Takes Me There Every Time

That latter statement didn't fully settle well in Talia's head. Clearly she wasn't girly in a good way. If she was, she wouldn't have been always so...alien to everyone else. Maybe the whole no-nonsense look really would work in her favor. But this was also all a somewhat pointless discussion now that she knew Taylor didn't know that she was Dark Angel. She couldn't exactly waltz into the ring as herself and expect Cassie to just forget about her. But that only confused Talia. Cassie must have kept the information to herself for some reason that Talia didn't follow understand.

Unless...Cassie only visited Talia after hearing she had been hospitalized and not to gloat or mock or kill her? If she knew who she was, why wouldn't she have told Taylor? Mamouru seemed to know but...Mamouru was also a jerk. He could very well have not have known and was just being a sinister bastard referring to the incident a year before. And sure enough, as her thoughts crossed over the possible situations, Dark Angel came up. Talia put on her best poker face and played along with the story as if she had no better knowledge than the news.

"Yea...Yea I saw that..." Talia whispered rather quietly. She saw more of it than she wished...and from a better perspective than any camera could provide. "She really hurt that girl bad. I know it was an ambulance match but...damn..." She wanted to press the matter further but it wasn't like Taylor thought Cassie and Talia were best friends. There was still actual tension between them a year before that would prevent her from revealing everything. "I suppose she doesn't have to worry about that girl anymore though, right? Can't she just...move on? I mean...she's a wrestler...she does that kind of a thing for a living...And I don't think that Dark Angel bitch will be coming back anytime soon." That last remark was actually something Talia hoped Cassie wanted. To just move on and forget she ever existed. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about Cassie tearing her head off in the locker room.

Taylor shook her head grimly. "You don't know Cassie. She'll take that one to her grave."

It was hard to watch. Cassie had never had to deal with anything like that before, like the whole ordeal with Dark Angel. As far as Taylor could tell, everyone had always been extra nice to Cassie. At their wrestling gym in New York, the same guys that went out of their way to try to break Taylor's spirit and make her quit treated Cassie like their baby sister. It was uncanny. But for someone to treat Cassie like Dark Angel had, to actually hate her, to try to ruin her, Cassie wasn't prepared for that. She definitely wasn't prepared for what happened in the end.

She looked at Talia. The girl didn't know Cassie. She didn't know any of this. "Cassie is everyone's baby sister," she explained, and shook her head. "I don't think anyone's ever hated her before. She didn't deserve any of that, and it's Dark Angel's fault she got hurt, not Cassie's. You know how it goes, bitches come in here acting crazy and they get a couple wins by cheating and by being horrible people, but then soon enough..." Taylor yanked her thumb across her throat. "Not everyone takes that kind of shit from people. Cassie's got the skills to back it up. But... I think the worst thing that skank ever did to Cassie was to get injured like she did."

She forced an ironic smile. "So it's been tough."

Talia found herself staring at Taylor. The mere thought that Cassie actually didn't enjoy what she had done confused Talia heavily. Conflicting thoughts crossed her mind. Mainly that she had been thinking of Cassie the wrong way this whole time. Her whole crusade against Cassie was to make her pay for violently attacking her that time back in the cage. It was to show to everyone that Cassie really was a monster that needed to be put down. And it was all going smoothly according to plan. Right up until it didn't.

If Cassie really wasn't like that, why didn't she stop when she pleaded her to? Why did she make it an ambulance match? No...something wasn't right. Maybe Taylor was the one who didn't know Cassie. Talia nodded regardless as she finished. "I'm sure as she starts thinking about other opponents and goals this Dark Angel girl will slowly become less and less of a burden on her conscious." This whole acting thing was working surprisingly well. All it took was a complete lack of self esteem so that she could absorb all the inadvertent trash Taylor gave Dark Angel. She was probably right about it anyways. Wanting to shift the topic again, Talia took a sip of her frappe and put it back down with a sigh. When enough silence had passed, she looked up.

"How soon do you think you'll be able to get back into the ring?" she asked. "You look ready, of course...but do you know who you'll be facing for your return match? I imagine that'll be a big deal...your great big return and all?" Talia knew her return was awesome. For someone who actually has fans, though, it'd probably be much better. "Oh...and how's Akashi? I saw that PPV when you two made up...everyone is whispering around that you two were going to challenge the tag team champions!"

"Yeah." Taylor nodded. Cassie needed to get her mind on something other than Dark Angel and Mamouru. "Let's hope so."

She broke into a grin again with the mention of her return. She was so looking forward to it. "Man, I have no clue who they'll give me. It doesn't really matter who, though, make it a four-to-one handicap match and I'll still come out on top." She boasted. "And yeah, that's definitely what Akashi wanted. She's got the contract, I think. I still have to talk to her about that. I kinda want both belts. All the belts!" And then she added "Except Hentai."

She sat back and looked at Talia again. "Are you alright, dude? You seem... I dunno, you seem off, like tense or something. Something on your mind?"

