Post by kjcasey42 on Mar 25, 2020 1:11:47 GMT
WRITER'S NOTE: This was supposed to be done a LOT sooner than this, as it's set just before All Hallow's Evil. Again, apologies to everyone for dragging my feet on this. Please enjoy!
Trixie Decker fidgets nervously as the elevator ticks off the floors upwards, on the way to picking up her new (well, is three months new anymore?) girlfriend, Kanako Akiyama from her penthouse apartment. Maaaan, she whines to herself while on her ride, why’d she have to live all the way on the top? All this time to think things over can’t be healthy! Before long, the ding! of the elevator chime tells Trixie that she’s been saved by the bell. The doors open to the hallway leading to the front door of Kanako’s apartment. The goth girl looks herself over as she goes, making sure she looks alright in her attire of a grey silk shirt with a light black jacket and matching pants. Finally arriving at the door, Trixie rings the doorbell and hears Kanako’s voice soon after squeaking “Coming!” in a sing-songy voice, muted by the walls. Hearing the Japanese girl’s voice almost sets Trixie to swooning; clearly the bloom isn’t off the rose for this couple by a long shot. The door flies open, and Trixie opens her mouth to greet her girlfriend, only to have the diminutive Japanese girl leap into her arms, clad only in a matching black frilly bra and panties set.
“Trixie!!” she squeaks with joy as she hugs Trixie and kisses her on the cheek, “Oh, my god, you have no idea how much I’m looking forward to this! Come in, come in! Maybe you can help!” She takes Trixie by the hand and leads her inside.
“Huh?” Trixie blinks as she’s pulled into the spacious apartment, “S-sure, sweetie! Help with what?” Kanako gestures to the couch, upon which lay a pair of outfits; A red minidress just short enough (and cut low enough) to be enticing, and a black leather ensemble: Bustier, skirt and fishnets.
“I can’t decide what to wear! I mean…” she blushes a little, “it is for you, after all. Which one do you like better?”
Trixie nuzzled Kanako. “You know you don’t have to dress for me. Just seeing you is enough. Hell, you could wear a clown suit and I wouldn’t care.”
Kanako snorted. “You say that enough times and one day it will be what I wear.”
Trixie’s eyes rounded out like saucers and she grumbled in a low, creepy cartoonish voice, “Maybe that’s my fetish.” Then she grabbed at Kanako’s nose and yelled honk before pulling her in for a kiss. Kanako laughed and pushed away.
“No, seriously,” Kanako purred. “I want to look nice for you – and DON’T pull that, ‘you always look nice’ nonsense.”
“You got me,” Trixie said in cheerful surrender. She looked over the options. “I will not pretend I wouldn’t love to see you in the mini-dress but we’re going to a public place full of children and we don’t need a public lewdness charge.” She held up the bustier. “‘Sides, you look lovely in black.”
“Choice made!” Kanako said, pecking her girlfriend and scooping up the clothing. She scampered into the bedroom to change, calling out, “What is tonight’s adventure?”
“Oh, the usual,” Trixie said as she sat in a chair. “Bar fights, cattle rustling, bar fights with cattle.”
“Ha ha haaaa,” came the icy reply from the bedroom. “I want you to choose tonight but, if you really can’t, I’ve mapped out all the karaoke locations in downtown.” Kanako’s head shot out of the bedroom doorway and gave Trixie a wild-eyed expression. “There are seventeen different themed karaoke nights going on tonight.”
“Well, now I almost feel bad for having planned something,” Trixie said. “I hate to deprive my siren of her songs.”
“So you do have something planned!” Kanako cheered. “I can’t wait! Besides, isn’t taking your Japanese girlfriend out to a karaoke bar a bit on the nose?” Trixie looked up to see Kanako clad in form hugging black and a big smile. “You like?”
It took Trixie a minute to answer. Seeing Kanako always stunned her but something about tonight made her chest pound harder, like a teenager in the presence of their long-dreamt-of crush. Trixie pulled in a deep breath as she stood and took Kanako’s hands. “You’re perfect,” she whispered.
And she meant it.
Thirty minutes later…
Trixie’s car, a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass, lurched into the dimly lit parking lot. Kanako had asked Trixie before why she didn’t get a newer car but Decker dismissed the idea, only saying, “This car got me through a lot.”
The lot was mostly empty so Trixie pulled closer to a set of colorful gates adorned with a sign that lit up and proclaimed, “STORYVILLE FUNLAND!” Not far off Kanako heard the rumbling of cars on tracks and calliope music.
“Is this an amusement park?” Kanako asked as she left the relic. “I didn’t know you liked parks.”
“They’re kind of like home,” Trixie said. “I have a lot of family who work in traveling carnivals. I even spent a few summers as a teen traveling and working with them.” Trixie offered her arm and Kanako took it. “Going to a park like this – not the big ones, but the smaller ones – it’s kind of like going home.”
This was probably the most Kanako had really ever heard Trixie mention her family beyond, “I have twin younger siblings.” Mentions of parents usually resulted in hastily changed subjects. She took this, and the neon lights, in as Trixie led her to the ticket booth and bought their admission as well as an absurd amount of attraction tickets.
Entering the park the two were greeted by concession stands, costumed fairy tale characters, a midway and assorted ride staples, all illuminated in flashing colors and chipper music. The park seemed fuller than the parking lot led them to believe. Trixie turned to her date. “I chose the place. You choose what we do first.”
It doesn’t take long for Kanako to spot her first choice. “There,” she says as she hangs off of Trixie’s arm, pointing to the ferris wheel towering over most of the other rides, “let’s go on the ferris wheel. That should give us some alone time.” she notes with a mischievous grin. The reciprocal grin from Trixie communicates that she’s more than okay with this plan.
As they make their way to the ferris wheel, hand in hand, gazing lovingly at one another, a little voice squeals and shouts, “KANAKO!!!” The two women blink and turn towards the voice to see a little girl, eight, maybe ten, years old, standing a good twenty feet away. Upon seeing Kanako’s face straight on, the girl audibly gasps, “Oh, my gosh! It IS you!” she gushes, scampering over to her. “Miss Akiyama, I’m a huge fan of yours!” the girl squeaks, prompting Kanako to take a knee so she could look her in the eye as she talks.
“You...watch FAWN?” Kanako asked, somewhat incredulously, considering some of the, to put it mildly, adult content FAWN provides, to which she nods excitedly, her pigtails bouncing in time with the nods, a smile a mile wide across her face. Kanako looks over to Trixie, a questioning expression on her face.
“FAWN runs a show on Saturday mornings, with only the family-friendly content. Honestly, I think you and Cam Cosworth are probably the most prominent wrestlers on the thing.”
“Huh.” Kanako answers, turning back to the girl, “I did not know that. Anyway, I’m always happy to meet a fan.” she smiles warmly at the Asian (Kanako guessed Chinese or maybe Vietnamese) girl.
“I was SO upset when you got hurt!” she answers, “You’re my hero! You’re so strong and tough and pretty and...Hey! Isn’t that the girl you were fighting when you got hurt?” she points at Trixie, exasperated, “How come you’re hanging out with Kanako?!” she demands, her bottom lip stuck out.
“Hey,” Kanako tried to get the agitated girl’s attention again, “what’s your name, sweetie?”
She blinked as she turned back to her idol, her expression shifting on a dime from outraged to starstruck. “M-Michelle!” she stammers out.
“Well, Michelle,” Kanako begins to explain, interrupted by a delightful squeal at her saying her name, “what happened in my match with Trixie was an accident, and entirely my fault.” Michelle gives Trixie a bit of a side eye, a little skeptical of Kanako’s explanation. “The truth is, Trixie and I are really good friends.” Trixie sputters to stifle a little laugh, and tamp down a smartass remark, at Kanako’s declaration.
