Work Text
– TONIGHT!!! –
MUSUTAFU PRO
BACK IN BUSINESS, BABY!
UMINO HALL
DOORS 6:30PM, GONG 7:00PM
Umino Hall–Musutafu, Shizuoka
Umino Hall is a small venue located in the heart of Musutafu’s entertainment district and can easily hold a crowd of 1,500. It has been used for a variety of sporting events such as boxing, kickboxing, MMA, and of course, professional wrestling. Umino Hall has also been used as a theater for concerts, movies, and other types of events. While not as famous, many consider it to be the sister venue to Korakuen Hall in Tokyo due to similar crowd capacities, seating arrangements, and histories with professional wrestling.On this very night, Umino Hall happened to be hosting local promotion Musutafu Pro as they were finally resuming events after the war amidst Japan’s post-war wrestling boom. Musutafu Pro announced their event one month prior to the scheduled date. Tickets went on sale the week after the announcement and sold out within a day. Tonight, fans were finally filing into the venue. Musutafu Pro was in fact Back In Business, Baby! …
6:40PM
“You think Hog-sensei is gonna win?” Kirishima asked his friends as they walked inside the hall’s lobby“I think I’m going with Sterling on this one.” Sero said.“With all due respect to sensei, I believe Sterling-san has the advantage with his kickboxing background,” Kendo added.“Have you seen Hog-sensei recently?” Tetsutetsu asked. “Dude was still jacked in his match with Ryu!”“He’s a heavyweight in the body of a junior heavyweight!” Ashido exclaimed.“I think sensei’s very strong, but have you seen Sterling’s fights? He’s got so many knockout and submission wins!” Tokage countered.“Both guys are so good that I can’t choose! I think it can go either way. Sterling has the height advantage, but sensei has the weight advantage and experience,” Kamanari noted. “What do you think, Jiro?” he asked as he looked over at Jiro.“Eh, I’ll go with whoever has better entrance music,” she stated.“Let me tell you, sensei’s theme is a banger!” Kaminari informed her.“Sterling’s is actually catchy though,” Sero countered as they continued discussing their predictions.“Hey, you’re Hog’s students, right?” an unfamiliar voice asked. The eight of them turned their heads towards the source of the question.Kaminari gasped. “Ryu Sin Miedo!”“The only and only!” he beamed as he was in his wrestling gear along with a tank top. He was one of the people tasked with manning the merchandise tables before tonight’s show started. “Cross-senpai has told me quite a bit about his students, so I’m glad you guys can join us tonight!”“Well, some of us got roped into,” Kendo giggled as she also motioned to Jiro and Tokage.“We all decided to make it a group outing!” Ashido said proudly.“Bro, we were all in my dorm with every device we could find to secure tickets!” Tetsutetsu added.“That was literally harder than any game I’ve played before!” Denki said.Jiro spoke up. “Clearly, they’ve never experienced buying concert tickets before.”Ryu then looked at the purple-haired girl. “You're Jiro’s kid, no?”“Huh?” Jiro was a bit surprised.“I reached out to your folks not too long ago to commission a new entrance theme, and at some point, your father mentioned his daughter being a UA student.”“Oh?” Her interest piqued a bit.“My new entrance theme should be debuting tonight. All I can say is that your parents’ work is amazing!” he complimented.“Well I’ll be looking forward to it,” she smiled.Kaminari then picked up one of the Ryu Sin Miedo masks on the table. “How much for the mask?” Jiro’s smile then faded as she groaned at the thought of all the potential shenanigans her boyfriend could possibly pull off, making the lucharesu hero laugh.“¥2000,” Ryu confirmed.The blonde handed over the cash as Ryu handed him a mask. “Thank you!” “¡De nada!” (“You’re welcome!”) “I’m so getting a Neko Twins shirt!” Kirishima said.“Me, too, bro!” Tetsutetsu added.After another brief transaction, the hardening and steel users quickly changed into the white and pink kawaii t-shirts for the sister tag team duo.“They’re so manly, bro!” Tetsutetsu exclaimed.“I know, bro!” said Kirishima.“Nya-Nya Power!” they shouted while raising their fists into the air.“Setsu-chan, I’ll get some snacks for us to share,” Sero said.“Okay, Hanta-kun,” Tokage responded before giving him a peck on the cheek.“At least our boys are still respectful,” Ashido sighed to Kendo.“We heard about Mineta's house arrest,” Kendo said. “How long is it gonna be?“Sensei said it was for a week,” Jiro clarified“I saw some of the teachers at lunch after the dorm checks,” Tokage said. “Fog Hog-sensei looked like he’s seen some stuff.”“Dude. There was so much stuff they confiscated from his dorm. It might as well have looked like he was moving out,” Jiro confirmed.“I can’t even imagine what kind of things he had in there,” Ashido remarked.All four girls shuddered.“Kyo-chan!” Kaminari called out. The girls turned to the boys, who were in front of a backdrop set up for photos. Kirishima and Tetsutetsu were both in their Neko Twins shirts as they flexed their biceps and leaned away from Kaminari, who was in between them while wearing his Ryu Sin Miedo mask. He stood sideways with his turned to the right and his left arm, which was closer to the backdrop, flexed and his hand tucked behind his head. His right arm extended out with his right hand in a gun gesture. Sero was crouched down in front of Kaminari with his hands extended out as he was already wearing a shirt for Spider Monkey Matsui.The girls giggled at the boys posing like members of a wrestling faction. Ashido pulled out her phone to take a picture. “I’m definitely gonna tell Fuwa-chan to put this in the yearbook!” Of course, the boys didn’t care how ridiculous they looked. In their minds, they felt like badasses, and at the very least, the girls were certainly amused.Meanwhile, Ryu Sin Miedo continued to sell merchandise and interact with fans at the merchandise table. Overall, he was happy with life returning to normal as well as bearing witness to the comeback of Japan’s wrestling scene. However, “We all decided to make it an outing!” lingered in his mind for a bit. They were all good friends, but he got the feeling that some of them had been dating already. The more he thought about it, he noticed several other couples within the influx of fans. He decided not to focus too much on that. He had a match tonight after all. Besides, he already had quite a bit to deal with as a hero and especially with his quirk. He didn’t want to be a burden. Nonetheless, he would deal with whatever life throws at him.“Excuse me.”Ryu snapped back to reality. “Hm?’ Ryu looked over at the person who called out to him. She had light blue skin and short dark blue hair. Judging by her costume, she must be one of the pro heroes sent to tonight’s event for security. He instantly felt his face heat up under his mask when he realized the underside of her breasts were exposed by her costume and quickly looked back up to her face. He noticed that her bright yellow eyes shined behind the visor she wore.“Which way leads to the backstage area?” she asked. “Sorry, I’ve never really been here before, so I’m a bit lost.”“You’ll want to go straight down and take a left. Take a right at the first hallway, and it’ll take you where you need to be,” he said as he motioned where to go.“Thank you! Ryu Sin Miedo, right?” she asked.“ Sí, señora ( Yes, ma’am ), and you?”“Bubble Girl.”“Your name sounds familiar. You’re with the Nighteye agency, right?”“That’s correct,” she replied. “Are you fluent in Spanish, or is it just a gimmick?”“ He mantenido la fluidez durante unos seis años, or… I have maintained fluency for about six years. At first, it was un poco difícil , or a little difficult, but it has already become a second nature to me.”“Well your Spanish sounds very good.”“Thank you, miss,” he responded as he observed the details of her face. Her skin looked very smooth and soft. All of a sudden, they were surrounded by bubbles, and for some reason, the air smelled really nice. “Where are all these bubbles coming from?” he asked before realizing they were appearing out of her arms.“Hm- AH!” Bubble Girl covered her face as she blushed profusely. “Sorry! I-I sometimes lose control of my quirk when I’m nervous!” Ryu was starting to feel hot under his mask again. Why did she look cute when she was freaking out like this?However, he instantly felt relieved as soon as the scent grew stronger. He closed his eyes and took a longer whiff.“The scent of red spider lilies,” he observed. “Right now is when they bloom.”“I was actually at a garden a few days ago,” she clarified as she calmed down. “There were a lot of them.”“I think I know the place you’re talking about. I recommend going there again in February when the plum blossoms bloom.”“I’m guessing you know a bit about flowers then?”“You could say that. I just find them soothing. They help take my mind off things. The more you look at a flower, the more of its beauty and details that you notice. Flowers are also very fragile despite their beauty, which is why I think they’re priceless.”She hummed in response.
