The Great Floral Kingdom

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How a moth’s time can change the destiny of a young woman, let alone a kingdom.  Just a few weeks’ time has passed and the landscape of the realm has transformed dramatically.  Standing before the gates of the Great Floral Kingdom, its champion wonders at that.  There had been such promise for a great and prosperous future in which five realms united together against the looming darkness.  In the face of rampaging death and destruction, the land’s rulers had all stood together against the Shuko Army.  Queen Tatsumaki’s words had unified all against the dark fate their common enemy had in store for them.  It had been a wonder to behold!  Despite their differences of opinions all had stood together to fend off the horrid legion of shadows.  For a time it’d appeared that the destiny of the realm was to truly be a place of balance and honor as Queen Tatsumaki sought to make it.

 

Yuna: <”I will never let you wi- ugh!”>
 

All the air rushes out of the magical heroine’s lungs as a knee slams into it.  She falls to her knees, clutching her abused ribs as the piercing agony shoots through her body.  Tears roll down her cheeks as she struggles to rise back to her feet.  This is what those promises of peace have come to.  As soon as the Shuko forces had been forced back, all the realms had turned on one another.  The army of those born across the waves became all the more violent with their vicious counterparts beaten back.  Freed from the need to behave according to the Queen’s expectations, they’d assaulted every other power in the realm.  Warlord Kojima’s band had been utterly devastated by the onslaught, with only Kojima herself left standing.  Queen Endo’s realm had been dealt a blow both by the assaulting force’s underhanded tactics and by Yuna herself.  Yet the Black Tiger had fought well and honorably, which was more than she could say for those she stood against now.

 

Through tears of agony she glares up at the duo who’d made it their mission to break her before the gates of the Great Floral Kingdom.  Before her is the brutal bear warrior Anya, a woman who can tear mortals apart with her bare hands.  She gazes down at Yuna with indignant murderous intent, seemingly insulted at Yuna’s continued defiance of her raw power.  Fighting this foe would’ve been enough but she has another coming for her as well.   To her right is Crush’s greatest knight, Aria.  An extremely dangerous and determined fighter who’s turned to dishonorable means to achieve her latest victories.  A woman who glares down upon Yuna’s form as if she were some insect that deserves to be stamped out.  As soon as Yuna dares to make eye contact with her, Aria slams her shield into Yuna’s face with such impact that the magical heroine crashes to the ground.

 

Aria: “C’mon cunt, that the best you’ve got?”

 

Everything hurts.  After countless battles against warriors of the greatest powers of the land, her body is in an awful state.  A thousand kinds of pain shoot out from her back and ribs to the furthest corners of her person.  Her legs shake from the effort as she struggles to even get onto all fours.  Can they hold her up anymore?  Should she find the strength to get to her feet will she be able to stay there?  At this point there’s a tiny part of her mind that insists she should quit.  Give up.  Admit defeat to the seemingly insurmountable enemies who’re focused entirely on destroying her.  As she looks up from the paving stones beneath her, those thoughts vanish.  There stands the gate to the Great Floral Kingdom, adorned with dozens of different flowers which all bloom brilliantly in spite of the doom that looms just a few meters away.  

 

Behind that gate dwell all of her friends and allies.  All of them looking to her to find a way to defeat these nefarious foes and protect the Queen’s vision.  What will happen to them if Yuna doesn’t get up and fight on?  It’s certain that Anya the Bear and Aria the Knight will unleash this kind of brutality upon everyone within those walls.  Their vision is simply one of dominance.  Should she fail, all the people she cares about will suffer as she suffers.  Brutality will rule in place of love and justice.  She clutches her head in pain, feels something sticky.  Her hand moves before her and she sees red all over it.  Either the shield or the paving stone have cut her open.  Without seeing it she knows her face is covered in a crimson mask.  Behind her she can hear the two attackers laughing at her misfortune.  It’s then that her thoughts ring with a familiar voice that’s come to her in times of danger.

 

The Voice: <”That’s it?  You’re going to let them walk over you, hm?  Pathetic.”>

 

Yuna clutches her head as she struggles once again to get to her knees.

 

Yuna: <”It hurts so much - what can I do to them like this?”>

 

That voice laughs in response.

 

The Voice: <”Brutalize them as they’ve brutalized you.”>

 

Yuna: <”But-”>

 

It grows stern, authoritative.

 

The Voice: <”Do you want to protect this family of yours?”>

 

All of their faces flash before her.  Queen Tatsumaki, Lady Mizuki, Dame Vex, the Sisters Hixx, Novice Adventurer Hiromi, newly recruited heroes Kathryn of Nicholson and Mirai of the Mountain Field.  Each of them looking to her earnestly, their hopes for a better world pinned to her.  Yuna’s hands clench into fists and she screams through the pain to push herself back to all fours.  She has to fight!  Even if her body is falling to pieces, there are still things she can do.  Yet her legs buckle as she tries to stand once more.  The impact of her knees hitting the unforgiving ground below shoots daggers of pain up her legs.  Tears mix with blood as she desperately seeks to defy the damage done to her.

 

The Voice: <”Good.  It’s time.”>

 

Suddenly she feels something else.  An energy emerges around her, coalesces into crackling pink and black bolts of lighting forming into the shape of armor.  Suddenly the voice and her own thoughts are one and the same.  These vicious villains will not befoul her beloved home!  If they believe that brutality is the solution to their problems, she’ll have to make it a new problem for them.  Her pain remains, but it dulls and fades just slightly.  Enough that Yuna can plant one foot on the ground, then slowly rise up as her spine rolls back up ramrod straight.  These two truly thought they would win against the grand heroine of the realm?  A woman who could not be kept down no matter what hell they unleashed on her form?  Ha!  Such idiocy would be repaid in the manner which the two women are most accustomed. Her eyes meet those of Anya and Aria, full of spite and rage at their very presence.  As she speaks her voice is full of vitriol and fire.

