Disclaimer: I do not own Rumble Roses or it's characters. Story's back on track now. R+R. Enjoy

Chapter Five: Sunday: Domination

"Show starts in five minutes," said crewmen as they rushed to their various positions. It was the second live broadcast with Clive as the General Manager, and unexpectedly, things were running smoother than they ever did with Regal in charge. The roar of the crowd echoed throughout the back stage area as the Roses prepared for action. Clive had told them all that there would be a very special announcement regarding the next Pay-Per-View, Bleeding Thorns which was this Saturday, following Aigle's match, and all of the Roses couldn't wait to find out what it was. Everyone except for Michiro, that is.

Michiro was intently waiting for the show to start near the curtains that she was toning out everything that was going on around her. She was so absorbed by it that she almost jumped out of her wrestling attire when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She whipped around, ready to fight whoever it was that had touched her, but was startled when she saw Yasha standing there. She calmed down and said, "P-please don't do that when I'm focused on my match. I can kind of get a bit jittery." Yasha nodded. "Anyway, what do you want with me? I'm about to go on." Michiro was trying to act as tough as possible.

"To the point then," said Yasha sternly. "Look, don't let the evil that's manifesting inside of you overpower your light. If you do, then that witch doctor will… 'experiment' on you, and once that happens, I'll be forced to take you down. Understood?"

"Whatever," Michiro said rudely as "Do What U Like" began playing. "I guess the show's started, time to perform." She brushed Yasha's shoulder as she went through the curtains, her mind only set on victory.

"The following contest is set for one fall! On her way to the ring, weighing in at 124 pounds and standing at 5 feet 7 inches, from Chicago, Illinois, Michiro Kurosaki!" Cheer's filled the arena as the audience's number one newcomer made her way into the ring. However, Michiro wasn't in the mood for badgering to the crowd. Her eyes were focused on the curtain as she awaited her opponent. Then "Pacing Death's Trail", which was by In Flames, started playing. "And her opponent, on the way to the ring, weighing in at 137 pounds and standing at 5 feet 7 inches, from Japan, The Powerhouse, Ayake Misuno!" The boos were deafening as Ayake made her way to the ring, apparently the fans weren't over her win last week against Candy Cane.

As Ayake got onto the ring apron, Michiro speared her to the mat below. Then she pummeled Ayake's head with multiple closed fists. The referee tried to get Michiro off of Ayake, but Michiro pushed him away and continued to hit her opponent with closed fists. Then she stood up Ayake, walked her over to the ring post and attempted to bash her head into it. However, Ayake blocked it, swapped positions with Michiro and tried the same thing. Michiro had predicted this, and elbowed Ayake in the midsection. As The Powerhouse doubled over, Michiro executed a low dropkick to her legs, causing Ayake to follow forward and bust her head into the ring post before collapsing to the mat. The impact had caused her to bust her head open.

Mickey Cal: "This is illegal! Someone should come and stop this!"

Crash: "Get your panties out of a bunch Cal. First off, I think it's wonderful that Michiro is showing this much aggression. It shows how much a shot at the Champion means to her. Plus the match hasn't even started, so get off of your high horse."

Mickey Cal: "I'm all for dedication and commitment, but this is just going too far. This isn't a match; it's a flat out street brawl!"

Boos directed towards Michiro erupted from the audience, as Michiro stood over Ayake's lifeless body, while the medical came out to Ayake's aid. Michiro stepped out of the way and watched as they put her on a stretcher, when she realized something; if Ayake was taken to the back, then all of this would be for naught! Almost immediately, Michiro ripped Ayake from the stretcher and rolled her into the ring, accidentally getting some blood on herself. Following the wrestlers into the ring, the ref tried to make Michiro not hurt anyone else, but Michiro responded by forcefully telling him to sound for the bell. Since both wrestlers were in the ring he was forced to do so.

Crash: "Are you happy now baby, the match is finally started."

Mickey Cal: "No, no I'm not. Ayake might get seriously injured in there, and her opponent is showing no remorse what-so-ever!"

Crash: "That's the name of the game Cal, this isn't ballerina. When an opponent is hurt, that's the best time to capitalize."

Michiro decided that it was time to end this. She lifted Ayake to her feet, and mouthed to her "I'm sorry" before finishing her off with the same 8-punch combo that knocked out Non-Non last week; the move was officially called Fatal Endings. After Ayake collapsed to the mat, Michiro took a moment to marvel at her work before lackadaisically covering her opponent for the pin. "1… 2… 3." The referee sounded for the bell, and the medical crew rushed into the ring. Before the ring announcer could declare Michiro the victor, Michiro had run steadfast to the backstage area. When she got there she could still hear the boos from the crowd, the shouts of adults, the screams of the children, it all gave her shivers. "Was what I did really that bad?"

