Next in Line

Julia Rogers' entrance music began to play over the speakers in the arena, and soon the American luchadora came bursting through the apron and onto the stage, greeted by a round of boisterous cheers from the crowd. Smiling brightly, she started making her way down the ramp, high fiving as many fans as she possibly could along the way. And once she got to the ring, she slid under the bottom rope and quickly popped up before running to the corner and jumping up onto the middle ropes, pointing straight up to the ceiling as she struck a brief pose.

Finally she stepped down and moved to the edge of the ring, waving someone by the announcers’ table over to give her a microphone as her music died down. Once it was in her hands, she gave it a couple taps to make sure it was working. Nothing worse than trying to talk into a dead mic on live television.

“HOW’S IT GOIN’, TOKYO?!” she shouted out, earning another round of cheers and applause from the fans in attendance. “Yeah! That’s what I like to hear!” she waited for the noise to die down a bit before continuing. “Now, Summer Splash is right around the corner. And I know each and ever one of ya can’t wait to see that!” she said, eliciting another brief wave of cheers, which she waited to die down. “I’ve got some good news, and some bad news. The bad news, Cassie Elliot won’t be able to compete in her match at Summer Splash. But the good news is, you will still see a match for the Entropy Championship!”

That earned a round of applause in approval. “That’s right. There's a new challenger from the Higurashi Dojo...... And you’re lookin’ right at her!” The almost unanimous reaction showed clear surprise from the audience, thought they soon started cheering on the blonde once again as she turned to face the entrance stage and pointed toward it. “Ya hear that, Gwen? I’m comin’ for you and that title! And I’m gonna show you what this cowgirl’s all about. ‘Cause at Summer Splash it’s you and me, one on one, in a Lucha Libre match for the Entropy Championship!”

Once again the crowd erupted in thunderous chorus of cheers. Many likely knew little, if anything about what a Lucha Libra match entailed. But it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out it was a match that specifically fit Julia’s style. That was likely to give her an advantage at Summer Splash, and that was all they needed to feel good about it. And frankly, Julia couldn’t have agreed more.

No sooner did the audiences raucous approval start to wane down from their high pitched fervor did the familiar and grandiose trumpeting of Gwen's reviled theme blast through the speakers, the formerly jubilant crowd raining down boos and jeers as if flipping a dial to illicit the exact opposite reaction that Julia was welcomed with. Soon afterward two rows of trainers clad in blue and white jumpsuits filed down through the curtains with the illustrious heiress herself traipsing along between them dressed in her cobalt blue dress suit ensemble. The much contested Entropy championship was draped over her shoulder as it were a beauty pageant sash, customized to Gwen's liking to have the jewel encrusted Primol logo emblazoned in the center over an image of the globe...

Gwendolyn and her entourage remained on the top of the ramp for several seconds before following their employer's lead down the ramp, a refined and practiced cadence to her gradual stride down the ramp. The crowd's fervent heckling appeared to have no effect on the heiress, a pompous smirk on her face as if she wasn't even aware of the boos echoing throughout the stadium with her hazel-eyed gaze fixated on the ring and the individual inside.

"Ah...the best-laid plans of mice and men oft go astray~..." Raising a mic to her lips as she made her way down the ramp, Gwen began speaking her mind with as chipper a tone the people had ever heard from her. "Now one would think that being presented with such a disrupt and distressing announcement that I would be somewhat..." Gwen would tilt her golden curled head to the side and squint briefly as if she were struggling to come up with the right word. "...vexed. When I assure, you that is not the case. I am, in actuality, perfectly content with how events have unfolded. I only wish that Cassie Elliot's cowardly actions this day be forever seared into everyone's memories...how she abandoned her responsibilities as a competitor and demonstrated her complete lack of respect for this cherished title and for you...the fans~..." Gwen would wave her arm in front of the audience in an exaggerated sweeping motion, smiling blissfully and by now having entered the ring as the people in question groaned and booed loudly in response, sick to their stomach by Gwen's gloating. "And now we have you...who...ever you are." Gwen would spin in place to address her latest competitor from previously facing the fans.

