The Mark of a Professional

Wed Sep 23, 2020 4:48 pm

My oh my was the aftermath of Pulse a time to celebrate. Having her first tag team match in a long time not only saw Zane victorious, it may have given the world a glimpse at a true team. Perhaps the first Tag Team Champions of Project: Honor? Time will tell, but regardless of the future, the present saw the Warrior Rising Champion on the winning side once again and the smirk on her face tells a tale of this trend continuing. Though at this moment, she didn’t know who she’d be sharing the ring with, she was certain of this being her first test as a champion in this company. It was unlikely that she’d be in a tag team match two shows in a row. Looking at the clock with a hint of impatience, Zane sighed, reaching out and mimicking turning the hands of time herself until her alarm finally went off. Grabbing hold of her phone that was in front of her on the desk of her workstation, she takes a look at the revealed card for the next Project: Honor Proving Ground showcase. Gazing from top to bottom she gave each match a nod but couldn’t help taking a second look at the headliner, a smirk appearing as she did.

「あの野郎を倒してください。」(“Please defeat that bastard.”)

Taking another look at her own match now, Zane let out another sigh, a sense of disappointment clouding her mind as she put her phone down on the desk.

“I guess they still don’t trust me. It’s fine, that simply means I must prove myself even more. Sorry Danny, I don’t mean to burst your bubble so soon, but I can’t afford to play around anymore. I need to show them why my caliber of champion eclipses all others.”

The determined expression on Zane’s face is quick to fade as her phone buzzes. She knows who is messaging her and why but can only roll her eyes before silencing her phone.

“I know what this is and I can’t let it get to me. The route being taken by my foes is a dirty one but I am better than them. I’m better than all who stand in my way, friend or foe. I will always be better....”

Pushing herself away from her workstation, Zane looked around her room almost with a sense of urgency, looking for affirmation. Running her right hand through her dark hair she let out a heartfelt cry before her gaze darted over towards her queen sized bed adorned with a dark purple princess canopy design ripped right from a fairytale. Her exact glare was focused on the life sized teddy bear that is seated right in the middle, back resting against the headboard.

“Look you are not allowed to judge me Jack! I’m sure if you were in the middle of a ridiculously dramatic game like I am you would be reacting the same exact way. Hell you might even go all crazy and rage out far worse than I ever could! Well, if you were alive and stuff you would...ugh this is all so dumb! How is it that something like this is happening to me? I am above all this stupidity but of course I had to jump in for..nevermind that. I just need to keep my mind clear and focus on my tasks. Lead by example. That isn’t only what a champion does, it is what I do in every situation and nothing is going to steer me away from that. The narrative is mine to control, not only in the ring but outside of it now too. I’m no longer playing by someone else’s rules and refuse to ever again. I will continue to earn what I am entitled to and get what I desire while others get what they deserve for trying to oppose me. I am the conqueror of every field I tackle, and with my ever improving skill set I’ll prove that point once again!”

Zane looks to leave her room for a late night workout session downstairs but once again her determination is squashed, this time by realization rather than a distraction. Turning herself around and walking back to her workstation, she takes a seat, letting out an aggravated huff.

“After I finish my homework that is...ugh. What the hell has my life become?”

Zane couldn’t help but laugh before shifting gears to a more serious state, getting on task just as she said she would.

Zane was wise in giving herself time to clear her head following the initial match announcement. Realizing her thoughts were too jumbled she did what she always did in these situations, excel. Having dealt with her latest round of competitions, coming away victorious all around, she finds herself back in the groove. Gazing upon her latest marvel in the room she converted to an art studio she couldn’t help the arrogant smirk. Turning to the camera that was watching her for a few seconds at this point, she showcased that expression for the world to see. Not caring that she was covered with splotches of paint all over her body and the matching set of black workout shorts and a sports bra with a purple trim she gave a bow before moving forward with her presentation.

“It seems as though you have caught me once again as I use my talents to create true beauty. However I won’t dance around the fact that this was intentional. Some may throw the accusation of being a showoff but I can’t help the fact that I am an artist and often need to work on my crafts. It isn’t wrong of me to blend them together, if anything it sends a far more serious message than just sitting around like a dolt and blabbering on and on. That is overplayed in my eyes and shows a lack of quality isn’t that right Daniel? I shouldn’t be too mean though, some people can’t help being so one dimensional. I won’t waste my pity on them either, it’s too valuable. So instead I will continue to show how much better I am while giving a show for all of you. Speaking of giving a show, wasn’t the last episode of Proving Ground a marvelous one? Regardless of the other bits of blah that went on and failures on the part of forlorn foes, the tag team match I took part in was magnificent. To be truthful, it was only the beginning of what’s to come in Project: Honor’s budding tag team division. A division which myself and MYOJIN will gladly rule. I was telling the truth when I said that I trust him and that strong feeling wasn’t misplaced as he proved to be as great of a partner in the ring as he is outside of it. A true friend, someone I can depend on to always have my back. I trust him fully in every situation. Well...except when we’re in the cafeteria and he blatantly fibs before snapping my damn neck!”

