A New Place to Rest

After her brutal tag match against Sion and Daisuke, Caroline started waking up. Her own throbbing head was the first thing she felt, followed by a stinging sensation in her lower lip, where a punch from Daisuke had left its mark. Slowly, she opened her eyes and sat up to rub her very sore head. Aches and pains assailed the rest of her body as well, but Caroline remembered how her fight had ended. It was perfectly natural that she felt so sore right now, and she knew it would get better with practice and patience.

What really worried her was her current situation. Where on Earth was she? She had been laid down on something soft, like a couch, but her surroundings weren't familiar at all. They lacked the pungent odor that Kei's gym had. The surrounding environment was warm and relaxing, which was strange, because Caroline had spent her past several weeks sleeping and living inside the same gym that she trained in. Her pitiful eyesight wasn't going to help her here, so she used her voice instead, calling out softly to anyone nearby.

“He-hello? Um...is anyone there?” she asked, focusing her eyes on the distance to spot signs of movement. Her hands started wandering the surrounding furniture; maybe her glasses were sitting nearby.

Wes was near by and heard her calling. He went to check on her. "You're awake, that's good. How are you feeling?" He explains to her that they brought her here after things ended from earlier. After telling her Kelly's getting some food ready he goes to check on that, but mentions she can watch some TV in the mean time if she wants to.

About a minute or so after Wes left someone else came up to her, a girl with long brown hair, and glasses. She reached down to pick up a bag that was near the couch. She notices Caroline as she bent over. "Oh, are you Caroline? Name's Fate, I've heard a lot about you."

It took Caroline a moment to recognize the voice of Kei's husband, her senses quite rattled after her period of unconsciousness. “Pretty sore, but I'm alright. All in a day's work,” Caroline said, wanting to reassure Wes that she was okay. Deep down, though, Caroline was grateful that the week was over, since it would afford her an opportunity to rest.

She was even more grateful when Wes explained that Kei had decided to put her up in the family house, having discovered the homeless status that Caroline had been hiding up until this point. Her soured relationship with her parents had driven her from her home in Tennessee, and her quest to become a Friction wrestler had drained most of the meager finances she'd brought with her. Her last couple years had been very rough, but it would all be worth it when she finally stepped into the Friction arena.

Caroline's depressing train of thought was broken when Fate introduced herself. Taken by surprise, Caroline turned her head and blinked owlishly for a moment before giving a proper reply. “I...um...it's nice to meet you, Fate,” she said, shifting her body in the direction of the woman now keeping her company. The figure standing in front of her was too blurry to make out, which reminded her that her glasses were still missing. She really needed to address that before anything else. “Do you guys have my belongings around here somewhere? I...don't own much, so I'll understand if it got left at the gym by accident.”

Fate wasn't sure what Caroline all had, having seen her for the first time just now. Wes would come back and say that dinner should be ready in a few minutes, which was welcoming news for Fate as she was also keeping an eye on a clock on the wall, having to go somewhere soon. She asked Wes what Caroline was asking about and Wes mentions whatever they (him, kelly, Kayura, and Jesse) found before they left they managed to grab for her and that her stuff is in one of the empty rooms upstairs.

It wasn't really an empty room, more like a spare bedroom that nobody was using, and there was only one room like that despite how Wes worded it.

Dinner and a bedroom. Now there were two basic luxuries that Caroline hadn't enjoyed in awhile. A lot of temporary sleeping arrangements and pre-packaged foods had kept Caroline afloat after leaving her family behind, and being welcomed into Kei's residence made her feel like she had one again. She would have to make a point of thanking Kei properly when they sat together for dinner in a few minutes.

Right now, Caroline needed her glasses. She stood up, groaning a little as her sore muscles were put to the simple task. Reaching down, Caroline offered a hand to help Fate up as well. She wanted to make a point of being courteous, because she would need a little help from the woman she'd just met.

“Would you mind guiding me to the room that Wes is talking about? I can't see very well, so finding my own way might not be a good idea,” Caroline said, her words backed up by the milky, unfocused gaze that stared at Fate with as she waited for the woman's reply.

Fate had no problem taking her to the room, though she felt a bit rushed and she was moving a bit quicker than usual. She does bring up in case if Caroline were to comment on it "Sorry if that felt rushed, I just have somewhere to go soon. I will have time to eat with you and everyone else but I don't want to be late for basketball tonight." Usually when she plays in the evening she would be on her way out the door now, but has a later start time today so she has time it just feels like she should be elsewhere, which she mentions in part as she tries to settle herself.

Caroline wouldn't dare to admit it, but she did have a little trouble keeping up as Fate flew up the stairs with the near blind girl in tow. It didn't make her any less grateful, though, especially since her new acquaintance seemed like she wanted to be elsewhere. When she explained as much, Caroline nodded while she caught her breath.

When the smell of stale air greeted Caroline's nostrils, she knew the two of them had arrived at their destination. The girl had an attentive sense of smell, and the aroma this room had was enough to tell her that it didn't get used often. She would explore its dimensions more thoroughly when she had time, but right now she turned and smiled at Fate.

“Thank you for showing me the way. I'll be able to get back down without any trouble, so you can go to get ready for your game. Good luck,” she said, blushing. Not once in her life had Caroline played basketball, but she wanted to wish Fate well anyway. Turning her attention downward, she pawed at the floor until a gym bag bumped her elbow. All her meager possessions were in there, and hope greeted the young girl when she found her glasses and put them on. The room was small, but that was more than fine with her. Less space to get lost in. She needed to get downstairs fast to thank her hostess for the hospitality, but her gym clothes stank a bit, so she decided to shut herself in for a couple of minutes to change.

Her spare clothes were donations, and it showed. A green sweater that was too big for her, and gray shorts that were dull but comfortable. She left shoes off to save time and walked out into the hall, shutting the door behind her. “Coming down,” she called ahead, taking her time with the steps even though she could see now.

"Thanks."  As Fate turned to leave she looked back at Caroline.  Seeing how Caroline was looking for her stuff Fate wanted to help but before she decided to act on it.  She saw Caroline put some glasses on and that explained things so she headed downstairs without saying a word.  Fate saw her come down after changing and more of what she heard of Caroline was true.   While living off of donations wasn't necessarily a bad thing it would be nice to see someone in a shirt that fit.    She went to get Caroline's attention and asked her to follow her before they ate.  Fate was still in a hurry but she felt like she should still do something.

She leads Caroline to her room and when they get inside she tells her to take the sweater off as she continues moving. She stops in front of her dresser and opens it.  She looks back and tells her "I bet it be better to wear something that fits.  I don't know if what I have on will fit you but I got a couple of shirts that are a size smaller or so.  Maybe that'll fit and feel better on you."  She tried not to sound like she felt sorry for Caroline, which part of her did.  She did however also wanted to be supportive for her, as she knows what it is like to be different and accepted.  "Really it's fine." She then hears Kelly calling them, wondering what's taking them.  "Coming!" Turning to Caroline tells her to take a look and close it behind her when she's done before taking off downstairs.  "Sorry mom, just talking with Caroline about stuff."  That was true in a way as clothing was something.  "Well hurry up and eat so I can take you to your game." They still had a decent amount of time to spare and they did try to wait for Caroline to join them, but Wes tried to sneak some in anyway.  Kelly stuck her tongue out at her husband "Not you dummy."