“Really? But you guys fought each other! Don’t you hate each other?” Michelle asks, struggling to understand.
“Well, sometimes we fight people that we...don’t like...in our matches, that’s true. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s about settling your differences, and sometimes it’s just friendly competition. That’s what it was with Trixie and I.”
“Ohhhh,” Michelle nods slowly, before lighting up again, “Oh! Hey, will you sign my mask, Kanako?” she points to the kabuki mask strapped on to the back of her head.
“It’s her favorite thing in the whole world,” Michelle’s mother explains from a little bit away from them, “When FAWN started selling those things, it’s all she wanted for her birthday. She takes it everywhere” Michelle confirms her mother’s claims with an excited nod as she takes the mask off and holds it up, offering it to Kanako.
Kanako forces a smile, trying to hide the reflexive fear she feels at seeing the face she wore for all those months that she went on a rampage staring back at her, something that doesn’t escape Trixie’s notice. “Well, of course I will, Michelle! I happen to have something in here for just such an occasion!” She then opens up her purse and, after a few moments of rummaging, she pulls out a fine-tip black Sharpie. “Front or back, sweetie?”
“Front! I want everyone to know that I met Kanako Akiyama!” Kanako smiles shyly and nods as she writes her name in kanji, then “KANAKO!” underneath it. She hands it back to Michelle and, after taking a moment to admire her idol’s mark, Michelle surges forward, giving Kanako a huge hug.
“Thank you, Kanako!” she cries joyously, “Thank you thank you thank you! When I grow up, I wanna be just like you!”
Kanako chuckles as she returns the hug, “Well, let’s hope you won’t have to go through what I have. Now, can I get a high five before you go back to your mom?” Michelle gleefully complies, smacking Kanako’s outstretched hand with her own. Upon impact, Kanako lets out a low whistle as she she shakes her hand out. “Ooh, that was a good one! Remind me not to make you mad!” The girl giggles with delight as her hero pats her on the back, “Alright, then, off you go!” With that, she bounces her way back to her family, feeling like she’s on cloud nine.
“Thank you, Miss Akiyama,” her mother says as a beaming Michelle straps the mask to her head once more, “you’ve made her night, probably her whole year. It’s nice to see that some of you are as good as you seem on TV.”
Kanako chuckles a bit humorlessly at that last remark, “Yeah, thank you. Have a great night, folks!” She waves to them as they depart, and she goes back to Trixie’s side, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.
“Wow, you were really good with her!” Trixie notes, putting an arm around her and returning the kiss in kind. “I didn’t know you were so good with kids! Though, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re pretty damn awesome at everything you do.”
“Hardly.” Kanako says with a chuckle as the two of them watch Michelle and her family shrink from view in the distance. “You know, I’ve never really thought of myself as a role model to anybody. Especially considering the...things I’ve done…” her voice becomes sullen, remembering those months she spent in darkness.
“Well, think about it,” Trixie replies, “You’re someone she sees on TV that looks like she does. You’re a one hundred percent badass, and you do badass things for the right reasons. I’m betting Michelle doesn’t get a lot of that in the shows she watches.” Kanako nods thoughtfully. “Hey, enough somber talk! Let’s get on that ferris wheel!” Trixie smiles, pulling Kanako along towards their original destination.
The ferris wheel looms before them at the end of the midway. Bright red steel lit up with multicolored flashing bulbs like a Christmas tree beckons them with no line to wait in. A smiling man in a park smock welcomes the two women.
“Welcome to Jack’s Sky-High Ferris Wheel,” the older man says, opening a car. Trixie holds a pair of tickets and something else folded underneath which the man dutifully takes.
“No one else is over here?” Kanako asks, surprised, as she enters.
“It’s a tad windy tonight, miss,” the man says as he closes the car door. “You two have the ride to yourselves.” Seeing the women settled in the man turns to the controls and activates the ride. As it slowly cranks up and turns, the man looks at what was under the tickets. He sees a folded up fifty dollar bell with a message scrawled on it. “A little time please?” He smiles as he pockets the fifty.
Kanako settles into Trixie’s arms, who peppers her cheek with kisses. Decker’s arms encircle her honey’s waist and squeeze. “You smell nice,” Trixie says, smelling Kanako’s hair. The goth woman takes in her love’s new look – the teardrop tattoo on her left cheek, the nose and lip piercing, the studs in her right ear. Trixie had been with Kanako when she’d gotten a barcode tattoo on the back of her neck, but the dragon that peeks out on Kanako’s back from her top had been done without her. She admires the undercut. Most of this Trixie had been present for the happening of and all of it she knew about, but this is the first time she really took the Japanese woman’s transformation in all at once.
Kanako side-eyes Trixie. “You’re staring at me.” Her look screws up with concern. “Is something on my face?”
“Just a lot of beautiful,” Trixie says.
“Coooooorny,” Kanako laughs.
“I stand by my statement,” Trixie says. She pauses. “If you don’t mind me asking, why so many drastic changes? I do like them, but I was wondering.”
Kanako shrugs. “It’s just who I feel I need to be right now. Do you like it?”
“Absolutely,” Trixie blurts, then hesitates. She continues, a bit more awkwardly, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t changing because of how I dress and look.”
“Naw,” Kanako assures, then it’s her turn to look confused. “You don’t have piercings.”
“Not anymore,” Trixie says. “I used to have a lot but once someone tries to rip them out of your nipples in a match, the luster is gone.”
Kanako cringes sympathetically. “Ouch.”
Decker only nods. “You don’t wanna know what happened with my pierced hood.”
“Oh my god,” Kanako cackles, “yes, please, seduce me with more painful tales.”
Trixie places her mouth to Kanako’s ears and vampishly says, “Sometimes, in the dark, I stub my toe on my end table.”
Kanako elbows Trixie and giggles. “Jerk.”
As the car rounds to the top, the ferris wheel suddenly stops. The intercom in the car crackles. “Sorry, ladies. Technical difficulties. It’ll take about… twenty minutes? It depends on the line for funnel cakes.”
Kanako looks out the window and peers below where the ride operator is putting up a “Ride Closed” sign. He sees her looking down and offers a friendly wave and wink before strolling over to a concession stand.
“Oh no!” Trixie says in a cartoonishly high-pitched voice. Kanako feels familiar hands stroke down her sides and a welcome warmth press behind her body. “I guess we’re trapped up here. Just you, me, and all the park lights.”
“Mmm…” Kanako purrs as she snuggles up to her love, “No place in the world I’d rather be, than to be trapped with you.” With that, she turns to face her lover, eyes twinkling with deep love, and she takes Trixie’s face into her hands and plants a sweet but passionate kiss on the goth beauty. Trixie returns the kiss with equal passion, her hands roaming across and down the Japanese beauty’s back. Feeling things beginning to heat up, Kanako helped Trixie remove her jacket and hang it over the door’s mesh window, providing them with a modicum of privacy. With that done, Kanako then grasps the lapels of Trixie’s shirt and pulls the goth girl down to the floor of the car on top of her for a more…involved...makeout session.
Kanako adjusts her top as the ferris wheel begins to move again, while Trixie hurriedly buttons up her shirt and grabs her jacket.
“Well!” Kanako chirps as she tries to catch her breath, “That was a hell of a warmup!”
“Warmup?” Trixie answers with an amused chuckle, plotting their next such “warmup” in her mind, “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Well, you know,” Kanako returns with a sly grin, “I can’t let you just have your way with me right off the bat. Where’s the fun in that?” Trixie chuckles at that. Kanako’s come a long way from the shy, super-serious girl she first met almost a year ago. At least when it came to flirting, anyway. “Anyway, it’s your turn to pick what we do now, Trixie.” she prods her girlfriend, eager to see what she has planned for them next.
