman cleared her head, Lemarchand raised a hand, beckoning her forward. “Know what Olivia Dare, Elise Winterrest and even Amara Singh have in common, Larkin? They’re all worthy of my best. You? You’re barely worth my conte--”
Harriet interrupted with a lurching Haymaker that might’ve sent Lenore’s teeth into the lower deck if not for her bum knee. As it was, the Courtier slipped beneath the strike, hooking her left arm around Larkin’s right bicep in the process. Off balance thanks to the miss, Harriet couldn’t stop Lenore from trapping her left arm in similar fashion and with both arms secured she was effectively down to one useful limb, meaning there was nothing to be done when Lemarchand dropped to her knees and stacked the Hollow Girl on her shoulders. Now, the humble Backslide was no one’s idea of a flashy maneuver, however Lenore earned a surprised cheer for this version when she somersaulted over Larkin’s squirming frame to come to rest with both feet planted flat and the small of her back snugged tight against Harriet’s upturned haunches. Craig dove into place, took a heartbeat to check Larkin’s shoulders, then counted off…
SNEAKY BIRD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGDYuo0dlM
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Lenore let go and slopped to one side, the exhausted brunette somehow finding the energy to raise a hand when the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall… LENORE LEMARCHAND!”
That victorious arm stayed aloft for a few moments then dropped, Lenore rolling to her front to catch her breath and rub gingerly at the ache in her neck. When she was satisfied that both were under control she pressed to her feet, hands raising her raven sigil high above her head.
The response from all sides of the arena was deafening, FAWNatics showing appreciation for the battle but clearly thrilled their favourite had come through it victorious. Lenore had taken a turn around two sides of the ring before a slight change in the crowd noise had her turning warily.
Sure enough Larkin had also regained her feet, roughly shoving off the attentions of Craig Long and taking a laboured but purposeful step forwards. Lenore’s arms dropped from vertical to head height, the raven sigil now lined up squarely with the defeated girl’s face.
The message was clear enough to not need words, and Harriet’s response was equally transparent. One arm came up to swipe the brunette’s hands aside, the Hollow Girl hobbling forward another step so there was barely a foot of space between them. When she did speak the redhead’s voice was tired, but still vibrating with anger.
“Feeling pleased with yourself, little miss lady-in-waiting?” Harriet all but spat the words straight into the brunette’s face. “All that arrogance, all the bullshyt about worthiness, and in the end the best you can bring is sneaking a technicality.”
Lenore’s smirk got a few notches wider. “It’s called ‘winning’ sweetheart,” she scoffed. “That’s why these people are cheering. You should be thanking me for carrying a loser this high up the card. And you should thank me even more for letting you hobble away on that knee instead of putting you on the shelf.”
“You went for my knee and you couldn’t get the job done. But we both know you can’t even turn your head cos your neck is so beat up.” An odd smile crossed Larkin’s face. “I’ve got a funny feeling that not being able to check your six is going to be a problem real soon.”
Not even blinking at the implied threat, Lenore instead rolled her eyes. “That playground crap might work on the curtain jerkers, but here it’s just pathetic. I gave you a lesson in what happens when you get out of your depth. Learn from your mistakes.”
“The only thing you taught me is that you’re better at following the rules. Which is fine, cos I’m much more into breaking them.” Harriet stepped forwards again, the two women now face to face with only a few inches between. Lenore didn’t back down in the slightest, but Craig Long took this as his cue to give up any solo efforts to keep the two battlers apart and instead gestured for backup.
A troop of referees and security emerged from the top of the entrance ramp, but the two women they were headed for seemed oblivious, locked in a silent stare. After a few seconds Lemarchand broke the stalemate
“Ask me,” she said simply. “I know you want a rematch, because you’re an entitled edgelord who can’t accept that she’s lost in front of the biggest audience of her life. So ask. Ask quickly, or I might just make you beg.”
“I’m not asking you for anything.” That infuriating smirk on the Raven’s face had Harriet’s temper nearly boiling over, but her voice stayed level. “I take what I want. Maybe in the locker room again, like last time. Or in the gym, or the parking garage. Or maybe I’ll just visit your precious Madhouse next time you’re there and do that Indian chick a favour.”
Lenore just shook her head, sweat-soaked hair spreading out over her shoulders. “You still don’t understand. What was it Eliot said? ‘You had the experience but missed the meaning’. Well let me be very clear. You played the one card you had to get my attention, and you lost.”
Harriet’s only response was a big two-handed shove. The Raven was pushed back a step but surged right back in again, her push aimed square at the redhead’s face. And it looked like the two woman were all set to go right back at it then and there if it wasn’t for the intervention of FAWN’s security, two people grabbing Larkin’s arms while several more piled into Lenore.
After a few cursory struggles Harriet allowed herself to be shuffled back a few more paces. This didn’t seem to have improved her mood though, and when she spoke the words came out in an angry hiss. “Something to think very hard about before we next see each other, bird girl,” she advised, “Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow.”
“And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting…” Lenore raised her hands, the Raven sigil once more flying above her head and earning a few more shouts from the crowd. But her smile was fixed on Harriet, fuming as security swarmed around and guided her out of the ring. Once she was certain that her point was well and truly made Lenore turned her back, taking one more lap to soak in the cheers of the PPV audience while her opponent was hustled out of the auditorium.
[/b][/b][/b]
The eyes turned to the entranceway were likely expecting to see the random strobing and the eerily cheery indie lyrics that usually announced the presence of FlC. But despite the announcer’s claim it seemed that Larkin was here on personal business tonight. As such the strobes were replaced with low orange lighting, while a grungy guitar strummed out into the auditorium.
MOANING LISA SMILE
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z71df68qLp0
As the song roared to life several gouts of real flame shot out from the entranceway, announcing the arrival of the Hollow Girl to the arena. Sure enough Larkin’s imposing figure strode out, showing little acknowledgement of either the crowds or the veritable inferno of pyro around her. Perhaps more pertinently she seemed to be alone in her travels, no sign of Lyra Faulk’s impish form.
HARRIET LARKIN
Perhaps aware that tonight marked a very considerable step-up in terms of exposure and competition from her previous singles encounters, Harriet had chosen to change up her outfit, or possibly just make it more practical for the carnage ahead. Her usual white blouse and bra combo had switched for a sporty maroon affair, and her plaid skirt revealed matching boyshorts. Those long pale legs were still unadorned save for black boots, and her auburn hair hung loose to her shoulders. But to remind everyone of her tag roots she still wore the odd double-chevron of paint over her left eye, muted charcoal and bronze highlighting the vivid green of her pupils.
Carried at some speed by those flawless pins, Larkin hit a dead sprint shortly before she reached the ring and used that momentum to slide in under the bottom rope. She took a second to glance around, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. And then she moved off to her corner. Or rather a corner; not the one assigned to her, but if she knew this she didn’t display any sign.
