With Friends Like These...

[Parker]

Madison, by comparison, hadn’t really changed. She’d just… become more. A tall glass of water that filled itself out with every passing year. More hips, more abs, more hair. And while her professional career had drawn plenty of criticism and accusations, Valerie of all people would know that everything on display was what the good lord had given her. It did help having a healthy dose of good genetics courtesy of her mother though. Even the energy she radiated felt like something out of a freshly unearthed time capsule.

“Well, duh.” The blonde was positively shameless, not even pretending she wasn’t prying. Valerie’s coy “shared moment” only made it worse. Dangling the juicy part of the truth just out of reach. It left Maddie all the wiggle room she needed to illuminate all the shadowy, unspoken corners with the full breadth of her imagination. A dangerous proposition. The mention of sobriety had a creeping smile pulling at her lips. They’d never even had a proper drink together outside of sneaking sips in hiding back in the day. Now? She couldn’t help but picture it: the two of them out for a drink… or two… or five, depending on if Valerie’s walls of denial were as thick as she was. What else would her old friend spill, red-faced and goofy on booze?

She took the warning signs on the bag more seriously this time, bracing her heels and digging her shoulder in as Valerie struck. The hit rattled through her frame, hard enough to jolt her weight backward, but she held firm. An impressed whistle slipped out before she could stop herself, rare praise from someone who usually reserved it for her own reflection.

“Doesn’t need to be serious to be fun,” Maddie mused, her grin curling wider. “Sounds like the two of you are adorable though.”

She shifted, twirling around to press her back to the bag instead, hair cascading as she tossed it over her shoulder in a golden wave. “Oh, Kyo… you’re so strong... and hot!” She crooned, sliding down the side of the bag in a deliberately over-the-top swoon. Her hands traced her sides with melodramatic flourish, each exaggerated sigh louder than the last.

“You come from good wrestling stock too… the full package!” She threw her head back, clutching at her chest. Her voice deeping as she approximated what Valerie's dream man might sound like. “But what will our fans think? We’re rivals in the ring… could it ever truly be?”

She craned her neck around the bag to flash Valerie a look, eyes sparkling with mischief. The teasing was fun, but it was also a test, measuring just how deep Val’s feelings went based on how much embarrassment she could wring out of her. Maddie knew when to pull back, though; she pushed off the heavy bag with a laugh before Valerie could let go and send her tumbling unceremoniously to the floor.

“I’ve got plenty of people waiting back home for me, love.” Maddie practically boasted, words rolling off her tongue with an airy confidence as she turned her focus back to the heavy bag. She flicked out a few light jabs, quick, neat, but far from impactful, her attention still clearly more on the conversation than the workout.

“Nothing serious, though. Just… casual flings.” She said it with a little shrug, like she was confessing to having too many pairs of shoes. “Not that I’ve been looking all that hard, but… bouncing around the indies doesn’t exactly offer much in the way of stable foundations to build on.”

It slipped out so casually, but there was weight in it, the kind of thought she’d already rolled around a hundred times until it became second nature to her. Spoken like fact, not confession. And it fit. Maddie had always been fickle, even when they were kids. Jumping from one thing to the next with the same restless energy she carried now. The idea that she could slip in and out of relationships as easily as her clothes didn’t sound like much of an exaggeration at all.

[BlackAkuma]

Ugh, Valerie messed up bringing alcohol into this conversation. She could already tell from the look in Madison’s eyes that she was going to make it her mission to inebriate her into spilling all the details, and if there was anyone who could pull it off, it was her. That being said, she didn’t hate the idea of the two of them spending a night on the town, hanging out at some bar, trading stories. Karaoke? Karaoke. She could even talk Kyo and his sister into coming along; that would be a party.

”Stop.” Valerie chewed her lip and turned about, trying to hide her blushing face as Maddie upped the teasing. ”Stoooooooooooooop.” She giggled and brought her hands up to her face, hiding her blushing cheeks. The funny thing was that she wasn’t even too far off from what Kyo would say, as she pictured it. He could worry about silly things, sometimes. They both could.