VRRT VRRT
“I’m so sorry!” Bubble Girl apologized as she pulled out her phone to read the message she just received. “I’d love to stay and chat, but I’m needed elsewhere! I’ll watch your match tonight, and I might see you later! It was nice meeting you Ryu-san!” She said before she started walking away.“You, too, Bubble Girl!”Bubble Girl seemed really nice, but if he took away anything from their short encounter, ella es hermosa. (she is beautiful.) He quickly stopped himself and took a deep breath before letting those thoughts continue. He needed to stay focused on selling merchandise and preparing for his match later.“I see you’ve been socializing with your fellow heroes, little bro!” An arm wrapped around his neck, pulling Ryu into a hug.Ryu jumped. “Yusuke!”Yusuke Takahashi was a referee in the Japanese professional wrestling circuit and was booked to be a referee at tonight’s event. He was easily recognized by his black and white striped hair, which would match most of the referee jerseys he wore. Despite being quirkless, he was well respected as an authority figure as well as for his athletic build. Inside the ring, he laid down the law, and no one dared to challenge his word. He also happened to be the older brother of Ryu Sin Miedo.“She looked like was into you,” Yusuke said.“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Ryu replied.“You should talk to her more when you get the chance. At least you’ll be networking with other heroes,” Yusuke suggested.“Maybe.”“Unless you’re scared to talk to her, that is,” Yusuke teased.“I’m not scared!” Ryu stated, slightly embarrassed now.“I know you’re blushing under that mask,” Yusuke further teased. He was very attentive as a referee, let alone the sibling of a masked wrestler. Needless to say, he knew his brother very well.“Dammit,” Ryu muttered under his breath.Yusuke laughed. “I gotta go help the ring crew, so see ya in a little bit, little bro,” he said as he patted his brother’s back before making his way to the ring in the arena.Ryu sighed as he looked down at the Chris Cross shirt on the table. Just 10 more minutes until he had to head backstage.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
As the start time drew near, Musutafu Pro’s personnel were busy backstage as they were preparing for the event’s live broadcast. Wrestlers and producers were scattered throughout the backstage area, including two particular heroes and their partners in crime fighting.
…
6:53PM
Chris and Joey were both backstage near the locker room. They were stretching and warming up for their match later into the night as they respectively wore a t-shirt and jacket with their gear. Their girlfriends Burnin and Mirko, otherwise known to them as Moe and Rumi, accompanied them. They were currently in civilian clothing while wearing t-shirts of their respective boyfriends in support.
“Hopefully we shook off most of that ring rust,” Chris remarked.
“At least you had a match before tonight,” Joey followed up.
“True. The only difference though is that tonight's gonna be a main event instead of an opener,” Chris replied. “You ready?”
“I’m a little nervous, but I feel prepared,” the kangaroo hero said.
“I’m guessing training with Mirko helped?” Chris asked.
“You could say that,” Rumi chuckled.
…
A few days ago…
A training gym not far from Mirko’s residence
Rumi and Joey were both standing in a training ring while in gym clothes. It was one of the last training sessions Joey would undergo prior to his return to combat sports and heroics. The gym was small for the most part, and it was empty as it was the middle of the day.
“Ready for this next one?” she asked.
“Yeah, bring it on,” he said eagerly.
The rabbit hero then ran towards him. The kangaroo hero kept his guard, but she quickly leapt up. Her legs twisted and instantly wrapped around his neck. With another twist of her body, her weight then dragged him down, flipping him down onto his shoulders with great force.
THUD
Her legs remained locked around his neck. Despite having the wind knocked out of him, Joey was trying to break free, but he was struggling. Fortunately, she wasn’t putting on too much pressure with her thighs since this was a training session after all.
She chuckled as she flipped her hair while looking down at him. “You really didn’t see that scissor kick coming, Mr. Kangaroo Kickboxer?” she taunted.
“At least I would’ve won either way,” he teased as he rubbed her thigh.
“Don’t get too comfortable,” she retorted as she tightened her grip a bit.
“Agh!” He rapidly patted her thigh to tap out. He had a feeling he would be paying for that remark. She chuckled as she released him from her thighs.
“You know, since pro wrestling is more lax than kickboxing, you could probably try that maneuver by leaning on your tail instead of jumping,” she suggested.
“That’s actually a good idea, Rumi,” he answered as she helped him back up. With a small grunt, he was back on his feet, and he easily towered over her.
“I know it is, Jojo,” she retorted smugly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m proud of the progress you’ve made, hon,” she stated.
“Thanks, love,” he smiled down at her as he wrapped his arms around her back. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Anytime,” she said before they shared a kiss.
…
6:54PM
“I definitely got some tricks up my sleeve, Cross-san,” Joey warned with a smirk. She gave a satisfying hum as he leaned against her.
“Well in case you don’t know, my girlfriend is one of the Endeavor agency’s top sidekicks,” Chris bragged, wrapping an arm around Moe as she smirked as well.
“He picked up on our early morning workouts and warmups very quickly,” Moe boasted.
“You still have a schedule? That’s cute,” Rumi countered.
“May the better man win, I guess,” Joey said.
One of the referees then walked up to the four of them. “We have five minutes.”
“We should get to our seats then,” Moe suggested.
“We’ll see you guys later then,” Rumi added. Both heroines gave their respective partners a brief kiss.
“Remember what I taught you, Jojo,” Rumi told her boyfriend before giving him a light yet firm slap on the butt, eliciting a small laugh from him.
