Intense Midnight training [Underdog]

It was quite late, which of course meant that there was barley a soul in the AFW gym. Belinda could probably have used the gym which her sister had in her home, it was practically as big and full stocked with machines and weights and training rings....yet she didn't want that. She wanted to train here, she wanted to improve here...after getting some helpful aid and advice from Chelsea Loski Belinda was at least on the path of becoming better...she felt as if she had finally gotten onto the starting line for that. Yet...something was missing.

The Swede had for that reason found a way to contact an opponent she faced a while ago. It was one of her most intense matches and ever since things had gone down hill for her, she didn't know why but she needed to figure it out. As such she had called for Makie to meet her up in the gym...where Belinda currently was working out at this late time in the night. She was wearing a blue sports bra and a pair of blue lycra shorts, navy blue. Currently she was on the bench with her hands on handlebar she raised up and lowered it over and over, doing her work out, strengthening herself as much as she could.

If she wanted to stay active and keep going she'd have to work out, she'd have to stay in shape, mentally and physically and since it was wrestling she also had to keep her skills up as much as she could. Working out and staying in shape physically were things she could handle by herself, but the other two parts she struggled with at the moment....

That was why she was asking for help, she knew she needed it but...she couldn't exactly go to her sisters, as much as she might have wanted to she was sure that it wouldn't get her what she needed or wanted, she needed to do this on her own...to improve and strive on her own....though she needed her fair share of sparring partners to do that.

The door to the otherwise-empty gym opened at that moment, and Makie quietly stepped in. The youngest of the Akamatsu siblings was wearing a simple pair of red shorts and a black tank top, under a white jacket, and a hefty gym bag was slung over her shoulder. It wasn't often that she came to the gym at such a late hour, but then these were unusual circumstances: ever since her brutal match with Belinda Northman, she had anticipated running into the blonde at some point in the future. She had never expected it to be so soon, and in such odd circumstances.

She had been wondering what Belinda had wanted on the way here. Does she want to stage a revenge ambush? A private rematch? Is she giving me a birthday invite? As she saw that Belinda had stripped down to a training outfit, though, Makie's thoughts on the other girl's intentions became a little less vague.

Staring at Belinda, she slowly released the bag. "I, uh....got your text," she said. There was no way she could not have sounded akward about all of this. "So...is there a reason you called me down here?"

When she heard the door close the Swede's ears perked up and she pushed up the handlebar up onto the stand before moving up to sit on the bench, shaking off her arms as she'd shake her head a bit as well. When Makie had entered and walked right up towards her the Swede would move up to her feet, looking on at her slightly shorter rival.

There was a bit of an awkward moment when Makie let out those words of her and Belinda would stand there, before finally smiling and walking right up towards Makie. Looking to give the woman a light hug, despite being sweaty. After which she'd quickly step back, " Ahhah! Sorry. I'm just glad you came." Belinda let out as she'd back up a step again.

" So....like...this might be a bit weird." Belinda spoke out as she'd bring a hand up through her hair. " You might have noticed that since our match...things haven't gone all that great for me. " Belinda let out as she'd shrug her shoulders a little bit, " Our match was pretty much the last great match I had where things...went in my favor ? I think I'm at like...6 loses in a row since then...hehe..." Belinda was trying to put up a strong front but it was very difficult, it was easy to see disappointment and perhaps a hint of sadness in her eyes. " A-anyways!...I asked you here because well...I think of you as a rival of mine! We had a pretty great match and I was hoping you could help me out, help me train, spar with me, perhaps help me figure out what went wrong ?" Belinda let out as she'd offer her hand to Makie. " W-will you help me...Makie Akamatsu?"

Makie blinked in surprise, any response she had instantly getting lost in her throat. She hadn't known what to expect when she had come down here, but she sure as hell hadn't been expecting this.

"You...you think of me as your rival?" Makie echoed, still surprised to hear the words. "I mean, I'm flattered, but..." But we've only ever had one match! she wanted to say. She quickly thought better of it, instead scratching the back of her head uncomfortably. "I mean, I agree, we had a pretty damn intense match, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't itching for a refight, but...the last I checked, you won our last bout. So..." she gave a slight shrug. "I guess what I'm asking is...what makes you think I can help you get any better?"

