Memoirs of a Booker

[Yuu Onuki]

*Was she really going to do this? Again? That was the question that kept popping into her head every time she saw her own reflection in the bullet train window she looked out of from time to time. How many times had she done this?*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/5SSW/5SSW%20Roster/YuuOnuki_zps7c78c4a5.jpg

"Four?"

 

*She asked herself out loud. It was a common personality quirk of her profession, if you could call it that. She had gone to Osaka University of Television and Broadcasting to get her foot into the entertainment industry, maybe a camera operator or random tech. She did not remember taking a Puro Resu Booking course. She did not remember Puro Resu being mentioned in one of her lectures. Yet here she was, 12 years after University and contemplating signing.*

 

"Again."

 

*It had to be some sort of proximity brain damage. The years in wrestling had obviously effected her once very rational mind. It was the only explanation as to how she had come to be racing to

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/kinki_map_zpsypfaaghv.gif

Kinki, Japan at over 200 kmh. The destination was set. But questions still lingered in her mind and there was still time to play with, even if it was only 42 minutes.

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/5SSW/5SSW%20Roster/SakurakoKagawa_zpsdc2be29e.jpg

That face was almost burned into both the back and the front of her eye lids. Her on again off again on again off again boss: Kagawa, Sakurako. She was the owner of 5SSW and most likely the cause of the proximity brain damage. The last of a dying breed who seemed intent on taking Yuu Onuki with her. Accepting the book from Kagawa-san was surely the act of a lunatic. Accepting it a fifth time? So one should lock Yuu up for her own protection.*

 

"Hm."

 

*It was always the same. It started well, but within months the demands would start: Don't hire them, they are too old. But we need more ring psychology. Why don't our girls have ring psychology!? We need to protect our reputation. Why did you hire her!? She's 38!! We need young stars for tomorrow, are you trying to destroy 5SSW all by yourself!? Why don't we have any veterans!? And on, and on, and on until she was either fired or quit or both or neither.*

 

*The urban landscape rushed past out the window. Times had been hard on 5SSW. 2008 had been the very tip of the tail of the Golden Era. With the likes of Sensational Ogiwara, Thunder Hike, and Kit Hatoyama... they could still put on a show worthy of their name. They could still draw a couple of thousand people to the halls the dotted the Japanese landscape. But it was still the tip of the tail, and the tail does always slip through your fingers. One by one, the last of the Golden Era retired... and one by one the fans began to forget all about them until 5SSW slipped backwards until it was a small shell of itself. A small forgotten company in Kinki. If only Kagawa-san had forgotten Yuu's number... if only.*

 

*But there was still the choice to make. There were banks in Kinki, Japan and her credit was equal to her reputation. Maybe time had finally caught up with 5SSW and just as they had laid waste to their competition years earlier? It was finally time for karma to raise her sleepy head and collect her due.*

 

"..."

 

*That was the question that hung in her mind now twenty minutes from Kinki, Japan. Would she sign on with the only company she had ever known and with a sadist who was the closest thing to a mentor she had ever had? Or would she break her bonds of loyalty, history, tradition and break out on her own? Success or failure, there would be no going back to the one place that had always been her home...*

 

"What are you going to do Yuu?"

 

*Time was slipping by.*

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/bc3f4f06-fc28-4550-90f3-2927eee23cbd_zps0ti2gaxs.jpg

 

*Yuu stood about 6 feet away from the nondescript double doors. If you walked by several times, you'd have no idea that a Joshi Puro Resu organization resided inside... let alone the last Joshi organization in Japan. Yuu knew that for a fact because she had actually walked by it several times before spotting a small, faded sticker on the left side of the doors.*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/V0DpHmv_zpstanch6ig.jpg

 

*And that was as far as she had gotten because all she could do was stand there and stare at it. There was no disappointment. She didn't even think her heart was beating particularly faster. She just stared at the door and it did nothing. She wanted it to open and for someone, anyone to pull her inside because then 6 months later she could blame that person for everything going wrong... again. But the door had not opened in 23 minutes, which meant she was going to have to do it and then she would be to blame... again. To make matters worse, there was no traffic in this narrow little alleyway... no bus was going to change her mind the old fashioned way.*

 

"Kuso."

 

*She cut under her breath and seized her wobbly, little travel case with the one broken wheel and brought it to the door with her. Pushing against the wood, the hinges groaned from lack of oil and the cold winter... alerting everyone that someone was here. Everyone being one Kagawa-san... leaning against the wall just beside the door. She looked up at the clock placed in on a particularly dusty post next to a practice ring.*

 

"25 minutes, Yuu? I am impressed. Another 5 and I was going to open the door myself."

 

*She looked at Yuu from behind her glasses, they looked thicker than before.*

 

"But of course then you'd just blame me for everything."

 

*Yuu kept a grip on her suitcase, but the decision was made the second she crossed the threshold... like some weird Japanese Vampire bylaw... or a roach hotel... once inside ...*

"Please, can we just not make this more painful, Kagawa-san? We both know what is happening, you should not gloat. It's ... unbecoming a woman your age."

 

*Kagawa-san stared ice blue holes into Yuu for several awkward seconds before a razor smile spread across her lips. It wasn't the most pleasant smile on the planet, but it was at least honest.*

"Oh do we need you back, Yuu. The last guy I had in here cried. He. Cried."

 

*Yuu smiled and let the door close behind her, remembering the one cardinal rule of 5SSW. The one rule she herself had never broken.*

 

"What a silly man you must have replaced me with. There is no crying puro resu."

 

*As they talked, they walked around the practice ring towards a set of inner doors that Yuu assumed were the offices. It was still early, so no doubt the roster was not in the building. Wrestlers were notoriously not morning people... amongst other things. She wondered who was still here from her last run. Her mind already starting to slip into gear before she even had a chair. The inside of the building matched the double doors she had stared at for so long, and they matched the situation that 5SSW was in. There was a lot of work to be done. But Yuu had come home.*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/c3f194e5-1d01-4ae9-91c5-0e76e810b592_zpsntyudfsu.jpg

[D-Lyrium]

Well... that's certainly up there in the 'best start to a dynasty ever' category. I'm already waiting for more, and nothing's happened yet.

