Fortuity [Sophia & Asp]

[thesteedman]

It had almost been a week since Sophia’s last match, an Apex Qualifier that resulted in a winning effort but a minor injury in her arm. The memory of taking and deflecting Asp’s deadly strike remained in her mind, and the stiffness and soreness in her left arm was a constant reminder of her encounter with the exotic Asp. Fortunately all she needed to do was rest her arm, another week and she would be back in the ring after going through some physio. She hated having the time off, but it did not stop the German beauty from training.

Today was somewhat of an easy day, as Sophia took herself to a park for a long jog. She was clad in black gym style trousers with a purple trim down each leg that hugged her form, leaving her shins bare and revealing her dark running sneakers. Over her top she wore a dark purple sports bra despite how cold it was slowly starting to get, leaving her alluring midriff bare. Around her hips was a purple and black hoodie, as a few beads of sweat were visible above her brow and upon her midriff and arms. She had not been doing an intense run by any means, but after two hours her body was showing signs of slight exhaustion.

With a bottle in one hand and a towel in the other, she decided to come to a slow stop, taking a few deep breathes. Her hair was a little unkempt from the running, her chest rose and fell deeply. The Park was decently populated, and Sophia made effort not to make too much direct eye contact with people. She was famous after all, a former champion of Full Metal Wrestling and a now very established presence in the LAW after being signed over during the FMW’s fall. The stunning German enjoyed entertaining crowds to be certain, but she was not all so great one on one with individual fans… her talents came more from her fighting style and flare rather then her mic work which was sorely lacking.

Wiping her forehead with a towel and taking a few modest sips of the water she brought, Sophia sat upon the bench. The area was a little more secluded where she was in the park, but a few like minded runners would dart past on occasion. The trees were up close along the pathway behind her, but there was an expanse of grass ahead in the sun. Despite the Autumn settling in, it was still pretty warm in the sunshine, and Sophia noticed a few scattered groups amongst the grass, mostly chilling and getting what rays they could before Winter would eventually come by.

Rising to her feet, Sophia stretched her form and shook her limbs, bouncing up and down briefly before she restarted her jog. She only got a few metres down the path when she noticed a familiar face to her left on the grass… a woman she only met last week in very different circumstances. Immediate conflict came to mind… not sure if she should continue running past or stop to acknowledge the woman who was on a soft looking blanket doing some stretches.

The part that said move on spoke louder, but her brief change of pace brought the attention of the exotic red haired beauty before her, and soon enough the two made eye contact, quelling the notion of simply moving on without being noticed.
“Oh… Greetings again.” Sophia would speak, coming to a stop before the familiar woman, beginning to take note of her appearance and attire choice, and seeing what she was actually up to on the soft blanket she had laid out to lie upon in the sun.
“I did not anticipate seeing you again so soon. H… how have you been?” Sophia would ask, trying to be polite. She was very aware however that she had not responded to the card that this lady had offered her when the two of them met last week… Asp, her previous opponent from the Apex Qualifier.

[BlackAkuma]

Many looked at Asp and the way she conducted herself, then formed a skewed opinion of what she did in her daily life. They envisioned her sitting in her home with gilded walls, laying in a bed filled with an overabundance of pillows, eating grapes while her pets slithered around her. Perhaps with someone playing a sitar in the background. Veils would be involved, and the fragrance of frankincense and mir would hang heavy in the air, while servants fanned her.

The truth was somewhat more banal. Outside of the ring and in her everyday life, Asp was never so sedentary. In fact, she made an effort to stay active, and lived by a strict schedule. She woke up at the same time each day, ate her meals, exercised, had her downtime, often with a movie, then had her afternoon bellydancing classes until dark, with little variations in between as the need arose. Having a set schedule made everything easier.

