Utami 01: Behold the Crimson Queen

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Utami
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Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 8:12 pm

Utami 01: Behold the Crimson Queen

Post by Utami »

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At first there is no light, merely the vague shadows suggesting a narrow corridor stretching out indefinitely ahead. Without context it still gives off a claustrophobic sensation with undertones of foreboding. There is no sound, just still and unnerving silence for a long few moments. In what seems to be the far distance a pair of lights flicker on like candles lit by an invisible entity. The rumbling of taiko drums and strumming of a koto begin softly but build in volume as successive pairs of lights illuminate a barren hallway ahead of the viewer. For a few moments the addition of an electric guitar causes the lights to intensify to an almost blinding brightness.

As the music fades, these dim and reveal instead a hall lined with expensive floral wallpaper and wooden siding. Before the viewer is an opulent red velvet carpet leading down the pathway to a dark oak door which is slightly ajar. After another moment of uneasy silence, we move down the hallway and see framed paintings of roses on either side. The further we move down the hall the more we hear footsteps as if someone were right behind and escorting us to the looming door.

Once there, the door swings inward slightly. A sandwich board sits just to the side of it, reading ‘ENTRY BY INVITATION ONLY’. The door opens the rest of the way and the scene within is fully visible to all. A well decorated room with a solid wooden desk to one side, atop of which are candles, lit incense sticks and a small bouquet of lilies and chrysanthemums. That same velvet carpet which led the way here lines the floor, leading up to a three tiered dais covered in a similar black velvet. Atop this is a tall armchair with its back to the viewer, though its wondrously comfortable padding is clear even from behind. On the back wall are white silken curtains that complete the regal atmosphere. Suddenly the music resumes and it’s now clearly ‘Riot of Flowers’ echoing throughout the room.

While the music intensifies, that armchair one might call a throne spins around slowly to reveal a confident figure in red, black and gold ring gear under a black coat with red satin lining. Her dyed fiery red hair catches the eyes as readily as the coldly confident expression upon her face. Utami Hayashishita sits upon her throne and stares intensely into the camera as if expecting something from those in her presence. As her music dies down Utami motions for the viewer to come closer. After this has been done she nods slowly.

“Salutations, Becky. Even though you are not here physically, I have convinced someone to help me send my message to you. This is such an important event that I would hate for you to miss out on what I have to say. I know that you love to talk and talk, but right now I am going to insist that you shut your mouth and listen for a change. Listen to the truths I am about to speak so that you are prepared for what is coming on Monday, July 18. Maybe you will learn something.

Utami stifles a haughty laugh before continuing.

“I realize that you probably do not know who I am, just like all of the people filling those seats certainly do not. That does not matter to me. It does not hurt my sense of worth to be a mystery to everyone in your world. From the very opening of Warfare on Monday, this world will come to know exactly who I am. Everyone will remember where they were when the Crimson Queen set foot in a western ring and battled ‘The Man’. I could not ask for a better setting from which to set out on my conquest of EBWF.”

She crosses her left leg over her right as her expression grows annoyed.

“You do not know who I am, but I know who you are, Becky. I have been watching you and I have to say that I am mostly impressed. There is a fire in you which burns away many of your opponents. As much as you should be, you are unafraid of even certain doom. Your resourcefulness gains you victories over all the familiar faces you battle in this place. When you are properly motivated, there are few better in this sport than you. Of course you simply insist on reminding the world week after week after week that you will throw everything you have at your enemies. That playing with fire gets people burned. That you care nothing about the agony you might suffer so long as you can come out on top. Bravo. But there is another side to you, is there not?”


She leans forward and smirks again.

“Deep down you really seem to desire and demand the adoration of the world at the expense of everyone else. The world must love Becky Lynch, or she will force them to. When the ring is not enough you just leave all of the fools in the stands behind to pursue some other vanity project. We all know that you also insist that you are an actress. You do not care about the very fans who pay to see their hero, only for their hero to have run off for Hollywood again. The very people who earn you fame and fortune by supporting Becky Lynch the wrestler are just thrown away like garbage when Becky Lynch the Hollywood Star leaps in front of the camera. Then when movie theaters stop showing your latest ego trip to the world, you come right back here and tell everyone that you’re back to burn enemies with your fire and fight through hell once again. And those gullible people in the crowd believe you just like every other time. Even as the clock is counting down again to you running off to draw the praise of yet another fickle audience.”

Utami rolls her eyes and then stands up from her throne to descend to the second tier of the dais, hands on her hips.

