12

Trio Cafe

The day before the Sacred Entry event, Jade and a few of the girls decided to eat out at a cafe down the road from the convention center. The place had a Route 66 diner theme, with bright colors on the walls and a black-and-white checkered tile floor. Red booths lined the edges of the space, each one glowing with vintage charm.

“Ah!” Kazumi waved at Jade from the far end of a booth. Mia Fox sat across from her, barely visible from a distance thanks to her height.

“We were wondering when you’d show up,” Mia said, not looking up from the menu.

“We were waiting for you so we could order,” Kazumi added, sipping her tea with a calm smile.

“Where’s Tessa? Wasn’t she supposed to be the first one here to save us a seat?” Jade asked, glancing around the diner.

“She stepped outside to take a call. You didn’t see her?” Mia replied.

A waiter stopped by, and everyone placed their drink orders. Mia ordered for Tessa, too; she already knew what her friend would want. A moment later, Tessa walked up to the table, still on the phone.

“Got it. I will let the girls know, Kaya,” Tessa said, hanging up as she reached the table. A drawstring bag hung off her shoulder. “I’m ready for our first show,” she announced, sliding her phone into her pocket.

“Kaya just finalized the match schedule.” Tessa sat down and started picking at a salad. “I’m facing that new girl. Hope she’s got some experience,” Tessa said casually.

“The Viking woman?” Mia asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She should be solid. I heard she is a former champion,” Jade said, struggling to cut her steak into smaller bites.

“What about Jade? Who’s she facing?” Mia asked, trying to scoop up green beans that kept slipping off her spoon.

A strong voice came from behind Mia. “Who else but me, her best friend!”

Nakia strode up to the table with Ursa beside her, fixing Jade with a smirk.

“What do you want?” Jade muttered, her eyes locked on her plate.

“Jay’s setting us up as Thunderbird’s big rivalry. I just want to make sure you hold up your end of the deal,” Nakia said, her smirk widening. She turned to the others at the table. “That’s why I’m eating right, so I can be at my best. You should try it, too.”

“I am eating right!” Jade snapped back, wiping her mouth with a napkin as Nakia walked away.

“Nakia’s not that bad. Why does she get under your skin so much?” Kazumi asked, watching Nakia and Ursa sit at a table directly across from them.

Nakia wrinkled her nose and gave Jade a sharp look. Jade responded by sticking her tongue out and widening one eye dramatically.

“What was all that about? You two always seem to want to start a brawl. Did she steal your snag or something?” Mia asked.

“I’d be mad if someone stole my favorite snacks,” Kazumi muttered under her breath.

“Ayyyyy, Mia,” Tessa said with a chuckle. “Nakia just has trouble opening up to people. But she’s got a good heart. I’ve talked to her a few times. Her attitude just... pushes people away.”

Nakia, who had been scraping her plate loudly across the table, glared over at them. “Worry about your own match, or we're having buffalo jerky!” she snapped.

Tessa smiled back, her eyes narrowing at Nakia.

“Let’s change the subject,” Kazumi suggested, acting as the composed one at the table. “Tell us about Desert Wrestling. How’d you get into that promotion?” she asked, turning to Tessa.

While Kazumi and Tessa dove into their conversation, Jade locked eyes with Nakia, exchanging a serious glare. Mia tried to follow both conversations at once, listening to Tessa’s story while secretly fascinated by Jade and Nakia’s evolving "face language."

“What’s Star Gold Promotion like?” Tessa asked Kazumi. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

“Star Gold is... competitive. My last match was against Umi Tsubuki. Tsubuki is known for her technical skills, fast-paced and high-flying.”

The other half of the table listened between bites. The conversation lasted an hour, with everyone sharing stories of other promotions. As the plates emptied, a long silence settled over the table. Tessa picked up her glass, chewing on an ice cube before taking a breath.

“I was into sports in high school, softball and rezball, mostly. Then I tried wrestling, and it just clicked. I kept training, and one day, Desert Wrestling came knocking,” she said, pausing to wipe the corner of her mouth.

“Is that where Ravina Hawk came from?” Jade asked.

“How long did you stay with DW?” Kazumi added, leaning forward.

“I stayed for about two years,” Tessa sighed, shaking her head. “Ravina Hawk was their only real star until Indigenous Wrestling picked her up. I was rumored to be their next big talent, but I went to a Canadian promotion before they could make it happen. She got her big break because the system catered to her name. Some of us had to fight twice as hard just to get noticed.”

“I remember that,” Mia added. “They told us we were going to be a tag team. They were starting a women’s tag division... but it never happened.”

“Mia joined Desert Wrestling, too,” Tessa said, smiling. “She was a total rookie, but we hit it off quickly. We were always the last ones at the warehouse. Eventually, I started training her.”

Mia slid down in her seat, looking embarrassed.

“I still think it’s hilarious that Jay found you at an art show,” Tessa added, laughing as she looked at Jade.

Tessa and Kazumi exchanged a look. Jade didn’t even flinch; she was used to hearing that by now.

“Should we get going?” Jade asked, finishing her meal and wiping her plate clean. “Jay will lose his mind if we’re late. He wants everyone at training so we’re ready for tomorrow.”