“Oh I will Ruru,” he responded.
“Go make some magic tonight, Chris,” Moe told her boyfriend before kissing him again.
“You can count on it,” he smiled as they pulled away.
“Good,” she said with a grin and wink.
Both heroines then started to make their way to their seats, which were in one of the balconies.
“Hopefully they’re not too rough with each other,” Moe said as they walked up a flight of stairs
“They’re boys, but I’m sure they know their limits… hopefully,” Rumi responded.
The two of them quickly reached one of the balconies and walked over to their seats before finally sitting down. Next to them was a familiar looking blonde and a man in a hoodie, facemask, and sunglasses. His red leafy hair stuck out from his hood. Despite the couple’s low key appearance, the two female heroes easily recognized them as Mt. Lady and Kamui Woods, or Yu Takeyama and Shinji Nishiya.
“Didn’t expect to see you guys here,” Moe said.
“We wanted to do something fun and interesting for a date night, so we decided to go when the show was announced,” Yu responded.
“I heard this was a hot ticket event. I see you succeeded in getting seats,” Rumi laughed.
“Yes, actually. Fog Hog reached out to us before tickets went on sale to the public. Musutafu Pro was selling discounted tickets to heroes as an act of appreciation,” Yu clarified.
“Well that was very nice of them,” Rumi replied.
“I’m very intrigued as to why people find this sport very entertaining,” Shinji remarked. “I do find the work ethic of several of these athletes to be very admirable.”
“I was working security at the Tokyo Dome when I saw Chris and Ryu Sin Miedo. It’s an atmosphere like no other,” Moe said with a twinkle of amazement in her eyes as her flaming hair glowed.
“But Joey’s gonna win,” Rumi butted in smugly.
Moe teasingly held her arms in an X while sticking her tongue out. Yu giggled at the rabbit hero and flaming sidekicker’s banter while Shinji just rolled his eyes.
Suddenly, the venue’s lights dimmed. Moe checked her phone. It was 7:00PM right on the dot.
DING
DING
DING
DING
DING
After a few moments of silence, a spotlight illuminated the ring. The ring announcer and Musutafu Pro’s president stood in the center. Referee Yusuke Takahashi stood in the neutral corner behind them as the first match would be in just a bit. The president then grabbed the microphone to address the crowd.
“For nine months, we remained dormant in the face of uncertainty and a nationwide crisis. For a little bit, I was sure that we would never come back. Pro wrestling is an art form, an escape from reality, and for most of us at Musutafu Pro, our livelihood. It scares me to even think that Japanese wrestling could have become an endangered or lost art form.” He then paused a bit. “And to our heroes, we thank you for your bravery and sacrifice.” There was a round of applause from the audience. “Now that we are still here, Musutafu Pro will continue to put on intense cards that showcase some of Japan’s finest wrestlers,” he declared. The crowd applauded once more. “I have one more thing to say.” The crowd grew silent once more and listened carefully. “Ladies and gentleman, welcome back!” he said with a smile as the crowd erupted into applause and cheering. The president then bowed before exiting the ring.
Rock music then started playing as colorful lights flashed in sync. The ring announcer held the microphone as the projector screen above the bleachers behind him showed the broadcast feed.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Musutafu Pro
Back In Business, Baby!
, broadcasting live from Umino Hall all over the world on YoTube! Welcome back, and thank you for continuing to support us!” The air was electric throughout the sold out venue of 1,500 excited fans. Many attendees were wearing merchandise or had signs and rally towels. Several people in both balcony sections had banners for their favorite wrestlers and stables. Rumi, Yu, and Shinji were all taken aback by the experience. Moe especially was captivated, especially with how more intimate the event was compared to the intimidating size of the Tokyo Dome.
Meanwhile, Bubble Girl was in a corner on the venue's floor. Her station was a few feet away from the entrance curtain.
The ring announcer proceeded to announce the event’s card. “The opening match, eight man tag!” Bubble Girl perked up amidst the cheers as the hall’s screen displayed the match graphic. “Spider Monkey Matsui, Ryu Sin Miedo, Bendición del Mal, and Kitsune-sama versus Shinkenranger Komachi, Shinkenranger Hayabusa, Benzaichan, and Sake Honda.”
The ring announcer continued to announce the rest of the card, but Bubble Girl made a mental note to pay attention to the first match.
Eventually, the announcer got to the last match announcement. “The sixth match, main event!” The match graphic was then displayed, eliciting a loud roar of cheers. “Chris Cross versus Joey Sterling!”
The cameras then switched back to the ring announcer. “Okay, Umino Hall! Get loud and excited with us!” The crowd’s cheering and applause echoed into the dim backstage area as the first match’s participants were waiting for their cue to enter.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The ring announcer continued to stand in the ring. “The first match, eight man tag, one fall with a 20 minute time limit!” The crowd applauded as the lights dimmed.The music that played had a mix of Spanish guitar music and pop. The first team started appearing out of the curtain as they were welcomed with cheers. Meanwhile, Jiro was very impressed with the song as the words of Ryu Sin Miedo from earlier echoed in her head.
“My new entrance theme should be debuting tonight. All I can say is that your parents’ work is amazing!”