Trixie pauses and thinks for a minute. "Dark ride," she says finally, taking Kanako’s hand.
They walk down the midway, passing the various games and attractions. Each booth seems flooded with people excited to throw their money away. All except the milk bottle toss.
Trixie halts in front of it, eyeing the giant plush cats lining the booth. Each of the red kitties are easily half her height and sported an anime cute face. The old man in the booth is hawking and calling people over but to no avail. Decker steps up to the hawker.
“Baezad saezales naezight?” she asks. Kanako’s ears pick up at Trixie’s perceived gibberish.
At first stunned, the hawker softens a bit. “Haezorrible,” the man replies. “Theaez maezarks daezon’t traezust theaez gaezame. Naezot a saezingle saezell.”
Trixie ponders this for a moment, then turns to Kanako. Suddenly, Trixie’s eyes grow wide and she speaks – or blathers – in an airheady, high pitched voice. “Oh my GAWD, baby! Look at the kitties! I wanna WIN YOU ONE!” Trixie looks back to the man. “How much?”
“Five dollars for three throws, little lady!” the hawker booms, not missing a beat. It’s almost as if they rehearsed it. “All you have to do is knock all three bottles down and win a kitty for you lovely paramour!”
Heads begin to turn from patrons of the park, most with derisive sneers. A few stop to watch and Kanako hears a pop-collared bro mutter to his date, “Let’s watch this dumb bitch waste five bucks.” Despite the immediate urge to feed the man his own teeth for deriding Trixie, Kanako holds back to watch what’s unfolding.
Trixie picks up the first ball and looks back at Kanako. “Wish my luck, baby!” she coos. Kanako blows a kiss but still wonders where this personality flip came from. Trixie tosses the ball limply, missing by a mile. The crowds laughs around them while Akiyama does mental math, taking in how what was obvious a fake throw to her easily fools those around them.
“Darn it!” Trixie pouts, picking up the second ball. She flings it, slightly closer but still easily missing.
“Last chance,” the hawker says, handing the last baseball over. “Maybe you should get a little luck from your lady.”
Trixie only giggles while twirling her hair. She turns to Kanako and holds the ball up. “Baby, kiss my ball for luck?”
“Of course,” Kanako replies. She leans in to plant a gentle kiss on the baseball, only to have Trixie pull it down and meet her lips with a long, passionate kiss. Kanako feels Trixie’s hand brace behind her head. All around them are deafening catcalls and hoots and grunts of how hot it is. Trixie pulls back from the kiss and Kanako sees it, the mischievous glint in her lover’s eyes. In a simple motion, Trixie spins around and tosses the ball – still obviously weaker than she can truly throw it. By while all the onlookers watch the hot goth girl lurch forward, showing off her ass as she throws the ball, Kanako notices something different. She notices the hawker lean forward on his right foot as if stepping on something, like a lever or a break.
CRACK!
The ball slams through the milk bottles, spilling them from their platform.
“WE HAVE A WINNER!” the hawker cries as he takes down one of the giant kitty dolls and hands it to Trixie. “See, my friends! Anyone can be a winner and this young lady proved it! C’mon, boys! Show your lady you’re at least half the man this young woman is!”
Trixie giddily bounces to Kanako. “Baby, I won it! I won it for YOU!” She thrusts the plush in Kanako’s hands. The two pull away as attendees push towards the bottle throw booth, fishing out money.
“Haezave a graezeat naezight,” Trixie mouths to the hawker.
“Blaezess yaezou, laezittle saezister,” he mouths back as the two move further into the park towards the park’s dark ride, Gnome Follies.
Kanako beams as she looks at the cute plush kitty, but her confusion is still plain on her face. "What...What just happened?" she asks, her head still spinning a little from the kiss.
Trixie looks at Kanako. “Oh, I helped him con a bunch of suckers. No one wanted to risk money on the game, so I made it look like I’m an idiot who can’t throw a ball, then I distracted everyone by kissing the hottest woman in the park and throwing a ball in a way that my ass was on display so no one would notice him lean on the foot lever that unlocked the one bottle that never falls off, letting me knock them all down. Now he’ll make his goal for the night.” Trixie shakes the giant cat’s paws. “And you got a kitty!”
She blinks as Trixie explains the con. "Gee...I never thought that sort of thing was real. Just kind of urban myths and stuff, you know? And you must be psychic; How did you know I liked cats?"
“I mean, some of the stuff you hear about us is absolutely bullshit,” Trixie replies. “Like the bullshit about human trafficking and whatever. A lot of that is xenophobia, likely because a lot of us carnies are like Romani to outsides. Not all of us are, although my family is,” Trixie grabs onto Kanako’s arm and pulls her closer. “And you spend all your summers from age twelve to sixteen working traveling carnivals with your extended family, not to mention spending a couple years doing that and wrestling all year long after you quit high school, you pick up the speak and traditions. That shit never leaves you.”
She smiles and kisses her on the cheek, "And the kitty?"
Trixie gives Kanako a deadpan look. "You have cute anime cat shirts in your closet and I know I've seen a few Hello Kitty things around your place." Decker snorts. "Which is weird because we all know My Melody is superior."
She giggles and gives her a playful shove, "Jerk. There was a time when I would throw down if someone said that."
"Look, I like My Melody, you like Hello Kitty," Trixie says while leaning in to kiss Kanako's cheek. "I think we can both agree that people who like Keroppi are probably serial killers and should be put down like dangerous animals."
"Absolutely, and we will curbstomp any Keroppi fans we come across." She grins evily, "Anyway, enough stalling! Let's get to this "dark ride" of yours. I can imagine what you've got planned with a name like that."
Trixie leads Kanako through the park, past the carousel and bumper cars, to a structure made to look like a tree covered hill. A cave yawns from the side with a lazy stream pouring in. An empty queue leads to a bored looking teenage girl, a control console, and a line of boats.
Trixie helps Kanako into the boat then returns to the teenager. She whispers something in ride operator’s ear as her palm moves from her pocket to the teen’s hand. The girl looks at what’s been slipped into her palm, beams, and nods excitedly. Trixie joins Kanako in the boat.
“Welcome to Gnome Follies,” the teen announces. “We hope you’ll enjoy this trip into magic and wonder. Please keep your arms, legs, and other bits you don’t want trolls to snack on in the boat at all times and please don’t reach into the water even though we totally haven’t had a problem lately with water moccasins.”
The last comment gets a duet of worried looks as the boat lurches forward towards the open cave.
Kanako is getting goosebumps in anticipation of what's to come, "Ooh, how exciting!" she rests a hand on Trixie's thigh and leans into her, "Thank you, Trixie..."
The opening room of the ride is a circular cavern where animatronic gnomes sing a merry, shrill tune while mining for multicolored glass gems. The gnomes move jerkily – and a few, long in need f repair, don’t move at all. Overhead, a long bearded gnome with one of its eyes hanging from its head laughs. “Hello, big people! Welcome to the Gnomish World of Wonder,” he calls out in a scratchy recording. “Enjoy our sights and sounds but beware of the nefarious trolls, looking to gobble you up!”
Trixie leans into Kanako’s ear and whispers, “At night, those things totally come alive and eat children.”
Kanako giggles, "Come on, now...How gullible do you think I am?" she then grasps the lapels of Trixie's coat and pulls her in for a quick kiss. "Don't think I don't get why you chose this ride, either. Eager for round two, eh?" she chuckles, poking her side
Trixie feigns shock. “Madame, you wound me with your accusations of my impropriety!” She tossed her hair before giving Kanako a sly smile. Then, the goth latched onto Kanako in a deep kiss.
The boat floated through another room, this one full of plastic plants and fruits and gnomes “fishing,” holding up prize “fish.” Soft flutes and violins fill the air. As the boat nears a bridge there’s a jerk and the ride stops.
