Lakelynn got to be the big show tonight - just the way she liked it.
She stood in front of the full-length mirror in the locker room, moving through an old Prismatic routine with muscle memory that never quite faded. Her hips swayed, arms extended in that familiar choreography, and she watched the way her ring gear moved with her body. The way the fabric clung and shifted, the way the colors and contours of her skin caught the light - shit, if she'd been allowed to wear anything like this back in her idol days, those idol days wouldn't have ended.
She looked too good. Too in tune with her own style. Too much like a woman to be admired.
All the things that mattered most to a budding superstar wrestler, of course.
"Yeaaah, there's no controlling my heart toniiiight," she mutter-sang to herself, striking a final pose and grinning at her reflection. Tonight was her night. No tag partner to share the spotlight with, Ramona was doing some sort of interview and would show up ringside later - just her, Katsumi Oshiro, and a chance to prove she could carry a match solo. Well, almost solo.
Her gaze slid over to Bambi, who was perched on a bench with a compact mirror, applying what had to be her third layer of eyeliner. She was dressed like she was heading to a club, not accompanying someone to a wrestling match - little miniskirt, halter top that showed off way too much for someone who wasn't even wrestling tonight, and heels that Lakelynn was pretty sure violated some kind of safety regulation. Lakelynn's eye twitched slightly. She herself was supposed to be the main event tonight, and here's Bambi looking like she was ready for her own photoshoot.
Not that she said anything because she'd show off enough that no one would notice the blonde bombshell.
Bambi finally snapped the compact shut and leaned back, admiring her work. "So this is really gonna go well without our actress spokesperson doing all the talking for us?"
Lakelynn spun around, hands on her hips. "Yeah, of course! What am I, an idiot? I just gotta go out there, show off, and show out. If this Katsumi's causing me any trouble, I'll just figure out a way around it. That's what we do. We don't need Ramona to think for us."
Bambi seemed to take that as a good enough answer - mainly because she'd already pulled out her phone and was angling it for the perfect selfie. She tilted her head, pursed her lips, snapped a photo. Lakelynn sighed, loud and dramatic, and as Bambi reviewed the shot, she lunged forward and threw up a peace sign right in the frame.
"Lakelynn-!"
"Photo bomb!" Lakelynn cackled, already moving toward the door as a stagehand poked their head in and waved her toward gorilla position.
"You're so annoying," Bambi muttered, but she was already getting up, phone still in hand.
Lakelynn reached out and grabbed her by the front of her halter top, tugging her along. "Come on, princess. You're with me tonight, so try to keep up."
"I am!" Bambi protested, swatting her hand away but following nonetheless, heels clicking on the concrete floor.
They made their way through the backstage corridors, the distant roar of the crowd growing louder with each step. Lakelynn's heart started pounding in that good way - the way that meant she was about to get exactly what she craved. Attention. Energy. The eyes of everyone in the building locked on her.
Her entrance music hit, and the curtain parted.
Lights. Noise. The rush of it all hit her like a wave, and Lakelynn threw her arms up immediately, soaking it in. She bounced on her toes, grinning wide as she launched into her entrance routine - a little shimmy here, a spin there, choreography that still had traces of her idol training but adapted for the wrestling stage. She played to the crowd, feeding off their reactions whether they were cheering or booing. Didn't matter. She didn't even listen. They were watching.
Behind her, Bambi sauntered out with her phone already raised, taking a selfie with the arena lights in the background. Then another. Then one of both of them together as Lakelynn struck a pose mid-ramp.
"Are you seriously doing this right now?" Lakelynn called over the music.
"Documentation, babe," Bambi replied without looking up. "We look too good not to."
Lakelynn rolled her eyes but smiled through it. Whatever. She made her way down the ramp, high-fiving a few fans, throwing finger guns at others, keeping the energy sky-high. She slid under the bottom rope with practiced ease, popping up to her feet and immediately climbing the turnbuckle to pose for the crowd. Arms spread wide, head tilted back, grin plastered across her face. She soaked in every second of it before hopping down and bouncing on the balls of her feet again.
Bambi, meanwhile, had made her way to ringside and was now posing against the apron, phone angled just right to catch the ring lights and her best side. She didn't even glance up at Lakelynn. Lakelynn's mouth curled into something just short of a scowl as she looked down at her. Was she even going to pay attention? Be helpful with one of their little plans if she needed it?
The thought was brief, quickly shoved aside. She'd be fine. She didn't need help. She was the queen of this ring tonight.
Spoiler
