Post by alyadmirer on Oct 20, 2015 6:49:51 GMT
The Announcer consulted his notes, saw who was next out and decided it wiser to stay clear of the ring. “Ladies and gentlemen, the following contest is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit and it is for the FAWN Lightweight Championship! Introducing first, the challenger, representing the Church of Eternal Midnight, hailing from Raven’s Fair, Virginia, she stands at five feet four inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and nineteen pounds, she is the Straight-Edge Siren, the Prophet of Pain, the Beacon of Light in this sad, lonely darkness… MIRANDA WAINRIGHT!”
Gloom descended upon the FAWN Arena even as the jeers rose to meet it. An angry, judgmental voice from deep back in the speakers promised, ‘And we will see how godless a nation we have become.’ From that bitter fruit blossomed Green Day’s ‘East Jesus Nowhere’, a simple riff that was repeated four times. Following every cycle a spotlight lit up to reveal a scarecrow-ish effigy mounted to a tall wooden stave that had grown up seemingly in an instant. The effigies, done up in a style best described as ‘Early American Psychopath’, were simple but easily recognizable. First came Polly Lockwood, then Skye Mitchell and Shea London. When the light illuminated a Lily-figure on the last stake the drums started to pound and a fifth spotlight revealed the Septa of Sorrow.
MIRANDA WAINRIGHT:
For her sermon on this most special of occasions, Miranda wore the pitch black version of her usual vinyl one-piece. Scooped low in the back and high over the hips, it was accompanied by clunky knee-high gray boots and black elbow-length mesh gloves. As for her hair, it was still a lustrous, gleaming gold, its radiance seemingly in defiance of all the vile filth surrounding her. Immune to the ranting and raving of that astounding number of heathens , Miranda started down the aisle and kept her eyes on the squared circle until she reached the foot of the steel steps. Taking them slowly, she reached the apron, dipped her head and carefully removed her hat, which she set atop the ring post.
Once in the ring, she turned to the stage and extended both arms out at shoulder level in a rough ‘T’. After a moment she brought her palms together as if in prayer and that was enough to make the quartet of effigies burst into flame. Smiling into the dancing fire, Wainright held her position until they were reduced to cinder and ash. Then she backed into a corner on the opposite side of the ring and allowed Al Carpenter to peruse her boots and pads.
“Your lady love found herself in a rather rough spot earlier this evening, Algernon.” she said softly.
Al looked up from the inspection, frowned, then nodded. “She’ll be fine. Lisa’s a jerk, but she can’t run forever.”
Miranda nodded agreement. “No one can. And yet, your Jenny would find the chase far less strenuous if she were to join our revival.”
Al kept his expression neutral, a difficult task. “I’ll pass that along, Miranda. You can go to your corner now.”
Wainright smiled. “See that you do.” She backed into the corner facing the stage and waited patiently for a star to fall from the heavens.
Once the stage techs had swept up the last of the ashes, the Announcer raised his mic and said, “And introducing her opponent, hailing from Stovington, Vermont, she stands at five feet two inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and ten pounds! She is the Star Strider and the FAWN Lightweight Champion… LILY BURLINGAME!”
Eager for a light to chase away all this darkness, the FAWN faithful sprang up and cheered their hearts out when the lights went out. From within that swirling, anticipatory gloom came a thumping drum and a matched set of snapping fingers, the two bits of percussion bouncing to and fro in a rat-a-tat riff. A keening guitar note joined the beat and a few seconds later the situation got brighter in no small part due to the tongue of flame that licked at the base of the ramp. As the note held steady, the fire set off on a beeline for the top of the ramp.
LILY BURLINGAME:
The wick shrank in time with the arrival of more guitars and an Earth-shattering KA-BOOM of red pyro that almost swallowed the first verse of ’Comeback Kid’. From the center of this flash and flame a figure emerged, shooting up from the floor to land flawlessly before the capacity crowd.
Launching herself from that brand spankin‘ new crater, Lily Burlingame pumped a fist for the crowd, then smacked the belt snapped around her waist and flew down the ramp in a blur of black, red and white. For tonight’s row with arguably the most dangerous competitor in the Lightweight Division, she wore gleaming black bottoms accented by swirling galaxies of stars done in red and white. Her top was halter-style sports bra done in an identical scheme, the red and white seeming to shimmer and twine with her every move. Kneepads were matching black and also sported the galaxy motif, white on the left and red on the right. Her hair, though free of the mask, was still pulled back in a long, sweeping ponytail.
Moving at her usual mach speed in spite (or perhaps it was because) of the threat lurking in the far corner, Burlingame tore down the ramp then leapt from the floor to the apron to the top rope in the span between heartbeats. Bouncing from it as casually as the terminally grounded stepped off the curb, Lily hooked a sharp turn to the left, hit the adjoining set of strands and went soaring into a gorgeous back flip that set her back in the center of the ring. Then she was off again, the Girl That Gravity Forgot rounding on one heel to sprint to the far side of the squared circle. At the ropes in an instant, she caught the top and middle in both hands, leapt and twirled over the third strand in a Tiger Feint Kick that ’swicked’ through the air.
Back in the ring a heartbeat later, the youngest Burlingame sister strode to the middle of the ring and undid the belt. Holding it level with one shoulder, she thumbed an invisible detonator in the other hand and raised her gold to correspond to the thunderous ‘BOOOOOOOM!’ from her fans. Casting her eyes to Miranda only after she’d handed off the belt, the Star Strider said, “Your sisters better stay in the back, Miranda. I see even one and I’ll make sure they get an extra dose of what’s coming to you.”
“An abundance of spiritual peace and physical release? Somehow I doubt they’ll mind.”
Lily didn’t know how to answer that so she merely backed into the opposite corner and let Al check her pads and boots.
Though it was her first ‘Mania without the Cherry Bomb mask and she was all but exploding with nervous energy, Lily Burlingame didn’t sprint from her corner when the bell sounded. It wasn’t that she was afraid of the woman opposite (though she’d watched enough footage in the last month to be very, VERY cautious) but there was some sort of… vibe… coming from the challenger that seemed to demand a certain deliberateness. At least for now. So she pushed off the buckles and strode out into the center of the squared circle.
Miranda saw this and smiled inwardly. This one, this one would be special. She favored herself a star and while those little glittering points of light were beautiful in their own way the Straight-Edge Siren greatly preferred the blackness between. Snuffing one single star wouldn’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things, yet Wainright had always had a great eye for detail and she knew her blessed Midnight would grow that much stronger for claiming Lily Burlingame’s spark. Approaching the champion with far more deference than she showed the usual heathen, Miranda stopped short by a few steps and dipped at the waist in a remarkably courtly bow. “Sister Miranda Wainright at your service.” the blonde said once she’d straightened up. “It’s a pleasure to finally share a ring with you, Lily Burlingame.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed, not an angry expression, but quite watchful. This wasn’t what she’d expected from the leader of the Church of Eternal Midnight. “I can’t say I’ve relished meeting you, Miranda.” she answered carefully. “But I’ve been wanting to share a ring with you too.”
The Malevolent Moralizer smiled and started to circle left in a corkscrew that ever so slightly tightened on the Star Strider. “We are well met then. Tell me Lily, youngest sister of Susannah and Brie, are you tired of standing alone in your battles against the likes of Janel Manning and Jenny Lewis? Soledad Sanchez and La Gata Diabla? Gabby Mendoza, Rose Evans and the rest of the self entitled, sniveling cadre that calls themselves Generation Next?”
Lily matched her opponent’s pace easily and she raised her hands to chest level, ready to intercept or grapple at the first sign of aggression. “I’ve done just fine on my own so far.” the champ answered. “At least that’s what the gold around my waist tells me.”
“You have indeed.” Miranda agreed. “But one woman can stand against the combined forces of many for only so long before they overwhelm her in a growling, clawing swarm. While your family has gifted you with two sisters, one is as far removed from this industry of ours as humanly possible and the other has long since bent the knee to FAWN’s Black Queen. Since you haven’t done the same, it seems to me that you could stand to have a few new sisters. Some that will stand with you in the brightest of days… and the darkest of nights.”
Burlingame stopped in her tracks and offered the blonde a wide, slightly snarky grin. “Sisters like you, Adelaide, Tiffany and the Snake Lady?”
The corner of Miranda’s mouth ticked up in the faintest ghost of a smile. “Her name is Ashley. And yes, the four of us would offer all the sisterhood you could ever need.”
Lily saw the blonde’s shoulders hunch forward and she did the same. Talk of sisterhood was all well and good, but it could wait until after she’d retained her Lightweight Title. “Tell ya what, Miranda. Why don’t you leave a few tracts with me and I’ll read them once I’ve put your shoulders on the ma--”
Wainright lunged for her so quickly that Lily barely had time to spin out of the way. Ready and waiting an instant before the blonde turned to find her, Burlingame buried the toe of her left boot in Miranda’s gut and pulled her into a Standing Headscissors. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had in mind but it didn’t matter in the end because the Prophet of Pain didn’t give her any time to come up with a plan. Lily hadn’t even put her arms around the other woman’s waist when Miranda dipped a little and straightened up, thus hurling the Interstellar Angel into the rafters with an improvised Back Body Drop.
Gifted with the ability to think on her feet even when they were flailing somewhere over her head, Burlingame floated through the arc to come down in a perfect crouch a short distance behind the challenger. Charging the ropes as soon as she touched down, Lily bounced off the strands, raced back at Miranda and had to cancel whatever offense she’d had in mind to save her head, which the blonde attempted to take off with a huge palm strike. This she avoided by the slimmest of margins and lets give Lily credit, she barely slowed on her way to the opposite ropes. Undeterred and quicker than ever, the brunette made a second pass and when Miranda charged her she vaulted almost straight up to land astride the zealot’s shoulders. Ankles locking in a heartbeat, Lily torqued her hips and flipped Wainright off her feet. She landed flat on her back, the impact made that much more unpleasant by the weight of Lily’s tush thumping heavily against her chest. Her legs flew up, presumably in a burst of breathless flailing, so Burlingame leaned back and hooked ‘em around the knees.
The Matchbook that was supposed to follow this corralling never happened because Wainright bucked her legs hard enough to pull Lily down onto her back. Drawn to a seat by the same adjustment that laid the champion prone, Wainright cinched her arms around Burlingame’s thighs and held on for….
