A rocking melody plays. A young Caucasian woman with short brown hair with bangs, wearing blue and red gear, jogs out of the sliding doors on the stage. She is followed closely by an older, stern-looking Samoan woman with big curly hair and a tracksuit. The crowd pops mildly, more so for the older woman.
Briar Lane: Accompanied to the ring by Kalavina Leota, from Calgary, Alberta, Canada, standing 5 feet 6 and weighing in at 140 pounds, Maya Lethbridge!
A.B.: Maya Lethbridge, the young technician with 8 years in the game. We last saw her and her mentor, Kalavina Leota, the "Mother Hen of Holds" at Saturday Night Super Fight in November. They stepped inside the 16-person Cage Match to crown the first-ever PSW Tag Team Champions, a match that was won by Team Wallace over on the Fight Pit.
Lethbridge high-fives and fistbumps some fans. Leota whispers something in her ear, and she nods before rolling into the ring and slapping herself to get focused.
Dominga: Oh, so Leota trains actual wrestlers, too?
Dominga: I'm just saying. Last week, we saw a pair of roller skaters she trained-
A.B.: Former speed skating champions.
Shamoon: And they won their match.
Dominga: -and a pop star that she also trained-
Shamoon: I told you, she was IDOL!
Dominga: I'm just surprised to see she trains pro wrestlers to wrestle in this wrestling company.
Shamoon: You know she trained Sarah Esposito, right?
Dominga: Wait, really?
A.B.: No. She scouted her, gave her some advice and put in a word with management.
Shamoon: There was a little bit of training, though.
A.B.: Misconception.
Dominga: So, you're a liar, Shamoon.
Shamoon: Why don't we just ask her to confirm?
Leota walks by the commentary table and keeps her eyes on the ring. The arena darkens, and a low buzzing sound is heard on the speakers. A series of numbers flashes on the titantron. 4. 13. 23. 30. 4. 13. 23. 30. 4. 13. 23. 30. Over and over this sequence repeats as a big, black owl creature flies closer and closer, reaching out with its talons and SCREECHING.
Fireworks explode, purple smoke fills the arena, and an intense guitar solo plays.
Shamoon: I hate that. Every time with the pyro.
Athiambo, clad in all black with round sunglasses and a long, feathery coat makes her way down to the ring.
Briar Lane: And the opponent, from Mombasa Island of the coast of Kenya, standing 5 ft 10 and weighing in at 165 pounds, The Dark Talon, ATHIAMBO!
A.B.: Speaking of last week, what a dominant victory by this woman?
Shamoon: Yeah, I was looking forward to "Lucky" Lei D, but that was a total mismatch.
Dominga: Pop stars don't belong in the ring, especially in the Dark Talon's ring.
Shamoon: The Tiger Driver was unnecessary, though.
Dominga: It's her freaking finishing move! How else is she supposed to end a match?
Athiambo climbs a turnbuckle and removes her glasses to reveal her face, so uncannily owl-like with large, cold eyes. Lethbridge just bounces on her feet and takes a deep breath.
A.B.: That eerie entrance. Lethbridge is showing a bit more confidence than Lei D did, a testament to her experience. This should hopefully be a more competitive match.
The Dark Talon throws off her coat and leaps from the turnbuckle.
Referee Fabiola Acquarone calls for the bell.
Lethbridge is the first to hold out her hands, one high, one low.
A.B.: Is Lethbridge looking to initiate a knuckle lock? She's not known for being a power wrestler.
Dominga: Athiambo's bigger than here, is she stupid? I guess Leota's not a great teacher.
Leota, for her part, keeps her arms folded and her eyes front.
Athiambo stands upright, staring unblinkingly. She then slowly reaches out her own arms. The higher hands interlock fingers at which point Lethbridge quickly goes behind and grabs Athiambo in a waistlock, while still holding the hand.
Shamoon: It was a trap! Lethbridge suckered her in! Athiambo's arm is trapped.
A.B.: Lethbridge going for a- No! Elbow to the face by Athiambo.
Dominga: You don't leave one of the deadliest strikers in the world with one free arm, but A for effort.
