3366/Ichi! Ni! San! Shi!

Ichi! Ni! San! Shi!
Date of Scene:	14 September 2020
Location:	Rising Bar Gym, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Team Japan is training for the upcoming event, and Nessa Donovan is delivering food! As it turns out, she has Elsa powers. And only just after coming to terms with that, it's revealed that Katsumi's condition hasn't improved.
Cast of Characters:	Katsumi Oshiro, Nessa Donovan

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Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
When last we checked in on the progress of the Four Corners of the World special event, Team Japan had just arrived in America and one of its stars, Katsumi Oshiro, broke from the herd to scope out the venue. Following a concerning mishap, she was ushered back to the hotel to rest. So what has she been doing since yesterday?

Sleeping, actually.

When Katsumi's head hit the pillow, she was out. And given it was the middle of the day, there was more than enough time for her to catch up on sleep and be a zombie through the night. But that didn't happen. Katsumi remained asleep. The other female stuck sharing a room with her had awakened to mill about town in the night, jetlag plaguing her as well. Upon her return, she found Katsumi, still lying down, but staring /dead/ at nothing but vacant space in the gap between the beds. Unnerving as that was, no amount of handwaving or fingersnapping roused her. And eventually, the girl left to get help.

When they returned, Katsumi was contently snuggled into her pillow, eyes shut.

Even today, Katsumi slept. An alarm going off finally dragged her awake, sluggish and disheveled. But today was meant to be group training. Why her roommate kept giving her uncomfortable looks, she couldn't say.

Fastforward to the present, and we find ourselves in the Rising Bar Gym, a multi-purpose facility with an entire section rented out by the NLWF. By this point, it's a little past noon and everyone is getting hangry; short attitudes and sloppy form is starting to take hold. Food needed to be ordered. And quite a lot of it, at that. And once the call had been made, it's right back to the grind.

Team Japan consists of a group trainer, the general manager, two males and two females from the roster. They're standing in a line conducting stretches, positions switching as the trainer shouts out Japanese numerics: "Ichi! Ni! San! Shi! Ichi! Ni! San! Shi!"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Rachel's Diner has a bit of a repuatation with the locals. Enough that many have proclaimed it the best breakfast in New York City. Enough that, when someone might ask a concierge at a hotel where they might personally enjoy getting some real American cuisine, they'd recommend it. While Nessa's official job title is 'cook', Rachel's is the kind of place where everyone fills in the gaps. Today's gap happened to be delivery. So, once takeout containers were filled with a variety of breakfast foods she made herself... she was off to deliver it as well.

A trip into Manhattan later, Nessa enters the facility, carefully balancing the two large bags of food (double-bagged to make sure nothing falls out!). She's wearing her usual boring math attire of a teal long-sleeved shirt and jeans, though she does indeed have a real leather jacket thrown on top this time. Gloves, of course, are a given.

She takes a moment to look around, unsure of who exactly to deliver things to. "Someone ordered breakfast?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Nessa has just brought mouthwatering food into a gym full of upper-crust elites trying to lose weight. If she expected anything less than a majority of heads turning in her direction, she'd be surprised. Half of them are practically floating towards her by the nose, Looney Tunes style.

Thankfully, a worker catches sight of the impending falling-off-the-wagon in progress and hurriedly ushers Nessa through side door. Within, she'll find the team continuing their rhythmic stretches.

On the end closest to her bends Katsumi, neatly touching the toes of her white cross-trainers. Equally pristine white yoga shorts cling to her hips, with a bubblegum pink racerback sportsbra to finish the ensemble. Well, aside from the ever-present black choker centered with the feline head. Her hair is bound back in a sporty ponytail, utilizing a scrunchy to match her top. Silky black bangs continue to frame her face.

The moment food arrives, heads start turning again. First, to Nessa. Then to the trainer. Cue four sets of puppy eyes. The man exhales an annoyed sound and waves a hand.

Nessa is promptly swamped by three Japanese grapplers, each attempting to 'help' her with the food bags. The fourth, Katsumi, is considerably more sluggish in her approach, her posture somewhat less than perky. She looks tired.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa gives a sheepish grin to the rest of the gym in their efforts, more than happy to be set in the right direction. As soon as she's nearly swarmed by hungry wrestlers, she holds the food out carefully. She's delivering things, but there's still a bit of discomfort of anyone being too up in her personal bubble regardless of intent. She's more than happy to let the food go.