Today, she found herself at the exercise portion, and she’d come to the park to bask in the sun while she stretched and relaxed her limbs, finding peace with yoga in the noonday sun. She had picked a perfect day for it, as well, choosing to come before the days truly grew cold. She found a good place to sit, out of the way and in the shade, and claimed it with her blanket while Nag and Nagina rested off to the side. Her flaming red hair was a stark contrast to her black tube top and tight leggings, enough to draw no shortage of attention as she contorted and twisted into multiple poses, but she had grown accustomed to drawing notice. She welcomed it, so long as it never went beyond casual looks.

One such passerby did more than catch her eye, however - she held it. Asp didn’t recognize her straightaway, but then she saw the telltale scar and everything clicked.

”Sophia Wolfe.” She stood tall and brought out her best smile for the approaching woman. ”Its been too long.”

‘Too long’ might’ve seemed like a strange way to describe a week of separation from a woman she had only known for fifteen or so minutes, but Asp found it appropriate.Their time had been brief but impactful in her mind, and she’d been craving more time with the woman when she gave her the card. After a few days of not being called, however, she assumed there was no interest there, and resigned it to a failed endeavor.

The universe, it seemed, had other ideas.

”I have been well. As well as I could be, after our match. I hope you’ve made a recovery.” She eyed the woman’s shoulder warily for a moment, then straightened up. ”Would you give me the pleasure of your company for a few moments?” She thumbed towards her blanket, offering her a seat. ”You needn’t fear my pets, they’re quite docile, even to strangers.”

[thesteedman]

In all truth, Sophia was caught off guard. She was certainly guilty of being one to assume Asp's in ring attire and antics were of the norm. Seeing how she moved, how the red haired exotic beauty carried herself, dressed and kept close those serpentine pets, Sophia simply thought it to be the norm. The imagery of Asp clad in a belly dancing-esque attire made for an image. One could imagine her lying in a location akin to some form of personal harem, spread across luxurious cushions with incense candles and Egyptian music whilst her pet serpents roamed freely.

Beyond the ring, out in the public world, Asp was a far cry from the sight she made herself in the ring. That was not to say she was not beautiful, the manner in which she stretched herself and contorted, the deep red shade of her hair and that lithe body were certainly unmistakably the woman she faced last week. However, she was dressed normally... or at least normally for one performing a personal yoga class of sorts. Her attire was not all so different from her own, clad in form fitting leggings that hugged her figure and a matching black tube top, no doubt allowing her for better movements. The German could see her bag no doubt to carry the blanket she used with her shoes besides it.

A little aspect of that character Asp portrayed herself as was visible in the form of the two serpents actually present upon the blankets. They moved little, but looked keen to merely bask in the rays of the sun. Sophia had assumed they were not even Asp's pets when she brought them to the ring, merely a gimmick and prop that was common place for the larger then life personalities that graced LAW... however, there the two were. They were actually Asp's pets it would seem. Serpents aside, Sophia's attention returned to Asp. Even her face was seemingly different, her makeup lighter and more casual, her hair style a little more relaxed. The moment Asp realised who she was, no doubt Sophia appeared very different also when thinking in hindsight. Her own casual get up was a far cry from the colourful if not disciplined appearance of the karataka. It took Asp a moment to figure out who she was, but Sophia noticed that beaming and pleasant smile before she stood up and approached the German once she took in the details of her face.

The manner in which Asp spoke took Sophia little off centre, as she treated her like a friend she had not seen in an age. The two had little interaction during the match save for Asp and her forward ways, and seeing Asp so casual now and welcoming was an unexpected moment for her. None the less Sophia managed a small yet pleasant smile of her own.
"It has not been that long." Sophia would note as casually as she could manage. She was not the most social of creatures. In truth, since her match with Asp, this was the first time she had spoken to anyone.
"I am virtually recovered. The arm and shoulder are still somewhat stiff, but I will be fighting fit in a few more days. You certainly have an impressive kick." Wolfe would further note.

