Wrestling with equality (for Caroline)

Caroline could confirm for Kei that things between her and Jesse were pretty great, all things considered. Her greatest fear had been that Jesse and the other students wanted to scare her away the day they had put her through that rough spar, but now Caroline knew the truth. Jesse was a drill sergeant at her worst, but she was the type who only got rough with people to help them in the long run, even if she had gone a bit too far in their fight together. Explaining the scar on her forehead to Kei and Wes hadn't been easy, and Jesse had caught some flak for slamming Caroline into a ladder, though she knew that girls in the AFW ring might do far worse. Caroline also got quizzed about her decision to let Jesse keep her goggles, and Caroline answered those concerns with the same explanation that she had given to Jesse: the AFW arena was a cruel place, and to have a chance, she needed to learn to fight without them.

Starting her submissions training left Caroline a bit sore, although she learned that she was quite flexible. She was grateful to have an excuse for a break when Kei left the wrestling ring and returned with her kids. She had never seen any of them compete before, although she knew that Sion and Daisuke were a tag team, but it was an honor to meet them all nonetheless. Caroline shook each of their hands with a bright smile on her face, listening carefully as they each introduced themselves. Since her near blindness left her frequently unable to tell people apart by looks, it was habit for her to memorize and associate people with the sound of their voice. With her glasses on, she could see them fine for the most part, but that might not always be the case, like when she stepped into the ring without her goggles.

Speaking of wrestling, Caroline wondered if Kei had brought her kids over merely to meet her, or if she had plans for Caroline to work with them somehow. Stepping into the ring with Jesse had really rattled her, so the thought of fighting any of Kei's kids scared the trainee. Alas, she needed practice to get better, and Kei's kids had fought in the AFW, so they would know exactly what she was in for.

“It was nice meeting your kids, Kei,” Caroline said with a friendly glow. Now came the question that she was nervous to ask. “So, what else did you have in mind for us to do today?”

Daisuke mentions that she's heard of Caroline and hopes that she does well. Kayura also knows of Caroline but unlike Daisuke doesn't see them crossing paths in the ring one day for real and after the introduction she goes back to what she was doing, not to be rude but she didn't think there was anything else to it. Daisuke stayed for a bit to watch some of what Caroline would do, though Kayura looked over from time to time.

Truth was, like Daisuke she too wanted to see Caroline do well, but she had a feeling the poor thing would get eaten alive out there.


When Caroline said that it was good to see the kids Kei mentioned she has two others who aren't here. As for today she asked Caroline what she wanted to do.

Caroline's heart started pounding when Kei put her on the spot for her choice of training activity. There was something that she had been wanting to do ever since her rough match against Jesse a couple weeks earlier. Back then, she remembered that one of the students had managed to catch her by surprise and choke her out from ringside while Jesse was busy arguing with someone. The student had explained it away as a sign of affection, as if choking people was his way of saying “hello”, but the encounter had nevertheless instilled Caroline with a desire to get some experience dealing with multiple opponents. For a few days, she had been thinking of asking some of the other students to do a 2 versus 2 spar with her, but had been too shy.

Now, with Daisuke and Sion here, Caroline had the opportunity to spar with an actual tag team who had fought in the AFW before...but dear god, was she nervous about asking. Unlike her fight with Jesse, where the rookie could stand a measurable chance with some more practice, fighting these two would be a no win situation. Even if she found someone who was willing to be her tag partner, two rookies who had never worked together versus two veterans wouldn't be much of a contest. On the other hand, it would make for a brutal learning experience, and Caroline knew her training needed to be rigorous. Still, she needed a second opinion on her insane choice of opponents...

“I...um, well...” Caroline took a moment to summon the courage to speak, her face flushed red with nervous embarrassment, “would you permit me to spar with your kids?” she asked, with a glance to Sion and Daisuke. Kayura wasn't out of the question, either, but she had wandered off to do her own thing, so Caroline thought it best to ask about the two who were still here.

“I'm not trying to offend either of you, and I'm not trying to prove a point or something. I just want to be tough enough to fight people from the AFW...and both of you have fought there before. My situational awareness is really bad thanks to how my eyes are, but facing people in a tag match might help me improve. Would...you all be okay with this?” she asked nervously, wondering if they would be too concerned for her safety to allow it.

Kei noticed where Kayura went and told Caroline "Well I guess you could with Kayura, but she might be a bit..." she sees the dummy she was working on get slammed and it sounded pretty loud. "Advanced. But if you wanted to I'm sure it would alright." She had a feeling Kayura wouldn't mind working with her, just a matter of having Kay take a break. Neither Daisuke or Sion had a problem with what Caroline asked of them. "Today?" Sion asked her. "Well I guess we could, but I don't know if we'd have time for that." He wasn't sure how long of a sparring session Caroline wanted and she could hear the couple talk about if they'd be able to get their own work out in on top of joining in with Caroline before they have to get back to their kids at home. Daisuke seems to think it'll be alright and asks her if they want to ask Kayura to join them.

