Something Needed To Be Said

[CaptainL]

Yuki Kazikura didn't normally do things like this. It was rare for her to take anything personally - and if she did, she tended to blame herself before she blamed the other party. For her, wrestling wasn't something to be pursued for any higher goal; it was how she chased after the sense of pride and satisfaction she was looking for in her life, and it was the only place she saw herself fitting in. Wealth, or attention, or proving herself better than anyone didn't factor into it, only what she got out of it - and that informed how she came away from her matches, too. If she wasn't happy with how a match went, she would focus on doing better next time. Her opponents weren't to blame. If anything, she was for not doing better.

This wasn't to say there weren't matches that stuck with Yuki - far from it. She still looked back with regret on her loss to Rose Gold at We Are LAW 3; the match that had marked the start of Rose's path to infamy, and all she could think of was how, if she hadn't let herself freeze up and be blinded by the shock of realizing that her devious opponent was the same girl who had encouraged her to reach for such heights in the first place, she could well have stopped Rose in her tracks before she acquired the reign of terror she had since. Her barbed wire match against Amano Jaku had shown her what happened if she pushed herself to her limits, and just how afraid she was of what she could become. And, most relevantly to today, there was her most recent defeat - that against Angelina Tarrant. The match where she had tried with all her might to keep the Marauder down, that had pushed her far beyond what she thought her body could bear, and still ended with her back giving out on her just as she was setting up her finisher, leaving Angelina to move in for the kill.

It was far from the first time Yuki had tried her very best, only to find it wasn't enough. In fact, that was exactly the problem - that this kept happening to her. But this was a blow that stung more than any before it. This time, Yuki by all means should have beaten Angelina. She was seconds away from knocking her senseless, where she would have no hope but to eat the pin. But thanks to her back giving out at just the right time, she had gotten yet another black stain on her record - another loss when she deserved so much more.

Yuki was willing to break her code of silence, just this once. This time, she needed to speak up.

Spoiler

Yuki got a few cheers as she stepped out from behind the curtains, but she couldn't spare anyone any looks as she made her way down to the ring. She kept her head down, a sullen expression on her face as she passed with a sigh. There was too much on her mind to find it in her to be flippant about anything. When she got to the ring, Yuki stepped up to the apron, then climbed through the ropes. As the announcer handed her a microphone, she looked back at the crowd, and she let out a sigh. She couldn't believe she was doing this. Was this too petty? Was this too low? But...it was better than the guilt of knowing she was a disappointment. She needed to set the record straight.

"So," she began. "I'm not usually the type to make speeches like these, so I want to keep this brief. It's...it's about my last match with Angelina Tarrant." Just saying those words sent a shiver down Yuki's spine as she recalled what a crushing turnaround it had been, but she kept going regardless. "I'm sure you all know what happened. So I don't need to recap anything. But just to keep it brief...I had her. I had her!" Yuki's fingers squeezed tighter around the microphone in frustration. "I was this close. I had her in the Warrior Sacrifice, I was about to bring her down, and then...then..."

Yuki almost couldn't find it in herself to say it - she looked off, letting out a long sigh as her shoulders slumped. "...with all the strain I'd taken on my back, leading up to that moment...I had no choice. I gave out...and I had to let her go."

She grit her teeth, not even caring to listen too closely to the crowd's reactions. "Listen, the reason I'm out here to say this today...I just want to make it brief. I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea of what happened. Simply put...Angelina Tarrant got lucky." Such a bold statement drew gasps and cries of "ooooh" from the crowd, but Yuki kept going. "I don't know a better way to put it than that. If I was just a fraction of a second faster, I would have had the match won! The only thing that kept me was...it was something outside of my control."

"Listen, I don't want anyone to assume I'm just here to make excuses, so...I just want to say this. I'm not going to let this keep me down. I'm going to keep at it. I'm still going to Apex, I'm still going to keep training, and some day...some day, I have faith that I can be Lightweight Champion. But until then..."

[Monsy]

But until then…
Our dear scrubs in attendance and dynamite superstar will have to settle for their resident punkin’ pirate, coming to ya live to a Nu-metal anthem. Those signature horns, big purple eyes and red hair, donned in a black cropped-top with a little pocket, red neckerchief, skirt and stockings down to tight-fitting ankle boots. Her nails are painted, one day only, accessorized with a spiked choker and jeweled cross -- a recent prize, flaunted today as she walked onto the stage. Already got a mic from the back. A wet popsicle stick hangs in her teeth. Still got that chip in her horn. You can say it's not easy to fix.

