Heart.

That voice filled momentarily filled the air as the scene slowly faded into view. A worn down and flat out exhausted Geki Nitoh was center stage. Seated upon a steel folding chair, beads of sweat still rolling down his shirtless frame. His lower half covered in the light material of black gym shorts. Geki had his head lowered, clearly in deep thought before bringing his head back up. Despite the obvious pain showed in his face, Geki slowly developed a bright smile.

’I did it. They said I couldn’t do it. I..was not completely sure I could do it. But, I did what I always do, I went out there and gave better than my best..and it was enough.’

The voice of Geki noticeably cracked as he spoke, a slight quiver to his lower lip. Closing his eyes tightly, he ran his hand over his sweat covered face before reproducing that bright smile.

’I can’t find the words to explain how..happy I am right now. But, I don’t have time to relish in my celebration, do I Britney? Before, it was just our Republic Championship defense, tomorrow night, but now..it’s so much more. For you and me both, Britney. We stand to lose everything in this Festival. I don’t intend on being the one to lose what I’ve worked so hard for, Britney. You can say whatever you want to about my personal hobbies. If you want to make fun of me about collecting toys, about putting together model kits. You can insult my girlfriend, who is a much more attractive person than you are, both inside and out. But what does that prove? It proves just what was said about you, across that span of your first three matches here.’

‘However true those things may be, they're not exactly things that nobody is surprised about. Anyone who spends more than a few moments around you can just..feel what a vile individual you are. But, I'm going to compare careers with you. Within your first three matches, you were struggling, floundering while trying to finally pick up that first win. I wonder how it must have felt, for you, Britney. To go out there, constantly trying to reassure yourself and everyone around you that you're as good as you said you were, but there you were, loss to Chris Crippler, loss to Chris Compact. And let's not forget that you got distracted by a fan and Tapioca Joe won. How did it feel, Britney? To have to constantly come up with reasons as to why you weren't good enough?’

‘That's why when I go out there, I don't promise victory, I don't put myself above anyone else in that ring and that is the exact reason why. When I lose a match, it's because my best just wasn't good enough that night. You try to demean me on Twitter, talking about how I don't talk enough to fit your standards. I didn't need words to defeat Rebel, to defeat Dona, to defeat Olivia. And it's not going to take words to defeat you. The only reason I'm speaking this much..is to humor you. To show you that just because I don't talk, doesn't mean I can't, doesn't mean I don't have anything to say. It's because I choose to.’

Slowly, Geki shook his head before pressing his hands down onto his knees. Rising up to a standing position, his smile brightened as he caught sight of the unknown person off camera. Reaching for something, Geki pulled a porcelain doll into the scene. Returning his attention to the task at hand, Geki laughed slightly.

’We came in here and shot right to the top of our division. Our first three matches, we were two and one. And the match after that? We won the Republic Championship and we won them from the current ICWA Heavyweight Champion Jimmy Pagan and the same Dona Rotten it took you Twenty-Six Minutes to beat..the same Dona Rotten I defeated in Thirty One seconds. Do you know how I defeated those two as quickly as I did? It’s the same thing you’re doing, Britney. They underestimated me. Don’t make the same mistakes they did..or you’re going to end up just like they did, Britney.’

‘From the day we stepped into this company, we have pushed everyone around us harder than they’ve ever been pushed before. Because of that, we have forced you all into a corner. Forced you all to become better than yourselves. But I’m not seeing that from you. As a matter of fact, from what I’ve been seeing..and involved in..it seems as if you’re losing a step or two. You’re starting to get passed up. Just look at the poll. Popularity out the window, it was pretty one sided. Not to mention that loss you suffered to my partner, Xavier. A loss that, in your words, I caused. Cause and Effect is a thing, Britney. For every action, there is an equal or greater than reaction. I wouldn’t have gotten involved if I didn’t have an extremely good reason to do so.’

‘After three singles matches, the only thing standing between me and you is the Republic Championship defense. I grew up in the entertainment business, learning how to spread your focus out, equally, among various projects was something that was drilled into my head by my father. I know what I’m doing, Britney. I know that I’m going to be beaten all to hell by time we have our match and that’s okay. That’s not going to stop me from coming at you with every ounce of fight in my heart. And if I do that? Then I know I have just as good of a chance at winning this match as you do. I could even step out on a limb here and say that it gives me a better chance at winning.’

‘From the day I saw my first match, this is all I’ve wanted to do. It’s what I’ve devoted my life to. I live this business. I breathe this business. I BLEED FOR THIS BUSINESS, BRITNEY!’

In an extremely rare move, the facial expression of Geki warped into a look of the utmost intensity, his voice booming with those last six words. Catching himself as soon as those words rolled off of his tongue, Geki had to take a moment to collect himself after that outburst.

‘Have you ever fought for this with as much heart as I have? As I was looking through your previous matches, I’ve never seen you display anything that could be even mistaken for showing heart. You’re manipulative. You’re vindictive. You put yourself so far above everyone else when the fact is that..you’re no better than anyone else in this company. You throw your fits, even abandon the company in an attempt to get more money. You have no heart, Britney Anders. And I don’t think a spoiled brat like you has ever had to fight for something in your life. So save your act. Save your Holier Than Thou spiel and just be real, assuming you even know how to do that at this point in your life.’

Geki’s gaze drifted off for a moment before returning to the cameraman with that bright, childlike smile.

‘From day one, it’s been us versus the two of you. Over the next two nights, this is going to come to a head. I’m no prophet so I won’t say how it’s going to happen but I assure you this, Britney Anders. By time the Hollywood Heritage Festival has ended everything in CW will have changed. I only hope you’re capable of such change. Otherwise, you’ll be left behind.’

Slowly, Geki lowered his head to look at that porcelain doll he clutched in his hand. Raising it up a bit, he slowly loosened his grip on it. One by one, his fingers releasing it until it fell from his grasp. As soon as it landed on that floor, the head of the doll shattered, sending shards of mineral in all directions.

’I’ve never been a big fan of dolls. Hopefully a Living Doll doesn’t crack under the same kind of impact.’

A soft laugh slipped from the smiling lips of Geki as the Hollywood Heritage Cup Winner turned his back to the camera, walking off until the scene faded to black.