Post by alyadmirer on Feb 16, 2016 2:39:20 GMT
The ring had been cleared for the last time, leaving the Announcer free to say, “Ladies and gentlemen it is time for our Main Event! The following contest is scheduled for one fall with a thirty minute time limit and it is for the FAWN World Championship! Introducing first, she is the challenger, hailing from Richmond, England in the United Kingdom, she stands at five feet seven inches tall and weighs in at one hundred and fifteen pounds. She is the Oncoming Storm, this is… OLIVIA DARE!"
The FAWNatics sprang to their feet and cheered wildly when the speakers produced the languid, somehow dangerous drumbeat of Hooverphonic’s ‘2Wicky’. Their throat-born thunder crashed all the louder when the former World Champion appeared atop the stage to greet her fans with an index finger raised high overhead.
OLIVIA DARE:
For tonight‘s battle with the Trust Fund Terror, the willowy warrior sported a pair of stormy black bikini briefs edged with silver trim and cut high enough to offer the audience a tantalizing view of her sculpted hips, thighs and calves. The other half of her ensemble included a matching bustier, also done in black and edged with silver. Short black wrestling shoes and silver knee and elbow pads rounded out the rest of her outfit.
Almost preternaturally focused on the match ahead, Olivia stretched her hands to fans on either side of the aisle, but there was only one sign that slowed her march.
ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD WON’T SAVE BABY’S TITLE!
TAP HER OUT, OLIVIA!
“I believe I’ll do just that. Keep your eyes on the ring good sir, you’re about to see a fortune collapse.” Ending their brief interaction with a slight nod, Dare strutted to the foot of the steps, ascended them and sauntered to the center of the apron. Finally showing a smile as she draped her arms over the top rope, Olivia dipped her knees and tumbled backward to land on her feet. Offering her wrists to senior official Nick Castle after a final salute to her fans, Dare said, “I can handle Baby, Nicholas, I need you to keep an eye on her office thugs.”
Castle nodded after the inspection came back clean. “Don’t worry, ‘Liv. I won’t let anyone but you or Portia decide the outcome of this match.”
Olivia thanked him and headed to a corner on the far side of the ring. She had no reason to doubt the referee but keeping the Associates in check was far easier said than done. “If he can’t keep you out of this ring, I will.” she murmured under her breath.
Having forced the two Blackbirds to bear their claws against one another, the World Champion now faced the survivor. With that particularly odious Englishwoman waiting for her in the squared circle, the THREE-time World Champion fidgeted and paced.
In the lead-up to Eliza-Olivia many a reporter had asked who she’d rather face and while she always said either would be beaten within an inch of her Jersey life, there seemed to be a hint of disappointment because the one who knew how to win the big one had done it again and made her way through. It was the risk of forcing Bliss to come through in a #1 contender’s match and then having her fail, as the soprano sometimes did at the most inopportune times.
Still, her Associates were close at hand as Olivia’s music faded and they were a significant security blanket. Baby shared a handshake with Rachel and hug with her protégé and powerhouse Alexis. Suguitan denigrated Dare, the words music to Portia’s ears, Baby’s bounce growing as the gorgeous junior member got VanBuren’s competitive juices flowing.
And when the sound of ‘How You Like Me Now' from Heavy, the drumbeating clarion call of FAWN’s infamous socialite began, the threesome marched into the arena bowl ready to make sure Baby stayed the CEO of FAWN’s roster.
HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVzvRsl4rEM
The crowd rose to its feet as one in one of the most-repeated rituals in FAWN history, that to jeer the Trust Fund Terror with every ounce of lung capacity at their disposal. The sound was at a level no one else could elicit, particularly with the slender socialite in possession of FAWN’s biggest prize.
The head of VB&A floated like a feather over the hatred, the enormous gold plate on the belt around her waist lifting her rather than weighing her down. Next to her, Alexis pointed at the belt, letting everyone know the hardware would remain where it belonged despite every thoroughly hopeless effort to remove it, including tonight’s farce.
Beaming, Baby started down the aisle, slapping her faceplate and making sure everyone knew the loss of a quarter of her father’s fortune to Gretchen Vaughn was an aggravating but increasingly distant memory, as was the vacationing Gretchen herself. She, Portia Ophelia VanBuren IV, was and, more importantly, IS the best.
Portia unsnapped the leather and lifted the belt overhead; the familiar, eardrum-injuring cascade of catcalls echoing through the confines at the volume of a jet engine as she strode down the aisle, Rachel and Alexis on either side.
PORTIA OPHELIA VANBUREN:
ALEXIS SUGUITAN:
RACHEL RAKER:
The sinewy blonde reached the ring and turned her focus to Dare. She laid the belt on her shoulder and made a snapping motion Olivia shook off without a second thought. As with Shea last month, nothing either could say or do outside the ring at this point in their careers could influence the other, knock the other off their game.
The slender socialite offered a familiar toss of her flaxen mane from one side to the other as she made her way up the ring steps. VanBuren was back to her daringly scant black bikini emblazoned with a green, sparkling dollar sign on her infamous and flawless derriere. Baby’s uva-nourished, ivory skin glowed next to the black swatches, her attire completed with green pads and black boots. The footwear contained a green outline of the state of New Jersey, an iconic red circle with a slash superimposed atop the Garden State.
The blonde patrician slid into the ring only after Suguitan widened the ropes for her, Portia’s protégé, talking up her boss loudly while assisting her entrance. Alexis stunned in her skin-tight, red mini and pumps, the copper skin of her arms and legs resplendent. Rachel took notes in her legal pad from the floor, Raker in a wardrobe far from casual business, instead glorious in a tight pinstripe suit jacket and skirt, her red hair up in a messy bun, black nerdy glasses precariously resting on the tip of her adorable nose.
The Announcer broke in as Lyle’s baby girl hopped in her corner.
“And her opponent… accompanied to the ring by her partners in VanBuren & Associates, Alexis Suguitan and Rachel Raker…from Manhattan and Easthampton, New York and Monaco City, Monaco, standing five feet seven inches tall and weighing in at one hundred and twenty pounds, she is the THREE, THREE, THREE TIME FAWN World Champion… Portia Ophelia VanBuren IV!”
Portia lowered the big belt to her waist and caressed it in front of the challenger.
“This is mine, scarecrow. I don’t give up what’s mine.”
Olivia snorted and provided a ‘yeah…sure’ nod.
Portia turned and strode to her curvy back-up, handing the belt to Alexis who in turn provided it to the ref. The official showed it off, the crowd growing more excited by the second, particularly when Olivia inspected and gave the gold a rub, before the zebra presented the top prize to a FAWN flunky on the outside for safekeeping.
VanBuren had a final discussion with Raker, Rachel no doubt going through her list of metrics before Portia nodded and focused her attention back on one of the most dangerous challengers she could face.
The bell sounded and Portia was out of her corner first, much to everyone’s surprise. Well, everyone save Olivia. While she would be hard pressed to call it respect, Dare afforded Fortune’s Favorite a sort of professional courtesy most of the roster did not. For though she loathed the patrician blonde as she did few others, Olivia knew damned well that VanBuren could bring the war on a night when she was properly motivated. And Olivia’d seen that walk often enough to know Baby was properly motivated. Even so, it didn’t keep a slight smile off the Englishwoman’s lips as she slid along the ropes and strode out onto the canvas to make sure the champion couldn’t cut her off.
Portia moved with her, but didn’t close too fast. Though she wouldn’t admit it short of flat out torture, she’d been embarrassed by Dare too many times to simply charge in straight ahead. Even less willing to make such an error when her World Championship was on the line, POV raised one hand over her head. Fingers waggling in Dare’s direction, she asked, “Care to dance, Jersey?”
Olivia’s smile grew a fraction of an inch. “Last time we locked hands we didn’t break apart for almost ten minutes. I’m not sure you can handle that grind again, champ.”
Portia’s green eyes narrowed. “Is that a refusal?”
“An odd sensation, isn’t it? Someone denying you something… anything, you want.” The Oncoming Storm brought both hands up, not for a Test of Strength but a traditional Collar & Elbow Lock-Up. “Lets save the tawdry for a little later on, when we’ve got the blood flowing, perhaps? For now, why don’t you show these people and myself why you deserve to be champion of a promotion with ‘Wrestling’ in its name.”
Portia didn’t much care for the other blonde’s tone and the fans could burn in Jersey for all she was concerned, yet there was something in Dare’s voice that coxed her into mirroring the other blonde. “You kept the title away from my waist once, Olivia.” she said quietly. “I’ll die before you take it from me.”
The Blackbird beckoned her in. “Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep, luv.”
Portia came for her then and the pair of longtime rivals collided so hard they rose up on their toes, flat tummies ‘smecking’ together with the force of it. Resisting the urge to go to Dare’s hair, Baby kept her grips nice and legal as she backed the Brit toward the nearest corner. Olivia made her fight for every step, but VanBuren wouldn’t be denied and it wasn’t long before she forced the challenger against the buckles. Portia tummied in on her at once and now she put a hand under Dare’s chin, all the better to puuuuuuuush her head back over the top rope. Olivia grimaced but didn’t complain, choosing instead to hold her tongue until Castle walked over and tapped her shoulder.
“Off her chin, Portia. I want a clean break.”
Baby nodded, though her eyes never left Dare. Disengaging as asked, she backed off a half step and held her hands at shoulder level. Tense with VanBuren so close, Olivia straightened up as carefully as she cou--CRAAACK! Portia put her head on a swivel with a Bytch Slap that made the front row fans cringe. “Don’t test me, Jersey.” the champ sneered over the boos and Castle’s ineffectual warning. “You’re gonna show me the respect I’ve earned and maybe, just MAYBE, I won’t make you eat your trunks agaNNNGGGHHH!”
Portia’s perfectly pearlies ‘clacked’ hard, her head whipping back at an unpleasant angle as she was reintroduced to Olivia’s European Uppercut. Dare didn’t let her get far though, VanBuren was barely a step back when the Englishwoman grabbed her by the shoulders and spun them around in a smooth half circle. Stuffed against the corner with nowhere else to go, Baby was an easy target for the no less than half a dozen Uppercuts Dare caromed off her chin before Castle said, “That’s enough, ‘Liv. Clear off now.”
