Tokyo A Go-Go: A Penny Shannon & Scarlett Quinn RP

[veronicaaaahhhh]

For up and coming Japanese Idol, Aga Agayakai, tonight was the biggest night of his life. Having started his transition away from pro wrestling for a much bigger stage, it was only fitting that he opened Divine Wind with a match against current Japanese independent star, Taku Yasayuki, followed by a performance in the middle of the ring to a medley of songs from his debut album, A Dance of Fantasy. All this to the delight of the camera crews who were testing their equipment and the smattering of fans who had just started to file into the arena. 

Yes, Aga Agayaki sensed it in the air. Tonight was the night of change, and he was headed for bigger and better things because a bunch of people from America were there to watch him. And with these Americans, they think of wrestling more like entertainment than sport!

“You have much to be happy for, Agayaki-san.”, Hirohito Yamasaki spoke, lighting a cigar as he pat his young client on his shoulder. “Tonight, the whole world got to see you shine.”

“Thank you, Yamasaki-san.”, Agayaki politely nodded. “I’m very happy that I performed well night.”

Yamasaki moved his heavy frame closer to the young Agayaki as he pulled the cigar away from his bushy, graying moustache. “I see there is something troubling you, Agayaki-san. What is it?”

“… I just don’t like what I did tonight.”

“I see, I see.”, Yamasaki said, blowing smoke from his lips now as he pat the young, smooth Agayaki on his shoulder. “You still are not comfortable with having pre-arranged the outcome of your match?”

“Yes.”

Yamasaki pulled the young boy closer and smiled. “I know it is not right and Agayaki-san, that is what I like about you. You are a good, young man of high moral principle. But you must understand.” Yamasaki sighed. “These Americans, wrestling is a joke to them. It is entertainment- surely, they won’t be able to tell.”

Yamasaki took another puff from his cigar. “And besides, even if they did, it does not matter because we are launching you as the first ever idol to make it in America first! That’s why you sang only your English-language songs!”

Agayaki shuddered and huddled tighter into his blazer as he looked at his manager and said, “You’re right. It is better to fight another day.”

Yamasaki smiled at his young talent and felt the shedding of tears start to water beneath his eyes. It has been a long journey of two and a half weeks to get to where they were now, but together, they were going to do it. 

Like Elvis and Col. Parker. 

He pulled his young talent close for a warm embrace and looked up into the sky. “Pop music, wrestling, a guest spot on the Bold and the Beautiful and then, a prime time show in the greatest American television channel in the world, CBS, and then movies!”

Yamasaki hushed. “We are going to be kings of the world!”

Agayaki gave in to the embrace. 

In the two and a half weeks since he’s known him, Yamasaki-san has been more than a father to him. He was taking a chance on this young, city boy’s big dreams of fame and super-stardom and he was determined not to let him down.

-SWING-

But the moment was short-lived because not even ten seconds into that warm, and totally not-creepy hug, the doors swung open and effectively knocked them down into the ground with (apparently) enough force that they bumped their heads together and kind of knocked each other out. 

“Ohhh dude!”, Scarlett said, jumping in the air as she kicked the door open again, feeling a little extra give that she just had to throw out her heel the moment is swung back. “You have no idea how nice the people are here. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“I know, right?”, Penny said, following after Scarlett as she spun on her heel and kicked the large, metal door again with a superkick. “It’s like, you see all the stuff they do here, you kind of don’t expect them to be that polite.”

Scarlett walked through and said, “You really don’t. They’re seriously like the most chill people I’ve ever met. I don’t think I ever wanna go back to the States at this point.”

“The States?”, Penny chuckled as she looked at Scarlett. “Hun, you are soo expat right now.”

“So, what if I am?”, Scarlett shot back, giggling a little. “This place is awesome, how could I not want to leave ever?”

“errrhhh…”

Scarlett and Penny looked down and saw a couple of Japanese guys on the ground. 

“Hey, what happened to these guys?”, Penny shrugged, looking down at them. 

-Whiiiiisssssstleeeeeee-

Scarlett looked down passingly at the two guys on the ground before looking up and seeing a car pull towards them. 

“Come on.”, Scarlett shrugged. “Our ride is here.”

“There are dudes knocked out in the ground right now.”

“I saw that.”, Scarlett said. “And I’m not sticking around to find out who did that to them.”

“We should at least call someone.”, Penny said, adjusting the strap of her backpack as she followed Scarlett into the backseat of the car.

“Yeah, we’ll do that.”, Scarlett said, buckling her seat-belt as Penny tossed in her backpack after her. 

Penny got in, closed the door behind her and reached her phone out of the pouch of her hoodie and started flipping for Lilia Slater’s number. 

“Evenin’ ladies.”, a said a guy (a white guy, with a goatee, and long hair, who was sitting in the driver’s side).

“Thanks for picking us up.”, Scarlett said, reaching over her seat as she kissed the guy on the cheek and gave him a hug. 

“Hey, I’m just glad I got to see the show for free.”, the guy said. “The tickets have been sold out for weeks!”

Penny looked away from her phone and directed her attention towards the small little snugglefest that was going on in front of her.

