She sits in a folding director’s chair, staring at the visage of a woman straight out of the history books. Long black hair with regal bangs, a multi layered noble kimono and intricate makeup all grace the woman’s appearance. Bright artificial lights shine down upon her, exposing every minute detail of her anachronistic look. Before her on a soft toned wooden counter rest the myriad tools used to bring Lady Noh, wife of 16th century warlord Oda Nobunaga, to life; a case of stage makeup, a cloth wig stand, various brushes and other odds and ends. There is no one else in the small room, her only company being a rack of elaborate historical costumes and a wall mounted fan that clacks a bit too noisily for her liking. Clearly their whole budget must have gone into the sets and costumes, maybe a couple of the actors.
Lady Noh’s regal visage remains serene and calm for a brief moment, then she frowns rather dramatically. The actress portraying her has been filming things for two months now and the costumes just seem to keep getting heavier. As they near the conclusion of filming, she’s really dreading having to spend several hours in this ostentatious getup. Much as she adores this period of history, a woman can only take so much. Act Yasukawa chose this life, of course, so that frustration is mostly self inflicted. Still, Act does kind of wish something would change. Anything. At the very least, she wants something unexpected to happen just to liven up the monotony of waiting for the last layer of her costume to arrive. Special tailoring her butt! Probably just misplaced somewhere.
Act: <”Yup, just gonna sit here for another half hour while they dig around… fun.”>
She wonders idly if maybe she should just tell the director another similar costume piece would suffice. Just in the interest of moving things along a tiny bit. Act’s mind continues to wander as she starts scanning the room for anything to amuse herself. Her phone is nearby but.. that feels too easy. While she begins to ponder practicing the kendo strikes she learned as a kid, something unexpected does happen. Solid and repeated thunks as someone knocks on her dressing room door. Figuring it to just be one of the crew members with her missing costume piece, Act slides off the chair and shuffles over to the door. Her costume rustles a bit noisily as she grabs the handle and opens it to find a woman in a suit. A very familiar person.
Kairi: <”ACT-san, it’s been a while.”>
Act wastes no time in throwing her arms around her friend, her costume a cacophony of rustling cloth. A few years on from their time together in Stardom, but unquestionably her friend. After holding Kairi close, as if she might disappear otherwise, ACT ponders the situation. Kairi’s stiff gray suit makes her look like a producer rather than a former Joshi ace. It’s enough to make ACT snicker, though true to character she hides her mouth behind her copious sleeve. This gives her a moment to consider what Kairi is doing here - that suit suggests a more formal reason than just visiting. Both of them have been away from battle for years. Last ACT heard Kairi was opening a gym. Despite her best efforts this is a nut she can’t crack with so little information. So she lowers her sleeve and smiles at her well dressed friend.
ACT: <”It has! Come in Kairi-san, take a load off.”>
The actress returns to her seat, not quite falling into it with even more rustling of the costume. A mildly annoyed look crosses her face as she sits there waiting for Kari to provide more context. For just a moment, she remembers when both of them were warriors of the ring. Both of them threw everything they had at whoever they battled. Since moving on from that life, ACT found happiness for a while. But a samurai never completely left the battlefield; the rush of battle still calls to her from time to time. It’s gotten stronger lately. Even now, with her friend sitting there with her, ACT’s mind drifts to the ring. Her few tastes of it in the last year or so just serve to fuel her own speculation - maybe she still has it in her. Maybe the warrior is stirring within. ACT’s thoughts are interrupted by Kairi’s response.
Kairi: <”So.. You look well.”>
Act nods.
Act: <”You too - I’m glad you got that gym running! But what brings you here today?”>
Kairi: <”Well, I was contacted by Stoneworth Investors the other day. They asked if I wanted to come back to the ring, but.. I’m not quite ready for that yet. Then they asked if I knew anyone else who might be interested-”>
ACT: <”Look Kairi-san, I’ve got dinner plans with the Demon King shortly. So just spit it out - what are you saying?”>
Despite her curt words, there’s an aura about ACT that shows a rising interest.
Kairi: <”I’m saying - wait, do you mean Oda Nobunaga?!”>
ACT shrugs dismissively.
ACT: <”Yeah, what about it?”>
Kairi carries on.
Kairi: <”Nothing. Anyway, they’re the new owners of WLCW, you know. And I immediately thought of you, I can tell you’re hungry for another chance.”>
ACT shifts in her seat, looking over at the period costumes to avoid eye contact.
Act: <”I don’t know what you’re talking about.”>
Kairi produces a fine leather folder from her shoulder bag and offers it to ACT. ACT takes it and peers at the contents as Kairi explains.
Kairi: <”That’s their offer sheet - I think you need it more than me.”>
Act eyes the piece of paper closely. This must be a joke. Then she notices another detail and she looks back to Kairi.
ACT: <”All those 0s for me?!”>
Kairi smiles and nods.
Kairi: <”I talked you up to them. They think you can elevate the women’s division greatly.”>
ACT looks away a bit nervously.
ACT: <”That’s nice and all, but I’ve been out of action for 6 years.”>
Kairi’s smile widens.
Kairi: <”Even though you’ve been away, I can see how much you love wrestling. You deserve a second chance at this.”>
The samurai looks up and scoffs.
ACT: <”Not like Joshi do well over there.. I’d be the only one.”>
This makes Kairi laugh, which finally draws ACT’s gaze back to her. What’s so funny about that? It was true. The odds were against Joshi getting a shot in an American company.
Kairi: <”ACT-san, the first three women they signed were Joshi! Including Watanabe-san. Kagetsu-san’s also over there as a manager. You’ll do well, and I can see how much you want this by the way you look right now.”>
ACT sighs and gazed over to a prop katana leaning against the wall. Her friend’s right - ACT hungers for another chance to prove herself in battle. To fight with the world looking on? That was very, very tempting.
ACT: <”Maybe I do want it, but if I do this, it’s my way. I don’t wanna show up and be told I’m gonna be some schoolgirl with a magic amulet.”>
Kairi: <”Not a concern, I’m sure you’ll have full say.”>
ACT flashes a grin
ACT: <”Even bringing sake with me to the ring?”>
Kairi smirks.
Kairi: <”Okay, maybe not that. At least not all the time.”>
ACT laughs as well, but her mind drifts back to those feelings. The lingering thoughts that she can still do this. Even though she’s taken to civilian life, in the end she’s a warrior at heart and now the war drums are sounding again. She’s heard of the conglomeration of all wrestling into one entity, this WLCW Kairi speaks of. Maybe the greatest battlefield the world of pro wrestling has ever seen! All of the world’s best under one umbrella. Such a battlefield held both incredible risk and incredible rewards for the victors. Really she only had a couple of years to be the fighter she dreamed of being as a child. Things have gotten better, though, and she’s been able to fight again. This, though, is not her world - she’s not the evil mastermind of the most powerful faction any longer.
Just a single samurai who’s tried her best to leave that world behind. Now she wants nothing more than to don the armor once again and ride out to meet new enemies. Such a woman can seize the world’s attention and create a lasting legacy that would’ve been impossible working exclusively in Japan. Does she really have that much here that she can’t do that? ACT ponders it, her eyes drifting around the room as she tries to find any reason not to go to battle once again. They quickly settle on the katana again, and she knows what she has to do.
Act: <”Last question.. Where do I sign?”>