She does, however, catch sight of Katsumi once the others aren't so desperate to get their food. There's both a smile and a hint of concern at the continued sluggishness. "Nothing better for jetlag than the best breakfast in any diner in all of New York. You could probably get something fancier, but it's hard to beat something like this. Made it myself so I can guarantee the quality."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Bags a-rustle as the foreign athletes delve into it. But while they're setting things out, Katsumi remains aloofly aside, closer to Nessa. A fist lifts to rub beneath her right eye. "Screw fancy," she replies. "We wanted American. Simple American. But hey, I didn't realize it'd be you deliverin'." The hand lowers to motion towards the female in question. "And in a leather jacket. Isn't it like really hot out? Do you just like sweating?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Thankfully you got /real/ American and not /tourist/ American," Nessa nods. "Whomever picked did a nice job." She adjusts the cuff of her gloves and shrugs a shoulder, looking at her attire. "I'm usually good at staying cool. Put on a pair of shades, I'd be even cooler." She does, in fact, seem not entirely sweaty in spite of things. "I don't usually do deliveries, but we were shorthanded so I picked up the slack."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Pffhh," Katsumi scoffs goodnaturedly, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile. "That was lame and so's your face."

By this point, the trainer and general manager have closed in towards the food. She spares them a glance, then looks ahead to Nessa again. "Are you bailing? We're a closed set here, but I could get'em to let you stay a little, if you want. It's probably not interesting for you, watchin' us run the ropes and stuff."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Believe me, that's not even the lamest I've got," Nessa notes with a genuine smile. She does, however, take a good look around now that she's really got the chance to. "I mean, I don't have to head back right away, they owe me for doing deliveries on top of everything." She gives a small nod. "But most of the fighting I do is long distance... and usually of the verbal variety, so I will admit it'd be kind of cool to actually see something a little different. I mean, if you don't mind me just sitting here and watching."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
The interior of this section of the gym is dominated by a four-cornered ring, complete with apron. Of course, it's vacant at the moment. No doubt that will change soon.

"Sure, stick around. Maybe you'll get hype enough to get a damn ticket." Katsumi's left hand lifts, and she aims a gentle, inoffensive 'bop' towards Nessa's shoulder. But that's the invasion of a personal bubble! However will Nessa handle such a thing!?

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I just delivered you breakfast from a /diner/," Nessa sounds entirely too amused. "You think I've got money to buy a ticket?" The intrusion into her space is a surprise, but it's clear very quickly that it's startled her. She's not worried about being punched, nor is she flinching out of the way, she just leans a little more away from the bop. It's not to avoid it, it's to direct the playful gesture a little more away from her neck--and the spot of bare skin there.

"I can tell you're pretty good at that. I'd be a terrible opponent though. I'm better with distance."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Oh no! You don't get to b**** about not having money when I was telling you to eBay my autograph!," laughs Katsumi, evidently not thinking anything of Nessa's teetering with the bop. Or perhaps she simply didn't notice it.

Either way, she glances again to the food. The coast is clear. Everyone else is sitting together communally. "I'm starving. You eatin'? I'll make sure they know it's cool."

She's already moving to the arranged containers and starts to put something together. It's awkward, trying to wrap her head around everything being on a single dish and not partitioned out. And the more she works with it, the more things wind up scooted into their own little corners on her plate, nice and neat.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Easy money's a bit different from something you've worked for." The blonde moves to grab a strip of bacon, but that's all she goes for. It's not her food, after all. Nessa chews on the bacon while she watches. "Is that a cultural thing or a personal one? I know there are some things I don't like touching, mostly textures or flavors I don't like against each other, but most of the food you're getting in an American breakfast pairs off each other nicely."

She gestures to the table of food. "Bacon's great with syrup. Eggs are a little less so, but when you go with bacon you're getting the salty and the sweet, so they play off of each other. It's a balance."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro seems to avoid drifting any closer to the others in her party, who all seem equally content to leave her with Nessa. Everything in its place.

The question posed, however, gets a curious look. Katsumi's lips purse in thought as she studies the assorted food. "Maybe. In Japan, we rarely mix foods together. Very clean palettes, compared to.. well, what you just said. I don't know if I'd like mixing things up. I always do this when I visit this country..."

She pokes a fork around at the eggs. Her voice lowers a touch as she adds, "Anyway, you put up with me a while. I think you worked for the money."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I still think you should try the salty-sweet thing. It's why bacon on maple donuts is such a hit." Nessa takes a bite of her bacon, chewing it thoughtfully. "You really think 'putting up with you' is something that needs payment for? You had a spot of trouble, I happened to be there. The pleasant chatter's a nice reward, though. Nice to make friends outside of work."

She gestures at the food. "But I guess it's not /that/ far outside of work."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro was just taking a bite of bacon, weighing the pros and cons of sampling it with syrup, when Nessa speaks and causes her to reflexively pause. "Friends?" She turns a sheepish sidelong glanceto Nessa, then in the opposite direction to the group of her peers. They're laughing, having a nice time. There's a subtle shift in her frame, as if she just put on a lead coat - labored, weighed down. "Nessa, Nessa, Nessa," she sighs gently. "Sooner or later, I rub everyone the wrong way. I make people mad. It's what I do. Hell, it's what /I/ get paid for. You should take the money and run before it gets bad."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa looks amused. "You're making a friendship sound like a ticking time bomb." There's a small roll of her eyes. "I don't usually make a lot of friends." There's a moment where she looks like she's thinking about something amusing. "I guess I am a bit of an ice queen a times. Keeping my distance is what I'm good at, so you don't have to worry about that too much. What, you think I'm gonna run away crying because you insulted things about me that I already know are a crime against fashion?"