"A glorified substitute from a dojo that has quite frankly, become a rudderless vessel. A doomed aircraft cast aflame by it's own ineptitude now slooooooowly spiraling out of the sky in as gloriously catastrophic a fashion as anyone could have predicted. Unable to even thwart the machinations of Kelly Conway, of all people, and her ragtag cadre of simple-minded brutes, suffering defeat after tragic defeat. So strapped for resources and talent in their waning hours that they assign their lowest subordinate as a placeholder for a level of competition she is vastly ill-prepared for~..." Gwen's imposing glare never eased from Julia throughout her callous diatribe towards the plights of the dojo, a devious sneer over her face once she felt her point was made. "So...have I covered all the essentials, cowgirl,...or am I just...whistling Dixie?"

Julia grinned when Gwen’s music began to play, and watched as the Entropy Champion walked down the aisle toward the ring, greeted by a chorus of boos from the audience. Still holding on to her microphone, Julia rested her hands on her hips and listened to what the girl had to say. But what was originally an expression of amusement on Julia’s features quickly transformed to one that reflected her disapproval of Gwen’s comments about Cassie. She may not’ve booed mercilessly like the crowd did, but it wasn’t hard to see she felt the exact same way about the champion that they did.

When Gwen finally turned to acknowledge Julia with her imposing glare, the cowgirl neither budged nor flinched, simply standing her ground and glaring right back into the girl’s eyes. And once she finished, the luchadora started to raise her mic back to her lips, only to stop as the crowed started to chant Julia’s name. She patiently waited a moment, letting them make it perfectly clear which of the two wrestlers in the ring they favored, before addressing Gwen’s words.

“Lets get a few things straight. First of all, Kelly Conway isn't and never will be HALF the wrestler Taylor Parker is, and she’s only holding the world title now because of that stupid contract. Without that, she never would’ve stood a chance. Kelly Conway is a disgrace to her title, and you’re every bit as pathetic as she is.” She paused for a moment while the crowd cheered their approval and agreement.

“Funny how ya talk down on the dojo so much, considering it took help from the a ref of all people to help ya retain that title against one of us! Alaina Sanders had you beat. Soundly. Just like Kelly you resort to bullshit tactics because you know you don’t have what it takes to outwrestle anyone actually worthy of holding that belt!” To punctuate her point, she jabbed a finger out at the Entropy Championship. “You say the dojo’s suffered defeat after defeat, yet here I stand UNdefeated, and I’ve never once had to bend the rules to claim a victory. I win simply because I’ve worked my entire life to be a damn good wrestler, and you’re gonna find out all about that the hard way at Summer Splash when I take the Entropy Title!”

Once again she paused while the crowd erupted into cheers for the luchadora, and her defiant words tot he champion. “Oh, and one more thing.” Her grip on the mic tightened, and she moved to stand toe to to with Gwen as she glared a hold through the girl’s skull. “You can say whatever ya want about me. I don’t give a damn. But insult Cassie Elliot or anyone else affiliated with the Higurashi dojo one more time, and we won’t have to wait ‘til Summer Splash. I’ll give ya plenty of reason to feel ‘vexed’ right here and now.”

Throughout Julia's impassioned retort Gwendolyn remained seemingly unfazed by the wild accusations of reprehensible actions during her matches, her arms crossed behind her with as innocent an expression the dainty heiress could muster. The pointed jab at her chest gave cause for her entourage at ring side to flinch and step forward upon reaction to the gesture and subsequent threat for the pair to throw down right then and there, but sly waves of her hand behind her was their signal to stay put and that Gwendolyn was perfectly capable of handling herself. Following the events of the last time Gwendolyn was called out to ring side, her employees were on heightened-alert with some even wearing gas masks...

By now the arena was electric with enthusiasm at the thought of the pair duking it out and giving the audience a brief sneak peek of what they could look forward to with the upcoming Entropy match, Gwendolyn patiently waiting for the cheers to peter away before raising the mic back to her lips. Still toe to toe and chest to chest with the cowgirl and meeting her imposing glare with half-lidded eyes and a smug smirk that seemed incapable of being wiped off her face.

"...It eats away at you, doesn't it? How undeniably cruel and unfair the world can be? How it's individuals like myself and Kelly Conway who consistently emerge triumphant over individuals like yourself, who purport to be more deserving of the accolades and cherished trophies of this profession? How those you judgmentally deem inferior attain the unattainable while lowly workhorses who strive and struggle tirelessly can only watch as people like us obtain your dreams and make...it...look...easy?" The maliciousness behind Gwendolyn's somewhat sultry tone was dripping with condescension and pomposity, almost as if she were whispering the words at this point. "Well, allow me to illuminate this paradox. It's quite rudimentary, actually, though I beleive the answer will come as little solace. We implement the one part of our body that trumps all your muscle-bound advantages, each and every time~..." Gwen would slowly step back a few steps and tap the side of her head three times while backpedaling...

