Panther Risako vs Suzumi Ishikawa

Risako groaned as she lay on her back, her violet hair forming a tattered halo around her as her chest pumped in air. Her back was throbbing with pain after that sudden and decisive suplex, and as much as she knew she should move, roll over, or do something, her body was not responding.

It wasn't until she felt herself being rolled up by Suzumi, however, that she felt her body beginning to respond. The crowd around them was roaring now as Suzumi attempted a pinfall on the Queen of Queens.

"Two!"

"Nnn....never!" Risako growled in response to Suzumi's words. Mustering all her strength, she kicked out, narrowly managing to break the pin in time, before flopping onto her back again, eyes shut in exhaustion.

Suzumi landed back on her butt, with Risako kicking out! Suzumi was not surprised though, Risako was always a great wrestler. However, Risako still looked exhausted and in the center of the ring Suzumi had lots of options open to her. Truthfully, Suzumi herself was running on empty. If she didn't get Risako put away soon, she would be in big trouble....

Suzumi pulled Risako to a sitting position and quickly got behind her. The Tsunami Sleeper failed earlier as Risako got out, Suzumi unable to really lock it in. Now, with Risako worn out and on an island far from the ropes Suzumi had a picture perfect chance. It was now or never as she wrapped her legs around Risako's waist from behind, and her right arm went around Risako's neck as her head was pulled back! Suzumi knew if she could get the Tsunami Sleeper locked in, Risako was the one in dire straits!

Risako's chest heaved as she sucked in air, her left leg kicking weakly at the mat as she tried to build up some energy again. She wasn't done yet, she told herself, not by a long shot: she had been in worse situations and come out on top. But that didn't change the fact that she had to turn this match over again-- something that wasn't going to be easy now that Suzumi had her second wind.

Suddenly, she felt her head being grabbed, and groaned woozily as she was propped up into a sitting position. Before she knew what was going on, Suzumi's legs were locking around her again, this time clamping around her slender waist. She didn't have time to cry out, however, before Suzumi's arms wrapped around her throat and pulled her back, so that Risako was lying against her opponent. The crowd went wild as Suzumi locked in her trademark sleeper, squeezing Risako like a tube of toothpaste. Risako's face reddened as she tried in vain to breathe, pawing and clawing at Suzumi's arms.

Knowing that she had to get out, she pressed her booted heels against the mat and bridged, arcing her slender body upwards, before slamming it down against Suzumi. At this stage, though, Risako might not have the strength left to force Suzumi to release her...

Suzumi rose up and came crashing down, struggling to keep her hold locked in! This match was too important and she was too desperate to let go however. While Risako and her efforts did briefly cause Suzumi to loosen the hold, she was quick to tighten up and put everything she had into making Risako tap out! "Not gonna be that easy, especially after you were intent on smashing my skull in earlier!" Suzumi said loud enough for Risako to hear.

Suzumi let out a cry as she squeezed with all her strength, at least the strength she had left since she herself was running on empty. This match had been very intense, and in turn very taxing. That did nothing to blunt The Tsunami's determination however. She needed to show her doubters that she wasn't just some bimbo who squeezed herself back in her old wrestling attire. She was still, and always would be, a wrestler.

Risako's back and butt came slamming down against Suzumi, eliciting a grunt of pain from the other girl but little else. "Aaaahhghg...." Risako gasped as she squirmed further in Suzumi's grip, now desperately prying at her opponent's arms. Her face, open mouthed and gasping uselessly for air, was contrasted sharply with Suzumi's, who herself seemed short of breath. The entire crowd was on the edge of their seats now, some screaming for Risako to escape, others excited to see Suzumi clinching a powerful finisher.

Even though her body felt like it was getting heavier and heavier, Risako still fought to free herself. Digging her heels into the mat, she tried to roll the two of them sideways. Pressing her heels against the mat, she tried to push the two of them towards the ropes. Halfway through doing this, however, Risako suddenly stopped moving, her struggles stopping as a sleepy look passed over her face. The crowd collectively held their breath. Was this it? Had the Queen of Queens passed out?

Suzumi kept the hold locked in when she heard the crowd react, and saw the referee coming over to check on Risako's arm. It was raised up once and feel limp to her side. "If you are awake and can hear just like, tap out!" Suzumi said into Risako's ear. The referee raised Risako's arm up once more, only for it to fall limp to her side yet again.

Suzumi was feeling elated. She fought back against one of the best women Friction had and was on the verge of winning. All that remained was the referee's final test to see if Risako was in fact passed out and unable to continue, which would give Suzumi something of an upset victory!

Risako's eyes were closed as she lay in Suzumi's grip, her arm hanging uselessly by her side as the ref dropped it. As the ref girl raised Risako's arm for the third time, the audience tensed. Was this it? Had the Queen of Queens been beaten for a second time in a row?

The answer came as Risako's arm fell lifelessly to the mat for a third time in a row. In an instant, the ref told Suzumi to release her opponent, and, a split second later, the bell rang. The uproar from the audience felt almost deafening as they went wild with disbelief. Against all expectation, Suzumi Ishikawa, a B-lister from the Wrestle Angels roster, had won an upset victory against the Queen of Queens!

Suzumi heard the referee and felt him grab her, but it wasn't until the bell rang that she let go. She was in total disbelief! She jumped up with her arms held high, and a giant grin on her face. She jumped up and down in place like an excited child on Christmas morning. "Your winner.... Suzumi 'The Tsunami' Ishikawa!"

The announcers call mean that her victory finally set in, and she strutted around the ring blowing kisses to the crowd, leaning out over the ropes to show off a bit of cleavage to everyone and even swaying her hips side to side. She won matches in Friction before, but a win like this was new to her and to call it a confidence builder was putting it mildly. After all her celebrating was done, she wanted to go back and check up on Risako. Things got heated, and Suzumi wanted to make sure all that was behind them now that the match had concluded.

Darkness clouded Risako's vision as she lay on the mat. The world around her devolved into hazy background noise-- she could barely make out the sounds of the crowd, or feel the vibration of footfalls on the ring. For a moment, she was in a perfect fugue state between wakefulness and sleep.

Then she felt something tapping her on the cheek. Through the haze, she thought she heard the chime of a bell, and heard someone...the ref, maybe?...telling her to get back up. "Nnnnrgh..." she groaned, her eyes fluttering as she willed her limbs to move. Slowly but surely, feeling returned to her sore body as Suzumi came walking up to her...

Suzumi offered a hand to help Risako up. "Hey... you like, totally had me on the ropes there for a while. I know I probably said some bad stuff during the match, I just get really heated and intense and stuff." Suzumi said by way of an apology. At least, she was trying to apologize. She wasn't quite sure the right words to use.

"Like... sorry I guess. It was a hell of a fight though right?" She said, waiting to see if Risako took her hand.