Spoiler

“....”
She stopped at the ramp’s start, looking at the ring, at Yuki, lips pursed and brow lifted. Could you call this judging? Aye, she’s half-and-half on that. This prize was still solid gold, just LOOK at that chick walk and talk. Beating her once was goddamn magic, knowing what came before. That’s why she took absurd pleasure in turning her back, facing the horned-skull flag on the titantron, blasting that classic shit. Amaze-balls. Got her nodding along. You can bet a few joined in too.

But when it hit that first set of lyrics, her hand raised. The music faded.

“Rememba’ that, Yooks?”
She took a deep breath in -- then out, slowly.
“That’s the BOP that played not ten seconds afta’ the unconscious came a’ knockin’ for ya. When I kicked ya in the fuckin’ head, turned those lights out, held you down for--” Her index lifted, middle and ring. “--One, two, three.” Angelina paused, slowly turning back around, apathetic at first before popping the giddiest of grins and doing a bow.

“And holy shit! What a fuckin’ go! God, it’s just-- ugh, ya know, my face still hurts from how many times ya punched it. Had this fat ass bruise. A couple, actually.” She started stepping down the ramp, first scratching her cheek, then tapping the top of her chipped horn. “And THIS. Ma’ horns, ma’ trademark. Ma’ aesthetic and trade. Ya broke that too. Right through ma’ own fuckin’ board. It takes a double-jumpin’ stomp to snap those things, yet ya just spiked me. That's some twisted shit, yo.”

Once down the ramp, she was walking ringside, going around like a shark.

“Ma’ neck still ain’t feelin’ right. I got this constant headache and that submission ya gave me left me limpin’ for the week. Despite all that -- and here’s the kickah’ --” She stopped at the steps, “It wasn’t enough.” And up those steps she went, “No, it wasn’t. And for all the ass kickin' ya gave me. For ma’ perseverance, ma’ strongest efforts to take ya to ya fuckin’ limits -- I get shot down by ‘beginnah’s luck’??”

The term left a sour taste. The kind where you just couldn’t swallow without a flinch of disgust as you tried eating anything. She climbed over to the corner, scaled it and sat on the top turnbuckle, dangling her legs into the ring. “Beginnah’s luck.” Her nose puffed, lips wound tight. Her head shook, biting her tongue. Took a second, but she pushed herself into the ring, pointing a bouncing finger at Yuki as she looked to her feet. “Ya know, I did a lot to stand right beside ya in that match. I gave all I had to see how far I can get -- come out the other end, perhaps shinin’ on ma’ own. I mean, afta’ what ya did to the Queen a' Clubs at We are LAW Five, THEN Cyba' Widow? I thought ya invincible.”

She looked ahead, meeting eyes, “I looked at ya and thought -- well shit, this chick might just dethrone that evil bitch. These scrubs would say ya got a fifty-fifty shot if bets were made today. Even I don’t doubt those odds, and fuck, I’d bet on ya for apex too. Thing is, yo…” She licked her lips, breaking into a small giggle, bending over to slap her own knee. “No one wants a champ that makes excuses.”

That one got her some steam. A solid ‘ooooooh’ from the Marauder’s verbal broadside.

“Ya come talkin’ about havin’ faith but ya want an out to look ahead, beyond me. I’m just a bump, a lucky anomaly for ya, right? Well -- check this, bitch, there ain’t no luck when it comes to gettin' shit done and ya can’t have cake and eat it too -- I’m not going to let ya.”

And now, she moved in -- to go face-to-face with Yuki Kazikura. Tall posture. Tall as she can.

“Because -- honestly? I think ya are just afraid that someone might just want what ya want more. Someone unseen and comin’ from nowhere. WHAM! And ya back to rock bottom. It terrifies you, doesn't it? Why else would ya tell these fine scrubs about my beginnah’s luck without sayin’ it right to ma face first?”

