Nightly Drive (for FreestylePoet)

[RedShinigami]

Karl Schneider, Ex-Wrestler and now Journalist for an european wrestling magazine, looked into the the rear view mirror of his car, the trusty old Beetle he called "Schurli".
This had been his first car and even he had bought others, when he still had the money to spare for such costly adventures, he could never be parted from his trusty old friend, even if it broke down here and there, the heating system did'nt work properly, and the seats looked like they were ripped apart by some wild animal.
Still he liked it.
More than he liked himself for that matter as tired eyes looked back at him from the mirror.
He did'nt look well, he had'nt shaved for days yet and was all in all in a bad condition.

Spoiler

The fucking leg killed him and when the rain started today he had to stop here, in the middle of nowhere as the pain had gotten unbearable.
Three cans of beer and two painkillers later he had awakened in the middle of the night while the rain was pouring down with loud, relentless drops.
Trying to turn on the light at the rear view mirror had showed to Karl that he had to add another issue to the endless long list.
So now he was forced to look at himself with his smartphonelight and what he saw...was'nt pretty.
Karl Schneider once had been a handsome man, but since his life had taken an dramatic turn with his accident, the alcohol and the seperation from his wife and child, the good looking man had'nt been the same anymore.
Sure he had taken the job as journalist for a big wrestling magazine, sure he was now a "correspondent" in Japan and sure he had a halfway decent salary and sure he shared his house with many beautiful women but still Karl was'nt happy.
His leg hurt, his heart hurt, fucking everything hurt.
He opened the window a crack and took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the night and the rain when he saw something at the light of a streetlantern.
"What the..."
First he thought that he was still dreaming or maybe he was seeing ghosts but finally, stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the next streetlamp was a girl! And she was soaking wet.
Not the good type, but the "I will get sick tomorrow type."
He saw her dissapearing again and started his car that was screaming bloody murder when he tried to start it.
"Oh come on Schurli! We are on a rescue mission now to save a beautiful girl!", he said and he could swear that after he said the part with the beautiful girl that the car suddenly started.
He grinned.
"Old pervert..."
He turned around and followed the girl that was walking the empty streets in the rain and caught up with her.
The reporter opened the cardoor on the passengers side and tried to NOT sound or look like some creep or serial killer.
He saw that the girl was not japanese so he tried it with english.
"Uhm Miss, you look like you could need a ride!", he said and drove next to her very slowly.
Then it hit him, he knew that girl, well not exactly knew her, but he had seen her, that red hairstreak...
"You are with LAW are'nt you? Well guess what I am too! Well not directly, I am a correspondent from a magazine but I think we are heading for
the same direction.", he said while rolling along next to the girl.

[FreestylePoet]

Tokyo was a large city. Getting to know the whole place street-by-street, block-by-block would be impossible. Of course, that didn't matter to Louise Vandenbroeck. Walking around the city cleared her mind, and running around it kept her fit.

It was a damn shame that today of all days, it decided to rain. Her debut match in LAW was finally around the corner, so she decided to get a bit more exercise just to make sure she was in fighting shape. Unfortunately, that also meant that she didn't have any way to take her umbrella. No bag or anything, just a water bottle and a light jacket. One that was completely and utterly soaked through right now.

Louise Vandenbroeck, the Scarlet Streak

Louise walked from street lamp to street lamp until finally finding refuge under the front awning of some corner store. She brought her hand to her face, rubbing it with a groan. "Ach, gadverdamme..." she cursed in her native tongue.

Just then, a shabby looking Beetle pulled up along the curb, rolling down its window to reveal an even shabbier looking man. Which was saying something, because the car's rusted, scratched-up exterior made it look like a passion project from a junk-heap more than an actual usable vehicle. Similarly, the man in the car had a disheveled, unkempt look to him, thanks to his untamed hair and overgrown stubble. Neither this man nor his vehicle projected an image of trust, and that was even leaving aside the strangeness of this situation.

