Post by walkindude on Feb 1, 2017 3:02:31 GMT
The Harrenhal Training Facility, Monday afternoon…
ANCILINE DECYR:
Protected from the late January rain by an umbrella that cost more than the average mortgage payment, Anciline deCyr hurried up the wide stone steps of the Madhouse, then stopped in the deep overhang that always left the front door in full shade. Taking a moment to shake off and close her umbrella, the FAWN executive headed inside and sighed contentedly as the re-circulated air banished the chill. Forewarned of the Frenchwoman’s visit, the woman behind the reception desk stood up and hurried around to meet her halfway across the lobby. “Welcome back to Harrenhal Ms. deCyr, would you like me to stow your umbrella?”
“Thank you, cherie.” Anciline handed it over but didn’t stop walking, she had an appointment to keep after all.
Torn between leaving the desk untenanted and allowing the executive to head for her destination alone, the secretary followed along a few steps behind and asked, “Would you like to wait here while I send for someone to take you down to the training ring? The lower levels can be a bit… tricky.”
DeCyr kept her smile on the inside, the girl kept her tone professional, but she’d clearly heard a few of the ghost stories that’d cropped up among the maintenance and service crews of the Madhouse. “No need, Isla.” Anciline said as soothingly as possible. “Emily provided me with blueprints for the entire building shortly after the renovation was complete and the two of us walked every inch of it on more than one occasion. I can see myself there just fine, but I’d be most grateful if you’d let Amanda Jane know I’ve arrived.”
Isla stopped and nodded, patently relieved to stay in the relative safety of the lobby. “Very good Ms. deCyr. I’ll make sure she knows you’re coming.” The Frenchwoman left her with a nod and strode from the lobby into a narrow service corridor which in turn led to a bank of elevators. Pressing ¯ on the first bank of buttons, deCyr pulled her phone from a small purse and checked the text message she’d received from FAWN’s head trainer only a few hours prior.
‘Free this afternoon? I’m running a test for MR out at the Madhouse. Think it’s time you saw her in action.’
The car arrived, the chime sounded and Anciline stepped inside once the door trundled open. Another button press got her moving toward the basement, allowing the aristocrat to continue her ruminations. ‘Test’ could mean all sorts of things when it came to Giardi’s approach to training, but Anciline had no idea why this particular outing and this particular blonde was special enough to warrant her presence at Harrenhal. The door opened with a sigh and deCyr headed out into an industrial service corridor that could’ve been abandoned if not for the bright light spilling from an open doorway down at the opposite end. Reaching it shortly thereafter, deCyr knocked on the open door, then stepped into a small room that served as a control booth of sorts.
AMANDA JANE GIARDI:
The brunette leaning over the counter looked away from the observation window and smiled at the Frenchwoman. “Anci, glad you could make it. I was worried everything would be over before you arrived.”
DeCyr frowned, checked the small clock at the far end of the room. “Over? You were scheduled to start all of…” she looked at the clock again, “ten minutes ago.”
Giardi sighed and nodded, but the impressed little smile never left her face. “Macy tends to get… impatient, if I put her in a ring and don’t start things right away. Don’t worry, I’ve got one more lined up, just in case something like this happened. Come on, stand over here. You’re gonna want a good view for this.”
Anciline joined the trainer at the big desk and found herself overlooking a regulation sized ring surrounded by state of the art exercise equipment instead of row after row of seats. In one corner was a tall, tanned brunette in a yellow two piece. She was built like the cover-girl of a fitness calendar and must’ve gone a hundred and forty pounds easy. In the opposite corner was a slender blonde, no more than five three and MAYBE one hundred and twenty pounds. The blonde was listening to oversized red headphones and clad in a blue and white varsity jacket with ‘Blue Bay Marlins’ written across the back in white, flowing script. To Anciline she looked like the scores of nameless bikini meat she’d seen flit through FAWN in the last fifteen years. The only detail incongruous with this opinion was in the black cloth wrapped around her ankles in a fashion she immediately associated with Amanda Jane. Even so, the disparity of height and weight between the brunette in yellow and the blonde in white gave deCyr serious pause.
“Far be it from me to question your prowess at scouting talent, cherie.” Anci said to the Astonishing One. “But are you sure this is wise?”
Amanda smiled knowingly. “Wise? I don’t know about that. It is necessary, however. I needed you to see this with your own eyes. Otherwise I’m not sure you would’ve believed the tape.”
Anciline started to reply, but Giardi held up a hand. Without addressing the Frenchwoman, she pressed a button on the desk and leaned over to speak into an old-fashioned microphone. “Headphones off, Macy. The boss is here and she wants to see what you’ve got. Think you can handle that?”
In the ring, the blonde looked up at the window and raised a thumb. Doffing her headphones and jacket, she laid them on the canvas beneath the bottom turnbuckle, leaving her clad in a strappy white two-piece with pink trim and matching accents.
Satisfied, Giardi pressed another button and when next she spoke Anciline heard the brunette’s voice echoing through the larger room. “Consider this your opening bell, ladies. Paula, Macy, impress me.”
The brunette must’ve taken the command to heart because she rushed out of the corner at top speed before Macy had even taken a step off the buckles. Leaving her feet from several steps out, Paula flew toward her blonde target showing an Avalanche Splash that’d-- Macy dipped low and spun aside, leaving the larger woman to BWUUUNG chest-first into the top turnbuckle. Paula groaned, spun around and would’ve stumbled out of the buckles if Macy hadn’t CRAAACKED her across the cheek with a Slap that made Anciline wince. Rocked back on her heels by the sharp blow, Paula threw her arms over the top rope, meaning the whole of her torso was exposed for the flurry of vicious Slaps unleashed over the next five seconds.
“Her hand speed is amazing.” de Cyr said softly. “Did you teach her that?”
“Some, but mostly I’ve focused on her grappling and submission game. Mercy’s done the bulk of the work on her strikes, oh, watch this--”
Down in the ring, Paula finally got her hands up and sent the little blonde flying backward to land on the back of her head and shoulders. What could’ve been an ugly landing turned very pretty when Renquist tumbled through in a flawless somersault that brought her to verticality almost three quarters of the way across the ring. Seemingly none the worse for wear, she smirked at the taller woman and beckoned her forward. “That all you got, big girl? I should slap the taste out of your mouth for bringing that weak shyt into my ring.”
Paula, apparently unaccustomed to having her efforts dismissed as ‘weak shyt’ stormed out of the corner and went for a Collar and Elbow only to curse quite loudly when Macy flitted past her like a cool breeze. Or rather a warm one, as the slender blonde CRAAACKED her foe’s summer-tanned glutes with another cringe-inducing smack. Catching Paula’s wrist when the brunette rounded on her, Macy stepped back, dropped a shoulder and slung Paula at the ropes in an Irish--
Never mind, Paula dug in her heels and sent Renquist racing to the ropes in her place. Seemingly nonplussed by the reversal, Amanda Jane’s new find bounced off the strands, raced back the way she’d came and ducked beneath a very strong Lariat like it’d been telegraphed an hour in advance. Cursing quite loudly as the blonde made her look like a total flatfoot, Paula whipped around on her heel just in time to watch Macy jump onto the middle rope. Then she launched herself backward, twisted through a tight little corkscrew and CRAAACKED the brunette across the cheek with a the most beautifully delivered Bytch Slap Anciline had ever seen.
Paula spun in a half circle and took two stumbling steps before catching her bearings. She was still rubbing at her stinging cheek when Renquist stepped up on her six and raaaaaaaaaaked the brunette’s back from shoulder to buttock! Paula wailed and swung around with a boozy Haymaker that deCyr knew was doomed to failure. Sure enough, Macy ducked it with ease and made the yellow-clad battler pay for her sloppiness with a flurry of quick slaps to belly and breasts. Still woozy from the Springboard Bytch Slap, Paula tried to lock-up with the smaller blonde, but Renquist allowed it just long enough to THWHUMP a Kneelift into opposing belly. Turning her back as soon as Paula doubled forward, Macy took her noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock and flipped the bigger wrestler onto her butt with a textbook Snapmare.
Off to the races before Paula even realized where she was, Renquist hit the ropes in front of her foe, sprinted back and dropped low to CRAAACK her across the mouth with another savage Bytch Slap! Paula was knocked sprawling and slowly rolled to one side, the dazed battler apparently knowing enough to keep her shoulders off the mat. Not that it mattered to Macy, she simply straightened up and stepped clear, ‘flicking’ her bottoms back into place as she did so.
Up in the control room, Anciline glanced at Amanda Jane. “She uses those slaps as effectively as most women use their fists, elbows and knees, doesn’t she?”
Giardi nodded appreciatively. “Yes. And she’s figured out how to land them in situations you might not expect. This for instance.”
Back in the ring, Macy had seized Paula’s left wrist and dragged her to verticality. Sidled in against the brunette’s left, Renquist threaded her right leg around Paula’s left leg. In the next instant she threw her left leg over the back of Paula’s head, hooked an arm around the brunette’s right bicep and wrenched it backward to complete the Octopus Stretch. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Macy chirped over Paula’s protesting wails. “I could probably make you submit if I just pushed down on your head like this…” Renquist applied pressure with her left leg and wrenched back on the brunette’s captured arm to earn an increase in pitch and volume, “…but this might finish you off too!” The blonde flattened her right hand into a paddle and proceeded to smack-smack-smack-SMACK her opponent’s tummy and glutes. “Well that’s a good sound!” Renquist admitted after more than a dozen shots left bright red welts on Paula’s beach-strong bod. “What’s your day job sweetie, Hooters waitress? Volleyball player? They usually slap the best.”
Paula couldn’t really shake her head at this particular juncture, so she rasped, “Screw you, bytch. I’ll show what a real slap feels like when I get out of OOOOOWWWWWW F*CK YOU!”
Macy snatched hold of those sunny yellow bottoms and practically made them disappear with the resultant wedgie, just the sort of tactic Anciline herself would’ve used on a rival who needed to learn her place. “I’d say you’re the one who’s f*cked, punk. But since you’re the only one who doesn’t understand…”
The Slappin’ Sensation broke the Octopus and allowed Paula to straighten up just long enough to tug both arms behind her back in a Double Chickenwing. Feet set flat, she dropped her hips and deposited the bigger woman flush on the back of her head and shoulder with a Tiger Suplex. There was no ref in the ring so Renquist didn’t hold the bridge long, perhaps for a two count, just enough time to show off the marks she’d left on Paula’s haunches. “Ready to admit defeat yet, Hooters?” Macy jabbed a toe into her opponent’s ribs to provoke a response. “Or do you still think you can hang with me?”
“F*cking pipsqueak!” the brunette hurried to verticality and glared daggers at her opponent. “You’re going to wish you’d never tried to embarrass me!”
Macy only smiled. “Correction. I’m going to wish I’d never wasted my time embarrassing you!”
“That’s it bytch, they’re taking you out in a basket!” Paula pounced with murder in her eyes, Renquist only stepped back and sank into a low crouch. Anciline expected some new bit of slap based offense from the tyro, however Macy’s actual response was the tried and true Drop Toe Hold, a simple bit of grappling art that left her opposition stretched out on her face, chest and tummy. Helping herself to Paula’s left ankle before she even stood up, Renquist stepped over the brunette’s exposed leg and dropped into a full length stretch atop Paula’s back that left the brunette’s trapped leg folded / pinned between Renquist’s stems at a very unpleasant angle. DeCyr was about to voice her admiration for the blonde’s STF technique when Macy deviated from the usual formula by slipping her left arm under Paula’s armpit and pulling it up and back in a Half Nelson. Immediately thereafter she worked her right arm around the grounded grappler’s throat and gripped her own bicep for extra leverage. Then she clamped down and reefed back, completing the fusion of Katahajame and STF that she hadn’t had time to name just yet.
“A very interesting homage to her trainer.” Anciline said with a slight smile.
“I’ll say.” Giardi murmured. “More than twenty years in the ring and somehow I never thought to, oh, excuse me.” In the ring, Paula was wailing and pounding the mat with her free hand. Amanda pressed the button and leaned over the microphone. “That’s a submission, Macy. Let her go. Good work, the both of you. Paula, hit the showers and see Vannacutt afterward. Macy, stay right there for a moment.”
Anciline had thought the slender blonde might hold on a little longer just to emphasize the point, but she released without comment and only kept an eye on Paula long enough to watch her roll out of the ring. Soon as the brunette limped her way out of the ring, Macy went back to her corner and put on the varsity jacket and headphones. Shortly thereafter she was bobbing her head to the music, just as she had when Anciline arrived.
“A question, cherie.” Anciline spoke quietly in an effort to mask the incredulity she heard in her voice. “When I arrived you said you had ‘one more’ lined up, on the chance that I arrived late. Do you mean to tell me that Mademoiselle Renquist had already dispatched an opponent before I walked through the door?” Amanda Jane smiled and held up two fingers. Anciline arched an eyebrow, Giardi knew she was practically gaping. “To be perfectly clear, you’re telling me that that little slip of a girl in the training ring down there submitted three other talents in all of… fourteen minutes?”
“Two submissions, one slap out. Macy doesn’t know how to waste time. In fact she’s never had a match go more than ten minutes, at least not that I’ve witnessed.”
“Then explain to me why she’s here and not in Orlando, bedeviling our Lightweight Division.”
“Because all of the girls here are still relatively new, much like Macy herself. Yes, she’s extremely talented, but I’d hesitate to sign off on her going to the main roster until I knew she could hang against a bona fide star.”
“I see. And did you have a particular name in mind?” DeCyr asked.
“I suggested Nyssa Bloodwind, but my girl’s got her heart set on someone else, a certain Star Strider, to be precise.”
The FAWN executive looked from Giardi to Renquist and back again. “Give me a day. I need to make some calls. Thank you for the demonstration Amanda Jane, it’s livened up the afternoon considerably.” With that Anci pulled out her phone and exited the control booth.
Intrigued by the prospect of tomorrow, Giardi tapped the button that allowed her to speak directly into Renquist’s headphone. “Look alive, girl. Work the bags for twenty minutes, then get a shower and take the rest of the day off. No partying though. You might have a very big day tomorrow.”
In the ring, Macy Renquist grinned and pumped a fist like a tennis player closing out a set. “Get ready, Burlingame.” she said quietly. “I’m comin’ for ya.”
********
Later that evening…
Fresh from the shower after nearly three hours of workout (putting Kylie and Jasmine’s faces on the heavy bag had made the time fly) Lily Burlingame was trying to convince herself to have an egg white omelet and grilled chicken all the while knowing damned well that the only thing she actually wanted was one of the Lamb’s fork & knife Chili Cheeseburgers. She was in the midst of giving into temptation when the phone in her hip pocket started into Black Hole Sun. Welcoming the distraction, Lily dug the phone out and put it to her ear. “Hey there, Sydney! How’s it going?”
LILY BURLINGAME:
“Pretty good, Lil. Got a second?”
“For you? Always. What’s up?”
“Remember Thanksgiving 2012 when you drove from Bangor to Orlando almost overnight and ended up wrestling Maddy, Cass and I?”
Burlingame broke into a wide smile as she remembered that hectic stretch of hours. Hefting the heavy gym bag onto one shoulder, she nudged her way out of the locker room and started toward the parking lot. “Oh, you mean the single craziest day of my life? The week that my shytty old Corsica finally gave up the ghost but suddenly I could buy a new car without touching trust fund money because I went through the wringer with three of FAWN’s best? Yeah, I remember. Not likely to forget anytime soon.”
She could hear the answering smile in Deschain’s reply and that improved Lily’s mood even more. “That’s the one. Well, I was wondering if you’d be willing to do something similar for someone else. Tomorrow night, if you don’t have any plans.”
“Well I was going to binge Stranger Things for like, the twentieth time, but that can wait a day or two. So you want me to help assess someone running a gauntlet?”
“Not a gauntlet this time, it’ll be a single full length match. No set time limit, but I, we, are hoping for anywhere from ten to twenty minutes of hard, fast wrestling between yourself and the woman in question. It‘ll be more of a Torture Test than an actual bout, if I‘m being honest.”
The Crimson Comet stopped in front of door at the end of the hallway to mull the request. “Not that I’m saying no, in fact, this is me saying yes right now, but, and pardon me if this sounds too Sue-like, but--”
“You’re kind of a big deal?” Deschain finished the thought like she’d read the younger woman’s mind.
“Exactly! FAWN’s got a whole legion of talent scouts and trainers here and at the Madhouse for this sort of thing. So what makes this girl so special?” The Marvel didn’t answer at once, so Burlingame added another question. “Be straight with me, Syd. Is management trying to feed me to some nine foot amazon?”
“Absolutely not.” Deschain replied at once. “I’d never allow that, Lily. As to your first question, this young woman was discovered by Amanda Jane earlier in the year and they’ve been training almost every day since. I hesitate to call her a ’natural’ because her opponents have been exclusively green, but, if I’m being honest she’s one of the most naturally gifted wrestlers I’ve ever laid eyes on, and that’s a sentiment you’ll hear echoed by Giardi AND Anciline. She may not be a ringer, but she’s head and shoulders above anyone else in developmental and we need someone at the top of her game to find out just how good she is. And should you need any more information or motivation, keep this in mind: She asked for you by name.”
Lily had already said yes, the fact some nameless phenom had essentially called her out only reaffirmed the brunette’s decision. “Damn, can’t say no to that, can I? Yeah, tell ‘Manda J I’ll welcome her to FAWN in style. Gonna be at the Hellhole, I take it?”
“I wish you wouldn’t call my gym that.” Deschain muttered. “It’s state of the art and damned near spotless.”
