Kawaiis Getting Coffee

Claire St. Clair was the longest-tenured full-time kawaii wrestler in all of AFW, and was also one of the federation's longer-serving champions. Part of the reason she had been champion for so long was a lack of quality opponents, and Claire, as proud as she was of her accomplishments, was nonetheless acutely aware of that fact. So she had taken it upon herself to track any roster moves that may happen in AFW's Kawaii League, advocating hard for more girls of smaller sizes to be signed and trying to make sure those who were found matchups and, potentially, title shots.

Sometimes she found friends and allies. Other times, it didn't work out quite so well. But as long as there were kawaiis afoot, Claire St. Clair, Kawaii Wrestling Ambassador to the World, would be happy.

A large part of the trouble was keeping the kawaii girls afoot, especially when someone in the booking staff saw fit to match them up with girls much larger and stronger than they were. Claire had enough clout to avoid such a fate, but she was lucky. If a girl got squashed her very first time out, it could easily crush her spirit and any drive she might have had to keep on fighting.

There had been a heartening influx of new kawaii wrestlers lately, but Claire knew that their place in the division was still tenuous at best. After observing from afar, reading profiles and watching matches, Claire felt she had to reach out to one of these girls in particular. It felt awkward for an introverted bookworm like Claire to show such initiative in seeking someone out...but she had her reasons, and eventually worked up the courage to send that text message.

"Hello, this is Claire, the current Kawaii League champion," the text had begun, Claire unwilling to compromise her spelling and grammar in the digital realm. "I watched your debut match, and I thought you might be interested in some advice from a veteran fighter. Would you like to meet me for coffee?"

Hanibi Coffee was about a ten-minute trip on a southbound train from the AFW campus. They served a relatively small selection of coffee and a few sandwiches and pastries, focusing on quality over the diversity of their menu. They were not on the cutting edge when it came to decorations, either, the whole interior done mostly in wood, the food and drink served in Western-style porcelain teaware. It had a loyal clientele, though was not nearly as popular as most other coffee houses within walking distance. Claire enjoyed the solitude and peace Hanibi offered, a place which made it easy to focus on whatever book she might be reading. Or, in the case of today's visit, the conversation she might be having.

Harmony Harper was the shortest tenured Kawaii Wrestler in all of AFW. In fact, so short term was she that she wasn't confident that she was even considered full-time. She had participated... No, she had gotten through her "audition match". A bout in which the administration had put her up against a woman far above her strength and skill level, presumably to see how badly she wanted to be there. Realistically... It was probably to see how cute she was when suffering. And to see if she had the nerve to endure having her body exposed to a live audience. It... Hadn't gone well. But then... Not every wrestler gets to "win" their first match like Harmony did.

The Tokyo University freshman was laying upon her tatami bed in her tiny coffin apartment when her phone buzzed. The tight accommodations were all she could afford when she'd moved to Japan. She couldn't believe her eyes when she read the text message from Claire. She was shocked that anybody would want to talk to her after her performance. Let alone a champion! "Yes, please!" She'd replied to the text message with as much eagerness as she could muster.

It had taken Harmony a solid five minutes to get out of bed on the morning of their proposed coffee-date. It had been a week since her debut and her body was still in open rebellion. Harmony was a sweet girl and had never so much as been in a schoolyard scrap. She was sore in places she didn't know existed. Despite that, she picked out her cutest outfit. Which was easy, she didn't have many.

Harmony:

It wasn't unlike the outfit she'd worn to her... Interview. At least the colors were the same. A pink tank top seemed casual and breezy! She didn't want to seem stuck up. A pair of jean shorts covered her lower half and thigh highs were pulled up over her legs. She gave her self a second look over to make sure all the bruises were covered up before she placed the finishing touches on her outfit. Her red hairband!
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*Ring-A-Ling*

The bell chimed cheerily as she pushed open the coffee shops door. She'd made sure to take in a deep breath before pushing inside... And then dove in with both feet! She didn't even flinch when the doors cute chime reminded her of the ring bell!

