When The Lights Go Down

"Excellent match, Aisha!"

"You've still got it!"

"You totally nailed that NHB Combo!"

Aisha's match with Tiffany was over. It had been over for about, oh, fifteen minutes now. Afterwards, she'd grabbed a drink and headed back to the dressing room the AFW had set up for her - typically, the sort of thing they reserved for people holding titles, but they'd made an exception in her case. VIP, all that jazz.

When she arrived, her entourage was waiting for her and showered her with adulation like it was their job to do so. It wasn't. They were there to tend to her day-to-day needs and keep her updated, not suck up, and it was a good thing, too - they weren't very good at ass-kissing. One of them even got the move she used wrong. Not wrestling fans, any of them.

They helped her undress and work the makeup off, winding her down from the match and getting her ready for the night - she had a little call to make with her executives, give them a rundown on her plans for the next tour, but other than that the night was free. Tomorrow would have her doing a few public appearances and she'd spend the afternoon working hard in the studio before she hit the gym and worked even harder there. But for now, she could relax, sit back, and reflect.

Her entourage filtered out of the dressing room, save for one of them - her manager and agent, Jasmin Telles. Jasmin was a dark-skinned beauty that looked like she would've been a perfect fit in any pinup, because she'd been on quite a few of them. She'd worked as a wrestler for a time, headling for the Wild Women of Wrestling in Canada, before she retired and turned her attention to being an agent. She'd picked up good experience in both the music industry and the wrestling world, so she was a natural choice when Aisha needed a new agent - the comeback tour, the return, coming to the AFW, all of it had blossomed from her.

Aisha actually valued her opinion, so when she asked the woman: "How'd I do out there?" She meant it. Because she knew she'd get an honest answer in return.

Maraiah, who'd been sitting in a chair across the room and doing a little work on her phone while the others got Aisha undressed, finally looked up and stared back at her through rose-tinted glasses. She uncrossed her legs and sat back, looking oddly like a teacher thanks to the black, pinstripped business outfit she was wearing. "You did good." She folded her arms and looked back at Aisha with world-weary eyes. "You've done better. Tiffany could've easily taken that match."

"Ugh, I know." Tiffany had really been an amazing opponent, but they'd both gone into that match with some preconcieved notions that wound up getting shattered. Aisha had gone hard, she'd given it her all, but she couldn't help but feel there was a time when she would've given more. If the two of them had a match again in a month from now, after they'd healed up and gotten their minds right, Aisha was very skeptical she could get a win. And that bugged her. That bugged her a lot.

"Lot of junk in my head, still." She reclined in the chair and rolled her neck about, relaxing as the satin robe loosely hung over her body. "Asked Tiff to stop by when she got settled, want to have a little heart-to-heart. Hoping that'll set things straight."

Maraiah raised an eyebrow and rightfully so - she was more than familiar with the way a backstage meeting between two wrestlers could possibly go. "You're sure that's wise?"

"Yeah." Aisha closed her eyes and took a few deep breathes, forcing her heart rate to come down. "She's one of the white hats. Don't worry."

Tiffany sighed as she sat in the locker room, still in her ring gear. A bag of ice sat between her legs, as the cowgirl looked to relieve the pain in her groin and upper thighs muscles. The AFW's medical staff told her she had an acutely pulled groin muscle, and despite the fact that her hamstrings hurt like mad, they were only strained. Final word, a week from heavy weights training,  and two weeks before getting back in the ring.

Some of the other girls offered words of consolation about the loss as they moved past the American. Tiffany smiled gamely, thanking them as they went by, but in truth she barely heard them. Her mind dwelled on the last moments of the match, and she shook her head in disappointment.
*Beaten by a woman fresh off the bench. Christ, how did this happen?* Tiffany thought to herself. *And she wants me to come by her dressing from for a chat? Why?*

Eventually, the locker room cleared out, and Tiffany covered her face and let out a tired, weary groan. Standing up, Tiffany changed into a pair of comfortable yoga pants and her Johnny Cash shirt that she had worn earlier in the night. Getting a fresh bag of ice, and a towel to wrap it in, she left the locker room. Pain still slowed her movements somewhat as she made her way deeper into the backstage area, towards where the private dressing rooms were.

Coming to the room occupied by Aisha, she found it attended by a few staff members who were waiting to see if the diva had any needs to attend, as well as a member of the AFW's security team. All looked surprised to see her. Honestly, Tiffany was surprised at her decision to show up.
"Evenin'." Tiffany said, nodding at them. "I'm here by invitation. She said she wanted to talk."
She nodded towards the door, where Aisha's name was on a temporary name plate, to indicate who the cowgirl meant when she said 'she'. The security guy nodded motioning her to go by him. The tall blonde gingerly moved by coming to the door and giving it a few quick, firm knocks.
"Aisha? It's me, Tiffany."
She paused.
"You know...the Texan who doesn't have a big ass." Tiffany added.
The comparison between herself and Dixie drew a small laugh from the security guy before he coughed, resuming his professional demeanor.

