Wayward Souls

As Tatyina pushed the door open, she was set upon by an intense rush as the cool air conditioned arena was replaced with a blast of heat from the outdoors. She turned her head and tugged at the gray hoodie that she wore. Highly inappropriate for such warm weather but off duty Tatyina wore it regardless of the season. The shadow cast over her eyes saved her from the sun momentarily dazing her but a small bead of sweat nearly instantly formed and dripped down her pale cheek. She let a soft pant escape her lips and turned and unzipped the duffle bag that hung at her side and took a squirt bottle out and wet her tongue and throat with a cool drink.

The hoodie aside, she was dressed in a long dull gray skirt as well. She didn't like to flaunt herself even though her ring attire was considered to be more than a little risque

She exited through the front door and not the back as she felt she was no better than the people who watched her wrestle. She wasn't very recognized and all the time she had been working she could only recount one time when she was asked for an autograph. That was such an awkward moment and she ended up getting the fan's autograph as well, pinning it up on a small cork board she had in her sparse apartment.

She had recently graduated High school and now found herself part of the real world. She had been wrestling in AFW even before she graduated but decided for now that she needed to remain in the AFW. It was such a fascinating place and there was a dull ache in the back of her head that seemed to tell her it was her purpose to be there. She believed it was her job to do good and the AFW seemed like the best place to make use of her skills.

Initially she had joined to help protect her friends but now, as she continued to make headway in the AFW, she found she barely spoke to her old friends from school. Most moved on to university. The others had just lost communication. She thought it was for the best, they would be moving on to bigger and better things.

Now, as the moment of contemplation caught Tatyina, she was bumped by an exiting fan. After bowing and apologizing, she looked over the line. The AFW dome was perpetually sold out and often was at least a month in advance. A sort of tradition had formed where fans would come and stand in line and hope to find a ticket some how or catch a glimpse of one of their favorite wrestlers. As time went on, it sort of became a tradition and contests and promotions were even held for those in line and it became sort of like getting into an exclusive club.

Tatyina wished she could help these people out. She was afraid that the line might get violent after restless or disappointed fans were told to go home after hours of waiting in line. As an employee, she was privy to free tickets. At first, she would give them to her friends but now she was left with no real use for them. She had no one to give them to and stopped and looked in her bag. She opened it up and took out a ticket. Because she was by no means a top bill, celebrity, she was only able to get one. After discreetly looking up and down the line, she swallowed hard and began to approach a girl who looked young like herself. Tatyina was heartbroken she didn't have enough tickets so she spent a whole minute trying to decide upon someone who seemed like they would enjoy it the most. Something about the girl she laid eyes on made her think that she might do anything to get inside of the arena. Cautiously and very carefully, she glanced from side to side. As to not provoke the others standing in line, she went up to the girl and quietly spoke.

"E-excuse me." Her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I was able to get us into the arena." She said as she lowered her head and held out a ticket. She lifted up her gray eyes in hiopes that she could try and convince the girl to pretend that they knew one another.

It seemed like the last week of Emily's life was spent waiting or queueing for one thing or another. She waited for what seemed like forever for a taxi down the street from her mother's house in London while the rain matted her hair and rolled down her long rain coat. Until recently it had been her parent's house, but now only her mother lived there, and that was why she was leaving.

She waited in line for a plane ticket, to get through security, to board the plane, to get off again, for her luggage, for an English speaking person to help direct her to proper lodging, for a taxi to take her there... It was all terribly troublesome, and that was all before she'd set foot out in this new country. The queues were even longer in Tokyo than they were in London, which both astounded and aggravated her.

Now she found herself waiting in the longest, most infuriating line she'd ever seen. She'd been waiting for a chance to buy a ticket to the evening's Friction show for what felt like hours, and she seemed no closer to the ticket booth for her trouble. Getting into a Friction show seemed like her best chance, if not her only chance, of making contact with the person she'd come all this way to find. Someone who'd understand her for who she was, which was something her parents certainly were not.

Her hopes of getting in to the show were all but dashed when she saw the length of the line. A few AFW personnel had conducted some bawdy, uncouth, makeshift contests to exchange tickets for the dignity of the fans, but certainly Emily wasn't going to give in to that. As the time drew nearer to the start of the show, she began to understand that where she stood was about as close to the inside of arena as she would get that evening. She wasn't going to throw away the rest of her evening waiting for nothing, and so with a scowl she turned to leave.

