Cyber Saturday 2024 - Kairi Kamiya vs. Elizabeth "Riza" Hawkeye

The solid thud of her boot heel meeting the firm resistance of Riza's block sent a sharp jolt up Kairi's leg. She was accustomed to more give when throwing her weight into her strikes, and though she had managed to push Riza back, it wasn't by much. Her boot scraped off the other woman's arms, forcing Kairi to awkwardly jog a few steps to regain her balance. She moved towards the ropes, using their springiness to steady herself and gather momentum for another attempt. Determination burned in her eyes as she readied herself for another round, refusing to be deterred by the compliments Riza had thrown her way, which might have otherwise distracted her with a fleeting sense of adoration.

Today, she was laser-focused. Nothing mattered but the win, because without it, her dreams of championship gold would slip back into obscurity. She knew opportunities like this were rare, and she couldn't afford to squander it, not even for a second. Pushing off from the ropes, Kairi took several long strides towards Riza. As she neared, she launched herself off the canvas, thrusting her boots out in front of her in a perfectly executed dropkick aimed squarely at Riza's chest. She was determined to bring her opponent down, her mind clear and her goal singular.

Hawkeye's grin had never left her face as Kairi adjusted herself, though the younger woman didn't respond to her compliments, keeping herself fully serious. Hawkeye could respect that, and as Kairi moved towards the ropes, Hawkeye copied her, bouncing off her own nearby ropes and using the extra momentum to pick up speed as she approached her opponent.

She had assumed upon seeing Kairi move, reasonably enough, that after she blocked Kairi's first kick, the smaller woman was going to try a running move, no doubt hoping her momentum would add extra oomph to her next attack, and Hawkeye figured the last thing she'd expect is for Hawkeye's bigger frame to come barreling at her straight on, and that she could just power through the girl.

...and then Kairi jumped, and Hawkeye realized she had underestimated the girl.

She tried to scramble to a stop, tried to raise her arms to block again, but wasn't fast enough, her hasty actions putting her in the perfect position for Kairi's dropkick to connect perfectly, her boots slamming into Hawkeye's bare chest and knocking the beautiful blonde flat onto her back, her legs kicking up in the air before falling flat down, the former soldier clutching at her chest as she winced and hissed in pain!