[FINisher]

Well... that's certainly up there in the 'best start to a dynasty ever' category. I'm already waiting for more, and nothing's happened yet.

 

Seconded. I very rarely read any backstory stuff but this was just great. Welcome aboard btw, hopefully you ain't just a veteran member in disquise

[Yuu Onuki]

(Thank you for the very nice comments.)

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/oldoffice_zpsxfhuq9sw.jpg

*Yuu Onuki sat in one of the wooden chairs in the small office where two desks had been pushed up against each other at least 500 years ago by the looks of it. 5SSW had always run on a skeleton staff even when they were touring the entire country, but now? She had a feeling it would be her and Kagawa-san that would lock and unlock the double doors everyday and night. She chose the desk with the thickest layer of dust and brushed the matching chair off with her hand. Joshi girls did not cook unless they were starving and did not clean, ever. She made a quick mental note to buy a cushion for her chair at the local 100 yen shop. Every neighborhood had one.*

 

"You should really get the new girls to clean until they can put together a decent match. It builds character."

 

*Kagawa-san dropped a pile of papers on Yuu's desk, it was an instant improvement.*

"You have been in Tokyo too long, Yuu. It's made a proper, middle aged woman out of you."

 

*That was an insult on several levels. It was good to see the old Lizard had not lost her teeth. On the very top of the paper pile was a plastic envelope containing the company's bank book. It was faded, wrinkled and stained with brown tea. The cover had been that way for years so she was more worried on what changes had occured on the inside since she had been gone. With a practiced hand, she slipped the little book open to it's last page and read the bottom entry.*

 

Y25,000,000 ($250,000: American)

 

"You have been careful, Kagawa-san."

 

*She folded the book and slipped it back into its case.*

 

"We have always been careful with money, Yuu."

 

*Something in Kagawa-san's voice was accusatory in tone and nature. And it was a tone and nature that Yuu was not going to tolerate as much this time around as she brought two small fists down on the desk. Their past little spark erupting out of nowhere*

 

"You have always been too careful with money, Kagawa-san and look at you now! Have you crawled back to Kinki to lick your wounds and recover or did you crawl back her to die? Because if you crawled back here for your Joshi death rites? We can stop this right here and now! I spent money because-"

 

"You spent money when the entire industry was sinking. You were renting half empty halls and re-signing unproven talent. You just could not admit that it was time stop and protect-"

 

"Protect what, Kagawa-san? This!?"

 

*She gestured to their gloriously poorly insulated, wooden corporate headquarters. But she was feeling quite warm as all the blood was boiling in her face.*

 

"I was doing the right thing! I was trying!"

 

*And there it was, right where they had left off when she had quit last time and part of her wanted to do it again right then and there. Her heart rate was definitely up, and somehow she was standing where she had once been sitting... looking down at Kagawa-san who, being the Old Lizard, was hard to read until the ice thin smile spread across her lips again. Only the sound of Yuu's heavy breathing could be heard until...*

 

"Feel better?"

 

*Yuu's breathing remained steady and heavy.*

 

"Yes."

 

*She said shortly, relaxing the fists she had made.*

 

"Are you sure?"

 

*Kagawa-san leaned back in her chair a little, keeping eye contact on Yuu who nodded curtly in response.*

 

"Good, I am glad we got that out of the way. I really wish you would have done that last time instead walking away."

 

*Yuu sat down again, tired but feeling 100 kilograms lighter. The anger had left her voice.*

 

"You were going to fire me anyways."

 

*The Old Lizard laughed but did not deny it because it was absolutely true. She finally broke eye contact with Yuu and looked out the window as a moped revved down the alley and stopped in front of the double doors.*

 

"We have one more shot at this Yuu. That is why I called you and that is why you came. I am not going to change the way I do things, Yuu. I can not even promise you will not be fired again. But it will not be because you and I are living in the past."

 

*A moment later the office door opened as both heads turned.*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/5SSW/5SSW%20Roster/KitHatoyama_zpsc414e11d.jpg

"Yuu!"

 

*The past had just arrived.*

[TakerNGN74]

Will definately be following, Keep up the great work!

 

TakerNGN74

[Yuu Onuki]

"Say 'hello again' to our Road Agent."

 

*Yuu's mouth hung open a little after that. Kit Hatoyama was a born wrestler, so it was very difficult to picture her doing anything else. Kit, in return, tossed her moped helmet on to filing case and took off the knapsack that seconded as her mobile office. She looked at Yuu with mock surprise.*

 

"What? Did you think I was going to die in that thing?"

 

*She jerked her towards the big bay that held the practice ring. Her way of speaking was too casual and coarse for the Japanese. But the world of Joshi floated just outside of Japan's rigid cultural laws and ways.*

 

"No way, my knees went out and I followed them. Always follow you knees."

 

*Kit had trouble opening her knapsack, her fingers were still a little frozen from the January ride.*

 

"Anyways, welcome back Yuu."

 

*With that she dumped the contents of her knapsack out on Yuu's desktop. A collection of mismatched snap shots spilled across the surface with several falling off to the floor. It took almost two minutes to get them in anything recognized as order. Without Yuu around, order had been in short supple at 5SSW. That little fact made her smile. They really did need her, and in some twisted way she hadn't quite put words on yet... she needed them. Maybe she would find the words in the instant faces that stared up at her.*

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/Joshi.jpg

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Memoirsreconstruct1/hagakure_zpswsfrdbhk.png

 

*In 5SSW 'The Book' was an actual book. A worn, battered and almost illegible copy of the Hagakure that had been with the company from the very start. What started as a bad joke between Kagawa-san and her first booker had soon become a cornerstone of their company's tradition. A cornerstone which Kit had also tossed on top of the instant photographs. She was obviously glad to be rid of 'The Book' and secretly happy that her time in the Lizard Office would soon be cut dramatically. She was much more natural working around the ring with the girls. Yuu, with a mask of professionalism, slipped the bank book inside 'The Book' and with that the transfer of power was complete. She closed her eyes, and from memory recited on of her favorite passages. With mock-gravity she spoke, touching the book to her forehead.*

 

"Matters of great concern should be treated lightly."

