AFW World Championship: Mystery Challenger vs Adrian Kytes (c)

"WOOP WOOP" blared over the speakers, the pulsing techno taking the place of the usual Bullet Club anthem as Adrian Kytes, the Reigning world champion, headed down the ramp already in her ring gear and token extras "Bullet Club jacket now on sale at AFW-merch.jp people!" She called out before stepping into the ring and removing the championship belt for the ring announcer to hold while she took over the ceremonies.

"Okay people, put down your overpriced beers and bodypillows," she began as her music faded, folding away her shades "At Avalanche, I promised there would be a title match before we hit the beach and as La Champion it's down to me to be fair in giving these opportunities to people. Fortunately, I didn't have to think too hard for this one, so it should be obvious to everyone here why she gets to face me and why everyone else is waiting in line. Never say I never give back to this business!" She said before handing back the microphone to the announcer and casually waited for the music to hit.

The crowd muttered among themselves, wondering exactly who was going to be picked. Indeed, backstage, the wrestlers were all wondering as well. All of them were gathered, everyone in Friction, all of them in ring gear. Even the recently returned Silver Ace was in gear, all curious as to just which of them was picked for a lucky title shot by the Bullet Club. Only the production staff knew, and all were eager, wondering what music would be played.

Nobody...Nobody... expected this theme.

Camera's rushed in backstage, appearing on the titantron, zooming in on the shocked face of none other than Gallium Heart. "Me!?" she exclaimed, looking up at her friend and mentor, Silver Ace. "But...but I haven't even won a match! How can I get a title shot!?"

Looking down at her nervous friend, Ace patted her shoulder, offering her a gentle smile. "Hey, look at me...you got this alright? Don't worry about why they picked you, just focus alright? You've got this. You absolutely got this, just do your best, and I'll be with you all the way, alright?"

Comforted, but still nervous, the pink haired girl nodded and smiled back, before they made their way out to the ring together. The small Maple Leaf Warrior stepped onto the ramp, bare feet on cold steel, wearing nothing but her signature singlet as she and her face painted mentor came down to the ring.

Gallium Heart:

Silver Ace:

While moving slowly at first, a couple nudges from Ace got Gallium moving faster, and soon, she'd be sliding under the ropes, entering the ring, raising a hand to wave at the crowd. She was well known by this point, even it was only as the bravest little jobber in the league.

She looked over at the Bullet Club, while Ace stayed near the ring apron, watching them all. Gallium gulped, taking this all in. She was about to wrestle Adrian Kytes, one of the leagues most famous and respected wrestlers, one who had been around longer than almost anybody, who had wrestled all of the greatest, including Ace herself...and Gallium was, somehow, supposed to win the world belt off of her?

She put those thoughts aside, sticking her hand out towards the champion respectfully. "Thank you for the opportunity Miss Kytes! I won't be holding back!" she exclaimed boldly, putting on a brave face. She could do this. She had always punched above her weight class before, this was no different...hopefully.

Adrian gave what could best be described as half way between a Golf clap and polite applause as Gallium made her way to the ring, although she scowled a little when she saw Silver Ace coming out with her fortunate protege. "Hey, Hayley!" She called out, leaning over the ropes while the Maple Leaf warrior built up the nerve to step in the ring with the champion "I want a good, clean fight. No funny business from you." She warned, wagging an accusatory finger at the face painted mentor before she undid the championship belt around her waist and handed it to the ring announcer. "Good luck kid, I will be." She said to her significantly smaller challenger.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the following contest is for the AFW World Championship!" She declared as Adrian relaxed in her corner "Introducing the challenger: Weighing in at 45 kilos and standing 152 centimetres tall, the Maple Leaf Warrior GALLIUM HEART!" The announce called, letting the underdog get a few more moments in the spotlight.

"And her opponent: She is the reigning and defending AFW World Champion with one defence, she weighed in tonight at 61 kilos and stands at 173 centimetres tall. The Bullet Club Commando, The last world in Women's Wrestling, La Champion ADRIAN KYTES" The announcer finished to a chorus of boos while Adrian smiled smugly at it all, waiting for the bell to ring... which never came "Okay, what the shit?" the champ asked the nearby ring crew, demanding the source of the delay.

Flummoxed ringside workers started huddling around eachother in jabbering conversation, pointing at their headsets and asking the others if they knew what's transpiring at the Gorilla position. None of them having the right answer, and offering Adrian only shrugging shoulders and bewildered expressions while mouthing "I don't know." The AFW ring-team having mastered the procedures of getting matches underway with efficient and fast-paced professionalism to the point where they had it all down to a science. Except for some reason there was no referee present or being seen jogging down the ramp as per the norm. Restlessness being evident in the audience as well, minutes passing with their heads swiveling from side to side wondering what was up...until...

The King Himself!!!:

...started being blasted through the speakers to everyone's stunned astonishment!!! Currency symbols of all denomination being broadcast across the Titantron, from Yen to Dolla-Dollas, heralding the shucking and jiving appearance of none other the Main Man himself...the Man for whom the buck stops...and General Manager of Friction, Maximilian Kingsley. Moonwalking atop the ramp to his spiffy theme song in his designer white suit and shimmering shades that never seemed to leave his face, Max imagining himself to come across much cooler than he actually was. The audience offering a tepid round of applause but were all mainly dumbfounded about what was going on anymore. A good question to which Maximillian was about to answer as he stopped his awful dancing long enough to bring a microphone to his sparkly-toothed smile as his theme petered off.