Zane stares down the camera, dramatically motioning the act of being stabbed in the heart, sticking her tongue out playfully right after and giving a wink.

“I’m not salty though. All is fair when there’s victory on the line. Just trust that I will be quick to do the same when the time comes.”

Blowing a kiss to the camera, Zane gives a little wave before moving on.

“Moving on though, it appears we have individual obstacles to overcome on the upcoming Proving Ground. On his end he’ll finally take care of an irritant while I happily shut down the aspirations of another Project: Honor newcomer. Well happily isn’t exactly the right way of putting it. I don’t take pleasure in crushing the dreams of someone else, I take pride in it for it elevates my status further driving home the truth I know in my heart. You see unlike others who have to create an image for themselves, what you see is me, what you hear is my genuine conviction and when I say that I’m the best, I’m not lying. So my latest opponent, one Daniel Avers, will be the next exposed to this truth. Now don’t get me wrong here, I’m not disparaging Daniel or anything, I simply know how this will go down. Don’t be saddened by this my lovelies, while the end result is crystal clear I still promise to make it quite the spectacle for you. After all, your love means the world to me so it is my pleasure to carry all I have to in order to earn those cheers and roars of adulation.”

Taking in a breath as if she were soaking in the adulation right then and there Zane picks up a paintbrush and gently dips it into some black paint. She proceeds to take the brush to her body, writing key words with a sense of elegance so simply executed it seems like second nature to her. Across her left forearm reads 天才 (genius/prodigy), across her right which she wrote just as well with her left hand reads 最高の (the best) and lastly across her stomach reads チャンピオン (champion) all of which brings a smile to the face of Zane who continues to speak once she is finished and brings each message to view.

“So let me educate you on what has led to this encounter. On my end of course I debuted in an impressive fashion and moved on to become Project: Honor’s inaugural Warrior Rising Champion. Of course last show I gave a taste of what I can offer as a tag team wrestler and came out victorious once again. I proved my words to be true once again and made sure to do so in an emphatic manner. On Daniel’s side he too had what most would call an impressive debut. He won his match and earned the right to face me. Why my title is not on the line escapes my reason but still he has quite the opportunity to prove himself as a competitor and a threat. There is no doubt he will achieve this feat either. While he’s a bit on the formulaetic side, he still has an imposing nature to him and can provide decent enough performances. Coupling that with the fact that he has only begun his journey in wrestling, there’s a potential for goodness there. Of course he needs refining and that will come in the form of defeats, lessons learned, much like the one that will happen at Proving Ground. See while I’m on my own path to furthering my list of accomplishments and adding to my legacy, I’m also a giving person. I am more than happy to teach Danny a few things when it comes to how to handle in ring matters like a true professional. He seems to be too enraptured with depicting this image of a debt collector, this ruthless character. Now I’m sure there is a bit of truth about it, he has the features to prove it, but relying on that nature will prove more of a liability as time goes on. Preaching about ending others, smashing skulls and all that nonsense will lead your words to seeming like nothing more than fluff. While you may leave bruises, no debts will be taken, no skulls crushed, so you would be wise to quit that type of banter. If you don’t, the type of lesson I’ll be teaching will change to a far harsher one and trust me when I say you don’t want that you uncultured spit-take.”

Giving an almost disgusted snarl, Zane rolled her eyes. She then put the paintbrush back and let out a sigh, placing her left hand on her chest and breathed deeply. Her expression then changed to a similar one than she had in the beginning, the moon maiden offering a smile.

“I apologize, that was mean of me. I can not judge one that viciously. It’s a terrible habit I need to shake that stems from my upbringing. Still though, I’m not exactly wrong either. The degree of what I will do is solely determined by the level of respect I am shown and the words you chose to speak when it comes to our encounter. If you are wise, you will suffer a defeat that you can reflect on and grow from. Then you get to start over and try to prove your worthiness once again. Who knows, maybe in another month or two you can end up with another shot and may do a little bit better. You still won’t win but you’ll unlock more and more of that potential you have to be good. Then there is the alternative. You see I had to unleash just a bit of that during the match that had me crowned Warrior Rising Champion and again at the last Proving Ground. During those matches I exposed those who were dumb enough to not show me the proper respect. I didn’t take care of them one bit and now their wounds are still felt mentally. I don’t want to do this to you Daniel, truly I don’t. I simply want to have an entertaining match, about six to ten minutes in length depending on what you offer me and move on from there. I wish to guide you to the right path so you can grow as a competitor. That’s what a true champion does. We give as much as we take and while I will always take the glory, I won’t take away your chance to reassess, revamp and re-emerge. That is unless you force my hand. So far a few have earned a portion of that whipping with one on the cusp of receiving the fullest extent of that punishment. Don’t be an idiot by joining them.”

Giving another wink, Zane then mocked a quizzical look as if pondering his next move, following it up with a small fit of laughter.