She takes another bite of bacon, chewing thoughtfully once more. "And another thing, I'm also /really/ stubborn. Really, really stubborn."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Yeah, well... with me, it is," submits Katsumi, in reference to the time bomb.

She can't go into details without leaving herself more vulnerable. It always hurts worse when she lets her guard down, starts to think of someone as a friend, and then the inevitable happens. It's easier just accepting isolation. Right? It's lonely as Hell, but it's safer for everyone.

Nessa doesn't seem to be giving her that choice, though.

A heavy sigh escapes her, and Katsumi straightens her back. She turns to face the other woman. And, utilizing her fork, nudges some of the perfectly-partitioned eggs to the side - right into the bacon. She's doing it, she's being a rebel. Or maybe it's to communicate something a little harder for her to say. "You don't seem like an ice queen. I've been b****ing about your clothes since the other day, and you've never tried to defend'em."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa raises an eyebrow at the rebellious act of eggs and bacon together, but it causes her to grin. "I don't defend my clothes because while it is my choice to wear them, it's not what I'd /like/ to wear. You know how they always say to try and dress for the occasion? This tends to be my occasion. I'm not an ice queen because I'm not trying to fight back, I'm an ice queen because I don't let people stay close. Bit of a chilly reception at times."

The last bite of bacon is tossed in her mouth, her gaze shifting about to the other wrestlers in the room before looking squarely back at Katsumi. "I don't have a lot of friends for good reason. I'm just offering friendship because sometimes it's good to have someone in your corner, for whatever that's worth."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Someone in my corner, huh?," Katsumi replies, a little humor starting to creep back into her voice. "You know how many tag teams I've been in? Two. I betrayed the first one. Second one betrayed me." She crinkles her nose at Nessa. Despite the message, that humor has remained steady.

"I'm not trying to get into a competition with you about who's the most socially lame or whatever. You'd win." Her lips pull into an, at last, fully playful smile at the tease. "But I just don't want you to be... uh..."

Hurt? Angry? Driven away?

"...whatever. I'm not good at this."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's a small shoulder shrug. "All I'm saying is that I don't have a lot of non-work friends and you seem cool," Nessa grins. "The wrestling? That takes guts and dedication. It's a lot of work and I respect people who put that kind of effort in." She moves to snag another piece of bacon from the table. "Really, though, I'm not much good with the whole 'tagging in' bit. I'm not the wrestler, but I'm pretty good at cheering from a distance." She seems thoughtful, pausing a bit before asking.

"You feeling better at all?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Sounds like your ass needs to get a ticket, then," Katsumi teases.

If nothing else, Nessa's drawn her back out of her self-reflective somberness, and right into her own typical, impish manner.

At last, Katsumi starts to eat. It takes a great amount of personal reserve to not nudge the eggs right back away from the bacon. But, baby-steps.

The question gets an uncomfortable pause before she quietly clears her throat and continues nudging around the eggs with fork-tines. "Um, yeah," she says, likely unconvincingly. "I'm fine. Way better. Slept all day yesterday, all night, and most of the day today. Just, you know, still a little sleepy."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"That's good to hear. Should still take it easy, though. Don't push yourself unless you have to. Wouldn't be good to accidently strain something before your match," Nessa points out, though she seems thoughtful. "I'm not sure I can offer much in the way of advice for any of this. I'm no doctor, but... just be careful, alright? I've seen stress push some people to some really dangerous places. Done it myself before. Lately, in fact."

Whatever it is she's referring to gives her enough pause to consider it before continuing. "But... if you like those eggs enough and you need some extra protein before the big day? I'm the cook at Rachel's. I'd be happy to bring you more. Not much of a fan of not being able to help much in situations. Makes me a little antsy." Another pause. "... protein's what athletes need, right?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Yeah and no," Katsumi replies. "Some wrestlers, they have a slower style. Not me. Anything I eat, I burn off in the ring. So I can eat pretty much anything." She moves the plate away and glances down at her figure, generously on display in the gym clothes. "I used to be a lot more waifish."

Granted, Katsumi is borderline skinny as it is. But she's toned; sleek.