He was absolutely right.The first four wrestlers then made their way to the ring as the ring announcer introduced them.The first wrestler was slim but athletic-looking with short black hair. He had shorts with a tail and spider insignia. He was also holding a belt as he made his entrance.“In the blue corner, introducing first, Chubu Junior Heavyweight Champion, Spider Monkey Matsui!”Matsui climbed onto the middle turnbuckle as he held up his championship in front of the crowd. The title itself belonged to Musutafu Pro. It was just named after Chubu, the region of Japan that Musutafu Pro was based in. It was a very simple yet elegant belt.The next wrestler was a short female wrestler with a kitsune-themed mask and an outfit that resembled that of a shrine maiden. The masked foxy wrestler stood on the apron as she then grabbed onto the rope and slingshotted herself into the ring, doing a somersault into her signature pose before waving to the fans.“Kitsune-sama!”It was clear that she was quite popular. She had become a fan favorite in Musutafu Pro, especially with the younger fans.The next wrestler was also wearing a belt. He was a tall and slender man with dark red tights and a matching mask with small black horns on the top. He had black nails, black lip gloss, and black eyeliner. His blonde hair stuck out from the back of his mask. He easily stepped over the top rope.“The Curse of Man, Musutafu Pro U25 Champion, Bendición del Mal!”The tall luchador then walked up to the ring announcer intimidatingly. The announcer was visibly nervous but continued to keep calm.Finally, the fourth member then entered the ring as he slingshotted himself in.“The Lucharesu Hero: Ryu Sin Miedo!”The Japanese luchador then ran the ropes and did several flips to amaze the crowd, receiving an ovation for his tricks. He then looked around the hall as the music subsided. He then noticed Bubble Girl in a corner. She looked towards the ring with a sense of awe. She liked the outfits of the wrestlers, but she noticed the details of Ryu’s figure. He was very toned and despite being masked, a bit handsome. She then remembered she was still working, so she forced herself to not continue those thoughts.The lights dimmed once more as a different song then played. Ryu Sin Miedo’s team backed up into their corner. The crowd then started chanting and clapping as the prelude of the upbeat music began.“SA-KE! SA-KE! SA-KE! SA-KE! SA-KE!” roared throughout the crowd.The other team then made their entrance through the curtain as the chants continued.The first team member was a masked wrestler with a light blue outfit. Her mask looked like a caricature, resembling how faces were depicted in Japanese folklore. There were hearts incorporated into her attire as the skirt ends and tassels on her costume flowed. She ran along the barricade, high-fiving fans before climbing up the steps to enter the ring and receive her introduction.“In the red corner, introducing first, Benzaichan!”The next two wrestlers climbed up onto the apron. They were a masked male and female duo. They were both carrying matching belts. Their outfits were similar, too, but the taller of the two had a green, white, and pink outfit while the shorter one had a crimson, white, and silver outfit. He was also wearing shorts as she wore a top and trunks. He entered the ring and sat on the middle rope, lifting up the top rope for his partner. She entered the ring and gave him a kiss on the cheek. The two then did their signature pose in the center of the ring.“Musutafu Pro Tag Team Champions, Shinkanranger Falcon and Shinkanranger Belle!”They had made a name for themselves on the Japanese circuit. All that was known was that their personas were based on shinkansen services that ran together and that they were a married.The fourth member of the team then climbed onto the apron as the chants of “Sake” grew louder. His hair was wet and slicked back, and he had a muscular build. He wore a t-shirt with a chibi illustration of him drinking a sake bottle while holding a belt. Speaking of, he had the actual belt around his waist along with black trunks with “Sake” written on the back with a cherry blossom pattern in addition to black boots and knee pads. He then stepped through the ropes and held the belt up high.“Musutafu Pro Openweight Champion, SAKE HONDA!”The crowd cheered loudly for their champion. He was considered the ace of Musutafu Pro as he had stuck with the company through its highs and lows and carried the promotion on his back. He had also achieved becoming the longest reigning Musutafu Pro Openweight Champion back in December prior to pro wrestling’s hiatus during the war.As the music subsided, Yusuke walked up to the center of the ring to instruct both teams to choose their legal man before starting the match. Kitsune-sama and Benzaichan both volunteered to be first. Their tag team partners then stepped out of the ring to stand on the apron in their respective corners.Yusuke looked at both teams before signaling to the timekeeper. “Ready? Gong!”
DING
The crowd was lively as the hall was audibly split with chants of “Kitsune!” and “Benzaichain!” Both ladies approached each other on the mat. Each step in the ring echoed throughout the hall. They then charged each other before backing away, keeping their guards up. They started circling the ring, performing a few cartwheels simultaneously. Kitsune decided to skip the lockup and run towards the ropes, bouncing off them and charging towards Benzaichan, but Benzai dropped to the ground as Kitsune hopped over her. Kitsune bounced off the ropes on the other side before Benzaichan went for an arm drag.
SLAM
Lift of the leg and cover, “One! Two!” Kickout! Kitsune instantly grabbed Benzai’s neck to roll her forward onto her shoulders. “One! Two!” Kickout! Both ladies stood back up as the sound of an ovation took over the hall. Both women were evenly matched, which was how both developed a friendly rivalry with each other in the first place. This encounter had set the tone for the rest of the match.…Spider Monkey Matsui and Shinkanranger Falcon were putting on an amazing performance with their clash of styles. Matsui performed a springboard off the top rope and executed a crossbody, but Falcon caught him. Falcon lifted him up on his shoulders into a fireman’s carry, but Matsui broke free and got off his shoulders. Matsui quickly went to work by kicking Falcon’s legs.Falcon stumbled but he quickly turned around and exchanged some kicks of his own, mainly targeting the hips and thighs. Matsui went for a roundhouse kick, but Falcon dodged! Falcon leapt up and delivered a flawless dropkick as both men landed on the mat!
THUD
Falcon lifted up a disoriented Matsui onto his shoulders in an electric chair position before walking over to his team's corner as his partner had her hand out.
Slap
“Tag!” Yusuke shouted.Shinkanranger Belle was now legal as she grabbed the rope and slingshotted herself onto the top rope in the corner. The crowd realized what was about to happen next. Belle pointed at her eyes and then to her husband Shinkanranger Falcon as well as to the area around him on the mat, akin to a Japanese train operator. They then gave each other a salute before proceeding to say a well known line usually said before their tag team move.“ALL ABOARD! DOOMSDAY EXPRESS!” the Shinkanrangers and the crowd shouted.Belle jumped off the top rope, delivering an impactful lariat to Matsui, knocking him off her husband’s shoulders and onto the mat.
THUD
Falcon rolled out of the ring as Belle went for the cover! “One! Two!” Bendición del Mal kicked Bell off of Matsui, disrupting the pin, eliciting boos and jeering.“Hey! Back to your corner,” Yusuke warned.“Are you trying to get us disqualified?!” Ryu shouted.“Fine,” Bendición sighed in mild annoyance as he left the ring. He was well known to be a bit of a rule breaker and a rebellious person in general.…Benzaichan and Ryu Sin Miedo were currently the legal wrestlers. Benzaichan delivered a jumping spin kick, but Ryu caught her ankle. He held on as he rolled, executing a Dragon Screw that slammed her onto her back.
THUD
They both got up. He jumped over her, rolling onto the mat as he came down, executing a graceful sunset flip. He then grabbed her thighs to roll her onto her shoulders for a pin.“One! Two!” She grabbed the rope just in time, earning a rope break.Ryu got back up. Benzaichan was grabbing onto the ropes as she was pulling herself up. Ryu ran towards the ropes on the other side, bouncing off of them and ran towards her. Benzai moved out of the way. Ryu did a front flip. His ankles hit the rope as he was on his hands, and he used the moment of the recoil to land back on his feet and do a backflip, landing on his foot and knee in a kneeling pose.Benzai ran towards him to deliver a kick, but Ryu rolled out of the way. He quickly grabbed the rope and launched himself onto it, springboarding into a moonsault onto Benzai, knocking her down, but it was a bit too much as both wrestlers were out on the mat. The crowd applauded, cheered, and whistled at the energetic sequence that had just unfolded before them.…Sake Honda and Bendición del Mal finally stood face to face. It was the present and future as they were the Musutafu Pro Openweight Champion and the Musutafu Pro U25 Champion, or Under 25 Champion, respectively. Bendición walked up to Honda, but he scrambled to get behind him.
ThudThudThudThudThud
He secured his arms around Honda’s waist, locking his hands in an S grip. He grunted as he leaned back, attempting to suplex Honda. Honda stood his ground. He elbowed Bendición, making him let go. Honda spun around before spinning him around and tightly wrapped his arms around Bendición.“AAHHH!” he grunted as he suplexed the masked wrestler.Bendición broke free and flipped back and landed on his feet.