When Tiffany knocked on the door, Aisha was glad to see hear her voice. She didn't show it, of course - on the outside she kept things cool, sipping on a cup of tea while she lounged in her robe, looking like the queen of the world. On the inside, she'd been waiting for the cowgirl to come by and have some words.

She let her demeanor break enough for an eyebrow to be raised at her comment - she always thought Dixie's ass was about the right size, especially for a white girl. Different strokes, she guessed.

Maraiah looked between Aisha and the door as she stuffed her phone away inside her purse. "Do you need me here, or..."

"Nah," She shook her head and took a quick sip of the tea. Nice and hot. "I got this. Should be done in ten." She wanted this to be a private affair, especially if she got the chance to ask all the questions she intended to.

Maraiah nodded and stood up to leave, flattening out her skirt as she walked for the maximum amount of dignity. She opened the door and nodded to Tiffany with the barest hint of a smile on her face, before she passed her and walked away with the click of her heels fading away down the corridor.

"Hey." Aisha smiled at Tiffany. Not a cocky smile, not a fiendish grin, noting sultry or lewd. Just a regular, friendly smile. She still knew how to do it. "Come on in, sit a spell." She motioned for her to close the door and reached over to the pitcher on the edge of her dresser, pouring another cup from it.

When the door opened, Tiffany didn't know what exactly to expect. Camera's maybe? An interview in progress? An entourage of people? Maybe even a full scale party going on? But no, it seemed to just be occupied by Aisha and what looked like a business woman to Tiffany.

As the woman exited, Tiffany returned the nod with one of her own, letting her pass by before entering the dressing room.

Once inside, she shut the door behind her and went over to take a seat as Aisha requested. Then she looked over at former Rose. The woman looked calm, almost regal. As if they hadn't spent the better part of their first meeting trying to beat the living daylights out of each other. On the other hand, although Tiffany had managed to squeeze in a shower after seeing the doctors, as indicated by her still somewhat damp hair, she still looked a bit like someone who came out on the losing end of a battle. A bit of white could be seen at the blonde's midriff whenever she moved in a way that made her shirt ride up, hinting at the medical wrapping covering the right side of her ribs.

"Were we even in the same match?" she wondered aloud. "Sorry, it's just, somehow you look like you just stepped out of the pages of a glamour magazine. And I, well let's just say I don't look my best."

Settling into her seat, Tiffany placed the bag of ice, still wrapped in a towel, on her midsection, over her right set of ribs. She watched Aisha thoughtfully. Her smile seemed genuine, without any smugness or maliciousness in it, nothing to hint at a setup of some sort. The Texan considered her words for a moment before speaking.
"Aisha, has anyone told you, you hit like a prettier version of Rocky Balboa?" she said.

Yeah, Tiffany wasn't looking good, and it wasn't a pretty comparison between the two of them. Aisha had looked about the same...fifteen or so minutes ago. That was before her people got a hold of her and helped dress her down, covering up the bruises and got her hair in the right order. She was going out into public, making appearances, dodging the papparazi. Looking like shit wasn't an option, even if she felt like it.

"Girl, you look fine, stop fronting. I just got cleaned up faster, is all." Aisha sighed when she saw the bag of ice on Tiffany's midsection, nursing one of the little momentos they'd left each other throughout. It would probably be a few days before Aisha would be able to get her dance on without receiving a painful reminder from her thighs, courtesy of the Tiffany Buster.

Still, it was worth it. She'd had good fun, and it felt good to be back in the saddle. Not how she'd expected this night to go, but there were worse ways she could've picture it.

"Nah, that's a new one. Apollo Creed's who they go with, most times." She chewed on her lip for a moment, summoning up the will for the next part. She'd gotten better at this sort of thing, but it still wasn't easy. Deep breathes.

"I'm sorry." Aisha let it out along with a long exhale. "I was a straight-up bitch out there, shouldn't have stepped to you like that. My bad."

The Texan gave a small chuckle at Aisha's Apollo Creed response.
"Well, to be fair he put on a better show. But, girl, my ribs feel like those haunches of meat that Rocky gets to tenderize."

Tiffany looked on as Aisha seemed to prepare herself for something. When she made her apology, the cowgirl blinked in surprise. She never thought that Aisha, who seemed to be one of the most cocky, unapologetic women on the Rumble Roses roster, would say that. And to be fair, Tiffany didn't think she had much of anything to be sorry for.

"No, no, it's fine! Really!" Tiffany replied. "I'm the one who came out during your promo, right?"
She sighed, running a hand through her hair. Tiffany knew she'd have to get around to this if she decided to come up here, but it didn't make it any easier.
"If anything, I owe you an apology, you know? A few of them actually, to be honest. First, your music doesn't suck. I have both your albums." she went on. "During the match, I made a big deal about some things I shouldn't of. I get compared to Dixie a lot. Hell, you'd think I'd be used to it by now. And, she's an awesome wrestler, so maybe I should take it as a compliment. But no, it still pisses me off."

