Post by beavie on Aug 13, 2024 23:12:38 GMT
Walking through the hallways of Madison Square Garden, Katsu limps along in her special gear she made for the event, the blinding red, black, and gold. Keeping her head down, she is disappointed in herself, frustrated. TV title over a year ago lost without being pinned. Carnal Contendership 23? 4th. Trios? Team finishes second, loses a proper three on three tag match with a belt shot. Steel Roulette? Third after being double teamed. Then, she got injured. Carnal Contendership 24? Runner-up. Now. FWA North American Championship. Slipped from her grasps. She’s been getting chances and chances in FWA. Improving each time. But the results?
Not coming for her.
Away from the other wrestlers, FWA has given her the locker room once used by the WNBA team, the New York Liberty, for the night. Her teammates from Japan are outside of her locker room, waiting for her to come by. All of them have stable t-shirts on and backstage passes. Ririko sees her friend and immediately rushes to hug her-
But Katsu walks past her, heading into her locker room and shutting the door. Exchanging concerned glances, all of Katsu’s friends feel uncertain what to do. They hear what sounds like a chair being thrown and Cali mutters in Japanese.
“And to think I’m the one that is labeled as the one who hates losing. I haven’t seen her this pissed at a match result in some time. Not since she got eliminated from the F1 on three straight losses.”
Silence, all four of them don’t know what to do. REO, the youngest member of the team, stands back. She wants nothing to do with it. Miyu Kawamato, the newest one to the team. She may have been invited with open arms, but she does not feel comfortable enough to help. Ririko, is the one who always plays peacemaker, giving everyone a warm embrace, but right now, she does not want to deal with an angry Katsu. Thus, leading only-
Cali Hayama.
“Alright, leave it up to the 'co-leader' to do this, I guess?”
She mutters. Knocking on the door, Cali sneaks her head in to see Katsu leaning back in her chair. She has already thrown her mask to the floor and is seated on one of the chairs, ready to rip her hair out.
“Why, Cali!?” She raises her voice and Cali closes the door. On the other side, her teammates keep an ear glued. “Why does it feel like I always choke here?!”
The Kitsune Warrior lets out some frustration. It clearly isn’t just her upset over a loss. But multiple. Cali, trying to be supportive, gives a small stat.
“Come on.” She says. “You haven’t been pinned since Steel Roulette last year. Japan, or FWA. Even with you being out for a few months, that’s a fucking great streak.”
“And what happened? What happened that night?”
“You finished third, only being beat by a future grand slam champion and another record breaking former champ-”
“I was stupid and thought I could take on tag champions by myself.” She grits her teeth. “Carnal Contendership, lost after deep runs both years. TV title, lost on my first defense without being pinned. Tonight…”
“You’re being hard on yourself.” Cali sits down next to Katsu, encouraging her to sit across from her. She relents.
“I… I know how you feel. I’m competitive as fuck.” Cali is blunt with her friend, and her own ‘quirks.’ “Losing sucks ass. It sucks when you seem to be doing nothing wrong, or maybe do something small and it costs you. It sucks when you take a step forward, then just feel the finish line pushed that bit further away.”
Folding her arms, Katsu leans back in her chair, listening.
“Shit takes time. Sometimes, it is just a bit of bad luck, or maybe it is just one minor change that’ll take you there.”
“Then why does it feel like I have lots to change?”
Katsu blows her bangs out of her eyes and swipes it away, still covered in sweat from her match.
“Maybe it’s more than one thing, but you don’t need to do something drastic.” Cali pats her friend on her knee pad.
“You’ll be back home in a few days. The Comet GP is starting up soon, and since you’re Miss Carnal Contendership runner up, you’re getting it off to focus on Steel Roulette. REO will have her final two rounds of her Young Blood Tournament, she’ll worry about that and maybe qualify for that last spot. Ririko, Miyu, me, all qualified. Just support us from the sidelines this time, and we’re going to do the same for you.”
Cali tries to give her friend a grin. “It’d mean a lot to them to see you supporting them in at least one of their matches. They look up to you. Why do you think you’re unit leader?”
“Co-Leader.” Katsu corrects Cali. “I uh…” She takes a deep breath, letting her anger fade slightly. She covers her face with a towel. “I think you are showing why we ‘share’ that position.”
“Me? Pff.” The Canadian chuckles. “I’m just the gamer nerd who tries to keep her trash talk for the ring, and online.”
Knock, knock.
“Visitors.” Ririko says in English, doing her best to practice.
