Legacy 002 - Lesson Learned

[ Von Wolff American Estate ]

[ Off Camera ]

“You failed.”

Kanna’s head struck the unyielding floor where it bounced. A dreadful sensation clouded her vision. Relying on reflex alone, she rolled sideways to narrowly avoid a kick. There was no time to recover fully because the heavy presence motivated her to stand.

“Move faster.”

She recollected herself, but a kick into her stomach sent a spill of bile. Kanna dry-heaved, holding a hand up as a plea for a break. She had lost track of time in this dimmed room. Nothing would persuade them to end this until they were told to stop. It was a rule. A pathetic yelp left Kanna’s lips as someone suplexed her back down.

“You are too slow. ”

Pain receptors weren’t even engaging correctly. A fistful of Kanna’s hair was wrenched, dragging her to her feet. Wobbly as she raised to guard against another strike. It went unblocked into her ribs.

“Pay attention.”

Each command was punctuated by a hit.

“Move your feet.”

A new strike hit her back and sent her stumbling. She felt like a ping-pong ball tossed relentlessly between trainers. Kanna's muscles screamed for mercy as she glanced towards her brothers lined against the wall. Their family creed looming above their heads. One kick rattled her teeth as her parents peered down. Another punch sealed her left eye shut. A final punch sent her body colliding against the concrete floor.

The trainers all moved away from the battered Verger on the floor. Kanna wheezed. They couldn't injure her or this lesson would be for nothing. She watched Adam turn his head away, not having the ability to put an end to this. None of them ever had the luxury.

“This is what happens... I’m so disappointed in you, mäusezähnchen.” The whisper of impending violence did not brace Kanna enough.

Her entire body slammed back down to the ground finding a relentless barrage of punches. Even lifting her arms to protect her face did little to nothing. She couldn’t curl up though her body began to despite the resistance of the weight atop her chest. Kanna summoned a half-hearted cry after swallowing a wash of blood. The metallic taste churned her stomach.

This was when it finally stopped. When Odin and Theo raised their hand to signal the end. This was enough for today. Both turned to leave with the flurry of feet following them out. Kanna struggled to breathe.

Near her a figure squatted down, cupping her chin to force her eyes upward. Benjamin, one of the middle Verger children, inspected his sister’s face. He snickered softly. “So much for all that boasting.”

She glared at him.

“What? Do you think because you put everything associated with success into this that it’d just work out? Nah. Let me clue you in on a secret, Kanna. You’re supposed to fail. The biggest disadvantage our parents burdened you with: lack of failure.”

Kanna spat blood on his shoe.

“You need a logical reason why don’t you? Our little prodigy…” Benji’s words bit her. “Listen to me. Failure is an experience that lends itself to wisdom. That ultimately makes you a stronger version of yourself. If You want to be a champion, want to build our legacy? It isn’t in the cards for you as you are right now but you know what you discovered? How to be committed, how to be disciplined, how to deny the self so you can move forward. This isn’t about them, Kanna. It never was. That’s what you don’t grasp!”

She recoiled.

“You have to discover yourself and exercise your character every time you get up. No one else is gonna pick you up inside that ring. What did you learn from this? Your journey is going to be hard. It’s time you understand that you’ve just committed to failing again, and again. You’re going to have to get comfortable with failure if you’re going to be successful. It is the only way you get stronger.” Benjamin stood up staring down at his younger sister. The own pit in his stomach gnawed away at the sight of her. This mirror of what they had all been through...

“Now, get up.”

Praying the message was enough to offer any sort of strength was futile. Right now it was a slurry of alphabet soup. Kanna’s fist clenched, blood mixture split past her lips, and she wanted to. God, she wanted to stand.

But she couldn’t…

“Mächtige throne werden für das kollektiv errichtet, um größe zu erreichen.”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

“Time to recalibrate…”

Kanna’s voice is heard but she is nowhere to be seen.

“I should find some humor in where I am. In what Upside Down revealed to me and the irony of the entire situation. The conclusion of failing at a monumental point proved to be the proper theme for every single person… A new concept for me.”

“I am happy for Allen. He deserves the Excellence Championship. I want him to have a good reign. One that will elevate this company. I want to watch him defeat the returning ‘God Slaying Beast’ himself. I want him to beat his next contender after that too. The Excellence Title will be taken to new heights. Once it has? I am going to be the one who finally takes the Excellence Championship off of his shoulders.”

“Recently, I heard that failing is all part of the process of ascending here. While it must be true in some regard— Just look at Allen… All that ‘forged by fire’ is true…” Kanna reveals herself but just barely. Most of her body is cloaked by shadows in the room. “I refuse to repeat the events that happened at Upside Down. Not merely because I believe I deserve better. Far more than any arrogant phrase too. It’s more than that. What I said still holds the truth behind it. Why I am here is more than… some clichés.” Her hands cover her face for a moment while she seems to struggle with finding the proper words.

“I hope the foundation I established by what I did accomplish during that match provides some insight. Taking a veteran to the limit is not something I disregard so easily. Isaak’s experience trumped what I could provide in those fatal moments. There is a reason I was in the main event in my first match in PWE… I need to prove it now..”

Kanna slumps but continues. “My opponent, Maladi, is in a similar boat as me. What we wanted and what we achieved are skewed. I highly doubt she wanted to be eliminated halfway through the gauntlet. That is where the similarities end. She seemed to be a statue in the ring. There was no effort on her part other than observing, which one can do from the sidelines. She might be fine with waiting for something to happen and for greatness to fall into her lap. However, someone in the backseat never actually reaches their goals.” A tsk is heard.

“Maladi wants to be famous? She won’t find it by wandering aimlessly through her matches or this company. Being several steps ahead of one’s self by already speaking of branding or fame, doesn’t strike me as someone who understands what PWE is for. That seems far more arrogant to think so highly of one’s self. By doing nothing then accomplishments will magically appear… utter nonsense.” Verger finally moves away from the shadows. She is wearing a large hoodie.

“You have to try something, any sort of action, to reach your goals. Despite the sheer lack of direction it’ll be interesting to face someone like Maladi. Upside Down taught me that I need more. By defeating different individuals here then I might be able to connect the lines perfectly. As intended. I want to see what another rookie can offer me, what brought her here, truly, in the first place. It is so I can log it away for when it’ll matter. No information is useless… Not when it comes to this business.”

“If all she wanted to do was garner fame then focusing more on social media might be more beneficial than risking physical harm in a match with me. Not that I will ever try to persuade a competitor to reject a battle with me. This isn’t just to gain information but to test my abilities again. Something must’ve been off. I missed something. Now I have to require it again. I wasn’t forged the same, but I did not make it here, or in the main event, for nothing. Or by doing *nothing.* I want to be there again. I will be. It’s just a matter of time.” She steps further into the space, closing both hands out in front of her.

“I do hope that Maladi finds the will to try because statues have no place in matches… Unless they want to be broken.” Kanna’s taped-up fists take the center, the white tape is stained heavily with blood. She cracks her neck to the side walking towards an open room where a young man stands. He is always wearing the Von Wolff crest on his shirt.

The feed cuts.