With Larkin in the ring and steadfastly ignoring the efforts of referee Craig Long, the Announcer brought out her adversary for the evening. “And introducing her opponent, hailing from Glen Echo Michigan, she stands at five feet seven inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and thirty-one pounds. Representing the Black Court, they call her the Raven… LENORE LEMARCHAND!”
LENORE LEMARCHAND:
Kula Shaker’s ‘Hush’ winged its way into the arena and a cloud of ’Ravens’ went up, Lemarchand’s flock larger than ever despite the painful setback she’d suffered last month. The Red, White & Bruised throng cheered all the louder when Emily West’s Lady in Waiting brushed through the curtain scant seconds after her name was called. Ignoring the roar of the fans in favor of a cold, steady gaze trained upon the towering ingénue, Lemarchand murmured, “Different set of rules tonight, my smug little ginger anarchist. It’s time you learned that everything, even entropy, can bend to my will.” The promise was fresh on her lips when she hooked her thumbs together and hoisted the Raven sigil directly overhead. This was greeted by the largest Unkindness yet, more than enough moral support to set Lemarchand on her way down the ramp.
For this teachable moment against a brat that’d dared attack her following a brutal battle, Lenore wore strappy bikini bottoms hued in a purplish-black and emblazoned with a faint design that careful inspection revealed as feathers. Her top was halter style, with the color and pattern matching her briefs, while her elbow and kneepads were matte black, the latter still obscured by loose, bell-flared 'leggings' that started just south of mid-thigh and dropped to ankle length. Those leggings were also black and featured a stylized version of Lemarchand’s raven insignia done in stark white. Her look was finished with shiny black boots and purple wrist tape that matched her togs.
Though Lenore’s attention was understandably focused on Harriet (and make no mistake about it, Harriet returned her gaze with equal intensity) Lemarchand deigned to look away when a sign on the aisle caught her eye.
ELIOT’S A PUNK AND SO’S LARKIN!
POETRY SLAM HER ASS THROUGH A TABLE, LENORE!
“Now, now, Eliot’s not for everyone, but he’s hardly a punk. It’s not his fault he attracts sad sack poseurs in record numbers.” With that she spun away and broke into a limber run that brought her under the bottom rope in a matter of heartbeats. On her feet even faster, she made for Harriet’s corner only to stop in the center when her adversary didn’t so much as twitch. Irritated, but not really surprised, she hoisted the Raven sigil one more time, then backpedaled to the opposite corner so Long could carry out final inspections.
Larkin and Lemarchand came forward as soon as the bell sounded, the pair of leggy grapplers covering the distance in a few long strides despite the fact that neither of them looked particularly interested in the other. Hands raised to brawl in case the flighty little bird was foolish enough to accost her head on, Harriet circled to the right and offered the faintest of smiles as she looked the Raven up and down. “Hmmmh, guess I can be punctual from time to time.” she said softly. “All the worse for you, I suppose.”
Lenore didn’t quite scoff, but Larkin didn’t miss the incredulity that flashed across her face. “As if you’d miss the opportun--”
Harriet exploded forward, her right leg coming up for a Big Boot that would’ve caught Lemarchand in the chin if she hadn’t spun out of the way. Brushing by on the newcomer’s right, Lenore let her fingertips drift beneath the hem of Larkin’s skirt, just enough to ‘flip’ it up for a single heartbeat. The tactic raised a cheer that Lemarchand didn’t even hear. All her attention was focused on Harriet, whose lack of reaction to the skirt flick was itself a sort of reaction. Filing this away for future reference, the Fair & Radiant Maiden settled into a grappler’s crouch and joined her adversary in a slowly tightening spiral.
“As I was saying, you weren’t about to miss this opportunity.”
“Don’t overestimate your importance, skinny. I could’ve chosen any--”
Lenore THWHAKED a quick kick to the side of Harriet’s left thigh, grimaced as the Hollow Girl treated her to one of the same. Seemingly impressed (or at least satisfied) with Larkin’s striking power, Lenore beckoned her in and when Harry didn’t respond she replied, “Yes, you could have. You might’ve picked Charlotte Coles or Frankie Sellers and you’d get a match on the pre-show or possibly even jerk the curtain, but instead you went after me and look what it got you. Your very first singles pay-per-view bout! At the top of the third hour no less!”
Larkin snorted, a derisive, angry sound. “You think that’s what this is about? Simple career advancement?”
Lenore shrugged, darted out a hand and pulled it back when Harriet fetched her forearm a quick slap. “Actually I think it’s nothing more than a cry for attention. You’re no anarchist, Larkin. You’re an Edge Lord. And no self-respecting Edge Lord would ever miss a chance to be the center of attenEERRRGGH!”
Harriet snatched the brunette’s head in both hands and reared back for a hellacious Headbutt only to snarl in dismay as the Courtier STAMPED on her toes! Larkin raised the sore foot without thinking about it and paid for it when Lemarchand whipped around, caught her in a Three Quarters Facelock and flipped her onto her rump with a quick Snapmare. Measuring the distance between them in the blink of an eye, Lenore rushed forward and dropped to one knee, the point of which she promptly jabbed between the redhead’s shoulders!
SLIDING BASEMENT KNEE:www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wbYWuCmOa4
Harry cursed, rolled to all fours, then cursed again because the brunette caught her at the waistband and the nape of the neck. Balanced on her right foot, she flicked her left leg out straight, then came down and in to THWHUMP the redhead’s ribs.
KNEELIFT TO RIBS: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DscwU8t7ElI
“Bytch!” Larkin snarled as she rose to one knee and reached for her attacker.
Lenore let her grab on, it gave her a valid reason to retaliate with a pie-face that could’ve smeared Harriet’s lips across her cheeks if it’d been any stiffer. “Is this what you had in mind when you jumped me?” Lemarchand taunted following a single brisk slap. “Taking a knee in the center of the ring while I slapped you around for the delight of a sold out OOOOFFFFHHH!”
The Hollow Girl hooked onto the brunette’s waistband and tugged her into a straight right hand to those washboard abs. Lenore didn’t quite double over with the first shot, so Harry punched her twice more, then stood up and reeled her into a Front Facelock. “If you actually knew what was on my mind when I had you mewling against those tiles, you never would’ve accepted this match.” Larkin sneered as Lenore slapped and pawed at her glossy flanks. “And if you must know, THIS is only the slightest taste of what I have in store for you.” She raised her free hand to the rafters, crooked that arm into a tire iron and brought it THWHAPPING down across Lemarchand’s back no less than half a dozen times.
