A New Helping Hand

[Dubski]

Alba Garcia had felt down about her attempts to get a win again. Coming up short each and every time, even after the tutelage of Allison Tumbleweed, Alba was still unable to secure a win. And without Allison around, after she had taken a leave from LAW, the Spanish Dancer was left a little lost. Without her favorite sparring partner and training buddy, she felt her moves becoming less crisp and her psychology getting worse.

It didn't hit her until she felt particularly unmotivated in the locker room of the gym, all of these realizations crushing her with the weight of disappointment. She sat in her white workout two-piece and let out a deep sigh, shaking her head. She should be doing better. She should be getting a win by now. But nothing was working out. Sniffling softly, Alba decided she just ultimately needed to keep at it, pushing off of the locker room bench and then starting to head towards the gym proper.

She didn't know how her workout today would go, but she knew she had to give it a proper effort now. She'd figure something out. At least, that's what she had to keep telling her now. But each day, it was becoming more and more difficult. Maybe today would be different though.

Spoiler

[Crossedes]

June Kanako did not have a clue why "Careless Whisper" was stuck in her head, but she whistled it loudly to herself as she pushed into the gym lockers. Her whistling dipped into a soft humming once she realized a couple of people were inside, and June just grinned at the woman who looked up. The other woman sitting on the bench looked familiar to her, but she was already thirty minutes late to the gym after a video call with her mom had gone long and didn't spend too much time playing guess who in her own head.

By the time she had finished the combination on her lock, however, the other woman had drawn her attention again. She had heard sighs like that one rising from her own chest before. Innately drawn to people who seemed troubled, she twisted her mouth as she tried not to stare but ended up staring. The staring paid off - she remembered seeing her in a match. Alba? Her last name... Spanish. Garcia? She was dressed differently, but June recalled watching one of her matches. It had not seemed the other wrestler's shining moment. Those sorts of losses produced those sorts of sighs.

Having quieted her poor rendition of George Michael, she caught the sniffling, and she could no longer help herself - she had obviously just spotted a wrestler in need.

Alba popped up to leave, but June was already in hot pursuit of her and picked up the pace until she fell in at the shorter woman's side. "Hi!" came the outpouring of bubbles. "It's Alba, right? You've got a recognizable face."

Spoiler

[Dubski]

Alba Garcia paused when she heard June speaking to her. She looked around, as if she were talking to someone else. Because why in the world would she talk to her? Why would anyone talk to her? Even more confusing was the compliment she paid her. The Spanish girl was outright confused as she said, "Yes, I'm Alba. ...Thank you?"

June was very tall, and very curvy. Completely gorgeous, and certainly reminding her of her former bestie, Allisson. The blonde seemed nice enough though and Alba wasn't about to rebuff her quite yet. "...Can I help you with something?" asked Alba, forcing a small smile. She wasn't sure what this girl would want with her still though. Maybe she wanted a training dummy, which wouldn't be shocking to her at this point.

[Crossedes]

June didn't let the uncertainty in Alba's thanks slow her down. "You're welcome! Recognizable because you look like a model, in case you were wondering." She broke into sudden, genuine laughter thinking about how backhanded the alternative would have been. They said laughter was contagious, so June was always ready to pass the germ along when people needed it. "I guess that could be taken either way."

The paladin somehow managed to brighten her countenance that much more when Alba dropped the question of the hour. "I was planning on asking you that question," she began. Tact was a struggle for June, but she asked herself how to best broach this issue. People didn't always like having their match struggles brought up. She opted for the here and now. "I'm pretty sensitive to people around me, and that sigh I heard almost shook my locker door. I thought I could lend an ear. Or maybe lay a beatdown if a person's the problem."

She tried to indicate that she was joking - sort of.

[Dubski]

Alba laughed slightly and blushed when June said she looked like a model. She always considered herself pretty, but she hadn't ever heard a compliment like that about her appearance. She smiled nonetheless. "Thank you... You're gorgeous as well," replied Alba, paying back the compliment with one of her own. She bit her lip, listening as June spoke again though.

"Oh..." was the simple reply from Garcia when she heard June pointing out her rather downtrodden demeanor, frowning. Her eyes darted to the side as she passively rubbed her own arm, sighing. "I appreciate you offering, but... it's really nothing. I'm just trying to handle a few issues of mine. I appreciate the offer," explained Garcia, forcing a smile. She didn't want to burden this girl with the rather unfortunate state of her LAW career. It would be quite the undertaking.

