Maika: Doing What's Necessary

[Utami]

She stares at the velvet fabric draped before her and frowns. Such opulence for such a broken, self important monster. To think there was an entire hallway adorned with this fabric at one point! The Crimson Queen had insisted that the path to her throne be lined with the color of blood, intending it to be the blood of her enemies. Instead she'd bled her own allies dry, then shattered the moment she couldn't seize the crown she kept on insisting was hers. Maika scoffs at the memory of hope the Crimson Queen filled her with once. Promises that she'd get to be at Himeka's side as much as she wished, that things would be better and she'd personally convince Himeka to change her mind about retirement. A bright future for MaiHime, if only Maika did as Utami asked. All lies.

Maika: "HImeka's gone. Utami's become the handmaid to a witch. All that's left is this."

It's not simply the velvet from the Crimson Queen's throne room. Try as she might to leave it all behind, this one idea of Utami's is one Maika can't put to rest just yet. She stares at the picture of the Venus smiling back at her, head no doubt filled with thoughts of sexy nonsense when she the photo was snapped. Her problems with Mina Shirakawa are minor by comparison, but the result had been undeniable dominance all the same. Mina had tried to play the vigilante out to ruin the world Maika had hoped to create with Himeka. Illusory or not, it didn't matter. After the fact it'd been clear Mina was right about Queen's Court, but she hadn't lifted a finger to help the last victims to fall under the Crimson Queen's spell. Selfish to the end. She recalls Mina needing to be helped to the back after their match and sighs. As much as she dislikes the Venus' motivations, Maika didn't mean to hurt her. That's not her style. Even the opponents she looks down on should be able to continue fighting and come back to challenge her again. Except Utami of course. This picture is the first stitch in a tapestry of conquest which will remind Maika of the cost of her ascension.

Maika: "I'm sorry, Shirakawa. Come back to the ring and fight me again."

She then strikes through the image once, twice, with a red marker. One down. How many more faces will be added before she's finally gotten what she desires? How many women will get in the way of her righteous revenge against the fallen queen? No, more than that. In the way of her becoming an Empress who Himeka would be proud of. This tournament will crown one woman as the year's true monarch, and she'll be damned if she lets that be anyone but her. Himeka always joked that she looked regal, so why not finally make that a reality? There'll be time later to make up for the pain she inflicts to get there. If she can wear the crown while standing over the broken body of that devil Utami, it will be worth it. But for tonight the answer is simple. How many more? At least two. Maika nods with conviction and turns from the fabric, powerful legs carrying her out the door. There's work to do.

**********

At first the black screen is filled with red kanji for 'pain'.

Maika: "I warned you. I told you what happens when you get in my way."

We then see Maika running over Mina Shirakawa with a big boot. Then Maika hurling Mina over the top rope with a powerbomb.

Maika: "There's going to be unintended consequences. People might get hurt. But I can't stop."

A clip of Maika hitting the JP Coaster, then the Sakura on Mina plays, followed by another black screen with the kanji for 'one'. We then see black and white footage of Maika at the gym, bench pressing a great deal of weight as her face strains from the effort.

Maika: "I won't stop. Not until I get what I want."

Next a clip of Maika doing pull ups, her muscular biceps bulging as she effortlessly lifts herself up again and again. Then we see her sitting on a gym bench, wearing shorts and a t-shirt bearing Himeka's image. She stares down the camera with determination.

Maika: "Utami's out of reach for now, but her time's coming. And I've got other goals too. Himeka.. she was my princess, my world. She'd tell me that I could be a princess too - does that mean I could be worthy to be by her side? Now that she's gone from here, I want to be more. I want a crown so bright that she can't help but notice it. Being a princess isn't enough for me - I need to get a crown that proves without a doubt I'm the strongest woman in professional wrestling. Not just a queen, but an empress who takes the throne after conquering every powerful challenger who steps in her way."

Maika is seen doing one armed pushups, sweat drenching her brow.

Maika: "So that's exactly what I'm going to do. One woman stepped up, one woman got knocked down. Who's next?"

We see Maika running down a beach in full sweats, eyes steely with determination. Then the scene jumps and we see that same determination in Maika's eyes as she gazes at the camera from the bench.

