@AFW with Nikolette Tessa and Taylor Parker

Nikolette found herself smiling again as Taylor spoke. Taylor seemed to be in good spirits and Nikolette liked it too. It made her feel good about herself as well. Even when the question came, she took it in stride.

"I don't feel like it's a step down. It's not a fluke that I'm here, it's a fluke that I wasn't sooner." She paused. "I'm going to give her a tough match and there's not gonna be any doubt that I'm ready to take on Kelly. I already have. In fact, we've both got the exact same record against Angel and neither of us have managed to score a victory over Kelly." She said, a little bitterly at that last bit. "If I really WAS a step down, then I don't think Taylor would take the match. I think she's excited in the same way I'm excited, because she knows I can go."

Nikolette turned and grinned at Taylor. "And I agree with her. The dojo girls are great girls, real nice and good gals and tough as heck too. Anyone of em could be where we are. Probably sooner than later."

Madison nodded and then turned to face the camera. "We're blazing through these questions. I hope you're having as much fun as we are!" She said. She then turned back to Taylor. "This question comes from @TheNewMrHigurashi and it says: Will Diao-chan be at ringside for the match? I don't care whose corner she is in I just want her there! I LOVE YOU DIAO-CHAN! PLEASE BE MY WAIFU!"

Madison giggled. "Oh, my, that certainly is a zealous fan!"

Taylor ignored the question at first to respond to Nikolette. "Yeah, Nik's not a step down at all. I'm gonna smash her just like all the other top girls around here, and the only difference is we'll go hang out afterward. Don't worry about it, a'right?"

Having forgotten the question, she turned around in her chair to read the question off of the monitor wall. "Oh," she rolled her eyes, and then looked directly at the camera.

"Stay away from my mom," she said sternly, but with a pretty smile.

"Well I hope we do see Diao-chan. She's so entertaining!" Madison commented while swiping to the next question. "@Rebelrules asked you, Nikolette: do u rly think a mechanic belongs in the ring with the best of the best? u must be stupid!"

She looked at Nikolette, her smile untouched. "Them's fightin' words! What do you think about that?"

"Eh?" Nikolette raised an eyebrow and looked back at the monitors. She then glanced to Madison and furrowed her brow. "Thanks fer lobbin me all the softballs..." She muttered and then looked at the camera.

"Right now I'm a wrassler full time. I haven't had as many matches as Taylor, but I spend all my time workin hard so that I can beat her and so that I can beat Kelly an Angel and any of the top people. I set my mind on wrasslan after that humiliatin loss ta Angel. I've been focused and trainin hard. Once I put my mind ta somethin, that's it!" She said and nodded the affirmation to her own question.

"Jeez..." Taylor muttered and shifted in her seat.

"Madison kept on going without missing a beat, swiping for the next question. "Okay, Taylor- oh. This next question is for Nikolette too..." She gave Taylor a quick apologetic smile before reading the question. "@death2bunnyz writes: NT, u look stupid when u fight do u even have any real wrestlign training? r u going 2 hit her with a wrench?"

"Well dude, she trains at the dojo..." Taylor offered helplessly before looking to Nikolette.

"Well, that's kinda harsh. Is this just a typical hater, or is this guy onto something?" Madison cheerfully asked Nikolette.

Nikolette furrowed her brow at the next question and gave Madison a glare. "Aren't ya supposed ta filter through these?" She said. "I don't think I should answer it, but..." She took a deep breath. "No I didn't have any wrasslin experience before I got here, but I can wrestle in any style I wanna. I just prefer brawlin and scrapin. I've always been strong and I think it suits me, but if someone wants ta get technical, or fly high, I think I could match em pretty well!"

By the end of it, Nikolette had put a smile back on her face, but seemed a bit annoyed. Madison was ever the professional and maintained a polite smile as well before turning to Taylor. "Our next question is a video question from @Gangrrrl19." Madison turned as on the monitors a a cute Japanese ganguro appeared with a bit smile. She waved brightly. "Ohayo, Terror-chaaan!" She said with a dip of her head. Her Japanese accent was thick, but she didn't skip a beat. "I love all of your outfits! Where do you get your style and will we see anything new soon!? Arigatou gozaimasu!" She dipped her head in a bow again and the monitors switched to a static view of the question.