Valerie played it off, but she was a little relieved when Maddie took the bait and moved over to the topic of her lovelife. She wasn’t too surprised to learn that she had a few someones waiting for her back home, and even less surprised to know she wasn’t with anyone consistently. She’d always been flighty, impulsive, but that wasn’t a bad thing - it was probably why they’d clicked so well, despite only meeting each other now and then through their lives.

Maddie was brave in a way that Valerie hadn't seen much of in Japan. She was outgoing and spoke her mind. When something bothered her, she let you know, always saying the things that Valerie couldn't express. They made a good team.

”Give it to me a little harder, I can take it.” She smirked at the first few jabs, then buckled down for more. ”’Casual flings’. You’re in the right place for casual flings, lots of that around here.” She shrugged herself, mirroring Maddie’s. ”I don’t think I could do that. Kind of skipped the dating scene in school, never my thing.” Not from a lack of effort, either. As much as she didn’t want to let it bug her, the dip in her voice came, anyway.

Valerie waved it off soon enough, though, not wanting to go down that particular part of Memory Lane. Change of topic. ”So, what made you choose LAW? Not that I mind the competition.”

[Parker]

Oh, to unravel the layers of answering that question. It was a bitter pill, wrapped in hard truths and terrible lies, and no amount of drinks would make it go down smooth. Madison let out a soft sigh, amusement masked something beneath. Shifting her weight onto her back leg, she waited just until Valerie tried to peek around the bag towards her before snapping her leg up in a sudden high kick. Oops.

Her sneaker smacked against the leather with a hollow thwump, not carrying the same heft as Valerie’s strikes but delivered sharp enough to catch attention. If she couldn’t overpower, she could at least surprise. Just as playful as she was hungry for praise. The blonde flashed a charming wink and dipped back, giving ample time to prepare for what came next.

Each time she spoke, it came accompanied by the snap of her leg high for another blow, her rhythm stiffening with the effort.

“It’s large.”

THWUMP

“Prestigious.”

THWUMP

“Pays well.”

THWUMP

“And…” She grit her teeth, mustering everything into one final strike.

“It’s far away from home.”

THWUMP

The bag jolted violently on its chain, as her leg dropped back to the mat. She’d thrown more weight than form into that last kick, power over polish. Not the kind of thing she could pull off clean in a real fight against a moving target, but it made the point all the same.
She steadied herself with a hand on her hip, plastering on an easy smile that didn’t quite match the faint flush rising in her cheeks. A bead of sweat slipped down her temple, quickly brushed away with the back of her wrist as though it were nothing.

“The view isn’t half bad either.” Madison gifted the other blonde with one of her perfect, pearly smiles.
Her chest rose and fell faster than she wanted, breaths pulled a little deeper through her teeth than she’d like Valerie to notice. The edge of her foot tingled faintly, that dull numbness that came from throwing kicks needlessly hard on a solid bag like this, and she gave her leg a quick shake, casual as she could manage, like she was just loosening up.

“Better, in fact, now that I’m here.”

Her grin lingered, even as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, buying herself a second to catch her breath.

[BlackAkuma]

Valerie asked Maddie to give it to her, and wow, did she give it to her. Her friend might not have had her size, but what she lacked in heft and raw power, she made up for in momentum and drive, hammering the bag with piercing strikes. She nodded in approval with each of them, genuinely impressed. Crisp, clean, quick blows. Valerie might’ve had superior power, but she’d never been able to generate the speed, which was a small point of shame for her - one of Valley Doll II’s nicknames had been the ‘Chick of a Thousand Kicks’. She could almost hear her mother telling her to take notes.

