Post by Moonlight Rose on Apr 28, 2023 17:42:15 GMT -5
The echoes of footsteps ring out through the industrial district in Toronto, Canada. Steam shoots from massive vents connected to metalworking mills and factories. The distant cheers ring out bouncing off every wall, as Moonlight Rose walks towards the source. With a purpose, trying to find who once a friend turned… home invader? She walks through the steam, it's hot to the touch but she doesn't seem to mind. A voice louder than the others blares from a P.A system.
“OH, LUCKY NICK TAKE’S ANOTHER ROUND, WHO CAN STOP THIS UNBEATABLE MONSTER?”
Robbie…
A wall of steam blocks her sight from the larger arena, as she presses through, it reveals a massive ring with steel bars as ropes, sitting above the ring about 20 feet in the air attached to the side of a building, is Robbie in a steel throne surrounded by beautiful women.
“HEY… What's up E! glad you could finally make it to the Robbie dome.”
“You broke into my house, you prick, I want my mask back!”
“Do you remember Emiko? When we used to run those fights on TU campus, when we would thumb through the 50's while we waited for your mom to pick us up. When you dropped that girl who was a couple years older than us… I DO.”
Robbie stands from his chair and peers down the makeshift steps, he and Moonlight stare at each other… but Roobie’s is the first gaze to waver.
“It doesn't bother me anymore, the memories are just that… memories.”
He takes the yellow and blue mask out from behind his chair and dangles it in the air, almost mocking Rose. he tosses it off his perch and it lands in the middle of the ring. Rose hops the barrier that connects the crowd to ringside and steps through the metal into the ring. She hovers her hand over her old mask, but she looks up to Robbie.
“What's the catch?”
“No catch love… Take your mask.”
My whole body shivers… don’t call me pet names to slimy fuck.
She scoops up the mask and tucks it into her bag.
“See Hollywood… No tricks.”
“Did you think this is done? You broke into my house Robbie, I can't let you believe you can do what you want and get away with it… come down here.”
“Look… I'm not a fighter, I just manage the fights. But if you want a scrap then I can see what I can mix up.”
“You misread me, im “Hollywood” remember, I don't do these fights anymore. You fuck with somebody with money you know what happens?”
Robbie leans over his railing looking down into the ring.
“They call the police.”
Emiko snaps, and out of every shadow. Police officers and cars with flashlights and sirens. The spectators scatter as Robbie and Rose still hold their gaze to each other. The yells from the officers drown out his voice but he mouths…
Well played.
~~~
An officer shoves Robbies head into his cruiser, making sure he doesn't bump his head on the way in.
“Officer! Just a second please.”
Rose peers into the back seat of the cruiser leaning down to get to his level.
“Dammit Rob, you couldn't have just let it all be.”
“I needed you back, we broke into this together. The Empire I built was off your back. You left, to go be a star…”
“I left to pursue my dream, to go… yeah man, I wanted to make a ton of money and be a star. But wrestling was always the end goal. I love you Robbie, but you tried to fuck me over. I'll see you in a few years.”
She slams the door in his face.
“Officer…”
He steps into his cruiser and drives off into the night, to bring Robbie into a dark cell. You can only imagine what kind of due process awaits. But Rose can't think like that. She has…
30 minutes, to get to Pearson international, and board her plane to burbank. She spots Officer Dolan wrapping up his paperwork, he tucks his notebook away in his chest protector.
“Dolan! Are you off the clock?”
“I don't think there is an off the clock tonight Miss Kikuchi. However… I have a lunch break right now.”
“Great, I need to get to the airport in the next 30 minutes.”
“Well shit kid were burning time.”
He attempts to slide over the hood of his car to get to the driver side but bangs his hip off the side.
“Fuck! Alright just get in.”
~~~
Pearson International airport is usually busy. But on this night it's really quiet. The liminal space almost feels like something out of a horror book. Too open and too quiet. You can feel eyes crawling all across your skin but nobody’s around to keep them locked on you.
