Post by Natasha Walker on Mar 28, 2024 9:02:19 GMT
Just as she thought she had a handle on things she found herself having to Balance the various dynamics of the Shimizu/Ishikawa group, Hannah was great but she needed to learn the separation between Sister and Manager. In her case it was fine, they already had that separation and she wasn't related. But Charlie was starting to get aggravated and it was starting to show.
So between making sure there was no rapid and unscheduled sibling murder. Nat and Rini were spending more time together. working out, talking and Nat had detected something: a silence in the spaces , a brave front being put on and a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes like it should and gaps in stories that didn't add up, little excuses and gaps where there should not have been. Something didn't sit right in Rini's past, It didn’t need to be said. She could take a step back and see it from another angle and ask the questions nobody else would.
So as Rini was bench pressing and Nat was playing spotter, she took in a breath, speaking with the woman.
"Rini, something's been botherin' me since we started hangin'."
Her voice was bright, strained even as Nat was being quietly impressed by the weight being pressed.
Her voice was bright, strained even as Nat was being quietly impressed by the weight being pressed.
"What's up Uranusu?"
She balanced the weight a bit to make sure it hit the rack spot as she asked her question.
“When are you gonna fess up to What Neo-Honshu were actually doin’? Are you gonna tell her?”
Rini’s stunned silence spoke volumes as she looked away for a moment as she finally found her words.
She balanced the weight a bit to make sure it hit the rack spot as she asked her question.
“When are you gonna fess up to What Neo-Honshu were actually doin’? Are you gonna tell her?”
Rini’s stunned silence spoke volumes as she looked away for a moment as she finally found her words.
“How....can I? How did you know?”
Nat spoke gently, very softly, almost reassuringly to explain her logic. Almost feeling she should be adding ‘one more thing’ to her next sentences.
“Not just a pretty face Rin, there’s...things you said that don’t ....fit and you forget why I was pulled into Neo-Honshu to start with. Impression they gave me was you were gonna stay and you seemed to surprise everyone except Charlie when you just quit yourself and well I’ve been around enough to hear you both talking, and there’s gaps you know? Gaps Charlie wouldn’t notice ‘cause she was bein’ run ragged.”
She wrinkles her nose and she spoke softly, a note of encouragement easing into her voice.
“You gotta tell her Rini, ‘’cause these things have a way of comin’ up at the worst possible moments.”
Rinis’ eyes once again didn’t quite meet Nat’s as Nat took a breath and let out a soft noise and she took a moment to tilt Rini’s face a little towards her.
“Hey, look I’m not blaming you, ok? I wasn’t there. I don’t know I just..You can’t torture yourself over this. Trust me, sometimes it’s easier to rip the metaphorical bandage off before somebody else or something else brings it into the light or you find yourself thinking the worst. I got faith in you Rini. You're not an inconvenience and it sure as hell isn’t your fault.”
Nat spoke gently, very softly, almost reassuringly to explain her logic. Almost feeling she should be adding ‘one more thing’ to her next sentences.
“Not just a pretty face Rin, there’s...things you said that don’t ....fit and you forget why I was pulled into Neo-Honshu to start with. Impression they gave me was you were gonna stay and you seemed to surprise everyone except Charlie when you just quit yourself and well I’ve been around enough to hear you both talking, and there’s gaps you know? Gaps Charlie wouldn’t notice ‘cause she was bein’ run ragged.”
She wrinkles her nose and she spoke softly, a note of encouragement easing into her voice.
“You gotta tell her Rini, ‘’cause these things have a way of comin’ up at the worst possible moments.”
Rinis’ eyes once again didn’t quite meet Nat’s as Nat took a breath and let out a soft noise and she took a moment to tilt Rini’s face a little towards her.
“Hey, look I’m not blaming you, ok? I wasn’t there. I don’t know I just..You can’t torture yourself over this. Trust me, sometimes it’s easier to rip the metaphorical bandage off before somebody else or something else brings it into the light or you find yourself thinking the worst. I got faith in you Rini. You're not an inconvenience and it sure as hell isn’t your fault.”