"But YES!!!...I agree wholeheartedly, let's keep this matter betwixt ourselves, shall we~..." Gwen expression would instantly light up into a jovial smile as she moved on to the matters at hand, as if casting aside her ominous remarks as effortlessly as she had said them. "You claim to be undefeated in this league...how synchronous. Since last year's SummerSplash I myself am on somewhat of a winning streak as well...*giggle*...it appears no matter the outcome one of us will no longer be able to make such a claim once our match is concluded. So...enlighten us all as to what this "Lucha Libre" match entails. I'm simply dying to know..." The pompous aristocrat would lean back against the ropes and fold her arms, smiling cheerfully as she awaited the dirty details.

Julia almost hoped Gwen did decide to take one more shot at the dojo. Almost. It would at least give her an excuse to smack that infinitely irritating smirk right off the entropy champion’s face. And the desire to do so anyway was getting stronger with each word that left the girl’s lips. How could someone be so despicable, yet be so proud about it? She’d been wrestling for over half a decade now and seen dozens and dozens of people like Gwen and Kelly, and it never made a bit of sense to Julia.

“Gwen, the only thing you deserve is a boot right up your pompous ass. And I’m the perfect girl to get that job done.” Julia retorted as the champ backed away, clearly to the delight of the crowd based on the immediate reaction. But then Gwen asked the question that had been at the back of everyone’s minds the moment Julia announced the match for Summer Splash, and a little grin tugged at the cowgirl’s lips.

“Y’know, I’m glad ya asked. It’s pretty simple, really.” she said before beginning her explanation. “It’s a lot like a normal two out of three falls match, with a few differences. Most importantly, there’s no warnings for breakin’ the rules. Any remote sign of outside interference, any time you don’t release a hold after a rope break or try any other sneaky bullshit, it’s gonna be an immediate disqualification.”

That got the audience roaring once again. Against someone as well-known for foul play as Gwen was, it was now perfectly clear why Julia was feeling so confident about this match. “That’s right! If you wanna win at Summer Splash, you’re gonna have to do it the old fashioned way, which we both know you can’t do! Without your bag of cheap tricks, and without your little gang here, you’re nothin.” she said, gesturing a hand over to the entourage that had accompanied Gwen to the ring-- wait, were those guys wearing gas masks? Something was definitely off about that, though she kept her focus on Gwen for the moment.

The luchadora then pointed a finger toward the entropy champion. “I’m gonna expose you for the phony champion you are. And FINALLY, the Entropy Championship will be in the hands of someone who can hold it with both pride and honor.”

Gwendolyn peered away from Julia and nonchalantly adjusted her white satin gloves at the wrist throughout Julia's brief tutorial detailing the myriad of safeguards against any illegal maneuvers and consequences towards the heiress if she were caught perpetrating any such actions. It still to this day never ceases to amaze her how there are those who continue to speak to her in so boorish and condescending a manner after having silenced so many detractors up until now.

"...Hmm...please, excuse me, dear Julia...But there's something...Yes, yes I'm afraid this entire scenario seems ever so familiar to me..." Gwen would place her thumb and the side of her index finger beneath her chin with a contemplative frown on her face as if she were in deep thought, slowly pacing left and right while she explained her sudden case of deja vu.

"Why yes, that's right...You portray yourself as some righteous champion of justice intent towards avenging your fallen comrades...and then you accuse me of devious acts of deception during my matches...proclaim that I am unworthy of being Entropy Champion...and for the coup de grâce challenge me to some ludicrous match with absurd stipulations specifically geared towards placing me in as disadvantageous a position imaginable..." At this point Gwen would cease her continuous pacing and spin in place to face Julia.

"You see...I've traveled down this road far too many times for this entire formula not to eventually grow stale...and I've been forced to endure the same repetitious braggadocio from numerous challengers. Point of fact, this will be my FIFTH time..." Gwen would raise her hand and extend her fingers outward to emphasize her point. "...answering to the likes of you, petulant defamers whom have all come up so heart-breakingly short, stepping up...only to get stepped on. Don't follow your predecessors error in judgment by mistaking my poised veneer as weakness. The rabble in this league have tested my mettle time and time again. And do you know what was the result?..." Gwen would step forward and stare daggers into Julia's aqua blue eyes, once again rubbing chests with the cowgirl luchador as her next words held a much more menacing inflection.

