Again.

[Natasha Walker]

InterContinental London - The O2
London, England
10 April 2024

Rini tried to remain calm as the phone rang. She wasn’t having much success; her mouth was dry, and her heart seemed to have taken up residence in her throat which already felt too tight.

The tone cut off mid-ring and for a heart stopping moment, there was a silence that made Rini feel sick to her stomach.

Then both her parents started talking at once.

“Rini! Are you okay? What happened?”
“What were you thinking?! Another wrestling contract? After what Neo-Honshu did?”

Her parents’ concerns were typical of them; her mother was worried about Rini’s wellbeing, while her father was more concerned about her future or the consequences of actions that could no longer be changed.

“Haha-san, I’m fine,” Rini tried to soothe them both. “Chichi-san, Imperial is nothing like Neo-Honshu. Please, trust me,” she pleaded.

“You’ve said that before,” Ren Ishikawa accused, his tone bitter.

“And this time is different, Father,” Rini sighed.

“How?”

Her father’s harsh retort made Rini wince, but she answered as calmly as she could. “For one, Charlotte is the reason I have this contract, not the reverse.” She then had to raise her voice to be heard over her father’s imprecations at the mention of her best friend. “For another! I’ve actually had matches! And won!”

Rini kept going, unwilling to let her father start protesting again. “Father! I know this isn’t what either of you wanted me to do with my life, but it’s what I love. I’m good at it, and I’m better with Charlotte, and now Natasha too.”

Rini had to wait as both her parents started railing about her becoming friends with the wrestler who had beaten her so ‘viciously’ in her last match with Neo-Honshu.

“Mother! Father! I wasn’t really hurt! Just like I was never more than bruised at the dojo!” Rini insisted.

Her mother must have done something to calm her father, because she took over talking. “Rini, you know we just want you to succeed, but did you have to go to America? Why didn’t you come back home?” Amarante asked.

Rini sighed again, wishing her parents were more informed than they clearly were. “Mother… Imperial is the best promotion in the world! Why wouldn’t I take that opportunity? It’s better than anything I could’ve gotten back home. Especially since they’ll let me team with Charlotte.”

She heard her father ready to start again about Charlotte. She felt the years of frustration snap inside her. “STOP IT! Ever since I met her, you wanted me to stop being friends with Charlotte, but don’t you get it? My friendship with Charlotte is what saved me from what Neo-Honshu was doing! Would you rather I be successful, abused and silent, and with no one to help me escape?”

The silence that met her harsh question only made her angry. They couldn’t tell her they wanted that over her friendship with Charlotte, but they also wouldn’t admit that Charlotte’s friendship had benefited Rini. She jammed her finger into the disconnect button and only barely kept herself from hurling the phone at the wall. Instead, she folded in on herself, crouched on the floor with her arms around her legs, and cried.

She didn’t know how long she stayed like that, her phone clutched in her hand and sobbing. She almost jumped when an arm came around her shoulders. Rini started, looking up and finding Nat, her expression sympathetic and a package of pocky in her hand.

“Guess I don’t need to ask how that went…” Nat commented dryly. Rini shook her head, sniffling in an attempt to stem the tide of tears. Nat made to place the pocky to one side but Rini reached out and snatched it, eagerly tearing into the foil and munching on the snack.

Having demolished the package of treats, Rini sniffled again and leaned gratefully into Nat’s shoulder. “Do you think we can find dumplings on our way to Scotland?”

“Don’t you worry about that. Lotsa Japanese chefs come to Europe. We’ll find you somethin’.”

---

Amsterdam, Netherlands
18 April 2024

The anticipation in the air was palpable as Nat examined the set up of the ring, it wasn’t an IWF training facility but a few traded conversations and a quick word with Hannah had been enough to open doors for what could only be something designed to shake Nat’s cobwebs loose and de-escalate Charlie.

“What’s this going to accomplish Nat?”

Nat rolled into the ring and started to stretch. Rini was nearby with Hannah as the realization of what Nat was about to do started to sink in.

“I’ve spent two days listenin’ to you bitch about not having any action. I need a work out; you need a work out. So get your ass in here and we’ll work it out.”

Charlie raised a brow with an exasperated sigh as she shook her head and Nat started to make chicken noises, gesturing into the ring with both hands. Charlie took that mildly good natured taunt in its stride but she was already in the ring. “You Brat! C’mere!”