That last shot dropped the brunette to one knee, so Harry curled her hand into a spade and raaaaaaaaaaaaaaked it up the Courtier’s back once, twice, thrice! This failed to raise an interesting response from Lenore, so Larkin grabbed hold of her opponent’s purple briefs and pulled until that slender crescent of glute was a generous half-moon.
“POSEUR TRAMP!” Lemarchand yipped as the wedgie forced her to rise as high as the Front Facelock would allow.
Clearly savoring the brunette’s displeasure, Harriet relinquished the wedgie, or rather, she shifted her grip to Lenore’s hip after slinging the other woman’s near arm across her shoulders. Turning them so Lemarchand’s increasingly distended togs were pointed at the hard camera, Larkin dipped her knees and muscled the bendyback directly over--”NGH!”
Emily’s Lady in Waiting brought her right knee up into the crown of Harriet’s skull, forcing the big redhead to return her to the canvas. Alas a single shot wasn’t quite deterrent enough, meaning it was a matter of mere moments before Larkin reset her hooks and hauled Lenore back into the “NNNGGHH!” Lemarchand caught her with a second Kneelift to the noggin, then followed it with a shot that landed *just* below Larkin’s navel.
Freed from the Facelock when Harriet staggered back from the impact, the Raven straightened up and immediately spun around on her right foot to paste a quick Forearm Smash to the side of her attacker’s noggin. It wasn’t a light shot by any means but Harry only swayed on the spot, so Lenore drew a bead on the ingénue’s navel and SKEWERED it with a low Super Kick! That finally dropped Larkin to all fours, though the set of those strong shoulders told Lenore she’d be rising at any moment. But Lemarchand liked Harry’s current arrangement quite a bit, so she sidled around to the redhead’s left and hopped off that foot to THWHACK the length of her right shin against the line of Larkin’s jaw.
ROLLING ELBOW, LOW SUPER KICK & BICYCLE KNEE: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHnDS60K7-E
Harriet finally flopped onto her back so Lemarchand dropped to her knees for a cover only to lean back on her haunches when Harriet rolled onto her stomach. Quick to understand she wasn’t going to blow the redhead’s doors off tonight, Lenore straddled Larkin’s lower back and claimed ownership of her left arm. With both knees wedged against the anarchist’s ribs, Lemarchand folded the captured limb up between Harriet’s shoulders in a Hammerlock extremely familiar to both women.
“Already ripping off my moves, huh bird brain?” Harriet muttered. “Who’s the poseur noMEERRGGHH!”
Lenore halved the Hammerlock, buried a hand in those long burnished locks and stuffed Larkin’s cheek against the canvas. “You had so many lovely quotes to share during our first meeting, I felt bad not responding in kind.” the Raven murmured as she punished the larger woman with that pair of simple holds. “So here’s one of my favorites. Stupidity is a talent for misconception.”
Larkin growled, reached up with her free hand and got the back of her head paintbrushed for the effort.
Revelling in her opponent’s discomfort, Lenore indulged in a single quick hair-pull, then flattened that palm against Harry’s cheek to keep her face snug against the rough canvas. “Don’t like that one, bytch? Try this one. The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.” Message delivered, Lemarchand leaned down to whisper in Harriet’s ear. “Remember that when you’re trying to figure out just how badly I’m going to punish you tonight.”
On that she took the lobe of Harriet’s ear between her teeth and nipped until she heard the lowest of pained growls rumbling deep in the redhead’s chest.
On that she took the lobe of Harriet’s ear between her teeth and nipped until she heard the lowest of pained growls rumbling deep in the redhead’s chest.
Whilst it was immensely satisfying for Lenore to begin repaying just a small amount of the annoyance the newbie had inflicted on her, the bite also meant that her head was now within easy reach of the stuck Hollow Girl. Larkin realised that too, reaching up with her free hand to grab a handful of dark locks and tugging violently to one side. This had a short-term cost in that the Raven’s bite ripped at her earlobe, but at least it was enough to lessen the hammerlock and earn a grunt from Lemarchand.
“Not very impressive, new meat” Lenore snarled, “My grip is legal and there’s no way you’ll ARGH!” She might have had cause to regret her words when the redhead shifted her hand down and took a firm (but rather more legal) grasp of her ear, nipping her nails in and using the grip to tug her further off balance!
“Even if that shyt mattered, we both know I’d rip you bald before the stripy dickhead remembers how to count. Now get the hell off before I take your ear.” Harriet punctuated her sentence with another big yank while bucking her body in the opposite direction. It wasn’t pretty, but it did seem to loosen the Courtier’s grip, Lemarchand loosening the hammerlock for a second and using the captured limb to pull her upright. For a second Larkin thought she was free, then her world was darkened as the Raven demonstrated her flexibility by hopping off both feed and ‘SMECK’ing her legs tight around the Hollow Girl’s skull!
KIMURA AND HEADSCISSORS
]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLFJufcDi3o
Head clamped on both sides by the ivory-skinned steel of the Raven’s legs, Harriet could do little more than reach up with her free hand and paw at her captor, the pressure in her shoulder forcing a groan from her lips. Lemarchand smiled down at her.
“While you sit there all weak and dreary, something to ponder. Everyone in this arena knows I can stretch you out any time I want because I’ve done it to everyone else in FAWN. But they don’t know much about you because you’ve been here five minutes and spent that time trying to get attention instead of earning your place. So here’s the deal. Show me that you’re tough enough to last for a count of five without begging, and I’ll let you live to fight for just a little bit longer. Deal?”
Harriet’s only response was to dig her nails into those encroaching flanks, provoking a tut form the Raven. “Well I guess you just made things worse for yourself. Mr Long?” She smiled sweetly up at the referee, hovering to check for submission. “Harry here would like you to count to five please.”
“Uh…you don’t need a count miss, the hold is legal.” Lemarchand’s smile widened a few notches. “It is now, but it won’t be when I do this!” She leaned down, her jaws once again biting into the redhead, this time the bony joints of her captured fingers. The volume of Larkin’s groaning increased considerably, but her free hand did nothing but claw even harder into the brunette’s buttocks. With ‘FIVE’ just on Craig’s lips Lenore popped the hold open, allowing the larger woman to flop onto her side and roll away nursing her fingers.
Once she’d got to her haunches Larkin reached up, dabbing at her ear and then checking her fingers for blood. There was none in sight, but there was the figure of the Raven, up on her feet and looking faintly pleased with herself. “Biting me really wasn’t a good idea.” Harriet growled at her. “Foreplay is great, but once it’s over you get f*cked.”
“How very poetic.” The sarcasm dripped from Lenore’s voice. “Where are all those clever Eliot quotes now, smart girl? It’s hard to stay eloquent when you’re choking on the big stage?” Larkin growled and surged forwards from the mat, only for the Raven to swoop on intercept path with one knee raised at decapitation height. Harriet couldn’t avoid the blow but she pushed up further and brought her arms forward to absorb it into her chest, shoving that knee back down to leave Lenore off balance in front of her.
