From the Desk of Christina Morgenstern, Ph.D (for Red)

[FreestylePoet]

Author's Notes

This is a short epistolary-style story rather than a traditional RP; all the posts will be emails. Mostly experimental, but Red and I figured it'd fit this kind of story well! Also, in-universe, all the emails are in German. Now, I don't speak or read German, so I'm still typin' in English. Just thought you should know as a piece of neat trivia. Finally, this RP takes place a day or two after the events of Nightly Drive.

Herr Schneider:

Thank you for helping Louise back home the other day. She likes to go far during her workouts, and if she had gotten caught in that rain, she may have fell ill. If you would like, I would be happy to reimburse you for any gas or repair costs you may have incurred during the journey. When you get the chance to finish your article, I would like to request that you send it to me before Mr. Matsumoto. Standard practice, I'm sure you've found. I won't censor you or attempt to negotiate its contents, but I would like to see if there is anything I must prepare for.

However, this is not the only reason I reached out to you. Over the past day or so, Louise has seemed unusually lighter of heart. Not necessarily happy or chipper -- as you know, that is not exactly her style. "Looser" is how I would describe it. Less tightly wound. While Louise and I have not discussed the particulars of your meeting, I can only assume that something about that night left her feeling unburdened. Or, at least, less burdened than usual. If that is the case, then I would like to thank you dearly. As you could likely tell, Louise is a woman with many troubles that she keeps close to her vest. To have eased those worries for just a moment is a kindness I cannot let go unthanked.

To be perfectly transparent with you, I looked into you and your career as soon as Louise mentioned your meeting. Call it a manager's panicked reaction to learning that her client had an unexpected interview with a member of the press. While your storied career is certainly impressive, one occurrence in particular stood out to me. While I am sorry for alluding to what must have been a painful time in your life, perhaps it is something that you learned you have in common with Louise. If not, then I am afraid I cannot go into more detail. But if, by chance, you do understand what I am talking about, then that is something I must thank you for most of all. While it is a difficult topic for Louise to discuss, perhaps having someone who may understand where she is coming from would help.

I wish you all the best, Herr Schneider. Please let me know if there is anything I or Team Stanza can do for you.

Best,

Christina Morgenstern, Ph.D
Manager, Team Stanza

[RedShinigami]

Sehr geehrte Frau Morgenstern,

first of all I would like to thank you for kind words, they are very appreciated.
Team Stanza seems to be an incredible team consisting of different, fine young ladies from all over the world. The effort you put into it must have been immense and I am sure you and you athlethes will make a mark on this company.

As for the evening,
there is no money or anything else needed.
I am a father, you probably already know this fact when you checked my wikipedia profile, it is truly no secret and most of the year I am parted from my daughter, so seeing a young girl out in the cold, it was out of the question for me to help.
Especially when I recognized that little red streak.
Let me tell you that Louise is an honest and strong girl of which you can be very proud.
Still, you are right, Louise seems like a person with lots of troubles, which saddend me a little,as a girl her age should just know happiness.
But give her time, I think I can relate to Louise problems more then anyone else, and believe me, Louise overcomes it someday as painful as it seems for her now.'

Between us two Frau Morgenstern, meeting Louise and spending some time with her seemed to have benefited both of us. Call it, "carthatic".
But that seems to much of a strong word because none of us two screamed, cried or let the emotions running wild. I think the best term would be: "taking a bit of baggage off from each other".
With each friendly word we opened a little more and now I know something very private of Louise.
Please don't worry it is absolutely harmless and I don't think that it would intrest the readers, lets say it is about one of her hobbies.

I gave Louise the professional advice not to push herself too much, that it is ok to lose some times. I think Louise is a girl that needs good care which I am sure you provide.


About the interview, of course I understand that you want to look through it and I will of course hold on to the code of professionality.
I hope it will be to your liking and is written, like all my articles, with a lot of heart.

mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Karl Schneider,
LAW Magazine

[FreestylePoet]

Herr Schneider:

Thank you for your kind words regarding our stable. We've worked hard to build it into what it is today, and we are proud of that, even mere months into its existence. The praise of one with a history such as yours is something we'll all have to work to live up to.

As for Louise, you are remarkably spot-on in your assessment. She has experienced a unique form of pain and heartbreak. To have believed herself so close to the pinnacle of her passion... Only to have that stolen from her by sheer bad luck. I cannot imagine what it is like. I am glad the two of you found one another, as it sounds like you both got something quite valuable out of the experience.

That said, I imagine both of us know that she has a more vibrant, lively side as well. One I wish she would exhibit more often. She is a woman of many hobbies and interests, even if some of them she stores away due to her pain. The others on Team Stanza all seem to enjoy their time with her -- and Louise enjoys their presence as well, though she shows it in her own way. More than that, the embers of competition still glow somewhere inside of her. I do not want to coax them out of her if she is not comfortable, but I firmly believe that there are the makings of a great wrestler somewhere within her.