ONE…
Lily got clear thanks to a gorgeous somersault, then popped to her feet while Miranda was still on her butt. Another blistering charge followed, this one ending when the Star Strider hopped up and aimed her shins at the blonde’s face. Knowing she didn’t have time to roll out of the way, Wainright laid out on her back at precisely the right moment, leaving Burlingame to land on her knees a few feet away.
Both ladies returned to verticality at roughly the same time, only problem was Lily’s back was turned to the Messiah of Misery. The danger of such an arrangement was brought to her attention when Miranda rushed in and clouted a Forearm Smash across the back of her head. Lily stumbled, but not much, the Half Nelson Wainright had on her right arm stopped her from straying too far. The reins grew that much tighter once Miranda reached over and around to snatch hold of the brunette’s right wrist. Her mind screamed ‘Cobra Clutch!’ an instant before Wainright drew her own arm across her throat and that head start *almost* let her reach the ropes. Indeed her fingers brushed the rubber-coated steel before Miranda dug in her heels and wrenched her around in a half circle.
Disorienting though it was, the reversal actually gave Lily a little precious momentum, which she promptly used by laying out on her left side. Doing so turned Wainright’s Clutch into a sort of Headlock Takedown, one that flipped the blonde off her feet. Miranda hit the mat shoulder first, rolled through the landing like a tumbler and was pushing to her feet just as Lily kipped to hers. Loathe though they were to offer Miranda Wainright anything that could be construed as praise, the FAWNatics put their hands together for that well wrestled first skirmish.
For her part Miranda seemed uninterested in their attention, her eyes were only for Lily. “The Church of Eternal Midnight could do MUCH for you, Lily Burlingame. Right now you are merely a star, one of billions lost among all the others. But join us and you’d become something the universe has never seen. A dark star, one that would still manage to burn brighter than any that dared approach her orbit.”
“You’re already in my orbit, Miranda.” the champ answered without hesitation. “That’s the only thing you need to worry about.” With that she raised her right hand, beckoning the Deacon of Despair to meet her in a Test of Strength. Lily had thought the slick snake-oil salesman would’ve balked at such an open invitation so she was pleased and more than a little surprised when Wainright stepped right up and ‘smecked’ her palm against the brunette’s.
“I won’t be so bold as to claim you’re making a mistake, Lily Burlingame.” Miranda said once their fingers locked. “But such a contest is really nothing more than a measure of faith and I…” the blonde raised her other hand in such a way that it cast a shadow over Lily’s face. “…am the most faithful woman you will ever meet.”
“Save it for the revival, Miranda.” Burlingame completed the Test and immediately chested against the challenger. “It’s about time we found out who’s gonna pray first.”
Well aware that the blonde had two inches and more than ten pounds on her, Lily wrenched her hands from noon to nine and three respectively, transforming the traditional overhead Test to the no less decisive shoulder level variation. Braced against her opponent mouth on shoulder, cheek to cheek, Burlingame and Wainright remained utterly silent, each lady quite happy to let the roar of the crowd and the ebb & flow of their stalemate speak for them. This silence lasted for almost thirty seconds, ending only when Miranda slid her cheek against Lily’s to get her lips that much closer to the champ’s ear. “You’ll have to do better than this to challenge me, sister.” she murmured in a surprisingly tender tone. “Do not despair over the loss of your shiny gold belt. I’ll keep it well protected until you’re strong enough to challenge meeeeeeeeennnnngggggghhh!”
Lily reared back just far enough to smash her chest against Wainright’s. She also gouged the point of her chin into the hollow of the blonde’s collarbone, which was straight out of Susan’s ‘Book of Cagey . Bytchy Tricks’. Miranda felt herself arching backward, fought against it briefly, then allowed herself to bridge backward in a deep, flawless arch. “Let that be a lesson to you, Miranda.” Burlingame muttered once the blonde was balanced on the tips of her toes and the crown of her head. “You’re challenging ME. In this church YOU’RE the one who has to prove herself.”
“And I am more than happy to do that.” Miranda sounded remarkably nonplussed for someone bent in such a stiff arch. “But tell me, will your own faith hold out when I rise up against this challenge of yours?”
Lily shook her head, either in appreciation or disbelief of the challenger’s confidence, no one could say. “Guess we won’t know until you actually do--”
The Prophet of Pain pushed off with the tiniest of grunts and proceeded to stand herself up despite the pressure Lily put into keeping her down. Her pretty face maddeningly calm, Wainright jerked Burlingame’s hands above her head and rolled them backward at a painful angle. “Such is the power of those who dwell in the darkness, Lily Burlingame.” the blonde said softly. “You too could taste this power if only you set aside your pride and submit to NGH!”
Lily straightened her wrists and threw herself into Miranda, knocking her back a half step with a miniature Bodyblock. “Worship however you want, Miranda. Preach however you want. But know right now that you don’t have what it takes to make me submiTEERRGGGGGHHH!”
Miranda twisted on one foot and THWHUMPED her other knee into the pit of Lily’s stomach. It wasn’t a Low Blow but it was well below the navel and the angle of delivery had the champ’s tummy in knots all the same. Al Carpenter scolded the challenger at once, but the attack was only questionable because it was delivered in the midst of a Test of Strength, not because there was anything illegal about it. Miranda ignored him regardless, she was too busy readying her next sermon, which she kicked off with a second Kneelift.
“This IS how I preach, Lily Burlingame.” Miranda rose onto her toes and pushed down hard, forcing the brunette to her knees after less than five seconds of resistance. “And it is how YOU will preach once you’ve set aside these foolish notions of resistance. Stars are numerous, almost too many to count in fact but THEY ARE NOT INFINITE. Eventually they will all go out and when that happens only darkness will remain. I live and thrive in that darkness, sister. You can too, sister. All you have to do is stand up and ask for deliverance!”
Lily didn’t ask for anything but she still got to her feet, mostly because Wainright forced her hands down to thigh level and wrenched them backward at an unpleasant angle. The Star Strider hadn’t played a game of mercy since she and Lydia Lethbridge got into it at the latter’s Super Sweet Sixteen (a contest she’d won, despite the birthday girl’s blatant cheating) but schoolyard instinct still kept her teeth clenched tight, lest the uttering of that single word be taken as a sign of surrender. Twitching her head ‘no’ to keep the ref from meddling, Lily sucked in a shuddering breath, then shifted her balance and forced herself to stand. After a bit more working she muscled Miranda’s hands up over her head and even rolled them back a little to boot. “You’re no more a prophet than I was a space alien, Miranda. Live the gimmick if you’d like, just don’t expect me to buy into any of your spooky bullshYTERRGH!”
The blonde-haired zealot slammed her head into the bridge of Burlingame’s nose, then kissed her forehead when the champion’s knees sagged. “This is no gimmick, sister.” Wainright noted after she slipped her hands loose from the TOS. “In truth this particular calling is the only employment that allows me to teach deluded, arrogant brats the sort of lessons they so richly need. And speaking of lessons, here’s one from which you will greatly benefit.”
Left hand curled into a loose fist, Miranda popped her thumb out and jabbed it into Burlingame’s eye. That DID bring a warning from the official, but the Septa of Sorrow ignored it as easily as his previous complaint. Far too worried about her own blurred vision to worry about anything else, Lily reached for her stinging peeper with both hands which meant she was practically defenseless when the blonde spread her hands wide and SMACKED them against her foe’s ears. Head spinning after the Eye Poke and Ear Ringer, Burlingame tried to shove Miranda away but Wainright only brushed her defenses aside and grabbed a handful of hair.
“Out of her hair now, Miranda!” Al barked. “I won’t have you--oh dammit!”
Miranda nodded in sympathy, then jabbed thumb and forefinger of her free hand into Lily’s mouth. No Cleft Note this, she pinched the other woman’s tongue and gave it a savage twist / pull. Lily gargled a scream and finally forced Miranda away with a hard punch to the belly. The Straight-Edge Siren stumbled back a step, grimaced and stormed into the breach to shove the heathen as hard as she could.
Reeling, Lily almost tripped over her own feet before she hit the ropes and bounced out in a pretty good sprint. She’d made it perhaps half a dozen steps when Wainright rushed in and THWHACKED a heavy Clothesline across her chest. The champ would’ve gone down flat on her back if Miranda hadn’t hooked that arm and pivoted slightly, using the angle thereof to guide Burlingame into a spine-first landing across her left knee, to which she’d just dropped. Lily bounced clear, flipped over in mid-air and landed hard on her chest and stomach.
CLOTHESLINE TO BACKBREAKER @ 1:18
www.youtube.com/watch?v=laFt8RI4ECE
Miranda rose to her full height, gauged Lily’s position in the squared circle and ran the ropes to her left. A few long strides brought her to within reach of the prone Star Strider and that’s when Wainright took to the skies in a vertical leap that reminded the FAWNatics of her seldom displayed highflier bona fides. She extended her right leg at the apex and brought it THWHUMPING down across the back of her opponent’s neck. Burlingame’s head came up but didn’t come down because the blonde reached out and snatched a handful of hair. With the pit of her knee snugged against the nape of Lily’s neck, Miranda worked her left leg under the champion’s chin and crossed her ankles.
“I fear you must taste the kiss of the rope before you truly appreciate the freedom I offer, Lily Burlingame.” Wainright told her stunned foe. “But if you are the woman I believe you to be you shall emerge from this test stronger than ever.” With that the blonde twisted to her right, put both hands against the mat and pushed herself up as high as she could. In so doing she elevated her legs which in turn wrenched Lily’s head and shoulders back at a sharp, unpleasant angle.
HANGMAN'S HEADSCISSORS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxd1Pp3hk6U
Lily groaned low and raised one hand to smack and pull at the gams constricting her neck. Though her rational mind told her over and over again that this was nothing more than a uniquely applied Headscissors she reached for the small of her back time and time again, somehow convinced that someone else was seated there and working a nasty Camel Clutch. Miranda made no effort to disabuse the brunette of these notions, she only pushed up n’ down, up n’ down to exacerbate the pressure on Lily’s neck.
