One Last Summer Splash In The Pool

It had been a long time since AFW had held a formal press conference, and even longer since the world champions were the ones to sit down and take the questions, but Rebecca Tomko had personally requested one to the shock of management and further to it she was going to be making it alone. No Jackson sisters, no Adrian it was going to be the champ sitting at a table with a live mic. With the championship belt slung underarm she walked on to the small stage dressed in a suit for what seemed like the first time in her life, placing the gold delicately on the table before sitting down herself. "Alright, settle down. Let's get this shit started" The Amazon groaned out, pulling the microphone off its stand so she could make herself be heard without having to bend over or yell.

"Miss Tomko, we notice that your appearances as of late have been sporadic at best-" The first questioner began, only for the champ to cut in instantly.

"Yeah no shit the champ hasn't been around," Rebecca snapped at the questioning reporter, pointing an accusatory finger with one hand while the other reached for the water bottle provided "You'd think it'd be obvious that 10 pounds of gold and 250 pounds of woman isn't around week in and week out but you still gotta ask the question." She belittled the man. So much for a press conference, the way she was acting it was as if she was making her own confession video.

With a deep sigh, the champ continued on with words that had been a long time coming "The reason I'm not here all the time is the same reason why my girlfriend is retired from in ring competition. We did our time, took our lumps, got our gold and now it looks like that before we hit 40 our bodies are like 'hey motherfuckers, you owe me big for putting up with your shit.' I'm hurt, and I've been hurt for a while now. So like with Adrian, I'm announcing my official retirement, starting the 14th July this year." Rebecca announced, one day before AFW's second biggest show their Friction world champion was going to be gone. For good.

"I'm leaving, we're heading back stateside and I'm leaving on top," She continued, a smirk breaking out over the heavy subject as she revelled in her true intention "'Cause I'm taking my championship with me and we're gonna hang it on the wall back in Philly. Enjoy Summer Splash! Hell, maybe you'll see if they've got a new design or whatever because the OG belt is going nowhere near it." One last metaphorical middle finger from the Bullet Club to AFW.

"So take your cameras and get all the shots you can of this because this is the last time it is going to be on this side of the Pacific."

Rebecca Tomko's sudden retirement announcement sent ripples of murmuring and shocked expressions through the room of journalists, reporters, and other wrestlers who had come to hear what the champ had to say.

One voice though, rang out louder than others.

"Hold the FUCK on!"

From the back of the room, up walked one lone woman, with short silver hair, with a Canadian accent and an annoyed look on her face. Not just any woman though, one who had been an annoyance to Tomlo and her partner, Adrian, more than once!

Silver Ace, one of Frictions longest tenured and top talents, moved up several rows before pointing am accusing finger at the world champ.

"I call bullshit! You have the audacity to call yourself a champion, to barely defend that belt, and now your going to retire as champ before one of the biggest shows of the year? That's offensive! Worse, it's disgraceful to the title itself! I will NOT stand for something this insulting! I have been in this company too long, and fought to hard to get a CHANCE at that belt to see it treated so shamefully!"

She shouted, glaring with white hot intensity at the champ!

Rebecca knew that this decision was going to be a deeply unpopular one no matter who was just glad to see the muscled back of the giantess, but it was Silver Ace who said what everyone else was thinking. Much to the soon to be ex-champ's annoyance "Okay, everyone calm down. Looks like we gotta do championship 101 here." She groaned, rolling her neck before she turned her gaze straight to someone who was essentially her fellow veteran at this point.

"First thing's first, Ace. I don't just call myself champ, I AM the champ. And that's 'cause I pinned the last person who was the champ which is why I got the hunk of gold that makes- sorry, last day and all, made it official. Get it? Its pretty damn simple when you think of it like that and don't let shit like honour get messed in. That's just confusing everything." The amazon explained in the most condescending tone possible "Second of all, as an independent contractor who's already done the dates mandated as per terms of their agreement, that's a peek behind the curtain for you fucks on the dirtsheets," she added as an aside "I don't have to do shit. Not for the fanes, not for the company, not even for the title itself and certainly not for you. I got my shit in, beat the people who mattered when it mattered and now I'm leaving on top. I'm done. And I'm done caring what people think about that."

Silver Ace, Haley Cote, stayed silent as the soon-to-be-ex-champ made her excuses and justifications, shooting the bigger woman a furious glare the entire time with her arms crossed. This was, frankly, complete BULLSHIT!

Haley had every right to be pissed as far as she saw it. She had been in AFW for TEN YEARS NOW, and had only received ONE shot at the world title in Friction for that entire time, while other girls got multiple shots, and now the current champ was just going to fuck off and disrespect the belt and the entire company in the process!? FUCK THAT!

There was one thing Rebecca said though, that sent a lightbulb through the former Hardcore and Entropy champions head!

"HOLD ON! You said you beat EVERYBODY that matters? Cause news flash for you big gal, you've NEVER beaten ME! In fact, Neither you, or your hot ass, cheating, disrespectful girl-toy Adrian, or anybody in your silly little Bullet Club have EVER beaten me! Maybe you don't remember, but I took everything Adrian had to give, back when she was a GOOD wrestler and I beat her ass in a cage for the Hardcore belt! And not only do I BET that I can do the same thing to you, I bet you know it too! That's why neither you or her ever came at me to get the belt back, or ever sent your Bullet Club lackies after me, isn't it? Cause you know I'd kick all your asses!"

Was this childish, school yard taunting? Absolutely! But damnit it, at the moment, with the Friction World Title's honor at stake, getting under Tomko's skin was the best she could do!

"How about it Tomko!? We came from the same era! We both fought the likes of Angel, Akashi, Taylor Parker, Alaina Sanders, Gwendolyn, Julia Rogers, the 4 Horsewomen of Friction, and plenty of other talented women, and now all of them have either retired or moved on to other things! You and I are the last one's left of the old guard, and I'm the one thorn in your's and Adrian's side that you've never been able to get rid of! I took your girlfriends Hardcore title, and even my student Gallium came a second[i] away from taking the World Belt off of Adrian too! We may not have crossed paths often, but [i]I've had your numbers every time, and you know it!"

"I'm coming up on TEN YEARS in this company now, and I've been through hell and back trying to claw my way to winning that belt, I REFUSE to let you tarnish it by just tossing it away like a toy you don't want anymore, and since I KNOW I can beat you, I'm challenging you to a match at Summer Splash for the belt! I'll even PAY your fee to add the extra day on your contract! Whaddya say?"