Elimination Chamber: Neske Alapo Vs. Gabbie Desjardin Vs. Etzlicoatl Vs. Serina Kashibara Vs. Akiha Kosha Vs. Belinda Northman

Well, this was it. The big moment. The big fucking, six-girls-enter-one-girl-leaves, pay per view, stuck in a cage suicide match that Neske had stubbornly got herself involved in just to prove some blonde wrong about how much she actually did suck in a fight. There was no backing out now, and no matter how much she tried, Neske knew she couldn't mentally prepare herself for exactly how much this was going to hurt.

But she also had something new, a secret weapon that she never had before. The tiniest shred of confidence. As her new entrance theme was a clear reminder of the wonderful night she spent with her girlfriend before this fight. She had someone really rooting for her, someone she could count on, and that made the worst beatings in the world feel like they were worth it. Her usual nervous pacing towards the ring was replaced with a bouncier step, her chin held high and even flashing a smile or the occasional wave to the audience. Neske didn't expect that she'd win going in, but she was prepared to make every one of these girls fight tooth and nail to bring her down.

Still, as she approached the ring, she couldn't help but feel like her internal metaphor of the ring being like a little enclosed "death box" being more literal with every match. The square platform surrounded by ropes felt enclosed enough when the only other person wanted to sink their fists into your skin, but then they had to put up towering steel walls around it. And now, those walls had a roof. There was no getting out of here without some sort of mark to show for it, and Neske had to fight internally to keep that confidence going as she walked into the cage. All around her, little pods positioned to hold potential combatants, and she had to look down at the floor of the mat to keep herself from thinking about the mob that would ensue, hungry to practically tear her limb from limb. Worse yet, two of them were fairly familiar faces, and both of them had established a reputation for knocking her lights out. As she settled up against the ropes, keeping away from the corners in a paranoid fear that the nearest girl may suddenly grab her from behind, Neske had to focus on what she had said to Hisui. But right now, her promise that she would fight to win was feeling a bit distant... and survival felt like a much more pragmatic goal (if still barely achievable) goal.

When Gabbie's nusic began to play, the blonde stepped out of the backstage area and looked around. The twisted structure she was about to walk into was even more imposing in person than it was backstage. It just looked like a hall of torture and, for Gabbie, it might as well have been. As she stepped forward, she kept her head downcast.

She wasn't wearing her fighters robe. She wasn't even wearing the gloves Lucy had gotten her. She was dressed in a pink trimmed white sports bra with multicolored polka dots on it and a pair of pink trimmed black MMA shorts. She didn't feel like she was about to be in a proper fight, so she couldn't bring herself to wear her usual gear which, to her, represented pride and sacrifice and all the things she had come out to the ring to speak about.

When she entered the cage and then the ring, she spared only a glance at Neske who was leaning against the ropes, while Gabbie was ushered into a pod. She shuddered a bit as it was closed and she was sealed away for who knew how long. She then glanced at the ramp and then back at Neske.

"Good luck, Neske." She said genuinely. Neske would definitely need some of that if she was the first one to enter and wasn't getting put in a pod. Then again, Gabbie herself believed that luck would play more of a part in this match than skill and that was precisely why she hated the idea so much.

Despite Etzlicoatl's usual bravado, there was something of a pall over her mood as she donned her headdress and warmed up backstage. She was definitely in the big time now, making decent money and getting the attention she'd craved for her whole career, but now...somewhere under the larger-than-life character, she felt a profound sense of disquiet. There was nobody, anywhere in the world, who took her seriously. Her exposure had come at a heavy cost. Would she ever get any respect? Maybe she'd made a mistake, or sold out in the pursuit of success, or...

Violeta Ayala fastened the headdress's strap under her chin, took a deep breath, and Etzlicoatl emerged - but the ironclad confidence that always came alongside her never manifested. There was a chill in the pit of her stomach. Insecurities were gnawing away at her, deeper and deeper with every second that passed.

She bit her lip. It was okay, it was all going to be okay. Tonight, she'd show them all. She'd win the elimination chamber, and that was beating five other girls! Five! Everybody would have to take her seriously after she came out of this victorious. Maybe she could even parlay it into a title shot or something, one where she could properly show the world what she was capable of. Yeah. This was her night.

