Every New Beginning

Taylor smiled. She had meant what happens next in her life, in their lives, but Johnny's answer was probably more helpful anyway. "Yeah." She said. "You stink."

Akashi's excitement spilled over into Cassie and the little Canadian girl lit up along with her, until she realized that she wouldn't come close to fitting into anything Akashi would wear.

"Aw!" She complained, and then thought for a moment. "Well, who's gonna take the picture, eh?" She had her there.

"Kashi, you gotta know, if you train with this chick she will either make you a very patient person or she will make you kill her or yourself. That's how Cassie rolls, either people turn into better people, or people die." Taylor said. "And god help you if you let her teach you stuff, which if you're not a fuckin' retard you will. There's always something wrong with something. Right?"

Cassie was very exacting and very eager to master every technique. In training, Taylor was a terrible perfectionist and drove herself to repeat a technique until she could execute it flawlessly in any situation she could think of. Cassie, on the other hand, needed to understand every technique. Taylor didn't think too much about that, if she could feel it that was enough for her. Cassie's approach led to endless streams of questions and experiments and so forth. It got to be very taxing.

"You can laugh now, but when I'm a sumo master you'll be sorry." Cassie said. "And so will YOU." She jabbed Akashi's belly with her finger. "When I'm the best sumo and you're not. You'll all be sorry! Except Mamouru. He'll be happy about it."

Taylor stepped on the heel of Cassie's shoe hard enough to make her stumble. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Akashi waved her hand. "Bah! We'll figure that out!" She exclaimed. Silly details! Akashi stuck out her tongue at Taylor and grinned. "I already AM a patient person! I have yoooou for my sister, Taylor-chaaaan~" She cooed and then started to laugh. She then furrowed her brow at Cassie. "W-Why would I be sorry you were sumo master!? Then my greatest goal will be achieved! And then it will be only a matter of time before we storm professional wrestling! And We'll kick everyone's ass with our awesome skills... and our boobs!" Akashi suddenly became cutely angry as she pounded her fist into her palm. "Damn those... PENISES!" She shouted unusually loudly.

"It's THEIR fault I couldn't be a professional sumo! And that I could never live up to my family name! That I could never become Yokozuna or... that I lust after the womenfolk!" Akashi sighed, still walking backwards. "But then... I would never have become a wrestler and I never would have been a champ and all that other good stuff that I guess is way better than just being a stinky ol sumo." She muttered with a coy smile tugging at her lips. "I wouldn't be right here with the people I love!" Akashi then pointed to Mamouru. "And that guy." She then looked at Johnny. "And you, because I have to because Taylor loves you. But I wouldn't dislike you if you weren't Taylor's man, because you're not so bad for a guy, Johnny-kun!" Akashi then looked at Cassie. "And You're too cute not to love!" She added. "Plus, if we're going to train, then we will have a true bond! Yosh!" She added as she wiggled her pinky at Cassie.

Akashi then turned around. "Yatta! We're here!" She exclaimed as she ran towards the little house her and Mina had bought. They had even had a car, at least Mina did. But now there was just an empty spot where it used to be. Akashi sighed but ignored it as she pulled out her keys and opened the door.

"Alright, gaijin!" She said with a furrowed brow and wry grin. "Shoes off in my place!"

"Shaddap." Taylor said.

"Becaaaauuuse!" Cassie explained loudly. "Then I'd beat you all the time. Then I'd be the one struttin' around in a fancy kimono all like 'lookit me, I'm the great Cassie Elliot'." She said, and began strutting around, zig-zagging back and forth across the sidewalk.

Taylor looked over at Johnny. "She doesn't love you." She said with feigned sympathy. "It's okay. I love you enough for everyone."

Cassie shot Akashi a look. "I'm not that cute." She said sternly. In that moment, there was nothing cute about her. She was serious.

Taylor had to laugh.

"A'right, fine, you're not cute, I'm not a bitch, and Akashi's not a big fat bitch." She said, and reached ahead to pat Cassie on the head. "There there."

Cassie shot Taylor a look over her shoulder like she was on the verge of mauling her like a rabid bear. Taylor just smiled back.

Before entering Akashi's apartment, Taylor and Cassie both stood on one foot while they worked on taking off their boots. Despite their partially inebriated state, they were able to balance without even wobbling a little until they were in socks. Taylor's were bright red. Cassie's little feet were striped like a candy cane.

