Fun In The Sun (For Parker)

[Highfly]

"That is cool, I am gonna be looking for ya backstage and checkin' out your matches once I can then. I hope ya don't disappoint." JJ said with a wink and smile. She bet that Parker was an energetic one based on how she was with this claw game.

"Fresh out of school huh? Well going from that to this is a hell of a jump. I was in some small time promotions before finally making enough to focus on just wrestling here. Are ya one of those 19 year old phenoms who just makes chumps out of veterans like in some of those anime?" JJ added before watching the claw make its way over successfully to the end!

JJ clapped and smiled. "Nice job and you don't owe me anything, congrats on beating a rigged machine though!" JJ held her hand up for a high five. "You got a magic touch that is fore sure. What made ya want to wrestle in the first place if ya don't mind me asking?" JJ inquired as curiosity was getting the best of her. Aside from Sienna Smith she didn't have any real friends on the roster so she didn't want to blow it here.

[Parker]

Parker’s eyes never left the chute until the pudgy little dragon finally tumbled through. She lit up instantly, bending down to scoop it up in her arms. The plush was round, soft, with stubby wings and a dopey face that made her grin as she hugged it to her chest like it was worth a million yen. She tucked it under her arm protectively before turning back toward JJ.

She matched the high five, though her hit landed light compared to JJ’s solid smack. A small laugh bubbled out of her as she rubbed her palm against her shorts. “Honestly, I think it was more luck than anything. If you saw how many loonies I lost to these things back home when I was a kid, you’d think I was due this one.”

Shifting her weight, Parker glanced down at the dragon plush pressed to her side, then back up with a modest shrug. “I’ve been doing amateur wrestling since high school. It’s… a far cry from all of this.” She gestured loosely at the arcade, at the buzz of Japan just beyond its doors, then toward JJ herself, a living emblem of the spectacle she was talking about. “It was never flashy, but it always felt so… intense, you know? I’m giving my all, and so is the person across from me. One of us walks away the winner. No excuses.”

Her voice lowered slightly, more thoughtful now. “I guess I kind of gambled on this. Instead of heading off to university like most people my age, I figured… why not? My instructor back home told me I took to it like a natural, and I didn’t want to waste the best of my youth stuck in a classroom when I could be out on the mat-” She caught herself, cheeks coloring faintly, “-the ring.”

She couldn’t help but grin at the memory, her modest tone breaking with a flicker of genuine excitement. “That thrill of testing myself against someone else? That’s always been my favorite part. I didn’t get to do it as often as I wanted, so… why not go bigger?”

Her grin softened, turning sheepish as she hugged the dragon plush a little tighter, like it steadied her nerves. “I’m uh, definitely no super phenom out here to flatten the division. I don’t have any illusions about being the strongest or the fastest. I just… love the fight.”

When she looked back at JJ, curiosity sparkled in her blue eyes, tilting her head with an easy smile. “What about you? You mentioned your aunt wrestled… guess that kind of runs in the family, huh?”

[Highfly]

JJ stood with her hands on her hips and nodded, a lot of what Parker said sounded like her. "I am sort of in that same situation. I just love the thrill of lifting someone up, showing off a bit and sending them crashing to the mat. I guess I feel like it is empowering, getting me noticed while I get to say 'you can't stop me once I am in my ring' you know?" JJ said with a laugh.

"Usually when I meet other wrestlers I sort of get mouthy, cocky and create a lot of enemies. I have more rivals than friends that is for sure. My aunt and I have that in common as well as the love for making the ring shake. She was all about out-brawling, out-slamming and out-talking any woman in the ring with her even if she didn't look the part like I do." JJ said with a shrug. "Getting to see someone for the first time away from the arena has been a nice bonus though so thanks for not wanting to fight right away, this is a nice change of pace." JJ chuckled a bit at herself and couldn't help but be thankful for her luck. Parker didn't want to just fight other wrestlers on sight. This was a good day.

"I mean you know wrestling a bit then... we all have dream matches floating around in our heads. Who in LAW would you really want to step into the ring with on the big stage?" JJ asked genuinely curious as she wondered who Parker saw as a dream opponent.

[Parker]

Parker tucked a hand into her shortspocket hands into the pockets as she leaned her weight against the claw machine, the little plush she’d won cradled in her other arm like a baby. She liked this woman's energy and enthusiasm, even if what some of what she was saying struck the Canadian as a touch odd. She hadn’t gotten a chance to really sit down and chat with her fellow wrestlers though so this was a bit of a treat for her.

“Yeah, I get that,” Parker said with a small grin. “There’s definitely a rush in it. For me it's more of like…more like proving I can hang with ‘em, y’know? Big tough guys and girls, the size differences don't mean as much when you get them down on the mat." She gave a little shrug, still smiling, more self-aware than boastful.

When JJ brought up dream matches, Parker hesitated, the grin turning a little sheepish. “Honestly? I’m not sure yet.” She tugged the hand from her pocket, rubbed the back of her neck, her gaze flicking over the blinking lights of the arcade machines before settling back on JJ. “I don’t really know a whole lot of the LAW roster outside of highlights and stories. Just knew this was the place to be if I wanted to be serious and make this my career, put myself up against the best. So I guess my dream match is still… waitin’ for me to figure it out.”

She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Sounds lame, huh? You’ve already got rivals stacked up and I’m still in the stage of trying to keep people’s names straight.”

Parker tilted her head at JJ, her grin picking up again. “But hey, someday if you keep at what you are doing, maybe my dream match will end up being you. You sound like the type who’d give me a workout I’d never forget.”

[Highfly]

JJ listend and laughed. "When I arrived I did a lot of looking people up. I had some folks scouting who I really wanted to wrestle. A few upstarts, a few old people who are still hanging on and standing up when the bell rings, and a couple in between." JJ said with a shrug.

