Attention Spans

"24...25!" Haruko counted out loud as she hauled herself up above the pull up bar. Almost immediately, she relaxed her muscles and dropped down to the floor with a quick succession of heavy gasps. She stretched her arms with a satisfied sigh. Her core workout was complete and she had somehow managed it without cheating. She coughed it up to her new mentality and mindset. Things hadn't necessarily gone well for her in Tension since she made her debut. Loss after loss...it was hard to stay on the bright side of things.

But she was positive again now. She could make it here. She had the strength, dexterity, and speed, she just needed her niche. With another satisfied sigh, Haruko paced around the gym. She wasn't in costume, just in a black sports bra under a loose white shirt, and black gym shorts on as well. Nothing too revealing.

Her quick gasps started to slow as she regained her breath. Most people, if any at all, didn't recognize her out of costume so it was nice to not really have to worry about people seeing her there. It wasn't like she had any real enemies or rivals, but she didn't like the idea of people looking and knowing who she was.

Charlie had just finished a workout of his own, granted it wasn't up to his old standard. He had a talk with Clyde, and while Clyde wanted to help Charlie just didn't have the motivation to help himself. It was pathetic, but it was the truth.

He had just showered up and changed, wearing a pair of jean shorts and a baggy t-shirt. His car was getting fixed, so he had to wait around for his ride. At least he didn't have to do it sober. Granted, when he knew he didn't have to cart himself around he did very little sober these days. Normally he would have noticed the attractive woman doing pull ups and introduced himself, but he just wasn't quite normal.

Charlie rubbed his head as he walked outside and sat on the gym steps. It was a quiet day at least. Even with the drinking he used to look forward to going home to see his faithful companion LC there waiting for him. LC passed away in his sleep recently and just about the only routine Charlie had left was touching the urn when he woke up, as well as when he went to bed.

His ride couldn't get here soon enough.

As Haruko stretched and cooled off, she couldn't help but notice one of the others at the gym. She hadn't seen him before. And unlike many of the other male wrestlers in tension he wasn't a huge bodybuilder. He seemed more like the cowboy she had wrestled before, and that made her grin. Unfortunately, although he seemed to notice her at times, he never met eye contact or said anything.

And that wouldn't do.

As he walked back to the locker room, Haruko hastily did so as well...and Mileena emerged moments later. She rushed outside before him. As he walked down the street, Mileena was waiting for him, hanging upside down from a balcony, her legs crossed over the corner column. "Hey there," she called to him as he passed.

Charlie wasn't drunk enough for this shit. Some lady who looked like Mileena from Mortal Kombat was hanging out.... upside down.... talking to him as he was working his way to the parking lot.

"Uhhh... hey upside down lady." Charlie said wishing he had more of some form of alcohol on him. He initially felt his gut telling him that something was up. He kinda looked up at her and began walking again as if the encounter didn't happen.

"Bye upside down lady."

Mileena grinned visibly under her mask when Charlie acknowledged her. But as he turned away, the grin vanished. That was it? He had nothing else to say to her? The woman squinted her eyes. Surely he wasn't...NOT attracted to her?

No. Don't be silly.

He was just being an asshole. Or he was shy. Either way...

Mileena loosened her legs' grip on the balcony and gracefully dropped down to the pavement. She skipped forward, catching up to Charlie. "What's the matter cowboy, am I not your type?" she asked while matching his speed and walking next to him. "Or are girls not your type?" She seemed to call every American she knew cowboy.

Cowboy? Charlie usually got "surfer dude" or "stoner" or on occassion "slacker looking guy" but never cowboy. He looked at her, appearing less aggravated but more or less deflated. "Lady, its not that. I just really want to get home and have a drink. Alone."

Charlie kept walking, not even looking over at this woman. Alaina was coming to pick him up in this parking lot. At least Charlie would only have to put up with this lady for maybe five minutes at the most. More than ever, Charlie was thankful for his friends punctuality.

Charlie's answer didn't fully satisfy the temptress. "Drink? Alone?" She stepped in front of the man, blocking his path. She put a hand on her hip and leaned into it. "That sounds like a major downer..." If Haruko had learned that in the gym she probably would've backed off and let him be.

But this was Mileena.

The pink clad woman then stepped closer, her left leg leaning up and stroking his right as her right hand stroked his shoulder. "I can cure whatever problems you have cowboy. You won't need alcohol when I'm through with you...well, maybe a cigarette." She giggled and moved her hand upward along his neck.

Charlie thought his response was going to be the end of it, then Mileena blocked his path. He let out an irritated grunt as he tried to move past her. "Lady listen, you are hot and all that but I am just not interested right now all right?"

She wasn't letting him by.

"Ok, what do I need to do to get you to leave me alone? I have been burned by someone who I loved... or used to love... and just want to be left the fuck alone." Charlie said, sounding more defeated than anything.

Mileena put her hand up to his mouth. She didn't even silence him with a finger, she used her whole palm and laughed. "You should've stopped at 'Hot and all that' cowboy." The pink clad woman then released him and took a step back as if she was about to leave him alone. "I'm sorry someone broke your heart, but the best cure for that isn't alcohol," she continued while shaking her head with curled eyebrows.

Then the sympathetic face dropped, and Mileena smirked.

She hopped onto Charlie, scissoring her thighs around his abdomen. She then wrapped her arms tightly around the back of his neck and head and squeezed herself into him, pressing her face against his. "I can stiffen up that broken heart of yours...among other things."

Charlie struggled in vain against Mileena's grip, letting out muffled shouts as he tried to free himself.

Parked in the parking lot was Alaina, sitting in her car listening to music and looking at her watch. Charlie was late. Again. She rolled her eyes at her friends tardiness. However, as she played with her radio she did notice something strange out of the corner of her eye. As she turned she saw some woman in a sexy pink outfit wrapped around some guy. That's Tension for ya...

Alaina did a double take, getting a better look at the short guy about Charlie's size struggling against this lady. Alaina was out of the car and running at pinky like she was about to rip her head off. Hell, it almost seemed like a good idea. Charlie was down and out, the last thing he needed was some psychotic Tension bimbo playing more games with him! Talia did enough of that when she left him.

As Alaina closed the distance and found herself within striking distance she grabbed two handfulls of Mileena's hair, yanking as hard as she could, trying to rip her off Charlie and slam her down to the ground! "Get off him you stupid bitch!" Alaina shouted in anger as she grabbed on and pulled!