Seventh Match

[Allura Desmonds]

Seventh Match
NCW Eternal Championship Match
Last Man Standing Match
Phoenix Halliwell © vs Ice Queen

RP Limit: 2 Per Person

Deadline: 09/15/19 at 11:59pm eastern time

Grace Period: 09/18/19 at 11:59pm eastern time

Good Luck

[Phoenix Halliwell]

*It's a summer-y, sunny morning in Tampa, Florida.  The cooling, yet gentle breezes remind people that Autumn is just around the corner. To be fair, though, this IS Tampa where the average high is 88.9º F (31.6º C) so it's still quite tropical out.  The bright azure blue sky is cloudless on a day like today.  It's a casual scene down on East Cass Street as Phoenix Halliwell has just left The Yoga Loft, located at 206 East Cass.  It is a short, perhaps 2-storey building painted bright, royal blue.  The scent of coffee and fresh pastries fill the air as Phoenix nonchallantly emerges from the building. The man wears an Ottawa Senators baseball cap, black sunglasses, a Phoenix Halliwell T-shirt, jorts and sandals.  Over his left shoulder, he carries a backpack with a yoga mat sticking out.  stepping out from behind him is Venus Mercury. Venus is sporting running shoes, a neon pink sock and a neon green sock, an orange womens' tank top and the tightest Lululemon pants you've ever seen!  She draws more than her fair share of looks from people. The few cars are driving up and down the street at a safe and sensible 35 MPH (48.2 KMPH) and the planted trees in the concrete give ample shade to the Cosmic Connection as they stroll together arms linked down the street.*

Phoenix: Tampa, Florida.  Y'know Venus, t's been ages since I've been back here; probably not since the NCW's last swing through these parts.

Venus: It's still so pretty here, even after Hurricane Dorian came through.

Phoenix: Yeah, we're really lucky that hurricanes don't usually affect this side of Florida.  Had the PPV been in Miami or somewhere like that, we could've been in big trouble.

Venus: I know. I'm glad that we are here this week, instead of last.

Phoenix: Indeed. So, how did you like that yoga class? I found it to be very relaxing.

Venus: I enjoyed it. It was different.

Phoenix: Well, I need all the relaxation and focus I can get. I've got a major title defense coming up.

Venus: I know, and I know you'll be ready for anything that Ice Queen can throw at you.

Phoenix: I hope so.  I'd hate to lose it after so short a time having just captured it.  I do question Allura Desmond's booking decision though.  There's no reason for this to be a last person standing match.

Venus: She wants to make sure that the crowd is pleased... More than likely. You know how she gets.

Phoenix: Yeah, I know... but it seems to me that there are better ways to do it.  I mean, basically, Ice Queen and I will beat the living hell out of each other until one of us can't meet the count of 10.  This type of match is usually reserved for opponents who have serious issues with each other.  Ice Queen and I don't have that luxury.  All we have to fight about is that Eternal Championship belt.  It just doesn't seem like the right type of match for us, to me.

Venus: It is strange. But I'm sure that you can go to Allura and ask her for a different stipulation.

Phoenix: No, I've signed the contract for a Last Person Standing match and I'll abide by it.  I may be a lot of things, but I'm not one who asks for special treatment.  Having said that, it doesn't mean I have to like it.

*Venus smiles.*

Venus: I know. When you have to defend again, you can always make the stip for the match yourself. I think this time it was for shock value.

Phoenix: Hmmph... I'm a wrestler; not an entertainer.  Still, that doesn't mean I won't give every drop of everything I produce to win this match.  Ice Queen may only think she's had the fights of her life already in our last two encounters, but she ain't seen nothing yet.

Venus: Indeed; that she hasn't.

Phoenix: I'm going to prove something to the world, to Allura Desmonds, to the NCW locker room, to you and to myself... those wins I got and the belt I won because of them, they were not a fluke.  I am going to plow through every roadblock to success that she intends to build.  More to the point, I'm going to prove that there is still some life in these old bones after all these years.

*Venus smiles hugging him.*

Venus: Of course there is. You have proven yourself time and time again that you are one of the best in this company, and will face anyone that stands in your way. Ice Queen isn't any different.

Phoenix: I guess I have to prove it myself and believe it.  But you're right, of course.  Ice Queen is no different from any other challenge I've faced.  She will fall like so many others have before.  It may take a little longer; I may have to try a little bit harder The outcome has never been in doubt in anybody's mind... including Ice Queen's.  By the end of that match, she'll know she's truly been in a war... I just wish I had a reason to hate her.  It'd make this whole thing a lot easier.

