Eka Guramishvili vs Harumi Hazama: A fight with Pride?

Harumi Hazama:

In and out. In and out.

Harumi continued her breathing exercises as she worked on her light stretches. She had only just joined AFW, and although she was not yet completely used to wrestling on such a grand stage, she was learning to keep her anxiety in check. Before, she probably would have been nervous, but now she simply had an elevated heart rate. She was growing more comfortable in her new profession, gaining a bit more confidence in herself as she fought against trained professionals. Tonight, she would be fighting a long-time member of the AFW, which interested the Judo girl quite a bit. What would it be like to face off against a long time pro?

She would find out soon enough, as the timer she had set went off next to her. Her bout was just about to begin, and she would need to be in her proper position.

“I’m coming…”

After one more minute of breathing, she grabbed her cape and walked out of the door.


As Ring of Fortune began to play, its calm melody slowly building before hitting a climactic beat. Just as the first verse was over, Harumi would step into view. Her expression when walking out into the public was completely focused, her eyes hard as she focused on the fight to come. Her serene, natural beauty was one few could match, even with practice and hours of makeup.

The crowds cheering was louder than before, a few of them recognizing her from previous fights in both Judo and wresting. Harumi smiled at a few of the audience members as she walked down the ramp, her long blue cape wrapped around her and gently flowing with each step. Upon arriving at the ring, she grabbed one of the ropes and expertly hopped over them, making no noise as her feet landed softly on the squared off battle ground.

Right as the beat and lyrics to the song went to a climax, Harumi cast her cape aside, revealing her teal costume, accented by gold straps and white fur throughout. Certain pieces of the costume had been cut off as to not restrict her movements, but with the added cost of sex appeal. Harumi did not seem to mind the costumes revealing nature, after all, these types of things were a staple in the sport of wrestling.

Finally, her music began to die down, the lights dimming somewhat as the staff prepared her opponents entrance. After getting set up in her own corner, Harumi would turn to watch her opponent, ready to size her up and try and read white kind of opponent she would be.

Eka scrolled throught the article using her index finger. The AFW site published news about the evening's matches, and Eka had found hers. The Georgian girl knew that she was not a headliner, but she felt that she deserved something a little bit better than this. The whole thing could not have been more than 300 words, and 75% of it was about her exciting opponent. She was a rookie, and that caused a great furor.

She frowned. Maybe she didn't deserve better than this. It wasn't like her record was sterling, or even particularly good. She was batting a bit below .500, and her scant wins were against opponents similar to her. Which is to say, absolute nobodies. The raven-haired girl scrolled down to the comment section and immediately regretted it. The only one who managed to spell her name right said that she had no chance to win the match, even against a rookie. Eka tossed her phone to the side and stood up. She bent over nice and low to finish her stretches as the wheels turned in her head. Tonight, she had to win. She simply had to. There was no other option. It was her summer break, and if she ever planned on mounting a comeback, it was going to have to be now.

Eka rose up, standing at all of 5'8. The Georgian girl paused. Even if she is a rookie, she might be good. They have thrown you against literal giants in the past. And you have to win. What are you willing to do? A strand of her dark hair fell in front of her face, and she brushed it aside. Her fists were clenched, and she did not even know it. She closed her eyes to try and keep the dark thoughts at bay. But somehow, they kept effervescing.

"Miss Guramishvili?" A voice rang out. She turned to see one of the workers at AFW at the door. The Georgian girl turned to face the woman. "You are up."

Eka said nothing as she walked out the door. She knew these hallways well, almost too well. Her march towards the staging area was a steady one, as the weight of her own doubts slowed her. Not that long ago she had been at Avalanche, and now here she was. Eka threw her hair back, and rubbed her eyes. Where was the girl who was once so excited? Where was the girl who was ready to take on the world?

Eka eyed the monitor as she bounced from foot to foot. She tried to summon the bright-eyed youth as she watched her opponent. The woman did not seem like some awful heel who was going to annihilate her with a series of awe-inspiring power moves. There was a bit of flash there, but Eka detected a sense of calm that abided beneath the surface. Her blue eyes turned to the curtain. Her mind became still. Eka shook her head, and a smile appeared on her face. It was time for her to drop all of her pretenses, and give it her all. And there would be no limit on what her all was.

