The Cost of the Ascent

Rise of the Ronin marked many grand moments for Wrestleworld’s Dominion brand. New champions were set to be crowned. In a way, a new era was getting its official start. This night also served as an introduction to a world renowned star, or crescent moon as she prefers to be called. While this is exciting to so many, while so many eyes are waiting in wonder, the woman behind it all simply sat. In a paid limousine provided by the company, she was set to take part in a promotional shoot. There was no smile on her face, no words spoken. What Zane served as she sat was a look of determination, ready to get this latest bit done so she can move to the next step, the next set. While she was sure she’d feel some sense of butterflies comes showtime, for now it was just a task for her. This was another predictable moment that may have a few bits of fun mixed in. Another debut that followed a long line of them over the years. If she’s lucky, it might be the last one she has to make. Only time will tell on that one.

Honestly she could have been just fine with the one company she found herself in upon her move to the states. A number of reasons prevented her from being satisfied with that though. Firstly as a competitor she wants to have as many chances as possible to test her skills. That’s the surface level answer she will present to the masses. There were a few more but for now she’ll keep those to herself, she didn’t have time to think of all that anyway. Dominion’s Rise of the Ronin was approaching and between that and strict for the US Championships the following weekend, she had to keep her head focused. It’s all about discipline after all and this was something the woman known as Zane knew all too well. It’s her life. Unfortunately it wasn’t all school, projects, competitions, performances, and shows, there were annoying aspects to being an athlete of her caliber. Today’s promotional photoshoot provided one of those times. It was nothing against the photographer himself, she has always been against this portion of things no matter who she was posing for or for what purpose. The only times Zane finds herself in a comfortable pose are before her work, and after she reigns supreme or victorious. So having to smile in her gear, trying to look pretty? Not exactly her thing. She would not voice this of course. Instead, as she always does, Zane greets the photographer whose name escapes her with the sweetest of smiles before being led into the studio. Losing herself in the surroundings, her mind shifts towards the next task, different ways to establish herself one more time. Meanwhile, Zane admittedly is paying zero attention to what is being told to her at this moment, more than likely some sweet words to soothe her apparent ego. Finally coming back down to Earth, she nods her head, giving a false sense of understanding as the photographer rambles on.

“...So that’s pretty much what we have in mind for you today. Do you believe that will work or do you have any ideas?”

Zane couldn’t really formulate a proper answer, not one with any thought put into it anyway. She felt the slightest hint of guilt over not paying attention, but to her this is something that has happened so much, she just goes through the motions. Wanting a bit of a change, she decided to seize the chance to get something out of this herself and offered an innocent gaze to accompany her idea.

“All of that sounds amazing, and I’m really looking forward to being a part of your vision. I was wondering if we could take care of something very quickly though.”

An expected quizzical look came from the photographer which worked as the perfect cue for Zane to continue.

“Well it’s not too much, or at least I hope it isn’t. You see, as you know, I do have that big debut match happening for Rise of the Ronin and.. with everything going on, I haven’t really had the chance to say anything about it yet. So if you could do me the big favor of helping me take care of this, I would truly appreciate it.”

“Yes, definitely I’d love to help with that. Let me get one of the cameras over there and maybe we can head to the roof since there’s not much room in here?”

“That sounds perfect, thank you so much. You’re the best.”

Noticing the eagerness he had to help her out, Zane couldn’t help but smile. It was an appreciated service to her and she made sure to mentally note it for the future. Looking on as he grabbed the camera, she followed him through the corridor, up a few flights, more than a few honestly, before reaching the roof. Greeted by a gentle breeze the moon maiden already found herself feeling a greater sense of comfort. If only things were this simple all the time.

“This is wonderful, what an incredible idea. Okay so I want you to start capturing me from here and just follow my lead. I shouldn’t be moving all that much since I want my message to be direct but in case I do, I’ll be sure to give you an easy cue. Now make sure everything is all set and I’m in the center focus because in eighteen seconds we’ll be getting started.”

