The Q. Mika Backstory

(This article is a response to a request I made to the amazing artist Quasimodox. You can see the inspiration for it here. This is NEITHER canon nor a lore theory. It’s something I did for fun. You can see the original work here: https://twitter.com/Quasimodox/status/1248118405107941378?s=20)

The crowd roared as Rainbow Mika left the ring. She had given it her all as she always had, performing for crowds around the world as the top attraction for the IJWPW. Professional wrestling was her life, and the ring was the one place where she could show her immense talents.

Most people thought of pro wrestling as a gimmicky non-sport, but Mika knew this was far from the truth. It was planned, certainly; the IJWPW had its promoted heroes and villains, most of whom were friends on the outside, but the sheer amount of dedication a person needed just to enter the faction was too much for an ordinary woman to handle. Mika felt very fortunate to achieve the dream she had since she was in high school, but her own intense planning and training made sure she was ready when the time came.

The time came sooner rather than later, and now she was on top of the world. Nothing, it seemed, could derail her from the track of destiny. Everything she had worked so hard for was within her grasp.

As she made her way back to the dressing room, she smiled at the spectacle she had put on in the ring. Her opponent was one of the best wrestlers in the organization, even though she had a reputation for working stiff. This suited Mika just fine, because Mika herself worked stiff. It was one of the best matches she had had in a while, and the pain she was in reminded her of how much she loved pro wrestling. She didn’t want to change a thing

Sore but happy, she entered her dressing room, closed the door, and sat down on the cold, metal chair that waited for her in front of a big, lighted mirror.

“You did it, again!,” she told her reflection. “Yeah! You gave the crowd exactly what they wanted! And you’ll do it again tomorrow! Let’s give ’em a show!”

Mika grabbed a brush for her hair and opened the laptop that was charging on the desk in front of her. As she brushed and straightened her long, golden pigtails, she began to watch a Footube channel she had recently heard about. A man going by the handle of President G was slowly gaining in popularity for some of his antics online. He had several videos of himself participating in various sports and games, like basketball, soccer, and chess, but none were getting as much attention as his “Let’s Fight” series. Ever since he was challenged by a famous Middle Eastern royal, his viewership was picking up exponentially. Now, fighters that Mika had known personally were challenging this man to street fights.

And he was winning.

Mika had to fight this man to find out what his deal was. No one knew who he was or where he came from. Pro wrestling may have been a performance art, but she could use the exact same moves she used in the ring in a real-life fight, and beating this man would give pro wrestling the legitimacy it deserved.

“Alright!,” she cried out to her reflection, her reflection mirroring her every move. “This guy is gonna find out what pro wrestling is all about!” There was only one problem. “But… I don’t know where he is!”
Mika searched President G’s channel, and to her surprise, she found the man was on tour himself, in the exact city she was in. “He’s here now?!,” she exclaimed. “I have to find him!”

Leaving the laptop open and tossing the hairbrush behind her, she burst from her dressing room at full speed, running past her tag team partner Nadeshiko as she approached Mika’s locker room. “Where are you going?”, Nadeshiko yelled towards Mika. “C’mon, Nadeshiko!,” Mika yelled back. Nadeshiko chased after her partner. “Ok, where are ‘we’ going?” “Somewhere to change the world!”
On an empty street, a lone man in a top hat and sleeveless long coat was dismantling camera equipment. As he took the camera off of its tripod, from a distance, he could hear someone screaming, “Stoooooop!” He turned around, holding on tightly to the camera’s strap, and looked to see who was yelling. Two young women in rather flamboyant outfits were running up to him. “Don’t put the camera away yet!,” the woman in blue yelled.

Hurriedly, the man put the camera back on the tripod, then turned to greet the approaching visitors. “Hello, my children of the earth!” The women stopped in front of him and the woman in blue began speaking as the woman in white behind her caught her breath. “My name is Rainbow Mika Nanakawa of Iwashigahama Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling, and my partner Nadeshiko and I came to fight you!”

Nadeshiko looked up mid-breath, stunned. “Wait, this is what-?!”

The man shrugged. “I’m sorry, Earthlings, but we’re done filming for the day. If you want to fight, you can come back tomorrow.”

Mika pleaded with him. “Please sir! We came all this way! Give us one match and we promise you won’t regret it!”