When Asp asked if she would stick around with her, Sophia's expression shifted slightly. Her initial instincts were to fabricate an excuse to move on... anything like missing an appointment... No, Asp did not deserve a lie like that. The notion of simply saying a truth and informing that she was still on a work out came to mind, but then a quick thought came to mind. Sophia was trying to socialise more, and she kept running away from potential interactions like this. If she wanted to make friends and potential allies, Sophia knew she had to make more of an effort. Realising a few seconds had passed, and fearing things might become awkward, Sophia shifted her position and nodded.
"Of course... I can spare some time." Sophia replied, feeling a small knot of nervousness build up in her core. The German at least looked relaxed, approaching Asp's little area she had claimed upon the grass. The scarred beauty slowly lowered herself down. The serpents did not bother her in truth, she assumed they would be friendly given they were with Asp.

"I... I hope you are well recovered after our match last week?" Sophia would ask in kind, realising she had not done so after Asp made sure she was doing okay.

[BlackAkuma]

Many, perhaps too many, would consider Asp’s actions to be presumptuous, assuming familiarity with Sophia that wasn’t there. In many cases, she would agree with them - after all, seeing kinship with a woman she had known for around fifteen minutes was bold, even by her lofty standards. But, in her mind, it made a certain sense - after all, those fifteen minutes had been intense and personal. They had shared pleasure. Had made intimate contact. Had come as close as lovers. More importantly, they had tested each other's limits and pushed each other in ways that neither could have imagined beforehand. It was Asp’s most brutal test as a fighter thus far, pushing her to a limit she had not known was even there.

‘To fight someone is to know them’. An ancient Chinese proverb, paraphrased. Asp wasn’t sure if this was precisely what the phrase meant, but she liked the sentiment all the same.

Seeing Sophia smile brought a burst of warmth to Asp’s heart. The woman took herself so seriously, she suspected it was a rare sight, which made it all the more precious. ”Too long for my tastes.” She added with a smile of her own, though hers had a hint of mischievous flair to it. ”Come. Sit, sit.”

Asp was overjoyed to learn that Sophia was well after their match. The woman seemed tough, and this was clearly not her first time taking a hard hit, but she had been worried all the same - there was no telling how she could recover after such a tough hit , and she loathed the thought of taking her away from the ring.

With her fears dispelled, Asp sat down on the blanket and cleared space for her companion. She had brought a cooler with chilled bottles of water, and she brought one for her and Sophia, handing one of and then unscrewing the cap of her own.

”I’m glad you’re well, Sophia. And I’m glad you found the strength of my kick impressive - coming from you, this is high praise.” She eyed the stiff arm warily, then nodded. ”I have some skill as a masseuse, by the way, and could do something about that stiffness. Do not hesitate to ask.” While she craved physical contact with this woman and would do nothing to hide it, even she wasn’t so brazen as to initiate it outside the ring.

”I, myself, am recouping well enough. It behooves one to listen to their body in such matters, and I am accustomed to giving heed to my own.” She settled into the blanket, straightened up and rolled her shoulders, dispelling a few lingering kinks. ”I must confess, though, that while I had hoped for the pleasure of your company sooner, I might have been too forward in my request. If I’ve made you a touch uncomfortable in that, I apologize. You’re a fascinating woman, and I crave the presence of fascinating women.”

[thesteedman]

Sophia noticed Asp eyeing her shoulder, and it was not the first time either. It was certainly still tender, but the German was confident she would be fighting fit again by next week, but given the manner in which Asp looked upon her made her fear that perhaps it was still out of sorts. Had she been favouring the shoulder or had her movements been a little off? It was hard to say, and Asp also added that she had talents in the field of massage.
"I.. I am sure it fine. The LAW medical staff mentioned I needed some rest and would check upon my arm and shoulder in the week to make sure I am cleared to wrestle again. Consider it a testament to your power." Sophia would mention, managing a bit of a forced smile, but still looking beautiful all the same.