“Pardon me, patrons,” drones the teen operator’s voice over the sound system. “We seem to be having unforeseen technically difficulties. Please bear with us.”
“How unexpected!” Trixie pipes as she stands. She hops from the boat to the garden display before helping her date from the boat. Walking up the “hill,” Trixie pushes fake plants aside to a small clearing lit by soft violet lights. Waiting there is a blanket, picnic basket, chilled bottle of wine, and a fake candle, its bulb flickering to mimic a real flame.
“Sorry,” Trixie says sheepishly. “The manager was pretty adamant about no real candles.”
Kanako gasps as she sees everything laid out before them, "Oh, my goodness! Trixie, you...you had this planned out all along?" she asks, mouth agape, with a hand to her cheek.
Trixie nervously rubs her arm and looks away. “I’m not good at romance,” she admits. “Or opening up or… being a girlfriend.” Decker looks back at Kanako. “But I’m trying. You make me want to try harder.”
Kanako takes Trixie's hand and looks her dead in the eyes, "This is the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me! Sweetie...I don't know about your past, but...You're romancing me damn good right now..." she blinks back a few happy tears.
Trixie smiles and pecks Kanako’s cheek.
“Attention, riders,” the teen operator’s voice booms. “We’ll be shutting the ride down indefinitely for the night. Remember to exit through the next scene. The chicken exit is behind the dragon’s butt.”
Trixie coughs nervously. “I may have paid them a little to have the ride ‘break down.’” She kneels and opens the picnic basket, pulling out two wine glasses and assorted tupperwares of food. “I’ve never been on a picnic so I didn’t know what was good to eat on one, so I went simple. I also don’t know anything about wine except the two bucks a bottle stuff my mom likes.” Trixie looks up at Kanako. “But I decided to go with Château Batailley Grand Cru Classe. You didn’t strike me as a Thunderbird wine girl.”
"It's wonderful, Trixie!" Kanako swoons as she sits down on the blanket. "The fact that you would go to so much effort to impress me...Trixie, I'm speechless!" she blushes as she takes the wine glass from Trixie.
Trixie places a plate of chicken and rice in front of Kanako before pouring a glass of wine for her. “It’s not hard when you’re a fellow carny. Just gotta remind them of the code and make it worth their while. We tend to watch out for our own.” The pale woman suddenly blushes as she becomes self-awRE. “Sorry, I’ll stop talking about that stuff. I know it’s all kind of weird.” She hands the glass to Kanako and raises her own. “To the most lovely woman I’ve ever met.”
Kanako clinks her glass to Trixie's, "Ditto. And it's okay, I love hearing more about you." she takes a bite of the chicken and smiles, "Delicious! And the chicken's good too!"
Trixie ponders this but shrugs. “Eh. My extended family runs traveling carnivals. I spent a lot of summers from age twelve working them, and after I dropped out and got my GED I worked them full time. It’s how I started wrestling.”
Trixie picks over her chicken, obviously unable to hide how uncomfortable talking about her history she is. “Speaking up which, have you planned your ring return yet?”
"Oh! Well...Funny you should mention that...Cassava Onika has pitched an idea to the higher-ups about a battle royal where everyone is in costume...Y'know, with the whole Halloween atmosphere and all." Trixie nods and Kanako continues with a sigh, "And...they've asked me to participate."
Trixie beams. “I think it’s great! I mean, you’ve been cleared, right? I know you miss the ring, the lights… the throwing bitches around like unwanted bags of trash.” She gulps the wine and makes a sour face. “Sorry… I’ve never really drank wine before. Is it supposed to taste like woody, sad grape dreams?”
Now it's Kanako's turn to rub her arm in discomfort, as she looks away, "I, uh...I mean...I have wine once in awhile, but I honestly like bourbon best myself."
Trixie nods and reaches into her boot. “Emergency reserves.” She pulls out a hip flask and hands it over to Kanako. “So, you doing the match? Whose faces are you caving in? Or, since It’s a Halloween match, are you carving them off? If you go the latter, I have knife recommendations.”
"Well, there's...obviously Cassava. I think the Frighteners are in it...Seah Sin....I think they're getting a couple girls from LAW for it...Kendra LaRue, for some reason...A few girls that...I can't recall off the top of my head...And, uh...Phi Theta Tappa..." she winces at saying their name, certain they haven't forgotten what she did to them during her months in darkness. She takes a long pull from the flask to try and mask her reticence.
“Well, I definitely hope you end LaRue. I have nothing against her, but she just looks punchable,” Trixie says as she fishes a glass bottle of Nu-Grape soda from the basket and opens it. “Nothing against the others, I know you’ll plant ‘em.” She sips her soda. “I’ve never met Cassava but she seems nice. Plant her into one of the softer fans in the front row.” She winks.
Kanako chuckles, "Yeah...She actually visited me in the hospital, the day after we...ahem...consummated our relationship. She can be...a little intense, but she is nice, definitely."
Trixie raises an eyebrow. “She wants Kylie Sanders to use her face as a sit-and-spin. ‘Intense’ isn’t the word I’d use, but she seems sweet and she loves the sport.”
Kanako nods, "Yeah, well...Everybody has their...quirks, I guess." she takes another bite of the chicken, "This is really good! Did you make it?"
Trixie nods. “I was a diner cook for a while. If it’s greasy and horrible for you, I can make it tasty and probably worse for your heart.” She pauses. “So, Phi Theta Tappa. You seemed a little uncomfortable about that.”
Kanako stops dead in her tracks as she looks up at Trixie from taking a sip of wine, "Y-yeah...I guess so...I mean, I'm not worried about them. For all their bluster, they're kind of jokes. I...I've" she swallows hard, "...taken them out...before."
Trixie offers a wry smile. “That’s not who you are, you know. There’s more to you than that one moment in your life. You’re a strong, complex person fighting a hard battle. You need to give yourself credit and a chance.”
Kanako sighs, "I know, and I've been working really hard to get back into the ring. But...now that it comes to it..." she pauses and looks away, "...I'm scared, Trixie."
“It’s okay to be scared,” Trixie says, placing a hand on Kanako’s shoulder. “It’s okay to worry. And, if you slip, that’s okay, too. You’re a person. You don’t have to hold yourself to some impossible standard of perfection and you shouldn’t beat yourself up for falling or wanting to give in. But you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. Think of all the battles you won. Think of all the times you’ve bounced back from injuries and doubt.” She leans in, placing her forehead against Kanako’s. “You’re strong. I believe in you. I hope you will, too.”
"I mean...I know that what you're saying is true...But what if someone comes along that pushes me...as far as Lethbridge did, and she comes out? And what if....what if next time, I'm not able to get back to normal? Or, even more troubling...what if she is the real me, and all this is just me trying to deny reality?" Her voice quivers as she floats from one troubling thought to another, tears streaking her mascara.
“Someone will push you,” Trixie says after a pause. “In our field, there will always be someone who wants to bring that out of you and does their best because it's a way to make you feel out of control. But we both know that's not you. Maybe she's a part of you, but you're not just a coin with only two sides. There's more to you than that.” Decker takes her girlfriend's hand and squeezes. “And if she comes out again, there are a lot of people who love you, who will be there for and with you to help ground you. To help you find your way back and to help you come to terms.” She lifts the hand to her lips and kisses. “And those of us who love you, we aren't going anywhere.”
"Trixie..." Kanako caresses her girlfriend's cheek, thankful that she finally has someone to be with in those dark moments that will chase away the shadows that she'd normally jump at, left to her own devices. Overcome with emotion, and largely at a loss for words, she says simply, "I love you."
Trixie merely pulled Kanako into her arms, placing the woman's head next to her breasts. She stroked Kanako's hair. "I love you, too." Trixie merely held her for what seemed like forever, probably one of the few times she just had nothing left to say.