“Scarlett… Honey.”, Penny called, looking down at her iPhone and wondering what she was doing holding it in the first place. “Who’s he?”

“Hey Penny!”, the guy said, waving as he looked at her through the rear-view mirror. “I’m Travis! Huge fan.”

“Uhm… Thanks.”, Penny said, slipping her iPhone into her pocket now as she leaned over at the designated driver and continued. “And you two know each other?”

“Penny.”, Scarlett smiled. “Travis is my boyfriend.”

“… He’s your what?!” Penny shot out with such a force that Travis literally had to stop the car. 

<***>

Penny Shannon 

&

Scarlett Quinn

in

Tokyo-A-Go-Go

A Dead Bodies Are Buried Under The Sakura RP

<***>

[veronicaaaahhhh]

Back in the car, the three of them nudged forward a little as Penny licked her lips and looked at the two of them.  

“I am soo, soo sorry!”, Penny said. “I didn’t mean to scare you guys like that. It’s just that… You’re kinda the last person I expected Scarlett to get into a relationship-type thing with.” Penny leaned forward and looked at him. “But you are a little soft, and there is a prettiness about you.” 

“Uhm? Is that a good thing?” 

“I don’t know.”, Penny said, turning to Scarlett. “Is it?” 

“Well, if I didn’t find his face at the very least charming then I wouldn’t be dating him, now would I?” 

“… Thanks?”, Travis said, gulping a little. 

Scarlett pat him on the head. “I like you.” 

“I don’t think I like you right now.”, Travis shrugged.  

“You get a backstage pass at the next pay-per-view?”, Scarlett said. 

“I like you again.”, Travis replied. “But still not as much as I used to.” 

“Fair enough.”, Scarlett shrugged, slipping back to her seat now as Travis started the car again.  

Penny’s eye was bugged out a little as she just followed the two of them talking like someone who was watching tennis.  

“You still can’t believe it, can you?”, Scarlett said. 

“Kind of.”, Penny said, sitting back now. “But then again, I’m also not really surprised.” 

Scarlett looked at Penny and nodded. “Me too.” 

“We really have a lot to catch up on, don’t we?” 

“Yeah.”, Scarlett shrugged, sinking into her leather jacket. “The whole boyfriend thing doesn’t even scratch the surface.” 

“Ha.”, Penny chuckled, feeling just a tiny bit uncomfortable on account of Scarlett’s word choices. “You could say that again.” 

“Oh.”, Scarlett shot out, shrugging as she struggled to find the right words to say, while her index finger started waving itself in front of her eyes. 

“It’s cool, hun.”, Penny shrugged, waving Scarlett off. 

Scarlett dropped her head a little and turned to Penny. “I’m sorry.” 

Penny pulled Scarlett close for a hug and said, “Don’t worry about it, alright?” 

Scarlett wrapped her arm around Penny’s waist and sighed. “I’m still sorry.” 

“Make it up to me tonight by showing me a good time?” Penny grinned.  

“… My boyfriend probably has the biggest boner right now.”, Scarlett snickered. 

“I’m sorry!”, Travis shot out, looking up at them. “… I’ve never been around two girls like this before, I kind of don’t know how to react to all this.” 

Penny looked up at the rear-view mirror and asked, “Are you aroused enough to think about it when you jerk off later?” 

“I don’t know.”, Travis said. “Maybe? But I don’t think I want to anymore.” 

“It’s fine.”, Scarlett shrugged, tossing out her arm. “I think I’d be a little bit turned on if I was him and I was watching two guys hugging themselves that close.” 

“I would think about it.”, Penny shrugged.  

“… So?”, Travis shrugged. “… Yeah, I really don’t know what to say right now.” 

Scarlett slipped away from Penny’s hug and threw her arm around the driver’s seat. “You’re fine.” 

“As long as you’re not a creep and you genuinely wanna know us, then you’re good.”, Penny shrugged, leaning towards the two of them now as she pulled out a fat blunt from the pouch of her hoodie. “Now, who wants to get high as crap with me?”. 

[veronicaaaahhhh]

“You sure you don’t wanna leave that upstairs?”, Scarlett asked, passing Travis who was holding the lobby door open for them. 

“I’m good.”, Penny shot back, slinging her backpack over her shoulder as she passed Travis and walked out into the street.  

Travis was pretty iffy about smoking a blunt that fat in the car since Japan was just starting to find itself as a stoner, and there were all these weird laws and whatnot. So instead, they decided to smoke it up in Scarlett and Travis’ apartment and hit up the yakitori place across the street.  

Scarlett stood by the edge of the sidewalk and waited for Travis to come by until she reached out for his hand and held it.  

Penny let herself sink into her hoodie and sigedh, as she waited for the crossing light to turn green while she had to take in the affection in front of her.  

It wasn’t like it was sickening or like, it made her uncomfortable. She was totally fine with it, but it’s just a weird thing to tag along with a couple because it made her feel obligated to do something with herself around them.  

It was a stupid, weird thing.  

The green light came on Penny found herself in a scramble of a crowd that was going in opposite directions in the same lane. She had to grab a hold of Scarlett just to make it through.  

“crap, I am too stoned for that.” 