“I’ve been twisted in that ring more times than I can count, believe me, Hellhole is an accurate name. And besides, it was Maddy who coined the name.”
Syd snorted in amusement. “I should’ve known. Yes, be at the Hell, dammit, now you’ve got me doing it. Be at the gym by seven thirty. The test itself will start at eight.”
“Can do. Anything I need to know about attire, rules, attendance?”
“Standard ring togs, Torture Test Rules and minimal. I believe Anciline, Amanda Jane and myself will be your sole audience, though Kent and Lenore may sit in if they can stop making out in the study for five minutes.”
Lily made a gagging noise, then laughed. “All right, sounds good, Syd. See you tomorrow.” “See you tomorrow.”
“Oh, and Lily?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d hold off on the Lamb until tomorrow night.”
“Get out of my head, Syd.”
“Goodnight, Lily.”
Burlingame hung up right as she pushed out into the parking lot. “Get ready, new meat.” she told the cold night sky. “I’m comin’ for ya.”
********
The following evening…
Lily walked into the Hellhole at ten after seven and was surprised to find she was the last to arrive. At ringside Sydney stood with Anciline and Kent, while in the far corner Amanda Jane and Lenore spoke quietly with a blonde that Burlingame didn’t recognize. Holding her tongue to allow a moment to take in her prospective foe, Lily noted the blonde’s strong legs, flat tummy and dark, slightly mischievous eyes and immediately felt her competitor’s instincts perk up. The blonde must’ve felt something too because her eyes found the brunette’s less than a heartbeat later.
“She’s here.” her opponent said to no one in particular.
Those two words got everyone’s attention and Lily found herself waving as they turned in her direction. “Hi everybody, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not at all, cherie.” Anciline assured her. “You’re well ahead of schedule actually. Please, take a moment to get settled before you get changed, there’s no need to-”
“Got my togs on under the warm-ups.” Burlingame interrupted as politely as she could. I have a feeling everyone, myself included, is eager for this… test, so just give me a second to get my boots on.” With that she strode up to the single row of chairs around the ring and quickly stripped down to the set of gray and red togs she’d been favoring as of late.
That she made sure to do this in full view of the blonde wasn’t lost on anyone, though those assembled were too polite to say a word.
With the extra layers thus removed she sat down in the nearest chair and quickly slipped on her pads and boots. Thus armored for the battle ahead, Lily strode to the apron, gained it in a single easy hop, then vaulted over the top rope just as easily.
Over in the opposite corner, the blonde removed those oversized red headphones and slipped out of the varsity jacket, both of which she handed to Giardi with a murmur of thanks. Like Lily she was dressed in a simple rumblin’ two-piece, though hers was black with several pink accents along both cups and hip. Unlike the heiress, she’d chosen plain ankle wraps instead of boots.
MACY RENQUIST:
Amanda Jane pulled away from her protégé after a final quiet exchange and said, “Give’r hell, Macy.” She turned to Lily. “You do the same, Lil’. You’re here because you’re the standard bearer.”
SYDNEY DESCHAIN:
Then the Astonishing One was gone and Sydney had taken her place, though the Marvel stood at the center of the ring. Syd glanced between both women, then gestured them forward. Lily did so at once and was pleased to see the blonde match her step for step. “Ladies, as I’ve explained individually, this isn’t a match, rather it’s one of FAWN’s so called Torture Tests. That means that pins always end at two and submissions are secured for no more than ten seconds. There are to be no actual pin falls or submissions, rather the two of you should wrestle as hard as you can, as fast as you can for the next thirty minutes. The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether or not Ms. Renquist is ready to compete with the best Lightweights in FAWN. I’ll be serving as referee and though no falls will be counted, I expect you to follow my instructions at all times. Are we clear?”
“Yes.” the Crimson Comet said without taking her eyes off Macy.
Syd turned to the ingénue. “Macy?”
Renquist mulled it over. After several seconds, she said, “I didn’t ask for her because I wanted to exercise.”
Outside the ring, Amanda called, “Now’s not the time, Ma--”
Renquist held up an apologetic hand and the Astonishing One actually trailed off. “No disrespect to any of you, but FAWN is about wrestling, not sparring. If I wanted another round of sparring, I’d just plow through the girls at the Madhouse again. But I don’t want to spar. I want to wrestle. I want to wrestle you, Lily Burlingame.”
The hairs on the back of Burlingame’s neck stood up. Somehow she wasn’t surprised to hear this from Ms. Macy Renquist. “Are you sure you’re up for that, Macy?”
The blonde shrugged her shoulders, a refreshingly honest response. “I have no idea, but I’m willing to go all in to find out. I’m willing to risk pain, defeat and outright humiliation against possibly the best Lightweight wrestler on the planet all so I can see where I stand in relation.” She paused and offered a smile Lily thought she’d come to hate very soon. “That and to see the surprise in your eyes the first time I slap your mouth.”
It took a strong effort on the brunette’s part to not chest up on the newcomer right then and there. “That’s fine with me, sweetheart. Just as long as you don’t cry when I slap you that much harder
Renquist looked delighted rather than intimidated. “One more request?” she asked softly.
“Name it.”
“Submissions only. That way there’s no question.”
“Done. Get ready to squeal, Macy.”
“You first, Lily.”
Blonde and brunette stepped to one another only to be stopped short by Sydney. “Thirty minute time limit, first woman to get a submission is the winner. As I said earlier, you will follow my commands at all times. Is this understood?”
‘Yes.’ They said it as one.
“All right then. Go to your corners and wait for the bell.” A moment of hesitation before the pair of Lightweights rounded on their heels and strode to opposite corners. To Kent Allard it looked like pistols at dawn, only with a lot more lycra. More than a little intrigued by what she was about to witness, Deschain took one more look back & forth, then raised her right hand high. “All right ladies, let’s wrestle.” She brought her arm slashing down and stepped back to get clear of whatever happened next.
Out of their respective corners with a quickness that suggested a PPV Main Event and not a match witnessed by less than half a dozen people, Burlingame and Renquist elected to approach in a series of ever shrinking concentric circles instead of confronting her opponent head on. Hands extended and splayed to attack or defend, the pair of Lightweights tested one another’s reflexes with several feints and a round of hand wrestling that lasted all of two seconds. Breaking away from this skirmish with a satisfied nod, Macy tucked some loose hair behind her ears, then stopped and extended her hand.
Lily wasn’t one to accept such a gesture from a wrestler she’d just met, especially one apparently trained by someone as dangerous as Amanda Jane Giardi. But she considered herself an excellent judge of character and while she sensed both competitiveness and aggression pouring off the blonde in almost palpable waves, she felt no duplicity. So she reached out and gave Renquist’s hand a single firm squeeze. Macy held on when she tried to draw back. “Come at me with everything you have Lily, because I am going to do the same. If I get the impression that you’re holding back… please don’t hold back.”
The blonde started to disengage only for Burlingame to squeeze that much harder. “You asked for this.” she said quietly. “When it’s all over, remember that you asked for this.”
The talented tyro nodded, then hissed in surprise when Lily jerked her forward and thumped the taut curve of her thigh across blonde tummy. Macy gaped, doubled over and immediately got cuffed across the shoulders with an overhand Forearm Smash for the trouble. Cupping her opponent’s ears in both hands almost as soon as the Forearm connected, Burlingame tugged Renquist’s head down a little farther and jabbed her between the eyes with a single stiff Kneelift. There would’ve been more in the offering but when she went for the second Macy blocked it with one hand, then wrapped her arms around the exposed limb. The blonde was on tiptoe in an instant, muscling Burlingame into the air, then twisting on one foot and dumping her to the mat with a Single Leg Takedown that was almost a Spinebuster.
Lily hit hard and sat up fast, then threw herself backward even faster when Renquist split the air so recently occupied by her head with a stiff Soccer Kick. There was enough ‘oomph’ behind the miss to spin Macy in a full circle, but she came out the other side in a high vertical leap that would’ve ended with both feet in the brunette’s midsection if Burlingame hadn’t back rolled clear with half a second to spare. Delighted by the prospect of a campaign against a woman who could actually match her pace, Renquist smiled and said, “Nice dodge. Figured you didn’t want boot NNNNGGGGGHHHH!”
The Star Strider charged, hopped and THWHACKED both boots into her foe’s chest with a sawed off Shotgun Dropkick! Macy hit the deck flat, peeled off a somersault of her own and reclaimed her vertical base in no more than a heartbeat or two. And yet Burlingame was already right up in her business, the crafty comet seizing the newcomer’s right wrist for not one, not two, but three consecutive Arm Wringers. After the third Lily halved her grip, raised one arm high overhead and brought the point of her elbow down onto the blonde’s exposed bicep.
Macy seemed to take it in stride which was good because Burlingame wasted no time twisting around behind her blonde to secure a Hammerlock. In most of her matches Lily employed this hold to keep her opponent under control while she caught her breath or planned her next move. But Macy Renquist had flat out demanded her highest gear, so the Interstellar Angel made a point of bending the blonde’s wrist even as she pushed up hard enough to force Macy onto tiptoe. “Still want my best, sweetie?” Burlingame added another element to the punishment by grinding the point of her chin into the soft skin between shoulder and neck. “Or should I dial it back a little? Wouldn’t want you to get blown out during the most important job interview of you OW! Hair! Syd, get her off my hair!”
Renquist did in fact snatch a huge fistful of her opponent’s dark bob, but rather than try to escape she held Lily fast and tilted her head to better speak into the superstar’s ear. “Ask me that again and I’ll slap you bloody… sweetie.” Renquist released the hair pull just as Sydney voiced her warning, leaving Lily to fume even though she was ostensibly in control.
“Normally I’d just tell you I don’t respond well to threats.” Burlingame kept the fire in her voice to a minimum as she continued to work the Hammerlock. “But for you, Macy…” Still holding the blonde’s wrist, Lily grabbed her foe’s fingers and puuuuuullled them back until Renquist was sucking wind through clenched teeth. While there was nothing illegal about the finger bend it most certainly fell into the category of ‘mean spirited submission wrestling’ and Burlingame expected Macy to complain to Sydney at any second. But no, Renquist only shook her head ‘no’ and drove a few elbows into her attacker’s ribs. Lily grunted a little, that was about all. Her position was too good and she was too motivated to break the hold to something like-- “NNNNGGHH AAAAAHHHHH!”
Sudden pain in the heiress’s left foot as Macy smashed her bare heel down on Lily’s toes. Distracted by the abrupt resistance, Burlingame didn’t notice Renquist’s hand until the blonde grabbed her right ear and started to twist! Lily released the Hammerlock at once and THWHAPPED a single rough punch into her rival’s left kidney before Macy released her ear. But rather than scramble to safety like ninety-nine out of hundred rookies in her place would’ve done, the black-clad battler went low and deftly twined her legs around Lily’s ankles. A quick tense n’ shift was more than enough to send the former Lightweight Champ tumbling onto her stomach with courtesy of a Drop Toe Hold, though the veterans in attendance noted that Lily landed on her forearms, thus blunting the worst of the collision.
Alas, Burlingame didn’t get any time to savor her ring savvy as Macy spun to one knee and immediately mounted the brunette’s back. “Mine now.” Renquist smirked after she caught Lily’s right wrist and made her yelp with a Hammerlock of her own. Digging her knees into Burlingame’s ribs to keep her grounded (at least for the moment, Macy continued to ratchet up the pressure on the Hammerlock even as she plunged one hand into the other woman’s hair. “You’re still holding back, Lily.” Renquist said after she’d pulled her rival’s head back at an unpleasant angle. “I understand the hesitation, you’re a world class wrestler, I’m a stranger off the street and you’re worried about hurting me even if Amanda and Sydney tell you I can defend myself. It’s kind of you and I appreciate the concern, but I’m BEGGING you to wrestle like you intend to make me cry. Because I want to make you bawl.”
To that end she shifted her hand from the brunette’s head to under her chin and pulled it back that much farther. Then she released the Hammerlock, flattened that hand into a paddle and CRAAACKED Lily’s cheek with three unanswered Bytch Sla--”OOOOWWWWW!
Burlingame caught Renquist’s wrist, pulled her hand close and sank her teeth into the meat at the base of Macy’s thumb. The Slapping Sensation snarled, answered with a quick, hard swat to the right ear and backed off as soon as Lily spit her out. The Girl That Gravity Forgot was up just as fast and the look in her dark eyes got a wide, pleased smile from Macy. “What the hell is your game, girl?” Burlingame asked when the ringing in her ear faded. “It’s like your going out of your way to earn the ass whipping of a lifetime!”
“I’ve spent the last year starving for real competition, Lily. Now I have it and I mean to take every last drop. Yeah, I might get my ass whipped, but I’ll whip yours right back and I won’t stop until you’re begging off.”
“You got a real high opinion of yourself, Renquist.” Burlingame snapped. “A little humility is going to do wonders for your training.”
“Screw humility.” Macy’s hands were up and she was circling the brunette again. “I know I’m damned good at this and I’m putting it all on the line to prove it. What’re you putting up, rich--”
Lily pounced, caught her blonde in a rough Collar & Elbow and marched her back three or four paces before Renquist dug in her heels. If their first meeting had been a test of finesse, this was nothing but power, the pair of Lightweights using every bit of muscle and sinew at their disposal to bully her rival around the canvas. For a moment it looked like Renquist would regain all her lost ground with interest, but then Burlingame got a hand under her chin and forced the ingénue up on her tiptoes and it wasn’t long after that that Macy SMACKED Lily’s ribs to regain control of the clinch. Making the most of her latest round of control, Renquist twisted her hips and forced her brunette’s back and butt into the ropes. Macy could’ve stuffed a hand in Lily’s face to bend her backward over the rubber-coated steel, instead she leaned in tummy to tummy and chest to chest, forcing Burlingame to take her weight.
“Got ya smeared in the ropes, rich girl.” she taunted. “Push me off if you can, otherwise hook a boot over the ropes so Sydney can do it for--”
The Crimson Comet did a little twisting of her own and just like that it was Renquist trapped on the ropes. “Tummy’s fluttering a little bit, Macy.” she teased. “Butterflies starting to get stronger? Feel free to call for Syd if you start to panERRGGHH!”
Macy worked her hands into the brunette’s short, dark hair used a sharp yank thereupon to reverse their positions once more. Deschain noted the infraction, stepped in and would’ve called Renquist on it if Burlingame hadn’t retaliated with a mutual pull. “Don’t bother, Syd.” the heiress said with a grunt. “She wants to know what FAWN is like? I’ll show her.” True to her word, Lily twisted her back off the ropes one last time, then led / dragged her opponent to the closest corner, where she BWUNGED the base of the blonde’s skull against the turnbuckle once, twice, three times!
A murmur of protest from Giardi’s general direction came to an abrupt stop when Renquist jammed a Kneelift into the spot just above the former champ’s waistband. Still holding those dark locks, the Slapping Sensation peeled off a half turn and stuffed her rival against the buckles as hard as she could. Burlingame ‘oooooffffed’ and let go of her hair, so Macy mounted the second rope, took a deep breath and pulled Lily’s stunned mug into the taut, slightly damp curve of her midsection. A faceful of tummy wasn’t the greatest smothering option and it sure as hell didn’t possess the brain-rattling power of ten punches or even a few Knife-Edge Chops, but as an announcement that proclaimed ‘You Can’t Stop Me!’ it was hard to beat.
Squealing into that breathing washboard even as Macy continued to tug her hair, Lily punched at the blonde’s ribs until Deschain stepped up and tapped Renquist on the thigh. “You’ve been at it long enough, Macy. Get her off the ropes and take it to the center of the ring. Renquist nodded, but didn’t look, her attention was focused on the Star Strider now that the short smother was over. Hands raised over her shoulders, Macy hopped down and CRAAAAAACK! Renquist’s first Bytch Slap of the evening sounded so sharp and so stiff that even Anciline winced in sympathetic anguish.
“Oh YEAH.” Macy couldn’t keep a note of admiration from her voice as she admired the welt rising on Lily’s cheek. “That was a good one. How are you handling it, Burlingame? Think you can take a few dozen moNNNNGGGGHHH!”
Arms draped over the top rope, Lily suddenly bore down and brought both knees up into her attacker’s chest. The blonde grunted and stumbled but stayed on her feet, so the heiress didn’t think twice about pistoning her feet straight into opposing rack! The point blank Mule Kick sent Renquist flying and she did land flat on her back, but she immediately curled in on herself and rolled through a backward tumble that returned her to verticality. Boosting herself to the middle rope even before the blonde started to recover, Lily hopped to the third floor as soon as she noted the somersault, meaning she was ready and waiting when Macy got up. Burlingame did some rising of her own, the Interstellar Angel flying from her perch into a gorgeous Diving Crossbody that sent her barreling into Renquist’s chest with enough force to send them both to the canvas. On any other night Lily would’ve hooked the far leg long before they’d touched down, but Macy wanted a submission match so that’s what the heiress gave her.
Stretched heavily across the tyro’s upper body, Burlingame snatched Renquist’s left wrist in both hands and drove it into the mat with a soft thud. In the same breath she got her thighs around the blonde’s right bicep and crushed down in a Scissors. Breaking into a smile for the first time since the match started, Burlingame ground her weight into the struggling lovely and chirped, “ONE… TWO… THREE! Now I know why you didn’t want to wrestle for pins, sweetie. That was what, five minutes from running your mouth to helpless wriggling? Given all the legends that came to watch, I was expecting a LOT more from NNNGGGHHH!”
