Broken Confidence

Stephanie was tired. There was no question that the constant traveling and battling were beginning to weigh down on her. While she secured the number one contender’s spot in OWA’s Women’s Division, she lost to a man she should’ve by all rights defeated back in Wrestleworld. Not to mention her losing streak in other promotions. She needed to rest and clear her mind. She needed to ease her schedule by deciding on what was important. She tried to reunite World’s Finest, but it seemed like her allies had other plans. April and Hana wanted nothing to do with the team, Reno left, and Nobi seemed like he was in his own head half of the time. While the reformed Sabertooth seemed interested in her proposal, even he was skeptical. Did she come off desperate?

Matsuda sighed as she took a sip from her wine glass. She decided to retreat to Eden to spend some time away from everyone. Stephanie had enough to worry about and staying away from any distractions would keep her focused.

But that didn’t mean she was completely over the events of Book Two.


Sometimes we have to take a step back and see things for what they are. I'm not the accomplished multi-world champion like I was a year ago. I'm not the People's American Dream from Book 2. Who am I? The easy answer is Stephanie "Cloud" Matsuda, The Queen of Fighters. But as of lately, I haven't felt like a queen. Losing titles, being removed from SSW, nearly dying in the ring at the hands of men like Ace King and Allesandro Devastation...I don't feel like myself. I don't feel like the competitor I'm supposed to be. This is why I welcome someone fighting someone like Cynthia Rose again. She has such a pure heart for the sport that I feel like she can help reawaken the fire that burns from within.


Cynthia and I had two different endings to our story at Arcadia. She was able to live out her childhood dream and win a world championship. As for me, Devastation would be the one to get the last laugh. This feeling...this emptiness isn't the same as when Iost to Claudia Michaels the first time around. This is the kind of helplessness one feels when you know there's nothing you can do about it. But that's the thing, though. I know in my heart that I'm not completely helpless. All it takes is that one victory to get my momentum back into full swing, and Cynthia is going to help me with that, one way or another.


As much as I take honor in protecting Wrestleworld, I am a fighter at heart. My purpose is self-improvement through taking on the best in the world and at this point, Cynthia is one of the best in Wrestleworld. The last time we shared a ring, I beat her hands down. Now, things are different. The only thing I can do is move forward and keep on fighting. Critics are saying that I’m not the fighter I once was, that World’s Finest no longer serves a purpose. I can only go out there, give it my all and see if The Queen of Fighters still exists from within. 


After all, I’ve been through worse.