 

Yuu continued on in voice*

 

"Matters of small concern should be treated seriously."

 

*She slipped 'The Book' into her suitcase before looking again at her desk. The cascade of pictures was the perfect imagery for the start of her first day back on the wings of 5SSW. The good news was that each face looking up at her was familiar, there was no one she had not at least crossed paths with once before. The bad news was everything that remained.*

 

*A 10 year old copy machine was the closest thing to technology in the room until Yuu pulled her laptop free from its travel case and placed it on top of the photos. As the machine whirled to life, Kagawa-san and Kit took turns on catching her up with the reality of things. The most immediate being that they had one more month left on their struggling Guerrilla Storm tour. 8 more shows in the Kinki area to bring it to a close. It was soon decided to leave everything as it was until the end of January... to work with what they had and finish the tour strong.*

 

*It was a good plan. It would give Yuu a month of observation to see where they really were as opposed to where Kagawa-san thought they were. It would give everyone a clean month to show their best face. Hooking up to a wireless print shop in the city... Kagawa-san, Kit and Yuu put together a quick print flier for the show and sending copies out across a slightly out of date posting system that Yuu had used previously. It would have to be updated. It joined a long list as the roster slowly began to arrive by every mode of transportation imaginable. Fliers began to print in the city.*

[Terminator980]

I love it so far. Keep up the good work!

[Wallbanger]

Oh. My. GOD.

 

For the first time, I actually care about 5SSW.

 

I love this protagonist. You've already made her real to me.

[d_w_w]

Oh. My. GOD.

 

For the first time, I actually care about 5SSW.

 

I love this protagonist. You've already made her real to me.

 

Ditto.

[Yuu Onuki]

(Thank you for the very kind words.)

 

*As the last few stragglers entered the building late. A first copy of Yuu's first work on her fifth run in 5SSW came through. Kit looked at it over her shoulder and whistled lowly. Yuu brought a certain creative professionalism that had been missed, and even though Kagawa-san would never admit it... Kit truly believed they would be in a better position if she had never left.*

 

"Everything happens for a reason."

 

*She said to herself as Yuu passed the poster over to Kagawa-san.*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/5SSWGuerillastorm.jpg

 

*As Kagawa-san studied it with a veteran eye. Yuu looked over the fact sheet one more time.*

 

Date: Tuesday, Week 1, January 2010.

Location: Hall of Nagahama, Kinki, Japan.

Max. Capacity: 300

Doors open at 6:30 pm

 

Show: Guerilla Storm

----------

The Card:

 

Yuma Maruya © vs Devil Karube

5 Star World title

 

Megumi Nakajima vs Saori Nakadan

 

Rei Chikanatsu vs Tomoko Nagatsuka

 

HEART Saitoh © vs Ikuko Temko

5 Star All-Asian

 

The Rainbow Girls vs The Serpents ©

5 Star Tag Team titles

----------------------

*Kagawa-san took her name stamp, and stamped her name in red ink at the bottom. It was now written in stones not water as laughter and loud voices filtered in from the big bay room where the roster had gathered. The three in the office would give them a little more time before they went in. Just enough time for Yuu to catch up on some industry news. It had only been 5 hours but already she had made the Puroresu wire:

 

-In news that has stunned the Japanese wrestling industry, 5SSW last night re-appointed Yuu Onuki as their new head booker. The news proved surprising as Yuu Onuki and Sakurako Kagawa had a now infamous falling out almost a year ago that shook the company back to its foundation. Half way through the Guerilla Storm tour, it is expected Ms. Onuki will waste little time getting involved.-

[Infernalmiko]

Anyone who can work the Hagakure into a 5SSW diary has my vote. Er..view. Strong writing, nice use of graphics, especially the photos for the characters.

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Loading_Dock.jpg

 

*The office door finally opened and the women gathered in, on and around the ring quieted down as first Kagawa-san, Yuu with her suitcase and finally Kit closing the office door behind her. All three walked to the elevated loading platform that would soon be a center activity as they got ready for Tuesday's show. But for now it served as a stage from which all three women looked down on their company.*

 

*Her company, to be exact as Kagawa-san stepped forward first. She did not waste time with pleasantries and cut straight to the point as was always her way. Yuu watched her out of the corner of her eye, studied her as she spoke to the roster. She looked older and most noticeably thinner. The skin on her face drawing tighter and leathered around the lips, it only made her lizardesqu appearance stronger and more pronounced but her voice was as sharp as ever and soon filled the large bay.*

 

"We have been on a long road and I do not think that will ever change. It is the profession we have chosen. It is most of our lives whether we like it or not."

 

*A small ripple of laughter from both those who did like it and those who didn't. Kagawa-san smiled knowingly and continued on.*

 

"But something else has changed on our road. Because whether she likes it or not, one of us has come home today."

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/DEVILKarube.jpg

*A single wolf like call pierced the bay as Devil Karube voiced her approval for what was obviously happening. She was now one the veteran voices on the roster, and her support would have been if in question. But Devil and Yuu had a good relationship... there was no question even as Yuu flushed a bit in embarrassment.*

 

"After a short and violent trip down memory lane, The Book has been passed."

 

*Kagawa-san paused and looked at Yuu.*

 

"And The Book has been accepted."

 

*Kagawa-san turned back to all the faces that were hanging on her words. Most were smiling, several never did and two in particular were quite the opposite. Her own lips smiled a little, oh yes... this was going to spark nicely and if her beloved comapny needed anything? It was a spark.*

 

"We have a show tomorrow night and a tour to finish this month. And I expect a strong finish so I will be watching for one. Please do your best."

 

*Kagawa-san gestured to Yuu with a clawed like hand.*

 

"Or Yuu will have your ass, again."