 

Yuna: <”Which one of you bitches wants to die first?  I’m not stopping until you’re both bloody pulps on the ground begging for forgiveness.”>

 

Where did those words come from?  They aren’t the sort which Yuna normally utters even in the most desperate of times.  Yet it feels right.  This kingdom is under her protection, and she will destroy her foes if that’s what it takes to keep the land safe.  When she takes a step towards the two foreign born enemies, the ground crackles with energy beneath her.  Not only her new armor, but the very ground itself, is filled with that newfound source of power.  Just as she’s about to unleash her fury upon them, a third enemy appears.  Elegant, haughty and bearing the mark of the Black Dahlia upon her clothing.  So Captain Costanza has arrived as well?  So be it.  Those thoughts of devilish violence recede a bit but the defiance remains. 

 

Yuna: <”It doesn’t matter how many of you there are, I will not stop until I’ve beaten you all!  This special place won’t be tainted with your cruelty!”>

 

All three women glare at her and draw their weapons.  Yuna summons every last reserve of her magical power into her hands, forming it into balls of swirling force.  Her greatest battle has arrived and her body shakes with the exertion.  No matter the toll it takes on her, she must prove herself to be the greatest champion in the world.  Only that will protect the brilliant future the kingdom has within its grasp! As the enemies draw closer her body shakes more - no!  She can’t let herself fail now when victory is so close.  Another voice calls to her in this moment.

 

Mizuki: <”Yuna.  Yuna!”>

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May 7, 2023
Tokyo, Japan

 

Lady Mizuki?!  When did she leave her post? shaking continues and suddenly the scene of immediate battle fades.  That fantastical realm disappears as her eyes shoot open and her vision is filled instead by calm off white surroundings.  Rather than standing, she feels something soft beneath her - she’s laying down?!  It’s then that she feels something cold beneath her cheek, hard and firm.  When she focuses her eyes on it, she’s presented with purple leather and a solid sliver circle with the letters “MGP” inscribed on it.  Her arms are clutched tightly around it, as if even the slightest relaxation will allow it to fly away.  It’s then that she remembers herself - she’s not in a fantasy kingdom, but her own room. As she sits up her body aches from the effort, a reminder of the very real suffering she endured at Korakuen Hall.  Yet no matter what Anya, Black Tora, Haru or Aria did to her, the object she held tightly to her chest was proof of her accomplishments.  An interstellar dream realized.

Her arms constrict tighter around the belt as she grounds herself.  Maybe it won’t fly away, but she can’t simply drop it.  Not after everything she’s been through to finally arrive at this moment in time.  Yuna Saito is a champion - no, the champion.  Part of her wonders if that will also prove to be a dream if she lets go of the beautiful championship in her arms.  Is it just an illusion?  Another shake to her body reinforces that yes, this is in fact reality.  After a moment she realizes that the source of the shaking is a hand on her shoulder.  Quickly her eyes follow the hand up its arm and then meet the hand’s owner.  Mizuki Suzumi, her trainer and roommate, sits there wearing a look of concern upon her face.  

 

Mizuki: <”Yuna, are you okay?  You were tossing and turning like crazy just now.”>

 

Yuna shakes the vivid dream that she’s just woken from.  There’s work to do in the waking world.

 

Yuna: <”Huh?  Oh yes, I’m fine Suzumi-sensei.  What time is it?”>

 

Mizuki: <”9:30.”>

 

She’s slept in this late?!  Normally her training begins at 7:30 at the latest.  There’s so much she has to do!  Everyone’s counting on her to keep getting stronger, so she has to make up for this lost time.  Yet when she swings her legs over the side of the bed to the floor, she feels Mizuki’s arm firmly on her shoulder.

 

Yuna: <”Suzumi-sensei, I have to go!  My whole training regimen is off now!”>

 

Mizuki: <”It’s one day, Yuna.  I know how hard you worked before the Galaxy Princess Cup, but you’re still a bit beat up.”> 

 

Yuna: <”I can work through it.”>

 

Mizuki: <”And get yourself hurt so that you can’t be there to fight Black Dahlia Legacy?”>
 

Yuna sighs.

 

Yuna: <”I’ll find a way to keep going.”>
 

Mizuki: <”Yuna-”>

 

The Magic Princess pushes herself up from the bed, wincing in pain as the lingering injuries remind her of their presence.  While she’s healing for sure, it’s not something that just gets better overnight.  Past experience fighting Shuko MURDER-Gun has taught her that, as have dozens of beatings dished out over the course of her career.  In the past she’d just have let herself relax, take time to heal while working her day jobs.  Now?  Now she’s not just a hero, she’s the very emblem of everything that MGP is.  If she slows down, even for a moment, isn’t she failing her responsibilities as champion?  Sure it still hurts, but she has to get back to the grind!  One step, then another and - she almost pitches forward as Mizuki seizes her hand. 

 

Yuna: <”Suzumi-sensei, I’ll be fine!  You saw what I did out there.  If I can survive through that and become the first Interstellar Dream, I can make it through a workout with a few aches and pains.”>

 

Mizuki glares at her sternly.

 

Mizuki: <”Yuna, you dug deeper than anyone I’ve ever seen wrestle.  You went toe to toe with the most dangerous women in the world, took their very worst abuse, and kept on getting up.  I respect that, believe me.  And I agree, you’re ready to train again.  But I think we need to change some things up.”>

 

Yuna: <”Change things?  But the way I’ve been training is what helped me go the distance in the Galaxy Princess Cup!  Isn’t that good enough to continue on with?”>

 

Mizuki rises from her feet and sighs.

