An immaculately pristine room adorned with a soft white couch and marble floor. Opaque gossamer curtains float in a light breeze behind the figure at the center of the room. Right in the middle of the heavenly scene is the EBWF Women’s Champion Tam Nakano stands with her back to the camera. Her celestial entrance robes flutter about her in that breeze as she remains eerily still for a few moments. Then, slowly, she turns around and stares curiously down the camera. Her left hand rises up and pulls her hood back, revealing the champion’s serenely smiling face. In the soft lighting from above, glitter sparkles on her cheeks.
She steps to the side and we see a single golden object sitting upon the couch, reflecting that same soft light. Her beautiful crown that she rebuilt herself to reclaim - the EBWF Women’s Championship. Tam gazes lovingly down at the title belt for a long moment. Finally she looks back up at the camera and her happy expression morphs into a much more serious one.
Tam Nakano: “It’s come down to this. The greatest challenge yet to my Twilight Dream. When I set out on my journey back to the top, I knew that if I actually became champion everyone would be aiming for me. It’s the nature of things when you’ve reached the top of the mountain. Everyone else wants to get to where you are, but there’s only room at the summit for one person. And in EBWF that means the best wrestlers in the world are all looking to take me out so they can take up that one spot on top. Winning the championship back used to be the biggest challenge I’d ever accomplished. Now holding onto it is even more of a challenge.”
She nods to the title.
Tam Nakano: “But that beautiful championship? It’s worth the endless hours of preparation, the agony of every single wrestler in the world giving me their best shot. Every battle I fight is painful and pushes me to the limit of my ability. I still keep fighting as hard as ever because this prize is the most important I’ve ever won. It’s proof of everything I’ve accomplished in my career and proof that I’m the best at what I do. Anyone who’s stepping up to me needs to be prepared for a war in that ring over this beautiful championship. Every time I step into a ring to defend it, I’m fighting with my heart and emotions. They drove me to reclaim the greatest prize in our sport; they drive me to fight passionately when faced with the greatest challenge yet to my reign.”
Tam takes a deep breath and glances at a spot just past the camera. She leans forward, reaching to that spot for something. A moment later she produces a single red rose, which she holds firmly in her left hand.
Tam Nakano: “A rose is such a pretty flower, but it’s become the symbol of someone I’ve grown to hate. I always try to find something good in people, but Utami Hayashishita’s made that impossible. We both arrived in EBWF around the same time last year, and since her first day here she’s been insufferable. But while I was chasing my dream, she was out to seriously hurt anyone who looked at her funny. Everything she did to Alexa, Mina, Becky and Liv? I can’t let that happen in EBWF. She’s a danger to everyone in this company and that’s why I challenged her a few months ago. I wanted her to be my first challenger so I could put an end to her reign of terror and make her pay for every evil she’s committed in EBWF. But I found something out about Utami: she’s a coward. Whatever she was before, that’s what she’s become here. That’s why Arisa came out in her place and gave me the fight of a lifetime. That’s why she used Mina to draw me out and ambush me. And that’s why I have to destroy her in front of the world.”
Tam stares down at the rose, then she drops it to the floor.
Tam Nakano: “Utami, you said that not being able to beat me was what drove you to this point. You told the whole world that it’s Tam’s fault you’ve been out to cripple every opponent. The only thing you’ve shown is that you can’t take responsibility for yourself. If you can’t beat me, then why haven’t you tried to keep improving so that one day you could? Why did you decide to go out of your way to hurt anyone who shared the same space with you? If you thought you could intimidate me, you’re wrong. I see all the destruction and pain you’ve caused and come to one conclusion: you have to be stopped, once and for all. With the greatest prize in wrestling on the line and the world watching, that’s exactly what I’m going to do”
She glares down at the flower remorselessly.
Tam Nakano: “It’s been five years since you beat me, and that streak’s going to continue. Because while you became a vicious coward, I’ve only gotten stronger with every passing year. You might’ve been a nearly invincible world champion back home, but the woman you are today isn’t the same. When we fight, the memory of every little thing you’ve done to the other women in this division will be playing on repeat in my mind. That anger and fury is going to burn hot as I come at you with everything that I have. No matter how many people you have attack me or what weapons you use to weaken me, I’m going to keep rising from the ashes to tear away at your self proclaimed invincibility. The Crimson Queen will die. I’ve made that promise to myself, and I’m making it to the entire world now. I will end Utami Hayashishita as she exists now. I will break her so fundamentally and completely that she has no choice but to change if she wants to rebuild herself. There’s nothing to salvage right now. And as strong as your desire to destroy me is, my determination to stop you is that much greater. So the power of my emotions will drive my vengeance against her, and my Twilight Dream will erase her destiny. This is the end for your plans of conquest, Utami, and when you’ve been beaten and humiliated in front of the world, you’ll know you brought it on yourself. Tam Nakano will not lose to someone she hates. This crown, this beautiful championship, is going to stay right where it is.”