Renquist brought her knees up and THWHUMPED ’em both into her attacker’s ribs and hip. “You think I’m going to waste energy kicking out of a pin in a match where pins don’t count, rich girl?” the blonde huffed. “You couldn’t get so much as a one count on me if I didn’t want you toUUNNNNGGGGH!”
Lily halved the Wristlock, grabbed a handful of the blonde’s hair and bounced the back of her head against the thinly-sheathed plywood. “What about that, bytch?” Burlingame taunted. “Did you want me to do that, too?”
“I want you to shut your mouth and actually try to win this f*cking match.” Macy growled. “And if you don’t start soon, I’ll just crack your ribs and be done with it.” She punctuated the threat by lifting her knees again, but the brunette was ready for it this time and she managed to avoid it for the most part.
“God, I am already so sick of your mouth. Is this what you want from me?”
‘This’ turned out to be a series of short, heavy punches that the heiress hammered directly into the blonde’s navel. None of the shots were real gut crushers, but the Crossbody kept Renquist from mustering any real defense and it wasn’t long before her tummy showed pink, then bright red. “How are you doing, Macy?” Sydney asked after perhaps twenty seconds of this punishment. “Hanging in there ok?”
Macy paused her adjustments long enough to nod. “Fine, thank you. Tell me, has Lily always had such a weak striking OOOWW BYTCH!”
Burlingame flattened her punchin’ hand, raised it high and CLAPPED a single rude slap between her rival’s thighs! “You’re the one who can’t protect her trunks, princess.” Lily taunted after she resumed her pugilistic siege. “Sounds like a pretty weak game to meAAARRRRRHHH AHHHH YOU SKANK!”
Renquist forced her arm though the vise grip of brunette thighs and celebrated the progress by splitting Lily’s glutes with a vicious wedgie!
“One chance.” Lily snarled. “Let go or you will scream.”
Macy only hiked the traitorous material higher and deeper. “So will you, LilAAAAHHHHH F*CK YOU!”
While not normally known for her catfight prowess, Burlingame proved to have picked up at least one of Susan’s favorite techniques, as she curled her hand into a talon and sank it into the blonde’s undercarriage. Galvanized by this fresh agony, Renquist went to work with her knees again and with Burlingame committed to the claw there was no way for her to protect her shoulder or ribs. Cursing after the third shot sent an unpleasant tingle from fingers to collarbone, Lily squeeeeeeezed her prey’s togs one more time, then let loose and scrambled away as quick as she could.
Blessedly free of the brunette’s wearying weight, Macy pushed to one knee and put a hand to her welted midsection. Once the ache had died down she ran a hand over her togs, found the sting mostly gone. “Going to my trunks, Lil? I’ll loosen your teeth for that.” the blonde threatened.
“Save me the self righteous ‘how dare you!’ act.” Lily snapped. “You strutted in here and asked for the biggest fight of your life. Now you’ve got your wish and you’re going to piss and moan about it? Screw you, bytch.”
Deschain shot her an ‘easy, there’ sort of look, but Burlingame’s expression didn’t soften, especially as she went about undoing the wedgie Renquist inflicted upon her.
“Oh, I wasn’t complaining about the Claw.” Macy noted as she got back to her feet. “In fact, I’m happy to see you’ve got more edge than that dopey little chump who got suckered by a fossil and her new lackey. But that’s not gonna stop me from slapping the face right off your head. Might slap your trunks too, just to show you how it’s done.”
“And I might splash you from every corner of this ring.” Burlingame countered. “Just to show you how it’s done.” “Enough talk.”
Syd said quietly. “You want to wrestle? Wrestle. If you want to cut promos on each other, I’ll call this right now.”
Renquist shook her head ‘no’ at the suggestion. She hadn’t waited this long just to have the match thrown out by the official. “I want to wrestle, Sydney.” the blonde replied. “Lily does too. Isn’t that right, LilNNNGGGGGHHH!”
The Interstellar Angel stormed into the breach, brushed those dangerous hands aside and treated Renquist to a taste of her own medicine via a wicked Knife-Edge Chop! Macy, hissed, scowled, then set her feet and bared her teeth at the brunette. “That’s more like it! Brave enough to go one for one?”
Lily spread her arms wide, a gesture that made her gray sports-bra an unbearably tempting target. “Bring it on, ba--”
Macy didn’t Chop, rather her struck the other Lightweight’s décolletage with an Overhand Slap that hit just as hard. Very much aware that the last shot was aimed directly at her left breast, Burlingame clenched her teeth against the pain and lit into her blonde with another Chop, this one landing directly across those modest swells. Macy hissed in pain and shook her head, but when her eyes found Lily again they were sparkling. “Bet I can slap ‘em right out of your bra, rich girl.”
The Slappin’ Sensation didn’t wait for an answer to her challenge, she had far more fun CRAAACKING the brunette’s other breast. Lily snarled, shook it off and unleashed a Chop that rocked the tyro back on her heels. Two cycles was enough for each woman to know her rival wasn’t going to back down and that the next several seconds were likely to hurt for days, if not weeks. Posted up in the center of the squared circle, blonde and brunette set their feet and doubled the speed of their top-testing torture. Totally unwilling to show the tiniest bit of weakness to her new rival, Burlingame and Renquist forced themselves to endure shots that would’ve had them covering up if not for the woman delivering them. Putting more and more force behind their strikes even as the burn in their chests and shoulders grew to unbearable proportions, Lily and Macy roared hateful shrieks into the face of the other, then-- CRAAACK!
The blonde soaked up the heiress’s latest Chop, but rather than answer with another shot to the tits, she swiveled Burlingame’s head with a savage blow to the cheek! Sobbing in shock and surprise as she stumbled around in a woozy circle, Burlingame was entirely preoccupied with those scathing welts, which made it oh so easy for Renquist to sidle in on her left. Threading her right leg over the brunette’s left gam, Macy put a hand between the Crimson Comet’s shoulders and forced her to double over, which in turn allowed the blonde to hook her left leg across the back of her prey’s head. Almost done, Macy leaned forward and curled her left arm around Burlingame’s right bicep, all the better to wrench it back in a painfully simple Armbar.
OCTOPUS STRETCH:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-joY-4jQuXo
Appreciating Renquist’s flawless technique even as she sympathized for the sputtering Lily, Sydney waited to see if an escape or surrender would come quickly. When neither did, she asked, “What do you say, Lily? Need me to call for the bell?”
“No.” she muttered at once. “I’ve got this.”
Macy, who was still fighting through the effects of her foe’s Chops, brightened at once. “So you’re doing ok, huh?” she pushed down with her left leg and cranked back on the Armbar to force another groan from the trapped battler. “Then you won’t mind if I ramp up the pressure a little bit?”
Not about to admit that the blonde had ravaged her tits in a way she’d never experienced, Lily taunted, “Do your worst, Macy.”
“I don’t think so, rich girl. For you? Only the best will do!”
To that end she flattened her right hand into a paddle and SMACKED the defenseless expanse of Burlingame’s right flank. Lily cried out, tried to squirm loose and got another hard smack for her troubles. After a third slap, Renquist crooked her fingers into hooks and dug into the heiress’s side. “Give it up, Lily. I already ruined your tits, do I have to ruin your ribs too?”
“You only have to make me submit.” Burlingame huffed without delay. “If that’s too hard maybe you should rethink this wrestling OOOOWWW! OOOOOWWW! OOOWWWW! DAMMIT, STOP THAT YOU BYTCH!”
Macy looked up from Lily’s buttocks, which were already showing the wicked red imprint of her palm. “You’re gonna have to make me stop, Lily.” the blonde smiled nastily as she threw the former Lightweight Champion’s words back at her. “Otherwise I’m going to slap this overrated ass until it smokes!” She attempted to do just that, Renquist putting every bit of leverage behind the scintillating smackdown even as she continued to grind and gnash on the Octopus.
Doing her best not to betray concern for the suffering brunette, Deschain got close to the action and leaned in. “You ok, Burlingame? If you’re not, say the word and I’ll call it.”
Lily swallowed a lump in her throat, shook her head as best she could. “I’m doing fine, Sydney. Hey, when you see Macy would you tell her she hits like Nyssa Bloodwind coming off a three day flu? That’s some weak shyt she’s peddling right EEEERRRRGGGHHHH F*CK YOU!”
Not about to take sass from someone she’d tied in a knot, Renquist clapped her prey’s cheeks one more time, then returned to her previous wedgie with all the more enthusiasm. “This is how you’re going to go out, isn’t it?” Macy teased as she yanked the distended briefs back n’ forth, higher n’ higher. “Not to the Octopus, but to a wedgie you couldn’t defend against. No wonder Amanda said I couldn’t get a camera in here, she was afraid I’d ruin your AAAAARRRRHHHH DAMMIT!”
Lily never liked biting her way free of a hold, but that was the second time the blonde witch had pulled on her togs and that was two times too many. Slowly but surely twisting her head toward Renquist’s intruding gam. When her mouth was in position, Burlingame strained forward and chomped down for all she was worth! Expecting resistance of an entirely different kind, Macy shrieked, pulled away from the Octopus and straightened Burlingame up by yanking both arms behind her back in a Double Chickenwing. Hands locked, the Slappin’ Sensation dipped her heels and arched backward in a perfect bridge that-- earned quiet applause from those gathered because the heiress flipped loose and landed on her feet! Shifting so that her right shoulder was pointed toward the recovering wrestler and THWHACKED a low Super Kick against the back of her skull! Renquist’s head whipped forward like she’d been rear-ended and the rest of her soon followed, Macy landing stretched out flat on her face, chest and belly.
From her space in the front row, Amanda Jane fought the urge to leap out of her seat. When she’d mastered it, she called, “Check her please, Sydney.” She needn’t have worried, Deschain interposed herself between blonde and brunette the instant Renquist hit the mat.
“Don’t move.” the Mangler told Lily. Burlingame nodded and did as bade, though she did in fact move just enough to yet again undo the wedgie. Elsewhere, Syd sank to one knee and put a hand on Macy’s left shoulder. “Talk to me girl. You still there?”
Silence wouldn’t have surprised her in the slightest, so she raised her opinion of Renquist quite a bit when she muttered, “Guuuhhhh… gonna take more than that to stop me, Sydney.”
“You sure about that, Macy? That was a helluva shot and if you’re not ceding the match that means I stand back and Lily can go back to work.”
Renquist shook her head, put both hands against the mat and clambered to all fours. “With all due respect, get out of the way. I came here to fight.”
Syd admired her guts, if not sense. Singling out Giardi as she got to her feet, Deschain said, “She’s good.” That was all Lily needed to spin around and hit the ropes at a near blur. Closing in off the other lightweight’s right flank, the Crimson Comet hopped onto her opponent’s back, leapt a second time and kicked both feet forward to come down with all her weight THWHUMPING atop the blonde’s upper back! The Senton drove Macy into the canvas with a breathless ‘ooooofffffhh!’ and ensured she was still sucking wind when Burlingame buried both hands in her hair and started tugging.
“Up, Macy. I said up!” Still too groggy to offer anything like a real defense, Renquist latched onto her attacker’s wrists but doing so left her midsection open and Lily capitalized by driving the broadest part of her thigh up n’ across the other woman’s tummy. The loose manacles on her hands dropped away at once so Burlingame doubled down on a Wristlock and sent her blonde into the strands with an Irish--no! More and more certain that she needed to keep Renquist as close as possible, Lily planted her heels and reeled Macy in without ever releasing the Wristlock. Given absolutely nowhere to go, Macy could only groan as the former Lightweight Champion caught her around the waist in a Gutwrench and spun her through a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker so beautiful it could’ve been a work of art if not for the high pitched sob at the end.
TILT-A-WHIRL BACKBREAKER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=27QLzn85wfs
Savoring the low tuning fork hum that passed through her whole leg, Burlingame SLAPPED her rival’s abs once, then flipped her off so that Renquist landed on her stomach. In the next instant Lily laid claim to the blonde’s ankles, all the better to lift her lower legs off the mat. Most everyone in attendance thought she was looking for a Romero Stretch or possibly even the Whispering Scream, but Burlingame stepped over her adversary’s thighs rather than onto them. Settling into a seat just below the other woman’s butt, the Interstellar Angel trapped Macy’s feet in her armpits while deftly hooking her own shins under opposing biceps. Then she reached forward, grabbed Renquist’s wrists and pulled back hard enough to lift her upper body a few inches off the mat! Such a Surfboard would’ve been more than enough for most women, unfortunately for Macy the brunette was in the mood for punishment which was why she pulled her legs out from under Renquist’s arms and threaded them around her head instead! Feet wedged in against either side of her rival’s face, Lily stretched out on her back and pulled on Macy’s wrists while simultaneously drawing both knees to waist level, an adjustment that wrenched the newcomer’s back and neck at a terrible angle!
GROUNDED ROCKING HORSE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ND78deZ9cQ
“AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH!” Renquist wailed in genuine agony for the first time, no amount of sparring and training enough to prepare her for the torque brought by a vengeful Lily Burlingame. “Give up, Macy!” Lily demanded after jostling her legs a few times. “Don’t make me hurt you!” She pulled her knees that much closer to her chin, increasing the strain on her prey’s neck.
“NO!” Macy barked it for Lily, Sydney and anyone else who cared to listen. “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO OOOOOWWWWWWW!”
Sydney looked to Amanda Jane in search of guidance from the ingénue’s trainer. The Astonishing One was grim-faced, but after a moment mouthed, “Let them fight.”
Deschain dipped her head in acknowledgement, then dropped to one knee. “I’m not going to ask you to submit, Macy, but I am going to give you a deadline.” the veteran said quietly. “If you’re not out of this hold in thirty seconds I’m calling the match for Lily. I won’t let you sit here and suffer, no matter what you say. Understand?”
Eyes closed, jaw clenched, Renquist nodded. “I… I do…. start the count.”
Sydney stood up and did just that, getting all the way to ‘TEN!’ with no noticeable change in the blonde’s situation. In control, but hardly content to win via what was essentially a decision, Lily leaned forward and began pumping her legs, the former Lightweight Champion just yanking her opponent’s head back n’ forth with every passing second. “YOU LOST, MACY! ADMIT IT!” the fact that a verbal submission was practically a necessity to end the hold was not lost on the heiress. Sydney reached ‘TWENTY!’ on her count and Renquist was still trapped, though both Amanda Jane and Lenore Lemarchand had noted the blonde working her shoulders almost constantly for the last fifteen seconds. At ‘TWENTY THREE!’ the Slappin’ Sensation finally twisted her hands into the right position and then Burlingame shrieked in pain as Macy gouged her thumbs into the pressure points on the brunette’s wrists!
Lily broke the Rocking Horse in an instant, the startled Lightweight holding her hands tight against her chest as she scrambled to verticality. Anger soon overrode the pain and it was a hard-eyed Star Strider that stalked over to pound a hard kick into her rival’s ribs. Macy whined and started to cover up but couldn’t stop Burlingame from taking hold of one wrist. Hauling the blonde off the mat in a series of tugs and jerks, Lily bumped her back on her heels, then pulled her in for a thumping Shoulderblock between the tits. “If you don’t wanna tap out I’ll be more than happy to KNOCK you out.” she promised the pale-faced lovely. “So don’t think that’s going to save you.”
With that she stepped back, dropped a shoulder and slung the newcomer into the ropes. Macy came off in a ramshackle run, but damned if she didn’t’ dip her head and keep right on going when Lily tried to take her head off with a Clothesline! Wheeling around to follow the other woman’s progress, Lily was afforded an excellent view when Renquist hopped onto the middle strand and launched herself backward in a sinuous twist that--CRAAACK! Macy belted the brunette across the mouth with a Bytch Slap so savage it spun Burlingame in a half circle and dropped her to all fours in the blink of an eye!
The crowd of less than half a dozen broke into applause not just for the blonde’s technique, but her resilience in battling back after punishment that would’ve crushed the spirits of most women. Winded and aching though she was, Macy looked anything but crushed as she got to her feet and mopped battle-soaked hair off her forehead. Dark eyes glittering as she looked at the exposed curve of Burlingame’s back, she muttered, “So you’re going to knock me out, Lily? Why don’t you just go ahead and admit you can’t submit me.”
One hand pressed to her still stinging cheek, Lily reared back on her knees and muttered, “You’re not gonna tap for me, Macy. You’re gonna beGNNNHHH!”
Approaching on her opponent’s six, Renquist darted in quick and CRAAACKED a Bytch Slap against the ear Lily hadn’t protected! The Crimson Comet wailed, grabbed her ringing noggin, then cried out again when the determined ingénue claimed a double handful of hair. “Off the hair, Macy.” Deschain noted when the blonde didn’t relinquish her grip after Burlingame was vertical.
Renquist flicked a glance at the veteran, her expression that of a woman preoccupied with challenging, yet highly satisfying work. “I’m going to need a count, please. My fingers like her hair too much.” She proved as much by yaaaaaaaaaaaanking Lily’s locks like she meant to snatch her bald!
Deschain offered no rebuke, she knew all too well the pleasure of twining the hair of a hated rival through her fingers. Instead she started the count, which reached ‘FOUR!’ before Renquist abandoned the cattiness for a perfectly legal Wristlock. Slinging the watery-eyed heiress into the ropes with no fanfare whatsoever, Macy posted up in the middle of the ring and didn’t move until the former champ was bearing down on her. Then she doubled over, cinched her right arm around Lily’s waist and ‘hupped’ her into position under that arm even as she hooked the near leg in her left arm.