 

Mizuki: <”I don’t want to see you like that again.”>

 

That.  Instantly Yuna knows exactly what Mizuki’s talking about; it was the subject of rumors and conjecture all over the wrestling landscape.  Moments in her tournament matches where the Magic Princess grew more vicious and aggressive than anyone had ever seen.  Snippets of time Yuna can’t fully account for.  Even when she’d rewatched the matches, at most she had fuzzy memories of the moves she’d unleashed on her opponents.  As if she’d seen the matches before, but a very long time ago.  And still it was undeniably her in that ring unleashing hell upon her foes.  A name had been tied to the rumors - Devil Yuzuki - but that rings no bells for Yuna.  Not a single inkling of such an aspect of herself.  

 

Yuna: <”I - I still don’t understand what happened, Suzumi-sensei.  One moment I was on the ground hurting with the worst agony possible, then next Knight-san was demanding I finish her off.”>

 

Mizuki sighs and pats Yuna on the shoulder.

 

Mizuki: <”That’s why I don’t want to see you like that again.  Well, one of the reasons.”>

 

Yuna nods slowly.

 

Yuna: <”But how do I stop myself from doing that?”>

 

Mizuki smiles coyly.

 

Mizuki: <”Now that I do have ideas about.  You’re focused, you’re determined, you’re better than you’ve ever been for sure.  But to get yourself grounded in who you are so that doesn’t happen?  I think you need to work with the family you’ve made here.”>

 

Yuna: <”But haven’t I already been doing that?”>

 

She’s taken several opportunities to help out her GDF sisters, offering them some training tips and working on a few moves here and there.  Of course, preparation for the Galaxy Princess Cup had taken priority for her, so there’d been less joint effort than there otherwise would’ve been.  For such a monumental endeavor she’d dedicated her training to solo efforts, forging herself into the strongest wrestler she could be.  In that time a number of things have changed about GDF.  A few newcomers have joined the ranks to protect the justice and honor of wrestling from their chaotic enemies.  Her first friend in the group, Yua, has stepped away as well.  Yet she knows despite that everyone in the group looks to her expectantly - she’s the Interstellar Dream Champion after all.  Yuna Saito’s moved to the forefront of GDF, it’s proudly beating heart that defends all that’s right and good in the ring.  

 

Yuna: <”I - I guess I’ve been focusing on myself a lot lately.  And we do have that match with Caponata-san and her friends this month.”>

 

Mizuki: <”Exactly.  Now I have a special project I’m working on, so my time is a little divided right now.  But I asked someone to stop by this morning to help you get back into the swing of things.  Black Dahlia Legacy’s team is a finely tuned machine, so to beat them we’re going to need GDF at that same level.”>

 

Yuna nods - that makes a lot of sense.  With Mizuki in tow she steps into the kitchen and then stops dead in her tracks.  Leaning up against the counter top, hair pulled up into a pair of small buns, is the 16 year veteran who was one of the first to welcome Yuna to Galaxy Defense Force.  She flashes a smile to the champion, full of a confidence that’s so infectious Yuna can’t help but grin back.

 

Kasey Vex: “So you’re finally awake!  Are you ready to get to it, Yuna?”

 

It takes a moment for Yuna’s mind to switch to English mode, during which time her grin becomes awkwardly lopsided.

 

Yuna: “S-sure, let’s go!”

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September 2, 2022

Tatsumaki Dojo

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She stares at the sign above, terrified and exhilarated all at once by what it stands for.  That boldly printed kanji proclaims it to be the very destination that by all means a girl like Yuna Saito has no business setting foot in.  Tatsumaki Dojo.  It’s really happening, she’s really here.  Being chased down in a HARD OFF by a wrestling legend wasn’t just a bizarre dream after all.  When she was cowering behind the rack of discarded skirts, Yuna couldn’t have possibly imagined this is where she’d be just days later.  For some reason beyond her understanding arguably the greatest wrestler in the history of the sport wanted her to join her faction.  A force formed to defend right and justice, push back the darkness and restore balance to Joshi pro wrestling.  Any girl in her right mind would be honored to be part of such a noble endeavor; so why does Yuna feel so incredibly afraid of what awaits within?

 

Echoes of the past.  Even nearly four years removed from her departure, the ghost of Kansai Girls’ Battle haunts her.  Its dilapidated “dojo” instantly surges back into her memory as she stares up at the sign.  To call it a dojo would have been incredibly generous by any reasonable metric.  Like other dojos it was a small converted warehouse which had been procured on the cheap.  Unlike actual dojos the staff hadn’t done much to cleanse it of the must and mold which pervaded its nooks and crannies.  Its exercise machines and weights, such as they were, were damaged, rusty or both; the girls had to get creative just to get around easily preventable injuries from their equipment.  Their ring had been through a couple of other promotions and at times the ropes would sag even after a thorough tightening regime.  When you considered that the tiny dorm rooms were in even worse condition - the tatami floors were almost universally battered, no air conditioners worked and the futons had weird lumps - it wasn’t a place anyone would wish to live and train.

 

For a moment the rotting smells of the Kansai Girls’ dojo waft out of the past and up Yuna’s nostrils, causing her to sneeze violently.  How had she survived there as long as she had?  Yuna ponders this as she clears her airways and seizes the door handle in her hand.  As she steps over the precipice and into a new world, she can’t help but recall the real danger of her previous dojo experience.  The people.  Specifically the men and scant few brutal women who enforced the will of the promotion’s owner, Gorou Saito.  Her father.  With them present the girls had to all but break their bodies to satisfy the demands of the yakuza thugs.  Their ‘trainer’ was a grizzled old man whose nose bore the telltale signs of being broken several times over.  Supposedly a wrestler in his youth but long since turned into simply an extra vicious enforcer for the syndicate.  One small misstep, real or perceived, would be enough to incur the man’s ire and earn you a world of physical and emotional abuse.  