"Yes!" Akashi said as if what Cassie was saying was what she wanted. "Then I could have a real reason to get stronger! Being on top is great but nothing lasts forever. The truly strong are the ones who can pull themselves yup even after facing defeat! The ones who can become the strongest a second, third r fourth time! Not every sumo wins every match! My second trip to the Friction title will be even more glorious than my first!"

Jonny just grinned at Taylor and Akashi. The big sumo seemed to have some sort of degree of affection for almost everyone so he shrugged it off. He knew what she was saying anyway. It was sort of funny to see Mamouru get dumped on though. The brown haired twin just trying to politely smile it away. e wasn't about to get into it with the big sumo.

Akashi furrowed her brow at Taylor. "I'm not a big fat.. bitch... you... sexy bastard... oh crap..." She said as she hunched over and grabbed her stomach. She shook her head and then sprang up and hopped away from her foyer and into the big front room. "Make yourselves comfortable!" She chirped.

Johnny and Mamouru had more success taking off their shoes, Johnny opting for some white ankle highs and Mamouru in a sleek pair of black gold toes.

Inside the room was a nice sofa and a nice television. The place had been kept neat and inside were lots of very old looking things. wall scrolls, swords, fans and even the helmet from a suit of armor. The television probably looked more out of place than the rest of it. There were also a small bit of work out equipment. Some loose weights and a jump rope in a little box in the corner as well as a mat rolled up. On the small table near the couch was a picture of Akashi and Mina dressed up and fancy clothes, with big smiles on their faces and another one of Akashi and Taylor that had been taken before their fight and beside that was a picture of two male sumo wrestlers engaged in a grapple with one in a green mawashi clearly overpowering another man. Nestled between all three pictures was a saucer with a sake cup placed in between them.

Akashi appeared from wherever she had trodded off two with an arm full of cups and a bottle. "First we all have a glass of sake and then, we get a that picture!" She said with a big smile as she looked at the group.

"Oooh..." Cassie respectfully padded into the place and went from one thing to the next, gawking wide eyed at all of Akashi's old fashioned stuff. She kept her hands together at her chest so she wouldn't be tempted to touch things, and she looked at the scrolls on the wall and the helmet and the pictures, but was particularly interested in the picture of the two sumo.

She leaned in closer to it and scrutinized it, the details of it, the age of the picture, the position and apparent momentum of each wrestler, their physiques, their top knotted hair, the circular ring. She noted the green mawashi, just like Akashi's, and looked at the man's face, and then at Akashi when she returned to the room. Interesting.

Taylor and Johnny made themselves cozy on the couch. Taylor was too worn out and content from two long days and late nights in a row to have much pluck about her. Cassie, on the other hand, was still too excited to sit still.

She eyed the sake cautiously. She felt light headed and sort of fuzzy, and she didn't know if drinking anything else was a good idea for her. It was her first time, after all. But... it was a very special occasion. Maybe special wasn't the word... that made it sound like a good thing, and it was, but there were parts that weren't so good too. She felt a million miles away when she looked at Taylor.

"What?" Taylor said, and shifted on the couch. Cassie was being weird.

She just shook her head and smiled, and then turned her attention back to Akashi. "Please let me help you." She said, and bowed her head as she began to take the glasses from Akashi and carefully line them up on the table. She took the bottle and opened it and poured each cup as carefully as she could in the way she'd seen people do it in pictures, holding the bottle with both hands with her palms facing down. She filled all five cups and handed them out, and then lifted her own.

She placed the cup in her palm and held it with her other hand while she looked back at Akashi. She didn't know what she felt at that very moment, but it was significant. It was important, like how she felt when she looked at Taylor only the opposite. Maybe she was getting ahead of herself. There she was, thinking about her relationship with Akashi and the possibilities of training with her, teaching her, becoming friends, competing with her... When she was just a silly little girl with more skill than ambition, and more wonder than sense.

She lowered her eyes to the floor. It was probably just the alcohol that was making her silly.

Taylor clung to Johnny, but carefully watched Cassie from her spot on the couch. Something was up with the girl, of course Taylor could spot it, she knew her very well, but she had no idea of what it was. Or maybe she did, and didn't want to admit it. She was proud of Cassie, she wanted to push her and help her be who she was, and she was excited for her future in AFW and in Friction, but...she was also scared. So many terrible things happened in that arena. It would literally kill her to see them happen to Cassie.

