Notes from the Underworld

Jessica looked up at the night sky. The bone-colored moon peaked out from through the clouds and around the tall buildings. No one had ever accused Jessica of being a small girl but she was feeling a little lilliputian at the moment. The Tokyo skyline did that to her. She put her hands in her pockets of her leather jacket and stepped into the Last Drop, a bar that was quickly becoming one of her favorites. She passed the drunks in the main bar and slipped into the smaller back room.

The room was dimly lit and reeked of cigarettes and desperation. Jessica assessed the room. The stained green felt of the poker table attracted the most patrons and men and women drank and tried to pretend they didn't have emotions. The other table was empty and a dealer looked outrageously bored as she read things from her phone. Jessica made her way over to one of the wobbly chairs and plopped herself down. This had to be the blackjack table. All of this was probably legal. Probably. She didn't mind one way or the other as she thought Lady Luck had to be on her side tonight.

Even with her purple hair Jessica didn't stick out much. She wore a crimson Iowa State tank top and dark tight jeans. Her make up was sparse as she knew she wasn't going to be in the light. She leaned back in her chair and rested her wrestling boots on the table.

"$500 dollar buy in." The dealer said. Jessica carelessly flipped a stack of cash at the dealer and pulled a cigar from her pocket. Partially because she enjoyed cigars but mostly because she felt cool as hell when she was smoking one. She didn't have a care in the world tonight. Her wrestling career gave her new found freedom in terms of cash and movement and Jessica was getting curious as to what exactly she could get away with.

"Luck be a lady tonight..." She muttered.

River Styx was on a solid path for the hardcore title. She was getting good matches for once, none of the weak, pussy stuff that most of the other wrestlers in the AFW had to go through. Real, genuine, hardcore fights, the only sort that mattered. Oh, and she'd stolen a cowgirl hat from a stupid Texan, which meant she would have a potentially interesting brawl at some point in the foreseeable future.

Yes, things were getting fun in her life. Very fun

After the Random Tag Battle, Styx decided to have a little night on the town. After all, her new cowgirl hat deserved something fresh to go along with it, and she actually had the money to afford it for once. New jeans, nice and black, ragged on the ends. A matching black shirt with an appropriately intimidating skull on the front. Leather cuffs on the arm. Even a new pair of boots with a shiny steel toe, which she was sure would look great cracking some poor bitch on the knee.

Her wallet was still quite fat after her little shopping trip, and she decided the best thing to do was engage in a vice she hadn't indulged in for a long time: gambling.

She made her way to the Last Drop, a place she'd stopped by a few times. She'd never stayed long enough to really take in the atmosphere, but tonight was different. Tonight she was making her way to the back.

The first thing that caught her eye was the purple hair. The second was the Iowa State shirt. The third were the wrestling boots, propped up nice on the table for all to see. Styx didn't know who this woman was, but from one glance she could tell that she'd want to. This was an interesting person, which could potential make this an interesting night.

She tossed her hat on the table and blew the few long strands of hair on the front of her head out of the way, coming in from behind the woman and giving the dealer a wave. "Luck, if you've ever been a lady to begin with..." She had a small smirk as she sat down on the other side of the table and laid her money down. "Nice boots. Hope they'll fit."

Jessica furrowed her brow in confusion. Hope they'll fit? Of course they fit. They were her goddamn boots. And they were on Jessica, so they fit her. Oh, wait. This girl was thinking about taking them. "They'll fit up your ass just fine sweetie, don't you worry." Jessica took a long draw from her cigar and blew it at this newcomer. "Although it might be kind of fun to jam it up there."

Jessica gave a proper look to the girl who was now sitting at her table. Black tank top, black pants, leather cuffs, and a haircut that looked like what would happen if you stuck your head in a blender. This girl looked like she was trying really hard to be tough. Jessica usually found that to mean they weren't tough in the slightest but this woman had a fair amount of muscle. So maybe she was for real. Time to throw a few verbal jabs to find out.

She looked at the skull adorning the woman's shit and made eye-contact with the woman. "I didn't even know they had Hot Topics in Tokyo. Your daddy give you enough allowance to go to the mall?" Jessica's voice was high and mocking. The dealer pushed chips towards the two women and Jessica was more than happy to take them.