Nikolette sighed and lowered her head.

Taylor did a double take back at the monitors behind her, and watched the fake-tanned and heavily painted girl in frozen horror. By the time the girl was done asking her question, Taylor had buried her forehead in her palm and was shaking her head.

"Uh..." She struggled to find anything to say. She could feel Nikolette's silent outrage and she avoided even looking in her direction as her cheeks warmed.

"Cassie made 'em, mostly..." She shrugged. "I know what you're doing here, and like..."

Madison cut in before Taylor could get any traction to protest. "Moving right along, back to you, Nikolette, with a question from @TheRedKing, who asks: how exciting is it for someone like you to have a chance to get in the ring with TAYLOR PARKER??? once in a lifetime!"

She didn't say anymore, but Madison's eyes gleamed at Nikolette from beneath the brim of her yellow hat.

"Nnnnnn..."

Nikolette growled softly at Madison's question and stared her down. "Whaddya mean, someone like me??" She asked. "Taylor mighta been the champ, but she's just a gal like any of us. She ain't been handed anythin. She worked for everythin she's got, just like me! She ain't special!" Nikolette sighed with exasperation.

Madison played it cool and never stopped smiling. "I'm sure they meant someone with less experience." She commented before turning and facing Taylor before Nikolette could respond. "@tattedwr3stlr asks: 'Tell us about your tattoos!!! They're wicked sweet!!!"

Taylor breathed a heavy, defeated sigh. She felt like punching someone, but the great injustice was that there was no one around to punch. Maybe if she found the producers backstage or whatever, she'd let 'em have it.

"It says Imouto. For Akashi, and it was my nickname when I worked with Asia Youth. This one's an angel wing..." She offered sheepishly and pointed to the tattoos on her neck and her shoulder. "Okay, I love all you guys, and it's not your fault that these people are twisting your questions around like this, but if I get one more freaking question like-"

Madison cut her off again and zoomed along to Nikolette's question. "Nikolette, laaaast question. Take a breath." She made a show of taking a deep breath in... and out, smiling away all the while. "This one comes from @wrestlegoddess11: This will be your third chance against a top wrestler. If you lose this one as badly as the others, will you go back to fixing cars?"

She looked up at Nikolette with pantomimed sympathy. "What do you say, is this your last try before going back to monkeying around in the garage?"

Nikolette stood up and tore the goggles off of her head and threw them to the ground. "I ain't a mechanic!" She said. "Do ya know why I took that job?! Cause I can take apart and put back together a car all by myself! When I'm finished wrasslan, I'm gonna be an engineer and I probably had less schoolin than most of the people writin these darn questions and I'll be darn good at it!"

Nikolette shook her head. "But no one here cares about that, and I ain't gonna be done with wrasslan for a long, long time!" She pointed at Taylor. "If for some reason, I don't come out on top, then I'll work harder, train more, get even more experience and come back and beat her for sure! I ain't a quitter and no one's ever beatin me the way Angel did ever again, ya hear!?"

She scowled at Madison. "Thank ya very much for the interview. It's been a real pleasure." She growled. She then looked at Taylor. "Sorry, hope ya don't think this looks bad for the dojo, but..." She paused for a second. "Well, now I'm even more fired up!" She said and walked off.

Taylor felt for Nikolette, she really did, and the AFW producers trying to make her look like a joke were total assholes for doing it. But seeing Nikolette get all pissed off was also pretty funny.

But she didn't laugh.

I'm darn good at wrasslin', gosh dangit!

She played her smile off as TV showmanship. "Well, thanks for pissing her off for me, guys. Now she'll come at me even harder..." She gave a little laugh.

"Totally didn't mean for that to happen!" Madison girlishly assured the viewers. "Taylor, do you have time for-"

"Nah. I'm good. I'm gonna..." She got up and pointed to the exit while she situated her dress. "I'm gonna... you know."

She flashed her killer grin at the viewers and gave them a wink before strutting her way offstage, leaving Madison behind to wrap things up on her own. The green-haired interviewer was glowing while she said goodbye.