An Eye For Talent

"How are you?" Victoria asked, looking at Charlotte, who was leaning her back against the wall in front of the curtains.

The Frenchwoman did not answer immediately. It is unlikely that her manager was referring to the worn skin on the knuckles of her right hand, because Charlotte's hands were wrapped in bandages. Surely Victoria guessed everything simply because she knew her well. Yes, recent events for the first time in a long time made Charlotte experience several negative emotions at the same time, which happened extremely rarely.

"It was originally a losing war," the pink-haired woman shrugged, "so there's nothing to talk about here."

Just a few days ago, she saw the poster of the match. Alaina got another title shot. Not the hardcore title, not the entropy title, not the tag team title. Not She got the match for the world title. On the one hand, Charlotte was happy for her friend and rival, it seems that their recent conversation has inspired the Amazon. In addition, judging by the poster, she put her career on the line. All or nothing. This quite seriously heated up the situation, especially since the Frenchwoman understood that Alaina had no other choice. But still...

When she saw the poster with Alaina and Adrian, Charlotte's fist involuntarily moved forward, hitting the poster and the wall on which the poster was hung. When she finished her studies at a Chinese monastery, she promised to get rid of negative emotions. And so far, she has succeeded, with the exception of anger. But this time it wasn't just anger that overcame her. At that moment, she felt bitterness in her mouth. It wasn't just anger. It was envy. After three matches, in two of which she sent Amazon to the hospital, it was Alaina who got the shot again. Charlotte has long understood that she chose the wrong federation to search for justice, here everything was decided by quantity, not quality. But the news still gripped her heart. Still unworthy.

"I wonder if this could be called racism?" Victoria wondered while listening to Akiha's speech. "She declares every time that foreigners are worthless fighters."
“It doesn't interest me much,” Charlotte shrugged, “of course, hearing this does not give me joy, but time will put everything in its place. She is a strong fighter, that's enough for now. And her words will no longer make sense when I win.”
"When?" adjusting her glasses, Victoria specified. "Not if?"
"What's the point of going into the ring if you are not sure of your victory?" the Frenchwoman smiled weakly, her rival's speech came to an end. "I have to go."

The manager nodded to her and Charlotte walked out from behind the curtains. Unlike Akiha, the audience greeted her more warmly. From the first match, the Sand Lizard gained a reputation as a noble fighter. In addition, she had a very specific fighting style, which also did not go unnoticed. The question of the fact that she did not have many matches behind her back remained open. But even that was enough for their rivalry with Alaina to receive a rating award. These matches were truly outstanding.

Attire:

Charlotte smiled at the audience and raised her right fist above her head to show her determination. The woman started down the ramp, stopping at the commentary table to pick up the microphone. There was no point in waiting, so she rolled under the bottom rope and then rose to her feet. Now she had the opportunity to look at Akiha. The self-confidence emanating from the red-haired woman made the air around heavier. Well. Alaina got the title shot. And Charlotte got the match she wanted for a long time. Not the most equal exchange, but that was also enough for now.

Charlotte raised her left hand to ask the audience to calm down a little. She stood in front of Akiha a few meters away and looked into her eyes without a shadow of doubt or fear. Charlotte brought the microphone to her mouth.

"Iyoiyo oaidekiteureshīdesu, Akiha," said the Frenchwoman, showing respect for her rival's Japanese roots, "I hope I can make you change your mind about a lowly foreigner. You are a strong fighter and that's why I'm here, and that's why I still want a match with you."

Although Charlotte allowed the red-haired woman to walk around freely, she did not allow Akiha to be behind her back for a second. The Frenchwoman was completely calm and did not show even a shadow of doubt on her face, but she was careful. She had heard a lot about the bad temper of the Japanese woman. And from the point of view of Charlotte, for whom honor came first, it all sounded like nonsense. How can a person who does not hesitate to use pokes in the eyes and kicks in the crotch say something about the fact that Japanese wrestlers are the strongest? Charlotte was sure that she would not receive an answer to this question, so she decided to answer in a different way.