Trixie Decker fidgets nervously as the elevator ticks off the floors upwards, on the way to picking up her new (well, is three months new anymore?) girlfriend, Kanako Akiyama from her penthouse apartment. Maaaan, she whines to herself while on her ride, why’d she have to live all the way on the top? All this time to think things over can’t be healthy! Before long, the ding! of the elevator chime tells Trixie that she’s been saved by the bell. The doors open to the hallway leading to the front door of Kanako’s apartment. The goth girl looks herself over as she goes, making sure she looks alright in her attire of a grey silk shirt with a light black jacket and matching pants. Finally arriving at the door, Trixie rings the doorbell and hears Kanako’s voice soon after squeaking “Coming!” in a sing-songy voice, muted by the walls. Hearing the Japanese girl’s voice almost sets Trixie to swooning; clearly the bloom isn’t off the rose for this couple by a long shot. The door flies open, and Trixie opens her mouth to greet her girlfriend, only to have the diminutive Japanese girl leap into her arms, clad only in a matching black frilly bra and panties set.
“Trixie!!” she squeaks with joy as she hugs Trixie and kisses her on the cheek, “Oh, my god, you have no idea how much I’m looking forward to this! Come in, come in! Maybe you can help!” She takes Trixie by the hand and leads her inside.
“Huh?” Trixie blinks as she’s pulled into the spacious apartment, “S-sure, sweetie! Help with what?” Kanako gestures to the couch, upon which lay a pair of outfits; A red minidress just short enough (and cut low enough) to be enticing, and a black leather ensemble: Bustier, skirt and fishnets.
“I can’t decide what to wear! I mean…” she blushes a little, “it is for you, after all. Which one do you like better?”
Trixie nuzzled Kanako. “You know you don’t have to dress for me. Just seeing you is enough. Hell, you could wear a clown suit and I wouldn’t care.”
Kanako snorted. “You say that enough times and one day it will be what I wear.”
Trixie’s eyes rounded out like saucers and she grumbled in a low, creepy cartoonish voice, “Maybe that’s my fetish.” Then she grabbed at Kanako’s nose and yelled honk before pulling her in for a kiss. Kanako laughed and pushed away.
“No, seriously,” Kanako purred. “I want to look nice for you – and DON’T pull that, ‘you always look nice’ nonsense.”
“You got me,” Trixie said in cheerful surrender. She looked over the options. “I will not pretend I wouldn’t love to see you in the mini-dress but we’re going to a public place full of children and we don’t need a public lewdness charge.” She held up the bustier. “‘Sides, you look lovely in black.”
“Choice made!” Kanako said, pecking her girlfriend and scooping up the clothing. She scampered into the bedroom to change, calling out, “What is tonight’s adventure?”
“Oh, the usual,” Trixie said as she sat in a chair. “Bar fights, cattle rustling, bar fights with cattle.”
“Ha ha haaaa,” came the icy reply from the bedroom. “I want you to choose tonight but, if you really can’t, I’ve mapped out all the karaoke locations in downtown.” Kanako’s head shot out of the bedroom doorway and gave Trixie a wild-eyed expression. “There are seventeen different themed karaoke nights going on tonight.”
“Well, now I almost feel bad for having planned something,” Trixie said. “I hate to deprive my siren of her songs.”
“So you do have something planned!” Kanako cheered. “I can’t wait! Besides, isn’t taking your Japanese girlfriend out to a karaoke bar a bit on the nose?” Trixie looked up to see Kanako clad in form hugging black and a big smile. “You like?”
It took Trixie a minute to answer. Seeing Kanako always stunned her but something about tonight made her chest pound harder, like a teenager in the presence of their long-dreamt-of crush. Trixie pulled in a deep breath as she stood and took Kanako’s hands. “You’re perfect,” she whispered.
And she meant it.
Thirty minutes later…
Trixie’s car, a 1978 Oldsmobile Cutlass, lurched into the dimly lit parking lot. Kanako had asked Trixie before why she didn’t get a newer car but Decker dismissed the idea, only saying, “This car got me through a lot.”
The lot was mostly empty so Trixie pulled closer to a set of colorful gates adorned with a sign that lit up and proclaimed, “STORYVILLE FUNLAND!” Not far off Kanako heard the rumbling of cars on tracks and calliope music.
“Is this an amusement park?” Kanako asked as she left the relic. “I didn’t know you liked parks.”
“They’re kind of like home,” Trixie said. “I have a lot of family who work in traveling carnivals. I even spent a few summers as a teen traveling and working with them.” Trixie offered her arm and Kanako took it. “Going to a park like this – not the big ones, but the smaller ones – it’s kind of like going home.”
This was probably the most Kanako had really ever heard Trixie mention her family beyond, “I have twin younger siblings.” Mentions of parents usually resulted in hastily changed subjects. She took this, and the neon lights, in as Trixie led her to the ticket booth and bought their admission as well as an absurd amount of attraction tickets.
Entering the park the two were greeted by concession stands, costumed fairy tale characters, a midway and assorted ride staples, all illuminated in flashing colors and chipper music. The park seemed fuller than the parking lot led them to believe. Trixie turned to her date. “I chose the place. You choose what we do first.”
It doesn’t take long for Kanako to spot her first choice. “There,” she says as she hangs off of Trixie’s arm, pointing to the ferris wheel towering over most of the other rides, “let’s go on the ferris wheel. That should give us some alone time.” she notes with a mischievous grin. The reciprocal grin from Trixie communicates that she’s more than okay with this plan.
As they make their way to the ferris wheel, hand in hand, gazing lovingly at one another, a little voice squeals and shouts, “KANAKO!!!” The two women blink and turn towards the voice to see a little girl, eight, maybe ten, years old, standing a good twenty feet away. Upon seeing Kanako’s face straight on, the girl audibly gasps, “Oh, my gosh! It IS you!” she gushes, scampering over to her. “Miss Akiyama, I’m a huge fan of yours!” the girl squeaks, prompting Kanako to take a knee so she could look her in the eye as she talks.
“You...watch FAWN?” Kanako asked, somewhat incredulously, considering some of the, to put it mildly, adult content FAWN provides, to which she nods excitedly, her pigtails bouncing in time with the nods, a smile a mile wide across her face. Kanako looks over to Trixie, a questioning expression on her face.
“FAWN runs a show on Saturday mornings, with only the family-friendly content. Honestly, I think you and Cam Cosworth are probably the most prominent wrestlers on the thing.”
“Huh.” Kanako answers, turning back to the girl, “I did not know that. Anyway, I’m always happy to meet a fan.” she smiles warmly at the Asian (Kanako guessed Chinese or maybe Vietnamese) girl.
“I was SO upset when you got hurt!” she answers, “You’re my hero! You’re so strong and tough and pretty and...Hey! Isn’t that the girl you were fighting when you got hurt?” she points at Trixie, exasperated, “How come you’re hanging out with Kanako?!” she demands, her bottom lip stuck out.
“Hey,” Kanako tried to get the agitated girl’s attention again, “what’s your name, sweetie?”
She blinked as she turned back to her idol, her expression shifting on a dime from outraged to starstruck. “M-Michelle!” she stammers out.
“Well, Michelle,” Kanako begins to explain, interrupted by a delightful squeal at her saying her name, “what happened in my match with Trixie was an accident, and entirely my fault.” Michelle gives Trixie a bit of a side eye, a little skeptical of Kanako’s explanation. “The truth is, Trixie and I are really good friends.” Trixie sputters to stifle a little laugh, and tamp down a smartass remark, at Kanako’s declaration.
“Really? But you guys fought each other! Don’t you hate each other?” Michelle asks, struggling to understand.