The silence seemed to hang in the air between them like a blade waiting to cut the thickness of the air, tension slowly easing out as Rini’s eyes started to mist up some and Nat let out a soft.
“Nononononono, it’s ok it’s okaaaay.”
There came the hug as Nat sighed gently and ran fingers in her hair as well she felt like she’d pulled a dagger out of somebody’s heart and was waving it around in the open, kicking the puppy, she was a monster and this was her punishment a crying bubble of light suddenly working out years of frustration and pain out on her skin and then having to pull herself together as all those little social rules started to come to light and Rini gave a smile, again not quite reaching her eyes as Nat frowned with a note of sympathy a tissue grabbed and water passed over.
“It’s ok; Uranusu But I -can't- tell her! What will she think? She’d be so..Angry!”
Rini wiped at her eyes and her demeanour was slowly picking up, she’d needed that release. Some sort of catharsis after all she’d been thinking about and Nat’s little frown obviously caught her as Rini realised what Nat was thinking.
“You aren’t thinking what I think you are aren't you?”
Nat made a soft face as she sighed a bit.
“Maybe, I dunno I just wanna help this isn't good. For either of you. Charlie's got some tension too, Hannah ain’t helping and I dunno I just ..You’re best friends closer than that ..I trust you’ll make good but you gotta put water under this, and I shave a talent for puttin’ my foot in it.”
Nat rubbed her neck and looked down as she hugged Rini again with a soft nod.
“I got both of y’alls back …I won’t let that happen, even if I have to shut the two of you in a room and lock the door until you’ve talked about it.”
Rini tilted her head the other direction and smiled.
“You are a very strange person Uranusu, but thank you.”
Nat managed a bright chuckle and a sly smile.
“I’ll take being strange, normal is kinda dull, but seriously are you ok?”
She’d give Rini a shoulder squeeze and a soft smile with a reassuring nod.
“Hai, Hai.”
Natasha nodded a bit and brushed her own hair out of her face , realizing her own eyes were a bit misty as she wiped at them and she chewed her lip taking a breath as she sighed and wrinkled her nose.
Yeah, telling Charlie about this was going to be no picnic. So she probably wouldn't. It would come in the form of the question she asked herself to get to this conclusion.
How had somebody as Talented and good as Rini not gotten to the Neo-Honshuu roster sooner?
“Nononononono, it’s ok it’s okaaaay.”
There came the hug as Nat sighed gently and ran fingers in her hair as well she felt like she’d pulled a dagger out of somebody’s heart and was waving it around in the open, kicking the puppy, she was a monster and this was her punishment a crying bubble of light suddenly working out years of frustration and pain out on her skin and then having to pull herself together as all those little social rules started to come to light and Rini gave a smile, again not quite reaching her eyes as Nat frowned with a note of sympathy a tissue grabbed and water passed over.
“It’s ok; Uranusu But I -can't- tell her! What will she think? She’d be so..Angry!”
Rini wiped at her eyes and her demeanour was slowly picking up, she’d needed that release. Some sort of catharsis after all she’d been thinking about and Nat’s little frown obviously caught her as Rini realised what Nat was thinking.
“You aren’t thinking what I think you are aren't you?”
Nat made a soft face as she sighed a bit.
“Maybe, I dunno I just wanna help this isn't good. For either of you. Charlie's got some tension too, Hannah ain’t helping and I dunno I just ..You’re best friends closer than that ..I trust you’ll make good but you gotta put water under this, and I shave a talent for puttin’ my foot in it.”
Nat rubbed her neck and looked down as she hugged Rini again with a soft nod.
“I got both of y’alls back …I won’t let that happen, even if I have to shut the two of you in a room and lock the door until you’ve talked about it.”
Rini tilted her head the other direction and smiled.
“You are a very strange person Uranusu, but thank you.”
Nat managed a bright chuckle and a sly smile.
“I’ll take being strange, normal is kinda dull, but seriously are you ok?”
She’d give Rini a shoulder squeeze and a soft smile with a reassuring nod.
“Hai, Hai.”
