L.A.W. - League of Anime Wrestling

Bill never thought He would be part of a tag team; but through circumstance following a successful encounter with Kasey Crass, Bill found Himself endeared to the less fortunate Wrestler whose demeanour almost coincided alongside Bill's. However during their time together it became rather clear that while Bill was a powerhouse who dominantly exerted His form of control over the ring, Kasey was... Well to put it lightly; a little too self-confident. In certain scenarios that would be easy to dismiss or almost amusingly enjoy; but when it came to Bill's goals in LAW and what being in a tag team meant- it was becoming less amusing to deal with day after day.

Fortunately though it seemed He was not alone- another dominant competitor in a tag team had similar feelings towards their partner and agreed to meet in person before tonight's show began to discuss it in person. Although knowing little about their team beforehand, some studying revealed Ms. Mayhem and Nikki Nitro were put together in hopes that Mayhem would act as a mentoring figure for Nikki, proving to see if Nikki would make it as a promising rookie in the company or languish in the position of jobber to people like Bill. However that's where Bill's knowledge on the matter would end as He prepared Himself for the evening no matter what the outcome may be- And that involved dressing in His signature "Attire".

Spoiler

Waiting near the locker area, Bill stood in His minuscule attire as He awaited the Woman He was intending to speak to. It was always a little awkward looking for Bill to be in any setting in His look besides in the ring; but you wouldn't be able to tell from His expressionless mask or confident body language. Leaning back against a production crate and within eyeshot of the exit to the locker rooms, Bill sighed loudly to Himself as He contemplated what to make of His tag partner. Kasey didn't seem to excel in the slightest unless Bill was present and He had even seen footage of Kasey whining out Bill's name in a vain hope His masked saviour would come in and solve all of Kasey's issues- against competitors He should have been more than equipped to deal with on His own.

Bill wondered if Ms. Mayhem had a similar problem- or if Hers was something else entirely. Either way, the masked man was excited to get the opportunity to speak with somebody as outwardly dominant as He was- hopefully turning this meeting into a fruitful opportunity for all parties involved.

Afternoon hours in the arena were a quiet affair. The distant echoes of a rowdy crowd, a far-off memory of the evening prior, now all that was left were the low hum of fluorescent ceiling lights and the occasional squeaky wheel of equipment being moved through the empty halls.

made her way down the narrow corridor of LAW’s backstage area. The concrete floor clacked lightly beneath her boots, the confident rhythm of each step announcing her long before she came into view. While she had yet to grace the federation's cameras, rumors of her career prior had given her a bit of a reputation that kept an air of mystery about who exactly she was behind the trail of destruction she was known to leave.

Her hair, the vivid ice-blue mane now tied in a high tail with her trademark red ribbon, trailed behind her like a comet’s flame as she turned the corner. The light caught on the glossy stretch of her current attire, a high-cut blue and black bodysuit that hugged every sculpted curve of her physique, its partially unzipped front, not shying away from presenting her physically for any to witness. Fingerless gloves and sleek knee guards completed the look, the kind of gear that spoke less to vanity and more to readiness. She had the presence of someone who didn’t just wrestle, but commanded the space surrounding them both inside and outside of the ring.

Mayhem’s expression was focused, coolly serious, though there was the faintest curve to her lips, a knowing smirk that came from being both teacher and predator in equal measure. Each stride radiated confidence, the kind that made rookies step aside instinctively when she passed by and production staff give her the right of way at intersections.

As she approached the production area, her crimson eyes found him, the towering, masked powerhouse standing by a crate, arms crossed, his silent aura filling the room like a coiled threat. Bill. He seemed bigger in person, more imposing… she liked that. She was used to standing shoulder to shoulder with most people she worked alongside, but as she neared the inches that separated them became more noticeable. Stopping a few feet away, she tilted her head slightly, appraising him as if already weighing his worth.

"The man within the mask. Good, I was hoping you wouldn’t keep me waiting."

Her voice was low and steady, carrying with it an unspoken edge of authority despite the two wrestlers being peers. She folded her arms beneath her chest, shifting her weight just enough that she presented the impression she was relaxing into the moment despite feeling like she could snap out of it at a moment’s notice.

"Generally, I’m not the type of woman who goes looking for assistance, but I understand that to get a job done correctly, sometimes the right tool is required."

Her tone softened slightly, though her gaze remained sharp as ever, a general evaluating a fellow commander before a joint campaign.

"I’ve seen some of your work when you fly solo, then there are your... I hesitate to call them tag team matches. Handicaps?" She snorted softly, dismissing the line of thought with a wave of her hand. "I couldn’t help but see that you and I have a similar problem. The sort that encouraging words and subtle nudging won’t be able to fix."

She paused, steepling her fingers together.