Olivia did indeed stop throwing hands, unfortunately for Portia it was only to grab the top rope in both hands. Then her right leg came up and found a nice little spot beneath the American’s chin. Putting her near Daly-ian levels of flexibility to good use, Olivia’s head was nearly touching the canvas, meaning there was that much more pressure behind the boot wedged against her foe’s neck. Portia sputtered, retched and smacked at the offending gam, but she found no relief until Castle began his count. Olivia ended the choke at ‘FOUR!’ yet even that was small consolation considering what happened next. Snaking an arm around the back of Baby’s head, the Oncoming Storm jerked her into a grinding Side Headlock and forced the champ’s cheek against the top rope.
Aware enough to know this odious bytch was getting dangerously close to gimmick infringement, Portia growled, “Don’t even think about it, Dare. Not if you want to see the sun come up tomorrOOWW!”
Olivia bore down on the back of her prey’s head and walked / stomped to the far corner with Baby’s noggin grinding against the rubber-coated steel every step of the way. The Trust Fund Terror wailed in a way she found totally unbecoming, not that there was much she could do about it at the moment. Relief only came when she reached the end of their jaunt, and even that didn’t last long as Dare quickly BWUUUNGED her forehead into the top turnbuckle.
“All right Olivia, stop jerking me around!” Castle barked form several feet out. “Don’t make me end this in a DQ!”
Olivia reeled her woozy foe into the Side Headlock for a second time and squeeeeeeeezed until VanBuren moaned and stamped her feet. “You’d never let that happen, Nicholas. So don’t insult my intelligence.” Castle didn’t get a chance to answer before Olivia loped out of the corner, sprang into the air and landed comfortably on her bum while Portia THWHONKED down hard on her face and chest.
Portia bounced, rolled and kept on rolling, the discombobulated battler not so out of it she didn’t realize the need to regroup on the floor. With Raker on one side and Suguitan on the other, Baby had pretty good odds of ending up in friendly territory. Alas she ended up on an empty side, meaning there was no one to stop Dare from walking her down and planting a foot flush atop POV’s delicate fingers. “OOOOOWWW DAMMIT!” Portia braced her other hand against the apron and pushed away, trying to free her digits from the boulder of Dare’s boot. She didn’t have much success, not until Olivia backed off of her own volition. “It’s about damned time!” VanBuren snapped at her Associates as they approached from different sides. “What do you think I’m paying you for?”
“Sorry Portia.” Suguitan replied with the slightest trace of snark. “I wasn’t expecting the nerd to snatch a page from your own playbook.”
“I don’t CARE what you were expecting!” VanBuren grumbled. “You two are here to make sure that belt doesn’t go--”
“Look out, Portia.”
Rachel’s cool professional tone got the blonde’s attention, alas it went to the redhead and not the actual source of danger. Alexis on the other hand realized what was about to happen and she stepped clear of the blast zone half a heartbeat before Olivia came soaring over the top rope in a Flying Plancha. Portia took it flush and was knocked flat while the challenger went rolling to within inches of the barricade. She popped up at once and would’ve gone straight at the champion if Alexis hadn’t closed in.
“Not now, Alexis.” Raker said softly. “Too many eyes.”
Alexis looked to the ring and sure enough Castle had a close eye on the action. “Another time then.” she smiled to Olivia. “Watch your back, skinny.”
“Lets make a deal, Alexis.” the blonde answered without missing a beat. “Keep your hands to yourself until the bell sounds and I’ll give you something your employer has always denied… a World Title match.”
Suguitan said nothing, but she and Raker both kept their distance as the Blackbird peeled Portia off the floor and bundled her under the bottom rope.
Baby added a little roll to Dare’s shove and ended at mid-ring before using the momentum to make it to a knee. Olivia slid in behind, or most of the way, before the heretofore mentioned Suguitan had hands wrapped around her ankle.
“She’s not my boss. She’s my fellow associate,” Alexis informed while keeping the challenger from continuing her attack.
A peeved Dare had no time for a conversation and shook her way loose before the official could even threaten a DQ on the Filipino beauty. Olivia hurried to her feet and turned to A FOREARM SHIVER from the slender socialite, the delay giving the champion the time she needed to rise and plow her limb into the left side of Olivia’s jaw, sending the Brit’s head shooting in the opposite direction.
The force of the blow staggered Olivia and a couple follow-ups pushed her into the rubber-coated steel cables behind her. Wrapping her right arm around the noggin of the dirty blonde in a Side Headlock, Portia took off with her cargo in tow. She leapt at center stage, ready to Bulldog the Brit, but Dare put her hands on Portia’s hips and shoved as VanBuren leapt. Only Baby left the deck, but she managed to counter the counter enough so that the blonde landed on her feet and running.
Racing to the ropes in front of her, Portia prepared to rebound toward her target. But Olivia was right after her and NAILED VanBuren in her taut tummy just as the Trust Fund Terror bounced out of the strands. Baby flipped over the impaling knee, landing hard on her sublime derriere. Perfect or no, a shockwave entered her tailbone and traveled up her spine while the gutting left her breathless as well.
Dare remained hard at work, racing in from behind to forward flip over VanBuren’s right shoulder, grabbing the braincase of Fortune’s Favorite to fling it face-first into the canvas between the lead Associate’s extended legs. Portia’s upper half snapped back from the collision unfolding from her forced jackknife, Baby ending splayed and groggy, looking up at the rafters with glassy emerald eyes. Not even the roaring crowd stirred her, though a helpful shout to ‘get off your ass’ from Alexis prompted the blonde to roll to her chest and a push to all fours.
Unfortunately, Olivia was allowing it, waiting poised on Portia’s six as Baby struggled to her feet. The Brit slammed the sole of her right boot against the canvas as she waited for the Manhattanite to turn and get what she had coming from so many in the organization. And when Portia finally did make the 180 spin, the Super Kick flashed toward Baby’s chin, only for VanBuren to duck the effort and sweep Olivia’s planted left boot out from under her.
With Dare flat on the canvas, Portia immediately dove into a Senton above her challenger, crashing across the open midriff of the Englishwoman. Dare folded in a taut ‘V’ around the impact then dropped back to the floor, making sure to rotate enough to keep one shoulder off the canvas as she caught her breath.
But the three-time FAWN World Champion wasn’t about to give her any recovery time. Though far from being able to kip, VanBuren reached her feet in a hurry and tugged Olivia up by a wrist into a set of three forearm blasts that staggered the Storm. Grabbing a limp wrist, Portia pivoted and sent Dare racing to the far buckles. The crowd waited for the Blackbird to put on the brakes but it didn’t happen. Instead, she turned into a harsh collision, her back SLAMMING into the corner, spine arching, face etched in pain.
It took less than a second for a sprinting VanBuren to THUMP her tight to the buckles again with a combination splash/forearm that snapped Olivia’s head in a whiplash and put a shudder through her slender frame. The champion, having silenced the crowd, kept Dare pressed tight into corner. She lowered a shoulder and PLOWED it DEEP into Olivia’s solar plexus time after time, reaching a full five before she let the bug-eyed Brit get a breath only to whip her noggin back once more with a stiff European Uppercut.
With Olivia in breathless bewilderment, Portia turned her face away from the beleaguered Englishwoman. The heartless champion climbed to the middle ropes on either side of the buckles and the wolf whistles began in earnest, as those around FAWN knew exactly what market was coming. Baby peeled the dollar sign off her flawless, ivory, uva-nourished backside and PLANTED it right into Olivia’s kisser. She swabbed the face of the Oncoming Storm with her Bare Ass Market. A flustered and flailing Olivia pushed weakly against Portia’s thighs but couldn’t move her and the blonde Manhattanite enjoyed every second of ass to asshat until Nick Castle finally, belatedly called an end to Portia’s party.
Plopping down to the canvas, Baby slipped her bottoms back into place and enjoyed the sight of the dazed, greasy-faced Dare. “Looks like a summer shower to me,” VanBuren informed. “Certainly no storm.”
To prove it, she scooped up Olivia’s rubbery legs and slipped then over the top of the middle rope on one side of the corner. Gathering her foe’s head and shoulders, Baby pressed them through the ropes on the opposite side so Dare was left a sacrifice on Baby’s altar. Portia grabbed the top ropes, leapt and laid into the splayed Olivia with a double-leg knee drop that SPLATTERED a seemingly broken Dare to the canvas beneath her.
CORNER MOUNTED DOUBLE KNEEDROP:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8eEo8UCPqM
Portia strode away from the demolished Dare more than pleased with herself, strolling to the Associates’ corner, where she winked at a clapping Alexis, while Rachel scribbled away on her legal pad.
Mildly irritated at her counsel’s perceived lack of attention, VanBuren leaned her elbows on the ropes and asked, “What, not even a little applause, Raker?”
Rachel’s pen stopped and her eyes rose to meet the blonde’s. “You don’t pay me to coddle you, Portia. You pay me to devise gameplans that win titles and right now you’re straying off script. Remember the metrics we studied. Strut all you want… AFTER Olivia Dare is weeping rubble.”
Portia sighed heavily, but refrained from rolling her eyes. Raker was damned good at her job, but dear lord, the stick up her ass had a stick up its ass. Still, the redhead got her point across using phrases like ‘weeping rubble’. Those were the sorts of words Portia Ophelia VanBuren loved. Flashing a quick ‘this chick’ sort of eye roll at Alexis, Baby turned around and strode back to the corner where Dare was struggling to verticality.
“Try to keep a stiff upper lip, Livy.” Portia sneered even as she filled her hair with the blonde’s battle-damp locks. “Wouldn’t want those stoic countrymen of yours to know just how badly I’m whipping yourUNGH!”
Olivia shut her up with a quick Forearm Smash to the chin, alas it lacked her usual fire and the champ immediately countered with a Kneelift that hit a half inch below the navel. “Fight all you want, Jersey. Resistance only makes the 9-11 ride that much smoother.”
