The Friction Spotlight featuring Taylor Parker!

Mai grinned at Taylor's last answer. After she was finished, she beamed at the camera and leaned forward. "I hope you've all enjoyed this intriguing probe into one of our young superstars! When we return, we'll open up the floor to the audience as well as reveal a surprise for our guest! Please, stay tuned!"

The lights dimmed as the audience offered a polite applause. Hilde and Mai both stood up. Mai bowed and Hilde offered her hand as the stage hands swooped in and pulled away the round table the three were sitting at.

"Thank you, Taylor." Hilde said in a soft tone. "I think that went well enough. Hopefully you'll enjoy the next part." She said with a smile. "I'll be watching from the sidelines." Hilde nodded again and then walked away. She ducked backstage and began to talk to someone who was hidden behind a curtain.

The stage hands pushed in a rectangular table with two microphones set up against the podium. Mai patted Taylor's shoulder and guided her to one of the chairs that was placed in front of the pair of microphones. "The game's the same, Parker-san. Just keep doing what you do best!"

Mai skipped to her place behind the podium and soon the lights came back on and the audience applauded. "Welcome back, everyone!" She said, flashing a vee to the camera. "Now we'll open up the questioning to the audience which has been filled with fellow wrestlers and fans of the AFW! However, before we get to the questions, please allow me to introduce our special guest! Someone who's played an integral role in the career of Taylor Parker's career and we hope will play a big part in shaping her future! You know her as the Cosplay Queen but we'll just call her by her name! Please welcome ... Aaaadrian Kyyyyytes!"

Adrian Kytes had been standing off behind the curtain for half the interview, taking a deep breath whenever she got mentioned, especially when the I quit match got mentioned, "This seems like a stunt your sister would pull." She told Hilde, a bit annoyed that she had to sit through the whole thing. "Oh that person who you trash talked and said wasn't on your level, oh look! She's your mystery opponent and now you two have to awkwardly share a stage with before you beat the crap out of each other." she grumbled in a fake german accent. Truth be told, she hadn't felt slighted by Taylor's answers, out of all the people who got a mention that weren't on Taylor's close friends list she had gotten a fair bit of positive responses from Taylor about her being an important opponent, she just wished the blonde would stop going back to the image of Adrian out cold on the arena floor, potentially bleeding out. "Whatever..." She said, walking through the curtain: wearing a Avatar T-Shirt, skinny jeans and her old jacket/vest thing from her pokemon cosplay


"Hey Taylor," she said, trying to break the ice somewhat. "how was 'this is your life', Japan version?"

Taylor sat where Mai put her, and waited until her opponent was announced. She groaned and hung her head, but couldn't help but smile. It would be interesting to see Adrian again, whether they traded barbs, or Adrian tried to stab her, or, god forbid, they managed to get along like real grown-up professionals.

She looked up over her shoulder as Adrian approached the table. "Well, not everybody left," she said. "So that's a good sign. How's, uh... Oh hey, did you beat down Natasha? Good job, for real. That bitch has had it coming."

That was pretty much the reaction she was expecting out of Taylor, but it looked like the blonde was going to be be pretty civil, so the former cosplayer should make the effort to not be an asshole too. Who knows, maybe they'd actually manage to do something together without breaking out into a brawl for once. "Yeah, that was... couple months back. Thanks for helping me with that, by the way." she said, sitting down and leaning onto the table.

"No problem," Taylor laughed under her breath. "No problem. Just don't think that's gonna help you now. No getting out of it, dude. And how about no chairs this time, for real."

Taylor settled in and neatly folded her hands on the table like she was a sweet little angel, with her legs crossed under the table, one knee on top of the other. She bobbed her half-laced combat boot up and down while she waited for Mai to do her thing.

"Wow." Adrian said when Taylor started trash talking immediately. "What an asshole." the former cosplayer thought out loud. "can't we save the inevitable trash talking brawl for when we're actually in the ring for once? Would like to you know, not be tackled in the street." So much for being civil

"Ahh, haha," Taylor chuckled, and put up her palms defensively. "I'm not tackling anybody, motherfucker," she grinned. "I'm just saying, don't get your hopes up, a'right?. So sensitive!"

Mai watched the two begin to posture a bit and smiled. It was a natural thing for wrestlers and it would certainly add tot he excitement. May leaned against the podium and cleared her throat. "Now that the girls have gotten a chance to get to know each other, let's open up the audience portion of this question and answer show. These two will naturally be competing against one another, but let me announce here and now the first booking of this year's Summer Splash extravaganza! Taylor Parker and Adrian Kytes in a best two of three falls match!"

Mai gave the audience moment. "With that information in mind, let me tell you how this works. Each aisle has a microphone ready. Take the mic, ask your question, aaaand give your pick to win. Then pass it back and take your seat! Easy as that! Now, let's hear the first question!"

Kozue was really going to have to work at thinking things through.

When she heard about this whole spotlight interview thing with Taylor, she'd rolled her eyes - sounded pretty much like an ego stroking contest, just a chance for her to get up and gloat, and Kozue's had enough of Taylor's mouth before to last her a lifetime. She hadn't planned on going...until she heard that there'd be a chance for audience participation, to ask questions between Taylor and her opponent.

After all the crap they'd flung at each other in the Men's Room, she was tempted to get in one, last jab. Just one little hit. Johnny might - no, he would be a little miffed about it, especially after they'd smoked the peace pipe and parted ways, but he was a nice guy. A cool guy. He'd forgive her, just a little more water under the bridge. It'd be worth it.

But...the interview turned out to be a lot more heartfelt than Kozue'd expected. Taylor poured out her heart, more than a few times, and the part about her father was rough - if the places were switched, Kozue wasn't sure she could spill all that, get that intimate in front of a live audience. As much as she hated to admit - really, really, really hated - she had to respect her for that.

So, no bitch moment for her, but that also meant she had to think up a genuine question, right on the spot.

Kozue emerged from the audience, wearing her 'civie' clothes - sneakers, short shorts, and a white shirt that had the SPD: 20 on it in bold. She shuffled forward, ignoring the murmurs and whispers from the audience as she made her way to Taylor's mic - she nodded to Adrian along the way. Didn't really know her at all, but it'd be wrong to just ignore her.

"Right, question." She thought about it for a second, summoning her ability to make up bullshit on the spot - an elite ninja skill. "To both of you. You're in control of the AFW for one day. Tension. Friction. All of it. You have enough time to make only a few big changes. What do you do? How do you move things around, improve, mix it up?"

She bit her lip and tap the mike on her chin. "And...as for the pick. I'm still pretty new here, haven't really seen too much of either of you - yet. So I'm not gonna speak too much on what I don't know. Can't make a real prediction." She took a deep breath, sholders sagging. "But I'll wish you luck, Taylor."

And with that, she retreated back into the audience.

"Ohh, man," Taylor said as she watched Ninjette approach the mic. "What's up?"

She leaned back in her chair and propped one elbow on the backrest while she thought. "That's pretty easy, man. First off, I'd have you write your name, like, on the front somewhere," she gestured across her chest, about where a name tag would be, "so I don't have to look at your ass every time I forget it. Then I'd give Lukretia a new job, as a wrestler, put Rally in charge of the whole thing, and get rid of little kids and sex matches. If I had my way, man, this whole place would be nothing but serious fighters."

She leaned into her mic and peered over at Adrian with a wry smile. "Which means you might not make the cut, dude, but don't worry. You could still work concessions or something."