Thud
Honda was on the ground. Bendición jumped and kept his feet together as he delivered a stomp to the gut of Honda. Fortunately, the heavyweight was able to get up, but not as fast as the damage had been done. Bendición went to kick Honda in the head, but Honda grabbed his ankle at the last minute and pulled on it, making him fall on his back.
Thud
Bendición was on the ground, and he screamed in pain as Honda had him in an ankle lock. Bendición was scratching and clawing the mat, trying to reach the ropes.…
CLATTER!
Shinkenranger Falcon was Irish whipped into the barricade.“Please be careful!” the ring announcer instructed the crowd.Bendición del Mal ran towards Falcon with a boot to the face. “YAH!” The force sent Falcon over the barricade and into the crowd. The trainees stationed around the ring quickly rushed to assist with crowd control.A very loud SLAP then echoed throughout the hall. A “WOOOO!” echoed throughout the crowd right after.Sake Honda delivered a devastating chop to Spider Monkey Matsui in another area of the floor seating.Meanwhile, also outside of the ring, Ryu Sin Miedo was busy brawling with Benzaichan, and Kitsune-Sama was busy brawling with Shinkanranger Belle.“Get back in the ring!” Yusuke shouted but to no avail.Benzaichan was stunned, so Ryu ran in the other direction.Honda was about to chokeslam Matsui onto the floor. Suddenly, the fans screamed. Ryu Sin Miedo climbed the nearby bleachers, coming in hot with a missile dropkick! Sake fell to the ground, releasing Matsui from his grip in the process.…Matsui and Belle were busy brawling outside of the ring. Belle hopped onto the apron and jumped onto Matsui, sending him down. He managed to get back up but was disoriented. Benzaichan quickly climbed to the top of the nearest turnbuckle and jumped onto Matsui to deliver more damage. Out of nowhere, Kitsune-sama came flying over the top rope onto both Bell and Benzaichan with a crossbody, bringing them down. Honda then appeared behind Kitsune as she got back up and grabbed her wrists. Falcon then walked over to them. Honda restrained Kitsune as Falcon ran towards her, attempting to go for a “sandwich” splash, but Kitsune kicked Falcon just in time, sending him back.
ThudThudThud
Creak. The ropes shook a bit. Kitsune managed to break free just in time.
ThudThudThud
Bendición dived through the middle and top ropes and took out Honda! CLATTER! Both men crashed into the guardrail.All seven wrestlers slowly got back up.“Bring it back inside!” Yusuke shouted again.Ryu climbed onto the top rope in his team’s corner on the other side of the ring. The crowd screamed once more as Ryu walked across the rope and jumped to the adjacent side, launching himself and performing a front flip corkscrew onto everyone!As intense as the match currently was, Yusuke couldn’t wait any further and decided to start the count. “One! Two! Three! Four! …”The real challenge now was if the legal men could return to the ring before he reached the count of twenty.…Ryu and Honda were in the middle of a chop battle. SLAP! “OI!” SLAP! “OI!” SLAP! “OI!” SLAP! “OI!”Both men continued to exchange chops as their chests were turning red, especially Ryu’s. SLAP! “OI!” SLAP! “OI!” SLAP! “OI!” Ryu stumbled a bit from the chop he received SLAP! “OI!” Ryu’s chop was weak.Forearm from Honda. “Oi!” Ryu stumbled. Honda grabbed Ryu’s wrist and Irish whipped him into the ropes. Ryu turned and bounced off them, running towards Honda. Honda threw him up for a pop-up powerbomb, but Ryu countered with a hurricanrana.
Thud!
…
DING!
DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!
“Ladies and gentleman, the following match has ended in a time limit draw,” the ring announcer informed.There was some disappointment amongst the fans, but nonetheless, there was thunderous applause throughout the hall as all eight wrestlers looked around, drenched in sweat and exhausted from going to battle with each other. Even if there was no winner, fans were impressed with Musutafu Pro’s first match back with some of the promotion’s top stars. Both teams found the strength to get up and walk towards each other and showed respect in the forms of handshakes, bows, hugs, and even fist bumps. All eight wrestlers and even Yusuke held hands and raised their hands in the air for their valiant efforts. There had yet to be a winner, but Musutafu Pro was “back in business, baby!”They all exited the ring and headed to the backstage area, greeting and high fiving fans who were ringside and sitting by the entrance aisle. Ryu and Yusuke were in the back of the group.“You really put on a show, little bro,” Yusuke whispered to his little brother.“That was absolute chaos,” he panted as he leaned against his older brother.“Try reffing one of those matches,” his referee brother chuckled.Bubble Girl then appeared next to them.“That was a great match, Ryu-san!” she complimented as he was about to pass her.“Thanks!” he replied in spite of his tiredness. His brother Yusuke knew he was smiling under that mask of his. He also felt Ryu’s weight lighten as it felt like he was trying to stand more on his own.“Do you need help?” she asked.Ryu started to answer. “Thanks, but-”“If you’re not busy, then yes please,” Yusuke interrupted.Ryu was too exhausted to look, but he knew Yusuke had a small smirk on his face.Bubble Girl climbed over the barricade and wrapped Ryu’s other arm around her neck. He felt her hand on his back as they walked through the curtain.“I’m needed elsewhere right now,” Yusuke said. “You think you can take him to the media setup?” he asked Bubble Girl.“Sure. Where is it?”“Down the hall. I’ll see you guys later.” Yusuke then headed off in another direction.Ryu was too tired to protest as he continued to lean on Bubble Girl, who was already registered into his mind as the cute heroine he met almost an hour ago. Damn it, Yusuke. Bubble Girl tried her best to keep her composure. He was sweaty, but she could feel some of his muscles as her skin came into contact with his, and his muscles were contracting in sync with his heavy breathing. She felt her cheeks heat up a bit, but she quickly disregarded those thoughts, trying to think about her duties for the rest of the night.They finally approached a backdrop of logos as the other wrestlers were talking in front of a few cameras.“Ryu-san!” several of them greeted him.“I am running on fumes right now,” he admitted as he looked towards the camera. “ Gracias, Musutafu Pro. Gracias a todos. (Thank you, Musutafu Pro. Thank you everyone.) Support pro-wrestling y buenas noches (and good night).” He gave a wave before he started to make his way to the locker room area as Bubble Girl continued to help him. Fortunately, it was only several feet away. She reached for the door knob when he stopped her.“No, not here.” He continued down the hall with her in tow.
Results:
Eight Man Tag Team Match:
Spider Monkey Matsui, Ryu Sin Miedo, Bendición del Mal, & Kitsune-sama VS Shinkanranger Falcon, Shinkanranger Belle, Benzaichan, & Sake Honda – TIME LIMIT DRAW
Music Linked
“Aguja De Abeja” – Yonosuke Kitamura | “Stardust” – KIZSIN
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chris Cross and Joey Sterling were sitting in a small dressing room. There was a television on the wall that was showing the broadcast feed.
