Angel Spotting

"Uh... yeah." She cracked a smile at Suzumi's optimism, not sharing in it nearly as much as she wished she could. She wasn't about to give up, but the doubts were always there, lingering. She had come a far way to be here, given up a lot, possibly burned a bridge with her father. She had a lot riding on success in Friction, which only seemed to make everything harder, more stressful. She avoided really dwelling on it too much by planning short term and not thinking about the long term things she was going to have to face if her career didn't pick up, though those days were fast approaching.

"I can't really see myself doing anything else. I worked a bit of retail when I was younger, boy did that not go well." People grossly underestimated how hard it was to cut cloth in the arts and crafts section of Walmart when you had someone breathing down your next for the perfect sheet or pattern line up. She shuddered softly, giving her head a small shake. "Well, I don't know how you were when you started out, but you're pretty good now. That's one of the reason I wanted to meet up. Maybe some of that will rub off of me."

Suzumi nodded to A.J. "Like, thanks! I try my best that is all. I am not the most talented in the ring, the fastest, the strongest, the toughest or anything crazy like that. I just.. I dunno. I hope some of my dumb luck can rub off on ya maybe?" Suzumi said with a giggle. "Even most women in wrestling don't think I have much ring-smarts or any kind of smarts so you wanting to pick my brain is just sorta... different?" Suzumi said with a shrug.

The noodles can soon and when they did Suzumi's grin was ear to ear. Her eyes lit up and she dug right in, going to town! "Mmmmm so good..... So, like, what questions did ya have? I will be totally happy to answer whatever!" Suzumi said, meaning well but getting lost in her food in the process!

As her noodle bowl was set down before her she grimaced as a pair of chock sticks were set down in front of her. She glanced sidelong, watching Suzumi's technique quietly as she positioned the wooden sticks between her fingers sloppily. She leaned down, getting close to the bowl so she wouldn't have to lift the noodles far as she struggled to eat. This wasn't the sort of stand that would supply her with a fork to make her life easier. She dabbed a bit of broth from her chin with a thumb, eyeing Suzumi curiously. "Really? That sounds wild to me. Either they must be really really good, or dumb to be that dismissive. You don't have to be the best at something to win, you just need to know your limitations and try to work around it... ya'know? Just be smart about things."

She prodded at the noodles, swirling them around in her bowl. "Of course that is easy to say. I know I'm pretty bad about it in the heat of the moment. I have to just get use to the pressure I guess." She tried in vane to use both chopsticks to scoot the noodles, they simply slipped free and splashed back into the broth. "My coach, back in high school, when I did amateur wrestling, always use to tell me to learn from as many places as possible who to do something. It didn't matter how right or wrong it was compared to the textbook way. Just learn all the ways people do it, so you can understand it, break it down, and find what words for you... That way of thought wasn't really embraced much when I started training for professional wrestling. My dad, my trainer, they both wanted it done one way and that was it. Now that I'm on my own, I'm trying it how I learn it best." She popped some noodles into her mouth, slurping them up.

Alexa wagged her chopsticks in the direction of Suzumi. "The move you beat me with... I want to know how you get it locked in so quick. It's basically what I use as my big move... or would, if I ever got to use it in a actual match. It takes me a long time to cinch it in though." There were certainly any number of things she could learn from Suzumi, but this one had been at the top of her list. Maybe all she needed was more reliable finisher to secure a match. If she had locked in that hold earlier, could she have actually submitted Suzumi? She wasn't sure.

Suzumi's attention was immediately snapped from the food to the conversation once more, her ability to bounce from one thing to another in total absorption on display. "The tsunami sleeper? It is just a modified dragon sleeper. Like, once someone is out I work them into a sitting position as I get behind them. As I sit I swing my legs around as I reach in at the same time to pull back. Pulling back on the head and wrapping my arm around the front of the throat makes it quicker and easier for me to swing my legs around to wrap them around the torso to crush it. Its just synergy or whatever it is. Each movement sorta compliments the other." Suzumi said, using the word synergy for the first and likely only time in her life. "Like, does that make sense at all to you? I know I get lose and sort of suck at explaining things like that." Suzumi added in a bit of a resigned tone.

"Hrm..." Her brow knit tightly as she listened that didn't seem to be the answer she was looking for. She knew how the move was suppose to work, after all it was basically what she already did. Maybe she just needed more practice and that was all there was to it. However she was doing it now wasn't as smooth a transition as Suzumi described. She had hoped for some magic way to make it work faster, but the problem just seemed to be her and not the move. A bit disheartening.

"I'll give it a try next time I am in the ring." Hopefully in a training situation. She wasn't nearly as confident on doing it in the ring, unless her foe was almost already down and out completely. She glanced back down to her noodles, prodding at them with her chopsticks. "What do you think the biggest challenge is to becoming good in the ring, like, real good?" She dipped her head, eyes drifting mostly back to Suzumi as she worked on slurping up more noodles.