Scarlett shrugged and lit up a cigarette. “You’ll get used to it.” 

“Over there.”, Travis nudged over to the bench right by the open grill. “We might have to huddle up though. Is that cool?” 

“Works for me.”, Penny replied. 

The Yakitori place looked more like a food truck that had been in that spot for so long that it only seemed natural that the dude who ran this place put up a couple small tables and some benches around it. 

But it was all pretty chill though. The scent of grilled meats and seafood filled the air and it was already starting to tingle Penny’s taste buds.  

“Alright.”, Penny began looking at the pieces of skewered chicken cooking up in the grill. “How do we do this?” 

“Well usually.”, Scarlett began. “We just order a bunch of things and eat it with rice.” 

“I can do that.”, Penny nodded, still looking at the grilled chicken. “I can totally do that.” 

Travis leaned forward and started mumbling stuff in Japanese to the guy grilling up the yakitori’s. He was a normal looking guy, by Penny’s estimation (she originally imagined him to at least look like Hattori Hanzo from Kill Bill), middle aged with crooked teeth that somehow didn’t seem to surprise Penny.  

Travis looked over at the girls and asked, “Who’s down for a beer?” 

“I’m down.”, Scarlett shrugged, also looking at the food. 

“I’m fine, but I’ll take a Diet Coke if they’ve got any.”, Penny said. 

Travis nodded and turned back to the cook (Penny was kinda uncomfortable calling him a chef) and said more things in Japanese, this time holding up his fingers like he was counting something. 

The cook nodded, muttered what sounded like a single Japanese word and turned away.  

“You guys come here often?”, Penny asked, shaking her knees beneath the table a little bit.  

“Usually.”, Scarlett replied, nodding as she looked up at Travis as he lit a cigarette. “Maybe two-three times a week?” 

Travis took a drag and passed the cigarette over to Scarlett, turning his head away from the girls, replying, “We come here more… Usually when we’re too broke to eat anywhere else.” 

“Or if we don’t feel like cooking.” 

“You cook?”, Penny shot out. 

“We try to.”, Scarlett shrugged.  

The Yakitori Cook leaned over the counter and said another thing in Japanese. Travis got up from his seat and grabbed two bottles of beer from the counter, and a cup of iced water, which he gave to Penny. 

“What happened to my Diet Coke?” 

The Yakatori Cook looked at Penny and muttered something in Japanese. Penny looked back at him and pouted a little as she turned her head and looked over to Travis.  

“They don’t have any Diet Coke.” 

“I can see that.”, Penny said, grabbing the cup of iced water in her hand. “… Now.” 

The Yakitori Cook started saying more things in Japanese.  

“He hasn’t had any soft drinks since 8:0OPM…”, Travis said, looking first at the Yakitori Cook before turning his head towards Penny. “And anyway, he doesn’t really stock up on soft drinks to begin with because most of his customers would rather drink alcohol.” 

“Too bad we all just can’t smoke weed instead.”, Penny sighed. 

“Marijuana-din.”, Yakitori Cook shot out, smiling a little now as he wiped his hands on the towel around his waist and looked at Penny, saying more things now in Japanese. 

“… He says that he thinks. Wait.”, Travis began, blinking a little now as he dropped his forearms into the counter and looked at the Yakitori Cook right in the face. It was almost like he was trying to be sure of what the guy was telling him. “Okay… He thinks weed is pretty cool. He’s been smoking it on and off for many years- wait, many decades now and he says that he thinks it’s about time Japan lightened up their laws.” 

“Really?”, Penny and Scarlett asked, like at the same time. 

“Well, that’s what I think he’s saying.” 

The Yakitori Cook continued talking.  

“He says that in Hokkaido, it grows naturally in the wild and that so much of it gets burned every year by the government.” 

“That’s just irresponsible!”, Penny gasped. 

The Yakitori Cook continued talking as he plucked a handful of skewers from the grill and laid in gently into a plastic plate.  

“He says, what can you do? Maybe it’ll change one day, but doesn’t think it’s going to happen anytime soon.” 

Penny looked up at the Yakitori Cook as he came over with what was obviously their food and sighed, “I am so sorry, my friend.” 

The Yakitori Cook must’ve understood what she was saying because he started nodding.  

“Like, I’m going to sound like a total tourist right now.”, Penny began, pushing herself upwards as she looked into the eyes of the Yakitori Cook. “But I am going to give you my email address and if you ever come to America, it would be my patriotic duty.” Penny stopped herself and held out her finger. “No, it is an honor. It would be a privilege to get you high and smoke you out.” 

Travis held up his eyes and nodded at Penny before turning to the Yakitori Cook and translating what she said. 

The Yakitori Cook smiled at Penny and said something as he handed Travis the plate of grilled, Japanese goodness and three big-ass bowls of Japanese rice. 

“He says that it would be an honor to smoke marijuana with you too.” 

Penny clapped her hands and giggled in delight, especially now as Travis set the food in front of the three of them. “This looks soo ing delicious.” 

Travis looked at the Yakitori cook, but Penny cut him off. “It’s cool, dude.” 

The Yakitori Cook said another thing in Japanese, but he made it quick before turning away from them to grill up more sticks.  

