Forgive and Forget (Private; Story)

[Lepa]

Casey sighed as he leaned on the small dining table of his trailer. He rested with his chin on his palm, lazily propped up by his forearm. He'd been staring off into space, waiting for Chiyoko to finish using his shower after they'd both been flung into the ocean earlier.

If it wasn't for a meeting with his inner circle, he wasn't normally a fan of letting others into his home, let alone a woman - especially Chiyoko. But he had little choice: the docks felt like a long way from the inner city, and Casey couldn't just allow Chiyoko to travel home in soaking wet clothes. So, here he was, sitting around, waiting for her to finish getting cleaned off.

It was embarrassing enough he had to sneak in through the warehouse's back entrance and rush Chiyoko to his trailer before the others (the OHaras specifically) could see them. Hell, he knew someone was bound to have noticed, and he'd be teased about it, but whatever. He was more concerned with the fact that Chiyoko might've seen the entire set up in the warehouse. He never liked bringing up Ammo Clan to those outside of it, and he had no doubt Chiyoko would have questions. He'd rather avoid mentioning being a gang leader... especially to a heroine who may or may not still hold a grudge against him.

But this wasn't about that.

As far as he knew, she'd come to Aster City specifically to find him.

...Man, where the hell would he even start?

[Lepa]

"Yer stuff is hanging out to dry on the shower rack."

"Th-thanks." Chiyoko nodded, drying her hair off. "And, uh.... Thanks for letting me borrow some clothes..."

"...Yeah, no problem."

Chiyoko had just finished changing and took a seat across the small room. She figured it might be easier to talk if they weren't directly facing each other at the little dining table. She'd been so hostile earlier... and now that she knew Casey had powers, maybe it wasn't the best idea to be so close to him, either. At least, that's what she told herself. Considering how distracted she was with him earlier, perhaps the choice was more for her own sake...

"...I'm really sorry again." She couldn't help but speak up.

"Look... Chiyoko..." He sighed.

"R-Really!" She frowned. "I just... I got so mad..." She grimaced. "I was thinking about Bill and just... remembering what he looked like in the hospital... and I just... that wasn't your fault. That was Camber's... I'm sorry."

Casey stared for a moment. He shook his head. "...Some things never change, huh...?" He mused. Even if this girl had become a competent fighter, she was still as meek as he remembered. "...Stop apologizin'. Ya came out here to grill me 'bout what happened back in the wrasslin' world, and I'd rather we get on with that than drag it all out." He spoke with a resigned acceptance. Perhaps all of the yelling from earlier made it easier to flat out talk.

Chiyoko herself felt more at ease. She put forth her first question.

"Calhoun... Why did you leave?"

[Lepa]

"...Like I said earlier, Chiyoke." Casey rubbed at the back of his neck. "I thought Pryce was usin' ya. "

"You really thought so...?"

"I think I'm pretty good at readin' people," He glanced aside. It was something he'd learned from years of stealing from people off the street. "Pryce came off like a Grade A sleazeball." He paused. "Least, at the time he did. 'Scuse me for badmouthin' him now that I know it ain't the case."

"It's okay..." Chiyoko frowned. "But... that's why you threatened him?"

"He... said some shit that didn't sit right with me. A lotta shit." He knitted his brow. "Shit was gettin' on my nerves. I blew up on him." He stared at the empty seat in front of him. "...Turns out I was dead wrong, or at least I wasn't expectin' him to fight back." Casey quickly glanced aside to Chiyoko. "Not real blows, mind you - man's got a way with words, is all." He couldn't' help but snerk. "I guess that's why he's yer manager, huh?"

"Yeah..." Chiyoko nodded in agreement. "I wouldn't have gotten as far as I did without him, I think." She folded her arms. "All of that lines up with what Bill said, too... He said you were super mad at how you thought he was treating me."

"Yeah." Casey furrowed his brow again. "I got... a real big problem with people who manipulate other folk." He frowned, his expression serious as he stared down at the table.

"Sounds like you know from experience," Chiyoko responded with a soft chuckle.

"Yeah." Casey answered a bit firmly. "Yeah, I do." It was clearly a big deal to him. Chiyoko frowned.

"...Sorry," she apologized. "...Didn't mean to make light of it."

"...'Sok." He paused, trying to relax. "That's... a story fer another day."

[Lepa]

A short silence followed.

"Anyway," Casey tried to pick back up. "Long story short: Pryce's words pissed me off, being wrong pissed me off, so... I left." He gave a small, half hearted shrug. "He said I could leave at any time, so... I took him up on that."

"I see..." Chiyoko frowned. "And... then he got kidnapped after that..." She murmured, putting together the timeline in her head.

Casey sighed again. "...I'm real sorry 'bout that, Chiyo." His tone softened up a bit. "I was just... stressed, I guess. I thought Pryce was holdin' somethin' over me... Thought he was tryin' to use it as leverage. Turns out it was just some throwaway joke he made." His brow furrowed. "And then Camber..." He looked over at Chiyoko again. "Camber pretty much told me to my face that she knew I had powers."