"A-anyway.." She pops egg into her mouth before continuing, "I might do that." Chew, swallow. "You said you made this?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"So high metabolism, got it," Nessa nods in Katsumi's direction, then gestures at the table. "All of this. Might not be good at a lot of things in life, but the few things I'm good at, I'm really good at. It's something I actually like doing, too. Funny that I had to drop out of college to realize I liked it. Tried basically every diner I can find in New York. Friend said I should start a blog rating them. Pride's not usually one of my sins, but I make an exception for those eggs." She chews on that second slice of bacon again.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro blinks and grins. "Maybe. But no. Wrestling is a whole body workout. Think crossfit, but fighting. And your heart's racing before you even step on the mat. You know how you look after you work out for an hour? Get a good look at a wrestler after a ten minute match. Except f***ing glorious, like a gladiator under the sun."

She sets the fork down to pick up a piece of bacon. "It's good," she compliments finally. "It tastes like America. Don't tell'em I said that." She bites off the end of the bacon, then continues while chewing, "Be honest wif' me. Iv' it money? Ivvat why you camf't get a kicket? Or are you h'rying p'be nife and not r'lly care about feeing it?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Oh god, I can't even /imagine/ that," Nessa says, almost with perhaps a note of awe. It's a little strange. "It must be exciting, honestly. There's an art to it." She does shake her head after a moment. "I mean, diner money's not great so there is that aspect to that. But that's a big crowd in a place like Madison Square Garden. My good looks and charm aside, I'm not so great with people. Particularly, people getting in my space. So I tend to avoid it. It's not the content, it's the context."

A gloved hand goes to the back of her neck, rubbing it a bit. "It's a little hard to explain, so I usually don't."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi swallows finally. "You got like a skin thing?," she asks, ever tactless and blunt. "Is that what it is? Or a peoplephobia?"

While she waits for the answer, her appetite seems to make a return. She begins shoveling food into her mouth, perhaps distracted by the topic. Eggs first. Then bacon. She might even get through a lot of the sausage before a reply comes.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa laughs, taking a look at her gloves. "Something like that. It's why I keep covered most of the time. An accidental bump in the wrong direction... it's not pretty. Safer not to risk it." There's a very long pause, as if she's considering something. "But it's not for my safety. It's for everyone else's. I'd love to have the freedom to..." She gestures vaguely at Katsumi. "But I'm no sadist."

She takes a moment to distract herself with the last bit of bacon. "I wouldn't mind standing out of the way, somewhere, though I doubt there's a ticket for hidden in the back like the Phantom of the Opera."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro didn't speak with her mouth full this time. She's loving those little sausage discs too much. But something Nessa says does slow her down a little. And when she swallows this time, she's giving her a scrutinizing look through those expressive, green eyes. "How would someone else touching you hurt them? Do you have tree frog sweat or something? The Hell's that about?"

Of note, those aforementioned eyes - weren't they a shade more colorful the other day? It's as though someone took a divine slider and slightly decreased the saturation level.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Ice queen's more literal than you think," Nessa says, tilting her head a bit as she looks over. "I'd rather not risk anyone getting frostbite by getting too close. Again, literal. And I swear to god if you laugh at me right now I'm not making you any more eggs." She rests her hands at her sides, shifting her weight from foot to foot almost anxiously. "It's not a secret, mind you, but some things are just easier to be kept unsaid than explaining them."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
There's another swallow. This time, it's not for the sake of food. Katsumi is starting to look worried. Her eyes are rounder than before, and the fork and plate lower from chest-height. "W-what are you saying?," she asks. "Are.. um.. are you a..," she hedges on the word. This isn't awe. This is fear.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
That gets a scowl. "What? A person?" Nessa's hand moves to rest on her hip. "Pretty sure I've always been a person and nothing's ever changed that. If you want to get into specifics, I'm a mage. I'm no monster and I'm not hurting anyone other than myself." She shifts, folding her arms over her chest. "Right, well, I'll watch you on TV then. You'd better win. Might make a bet on that. Make some money."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Despite the attitude Nessa is giving, and Katsumi's native inclination to meet growing aggression with aggression, this is different. She's worried. Frightened. And when the very first 'm' in 'mage' sounds off, there's a quick inhale. But she didn't say what she thought she was going to. What she says doesn't exactly assuage her concerns, but rather simply redirects them.

"A m-mage?," she repeats uncertainly. To Hell with the other topic right now. This day just got a lot stranger.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Yeah, mage. Like spellbooks and ancient curses. Sounds spooky, but it isn't. It's just different. I forget, sometimes, how different it is. I'm used to it, it's a family thing," Nessa shifts her weight, looking at her feet for the moment. "I help people, though." It comes out sounding a little defensive, probably more than she'd like. She clears her throat a bit.

"Trust me, though, my circumstances make looking at your circumstances a lot more interesting. The up close fighting? Probably about as strange to me as magic might be to you. Different worlds." She shuffles her feet. "You asked. I'm pretty good at the not lying thing. I've got a friend who does it, sure makes a hell of a lot of things clearer."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
It's so much to take in. So much to just accept at face value. Perhaps without even thinking about it, Katsumi sets her plate down and grabs for Nessa's upper arm. And if successful, she'll try to tug her the long way around the ring to the opposite side.