Maika: "Liv Morgan? Okay, sure. Let me be clear, I don't hate Liv. We were on opposite sides of a war at one point, but I never really had strong feelings about her. She was just the person who was on the wrong side, and I did what I was asked. I regret how much excess we did to hurt people but that's the past. Now? Now it's not about Queen's Court and Liv N Bliss. It's about the Harley Quinn of EBWF and Maika. And I know how much this all must mean to Liv. She gets to get her hands on one of the people who caused her and her friend a lot of pain. I know what that feels like. That desire to punish someone for hurting people you care about. So I know she's going to pull out all of the craziest ideas she has to try and stop my rise to the top. I'd be stupid if I thought she wouldn't. She's a former champion here, so she can back it up too. And when she sees me she sees someone she has to destroy with every ounce of power she's got. But you know what? I still don't have any strong feelings about her."

Maika shrugs.

Maika: "Former champion, former enemy. But that's all just part of the job. What's she done to stand out on her own lately? I can't think of a single thing no matter how hard I try, and I think that says a lot. Ever since I got here, all I've seen from Liv is that she's Alexa's friend. The sidekick. Maybe she's a Harley Quinn, but she's the Harley Quinn to Alexa's Joker then. Does that make you mad, Liv? Good. Bring that anger, bring the strength that made you a champion and come try to stop me from advancing. I'm sure you're convinced that I'll try to hurt you like Mina got hurt. Telling you that wasn't on purpose or that I feel bad about it won't change your opinion. So I'll just show you my power when we fight and cut right through you like a katana through bamboo. Because you're in the way, and I need to get to Utami and that crown. Get a slurpee after the match, something cold will help keep the swelling down after I finish with you."

Then we see a montage of Maika practicing her strikes, each one landing with sickening impact. A moment later we're back to Maika on the bench.

Maika: "And then there's Britt Baker. I'm not going to call you by your title. You always force everyone in the entire arena to say it, but you won't get those three letters out of me. You're someone who's been the big star over here for a long time, and you've already done almost everything haven't you? Or at least you think you have. Like Liv I know that you're no pushover and I'm not stupid enough to think you'll just be a pushover. The fact that you were champion for most of 2022 shows how strong you are when you're focused, and I'm excited that I get to see that Britt Baker in the ring. You're going to push me to my limits, sure, but will that be enough? Or do you just believe that you're such a superstar that you're going to step into my ring and push me out of it with your star power? That's what you like to do, isn't it? Maybe Hoshiki was right about you - you seem to want that spotlight on you and you alone. It's gotta be yours, no matter what. Maybe you can push other women around like that, but no amount of success or talent's going to get that result with me. And you're going to find out I push back."

She smirks as makes that promise.

Maika: "When Last Survivor came around I saw the superstar ex-champ fail to make the final four. Why's that? Aren't you the woman who deserves the top spot more than anyone? Now that we're coming into summer, you're going to be burning with the desire to win the tournament and go on to get your rematch with the champ. You wanted your rematch months ago, but Utami ruined that just like she ruined everything else she touched here. This tournament's going to see the very best you can dish out, because you're out to claim what's yours right? Guess what, it doesn't always work out the way you want. And you're not the only one who's out to claim something they know belongs to them. I can't get what I want unless I get past you, so the Doctor Is In.. for a world of hurt. You've never fought someone with the power I bring to a match, and I'm going to use every last bit of it to crush this illusion that you're better than everyone else. You can shove yourself into a spotlight and your hand into everyone else's mouths all you want. Try that with me and maybe I'll bite down on those fingers and make you bleed. Show me the woman who dominated her way to the title, and it won't be enough to overcome the strength of Maika. I'm out to make myself an Empress, you're a dentist. And in this tournament, which of us should wear a crown?"

That smirk becomes a grin as Maika stands up.

Maika: "I've got my answer. And I do admire how much work you put into making yourself a big name, how many countless hours you put into becoming not only a professional wrestler but also a licensed dentist. How you got yourself that golden ticket to Jacksonville, paid off that opportunity and then came here to add more gold to your trophy case. You're a self made woman, but so am I. And I don't need my foot in two worlds to get what I want. Tonight you're getting a taste of Maika Style. And at the end of this, you're going to find out what I already know. The only crown Britt Baker deserves is the kind she puts on her patients' broken teeth."

Maika flexes her muscles, then the smirk becomes a smile.

Maika: "Liv, Britt, it's nothing personal. But you're in the way of what I need. So I'm going to do what I need to do."