L.A.W. - League of Anime Wrestling

A concussion. ‘Mild to serious’. Bast wasn’t sure what that meant.

Four broken ribs.

A torn fibula.

A ruptured eardrum.

A cracked occipital bone.

At some point she’d dislocated the middle toe on her left foot. She had no earthly idea how that even happened.

Bast lay in the hospital bed in Medicent Innsbruk, one of the best hospitals in the country, where they’d rushed her to after the match when it was clear that she’d sustained multiple injuries, trying hard to remember everything the doctor had said about her injuries. It was hard to keep track of them all, in no small part, because the whole situation was so foreign to her. She’d been in a hospital before, but never one this sophisticated, with such equipment and a real staff to take care of her. The equipment in the one room she was staying in probably cost more than the entire building of the last hospital she’d been to, and she was getting actual medical care here. People were tending to her, checking in on her every half-hour, bringing her food…

She hated it. She couldn't even put it into exact words why, but all the fussing over her felt wrong. She was far more accustomed to just walking this sort of thing off and dealing with it, but LAW wouldn’t allow that. Her sister wouldn’t allow it, either - they’d had a long, drawn-out argument about why she had to stay home tonight and they couldn't go back to the wrestler’s lodgings. Calosco had been in particular pain since she woke up, fussing over her, arguing with the nurses, worrying about her ever ache and pain. It was cute, in a way - she’d never known her sister to care so much for her wellbeing. But, on the other hand, she could’ve done without being treated like a porcelain doll.

It was night now. Late. The hospital had settled as much as a place could settle, and the staff had managed to drag her sister away for the night. That left Bast alone, a rare occurrence these days. Just her, and the silence of the room, and the soft tapping of snowflakes on the windowsill.

Just her thoughts. Just her questions.

After a while, it was all too much. When sleep refused to come to her, she decided to spend her time more productively. It took her the better part of five minutes, but she could slip out of the bed and hop on a wheelchair at her bedside. The frock she wore didn’t cover her backside, making it an uncomfortable seat, to say nothing about all the bandages and patches she was disturbing with every move she made, but she could bear with it. Just for a while.

Bast awkwardly wheeled her way down the hall, taking care not to disturb the nurses at their stations who would certainly usher her back to the room if they saw her. She would only be gone for a little while, no problem. She knew exactly where to go.

Just down the hall, she rolled until she found the room with the name she wanted. She opened the door slowly, not wanting to disturb the individual inside any more than necessary, and poked her head in. ”Alaina?” Her own voice surprised her, sounding so weak, so tired. ”Alaina, are you awake?”

There were times Alaina was glad that Charlie screened the matches of hers that her kids saw. This one would wait until they were older.

Alaina has a broken nose, a fractured jaw, six fractured ribs, a mild AC joint pull in both shoulders, and a nasty bone chip in a collarbone, complete with a brain jarring concussion.

While Alaina was glad her kids would not see their mother getting psychically destroyed she was feeling isolated. Normally she could go home to the family, have them at the arena or have Dan along with Irelia around. Charlie and the kids were going to come see Alaina in the hospital and were arriving in a couple days while Dan did the house sitting.

She was still champion but it felt empty. Did she really deserve that title? As she laid there she heard a voice calling out to her. Alaina sat up then flopped back down using the bed to raise her body up. She was weeks from turning 49. Was she getting too old for this?

"Hello? Wait... Bast? What are you doing here?" Alaina asked while wondering how she managed to get here.

Bast almost turned away before Alaina could speak, but the woman’s voice brought her back before she could wheel away. On some level, she’d hoped the Amazon would be asleep, so she would have a good excuse to pass this opportunity up, but there was no avoiding it now. She was here, and her former foe had asked a good question: What was she doing here?

She wasn’t 100% sure, herself. That wasn’t the first order of business, though.

”Samira.” She blurted out as best she could, her voice still scratchy from all the screaming. ”Call me Samira. Please.” She pushed the door open enough to wheel herself in, squeezing her shoulder through the doors to do so, as the wheelchair creaked and cried out for mercy beneath her, clearly not used to supporting a woman of her weight. She’d see to getting a bigger one in the morning.

