Entropy Title Match: Etzlicoatl vs Alaina Sanders

Entropy title on the line
Showdown of Worthy Contenders Within the Confines of the Sacred Ring of Combat Match
...which is really just a standard match.  One fall.

It was time at last.  After Alaina's triumphant acquisition of the Entropy championship at Avalanche, her first challenge had arrived, and the belt would be on the line as she defended for the first time.  Or at least that was the logical assumption to make, judging from how a pair of fan turbines out in front of the stage were spraying enough glitter into the arena to drown most of Tokyo.  Jade green, blood red, and obsidian black, which meant...

...yup, here came Etzlicoatl.

Laser-projected images of feathered serpents covered the arena on top of the usual pyro blasts as the Sanguine Serpent was paraded down to the ring in a litter, just like at Avalanche - only this time, the spectacle was even more pronounced.  Lasers, glitter cannons, explosions, and a giant ceremonial headdress to go with it.  Apparently AFW management had finally given in and let her go whole-hog with this kind of thing, in the interest of putting more eyes on the title match.  When the litter reached the ring, she vaulted gracefully over the top rope, turned a full front roll, and popped up into a pose, somehow managing to keep her headdress on in the process.  As her arms reached to the sky, the overhead lights erupted in a blinding gleam, an imitation of the sun itself.

Despite her ironclad adherence to the character, the girl underneath it was having a difficult time keeping herself from grinning.  This was it.  She'd made it - the big time, at last.

The crowd, per usual, was not really sure what to make of any of this.  On the one hand, it was undeniably spectacular; on the other hand, it was Etzlicoatl.  So it was that she got her usual mixed reaction, albeit combined with a minority of the fans that had simply been stunned into silence.  There was one thing they could universally agree on, though, and that was the mic in her hand being a harbinger of terrible things to come.

They were about to be pleasantly surprised.  Part of the agreement had stated her opening promo could be no longer than five words, and so, as Etzli extended a hand, she limited herself to a single bellowed sentence:

"BRING FORTH THE SACRIFICE!"

This drew an amused reaction, but when she cast the microphone aside, it became a full-on cheer.  At last - babyface heat, if only for a few seconds.

This was it, only a short time after Avalanche and Alaina was defending her title against her first challenger. The circumstances around this were strange to say the least: Lukretia set it up instead of the champion choosing the challenger. Also, the match was standard instead of something more intense or outlandish.

Alaina's eccentric opponent more than made up for the standard match by being totally outlandish herself. Alaina went for a more classic look, wearing a leopard print one piece swimsuit, with matching boots and kneepads. She left the locker room with her belt over her shoulder, grinning as she stepped back out into an arena for the first time as a defending champion!

"From San Diego California, standing at 5'8'' and weighing in at 157 pounds.... your Entropy Champion....'Amazon' Alaina Sanders!" The announcer called out as Alaina's music hit the speakers! Alaina jumped out and began skipping down the ramp, high giving fans on each side as she held her arms high, smiling all the way. At the base of the ramp she paused to quickly flex her arms, showing off her size and strength for the crowd! Alaina climbed up into the ring, holding her arms high as she lift the belt over her head so the crowd could get a good look at her with the gold belt. With each move the crowd reacted more loudly, cheering on the fan favorite whose popularity was growing even more since her title victory.

Alaina handed her belt to the referee who gave it to the timekeeper to hang onto at ringside. Alaina smiled and stood in the center of the ring, staring at her opponent. "I have no idea who you think you are, or what you think you got yourself into. I am going to come at your harder than anyone you have ever faced in your career." Alaina said confidently to the Friction newcomer and surprise title contender. As the bell rang, Alaina moved in, ready to try to lock up with Etzlicoatl!

The champ was vigilant, and avoided any clever ambushes that had been laid for her on the way to the ring; unfortunately, Etzlicoatl was thinking more than one step ahead today.  As Alaina moved in to lock up, there was some confusion in the crowd.  The Sanguine Serpent hadn't even removed that giant headdress yet, and it'd be impossible to wrestle in...

...but their puzzlement quickly turned to shouts of alarm as a second Etzlicoatl - the real Etzlicoatl, judging from her lack of face paint and headdress - rolled out from under the ring and hopped up to Alaina's corner.  As the Amazon approached the impostor Etzlicoatl, the real deal threw herself from the top rope with a shout of "BEHOLD" and launched straight for Alaina's back with a wild, twisting corkscrew plancha.

No wonder 'Etzli' had barely said anything before the match.  Anything more and her impostor status would have been exposed.

This is trickery that Gwendolyn DuPont Bettencourt would have been proud of! Alaina was about to close the gap with the strange Etzhi when she felt a huge impact absolutely pound her in the back! "Arrrgh!" Alaina cried out as she planted down onto the mat, laying on her chest. She let out a moan of pain as she rolled onto her side, looking up at her true opponent!

Alaina grabbed at her back, which was still throbbing and in pain from the surprise corkscrew. If this is how things started she would need to do a better job of staying on her toes. There was no telling what the hell this woman would do! As much as she wanted to get back up to her feet, Alaina was still down on the mat from the pain and shock of the unexpected, unseen corkscrew from the top to kick things off!