Natasha nodded a bit and brushed her own hair out of her face , realizing her own eyes were a bit misty as she wiped at them and she chewed her lip taking a breath as she sighed and wrinkled her nose.
Yeah, telling Charlie about this was going to be no picnic. So she probably wouldn't. It would come in the form of the question she asked herself to get to this conclusion.
How had somebody as Talented and good as Rini not gotten to the Neo-Honshuu roster sooner?
THUNK
The sound of Glass hitting the floor can be heard and we cut suddenly to Nat, her hands pressed up against the Plexiglas of the Iron Maiden chamber, staring at the ring as she slowly sits back, hands on the floor and looks at the ceiling, eyes wandering as she speaks.
“This is where my night starts, this could be where my night ends, I could escape, be let free and join the fight. I could watch either Serenity or Charlie end it right there and be declared Maiden.”
She let loose a long, long breath eyes closing as she tightened her jaw , the camera became a long time lapse of Nat walking around the confines of the small cell , resting in corners , sat, bouncing ,hands banging on the glass, air walking around using the walls to hold herself up. The time lapse becomes multiple versions of Nat all doing different things in a multi coloured blur about her sat down self as she looks at them.
“I hate waiting, I hate being stuck watching I’d rather be in the mix but whilst I wait, whilst we draw closer to High Stakes, I gotta contend with the fact I -have- to wait and it’s gonna drive me crazy, also whilst it does so Let's talk about the girls huh? No particular order.”
Nat’s various selves all seem to pull into the standing form of the young woman who approaches the Plexiglas, Camera angle changing to reveal the reflection in the glass is not her own, but that of Abigail’s, hand touched hand as they stare at each other’s alien reflection of themselves.
“Abigail, people will keep asking the same questions, We don’t understand why I don’t think we ever will, But this business encourages people to throw themselves into some of the weirdest things, why not literally being someone else? I’m not sure I could do that, I’ll admit that I’m not sure I’m brave enough or messed up enough to give me up, or whatever you had to do.."
She gives a short sharp sigh of resignation and shrugs her shoulders.
"I dunno, I only have the old tapes to go on, but the fact is of everyone in this match You’ve seen the goal post a lot of us are aiming for, looked down from on high and said ‘I am champion’. You totally look to do that again, if the ladies in the ring don’t mess it all up for us.”
She chuckles, wiping her nose a bit in time with that reflection as the shared smiles mirror each other and she starts to pace. Abigail seems to walk the opposite direction before snapping back as a reflection, following Nat along but with her own unique gait.
“We’re different souls, but like everyone else we have the same drive, to be the best, be it destiny hard work, And you’re in the same position as me …Waiting fingers on those walls and hoping dreaming your destiny doesn’t slip away in the sand that’s fallin’ through the cracks…That you might not have a whole lot of that sand left, and the future is passin’ you by quicker than your past ever did, Memento Mori and all that. I look forwards to mixing up more wit’ ya Abi my girl but ...I dunno how much there is in you.”
She steps away from Abigail’s reflection to walk to the opposite side of the pod only to be confronted by the reflective vision of April Madrox hammering on the Plexiglas anxiously even trying the door and pointing at Nat as she almost snarls.
“April, girl I almost feel sorry for you being at the bottom of the pile despite guaranteeing to get in, that must suck, to see us all rush out and you’re caged, tapped that little part of you animal frenzy to get in and out yourself ever deeper into your sister's shadow.”
A pause and she chuckles.
“'Cause I hate to say it Sister, tha’s where you’re sittin’ Maiden? She’s been there and done that. Women’s champion? The same again. She might support you she might push you but Right now shes a long shadow, One you’re gonna be trying to escape for along time, I dunno if you -can- escape it by her side but You do you there’s no bond like family, even the fucked up ones so sit in her shadow, scrape, scratch, claw, fight and scream…and I hope we see each other in the ring.”
There was one last slam on the Plexiglas from the shadow of April and the cell seemed to shake as Nat turned again, backing up and back to back with the Reflection of Mai who looked over her shoulder and frowns with a little smirk.
