Post by Moonlight Rose on Apr 25, 2023 13:04:36 GMT -5
The crackle of the pan on the stove top shoots spits of grease and hot water onto my arms, having to pull back every so often. It's a quiet night which is… something i don't get very often, the last time i wasn't at a massac-... Sorry, Last time i wasn't at a… show, was about 4 months ago, a lot of people operate under the philosophy that if you're not booked you don't go, but Tamika said that i can take a month to get ready for WOF… So I am. Upping my protein intake, stuff that Easton said gets you a little more mass, which is definitely something I need.
The TV blasts my ears with a news story.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to CP24 your local toronto news, top story tonight. Founding owner of the global charity “Sports for tots” recently held their annual banquet. However…”
My head snaps over the TV hanging from the kitchen ceiling.
“What?”
“... During the proceedings Toronto local and CEO May Kikuchi, was, dare I say, interrogated by the media asking not about the charity, but about her Daughter. Take a look.”
The screen flashes white as they wipe from footage to footage, it now shows Emikos mom and dad, in beautiful dresses in suits surrounded by microphones.
“Please people show a little organisation…”
“Ma'am, Dave Steele of the Toronto star. Are you disappointed in some of the actions of your daughter?”
“That's very inappropriate Mr. Steele, my daughter has nothing to do with the good we are doing.”
Many more harsh questions come in from the crowd, one after another causing mom to deflect.
“Come on dad… get her out of there.” I'm watching in Absolute Horror, hoping that somebody will stop this before she breaks down. She keeps trying to answer safely but she's eventually gonna say something they can print. Fucking media is disgusting with how they manipulate these people into making them money. It doesn't matter what you do, somebody's always waiting for you to fall.
The screen flashes back to the news anchor, his suit and tie off kilter to the side ever so slightly. It's pissing me off.
The fire alarm begins to blare as it makes me jump, I shoot my hands over to the pan trying to save my chicken fried.
“Shit…” like 2 pounds of rice ru-
She can barely finish the sentence before…
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
“Yo E!”
A familiar voice continues to carry on as Emiko works her way towards her door, taking a peek through the peephole between the stained glass. This new house is big and empty with the absence of her parents but it was the logical next step for somebody with her cash flow. But she never told anybody she lives here.
She replies through the door. “Robbie… how did you know I was here?”
“Em, come out with me one night, let's run it back like old times. I miss my cash cow.”
“I don't do that anymore Robbie, I make good money wrestling. I'm not about to throw it away to fist fight people on the streets.”
“It was less of a request…”
Her eyes widen, sweat starts to run down from her brow to her chin. She can feel the threat through the door. She slowly slides her phone out of her pocket, flips it to vibrate and dials 9-1-1, but doesnt press call, even when maybe she should.
“This isn't funny Robbie, you can show up to people's houses uninvited and demand stuff from them. Get lost.” her voice shakes, it's noticeable to anybody who's looking for it.
“Emiko, I'll put it to you like this, there's a fight tonight and you're gonna win it. And if you dont… i dont know.”
Emiko looks to press call on her phone, shes had enough of this bullshit and wants to get him out of here, but as soon as she presses the call, her phone lights up with an incoming call. One from her mother.
She starts to walk away from the door.
“Mom? You okay?”
“Its alright honey i just wanted to call you to tell you me and your father are okay. Thoser reporters are losers, I don't even think some of them are from real news sites, one guy said he was from the… observater or absorber? Something like that.”
Emiko would laugh, if she wasn't terrified she hasn't taken her eyes off the door, but her guard relaxes, and she sits down at the table with her pan of burnt rice. And has a nice chat to her mom… for about three minutes before she hears…
*THUMP THUMP THUMP*
Quick footsteps from above her, eyes shooting around her.
“Mom, I gotta go in… I think I had something in the oven.”
“Well for sure Hun… if you nee-”
*BOOP BOOP*
Emiko stands from the table slowly walking towards the door, now wide open letting the snow in. tracks lead up her stairs. Her heart drops.
“R-... ROBBIE… GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.”
The sound of glass shattering echos though the stairwell, Emiko shoots up the rest of the steps.
The belt… you bastard.
In her room the glass case that holds her belt is broken, but the paradigm championship is still there, what is missing is her original mask.
“MOTHERFUCKER.”
A side window open with the blinds waving in the wind. The sound of running footsteps.
“ROBBIE… I'M GONNA HAVE YOUR ASS YOU COWARD.”
~~~
The cold police station provides our backdrop, Emiko wrapped in a blanket provided by an officer who arrived on scene. Tapping her foot, waiting her turn.
