Tatsumaki Dojo
5/29/2023
The words are harsh, loud and flowing freely.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”Do you remember what you promised me before Kyoto?!”>
Miracle Galaxy Pro-Wrestling’s founder is livid, her knuckles white as she grips the edge of her desk. It’s more than simply an intense moment for her though. Yuna’s seen her like that, seen the way that she can sound quite upset but simply be fired up about a topic. This is not one of those times. Rather than the burning pyres of passion, Tatsumaki’s eyes burn with outright fury. Her body tenses and is poised to strike, her tone filled to the brim with near rage. It’s a sight Yuna hasn’t beheld since the legend temporarily rallied the forces of MGP against Shuko MURDER-Gun. An anger which she can easily imagined being saved for the woman’s greatest enemies, be they Devil Matsumoto or Shuko Shiori herself. So why is it being unleashed upon Yuna?
She shifts uncomfortably in the chair as she debates whether to simply wait out the storm. After how far she’s come in life, she really didn’t expect to find herself in this kind of position again. Being shouted at by an authority figure while she has to just sit and take it. While Tatsumaki isn’t likely to manhandle her, Yuna’s still wary of the powerful veteran’s wrath. What is there that she can do in the face of this? Tatsumaki is the reason she even had a chance to join MGP, her trust one of the major factors in Yuna finding the confidence she’d been missing her whole career. You don’t just simply raise your voice back at your senior who has so much more life and ring experience than you. It will reflect poorly on you and ruin your reputation, even if you are the Interstellar Dream Champion. Despite how much she’d rather be anywhere else in the wake of Lightspeed to Kyoto, Yuna remains seated and listens. There is simply no way that she will disrespect the legend who looms over her.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”You gave your word that you would lead our Galaxy Defense Force to victory against Endo Sayaka-san’s Black Dahlia. What happened?!”>
No, she respects this woman too much to allow herself to be cross in return. Even with the anger Yuna knows that Tatsumaki believes in her. Behind this fury is the very real trust and confidence which her mentor feels for her. She’s seen it in action, it must still be there. Even so Yuna wonders if those have eroded a bit in light of her failure at Lightspeed to Kyoto. As champion she’s the woman Tatsumaki looks to to lead GDF into battle no matter the foe. The Galaxy Princess Cup was her breakthrough and emergence as the shining star of the unit. A brilliant moment that will resound throughout the heavens for a long time. Time marches on, though, and in her first true test as champion, Yuna’s leadership had failed. One can make the excuse of the opposing team having more in ring experience but the result remains the same.
Failure. It weighs heavy on the beating heart of the Magic Princess, heavier than almost anything since she ran from Osaka six years ago. Tatsumaki’s ire, ill intended or not, slams into that feeling and coalesces into something uniquely miserable. For a moment she begins to avert her eyes, unable to even look at the woman she’s failed. Yet there’s that edge to her thoughts just as her eyes drift. Why should she be intimidated by this? It’s not her fault that GDF lost, it was Kathryn Nicholson who was pinned. Isn’t Tatsumaki to blame for selecting an unproven rookie with no in ring experience as the final member of the GDF trio? If anything she should be praising Yuna’s still-spotless personal record of no submission or pinfall losses. Why, she’s of half a mind to fight force with force and show Tatsumaki Aoi she’s not some failure or weakling. Wait. No. Yuna shuts down the thoughts as soon as they occur. That’s not who she is. Still she looks back up and returns her mentor’s intimidating gaze. The woman wants an answer, and Yuna owes her that at least.
Yuna: <”We were out-fought, Tatsumaki-sensei. There’s nothing else to say. We brought the best that we could, but Black Dahlia Legacy were just better than us. I’m sorry that we did not achieve victory, but we fought hard all the same.”>
Tatsumaki’s eyes narrow.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”You failed. It was a disappointing result, and you all must work to ensure that such disappointment is avoided in the future. Are you not upset by that result?”>
Yuna nods.
Yuna: <”It’s eaten at me every moment since the referee’s hand hit the mat the third time. I wanted to make you proud and show Caponata-san and her team that we are not going to be pushed around.”>
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”And what do you intend to do about it, Saito Yuna-san? What will the first Interstellar Dream do when the wolves have come to her door, hungry for that violet belt she wears so proudly?”>
Yuna grits her teeth. Why is she being pressured like this? Of course she wants to hold on to this beautiful prize she fought the world to win. All of the pain and suffering, all of the tears she shed in its pursuit, they weren’t for nothing. To suggest that she isn’t about to do everything in her power to ensure it remains in her hands is insulting. This line of questioning suggests that she’s simply accepted that she is less than capable of remaining champion at Starcrossed Wonderland. After everything she’s been through, all the abuse, doubt and disrespect, she’s not about to simply sit still with her integrity questioned by her own mentor.
But how can she fire back? What will this giant of the sport think of her should she choose to respond with defiance? Conflicting thoughts duel in her head over what to do. That edge, that voice she’s heard with more frequency lately, chides her for being so subservient. It insists that she as the very emblem of MGP commands far more respect than she’s being shown. More than that, it demands that she remind this woman of how close they were to having Shuko MURDER-Gun or the Gaijin Assault Army take the belt and plunge the galaxy into darkness. Her other, more sensible line of thinking cautions that it’s not just Tatsumaki whose perception of her matters. The rest of GDF is here, and they will no doubt hear about it if Yuna suddenly got into an argument with their leader. All of them look up to her as a leader as well, and dissension between the top two women in GDF will undoubtedly cause the faction to fracture. That’s the last thing they need in the face of a potential alliance between Maggie Crush and Shuko Shiori.
Yuna clenches her hands into fists, her fingernails digging into her skin. Tears tug at the corners of her eyes from the stress of the moment. She takes a deep breath and reminds herself of the principles that guided her to the top. Awareness. Decisiveness. Passion. After closing her eyes for a moment to ruminate on these, Yuna finds her answer. When they open, the fires within burn at an intensity to match her mentor. Yet unlike her mentor, she fights to keep her voice firm and measured.
Yuna: <”I will deal with them both the way that I dealt with every woman who’s stepped into a ring with me one on one. I will look them in the eyes, stand my ground and dare them to take this prize from me. Both of them think that they can simply use force to intimidate me and everyone around them, but I will not let that stand. I’ve seen them both up close, seen how they fight. I will prepare for them with more intensity than ever before, and I will not yield to them. It will not be their night, and the wolves are about to discover they’re the ones being hunted. You do not need to worry about me, Tatsumaki-sensei. This beautiful championship means more to me than anything else in the world, and I did not suffer through the worst agony of my life to let either of these two women take it away in my first defense!”>
Firm and measured doesn’t last long. Yuna stands up from her chair and slams her own fist down onto the desk. The fire in her eyes rages against that in Tatsumaki’s.