The man smiled warmly. “Well, who am I to say ‘no’ to a fellow citizen of the Earth? One match!”
Mika pumped her fists in excitement. “Yes! Thank you, sir!”

As the man turned to work his camera, Nadeshiko looked at Mika. “Are you sure this is a good idea? There’s no one else here but us.”

Mika grinned wide, giving Nadeshiko a thumbs-up. “Absolutely! Whether we’re performing for one or one thousand people, we need to give it our all! Besides…” Mika gestured to the camera. “We’re not completely alone!”

Mika turned back to the man in the top hat. “Ok, I’m ready when you are!”

The man, having finished with his camera setup, was already in a fighting stance. “Very well! Allow me to introduce myself. I am G, and I’m President of the World, of the Earth, and of the entire universe!”

Mika responded with her own boast. “President, huh? I’ll kick your ass! Alright, let’s begin!!!”

Though the fight took only a few minutes, it felt like an eternity for Mika. She gave G everything she had and more, fighting as if her life depended on it. In the ring, there was some leeway, as you were working with another performer to impress the crowd with flashy acrobatics. Injuries happened, but the wrestlers were not out to hurt each other. Street fights were completely different. You wanted to incapacitate your opponent so they could no longer fight. The match, while intense and featuring incredible feats on both sides, was clearly in G’s favor. Mika was fighting to put on a show. G, while flashy himself, fought as if he was out to destroy her. The outcome proved this.

As Mika ran towards G for a last-ditch effort, G yelled at the top of his lungs, “Power to the Earth!” He pointed his now shining finger at the young girl. “Light it up.” Suddenly, vertical columns shot from the ground, engulfing Mika in scorching magma, and knocking her backwards into Nadeshiko. As the women lay on the ground, defeated, G turned to his camera. “When a light shines, I am there! Thank you!”

As Mika recovered from her defeat, the lingering memories of being burned with magma remained, and suddenly Mika stood up and started to frantically pat her body.

“Oh no! I’m on fire!”

While she was indeed attacked with actual magma, there were no ill effects. She was fine.
G turned back to his vanquished opponents. “That was indeed a good match, citizens of the Earth! Come. Let’s shake hands.”

Mika grinned. “That was a hell of a match you put on!,” she declared, walking towards G and extending her right hand. G’s hand was already extended, and he took hers. Mika immediately regretted the handshake, as while she had a strong grip, G’s grip felt more like she was sticking her hand under thousand-pound weights. The pain from the handshake was worse than the pain from actually fighting him.

What was worse was that he wasn’t letting go, and Mika could only grin and bear it as G began a long speech commending her. “My child of the Earth. That fight was an incredible example of the wonders of the Earth and its people. Citizens like you who bring out their inner light into battle and show off the splendors of what it is they fight for are indeed shining demonstrations of the power within us all! It is very clear that you, my child of the Earth, are one of the great examples of positivity on our planet and are an upstanding specimen of the most beautiful variety. You are a flower that will bloom in the darkness and are a guiding light to all of those in need. You are us, citizen of the Earth, as I am you and we are all. It is our dream then to unite the world and everything within it with the power inside of us all. We are one! We are united! We are one Earth!”

The original smile G gave at the beginning of his speech seemingly grew more sinister as he prattled on, and this did not get by either Mika or Nadeshiko. This mysterious man was becoming creepier by the second, and he still wasn’t letting go of Mika’s hand.

“For all of my viewers out there, heed my words! Because we are one, we must unite as one! What we fight for is the same! And as I fight, I fight for all of you, as you for me! Young child of the earth, you will soon see what it is that makes us all so special! Your power is yours as it is mine! We are united, young Earthling, as we always have!”

Finally, he released Mika from his clutches. Mika snapped her hand back and began rubbing it to stop the pain. G’s smile became warm again. “Again, I state, you are a wonder of this Earth and one of its many splendors!”

Mika coyly smiled. “Um… thanks!”

Nadeshiko tapped Mika on her left shoulder. “We have to go.” “Right. Anyway, thank you for one more match, sir!” Mika bowed, still holding her tender hand.

“Of course, my child of the Earth!” G turned back to his camera. “Oh, and Mika… we will meet again, I’m sure.”

