Demon's Revelation (Reiko and...)

[dlamp]

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There was a lot going through Reiko's mind at the moment.

When Hitomi had said she wanted to show off to Reiko further and eyed the dumpster she had a few ideas. Maybe jumping off it and doing a flip or spin, maybe dropkicking it so hard it'd leave a dent, maybe even just... outright... pick up the thing? Reiko didn't exactly have high expectations, but her time in the dojo hard taught her that a larger body didn't always mean a less agile or weak body. Fat could hide muscle and a wider build didn't often mean someone wasn't flexible or light on their feet. she had seen a few people in her dojo that outweighed her easily outrun her or finish more aerobic sets quicker than her. So... Reiko had some hope in being surprised.

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And to Hitomi's credit, she definitely caught Reiko off guard. She was completely lost for words. Her eyes were staring wide, blank, and with all emotion sucked out of them. She couldn't even say she was disappointed.

"Uuuuh..." Yeah, she was clueless. She had no words for this. All she did was walk over and tap the dumpster. "You can... get out of that, right?" Because she was not dumpster diving, fan interaction or not.

[CaptainL]

Just as Hitomi had no qualms about throwing herself into the dumpster to begin with, so too was she entirely unphased when it came to getting out of it. She poked her head over the rim, now considerably smellier, with a banana peel in her hair and her glasses askew over her face. But as she leaned over the edge, she saw the look of shock and disbelief on Reiko's face, and it made her grin grow even wider. She'd done it! She'd managed to astonish even a rising star with her wrestling skills! If Hitomi had any reason to believe she couldn't make it in the ring, those doubts had been banished now.

"Yeah, of courshe!" she said, reaching over the edge of the dumpster to pull herself out, and landing on her feet outside. She brushed off her shirt - "Don't worry, it'sh maschine-washable," she was quick to insist - before facing Reiko and straightening her glasses, where she beamed with pride.

"Sho, ash you can shee, I've got everything I could posshibly need to shuceed in LAW! You know if they're gonna be hiring shoon?"

[dlamp]

"... ... ..." Thankfully, Hitomi was able to pull herself out the the trash with little to show for it save for the obvious odor and grim, but Reiko was still silent and at a lost for words. The girl was unflappable in her confidence at least, but confidence only got someone so far. And with some of things Reiko had seen and experienced in LAW, especially after her latest match... this girl might get eaten alive against the wrong opponent.

"Ah-" Shit, she waited too long to answer and now things were awkward. "Well... I mean..." Reiko bit her lip, thinking of something to say. Frankly, Hitomi had the heart, and Reiko had definitely seen worse wrestlers in the league that felt more like hapless victims than people that had a decent since of combat or athleticism.

There... was some hope.

"I mean, I think they're willing to give just about anyone a shot and run them through a training course." Or at least it felt that way some times given how lopsided some of the matches were. "Hm..." Yeah, it'd be a dick move on Reiko's part if she gave this girl too much false hope, but she didn't want to completely stomp out someone that had guts either. "Heh, tell you want." Reiko said. "Maybe they'll be some big event like an open challenge thing. I've seen a few wrestlers do that. They just walk out on stage and offer anyone in the back or in the audience a chance to swing at them after they sign a waver. Who knows... might be your chance to show your stuff in a big crowd."

[CaptainL]

Hitomi hung off every word that came out of Reiko's mouth with eager anticipation, her grin beaming wide across her face as she leaned in closer. She was the Demon's captive audience, and - for better or worse - she was the type to take whatever she said to heart. Though, even if Reiko told her she couldn't make it, it likely wouldn't deter her...but what was even better to Hitomi was the fact that Reiko actually seemed to think she could go somewhere!

"Really!?" Her head perked up with a gasp. "That'sh aweshome! I gotta know who to talk to, thish could be my big break! " If Reiko, someone from inside the company, was willing to point Hitomi in the right direction, she was sure she knew what she was talking about - and even better yet, she was convinced it meant Reiko felt she could make it.

It was what Reiko said next, however, that really caught Hitomi's ear. An open challenge? That sounded like the perfect opportunity to show the world what she could really do! At last she'd be on the grand stage, going up against an established name, and surely winning over the hearts of countless fans if she could prove herself capable of standing up to them! Her mouth hung open agape, and she stared out with starry eyes. But then, she remembered another thing Reiko had done, something that her mention of an open challenge had jogged her memory of.

