All That Glitters

[BlackAkuma]

99% of the time, Keith would have to do what he called ‘dogwalking’ with his guests. He wouldn’t ever use that term when they were in earshot, but after they left, it would sometimes get thrown around the studio, often with the more contentious guests.

With some people it was worse than others, but he would need to guide them. While this wa supposed to be a casual conversation, it really wasn’t - in casual conversations, people stuttered, they rambled, they went through half a dozen topics before they landed on what they actually wanted to say, and sometimes they never got within a sniff of what the real point. The trick was to create a conversation that felt like people wanted a real discussion to go.

He was used to it, not a big deal, and he was always ready to pick up the leash. But, after a few seconds of letting Madison talk, he could tell that wouldn’t be necessary. The Golden Girl had the Gift of Gab.

…made for a fun mental image, though, he would not lie.

Maybe she was always this loquacious or maybe he just struck gold, pardon the pun. Either way, he asked for a molehill and got a mountain, with her going at great length about her experiences in LAW. It was hard to gauge how on point it all was - after all, Keith had been allowed to skip most of the grimier aspects when he joiend on a sweetheart deal. But it didn’t matter, really. It played well, the audience would eat it up, and it even had him leaning over.

Young, bright girl comes across the ocean to start up a new life on new turf, overcome adversity, make a name for herself in the Land of the Rising Sun.” Keith nodded and tipped his water bottle her way, before having a swig of his own. ”Sounds like you're living out a movie. A good one, too. Rocky meets Karate Kid Part II.”

That was the one in Japan, right? If not, the comment section would let him know. In the longest fashion imaginable.

[color=#80000]”But it does sound like you’re going through it. A little hazing. I’m still new to the whole wrestling world, but I’ve heard some horror stories about the backstage.”[/color] He stroked his chin and leaned in, a little conspiratorial, as if this was just between them and not hundreds and thousands of listeners. ”I’m curious about this ‘other rookie’, though. Can you name any names? Or is it, like, an in-house thing, rumor control?”

[Parker]

“Plenty of bright lights and cameras.” Madison chimed in with a soft smile, her voice airy as she let Keith’s movie reference drift past without missing a beat. It rolled off her like water off a duck’s back, her expression the very picture of charm. Were they still making Karate Kid movies? Was Jackie Chan still alive? Maybe it was a Netflix thing? She hadn’t the faintest idea, but it didn’t matter, the audience would get the point, and she gave them that little sparkle in her eye that suggested she did, too.

“I’m sure it’s all just a crazy coincidence.” She smoothed down the cuff of her cardigan, her smile flattening ever so slightly. It wasn’t enough to come off bitter, but enough to hint that Keith might be onto something, even if she was too polite to outright agree. A careful balance, humble, gracious, but letting the audience fill in the blanks for her.

“Oh, his name i—” She stopped herself short, her hand flying up to her lips, fingers pressed against her mouth as if she’d just let something slip she absolutely shouldn’t have. For half a second she looked like a deer caught in headlights, wide-eyed and flustered, before retreating behind a sheepish, bashful laugh.

“I really shouldn’t.” Her voice softened, her posture shrinking just a little, as though she were suddenly aware of how many people were watching. “I don’t want anyone to think poorly of the other talent. We’re all just trying our best, after all.”

The corner of her lip tugged downward, a delicate little pout she seemed to struggle to hold back, her lashes fluttering as she turned her eyes just slightly away from Keith, then back again, like a girl who wanted to say more but didn’t dare. She looked vulnerable. Earnest. Someone who wanted to believe the best of everyone, but whose experiences told another story.

And yet, the way she lingered… the way her voice caught… the way her hand brushed nervously at her hair as she glanced back at Keith, made it clear she was holding something back. As if the name was right there, perched on the tip of her tongue, just waiting for the right push to escape.

She was ready to spill the details, but needed Keith to be the one to draw it from her for the cameras.

[BlackAkuma]

In truth, the idea of a newcomer getting into some trouble backstage was hardly newsworthy. While Keith himself had been spared from that sort of trouble, he mingled with the other wrestlers enough to know that it was fairly commonplace. ‘Hazing’ might not have been the right word, but newcomers clashed with the old guard, and backstage scuffles were a regular occurrence.

But the audience didn’t know. Maddie was their little window into a world they were wholly unfamiliar with, and it was his job to give her all the chances she needed to paint a picture. First Commandment of Podcasting: Know thine audience.

He perked up for a moment when it looked like Madison was about to spill the beans and give a name, but smirked when she stopped short - cute, smart, appreciated. Aside from padding for time, it gave him the chance to banter more and gave him a chance to flex some journalistic muscle, make him work for it.

