The Lotus Peak

Eka was used to intimacy. She was a wrestler, after all, and was rubbing up against athletic women on a near constant basis was her job. But usually, the kind of closeness she felt was one that came with the clear intention of trying to physically conquer the other woman. This kind of closeness was something altogether, and Eka quite liked it. There was no aggression, no struggle, no violence. It was just a nice and wholesome chat.

The raven haired girl listened intently as Feruza spoke. She thought it was hilarious that Feruza had her arm around her, all the more so because she was speaking with her finger extended, as if Feruza were her grandfather. The Georgian was all ears as she heard the faux atavistic wisdom. "I am in the league, yes? So I should be able to at least hang with any girl here. But she was very big." Eka took a long draw of her cocoa. The Georgian girl detested cheaters, making her little escapade with Alicia all the more problematic. A heavy forkful of her dinner did little to help her forget her worries. "I think she is gone now. But I will find my own way."

"Yes, we can go together tomorrow. It will be quite nice, I think." Eka laid her fork in the bowl and picked up her cup. "To the peak." Eka confirmed, and took a long swig of her drink. This particular one tasted better than all the others, she thought.

Feruza took a big gulp of cocoa, a risky maneuver, considering how hot it had been. Thankfully, the cold had, well, cooled it down a bit and she didn't burn her throat. She let out a refreshed sigh, and looked off into the distance for a little. "That was delicious." Feruza said, her hand resting on the log between the two. She looked up at the sky, and gasped. She hadn't realized how dark it had gotten.

"Eka, look!" she said, pointing up at the star-spangled sky. Living in Tokyo, she didn't see many skies like this. The Milky Way, occasional shooting stars, and a seemingly infinite number of stars were visible. It reminded Feruza of home in Uchtepa. "Oh, I have not seen the sky look like that in months. Is like home." she said, contentedly laying her head upon Eka's shoulder and gazing at the sky with her. "Do you like stargaze, Eka?"

Eka was quiet. There was no need to go on and on. The natural sound of the wind was all the sound she needed. She took another sip of cocoa, and let the drink warm her further still. In a cosmic sense, she appreciated that she had found a friend in this cold place. "I am quite glad you liked it."

The Georgian girl looked up at the brilliant night sky. She lived deep within the bowels of Tokyo, and the only lights she usually saw at night were the neon signs screaming down at her with their harsh light. It was a beautiful sight, and she had the added benefit of Feruza laying her head on Eka's shoulder. "Yes, but I don't get to do it very often, yes?" Eka pointed up to Ursa Major. "My father told me that this is a big bear. I have seen this bear. But this one." She pointed to Ursa Minor. "It is hardly a bear. I have never understood such things."

"This is true." Feruza said, taking her head off Eka's shoulder for a moment to drink down some more cocoa, and then putting it back. She licked her lips, and then began telling a story. "In Uzbekistan, they say it is like funeral. Well, that is what dada would always tell me. He said that the rectangle..." she pointed at the four stars that made a vague rectangle, the scoop of the Big Dipper. "...is the coffin, and the three stars behind is three people who are carry." she said. "You know, that story always made me sad as little girl." she said, a little bit idly.

Feruza was always amicable, and open. But she was never this.. free. It sounded so corny, but she trusted Eka. She had known her for all of a few hours, and she trusted that she wouldn't make fun of her, or anything mean or rough. She was so very different to most people at AFW. Eka had a conscience. Even leaving behind AFW's low standards, Eka was nice. And she was so lucky to have found her here, on this mountain.

Eka was listening to Feruza speak as she finished her food. It was cold now, practically frozen, so the flavor profile was not quite as complex. The Georgian girl placed the bowl down and continued looking at the sky. Mount Fuji, under their butts, seemed so big only a couple of hours ago. But now it seemed minuscule in relation to the universe. Maybe all of her problems were like that too, in the grand scheme of things. The words Feruza were telling her were just a simple story, but they had some truth to them. Everything dies, everything fades. Her problems were going to recede some day, too. In a weird, very roundabout way, the story helped Eka.

"It is very sad, yes? But the man, the man in the coffin, he is going to be remembered forever. And he was lucky to have such good friends to carry his coffin. Many do not have such friends." Eka patted Feruza's leg, and looked at her before her gaze was drawn skywards again.

