Well... Congrats.

Fuck Kelly Conway.

Fuck the Friction World Title, fuck briefcases and title contracts, and fuck Jessica Wright. Fuck Brittany Luvve. Fuck Talia Wilson. Fuck that new bitch and fuck having to waste time fighting her. Fuck whoever makes that match. Fuck Lukretia. Fuck Friction. Fuck AFW. Fuck the cap on this bottle of sake and fuck my fucking life.

Taylor finally fumbled the cap off of the bottle and spiked it on the sidewalk in exasperation. She tilted the bottle to her lips and took a long drink that left her chest warm and her head funny. She shoved it into Akashi's hands before sitting down on the curb and pulling the hair ties out of her golden pigtails.

Behind her was the side of a small convenience store. In front, her feet pointed at a small parking lot, off of a side street. Across the way was grass and a small park. They were far enough from Friction that she didn't have to look at that stupid place. Fuck that place.

"Well," she said, motioning for the bottle. "Congrats on your title shot, Kashi. You deserve it."

Akashi had taken a deep drink of the sake bottle and handed it back to Taylor. She wasn't sure how they ended up here but she was thankful for the warm burning feeling trickling down her throat.

Once the adrenaline wore off, Akashi was left with the realization of what she had done and Taylor's words bit her harshly. She looked down at the street in front of them and then looked at Taylor.

"Imouto-chan..." her voice was soft. "I... didn't even realize what was happening until it was over. Maybe until I just took that drink or heard your words. I didn't go out there with the intention of taking what belonged to you." Akashi shook her head, her curls flopping around her face. "All I wanted to do was beat those bitches asses for causing us all this grief. Somehow... I didn't think that Kelly would be goaded like that. Right this moment, I'd rather fight Saito-san. I owe her a beating and you owe Kelly a beating."

Akashi lowered her head. "I'll make things right, Taylor-chan, I promise. Please, just don't hold it against me."

A deflated shrug humbled Taylor's strong shoulders, and she took another long drink. She so rarely drank, and she knew perfectly well what she was doing.

"Nah," she said when she came up for air. "It never belonged to me. You deserve it more than I do, anyway. I guess I... probably shouldn't have lost it in the first place." She gave a weak smile.

"Well, I'm an idiot." She handed the bottle back to Akashi and laid back. The harrowing feeling of all of her dreams vanishing at once left her feeling weak, and she sprawled out limply on the sidewalk. "...But we knew that."

Akashi took the bottle and took another deep drink. She shook her head vigorously as she passed it back. "Unh uh. It's your time to shine and Kelly snatched it away. Then, I went ahead and did it as well. If I can't do everything in my power to make your dreams come true, then I don't deserve to be your nee-san"

Akashi leaned against Taylor and wrapped her arm around the blonde. "I promise, Imouto-chan, when Kelly walks down that ramp, it's you she'll be facing."

"Kashi, like, I understand and stuff, but like, what the hell are you even saying right now?" Taylor said, gesturing up above her with her hands as she stared at the sky. "I get that you feel bad or whatever, but I'm saying that you don't have to feel bad. Its not my title. The shot is yours as much as it is mine, and if I want it, ill earn a shot on my own, a'right?"

She scowled, suddenly feeling anger where a moment ago there was numbness. She propped up on an elbow an snatched the bottle back. "I don't need any handouts to get to where I wanna be," she said, and took a long drink.

Akashi furrowed her brow as Taylor suddenly got angry. She understood what Tatylor was saying. Akashi was hurting her pride, but Akashi's pride also hurt. Akashi stood up as well.

"No, that's not right." She said. "You did earn the title. You've earned everything you have gotten and you deserve a chance to enjoy what you earned! This isn't a fucking handout, it's setting things right! My pride is on the line too, you know?" Akashi snatched the bottle and took her own drink.

"If you want me to have my shot so badly, then, when you beat Kelly's ass, challenge me. Then, I'll have no issue taking what's mine."

"Kashi, why the fuck are you trying to turn this into something it's not?" Taylor said irritably, but she didn't raise her voice. "I earned the title and I earned the loss. The past is the past. All I'm tryin' to say here is that you're a great wrestler and a great champion, and I know you'll beat Kelly, and you deserve to get the title back, and you don't need to feel bad for me when you do it. And now you're just talking shit to ME?"

She shook her head and pit the bottle down on the sidewalk and put her hands down while she got to her feet, knocking the bottle over in the process. "You're a real piece of work, ya know that? Listen to me, I will never fight you in that ring again. I don't need to spend all my time thinking about strategy and your weaknesses and how to fuck you up, on top of everything else. I NEED you to be my big sister, but your fucking ego is even bigger than your ass."

She dismissively waved both hands at Akashi and turned away. "Whatever," she muttered, and strolled across the street toward the park. "I'm out. Go catch a cab."

"Rrrrrrrgh!"

Akashi stomped her foot as Taylor walked off. "I AM being a sister! I took something that's yours and I'm giving it back to you! Why can't you understand that, huh?" She barked as she trudged after Taylor.

"Maybe you should have an ego about it! I'd rather see you pissed than like... Well, whatever this is!"

Taylor rolled her eyes and turned around to face the sumo with her arms folded.

"Well, what am I supposed to do, Akashi? You want me to talk shit to you and tell you how I'm gonna come kick your ass and take what's mine? Want me to tell you you're nothing compared to me and I deserve that shit more than you or anyone else?" She shook her head in disgust.

"I don't know how the fuck you talk your way into a title shot, and then throw a temper tantrum about it. To ME. Like... fuckin' grow up."

"No, I don't want that."

Akashi rubbed her temples. "I don't want us to fight at all! I want to do the right thing! I want to not have to live with the fact that my moments are built upon the back of your crushed dreams! I want things to be right for my sister and I want her to let me be there for her!"

Akashi stamped her foot again. "It's not pity, Baka!"