Yuna: <”So what am I going to do? I’m going to show Knight-san and Caponata-san that my beating heart is stronger than any punishment they can inflict. I’m going to defeat them both and keep Miracle Galaxy a place full of promise.”>
There’s a silence as both women gaze into the other’s very soul, daring the other to make the first move. Yuna will not allow herself to be pushed around, even by Tatsumaki Aoi herself. There’s no time for that. She’s let too many people do that to her in the past to allow it to continue. Yet even the confidence she finds for this moment is tinged with some doubt. No! She can’t let that seep in when there’s someone probing her for any possible weakness standing right there. Her heart pounds as she shoves those thoughts down and stands tall before the legend. Finally Tatsumaki stands back up straight and nods.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”Good. Bring that fire to the Budokan, Saito Yuna-san. And none of those dishonorable moves you used against Knight-san. They will only lead to bad things. Am I understood?”>
It’s about more than the moves, Yuna’s intimately aware of that. There’s an underlying force behind them she can’t at all describe. Something within her that truly is haughty and defiant. It’s spoken to her. Others have noticed its influence when it does color her actions. Tatsumaki Aoi sees it and seems to almost recognize something, or perhaps is just reminded of someone. Even that unsavory Sakamochi guy acts as though he knows more than she does about it. Yet ignoring it hadn’t turned out well in Kyoto - no! She doesn’t need it. She’s the Interstellar Dream Champion because of her own hard work, not some mysterious rumored side of her that doesn’t exist. Yuna tells herself the same thing she’s told herself for the past month. They’re just thoughts. Stray thoughts that come as a reaction to things, not anything deeper or more dangerous. This clears her mind enough that she nods to Tatsumaki.
Yuna: <”Completely, Tatsumaki-sensei. I will fight with honor at the Budokan.”>
She’s about to request an end to the meeting so she can go train. It’s still a month until her defense, but she already feels as though she’s wasting time. Every second counts. To retain her beloved title she’s going to have to forge her body into the best shape it’s ever been in. Yet something else creeps into her mind. Something that troubles her.
Yuna: “<Tatsumaki-sensei, may I speak freely?”>
The legend nods gruffly.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”You may.”>
Yuna hesitates, afraid of what she feels is necessary to say. Then she charges forward and speaks.
Yuna: <”With Shuko-san working closely with Crush-san, we will need allies. I am sure we can count on Mariposa-san’s Colors of Victory to help when needed, but we may need more. I believe you should propose an alliance to Endo-san and the Black Dahlia Legacy.”>
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”You would, would you? Even if they act like disrespectful bitches?”>
Yuna: <”They are proud, just like us. They may fight a different way, but they are not violent and cruel like the Gaijin Assault Army and MURDER-Gun.”>
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”Endo-san is not the first person I would choose to fight alongside if we have to battle two factions combined. I have seen in the past how unreliable she can be.”>
Yuna: <”With all due respect, sensei, the past is the past. Her unit is strong, and together we can defeat any enemy. Please at least consider it.”>
Tatsumaki sighs.
Tatsumaki Aoi: <”Your advice is noted, Saito-san. I shall consider it. You are dismissed.”>
Yuna bows in response, then turns on her heels and walks out of the office. Though she has a feeling Tatsumaki will not seriously consider the suggestion, at least Yuna made it at all. If there is a storm coming they must be as prepared as they can be. They will need friends. Yet as she emerges from the office into the dojo, that voice speaks up.
Voice: <”If the old woman fails you, what else do you have? If everyone else is unreliable, how will you stay champion? Perhaps Sakamochi-san is right.”>
Yuna shouts, not realizing that she’s speaking aloud.
Yuna: <”NO!”>
A dozen sets of eyes fall upon her, stunned and curious why the face of GDF and MGP has made such an outburst. She must not let this lead her into a bad decision. Through the sudden silence in the dojo the jangling chain of a punching bag swinging idly reaches her ears. It will do. Yuna’s long legs carry her over to it and without hesitation she begins to slam her forearm into it again and again and again. She doesn’t have time for this. She’ll make herself stronger.
Kyoto
6/11/23
Yuna: <”So this is what you wanted to show me?”>
It’s hardly what she expected to find waiting for her here in Kyoto. In fact the reality of the situation is such that she wonders if taking the trip west from Tokyo is going to end up being a colossal waste of time. Since the morning after GDF’s failure in this very city, she’s been breaking her back to prepare for the war that’s coming her way at Ryugoku. Aria Knight and Costanza Caponata have both shown just how immensely dangerous they are, how lethal they can be to her fairy tale existence as MGP’s heroine. One slip up, one wasted moment, and the clock strikes midnight in the ring of dreams. If that happens, how will she even look at all the people who look up to her? How will she be able to show herself before the legends and newcomers alike who expect greatness out of her? There’s no time to waste a single breath. She has to get stronger.
Yet she can’t turn her back on the people who mean so much to her, whether they’re her teammates or not. That night in Kyoto before LIghtspeed a ghost from her past appeared. The closest thing she had to a big sister, the girl who’d been her hero and looked out for Yuna in the face of unspeakable danger. Hifumi alive and well, tending a bar in her hometown as if nothing had happened in Kyoto all those years ago. That night had seen discussion of the past, shared present joys and the promise of big things in the future. Amid her hellish training routine, Yuna got a simple text: 'It's ready.’ Without explanation Yuna had cut her training short, sprinted to the train station and hopped on the soonest available bullet train to get here.
For this. Yuna for the life of her can’t imagine what the hell is so exciting about the scene before her. A formerly vacant storefront just now much cleaner - posters removed from the windows, a new door, proper lighting. It’s not what Hifumi’s so proud of though. That honor goes to the wrestling ring set up in the middle of the space. Her friend pats the apron with the pride of a new mother.
Hifumi: <”Isn’t it great, Yuna-san? This is how we change our stars, just like you did.”>
It’s the least impressive thing Yuna’s seen in quite a while. Maybe it’s just because she’s seen higher profile dojos and trains in one that’s about as elaborate as it gets. In fact, the ring her friend’s acquired is oddly familiar in its ignominy. The pattern of scratches on the ring posts feels intimately familiar. Yuna steps closer, eyes narrowed as she tries to process just what she’s seeing and why it's so important to Hifumi. Some parts are brand new, like the ropes and corner pads, but the canvas has a couple of faded patches on it. One of them is just centimeters off from the middle of the ring, just like - no, it can’t be! Yuna’s head snaps to the right and she glares down at Hifumi.
Yuna: <”Is this the Kansai Girls’ ring?!”>
For a year she’d taken bumps in that ring. Dozens of battles against her dormmates and the select few freelancers with less morals Saito Gorou could convince to make an appearance. Enough to become intimately acquainted with the battered ring her father purchased on the cheap, from its sagging ropes to that same patch near center ring. Some of the dressing had changed but she’s certain this is indeed the same ring they both sweat and bled in. Hifumi seriously brought her out here to see a ring that she’s never wanted to see again in her life?
Hifumi: <”You’ve got me! The very same. I managed to track it down and I’m starting to fix it up as I get the money.”>
She beams with pride, but Yuna just turns her back on the ring.
Yuna: <”I guess that’s great for you. But Hifumi-san, I don’t understand. Why would you want to bring this back into your life? After everything that happened in Kansai Girls’, all I could do was run as fast and hard as I could.”>
Hifumi shrugs and pulls herself up to sit on the ring apron.
Hifumi: <”A lot’s happened since then, Yuna-san. The world’s changed. You’ve changed. In fact, it’s because of you that I got this idea!”>
Yuna’s eyes go wide at that revelation, her mind unable to comprehend it.
