Fordlandia....
It was created by Ford Motor Company in the 1920’s so that the company could get rubber for their booming automobile industry. Then someone created synthetic rubber and the whole place shut down. The American’s left the factories and prefabricated homes to the jungle. For years they stood there slowly being eaten by decay and vines, until someone else found found it.
I don’t know much about who the men were that turned the ruins of Fordlandia into their own test lab. The details are fuzzy. There were men in white lab coats named doctor who sounded European, one in particular was German. I know that because he begged for his life in German. There were workers who were locals and then there were the patients. I remember some of them, runaways and lost souls. The type of people that won’t be missed.
The test and experiments that they did to us are like black holes in my mind. I don’t remember even waking up on the days they took me to building with green walls. They took me there many times. I have scars on my body that I never knew the origin of, but at least I am a little closer now.
For some reason they had to leave and they tried to take us with them. I escaped and I am pretty sure I took the life of an old German bastard on my way out. I can’t be sure I took his life but I do know that I took his right eye.
When I returned to the ruins all signs of my captivity were gone. They had set fires to the lower levels, let them burn long enough that the ceilings had caved in. The ruins of the failed rubber factory and failed secret lab blended together making it hard to see the truth, but I could see it. Buried deep in the rubble was pieces of equipment, broken beds and shattered pieces of lost memory.
Down one long hallway I found a room that looked more like a cave now, with faded green tile hidden behind walls of moss and vine. They were waiting for me there: The Phoenix with her evil grin and wings of fire, Loki with her warm eyes dressed for some sort of funky safari and a feral woman, who stood wild and silent. I wanted to run, but I didn’t. Instead I stood in the room with the other three until none of them were there any more.
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Karina opens her eyes and looks out the window of the Koji tour bus as it makes the long trek north to California. They were on the edge of Brazil now, almost out of the country. Aleksei walks over to her with that concerned look he has had every time he has looked at her since her match at Hostile Takeover. She couldn’t blame him, she looked terrible. She still had bandages all over her body and she looked worn down.
Aleksei: So you sure about this?
Karina: Da. I need a break from this. I have not been at my best since I lost the roulette title and I get tired of getting my ass kicked....I need to train.
Aleksei: You mean go back to Europe and get your ass kicked by Emil for a while?
Karina: If that is what it takes...not to mention I have some things to look into.
Aleksei: Ah yes...of course. Your very own Weapon X saga....well of course I respect your choice little wolf..but there is one problem.
Aleksei nods and then grins while making an apologetic gesture. Karina looks at him waiting to hear what kind of trouble he has gotten her into.
Aleksei: Well you see. You kind of got booked for a match, a big one. Think you can stay for one more match huh? Maybe you can finish up with a win.
Karina: Who is this match with?
Aleksei: Oh no big thing...it is just Salco...and Ragdoll and oh umm I think that Vixen is in the match as well.
Karina just looks at him and at first appears to be thinking about smacking him but instead she starts to laugh.
Aleksei: And all of the Team Eric bombshells will be surrounding the ring....
Karina stops laughing for a moment only to make sure he is not messing with him then she starts laughing harder. Laughing so hard she nearly falls out of her chair. Aleksei is not sure what to make of this.
Karina: well...brother I must say...you really do suck as a manager. This is the match you get me to finish out with...
Aleksei: So you will do it...
Karina: Why not!? I can not think of more perfect way to leave this place....
Aleksei: You know after you leave I will not have many fighters left to manage. I think you might be right, maybe I do suck at this.
Karina grins and pats him on the shoulder.
Karina: Maybe you should go back to doing something you’re good at, eh?
She rises gingerly and takes the bottle of rum from him hand. She takes a big sip of the booze as she walks away. Aleksei has a thoughtful expression on his face.
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Fade up the the six sided ring. The SCW crew is setting up for tonights event. Karina sits on top of one of the turnbuckle. Her hoody is up, mostly One arm was still bandaged but she seemed less broken then right after Hostile Takeover.
Karina: I have seen many types of rings in my short years. Emil has this decayed old ring back in Romania that is death trap. There are three soft spots on the canvas that you must avoid and the ropes are nearly rotted away. I have fought in rings surrounded with metal cages and I have done battle in rings with razor wire. But this ring always felt like home.
You here at Sin City Wrestling has seen me at my worse and best. You have seen me crazed, chased by my own demons. You have seen me as hero struggling to find my path. I have won some and I have lost some. Every time I tell you all, you have not seen all of me. That is because until now I did not know who I really was and what I can do....but now I do know.
Karina hops off the turnbuckle and flips down her hoody.
Karina: It is a shame my last match for a while is against women who share a common cause. All of us want to see Eric’s bitches taken down a peg or ten. I would much rather face all of those silly girls on the outside of the ring than any of the real women on the inside. But these are some of the best of the best that will share the ring. We get to show those silly girls just what real fighters look like...then afterwards I get to finish things on my terms...meaning I get to beat each and every one of those backstabbing bitches so that they are only inches left of their lives.
Now Salco, we were tag team partners recently and you showed me many good skills. You were all over the place when you came here but you have turned into a damn good wrestler. But this is my night Jessie. The day will come when you are maybe better than all of us but not tonight.
Same goes for you Ragdoll. I don’t think this will be the last time we meet in the ring and you have my respect. Hell with moves like you have, I would be fool not to respect you. But I am sorry friend, this is just not your night. Too often I have lost my matches because of the voices in my head or other distractions, but I have never felt more clear. Who knows if it will last but for tonight you will have to face me at my best Becky....and you can’t beat me at my best.
Then there is Vixen....one of the few fighters, male or female, that I feel honored to fight against. This is not our first dance in the ring, is it? and it won’t be the last. Don’t think you are getting off easy Vixen, don’t think you have lost me for good. My career is not over until I beat you for a title and take the gold home. See I respect you...but I also remember. I remember how you took my championship and I know that was when things started going bad for me. I remember how you lost that title before I could have my rematch. Vixen you faced me at my worse, my most distracted. Do you think you can beat me at my best?
I told the world I was going to be a hero and my journey is far from over. So let's have ourselves a match. Lets show the world just why we are the best in Sin City...and more importantly, when its all over let us have a night Team Eric beatdown!
Karina smiles and heads out of the ring.