Penny shrugged and figured that he recited some ancient proverb about great luck falling upon those that were called to eat because of munchies. Because if the Yakitori Cook knew that much about weed then, surely he had to know some old, Japanese saying about it. Which would be pretty cool… But then again, Penny also figured that he could have just probably said some Japanese version of “Enjoy your meal.”; which wasn’t as bad, but not really anywhere as epic as she first imagined it as. 

Scarlett and Travis broke a couple chopsticks and huddled close. They used their chopsticks to pick up a stick each and set it down over their bowl of rice, so they could hold the stick with one hand as they stripped the meat from the stick with other hand, using the chopsticks.  

“Dude, dig in.”, Scarlett said, shoving a chopstick of food into her mouth.  

Penny looked at Scarlett and Travis, and then looked up at the Yakitori Cook as she held out her hand and asked, “Does anyone have a fork?”.

<***>

Penny was pretty relived when Travis left for work a little after dinner. He worked for some IT company and since it was morning in other parts of the world, he usually had to report to work at night.

It wasn’t like she didn’t like the guy, far from it. Scarlett’s a smart girl, who won’t settle into something with just anyone, so there had to be something there. But tonight was the first time she was hanging out with her best-friend, the closets she had ever gotten to an actual sister- and having the person her friend was dating there kinda killed the mood, because it was like she had to play catch up when all she wanted to do was just spend time with her friend and pick things up from where they left it off.

Scarlett slipped a cigarette from the pack of Luckies that Travis left and lit it up. “You sure you don’t wanna drink?”

“I’m cool.”, Penny shrugged. “It’d be pretty sick to get a smoke in, somewhere though.”

“We could smoke up in my place and we can look for somewhere to go?”

“Sounds good to me.”, Penny shrugged, looking up at Scarlett as she looked at the Yakitori Cook. “You still want to drink don’t you?”

“A little bit.”, Scarlett nodded, turning to Penny. “I think I’ve started to develop a thing for sake.”

“You think?”

“It goes down pretty smooth when it’s hot.”

“Hmm…”, Penny shrugged. “Think I can bum one of those cigs?”

“What’s up?”, Scarlett asked, passing Penny a stick.

Penny took the stick and slipped her hands inside her back-pack. “Hmm… I don’t think I need that much bud right now anyway.”

“Uhm, Penny? Won’t they smell that?”

“Not if you keep smoking that cigarette.”, Penny shrugged.

“Wait a sec.”, Scarlett shot out. “How did you get weed again?”

“Oh, I brought some with me.”

“You smuggled weed when you came here?”

“Keep it down.”, Penny shushed, leaning forward as her hands wiggled inside her backpack. “And to answer your question, yes I did.”

“How?”

“I stuffed a baggie inside a vibrator.”, Penny grinned, obviously proud of herself.

“… And they just let you through?”, Scarlett asked, leaning over the counter now as she called out for the Yakitori Cook.

“Yerps!”, Penny shrugged. “I’d like to think that vibrators are pretty common in other people’s suitcases and that they agents or whatnot are better off keeping their mouth shut about it.”

“That makes sense.”, Scarlett nodded, a little confused now as the Yakitori Cook came up to her with another shot of hot sake. “But what we’re smoking now…”

Penny raised her eyebrows. “Oh, it’s cool. I don’t use it.”

“I didn’t need to know that.”

“I know you didn’t, but I saw the look on your face.”

Scarlett dropped her head and reached out for her cup of hot sake.

“You wanna know if the stuff I just made you and your boyfriend smoke got anywhere near my cooch.”

Scarlett closed her eyes and sipped her sake. “It is there in the back of my head.”

“Well, it didn’t.”, Penny shrugged. “The only reason I bought it in the first place was just to hide my weed in.”

“Good to know.”, Scarlett nodded, sipping her sake. “… I think.”

Penny pulled her hands from her backpack and held the cigarette in the air. “I’m finished.”

“You’re a very brave person.”, Scarlett nodded.

‘Thank youz’, Penny mouthed as she brought the ‘cigarette’ to her lips, reached for Scarlett’s lighter and lit it.

“You sure no one can smell that?”

“It’s fifty percent tobacco.”, Penny replied, taking it to her lips again. “And you’re smoking, and there’s the smoke from the grill, so I think we should be fine.”

“We better.”, Scarlett said, taking a drag.

“You want some don’t you?”

“I did think about it.”,

“But?”

“But.”, Scarlett began. “It would look really weird if I started smoking two different cigarettes.”

“Hun, you’re in Japan.”, Penny said, taking another hit. “This is the country that weirdness frolics in.”

Scarlett sipped her sake and rolled her eyes.

“I think you’re being a little too self conscious.”

“It’s not really that.”, Scarlett said. “I live here, you know? I mean, this place can be kinda trippy sometimes, but it doesn’t mean I want to exploit that.”

Penny dropped her elbow on the counter of the table and dropped her chin on her palm and sighed, “You really like this place, huh?”

“I really do.”, Scarlett nodded. “And it’s annoying to see people who come here for the novelty, instead of the culture.”

“Like tourists?”