“What were they thinking with only a 20 minute time limit?” Joey said.
“Maybe they just wanted to figure out some potential matches for upcoming shows. I mean, I can think of a few matchups they can build up already from that alone.”
Click. Creak.
The door opened.
Ryu Sin Miedo came in as he continued to lean on Bubble Girl.
“Ryu, you good?” Chris asked.
Ryu gave an exhausted thumbs up.
Joey got up to grab some ice packs as Chris handed Ryu a towel. “Good work, mate, even for a draw.”
“Thanks,” the masked hero said.
“Is this your private locker room?” Bubble Girl asked.
“Yeah, just for tonight,” Chris clarified. “I’m helping Joey prepare for our match tonight, and Ryu’s chilling with us and helping, too.”
Ryu closed the door before he walked over to sit down on a bench. He slumped over as he reached behind his neck and pulled off his mask.
Unsurprisingly, his predominantly white hair was drenched with sweat as some strands were clinging to his forehead.
Bubble Girl was taken back a bit.
He had a noticeable scar that went across his right eye.
Bubble Girl caught herself staring and quickly looked away to not be rude.
That explains the small eyepatch on his mask
, she thought to herself. The scar looked serious, but as she looked at him again, he still seemed… handsome.
Ryu wiped his face with a towel and then briefly glanced at Bubble Girl. His eyes widened as he then realized… he was unmasked in front of her.
She quickly noticed his reaction. “I’m sorry! I promise I won’t tell anyone who you are!” she panicked.
“It’s okay!” he reassured while a bit flustered. “I think I can trust you. You’re a hero, too.”
She calmed down. “I still have to work, but if you don’t mind me asking, who are you?”
“Takahashi. Takahashi Yuya,” he answered as wiped his face again before looking back up at her.
“Awata Kaoruko,” she introduced in return. “I know we barely know each other, but is it alright if we stay in touch?”
He handed her his phone. “Sure! Put in your number. I’ll text you in a bit.”
She did and handed his phone back to him. “I expect to hear from you soon, Takahashi-san.” She started heading towards the door. “And thank you, all of you.”
“No problem, Bubble Girl,” Chris responded.
“Any time, mate,” Joey responded.
“Enjoy the rest of the show!” Yuya said.
“I will,” she smiled.
Step Step Step, Creak, Click.
She was finally out of the room.
“Phew!” She let out a big sigh of relief. She did not know where that courage came from. She felt her cheeks heat up and her heart pound against her ribcage. She started speed walking back towards the venue as music and announcements echoed through the hallway. She shifted her thoughts back on her job instead of Takashi-san… and those amber eyes.
Back in the dressing room, Yuya was dumbfounded as he felt a similar way. Chris and Joey were standing on the other side of the small room.
“So, having girl troubles?” Joey asked bluntly.
“What?! No!” Yuya insisted.
“Oh, my mistake,” Joey said.
Joey leaned over to Chris and whispered, “Though, he might need some help if that’s the case.” Chris nodded.
Yuya was staring at his phone nervously as he was typing away.
“So, Yuya,” Chris started. “Wanna invite Bubble Girl to the 2-A dinner at UA this Wednesday?”
“Hm?! Uh, sure,” Yuya replied.
Chris held back a chuckle. He then turned back to Joey. “Alright, let’s go over a few more techniques,” he started.
Meanwhile, the monitor in the room was still displaying the event’s broadcast. Ramen Rider VS Billy Spray was currently on, and the crowd was loving it. However, the main event was creeping up as every minute ticked away. Just two more matches, an intermission, and a semi-main event left before Cross and Sterling took center stage in the squared circle.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“One! Two! Three!”
DING!
DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!
“Your winners, Neko Kiko, Neko Miko, and I’m-Just-Kensuke!”The crowd cheered as The Neko Twins and I’m-Just-Kensuke (Yes, that’s his ring name.) stood in the center of the ring with their hands raised as the twins’ entrance music played. The twins both had matching kawaii cat outfits while I’m-Just-Kensuke was wearing his signature look of jeans and a pair of shades as his two-toned orange and blonde hair illuminated in the light. The fans were absolutely loving the contrast of the twins’ energetic personalities and I’m-Just-Kensuke’s laid back attitude. The match itself was very entertaining, but it was also the second to last match on the card as the anticipated main event would soon follow in just a few moments.As soon as the music stopped, the ring announcer spoke into the microphone.“Main event. One Fall. 20 minute time limit!” The lights then dimmed.A familiar rock tune started playing as blue lights started flashing, eliciting some cheers from the crowd as all eyes turned to the entrance curtain. The crowd grew louder as the resident gaijin hero and wrestler stepped through the curtain in his signature look of blue and black tights, black knee pads and boots with blue laces. He was also wearing one of his merchandise t-shirts.The crowd roared when he threw up his arms in an X symbol, prompting other fans to do the same to show their allegiance.Up in the balcony seating, Moe cheered and threw up an X in support of her boyfriend. “Kick some ass, Chris!” Rumi rolled her eyes playfully.Chris then continued walking towards the ring and climbed onto the apron. He then stepped through the top and middle ropes into the ring and ran to one of the corners and climbed up to the middle rope as he looked at the crowd.The announcer spoke up once more. “Introducing first, in the blue corner, Chris Cross!”Chris leaned his head back and…
FFOOO!
The crowd popped as he spit a cloud of his blue fluid into the air. He hopped back down and walked over to the blue corner. The lights dimmed once more as Cross’s entrance music subsided.Punk rock started playing as red lights started flashing in sync as fans cheered again. The kickboxing kangaroo hero then stepped out from the curtain to be welcomed by a loud ovation. He took off the hood of his jacket and looked up at the crowd, taking in the sight as his brown and blonde hair was slicked back. Aside from his official hoodie jacket and merchandise shirt, his gear consisted of his signature blue shorts with the Australian flag, white wrist tape around his wrists and knuckles, and a pair of kick pads on his shins along with wrestling shoes. He continued walking towards the ring while hyping up the crowd. He even pointed out the few Australian flags in the crowd. As one of his merchandise shirts said in English, he was “Aussie AF!”As he approached the apron of the ring, he bounced for a bit before leaping up onto it, no stairs required, earning some applause for his small feat. He then grabbed the ropes and slingshotted himself into the ring. He then climbed onto the middle and top ropes in one of the corners to pose for the crowd.“In the red corner, Joey Sterling!” Cheers and whistles echoed throughout the hall soon after.“Go for it, Joey!’ Rumi shouted. Joey spotted her and winked back at his rabbit-quirked girlfriend before hopping back down onto the mat.The music then subsided as the lights came back on. Joey quickly removed his jacket, and both men removed their shirts, throwing them into the crowd near their respective corners. The referee then walked over to Cross to briefly conduct a pat down search for foreign objects before waking over to Sterling to do the same. The referee then walked back to one of the neutral corners as both men walked toward the center of the ring and briefly shook hands, eliciting an applause for the sportsmanship.“Appreciate this, Chris,” Joey murmured to him.“Anytime, but please go easy on me,” Chris chuckled. Though there was a hint of very slight concern as he knew Mirko also helped Sterling with his training.Both men then returned to their corners.The referee then looked at both of them. “Ready? Gong!”