Keith gulped down some water quick and chuckled. [color=#8000000]”Aw, come ooooooooooooon.”[/color] His Canadian drawl, usually well-hidden behind American flavor, slipped out for a moment as he rolled his eyes and leaned back. ”Don’t do that. Hell, I got a gender, I know it’s a guy, that already narrows it down to, what? 15% of the roster?” He ticked off his fingers as if he was doing the math in his head. ”Even less than that, ‘cause you said he was a rookie. That’s gotta narrow it down.”

Kieth leaned forward, elbow on his knee, and brought his best slim smile. Totally meme worthy. ”Come on, spill. The internet detectives’ll figure it out soon, anyway.”

[Parker]

Madison let out a little giggle at Keith’s whining, her hand flying up to cover her mouth in that practiced, bashful way.

“You’re very persistent, Keith…” she teased softly, her voice carrying that warm, girl-next-door tone that made her sound like she was only half-scolding. “I really shouldn’t-honestly, I’d rather keep it all water under the bridge and focus on what’s ahead. The fans deserve to hear about the good things, not just the messy little spats backstage.”

She toyed with the hem of her cardigan sleeve, sighing as if she were reluctantly bending under the weight of his insistence. “But… since you’re pressing…” She hesitated, biting her lower lip, her eyes flicking to the camera for a beat before sliding back to Keith.

“His name Daichi Kazura.” The name dropped quiet, like a secret she wasn’t supposed to tell, her voice just above a whisper. She immediately straightened up, flashing an apologetic smile, palms raised like she was already regretting it. “Oh gosh, I really shouldn’t have said that. Please, don’t think poorly of him. He’s young, he’s fiery, and…I’m sure he’s just as eager to prove himself. Maybe his mother just didn't raise him with compassion or cleanliness in mind... Sometimes people clash, that’s all. ”

Madison tilted her head, a sweet little smile pulling at her lips. “I think once we both find our footing here, things will smooth over. I don’t hold grudges. I really just want us all to succeed, together. I just wish everyone else felt that way too.”

Her emerald eyes twinkled with sincerity as she clasped her hands in her lap, leaving the audience to connect the dots themselves, that while she was willing to forgive, she was also being tested in ways others might not be.

[BlackAkuma]

”Maddie, you have no idea.”

He couldn't resist the little plug there, it was too easy of a setup. Practically a softball.

Still, she wasn’t wrong. When it came to juicy subjects, he wouldn’t hesitate to dive in and get to the meat of matters. He liked to think stuff like that was why podcasters like him had an advantage of traditional media. The less formal, less rigid approach seemed to loosen lips more than the suits and the scripts.

Kieth canted his head to the side, ever-so-slightly, as Madison gave her little disclaimer, idly bouncing his foot as she spoke. It was subtle, but he couldn't resist an incredulous smirk - You are laying it on thick, lady. It wasn’t disapproving, though—quite the opposite.

”Oh, Daichi.” He said the name as if it was familiar, and it was…a little. He might’ve heard it in passing. Keith didn’t pay much, if any, attention to the male members on the roster. Never saw much reason to, it wasn’t like he needed to wrestle them.

He nodded along and finished off his water bottle as she put a positive spin on things, not looking to bury the guy too deep. Whether or not the fans would take that to heart and not pester Daichi, who knew? ”I can respect that. I know wrestling can be this big, negative sinkhole sometimes. Could use some more positive influences.”

Keith took a moment to rub the back of his neck and wince, as if a more uncomfortable thought was occurring to him, something he was hesitating on. He wouldn’t keep the suspense going too long, though. ”I do worry, though. Just a little.” He pinched his fingers together. ”Maybe it’s a cultural thing? LAW is an international company, sure, but it’s based in Japan, right? That’s where it all started. And it’s this melting pot, and that’s great. But sometimes I get the feeling there’s some resentment from people who grew up here, people who were born into the culture. They see people like you, people like me, coming over and blowing, and they somehow feel like we’re skipping the line, like we need to know our place.”

It wasn’t the happiest subject, but he had faith that Madison could navigate it. She’d done well, so far. Besides, he needed to plant a few seeds, work his way up, so they could slip into the juicier topics.

[Parker]

Madison shifted on the couch, her lips parting in a quiet “oh” as Keith laid out his concern. She let the thought linger for a moment, glancing down at her lap as if weighing whether it was safe to speak her mind. When her gaze came back up, it was with a softer smile than before, touched with a little sadness.

