Locker Room Meeting

Alaina showered, and was quick about it. She trusted Kozue, but she felt it would be impolite to keep her waiting all by herself. As she was scrubbing away she heard Kozue call out about Talia.

"She... did some things or so I heard. She had a nasty rivalry with Cassie Elliot and none of those guys in Taylors crew... except Cassie... like Talia at all. Charlie met her and the two clicked. When I've seen her in person she seemed normal ya know? Still.... it is a little unsettling to have Charlie date her with all those rumors swirling about. Why do you ask? Do you know her at all?"

"'Taylor's crew'." Kozue put air quotes around it, even though there was no around to watch, and she clicked her tongue at the notion. How someone like Taylor managed to attract a 'crew' was beyond her. She was under the impression that people tended to avoid irritating, screechy self-centered bitches, but maybe things worked different in Japan.

"Never met her, no, don't think so. Rumors are just rumors, though. There was a rumor going around a little while ago that I was a post-op. People like to spread bullshit, don't know why." Kozue glulped down the last few bites of banana and tossed it out. "You like her, you're a good person, so she can't be all that bad."

Alaina came out of the bathroom all dressed, and made her way to the living room. She grabbed a glass of water and sat down near Kozue and sat down. "I hear that about rumors...." Alaina said. "I wouldn't believe anything about someone I know unless I hear it from them ya know? Also, I have been at the wrong end of rumors. I had someone tell me they were jealous of the fact that I had more fans than them, and that my fans mostly liked me because of my looks rather than my skill."

Alaina sat back, looking up at the ceiling. "Part of me thinks... no, knows that its true. Thats why I put everything I've got into getting better so people look at me as a wrestler first." Alaina sighed and looked over at Kozue. She knew Charlie and Talia would arrive soon, and she looked forward to that. And L.C, can't forget him!

"I know you and Taylor don't exactly see eye-to-eye... how come? I know both of you and get along with both of you so I was sort of surprised to be honest. Granted... I do understand how she can come across to some people." Alaina said as she pat Kozue on the back.

Kozue nodded Alaina's way, trying to remember the last time she really sat back with someone and had a chat like this. Bryan Daniels came to mind with their first meeting at the docks, but that had been more of a flirting thing. This was just real, straight talk with a girlfriend. She'd been missing that.

"To be fair, you are pretty hot." Kozue let that one fly with all seriousness. There was no denying that Alaina had an amazing figure. If anything she was a little jealous - the girl seemed to have it all. Talent, looks, boyfriend, the respect. "So I don't know if I can blame them. You just keep doing how you do, though. They'll get the picture."

Kouzue's mood had just started to ligthen up when Alaina moved onto that topic, uttering the name that made Kozue's blood pressure rise every time she heard it. She looked back at Alaina from the side of her eye, contemplating for a few moments and tapping away at the table before she spoke.

"Why don't we get along? Well," She managed to keep most of the heat out of her voice, but it was still a lot tenser than Alaina deserved, and she tried to bring it down a few degrees. "Okay, before I answer that question, you answer this - why do you like her? Like, say, what about her makes her a pleasant person to be around?"

Alaina knew the topic wasn't super pleasant, but she figured that sometimes saying things out loud that people kept pent up helped out in the long run. As Kozue spoke, Alaina could feel the anger even if it wasn't directed at her.

"When I first showed up, Taylor was in the gym and saw me training. She came over and helped me out. It was just a simple act of giving me the time of day when she didn't have to that kinda made me warm up to her. I know she can be very hyper, cocky and crude sometimes but its all a part of the whole package and to me she means well." Alaina said with a shrug as she sipped on her water.

After Kozue blew off some steam, Alaina figured she would turn to a lighter topic to ease the mood before Charlie and Talia arrived. Alaina figured they would be there soon, although Charlie was generally good at making light of things. If anyone could put a smile on anyone elses face, it was that short goofball.