Which brings me to a question I had for you, if you would be so kind. Though much of my research was in sports psychology, I admit that this is the first time I have personally dealt with someone like Louise. Further, I am woefully inexperienced in matters of interpersonal care and comfort, which I know must sound strange coming from an academic psychologist. Still, I wish to be there for Louise as best I can.

Which leads me to my question: How? While I hesitate to directly compare two different people's experiences or mindsets, your story compares more closely to Louise's than that of anyone else I've met in Japan. I know we are mostly strangers to one another, but for the sake of Louise, I must ask: How can I best be there for my friend?

Best,

Christina Morgenstern, Ph.D
Manager, Team Stanza

[RedShinigami]

Frau Doktor Morgenstern,

I appreciate our small communication and can
say one thing.
I am a wrestler, a journalist and a father.
I understand the athlethetes, I understand the background and I know one or two things about young girls, let me tell you.

Louise is nothing short but a dear and the way she tries to cover up what is eating her inside is remarkable, believe me when I tell you I know exactly how it is when you are at the peak, you do what you love and then suddenly fate is striking.
When it hurt me, a 28 year old grown man, how strong must it have hurt Louise?

I made the simple approach of being honestly intrested in her person, never pushed her, looked at her body language, listened to her voice, I just
made effort, you understand?
And believe me Dr. Morgenstern, you don't need to be parent to show effort.
You are her manager, for now you are something like a motherfigure for her and I, when I met Louise, tried to some sort of fatherly figure, assuring her, making her comfortable.
What Louise needs is stability and a person that believes in her.

Be that person Dr. Morgenstern!
If you are hope to achieve a good relationship with Louise and get her to smile more, then just be there for her and listen, look carefully, what she says, what she does, leave her space so she won't get uncomfortable and be intrigued when she tells you something personal.
As was I, you know, I don't call her little shark for nothing.
Louise is no one who easily trusts, but if I managed to make her trust a bum a in an rusty bucket then my advice surely isnt the worst.

Anyway, Louise is a good girl Frau Doktor Morgenstern and with your help and care she will truly ascend, I am sure about it.

Please,
tell her that the "Old Man" asked for her and wishes her all best. Also, she should call him from time to time.
Would you do that for me?

sincerely,
Karl Schneider,
LAW Magazine

[FreestylePoet]

Herr Schneider:

I very much appreciate your willingness to relate some of your experience to me. That is a brave decision, to open up to a stranger such as myself, even in a relatively limited way. Thank you very much for sharing that with me.

That being said, your advice truly resonates with my own experiences with Louise. While it is rather amusing to think of myself as a mother figure to a woman so near my own age, that support structure may be most similar to what she needs. I am not sure if she has told you much about her own family, but as far as I can tell, Louise's parents were nothing but perfectly supportive -- though perhaps that is why she herself is so distant from them.

Still, she contacts them somewhat regularly, and they are just one part of her support system. She has them. She has friends in myself and the other members of our team. And she has perhaps a unique sort of kindred spirit in you. I will try to take your words to heart and support her as best I know how -- by listening and by being there for her. Thank you again for the advice.

And by the way, I did as you asked, telling her you said hello. Her face went red, and she threw a crumpled-up ball of paper at me before stomping off and calling me a Pannenkoek.

Truth be told, I may or may not have teasingly called her "Little Shark" as well.

She took it in stride, though, at least eventually. Ten minutes later, she came back to my desk and asked me to "give that geezer my thanks, again." Which is something I must give you as well, though I will do so without calling you old. You've been a great help to Louise and to myself, and for that, I thank you. Again, if there is ever anything else we can do for you, I would be more than happy to see what we can do.

Best,

Christina Morgenstern, Ph.D
Manager, Team Stanza

[RedShinigami]

Frau Dr. Morgenstern:

Knowing Louise and seeing all of use three coming from "the same corner of the world" I can't see you as stranger but rather "a friend I have'nt met yet."
Maybe you would do me the honor of doing an interview with me?
If you would be so kind to send me your number we could talk about an appointment if you would be so kind.

I am sure Louise parents do what they can but they just can't provide what Louise seems to need now.
Of course this is'nt their fault, Louise seems like a girl that had gotten all the love in the world.
That is not the problem.
What Louise needs is a steady life, people who she can talk and relate too and someone, maybe us two, who have an eye on her and listen to her problems, like, lets not say parents, especially you are not that old, let's say as older siblings who care about their babysister.

Whenever you need something please don't be shy to call me, Frau Doktor, I leave my number at the end of the message and sincerely hope to hear from you again so I have someone I can babble in german a little.
That said, it is my pleasure to have helped Louise and you.

Well...our "Kleiner Haifisch" is really something special, is'nt she?
Trying to act tough but deep inside she is a young girl like all the others.
She must cut herself some slack, as I told her before: Take it easy, you don't have to win all the time.
I think this an advice that especially is fitting for Louise.

Frau Doktor is was my biggest pleasure to hear from you,
Tell Louise that "the old geezer" loves her (of course in no sense to make her blush or anything!) and
remember what I have told you about Louise, just be there for her, that is enough.
And if things get out of hand...
There is still a 2 meter, has been wrestler in town that can help out.

Best,

Karl Schneider,
LAW Magazine