“And even other expats.”, Scarlett nodded, taking a drag off her cigarettes. “Backpackers can be the worst sometimes though.”

“Smelly hippies.”

“It’s not even that.”, Scarlett said. “It’s just that they’ve been all over the world so many ing times so they feel like that they this kind of grand entitlement to call crap out despite what little regards they have for the culture.”

“White people.”

“Most of them are.”, Scarlett said, holding up her cup of sake by the tips of her fingers. “I hope I don’t sound like a downer, but sometimes it just ruins the whole experience for me.”

“In all fairness though.”, Penny said, taking another pull. “There’s a lotta cool things going on here that we don’t have at home, it’s just natural for people to wanna go a little crazy when they see it.”

“Okay. I have nothing against that.”, Scarlett said. “That’s why I moved here. But at the same time, I feel like all that quirkiness gets in the way.”

“Fair enough. You’re still showing me around right?”

Scarlett took another sip of her sake. “You’re damn right I am.”

“Good.”

Scarlett killed what was left of her cigarette on the ashtray and blew out smoke, looking right at Penny’s ‘cigarette’.

“You want some?”

Scarlett closed her eyes and nodded.

Penny took another pull and passed it over. “It’s all yours, hun. Can I have another cig?”

“What for?”

Penny nodded at the Yakitori Cook and said, “Thought I'd leave him a good tip.”.

[veronicaaaahhhh]

Scrarlett and Penny had just left the Yakitori stand, walking up the alleyway now. Scarlett lit another cigarette, obviously enjoying the hit while Penny had her hands stuffed into the pouch of her hoodie, her backpack still slung over her shoulder.  

Penny stopped and looked around. “Alright, this should be clear enough.” 

“Cool.”, Scarlett said, taking another drag off her cigarette as Penny huddled down next to a dumpster, took a pipe from her pouch and took a large hit. 

Scarlett blew more cigarette smoke around them. It turned out that while the ‘cigarette’ was enough for her, it didn’t seem to give Penny the hit she was looking for.  

Granted, Scarlett was still on the fence about smoking up in public like this, she knew that Penny knew how to get around these things and at the very least, that she was careful and considerate about her she smoked.  

“Are you good?”, Scarlett asked. 

“Wait up.”, Penny shot back, flicking on her lighter for another hit. Penny pulled her head back as smoke escaped her lips, coughing a little now. “Alright, one more hit then I should be good.” 

Scarlett took another look around. Granted, there were people walking by the other ends of the alley, but no one, for some reason, seemed to mind the two white girls, in an alley, who were obviously breaking some kind of archaic drug law. 

Penny took one more hit and coughed, pretty hard this time.  

Scarlett looked at Penny and held up her thumb as she raised her finger. 

Penny took another hit and coughed. “And now I’m good.” 

“Sweet.”, Scarlett said, flicking ash off her cigarette before taking another drag.  

Penny shot herself back up to her feet and slung her backpack over both her shoulders. “Thanks.” 

“Don’t mention it.”, Scarlett smiled, nudging against Penny now as the two made their way up the alley. 

Penny was dashing on some baby cologne to mask the smell when her phone started to ring - she didn’t hear it, but she felt the call vibrate from the pouch of her hoodie. Slipping on her headphones, Penny withdrew her iPhone from her pouch. Josh Dean was calling and with that, Penny swiped her thumb to the right and answered.  

“Good evening, Mr. Dean.”, Penny said, holding out her iPhone. “Wassup?” 

“Alright Penny, we’ve got you booked for the pay-per-view.” 

“Sweet.” 

“You’re going up against Hollywood Unhinged 2.0.”, Josh said. “It’s going to be a tag team match with a partner of your choice.” 

“Well.”, Penny shot back. “We know who that’s going to be!” 

“Is Scarlett there with you?”, Josh asked as the drawl in his accent really came through.

“Yerps. She’s having a smoke beside me as we speak.” 

“Perfect.”, Josh said. “All we need is her confirmation and this match is as good as booked.” 

“Wait up.”, Penny said, pulling down one headphone as she looked over at Scarlett. “Yo! I’m booked at the pay-per-view against Hollywood Unhinged 2.0.” 

“Who the heck is Hollywood Unhinged?” 

“Jack Sabbath and Jayson Garrett?” 

Scarlett looked at Penny and shrugged. 

“They were the guys talking crap to you backstage.” 

“Oh, the guys who we beat up at the end of tonight’s show?” 

“Yerps!” 

“Cool.”, Scarlett nodded. “So, we’re wrestling them?” 

“Ish?”, Penny answered. “They said I could choose my partner.” 

“And duh?!”, Scarlett said, raising up one hand as she took another drag.  

“So, you’re game?” 

“Well, they harassed us backstage and we ended up beating them up afterwards.”, Scarlett began, holding the cigarette close. “I sorta thought it was already given that we were going to be facing them at the pay-per-view.” 

“I know, right?!”, Penny shrugged, slipping back the headphone as she looked back at her phone and spoke to Josh. “Alright, Scarlett’s in.” 

“That’s what I thought.”, Josh said. “Alright, tell Scarlett I’ll that we’ll work out the paperwork for the match first thing tomorrow morning.” 