She placed her hand over her brows to block out the fluorescent lighting of the coffee shop as she scanned the horizon like some great explorer. Now... What exactly did a Claire look like?

Claire didn't dress up too much, either. She didn't own many T-shirts or any jeans, but she wore a loose-fitting sky blue top and a pair of hip-hugging white shorts, something simple but much lighter and breezy than she would have worn during her early years here in Japan.

Claire:

She arrived a few minutes earlier than Harmony did, putting in her coffee and lunch order—just a platter of miniature sandwiches and a couple of macarons that she thought she and her guest could split—and letting the barista know that she would have another member in her party together before settling down at her favorite table, near the back of the shop, next to a window overlooking the small backyard garden behind the building.

She typically sat with her back to the door, but today, she sat facing it. She wasn't sure what the kawaii newcomer knew about her. She didn't know if the girl would recognize her—though Claire was the smallest girl in the building by at least an inch in height and a couple of cup sizes, so Harmony would likely figure it out eventually. Claire knew what she would have wanted in Harmony's place, though. She would want there to be no doubt. To have the veteran, who had read Harmony's profile and seen plenty of pictures for her, make it simple and stress-free for her.

The bell above the door rang, and a girl whose tiny size matched Claire's walked in, hand over her brow, peering into the softly-lit wood interior of Hanibi Coffee, trying to locate Claire. The black-haired kawaii girl stood and stepped down from the elevated rear wing of the shop, making her way back to the front.

"Hello, Harmony?" Claire said, to get the girl's attention. "I'm Claire. Thanks for coming. I hope you found the place easily enough." She stuck out her hand for a handshake.

"Oh!" She practically jumped out of her skin as Claire called her name. Wah!! She'd been recognized so quickly! Of course she had. She'd just been humiliated on TV... That was how Claire knew how to call out to her in the first place. Her cheeks flushed as she fell back into the memories of that night. It hadn't registered to her that perhaps her uniquely small size had more to do with it.

Harmony sheepishly took Claire's hand in her own. It was so warm. And Claire was so... Cute! She wasn't exactly what she'd been expecting when she'd pictured a champion. She was slight. Maybe even more so than Harmony. Even her chest was smaller! That was a feat!

Her voice caught in her throat as she tried to answer, and so she just nodded with an "mmhmm.", when asked if she was Harmony. "T-thank you for inviting me!" She finally squeaked out. She realized at this point that she was still holding Claire's hand. With a mousy panic she pulled her hand back and pulled it behind her back.

"It wasn't hard to find!" She finally found her voice proper. "It's very nice to meet you Claire! Thanl you for your kindness. Do you have a booth?" There. That wasn't so hard. Deep breaths. Full thoughts. And try not to linger on her very pretty eyes for too long! You got this Harmony! YOSH!

Normally, Claire would never be one to seek out interaction, to go out of her way to connect with someone whom she had never spoken with before. There were a few reasons why she wanted to reach out to Harmony, mostly having to do with her status as a new kawaii wrestler and Claire's goals to restore the division's formerly vibrant status.

In part, though, she had wanted to reach out because Harmony reminded her so much of herself. Physically, the resemblance was actually verging on the uncanny, with Harmony's build and height being all but identical to Claire's, and her short, dark hair and glasses completing the connection. They had different eye colors and slightly different complexions, of course, but that still wasn't enough to rule out this line of thinking.

And it wasn't just physical, from what Claire could tell from Harmony's profile. She was well-read, studious, intelligent. Like Claire, she was attending university while also looking to break into AFW. And she was clearly more of an introvert. Though for Harmony, that came out in a more stutteringly adorable way than a brooding, distant way, as it did for Claire. So the brunette already had a leg up there.