"I've passed every...single...time. Ruminate on that little tidbit of knowledge before you selfishly predict my demise. My condolences dear Juli, on being the second poor soul to have to stand up for that pathetic wretch Cassie Elliot. Here's hoping you won't end up being half the utter disappointment she turned out to be~..." After her blatant insults towards the absent Cassie in direct contradiction of Julia's earlier warning, Gwen would twirl in place with a pompous grin and proceed to exit the ring. Members of her entourage would step up to the apron to widen the gap in the ropes for their beloved heiress, but also keeping an eye on Julia to watch her movements, insinuating that if she assaulted the heiress the fight would quickly devolve to an 8 on1 scenario.

Julia rolled her eyes at Gwen’s over exaggerated, less than convincing display as she tried “oh so hard” to think about what seemed so familiar about the situation. And once the champ started to explain her little revelation, Julia crossed her arms and listened. When Gwen ran through all the different accusations the luchadora had made, she simply nodded along.

She cocked an eyebrow at Gwen when the champion mentioned, emphatically, that this was the fifth time she’d had to answer such accusations. It almost sounded like she was proud of it. And Julia couldn’t help but wonder if Gwen realized that only made the accusations seem all the more valid. And as the champ stepped up to the unflinching American once again and the two stared right into each other’s eyes, she also wondered how Gwen could be so proud of so many “passed tests” that would forever be marked with an asterisk by all who had seen them.

Oh, there were plenty of things that ran through Julia’s head she would’ve liked to say in response to her future opponent. But all those thoughts, and the grin the luchadora had been wearing were completely done away with as Gwen blatantly insulted Cassy, AGAIN, before walking straight over to the ropes as if she was just going to leave! Had she not heard what Julia said would happen if she pulled something like that again? Or maybe she’d heard, but didn’t think Julia had the spunk to make good on her threat because of all the bodyguards keeping an eye on her. But Gwndolyn was about to learn something about Julia Rogers: Mama didn’t raise no liars.

Before Gwen had taken more than a few steps, Julia tossed her mic aside and quickly went to grab the Entropy Champion by the shoulder to turn her around, before firing off a barrage of punches aimed at the heiress’ jaw! She didn’t doubt the entourage awaiting Gwen would be none too pleased, though right now Julia didn’t give a damn. If a small army was about to coming swarming in at her, so be it. But if Gwen thought she was going to just get off free after what she said, she had another thing coming!

Gwendolyn turned her back to the self-righteous cowgirl and to their entire conversation in general once she felt her point was made and the gravity of Julia's predicament had finally sunk into her thick skull. From her extensive experiences clashing with others over heated words in these verbal altercations, Gwendolyn had no reason to suspect that this simple-minded cowgirl would dare to follow through on her false warning and attempt something so detrimental to her health as to...

"Eh?!...Oooph!!" Spun in place with a curious expression on her face, Julia's initial right hook would connect square with the heiress's unguarded jawline, the stunning blow whipping her golden-curled head to the side with both her mic and the Entropy title belt falling to the mat on reflex!! The satisfying sight of the heiress reeling back from getting walloped in her supremely smug face immediately brought the audience to their feet with raucous cheers urging the cowgirl on!! The second strike would clock the poor heiress right in her cheek a split-second before she could raise an arm to defend herself, sending her stumbling back against the ropes and leaning against them for support!! Though no sooner did that second punch find it's target than a wave of blue and white uniforms would swarm the ring and wash over the irate cowgirl!!

The entourage was just as stunned as everyone else in the audience by Julia's blatantly reprehensible actions, tackling her to the canvas before unleashing a vicious volley of stomps and punts to the midsection of the quickly overwhelmed cowgirl, eager to defend their benevolent employer from so heinous an assault. The relentless barrage of kicks reverberated throughout the ring, shaking the canvas with vibrations coursing throughout the ropes, the formerly jubilant crowd now thoroughly deflated once the numbers game caught up with Julia. Two of the Primol employees would assist Gwendolyn back to her feet by carefully raising her up by her arms, though once she was vertical again the heiress shook them both off.

A wipe of her thumb across her bottom lip revealed what she could assume from the metallic taste in her mouth, a dab of blood from her busted lip...

