Post by okami on Apr 16, 2010 7:54:31 GMT -5
She had sat in the empty Mellon Arena for some time, about 25 rows from the ring. The ropes had been removed as the XWA crew worked into the quietest hours to pack up the show and move on. Okami was doing the same thing really.
She was not going insane.
She was not angry.
She had no bad words.
Her eyes darted around the ring space, replaying the match inside. She had to be sure she had done her absolute best. She held nothing back from the fans of the XWA. She had fought like it was her last day on Earth.
And she had lost.
She watched herself get pinned inside her mind. In her mind she had nothing left to give. She could pack the match up and move on, just like the show. She looked to her right, 8 seats over, where a man held a camera pointed at her. She wondered how long he had been waiting, and smiled apologetically. If he had waited a long time, she should say something. If he had not, it did not change things.
Okami collected her thoughts and her English words. Then she began to speak.
"I am in two pieces. One is sad. I do not get to face Fury-san. I do not get the honor of seeing myself against the best. It is why I am here. It is why I returned. It is why I hope she can beat Valencia-san. She is the one I want to face."
Okami stopped speaking and nodded to herself. It was the simple truth. She recognized it.
"Two is happy. If I have to use tricks to win a match? I do not want to win that match. I will not walk that path. Too many people have decided that anything is good if you win. They have all become the same person. Good is good. Bad is bad. Winning does not change them."
She exhaled strongly. For the time of morning it was, her eyes were very alive and catching the dimmed light of the emptying arena. She could see the bags under the camera man's eyes. She had sympathy for him.
"Two is happy. If Valencia-san is the number one contender then that must make me number two. I have come far on my path, but I know it has no end. It was a hard lesson."
Her eyes focused on the glass of the camera. It was the mirror.
"I will fight the fall. I will fight to hold my place. I will fight to move forward. I am not a fox. There will be no tricks."
Her voice was strong and proud but not loud.
"I am the White Wolf.
I will stand."
The camera kept close on her masked face and naked eyes before cutting away. The camera man lowered the camera from his weary face.
"Thanks Okami."
"Thank you."
Her gave her a tired smile, collected his bag and walked down the concrete steps to the floor. She watched him go and then looked at the ring on last time before collecting her own gear bag.
Only she walked up the concrete stairs and left that way.
She was not going insane.
She was not angry.
She had no bad words.
Her eyes darted around the ring space, replaying the match inside. She had to be sure she had done her absolute best. She held nothing back from the fans of the XWA. She had fought like it was her last day on Earth.
And she had lost.
She watched herself get pinned inside her mind. In her mind she had nothing left to give. She could pack the match up and move on, just like the show. She looked to her right, 8 seats over, where a man held a camera pointed at her. She wondered how long he had been waiting, and smiled apologetically. If he had waited a long time, she should say something. If he had not, it did not change things.
Okami collected her thoughts and her English words. Then she began to speak.
"I am in two pieces. One is sad. I do not get to face Fury-san. I do not get the honor of seeing myself against the best. It is why I am here. It is why I returned. It is why I hope she can beat Valencia-san. She is the one I want to face."
Okami stopped speaking and nodded to herself. It was the simple truth. She recognized it.
"Two is happy. If I have to use tricks to win a match? I do not want to win that match. I will not walk that path. Too many people have decided that anything is good if you win. They have all become the same person. Good is good. Bad is bad. Winning does not change them."
She exhaled strongly. For the time of morning it was, her eyes were very alive and catching the dimmed light of the emptying arena. She could see the bags under the camera man's eyes. She had sympathy for him.
"Two is happy. If Valencia-san is the number one contender then that must make me number two. I have come far on my path, but I know it has no end. It was a hard lesson."
Her eyes focused on the glass of the camera. It was the mirror.
"I will fight the fall. I will fight to hold my place. I will fight to move forward. I am not a fox. There will be no tricks."
Her voice was strong and proud but not loud.
"I am the White Wolf.
I will stand."
The camera kept close on her masked face and naked eyes before cutting away. The camera man lowered the camera from his weary face.
"Thanks Okami."
"Thank you."
Her gave her a tired smile, collected his bag and walked down the concrete steps to the floor. She watched him go and then looked at the ring on last time before collecting her own gear bag.
Only she walked up the concrete stairs and left that way.