No response from the Englishwoman now, save for a breathless groan as VanBuren hair-hauled her toward the middle of the squared circle. Switching over to an ear-clasp so the ref couldn’t bytch at her, Portia piled on a second Kneelift, then dipped low and circled her arms around Dare’s upper thighs. Hands locked just below the slim curve of British buttocks, Fortune’s Favorite rose onto tip-toe, held the pose for a moment, then sank to one knee and THWHUMPED Olivia’s undercarriage atop the posted joint. The Storm gasped and went pigeon-toed but didn’t go down, which would’ve angered the champ to no end if hadn’t played into her hands. Staying low in the wake of the Inverted Atomic Drop, she snatched Dare’s left ankle in both hands and yanked it out from underneath.
Olivia hit the mat with an ‘ooooffffhh’ the air still leaving her lungs when Baby tucked the captured shin under her left armpit and turned the former World Champion onto her belly. Stepping over and sitting down in a single smooth motion, VanBuren snuggled into a perch on the small of her foe’s back and reefed on the Single Leg Crab for all she was worth. “Ask her!” POV demanded before the hold was even three seconds old. “I don’t have time to sit here and listen to a Jersey blubber all night!”
Dare certainly wasn’t blubbering, but Nick could tell by the strain on her face that the stretch was still quite effective. “What do you say, ‘Liv?” he asked during a break in the champ’s running commentary. “Had enough for one night?”
She actually managed a smile. “Of this delightful trollop? I think not.” Even so, she braced her hands against the canvas and puuuuuuuuuuuushed up until the whole of her upper body was off the mat, if only by a little.
“Go ahead and crawl all you’d like, Jersey.” VanBuren cooed in a tone of irritated ennui. “If you get too close to the ropes I’ll find another way to amuse myself.” Olivia felt the light tickle of fingers on her trunks and knew damned well what the Trust Fund Terror might inflict upon her vulnerable frame. A single shuddering ‘step’ in the direction of the ropes rallied the FAWNatics and they provided the challenger with a rousing ‘LET’S GO ‘LIV!’ chant as she closed in on the strands. Though she gave serious consideration to defiling her fingers with the other blonde’s junk, Baby ultimately refrained because she didn’t want to run the risk of this scrawny little twit tapping out too early. So she bore down on her seat and leaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaned back, putting all sorts of pressure and strain on Dare’s leg and spine until-
”BREAK!” Olivia grabbed the bottom rope and pulled herself that much closer. “Get off me, Portia.”
VanBuren considered the demand long enough for Castle to start a count. She honored it by ‘TWO!’ mostly so the official couldn’t argue too hard when she filled her hands with Olivia’s hair and jerked her to boot leather. “Back off her now, Portia!” Castle barked. “She’s in the ropes!”
“And that’s exactly where I mean to keep her.” the champ said primly. This was followed by a Side Headlock and some one percenter payback as VanBuren applied the Side Headlock and used it to grrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiind Dare’s eyes against the ropes as she sauntered down to the nearest corner. The requisite turnbuckle smash followed, leaving the Blackbird remarkably docile as Fortune’s Favorite slipped by her and climbed into a seat on the second rope. “That’ll teach you to steal my moves, Jersey.” she sniffed at the red-faced wrestler. “And this will teach you to keep a safe distance from this night forOOOFFFFHHH!”
Dare grabbed Portia’s hips in both hands and surged forward to THWHUMP her tummy with a truncated Headbutt. Stunned but hardly unseated, The CEO of VB&A grabbed Olivia’s right shoulder in one hand and rained Forearm Smashes across the back of her neck with the other. Dare fought through the attack to stick another Headbutt only eat a vicious Bytch Slap the second she stood tall. The force of it set her back on her heels while also giving VanBuren enough time to clamber to the top turnbuckle. Though she didn’t often deliver a Boob Job from the third floor, the Trust Fund Terror didn’t hesitate to leap from the corner with her legs splayed just enough to slide around Dare’s oblivious hea--THAWHAM!
Olivia’s arms shot up, catching Baby about the waist at the same time her gams threaded into place. Just like that she stepped back and dropped to her tush, the Oncoming Storm putting every bit of her weight behind the Sit-Out Powerbomb that planted Portia against the thinly-sheathed plywood. Absolutely stunned by the abrupt reversal of fortune, Alexis didn’t move even after the ref swooped in to count…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Portia lifted a shoulder off the mat with a half second to spare. The relief that washed over Suguitan also got rid of the paralysis and she smacked both palms against the apron. “C’MON BABY, YOU GOT THIS! TEACH LITTLE MS. JERSEY A LESSON!”
Olivia turned in the brunette’s direction and smirked. “I think it’s high time YOU learned a lesson, Ms. Suguitan.” Alexis sneered and flipped her the bird, a gesture that went unnoticed as Dare’d already dismissed her in favor of scraping Portia off the mat. Once upright she led the other blonde to the far side of the ring and hooked her up like she was thinking Backdrop Suplex, but didn’t even lift her halfway off the ground before stuffing Baby’s legs through the gap between top and middle rope.
Too dazed to realize what sort of trouble lurked just behind her, Portia wrapped both arms around the top strand and shouted, “ROPES! I’m in the ropes, Castle! Get this idiot away from UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH!”
A longtime master of knowing just how long a given official would let her work in the ropes, Dare placed one hand flush between VanBuren’s shoulders, all the better to PWAK! her across the upper back with half a dozen Forearm Smashes before the ref even started his toll. A count of ‘THREE!’ saw Olivia reach a baker’s dozen and little more. Sliding both hands across Baby’s chin, she hopped, tucked her knees against the American’s shoulders and laid out on her back to drive the air from the champ’s willowy frame with a devastating Lungblower.
ROPE HUNG LUNGBLOWER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA4mtyYOMBQ
Somersaulted off Dare’s knees to an unpleasant facedown landing, the Trust Fund Terror mustered an uncharacteristically meek curse when the Oncoming Storm shot a Half Nelson and rolled her onto her back. A heartbeat later and she’d hooked the far leg, Dare’s Crossbody good n’ tight, more than strong enough to last through…
ONE…
TWO…
but no THREE.
VanBuren kicked her way free of Olivia’s grasp and flopped to her side. On the sidelines, Alexis shouted out a loud “TWO” and Castle gave her a side glance as if to say ‘I know’.
The Blackbird chirped something under her breath toward Suguitan and the Filipino climbed to the apron to threaten in return. The dirty blonde Brit chuckles as she rose, retaining a grip on Portia’s right ankle while slipping a foot under her foe’s left.
“Let’s see if we can’t split that dollar sign in two,” Dare shouted, getting a roar from the crowd.
The Oncoming Storm quickly showed how she meant to do it, kicking Baby’s matbound ankle under the bottom rope away from Alexis. As Rachel shouted at her fellow Associate to get down and quit distracting the referee, Olivia fell away from the cables, bringing Portia’s opposite ankle, and the rest of her slender sinewy leg with her.
Dare’s improvised version of the Leg Splitter etched agony on Baby’s features. VanBuren sat up, legs still wide, grasping at her groin, lower lip quivering as she mewled while slowly moving her stems from the forced set of splits.
While the tender, slow movement continued with the wincing socialite, Olivia kipped to her feet, looking every bit as if she’s well on her way to a second run as FAWN’s World Title holder. For her part, Portia tried to rise. It’s a slow process that Dare egged on, motioning the champ up from VanBuren’s blind spot. The blonde Manhattanite turned to locate Olivia and found the Brit dipping and scooping her off the canvas. But instead of a Fireman’s Carry, the Blackbird shuffled a hampered Portia to a seat atop her shoulders.
Baby started to lift a balled right fist to bring down on Dare’s noggin, but before she’s able, Olivia reached behind her and around the back of the stooped Baby’s neck, pulling Portia into a flattened cradle atop her. Dare leaned VanBuren forward so her skull was pointed toward the canvas, a nervous Alexis shaking her head ‘no’ violently. But it was indeed a loud, emphatic ‘YES’ when Olivia PLANTED Portia into the thinly-covered plywood with her Double Dare.
DOUBLE DARE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOavJmX0kUs
A flaccid Portia spread out in a lifeless spreadeagle between Dare’s extended legs, Olivia taking a moment to enjoy her signature strike. She quickly corraled Baby’s left leg behind the knee and rolled VanBuren so her green sequined ‘$’ was pointed to the rafters for ONE…TWO…and while the crowd shouted THREE and FOUR and FIVE. there was no slap from the official to follow suit as the junior Associate grabbed Nick Castle by the ankle and YANKED him out of the ring.
A confused Dare turned as the sound of boos and catcalls filled the arena, Olivia finally catching sight and a strong whiff of Associate shenanigans. Dare let VanBuren slop into a jellied heap as she rose and moved to the ropes. Below was Alexis heatedly discussing with Castle why she should not be forced backstage. Unfortunately for Suguitan, her back was to the Brit and Olivia sank her nails into Alexis’ scalp forcing Alexis up to a stance on the apron, lest she lose a significant portion of her raven locks.
Pulling Alexis’s head and chest over the top rope in a backward arc, Olivia unleashed with a series of five Forearm Smashes across the catfighter’s bounty, the FAWNatics bellowing their approval with each thumping connection. Finally satisfied, Dare flung Suguitan off the canvas, Alexis flying to the metal barricade where she collided with the steel and slumped to a copper-skinned pool at its base.
Castle had to leap out of the way of the ejected Alexis but he managed to get clear while Olivia looked out on her results. Unfortunately for those in support of the Blackbird, there’s another Associate lurking and VB&A’s lead counsel slid in her ubiquitous clipboard under the bottom ropes, no cheap particleboard this, but instead a not too thin piece of marble.
Baby, already up to one knee with the time from the distraction, snatched the ‘board’ off the canvas, shifting it to a two-hand grip as she rose. Gathering her balance and her bearings, Portia rushed toward the turning Blackbird as Castle started his trip to the ring steps and THWAM!
