AFW Tokyo Fan Expo 2012!

Chigusa stood around as well, waiting for someone to come out to tell them it was all alright again. Taylor seemed to understand what Chigusa meant, which was good. It saved the idol more troublesome explanations. She was a bit dejected actually, considering how much of the crowd actually turned against her to support Taylor. She was getting popular, but Chigusa thought much of the crowd perhaps really thought Taylor was better than her. It hurt a little to see even her loyal fans consider someone else to be better than her.

"Alright," Chigusa said, "I'll let you handle it. But try not to start another riot. Security might just kick us out instead of fixing things."

Chigusa sighed, looking away at the door. "I only said that because I know what my fans expect me to say," she continued, "It's not that I think you're a copycat, far from it. I saw your match with Natalia. You're extremely strong." She looked back at Taylor with a slightly dejected smile.

"That being said, I won't take what I said back," she said, "You're strong Taylor, but I can beat you."

Taylor looked at Chigusa as though she were sizing her up and finally accepting what she saw. She stowed her snarky attitude for the time being.

"Fair enough." She said. She couldn't look down on Chigusa for having the right attitude. As a fighter, if you didn't believe you could beat anyone, then you couldn't beat anyone.

Her expression changed a little as she looked into Chigusa's oddly purple eyes. It was weird. She wanted to just reach out and pat her on the shoulder or shake her hand or something. She didn't, but she realized what it was. If she wasn't mistaken, Chigusa had just earned her respect. In that moment she looked at her not as a threat, but a kindred spirit.

It didn't help matters that Chigusa looked so damn down about everything, though. Taylor imagined that's how she looked half the time when she wasn't talking trash and clowning around.

"So... yeah." She said. With nothing else to do, she kicked open the door and swaggered back into the convention. She made her way back to the panel, where security had mostly dispersed or calmed down most of the crowd.

She grabbed her mic and jumped up onto the table to address the people. "HEY! Everyone shut up and look at me! Sorry I made you guys turn into a bunch of crazy people, but you guys can't just start fights like that. That's my job. But it's okay! I have a solution! We won't have to argue annnnymore about who would beat who, because I would like to formally issue a challenge to everyone's favorite pop singer who moonlights in wrestling, Chigusa Yuuuuuki!"

She flashed a sly grin at Chigusa. "So you guys just hold it together, and then show up to watch us do it, whenever it actually happens. I'm not gonna spoil the ending for you, either. I'm sure between the two of us we can get that match booked. Try to stay in shape, Chigusa, I'm not going to go easy on you just because you're part time."

Taylor dropped the mic and took a moment to line herself up, and then leapt off the table and turned a front flip in the air. She stuck the landing, because she was just that awesome. She put on a big, triumphant grin for Chigusa. "That's that. Wanna get out of here for a bit?"

Chigusa could tell by Taylor's surprisingly even reaction that something changed between them right there. She wasn't sure what, and it looked like Taylor wasn't quite sure how to react as well. Maybe she was trying to keep all that attitude bottled up? If she was, Chigusa had to commend her. Taylor really was trying to change and grow up a bit.

Of course, Chigusa could believe that she could win, but that didn't mean she would. Part of the reason she was dejected was seeing how many people in that crowd actually supported Taylor. It was a bit narcissistic of her to assume those fans were all her fans, but in her mind Taylor wasn't even close to her in terms of popularity. But popularity didn't determine how strong a person was in the ring. Maybe those were her supporters, but they could see that realistically Taylor was the stronger one... Chigusa put that thought out of her mind. Even if Taylor was better now, Chigusa was sure that she could win. And the only way to determine everything was with a fight.

Taylor headed back to the room after a moment of awkwardness, Chigusa following close behind. The punk girl jumped onto the table and put on quite a show. Chigusa wasn't sure if Taylor was just like this or if she was keeping in character, but it certainly was flashy and impressive. What surprised her was Taylor's solution to all this. "You're challenging me?" Chigusa said. She hesitated for a moment, then took her own mic.

