Quoted By:
A camera crew rounds the corner to find Ash already shooting a glare in their direction, almost as if expecting it.
>"Oh..! Uh... Miss Romero-"
>I'm at the end of my rope here, folks.
>"Oh- Yeah, go ahead."
Ash takes a deep breath and rolls her neck.
>One of the biggest lessons to learn as a pro wrestler is to be humble.
>Be realistic. Proud, but reasonable.
>... I don't think I can win this tournament. And not because I'm not good enough.
>But because I share a block with some of the strongest women in the history of this business.
>Were I here before you, two, three years younger - two, three years more reckless - two, three years dumber and with eyes two, three years brighter...
>Maybe I'd be having a different conversation.
>As it stands, I'm one win, one draw, three losses on the books.
>And I'm going up against one of the most dangerous fighters in the world.
>I know, were it up to her, she wouldn't just end my B1 run - but my career.
>In a situation like this, nobody would blame me for quitting - for stepping aside and not wasting anyone's time.
Ash leans back, staring off into space.
>But I don't define myself by my record.
>That's not the lesson I'm teaching here.
>I want to shed the wings of the coward who ran away months ago.
>And don my new feathers. The ones of a woman who looks failure in the eye and grins.
>Who stares at danger and begs for it.
Romero stands up, slamming her fist into a nearby locker.
>You think I'm scared?!
>Huh?!
>You think I'm afraid?!
>...
>I am.
>My heart is pounding and my hands are shaking- Every single moment I wait for the next match fills me with dread- with despair!
>BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH!
>Being strong isn't about being fearless. It's not about being perfect.
>It's about fighting anyway.
>It's about doing EVERYTHING you can!
>You may see a losing record. You may see an insurmountable points deficit.
>I see a mountain I can climb!
>I see the run of my god damn life!
>I see
>One
>More
>Match!
Ash exits.