Penny looked up at Scarlett. “Josh’ll send you the paperwork tomorrow.” 

“Cool.”, Scarlett said, taking the drag from the cigarette now.  

“So we’re good?”, Penny asked Josh. 

“Pretty much.”, Josh replied. “I’ll talk to you girls tomorrow.” 

“Night dude.”, Penny said, closing the call at around the same time Josh did.  

Penny pulled down her headphones and sighed, watching Scarlett now as she flicked the cigarette off her hand.  

Scarlett caught Penny’s gaze and asked, “What’s up?” 

Penny looked down and turned her head away. “I’m excited. And like, I’m not even excited about the match. I’m just excited because you’re gonna be my partner again.” 

“Did you miss me?”, Scarlett grinned, getting a little closer to Penny. 

“Yeah, a little.”, Penny shrugged. “Did you miss me?” 

“Kinda?”, Scarlett replied. “I mean, I was still mad at you up until tonight so maybe I didn’t miss you that way, but you were in my head a lot.” 

“So, we both missed each other?” 

Scarlett smiled and dropped her head on Penny’s shoulder. “Maybe.” 

“Maybe?” 

“Yeah, maybe.”, Scarlett shot back, looking up at Penny. “But that’s only because I tend to not miss people or things anymore.” 

“Do you think longing is a sign of weakness?” 

Scarlett shrugged. “I mean, if you know you’re going to see the person again, why spend all the energy missing them? Yeah, it’s not like anyone’s gonna be dropping dead any time soon.” 

“Whatever.”, Penny shook her head. “I missed you. And I don’t care how stupid that sounds, I missed you a lot and I’m not ashamed of that.” 

“Good for you.”, Scarlett nodded. “I’m sorry I don’t feel the same.” 

“It’s cool.”, Penny said, waving her off. “You wouldn’t be you if you were missing something.” 

“Right?” 

“Stubborn bitch.”, Penny muttered.  

Scarlett wrapped her arms around Penny and held her in a hug. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

Penny dropped her head over Scarlett’s chest, asking, “Is that a good thing?” 

“I don’t know.”, Scarlett shrugged, letting go of the hug now as she walked up to the end of the alley and held out her arm. “Anyway, Tokyo!” 

Penny stepped out of the alley and stood next to Scarlett, somewhat starry eyed now at the vast, colorful and loud and trippy and just totally kawaii city that Penny thought she would have been used to by now. 

“Woah.”, Penny gasped. “Or at least I feel like I’m supposed to say that.” 

Scarlett crossed her arms. “Yeah, it makes me feel the exact same way.” 

“So, where do we start?”, Penny asked, digging her hands back into her hoodie.  

“Well, what do you wanna do?” 

“That’s why I’m asking you.”, Penny shot back, her eyes flaring around as before zeroing on Scarlett. “Wait up... You don’t leave your apartment much, huh?” 

“Sometimes I do.”, Scarlett shrugged, looking away. 

“Yakitori stand?” 

“And Family Mart.”, Scarlett nodded. “Family Mart’s the crap.” 

“Family Mart?”

“Yeah. Imagine the bastard lovechild of Starbucks and 7/11!” 

“That sounds pretty cool actually.” 

“Like they have refillable soft-serve ice cream.”, Scarlett grinned. “And they have like five different kinds of iced teas that you can just mix together.” 

“Do they have real food too?” 

Scarlett grabbed Penny’s hand. “They have everything!” 

“Okay.”, Penny said. “How about we just grab some food from Family Mart and we’ll go back to your place, and get blazed and strunk until we pass out?” 

Scarlett wrapped her arms around Penny and squeezed her tight. “It’s all I had ever wanted.” 

“You’re lucky I don’t feel like going out anymore.”.

[veronicaaaahhhh]

“What did I tell you?”, Scarlett said, holding the door open with her back as Penny stepped out of the Family Mart before her. “Isn’t this place the best?!” 

Penny emerged from the store holding up two shopping bags worth of iced teas, iced milk teas, some chips and a few Kit-Kats; one of which was this Strawberry Cheesecake thing that had to be toasted like Pop Tart.  

Scarlett followed after Penny, licking up a tall-as- cone of soft-serve ice cream.  

“How do we not have this at home?!”, Penny shot out. 

“I know, right?” 

Scarlett nodded over to the left and started walking up the path towards her apartment. Penny followed beside her, reaching into the paper bag for a bottle of sweetened iced tea that smelled like the prettiest flowers ever! 

“You know what?”, Penny said, sipping her iced tea. “I think I’m starting to get where you’re coming from.” 

Scarlett licked her ice cream and nodded. 

“It’s like I guess you don’t need to really see everything since it’s all around you, and you know that it’s there if you ever wanted it.” 

Scarlett let her eyes roll up a little and nodded. 

“But the reason you’re here is probably because you’re a lot more comfortable in a city like this than you are at home, at least for right now.” 

“Yeah.”, Scarlett said. “After losing the title, cheating on Emily.” 

“-Beating me up.”, Penny cut in. 

“And almost snapping your arm off.” 

Penny sipped her iced tea and closed the cover. “How could I forget that?” 