*Venus nods.*

Venus: I know. It is difficult but she knows the risk as well.

Phoenix: Does she?  She seemed ill-prepared in our last two encounters.  I hope she brings a better fight than before.  If she doesn't, it won't be much of a contest and even less of a victory.

Venus: I'm sure she will. She'll be looking to get her title back.

Phoenix: I hope she wants regain it as badly as I want to keep it.

Venus: I would imagine that she does.

Phoenix: She better.  Her time in the light is very limited, yeah.  The seconds are ticking away... tick tock, tick tock... and when the end of the match has been reached, her no doubt valiant effort to get it back from me, and possibly her very level of conciousness will be no more!  So mote it be!

*Phoenix has realized that he has been shouting those last two lines and, unintentionally, gathered a crowd around himself and Venus.  With a small blush in his cheek, he pulls Venus into a store called Earth Angel Gifts LLC, aka "The Magic Bookshop as the scene fades to black.*

[icequeen]

In a luxury hotel suite somewhere in Tampa, FL.: 

The main room of the suite has had most of the furniture pulled back against the walls to make as large a space as possible in the middle of the room. Several mats have been laid down over the carpet. In the center of it all two tall white-blonde figures grapple and tussle around vying for control over one another. Over to one side a pair of equally white blonde toddlers sit on the couch watching. They cheer and giggle whenever the two women hit the floor. The pair only take a stop from tossing each other around when the door to suite opens. In walks another woman her hair as dark as the others are fair. She's carrying what looks like a messenger bag over her shoulder. In one hand she has a couple of pizza boxes and in the other a 6 pack of Rolling Rock. 

Kate: Alright I got what you asked for. It's in the bag. I didn't think you'd mind I picked up some lunch.

Ice Queen: What's on the menu?

Kate: One is a "Crybaby's Special" and the other is a standard extra cheese for the kiddies.

Krystal: What in the seven hells is a Crybaby's Special? 

Kate: It's a pizza designed to give you the sweats. The menu reads like they ripped this thing straight from Satan's asshole. It's loaded with hot italian sausage, every available hot pepper they could source and sprinkled with crushed scorpion pepper flake and dressed with their patented "Shut up sauce" made from Carolina Reapers. And for that touch of southern hospitality it's garnished with a jello shot you're supposed to light on fire before you consume. 

Krystal: Is that food or torture? 

Kate: A bit of both. It's the kind of pizza that makes you feel alive

Krystal: Or sends you to the hospital. 

They break out the pizza while Kate sets up a laptop from the messenger bag. 

Kate: You have no idea how hard it was for me to find some of this stuff but I gotta wonder why are you wanting this stuff.

Ice Queen: Research.

Kate: Well I get that but you're not facing her you're facing that Phoenix Halliwell guy. 

Ice Queen: I'm aware of who my opponent is. 

Kate: SO why did you have me bring you footage and info on our pixie friend?

Ice Queen: Because she might be the key to defeating Phoenix. 

Kate: Hold the phone, back up the track and replay that a bit slower. I think I'm going senile in my retirement years. 

Ice Queen rolls her eyes as she takes a bite of pizza. 

Ice Queen: She has a reputation and a track record. Every time she's been defeated she's had to be knocked out to do so. Every match she's in her opponent basically has to treat as if it is a Last Man Standing Match. Perhaps there is a key to success in her technique.

Kate: Ungodly levels of tenacity and stubbornness aren't a technique. Now you my friend are tenacious as well but what you have that the pixie doesn't is fortitude. She has to keep moving around like a little spider monkey on crack making her opponent play monkey chase the weasel. You on the other hand can stand there and tank the hits and quite well I might add. You also can hit like a mack truck. 

Ice Queen: Yes and my opponent can also hit like a truck and take hits. It could very well be a stalemate. There is also the issue that he and I have no real conflict between us beyond the match for the belt. 

Kate: Then kick his ass. Get the belt back and buy him around of vodka to show him no hard feelings. It's what we've always done. 

Ice Queen: Well I fully intend to but if there is one thing I've learned from the pixie it's this. Make it one hell of a show. 

The trio chuckle as they all tuck in to their lunch and begin the research on the laptop. The toddlers not really interested in eating have started wrestling on the mats in the floor as the scene fades out.