"A magazine correspondent, you say?" Louise raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Seems like an easy way for me to wind up in the morgue." She was confident that she'd be able to defend herself if it came down to it -- after all, even with only a few months of formal martial arts training, she was still had the body of an elite athlete. That being said, she really didn't want her first fight in Japan to be against some creepy stranger.

So with nothing more than a shake of her head, Louise turned around and walked in the opposite direction of the car's travel. Hopefully, it would make it harder for the man to follow her. "Try it on someone else, man. Or don't. I don't care."

[RedShinigami]

Karl just sat there...and was speechless.
"I..uhm...no..."
He was truly stunned by a normal reaction.
Yes, the girl was right not to just step into the car with a complete stranger that looked like he slept in his car.
"W..Wait!", he said and it was true, to turn the car around here was just impossible especially as they were on a slight gradient and he fully knew that his little luvbug would never make a turn AND go back up there.
But he did'nt want to leave the girl in the rain also...
"Ach, scheiße!", he sweared in german and left the car, grunting and clenching his teeth as he stepped on his bad leg.
He grabbed his cane with the black skull on it.
Probably would'nt help him winning the sympathies of the girl but still.
"Wait...wait...ah...uh...please!", he said as he limped forward on his kane in the direction of the Oranjegirl.
Now she could clearly see how big this man really was and that something was'nt right with his left leg.
"If you won't drive with me than please take at least this...", he said and wanted to reach her the umbrella but before he came to close to the girl that turned rather fast, her body stiffened in a way he did'nt quite like...
Now they stood there...stalemate...and the reporter was'nt fast enough as now his hand was in the inside of his suitjackt.
"Listen...I wanted to give you the umbrella...and I have no weapon...no need to do something we would regret, would'nt we? he asked nervously.
"Can...can I get my wallet to show you my I.D.?", he asked while stood both under the extra big umbrella that the big man carried with him in his car.
The situation was more then akward...

[FreestylePoet]

Louise stopped in her tracks as she heard the man get out of the car. A potentially fatal mistake, sure, but she was from a small town. As abrasive as she was, being accosted by a stranger was a situation that Louise was not at all familiar with. She rolled her eyes and grit her teeth, turning around to face the stranger...

Who promptly stopped in his tracks a meter or so away from her. His body stiffened, likely in response to how on-edge Louise herself was in her body language. Or, perhaps, out of nervously creepy excitement. In any case, she was, in fact, perfectly willing to take the umbrella if he'd handed it to her (possibly another mistake, but the rain wasn't going to let up anytime soon).

However, just then, the man did something that Louise did not like one bit. He reached into his jacket, rifling through his pockets while saying that there was "no need to do something they'd regret." A motion that was equal parts disturbing and threatening, one that set off every single alarm bell in Louise's head.

"Shit!"

And she responded in an equally threatening manner in a way that seemed wholly appropriate at the moment. She called to mind the first, second, and third lesson for self-defense against a male assailant. A swift kick right to the crotch!

[RedShinigami]

"Karl Schneider was a decent person.
He never hurt anyone intentionally, he loved his daughter and he tried to be a good person.
RIP Karl Schneider..."
This eulogy went through Karls head as the leg of Louise got him right in the treasurechest.
"Oh...gooooooood...", he said and the ooos slowly rose from his basslasting voice to some high tenor.
He got down on one knee and managed to not hurt his other leg too much before he grabbed the ID with shaking fingers.
"H...here...Karl...Schneider...European...Correspondent...for Wrestling Impact...",he grunted and looked up with one eye closed.
"You can keep the Umbrella...but just help me to my car, yes?", he said and pointed to his leg.
"As you can see I am not in shape to do any fancy moves on you...", the Ex-Wrestler said and hoped that Louise could see that the ID was
indeed real.
What was the worst that could happen?
Oh yeah he could get the shit kicked out of him and sent to the Vienna Boys Choir when Louise was done with his balls...

