Champion Conference 2015 (no Kellys)

Obviously cognizant of the belt's true authenticity, the heiress simply couldn't resist testing the limits of the hardcore champions' patience and willingness to maintain her waning aura of civility by backhandedly mocking the belt's actual importance when compared to the other belts on the table. Should Adrian lose her temperament and engage her in a physical altercation, it would only be a concession of defeat on Adrian's behalf in their verbal duel. Demonstrating herself to be unable to handle herself when fisticuffs weren't involved, and losing the moral high-ground in the process.

Gwendolyn would politely wait her turn while the other champions responded, her gloved hands folded on the table and remaining seated upright with a primly perfected posture. "Hmm...Well, I believe my fellow colleagues here have said all that needs to be broached on the subject. Aside from that it can hardly even be considered to be a developmental division geared towards cultivating younger talent, considering the majority of the individuals in that division seem to be perfectly content in wallowing their time away there instead of attempting to hone their craft by eventually competing against the vastly more talented Friction roster. To me, it simply reeks of wasted resources and personnel...a division I would deeply consider putting an end to if I were General Manager...but I digress~..." Gwen stated in her posh British accent before taking a quick second to sip once again from her water bottle. Though while refreshing her palate she widened her eyes and raised her hand to keep everyone's attention on her.

"Mmm...but back on point, regarding how our own individual championship belts rank in comparison to others, including...say...the World Title." Gwen paused briefly so as to better emphasize and add gravitas to her following point. "Even the briefest recollection of our company's championship history brings a compelling matter to light. That the Entropy Championship, moreso than any other championship belt, appears to be a steadfast indicator of the future of this fine company. Your Parker's...Your Tanikaze's...Your Conway's..." Gwen would extend her fingers one at a time as she started namedropping some of the more significant names of the industry. "All former Entropy Champions who can now claim to have attained the grandest prize this league, or any other, has to offer. Now, while I may not be so exceedingly presumptuous as to predict the same fate for one such as myself...I'd just like to say....that while history may not always repeat itself, it does occasionally rhyme~..."Some furiously flashing cameras and hushed murmurs spread like wildfire across the paparazzi filled crowd. Gwen's brazen prediction and indirect jab at upper management were just the gossip fodder they craved and was guaranteed to be in the header of a few articles.

And now we were getting to it, the three of them could take potshots at the minor leagues for days, but going on to the main title was a bit more of a verbal minefield, one Gwendolyn had a significant advantage in navigating. The Entropy title was seen as a more direct route to the world title than the Hardcore and Hentai titles were, and it wasn't going to be easy to convince anyone that their titles were worth more. However, the heiress' use of the list of former champions did open up one avenue for attack. "Note also that they're all former champions," Adrian added "So have you got any big plans for your defeat yet? Join the ranks of the big time belt-droppers? Or are you just going to let what happens happens. I'm sure Alaina would love to get on that list."

Natasha picked up the glass of water sitting in front of her once she had said her piece on the matter, swirling the liquid around so that it just barely touched the rim of the glass but careful not to let a single drop spill. "If only this were a fine wine instead of water, I could really enjoy this show." Natasha thought to herself as she took a drink, her body turned ever so slightly to the side so she could keep her eyes on the two women sitting beside her, taking in the not so subtle shots the two were taking at one another. The good part was just beginning too, with Gwen wasting no time in talking up the supposed merits of her own belt as opposed to the other two represented at the table, even if she didn't mention them outright it wasn't difficult to figure out which belts she meant.

Keeping her own thoughts on the matter to herself for the moment Natasha let Adrian respond first, the blunette smirking at the woman's words. "Everyone becomes a former champion eventually, no one can hold onto the belt forever after all. But is it not more important to remember all the Entropy Champions who never went on to claim the supposed big prize? Yes the Entropy title was meant to be a symbol that one is on their way, but so many reach that point and then fall to the wayside one must wonder if its truly a sign of future success or a bad omen as it were." Natasha addressed the crowd more so than Gwen or Adrian then, speaking casually as if it were a simple conclusion she expected everyone to reach with a little effort.

