We start with golden, warm light and a strange metaic clicking noise. When the light fades we find ourselves in a large clearing on the edge of where old forest meets Eastern eurpoean poverty. A vardo, an old school gypsy caravan, is basked in afternoon light as a group of kids gather around playing. Most of the kids are boys, burly and wild looking. They seem to be playing a game that is an odd combination of king of the mountain and tag. They boys ignore the girls that are yelling at them, calling them names. Then one girl all of sudden dives into the game throwing stiff elbows and tripping the bigger boy who was "it". When he tries to get up she bites him. One of the other boys call out...
"Eh, quit it Karina. Quit biting, damn its against the rules. You are going to give Alek rabies!"
All the kids laugh and two more voices can be heard beyond the bushes laughing as well. Those voices belong to Karina and Dea Jaa. They are dressed in worn down victorian clothes, that have been torn and patched with t-shirts from the 80s punk scene. They watch as the kids play.
Karina: Why did you bring me here?"
Dea: Seemed as good a day as any. But lets skip ahead a bit.
The golden light begins again as does the clicking noise. Soon enough the light is all that can be seen but when it fades we see a similar scene. This time the vardo is much more modern and the kids are wearing more updated clothes. But not a whole lot has changed. We are still in a gypsy camp, kids still run around like little imps and the Koji men still fight like men. Aleksei sits on a lawn chair drinking a beer with his older borther Emil. Aleksei is pretty much the man that everyone remembers if not a little softer around the edges. Emil, the eldest brother who trained all the Koji fighters, looks old yet powerful. He carries himself like a man that could still break anyone in half a minute.
Out of the bushes walk Karina and Dea. They are dressed as before and Karina does not look pleased about being here. She looks at the men, rolls her eyes and sits on a nearby crate.
Aleksei: Oh shit, the chosen one returns. I watched you on the internets little wolf...
Karina (scowling): Yeah!...and..
Aleksei: You looked good out there...thats all. '
Emil: Da...no ring rust on ya.
Karina: Why would I be rusty...I never stopped fighting. Just stopped getting paid for it for a while.
Aleksei: Da...I miss getting paid for it. I got ton of ass when I was pro.
Karina shakes her head pulling out a flask and ignoring one of her brothers for a moment. Dea watch the siblings interact with bemusement as she inspect the various items gathered around the campers and waving to the kids that run by.
Karina: How are you Emil? Still training.
Emil: Always. Just heard the family was going to be up northways and dragged this moron to say hi to everyone. You have been hitting that stuff pretty hard.
Emil motions to the booze and Karina shrugs it off.
Karina: Better than pills and it kind of comes with running the Horde. Aren't you the one who gave me my first drink?
Emil: Hmmm maybe.. that sounds like something I would do, but don't mean you have to bathe in the stuff.
Karina: Is this why you brought me here to be lectured by my brothers...because I would rather visit dionosaurs.
Emil looks at Karina and than at Dea, very confused. It looks as if the old man might say something but he thinks better of it. Instead he grabs a pipe and starts to smoke. Aleksei stands up.
Aleksei: I am not sure if any of what you just said made sense...but I am going to tell you something little wolf.
Karina: Damn it stop callin g me that. I am not a little girl. I am not your pet. I am your blood and I would die to defend you but I don't have to put up with your shit. And I sure hope you are not about to lecture me about my drinking. You are a huge boozer and it is your Horde that wants me to carry the rum.
Aleksei: Da, carry the rum but don't let it carry you. Karina...listen.
Karina: I don't have to. I know I am not looking okay. I know I am still crazy but this is the only way I know how to do it. The Party Horde needs to exist. It wants to run wild and you left them to just sort of wander. I don't know what I am doing but I am going to keep at it. You can respect that or not...but don't lecture me. Have my back or go find some corner of the world to drink yourself to death.
By now both Karina and Aleksei are in eachothers face. Karina is red faced and spitting mad. Aleksei wears a smile but it is not hard to tell that the smile mask deeper emotion. He snatches the flask from her and takes a drink.
Aleksei: Ok....when is your next match?
Karina looks at him, mouth hung open in surprise and than she laughts. She snatches the flask back and smiles. It is a warm smile, more geniuine than any that has been seen on her face in a while.
Karina: This Sunday, main event. I have tag team match and Amy Marshall is my partner.
Aleksei smirks at that and than nods.
Aleksei: Well I can't miss that now can I. You plan on laying out that bitch once you win?
Karina shrugs as she puts the flask away.
Karina: Who can know. If she plays nice then I will play nice. I am no back stabber like so many of those girls.Did you hear what Necra said about us?