"You said you would tell me of your matches when you got hot cocoa. It is time for you to make good on this promise, yes?" Eka reminded her new friend.

"Oh, of course. What you want to hear, Eka?" she asked, leaving her head on the Georgian's shoulder and talking a little more quietly now that it was so late. She was by no means whispering, but she was pretty quiet. There was one match that she didn't really want to talk about, so she gave Eka her options. "My debut against Aiko Hana, my second match, if you can call such one-sided contest that, against Ruby Hart, and then my third, against..." she almost wanted to spit when she said the name, but she said it anyways, trying to sound as neutral as possible. "...Crimson Viper." she finished. The amount of contempt that she had for Viper was immense, but this was a gentle, nice time. She wasn't going to get angry here, not in front of Eka.

"So, choose wisely." Feruza joked. "Or I could tell all three."

Eka was nearly done with her cocoa now. It was a shame, as it was so good. But all good things must come to an end, she supposed. She was looking at Feruza now, trying to decide which match she wanted to hear about. The Georgian girl reckoned that they should not be out for so much longer. The fire in front of them was slowly dying, which did them no favors as the temperatures were still dropping.

"Tell me of your victories. Here, it is so beautiful, and I do no want to hear of losses."

Feruza was happier that way, anyways. She had two victories to her name, and whilst they weren't exactly upsets... they were victories. "Well, my first match was against young Japanese girl, name Aiko Hana. She was tough, for being so young. Match would probably have been over sooner if I was less nice to her... but she was just so cute, Eka!" Feruza cried, laughing. "I had to hurt her to win... I got her on the ground and twisted her arm into... what do you call it... hammerlock!" she said. "Yes, hammerlock. But after match, I promise with her to become friends." Feruza finished explaining.

"My other victory was against another young girl, but she was from America. She was cutest thing in world! It was match in bedroom, and you win by, hehe, tucking other person in for 10 seconds. Honestly, I do not know why I was pit against Ruby. She was so tiny! I ended up..." Feruza blushed. "I ended up putting her against wall and... s-stinkfacing her." Feruza said, cheeks even redder. "Was, was spur of the moment." she explained, before shaking herself out of it, and finishing the second story. "Ah, after I won, I got to take her back to my house, and we trained." she said, before adding on: "I promise, was just training."

Eka adjusted her scarf a little bit. It was cold, sure, but for the most part Eka wanted to conceal her blushing. She didn't really mind that Feruza had to hurt one of her opponents. It sounded like she did not really want to do it, and only executed the hammerlock as an absolute last resort. The Georgian girl had pushed it a few times herself, and could not really fault this Uzbek woman for that. But the tuck-in match? Eka was aware that such matches took place at AFW, as she had hung out with the queen of such matches, Natasha Loclear. But for whatever reason, she just did not see this woman doing those sorts of things.

"I, uh, it is good that you won, yes?" Eka had beaten a few girls, but she had never taken them home. The Georgian girl would not quite know what to do with them had she taken them back to her dorm. How would I explain this to my roommates, she thought. Plus Feruza was trying to play a bit coy, and tell her it was about training. There was such a lovely gym to train at.

"I have never been in such matches. The smother matches. My booty is not so big, yes?" She paused. "Nor the, uh, tuck-in matches..."

Oh, dammit! Why had Feruza gone into detail on that. Now she was embarrassed, too. Feruza had done the match... oh, she wouldn't kid herself. She did the match because it sounded cute, and a little bit hot. Feruza had only been in one other lewd match since then, and it hadn't been very... willing. And she hadn't won.

"Was no joke, though, I did just help her with train." Feruza assured Eka, realizing how fake she had sounded. She wasn't lying, but she had made herself sound like she was! Oh, Feruza's mind raced with worst-case scenarios. Would Eka break off a friendship because Feruza was doing such lewd things? No, surely not. Eka's profession was filled with lewdness.

But a lot of Feruza's fears were erased when Eka made a little joke at the expense of herself. Feruza smiled, and patted the Georgian on the back. "Oh, stop that," she waved her hand dismissively. "I am sure you would be very good in smother match!"