The Friction Spotlight with Taylor Parker and Kelly Conway!

Mai couldn't help but stifle a chuckle as she watched Hilde adjust the chairs and perfectly place the glasses of water. It felt like deja vu all over again and the tall blonde was as fidgety as ever. "Hilde-chan, it's the same as before!" Mai encouraged. "You did fine the last time. Everything looks great!"

"It's not quite the same, Ms. Nagasawa, but, danke. I'm not really nervous." Hilde said as she took her seat.

"Even if the chance of a fight happening is quite high?" Mai chirped.

Hilde sighed. "Please, don't jinx us, Ms. Nagasawa!"

Mai took one last look over the tablet resting on her podium and when the signal was given, the curtain was raised and she had a bright smile on her face. "Ohayoooo and hello!" She said eagerly, flashing a vee at the camera. "Tonight we're spotlighting the upcoming Friction World Title match held halfway across the world in New York City! I'm your emcee, Mai Nagasawa and tonight Ms. Hilde Von Creuzfeldt and I will be entertaining the competitors of that match! We'll be asking them questions as well as taking questions from our very own live studio audience!"

Mai turned and looked over to the desk. "First, let's introduce the challenger and hometown favorite, a former champion in her own right, Taylor Parker!" Mai's gloved hand extended towards the studio entrance.

Taylor had a spring in her step as she strode out onto the stage, looking every bit as much like a rockstar as she felt in tight clothes accented with leather.

She wore two tight braids from the top of her head down, her golden hair shot through with blood red from her highlights. Under direct light, her tight white tank-top hinted at the color of the bra beneath, and had in big block letters the words "YOU ARE NOT ALONE" written across the front. A sliver of her flat, defined midsection was left bare before a big, black belt, adorned with sparkly silver and chrome, wrapped around the top of her skin tight jeans, ripped in a couple places. She wore a black leather bracelet on one wrist and several more bracelets on the other, a thin black band buckled around her upper arm, and a thin necklace, and she had all of her piercings in. Three in each ear, a ring in her eyebrow, a stud in her nostril, and one in her belly button.

She effortlessly tossed herself into a one-handed cartwheel on her way to the table, stalling just long enough to wave to the crowd with her free hand while upside down, before she dropped into her seat and automatically propped her black combat boots up on the table.

"Hey Mai, Hey Hilde," she said quietly. She couldn't resist sneaking out of her chair just long enough to get in a quick hug on each of the other women, and then she was right back in her chair, looking like she was as comfortable there as she was in her own living room.

Mai waved cutely to Taylor while Hilde smiled warmly and nodded politely. Mai quickly turned back to face the audience and the cameras.

"Before we get this show on the road, let's introduce the current Friction World Title holder, Kellyyy Conwaaayyy!"

Kelly Conway strolled out with purpose in her step and joy absent on her face as Mai introduced her. She appeared on stage with the Friction World Title slung over her shoulder, wearing a red blazer, loose white undershirt, a black skirt, matching leggings and a pair of converse sneakers, while her long blonde hair bounced around behind her, greeted by the boos of her adoring public as she went on stage.

She glared at Taylor and spared a glance the other two, recognizing Hilde but not paying much attention to her, rather Kelly went straight up to Mai with a cold sneer before grabbing the mic and guiding it to her lips.

"I just wanna say. That im not too fond of your use of the word 'current' when you introduce your Champion, Nagasawa. It's a pointless thing to add because I am going to remain your champion after I settle the score in New York!" Kelly growled before shoving the mic back into the Idol's chest as she made her way to the table, propping her title on it before taking her seat a few feet away from Taylor.

Taylor chortled. "You got your own mic, stupid. But what a power move taking hers."

Kelly whipped her head towards Taylor "Was I talking to you, Punk!?" She asked and then asked again. "Was I talking to you!?"

"Easy, killer," Taylor said, waving a hand at Kelly. She looked not the least bit perturbed by Kelly's aggressive antics. "Get comfortable. We've got allll night."

Mai grunted gently as Kelly shoved the microphone into her chest but she took it in stride, smiling all the way. "Now, now, Kelly-san, save it for the ring!" She chirped and flashed the audience a wink. "So, Hilde-san and I will alternate questions between Kelly-san and Taylor-san. Hilde will generally have more serious questions and I will tend to ask more of the lighthearted variety. Afterwards, we will open up questions to our audience! Iiiiiiiiis everyone ready!? GOOD!" Mai pointed to the tall blonde. "Take it away, Hilde!"

Hilde nodded and looked over Kelly and Taylor. She was pretty familiar with both girls and felt quite comfortable with both of them. "Danke, Ms. Nagaswa." She said with a polite nod and then turned towards Kelly.

"Ms. Conway, since you're the champion, let's begin with you. Normally, I might wish to progress through your career a bit to give the audience something to chew on, but I think it's appropriate to begin with the present. Everyone has heard your explanation as to why you challenged Taylor in her hometown, but would you care to explain further? Are you afraid your decision may have been made in haste? Are you worried at all that Ms. Parker might be emboldened by having her hometown crowd behind her?"

Kelly rolled her eyes at Mai's continuous positive demeanor. She had hoped to sully the pleasant idol and break that perkiness. But it annoyingly persisted.

Kelly adjusted herself in her seat as the tall German turned and looked at her before speaking. Kelly lowered her head and chuckled softly, gaining a knowing smile before she looked to the cameras.

"I made no haste. I sat in my home and thought a long while about what I was going to propose and what I saw was too good to turn down. New York is American's most iconic city. It makes sense for AFW's top American Wrestlers to fight there. But I have another reason. You see, I thrive.... On Heat. I love heat. I love pissing people off and nothing would get me going more than to see Eighteen-Thousand Five Hundred people all angry at me, hating me, shouting at me. It doesn't matter if they love Taylor because I'm still the center of Attention... And I would just pour gasoline on the fire the whole time." She said proudly with a raised chin and a smug smile before looking to Taylor.

"And then... The eventual sadness, anger and disappointment when they see their little hero forced to tap out to yours truly. I can't even begin to describe all those let-down faces as they look at a broken Taylor Parker with The Real American Hero, standing above her, with the title and the camera fixed solely on the only smiling face in the arena. Mine." Said Kelly before turning to Taylor.

"It's going to be beautiful."

"How very focused, Ms. Conway." Hilde said with a smile. She turned and looked at Taylor. "Your first question is a bit of a softball, but I'll start with the obvious. What does having the match in New York mean to you, Ms. Parker?"