No such thing as too much to drink

Mere seconds had passed since Lai Feng had stepped off her flight, yet she was already left with a dry taste in her mouth. The flight had only been a few hours, which was still the longest Lai had gone without a drink since forever. Oh well, nothing a little dive bar couldn't fix. Lai scanned the airport terminal for signs of where she can get some fermented satisfaction, finally sighing with relief when she saw a brochure stand with several pamphlets. She made her way over there and began flipping through the pamphlets before eventually settling on one with a detailed list of Tokyo's clubs, restaurants and bars. She ran her finger down the list, flipping back and forth between the map on the next page trying to pick out somewhere relatively cheap while also convenient.

Finally an advert for a decent sounding place caught Lai's eyes. Cheap, close to the arena... and would you look at that. It's even catered to the ladies. Lai licked her lips before sliding the brochure into her back pocket and exiting out the terminal while waving for the nearest taxi. The thought of a cold refreshing drink and the sight of hot chics to boot completely occupying her mind.

She gazed out the window as Tokyo's many sights rolled past. Being from a small village in China, it sure was a lot to take in. Still a quality bottle in hand would blow all of these flashy lights and tall skyscrapers out of the water. Eventually the AFW arena came into sight, and Lai managed to get a good glimpse of where much of her newfound career was about to take place. Apparently the bar was only about a few blocks away from the arena, so she knew they couldn't be far.

At last they pulled into the parking lot, and Lai's urge to quench her thirst grew all the more insatiable. She quickly threw some money at the driver before scurrying of the entrance and busting through the door. She performed a quick scan of the place, trying to locate the nearest barstool. With the bartender in sight, Lai took a seat at the table and signaled for her. "A shot of Baijiu please" Lai asked in broken Japanese, craving the traditional Chinese liquor. The bartender looked at her puzzle, clearly signaling that they did didn't carry the drink. Lai gave a brief pout of disappointment before waving it off and making another request. "Give me anything then. But make sure it's strong, like really strong."  The request was met with a nod  and pretty soon afterwards, a small shot glass of some unknown beverage in her hand.

She gulped the drink down like it was water, before giving a satisfied sigh. It was strong alright, but it was going to take a lot more than that for Lai to really get into the swing of things. She motioned for another drink, scanning the room and it's patrons while she waited.

BAR GOLD FINGER. Where the hell did these names come from?

Kozue found herself smack in the middle of the bar on this night, and it wasn’t a random choice. She had finally managed to settle down after spending the better part of a week moving all her stuff over from Kyoto to Tokyo, marking another box on her list of things to do before she came full into Friction. It was all a long, exhausting process, more than she’d expected when she started, but now that she at least had her furniture on this side of the island, she’d hit a benchmark.

She spent the day moving stuff around her apartment, got everything the way she wanted, and now she was ready for a night on the town to cool off. One problem with that, though: She knew jackshit about Tokyo.

Having spent the bulk of her time in Kyoto, she had grown used to that, slipped into its traditional, slower pace. Tokyo, from what she could tell just from the small time she’d been there, was faster. Brighter. Hotter. A city that didn’t sleep. It reminded her a little bit of Jersey, being honest, which she thought would make it easier to slip into.

It didn't. One look at the brochure, and she was already getting spoiled by choice. So Kozue looked at it with a simple filter - she needed somewhere close to the arena, somewhere with good drinks, and somewhere with women she could maybe take home for the night.

BAR GOLD FINGER. There you go.

Kozue wasn’t sure what to wear to a place like this - she’d only come to terms with her bisexuality a few years ago, was wading around in the waters. Since she was going to be wrestling with more women like her than ever now that she was in Friction, it made sense to hang out at a place like this. She just hoped she wouldn’t stick out too bad - no more than a New Jersey girl in the middle of Japan did by default.

Sneakers, Converse. Short, hiphugging jeans, to show off her best features. Matching denim jacket, with a Pac Man t-shirt on, showing the ghosts running around the maze. Rocking the gamergirl look.

