Post by Sakuralang on Mar 15, 2012 13:10:33 GMT -5
All these nice people saying I'm going to be world champion won't make me any faster, you have to believe it yourself.-Sebastian Vettel
*The camera falls on a small grocery market in the heart of Tokyo, Japan on a cloud covered day. The grey of the day seems to bring with it a somber tone as the demure figure of Sakura Lang walks inside. Immediately all eyes seem drawn to her as she walks in, her face downcast as she begins to walk the aisles. A few people whisper to themselves as she walks around grabbing a few items off the shelf casually.*
Man 1: Hey, isn't that that female wrestler?
Man 2: You mean that local girl? The one that made the papers?
Man 1: Yeah, what's she doing here?
Man 2: I thought she'd be taller.
Child 1: Mommy, I saw that girl on TV!
Mother 1: Don't be silly that's not... wait that is the girl from TV. She shops here?
Child 1: See mommy? See? It is her!
*Sakura felt the eyes upon her. At first it was just at school now it was wherever she was. In practice, while running, even here... she had shopped here for nearly a year now and nobody had even looked twice. But now...
She walked to the counter with her meager basket of goods. Se tried to ignore the eyes, all thelooks. The comments. The curious faces. She came here almost everyday and no one had given her a second though. Now that she was a champion however. That word... champion. It still hadn't settled in to her mind yet. Champion Sakura Lang. It was different and yet nothing had changed at least not in her mind. Suddenly she looked up as the man behind the counter spoke up.*
Casier: Excuse me... Miss?
Sakura: Hmm? Yes, sir?
Cashier: Aren't you, Sakura Lang?
*She looked away her face reddening with embarassmnt as she nodded slightly. Her face downcast as she looked down, away from the stares of others.*
Cashier: What are you doing here?
Sakura: What do you mean? I always come here.
*The man smiled broadly and proudly his eyes gleaming. Sakura looked at him curiously.*
Cashier: Really? Well, how about that? A real life celebrity shops at my store!
Sakura: But I've been shopping here for nearly a year. I mean... I...
Cashier: Can I get a picture of you to hang on the wall, Champ? Nbody would believe it!
*Sakura looked about nervously. All of te customers were looking at her now. The store clerk had drawn so much attention. With that she reached in her pocket hurriedly and laid down the money without another word she grabbed her bag and ran out not bothering to grab her change as she did leaving the clerk and customers both staring in stunned silence.
Sakura walked slowly along the side of the road. The cold wind blowing harshly around her as she clutched her food goods. The embarassment still palpable as she walked. The sky almost signifying the dark cloud over her head.*
Sakura (Voice over): Champ. He called me, Champ. I have shopped there for a long time. He never onced looked at me. Never so much as greeted me. Now, I'm the Champ.
*Her head hung down her eyes downcast as slowly a single raindrop falls from the sky.*
Sakura (Voice over): I don't feel like a champ. I don't feel any different. I'm still the same girl I was a week ago. But now everybody knows me. They've seen my face. To them I'm somebody. A champion.
*She stops dead in her tracks still staring downward clutching her bag as another drop falls and anothe and another until slowly the sky begins to open and a soft rain falls on her drop by drop.*
Sakura (Voice over): Then why don't I feel like a champion?
*The rain grows harder the wind blows more fierce as she moves forward trying to brave the storm. A crack of thunder, the bright flash of lightning in the sky. She runs up a nearby set of steps up into a temple shrine. She pulls open the door and hops in drying herself for a moment. Seeking solace until the rain lets up. She looks around in the darkened room. The rotted floorboards and old foo dog statues illuminate as lightning flashes once more. She sighs softly sliding to a seated position as the rain continues to fall through the leaky unpatched roof.*
Sakura (Voice over): It's funny. I've passed by this place day after day and never noticed it before. I guess this place. This temple and I are alot alike. We just exist until people stop and notice. It's funny, some people, like my sister just gravitate to people liking them. Want people to take notice. Me, I never thought about it. There was never time to worry about what people thought. Now, things are different. I can't go anywhere without people knowing who I am. What I've done. I feel this incredible pressure. It's like now tha I am a champion... everybody expects so much more from me.
*She sighs softly as she hugs her knees while sitting. Her sad eyes staring into the dark. Her face locked into her own thoughts and mind*
Sakura (Voice Over): This match is so big for me. I'm not only representing my sister and I, but I'm facing a former world champ. I just feel so inadequate. I always thought a champion was someone who believed in themselves. A person that faced any challenge. I feel so out of place. Like even though I won a key victory I still am not good enough. I still don't belong. It's different for you, Fuji-san. You were a true champion. A world champion. You held the belt for a good six months almost. You proved your worth. I still feel inadequate compared to someone that shines so bright. I just feel like... like I can't compare to you.
*She hangs her head in shame as she curls up, but asshe does the rain slows a moment and she looks up. The sky breaks a little and a small light of sun peeks through into the room. A small glimmer illuminates the room and in it we see the beauty of the room for what it is. Gilded illuminated figures decorate the walls and a bronze dragon glints dimly in the light. It is a place of peace. A place of reverent reflection. A beauty hidden within rotting timbers and old refuse. A diamond in the rough. In it she breathes a deep breath and leans back collecting her reflections in her thoughts.*
Sakura (Voice over): I wonder though if you felt that way too. When you first started I imagine you wee scared. You had people guide you. People help you. You lost matches, you took your lumps. You improved. You tried harder and harder to make a name for yourself. My sister did that too and now so do I.
*Slowly she rises to her feet and in the dim light looks into the shining glimmer of bronze seeing her own reflection in it's polished facade.*
Sakura (Voice over): I need to stop worrying how people see me. How others view me. I need to see how I view myself. A champion, a true champion looks in the mirror and sees who they are. They see who they want to be and in their moments of glory and triumph and even in the agony of defeat they stay true to that vision of themselves. They don't worry about others because deep down they know what they sacrificed. What they have done to make it as far as they have. Maybe I'm not as experienced. Maybe I haven't been at this as long as most but I have given years of my life to training and conditioning my body for battle. I'm not a champion simply because i feel I haven't earned the right to call myself such. This week I will. Win or lose I'm facing someone who is a true champion. In word, in deed, and in attitude. Fuji-san, I know you will give it your all. Because that is who you are. I see it in your every move. Your every motion in the ring. And i will show you who I am.
*Sakura smiles at her reflection as the rain stops and water softly drips from the ceiling. Softly she walks to the door once more and picks up her bag with renewed life as she opens the sliding door into a sunny sky and a brilliant rainbow shining over tokyo bay as the wind blows softly against her face.*
Sakura (Voice over): I am Sakura Lang, the Battle Maiden...
*She smiles as she greets the soft air and walks on running a finger along her face brushing back her hair softly as rshe begins to walk away.*
Sakura (Voice over): ... and I am a champion.
*and thus she walks back toward home leaving us to focus on a single cherry blossom in full bloom dripping wet from the fury of the storm but still staying intact as the scene fades to black*