“Well, after all that, I just needed to get away from everything. And at least here, I could start fresh. No one really knows me, they sorta know my dad. But no one really gives a crap about that here and for the first time in my life, at least since I started wrestling, I don’t feel any pressure. I’m allowed to go in my own pace, and I know now that’s something I need.” 

“You seem pretty settled in, hun. I’m happy for ya’.” 

“Thanks, Penny.” 

“Just one more question.” 

“Go.” 

“And it’s nothing bad or anything, but I just have to know.” 

“Is this about Travis?”, Scarlett smirked. 

“Yeah.”, Penny said, reaching out for the pack of fruit chews she grabbed in the store.  

“It’s a long story.”, Scarlett began. “But basically, we met this one day when-” 

“-YOU!” 

“It’s Enrico Palazzo!”, Scarlett and Penny shot out, giggling for the moment as they looked at each other began giggling even more, obviously proud of their synchronicity.  

“Wrong!”, the bandaged Japanese sensation spoke. “I am Aga Aga-” 

“I’m just messin’ with ya’, dude.”, Penny shrugged. “We know who you are, you’re the guy who opened the show with the scripted match.” 

“H-how did you know?!”, Aga gasped.  

“It was pretty obvious.”, Scarlett replied. 

Aga Agayaki turned away and covered his face with his forearm. “I have disgraced myself!” 

“I was entertained.”, Penny shrugged.  

“I have brought shame!” 

“Relax.”, Scarlett shrugged. “I mean, I won my first major title at nineteen and it was a World Championship. I won that thing in my first year in the business and lost it, pathetically, might I add.” 

“And don’t forget the two pay-per-views where you tried to win it back and failed.”, Penny added.

“I was really trying to forget that.”, Scarlett sighed, looking at Penny for a moment before turning back to Agayaki. “But yeah, I lost my title and I failed at getting it back and it’s like where do I go from there? But I’m here now, and at least I have a career again.” 

“She’s right.”, Penny nodded. “Like you are soo much better off getting steady work instead of trying to break out in a big way.” 

Agayaki turned back to them and held his lips. “Will people forgive me for what I have done?” 

“Meh.”, Scarlett shrugged. “Wrestling has forgiven people for worse, you’ll be fine.” 

“Agayaki-san!” 

Agayaki turned his head as Penny and Scarlett looked upwards as a tubby, middle-aged man with thinning hair approached them. He limped with a cane, and just like Aga Agayaki, he too, looked like he had just come out of the emergency room. 

“Yamasaki-san!”, Agayaki cried, limping towards his agent now. 

“What happened? I had the boys waiting for your signal.” 

“It is alright, Yamasaki-san.”, Agayaki said, turning back to Penny and Scarlett with a smile. “I have forgiven them.” 

“… Scar?”, Penny whispered. 

“Yeah?” 

“They’re speaking English, right?”

“They are.”, Scarlett nodded. “They don’t even need to be speaking in English right now.” 

“They’re talking to themselves in front of two complete strangers who could have no idea what they’re saying in a language they understand.” 

“Maybe they like speaking English more than Japanese?” 

“I don’t know.”, Penny said. “That older guy really seems bent on impressing people, so he could be doing this for us.” 

“B-but Agayaki-san!”, Hirohito Yamasaki shot out. “I’ve already gathered the boys. They are waiting for your command.” 

“You did not have to go to the trouble.”, Agayaki said. “It is only me.” 

Yamasaki came close and touched Agayaki’s smooth and delicate chin. “You are worth all the trouble, Agayaki-san.” 

“You are very kind, Yamasaki-san.”, Agayaki nodded.  

“Uhm…”, Penny shot out, lurching over Agayaki and his agent. “Yeah, we’re gonna go, okay?” 

Hirohito Yamasaki straightened out his glasses and stormed towards the girls. “You girls should be punished for what you did to me and Agayaki-san!” 

“What did we do?!”, Scarlett shot back. “This is first time I’m actually talking to either of you.” 

“Scarlett, honey.”, Penny said, tapping her on the shoulder.  

“What?” 

Penny huddled close. “You remember those two guys we saw lying on the ground when we left the arena awhile ago? I think that’s them.” 

“-But.”, Scarlett turned back to Penny. “… Oh!”  

And then turned back to Agayaki and Yamasaki. “So the reason you guys were lying on the floor was because of us?” 

Yamasaki struck the brunt of his cane on the ground and scoffed, blinking his eyes as he did.  

“I’m sorry?”, Scarlett shrugged. 

“Yeah.”, Penny chimed in. “And obviously, we didn’t mean to hurt you.” 

“And you guys weren’t supposed to be standing by the door.” 

“You did not have to kick the door open!”, Yamasaki shot back.  

“It was heavy!”, Scarlett shot out. 

“And I had worked a match.”, Penny shot out, looking over at Agayaki now. “Which I won on my own. I didn’t need to fake anything.” 

“And there was that rumble at the end of the show.” 

“And we were pretty beat up.” 

“And I’m sorry, but kicking a door open is a lot easier than opening it with my hands.” 

“Word.”, Penny shot out, fist bumping Scarlett. 

