August 2012

“Yuna! Yuna, where are you!?”

Yuna looked up sharply at the sound of her mother’s panicked voice and something prompted her to abandon her game of hide and seek with other girls her age. She came out of hiding and waved one arm. “I’m over here, Mama!”

Yuna’s mother Midori literally ran over and scooped her little girl up into her arms to hold her tightly against her chest. “I’m so glad you’re all right!”

Something dreadful must have happened for Midori to openly display emotion like that. So Yuna did what any other twelve year old girl would do. She hugged her mother tightly and spoke in a ragged whisper. “I’ll always be okay for you, Mama.”

Midori knelt on the abnormally wet ground so she could hold her daughter. “I know you will, Yuna.” She pulled back to look at Yuna. “But it’s okay for you to not be okay sometimes.”

Yuna felt a chill run down her spine and shuddered. Right then and there she knew something dreadful had indeed happened, and it involved her family. “What happened, Mama?”

Midori’s hands were trembling as she cupped Yuna’s face and tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks. “It’s your sister.”

Yuna knew. She just knew what was wrong. It came out in a choked whisper. “She’s missing.” Sana was literally Yuna’s shadow despite being three years older.

Midori nodded and felt the tears sliding down her face. “She was taken in broad daylight. School officials are scrambling to find out how...”

Yuna gently laid one badly trembling finger over Midori’s lips. “It’s okay, Mama. The police will find her.” Then she put her head on Midori’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “The custodian has the answers.” Only then did she let herself cry. She truly loved Sana.

Midori held Yuna while she cried. It was Yuna’s habit to comfort her before becoming emotional herself. So she had no problem letting her daughter be emotional, even if it was in a public place. “I’ll let the police know to frame their questions carefully for the custodian.” Yuna’s hunches had never been wrong. Midori placed great stock in them.

The girls Yuna had been playing hide and seek with finally found Midori holding a sobbing Yuna and Misaki had stepped forward with great hesitation. “Mrs. Sakai... What’s wrong?”

Midori smoothed Yuna’s hair with one hand and spoke gently. “Sana’s been kidnapped, Misaki.”

The other girls looked at each other in shock and Misaki slowly moved forward until she could put her hand on Yuna’s shoulder. “I’m sure she’ll be okay, Yuna.” She felt Yuna’s tension under her hand, then felt herself relaxing when it began to ease.

Yuna’s voice was hoarse but easy to understand. “I hope so, Misaki. She’s all Mama and I have left after Daddy died.” Yuna and Sana’s father Yoshihiro had been killed in what appeared to be an accident, but the coroner had labeled his manner of death as suspicious, which suggested a possible homicide.

“She has to be okay. She’s too smart not to be.” The Sakai girls were insanely intelligent. And it didn’t just apply to book smarts either. They had a way of reading people that left others shaken. Misaki looked at Midori. “Was Sana acting strangely this morning, Mrs. Sakai?”

Midori was caught off guard by Misaki’s question, but it only lasted a few seconds. “Yes. I asked her if she wanted a ride to school and she actually said yes. So Yuna and I took her to school. She said she had to stay after class to work on a project, so I told her we’d be there to pick her up when she called.” She started trembling again. “I got a call from the school fifteen minutes ago telling me someone had walked into the school and taken Sana out of the library by force. They’d already contacted the police before calling me.”

“And your first thought was to come find Yuna.”

“Yes. I was afraid someone had taken her too.” Midori rubbed Yuna’s back. “Thankfully she is still here.”

Misaki gently squeezed Yuna’s shoulder in a sign of support. “I’m here if you ever need me, Yuna.”

Yuna’s voice trembled. “Thank you, Misaki.” She lifted one hand and lightly covered Misaki’s with it. “That means everything to me.”

- - -

October 2013

Things had changed drastically for Yuna since she’d been told Sana had been kidnapped while at school working on a class project. She’d slowly withdrawn from the carefree child she’d been and had become a surly teenager who only listened to her mother and her teachers. She no longer shared a close bond with other girls her age... And that was fine with her. They’d quickly become entranced by boys and makeup. Not Yuna. She’d turned to something they scoffed at. She’d shown an interest in it when she was younger but the only academy with any prestige hadn’t had room for her, so she’d put it aside as a passing fancy. But after Sana had been missing for a year, she’d felt it calling her back. So she’d checked how much of her allowance she’d saved up since she was nine and had been greatly disappointed. She didn’t have enough to cover the entry fee, let alone the monthly training costs. Her mother had seen her disappointment and asked about it.