A sickening thud echoed throughout as VanBuren brought her makeshift weapon to bear in a destructive collision with Olivia’s forehead. Dare dropped as if shot at a staggering VanBuren’s feet. A tardy Castle hustled in just after Baby slid the evidence to its rightful owner and Portia climbed aboard the semiconscious form of the challenger, hooking a leg for show for the…
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOOOOOOO!
The Storm shoved a shoulder up to the obvious consternation of VanBuren. Portia stammered at Castle, unable to even demand the three-count so stunned was she. She rolled Olivia back to her shoulders and covered again for ONE…TWO…and up again came the same shoulder. This time a half-tick faster. Baby wasn’t convinced and she covered again. ONE…and up.
The words ‘can’t be!’ were plastered on the flawless features of the Trust Fund Terror and she rolled Olivia back down a fourth time. But this time Dare added the impetus for a 180 barrel roll and caught Portia in a small package for...
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOO!
VanBuren broke free of the cradle and scurried on hands and knees several feet away, sending a frightened look toward Castle who held up two fingers. VanBuren pushed to her feet, embarrassment turning to anger and stamped toward the stubborn Englishwoman, who’s up to hands and knees. Or was until Portia planted a punt into the challenger’s ribs that sent Dare rolling in a less premeditated fashion.
Not far from the ropes, Olivia came to a stop on her back, hugging her slender midriff and coughing, dark eyes welling. VanBuren was upon the Blackbird quickly, collecting both ankles. Fearing a stomp to her kitty, likely rightfully so, Olivia snatched the ropes with both hands. Baby pulled the dirty blonde’s body out from the cables, stretching the slim frame of the Storm. In turn, Olivia’s grasp moved to middle rope and then top, until one final tug from Portia broke her away and she landed with a heavy thump toward the middle of the ring.
Portia dropprf to a kneeling position next to the splayed challenger. Baby tugged Olivia to a seated position with a couple handfuls of hair as she slipped down to a seat behind her. Moving to her side behind the dazed Brit, Portia started to scissors her legs around Dare’s right stem, forcing it wide, while she reached for Olivia’s left leg, the crowd trying desperately to warn Dare that Portia is trying to stretch her title reign by Stretching a Buck.
STRETCHING A BUCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcgDGJvz9GM&list=PL6D543E88E233B0&index=8
The champ’s callous penny-pinching ways were moments away from paying out big when Dare crooked her left arm into a sharp ‘V’ and jabbed her elbow backward into Baby’s chin. Portia grunted, shook it off and reset her grip only to eat a second elbow to the mush. And a third. And a fourth. And a fifth. All in all she soaked up nearly a dozen hard shots before tossing the Englishwoman’s gam aside with a snarl of disdain. Much quicker to rise in spite of the stubborn denial, VanBuren administered a whole lotta retaliatory stomps to her opponent’s back and upper shoulders. Calling a halt once her knee started to cramp, Portia snatched a double handful of Dare’s dirty blonde locks and hauled her to boot leather.
“Haven’t you learned anything, Jersey?” the Trust Fund Terror cooed as she wrenched Olivia’s noggin backward for an Inverted Facelock. “Avoid one of my finishers and there’s still half a dozen more waiting in the winGUUUFFFFFHHHH!”
Dare twisted around to face her attacker, dropped into a springy crouch and snatched Portia’s left leg out from underneath. Dropped flat on her back by the simple maneuver, Baby’s brain didn’t process the gravity of the situation until Olivia’d hunched forward and draped the champ’s captured leg across her shoulders. Flashing back to Fawnamania in an instant, the head of VB&A shrieked, “NOOOOOOOOO!” at the precise moment Dare stood up and twisted around, thus flopping the champ onto her belly. Intimately familiar with the Oli-Viaticum in a way she’d never admit to another living soul, Portia Ophelia VanBuren gouged her fingers into the mat with absolutely no regard to the manicure that cost more than some Jersey’s rent.
It was far from elegant, but the frantic crawling got her close enough to the ropes to stop Olivia from stepping over and thus cinching the hold in deep. Even so the straits were quite dire. Portia was suspended save for her hands and her left leg was angled against the back of the challenger’s head with Dare’s arms coiled around it at ankle and thigh. Fingers locked in a white knuckle S-grip, Olivia took a few careful steps backward and craaaaaaaanked down on Baby’s trapped stem. “Give up now, Portia.” she demanded. “It’s your one chance to do so with a little dignity.”
Fortune’s Favorite shook her head ‘no’ so quickly she sprayed a mist of sweat in all directions. “You’re out of your f*cking mind if you think I’ll submit to you agNNNGGHH! NGH! NGH!”
Gasps from the FAWNatics and looks of outright concern from the Associates when Dare raised her right leg and STAMPED down on the back of Baby’s skull three times in rapid succession. The trio of undefended Curb Stomps dropped Portia to her forearms and then flat on her belly when Olivia finally stepped over and sat down squarely on the hollow of her back.
“AAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!” Portia bellowed like a fox caught in a trap, then stuffed her traitorous mouth against an elbow pad to deny the Jerseys any more of their tawdry amusements.
But the diminished noise didn’t stop Castle from skidding in beside the tangled blondes. “What do you say, Portia? he asked as respectfully as he could. “Do you need me to call it? The belt’s not worth your kn--”
VanBuren looked up, her eyes narrowed to hateful green slots. “You have NO IDEA what that belt is worth, JersEEEEEYYYAAAARRRRHHH FAAAAAAAHHHK!”
Olivia bore down on Portia’s sinewy stem and leaaaaaaaaaaaned back on the hellacious stretch. She didn’t bother to ask for surrender, VanBuren’s surrender would sound all the sweeter when it came unbidden.
Genuinely worried about her friend’s chances for the first time in… ever, Alexis smacked the mat with both hands, bellowed some more encouragement and turned to Rachel. “What are we gonna do?” she huffed. “She can barely move, no way she gets to the ropes before that bytch breaks her hip.”
Raker ran a hand through her hair, the only outward sign of her inner turmoil. After a moment she reached into the pocket of her suit jacket and handed Suguitan a pair of gold-plated knux. Keep low and get in Castle’s blind spot. Do NOT get in the ring until his attention is on me.” Alexis nodded, curled a fist around the knux and hurried around the nearest corner. She’d barely gone half a dozen steps when Rachel stomped into place in front of her wailing employer and made an obvious show of sliding her clipboard under the bottom rope.
Castle heard the noise, grabbed the would-be weapon and scrambled to his feet. “What the hell is this, Rachel? You really think I wouldn’t see that?”
Portia’s lead counsel climbed onto the apron and leaned in, skewering the official with her best courtroom tone. “I just wanted to see if you’d ignore that the same way you ignored the BLATANT Low Blow Ms. Dare used to secure that potentially crippling hold on my client.”
Nick looked from Rachel to Portia and back again. “There was no Low Blow! Now get off the apron or I’ll DISQUALIFY your employer!”
Raker rolled her eyes and made no attempt to move. “I am perfectly within my rights to stand here and offer my client all the moral support she needs. Hold on, Portia!” Baby gulped, sunk her talons into the mat and innnnnched her way closer to the strands.
Olivia looked over her shoulder, saw VanBuren’s questing hand and shook her head ‘no’. “Ever defiant, even if it costs you a career. If you’re willing to wager that much, who am I not to take it?” With that she stood up and marched her snarling prey back to the middle of the squared circle! Sensing the gold about to change hands, the FAWNatics leapt to their feet for a cheer that curdled before it could leave their lips. Because that’s when Alexis dove under the bottom rope, popped to her feet and THWHACKED a gold-plated Superman Punch across the side of Dare’s startled face! The challenger went down like a sack of mail, her Storm calmed to a rumble of distant thunder with that single golden bolt.
Shuddering with relief, Portia pulled her ruined knee to her chest and cradled it for almost five seconds before she realized that the Englishwoman hadn’t so much as twitched. Just like that the champ’s uncanny survival instincts kicked in, much to the delight of her partners and the disgust of everyone else. A woozy Half Nelson shoveled the Storm onto her back and left her a perfect target for Baby’s $ emblazoned tush. Too exhausted to fully enjoy her perch, VanBuren wedged her feet against Dare’s head and stuffed a claw against the center of English trunks. Several hard squeezes got nothing but a murmur from the challenger, but the increased jeers from the crowd got Castle’s attention right about the time Rachel dropped off the apron, her argument suddenly forgotten.
The abrupt reversal of fortune (no pun intended) set off a sick little clot in the official’s stomach. He wanted nothing more than to signal the back for a replay on the ‘tron, but he couldn’t call what he didn’t see and Olivia’s shoulders were pinned flat. So he sank to one knee and slapped the mat…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Portia leaned back, forcing Dare to carry every bit of her weight. Exhausted but victorious, the Trust Fund Terror raised one hand to the rafters as the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall and STILL FAWN World Champion… PORTIA OPHELIA VANBUREN THE FOURTH!”
Baby shifted her weight, started to rise and clenched her teeth when the fire flared up in her left knee. Silver lining, it meant Dare got another face full of her ass. Taking a moment to rock her hips, she mopped a forearm across her brow and looked to Alexis and Rachel. “A little help?”
Suguitan was there in a flash, offering a hand and then a shoulder to help the champion to verticality. Raker appeared a moment later and presented the World Title to her employer.
“That… was FAR too close.” VanBuren rasped. “I should still be riding this tramp’s nose while she mewls in shame, instead I’m limping off while her fugly face is disgustingly glaze free. “I am the FAWN World Champion, I should WIN like a World Champion. That’s why I pay you what I do. Don’t let it happen again.” Portia didn’t wait for a response, just shrugged her way loose of Alexis’s grasp and trudged toward the ropes with the belt slung over one shoulder.
The Filipino Phenom took a step after her, almost said something, but stopped when Rachel laid a hand on her shoulder. “Our job is keeping that title around Portia‘s waist.” the redhead said quietly. “Long as that happens, the job is done. Doesn’t matter how pretty or ugly it was. Understand?”