Driving upwards with all the power in those long legs, Harriet jammed her shoulder into the Raven’s pale midriff and pushed, the sort of impromptu grounded Spear thwapping into Lenore’s core and lifting her up and backwards. Head tucked under one flailing arm, Larkin pushed up further lifting the smaller woman off her feet and arching up and backwards to dump her into the canvas spine-first!
NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrxoO7LK0D4
Classically a wrestler delivering a suplex should maintain a bridge, holding their opponent down to the matt. Harriet did almost the exact opposite, releasing the instant Lemarchand’s back hit the canvas and scrambling to her knees at one side of the prone Courtier. Both hands were raised high in the sky and then dropped, a Double Axe Handle slamming once more into the brunette’s flat stomach.
Deciding that she wasn’t going to give the redhead another swing, Lenore rolled to her front and looked to power upwards, only to feel a weight dive onto her back as she tried to reach her knees. Two strong hands reached under her chin and pulled back, the simple but effective Rear Chinlock keeping her grounded while putting an increasing pressure on the top of her spine.
“Did you think I’d forgotten about what that Indian chick did to your neck? Let’s see how it feels when I’m done.” If Harriet had expected pain from the Raven what she got instead was a laugh, albeit one totally without humour. “Amara is a hack b…but at least she has pedigree. You’re just an attention whore who’s wilting in the spotlightAghN!”
Returning to an old favourite, Harriet broke one half of her grip and drove the point of her elbow into the back of the Courtier’s neck once, twice, three times. “Kinda ironic to be called edgy by someone who put Marilyn Manson posters up in middle school and never took them down again. Newsflash goth girl, you aren’t half as important as you think you are. You should try accept that, you’ll enjoy life a whole lot moWHOAHH!”
Aware that she was unlikely to win in any contest of strength with the big redhead, Lenore instead demonstrated her technical acumen, needing only one smooth movement to bring her body around to release the pressure and then bridge upwards to roll the larger woman on her back. Harriet’s chinlock became an anchor holding her shoulders to the canvas as referee Craig Long dropped for the first time in the match and counted…
ONE
TWO
Harriet broke her grip well before the three and burst her way out of the pin, scrambling around to try to stay on top of the brunette. She wasn’t quite quick enough though, Lenore on her feet in a trice and delivering a thwapping kick into the New Mexican’s chest. Larkin let out a hiss, and then another when Lemarchand’s boot again lit up her décolletage. The third kick was considerably worse for her though, Lenore darting away and returning from the ropes to staple a running punt square into her collarbone!
PENALTY KICK
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy44TWMlbq4
Collapsing backwards with a damp splat, Larkin stayed prone as the Raven flew on top of her, hooking one leg up high and tight to keep her glued to the canvas. Again Long dropped, hand slapping the mat for…
ONE
TWO
The Hollow Girl heaved upwards and shoved Lemarchand off with authority, rolling to one side and once again scrambling to her feet. She was still a beat slower than the brunette but the extra distance allowed her to duck under the charging Raven, who instead hit the ropes. Lenore returned from the strands with even greater speed but this time the redhead seemed to be one step ahead, uncorking a huge Back Elbow which clunked into the smaller woman’s forehead and sent her thumping down to the mat.
She didn’t stay there for long though, sitting up all by herself and then being dragged the rest of the way to vertical by Harriet, who half dragged and half threw her into the corner. Another big Elbow Smash thumped into Lenore’s jaw, and then another, Larkin shoving a kneestrike into her gut for good measure then leading with yet another elbow. Lemarchand had little choice but to cover up under the flurry of strikes and stomps, dropping to her butt in the corner to better protect herself. No let-up from the Hollow Girl though, not stepping back until Craig Long had tired of cajoling her and reached ‘FOUR in his count’.
Even then Lenore was only left alone for an instant, Larkin stepping in and grabbing two big handfuls of sweaty locks. “Time to fly, bird girl!” she yelled, tugging the hurt Raven’s head up under her arm and then lifting upwards. But again Harriet broke with suplex tradition, lifting her burden up to stall point and then simply dropping her to crash down onto her back!
DEADLIFT SUPLEX TOSS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v0w_W59r1g
Lenore plunged from at least five feet, her spine crunching into the canvas-covered plywood with a sound like meat hitting a slab. Immediately she arched up, lifting her back as if the mat was electrified, but she was brought back to prone again by a big New Mexican boot stomping into her gut. Harriet stepped around to the hurting Courtier’s head, dropped to a seat above it, and used another handful of hair to lift Lemarchand’s noggin off the matt, the better to slide her own legs around it. With her trap set the Hollow Girl crossed one leg over the other and clamped down, trying her best to crack the brunette’s skull like a coconut.
FIGURE FOUR HEADSCISSORS
www.youtube.com/watch?v=asIovJYnl8Y
Confident that she had finally shut the haughty brunette’s mouth, Harriet looked down in satisfaction at her writing victim. “You know all that ‘count of five’ crap you were talking? Well that’s just not my thing. So here’s my deal for you. I’m going to keep squeezing until either I get bored or you pass out and they drag me off. And whichever of those comes first, you can’t do a damn thing about it. How’s that for a deal, little miss Lady in Waiting?”
Lemarchand didn’t or couldn’t answer, such was the power brought to bear by the redhead’s constricting gams. Silence did not equate to helplessness however, as Harriet discovered when her adversary curled both hands into claws and raaaaaaaaaaked her practically from hip to knee. Larkin snorted, then rewarded these contemptible efforts (of which there were two more) with teasing slaps to the other woman’s forehead. “Seems that boredom looks likely to win out.” she said with a disappointed sigh. “I wasn’t expecting you to be so fragERRRRRHHHH!”
The Fair & Radiant Maiden hooked her left thumb into the pit of Harriet’s left knee and gouged away at the pressure point she found there. Baring her teeth as the hold started to shiver, Larkin snatched hold of Lenore’s offending wrist with one hand and curled the other into a hook which she promptly applied to the brunette’s nose. “Scream for me.” Harriet demanded halfway through the first eye-watering twist. “Scream as loud as you can and maybe I won’t tear your nose--”
Lenore twisted clear of Larkin’s wrist control only to snatch some of her own. A firm grip on her other wrist (the one currently trying to crush the Raven’s beak) didn’t end the painful grip, it just gave Lemarchand enough leverage to dig her heels in and scoot back as far as she could, an adjustment that stacked Harriet on her shoulders for the…
ONE…
TWO…
“UUUNNNNNNGGGHHH!” Harriet popped her hips and pulsed her thighs to send her opponent back to the deck with such authority it was practically a Keester Bounce! “A diversion as brief as it was amusing.” Larkin sneered as she planted her hands and hoisted her own tush several inches off the canvas. “Good thing I know how to make my own funNNOOOOOWWW!”