Etzli took another deep breath, and the next thing she knew, she was climbing into the diabolical structure with the crowd roaring and 'Quetzalcoatl' blasting on the PA system. She slid through the ropes and took up a spot on the opposite side of the ring from Neske, very deliberately not entering a pod. Hmmm. Looks like this was her starting partner. An example would have to be made of her. She swallowed, forced down the nagging worries, and spread her arms in an imperious gesture so she could stare the other girl down as ominously as possible. "Make peace with your gods, drunkard. You may catch a glimpse of them tonight."

Uncharacteristically, there was a very slight tremble to the taunt.

What a pain in the ass.

Even after their run in the other night, Serina still wanted another shot at Belinda. She didn't know or care about any of the other four girls, but their presence would probably just get in the way. Given her track record, the dirty blonde knew well she was probably not going to come out on top this whole thing, but all that really mattered to her was that she got to beat the crap out of Belinda. And maybe smack around that weirdo that interrupted her last time.

As her rock music theme started up, Serina appeared on the stage in her purple two-piece wrestling outfit with matching boots. The accompanying boos seemed less prominent today, for whatever that was worth, but maybe that was just a result of having to share the stage with all those other bitches. Marching down towards the huge iron contraption in the middle, the dirty blonde could see that both that weirdo and that squeamish runt she almost forgot about were already standing in the ring.

Lead over to one of the pods, she sent a menacing scowl towards Etzlicoatl, but otherwise remained obedient as she stepped into her place. She had no idea what order they'd be coming out, but that nutjob was just a secondary target to her. With any luck she'd get to go in after Belinda, and she'd be able to go right at her.

For now, though, Serina would just have to wait.

Akiha was now in her locker room, getting ready for her next match. She currently was hyped up for her next match, as it would be an elimination chamber match. There had never been a successful elimination chamber match in AFW history, thus, this was another situation for her to make history. Not only that but she would get another chance to go toe to toe with Belinda in the ring, which was always great, win or lose. In addition, she could teach Gabbie a lesson and beat the crap out of Serina, giving her a taste of her own medicine.

Once she had finished getting ready, she would leave her locker room and make her way towards the staging area. The staff would greet her and inform her that it was soon to be her turn to make her way towards the ring. Akiha knew that she was going to start off in a tube and be released later on the match but didn't know when. She was a bit worried about Neske. The last time she had taken part in such a match it did not end well for her, then again it didn't end well for Akiha either. Still she was hoping that Neske would start off in the tubes and not begin the match.

Akiha theme music would then start to play as she would make her way out. The audience would boo like they always did but as usually she simply ignored them. Instead of paying attention to the crowd she focused her eyes on the ring, seeing all the metal surrounding the ring. As she approach she saw two wrestlers standing in the ring and two of them in the tubes. In the tubes were Gabbie and Serina while outside was Neske and Etzlicoatl. Though Akiha was a bit worried about this, at least, Neske wasn't starting the match fighting Serina, that would have been a nightmare. In fact, Neske was probably paired up with the best girl for her to fight as Akiha didn't think highly of Etzlicoatl.

The Japanese wrestler would enter the ring as she took a look at everyone. She would give a nod towards Neske, take a quick glance at Etzlicoatl before looking at Gabbie right in the eyes giving a displeased look knowing she would be a tough one to take out. Then she would give a menacing glare at Serina before entering her pod. Now there was only one person left to come before this match would start.

Belinda was never one to back down from a challenge, she kind of didn't want to be that kind of person. She liked to stand up for herself and what she believed it, even if it was to be a rather difficult challenge, even if she knew it was a certain defeat...as long as she stood up for herself and her ideals that was all that mattered.

That's why she was in this match, she didn't particularly want to be in a big match like this with all of these people. Well...mostly being in the ring with Serina again, she kind of wished she could back away from that whole thing, but she couldn't, not with her way as a person and because Serina would probably not let her anyways.

So she had to bite down and do all she could! She had to move forward and let that passion in her heart! In this match were already two people that she liked quite a lot, so she could only hope that things would go well in this match, though from what she knew...Serina was no pushover, Etzli packed quite the punch and Akiha was basically her biggest rival in all of AFW. So there was that whole thing, she had to find a way to come out on top in this match and the odds were...rather slim. It didn't matter though! You need to aim high if you want to get anywhere!