As the swelling strings of her intro music caused tension in every fan's heart, it occured to her that she should change her music. There was something greatly ominous in it. Eka jogged in place to raise her heart rate before she entered. Just as the brass was about to blare out, she stepped out. She smiled and waved, to little fanfare from the crowd. Eka made her to the ring quickly, and slid under the bottom rope.

Her opponent was a little bit shorter, yet a little bit heavier. Eka really liked her outfit, and the energy that she gave off. The Georgian girl did a slight bow out of respect, and then backed into her corner.

"I am Eka, yes? And I wish you luck this evening." Eka took a big breath in. The look on her face suggested that she regretted saying that. Mostly, she just hoped it would not come back to bite her.

Harumi listened to the swell of the ominous orchestra, the entrance music reminding her of a kaiju movie she saw once as a teenager. From the build up of the music, she pictured a giant of a woman, ripped with muscle to round the corner, a cold glare promising to tear into the newbie the federation had presented her. Harumi’s muscles tensed as the music built itself into a climax, waiting for her opponent to finally reveal themselves.

When her foe finally did round the corner, she was a little surprised. While the woman was indeed taller than her, it was only by a couple of inches. Despite the music, the woman had a wide grin on her face, waving to the crowd as she made herself to the ring. Her long raven locks trailing behind every slight hop she made when walking down the ring.

The lack of fanfare shocked Harumi more than the woman did. When she had entered, she had gotten a few cheers here and there, but this was only her second match, it was to be expected. From what Harumi understood, this woman had been in the AFW for quite some time, and she was only getting a few more cheers than Harumi herself. There was something else that bothered the Judo warrior. She had long learned what a feint looked like, how to read someone and the true meaning they were hiding behind a false expression.

The smile her opponent was giving off was fake.

Her opponent bowed respectfully, and introduced herself as Eka. She seemed kind, wishing Harumi luck in the match, but then making a face that looked like she regretted her statement. Harumi watched the woman’s every move, spotted every contradiction, and was left with the impression that the woman seemed conflicted. She smiled when she didn’t mean to, her music was harsh when she was not, and she wished her opponent luck when she wanted to win. It was a bit confusing to the Haumi.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Eka.” Harumi said in a voice that was so upfront it cut to the bone, “Is there something you wish to say? You seem conflicted…”

Harumi’s emerald eyes stared into Eka’s beautiful blue jewels, trying to cut through Eka’s façade and discover what was really wrong with her opponent. Everything about her seemed off, twisted in some way. The woman who pretended to be happy seemed as if she was in distress, and Harumi could not, in good conscious, face someone who seemed distracted.

Once the bell rang, Harumi would get down into a fighting stance, but not yet engage her opponent. She wanted to face her at her best, anything less and this fight would not be a real match.

Eka looked across the ring at her opponent. Her first impression had been spot on, she reckoned. The intensity that this woman possessed, even as she was standing still, was unmistakable. It did not take a fortuneteller to read Harumi's voice in the slightest, and her words had the forthrightness of a mountain goat, charging headlong at her. Eka blinked. She honestly did not know how to deal with it. The Georgian girl opened her mouth for a second, and then closed it again, struggling to find the words to reply to this woman, especially because such a statement demanded an answer.

"There are very many things that I would like to say..." she began, bowing her head slightly as she spoke, "yet there are many more things to do, yes?" Eka asked as she stretched her hands out wide. "And it would be a disservice if we did not get on with it. Both to me, and to you." Eka nodded along with herself, finding a newfound confidence as she spoke. Jawing and doubting and all of that jazz did not come naturally to her. She had left Alabama to come wrestle, and she would be damned if she did not make an effort.

The Georgian girl waved to the referee. That was the signal that she was ready. And as she hunkered down, she started to believe it. Eka did not know what sort of style this woman had, but judging from that strong tummy of hers, Harumi being a grappler was not that far out of the question. Although given that large chest and the outfit, she might have a far lewder form of wrestling. Eka shook her head to try and rid herself of her impure thoughts as she advanced on her opponent, slowly, warily.

The woman was looking at her in a strange way now. As if she were trying to discern who Eka really was. Truth be told, Eka did not know herself. But as she approached Harumi, she was looking more and more like a wrestler. There was a little bit of bounce in her step now, and Eka was not sure if it was her ready to show off some fleet footwork or if she was excited to wrestle again. Either way, she was going to take it.