“I think…you might have a point there, Keith.” Her voice was measured, careful, but threaded with sincerity. “This is their home, their culture, their stage. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t felt…well, a little out of place sometimes. I think you hit the nail on the head with how I’ve been feeling, actually.” She smoothed her cardigan sleeve, fidgeting with the cuff as she spoke. “And I understand that. If the situation were reversed back home, if a foreigner came in and was given a big platform right away, I can see how people might feel protective, maybe even resentful. It’s human nature, isn’t it?”

The debut stacked against her, the mountains of paperwork, the backstage disrespect, the terrible accommodations, the confrontations with others...

Madison tilted her head Keith’s way, emerald eyes warm but earnest. “But at the same time, I don’t think it’s fair to hold that against someone who’s just trying their best. I didn’t come here to take anyone’s spotlight. I came here to earn my own, the hard way. And I think the fans can see that. They’ve been so respectful.” Her smile brightened then, a flicker of optimism cutting through. “It means the world, really…like maybe I do belong here, even if I wasn’t born into this culture.”

She leaned back, exhaling softly, letting her shoulders relax. “So yes, maybe there is some resentment. Maybe it’s subtle, maybe it’s not. But if that’s what we have to push through to prove ourselves, then that’s what we should do.” An easy way to link the two of them, common ground. Had he meant to offer it? She had taken it all the same. They were in this as a team now.

“My family taught me to fight with respect, and to let my actions in the ring speak louder than the whispers outside of it. And…I think, in time, I can earn that respect here too. Not as someone’s daughter or granddaughter, but just as Madison.” She lifted the bottle, taking a mousey sip. Keith had, unknowingly or not, finally found what she had been angling for this whole time. A foreign land, and industry standing against her, hostile locals gunning for her…

Her smile widened again, playful this time, as she added with a tiny giggle, for the first time looking to the camera directly. “Besides, who doesn’t love a good underdog story?”

[BlackAkuma]

Keith was stretching things a bit here, but not too far. While he had fans in Japan, there was definitely some slight resentment from spots in the crowd. The PS5 debacle was still an Albatross around his neck, for one thing, and there would always be a hardcore group of fans who saw him as nothing more than an outsider. Celebrity wrestlers were no big thing back in the Americas, but in Japan they had less patience for it.

He didn’t miss the use of ‘we’ in that sentence. A decidedly not royal ‘we’.

”Exactly.” Keith gave her a quick clap as she laid out thesis, as if there was a crowd to back them up with applause. Judging from the pleased look on his producer’s face as she looked over her laptop, that ight not have been far from reality. ”We’re putting in the time, we’re doing the hard work. We’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. We keep grinding, people will see it.”

There it was, there was the heart of the matter. It was why he loved wrestling over any other sport. Here, the story mattered. Wrestling was a heroine in a real life epic, and she seemed to know it.

But every epic story needed a little drama, some twists and turns. He wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t introduce some friction, and not the small taste of it that Diachi offered. It was time.

”But we-” He paused and waved it off. Well, you’re not all alone here, though. Everyone was really surprised to see you coming out with Valley Doll for your debut, that got tongues wagging. You two seemed close. Like…close.” He laced his fingers together for emphasis, leaving little doubt on what he was implying. Inquiring minds wanted to know.

”She was definitely going nuts for you at ringside. What’s uh…” He reached back and started fishing for another bottle, this time bringing out one of his Nexus energy drinks, Strawberry flavor. Might as well get some product placement in. ”What’s the story, there?”

[Parker]

When Keith brought up her entrance with Valley Doll, Maddie’s eyes lit up and her lips curled into something that was equal parts nostalgic and tender. She shifted on the couch, brushing her hair back behind her shoulder as if she needed the small gesture to hide how flustered she suddenly felt.

When Keith brought up Valley, though, Maddie’s face changed in an instant. The usual sparkle in her eyes took on a warmer glow, her lips curling into a fond little grin. She gave her hair a nervous flick, glancing aside for a beat before looking back at him, almost shy.

“Oh, Valley Doll…yeah. She’s a special one.” She laughed, soft and musical, then covered her mouth as if embarrassed by how easily it came out, looking between the camera and Keith cutely. “We go way back, not to diapers but our mothers wrestled each other back in the Slamazon days. So we spent a lot of time together when we were little. We grew up side by side, sharing hotel rooms, sneaking snacks, staying up late when we weren’t supposed to. Then life pulled us apart for a while, and now…somehow, we’ve found each other again here. It feels…right. Like it was supposed to happen.”

She leaned back a little, her voice warm and inviting, but never giving Keith or his audience a straight answer. “So when people say we looked close out there, well…” She trailed off, biting her lip for a second before finishing with a playful smile. “…let’s just say, I’m not surprised they picked up on it.” Just enough to tease, but she was sure Keith would want something more solid, so she redirected almost immediately as if the thought just occurred to her.