Yuna: <”Me?! How could I possibly have given you the idea to dig up our past?”>
Hifumi: <”Really? You don’t see it yourself? In this ring you were the girl who could never find the strength or confidence to win. You broke out of the life we all shared and transformed yourself into an unbeatable star who shot to the top of Joshi PuroResu! You showed that with the right focus, determination and hard work a Kansai Girls’ Battle alum can reach the stars. I lost my passion for wrestling a couple years ago and settled into normal jobs instead. Then I saw that scared girl I knew in Osaka had made herself undeniable. So I thought if you can make yourself the Interstellar Dream Champion, maybe I can make a go of this again. And maybe some of the other girls from Kansai Girls’ Battle can too.”>
She reaches over and pats Yuna on the shoulder, smiling proudly.
Hifumi: <”We’re going to make ourselves strong like you did, and what better way than by transforming the ring where we got our start? It’s poetic.”>
Yuna shrugs and looks towards the door.
Yuna: <”I’m flattered, but I’ve got a lot of work to do. I should get going.”>
Hifumi: <”You can train here today.”>
Yuna shakes her head. The very thought of working in this ring again all these years later is not appealing in the least.
Yuna: <”Sorry, I’m not-”>
There’s a light crash as Hifumi hops down from the apron behind her.
HifumI: <”I know how busy you must be as the big champion of Miracle Galaxy Pro, but you still came. That means a lot to me. And I want to help you out too. Train with me.”>
Yuna looks over her shoulder, past Hifumi and at the ring. A ring that contains so many memories and nightmares for her. Then shadowy shapes begin to wave to and fro on the other side of the ring; they start off disorganized but quickly become one mass with multiple heads, almost a monster lurching towards her. Wait, no - not shadows, but a duo of women she recognizes almost instantly. Chiaki and Seiko. Former dormmates of Yuna's, watching her eagerly and expectantly.
Yuna: <”I can’t. Tatsumaki-san’s going to be pretty upset when she realizes I skipped town.”>
But isn’t Tatsumaki Aoi upset with her in general? Won’t this be insignificant compared to the failure to lead GDF to victory? No. She shakes her head and tries again to get out of the door so she can return to Tokyo and continue training for the biggest match of her life.
Hifumi: <”Fine. Saito Yuna-san, this is a challenge. Fight me in a sparring match. Show me your strength! You could never beat me when we last shared this ring, and I wonder if you could even now. I’ve been out of the ring for four years but I think I can still take you.”>
Yuna stops dead in her tracks. She remembers the few matches she had with Hifumi under the Kansai banner. Short, hard hitting affairs that left her short of breath. Everyone always thought Hifumi would be the big breakout star, said that she was the most naturally gifted and hardest working of them all. Just like all the faceless voices online claiming that Yuna’s talent is fully eclipsed by those around her in Miracle Galaxy Pro. The same voices which insist that Yuna is only champion because of chance rather than her own skill or strength. That luck plays far more of a role in her newfound success than anything she’s worked so hard to improve. They’re exactly the kind of people who’d argue that even years removed from the sport, Hifumi is a better wrestler than Yuna. All of those voices scream in Yuna’s thoughts, telling her she’s not good enough and doesn’t deserve to be where she is.
Yuna: <”You’re on.”>
She spins around and glares at her friend, who just smiles cunningly.
Hifumi: <”You brought your gear?”>
Yuna nods.
Yuna: <”I did.”>
Hifumi: <”Then suit up and meet me back here.”>
Moments later
It’s at once overwhelming and just a bit off from what the Interstellar Dream Champion expected. As if the holder of the top prize in Joshi Puroresu standing in a slightly rehabilitated ring of nightmares in a previously abandoned storefront isn’t off in and of itself. Why is she here of all places? The fight of her life looms large in just a couple of weeks, a battle she didn’t necessarily want but has accepted as her destiny. After the longest, most physically exhausting and emotionally draining match of her career it was inevitable that a rematch with Aria Knight would happen. She knew it the moment she saw the faces in the crowd that night at Korakuen. Astonishment at the war of worlds they’d seen and clamor for another round of it. Many of those faces, she knows, are those of people who have heavy expectations for her as the woman who carries the violet belt. She’s more than just the heroine, she’s the symbol of every last hope and dream for countless people. Many of whom who’ve been told their whole life that they aren’t good enough, that everything which they happen to achieve is merely coincidence or happenstance. Just like her. Any slip up, no matter how minor, will be a failure to the people who believe in Yuna.
Not to mention the added pressures of facing a woman whose anger was justified but misdirected. Costanza Caponata, a woman who’d been wronged and now turns that outrage towards her. Fair or not, she’s coming to shatter the dreams Yuna’s fought with every last fiber of her being to realize. Can she actually beat this woman? The only blemish on Caponata’s record is the fault of Aria Knight, and hadn’t been by pinfall or submission. She’s got a fair claim to being unbeatable herself, and now she holds a team victory over Yuna. One mistake, one momentary lapse in thought, and it’ll be Il Fine for Yuna’s magical story as the first Interstellar Dream. Daunting though it is, she can’t let the story end that way. Not so soon, not against these two women. Every morning she’s woken up with that beautiful violet belt in her arms or resting nearby has been a blessing. Proof positive that Saito Yuna has been transformed in this place she calls home. She’s a symbol of the cosmos of possibilities MGP holds; the Interstellar Dream is the symbol of her passion, heart and pure love for professional wrestling. There’s simply no way she can allow it to fall into the hands of either opponent. Yuna would rather have every bone in her body broken than see those gleaming silver plates and violet leather adorn the waist of Aria Knight or Costanza Caponata.
But surely it’s an impossible task? Both of the women who have her in their sites have very few failures to their names in MGP. Both of them take her status as champion as a personal insult. They’re going to go all out to rip away everything Saito Yuna holds dear before kicking her to the side like so much refuse. Her own success has been so incredibly unexpected because she’s caught people off guard. All the echoing doubts resound in her mind as she stands in the ring where it all started. It’s as they do so that she realizes why she’s here. Standing across the ring from her in the blue corner is a woman who represents the limitations of the past.
Hifumi: <”Chaki-chan, are you ready?”>
Chiaki: <”Of course!”>
Whenever Yuna and Hifumi had fought before, the result was always the same. For as hard as Yuna worked and as much as she’d improved since their last meeting, Hifumi was always that much better. Everything Yuna did, Hifumi always had a counter or superior move of her own. Much like Aria and Costanza, the very thought of fighting Hifumi had once intimidated her. And now, six years later, her friend looks to have stepped right out of the past to face her.
Hifumi: <”Are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to fight me?”>
Yuna looks down at her own gear and reminds herself that times have changed. She’s no longer the meek daughter of Saito Gorou who needs protection from the undeniable star of Kansai Girls’ Battle. Her ring gear alone attests to the fact. Gone are the homemade lolita styled garments she once wore to this very ring. Now she wears the pink, white and red of the first Interstellar Dream Champion. Seeing it buoys her confidence, reminds her of who she is rather than who she was. She’s stronger than she ever was before. And this challenge is only going to make her stronger.
Yuna: <”I’m coming.> Onegaishimasu!”
Hifumi: “Onegaishimasu!”