“What has you looking so distressed, Yuna?”

Yuna had looked up from her plate where she was literally just moving the food around before sighing and putting down her chopsticks. “I’ve been thinking about it again.”

Midori knew what Yuna was talking about. “And the problem is...”

“I don’t have enough money to pay for it and I feel bad about asking you for help. It’s expensive and I can’t even be sure I’ll make it past the first assessment.”

“Don’t worry about the money. I’ll happily pay for it. All you have to do is show them what they’d be missing out on if they rejected you.”

Yuna had stared at her mother in surprise before carefully moving her chair back so she could race around the table and hug her tightly. “Thank you, Mama! I promise I won’t let you down!”

“I know you won’t. Now sit and eat, please.”

“Okay!” Yuna had gone back to her spot at the table with a sparkle in her eyes that hadn’t been there since finding out about Sana.

- - -

August 2017

Five years. Sana Sakai had been missing for five years. The police had indeed been careful with their questions for the custodian at Sana’s school, but they hadn’t gotten anything out of him other than a vague description of the kidnapper’s vehicle. The other witnesses had only been slightly more helpful with the vehicle’s description, so it hadn’t been him trying to confuse the police. Yuna sighed as she trailed her fingers down the glass over a picture of Sana taken shortly before her kidnapping. She didn’t know it yet, but that was as old as Sana was ever going to get. She and Midori had been holding out hope that Sana would come back to them alive and they hadn’t given up yet.

“Come home to us, Sana... We miss you so much.”

She sighed again and turned at a sound near the door. Her best friend Misaki stood there looking nervous. “May I come in, Yuna?”

Yuna’s face split into a big smile at the sight of her best friend in the whole world. “Of course you can, Misaki!” She waited until Misaki was far enough into the room that she wouldn’t get knocked out the open doorway before pouncing her for a hug. “I’ve missed you. Where have you been?”

Misaki returned the hug without hesitation despite her nervousness. She loved Yuna’s pounce-hugs. “I’ve been visiting my aunt over in Okinawa. She’s not doing well.”

“Oh no Misaki! I hope she gets better!”

“Thanks, Yuna. Me too.”

Yuna finally released the hug and looked at Misaki. She saw the nervousness in her best friend’s eyes and felt the slight tremble under her fingers. “What is it, Misaki? What’s wrong?”

Misaki reluctantly took a step back and looked at her feet for a moment before looking up at her best friend. “My father just told me to tell you this an hour ago. We’re moving to Tokyo.” She sighed heavily. “Next week. I’ve been packing and donating what I can’t take with me... And putting off telling you as long as I could.”

“You’re moving to Tokyo next week!? Why didn’t you tell me sooner so I could have organized a party for you?”

Misaki hesitated for a long time before saying the one thing that would damage her friendship with Yuna. “They didn’t want you to throw me a party because they think you’re cursed.”

Yuna stared at Misaki in stunned silence before disbelief bubbled up and spewed out a sentence she meant but it was worded badly. “I can’t believe they think I’m cursed, Misaki, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life!”

Misaki clearly heard Yuna say they, rather than you. The wording, however, implied Yuna was including her and she reacted without thought. “You think I believe them, don’t you? You think they were dastardly enough to make me believe that nonsense!” The next thing she said was terrible and she immediately wished she could take it back. “Well, maybe I do believe them because Sana still hasn’t come home and people are saying you had something to do with it!”

Yuna flinched and put her hand over her heart to make sure she hadn’t actually been injured. “You – You don’t mean that. You can’t mean that. You know how much I love my sister, Misaki!” Sana’s kidnapping had left Yuna vulnerable in more ways than one. And of all the girls her age, Misaki had understood the most and had done her best to protect Yuna.

“I’m sorry, Yuna! I didn’t mean it!” But the damage had already been done. She saw it in the way Yuna was standing with her arms wrapped around herself in an unconscious gesture of self-protection. “Please don’t be mad at me.”

Yuna’s voice was a whisper. “You hurt me just now, Misaki. I may be angry later, I may not. But for now... Please leave me alone.” Her eyes were full of tears when she looked at Misaki. “I hope you find happiness in Tokyo, no matter what may come.”