 

*This truly made Yuu blush, not because she hadn't heard this kind of language a thousand times before but because it had been a while... and because all eyes turned towards her. She had never been a professional wrestler, an entertainer, a weather girl or even particularly social. But some of the industry she had worked in had rubbed off on her as she kneeled down in her black, business slacks and retrieved 'The Book' from her suitcase and held it over head with a smile.*

 

*The roster applauded, hooted and hollered except for a very few. But those few were not enough to stop the positive wave that washed over the room. A fresh wind of small chances that people could feel. Yuu said nothing, because she felt it too and she didn't want it to disappear with too many words. They all knew where it stood. With Kagawa-san, Yuu and Kit watching their final shows of the tour... they had all been put on notice that the company was moving with or without them. Now. The rules, the expectations and the different wind of change would all be not far behind at all.*

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/NagahamaHall.jpg

 

*It was still day light when the 5SSW Circus pulled up behind Nagahama Hall. The road crew, hall staff and volunteers consisting of: fans, friends and family had turned the main room into a proper if not tiny wrestling venue. They traveled skeleton, with most of the equipment from their National push either in storage or on loan to companies that actually needed it. Yuu remembered to take a quick nap before the sun started sinking, because Yuu would not be seeing sleep again until tomorrow.*

 

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Someone pounded on the hood of the truck and Yuu's eyes sprang open to see Devil pulling a distorted face through the windshield. It was not a great way to start the working day, but she had had much worse. She grabbed the small metallic cash box the was stashed under the passenger seat and set it in her lap before pulling an oversized bomber jacket over her small frame. She hopped down from the truck cab with the cash box, reserved sheet, comp list, hall contracts, etc and made her way inside the hall.*

 

*Activity. A bee's hive of bustle that Yuu weaved in and out of with relative ease until someone stacked a can of opened coffee on top of the box. Then all of the sudden it became quite the balancing act, and small prank #7,893 in the history 5SSW. But she made it with only minor spills. She made it to the card table located just inside the front doors. Ah yes, the life of the head booker in lean times... the power... the glory... the selling of tickets and showing lost souls to their seats while pretending to remember a self proclaimed 'life long fan' even though Yuu couldn't remember what town they were exactly in by 7:00 pm. That was when the entire roster went to the ring to greet their paying guests, and that's when Yuu slipped away somewhere out of the way and took notes as best she could in the dimmed lights of their Joshi theater. The can of coffee was below room temperature when she finally had a chance to put it to her unpainted. It was usually better that way, or so she had been told. First note: 208 tickets sold.*

 

Match 1:

The Serpents© vs The Rainbow Girls for the 5SSW Tag Team titles.

 

In a match that had an average crowd reaction and some decent in-ring action, The Rainbow Girls and The Serpents started off the show with a display of tag team wrestling. Both teams have a decent amount of history together which helped the match overall. The Rainbow Girls proved to be the more experienced team when at the 8:19 mark, Otsune Tsumura defeated Dragon Assassin by pinfall with a high Flying Legdrop that got the crowds attention.

 

Decision: The Rainbow Girls win the 5 Star Tag Team titles.http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/KikoSakakibara.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/OtsuneTsumura.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/BookernoteJanuary1Match1.jpg

-

Match 2: HEART Saitoh© vs Ikuko Temko for the 5 Star All-Asian title

 

In a match that had an average crowd reaction despite coming on the heels of a superior tag team title match, the veteran powerhouse Ikuko Temko defeated HEART Saitoh in 7:45 by pinfall with a Temko Pendulum.

 

Decision: Ikuko Temko wins the 5 Star All-Asian title.http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/IkukoTemko.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/BookernoteJanuary1Match2.jpg

-

Match 3: Rei Chikanatsu vs Tomoko Nagatsuka

 

In a match that had an average crowd reaction and some decent in-ring action. Rei and Tomoko definitely changed the pace of the show with a nicely paced submission match.

 

Decision: Rei Chikanatsu defeated Tomoko Nagatsuka in 7:54 by submission with a Blue Crab Surprise.http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/BookernoteJanuary1Match3.jpg

 

-

Match 4: Megumi Nakajima vs Saori Nakadan

 

In a bout that had a good crowd and some decent in-ring action, Saori Nakadan defeated Megumi Nakajima in a very spirited match that ended at 10:37 by pinfall with a vicious Nakadan Spike.

 

Decision: Saori Nakadan.http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/SaoriNakadan.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/BookernoteJanuary1Match4.jpg

-

Match: Main Event: Yuma Maruya © vs Devil Karube for the 5 Star World title.

 

In a bout that had a good crowd and good action, DEVIL Karube defeated Yuma Maruya in 14:56 by pinfall with a DEVIL Drop.

 

Decision: DEVIL Karube wins the 5 Star World title.http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/DEVILKarube.jpghttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/BookernoteJanuary1Match5.jpg

-

 

*Yuma sold and sold and sold until being helped from the ring by a couple of fellow faces as DEVIL Karube held the title high above her head and her music blared from the small sound system. 3 Title Matches had turned into 3 titles changing hands. The Puroresu Wire would be buzzing the next morning that the era of Yuu was more than under way when in fact all she did was skeleton work and take notes.*

 

*The crowd filed out slowly, milling around the merchandise tables where the talent posed for instant photos with fans at over twenty dollars a shot. It was tax free pocket money that kept the roster in tune with the crowd. If they cared about you. They paid you. It was a very simple thing and how much each girl took home was a especially secret... especially secret from Yuu who was always trying to gauge where the girls stood with the public. Those kind of numbers could spell the end of career each of them loved, needed or both.*

 

*Yuu blended in with the exiting crowd with ease and would be forgotten until the next morning when the final reviews would be counted and the Kagawa-san, Kit, Yuu and the internet would come up with the night's magic number: 60. It was a good number, and Yuu would get a lot of the credit which she would deflect as best she could back to the talent. Because that was also what a head booker did too.*

[Terminator980]

I like the notes. Those are pretty cool.