"Hey now, hands off the Tension titles," she added playfully at Taylor's ambitious statement. She managed a smile when Taylor sat back down and asked about her. "Oh...I was hoping you wouldn't really notice that...I mean..." she tilted her head and looked off into the distance. "I guess it feels kinda awkward you know? I came here wanting to apologize...I fully expected you to shove it in my face and well..." Talia sighed somewhat loudly. Right at that moment her jaw hurt but she had gotten use to those moments. It only got annoying when she was really trying to say something.

"I...I guess it just feels nice to talk to someone. I'm normally a really awkward person around people...I'm sure you don't have any problems like that...and with you it feels even moreso just because of...what I did a year ago." Talia reached for her frappe once more as if it gave her courage to continue...or at least gave her a few more seconds to think about what she could say. "You're a really...well...good person now that I've got to talk to you for a little bit. It makes me feel even worse about what I did." This time she wasn't referring to the incident in the cage. But that was a lie by omission she could sleep with.

"I guess you're right though...like with what you said about Cassie...I mean you even said it was all cool and I still feel pretty bad about the whole thing."

"Oh, right. I guess this is a little awkward." Taylor smiled. It might even have provoked a reaction from her a year ago, but a lot changed since then. She felt too good to let something from ancient history bother her too much.

"Well, ya know, I know how it goes. I was in that boat too, like, alone and in Japan and the only things you have to look forward to are take-out and getting your ass kicked." Wait, what did she say? "Wait, what do you mean about Cassie?" She was almost instantly defensive, but then quickly laughed it off. "Oh, right, I get it. Nevermind."

She folded her legs and glanced at the pervy guy at the next table to see if he was still trying to sprout telekinetic powers and will her skirt up. "It's a tough spot, ya know, it's not easy for anyone, so... And you know, I haven't really always been the... easiest to get along with and everything, I dunno. So I'll cut you some slack, dude, so just chill out."

She thought for a moment. Maybe it was a terrible idea, but it was worth a shot. "Hey, so we're having a little party, ya know, we're going out. Me, Akashi, Cassie and Johnny. We're going to hit the club and stuff, because of my triumphant return to beat people up in a ring. You can swing by, if you want. Ya know, if that's cool."

Talia bit her tongue down nearly hard enough to draw blood when Taylor seemed defensive. Oh no. But then the moment passed and her forehead still hadn't been bashed through the table. Then the next thing Taylor said brought her a measure of comfort. It was almost as if she was trying to relate to Talia. And that made her feel accepted. For once. She couldn't believe how...normal this conversation had been. There wasn't any fighting...or yelling...or anything really that bad. Maybe a little...misdirection and misleading but everyone did that at times right?

But then Taylor brought up the club. It wasn't exactly Talia's scene out at parties. And the company...didn't exactly excite her. As if reading Taylor's mind, Talia thought it'd be a terrible idea. "I'd love to," she stated excitedly. Wow what a dumbass you are Talia. Against her own logic, Talia felt that she had to agree to go. Things were going so great with Taylor and she had to keep nursing that. She didn't want to let go of an opportunity like this. "I mean...yea I can stop by, say hi, have a drink, dance a little." None of that sounded appealing. But Talia kept on smiling regardless.

"I'd have to buy something to wear though," she added. "I've never been to the Tokyo club scene."

"Awesome!" Taylor grinned. She couldn't help but think it was a terrible idea, but whatever. The more the merrier, she didn't need to over-think it.

"Oh, yeah, totally." She nodded, and looked Talia up and down. "Hey, did you... have you been working out? Damn, I guess you really are working on a comeback. Let me see you..." Taylor grabbed Talia's hand and pulled her up to her feet, and then stepped around her, patting her shoulders and her abs and slapping her thigh. "Wow, man, I'm impressed. Good for you, you must've been working hard. I remember before you were just like... skinny, and... ya know. Pretty soon you're gonna be ready to kick some real ass!"

Taylor was bigger, taller, more muscular, an elite athlete. Even under her clothes the definition in her sleek, slender figure was evident. She worked very hard to get it, and she really appreciated seeing other girls doing the same. Especially Tension girls. She was sick of them giving the gender a bad rep.

"But yeah, dude, go shopping. It's a good excuse. I'll text you the details, and I'll see you tomorrow night. You might have to find me if you're late, because I just miiiiiiiiight be a little drunk." She laughed. "I'm gonna jet. Later."

Talia couldn't help but smile at Taylor's compliment. She had been pushing herself to the limit for nearly a year now. It was amazing what she could do with the proper motivation. But she was more than a little surprised when Taylor pulled her to her feet and inspected her. She blushed as Taylor patted her down. "Hey..." she let slip out nervously. She had already been tested. Despite all her wins, she didn't feel like she was much stronger. What good was all that training if opponents like Cassie could still do...that to her?

"Alright, I'll see you then," Talia said as Taylor left. She stood there for a few moments before sitting back down. "Crap." What was she going to do? Akashi was going to be there...Johnny was going to be there...CASSIE was going to be there. It felt like a disaster waiting to happen. She didn't have to say yes. Why did she? "Crap," she repeated out loud again. Of the four of those people, Taylor was far and away the one Talia was most comfortable talking to.

She still hated Johnny for leading her on. She still hated Akashi for using her. And Cassie...well she just hated Cassie. She looked down at her notepad for a moment. And had an idea.