 

Each step Yuna takes into the Tatsumaki Dojo is therefore filled with trepidation.  Smack!  The unmistakable sound of flesh hitting flesh echoes through the room like a shotgun blast.  Smack!  Smack!  She flinches at the sound of each one, her mind conjuring memories of the Kansai Girls’ trainer issuing out punishments for the shortcomings of exhausted girls.  Is it going to be the same here?  Instinctively she keeps her head down so as not to attract the attention of the powers that be.  History’s taught her that in a dojo you want to just keep working hard in the quietest manner possible.  Being the nail that sticks out buys you a one way ticket to hell.  It’s hard to avoid being noticed at her absurd height, but Yuna does her best not to attract attention.

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Yet she can’t help but look up from the floor as she heads toward the office in the back.  Not just out of the simple self preservation of not running into something or someone, but out of a desperate curiosity.  Her heart pounds as she hopes against hope that this place is better.  Safer.  Instantly the signs are promising.  All of the equipment is newer, every nook and cranny is quite clean.  None of the people here bear the telltale signs of involvement with organized crime either.  Everyone here, she’s shocked to see, appears to be a wrestler.  Can it really be true?  Buoyed by these observations she allows herself to look up and see the ring and she instantly gasps.  No patches in the canvas?  No suspect dents in the ring posts?  Actual ring aprons?  Ropes that could support the weight of a grown woman on a regular basis?  It is true isn’t it?  

 

For a moment the tension begins to flow out of her body.  This is a better place - of course it is!  Tatsumaki Aoi wouldn’t have it any other way, would she?  Not for the force she’s assembling in order to protect the newly formed Miracle Galaxy Pro Wrestling!  To forge these women into the strongest wrestlers they could be, only the best equipment would do.  Yuna sighs as these thoughts cross her mind, but then instantly the tension returns.  Her whole body stiffens as she realizes that there’s a set of eyes on her!  She’s being evaluated, she just knows it!  If she doesn’t make a good impression she’s going to earn herself a poor reputation.  So she stiffly bows forward at the waist and greets the individual with her most formal greetings.

 

Yuna: <”Salutations!  It’s nice to meet you.  My name is Saito Yuna and from today I will be training at the Tatsumaki Dojo.  I’m in your care.”>

 

There’s nothing but awkward silence filling the air.  Has she said something wrong?  What if it’s someone who’s already met her, and by introducing herself Yuna’s just made a total fool of herself?  Instantly she considers apologizing, which she very nearly does until her eyes flick up and catch sight of the woman she’s spoken to.  A little shorter than her, and clearly foreign born.  Oh wait, is this one of the other Galaxy Defense Force recruits?  And a foreigner?  Yuna blushes as she realizes that yes, she did indeed just make an idiot out of herself.  Judging by the confusion on the woman’s face, that hasty introduction had flown right over the woman’s head.  What does she do now?!  This thought occurs to her just as the woman speaks.

 

Kasey Vex: “Sorry, my Japanese is a little rusty.  I think I recognize you though - they said someone tall was coming to join us today.  You’re Yuna, right?”

 

Yuna blinks in surprise.  This woman knows her name? The Magic Princess takes a deep breath, then nods.

Yuna: “Yes, I am Yuna.  I can speak some English - what’s your name?”

 

Kasey: “I’m Kasey Vex, it’s nice to meet you Yuna.”

 

Nice to meet her?  That’s a first.  Most of her interactions in the sport have been very business like, especially since she ran away from home.  Certainly it wasn’t an uncommon greeting in the usual discourse, but Kasey seems to actually mean it.  Why would anyone be happy to meet her?  Especially someone like this, who Yuna suddenly recalls has been wrestling for nearly two decades.  A woman who’s had success in the ring everywhere she’s gone!  A well traveled veteran like her is happy to meet the lowly Yuna Saito?  This is madness!

 

Yuna: “N-Nice to meet you too.  I’m sorry if I am clumsy.  I’m not very coordinated.”

 

Kasey smirks and nods to the ring.

 

Kasey: “It’s fine, Yuna.  Everyone’s got to start somewhere, and I’m sure you’re not as bad as you think you are.  Want to get some warm ups going and do some drills?”

 

She’s so pleasant to talk to!  No barking of orders, using her status to push the lesser woman around, nothing.  Just a veteran wrestler who wants to run drills with her.  Doesn’t she have more important things to do?  Or better wrestlers to train with?  Yet the fact remains.  Kasey wants to train with her.  Yuna nods and then hesitates.  There’s something she has to know.

 

Yuna: “Kasey-san, what… what is it like?”

 

The foreigner hesitates, her brow scrunched up in confusion.

 

Kasey: “What’s what like?”

 

Yuna bites her lip nervously, this is a very dumb question for someone like Kasey Vex.  But given her history, Yuna can’t help but ask.  She has to know!

 

Yuna: “Winning.  What is it like to win?”

 

Kasey laughs lightly, causing Yuna to flinch in response.  No doubt about it, she’s made more of a fool of herself!  Surely Kasey must think she’s a loser for asking about such a ridiculous question.  And truly she is.  Yuna’s done nothing but lose in the ring for six years, and to anyone who’s had even a modicum of success it must be baffling.  While it’s impossible for Yuna, it’s just second nature to talented women like Kasey Vex.  Clearly asking such a thing of Kasey is just wasting her time.  How incredibly disrespectful!  The Magic Princess knows what she has to do.  Once again she bows deeply, long hair forming a veil around her face.

