Valley Doll and Chris Morgan vs. the IRS

Valley tried her best to look innocent, holding back the way she felt like a bit of a heel, here. "Could you? I know it's a little much to be asking for a favor while you're already doing a favor for me, but I don't really know anyone else who's in a position to do it. Ace is coming with me, and the only girl I trust besides you has a dog."

She smiled and reached over petting Valentine along with Chris. He loved the attention, and fell on his side in bliss. "I don't want to leave him with a shelter or someone that'll put him a cage. Please?"

Chris laughed lightly as Valentine fell over.
"Val, it's ok, I'd love to take care of this little guy." she replied. "Really. I used to have a tabby, named Tabitha. But she's on the old side, so when I came here I had to leave her with my folks. So, I'd welcome the company. I have a pretty spacious condo, so he shouldn't feel closed in. How long would you want to leave him? Until after Summer Splash?"

As she spoke, Chris was also putting the finishing touches on Valley's taxes, tapping away at her keyboard while raising her glasses up off of her face to rest on the top of her head.

Valley breathed a long sigh of relief, more than glad she'd invited Chris over. Getting someone to look after Valentine would've been pain in the back she did not need at the moment, and now it was one less thing to worry about

"You're a lifesaver, Ms. Morgan." She gave Valentine a little nudge with her foot and sent him scampering off to chase mice or play the piano whatever he did when she wasn't looking. From the looks of things, Chris was putting the finishing touches on the taxes, not much longer to go. She did have one like thing to ask the heavenly phenom, though.

"Hey." She put her elbows on the table and leaned forward, as if prying ears might be listening in through the walls. "One little thing that's been itching me about what happened with the Wrestle Angels - why don't you tell everyone what happened? Let your side of the story get out, you know? You're the first person from your old company I've met, but from what I hear, of lot of them have a real axe to grind with you. Like, maybe eve a literal axe, with some of them."

Chris sighed. It was a fair question, and one she still asked herself when she had her moments of doubts. She moved her laptop aside, so she could lean forward, getting closer to her fellow American.

"Well, the top of the list would have to be the fact that nobody would believe me, I think. I mean, my name is all over a lot of the financial records. The only other guy in the know, the former president of the federation, has practically vanished." she said softly. "I mean, my only saving grace from doing jail time was the fact I could prove the company was in bad shape before I got involved with the bookkeeping. As for the next reason, well....it's hard to put it into words without sounding like a crazy person."

Considering her next words for a moment, Chris paused for a brief moment before continuing.
"You're right, there a lot of people with axes to grind with me. Each one of those people has some degree of pain, or angst, or...whatever, that they've carrying around since Wrestle Angels closed it's doors. Some people have more than others, but they've been carrying that for a long time. With me around...they can hurl all of that pain they're carrying at me. I'm kinda strong, I can carry a lot."

The blonde smiled at Val, wanly.
"In a way, it's also my....penance I guess you'd call it. I mean, I was naive, and made some really bad decisions back then. My hands aren't exactly clean. I kept the federation's money problems a secret, when I should've been calling people's attention to them."
Chris frowned as she thought of the her final reasons....probably the most daunting part of her goals in the AFW.
"And the last reasons....one's name is Hibiki Izayoi, and the other is Migiri Oozora. Hibiki is a big girl, almost as big as me, and almost as strong, but I think with twice the amount of pure aggression. She had a bad ride at the Wrestle Angels. Despite how talented she was, she never got pushed. Our president's handiwork, I would imagine. But yeah, on and off camera, all she ever talks about is breaking a Wrestle Angel in the ring, in order to prove how superior she is to them. As for Migiri....she is bigger and stronger than me....and actually has hurt a former Wrestle Angel in the ring. I don't know her agenda, but I do know she is crazy. Although it seems like crazy is something we have a lot of in the AFW....." she trailed off remembering Val's tales of her dealings with Amethyst.

Valley gave Chris her full attention as she explained. In part, because she was genuinely interested to hear her fellow blond's reasoning, and also because she had the distinct feeling this was good for Chris' soul. Getting all of this out in the open had to be a load off even her massive shoulders.