“I am not very interested in your self-conceit, I am only interested in your fighting skills,” she said, making a small injection in the direction of the red-haired woman, “you can repeat at least a thousand times that you and other Japanese wrestlers are the best in the world. But I don't prefer words. I prefer actions.”

She guessed that her words would not like Akiha, but she was sure that her words would definitely be liked by the viewers who would support her, because there was truth in these words. Now the words of Akiha, which everyone had heard a thousand times already, remained words in which only she believed. For everyone else, it was nothing more than an empty phrase. Here mathematics was not even needed, simple reasoning was enough. In the last match, where the question of Japanese wrestlers and foreigners was raised, Alaina left Akiha's lifeless body in the locker room. And since Charlotte had already sent the Amazon to the hospital several times, she had a reason to stand here and look without fear into the eyes of the red-haired woman.

“Don't worry, I won't fight you only with my skills in Japanese,” Charlotte smiled slightly, she seems to have borrowed some of the sarcasm from her student, Karen, “and if you have found out that I want a match with you, then you should have found out and what kind of match I named then. Nothing has changed, I am always true to my word. I want the tables match."

At least the pink-haired woman was really ready to answer for her every word. She almost never lied and always said only what was true. Her principles have always been unshakable, especially in relation to the ring. It doesn't matter who her opponent is. It doesn't matter what country her opponent is from and what kind of experience he has in fights. Charlotte believed in only one thing. If you have talent and desire to fight - welcome to the ring.

It was for this reason that she began to rival Alaina. When she found out that most newbies here are treated like doormats, she set out to prove that any newbie with talent deserves a place in the sun. She has already defeated one of the most respected and experienced wrestler here on two occasions. And she was sure that their next match would finally close this issue. Until then, she was going to step into the ring with Akiha and break the table with her body, so that she would never again hear that only Japanese wrestlers should be considered the best.

Well, there was some truth in that. Charlotte was not a supporter of words, but she could not deny that sometimes words had a meaningful meaning, especially here in this federation. Words could make a meaning  if you directed them to the ears of the right people, because it could help you move up the ranking ladder. And sometimes words could help win a match before it even started, crush an opponent's confidence and destroy their morale. She was ashamed to admit it, but a long time ago she also actively used it. Before she arrives in Japan. Here she intended to prove herself as a noble fighter, forgetting about what kind of person she once was.

However, there will be another time for philosophy. What was important now was something else, namely that Akiha agreed with the type of match and, accordingly, agreed to accept the challenge. Well, then the day was not lived in vain. The Frenchwoman did not take pleasure in hearing additional comments from the red-haired woman, but she was willing to be patient a little. Time will put everything in its place. And if in order to prove that foreigners also have a warm heart and high skills, she needs to break the table with Akiha's body, then she will do it.

Charlotte glanced towards the audience after her future rival's speech. She always felt their support, but she had never heard her name so loudly, at least until the match. She saw no reason to fight weak fighters, for this reason she entered into a long confrontation with Alaina, which continues to this day. It might have been pointless, but the pink-haired woman wanted to prove to Alaina and everyone else that the number of matches meant nothing, only your heart and your skills. And now she had to prove to Akiha that she was in no way inferior to the Japanese wrestlers. It was starting to look like a trend. Charlotte raised her hand to calm the audience, and then she brought the microphone to her mouth again.

“Thank you for accepting the challenge, it will be an honor for me,” she said in the same even voice, “you said that you will bring all your skills against me and I don’t ask for more or less. Because I will do the same. Next week. You and me. A table match. Deal?"

With these words, Charlotte lowered the microphone, but held out her hand forward, offering a handshake in order to consolidate this agreement. She had nothing more to add, Akiha perfectly made it clear to everyone that this match would be a battle not only between them, but also a battle of principles. And Charlotte was going to win this battle. Like Akiha, she too was determined to showcase everything she had. Because she never does less, many have already seen this. And now she wanted to show it to the proud Japanese woman.