"I accept your challenge Taylor!" she said, "Maybe we can finally settle this the proper way. We'll put on a show nobody in AFW will ever forget!"

She set down her mic, and turned to Taylor. "Yeah, lets get out of here before the reporters eat us alive," she said, gesturing at the mass of reporters rushing in to ask questions. She headed over to the back door once more.

"Not gonna lie, I might crash this place later just for fun. Cause some trouble." Taylor said with a lingering smile. She carried herself confidently, but without any of her usual petulance. It didn't seem like she needed it.

She made her way through the door and outside. She circled around the building a bit until she came to the door that led most directly to the gym. They were large, glass double doors, with a cement walkway leading to them through grass. Along side the walkway was a bench with a blue flower, not quite in bloom, growing next to it. Taylor walked over to it and sat down.

She had used the bench as her hiding place so often since coming to AFW. Her relative anonymity allowed her to draw no attention at all, and she would pull the hood of her sweatshirt up to help cover her face. She would often sit on the bench to cool off after a workout while watching people come and go. None of them ever really noticed her until lately, now that she was gaining a bit of fame. She'd noticed Chigusa, though, from the bench. She remembered hurling insults at her while she walked by.

"C'mon, sit." Taylor invited. It seemed appropriate, and Taylor just felt like sitting still and being quiet. People didn't ever know very much about her. All they saw was loud mouthed Taylor, but she spent much more time silent, withdrawn, and observant. It was a very personal thing for her, and at that moment the significance of sitting there with Chigusa eluded her.

Chigusa followed Taylor along, not quite sure where they were going, but deciding to let her lead them to wherever. They were finally bonding a little now, becoming friends, more comfortable with each other. It was something good for both of them. It was always better to be friends than enemies.

They soon made their way over to the gym, which was kind of surprising for Chigusa. Taylor picked this place to get away from everything? It was surprisingly nice though, completely empty since everyone was at the expo. Indeed, Chigusa remembered that the gym was supposed to be closed and locked up today. Someone must have forgotten to do that.

The doors were locked, but Taylor didn't go there. Rather she went off to the side, sitting down on one of the benches that faced the grassy field and small garden that ringed the AFW compound. Chigusa remembered the spot. That was where they first met, when Taylor decided to call her out and start a fight. It wasn't all that pleasant of a memory, but the nostalgia did come back. Taylor certainly had grown since then. She was much calmer now, more grown up, that childish snark kept in rein by discipline. She was much much stronger too, a true champion now deserving of the title.

At the invitation to sit, Chigusa came over and sat down. She looked over at Taylor curiously. The girl was all quiet and still, almost zenlike. This was something she had never seen before either, the loudmouthed and energetic Taylor so quiet and content. Maybe things were finally working out for her? Chigusa smiled, putting her elbows on her knees and her hands on her chin, looking out towards the grass and the road beyond.

Chigusa's phone made a small beeping noise in her pocket. She pulled it out, looking at the message, and sighed. "Sorry Taylor, I gotta get back to the expo," she said, "They want me to give a performance." She stood up and dusted off her skirt. "It was nice of you to show me this place again," she said, "I'm glad we can come back here as friends, instead of enemies like before. See you around!" With that, she turned and left, running back inside.

Taylor gave Chigusa a smile and nodded as she left but otherwise didn't move. She didn't know why, but she felt like she wanted to cry. It seemed like she spent half her life crying, but there was no conflict this time. There was nothing bad to cry about, and maybe that fact was cause in itself. It was an accomplishment.

In the end she decided to let her eyes stay dry. She sat quietly and stared out at the grass and the sky, thinking about nothing in particular. She didn't want to move at all or think about anything and risk spoiling the moment, so she let it hang in the air for as long as she could.

Eventually, when she felt like it was time, she stood up and started the walk home. It was only a few blocks, and she could use a walk. Then probably she'd be right back at the expo, heckling Eclipse and making security's jobs difficult.