"Random" Encounters

Alexa had gone back to gorilla position to wait, hopeful to intercept The Black Fang. She had still heard some celebration going on in the ring. They had sent her away though, shooing her back down the hall with a clipboard. She had retreated to the next best spot, a intersection that branched off between the two locker rooms in the arena backstage. Assuming The Black Fang didn't  just leave the building via grappling hook, she thought this would be the best place to find her. So she sat and waited, cross legged against the wall trying her best to imitate a pose of meditation in hope the position alone would help put her mind at ease. It didn't. She didn't want to stay around too long, she had to meet a friend soon.

A few wrestlers she hadn't met before stopped to compliment her on how well the match went. One person even lamented she had lost to The Black Fang. She had given that girl a talking to, gushing about how awesome Black Fang was and why she shouldn't have been rooting for the bad guy. Needless to say, they weren't happy with being lectured and told her they'd be seeing her again soon... ominous. She poked her tongue out at them as they walked off.

She slipped out her phone, checking the time. She'd have to send a text in a few to let Ryoko know she was running late. She took a deep breath and tried to relax. Her body was on board with that idea from the get go, to the point she wasn't sure if she was going to even manage to stand back up from having sat down. It was her mind that needed to settle. She was so nervous to meet her, actually meet her. Had she enjoyed herself as much as Alexa had? She wasn't sure. She really couldn't read the other woman, maybe it was because of the mask? Either that or a concussion.

She winced, gingerly prodding the top of her head... it still hurt. It likely would for a few days... she wondered if it left a mark. She'd have to take pictures if it did for a keepsake... She wasn't weird.

She had known her name too. Had Rebecca contacted her? She was the only AFW talent she new off the top of her head that had an inkling of what she had been planning. She would have to thank the brit next they talked. If The Black Fang hadn't known to be here, she might have challenged an empty arena... wouldn't that have been terrible. Her eyes drifted back to her phone having just thought of something else, perking up a bit more. "It will be okay... she's a champion of the people. She'll make time for you girl, don't sweat it." She found comfort in her own words as she pressed her head back against the wall and waited.

Running late, running late, running late…

The Black Fang - Ryoko, made her way through the gorilla position, weaving her way around people as best she could and accidentally knocking one poor stagehand over. She hated to rush, especially now, when she was already dead tired. AJ had been much more of a challenge than she’d expected - not that she thought the woman would be weak, but she’d underestimated just how determined and driven she could be. And that hadn’t even been a ‘real’ match. AJ was the bad guy, she was supposed to lose. With the costume, when she was 100% serious and driven to win…

The thought left her giddy. She was eager to tell AJ just how giddy, too, but she wanted to do it as Ryoko, to tell her how awesome the match was and how proud she was of her amazing effort and how much she was looking forward to seeing her in the ring again. Just a little further, then she would be at the lockerrooms, and-

Crap.

Ryoko turned a corner and BAM! AJ was standing there, leaning against the wall. She quickly shifted back into the corner before she could be spotted, then took a moment to compose herself. There was no getting around her, so that meant she would need to get back into Black Fang Mode. Deep breath, inhale, and 1, 2, 3…

”Hello, stranger.” She came around the corner with a wink, a smile, and a hand on her hips. ”Have to say, you look familiar. Have we met?”

Alexa glanced up, at the voice, not realizing it was her... The Black Fang, right away. She snapped upright in a state of attention. Questions? Doubts? Who said what to who? All of that, whoosh, right out the window... if there as one near by? Down the hall! Whoosh! Her face brighten up immediately as she just exploded into herself, the real her, raw and unrestrained.  Any attempts to keep a cool head and be presentable were also tossed down the hall with the rest of those emotions. Goodbye!  

"Ohmygod! Iamlikeoneofyourbiggestfans..." She was firing out words to fast it would be hard to keep up. "I'manewfanthoughveryrecentbutletmejustsayIloveallof..." She Throws her hands out in a gesture motioning to Black Fang's everything. The costume, her attitude, her move! AAAAAAAAAH it was so good! Oh god she was making a fool of herself wasn't she, just staring? Say something Alexa! "IjustwantedtothanyouandletyouknowallthatandIhopeIamnotbotheringyouincaseyouhavecrimetofightorbadguystocaptureorsomethi-" She had to stop, to take in a massive breath. "butIwaswonderingifyoucouldsignthisformeifitwould'tbetomuchofanissuenopressurethoughyoubustbesuperbusy... hahahah! Thatwasanunintentionalpunsorry!" She leaned forward a bit, trying to catch her breath as she offered the woman across from her a sheepish smile, a bit of color in her cheeks.

”Uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh uh
uh uh-”

The Black Fang held up her hands and looked about as AJ broke into a frankly impressive verbal barrage, coming out with words faster than any human mind could hope to properly process them. Passerbys came and went, giving them strange looks, before deciding they wanted none of this and went about their way, shuffling off down the hall.

More than a little mortifying, if she was being completely honest. But AJ meant well, so she could deal with it.

”I, uh, think you’re asking me for an autograph, right?” She returned the sheepish smile. Perhaps even more sheepishly. ”Sure, that’s fine. I just need a...ah.” As luck would have it, there was a white eraser board with match schedules on it, and a handy black marker nearby.