DING!
There were suddenly loud chants for both Sterling and Cross as the crowd was evenly split, dueling in a vocal battle to support one of the men standing in the ring.“STER-LING! STER-LING!”“CROSS! CROSS!”The crowd itself was a sea of t-shirts, banners, hoodies, paper fans, and towels for both men, which helped escalate the atmosphere to the feeling of a big match, which it kind of was.Cross surveyed the crowd for a few moments before looking back at Sterling and nodding. The kangaroo user nodded back as both men started to circle the ring. Cross kept his hands up as Sterling bounced.
Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud Thud
Cross’s instincts told him to advance now, and he quickly stepped forward.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Lockup! Both men had their left hand behind the other man’s neck and their right hand on the other man’s elbow.Sterling kept his footing as he was evenly matched in strength. Both men pushed against each other with neither one barely budging aside from a few steps to readjust their footing. Both men then let go and took a few steps back.Sterling quickly turned around, attempting to sweep Cross off his feet with his tail! Cross jumped up just in time! Sterling quickly spun in the other direction! Cross leapt up just in time again! The crowd roared in amazement.Sterling quickly advanced and then leaned back on his tail and twisted his legs, trapping Cross’s neck between his ankles before lifting his tail off the mat and letting gravity do the rest of the work, all within the span of three seconds.
Thud!
Cross’s neck was trapped between Sterlings legs as both men laid on the mat. The audience was very vocal about their satisfaction as they had witnessed the innovative execution of a tail-standing scissor kick into a leg scissor choke, and now, they could see a tap out already despite only being two minutes into the match! Mirko must’ve taught him this , Cross thought to himself.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Cross kept kicking his heels against the mat, trying to crawl or drag himself to the nearest ropes in some capacity.The referee stood over him. “Give up?!”“No!” Cross responded.Sterling tightened the grip of his legs just a bit, but Cross continued trying to break free! Sterling knew he couldn’t hold this grip forever, but he tried his best to maintain his position in the ring despite Cross’s resistance.Cross kept trying to crawl and kick out of the hold. He then noticed that there were ropes near his feet, but he didn’t know how close he was.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
The crowd started clapping in sync with Cross’s stomps on the mat as he hoped to inch closer. As his foot was coming down before the next stomp, he felt something get in the way of his foot, and despite its flexibility, it had a lot of resistance.“Break!” the referee shouted. He then started counting with his fingers. “One! Two! Three!” Sterling released Cross from his hold before the referee got to five.There was applause throughout the crowd.Sterling got back up as Cross crawled to the ropes and grabbed onto them to pull himself back up. He rubbed his neck as he took a few moments to catch his breath. Cross could already tell that this was gonna be a hell of a main event.…Cross ran towards the ropes and turned around before bouncing off them.
Thud Thud Thud! Creak!
He used the momentum to keep running and charged at Sterling as his steps on the mat echoed throughout the hall.
Thud Thud!
Cross hit Sterling with a forceful shoulder tackle.
THUD!
Cross went for the cover.“One!” Sterling instantly kicked out, which earned some applause.Both men got back up, but Cross got back up first. He ran towards the ropes again.
Thud Thud Thud! Creak!
He charged at Sterling again.
Thud Thud!
Cross jumped on Sterling as he turned towards Cross, knocking him back down onto the mat.
THUD!
A well done Lou Thesz press.
Slap! Slap! Slap! Slap!
Cross was delivering some palm strikes with his hands as Sterling kept blocking. He figured he would go easy on him as this specific variant of the Lou Thesz press would usually have punches following the body press.
Slap! Slap!
Cross was just hitting Sterling’s wrist at this point. Then, with a burst of strength, Sterling pushed him off to get back up into a fighting stance. Cross got up onto his knee as Sterling stared down at his fellow competitor and hero.…Cross wound up his arm before delivering a forearm to the neck.“OI!” echoed throughout the crowd.Sterling stretched his neck and wound up his arm to return the favor.“OI!”Cross went for another forearm.“OI!”Sterling returned again. “OI!”“OI!”“OI!”“OI!” Sterling then went for a kick to Cross’s thigh.
Snap!
The sound of his kick pad against clothed skin echoed.Sterling went for another kick behind Cross’s knee, bringing him down to a kneeling position. He quickly repositioned himself before going for a kick across Cross’s chest.
SNAP!
And another.
SNAP!
And one more penalty kick.
SNAP!
Cross collapsed to the mat. Sterling went for the cover!“One! Two!” Cross kicked out at 2.5!Sterling was in shock. “Two?!” he asked the referee while holding up two fingers.…
Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!
Cross was on the top rope in the corner as the crowd rhythmically clapped in anticipation, which was apparently a norm for independent wrestling crowds in Japan. Cross raised up his arms into an X before leaping off for a Cross Winds (or crossbody)!But Sterling caught him in his arms! The crowd voiced their bewilderment.Sterling tried lifting him up, but Cross broke free and fell, keeping a grip on Sterling’s wrist as he executed an arm drag that brought him down, too!
Thud!
Cross quickly went to the corner and grabbed the top ropes before launching himself up a bit. He kicked off the middle ropes and let go as he landed on Sterling, executing a corner slingshot splash right onto his surgically repaired ribs.
Thud!
“One! Two!” Sterling grabbed the rope in time.…Sterling ran towards Cross. Cross countered and picked him up into a fireman’s carry position. Sterling elbowed his face and got off his shoulders. Sterling went for a knee strike, but Cross caught his leg!Sterling kicked off of him to perform a backflip and break free, pushing Cross back a bit.
Thud
Right after he landed, Sterling then swung his leg high for a devastating kick only for Cross to duck!Sterling then leaped up and delivered a dropkick to Cross!
Thud!
Both men came down, with Cross taking more damage. As he was getting up, Sterling was already back up and ran at him with a knee directed towards his face!Cross dodged at the last minute and moved out of the way. He quickly grabbed Sterling’s ankle, making him fall over.
Thud!
He then twisted Sterling’s legs around his left leg as he squatted, locking him into the Crosshairs (sharpshooter) while Sterling was crawling towards the ropes!Chants for Sterling echoed loudly throughout Umino Hall.…“Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes passed,” the ring announcer informed. Five minutes remained on the clock. The crowd was on the edge of their seats as both men powered through until one stood tall.Sterling delivered a kick to Cross’s neck.
Snap!
Cross stumbled, but fortunately, Sterling was also weak right now, so the force of the kick wasn’t as hard.Sterling ran towards the ropes.
Thud Thud! Creak! Thud Thud!
He bounced off and ran towards Cross, jumping up with his feet aimed at his head, but Cross moved out of the way of his dropkick!
Thud!