 

Yuna: “I-I am sorry!  It is a stupid question!  I am sorry.”

 

That’s when she feels a gentle weight on her shoulders.  Not an attack or anything of ill intent.  Surely, she thinks, Kasey must be wondering how a woman can be so pathetic as Yuna!  Maybe she’s taking in the sight of the sport’s greatest failure up close.  Yuna wishes they could just forget the inane question she’s asked, get to the drills.  She’s going to work extra hard to make up for wasting so much of her senpai’s time!  Except when Kasey speaks, that vitriol is missing.

 

Kasey: “Hey, hey, you don’t need to apologize.  I just thought you were making a joke.  I mean, you know what it’s like right?  Haven’t you been doing this for a few years?”

 

Yuna: “Six years.  I do not know what it is like.”

 

A deathly silent moment as Kasey and Yuna stare at each other awkwardly.

 

Kasey: “What do you mean you don’t?”

 

Yuna casts her eyes down again.

 

Yuna: “I have no wins.  My record is 0 wins, 170 losses.”

 

Kasey: “You’re kidding.”

 

Yuna remains silent.  What else is there to say?  Her inability to win a match is legendary by this point.  After she fails to provide confirmation, Kasey realizes the truth of Yuna’s words on her own.

 

Kasey: “You’re not kidding.”

 

Another long pause; Yuna’s sure that this woman’s about to disregard the idea of training with her.  Or maybe to find someone else to push Yuna harder than she’d originally planned.  Anything to get this loser out of her face.  She won’t blame her for that, it’s clear that Kasey has more important things to do then work with her.

 

Kasey: “Winning’s hard to describe, but I believe you can get there.  It takes a lot of hard work and the will to not give up. And I’ll help you, Yuna!  We’re teammates after all.”

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Yuna: "Even when it does not seem like I can ever win?"

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Kasey: "Even then.  The important part's to not let the past scare you out of believing in the future.  Maybe you didn't win in the past, but that doesn't mean you won't in the future.  I believe you can do it, Yuna."

 

Yuna can hardly believe what she’s hearing.  Someone believes in her, someone’s willing to help her get stronger so that some day she might at least be more competitive in the ring.  Even if Yuna doesn’t believe she can actually win a match, she does wonder if maybe she can get better at wrestling.  At least hang in there with more talented wrestlers.  It’s been a very long time since someone said they believed in Yuna.  Her heart pounds at the very thought of it, and for the first time today she smiles.

 

Yuna: “Thank you, Kasey-san!  I will work very hard to become a good teammate.”

 

Kasey: “Great!  What do you say we get this started?”

 

Yuna: “Let’s go!”

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Tokyo, Japan

May 15, 2023

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Tap.  Tap.  Tap.  Impactful small sounds echo off the buildings to either side of the narrow alleyway.  Each of them bounces back from a slightly different spot as the runners make their way through the neighborhood.  Perhaps it’s a little strange, but Yuna thinks she can make an educated guess as to the specific point where the individual steps are bounced back.  This is a route she’s become intimately familiar with in the months since Kasey welcomed her to the team.  Nearly every day she’s run the neighborhood’s track, its every centimeter burned into her memory.  Today’s 4K run is nothing new, then.  She could complete it with her eyes closed!  Out of curiosity, she snaps her eyes shut and turns her attention fully to the sounds around her.  Can she truly focus to the level which is expected of her as GDF’s beating heart?

 

Tap.  From up high, slightly to the right - an apartment just above a snack bar that’s open in the evenings.  Tap.  Across the street, not as high and more of a solid sound - the stone wall behind Katsumoto Confections, a candy shop specializing in traditional sweets. Even now her nose catches the faint scent of the ingredients being prepared for another day’s worth of sweets.  Tap.  A bit odd, this one.  Higher up, more distant and canned in tone.  Maybe reflected from a room beyond an open window?  Yuna’s eyes flit open as she tries to pinpoint the spot.  Just above her to the right, there is indeed an open window - and a girl watching out of it!  She can’t be more than 14 or so, and her eyes are glued to the sight of the wrestlers passing below.  Kasey and Kathryn pass Yuna by as the Magic Princess jogs in place, watching the girl curiously.

 

She’s seen this girl in passing numerous times since last fall, but doesn’t know her name.  Yet there’s a bond between them she can’t really define with words.  At first Yuna had been on these runs solo and gotten odd looks from the locals, including this girl.  It almost certainly had something to do with Yuna’s height, which once made her self conscious.  Now?  Wherever she goes she stands tall, proud and confident like she’s never been before.  True, she has fears and doubts even now, but people like this girl look up to her.  Her teammates look up to her.  Everyone expects great things out of her, so it won’t do to let those emotions control her thoughts and actions.  If being the hero can make a difference in someone’s life, then Yuna’s accomplished something truly great.  Seeing the warm smile on the girl’s face as she waves, Yuna’s got proof positive that she’s doing just that.

 

The girl: <”Yuna-san!  Training again?”>

 

Yuna: <”Every day!  You should come train with us!”>

 

The girl immediately shakes her head in response, hands held up defensively.

 

The girl: <”No, no, no, that’s ok!  I’ve got homework.  Good luck in Kyoto!”>

 

Yuna responds with a playful salute.

 

Yuna: <”Thanks!  And good luck with that homework!  I’ll do my best t-”>

 

Another sound echoes off the buildings from down the street - a voice calling to her.

 

Kasey: “Yuna, come on!  We’re in the home stretch!”