“So yeah.”, Scarlett said, crossing her arms now. 

“Be gone then!”, Yamasaki said, turning around as he started to limp away from Penny and Scarlett.  

Aga Agayaki gave himself some distance from Yamasaki before walking up to Penny and Scarlett with his face down and his hands held together.  

“I sincerely apologize for the disturbance.”, Agayaki said, handing them a card. “Please, allow me to make this up to you. I perform at the Fantastic Fantasy Five Club regularly and I would like to make it up to you there.” 

Scarlett took the card. “Thanks! I’ll remember this.” 

Aga Agayuki smiled at Scarlett and Penny once last time until turning away to catch up with his agent.  

Penny huddled next to Scarlett and looked at the card. It was a glossy-calling card with Aga Agayaki’s name written in big, bright colors that made Scarlett’s head hurt a little bit. The picture on the card was a rather provocative one with his shirt half open, as small shots of him in what looked like different “art” poses lined up the borders of the card.  

“Hey!”, Penny gigglesnorted. “Think he works for one of those pretty boy cafes? Like the ones where you pay the boys to sit down and have drinks with you and like absolutely nothing else?!” 

“You want to check this out, don’t you?” 

“It’s like a strip-bar without the stripping or the sleaze or the boners!” 

“Agayaki-chan!”, Scarlett shot out as she looked ahead and whistled. “Wait up!” 

Penny grabbed Scarlett’s hand and stopped her. “But what about staying in and passing out?” 

“Penny.”, Scarlett said, looking down a little before turning back up and yanking Penny’s hand away. “… We can do that later!”. 

[veronicaaaahhhh]

It was just about daybreak when Scarlett and Penny stumbled (barely) back into the small, studio apartment she shared with Travis. Somewhere along the way, Penny had muttered something about grabbing breakfast somewhere, so they walked through the drive-through of a McDonalds and ordered take out from there.  

Scarlett was the first to walk into the apartment, tossing her keys on her couch as she made a run for the mattress on the other end of the room, literally faceplanting herself into the sheets. 

“There’s room in the bed for ya’.”, Scarlett said, rolling towards the middle now.  

“Your boyfriend is gonna be in for an eye-full when he gets home!” 

“Grow up!”, Scarlett shot out, throwing a pillow into Penny’s face.  

Penny kicked off her boots and lay down on the mattress next to Scarlett; Penny wedging her pillow between them before dropping her head. 

“Hey Penpen.”, Scarlett yawned. “Wanna know something cool?” 

“What?” 

“We’re going to KILL Hollywood Unhinged.” 

“2.0” 

“There was a 1.0?” 

“I think so.”, Penny replied. “I don’t remember.” 

“Well, they’re dead.” 

“Hmm.”, Penny yawned. “I’ve already beaten Jayson Garrett before, but I don’t remember if I’ve already beaten Jack Sabbath, even though it feels like I did.” 

“Why?” 

“I don’t know.”, Penny murmured. “… And I can’t remember, whatever.” Penny grabbed some blanket and covered herself up to her shoulder and wiggled her head against the pillow. “I’m beating them again anyway.” 

“I think he was around when my dad first started in the WFWF.” 

“Who?” 

“Jack Sabbath.”, Scarlett said. “I don’t know, but there’s something about his face. But that Jayson Garrett though. I was watching him last night, and I can get it. He does have it, he’s just on his way to finding it.” 

“That’s probably why if I had to worry about someone in this match, it would be him.”, Penny said. “Sabbath is a walk in the park, but Garrett isn’t going to stay down that easily.” 

“Unless, you know?”, Scarlett began. “We take out Sabbath before the match begins, get the referee to ring the bell and just spend the rest of the match taking turns beating down Jayson Garrett.” 

“And prove that he needed two people to break him down?!”, Penny shot back. “He’s going to turn that into a thing.” 

“Like a t-shirt.” 

“Or an app!”, Penny said. “Like what those random one-off wrestling games?” 

“The Jayson Garrett Challenge.” 

“Please stop.” 

“Featuring you and me as the only playable characters!”, Scarlett said, yawning as she turned away from Penny and curled on her side.  

“He’s going to make that a thing.”, Penny nodded. “And he’s going to make a lot of money from it.” 

“As long as I get a cut, I don’t care what the hell he does with it.” 

“But that’s after we kick his ass.” 

“And that other guy’s too.” 

“Jack Sabbath.” 

“Yes.”, Scarlett said, sleepily. “Him.” 

“They’re both dead.” 

“They’re already dead, they just haven’t realized it yet.” 

“Word.”, Penny said, closing her eyes as she found herself drifting off into the land of daydreams, faerie dust, pretty girls and wrestling rings. “Good mornight, Scar.” 

“Good mornight, Penpen.”. 

[veronicaaaahhhh]

First off, I am sooo ing sorry for the delay with this one! But I had work and life crap to deal with over the last week so this had to be put off. But whatever the outcome, I'm just glad that I got it done and posted at the very least instead of no showing like I used to.

Many many many many thanks to Garrett, Trace, and Drakz for initially granting me the deadline in the first place. The best of luck to Garrett, hope you folks enjoy the read :3