Given Amanda Jane’s penchant for creativity, most everyone in attendance expected something beyond the standard Pendulum Backbreaker, so they were the tiniest bit disappointed when the Slappin’ Sensation pushed onto tiptoes and went down on one knee to THWHUNK the brunette’s spine. But that tinge vanished as soon as Renquist stood, flipped the sagging battler over and dropped to her knee again, just THWHUMPING Burlingame’s tummy!
BACKBREAKER & GUTBUSTER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbIsbLK6pE
Lily bounced onto her knees, both arms crisscrossed over her abdomen, mouth hung open in a breathless ‘O’ of hurt. CRAAACK! Macy caught her cheek with a shotgun-blast of Bytch Slap, the shot swiveling her prey’s head and eliciting sympathetic murmurs from the guests in a single stroke. Already shuddering after Backbreaker / Gutbuster combo, Burlingame would’ve slopped onto her side if Macy hadn’t helped herself to another massive handful of hair. She didn’t bother yanking this time however, she only used it to guide the brunette into a Front Facelock, which in turn forced the Interstellar Angel to stand.
“I know you’re not going to believe me, or even care,” the blonde huffed once she’d slung Burlingame’s near arm across her shoulders, “but I DO respect you, Lily. This is the longest fight I’ve ever had and I UNGH! UNGH! UNGH OOOWWW DAMMIT!”
Macy was right, Lily DIDN’T care, or at least she didn’t care enough to not pound her fist into the tyro’s ribs. More telling, she paid back an earlier insult by twisting a whole lot of the blonde’s waistband and pulling it as high as she could! Snarling as Burlingame repaid the wedgie with eye-watering interest, Macy ground down on the Front Facelock and answered with a furious barrage of Kneelifts to her opponent’s midsection. Give Lily credit, she kept working the wedgie and even fired off a couple Kneelifts of her own, but the Facelock was the difference maker and it wasn’t long until she was desperately blocking those furious blonde knees.
Halting the abuse only when she felt her thighs starting to cramp, Renquist tagged Lily’s damp flank with an angry swat, took possession of those gray togs and once again took the lead in their wedgie war. Burlingame protested but couldn’t free herself, especially when the well-trained ingénue dipped her knees and hauled her directly overhead! Outside the ring, Kent Allard waited to see if anyone else would start it and when they didn’t he called out, “ONE!” The others snickered softly, then lent their voices to the count. “TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT… NINE… TEN!”
Macy tilted forward and sent Burlingame back the way she’d came, the cranky, disoriented brunette set on her feet in front of the-- CRAAACK! Lily’s feet were still new to the canvas when Renquist flicked out a hand for another taste-obliterating Bytch Slap! Lily’s head snapped back, her hair tossing a fine mist of sweat that THWHACK! With the Crimson Comet’s chin offered up on a silver platter, Macy pointed her right shoulder toward her foe, hopped forward and tagged her with a flawless Super Kick! Lily went down in a glassy-eyed spread eagle, the former Lightweight Champ a shadow of her usual frenetic self as the grinning Macy straddled her waist and called out, “ONE! TWO! THRE--”
Lily inched a shoulder off the mat, either instinct or pride causing her to slough off the superfluous pin. “Glad you had enough left to kick out.” Renquist’s voice was little better than an exhausted croak as she grabbed hold of her rival’s wrists. “Means I don’t have to feel bad about finishing you like this.” She jerked Burlingame’s wrists down tight against her hips, then shifted her knees so she pinned the brunette’s hands in place.
Syd, who knew exactly what sort of trouble Lily was in, tried not to cringe when Macy flattened both hands into paddles and SLAP-SLAPPED the heiress’s face! Lily hissed, tried to raise her hands and got slapped again before she realized they’d been removed from the equation. Two more face slaps were followed up with licks to the shoulders, biceps, thighs, tummy and finally breasts, Renquist circling back to that threat to slap the other woman’s assets from her top. Hardly a passive participant in her own destruction, Burlingame twisted and writhed like an infuriated serpent, but Renquist’s mount was perfect and she was an expert at disrupting her rival’s efforts with well timed slaps! Pausing after another left-right combo put fresh welts on Burlingame’s juggs, Macy flipped hair out of her eyes and looked at Sydney. “Ask her, please.”
Deschain didn’t need to be told twice. “What do you say, Lily? Can you go on?
Eyes closed, Lily nodded a slow ‘yes’. “Whuuuhhh….. what? You really think Feather Fingers here has got what it takes to NNNGGGGGHH AAAAHHH FAAAAAHK!”
Macy buried a hand in the brunette’s hair, yanked her head off the mat and clouted her across the mouth with three brutal slaps. “She can’t defend herself.” the Slappin’ Sensation told Sydney after the last blow. “Are you going to call it or can I slap her out?”
“Duuuhhhh… don’t you DARE call it, Sydney!” Lily rasped. “Don’t even f*cking think about NNGGGHHH!”
Macy fetched her a forehand / backhand, then returned her attention to the Mangler. “Well?” Syd raised a finger. “I gave you thirty seconds. I’ll give her the same.”
Nodding her appreciation for this deal, Macy released Lily’s hair, smoothed it out and went back to work with great, gaudy swings timed to the official’s count. Teeth clenched against the creeping numbness of each new slap, Burlingame slooooowly twisted her wrists until she could gouge her nails into the sides of her attacker’s knees! Macy winced, buried one hand in the heiress’s hair and jerked it off the mat again. “Good try, baby. But I still got twenty secNGH! NGH NGH! NGHGGGRRRHHHHHHHH!” Lily still hadn’t broken her blonde’s mount, but she HAD disrupted Macy’s barrage thanks to a combination of claw grips to pits of the tyro’s knees as well as several sharp Kneelifts to her lower back. Momentarily at a loss, Renquist grabbed at Lily’s right wrist with one hand and braced against the bludgeoning knee with the other. “Stop it.” she demanded. “This is over and we both know it!”
Burlingame stilled her knee, but bore down on the claws until her fingers showed white at the knuckles. “No, you WANT it to be over, baby. But you can’t hold this for long and we both know AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH F*CKING SLUT BYTCH!”
Pretty features cast in stone, Macy answered with a claw of her own, one affixed firmly to the underside of her opponent’s trunks. “You know what my hands can do when they’re flat, Lily. Do you really want to find out what they can do when I start to squeeWHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAH!”
The claw was hellacious, make no mistake about that. However such agony often proved galvanizing, as Renquist learned when the Interstellar Angel bucked her hips and slipped both legs under the blonde’s biceps! Popping her hips as soon as she felt the hooks sink in, Burlingame earned a roar from Macy and applause from the guests as she rolled her tormentor onto her back with a truncated Sunset Flip. Already thinking vengeance in the form of her own Crotch Claw, the former Lightweight Champ cursed aloud as Renquist added her own momentum to somersault clear and end up on her feet a short distance from the now seated brunette. Pouncing the instant she was vertical, Macy reared back and swung for the fences with a knockout Bytch Slap that--NOOOOOO!
Burlingame caught the blonde’s wrist coming in, twisted onto her side and dumped Macy flat on her stomach all seemingly in the span between heartbeats. Scrambling to her feet even as Renquist ‘oofffffhed’ in surprise, Lily stretched out that exposed arm, stepped over with her right leg and wrenched the limb around her thigh in a sort of Hammerlock. Just like that she slapped an S-grip across the blonde’s chin and CRAAAAAAAAAANKED back until Macy screamed in anguish!
LABELLE LOCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ59NmVqnTA
“TAP OUT!” Lily barked as Renquist’s chest was slowly peeled off the mat by the torque of the LaBelle Lock. “I GOT YOU GIRL, TAP OUT!”
Macy couldn’t shake her head or make a noise other than ‘I’m hurt’ so she waggled a finger to let Deschain know she was still in it. Soon as Syd acknowledged her refusal she slapped that hand against the mat, pushed up a little bit more and crawled, slid her way toward the ropes. Her progress was remarkably fast, indeed she made the trip in less than ten seconds, but for Macy every inch was a long, bright hell with Lily Burlingame her own personal Lucifer. “Break!” Renquist spat the instant her hand curled around the bottom rope. “Get the FUCK off me, you bytch!”
Sydney didn’t even bother to ask for the break, she just started counting. Surprise, surprise, Burlingame waited until ‘FOUR!’ to let loose and get to her feet. “Back off, Lily.” Deschain told the fiery-eyed brunette. “She’s earned a breather and so have you. Take it.”
For a moment the veteran thought her charge would ignore her, then Lily sighed, nodded once and took a few steps back. Syd had hoped Macy would use the reprieve to slide under the bottom rope, as even a small break in the action could cool tempers considerably. Alas, Renquist fought to all fours, snagged hold of the top rope for support and slowly hauled herself back to verticality. Swinging around so that her back was in the strands, Macy locked eyes with the brunette and showed her a savage grin. “First girl other than ‘Manda to break my mount. I knew you were good, Lily. I also know you’re not gonna break it a second NNNNGGGGGGHHHH!”
Burlingame crossed the canvas in a blur, leapt onto the second rope and THWHONKED her right knee into the blonde’s chin! Renquist’s head snapped back at an ungodly angle and she certainly would’ve toppled to her back if not for the presence of the ropes. Lily landed beside her, surveyed the scene for a moment, then hopped up and THWHONKED her skull with a second Shining Wizard!
STANDING SHINING WIZARD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG8L3nre3_8
The Slappin’ Sensation didn’t go down, in fact she pushed off the ropes and tried to wrap her brunette in a sloppy clinch! Burlingame wasn’t having any of it though, she swatted the ingénue’s hands aside and checked her chin a third time, albeit using a European Uppercut. Turning the knock-kneed blonde in a half circle, the Crimson Comet secured her right arm in a Half Nelson and her tummy in a snug Waistlock. Stunned to the point of stupor, damned if Renquist didn’t throw a few weak elbows into Burlingame’s ribs as the brunette backed her away from the THA-WHAM! Her oldest sister’s Dragon Suplex was widely regarded as the best in the industry, apparently Lily wanted to claim the Half Nelson Suplex for her own, as she turned Macy inside out before dropping her full force on the back of her head and shoulders!
HALF NELSON SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzUFgcsJ-RA
Renquist rolled through, sat up and wrapped both arms around her noggin only to crumple all of two seconds later. In any other match Sydney would’ve expected a cover, but Lily and Macy had both agreed to submissions only. Even so, she was rather surprised when the younger brunette hurried over to Renquist and grabbed her by ankle and wrist.
“You wanted everything I had to offer, isn’t that right, Macy?” Burlingame muttered as she draaaaaaaaaagged her rival into the shadow of the nearest corner. “Well you got it now, honey.” Renquist only put a hand to her face, so the heiress turned away and grabbed the top rope in both hands. A sprinkling of applause from those assembled as Lily sprang to the high rent district and twisted to face the ring in a single sinuous motion. No calling to the crowd or invisible detonator tonight, the one-time Cherry Bomb just straightened up and took to the skies, throwing herself into that head-first front flip whilst simultaneously spinning like a buzzsaw. This was followed by a THAWHAM and murmurs of applause from the guests when Burlingame landed with every bit of her hundred and ten pounds on Macy’s tummy.
CHERRY WARHEAD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNdHhtx-Kog
Caught in the epicenter of a white hot Cherry Warhead, the Slappin’ Sensation jolted once, then fell motionless even as Lily cupped her ears. “You’re more than good enough for the main roster,” Burlingame noted when she nose to nose with the gut-shocked lovely. “You’re good enough to share this ring with me, Macy. You’re just not good enough to beat me.”
Credit the will of Macy Renquist, she crooked her fingers into talons and reached for the brunette’s hair, it was just far too little, far too late. Seizing the blonde’s left wrist in both hands, Lily spun her foe’s left arm in a wide circle, then snuggled into place on Renquist’s left side and reached across the rookie’s back with her right hand to hook her right arm. After that she bent down and leaned forward, muscling Macy up across her back in something like a Torture Rack. Moving her left hand to a hold on the blonde’s ankles, Burlingame folded one over the other in a squatty ‘X’ and craaaaaaaaaaaaanked forward on them and the captured arm. Trap set, the Girl that Gravity Forgot bore down on both ends and began to whip ‘round and round in an Airplane Spin twirl that transformed Macy’s world to a dizzying swirl while simultaneously bending her into a horrid ’C’ shape. Burlingame ground to a halt after ten seconds so she could rock up n’ down, another concentrated effort to make Renquist’s toes touch the back of her skull.
CELESTIAL DAWN:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz7XaVmJRfs
“What do you say, Macy?” Syd’s voice was almost breathless with concern for the newcomer. “Can you continue?”
Renquist nodded as best she could. “Yuuuuuhhhh….yes! Let us fight. This bitch is going to know I’m the best in the WHOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHH!”
Lily set off on a second whirlwind, this one almost twenty seconds long! Quite woozy at the end, Burlingame still had the presence of mind to lean forward and drop into a deep squat that made Macy more ‘U’ than ‘C’. “I GIVE!” Renquist wailed after ten of the longest seconds either wrestler ever endured. “I GIVE! YOU WIN, LILY! PLEASE LET GO!”
Down to the very dregs of her own reserves, Lily managed one final spine-wrenching tug before exhaustion broke her hooks and she collapsed to all fours while Macy hit the mat with a soft, sweaty thud. With no bell to ring, Sydney sank to one knee between the warriors and laid a hand on each. “You ok, Lily? I can get the doc here in fifteen minutes.”
Burlingame didn’t answer immediately, she simply sucked wind and tried to settle the shudder in her shoulders. Eventually, she shook her head ‘no’. “I’m ok, Syd. Check on her.”
Syd turned, slid forward and leaned down so her head was close to Renquist’s. “How are you, Macy? Should I call for the doctor?”
The weary blonde moaned, braced a hand against the mat and slowly raised herself to a seat. Macy swiped a forearm across her brow, then swiped her index fingers under each eye to brush off the faint shine of tears. “No thank you, Sydney. A shower and several bottles of aspirin should be enough.”
The Mangler nodded, but laid a hand on Renquist’s shoulder. “You sure, girl? There’s no shame in getting looked over after a going through a war.”
Macy closed her eyes, nodded again. “I’m sure. Thank you for calling this match. It means a lot to me.”
“It was my honor, Macy. Here, give me your hand.” Renquist did, was careful to stifle a low groan when Sydney helped her stand. With Macy set to rights, Syd crouched, offered her hand to Lily and helped her to verticality. Positioned between the two exhausted lightweights, Deschain took a wrist in each hand and raised them overhead to a round of surprisingly raucous applause.
“If you two had done this in the arena you would’ve blown the roof off.” Syd noted once she’d lowered her charges hands. “And as good as you are, no one steals a show by themselves. Get my meaning?”
Burlingame and Renquist eyed each other warily. As tired as they were, there was still a noticeable tremor of tension when their gazes locked. The women were silent for so long that Syd thought they were going to stalk off without a word, but before she could chide them, Lily asked, “Did you like tapping out to me, Macy?”
“About as much as you liked me slapping your mouth, Lily.” the blonde replied.
“You wanna do something about it?”
“I’d do something about it right now if I didn’t think you’d run away.”
The Crimson Comet stepped forward and the Slappin’ Sensation did the same, their noses separated by less than an inch. “You can’t intimidate me, Lily.” Renquist murmured. “You can stretch me, you can splash me, you can submit me, but you can’t SCARE me. So either step off or start swinging, sweetie.”
Burlingame ALMOST drove a Headbutt between the blonde’s eyes. Instead she raised a hand and presented it to Renquist. “I’ve already done all of those things, Macy. And I’ll do them again if you don’t shake my hand.”
Macy took it with a squeeze that was perhaps only a bit harder than necessary. “I haven’t been at this for as long as you.” the blonde admitted to her brunette rival. “But I already know it’s what I want to do with my life. And if wrestling is going to be my life’s work, it means I have to be the best. Which means I have to beat you.”
“Wrestling is already my life’s work, Macy. Which means I have to beat the best in the world night in and night out to prove it. If you think that’s you…. I guess I’ll see you around the office.”
Burlingame drew away, then sucked in a surprised breath when the blonde reeled her in not for more sass, but a one-armed hug. “Sorry for working your trunks, that was cheap.” she spoke in Burlingame’s ear. “I’m not sorry about the slaps though.”
“Good. Because I’m not sorry about working you over.” The heiress cleared off, swatted the newcomer’s shiny flank. “Great match, Macy Renquist. Can’t wait for the next one.” Thusly satisfied with her efforts for the evening, Lily gave Syd a nod and slipped through the ropes. “Sign her already, would ya?” she said to Anciline as she padded by De Cyr and the other guests on her way to the locker room.
Careful to stay in the ring until Burlingame was out of sight, Macy gave a final thanks to Sydney, then eased out of the ring and limped over to Amanda Jane. “Sorry I let you down.” she sighed following another hug. “I really thought I could beat her.”
“You can beat her, Macy. Everyone here tonight saw that. Just because you didn’t doesn’t mean you can’t.” the Astonishing One told her star student. “And you will. You just need a little more training… perhaps a manager.”
“That an offer?”
“Paperwork’s already in, kiddo. Go on, hit the showers. Dinner’s on me tonight. We can discuss how to keep her from escaping your mount again.”
“Can I get a milkshake?”
“You almost slapped out one of the most dominant Lightweights of the new millennium, kid. Yeah, you’ve earned a milkshake.”
“Thanks, coach. She does slap good, doesn’t she?”
“Each one was like music. Go on, get cleaned up.”
“I’ll beat her next time, ‘Manda.”
“I know you will, Macy. Something tells me you’ll beat a lot of other girls, too.”