Opening the door, two gentlemen in Tiger Masks walk in. One is an older gentleman with a button up collared shirt and slacks. Next to him is someone much younger, around Cali and Katsu’s age. His mask has a few similarities but the design is more sleek, with an “X” and crown for the forehead and claw marks. He has a Pro-Wrestling Kitsune t-shirt on.
One of Pro-Wrestling Kitsune’s board members, and idol to Katsu, the Grand Tiger, and Tiger X, his nephew who has been a somewhat regular mixed-tag partner of the Kitsune Warrior.
“Who is it?” Katsu’s voice is muffled by her towel. Speaking to her in Japanese, Grand Tiger gives her compliments.
“Good effort out there tonight. Even in a loss, you represented CJW and PWK well.”
Katsu peaks up, finding the voice familiar. She sees her idol and her friend-
Looking at her with no mask on.
Katsu freaks out and immediately covers her face, falling out of her chair with a thud. Ririko shouts.
“She okay!?” She says. "I heard bang!"
“Katsu’s just being clumsy again.” Cali teases her a little. Cluing in, Ririko shouts an apology.
“Your mask was off?! Sorry! I thought it was on!”
“It is okay, Ririko.” Grand Tiger shouts from the locker room. “Masked wrestler confidentiality. We will not say anything.”
Pulling herself up, Katsu wipes her face with the towel and sits up.
“W-Why are you here?” She asks in Japanese. “This is an FWA event.”
“I was already in New York for the International Wrestling Hall of Fame, so why can’t we see the biggest show of the weekend, right?” The Grand Tiger looks to his nephew who is oddly spaced out, looking at the Kitsune Warrior without her mask. He’s inspecting her face, blinking.
“Right?”
He taps his nephew on his shoulder and Tiger X snaps back to reality as Cali takes notice.
“Yes! I even had my first American bookings over the weekend. Cali saw me on a show, right?”
“Oh yeah.” Cali nods her head. “You fought a Mexican Luchador… Fun quick paced match.”
“It was a good challenge.” Tiger X explains. “I can see why you wrestle out here too.”
“But why are you here now?” Katsu asks again. “In my locker room.”
“Well, first, my nephew wanted to check on you.”
“R-really?”
Katsu has a small bit of nerves.
“I saw you were frustrated after, so I figured you need some support.”
“She has an entire unit here behind her.” Cali winks. “Though I can understand how a little extra support can help.”
Tiger X raises his hands. “All I can say is I can understand your position and your frustration. But I know you. You are good. One loss will not be the end of you. You have done a lot to mentor me in our tag matches together, and when I begin to rush, you tell me to stay calm. So remember that advice. You are a great wrestler. A better person.”
Through the “teeth” of his mask, the young masked wrestler gives a grin. “You will earn something soon, in FWA that is.”
Covering her mouth, there’s a small blush from Katsu. “Thank you.”
Knowing her friend well, Cali Hayama sees the face and body of her. She knows exactly what she’s feeling now, and she’s already looking back at the wrestler. This dynamic she’s seen before. Before Tiger X even debuted in wrestling in fact. Just the link is what is missing to her.
The retired wrestler also gives her another piece of advice. “And remember, even for some of the greatest wrestlers, they have lost title matches more than they have won.”
“Y-Yes sir.” Katsu says to her idol, giving a small bow of respect. “Thank you two for coming, and thank you too, Cali. This was not how I wanted things to go, uh, and I think it will sting for a while… At least you helped soften the blow. Now, I should probably get changed…”
“Actually, there is another matter of business to attend to.” The Grand Tiger holds up his hand. “Someone else would like to talk to you…”
Turning to the door, there is some noise outside, it sounds as if the rest of YOKAI Death Squad are talking to someone. Their moods range from happy to upset.
“Suzuki, come on in.”
Walking inside, the former leader of MAYHEM. Cali and Katsu’s mentor, Saori Suzuki. The heavyweight Joshi has a pair of baggy pants on and a t-shirt. Her purple hair hangs over her forehead, and she has a smirk. Katsu feels a mixture of emotions… Especially after what happened a couple of nights ago.
“Katsu.” Saori has a smirk on her face. “Good job-”
“Hammerstein.” Katsu gets straight to the point. “You stepped up to challenge me. I have no issues fighting you, but you don’t seem to want my title in CJW.”
She steps forward. “What did you mean when you said you ‘choose me?’”
“I see being in your own group has given you more courage.” Saori Suzuki looks to the side. “I remember when we first let you in Mayhem. You were really broken, hurt. You have come a long way-”
“Answer me.” Katsu is not cutting around the pleasantries.