[CaptainL]

With all said and done, Yuki began to lower the microphone from her lips. She was just about to pass it back to the announcer, then turn and be on her way...and just then, the big screen before her lit up with the image of the skull and crossbones, and the sound of driving music screeched from the speakers.

No. It couldn't be.

In that instant, her face went pale, her eyes wide. She stood motionless, rooted to the canvas. Yuki knew there was only one person who could be behind this - and it was one she never expected to run into here. Yuki had wanted to say her piece and lay this to bed, just so that she could move on with her life. But when Angelina Tarrant began to descend the ramp, it had grown quite apparent that things were far from over.

Yuki grew tense as Angelina began to speak, recounting the details of the match. When she described the finish, Yuki shuddered and shrank back, biting the inside of her cheek; she glanced aside, afraid to look the redhead in the eye. Everything she described stirred up painful memories of the beatings Yuki had taken, the soreness she felt afterward, but more than anything else, the sense of disappointment and self-loathing that had lingered in her soul, reminding her that no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't good enough.

But then...things changed. Slowly, Yuki looked back toward Angelina, and she raised an eyebrow curiously. Angelina wasn't focusing on what she had done to Yuki. She was focusing on what Yuki had done to her. The bruises, the broken horn, the limp...she had done all of that. And Angelina, for all the trouble she'd caused her, for how frustrating it had been to keep her down...she was impressed.

"I...what..?" Yuki whispered softly to herself. When the Marauder came down to the ring, Yuki had a hundred possible scenarios run through her head, none of them particularly good. Maybe she would beat her with her skateboard. Or strangle her with the microphone. Maybe she would fake out an appearance by Rose Gold just to mess with her head, like she'd done before. Maybe she would rub in her victory, just to make Yuki feel even more like a disappointment. But she hadn't even considered that what would come would be praise.

And when Angelina went on...Yuki's eyes only grew wider. She went on to list all her other accomplishments - her comeback victory against Satsuki Hayano at We Are LAW; her beating Thereisa Niedermeyer in an Apex qualifier. With each such deed named, the fans sent up a cheer for Yuki, and each one sent a shudder down her spine, reminding her of the greatness she was capable of. But none hit Yuki quite as much as what Angelina said next - that she might just be the one to end Rose Gold's reign once and for all. It was Yuki's biggest dream. It was the very thing she had been preparing herself for all this time. And Angelina had faith that she could do it.

But it was because of that that the Marauder wouldn't be content with Yuki's excuses. She knew that if Yuki was going to reach for the stars, she had to own up to what she did. Yuki knew that, too. At first, when Angelina began to name it off, she bit at her lip, looking back down. The color drained away from her face. They both knew that Yuki was only kidding herself - she was trying to shift the blame from her own failings to a mere fluke, a one-in-a-million chance that should have gone in her favor. But Angelina wouldn't let her get away from this match without facing the truth. And that was when it hit Yuki - a realization that made her grow pale, that made a chill run down her spine, that made something churn in the pit of her stomach. If she was going to insist that she should always win, if she would refuse to accept her failings...then what made her any different from Rose Gold?

Yuki did know one thing, though. She might have been afraid of what she'd seen, and she might have been running from a truth she was unwilling to face. But it didn't have to be that way. If there was a chance to take back her claim to her future, to stake out her dignity for herself...then that time was now. Now, as Angelina drew closer to Yuki, the brunette knew what needed to be done.

She spun around on her heel, facing Angelina. She sucked in a breath, her fists clenched at her sides as she stood closer, using her shoulders to push inward into her personal space as a way of asserting her presence. If Angelina wanted to be tall, then Yuki would match her. She looked her straight in the eye, stepping closer so that the two were just a hair's breadth apart from one another - practically forehead to forehead, chest to chest. And even as Yuki's eyelid twitched, even as her fist trembled as Angelina brought up her being afraid of there being someone bigger out there - fears that summed up what she was thinking more than Yuki herself ever could, which made her tingle with the fear that Angelina knew more about her than she knew about herself - she never let her gaze falter. To look away would be admitting defeat. And, just as Yuki refused to back down from their confrontation in the ring, she wasn't about to do it here. Now, Angelina had said her part. It was time Yuki said hers.

A tense staredown ensued, with both girls looking each other dead in the eye. No one knew what would come next. No one said anything - until Yuki broke the silence with a few words and a sigh.

