Celebrating Our Successes (For Bare)

[CaptainL]

One of the objectives of LAW's Apex tour had been to spread the world about the promotion all over the world, and to turn the crowning of the inaugural World Openweight Champion into a global event. Cities in countless countries and on every continent had agreed to host qualifier matches and Apex matches in a year-long festival of wrestling that represented LAW's greatest outreach past Japan to date. The intention was clear - when the World Openweight Champion was decided, they would truly be a champion of the world. The whole world had pitched in to helping them prove themselves worthy of the title, and the attention on Apex and on LAW as a whole had never been greater for it. With all the press coverage and revenue going into LAW, there was no doubt that the company was turning a bigger profit than ever, and that the executives behind the scenes were reveling in it.

But for the wrestlers themselves, the tour had its own benefits. For many wrestlers, this was a chance to see the world, taking them places they had never expected to go before. They had the chance to broaden their horizons, to expose themselves to new audiences and new styles of wrestling that could only help them perfect their craft. And while they were traveling, they could find the time to take a vacation, too.

And for Sanae Saitou, the time couldn't have come any sooner.

A few days had passed since her victory over Toshimi Minami, but the green-haired girl was still riding high on the hype. To Sanae, it had been so much more than just an Apex match - even if that itself was something worth celebrating. Minami had been the one to challenge Sanae to Apex, so outraged that a wannabe idol was making the waves she was in the wrestling world that she wanted her to put her money where her mouth was, not only daring her to enter Apex but choosing her opponents for her qualifiers in an effort to rig the odds against her. She was sure that Sanae would crash and burn, and that the world would see she never belonged in the ring at all.

But that never happened. Instead, Sanae rose above every challenge in front of her, crushing the competition in match after match. She'd overcome her close friend and inspiration Alizeh Midori, Minami's own protege Hikari Nakano - and, in the end, she had done the impossible, defeating Minami herself, in a pitched battle that had won her the hearts of fans the world over. More than just any victory, more than even qualifying her for the World Openweight Championship, this told Sanae that she had made the right choice in going into wrestling. She was right where she belonged. She was able to challenge legends of the sport, and she could earn their respect in the process.

After all that, she deserved to indulge herself a little - and it just so happened that, because of the tour, she could hop on a plane to a tropical island paradise for a little celebration.

Sanae was giddy over her accomplishments, but it certainly didn't hurt that she got to enjoy the warm weather and the beautiful ocean views, too. She always loved the seaside, growing up in a coastal town, but she had to admit that the beaches back home paled in comparison to here! Now she found herself at a bar set up by the water, sitting down at the counter beneath a thatched hut that provided patrons some shade. There were plenty of people around, both fellow LAW wrestlers on the Apex tour and other beach-goers with their own agendas, but none of that mattered to Sanae. She was here for herself, and she was here to enjoy it.

"Can I get a mai tai, please?" Sanae tipped up the sun hat she wore on her head, flashing a bright grin to the bartender as she made her order.

Spoiler

[Bare]

Alizeh smiled softly as she walked across the beach, the warm sand squishing under her feet as she did so, a new bikini clinging tightly onto her frame as she made wide, elegant strides. Life was good for her all things considered. Apex was winding down, her match with Mindy having concluded with her victory, ending a particularly rough chapter of her career. Better yet she felt she had truly stood out during the match, and throughout Apex over all having competed in far more qualifiers than she technically needed too, and doing quite well in all of them, even they didn't all end in her victory. Granted the workhorse mentality she had throughout the Apex event had definitely taken its toll. A few bruises still bring present on her body, especially her abs from Mindy's assault on them during their match.

Now though with it all almost being over Alizeh was here at the beach, taking advantage of one of the perks of Apex to travel wherever she wanted after her bout with Mindy. Now in a veritable tropical paradise Alizeh was looking unwind and recover as much as possible. First though she needed to get some alcohol in her to really get the recovery going. Approaching the bar that was on the beach Alizeh nearly did a double take upon seeing a familiar green haired head that wasn't her own already there in a showy bikini of her own.

"SANAE?! Omg hey girlllllll!" Alizeh said ecstatically as she made her way over, waving as she got near before plopping down in a empty seat beside her and confirming that it was indeed her friend. "It is you!" Alizeh said even happier than before as she pulled Sanae into a hug before turning towards the bat tender. "One Margarita please!" She said before releasing Sanae and leaning back with a smile. "I can't believe we're both here, and after Apex no less! Congrats by the way!" Alizeh said excitedly, glad to be with her friend again and even more glad that she and her had both won their Apex bouts so they could celebrate as true equals.

Spoiler

[CaptainL]

There were many familiar faces gathered around the beach - when one lived the often hectic routine of a touring wrestler, especially on a worldwide tour, the opportunity to enjoy the local attractions on company time was always an enticing one. But Sanae was riding high off the thrill of emerging from her Apex match victorious, and proving once and for all to a well-respected legend of the business that she was here to stay, and that she deserved respect. She was lost in her own head, and she had given little thought to her fellow beach-goers. But when she heard a familiar voice behind her, that was a different story. The bartender had just passed Sanae her drink, but the green-haired idol didn't even pay attention to that, when her best friend was here to congratulate her!