"Really...?" Chiyoko lifted her head. "You've had them all this time...?" Casey gave a small nod. "...I wonder if that was part of her plan, too..."

"Well, shit. If it was, I guess it worked," He let out a small, bitter snerk. "I made sure to keep that shit secret, y'know..."

"...You thought Bill might've told her about it?" Chiyoko gave a small pout. "I know he wouldn't have..."

"I dunno. I was too damned pissed at the time to even make that connection." He scooted to the edge of his seat, turning to face Chiyoko. He rested an elbow on the table and sighed. "Shit was just too much, Chiyo. Like, all the things you were doin'? Shit was impressive, but it ain't a life fer me," He admitted, propping his head up with his arm. "I'm glad my trainin' was useful to ya at least, but... I just felt like a fish outta water, y'know?"

"Yeah..." Chiyoko looked aside. "I think I can tell."

"Mhm." Casey nodded. "I'm... happy just bein' right here."

[Lepa]

Where was here, anyway? Chiyoko figured he at least meant Aster City... but... what were all the things outside, then? She didn't quite get a good look at it since Casey had hurried her to his trailer, but from what little she saw, it was clear this wasn't a normal warehouse. She hesitated, silently debating whether or not to ask him about it, but Casey spoke up first.

"So, uh, since we were talkin' bout it, and if ya don't mind me askin'..." He sat up. "What the hell happened with you n' Camber, anyway?"

"Oh... Sure." Chiyoko straightened up. "Long story short, um... she got Bill to sign a contract." She paused. "To fight her."

"...What?" Casey blinked. "I don't follow."

Chiyoko winced as she recalled the events. "She drew up a contract for a match against Bill." She looked directly at Casey. "It... it was bait to get me to fight her on her terms. That's what happened. I joined the fight to protect Bill from her, but..." She trailed off solemnly. "Her terms included a whole bunch of her own followers at ringside. And that..." She could feel the beginning of tears, but she held them back. "That's the fight that... lead to Bill getting... hospitalized."

"...I'm sorry."

Chiyoko gave him a small nod, taking a moment to recollect herself. "After that... I defeated her in the end, but..." She sniffled, regaining her composure. "I retired from wrestling immediately after. I... I wanted to take care of Bill."

"Well... shit." Casey sighed. "Good on beatin' her, at least." He scratched at his head. "And now... ya do hero stuff?"

"Ah... um, well..." She scratched at her cheek sheepishly. "KiriCan helped me get out of wrestling and repaid me and Bill for the things we went through..." She offered a small smile. "Their headquarters are actually here in Aster City. I took an office job there, but they really liked what I did as a wrestler, so... They gave me a chance to continue that as an actual hero."

"So that's why ya showed up shootin' weird heart beams..." Casey clasped at his chin in thought. "...Did that got anythin' to do with yer clothes changin', too?"

"O-oh. Yeah... It's a whole transformation sequence and everything." She looked aside shyly. "Y'know, typical magical girl stuff."

"I mean..." Casey shrugged. "I don't, but I'll take yer word for it."

[Lepa]

"Ahaha..." She laughed nervously. "I think your friend knocked me out of that form, actually..."

"Taylor?"

Chiyoko nodded. "It caught me off guard, so that's why I had a little extra trouble swimming earlier..." She frowned. "The huge drop from my hero form just happened so quick..."

"Damn..." Casey mused. "Kid's stronger than he thinks."

"I think it was inevitable, though..." Chiyoko sighed. "I can't... hold the form if I'm not using it for good."

Casey raised a brow. "Like attackin' a man tryin' to explain himself?" His delivery was more teasing than angry.

"I'm sorryyyyy...." She whined, bowing her head in guilty embarrassment. Casey chuckled.

"S'fine, Chiyoko," He waved a hand as if to brush away her worries. "Sometimes ya need a good fight to let out them feelings."

"I-I guess..." She murmured, slowly looking back up. "Also, um... it's April."

"...Hm?"

"My name." The girl smiled weakly. "My real name. It's April." She repeated. "Chiyoko was just my wrestling name." She paused. "It's my hero name, now."

"...Ah." Casey tilted his head. "So... you want me to start callin' ya that, or...?"

"Yeah. Please." Chiyoko - or rather, April nodded. It was just a name, but... for some reason, she felt really shy about it. "Only because, y'know... the hero thing..." She fumbled, struggling to explain. "N-Not that it's a huge secret or anything, but..."

"Er... yeah, I get it." He said, hoping his reply would help stop her from getting lost. "Ya wanna keep 'em separate."

"Yeah!" She answered a bit too enthusiastically. She recoiled at her volume. "...Something like that."

"Pfft. Well, all right then." Casey paused, then spoke experimentally. "...April."

April felt her face grow warm.

"...Does this mean I can call you Casey?"

Casey snerked. "Don't go pushin' yer luck."