"Of course it was dear," said a voice. Michiro turned to the direction from where the voice was coming from and found the Latina nurse, Anesthesia, standing there. "Now now, no need to be so hostile little one. I just wanted to congratulate you on your match, and to tell you that you have a lot of 'potential'." She giggled. "Oh, and you have such an excellent body, and such resolve. You would be perfect… say, how about we get together sometime?"

Michiro thought about for a minute then turned away from the nurse in distain. "If you think I'm 'perfect' for your 'experiments', then you must not know me as well as you think."

Anesthesia laughed to herself. "And she's a feisty one. She might have exactly what I need to finish up Lady X…"

Walking through the backstage area towards the curtain area, flashbacks of the last match went through the Rose of Roses head. "Michiro not warrior Aigle thought she was," she thought sadly. "Still, Aigle will teach sheep how be great warrior!" Aigle was right behind the curtains at this point. She turned around and asked a crewman who wasn't doing anything, "Who face Aigle tonight?" The crewman shrugged. "No matter, Aigle be victor anyway!"

"Um Aigle, be careful wouldya?" said the crewman. "I heard that your match isn't going to be an easy one."

The theme "Springtime in The Meadow" began playing and Aigle looked serious. "No worries, Mama Nature no lose to anyone!"

"The following match is set for one fall, on her way to the ring, weighing in at 119 pounds and standing at 5 feet 5 inches, from Mongolia, she is the Rose of Roses Champion, I present to you, Mama Nature, Aigle!" The crowd gave her a standing ovation, as the Champion and her sheep came down to the ring. Aigle proud as she was, raised the Championship belt high above her head and received a major pop from the audience. After showing off to the crowd, Aigle readied herself for her anonymous opponent.

Suddenly the music ceased and the arena fell silent. After a couple of minutes in this silence, everyone, including Aigle, was getting restless. "Come on!" Aigle signaled toward the back. "It no good to make Aigle wait."

Boos echoed through the crowd, and some fans started to leave from the arena. This state of restlessness lasted until at last, the entrance theme of one of the Roses began playing; however no one had expected this Rose to come out. As "Rising Sun (FULL Version)" played, the ring announcer proclaimed, "And it is for the Rose of Roses Championship!" This astonished everyone in attendance and everyone watching at home. "The challenger, on her way to the ring, weighing in at 123 pounds and standing at 5 feet 7 inches, from Japan, The Zero Fighter, Reiko Hinomoto!"

Reiko came down the ring differently than she had ever done in the past. She had blonde highlights in her hair, was wielding a Singapore Cane, and was wearing a black variation of her traditional wrestling attire. She had an arrogant look on her face as she entered the ring. She went over to the closest turnbuckle to her, placed her cane under it, and rested upon it. It was clear that she was full of herself.

The referee, though confused, signaled for the bell and the match was on. Immediately, Reiko tied up with Aigle, who used her strength to muscle Reiko against the ropes. Feeling that she was getting overpowered, Reiko swiftly applied a hammerlock onto Aigle, but Mama Nature instantly broke out of the hold, and faced off with Reiko. This stare down lasted until Reiko threw a punch at the Champ, which was countered into a lifting side slam. The impact stunned The Zero Fighter, allowing Aigle to go for a pin. "1… tw-"Aigle barely got a two-count, as Reiko strongly kicked out of the pinning predicament.

Mickey Cal: "A near fall there in this unprecedented one-on-one match up and Crash, it seems like the challenger isn't going to go down that easily."

Crash: "…"

Getting up, the two locked up again and Reiko, feeling overpowered again, delivered a kick to the Champ's midsection, followed by numerous clubbing blows to the Champ's back. Seeing that her opponent was staggered, Reiko came off the ropes and executed a vicious clothesline that leveled Aigle. She went for the pin. "1…2" Aigle kicked out right after two. Reiko went for another pin. "1… 2…" Aigle kicked out again, this time with less energy. Frustrated, Reiko mounted the Champ and hammered down on her with rights and lefts, completely ignoring the referee's 5-count. The referee was about to disqualify The Zero Fighter, when suddenly she stopped her assault and let Aigle get to her feet. Reiko threw a punch, which Aigle blocked and followed with a punch of her own, staggering afterwards. After recovering, Reiko went for another punch, which was blocked and countered. Annoyed, Reiko went for another punch but this time after countering with a punch, Aigle kept pounding on Reiko almost as if she were possessed to win.

Mickey Cal: "And it looks like the Champ is kicking it in gear! She only needs to bust out with a couple of power moves and this one could be over."