“You hanging in there, Lily?” Al only asked after thirty seconds had ticked off the clock with minimal progress from the champ. “Need me to call for the bell? Just say the word and I’ll get you out of--”
“You will do no such thing, Algernon Carpenter.” Miranda interrupted. “MY word is the only thing that will free this woman from her bonds and my heart tells me she has no interest in conceding this contest. Am I wrong, Lily Burlingame?”
The Star Strider didn’t want to waste a breath on words, so she raised a hand and waggled her index finger. Just to make sure she grunted, “Not giving up, Al. Not that easy!”
Wainright smiled broadly as Lily streeeeeetched out as far as she could and extended her right leg toward the bottom rope. She was still several inches shy, yet the Interstellar Angel must’ve known she was close because she pushed up on both hands and started propelling herself backward. Miranda watched this without comment, indeed her only reaction was a slight widening of the faint smile that almost always graced her lips. Another ten seconds was all it took for the champ to hook an ankle over the bottom rope.
“Break.” Lily said in a remarkably calm tone. “Break the hold Miranda, I’m in the UUNNNGHH!”
Miranda snapped to the left and laid out on her belly to BWONK Burlingame’s noggin into the canvas with a truncated DDT. The ref barked a command that the blonde managed to simultaneously heed and ignore. Sliding away from the stunned battler, Wainright pushed to one knee and tucked some loose hair behind her ears. “Your resolve is impressive, sister. Imagine what it could accomplish when combined with the might of our Sect.”
Dazed after the short but forceful head drop, Burlingame struggled to all fours and muttered, “So you want me to join the Midnight Society, huh? Lemme guess, all I’ve gotta do is throw my title in the collection plate? No deal, WainrighTHOOFFFHHH!”
Miranda strode over, hopped up and stamped down on the brunette’s back with both feet. The Stomp drove out what little air remained in her lungs, meaning Lily was quite malleable when Wainright hauled her up by the hair. “You’ve got me all wrong, sister. The bauble around your waist isn’t an offering for the coffers…. it is kindling for a sacrificial fire.” Miranda pounded a Toe Kick into the Star Strider’s belly, then whipped around and hit the ropes to Burlingame’s left. Upon returning she THWUNKED her right knee into the brunette’s chest, a Million Dollar Kneelift that rocked Lily back on her heels. Twisting in position even as Lily reeled, Wainright shot both hands over her right shoulder, laced ‘em over the smaller woman’s chin and laid out on her back to PLANT Burlingame on the back of her head and shoulders. Lily bounced up and landed on her right side, the usually effervescent lightweight looking very much like a dropped rock in the aftermath of her opponent’s Neckbreaker.
RUNNING KNEELIFT TO REVERSE NECKBREAKER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T01YUIBXpo
Laying one hand on Lily’s shoulder, the Malevolent Moralizer noted, “We all make sacrifices for our faith, Lily Burlingame. The Lightweight Title will be yours and the glow of its burning will make the dark all the more glorious.” She rolled Burlingame to her back and palmed both shoulders for the…
ONE…
TWO…
Lily kicked out at ‘TWO!’ and sat up to make sure her shoulders stayed off the mat. “Title’s mine, girl.” the heiress muttered through gritted teeth. “I earned it and I’m not giving it up until someone beats me in the center of this ring.”
Miranda ran her fingers through the brunette’s hair before treating it to a sharp tug. “You will though, sister. You will offer up that which is most precious to you of your own volition… or you will join it in the fire.”
On that delightfully ominous note the Straight-Edge Siren stood up and forced Burlingame to do the same. From there she collected a wrist, turned in a half circle and slung the champion at a corner on the far side of the ring. Speedy as ever despite the punishment, Lily barely had enough time to turn her back to the buckles before she BWUUUNGED home. The echo of her arrival was still reaching the upper deck when Miranda charged, leapt and THWHUNKED her right knee between Lily’s eyes. Burlingame’s head bobbled back n’ slumped forward, a perfect target for Wainright’s Side Headlock. With the brunette properly corralled, she hopped down from her perch and raced across the canvas to ‘OOOOOOOHHHHH!’
A thunderous reaction from the Stargazers when their heroine wrapped an arm around the challenger’s waist and braced her other hand against Miranda’s right hip. Then she dug in her heels, dropped into a deep crouch and popped off a bridge so high and sharp it only had one side. Wainright landed HARD on the back of her head, her ankles somewhere north of her ears because the unexpected Backdrop Suplex left her folded in half. Quick to act despite the suddenness of the reversal, Carpenter swooped in and counted off…
BACKDROP SUPLEX HOLD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwuzABVTL0
ONE…
TWO…
Miranda kicked loose and landed on her stomach with a whole second to spare. Perhaps more stunned by the throw than she let on, Wainright scrambled to her feet almost immediately, but lost her balance just as quickly and stumbled awkwardly into the ropes. That steadied her out just fine, unfortunately it also made her a stationary target, which was Lily’s favorite kind. Achieving near terminal velocity in only a few long strides, Burlingame hit the Churchgoer full force, her right arm THWHAPPING across Miranda’s chest in a heavy Clothesline. Wainright’s feet flew up n’ over and the rest of her followed after as the blonde hit the floor in an awkward tumble.
“YEAH!” Burlingame backed into the center of the squared circle, one fist pumping in frenetic celebration. “YOU WANNA TALK FIRES, SISTER? YOU’RE LOOKIN’ AT THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT GALAXY!”
Miranda didn’t answer but she did get a hand on the barricade and that was more than enough for Lily. Hurrying toward the corner, she sprang up and twisted around in mid-air to land on the top floor with her back pointed toward the audience. Somewhere down below, Wainright pulled herself to boot leather and looked to the “NNNNNNNGGGGHHH!”
MOONSAULT PLANCHA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xo0Q6otrJw
Burlingame hurled herself over and back in a gorgeous, floaty Moonsault Plancha that plastered the other lightweight to the floor. The crowd, which had been getting louder ever since Lily’s resurgence began, hit a whole new level when the Lightweight Champion sprang onto the top of the barrier and perched there like it was six feet wide. “I hope you got plenty of memory left in those cameras!” she exclaimed to the first few rows of floor seat FAWNatics. “Because you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The noise clearly indicated the crowd was ready for more so Lily hopped down and stomped over to Miranda, who’d managed to turn onto all fours. “I don’t think I much care for you as a person.” the brunette admitted as she worked her fingers into Wainright’s hair. “But I’ve enjoyed tossing you around this ring and I’m going to keep doing it. Not because of any theological disagreement, but because I mean to show you I really am the best lightweight wrestler in FAWNNNNNGGHHH!”
Miranda wrapped her arms around Burlingame’s waist and lunged forward, slamming her spine-first into the barricade. In so doing she also banged the crown of her head and with her knees already sludgy after the Moonsault, Wainright crumpled like a penitent suffering a migraine. Rubbing away the twinge in her spine, Lily reapplied her grip on the blonde’s hair and drilled a short Kneelift into her forehead. “I get it, no one gets to sermonize but you. Fine, you wanna get beat down in silence? You got it, sister!”
She rocked the zealot’s noggin with another Kneelift, then hoisted her to boot leather and spun her around in a wobbly circle. Guiding Wainright by trunks and tresses, Lily strode across the narrow aisle at an angle and drove her opposition into the apron gut-first. Wainright ‘ooofffhed’ and doubled over but didn’t go down thanks to an arm hooked over the bottom rope. Carpenter’s count still wasn’t half done, yet Lily broke off long enough to dive under the bottom rope. Rather than just slide right back out, the Star Strider hooked a sharp left and dropped through the ropes behind and around the corner from the stunned challenger. But distance was never a hurdle for Lily Burlingame and she proved it again by racing toward Miranda as soon as her feet touched the floor. Turning the corner in a blur, she hit the afterburners one last time, leapt and THWHAPPED both feet into the side of Wainright’s skull.
RUNNING APRON DROPKICK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL7m75dVZuQ
Knocked off balance by the huge Dropkick, Miranda grabbed the ring post for support and lurched around the corner in hopes of getting away from the nimble. This proved easier said than done however, as Lily’s last bit of offense had left her perched on the apron and eager to strike again. On her feet just as Wainright cleared the post, the Interstellar Angel gave her foe a few seconds of head start, then took off down the narrow ledge of apron. Only vaguely aware of the cosmic threat bearing down on her, Miranda made it about halfway down the edge of the ring before instinct told her to face the danger at her back. She did just that, albeit a heartbeat too late to do much more than bear witness to what came next. For Lily was already airborne, her summer-tanned stems split in a ‘V’ that perfectly accommodated Wainright’s noggin even after they ’smecked’ shut. Burlingame locked her ankles, torqued her hips and swung down n’ around in a gorgeous half circle that flipped Miranda onto her back with a heavy THWHUMP. The Pious Punisher rolled to a seat, twisted to one knee and struggled up, knowing even in the depths of her hurt that she didn’t want to be grounded while this sparkly little comet was afoot.
APRON 'RANA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTIsyL8XNY0
She made it to her feet just fine, problem was Burlingame had already reached hers and she stuffed one deep into the challenger’s tummy. “Time to take this back inside.” Lily grabbed a double handful of waistband which was promptly fashioned into a handle for stuffing the flummoxed blonde under the bottom rope. From there she hopped onto the apron and looked over one shoulder to wink at the crowd. “After all, it wouldn’t be very righteous to get counted out at Fawnamania, right?”
The resultant cheer gave Burlingame all the impetus she needed to grab the top rope in both hands and leapt onto it so effortlessly it was almost unfair. In the next instant she threw herself into a gorgeous somersault that ended with every bit of her hundred and fifteen pounds THWHUMPING down on Miranda’s chest. Only that wasn’t really the end at all. Because Lily rolled through, bounced to her feet and loped to the opposite side of the ring. Upon reaching it she hopped onto the middle strand, sank into a deep crouch and propelled herself backward in another flawless flip. This one THWAMMED her against Wainright’s tummy and more importantly, led to the champion’s first cover in quite some time. Far leg hooked snug, Lily pulled Miranda’s knee even closer to her chest while the ref counted…
SPRINGBOARD SENTON & QUERADA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9VCygFGfr0
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Wainright kicked loose and shot a shoulder up to boot, just in case the jeering heathens distracted the official from his duty. Al wasn’t distracted though and he kept two fingers raised even though the sold out crowd wanted three in the worst way. Lily didn’t care either way, she had plenty left in the tank and would use every bit of it to finish Miranda Wainright if it proved necessary. To that end she got up and carefully positioned herself a few steps away from the recovering challenger.