Sterling landed on his back as he had the wind knocked out of him. Cross quickly went through the ropes and stood on the apron while gripping the top rope.While stumbling a bit, Sterling got back up and turned towards him, but it was too late. Cross launched himself and springboarded off the rope. “CROSS WINDS!” some fans in the front row shouted.Cross landed on Sterling, bringing him down to the mat once more.
THUD!
Cross hooked Sterling’s leg for the pin attempt!“One! Two! Three!”
DING!
DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!
“Your winner, Chris Cross!”Cheering and applause ensued as the referee raised Cross’s arm in victory while his entrance music played.“YES!” Moe shouted as she grinned like a kid on Christmas morning.“Damn!” Rumi playfully exclaimed as she watched from her balcony seat. “You did good, Joey!” she shouted.Chris then crouched down to help Joey stand back up and raised the kangaroo hero’s arm and pointed at him for his efforts despite coming up short, earning some applause for the continued signs of sportsmanship. Both men were visibly exhausted. Chris’s hair appeared to be drenched as his skin glimmered with a sheen of sweat. Joey’s hair was also soaked in sweat as his fur was also a bit shinier than earlier..Chris then held out his fist and gestured for a microphone, which was followed up by the announcer handing one to him by the ropes. Chris then held it up to his mouth as the music stopped.While panting, he asked “How’s everyone doing tonight?”The crowd cheered in response.Chris then wrapped an arm around Joey’s neck before he continued speaking. “I owe it to Musutafu Pro for giving me the opportunity to break into this sport at a young age.” He paused as he was still catching his breath. “And I’m glad to see them still here. I’m glad to see that they have yet another sold out crowd once again. Thank you for coming out tonight, Umino Hall!” His praise was met with more cheering and applause from the audience. “This was my second win and second overall match this year, but tonight was also the first match back for Joey here.” Even more applause ensued. “Anything to say, Sterling-san?” Chris breathily asked as he held the microphone near Joey’s mouth.“You’re lucky this isn’t kickboxing,” he said, which drew some laughter from the fans. Joey smiled as he continued. “Tonight didn’t go the way I wanted, but thank you, Cross-san, and thank you Musutafu Pro!” He then looked towards Rumi up in the balcony seating. “And thank you, Mirko-chan, for your support these past few months.” Rumi instantly beamed with pride for her boyfriend as even more applause followed his words.Joey continued to pant a bit before saying, “Alright, I need to rest! Wrap this up, Chris!” More laughter followed.Chris brought the microphone back to himself. “Okay, Umino Hall, thank you, and good night!” He then briefly switched to English. “May we cross paths again.” Chris dropped the mic as Musutafu Pro’s bumper music played amidst the cheers and chants. Chris and Joey climbed onto the middle ropes in two of the corners to hype up the crowd one last time before they would file out of the venue.Meanwhile in the balcony, the mineyama and arbor heroes looked at each other.“Well this was a fun date!” Yu exclaimed.“I’m even more intrigued by the martial art maneuvers used,” Shinji remarked.“Like I said, this is an atmosphere like no other,” Moe butted in.“It’s an atmosphere I can get used to, that’s for sure,” Rumi stated as she observed from their seats.
Results:
Singles Match: Chris Cross⭕ defeats Joey Sterling❌ via pinfall
Music Linked
Mina Shirakawa Stardom theme | “Cry Out For A Hero” – Beast In Black | “Revolution” – Pennywise
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
10:30PM
As the event had already concluded about half an hour ago, Chris and Joey were with their girlfriends in a small parking lot in the back of the venue as they had already loaded their bags into their cars. The four were currently having a small conversation under one of the dim lights of the lot.“If you wanna go three rounds some day, let me know,” Joey suggested with a smirk.“Thanks,” Chris chuckled. “But I don’t know if I can last in kickboxing. I’m just not built for that world.”“That’s fair,” Joey responded. “But if you want to, the offer’s on the table.”“What about this shoot style wrestling?” Rumi suggested.“Maybe. I’ve been in two shoot style matches in my entire career, but both were years ago in my rookie days, so who knows?” Chris replied. “I’d be down for that if you’re serious about it,” Joey reiterated.“I’ll consider it,” the off-duty poison hero remarked.“That was still a great match you guys had!” Moe complimented.“You told me to make magic tonight, and I did,” Chris replied as he wrapped his arm around his flaming girlfriend before leaving a kiss on her temple.“Well that magic definitely wasn’t soft,” Joey remarked as he stretched a bit.“Tell that to my neck,” Chris retorted, making the four of them laugh.“Well JoJo’s gonna beat you one of these days,” Rumi playfully warned as she clung to her kangaroo boyfriend.“Still don’t even know when my next match is gonna be,” Chris admitted.“WHA has you busy, too?” Joey asked.Chris nodded. “At least we got the training session and 2-A dinner on Wednesday.”“Speaking of, those UA kids that came tonight were really nice,” Joey followed up. Both men spent a few moments after their match to interact with the crowd, including the eight hero course students that attended the event.Chris chuckled. “You gotta love ‘em!” Even as a part-time teacher, he enjoyed the personalities that his students brought with them whenever he was in their presence.Just then, two voices could be heard approaching the four with a feminine voice giggling.Bubble Girl and a man in a red hoodie with a black face mask and dark shades approached the four as the man pulled a suitcase behind him.“Going incognito already, Takahashi?” Chris asked.“ Sí , Hog-san. Ryu Sin Miedo is done for la noche (the night) , but Takahashi Yuya offered Bubble Girl a ride home,” the lucharesu hero in disguise confirmed.“Hello, everyone,” Bubble Girl cheerfully said with a hint of shyness. “I guess I’ll be seeing you all on Wednesday at UA.”“You’re gonna be joining us?” Moe asked.“Takahashi invited me not too long ago,” Bubble Girl clarified.Chris and Joey discreetly nodded at each other, feeling a bit proud of Yuya for asking Bubble Girl to attend.“Well I hope you like chankonabe,” Chris added.“I’m sure your cooking will be very good,” the bubble user smiled in return.Joey briefly checked the time on his phone. “Oh, sorry. I’d like to stay and chat, but it’s kinda getting late.”“Same here,” Moe lightly yawned. Everyone else nodded in agreement.“Well, take care, everyone!” Chris said.“You as well, mate,” Joey responded.“Have a good night, Fog Hog,” Bubble Girl said as Yuya waved. She followed him to his car–a small red sports car with a spoiler. Joey and Rumi both got into Joey’s car, an iconic white Japanese sports car which rivaled muscle cars, such as Chris’s blue American muscle car that Chris and Moe got into. Chris had it imported from America as opposed to the other two heroes’ Japanese-made cars. Needless to say, even if it came at the cost of a Billboard Chart ranking, the World Hero Association as well as a combat sports career definitely paid well.Though, heroics wasn’t the main focus tonight. A fan favorite wrestling promotion was back in business, and it felt good for the poison, kangaroo, and lucharesu heroes to be back in it. The slight post-match bruises and soreness were another story, but for the time being, the adrenaline hasn’t completely worn off, yet.