Daisuke Takeuchi vs. Hagiwara, Sakura - Part III (The Final Confrontation)

It had been two weeks since she had last heard from Daisuke. She had been spending most of that over in Friction, training, preparing for whatever challenge came her way. Some of the girls in the locker room would come up to her and curiously ask her things about her brief time completing in Tension, wondering if they should do it as well. She encouraged them to broaden their horizons and accept new challenges, knowing it's what her own mentor would have likely told them. It didn't really matter where they wrestled, every match was a new chance to learn and grow. The three match series had been among one of the more interesting endeavors she had mindlessly agreed to… though with how long the radio silence lasted she wasn't sure if Daisuke even wanted to have their final match if he couldn't win the majority of them to claim true victory.

When she had gotten the request from Tension management to come back to face him for the last time, she was a bit surprised and excited to put a definitive end cap to their matches. It had been her hope that in their time apart he had done some real thinking about what she said and improved his abilities for their next clash… then she had finally arrived and was ushered to a special part of the arena. Another gimmick match. Of course. She had quietly changed into her lighter gear after the Sauna match was explained to her, unwilling to strip herself down to just her underwear which was the only other thing she had on hand.

Sakura Hagiwara:

She approached the sauna, lingering at the door for a moment to let out a soft huff. This hadn't been how she envisioned their final match would end, but she was determined to work through this new compilation and best him once more, making good on her earlier claims of sweeping all three matches. It didn't matter what tricks he had up his sleeve, she was ready. Opening the door she slipped inside, letting it close loudly behind her. Padding across the floor on bare feet, she gave Daisuke a small nod of acknowledgment. "Felt confident enough to finally challenge me again but not enough to do it in a real ring I see. What are you playing at this time?"

Sakura didn't wear anger well, her frustrations tended to be internalized to the point that they would boil over into her characteristic determination. It gave her incredible drive, something that had stayed with her ever since wrestling finally clicked and the losing streak that had come to define her early career was shattered like a pane of glass. She had been a competitor ever since, no longer an easy victim to those who looked at her status as an idol for an easy win, not unlike Daisuke. When he claimed there were no tricks this time, she couldn't help but narrow her gaze, looking about the sauna without masking her obvious disagreement with the claim.

Folding her arms firmly under her breasts she stood a bit straighter, huffing. She had been in her fair share of strange matches before, including prior to AFW, but this was a first. Sweat already sheened on her body, gathering on her forehead as she stubbornly ignored it trickling down her cheek. Her hardened expression softened slightly at the compliments as she eyed her opponent curiously. He seemed genuine to her at this moment, but it could have all very well be a lie. Their first meeting at the gym she had naively taken him at his word at wound up nearly losing in an embarrassing oil match. She was skeptical he had changed but willing to give him a chance despite everything that had happened between them.

"Well… at least you are honest about the match." She conceded softly. He hadn't minced words when it came to choosing this setting for their final bout, hoping it would give him a leg up on her. In truth, she wasn't sure what to make of it. She had spent plenty of time in day spas and onsen, but never while wrestling. This was shaping up to be a tricky test of endurance the likes of which she had yet to encounter. Much like the oil had favored the more seasoned Daisuke, she assumed this was the sort of match he had experience with. She'd have to be careful.

"Alright, Takeuchi-San. Just because I don't have anything to prove after defeating you twice already, don't think I am going to just go easy on you or get sloppy." Sakura unfolded her arms, shaking them out at her side. Swing of her head, she whipped her long hair over her shoulder, getting all but a few stubborn strands that remained stuck to her face to fall behind her as she took up a grappling position. "I told you early on I would take all three matches and I aim to… hope you are ready!"

Sakura stood her ground, unsure of when the match had officially started with no bell to clue them in. When Daisuke moved towards her she stepped up to lock horns with him, intent to initiate a simple collar and elbow lock. She pushed for position with him but was caught off guard when he slipped in closer, wrapping his arms around her in a clinch. She took a fumbled step back as he used leverage to drive her back. She fought for every inch, digging her feet onto the slightly slicked wooden floor. It was a poor substitution for her actual ring boots though with actual grip on the soles. She had put up a good attempt at holding him at bay until her heels hit one of the railed seating areas of the sauna unexpectedly and she fell backward onto it with Daisuke pressing down on top of her, pinning her down.

Sakura's back arched against the raised wooden seating as she kicked her feet, unable to mount a strong counter attack from this position. She jerked her shoulders from side to side and squirmed, trying to free one of her arms enough to show her hand in his face and shove him back. If she managed to get any space between them, she would kick a foot out to try and knock him back to give her time to get back up.

Sandwiched up against the sauna benches was no real place to launch an attack from. It was something Daisuke seemed keen to educate her own as she struggled from a position of weakness against a man she had been seen more than capable of holding her own against. Just as she managed to wedge a foot between them, she was suddenly ripped from the seated position and bend forward, taken stumbling from the wall. Her opponent's arm flexed in around her head, getting a firm hold of her while she was still unbalanced.

"Argh!" Sakura winced, reaching up to grab hold of the elbow of the arm wrapped around her, trying to twist herself free but finding no real room to do so. her hips swayed from side to side making her perky backside bounce with each attempted squirm. When it became apparent escape wouldn't be won so easily, it was time to shift gears. Rather than pulling away, she leaned her weight into Daisuke, planting her bare feet firmly. She shoved forward, digging her shoulder into his midsection as she tried to push forward, building enough momentum to possibly slam him back first into the far wall.

The first few steps had been the hardest with her soles grinding against the hardwood floor, having trouble gaining any real ground. All she needed was a moment of imbalance, a hint of weakness… there it was. Daisuke surrendered a step. Then another. Soon both wrestlers were charging to the far wall where she threw all her weight into ramming her opponent up against the hard surface. It worked well enough as the arms locking in her head were pulled back and she attempted to slip away.

"Ugh!" Such a clean escape proved unobtainable though as Daisuke refused to let her vulnerable position go unchallenged. With a wet thud, his fists slammed across her collar while she moved away, sending her hard to the floor. From her vantage point, the blow had struck her by surprise leaving her winded when she took the fall on her chest poorly, laid out before him.