Meltdown 115: Kagura Ohzora vs Flex Mussel

[ABMorales787]

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It's a clash of champions when the new Elite X Champion, Kagura Ohzora goes head to head with one half of the Tag Team Champions in Flex Mussel. Can Flex take a singles win and prove he's as good alone as he is with his partner? Or will Kagura stay on a roll?


Deadline: Monday March 16, extensions on request

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Deadline has been extended by 24 hours.

 

[FlexAmerican Dynamite]

One half of the WZCW World tag team champions Flex Mussel walked with distinct purpose down the hallways of WZCW headquarters. Despite all the recent success of Cerberus on this occasion he was not a happy man. He walked right past a secretary who urged him to sit quietly in the waiting area and barged right into the office of the Meltdown general manager Vance Bateman who is sitting back relaxed in his comfy chair seemingly on a leisurely call.

Bateman: Excuse me one moment. I’m on an important call Mr. Mussel, did we have an appointment?

Flex: No, but I’m afraid the matter at hand cannot wait.

Bateman: I don’t like unannounced visitors Mr. Mussel.

Flex: Well I don’t like green M&M’s but every so often they show up. So if I can deal with unpleasantness such as that I’m sure you can spare a moment of your time.

Bateman: Let me call you back.

Vance hangs up the phone and his relaxed demeanor quickly goes away as a stern and serious look comes across his face as he addressed the body builder.

Bateman: Let’s get a few things straight here Flex. You might be one of our most important champions but you still answer to me. I can take that championship away from you and Ramparte just as quickly as you two won it. Don’t you ever walk into my office again demanding my precious time with such blatant disrespect! Who in the hell do you think you are?!

Flex: (The guy who’s about two seconds away from kicking your ass)

Bateman: I’ve been here a very long time Flex and I’ve seen a lot of guys come and go-

Flex: (With you being father time I’d imagine you’ve seen a lot of things come and go)

Bateman: -so don’t think I’m afraid to suspend you if you ever pull something like this again. Are we clear?

Flex: Crystal clear. (God this almost makes me miss Chuck Myles)

Bateman: Good, now that we’re past that unpleasantness, and you’ve already gotten me off the phone, what can I do for you?

Flex: Well quite frankly I’m very concerned about the matches you’ve put me and my cohorts in this week.

Bateman: Getting separation anxiety are we?

Flex: For what possible reason would you team Eve Taylor up with a partner she has little to no chemistry with against the likes of monstrosities such as Alhazred and S.H.I.T.? If anybody should have been her partner it should have been me? And on top of that you don’t even put me against Theron Daggershield who stuck his weird polygon shaped nose in Cerberus’ business last week. If anybody deserved the opportunity to put that basement dweller in his place it should have been me.

Bateman: Do you not have faith in your partner Ramparte to do just that?

Flex: Ram is capable of any type of diabolical decimation he wishes but I have to question why he was given the opportunity at revenge and not I? Am I not worthy in your eyes? Do you believe I’m the weak link Bateman?

Bateman: Please do not let your insecurity fool you Flex, I hardly think a match on the premiere show against the Elite X champion is hardly a sign of you not being worthy.

Flex: Oh don’t get me wrong, I mean no disrespect to Kagura Ozhora. She’s been in this company almost as long as I have and has accomplished quite a bit in her time in the company and her newly won Elite X title is just a testament to how good she is. However, the Elite X championship is not the title it used to be. The days of Austin Reynolds and Sam Smith are behind us and ever since Constantine completed the gauntlet it seems the belt just keeps hot potatoing from person to person. Plus it’s not like Kagura Ozhora is the first female to hold a singles title, unfortunately for her that honor goes to the lovely Eve Taylor, who holds a championship in such a high prestige that Kagura probably envies the publicity and press she’s gotten.

Bateman: What are you getting at?

Flex: I’m saying the legitimacy of the Elite X title has been in question for some time now and if Kagura wants to change that she’s gotta go through me. Unfortunately for her however that’s not going to happen because on Meltdown I’m going to prove that it doesn’t matter whether or not I’ve got my friends or I’m by myself I will continue climbing up the ladder to success in this company. When I beat your singles champion I want you to seriously consider a future title shot because while I hope to hold onto the tag team titles for the foreseeable future I know Ram and I can’t hold these forever. And when that unfortunate day comes I want you to know that Flex Mussel is the future of this company and a bonafide singles champion just waiting to happen.

Bateman: If you came here for a sales pitch I’m already well aware of your talents and potential Mr. Mussel.

Flex: Well it’s about time my potential in this company turned into a reality. Because soon enough I’m going to get to a point in which you’ll have no choice but to put your business on hold to have a meeting with me.

Bateman: Let’s see how well that confidence translates into your match against Kagura.

Flex: Oh it will, the fact is she’s gotta step up her game if she wants people to truly start respecting her as a champion. When our match is said and done all that will be left for her to do is begin writing memoirs of a geisha girl.

The monsieur muscle chuckles at averagely pathetic joke before leaving Bateman’s office slamming the door behind him much to the general manager’s dismay.

 

[Bernkastel]

Makarov tries to hold her back, but Kagura is able to crawl to the ropes. The Russian holds on until the last possible moment, but releases before he is disqualified. He gets back to his feet and taunts Ohzora, who struggles to get up with her injured ankle. When she does get up, she is met with a right hand, which stuns her. He immediately whips her into the corner and follows with a big splash. She takes a step or two out of the corner and falls to the mat. Even before she falls, Victor is on his way to the top rope and flies off with a diving headbutt. Rather than go for a pin, he gets back to his feet and signals for Da Sveedaneeya. The challenger is struggling to get back to her feet, using the tights of Makarov. As she tugs on them, the postcard falls to the mat. Victor picks it up and stares at it, seemingly forgetting where he is. Meanwhile, Ohzora gets back to her feet, charges at the champion, and rolls up him for the Third Dance of Amenouzume no Mikoto. She hits it and holds on for the pin, 1…2…3!