Harumi stood and watched Eka open and close her mouth in shock. It took the Judo star a moment to realize that she had, perhaps, been too blunt to the woman. They had only just met, and though Harumi couldn’t tell how old the woman was, the fact that she was a senior in their profession shouldn’t be ignored. Harumi would need to work on her tone when in combat, after all, respect was important no matter where or who you were.

Of course, Harumi noticed the non-answer Eka had given her. Harumi’s features remained unchanged, like a calm body of water that was so still, even the wind didn’t seem to shift it. Her green eyes softened a bit, deciding that if her foe did not want to talk about it, then it was none of her business. Whatever the issue was, it seemed she would be willing to push it to the back of her mind, as she suddenly spoke with a new confidence.

Eka began to approach, eyeing her teal opponent, trying to discern what her fighting style was and how she would employ it. Harumi appraised her in a similar manner, her first guess was that Eka was something of a grappler, judging by her costume and her toned midsection and arms. She had a slight height advantage, and Eka had far more experience than Harumi when it came to wrestling.

The emerald green eyes glanced over Eka one last time before Harumi decided on a course of action. Getting low, Harumi prepared to charge the woman, her leg muscles coiling tighter and tighter, until…

Harumi’s eye registered shock, and for a moment, she froze. In a tone that was curt, but held a hint of embarrassment, the Judo star said shakily,

“Ah, please forgive me. My Name is Harumi Hazama, and I will be your opponent today. I look forward to a good match.”

With that out of the way, Harumi launched herself at Eka, looking to lock up with her and push her back, using both her strength and momentum from the charge.

Eka's heart was beating fast now. She could practically feel it thumping in her chest, pounding like the great timpani in one of Tchaikovsky's symphonies, signifying the great intensity of what was to come. She breathed in, and out, in a measured breath that she may control her wild emotions. Every step forward brought her to the brink of a precipice and no one knew more than the Georgian girl that it was a long way down.

Harumi, that was her name, she was getting ready too. Eka's eyes widened a little bit. When she was younger, her parents would take her to Civil War reenactments were men pretended to be soldiers who were not her ancestors to fight a war that was in vain. The great cannons always impressed her, with their great and terrible potential for violence. Her eyes did not waver from her opponent as she saw the potential of a cannon reborn in the form of a woman in a wrestling ring. The neck on the back of her neck stood up as she slowly continued her approach.

"Nice to - whoa!" Eka's salutation was swallowed as her opponent rushed at her. The only thing that kept the Georgian girl upright was some quick footwork, thanks in no small part to her years of grappling training. Eka was locked up and feeling the raw strength of her opponent, losing ground with every moment that passed. When she had started, she was in the middle of the ring, yet she did not dare turn her head to see how much ground that she had left before she hit the turnbuckle - she swore to herself in her native tongue that she was not going to hit that corner.

Eka got low and decided to use her opponent's momentum against her. While no one would call her weak, she was a thousand miles from being the strongest woman here at AFW, and did not want to get into a contest of strength. Rather, she would try to be the smarter girl in the ring. Throwing herself back, Eka launched her legs into the air, straight into Harumi's stomach. She was going for a monkey flip. Her old wrestling coach back in Birmingham was probably not going to be overwhelmed with pride in her, but her friends in that dinky little wrestling fed sure would be.

Harumi’ hands clasped Eka’s with a loud “clap”, the smaller woman’s momentum helped her push the taller Georgian back with surprising ease. Further and further, each step a small victory, Harumi continued to push her foe, wondering how large the gap in their physical strength truly was. Eka seemed to falter so easily, hardly putting up any defense to the struggle.

The reason would quickly become apparent.

Eka must have been leading Harumi on, as she dropped to the floor and promptly slammed her boots into Harumi’s stomach. With a quick motion, Eka tossed Harumi up and over her with grace she had not expected. Harumi hit the floor with a loud thud, a quick grunt hiding the pain in her lower back. Rather than lie there, she continued to use the momentum to roll away and get to her feet.

“Impressive counter.”

Glancing behind her, Harumi realized that the ground she had taken from Eka was now lost. In one fell swoop, Harumi was now in the corner post she had been pushing Eka towards. Rather then try to escape, Harumi simply prepared to counter whatever her foe threw at her. She had underestimated the Georgian once before, now she wanted to see what she was capable of.