“Now Danny boy the ball rests in your court when it comes to your fate. The match itself is out of your control as it is mine to win as I see fit but you have the chance to not fall so hard. While I hope you’re smart, I have this gut feeling it won’t work out that way. Now whether or not that’s my pessimistic mindset creeping in is unknown. I’m admittedly undergoing several changes within myself. New emotions springing to life, different convictions emerging and maturation taking place. So of course with growth comes a level of pain and not even I am immune to that. If what I do to you in that ring is a result of this, I will be sure to offer an apology once the realization strikes me. It’s not the first time I’ve made such a mistake and to this day I continue to work on myself. That is what one is supposed to do. Take the hint.”

Zane’s playfulness came to a halt, her facial expression now showing her seriousness, mixed in with a sense of annoyance.

“Oh who am I kidding? You won’t. People like you never do. You’ll just continue to smash the same verbal keys with a moronic ferocity to compensate for the fact that you have grown complacent and lost yourself in your delusions. You are nothing but a sad gimmick and I will strip you of that when we face off!”

Expressing an anger not yet witnessed by the masses, the young champion reaches over to one of her small paint containers, bringing it to the camera’s view to show it to be a shade of red similar to fresh blood. Smirking, she then pours it over her head, allowing it to coat her face and body. Zane then quickly tosses the container to the side and moves a little closer to the camera, her anger once again evident as she continues her verbal barrage.

“This Daniel?! This is the closest you will come to making any type of mark against me! Prove me wrong if you can but no matter what, you won’t prove yourself worthy of victory against me. This match is mine and using you as yet another spring, I will reach new heights in the eyes of the Project: Honor faithful. Though to be honest, it’s not even close to how high I can leap but it isn’t fair to everyone else to eclipse them so soon.”

Zane shakes her head in disgust as she walks off. However, just before leaving the camera’s view she stops herself and walks back into the center of the frame.

“Oh and by the way, you’re welcome.”

Giving a final bow, Zane walks off leaving the lasting image of her latest art piece. A simple but abstract vision of a young girl in a dress holding a flower by a grave underneath a mighty tree. In the far end a crescent moon can be seen and on the tombstone reads 幸福 (happiness). With a snap of her fingers heard from afar the feed cuts to black.

A couple days had passed since Zane sent her message to all of Project: Honor. Tonight she will be on a flight to North Carolina. While she wasn’t looking forward to being on a bed that wasn’t her own, what she was heading towards now was something far worse in her mind. She knew she couldn’t avoid this moment any longer and with that in mind she made her climb to meet her visitor. ‘Let us talk while we look at everything below like old times.’ It didn’t take Zane long to climb up to her roof, she had done this many times before to gaze at the moon. She swallowed her nerves and approached the figure waiting for her, seated with a blue umbrella over them. Zane walked over, opening her own purple umbrella, taking a seat beside her guest. Looking to her left, she eyes her friend, her former partner and felt a familiar emotion wash over her causing a frown. The woman beside her though was smiling, seeming at peace. She looked to Zane and kept her smile despite the moon maiden’s expression.

“Why do you not smile?”

“The same reason that you do. You have always been so good at handling things. Forgiving others and keeping a positive attitude.”

“You are too funny.”

“Hearing you speak this way is funny to be honest. You’ve gotten better at it though so that’s good. Look, I don’t mean to be a jerk or anything but you know you’re being used right? I know you’re not stupid, you see it don’t you?”

“No. I think it is you once again.”

A short chuckle escapes from Zane, followed by a sigh. Looking down for a moment, she reflected on how much she finds herself sighing these days. Trying to shake away the negativity, she offers a smirk before turning her gaze away, looking forward.

“I wouldn’t be surprised. So my dear, I must ask, are you really happy?”

“Yes. Are you?”

“We both know that’s not meant for me.”

“You need to forgive yourself. I have.”

It took everything within Zane not to start crying but she held it in. A few deep breaths later she found herself laughing again before she expressed her honest thoughts.

“Now who’s the one being funny? Maybe I’ll be able to one day. If I ever find a time where I truly regret everything, that is. Until then I’ll keep working on myself so something like that never happens again.”

“You know I speak the truth when I say I care.”

“The nature of how our bond came to be makes it hard to believe that sometimes. I’m sorry.”

“I know. I forgive you. I always will.”

Zane’s expression changes to a distant one as she mimics the removal of a mask and tossing it aside. Now looking a bit disturbed, she speaks out in a slightly sharper tone.

“You seem to have broken another one. Come on now, lunch should be ready by the time we get down from here.”

“I see. You know it is quite beautiful here, what I have is beautiful. I may stay here for good. Are you prepared?”

“Not yet but I’ll make sure to be. If you do, I’ll try to be a better friend than I was a partner. Will you still call yourself by that name if you do and decide to return?”

“Of course. Just as you are still Zane, I am Zara.”

The tears Zane fought this whole time finally trickled down her cheeks as she rose to her feet, extending her hand to her friend, her former partner. Looking up, still smiling, Misaki takes it with no hesitation, and too rises to meet her friend, the woman she sees as her sister. Together the two head down to enjoy a meal that Zane made, just like old times.