Chapter Two Island Life

Leaving her bike propped against a mangrove, Reiko walked to the edge of the calm, tropical sea. For a while she strolled carelessly, playing a game with the gentle waves, trying to retreat before they caught and splashed her. Tiring of this, she stopped and began an exercise routine. The golden light of the rising sun gleamed from her perspiring body, as her efforts became more vigorous. Soft, angelic features, loose brown hair blowing in the dawn wind, well-proportioned breasts, thighs, hips and limbs could not completely disguise the whip-cord like muscles beneath the attractive frame of one of the fiercest competitors in world wrestling.

Reiko wound down her routine, went to sit facing the brilliant blue of the sea, resting her chin on her hands, as she contemplated the horizon through half-closed eyes. In a little while, she discovered a large conch shell nearby. Holding it to her ear, she listened for the sound like a distant tide to combine with the real plashing of the waves close by. It seemed to be murmuring of secrets, which might be revealed if only the listener could …

"Taking it easy, huh?" Reiko's head jerked up from where it had fallen forward. Still in a half-doze, she blinked at the figure in front of her, framed against the bright sunlight, standing legs apart, hands on hips, long shadow falling partly across her.

The speaker reached down and gripped Reiko's hands with her own, pulling her gently to her feet.

"Can't have you slacking off now, can we? Not when the tournament's about to start." A chuckle. "I'm jokin'. A bit of R and R before the heat's on won't do either of us any harm."

Reiko found herself looking into a pair of eyes as blue as the ocean behind them. With a smile she said, "You startled me. And I wasn't really slacking. I just needed some time on my own to …"

"To doze off? Why sugar, if I'd known that I would have left you on your ownsome. But now I'm here we may as well …"

Reiko loosely draped her arms around the speaker's neck. "I know what you're going to suggest. And there isn't time for it."

"Darn, you got me pegged! Me and my one track mind!" Blonde tresses fell forward to brush against Reiko's dark brown shock of hair. "Reckon if we got the exclusive use of this prime Florida beach front, we should make the most of it. Ain't nobody around for miles to see nuthin'."

"That may be so. But there isn't going to be anything for anyone to see today. I promised to meet Makoto in the mall on the mainland. I'm already behind schedule." Reiko disengaged firmly from the embrace.

"Aw shucks, Reiko! You kin let her wait a li'l, cain't you? She thinks ya walk on water anyways, and she'll be real nice and polite about it like she always is."

"And that's exactly why I've got to be on time, Dixie." Reiko folded her arms and contemplated her companion with mild exasperation. "So as not to take advantage of her good nature."

"Hell, whatever! We've still got another day till the first round starts." Dixie Clemets batted away an invisible fly, with a look of resignation. While Reiko could have been mistaken for an actress or model, albeit a slightly short one, Dixie's profession was much easier to work out. Towering above Reiko at almost six feet, she could only be described as 'Amazonian', and her well-toned but voluptuous appearance would probably inspire someone to guess that she was a bodybuilder. But in all likelihood there would be no need to speculate. Dixie Clemets, defending World Wrestling Champion and three times Rose of Roses was famous far beyond the borders of her native Texas, and would have found it hard to walk down any street without being recognised and acclaimed.

Dixie's many fans would have been interested to know that her current attire was a light blue swimsuit with gold piping, just about managing to cover its wearer's modesty using the minimum possible amount of material, and making Reiko's red and white polka dotted bikini look conservative in comparison. Whether to keep off the sun, or to accord with her moniker of "Three Count Cowgirl", the Texan also had on a large, white ten-gallon hat, from beneath which her long, blonde hair fell freely over her shoulders.

"So," she continued, "does your busy schedule leave you enough time to hear about the match-ups?"

"Of course." Reiko wondered why Dixie hadn't immediately told her this news, considering their whole reason for coming to these islands off the coast of Florida was to enter the Rumble Roses Tag Team competition. "Is it a definite announcement?"

"Yup, this is straight from the horse's mouth as near as ya can get it," Dixie replied. "The official Rumble Roses website, in fact."

Reiko sensed that beneath her apparent ease of manner, something was troubling the Southerner. "Go on then, spit it out."

"Well we'll be first up to start the tournament," Dixie went on. "And we're paired against another Japanese wrestler – and Aisha."

Reiko was aware that Dixie was closely watching her reaction to this last piece of news. There was now a definite air of tension between the two women.

In a neutral tone, Reiko asked, "So who is this Japanese wrestler?"

Dixie appeared relieved not to have to deal with the subject of Aisha immediately. She said, "I was hoping you'd heard of her, because I sure ain't. She calls herself Benikage."

Reiko shook her head. "I don't know anyone by that name. Not amongst the top ranking Japanese league competitors."

"That's too bad. 'Cos I figured you might know something if anyone did. I cain't seem to find out anything on the net about her. Except that her stage name is …" Dixie hesitated, trying to get the pronunciation right, "Koo – noy –chee. I heard Aisha say it in a short interview."

