Rumors of Our Death Were Exaggerated (OT)

[Utami]

There’s no rolling back of match footage to remind the world of recent events. No deep cuts to expose the opposition’s dirty little secrets, nor dramatic teasers of oncoming darkness. Just an empty room with furniture strewn about as if a pocket sized hurricane passed through a few minutes before. As the camera sweeps over the wreckage, the remnants of the Final Boss’ once dominant domain can be seen. Several bats wrapped in barbed wire dot the floor. A white cloak with shimmering purple and gold trim hangs over the back of a dimly lit golden throne. Upon that throne sits a black placard with the kanji for ‘OEDO TAI’ painted on it, the light just catching a dent at its center where it once slammed into an opponent’s head.

Himeka: No matter how you look at it, this ‘family’ Tam created’s been shot all to hell. Seems like just yesterday that I was powerboming Rebellious Angles through tables before we laughed our way to the bank. Boos coming down in a deafening typhoon of hate for how powerful we’d become and now?

Himeka spins around from behind Tam’s Queen of the Ring throne, placing a hand on its back.

Himeka: Now it’s quiet. Too quiet. And I have to wonder if everything I risked to join the ‘winning team’ is worthless now. Is there even enough left of Oedo Tai to save if it was even worth it?

This gets a laugh from behind the throne. At first we see a single extremely well manicured hand grasping the throne near Himeka, and then Mina emerges with a sultry swing of the hips.

Mina Shirakawa: Really? After everything we’ve done, are you really ready to let it all go away?

Himeka shoots her a dirty look, to which Mina offers a knowing smile.

Mina Shirakawa: Okay, I get it. When you look at things from back here - back in the shadow of the Final Boss - they’re pretty damn bleak. One setback and it’s like everyone just feels the need to abandon ship after setting it on fire. The moment the ref counted ten at State of Emergency, Jamie and Rhea turned their backs on the main reason they still had jobs. Now they’re off doing.. Whatever..

Himeka: Playing with Liv Morgan again.

Mina waves dismissively.

Mina: Let them. We’ve got bigger problems than the Daughters of Dom.. Destruction.. Whatever they call themselves now.

She and Himeka both glance down at the empty throne thoughtfully.

Himeka: I can’t believe Tam just walked away.

Mina: Hey, she did what she said she would. Whether or not that’s a good thing for us is another thing entirely. The point is that after dominating EBWF for two and a half years, the Final Boss isn’t here anymore and now everyone expects Oedo Tai to just collapse into a pile of dust and glitter. As if the only thing keeping us together and making us dangerous was Tam. Now let me ask you this, Himeka, is that who we are? Tam Nakano’s little minions who are just going to scatter off into other, highly profitable, opportunities outside of this company?

Himeka frowns, but takes a moment to glance over her shoulder in contemplation.

Himeka: It would be pretty easy to just give up on Oedo Tai and fly back to Japan with Maika.

Mina blinks in surprise as she strides forward.

Mina: So the two of you made up?

Himeka pulls her hand away and grins.

Himeka: I decided that being ordered around by a woman pushing 40 who acts like a teenage idol wasn’t what I wanted for my future. As much as I owe Tam for giving me the chance to make my name in a global ring?

She shrugs in resignation.

Himeka: I don’t know, I guess it felt like no one saw me for me. And now with the ‘next big things’ like Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia getting the red carpet rolled out for them, that exit sign looks pretty tempting.

Mina sits down on the arm of the throne, glancing down at the seat for a moment before deciding against it.

Mina: Sure, of course it would. When you’re constantly being treated like you’re just some disposable muscle or sex appeal who won’t accomplish anything without your fearless leader, hopping the fence to that greener grass seems like the best idea. That’s what happens when you spend months and months just being the right hand women to someone who makes her family all about her. Even though we put our bodies on the line week after week and did everything she asked, do we get any respect for what we can do?

Himeka scoffs.

HImeka: Of course not. We work ourselves to the bone and fight to exhaustion against the woman who finally put an end to Tam’s run and all people expect is for us to get wrecked against the newcomers.

Mina nods, her hand drifting over to the Oedo Tai sign.

Mina: Right. Now we can either go out there looking good as we always do and then make them look good-

Her hand closes around the sign and she pulls it up.

Mina: Or we refuse to just roll over and die and remind the world of how damned good we are. Tam’s not here anymore, Himeka. That’s not a death sentence for Oedo Tai, that’s an opportunity! We’ve been fighting for each other for so long that we can read each other’s minds in the ring. Despite it feeling like a one woman show we did become a family, didn’t we? So my question for you is simple. Are you going home to be the Empress’ Jumbo Princess? Or are you going to join me in kick starting the revolution that is the new and improved Oedo Tai?

She holds the sign out with a smile. The Jumbo Princess only has eyes for the sign, which she gingerly takes into her hands.

Himeka: I didn’t let those basement trolls push me out of wrestling back home. There’s no way I’m going to just let Vaquer and Giulia use us as a stepping stone to whatever success they’re sure is inevitable. You’ve got my muscle, Mina - just one thing.

Mina kicks her feet up onto the seat of the throne.

Mina: What’s that?

Himeka sets the sign down next to the throne, her expression dead serious.

Himeka: We do this together. We are Oedo Tai, and we take care of each other.

Mina licks her lips.

Mina: Isn’t that what I was just saying? Together let’s show this so-called team of superstars who really runs this place. On paper they seem like they’re a formidable team - just look at how much gold they’ve held between them! But that all starts to crumble away when their massive egos start to get in the way. Both of them think they’re the biggest star in the business, and neither one can stand being outshone by the other. They’d rather fight each other than be on the same page against a team like us who are ‘dead to rights’.

She hops up from the throne and performs her deadly spinning fist.

Mina: They can both go to hell. Stephanie Vaquer tore things up in Mexico and she’s won a couple matches here in EBWF, and now she thinks that translates to guaranteed success. Girl doesn’t realize that when you step into the ring with as hot of a commodity as me, there’s a steep price for admission. A very steep one! Let’s see how high she can fly when I cut those legs out from under her. Ha! She’ll barely be able to stand and I still won’t stop until I snap La Primera’s knees apart and make her beg for the Venus’ mercy!

Himeka flexes her upper arms and smirks with some newfound confidence.

HImeka: Giulia.. She and I go back a while. Both of us came from the same simple beginnings, but she’s let her success go to her head. No matter how good she is, she always assumes she’s three times better than she actually is. I’m pretty sure she assumes the whole world revolves around her now! The reality that she achieved that success with the support of women from around the world doesn’t matter. It’s all about her. That makes me so sick I could puke! She’s come a long way since we last teamed up, but I owe her a few things. Think I’ll start with a free ride on the JP Coaster, straight through the ring and all the way back to Japan. Then maybe she’ll start to figure out that she got herself elevated to where she is now - and that those same people can knock her back down again.

Himeka’s smirk grows, and Mina pats her on the shoulder.

Mina: Speaking of owing people things? I think we need a visit to the dentist.

Himeka looks into Mina’s eyes and nods in silent understanding.

Himeka: And then, Oedo Tai shows La Primera and the Beautiful Madness what a real team looks like.

She holds her fist out, and Mina bumps it with her own as the feed goes dark.