She snatched it up and turned back to AJ, wagging it her way. ”What do you want me to sign?”

She took a step forward before stopping. Was it okay to approach? Was that something she was allowed to do? She glanced from side to side. Nobody seemed to be interested in stopping her so she hopped into action, scampering up to The Black Fang. She looked elated, stars in her eyes as she lifted her hands to hold up. the pair of makeshift goggles she had made. After a small awkward moment she turned them around, the insides were perfect to be signed. She was trying so hard to contain herself. It was a wonder she was able to even be in the ring with The Black Fang and remain so professional... for the most part. Perhaps this was just the result of all of that pent up fan energy finally coming to a head.

"If... it's not to much trouble." She made sure to talk slow, because this was important. "It would mean a lot to me." She stood rigid still, trying to show her hero as much respect as she could. This all felt so unreal. Even outside the ring she was so cool. It was almost like she was trying to be normal just to make Alexa feel better about such a weirdo. It was oddly comforting.

”Of course it’s not too much trouble!” She smiled, but had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Ryoko had this distinct, half-giggle, half-snort sort of laugh that would’ve tipped her friend off immediately, and she was doing an improbable job of remaining incognito so far.

She managed to keep her composure as her friend came over, in the cute, yet amazingly sincere way that only she could. With anyone else, she would’ve thought it was all some kind of joke, but AJ was serious. She really treated her like she was a true hero, someone to be looked up to. With anyone else, she was just the Black Fang, one of hundreds of AFW wrestlers, one of the few who had a mask, but nothing to special. With AJ, she was as good as the world champion.

She took the goggles and held them like they were as precious as a title belt. ”Let’s see here…” She popped the cap off and got ready to write. ”How am I making this out?”

"Ryoko, please. She's another fan of yours. The person who actually pointed me towards you, so you can thank her for all of this." She smiled brightly, nodding. "She's also a bit of a hero too, so if you could, write something nice about that in there for her? She is going to flip, I swear." She was bubbling with excitement, trying her best to keep her composure. "Oh!" She bowed her head respectfully, trying to mimic how she had seen others around Japan doing. Granted, she was doing the male version rather then the female one. She was trying at least.

She couldn't wait to surprise Ryoko with this. She was going to be all excited that Alexa had gotten the chance to actually be in the ring with The Black Fang, then bam! She'd give her the goggles. It was going to be the best thank you after all she had done to help her through all of this. Or at least a start. She grimaced suddenly. "Sorry uh... one sec." She slipped out her phone, sending Ryoko a text to let her know she was running a bit late, but they were still on for their meeting. She made it quick, not wanting to seem rude. She started to tuck the phone away, but remembered her earlier thought and kept it out.

Oh, god damn it.

As AJ spoke, Ryoko brought her hands up and hid her face behind them. She did it on reflex, a necessity to keep the blush running rampant across her face out of sight, to hide the tears that were welling up in her eyes. No matter what she did in her career - if she beat vets, if she won tourneys, if she claimed the world title - she couldn’t imagine anything that would make her more proud than…

...wait, what was that rumbling in her sash?

That was where she’d stashed her cell phone, wrapping it up for safekeeping after she’d picked it back up. But who would be calling her right after a match-

She brought her hands down with lit eyes, noticing what AJ was doing and cursing what had to be the world’s worst timing. ”That’s, my, ah...mother! That’s my mother calling.” She coughed, trying to play off the moment and hoping against hope that AJ didn’t take notice of the waterworks.

Ryoko composed herself as best she could and went to writing, scribbling on the goggles as she best as she could. She spoke English far better than she could write it.

To Ryoko
One hero to another

Hammy and corny. Just the way she loved it.

Content, she handed the goggles back to AJ, holding them like prized treasure. ”Will this do?”

"Oh, you shouldn't leave her hanging. Moms can be pretty scary. Way scarier than any mad scientists." Alexa seemed rather oblivious to the waterworks. It could be in her eyes The Black Fang was to heroic to cry... not that crying wasn't heroic. Maybe she was just sweating, from her eyes? Regardless, if she noticed it must have not seemed off to her. The likely scenario was she somehow missed it. She bounces in place when the goggles were offered back.

She received the crappy plastic goggles with panted spirals on the front as if she had been handed the holy grail. She had a brief moment of confusion as she stares at the gibberish message on the goggles before mouth 'oh' and turning them right side up to actually read them. Her eyes traveled over the inscription a few times before she looked up, nodding fiercely. "This is perfect, thank you so much!" She looked back up at The Black Fang, unable to meet her eyes directly. "Could... I also get a picture with you?" She held up her phone giving it a waggle, trying her best to put on a sweet smile. "Then I swear I'm out of your hair. Cross my heart and hope to die."

The Black Fang sniffed, doing her best to get herself composed and her eyes cleared with the mask. She shouldn’t have been this emotional, but damn, this was such a new experience for her. Friends had never come easy for her, and having one this was...she couldn’t even say it was a dream come true. She would never dare to dream this big.

She perked up when AJ asked for a picture, taking on a new shade, happier than ever. ”Oh, sure, not a problem at all.”

She took a moment to whip her face off, then moved over beside AJ, getting into position and putting up a peace sign. ”Is this good?”