Harrys: The winner, and NEW Elite X Champion, Kagura Ohzora!

Kagura rolls to the floor and gets the belt from the timekeeper. She gives the belt a kiss with tears in her eyes and makes her way up the ramp, fearing retaliation.

Elation… That was the only thing I felt at that moment. When that bell rung it took me a second to register what had happen. Victor Makarov was the toughest opponent that I had ever fought. For one fleeting moment I was desperately pleading to whatever Kami that I had angered to spare me. Maybe I had been a fool for wanting to become more competitive, but I could not have any regrets. Not now. Not when I was so close. I remembered crawling… crawling like it was an eternity. His study powerful arms held me at bay. And I was at his mercy.

And then nothing happened. The big Russian ignored me for half a second, and that’s when my instincts took over. My vision blurred as I ran forward, seized by the fatigue that was quickly sapping the rest of my energy. I knew this was going to be my last attack. With the last of my strength I used my momentum to pull the big man over and onto his shoulders. And then it was over. I had won the match and the title…

I wanted to say this was the happiest day of my life. It should have been. And in may ways it was. I felt a weight suddenly lift from my shoulders. If happiness could be described that way. I had accomplished a lifelong goal ever since I made the decision to become a pro wrestler. I stayed in my home country and honed my craft, I was invited to come to America and wrestle for the greatest company in the world, and I narrowly avoided closing a door that had been open the entire time. The door to the Elite X championship.

It was opened for me at Revolution but I just did not have the guts to walk through it. And that’s when I made the decision for myself. Kagura Ohzora was not a novelty. I refused to be just a minor attraction, because I knew I didn’t have what it took to realize my true potential… a shrine maiden. So I made the decision to split myself into two halves. Ohzora and Watarai. And when that bell rung, Ohzora was finally born. A champion.

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I stumbled back to my locker room and collapsed by the door. Soon I felt a big hand clasp around my shoulder. I turned to see Gozaburo-san with a huge grin on his face.

“That’s how you win a title kid, well done.”

I smiled and studied the belt for the first time. It was gold with a solid red X in the center. As a Shinto priestess I had been taught that everything had a core; a spirit of some kind. Instantly I felt the energy of the belt design flow through me. I was as if the belt had chosen me to be its rightful owner. Samurais used to tell stories how a blade would speak to them in an abstract manner. Once swing would tell a potential master all he needed to know.

This belt had chosen me as its right owner… but like the sharpest of blades I had not mastered this weapon. For the slightest moment I felt myself tense up almost in shame. That was the only way to describe it. Was I worthy enough to carry this belt with all the history behind it?

Yes! I pushed that doubt to my mind. A sword would not allow itself to be wielded by a coward, so why would a championship want to be associated with someone that didn’t think she deserved the recognition.

I excused myself to the dressing room while Gozaburo-san left to take care of my publicity. ‘Now that was champion’ he said, ‘you’re sure to be in plenty of demand for public appearances.’

Couldn’t the lecture wait for once?

I sighed and immediately dropped myself onto the bench. I grabbed the belt and held it in front of me. ‘I was champion. I was champion. I was champion.’ Repeating it in my mind was the only way for reality to sink in. I had accomplished my goal.

A sudden noise shook me from my trance. The door adjacent to the opposite side of the locker room opened. Out stepped a beautiful woman with long blonde hair. She was about my height when I stood to greet her, but she immediately pulled away. And that’s when I noticed the belt around her shoulder. She was the Eurasian champion. We had never crossed paths. I slung my championship around my shoulder to match her stance.

For a moment the concept of time no longer had any meaning. We stood there eyeing each other. It could have been one second or one minute. I am not sure. But her eyes said everything. They communicated where speech would have failed us both. Her eyes darted to the belt on my shoulder and then back to me. She scanned my body; up and then down. Her movements were subtle but I saw everything. She was not intimidated. Impressed? Yes. We were both women after all. Dominating in a sport where men still saw us as weak and inferior. And for that I instantly respected her.

She walked past me; her heels clicking the floor as the sound echoed off the stone tile. She had such confidence. Should I have been weary?

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That night I had a vision of a three headed dog. It was monstrous. It rose from the pits of hell as Izanami’s own personal bodyguard. The feeling that I had when I looked into that woman’s eyes I could feel down my back as I stared into the eyes of that creature. It was pitch black. The dog rushed forward and stopped right in front of me. The heads turned to the right and then turned to the left. The creature was testing me…

The left head settled on me as I stared into the eyes of that hideous face. And that’s when I heard a voice snap me out of my trance. The fire that burned flashed as my concentration broke. I had reverted back to Kagura Watarari. Here I was still just a shrine maiden. And whenever I wore my garments I did not choose to wear the Elite X title. That was Kagura Ohzora’s blade. It wasn’t mine to wield.

“Your match next week Kagura. Is with one half of the tag team champions, Flex Mussel. Do not take him lightly.”

I nodded. That center head and the eyes of that woman; the Eurasian champion, she wanted to test my ability. If I proved myself against Flex Mussel then I would have a new rival. If I lost then I would disgrace the name if the Elite X belt. I could not afford to lose.

That day when our eyes had met for the first time, Taylor-san knew instinctively that I had already accepted her challenge.