Ballad of a Brawler

Rika winced when Akashi mentioned the match again. She bowed her head, staring into her empty tea cup. "No," she whispered. "No I haven't. And that was weeks ago, wasn't it? She hasn't even come back to the appartment since then, I don't know where she is. She's avoiding me, I know it. Even after she matches, I couldn't find her. She.....she....." Rika's tea cup shook in her hands. A few tears started to roll down her cheeks. "Akashi, she's falling apart!" she suddenly sobbed. "I've seen her matches, she's losing them one by one! It's like she's not even trying anymore! She just keeps getting more and more hurt! She's even losing fights in the streets! I heard about it!" That was why she was in that fight earlier; she had heard those girls laugh about how the infamous Sarah Gatt was now nothing more than a joke. "I don't know what to do. I don't even know where she is." Rika tried to stop crying but the tears wouldn't stop,, wiping her eyes as fast she could.

Akashi's face was firm when Rika began to sadden. Carefully she took her by the hands and let her cry. "Rika-chan..." Shw whispered. "I understand. I wanted to help Sarah-san too. I still want to be her friend as well." She said. "I thought that maybe if I beat her that she would understand and become even stronger, maybe not so blindly cruel..." She lowered her gaze. But that' was my own hope. I didnt want to see her tormented. And it seemed like she was. Now for some reason it's gotten worse. I don't understand." She whispered. "Rika-chan." She said with a clear voice. "We need to find Sarah-san. I don't know what will become of it, but it's bad if she keeps down this path, that's for sure." She inhaled deeply. "Do you know how to get in touch with Tyler?"

Rika sniffed and shook as Akashi took her hands in her own. The sumo's kind words made the tears stop. More than anything she wanted to see Sarah again. So she wuickly nodded, wiping away the last of her tears. "I don't know how to contact him," she muttered. Then her face lit up with a smile. "But I know where I can find him!"

Akashi's eyes fell when Rika said she couldn't contact him, but they quickly rose again when she said that she knew where to find him. Where!?" She said standing up. She reached into her kimono and pulled out some money and set it on the table. "Let's go!" She said enthusiastically.

Rika grinned and nodded immediately, all traces of sadness gone aside from the tear stains on her cheeks. "Yeah! Let's go!" she declared. She jumped out of her seat and headed for the exit, gesturing for Akashi to follow her. "He shouldn't befar from here."

Akashi was glad that they could begin this new adventure together. She was reluctant in the back of her head though. She wondered if once Rika reunited with Sarah and everything was settiled, whether or not she would go back to the wayshe was before. She hoped not but couldn't be sure. Rika-chan was strong enought ostand on her own two feet and she hoped that she could do that and still be friends with Sarah instead of the lackey she seemed to be. "Yosh!" She said enthusuastically as she chased after Rika.

Rika exited the tea house first, looking around for a street to follow to thr destination. It wasn't long before she found, and set off down the street. "By theway," Rika asked meekly, a little embaressed. "What were you doing out here Akashi? You weren't spying on me, were you?" It seemed her cheerful demeanor hadreturened after confiding in the sumo.

"I was going to go shopping." She said seriously. "Mina is always saying how she likes to see me in modern clothes so I thought I would get another outfit while I had the day off." She then grinned. "Well... I ran into some pretty rude girls and thought that the one who gave their leader those bruises might be Sarah. I guess it was foolish to just run aimlessly, but I'm glad we were able to meet up. I had wanted to speak with you as it was."

Rika had to admit, Akashi wasn't exactly living in the modern age. Some new clothes would do the sumo some good. Still, she had to admit, she did look more at home in the clothes she was wearing now. She blinked when she mentioned the girls she had fought before. "Wow, you're pretty perceptive," she noted with a grin. That's when she realized Akashi had mentioned another name before. "Who's Mina?"

"Thank you." Akashi whispered quietly. She thought she was more lucky than perceptive but she shrugged it off. She then blushed when Rika asked who Mina was. "Mina Oates." She said turning her head slightly. "She's a wrestler at AFW too." She couldn't help but feel her flush deepen as embarrassment came over her. She then furrowed her brow. Akashi how dare you! She screamed at herself. There is nothing to be embarrassed about! She then puffed out her chest and lifted her head up proudly. "She's my girlfriend!" She stated with joy. "She just moved in with me not too long ago." She beamed.