Far enough removed to avoid potential low blows, yet close enough to cut off any cowardly escape attempts, Burlingame pointed her left shoulder toward the blonde and waited for her to rise. Miranda obliged her in less than five seconds, righting herself with a steely resolve that would’ve earned her a cheer if she wasn’t such a monstrous pain in the ass. Picking her spot with a timing that her sister would’ve appreciated, Lily planted on her right foot and PWAAAKED a Back Kick deep into the pit of the challenger’s stomach. Miranda doubled over at once and offered nothing but a moan when the Interstellar Angel put her hands on her ribs. Lilly hopped up n’ over as soon as her hands were set, leapfrogging Wainright’s head and shoulders to land astride her upper back. Hooking her legs under the blonde’s arms for support, Burlingame leaned down until her hands were pressed against the mat and Miranda was almost standing straight. Then she pushed off and would’ve delivered a helluva Yoshi Tonic if Miranda hadn’t pulled her arms loose of the trap. Lily was indeed the Girl That Gravity Forgot as she hung suspended above the challenger. Alas physics claimed her in astoundingly violent fashion when Wainright wrapped both arms around her waist and dropped to her knees. Burlingame was PLANTED on the back of her head and shoulders, then forced into an involuntary Matchbook as Miranda collapsed on top of her.
RIGHTEOUS COUNTER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr2W9CUDYBM
With her shoulders wedged into the pits of the heiress’s knees, the Malevolent Moralizer planted on her palms and her toes while Carpenter counted off…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Lily slid to one side and landed on her hip and shoulder to save her title with perhaps a half second to spare. Above her, Miranda Wainright took a deep breath and smiled beatifically. The youngest Burlingame was a warrior indeed and the darkness that seeped in following her indoctrination would make the Church incalculably stronger. “I will happily call you sister once that light is out, Lily Burlingame.” she said softly. “Until then we must remain adversaries.”
Facts laid bare, Miranda worked her fingers into the champ’s hair and gave it a nice hard pull as she hauled the both of them to verticality. Anyone who thought Wainright’s relatively kind words meant a modicum of safety for the Star Strider was proven emphatically wrong when the zealot wrapped her hands around Lily’s throat and squeezed tight! Burlingame’s eyes popped open at once, the rude surprise of strangulation burning hot enough to sear off the last bit of fog clouding her brain. Never even thinking about an assist from the ref, she crooked her right arm into a ‘V’ and started pounding away at Miranda’s chest as hard as she could.
Al lent his assistance as well, barking at Wainright to break her grip before going directly into a count. Miranda held on ‘til ‘FOUR!’ then let loose right as she THWUMPED a vicious low blow against the front of her opponent’s trunks. A pop-eyed, gape-jawed Lily crumpled into her arms, exactly as the blonde intended. Cradling the would-be convert long enough to peck a kiss on her forehead, Miranda helped herself to a Wristlock and tossed Burlingame into the ropes. Far less steady than usual thanks to the trunk work, the brunette still made excellent time reaching, then returning from the ropes. Of course that just meant Wainright didn’t have to wait as long to inflict her next bit of punishment.
The Prophet of Pain greeted her adversary with open arms, one of which looped across her waist while the other went behind Lily’s knees. Muscled off her feet like it was nothing, Lily was swung up n’ around, then turned over in mid-air so she was trapped in what was almost a Tombstone stall. If she’d had more control over her faculties she might’ve turned the predicament into a Tilt-A-Whirl Headscissors, alas her limbs wouldn’t obey and the heiress could only brace for impact as Miranda swung her out straight and dropped to a seat. THWHAM! Burlingame hit flat on her face, chest and belly. Lily bounced but not enough to flop over, at least not until Wainright wrapped up her lower legs and provided a rough assist. Settling in to a comfortable tush on tummy seat, Miranda tucked Burlingame’s stems under her arms and pointed her rump toward the rafters for…
RIGHTEOUS DRIVER @ 00:48
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifqA1c3A48Y
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Burlingame timed a strong punch to the ribs with an effortful twist of her hips to deny the zealot her first taste of FAWN gold by less than a second.
For the first time Miranda’s eyes showed a flash of irritation. Not for the speed of the count or the timing of the kick-out but for the very act of resistance. Her message was so simple and direct, why did these heathens always require so much convincing? Wainright took a deep breath and let it out slow. This sort of thinking was counterproductive. As she always said, Midnight comes for one and all. And as far as Lily Burlingame was concerned, the current time was eleven fifty-nine.
Sinking a hand into the champ’s hair with no regard to Carpenter’s fussing, the Septa of Sorrow stood up and forced Lily to do the same. “You do not suffer in vain my friend.” Miranda murmured after she stepped behind her foe and caught her left arm in a Half Nelson. “Whatever pain you endure now will be turned a hundredfold on our enemies just as soon as you join us in the blessed dark.”
Lily didn’t respond or perhaps she would’ve responded if the blonde hadn’t laid claim to her left wrist and pulled the attached arm snug across her own throat. Lily’d broken a Cobra Clutch much earlier in the match and with relative ease at that. Now she only pawed at the constricting limb and not for very long for that matter. The Star Strider managed all of two wheezing gasps before Miranda dipped her knees and popped her hips to flip her opponent end over end, Lily THWHAMMING onto her face, chest and tummy for the second time in as many minutes.
COBRA CLUTCH SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkPQQ9OauA
One would’ve rightfully expected Burlingame to roll onto her back or perhaps settle right where she was. No one, Miranda included, expected her to rear back onto her knees and stand up immediately thereafter. Miranda’s shock turned to understanding the instant she saw the waver in Lily’s knees. The champion was on her feet but she wasn’t anywhere near her right mind, as evidenced by the drunken way she backpedaled toward the strands. Certain she could fix Lily the same way Adelaide always fixed that questionable television in the break room, Miranda charged as Burlingame reached the ropes and THWHACKED her across the jaw with a thunderous Palm Strike.
Knocked loose of her moorings by the brutal Shotei, Lily went over the top rope but managed to spare herself a trip to the floor by hooking an arm over the rubber-coated steel. “Very good, sister.” Miranda voiced her approval even as Burlingame slooooooowly fought to verticality. “That is the sort of spirit that will make you an invaluable member of our cause.”
With her sermon all but finished, Wainright crowded the ropes and pulled the flagging heiress into a Front Facelock. She was reaching for Burlingame’s near arm when every single spotlight at the top of the stage blazed to life in time with a roar from the speakers ‘SO LIGHT ‘EM UP!’ Fallout Boy blasted out full force and though the glare was so bright Miranda couldn’t actually see the figure standing in the center of all that radiance, she knew the heathen anthems well enough to know who dared meddle in her affairs.
“You have no idea what you’re in for EllNNNNGGGHHH!”
Lily didn’t know why the sound system was going full force and she didn’t particularly care. But it had clearly distracted Miranda so she wrenched her head loose, grabbed hold of the top rope in both hands and THWHACKED a high, arcing Roundhouse off the side of the challenger’s skull. Wainright reeled backward seeming to step in fencepost holes that weren’t there a moment prior. She was still on her feet however and instinct demanded that she retaliate against the heathen who’d just clouted her so ferociously. Claws raised high, she rushed the strands and THWHACK! Lily still held the top rope in both hands and she used it to go airborne for the Enzugiri she tacked to Miranda’s temple. Wainright’s knees finally unhinged, leaving her to topple onto her back with the shadow of the nearest turnbuckle hanging ominously across her midsection.
The lights and speakers went when Miranda did though the woman standing at the top of the ramp made no effort to move, let alone hide. Only vaguely aware of the assist, Lily Burlingame was far more interested in trudging her way to the top rope, a trek which took an interminable two seconds as opposed to her usual blink of an eye. Feeling better the moment she rose to her full height, the Girl that Gravity Forgot raised a fist high above her head but she never took her eyes off the blonde sprawled several feet below. Her thumb came up and went down, depressing the invisible button that made a whole arena shout ‘BOOOOOOM!’
She took off alongside that verbal explosion, launching into and through the twisting inside out back-flip that made the Cherry Warhead one of FAWN’s most beautiful and dangerous top rope weapons. Tonight proved no different when she THAWHAMMED down on Miranda’s tummy with enough malice to blow every bit of air from her lungs. Scrambling into a seat pointed at her opponent’s toes, Lily cradled one leg to her chest in a Half Matchbook and used her other hand to secure a wrist to make sure the challenger couldn’t reach the ropes while the ref counted…
CHERRY WARHEAD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNdHhtx-Kog
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Lily pumped a celebratory fist, but didn’t quite dare relinquish her perch until the bell sounded and the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall and STILL FAWN LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION… LILY BURLINGAME!”
Accepting the title only after Al had helped her up and raised her hand, Lily finally turned her attention to the stage, where Mercy Ellis watched with a faint smile on her face. More than a little confused, Lily cast a glance at the ref. “Any idea why I got the timely assist?”
MERCY ELLIS:
Carpenter did, not that he dared speak for the Heartless Wonder. After a moment’s deliberation he replied, “I don’t think it was about assisting you, Lil. She just wanted to punish Miranda.”
As if to confirm this, Ellis turned around and strode through the curtain without so much as a word to anyone.
Burlingame watched the stage, then shrugged her shoulders when nothing else happened. “Well, I’m not really happy about it, but Miranda did work my trunks pretty hard and it’s not my fault she took her eyes off the match…” she trailed off as her eyes fell upon the splattered, groaning form of Miranda Wainright. “…still… gonna have to settle with that chick sooner than later. Which reminds me!”
Lily broke away from the official to jog to the corner nearest the aisle. Mounting it with her usual nimble grace, Lily brandished the belt at arm’s length and grinned down at the cameraman shooting from the floor. “Hey Nyssa, congratulations on your win! I know how satisfying it is to take out the trash. Now that Polly’s where she belongs I guess it’s time you and I got to know each other a little better. Consider your challenge accepted, you and me at All Hallows Evil in whatever sort of match the fates decide for us. Fair warning, babe. If you want this…” she raised the belt and gave it a possessive shake. “You’re gonna have to beat this!” Lily curled her free arm in an impressive double bicep flex. “And I don’t think you can. See ya at the Madhouse, Nys.”