Alexis thought about it, then nodded. “I do. The World Title is priority one.”
“Exactly. Remember that and we’ll always run this place.”
The FAWNatics sprang to their feet and cheered wildly when the speakers produced the languid, somehow dangerous drumbeat of Hooverphonic’s ‘2Wicky’. Their throat-born thunder crashed all the louder when the former World Champion appeared atop the stage to greet her fans with an index finger raised high overhead.
OLIVIA DARE:
For tonight‘s battle with the Trust Fund Terror, the willowy warrior sported a pair of stormy black bikini briefs edged with silver trim and cut high enough to offer the audience a tantalizing view of her sculpted hips, thighs and calves. The other half of her ensemble included a matching bustier, also done in black and edged with silver. Short black wrestling shoes and silver knee and elbow pads rounded out the rest of her outfit.
Almost preternaturally focused on the match ahead, Olivia stretched her hands to fans on either side of the aisle, but there was only one sign that slowed her march.
ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD WON’T SAVE BABY’S TITLE!
TAP HER OUT, OLIVIA!
“I believe I’ll do just that. Keep your eyes on the ring good sir, you’re about to see a fortune collapse.” Ending their brief interaction with a slight nod, Dare strutted to the foot of the steps, ascended them and sauntered to the center of the apron. Finally showing a smile as she draped her arms over the top rope, Olivia dipped her knees and tumbled backward to land on her feet. Offering her wrists to senior official Nick Castle after a final salute to her fans, Dare said, “I can handle Baby, Nicholas, I need you to keep an eye on her office thugs.”
Castle nodded after the inspection came back clean. “Don’t worry, ‘Liv. I won’t let anyone but you or Portia decide the outcome of this match.”
Olivia thanked him and headed to a corner on the far side of the ring. She had no reason to doubt the referee but keeping the Associates in check was far easier said than done. “If he can’t keep you out of this ring, I will.” she murmured under her breath.
Having forced the two Blackbirds to bear their claws against one another, the World Champion now faced the survivor. With that particularly odious Englishwoman waiting for her in the squared circle, the THREE-time World Champion fidgeted and paced.
In the lead-up to Eliza-Olivia many a reporter had asked who she’d rather face and while she always said either would be beaten within an inch of her Jersey life, there seemed to be a hint of disappointment because the one who knew how to win the big one had done it again and made her way through. It was the risk of forcing Bliss to come through in a #1 contender’s match and then having her fail, as the soprano sometimes did at the most inopportune times.
Still, her Associates were close at hand as Olivia’s music faded and they were a significant security blanket. Baby shared a handshake with Rachel and hug with her protégé and powerhouse Alexis. Suguitan denigrated Dare, the words music to Portia’s ears, Baby’s bounce growing as the gorgeous junior member got VanBuren’s competitive juices flowing.
And when the sound of ‘How You Like Me Now' from Heavy, the drumbeating clarion call of FAWN’s infamous socialite began, the threesome marched into the arena bowl ready to make sure Baby stayed the CEO of FAWN’s roster.
HOW YOU LIKE ME NOW:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVzvRsl4rEM
The crowd rose to its feet as one in one of the most-repeated rituals in FAWN history, that to jeer the Trust Fund Terror with every ounce of lung capacity at their disposal. The sound was at a level no one else could elicit, particularly with the slender socialite in possession of FAWN’s biggest prize.
The head of VB&A floated like a feather over the hatred, the enormous gold plate on the belt around her waist lifting her rather than weighing her down. Next to her, Alexis pointed at the belt, letting everyone know the hardware would remain where it belonged despite every thoroughly hopeless effort to remove it, including tonight’s farce.
Beaming, Baby started down the aisle, slapping her faceplate and making sure everyone knew the loss of a quarter of her father’s fortune to Gretchen Vaughn was an aggravating but increasingly distant memory, as was the vacationing Gretchen herself. She, Portia Ophelia VanBuren IV, was and, more importantly, IS the best.
Portia unsnapped the leather and lifted the belt overhead; the familiar, eardrum-injuring cascade of catcalls echoing through the confines at the volume of a jet engine as she strode down the aisle, Rachel and Alexis on either side.
PORTIA OPHELIA VANBUREN:
ALEXIS SUGUITAN:
RACHEL RAKER:
The sinewy blonde reached the ring and turned her focus to Dare. She laid the belt on her shoulder and made a snapping motion Olivia shook off without a second thought. As with Shea last month, nothing either could say or do outside the ring at this point in their careers could influence the other, knock the other off their game.
The slender socialite offered a familiar toss of her flaxen mane from one side to the other as she made her way up the ring steps. VanBuren was back to her daringly scant black bikini emblazoned with a green, sparkling dollar sign on her infamous and flawless derriere. Baby’s uva-nourished, ivory skin glowed next to the black swatches, her attire completed with green pads and black boots. The footwear contained a green outline of the state of New Jersey, an iconic red circle with a slash superimposed atop the Garden State.
The blonde patrician slid into the ring only after Suguitan widened the ropes for her, Portia’s protégé, talking up her boss loudly while assisting her entrance. Alexis stunned in her skin-tight, red mini and pumps, the copper skin of her arms and legs resplendent. Rachel took notes in her legal pad from the floor, Raker in a wardrobe far from casual business, instead glorious in a tight pinstripe suit jacket and skirt, her red hair up in a messy bun, black nerdy glasses precariously resting on the tip of her adorable nose.
The Announcer broke in as Lyle’s baby girl hopped in her corner.
“And her opponent… accompanied to the ring by her partners in VanBuren & Associates, Alexis Suguitan and Rachel Raker…from Manhattan and Easthampton, New York and Monaco City, Monaco, standing five feet seven inches tall and weighing in at one hundred and twenty pounds, she is the THREE, THREE, THREE TIME FAWN World Champion… Portia Ophelia VanBuren IV!”
Portia lowered the big belt to her waist and caressed it in front of the challenger.
“This is mine, scarecrow. I don’t give up what’s mine.”
Olivia snorted and provided a ‘yeah…sure’ nod.
Portia turned and strode to her curvy back-up, handing the belt to Alexis who in turn provided it to the ref. The official showed it off, the crowd growing more excited by the second, particularly when Olivia inspected and gave the gold a rub, before the zebra presented the top prize to a FAWN flunky on the outside for safekeeping.
VanBuren had a final discussion with Raker, Rachel no doubt going through her list of metrics before Portia nodded and focused her attention back on one of the most dangerous challengers she could face.
The bell sounded and Portia was out of her corner first, much to everyone’s surprise. Well, everyone save Olivia. While she would be hard pressed to call it respect, Dare afforded Fortune’s Favorite a sort of professional courtesy most of the roster did not. For though she loathed the patrician blonde as she did few others, Olivia knew damned well that VanBuren could bring the war on a night when she was properly motivated. And Olivia’d seen that walk often enough to know Baby was properly motivated. Even so, it didn’t keep a slight smile off the Englishwoman’s lips as she slid along the ropes and strode out onto the canvas to make sure the champion couldn’t cut her off.
Portia moved with her, but didn’t close too fast. Though she wouldn’t admit it short of flat out torture, she’d been embarrassed by Dare too many times to simply charge in straight ahead. Even less willing to make such an error when her World Championship was on the line, POV raised one hand over her head. Fingers waggling in Dare’s direction, she asked, “Care to dance, Jersey?”
Olivia’s smile grew a fraction of an inch. “Last time we locked hands we didn’t break apart for almost ten minutes. I’m not sure you can handle that grind again, champ.”
Portia’s green eyes narrowed. “Is that a refusal?”
“An odd sensation, isn’t it? Someone denying you something… anything, you want.” The Oncoming Storm brought both hands up, not for a Test of Strength but a traditional Collar & Elbow Lock-Up. “Lets save the tawdry for a little later on, when we’ve got the blood flowing, perhaps? For now, why don’t you show these people and myself why you deserve to be champion of a promotion with ‘Wrestling’ in its name.”
Portia didn’t much care for the other blonde’s tone and the fans could burn in Jersey for all she was concerned, yet there was something in Dare’s voice that coxed her into mirroring the other blonde. “You kept the title away from my waist once, Olivia.” she said quietly. “I’ll die before you take it from me.”
The Blackbird beckoned her in. “Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep, luv.”
Portia came for her then and the pair of longtime rivals collided so hard they rose up on their toes, flat tummies ‘smecking’ together with the force of it. Resisting the urge to go to Dare’s hair, Baby kept her grips nice and legal as she backed the Brit toward the nearest corner. Olivia made her fight for every step, but VanBuren wouldn’t be denied and it wasn’t long before she forced the challenger against the buckles. Portia tummied in on her at once and now she put a hand under Dare’s chin, all the better to puuuuuuuush her head back over the top rope. Olivia grimaced but didn’t complain, choosing instead to hold her tongue until Castle walked over and tapped her shoulder.
“Off her chin, Portia. I want a clean break.”
Baby nodded, though her eyes never left Dare. Disengaging as asked, she backed off a half step and held her hands at shoulder level. Tense with VanBuren so close, Olivia straightened up as carefully as she cou--CRAAACK! Portia put her head on a swivel with a Bytch Slap that made the front row fans cringe. “Don’t test me, Jersey.” the champ sneered over the boos and Castle’s ineffectual warning. “You’re gonna show me the respect I’ve earned and maybe, just MAYBE, I won’t make you eat your trunks agaNNNGGGHHH!”
Portia’s perfectly pearlies ‘clacked’ hard, her head whipping back at an unpleasant angle as she was reintroduced to Olivia’s European Uppercut. Dare didn’t let her get far though, VanBuren was barely a step back when the Englishwoman grabbed her by the shoulders and spun them around in a smooth half circle. Stuffed against the corner with nowhere else to go, Baby was an easy target for the no less than half a dozen Uppercuts Dare caromed off her chin before Castle said, “That’s enough, ‘Liv. Clear off now.”