“Well, sometimes we fight people that we...don’t like...in our matches, that’s true. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it’s about settling your differences, and sometimes it’s just friendly competition. That’s what it was with Trixie and I.”
“Ohhhh,” Michelle nods slowly, before lighting up again, “Oh! Hey, will you sign my mask, Kanako?” she points to the kabuki mask strapped on to the back of her head.
“It’s her favorite thing in the whole world,” Michelle’s mother explains from a little bit away from them, “When FAWN started selling those things, it’s all she wanted for her birthday. She takes it everywhere” Michelle confirms her mother’s claims with an excited nod as she takes the mask off and holds it up, offering it to Kanako.
Kanako forces a smile, trying to hide the reflexive fear she feels at seeing the face she wore for all those months that she went on a rampage staring back at her, something that doesn’t escape Trixie’s notice. “Well, of course I will, Michelle! I happen to have something in here for just such an occasion!” She then opens up her purse and, after a few moments of rummaging, she pulls out a fine-tip black Sharpie. “Front or back, sweetie?”
“Front! I want everyone to know that I met Kanako Akiyama!” Kanako smiles shyly and nods as she writes her name in kanji, then “KANAKO!” underneath it. She hands it back to Michelle and, after taking a moment to admire her idol’s mark, Michelle surges forward, giving Kanako a huge hug.
“Thank you, Kanako!” she cries joyously, “Thank you thank you thank you! When I grow up, I wanna be just like you!”
Kanako chuckles as she returns the hug, “Well, let’s hope you won’t have to go through what I have. Now, can I get a high five before you go back to your mom?” Michelle gleefully complies, smacking Kanako’s outstretched hand with her own. Upon impact, Kanako lets out a low whistle as she she shakes her hand out. “Ooh, that was a good one! Remind me not to make you mad!” The girl giggles with delight as her hero pats her on the back, “Alright, then, off you go!” With that, she bounces her way back to her family, feeling like she’s on cloud nine.
“Thank you, Miss Akiyama,” her mother says as a beaming Michelle straps the mask to her head once more, “you’ve made her night, probably her whole year. It’s nice to see that some of you are as good as you seem on TV.”
Kanako chuckles a bit humorlessly at that last remark, “Yeah, thank you. Have a great night, folks!” She waves to them as they depart, and she goes back to Trixie’s side, kissing her girlfriend on the cheek.
“Wow, you were really good with her!” Trixie notes, putting an arm around her and returning the kiss in kind. “I didn’t know you were so good with kids! Though, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You’re pretty damn awesome at everything you do.”
“Hardly.” Kanako says with a chuckle as the two of them watch Michelle and her family shrink from view in the distance. “You know, I’ve never really thought of myself as a role model to anybody. Especially considering the...things I’ve done…” her voice becomes sullen, remembering those months she spent in darkness.
“Well, think about it,” Trixie replies, “You’re someone she sees on TV that looks like she does. You’re a one hundred percent badass, and you do badass things for the right reasons. I’m betting Michelle doesn’t get a lot of that in the shows she watches.” Kanako nods thoughtfully. “Hey, enough somber talk! Let’s get on that ferris wheel!” Trixie smiles, pulling Kanako along towards their original destination.
The ferris wheel looms before them at the end of the midway. Bright red steel lit up with multicolored flashing bulbs like a Christmas tree beckons them with no line to wait in. A smiling man in a park smock welcomes the two women.
“Welcome to Jack’s Sky-High Ferris Wheel,” the older man says, opening a car. Trixie holds a pair of tickets and something else folded underneath which the man dutifully takes.
“No one else is over here?” Kanako asks, surprised, as she enters.
“It’s a tad windy tonight, miss,” the man says as he closes the car door. “You two have the ride to yourselves.” Seeing the women settled in the man turns to the controls and activates the ride. As it slowly cranks up and turns, the man looks at what was under the tickets. He sees a folded up fifty dollar bell with a message scrawled on it. “A little time please?” He smiles as he pockets the fifty.
Kanako settles into Trixie’s arms, who peppers her cheek with kisses. Decker’s arms encircle her honey’s waist and squeeze. “You smell nice,” Trixie says, smelling Kanako’s hair. The goth woman takes in her love’s new look – the teardrop tattoo on her left cheek, the nose and lip piercing, the studs in her right ear. Trixie had been with Kanako when she’d gotten a barcode tattoo on the back of her neck, but the dragon that peeks out on Kanako’s back from her top had been done without her. She admires the undercut. Most of this Trixie had been present for the happening of and all of it she knew about, but this is the first time she really took the Japanese woman’s transformation in all at once.
Kanako side-eyes Trixie. “You’re staring at me.” Her look screws up with concern. “Is something on my face?”
“Just a lot of beautiful,” Trixie says.
“Coooooorny,” Kanako laughs.
“I stand by my statement,” Trixie says. She pauses. “If you don’t mind me asking, why so many drastic changes? I do like them, but I was wondering.”
Kanako shrugs. “It’s just who I feel I need to be right now. Do you like it?”
“Absolutely,” Trixie blurts, then hesitates. She continues, a bit more awkwardly, “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t changing because of how I dress and look.”
“Naw,” Kanako assures, then it’s her turn to look confused. “You don’t have piercings.”
“Not anymore,” Trixie says. “I used to have a lot but once someone tries to rip them out of your nipples in a match, the luster is gone.”
Kanako cringes sympathetically. “Ouch.”
Decker only nods. “You don’t wanna know what happened with my pierced hood.”
“Oh my god,” Kanako cackles, “yes, please, seduce me with more painful tales.”
Trixie places her mouth to Kanako’s ears and vampishly says, “Sometimes, in the dark, I stub my toe on my end table.”
Kanako elbows Trixie and giggles. “Jerk.”
As the car rounds to the top, the ferris wheel suddenly stops. The intercom in the car crackles. “Sorry, ladies. Technical difficulties. It’ll take about… twenty minutes? It depends on the line for funnel cakes.”
Kanako looks out the window and peers below where the ride operator is putting up a “Ride Closed” sign. He sees her looking down and offers a friendly wave and wink before strolling over to a concession stand.
“Oh no!” Trixie says in a cartoonishly high-pitched voice. Kanako feels familiar hands stroke down her sides and a welcome warmth press behind her body. “I guess we’re trapped up here. Just you, me, and all the park lights.”
“Mmm…” Kanako purrs as she snuggles up to her love, “No place in the world I’d rather be, than to be trapped with you.” With that, she turns to face her lover, eyes twinkling with deep love, and she takes Trixie’s face into her hands and plants a sweet but passionate kiss on the goth beauty. Trixie returns the kiss with equal passion, her hands roaming across and down the Japanese beauty’s back. Feeling things beginning to heat up, Kanako helped Trixie remove her jacket and hang it over the door’s mesh window, providing them with a modicum of privacy. With that done, Kanako then grasps the lapels of Trixie’s shirt and pulls the goth girl down to the floor of the car on top of her for a more…involved...makeout session.
Kanako adjusts her top as the ferris wheel begins to move again, while Trixie hurriedly buttons up her shirt and grabs her jacket.
“Well!” Kanako chirps as she tries to catch her breath, “That was a hell of a warmup!”
“Warmup?” Trixie answers with an amused chuckle, plotting their next such “warmup” in her mind, “Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Well, you know,” Kanako returns with a sly grin, “I can’t let you just have your way with me right off the bat. Where’s the fun in that?” Trixie chuckles at that. Kanako’s come a long way from the shy, super-serious girl she first met almost a year ago. At least when it came to flirting, anyway. “Anyway, it’s your turn to pick what we do now, Trixie.” she prods her girlfriend, eager to see what she has planned for them next.
Trixie pauses and thinks for a minute. "Dark ride," she says finally, taking Kanako’s hand.