ANCILINE DECYR:
Protected from the late January rain by an umbrella that cost more than the average mortgage payment, Anciline deCyr hurried up the wide stone steps of the Madhouse, then stopped in the deep overhang that always left the front door in full shade. Taking a moment to shake off and close her umbrella, the FAWN executive headed inside and sighed contentedly as the re-circulated air banished the chill. Forewarned of the Frenchwoman’s visit, the woman behind the reception desk stood up and hurried around to meet her halfway across the lobby. “Welcome back to Harrenhal Ms. deCyr, would you like me to stow your umbrella?”
“Thank you, cherie.” Anciline handed it over but didn’t stop walking, she had an appointment to keep after all.
Torn between leaving the desk untenanted and allowing the executive to head for her destination alone, the secretary followed along a few steps behind and asked, “Would you like to wait here while I send for someone to take you down to the training ring? The lower levels can be a bit… tricky.”
DeCyr kept her smile on the inside, the girl kept her tone professional, but she’d clearly heard a few of the ghost stories that’d cropped up among the maintenance and service crews of the Madhouse. “No need, Isla.” Anciline said as soothingly as possible. “Emily provided me with blueprints for the entire building shortly after the renovation was complete and the two of us walked every inch of it on more than one occasion. I can see myself there just fine, but I’d be most grateful if you’d let Amanda Jane know I’ve arrived.”
Isla stopped and nodded, patently relieved to stay in the relative safety of the lobby. “Very good Ms. deCyr. I’ll make sure she knows you’re coming.” The Frenchwoman left her with a nod and strode from the lobby into a narrow service corridor which in turn led to a bank of elevators. Pressing ¯ on the first bank of buttons, deCyr pulled her phone from a small purse and checked the text message she’d received from FAWN’s head trainer only a few hours prior.
‘Free this afternoon? I’m running a test for MR out at the Madhouse. Think it’s time you saw her in action.’
The car arrived, the chime sounded and Anciline stepped inside once the door trundled open. Another button press got her moving toward the basement, allowing the aristocrat to continue her ruminations. ‘Test’ could mean all sorts of things when it came to Giardi’s approach to training, but Anciline had no idea why this particular outing and this particular blonde was special enough to warrant her presence at Harrenhal. The door opened with a sigh and deCyr headed out into an industrial service corridor that could’ve been abandoned if not for the bright light spilling from an open doorway down at the opposite end. Reaching it shortly thereafter, deCyr knocked on the open door, then stepped into a small room that served as a control booth of sorts.
AMANDA JANE GIARDI:
The brunette leaning over the counter looked away from the observation window and smiled at the Frenchwoman. “Anci, glad you could make it. I was worried everything would be over before you arrived.”
DeCyr frowned, checked the small clock at the far end of the room. “Over? You were scheduled to start all of…” she looked at the clock again, “ten minutes ago.”
Giardi sighed and nodded, but the impressed little smile never left her face. “Macy tends to get… impatient, if I put her in a ring and don’t start things right away. Don’t worry, I’ve got one more lined up, just in case something like this happened. Come on, stand over here. You’re gonna want a good view for this.”
Anciline joined the trainer at the big desk and found herself overlooking a regulation sized ring surrounded by state of the art exercise equipment instead of row after row of seats. In one corner was a tall, tanned brunette in a yellow two piece. She was built like the cover-girl of a fitness calendar and must’ve gone a hundred and forty pounds easy. In the opposite corner was a slender blonde, no more than five three and MAYBE one hundred and twenty pounds. The blonde was listening to oversized red headphones and clad in a blue and white varsity jacket with ‘Blue Bay Marlins’ written across the back in white, flowing script. To Anciline she looked like the scores of nameless bikini meat she’d seen flit through FAWN in the last fifteen years. The only detail incongruous with this opinion was in the black cloth wrapped around her ankles in a fashion she immediately associated with Amanda Jane. Even so, the disparity of height and weight between the brunette in yellow and the blonde in white gave deCyr serious pause.
“Far be it from me to question your prowess at scouting talent, cherie.” Anci said to the Astonishing One. “But are you sure this is wise?”
Amanda smiled knowingly. “Wise? I don’t know about that. It is necessary, however. I needed you to see this with your own eyes. Otherwise I’m not sure you would’ve believed the tape.”
Anciline started to reply, but Giardi held up a hand. Without addressing the Frenchwoman, she pressed a button on the desk and leaned over to speak into an old-fashioned microphone. “Headphones off, Macy. The boss is here and she wants to see what you’ve got. Think you can handle that?”
In the ring, the blonde looked up at the window and raised a thumb. Doffing her headphones and jacket, she laid them on the canvas beneath the bottom turnbuckle, leaving her clad in a strappy white two-piece with pink trim and matching accents.
Satisfied, Giardi pressed another button and when next she spoke Anciline heard the brunette’s voice echoing through the larger room. “Consider this your opening bell, ladies. Paula, Macy, impress me.”
The brunette must’ve taken the command to heart because she rushed out of the corner at top speed before Macy had even taken a step off the buckles. Leaving her feet from several steps out, Paula flew toward her blonde target showing an Avalanche Splash that’d-- Macy dipped low and spun aside, leaving the larger woman to BWUUUNG chest-first into the top turnbuckle. Paula groaned, spun around and would’ve stumbled out of the buckles if Macy hadn’t CRAAACKED her across the cheek with a Slap that made Anciline wince. Rocked back on her heels by the sharp blow, Paula threw her arms over the top rope, meaning the whole of her torso was exposed for the flurry of vicious Slaps unleashed over the next five seconds.
“Her hand speed is amazing.” de Cyr said softly. “Did you teach her that?”
“Some, but mostly I’ve focused on her grappling and submission game. Mercy’s done the bulk of the work on her strikes, oh, watch this--”
Down in the ring, Paula finally got her hands up and sent the little blonde flying backward to land on the back of her head and shoulders. What could’ve been an ugly landing turned very pretty when Renquist tumbled through in a flawless somersault that brought her to verticality almost three quarters of the way across the ring. Seemingly none the worse for wear, she smirked at the taller woman and beckoned her forward. “That all you got, big girl? I should slap the taste out of your mouth for bringing that weak shyt into my ring.”
Paula, apparently unaccustomed to having her efforts dismissed as ‘weak shyt’ stormed out of the corner and went for a Collar and Elbow only to curse quite loudly when Macy flitted past her like a cool breeze. Or rather a warm one, as the slender blonde CRAAACKED her foe’s summer-tanned glutes with another cringe-inducing smack. Catching Paula’s wrist when the brunette rounded on her, Macy stepped back, dropped a shoulder and slung Paula at the ropes in an Irish--
Never mind, Paula dug in her heels and sent Renquist racing to the ropes in her place. Seemingly nonplussed by the reversal, Amanda Jane’s new find bounced off the strands, raced back the way she’d came and ducked beneath a very strong Lariat like it’d been telegraphed an hour in advance. Cursing quite loudly as the blonde made her look like a total flatfoot, Paula whipped around on her heel just in time to watch Macy jump onto the middle rope. Then she launched herself backward, twisted through a tight little corkscrew and CRAAACKED the brunette across the cheek with a the most beautifully delivered Bytch Slap Anciline had ever seen.
Paula spun in a half circle and took two stumbling steps before catching her bearings. She was still rubbing at her stinging cheek when Renquist stepped up on her six and raaaaaaaaaaked the brunette’s back from shoulder to buttock! Paula wailed and swung around with a boozy Haymaker that deCyr knew was doomed to failure. Sure enough, Macy ducked it with ease and made the yellow-clad battler pay for her sloppiness with a flurry of quick slaps to belly and breasts. Still woozy from the Springboard Bytch Slap, Paula tried to lock-up with the smaller blonde, but Renquist allowed it just long enough to THWHUMP a Kneelift into opposing belly. Turning her back as soon as Paula doubled forward, Macy took her noggin in a Three Quarters Facelock and flipped the bigger wrestler onto her butt with a textbook Snapmare.
Off to the races before Paula even realized where she was, Renquist hit the ropes in front of her foe, sprinted back and dropped low to CRAAACK her across the mouth with another savage Bytch Slap! Paula was knocked sprawling and slowly rolled to one side, the dazed battler apparently knowing enough to keep her shoulders off the mat. Not that it mattered to Macy, she simply straightened up and stepped clear, ‘flicking’ her bottoms back into place as she did so.
Up in the control room, Anciline glanced at Amanda Jane. “She uses those slaps as effectively as most women use their fists, elbows and knees, doesn’t she?”
Giardi nodded appreciatively. “Yes. And she’s figured out how to land them in situations you might not expect. This for instance.”
Back in the ring, Macy had seized Paula’s left wrist and dragged her to verticality. Sidled in against the brunette’s left, Renquist threaded her right leg around Paula’s left leg. In the next instant she threw her left leg over the back of Paula’s head, hooked an arm around the brunette’s right bicep and wrenched it backward to complete the Octopus Stretch. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” Macy chirped over Paula’s protesting wails. “I could probably make you submit if I just pushed down on your head like this…” Renquist applied pressure with her left leg and wrenched back on the brunette’s captured arm to earn an increase in pitch and volume, “…but this might finish you off too!” The blonde flattened her right hand into a paddle and proceeded to smack-smack-smack-SMACK her opponent’s tummy and glutes. “Well that’s a good sound!” Renquist admitted after more than a dozen shots left bright red welts on Paula’s beach-strong bod. “What’s your day job sweetie, Hooters waitress? Volleyball player? They usually slap the best.”
Paula couldn’t really shake her head at this particular juncture, so she rasped, “Screw you, bytch. I’ll show what a real slap feels like when I get out of OOOOOWWWWWW F*CK YOU!”
Macy snatched hold of those sunny yellow bottoms and practically made them disappear with the resultant wedgie, just the sort of tactic Anciline herself would’ve used on a rival who needed to learn her place. “I’d say you’re the one who’s f*cked, punk. But since you’re the only one who doesn’t understand…”
The Slappin’ Sensation broke the Octopus and allowed Paula to straighten up just long enough to tug both arms behind her back in a Double Chickenwing. Feet set flat, she dropped her hips and deposited the bigger woman flush on the back of her head and shoulder with a Tiger Suplex. There was no ref in the ring so Renquist didn’t hold the bridge long, perhaps for a two count, just enough time to show off the marks she’d left on Paula’s haunches. “Ready to admit defeat yet, Hooters?” Macy jabbed a toe into her opponent’s ribs to provoke a response. “Or do you still think you can hang with me?”
“F*cking pipsqueak!” the brunette hurried to verticality and glared daggers at her opponent. “You’re going to wish you’d never tried to embarrass me!”
Macy only smiled. “Correction. I’m going to wish I’d never wasted my time embarrassing you!”
“That’s it bytch, they’re taking you out in a basket!” Paula pounced with murder in her eyes, Renquist only stepped back and sank into a low crouch. Anciline expected some new bit of slap based offense from the tyro, however Macy’s actual response was the tried and true Drop Toe Hold, a simple bit of grappling art that left her opposition stretched out on her face, chest and tummy. Helping herself to Paula’s left ankle before she even stood up, Renquist stepped over the brunette’s exposed leg and dropped into a full length stretch atop Paula’s back that left the brunette’s trapped leg folded / pinned between Renquist’s stems at a very unpleasant angle. DeCyr was about to voice her admiration for the blonde’s STF technique when Macy deviated from the usual formula by slipping her left arm under Paula’s armpit and pulling it up and back in a Half Nelson. Immediately thereafter she worked her right arm around the grounded grappler’s throat and gripped her own bicep for extra leverage. Then she clamped down and reefed back, completing the fusion of Katahajame and STF that she hadn’t had time to name just yet.
“A very interesting homage to her trainer.” Anciline said with a slight smile.
“I’ll say.” Giardi murmured. “More than twenty years in the ring and somehow I never thought to, oh, excuse me.” In the ring, Paula was wailing and pounding the mat with her free hand. Amanda pressed the button and leaned over the microphone. “That’s a submission, Macy. Let her go. Good work, the both of you. Paula, hit the showers and see Vannacutt afterward. Macy, stay right there for a moment.”
Anciline had thought the slender blonde might hold on a little longer just to emphasize the point, but she released without comment and only kept an eye on Paula long enough to watch her roll out of the ring. Soon as the brunette limped her way out of the ring, Macy went back to her corner and put on the varsity jacket and headphones. Shortly thereafter she was bobbing her head to the music, just as she had when Anciline arrived.
“A question, cherie.” Anciline spoke quietly in an effort to mask the incredulity she heard in her voice. “When I arrived you said you had ‘one more’ lined up, on the chance that I arrived late. Do you mean to tell me that Mademoiselle Renquist had already dispatched an opponent before I walked through the door?” Amanda Jane smiled and held up two fingers. Anciline arched an eyebrow, Giardi knew she was practically gaping. “To be perfectly clear, you’re telling me that that little slip of a girl in the training ring down there submitted three other talents in all of… fourteen minutes?”
“Two submissions, one slap out. Macy doesn’t know how to waste time. In fact she’s never had a match go more than ten minutes, at least not that I’ve witnessed.”
“Then explain to me why she’s here and not in Orlando, bedeviling our Lightweight Division.”
“Because all of the girls here are still relatively new, much like Macy herself. Yes, she’s extremely talented, but I’d hesitate to sign off on her going to the main roster until I knew she could hang against a bona fide star.”
“I see. And did you have a particular name in mind?” DeCyr asked.
“I suggested Nyssa Bloodwind, but my girl’s got her heart set on someone else, a certain Star Strider, to be precise.”
The FAWN executive looked from Giardi to Renquist and back again. “Give me a day. I need to make some calls. Thank you for the demonstration Amanda Jane, it’s livened up the afternoon considerably.” With that Anci pulled out her phone and exited the control booth.
Intrigued by the prospect of tomorrow, Giardi tapped the button that allowed her to speak directly into Renquist’s headphone. “Look alive, girl. Work the bags for twenty minutes, then get a shower and take the rest of the day off. No partying though. You might have a very big day tomorrow.”
In the ring, Macy Renquist grinned and pumped a fist like a tennis player closing out a set. “Get ready, Burlingame.” she said quietly. “I’m comin’ for ya.”
********
Later that evening…
Fresh from the shower after nearly three hours of workout (putting Kylie and Jasmine’s faces on the heavy bag had made the time fly) Lily Burlingame was trying to convince herself to have an egg white omelet and grilled chicken all the while knowing damned well that the only thing she actually wanted was one of the Lamb’s fork & knife Chili Cheeseburgers. She was in the midst of giving into temptation when the phone in her hip pocket started into Black Hole Sun. Welcoming the distraction, Lily dug the phone out and put it to her ear. “Hey there, Sydney! How’s it going?”
LILY BURLINGAME:
“Pretty good, Lil. Got a second?”
“For you? Always. What’s up?”
“Remember Thanksgiving 2012 when you drove from Bangor to Orlando almost overnight and ended up wrestling Maddy, Cass and I?”
Burlingame broke into a wide smile as she remembered that hectic stretch of hours. Hefting the heavy gym bag onto one shoulder, she nudged her way out of the locker room and started toward the parking lot. “Oh, you mean the single craziest day of my life? The week that my shytty old Corsica finally gave up the ghost but suddenly I could buy a new car without touching trust fund money because I went through the wringer with three of FAWN’s best? Yeah, I remember. Not likely to forget anytime soon.”
She could hear the answering smile in Deschain’s reply and that improved Lily’s mood even more. “That’s the one. Well, I was wondering if you’d be willing to do something similar for someone else. Tomorrow night, if you don’t have any plans.”
“Well I was going to binge Stranger Things for like, the twentieth time, but that can wait a day or two. So you want me to help assess someone running a gauntlet?”
“Not a gauntlet this time, it’ll be a single full length match. No set time limit, but I, we, are hoping for anywhere from ten to twenty minutes of hard, fast wrestling between yourself and the woman in question. It‘ll be more of a Torture Test than an actual bout, if I‘m being honest.”
The Crimson Comet stopped in front of door at the end of the hallway to mull the request. “Not that I’m saying no, in fact, this is me saying yes right now, but, and pardon me if this sounds too Sue-like, but--”
“You’re kind of a big deal?” Deschain finished the thought like she’d read the younger woman’s mind.
“Exactly! FAWN’s got a whole legion of talent scouts and trainers here and at the Madhouse for this sort of thing. So what makes this girl so special?” The Marvel didn’t answer at once, so Burlingame added another question. “Be straight with me, Syd. Is management trying to feed me to some nine foot amazon?”
“Absolutely not.” Deschain replied at once. “I’d never allow that, Lily. As to your first question, this young woman was discovered by Amanda Jane earlier in the year and they’ve been training almost every day since. I hesitate to call her a ’natural’ because her opponents have been exclusively green, but, if I’m being honest she’s one of the most naturally gifted wrestlers I’ve ever laid eyes on, and that’s a sentiment you’ll hear echoed by Giardi AND Anciline. She may not be a ringer, but she’s head and shoulders above anyone else in developmental and we need someone at the top of her game to find out just how good she is. And should you need any more information or motivation, keep this in mind: She asked for you by name.”
Lily had already said yes, the fact some nameless phenom had essentially called her out only reaffirmed the brunette’s decision. “Damn, can’t say no to that, can I? Yeah, tell ‘Manda J I’ll welcome her to FAWN in style. Gonna be at the Hellhole, I take it?”
“I wish you wouldn’t call my gym that.” Deschain muttered. “It’s state of the art and damned near spotless.”
“I’ve been twisted in that ring more times than I can count, believe me, Hellhole is an accurate name. And besides, it was Maddy who coined the name.”
