[Standard Match] Margarita Jorgensen vs Xiao La Rouge - With fire in my heart and honor in my soul

Match type: standard
Victory conditions: pinfall, submission, knockout, disqualification

“You clearly inherited your father's talent,” Victoria said.

Margarita smiled. Yes, it really was true. She inherited the best traits of her parents. Like her father, she had a talent for design. And like her mother, she had great taste in makeup. This helped her more than once when she was an actress. She constantly demanded that in her contract there was a point that she had the right to contribute her own ideas for costumes and makeup.

In her house there was a whole separate room for her clothes. And recently, after she came home from another workout, she had an insight. And that led to the current moment. Margarita looked in the mirror and made sure that her new suit really looks great. The Danish girl turned to Victoria.

"They'll love it!" she said happily, referring to the audience.
“Without a doubt,” the manager smiled back.

The Englishwoman was glad that Margarita had found herself again. It hurt her to see how the star of this bright girl began to fade. But now, with the Summer Splash behind, the former actress has perked up again. She saw how much effort her comrades were making, and it encouraged her. She was most influenced by what happened to her master, Charlotte. At first, the Sea Star was depressed by what happened. But then she remembered everything that Charlotte taught her, whom Margarita considered the noblest fighter here. You can't give up, never. This is what Margarita decided for herself.

“I have to go,” said the former actress.
“Show them that the light of the star will illuminate even the darkest of times,” Victoria said.

Margarita nodded, she understood what the manager was talking about. Now everyone should see that their team is still strong. Charlotte and Karen were temporarily out of the game, but that didn't change anything. The Danish girl made a promise that she would do her best every day. And she was determined to keep that promise. She wanted her bright light to show the way for those who were desperate. Because if she was able to get out of the abyss of despair, then everyone can.

The young girl left the locker room and headed down the long corridor. She had a strange sensation that she had not experienced before. After everything that has happened to her close friends and comrades, she has literally grown up. And although her goals and aspirations have not changed, she began to treat everything a little differently. Charlotte's example showed her how cruel this world can be, especially towards good people. Dreams can literally be shattered at the snap of fingers. And no matter how pure and noble dreams were. Therefore, the pink-haired girl intended to show everyone who needs it that there is always hope. The main thing is to find the strength to rise to your feet and continue to go forward. Margarita stopped in front of the curtains.

"To the dream!" she told herself.

Attire:

Entrance Music:

Her dynamic music began and the young girl came out from behind the curtains to loud applause. She smiled, and at the same moment the applause became even louder, besides, an approving whistle was added to it. They seem to like her new attire. Margarita turned her side to the audience, bent the legs and put her palms on knees. The pink-haired girl playfully stuck out her tongue, winking at the assembled audience.

The Sea Star began to descend the ramp, approaching the ring. She deliberately walked slowly so that everyone could see her new attire. The former actress stopped several times to take a selfie and give five to everyone who want it. The audience and the fans were the most important to her, she was here for them. She loved them and they reciprocated her. She sped up and rolled under the bottom rope.

The young girl went to the center of the ring and raised her right hand, showing the symbol "v". She smiled radiantly as she watched the audience. She couldn't lie, she loved that loud applause. It might be hard times for their team, but she was still going to do what she was born to do. Margarita was going to shine. The young girl took the microphone from the referee.

"Hello Tokyo!" she said loudly. "I cannot express in words how glad I am to see you all! Thank you very much for coming today! Let's enjoy this evening together and make this match unforgettable!"

The noise of the crowd deafened her for a moment. She smiled again, and then handed the microphone to the referee. The young girl went to her corner, where she took off her jacket. Leaning back at the corner, she put her hands on the top ropes. Now she had only to wait for her rival. Margarita was in anticipation. She was looking forward to the start of the match.

Xiao La Rouge hadn't been seen in a wrestling capacity for quite some time, but that wasn't to say she didn't take down the art of fighting altogether. In fact the Oriental Rose had toured China in the off time, having several televised bouts that were displaying the might of Xiao. She had been debunking fake martial artists during her travels and relishing the times where she could meet genuine warriors that Xiao could do battle with, the lady of war looked ever so graceful in so doing. With the Oriental Rose having honed her craft further to honour her land's ways of combat, yet the urge to come back to wrestling had gnawed at the back of her mind. 