She ran right into someone who apparently had been standing immediately to her left. Her scowl deepened, she didn't make eye contact, and she went to just skirt around the person and be on her way but the person started talking. Whispering, more like it, what an odd, drab, prudish little girl, older than Emily herself, but not much bigger if at all.

"Pardon..." Emily began, but her eyes suddenly locked on the ticket in the red haired girl's hand. Then she had her full attention, though she didn't let her eagerness show on her face. "What d'you..." Oh. She caught on and played right along.

"Oh, yes, brilliant. At last you've come to free me from this wretched queue. Shall we go in? It's nearly time." She said, her youthful voice restrained with an English accent. Truthfully, she'd grown up in Liverpool and had come to view her accent as coarse and vulgar, and she'd put great effort into emulating the accents of the London upper-class.

She had no idea as to who this girl was or why she would just hand her a ticket so discretely, but she was in no position to turn her down. If nothing else the heat outside had taken it's toll on her, especially given that she was admittedly not dressed particularly well for it. Her dark tan raincoat was belted tightly around her waist and fell to her knees, and below that she wore her rather expensive black flat ankle boots. She hated sweating, and she was unquestionably at that point rather sweaty.

She didn't need to say anything more to the girl. Ticket in hand, she just needed to get through the doors and find a good place by the entrance ramp. If this girl wanted something from her, she may just be disappointed.

Tatyina was startled but not completely taken aback by the girl's accent and rude behavior. "Yes, well." She said as she watched the ticket get snatched away from her. "Please walk with me at least until we are inside." She said softly as they made their way to the entrance. Tatyina looked nervously at Emily, sparing only a few glances as she took on the girl. "It's difficult to get a ticket and I would hate if others caught wind that I was giving one to you, you see." She fidgeted with her hoodie draw strings. "I certainly don't want the one I have to go to waste and you looked like you were very determined to see tonight's show." She lifted her head up and looked at Emily. Her lips twitched as if they might form a smile but it never came to fruition.

Tatyina stepped in front of Emily as they approached the arena and she held the door open for the girl and bowed her head as she passed. She then qu8ickly ducked in behind the girl and as Emily would go to give her ticket tot he ticket taker, Tatyina would pull out a lanyard that was tucked into her hoodie and flash a badge that indicated she was a wrestler as she walked past uninterrupted. She would then wait for Emily on the other side of the turn style, her head lowered and her hands crossed in front of her at the wrists.

As Emily handed her ticket over to the AFW employee, she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye. It certainly didn't look like this mysterious benefactor of hers following suit and handing a ticket to the person. How odd.

A few steps into the hall the led around the arena, Emily stopped and turned to face Tatyina. "Thank you ever so much for this ticket, but how did you happen to find yourself with an extra? And, well, are the seats together? I've got no one to accompany me... Can I see your stub?" She asked glibly, holding out her hand for Tatyina's phantom ticket.

As Emily approached and graciously thanked Tatyina for the ticket, the young girl bowed and a soft smile came over her lips. "You are very welcome." She said in her quiet tone. But when Emily asked for a ticket stub, Tatyina lifted up her head, her pale cheeks forming a blush that would be unnoticeable on someone with even normal skin tone. "Um.. well.." She said turning her head away. "T-the seat IS open.' She paused and looked up at Emily. "Would you really like me to come watch the match with you?" She asked. Her heart began to beat a little faster. Could she be making a friend? She hoped so. Emily seemed nice enough so far.

She then glanced down at Emily's hand. She had better address the girl's desires. "Actually." She said as her blush deepened. "I'm a wrestler here. That ticket is something I get for working. As an employee I get a seat in the crowd and one ticket for a guest. Or two tickets if I don't want to attend that evening or have a match." Tatyina then looked up at Emily. "I hope that isn't a problem. I... I'd still like to watch the matches with you... if that's ok, Miss..." She bowed her head as she let the silence hang int he air. Tatyina desired proper introductions but was too nervous to ask.

Emily betrayed just a hint of a smile, pleased with herself for having drawn that information out of her new acquaintance. She suspected she was an employee or something, but hadn't thought she'd actually be a wrestler. That was actually a bit exciting.

While she had no actual training, Emily herself had ambitions of becoming a wrestler. Part of her purpose in Japan was to find somewhere that she could learn, or that would teach her despite being so young. But then, Japanese people started practicing everything from birth, didn't they? Maybe that wouldn't be a problem.

"Ah. So I'm to be watching the matches tonight next to a genuine Friction wrestler. I'm so may-ja." She said with an ironic flat tone. "Brilliant. Lead the way, miss."