[FreestylePoet]

Louise drove her foot into the man's groin and almost immediately regretted it. Though it wasn't his high-pitched squeal or the pain-wracked form that tugged at Louise's heartstrings. As he fell, the Nederlander noticed the limp, tender way that Karl was favoring one of his legs, and instantly, a pang of guilt pulsed in her chest. Phantom pains started to smolder in her knee, causing the former basketball player's left foot to involuntarily fidget up and down.

Growling at the sensation and at her own actions, Louise all but snatched the ID card from Karl. Sure enough, the press pass was legit, at least as best she could tell based on the training documents LAW had given her. Karl Schneider was indeed a member of LAW's official press corps, and believe it or not, Louise had even heard of Wrestling Impact. She'd bought a copy or two while mulling over the initial offer to come to LAW. Sighing, she whipped out her phone and sent a picture of Karl's ID to her stablemates with the following text message:

"Hitching a ride to LAW campus now, if I'm not at Leonie's in 3 hours or you don't hear from me otherwise, hunt this man down"

"Alright Karl, you win. LAW's central office, yeah?" Louise reached down and cautiously but firmly hauled Karl up to his feet. Holding the umbrella over both of them as they walked, she guided him to the car. "Two rules: First, don't touch me. Second, don't head anywhere unfamiliar. Break either one, and I'm calling the cops. Deal?" If she agreed, Louise would reluctantly step into the car after making sure that Karl was inside.

[RedShinigami]

The reporter groaned and tried not to sink on his bad knee when the girl finally took the ID and looked at it.
This time he was prepared, would she try that again he would catch her leg and sent her flying.
He was out of shape and had'nt had training in like 7 years but he still knew how to grapple.
Thankfully no impromptu wrestling match had to follow as Louise seemed almost a little shocked about what she did.
The big man sighed in relief and let Louise help him up to this feet, well foot.
"Phew...man, i had better first impressions...", he said, straighthend his jacket and gave Louise a judging look first
but seeing that the girl had something of a guilty look in her eyes he sighed.
He just could'nt be mad at young girls, especially when they did the right thing, given the situation.
Karl let himself helped in and shoved some cans of beer aside from the passengers seat.
"He is'nt a limousine, but Schurli brings me to my destiny everytime...well...almost.", he said with a sarcastic undertone and put the seatbelt on.
"You have to pull the seatbelt hard, like real hard. Should'nt be a problem for you, huh?", he grinned and with the gutwrenching sound from all the dogs of hell howling at once, the car started.
First one headlight...
"Ach Scheiße..."
Karl grabbed for something under the seat, apparently a rock and threw it out of the window, hitting the car at the other spotlight that activated.
"Perfect. Lets go."
Then he heard her rules and laughed.
"Relax,Kiddo, If I wanted to have my way with you I could have done it rather easily behind these bushes. There is'nt a house for like half a mile.", he said.
"So, no other way than directly to the LAW HQ? Alright then tell me how to get there...without, your cellphone.", he said.

At first they did'nt speak a word, it was a little akward but then Karl decided to break the ice.
"What brought you here to the ass of the world, uh sorry, I mean, the LAW HQ is 2 hours away...CAR hours.", he said shaking his head.
"You are not from here, this is one if not the biggest city in the world. Young girls, even if they are strong wrestler, should'nt walk this streets unguarded.", he said and sighed.
"Sorry...sorry, I sound like I am your father, well your Papa really told you what to do with perverts, huh?", he said while they drove on.

[FreestylePoet]

Louise guided the man into his car before sliding into the passenger seat. She slipped off her jacket, sparing an accusatory glance at Karl as she did so. Thankfully, he didn't even look her way, allowing her to cover her front with her upturned (though still soaked through) jacket.