She made her way into the bar with hands in her pockets, getting more than a few curious eyes here and there, no doubt from people who recognized her. Those weren’t the ones she was interested in, though - the last thing she wanted was a fangirl. Before she did anything, she needed to get spiced up, so to the bar she went.

And that was when she heard a word she knew wasn’t too common in Japanese bars: ‘Baiju’.

Kozue had just been prepared to make an order herself, when the woman sitting next to her caught her attention with that. It wasn’t just the word, but the way she said it. Unlike most Americans, Kozue could tell the difference between Asians, well enough to have a strong idea on where this particular one came from.

”Baiju?” She swung around on the stool, getting a good look at the lady beside her. Cute thing, close to her size and build, with a neat hairstyle. What did they call those things? Oxhorns, something like that? ”What, the local brews scaring you off? Playing it safe?”

A loud but confident voice was all it took to snap Lai out of her drink-deprived haze and back to her surroundings. She was so focused on getting in the first drink, that she had completely missed the girl that was sitting directly to her left. She swiveled her head to face the girl, gathering in a good looks as she did.

She dressed particularly casually, with loose fitting but comfortable looking clothes. Not to mention her rather cute facial features. Only then did Lai bother even thinking about her own appearance. She hadn't even thought of going to a hotel to even change first, making her realize that appearance probably made her look distinctly Chinese and out of place.

She wore a loose unzipped jacket and a t-shirt inside that had Chinese script written on it, denoting a local brand that many in Japan had probably never heard of. Her lower half wasn't much better, with tight-fitting jeans and sandals. Needless to say the look didn't go well together, but Lai rarely thought clearly when she was thirsty.

And to make matters worse, Lai had completed forgotten her luggage in the back of the taxi. Man, I really gotta slow down sometimes, huh? Looks like she was going to have to make a lot of phone calls to local cab companies tonight. Lai shook of the thought as her drink arrived, just in time to chug it down again and finish it with a satisfied smack of the lips before finally responding to the girl.

"I would hardly call Baiju playing it safe" Lai replied with a slight chuckle.

She began swirling the empty glass in her hands while meeting eyes with the woman. "Besides if this is what the local brews have to offer, than I guess I have nothing to be scared off."

She placed the drink back down and extended her right hand out to the girl. "Hi, I'm Lai. It's my first day in town, although I bet I've made that pretty obvious."

Kozue couldn’t help but try and piece together this woman’s puzzle right out of the gate, hoping to figure her out. Tourist? Maybe. IT wasn’t too weird to see Chinese in Japan, they visited all the time, but you didn’t see them in bars too often, and less often on this side of town. They tended to hang around the airport, and when they strayed, they went to the bigger sites, the famous stuff. Wanted to maximize their time. Not hanging out in a fun little lez bar in the city shadows, and not drinking stuff they could get easy enough back home.

And they weren’t always this cute, though that was more on Kozue’s preferences. Girl could’ve used a lesson in clothing coordination, but otherwise…

”I mean, don’t get me wrong, baiju’s strong. Not saying anything else. But.” She wagged a finger her way. ”You don’t come a long way just to get what you can get back home, right? That’d be like me coming here and ordering, like, a hot dog or something, first day off the plane.” She turned away for a moment and brought her focus to the shelves, scanning them while the bartender slid over beside them. ”Tokyo’s got some good local brews. Just have to know what to ask for...like…” She snapped her fingers. ”Awamori. That’s mine.”

The bartender nodded, gave a look between the two of them, and went at it, pouring Kozue a glass while she swung back around to the Chinesewoman. Lai. Simple name. ”Eh, not that obvious. I was gonna go with the third day, maybe the fourth.”

She reached out and took Lai’s hand with a hard slap and a playful shake. “Kozue Kaburagi, been here five years about. American...although, I bet made that pretty obvious.”