Jessica narrowed her eyes as she glanced back at the woman. She recognized this woman from somewhere. Was it the gym? Was it the drunk tank? Hmm... Oh wait, she recognized her from AFW. This girl had brawled in quite a few hardcore matches and fared better than many would. Her name was unknown but her fighting had to be respected. Jessica gave her a faint smile. This sure did have the potential to be an interesting night.

"Hey, I know you..."

Threats, witty retorts, and a predilection for fine carcinogenics. Yeah. Styx immediately took a liking to this girl.

She spared her a quick glance below looking back down to her chips and getting her side of the table set up. It wasn't the first time someone pointed out the way she looked and it wouldn't be the last, but Styx never gave much of a damn about it. She liked her look. The women she fucked like it, or at least didn't hate it enough to stop fucking her. What else mattered?

"They don't, as far as I know. Why're you asking? Thinking of changing up your look? Dye  your hair a normal color, get a new shirt, maybe stop looking like a clown dressed for a pep rally?"

Styx wasn't the least bit surprised that she was recognized and that she couldn't recognize whoever this was in return. Outside of hardcore matches, she didn't care much for the AFW. Scarcely watched anything. Shame, though. This girl looked like she had a good build, and the Hardcore Division could use more women with bulk. Styx would have paid decent money to see Liberty take her on.

"River Styx. Call me 'Styx', call me 'River', don't give a shit which." She looked back up for a moment, focusing on the hair. "Fair warning, if your name is 'Violet' or some shit like that, I'll have to slap you. Just on priniciple."

Jessica noticed the woman looking down after Jessica's riposte and thought she had embarrassed the girl just a little bit. That notion was wildly inaccurate and Jessica cocked her head to the side as she listened to River. Jessica had practiced her look in a thousand matches and a thousand awful bars across the great states of the American midwest. She had found an appearance she could express herself with and maybe even gain a little attention from. A shrug was all that little insult got our of her.

"Nah, if I wanted to look like a fourteen year old mall goth I would raid your closet. And why would I want to stop dressing up like this," Jessica pulled the jacket off and hung it over her chair, "when I want to beat 'em up, beat 'em up, rah rah rah?" Jessica did her best squeaky cheerleader voice and turned a few heads in the room.

The dealer flipped out the cards to everyone. Jessica was issued a ten and a three bringing her total to a bad thirteen. The dealer had a three showing. Jessica tapped the table to hit. She knew it was a painfully dumb move but she wanted to show a little bravado especially this early on. Her bravado got her a nine and a bust and the dealer collected the money Jessica just lost. Jessica wrinkled her nose. Not a good start.

She looked back over at River. "My name is Jessica Wright. But sometimes I like to go by Violet McPurpleson, Queen of Lilac and the Squared Circle." She swung her long legs down to the floor and rested her face on a fist. Some of it was to concentrate a little bit and some of it was to show her new friend her biceps.

One of the heads that turned was Styx's, finally looking up now that she'd gotten her chips in order just the way she'd like them. The girl didn't seem to care much about what the people around her thought, which was always a good thing, though Styx wouldn't have taken it quite that far. Little funny, though. It earned a chuckle.

"Jokes on you. I don't have a closet. Don't worry, though, you've still got a nice look. Hair like that drives all the little anime bitches wild, I'm sure." Styx waved to Jessica's money as it went flying away. "So, I'm curious." She laid back as the dealer got ready for another round. Styx preferred to play more conservatively when it came to cards, a contrast to her wrestling style. A little patience could go a long way. "Were you trying to impress me with that little stunt, or are you seriously that fucking stupid?"

She canted her head at Jessica's biceps and flexed a little herself, letting her shoulders rise and giving her a good view of the definition. Maybe they could have an arm wrestling match when this was over...or something more interesting. Styx really did like those boots...

"Queen of the lilacs, maybe. Squared circle? Nope." She shook her head and sighed. "You wrestle pussy matches. Otherwise, I'd have heard of you."

Jessica sighed as her money went to the little woman handing out the cards. The rules of blackjack say it is everyone versus the dealer, but Jessica's competitive nature would have her trying to win more money than River. Or at least lose less. It wasn't really that much cash but Jessica was superstitious; she wanted a good omen on the first hand. The dealer gave her her next hand. A five and a four, which adds up to nine by most tallies. Obvious hit.