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/YuuHome.jpg

 

*Yuu sat in her small apartment with her back against the central wooden beam and her feet buried in some large slippers that the infamous Crying Ex-Booker had left along with an assortment of instant noodles and a half used jar of equally instant coffee... a sampling of both sat steaming on the floor beside her as the only sound that could be heard was that of the tiny fan in her laptop as she caught the internet pulse from her first show back from exile.*

-

TOTALEXTREMEPURORESU.COM

5SSW Guerilla Storm Tour Report

 

5 Star Supreme Wrestling held 5SSW Guerilla Storm last night in Hall of Nagahama and drew 208 fans. The feedback has been awesome, the small company has outshone some of the bigger promotion's recent efforts.

-

 

-

JoshiJoshiJoshi.co.jp

5SSW Guerilla Storm

 

Is Yuu Okumi the answer to what ails Joshi? If last night is any indication of what the returned head booker of 5 Star Supreme Wrestling has up her sleeves, then the answer may be that the doctor is in.

-

 

-

Purozilla.com

There is still a Joshi company in Japan?

We were as surprised as many of you to find out the answer was yes and not only is there a Joshi company still in operation; they have just made some noise.

-

 

 

 

*She picked up her coffee cup and sipped at the bitter liquid as she read. All reports were the show had been a great success, it made her happy that they thought so. But it made her uncomfortable that her name was to prominent in the electronic lines. That was not her job. It should have been Devil's name in the headlines for winning the World title... not Yuu for taking back her old job.*

 

"I should have waited."

 

*She said to the morning sun as it crawled across her floor very slowly. She thought she should have waited two weeks until the news of her return was no longer news. She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, making some kind of mental note that should this entire sequence of events happen again... to not do that again.*

 

"Sixty."

 

*The event rating stood unchanged in the morning. The back to back title matches had cost her much sleep in regret and it probably cost her five points straight off with no more questions being asked. But the night had been more positive than any she could remember. She had some good notes, and an idea or two kicking around. But one thing had become crystalline and clear. She could not wait for this tour to end in three weeks... she had to act now... or as soon as she got out of her pajamas.*

 

*Her computer tweeted like a little song bird as E-mail arrived between a mouthful of steaming noodles and the realization that the free slippers she had inherited had some kind of soft, furry lining. Putting her chopsticks on top of the instant cup, she opened the mail and squinted at the lines of English.*

 

"Kuso."

 

*She said annoyed, it was too early to translate that difficult language into anything useful. She leaned closer to screen, hoping that would help. Her English was pretty ... erratic, which made her by far the best English speaker in the company. What few English business communications they had went directly to her. The company that pressed their DVDs was located somewhere in a state called Oregon. Some of the girls got costumes from California, and so on. After staring at the screen for about 5 minutes, she began to peck out an answer one letter at a time.*

 

I T I S T O P L A N , Y E S ? P O S S I B L E . Y E S .

- Y u u O k u m i

 

*She re-read it until it seemed to make sense, and then she hit send. With that it was time to head in for her meeting with the Lizard Queen and Kit. She felt they would be thinking the same thing she was, that the time was now and she also knew Kagawa-san would be putting her foot down now that their war and peace had been found. But Yuu was going to put her foot down too. She smiled because if they did this just right? They would be running.*

 

"Ha!"

 

*Yuu got up and faux ran into the bathroom with much spirit and vigor.*

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/5SSWoffice.jpg+http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kagawa.jpg+http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Yuu.jpg+http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kit.jpg=

 

*Kagawa-san folded her hands in front of her mouth, making her Lizard face almost impossible to read. Her cool eyes had no problem reading Kit's face because Kit didn't care one way or another. She hated the office and would much rather be working in the ring with the roster... it didn't matter what kind of show it was. Yuu. Yuu. Yuu, Kagawa-san thought privately. She could read her as well because she did not even try to hid her thoughts. She was back and she had many things to prove to her, herself, and the world that was their profession. That was good. That was dangerous. Dangerous because she was going to prove it with Kagawa-san's company and that was Kagawa-san's life. She slowly parted her hands and folded her arms on top of her desk.*

 

"So let me make sure I understand you, Yuu. You want to take our twice a week tour and cut it in half now?"

 

*Yuu was standing, as was her way when she was presenting ideas. She couldn't present anything sitting down, the words got stuck in her spine.*

"Yes, but no. I want to cut the Friday show, yes. But I want to expand the Monday show by a half hour... the end of the tour by a full hour. Our name is out there now, we need to show them our strength now and our strength is our talent. I do not think it can wait."

 

*Yuu looked at Kagawa-san*

 

"You think it is a gamble? I think it is a gamble not to. If we wait until April, our situation is not as illuminated as now. Now is what we have."

 

*Kagawa-san leaned back in her chair, considering and moving levers in her mind.*

 

"With this roster? You will not release or hire anyone before the tour ends?"

 

*Yuu simply nodded.*

 

"With this roster now."

 

*Kagawa-san closed her eyes and gave her final answer.*

 

"Fine."

 

*Yuu allowed herself to smile just a little, she had basic pla-

 

"But..."

 

*Yuu's lips twitched involuntarily as Kagawa-san took the opportunity to ammend.*

"Do not worry, you can run this direction, Yuu. I think we all agree that your return has generated an unexpected window that it would be foolish to not adjust too. But... I am not going to let you run a wild course."

 

*Kagawa-san stood up and looked out the window as she continued. It was best to set limits before things started move, because once things moved it was hard to change their course.*

 

"First, you have a certain weakness for diamonds in the rough. Too rough really. When February comes I do not want my ring holding anyone that does not know what a basic armbar should look like, and I don't want someone without enough stamina to deliver a 6 minute match."

 

*Kagawa-san looked over her shoulder.*

 

"Clear Yuu?"

 

*It was a rhetorical question, Kagawa-san was always quite clear in the office, Kit was trying her best to slip under her desk without being noticed. She wasn't cool with office stress as Kagawa-san looked back out the window.*

 

"That's the easy one Yuu. You have a spirit that is wonderful. This really is where you belong even if you and I forget it sometimes. You are not a booker. You are our booker. That does make you very special. I am an owner. It is inevitable that we clash, those are our burdens. I am tying everything to your spirit Yuu, but if things go wrong I will not lose everything that I have made in this lifetime."