Syd snorted in amusement. “I should’ve known. Yes, be at the Hell, dammit, now you’ve got me doing it. Be at the gym by seven thirty. The test itself will start at eight.”
“Can do. Anything I need to know about attire, rules, attendance?”
“Standard ring togs, Torture Test Rules and minimal. I believe Anciline, Amanda Jane and myself will be your sole audience, though Kent and Lenore may sit in if they can stop making out in the study for five minutes.”
Lily made a gagging noise, then laughed. “All right, sounds good, Syd. See you tomorrow.” “See you tomorrow.”
“Oh, and Lily?”
“Yeah?”
“I’d hold off on the Lamb until tomorrow night.”
“Get out of my head, Syd.”
“Goodnight, Lily.”
Burlingame hung up right as she pushed out into the parking lot. “Get ready, new meat.” she told the cold night sky. “I’m comin’ for ya.”
********
The following evening…
Lily walked into the Hellhole at ten after seven and was surprised to find she was the last to arrive. At ringside Sydney stood with Anciline and Kent, while in the far corner Amanda Jane and Lenore spoke quietly with a blonde that Burlingame didn’t recognize. Holding her tongue to allow a moment to take in her prospective foe, Lily noted the blonde’s strong legs, flat tummy and dark, slightly mischievous eyes and immediately felt her competitor’s instincts perk up. The blonde must’ve felt something too because her eyes found the brunette’s less than a heartbeat later.
“She’s here.” her opponent said to no one in particular.
Those two words got everyone’s attention and Lily found herself waving as they turned in her direction. “Hi everybody, sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not at all, cherie.” Anciline assured her. “You’re well ahead of schedule actually. Please, take a moment to get settled before you get changed, there’s no need to-”
“Got my togs on under the warm-ups.” Burlingame interrupted as politely as she could. I have a feeling everyone, myself included, is eager for this… test, so just give me a second to get my boots on.” With that she strode up to the single row of chairs around the ring and quickly stripped down to the set of gray and red togs she’d been favoring as of late.
That she made sure to do this in full view of the blonde wasn’t lost on anyone, though those assembled were too polite to say a word.
With the extra layers thus removed she sat down in the nearest chair and quickly slipped on her pads and boots. Thus armored for the battle ahead, Lily strode to the apron, gained it in a single easy hop, then vaulted over the top rope just as easily.
Over in the opposite corner, the blonde removed those oversized red headphones and slipped out of the varsity jacket, both of which she handed to Giardi with a murmur of thanks. Like Lily she was dressed in a simple rumblin’ two-piece, though hers was black with several pink accents along both cups and hip. Unlike the heiress, she’d chosen plain ankle wraps instead of boots.
MACY RENQUIST:
Amanda Jane pulled away from her protégé after a final quiet exchange and said, “Give’r hell, Macy.” She turned to Lily. “You do the same, Lil’. You’re here because you’re the standard bearer.”
SYDNEY DESCHAIN:
Then the Astonishing One was gone and Sydney had taken her place, though the Marvel stood at the center of the ring. Syd glanced between both women, then gestured them forward. Lily did so at once and was pleased to see the blonde match her step for step. “Ladies, as I’ve explained individually, this isn’t a match, rather it’s one of FAWN’s so called Torture Tests. That means that pins always end at two and submissions are secured for no more than ten seconds. There are to be no actual pin falls or submissions, rather the two of you should wrestle as hard as you can, as fast as you can for the next thirty minutes. The purpose of this exercise is to determine whether or not Ms. Renquist is ready to compete with the best Lightweights in FAWN. I’ll be serving as referee and though no falls will be counted, I expect you to follow my instructions at all times. Are we clear?”
“Yes.” the Crimson Comet said without taking her eyes off Macy.
Syd turned to the ingénue. “Macy?”
Renquist mulled it over. After several seconds, she said, “I didn’t ask for her because I wanted to exercise.”
Outside the ring, Amanda called, “Now’s not the time, Ma--”
Renquist held up an apologetic hand and the Astonishing One actually trailed off. “No disrespect to any of you, but FAWN is about wrestling, not sparring. If I wanted another round of sparring, I’d just plow through the girls at the Madhouse again. But I don’t want to spar. I want to wrestle. I want to wrestle you, Lily Burlingame.”
The hairs on the back of Burlingame’s neck stood up. Somehow she wasn’t surprised to hear this from Ms. Macy Renquist. “Are you sure you’re up for that, Macy?”
The blonde shrugged her shoulders, a refreshingly honest response. “I have no idea, but I’m willing to go all in to find out. I’m willing to risk pain, defeat and outright humiliation against possibly the best Lightweight wrestler on the planet all so I can see where I stand in relation.” She paused and offered a smile Lily thought she’d come to hate very soon. “That and to see the surprise in your eyes the first time I slap your mouth.”
It took a strong effort on the brunette’s part to not chest up on the newcomer right then and there. “That’s fine with me, sweetheart. Just as long as you don’t cry when I slap you that much harder
Renquist looked delighted rather than intimidated. “One more request?” she asked softly.
“Name it.”
“Submissions only. That way there’s no question.”
“Done. Get ready to squeal, Macy.”
“You first, Lily.”
Blonde and brunette stepped to one another only to be stopped short by Sydney. “Thirty minute time limit, first woman to get a submission is the winner. As I said earlier, you will follow my commands at all times. Is this understood?”
‘Yes.’ They said it as one.
“All right then. Go to your corners and wait for the bell.” A moment of hesitation before the pair of Lightweights rounded on their heels and strode to opposite corners. To Kent Allard it looked like pistols at dawn, only with a lot more lycra. More than a little intrigued by what she was about to witness, Deschain took one more look back & forth, then raised her right hand high. “All right ladies, let’s wrestle.” She brought her arm slashing down and stepped back to get clear of whatever happened next.
Out of their respective corners with a quickness that suggested a PPV Main Event and not a match witnessed by less than half a dozen people, Burlingame and Renquist elected to approach in a series of ever shrinking concentric circles instead of confronting her opponent head on. Hands extended and splayed to attack or defend, the pair of Lightweights tested one another’s reflexes with several feints and a round of hand wrestling that lasted all of two seconds. Breaking away from this skirmish with a satisfied nod, Macy tucked some loose hair behind her ears, then stopped and extended her hand.
Lily wasn’t one to accept such a gesture from a wrestler she’d just met, especially one apparently trained by someone as dangerous as Amanda Jane Giardi. But she considered herself an excellent judge of character and while she sensed both competitiveness and aggression pouring off the blonde in almost palpable waves, she felt no duplicity. So she reached out and gave Renquist’s hand a single firm squeeze. Macy held on when she tried to draw back. “Come at me with everything you have Lily, because I am going to do the same. If I get the impression that you’re holding back… please don’t hold back.”
The blonde started to disengage only for Burlingame to squeeze that much harder. “You asked for this.” she said quietly. “When it’s all over, remember that you asked for this.”
The talented tyro nodded, then hissed in surprise when Lily jerked her forward and thumped the taut curve of her thigh across blonde tummy. Macy gaped, doubled over and immediately got cuffed across the shoulders with an overhand Forearm Smash for the trouble. Cupping her opponent’s ears in both hands almost as soon as the Forearm connected, Burlingame tugged Renquist’s head down a little farther and jabbed her between the eyes with a single stiff Kneelift. There would’ve been more in the offering but when she went for the second Macy blocked it with one hand, then wrapped her arms around the exposed limb. The blonde was on tiptoe in an instant, muscling Burlingame into the air, then twisting on one foot and dumping her to the mat with a Single Leg Takedown that was almost a Spinebuster.
Lily hit hard and sat up fast, then threw herself backward even faster when Renquist split the air so recently occupied by her head with a stiff Soccer Kick. There was enough ‘oomph’ behind the miss to spin Macy in a full circle, but she came out the other side in a high vertical leap that would’ve ended with both feet in the brunette’s midsection if Burlingame hadn’t back rolled clear with half a second to spare. Delighted by the prospect of a campaign against a woman who could actually match her pace, Renquist smiled and said, “Nice dodge. Figured you didn’t want boot NNNNGGGGGHHHH!”
The Star Strider charged, hopped and THWHACKED both boots into her foe’s chest with a sawed off Shotgun Dropkick! Macy hit the deck flat, peeled off a somersault of her own and reclaimed her vertical base in no more than a heartbeat or two. And yet Burlingame was already right up in her business, the crafty comet seizing the newcomer’s right wrist for not one, not two, but three consecutive Arm Wringers. After the third Lily halved her grip, raised one arm high overhead and brought the point of her elbow down onto the blonde’s exposed bicep.
Macy seemed to take it in stride which was good because Burlingame wasted no time twisting around behind her blonde to secure a Hammerlock. In most of her matches Lily employed this hold to keep her opponent under control while she caught her breath or planned her next move. But Macy Renquist had flat out demanded her highest gear, so the Interstellar Angel made a point of bending the blonde’s wrist even as she pushed up hard enough to force Macy onto tiptoe. “Still want my best, sweetie?” Burlingame added another element to the punishment by grinding the point of her chin into the soft skin between shoulder and neck. “Or should I dial it back a little? Wouldn’t want you to get blown out during the most important job interview of you OW! Hair! Syd, get her off my hair!”
Renquist did in fact snatch a huge fistful of her opponent’s dark bob, but rather than try to escape she held Lily fast and tilted her head to better speak into the superstar’s ear. “Ask me that again and I’ll slap you bloody… sweetie.” Renquist released the hair pull just as Sydney voiced her warning, leaving Lily to fume even though she was ostensibly in control.
“Normally I’d just tell you I don’t respond well to threats.” Burlingame kept the fire in her voice to a minimum as she continued to work the Hammerlock. “But for you, Macy…” Still holding the blonde’s wrist, Lily grabbed her foe’s fingers and puuuuuullled them back until Renquist was sucking wind through clenched teeth. While there was nothing illegal about the finger bend it most certainly fell into the category of ‘mean spirited submission wrestling’ and Burlingame expected Macy to complain to Sydney at any second. But no, Renquist only shook her head ‘no’ and drove a few elbows into her attacker’s ribs. Lily grunted a little, that was about all. Her position was too good and she was too motivated to break the hold to something like-- “NNNNGGHH AAAAAHHHHH!”
Sudden pain in the heiress’s left foot as Macy smashed her bare heel down on Lily’s toes. Distracted by the abrupt resistance, Burlingame didn’t notice Renquist’s hand until the blonde grabbed her right ear and started to twist! Lily released the Hammerlock at once and THWHAPPED a single rough punch into her rival’s left kidney before Macy released her ear. But rather than scramble to safety like ninety-nine out of hundred rookies in her place would’ve done, the black-clad battler went low and deftly twined her legs around Lily’s ankles. A quick tense n’ shift was more than enough to send the former Lightweight Champ tumbling onto her stomach with courtesy of a Drop Toe Hold, though the veterans in attendance noted that Lily landed on her forearms, thus blunting the worst of the collision.
Alas, Burlingame didn’t get any time to savor her ring savvy as Macy spun to one knee and immediately mounted the brunette’s back. “Mine now.” Renquist smirked after she caught Lily’s right wrist and made her yelp with a Hammerlock of her own. Digging her knees into Burlingame’s ribs to keep her grounded (at least for the moment, Macy continued to ratchet up the pressure on the Hammerlock even as she plunged one hand into the other woman’s hair. “You’re still holding back, Lily.” Renquist said after she’d pulled her rival’s head back at an unpleasant angle. “I understand the hesitation, you’re a world class wrestler, I’m a stranger off the street and you’re worried about hurting me even if Amanda and Sydney tell you I can defend myself. It’s kind of you and I appreciate the concern, but I’m BEGGING you to wrestle like you intend to make me cry. Because I want to make you bawl.”
To that end she shifted her hand from the brunette’s head to under her chin and pulled it back that much farther. Then she released the Hammerlock, flattened that hand into a paddle and CRAAACKED Lily’s cheek with three unanswered Bytch Sla--”OOOOWWWWW!
Burlingame caught Renquist’s wrist, pulled her hand close and sank her teeth into the meat at the base of Macy’s thumb. The Slapping Sensation snarled, answered with a quick, hard swat to the right ear and backed off as soon as Lily spit her out. The Girl That Gravity Forgot was up just as fast and the look in her dark eyes got a wide, pleased smile from Macy. “What the hell is your game, girl?” Burlingame asked when the ringing in her ear faded. “It’s like your going out of your way to earn the ass whipping of a lifetime!”
“I’ve spent the last year starving for real competition, Lily. Now I have it and I mean to take every last drop. Yeah, I might get my ass whipped, but I’ll whip yours right back and I won’t stop until you’re begging off.”
“You got a real high opinion of yourself, Renquist.” Burlingame snapped. “A little humility is going to do wonders for your training.”
“Screw humility.” Macy’s hands were up and she was circling the brunette again. “I know I’m damned good at this and I’m putting it all on the line to prove it. What’re you putting up, rich--”
Lily pounced, caught her blonde in a rough Collar & Elbow and marched her back three or four paces before Renquist dug in her heels. If their first meeting had been a test of finesse, this was nothing but power, the pair of Lightweights using every bit of muscle and sinew at their disposal to bully her rival around the canvas. For a moment it looked like Renquist would regain all her lost ground with interest, but then Burlingame got a hand under her chin and forced the ingénue up on her tiptoes and it wasn’t long after that that Macy SMACKED Lily’s ribs to regain control of the clinch. Making the most of her latest round of control, Renquist twisted her hips and forced her brunette’s back and butt into the ropes. Macy could’ve stuffed a hand in Lily’s face to bend her backward over the rubber-coated steel, instead she leaned in tummy to tummy and chest to chest, forcing Burlingame to take her weight.
“Got ya smeared in the ropes, rich girl.” she taunted. “Push me off if you can, otherwise hook a boot over the ropes so Sydney can do it for--”
The Crimson Comet did a little twisting of her own and just like that it was Renquist trapped on the ropes. “Tummy’s fluttering a little bit, Macy.” she teased. “Butterflies starting to get stronger? Feel free to call for Syd if you start to panERRGGHH!”
Macy worked her hands into the brunette’s short, dark hair used a sharp yank thereupon to reverse their positions once more. Deschain noted the infraction, stepped in and would’ve called Renquist on it if Burlingame hadn’t retaliated with a mutual pull. “Don’t bother, Syd.” the heiress said with a grunt. “She wants to know what FAWN is like? I’ll show her.” True to her word, Lily twisted her back off the ropes one last time, then led / dragged her opponent to the closest corner, where she BWUNGED the base of the blonde’s skull against the turnbuckle once, twice, three times!
A murmur of protest from Giardi’s general direction came to an abrupt stop when Renquist jammed a Kneelift into the spot just above the former champ’s waistband. Still holding those dark locks, the Slapping Sensation peeled off a half turn and stuffed her rival against the buckles as hard as she could. Burlingame ‘oooooffffed’ and let go of her hair, so Macy mounted the second rope, took a deep breath and pulled Lily’s stunned mug into the taut, slightly damp curve of her midsection. A faceful of tummy wasn’t the greatest smothering option and it sure as hell didn’t possess the brain-rattling power of ten punches or even a few Knife-Edge Chops, but as an announcement that proclaimed ‘You Can’t Stop Me!’ it was hard to beat.
Squealing into that breathing washboard even as Macy continued to tug her hair, Lily punched at the blonde’s ribs until Deschain stepped up and tapped Renquist on the thigh. “You’ve been at it long enough, Macy. Get her off the ropes and take it to the center of the ring. Renquist nodded, but didn’t look, her attention was focused on the Star Strider now that the short smother was over. Hands raised over her shoulders, Macy hopped down and CRAAAAAACK! Renquist’s first Bytch Slap of the evening sounded so sharp and so stiff that even Anciline winced in sympathetic anguish.
“Oh YEAH.” Macy couldn’t keep a note of admiration from her voice as she admired the welt rising on Lily’s cheek. “That was a good one. How are you handling it, Burlingame? Think you can take a few dozen moNNNNGGGGHHH!”
Arms draped over the top rope, Lily suddenly bore down and brought both knees up into her attacker’s chest. The blonde grunted and stumbled but stayed on her feet, so the heiress didn’t think twice about pistoning her feet straight into opposing rack! The point blank Mule Kick sent Renquist flying and she did land flat on her back, but she immediately curled in on herself and rolled through a backward tumble that returned her to verticality. Boosting herself to the middle rope even before the blonde started to recover, Lily hopped to the third floor as soon as she noted the somersault, meaning she was ready and waiting when Macy got up. Burlingame did some rising of her own, the Interstellar Angel flying from her perch into a gorgeous Diving Crossbody that sent her barreling into Renquist’s chest with enough force to send them both to the canvas. On any other night Lily would’ve hooked the far leg long before they’d touched down, but Macy wanted a submission match so that’s what the heiress gave her.
Stretched heavily across the tyro’s upper body, Burlingame snatched Renquist’s left wrist in both hands and drove it into the mat with a soft thud. In the same breath she got her thighs around the blonde’s right bicep and crushed down in a Scissors. Breaking into a smile for the first time since the match started, Burlingame ground her weight into the struggling lovely and chirped, “ONE… TWO… THREE! Now I know why you didn’t want to wrestle for pins, sweetie. That was what, five minutes from running your mouth to helpless wriggling? Given all the legends that came to watch, I was expecting a LOT more from NNNGGGHHH!”
Renquist brought her knees up and THWHUMPED ’em both into her attacker’s ribs and hip. “You think I’m going to waste energy kicking out of a pin in a match where pins don’t count, rich girl?” the blonde huffed. “You couldn’t get so much as a one count on me if I didn’t want you toUUNNNNGGGGH!”