"ALIZEH!!" Sanae didn't even need any encouragment to return the hug - as Alizeh came close, she had already jumped up from her seat, pulling her into a tight embrace. Sanae and Alizeh went back a long while, quite literally to the start of the idol's main roster career. She had been her first main roster opponent, she had been her tag team partner, and she had been one of Sanae's opponents in the Apex qualifiers, forcing her to put all her newfound skills and expertise to the test in overcoming her foe - but not only had Sanae measured up to Alizeh, she had beaten her. She had proven that she was capable of matching her and exceeding her, and it had paved the way for her to challenge Minami herself. Alizeh had been a long-standing inspiration for Sanae, and she owed her for the push to help her reach where she was now. She couldn't think of anyone better to share in the festivities!

Especially when Alizeh had just added another big accomplishment under her belt, when she had bested her own long-time rival to win an Apex match of her own! Beaming with pride, Sanae scooped her glass up from the counter and went to tap it to Alizeh's own as she wrapped her arm around her shoulder to pull herself closer. Bubbling over with excitement, the lightweight could hardly stay in her seat! "I'm sooooo glad you came too!! I really owe you for getting this far! Your match was great too, by the way! You really gave Mindy what for!" Unable to contain herself, she squeezed Alizeh a little tighter. "I know how hard you worked for that victory, so you must be proud, huh?"

[Bare]

Running into Sanae was definitely a surprise, but a welcome one, especially given the perfect timing of it. Smiling into the hug with the girl Alizeh quickly placed her order before taking her seat, keeping her arm around Sanae as well as the two caught up. Anytime Alizeh saw her fellow green haired girl she was immediately filled with joy and pride. After all Sanae was just such a joy to be around, despite wanting to be a idol initially, she was incredibly passionate about wrestling as well, and it showed in her training and how hard she worked, all of which culminating in her journey through Apex where Sanae not only had beaten her, but then went on to beat a veritable legend in Toshimi Minami, in a submission match no less! Having played a role in Sanae's rise Alizeh just couldn't help the swell of pride that came from seeing it as it happened.

Tapping glasses before taking a sip Alizeh would put her drink down before chuckling a bit as Sanae complimented her for her own performance at Apex, the hard fought victory over Mindy having been one of the sweetest of Alizeh's career, and one of the most painful as well, but well worth it. "Trust me you would have made it without me, but I'm glad I could help." Alizeh said happily before grinning like a cheshire cat about the second part of Sanae's statement. "Heh damn right, it was tougher than I thought, but I gave her everything she had coming." Alizeh said with a wink before getting an idea as she reached over, grabbed Sanae by the hip and under her leg and suddenly pulled her over so that the smaller girl was seated on Alizeh's lap instead. "There, much more comfy don't you think?" Alizeh asked jokingly with a wink while keeping one arm behind Sanae's back to steady her.

[CaptainL]

Some wrestlers might have been offended by being told they owed their success to someone else, but Sanae only met the insinuation with a giggle. For her, it was an honor. Alizeh was more than just a past opponent; she was a good friend, and someone who still inspired Sanae to push herself past her limits every day, always striving to be the best person she could. She admired Alizeh for her technical know-how and her practically fearless bravado; she was always willing to rise to any challenge no matter how daunting. Sanae wanted to live up to her example, and ever since their first match she had committed herself to rise through the ranks in LAW just as Alizeh did, to always strive to stay ahead of her and to use her as a model for what she could be. It was that determination to follow in Alizeh's footsteps that had not only seen Sanae rise to fame enough to take part in Apex in the first place, but also to conquer the middleweight in their rematch, and to win it all against Toshimi Minami in the end. Sanae really couldn't have done it without her, but she was so much better for it.

In fact, Sanae was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't see what Alizeh was gearing up to do to her - at least, not until the girl grabbed her from behind to pull her into her lap. "Whoah-!" Taken by surprise, Sanae let out a yelp, but she soon released the tension with a giggle and let her body relax against Alizeh's own, slumping back against her chest. "Ahh...yeah, that is more comfortable," she said, as her head began to roll onto Alizeh's shoulders. By now, the sight of the two of them getting so friendly had drawn plenty of onlookers, who surely were wondering if this had any implications about the future for the two wrestlers - but Sanae paid them no heed.

"I'll admit, I'm still a little sore...I worked hard in that match, you know." Sanae wriggled her hips back and forth, rubbing herself up against Alizeh's lap as she tried to situate herself just right.

[Bare]

Pulling Sanae over onto her lap to bring the two a bit closer was nothing new for Alizeh with Sanae. Pretty much any time they hung out they were this close. Hugging, draping their arms around each other, even cuddling on occasion. This of course wasn't taking into account when the two weren't beating eachother up in training or sparring matches against one another. Additionally though alizeh was also perfectly aware of the fact that Sanae was in a relationship, and was conscious of it, but in her mind with how familiar she was with Sanae, it didn't cross her mind as too far, and likewise Sanae seemed just as ok with it.

