Cafe Research II

"Yeah, she's pretty much the best." She nodded firmly, patting her pockets down to locate her phone. She would.have to let Ryoko know about Abbie. Maybe she knew who the redhead was? She wasn't really sure how big the circle is for things like this so it was worth a shot. There wasn't many questions the Japanese native didn't have answers to it seemed. Finally fishing out the old phone she quietly started typing away with her thumbs as the two of them conversed. She kept looking up at Abbie just so she knew she was paying attention and not being rude on her phone.

"It took me ages to get my apartment squared away. I didn't have power or internet when I got here for a few days actually. Really bummed me out." Far more than she would really go into detail. Moving someplace new, so suddenly, with no real connections had been hard. To then find out your apartment was a cramped, sardine can with no real creature comforts had been a crippling emotional experience. Her first few weeks in Japan had been incredibly sobering. Being left alone with that much self doubt had taken a toll on her until she found a sliver of direction... Though it was still something that lingered with how little money she had.

"Wonderful... And weird. Like..." Alexa looked around cautiously before leaning in to speak in a hushed tone. "Really really weird..." She might have been exaggerating a bit, it was hard to tell. As someone who couldn't read, write, or even speak Japanese. Beyond the few things Ryoko had taught her out of necessity she was a true blue fish out of water. Most of the little differences had piled up enough to make it feel like a strange new world. When people get angry at you for politely holding doors or throw you out of restaurants for needing to blow your nose their was something strange going on. Not to mention some of the truly questionable stuff they had in vending machines.

"I've... Been here for a few months." A bit of color rose in her cheeks, a twinge embarrassed she had managed to do so little in her time here. She really needed to get back in the ring. If not to actually pursue what it was she came here to do, than to get a paycheck. She was almost broke, and her former lifeline with her mother back home had run dry the moment her father caught wind of it. She tried to hide the sudden uncomfortable turn the conversation had lead her down inside her head with a carefree chuckle. Her fingers idly tapped the side of her phone before she finally set the device down on top of her laptop's keys.

"Things have been pretty great though." She finally plucked the gnarled coffee stirrer from in between her lips, setting it off to the side on a napkin. She only not realized how ridiculous she must have looked with her still nibbling on it while they spoke. "Well, if you are staying self employed for the freedom of it, what did you come out here for? Are you going to be doing live coverage stuff or something?" It suddenly struck her as a bit odd for the other girl to pack up shop and come to Japan, but was Alexa really one to judge? Not really. It was easily to question other people's motivations than confront her own.

While it wasn't on the top of her list of priorities, making connections with other wrestling savvy people was something that she looked forward to since coming to the Land of the Rising Sun. At best, Alexa's Japanese friend probably have known her but Abbie wouldn't. While it was great that she didn't make this woman on the table run off and establish a good connection, gelling with the townsfolk would be even better. Can't stick with other foreigners all the time. Hopefully this Ryoko girl doesn't hate Abbie. I mean, sure. There was that one video where she joked about a upcoming Japanese wrestler but that was a joke! Nothing serious! Oh god, why was she thinking of this now!? Dammit brain!

But she did listen intently of what Alexa had to say about her experiences, despite how wierd she looked as she nibbled on the stirrer. "Oh trust me. I can relate. Like, I haven't gone through something like your situation but something similar. While I was studying... Abbie can sorta relate, her first house that she shared with a few other wrestling buddies that she met from University was, to put it bluntly, not very good. On top of paying for tuition fees, she had to fork some money into making the place more better. Now it's her home that she loves but the beginnings weren't very great to say the least. Nothing like water problems to add to the many things that stresses a student out.

Abbie knows how it feels to go to new place where you don't know who everyone is and have no connections whatsoever. Just you to fend yourself in the adult stage of life. "It does take time to get used to another place. Especially a country like Japan. So many little things you need to get used to. I'm still learning Japanese to this day." Oh the many blunders that she made when she was in McDonalds. Pronunciation. Yep, gotta work on that too.

"Been her for that long, eh? Hopefully things are sorted out by then. And who knows. Once you go big, you can get all that you need and want." She gives an encouraging smile. Not that it should be the only reason to fight, though Abbie knows of other wrestlers who struggled. Those that have potential but don't have the money to even put food on the table.

Abbie was soon asked why she was here. Her head tilted up some. "Ah." Yes. That one. Well it wouldn't be bad to say the reason why to someone like her, Alexa was a nice girl and she even worked in the AFW. Speaking of which..."Well I certainly can do live coverage for the AFW. Though it does depend on if they allow me to do that..." The nerdy redhead gave a smile. "...And wrestle at the same time. But I am ok with just doing the latter in AFW....

"Yeah.... I can see that now." She cracked a faint smile. It had been an experience, living with her parents to moving out of country entirely. While she had done a lot of traveling, mostly during the summer, it had always been with family. She was alone here, for the first time. Living in a new country. She hadn't even been anyplace other than home for this long. It seemed so monumental any time she gave it thought. Still, she was carving a life out for herself now, whether she was going about it the right way was really just up in the air. "Oh. I know a little Japanese as well." That was pretty on the nose. Familiar kanji or phrases, most of which Ryoko taught her. She even had an translator app on her phone to make up for most of her general lack of knowledge. Languages were always a bit much for her. Back in school she tried taking Spanish, French, then ultimately took Latin just to never run into a situation where she would ever have to talk to someone using it. Her mastery of English was already a big enough work in progress, taking on Japanese was unthinkable.

"Yup. That long." She was both proud and ashamed by that. This was something new to her after all, a feat. Was she making the progress she had hoped? No. Was she enjoying most of her time in Japan as much as she thought she would? No. Was she on the upward path to success she felt she should be on? No. Her small victory in simply existing in Japan trapped beneath the massing cloud of failures which hung over her. She hoped Abbie was right though. Make it big, live the dream. It seemed simple on paper, until you butted heads with other people trying to do the same. While it was possible to grow together with others, many seemed intent, in AFW at least, to stoke their own ambitions with the hopeful dreams of people like Alexa.

"You should show me some of your stuff. I always like to hear what other people have to say about wrestling in general, insight into AFW would be helpful on a personal level too." She tilted her head curiously at Abbie. She supposed if she was doing some sort of coverage at a live event she would need a press pass or something? She wasn't sure how any of that worked. As the woman beside her made the big reveal that she was also part of Friction, Alexa simply nodded along. It was a good few awkward seconds before that actually hit her fully as he nod came to a sudden stop and eyes widened. She reached out, grasping lightly at the redhead's arm.

"Wait, so... you're a wrestler too? or are going to be? I haven't seen you before, not at the tapings." Every time she met a new peer, it seemed to broadside her. It seemed almost like she should assume most anyone about her age and female she should just assume they were also in the AFW. She shot a look of mild suspicion to one of the baristas behind the main counter before her focus shifted back to Abbie. She had still been holding onto the woman, so she finally let go and smoothed out her sleeve. "Heh, sorry. Just... you got me pretty good." Leaning back in her chair she narrowed her eyes at Abbie, not actually mad, which was apparent in her tone, but obviously playing it up that way on appearance alone. "You could have opened with that ya'know."