Granted Xiao had yet to really cut her teeth in both Friction and Tension, for some reason the higher ups hadn't given her much to work with. Yet they must have watched Xiao's televised bouts and enjoyed the ways of combat enough to bring her back to Japan with a new contract, bemused by this offer the emerald fist decided to take it up. Currently Xiao was in her locker room, performing meditative katas to steady herself for the upcoming battle.

She hadn't followed AFW since departing back to China, her lack of interest being made up for by Xiao's martial pilgrimage. Xiao was given the name of her opponent tonight at least, Margarita Jorgensen. Well regardless of her nature or background Xiao would give nothing except her utmost here tonight, she ended her katas with a deep exhale to purge any concerns that might have remained in the back of her mind. A stage hand would inform the Oriental Rose that it was time for her to make her way to the ring, wordlessly Xiao nodded as she walked towards the entrance ramp. Dressed in her elegant battle dress with its magnificent arm sleeves to accompany it.

The lights in the arena would black out, before suddenly a bright wide spotlight would shine at the top of the entrance ramp to show the Oriental Rose there with an Eru. An instrument native to her homeland which she would then promptly begin playing with a calm expression, once she had finished Xiao would pass it to a stage hand the lights went back on around the arena and her theme song Hubris would blare from the speakers. Calmly Xiao strode down the ramp before breaking into an elegant spin to highlight her arm sleeves and their intricate design before pausing just outside the ring, whereupon two stage hands would remove those sleeves followed by the emerald clad lady leaping up to the apron and then leaping gracefully over the top rope into a forward roll before arriving upright and performing a hand over palm gesture to the crowd and to her opponent.

In that brief moment Xiao's keen eyes sized up her opponent, about her height for starters. Colourful in looks with bright colours that sharply contrasted the Oriental Rose's mature and dignified palette, it was enough to actually prompt Xiao to give a little smile in fact. The Chinese/French lady would stride to her corner of the ring and say "Xiao La Rouge of China challenges you here! Prepare!" with the Oriental Rose settling into her fighting stance. Both her arms somewhat outstretched and covering her midriff, the left over the right and both balled into fists to signal her readiness for combat here tonight.

Xiao might not have shook hands there, but it wasn't out of disrespect. In fact far from it, in her land's culture they didn't do that. But the Oriental Rose would display her greeting with earnest intent clearly as a martial artist here, the Chinese fighter had defeated many a foe past the opening greeting. Most of them having been fake fighters that claimed to posses powers beyond her reckoning only to end up being defeated in 20 seconds by the Oriental Rose exposing them. Here Xiao had hoped that her travels all the way to Japan to compete again was worth it, because were Margarita to be found lacking here then Xiao would not be a happy bunny by the end of it!

That being said however Xiao was certainly liking her initial first impressions here tonight, Margarita returned her eager greeting. While some might have interpreted it as mocking her open enthusiasms Xiao here could see her earnest intent, the Oriental Rose smiled broadly. A rare gesture from her given her usually stoic nature, regardless the kenpo artist would enter her stance. Breathe deeply as the bell would be soon to ring, her gaze narrowed. Her heart beat rapidly, this was it. Time to see if the competition in AFW was worth coming back to!

DING!

It was go time, Xiao would take an aggressive movement with this. Wanting to try and see what Margarita would, Xiao would spin rapidly and low to the ground to make herself a smaller target to hit. She'd become a shimmering mixture of emerald green and red as she advanced towards her pink haired and rose up to try and deliver a hard hitting pair of fists aimed square at Margarita's solar plexus to try and take the wind out of her in this opening engagement!

Xiao was a striker first and foremost, she held true to her beliefs of Chinese martial arts at the end of the day. Her strikes and transitions could be as fluid and formless as water, the Oriental Rose like her sibling Leon would often favour a far more aggressive approach especially if she were in the opening stages of a fight. She had opened than an unorthodox opening might take her opponent off guard here tonight, however it seemed the colourful appearance of Margarita gave credit to her dynamic ability to react to oncoming danger. 