"If you're f***ing with me, not cool," she admonishes, voice now in a heated whisper. "Because- because we /just/ talked about friend sh**. Okay? So if you're gonna tell me something like /this/, you better be willing to prove it."

Clearly magic is not something that Katsumi's microcosm has ever encountered before.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's not lying. She's no close ranged fighter, nor is she used to people getting too closely into her bubble. There's a bit of a stifled noise at the sudden grab, but given that there's no exposed skin, she doesn't fight it and lets herself be pulled around to the other side. "Whoa, whoa, I'm not just making this up for funsies. If I was making it up I'd certainly pick something much, much more interesting than what I've got here." She glances back in the direction of the other wrestlers, squaring her shoulders as she looks over.

"Ice magic. I can control it, but it doesn't always work when someone touches me. Like quills on a porcupine. So you bump elbows with me, half the time you might end up with frostbite. That bit, I won't demonstrate. I've sent people to the hospital for that. But if you want me to back up what I'm saying, I can prove it."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"I want you to back up what you're saying," says an intensely stone-faced Katsumi. Her eyes are deadlocked to Nessa's, but she releases her arm and steps back to give her a little space. Why the opposite end of the ring? To give Nessa some cover for her to prove her claim, and not everyone can see. It's meant to be a secret, right? Or did she say it wasn't? This is all happening very fast.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
While not a secret, there's always a bit of worry about how people react to seeing some things. Not a secret, just... quiet. Nessa shrugs a bit, looking back at Katsumi. "Alright. Name something. Something you like, something basic. An animal's an easy one, or an object like a tree or the like." She's pulling off one of her gloves as she speaks, tucking it away into a pocket. Then, she turns her hand palm up. There's something forming there, something like a crackle of frost across her hand. There might not be something fully formed yet, but there's a chill--given that Katsumi's standing close, she can feel it in the air just fine.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Given how physically active she is, and how much exposed skin she's rocking, Katsumi can very easily detect the shift in temperature. Her eyes widen as movements begin, seeming mostly mundane at first. But then comes the frost. A small, disconcerted sound rises in her throat.

"I-I don't care," she whispers. "A dog. Make a dog."

Her body language is defensive, arms wrapping around her midsection and shoulders stiff.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Don't scream, it's not going to be something big or extravagant," Nessa actually seems amused for a moment. "Your life's not in danger." There's amusement, but it's also tinged with discomfort--she doesn't like the fear or defensiveness. It's clearly not something she likes to instill in anyone. Her gaze drops back to the palm of her hand, ice beginning to form and become something much more tangible. The magic seems to grow from her hand, hardening there into something. But it's much more delicate than just a block of ice. It's almost like an art sculpture. As it forms in her hand, there are details. It's a small corgi, just big enough to be able to close a hand over, but certainly detailed, from its eyes to its little tongue sticking out.

"Put out your hand." Should Katsumi do so, she'll drop the corgi right into it.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Being told not to be afraid - it has some mixed results and just braces Katsumi to expect the worst. And as CERTIFIABLY WEIRD things begin to happen right in front of her waking eyes, that fear grows. Nessa may not like causing other people to be afraid or defensive, but Katsumi's worldview is being rocked right now.

When instructed to hold out her hand, Katsumi is clearly reluctant. Anything could happen to her. Nothing makes sense. But her right hand starts to move forward, palm upturned - and trembling. When the miniscule sculpture is dropped into it, her hand dips as though it weighed astronomically more. A gasp accompanies it, and Katsumi seems to teeter between panic and being frozen, herself.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
There's certainly a look where Nessa's definitely not sure if she should have been so honest at this point. She pulls the glove from her pocket again and start to tug it on as she looks over. There's nothing else, no additional magic, nothing but a cold piece of ice that looks like a smiling, happy pup. Ice that wasn't there a moment ago. The mage simply brought it into existence. "You asked. So that's me backing up my word. I'm not pulling your leg."

She shakes her head a bit. "I don't know why I'm doing this. Being honest was clearly not the way to go here. Maybe Luci's method isn't the best in some cases."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Aa-.. a-..," Katsumi croaks as she continues staring at the object in her hand, the sound of a scream wanting to escape. But she's biting it back somehow, despite an open mouth. She doesn't want to look away from it. It might disappear, or something. It might be sleight of hand, an illusion. Or maybe she knows on some subconscious level that when she looks at Nessa again, she won't see the same person she saw ten minutes ago.

Her hand continues to tremble. Her mouth finally moves, but she can't manage to say words.