She nodded in thanks when Asp handed a bottle of water. She still had her own to be certain, but this one was fresh from a cooler box, still moist with the condensation and very cool.
"I apologise for not following up on the card request. I... I am not usually one for dancing in all honesty. I mean no disrespect, but the notion of Belly Dancing does not really appeal to me. I do not have the talent for it, and... well, the apparel can be rather revealing, it is not something I would be comfortable doing. I just do not think it is for me. I hope I do not offend you by saying so. I realise it was wrong of me not to get in touch at all." Sophia would confess. She held back some truths... Asp made her a little nervous after their match, given how freely she was willing to subject her to kisses and caresses during their match.

Like many wrestlers before her, Asp had exposed a weakness in Sophia's fighting prowess, her inability to be able to deal with lewd tactics, something that increasingly frustrated the German wrestler. It was not just that though... by nature Sophia had always been a very solitary woman. Ever since leaving her parents, she had relied on no one but herself. Making friends did not come easy, and Sophia found she was somewhat awkward. She was trying, but the notion of going out of her way to meet someone and socialise was something she struggled with. Even now... she felt out of sorts, this being a chance encounter. Sophia was doing her best however. Even stopping as she had now was something new. She lacked friends, and her lack of ambition to make efforts was the reason. It was time to bite the bullet.

"I... I am not so fascinating I fear. I am merely what you see. I think between the two of us you are the interesting presence." Sophia whispered with a soft smile.

[BlackAkuma]

Even if it was only for a little while, Asp relished the chance to enjoy Sophia’s company. While she had initially thought she would have little trouble adapting to life in Japan, the truth was that she had grown somewhat lonely and hungered for companionship. Human companionship. She had never realized how much she cherished the time with her dancing troupe until, now, when they were gone from her life.

It no was good to have this. To have someone to share her thoughts with. Even more so when the listener was so thoughtful, polite, and yes, beautiful.

”You flatter me.” She threw her hair back as she settled into the blanket. ”I believe my power is nothing special. But if that's the way you choose to describe it, I won’t stop you.”

She frowned for a moment, a brief crack in her pleasantness, as Sophia apologized for decling the offer. It was a disheartening dismissal, for certain, but Asp would not refrain from making her final bid.

”If you are uncomfortable, I understand. But allow me to at least present the argument. I believe you have certain misunderstandings about the art. Allow me to dispel these myths.” Asp stretched her leg out, making sure it stayed nice and limber, even as they talked. It was important to keep the blood flowing. ”Firstly, the attire. Don’t be misled by the attire I wore in our match - in truth, I’m an outlier, and most don’t dress as I do. All that needs to be exposed for belly dancing is, obviously, the stomach.” Asp waved her fingers in a grand gesture at Sophia’s bare midsection. ”I have outfits that you would look simply ravishing in, but what you’re wearing now would suffice.”

With that cleared, Asp sat up and moved closer to Sophia, as if she were about to tell a great secret. She took care to skirt the woman’s personal space, not wanting to make her more uncomfortable than need be. ”Now,” She patted her thigh. ”As to your talent, I think you might be better suited than you would suspect. Belly dancing is all about controlling ones body, and you clearly have mastery of yours. Your footing is excellent, your physique is impeccable. Martial arts and dancing are not so different. Many of the skills overlap, and it’s not uncommon for my clients to be fighters. Belly dancing is an excellent way to hone one’s balance and strengthen the core.”

She tensed up her own and gave her stomach a hard pat, as an example. “If anything, I’m a testament to these benefits - despite my training being minimal, I was able to hold my own with you, physically, for no short length of time.” She nodded with a knowing smile, then eased back. ”The lesson would be free, naturally, and I would feed you well, along with it. What have you to lose?”