They walk down the midway, passing the various games and attractions. Each booth seems flooded with people excited to throw their money away. All except the milk bottle toss.
Trixie halts in front of it, eyeing the giant plush cats lining the booth. Each of the red kitties are easily half her height and sported an anime cute face. The old man in the booth is hawking and calling people over but to no avail. Decker steps up to the hawker.
“Baezad saezales naezight?” she asks. Kanako’s ears pick up at Trixie’s perceived gibberish.
At first stunned, the hawker softens a bit. “Haezorrible,” the man replies. “Theaez maezarks daezon’t traezust theaez gaezame. Naezot a saezingle saezell.”
Trixie ponders this for a moment, then turns to Kanako. Suddenly, Trixie’s eyes grow wide and she speaks – or blathers – in an airheady, high pitched voice. “Oh my GAWD, baby! Look at the kitties! I wanna WIN YOU ONE!” Trixie looks back to the man. “How much?”
“Five dollars for three throws, little lady!” the hawker booms, not missing a beat. It’s almost as if they rehearsed it. “All you have to do is knock all three bottles down and win a kitty for you lovely paramour!”
Heads begin to turn from patrons of the park, most with derisive sneers. A few stop to watch and Kanako hears a pop-collared bro mutter to his date, “Let’s watch this dumb bitch waste five bucks.” Despite the immediate urge to feed the man his own teeth for deriding Trixie, Kanako holds back to watch what’s unfolding.
Trixie picks up the first ball and looks back at Kanako. “Wish my luck, baby!” she coos. Kanako blows a kiss but still wonders where this personality flip came from. Trixie tosses the ball limply, missing by a mile. The crowds laughs around them while Akiyama does mental math, taking in how what was obvious a fake throw to her easily fools those around them.
“Darn it!” Trixie pouts, picking up the second ball. She flings it, slightly closer but still easily missing.
“Last chance,” the hawker says, handing the last baseball over. “Maybe you should get a little luck from your lady.”
Trixie only giggles while twirling her hair. She turns to Kanako and holds the ball up. “Baby, kiss my ball for luck?”
“Of course,” Kanako replies. She leans in to plant a gentle kiss on the baseball, only to have Trixie pull it down and meet her lips with a long, passionate kiss. Kanako feels Trixie’s hand brace behind her head. All around them are deafening catcalls and hoots and grunts of how hot it is. Trixie pulls back from the kiss and Kanako sees it, the mischievous glint in her lover’s eyes. In a simple motion, Trixie spins around and tosses the ball – still obviously weaker than she can truly throw it. By while all the onlookers watch the hot goth girl lurch forward, showing off her ass as she throws the ball, Kanako notices something different. She notices the hawker lean forward on his right foot as if stepping on something, like a lever or a break.
CRACK!
The ball slams through the milk bottles, spilling them from their platform.
“WE HAVE A WINNER!” the hawker cries as he takes down one of the giant kitty dolls and hands it to Trixie. “See, my friends! Anyone can be a winner and this young lady proved it! C’mon, boys! Show your lady you’re at least half the man this young woman is!”
Trixie giddily bounces to Kanako. “Baby, I won it! I won it for YOU!” She thrusts the plush in Kanako’s hands. The two pull away as attendees push towards the bottle throw booth, fishing out money.
“Haezave a graezeat naezight,” Trixie mouths to the hawker.
“Blaezess yaezou, laezittle saezister,” he mouths back as the two move further into the park towards the park’s dark ride, Gnome Follies.
Kanako beams as she looks at the cute plush kitty, but her confusion is still plain on her face. "What...What just happened?" she asks, her head still spinning a little from the kiss.
Trixie looks at Kanako. “Oh, I helped him con a bunch of suckers. No one wanted to risk money on the game, so I made it look like I’m an idiot who can’t throw a ball, then I distracted everyone by kissing the hottest woman in the park and throwing a ball in a way that my ass was on display so no one would notice him lean on the foot lever that unlocked the one bottle that never falls off, letting me knock them all down. Now he’ll make his goal for the night.” Trixie shakes the giant cat’s paws. “And you got a kitty!”
She blinks as Trixie explains the con. "Gee...I never thought that sort of thing was real. Just kind of urban myths and stuff, you know? And you must be psychic; How did you know I liked cats?"
“I mean, some of the stuff you hear about us is absolutely bullshit,” Trixie replies. “Like the bullshit about human trafficking and whatever. A lot of that is xenophobia, likely because a lot of us carnies are like Romani to outsides. Not all of us are, although my family is,” Trixie grabs onto Kanako’s arm and pulls her closer. “And you spend all your summers from age twelve to sixteen working traveling carnivals with your extended family, not to mention spending a couple years doing that and wrestling all year long after you quit high school, you pick up the speak and traditions. That shit never leaves you.”
She smiles and kisses her on the cheek, "And the kitty?"
Trixie gives Kanako a deadpan look. "You have cute anime cat shirts in your closet and I know I've seen a few Hello Kitty things around your place." Decker snorts. "Which is weird because we all know My Melody is superior."
She giggles and gives her a playful shove, "Jerk. There was a time when I would throw down if someone said that."
"Look, I like My Melody, you like Hello Kitty," Trixie says while leaning in to kiss Kanako's cheek. "I think we can both agree that people who like Keroppi are probably serial killers and should be put down like dangerous animals."
"Absolutely, and we will curbstomp any Keroppi fans we come across." She grins evily, "Anyway, enough stalling! Let's get to this "dark ride" of yours. I can imagine what you've got planned with a name like that."
Trixie leads Kanako through the park, past the carousel and bumper cars, to a structure made to look like a tree covered hill. A cave yawns from the side with a lazy stream pouring in. An empty queue leads to a bored looking teenage girl, a control console, and a line of boats.
Trixie helps Kanako into the boat then returns to the teenager. She whispers something in ride operator’s ear as her palm moves from her pocket to the teen’s hand. The girl looks at what’s been slipped into her palm, beams, and nods excitedly. Trixie joins Kanako in the boat.
“Welcome to Gnome Follies,” the teen announces. “We hope you’ll enjoy this trip into magic and wonder. Please keep your arms, legs, and other bits you don’t want trolls to snack on in the boat at all times and please don’t reach into the water even though we totally haven’t had a problem lately with water moccasins.”
The last comment gets a duet of worried looks as the boat lurches forward towards the open cave.
Kanako is getting goosebumps in anticipation of what's to come, "Ooh, how exciting!" she rests a hand on Trixie's thigh and leans into her, "Thank you, Trixie..."
The opening room of the ride is a circular cavern where animatronic gnomes sing a merry, shrill tune while mining for multicolored glass gems. The gnomes move jerkily – and a few, long in need f repair, don’t move at all. Overhead, a long bearded gnome with one of its eyes hanging from its head laughs. “Hello, big people! Welcome to the Gnomish World of Wonder,” he calls out in a scratchy recording. “Enjoy our sights and sounds but beware of the nefarious trolls, looking to gobble you up!”
Trixie leans into Kanako’s ear and whispers, “At night, those things totally come alive and eat children.”
Kanako giggles, "Come on, now...How gullible do you think I am?" she then grasps the lapels of Trixie's coat and pulls her in for a quick kiss. "Don't think I don't get why you chose this ride, either. Eager for round two, eh?" she chuckles, poking her side
Trixie feigns shock. “Madame, you wound me with your accusations of my impropriety!” She tossed her hair before giving Kanako a sly smile. Then, the goth latched onto Kanako in a deep kiss.
The boat floated through another room, this one full of plastic plants and fruits and gnomes “fishing,” holding up prize “fish.” Soft flutes and violins fill the air. As the boat nears a bridge there’s a jerk and the ride stops.
