The doors to the hotel lobby glided open, allowing the slender young woman to step through, her electric blue hair swaying around her face, the smile on her face so radiant that it threatened to envelop the bright ceiling lights. Her footsteps thudded softly as she strode down the polished marble floor, a pep in her step that had never left during the duration of her stay. Sasha Banks was thoroughly enjoying her trip to Tokyo, Japan.
As a blogger who loved to travel and document her adventures, Sasha relished the chance to experience other cultures. Her heart found a specific fondness for Asian cultures. Japanese, Korean, she just adored this part of the world. That was the reason she adored her job so much; it gave her the opportunity to experience what she loved, provided she recount her experiences online. That was a very small price to pay for the euphoria she was rewarded with in the process.
Throughout the entirety of her life, even since she was small, Sasha Banks had desperately desired to get out there and see the world. Unfortunately that dream hadn't been possible at the time as a child, but now as an adult, she took full privilege in the capability she now had.
Her blog didn't bring in enough income to fully supplement these trips, however. In the time she spent in the city she called home, she worked at a dog shelter. As far as Sasha was concerned, she just loved life. Across both of her jobs, she indulged in her biggest passions. Travelling to experience the wonders of the world, and playing with as many of the fluffy animals as her heart could take without bursting with joy. She knew she wasn't supposed to play favourites, but her heart always swelled with more elation than she felt possible whenever she spent time around one of the shelter's residents, a Corgi named Ryu.
Sure, she didn't mind spending time at her home of Boston, Massachusetts (especially when it came to her days among her four-legged friends), but the rest of the world had so much out there. So many more sights to see, so much more to experience. Staying in one place without ever leaving would not satisfy her adventurous spirit. Days at a time she could cope with, but months? Forget about it; she'd go stir crazy. Fortunately for Sasha, her employer, Summer Rae, was also one of her closest friends, allowing Sasha unprecedented flexibility.
Although her itinerary for the trip included a vast array of Japanese culture, she particularly relished the opportunity to indulge in two of her favourite forms of entertainment: anime and K-pop. The previous day, she'd been given a tour of the Toei Animation headquarters, home to many of her favourite anime, including one of her particular favourites: Sailor Moon. But as interesting and captivating as she'd found that experience, it was surpassed by the live musical performance she was returning from: a concert for one of her favourite bands: Big Bang.
As she pressed the button to call the elevator, and took a moment to adjust her glasses, Sasha noticed how wide she was smiling in the reflective surface. A wide open-mouthed grin showing off her white pearly teeth. She couldn't hide the smile even if she wanted to. Her heart was filled to the brim with pure elation. It was weeks like these that reminded her why she never thought of these sojourns as business trips, but more like vacations. When most people thought of a "business trip", they probably visualised walking around in a suit, spending hours in meetings with a translator on hand. Not Sasha. Instead they consisted of her living her life to the fullest, appreciating every brand new experience.
The elevator doors pinged open. Sasha hesitated before seeing if the room had an occupant, which it did. Fortunately for her, it was someone she was familiar with.
"Sasha!" the Japanese woman exclaimed excitedly.
"Asuka!" Sasha couldn't help but beam back at bumping into one of the friends she'd made across her travels.
An accomplished martial artist, the undefeated "Empress of Tomorrow" had been interviewed by Sasha a few times over the years, and the two women had quickly developed a friendship. Every time Sasha ventured to Japan, Asuka Urai would always make time for Sasha, whether strictly business or for social reasons. It was a working relationship that proved very beneficial for Sasha, with Asuka capable of opening doors which would be otherwise closed. And furthermore, as a native of Japan, Asuka offered plenty of helpful advice for her American friend.
The two friends shared a brief hug before parting. "You didn't tell me you were staying here!" Sasha stated, her tone filled with warmth.
Asuka paused to gather her thoughts before responding. "You, not, tell me, you here, either," she replied in broken English. Sasha couldn't help but beam at the progress Asuka was making. One of the many facets of their friendship was that Sasha helped Asuka out with her English, with Sasha more than happy to repay Asuka back for the unprecedented access she'd afforded her. With the success Asuka had experienced in her career, international eyes had begun to look in her direction, and an English-speaking capability would help greatly. Just as Asuka had helped Sasha's career, Sasha had in return helped Asuka's.
"I'm in town for a couple more days, we should hang out," Sasha suggested, eager to spend time with her older friend before heading back to familiar shores.
Asuka's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I give you call?"
Sasha chuckled with happiness. "Can't wait!"
The two friends bid each other goodnight as Asuka departed for her destination, and Sasha stepped inside the elevator. She pressed the button for her floor, the elevator doors sliding shut as the capsule began to ascend. The young woman sighed with pure contentment. Growing up, she'd never dreamed that she could feel so fulfilled. Though admittedly, she was starting to run out of new things to experience. By this point, she'd travelled to almost every country in the world. The few she hadn't, was more out of choice for her personal safety. Each country she'd been to, she'd filled her time trying everything on offer. She only wished there was more to explore. Uncharted territory, places brand new to her eyes.
This didn't exactly negate the experiences she did have. Far from it. This particular trip to Tokyo was perhaps her favourite vacation to date.
As much fun as she'd had thought, she was truly exhausted. So exhausted in fact, that when she closed her eyes for a few seconds, the subtle motion of the elevator allowed her to begin to drift off to sleep standing up. In her semi-conscious state, her mind didn't register the blue beam of light, its colour not too far off from her hair, shoot through the ceiling and envelop her body inside the elevator. When the elevator reached her floor, the doors pinged open to reveal nobody inside. Sasha Banks was no longer in the elevator, the hotel, or even on this earth.p