Meanwhile in Japan: Back to Kyoto

[Rosie]

KBS Hall
Kyoto Japan
June 28th

Out of the wrestling venues they have been able to wrestle at, there is one place which always stands out to Katsu. While she has been able to wrestle at Christmas festivals, 100,000 seat arenas, and the Sphere to name a few in FWA, if there is a venue which is simple and beautiful, it is KBS Hall in Kyoto. With the stained glass backdrop behind the action, it has created some of the best photographs of her career. And while she has been busy in America getting ready to Back in Business in New York, CJW has been doing the same.

With several wrestling organisations making their way to the Big Apple to capitalise on the influx of wrestling fans, CJW has joined the fray with only their second American show, with the first coming in Los Angeles several years ago. But now? With FWA in town for the week and an FWA contracted wrestler in a high profile match? It’s sure to grow their fanbase. All that is needed is to get some momentum towards the show.

The venue is set up for the show already with chairs around the ring and leaving two ‘aisleways’ on opposite sides for wrestlers to enter with steel frames and a curtain featuring the CJW logo on them on each side. There are some basic lights around to add a little extra pomp and circumstance to the entrances, but the stained glass is the real star of the show. With nobody around, we see two members of YDS in the ring, already wrestling, or at least practicing. The youngest member of the team, REO, is locking up with Miyu Kawamoto with both girls in t-shirts and shorts. Despite Miyu’s Deathmatch exposure, she is technically sound in the ring and has no issues helping her teammates round out their game. The young wrestler fights with determination, trying to overpower Kawamoto with a lock up, but Miyu quickly trips her up with a drop toe hold and goes to wrestle on the mat.

REO lets out a frustrated grunt as Kawamoto gets a crossface on her. Miyu talks to her in Japanese.

“You wanted to work on your ‘mat wrestling’ remember?” She pulls back on the chin. “Find the counter.”

“Counter this…” REO reaches and pulls on the fingers of Miyu Kawamoto to give her head some room and she headbutts Kawamoto! Miyu reels back and covers her mouth. REO has a smirk on her face. “See? Sometimes I need to do it my wa-”

Which is wiped off once she realises she may have put a little too much in the headbutt as there’s some blood in Miyu’s mouth. “Oh… Uh, sorry.”

The deathmatch loving idol seems to be unphased by the blood, looking at it on her finger and shrugging.

“Good headbutt.” She wipes her mouth. “But I think next we will work on a few counters that are more ‘wrestling’ based.’ It may be risky to headbutt someone in that situation.”

“Someone is determined for the tournament?”

A cheerful voice asks. Walking into the main hall is the rest of the YOKAI Death Squad. It is Ririko along with the two co-leaders of YOKAI Death Squad, the Asian-Canadian Baddie, Cali Hayama, with a twitch hoodie on and gym shorts with Katsu wearing her YDS coloured mask with a white base and neon purple and green highlights. Ririko claps.

“I can’t wait to see your opening match in New York, sis!” Ririko encourages her younger sister. “This time, I KNOW you’re going to pull through and win the Young Blood Tournament.” REO gives a small smirk and pulls herself up.

“Considering I will not find out who I am facing until at least tomorrow, I am just trying to be ready for anyone.” REO stretches arm. “Miyu was trying to help me with mat wrestling.”

“And by mat wrestling, you mean trying to headbutt my jaw off.” Miyu Kawamato snickers.

“Even when she was on my ‘team’ for Ground Zero, I knew REO had her game which she sticks to.” Katsu comments. “Hit everyone as hard as possible.”

“Not saying that is a bad thing.” Miyu chuckles. “But it does go against the drill.”

“Let’s just get through tonight first.” Cali Hayama speaks, crossing her arms. “Ririko and I have Shi-No-Gun tonight, you know, two thirds of the trios champs? Since Miyu beat one of them a week ago, Ririko and I are thinking that when we win, we’ll throw out the challenge for New York. Us three against them for the belts.”

Nodding in the ring, Miyu smirks. “Perfect plan. In fact, how about we make it a Street Fight? I know there’s some ‘hardcore’ wrestling history in New York in Hammerstein, so they may appreciate it.”

"Sounds fun." Cali agrees, liking the idea. Ririko however, is apprehensive.