With that Burlingame hopped down from the buckles and set off on a much deserved victory lap around the squared circle.
Gloom descended upon the FAWN Arena even as the jeers rose to meet it. An angry, judgmental voice from deep back in the speakers promised, ‘And we will see how godless a nation we have become.’ From that bitter fruit blossomed Green Day’s ‘East Jesus Nowhere’, a simple riff that was repeated four times. Following every cycle a spotlight lit up to reveal a scarecrow-ish effigy mounted to a tall wooden stave that had grown up seemingly in an instant. The effigies, done up in a style best described as ‘Early American Psychopath’, were simple but easily recognizable. First came Polly Lockwood, then Skye Mitchell and Shea London. When the light illuminated a Lily-figure on the last stake the drums started to pound and a fifth spotlight revealed the Septa of Sorrow.
MIRANDA WAINRIGHT:
For her sermon on this most special of occasions, Miranda wore the pitch black version of her usual vinyl one-piece. Scooped low in the back and high over the hips, it was accompanied by clunky knee-high gray boots and black elbow-length mesh gloves. As for her hair, it was still a lustrous, gleaming gold, its radiance seemingly in defiance of all the vile filth surrounding her. Immune to the ranting and raving of that astounding number of heathens , Miranda started down the aisle and kept her eyes on the squared circle until she reached the foot of the steel steps. Taking them slowly, she reached the apron, dipped her head and carefully removed her hat, which she set atop the ring post.
Once in the ring, she turned to the stage and extended both arms out at shoulder level in a rough ‘T’. After a moment she brought her palms together as if in prayer and that was enough to make the quartet of effigies burst into flame. Smiling into the dancing fire, Wainright held her position until they were reduced to cinder and ash. Then she backed into a corner on the opposite side of the ring and allowed Al Carpenter to peruse her boots and pads.
“Your lady love found herself in a rather rough spot earlier this evening, Algernon.” she said softly.
Al looked up from the inspection, frowned, then nodded. “She’ll be fine. Lisa’s a jerk, but she can’t run forever.”
Miranda nodded agreement. “No one can. And yet, your Jenny would find the chase far less strenuous if she were to join our revival.”
Al kept his expression neutral, a difficult task. “I’ll pass that along, Miranda. You can go to your corner now.”
Wainright smiled. “See that you do.” She backed into the corner facing the stage and waited patiently for a star to fall from the heavens.
Once the stage techs had swept up the last of the ashes, the Announcer raised his mic and said, “And introducing her opponent, hailing from Stovington, Vermont, she stands at five feet two inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and ten pounds! She is the Star Strider and the FAWN Lightweight Champion… LILY BURLINGAME!”
Eager for a light to chase away all this darkness, the FAWN faithful sprang up and cheered their hearts out when the lights went out. From within that swirling, anticipatory gloom came a thumping drum and a matched set of snapping fingers, the two bits of percussion bouncing to and fro in a rat-a-tat riff. A keening guitar note joined the beat and a few seconds later the situation got brighter in no small part due to the tongue of flame that licked at the base of the ramp. As the note held steady, the fire set off on a beeline for the top of the ramp.
LILY BURLINGAME:
The wick shrank in time with the arrival of more guitars and an Earth-shattering KA-BOOM of red pyro that almost swallowed the first verse of ’Comeback Kid’. From the center of this flash and flame a figure emerged, shooting up from the floor to land flawlessly before the capacity crowd.
Launching herself from that brand spankin‘ new crater, Lily Burlingame pumped a fist for the crowd, then smacked the belt snapped around her waist and flew down the ramp in a blur of black, red and white. For tonight’s row with arguably the most dangerous competitor in the Lightweight Division, she wore gleaming black bottoms accented by swirling galaxies of stars done in red and white. Her top was halter-style sports bra done in an identical scheme, the red and white seeming to shimmer and twine with her every move. Kneepads were matching black and also sported the galaxy motif, white on the left and red on the right. Her hair, though free of the mask, was still pulled back in a long, sweeping ponytail.
Moving at her usual mach speed in spite (or perhaps it was because) of the threat lurking in the far corner, Burlingame tore down the ramp then leapt from the floor to the apron to the top rope in the span between heartbeats. Bouncing from it as casually as the terminally grounded stepped off the curb, Lily hooked a sharp turn to the left, hit the adjoining set of strands and went soaring into a gorgeous back flip that set her back in the center of the ring. Then she was off again, the Girl That Gravity Forgot rounding on one heel to sprint to the far side of the squared circle. At the ropes in an instant, she caught the top and middle in both hands, leapt and twirled over the third strand in a Tiger Feint Kick that ’swicked’ through the air.
Back in the ring a heartbeat later, the youngest Burlingame sister strode to the middle of the ring and undid the belt. Holding it level with one shoulder, she thumbed an invisible detonator in the other hand and raised her gold to correspond to the thunderous ‘BOOOOOOOM!’ from her fans. Casting her eyes to Miranda only after she’d handed off the belt, the Star Strider said, “Your sisters better stay in the back, Miranda. I see even one and I’ll make sure they get an extra dose of what’s coming to you.”
“An abundance of spiritual peace and physical release? Somehow I doubt they’ll mind.”
Lily didn’t know how to answer that so she merely backed into the opposite corner and let Al check her pads and boots.
Though it was her first ‘Mania without the Cherry Bomb mask and she was all but exploding with nervous energy, Lily Burlingame didn’t sprint from her corner when the bell sounded. It wasn’t that she was afraid of the woman opposite (though she’d watched enough footage in the last month to be very, VERY cautious) but there was some sort of… vibe… coming from the challenger that seemed to demand a certain deliberateness. At least for now. So she pushed off the buckles and strode out into the center of the squared circle.
Miranda saw this and smiled inwardly. This one, this one would be special. She favored herself a star and while those little glittering points of light were beautiful in their own way the Straight-Edge Siren greatly preferred the blackness between. Snuffing one single star wouldn’t make much difference in the grand scheme of things, yet Wainright had always had a great eye for detail and she knew her blessed Midnight would grow that much stronger for claiming Lily Burlingame’s spark. Approaching the champion with far more deference than she showed the usual heathen, Miranda stopped short by a few steps and dipped at the waist in a remarkably courtly bow. “Sister Miranda Wainright at your service.” the blonde said once she’d straightened up. “It’s a pleasure to finally share a ring with you, Lily Burlingame.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed, not an angry expression, but quite watchful. This wasn’t what she’d expected from the leader of the Church of Eternal Midnight. “I can’t say I’ve relished meeting you, Miranda.” she answered carefully. “But I’ve been wanting to share a ring with you too.”
The Malevolent Moralizer smiled and started to circle left in a corkscrew that ever so slightly tightened on the Star Strider. “We are well met then. Tell me Lily, youngest sister of Susannah and Brie, are you tired of standing alone in your battles against the likes of Janel Manning and Jenny Lewis? Soledad Sanchez and La Gata Diabla? Gabby Mendoza, Rose Evans and the rest of the self entitled, sniveling cadre that calls themselves Generation Next?”
Lily matched her opponent’s pace easily and she raised her hands to chest level, ready to intercept or grapple at the first sign of aggression. “I’ve done just fine on my own so far.” the champ answered. “At least that’s what the gold around my waist tells me.”
“You have indeed.” Miranda agreed. “But one woman can stand against the combined forces of many for only so long before they overwhelm her in a growling, clawing swarm. While your family has gifted you with two sisters, one is as far removed from this industry of ours as humanly possible and the other has long since bent the knee to FAWN’s Black Queen. Since you haven’t done the same, it seems to me that you could stand to have a few new sisters. Some that will stand with you in the brightest of days… and the darkest of nights.”
Burlingame stopped in her tracks and offered the blonde a wide, slightly snarky grin. “Sisters like you, Adelaide, Tiffany and the Snake Lady?”
The corner of Miranda’s mouth ticked up in the faintest ghost of a smile. “Her name is Ashley. And yes, the four of us would offer all the sisterhood you could ever need.”
Lily saw the blonde’s shoulders hunch forward and she did the same. Talk of sisterhood was all well and good, but it could wait until after she’d retained her Lightweight Title. “Tell ya what, Miranda. Why don’t you leave a few tracts with me and I’ll read them once I’ve put your shoulders on the ma--”
Wainright lunged for her so quickly that Lily barely had time to spin out of the way. Ready and waiting an instant before the blonde turned to find her, Burlingame buried the toe of her left boot in Miranda’s gut and pulled her into a Standing Headscissors. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had in mind but it didn’t matter in the end because the Prophet of Pain didn’t give her any time to come up with a plan. Lily hadn’t even put her arms around the other woman’s waist when Miranda dipped a little and straightened up, thus hurling the Interstellar Angel into the rafters with an improvised Back Body Drop.
Gifted with the ability to think on her feet even when they were flailing somewhere over her head, Burlingame floated through the arc to come down in a perfect crouch a short distance behind the challenger. Charging the ropes as soon as she touched down, Lily bounced off the strands, raced back at Miranda and had to cancel whatever offense she’d had in mind to save her head, which the blonde attempted to take off with a huge palm strike. This she avoided by the slimmest of margins and lets give Lily credit, she barely slowed on her way to the opposite ropes. Undeterred and quicker than ever, the brunette made a second pass and when Miranda charged her she vaulted almost straight up to land astride the zealot’s shoulders. Ankles locking in a heartbeat, Lily torqued her hips and flipped Wainright off her feet. She landed flat on her back, the impact made that much more unpleasant by the weight of Lily’s tush thumping heavily against her chest. Her legs flew up, presumably in a burst of breathless flailing, so Burlingame leaned back and hooked ‘em around the knees.
The Matchbook that was supposed to follow this corralling never happened because Wainright bucked her legs hard enough to pull Lily down onto her back. Drawn to a seat by the same adjustment that laid the champion prone, Wainright cinched her arms around Burlingame’s thighs and held on for….
ONE…
Lily got clear thanks to a gorgeous somersault, then popped to her feet while Miranda was still on her butt. Another blistering charge followed, this one ending when the Star Strider hopped up and aimed her shins at the blonde’s face. Knowing she didn’t have time to roll out of the way, Wainright laid out on her back at precisely the right moment, leaving Burlingame to land on her knees a few feet away.