Nat was quick to laugh and snatch a headlock,securing it down and trying for a take over, Charlie was a little quick for her turning to even out the pressure and push Nat back into the ropes before sending her off.

Charlie drops down, leap frogs and drops to her back to try and catapult Nat over herself and watches as Nat performs a No-handed cartwheel over her and smiles at her as she does so, landing flush as Charlie kips up to grab Nat’s wrist for an Irish whip.

Reverse, Drop down, Leapfrog.

Nat gets herself airborne for a Rana attempt and Charlie performs her own cartwheel to remain on her feet, and she is smiling. Nat rolls up with a smile and claps with a chuckle.

“Now you get it?”

Charlie nodded. “I get it.”

The two circled, fist bumped and went like that for 45 minutes. Each time looking to outdo the other in terms of flash, skill or maneuver, dares laid out in silent moments of agreement, nothing said; just testing, pushing, breathing hard, and leaving all the worries and cares right there on that mat.

It was infectious, feeding on itself. The risks got higher but they never stopped, playing this self agreed game of wrestling HORSE. Nat understood the game was never going to stop, just pause until they decided on another round or Hannah or Rini realized they'd probably hurt themselves doing something they couldn’t handle.

Not that the idea that might happen seemed to bother either of them. It was as they sat against the ropes, drinking water and breathing hard, that Charlie spoke up. “How long have you been stealing from my playbook?”

Nat smiled and muttered between breaths. “Not just your playbook sister, this is me.”

Charlie regarded the younger woman with a nod and they shared a fist bump as Nat smiled. “So, why the Goblin Glider?” Charlotte asked, making Nat chuckle.

“Cooler sounding than the Silver Surfer and in theme,” Nat responds, still laughing.

“Think we gave Hanners a panic attack.”

Sure enough, Hannah was laying on the floor with Rini using an impromptu fan made of her pocky box to waft cooler air at the young manager’s face.

“You ever wanna do this again, we’ll find a ring and play, deal? See if we can’t work ourselves up to a trampoline park or somethin’.”

Charlie smiles in agreement and they gave each other another fist bump.

“Of course, you realize it’ll make us facing each other pretty interesting the next time.”

The grin that was returned to Natasha spoke volumes as Charlie leaned back on the ropes.

As the thought lingered, Hannah jerked up from her prone position on the floor and pointed at them both. “No, you can’t.. Never again! You’re insane, the pair of you!”

Hannah hauled herself to her feet and started making for the door, ranting about talking to the bookers to put some sort of ban on putting Nat and Charlie in a ring against each other. All three wrestlers dove after her to stop her.

---

We open on a training ring, as the camera slowly pulls back to show the backs of three figures facing the ring Nat, Charlie and Rini slowly turn to face the camera.

“So, We’re gonna have a Murder face-off, which you know some would say it’s about damn time somebody stood up to y'all right?”

Rini nods and speaks enthusiastically as Charlie takes up translation duties, even going so far as to imitate Rini’s dramatic mahō-shōjo gestures with what could pass as a straight face. “That’s right! Evildoers beware!”

Nat manages an infectious smile as she looks at Rini and her head tilts as she gazes into the camera. “So I got caught in y’all doing the Columbo bit, and I don’t fault you for wanting to get even on the folks who jumped your girls. But you’re pointing fingers at everyone, getting a lil’ secret police about it and no offense but are you guys surprised somebody decided to level their big guns at your big guns to put them down? Maybe even out for good? From what I understand your group was the big guns of the big guns look at the names.”

Nat ticks names off on her fingers. “Rowan Mcdonnaugh, The Madrox sisters, Virginia Stepanov, Vivienne Rogers, Mai Everstone and Astrid Hall-Freeman.”

Nat blows a breath, bouncing from side to side as she gets amped up. “Ladies, that's a list of whom not to be messed with if ever there was one. Yet here we are messing with ya, why? Why would three four lades step up and face you down when you’ve had the rule of the roost? Because you wanted better; now you’re getting it, or was this not how you wanted it?”

Rini nods in agreement bouncing up and firing off in rapid Japanese Charlie taking a second to translate it as she nods herself. “Karma’s wheel often turns in ways you don’t expect, doesn’t it? Soon you will face your reckoning!”

