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Shock. Horror. The urge to vomit. She closes her eyes and allows the situation to wash over her before taking a deep breath and turning around to walk right back out the door. Cupping his privates in both hands, Booker T follows her for several steps, performing an awkward shuffle-waddle-walk as he struggles to keep everything within the confines of his fingers. She sets her bag down on the sidewalk and takes a breath of fresh air. The door is pushed open behind her and Booker T pokes his head out, still not fully comprehending her reaction.
She refuses to turn around and face him. With her back to him, she continues to shield her eyes and look down at the sidewalk. Booker T looks down, realizing once again that he's still not wearing clothes.
Booker T quietly returns inside. Rok-C huffs and looks out into the horizon. The sun is still coming up, light cascading across the city. Texas today, Utah and Su Yung tomorrow... there's no time for her mentor's games. She needs to train and his mind is... his mind is-- "It's been like this for a while. It's like he drifts in and out of reality. One minute, I'm talking to my mentor... the man who trained me, taught me everything I know... and the next, I'm being called a peasant or getting told that I don't understand the nuances of war... sometimes, he looks at me like he doesn't even know who I am. I know his life has been hard... dude, he lost everything. Sharmell is gone with the kids, the rest of his students are gone... we're all that's left... sometimes-- sometimes I feel like I'm all that left." The door rattles and opens once again. Rok-C looks over her shoulder and sees Booker T standing there in lime green zebra print Zubaz and a sleeveless black nWo t-shirt. Her eyes focus on the logo just long enough for her to wonder when he'll start blacking out and spray painting nWo on everything in the gym, but she pushes that thought away.
She just glares at him.
He holds the door open and she steps inside, taking her bag and silently walking toward a nearby dressing room. Booker T begins to absentmindedly wipe down equipment in preparation for their session before his eyes fall on the wrestling ring, the centerpiece of the entire operation. He imagines the glory of throwing Kevin Nash over the top rope, maybe even eliminating both members of 2.0 at the same time-- "I really wanted to make a good impression in my first match... that was taken from me. Booker T was right that I couldn't trust Misao, that I needed to watch my back... but it's in my nature to believe that some good still exists even inside the most evil of us. It cost me on Vengeance, but maybe one day we'll cross paths again and I can prove that Misao still has good left in her, and that she can rely on it the same way that she relies on her underhanded tactics. Maybe I'm naive... maybe it's just a dream... but it's a good one. And I'll continue fighting for it." She returns from the dressing room in a t-shirt and workout pants. Ignoring Booker T for the time being, she goes straight to throwing strikes at the heavy bag, grunting with exertion at every blow. Clearly, she has much to work out after her last two matches. "I'm not mad about Eruption. Me and Kimber Lee got a big win. That's cool. I'm here to win, and after she got screwed over by Su Yung, Kimber needed one in the win column, too. What happened after the match with Gus De La-- Gus Van Der--... that guy that Booker T beat up, whatever. That didn't bother me. He's got a big match coming up, he can have the spotlight for a minute on a YouTube show. He just needs to realize that my match coming up... is important, too. And it's against the woman that screwed over Kimber. Kimber's a veteran in this sport and she's been really good to me since we got to WLCW... it's my job to right what happened to my friend." The ring shakes as Booker T climbs inside and hits the ropes. Rok-C doesn't even look away from the heavy bag as Booker T executes a forward roll, rises to his feet, and launches forward at least five feet with a HUGE Harlem Sidekick. He lands and falls to one knee before staring down at his hand, shaking his head side to side with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. SPINAROONIE! SPINAROONIE! SPINAROONIE! Rok-C hits the bag harder, and then? Even harder. "I wish him the best... I really do... and I think he has a real chance... but Storm isn't about Booker T. None of this is. This is my journey... this is my chance to become what I've always wanted to be... a champion." Booker T rises to his feet following the spinaroonie and then falls to one knee once more, this time looking disoriented. He pinches the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes tightly. Rok-C looks away from her bag and sees him kneeling down, a pained look on his face. She jogs to the ring and slides under the bottom rope, approaching him and kneeling next to him before placing her arm around his shoulder.
He remains silent for a moment and then takes a breath. He stares off into the distance for what feels like forever before he finally gives her an answer.
Without another word, he stands up and steps through the ropes, disappearing seconds later behind a closed door. She hears the lock slide in place. She stands there with her hands on her hips, a mix of concern and frustration on her face. "He's not focused on my match... my training... any of it. Mick Foley dangled a title shot in front of him and he just... jumped at the chance, like what I want doesn't even matter, but... you know what? Screw it, that's fine. I'm The Prodigy... Mick Foley didn't give me this contract because Booker T asked him to... I earned it because I'm good enough. I deserve to be here. This championship opportunity is mine to take... and Su Yung isn't going to stop me." She speaks aloud.
Her voices echoes throughout the empty gym.
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