"Not to say that the Entropy belt isn't a worthy accomplishment, much like the Hardcore title and of course the world championship title, but those can all be achieved with the same set of skills. That is where the Hentai Belt shines though isn't it? It simply demands a more refined set of skills to obtain it, one has to be knowledgable of more than just how to cause pain but know the art of bringing pleasure as well. The Hentai title demands one truly know the human body, to be masters of it, which is what makes it so unique. Perhaps it isn't as highly regarded as the world title, but I think we all know it is the highest level one can hope to reach in the division that makes the AFW as popular and successful world wide as it is."

"That's true," Adrian added in, agreeing with Natasha in what was probably a world first for the Hardcore champion. "There's always gonna be the big names you can turn to and go 'look what awesome people the Entropy champions are' but then you realize they're sharing a list with Tai Kamiya and all of a sudden it doesn't look like the deal to end all deals." she continued before turning to direct her verbal aggression towards the blunette for once.

"...And yet for all it's mastery and display of skill, it shows that we still haven't moved beyond the first use of the internet." the brunette said wistfully before all pretenses dropped. "Sorry, it's just hard to take a division that claims to be the pinnacle of skill seriously when the most innovative it gets is using your left hand." Adrian had always been very anti-hentai match, whenever she got asked about it she was always dismissive of it, even if she respected the skill of some of the participants. "There's always been more to wrestling than just the bodies in the ring, even back in the travelling carnival scams. It's when the artificial limits are taken away, that you get an honest to god fight that you start to see the real skill. You might be good at working in your little corner, but when you've got the chance to do anything, and you're still down there trying to hump a girl until she cries, you start to realize that maybe sexing up everyone isn't the best way to be a respected athlete."

"Hmm..." Gwendolyn listened intently to the increasingly compelling debate unfolding off to her sides, her chin resting on her interlocked fingers as she hunched over in her chair. Earnestly not expecting such a poignant and opinionated discussion in regards to the merits of their individual divisions.

"Well, if you would care to listen to the opinion of a humble observer, it's becoming increasingly apparent that both of your divisions appear to simply be two sides of the same coin. The same merits by which you flaunt you're own divisions as being superior can just as easily be used to annul you're very arguments. For example, the hardcore division. You tout you're league's lack of general structure or boundaries as attestation towards your claim that only the truly skilled could compete in such a division. When, in actuality, those same standards encourage the usage of weapons over any such reputed wrestling talent. Why in heaven's name would I dedicate myself to honing my craft as a wrestler in such a division where a baseball bat can achieve the exact same desired effect?" Gwen smiled briefly in Adrian's direction before switching her attention to Natasha.

"Now, while I can never disagree with dear Natasha that the Hentai division has certain...carnal, aspects to it that will forever appeal to the basest of desires of the more primitive minded among our fanbase, it's those sensual attributes that brand it with an inherent stigma that the majority of your colleagues and respectable society in general wish to not be associated with. Now while I admit to only judging your division based on secondhand accounts of what transpires there, I'm struggling to comprehend how the mire of debauchery that encompasses that division elevates our illustrious profession in the eyes of the general public instead of perpetuating the idea of our profession being a den of depravity and nothing more. Whether or not you're division indeed trump's others in terms of popularity, it may be for all the wrong reasons..." After her lengthy diatribe, the heiress would turn her head back towards the flashing cameras of the paparazzi now hanging onto every syllable being spoken.

"In the end...both of your divisions seem to exist in their own self-contained bubbles where those who were unable to find lasting success in a more legitimate division flee to when they're burdened with that harsh truth. Divisions where they exploit horribly contrived rules that cater to their own individual advantages. But that's simply my humble opinion~..."

"And yet 'Horribly contrived rules that cater to individual advantages' sums up your whole career, doesn't it?" Adrian retorted, spinning right back at Gwendolyn, dropping the whole formal press conference in exchange for going at the event like a normal in-ring promo. "The woman who won her title in a ladder match with 25 helpers and a bottle chloroform, trying to talk down at the woman who brought technical wrestling back to the Hardcore Division. The fact that you're just going straight for the 'why bother actually wrestling' option after Summer Splash speaks miles about how out-dated your view of Hardcore wrestling is."