“Okay. I will tell you now…” She looks at the Grand Tiger. “Only a handful of people know this. But you know how I announced I was becoming a part-time wrestler?”
She sighs. “That is uh, going to change. I wrestled JWP… Uh since I left when CJW formed I wanted to give good will back. But I hit the turnbuckle and I felt something pull in my neck. I talked to my doctor and he said….” This answer is hard for her to say.
“I will need neck surgery in the future.” Saori Suzuki gives a heavy sigh. The body language of Katsu has changed as has Cali’s. “It is not to the point yet. I will need rehab. But that will only delay it. So I uh…”
Gulping, she gives the grave news.
“I will be retiring soon.”
Cali gets up from her chair and is speechless. Katsu is taken back as well. She had knee injuries over the past few years. Her heavier weight and the constant banging into a wrestling ring took its toll, but they thought she was able to manage it. But her neck now?
“I know it is not ideal. But I don’t want to injure my neck after the surgery and end up not being able to walk, and when I have been spending time training people I find myself… fulfilled. Being out of the ring will hurt, but I know I will have my Ikigai afterwards.”
“Why haven’t you announced it yet?” Katsu asks her mentor. “Or tell me in the ring?”
“I think you know yourself. Sometimes it is best not to reveal everything…” Saori points to Katsu’s mask on the floor. Well played.
“And we are in America. There was an American crowd. My English is terrible.” Saori Suzuki rolls her eyes. “How do you do it?”
“I took English in school.” Katsu admits. “I did a lot of reading of English novels. During FWA's European tour I spoke with an Englsih tutor multiple times a week.”
“As someone who studied English as a minor in school…” Tiger X also confesses, “Reading Japanese is harder for English speakers; speaking English is harder for Japanese speakers. So how you have grasped it here has been impressive.”
“You speak English?” Cali asks Tiger X in her native tongue. The masked wrestler nods, responding. His enunciation is off, but he is fluent.
“Yes. Before I chose wrestling I wanted options. So I did business. English helps.”
The Canadian nods her head. “That’s pretty cool, and it sounds about as good as Katsu's.”
Getting the conversation back on track, Saori explains the plan.
“In a few days, I will make the announcement formally with CJW and PWK. I am creating a retirement tour for myself. If I am ending my career, I am going to do it right. I want to have matches to give thanks to those who mean something to me, maybe settle a score or two, and… give back. CJW, I know my final match will involve you Cali, you Katsu, and Ririko.”
“That means a lot.” Cali gives a bow, speaking in Japanese. “Thank you.”
“I am not sure if I want to fight you or team with you, but you three stuck by me when nobody else did. I want to share the ring with you for my final CJW match.”
“But you said final ‘CJW’ match.” Katsu notices the wording used by Saori Suzuki. “Do you know what your final match is?”
“I already told you… Think.”
Finally, things are clicking for Katsu. Going down to the ring after her match for CJW in New York. ‘I choose you.’
It is her. She has been chosen for her mentor's final match.
Katsu’s jaw drops. She reaches out and gives Saori a hug, with the Joshi legend returning it.
“I will give you everything in that match…” She promises Saori. “You deserve my best… It is an honour.”
Letting go of their hug, Saori Suzuki feels elated.
“I knew you’d accept. It will be at a PWK show that is being announced soon. They have other big plans for the show, and it will not be the main event. That I will give to another match. I want the final image of the show to be towards the future. But if it ends, I want it to be us clashing one final time. Finally as equals.”
Keeping her competitive streak, and maybe hoping to stoke Katsu’s, she adds. “And considering you never beat me, I would like that streak to stay alive…”
“We will see…” Katsu shakes Saori’s hand, giving a bow to her.
“Back in Japan, we will discuss more and finalise it. Enjoy your final days in New York. There will be work to be done.”
“And I think I’ll leave you to get changed.” Cali pats Katsu on the back. “We’ll go for some pizza after to celebrate the week. Just us as a team. Please though, no moping about a loss.”
“No wrestling talk.” Katsu promises. "Just a good time."
The Tiger family, Saori and Cali, exit the room to leave Katsu to shower and change. As the door shuts… Katsu is alone again with her thoughts. The toxic sting of defeat begins to seep back into her. Each two count echoes in her head again, before the image in her head of looking up to see the referee make the final three.
No more.
“I will be at my best…” She mutters under her breath. “For your sake…”
“-And mine.”
Tomorrow:
{The Sequel begins}