Having her tailbone driven into the thinly-sheathed plywood was far from pleasant, yet the resultant jolt loosened Harriet’s coil just enough for Lenore to sink her teeth into the meat of the redhead’s calf! Instinct almost forced Larkin to relinquish her grip, which was why she took great delight in hooking her index and middle fingers into the Courtier’s nostrils for a savage pull!
“BITE ME AGAIN, BYTCH!” the powerful tyro roared down at her nasally shrieking prey.
In truth Lemarchand didn’t bit her again, she simply kept on biting, thus forcing Craig to intervene on behalf of both his charges. “All right ladies, let’s clean this up!” he swatted Harriet’s wrist and Lenore’s shoulder. “The Headscissors are fine, but you can’t mangle each--”
Harry did as bade just so she could drive a single hard Hammer Punch into the other wrestler’s forehead. Breaking the Scissors immediately thereafter, she spun to one knee and plunged a hand into Lemarchand’s dark hair. “Congratulations bird brain, you managed to capture my attention again… and to think you could’ve gone quietly.”
“Choke on it you simpering poseur tramPPAAARRRRHHH!”
Lenore’s angry response devolved into an equally infuriated yowl as Larkin hauled her to verticality with a double handful of hair. Disoriented though she was, Emily’s Lady in Waiting managed a pair of stiff hooks to Harry’s midsection, so the Hollow Girl quieted her down with a trio of machine-gun burst Kneelifts to the navel. Turning her back without breaking the hair-hold, Larkin used it to flip Lemarchand onto her butt with a Snapmare, then took off for the ropes by planting her right foot between Lenore’s shoulders! The improvised Facebuster bounced Lenore’s forehead off the canvas with enough force to bounce her back to a seat, meaning she was the perfect target when Larkin returned and THWHUMPED both heels into her chest with a Basement Front Dropkick.
BASEMENT FRONT DROPKICK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Ygr5LCir8w
Lemarchand was knocked flat by the shotgun power of her foe’s stems, so Harriet straddled her neck in a Schoolgirl Pin so high it was almost a Front Face Sit. Hands on her knees, Larkin mashed her thighs against the Courtier’s cheeks while Lon and the FAWNatics counted…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Lenore arched up in a bridge high enough to tumble Harriet onto all fours with a whisper to spare. The escape guaranteed her at least another three seconds of match participation, alas that was about all, as the groggy-headed Raven was promptly peeled off the canvas by the towering anarchist. Holding Lemarchand’s right wrist in her left hand, Harry lunged forward and THWHAPPED her prey across the chest with a Short-Arm Clothesline that put her back on the deck. “Now that I think about it, I’m glad you didn‘t go gentle into that good night.” She hauled Lenore up, nudged her back with a miniature Shoulderblock and promptly reeled her back in for a second Short-Arm Clothesline. “After all, I want every one of these people that thinks you’re some elegant gothic badass to hear you squealing in terror as I tear you apart!”
SHORT ARM CLOTHESLINES:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=drvMGZT7UZc
Larkin flattened Lenore with a third Clothesline and promptly peeled her off the deck for yet another only to come up empty when Lemarchand dipped low at the last possible second! Circling around behind the startled ingénue, Lenore grabbed a Waistlock and dropped her hips to “OOOFFFHHH!” Harriet snatched her attacker’s wrists and held on tight, thus thwarting the German Suplex just long enough to drive the heavy curve of her backside into Lemarchand’s exposed tummy. “Let me show you how it’s done, birdy.” Larkin huffed as she spun free of the Waistlock to secure one of her own. Feet planted flat, she got low and popped her hips to send the Fair & Radiant Maiden flying up, over and dowNOOOO!
Lenore spun into the tumble to come down on her feet, or rather a heavy, awkward crouch that still managed to earn an impressed cheer from those assembled. Aware that something had gone awry, Larkin hurried to verticality and turned around in time to see the Courtier’s right foot flying at her chin! Harry raised both hands with every intention of swatting the blow aside, but she never got the chance because Lenore brought the Big Boot down a heartbeat early and whipped around in a half circle that ended with the point of her left elbow THWHUMPING against Harry’s left cheek! Groans of surprise and sympathetic anguish from those assembled as Larkin’s head snapped back in a veritable firestorm of coppery locks. Stepping in fencepost holes in the wake of the brain-rattling shot, Larkin almost made it to the ropes before she lost her balance and went down hard on her hip and shoulder.
BOOT FEIGNED BACK ELBOW:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=66cPFRwFMR0
Lenore saw this and rushed forward to nudge the New Mexican out of the ring, but Harriet did it for her by easing off the apron to the floor. “Where you off to, tuff girl?” Lemarchand barked after the retreating redhead. “Weren’t you going to tear me apart?” Larkin answered with a raised middle finger, a show of defiance only slightly undercut by her death grip on the bottom rope. Lenore heard the referee coming over to start a count, so she raised her hands and backpedaled to a corner on the far side of the squared circle without so much as a word.
Craig, good credulous fellow that he was, took this as a show of good faith from the Raven and so he focused solely on the other member of the match. This proved unwise only in that it meant he didn’t get to watch Lenore race across the ring in a looping crescent that ended with her vaulting over the top rope to THAWHUMP both heels into Larkin’s chest in a gorgeous Dropkick!
ON EBON WINGS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD8q2iu1Zr4
Clambering to her feet amidst a cacophony of ‘HOLY SHYT!’ chants, Lenore hooked her thumbs together and raised the Raven sigil high overhead. This brought on another thunderous round of applause that was still going strong when Lemarchand hooked a handful of her opponent’s waistband and hauled her to boot-leather. “So you liked picking apart my neck after Amara did all the heavy lifting, huh?” Lenore sidled in beside the redhead, then bent down and laid claim to her left ankle. From there she wedged her head beneath Larkin’s left arm and folded that leg up so Harriet’s heel was snug against her backside. With the Hollow Girl reduced to one good leg, Lenore hooked her other arm around Larkin’s waist and teased, “Then something tells me your next opponent is going to love this.”
“Nuuuhhhh…. not as much as you love the sound of your own voiWHOOAAAARRRRRHHHHHHH FAAAAAAAAAHK!”
Harriet snarled in surprise when Lenore muscled her into the air, then shrieked in agony once the vengeful Courier dropped her left knee on the edge of the apron with a hatefully dull THUD!
The rest of Harriet’s body followed quickly after, her full weight pressing down over the abused joint before flopping off the apron into a messy pile on the ringside matting. Standing above her, the Raven reached down and snagged that hurting leg again. “Actually I much prefer the sound of you screaming. Let’s do that again, shall we?” Lenore made it clear that this wasn’t a request, thumping two short, stiff kicks into the back of the redhead’s knee and then yanking upwards and slamming it down into the lightly padded concrete.
