The Open Book Album - "#FlyHigh, Interlude #6" (Open Reply)

[Fiona McFly]

Interlude #6 ~ "In Which Fiona Takes to the Bottle...Sort Of"

24 August 2017 + 2100 GMT
BAR KOKAGE + AKASAKA, MINATO-KU, TOKYO METROPOLIS

We find Fiona McFly sitting alone on a padded bar stool, panning her eyes upon the fusion of Japanese and Western decorations that dot the dark, relaxed basement venue. Normally, one would find her at many of Tokyo's prime hotspots, including some of the world's most famous bars for performing karaoke--something that, under normal circumstances, wouldn't escape the back of her mind, not even for the slightest moment in time.

Except...these weren't normal circumstances.

Fiona wanted to be alone, away from the lights and pizazz that emanates from wards like, say Ginza, Shinjuku, or Roppongi, on a daily basis. She RARELY took to the bottle, much less even THOUGHT of going to a bar by her lonesome, but on this late summer's evening, she wanted to be at a place where she could collect her thoughts and generally reassess herself from a personal standpoint. Her schedule--from wrestling-related workouts and autograph sessions to personal projects such as recording her musical album and spending time with her husband, not to mention the emotional strain she had felt after the loss of her mentor Regina Kimble--had finally taken its toll on her mental and physical health.

Even a trek up China's famous Wudang Mountains didn't seem to help much. She was extremely haggard, her normally-flowing black hair almost frazzled as a female bartender stepped behind the counter, wearing a pink furisode and sporting a wide grin on her face.

BARTENDER:
Kon'ya anata ni nani o te ni ireru koto ga dekimasu ka? (What can I get for you tonight?)

Fiona shook her head slightly, for she didn't understand Japanese very well. Luckily, the bartender--a polite woman in her late-20s--gently placed a large picture menu on the counter, so all Fiona had to do was point to something and she would have it ordered. Fiona stared intently at the menu, going through each and every drink combination--from Japanese and imported beers to mixed drinks and the like. After a moment or two, she placed her left ring finger on the picture of the large bottle of Budweiser--an all-American classic.

BARTENDER:
Badowaizā? Watashi wa anata no tame ni sugu ni sore o emasu, madamu. (Budweiser? I will get that for you right away, madam.)

Fiona nodded her head, warmly and politely, as the lady behind the bar calmly stepped towards the back to look for the beer in question. Aside from Fiona and the bartender, the drinking joint was relatively empty--the perfect place for anyone to come on in and drown the the blues away. Fiona watched as the bartender stepped back in, bringing in a giant bottle of Budweiser and a glass mug to pour into.

BARTENDER:
Here you go, madam.

Fiona's brows perked up, and even in a low point she found the strength to muster a slight chuckle at the woman's good English.

FIONA MCFLY:
Your English is very, very good.

BARTENDER:
(laughing, covering her teeth with her hand)
Ohhh...it is not good at all. I'm just learning. I will be back to check upon you...soon?

Fiona mustered a slight smirk, admiring the bartender's modesty.

FIONA:

(speaking softly)
Thank you--much appreciated.

Fiona watched as the bartender left to perform the tasks she was performing prior to her arrival. She poured some brew into the mug until it got really full, paused, and then took a sip.  Here was Fiona McFly, sitting inside one of Tokyo's more popular solo-drinking establishments, deep in though, away from chaotic hustle and bustle that Tokyo's nightlife provided on a daily basis, away from ANYONE that might try and distract her. 

Perhaps, if she was destined to spend the night at a bar by her lonesome, she was going to make the most of it...

...at least, that was the idea. Until...

[Crystal Zdunich]

It wasn't long before she was interrupted by the likes of the SILVER SCREEN QUEEN... Crystal one who had always loved Japanese culture since her former sister in law Jennifer got her into Anime and the likes of YYH and Sailor Moon entered into the bar wearing a Kimono. She walked over to the bar as she sat down beside Fiona. She ran her hands through her purple hair as she asked for a menu. She pointed to some sushi before she smiled pointing to a drink that looked like a cranberry and vodka mix. She turned her attention over to that of Fiona sighing as she glared at her.

Crystal: Oh it's you... I didn't take you as the type that would come to someplace like this... I always pictured you as the goody goody and not one of the drinking type.

Fiona: And I am just sitting here trying to enjoy a

Crystal: I don't believe I asked you nor do I really care

Fiona sighs as she takes a sip shaking her head.

Fiona: No reason to catch an attitude with me.

Crystal: sorry...It's just all of the constant losing and it's really driving me insane. You know as well as everyone else how competitive I am so when things don't go my way. That's how I get. I didn't mean to bring my problems upon you... It's just that I am frustrated.

[Fiona McFly]

Taking a few sips from her beer, Fiona watched Crystal as she sat down at the bar, annoyed as hell that somebody would want to interrupt her own personal time.

FIONA MCFLY:
First off...I don't mean to be snarky or anything but what I do outside of an arena...is me business and nobody else's.

McFly took another sip, her icy glare and vocal registry forcing Millar to pay attention.

FIONA:
And secondly...you think you're frustrated?!  Look at ME, lovely!  People are deriding ME 'cos I only want to branch out into something I've NEVER done before during me spare time and it's somehow affected how I work in a ring.  And if I wasn't frustrated, I wouldn't fucking be here now.

She took a slightly bigger drink from her nearly half-full mug, and just as she was about to pour the last of the glass bottle's contents in, the female bartender stepped in from the back and stopped her.

BARTENDER:
Nihonde wa, jibun no nomimono o sosogu koto wa arimasen. (In Japan, you never pour your own drink.)

With a slight chuckle, obviously masking her true emotional state, Fiona watched as the pink-furisode-clad lady poured the last of the Bud in for her before stepping into the back room once more.  She tnen proceeded to take a hearty swig, not even thinking about savouring the beverage as she panned  her gaze slightly towards Crystal on the barstool next to her.

FIONA:
Please...leave me.  I want to be in peace now.