"H-h-how?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"It's a family thing. Basically my whole family does it, I'm just a bit of an odd duck. Not everyone ends up with untouchable skin and this great sense of wit." Nessa shoves both gloved hands into her jacket pocket. "I started learning when I was... nine I think." She shakes her head. "I'm not some costumed superhero, though, I'm just someone who helps when I can. And I did that when you fell, see?" Her brow furrows. "Have you never really seen anything like this up close?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"No," answers Katsumi honestly, still staring hard at the dog. It might be melting by now.

She turns, hoping to find some measure of support. Her ribs bump into the ring apron, and she props her forearm over it. So many times, she's smashed someone's face against an edge just like it. Or got arched against it, herself. It's bizarre, how comforting a familiar battleground can be. But it helps to give her balance in more ways than just physical.

"So you're not a.. a mutant?," she asks suddenly. Her eyes lift again to Nessa. "You're something else? I thought m-, um..," it's hard to say, "..magic.. had to be s-studied."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Not a mutant, no. Just magically talented. It does have to be studied, certainly. A lot of study, in fact. I couldn't just do that at age nine." Nessa smiles wryly. "Maybe ten." The tone is clearly a joke--an attempt to lighten the mood a little. "Just think of it like a talent that runs in the family. Seven generations of carpenters? A lot of it's learning from those before you, but sometimes there's just a hint of talent from somewhere else. I'm just less of a hint and more of a smack in the face."

She lets out a deep breath. "I know it's a little strange up close and everything but I do want you to know I don't hurt people. I help people. If I didn't care, I wouldn't cover up the way I do. Just don't..." She lets out another breath. "Just don't look at me like I'm a monster or something, okay? I'm sorry I said anything. How the hell does Luci even manage just being honest all the time?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Whatever remains of the dog is deposited onto the edge of the ring, and Katsumi turns over to rest her chest against it as well. Both arms fold over the flat surface, and her face lowers against the safe confines of darkness within her limbs. It's so much to take in. She's so tired.

The word 'monster' seems to trigger her, however. Her head lifts again and turns just faintly, enough for one eye to peek through the tresses of long blue black bangs. "No." She turns again to face Nessa. "You're not a monster." This is said with a little more resolution, as if making the conscious choice to categorize her as something safe. "It's- it's a lot, you know? It's weird. It's..." One hand raises to touch her temple gently. "You're not a monster."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Crap. If I had known this was going to be such a bombshell I would've just given you the sassy answer of a skin condition and not been so honest. I'm just... I'm used to being around a lot of people who wouldn't break a sweat hearing about that kind of thing. I'm sorry if that's a bit much, especially with your match and all." For her credit, Nessa does seem genuinely guilty and concerned. "Do you want me to just go? I feel as if I'm a bit of a distraction now."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"No," Katsumi replies immediately to the question of if she'd prefer she leave. And then, a more reserved: "No."

She leans off the ring's edge and takes a moment to compose herself. Her gaze drops to her feet. Processing. It's insane, right? There are people out there who can do things, but it's not like she thinks of them as /people/. It's like how a schoolkid views their English teacher. Someone with a life? Accessible, normal? Not likely. But she said she's not some costumed superhero, anyway. Does that make it better or worse?

"I-" She doesn't know what she was about to say. She abandons that train of thought. Her gaze lifts again to Nessa; apologetic. "I wanna be mad at you," she confesses. "It'd make it easier. But f*** me, I just... I don't have it in me. And I'd feel like s*** for going off, anyway. You don't, you don't deserve that. I think." Her delivery is halting, uncertain; this is extremely unfamiliar territory.

Her hands lift, pressing a couple fingers to either temple. "I need to stop being a, a b****, and say this is cool."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I mean, you can if you want to. Won't help you if you want scrambled eggs at three in the morning the night before your fight, though." Nessa shifts her weight from foot to foot. "If you're not sure if you should be mad at me, though, it's probably more of a question as to why you'd want to. Have I done anything that really makes you mad? I mean... maybe I picked the wrong dog." She gestures towards the melting corgi. "Look, if it makes you feel better, just forget this part of it. Put it out of your head for now, focus on it later. It doesn't change things. I'm still the same person. Just think of me as that."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Stopstopstop," Katsumi repeats, hoping to silence Nessa's permissive language, both hands lifting with palms outturned. "I'm saying- it- look." Her hands drop to her sides, and she gives Nessa a defeated look. "I don't have friends, okay? You got that earlier, right? God, it sounds so f***ing lame to say..."

Her hand lifts to touch her brow briefly, vexed.

"I'm trying to avoid the thing that- that makes that a thing. Alright? Get it? You see them over there?"

She twists at the hip to nod towards the group of clearly close coworkers. Then back to Nessa, "You see me over here?" There's a hint of desperation in her voice. Please get it. Don't make her spell it out.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's gaze goes between the group of wrestlers and back to Katsumi. "So you're trying to be like me." Her hands go back to her pockets, raising an eyebrow. "It's not always a great thing, being an ice queen. There's always distance. Remember the part where I said I had no friends outside of work? There's a reason for that, and not because I can't make friends. It's a choice that I'm making, for them and for me. So... when I say I'll be your friend, it's not a friendship like that over there."