"Whoa, hold on there playa~...Now, I know as World Champion, you reserve the right to set up your own challengers as you see fit. BUT...as the new Head Honcho Of Headlocks, The Superintendent Of Suplexes, The Chairman Of Chairshots...it's my responsibility to make sure that everyone under my employ who isn't wearing spandex, has a safe and secure work environment to do their job. This of course includes, our beloved referee's...who seem to have nasty habit of getting walloped, blinded, threatened, and chased out of the ring whenever you just so happen to be in the ring, Adrian. To the point where they're actually starting to hassle me about hazard pay!!!...SO, as an interim and experimental solution to this problem, and to maaaaybe help even the odds against your more than "qualified" opponent...I've arranged a special guest referee to officiate this championship match. Someone who can take any errant strikes, know's all about ring mischief, who won't be intimidated, and someone who you should know very well, Ade. Now y'all have a good, clean match ya heard!!!! HOLLA HOLLA!!!!" Maximilian hollered with a few more shuffling dance steps, high-fiving the guest referee on his way back behind the curtain and her way coming way out.

Alaina came out wearing a pair of black spandex shorts that left little to the imagination, a pair of sneakers and a referee striped tank top. She was all smiles as she high fives the boss before waving to Adrian.

"Hey there champ, I really hope you don't think you will get away with what you pulled back at Avalanche. Now don't worry. I am not here to screw you over with some fast count or anything but I am warning you that if you try any of your usual nonsense I will make you regret it." Alaina added as she began to confidently walk down to the ring.

Adrian's grand plan of an easy defence to both pad out her record as champion and have an excuse for not taking on any extra challengers for a while was starting to hit a few roadblocks. For starters instead of the bell the only thing ringing was her ears from the shrill man in an overpriced suit dancing around like he owned the place, making life miserable for some of those already in the ring. That was her job dammit! La Champion didn't have to take this shit unless he was like the General Manager or something...

Well shit.

"Oh come on! Referees are like... 10 yen for a set of 5." She defended against the accusation that her strategies were racking up a high (non-lethal) bodycount of unprepared officials, and then the cherry on top it all was Alaina. "Your limo is so getting trashed!" She yelled at Maximillian while the amazon made her way down the ramp, hands up defensively as she backed away into her corner. First Ace was in Gallium's corner now Alaina as the referee? This was a 3 on 1 fight! Or at least, it would be if Ace and Alaina weren't... you know, honourable, like a cool person.

Huh. So that was the new Friction GM. Ace had to admit...she rather liked his style. Entertaining, excitable, seemed to enjoy himself, didn't seem to look down on everyone and be condescending all the time like Lukretia did.

Good. Someone decent in charge for a change.

She reached out, giving Alaina a high five as the woman came down to the ring. This was also pretty awesome. Alaina was a friend, sure, but more importantly, she was a fair woman, and while Ace respected Adrian's skill...fairness was in short supply with this new Bullet Club group.

"Alright, see Gallium? Playing field is a bit more even. Just fight hard and don't give up on yourself!" She yelled to her protege, who nodded.

Gallium was still nervous, but that didn't mean she was going to lay down and give up, she stretched her small, adorable body, tight one piece clinging to her as she moved into a grappling stance, staring down the world champion. "I'm not going to let you just walk all over me!" She boldly proclaimed, waiting for the bell to ring.

Adrian was still fuming from Maximilian's intervention when the bell finally rung, so much so that instead of taking things nice and slow like she had planned, she instead rushed past Alaina and charged Gallium down, hoping to take the initiative by ramming the younger fighter straight into the corner, pinning her against the turnbuckles. It was rare for the champ to be the bigger woman in a match, metaphorically or physically, but here she had 35 pounds on the challenger and she was gonna use it god damn it.

Gallium hadn't been expecting the champion to come rushing at her straight out of the gate. Hell, she hadn't even been expecting to have this match at all as of five minutes ago!

"EEP!"

She yelped, getting caught quickly by Adrian and slammed hard into into the turnbuckle backfirst, the pink haired shorty sagging against them, needing a moment after the hard impact. "Cmon Gallium! Don't let her push you around!" Ace yelled, slapping the mat in support of her friend and protoge.

Gallium needed a moment, it was understandable. A bigger woman had just shoved her straight into the turnbuckles and the padding wouldn't do that much to lessen the impact, it would have felt like being punched by a big glove both between the shoulder blades and just above the hips. Too bad she was in the ring with someone who wasn't about to let her have her little respite.

Adrian pivoted from driving the challenger backwards to keeping her trapped in the corner, and to add extra suffering for the already uncomfortable Gallium the champ threw up her knee to drive into the mid-section of the strong-hearted rookie in blatant violation of the clean break that should have happened. This was a lesson: if you, as a rookie, somehow got a match against the champion, do what you can to make sure she wasn't frustrated about things lest she take it out on you.