Kozue tried to picture that scene for a moment. It seemed like such a simple thing to visualize, but she just couldn't quite make it happen, like trying to imagine a circular square. Alaina was a nice girl, maybe a little too innocent, but not an idiot. She wouldn't let someone lead her on. So maybe Taylor wasn't all that bad, but...

"The first time I met Taylor, she was pinning me to a wall and screaming in my face." Kozue crossed her legs and leaned back. "I kissed Johnny in the ring. Stupid move, I know, but I apologized. Never made any difference. Tried to be nice. Didn't help. There's only so many times I can get an olive branch thrown back in my face, you know?" Kozue gave Alaina a sympathetic look, then waved it off. "If there is a nice Taylor Parker, I never met her. All I met was the Taylor Parker who keeps telling me how much I suck and how much of a slut I am and how flat my chest is and acts like I should kiss her ass for the pleasure of being in the same room with her. If I meet the nice one, maybe I'll change my mind, but until then? Fuck that."

Kozue sighed and let silence reign for a few seconds, before clapping her hands and making the smile return. Happy Kozue. Fun Kozue. "Anyway, enough of that boring shit. I want to try and tease Charlie into having a match with me. Got any fun, but emotionally harmless dirt I can use?"

Alaina nodded as Kozue spoke. That didn't sound like Taylor, but Alaina knew what a lot of her critics said as well.

Alaina did chuckle once Kozue mentioned a match with Charlie. "If you want to tease him call short or slow." Alaina said with a smile. "If you want a match though all you have to do is ask, he is a pretty laid back guy like that."

Charlie parked his car behind Alainas as he arrived. He looked over at Talia as L.C hopped around the back of the car. "All right we are here babe." Charlie said as he kissed Talia. Charlie held Talias hand as they walked up to tne door, ringing the doorbell. "Its gonna be nice to get out and see a few people." Charlie said as L.C barked.

Good, they were on another topic. Kozue could move on to things she liked to talk about, like hitting boys in the face, or getting boys into positions where she could then hit them in the face.

"Yeah, I kinda figured from the way you talked about him, seems like a cool dude." She craned her head to the side as she picked up on the sound of a car parking and a pair of doors closing. "Teasing's more fun, though. Speaking of which..."

Kozue straightened herself up a little, tucked in her shirt tail, and tied up her shoes, trying to look presentable by the time Charlie rang.

Talia squeezed Charlie's hand nervously. She wondered who the other people could be. She met Alaina before and she seemed...harmless...mostly. But she didn't know Alaina's friends. And she didn't have many positive experiences with other people in the AFW. She had maybe 1 or 2 good ones, including Charlie. Then she looked down at L.C. who seemed unreasonably happy as he always did. Maybe she could learn something from him. Just be optimistic. "Yea...it'll be nice," she agreed while putting on a small smile.

The two entered the place, L.C. slipping in past them and running up to Alaina excitedly. Talia did a quick look around and was somewhat relieved to only see Alaina and one other whom she hadn't met before. That was a good place to start. She walked over to Kozue still clinging Charlie's hand and nodded her head. "Hey there, I'm Talia. Nice to meet you," she reached out with her free hand to hopefully shake Kozue's.

Kozue wasn't quite sure what to expect when Talia and Charlie walked in. Alaina had spoken pretty well of them, but you could never really be too sure in the AFW, and while Taylor's opinion mention didn't mean dick as far as she was concerned, her silliness didn't gaurantee anything.

But no. Nothing was wrong. They looked like normal, everyday, happy people with a cute yip-yap dog. Sweet, really. Kozue had grown so used to bombastic personalities that she'd almost forgotten that normal people existed, too.

Kozue resisted her urge to start petting LC, and instead moved over to Talia, giving her a shake. "Kozue Kaburagi, nice meeting you, too. Heard good things." Not exactly true, but she did have some concept of tact. Kozue crossed her spare hand over to give Charlie a shake at the same time. "And you're Charlie. Big Charlie. How's life treating you guys?"