I've got a feeling (Arisa Hoshiki)

[Utami]

The Allstate Arena in Chicago. A camera crew is running pre-show tests to ensure their equipment is working properly. It’s a big night with the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments kicking off in grand style. No fans are in the seats just yet, but the entrance tron shows a looping video hyping up the matches to come in the evening. Nothing out of the ordinary, at least not until the camera suddenly catches a familiar woman wearing track pants, an oversized EBWF hoodie and a baseball cap. The moment she turns her head to give the cameraman the evil eye it’s clear this is Arisa Hoshiki.

When she was last seen on EBWF programming it was at the side of Sakisama. Then she’d been elegantly dressed in a ballgown with dramatic makeup. While she hadn’t seemed happy with the arrangement she’d soldiered through to keep her promise to join NEO Biishiki-gun. Now she looks like an entirely different person all together.

Arisa Hoshiki: “What? Can’t a girl do her job in peace? You’re pretty nosy, you know that?

She returns to tightening the bottom rope, as if she’s part of the regular ring crew. When the camera doesn’t turn away she rolls her eyes and slowly turns to face the viewer again. With a sigh she pulls the cap off, revealing unkempt hair and a distant look to her eyes.

Arisa Hoshiki: “There, happy? Satisfied that you’ve finally solved the mystery of where Arisa Hoshiki’s been for the past few weeks? How’s it feel knowing that you’ve found a ghost? Did you even notice that I was missing? Whatever.”

Arisa shakes her head and lets out a heavy sigh.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Since you’re here, might as well get some things off my chest. You know a year ago I was in the best shape of my career. After making a miraculous comeback to the ring and then finding myself again, I felt unstoppable. I thought that I finally had everything figured out. I spent the whole year proving that I can still go with the very best talent in the world. Last Survivor 2023. Queen of the Ring 2023. And finally EBWF Women’s Champion at Fanniversary. I survived the chase, reached the top and had a moment. But moments fade away faster than you can say ‘Shining Star’.”

She shrugs and makes an attempt to straighten up her hair.

Arisa Hoshiki: “But I’m a woman of my word. I promised I’d become Queen and I did. I said that I’d be the one to end Tam Nakano’s reign as champion, and I did. When I lost that championship to Sakisama, I did what I promised and joined NEO Biishiki-gun. Losing the belt felt like the end of the world. Like everything I worked my butt off for four years to achieve was a fraud. Maybe she was right, maybe I just didn’t have it anymore. So I stuck by her to see if she could fix me after I shattered.”

The Shining Star pauses to consider that possibility, but nothing seems to come to her.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Then when she lost the belt, she went back to France without me. Once again someone who said she cared about me just disappeared on me. It still hurts. It’s hard to make sense of things when you’ve seen your dreams ripped to shreds and then the person who gave you a hand up off the floor has other things to do. Being alone? It sucks. I don’t hate her. I don’t hate anything. That would require me to feel something. But even going back to my roots here, helping set up and tear down the set off camera. Nothing. Maybe nothing matters in life after all.”

She glances up at the ramp for a moment as the video shows a hype package for her Queen of the Ring tournament match.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Or that’s what I thought. I wasn’t even sure I’d be here tonight, knowing that the tournament which both made me and set me up for the big fall was happening. Then I saw who Mr. Ikeda put me up against and something inside me clicked. I heard that name and went ‘really?’

Arisa nods to the image of Jade Cargill on the tron.

Arisa Hoshiki: “Jade Cargill. Woman calls herself ‘That Bitch’ and carries herself like she’s god’s gift to professional wrestling. Talks a big game, has a great look, did well in a company based in Florida. Don’t get me wrong, she’s a hell of an athlete and she’s accomplished a lot in her young career! I’d be stupid if I said this was going to be an easy fight. But you know something?”

She stifles a slight chuckle.

Arisa Hoshiki: “No amount of hype and confidence can make up for the fact that in EBWF she’s done exactly nothing. I heard that crowd erupt when she showed up for Last Survivor. But after that it’s been crickets hasn’t it? What’s she done? Lost to Britt Baker. Lost to Becky Lynch. Lost to Io Shirai. I realized that Jade, for all her talk, can’t get it done against the best talent in the world. And if she thinks that I’ll be an easy out because I haven’t been in the ring for months, or that I’ve lost my passion? Or that one punch and I’ll just collapse because my body can’t keep up anymore?”

This time the chuckle escapes.

Arisa Hoshiki: “She’s dead wrong. My body may have a lot of mileage on it already, and I definitely don’t have the best track record of staying healthy. Hell, I’d even admit that fighting someone as physically imposing as her runs a serious risk of me not being able to walk out under my own power. But the idea of someone like her with that inflated ego who just assumes everything’s going to be handed to her like it was down in Jacksonville? Someone like that winning the same tournament I busted my butt to win last year against the best wrestlers in the world? Nah. I can’t let that happen.”

She leans back against the ring steps and smiles.
Arisa Hoshiki: “Congratulations Jade, you made me feel something again. I’m not going to let someone as entitled as you go any farther in the top tournament in women’s professional wrestling. When we stand across the ring from each other, I’m not backing down. Any match might end my career for good. I may never be able to reach the heights I was at last fall. But I can damn sure kick your head into the nosebleed section and get the 1-2-3. I’m one of the best in the world, and as long as I can still go? I’m not letting anything stop me.”