Thunk!

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Rok-C watches from across the Reality of Wrestling training center as Booker T hammers away, working diligently to complete a remodel of the facility, which he told her has been a "long time coming." Tightening the laces on her black Chuck Taylors, she smiles as she watches Booker T work. It's good seeing him motivated.

"I thought losing the battle royal would break him--"

She stands up and stretches her back, raising her hands high above her head. Clad in a white WLCW tank top and black running shorts, her eyes stay on him as she approaches the front door and unlocks it. Booker T is lost in his own world. He discards the hammer and begins digging around among other tools, cans of spray paint, odds and ends.

"--but it didn't."

She doesn't bother saying anything as she walks out the front door and onto the sidewalk. She jogs in place for a moment, taking in her surroundings. The strip mall is dying a slow death with businesses shutting down or leaving for better areas of the city. The Reality of Wrestling training facility is almost all that's left.

"Honestly, I've never seen him more motivated and, yes, I'm including when he was training for the battle royal. He's been working on remodeling the center since the minute we got back to Houston... and even though he wasn't happy when he found out that I put my title shot on the line against Sasha Banks, he's been working with me non-stop, helping me prepare to go to war with a real, legitimate, world class athlete."

She runs.

She runs and runs.

"I've never faced a competitor like Sasha Banks before... I mean, sure, I was the first-ever Ring of Honor Women's World Champion and I beat some really good girls to earn that belt... but Quinn McKay and Miranda Alize aren't Sasha Banks."

The sun is barely peeking over the horizon, giving a pale pink hue to the sky surrounding it. Rok-C allows her thoughts to drown out the noise of the city around her.

"If we're being honest... no one is."

Cars drift past her on the street and she pays them no mind.

"She's a hall of fame worthy talent. She really IS one of the best in the whole entire world... and, yeah... I willingly put a title shot that I earned on the line against her... with zero notice. You're probably asking yourself why someone at my level would do that and you wouldn't be wrong to ask that question... but if you listened to the words that came out of her mouth, you would already have your answer."

She stares straight ahead, running toward some unknown goal.

"She called me the weak link."

The strip mall becomes smaller and smaller behind her.

"She told me that I'm the one who doesn't belong."

Her eyes begin to sting with embarrassment as she remembers the confrontation with The Blueprint backstage on Storm, following one of the most meaningful victories of her career.

"Can you believe that? In a match featuring Julia Hart of all people... I'm the one who doesn't belong? Okay. Fine. Whatever. If that's what you wanna believe, I will take your words and I will make you EAT them--"

She clenches her fists tightly, feeling a tinge of pain as her fingernails dig into the palms of her hands.

"No, Rok... you can't let her words get to you. That's how she gets in your head. That's how she WINS! That's what Book said and he was right, but-- but I have to prove her wrong. I have to train harder... I have to show her that I deserve to be here. I have to show her that I'm not a fluke, that I beat SU YUNG in the middle of the ring, something no one else in WLCW has been able to do... and I did it alone."

She jogs to a stop and doubles over, placing her hands on her knees as she catches her breath. Still, she stares straight ahead into the distance. The sun is barely visible now. It's getting dark in Houston.

"I did it alone."

The street lamps kick on and she finds herself standing in a circle of light.

"But I'm not alone, am I? With Booker T's guidance, the support of the fans... everything my mom has done for me to get me to this point... I'm never alone... not really."

The light flickers, and there's an audible thrum as it struggles.

"With everyone counting on me... supporting me..."

Rok-C stands upright and looks up at the light.

"Sasha Banks or no Sasha Banks..."

It suddenly rights itself and remains constant, shining down on her.

"How can I lose?"