Misaki watched Yuna before slowly turning and heading for the door. She paused and looked back at her best friend. “I hope Sana comes home soon. I never thought you were cursed. Even for a second.” Then she left.

Yuna waited until she couldn’t hear Misaki’s footsteps anymore, then threw herself on her bed and cried until she was hoarse and she had nothing left. “Oh, Sana... Where are you!?”

Midori came in shortly afterward and she looked distressed beyond words. “Yuna.” She couldn’t bring herself to say anything else until Yuna turned to look at her.

“What is it, Mama?”

Midori came in and sat on the edge of Yuna’s bed, her trembling hands clasped tightly in her lap. “I just spoke to the police.” She looked at her hands and forced them open before looking up at the young woman who was now her only child. “They found Sana.”

Yuna felt the tears starting to build again. “Where was she thrown after she died?”

Midori knew better than to question how Yuna knew Sana was dead. “They found her on the edge of the Suicide Forest.” The Suicide Forest was notorious for not giving up the bodies of those who walked into its depths.

“Was she intact or did the animals find her?”

“Even the animals won’t go near the Suicide Forest. She was completely intact.”

Yuna closed her eyes and the tears slid down her cheeks in tiny rivers of pain. “Maybe Misaki’s parents were right, Mama. Maybe I am cursed.”

“What did they say!?”

“Misaki came over earlier. She – She told me they’re moving to Tokyo next week and they didn’t want me to throw her a party because they think I’m cursed.”

Midori knew Yuna was blaming herself for something. She always stuttered when that happened. “What did you say that has you blaming yourself?”

“I worded it wrong, Mama... I told her ‘I can’t believe they think I’m cursed, Misaki, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard in my life!’. I didn’t mean to say it like that!” And Yuna lay down from having propped herself up on one elbow so she could cry again.

“I know you didn’t mean to say it like that, Yuna.” Midori smoothed Yuna’s hair in a gesture of comfort.

“That’s not the worst part.” Yuna sniffled and turned so she could see her mother. “Misaki... She said...” She closed her eyes tightly against the tears and clenched one hand into a fist, her nails gouging the flesh of her palm and helping steady her nerves. “She said ‘Well, maybe I do believe them because Sana still hasn’t come home and people are saying you had something to do with it!’. That hurt, Mama... I felt like my heart was breaking.” Then she put her head down and cried more.

Midori was absolutely stunned. For a long time all she could do was watch her daughter cry into her pale green pillow. Yuna’s favorite color had been green for as long as she could remember and she’d insisted on at least some green accents in her wardrobe. Then she put her hand on Yuna’s back over her heart and the steady beat reassured her. Yuna was still alive and still with her. “She should have known better than to say something that cruel.”

“She told me she didn’t mean it, but...” Deep down, Yuna thought Misaki had meant it.

Midori knew what Yuna wasn’t saying and rubbed her daughter’s back over her heart. “I know. What was the last thing you told her before she left?”

“I said ‘You hurt me just now, Misaki. I may be angry later, I may not. But for now... Please leave me alone.’ Then I wished her happiness in Tokyo, no matter what may come.”

“Even after she hurt you like that, you still wanted her to be happy. You haven’t really changed that much, Yuna. You’re just more careful with how you express yourself.”

Yuna sighed softly. “Thank you, Mama.”

She left a message at Misaki’s house later that day, telling her the police had found Sana’s remains. She wasn’t expecting a response, but she got one. Misaki’s father called the house to express his heartfelt condolences. Then he told her something shocking and hurtful, but she wasn’t mad at him. He told her “Misaki’s uncle on her mother’s side never liked you, Yuna. He saw my transfer to Tokyo as a way to get you out of her life forever. So he convinced his wife to pretend she was ill and lured Misaki over there to poison her mind against you. It was him who told her you were cursed, and it was him who thought you had something to do with Sana’s kidnapping and death. Please don’t hold this against Misaki, Yuna.” He knew about their fight, so his message came from the heart.

“I – I’ll try not to. She really hurt me when she said that. It felt like my heart was breaking.”

“I would feel the same if I were in your position.”