Aleksei: I don’t pay attention much to lady fighters unless they are in front of me offering boobies.
Karina pauses as looks at her brother with disdane. She kicks over his chair watching the large man tumble over. After an intense moment everyone starts to laugh.
Karina: She says we can’t be trusted. She says because I am Romani that I will stab Amy in the back. She says she knows us well but she knows nothing. When it comes to that ring we fight with the only kind of honor that matters to us, Romani code. I will be honest I hate Amy and her stupid face but for that match she is my partner. She will have me as a partner..I will not lay her out unless she breaks that code first..I am not sure if she can hold her own against Vixen and Necra, but one can hope. I know she wants the win nearly as much as I do.
Aleksei stands up dusting himself off. He smiles at his sister and then takes a good look at Dea for the first time. He puts on his best charming grin.
Aleksei: Well I guess I need to go back to America. I will catch flight with you, where you flying out from.
Karina: Oh I didn’t fly...and I have one thing left to do. Come on!
Karina suddenly runs off grabbing Dea with her. Aleksei reaches for his top hat looking confused but pleased to see his sister so focused. Karina runs back long enough to knock his hat off his head laughing all the way to the bushes. Aleksei chases after, like they were kids again but stops when he sees golden light flowing from beyond the tree line.
*********************
When the golden light fades we are in a very different place, a cobblestone street with buildings that look to be from a different time. People in Victorian outfits walk around and a small boy wanders around looking for food. Suddenly Karina and Dea run into the scene nearly slipping on the snow that has gathered in the street. Karina looks at the boy.
Karina: What day is it?
Street Urchin: Why it’s Christmas day!
Karina looks at the kid and takes a look around letting it sink in that she has not arrived in California like she had planned. She looks at Dea with a look of playful anger. Dea grins and shrugs.
Dea: Traveling in space and time is not an exact science.
Karina: Thats find. I can work with this. Hey kid, you know who Vixen or Necra are?
Street Urchin: Are they ladies of ill repute?
Karina: eh close enough. Well not Vixen really..oh never mind. Let me just cut this promo and I will buy you a goose.
It appears to boy is about to speak but Karina pushes past him and stands in the middle of the street. She throws her hands up dramatically and spins as she yells out to the heavens.
Karina: Are you entertained! How can you NOT be world. I just traveled across space and time, but all that pales in comparison to what I am going to do in that ring. You have seen me crazy, you have seen me angry and you have seen me drunk, but you have not seen me….inspired! But I am now. I can feel it. I can feel the hopes and dreams of all the Horde. All those lovely freaks and monsters want to see me stand victorious at the end of Sunday. Everyone wants me to have that moment. I will not disappoint. I will take that moment for all of us.
She stops spinning, gettings slightly dizzy she stumbles to her left but Dea catches her. She smiles taking a step forward looking out at the group of gathering Victorians who have become quite curious.
Karina: Now Vixen you know me. We have done this dance before and it was fun I have to admit. I wish it could just be you and me in that ring than we wouldn’t have to worry about punk brats and delusional crazy people. You have faced me before but not like this. I respect what you do in the ring and I respect that belt you have on your waste. But this is my time. This is my moment. We will do the dance and this time I will win. I hope its you that I get to pin, it should be two warriors, two real women who finish out the night.
Now Necra you are a different story. I have no respect for you and I think it is shame that you are part of this whole night. You and Amy should sit your asses down, let the real warriors do their thing..but no instead you go yap yap yap about your feelings about me and my people. You want to talk about culture...your tired act has almost made me hate Egypt. I almost forgot that their culture is so impressive and that they have this amazing history because every week I have to watch your waterdowned, melodramatic version of things.
You say your not impressed by my work recently, I have NEVER been impressed by you. I keep having to watch you in the ring, hoping you have something to show me but I never see anything worth remembering. You are boring both in the ring and out. You do not entertain!! Not like me..I mean look at these people. I am so entertaining I might end up in a Dickens novel, but your only entertaining moment will be when the crowd gets to watch you be beaten by me.
A couple of the locals clap and Karina grins at their response. They have no idea what she is talking about but they can feel the energy.
Karina: Now I am going to leave this place and find my way to my moment. The moment where I stand at the end of night as the winner. I can feel that moment. Nothing is going to stop me, not the past or the future. Not Amy Marshall and he stupid face. Not Vixen, not this time and definitely not any pretenders named Necra. Here kid, buy yourself something nice.
Karina puts a wad of money in the kids fan and he looks at it like he was just handed a wad of dirty paper. Karina winks at Dea and they head off on their way. As the scene fades to golden light, a whirling and metallic clicking can be heard.