Chiaki smacks the bell with a gavel at ringside and the fight is on. Yuna begins circling to her right, Hifumi to her left. Knowing how quick her friend’s been able to turn the tables in the past, Yuna knows she has to act faster. Be decisive. Without hesitation she charges across the ring and locks up with Hifumi, trying to get the early advantage. Hifumi responds by switching things up and slipping behind her. The pair go back and forth with chain wrestling and excitement fills Yuna’s heart. It’s like the last six years didn’t happen. Her friend’s just as capable as she ever was - maybe she’s interested in joining MGP even! Someone like her would be an asset to Tatsumaki Aoi’s faction. While Yuna truly cares about her teammates, Lightspeed taught her that they still have much strength to gain. One weak link is all it takes for the chain to break. If Hifumi joins them surely GDF will become exponentially stronger as a result! She rolls through an arm lock and squares up with Hifumi again, smiling brightly as - WHAM! All the air rushes out of her lungs with one sharp blow
Yuna doubles over, clutching her chest as her sparring partner stalks her. There’s something different in those usually kind eyes. Something demanding. Hungry. A blur of white and pink fills her vision as Hifumi’s foot slams into her face, knocking her to one knee. Where did this come from?! Before she can respond, Yuna hears a primal scream escape Hifumi’s lips; her friend flies in, both knees aimed straight at Yuna’s head and neck. The impact knocks her for a loop and onto her back. It’s unlike anything she’s ever seen her friend do.
Hifumi: <”Is that all the Interstellar Dream Champion can do? Get up! Show me that real power you’ve got hiding inside!”>
Real power? What the hell is she talking about? Yuna holds her neck and head protectively as she struggles to get her mental house in order. While staring down at the battered canvas she can sense the prodigy of Kansai Girls’ stalking her. A half starved wolf eyeing prey. Hifumi’s assault caught her off guard, but she’s damned if she’s going to let it take the fight out of her. Yuna’s long arm flies forward, seizing the middle rope in an iron grip. Air returns to her lungs in a deep breath and the champion climbs back to her feet. The battle’s just starting. Her eyes drift over to Hifumi, questioning her friend’s motives and receiving that same raw aggression in those familiar eyes.
Hifumi: <”Show me the strength that made you champion!”>
There it is again. Whatever Hifumi’s getting at, Yuna doesn’t have time to dwell. Any notion of this being just a sparring match is put to rest. It’s crystal clear that this woman wants a full contact, full power fight. Fine. Yuna storms in and lights up Hifumi’s chest with forearm after forearm, pushing her back to the ropes. They connect with as much force as she’d employ against any opponent in MGP. With a speed she couldn’t have matched even four months ago, Yuna whips Hifumi to the ropes and then floors her with a rising knee on the rebound. When her friend hops back to her feet Yuna goes in for a Railgun - no! Hifumi ducks under and nails a backstabber with a sickening impact. Pain shoots up and down Yuna’s spine like lighting striking Tokyo Tower. Just as she rolls over onto her stomach, clutching her back in agony, there’s a sharp stabbing pain to her side. Then another. Another. Stiff kicks to the side, one after the other, as Hifumi shouts down at her.
Hifumi: <”That’s all?! I should take that title from you myself!”>
She has to get up. Yuna grunts in pain as she’s continuously hammered with blow after blow, each one a little angrier. What’s gotten into Hifumi?! On the outside this woman appears to be her old friend, but this aggression, this vitriol, is completely alien. As if someone completely different has taken control of Hifumi’s body and is commanding her to do these things, say these words. No. The Interstellar Dream can’t let herself be beaten, not in this ring against this opponent. Her heart pounds and she gets to one knee, her body aching from the abuse she’s taken already.
Yuna: <”I will not let you - ugh!”>
Her defiance is cut short by an arcing buzzsaw kick that spikes her in the temple. Yuna’s lanky frame spins, crashes face first into the mat. For a moment she doesn’t know where she is. All it takes is that extra shooting pain from her face down her neck for Yuna’s mind to reach for an answer. Korakuen Hall, the Galaxy Princess Cup final. She’s on the mat, having suffered a Bangers and Mash from Aria Knight. Suddenly her body remembers the agony of a night’s worth of torment, every joint screaming with pain. Her knees are so weak she doubts she can reach her knees let alone stand. The Magic Princess clutches her head to shield it as the relentless, ruthless monster looms over her. How can she possibly keep fighting? No one will blame her if she falls short here, not after she’s beaten the odds this many times already. Not after the longest match of her career where she’s done her best to hold her own with the British bruiser. Tears well up in her eyes and she pulls her hands ever so slightly away - the right is tinged with crimson. Blood. In this moment she hears the voice.
The Voice: <”You know what you have to do.”>
All that pain grows numb as she digs her fingers into the old, weathered canvas. Strange yet familiar passions fill her thoughts, she grows indignant. How dare this liar think that she can get her way through intimidation! Does she honestly think that she can just bury Yuna with her heavy handedness? There’s no room for such a woman to seize the top prize in Joshi Puroresu. And if she thinks she’s gotten Yuna’s number she’s in for a horrific surprise. Time to teach her a les- wait, no! This isn’t Korakuen and her opponent isn’t Aria Knight. Awareness returns to Yuna’s mind, but the anger remains. Hifumi just expects her to know what she wants to see; no explanation, just a beating to try and draw it out. How dare she! Friend or not, this can't be left unanswered.
Hifumi: <”Oh? Do I get to see it now?”>
Every word drips with condescension. It grates on the champion’s nerves. By the word ‘now’, Yuna forgets the pain and shoots straight up to her feet. An inferno burns in her eyes as she glares down at the shorter woman, daring her to make a move, any move. Hifumi doesn’t move, doesn’t budge. She just grins and watches Yuna expectantly.
Yuna: <”What? Get to see what?!”>
Hifumi: <”You really don’t know?”>
How could she? Yuna’s fingers clench into a fist, which she raises menacingly.
Yuna: <”No. Why don’t you tell me?”>
Hifumi: <”That devil you have inside you. We all saw it in the Princess Cup.”>
This again. Even as the voice continues to prod at her thoughts, Yuna shakes her head.
Yuna: <”There’s no such thing.”>
Hifumi: <”Really? Because the way you beat Knight-san says otherwise.”>
Yuna: <”I don’t have time for this.”>
Hifumi shoves her.
Hifumi: <”SHOW ME, Yuna-san! I need to see it!”>
Without thinking, Yuna hurls her arm forward with such force that the resulting slap spins Hifumi around. This has to end shortly. She’s not sure she can keep the sudden onrush of dark thoughts contained if she doesn’t. Everything’s in slow motion as she rushes to the ropes to finish this. Each step is accompanied by words from the voice, filling her thoughts with indignant rage again.
Tap.
Voice: <”Sakamochi-san was right.”>
Tap.
Voice: <”It feels very, very good doesn’t it?”>
Tap.
Voice: <”Knight just broke a legend. Caponata just beat you.”>
Rebound. Tap.
Voice: <”The only way to keep that gorgeous cosmic title-”>
Tap.
Voice: <”Is to let loose the darkness. Unleash those moves, that power.”>
Tap.
Voice: <”You need me.”>
Yuna leaps through the air, latches her legs around the dazed Hifumi. While the voice screams for her to let the darkness out, the Magic Princess refuses. She can’t. She’s the Interstellar Dream, she’s not a monster. No destruction, just a fast move that can catch even the most ruthless of enemies off guard. From the wheelbarrow position she rolls Hifumi up, just like she’s done to Andrea Cross and Aria Knight. Chiaki’s voice echoes the count throughout the room.