"Hey, wait a minute! You were doing that Kimodameshi thing, right? You talked about it in that promo you did before the big matsch! Do...you think I could face you in one of thoshe?" She leaned in closer still, practically getting in Reiko's face as she eagerly anticipated her response. It was true that Hitomi was a good deal heavier than the opponents Reiko typically took on. But she definitely had spirit either way - and this could well be her biggest chance yet!

[dlamp]

"... ..." Reiko blinked, shocked into silence once again. This time, however, it was in honest surprise. Her Kimodameshi matches, a match type inspired by Rose Gold's Midas Touch and Karen Starring's Amazon Classic. A semi-open challenge to any new or debuting Lightweight wanting to test themselves against someone that had been in the company for a while, where the challenge got to chose the match and Amano got to chose the penalty for losing. For the most part, the matches got a few hits and few folks. She didn't win every match, but she made sure to make every match exciting. It's not like Amano wanted to endure whatever penalty she set up after all. Though... someone like Hitomi remember the event was a surprise.

And the idea she gave was a pretty interesting one.

Amano had mostly been fighting newbie lightweights, but doing an open challenge with that kind of thing might actually be a pretty good way to get both her name out and a few hopefuls. And hell, Amano had talked about possibly doing an open challenge a few times in the past. "Hm..." Though... Hitomi being so close made it a little difficult to think further on it.

"Well..." She said, inching herself away from Hitomi for a bit of breathing room. "You took a punch from me pretty well, so..." She flashed Hitomi a grin, her green eyes flashing. "If you think you can handle it, then bring it! Maybe I'll go out on stage a few times and snatch you up in my net one day!"

[CaptainL]

To Hitomi, this was a once in a lifetime experience. She had the chance to meet someone she'd been watching on TV from the start of her LAW career, and not just that, she'd gotten the chance to speak to her, and better yet, to hear from her firsthand that she had potential to forge her own career in the wrestling business. The otaku's grin split her face from ear to ear, and she leaned in close to Amano, bathed in the glow of her excitement. She didn't even want to blink, lest she take her eyes off the most exciting moment in her life - perhaps even more than being in the front row for Fight The LAW.

And then...Reiko said it. The words Hitomi had been hoping to hear since this all started. She already knew the Demon had faith in her, but it didn't temper the impact of hearing her accept her proposal - not in the slightest. No sooner had the words left Reiko's mouth that Hitomi let out a gasp. "Really!? You'd do that!?" Unable to contain her enthusiasm, Hitomi hopped back, throwing her hands in the air with enthuiasm that belied her 28 years. "YESH! I knew I could make it! Thanksh sho musch for doing thish for me. You really have no idea how musch it means..."

Hitomi could practically feel tears of joy welling up in her eyes. She wanted to hug Reiko, but then remembered that there were bigger things at stake here! Stepping back, she cleared her throat. A proud look crossed her face, and she tightened a fist to hold it in the air as her other hand rested on her hip. She would, admittedly, look far cooler if she was more in shape and not covered in garbage.

"I'll make shure I'm ready to fasche you in the ring! I know I gotta train to be the besht I can be...sho don't go eashy on me, alright?"

Then, Hitomi checked her watch - and her eyes widened. She'd been here with Reiko for longer than she'd anticipated, and now it was getting late. Had she really lost track of the time?

"Er...shorry, Amano, but I should get going. My mom'sh gonna wonder where I went. But...don't think I'm gonna forget thish any time shoon!"

With that, Hitomi turned and headed back down the street from whence she came. But her head was held high, and a smile crossed her face. She knew she was going places.

[dlamp]

"Hehe..." It might had been an expected reaction, but the sudden pop from Hitomi had Reiko sweating a little behind the smile. It wasn't like she was lying, she really did think Hitomi had potential provided she trained herself and focused on her strengths. And her encouragement was genuine. But... the girl took it a little... too well. Maybe I should of been a little stricter? It was too late to regret it now, Hitomi was riding the high of Reiko's apparent approval and was psyching herself up to get to training.