Mentally counting down the seconds, Zane took one last look at the photographer turned cameraman before the mimicking of a mask removal took place. With the final seconds she put herself in the center, the main focus as she should be before offering the masses their first real look at her. There were no theatrics, now wasn’t the time for all that. This was their chance to see her and her opportunity to make as strong of an impression as she can before proving her worth in the ring all over again. A gentle smile with an air of confidence exuding from Zane was the first image, as it should be.

“Wrestleworld, Dominion fateful, I am proud to introduce myself to you all at last. Now while you saw the vision of an artist and the announcement of my beginnings here, I have yet to address you without the pageantry. For many years, my tenth professionally and twelfth overall, I have gone by the name Zane. Now I could go on about my accolades in my home country, my present success following my move to the United States but to be honest, I find all that tiring. To celebrate one’s success is fine, but to boast in a ridiculous manner, especially to those you are just now getting acquainted with, that’s downright rude and also pretentious. So I will give you all the benefit of the doubt in that you’ll be wise enough to do your research. If not, I’ll simply have to showcase who I am and what I stand for time and time again. Bringing my wisdom to life is something I truly pride myself on and over the course of my adventure here, you will see that unlike most, I don’t have to hide behind a persona, I don’t have to spout nonsense to feed my ego. To be frank, I don’t have to do any of the things people with fragile mindsets need to do in order to get their point across. I, at this point, know my worth, I know that I control the narrative, the matches you will get to see me have are mine to win and mine to lose. All the talks about how gifted I am in the ring, how I’m this marvelous prodigy, are simply statements I’m ready to prove as facts. Being the competitive type I am, the type who longs for challenges, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity at a new audience, a new stage to perform my truth. This tale, the latest chapter in my book of accomplishments begins with me making my debut at Rise of the Ronin.”

Zane’s voice hushes for a bit as she places her hand up, tapping her right cheek in thought with her index finger. Once she feels that spark, she lowers it, flashing a quick smile before continuing.

“Some of you may find it a fitting time for me to make the grandest of entrances, but to those who do I will gladly teach you why that is not the case. You see, a Ronin to me is nothing more than a rogue with no proper guidance. Some may interpret that as a newfound freedom, the chance to think for themselves and be free. It’s a beautiful dream but a foolish one. The true masters are ones who never bowed their heads in service to anyone in the first place. Those who depend on such guidance in the first place are bound to forever search for a path while those who lead the charged have built their own and expanded them in half the time. This is where I stand. I am no follower, I have never and will never bow to anybody and it is up to someone like me to be a proper example for others. Don’t be like me, that is insulting because I am my own person with no comparison. What I want is for you to stand with me and be the change. Embrace your truth while accepting mine as the new reality of this company. While I may not be the first holder of any title here, I’m content in knowing that I will serve as the most memorable champion as a form of consolation for the timing of my arrival. Although truthfully, even if the hands of time worked to that favor, I’d still be the most memorable anyway. That is not the point of today’s lesson though, for you see, in order for all this to happen I have to start somewhere. I have to have someone honored enough to share the ring with me and...let’s just say the company made a very interesting choice when it comes to my first opponent.”

It almost looks as if Zane frowned for a second but any hint of that is quickly replaced with a sly smile.

“Lillie Saint...now what are some things that can be said about her? She’s a determined competitor despite her many flaws and an even better person on top of all that potential. This is an interesting predicament for me. Not because of the whole special referee matter, that’s just some fiddling around done to cause trouble and stir a pot that has long since fallen over in my opinion. There is nothing special about the refereeing here and I refuse to have that be in my highlight reel. What will make it there is the best performance of Lillie Saint’s career where she will fall at my feet. Now that’s not taking anything away from her, she is someone I respect dearly and actually consider a friend. I just know the truth of this match, that’s all. What I find a bit troubling is the place where I am now. I’m not lying when I say I truly care for her, so how do I push that to the side in order to verbally dissect her and expose her truth? This is the first time I’ve had to actually do this to a friend so it is an interesting challenge. It is also one that I will accept for this brief period. I apologize in advance for any words that may be misconstrued. Shall we dance?”

