A debut (O2A)

[okami]

-It was a PPV atmosphere in the Time Warner Cable Center which was the final stop in a three stop tour of North Carolina. The leg work had obviously paid off as it was packed with people and their excitement. The XWA road show was the biggest thing rolling in this month and between the beer vendors, program hustlers and catch phrase T-shirt cannons --- nobody really noticed the masked woman who entered the ring, without a microphone, during one of the intermissions. After she slipped through the ropes and waved to a few at ringside; she was promptly forgotten about until the intermission ended and the lights came up again.-

Mike: And welcome back to the Ring Rage 2009, where the card continues to take shape with the surprise return of Sushi-X!

Buzz: You know he has one thing on his mind and that's his first hint of gold.

Mike: Ring Rage is going to have plenty of gold and from the looks of it ... at least one debut.

Buzz: What is this? 'Where a Mask Night' at the Time Warner Cable Center?

Mike: Show some respect Buzz ... masked wrestlers have been an integral part of our sport/

Buzz: Since God invented ugly?

Mike: This is O-ka-mi Ha-wa-i-to from Japan and our newest international Diamond recruit.

Buzz: Well, if she's standing in an XWA ring xxx she must have something going for her, but getting invited to the dance and actually surviving are two totally different things.

-At that moment the music of a more established star hit and the people rose to their feet.-

Mike: I think we're all about to find out together.

-The smell of fresh meat was like chum in the water to the more experienced wrestler. Enhancement talent equaled an easy win and an even easier PPV check. Okami was nervous, if just for the size of it all as her masked head turned to see who had picked her from the debut vine.-

[Vault]

-As they heard Manami's theme, they rose to their feet to boo instead of cheer as the prickly Asian woman steps out onto the stage wearing her robe again obviously dressed to compete tonight. -

Mike:" It looks like Manami Kuroguchi has decided to come out here and confront the new girl. She is fresh off of a hard fought loss to Cyn Nister, maybe she sees this girl as an easy way to erase that loss. "

Buzz: " I hope she does, this ugly girl in the mask looks like a little fish in a shark tank. "

Mike:" She does look nervous to be in the lime light, and with that performance Manami showed against Cyn I would be too if she was coming out here. "

-Standing in the ring looking at the masked girl, Manami keeps her face expressionless as she dresses down Okami.-

" Nervous are we? Afraid of the big crowd and the bright lights? Afraid you're gonna CHOKE? "

Mike:" Looks like Manami is trying to get inside the new girl's head. Let's see if it will work. "

" Just try and forget about the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people watching you right now, judging your every single move waiting for you to screw up one little bit and laugh at you. It's NO pressure at all, you're just about to debut for one of the biggest wrestling promotions in the world. "

-Sensing what she was trying to do, the crowd starts to boo louder at Manami.-

" Who am I kidding? You're about to debut against me, Manami Kuroguchi. A student of Mutoh, Misawa, and Toyota... "

Mike:" That's a who's who of Japanese wrestling, I know I would be intimidated by that. "

[okami]

-There were many things Okami wanted to say. But just like Manami predicted, the words choked up in her throat. The crowd booing her first opponent bought her a little a time --- though too soon they quieted down and she could feel the large attention shifting fully on to her. Slowly she bent down and picked up the microphone at her feet while giving Manami a half bow with her masked head. If she did not speak now, she never would.-

"Hokuto!"

She blurted out much too loudly, startled by the sound of her own voice. After a moment she continued a little softer.

"Hokuto, Ozaki, Hamada and Bolshoi."

-She smiled as she said each name. Though they were not her teachers.-

"That was my childhood, they were my heroes and I respect them all."

-She took a deep breath, there was a ripple of applause for her sincerity.-

"Just like I respect these people around you and I tonight."

Buzz: Oh, how sweet.

-Another ripple of applause as she paused.-

"You may beat me in this ring tonight Manami, and maybe I am even a little afraid of that. Maybe I am a little afraid of the lights and the cameras too."

-She didn't take a step forward. She stayed in her corner. But she did raise her head a little to meet Manami's eyes.-

"But you are wrong if you think I am afraid of these people watching. They are the only reason our heroes existed in the past and they are the reason we are here today."

Mike: And what's wrong with that? It's about time more wrestlers recognized that there is no XWA without our fans.

-The reaction was hardly thunderous. They hated Manami far more than they loved the new girl. Buzz wasn't impressed. But small reactions were better than no reactions. She felt good inside.-

"My name is Okami Hawaito of the new joshi generation and I am ready --- ready to show these people what I can do."

-She put the microphone back down where she found it, and glad that was all over with. The XWA scout had said her microphone skills were 'passable'. But they were not her strong point. She was brought here to wrestle, and Manami Kuroguchi was officially her first, giant step on a very long road.-

[Vault]

-Smirking devilishly at Okami, Manami makes a show of rubbing her throat for a second before blowing a large cloud of green mist above her head just missing her. With her lips stained green, Manami says into the mic as she backs out of the ring. -

" See you later tonight Okami. "

-Sliding out of the ring, Manami smirks as she retreats back up the ramp to the back for their match later in the night.-

Mike:" Looks like we have a match set for later tonight Buzz. The newcomer Okami Hawaito versus Manami Kuroguchi. I just have to wonder if that green mist will play any role in the outcome. "

Buzz:" We'll have to wait and see, personally I think a little green will brighten uo her mask a little. "

-Shown off by a chorus of boos, Manami slinks back behind the curtain.-

[okami]

-As the green mist settled almost invisible around her feet, Okami looked out to the crowd for support with wide eyes, and she got some in return. It was a good set-up and about as good a match as she could have hoped for her debut in XWA.-

Mike: I think everyone should keep their eyes on the Diamond Division as business has definitely picked up these past couple of weeks.

Buzz: You've got that right Mike. The old guard better wake the hell up because a new wind is blowing hard in their direction.

-As the two commentators continue to talk about the resurgent Diamond Division, Okami makes her way back to the dressing rooms to prepare for Manami later that night.-