Thereisa stood behind the cutains, her nerves through the roof as she hears what beyond those black curtains in front of her. The cheering roar of the crowd, the slam of the canvas as someone is tossed onto it and the ref hand as they count the three and the bell is rung. Those sounds were her home... the one place in her battle tested life that brought her peace, pride and her family together again. But now they feel and sound hollow... like those noises now seem like a distant memory and of a time long past.
"Five minutes" one of the backstage workers tells her before pulling the curtain to the side... as the noises grow louder.
Those Words to Thereisa meant everything. Willing her body to a comeback victory, a title defense that she never got to have. Or her favorite a war between herself and one of her many rivals who pushed her to the brink...and yet she was always able to overcome them, but now those words mean that it is time. That no matter how long you fight... time always win in the end.
"Your doing it tonight mom?." Serilda asks her mother. Standing in the corner watching to see what will happen, always ready for a fight or war but now the berserker liger is calm her eyes focused on her mother who looks much older then she has ever looked. "I know you always said that this time would be it... you complete your goals and then retire on top. But now it just seems all of a sudden and I just wanted to make sure your fire is gone." She says staring at her mother.
Thereisa stops and stares back. "I know i said it many times. But now i mean it. You seen me when I fell, when I lost... when I was beaten bloody. When standing hurt more then falling amd laying down for the three count. Right now... i feel like this is the time... no I know it is time for me to leave." She says lacking that anger and rage she has always been known for.
"Serilda it true... mom is done with it all." A voice called out from behind them. Ana who was leaning against the TV monitors would say. Watching just like she always did when breaking down the room or a wrestler for their weak spots. " you can tell mom is serious cause she is not pacing back and forth like a demon ready to pounce on Kat Hart." She says would a small low chuckle as she and her sister would hug their mother again.
For a moment, the three of them stood there—no crowd, no lights, no noise. Just a family stitched together over time, in the quiet space before something ended.
Spoiler
The energy from the crowd was electric. They knew something was going on... from the way Thereisa made her way down the ramp. From the way she hung on to the ring ropes a little bit longer before pulling herself up and sliding into the ring. A hush starts to fall over the crowd as they noticed that she is in her wrestling gear. The very first outfit she wore when she returned from being blacklisted all those years ago.
Spoiler
. “It’s not one moment. It’s not one injury. It’s not one loss.” she says. Her hand gripping the mic tightly. It’s the accumulation. The mornings where your body doesn’t listen. The nights where the crowd feels just a little further away.”. Taking a moment to regroup and calm herself as she can hear her voice going thin. And a small crack that come out when she mentioned the accumulation of things building up. “I can still stand here,” she said. “I can still fight. But I can’t pretend anymore that I’m the same person who walked in all those years ago. And admitting that is the hardest thing I ever had to do in front of all of you."
"So I came out here to say goodbye. Alot of the old guard is leaving. Brynhild that crazy bitch left after her match. She still in Japan working with her family. And I feel like I should do the same, but not just me.. I look at my girls and we are the three different points in time—past, present, and what could have been." Thereisa would say before giving the mic to Serilda to speak.
Taking a moment to gather her thoughts... " I grew up seeing this ring take everything from my mother. It gave her purpose, fire and desire to be the best, and a place to become something more. But I didnt expect it to demand so much. And take everything else." She says before giving the mic to Ana who is close to tears at this point.
"Being in this ring gave me something that I never thought I would ever get. A drive and goal i wanted to reach. I rather leave as is then risk something happening to me and having you all see your number on idol hurt or worse." Ana would say while wiping her eye with her hand. Before giving the mic back to her mother who wantd to have the final say again.
Seeing as this is it... Thereisa with the help of Serilda and Ana unzip her wrestling gear and pulls it off her body. Leaving her in a pair of shorts and tank top and neatly folds up her ring gear and holds it out in front of her. “Legacy isn’t about staying the longest,” she said. “It’s about knowing when to stop—and what you leave behind when you do.” she says while her eyes water and her voice begins to stutter. "And if this is what I leave behind… then I am done fighting it any longer." She says while kneeling down and getting into a dogeza position, placing her ring gear in front of her as Serilda and Ana does the same. "Thank you for giving me my redemption... and for welcoming me and my girls to be apart of your lives and supported us when we had our matches. Arigatou gozaimasu to you all who gave me a chance in this company." Thereisa and her daughters say as they stand up and walk out of the ring.
As they made their way up the ramp, the crowd broke into cheers and applause. The three women made their way to the top of the ramp before Thereisa turned to take one last look at the ring, before turning away and leaving with her daughters. She may have not been able to finish her story on reclaiming the title... but she left with something more then a belt of gold could ever give her. And that was her redemption and family being whole again.
Three careers.
Three endings.