"Hmmm, that is a tough one. Like I think the more driven you are, the more motivated and all that the better off you will be. It is the little stuff like that which makes you stay at the gym longer, pay more attention to video to make mental notes of mistakes and it keeps you focused when things are going south in the ring." Suzumi said without much thought. To her, that type of thing was automatic. If it were complicated would an airhead like her be aware of it?

"What is the most important thing to you when it comes to your career? Like, the little stuff ends up being big. Do you love what you do? Are you satisfied with it? IF not how come?" Suzumi said, hoping to make A.J's gears turn a bit as she ate her food, looking at A.J as she mulled over the rapid fire questions Suzumi just spouted at her out of reflex.

Alexa listened to Suzumi quietly, she had tucked one of her chop sticks between her lips to idly gnaw on the tip. She liked to think she was rather good when it came to work ethic, once she pulled herself out of the apartment. That in itself could be a challenge on some days. She trained, exercised and researched regularly. While she couldn't really account for what other people did that might be better or worse than her own regiment, she knew for certain hers wasn't working or she just wasn't at a point she should be yet. She had wrestled three different women thus far along AFW's roster and lost each bout. What if she continued to lose? Something would have to change.

Alexa slipped the chopstick from her mouth, setting it back into the bowl to swirl her remaining noodles. "I just want to be someone." She said simply, somewhat somber as she attempted to scoop a few more noodles. "I love wrestling... The wrestling isn't really the issue." She pressed a hand lightly to her chest as she raised her chopsticks with a few noodles, some slipping back into the bowl. "Just unsatisfied with myself at the moment. I thought I would be doing better. Not just with wrestling, but in general."

She dipped her head to meet her chopsticks, not risking any more noodles jumping ship on her. She gave a soft slurp, sucking down the noodles before wiping at her mouth again with the back of her hand. She made sure to chew and swallow before continuing to talk. "Sorry if I sound... I don't know, dumb or something. I try not to be so down on myself." At least in front of other people. " I'm sure I will get there eventually." She smiled faintly down into her noodle bowl.

Suzumi listened to A.J and knew the feeling. She was like that when she first started, and figured there were a lot of women out there who felt the same way. A competitive drive coupled with an unforgiving business. It crushed a lot of hopes and dreams. Suzumi had seen it and recalled the feeling of Mikoto saying that she backed off allowing Suzumi to win in their first match... and then proceeded to beat Suzumi after. It had come close to making her quit, coupled with others telling her a comeback from her injury was too dangerous to come back from. She had proven them wrong to an extent.

"Like this business is nasty like that. They pair new women up against veterans sometimes just to see if they can break someone. It is totally unfair. Being new ya want to always prove yourself and be totally awesome to show that you belong. Like, just learn as best you can. It isn't the most talented women who make it to the big time and get gold it is the women who can learn the most from their mistakes who stick around. If ya never make the same mistake twice they'll have ya ranked ahead of me in no time. I totally let dumb pride get in the way more than I should."

"I try... I learn from my mistakes I mean. I get that its about spotting those things and then working to fix them. I guess I am stuck in there someplace. I'm still new to Friction though so... I still have time at least." She shrugged lightly, lifting her bowl to her lips to sip from the broth. She might have used this an an opportunity to suck in a few more noodles while it was easy to do so. Was that bad etiquette? She would have to ask Ryoko later. By the time she was finished, mostly needles remained which in theory made for easier pickings. She licked her lips clean as she once again brandished her chopsticks.  

"How did you decide on your style in the ring? Did it just click or did you have to really buckle down hard and carve that out for yourself? I'm still trying to find what suits me best. It's been interesting. I'm hoping to be able to get a bit more in the fray down the line, maybe learn some flashier moves... ya'know like on the ropes stuff. It hasn't been coming very naturally to me though..." She lowered her bowl a bit, working the noodles onto her chopsticks. "Know anyone who does training in that field that doesn't cost too much? I'm a bit strapped for cash but could use an actual teacher. I don't think my self training is translating well."

Suzumi sat back and tried to think about that one. "I guess I learned a bit of everything early on. I am pretty quick, I hit pretty hard and I can lift as well as slam women well for my size. But, like I know smaller speedy women can outmaneuver me. Bigger powerhouses can overpower me. I guess I went with submission on top of everything else because it was something I could specialize in that gave me an advantage over some other specialists. Like, it isn't a promised win or anything but I feel like if you are balanced with one aspect you really take to you can go really far. No weaknesses coupled with a major go-to style that can put people away. Like, I know powerhouses that can also do moonsaults, they are mobile and strong. People like that are also scary." Suzumi said figuring out that she had rambled a bit. "I guess what I am saying is branch out as much as you can, you will know what you will want to develop as you go. As far as flyers go I could show ya some stuff but I am not a flying specialist by any means."

Suzumi was sitting back now, trying to think of a speedy woman she knew who would also be willing to take on a protege for a time. She knew a lot of women, but to be fair a lot of women she knew in this business were total bitches. She didn't want to pair up A.J with anyone unless it was going to be a perfect fit.