Your One Vice

Hawaii was really nice. Cassie tried to get out and soak up the sun as much as her fair Irish skin would allow, and she returned to Japan with a more pronounced shot of freckles across her cheeks and a little sunburn on her shoulders. It was a good trip. Really good. She won her match.

Overshadowing the entire experience was Dark Angel's attack on her manager. She couldn't imagine what the masked girl's problem was, or what the grudge was she seemed to have with Cassie, but she didn't care anymore. She was done trying to talk it out with someone who had no problem sneaking up on someone and beating them half to death with a pipe. That clearly hadn't worked, but ripping off someone's leg did, if her match was any indication. It got results. She won the match. Dark Angel probably was hoping the distraction would throw the match for her. That didn't happen.

She felt a little bad for hurting Jocelyn, but she clearly had it coming. There were so many people that just couldn't behave themselves, and they had to learn. The only language they spoke was violence, which, all things considered, Cassie happened to be really good at. All this time she thought they just needed a hug and a pat on the back, but maybe what they really needed was to be stopped. By force. By their own hands frantically slapping the mat while they pleaded with Cassie to spare them their arm breaking, or their leg.

Of course, Cassie was happy to grant that. She didn't want to break anyone's anything. That would be gross, and just too much. She didn't think she would really need to do that, but then when she thought about Dark Angel she had her doubts. The only thing she was sure about with that girl was that Cassie had to put a stop to everything. She couldn't afford to let her keep running around hurting people. Not Mamouru.

Which is why Cassie had called a meeting with him. She was a little late getting there, but when she arrived at the cafe that faced the street in the front of the Friction building he was already there. She slung her backpack over the back of the chair and sat down.

"Hi." She said with a smile. "Am I really late? Sorry. How are you?"

Mamouru's trip to Hawaii had not been as thrilling as it had seemed to have been for Cassie. Once Cassie's match had been finished, he had spent most of the day in the sick bay. He had been diagnosed with a mild concussion, given some medicine and told to stay out of the heat. He was the only one in Hawaii who wasn't medically cleared to do awesome Hawaii stuff. Still, he insisted that Cassie enjoy herself as much as she could while she could and that he would just be able to get an early start on her next match. He didn't even know what that was going to be but he had a pretty good idea.

Dark Angel. Mamouru had thought that the feud with Dark Angel wasn't something Cassie should invest in. The girl was attention starved in the most desperate way at the very least. Probably deranged. Cassie beat the girl in their first encounter and still lost the match. She'd beaten Johnny and was even responsible for causing a rift between himself and Cassie. That was something that Mamouru couldn't forgive but he also didn't want Cassie to get hurt by a maniac.

Once he got back to Hawaii, he knew he had to search for Cassie's next opponent. She had a really good win against a girl who seemed a little like Dark Angel. Maybe she was ready to finally put things to rest between herself and Dark Angel. But Mamouru was still hesitant. He decided to give Cassie some time to wind after the grueling PPV match and the preceding weeks before. So when she called him to set up a meeting, she was quite surprised.

Mamouru had arrived fifteen minutes early. He ordered himself a cup of coffee and a small plate of food. He finished up right when it was time to meet up. He then ordered a glass of iced tea for Cassie for when she arrived and waited patiently.

He wasn't sure where she was. Usually she was very prompt. As the ice cubes clinked in Cassie's glass from melting, Mamouru found himself scrolling through his phone. As time began to pass he suddenly found Cassie slipping into the chair across from him. He smiled up at her and then eyed the glass. "Cassie-san, domo." He said with a nod. "You're fine, of course. Although, I wouldn't drink the tea unless you like it watered down." He chuckled softly and then looked her over.

"I'm doing alright, I suppose. But you... the sun really..." He started and lowered his head. "Hawaii was good to you." He said. He then lifted his eyes and looked into hers. "I'm surprised you called me. Usually I'm the one dragging you into meetings. What's going on?"

"Thanks!" Cassie giggled.

Stop that. No giggling. This is serious business, Cassie told herself. She didn't call a meeting just to be flattered and fawn like a school girl. She recomposed herself and folded her hands on the table like she was conducting a real meeting.

"Well... I wanted to talk to you about my next match," she said. "I wanted to know what you were thinking about it. Who it would be. Just... what's the first one that comes to mind?" She asked, and blew at an errant lock of orange hair on her forehead.

Dark Angel. That was the obvious choice. It was the only choice. And it was the one name that he wasn't going to say. He knew that when the inevitable conversation came up, he'd have to have a name ready. He'd put together a short list, but he'd never had expected this conversation to come so soon or for Cassie to be the one that initiated it. Still, if he wasn't ready, for this, he wouldn't be a good manager.

He smiled at Cassie and nodded. "Cassie-san, I'm surprised you're so eager to get back to business. I'm glad that though. That's the kind of commitment That's the kind of attitude you need to forge ahead with your career. But, are you sure that you're ready to get back into training? You deserve a little time to relax after your last match. I know you won, but it was still a pretty tough match. You should get your body to one hundred percent.