 

*She was not talking about money at all.*

 

"If we slip below 12 in the rankings? We will be through."

 

*Yuu could not help but smile a sliver, she had been expecting much worse. Even though Kagawa-san was not looking at her, she must have sensed this little sliver.*

 

"Do not be smug. It is for the young."

 

*They both smiled this time.*

[Yuu Onuki]

Thunder Hike Joins BHOTWG

 

BHOTWG completed the signing of Thunder Hike last night. It is understood that she was one of the major targets for the promotion...

 

*It was hard pill to swallow for Yuu, she had hoped to bring Thunder Hike back in some position... back home as she saw it. She was a large piece of the soul of 5SSW. She had made them live by sheer will on some days. The only thing that made the taste less bitter was BHOTWG was a national company. 5SSW would not have had a chance, and Hike-san deserved the pay check for all she had given and never received in her days.*

 

"Long and life."

 

*The news had successfully dampened her spirits for the day. But there was too much work to do. There was a card finalize as she shifted Polaroids around on the top of her desk, trying to get the next card focused in her minds eyes. She wanted those 5 points she thought she had worked herself out of the previous week. She wanted them back badly. It was a matter of pride.*

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/5SSWShow2.jpg

 

1. Devil Karube/Megumi Nakajima vs Saoril Nakadan/Yuma Maruya

2. Raku vs Shiori

3. Huntress Makiko vs Otsune Tsumura

4. Kiko Sakakibara vs Tomoko Nagatsuka

5. Rei Chikanatsu vs Ikuko Temko *All Asian*

6 Chitose Ariwa vs Umeko Hotta

7. HEART Saitoh vs Etsuko Arihyoshi

8. The Serpents vs Gemmei/Yori Toyoshima

 

Ad line:

One week ago 5SSW played the rising phoenix of the Puroresu world as all three of their titles changed hands in an action filled night that caused quite a stir. 5SSW returns this week with a bigger show as the entire 5SSW roster is scheduled to perform. Former Champions rarely go quiet into the night, and Joshi girls never do. This promises to be a show not to be missed as the Guerrilla Storm continues to grow.

 

*Yuu cast a second eye over the copy sheet before signing off on it and 5SSW for the night. This next show had to have direction and drama... the previous week had been a free ride. While the Japanese crowd wanted action not angles... she could still tell a story with her matches and choices. She needed the fans to care again. She needed them to remember names.*

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/Doshisha.jpg

*The hall was only half full but they had doubled their numbers from the previous week. Yuu counted heads from her dimly lit corner of the hall, about 15 rows back and slightly elevated. A fresh pack of yellow Post-Its sat on the edge of her clipboard. She never used a pack from a previous show. It was one of her few superstitions... or maybe it was to remind herself that each show should be fresh and new in feeling, spirit and execution. That lights dimmed half-way as people filed in, without any fanfare at all the dark match began as the crowd half watched and half found their seats.*

 

-

Dark Match:

The Serpents vs Gemmei Oonishi and Yori Toyoshima

 

From Tag Team Champions to Dark Match in one easy step? There was nothing pretty about this as The Serpents had the power advantage combined with a nasty disposition. Dragon Power defeated Gemmei Oonishi by pinfall with a stiff Powerbomb. No posing here, more like a glare and exit. 48

 

-

 

Match 1:

Huntress Makiko vs Otsune Tsumura

 

Huntress Makiko, absent from last weeks show, faced one half of The Rainbow Girls. I see smoke. Is that a Seek and Destroy reunion in the distance? We can hope can't we. Tokyo Express (rolling German suplexes) into her Makiko Clutch (straight-jacketed camel clutch/sleeper combo). That's called technical wrestling and Otsune has just enough to tap out at 11:49.

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Huntress.jpg"That is one half of our tag team champions? Really? I'm not impressed at all. If Seek & Destroy were still around then The Rainbow Girls would be nothing more than a bad name."

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/HuntressvsOtsune.jpg

 

-

 

Match 2:

HEART Saitoh vs Etsuko Arihyoshi

 

Lose your belt. Lose your spot. It's the Yuu math. Stiff Flying Tiger Knee at 9:08 that makes the crowd groan in empathy. That's two ex-champions out of the dog house, but are they back in line? 43

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/HEART.jpg"It felt great to get out there again. I really wanted to come out strong after losing my title last week. I wanted to show everyone that when I am down I come back up. Ikuko, enjoy the All-Asian title. I am coming back for it."

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/HeartvsEtsuko.jpg

-

 

Match 3:

Umeko Hotta vs Chitose Ariwara

 

The self proclaimed, perfect evolution of Joshi, Umeko Hotta defeated the 23 year old, fan favorite Chitose Ariwara in 9:24 by pinfall with a Flying Knee Strike. 51

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Umeko.jpg"23 years old? She was a child. I have wrestled some of the Legends of this business so I am a continuation of that line. I hope they can find some real competition next week or maybe I start finding my own instead."

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/UmekovsChitose.jpg

 

-

 

Match 4:

Rei Chikanatsu vs Ikuko Temko: All-Asian title.

Rei's victory last week ends up being enough to get her an All-Asian title shot. In a match that had an average crowd reaction and some decent in-ring action, Rei Chikanatsu defeated Ikuko Temko in 9:25 by submission with a Blue Crab Surprise. Rei Chikanatsu wins the 5 Star All-Asian title.

 

Post Match Interview:

The new All-Asian Championhttp://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Rei.jpg"I can't believe it!"

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/ReivsIkuko.jpg

-

 

Match 5:

Kiko Sakakibara vs Tomoko Nagatsuka

 

The veteran and tag team champion, Kiko Sakakibara, defeated Tomoko Nagatsuka in 9:23 by pinfall with a Kingdom Quake.

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kiko.jpg"It was a good match, yeah? She's a tough one but I've been doing this a long time. I really wanted to control the pace and I think I did that enough to slow her down. Who? Huntress? Seek & Destroy were great, but we have the titles now. That says more than she does. If she wants to try the other half, I will be here next week."