Yuna hung up after thanking him and wishing his family luck in Tokyo. She went to bed that night with a heavy heart and the beginnings of a shell forming around it. Misaki had done the unimaginable. She had turned Yuna’s heart to stone with thoughtless words caused by a hateful man who didn’t like his niece being around her.

- - -

Present day

Yuna’s eyes fly open and she sits up in bed with a loud gasp.

“Was that really how it happened!?”

She rubs her eyes with her fingertips before throwing back the covers and getting out of bed.

“I need to double check with Mom. She’ll remember better than I do.”

Then she heads into the bathroom to shower and get dressed. She sits in her recliner an hour later and uses the remote to turn the video camera so it’s facing her. Her phone pings with an incoming message before she can turn on the camera, so she picks it up to see who it’s from. It’s from Seung Yoon. ‘Hi Yuna, are you available in a couple of hours to show us around some more? Si-Woo wants to visit the San Diego Zoo today.’ She can’t help giggling as she taps Reply. ‘I’ll meet you there in two hours!’ She taps Send and puts her phone face down on her leg.

“The San Diego Zoo this week, huh? They’re gonna love it!”

Then she picks up the remote and turns on the video camera. Once the red Recording light comes on, she starts talking.

“From facing Glory Braddock in a singles match last week to facing her in a trios match this week. But this is no ordinary Trios match... Oh no. Far from it. This is a first round match in the SCW’s annual Trios Tournament, where the members of the winning team each get a contract for a match of their choosing. I’ll have to think very carefully about what match I want should one of those contracts become mine. I already have a future match for the Underground Championship to prepare for...”

She pauses then grins.

“You didn’t really think I’d go after Yuyo and her Adrenaline title, did you? I’m not petty like that! As I told Yuyo, I was just standing up for her against Bree Lancaster.”

She picks up an opaque green water bottle and takes a long swallow of the contents before she continues.

“Getting back on topic... How ironic is it that my partners for this tournament are a current champion and a man who’s got a lot of skill, and a lot of anger. Of course I refer to reigning TV Champion Waylon Creek and the man dubbed “Burned in Blood”, Konrad Raab.”

Huffing her breath up past her face, she tucks a loose strand from her ponytail behind her ear.

“Waylon Creek may be new to the roster, but he has a lot of skill and potential to get anywhere he wants. Of course I scouted my partners... I will go on the record as saying I wish one of the other Maidens was on my team, but as with everything in my life, I will deal with what I am given and make the best of it.”

She takes a sip from the water bottle and gently sets it on the glass-top coffee table.

“Konrad Raab has been wrestling for quite some time and his record speaks for itself. Unfortunately, Konrad, it seems like you have a habit of letting your anger get the best of you. I do hope you’re working on that, for all our sakes.”

A pause for a deep breath before she resumes.

“And now I turn to our opponents. Scott Reed. A man who used the name Beard when he wrestled before. Were you hiding from something when you chose that name, Scott? I can’t imagine why a man as talented as you would have such an ignominious ring name. It’s as much of a mystery as why you were treated so poorly. But I know one thing about you that’s almost a guarantee. I know you will fall to Waylon, Konrad and myself in this Tournament. Maybe it will help you see your true potential and give you the mental boost you need to start moving forward.”

Yuna pauses for another sip of water.

“Chris Lawler. Another man with phenomenal skill who seems to come up short when it matters the most. What is it with people not being able to find their way to the top of the mountain in SCW? Is it something in the water? Or is it because there are so many talented individuals that only some of them are able to constantly succeed? Truly something to ponder.”

Yuna stops to catch her breath for a moment.

“La Pequena Luz. The only other woman in this match. You have passion, you have skill, and you have the title reigns to prove it! As I said to Glory before our match last week, I admire you. Seeing other women with passion and skill is only going to help me improve. Unfortunately, my dear Luz, you and your teammates are going to come up short in this Tournament, because of who you’re up against in this first round. We’ll see the three of you at Breakdown... And if the Gods are merciful, you’ll be able to see us.”

The camera clicks off and she gets up to check the viewfinder. ‘Upload complete under the clickable link ‘Face the Past to Find the Future’.

“Good.”

Then she disappears into her bedroom so she can find something more suitable to wear for a day at the zoo, sending her mother a text about her dream in the process. Luz, Scott and Chris, see you at Breakdown. You’re in for a challenge. May the better team win.