Hair matted and tangled, shivering in the early morning chill, Setsuna Kojima sits atop the Izanami Dojo roof with her legs pulled up to her chest. Her body’s just as much a mess, aching all over from the intensive Kojima-style training she’s forced herself through recently. It’s done nothing to distract her from the empty void in her heart. Though the sun’s yet to rise, her distraught face is illuminated by her phone - one message in particular:
2023.09.29: KOJIMA - CALL ENDED - 10:05
She tugs at the Power Rise jacket draped over her shoulders as she plays the conversation over in her head for the thousandth time. For a moment her thumb hovers over the ‘call’ button before stopping herself.
SETSUNA: <N-No, she’s gone.>
Her eyes drift to the contact image - the hulking form of Bison leaning forward to squeeze into an awkward selfie with her. Another round of shivers shakes her.
SETSUNA: <Kojima-san.. >
She sighs heavily as her head cranes up to take in the city before her - it feels emptier than ever before.
SETSUNA: <I promised you I’d become champion, but you’re not here to tell me about mama.>
Suddenly her phone buzzes and she scrambles to check the notification from Twitter. ‘#Liberty Dare’ is apparently trending.
SETSUNA: <She’s a much greater challenge than I expected, and she’s willing to pull dirty tricks to ruin my dreams. But I have to beat her! Even if Kojima-san won’t be here to see it, I made a promise.>
Suddenly the door behind her swings open. An unexpected voice calls out from behind, distraught as her own.
RUNA: <Setsuna-chan? What’re you doing up here?>
Setuna’s head quickly snaps to the side and she finds herself eye to eye with Runa. A month ago Setsuna would’ve just brushed her off. After keeping all of this to herself, Setsuna has no desire to self-impose further isolation. A couple joints pop and her body screams at her with every movement as she takes Takara’s extended hand and stands back up.
SETSUNA: <I couldn’t be around the others. They wouldn’t understand.>
Setsuna starts to turn away to hide the pain written on her face, but Runa refuses to release her hand.
RUNA: <About Kojima-san?>
Setsuna’s head feels extra heavy as she nods.
SETSUNA: <Yes. One moment we were speaking happily, the next she’s gone forever..>
She sighs heavily and eyes the door to the dojo.
RUNA: <Do you need to take time off? It shouldn’t be a problem->
Setsuna responds with a sharp frown and fiery glare.
SETSUNA: <No. There’s too much work to do! I have to keep my promises to mama and Kojima-san. I-I want to make them proud of me. I just don’t know if I can do it alone.>
RUNA: <Setsuna-chan, you have a good heart. You’re passionate about this in a way very few trainees are. We’ve all seen how gifted you are. There’s no doubt in my mind that Mizumori-san and Kojima-san would be proud of you. You’re not alone, either - I’ll help you prepare.>
Setsuna’s eyes drift to the door again before the meaning of the words hit her.
SETSUNA: <You’d do that for me? Even after I’ve pushed everyone away?>
She scoffs at the thought of her past behavior. Another tug of the wrist forces her to turn around, putting her face to face with the soft smile of her trainer.
RUNA: <Even then. All I ask is that you do your best to learn with the other girls instead of apart from them..>
For the first time in a while, Setsuna’s lips turn up into something close to a true smile.
SETSUNA: <I will try. May I ask you one more favor?>
The trainer gently releases her hand, an eyebrow raised at the query.
RUNA: <Of course.>
Without any further explanation Setsuna hands her phone to Runa.
It opens on Setsuna standing next to the IZANAMI ring in full ring gear. Her posture is tense and her gaze focused.
SETSUNA: <One month ago, Liberty-san asked me if I deserved to be here. She questioned if my dreams were as strong as hers. When we fought, did she find the answers she sought?>
She holds a hand up to her head, the same spot where Liberty hit her with the Fist Amendment.
SETSUNA: <I know that she answered mine about her. When the bell rang, she immediately showed the world the truth of her character. Once she deserved the place she now holds, but now? Now she spits in my face when I show her the power of my dreams. Now she needs to fight dirty to keep a hold of that place. Liberty-san, you don’t deserve to remain where you are. The whole world’s seen the real you.>
Setsuna stares intensely down the camera before she continues.
SETSUNA: <That’s reality. You’re very talented and very clever, so I will be on my guard for your tricks this time. That loss hurts way deeper and more intensely than you can imagine. It hurts even more that you’ve taken the top prize for the future of puroresu and protect your grip on it by cheating to crush others’ dreams. I can’t allow you to continue doing that. And the only way to protect all the dreams of IZANAMI and to heal that pain is for me to keep the promises I’ve made.>
Setsuna taps two new straps on her left arm, one gold, one blue.
SETSUNA: <Each of these belonged to the women who made me. As a Mizumori and a Kojima, I know I deserve to be in the main event. And now I will prove I deserve to be champion. Thanks to Linda-san, Liberty-san will not be able to cheat her way to victory. Liberty-san, please understand this: no pain is too great, no amount of dishonorable tricks will be enough to stop me. I will free the future of puroresu and honor Kojima-san’s memory by becoming the Pride of Izanami. And that’s a promise.>