Unsatisfied with the hiss of pain this elicited, the Raven slammed that joint into the ground one more time then shovelled her up onto the ring apron, sliding after to stop the referee’s count. She didn’t stay for long though, dragging Harriet over to the nearby ringpost before slipping back to ringside with that long leg in tow.
It was the work of a second for Lenore to wrap those stems around the post in a brilliantly augmented figure-four shape, Larkin realising her predicament and trying frantically to pull herself free. “No, don’t!” she yelled, eyes wide. Lemarchand regarded her coolly. “Remember when you said I just do things because I want to? Well I really want to do this.” She lifted one leg up, wrapped it over one captive ankle, and then hauled back with all her weight to squeeze the redhead’s knee against the unforgiving steel with hellacious pressure.
RINGPOST FIGURE FOUR
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L5eeV0YMk8
Now the screams flowed freely, Harriet protesting violently with both her voice and by frantically bucking to get free. No sign of let-up from Lemarchand, at least until Craig Long leaned down between the ropes and yelled his count from close quarters. Even so she held on until ‘FOUR’ had left his mouth, releasing as late as she could and dropping to her back before rising to another ‘holy shyt’ pop from the crowd.
The referee didn’t seem nearly so impressed. “This isn’t a hardcore match miss,” Long reminded loudly, “and I will disqualify you if you try anything else.” The Raven just smiled at him. “Don’t worry, the new meat is nearly done. I’ll even get back in the ring for you, but there’s just one more thing I need to do first.”
Dragging the hurting redhead back out onto the apron again, Lenore slammed a quick forearm into her face on general principles and then swanned over to the barrier, reaching over into the crowd and beckoning to one particular fan bearing a bucket of soft drink. “Do you mind?” she asked demurely, smiling at him. The man looked flustered for a second before handing over the soda. In return he received a wink before the Raven strutted back over to Larkin’s prone form.
“You really need to have a word with makeup,” she began, reaching one hand down to cup under the newbie’s chin, “someone’s been drawing chevrons all over your face. Let me wash that off for you.” Larkin growled but couldn’t quite buck herself free in time to avoid the vat of soda which was dunked over her head! The nearby audience were mostly left giggling but there was no humour in Lenore’s eyes when she brought her other hand up in a pie face which roughly wiped away the redhead’s warpaint!
For her part Harriet seemed shocked, although she had enough wherewithal to give the brunette a big shove to give herself some space. Lenore came to a stop a few feet away as the Hollow Girl dropped to her feet from the apron. “Much better,” she snarled, “now let’s check on that kneUGHN!”
Storming towards the woman who had tormented her, Larkin reared back her head and drove forwards. The ungodly Headbutt clunked into Lenore’s temple with a sound like wet cement falling on concrete, the brunette’s noggin flying backwards to leave her in a stunned sprawl on the matting. This time the only response from the crowd was a sympathetic ‘ooooh’ at the sheer viciousness of the blow.
THEN SPOKE THE THUNDER
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw0T9q1bi7M
With sopping wet hair and her togs drenched in Mt Dew, Larkin should have looked funny as she stood over the stunned Raven. In fact she just looked apoplectic, those eyes blazing fury as she reached down and dragged Lenore to her feet. Any thoughts of a counter were swiftly quelled the redhead powering her up to horizontal at shoulder height and then adjusting position slightly so that she was angled over the crowd barrier before simply dropping her burden. Lemarchand’s descent was interrupted brutally by the lightly-padded barricade clunking into her forehead!
Slumping onto her knees, Lenore palmed at the welt on her forehead and tried to blink away the cobwebs in her eyes. Larkin turned away briefly and rolled into the ring, staying just long enough to make sure the referee’s count was reset before slipping back out again. Her actions brought a groan from Craig Long.
Larkin just stared at him for a second, then stomped over to Lemarchand’s slowly recovering form and powered a short, vicious kick into her spine. A second followed before the Hollow Girl reached down to snag one of Lenore’s arms. Yanking upwards, she spun on her heel, the movement enough to pull Emily’s Lady in Waiting to her feet and then swing her around into the nearby ring steps with a THUMP!
Lenore slumped down against the metal, head slowly lifting up so that her eyes met Harriet’s. Anger still rolled off the redhead, as she knelt down with her legs either side of Lenore’s and lifted the Raven up slightly so that her head was above the level of the steps. “I hope you had your fun laughing at what ceases to amuse,” she told the brunette, “because laughing is going to be pretty hard in a second or two…”
It looked briefly like the Raven was opening her mouth for a response, but she had no chance to give one as Harriet crooked one elbow and slammed the point of it around into her temple. The force knocked her head backwards, neck grinding against the angle of the ring steps, and drew a groan.
But this increased tenfold when Larkin simply swung again, driving three more elbow smashes into Lenore’s face while simultaneously crunching the top of her spine into the steel. Again it was only the sound of Craig Long leaning down and shouting FOUR from close range that brought a pause in the barrage.
“I’ll give you the same warning I gave her!” Long’s voice was very demanding now. “Cut the hardcore crap or I will disqualify you, and get her back in the ring!” The look Harriet gave him was so withering it could have curdled cheese, but in the end she climbed slightly gingerly to her feet and grabbed hold of Lemarchand’s bottoms, shovelling the brunette up onto the apron while simultaneously yanking those togs into her undercarriage. As Lenore yelped and reached to adjust her wardrobe, Larkin scrambled up behind and clambered through the ropes.
She was all set to reach down and drag the brunette up to standing when, Lenore swung a leg out from her seated position and jabbed the boot square into Larkin’s damaged knee. Harriet’s knee jarred backwards and sent her stumbling away, allowing the Raven the space she needed to stand up. And that in turn meant that Lenore’s second kick was far more orthodox, swung with enough force and accuracy to buckle Harriet’s leg and force her to take a knee in the centre of the ring.
“Sorry dear,” Lenore told the genuflecting newbie, “It’s a nice gesture but the Black Court isn’t looking to take on any overmatched rookies right now. Maybe you could ask again when you’ve actually achIEEE!”
Unwilling to be the butt of any more of the Raven’s jokes, Larkin swung out a straight right which thumped into the centre of Lemarchand’s trunks! The brunette’s mouth formed an ‘O’ of pain and both hands flew to her hurting center, Harriet rising in front of her. One long leg swung up, the redhead’s boot clunking into Lenore’s face and dropping her to the matt on her back!