"...Hang her up...over there..." Gwen's cryptically commanded with a seething tone to her cadre as she pointed to a nearby ring post. Once Julia was summarily subdued and rendered helpless, the Primol employees would lift and drag the battered cowgirl off the canvas towards the ringpost. With her back to the corner turnbuckle, they would hook each of Julia's legs behind the middle ropes while the irate crowd booed the continued abuse with looks of sympathy towards the cowgirls hopeless plight...

The only thing more explosive than the punches Julia managed to blast Gwen right in her smug face with was the reaction of the crowd as they watched. And man, did it feel great as her fist crashed into the heiress’ jaw. The viewing audience had waited far too long to see someone do something like this to Gwen. And as always, Julia was ready to give the people exactly what they wanted.

However, the delightful moment was going to end just as quickly as it had begun. Right after Julia’s second punch sent Gwen reeling back into the ropes, a mass of blue and white took over her vision as the entourage moved in to defend the champion. Immediately tackled down by the first one that made it to her, Julia tried to punch and kick at the swarm of people assaulting her, but it only took a few seconds for the numbers game to overwhelm her completely.

Pained cried rang out from the luchadora’s lips as one stomp and kick after another blasted into her, and she could do nothing more than put her arms over her head in an attempt to defend it as best she could. Though by the time they finally stopped, the damage had been done. Julia was battered and winded as she laid there on the mat, completely still aside from her heavy breathing as her body fought to try to regain the air it had lost. And unfortunately for her, Gwen had no intention of letting it end there.

She heard the heiress’ words, though she wasn’t able to offer a single ounce of resistance as she was hoisted up and dragged over to the corner. The crowd booed relentlessly as the cowgirl’s legs were hooked behind the middle ropes on either side of her, as if putting her on a humiliating display for all to see. But unfortunately, defending the honor of the dojo had come with a heavy price, and there wasn’t a damn thing Julia could do about it right now.

While the majority of her dutiful assistants followed their benevolent employer's command, the few that had stayed behind restlessly attended to Gwendolyn's needs by treating her bruised lip, adjusting her dress, and buffering away any scuff marks on the cherished Entropy title belt. The blatant disparity between their treatment exemplified the jarring differences in social class and upbringing between the two, as well as served fitting imagery to prove Julia's point perfectly about the unfair advantages Gwendolyn takes into every match.

The heiress herself stood perfectly poised throughout the priming procedure. Shutting her eyes and exhaling slowly to regain her composure, the initial shock of actually having been struck in the first place by this trumped up cattle woman unnerved her more than anything else. The mere idea that Julia would be foolish enough to put her hands on her was as unfathomable a scenario she could imagine. As if Cassie's daring assault shattered the invisible boundary that prevented others from even entertaining the notion. Whatever the reason for this bold insolence...an example needed to be made...

Once Julia was thoroughly beaten into submission and hung out to dry like a sagging piece of wet laundry, Gwendolyn gradually approached the formerly boisterous cowgirl in her pathetic state with an elegant stride to her step. Her towering stature cast a shadow over Julia before the smug heiress cupped the cowgirl's chin in her hand and gently tilted her head upwards so the future combatants could speak face to face once more and inches away.

"Well, it seems my hopes were dashed in record timing. You are every bit the loathsome invertebrate Cassandra is. Speak ill of my tactics all you want, I at least have the dignity to solve my disputes with words outside of a match. However, perhaps the truth about your good friend and that crumbling dojo was too much to bear~..." Gwen softly whispered with a creeping sneer over her face. "It boggles my mind why so many of you feign this fraudulent sisterhood for eachother, especially towards one who willingly allows others to fall on the sword for her, constantly. Be that as it may, whatever transpires from this point onward into SummerSplash, is entirely your own fault..."

With those last ominous words, the heiress would clasp a handful of Julia's blonde locks at the scalp and yank her head back over the top turnbuckle. Once in that position, Gwendolyn would climb over the cornered cowgirl and seat her curvy rear atop Julia's masked face for her utterly demeaning facesit finisher, Sa Majeste~... Gwendolyn's arms would cling to the top ropes to ride out any struggling or thrashing on the cowgirl's part, intently swaying her hips side to side to keep her face buried beneath her supple rump and further humiliate the once proud challenger until she became docile once more. A stead fast employee would hand Gwendolyn her customized title belt which she raised proudly in the air as she arched back with a sultry smile and wave to the enraged audience, complimenting the dominant imagery being captured throughout numerous flashing cameras.