"...You're right," she huffed. "I don't know what else to say except...you're right. Angelina, for all I want to believe that I was going to beat you, that I just got lucky...we both know I'm only saying that...to feel better about myself." She bit her lip, sucking in a gulp; to put such thoughts into words left a sour taste in her mouth. But she kept going. "It's...shameful that I would do that. I should be better. I am better - you say so yourself. Everyone out there who's seen my matches knows that I'm capable of so much more. I shouldn't need to make excuses. And, Angelina...if you stood up to all I threw at you, and you kept going? If you got back up after I broke your horn, when I slammed you through your skateboard, and you kept fighting anyway? That's a testament to you, too. If I've taken down the names you speak of - Satsuki, Theresia; even when I've gone toe to toe with Aoi Fukiwara and..." She left the champion's name out of her mouth. "...And I still couldn't beat you? Then...that's something you deserve pride in as well. I don't want to undersell that."

"However...I think this doesn't need to be the end of our story." Her tone grew more forceful. She crossed her arms, standing taller and looking Angelina in the eye. "What happened happened. Our first match is over. We can't change the result of that now...but we can turn toward the future. Maybe...maybe I am afraid of someone stronger and more dedicated than me," she said, gulping as the words left her lips. "But every time I've been afraid before, every time I've felt outmatched...I go back, I train, I get stronger, and I strive to overcome whatever held me back before. That's what helped me achieve all those victories you spoke of earlier, Angelina - and that's what I intend to do now. Maybe you're stronger than me now. But...that doesn't have to be the case forever. I can surpass you. And you've given me the motivation I need to do so!"

She took a step closer, her hands on her hips, now pushing her modest chest against Angelina's own. It was her turn to assert her dominance. She needed to, to take back control! "If we're going to settle this...we may as well do so the right way. With a rematch!"

[Monsy]

Ain’t nothing worse than fools gold. Fake shit that tried to shine. Hollow, one-note and prissy missy without a clue. Coming out here to call someone lucky. Puh. What a fucking joke that was. So to come out here and spit something back? Well, it’s peeling back that sheet for the dirt underneath. However…

She bit back. Got right in her face. Tsurupettan to her perky, black bangs to red.
Colour her half-surprised, exceptionally delighted. Girl knew her worth, knew she could dance and when to put out props. Hey, it’s gotta be the first time in memory that she got something close to a good job. Felt good. Got her to nod, purse her lips and lift the brow. Yet it always came with a kick-back. Hard-work, dedication. Overcoming shit -- got her wondering if Yuki saw the same thing she meant. She felt closer to an obstacle. Which was just fine. We all had end goals, it’s just hers are renewing and always on the opposite side of her gaze.

And she’s pushed. Took her one step back. Had the crowd buzzing with that word: rematch. Who wouldn’t??? Ya want to see real spit and grit, there’s no better pond to jump into than this one. Something to prove, steel chairs, hits to the face, no punches pulled and no throats unchoked. She looked left and right, soaking in the crowd, for once. Her smile went cheshire, licking between her teeth and giving a small nod to them, popping her brows. When that settled, she rolled her neck, hand on her nape.

“Ya know. It’s not often ya hear someone flip their tune so fast. No mo’ bullshit when ya come face-to-face, eh, Yooks? I respect it, truly. I know ya got the stuff to come back. Ya always do, always had. That’s what folks love about ya and why I had a happy dance beatin' ya. Ya a talent that collects interest and doesn’t just sit pretty. Gold on fuckin’ gold on fuckin' gold. So! When we talkin’ rematches! What can I say?! It’ll be a fuckin’ day for wrestlin’ marks. I bet that even Eiji Matsumoto will have a kind word or two. I bet Dan the fuckin’ Man will be counting his stacks, thanking us, and Shiori Takeda will be writin’ down every sweat drop in fan fiction-y detail. How can I say no to that?!” She yelled as if to spark the crowd into another cheer. It’s fun as hell.

“By… putting my hand on ya shoulda’.” She did exactly that, meeting eyes, “Lookin’ ya eye-to-eye. And tellin’ ya. Not today.” She dropped the smile, sighing, “I only came out to tell ya straight up how I feel. So, don't take it personal, but... What I want from ya, Yooks, doesn’t need to be had in the ring.” Her index finger pointed at Yuki’s forehead, cocking a thumb to make a finger gun. “What I want from ya is screwed in that big, protagonistic head of yours, and I want to see it spill out and go up in smoke. When it really counts.” The finger-gun fired, making a pew with her mouth, “And it'll be all because of me.”