"Our tag partners are soft. Big egos, big mouths, and big liabilities. I’d like to propose a joint venture between you and me to let our partners not only see how good they have things in our partnership, but get a taste of how things will be if they don’t start putting in the efforts to carry more of their weight."

As the blue haired Ms. Mayhem approached, Bill was struck right away by the confidence that radiated off Her. She had the appearance and forward fronting look of the dominant kind of Woman that Bill respected more than anything in the world- Somebody who would no doubt share a similar mindset as Himself to be presented as the sort of match conductor that the LAW audience expected. As She walked up to Him, He silently stared- allowing Her to look Him up and down as if to determine if He was the real deal before speaking to Him.

As She spoke, Bill took note of Her authoritative tone. She spoke like every word She said was a fact that could be backed up without hesitation- it was a rather welcome change of pace compared to the ego-backed tone of the typical wrestlers Bill interacted with... and especially the topic of their conversation- His tag partner.

"Our tag partners are soft. Big egos, big mouths, and big liabilities. I’d like to propose a joint venture between you and me to let our partners not only see how good they have things in our partnership, but get a taste of how things will be if they don’t start putting in the efforts to carry more of their weight."

Bill visibly chuckled. His mask looked down for a second before turning back up, even without seeing His expression it was rather obvious as to what His reaction was.

"Couldn't have said it better. I'm glad you recognize when certain people need to be humbled- It's been a... difficult thing to bring up with my partner."

Although He never formally greeted Her, Bill was the kind of less-is-more type to go beyond pleasantries and cut right to where things needed to be. Although His tone was more friendly than one would initially expect- although perhaps that came down specifically to who He was talking to. When mentioning His partner Kasey though, a slight hesitation could be heard in His deep voice- almost as if He felt bad about talking about Him behind His back.

But even with that slight glimpse of humanity shining through, the rest of Bill's body language made it clear He had no qualms with Mayhem's proposition. Being able to help new, dominant talent debut the right way was His pleasure to offer; as was the right opportunity to get His hands on His overzealous partner. Bill crossed His arms, almost mimicking the pose of Ms. Mayhem as He held them under His chest tightly.

"Well, Kasey is due soon and expects a tag match tonight. I'm sure He's raring for another "Handicap" like you mentioned... Where exactly is your partner?"

Ms. Mayhem wasn’t used to having soft spots. Not in the ring, not in business, never when it came to the profession she’d bled for. She had always been the one who slipped seamlessly into her persona. Armor on. Emotion off. Who trained alone, rose alone, and dealt with every triumph or failure under her own power.

But a tag team had changed the calculus. It meant compromise. It meant relying on someone who hadn’t yet learned the cost of being great.

Being shackled to a younger talent had become a silent handicap. So much of Mayhem’s fire was spent sharpening Nikki, reinforcing her foundation, dragging her step by step toward potential she might not even understand she had. All the while, Mayhem felt her own edge dulling, ever so slightly, but enough to feel it.

And she could not have that.

She nodded along with Bill’s assessment, the unspoken truth reflected perfectly in her cool, piercing eyes. They both cared, and that was the problem. To build their partners up, they had been holding themselves back. What they were planning now wasn’t cruelty… it was discipline. It was correction. It was survival.

“Locker rooms,” she exhaled with a small snort of annoyance. “Probably preening and posing in front of a mirror instead of psyching herself up for a match.”

There was no venom in the jab, only disappointment sharpened into dry humor. She shook her head once, a short, crisp motion that cut off any lingering sentimentality. When she looked back to Bill, there was clarity in her expression.

“When your partner gets here, I’ll send Nikki a text. Let the two of them link up on their own and discover the plan the hard way.” Her lips twitched in a knowing half-smirk. “No warnings. No hand-holding. Let them panic, or strategize, or crash headfirst. I don't intend to be around for them to whinge at us until we meet in the ring.”

Her voice softened, not with mercy, but with conviction.

“We break them down now… so they learn how to survive later.”

This was more than a stunt or a teaching moment.

This was their careers. Their calling.

And Mayhem refused to let hers be dragged down.

"Fucking... dammit, this guy is always impossible to find."

Spoiler

Kasey Crass was wandering around backstage looking for His tag partner; a typically frustrating task given that Bill was the sort of uncommunicative kind of wrestler that would make Himself found when He wanted to. Not having any means of external communication with Him meant that anytime Kasey would look for Him, it would involve aimlessly looking around in the backstage area until He made His presence known. It was really grating at this point- the "Ooooh look at me im soooo scary and have such a mysterioussss personality" shtick was starting to lose its appeal for Kasey who would love more than anything for His partner to be a normal human long enough to provide something as simple as a cell phone number.