Chiaki: “ONE! TWO! TH-”
Hifumi explodes out of the pin with the force of a rocket ship taking flight. Yuna kips up into a fighting pose, ready to attack if her friend keeps this madness going. Her thoughts are littered with demands to cripple the former dorm mom, to make her weep and bleed. She makes no move.
Hifumi: <”NO. None of that cheap stuff. You’re just lucky, aren’t you? You didn’t make yourself one of the best after all! What a joke!”>
The Magic Princess’ muscles tense. Instantaneously all those doubts rush back in, threatening to drown her in a tidal wave of perceived doom. It’s not just Hifumi saying these things. She can hear her challengers echoing the very same criticisms in her mind.
Aria’s voice: “You stupid fuckin’ cunt! You ain’t better than me, you just had more left when we fought. An’ I’m going t’ snap you in half when I get my hands on you.”
Costanza’s voice: “You are the luckiest idiot in Miracle Galaxy Pro, Saito Yuna. I’ve revealed you as a fraud already, and next I’m going to rip that beating heart out of your chest.”
One last voice enters the fray.
The Voice: <”If you can’t beat someone who’s been out of the game for tour years, how are you going to beat those two? The only way you’re keeping that championship you love is to listen to me.”>
Yuna lets loose a blood curdling scream as she desperately tries to shut the thoughts out of her mind. Her eyes catch Hifumi’s doubting countenance and it’s too much. All she can do is smack that look right off her face. Fist clenched, then cocked, Yuna spins with the fury of a typhoon and hammers Hifumi right in the face with an uraken! Hifumi crashes to the mat and Yuna falls upon her, raining blow after blow on the woman’s head. Each strike is powered by one of the challenges put to Yuna’s integrity and standing as champion. Each one weakens her former friend’s resistance a little more.
Yuna: <”SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”>
Suddenly she stops, fist poised over Hifumi’s face. Out of the corner of her eye she spots red - blood, but not her own. It’s not on her fingertips, but on her knuckles. Her fury subsides just enough that she realizes what she’s doing and she stands up rather than continue the assault. Yuna glares down at Hifumi as she speaks.
Yuna: <”I have worked too long and too hard to let anyone say that I do not deserve to be where I am. I have been through hell and back for six long years, then again all in one night, to earn the right to call myself a champion. Everything I have done, I have done myself!”>
She snarls a little as she steps towards the ring ropes.
Yuna: <”I came all the way to Kyoto to see you, and this was why?! I left eveyrthing behind to get her as fast as possible. And then I find out you believe the same ridiculous internet rumors people who do not know anything about me keep repeating? I thought you knew better, Hifumi-san. I thought you knew me well enough to realize there’s never been a ‘Devil Yuzuki’. Do you have any idea what really happened in that match? I can’t remember entire sections, and it terrifies me. And you’re trying to get it to happen again? You’re my friend, you’re not supposed to try and hurt me.”>
With that she slides under the bottom rope and glares at the other women at ringside. Women she shared a life with once, hell though that existence was. Now they’re all strangers staring at her, wondering what in the world they just saw. Yuna shakes her head and storms past them. In one forceful movement she scoops her bag up from the floor and makes for the exit. A voice calls out to her, stopping the Magic Princes in her tracks.
Hifumi: <”It’s your devil that inspires us, Yuna-san.”>
Yuna: <”And I told you there’s no such thing.”>
Hifumi cracks a sly grin, blood dripping from the wound Yuna opened up on her temple.
Hifumi: <”Yes there is. We’ve all seen it.”>
Yuna shakes her head again and shoves the door open with enough force that it shakes in the frame.
Yuna: <”I’m done here.”>
She’s strong. She doesn’t have time for this.
Tatsumaki Dojo
6/16/2023
Yuna: <”Eighty-nine..”>
Progress continues. Sometimes it comes naturally, sometimes it has to be encouraged along. But as long as a woman makes progress, no matter how she got there it’s worth it. Even as Yuna’s legs grow increasingly stiffer, even as others watch her with concern, she pushes on. Killers await her at Ryugoku - there’s no time for weakness. So she presses forward with her training as the days before her defense grow few in number. Every hour, every rep she trains kills a little more of that weakness. Every one sharpens her senses, strengthens that which might otherwise fail her. It’s worth the pain to get there. She has no choice but to maintain this level of effort if the galaxy’s going to be safe.
Yuna: <”Ninety..”>
Her view is that of the dojo’s ceiling. It’s a drab affair as most ceilings are, nothing more than a collection of beige tiles periodically interrupted by lighting features. Yuna’s legs come down again, the weight feeling as though it will crush her. This is the challenge she’s set for herself - she chose this weight. Compared to the other weight she’s chosen and taken on, it’s nothing. As champion she has the whole world on her shoulders, a world full of hope and possibilities that only Saito Yuna can protect. If she’s going to be strong enough to shoulder that burden, this considerable weight is nothing. Answer the challenge, push through it, fight to victory with passion. That’s all the Magic Princess can do.
Yuna: <”Ninety-one..”>
She strains her legs just getting the weight up, but all the same it rises. Forced back by the strength of Saito Yuna. It’s her second go at one hundred reps this week and something she immediately went to after a long run and sparring today. Sometimes her body reminds her of the cost of such exertion in the form of recurring aches and pains. Like all the rest she shuts them out. She has to be even stronger. Otherwise - the voice speaks up for the first time today to remind her.
Voice: <”You’re going to make a mockery of that title and the people who believe in you. You need me.”>
The first time today but not in the past few weeks. It’s been consistently present, preying on the doubts that inevitably return to her train of thought. Yuna grits her teeth as the weight comes down, knees threatening to give up on her. No, she’s stronger than this! WIth a defiant cry she channels her strength into her legs and pushes the weight up again. And so it continues. Each rep is harder than the last, each one threatening to stop her. Each time she finds a way to keep fighting through the agony. Thoughts of all her teammates, of young girls in the crowd who have hope because of her fill the champion’s mind. Fight through it.
Sato Hoshi: <”Saito-san, are you okay?”>
She almost doesn’t register the voice of her acquaintance. Yuna doesn’t even slow down as she looks up at the girl’s face which is contorted in concern. Hoshi’s just one star in a cosmos that needs someone like Yuna to keep their dreams and chances for the future alive. A galaxy ruled by Aria or Costanza isn’t going to allow for that. The champion forces a smile for the benefit of the Stargazer talent. She’s the heroine isn’t she? This seems to placate the girl a bit, and Yuna goes back to her reps.
Yuna: <”NIntey… eight..”>
Sato Hoshi: <”Do you have time to work with us in the ring? Vex-san wants to spar, but told me to get a teammate. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather ask than you.”>
Progress. She has to keep making progress. No stops. Everyone’s counting on her, but this isn’t their fight. To protect the cosmos, she has to do this her way. Alone.
Yuna: <”Ninety-nine..”>
Sato Hoshi: <”Saito-san?”>
Yuna screams through the pain as she hits her goal.
Yuna: <”One hundred!”>
Victory! The oppressive weight is racked and Yuna finally allows her legs to fall to the floor. Suddenly the power that she felt course through them vanishes and all that remains is a lingering burning sensation. She’s not sure she could get to her knees, let alone stand up in the moment, but she can recover. It’ll just take a moment. Yuna gazes up at the girl and realizes she was asked a question - something about training with some of the others? Already her mind is transitioning to the next super set she’s got lined up for this intensive training. Then she has a livestream she’s promised her fans after that.
