Mutual Intrigue

Akino listened intently and patiently as Alicia gave the brief rundown of her thoughts on her experiences in AFW thus far. Nothing she said really surprised her, though Akino had been quite curious about all of them, especially the hardcore match. People often spend years learning to strike and grapple, but rarely does that training include preparation for the hardcore environment. Some people love their first taste of it because of the extra freedom to do things that otherwise would never be allowed, while others took one try and never wanted to even see another foreign object enter a match again. It sounded like Alicia was somewhere in the middle, perhaps leaning toward the latter.

Akino probably enjoyed those types of matches a bit more than someone like her probably should. One of her pre-AFW bouts had been a hardcore match in which she’d given a man a concussion by cracking a baseball bat over his head. Then after coming to AFW she’d competed in a table, TLC and 24/7 match. There was something oddly enjoyable to her about putting people through a tables, or smashing chairs into them. But she could certainly understand why Alicia would want to avoid staple guns. Blunt objects were one thing, but getting pierced? Yeah, not quite the same.

When asked for her own thoughts, Akino didn’t need to ponder over anything this time around. “Your first match didn’t really give much to think about, to be honest. Not that it was your fault. But they might as well have put a literal punching bag in the ring with you and rang the bell.” she said with a shrug.

“The one that impressed me was the Valley Doll match. The record book will say different, but as far as I’m concerned you won that one. Valley’s one of the best high flyers in the world right now, not to mention one of the top names in the Entropy division, and you methodically grounded her and picked her apart, and had her soundly beat. I know you didn’t technically win, but congrats anyway. That was a hell of a performance you put on.” That might’ve sounded like high praise, but it was true. Alicia had won herself a bit of a fan in Akino that day.

“I’d love to get in the ring with you sometime myself. Maybe for a match, or even just a spar sometime if you’re up for it... Just not today, though. It’s my day off.” she said with a faint chuckle.

Conceding the Japanese wrestler’s view of her first match with a quick nod, Alicia had to agree there and would actually have preferred that. At least then she wouldn’t have expected a decent match.

But the kickboxer couldn’t help but grin widely at the praise that followed. Alright, it was true. But she appreciated Akino, who she barely knew, saying it.

”The record books can say what they like,” She replied, ”I’m just glad I got a great match out of it. But thanks. I sparred with her when I first joined and I knew I needed to get her on the ground and keep her there.”

A chuckle escaped her.

”Maybe it sounds like something a comic book villain would say, but I’ll get her next time.”

As for the challenge, well…

”You’re on.” Alicia didn’t even have to think before she answered. A spar with Akino? She had absolutely no problems agreeing to that one, or a match if management would be kind enough to set that one up. Either ought to be a lot of fun, a real challenge judging by what she’d seen of the eyepatch-wearing wrestler’s skill and style. It’d also be a world away from her fights with Valley or Gallium. Both of them had been high-flyers and Akino was a submission specialist.

”Just let me know when and where, I’ll be there. I’ll even make you a deal.”

Alicia gave Akino a lopsided smirk, dry as a desert but still amused.

”You don’t crack my neck with that awesome hanging figure-four of yours, I promise not to crack any ribs.”

She laughed.

”Seriously, that move is amazing. I saw a couple of your indie matches and…” The big redhead whistled, seriously impressed and at least temporarily at a loss for words. She had one or two very notional ideas about how to deal with that, but most of them boiled down to ‘gravity’ and hoping she’d land on top of Akino.

Either that, or don’t get caught in it to start with. None of which were Alicia’s idea of a reliable strategy. And she really doubted she was the first to try either.

Akino chuckled right back after Alicia’s comment about repaying Valley for her recent loss against her. The one-eyed maiden loved comics, and maybe that’s why she was as amused as she was. Or perhaps it was just the confidence Alicia had that she could outwrestle the talented veteran twice in a row. She hadn’t known about the spar they’d had before, though that did explain how the redhead had managed to put together such a solid gameplan. But that still didn’t take anything away from her performance. Not everyone would’ve been smart or skilled enough to do that even with the experience of a spar under their belt.