The Marauder cackled, stepping away and dropping to her back, rolling beneath the bottom ropes and to ringside, going towards the barricade and vaulting it. Now, amongst the fans and the walkways, she walked back, looking to the ring one last time with the mic. "Know this, Yuki Kazikura. There are no lines for me. Hold what ya have dear -- before someone who will comes knockin' on ya door."

[CaptainL]

As much as Yuki hated to admit it...Angelina was right. The redhead had been nothing short of a nuisance; their match had seen her needling her with her taunts just as much as she'd left her battered and bruised, and no matter how much offense Yuki threw at her in a desperate attempt to keep her down, she just kept getting up. There were only a few people in this world who could make Yuki lose her cool, but Angelina was quickly climbing to join that list. Most of the time, when she looked at her opponents, any feelings Yuki had were strictly business; she didn't want to drag any baggage from the ring into her personal life. But Angelina had tested that desire.

And yet...now, she had to confess, it was Angelina who was in the right. Yuki was playing a coward's game. She was trying to make excuses for her defeat, passing it off as a mere stroke of luck rather than something for her to strive to surpass. It was a betrayal of her commitment to getting stronger and building on her skills, the same commitment that had taken her this far - and just the fact that she'd let the thought cross her mind, let alone decided to speak it publically, was shameful. She glanced aside, a blush coming to her cheeks at the thought.

But it didn't have to end here. Yuki could still make it right. If she hadn't been able to best Angelina before, she would just have to make it happen anyway! That would prove once and for all if it really was just a matter of luck - or if she could train for the rematch and come back stronger than ever, ready to set the record straight! With the words leaving her mouth, Yuki could feel her heart beating faster and faster in her chest. She stood straight and stiff, her fists coiled tightly at her sides. With how exhilarating their last match had been, the fans sent up a cheer at the idea of seeing these two girls go at it once again. Yuki knew it wouldn't be easy. She knew she would have to face an opponent as tricky and as tough as Angelina was all over again. But...she would be ready. She owed it to herself. It was just how she did things. She nodded her head to everything Angelina said. She knew what she had to do.

And then...with all the hype of the arena behind them, Angelina turned her down.

"WHAT!?" A fair few gasps went through the stands, but no one was as shocked as Yuki herself. Her head reeled back from Angelina's, her jaw dropping as her mouth fell agape. After all the hype Angelina had built around a rematch, she had rejected the entire idea. At first, Yuki could only stare back at the redhead in abject confusion. But soon, as Angelina went on, it became clear as to what she wanted...and it was something that made Yuki shudder.

They would meet again, and they would settle the score. But it wasn't going to be in the ring. It was, no doubt, when Yuki would least expect it. Angelina wasn't going to let her have this on her terms. She would stalk her, tail after her, looking for an ambush. She would surely use any advantage she could get to get in Yuki's head and throw her off her game. And she had already thrown the first blow - in making the offer, Angelina had shattered Yuki's confidence. She was sure that on even ground, in an environment she was familiar with, when she knew the rules and what to expect, she could win - she nearly had, more than once. But how was she supposed to handle it if Angelina got her when her guard was down?

"You...can't do that-! Hey..! How's that supposed to solve anything? You don't even want a fair fight, do you!?" Yuki shook herself back to her senses - she knew that standing around, mouth agape, when she was supposed to be saving face for herself would do no good. She couldn't let the world think that she herself was convinced she wouldn't stand a chance against Angelina. And yet...when it came to facing the Marauder when she wasn't ready, Yuki still had her doubts. She'd gone into this prepared to set things right, prepared to make a change. And now, she was right back to where she began.

Her brow furrowed in a glare, Yuki ran over to the edge of the ring, grasping the ropes as she leaned over to shout at Angelina as she retreated into the shadows. "Come back here!! This isn't over!!" But it was too late. Angelina was already gone. And that left Yuki facing perhaps the most harrowing thought of all - when Angelina next reared her head, she had no idea where it would be.