“Brooke I can't help but feel like this whole thing is one big joke, I refuse to believe that this is anything other than a sick and twisted game. You and I deserve to burn the house down and they take away our weapons. One hand tied behind the back, no ropes, blindfolded, your grandmother on a pole, the winner leaves town. I'm sorry for breaking a couple walls here but i thought this was OCW not WCW in the 2000’s. Don't get it twisted, I still bleed black and red to my very core, and Brooke once all this bullshits over lets you and me have a real wrestling match. But this whole situation still angers me.”
“Now boarding flight number 8-0-5-6-1. Toronto to Burbank.”
“Brooke, I don't really like telling my opponents my game plan before coming into this but im about 10 minutes away from a 6 hour flight so i want to idea of ruining that pretty face with my forearm to play in my dreams, but you're a smart girl and I also don't think it really matters. I'm going to take my right arm, and slam it into your face until they have to replace the mat because it's waterlogged with your blood. I don't pigeonhole myself into being high risk, I can destroy you at any level. I've had a great month all things considered and now I have to contend with people trying to ruin what I've worked for. And yeah Brooke i mean you. As much respect as I have for you doesn't matter as soon as we square off, because these people believe in me as their saviour, their hero. And i see you as somebody who wants to fuck me out of house and home. You are out to ruin my life, by taking my baby. The paradigm championship deserves to be on the shoulders of Royalty and goddammit I am that Royalty. I'm going to snuff out that southern fire, KILL that frenzied spirit and walk out of that shitty studio once again proving that I am the best wrestler on this planet.”
The final open gate begins to close as Emiko just barely slips through, handing the receptionist her plane ticket. She scuttles into the plane and finds her seat, next to a woman and a small girl.
In a whispered tone Rose continues.
“Brooke I hope Synn rubs your head and pats your belly so you can muster up all the confidence you can, but when you're locked alone with only yourself to hype you up you start thinking funny thoughts. I dont think im ready to let go of this belt left, so i'll leave you with a choice. Don't show up to work Brooke, nobody will blame and I won't be disappointed. These people will understand shit… I wouldn't want to fight with both hands either. However, you show up on the 30th, and you really go through with this. I'll make sure you go back to watching behind the barricade with all the other fans.”
~~~
Rose leans back in her seat, and looks over to the little girl. She's wearing a “Southern Belle Brooke Blakely '' shirt, Rose turns to the other side watching the flight attendants move up and down the halls. Handing out vodka sodas and peanuts. She leans back over to the girl.
“Hey…”
She turns to Rose, taking off her headset.
“Hi there!”
‘You like OCW?”
“LOVE IT, what about you?”
“Oh yeah big fan. Who's your favourite,”
“Well… i like Brooke Blakely OBVIOUSLY, but i also like Synn and Crash and Alice and…”
“You like Moonlight, she's the champ after all.”
Rose looks up at the mother whose totally caught on, it could be that she knows who she is, or she spotted the Paradigm title hanging out of her carry on.
“Yeah she's cool I guess…”
“You guess?!” Rose looks down the hallway at the cockpit room.
“How about i make you a deal, if i can get Moonlight Rose to give you a shout out over the P.A, you'll cheer for her at the Pay Per View… Deal”
She looks conflicted, staring at her mother, but her mom points down at her bag. And the little girl's eyes light up.
“Sure!”
Rose stands up and walks into the cockpit. Walking in the pilots are all doing their final preparations for the flight.
“Captains… Can I ask a favour.”
~~~
A voice comes over the P.A system.
“Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking, we have a special announcement from OCW champion Moonlight Rose, for a special girl named Karla.”
“Hello Karla, it's your hero Moonlight Rose, i wanted to wish everybody, and especially you a great flight.”
Rose finds her way back to her seat, where that little girl is freaking the fuck out. And her mother just silently thanks her. Rose reaches into her bag and takes out her old mask, the one she's just gotten back, and hands it to the girl.
“Are you sure.”
Rose looks deep into the eye hole, thinking of all the memories, she's a different person than she was a year ago, she holds too much value in this old piece of fabric.
