New Year Same Rivals

[SRG]

The Idol Dragons are currently backstage in the locker room being booked to be there incase a tag team was unable to show due to either sickness or injury. Nashi was stretching her body out not in the highest of spirits.”Yukino, I don’t get why we haven’t been booked that much, we literally won a championship title together, and it’s the year the dragon! You even made a new attire for me to start off this year and I don’t know when I can show it.” She said in a distress tone before sitting down on the bench.”Do you think our 15 minutes of fame are over?” She asked in a somber mood hoping that they would get still their chance out there tonight.

[CaptainL]

Wherever Nashi went, her best friend and tag team partner Yukino wasn't far behind - and this was no exception. Even if they hadn't been booked for a match tonight, Yukino was still going to follow close by Nashi's side, if just for support. And right now, it seemed like support was what she needed. Even if the two of them had secured the WOWW Tag Team Championships by defeating Irish Oldschool at We Are LAW, they were still active members of the LAW roster, and, as the promotion they had made their wrestling debuts in, they still considered it their home. But as of right now, they didn't have much scheduled for them in the new year. And Nashi was taking that hard - but Yukino, as usual, kept a cooler head.

Yukino Fuyumi

"Hey...calm down, Nashi," she said, placing her hand on the pink-haired girl's shoulder. "Don't forget, we have to represent the title in WOWW first and foremost, so that's going to take priority with our schedule. Besides...you really think our fame is up? After the peak of our idol career, and winning a championship that we'll be showing off in two promotions? I'd say it's only just begun..."

And Yukino wasn't the only one to take notice. Just then, she looked over to hear footsteps entering the room - and when she saw who those footsteps belonged to, her jaw dropped in a gasp. There was Astrid Ostberg, former LAW Heavyweight Champion, and a woman who had challenged Nashi many times before; not only had she been her opponent in her debut, she had put her skills to the test in a three-minute challenge that proved Nashi was well worthy of her respect. Astrid had kept a close eye on her career up to this point; she saw the potential in Nashi, and she was eager to see her evolve and improve as she hit her stride in the ring. Now that she had a championship to her name...Astrid had been waiting for a chance to face her again. And it seemed like she'd just found an opportunity.

Astrid Ostberg

"What's this?" she asked, stepping up to Nashi with a chuckle. "I don't hear you lamenting your career being over, do you? You've just won a title - that should say enough. And I should know!" Smiling to Nashi, she extended a hand to her. "In fact, I might as well make a proposal. I'd been waiting for the right moment...but I think this is it."

[SRG]

Nashi was in a downer mood for once, she couldn't believe that despite winning a championship title at a LAW event no else, they weren't booked for a tag match in quite a while. She sat on the bench thinking that LAW didn't see much usage for them since they were now champs of a different promotion. However much like always, Yukino was there to help her out this time with her funk. She felt her friend placing a warm hand on her shoulder, reassuring her that they have only just began to reach stardom."Yeah.... you're right, besides even if we're not booked it gives us more time to work on our coordination. " She giggled before she saw Yukino's jaw drop as if she saw a behemoth of a monster. She didn't know what was going on until she heard a familiar voice.


She turned and saw Astrid in the flesh standing there with a chuckle on her face. Nashi didn't know how to react either, even with getting a championship belt, she could never beat Astrid that wasn't a swimsuit conquest. To say she was shocked would be an understatement, as she shook the blonde-haired woman's hand."I take it you want a match? I've been working on some new techniques but haven't fully mastered, and the arena is booked tonight so I don't think we could schedule a match for a while." She said in response to Astrid, not wanting to turn down a challenge mind you, more so wondering what she wanted out off all this.

[CaptainL]

Yukino was always glad to know that she could help lift her friend's spirits, and she was never going to turn down a chance to cheer her up if that was what she needed. When she heard the enthusiasm return to Nashi's voice, she grinned a little wider. But when Astrid entered the room, the Norsewoman commanded her full attention from the moment she set foot through the door, and the smile on her face gave way to a wide-eyed gape. Even if they were champions in their own right, Yukino hardly felt like she could compare to a living legend like Astrid Ostberg. What business, then, could she possibly have in their locker room?

But as would soon become apparent, it was precisely that disconnect between Astrid and the Idol Dragons that the former champion intended to rectify. Astrid had been following Nashi's career closely, watching her as her fame grew and grew and as she honed her fighting style into the lightning-fast, acrobatic spectacle that made her who she was today. She had seen it when Nashi, the same girl who had barely put up a fight in their first match, had gone on to become one half of a champion tag team. And now, she wanted to see for herself just what Nashi was capable of now - something that Nashi, evidently, had seen coming.