BIG BOOT
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIOfWRlyIRs
A growl of pain escaped Larkin’s lips, the thumping blow clearly jarring her own knee as well as the Raven’s jaw. But after a second she dropped down on top of the Courtier, wearily pressing Lenore’s shoulders to the matt as Craig Long dropped to count…
ONE
TWO
Nooooo
Lenore had spent the past several years building up a reputation as one of the hardest women in the promotion to put away, and she proved it once again by kicking out with authority, punching one arm up off the matt and turning herself over to prevent any sort of repeat cover. Apparently that reputation hadn’t reached Harriet Larkin though, the redhead seeming first surprised and then infuriated by her opponent’s durability. For a second it looked as if she might be about to take that frustration out on Craig Long, but then she had a better idea, turning her gaze back to the prone Raven.
Clambering through after her, the Hollow Girl knelt to press down over Lemarchand’s back. She looped one hand under the brunette’s chin, the other elbow placed on the back of her captive’s neck, then bent forwards to whisper into the Raven’s ear. “Remember this position?” she cooed.
Lenore’s wriggles were enough to indicate that she did, but the arm on her windpipe prevented a verbal response. “Last time I let you go with just a scream, but this time I think we need a little more. I know you like to play games, and you already know the rules of this one. Either crawl on your belly to get to those ropes, or admit your arrogance and give the hell up.”
If Larkin had hoped for some show of indecisiveness from the trapped Courtier, she was sorely disappointed when Lenore gouged a white-knuckled fingers into the canvas and began dragging them both toward the edge of the ring. Her progress wasn’t quick by any means, but the fact that there was any forward momentum whatsoever made Harriet seethe, so she shifted her weight so that the point of her good knee grrrrrroooooound into the small of her opponent’s back. “Yeah, that slowed you down.” she snapped at the groaning brunette. “Why don’t you go ahead and submit, bird brain? I’m starting to get bored and if that happens I might just turn your head around backward.” Larkin emphasized the veracity of this threat by gouging the point of her elbow into the nape of Lenore’s neck.
The Raven chirped pitiably, but she waved Long off when he got close and she’d resumed her journey shortly thereafter. Lips set in a thin, pale line as Lemarchand drew them closer and closer, Harriet adjusted again, this time planting the full weight of her backside in the hollow of her foe’s spine. Abandoning the Chin-Pull and Elbow Grind for a moment, she laid claim to Lenore’s biceps and drew them back over her thighs. The crowd bellowed their disapproval, alas this didn’t take the edge of Lemarchand’s screams when Harriet cupped her chin and reefed back on the Camel Clutch!
“Give it up, bytch.” Larkin barked over her foe’s wails. “Tell these people you’re a scrawny little bookworm playing dress up and maybe you don’t leave this ring in a neck brace.”
Barely a foot from sanctuary, Lenore planted on both knees and slid as best she could, but any progress was incremental at best and imagined at worst. Galled at the thought of submitting to the same hold on back to back pay-per-views, Lemarchand drew her head up the tiniest bit and growled, “Yuuuuhhhh… you always capitalize on work started by someone else, Larkin? No wonder everyone’s got Faulk pegged as the breakout sta--”
Harriet slipped two fingers into the brunette’s mouth and she would’ve strained her smile in new and interesting directions if Lemarchand hadn’t chomped down like she meant to take them off at the second knuckle! “FAAAAAAAAAAAHK!” Larkin forgot all about the Chinlock in favor of hammering on the side of Lenore’s head, which, painful though it was, actually allowed the suffering bendy-back to cinch one desperate hand around the bottom rope.
Aware that hostilities between his charges had escalated in record time, Craig Long didn’t bother asking for a break, he simply began a count that got dangerously close to ‘FIVE!’ before Harriet stood up and stormed to the center of the ring. “GET UP!” the Hollow Girl roared at Lemarchand as she stalked back and forth. “GET YOUR ASS UP SO I CAN BREAK YOUR BONY LITTLE ASS OVER MY KNEE!”
Lenore did as bade, gamely refusing to tend to the hellacious ache in her neck as she did so. Breathing a sigh of relief as she reached verticality, Lenore flicked hair out of her eyes, then, in what Larkin regarded as a galling show of disrespect, she braced her elbows on the top rope and settled in quite comfortably. “My ass is up.” the Fair & Radiant Maiden said with a nonchalance she certainly didn’t feel. “Now are you actually going to carry through on that threat or would you prefer to posture a little while longer, you pathetic cos-play anarchist?”
Harriet charged at her like red death with a Forearm Smash honed in on the smirking crescent of Lenore’s mo-- Lemarchand went low and exploded off her back foot to THWHUMP a shoulder into Larkin’s thigh *just* above her injured knee. The collision sent Lenore to the mat in a heap while Harriet whipped through a midair somersault to land flat on her back, that damaged leg already clutched tight against her chest.
Exhausted in the wake of Larkin’s brutal machinations, Lenore rolled onto her back in relatively short order but she didn’t bother to sit up until the referee reached ‘SEVEN!’ on his count. Doing so resulted in monstrous bolts of pain in her neck and right shoulder, yet she was still on her feet before ‘EIGHT!’ Harriet joined her at ‘NINE!’ though it was a close thing to be sure, as all her weight was planted on her uninjured right leg.
“Stop the match, Craig.” Lenore told Long. “She can’t put any pressure on that leg.”
Larkin took a tottering step forward, growling as her left foot touched the mat. “I only need one leg to kick your overrated ass, sweetheart.”
Lenore snorted and moved away, daring the redhead to follow her out into deep water. “Oh sweetie, I don’t care how tough you think you are, that leg is useless. I lock you up now, you’re leaving on a GUUUHHHHRRRK!”
Harriet lunged forward, wrapped her right hand around Lenore’s throat and squeezed until the brunette was wheezing like a tea-kettle. Slinging the Courtier’s near arm over her right shoulder, Larkin reached around with her left hand and snagged a huge handful of Lemarchand’s bottoms. “I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope,” Harriet rasped into her rival’s ear, “For hope would be hope for the wrong thiNNNNNNNGGGGHHHHH!”
Lenore cut her off with a single brutal Kneelift between the thighs, a stern receipt for Larkin’s earlier liberties with her trunks. Forced to abandon the Goozle to focus on her traitorous knees, Harriet started to clinch but Lenore dipped under her sweeping arms and picked the big redhead’s left leg off the canvas. The Hollow Girl landed flat and lost her breath, only vaguely aware that Lemarchand still possessed her left foot. Turning so her back on the powerful newcomer, Lenore threaded Harriet’s captured stem around her right leg, then bent down and took hold of Larkin’s right leg, which she angled over her opponent’s left shin before finally trapping it between her thighs. With those powerful stems all knotted up, Lenore let spun down onto her tush, then put one hand against the mat for support and pushed up as high as she could in hopes of torturing a surrender from Harriet’s left knee.
TELLTALE LEGLOCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tub7xwpZGxo
“AAAAAARRRHHHHHHH YOOOOUUUU BYTCH!” Larkin pushed onto her palms, or rather palm, as she reached back to pound at that ungodly tangle of limbs.