She watched as Karl fiddled with various things in the car, leading to a hamfisted method of getting his lights on and... apparently, the sounds of gunfire from underneath the hood. "Oh, great," she deadpanned. "Even if you don't want to kill me, this rusty bucket of bolts might do it anyway." Increasingly pessimistic about her chances of getting home alive, Louise leaned up against the door, her palm pressing into her cheek as she rested.

They sat there for a while, stopping and going all the while due to traffic, until Karl finally decided to break the silence.

Louise decided to grace him with a response. "I like to run in different parts of Tokyo. Ōme has nice nature, so I thought I'd give it a try." It was also extremely far from the rest of Tokyo, being on the far Western edge of the prefecture. Not exactly two hours away, but with midday traffic... probably not a bad estimate. The trains might have been better, but she was at least thankful to not have to fight through the rain to get to the station.

Still, she couldn't help but exasperatedly roll her eyes at Karl's protectiveness. "Yes, I know my way around a fight, I suppose." Unfortunately, that wasn't entirely true, as she'd never been in one beyond her lessons and spars since coming to LAW. She hadn't even had her debut yet... which, actually, brought a question to mind.

"...Hey. How did you know I was with LAW? I've never been in the ring, or even at a press event. The only traces of me being involved here are a few Tweets and the public roster page."

[RedShinigami]

Karl opened the car window and took a cigarette in his mouth.
"Sorry, nasty habit, I know. When I was a wrestler I could only dream to smoke those things.", he laughed.
The night was beautiful as a big, almost full moon lit their way into the city.

He knew that she was still uncomfortable and he could'nt blame her.
But the girl seemed not be a champ at social interaction either way.
Tough Karl, being Karl, tried to get the monotone girl to open up a little.
"Well, you saw the ID I am a reporter and not a bad one if I might say so. I even think that I have read your name somewhere...", he said.
"That reminds me, what is your name? I did'nt catch it. Listening to your accent I would say dutch?", the scruffy man said while tipping ashes from his cigarette out the window.
He smiled.
"I am from europe too, well you surely has guessed by now with a name like Karl Schneider.", the Ex-Wrestler said and clicked his tongue.
"I never forget a face or...a hair streak.", he said with and grinned slightly as he took a sideglance, pointing at her hair with a nod .

"Well, my lucky stars seem to be good to me. A LAW Debuter in my old Schurli. You care if I ask you a few questions?", he asked and took his smartphone out, opened the "Record" App and put it on the dashboard, it did'nt record yet.
"And before you get mad at me, no I did'nt who you are yet or where I have seen you, I just wanted be nice. I have a daughter you know. Much younger than you, but still....
They stopped at a red light as Karl snipped the cigarette out the window.
"So yes or no...Fräulein..."

[FreestylePoet]

Louise looked out the window, watching the street lights pass by one-by-one. The pitter-patter of the rain tapped in its naturally cacophonous way. It was a nostalgic, calming sound, familiar from many tired rides. Other cars, yes, other passenger seats. But the scene itself was just as tranquil as always.

Until, at least, Karl Schneider decided to open his stupid mouth. Louise drew in a long, sighing breath before sitting up straight. "Erm..." She hummed, pondering his question. The answer was simple, but she wasn't quite sure yet whether or not she wanted to give it. Eventually, she landed on yes, but not before switching briefly to her native tongue. "Ja, Nederlander. Uit Appingedam. [Yes, Dutch. From Appingedam.] Louise Vandenbroeck."

Of course, that wasn't the last question that the reporter had for her. She knew that press was going to be a large part of her life from here on out as a LAW wrestler. That was why Dr. Morgenstern had been sure to give her and her stablemates the best media training she could find. Still, Louise always found unexpected attention annoying. That being said, Karl was either sociable or persistent, Probably both.

"Ugh... you're just going to ask me your questions whether or not I let you write an article about them, aren't you?" Louise pinched her nosebridge, considering the proposal for a moment. "Fine. Just send me the article so my manager and I can approve it." She waved her hand annoyedly. Karl could ask his questions... but she'd remain in control. At least, as much as was possible with someone like Karl.