Talking about Apex though made Alizeh chuckle. Not necessarily cause it was a matter of levity but simply because it was such a massive weight off both their shoulders so it was kinda nice to talk so casually and laugh about it. It was just... so refreshing. "Hehe oh trust me I know it was stressful as heck watching the match, but you did awesome during it! I'm so proud of you." Alizeh said softly with a smile while pulling Sanae a little closer to her. "So if nothing else, you DEFINITELY deserve this time off, just like I do." She said with a wink towards the girl.

[CaptainL]

As she settled back against Alizeh, Sanae let out a long, contented sigh. Alizeh was right, and she knew it. Sanae really had pushed herself to her limits, not only in the matches themselves, but in committing herself to the challenges that lay ahead. She knew that, going into Apex, she had more eyes on her than ever, especially when she was answering a challenge from a well-respected veteran of the business. She was putting everything on her victory, out to prove that she was capable not only of living up to the expectations placed on her, but of exceeding them. If she wanted to achieve her goals, she didn't just need to beat her opponents, she needed to knock it out of the park and to set a new standard for what she could do. But rather than be intimidated by the challenge ahead of her, Sanae was emboldened. She had put everything she could into shattering her previous records and making her way to the top. It had been a grueling test of her mental and physical endurance, but in the end, she was glad she did it. All that determination had paid off in the end - and now, she could at last reward herself for all her efforts.

Sanae giggled a little at Alizeh's praise. A blush came to her cheeks, but still she nodded her head. Coming from Alizeh, who had seen her at every step of her journey since graduating from the Young Lioness Program, and had first-hand experience of how far she'd come, she knew she meant every word. "Heheh, thanks! I knew I wanted to make you proud..." When she looked back up at her friend, it was with a smile on her face, and she wriggled in even closer into Alizeh's lap. Even if she did have a girlfriend, she had to admit, being this close up against a beauty like Alizeh wasn't so bad. Maybe that was just the alcohol talking...though, she wasn't that far into her drink...

Nevertheless, Sanae quickly cleared her throat; she wasn't going to dwell on that for long. "Isn't this place the best? Honestly, it's just what I needed after all that. I think there's gonna be fireworks later tonight! You gonna stick around for them?"

[Bare]

Giggling softly as she felt Sanae snuggle just a bit closer against her Alizeh would respond in kinda, wrapping her arms just a bit tighter around Sanae to keep her nice and snug against her body... Though the feeling Sanae's soft skin and warm, soft rear on her lap definitely helped as far as motivators. Leaning just a bit past Sanae to take another gulp of her drink Alizeh would flash a smile as she nodded to what Sanae said. "Trust me you did that in spades." She said with a wink before nodding in ready agreement with what Sanae said. "Also yeah, holy crap I couldn't agree more. This place rocks." Alizeh said before humming softly about if she'd stick around for fireworks. "Hmm I think I can yeah. Butttt it'd definitely help to have an activity to keep me occupied until then." Alizeh said with a grin while looking into Sanae's eyes.

[CaptainL]

Hearing Alizeh's praise, Sanae let out a giggle, but the smile grew wider across her face all the same, even if she had begun blushing harder. Whether it was the alcohol's doing or just that she was tickled by the thought of Alizeh congratulating her on her hard-fought efforts, she couldn't help herself. She was flattered. She was happy to be here - for all it meant, for everything her victory had stood for, and for how hard she had come, from her humble beginnings as a Young Lioness with dreams of stardom to the crossover success she had landed not just in LAW but in the music world. Her victories over Minami and Alizeh herself were a testament to that - and to know that Alizeh, who had been her inspiration and her motivation since the very beginning, could see all of that only warmed her heart all the more.

She looked out on the horizon, thinking on what the middleweight had said. The sun had begun to set a little bit, coloring the distant waves a warm hue, but it was still far from dark enough for the fireworks. "Ah, hm..." She scanned back and forth across the beach for how some of her fellow competitors were spending their time. "There's a volleyball court over there. And of course, we could always go swimming. But...honestly, I feel like I'm happy enough just sitting back and relaxing. We worked hard, y'know, we deserve a break..." She stretched and yawned, but leaned right back up against Alizeh all the same a moment later.

It was then that Sanae looked down at her empty glass. "Hey, you want another drink? I don't mind paying..." The edges of her vision might have gotten a little fuzzy, but...eh, it was fine.

[Bare]

Sitting here with Sanae on her lap, relaxing and drinking, toasting their achievements during Apex, it was nice. There was no other way for Alizeh to put it. In a way she didn't want it to end, but in another way there was something else she wanted that she could get right now if they wanted too... But first, as Sanae suggested more drinks! "Yeah if you're offering I'll take one!" Alizeh said chipperly before smiling as she leaned a bit closer to Sanae while waiting for their drinks, trying to think on what the girl suggest activity wise. "Hmm I mean all of those things are fun and all but not as fun as hanging out with a cute girl on my lap drinking." Alizeh said softly with a chuckle before her eyes lit up seeing their second round of drinks get dropped off, the bartender having heard them and gotten em ready in anticipation. "Eyyy case in point!" Alizeh said excitedly, her words starting to slur a bit as she slid her hand across Sanae's thigh before grabbing her new drink and taking a big drink of it.