She respected Cassie, though, and that was enough to help Taylor put her fears for the girl aside. She was going to grow up and become something great, and she was going to get hurt on the way. That was just the way it worked. Taylor wanted to try to stay away from the arena as much as she could, but god help anyone who tried to take in-ring rivalry too far with Cassie. She felt so torn between wanting to protect Cassie in the ways that Taylor never allowed Cassie to do, and wanting to let her go and become a strong, independent woman on her own that she wanted to cry.

Cassie lifted her sake cup. "Yosh!"

Akashi looked in at the scene as she came back with drinks and looked at Taylor as her and Johnny were on the couch. She smiled and then grinned. "Don't get too comfy!" She exclaimed. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight. You two can have my bed." Akashi turned her head. "It's clean, dammit!" She then grinned. "Just don't mess it up too badly!" She then looked at the other two, barely noticing Cassie passing out drinks.

"Cassie-san and Mamouru-kun can sleep in the guest room." She threw her hand into the air. "As a host it is my duty to provide for my beloved guests! But, uh... I think I only have one futon..." Her eyes then went wide. She didn't think about Mamouru and Cassie sleeping together int he same room and blushed as her brow furrowed and she tried to think of a way out of this predicament.

Mamouru seemed to step forward with a casual smile. "It's ok, Tanikaze-san. I don't mind sleeping on the couch. Or, I can call a taxi." He added. He was that drunk really. And, of course he wanted to stay in the same room with Cassie. They HAD slept in the same room together, but he wondered if Cassie would be comfortable in less than spacious quarters. He could probably manage to walk to his mother's house. He wasn't that drunk.

"No no no!" Akashi said waving her hands. "You are my guests, my responsibility! You'll all stay here!" She said until Cassie handed her her sake. Akashi blinked. "C-Cassie-san!" She exclaimed. "You're not supposed to..." Serve yourself. She didn't finish the last words. She shrugged and raised her glass at Cassie's enthusiastic shout. "KAMBAI!" She bellowed and tossed her sake back like a champion. She then opened her mouth and let out a contented sigh as the liquid burned down her throat. She then clapped her hands together.

"Cassie-san!" She said pointing at the small redhead. "You will help me fish out clothes! In Japan, clothes are made to fit regardless of size! And you can always dress in one of Mina-chan's outfits! She likes brighter colors anyway! Yosh!" Without another word, she marched towards her room, determined to get things in order.

Taylor threw back her sake like a champ, while Cassie sipped timidly at it. She shook her head as it burned down her throat. "Blech!" Of course she didn't want to be rude. She took another sip, to the same end.

"Oh! I like bright colors too. Who's Mina?" Cassie asked, and followed along after Akashi. "Do you think she has any-WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT SLEEPING WITH-" She burst out suddenly when she realized what Akashi had said about the sleeping arrangements. She continued in a hushed voice like she was whisper-yelling. "I can't sleep with Mamouru! It'd be... it'd be... um..." She scratched her head and her cheeks reddened. Probably just from the sake.

Taylor looked over at Mamouru, now that the three of them were alone. He'd been quiet. He was sort of the least welcome of the five, the fifth wheel, and she almost felt bad for him. But then, he was Mamouru, and he deserved every bit of it.

"So you still got eyes for Cassie, huh?" She remarked impassively. "I'm sure it'd be a bigger deal if you didn't also have eyes for every other chick with nice body." She picked her feet up onto the couch to curl up. "Ya know she's got bigger boobs than me? How the fuck is that fair?" She paused for a moment, and then started again with a tone that lacked snark.

"I... you guys need to help. With Cassie. I want her to be... I want her to grow up on her own and like, find her own way and stuff. I want her to be strong. But... I want all of us to help her as much as we fucking can. A'right? You be nice. I've been talking to Cassie about her getting out there more with Friction. Booking more matches and stuff. She's been doing all this shit backstage like doing office work and being little miss amateur assistant reporter and whatever. Stuff that's not what she came here to do. I told her to cut the shit and go for it, and I think she can actually do it. She has everything I don't. So... Don't fuck with her." She said, clearly directing the last part at Mamouru, and so sternly she could've made anyone squirm, if not with her voice than with her piercing, intense, blue-eyed stare.