Caroline's tag idea got some mixed to positive receptions from Kei and her kids. The threat of an advanced fight didn't scare Caroline, at least not the point of her backing down. A lot of her fights, present and future, were going to be hard, and she was okay with that. Caroline went ahead and gave the green light for Kei to summon Kayura, just in case she wanted to fight in place of either Sion or Daisuke. As for Caroline's teammate...

“Um, do you guys know where Jesse is?” Caroline asked, mostly in Kei's direction. As far as she knew, Jesse was spending time with Steven today. Since they were both wrestlers, either one of them would make a good fit for the rookie team she was trying to cobble together. Oddly enough, she was a little more eager to ask Steven if he wanted to give this a shot. Working with him wouldn't be as awkward as it would with Jesse, and since the other team had one man and one woman, Caroline figured it would be somehow appropriate to match that. Besides, she wanted to see what Steven could do in the ring.

When Caroline mentioned it she would slowly shake her head and tell Caroline something along the lines of if she wants Kayura she should ask her herself and pick her own poison, since she's a big girl and all Caroline should be willing to make her own choices. With that in mind Sion and Daisuke waited to see what Caroline would do. Kei didn't seem to know where Jesse was, though she does see her now after looking around, see her talking with Wes about something before heading to where they were. Jesse asks what's going on and Kei gives her the run down.

Caroline shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I'll spar with the two of you, if you're both okay with it,” she said to the couple before her. Kayura didn't seem to be too interested in what they were doing, while Daisuke had seemed more willing, so she decided to stick with her and Sion. He had been talking about getting his own workout in with Daisuke later, but Caroline wouldn't make them stay past a single fall, which she doubted would take up too much time. Now, about her own tag partner...

When Jesse approached the group with Wes in tow, Caroline turned toward them and bobbed her head from right to left, trying to see if Steven was among them as well.

Spoiler:

It had been a while since Steven actually wrestled or sparred in Kei's wrestling school. He was once her student as well but because he was only a part-time wrestler, he couldnt quite keep up with the rest. Although he did have that rather unforgettable moment when he challenged his teacher. He still loved to visit the gym though, to meet up with his friends and ofcourse his girlfriend Jesse. However, from last visits weird episode, Steven actually wanted to see what was up and what followed on from it.

The blonde Brit guy, came inside the gym with his gym bag hanging on his shoulders and wearing loose shorts and a sweatshirt. "Yo! What's going on guys...and girls" he said while chuckling and scratching the back of his head in a rather goofy manner. He didnt mean to eavesdrop but while entering the gym, he did hear some of their conversation about doing spar tag match. It had been a while since Steven had some action in the ring, he certainly wouldnt mind tagging up with Caroline for a little spar. She seemed like a nice girl, Steven knew how nervous a new wrestler in the ring feels- he felt it before when he was just finding his feet. He brushed his hair back gently with his hand before looking around towards Caroline, Daisuke and Sion. "So how's the training coming along?" he said with a bright smile.

A broad smile formed on Caroline's mouth when Jesse and Steven showed up at the scene. She was excited to see both of them, Steven in particular since she had only met him once before, and found him to be an extremely nice guy. Jesse's presence made her happy too, but her interactions with the tougher woman were still a little awkward following their own spar together.

“It's nice to see you again, Steven!” she cheered before he had even finished walking up to her, blushing nervously at the thought that her enthusiasm might seem off-putting. When he finished his greeting to her, she couldn't help but get straight to the point. “Training's been going great. Gonna be pretty rough today, though. I'm about to do a spar with Sion and Daisuke, and I still need a tag partner. If you don't mind, would you be up to it?” she asked with a hopeful grin on her face. Her gaze traveled to Jesse and the others, gauging their reactions as well, to see if they were okay with her choice.

It was nice to see that bright smile from the girl, the last time Steven saw her she was rather terrified and almost filled with tears. However, this time around the feeling around the gym was much rather pleasant and less awkward for Steven. "Hah, It's nice to see you again too Caroline" he smiled with a carefree expression while offering  a little high-five to her as well. Sure enough, he was with Jesse but Steven could not stop himself from innocently flirting with the new girl.

Steven was pumped when he heard Caroline's offer. "Heck yeah, count me in. I've been looking for some in-ring action because its been a while since I had a match" he said while pumping his fists up in the air. He didnt realize that him agreeing to partner up with Caroline could create any tensions or raise any questions, the girl was quite likeable as a person and if it meant helping her learn the ropes, Steven was more than happy to help.

"I dont mind changing here, does anybody else?" he said beore taking off his shirt infront of everyone and even beginning to peel his pants to show off those UK flagged wrestling boxers, before completely taking them off he looked around "Umm, what? we're all cool right?" he said with a goofy smile and chuckle.