"That's right," Astrid explained, giving Nashi's hand a firm shake. "I saw that you've got your first championship victory under your - well - belt, and I wanted to congratulate you! If you've come that far, you've clearly grown as a wrestler. But I won't know just how much until I've seen it for myself. And if I'm going to be the judge, I wanted to extend an opportunity. For me to see where you stand now - and for you to have another shot at the Heavyweight Champion!" Astrid chuckled a little to herself at that comment - though when she reflected on how she wasn't the Heavyweight Champion any more, it did make her bite her lip, looking off with a grumble.

When Nashi brought up how she was still mastering new techniques, that was something that made Astrid raise an eyebrow. But it gave her an idea, too. "Well, in that case...how about this?" She clasped one hand into a fist, pounding it against her palm and cracking her knuckles. "Perhaps the two of us should meet at the gym for a little sparring session? You can show me the new moves you've learned - and I can help you get a better grip on them! I think it could benefit us both."

[SRG]

Last time Nashi and Astrid met up, Nashi got her only victory over her.... and it was a modeling contest not actual wrestling. She shook Astrids hand before her nerves were at eased by Astrid wanting to congratulate her and Yukino's efforts off winning their first championship belt of their careers."Thanks Astrid it wasn't easy, we had to put all we had, especially since we individually lost to the duo. " She said recalling her defeat at the hands of Peggy, and Yukino's by the hand of Lauren and how they were able to rise above and beat them as a team.

Then out of nowhere, Astrid offered a personal challenge to see if Nashi was truly worthy of being one half of the tag team champions of WOWW. She gasped in shock looking up at the blonde heavyweight as she noticed Astrid biting herself on the lip a little bit. Then Astrid explained how it wouldn't be a match but rather a sparring session, no belts on the line, just two girls slugging it out. After thinking about her offer, Nashi nodded accepting the challenge."You got it!" She shouted proudly at her rival before turning to Yukino."Only thing is, we need a ref and Yukino could you be our ref? I want her because I know that if it looks like I'm in a hold that's too painful, she'll throw in the towel for me, her being the ref will mean that she can't do that unless I am KO'ed so do you agree Yukino?" She asked her tag partner if she would be willing to act as the official for their spar.

[CaptainL]

Yukino was no less pleased about being reminded of her defeat at the hands of Lauren Fredericks - even if she'd still managed to qualify for Apex through it, leading her to the match that stood as a landmark of her career and entered her into the running for the Openweight Championship, it still stung to think about, and she glanced off as her shoulders deflated with a sigh. But she knew that was the past, and they still had a bright future ahead of them - something that Astrid evidently agreed with, if she was going to extend an offer like this! When Yukino heard the Norsewoman make her proposal, she could hardly believe her ears. Astrid was one of LAW's most accomplished and beloved wrestlers, and a champion in her own right, with one of the most storied careers in the promotion. If she felt that Nashi was worthy of being put to the test, that meant she considered her to be on her level - it spoke to how much the Idol Dragons had risen to prominence!

And true to form, Nashi wasn't going to agree to that without Yukino being there by her side. At first, she raised an eyebrow curiously to the suggestion, but when Nashi explained her logic, she nodded her head in agreement - it all made sense. "Ah, yeah...I wouldn't want you to get hurt," she added. She winced a little bit at the thought of that - she knew Nashi was tough, but she also knew how headstrong she could be, and it wouldn't be unlike her if she refused to tap out to Astrid even if it was what she needed to do for her own good. Having Yukino around would help make sure things didn't get out of hand. "I'll do it!"

"It won't be a problem at all," Astrid added, cracking her knuckles, "so long as you don't interfere in the match. I'm sure you have plenty to boast of as well with how far you've come - but it's Nashi I truly want to test. I was her first opponent in LAW, and if I'm going to measure how much progress you've made, she'd be the one I would truly be able to see it in." With that, she looked down at Nashi with a smile, and she held out her hand to her. "But all that said...do we have a deal, you think?"

[SRG]

Nashi needed Yukino to be the ref as she knew her like a glove. She knew that she could get ahead of herself and if Nashi was in a hold that could cause in injury because of her pigheadedness, Yukino would be there to throw in the towel to save her. Then those came out of Yukino's mouth agreeing to be their official referee. Just like that, Nashi hugged her for a brief moment."Thanks Yukino, your the best friend a girl could have!" She lightly giggled before releasing her to see what Astrid had to say.

Thankfully Astrid had no qualms with Yukino being the ref as Nashi listened closely to what she had to say. Once she was done, Nashi put her hand out and gripped it tightly wanting to show off some new muscle she got."Oh we have a deal alright, if you wanna make a wager let me know because I plan on winning this!" She fired back proudly as she had suffered two crushing defeats by the Norweigans hands and had to return the favor in the ring rather than posing in bikinis.

With that said Nashi released her hand and turned to take charge."Alright girls, lets go ha ha!" She laughed as she picked up her bag that contained her belt and regular clothes aiming to leave to go the parking lot to take a drive with them to see if Astrid would take them to the LAW gym or her own private gym if it the public gym was closed due to it being late at night.

[CaptainL]

Continued here