Karina Koji walks a long tight hallway as the camera follows behind her. She wears a coat that is somewhat familiar, it is made of countless pieces of fabric patchworked together but its bottom appears to be burned and frayed. Her hands are wrapped in tape and trace invisible lines along the dark walls as she moves forward. She speaks, “The Buddhist have a word for the place you go between lives, it is Bardo. When you die what is left of your soul goes there to work out where it will go next.”
She lets the coat slip off her shoulders. Her pale body is still covered in ash, mostly naked except for tape bindings. The hallway opens up to a large living room with expensive dark furniture and a wall of glass looking out at a glorious view of the Vegas strip. “You see your soul would crash into the bardo with whatever momentum was left when you die. If you were a cranky, evil bitch the bardo would lead you to hell. Borning smart ass beings with only the best intentions get to go to some celestial garden to meditate and ponder crap. Die like an animal driven by instinct you come back as an animal. Oh so many choices...”
Karina stops at the window and puts both hands on the glass, looking down at the busy city. “I died in Japan...I fucking died when they took that belt from me....and what left of me got burned away...and everything since then has been my own bardo. I have been in limbo...a ghost walking among the living. I had so many things to do...so many choices.”
She turns around a somewhat blank expression on her face but a small grin appears on the corners of her mouth. She tilts her head slightly almost looking past the camera. “My rebirth is nearly at hand. It must be in the ring, that is the only proper way you must know that.” she then has a thoughtful expression on her face. “And Vixen has to be there because she is the one who killed me. She must be witness to my rebirth. My belt...and it still is my belt...isn’t it? I have watched every match that has followed Japan and it doesn’t seem the same to me...and I think most feel the same way. You see my belt has to be there too....my belt was my reaper and it must be there....Alexis Morrison is just the sorry soul who will bring it to the ring. And I promise it will be glorious.”
After a long uncomfortable moment she moves forward and walks beyond the camera. We see that this room belongs to a large hotel suite and Karina is walking towards the bathroom. The bathroom is large and luxurious. The counters are black marble and so is the shower. Karina steps in and closes the door. Her body is blurry through the frosted glass. As she talks she starts to untie her binds and throw it over the door. “I am curious how things will end up at the High Stakes. Because there will be this moment when two warriors will turn on one. A moment where either I will embrace the alliances of my brother and help Vixen beat down that goth princes Alexis. Or will I gleefully hold onto the pain and darkness inside my heart and help Morrison tear that bitch Vixen apart....what will I choose. What new form of Karina will be born in that ring”
The shower starts and Karina starts to sing in Romania. It is not a long shower just enough to wash the ash off. She opens the door., The camera zooms in on her pale face, free from the ash that she has been adorning lately. “I don’t know who I will be once this limbo is done. I don’t know. My brother said that NXT was like family to him and so perhaps that makes Vixen as well. I have heard the fans cheer my name...and it is pleasant. But I also love to cause pain....that is some Alexis can understand. Together we could show Las Vegas a night like no other. A night where we rip a superstar in pieces and then battle each other to near death!....I don’t know but I do know one thing. No matter how many paths lie ahead of me, all of them end with my belt coming back to me. Every version of my rebirth has me being champion. It is not a matter of “if” but...how."
For the first time Karina gives the audience a genuine smile right before it all fades out.
