Passion is the password

[APlaying]

After training all day, the actress was still unsure whether or not she could go to her meeting tomorrow. She really didn't feel like attending the fight; she still felt a little embarrassed despite the audience's reception. Renee had definitely made a psychological impact on her.

Snow slumped against the wall, staring at the floor, as she sighed deeply. “Ugh, I'm sick of this day... I just want to go home, get into bed, and forget about everything.” She rubbed her temples, trying to relieve the tension that had built up throughout the day. She slowly slid down to sit on the floor, staring at the ceiling, feeling sorry for herself.

Everything seemed too much for her now. Her manager was no longer with her, and her roles were becoming increasingly scarce. She just wanted to be alone, or get drunk without anyone expecting anything from her. She paused, lost in thought for a moment before making her decision. She began to think about all the struggles she had been through, and how much she loved dominating her opponents; it was something that fulfilled her. She wasn't willing to let Renee take that away from her, so she got up and went straight to rest so she could arrive early for her next match.

When the day arrived, Snow was getting ready backstage. Suddenly, someone else entered the dressing room. The actress immediately recognized the girl—it was her opponent!

“RAQUEL!?” Snow let out a growl of surprise and grabbed a comb from the table to defend herself in case this was an ambush. “YOU'RE COMING TO DEFEAT ME BEFORE I EVEN GET IN THE RING!?”

[Highfly]

Raquel was walking through the halls with a very neutral, almost blank expression on her face. She didn't even want to be there. She entered a tournament to turn things around and show the world she wasn't a pushover or just some hack they threw at a lightweight champion once. Of course in the Double Or Nothing tournament she was the first woman eliminated losing her only two matches, each one after starting off well in control only to blow it at the end.

She had her white and turquoise gear in her bag and the lightweight red-head didn't want to put it on or parade around playing to the fans. She was really considering asking for her release at this point but part of her just couldn't let that happen. She wanted to prove her family wrong, that she could succeed in the ring and be somebody in the wrestling world.

As she entered the locker room she saw a woman there who had clearly recognized her. Raquel looked up and saw that it was Snow, a middleweight wrestler who was turning into something of a submission specialist. A nightmare for a wrestler who thrived on the move or in flight like Raquel. Raquel looked up with an eyebrow raised and then looked to her bag. "Lady, I am just here to change into my wrestling gear." Raquel said before looking back at Snow for a second then she immediately went to a locker to sit on the bench, getting ready to do just that.

[APlaying]

Snow's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing Raquel's response, her gaze fixed on the other woman's neutral expression. She seemed... distant, almost oblivious to the situation. Snow's expression softened slightly as she understood Raquel's words, her voice firm but polite. "Ah, yes, I was preparing too. Sorry, I've had bad experiences backstage with my opponents, so I'm always on guard," Snow said, her voice a little softer.

She placed the comb back on the table, without taking her gaze from Raquel's face. "You're at the tournament, right?"

[Highfly]

"Yeah some women around here are crazy huh?" Raquel said. She felt like her career had been driving her crazy but she wasn't about to take the cheap way out with a sneak attack. She was going to turn it around in the ring on her own... or ask for a release. That tipping point was also coming sooner than expected.

Then Snow asked about the tournament. "Which one? Apex? Double Or Nothing? Either way I was a disappointment in each one." She said with a shrug as she began putting her wrestling attire on. She really hoped not to talk about either, but Snow managed to bring up the worst topic of conversation possible. Raquel hoped her short answer shut it down.

[APlaying]

Snow grimaced. It seemed Raquel was also going through a rough patch. "You were eliminated from the tournament too early, right?" she asked, somewhat uncomfortable. "I'm not having a great time either..." Snow looked around to make sure no one else was there. Upon checking the area, she took a deep breath and sprayed some vanilla perfume on her shoulders. "I'm still being tormented by Renee Steinhouser. Since she got naked in my house, not a second has gone by that I haven't been harassed on the social networks. Or that the paparazzi's have swarmed around me every time I want to leave work. In fact, because of that controversy, my acting jobs have drastically decreased. I've had a lot of trouble getting roles, and I also haven't been able to focus properly in the ring."

[Highfly]

Raquel heard Snow begin to speak expecting to hear about some sort of wrestling slump, or a very nasty one sided loss.

That wasn't at all what she said and Raquel was caught entirely off guard by it. She looked over at her and had no idea what to say. Her voice seemed to have left her before she finally spoke. "Oh.... wow. That is certainly... something. Never expected to hear that."

[APlaying]

Snow's gaze fixed on Raquel's, with a hint of vulnerability. Was it even prudent to tell her opponent all of this? The truth is, the fact that Raquel wasn't beating her up right now spoke volumes for her. "I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I mean, I've had my share of drama in the past, but this is on another level." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I've tried to ignore it, focus on my training and my jobs, but it's hard when I feel like my entire reputation is being slaughtered. It was a lot easier when I wasn't a celebrity." Snow's gaze shifted, her eyes scanning the room as if searching for a way out. "We're not having a great time, huh?"

Snow watched the match before hers unfold on a monitor, realizing it was her turn to face Raquel in the ring. She took a deep breath and turned to her opponent. "Okay, Raquel, I hope you give it your all in the ring. Because I'm going to squeeze you!" Snow gently slapped her hips before heading out into the ring.

[Highfly]

Raquel nodded while looking forward, listening but not making eye contact. She was trying to focus solely on the match and turning around her downward spiral in the ring. "Yeah. It sure seems like it is going poorly for both of us." She said as she was changed, tugging and pulling on sports to make sure her attire fit perfectly.

"Yeah, you can try. I am going to turn things around tonight. I have to." She said in reply to Snow as the other woman left to head out to the ring leaving Raquel sitting silently as she continued to focus mentally on the match ahead.