 

Oh right, they’d passed her!  With the high stakes battle coming soon, she can’t afford to get distracted by anything!  So with another jaunty salute to the girl above she sprints off to close the distance to her teammates.  Tiny hints of aches and pains numbly remind her of the fact that despite her renewed energy, she’s still recovering from the most arduous battle of her career.  Reminders of the work of Anya Bonecrusher, Black Tora, Haru Niijima and Aria Knight which have stayed with her since that night in Korakuen.  Later they might become more painful and demanding, but right now she’s literally running on adrenaline and endorphins.  A leader needs to look strong no matter what they’re feeling inside, so she pushes herself forward all the same.  Honestly, her injuries are recovering a little faster than she’d expected, so she’s sure she’ll be ready to go to war with Black Dahlia Legacy in a couple of weeks.  

 

Her long legs carry her forward, managing to stay immaculately within the running route painted in fading green paint on the ground.  A novel invention the neighborhood came up with to encourage regular exercise while working within the limitations of their small open spaces.  Far better than anything she had in Osaka when she’d first begun training to be a pro wrestler.  In those days she and the other girls had to make do with a cluttered, dirty maze of ill-cared for alleys if they wanted to go for a run.  Or rather, if they were made to go for a run.  Even now as the clean air of the present fills her lungs, she can remember the stale scent of rotting waste, dried urine and beer, and a dozen unknown substances.  Every time they’d been ordered to go on a run it was just before dawn, adding unsavory darkness to the dangers of the route.  Tap, tap, tap.  As her steps echo on, she feels as if she’s back there for a moment.  

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Osaka, Japan

July 18, 2017

 

All the other girls were more athletically inclined than her, which meant Yuna straggled behind.  Each step brought in some further burning to her already overworked muscles.  Continuing on was agony, but the screams of Saito Syndicate staff egged her own with threats of retribution if she didn’t complete the run.  Through the tears of exertion she makes out a large, huddled shape on the ground - a person?!  At first she wonders if the man is dead.  Definitely not moving.  Was he a victim of her father’s wrath, stabbed repeatedly until he bled out and left to die?  Wait, no.  He was moving.  A ragged, belabored breath, but his chest was definitely rising and sinking.  The stench of alcohol assaulted her nostrils like a lariat from Tatsumaki Aoi herself.  Yuna shook her head, desperate to rid herself of the abhorrent scent while also idly wondering if she should help the man.  From behind her a pained shout, followed by a man screaming down the alley.

 

Man: <”Pick up the pace, girl!  Kaneko-san’s gonna be pissed if you keep him waiting.”>

 

Hifumi: <”I’m sorry, I was just trying to help her finish!”>

 

Man: <”Did you hear me?!  Get your ass in gear and keep running.  If she doesn’t finish up we’ll take care of her.”>

 

The edge to the man’s voice left no doubt as to what kind of thing he meant by ‘take care of her’.  Yuna would’ve turned around had she not suddenly become the focus of the man’s ire.

 

Man: <”You too, Princess!  Saito-sama’s gonna be extra pissed if you don’t start shaping up!  Keep running, or we’ll take care of you too, beanpole!”>

 

She couldn’t even wait for Hifumi.  If she doesn’t keep going she’s going to be in so much more pain than just the insane exercise regimen Kaneko put them through. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tokyo, Japan

May 15, 2023

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Tears fill Yuna’s eyes as the memory replays through her mind, real as if it were happening in this instant.  Her legs burn as she jogs out of the alley and finds herself on an unfamiliar street.  Spread out before her like the hanging branches of a drooping tree is a green net like the sort used as a backdrop for baseball fields.  Wait, wasn’t that the junior high school in front of her?  A glance down at her feet confirms Yuna’s gone too far - no green paint!  How did she get lost?!  

 

Yuna stops herself right there.  No use in freaking out over something so trivial as this.  She’s the hero everyone looks up to, she’s focused and determined.  Stop.  Her intimate knowledge of the local area returns quickly, and she sorts through it as if she were staring at a map on her phone.  If she’s come out at the school, that means that she’s just a couple blocks over.  A left turn just up ahead will bing her right back to the Tatsumaki Dojo’s front door.  From a couple streets over she hears a voice shouting.

 

Kasey: “Yuna?!  Where’d you go?  Don’t tell me you got lost!”

 

It’s so different from when she trained at Kansai Girls’.  Then the only raised voices had been her fellow trainees suffering through grueling training and their unforgiving yakuza minders.  Here?  Here she’s got a friend concerned for her.

 

Yuna: “I will be there soon!”

 

After she shouts her response, Yuna smiles happily at the realization.  Friends.  Teammates she works alongside to become the strongest wrestlers they can be.  People whom, she’s realized, genuinely see the woman she is and not the cash cow that Kaneko and her father wished she’d be.  Where the Kansai Girls’ staff had forced the girls to perform regardless of the state they were in, her teammates now are invested in her well being and she in theirs.  Whereas her family by blood - just Gorou Saito - cared nothing for her, her new family is concerned about her and care how she feels and what she thinks.  It’s just like she said before the Galaxy Princess Cup, GDF is her family.  Each of them pushing each other to grow stronger while being there to fall back on and support each other through struggles.  And to celebrate success.   She can’t keep them waiting!

 

Thus motivated Yuna sprints around the corner and spots her two foreign born compatriots.  Kasey’s sense of fashion and Kathryn’s remarkable height make the pair quite easy to spot.  It’s a simple matter for the Magic Princess to close the distance and come within arm’s reach of them.  Her sisters of the ring.  It’s a delightfully fulfilling thought, and one that drives her to an impulsively exuberant action.  With no warning she throws her arms around their shoulders from behind!  They jump a little at the surprise, and Kasey softly punches her in the arm when she realizes who it is.  Yuna laughs in response, lowering her arms and smiling ear to ear.