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/KikovsTomoko.jpg

 

-

 

Match 6:

Raku Makuda vs Shiori Jippensha

 

In a bout that had a good crowd and some decent in-ring action, the high flying and maniacal Raku Makuda defeated Shiori Jippensha in 13:19 by pinfall with a Swanton Bomb in a match that people are calling the nights biggest upset. 54

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Raku.jpgDidn't actually say anything. Just stared at the camera without blinking.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/RakuvsShiori.jpg

 

-

 

Main Event:

Devil Karube/Megumi Nakajima vs Saoril Nakadan/Yuma Maruya

 

One thing 5SSW does well is the main event. You know it's the main event because the energy goes up by 10 and DEVIL is usually involved. Revenge match as the ex-World Champion Yuma is killing DEVIL with laser, death eyes. Fierce action as Yuma Maruya finally got her hands on DEVIL Karube in the final minutes and defeated by pin fall with a Split-Legged Moonsault. Post match nastiness ensues and this show goes out on a high note.

 

Post Match Interview:

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Yuma.jpg"DEVIL!? DEVIL!? I am not even finished with you yet. Hitting Birth: The end of this Guerrilla Tour will also be the end of your title run. I want it back and I am going to take it just like I took you tonight: clean and in the center of the 5SSW ring."

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Show%202/DEVILvsYuma.jpg

 

*The crowd murmured and buzzed around the merchandise tables, getting pictures taken and most importantly... saying names out loud. Yuu watched from behind a partition that separated the back from the public. The show was hard to judge, so different from the first and the entire roster out under the eyes. Tomorrow morning the reports would start to come in.*

[Terminator980]

I really really like the note taking bits for some reason. You make it feel real. Maybe it's the graphics you use, lol.

 

Either way, keep up the excellent work!

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/Noodlestand.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Yuu.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kit.jpg =

 

Wednesday: January: Week 2:

*59 her show had been stamped when the dust had settled in the morning. Not the 65 she was focused on. Not the 60 of the week before, but a 59. Numbers, they were only numbers to everyone else. But numbers were a booker's best friend or broken heel. The day had seemed colder and the coffee had seemed weaker the entire day. That was when Kit had finally had enough and smacked the back of her head with an open palm. It didn't make her feel any better, but it did her attention which was actually the goal.*

"Come on Miss Calculator let's go count the noodles in a bowl a ramen. It will make you feel better."

 

*Yuu didn't believe it and started to protest, but Kit just ignored her.*

 

"And even if it doesn't it will make me feel better. I'd rather look at you reading the Joshi death rites with a face full of noodles than this hungry, pathetic drama you're acting in."

 

*She tossed Yuu's jacket on top of the desk, scattering a few forms and ending any furthur protests... soon enough they were out in the cold and falling light. Kit walked a couple of paces ahead, leading the way through a turn of alleys that would dis-orientate an alley cat before they emerged on a pedestrian street brimming with foods, lights, people and all types of smells. Yuu's stomach grumbled under her jacket, generally pissed at its shabby treatment the entire day though it had done nothing wrong it self. Yuu even allowed herself a bit of smile when it came to seeing how foolish she had been acting all day.*

 

*447 tickets sold, more than double the previous week. Awesome feed back from the usual internet suspects and with the entire roster on display from top to bottom... any normal booker would have been thrilled with such results and most likely drunk by noon. But Yuu was no normal booker, she was 5SSW's booker and when she set a goal for herself? The industry norm did not calculate until someone showed her what an idiot she was being. Tonight that someone was Kit Hatoyama, who had already found two empty stools close to the warmth of boiling noodles. By the time Yuu had pulled her head from atmosphere around and sat down, there were two bowls of ramen with matching bottles of beer.*

 

*Little was said in the tiny noodle stand. The steam kept the warm. The noodles gave them fuel and the beer did what beer always did all over the globe. Kit ordered two more bottles and then turned towards Yuu with the easy going smile. Yuu should have know something was coming, but the noodles had deactivated her early warning booker senses. So she could sit and stare with her mouth open once she heard...

 

"I called Ogiwara-san."

 

*Yuu could only stare at her, mouth open.*

 

"Surely as friends, yes?"

 

*Kit leaned in.*

 

"Surely, no."

 

*Kit tilted the beer bottle back, before cracking a mischeivious grin.*

 

"Are you insane!?"

 

*Yuu's voice got the attention of the four other customers, she flushed red from embarrassment and lowered it again at Kit.*

 

"I am sorry. That was not a question. You are insane."

 

*Idiot! Her mind screamed, they were not ready for this. Ogiwara-san was the single greatest female worker of all time, period. She is a legend in Japan and helped propel 5SSW into, through and beyond the Golden Age of Joshi. When she retired from the ring... the company began to spiral... relationships began to crumble ... and finally it all fell apart into nothing.*

 

"Did you tell Kagawa-san??"

 

"I'm not stupid."

 

"Really?"

 

*Yuu didn't buy that for one second, as she to took a drink of beer to wash away the dry in her mouth. She finally tried to collect herself and her position.*

 

"She will never sign with us now... not now. We are not even a shell."

 

"You were never in the ring, Yuu. You don't get the pull. 5SSW is her home. She'll come home. She misses us. I can tell."

 

*Now it was Yuu's turn to laugh.*

 

"You are ridiculous."

 

*Kit looked over at Yuu with much confidence.*

 

"Are you looking for a wager, Yuu?"

 

*Yuu closed her eyes and took another drink, before focusing them on Kit again. She had never met a person in their profession who didn't have a taste for gambling. It was in their blood.*

 

"What do you have to lose, Kit? Because there is no way Sensational Ogiwara comes back to this small little shoebox the Lizard keeps alive by Lizard magic and string."

 

*It was true, they didn't have much in the way of money to wager these days. But they did have the menial chores which were worth more than all the yen in Japan.*

 

"I'll take the ticket table for the next tour."

 

*Yuu scoffed.*

 

"Ha! You with the masses, Kit? I'd pay Sensational out of my pocket not to come if it meant that."