“Mai, Honey I don’t agree with your associations, but we’ve already recognized our shared hunger for what comes, that drive to be the best to be out there in the sun, to be the best , to be the wave that sets the division a blaze in its own way, I don’t expect anything out of you but the absolute best, put aside this faction BS and let's look at You Mai, always there but never up front and centre, when you gonna get -real- hungry with it, show me, show us, hope we bust outta those cages and go wild.”
She reaches a hand up and turns her palm to the glass As Mai Mirrors the motion and winks, pushing off the reflection fist as Nat turns towards the outside the pod as the camera pulls back to the ring as projected on the canvas itself waste moving image of Charlie's entrance into the ring, full gear and get up as highlights of her various moves play and Nat sighs as the Footage has some backstage shots showing Nat and Charlie talking, loading into cars as they chat and Rini too, a fast formed friendship and talk displayed in snippets almost too quick to act as the projection just stops and Nat nods to herself.
“Let's not kid ourselves sister, If you get a chance to end that match out there against Serenity, you’re gonna take it, aren’t you? That gold sits above us a chance to roar out and claim it, be the wave of future, be the name on everyone’s lips? If that’s how it is going to go? Fine by me ... .But I want a shot too, it's a delicate balance. I don’t want to take your name, I don’t want to take your prize but this game? This business is about always striving to be better and bigger. I won’t lie, I'm torn. Part of me wants you to end it so I can soar with you, and the other part.?”
She chuckles as she thumped a slow rhythm on the Plexiglas like war drums in an even beat.
“I wanna go, really go, see which one of us is better I want you and Ren to wear each other out so much that ya’ll can’t hardly stand when I explode outta my pod like goddamned cannon It’s gonna rule so…Do me a favour girls…Don’t play spoiler yeah?”
She chuckles, wiping her nose a bit in time with that reflection as the shared smiles mirror each other and she starts to pace. Abigail seems to walk the opposite direction before snapping back as a reflection, following Nat along but with her own unique gait.
“We’re different souls, but like everyone else we have the same drive, to be the best, be it destiny hard work, And you’re in the same position as me …Waiting fingers on those walls and hoping dreaming your destiny doesn’t slip away in the sand that’s fallin’ through the cracks…That you might not have a whole lot of that sand left, and the future is passin’ you by quicker than your past ever did, Memento Mori and all that. I look forwards to mixing up more wit’ ya Abi my girl but ...I dunno how much there is in you.”
She steps away from Abigail’s reflection to walk to the opposite side of the pod only to be confronted by the reflective vision of April Madrox hammering on the Plexiglas anxiously even trying the door and pointing at Nat as she almost snarls.
“April, girl I almost feel sorry for you being at the bottom of the pile despite guaranteeing to get in, that must suck, to see us all rush out and you’re caged, tapped that little part of you animal frenzy to get in and out yourself ever deeper into your sister's shadow.”
A pause and she chuckles.
“'Cause I hate to say it Sister, tha’s where you’re sittin’ Maiden? She’s been there and done that. Women’s champion? The same again. She might support you she might push you but Right now shes a long shadow, One you’re gonna be trying to escape for along time, I dunno if you -can- escape it by her side but You do you there’s no bond like family, even the fucked up ones so sit in her shadow, scrape, scratch, claw, fight and scream…and I hope we see each other in the ring.”
There was one last slam on the Plexiglas from the shadow of April and the cell seemed to shake as Nat turned again, backing up and back to back with the Reflection of Mai who looked over her shoulder and frowns with a little smirk.
“Mai, Honey I don’t agree with your associations, but we’ve already recognized our shared hunger for what comes, that drive to be the best to be out there in the sun, to be the best , to be the wave that sets the division a blaze in its own way, I don’t expect anything out of you but the absolute best, put aside this faction BS and let's look at You Mai, always there but never up front and centre, when you gonna get -real- hungry with it, show me, show us, hope we bust outta those cages and go wild.”