“I’m not sure yet… I’m not sure if I can really do YOUR style justice, Miyu.”

“You don’t need to go through thumbtacks or anything. Just throw the rules out and we can do anything! I just want to do it big for my debut out of Japan!”

Miyu says enthusiastically. Cali, knowing Ririko, gives her an idea.

“Well, if you want, we can give you a special street fight attire. Katsu could even hook you up with her seamstress-”

The masked wrestler gives a thumbs up. “She would love to try something different. You will look cute. I will make sure she knows that it needs to be ‘stain resistant’ just in case.”

With the possibility of upgrading her gear, Ririko’s fear is gone. “Then I’m sold!”

“First you need to focus on OUR trios match tonight, Miyu.” Katsu taps her foot. “You, me, REO vs Miho, Ashley, and YUNA. Winner picks the rules for my rematch with Miho in New York.” The Intergalactic COSMIC Champion sighs. “I figured she would have used the ‘no contest’ as a reason to get a rematch…”

“What did you want us to do?” REO comments, mentioning to one of her mentors. “THEY brought a chair in the ring and hit you with it behind the official’s back. You were going to be CHEATED out of your title either way.”

“I am not mad at you. I get why. You evened things until the official saw the situation and threw the match out. It is HER and Fuka and all they did to us…” The FWA contracted wrestler grunts in anger. “Growing jealous of us wrestling internationally. Jealous of being in Saori’s shadow for so long. Then after leaving MAYHEM, mocking me while I was injured, taking Ririko and Cali’s tag titles, I am glad COSMICA managed to knock them down a peg and get those titles off of them but this has to end…”

“As long as we are both in the same company, I don’t think it will ever end.” Ririko groans. “All of them need to be dropped on their heads!”

“Yeah, well when you win, you can at least get them out of our hair for a bit.” Cali tries to reassure her team a bit.

“That, or she’ll pick something and try to injure me just before Back in Business… She knew what she was doing picking that as the rematch date.”

“Well, if you need help, I can lend you my lucky bat!” Miyu tries to give Katsu an idea. Cali, gets realistic with her stablemate.

“I know you are going to America, but I’m not sure if a bat will make it through customs unless you’re a baseball player… Ask Katsu’s brother.”

Katsu glares at the allusion to her family. But she supposes with her newer teammates already knowing parts of her life, what’s another nugget of information?

“I can remove the barbed-wire from it.”

Reo folds her arms. "I do not know if the sporting commission in New York would approve of the barbed-wire..."

“I am still thinking of what I’d pick. If I need ideas, I will let you know.” Katsu gets realistic. “But I will not be going for a Deathmatch of all things, especially when I also have my title on the line. I know I will make it a rule for no seconds regardless. No Virtue, and I am sure you do not mind staying in the back if Virtue is not involved.”

The team agrees to the proposition from their co-leader. With a big week in New York, she wants as few things to worry about as possible as her two worlds collide back to back. Cali Hayama, despite her choppy Japanese, decides to give a small speech.

“Ladies, even if tonight has implications for a few weeks from now, we need to make sure we go into everything clear. If we have any anger to let out, use tonight as an outlet. Be loose, get in a flow, but be focused. I know we’re going to kick some ass. Just need to be ready… Because in a few weeks…”

The Canadian smirks. “You three will know the PAIN Katsu and I experience called ‘Jet lag.’ Get ready for Red Bull and coffee, it’ll be your friend.”

The group snickers but Cali stresses. “You think I’m joking? You do know how there’s times where if I have a week here I have to stream and I’m up at 4am because most my audience is in North America and my body is not adjusted.”

“We all are not night owls like you, Cali.” Katsu snickers.

“Some are foxes.” Ririko says while playfully pulling on the ears of Katsu’s mask. The Intergalactic Champion chuckles at her friend’s silliness before giving her own words of advice.

“And REO and Ririko, I know your time in America was brief, so you might not be experienced like Cali and myself. Kawamato, this will be your first time wrestling out of Japan. So I will give you some advice. A western crowd, especially one full of hardcore fans like there will be in New York, is far different than the ones here. They are vocal, and potentially ruthless. It is a different beast, but if you can feed off that energy, it will bring a whole new level to you.”

The three less-experienced ‘Western’ wrestlers nod their head.