Lily halved the Wristlock, grabbed a handful of the blonde’s hair and bounced the back of her head against the thinly-sheathed plywood. “What about that, bytch?” Burlingame taunted. “Did you want me to do that, too?”
“I want you to shut your mouth and actually try to win this f*cking match.” Macy growled. “And if you don’t start soon, I’ll just crack your ribs and be done with it.” She punctuated the threat by lifting her knees again, but the brunette was ready for it this time and she managed to avoid it for the most part.
“God, I am already so sick of your mouth. Is this what you want from me?”
‘This’ turned out to be a series of short, heavy punches that the heiress hammered directly into the blonde’s navel. None of the shots were real gut crushers, but the Crossbody kept Renquist from mustering any real defense and it wasn’t long before her tummy showed pink, then bright red. “How are you doing, Macy?” Sydney asked after perhaps twenty seconds of this punishment. “Hanging in there ok?”
Macy paused her adjustments long enough to nod. “Fine, thank you. Tell me, has Lily always had such a weak striking OOOWW BYTCH!”
Burlingame flattened her punchin’ hand, raised it high and CLAPPED a single rude slap between her rival’s thighs! “You’re the one who can’t protect her trunks, princess.” Lily taunted after she resumed her pugilistic siege. “Sounds like a pretty weak game to meAAARRRRRHHH AHHHH YOU SKANK!”
Renquist forced her arm though the vise grip of brunette thighs and celebrated the progress by splitting Lily’s glutes with a vicious wedgie!
“One chance.” Lily snarled. “Let go or you will scream.”
Macy only hiked the traitorous material higher and deeper. “So will you, LilAAAAHHHHH F*CK YOU!”
While not normally known for her catfight prowess, Burlingame proved to have picked up at least one of Susan’s favorite techniques, as she curled her hand into a talon and sank it into the blonde’s undercarriage. Galvanized by this fresh agony, Renquist went to work with her knees again and with Burlingame committed to the claw there was no way for her to protect her shoulder or ribs. Cursing after the third shot sent an unpleasant tingle from fingers to collarbone, Lily squeeeeeeezed her prey’s togs one more time, then let loose and scrambled away as quick as she could.
Blessedly free of the brunette’s wearying weight, Macy pushed to one knee and put a hand to her welted midsection. Once the ache had died down she ran a hand over her togs, found the sting mostly gone. “Going to my trunks, Lil? I’ll loosen your teeth for that.” the blonde threatened.
“Save me the self righteous ‘how dare you!’ act.” Lily snapped. “You strutted in here and asked for the biggest fight of your life. Now you’ve got your wish and you’re going to piss and moan about it? Screw you, bytch.”
Deschain shot her an ‘easy, there’ sort of look, but Burlingame’s expression didn’t soften, especially as she went about undoing the wedgie Renquist inflicted upon her.
“Oh, I wasn’t complaining about the Claw.” Macy noted as she got back to her feet. “In fact, I’m happy to see you’ve got more edge than that dopey little chump who got suckered by a fossil and her new lackey. But that’s not gonna stop me from slapping the face right off your head. Might slap your trunks too, just to show you how it’s done.”
“And I might splash you from every corner of this ring.” Burlingame countered. “Just to show you how it’s done.” “Enough talk.”
Syd said quietly. “You want to wrestle? Wrestle. If you want to cut promos on each other, I’ll call this right now.”
Renquist shook her head ‘no’ at the suggestion. She hadn’t waited this long just to have the match thrown out by the official. “I want to wrestle, Sydney.” the blonde replied. “Lily does too. Isn’t that right, LilNNNGGGGGHHH!”
The Interstellar Angel stormed into the breach, brushed those dangerous hands aside and treated Renquist to a taste of her own medicine via a wicked Knife-Edge Chop! Macy, hissed, scowled, then set her feet and bared her teeth at the brunette. “That’s more like it! Brave enough to go one for one?”
Lily spread her arms wide, a gesture that made her gray sports-bra an unbearably tempting target. “Bring it on, ba--”
Macy didn’t Chop, rather her struck the other Lightweight’s décolletage with an Overhand Slap that hit just as hard. Very much aware that the last shot was aimed directly at her left breast, Burlingame clenched her teeth against the pain and lit into her blonde with another Chop, this one landing directly across those modest swells. Macy hissed in pain and shook her head, but when her eyes found Lily again they were sparkling. “Bet I can slap ‘em right out of your bra, rich girl.”
The Slappin’ Sensation didn’t wait for an answer to her challenge, she had far more fun CRAAACKING the brunette’s other breast. Lily snarled, shook it off and unleashed a Chop that rocked the tyro back on her heels. Two cycles was enough for each woman to know her rival wasn’t going to back down and that the next several seconds were likely to hurt for days, if not weeks. Posted up in the center of the squared circle, blonde and brunette set their feet and doubled the speed of their top-testing torture. Totally unwilling to show the tiniest bit of weakness to her new rival, Burlingame and Renquist forced themselves to endure shots that would’ve had them covering up if not for the woman delivering them. Putting more and more force behind their strikes even as the burn in their chests and shoulders grew to unbearable proportions, Lily and Macy roared hateful shrieks into the face of the other, then-- CRAAACK!
The blonde soaked up the heiress’s latest Chop, but rather than answer with another shot to the tits, she swiveled Burlingame’s head with a savage blow to the cheek! Sobbing in shock and surprise as she stumbled around in a woozy circle, Burlingame was entirely preoccupied with those scathing welts, which made it oh so easy for Renquist to sidle in on her left. Threading her right leg over the brunette’s left gam, Macy put a hand between the Crimson Comet’s shoulders and forced her to double over, which in turn allowed the blonde to hook her left leg across the back of her prey’s head. Almost done, Macy leaned forward and curled her left arm around Burlingame’s right bicep, all the better to wrench it back in a painfully simple Armbar.
OCTOPUS STRETCH:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-joY-4jQuXo
Appreciating Renquist’s flawless technique even as she sympathized for the sputtering Lily, Sydney waited to see if an escape or surrender would come quickly. When neither did, she asked, “What do you say, Lily? Need me to call for the bell?”
“No.” she muttered at once. “I’ve got this.”
Macy, who was still fighting through the effects of her foe’s Chops, brightened at once. “So you’re doing ok, huh?” she pushed down with her left leg and cranked back on the Armbar to force another groan from the trapped battler. “Then you won’t mind if I ramp up the pressure a little bit?”
Not about to admit that the blonde had ravaged her tits in a way she’d never experienced, Lily taunted, “Do your worst, Macy.”
“I don’t think so, rich girl. For you? Only the best will do!”
To that end she flattened her right hand into a paddle and SMACKED the defenseless expanse of Burlingame’s right flank. Lily cried out, tried to squirm loose and got another hard smack for her troubles. After a third slap, Renquist crooked her fingers into hooks and dug into the heiress’s side. “Give it up, Lily. I already ruined your tits, do I have to ruin your ribs too?”
“You only have to make me submit.” Burlingame huffed without delay. “If that’s too hard maybe you should rethink this wrestling OOOOWWW! OOOOOWWW! OOOWWWW! DAMMIT, STOP THAT YOU BYTCH!”
Macy looked up from Lily’s buttocks, which were already showing the wicked red imprint of her palm. “You’re gonna have to make me stop, Lily.” the blonde smiled nastily as she threw the former Lightweight Champion’s words back at her. “Otherwise I’m going to slap this overrated ass until it smokes!” She attempted to do just that, Renquist putting every bit of leverage behind the scintillating smackdown even as she continued to grind and gnash on the Octopus.
Doing her best not to betray concern for the suffering brunette, Deschain got close to the action and leaned in. “You ok, Burlingame? If you’re not, say the word and I’ll call it.”
Lily swallowed a lump in her throat, shook her head as best she could. “I’m doing fine, Sydney. Hey, when you see Macy would you tell her she hits like Nyssa Bloodwind coming off a three day flu? That’s some weak shyt she’s peddling right EEEERRRRGGGHHHH F*CK YOU!”
Not about to take sass from someone she’d tied in a knot, Renquist clapped her prey’s cheeks one more time, then returned to her previous wedgie with all the more enthusiasm. “This is how you’re going to go out, isn’t it?” Macy teased as she yanked the distended briefs back n’ forth, higher n’ higher. “Not to the Octopus, but to a wedgie you couldn’t defend against. No wonder Amanda said I couldn’t get a camera in here, she was afraid I’d ruin your AAAAARRRRHHHH DAMMIT!”
Lily never liked biting her way free of a hold, but that was the second time the blonde witch had pulled on her togs and that was two times too many. Slowly but surely twisting her head toward Renquist’s intruding gam. When her mouth was in position, Burlingame strained forward and chomped down for all she was worth! Expecting resistance of an entirely different kind, Macy shrieked, pulled away from the Octopus and straightened Burlingame up by yanking both arms behind her back in a Double Chickenwing. Hands locked, the Slappin’ Sensation dipped her heels and arched backward in a perfect bridge that-- earned quiet applause from those gathered because the heiress flipped loose and landed on her feet! Shifting so that her right shoulder was pointed toward the recovering wrestler and THWHACKED a low Super Kick against the back of her skull! Renquist’s head whipped forward like she’d been rear-ended and the rest of her soon followed, Macy landing stretched out flat on her face, chest and belly.
From her space in the front row, Amanda Jane fought the urge to leap out of her seat. When she’d mastered it, she called, “Check her please, Sydney.” She needn’t have worried, Deschain interposed herself between blonde and brunette the instant Renquist hit the mat.
“Don’t move.” the Mangler told Lily. Burlingame nodded and did as bade, though she did in fact move just enough to yet again undo the wedgie. Elsewhere, Syd sank to one knee and put a hand on Macy’s left shoulder. “Talk to me girl. You still there?”
Silence wouldn’t have surprised her in the slightest, so she raised her opinion of Renquist quite a bit when she muttered, “Guuuhhhh… gonna take more than that to stop me, Sydney.”
“You sure about that, Macy? That was a helluva shot and if you’re not ceding the match that means I stand back and Lily can go back to work.”
Renquist shook her head, put both hands against the mat and clambered to all fours. “With all due respect, get out of the way. I came here to fight.”
Syd admired her guts, if not sense. Singling out Giardi as she got to her feet, Deschain said, “She’s good.” That was all Lily needed to spin around and hit the ropes at a near blur. Closing in off the other lightweight’s right flank, the Crimson Comet hopped onto her opponent’s back, leapt a second time and kicked both feet forward to come down with all her weight THWHUMPING atop the blonde’s upper back! The Senton drove Macy into the canvas with a breathless ‘ooooofffffhh!’ and ensured she was still sucking wind when Burlingame buried both hands in her hair and started tugging.
“Up, Macy. I said up!” Still too groggy to offer anything like a real defense, Renquist latched onto her attacker’s wrists but doing so left her midsection open and Lily capitalized by driving the broadest part of her thigh up n’ across the other woman’s tummy. The loose manacles on her hands dropped away at once so Burlingame doubled down on a Wristlock and sent her blonde into the strands with an Irish--no! More and more certain that she needed to keep Renquist as close as possible, Lily planted her heels and reeled Macy in without ever releasing the Wristlock. Given absolutely nowhere to go, Macy could only groan as the former Lightweight Champion caught her around the waist in a Gutwrench and spun her through a Tilt-A-Whirl Backbreaker so beautiful it could’ve been a work of art if not for the high pitched sob at the end.
TILT-A-WHIRL BACKBREAKER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=27QLzn85wfs
Savoring the low tuning fork hum that passed through her whole leg, Burlingame SLAPPED her rival’s abs once, then flipped her off so that Renquist landed on her stomach. In the next instant Lily laid claim to the blonde’s ankles, all the better to lift her lower legs off the mat. Most everyone in attendance thought she was looking for a Romero Stretch or possibly even the Whispering Scream, but Burlingame stepped over her adversary’s thighs rather than onto them. Settling into a seat just below the other woman’s butt, the Interstellar Angel trapped Macy’s feet in her armpits while deftly hooking her own shins under opposing biceps. Then she reached forward, grabbed Renquist’s wrists and pulled back hard enough to lift her upper body a few inches off the mat! Such a Surfboard would’ve been more than enough for most women, unfortunately for Macy the brunette was in the mood for punishment which was why she pulled her legs out from under Renquist’s arms and threaded them around her head instead! Feet wedged in against either side of her rival’s face, Lily stretched out on her back and pulled on Macy’s wrists while simultaneously drawing both knees to waist level, an adjustment that wrenched the newcomer’s back and neck at a terrible angle!
GROUNDED ROCKING HORSE:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ND78deZ9cQ
“AAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGHHHH!” Renquist wailed in genuine agony for the first time, no amount of sparring and training enough to prepare her for the torque brought by a vengeful Lily Burlingame. “Give up, Macy!” Lily demanded after jostling her legs a few times. “Don’t make me hurt you!” She pulled her knees that much closer to her chin, increasing the strain on her prey’s neck.
“NO!” Macy barked it for Lily, Sydney and anyone else who cared to listen. “YOU’RE NOT GOING TO OOOOOWWWWWWW!”
Sydney looked to Amanda Jane in search of guidance from the ingénue’s trainer. The Astonishing One was grim-faced, but after a moment mouthed, “Let them fight.”
Deschain dipped her head in acknowledgement, then dropped to one knee. “I’m not going to ask you to submit, Macy, but I am going to give you a deadline.” the veteran said quietly. “If you’re not out of this hold in thirty seconds I’m calling the match for Lily. I won’t let you sit here and suffer, no matter what you say. Understand?”
Eyes closed, jaw clenched, Renquist nodded. “I… I do…. start the count.”
Sydney stood up and did just that, getting all the way to ‘TEN!’ with no noticeable change in the blonde’s situation. In control, but hardly content to win via what was essentially a decision, Lily leaned forward and began pumping her legs, the former Lightweight Champion just yanking her opponent’s head back n’ forth with every passing second. “YOU LOST, MACY! ADMIT IT!” the fact that a verbal submission was practically a necessity to end the hold was not lost on the heiress. Sydney reached ‘TWENTY!’ on her count and Renquist was still trapped, though both Amanda Jane and Lenore Lemarchand had noted the blonde working her shoulders almost constantly for the last fifteen seconds. At ‘TWENTY THREE!’ the Slappin’ Sensation finally twisted her hands into the right position and then Burlingame shrieked in pain as Macy gouged her thumbs into the pressure points on the brunette’s wrists!
Lily broke the Rocking Horse in an instant, the startled Lightweight holding her hands tight against her chest as she scrambled to verticality. Anger soon overrode the pain and it was a hard-eyed Star Strider that stalked over to pound a hard kick into her rival’s ribs. Macy whined and started to cover up but couldn’t stop Burlingame from taking hold of one wrist. Hauling the blonde off the mat in a series of tugs and jerks, Lily bumped her back on her heels, then pulled her in for a thumping Shoulderblock between the tits. “If you don’t wanna tap out I’ll be more than happy to KNOCK you out.” she promised the pale-faced lovely. “So don’t think that’s going to save you.”
With that she stepped back, dropped a shoulder and slung the newcomer into the ropes. Macy came off in a ramshackle run, but damned if she didn’t’ dip her head and keep right on going when Lily tried to take her head off with a Clothesline! Wheeling around to follow the other woman’s progress, Lily was afforded an excellent view when Renquist hopped onto the middle strand and launched herself backward in a sinuous twist that--CRAAACK! Macy belted the brunette across the mouth with a Bytch Slap so savage it spun Burlingame in a half circle and dropped her to all fours in the blink of an eye!
The crowd of less than half a dozen broke into applause not just for the blonde’s technique, but her resilience in battling back after punishment that would’ve crushed the spirits of most women. Winded and aching though she was, Macy looked anything but crushed as she got to her feet and mopped battle-soaked hair off her forehead. Dark eyes glittering as she looked at the exposed curve of Burlingame’s back, she muttered, “So you’re going to knock me out, Lily? Why don’t you just go ahead and admit you can’t submit me.”
One hand pressed to her still stinging cheek, Lily reared back on her knees and muttered, “You’re not gonna tap for me, Macy. You’re gonna beGNNNHHH!”
Approaching on her opponent’s six, Renquist darted in quick and CRAAACKED a Bytch Slap against the ear Lily hadn’t protected! The Crimson Comet wailed, grabbed her ringing noggin, then cried out again when the determined ingénue claimed a double handful of hair. “Off the hair, Macy.” Deschain noted when the blonde didn’t relinquish her grip after Burlingame was vertical.
Renquist flicked a glance at the veteran, her expression that of a woman preoccupied with challenging, yet highly satisfying work. “I’m going to need a count, please. My fingers like her hair too much.” She proved as much by yaaaaaaaaaaaanking Lily’s locks like she meant to snatch her bald!
Deschain offered no rebuke, she knew all too well the pleasure of twining the hair of a hated rival through her fingers. Instead she started the count, which reached ‘FOUR!’ before Renquist abandoned the cattiness for a perfectly legal Wristlock. Slinging the watery-eyed heiress into the ropes with no fanfare whatsoever, Macy posted up in the middle of the ring and didn’t move until the former champ was bearing down on her. Then she doubled over, cinched her right arm around Lily’s waist and ‘hupped’ her into position under that arm even as she hooked the near leg in her left arm.