Letting out a laugh, Zane reaches out with her right arm, as if looking to pull Lillie in before giving a quick spin and facing the camera again. This time her expression is one of wonder, some may even see it as mocking, although it is most likely not the case.

“Oh if only I were in the studio would I have some soft melody playing as I gave a show. All that will be for another time, another stepping stone. Right now is about me sending a direct message to Lillie. Now I know that you have a slight size advantage even with my recent training having an impact on my weight. Funny enough I’m lighter on my feet than ever but that’s not the point. Some may look at the difference and say oh my, Lillie must be the stronger of the two. That is incorrect. For my size I’m deceptively strong and have learned over the years to utilize leverage where my strength is limited. I fight fair but smart. I know how to take down someone my size and much larger so as far as that goes, you can toss all talks of said advantage out the window. Now it’s painfully obvious that I’m also the more experienced competitor in this match. If I even tried to compare us in that regard I’d be doing a disservice to myself so I will move on. Speed and stamina are also fields in which I excel at. Though I know how to gage how long my opponents can realistically last in the ring with me, I’m also well prepared to wrestle circles for hours on end. I dealt with a very strict training regimen that I use to this day and it has blessed me with the ability to go beyond the limits of most others and take as much as I can give with ease. Now there is something I do find special about Lillie and that is her heart. Bless that thing, she has an attitude most would kill for and the ability to always get back up despite how many times she gets knocked down. I expect this to be no different. Lillie will fall, she will be the muse that inspires my glorious debut piece and like the tenacious person she is, she will live to fight another day. My intention is not to maim her, it is to show her that I am in a class all my own on the way to proving that point every which way my career here takes me. She will be the first friend I take down but most certainly will not be the last. I think a select few of us know what I mean when I say that.”

Giving the camera a playful little wink, Zane offers a giggle but then stares down the camera, her expression having grown more serious.

“There is something else I must state before everything at Rise of the Ronin unfolds. Well..it’s actu more of a warning. I hate to do this, trust me when I say that I do but Lillie, when the time comes, when you see yourself staring up at the lights, leave it that way and move on. I’ll be supportive of whatever your next step is but don’t push me to do something I’ll regret. Don’t take that extra step. You can bring the fire during the match, if anything I want to see how much of a test you can provide for me in spite of everything. Just don’t try anything after please. Not unless I take the step in making it happen first. My time after beating you is one I control, same as the match. While I care for you, I have also come to grips with what lies dormant inside of me and don’t want that unleashed anytime soon. So please, play your part and follow my lead once everything is over. That is my one and only warning. In case you need a little incentive, I will gladly provide it. The last friend who disappointed me in the ring... I may have..kind of.. broken her neck.”

Shrugging her shoulders, Zane almost gives what appears to be an innocent smile despite the confession. She follows this with a simple sigh, moving on but keeping her thoughts focused.

“Now I’m not saying that would happen to you, I’m doing my best to help you make sure it doesn’t. Who else would I have ice cream with and want to strangle during Mario Party along with other games? Well there is one other but as previously hinted, I don’t have to warn him...yet.”

A cheeky rosy smile from Zane can be seen after her last words. For a moment, her gaze breaks away from the camera, looking over to the right. While it is unsure what her eyes were fixated on, she felt the need to shake the thoughts away. Bringing her sights back over to the camera, she almost has a blank stare now.

“So be sure to cherish those twelve minutes I give you Lillie Saint. Oh and to you, as well as the rest of Dominion, you’re welcome.”

Zane offered a vile smirk, a kiss, and a wink to the camera before the snap of her fingers brought an end to the feed.

