The Strings of Fate and Fortune: The Takuma Sato Story: Chapter 7

I laid on the concrete floor attempting to halt my regurgitation reflex while every one of my senses urged me to continue to empty my lunch all over it. The smell from the rafters was putrid and it burned my nostrils like someone had jammed habanero peppers in them. As I looked up, I saw the rest of my opponents in the same state as I was in. The Cult of Blob and every fan doused in their slime ignored us and gave praise to their gelatinous master as we struggled to regain our senses. It took everything I had to get to my feet and make my way out of that cursed arena, but surprisingly Summeroff and his group seemed uninterested in any of us. All of their attention was focused on their new followers worshiping their strange God as if the arena has become a cathedral for it.

In the backstage locker rooms, it was clear none of us wanted to spend much time dissecting what had just transpired. It was an unspoken understanding that what we had just witnessed was an unnatural and unexplainable event and that the best course of action was to leave the Tiny Lister Memorial arena as soon as we could without asking any more questions. I grabbed the keys to Ivan’s Chrysler Lebaron and sprinted down the hallway toward the exit doors.

Once outside in the parking lot, I located the vehicle and hopped into the convertible’s driver seat. I speedily fired up the V6 motor and threw the classic automobile into first gear as fast as I could. The squealing of my rubber on the cool pavement echoed through the forested region of Mt. Vernon as I pulled onto the highway relieved to be far away from the madness I’d bore witness to.

The drive down to highway 1 was painfully long with me having to stop multiple times for coffee and bathroom breaks. The whole time I kept having flashbacks to the alternate world I’d visited while in my drugged unconscious stupor last week and what had transpired in the Lister arena earlier tonight. Perhaps what the old Baron was telling me was the truth. Perhaps the evil within this thing these idiots worship is far more dangerous than I realized. Only time would tell, but I knew now that I had to be careful not to let its power corrupt me as did my alternate world self. Perhaps through meditation, I could reach old Baron and again and find out more details of how his Sato came under its influence.

Fourteen hours later I was back in Las Vegas where this whole Ultimate Wrestling thing had started back in July. The warm morning desert sun felt good on my skin as cruised off the highway and onto the strip. My mind at this point had switched focus to the coming task at hand. I’d received a notification on my iPhone that I’d be fighting Valora again at Ultra Slam for the Ultimate Wrestling Franchise title. I planned to make good this time and win the belt along with the big prize money that comes with it. I’d worked too hard, come too far, to drop the ball here when I was so close to saving mother’s house and pulling out of debt for good. I knew I had to block all the insanity of the past week out and concentrate on defeating the hardcore icon.

I pulled up at the front of my run down condo Ivan had set me up with after I signed an exclusive contract with him. Amber was sitting on the porch doing some Yoga I had taught her a few weeks back. She seemed happy to see me and concerned over what had transpired toward the end of Friday Night Clash 4 on television. I told her I didn’t want to talk about it, but in all honesty, I didn’t think she’d believe me even if I told her.

I could tell Amber wanted to spend time together, but I had to cut all ties for this week to prepare properly for my fight. I packed a small bag with enough food supplies and a big camelback full of water along with a small tent. After a short goodbye with Amber, I was out the door headed on foot toward the wide-open desert. Five hours later I made camp and started a fire. In the morning I would start the toughest workout regimen of my life in the brutal heat of the Nevadan Mojave.

I awoke at the crack of dawn and began with my early morning meditation and yoga. I then moved to strength training furiously completing two thousand push up’s. Covered in sweat and tears I locked in some weights around my ankles and wrists and began my cardio training in the grueling heat only stopping to hydrate every two miles until sunset. In the evening I practiced my Jeet Kune Do and rehearsed the teaching’s that my father passed down to me. A week later it is time for me to face Latina lioness who has dominated ultimate wrestling since her arrival back in July. I feel ready for this ladder match... for the biggest fight of my life.

Bring it on Valora… I’m ready for you.

Sato can be seen walking toward Caesar's palace with his pack on his back hours before his match. Drivers stare at the dust-covered martial artist as they drive by. Some look on concerned while others perceive him to be just another homeless man trudging through the streets. However, nothing can be further from the truth. This man is a weapon. A weapon about to be unleashed and let loose in the ring.

To be continued…