The Lotus Peak

Eka gave Feruza a knowing look. She highly doubted that Feruza took her home just to train, but she kept that little misgiving to herself. Even the most specious examination of AFW would show that the Uzbek's statement completely lacked verisimilitude. But Eka was here to enjoy the evening, and the mountain, and Feruza's company. There was no point in calling Feruza on it.

"They keep asking me. I have no interest in that sort of thing, but they ask and ask and ask. They see me in my bikini top and their minds are filled with lewd thoughts." Eka paused. "Not that I have a problem with that. I know Natasha Loclear, the champion, yes?" She set her cup at her feet. "But I will probably not be in one of those matches. I have not even lost, my, err..." Eka reeled for a second. They barely knew each other, and Eka was ready to bare her most intimate secrets. She wasn't sure what about Feruza made her feel so comfortable, but here she was. "I have not lost my submission matches. Except I have. And I do a lot of submissions, yes?" Eka completely failed to stick the landing.

"But I will not smother anyone. Except for with kindness. And maybe some other things." No matter what Eka mumbled, she just could not dig her way out of this, so she extended her hands to the fire, trying to warm them up. Maybe the great god of fire would help make her feel slightly less awkward.

Oh, now they were both stumbling and muttering. Feruza was definitely doing it, but then she burst out laughing. They were both being so silly! "Eka, why are we so embarrassed? AFW is built on sex! Why are we avoiding like plague?" she asked, laughing some more. Two AFW wrestlers, embarrassed about sex! It was almost an oxymoron.

"Now, what were you really going to say you have not lost?" Feruza asked of Eka's record-breakingly awkward rebound, still giggling just a bit. Feruza had a guess or two, but hearing it from the source was so much better. "I promise, that any secret you have? Is safe with me." Feruza said, tapping the center of her chest two times, punctuating her statement. She considered herself trustworthy, and while a bit of gossip could be fun, she would never break a promise.

Eka's knees knocked together, and her heels flared wide. The topic of sex always made her feel a bit awkward, and it looked like this Uzbek woman was not going to let her hide from it. Sometimes, she did watch lewd matches on her laptop in the privacy of her dorm room, but she never really spoke of that to anyone. The Georgian girl could simply not imagine what wrestling in one of those matches. She didn't even know what she would do.

But Eka was a smart girl, and she was sure she could figure it out. "I, uh, do not participate in such matches." Eka breathed deeply. "I do not dislike it." She paused again. "I am a bit embarrassed, to be honest. I am a full grown woman, yes? You are right. It is silly to be embarrassed. There is no harm in it. Unless you lose, yes?" Eka's smile poked over the top of her scarf.

Her blue eyes returned to the embers of the fire that still burned. "I have my fair share of losses, yes? Maybe a few more than my fair share. But I have never lost one of those matches. Although one time I lost my top while I was in the ring. I have only ever fought at the arena. Never in anyone's bed." Eka thought for a second. "I would not know how to fight such a match."

Eka skirted around Feruza's question, but she didn't mind that. She wasn't going to force her way into a conversation that made the raven-haired girl uncomfortable. She was more than happy to talk about those matches, but only if Eka was, too.

And apparently, she was. Eka was uncomfortable, but she was willing to talk about it. Great. Feruza would try not to overstep her boundaries. "They can be fun, depends on opponent." the Uzbek said, shrugging and smiling. "Do not worry about it. Is a little silly, but everybody is little bit silly, yes?" Feruza asked, before chuckling at Eka's joke. "Right, only if lose."

Feruza kept her eyes on Eka's face, watching her speak as she looked at the fire. Her face, especially her lips, was beautifully shaped, nearly perfect. She listened intently. "It is not so different to fight in bed than in ring. On bed, you are just expected to... hit less. Use— use— use your assets more, yes?" she said, grabbing her own breasts lightly and laughing before releasing them. "But you do not have to."

Feruza was right. There was a lot of wisdom in Feruza's words, and Eka felt she should act on that truth. "It is ok to be a bit silly. You are totally right. I lost to Avery Shields. That was a submission match. It was in Geneva, in Switzerland. That was the closest I have ever gotten to real success. And then there was Bunny, and Cecilia, whom I have already spoken of. Ashura. That match last less than two minutes. And then Mariam, who was the size of a giant. But after these matches, there were no real repercussions. Except for mental ones. But it is all so silly."

Eka deliberated for a second. "But I can turn it around. I do not have only losses. And I have never had to use, my, uh," Eka smiled very broadly, "assets to beat anyone. And I have not lost due to anyone else's assets either. There is much to be grateful for, yes?" She joked. "But I think I can be a good wrestler. I have all the skills, I think. I just need to get a bit better."