“I want to see you in the crowd… and in a different shirt.”
Rose and Karla spent the entire flight to Burbank, chatting about OCW. Rose is doing what she does best. And trying to relax herself before the biggest match of her life.
“OH, LUCKY NICK TAKE’S ANOTHER ROUND, WHO CAN STOP THIS UNBEATABLE MONSTER?”
Robbie…
A wall of steam blocks her sight from the larger arena, as she presses through, it reveals a massive ring with steel bars as ropes, sitting above the ring about 20 feet in the air attached to the side of a building, is Robbie in a steel throne surrounded by beautiful women.
“HEY… What's up E! glad you could finally make it to the Robbie dome.”
“You broke into my house, you prick, I want my mask back!”
“Do you remember Emiko? When we used to run those fights on TU campus, when we would thumb through the 50's while we waited for your mom to pick us up. When you dropped that girl who was a couple years older than us… I DO.”
Robbie stands from his chair and peers down the makeshift steps, he and Moonlight stare at each other… but Roobie’s is the first gaze to waver.
“It doesn't bother me anymore, the memories are just that… memories.”
He takes the yellow and blue mask out from behind his chair and dangles it in the air, almost mocking Rose. he tosses it off his perch and it lands in the middle of the ring. Rose hops the barrier that connects the crowd to ringside and steps through the metal into the ring. She hovers her hand over her old mask, but she looks up to Robbie.
“What's the catch?”
“No catch love… Take your mask.”
My whole body shivers… don’t call me pet names to slimy fuck.
She scoops up the mask and tucks it into her bag.
“See Hollywood… No tricks.”
“Did you think this is done? You broke into my house Robbie, I can't let you believe you can do what you want and get away with it… come down here.”
“Look… I'm not a fighter, I just manage the fights. But if you want a scrap then I can see what I can mix up.”
“You misread me, im “Hollywood” remember, I don't do these fights anymore. You fuck with somebody with money you know what happens?”
Robbie leans over his railing looking down into the ring.
“They call the police.”
Emiko snaps, and out of every shadow. Police officers and cars with flashlights and sirens. The spectators scatter as Robbie and Rose still hold their gaze to each other. The yells from the officers drown out his voice but he mouths…
Well played.
~~~
An officer shoves Robbies head into his cruiser, making sure he doesn't bump his head on the way in.
“Officer! Just a second please.”
Rose peers into the back seat of the cruiser leaning down to get to his level.
“Dammit Rob, you couldn't have just let it all be.”
“I needed you back, we broke into this together. The Empire I built was off your back. You left, to go be a star…”
“I left to pursue my dream, to go… yeah man, I wanted to make a ton of money and be a star. But wrestling was always the end goal. I love you Robbie, but you tried to fuck me over. I'll see you in a few years.”
She slams the door in his face.
“Officer…”
He steps into his cruiser and drives off into the night, to bring Robbie into a dark cell. You can only imagine what kind of due process awaits. But Rose can't think like that. She has…
30 minutes, to get to Pearson international, and board her plane to burbank. She spots Officer Dolan wrapping up his paperwork, he tucks his notebook away in his chest protector.
“Dolan! Are you off the clock?”
“I don't think there is an off the clock tonight Miss Kikuchi. However… I have a lunch break right now.”
“Great, I need to get to the airport in the next 30 minutes.”
“Well shit kid were burning time.”
He attempts to slide over the hood of his car to get to the driver side but bangs his hip off the side.
“Fuck! Alright just get in.”
~~~
Pearson International airport is usually busy. But on this night it's really quiet. The liminal space almost feels like something out of a horror book. Too open and too quiet. You can feel eyes crawling all across your skin but nobody’s around to keep them locked on you.
“Brooke I can't help but feel like this whole thing is one big joke, I refuse to believe that this is anything other than a sick and twisted game. You and I deserve to burn the house down and they take away our weapons. One hand tied behind the back, no ropes, blindfolded, your grandmother on a pole, the winner leaves town. I'm sorry for breaking a couple walls here but i thought this was OCW not WCW in the 2000’s. Don't get it twisted, I still bleed black and red to my very core, and Brooke once all this bullshits over lets you and me have a real wrestling match. But this whole situation still angers me.”