Eka watched the whole thing, unblinking, from the dawn of the move, to its high zenith, until Harumi came crashing down to the mat behind her. Her black hair was arrayed in a circle on the mat below her head, making her look like some absurd and dark facsimile of the Virgin Mary. Her eyes found Harumi even after the fall, and she saw that the woman was gathering herself to stand up. That made sense. She knew going into it that this match was going to take a lot, and there was no way that a single monkey flip was going to deter this woman for very long.

As she mustered herself to rise from the mat, she heard something very strange. It sounded quite a lot like a compliment. Eka had been struggling so long with monsters and demons that she had quite forgotten what it was like to go against a woman with a sense of fair play. She could not hide her shock, though it did pass in short order. "Uh, thanks," she finally produced, her eyes beaming.

Then she hunkered down, and moved forward. The Georgian girl was cautious not to let Harumi out of the corner, moving slightly to the left and right to let the woman know that that she was not going to get out of this one easy. Her arms were ready, and she wiggled her fingers. Eka could probably pull it off, but she would have to be quick, she thought.

In a flash, Eka lunged at her opponent, and tried to pull her a step or two off of the turnbuckle. Had she known how to use the turnbuckle to her advantage she surely would have been in a better position, but Eka was going to stick with what she knew best. If she were successful in her endeavor, she would then attempt to do a vicious alligator roll, activating the muscles in her stomach to try and spin her opponent to the ground.

Harumi watched her opponent carefully, trying to figure her out as best as she could and what kind of style she used. Eka seemed like a strange girl, not cold or unkind, just…odd, like two separate forces were driving her in opposite directions. It made her a difficult person to read quickly, something Harumi was used to doing by then, hence the need for more information.

She needed to take a hit.

The Georgian woman hunkered down low, being smart not to let Harumi flee the corner. She went to the left, then the right, making sure to cover all of the Judo girls exits, but Harumi simply got prepared, taking deep breaths to relax her muscles, trying to get ready to take an attack she didn’t know was coming. Finally, she smiled, extending a hand and pulling it back in the classis “come at me” gesture.

Eka did not disappoint. The larger woman came in fast, snatching Harumi up, lifting her a few feet off the ground before spinning around and slamming the judo girl to the floor with such a loud crash it echoed across the ring, though it seemed to get drowned out by the crowd’s cheers.

Harumi would not simply slouch throughout the attack, powerful as it was. As soon as Harumi’s back impacted of the ring, she wrapped her legs around Eka’s waist, while one of her arms snaked under the Georgian woman’s arms. The other one would try to slip around her neck, Harumi attempting to put the woman in a guillotine choke hold. She wanted to wear the woman down just a little, but mostly insure that she did not get over confident with her previous attack.

This felt easy. Almost too easy. Sure, the come at me gesture was a little bit annoying, but Eka managed to put the woman on the mat in textbook fashion. The Georgian girl had figured this woman for a grappler, and now she had just put her on her butt. This felt wrong. This felt very, very wrong, and Eka could not put her hand on exactly why. As she moved to follow up on her takedown, it became crystal clear as to why her doubts had lodged such a firm place in her head.

As soon as Harumi's behind had hit the mat, she began moving her legs to wrap around Eka's midsection. The Georgian girl did not have enough time to react as she felt those powerful legs wrap around her, as her misgivings coalesced into something far more tangible. She was in a vulnerable position, but she was not ready to give up quite yet. This was going to be a marathon of a fight, Eka had already recognized, and she did not want to be the first one to wind down.

She felt hands moving inside. They must have been going for the neck. Despite the fact that the crowd could not see it, this was going to be a far more consequential than her gator roll. She moved her hands to get inside Harumi's, to prevent the choke. Eka used her strong back to try and pull herself away from Harumi, limited as she was by the powerful legs holding her in place.

Her long dark hair shrouded her face. In her blue eyes, there was nothing but concentration. Their two bodies pressed together meant that there was some heat in the moment, but Eka had not yet begun to sweat. This was nothing more than a stalling maneuver, and Eka realized this, but it was far better than being choked. And that was even if she managed to be quick enough and strong enough to get inside and then start pushing out...