Olivia did indeed stop throwing hands, unfortunately for Portia it was only to grab the top rope in both hands. Then her right leg came up and found a nice little spot beneath the American’s chin. Putting her near Daly-ian levels of flexibility to good use, Olivia’s head was nearly touching the canvas, meaning there was that much more pressure behind the boot wedged against her foe’s neck. Portia sputtered, retched and smacked at the offending gam, but she found no relief until Castle began his count. Olivia ended the choke at ‘FOUR!’ yet even that was small consolation considering what happened next. Snaking an arm around the back of Baby’s head, the Oncoming Storm jerked her into a grinding Side Headlock and forced the champ’s cheek against the top rope.
Aware enough to know this odious bytch was getting dangerously close to gimmick infringement, Portia growled, “Don’t even think about it, Dare. Not if you want to see the sun come up tomorrOOWW!”
Olivia bore down on the back of her prey’s head and walked / stomped to the far corner with Baby’s noggin grinding against the rubber-coated steel every step of the way. The Trust Fund Terror wailed in a way she found totally unbecoming, not that there was much she could do about it at the moment. Relief only came when she reached the end of their jaunt, and even that didn’t last long as Dare quickly BWUUUNGED her forehead into the top turnbuckle.
“All right Olivia, stop jerking me around!” Castle barked form several feet out. “Don’t make me end this in a DQ!”
Olivia reeled her woozy foe into the Side Headlock for a second time and squeeeeeeeezed until VanBuren moaned and stamped her feet. “You’d never let that happen, Nicholas. So don’t insult my intelligence.” Castle didn’t get a chance to answer before Olivia loped out of the corner, sprang into the air and landed comfortably on her bum while Portia THWHONKED down hard on her face and chest.
Portia bounced, rolled and kept on rolling, the discombobulated battler not so out of it she didn’t realize the need to regroup on the floor. With Raker on one side and Suguitan on the other, Baby had pretty good odds of ending up in friendly territory. Alas she ended up on an empty side, meaning there was no one to stop Dare from walking her down and planting a foot flush atop POV’s delicate fingers. “OOOOOWWW DAMMIT!” Portia braced her other hand against the apron and pushed away, trying to free her digits from the boulder of Dare’s boot. She didn’t have much success, not until Olivia backed off of her own volition. “It’s about damned time!” VanBuren snapped at her Associates as they approached from different sides. “What do you think I’m paying you for?”
“Sorry Portia.” Suguitan replied with the slightest trace of snark. “I wasn’t expecting the nerd to snatch a page from your own playbook.”
“I don’t CARE what you were expecting!” VanBuren grumbled. “You two are here to make sure that belt doesn’t go--”
“Look out, Portia.”
Rachel’s cool professional tone got the blonde’s attention, alas it went to the redhead and not the actual source of danger. Alexis on the other hand realized what was about to happen and she stepped clear of the blast zone half a heartbeat before Olivia came soaring over the top rope in a Flying Plancha. Portia took it flush and was knocked flat while the challenger went rolling to within inches of the barricade. She popped up at once and would’ve gone straight at the champion if Alexis hadn’t closed in.
“Not now, Alexis.” Raker said softly. “Too many eyes.”
Alexis looked to the ring and sure enough Castle had a close eye on the action. “Another time then.” she smiled to Olivia. “Watch your back, skinny.”
“Lets make a deal, Alexis.” the blonde answered without missing a beat. “Keep your hands to yourself until the bell sounds and I’ll give you something your employer has always denied… a World Title match.”
Suguitan said nothing, but she and Raker both kept their distance as the Blackbird peeled Portia off the floor and bundled her under the bottom rope.
Baby added a little roll to Dare’s shove and ended at mid-ring before using the momentum to make it to a knee. Olivia slid in behind, or most of the way, before the heretofore mentioned Suguitan had hands wrapped around her ankle.
“She’s not my boss. She’s my fellow associate,” Alexis informed while keeping the challenger from continuing her attack.
A peeved Dare had no time for a conversation and shook her way loose before the official could even threaten a DQ on the Filipino beauty. Olivia hurried to her feet and turned to A FOREARM SHIVER from the slender socialite, the delay giving the champion the time she needed to rise and plow her limb into the left side of Olivia’s jaw, sending the Brit’s head shooting in the opposite direction.
The force of the blow staggered Olivia and a couple follow-ups pushed her into the rubber-coated steel cables behind her. Wrapping her right arm around the noggin of the dirty blonde in a Side Headlock, Portia took off with her cargo in tow. She leapt at center stage, ready to Bulldog the Brit, but Dare put her hands on Portia’s hips and shoved as VanBuren leapt. Only Baby left the deck, but she managed to counter the counter enough so that the blonde landed on her feet and running.
Racing to the ropes in front of her, Portia prepared to rebound toward her target. But Olivia was right after her and NAILED VanBuren in her taut tummy just as the Trust Fund Terror bounced out of the strands. Baby flipped over the impaling knee, landing hard on her sublime derriere. Perfect or no, a shockwave entered her tailbone and traveled up her spine while the gutting left her breathless as well.
Dare remained hard at work, racing in from behind to forward flip over VanBuren’s right shoulder, grabbing the braincase of Fortune’s Favorite to fling it face-first into the canvas between the lead Associate’s extended legs. Portia’s upper half snapped back from the collision unfolding from her forced jackknife, Baby ending splayed and groggy, looking up at the rafters with glassy emerald eyes. Not even the roaring crowd stirred her, though a helpful shout to ‘get off your ass’ from Alexis prompted the blonde to roll to her chest and a push to all fours.
Unfortunately, Olivia was allowing it, waiting poised on Portia’s six as Baby struggled to her feet. The Brit slammed the sole of her right boot against the canvas as she waited for the Manhattanite to turn and get what she had coming from so many in the organization. And when Portia finally did make the 180 spin, the Super Kick flashed toward Baby’s chin, only for VanBuren to duck the effort and sweep Olivia’s planted left boot out from under her.
With Dare flat on the canvas, Portia immediately dove into a Senton above her challenger, crashing across the open midriff of the Englishwoman. Dare folded in a taut ‘V’ around the impact then dropped back to the floor, making sure to rotate enough to keep one shoulder off the canvas as she caught her breath.
But the three-time FAWN World Champion wasn’t about to give her any recovery time. Though far from being able to kip, VanBuren reached her feet in a hurry and tugged Olivia up by a wrist into a set of three forearm blasts that staggered the Storm. Grabbing a limp wrist, Portia pivoted and sent Dare racing to the far buckles. The crowd waited for the Blackbird to put on the brakes but it didn’t happen. Instead, she turned into a harsh collision, her back SLAMMING into the corner, spine arching, face etched in pain.
It took less than a second for a sprinting VanBuren to THUMP her tight to the buckles again with a combination splash/forearm that snapped Olivia’s head in a whiplash and put a shudder through her slender frame. The champion, having silenced the crowd, kept Dare pressed tight into corner. She lowered a shoulder and PLOWED it DEEP into Olivia’s solar plexus time after time, reaching a full five before she let the bug-eyed Brit get a breath only to whip her noggin back once more with a stiff European Uppercut.
With Olivia in breathless bewilderment, Portia turned her face away from the beleaguered Englishwoman. The heartless champion climbed to the middle ropes on either side of the buckles and the wolf whistles began in earnest, as those around FAWN knew exactly what market was coming. Baby peeled the dollar sign off her flawless, ivory, uva-nourished backside and PLANTED it right into Olivia’s kisser. She swabbed the face of the Oncoming Storm with her Bare Ass Market. A flustered and flailing Olivia pushed weakly against Portia’s thighs but couldn’t move her and the blonde Manhattanite enjoyed every second of ass to asshat until Nick Castle finally, belatedly called an end to Portia’s party.
Plopping down to the canvas, Baby slipped her bottoms back into place and enjoyed the sight of the dazed, greasy-faced Dare. “Looks like a summer shower to me,” VanBuren informed. “Certainly no storm.”
To prove it, she scooped up Olivia’s rubbery legs and slipped then over the top of the middle rope on one side of the corner. Gathering her foe’s head and shoulders, Baby pressed them through the ropes on the opposite side so Dare was left a sacrifice on Baby’s altar. Portia grabbed the top ropes, leapt and laid into the splayed Olivia with a double-leg knee drop that SPLATTERED a seemingly broken Dare to the canvas beneath her.
CORNER MOUNTED DOUBLE KNEEDROP:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8eEo8UCPqM
Portia strode away from the demolished Dare more than pleased with herself, strolling to the Associates’ corner, where she winked at a clapping Alexis, while Rachel scribbled away on her legal pad.
Mildly irritated at her counsel’s perceived lack of attention, VanBuren leaned her elbows on the ropes and asked, “What, not even a little applause, Raker?”
Rachel’s pen stopped and her eyes rose to meet the blonde’s. “You don’t pay me to coddle you, Portia. You pay me to devise gameplans that win titles and right now you’re straying off script. Remember the metrics we studied. Strut all you want… AFTER Olivia Dare is weeping rubble.”
Portia sighed heavily, but refrained from rolling her eyes. Raker was damned good at her job, but dear lord, the stick up her ass had a stick up its ass. Still, the redhead got her point across using phrases like ‘weeping rubble’. Those were the sorts of words Portia Ophelia VanBuren loved. Flashing a quick ‘this chick’ sort of eye roll at Alexis, Baby turned around and strode back to the corner where Dare was struggling to verticality.
“Try to keep a stiff upper lip, Livy.” Portia sneered even as she filled her hair with the blonde’s battle-damp locks. “Wouldn’t want those stoic countrymen of yours to know just how badly I’m whipping yourUNGH!”
Olivia shut her up with a quick Forearm Smash to the chin, alas it lacked her usual fire and the champ immediately countered with a Kneelift that hit a half inch below the navel. “Fight all you want, Jersey. Resistance only makes the 9-11 ride that much smoother.”