 

Yuna: “Sorry, I just had to.  I told you I would be right there.”

 

Kasey looks slightly amused while Kathryn seems a bit more serious.  While she’s spent a decent amount of time with her veteran teammate, the newcomer is a bit more of a mystery.  Definitely someone who’s been a bit of a mystery to Yuna since arriving at the Tatsumaki Dojo.  What she does know is based on observation and inference  informed by her years in the business.  While nowhere near the expert assessor of talent that Tatsumaki Aoi is, Yuna’s learned to trust her instincts.  Overthinking things was one of the biggest factors holding her back in the ring; simplifying things, focusing on the present and what was around her in it, is what’s transformed her into a champion.

 

As the trio walks up to the dojo, Yuna runs through what she believes she knows about Kathryn Nicholson.  Most noticeably Kathryn is the first woman Yuna’s literally had to look up to.  Her own life experience being so tall has taught her that it’s not easy being a human tower.  You have to duck your head to fit in some places, you’ll always stand out in a crowd and finding clothes that are long enough is a hassle.  Well maybe not so much in America?  Even by their standards, the rookie is above average height.  In the ring?  When you’re at least a few inches taller than your opponents, you have to fight differently.  Find ways to maximize things like reach and being able to cross the ring just that little bit faster while getting down to the other woman’s level to lock up effectively.  It’s a hard balance to strike, one that for most of her career Yuna struggled with; she still does sometimes, of course.  That struggle never quite goes away save for relentless, repetitive practice.

 

Besides that?  Kathryn’s heart definitely seems to be in the right place.  She’s repeatedly expressed a deep felt desire to uphold the values, history and tradition of the sport.  It’s clear why Tatsumaki Aoi chose this girl to join the unit - she shares the beautiful vision of what MGP should be, and is willing to fight to defend it.  Willing to fly thousands of kilmoeters across the ocean to move to a foreign country in pursuit of that vision.  From Yuna’s understanding she has no in ring experience beyond training, so the fight against Black Dahlia Legacy’s to be her pro debut.  Just thinking about that makes Yuna shake her head.  That’s real dedication to the cause!  And a sign of faith from the legend who once saw raw potential in a girl with the worst record in professional wrestling.  

 

If Tatsumaki Aoi believed in Kathryn, so too did Yuna.  Sure the girl seemed a bit stiff, a bit too formal, but that could well be due to making her debut in the main event of her first show ever.  As a rookie Yuna's been awkward when called upon to speak, stuttering through statements and falling over herself to apologize.  Given time, Kathryn’s going to improve in all aspects and become an even more solid wrestler.  Yuna just knows it!  But in the here and now, Yuna’s worried the newest member of GDF might feel over pressured to perform at the highest level.  Certainly, facing down Costanza Caponata, Black Tora and Madeline Satterfield is an intimidating prospect for anyone, let alone a rookie.   But with two veterans in her corner, including the Interstellar Dream Champion, the fight is definitely more even.

 

Once near the ring, Yuna motions to it with a nod.  If GDF’s going to successfully defend the ring again, they need to work as a team.  These group training sessions have been quite the eye opening experience, and they seem to have synced a bit more recently.  With the opposition they’re up against, though, Yuna wants to have a plan.  When she was first starting in the sport, she never had friends or teammates on a regular basis.  Facing the challenge of combat against other girls who were hungry for success, Yuna’s approach had been to just enter the ring with a smile and do her best.  Things are different now.  Her opponents are tougher and more dangerous than ever.  Most of them don’t share her - and GDF’s - belief in what MGP should be.  Black Dahlia Legacy is no different.  Sayaka Endo’s girls are willing to bend the rules in a way that flies right in the face of what GDF holds dear.  Not outright cheating or attempted crippling some others, but still not a force Yuna can allow to regain its dominance of MGP.  They need to strike a blow against these women to let them know that the galaxy’s defenders are no pushovers, and that they’ll fight with everything they have to keep this a ring of dreams.  

 

Standing in the center of the ring, Yuna looks to her two teammates and takes a deep breath.  Both of them look back at her expectantly, waiting to hear what she has to say.  It’s a weird feeling.  Six years spending her in ring time staring up at the lights doesn’t prepare you to be a leader.  Now that she’s found herself and become not just GDF’s beating heart but also its face, she’s got no choice but to embrace a new reality.  Not only that, but she’s the champion!  She’s setting an example for everyone watching MGP, including her teammates.  What if she says something stupid?  What if she takes this all in the wrong direction and her team pays for it?  Whether she is or not, people see her as that leader.  A failure for GDF here is her failure.  There’s no choice but to succeed! So she looks to her teammates and nods again.  Here it goes.

 

Yuna: “This is not an easy fight.  Black Dahlia Legacy had much success before the Galaxy Princess Cup, and now they will be fighting to regain their momentum.  All of them are very strong fighters, and they do not share our vision for Miracle Galaxy Pro.  But they are just women, and they can be beaten.  So let’s talk.  What do we know about them?”

 

There’s a pause, each woman taking a moment to think hard on the subject.  One comes to Yuna’s mind immediately.  The masked girl she fought in the second round of the tournament, and the only member of Black Dahlia Legacy she’s faced.  Even just a momentary thought about that match brings all kinds of memories to her mind.

 

Yuna: “Black Tora is less experienced, but she is very fast and very creative with her moves.  She has had setbacks the last two shows, but she has much promise.  Despite the leader she follows, she has a strong heart and that keeps her fighting.  Even though she is still growing as a wrestler, she is quite good.  Underestimating her is a very bad idea.  Those high flying moves can come from nowhere to wipe out our momentum very fast.  To beat her I had to rely on my power and strength, and I know that is something Kathryn-san possesses too.  And Kasey-san can keep up with her speed!”