Given Amanda Jane’s penchant for creativity, most everyone in attendance expected something beyond the standard Pendulum Backbreaker, so they were the tiniest bit disappointed when the Slappin’ Sensation pushed onto tiptoes and went down on one knee to THWHUNK the brunette’s spine. But that tinge vanished as soon as Renquist stood, flipped the sagging battler over and dropped to her knee again, just THWHUMPING Burlingame’s tummy!
BACKBREAKER & GUTBUSTER:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHbIsbLK6pE
Lily bounced onto her knees, both arms crisscrossed over her abdomen, mouth hung open in a breathless ‘O’ of hurt. CRAAACK! Macy caught her cheek with a shotgun-blast of Bytch Slap, the shot swiveling her prey’s head and eliciting sympathetic murmurs from the guests in a single stroke. Already shuddering after Backbreaker / Gutbuster combo, Burlingame would’ve slopped onto her side if Macy hadn’t helped herself to another massive handful of hair. She didn’t bother yanking this time however, she only used it to guide the brunette into a Front Facelock, which in turn forced the Interstellar Angel to stand.
“I know you’re not going to believe me, or even care,” the blonde huffed once she’d slung Burlingame’s near arm across her shoulders, “but I DO respect you, Lily. This is the longest fight I’ve ever had and I UNGH! UNGH! UNGH OOOWWW DAMMIT!”
Macy was right, Lily DIDN’T care, or at least she didn’t care enough to not pound her fist into the tyro’s ribs. More telling, she paid back an earlier insult by twisting a whole lot of the blonde’s waistband and pulling it as high as she could! Snarling as Burlingame repaid the wedgie with eye-watering interest, Macy ground down on the Front Facelock and answered with a furious barrage of Kneelifts to her opponent’s midsection. Give Lily credit, she kept working the wedgie and even fired off a couple Kneelifts of her own, but the Facelock was the difference maker and it wasn’t long until she was desperately blocking those furious blonde knees.
Halting the abuse only when she felt her thighs starting to cramp, Renquist tagged Lily’s damp flank with an angry swat, took possession of those gray togs and once again took the lead in their wedgie war. Burlingame protested but couldn’t free herself, especially when the well-trained ingénue dipped her knees and hauled her directly overhead! Outside the ring, Kent Allard waited to see if anyone else would start it and when they didn’t he called out, “ONE!” The others snickered softly, then lent their voices to the count. “TWO… THREE… FOUR… FIVE… SIX… SEVEN… EIGHT… NINE… TEN!”
Macy tilted forward and sent Burlingame back the way she’d came, the cranky, disoriented brunette set on her feet in front of the-- CRAAACK! Lily’s feet were still new to the canvas when Renquist flicked out a hand for another taste-obliterating Bytch Slap! Lily’s head snapped back, her hair tossing a fine mist of sweat that THWHACK! With the Crimson Comet’s chin offered up on a silver platter, Macy pointed her right shoulder toward her foe, hopped forward and tagged her with a flawless Super Kick! Lily went down in a glassy-eyed spread eagle, the former Lightweight Champ a shadow of her usual frenetic self as the grinning Macy straddled her waist and called out, “ONE! TWO! THRE--”
Lily inched a shoulder off the mat, either instinct or pride causing her to slough off the superfluous pin. “Glad you had enough left to kick out.” Renquist’s voice was little better than an exhausted croak as she grabbed hold of her rival’s wrists. “Means I don’t have to feel bad about finishing you like this.” She jerked Burlingame’s wrists down tight against her hips, then shifted her knees so she pinned the brunette’s hands in place.
Syd, who knew exactly what sort of trouble Lily was in, tried not to cringe when Macy flattened both hands into paddles and SLAP-SLAPPED the heiress’s face! Lily hissed, tried to raise her hands and got slapped again before she realized they’d been removed from the equation. Two more face slaps were followed up with licks to the shoulders, biceps, thighs, tummy and finally breasts, Renquist circling back to that threat to slap the other woman’s assets from her top. Hardly a passive participant in her own destruction, Burlingame twisted and writhed like an infuriated serpent, but Renquist’s mount was perfect and she was an expert at disrupting her rival’s efforts with well timed slaps! Pausing after another left-right combo put fresh welts on Burlingame’s juggs, Macy flipped hair out of her eyes and looked at Sydney. “Ask her, please.”
Deschain didn’t need to be told twice. “What do you say, Lily? Can you go on?
Eyes closed, Lily nodded a slow ‘yes’. “Whuuuhhh….. what? You really think Feather Fingers here has got what it takes to NNNGGGGGHH AAAAHHH FAAAAAHK!”
Macy buried a hand in the brunette’s hair, yanked her head off the mat and clouted her across the mouth with three brutal slaps. “She can’t defend herself.” the Slappin’ Sensation told Sydney after the last blow. “Are you going to call it or can I slap her out?”
“Duuuhhhh… don’t you DARE call it, Sydney!” Lily rasped. “Don’t even f*cking think about NNGGGHHH!”
Macy fetched her a forehand / backhand, then returned her attention to the Mangler. “Well?” Syd raised a finger. “I gave you thirty seconds. I’ll give her the same.”
Nodding her appreciation for this deal, Macy released Lily’s hair, smoothed it out and went back to work with great, gaudy swings timed to the official’s count. Teeth clenched against the creeping numbness of each new slap, Burlingame slooooowly twisted her wrists until she could gouge her nails into the sides of her attacker’s knees! Macy winced, buried one hand in the heiress’s hair and jerked it off the mat again. “Good try, baby. But I still got twenty secNGH! NGH NGH! NGHGGGRRRHHHHHHHH!” Lily still hadn’t broken her blonde’s mount, but she HAD disrupted Macy’s barrage thanks to a combination of claw grips to pits of the tyro’s knees as well as several sharp Kneelifts to her lower back. Momentarily at a loss, Renquist grabbed at Lily’s right wrist with one hand and braced against the bludgeoning knee with the other. “Stop it.” she demanded. “This is over and we both know it!”
Burlingame stilled her knee, but bore down on the claws until her fingers showed white at the knuckles. “No, you WANT it to be over, baby. But you can’t hold this for long and we both know AAARRRRGGGGHHHHH F*CKING SLUT BYTCH!”
Pretty features cast in stone, Macy answered with a claw of her own, one affixed firmly to the underside of her opponent’s trunks. “You know what my hands can do when they’re flat, Lily. Do you really want to find out what they can do when I start to squeeWHOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAH!”
The claw was hellacious, make no mistake about that. However such agony often proved galvanizing, as Renquist learned when the Interstellar Angel bucked her hips and slipped both legs under the blonde’s biceps! Popping her hips as soon as she felt the hooks sink in, Burlingame earned a roar from Macy and applause from the guests as she rolled her tormentor onto her back with a truncated Sunset Flip. Already thinking vengeance in the form of her own Crotch Claw, the former Lightweight Champ cursed aloud as Renquist added her own momentum to somersault clear and end up on her feet a short distance from the now seated brunette. Pouncing the instant she was vertical, Macy reared back and swung for the fences with a knockout Bytch Slap that--NOOOOOO!
Burlingame caught the blonde’s wrist coming in, twisted onto her side and dumped Macy flat on her stomach all seemingly in the span between heartbeats. Scrambling to her feet even as Renquist ‘oofffffhed’ in surprise, Lily stretched out that exposed arm, stepped over with her right leg and wrenched the limb around her thigh in a sort of Hammerlock. Just like that she slapped an S-grip across the blonde’s chin and CRAAAAAAAAAANKED back until Macy screamed in anguish!
LABELLE LOCK:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZ59NmVqnTA
“TAP OUT!” Lily barked as Renquist’s chest was slowly peeled off the mat by the torque of the LaBelle Lock. “I GOT YOU GIRL, TAP OUT!”
Macy couldn’t shake her head or make a noise other than ‘I’m hurt’ so she waggled a finger to let Deschain know she was still in it. Soon as Syd acknowledged her refusal she slapped that hand against the mat, pushed up a little bit more and crawled, slid her way toward the ropes. Her progress was remarkably fast, indeed she made the trip in less than ten seconds, but for Macy every inch was a long, bright hell with Lily Burlingame her own personal Lucifer. “Break!” Renquist spat the instant her hand curled around the bottom rope. “Get the FUCK off me, you bytch!”
Sydney didn’t even bother to ask for the break, she just started counting. Surprise, surprise, Burlingame waited until ‘FOUR!’ to let loose and get to her feet. “Back off, Lily.” Deschain told the fiery-eyed brunette. “She’s earned a breather and so have you. Take it.”
For a moment the veteran thought her charge would ignore her, then Lily sighed, nodded once and took a few steps back. Syd had hoped Macy would use the reprieve to slide under the bottom rope, as even a small break in the action could cool tempers considerably. Alas, Renquist fought to all fours, snagged hold of the top rope for support and slowly hauled herself back to verticality. Swinging around so that her back was in the strands, Macy locked eyes with the brunette and showed her a savage grin. “First girl other than ‘Manda to break my mount. I knew you were good, Lily. I also know you’re not gonna break it a second NNNNGGGGGGHHHH!”
Burlingame crossed the canvas in a blur, leapt onto the second rope and THWHONKED her right knee into the blonde’s chin! Renquist’s head snapped back at an ungodly angle and she certainly would’ve toppled to her back if not for the presence of the ropes. Lily landed beside her, surveyed the scene for a moment, then hopped up and THWHONKED her skull with a second Shining Wizard!
STANDING SHINING WIZARD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG8L3nre3_8
The Slappin’ Sensation didn’t go down, in fact she pushed off the ropes and tried to wrap her brunette in a sloppy clinch! Burlingame wasn’t having any of it though, she swatted the ingénue’s hands aside and checked her chin a third time, albeit using a European Uppercut. Turning the knock-kneed blonde in a half circle, the Crimson Comet secured her right arm in a Half Nelson and her tummy in a snug Waistlock. Stunned to the point of stupor, damned if Renquist didn’t throw a few weak elbows into Burlingame’s ribs as the brunette backed her away from the THA-WHAM! Her oldest sister’s Dragon Suplex was widely regarded as the best in the industry, apparently Lily wanted to claim the Half Nelson Suplex for her own, as she turned Macy inside out before dropping her full force on the back of her head and shoulders!
HALF NELSON SUPLEX:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzUFgcsJ-RA
Renquist rolled through, sat up and wrapped both arms around her noggin only to crumple all of two seconds later. In any other match Sydney would’ve expected a cover, but Lily and Macy had both agreed to submissions only. Even so, she was rather surprised when the younger brunette hurried over to Renquist and grabbed her by ankle and wrist.
“You wanted everything I had to offer, isn’t that right, Macy?” Burlingame muttered as she draaaaaaaaaagged her rival into the shadow of the nearest corner. “Well you got it now, honey.” Renquist only put a hand to her face, so the heiress turned away and grabbed the top rope in both hands. A sprinkling of applause from those assembled as Lily sprang to the high rent district and twisted to face the ring in a single sinuous motion. No calling to the crowd or invisible detonator tonight, the one-time Cherry Bomb just straightened up and took to the skies, throwing herself into that head-first front flip whilst simultaneously spinning like a buzzsaw. This was followed by a THAWHAM and murmurs of applause from the guests when Burlingame landed with every bit of her hundred and ten pounds on Macy’s tummy.
CHERRY WARHEAD:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNdHhtx-Kog
Caught in the epicenter of a white hot Cherry Warhead, the Slappin’ Sensation jolted once, then fell motionless even as Lily cupped her ears. “You’re more than good enough for the main roster,” Burlingame noted when she nose to nose with the gut-shocked lovely. “You’re good enough to share this ring with me, Macy. You’re just not good enough to beat me.”
Credit the will of Macy Renquist, she crooked her fingers into talons and reached for the brunette’s hair, it was just far too little, far too late. Seizing the blonde’s left wrist in both hands, Lily spun her foe’s left arm in a wide circle, then snuggled into place on Renquist’s left side and reached across the rookie’s back with her right hand to hook her right arm. After that she bent down and leaned forward, muscling Macy up across her back in something like a Torture Rack. Moving her left hand to a hold on the blonde’s ankles, Burlingame folded one over the other in a squatty ‘X’ and craaaaaaaaaaaaanked forward on them and the captured arm. Trap set, the Girl that Gravity Forgot bore down on both ends and began to whip ‘round and round in an Airplane Spin twirl that transformed Macy’s world to a dizzying swirl while simultaneously bending her into a horrid ’C’ shape. Burlingame ground to a halt after ten seconds so she could rock up n’ down, another concentrated effort to make Renquist’s toes touch the back of her skull.
CELESTIAL DAWN:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz7XaVmJRfs
“What do you say, Macy?” Syd’s voice was almost breathless with concern for the newcomer. “Can you continue?”
Renquist nodded as best she could. “Yuuuuuhhhh….yes! Let us fight. This bitch is going to know I’m the best in the WHOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHH!”
Lily set off on a second whirlwind, this one almost twenty seconds long! Quite woozy at the end, Burlingame still had the presence of mind to lean forward and drop into a deep squat that made Macy more ‘U’ than ‘C’. “I GIVE!” Renquist wailed after ten of the longest seconds either wrestler ever endured. “I GIVE! YOU WIN, LILY! PLEASE LET GO!”
Down to the very dregs of her own reserves, Lily managed one final spine-wrenching tug before exhaustion broke her hooks and she collapsed to all fours while Macy hit the mat with a soft, sweaty thud. With no bell to ring, Sydney sank to one knee between the warriors and laid a hand on each. “You ok, Lily? I can get the doc here in fifteen minutes.”
Burlingame didn’t answer immediately, she simply sucked wind and tried to settle the shudder in her shoulders. Eventually, she shook her head ‘no’. “I’m ok, Syd. Check on her.”
Syd turned, slid forward and leaned down so her head was close to Renquist’s. “How are you, Macy? Should I call for the doctor?”
The weary blonde moaned, braced a hand against the mat and slowly raised herself to a seat. Macy swiped a forearm across her brow, then swiped her index fingers under each eye to brush off the faint shine of tears. “No thank you, Sydney. A shower and several bottles of aspirin should be enough.”
The Mangler nodded, but laid a hand on Renquist’s shoulder. “You sure, girl? There’s no shame in getting looked over after a going through a war.”
Macy closed her eyes, nodded again. “I’m sure. Thank you for calling this match. It means a lot to me.”
“It was my honor, Macy. Here, give me your hand.” Renquist did, was careful to stifle a low groan when Sydney helped her stand. With Macy set to rights, Syd crouched, offered her hand to Lily and helped her to verticality. Positioned between the two exhausted lightweights, Deschain took a wrist in each hand and raised them overhead to a round of surprisingly raucous applause.
“If you two had done this in the arena you would’ve blown the roof off.” Syd noted once she’d lowered her charges hands. “And as good as you are, no one steals a show by themselves. Get my meaning?”
Burlingame and Renquist eyed each other warily. As tired as they were, there was still a noticeable tremor of tension when their gazes locked. The women were silent for so long that Syd thought they were going to stalk off without a word, but before she could chide them, Lily asked, “Did you like tapping out to me, Macy?”
“About as much as you liked me slapping your mouth, Lily.” the blonde replied.
“You wanna do something about it?”
“I’d do something about it right now if I didn’t think you’d run away.”
The Crimson Comet stepped forward and the Slappin’ Sensation did the same, their noses separated by less than an inch. “You can’t intimidate me, Lily.” Renquist murmured. “You can stretch me, you can splash me, you can submit me, but you can’t SCARE me. So either step off or start swinging, sweetie.”
Burlingame ALMOST drove a Headbutt between the blonde’s eyes. Instead she raised a hand and presented it to Renquist. “I’ve already done all of those things, Macy. And I’ll do them again if you don’t shake my hand.”
Macy took it with a squeeze that was perhaps only a bit harder than necessary. “I haven’t been at this for as long as you.” the blonde admitted to her brunette rival. “But I already know it’s what I want to do with my life. And if wrestling is going to be my life’s work, it means I have to be the best. Which means I have to beat you.”
“Wrestling is already my life’s work, Macy. Which means I have to beat the best in the world night in and night out to prove it. If you think that’s you…. I guess I’ll see you around the office.”
Burlingame drew away, then sucked in a surprised breath when the blonde reeled her in not for more sass, but a one-armed hug. “Sorry for working your trunks, that was cheap.” she spoke in Burlingame’s ear. “I’m not sorry about the slaps though.”
“Good. Because I’m not sorry about working you over.” The heiress cleared off, swatted the newcomer’s shiny flank. “Great match, Macy Renquist. Can’t wait for the next one.” Thusly satisfied with her efforts for the evening, Lily gave Syd a nod and slipped through the ropes. “Sign her already, would ya?” she said to Anciline as she padded by De Cyr and the other guests on her way to the locker room.
Careful to stay in the ring until Burlingame was out of sight, Macy gave a final thanks to Sydney, then eased out of the ring and limped over to Amanda Jane. “Sorry I let you down.” she sighed following another hug. “I really thought I could beat her.”
“You can beat her, Macy. Everyone here tonight saw that. Just because you didn’t doesn’t mean you can’t.” the Astonishing One told her star student. “And you will. You just need a little more training… perhaps a manager.”
“That an offer?”
“Paperwork’s already in, kiddo. Go on, hit the showers. Dinner’s on me tonight. We can discuss how to keep her from escaping your mount again.”
“Can I get a milkshake?”
“You almost slapped out one of the most dominant Lightweights of the new millennium, kid. Yeah, you’ve earned a milkshake.”
“Thanks, coach. She does slap good, doesn’t she?”
“Each one was like music. Go on, get cleaned up.”
“I’ll beat her next time, ‘Manda.”
“I know you will, Macy. Something tells me you’ll beat a lot of other girls, too.”