Yuna: <”Sorry, Sato-san. I’ve still got a lot to do. Have you tried asking Nicholson-san or someone else?”>
Hoshi’s face falls.
Sato Hoshi: <”I want to team with you, Saito-san. I thought you could use the change of pace too.”>
Yuna feels a pang of guilt at seeing the girl react like that, but she knows what she has to do. Ensuring she’s so strong there’s no need for that darker side to rise is no small task.
Yuna: <”Next time, I promise.”>
Hoshi sighs and nods in agreement, and then begins to move away. Mentally Yuna apologizes to the girl before she shifts fully into preparing for her next step. She’s been largely self-directed the past few days, and that suits her just fine. The solitude allows her to dedicate every waking moment to preparation for Starcrossed Wonderland. No slip ups will be allowed. Victory against those who mock her and look down upon her is what matters. No - she doesn’t matter so much as protecting MGP! All the same victory is the main thing which fills her mind. Months ago that word was alien to her. Today it is the only acceptable outcome. Yuna’s arms tense as she grips the seat firmly, then pushes herself up. Though her body’s reaction is one of a coalescing swarm of aches and soreness, Yuna doesn’t stumble. Progress. Just as she looks over to the bench press, a light weight clamps down on her shoulder.
Mizuki: <”Saito, a moment.”>
Yuna doesn’t even look back at her mentor.
Yuna: <”I’m sorry, Suzumi-sensei, I have to finish my training.”>
The veteran’s grip on her shoulder intensifies, shooting pain through Yuna’s aching shoulders.
Mizuki: <”Not later, now.”>
Yuna: <”But Suzumi-sensei-”>
Mizuki steps in front of her and locks her gaze on Yuna. Concern fills her face and her eyes make it clear there’s to be no denial of her request. Not even from the Interstellar Dream.
Mizuki: <”You and me, in Tatsumaki-san’s office. Now.”>
Yuna: <”Won’t Tatsumaki-sensei be-”>
Anticipating the question to follow, Mizuki shakes her head.
Mizuki: <”She’s training with Vex-san for their match.”>
The handful of steps back to the management office are filled with uncertainty. Yuna’s mentor doesn’t often act this forcefully. Something’s clearly gotten under her skin, and Yuna can tell she’s the source of it. Even though it’s not far Mizuki keeps looking back over her shoulder at Yuna. Every time her face filled with more concern. For a moment Yuna wonders what she could’ve done to draw this out of Mizuki. Yuna wonders what it is that she's done which has Mizuki so upset. Shortly Mizuki pushes the office door open and motions inside. Yuna steps up to her and raises her eyebrow; Mizuki responds only with another nod into the office. It’s serious then. The door latches shut and the former Scarlet Emblem comes alive, hands on her hips and a questioning glare on her face.
Mizuki: <”I want you to tell me what’s going on, Saito.”>
Yuna sighs and looks over at the door. There’s not much time left, so much work to do. Yet she looks back to Mizuki and shrugs as she responds.
Yuna: <”What are you talking about, Suzumi-sensei? I’m training for my title defense.”>
Mizuki: <”Yes, I know that. And I know how hard you’re pushing yourself to get ready. That’s not what I’m talking about - there’s something else.”>
Yuna: <”I don’t know what you’re talking about.”>
THUMP. Mizuki’s fist slams onto the desk as she glares at her student.
Mizuki: <”Really? Ever since Kyoto you’ve been different. You’ve shut out all of your teammates, you avoid them and Tatsumaki-san. When you’re not working by yourself you sit in the corner pretending the world around you doesn’t exist. Then you ran off a few days ago without telling anyone where you were going. That’s not the Saito Yuna I know, so tell me. What’s going on?”>
Flashes of Saito Gorou fill Yuna’s memory as she flinches at the sound of Mizuki’s raised voice. Loud voices mean she’s in trouble. They mean pain is coming. Instinctually more than consciously, Yuna stares down at her feet. This isn’t her father, Mizuki cares about her. She can trust her, can’t she?
Yuna: <”I failed.”>
Mizuki: <”And?”>
The champion’s eyes begin to tear up, hands balling up into fists.
Yuna: <”I failed, Suzumi-sensei. I promised everyone that I’d lead them to a win, But when we actually fought the Black Dahlia, it wasn’t enough. Everyone was looking up to me - me - to take GDF to new heights and protect the Ring of Dreams. But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t save Nicholson-san, and I failed.”>
Mizuki: <”Everyone fails sometimes, Saito. You can do everything right and still not win. That’s life.”>
Yuna thinks of her teammates, the pain and disappointment on their faces after their loss. Her loss. Like it or not everyone sees her as the second in command of Galaxy Defense Force, the beacon of hope against mounting darkness.
Yuna: <”But am I really a hero after what happened? I fought so hard, and I fought the right way, but it wasn’t enough. I let everyone down. GDF, the fans, everyone.”>
Tap. Tap. Yuna hears her mentor’s footsteps draw closer, but still she can’t make herself look up.
Mizuki: <”Heroes can fail. I can’t count how many times I failed during my career. But you can’t let that failure eat you up. You can sit around feeling bad about it and thinking about how you disappointed everyone. But at the end of the day there’s always that next match, that next sunrise. And you just have to pick yourself back up and move forward.”>
Yuna: <”That’s what I’m trying to do. But it hurts so much. I felt like I was stabbed in the chest when Caponata-san promised to rip out my heart. That’s why I’m putting myself through all of this to get stronger.”>
That’s not the only reason, but Mizuki doesn’t need to know about the voice. It’s not her problem. The tears flow down her cheeks as she briefly imagines the pain and heartache that will occur if she fails again. She has to be stronger.
Mizuki: <”But why avoid everyone who’s trying to help you?”>
Yuna nods slowly.
Yuna: <”Because I can’t be the leader they need. I thought I had everyone working together as a team, but we didn’t work well enough. People look up to me, but I can’t take them with me into a fight and win. If I’m going to be a hero, I have to inspire people without ruining their chances of winning on their own. It’s better if I do it alone.”>
Mizuki: <”What about GDF being your family? Would you hide from that family because you’re scared of hurting them?”>
Yuna: <”I’m not hiding! But - I feel lost. How can I lead this team when I don’t have a chance to get to know them? How do I lift up GDF as a team when my partners keep changing? I don’t even know if it’s worth it to get close to them when I might not see them again. Yua-san was one of the first people to say she believed in me, and she helped me get that first win. Then she left. Nicholson-san inspired me with her passion but I haven’t seen her recently either. Yamada-san’s gone too. I can’t lead GDF, and my fight at Starcrossed Wonderland isn’t a faction battle. It’s me against those two alone. That’s how it has to be.”>
Mizuki sighs audibly, making Yuna’s muscles tense. What’s she know about these feelings? Does she have any idea what it feels like to have the weight of the world on you? It’s been years since Suzumi Mizuki was in a ring, let alone been a champion. Even then she didn’t have such high stakes with every match she fought, with the fate of everything she loved at stake. Yuna hears Mizuki shuffling towards her, so she turns around to avoid having to make eye contact.