There's the slightest hint of a frown. "But I've got to tell you that living a life like that isn't much of a life. Safer, but I'm not sure it's always worth the cost."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"What, is depressing people also a magic power of yours?," Katsumi asks dryly. "I'm not /trying/ to be like anyone. And it's not a choice with me. At least, not entirely. Look, forget it. Forget I said anything." She shakes her head quickly, tossing those bangs. "Can we back up a lot? I was trying to be hype about this thing you do."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa rolls her eyes. "Yes, I have the magic ability to make everyone depressed about being lonely. But the real magic's been yours all along." She shifts a hand from her pocket to her hip. "You want to be hype about my magic? There's some pretty cool stuff to be hyped about. Think of it like you're a kid again and you've got some play-dough... you just make things with it. Anything you want to build with it, you just get creative and go. But think bigger. A tiny ice cube dog, or a bridge from one side of a road to another made entirely of ice."

There's a sly grin. "If you win your match, I'll make it snow outside Madison Square Garden. Won't even tell anyone why or how. You'd be the only one who knew."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro pouts her lips out as Nessa teases her in return. She's being serious! She opened a wound to try to explain, and it didn't work! And she's trying to internally normalize a person who is magical like a MMO character!

Thankfully, things start to take a turn. And ultimately, Nessa provides her with something she can work with; something she can needle at. "How're you gonna do that from all the way home?," she asks. The question is delivered oh-so-innocently, but it's one rife with unspoken suggestion.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa makes a face. She's been caught there. She gives Katsumi a narrow-eyed look, not an angry look but an 'I'm on to you' expression before she grins. "Yeah, you're right, I'd have to be there to do that." She rolls her eyes. "Alright, you've twisted my arm hard enough. I'll get a ticket. It wouldn't be fair for there to be no one in the audience cheering for you." She smirks, flashing a look of a returned tease... but also an honest acceptance.

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
Katsumi Oshiro finally smiles again. It's a pretty smile; authentically happy. Katsumi's hands link behind her back, and she does a little twist at the shoulders, pleased with herself for finding an exploitable loophole. She doesn't even care that it's likely true - there'd only be one person in the entirety of Madison Square Garden cheering for her.

Alright, maybe not. There are always the oddball edgelords who cheer for the villain, or those who cheer for whichever girl they really hope would date them. It's a thing. Occupational hazard.

"No you wo~on't," Katsumi protests, her voice taking a sing-songish quality. "I don't want you having a panic attack or anything just to watch me beat some people up. Lemme try to pull a string and see what I can do."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I'm afraid /for/ people, not afraid /of/ them." Nessa clarifies with a grin. "But I suppose the principle's the same. Don't want to actually be the show, after all. I'd just like to watch it." She seems thoughtful. "I won't ask you to pull strings, but if you did, I'd be grateful for it. It's honestly a thing I'd like to see. It's a completely different type of life than I've been leading and it's... I dunno, it's kind of refreshing to see something I'm not used to. Something new."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"And you know one of the superstars," Katsumi chimes with a deliberately smug up-tilting of her chin.

"But let me do my thing. I'll-"

And that's it. Everything seems to give out from under her. Katsumi abruptly ragdolls to the floor in a heap, eyes shut.

None of the other workers have noticed. It seems dragging Nessa to the opposite end of the ring has served an unexpected double purpose, as it's now fully blocking her from their view.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
That's not jetlag. It had been far easy to just go along with the excuse when it was just a bit of weakness and sluggishness. Nessa ducks down low, kneeling down thanks to the lovely cover of the side of the ring. On one hand, it meant none of her cohort knew what was going on, but on the other it meant that she was the only one to help. "Dammit, I knew something was wrong," she mutters to herself, leaning over to check on Katsumi. Her gloved hand goes to rest on Katsumi's arm, giving her the slightest shake to try and see how responsive she is.

"Come on now, you're going to make me feel guilty."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
The slight shake sees no reaction. Katsumi is tranquil there on the floor, in what would have to be an incredibly uncomfortable pile. And from the sounds of things across the room, the rest of her party remains completely oblivious to the situation. All a glance would reveal is that Katsumi and the caterer were once there, and now they're not.

It might take a few firm shakes. But eventually, there's a steeper inhale and Katsumi's eyes roll open in a clear daze, unfocused. She squirms, detangling her mess of limbs into something more comfortable on the floor. "Mmh..?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa's not going to try and move her, but once she sees that Katsumi's at least less of a ragdolled mess on the floor and more of someone just taking a nice floor nap, she relaxes a bit more. "Hey, listen to my voice, okay? You passed out. No one's seen but if you don't pull it together they're going to see. I've kind of got a hunch this isn't something you want them to see. So you're gonna have to try really hard to pull yourself together and help me come up with a good excuse for you to get out of here to rest somewhere."

