Rythmn & Blues

Walking down the city strip's more lively downtown area, Clyde Gastin was walking along the city sidewalk not long after seeing a move, wearing a black and white suit. Dark pants with a white shirt, black suit jacket and tie. He looked pretty plain jane as he strolled down the brightly lit city lights looking for a bar he used to frequent that was all Americanized. It had been a long time since he had seen home or this bar that was packed with so much Americana. After everything he had been through as of late, all he wanted was a good time and to have some fun without getting jumped by someone in AFW.

Down the side walk, some people stopped him and asked for a picture, recognizing him as the champ. Clyde and obliged and gave him and his girlfriend a photo of them together before they went off. It was nice being famous but after the party and his interview with Patty O'Mally, it was kind of bittersweet, but he was determined to make things right.

"Where is that damn bar?" Clyde asked himself as he looked high and low for this American pad.

For Mariko Ishii, tonight was just another night. Yamato was out somewhere with his girlfriend, but the younger Ishii was feeling rather lonely. Her dearest girlfriend had recently become her ex-girlfriend. Not because of a fight or some heated disagreement. Life had merely taken the two in opposite directions, and there was nothing that could be done about it.

Still, Mariko was having a bit of trouble taking her mind off of her. Fond memories were a good thing to hold onto, as long as one didn’t dwell too long. But that’s where it felt as if her mind was heading. Mariko needed to fix that. So she put on a black silk dress that came just a quarter of the way down her thighs and a matching pair of heels, deciding tonight was a perfect night to spend some time at the Space Lion. Some wine and soothing live jazz music sounded like the perfect short term prescription for her.

She was about halfway down the street when she looked up ahead and saw cameras flashing. Curious as to who the celebrity receiving so much attention might be, Mariko wandered closer, and couldn’t help but smile and giggle slightly once the answer became clear. She hadn’t seen Clyde Gastin since he’d defeated her in her debut match. Or at least, they hadn’t spoken since then. Evidently the handsome Texan had been doing quite well for himself as far as she could tell. Aside from being screwed out of his title reign, at least.

“You look a little lost, champ,” Mariko called half teasingly to the blonde. Though he genuinely did seem to be having trouble finding something, and she was curious just what that might be.

"Eh?" Clyde blinked, turned his head and nearly froze the moment he saw... "Mariko Ishii..?" Clyde said aloud, blinking as he eyed the beautiful and sultry japanese woman clad in that fancy dress. She almost didn't look like a dangerous AFW competitor in that dress. But he remembered the suplxes and draining holds. Clyde barely won that fight.

"Ya look nice. Almost didn't recognize ya." He said casually.


"But as a matter of fact I am... Can't seem ta' find a place called 'Americana' ta' save my life. Maybe you're better at directions than me though... I'm still learnin' ta' read Japanese." Clyde said with a small huff of amusement.

“The one and only~” Mariko replied with a little wink when Clyde addressed her. Nice to see he hadn’t forgotten her since their match, which now felt like it had been a lifetime ago.

“Thanks. You’re not looking bad yourself,” she said after he complimented her. As it happened, Mariko knew just the place Clyde was looking for. She hadn’t ever been inside before, but it was close by, and she often passed it coming and going form her apartment.

“You’re not far from it. I’d be happy to help you get there. If you buy me a drink, that is.” Americana was pretty different from the jazz club she had been planning on going to. But at least there’d be someone there to talk to.

"Heh." Clyde smiled a little shyly as Mariko winked at him before complimenting him. It felt like strong praise coming from such a lovely and talented fighter such as her. He tugged on his suit proudly before hearing her out about Americana.

At first he blinked in surprise at her words before smiling. "Deal. Long as you don't try and choke me out. We ain't in the ring tonight." He teased with a wry grin.

“No promises~” Mariko replied teasingly. No, she didn’t have any malicious intent on her mind. There were times and places to pick fights, but for Mariko that was best saved for the ring. Even when she’d recently met and spoken with Carmen Rodriguez, she hadn’t been tempted in the slightest to make a move for the 24/7 title. That sort of thing just didn’t appeal to her. Didn’t mean she couldn’t have a bit of fun with some banter, though.

“Right this way.” She turned and led the way down to the street corner, expecting Clyde to follow. After glancing his way just to make sure he was, she’d turn around the corner and continue down the sidewalk a few doors down before stopping in front of one. Above it was the “Americana” sign, the only one along the whole street that wasn’t written out in Japanese.

"Heh. That's a way ta' keep this interestin'." Said the cowboy with a smirk as he followed Mariko down the street corner, turning with her and continuing down that sidewalk until they at last stopped right in front of...

"Americana." He said, already hearing Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers', "Refugee" inside the bar.

"After you." Clyde said, holding the door open for Mariko, which revealed a place that was adorned with pictures and various memorabilia of American culture, mostly from the 1920s to the early 1990s. From Elvis to Nirvana. From Nat King Cole to REM. The owners were an American couple who decided to setup a place that those interested in American culture and actual Americans that lived here, could come and visit. For Clyde, it was a visit back home and a small escape from the culture of japan that he had taken in for so many years.

Other than a bar itself, the place had pool tables, booths to sit in, along with various tables that were situated around a mechanical bull. And if that wasn't enough, a small 'boxing' ring for when they decided to have foxy boxing in the bar. This place had it all.

Clyde instantly loved the sight of the mechanical bull and couldn't help but grin behind Mariko. "So! Ya like Tom Petty?" He asked eagerly as he nodded to the classic rock song.

“Why thank you~” Mariko said as Clyde held open the door for her. Nice to know that chivalry wasn’t completely dead. Especially in a place that had no shortage of unfriendly faces.

When she strode into the Americanized bar, Mariko almost felt like she’d just walked through a portal to another planet. Or at least to another country. About as far from a connoisseur on anything American as one could get, many of the pictures and memorabilia decorating the establishment were completely alien to her. Elvis she recognized, but...not much else.

The pool tables weren’t anything too difficult to digest. She’d been to places with those before, albeit not extremely often. The mechanical bull and boxing ring though, different story. Raising an eyebrow as she glanced over the strange environment, Mariko grinned slightly and turned to face Clyde when she heard his question.

“Is that who’s singing?” she asked. Mariko had heard some classic American rock primarily through her brother, who had a fonder appreciation for that than she did, but Tom Petty was a name that had escaped her until tonight. “I’ve certainly heard worse.”

Her eyes once more wandered over the place, before settling on the mechanical bull. “Should we find a place to sit? Or did you want to give that a try first?” she asked with a light giggle.

Clyde smiled as he let Mariko in and then followed behind her but nearly fell over himself when she gave that jab to Tom Petty but quickly recovered and adjusted himself like nothing happened at all!

"Yes! He's really good ya know..." He said like he was trying to convince her how good Tom really was! But oh well, Mariko seemed more like a classy lady than a rocker anyway. Now that he realized that he kind of wondered why he brought her to this place?

"Well she did offer ta' tag along." He said before eyeing the mechanical bull with a wide grin.

"What, that? Ya curious ta' see how a real cowboy does it?" Clyde muttered, giving Mariko a sly little smile.

“If you can do it, that is~” Mariko said, flashing Clyde a playful grin, curious to see if he was up to the challenge. Granted, she’d never seen anyone ride one of these before, and had no idea if it even was much of a challenge.

But, seeing Clyde give it a go was likely to be entertaining, at the very least.