[Crossedes]

June's motivation to help Alba doubled at the compliment about her looks. Okay, not really - and June never gave compliments fishing for them in return - but the kind words did endear the downtrodden woman to the heavyweight that much more. "If you can call me 'gorgeous' after I rolled out of bed fifteen minutes ago, either you're being really kind to me or I worked wonders in those fifteen minutes," she joked, playfully brushing her blonde locks back over her shoulder.

She didn't want to reveal whatever was eating at her. June was not one to be deterred from offering help she knew was needed, however. "People tell me I'm pretty good at beating up issues, too," she assured. The two reached the door to the gym proper, and June stepped ahead to bump open the door so Alba could pass through it first. She almost bumped an unfamiliar bluenette with the door in the process. The woman walked on past with a quiet hmph.

"Tell you what - we're here to train at the same time anyway. Want some company or a sparring buddy? Distraction always helps me." To seal the deal, she straightened up and placed a hand to her chest to introduce herself. "I'm June, by the way, and I promise I'm not the type of person you can scare off with your problems."

[Dubski]

There was something about June that was rather alluring to Alba. Her demeanor was certainly magnetic, and Garcia couldn't help but find herself smiling at her as she spoke. When they reached the gym itself, Alba took some time to stare out at it, surveying it. Seeing where she could start off for the day. And then, in a moment, she glanced over to June as she offered to keep her company or spar.

Alba's mouth knit as she considered that, but she was more concerned with accepting the greeting from this beautiful stranger. "Oh... I'm sorry, I should have asked," admitted Alba bashfully. "And that's all... really nice of you. I'm just not really sure I need... any of that. I'm just at kind of an impasse with my career right now... not sure what to do for training and..." Alba waved a hand and sighed. "It's not important, but I appreciate the offer," said the Spaniard, trying to stop herself before venting too far.

[Crossedes]

Darn. She almost got Alba to spill the beans so she could start helping her fix it. Alba did look to be loosening up, though, and June was sure she could provide more if they spent some time together. Heck, the smaller woman had only just called her gorgeous - she was already halfway to June considering her the first fast friend among the League roster.

"It is important! These things are always important. But I get it. Just remember you have an ear ready and raring to listen if you want to start spilling the beans." She winked before turning to look at the brimming gym. "And even if you're not sure what to do with your training, I can at least be a tackling dummy or spot you on some lifts. I'm no brilliant trainer, but I can fight and I can lift." She leaned against the open door, trying to look more presentable, approachable. "That sound good?"

[Dubski]

Alba Garcia looked a bit self-conscious when June was speaking to her, nodding slightly. "Thanks..." said the Spaniard, and her gaze went to the gym as well, filled up with hopefuls and veterans and everything in between. She glanced back at the blonde, and she figured at this point that June was going to insist to do something with her. Taking a deep breath, Alba nodded, smiling. "Sure. We can train together if you'd like," answered the green-haired girl, giving into June's persistence.

"I'm not sure how much I can help you, though. I'm not sure what stage in your career you are, or anything. But... I can try to help, maybe. Or help each other," Alba explained somewhat sloppily. Biting her lip, she would then start into the gym itself. "Are you new to LAW...? I don't know that I've seen you." asked the Spanish girl, trying to get a feel for just who June was.

[Crossedes]

"I would!" June prided herself on being ready to do anything with anyone. "It gets boring romping around when everyone else is just minding their own business. I love having partners." While she knew she might have been overexplaining or trying too hard, June had noticed that a lot of people appreciated having someone try. She was not one to diagnose someone else's problems (intentionally, anyway), but Alba might have needed someone to try. She had been sitting back there alone.

And she was too sweet of a person to have to put up with misery. Heck, she was standing here offering June help. "Don't you worry yourself over me! Having a day where you take the help even if you're not ready to give any back is a part of life. I had a lot of those days when I got started." The image of a much rounder June passed through her mind. At least Alba didn't have that obstacle with that shapely body, so she didn't have that to worry about.

"I've been wrestling a few years. Started around college. I know, I know - I still look eighteen, don't I?" She whipped her hair back with a hand and rolled her eyes. A lot of people didn't take her too seriously because she still looked like she should be in college... or maybe high school. Depended on the angle. "Just got here, though. Er, into the League, that is. I've been to Japan a bunch of times."

Time to... talk about that match, maybe. But first- "Wanna go to the sparring ring or do something else? We better grab something before all the vultures eat everything up."