The hustle and bustle of the backstage of the arena didn't help things either as Kasey figured the busiest areas would hold the highest chance of finding Bill but so far... nothing. The endless sea of random wrestlers and production staff felt neverending and Kasey was worried that He and Bill might miss their call time... God forbid Kasey wanted to be at least a little ready before their match tonight.

"HEY! YOU!" It wasn't Bill- but Kasey recognized the person that typically counted the wrestlers out before their entrances. If anybody could find His partner it would surely be the person whose responsibility it was to ensure the wrestlers were at the curtain on time. "I'm looking for my partner- It should be next to Kasey..? ...Crass?" Kasey stood impatiently and crossed His arms as the man flipped through the clipboard in His hands and scanned the page of names and matches with His finger-

"Oh- yeah, your partner I seen them over in Locker room C; check just over there- down the hall and they should be getting ready for your match."

Kasey didn't bother thanking Him, striding off without a second glance as He had a bit of an attitude behind His walk. Honestly, Bill should be embarrassed that Kasey had to ask somebody else where He was- what kind of partner does that? Kasey shook His head in frustration as He pictured the blank stare Bill's mask would give as an apology- but at least He could finally meet Him to get shit in order.

Locker Room C; all right this should be the one- Kasey didn't even bother knocking as He swung the door open to the room expecting to see His tag partner but instead was- "Oh- Uhh, who the hell are you?"

Nicole Dawson was not a particularly vain girl, but when it came to becoming Nikki Nitro she always went into full production mode and today the audience was her own reflection.

One foot braced boldly on the bench, she leaned forward toward her locker mirror like she was about to deliver a fierce monologue… to herself. A small spritz of body shimmer misted through the air lacing it with a faint but sweet fruity aroma. She shifted her shoulders side to side, making sure to hit every angle. Content with her artificial glow, up came the gun show. Flexing biceps that hardly seemed to change as her body tensed but she hit the pose like she meant it… then immediately switched into a sultry hip-pop stance with a finger gun and a wink.

“Boom.” she whispered proudly. “Danger and desire: achieved.”

Her lips curled into a smug, glitter-glossed smile as she dragged a palm down her side, checking the smooth lines of her gear. Then she lightly tapped the mirror with her fingertips as if confirming it agreed:

“You are awesome,” she told her reflection. Her reflection, naturally, agreed with a thumbs up on both sides.

Nikki tossed her hair… or tried to. Cut a bit too short for any Baywatch moments. So she did it again, this time a bit harder, dramatic, like she was causing a shampoo commercial to explode. She didn't manage to get a good impression of what it looked like, all a blur and slight dizziness from the sheer force… but it was probably fine enough.

Reaching into her locker she pulled out her ring jacket, tossing it theatrically over her head and shimmying her arms through the short cut sleeves. Once she had settled into it, Nikki turned back to the mirror and hit her reflection with the “cool girl” shrug out of the jacket pose… then another one… and then a third, because each one looked incrementally cooler the more she rolled her shoulders or pouted a bit harder… in the sexy way not the sad way.

She put on her best serious wrestler face, jaw set, eyes narrowed, like she was about to avenge someone’s goldfish, then immediately ruined it by giggling at how awesome she thought she looked.

That was when the locker room door slammed open.

Nikki froze mid-pose, right leg up, jacket halfway off, pouty lips still pursed, like a deer caught in the spotlight of a fashion runway.

Standing in the doorway was a half-masked dude she had never seen before. He didn’t look like security. Didn’t look like a fan. Definitely didn’t look like he belonged in her personal glam montage.

Her eyebrows slowly climbed toward her hairline the moment he spoke.

“…Excuse you?” she said, voice lilting with incredulous sass.

With a tug, she secured her jacket closed, fumbling to thread the zipper before pulling it all the way up, sealing herself inside it. It was something of a gut reaction as if she had been indecent and caught Kasey peeping on her in scandalous fashion. In truth, she was well covered with or without the extra garment, at least by LAW standards.

She planted a hand on her hip, standing a bit straighter to mask her smaller stature behind firm posture and pure judgemental looks alone.

“This might be a co-ed locker room,” she announced, like reading it from a rulebook only she possessed. “But I don’t remember scheduling a backstage drive-by ogle.”

She snapped her chin up sharply specifically to look down the bridge of her nose at him, a withering gaze to cast him back into the shadow realm from whence he had crawled forth from.

She was able to give him a brief look over. Ring boots… pads… at least he was another wrestler. Her expression suddenly brightened, understanding what was going on. This guy was one of her opponents tonight sent to demoralize her or even ambush her. Her sharply sealed expression twisted into something a bit mischievous as she stepped away from her locker, looking at this guy who looked like the only thing he had ever kicked out of in his life was a hair stylist and that he tapped out to every Hot Topic he ever entered.