Both ladies returned to verticality at roughly the same time, only problem was Lily’s back was turned to the Messiah of Misery. The danger of such an arrangement was brought to her attention when Miranda rushed in and clouted a Forearm Smash across the back of her head. Lily stumbled, but not much, the Half Nelson Wainright had on her right arm stopped her from straying too far. The reins grew that much tighter once Miranda reached over and around to snatch hold of the brunette’s right wrist. Her mind screamed ‘Cobra Clutch!’ an instant before Wainright drew her own arm across her throat and that head start *almost* let her reach the ropes. Indeed her fingers brushed the rubber-coated steel before Miranda dug in her heels and wrenched her around in a half circle.
Disorienting though it was, the reversal actually gave Lily a little precious momentum, which she promptly used by laying out on her left side. Doing so turned Wainright’s Clutch into a sort of Headlock Takedown, one that flipped the blonde off her feet. Miranda hit the mat shoulder first, rolled through the landing like a tumbler and was pushing to her feet just as Lily kipped to hers. Loathe though they were to offer Miranda Wainright anything that could be construed as praise, the FAWNatics put their hands together for that well wrestled first skirmish.
For her part Miranda seemed uninterested in their attention, her eyes were only for Lily. “The Church of Eternal Midnight could do MUCH for you, Lily Burlingame. Right now you are merely a star, one of billions lost among all the others. But join us and you’d become something the universe has never seen. A dark star, one that would still manage to burn brighter than any that dared approach her orbit.”
“You’re already in my orbit, Miranda.” the champ answered without hesitation. “That’s the only thing you need to worry about.” With that she raised her right hand, beckoning the Deacon of Despair to meet her in a Test of Strength. Lily had thought the slick snake-oil salesman would’ve balked at such an open invitation so she was pleased and more than a little surprised when Wainright stepped right up and ‘smecked’ her palm against the brunette’s.
“I won’t be so bold as to claim you’re making a mistake, Lily Burlingame.” Miranda said once their fingers locked. “But such a contest is really nothing more than a measure of faith and I…” the blonde raised her other hand in such a way that it cast a shadow over Lily’s face. “…am the most faithful woman you will ever meet.”
“Save it for the revival, Miranda.” Burlingame completed the Test and immediately chested against the challenger. “It’s about time we found out who’s gonna pray first.”
Well aware that the blonde had two inches and more than ten pounds on her, Lily wrenched her hands from noon to nine and three respectively, transforming the traditional overhead Test to the no less decisive shoulder level variation. Braced against her opponent mouth on shoulder, cheek to cheek, Burlingame and Wainright remained utterly silent, each lady quite happy to let the roar of the crowd and the ebb & flow of their stalemate speak for them. This silence lasted for almost thirty seconds, ending only when Miranda slid her cheek against Lily’s to get her lips that much closer to the champ’s ear. “You’ll have to do better than this to challenge me, sister.” she murmured in a surprisingly tender tone. “Do not despair over the loss of your shiny gold belt. I’ll keep it well protected until you’re strong enough to challenge meeeeeeeeennnnngggggghhh!”
Lily reared back just far enough to smash her chest against Wainright’s. She also gouged the point of her chin into the hollow of the blonde’s collarbone, which was straight out of Susan’s ‘Book of Cagey . Bytchy Tricks’. Miranda felt herself arching backward, fought against it briefly, then allowed herself to bridge backward in a deep, flawless arch. “Let that be a lesson to you, Miranda.” Burlingame muttered once the blonde was balanced on the tips of her toes and the crown of her head. “You’re challenging ME. In this church YOU’RE the one who has to prove herself.”
“And I am more than happy to do that.” Miranda sounded remarkably nonplussed for someone bent in such a stiff arch. “But tell me, will your own faith hold out when I rise up against this challenge of yours?”
Lily shook her head, either in appreciation or disbelief of the challenger’s confidence, no one could say. “Guess we won’t know until you actually do--”
The Prophet of Pain pushed off with the tiniest of grunts and proceeded to stand herself up despite the pressure Lily put into keeping her down. Her pretty face maddeningly calm, Wainright jerked Burlingame’s hands above her head and rolled them backward at a painful angle. “Such is the power of those who dwell in the darkness, Lily Burlingame.” the blonde said softly. “You too could taste this power if only you set aside your pride and submit to NGH!”
Lily straightened her wrists and threw herself into Miranda, knocking her back a half step with a miniature Bodyblock. “Worship however you want, Miranda. Preach however you want. But know right now that you don’t have what it takes to make me submiTEERRGGGGGHHH!”
Miranda twisted on one foot and THWHUMPED her other knee into the pit of Lily’s stomach. It wasn’t a Low Blow but it was well below the navel and the angle of delivery had the champ’s tummy in knots all the same. Al Carpenter scolded the challenger at once, but the attack was only questionable because it was delivered in the midst of a Test of Strength, not because there was anything illegal about it. Miranda ignored him regardless, she was too busy readying her next sermon, which she kicked off with a second Kneelift.
“This IS how I preach, Lily Burlingame.” Miranda rose onto her toes and pushed down hard, forcing the brunette to her knees after less than five seconds of resistance. “And it is how YOU will preach once you’ve set aside these foolish notions of resistance. Stars are numerous, almost too many to count in fact but THEY ARE NOT INFINITE. Eventually they will all go out and when that happens only darkness will remain. I live and thrive in that darkness, sister. You can too, sister. All you have to do is stand up and ask for deliverance!”
Lily didn’t ask for anything but she still got to her feet, mostly because Wainright forced her hands down to thigh level and wrenched them backward at an unpleasant angle. The Star Strider hadn’t played a game of mercy since she and Lydia Lethbridge got into it at the latter’s Super Sweet Sixteen (a contest she’d won, despite the birthday girl’s blatant cheating) but schoolyard instinct still kept her teeth clenched tight, lest the uttering of that single word be taken as a sign of surrender. Twitching her head ‘no’ to keep the ref from meddling, Lily sucked in a shuddering breath, then shifted her balance and forced herself to stand. After a bit more working she muscled Miranda’s hands up over her head and even rolled them back a little to boot. “You’re no more a prophet than I was a space alien, Miranda. Live the gimmick if you’d like, just don’t expect me to buy into any of your spooky bullshYTERRGH!”
The blonde-haired zealot slammed her head into the bridge of Burlingame’s nose, then kissed her forehead when the champion’s knees sagged. “This is no gimmick, sister.” Wainright noted after she slipped her hands loose from the TOS. “In truth this particular calling is the only employment that allows me to teach deluded, arrogant brats the sort of lessons they so richly need. And speaking of lessons, here’s one from which you will greatly benefit.”
Left hand curled into a loose fist, Miranda popped her thumb out and jabbed it into Burlingame’s eye. That DID bring a warning from the official, but the Septa of Sorrow ignored it as easily as his previous complaint. Far too worried about her own blurred vision to worry about anything else, Lily reached for her stinging peeper with both hands which meant she was practically defenseless when the blonde spread her hands wide and SMACKED them against her foe’s ears. Head spinning after the Eye Poke and Ear Ringer, Burlingame tried to shove Miranda away but Wainright only brushed her defenses aside and grabbed a handful of hair.
“Out of her hair now, Miranda!” Al barked. “I won’t have you--oh dammit!”
Miranda nodded in sympathy, then jabbed thumb and forefinger of her free hand into Lily’s mouth. No Cleft Note this, she pinched the other woman’s tongue and gave it a savage twist / pull. Lily gargled a scream and finally forced Miranda away with a hard punch to the belly. The Straight-Edge Siren stumbled back a step, grimaced and stormed into the breach to shove the heathen as hard as she could.
Reeling, Lily almost tripped over her own feet before she hit the ropes and bounced out in a pretty good sprint. She’d made it perhaps half a dozen steps when Wainright rushed in and THWHACKED a heavy Clothesline across her chest. The champ would’ve gone down flat on her back if Miranda hadn’t hooked that arm and pivoted slightly, using the angle thereof to guide Burlingame into a spine-first landing across her left knee, to which she’d just dropped. Lily bounced clear, flipped over in mid-air and landed hard on her chest and stomach.
CLOTHESLINE TO BACKBREAKER @ 1:18
www.youtube.com/watch?v=laFt8RI4ECE
Miranda rose to her full height, gauged Lily’s position in the squared circle and ran the ropes to her left. A few long strides brought her to within reach of the prone Star Strider and that’s when Wainright took to the skies in a vertical leap that reminded the FAWNatics of her seldom displayed highflier bona fides. She extended her right leg at the apex and brought it THWHUMPING down across the back of her opponent’s neck. Burlingame’s head came up but didn’t come down because the blonde reached out and snatched a handful of hair. With the pit of her knee snugged against the nape of Lily’s neck, Miranda worked her left leg under the champion’s chin and crossed her ankles.
“I fear you must taste the kiss of the rope before you truly appreciate the freedom I offer, Lily Burlingame.” Wainright told her stunned foe. “But if you are the woman I believe you to be you shall emerge from this test stronger than ever.” With that the blonde twisted to her right, put both hands against the mat and pushed herself up as high as she could. In so doing she elevated her legs which in turn wrenched Lily’s head and shoulders back at a sharp, unpleasant angle.
HANGMAN'S HEADSCISSORS:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxd1Pp3hk6U
Lily groaned low and raised one hand to smack and pull at the gams constricting her neck. Though her rational mind told her over and over again that this was nothing more than a uniquely applied Headscissors she reached for the small of her back time and time again, somehow convinced that someone else was seated there and working a nasty Camel Clutch. Miranda made no effort to disabuse the brunette of these notions, she only pushed up n’ down, up n’ down to exacerbate the pressure on Lily’s neck.
“You hanging in there, Lily?” Al only asked after thirty seconds had ticked off the clock with minimal progress from the champ. “Need me to call for the bell? Just say the word and I’ll get you out of--”
“You will do no such thing, Algernon Carpenter.” Miranda interrupted. “MY word is the only thing that will free this woman from her bonds and my heart tells me she has no interest in conceding this contest. Am I wrong, Lily Burlingame?”