“As I said you are impressive in the ring when you are properly motivated. What I do not respect about you is how dishonest and disconnected from reality you are now. You mistake those constant reminders to the audience that you are the best, gaining their adoration, as meaning you actually are the best. The truth is that you are not the best and recognition from these people does not matter, no matter how much you desire that recognition. They do not understand what being the best means, they have never achieved anything in their achingly normal lives. You are an actress who plays the role of a ‘superstar’ while I better myself in the real world, the actual reality of professional wrestling. Neither you or your paying audience understands that reality. That is why you do not see that you are still painfully ordinary. You have not changed from the little girl growing up in Ireland. I know what you will say to that - you just defeated a devil! If anything you’re stronger than you’ve ever been!’.”


Utami’s smirk returns as she shrugs.

“You defeated a devil in the form of your former friend? I can do one better, because I learned how to fight from the most powerful demons to ever step inside a ring. Not only that, but I have surpassed her power and accomplished things she never could. What do you think is going to happen when a woman like that stands across the ring from you, Becky? You have been battling for the approval of fools for two decades now. As good as a focused Becky Lynch is, that road takes a toll on a woman. And on July 18 you have to fight someone who is faster, stronger and twelve years younger than you. I do not let whether people love or hate me define who I am. I will never leave this sport to chase the bright lights of entertainment just so even more people will grant me empty praise. I am focused entirely on conquering the wrestling world, and I will do whatever it takes to claim my throne in this place. This will be the most difficult battle you have had in years and you will need to fight a perfect match to keep up with me. Do you honestly believe that you are still capable of that? Or is your Hollywood agent already calling to offer you your next distraction?”

Utami descends to the first level of the dais, then the floor. For a moment she reaches under her coat but she does not produce the item hiding beneath it.

“Maybe you can rise to the occasion and find the strength you always wished you had. That extra strength that you constantly tell people that you have deep down somewhere. The strength that makes a woman “The Man”. But honestly, I doubt that you can. I even have doubts that you ever had the strength to rise to my level. Becky Lynch at her very best is at most an annoying warm up on the road to my goal, the EBWF Women’s Championship! As for Monday, it will be a perfect memory. Because our match will be the death of Becky Lynch the serious wrestler; you will remain beloved in Hollywood, but the people watching our match will know for certain that you never belonged on my throne. Doumo Arigato, Becky-san. You will always be remembered as the first to fall at the feet of the Crimson Queen.”


She holds up a golden picture frame with black ribbon adorning the upper right and lower left corners. As Utami contemplates it we see that the picture is a black and white picture of Becky Lynch from her last appearance on Warfare. This is placed on the desk adorned with candles and incense burners, completing a Japanese style funeral display. Utami smiles knowingly.

“If you remember nothing else, remember this: whatever happens in this match, the woman you were will die. No one leaves a fight with me the same. I’m afraid that in your case the very people whose adoration you so desperately seek will quickly forget about you. It will be as if you went away again to work on another project to boost your fragile sense of self worth. They will find other misguided fools to cheer while you once again seek to make everything about yourself. Actually, it would be better to say that 'The Man' is already dead, killed by her own hand. The Crimson Queen will just sweep away the flaming husk that remains. I look forward to it.”


***********

Thus satisfied with her opening message to the world of EBWF, Utami glares down at the framed portrait of Becky Lynch. The Ikeda family certainly knew how to make Warfare a marquee event; the rest of the locker room will have to follow the first ever clash between Utami Hayashishita and Becky Lynch. It’s a shame that ‘The Man’ can’t eschew her instinctive need for approval. She could be so much more if she could just free herself from it and focus entirely on the ring. Utami reaches over and flips the portrait face down on the makeshift altar. In just a couple of days she’s going to send a message to the entire women’s locker room that the true Queen of wrestling has arrived.

In the meantime, she looks to the woman who helped make this introductory message possible. Someone who tended to settle for being less than she could be. At least until a chance meeting with the Crimson Queen led her to begin questioning things. While Utmai had not intended or expected it, this woman has the makings of a useful ally in the Crimson Queen’s coming conquest. Utami Inviting her to travel to America and to attend Warfare was just the next logical step.

Utami: “Thank you for your help. I do hope that you enjoy your stay here.”

Mina Shirakawa: “Thanks, it’s the least I can do for the help you gave me. And for the front row seats.”’

Mina’s smile is infectious, but Utami just writes that off as something developed over years of modeling work. Still it’s a pleasant enough moment that Utami smiles back at her.

Utami: “My pleasure. And of course.. enjoy the show on Monday night.”