Akashi forwned at Cassie's words as she lead her back to her room. In her room there was a nice looking bed. Mina and Akashi decided a while ago that they needed a really nice bed, so they opted against a traditional futon style for something... sturdier. The room was less spectacular than the sitting room and instead just had a few simple wall scrolls of mount fuji and a simple Shinto shrine as well as a dresser with a few more pictures similar to the ones out in the living room, except there were ones of Akashi's brother and mother and some other sumo who were famous and not.

Akashi stepped to a closet as she answered Cassie, raising an eyebrow at the outburst.

"C-Cassie-san!" She exclaimed. "Not sleep with, sleep byyyy" Akashi's eyes widened. "O-Ohhhh... is he... is he a .. pervert hentai!?" She said with a gasp. Akashi wrapped an arm around Cassie and pulled her close. "We'll sleep together then! I'll protect you from any creepo pervs, Cassie-san!" She exclaimed. Her grip then loosened but she kept her hand on Cassie's shoulder as she turned to her closet, remembering what else Cassie has said. She let out a soft sigh.

"She was.. is... ahhh... She was my girlfriend, Cassie-san." Akashi said. "I'm pretty sure she left me a month or so back. We were going to be wed, but..." Akashi shrugged, knowing if she went too much further she might start to cry. "She still has some of her outfits here. I .. she didn't like them, I think, but maybe she wore them for my sake. I liked for us to look nice together. Not that she didn't look nice. She looked great. Always. I just... I'm old fashioned, I guess." She said with a smile.

Akashi pulled out a bright, orange yukata and held it up for Cassie. "Oh..." She said. It looked like it was huge next to her. "But the secret is how you tie the obi sash, Cassie-san." She instructed with a sagely nod. "The pants as well." Akashi said as she pulled out a pair of light blue hakama pants. "I can make sure they are snug at the waist and loose at the..." Akashi giggled at tugged at her own kimono. "Where it counts, eheh..." Akashi then tilted her head. "Cassie-san." She said in a whisper. "You have really nice assets, you shouldn't be ashamed to show them off a little bit." She added with a wink.


Mamouru's eyes focused on Taylor as she started talking to him. As she continued, his eyes narrowed. Maybe the last hit of sake had pushed him over the edge but he wrinkled his nose at her glare. "I care about her." He said. "I don't care if you believe it or not. If things between her and I stay exactly as they are now forever, then so be it. As long as she's happy, that's what matters to me." Mamouru took a step forward.

"And I HAVE been helping her." He added. "I've done everything I can to make sure she's as good in the ring as she is capable of being because I've seen how good she can be. You've been talking to her? I've booked her matches. I've put her name out there. I got her away from that swamp she was stuck in working for Drake! I've put my reputation on the line for her!"

Mamouru ran his fingers through his hair and let out a breath. "So, congratulations for talking to her!" He said and threw up his hands. "I want her to be the best because she is the best and unless she tells me to back off, then I'll do everything in my power to make it happen." Mamouru turned his head. "I'm tired of you looking at me like I'm the evilest man around. Maybe I'm a prick, but the fact that you think you need to throw glances at me for Cassie's sake...." Mamouru held his tongue further. 'You do not." He added simply.

"Oh." Said Cassie. "I get it." Her eyes widened slightly and she shook her head at Akashi. "No, that's okay! I can sleep in the guest room, he won't bother me." She insisted.

Her face softened as she listened to Akashi. She couldn't help but give her a hug, wrapping her arms around Akashi's stomach from behind while the sumo sorted out clothes. She didn't say anything, to her a hug was all you ever really needed to say.

"I like the orange." She said. "It matches my hair! How come you're so old fashioned?" She reached out and felt the cloth. It was so feminine.

Akashi's compliment startled her, and she jumped as if frightened. She had no idea what to say, and she opened her mouth to speak but knew she'd just end up stuttering. She saved herself the trouble and closed it again, glanced down at her chest and then back at Akashi with a shy grin.


"You know what I mean." Taylor said quietly.

As Mamouru went on, Johnny could undoubtedly tell that Taylor was becoming increasingly agitated. She stiffened, her posture straightened, and her glare only darkened. Her upper lip curled at Mamouru's remarks, until finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"Goddamn right you're a prick." She said. She put her feet back on the floor and leaned forward. "You booked her one match. One. With who? Megumi Fucking Mutoh. Do you know how much this girl looked up to that bitch? You fucked with her head and put her in there against one of her goddamn role models, and told her to act like some kinda bad ass when she doesn't have a bad ass bone in her body!" She almost shouted, and then tried to quiet back down so Cassie would at least not be able to tell what they were arguing about.