"Well, I believe you, for what that's worth." Valley shrugged and gave Chris as reassuring a smile as she could make. "You might have better luck convincing the others than you'd think. But it's your decision, your secret's safe with me." I was noble, really, and in a way it was the prime example of what you should come to expect from a wrestler with Chris' pedigree. Sometimes, you had to know when to just shut up and take the heat. "I'll be the pages of your diary, promise."

She made a note of those two names, though - Hibiki and Migiri. Given the strange tendency she had of attracting psychopaths ever since she came to the AFW, it was good to have some idea of the names she should look out for.

"Thank you. Really, Val I mean it." Chris said earnestly about the other woman's vow of secrecy. "I actually feel kinda bad, unloading that on you. It's...a lot, you know. But, eventually I'll tell the world about it. Whenever the time is right....whenever that is."

Turning her attention back to her computer, she smiled.
"Well, here is the good news. Japan and the US are happy friends who have a treaty going on concerning having residents working on each other's soil. Since you are an American citizen working outside of the country, for a company based in Japan, your earnings are not taxable by the IRS, under the Foreign Earned Income tax guidelines. You'll still have to file your tax documents to the IRS, but that's basically a formality. If you ever start doing anything on the side for money, product endorsements, whatever, check to see where the company is based, or you might wind up ruining that nice little tax break." she explained to Valley.

Chris sighed.
"Now here is the not so great news. Since you're working for a company based in Japan, you are subject to Japanese tax laws. And, sorry to say, they've got one of the highest tax rates in the world. I mean, the average AFW foreign wrestler loses about...." she paused for a moment doing math in her head. "...twenty percent of their income each pay check due to the various taxes Japan has. Ugh. And people say the IRS are a bunch of sharks. Luckily, since you pay such a crazy amount in taxes, and the AFW does it's job and takes that amount out of each check, you don't actually have to file with the crooks that Japan calls the NTA, National Tax Agency, since you take home less than twenty million yen a year. Sooooo.....yay Japan." she finished sarcastically.

With that, she pushed her laptop to Val, turning it about so the screen faced her.
"I've already got your tax return for the States prepped. Just click send, and you're done." she said.

Valley listened as well as she could while Chris talked. It helped that she was somewhat used to hearing this sort of thing back during her younger days, when life was a whirlwind of contracts and negotiations. Having 20% of her income shaved off wasn't ideal, but even still, she was making nearly twice as much as she did as a Slamazon, and that would probably go up even higher if the PPV did well. So money wasn't a problem, and thanks to Chris, it certainly wouldn't be in the foreseeable future.

As she pressed send, Valley looked almost as relieved as Chris had a moment earlier, glad this headache was finally behind her. Now she could focus on the important things in life - namely, donning her leotard and wrestling around with a bunch of women in front of a live audience. She had her priorities straight.

"You're a godsend, Chris. Really." She pushed the laptop back towards her savior. "Can't tell you how much I appreciate the favor. Anything you need from me short of a hentai match, let me know. I've always got your back, even if it's a lot of ground to cover."

Chris nodded to Valley as she powered down her laptop, then closed it.
"Hey, don't worry about it. I should be thanking you for the chance for the chance to get re-introduced to Japan's tax system." she replied. "Now that all that is over with, you can focus on getting ready for your match at Summer Splash. When you get back, I want to hear about how you and Ace reigned over those masked freaks. Oh! And when you're ready for me to take Valentine off your hands, give me a call."

Standing up, Chris out away her glasses before checking her cell phone's clock.
"I know, technically you're in training and you probably have an early workout planned, but, do you want get out of here and grab something to eat? I'm sure, even this late, there has to be a place that serves American-ish food." she asked.

"Done!" That sounded like just the sort of thing she needed. How long had it been since she had a good old-fashioned cheeseburger? She could get McDonald's, but she craved real food. Summer Splash was coming, but the world wouldn't collapse if she had a slice of pizza or two? Just a little something-something.

I'm paying, though." She tipped her finger at Morgan. "This is non-negotiable." She got up and started searching around for her shoes.