It's Not Over Yet

[Seito Risa]

Risa stands at the top of the rampway. Her entire body hurts. It's all she can do to stand there and hold that, for the first time heavy, Chaos Championship belt and watch with a smile as Eden Morgan peels herself from the ringside floor. With one last nod of respect to she who remains Champion of the World, Risa turns and makes her aching way through the curtain. She expected some kind of greeting. Some acknowledgement for what had gone on out in the arena. The fans were still going bananas, an American slang term she had picked up somewhere. She emerged into the backstage area to find a few staffers pulling down the tables and cables from the back, but no one waiting to greet her. This surprised her almost none. She walked with a slight limp, too many falls from the side of the steel cage will do that. She paused in front of the door to her dressing room. She knew what waited inside. Ichi-kun would bash her over the head for a mistake or two she had made and the two of them would argue the points while she cleaned up. As she opened the door, Ichiro was indeed sitting there. His mood somber as he sat on the small chair, the only thing other than a bench and a row of lockers that she called her dressing room.

SR: "You look like you are the one who was just out there."

Ichiro looks up, a slight smirk.

I: "Had it been me, I think it would have ended differently, but it was not, and you are coming along so well."

He stands up, dressed in black slacks and a white shirt with a black tie. Looking every bit the sharp dressed man.

SR: "Yeah, right. Lucky for Eden shuriken aren't allowed at ringside."

Risa laughs softly and limps into the room. Ichiro's look softens as she makes it to the bench and eases her aching bones and muscles to the hard pine.

I: "Afraid the chair isn't much more comfortable, but it will at least let you relax."

Risa shakes her head, lowering the Chaos Championship to the bench next to her. With a deep breath she pulls her right foot up over her left knee and begins to untie the boot.

SR: "Only thing that will relax me right now is about six hours in a hot tub."

Ichiro nods, a hint of his usual mirth in his eyes.

I: "That does sound good. We do not have a sauna in the suite, but there is a hot tub at the hotel. I think that might serve you well. Would you like me there as well?"

Risa shrugs, and immediately regrets it.

SR: "You have something already arranged. I won't interfere with that plan. As long as you are back at the hotel in time to get some sleep before we get on the plane."

Ichiro nods.

I: "A chance to go home for a few days. I never thought I would be looking forward to your Mother's home cooking. As long as she makes the dumping soup, I'll be there."

Risa nods, a smile crossing her face.

SR: "She was going to the market today to look for fresh carrots and potatoes, just for you."

Ichiro smiles, turning and walking toward the door.

I: "Are you sure about this? I mean, I don't want you to feel abandonded."

Risa sighs, easing the boot off with a plop.

SR: "I'm sure. Just be in at a decent hour. And be careful."

Ichiro smirks.

I: "When have I ever been otherwise when I'm out?"

SR: "Well that was the time in high school that you and..."

I: "Okay, okay. Sheesh. Tardy for class one day and you will never let me live it down."

Risa giggles.

SR: "Tardy for class? You showed up with 2 hours of school left in the day...with leaves still in your hair!"

Ichiro sighs and slips out, closing the door behind him. Risa sighs and, with a little struggle, gets her other boot off. Standing up she walks toward the shower, shrugging out of her ring attaire as she walks, naked by the time she reaches the shower. Carefully she turns the hot water on and steps back, letting the jets embrace her bruised and battered body.

SR: "That feels good. I think."

She turns and leans forward, resting her forehead on the tile of the shower, water cascading down her sore, bruised back.

SR: "I need to do more. I need to get better if I'm going to ever beat Eden."

She mumbles, closing her eyes.

SR: "And I will. Title or no. Someday. But for now, I think it is time to deal with other matters, that might get me that advanced preparation."

She raises her arms, flattens palms on the tile wall and gently raises herself back to the full vertical. With a groan, she turns and retrieves a sponge and a bottle of body wash. With the sponge loaded, she rubs it to a good lather and begins to wash her face, getting the glitter off, and down her chest. She notes to herself the sore spots. To her surprise she seems more stiff and sore than actually hurt. She stands beneath the water, letting the suds cascade from her, leaving a clean feeling behind. A few moments taken for the luxury of washing her hair and she reluctantly turns the shower off. Stepping out, she retrieves a towel and dries off. Wrapping this around herself she pads down the short hallway back to the dressing area, kicking her ring attire along before her. She kicks it to where it lays atop one of her boots and looks around. The Chaos Championship glitters back at her. She sees it and smiles.

SR: "I can't rest on what I have done. It seems the people of UGWC, and the powers that be, need to be shown what it is that I can truly do. Yes I can feud with the best in the business and give her a run for her money, but what does that really achieve? They aren't happy about either of us being where we are anyway. Must burn their saki to sit there and watch us bring the house down."

She smiles at that thought, walking up to the locker in the middle and opening it, pulling out a pair of hip hugger jeans, tennis shoes, a belt, some ankle socks, clean underwear (to ease the minds of Moms everywhere) and a navy blue t-shirt with a phoenix on the back, wings spread, tail curled. On the front it reads "Risen From The Flames" with the UGWC logo beneath. She wonders to herself if any of the stands in the concourse had featured her shirt as she shrugs into it. From the locker she pulls her gear bag and unzips it, gathering her stuff from the floor, she puts the boots into the bag first, then her shorts and top in over that. A knock at the door draws her attention. She shrugs as she eases to the bench and pulls on her sneakers.

SR: "Yeah?"

She calls out. The door opens. In steps an odd looking fellow, perhaps Canadian, his blond hair all spiked at the top, as if doing a really bad Naruto impression. The cut of his gray suit, however, ended any such comparison. Custom work this. Risa quirked an eyebrow.

SR: "No interviews. Standard thing. Pressers are tomorrow."

The man steps in, closing the door behind himself and reaching his right hand into his pocket.

SR: "Really?"

The man stops, blinking a moment. He pulls out a small index card.

Man: "I'm from the Consortium. They send their condolences for your defeat tonight. You are to make sure you come to the next event, bring your wrestling gear and have the Chaos Championship with you."

Risa rolls her eyes.

SR: "I'll be there, so will the title. Don't worry about that, Mister Suit."

The man nods.

Man: "Also, I am to read you this."

He pulls a small pair of glasses from inside the other breast of the jacket and puts them on, giving Risa a slight giggle she can't quite stifle.

SR: "You are hereby notified that you are under consideration for ablation of the Chaos Championship. A meeting of the Consortium will occur during the two week span between tonight and the next event. Your fate will be announced before a world wide audience in two weeks."

He gives her a mocking bow and smiles as the stunned look on Risa's face seems to please him.

Man: "See you in two weeks, toots."

With that he turns and exits. Risa sits, staring at the door.

SR: "Okay. If that's the way you want it."

Risa gets to her feet and takes the Chaos Championship, placing it atop her gear in her bag, she zips it.

SR: "I'll be there. And you will regret this. You won't be the only one regretting actions."

She slings the gear bag over her shoulder and takes one quick look at the locker. She quirks an eyebrow and reaches up on the shelf where her shoes had been. She pulls down a spherical object. The baseball that a few weeks ago had nearly introduced itself to her face. She hadn't brought it with her. She turns it in her hand. She spots some writing....Kanji...she reads it and smiles.

SR: "I believe in you, too ichi-kun. I just hope you agree with what I'm going to do."

She tosses the baseball, catches it and turns, mule kicking the locker door closed. Walking with purpose, she leaves the dressing room, leaving the door open for the cleaning crew....