"Kunoichi." Reiko repeated it with emphasis for Dixie's benefit. "That's an old Japanese word for a female ninja. And Benikage means 'Crimson Shade'. Or as you might say, 'Bloody Shadow'." Reiko shrugged. "So melodramatic."

"And 'Zero Fighter' isn't?" Dixie was teasing Reiko about her own appellation. "Gee, a real live ninja! Ya don't see that every day, fer sure."

Reiko made a dismissive gesture. "The ninja are extinct."

Dixie put on a high, sinister voice. "Their fire has gone out in the universe. You, my friend, are all that is left of their religion." Reiko rolled her eyes. Dixie chuckled, "Sorry, Reiko, you know how much I lurve that film."

Reiko shrugged again. "Maybe I know her by a different name. What does she look like?"

"It so happens I printed me a picture."To Reiko's amusement, Dixie removed her hat, and produced a small clipping from it, which she handed to Reiko. "But I dunno if that'll help. She wears a mask."

Examining it, Reiko saw a picture of a slender, dark haired woman, somewhat older than herself, wearing a tight-fitting, almost see-through, mesh bodysuit. But the most striking thing about her was that the lower half of her face was completely concealed by a mask representing a dog's snarling mouth and jaws. In contrast to this ferocious image, the eyes above it were soft brown, with long lashes.

"Gruesome!" Reiko grimaced. Then, with conviction: "I've never wrestled against her in Japan."

"You're sure?" Dixie raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

"I'd know from her eyes." Reiko's mother, the famous Kamikaze Rose, had once said "Always look directly into your opponent's eyes. Only then will you discover her true worth and determination."

Dixie nodded. "I bet you would at that." Then, incredulously: "What is that about anyway? Who the hell wants to look like a freakin' dog?"

"I don't know." Reiko sounded like her mind was on other things. Nevertheless, after a pause, she said, "Perhaps to represent loyalty and faithfulness combined with ferocity to her enemies."

"Faithfulness? To whom? Her partner? Aisha? That sure is a big joke! She's gonna be faithful to that trashy wh…" Dixie's voice trailed off as if realising she'd said too much.

"That trashy whore, you were going to say?" Reiko folded her arms. The tension between them was right back. "Not a nice thing to say about your ex-tag partner. Pretty intense and personal." Dixie said nothing but looked increasingly uneasy. "You never told me exactly how you came to split up, what you quarrelled over." Reiko cocked her head on one side, watching her companion closely.

Dixie said, in a resigned voice, "Reiko, I was gonna tell you … eventually."

"Were you indeed?" The younger women sounded icy. Then she said, a little more gently. "You were lovers, weren't you, as well as partners?"

Dixie stared straight ahead. Quietly she said, "Yes, we were."

"Just like …"

"No! Not just like …" The Texan was animated now. "Reiko, its different with you."

"How is it?"

"I don't know, it just is." Dixie threw up her hands. "I told ya before, didn't I, it was all about competitiveness. She wanted to prove she was better than me."

"And she did that by – being unfaithful to you?" Reiko probed.

Dixie turned away from Reiko, hugging herself, and looking skywards. "That's a mild way o' putting it. See, Aisha, she didn't do anything by halves. So when she started – putting herself about – it was with 'most all of the Rumble Roses circuit that were that way inclined. And maybe one or two that weren't." Seeing Reiko's look of astonishment, she added, "The majority of whom are retired now, lest you should start wondering." Looking back at Reiko, the American continued, "When Aisha'd had enough of her – fun – she came and told me what she'd done."

"And then?"

"I told her, 'you wanna prove you're the best? Now's your goddammed chance.'"

"And so you fought?" Dixie nodded, and smiled grimly.

"And you won?"

The Texan's smile wore a little thin. "I handed her the beating of her life."

Reiko shuddered to think of what that meant. She had been on the wrong end of one of Dixie's "beatings" herself. She could only imagine how bad Aisha must have had it. Reiko tried to read Dixie's expression. What did she most fear to see revealed? Anger? Sadistic glee? Or their opposites, compassion and regret? Because those last two might mean that …

"Still I've got to give her credit," the Southerner was saying. "She didn't fold up easy." Shaking her head in wonderment. "Ain't nobody resisted my Double-Bridge Hold as long as she did. She must've been in awful pain, but she wouldn't cry out, just kept refusing to give in." Ruefully, she added, "But, of course, she hadta … eventually." Looking downwards. "Didn't think I'd ever see Aisha cry like a baby. Don't think I ever wanna see it again."

Reiko said, "She must have hated you so much after that."

Thickly, Dixie said, "No doubt she did." Then, with a poor attempt at a grin, "So now you know this is going to be one hell of a grudge match." She dabbed at one eye, perhaps to wipe away some perspiration.

Reiko put her arms on Dixie's shoulders, forcing the Texan to look at her. "And what about you, what do you think about her. Tell me."

Dixie hesitated for a long moment. In a hoarse voice, she said, "I don't hate her. I don't hate that crazy bitch." She pulled herself free of Reiko's grasp, turned and started walking up the slope of the beach.

Reiko stood staring after her.