As shown when Xiao's blow caught nothing but thin air there, not even blocked. The Chinese fighter grunted in annoyance, so much for delivering a powerful blow to set things off here against her opponent. Margarita decided to try and one up the Oriental Rose there by busting out into a spinning heel kick as the Oriental Rose recovered from missing her own attack. Now this might be cause for concern, but Xiao was again a striker. This sort of thing was Xiao's bread and butter, her instincts were honed and the match had just begun leaving the Oriental Rose as swift as could be. 

Xiao just managed to get her nearest arm up in time for the kick, while it took the hit it still left Xiao's limb quite sore not to mention there was a slight ringing in Xiao's ear from the blow and it made the Chinese flower stagger to the side a bit. Still she kept her calm outward demeanour save for a slight wince and was hopping around on the spot to continue this stand up game, deciding to try and change up her approach Xiao would leap forwards a bit. Bouncing on her feet before trying to bring up her right leg in a curved stance before swinging low and trying to clip Margarita in the knee of her nearest leg, if that attack taught Xiao anything it was that her opponent had some good legs there. Perhaps it might be good to get her to dance a little bit to a different tune.

Xiao was a natural on the stand up game, her instincts keen and honed through years of battle despite her youth. She took it seriously since day one unlike her Brother Leon who preferred to do so only to gain the favour of the masses, the limelight wasn't Xiao's goal. It was simple improvement and mastery, honing her edge to a fine sheen that would make even the finest of her time impressed surely. Striking like this was when Xiao felt the most alive, the fire in her soul burning bright despite her regal and stoic demeanour. Margarita's impressive strike did little to dissuade the Oriental Rose, in fact it merely wetted her hunger for more. It told Xiao that her opponent was indeed capable and not some tomato can fighter, excellent. Xiao would enjoy this fight regardless of the outcome then. 

It seemed that Margarita was getting an idea forming in her head here that Xiao had extensive martial art credentials and that staying solely in the stand up game would be ill advised, hence the pinkette looked intent on trying to mix things up after being struck well by Xiao's precise and hard hitting strike. Managing to swoop in close and catch Xiao clean with a single leg takedown! Earning a loud "Tch!" noise from the Oriental Rose, such a move was sadly uncommon in China's martial arts scene. With MMA generally being frowned upon in favour of traditional martial arts, with Xiao being more supportive of the former in her travels battling frauds. Xiao knew of this technique and had experienced it a few times in her battles.

The Oriental Rose would remain calm, hopping backwards a bit in the hold. Giving Margarita some progress but making sure to get her hands in close to her opponent's head and back area, intent on making sure that if the Chinese warrior was heading to the mat she'd make sure to take Margarita with her. After the pair likely came tumbling down to the mat Xiao would try and deliver a swift jab to Margarita's head, it wasn't a powerful shot given the closeness of the two and the lack of windup. But it'd serve as a good reminder of what Xiao could be capable of if she dilly dallied on the mat too long against the Emerald Fist!

MMA was often frowned upon in China, at least that was what Xiao had come to learn during her off time. The Oriental Rose had been ever eager to improve herself and so she had branched out, only to run into brick walls during her search for a place to learn. She had questioned various experts in kung fu with "What can this art do if your tackled to the ground?" the answers she'd gotten were suspicious and made her look deeper. So that if and when the day came where she was taken to the mat Xiao would at least not flounder like a fish out of water, granted her stand up game was far more impressive but Xiao knew that eventually the time would come. Xiao wasn't afraid of being taken down, she'd demonstrate this with her stoic demeanour not changing even as she was tackled down hard to the mat by Margarita here. 

Regardless Margarita knew her craft well it seemed with how she'd managed to handle the fist blow that Xiao had sent her and managed to capitalise on the situation, being able to transition with it into a expertly performed armbar! The Oriental Rose's eyes widened at this sudden turn of events before the near instant jolts of pain shot up through her arm, funny enough this wasn't the first time Xiao had been placed into such a hold. But it hurt still the same each and every time, which needless to say was a heck of a lot!

Still the match had just begun, Xiao wasn't tired and kicked her feet on the mat a few times before starting to buck up her hips. Trying to rock the boat and reduce the pressure being shot through her arm, before trying to roll to the side facing Margarita and attempt to stand more upright and press her spare arm down to help go for a quick pin attempt! Xiao might have been away from wrestling rings for some time, but she still knew the rules to pin one's shoulders down for the three count!