The last bit made her ears perk up though. "Me huh? I think we got different styles but I am good at adjusting." She said. "I have a little ways to go before I hit the level you are looking for in a dream match but I am hoping that LAW soon sees me as a top lady." JJ said. "I just need that one big win, on a big stage so they can't deny it anymore."

JJ smiled and looked back at Parker. "So what else do you do when you aren't lurking around an arcade?"

[Parker]

“I’ve mostly just been acclimating since I got here. To Japan, to the promotion, to my apartment…” Parker tilted her head until it gave a soft thunk against the glass of the claw machine. “Haven’t had much time for research. Marking sure I don't fall behind on my drills and keeping my head above water has been enough. I don’t really have any ‘folks’ out here either. Totally flying solo.”

“One big win, huh?” she repeated, mulling it over with a small shrug, eyes flicking toward the claw machine. “My coach used to tell me, ‘Parker, you don’t just step from ground zero to the top of the mountain.’” She dropped her voice into a mock gravelly growl, leaning into the impression. “‘You’ve got to plant your feet, again, and again, and again, until you get there.’”

Her regular tone returned with a sheepish grin. “He did actually sound like that, I swear. Point being~” She leaned away from the glass, rolling her shoulders back. “-you don’t need to wait on some miracle moment. If you put in the work, the moments come to you. And when they do, nobody can brush it off as luck. Your body of work speaks louder than one win ever could.”

Parker slipped her dragon plushie into the corner of her pocket, fussing with it until its head poked out just so, like it was riding along. “Before this, I was lurking at the beach. And before that, the gym. And before that, my apartment. I’m basically a certified lurker.” She gave the toy a pat, lips quirking with a playful grin. “Arcade though? This is new. Haven’t set foot in one of these in… forever.”

[Highfly]

"I remember those days. Nothing felt like home and when you look like me in Japan you really stick out, but I got over that too." JJ said with a shrug. "It is like a switch I went from outsider to just blending in as much as I can anyway." JJ added. Parker was taller than her but she wasn't as bulky. JJ's looks screamed something like wrestler, cross fit nut, or something to that effect. Parker did too but she seemed to be better at blending in or adapting as far as JJ could tell.

JJ kept listening to what Parker said of her old coach. She was right but JJ wasn't brand new anymore. That and patience was never a strong point or even any point for JJ. She liked things happening right away. "I get that and he isn't wrong, neither are you. I am new yes but I've been around long enough to be 15-5 and still can't seem to get into the top of the card or on the big PPV stage. It will happen one day though." JJ added. "I just wish it were sooner, like already. I hate feeling like I have to prove everything to the brass when I know full well I can do it."

After a moment JJ couldn't help but laugh at Parker talking about being a lurker. She stood with her arms crossed and shook her head. "Well I think you can see lurking won't get you anywhere. No more lurking. Insert yourself. Be in the scene don't just look at it from the outside." JJ said with a smile. "How many matches have ya had so far and outside the ring what have you wanted to do that you have just lurked around or thought about?"

[Parker]

Parker rubbed the back of her neck and gave a sheepish little grin, her weight shifting from one sneaker to the other. “Honestly? None yet in LAW. My debut’s still coming up, so I’ve just been taking it all in. I attended a show or two, just to get a feel for the crowd and the arena. Still feels a bit unreal to me.” She let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head at herself.

“Not totally green though, I’ve got a handful of indie shows behind me, but calling them ‘matches’ almost feels generous. Rookie dark matches in high school gyms and county fairs don’t exactly feel like big time pro wrestling, they feel more like chicken fights without the smokey basement energy.” She smirked at her own jab, though her tone stayed warm and self-deprecating.

“But… it’s something. It taught me how to take a bump in the heat of things, how to work a crowd, even if that crowd was just fifty bored dads and a concession stand selling cold pizza.” She rolled her shoulders, straightening up with a little more confidence. “This is the big stage now, though. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”

“And for the record, nothing wrong with a bit of healthy lurking. If not for that we wouldn't be talking right now.” Parker flashed JJ a smirk, folding her arms across her chest.

[Highfly]

JJ nodded and understood some of what those indie shows were like. "I had bingo halls and furniture store parking lots." JJ laughed a bit and shook her head, a few memories popping back into her head. Some good, some embarrassing. "This place is over the top and it drives some people crazy but over the top is all me so I love it. The bigger the better."

Parkers comment about lurking also got a smile out of JJ. "Fair enough but you better listen when I tell you to insert yourself. Make yourself known. Don't let them ignore or forget you. If you want I can try to help you find a match if you are looking, or if you want help getting ready for it I am sure I can get away from Kyo and Sienna for a day." JJ said.

[Parker]

Parker let out a small laugh, shaking her head as she pictured JJ wrestling in a parking lot between shopping carts and folding chairs. “Guess we all start somewhere, huh? Good to know I’m not the only one that’s had to make do with… less than glamorous stages.” She gave the veteran a grin, brushing a few damp strands of hair from her forehead.

When JJ offered her help, Parker’s brows lifted, genuinely touched. “That’s… really generous of you. Thank you.” Her voice carried that soft Canadian sincerity, but there was a little steel tucked underneath. “I think I wanna test myself a bit first, though. See how far I can get on what I know and what I can pick up along the way. Adapting’s always been my thing, y’know? I kind of like learning the hard way.” She flashed another grin, half-nervous but trying to sell the confidence.

Still, she tilted her head curiously, a flicker of green eyes narrowing on JJ. “But I’ll keep your offer in mind, for sure. Just curious but, who are Kyo and Sienna, though?”