It might not have been the right impression, but Charlotte thought Akiha had some distrust of her. Well, this was not the first time the Frenchwoman has encountered this. Right now, the red-haired woman most of all resembled Lucy, whom Charlotte encountered during her debut. That woman, too, was distrustful of the martial arts master. And even Alaina, when she first met Charlotte, was surprised by her behavior.

But all this was not connected with kindness, Charlotte would not have had the audacity to call herself a kind person. For a kind person, she had too many sins in the past. However, nobleness and professionalism in the ring were for her an integral part of life. Of course, not everyone could accept this, because all people are different.

And Charlotte did not have rose-colored glasses in front of her eyes, she knew that many here do not care at all about mutual respect or following the rules. Lucy was the proof of this by breaking the rules multiple times in their match and showing no respect for Charlotte. But that didn't mean that if everyone does that, then the Frenchwoman should do the same. At least for now.

However, she was counting on the Japanese woman to accept the handshake as at least  a sign of a fixed deal. But Akiha had her own thoughts on this, because she said that either the match would take place in two weeks, or not at all. It was not hard to guess that she wanted to leave the last word for herself. Well, that wasn't the worst condition she could name. And if the Sand Lizard has to wait a bit to get the match she wanted, then she'll wait. She had no problem with that.

"Whatever you say, Akiha-san," she nodded, "for this match, I'm willing to wait."

She would have held her hand outstretched for a few more seconds in case Akiha wanted to cement their agreement. But if the red-haired woman stayed where she was, not accepting the handshake, then the pink-haired woman would simply have no choice and she put her hand down. Although it would be sad, but if the Japanese woman was not ready to shake her hand, then she could not do anything about it, sometimes this happens and it was pointless to hold a grudge for it.

Charlotte was calm and confident. The only difference was that she didn't talk about it. She was not someone who liked to talk a lot, at least when it came to matches. Words are a weapon, but they were not her weapon. The Frenchwoman preferred to prove her abilities with punches and kicks. Of course, she was far from always able to maintain her cool, but this was not the case now. She came here to negotiate terms, not to say in the face of Akiha that she would win the match in any case.

And it was easy to see that this behavior of the Sand Lizard does not make her future rival feel the best. Perhaps she considered it stupid. Perhaps she thought it was a sham. Or maybe she just hasn't come across a woman like Charlotte yet. The martial arts master realized that she would not receive a handshake and dropped her hand. Well, it was Akiha's choice, she herself confirmed it, saying that she would be ready to shake Charlotte's hand only if the Frenchwoman proves that she is worthy.

“Then I'll see you in two weeks,” she replied before the red-haired woman dropped the microphone.

Akiha was careful when leaving the ring. She looked askance at Charlotte. It seemed she was guessing that the Frenchwoman might do some not the cleanest thing. Well, that was understandable. The pink-haired woman knew that there are enough people in this federation who are ready for any meanness. But she was not one of them. In classic matches, the martial arts master never broke the rules. And even in matches without rules, she did not stoop to such ignoble things as a poke in the eye or a kick in the crotch.

So now Akiha had nothing to worry about. All she had to worry about was the upcoming match. Because Charlotte was determined. She was going to prove it to the Japanese woman that she deserved a place in this ring. As Akiha left the ring, Charlotte smiled slightly as she looked at the audience. She raised the microphone again.

"I hope you will look forward to this as I will," she said, "and I hope for your support. I'm sure you'd like that match! Mata ne!"

Charlotte bowed to the audience and followed Akiha out of the ring. She walked over to the commentators' table to give back the microphone, and then headed for the curtains. She had very mixed feelings. On the one hand, she was glad that she had the opportunity to take part in such a match. She knew that the red-haired woman was a strong rival. But she didn't think Akiha would be such a proudling. Well. Only the match will show who is who. Charlotte raised her right fist above her head, getting the approval of the audience. And then the Sand Lizard disappeared behind the curtains.