Lethbridge stumbles away, holding her temple. Athiambo stalks her from behind and quickly grabs her with a Full Nelson.
A.B.: Dragon Suplex by Athiambo!
Dominga: Did you see the snap on that?!
Shamoon: My gosh! Maya's neck...
Leota unfolds her arms and grabs the apron.
Athiambo doesn't bridge to pin, she releases the full nelson and picks Maya up, putting her head between her legs and hooking her arms.
Shamoon: No... No, not again!
A.B.: We saw "Lucky" Lei D fall victim this last week. TIGER DRIVER!
Shamoon: She didn't need to do that.
Dominga: What do you mean, 'She didn't need to do that '? It is her FINISHING move!
Shamoon: She just dropped her on her head and neck TWICE!
Dominga: Like the saying goes, "Protect ya neck!"
A.B.: She's not going for the cover, though.
Dominga: Wait, why not?
A.B.: Locking eyes with Leota here. Lei D last week, Lethbridge tonight. I think she's silently asking if this is the best Leota's school can offer.
Shamoon: Yeah, well, she's wasting ti- Where is she going?
A.B.: Athiambo going to the top turnbuckle. I think she's going for the Final Nail!
Shamoon: THE WHAT?!
Dominga: Her OTHER finishing move!
Maya lies supine on the mat, dazed and clutching her neck. By the time she even realises what's happening, the full weight of Athiambo comes down on her ribcage with a diving double foot stomp. The Dark Talon smoothly rolls backwards onto her knees and finally goes for the pinfall.
Acquarone: 1! 2! 3! Ring the bell!
A.B.: And it was indeed the Final Nail in the coffin for Maya Lethbridge!
Athiambo gets up and turns her back on Lethbridge, but doesn't quite leave the ring. Leota slides in to check on Lethbridge, along with the ref.
Shamoon: That was sick!
Dominga: Hell yeah, it was!
Shamoon: No, I mean it was disgusting! She did not need to do ANY of that!
Dominga: She didn't need to use her FINISHING MOVES to win a match?
Shamoon: Why can't you understand what I'm saying?
Dominga: I think it's you who doesn't understand-
Shamoon: No, it's you! Nothing about that last move was about winning the match. That was the intention to harm.
Dominga: It's a combat sport, dumbass!
Shamoon: I know that, dammit! But there's a certain level of professional etiquette.
Dominga (scoffs): Listen to this guy. "Professional etiquette." Go play golf or something!
A.B.: Calm down, both of you! Now, Aaz, just earlier, you were praising Roger Evans's brutal chair shots against Hotaru Ishikiwa.
Shamoon: That was different! Ishikawa's a known bully who was going to torture a "rookie" with no consequence, and he got exposed. Not to mention that was a different match with different rules.
A.B.: But-
Dominga: Answer me this. Yes or no, did Athiambo break a single rule?
Shamoon: Well, no-
Dominga: There you go.
Shamoon: It's not that simple. The fact-
Dominga: The fact is, we have an absolute killer in that ring, and her time is being wasted.
Shamoon: I-
A.B.: Hold that thought. I think Lethbridge just coughed up blood.
Acquarone (waving both arms at the stage): We need some help out here!
Leota (holding Lethbridge): Take it easy, kid. Take it easy.
Shamoon: This is what I was... Oh no... Leota, turn around. TURN AROUND!
The Mother Hen does turn around to see the Dark Talon standing over her and staring. She quickly stands up and, despite being dwarfed, shoves Athiambo back.
The crowd pops: LEOTA! LEOTA! LEOTA! LEOTA! LEOTA!
Athiambo doesn't smile, but her eyes do. Acquarone quickly gets between them, but the Mombasan is already leaving right as medics rush the ring. Leota goes back to checking on Lethbridge, while keeping a wary eye on the retreating silhouette of Athiambo.
A.B.: Let me be clear, Aaz, I agreed with your earlier point, but to add to it and go back to my point, this was a provocation. And to Dominga's point, if Athiambo wants a real challenge, she'll find it and more in Kalavina Leota.
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