Belinda's music started to play out of the speakers as she walked down the ramp, the crowd cheering, well the ones that were on her side of the camp and a few others as well that simply liked the young blond. It's wasn't like the reception that the big name people in AFW got, far faaaar from it...but it was nice all the same. Belinda put on a light smile as she walked down dressed in her blue and silver top and blue pair of tight wrestling trunks, boots of matching colors.

She headed right up towards the grotesque cage without any hesitation, moving up into it and as soon as she did she'd shoot her gaze over towards Akiha, Serina, Gabbie, Neske and Etzli. Turn after turn, trying to show em' all a confident face that was looking for a win! A fire burning with passion, of course it might be to early to get so worked up and psyched up, as she was of course lead towards one of the pods, which she entered without any objection. Now it looked as if it was just a matter of waiting.

As all the other girls approached the stage and loaded into their pods, the surreal insanity of this match only managed to really cement itself in Nekse's mind that much more. It seemed like just about everyone had their two cents to add before hopping in their... cell, and once they were locked in Neske felt like she'd get some sense of relief, some slight sense of safety. But she didn't. No, those pods weren't keeping these professional fighters away from her while she worked on how she was going to get out in one piece, they were there to randomly spring someone on her ass when she least expected it. That was a pretty terrifying thought, so much so that her wavering confidence she had come in with was getting weaker by the second.

And then there was the one other girl not locked up. This "Etzlicoatl" character. When this whole mess got organized, Neske was half-convinced she was some sort of drug-induced hallucination. Her mannerisms, her appearance, the crazy, nonsensical shit she said, it all felt so... surreal. A noticeable portion of that had gone away since then but even still, drunkard? Not the most usual character. In fact, enough so that Neske had to say something about it.

"Hey, not my fault if you can't get out and loosen up a bit," she replied as confidently as she could (which wasn't terribly convincing, by most accounts) as she leaned back against the ropes. "Besides, what are you even supposed to be? Like some sort of cartoon character? I don't get it." The longer she chatted, though, the sooner the match would start, and as it was, she wasn't all that prepared.

An Elimination Chamber was kind of like prison. You couldn't show fear or uncertainty, or else a group of people would be waiting to blitz you with attacks from all sides. (An Elimination Chamber in AFW was even more like prison, in that this scenario could end with you being molested in the showers.)

As she paced back and forth, waiting for the door to be sealed, Etzli watched her opponent carefully for any signs of uncertainty. Neske was putting up a brave front, but there seemed to be hesitation in her voice. Perhaps there was a core of fear - or was there?! Perhaps that was just a ruse! A hoax to lure in the unwary and then WHA-POW, Etzli would become a victim of her own confidence! Yes, conspiracies abounded in this match, and no one was to be trusted. Better to destroy this pretender, and cast her from the chamber, and hear the lamentations of her fanbase! And then she would deal with the other four, and then - AND THEN....uh, she would figure that part out when she got to it.

"I," the luchadora declared, steadily closing in on Neske, "am the Sanguine Serpent! The sahagun, the outstretched hand that brushes against the sun! And if you do not 'get it', then perhaps you need a demonstration--"

It was remarkable how quickly she could spring into action. Etzli had already been moving forward, but now, as the timbre of her voice picked up, so too did her speed, and with frightening alacrity she leapt up onto the middle rope in mid-sentence, then bounced off in a flying crossbody! Perhaps all the talking had just been a distraction after all.

The absurdity of this "Etzlicoatl" character seemed to increase with every word, and honestly, Neske was starting to lose track of what she was even talking about. Something about snakes, and the sun, and a shogun or something? Honestly, it was starting to get a bit tiring, and they hadn't really even begun the match yet. "Look, if you're going to spew a bunch of crazy at me, you might as well not even- oh..."

Her thoughts were cut off as the 120-pound bundle of energy leaped off the middle rope and angled her body in midair to collide with Neske's, knocking her back into one of the corner posts with considerable force for the girl's size. Neske silently found herself grateful for the padding that covered the posts as her back slammed up against it, reactively arching her spine a bit from the pain.