The woman's handshake was alot more playful than she was anticipating. She even recoiled a bit for how hardy and colloquial it was. Back home, if someone had dared to greet her in such a manner, she would have taken it with immense disrespect. Handshakes were no different than bows, they were a formal means of showing one's gratitude after having first met; nothing to be taken lightly for someone raised as formally as Lai Feng. But the way Kozue approached the handshake suggested the complete opposite. There was no disrespect in her shake, only an innocent gestured accompanied with a sense of amusement.  

Lai certainly was in need of some cultural adjustment. Besides, it looked like fun, being able to interact with others without having to worry about pleasantries and formalities. Lai just needed to loosen up a little, and what better way to do that than with a few more drinks? She scanned the shelves for a few seconds, before setting her eyes on a bottle and motioning for the bartender once more. "How 'bout that one, uh... Umeshu!" The bartender returned with yet another glass in hand, fill only halfway with Lai's choice and three perfectly cubical ice cubes.

Lai took a sip, opting to slowly enjoy the drink this time instead of chugging it down like before. It was surprisingly sweet, a taste Lai didn't mind at all actually. She raised her glass towards Kozue and nodded her head with approval. "Not so bad after all." She raised the glass to her lips and took another sip before bringing it back down so that she held it near her waist. "American eh? What brings you out all this way? Lez bars back home weren't cuttin' it I bet, huh?" Lai asked teasingly with a smile.

Kozue leaned over, proper her chin in her palm, and watched as Lan scanned the local choices, making a silent bet on which one she’d go for. Something good, well known out of the island. You didn’t want to get too crazy with experimenting when your taste buds and wallet were on the line. Something sweet, too, like-

”Umeshu, good choice.” She nodded her approval and went about pouring out her own bottle, getting the glass half full. Only one cube. She watched from the side eye as Lai sipped away, then had a quick giggle at the review. ”Told you, told you. Japan’s full of surprises, trust me. Thought I’d have to import good stuff when I got over here, but the drinking scene’s been on point.”

She raised her glass and dipped forward, tapping against Lai’s then brought it to her lips, sipping it down quick. She jerked her head back as the punch set in, knocking her back with a laugh, and she licked the rest off her lips. ”Love a drink that fights me. But yeah!” She swung back around to Lan and crossed her legs, getting nice and comfy. ’American. And I wouldn’t know, I’m a first-timer. Kind of new to...a lot of shit, really. Figured this was a good one to start, close to my job.”

She waved her hand about, then went over to pour another glass. ”I came to wrestle, down the street.” She canted her head towards the Friction arena, peeking through one of the nearby windows. ”You?”

Lai was enjoying the friendly chat between her self and her new acquaintance. She was relaxed, easygoing, and nonchalant - all the things Lai was trying to be as she slowly removed herself from her uptight upbringing. And a real easy on the eyes as well. She definitely could learn a thing or two from her, that was for sure.

First-timer, maybe I can teach her a thing or two myself. She twirled the drink by her waist letting out an ever so slight chuckle along with Kozue's laugh. She raised the the glass to her lips while Kozue talked, the liquid inside having just entering her mouth before the woman said something that really peaked her interests.

"A wrestler!?" Lai nearly chocked on her drink while saying it. She pounded her chest with a closed fists and let out a couple of coughs, laughing with embarrassment at her over-the-top reaction. "Haha, sorry about that. It's just that this is such a big coincidence." Lai let out a few more grunts before shifting on her seat and readjusting her posture, an even bigger smile now covering her face.

"I'm here to do the same! AFW right? Gosh that's crazy. What's it like? Have you been in a lot of matches? What kind?" Lai felt like a little kid meeting her greatest icon, despite the fact they had only met a few minutes ago. She hoped she wasn't coming off as too forward, but she couldn't help but contain her excitement for having just met someone who would be in the same league as her. Her glass was off to the side on the table, Lai now being completed invested in the conversation.