She was glad to hear Alicia accept her challenge without even a hint of hesitation, though the idea of a “deal” made her noticeably curious what Alicia was thinking. When she specified what she meant, Akino laughed a bit with her. Alicia might’ve been being a bit sarcastic there, but that really did sound nice. Akino had suffered broken ribs at the hands of the now-Entropy champion during a match the previous year, and she very much wanted to avoid enduring such an experience again if possible.

Akino’s thoughts on that matter were momentarily distracted when Alicia complimented her use of the Kumonosu in her indie matches, which brought a grin to the bluenette’s lips. “Thanks. It’s quite a bit of fun to use,” she replied somewhat modestly. Rendering people helpless and defenseless with that move gave Akino a tremendous thrill, in the same way that hitting a grand slam might for a baseball player, or the way landing a huge knockout punch might for a boxer. “But yeah, you’ve got a deal,” Akino said half playfully.

She reached into her bag to get her phone out, then pulled up her number and held the phone out to Alicia. “Here’s my number. If a match doesn’t work out for whatever reason, we can get in touch and set up a spar in stead. How’s that sound?”

”It looks it,” Alicia agreed, ”And I wouldn’t mind seeing it in person. Just preferably not that personally. Actually, I wouldn’t mind trying it, but I might really damage someone’s neck.” She didn’t bother pointing out the obvious differences in build and likely weight between her and Akino; the other wrestler would have to be literally blind to miss them. Putting all her weight on someone’s neck like that- well, they’d have to have a very strong neck or something might go badly wrong.

When the whole point was to enhance the headscissors by hanging your bodyweight, these were things you had to think about if you were built like Alicia.

Still, sounded like she could at least count on being able to walk – or perhaps limp – away from this one and Akino wouldn’t need her ribs x-rayed. Everyone’s a winner.

”Awesome,” Her tone left no doubt that she absolutely meant it. ”I’m looking forward to it.”

The big redhead bent down to pick up her own phone from where she’d left it as Akino produced hers, quickly pulling up her contacts to get a new entry ready. When the blue-haired woman held her phone out, Alicia quickly programmed the number into the right field and saved it. Then she checked it’d saved and nodded.

”Like I said, it sounds great. Let me know either way.”

She paused a minute, giving the other wrestler an assessing look.

”Given it’s your day off, want to grab a drink and swap some war stories? I wouldn’t mind making some more friends around this place.”

“Likewise,” Akino replied. She was quite eager get in the ring with Alicia and test herself. And she had no doubt at all it would indeed by quite a test. Despite the similarities in style, Alicia had the size advantage and certainly wasn’t any less athletic. Would that assure the redhead a victory, or could the one-eyed maiden be clever enough to take her down regardless?

It was going to be fun finding out one way or the other, whenever it happened.

When Alicia suggested going somewhere to talk more, Akino smiled and gave a nod. “Sounds perfect. Just let me go get changed and grab my stuff and I’ll meet you out in the lobby in a little while. But no rush. If you need to shower first or anything, take all the time you need.”

Being as reserved as she was, Akino typically didn't go out of her way to find too many new friends among her colleagues, but it definitely didn't hurt to have some. And so far it sounded like her and Alicia wouldn't have much trouble at all getting along.

It wouldn’t have surprised Alicia to learn that Akino’s thoughts were along similar lines to her own.

Right down to it being fun however the match went and whoever won it.

Meantime, it looked like she’d be getting to know the submission specialist a little more beforehand, which could only be a good thing. And she certainly needed to change as well, preferably with a shower first.

”Great.” She returned the nod, ”I’ll grab a quick shower, change and see you there.”

Akino might have said not to rush, but Alicia saw no reason to linger either. She took long enough to enjoy the soothing feeling of hot water over her tense body and to scrub the sweat off her skin and out of her hair, then she towelled herself down and got dressed again. Wearing a black tank-top, shorts and leggings with sneakers, the British redhead made sure she looked respectable enough before coming out to join the Japanese wrestler in the lobby with her bag in hand.

”And done. Any ideas where we can go around here or do we just take pot luck?”

Being somewhat new to Tokyo still, Alicia was more than happy to check on that score. At this point, so long as it did half-way decent coffee, it’d do her. She was nowhere near as much of a coffee snob as she was regarding tea.