Mizuki: <”It’s a challenge. I’m not saying it isn’t. I felt horrible five years ago when I couldn’t do anything to help my partner. I avoided Tatsumaki-san and any shows related to her at all costs for so long. It drained me until I was empty. I don’t want to see that happen to you. These girls care about you as much as you care about them. I care about you. And if you’re having a hard time I need you to tell me so I can be there for you. Don’t push us away.”>
Yuna: <”I have to win the next fight on my own.”>
Mizuki: <”Of course, but we can be in your corner. We’re all rooting for you. Don’t worry, if the Gaijin Army or MURDER-Gun try to get involved we’ll-”>
Yuna’s head snaps up, she stares at Mizuki. There’s nothing but concern on the trainer’s face, enough to ease Yuna’s tensions a little. But in her last words she suddenly realized it’s not just fighting by herself instead of on a team that’s affecting her. It’s another form of fighting on her own. Something she really didn’t want to discuss with her mentor, but here they are.
Yuna: <”That’s not what I meant.”>
Mizuki leans back on the desk and nods to Yuna.
Mizuki: <”Then tell me, what did you mean?”>
Yuna hesitates. How does she explain what it is if she doesn’t know herself? Won’t she think that Yuna’s crazy? Tears continue rolling down her cheeks as she debates just walking out and going back to her training. It’d be easier than attempting to explain the darkness that seeps into her thoughts. But if that’s so, why does her heart ache at the idea of keeping it to herself? Her thoughts turn to doubt, and in that doubt the voice returns.
Voice: <”She’s just going to tell you that you need to keep yourself weak. You need me.”>
Yuna clutches her head in her hands, squeezing to try and forcefully silence the voice. It recedes, but she can feel those thoughts continuing to lurk. Somehow she manages to avoid screaming again; she looks up and sees Mizuki staring expectantly at her. Mizuki isn’t judging her, she’s just watching with concern - how many people before MGP could Yuna say that about? It’s settled. She has to tell someone. At first it's just a few words, then it all flows out - the dark thoughts that she should hurt people, the blackouts, erverything. Mizuki inhales deeply before asking a pointed question.
Mizuki: <”You’re talking about that ‘Devil Yuzuki’ Fuku-chan mentioned during the Galaxy Princess Cup?”>
Yuna nods graveley, feels nervous energy welling up inside her.
Yuna: <”Yes. And ever since then, people have been talking more and more about it. I keep telling everyone that there’s no such thing as Devil Yuzuki, but they keep going on about it. And I’ve been having these thoughts more and more since Kyoto.”>
The energy gets to be too much. Yuna begins pacing as she attempts to sort through her own confusion and fear.
Yuna: <”Kyoto is a failure for me. Not just Lightspeed and Black Dahlia Legacy. A few days ago Hifumi-san asked me to come visit, so I went to see her.”>
Mizuki: <”So that’s where you went. Why didn’t you tell us?”>
Yuna: <”Tatsumaki-sensei was already very upset at me for losing at Lightspeed, and I knew she’d tell me not to if I asked for permission. But I had to go, I thought it was important but-”>
She reaches the far wall, spins around and shakes her head.
Yuna: <”She wanted me to show her that. The thing that happened when I fought Knight-san and won the Interstellar Dream. She and some of the other Kansai girls are returning to wrestling because they want to be like that. My closest friend wanted me to be like that, and I wondered if - if Sakamochi-san is right. Maybe I need that darkness to be strong enough to keep the championship. That’s why i’m working so hard alone - I need to be stronger so I can keep winning without letting myself become a monster.”>
There’s silence for a few moments, both women staring at each other in contemplation. It’s been set out. The moment the last word escapes her lips her body feels infinitely lighter. All anxious energy begins to fade. She’s been carrying this on her shoulders for so long that it became normalized. But giving voice to it, telling someone who cared about her, has begun to ease the burden if not the thoughts. Those thoughts remain, that voice remains. For now she feels more in control though.
Mizuki: <”Well first of all, Sakamochi is a creepy old bastard who shouldn’t be in our locker room in the first place.”>
It’s the first time she’s heard the older woman curse, and the incongruity makes Yuna smile despite herself.
Mizuki: <”And besides that, it sounds like you’ve had a lot to deal with. I get what you’re talking about with those doubts, but there’s something you need to remember.”>
She steps closer and puts her hands on Yuna’s shoulders.
Mizuki: <”You got your first win without that. You held off MURDER-Gun without that. And you made your dreams come true, you beat Aria Knight in the final, because of who you are. You’re Saito Yuna, and you’re a hero.”>
Without warning, the older woman pulls her into a hug. It’s the first time Mizuki’s done this, yet Yuna can immediately feel the difference between hers and Tatsumaki Aoi’s. Her leader’s embrace had been one of appreciation for Yuna going through hell and winning victory for GDF against the forces of evil. Maybe also to ease the pain of the injuries she’d suffered. Mizuki’s was warmer somehow, full of more concern and reassurance. More like a mother’s embrace than a faction leader’s. Yuna hugged the woman back, letting tears flow and wash away the things that have weighed on her for weeks. Mizuki’s right. She’s a hero. A hero who’s always defied the odds, who can overcome the challenge of that, who can bring down the seemingly invincible challengers.
Yuna: <”I’m glad you think so. But this hero still has to go through hell to keep hope alive.”>
Mizuki: <”Not alone. I’m going to be there in your corner no matter how much you insist you’re doing this alone. You fight your battle, I’ll watch your back. If that slimy Isla Villin tries to get involved, I’m not afraid to throw fists this time. We all believe in you, and I’m pretty sure you believe in you too. I promise you that will not happen again.”>
Yuna: <”But if it does-”>
Mizuki: <”It won’t.”>
Yuna: <”If it does, I need you to promise me something.”>
Mizuki: <”Of course, anything.”>
Yuna bites her lip as she debates it. Is it really okay to ask? But there’s no one in GDF she trusts more to follow through on the request.
Yuna: <”Stop me. Do everything you have to to stop it before it gets out of control. Promise me you'll knock the sense back into me.”>
A moment of utter silence follows as Mizuki stares at Yuna, countenance slightly confused. Finally she nods and pats Yuna on the back.
Mizuki: <”I promise. I’ll come out in my old gear so I’m ready for a fight, and if that happens to you, I’ll help you stop it.”>
Yuna nods and steps out of the embrace, feeling that nagging need to get back to work. Despite the aches and pains, though, she feels lighter. She can keep going.
Yuna: <”May I return to my training?”>
Mizuki nods.
Mizuki: <”Of course, champ. But I want you to get in the ring with Sato and Vex this week. Vex’s worried about you, and Sato looks up to you a lot. It’ll do you some good to work with them.”>
Yuna nods, then pumps a fist.
Yuna: <”Sure. I’ll be the hero they need me to be. And I’m going to keep that beautiful violet belt right here in GDF.”>
Tap. Tap. Tap. Yuna’s feet carry her out of the office and back into the dojo. Everyone looks to her, and she carries herself with confidence. Fears about failure, her shortcomings and the nature of that linger but they’re not deafening. As she passes the ring she spots Vex and fist bumps her. She catches Hoshi’s eye and smiles at the Stargazer girl. This is her family. And she’s going to win the toughest fight of her life for them as much as for herself. But first, back to work.