No response from the Englishwoman now, save for a breathless groan as VanBuren hair-hauled her toward the middle of the squared circle. Switching over to an ear-clasp so the ref couldn’t bytch at her, Portia piled on a second Kneelift, then dipped low and circled her arms around Dare’s upper thighs. Hands locked just below the slim curve of British buttocks, Fortune’s Favorite rose onto tip-toe, held the pose for a moment, then sank to one knee and THWHUMPED Olivia’s undercarriage atop the posted joint. The Storm gasped and went pigeon-toed but didn’t go down, which would’ve angered the champ to no end if hadn’t played into her hands. Staying low in the wake of the Inverted Atomic Drop, she snatched Dare’s left ankle in both hands and yanked it out from underneath.
Olivia hit the mat with an ‘ooooffffhh’ the air still leaving her lungs when Baby tucked the captured shin under her left armpit and turned the former World Champion onto her belly. Stepping over and sitting down in a single smooth motion, VanBuren snuggled into a perch on the small of her foe’s back and reefed on the Single Leg Crab for all she was worth. “Ask her!” POV demanded before the hold was even three seconds old. “I don’t have time to sit here and listen to a Jersey blubber all night!”
Dare certainly wasn’t blubbering, but Nick could tell by the strain on her face that the stretch was still quite effective. “What do you say, ‘Liv?” he asked during a break in the champ’s running commentary. “Had enough for one night?”
She actually managed a smile. “Of this delightful trollop? I think not.” Even so, she braced her hands against the canvas and puuuuuuuuuuuushed up until the whole of her upper body was off the mat, if only by a little.
“Go ahead and crawl all you’d like, Jersey.” VanBuren cooed in a tone of irritated ennui. “If you get too close to the ropes I’ll find another way to amuse myself.” Olivia felt the light tickle of fingers on her trunks and knew damned well what the Trust Fund Terror might inflict upon her vulnerable frame. A single shuddering ‘step’ in the direction of the ropes rallied the FAWNatics and they provided the challenger with a rousing ‘LET’S GO ‘LIV!’ chant as she closed in on the strands. Though she gave serious consideration to defiling her fingers with the other blonde’s junk, Baby ultimately refrained because she didn’t want to run the risk of this scrawny little twit tapping out too early. So she bore down on her seat and leaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaned back, putting all sorts of pressure and strain on Dare’s leg and spine until-
”BREAK!” Olivia grabbed the bottom rope and pulled herself that much closer. “Get off me, Portia.”
VanBuren considered the demand long enough for Castle to start a count. She honored it by ‘TWO!’ mostly so the official couldn’t argue too hard when she filled her hands with Olivia’s hair and jerked her to boot leather. “Back off her now, Portia!” Castle barked. “She’s in the ropes!”
“And that’s exactly where I mean to keep her.” the champ said primly. This was followed by a Side Headlock and some one percenter payback as VanBuren applied the Side Headlock and used it to grrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiind Dare’s eyes against the ropes as she sauntered down to the nearest corner. The requisite turnbuckle smash followed, leaving the Blackbird remarkably docile as Fortune’s Favorite slipped by her and climbed into a seat on the second rope. “That’ll teach you to steal my moves, Jersey.” she sniffed at the red-faced wrestler. “And this will teach you to keep a safe distance from this night forOOOFFFFHHH!”
Dare grabbed Portia’s hips in both hands and surged forward to THWHUMP her tummy with a truncated Headbutt. Stunned but hardly unseated, The CEO of VB&A grabbed Olivia’s right shoulder in one hand and rained Forearm Smashes across the back of her neck with the other. Dare fought through the attack to stick another Headbutt only eat a vicious Bytch Slap the second she stood tall. The force of it set her back on her heels while also giving VanBuren enough time to clamber to the top turnbuckle. Though she didn’t often deliver a Boob Job from the third floor, the Trust Fund Terror didn’t hesitate to leap from the corner with her legs splayed just enough to slide around Dare’s oblivious hea--THAWHAM!
Olivia’s arms shot up, catching Baby about the waist at the same time her gams threaded into place. Just like that she stepped back and dropped to her tush, the Oncoming Storm putting every bit of her weight behind the Sit-Out Powerbomb that planted Portia against the thinly-sheathed plywood. Absolutely stunned by the abrupt reversal of fortune, Alexis didn’t move even after the ref swooped in to count…
ONE…
TWO…
THRNOOOO!
Portia lifted a shoulder off the mat with a half second to spare. The relief that washed over Suguitan also got rid of the paralysis and she smacked both palms against the apron. “C’MON BABY, YOU GOT THIS! TEACH LITTLE MS. JERSEY A LESSON!”
Olivia turned in the brunette’s direction and smirked. “I think it’s high time YOU learned a lesson, Ms. Suguitan.” Alexis sneered and flipped her the bird, a gesture that went unnoticed as Dare’d already dismissed her in favor of scraping Portia off the mat. Once upright she led the other blonde to the far side of the ring and hooked her up like she was thinking Backdrop Suplex, but didn’t even lift her halfway off the ground before stuffing Baby’s legs through the gap between top and middle rope.
Too dazed to realize what sort of trouble lurked just behind her, Portia wrapped both arms around the top strand and shouted, “ROPES! I’m in the ropes, Castle! Get this idiot away from UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH! UNGH!”
A longtime master of knowing just how long a given official would let her work in the ropes, Dare placed one hand flush between VanBuren’s shoulders, all the better to PWAK! her across the upper back with half a dozen Forearm Smashes before the ref even started his toll. A count of ‘THREE!’ saw Olivia reach a baker’s dozen and little more. Sliding both hands across Baby’s chin, she hopped, tucked her knees against the American’s shoulders and laid out on her back to drive the air from the champ’s willowy frame with a devastating Lungblower.
ROPE HUNG LUNGBLOWER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JA4mtyYOMBQ
Somersaulted off Dare’s knees to an unpleasant facedown landing, the Trust Fund Terror mustered an uncharacteristically meek curse when the Oncoming Storm shot a Half Nelson and rolled her onto her back. A heartbeat later and she’d hooked the far leg, Dare’s Crossbody good n’ tight, more than strong enough to last through…
ONE…
TWO…
but no THREE.
VanBuren kicked her way free of Olivia’s grasp and flopped to her side. On the sidelines, Alexis shouted out a loud “TWO” and Castle gave her a side glance as if to say ‘I know’.
The Blackbird chirped something under her breath toward Suguitan and the Filipino climbed to the apron to threaten in return. The dirty blonde Brit chuckles as she rose, retaining a grip on Portia’s right ankle while slipping a foot under her foe’s left.
“Let’s see if we can’t split that dollar sign in two,” Dare shouted, getting a roar from the crowd.
The Oncoming Storm quickly showed how she meant to do it, kicking Baby’s matbound ankle under the bottom rope away from Alexis. As Rachel shouted at her fellow Associate to get down and quit distracting the referee, Olivia fell away from the cables, bringing Portia’s opposite ankle, and the rest of her slender sinewy leg with her.
Dare’s improvised version of the Leg Splitter etched agony on Baby’s features. VanBuren sat up, legs still wide, grasping at her groin, lower lip quivering as she mewled while slowly moving her stems from the forced set of splits.
While the tender, slow movement continued with the wincing socialite, Olivia kipped to her feet, looking every bit as if she’s well on her way to a second run as FAWN’s World Title holder. For her part, Portia tried to rise. It’s a slow process that Dare egged on, motioning the champ up from VanBuren’s blind spot. The blonde Manhattanite turned to locate Olivia and found the Brit dipping and scooping her off the canvas. But instead of a Fireman’s Carry, the Blackbird shuffled a hampered Portia to a seat atop her shoulders.
Baby started to lift a balled right fist to bring down on Dare’s noggin, but before she’s able, Olivia reached behind her and around the back of the stooped Baby’s neck, pulling Portia into a flattened cradle atop her. Dare leaned VanBuren forward so her skull was pointed toward the canvas, a nervous Alexis shaking her head ‘no’ violently. But it was indeed a loud, emphatic ‘YES’ when Olivia PLANTED Portia into the thinly-covered plywood with her Double Dare.
DOUBLE DARE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOavJmX0kUs
A flaccid Portia spread out in a lifeless spreadeagle between Dare’s extended legs, Olivia taking a moment to enjoy her signature strike. She quickly corraled Baby’s left leg behind the knee and rolled VanBuren so her green sequined ‘$’ was pointed to the rafters for ONE…TWO…and while the crowd shouted THREE and FOUR and FIVE. there was no slap from the official to follow suit as the junior Associate grabbed Nick Castle by the ankle and YANKED him out of the ring.
A confused Dare turned as the sound of boos and catcalls filled the arena, Olivia finally catching sight and a strong whiff of Associate shenanigans. Dare let VanBuren slop into a jellied heap as she rose and moved to the ropes. Below was Alexis heatedly discussing with Castle why she should not be forced backstage. Unfortunately for Suguitan, her back was to the Brit and Olivia sank her nails into Alexis’ scalp forcing Alexis up to a stance on the apron, lest she lose a significant portion of her raven locks.
Pulling Alexis’s head and chest over the top rope in a backward arc, Olivia unleashed with a series of five Forearm Smashes across the catfighter’s bounty, the FAWNatics bellowing their approval with each thumping connection. Finally satisfied, Dare flung Suguitan off the canvas, Alexis flying to the metal barricade where she collided with the steel and slumped to a copper-skinned pool at its base.
Castle had to leap out of the way of the ejected Alexis but he managed to get clear while Olivia looked out on her results. Unfortunately for those in support of the Blackbird, there’s another Associate lurking and VB&A’s lead counsel slid in her ubiquitous clipboard under the bottom ropes, no cheap particleboard this, but instead a not too thin piece of marble.
Baby, already up to one knee with the time from the distraction, snatched the ‘board’ off the canvas, shifting it to a two-hand grip as she rose. Gathering her balance and her bearings, Portia rushed toward the turning Blackbird as Castle started his trip to the ring steps and THWAM!
A sickening thud echoed throughout as VanBuren brought her makeshift weapon to bear in a destructive collision with Olivia’s forehead. Dare dropped as if shot at a staggering VanBuren’s feet. A tardy Castle hustled in just after Baby slid the evidence to its rightful owner and Portia climbed aboard the semiconscious form of the challenger, hooking a leg for show for the…
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOOOOOOO!