Nat nods even as Charlie adds in again pointing out to the audience, but clearly speaking directly to the Murder. “You think you’re clever don’t you, sneaking up on people in locker rooms and ‘questioning’ them? Didn’t you hear that physical coercion is ineffective at finding the truth? You don’t want the truth! You want the rest of us afraid of you, divided so we don’t band together against you. Well guess what! Us here are not afraid of you!”

Nat and Rini look at Charlie with a blink. Rini turns to Nat, asking softly in Japanese, “Did I say that?”

Charlie sheepishly grins, then coughs, clearly attempting to make her expression more neutral again. “Close enough?” she suggests, sounding a little embarrassed.

Rini gives a little thumbs up and Nat continues with a bright smile. “So we come to the port of Amsterdam, and we look to mix it up with two of the most Prominent names in the Murder, some would even say the leaders; Lil’ Miss Can't Miss and The Legendary Vivienne Rogers. What’s left of the flag ship sailing out to make a statement this week so let’s discuss huh? Because even without the current stakes, this is a match I alone would love to have served up to me. Are you kidding me?!”

Nat’s excitement started to brim over as she chuckles, bouncing on the spot. “Two former world champions; one hall of famer, one future hall of famer. Don’t tell me Brooklyn won’t. That’s a lie. She’s a cert for it in the future. Former enemies now allies banding together in a re-read of ‘the strong survive’. Only you sprouted wings instead of baring fangs and howling at the moon. Well done, big scary. Carrion crows feasting on the dead.”

Nat makes a bird with her hands, flapping its ‘wings’ to land on Rini’s shoulder as she makes a ‘caw caw’ noise. Both Rini and Charlie look at Nat like she’s going a little crazy. Nat pouts a bit as it appears her own internal joke has missed its mark and she smooths her hands down after a ‘sorry’.

Rini flashes a brief smile to Nat before striking one of her usual dramatic poses, her hand raised high over her head then coming down as a clenched fist at her heart. “Brooklyn Madrox, you seek to smother the Division with your vile words and sneak attacks. The shadows will no longer hide your evil heart, and the moonlight will reveal who you really are to the world!”

Nat nods as she smiles, taking a moment to squeeze Rini’s shoulders; the two of them seem to feed off each other's energy. “Right and Viv, you used to be such a good girl. Is this one of those ‘live long enough to see yourself become the villain’ things? Did all the BS worm into your head so much you decided the rest of us needed to pay for it? Because sister, that is a poor excuse, like people suck true this business sure likes to take and take But the hell did we ever do? You want the entire roster to become you? Is that it?” Nat’s face was something between remaining fun loving but looking into the camera as she sighs. “Girl, you need a hug and a better set of friends, not this bullsh-”

Rini interjects, cutting off the swear, “Uranusu!”

Charlie just laughs outright. “Or at least a boyfriend who’s not a rapist…”

“Maasu!” Rini protests again, looking horrified.

Nat and Charlie exchange bemused glances and both mutter an apology. Nat visibly takes a breath to calm herself down. “The point remains, you wanted the ladies roster to toughen up, you wanted better. Well at least the three of us have had enough of the Murder. It didn't take me long. You got in my face and called me a liar when I was up front. Now you get to see just how up front I am. Mai can tell you, if she was payin’ attention, where I sit in terms of ass kickin. Because you girls have it coming in spades and though I respect your accomplishments and I anticipate eagerly seeing what it is you’ve got? You ladies are gonna get sick of seeing us.”

Nat thumbs to Rini with a slightly satisfied smile. Rini jumps in with an accented phrase of English. “You made us your business, so now you’re going out of business!”

Nat winks to the camera before Charlie chimes in. “Y’all should’ve stuck to your niche on the food chain. You corvids are about to be out-competed for food, because the Birds of Prey have taken the field.”

Nat smiles at that and looks at Charlie and Rini, asking, “That’s what we’re going with?”

Rini shrugs and Charlie grins in response. Nat nods to herself. “I like it, we’ll run it past our new friend and try it on for size; let the Birds of Prey Rise!”

The three of them manage a group hug before Rini pops out of it, striking the classic Sailormoon pose and saying in English, “In the name of the moon- we will defeat you!”

Fade out and the three give another group hug and sorta laugh as they head back towards the training ring to pick up where they left off to cut a promo.