After the two briefly parted ways, Akino had gone right to the locker room to change out of her bathing suit and into a blue t-shirt, matching flats, and jeans. She’d elected to forgo a shower herself, partially because she liked the lingering smell of chlorine after a nice swim. She grabbed her bag and went out into the lobby and took a seat on the bench, then pulled out her phone to keep herself entertained for a bit while she waited on Alicia. Even though the redhead had said she’d take a quick shower, Akino was prepared to wait a while if need be.

But somewhat to her surprise, it was only a few minutes later that she heard Alicia’s voice, and looked up to see the girl standing there and ready to go. “‘Pot luck...?’” Akino asked, blinking in confusion. She’d been taught to speak English pretty fluently, but that expression was one she hadn’t heard before. “Well, I don’t know about that, but there’s a nice cafe down the street that has western food. How’s that sound?”

It took Alicia a moment to realise that she could have chosen her words better and, for another moment, she was just surprised that Akino hadn’t known what she’d meant.

Oh right. Japanese. She’d probably never heard that expression before but it just came so naturally to Alicia that she hadn’t thought anything of using it. Her mistake, but she doubted Akino would take kindly to her making a big thing of it. She definitely wouldn’t appreciate an apology. So Alicia didn’t.

”That sounds pretty great,” she said instead, nodding. She definitely wouldn’t mind some home food; while she was getting thoroughly used to Japanese food, she was also still missing good old British cooking. This was probably going to be American but, well, a burger would go down pretty well too. ”Lead on!”

And if it wasn’t far, that was a bonus.

”Pot luck,” The redhead repeated as they set out, hoping her new friend wouldn’t mind it being explained, ”It’s like… you just take your chances. It’s not planned. I suppose the idea is that you reach into a pot and see what you pull out. So, in this case, we’d just see what we found.”

To be honest, she didn’t really know where the expression came from and she also had no idea where the American ‘potluck’ thing came from either.

”My treat.” She added, quickly. Because she’d proposed this so it was at least worth a try.

Once Alicia told her to lead on, Akino did just that. She exited the building and started right down the sidewalk with her new friend - or perhaps ‘acquaintance’ might be the more accurate way to put it for now.

When the redhead started to explain what “pot luck” meant, Akino looked at her but listened patiently. Initially she’d assumed Alicia had been referring to some kind of food, or something. As it turned out, it was just an expression that referred to taking unknown chances. Now it seemed so obvious Akino felt a little silly for having not immediately understood, but she was glad she knew now. You learn something new every day.

“Oh, I see,” she replied with a nod. “Well, I suppose this will be somewhat like that. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten at this place. And I’ve never left Japan before, so I have no idea how it compares to anything actually made in the west.” She was rather curious to get Alicia’s opinion on that. Akino had always wanted to see certain places outside of her homeland, a few of which were places it was quite possible Alicia had been to at some point.

They arrived at the door right as Alicia offered to pay, while Akino reached out to open the door. “Are you sure? You don’t have to. I did invite you here with me, after all,” Akino replied, holding the door open for Alicia.

”I’ll let you know,” Alicia assured Akino as they walked, ”Actually, I’m curious now. I’ve not really had a chance to look out any Western places to eat since I got here. So it’ll be a nice change.”

Whatever else she could say about Akino, the other wrestler had exquisite manners. Seriously, Alicia couldn’t remember the last time someone had opened a door for her, although Dmitri probably would have done if she’d given him a chance. Still, she appreciated the gesture, hence the nod and grin of thanks she shot the blue-haired woman as she stepped through into the café and glanced around. It was still obviously a Japanese café but with a more American layer pasted on top. She’d been expecting that, really. Which wasn’t to say that she wouldn’t have been overjoyed to find a traditional British pub but she hadn’t been expecting it.

”Thanks and no trouble – I asked you out, after all,” A mischievous grin wormed its way across her face as another idea came to mind, the redhead holding the door open for Akino in turn, ”Or we can always armwrestle for it if you’d rather?”

Once they were both in, she started looking around for a suitable table. She hadn’t been planning to eat but, now she could smell some familiar scents stealing out of the kitchen, Alicia’s stomach was definitely remembering how long it’d been since she’d last eaten.