She reaches a hand up and turns her palm to the glass As Mai Mirrors the motion and winks, pushing off the reflection fist as Nat turns towards the outside the pod as the camera pulls back to the ring as projected on the canvas itself waste moving image of Charlie's entrance into the ring, full gear and get up as highlights of her various moves play and Nat sighs as the Footage has some backstage shots showing Nat and Charlie talking, loading into cars as they chat and Rini too, a fast formed friendship and talk displayed in snippets almost too quick to act as the projection just stops and Nat nods to herself.
“Let's not kid ourselves sister, If you get a chance to end that match out there against Serenity, you’re gonna take it, aren’t you? That gold sits above us a chance to roar out and claim it, be the wave of future, be the name on everyone’s lips? If that’s how it is going to go? Fine by me ... .But I want a shot too, it's a delicate balance. I don’t want to take your name, I don’t want to take your prize but this game? This business is about always striving to be better and bigger. I won’t lie, I'm torn. Part of me wants you to end it so I can soar with you, and the other part.?”
She chuckles as she thumped a slow rhythm on the Plexiglas like war drums in an even beat.
“I wanna go, really go, see which one of us is better I want you and Ren to wear each other out so much that ya’ll can’t hardly stand when I explode outta my pod like goddamned cannon It’s gonna rule so…Do me a favour girls…Don’t play spoiler yeah?”
Nat keeps on beating at the glass as the ring and the other sides of the pod start to show pictures of Serenity Holmes and she smirks and speaks.
“Serenity, so determined to prove a point that you have this twisted idea we’re all mocking you, are you listening to the words coming out of my mouth Ren Ren? I needle you because you bite, dangle that hook and you come for it, but all of that a side You’re hell of a competitor you showed that last week, you actually dug in and laid it all out there…”
A small sigh and a shake of her head, pacing backwards and forwards as the camera pushed in and through the glass it seems to focus on Nat’s face and intense stare.
“Then you -had- to lay your little glory in, you got one win and all of a sudden you were king shit. Like the world owes you , right back the spoiled brat, not showing an ounce of humility, an ounce of respect, acting like that what makes you the good guy, look at me! I’m the best! Get outta here man! You ain’t the best until you have that belt above your head, you're so certain you’ll win you don’t have a clue what’ll happen if you do lose do you? Cross your arms and pout and say it's unfair and it's not my fault."
A small sigh and a shake of her head, pacing backwards and forwards as the camera pushed in and through the glass it seems to focus on Nat’s face and intense stare.
“Then you -had- to lay your little glory in, you got one win and all of a sudden you were king shit. Like the world owes you , right back the spoiled brat, not showing an ounce of humility, an ounce of respect, acting like that what makes you the good guy, look at me! I’m the best! Get outta here man! You ain’t the best until you have that belt above your head, you're so certain you’ll win you don’t have a clue what’ll happen if you do lose do you? Cross your arms and pout and say it's unfair and it's not my fault."
Nat nodded to her self in her certainty.
"Happy to take credit for your victories and put your losses behind something else. But underestimating you is -not- on my to-do list Serenity. I hope to hell Charlie keeps you at bay because When that door opens I’m comin’ for ya I’m coming for all of you.”
The images suddenly stop and in the chaos and confusion Nat is standing in the middle of the ring after the camera pulls back from the close up on her face.
“This game is all about doubts, of the fans, of ourselves, I don’t doubt all that well. I get all quiet and apprehensive, and do I LOOK Apprehensive about this? No, I've never been certain of anything in my life. I WILL make it out of my maiden and I WILL leave my mark!”
She huffs a breath and gives that little self confident smile.
“See y'all in sunrise yo.”
Fade out.
The images suddenly stop and in the chaos and confusion Nat is standing in the middle of the ring after the camera pulls back from the close up on her face.
“This game is all about doubts, of the fans, of ourselves, I don’t doubt all that well. I get all quiet and apprehensive, and do I LOOK Apprehensive about this? No, I've never been certain of anything in my life. I WILL make it out of my maiden and I WILL leave my mark!”
She huffs a breath and gives that little self confident smile.
“See y'all in sunrise yo.”
Fade out.
Well howdy there pardner.