Kozue jumped when Lai burst out in coughing, thinking for a moment that the woman had something going down the wrong pipe. She leaned forward, brows furrowed, until it was clear that her new drinking buddy wasn’t having any serious problem. Just surprised. Though she could help but chuckle at the reason.

”Coincidence. Right.” She had another long sip before she spoke again, smirking all the way. There was a time when she would’ve had a similar reaction when she came across another wrestler, but those days were long past. ”This sort of thing happens to me, like...once a month, minimum. Trust me, AFW girls bump into each other all the time. Hell, I’m surprised I’m the first you ran into. This area around the arena, it’s like a lesbian hotspot. Throw a can out a window and you’ll hit one.”

She was exaggerating, but not by that much.

”But yeah, been in the AFW for...fuck, six years? Six years.” God, saying it out loud made her feel old. ”Was Tension, just came over to Friction, and it’s been…” Kozue blinked a few times as she processed the proper answer, then gave in with a sigh. ”An experience. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, sometimes fucking bad, sometimes fucking good. Could write a book. Don’t think anyone’d believe half the stuff in it, but I’d write it.”

Kozue tapped the table and looked off to the side, with a small smile tugging at her lips. ”Don’t regret it, though. What's your deal, though? Wrestle anywhere else? China even have a wrestling scene?”

Six years. Sure there were some wrestlers who'd been in the league for far longer than that, but six years was still nothing to scoff at. That was six years of blood, sweat, and tears, and from the nostalgic trance Kozue was in, it seemed like she had been through all of that. Lai listened intensely, treating each word like it was scripture, something to be admired and revered. Who knows, maybe one day she'll be sitting in this very bar again, chatting it away with some noobie six years down the line. The thought brought a smile to her face.

"Wrestle anywhere? Not exactly" Lai's eyes bounced around the table, the urge to have another drink slowly creeping it's way into her mind. She eyed the glass she had discard not too long ago and took another swig before resuming her answer.

"Fighting though, I did that all over the place. Even been to America once for a fight, Baltimore I think it was." Lai deliver the last comment with a little upnod in Kozue's direction.

"You familiar with Lethwei?" she gave a slight pause to gauge Kozue's reaction before continuing on. "Pretty much Muay Thai but without less gloves and more headbutts." Lai finished up her drink before setting it down on the table and signaling for yet another one, to which the bartender happily obliged.

"But no, never wrestled. But I figured, hey, If I can smash a girls face in with my bare fists, then throwing her around a ring shouldn't be too difficult right?" she let out a slight chuckle before going in to take another sip of her drink.

”Oh, you went to Charm City, huh? Hell of a place to start if you’re looking for fights, yeah.” It wasn’t the hardest thing to picture. She’d rolled through Baltimore a few times, and she could see Lan in the back alleys, wrecking up some dumbass who thought he had an easy mark. Granted, she just said she fought there, didn’t say how well she’d done. It was how she wanted to picture it, though.

Kozue edge forward in her seat, getting a little closer. Both because she wanted this conversation to stay private, but also to dip her toes into Lan’s personal space. She hadn’t forgotten the original reason she’d come here. She could be friendly and flirty. ”Oh, yeah, lethwai. I am totally, 100%, super familiar with lethwai.” She made sure to speak with a tone and shifty eyes that conveyed she’d never even heard of the style before. It did sound badass from the way Lan described it, though.

”Eh, you’ll fit in fine as is. We get MMA types, boxers, kickboxers, whatever the hell that Yusuf dude is. You name it, you’ll fight it. Big tent.” Kozue tipped the glass for another pour, then decided to just screw it and go straight from the bottle. WIth legs crossed, she tapped Lan’s knee with her toe, a playful poke as she leaned back.

”Buuuuuuuuuut. You ever want to learn a few things, stop by my place sometime, I’ll break out the mats for you.” She straightened up after another gulp. ”You know. Strictly as a professional, vet/rookie sort of thing. Super innocent.”