And... it was honestly difficult to say something more critical to someone so excited. Even more so when she at least tried to keep a professional face. Well, kinda' let for that, but whatever. Reiko gave a wry smile, waving Hitomi goodbye as she started to make tracks. "Huh... guess it is getting kinda' late..." Unlike Hitomi, Reiko didn't have a watch on her, nor her cell phone at the moment. Still, Nanase would likely approach her when it got so late.

So for now, Reiko simply dusted the sand off her shirt and started moving over to the beach proper, her feet just barely touching the water now as she watched the wave and stars, lost in thought again.

[Arista]

That was all too much to to stomach, that match tore Gil up inside, even if she only had spoken to Amano a couple times, she knew she didn't deserve that, no-one did...! She drew in a deep breath, the slight chill of the ocean-breeze calming her, even more chilly due to her attire consisting of only a bikini top and denim shorts. If she was feeling like this, god could only know how poor Amano was holding up, she gave that everything she had and still fell short, if only she could hug her right now...

Gil's gaze turned down at her feet, sinking into the sand as she walked along the water, feeling the waves crash and ride up the shore over the top of her feet. She turned her head up, spotting a familiar silhouette in the distance...! She picked up her pace as she jogged down the shore-line, the water splashing up beneath her. "...AMANO...!"

She practically crashed into the smaller woman, nearly taking her down to the ground as she held her close and squeezed her tight. "...I'm so glad to see you, I'm so sorry that all happened, I-I-I..." She choked on her words, barely fighting back the tears as her eyes glistened, pulling back for a second to look at Amano, only now being certain that was who she hugged, if her eyes had failed her it would have made for an embarrassing tale of the time she, in an emotional-stupor, she nearly spear-tackled someone on the beach...!

[dlamp]

"... ... ..." Dammit. Being left alone with her thoughts really wasn't doing Reiko any good. Her mind just kept drifting back to the match, along with it's bitter conclusion. "Gh..." She clenched a fist, gritting her teeth as she lowered herself to the water. I... did something good, right? It was one thing to inspire a kouhai and fan, but... did she actually push everyone else? Did her match move more than just the newbies and fans? Was sacrificing her pride make enough of a statement abou-

"...AMANO...!"

Reiko barely heard the splashing steps, only a familiar voice before she was slammed right into the water, a loud splash sounding out as the two bodies tumbled to the shore. "W-Wha-?!" Surprisingly, it didn't hurt, but Reiko's flight-or-fight response immediately took over. This girl had her back the arms, and Reiko was set to try and slam her head back into her assailant's jaw and nose to free herself. But... then the person in question spoke with deep concern, and sounded on the verge of tears. Wait a minute- Reiko recognized the voice, mostly from watching some matches of the girl awhile back.

"G-Gil-san?!" She squirmed through the taller girl's grip. "I-I'm fine! Please let go..." Realizing who this was now, Reiko didn't really have the heart to just force her off. Moreover, she was hugging her too tight for that anyway. Despite the two's knowledge of each other, this was their first in-person meeting.

And needless to say, Gil had definitely made quite the first impression.

[Arista]

Gil was so wrapped up in her own emotions, that she could barely judge just how fast she was going, and how much force she put into that tackle, or, hug, I mean...! She drove the both of them down into the sand as a fresh wave washed up and soaked the bottom of Gil's shorts.

"...I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry...!" She repeated, rushing up to her feet as she loosened her embrace, offering her hand down to Amano. "...I'm really sorry... I just..." She sniffled, obviously hurt by the match. All she wanted to do was make Amano feel better, but she knew that might not come so easy, and she needed to pull herself together first!

"...Ahem! I'm just glad you're okay..." She cleared her throat and took in a deep breath. "...So, what are you doing out here, just some stargazing, or were you looking for shells?" Gil's tone shifted drastically, almost as if she wasn't on the verge of tears just seconds ago. "...Hey, check this one out...!" She squatted down and picked up a whole Scotch Bonnet, holding it up in-front of her face, covering Amano's from her point-of-view. "...It's so pretty, I think these are the ones you can hear the ocean in...!" Gil lowered her hand, showing Amano's face again, she looked rough, even more, she looked upset. "...Oh, Amano...!" Her tone turned back to one of sympathetic sadness, the tears factory was about to be back in full-operation...!