“You know who I am… punk. And unless you want a bit of the heat right now, you better spill why you’re here.” She thrust a hip to the side striking an empowered stance that radiated girl boss energy. “Cause I know I have never seen you in this locker room before.”

Kasey stood awkwardly in the doorway, hand still on the handle as He stared with a confused expression at the red haired Woman who looked as though She was in the middle of posing for an imaginary camera. His brow furrowed and eyes scanned Her up and down- a very high waisted leotard, some kind of racing jacket and a confident look about Her. But the most important detail perhaps was the simply doe-eyed look in Her eyes, the fact She was posing to a mirror to psyche Herself up as if it was... wait...

Chastising Him briefly, She brought Herself to a more authoritative pose as She too, scanned Him up and down- almost as if both parties were studying an alien life form neither had ever seen before. “You know who I am… punk. And unless you want a bit of the heat right now, you better spill why you’re here. Cause I know I have never seen you in this locker room before.”

Kasey raised and eyebrow and removed His hand from the door handle, bringing Himself up to a confident pose to counter Hers- Chest puffed, Head leaned back and a intensified glare sent directly into Her eyes, Kasey looked about as self-assured as He possibly could in the moment. "For your information- No, I don't know who the fuck you are. But I know what you are just from a single look at you- This is your first night, isn't it?" Kasey crossed His arms and tilted His head to the side in a uncaring, chastising manner. "Lemme guess, you were posing for the mirror to see if you really looked all that tough, hmm? Well news flash toots- you kind of look like an absolute dork."

A sneer came from Kasey as His mood quickly changed- the initial confusion and frustration from before replaced with a confident energy that came from a position of seniority. "You know it's customary to lose your first match in to a more important wrestler, right? Oh but let me guess- You're "The toughest gal on the block and you're gonna win with determination and spirit!" Give me a break." Kasey uncrossed His arms and strode into the locker room properly, leaving the door wide open as He got closer to the rookie.

"Wait, you don't happen to have a tag match tonight do you? Oh I know- that fucking production guy probably pointed me to your room cause He thought I'm looking for my opponent." Kasey cracked His knuckles as His more "Charming" body language began to be shown, His movements slowing down and head swivelling~ "I suppose we could get this started on the right foot- Me and my partner love this sort of thing. What do you prefer, want us to K.O you here or would you rather be dragged to the ring by your hair? Makes no difference to me in the end~"

The ginger haired girl stared incredulously at Kasey as he rambled, blinking once than twice in quick succession. Then her face scrunched into the kind of expression only a cartoon character should be capable of making. Her whole posture puffed up like a startled housecat, shoulders squared, arms akimbo, jacket flaring out dramatically behind her as if powered by pure indignation.

“I- EXCUSE me?!”

She pointed at him with a sharp, dramatic jab, like she was accusing him of murder… of her vibe.

“FIRST of all, Discount Jack Skellington stripper boy, this is NOT my first night.” Her voice jumped half an octave, then another. “I’ve been here WEEKS. MONTHS EVEN! I had matches with hyper famous and super hot streamers and have been in crazy stuff like giant bounce castles and electrified cage matches!” Her finger jabbed again, this time punctuated with an indignant stomp on the tile floor that squeaked embarrassingly beneath her boot.

“Second-DON’T call me a dork! I am cool at heck. I have the name, and the look, and I do all the impressive flippy things! Nikki Nitro~! YOU’RE the dork who took a tumble through a pop-up Halloween store and showed up to work looking like a crackhead in disguise!” She folded her arms defensively, chin lifted in the classic “I’m right, you’re wrong, shut up” posture. Her foot tapped. Aggressively.

“Third… I am tough and spirited, so what! People find it endearing and love that about me! They also say I’m cute…while still being cool, like I previously mentioned! So the only break I am going to give you is the one that happens when I pop you right in the nose!” Her glare sharpened as she shook a fist in the air at him.

“And...uh...forth? Yeah I do have a tag match tonight, but you better HOPE it isn't against me. My partner is a total juggernaut. Who, by the way, is a badass and would fold you like a lawn chair if she heard you talking to me like this.”

Then the last thing he said actually sank in, this had turned into an ambush? She straightened up a bit, eyes flicking from side to side to scan the room. It didn't sound like anyone else was here, just the two of them. When her eyes fell back onto him, she huffed softly, tilting her chin up in defiance to whatever he was planning.

“You’re not dragging me anywhere…” She brought a fist to an open palm about to crack her knuckles when she realized she’d be copying Kasey so she instead gave her palm a small awkward tap… then repeated the gesture with a most hostile punching motion hoping he’d ignore the first one. “You’re welcome to try though…”