“I thought I worked for a wrestling company, a company that cared about its fans, that pushed the idea of wrestling being the best sport on the planet. But look at what's going on, a full rebrand that nobody asked for. Two PPVs in a row where i haven't wrestled a real match. I won my title in a go kart not in a pinfall and to be honest with you it kinda pisses me off, Brooke I don't wish my worst enemy to be in your position because im coming into this pissed off. OCW management seem to want to do everything they can to make holding this title as hard as possible, no top rope, taking away my magnum opus, my One Turn Kill. but also taking away your killing blow as well right Brooke? And it's a shame because that 630 is special, it's a move I trained for and could never pull off. So I went for something… better, I can pull the OTK off from the middle rope… but I'm scared that if you try yours… you'll end up beating yourself."
An officer walks over to Emiko, chats her up for a second before she stands up and begins to move towards a side room.
“I’ve earned the respect of the people, I'm more than just Easton’s protege now I'm a world recognised champion, i'm an ass kicker and i don't think that's a stretch to say. But i haven't proved myself as champion, people keep saying that Crash was out of it his heart wasn't in wrestling anymore… that's okay, keep moving the goalposts it only makes you look more petty, thy never want to see a young girl\in power but look at us Brooke, at the top of our sport damn near. Girls run this fucking place, but I run this division.”
The cop sits Emiko down in an interrogation room, taking her blanket and replacing it with a new one.
“I like daytime Tv, I mean who doesn't. But when the wheels are actively trying to fuck US… not just me Brooke US over, its disappointing. We are so talented, and unlike your good buddy Synn we worked hard for our spots, in this company you're new, in a spot I've personally been in. I can help you through this but first I gotta even you out. Let me put a scale on the table. You're a great wrestler… but I'm better, you love to fly high, but I can fly higher. I'll out work you and out cute you. It's just what I do. If this was a beauty contest you might just have me beat, but I'm untouchable in between the ropes. And that's either something you'll learn now… or you'll figure it out mid ass beating. Either works for me."
~~~
The door opens as a tall male officer steps in. this steel chamber bounces voices off every wall.
“Miss Kikuchi, I'm Officer Dolan… how are you feeling?”
“Violated… scared.”
“This Robbie… he was a friend?”
“You could say that, I used to street fight for cash, up until last year. he was like my manager... Before I got my break in… my new career.”
He jots down some notes.
“Okay, so what's gonna happen is we are gonna stake out your place for the next couple nights, do you have somewhere else you can stay, or are you travelling to burbank early.”
“I… never said anything about burbank.”
The officers face turns beet red, he attempts to hide behind his notes but their too small.
“Sorry im… im a fan.”
Emiko chuckles.
“Yeah, I'll probably leave early, book a hotel for a couple days.”
“Alright… ill let you go, and book luck Moonlight… my kids hope you win.”
“Tell your kids i said “The dream lives on with them””
He nods and opens the door for me as I walk out with my bag, the reminder on my phone warning me about my flight, leaving in an hour. And a text from Robbie, sharing his location.
Emiko walks off into Toronto's nightlife. But where will she go?
The TV blasts my ears with a news story.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to CP24 your local toronto news, top story tonight. Founding owner of the global charity “Sports for tots” recently held their annual banquet. However…”
My head snaps over the TV hanging from the kitchen ceiling.
“What?”
“... During the proceedings Toronto local and CEO May Kikuchi, was, dare I say, interrogated by the media asking not about the charity, but about her Daughter. Take a look.”
The screen flashes white as they wipe from footage to footage, it now shows Emikos mom and dad, in beautiful dresses in suits surrounded by microphones.
“Please people show a little organisation…”
“Ma'am, Dave Steele of the Toronto star. Are you disappointed in some of the actions of your daughter?”
“That's very inappropriate Mr. Steele, my daughter has nothing to do with the good we are doing.”
Many more harsh questions come in from the crowd, one after another causing mom to deflect.
“Come on dad… get her out of there.” I'm watching in Absolute Horror, hoping that somebody will stop this before she breaks down. She keeps trying to answer safely but she's eventually gonna say something they can print. Fucking media is disgusting with how they manipulate these people into making them money. It doesn't matter what you do, somebody's always waiting for you to fall.
The screen flashes back to the news anchor, his suit and tie off kilter to the side ever so slightly. It's pissing me off.
The fire alarm begins to blare as it makes me jump, I shoot my hands over to the pan trying to save my chicken fried.
“Shit…” like 2 pounds of rice ru-
She can barely finish the sentence before…
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
“Yo E!”
A familiar voice continues to carry on as Emiko works her way towards her door, taking a peek through the peephole between the stained glass. This new house is big and empty with the absence of her parents but it was the logical next step for somebody with her cash flow. But she never told anybody she lives here.
She replies through the door. “Robbie… how did you know I was here?”
“Em, come out with me one night, let's run it back like old times. I miss my cash cow.”
“I don't do that anymore Robbie, I make good money wrestling. I'm not about to throw it away to fist fight people on the streets.”
“It was less of a request…”
Her eyes widen, sweat starts to run down from her brow to her chin. She can feel the threat through the door. She slowly slides her phone out of her pocket, flips it to vibrate and dials 9-1-1, but doesnt press call, even when maybe she should.
