Meet and Greet

Had been content to eat quietly and listen for a good while, when eyes were drawn to her she paused as a fork was directed her way, calling attention to her. Caught mid bit, she froze like a deer in the headlights before slowly pulling the rest of the lobster from her fork. She raised a finger, politely requesting a moment as she set her eating utensils aside. It was a bit awkward as she chewed her food to have so many eyes on her, a bit of faint color rising in her face before she swallowed hard enough it was audible.

"Ah... There isn't much of a story to tell." She slipped her hands into her lap, idly twiddling her thumbs. This suddenly felt like an interview for some reason.

"I haven't been really... into wrestling for very long. I only just started buckling down in the last two or three years, after I finished up secondary school. I met a kind woman who inspired me to take it up, originally as a form of self defense... er, but not..." She furrowed her brow, it was hard to explain in words.

"She inspired me to take up jiu jitsu but... I wasn't very good with the ridged nature of a formal material art. So I looked around a bit and found that a good deal of what I learned transitioned into professional wrestler... Before... ANY of that, I was trying to be in the entertainment business so, they just kind of..." She interlocked her fingers, giving them a shake.

"Came together. I wound up really finding myself through wrestling... It was empowering, I was decent at it..." It gave her something to strive for. She was fairly certain if she hadn't gotten so invested in the sport she would likely have locked herself away in her room back home and rarely left the house.

"It's a work in progress." She settled on.

"I mostly came up through a small wrestling school not far from my home. I was there... goodness, probably far too much. I use to help out, so they only charged me have the normal rates. They use to do these exhibition matches with other schools for promotions, those were my only competitive experience before coming here. I was approached at one of those shows by someone from AFW. They said I had a good look, very professional" She nodded with a small smile. The scout had been incredibly kind to her.  She had stood out a good deal from the other strictly based upon her ring gear. The fact she had taken the time to make it herself had shown, to him anyhow, that she had initiative. It wasn't long after that she had been brought on board. "And that's about it... I'm not all that interesting." She raised a hand, giving herself a small bonk on the head lightly with her knuckle, poking her tongue out with a shrug.

She had started out rather timid, it was in her voice and mannerisms. As she went over the story she blossomed a bit, seeming comfortable by the end. She had left out a few key details... personal tidbits she didn't really wish to share. When it came to herself, especially her time before getting into wrestling, she preferred not to really discuss it. If it could be avoided, she likely wouldn't even talk to Cicilia about it. She considered herself a very different person these days, dwelling on past she didn't really wish to relive was not something she was interested in doing. It was the largest factor in why she had been so supportive of Cicilia. Despite their very different upbringings, it was important to remember that people could rise above who or what they were to better themselves.

"If you need any knitting tips, I can handle that too." She gave a small smile, sipping from her glass of water with a wink. She had hoped that the sudden tangent would take them away from further inquiries into how she came to be where she was. Her story had some notable holes.

Mariah could sense the hentai was a wee bit of a soft spot for their two guests - funny, considering the craziness they’d been up to not long ago. Still, Bubbles was Bubbles, and one she got to talking about sex, it could be difficult to make her stop. All the same, she was about to nudge her off of it and make an honest try, for the sake of the meal. And sanity.

Luckily enough, though, she found another avenue to pursue. ”Momentum, right.” She nodded, bringing up the AFW’s less-mentioned third arm. ”Yeah, I do know, believe it or not. Tried boxing myself for a little while, before I went to wrestling.”

This made Mariah perk up, raising her eyebrow as she finish sipping her glass to the halfway point. ”What? You haven’t mentioned this before, where’s this coming from?”

Bubbles just shrugged and whipped her mouth clean, getting off some nagging crumbs. ”Wasn’t a whole lot to tell, babe. My boxing career lasted, like, a month. Didn’t win. Got molly-whopped.” Mariah gave her a little elbow in the arm. ”Oh, right. I got my ass kicked. Or punched, I guess.”

Tempted as Mariah was to explore that further, what Sayumi went into next drew her attention. She listened, intent and careful, as she laid out her history, the road that brought her to the AFW. It wasn’t an uncommon path, sounded like the average...in fact, it was almost too average. Mariah couldn’t shake the distinct impression that some things weren’t being told. Holes to fill.

She was content to leave those alone. Bubbles, never the Queen of Social Tact, was less so. ”Can definitely see what the scouts saw, you wrestle like a natural.”

Mariah had her wife’s speech patterns down to a science, knew when was the best time to interject, and did so right as Bubbles was taking  a sip - interrupting her without interrupting her. ”Knitting, huh?” Mariah had been trying to place who Sayumi’s dress for the past few minutes, and it just occurred to her why she couldn’t figure it out. ”Did you make that yourself?” She looked around the table, getting a better view. “Tell me you made that yourself, I would love to be that impressed.”