Claire smiled at Harmony as she shook her hand for a long, long time. "Nice to meet you, too...and it's no trouble, really," she said, feeling a bit flustered herself. For all her big thoughts about being the veteran here, she still could get thrown off rather easily by a cute girl thanking her that much. "I've got a booth in the back. Just up those steps. It's quiet back there." She gestured to where the table was. "If you want coffee, you can order it right up here at the counter. I already ordered some sandwiches, in case you're hungry..."

"Oh my gosh that sounds amazing!" She burst out as Claire described the sandwiches. They were a small thing perhaps, but Harmony had spent the entire train ride dreading over whether she'd buy lunch or coffee. She couldn't afford both. She was living by the skin of her teeth and didn't expect to get paid by the AFW for at least another week or two.

"I'l be right back, okay! Have a seat!" And with that Harmony stormed off towards the counter. She waited in line diligently and secretly was thankful for the break to recharge her social batteries. Claire seemed so sweet. Though she couldn't help but notice the strange tightness in her belly she got when she had been next to her...

Harmony returned, Americano in hand, and returned to her 'date'. She'd meet her at the table and carefully settle into a seat across from her, hyper aware of the hot coffee she held."This is so great!" She chimed as she looked over the spread of cookies and sandwiches. It took her approximately a second before a pink macaroon was plucked into her mouth whole.

"Mmm!" She closed her eyes and savored the sweet treat, her head lulling back. She didn't get many sweets. They were a little expensive and costs were always a concern for the newly independent teen."Sho goowd!"She said absent mindedly while chewing.

"Oops!" She giggled cutely before covering her mouth and finishing the treat with a wistful sigh. She then looked across the table towards Claire. "This place is so wonderful! Thank you for bringing me here! How are you doing, Champion-Sama?"

As her guest rushed to the front counter to order her coffee, Claire settled herself back down at the table, also taking that moment to recharge after the initial flurry of interaction with Harmony. The girl was adorable, and obviously enthusiastic. She didn't seem to be too nervous right now, which Claire hoped was at least in part thanks to the care she had taken in making sure everything was just so for this meeting.

Harmony made it back to the table just fine and quickly gobbled up a pink macaron. Claire smiled, amused by the excitement the new kawaii displayed. Claire had been planning on saving her macarons for after her sandwiches, but it seemed that Harmony was just too drawn in by the pastel-colored treats! She was so drawn in she was talking with her mouth full!

Claire smiled and let Harmony finish chewing, showing her patience as an older, wiser twenty-something compared to the teenager. She chuckled as Harmony finally finished up and started speaking again—already getting herself into the Japanese mindset with those honorifics, Claire noticed. "You're welcome! It really is no trouble, and I'm happy to do it. I've been doing just fine—just taking some time to rest and recuperate after my last match," she said.

"And you've already had your first match—it was very interesting viewing," Claire said. "You seem to have made a full recovery, too."

"I appreciate it regardless! It's so nice to sit with a friend!" She smiled warmly, obviously having cast a wide net over her Senpai Kawaii."Truth be told, I don't have many friends out here. I kind of... Stand out." She looked around the room, and then back to Claire. The pair of them were pretty unique in their appearance. Clear Gaijins. Or, Foreigners."I'm um... Well I'm sure you understand." She rubbed the back of her head, a bit embarassed. These feelings of not belonging... They'd plagued her entire tenure in Tokyo.

"Your last match? Oh gosh. I hope you're okay!" She looked the girl over from her seat. She looked fine... But it was perhaps a bit telling how concerned she was. Harmony had been subjected to great acts of violence. It had been scary. And humiliatung. "You are the Champion after all. I'm sure you're fine!" She recovered cheerfully. However, the dark undercurrent in her tone was unmissable.

It resurged as Claire brought up her match."You uh... Yeah I guess it makes sense that you saw that." She looked away towards the barrista. Looking over there had suddenly become very important.

