“We won”
“You did.”
“We won and we are still in it. We might win this thing.”
“You might. I know I am rooting for you.”
“There is something else”
“Yeah”
“Don’t want to say it.”
“Than don’t”
“I am having fun.”
*********************************************
Karina walks along crates of supplies as the crew starts packing up after last weeks Climax. She mumbles to herself and has a smile on her face that does not seem close to fading. She still wears the dress pants that went with her tux but has on a dark purple hoody. A SCW staff member chases after her not sure if he should interrupt even if she is alone.
Staff member: Ms Koji...Ms Koji...I was just asked to let you know of your match next week. I guess your phone is not working.
Karina stops where she is walking and leaps down right in front of the man.
Karina: Da, I broke it.
Staff member: Right, well you and your team...they are going to be facing Roxi and Gabriel.
Karina: But that is Despaye’s partner.
Staff member: Yes ma’am.
Karina: Don’t call me that.
Karina stares out beyond the staff member and stops talking. Her eyes that had flashed with anger suddenly grew wide with fright. Without notice Karina turns and starts running. The camera’s struggle to keep up with her as she pushes past people and runs for the door. She crashes through the door into the night air. She runs blindly down the street, almost getting struck by several cars as the camera loses track with her. The last we see of her she is running down an alley.
****************************************************
“ I saw her behind that scrawny little messenger of the bad news. She did not have her wings out but it was her. It was the fire and chaos, just standing there and mocking me. YOU said if I tried to build anchors she would not get to me but I knew it was too good to be true. All of this was too good to be true. Now I have six days before all is over.”
“You don’t know that to be true. Just because you saw her doesn’t mean she is going to get you. Maybe your fear made her appear or maybe she is just trying to mess with you. But I know you can choose to stay grounded. You don’t have to let the fire consume you, it has been months now...”
“That does not matter. Once when I was a girl I lasted seven months before she came for me, but she came for me. I was good daughter then next day I set trailer on fire. Then I run. My mother and I are never the same after that and now I will lose you.”
“Baby, you don’t even know how the match will end. Maybe you will win it and move on to the finals.”
“No chance in hell. Despayre will not fight Gabriel. I will be lucky if he shows up at all. My team will be broken. I will be fighting on my own and those odds too much for me. I will not win. She will come for me and burn away all I love.”
“I promise you. She can not burn me away. Just like she is a part of you. I am a party of you baby and I am not going anywhere. You just keep doing the good work. Make connections with the fans, take care of yourself and keep talking with me. I know in the past she has been too strong for you but now you have me. Together we will kick that bitches ass if she shows her flaming head.”
“We will see.”
************************************************************************
Days later we find Karina has stopped running. She has gotten back home and cleaned herself up. She is across the street from her warehouse home at the convenience store that carries all the junk food she loves to eat. She is looking at a display of disposable phones. She grabs one and waits in line making sure not to touch anyone. She then holds up the phone to the teen clerk who looks so bored he might go brain dead at any moment.
Karina: Is this price right?
Clerk: ummm yeah
Karina: This work like real phone.
The clerk looks at her like she is stupid and responds very slowly for her benifit.
Clerk: Yes...like a real phone.
Karina: Why you talk like that...wait I don’t care. So you are telling me if I break this phone it only cost me this much to get a new one.
Clerk: Yeah I guess so.
Karina nods. She turns quickly and grabs four more phones. The grabs a king sized snickers bar. She tosses it all on the counter as the clerk watches her with the same confused expression.
Karina: It is a king sized candy bar kind of day. You put all that in big bag, hand it back but don’t touch me.
Clerk: Whatever.
Karina takes her bag and makes her way through the store back out onto the street. It is early evening and the city is alive with humanity. Humanity that Karina works hard to avoid as she walks to the side of the building and opens up one of the phones. She paces for a while mumbling to herself before she makes the call.
Karina: Yes....is Despayre there. Da this is Karina.....no he won’t come to phone....shit. How about Angel? No...fine. Umm can I leave message. Da....okay you tell him that I don’t know if he shows up on Sunday but that I am still his partner. And that I think we can win it...and that I can win it for both of us...but also tell him I understand. I know things are all messed up. And...yes just one more thing...tell him that they sell really cheap phones that you can break.
Karina hangs up staring at the phone for a moment. She mumbles something in Romanian and throws the phone out into the street. She curses in Romanian and kicks a nearby trash can. She starts to breath heavy, her hands shaking until she reaches out for an invisible something. She grasp at it and her body calms. She takes a deep breath and heads for home.
**********************************************************************
Karina stands in the center of her training mat. Behind her the walls of monitors show many of Roxi’s matches playing on repeat. Karina stares right at the camera.
Karina: This is my promo. I will keep it simple and to point. I don’t know yet what will happen this Sunday. I work hard to know all the ways a match could go but this time I don’t even know how it will start. Maybe my partner will show up. Maybe he won’t. Maybe he will fight against a man that is his brother and maybe he won’t. Gabriel has made it clear he will try to win this match no matter what, but I don’t know what Despayre will do.
Either way I have no hard feelings for him. He is only and best partner I have ever had. Another fighter can’t demand someone to battle his brother. I can’t make him do this thing and either way Despayre and Angel have my respect. I will still be in their corner no matter what they do.
Chaos dances at the edge of this thing and that leaves me with one choice. Roxi, it will have to come down to you and me. The boys will be no use. Even if they both choose to fight they will not fight with all their heart so that is what we will have to do.”
Karina looks back at the monitors and then looks at her feet for a moment before speaking. She does not look up when she begins again.
Karina: This is the thing. I watch your tapes Roxi and must admit I like your style. You are submission fan, like me. You fight for yourself with a fire that burns from your soul. You are not a stupid girl like many bombshells and I think you will be a big star in the near future. I think you and I can put on a great match...
But the fact is that it is more than a match for me. Like you I am trained in the different ways to hurt people. I know how to make pain a weapon and just like you I can back up those weapons with hard fist and brutal kicks. I am a deadly beutiful creature when I enter the ring on any day....but this Sunday. This Sunday because of forces beyond your control and beyond your understanding you have got me cornered. I will strike without mercy.”
She looks at the camera now. Her face shows little emotion. She appears to be a blank slate aside from the eyes that burn with focus.
Karina: I do not know much about comic books. My brother read them when he is kid but the one thing I do remember is that every hero had a weakness. You are no different Roxi. You have weaknesses. You have joints I will bend backwards. You have pressure points that I will tear into. You have flesh and bone that I can bruise and break. More importantly you have a pain threshold and I will push you to it. This match will start and end with us. Once we get tagged in you won’t see a friendly corner. I will keep you on my side and break you quickly. Then when it is over I will offer my hand and help you up. But make no mistake I am going to win this match, not just for you but for my partner. That is all.