Now that was something she didn't expect... I mean... She knew Bubbles was a flat-out powerhouse with the strength to put down weaker woman lickity-damn-split but being a boxer herself...? She stared at the scantly clad wrestler with renewed wonder and curiosity. Mariah seemed to share this interest as well, not knowing about this little section of her past... WELL! Cicilia knew what she had to do with Bubbles before the night was over! Even if she's only boxed for about a month or whatever, this was something she didn't want to miss! Being able to fight at her absolute best against an absolute tank like Bubbles Burste in a match that they both had experience in? What fun! Cicilia's eyes practically glowed with excitement at the idea... She hardly ever had true challenges in strength and by GOD she was going test herself tonight! The German was almost eager to rush her way through the rest of this dinner so she could get on with the main event... were it not for Sayumi sitting beside her, her presence quelling her excitement in a good way.

Speaking of Sayumi, Mariah questioned her girlfriend on her history to which her lover responded with a summery... some things she didn't actually know about... For example, the fact someone else had come along and inspired her to take up "self-defense..." Or that she had some background in Jiu Jistu. With all this in mind, she had to make a mental note to hear her complete life story sometime when they were in a more... personal setting. The boxer tilted her head in confusion as her girlfriend quickly shifted the topic from her life-story to knitting tips, seeming all too eager to shift gears... She wondered what that was all about... Was there something in her past that she didn't want to bring up...? The only reason she could reasonably guess that is because her own past was one wrought with misfortune and she often evaded questions similarly. She wanted to reach over, pull her lover into her arms, hold her and kiss her until her heart stopped aching in empathy but... well... suffice it to say it would be awkward beyond reason at this fancy-as-hell table.

Mariah caught on as well to Sayumi's change in topic, questioning whether or not she actually MADE her own outfits. Now THERE was a question... Did she...? If her girlfriend made that for herself... Impressed would be an EXTREME understatement to what Cicilia would feel. Like... Sayumi was gorgeous, she wrestling like a champ, is on a winning streak against her and could make outfits...? Was there anything she couldn't do? Cicilia was tempted to say something along the lines of 'say you made it and I'll kiss you right here' but considering how Sayumi reacted to her mention of hentai... it'd only ruin her peace once again... Instead the German opted to finish off her soup and bread, filling up her stomach just enough to be satisfied.

She cringed a bit at Bubbles time in boxing, feeling as though she could relate. "While I never tried boxing myself, I feel slightly well acquainted with it." She glanced sidelong at Cicilia. She had eaten enough punches from the girl in their first two encounters to not want to ever try boxing. Nooooo thanks.

Gave Bubbles a big smile. Knowing what she did now about her, not only from Cicilia's gushing, but with her bout of google searching after their first meeting, the compliment came as high praise. She gave a small gracious nod the the American giant, turning to her other half. "I did. I make all of my ring attire as well... Not that you saw much of it the other evening... But other times! I do it all myself, always have."

She glanced over to Cicilia. "While hers isn't as ornate, I made Cicilia's ring gear as well... Everything save for the boots anyway." She gave the boxer a small wink. "If I am not training or in the wrong, I tend to do a lot of sewing. New clothes aren't as expensive when you make them by hand... And you can tailor them how you like them!"

"I even make some of my own jewelry... Not that I have much of a chance to wear it outside of fancy things like this." She turned her head, tucking back her hair to display her earrings. A simple red crystal mounted on a polished gold setting, two tiny feathers hung down along side it. One red, one black. If one were to look at the other it seemed almost the same, save for the black feather was white on that side.

Mariah lit up as Sayumi spoke, getting more and more focused on the younger woman. Now they were entering her wheelhouse, striking on common ground, and on this she would build her church. As much as she loved Bubbles, her wife was the sort to just put on anything she could find and walk out with it. Granted, some of that came from her size limiting her options, but even so, she could’ve worked better with what she had.

”Interesting. Very interesting.” She and Bubbles both leaned forward to get a better look at Sayumi’s earrings. Polished, professional, pretty. Mariah wouldn’t have guessed they were homemade, too. ”You know, not to throw business in here. But.” She tapped her fork on the side of the table and threw a sideway glance Sayumi’s way. ”I might have a little work for you. A commission. If you’re interested.”

Bubbles just groan and took a long swig of sweet tea, making the noise and look of a woman who’d heard what was about to be said a hundred times.

”You see, my wife has the fashion sense of a blind nudist. I have tried, in vain, to get her into an actual wrestling outfit, but lo, my efforts have availed me little.” She waved her hand Bubbles way.”This is the best I can get her in.”