[thesteedman]

Sophia could not help but consciously place her hands over her own midriff almost protectively when Asp motioned towards her marvel of a stomach, a little nervous look upon her eyes. Outside of wrestling, she very rarely displayed such an amount of flesh, making only an exception today for her run. It was certainly unique to see, as in LAW Sophia often left her amazing stomach exposed, clad in her unique form fitting top whilst a GI top hung from her waist and GI pants completed her look. There was always such a confident look upon Sophia through the stern expressions, as if she cared not. Outside of the ring, she was suddenly very aware though, that confidence seemingly not present when placed in any form of social situation such as this.

It was a shame, as Sophia was a beautiful woman, her unique scar only giving her a mysterious aura. For a moment it seemed that Asp was potentially pressing too much, as cautious as she had been. The notion of Belly Dancing really was quite a significant step out of Sophia's comfort boundary, and her expression began to betray her thoughts, looking increasingly concerned despite how friendly Asp was being with her. She began to lose eye contact with Asp, looking downwards as her case went on, and it was looking increasingly obvious what her answer would be.

"Alright..." Sophia would respond, managing a weak smile. Despite all the signs suggesting she would decline and no doubt move on, Sophia would actually agree to it. The poor German beauty still looked a little nervous, but she battled against it and tried to sit up a little more. In truth, she had been on the verge of declining the offer... but it was something different. Sophia would never climb out of her shell if she did not agree, and too many times she had turned down offers for social interaction, retreating back to her own place. Whilst she always enjoyed the company of herself and was at her element, she was hoping to make a better start in LAW, having been isolated from other wrestlers in Full Metal Wrestling. She had made no friends there, and if she was not careful such a fate would occur here at LAW.

It was time to change that, and only Sophia could do that. Whilst Belly Dancing was an extreme for her, it was no doubt the best place to start.
"I am not much of a dancer as I stated, but one has to start somewhere. I will also let you select apt attire for me... within reason of course." Sophia would add... no doubt she might regret such a decision however.
"I still have your card so I know where to find you. What time would be ideal for my arrival?" Sophia would add. By now her nerves were shot to hell, her chest feeling tight, but she was able to hide such things quite well in the manner in which she spoke. Hopefully... this would be a fine chance to make a friend... even if she did have to Belly Dance to get there.

[BlackAkuma]

For a moment, Asp feared that, perhaps, she was pushing too hard, running the risk of killing her relationship with Sophia before it had even truly begun to grow. This was truly a unique woman, a rare breed, and she didn’t want to scare her away over such a thing.

So it came as a great relief when Sophia not only stayed, but accepted her offer. There was some trepidation there, but nothing that Asp couldn't handle. She clapped her hands and widened her smile, as her mind raced with ideas for the German’s body. ”A sage choice, and you needn’t worry. Your outfit will be elegant and tasteful. I already know the perfect selection.” The only question was whether or not Sophia would fit into it, but Asp was willing to wager they were close enough in size for it to not be a problem.

The question of timing caused her to perk out, as she ran through her schedule and did a mental checklist. ”Today would be best, if at all possible. I do have a new client later on, but we should have ample time. Having a limit might even be helpful - we don’t want to have too much fun.” She threw a sly wink, then rocked back on her hips before she popped up to her feet. ”Five o’ clock will suffice. We will finish just before the sun sets.”

Asp rocked to her feet and stood, rising with more spring in her step than before. It was good to have such a thing to look forward to - she was already thinking of the fun they could have, what they could talk about, and the cooking. Ah, it had been too long since she entertained company.

”Forgive me for the abrupt departure, but I’ve much to prepare.” She kneeled to collect her things with one hand, while her pets slithered up her other outstretched arm. ”All you need do to is text me, and I’ll send the directions along without delay.”