”I want to check up on you, first and foremost. How are you feeling?” Samira tipped her head to the side, getting a better look over her, trying to get a good read on her condition. The surface could only tell so much, though. ”You don’t have anything too serious?” There was a worry in her voice that she didn’t bother to hide. ”Nothing permanent?”

"Okay, Samira. That sounds much nicer." Alaina said keeping an eye on Bast. She didn't know Samira aside from the woman who beat Tina and the woman who Alaina couldn't pin in time. That still bothered her as hurt as she was having that blemish, that doubt about if she should be champion or not would bother the old wrestler.

"I am going to be fine. I was about to ask the same about you but you are out and about so that is a good sign right?" Alaina said. "As soon as they clear me for action I will be back in the ring same as usual. I do hope to see you back in the ring too." Alaina added as she kept an eye on Samira. She highly doubted that she came here to attack Alaina or anything given how things went so far. Still, Alaina was curious as to what exactly Samira was doing here.

Samira sighed, relieved that Alaina would still be in fighting shape after some recovery time. That had been one of her fears - it would’ve been one thing to lose to this woman, but to do that and end her career in the process would’ve been unfathomable. She was one of, if not the, fiercest fighters she’d ever encountered, even at her age, and losing her as a competitor would be tragic.

”That’s good.” She eased back into the seat and closed her eyes. ”And I hope that, as well. The doctor says five to six months. Perhaps a minor surgery. We will see.” She wasn’t looking forward to going under, either, but if it took to get back into action and begin the hunt again, it was what she would do.

Samira folded her arms and shifted in the chair, struggling to get comfortable before she spoke again. ”May I ask you a question?”

Alaina's eyes widened as she heard that estimate. Alaina's was less time, but not by much. Alaina did all that and Samira kept going? The amazon was in awe. "If anyone can make a speedy recovery from all this and get back into the ring quickly it is you. I can't remember the last time I kept throwing everything at someone and them kicking out like that." Alaina said.

"Sure. Ask me anything you want." Alaina added as Samira made her request.

Samira couldn't help but smile at the small compliment Alaina gave. It was worth something to know that she had challenged this woman in a way that no one before had, especially given how long her career was. With many, she would’ve written it off as her just being kind, trying to give her a pat on the back. But, somehow, she knew the champion was speaking truth. She was honest woman.

”Thank you. That is good to hear.” She nodded. ”And it comes close to answering my question. But I’ll be clear with it, anyway.”

Samira opened her eyes fully and straightened up as best as possible, meeting Alaina’s gaze through the shadows. ”You gave me your all, then? You held nothing back? That was your absolute best?”

"Honey I gove every match 100% from you to a debuting rookie. Everyone gets me at my best and I was giving you everything I had." Alaina said as she tried to lean forward as she spoke to look Basti. The eye.

"Now it is my turn to ask you two questions. First did you go all out against me not holding back?" Alaina asked as she kept her stare focused on Samira, eagerly awaiting an answer. "Second.... when I had you pinned if there was no time constraint did I have you pinned for 3?"

To a bystander, this had to seem like a strange question for them to ask. After all, the two of them were in a hospital after nearly massacring themselves in the ring, tearing each other apart, breaking bones, and spilling blood. What more could they have left on the table?

Maybe so. But hearing it, having Alaina say it out loud, made it real in a way Samira appreciated, and it was only fitting that she returned the favor.

”I didn’t give you everything I have, I gave you more than everything I have. I dug deeper and hit you harder than I have with anyone ever in my entire life, I brought out power I didn’t know I had, and I still could not put you down. It was like fighting against an iron wall.” She leaned to the side and propped up her head against her fist. ”As for your second question…” She shook her head. ”Tell me, what difference does that make? You won. The belt is yours. You’re still the champion, regardless.”

A look of relief washed over Alaina. She pushed Samira as hard as Samira pushed her. It helped validate Alaina but she tilted her head to the side and had to choose her next words carefully.

"Honestly? If I had you beat, then I had you beat and the real champion walked out with the title. If you were going to kick out I had nothing left, I couldn't have fought on and you would have won. That would mean every time I show up in am arena and hold up the title I am a fraud, a fake champion who doesn't deserve the belt and the rest of my reign is essentially a false prop." Alaina said.