 

*Kit shrugged, before adding nonchalantly.*

 

"When she signs, you drive The Beast Box for the next tour..."

 

*The Beast Box, the not so affectionate nick name given to their not so affectionate cargo truck. It had no air. It had no soul and if you didn't drive with the windows open you would die from CO2 poisoning. But Yuu extended her hand anyways, sealing the wager proper and washing away last night's personal set back completely. She smiled, and silently thanked Kit.*

 

"Deal."

[Yuu Onuki]

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/YuuHome.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Yuu.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kit.jpg =

 

-

JoshiJoshiJoshi.co.jp

 

Monday, Week 3, January 2010

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEW/SensationalOgiwara.jpg

Sensational Ogiwara returns to 5SSW!

 

From the impossible to rumor to fact in a matter of days.

The nine time '5 Star World Champion' legend and National Treasure has been signed in a non-wrestling capacity to the federation that she once helped make a household name.

A small press conference is expected tomorrow afternoon at the 5SSW Dojo in Kinki, Japan.

-

 

*Before Yuu could even finish reading the final sentence, her mobile began to vibrate and scoot across the wood floor where she sat... floored. The name display flashed Kit, as Yuu smacked the back of her favorite head into the wooden beam behind her slowly and repeatedly.*

 

"I can not believe this."

 

*She answered the phone to a grin she could actually feel over the phone.*

 

"You really should come down to office, Yuu. We have a lot to do. People to see again. Press conferences to attend. Truck licenses to renew."

 

*Laughter in the background, Kagawa-san's too. Who else could make an impossible deal reality. She had been suckered in on a hook and line that was long. She wanted to protest, but life was not fair and there was no crying in wrestling.*

 

"I told you, Yuu. Once you've made your life in that ring. There really isn't any other way. A normal life just doesn't cut it."

 

*You banged her head one more time before replying dryly.*

 

"You mean a normal life like a truck driver or something?"

 

"That's the spirit Yuu. See you soon."

 

*The connection cut, leaving Yuu to herself to read the final sentence. The shock and disappointment wearing off to the reality that Sensational Ogiwara had returned. For someone unfamiliar with the world of Joshi Puroresu... it would be almost impossible to explain how big of a deal this was to the company. The experience, the passion, the excitement and all the other small factors that she brought with her changed the game completely.*

 

*Kagawa-san had not gone back to Kinki to die, as Yuu had once accused her of. Kagawa-san had indeed gone back to Kinki to re-group for one more run at the big times... the one thing they had never been able to achieve in their long history together: National exposure and industry respect. The pressure was building as well as Yuu had nothing to do with the signing of Ogiwara-san... it was up to her to answer the raised bar of expectations. The end of tour show: Hitting birth was now only two weeks away she had one more show to sow the seeds. It was no time to be sitting on the floor imaging long hours behind the wheel of the Beast Box.*

[EricAdams]

Playing 5SSW and not using Ogiwara as a Road Agent is some kind of sin that could only be remedied by seppuku. Good call.

[Yuu Onuki]

(Yuu is actually missing a finger because she let Thunder Hike sign without even a phone call.).

 

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/Loading_Dock.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kagawa.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/SensationalOgiwara.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Yuu.jpg + http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj188/Ippotamus/TEWroster150/Kit.jpg =

 

*A handful of bloggers and puroresu news site correspondents had shown up at the 5SSW Headquarters for the Sensational Ogiwara press conference. Kit Hatoyama was given the honors of introducing her to the assembled media and the equally assembled roster. Both Yuu and Kagawa-san stood a couple of feet behind her with their hands clasped behind their back as the conference began. Kit spoke casually as usual...*

 

"I was never known for my microphone work, and today is not going to change that."

 

*A small chuckle waved through the loading bay.*

 

"So I'll cut right to the chase. When Kagawa-san brought Yuu back a couple of weeks ago, I knew she was serious about reversing our fortunes. While we can't live in our Golden Past, we sure can build on it. So why not bring back the woman who was our one, true heart and the Queen of our Golden Age? I couldn't think of a reason, so I called her and we talked about the great old days. We talked about the now, and she wanted to be a part of that too. So here she is: The nine time 5SSW World Champion, Sensational Ogiwara."

 

*Yuu clapped, the bloggers and rif-raff smiled, but the roster? They went absolutely nuts with screams, whistles and applause. Not one of them had not been effected by her or her matches, and a few of the veterans had been a part of them. It was a momentous day for the company, in comparison Yuu's own arrival didn't even register. This was THE Sensational Ogiwara after all, as SHE held up HER hand, acknowledging the love that had been given to her until she spoke...*

 

"It is, as always, an honor to be here in the presence of these fine, strong women."

 

*She gestured to the roster standing before her before looking over her shoulder.*

 

"And these three women who are some of the most creative, clever and astute people in the puroresu business today... man or woman. Again, it is my honor to be working with them this time around."

 

*Sensational Ogiwara smiled, and bowed her head slightly before turning back to the media and the roster again.*

"You can only do so many hand soap commercials and high school motivational speeches before you start to feel the emptiness that enters your heart when you leave the one true thing you loved to do. So you can imagine my response when Kit called me to say they needed me back. I, of course, told her she was wrong... it was I who needed them back and the color came back on."

 

*Ogiwara-san was sincere in every word she spoke, you could feel it through your skin.*

 

"But just as Kit did say, we are not here to live in our past. We are all here to be in the now that has started to breath and grow again and it is the now that we will set our goals upon... and it is the now that we will one day look back upon and say this is where it started. We changed the way Joshi Puroresu was done and we destroyed all the competition on the way."

 

*Ogiwara made the international gesture for 'all' before continuing.*

 

"And now we are going to save Joshi Puroresu from an end it does not deserve or require. That is now the purpose of Guerrilla Storm and every tour from now on. We are going to fight for our survival and we are going to fight for what we already deserve.

 

Thank you."

 

*Ogiwara stepped back as the few cameras flashed, she became on of the group behind her. The four women now in control of 5SSW's body, mind, heart and soul.*