Now he knew he was dodging in a way that Cassie wouldn't tolerate. He adjusted his tie and took a sip from his coffee. "I've thought about it, yes." He began. "I was thinking a girl named Bunny Bomber might be a good choice. I believe that you have more technical ability than her, but she's had more matches and she has more wins. Beating her would continue to put you on the right track. I'm certain enough of that." Maybe he could convince her if he sold someone else. If he made sure to keep Dark Angel as far from the conversation as possible.

Cassie nodded while Mamouru talked, with her brow knit up and her head tilted slightly to the side, as if she was very concerned with what he was saying. She kept her hands pressed tightly in her lap and her legs crossed, and by the time he was done she looked down at the floor in thought.

"Bunny Bomber, huh?" She mused. "Hm. Well, I don't know who I was actually hoping you'd say, but..." She looked back at Mamouru with a grave expression hiding her nerves. "I figured you'd pick someone like that. Someone... not insulting, but not dangerous either. Mamouru..." She leaned forward with her forearms on the table. "If you want to be my manager, you have to challenge me, and you have to do what's best for me, not what's safest. That's your problem. You're too protective."

She sighed. She wasn't looking forward to this part. "Mamouru, I hope... you can understand why I..." She stopped, and started over again. "I'm going to fight Dark Angel. I can't if you won't sign off on it, so... I guess you're fired."

Mamouru listened to what Cassie had to say. He could give her a thousand reasons why Bunny Bomber was not only a smart choice but a challenge. But he hadn't said the name because he expected Cassie to be all for the idea. It was one last chance to try put one last roadblock up. He hadn't expected it to work.

"You're not going to fire me Cassie-san." Mamouru said with a furrowed brow. "You think I don't want you to kick her butt?" Mamouru clenched his fists. "I'd like to do it myself, to be honest."

Mamouru looked at Cassie sternly. "But I can't sign off on you fighting her. And if you DO fire me, I'll still try and block the match." Mamouru reached out and grabbed Cassie's hand suddenly. "Not if you're going to keep me away from ringside. We're in this together and you have no right to do this alone any more than I have the right to try and stop you!" He concluded his words with a firm nod and looked into her eyes.

Cassie shook her head. "No," she said resolutely. "It has to be like this. What if in the match she does something to you... or someone does. It could throw the whole match! You'd be a distraction, and... a liability. And if you're not going to give it to me, then we're done. At least..." For now?

"It wouldn't be the first manager I've fired. Only this time, I'm doing it myself. This is what I want. I feel like for the first time I believe in my ability to win fights, not just grappling matches. I'm going to beat her. I'm..." She drifted off.

I'm going to make her pay for everything, she thought. For making her life miserable. For not letting her, or many other people, have a moment's peace without her being somewhere in the back of her mind. And that was exactly what she'd wanted, to get into Cassie's head. Well, she was in there now. The phrase "be careful what you wish for" came to mind.

"Anyway, if you try to stop me, I'll just figure out a way around it. This is happening, and if you want to help me, just let me do it my way." She said with finality, and stood up. "Bye. I'll see you... Later."

Mamouru stood up and grabbed Cassie's arm when she stood up to leave. "Cassie-san!" He barked. "I believe in your ability to take care of your business with Dark Angel! But how is it that I can't protect you but you can protect me? You're not a lone wolf! She hasn't hurt only you! I'll be keeping my eyes on her the whole time. She won't be able to come at me from behind like last time!"

Mamouru lowered his eyes. "This is about trust, Cassie-san. We have to be able to trust each other... that we have each other's back..."

Mamouru let go of Cassie's arm. "Cassie-san..." Mamouru's tone became pleading. "Your ability's not in question. I know you can do it. Just don't go off half cocked... please..."

Cassie yanked her arm away and glared at Mamouru before she regained her composure. She closed her eyes and took a breath, and when she spoke again her voice was soft and measured.

"I won't, Mamouru. I'm making sure I don't," she said, and looked at him one last time. "I trust you. But it's my career, and I'm going to fight her as soon as I can. Nothing can change my mind. Maybe after it's done, and you don't hear about her for a while... I know what I'm doing."

She hesitated a moment, looking into Mamouru's eyes. She should have at least said goodbye, but she was afraid of what would happen if she kept talking too long. She turned and left without another word.

Mamouru watched Cassie leave. He knew he couldn't stop her but that didn't mean that he had to like or accept what she was doing. Of course Dark Angel was looking to fight Cassie and now Cassie had walked RIGHT into Dark Angel's trap. This was what she wanted. an angry Casie who was going to give Dark Angel a win even if she lost.

Mamouru fished out some Yen and threw it on the table. He then turned and looked across the street. He wasn't going to clean out his desk just yet. He'd find a way to deal with Dark Angel himself if Cassie was going to foolishly put herself in danger. If she was going to stop going about this without using her head. Mamouru quickly crossed the street and made his way into the AFW facility.