The Star Strider didn’t want to waste a breath on words, so she raised a hand and waggled her index finger. Just to make sure she grunted, “Not giving up, Al. Not that easy!”
Wainright smiled broadly as Lily streeeeeetched out as far as she could and extended her right leg toward the bottom rope. She was still several inches shy, yet the Interstellar Angel must’ve known she was close because she pushed up on both hands and started propelling herself backward. Miranda watched this without comment, indeed her only reaction was a slight widening of the faint smile that almost always graced her lips. Another ten seconds was all it took for the champ to hook an ankle over the bottom rope.
“Break.” Lily said in a remarkably calm tone. “Break the hold Miranda, I’m in the UUNNNGHH!”
Miranda snapped to the left and laid out on her belly to BWONK Burlingame’s noggin into the canvas with a truncated DDT. The ref barked a command that the blonde managed to simultaneously heed and ignore. Sliding away from the stunned battler, Wainright pushed to one knee and tucked some loose hair behind her ears. “Your resolve is impressive, sister. Imagine what it could accomplish when combined with the might of our Sect.”
Dazed after the short but forceful head drop, Burlingame struggled to all fours and muttered, “So you want me to join the Midnight Society, huh? Lemme guess, all I’ve gotta do is throw my title in the collection plate? No deal, WainrighTHOOFFFHHH!”
Miranda strode over, hopped up and stamped down on the brunette’s back with both feet. The Stomp drove out what little air remained in her lungs, meaning Lily was quite malleable when Wainright hauled her up by the hair. “You’ve got me all wrong, sister. The bauble around your waist isn’t an offering for the coffers…. it is kindling for a sacrificial fire.” Miranda pounded a Toe Kick into the Star Strider’s belly, then whipped around and hit the ropes to Burlingame’s left. Upon returning she THWUNKED her right knee into the brunette’s chest, a Million Dollar Kneelift that rocked Lily back on her heels. Twisting in position even as Lily reeled, Wainright shot both hands over her right shoulder, laced ‘em over the smaller woman’s chin and laid out on her back to PLANT Burlingame on the back of her head and shoulders. Lily bounced up and landed on her right side, the usually effervescent lightweight looking very much like a dropped rock in the aftermath of her opponent’s Neckbreaker.
RUNNING KNEELIFT TO REVERSE NECKBREAKER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T01YUIBXpo
Laying one hand on Lily’s shoulder, the Malevolent Moralizer noted, “We all make sacrifices for our faith, Lily Burlingame. The Lightweight Title will be yours and the glow of its burning will make the dark all the more glorious.” She rolled Burlingame to her back and palmed both shoulders for the…
ONE…
TWO…
Lily kicked out at ‘TWO!’ and sat up to make sure her shoulders stayed off the mat. “Title’s mine, girl.” the heiress muttered through gritted teeth. “I earned it and I’m not giving it up until someone beats me in the center of this ring.”
Miranda ran her fingers through the brunette’s hair before treating it to a sharp tug. “You will though, sister. You will offer up that which is most precious to you of your own volition… or you will join it in the fire.”
On that delightfully ominous note the Straight-Edge Siren stood up and forced Burlingame to do the same. From there she collected a wrist, turned in a half circle and slung the champion at a corner on the far side of the ring. Speedy as ever despite the punishment, Lily barely had enough time to turn her back to the buckles before she BWUUUNGED home. The echo of her arrival was still reaching the upper deck when Miranda charged, leapt and THWHUNKED her right knee between Lily’s eyes. Burlingame’s head bobbled back n’ slumped forward, a perfect target for Wainright’s Side Headlock. With the brunette properly corralled, she hopped down from her perch and raced across the canvas to ‘OOOOOOOHHHHH!’
A thunderous reaction from the Stargazers when their heroine wrapped an arm around the challenger’s waist and braced her other hand against Miranda’s right hip. Then she dug in her heels, dropped into a deep crouch and popped off a bridge so high and sharp it only had one side. Wainright landed HARD on the back of her head, her ankles somewhere north of her ears because the unexpected Backdrop Suplex left her folded in half. Quick to act despite the suddenness of the reversal, Carpenter swooped in and counted off…
BACKDROP SUPLEX HOLD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFwuzABVTL0
ONE…
TWO…
Miranda kicked loose and landed on her stomach with a whole second to spare. Perhaps more stunned by the throw than she let on, Wainright scrambled to her feet almost immediately, but lost her balance just as quickly and stumbled awkwardly into the ropes. That steadied her out just fine, unfortunately it also made her a stationary target, which was Lily’s favorite kind. Achieving near terminal velocity in only a few long strides, Burlingame hit the Churchgoer full force, her right arm THWHAPPING across Miranda’s chest in a heavy Clothesline. Wainright’s feet flew up n’ over and the rest of her followed after as the blonde hit the floor in an awkward tumble.
“YEAH!” Burlingame backed into the center of the squared circle, one fist pumping in frenetic celebration. “YOU WANNA TALK FIRES, SISTER? YOU’RE LOOKIN’ AT THE BRIGHTEST STAR IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT GALAXY!”
Miranda didn’t answer but she did get a hand on the barricade and that was more than enough for Lily. Hurrying toward the corner, she sprang up and twisted around in mid-air to land on the top floor with her back pointed toward the audience. Somewhere down below, Wainright pulled herself to boot leather and looked to the “NNNNNNNGGGGHHH!”
MOONSAULT PLANCHA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xo0Q6otrJw
Burlingame hurled herself over and back in a gorgeous, floaty Moonsault Plancha that plastered the other lightweight to the floor. The crowd, which had been getting louder ever since Lily’s resurgence began, hit a whole new level when the Lightweight Champion sprang onto the top of the barrier and perched there like it was six feet wide. “I hope you got plenty of memory left in those cameras!” she exclaimed to the first few rows of floor seat FAWNatics. “Because you haven’t seen anything yet!”
The noise clearly indicated the crowd was ready for more so Lily hopped down and stomped over to Miranda, who’d managed to turn onto all fours. “I don’t think I much care for you as a person.” the brunette admitted as she worked her fingers into Wainright’s hair. “But I’ve enjoyed tossing you around this ring and I’m going to keep doing it. Not because of any theological disagreement, but because I mean to show you I really am the best lightweight wrestler in FAWNNNNNGGHHH!”
Miranda wrapped her arms around Burlingame’s waist and lunged forward, slamming her spine-first into the barricade. In so doing she also banged the crown of her head and with her knees already sludgy after the Moonsault, Wainright crumpled like a penitent suffering a migraine. Rubbing away the twinge in her spine, Lily reapplied her grip on the blonde’s hair and drilled a short Kneelift into her forehead. “I get it, no one gets to sermonize but you. Fine, you wanna get beat down in silence? You got it, sister!”
She rocked the zealot’s noggin with another Kneelift, then hoisted her to boot leather and spun her around in a wobbly circle. Guiding Wainright by trunks and tresses, Lily strode across the narrow aisle at an angle and drove her opposition into the apron gut-first. Wainright ‘ooofffhed’ and doubled over but didn’t go down thanks to an arm hooked over the bottom rope. Carpenter’s count still wasn’t half done, yet Lily broke off long enough to dive under the bottom rope. Rather than just slide right back out, the Star Strider hooked a sharp left and dropped through the ropes behind and around the corner from the stunned challenger. But distance was never a hurdle for Lily Burlingame and she proved it again by racing toward Miranda as soon as her feet touched the floor. Turning the corner in a blur, she hit the afterburners one last time, leapt and THWHAPPED both feet into the side of Wainright’s skull.
RUNNING APRON DROPKICK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CL7m75dVZuQ
Knocked off balance by the huge Dropkick, Miranda grabbed the ring post for support and lurched around the corner in hopes of getting away from the nimble. This proved easier said than done however, as Lily’s last bit of offense had left her perched on the apron and eager to strike again. On her feet just as Wainright cleared the post, the Interstellar Angel gave her foe a few seconds of head start, then took off down the narrow ledge of apron. Only vaguely aware of the cosmic threat bearing down on her, Miranda made it about halfway down the edge of the ring before instinct told her to face the danger at her back. She did just that, albeit a heartbeat too late to do much more than bear witness to what came next. For Lily was already airborne, her summer-tanned stems split in a ‘V’ that perfectly accommodated Wainright’s noggin even after they ’smecked’ shut. Burlingame locked her ankles, torqued her hips and swung down n’ around in a gorgeous half circle that flipped Miranda onto her back with a heavy THWHUMP. The Pious Punisher rolled to a seat, twisted to one knee and struggled up, knowing even in the depths of her hurt that she didn’t want to be grounded while this sparkly little comet was afoot.
APRON 'RANA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTIsyL8XNY0
She made it to her feet just fine, problem was Burlingame had already reached hers and she stuffed one deep into the challenger’s tummy. “Time to take this back inside.” Lily grabbed a double handful of waistband which was promptly fashioned into a handle for stuffing the flummoxed blonde under the bottom rope. From there she hopped onto the apron and looked over one shoulder to wink at the crowd. “After all, it wouldn’t be very righteous to get counted out at Fawnamania, right?”
The resultant cheer gave Burlingame all the impetus she needed to grab the top rope in both hands and leapt onto it so effortlessly it was almost unfair. In the next instant she threw herself into a gorgeous somersault that ended with every bit of her hundred and fifteen pounds THWHUMPING down on Miranda’s chest. Only that wasn’t really the end at all. Because Lily rolled through, bounced to her feet and loped to the opposite side of the ring. Upon reaching it she hopped onto the middle strand, sank into a deep crouch and propelled herself backward in another flawless flip. This one THWAMMED her against Wainright’s tummy and more importantly, led to the champion’s first cover in quite some time. Far leg hooked snug, Lily pulled Miranda’s knee even closer to her chest while the ref counted…
SPRINGBOARD SENTON & QUERADA:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9VCygFGfr0
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Wainright kicked loose and shot a shoulder up to boot, just in case the jeering heathens distracted the official from his duty. Al wasn’t distracted though and he kept two fingers raised even though the sold out crowd wanted three in the worst way. Lily didn’t care either way, she had plenty left in the tank and would use every bit of it to finish Miranda Wainright if it proved necessary. To that end she got up and carefully positioned herself a few steps away from the recovering challenger.