”Nice! Real nice.” She gave the woman a quick round of applause, smiling, though she wasn’t so impressed that she didn’t catch what Maddie had spoken between those blows. From the sound of it, things weren’t all sunshine and rainbows back home, and she’d came over to put some distance between her and problems. Made sense, not an uncommon story.

She stepped back, folded her hands, and nodded as the bag swayed, then turned her attention back on Maddie as the woman did some self-promotion. Yup, she was a pro-wrestler. ”You are shameless, you know that?” She sighed. ”You’ll fit right in.”

That did bring a darker thought to Valerie’s mind, though, as she realized Maddie would be up for her first match soon. You could never be sure with LAW management and the booking team. Sometimes they would start you off with something small, no big deal, let you ease into the waters, and other times they would throw you into the shark tank. Even in her short time with the company, she’d seen no small amount of newcomers be folded up just after entering the door.

”Say,” She tapped her chin. ”Did they already line up your first match?”

[Parker]

The sweet sounds of validation and a job well done. There was a certain irony to it all, one lost on Madison in the moment, that if she applied herself with the same effort she just had here, across every part of her career, she could go much further without ever leaning on her pedigree as a crutch. But Valerie was the exception to her normal rule. For an old friend, Maddie was willing to put in the sweat, to push herself, to earn that fleeting taste of adoration she so often craved.

“If they did, I’ve not been notified.” Madison arched her back in a stretch, towel brushing along the back of her neck as she dabbed away the sheen of sweat. Her voice carried its usual breezy cadence, though her breath was still a touch heavier than she wanted. “I’m finishing the last of the paperwork this week. It’s been a fair bit of back and forth. Management on one side, the Japanese government on the other, all the visa red tape. But it should be soon.”

She strode past the bag, leaving it swaying gently, and let her back find the wall. Sliding down until she rested low, just above where her gym bag lay slumped, she tipped her head toward Valerie with a playful grin.

“Thinking about coming to cheer me on, love? I’ll expect a sign if you do. Something catchy ‘Good as Gold,’ or…” She flicked her wrist, whimsical arch through the air, rainbow from end to end. “…‘School of Hard-Knox.’ Big glitter letters. Don’t disappoint me.”

The grin softened into a sly smirk, her tone almost conspiratorial. “And then, after my win, you can treat me to sushi. We can make it a date. Just like old times.”

[BlackAkuma]

‘Red tape’. Yeah, that sounded about right. It was strange, how LAW could simultaneously be one of the loosest companies Valerie had ever seen, and yet still have so many complications and hurdles to jump through. It seemed like some people jumped straight to the top, while others had to jump through and endless series of hoops before they could get table scraps. If there was a logic to it, she hadn't snuffed it out.

”Of course I’m coming to cheer you on.” It hadn't even been a question in Valerie’s mind, she only needed the when and where. ”I’m not doing an arts and crafts project for the occasion, though. How about something better?”

Valerie came over and leaned against the same wall, right beside her, looking down with a smile that matched. ”I’ll talk to my Mom. She’s not on the booking committee or anything, but you know how promotions go with legends and stuff, they’ll listen to her if she pushes enough. Get you set up with a good debut match, against a big name, someone who can put you on the map…when you win.” She wagged a finger her way, making sure to throw that part in. Maddie had the confidence, and Valerie had the faith she could back it up.

Valerie took a moment to pull her hair free, letting it dangle over her shoulder while she readjusted her ponytail. ”And let me come along at ringside, accompany you for your first match.” She through the idea out there quick, hopeful that Maddie would bite on. “Sometimes certain people in the back smell fresh meat when a new person comes along, think you’re fair game for whatever crazy plan they’ve got going because you’re alone. If they know you’ve got backup, it could help solve some future problems before they even happen.”

The idea made sense in her mind, at least. Valerie had been fairly lucky in her debut, not having come across anything major in terms of problems or any dangerous opponents, but she knew that was far from the norm around LAW. She didn’t want Maddie to think she was being babysat, but she didn’t want her friend to slip into the deep end without realizing it, either. ”Plus, I want to be at ringside. Support you close, at least this one time. Sound good?”