Ryoguku Budokan
6/24/2023
There’s no more time to prepare - the day is here. Two months after the biggest night of her life, one month after her first defeat in MGP, Saito Yuna defends her Interstellar Dream for the first time. She takes in the repeating pattern of horizontal steps marking the path to the doors of the Budokan and breaths in deeply. War awaits her within those doors. It’s all come to this moment, on this grand stage. Before her are narrow banners of varying colors bearing the logos of each of MGP’s factions. Her eyes settle on the purple one with the GDF logo and she nods. For everyone’s sake, she has to do this. It feels a little odd standing out here in her full title match gear, the gorgeous violet and silver championship adorning her waist. But it's time for one last message as champion before she goes to war. A wave from Mizuki is her signal.
Yuna: <”Today’s the day. It’s funny how fast time flies by isn’t it? It seems like it was only yesterday that I spoke to you all from the holy site of pro wrestling and promised to make my dream come true. But it’s been two months, and now I’m just a couple hours away from the fight of my life just to keep that dream alive. And look where I am! Ryugoku Budokan! The fact that I have my first ever title defense here shows just how much Miracle Galaxy Pro’s changed me. A year ago I was fighting in basements that can hold thirty people. Today I’m fighting in the biggest venue I’ve ever been booked on - there’s a good chance I have literally thousands watching defend the galaxy tonight.”>
She throws her arms out to either side, accentuating her backdrop.
Yuna: <”Losing at Lightspeed to Kyoto made me question myself. Am I really the hero who defied the odds to win this beautiful championship against 15 of the best wrestlers in the world? Or did that Saito Yuna vanish when GDF failed? And while I searched for that answer, it seems like everyone’s had an opinion about who I am. Some people see the hero, but others say she never existed. That the only reason Saito Yuna became Interstellar Dream is luck rather than talent. The luck to surprise her opponents with fast pins, the luck to face someone who was beaten down and abused. Or they say that I have a hidden side I can turn to when things get desperate. It’s funny, those doubts helped me find my answer.”>
Yuna lowers her arms and nods with conviction.
Yuna: <”It is not luck that I have outfought and outmaneuvered every woman who’s faced me in Miracle Galaxy Pro-Wrestling. It is not a fluke that I call myself the Interstellar Dream. Anyone who says those things is making excuses for their own failures against me. I have earned everything I have, and Miracle Galaxy Pro has made me the strongest I have ever been. If they can not see that, they just do not understand who I am. There is no luck involved, just as there is no devilish power I hide from the world. I am Saito Yuna, and I am the living, breathing spirit of the possibilities Miracle Galaxy Pro Wrestling represents! And the two women who’re stepping into the ring with me will discover exactly what that means tonight.”>
Yuna’s gaze turns to the Gaijin Assault Army banner.
Yuna: <”Aria Knight-san, it’s only natural that we’re facing each other again. You pushed me to the absolute limits of my abilities in the Princess Cup, and now you’re back to finish the job. Fine. You know, I do admire the fighting spirit and skill that you possess. You would not have gotten as far as you have without being very good and very dangerous. But you waste that talent in how you have fought in the ring of dreams. Yes, you are very talented, but you turned to underhanded means to get past women who are just as talented. The world knows how you cheated to beat Toki MInako-san then put her out of action, and the world saw you rip victory away from Caponata-san. So I say this: no matter how good you may be, you did not deserve to face me in the final of the Princess Cup. But despite the best efforts of your teammate, every other opponent, and your own brutality, Saito Yuna kept getting back up. You saw first hand how the girl who could barely stand at the beginning of that match fought on through crippling pain in order to stop you. None of your underhanded tricks or savage offense could stop my heart from beating.”>
She pounds a fist over her chest.
Yuna: <”So tonight I say do your worst. Show me the full power of an enraged Aria Knight-san. I know that you have achieved every goal you have set for yourself here. Your conquest of Power Rise speaks volumes to your determination. Your banishment of Bison Kojima-san is the ultimate statement of intent. But look into my eyes and tell me that you believe you will achieve the same result here in this ring tonight. Tell me that after you saw me rise from the ashes again and again that you are confident you will break me. If you do, you are a liar. You may have caused the fall of Power Rise and Kojima-san, but this is entirely different. I am not a middle aged legend with a battered near the end of her career. I am the Beating Heart of Galaxy Defense force who has forged herself into the strongest heroine in Joshi Pro Wrestling. And since we last met I have only become stronger. You fight the things you hate, I fight for what I love: this Ring of Dreams, my friends and my fans. That is something more powerful than you can possibly imagine. I will not allow you to plunge my home into darkness, no matter what it costs me. Some people think you’re unstoppable, but I know better.”>
She then shifts her gaze to the Black Dahlia Legacy banner.
Yuna: <”Caponata-san, I wanted to fight you at some point. You are without a doubt one of the greatest wrestlers in the world, and it should have been you standing in that ring with me at the Princess Cup. Everywhere you go, everyone showers you with praise and speaks about how you are the future of this sport. Yet you petulantly made this personal by ruining my first appearance as Interstellar Dream. I wanted to face the woman everyone said was the future, but that’s not who I am facing in this ring. No, I realized that behind that hype, Caponata-san is a violent thug who can not stand not getting her way. I had nothing to do with what happened in the Princess Cup, yet you still assaulted me as if I had stolen your chance to become champion. Then you led your team to victory over my GDF and proclaimed that you would rip my beating heart out and take this company into the future. You drew blood, and now I must return the favor.”>
The sudden vulgarity is accentuated by Yuna glaring down the camera intensely.
Yuna: <”There’s more than one route to the future, and I will not let MGP take the one led by a self-important woman who acts without honor. If you had an issue with me you only needed to speak it. I guess you did though. I recall a time when I first arrived here and was attempting to put my best foot forward despite a lifetime of pain. Your response was ‘what the fuck are you doing, Yuna?’. I’m sorry it’s taken so long, but tonight I will give you your answer. Tonight I will fight with the fire and passion that shook the heavens and brought down Anya Bonecrusher-san, your little tiger, Niijima-san and Knight-san. I have spent every waking moment since arriving here to transform myself into a woman capable of protecting the Ring of Dreams. Every match I have grown stronger, more focused and more determined to keep winning. What I did was make myself the first Interstellar Dream. And no matter how many witty phrases, uncalled for assaults and self-serving promises you unleash, no matter how much you want to make this Il Fine for me, you will not succeed. My heart will keep on beating no matter how much of my blood you spill or how many of my bones you break. You want to destroy the very things I have fought for, and I will fight to the last breath to stop you.”>
She takes a deep breath before reaching her conclusion.
Yuna: <”It will not be easy. Only one woman remaining in MGP has ever pinned Knight-san, and no one has pinned or submitted Caponata-san. From a distance they seem invincible. But I’m stronger than I’ve ever been, and my goal is simple. The fire in my heart is going to burn down the facade of invincibility surrounding them. I will show the world that no matter how powerful a woman is, she can be hurt and she can bleed. And if she can bleed, she can be beaten. This is the mission I absolutely have to accomplish. With thousands here and countless others watching around the world, I will not rest until I stand with my hand raised and this beautiful violet belt still around my waist. I’ve reached the stars, and now I’m going to keep them open so others can realize their dreams too.”>
Yuna smiles with confidence.
Yuna: <”I am done letting the world question me. They will learn who I am tonight.”>
At last she gives the violet belt a loving pat, then winks to the camera.