Bubbles stretched, displaying her Farmer’s Daughter look with pride. ”Like I keep telling my girl, here, this look works for me. I’m 6”3’ and I can bench press pretty much everyone I’ve ever fought. That’s all the flash I need.” She looked to the boxer, not expecting much help to come from Sayumi on this. ”Cicilia, you can back me up on this, right? You don’t need that much style when you can bring the goods in the ring.”

Very interesting...? What kind of understatement was THAT!? She knew Sayumi could make wrestling outfits... her own being one such glorious a creation but she made her own clothes too!? The German was at a loss for words. She stared at her lover's outfit with a new form of appreciation for it, the way an artist coveted another's creation. Cicilia was a simple person, never one for wearing anything fancy like the stupid long princess dresses or anything but DAMN if she could make them... her opinion on them would turn on it's head!

That little wink Sayumi gave her sparked a compulsion to just smother her sweetheart in kisses, so much a compulsion that the restraint keeping her impulses chained was actually making the German a tad uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat as she tried to blink the fantasies out of her eyes, tuning back into the conversation just as her lover revealed the jewelry she ALSO made herself... A soft blush flashed across her face as she stared at the beautiful sanguine gems that rested upon her lover's ears... If she wasn't completely infatuated with Sayumi then, she was now. Cicilia didn't feel this because she craved the artistry and talent her lover possessed... She didn't wish to own any of her creations or demand them as gifts... What she loved was that creative side of her... Something that perfectly opposed her own blunt and straight-to-the-point nature...

The most artistic thing Cicilia had ever done was a beautiful combo of over 150 hits in a fighting game back home and even that only lasted a minute! Sayumi could make things people potentially would be wearing years later... and something about that was hot beyond description. Cicilia's sanguine eyes burned with passion as her gaze shifted from those earrings to the woman that possessed them, feeling her lips tingle for hers...

The German snapped back into reality, Bubbles invoking her name to back her up on something.

"I... uh... what...?" Cicilia asked, completely lost. She'd been so deeply enamored with her girlfriend after that revelation that she completely missed whatever conversation she was brought into. The older woman restated her point, that one didn't need style when they could... "bring-the-goods" themselves. The double-meaning wasn't lost on the German, a small smile spreading across her face as she imagined herself walking into the arena with barely anything on. It wasn't hard, considering she had just a day ago...

"Right." The German nodded, trying her best to subdue these sensations of complete arousal. "Yeah... That's pretty much all you need..." She glanced over at Sayumi and smiled. "But there's something beautiful about style..."

Sayumi found herself smiling as she listened to Mariah talk, not only at her request but her words. She just enjoyed the way she spoke, she had a very simple elegance mixed with a style of verbage that interested the Japanese nature. She was strong, confident, and successful, granted in a different way to Bubbles. But how she carried herself was making Sayumi like the woman more and more.

She would be lying if she said the idea of a commission didn't frighten her a bit. Especially when creating for someone who seemed content, if not openly opposed with the idea. Still, she so rarely was able to use her skills for other people, Cicilia's had been a treat to work on. She eyed Bubbles, trying to imagine her in something with more... Character. Though, it was hard to do, her simple attire seemed to fit her so we'll.

"Once I have finished up some personal business..." Cicilia and she still need to deal with the apartment move and all the headaches that came with closing out her current lease. She assumed there was going to be no rush, but wanted to temper expectations outright. "I would love the chance to try... But only if she is up to it." She leaned back in her chair, arms folded as she issued Bubbles a challenging look.

She couldn't help but wonder why Bubbles was so dismissive about the idea, especially if it was one her wife seemed adamant on trying to push. She hadn't encountered any line in the Sand issues like this with Cicilia, yet. When would those come their way?


"Speaking from experience, I don't dress the way I do inside the ring and out just because I want to be flashy. It's fun... To express myself in another aspect. You can do just about anything with it... It doesn't just have to be about looking good. It can be about paying respect to memories of the past. Wearing something with small reminders of places you been, things you've done, or people you admire. I don't know how sentimental you are, but I can't imagine there aren't some things you wouldn't want to represent past being really big and really strong. Your body speaks towards that without you even trying."

"Eh... Sorry if I am being a bit presumptuous." She glanced at the table, kicking her feet lightly. She gradually looked back between Bubbles and Mariah. " I would really like to try and find something new, that you can enjoy. But I would need you on board and with me until the end. If that sounds like something you'd be willing to take a chance on, with me, I would love to try and help you see why I love doing what it is I do... Sorry if I was rambling a bit."

She wasn't sure how well she had gotten her point across. She was passionate about expression, in almost any instance. It's why by the same merits she wasn't too critical of Bubbles clothing selection, and why she was suddenly feeling guilty about being upset with Cicilia's attire for the evening.

Young love. Beautiful.

