Burdens Abound (for Kerflubble)

Alaina grunted as she hammered the punching bag, slamming it with punches, elbows, knees and kicks as hard as she could. Each impact echoed across the gym as the muscular woman clad in a tiger print sports bra and semi-skimpy briefs continued her work.

Covered in sweat and breathing heavily her losing streak against top women ever since Valley again defeated her for the Entropy title weighed on her.

As her mental baggage built up and spilled over the amazon let out a shout as she landed one last, loud, impactful roundhouse kick.

Sighing as she pulled her shake bottle out of her locker, Adrian was still feeling down from losing her Hardcore Championship back in Toronto. It was actually now months since that loss happened but she'd gone from champion back down to not much more than a former cosplayer, and while her frined was now the one in title hunts. It was great for Rebecca to be top of the world for a while, but it still left Adrian directionless. She didn't want to go back into the Hardcore division, was deemed too experienced to be considered for the Entropy title, didn't have a partner to give Gwen a well deserved spanking, and couldn't see a way in with the big girls just yet.

Although compared to who she saw working one of the bags as she walked in, her problems were fairly minor. "Oh hey Alaina..." Adrian let out as the bag swung back and forth "Hows uh... hows things?"

Alaina stopped when she heard a familiar voice behind her. "Adrian? Hey... How are ya?" Alaina asked out of habit, not realizing that Adrian likely felt the same way Alaina did. "Me? Oh just working out. Gotta get back on that horse ya know?"

Alaina had been knocked off the horse by Valley Doll. And Lea. And Akiha. And Alicia, very badly. She looked like a hapless novice not an amazon. Adrian also lost a belt at Abalanche 2016, to Ace. Valleys girlfriend.

The golden couple of Friction was riding high somewhere. Here? The aftermath of their dream reigns, stuck in a rut. "I know I had ya pegged to retain, and I hope that you know you are still a top lady around here no matter what happened at Avalanche." Alaina said quietly but in a serious tone.

If only she could have said the same thing about herself.

"Heh." Adrian let out a joyless laugh at Alaina's comment "Well... maybe losing at Avalanche was a good thing in some ways... at least I don't have to worry about someone smashing a two by four over my head... I mean not any more." the former cosplayer said, beginning her warm up stretches as an excuse to break eye contact. "Still, at least we've actually got names in the record books now. We won't get shoved on Reddit's 'hey remember these dorks' lists or whatever they do on squared circlejerk."

Alaina let out a genuine laugh when Adrian mentioned the Reddit comment. She did find that funny and Adrian did make a good point. "Like, you have the resume and clout to win a few matches and get involved in the Friction title scene. If Rebecca can do it so can you. Hell, I could see the two of you facing off for that belt to be honest." Alaina added, still smiling. She wanted to get some cheer or positive energy from Adrian.

No matter how low Alaina felt about her own career seeing Adrian like this was a bit rough.

Adrian sighed at Alaina's reassurance "Maybe... maybe later." She said solemnly, pulling herself up from her latest warm up stretch "I've actually been thinking about taking time off to be fair, I've been at this for how long? 5, 6 years? I've been out with injuries but I really feel like I could do with just a general rest. No house shows, no press conferences, no nothing... I feel like I'm getting tired with it all to be fair, haven't had any me time except for when I've been too patched up to enjoy it." the former cosplayer admitted. "How about you? Still feel like you're chasing a dream?"

Alaina nodded sympathetically to Adrian. She understood all too well. "I got ya. I have been here for three years and... I dunno." Alaina said as she shook her head. "No matter how hard I try,
I only seem further away. I can't buy a win against these women occupying the top of the mountain and I am more amazon jobber. Aside from tag matches with Julia and my run last year I lost more than I won."

Alaina chuckled a bit and looked over at Adrian. "The thought of quitting just bugs me,
But keeping up as I am bugs me. I don't know what to do."

"Its not..." Adrian began with a long sigh, not even bothering with the pretence of a warmup "I'm not talking about giving up for good. For one, the money's too good to give up and two: I'd have to leave Japan in total 'cause my Visa wouldn't be worth anything. I'm talking about maybe a 4...6 month sabbatical, get a better view from outside just how far up the mountain I got. It's really hard to get perspective when the peak seems so far away, but if you look down while climbing you just get dizzy and puke."

Alaina nodded and raised an eyebrow. What Adrian said made sense, a lot of sense. "That isn't a bad idea when you put it like that. I just think that with some stuff back home being what it is that I would leave for a week and end up never coming back." Alaina said with a sigh.

After a moment of pause she did not want to be all downer though. Also, she knew how much Adrian was hurting. "For what it is worth, if ya did leave the AFW even for just a break this place wouldn't be as exciting as it is when you are here. You have been a part of a few matches that I consider among the best I ever saw. A lot of the new ladies also look up to ya too." Alaina added, hoping to get a little bit of cheer back into the former hardcore champion.