This is now at all how the champion amazon imagined her first title defense starting.

"Ahahaha!"  Oh yeah.  That was definitely the real Etzlicoatl that'd attacked Alaina, judging from the familiar cackle.  The Sanguine Serpent twirled in place, arms spread, and struck an elaborate pose.  "At last, you witness the folly of bearing arms against the Hierophant of the Sun.  Little did you realize, in your grave hubris, that my power of illusions far outstrips your own!"

There might have been a moment for the world to reflect somberly on the hypocrisy of Etzlicoatl accusing anyone, ever, of 'grave hubris', but the imitation Etzli stepped up and rolled her eyes (an action which was visible even under her colorful face paint).  "Yeah, great.  The trick worked, can I--"

"The illusion, Mariana!" Etzli cried, dragging her clenched fists down from the sky as if milking an enormous invisible cow.  "A trick is what a whore does for money.  Address my efforts with the gravity they deserve."

"The illusion, fine.  So do I get my money now, or...?"

The luchadora glared.  "You will receive your reward when I have secured my title, and not a second before.  Now begone from here - begone, pale specter, and leave me to the dismantling of the champion falsely so-called!  For I am untethered and my power knows no bounds!"

"Oh, you are the worst," muttered the 'other Etzli', but nonetheless, she rolled under the bottom rope and sulked all the way to the back.

This left the real deal with the dazed Alaina, who was just starting to work her way back up to her feet when Etzlicoatl seized her around the neck, trying to get her bicep under the champion's chin for a sleeper hold.  She pulled back sharply in an effort to get Alaina up to her feet, clearly planning something more than just applying a standard rest-hold.  Having gained a sizable early advantage through her cowardly sneak attack, it was obvious that she intended to hold onto it by any means necessary.

"Ngh!" Alaina was in the process of getting back up when she felt Etzli grab her from behind by getting her in a choke hold! Alainadid what she could to get her feet underneath her and rise to her feet. Etzli was just about the same height, but was built like a twig next to the fit, strong amazon. This woman's act, her tactics, and her gifted title shot angered Alaina. Who did she think she was? She didn't earn anything close to a title shot here in Friction yet, but Lukretia muscled in and just gave it to her.

Alaina began to swing her elbows back into her opponents ribcage as fast and hard as she could to free herself! "All right you sneaky little bitch... how does this feel!?" Alaina shouted as she did her best to escape the hold before something worse could happen!

Etzlicoatl was, of course, working towards hitting the Arrow From The Sun; despite her considerable arrogance and off-kilter showmanship, she was anything but stupid and knew she'd have to put Alaina down as quickly as possible. This was the reasoning behind all the showmanship and elaborate smoke and mirrors. Each trick had disguised a means of gaining and keeping an advantage. Evidently, her wrestling abilities had joined her sense of self in the long list of things that Etzli lacked confidence in - she was certain that if she let Alaina get going, or engaged her on even ground, she'd be at a considerable disadvantage.

As such, the sleeper suplex was halfway off the ground when Alaina began elbowing her. Despite her dazed state, the strikes were vicious and took the wind out of her in a hurry, causing the Arrow to stall halfway. Etzli (who was smaller and not exactly a powerlifter) struggled to finish the move, wobbled, and - still clutching Alaina around the waist - stumbled backwards in a frantic, flailing effort to keep her momentum going.

She did not succeed in finishing the move. She did, however, succeed in backing up directly into the ref girl, sandwiching her in the corner at considerable speed with both Etzli's and Alaina's combined weight.

As the ref collapsed, looking rather annihilated from the impact, Etzlicoatl released the champ so she could clutch at her ribs. "You dare?!" she spluttered indignantly. Ow, that'd hurt.

Alaina shook her head and stared down Etzli. This crazy lady and Alaina's feverish attempts to escape a nasty followup to the corkscrew led to the referee being laid out. Great. Alaina knew this one was going to cheat her way through the match using any means necessary. All her tricks, and her free title shot made Alaina want to crush this little pretender that much more.

"You don't know what you got yourself into do you?" An angry Alaina growled as she lunged at her challenger, looking to clothesline Etzli straight down to the mat! Sometimes nothing sent a message quite like raw power could!

Feeling sorry for yourself is never a good idea because it can distract you from important things in life, such as incoming clotheslines.  By the time Etzli looked up from her wincing, there was a freight train headed her way and not much she could do about it.

The girls collided with a mighty whoomph, sending the Sanguine Serpent crashing to the mat.  She clutched at her chest where the blow had struck her, rolling about in a theatrical show of pain.  "Uwaaaaahhhh, I am slain," Etzli gasped, with one hand clasped over the other at her breastbone.  "Would that this ring were a time ring, that I might return to the days before I was foolish enough to accept this title shot." It was a moment of definite, almost blatantly obvious vulnerability.

This woman sure liked to talk... Alaina pulled her up by their hair and whipped her over towards the ropes on the opposite side of the ring! Alaina moved to the center of the ring, bracing herself for Etzli's return! "Lets get this show on the road!" Alaina shouted to the crowd as she readied for Etzli, ready to powerslam the slender woman to the mat as hard as she could!

Hopefully this would quiet the boisterous challenger just a bit..... although Alaina wasn't holding her breath.