“Give it up, punk!” Lenore barked. “Your knee can’t take much more of this!” She jostled the hold up and down to impress Larkin with the severity of her situation. The FAWNatics did their part with a raucous ‘TAP!’ chant that grew all the louder when Harriet pressed her brow to the mat and wrapped her head in both hands. “I said QUIT!” Lemarchand put even more strain on the redhead’s knee only instead of wailing her surrender, Harriet rose up on her hands and began dragging their combined weight toward the ropes! Momentarily at a loss, Lenore didn’t ease the pressure, but she didn’t increase it either, which was probably what allowed Larkin to grab hold of the bottom rope.
“GET OFF ME!” she screamed at once. “GET OFF ME OR I SWEAR I’LL AAAAAAAAAWWWWWWW FAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!”
Emily’s Lady in Waiting poured on everything she had left in those last ‘FOUR!’ seconds, the longest of Harriet Larkin’s burgeoning professional career. Yet the redhead’s grip on the strand never wavered and she struggled to one knee the instant Lemarchand released that murderous coil. Now holding the ropes for leverage rather than security, Larkin forced herself to stand, then took several deep breaths before rounding on the wide-eyed Raven. “Was that your best, bird brain? I was expecting… mor--”
Lenore flitted in and CRAAAACKED the redhead with a Bytch Slap that put Harriet’s butt on the middle rope. Clearing off as the taller woman cleared her head, Lemarchand raised a hand, beckoning her forward. “Know what Olivia Dare, Elise Winterrest and even Amara Singh have in common, Larkin? They’re all worthy of my best. You? You’re barely worth my conte--”
Harriet interrupted with a lurching Haymaker that might’ve sent Lenore’s teeth into the lower deck if not for her bum knee. As it was, the Courtier slipped beneath the strike, hooking her left arm around Larkin’s right bicep in the process. Off balance thanks to the miss, Harriet couldn’t stop Lenore from trapping her left arm in similar fashion and with both arms secured she was effectively down to one useful limb, meaning there was nothing to be done when Lemarchand dropped to her knees and stacked the Hollow Girl on her shoulders. Now, the humble Backslide was no one’s idea of a flashy maneuver, however Lenore earned a surprised cheer for this version when she somersaulted over Larkin’s squirming frame to come to rest with both feet planted flat and the small of her back snugged tight against Harriet’s upturned haunches. Craig dove into place, took a heartbeat to check Larkin’s shoulders, then counted off…
SNEAKY BIRD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGDYuo0dlM
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Lenore let go and slopped to one side, the exhausted brunette somehow finding the energy to raise a hand when the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall… LENORE LEMARCHAND!”
That victorious arm stayed aloft for a few moments then dropped, Lenore rolling to her front to catch her breath and rub gingerly at the ache in her neck. When she was satisfied that both were under control she pressed to her feet, hands raising her raven sigil high above her head.
The response from all sides of the arena was deafening, FAWNatics showing appreciation for the battle but clearly thrilled their favourite had come through it victorious. Lenore had taken a turn around two sides of the ring before a slight change in the crowd noise had her turning warily.
Sure enough Larkin had also regained her feet, roughly shoving off the attentions of Craig Long and taking a laboured but purposeful step forwards. Lenore’s arms dropped from vertical to head height, the raven sigil now lined up squarely with the defeated girl’s face.
The message was clear enough to not need words, and Harriet’s response was equally transparent. One arm came up to swipe the brunette’s hands aside, the Hollow Girl hobbling forward another step so there was barely a foot of space between them. When she did speak the redhead’s voice was tired, but still vibrating with anger.
“Feeling pleased with yourself, little miss lady-in-waiting?” Harriet all but spat the words straight into the brunette’s face. “All that arrogance, all the bullshyt about worthiness, and in the end the best you can bring is sneaking a technicality.”
Lenore’s smirk got a few notches wider. “It’s called ‘winning’ sweetheart,” she scoffed. “That’s why these people are cheering. You should be thanking me for carrying a loser this high up the card. And you should thank me even more for letting you hobble away on that knee instead of putting you on the shelf.”
“You went for my knee and you couldn’t get the job done. But we both know you can’t even turn your head cos your neck is so beat up.” An odd smile crossed Larkin’s face. “I’ve got a funny feeling that not being able to check your six is going to be a problem real soon.”
Not even blinking at the implied threat, Lenore instead rolled her eyes. “That playground crap might work on the curtain jerkers, but here it’s just pathetic. I gave you a lesson in what happens when you get out of your depth. Learn from your mistakes.”
“The only thing you taught me is that you’re better at following the rules. Which is fine, cos I’m much more into breaking them.” Harriet stepped forwards again, the two women now face to face with only a few inches between. Lenore didn’t back down in the slightest, but Craig Long took this as his cue to give up any solo efforts to keep the two battlers apart and instead gestured for backup.
A troop of referees and security emerged from the top of the entrance ramp, but the two women they were headed for seemed oblivious, locked in a silent stare. After a few seconds Lemarchand broke the stalemate
“Ask me,” she said simply. “I know you want a rematch, because you’re an entitled edgelord who can’t accept that she’s lost in front of the biggest audience of her life. So ask. Ask quickly, or I might just make you beg.”
“I’m not asking you for anything.” That infuriating smirk on the Raven’s face had Harriet’s temper nearly boiling over, but her voice stayed level. “I take what I want. Maybe in the locker room again, like last time. Or in the gym, or the parking garage. Or maybe I’ll just visit your precious Madhouse next time you’re there and do that Indian chick a favour.”
Lenore just shook her head, sweat-soaked hair spreading out over her shoulders. “You still don’t understand. What was it Eliot said? ‘You had the experience but missed the meaning’. Well let me be very clear. You played the one card you had to get my attention, and you lost.”
Harriet’s only response was a big two-handed shove. The Raven was pushed back a step but surged right back in again, her push aimed square at the redhead’s face. And it looked like the two woman were all set to go right back at it then and there if it wasn’t for the intervention of FAWN’s security, two people grabbing Larkin’s arms while several more piled into Lenore.
After a few cursory struggles Harriet allowed herself to be shuffled back a few more paces. This didn’t seem to have improved her mood though, and when she spoke the words came out in an angry hiss. “Something to think very hard about before we next see each other, bird girl,” she advised, “Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow.”
“And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting…” Lenore raised her hands, the Raven sigil once more flying above her head and earning a few more shouts from the crowd. But her smile was fixed on Harriet, fuming as security swarmed around and guided her out of the ring. Once she was certain that her point was well and truly made Lenore turned her back, taking one more lap to soak in the cheers of the PPV audience while her opponent was hustled out of the auditorium.
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