She pauses. "Or for me to find you a doctor."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Nani..?," asks a groggy Katsumi. That's a lot of information for someone who feels like she just woke up from a deep sleep. Her eyelids are still heavy. There are some softly muttered protests in Japanese, her eyes screwing shut and one arm raised as if to bat Nessa away.

The sensation of the cold, hard floor beneath her register. She gives it a stern look. Then to the side, she sees the drapey ring apron. Consciousness is flooding back in quickly. And when she looks back to Nessa, her words seem to've registered.

"I what?," she asks in English, her voice small and tight in her throat. She paws a hand at the ring apron to try to find balance, but it doesn't quite work. So she settles for tucking her knees beneath herself. "I- I feel fine..!"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I'm gonna call that BS," Nessa says, a hand out to offer help steadying herself if she needs it, much as she had the last time Katsumi had collapsed. "Even if that were true, you still just passed out. Look, I know this is a hell of an opportunity for you, but if you don't at least get checked out, you could go into that ring and have some kind of final curtain call." She shakes her head. "Look, sometimes we take opportunities because they're presented to us and we just go with it because it's there even if we know there might be risks. I am guilty as all hell of that."

She takes a quick peek over the ring to check on the rest of the room before looking back to Katsumi. "Look, I'll go with you if you need so that none of them have to know, but if you don't know what's wrong you won't know what you're risking... and it's better to at least know the odds. I can't stop you from doing whatever you want to do. However I implore you to find out what's going on."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
That's it though. What kind of life could she have worth living if she couldn't do the one thing that gave her real joy anymore?

Katsumi swallows hard and looks at the offered hand. She really does need to get up and present herself as normal for the others. There's a moment of hesitation before she takes the proffered limb to carefully steady herself and raise to her feet. She was hoping she'd buried this; that oversleeping took care of it. But she was just in the floor, and she isn't sure how she got there.

Words can't express how terrifying that is; and it's personal.

"I will, I will," she submits quietly. "Please don't say anything. I'll do whatever you want!" She opts out of insisting how she's struggling with the idea that it may be worth the risk to persevere. That gets bottled up.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Hey, hey, this isn't extortion," Nessa tries to offer in a soothing tone. "I'm not going to tell anyone. It's none of my business. But it's hard to root for someone in a ring knowing that, I dunno, they might have a brain tumor and one wrong move and I'm watching someone die, alright? Not worth it. It could be nothing. You could just be suffering from some kind of nutritional deficit and all could be fixed with a nasty tasting vitamin shake."

She glances idly back over across the room, then back. "I know you don't really know me, but I promise I'm not gonna rat you out. I'm just concerned, okay? This is the kind of problem I can't just fix. Be careful, okay?"

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
"Aaahhh," whimpers Katsumi when she says possibly the worst thing ever.

'You blacked out. You're unwell,' the shadow in her mind repeats. It had been quiet today until now. And now someone has dropped the horrifying T-word on her. Katsumi, just at the thought of it, looks like she could cry. It was already on her mind. She didn't need it given life by anyone else.

"I-I'll get checked out!," she insists, her tone somehow reaching pleading levels. The translation: 'Please stop talking.'

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa winces as she catches on she's saying the wrong things. Concerned, sure, and maybe it was important to say, but it's still not the best. "Don't worry, I'm still expecting you to win. Snow'll happen. Or maybe I'll make some fog instead so you can make a dramatic exit to your adoring fans when you win." It's an attempt to pull things back together and lift Katsumi's spirits a bit more. "Maybe I'll even wear something less math."

Katsumi Oshiro has posed:
At this point, the others present have begun lining up again. Her absence is starting to get noticed, and before long, an, "OSHIRO!," is shouts from the front of the room.

Katsumi's head ducks quickly, as if being berated. "A-after training. I have to train. Okay? Right after. I'll go," she hurriedly assures.

The attempts to distract from the mortifying potentiality of high-risk and life-threatening ailment is appreciated, for what it's worth, but falls into the realm of 'too little, too late'. She knows something's wrong with her. Nessa knows something's wrong with her. It has to stay between them, and Katsumi, still fatigued, can't come up with an excuse in this instant to get away from the others. So she begins moving around the ring's perimeter, her eyes still on Nessa even as it makes her walk backwards.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa offers a hand raised in farewell, though the concern's still there, behind the generous smile. "Call if you need scrambled eggs at three AM, okay?" She calls after her. The implication is certainly that it's more than an offer for some good diner food. It's the continued offer of help. She's genuinely trying to be a friend. She gives a firm nod in Katsumi's direction, heading towards the exit.