[thesteedman]

-------------------------------------

Some time would pass since Sophia had chanced upon Asp in the park. When Sophia had decided to chance pushing the boat out as it where and trying something different (namely a lesson in Belly Dancing), the platinum blonde angelic beauty had anticipated that such an appointment would at least be in a few days. Hopefully it would give her time to prepare herself mentally. Asp soon confirmed that such an appointment would arrive sooner than Sophia had anticipated, and it had taken the stunning woman off guard. The German was taken a little aback, not having much of a chance to say her piece when Asp began to depart. As quick as their encounter had begun, had it reached an end, with Sophia realised all at once she would have to partake in a lesson tonight... It was what it was. At the very least she managed her goodbyes, but the thoughts would plague her mind for much of the day, cutting short her run.

Either way, her reluctant agreement was what brought her to the door right now as she finally arrived at Asp's place. Her hand was poised in a closed fist, a slight delay in knocking as Sophia took a deep breath. Having been several hours with most of the day passing by, Sophia was freshened up and changed, clad in smart but casual attire, wearing a long dark cream shaded coat, with black feminie trousers and matching shoes whilst a smart but easy going shirt was covering her torso. Beyond the ring, Sophia's look was very different. Often walking in Gi like outfits whilst in LAW, here, she simply looked like a passer-by... one with the look of a world class model granted, but a passer-by all the same. Sophia did not know what to expect, and as she stood there delaying the inevitable... Sophia realised she was past the point of no return. Thoughts of cancelling had drifted through her mind during the day... but that would have been unfair at this hour, knowing Asp had probably put in the work to set this appointment up.

With bated breath, Sophia rapped her hand against the door somewhat meekly. She could not remain out here all evening. Her nerves were already dancing within her core, but the knock was done. The notion of Belly Dancing was not something she thought would occur when she woke up in the morning, though she wondered how her shoulder would fare. In truth, since her jog, that shoulder had become more of a discomfort. Hopefully it was nothing more than a minor issue, but the pain had slowly got worse as the day progressed. Rolling her shoulder to try and rid herself of some stiffness, Sophia was aware she would probably need her arms to come capacity when performing a belly dance.
"<Here goes nothing...>" Sophia would whisper under her breath with her native tongue when she could hear someone approaching from the other side of the door.

Taking one more deep breath, Sophia would wait for the door to open before offering a small but pleasant smile to the hostess of the evening.

[BlackAkuma]

It had been a busy few hours for Asp. While she tried to keep her humble apartment in decent order most of the time, she still wanted it to be exceptionally clean for her guest, and as such, she spent no small amount of time darting between her kitchen and the rest of her personal space. The floor was swept and vacuumed twice over, and her bookshelves and tables were dusted to a pristine sheen. She made sure Nag and Nagina were caged and secure - while she trusted her pets not to harm Sophia and the German seemed at ease with them, there was something to be said for an abundance of caution.

Everything was in its proper place, neat and secure, and she made sure of that while she worked on the meal for the evening. While she was no master chef, her travels had given her a wide array of experience when it came to dishes, and she felt she had made the right choices in regards to her guest of honor.

Rouladen, a fine German dish, mixed with pickles and veal, wrapped in bacon and beef. She made sure to add an appropriate amount of spices, giving it a flavorful zest, coming as close to what she could remember when she’d dined on it herself in Berlin. She was working on some kroketten on the side, fixing the mashed potatoes as a side dish, when she heard the knock. It had been a soft knock, one so faint that she could scarcely here it over the light jazz music she had played in her kitchen, but she’d recognized the noise straightaway - she had been anticipating it, after all.

She clapped her hands and hurriedly scurried across the floor, taking a moment to straighten herself out before she opened it. She was dressed in the same garb she wore when they fought, and while she had considered the possibility of wearing something more conservative, she ultimately reasoned against it. Sophia was most likely as accustomed to this look as she was with anything, and if she were to teach her properly, she would need to be comfortable.

When the moment of reflection passed, Asp opened her door and clasped her hands together with a warm, welcoming smile. ”You’ve arrived. Welcome.” She stepped to the side and swept her hand along the path. ”Please, come inside.”