Root of all evil Season 1 episode 6

[Alicia Lukas]

Now is the time for me to rise to my feet  

Wipe your spit from my face  

Wipe these tears from my eyes  

I've got to take my life back  

One chance to make it right  

I've gotta have my voice be heard  

And bring meaning to this life  

Off Camera 

Kyoto Japan.   

Present Day  

She swung the door open and stepped in. Her long hair tied back in a bun, very similar to how it was the first time she stepped foot in the hallowed dojo. She took a deep breath in, memories flooded back as a smile came across her ruby red lips. She took her sunglasses off and slid one side in the neck of her black and red “Kyoto-sun dojo” shirt. It was faded and clearly very worn. Alicia stepped across the floor and stopped just inside before slipping her shoes off, bowing as she crossed from the hardwood to the carpet. Despite being alone she felt comfortable.   

Her feet touched the training mat, they felt the same as they did from day one. Oddly smooth and very little give in them, the balls of her feet being able to feel the floor underneath. Alicia moved across looking over at the old ring. The ropes tightened after the morning training session. A smirk came across her lips as she walked over to it, reaching out with her fingertips she smiled as a little shock shoot up her hand and arm from the canvas. She walked around it tilting her head as the experiences of the past which felt like a lifetime ago came alive in her memory.   

A smile shone across her face as she leapt up onto the apron, she grabbed the top rope and pulled herself up and over it with a jump landing on the canvas before spinning on the balls of her feet like a ballerina would on a stage. She turned and spun before standing in the center, she closed her eyes remembering every movement, every bump, every shot. The pain shooting through her back. The anger at herself when her mind begged her body to quit. The feeling of crawling along the mat throwing up in a bucket.   

Her eyes sprung open and she took off hitting the ropes criss crossing the ring hitting them harder each time. The tight cables leaving welts against her back, arms and shoulders with each whip. She rolled across the canvas popping up to her feet bouncing up and down stretching out before shadow boxing, throwing a few punches a duck, a weave and a running bicycle knee. Alicia breathes deep with a smile and a chuckle under her breath.   

She turned looking at the mirror across the room. It was full length from the ceiling to the floor and ran along the entire south wall of the dojo. Her eyes trailed across her own body. Her hair back to the length it was when she first walked in here six years ago. But the rest has changed. Her body once too thin and untoned was now replaced with a fit, toned somewhat muscular frame. A woman's body with hips and thighs, she was now an athlete. Her face while still pretty was strong and fierce with burning blue eyes. The innocence and weak nature long lost along with her fears.   

There was nothing she feared now. Nothing that worried her to the point of tears. She looked down at the canvas. She used to be ruled by her emotions, her fears. For so long it was fear that drove her. Fear of losing, fear of letting people down, fear of being nothing and nobody. But that was gone now. Now there was a need for competition. A need to face people as strong as her, a need to be beaten to grow. The only fear she had left burned in her mind like a hand held over an open flame.   

Just how far would she go?. Alicia looked back in the mirror before noticing something. A young girl, maybe 18 years old was in the corner folding towels. A task Alicia knew very well. She walked to the ropes leaping out and to the floor. As she moved closer she realised the girl was caucasian. A gaijin like her. “They have you on towel duty too huh?. That wasn’t very fun...better than toilets though right?....”  

The was no answer. The girl just stayed focused on her fast. A large bruise under her right eye and a cut on her lower left lip. Her long blond curls hung loose down the sides of her face. She was tiny, skinny and her body looked beaten in other ways. Her knuckles were skinned, her legs bruised. She moved quickly folding the towels and leaving them in piles of three. Alicias gave a nod folding her arms looking over at the wall of graduates. “I was right where you are now. They haven’t had many women here, let alone western ones. And I’m the only one to leave here with honor…. “ 

Alicia smiles focusing on the wall, the names around her, many now a who’s who of names in Japan. But one picture stood out. A small frame with a skinny girl with short pink and blue hair. Underneath it had her birth name “Violet Maxwell” and under that it said ペール・ウォリアーor Peru u~oriā. Pale Warrior in Japanese.   

“They don’t want people like us to succeed kid. So I know things are tough right now. And I had no one. There was one guy here who seemed to care but in the end he was a quitting bitch like everyone else. No one will ever have it harder in a place like this than us and we’ll also have the lowest expectations….but fuck that….we can also be the toughest, the baddest….and the ones with the biggest heart and resolve. So I’m telling you...not asking you….to hang in there….cause I-”  

Alicia looks down to the girl and stops. Where she was is an empty space. The towels still left in a pile. None of them folded. It was like no one had been there. Alicia looked around and shook her head as she noticed the classes filling in, she smirked as she walked past them, many stopping recognising her from the picture bowing as she passed.   

It’s good to be a goddess…. 

Off Camera 

Glendale Arizona  

5 weeks ago.  

Alicia ground her teeth together turning away. Her fists balled in anger as she heard Travis from the other room, his laugh echoed through the hallways, Alicia slide her hands through her hair tying her long blond hair back as she packed Travis’ bag for him. Her own bag packed and sitting near the door. Her plane ticket to the next show even sat separate from Travis’ to New York. She heard him laugh again before saying his goodbyes and hanging up his phone.  

He stepped into the room looking over at Alicia, he smiled and stood behind her sliding his hands around her waist and around her stomach holding her against him. She took a deep breath trying to stay annoyed but the feeling fading as she felt his lips against her neck. She instinctively tilted her head to the side closing her eyes as Travis kissed up to her ear with a whisper. “Got enough time before you have to fly out?”  