“Pardon me, patrons,” drones the teen operator’s voice over the sound system. “We seem to be having unforeseen technically difficulties. Please bear with us.”
“How unexpected!” Trixie pipes as she stands. She hops from the boat to the garden display before helping her date from the boat. Walking up the “hill,” Trixie pushes fake plants aside to a small clearing lit by soft violet lights. Waiting there is a blanket, picnic basket, chilled bottle of wine, and a fake candle, its bulb flickering to mimic a real flame.
“Sorry,” Trixie says sheepishly. “The manager was pretty adamant about no real candles.”
Kanako gasps as she sees everything laid out before them, "Oh, my goodness! Trixie, you...you had this planned out all along?" she asks, mouth agape, with a hand to her cheek.
Trixie nervously rubs her arm and looks away. “I’m not good at romance,” she admits. “Or opening up or… being a girlfriend.” Decker looks back at Kanako. “But I’m trying. You make me want to try harder.”
Kanako takes Trixie's hand and looks her dead in the eyes, "This is the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me! Sweetie...I don't know about your past, but...You're romancing me damn good right now..." she blinks back a few happy tears.
Trixie smiles and pecks Kanako’s cheek.
“Attention, riders,” the teen operator’s voice booms. “We’ll be shutting the ride down indefinitely for the night. Remember to exit through the next scene. The chicken exit is behind the dragon’s butt.”
Trixie coughs nervously. “I may have paid them a little to have the ride ‘break down.’” She kneels and opens the picnic basket, pulling out two wine glasses and assorted tupperwares of food. “I’ve never been on a picnic so I didn’t know what was good to eat on one, so I went simple. I also don’t know anything about wine except the two bucks a bottle stuff my mom likes.” Trixie looks up at Kanako. “But I decided to go with Château Batailley Grand Cru Classe. You didn’t strike me as a Thunderbird wine girl.”
"It's wonderful, Trixie!" Kanako swoons as she sits down on the blanket. "The fact that you would go to so much effort to impress me...Trixie, I'm speechless!" she blushes as she takes the wine glass from Trixie.
Trixie places a plate of chicken and rice in front of Kanako before pouring a glass of wine for her. “It’s not hard when you’re a fellow carny. Just gotta remind them of the code and make it worth their while. We tend to watch out for our own.” The pale woman suddenly blushes as she becomes self-awRE. “Sorry, I’ll stop talking about that stuff. I know it’s all kind of weird.” She hands the glass to Kanako and raises her own. “To the most lovely woman I’ve ever met.”
Kanako clinks her glass to Trixie's, "Ditto. And it's okay, I love hearing more about you." she takes a bite of the chicken and smiles, "Delicious! And the chicken's good too!"
Trixie ponders this but shrugs. “Eh. My extended family runs traveling carnivals. I spent a lot of summers from age twelve working them, and after I dropped out and got my GED I worked them full time. It’s how I started wrestling.”
Trixie picks over her chicken, obviously unable to hide how uncomfortable talking about her history she is. “Speaking up which, have you planned your ring return yet?”
"Oh! Well...Funny you should mention that...Cassava Onika has pitched an idea to the higher-ups about a battle royal where everyone is in costume...Y'know, with the whole Halloween atmosphere and all." Trixie nods and Kanako continues with a sigh, "And...they've asked me to participate."
Trixie beams. “I think it’s great! I mean, you’ve been cleared, right? I know you miss the ring, the lights… the throwing bitches around like unwanted bags of trash.” She gulps the wine and makes a sour face. “Sorry… I’ve never really drank wine before. Is it supposed to taste like woody, sad grape dreams?”
Now it's Kanako's turn to rub her arm in discomfort, as she looks away, "I, uh...I mean...I have wine once in awhile, but I honestly like bourbon best myself."
Trixie nods and reaches into her boot. “Emergency reserves.” She pulls out a hip flask and hands it over to Kanako. “So, you doing the match? Whose faces are you caving in? Or, since It’s a Halloween match, are you carving them off? If you go the latter, I have knife recommendations.”
"Well, there's...obviously Cassava. I think the Frighteners are in it...Seah Sin....I think they're getting a couple girls from LAW for it...Kendra LaRue, for some reason...A few girls that...I can't recall off the top of my head...And, uh...Phi Theta Tappa..." she winces at saying their name, certain they haven't forgotten what she did to them during her months in darkness. She takes a long pull from the flask to try and mask her reticence.
“Well, I definitely hope you end LaRue. I have nothing against her, but she just looks punchable,” Trixie says as she fishes a glass bottle of Nu-Grape soda from the basket and opens it. “Nothing against the others, I know you’ll plant ‘em.” She sips her soda. “I’ve never met Cassava but she seems nice. Plant her into one of the softer fans in the front row.” She winks.
Kanako chuckles, "Yeah...She actually visited me in the hospital, the day after we...ahem...consummated our relationship. She can be...a little intense, but she is nice, definitely."
Trixie raises an eyebrow. “She wants Kylie Sanders to use her face as a sit-and-spin. ‘Intense’ isn’t the word I’d use, but she seems sweet and she loves the sport.”
Kanako nods, "Yeah, well...Everybody has their...quirks, I guess." she takes another bite of the chicken, "This is really good! Did you make it?"
Trixie nods. “I was a diner cook for a while. If it’s greasy and horrible for you, I can make it tasty and probably worse for your heart.” She pauses. “So, Phi Theta Tappa. You seemed a little uncomfortable about that.”
Kanako stops dead in her tracks as she looks up at Trixie from taking a sip of wine, "Y-yeah...I guess so...I mean, I'm not worried about them. For all their bluster, they're kind of jokes. I...I've" she swallows hard, "...taken them out...before."
Trixie offers a wry smile. “That’s not who you are, you know. There’s more to you than that one moment in your life. You’re a strong, complex person fighting a hard battle. You need to give yourself credit and a chance.”
Kanako sighs, "I know, and I've been working really hard to get back into the ring. But...now that it comes to it..." she pauses and looks away, "...I'm scared, Trixie."
“It’s okay to be scared,” Trixie says, placing a hand on Kanako’s shoulder. “It’s okay to worry. And, if you slip, that’s okay, too. You’re a person. You don’t have to hold yourself to some impossible standard of perfection and you shouldn’t beat yourself up for falling or wanting to give in. But you’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. Think of all the battles you won. Think of all the times you’ve bounced back from injuries and doubt.” She leans in, placing her forehead against Kanako’s. “You’re strong. I believe in you. I hope you will, too.”
"I mean...I know that what you're saying is true...But what if someone comes along that pushes me...as far as Lethbridge did, and she comes out? And what if....what if next time, I'm not able to get back to normal? Or, even more troubling...what if she is the real me, and all this is just me trying to deny reality?" Her voice quivers as she floats from one troubling thought to another, tears streaking her mascara.
“Someone will push you,” Trixie says after a pause. “In our field, there will always be someone who wants to bring that out of you and does their best because it's a way to make you feel out of control. But we both know that's not you. Maybe she's a part of you, but you're not just a coin with only two sides. There's more to you than that.” Decker takes her girlfriend's hand and squeezes. “And if she comes out again, there are a lot of people who love you, who will be there for and with you to help ground you. To help you find your way back and to help you come to terms.” She lifts the hand to her lips and kisses. “And those of us who love you, we aren't going anywhere.”
"Trixie..." Kanako caresses her girlfriend's cheek, thankful that she finally has someone to be with in those dark moments that will chase away the shadows that she'd normally jump at, left to her own devices. Overcome with emotion, and largely at a loss for words, she says simply, "I love you."
Trixie merely pulled Kanako into her arms, placing the woman's head next to her breasts. She stroked Kanako's hair. "I love you, too." Trixie merely held her for what seemed like forever, probably one of the few times she just had nothing left to say.