Far enough removed to avoid potential low blows, yet close enough to cut off any cowardly escape attempts, Burlingame pointed her left shoulder toward the blonde and waited for her to rise. Miranda obliged her in less than five seconds, righting herself with a steely resolve that would’ve earned her a cheer if she wasn’t such a monstrous pain in the ass. Picking her spot with a timing that her sister would’ve appreciated, Lily planted on her right foot and PWAAAKED a Back Kick deep into the pit of the challenger’s stomach. Miranda doubled over at once and offered nothing but a moan when the Interstellar Angel put her hands on her ribs. Lilly hopped up n’ over as soon as her hands were set, leapfrogging Wainright’s head and shoulders to land astride her upper back. Hooking her legs under the blonde’s arms for support, Burlingame leaned down until her hands were pressed against the mat and Miranda was almost standing straight. Then she pushed off and would’ve delivered a helluva Yoshi Tonic if Miranda hadn’t pulled her arms loose of the trap. Lily was indeed the Girl That Gravity Forgot as she hung suspended above the challenger. Alas physics claimed her in astoundingly violent fashion when Wainright wrapped both arms around her waist and dropped to her knees. Burlingame was PLANTED on the back of her head and shoulders, then forced into an involuntary Matchbook as Miranda collapsed on top of her.
RIGHTEOUS COUNTER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr2W9CUDYBM
With her shoulders wedged into the pits of the heiress’s knees, the Malevolent Moralizer planted on her palms and her toes while Carpenter counted off…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Lily slid to one side and landed on her hip and shoulder to save her title with perhaps a half second to spare. Above her, Miranda Wainright took a deep breath and smiled beatifically. The youngest Burlingame was a warrior indeed and the darkness that seeped in following her indoctrination would make the Church incalculably stronger. “I will happily call you sister once that light is out, Lily Burlingame.” she said softly. “Until then we must remain adversaries.”
Facts laid bare, Miranda worked her fingers into the champ’s hair and gave it a nice hard pull as she hauled the both of them to verticality. Anyone who thought Wainright’s relatively kind words meant a modicum of safety for the Star Strider was proven emphatically wrong when the zealot wrapped her hands around Lily’s throat and squeezed tight! Burlingame’s eyes popped open at once, the rude surprise of strangulation burning hot enough to sear off the last bit of fog clouding her brain. Never even thinking about an assist from the ref, she crooked her right arm into a ‘V’ and started pounding away at Miranda’s chest as hard as she could.
Al lent his assistance as well, barking at Wainright to break her grip before going directly into a count. Miranda held on ‘til ‘FOUR!’ then let loose right as she THWUMPED a vicious low blow against the front of her opponent’s trunks. A pop-eyed, gape-jawed Lily crumpled into her arms, exactly as the blonde intended. Cradling the would-be convert long enough to peck a kiss on her forehead, Miranda helped herself to a Wristlock and tossed Burlingame into the ropes. Far less steady than usual thanks to the trunk work, the brunette still made excellent time reaching, then returning from the ropes. Of course that just meant Wainright didn’t have to wait as long to inflict her next bit of punishment.
The Prophet of Pain greeted her adversary with open arms, one of which looped across her waist while the other went behind Lily’s knees. Muscled off her feet like it was nothing, Lily was swung up n’ around, then turned over in mid-air so she was trapped in what was almost a Tombstone stall. If she’d had more control over her faculties she might’ve turned the predicament into a Tilt-A-Whirl Headscissors, alas her limbs wouldn’t obey and the heiress could only brace for impact as Miranda swung her out straight and dropped to a seat. THWHAM! Burlingame hit flat on her face, chest and belly. Lily bounced but not enough to flop over, at least not until Wainright wrapped up her lower legs and provided a rough assist. Settling in to a comfortable tush on tummy seat, Miranda tucked Burlingame’s stems under her arms and pointed her rump toward the rafters for…
RIGHTEOUS DRIVER @ 00:48
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifqA1c3A48Y
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOOOOOOO!
Burlingame timed a strong punch to the ribs with an effortful twist of her hips to deny the zealot her first taste of FAWN gold by less than a second.
For the first time Miranda’s eyes showed a flash of irritation. Not for the speed of the count or the timing of the kick-out but for the very act of resistance. Her message was so simple and direct, why did these heathens always require so much convincing? Wainright took a deep breath and let it out slow. This sort of thinking was counterproductive. As she always said, Midnight comes for one and all. And as far as Lily Burlingame was concerned, the current time was eleven fifty-nine.
Sinking a hand into the champ’s hair with no regard to Carpenter’s fussing, the Septa of Sorrow stood up and forced Lily to do the same. “You do not suffer in vain my friend.” Miranda murmured after she stepped behind her foe and caught her left arm in a Half Nelson. “Whatever pain you endure now will be turned a hundredfold on our enemies just as soon as you join us in the blessed dark.”
Lily didn’t respond or perhaps she would’ve responded if the blonde hadn’t laid claim to her left wrist and pulled the attached arm snug across her own throat. Lily’d broken a Cobra Clutch much earlier in the match and with relative ease at that. Now she only pawed at the constricting limb and not for very long for that matter. The Star Strider managed all of two wheezing gasps before Miranda dipped her knees and popped her hips to flip her opponent end over end, Lily THWHAMMING onto her face, chest and tummy for the second time in as many minutes.
COBRA CLUTCH SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEkPQQ9OauA
One would’ve rightfully expected Burlingame to roll onto her back or perhaps settle right where she was. No one, Miranda included, expected her to rear back onto her knees and stand up immediately thereafter. Miranda’s shock turned to understanding the instant she saw the waver in Lily’s knees. The champion was on her feet but she wasn’t anywhere near her right mind, as evidenced by the drunken way she backpedaled toward the strands. Certain she could fix Lily the same way Adelaide always fixed that questionable television in the break room, Miranda charged as Burlingame reached the ropes and THWHACKED her across the jaw with a thunderous Palm Strike.
Knocked loose of her moorings by the brutal Shotei, Lily went over the top rope but managed to spare herself a trip to the floor by hooking an arm over the rubber-coated steel. “Very good, sister.” Miranda voiced her approval even as Burlingame slooooooowly fought to verticality. “That is the sort of spirit that will make you an invaluable member of our cause.”
With her sermon all but finished, Wainright crowded the ropes and pulled the flagging heiress into a Front Facelock. She was reaching for Burlingame’s near arm when every single spotlight at the top of the stage blazed to life in time with a roar from the speakers ‘SO LIGHT ‘EM UP!’ Fallout Boy blasted out full force and though the glare was so bright Miranda couldn’t actually see the figure standing in the center of all that radiance, she knew the heathen anthems well enough to know who dared meddle in her affairs.
“You have no idea what you’re in for EllNNNNGGGHHH!”
Lily didn’t know why the sound system was going full force and she didn’t particularly care. But it had clearly distracted Miranda so she wrenched her head loose, grabbed hold of the top rope in both hands and THWHACKED a high, arcing Roundhouse off the side of the challenger’s skull. Wainright reeled backward seeming to step in fencepost holes that weren’t there a moment prior. She was still on her feet however and instinct demanded that she retaliate against the heathen who’d just clouted her so ferociously. Claws raised high, she rushed the strands and THWHACK! Lily still held the top rope in both hands and she used it to go airborne for the Enzugiri she tacked to Miranda’s temple. Wainright’s knees finally unhinged, leaving her to topple onto her back with the shadow of the nearest turnbuckle hanging ominously across her midsection.
The lights and speakers went when Miranda did though the woman standing at the top of the ramp made no effort to move, let alone hide. Only vaguely aware of the assist, Lily Burlingame was far more interested in trudging her way to the top rope, a trek which took an interminable two seconds as opposed to her usual blink of an eye. Feeling better the moment she rose to her full height, the Girl that Gravity Forgot raised a fist high above her head but she never took her eyes off the blonde sprawled several feet below. Her thumb came up and went down, depressing the invisible button that made a whole arena shout ‘BOOOOOOM!’
She took off alongside that verbal explosion, launching into and through the twisting inside out back-flip that made the Cherry Warhead one of FAWN’s most beautiful and dangerous top rope weapons. Tonight proved no different when she THAWHAMMED down on Miranda’s tummy with enough malice to blow every bit of air from her lungs. Scrambling into a seat pointed at her opponent’s toes, Lily cradled one leg to her chest in a Half Matchbook and used her other hand to secure a wrist to make sure the challenger couldn’t reach the ropes while the ref counted…
CHERRY WARHEAD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNdHhtx-Kog
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Lily pumped a celebratory fist, but didn’t quite dare relinquish her perch until the bell sounded and the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall and STILL FAWN LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPION… LILY BURLINGAME!”
Accepting the title only after Al had helped her up and raised her hand, Lily finally turned her attention to the stage, where Mercy Ellis watched with a faint smile on her face. More than a little confused, Lily cast a glance at the ref. “Any idea why I got the timely assist?”
MERCY ELLIS:
Carpenter did, not that he dared speak for the Heartless Wonder. After a moment’s deliberation he replied, “I don’t think it was about assisting you, Lil. She just wanted to punish Miranda.”
As if to confirm this, Ellis turned around and strode through the curtain without so much as a word to anyone.
Burlingame watched the stage, then shrugged her shoulders when nothing else happened. “Well, I’m not really happy about it, but Miranda did work my trunks pretty hard and it’s not my fault she took her eyes off the match…” she trailed off as her eyes fell upon the splattered, groaning form of Miranda Wainright. “…still… gonna have to settle with that chick sooner than later. Which reminds me!”
Lily broke away from the official to jog to the corner nearest the aisle. Mounting it with her usual nimble grace, Lily brandished the belt at arm’s length and grinned down at the cameraman shooting from the floor. “Hey Nyssa, congratulations on your win! I know how satisfying it is to take out the trash. Now that Polly’s where she belongs I guess it’s time you and I got to know each other a little better. Consider your challenge accepted, you and me at All Hallows Evil in whatever sort of match the fates decide for us. Fair warning, babe. If you want this…” she raised the belt and gave it a possessive shake. “You’re gonna have to beat this!” Lily curled her free arm in an impressive double bicep flex. “And I don’t think you can. See ya at the Madhouse, Nys.”
With that Burlingame hopped down from the buckles and set off on a much deserved victory lap around the squared circle.