“Do you believe in fate, Keith?” She peered over at him, genuinely curious how he’d handle a loaded question after her little setup. She brought her bottle to her lips, taking a sip as she eyed him expectantly.

[BlackAkuma]

A few weeks ago, Keith had brought out one of those ‘behavioral specialists. He couldn't recall the name right now , and it didn’t matter. She was one of those people on YouTube who watch videos with famous people talking, then give in-depth analysis about how the subtle lift of their cheekbones means that they’re suffering from childhood trauma and yadda yadda yadda. It was mostly bullshit, and he wouldn’t be inviting them back against—lowest rating of the month.

But that wasn’t to say there was nothing to reading someone’s face and picking up on subtle clues. Madison - intentional or not - was leaving all the breadcrumbs for him to follow.

He rested his chin on his fist as she spoke, laying out the relationship with Valley Doll in detail…but not too much detail. She was keeping a few cards close to her chest, smart move. There was more here, a lot more, but she wouldn’t be giving it out with some tugging. Trying to stoke his fires, make him more interested.

Well, mission accomplished. He was about to press for more information, even opened his mouth to speak, when she cut him off with something a little more…impactful.

The look of momentary confusion wasn’t one he had to fake. That was a curveball, but she was clearly going somewhere. He’d bite. ”That is…a tricky question. I was raised Jewish, and we’ve got a whole thing with free will, but I’m not touching that with a ten foot pole today. I don’t even practice anymore, really.”

Truth told, it was a topic he hadn't given too much thought on. He lay back and eased up, dropping some of his act, slipping into his natural demeanor. Less Keith Fox, more Keith Kramer. After a few moments of reflection, he sat back up.

”I want to say no.” Keith looked her way and locked eyes, making sure she could see the authenticity. ”I don’t think I like the idea that life is just a series of predetermined events. Where’s the choice? If we’re just playing out some storybook, what’s the point of anything?”

Not exactly the stuff of metaphysical discussion, but it made sense to him. He canted his head, as if needing to see her from a better angle. ”Why do you ask?”

[Parker]

Madison’s brows lifted at Keith’s candor, clearly not expecting him to peel back the curtain like that. The honesty made her pause, caught between a laugh and a sigh, and she found herself smoothing down the hem of her pink cardigan as if to keep her hands busy. She tilted her head just so, the way she did when she wanted to project openness, a soft, easy smile gracing her lips even as her eyes flickered down with a quieter weight.

She lifted her water bottle with both hands, unscrewing the cap with careful effort, sipping just enough to buy a few extra seconds of thought. “I don’t believe in fate either…” Her voice was warm, lilting, polite. A small pause. “But I do believe in destiny. Now, some people might say that’s the same thing, but I never thought so. There’s a difference.”

She gave a slight shrug, the gesture casual yet tinged with modest hesitation, as if she worried about straying too far into lofty talk. “Fate feels… final. Like your whole story’s been written before you even pick up the pen. No matter what you do, it doesn’t matter, because you’re just following the script.” Her fingers toyed idly with the bottlecap, spinning it in her palms, then clicking it back into place with a little snap. She looked back up at Keith, her smile returning with an almost sheepish glow. “That’s a scary thought, isn’t it?”

She leaned back against the couch cushion with deliberate poise, legs angled to the side so the camera would catch the line of her posture. The faintest glint of determination shone through her bright green eyes as she went on, her words touched with both humility and quiet conviction.

“Destiny, though… that feels more like a path you get to walk on your own terms. Some of it’s set, you can’t change where you come from, sure. But you still decide what to do with it, where you go, who you bring along for the ride. That part? That’s yours. That’s something no one can take away.”

For a beat, her gaze drifted toward the floor, lashes low, as though she was tucking something private back into place. Then she glanced back up, tucking a strand of hair neatly behind her ear, and the practiced smile on her face softened into something warmer, almost vulnerable.

“So I don’t think I was fated to be here, but I do think it’s my destiny to be. To push through, to prove myself, and to find the people who believe in me.” She let out a soft laugh, airy and a little bashful, her shoulders rising in that modest shrug of hers. The crutches leaned within view at her side, as though silently underscoring her words. “That’s why Valerie being there… that meant so much to me. And meeting people like her, like you…” Her lips curled, playful now, as she let her voice trail off,offering just enough of a tease for both host and audience to wonder at what she wasn’t saying.

She pressed her hand against her heart again, the gesture earnest this time. “Anyway,” she said with a sweet smile, “it was just a thought. Fate is what happens to us. Destiny is what we decide to do with what we’ve been given.”