Friction in MSG: Rebecca Tomko Vs. River Styx

Styx dropped down and staggered back, falling against, shaking her fist as she leaned up against them - she'd messed the punch up a little and wound hurting herself with the punch, since she was too pressed for time to properly grasp the knuckles. Still, it had hurt Rebecca far, far more than it had hurt her, and that put a smile on her face. A nice, long, wicked smile.

At this point, she could've just kept on wailing Rebecca with the knuckles until she came to a full and complete stop. Certainly would've been a satisfactory way to end things. But as she leaned against the ropes and spotted gold out of the corner of her eye, she got a much better, more poetic idea.

Styx reached over and grabbed the belt off the turnbuckle, yanking it free with a quick tug. She bounced off the ropes for some added momentum, ran at full steam towards Rebecca, then leaped up at the last moment to smash her across the face with the very thing that had started this fight in the first place. If she wanted the belt so bad, she was going to get it, with a concussion as a bonus.

Rebecca was in agony, frustrated and generally pissed off with how this match was turning out. This was supposed to be simple! Get hands on River, smash River into things repeat ad neasuem i.e. after the 20th swing into the guard rail... maybe the 25th, depending on levels of trash talk and how satisfying it was after the 10th time. But every time the amazon felt like she was making progress against River, she kept getting cut off every time.

Holding her arm as though it was in a sling, the giantess turned back around to face River again, only to see the bald brawler charging forward and swinging something very familiar looking. "Oh you fucking bi-" was as far as she got before the metal collided with her skull, knocking her down to the ground in one shot.

Rebecca wanted the belt, so Styx gave her the belt. In the face. At ramming speed.

The belt connected flush on Rebecca's face, and it almost seemed like the entire crowd recoiled at once. A hush came over them all for a golden moment, and then the boos erupted. There was no slow rise like usual, where the boos just get progressively louder. One moment they were all quiet, the next, they were all booing, enraged that Styx had the audacity to use weapons in a street fight.

It was such a beautiful moment that Styx wished she could just bask in the glory. But after waging war against Rebecca and watching her come back from the brink of defeat several times, she knew better. Styx dropped down, rolled Rebecca over and laid flat on her chest, going for the pinfall.

The referee dropped down beside them, looking like she'd never been more relieved to count a pinfall in her entire life.

"1...!"

The crowd jeered their heart out, hoping that once again the amazon was going to rise up from the grave and sit straight back up. This time however, it was not to be. Rebecca had soaked up enough punishment in one match that another wrestler wouldn't go through in a year. She wanted to get back up, to wipe the smile off River's face, but her body just wouldn't respond.

"2...!"

"3! Ring the bell!"

Styx stood up after the bell rang - in fact, she stood up way, way too fast. Her body was starting to come down from the high she'd been on, and all the damage seemed to crash down on her all at once. She wound up staggering back all the way to the turnbuckle, clutching the belt tight against her chest while she sagged. Breathing heavy. Eyes wide open. More pains than she could count.

But she felt good. Oh, she felt so good.

She'd won. Rebecca was tough. She was the toughest fucking opponent Styx had ever taken on in her entire life. She absorbed punishment like crazy and she was able to dish it out in equal measure. She was a living juggernaut in the AFW, feared by everyone, even the 'great' Akashi.

But Styx beat her. She'd won. In some way, it was even better than getting the hardcore belt, because, no matter how long she wrestled and fought, no one could ever take this moment away from her.

After taking a moment to flip the audience off, she walked over to Rebecca's fallen form and looked down on her, while she held the belt just outside of her massive reach. "Do me a favor, huh? Call your little bitch in Tokyo and tell her that if she wants this, she has to come and get it herself. I'll be waiting." She took a couple of steps back "After you wake up."

Styx took a running start, brought her boot up, and gave Rebecca a hard stomp in the head, looking to knock her right out.

Rebecca was barely conscious on the mat, still remaining flat as River pulled away for a celebration "...give..." she groaned weakly, trying to reach out to grab at the Bald Brawler but only managing to grab at air before River's boot put her out for good. Completely at River's mercy as she laid out cold on the canvas.

Styx was a woman of many, many vices, but she never had any taste for beating up unconscious women. It wasn't because of any moral stance, she just didn't see much point in doing damage when her victim couldn't be aware of it. Took away all the fun. Besides, she was completely satisfied at the moment with all the boos she was getting. Taylor was probably going to beat the shit out of Kelly and Akashi would wipe the floor with the stick figure she was up against, but Styx was glad that she'd kept the crowd from getting everything they wanted tonight.

Styx turned around and took a bow - or started to, before the aches in her back made her think better of it. She gritted her teeth at the pain, then dropped down and rolled her way out of the ring, rubbing her back the whole way. The king sized bed they'd set up at her hotel was looking so sweet...