She took a deep breath. The next one was just embarassing.
"And what I said, about your entrance show, I was the one being the bitch there, cryin' about that. I was just mad I fell for the act and embarrassed myself. I mean, I've done hentai matches. I shouldn't have been taken in by a dance routine. No matter how gorgeous the dancer is."
Although the last words could be taken for a come on, Tiffany spoke in the manner of someone stating a fact. Well, almost. The cowgirl did give Aisha a brief smile.

She then took a breath.
"So yeah, I was being a bitch, and...I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't it put you off about being here, in the AFW."

Aisha missed this. Talking with other wrestlers. Casual.

She'd been surprised in Rumble Roses, when a lot of the drama took place outside of the ring. Then, just like now, she'd pretty much just come to beat Dixie around the ring and even their childhood scores, but it almost always seemed like she was stumbling into something in the process. She'd run into Candy Cane and have to shut that mouth of hers up, or she'd crossed Rieko and have to find out what Dixie was so focused on, and Anesthesia was always breathing down everyone's neck. Sometimes figuratively, sometimes literally.

It was a nuisance, at first, but then she'd gotten to know them. And like them, for the most part. And enjoy it all. And, then, the rug got snatched out from beneath her feet.

She raised an eyebrow on the hentai matches, though - she'd only gotten wind of the one with Akashi,  but Tiffany made it out like they were a regular thing. That raised a few questions, and she'd be sure to ask them later on. "Nah, it doesn't." She shook her head and sat the cup of tea off to the side. "Had a lot of problems with joining up, but it'll take more than that to get me to back off. And you're good. Seriously good. Don't spread it around, but I think you slam even harder than Dixie does. I got the aching spine to prove it."

Aisha sat up, groaning a little as she went, and looked Tiffany's way straight on. "Ask you a question?" This cowgirl seemed like a pretty honest sort, so Aisha figured she might as well try and get a read on where her head was. "My last album...what'd you think about it? God's truth."

Tiffany gave a pleased smile at Aisha's praise. And to her, it was high praise, considering the woman was a veteran of various ring wars with Dixie Clemets, not to mention the rest of the Rumble Roses roster.

"Thanks, really." Tiffany replied. "You won't believe how much effort goes into it. A lot of the Japanese folks on the roster think just 'cause I happen to be big, being strong is a thing that just happens. Yeah cause hours in the gym and on the practice mats don't count, I guess."

She shifted in her seat slightly, getting as comfortable as her battered body would allow.

"You though, Jesus. How in the hell does a singer come to hit so damn hard? I've taken hits from everyone from amazons to martial artists, and girl, I'm hard pressed to name people that strike harder than you. And that last hold, I always thought it was the embarrassment that made people tap. But it hurts like nothing else. I don't tap often, but damn, that hold sucks. Well you know for the victims. Namely, me."

When Aisha post the question about Showbiz, Tiffany's response was immediate.
"I liked it." the cowgirl answered. "It took a lot of heat down in Texas, but the conservative nut jobs there hate everything that doesn't praise the Lord in every breath. But, to me it seemed like part of your story. You know after Rumble Roses, and than the bad press you got afterwards, it felt like some self expression was going on."
She paused.
"Plus, the outfit you wore for the album cover was freaking hot." Tiffany added.

"That movie you had a part in though..." the Texan shook her head no and let out a sympathetic hiss of air....

"Comes from growing up tough, I guess." Aisha shrugged it off, then went on. "I mean, I did some training, but I had a big mouth in school. Still do, I guess. You talk that much junk, you gotta learn to start backing it up, right? So I picked some stuff up, got better, won my fights. Simple."

As Tifffany talked, Aisha idly glanced over at some of the luggage she had set up for the road, all the suitcases and storage they carried around. Her team had actually brought along the Showbiz outfit, just in case things called for something a little raunchier - with the AFW, it didn't hurt to be prepared. She was glad she didn't have to bust it out tonight, but, maybe, someday....

"Thanks." She replied, glad to hear some praise for the album, even if Tiffany was heaping on a little more praise than she deserved. The thought counted. "And yeah, not picking up my movie career anytime soon. I'm good here. For now."
Aisha pursed her lip, trying to think of the best way to move on to the subject that was wearing down her mind. Finally, she decided to just go for broke. "So..." She swiveled around in the chair and moved over to her makeup dresser. Felt better not to make eye contact. "...you do hentai matches? That a normal thing for you?"

Tiffany blinked in confusion, her smile faltering.  There was no way she could have heard that right. Aisha could not have asked about hentai matches. Most of the girls joining from the 'decent' promotions like Wrestle Angels and Rumble Roses disdained them with a passion. Tiffany herself had only been in a few, but she had enjoyed them, even viewed it as legitimate competition.

"Wait, did you ask about hentai matches?" Tiffany replied. "Sorry it's just most of the people from the Roses have sort of turned their noses up at them...."