“This isn't funny Robbie, you can show up to people's houses uninvited and demand stuff from them. Get lost.” her voice shakes, it's noticeable to anybody who's looking for it.
“Emiko, I'll put it to you like this, there's a fight tonight and you're gonna win it. And if you dont… i dont know.”
Emiko looks to press call on her phone, shes had enough of this bullshit and wants to get him out of here, but as soon as she presses the call, her phone lights up with an incoming call. One from her mother.
She starts to walk away from the door.
“Mom? You okay?”
“Its alright honey i just wanted to call you to tell you me and your father are okay. Thoser reporters are losers, I don't even think some of them are from real news sites, one guy said he was from the… observater or absorber? Something like that.”
Emiko would laugh, if she wasn't terrified she hasn't taken her eyes off the door, but her guard relaxes, and she sits down at the table with her pan of burnt rice. And has a nice chat to her mom… for about three minutes before she hears…
*THUMP THUMP THUMP*
Quick footsteps from above her, eyes shooting around her.
“Mom, I gotta go in… I think I had something in the oven.”
“Well for sure Hun… if you nee-”
*BOOP BOOP*
Emiko stands from the table slowly walking towards the door, now wide open letting the snow in. tracks lead up her stairs. Her heart drops.
“R-... ROBBIE… GET OUT OF MY HOUSE.”
The sound of glass shattering echos though the stairwell, Emiko shoots up the rest of the steps.
The belt… you bastard.
In her room the glass case that holds her belt is broken, but the paradigm championship is still there, what is missing is her original mask.
“MOTHERFUCKER.”
A side window open with the blinds waving in the wind. The sound of running footsteps.
“ROBBIE… I'M GONNA HAVE YOUR ASS YOU COWARD.”
~~~
The cold police station provides our backdrop, Emiko wrapped in a blanket provided by an officer who arrived on scene. Tapping her foot, waiting her turn.
“I thought I worked for a wrestling company, a company that cared about its fans, that pushed the idea of wrestling being the best sport on the planet. But look at what's going on, a full rebrand that nobody asked for. Two PPVs in a row where i haven't wrestled a real match. I won my title in a go kart not in a pinfall and to be honest with you it kinda pisses me off, Brooke I don't wish my worst enemy to be in your position because im coming into this pissed off. OCW management seem to want to do everything they can to make holding this title as hard as possible, no top rope, taking away my magnum opus, my One Turn Kill. but also taking away your killing blow as well right Brooke? And it's a shame because that 630 is special, it's a move I trained for and could never pull off. So I went for something… better, I can pull the OTK off from the middle rope… but I'm scared that if you try yours… you'll end up beating yourself."
An officer walks over to Emiko, chats her up for a second before she stands up and begins to move towards a side room.
“I’ve earned the respect of the people, I'm more than just Easton’s protege now I'm a world recognised champion, i'm an ass kicker and i don't think that's a stretch to say. But i haven't proved myself as champion, people keep saying that Crash was out of it his heart wasn't in wrestling anymore… that's okay, keep moving the goalposts it only makes you look more petty, thy never want to see a young girl\in power but look at us Brooke, at the top of our sport damn near. Girls run this fucking place, but I run this division.”
The cop sits Emiko down in an interrogation room, taking her blanket and replacing it with a new one.
“I like daytime Tv, I mean who doesn't. But when the wheels are actively trying to fuck US… not just me Brooke US over, its disappointing. We are so talented, and unlike your good buddy Synn we worked hard for our spots, in this company you're new, in a spot I've personally been in. I can help you through this but first I gotta even you out. Let me put a scale on the table. You're a great wrestler… but I'm better, you love to fly high, but I can fly higher. I'll out work you and out cute you. It's just what I do. If this was a beauty contest you might just have me beat, but I'm untouchable in between the ropes. And that's either something you'll learn now… or you'll figure it out mid ass beating. Either works for me."
~~~
The door opens as a tall male officer steps in. this steel chamber bounces voices off every wall.
“Miss Kikuchi, I'm Officer Dolan… how are you feeling?”
“Violated… scared.”
“This Robbie… he was a friend?”
“You could say that, I used to street fight for cash, up until last year. he was like my manager... Before I got my break in… my new career.”
He jots down some notes.
“Okay, so what's gonna happen is we are gonna stake out your place for the next couple nights, do you have somewhere else you can stay, or are you travelling to burbank early.”
“I… never said anything about burbank.”
The officers face turns beet red, he attempts to hide behind his notes but their too small.
“Sorry im… im a fan.”
Emiko chuckles.
“Yeah, I'll probably leave early, book a hotel for a couple days.”
“Alright… ill let you go, and book luck Moonlight… my kids hope you win.”
“Tell your kids i said “The dream lives on with them””
He nods and opens the door for me as I walk out with my bag, the reminder on my phone warning me about my flight, leaving in an hour. And a text from Robbie, sharing his location.
Emiko walks off into Toronto's nightlife. But where will she go?