"Look, not for nothin', man, don't fuckin' try to change her, a'right? She doesn't need to change. Out of everyone here, you talk the most about her being so great, but you're the only one that thinks that she can't cut it as-is."

"I do, though." Came Cassie's soft voice from off to Taylor's left. She'd crept back into the room unnoticed, at least by Taylor. "I know... I can't be the best if I keep on trying to make everyone feel good. So... I know I need to change, and maybe not like how Mamouru thought, but... I just need to grow up. There's nothing wrong with that."

Taylor winced. "Look, Cassie, I'm just trying to-" Cassie put a hand on her shoulder. "I just want to..." She caught her eye and paused for a moment, and then looked down. "Whatever."

"I know." Cassie said gently. "Now shut up." She gave Mamouru a playfully stern look. "You too." Then she looked at Johnny blankly and nodded.

"Everyone's got to get changed, anyway." She said and went back for Akashi. "Akashi, they were defending me! Like, from each other."

Akashi began pulling out a pile of clothes. for the boys, it would be no issue to wear Akashi's stuff. Her stuff was dark and boyish anyway. They would look good in anything she had. And for Taylor, well, she had already had an outfit made that she had only worn once. The day that Taylor had quit. She looked at it and sighed as Cassie spoke to her. "For the Jpanese, family and ancestors are very important. I think that we are a family who is stuck in the past but I am more so. It makes me feel like I am living with those powerful warriors of olden days. Like I could go out and battle right by my grandfathers' sides even though I'm just a girl. Or maybe it reminds me of my father. Either way, it's just how it is and I am thankful for it." Akashi pulled the outfit out and heaped it onto Cassie.

"Go on and tell them we're ready for them."

Johnny had felt it. He'd been witness to this scene numerous times before. It was definitely a pickle to have his fiancee and twin brother constantly at odds, but Taylor would be fine and Mamouru probably deserved anything he got. His grip tightened around Taylor but not to old her back, just to let her know that he was there.

Mamouru scolwed at Taylor. Her rant was predictable and proved the point that he had not even made. The one he held his tongue for just to be civil. As civil as was possible around Taylor. She didn't have a clue about what he was doing or what he had done. And he was certain that even if she was closer to Cassie, that she didn't really get what Cassie needed to move forward. He wasn't trying to change her but arguing with Taylor was pointless. Still, it was an endeavor he was drunk enough to pursue until Cassie intervened.

Mamouru threw up his hands and gave a smile to Cassie as if to tell her he wasn't going to cause anymore problems. Not with Cassie around, at least. Though, he had a small bone to pick, he left it where it was.

"Yes! Time to change!" Akashi said as she came into the room with a big pile of clothes. She set it down on the open space next to Johnny and then clapped her hands. "Wonderful!" She exclaimed, not knowing what Cassie was talking about. "Well, now that Cassie-san is secure and safe from... everyone..." She paused and then smiled wider. "You two!" She exclaimed and pointed to Johnny and Mamouru. "You know how to wear this stuff! Your clothes are in the bedroom! Go change!"

"Ah... Is that alright, Tanikaze-san?" Mamouru asked.

Akashi nodded her head. "Yes, yes!" She said and shooed him. "Just don't... run through my drawers or anything gross like that! Come on now!" Akashi gave Cassie a strange look before turning to Johnny. She reached down and grabbed his arm and physically yanked him away from Taylor.

"Y-Yo, dude! What the hell!?" He exclaimed.

"You two have the rest of your lives to get all lovey dovey! Go change!" She swung her hips forward and shoved him with it, sending him stumbling towards the bedroom.

"Fine, geeze! She's real pushy, babe!" Johnny said with a grin. "I guess I'll be back in a few minutes?" He really had no clue what was going on, but disappeared when Akashi scowled playfully at him.

Akashi watched the boys leave and made sure the door was closed before spinning around. "Alright, you two!" She said with a bright grin on her face. "Now for the best part!" Akashi giggled and turned her head. "At least for meeeee~" She purred. "Time to strip and show me your goods! I mean... so I can get these clothes on you, of course, eheh..."