With the camera done rolling, Zane finally exhaled, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. It took everything within her not to fall to her knees. Usually banter such as that didn’t have any impact on her, but this was the first real time she ever had any emotion other than superiority when it came to her competition. She was glad to be done with all the talking. Now she just had to follow through on her words and hopefully not hurt her friend too bad in the process. The fleeting emotion of relief was replaced by dread, but she tried her best to cover all that up when faced with the guy behind the camera who looked at her almost in disbelief.

“Wow that was...”

Zane let out a laugh at that moment. While easing any awkwardness wasn’t her specialty, she gave it a shot by presenting a cool demeanor.

“It was something else, I know, trust me. The thing is you kind of have to be a bit extra with the whole wrestler persona, there’s no real malice behind my words..mostly.”

Shooting a quick wink, Zane was quick to laugh some more in order to continue making light of the situation.

“Thanks so much again for helping me out with this.”

“Oh it’s never a problem. Whenever you’d like to do this again, I’ll be glad to work out the time with you.”

Zane fought the urge to smirk and relish in what she saw as a victory. To maintain her hold on the narrative she gave a sweet smile in response to the one she received seconds ago.

“I appreciate that and I’ll be with you in a second for the shoot. I just have a couple quick calls to make.”

“Of course. I’ll see you in a few.”

Giving a nod to show her appreciation for the privacy, Zane watched as he left, carrying the camera with him as he did. She made sure to wait until the door was shut to make any sort of move. First came the removal of the mask, then the stray tears, though they were not fueled by guilt like she wishes they were. They were followed by a sigh that perfectly expressed how tired she was of everything. Lastly came the call. Taking her cell out her front right pocket, she scrolled through her contacts until finding the one she wanted. Thankfully there was no answer, Zane unsure if she could actually go through a full on conversation. On cue with the beep, she did her best to control any potential damage she may have caused. She needed to maintain control.

“Hey Lillie, it’s Emiko. I just wanted to let you know that I totally recorded some blah and I kind of hated how it came out, I sound like a freaking monster. This whole trash talking thing isn’t for me when it comes to friends, I swear. Anyway don’t think anything about what you hear. Oh! Also if you receive a call from Dr. Amen regarding a consultation appointment about something that totally isn’t your alarming obsession with Waluigi and his nose, just say yes. I’ll talk to you later.”

Choking up a bit by the end, Zane hangs up the phone, unsure of when Lillie will get the message but hoping it was enough. She runs her free hand through her hair, tightening the grip on it. Letting out a soft but scratchy scream, she then lets it all go.

“This is why I can’t have any fucking friends. I’m the absolute worst at caring..at everything with people. I don’t even know why I bother trying with others. It’s not like I’ll ever be lo..”

Feeling the sudden chill of the wind, Zane closed her eyes, her mind drifting as she remembered exactly where she was. A distant stare was what greeted her surroundings as she opened her eyes. Letting out a soft chuckle, she began taking a few steps away from the center of the rooftop.

“Now is my chance..”

There was only one final thing to do. A few more steps were taken, the hood of her coat lifted to cover her. One contact, the broken heart. One text message was sent out, simply reading ごめんなさい... (I’m sorry…) and the phone was slid back into her coat pocket. Deep breath, deep breath, let go. A smile came across Za...Emiko’s face at that moment.

“Thank you..”

However, before the last step can be taken, the sound of the door opening and her name being called out snaps her out of her trance. The expression on her face was a mix of anger and sadness. She wanted to cry. Not again.

“畜生...” (Damn it…)

Making sure it was muttered low enough to not be heard, Zane sighed, mimicking the placement of a mask, and turned herself around to face the one who called out to her.

“Sorry about the wait, you know how it is when you’re trapped in a conversation and lose track of time. Alright then, let’s get the ball rolling on this now. I’m really looking forward to the concept you have for today’s shoot. It should be a lot of fun!”

Offering an overly cheerful smile alongside a girlish giggle, she watched him head back in the building and was quick to follow. Scoffing at herself as she walked off in the direction of the door, she took one look back before aggressively slamming it shut.