The Storm shoved a shoulder up to the obvious consternation of VanBuren. Portia stammered at Castle, unable to even demand the three-count so stunned was she. She rolled Olivia back to her shoulders and covered again for ONE…TWO…and up again came the same shoulder. This time a half-tick faster. Baby wasn’t convinced and she covered again. ONE…and up.
The words ‘can’t be!’ were plastered on the flawless features of the Trust Fund Terror and she rolled Olivia back down a fourth time. But this time Dare added the impetus for a 180 barrel roll and caught Portia in a small package for...
ONE…
TWO…
THRENOOO!
VanBuren broke free of the cradle and scurried on hands and knees several feet away, sending a frightened look toward Castle who held up two fingers. VanBuren pushed to her feet, embarrassment turning to anger and stamped toward the stubborn Englishwoman, who’s up to hands and knees. Or was until Portia planted a punt into the challenger’s ribs that sent Dare rolling in a less premeditated fashion.
Not far from the ropes, Olivia came to a stop on her back, hugging her slender midriff and coughing, dark eyes welling. VanBuren was upon the Blackbird quickly, collecting both ankles. Fearing a stomp to her kitty, likely rightfully so, Olivia snatched the ropes with both hands. Baby pulled the dirty blonde’s body out from the cables, stretching the slim frame of the Storm. In turn, Olivia’s grasp moved to middle rope and then top, until one final tug from Portia broke her away and she landed with a heavy thump toward the middle of the ring.
Portia dropprf to a kneeling position next to the splayed challenger. Baby tugged Olivia to a seated position with a couple handfuls of hair as she slipped down to a seat behind her. Moving to her side behind the dazed Brit, Portia started to scissors her legs around Dare’s right stem, forcing it wide, while she reached for Olivia’s left leg, the crowd trying desperately to warn Dare that Portia is trying to stretch her title reign by Stretching a Buck.
STRETCHING A BUCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcgDGJvz9GM&list=PL6D543E88E233B0&index=8
The champ’s callous penny-pinching ways were moments away from paying out big when Dare crooked her left arm into a sharp ‘V’ and jabbed her elbow backward into Baby’s chin. Portia grunted, shook it off and reset her grip only to eat a second elbow to the mush. And a third. And a fourth. And a fifth. All in all she soaked up nearly a dozen hard shots before tossing the Englishwoman’s gam aside with a snarl of disdain. Much quicker to rise in spite of the stubborn denial, VanBuren administered a whole lotta retaliatory stomps to her opponent’s back and upper shoulders. Calling a halt once her knee started to cramp, Portia snatched a double handful of Dare’s dirty blonde locks and hauled her to boot leather.
“Haven’t you learned anything, Jersey?” the Trust Fund Terror cooed as she wrenched Olivia’s noggin backward for an Inverted Facelock. “Avoid one of my finishers and there’s still half a dozen more waiting in the winGUUUFFFFFHHHH!”
Dare twisted around to face her attacker, dropped into a springy crouch and snatched Portia’s left leg out from underneath. Dropped flat on her back by the simple maneuver, Baby’s brain didn’t process the gravity of the situation until Olivia’d hunched forward and draped the champ’s captured leg across her shoulders. Flashing back to Fawnamania in an instant, the head of VB&A shrieked, “NOOOOOOOOO!” at the precise moment Dare stood up and twisted around, thus flopping the champ onto her belly. Intimately familiar with the Oli-Viaticum in a way she’d never admit to another living soul, Portia Ophelia VanBuren gouged her fingers into the mat with absolutely no regard to the manicure that cost more than some Jersey’s rent.
It was far from elegant, but the frantic crawling got her close enough to the ropes to stop Olivia from stepping over and thus cinching the hold in deep. Even so the straits were quite dire. Portia was suspended save for her hands and her left leg was angled against the back of the challenger’s head with Dare’s arms coiled around it at ankle and thigh. Fingers locked in a white knuckle S-grip, Olivia took a few careful steps backward and craaaaaaaanked down on Baby’s trapped stem. “Give up now, Portia.” she demanded. “It’s your one chance to do so with a little dignity.”
Fortune’s Favorite shook her head ‘no’ so quickly she sprayed a mist of sweat in all directions. “You’re out of your f*cking mind if you think I’ll submit to you agNNNGGHH! NGH! NGH!”
Gasps from the FAWNatics and looks of outright concern from the Associates when Dare raised her right leg and STAMPED down on the back of Baby’s skull three times in rapid succession. The trio of undefended Curb Stomps dropped Portia to her forearms and then flat on her belly when Olivia finally stepped over and sat down squarely on the hollow of her back.
“AAAAAAAARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH!” Portia bellowed like a fox caught in a trap, then stuffed her traitorous mouth against an elbow pad to deny the Jerseys any more of their tawdry amusements.
But the diminished noise didn’t stop Castle from skidding in beside the tangled blondes. “What do you say, Portia? he asked as respectfully as he could. “Do you need me to call it? The belt’s not worth your kn--”
VanBuren looked up, her eyes narrowed to hateful green slots. “You have NO IDEA what that belt is worth, JersEEEEEYYYAAAARRRRHHH FAAAAAAAHHHK!”
Olivia bore down on Portia’s sinewy stem and leaaaaaaaaaaaned back on the hellacious stretch. She didn’t bother to ask for surrender, VanBuren’s surrender would sound all the sweeter when it came unbidden.
Genuinely worried about her friend’s chances for the first time in… ever, Alexis smacked the mat with both hands, bellowed some more encouragement and turned to Rachel. “What are we gonna do?” she huffed. “She can barely move, no way she gets to the ropes before that bytch breaks her hip.”
Raker ran a hand through her hair, the only outward sign of her inner turmoil. After a moment she reached into the pocket of her suit jacket and handed Suguitan a pair of gold-plated knux. Keep low and get in Castle’s blind spot. Do NOT get in the ring until his attention is on me.” Alexis nodded, curled a fist around the knux and hurried around the nearest corner. She’d barely gone half a dozen steps when Rachel stomped into place in front of her wailing employer and made an obvious show of sliding her clipboard under the bottom rope.
Castle heard the noise, grabbed the would-be weapon and scrambled to his feet. “What the hell is this, Rachel? You really think I wouldn’t see that?”
Portia’s lead counsel climbed onto the apron and leaned in, skewering the official with her best courtroom tone. “I just wanted to see if you’d ignore that the same way you ignored the BLATANT Low Blow Ms. Dare used to secure that potentially crippling hold on my client.”
Nick looked from Rachel to Portia and back again. “There was no Low Blow! Now get off the apron or I’ll DISQUALIFY your employer!”
Raker rolled her eyes and made no attempt to move. “I am perfectly within my rights to stand here and offer my client all the moral support she needs. Hold on, Portia!” Baby gulped, sunk her talons into the mat and innnnnched her way closer to the strands.
Olivia looked over her shoulder, saw VanBuren’s questing hand and shook her head ‘no’. “Ever defiant, even if it costs you a career. If you’re willing to wager that much, who am I not to take it?” With that she stood up and marched her snarling prey back to the middle of the squared circle! Sensing the gold about to change hands, the FAWNatics leapt to their feet for a cheer that curdled before it could leave their lips. Because that’s when Alexis dove under the bottom rope, popped to her feet and THWHACKED a gold-plated Superman Punch across the side of Dare’s startled face! The challenger went down like a sack of mail, her Storm calmed to a rumble of distant thunder with that single golden bolt.
Shuddering with relief, Portia pulled her ruined knee to her chest and cradled it for almost five seconds before she realized that the Englishwoman hadn’t so much as twitched. Just like that the champ’s uncanny survival instincts kicked in, much to the delight of her partners and the disgust of everyone else. A woozy Half Nelson shoveled the Storm onto her back and left her a perfect target for Baby’s $ emblazoned tush. Too exhausted to fully enjoy her perch, VanBuren wedged her feet against Dare’s head and stuffed a claw against the center of English trunks. Several hard squeezes got nothing but a murmur from the challenger, but the increased jeers from the crowd got Castle’s attention right about the time Rachel dropped off the apron, her argument suddenly forgotten.
The abrupt reversal of fortune (no pun intended) set off a sick little clot in the official’s stomach. He wanted nothing more than to signal the back for a replay on the ‘tron, but he couldn’t call what he didn’t see and Olivia’s shoulders were pinned flat. So he sank to one knee and slapped the mat…
ONE…
TWO…
THREE!
Portia leaned back, forcing Dare to carry every bit of her weight. Exhausted but victorious, the Trust Fund Terror raised one hand to the rafters as the Announcer called, “Ladies and gentlemen, your winner via pin-fall and STILL FAWN World Champion… PORTIA OPHELIA VANBUREN THE FOURTH!”
Baby shifted her weight, started to rise and clenched her teeth when the fire flared up in her left knee. Silver lining, it meant Dare got another face full of her ass. Taking a moment to rock her hips, she mopped a forearm across her brow and looked to Alexis and Rachel. “A little help?”
Suguitan was there in a flash, offering a hand and then a shoulder to help the champion to verticality. Raker appeared a moment later and presented the World Title to her employer.
“That… was FAR too close.” VanBuren rasped. “I should still be riding this tramp’s nose while she mewls in shame, instead I’m limping off while her fugly face is disgustingly glaze free. “I am the FAWN World Champion, I should WIN like a World Champion. That’s why I pay you what I do. Don’t let it happen again.” Portia didn’t wait for a response, just shrugged her way loose of Alexis’s grasp and trudged toward the ropes with the belt slung over one shoulder.
The Filipino Phenom took a step after her, almost said something, but stopped when Rachel laid a hand on her shoulder. “Our job is keeping that title around Portia‘s waist.” the redhead said quietly. “Long as that happens, the job is done. Doesn’t matter how pretty or ugly it was. Understand?”
Alexis thought about it, then nodded. “I do. The World Title is priority one.”
“Exactly. Remember that and we’ll always run this place.”