Emily hesitated when Tatyina waited for her name. A suspicious moment passed. "Clarkson, so happy to meet you. Emily Clarkson." She had a way of sounding sarcastic even when she wasn't. Her dark, dour voice and standoffish demeanor made it difficult for her to meet people. Perhaps she shouldn't let this one slip away, especially since she was a wrestler. Speaking of...

She became serious, looking Tatyina directly in the eyes and putting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm... looking for someone. My aunt. She's a Friction wrestler as well. Her name is Sar- er, Allison Watson. Um..."

A faint look of genuine concern passed over her sullen face. "D'you... know her, yeah? Is she performing tonight?" She asked, a tinge of hopefulness creeping into her voice.

Tatyina had no idea what May-ja was but assumed that Emily was genuine. "Th-there's no need to speak like that, really." Tatyina said blushing from the attention. "I'm no different or better than you just because I work here." She then bowed lower. "The honor is mine, Emily-ue." She said using her old fashioned honorifics. Tatyina began to lead them past the bussling crowd, politely and meekly saying "excuse me." and bowing her head each time she came across a line and a crowd.

As she weaved through the bustle to the part of the Arena that their seats were located, she heard Emily's words. "Oh." She said and bowed her head. "Allison-ue?' She said. "W-we.." She paused. Tatyina decided to hold off on calling them friends. but wanted to speak well of everyone she met. "She's a very good woman and a very tough competitor." She said giving a small nod at her words, pleased with them.

"I don't believe she has a match tonight." She thought. "You must be pleased to be able to visit family." She said. "Oh!" She then turned her head a little embarrassed. "If you are, of course, visiting. I... please forgive me for assuming." She said and lowered her head and continued to lead the way until they were at the top of the entrance into the bowl proper, looking down at what seemed like miles of stairs leading into a pit with a ring in it and two girls grappling wiht each other.

Emily shuffled along behind Tatyina, straining to hear her over the noise of the crowd. "So you do know her? Have you met?" She asked, perhaps a little hopefully. She doubted that Allison would associate with this girl, though, as common as she was. Such a weak personality. She was like a lamb, though Emily, and people like Allison were the wolves. Emily was going to be a wolf.

"I'm surprised that she's not on posters out front, she's so beautiful. And I'm sure that she's quickly making her way to the top. It's only... oh." She mused, mostly to herself, until they reached the inside of the arena. It was so... big. Way off in the distance, the girls in the ring, they looked so small but they seemed like giants. How many people in the arena hung on their every movement.

Wide-eyed and open-mouthed, an excited smile spread across Emily's lips, until she remembered Tatyina. She quickly erased the expression from her face and brushed some of her long, straight brown hair forward to cover more of her face. She took a deep breath and started for the stairs, trying to keep control of herself so as not to look foolish.

"Where are the seats... Beg your pardon, Miss..." Emily said to Tatyina the same way Tatyina had to her earlier.

Tatyina was awed every time she took a look down at the huge bowl shape. She gasped a little but was shaken from her awe by Emily's questions. Emily was very persistent on the topic of Allison. It made Tatyina feel a little warm inside that she revered her family so much. She blushed and smiled once more. "We have met." She said. "We..." Suddenly Tatyina's gray eyes widened slightly. Could she bear to tell Emily that she had beaten Allison in a match? It might break the girl's heart and Tatyina couldn't bear it. She turned her head. "We've met, yes." She decided to stick with that. "She's just as you say." She added.

"Very beautiful." She then tilted her head and looked over Emily. "I.. I see some family resemblance." She added, hoping to appease Emily. "She's new so it will take time for her to get on the marquis." She noted meekly. She then blushed at Emily's words. "Oh!" She bowed her head deeply. "Please forgive me, Emily-ue. My name is Tatyina." She lifted her head up a feint blush on her cheeks. "Just... Tatyina." She added softly. She turned to walk down the stairs. "We're a few rows up from the front. I said that I didn't need these seats but they were very insistent." She said with a soft sigh as she padded down the long stairs towards their row.

"I, oh." Emily started to respond and tell Tatyina that they didn't look anything alike, but the flattery was too much. After all, what if they did look a bit alike? Just the thought of it made her feel good, enough that she couldn't bother to raise her skeptical side and push the compliment aside.

It took conscious effort for Emily to not run ahead of Tatyina. She followed just behind her and to the side, hands in the pockets of her coat. The air was nice in the arena, especially after being outside for so long... her raincoat didn't feel as oppressive in the cooler air.

"Wow," she remarked as they sidled down the row to their seats. "It's so... Who is this in the ring? You've... been in there? That must be quite thrilling."