"Listen. I have a secret. I have not told this to anyone. So it will not leave the mountain, yes?"

"Geneva. Did you climb mountains there, too? I hear Alps are very beautiful." Feruza said, before shutting up to let Eka finish talking. Bad habit, interjecting into stories. "Sorry." she apologized. Feruza was a good listener when she didn't interrupt, and Eka was a good talker. Better than her, Feruza thought. She finished her story, and Feruza patted her on the back. "Do not let loss tear you up, Eka. Like I was say, even best of men and women fall on hard times." she said, shrugging. "Nobody is perfect wrestler, yes?" she asked.

Feruza laughed as Eka turned it around. "Using assets is more fun than one may think." Feruza said with a giggle, before she added, as Eka did, the converse situation. "Losing to another's assets is sometimes fun... if you like the person~" Feruza sang, laughing a little louder. "Ah, do not worry, Eka! I am sure you are superb wrestler— maybe you can show me a move when we are go back to Tokyo?" asked the Uzbek.

"A secret? You do not need to worry, friend. I will not tell." Feruza assured her Georgian friend. Feruza was caught a bit off guard, and leaned close. "You can whisper, if it makes you feel better."

Eka scratched her head a bit. She was trying to think back to Geneva, to Avalanche. It seemed like it was a thousand years ago, and so much had happened in the interim. "Yes, I climbed a few mountains. But it was all so quick, there was media stuff, and I was in and out in a flash. I did not see as much of Switzerland as I wanted to. But there are always new opportunities, right and left." Eka looked at her new friend. If this wasn't an opportunity from the heavens, Eka did not know what was.

The Georgian girl reclined a bit, placing her hand on the snow. Cold had a way of sneaking up on people, and Eka was feeling a bit of a chill. "It is not the worst thing to happen to someone, yes? A loss, I mean. I fought hard, and just came up a bit short.And I would have to like them a whole lot to be smothered by them." Eka laughed. "But I cannot say I have experienced it. So maybe I shouldn't judge, yes?"

Eka then scooted closer to Feruza. The Uzbek girl could assuredly hear just fine, but Eka had a wonderful flair for drama, and she was not going to waste an opportunity to hype things up a little bit. The Georgian girl leaned in, for maximum effect. "Listen, I am a virgin."

"Oh, that is too bad. From pictures that I have seen, it is very beautiful place. Good thing that you explore a little, though, yes?" Feruza asked, wondering a little bit herself what Europe was like. She wondered how different it would feel to Japan or Uzbekistan. A lot, she wagered.

Feruza looked at the now reclining Eka, and shrugged. No sense paining her neck to look back at Eka. She put her hand on the snow, and jumped a little. It was very cold. Oh, well. They should probably sleep soon, anyways. The fire was dying. "Smothering... is fun. I would wait until you try." Feruza said with a light laugh and a nod.

But it was time for secrets. Eka knew how to make things exciting, and she showed off her talent by scooting close, putting her lips to Feruza's ear, and telling her. Feruza gasped. "You--" she realized how loud she was being, and quieted it down a tad. "You are virgin?" she asked. "You must be only one in AFW!" she exclaimed (quietly), laughing. "I understand how dangerous that secret is. Will not get out."

Eka was happy to hear that Feruza was taking her secret well. "I have a feeling that if that got out, there would be a big target on my back. I do not want to lose my virginity in the ring. That would not be a good way to lose it, yes? I would prefer it be with someone that I know and trust. So it is meaningful. And fun." Eka paused. "And I trust you with this secret."

The Georgian girl hunched over. "But I am in no rush to lose it. I also do not think it is so important. There are lots of things that are overhyped in life, yes?" Eka shrugged. "But everything is everything. And I will not worry about it so much."

Feruza nodded. She could only imagine. Eka's outlook was a good one. She was making sure that losing her V-card would be a fun experience for both parties, not just one. And not in the ring, either. "Is good plan. Thank you for trusting, Eka." the Uzbek said, staying reclined as Eka sat back up.

"Of course, Eka! AFW will have you believe that sex is everything. It is not..." she paused, and smiled a little. "But it is very fun. This is true. But I am sure you have much more important things for focusing." Feruza said, before stretching into a yawn. It was getting late, but she wasn't going to say anything. It would look a little suspicious if Feruza suggested going to bed mere seconds after she learned that her companion hadn't lost her virginity. So Feruza kept quiet about it. She wasn't quite sure what to say now... oh!

"You have told me about losses. I am sure you have won match, why not tell me of those?"