Crash: "…"

The referee was finally able to get the two combatants separated after Aigle had put a hurting on Reiko. When both of them were situated again, the locked up yet again with Aigle muscling the opponent to the ropes. She then Irish whipped Reiko off the ropes and when she was coming back, Reiko executed a crossbody; however, Aigle with her immense strength, caught her and carried out a hellacious swinging side slam that caused Reiko to yell out in pain. Mama Nature then got Reiko to her feet and shoved her head in between her legs. Afterwards she lifted Reiko so that she was seated upon the Champ's shoulders, and finally slammed The Zero Fighter down to the mat with authority. Reiko seemed like she was out of it, and Aigle went for the cover. "1… 2… thre-"

Mickey Cal: "Oh my God, did you just see that partner? The challenger was one-eights away from losing this match, which has certainly been a back and forth rollercoaster, huh Crash?"

Crash: "Yeah whatever…"

Aigle, whose frustration was almost at its boiling point, started arguing with the ref, something that the fans had never seen Mama Nature do before. Her actions allowed Reiko the time to stand up, even though she was kind of shaken up. Then out of nowhere, Reiko dropkicked Aigle in the back of the head, causing her to fall forward and butt heads with the referee, knocking him out. Now everyone was down, and the crowd was really getting into the match. Reiko, who was the first one to her feet, began to hear the first authentic cheers for her since she won the title, but that didn't matter to her anymore. Reiko went over to the turnbuckle where she had placed her weapon and picked it up. Once Aigle got up, Reiko bashed her Singapore Cane into the skull of the Champ, which busted her open and rendered her unconscious. The Zero Fighter hesitated for a moment before going to the top rope.

Mickey Cal: "Oh my! Is she going for her Lethal Move!? This could end the matchup right here if it connects. How about it partner, your thoughts?"

Crash: "… Well in my opinion, the showmanship of the Roses has been decreasing as of late. Hell, even in my day you didn't just mess up someone like Michiro did earlier just to get an opportunity to get an opportunity to fight the Champion. Also, Reiko versus Aigle for the Rose of Roses Championship!? What in the hell has Reiko done recently to deserve this!?"

Mickey Cal: "I don't know what our GM was thinking, but it sure has made one hell of a match!"

Everyone knew Reiko was about to go in for the kill, but they were mixed on what move she was going to use. Half thought she was going to use Angel Dive, the others thought Fallen Angel, but everyone knew that whichever move she picked was going to decide her orientation, face or heel, from here on out; however no one expected what happened next. Up on the top turnbuckle, Reiko stood facing Aigle. She took a deep breath and jumped up and forward while simultaneously executing two back flips and rotating 5400, finishing the move off with an impactful leg drop to Aigle's neck. The audience looked on in awe of the move that just occurred as Reiko hooked the half. "1… 2… 3!" the referee called for the bell and went over to Reiko with the Rose of Roses Championship in hand. "The winner and the new Rose of Roses Champion, The Zero Fighter, Reiko Hinomoto!" The crowd didn't know how to respond as Reiko, Championship belt in hand, got her hand raised in victory. It finally sunk into the crowd as they began to chant, "Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Holy Shit!"

The new Champion, not really clear of what to make of it all, just pointed to the heavens as her theme "Look to the Sky (FULL Version)" and said to herself, "Mom… Sis… I've done it, again!" before going to the backstage area.

The Rose of Roses wasn't able to even to think about where she was going to go next before commentator, Mickey Cal, and a cameraman tracked her down for an interview. "Hello this is Mickey Cal with the new Rose of Roses Champion, Reiko Hinomoto. Champ how does it feel to be at the top again after such a depressing losing record as of late?"

"Um… it feels… good?" was all the Champ could muster up. Being the Champion meant being the best in the business, which meant she was able to keep her promises to both her mother and sister.

"Reiko, I know you're exhausted but really there are just two more things that I must ask you. First, what was the name of that wicked move you used to beat Aigle?"

"Uh I hadn't really thought about it." This was completely true. "When I went to the top turnbuckle, I was planning on doing the Angel Dive, but something told me that that move was what I wanted to truly do… so I did it. Anyway, if I had to name it… Sunset Crash, yeah that would be it," said the Zero Fighter unsurely, it was obvious that she just wanted to end the interview as soon as possible.

"Lastly, how were you of all people able to get a Championship match? I mean, I can't really remember the last time you won a-"

"I have our previous General Manager, William Regal, to thank for that!" Mickey looked like he had no idea what she was talking about, so she continued, "You see after stripping me of the title, Regal never let me have another title shot, which also included the numerous times that he had denied my rematch clause." She frowned and clenched her fists. "So with everything going on tonight with Aigle and the two newbies, I asked the GM for the match, finally using my rematch clause and this is the final result. Um, that's two questions so I'm done here," said Reiko rather impolitely. She then walked off towards locker room the locker room area.

"There you have it folks! Our new champion Reiko Hinomoto is quite happy with her performance, and later that important announcement from our general manager concerning the landscape of rumble roses, and that is up next!"