Alicia clears her throat and slides her hands down to his separating them from around her waist before pushing forward away from him zipping up his bag. She turns taking it and tossing it down next to hers before turning back to Travis who raises an eyebrow looking someone confused “Something wrong?”  

“No...not at all Travis….“ Alicia shot a smile, forced and awkward as she moved around him grabbing her leather jacket throwing it on, Travis shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed. “What is it Lic?....”  

Alicia chuckled and picked up her plane ticket with a sigh before looking down at her engagement ring. She smiled for a moment and sighed before turning back to him. “Nothing, I was here for you and Hellsgate, now I have to go alone to my show, you probably won’t be there and then I’ll meet you on Monday, or close to it….I get it you have to train and have priorities….”  

“Lic we won’t be apart that long…” She sighed and interrupted “I know.. “She looked down and away taking a deep breath and smiling with a nod. Travis popped to his feet and grabbed her hands pulling her into a kiss. “Tell you what. Next week after Hellsgate...let’s get out of the US for a bit….” Alicia raised an eyebrow and folded her arms.  

“Out of the US?...where?....” He smiled and laughed under his breath “Paris…..” Alicia stuttered as Travis gave her a smile, his hand drifting up and his fingertips gliding over her cheek. She smiled and turned kissing the palm of his hand. “Can we organise it that fast?” He gave her a small nod, his eyes shifting “I booked it two weeks ago. Been waiting to let you in on the surprise. I know it’s been hard. Me going to new york and the reality show and us being on separate brands plus the kids….. But we need some time just for us” 

Alicia leaned in putting her head on his chest with a deep sigh, Travis wrapped his arms around her and gave the top of her head a small kiss. Her heartbeat slowed as she relaxed and smiled while looking down, she looked up and placed her hand on his chest above his heart. “Thank you for letting me see the real you….everyone else thinks you’re some arrogant monster….but I get to see the real Travis Blake…” She stares at her ring as her hand laid on his chest. Travis just smiled and gave her a small nod keeping his arms around her. They stayed like that for a few moments stealing as much time as they could…. 

On Camera 

Cleveland Ohio. 

Alicia Lukas sits on the edge of a bar in the middle of the day in downtown cleveland. Her long blond hair under a black and red snapback flowing down her shoulders that are covered by a leather biker jacket. She hums to herself tossing a rubix cube up and down between her hands as she sighs happily. 

“Well, last week went pretty well didn’t it?. I got to face and beat Crystal Hilton-Millar and continue my rise up IWF’s Diamonds division. When that match was signed I was excited cause I knew I’d be able to learn something from her. Crystal has been a mainstay in not only Imperial but also the United states wrestling scene for years. She’s been in huge matches, won titles and faced legends...she’s even beaten a few….” 

“So I was very happy to face her, but deep down I knew I’d beat her cause honestly. Her focus is atrocious” 

“I was even more ecstatic when out of the blue IWF announced that this open fight night, the orange fight night I was to be facing Eternity. Now if this was just a regular match I’d be worried. But the fact this is a title match for ther right to call myself the IWF shieldmaiden?. Wow, the nerves are getting there. And see, some people are so focused on acting tough ojn showing the world they aren’t scared or nervous or intimidated. But honestly I’m not like that…” 

“I’m honest….” 

“I’d rather tell the world how I’m feeling and show that I can overcome that. It’s natural to get nervous before a title match, it’s nervous to get nervous before facing someone you admire. And honestly I am a little intimidated by Eternity. It’s easy to see why….” 

Alicia stops tossing the rubix cube and shows it to the camera. The sides are different, the colours mangled. She smirks and gives a little shrug spinning a few of the sides. 

“This is Eternity. A simplified version. See she’s an enigma in IWF. For years people have tried to figure her out. Mostly in vain mind you. Sure she’s lost to a few people. She’s had some write her off as a “copy” of this fictional character or an amalgamation of others. I don’t think Eternity can be easily explained through that kind of medium. See she seems to exist in her own timeline. Her own fractured psyche giving birth to a promo style that quite frankly seems impossible to crack….” 

“Verbally I’ve lost. I can’t sit here and poke holes into a personality and a way of thinking that I can’t understand. See I can do that with others, get in their head. I did it with Astrid, I did it with Fiona and Crystal. But you Eternity?. I can’t. I can’t sit here and pretend to know what you’re thinking or what you’re going to do. Your mind games are beyond reproach ma’am and for that I truly applaud you…” 

“But what about the other half of the great wrestling equation?. The ring work?” 

Alicia sighs and looks at the rubix cube setting it down on the bar dropping from there to her feet. 

“Look at your body of work Eternity. You can go to the mat and submit people, you can over power them you can brawl. You are a complete package of athleticism and strength with a ferocious nature that you somehow bottle up and use methodically. Simply put facing you is like facing a physical representation of your mental ability. And that is dangerous….” 

“See Eternity there is nothing wrong with telling the world about the strengths of an opponent. We’re going to get in the ring and go at it for the entertainment of millions. I am going to have to try and solve the great puzzle and overcome a woman who has been to the top. A woman who has been the Diamonds champion…” 

“A woman who has made being the Shieldmaiden worth so much…” 

“I want to be the Shieldmaiden, I want to represent that part of the Diamonds and compete week in and week out and defend that honor against anyone who steps in the ring with me. See you and I couldn’t be more different. You with your puzzles and cryptic messages. Me?. I’m much more simple. I’m a southern girl looking for a fight. Looking to be the best. And this week when we step in the ring that’s what you’ll get honey a fight.” 

“And to be honest with you it’s an honor, a privilege and I will give you everything I have and skills wise. Well I know how good I am, I know that I can overcome everything you are. But will I?. I don’t know...but that question, that challenge?...I live for this shit….let’s dance….”