“Now boarding flight number 8-0-5-6-1. Toronto to Burbank.”
“Brooke, I don't really like telling my opponents my game plan before coming into this but im about 10 minutes away from a 6 hour flight so i want to idea of ruining that pretty face with my forearm to play in my dreams, but you're a smart girl and I also don't think it really matters. I'm going to take my right arm, and slam it into your face until they have to replace the mat because it's waterlogged with your blood. I don't pigeonhole myself into being high risk, I can destroy you at any level. I've had a great month all things considered and now I have to contend with people trying to ruin what I've worked for. And yeah Brooke i mean you. As much respect as I have for you doesn't matter as soon as we square off, because these people believe in me as their saviour, their hero. And i see you as somebody who wants to fuck me out of house and home. You are out to ruin my life, by taking my baby. The paradigm championship deserves to be on the shoulders of Royalty and goddammit I am that Royalty. I'm going to snuff out that southern fire, KILL that frenzied spirit and walk out of that shitty studio once again proving that I am the best wrestler on this planet.”
The final open gate begins to close as Emiko just barely slips through, handing the receptionist her plane ticket. She scuttles into the plane and finds her seat, next to a woman and a small girl.
In a whispered tone Rose continues.
“Brooke I hope Synn rubs your head and pats your belly so you can muster up all the confidence you can, but when you're locked alone with only yourself to hype you up you start thinking funny thoughts. I dont think im ready to let go of this belt left, so i'll leave you with a choice. Don't show up to work Brooke, nobody will blame and I won't be disappointed. These people will understand shit… I wouldn't want to fight with both hands either. However, you show up on the 30th, and you really go through with this. I'll make sure you go back to watching behind the barricade with all the other fans.”
~~~
Rose leans back in her seat, and looks over to the little girl. She's wearing a “Southern Belle Brooke Blakely '' shirt, Rose turns to the other side watching the flight attendants move up and down the halls. Handing out vodka sodas and peanuts. She leans back over to the girl.
“Hey…”
She turns to Rose, taking off her headset.
“Hi there!”
‘You like OCW?”
“LOVE IT, what about you?”
“Oh yeah big fan. Who's your favourite,”
“Well… i like Brooke Blakely OBVIOUSLY, but i also like Synn and Crash and Alice and…”
“You like Moonlight, she's the champ after all.”
Rose looks up at the mother whose totally caught on, it could be that she knows who she is, or she spotted the Paradigm title hanging out of her carry on.
“Yeah she's cool I guess…”
“You guess?!” Rose looks down the hallway at the cockpit room.
“How about i make you a deal, if i can get Moonlight Rose to give you a shout out over the P.A, you'll cheer for her at the Pay Per View… Deal”
She looks conflicted, staring at her mother, but her mom points down at her bag. And the little girl's eyes light up.
“Sure!”
Rose stands up and walks into the cockpit. Walking in the pilots are all doing their final preparations for the flight.
“Captains… Can I ask a favour.”
~~~
A voice comes over the P.A system.
“Ladies and gentlemen this is your captain speaking, we have a special announcement from OCW champion Moonlight Rose, for a special girl named Karla.”
“Hello Karla, it's your hero Moonlight Rose, i wanted to wish everybody, and especially you a great flight.”
Rose finds her way back to her seat, where that little girl is freaking the fuck out. And her mother just silently thanks her. Rose reaches into her bag and takes out her old mask, the one she's just gotten back, and hands it to the girl.
“Are you sure.”
Rose looks deep into the eye hole, thinking of all the memories, she's a different person than she was a year ago, she holds too much value in this old piece of fabric.
“I want to see you in the crowd… and in a different shirt.”
Rose and Karla spent the entire flight to Burbank, chatting about OCW. Rose is doing what she does best. And trying to relax herself before the biggest match of her life.