 

Yuna nods at her assessment.  Black Tora has so much potential, but to her it feels a little wasted by following Caponata.  Showing her the error of that isn’t likely to get results, though.  Not with how strong the masked girl’s loyalty to her chosen leader is.  At most Yuna and her friends can show Tora how strong GDF is, and perhaps in that way plant the seeds of change.  That said, Yuna looks to Kasey and raises an eyebrow.  There’s more than one of them with experience fighting the Black Dahila Legacy.

 

Yuna: “Kasey-san, you fought Caponata-san before.  What can you tell us about her?”

 

Kasey: “Costanza’s really, really good.  She pushed me to the limit in that match and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.  And she’s the kind of person who challenges people around her to be better, I can see why her teammates look up to her.  Heck, she challenged me to get better and that drove me crazy.  I knew I had to get better, and when I beat Tora I knew I had that shot to be better than her.  I’m sure that after I called my shot, she’s not going to hold anything back when we all fight.  She hits really hard, and she can be ruthless out there.  Still, I’m going to keep that promise to prove I’m better.”

 

Yuna smiles softly at her friend’s determination.  There’s no doubt that Kasey Vex is going to fight to the last breath to make sure Costanza doesn’t get the better of her.  Combined with Yuna’s single minded dedication to protecting the ring of dreams and Kathryn’s potential and desire to inspire others the right way, GDF will hold its own.  She’s almost ready to move on to the final analysis when Kasey reminds her of something else.

 

Kasey: “Plus she’s going after Yuna next.  So she’s going to be extra aggressive, I’m sure of it.”

 

Yuna reaches up to touch her forehead; memories of blood running down her face rush back into her mind.  

 

Yuna: “Then we will just have to fight her as hard as we can.  She is someone the rest of Black Dahlia Legacy considers to be a leader, and she inspires them.  She is the most dangerous woman on their team in this match because she believes she has been denied what is hers.  She hits hard, but we can hit hard too.  I think we need to keep the tags coming just like we  have practiced.  Always have a fresh woman in, when we are dealing with someone like her or Satterfield-san.  Do not let them wear us down, keep the pressure on.”

 

She pauses, considering the last element of the puzzle.  Another relatively new face in MGP, one that has a wealth of in ring experience. 

 

Yuna: “Satterfield-san has many skills and much experience.  She will be a very difficult opponent because she can adapt so well.  I think we must go in strong, keep hitting her back and change our offense with different styles and attacks to keep her guessing.  But do not give her a centimeter to breath.  And do not let them have strength in numbers for long.”

 

She looks to Kathryn, who’s remained silent for the whole time.

 

Yuna: “Kathryn-san, I know this is your debut.  It is okay to be scared, I was when I first stepped into a ring.  But you are stronger than they know, more powerful than any one of them, and we both can get across the ring quickly.  Kasey-san is very fast, so let’s overwhelm Black Dahlia with our agility, speed and hearts!  I know your heart is very strong from how hard you train.  I know you believe in fighting with honor.  I am very happy to have you on our team for this match.”

 

Kathryn smiles just a tiny bit, or so Yuna thinks.  While they’ve trained together for weeks now, she’s still not familiar enough with the rookie to have a read on her personality.  That will come with time.

 

Yuna: “Are you ready for this war with Caponata-san and her team?”

 

Kathryn nods confidently.

 

Kathryn: “Yes I am.  I’m going to make Valorie Irvine proud by helping us win the right way.  You can count on me, Yuna.”

 

Kasey: “If Black Dahlia Legacy thinks they’re going to walk all over us, they’ve got another thing coming.  The three of us are going to show why we’re better than them!  GDF isn’t going to stop until MGP’s safe for everyone!”

 

Yuna pumps her fist, fully caught up in the moment.

 

Yuna: “Great!  We will give them a big surprise when we stand up to them and knock them down.  This is not the day that their mafia takes control.  It is the day they learn that we are stronger because we do not just have strength in numbers, we believe in something.  Our hearts all beat proudly, and we keep fighting as long we have a pulse.  In Kyoto our hearts will beat as one!”

 

Suddenly the voice returns to Yuna’s thoughts.

 

The Voice: <”When the time comes, don’t hesitate to beat Black Dahlia Legacy within an inch of their lives.  They deserve it, don’t they?  Do what you have to.  That’s real strength.  Show your teammates that strength and they’ll thank you.”>

 

Yuna clutches her head tightly, a slight headache coming on as those thoughts occur to her.  Kasey shoots out of the corner she’s been standing in, eyes full of concern for her friend.  Kathryn too comes over, placing a hand on Yuna’s shoulder as the Magic Princess tries to gather her wits.  What is this?  Those thoughts never caused her pain before; perhaps it’s just the pressure of the situation.  Fighting through her self doubt and concerns about her leadership really take a toll on her.  Maybe that’s all it is.  As quickly as the voice came it left, the pain only slightly receding in the moments after her thoughts went quiet again.  Realizing her friends are here, though, she forces herself to stand up straight anyway.  They’re looking to her to lead them into this battle.  She has to prove that trust is well placed.

 

Yuna: “It’s nothing.”

 

Kathryn: “Didn’t look like nothing.”

 

Yuna: “It’s nothing.”

 

Kasey: “You sure, Yuna?”

 

Yuna lowers her hands and nods.

 

Yuna: “I am sure.  Let’s do some sparring, and then finish our training for today.  Then we can go to ka-”

 

Her plans are cut short as a thundering voice calls out to her.

 

Tatsumaki Aoi: <”Saito Yuna-san!  Come to my office.”>

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