Belinda looked on at Makie in surprise as she kind of hadn't expected that response. It was true that one match against someone didn't often make them a rival, as most people saw it the Swede had proven some superiority over Makie by winning that match....but.

In Belinda's mind it was simply the second match between a greater rivalry between The Northmans and Akamatsus. She'd nod her head head and place her hand on Makie's shoulder.

" Well!.." Belinda started, " I think you probably might have given me more scares throughout that match than I've ever received in any match, I think only one or two matches has the chance to measure up against ours. To be frank you were a lot better at me when it came to high-flying moves and frankly at submissions." Belinda spoke out as she'd look on at Makie's face with determined eyes.

" So I want you to help me out there...maybe also help me figure out why things turned to crap for me ? You know ?" The Swede asked of her Japanese rival, as she'd step back a step and pull her hand away, she'd start to walk towards the practice ring, moving to roll in under the bottom ropes and then bounce up onto her feet. " So what do you say, Rival. Wanna give me a hand ? Maybe it will help you out as well!" Belinda let out with a friendly smile and a wink of her eye to Makie.

This night just got more and more surprising. It was weird enough hearing Belinda confess that she thought of Makie as a rival: it was stranger still to learn of just how hard a match she had actually given Belinda. But to hear that Belinda was legimitately asking for her help after a string of losses was the most confusing at all: Makie knew, at least, that Belinda's most recent matches had been against the likes of Ami Takeuchi, Akiha Kosha and Gabbie Desjardins...some of the biggest names in the league, whom Makie had been relentlessly prepping to take on herself one day. If Belinda had lost to them, what hope did she have that Makie...someone whom she had actually beat...could help her?

Makie sighed. Even if it made no damn sense, she could still sense a lot of the desperation coming out of Belinda. And Makie had been in a similar position often enough to know how awful it felt.

"Okay," she breathed, "never let it be said that I was too much of a bitch to help you out." Setting down her back, Makie slid off her shirt, revealing a plain white sports bra. "Just...how do you want to do this? We going to try moves out on each other, fight but allow time outs, or just cut loose on one another?"

Belinda would smile when she heard that Makie was willing to help her out, she knew she could use all the help in the world to hang with the girl's who stood above her. She wanted to reach and stand among them...yet, she didn't know how to do it. That's why she was asking for help from those she felt she could ask.

She had to figure out a way to get this going for her. Though perhaps living in Cecilia's shadow was all she was good for. No matter how bright she could shine it would probably pale in comparison to her sister. What had a second ago been a bright smile as Makie accepted to help her out had turned into a somewhat solemn face as the thoughts that were plauging the Swede seeped around in her skull..

Though it was interrupted when Makie asked her how they'd do it.." Uuuh...wanna start out by maybe sparring with some timeout and stuff ? We can move onto the other stuff later. Okay ?" Belinda asked as she'd try and force a smile onto her face, attempting to shut out those negative feelings.

Makie nodded at Belinda. "Sure thing. Just some sparring, then. No heavy blows, no dirty moves, and we stop what we're doing if either of us asks for a timeout." She stretched a little, causing her lithe body to arch gracefully in the process, before she hopped lightly on her feet, eyeing Belinda with the hint of a challenge still in her eyes. "I'm ready when you are, Northern Princess," she said, adding a friendly taunt to her warmup.

Belinda nodded at Makie's words, it seemed as if that would be a good way for the two of them to warm up a bit. The Swede stretched out a little bit as well. She would nod towards Makie as she'd then start to walk up into the training ring. " I'm ready when ever Makie." Belinda spoke out as she would place her hands on her knees and lean forward a bit.

She would wait for Makie to get into the training ring before attempting to step up and lock up with Makie for a collar and elbow tie up should her rival and sparring partner agree.

Seeing Belinda going for a collar and elbow tie up, Makie smiled and mirrored her movements, circling her with her arms raised. Watching her blonde-haired rival, Makie's heels tensed as she watched Belinda, before suddenly darting forwards to attack. Her arms were raised as she faked a lockup, but at the last minute, she suddenly spun, moving to Belinda's side and lashing out with a spinning kick at the side of her head.

Whether Belinda would stop it or dodge or not, the kick would stop inches away from Belinda's blonde locks as Makie would pause. "Made you look," she'd say with a teasing grin, before lowering her leg and leaping forwards, this time locking up properly with Belinda in a full-on grapple.