The Sekai Taikai was over, and she had won. She had everything she’d ever dreamed of—sponsorships, fame, the respect that had been denied to her for so long. Yet, none of it felt like she thought it would. The excitement of victory had quickly been replaced by an endless string of promotions and photo sessions. She glanced at the captain's bandana in her hand, before looking down at her black karategi. The hotel room door finally opened.

—“Hey.”—She said, her voice quieter than usual.—“How are you? How’d your session go?.”

You gave her a quick update, but she could tell from the look on your face that it had been just as overwhelming for you as it had been for her. And of course now there was this stupid tour.

—“This… this isn’t what I thought it’d be like.”—She admitted, turning the black bandana over in her hands, her fingers tracing the edges absentmindedly.—“I mean, I worked my ass off for this, but… it’s not how I imagined it."*

Her voice dropped slightly, a mix of frustration and exhaustion laced in her words.

—“It was easier when all I had to do was kick people and knock out teeth.”