Bubbles didn’t quite get the backup she was hoping for from Cicilia, but she wasn’t particularly mad about it. She could see why, after all. It seemed like the boxer was having the equivalent of what Bubbles liked to call her ‘Mariah Moments’. Bouts of time where she got so wrapped up in her wife and how lucky she was and how amazing it was that she’d reached this point that she had trouble forming coherent thoughts. She used to have those moments all the time when they were first dating. Less so over time, as she became more accustomed to Mariah’s presence, but they still popped up every once in a while.

So, Bubbles understood. Wouldn’t stop her from teasing. ”You okay over there, Cicilia?” She nibbled away on a croissant and threw in the slightest hint of playfulness to her tone. ”You seem a little distracted.”

Mariah gave her a little slap on the shoulder, before turning her full attention back to Sayumi, listening intently as she spoke. It wasn’t quite the answer she’d been fishing for, but better in many ways. More reasoned than she had expected, that was for sure.

”Oh, you’ve got a bit of diplomat in you, Sayumi.” She sighed and propped her chin up with her hand, leaning on the table. ”I definitely like that proposal, though, yes, you’re right, it all comes down to Bubbles.” She looked towards her wife out of the side of her eyes, as a sly grin formed. ”How does that sound to you? And keep in mind, your choices will in no way affect any future public or private extracurricular activities between us. I promise. Scout’s honor.”

”You as a Girl Scout, that’s a picture I’d pay to see.” Bubbles folded her arms, letting them settle and prop up her chest. ”I suppose it can’t hurt to give it a try. I am really curious to see what Sayumi comes up with, won’t lie there. Especially the way she puts it.”

She shrugged. ”Some personality in my clothes couldn’t hurt. I guess.” She made a big show of pouting and sighed, humoring Mariah as her wife gave her a quick arm rub. After a moment of that, she turned and gave her wife a peck on the forehead. ”Yeah, yeah, you always win.”

Cicilia's cheeks flared as Bubbles made the observation of her distracted state, her eyes immediately shooting downward. Ugh... She noticed didn't she...? She knew what was up... Bubbles' tone had given it all away... OH GOD THIS WAS EMBARRASSING! If someone noted that both Sayumi and she were a pair, Cicilia would've smiled at them and made some kind of sarcastic remark... But Bubbles seemed to get just how utterly smitten she was with her right now, right down to the core of it all. That slight bit of playfulness let on more than just a joking nature... She knew in just what state of mind she was in... And that knowledge made the German vulnerable.

"U-uhm..."

Mariah came to her rescue before she was forced to utter out some kind of arbitrary defiance, bringing the conversation back to Sayumi and the older woman's request to find Bubbles something nice and pretty to wear. Cicilia looked at her girlfriend as she went on to describe her work, how it could reflect not only just the aspect of looking good, but a state of mind... a memory of the past... She didn't have to dress herself up like a princess nor like the street-thug hybrid style she normally wore out in public (which was extremely comfortable) but she could pick something else up to send a message that wasn't "Piss off"... she smiled lightly at that... It was something she knew already but hearing it from Sayumi made it much easier to accept...

As the older women mused over the thought, Cicilia reached a hand over, gently nudging the lavender's arm under the table. If she could manage, she'd intertwine her fingers with hers, gently pressing their palms together as she flashed a shaky loving grin her way, her face still tinted a heavy red.

She turned back to face her hosts as they came to a consensus, watching as Bubbles pressed her lips to Mariah's head and accepting the offer, exclaiming how she always won... Funny... That's how she felt about Sayumi... It seemed she and Bubbles had a lot more in common besides being paragons of power... This realization lowered her guard a tad... set her mind at ease...

"So... Sayumi..." Cicilia asked, deciding to direct her own question her way. "I didn't know you sang. Karaoke machine and all..."

"If what I make you turns out good to your liking, maybe you can commission me, and I can make Mariah a girl scout outfit. Turnabout's fair play." She gave a small wink... The hustle was strong with this one. Ordinarily she wouldn't be so brazen, but the air about the room had been pretty light hearted so she felt a bit more free. She was starting to thrive a bit more as they talked and became acquainted.

She takes the hand under the table, interlocking her fingers while giving an extra squeeze. Seemingly not content with that alone, she leans in to place a quick kiss on Cicilia's cheek for her consideration and support. All smiles as she glanced over the occupants at the table.

She nods to Cicilia. "I sing a bunch actually... Just normally it's karaoke. I go at least once a week. It's almost like a ritual. My "me" time. I use to get strange looks for renting a booth alone, but now I am pretty friendly with the owner of the small bar I go to. He's a very nice gentleman. If they aren't busy that day they actually give me a discount on my first drink." she recollects most of this, tapping her lips lightly with her free hand.