"I'm glad it was interesting. I won my debut. How many girls get to say that, huh?"She said with forced enthusiasm. It didn't feel like winning. "And yeah. I did make a full recovery!" She lied. She didn't want to burden her new friend with her weakness. She was covered in bruises. Her thighs shifted as she remembered being hit in places she never thought she'd be hit in. She resisted telling Claire, because even if she wasn't strong... She was tough! She understood adversity.

But worse than the physical damage... She'd taken considerable psychological damage. She wondered if she'd even survive her next match... Let alone what they might do to her... Gosh... She was so unprepared for this. But.. She was proud of herself. She kept from crying in front of Claire. She maintained a strong face... And that was important... Right?

Standing out was something that Claire understood, and it could be a true double-edged sword. She nodded sympathetically, then smiled as Harmony asked about her last match. "Oh, yes, I'll be alright. Still a little sore from some...unorthodox maneuvers," Claire explained.

And then, when the topic drifted to Harmony's match, the brunette's tone seemed to become strained. Claire couldn't tell quite how much stress the topic was causing her, as the girl was doing quite a fine job of hiding her emotions, but Claire knew how she would feel in that situation. Maybe it was wrong to assume that Harmony would think like her...but if she did, then Claire knew that she needed some support. And that was why she had arranged to meet this girl in the first place.

"Yes, you won! Sometimes that's all you can ask for. You take it, no matter how messy a win it was," Claire said. She hesitated, not sure if she should try to dig deeper into this topic or try to change the subject. Either way could help, and either way could hurt. She ultimately decided to try to split the difference.

"Are you trained in fighting at all...? Did you have any experience before coming to Tokyo?" she inquired. "You're obviously fit, but I know that a lot of girls our size—kawaii girls, you know—are inexperienced. I was."

"Unorthodox maneuvers?" She asked aloud as she considered what that might mean. Then she thought back to her match... In truth, she didn't really know what an Orthodox Maneuver was. Harmony was under the impression that Pro Wrestling was performance art more than it was athletic competition. Boy had she been wrong...

"I'm sorry you're sore! I hope you feel better soon!" She quickly re-corrected her path. If Claire wanted to go into detail about what had been done to her she could, but, Harmony wagered she didn't. "It must be hard to be the Champion... Everyone you come up against is always the second best. That's a lot of pressure." She smiled, trying to brush off some of the gloom. Looking at Claire helped, honestly. She was so pretty and mature! And she was so kind, even though she was on top of the Kawaii world. It was inspiring.

"I uh..." She nodded. "I did win. That's right! I fought my hardest! And I got my contract!" She flexed her bicep and grasped it with her free hand! She giggled behind it, choosing to take the route of being silly over sad. After all, Ms. St. Clair was really putting herself out. She needed to show her appreciation for the charming champion! "I'll try harder in my next match! So please support me!" She bowed her head and did her best impersonation of a celebrity athlete. Before pushing another macaroon into her mouth.

"Twained?" She asked, mouth full of delectable cookie. She was keeping it together until Claire called her "fit". Her cheeks flushed bright red and she nearly choked with embarrassment. She brought a tiny fist to her chest and pounded it a little to help her swallow the cookie whole. "Fwah!" She breathed out cutely before smiling as if nothing had happened at all. Play it cool Harmony! She meant fit as in athletic! Not cute! Don't be weird!

"S-sorry about that. I uh... Haven't really had much to eat." She rubbed the back of her head before realigning herself. "Uh... That was my first time in a fight." If you'd even call it that. "I trained mostly in dance and gymnastics! I thought they would be great resources for me in the ring!" She said... Again, she had assumed that Pro Wrestling was acting. Cooperative theatrical combat. Her eye twitched a bit as she felt a twinge of pain in her back.

"I..." She frowned a bit. "I'm... You're right. I'm... Not really prepared... At all!" She confessed... Her lip trembled as she forced another cookie in her mouth. Now she was stress eating. And besides. You can't cry with a delicious cookie between your lips!