"If you'd paid attention, you'd now that in the final moments, I won that match because my opponent went for a weapon, and I didn't." the brunette said before turning to the crowd. "Outside the box thinking! And other marketing buzzwords, so what if someone's got a weapon and you don't, think of a way around it, counters aren't just for holds and coffee shops." the cosplayer semi-ranted tapping the side of her head. "I am leading the way to bring my division up to new heights, while the two of you get stuck in your own mold. The stepping stone on the one hand, and the porn star on the other."

"Well...esteemed members of the press, let my colleague's self-indulgent ranting come across as a stern warning towards any who aspire to attain championship gold some day. As inspirational an accomplishment it would be to represent one of these titles, you run the considerable risk of developing a vastly over-inflated ego and superiority complex. Do try to present yourself as a more respectable champion than my colleague here~..." Gwendolyn's succinct response earned another chuckle from the crew of reporters, the heiress rearranging some scattered papers at her desk into a neat pile before continuing.

"But 25 helpers does sound like overkill now that you say that number out loud. Perhaps I should consider thinning my ranks down to consist of merely one employee. One muscle-bound, grotesque meat-head of a bodyguard that I can use as a blunt instrument to fight my own fights and act as my self-appointed savior to cower behind when I find myself in over my head. Mayhaps you would know of someone fitting that description, dear Adrian~..." The heiress slyly peeked in Adrian's direction after shuffling her paper's, turning back towards the crowd with her chipper smile. Gwendolyn warned Adrian not to bring up her controversy-laden matches...

"Well...what's say we move this delightful press conference right along with the next stirring question~..." Scanning the audience clambering over each other to get their question addressed, Gwen would daintily extend her gloved index finger towards someone seated in the second row.

"Yes, you there...the rather...burly looking individual~..."

"Not here to ask questions."  A scraggly, distinctly un-Japanese voice called out from the throng of reporters. "I came to make statements."

River Styx came charging out of the crowd like a big, bald heat-seeking missile of unstoppable death, locked on Adrian and closing fast. She closed the distance with a few powerful steps and leaped at the hardcore, trying to tackle her off the bench before she had the chance to even realize what was going on.

Adrian was all ready to unload on Gwendolyn. Rebecca hadn't interfered in Adrian's matches or even be ringside for years now yet she was still bringing it up like it had happened yesterday and what's worse was the press was seemingly eating up every word she said. probably bought them off before hand she internally grumbled before the Heiress called for another question from a member of the audience. Who wasn't there to ask questions apparently, her voice was familiar too but the cosplayer was too busy fuming at Gwendolyn to think about it too hard "The hell do you mean, 'make statements'? Serio-" Adrian began before realization dawned on her at who it was making her way through the crowd, about a minute too late as the bald brawler crashed into her. "-OHFUCK"

The brunette didn't stand a chance as River charged over the bench and 200 pounds smacked into her chest, easily pushing the Hardcore champion backwards over her own chair as the back of her head hit the ground with a sickening smack. "Ughh..." she groaned, blinking awake. She probably had this coming, after basically campaigning for River Styx not having nice things, she should have known that she was at one point going to eat a counter-attack. But she didn't, and now she was paying the price.

Finally.

Waiting in the crowd the whole time had been a goddamn Herculean task for Styx. She had to stay hunched over, so she wouldn't stick among the crowd of Japanese people. She had to wear a black coat and keep the hood over her head, so she wouldn't immediately be recognized. She had to sit and wait while these idiots just kept bitching and bitching and bitching.

But, as she burst through the crowd and slammed into Adrian, there was a serene smile on her face. It was all worth it, just to the see that look of sheer terror on the champion as she realized what was about to happen. Styx had been waiting for this moment for a long, long time.

The moment Adrian was down, Styx climbed on top of her and went to work, grabbing her hair with one hand and battering away at her face with the other, landing some quick, heavy punches. The reporters burst into a frenzy - some of them scattered, some of them took pictures, some of them even called for the police, and the scene turned into pure chaos around them.