"What, you're saying it doesn't drive you wild? Do you want something else to pull when I am fucking you?" She brushed a strand of her hair out of her face showing off her purple eyes. "And I am usually so very very lucky. Thought I could get one over. You don't think my luck has run out, do you?" Jessica gave off her doe eyes, exaggerating a look for sympathy.

Jessica rapped the table twice and that earned her another card. An eight. Seventeen wasn't ideal but it would be even dumber to hit again so she held.

Jessica sneered at the last comment, almost appreciating this woman's fearlessness. She caught River looking at her arms so River must have been able to guess what Jessica was capable of. River didn't seem to care and Jessica was intent on making her by the time the night was over. "I've gone two on one and knocked both of my opponents the fuck out. That was some no disqualification fun. Oh and I handcuffed a bitch too." Jessica leaned back in her chair and folded her arms. "What great feats do you have, little miss sunshine?"

Styx was not a prude by any standard you could care to think of, but even she had to jump a little at the next thing that came out of Jessica's mouth. Not that she was opposed to the idea of getting this bitch down - silly hair aside, she could do a lot worse - she was simply surprised how quickly the conversation went there. At her lewdest, it usually took Styx about five minutes with a girl before sex came into things. Jessica broke her record. Damn.

"Non-sequitar, there. Nice to know how my evening will end up, though." She sighed as she stuck her neck out too far and paid for it, getting an eight that pushed her over."But it'll do.  And don't worry - when I have you bent over a table, I'll try hard not to yank too hard and pull it out."

Styx shook her head. "Nice. I'd clap, but you know..." She waved the cards in her hand and smirked, looking right on at Jessica for the first time. Eye to eye. Sizing her up. "Two on one matches against who? Little girls? Handcuffs? Pfft. If you're not fighting hardcore, you're not fighting." She gave the table two quick knocks. "Anyway, I don't need to list accomplishments. If you want to see what I can do, I can show you. Firsthand. For as long as you stay conscious, anyway."

River didn't quite flinch but Jessica still felt she had an impact. Her mind had been very much in the gutter as of late and it was nice to see she could bring others down with her. She smirked at the sex comments River was currently spewing. Or your evening will end up as something else, Jessica thought.

The dealer got to 18 and took Jessica's money once again. Zero for two.

"Yeah, the only time you'd get me bent over if I was bending you after I knocked you the fuck out." She took a long pull of her cigar. It was a bit spicy, just how she liked it. The white smoke gave a little class to the oppressive odor of the air. She liked trying to make girls cry and walloping them more than she liked someone who could throw down but Jessica was really beginning to get into it. Any gauntlet that she threw down was met with another threat from River and Jessica grinned playfully. "And somehow I doubt you will ever get such an opportunity."

The grin faded as Jessica realized she wasn't as famous as she thought she was. "Yeah, well let's see you try it." Jessica was dealt her next hand. Two kings. She doubled up. "But some of us can do enough damage with just our bodies so we don't have to bring in bats. The only people who like hardcore matches are mildly retarded manchildren. It isn't a belt worth getting." She got an ace with her first king. Blackjack! The second one was a nine and she stayed. Jessica had done a handful of hardcore matches and cage matches but it wasn't her bread and butter. That was just when she had an axe to grind. "But again, you won't be getting such an opportunity. Not unless you want two black eyes to go with that busted ass nose."

Well, fuck. There might be a potential party in the works, here.

"For the record, I never use a baseball bat. Amatuers use baseball bats. I prefer the golf club." She held out her hand and ran her fingers along the imaginary shaft, emphasizing the shape. "Smaller surface area means more focus on the impact. Lighter, easier to weild. Plus, people expect the baseball bat for a weapon. The golf club, less so." Her eyes returned to the cards, trying to see which one was calling her name. She went all the way up to 25 and...the dealer beat her.

She let it go with a grunt and lazily look Jessica's way again. "But you're thinking small time. You don't have to bring weapons, but that's the fun of it. You can go anywhere. Do anything. You don't have to have a fucking handcuff stipulation, you can just handcuff the bitch you're fighting and go to town. No limits. If you can't handle that, then you can't handle me. Fighting or fucking. Period."

She shrugged it off and reached in her pocket, starting to put on her gloves. She'd probably need them in a few minutes, so it paid to be ready. "But hey. Who am I to judge, right? You want to stick to your little kinky gimmick matches, that's your perogative. Let me know when they put you in your first pudding match, I'd love to see it."