“And if you panic, remember, the ring is the same size. Whether it is Kyoto, Tokyo, Mexico, or New York. If you weren’t good, you would not be here.”

“Let’s kill it tonight.” Cali puts her hand in and the members of the units do so as well. “To Y-D-S!”

The team shouts the team initials and go off. Miyu and REO roll out of the ring, going elsewhere to prepare for tonight. Ririko joins her younger sister. Cali and Katsu stay behind. Speaking in English, Cali taps Katsu on the shoulder.

“Now that they’re gone. Katsuki, girl, I gotta ask you-” She clears her throat and practically shouts. “What the FUCK were you thinking trying to to confront both the FWA WORLD AND NORTH AMERICAN CHAMPS when they had a five to one advantage with them and the three Stooges!?”

Katsu rolls her eyes.

“It was a bold plan, I will admit that. But with Krash uncertain about if he’s going to fight Jeremy at the show and with how much I improved, I thought I could take my shot, and I was thinking a lot about how much it meant to me to make a big impression with my performance at Carnal Contendership and my ‘wish’ we talked about.”

“Jeez, you’re taking that seriously.” Cali hums. “I thought it was just a thing we did for fun...”

“It was, but I wanted to make up for lost time, and I was looking for something big at Back in Business.”

Looking at her friend, Cali sits on the apron of the ring. She looks at her friend an can tell a little bit of confidence in her. A bit of fire which was missing for a while.

“You know what? Having some guts might do you some good in FWA. It doesn’t hurt given some of the people there. Keep it, but next time think it through a little bit more… Considering that probably didn’t help your tag team MAIN EVENT that same night.”

“Noted.” Katsu sits on the edge of the ring with her friend. “And honestly, I’m going to need to bring that. I just… I really want to get my hands on Bryan and Jeremy after all that.”

“At this rate, you’re going to have to take a number and wait in line. Those Sesame Street Rejects are pissing everyone off.”

“Of course, because I’m expecting it will be Mike Parr vs Bryan Baxter part ten at Back in Business…” Katsu rolls her eyes. “And Cyrus will probably get his rematch for the World Championship if Krash drops out, leaving me to fight… I don’t know, is the tree man still around? All because I am some ‘Japanese girl’ and not some established names for FWA.”

“You’re getting something big.” Cali says confidently. “If they don’t have something lined up for the girl who was runner up in their biggest multi-person match of the year, was brave enough to call out their two top champions, is still a champion in Japan, AND broke CJW’s merch records since returning, then it’s their fault and you have every right to fuck off and stay here. They should appreciate how hard you work and how special you are as a wrestler.”

The Japanese-Canadian has no hesitation in her voice. She believes everything she says to her friend.

“Thanks…” Katsu pats Cali on the shoulder. “I suppose you are right. I think Jon mentioned an ‘announcement’ relating to myself, Parr, Cyrus, and Baxter.”

“Then that’ll be it. Trust me.” Hayama puts her hand on her chest. “I’ve seen MORE than enough ‘western wrestling’ as you put it to know what is coming next. Keep eyes in the back of your head though, Cyrus might tolerate you for a tag match, but he can be a bit ‘grumpy’ when it comes to playing with others.”

“I did ask someone to get me in contact with him before Fallout.” Katsu says. “I had a talk with Gabrielle before our tag match and it was a great talk and I learned a lot from her… Match result aside. We can put any ‘ambitions’ aside to put some boots to Baxter and Parr for one night.”

Cali grins. “That’s the spirit, bud. Just remember.”

She puts her hand on Katsu’s shoulder. “You’re championship material, no matter the continent. And P.S: I may have a bit of a bad taste in my mouth still with the bullshit with FWA around when you were hurt, BUT, for you, give us a call, any of us will fly over and put a hurting to someone in your name.”

The Twitch streamer winks, Katsu gives her friend a hug.

“You are an amazing friend. I’m sure FWA would love to learn how a REAL unit operates.”

Cali sticks her fist out. “Co-Leaders for a reason. Now let’s get ready for our matches tonight.”

The two co-leaders of YOKAI Death Squad hop off the edge of the ring and walk towards the backstage area to join their friends. A big night is coming, and hopefully, some big moments just around the corner.

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