[Parker]

Madison quietly watched Valerie as she plotted things out, small smile tugging at her lips. Coming to Japan was supposed to be a clean slate. A place to slip away from the judgment and whispers back home, a chance to reinvent herself on her own terms. That was how she romanticized it in her head anyway. In truth it was more like abandoning the Titanic, racing to outrun rising waters while stepping on the necks of anyone who might get a spot on the life boat before her.

Running into Valerie here had been unexpected, the fact she would be wrestling in the same ring as her downright surreal. It had been years since they’d last seen each other, and with things souring with her parents, Maddie had long given up on holiday parties or reunion shows bringing them back together. And yet, here Val was, making plans again just like when they were kids.

A memory bubbled up, unbidden but vivid. She could almost see it again: her mother dragging her backstage during setup, the smell of fresh canvas and the clang of ring poles echoing through the arena. Maddie had been sitting there, half-bored, when Valerie came charging in, practically vibrating with excitement. Months apart hadn’t dulled her enthusiasm; she launched straight into her pitch, no preamble needed. The two of them would start their own promotion one day. Valerie had it all worked out, she’d handle the booking, she’d wrestle too of course, while Madison would be the star. Belts already had names, entrances had theme songs, the blueprint to take over the entire industry in one breathless little monologue and they'd do it all before they were twenty…

Madison breathed out a soft chuckle at the thought. back then, they were both fickle, not just her. It hadn’t even taken her half the day to talk Valerie into abandoning the dream of running a company so they could form a rock band instead. Touring the world, living like icons. I didn't even matter ever mind that neither of the knew the first thing about strumming guitars or banging drums. Details were never Madison’s concern. She just knew she wanted to be center stage.

“All of this, for little old me?” Maddie leaned back into the wall, letting her eyes wander over the gym. Most of the people training were other talent. Hungry, faceless hopefuls who’d have to claw for every scrap of recognition. Normally, Maddie would have dismissed that as the natural order of things, another perk of being a Knox. But with Valerie being here, carving out time just for her, she felt… something different. A flicker of gratitude, even the faintest brush of nerves, butterflies in her stomach, gnawing at her in a way she didn’t want to admit out loud.

“Well then. Sounds like you have everything covered… but only under one condition.” And there she was again, the girl who was handed everything but wanted more. Confidence sliding onto her like armor. “If you’re going to be coming down to the ring with me and sitting in my corner, I get to dress you.” The blonde turned her head to meet Valerie’s gaze, giving her a pointed look.

[BlackAkuma]

For a second, Valerie worried she might be overstepping her bounds, pushing too hard to interfere in Maddie’s career. She just wanted to help, but that didn’t mean offense couldn't be taken. Some people just wanted to handle their own stuff, sink or swim, and might see handouts as a sign of weakness. She’d never known her to be that sort of person, but people could change, there was no way to be sure.

Those doubts melted away when Maddie accepted the help, in her decidedly Madison-Style. Valerie just chuckled and pushed a few stray hairs out of her face. ”I mean…yeah, all for you. You’re my friend, dummy.” Valerie gave her a quick tap on the forehead. ”For some strange reason.”

She folded her arms, pleased with herself more and more as she thought about it. This felt well. While she hadn't had a bad time in LAW, the place could feel a tad lonely, at times. Kyo and his sister were highlights, but what she wanted out of him wasn’t anything like what she could have with Maddie. It’d be nice to have someone she could just…hang with. Just be around, no strings attached. She could use some of that.

And maybe a bit more sass, too, which Maddie provided in copious amounts. ”Are you saying I don’t know how to dress, Ms. Knox?” She glared her way for a moment, then softened as she thought about it. ”I mean, my closet could use a bit of an overhaul, fair. But I’m working on it, thank you very much.”