She stomps on the rose forcefully, then looks out the window. A single light can just be made out through the curtains, twinkling in a distant twilight. Tam reaches out as if to grab it in her hand, then sighs and looks back to the crown.
Tam Nakano: “I’m so happy to see the shining star back in the sky where she belongs. Arisa, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for helping me when the Crimson Queen tried to take me out of the picture. You’re still my friend, and words can’t describe how happy I am to see you smiling again. And you should be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Not just returning to wrestling, but doing what so few women have done and going the distance at Last Survivor to earn your shot at the EBWF Women’s Championship. If anyone here understands what it took for me to rebuild myself and reclaim this beautiful championship, it’s you. That and our friendship make you the toughest challenger I’ve ever faced.”
She nods slowly in confirmation of that fact, then motions towards that shining star.
Tam Nakano: “I got a taste of what you can do back at Christmas Eve of Destruction, and I know how hard you’ve worked to improve on that performance. Fighting you again is going to be insanely difficult, because you’re focused on proving yourself. Redeeming yourself after falling under Utami’s spell and showing the world that you’re better than that. I know how much you want to become a champion again, and how intensely you’re going to fight me to make that happen. You’re definitely a scary opponent, so I’ve been pushing myself to get better too. Everything I did well in that match I’ve improved on, and I’ve analyzed every mistake I made down to the finest detail. To beat you at Fallout I’ll have to fight a perfect match, so that’s what I’ve spent every waking hour doing. After all, you’re giving me your best, so I don’t have any other choice.”
She reaches down and lifts the title off the couch.
Tam Nakano: “I know the hunger of wanting to reclaim the glory of a championship. I know how far a woman in that position pushes herself to achieve her dream. And knowing you, I know this is going to be the hardest defense I’ve ever had of any title. Even more of a challenge than beating the Dark Star two months ago. But as good as you are, as close as we are, I’m sure you know how hard I’m going to fight to stay champion. Every time you kick me, I’m going to shake off the impact and kick you back. Every time you go for a big move, I’ll be there with one of my own. I want to show you the full power of the Twilight Dream, the strength of my beating heart. You’ve made yourself into a weapon, you’ve rediscovered your heart, but can you stop my heart from beating? Go ahead and do your best, but I promise you right now it’s not going to be enough. Try to prove me wrong - I want to see the beauty of Arisa fighting at her most passionate and honest!”
Tam sets the belt on her right shoulder as she continues.
Tam Nakano: “But it’s more than my determination to stop the evil queen or surpass the power of my best friend. You see, it feels like every title I’ve held has some element of curse to it. They’ve brought out the more unpleasant emotions in me, seen me endure things that still haunt me even now. The first time I held this beautiful championship, I entered the big show in March with it around my waist. I walked into that arena to face two incredibly talented and dangerous opponents and couldn’t get the job done. A triple threat at a PPV in March with the greatest prize in wrestling on the line, and I failed. I failed spectacularly and was beaten by both of my opponents at the same time. I still remember that even now, and even with successful defenses this time I question if I can be better than that. Can I really stay champion in the face of two incredibly dangerous and skilled women who want to end my dream on the grandest stage?”
She sighs as she adds another factor.
Tam Nakano: “Even though I’ve beaten Arisa and Alexa Bliss so far, I still question if I’m good enough to stay champion. Could I have beaten Arisa without Utami trying to get involved? Would I still be the champion if that slimeball hadn’t stabbed Alexa in the back? I’m sure that I would be, but there’s still that doubt in my head when I think about this defense. Is history just going to repeat itself, and if it does am I no better than I was before? So this match is the most important one of my career so far. I need to prove to myself and the world that I’m the EBWF Women’s Champion for a reason. Beating both Utami and Arisa tonight will finally kill those doubts, those fears that still haunt me. So I will keep fighting until I can no longer breath in order to keep this beautiful championship. I’m not the same woman who failed to keep her title in March, and I’m going to keep making history as I keep making magic happen. Utami and Arisa, there’s nothing more dangerous than a woman who’s stared her past in the eyes and dedicated herself to bettering every part of her being. At Fallout both of you are going to see just how powerful my convictions and emotions make me.”
She gives the title a loving pat.
Tam Nakano: “Even when faced with a ruthless villain and my best friend, I can’t fail. This is a war of passion, and no one fights with more passion than Tam. At the final bell, it’s the Twilight Dream that continues.”