“Of course!,” Mika said, unsure of what to make of it. She turned to Nadeshiko. “Let’s go.” The women ran off into encroaching darkness.

Night came quickly, but it didn’t take long for the two women to make their way back to the arena. The crowds had already cleared out, and it seemed as if no one was there at all. “Damn!,” said Mika. “How are we gonna get in?” Nadeshiko grinned, producing a key. “I always come prepared for moments like this.”

The women made their way back to Mika’s dressing room. Mika was still holding her hand the entire time and Nadeshiko grew worried. “Are you going to be okay?,” she inquired. “Yeah, this is nothing.” Mika replied. “I’ve had worse.” She smiled. “I’ll be ready to go for tomorrow!” Nadeshiko smiled back. “Two fights in one day. You’re something else. I’ll say that!”

Nadeshiko began to walk away, but ducked her head back in. “I’m gonna head out now. Are you gonna be okay by yourself?” “Ha! You know I am!” “Ok! Later!”

Once Nadeshiko left, Mika hurriedly shut the door, and covered her mouth with her free hand. Her right hand was in intense pain, the pain had reached her shoulder,and she wanted to scream. She did not want to worry Nadeshiko, and kept the ordeal to herself. She was a fighter, and one of the lessons her mentor, Yoko Harmageddon, taught her was to never let anyone see weakness. “Come on, you!” Mika said to herself, walking over to the mirror and looking at her reflection as she did before. “You got this! You’ve been through worse than this! Don’t let something this stupid bring you down!”

Mika had a full bathroom in her dressing room. Through the pain, she managed to remove her costume, save her mask, and was able to take a brief, excruciating shower, just enough to get the sweat, grime, and blood off of her body. As she exited the shower, she felt the pain radiate downward into her chest and stomach, a deep, burning pain that refused to alleviate itself. Quickly, she put her underwear on, and with great agony was able to get a bra on before she collapsed to her knees.

There was something wrong, and it was too much for her to handle. She made her way to the door and opened it, screaming, “Nadeshiko!!! NADESHIKO!!!” There was no answer. She was already gone.

Mika was alone.

Getting up from her knees took a tremendous amount of will, but she managed it, and slowly made her way to her desk. “Where is it?,” she said. Mika used her one good arm to rummage through everything on top of and in her desk to find her cell phone, but she couldn’t, and she had no idea where it was. “Dammit!”

Mika needed help, and so she stumbled her way back to the door, grasping tightly to the doorframe with her left hand, which was beginning to ache as well. She took a step, and fell to her knees a second time, the pain having now spread to her legs. Her legs burned, her arms burned, her whole body burned, and she noticed that she was turning blue.

“I need help!,” she screamed. There was no response. “Help me!,” she screamed again.

Then she could hear them. They were distant at first, but soon echoed louder and louder throughout the dark, empty arena. They were footsteps, a lot of them, most of which sounded heavy and shuffling. There was one pair, though, that was sharp, clean, and consistent. The footsteps increased in volume and got closer to her, and soon, she could make out a single figure in the darkness. It was a familiar, tall shape, and she could make out the top hat and coat. As the figure entered into the light, Mika felt a tinge of hope, then realization, and then horror.

“Hello, my child of the Earth.”

G stood there, with a warm grin on his face, a grin that at any other time would be seen as comforting and reassuring. Draped over his left arm and held close to his body were a beige trenchcoat and a pair of beige slacks. Mika eyed the coat for a few seconds before falling back into her well of agony.

G, noticing her pain, responded to it. “We are here to help.”

It was something G had kept saying throughout his speeches that Mika had taken note of. When she had seen him earlier in the day, G was by himself, operating his own equipment. Yet, it was a recurring piece of his speeches and videos, and something he said earlier in the day after she fought him. Despite the pain she was in, she had to ask.

“Who’s we?”

As soon as those words escaped her lips, she heard a mechanical whir that increased in intensity, and dozens of yellow lights appeared in the darkness one after the other, two at a time. The lights began to approach and surround the entrance of her dressing room, and soon she could tell they weren’t just lights – they were eyes.

They were the eyes of masked figures, some who wore black face masks, others who wore full helmets. Some were men. Some were women. Some were too enshrouded to tell. All wore fedoras and the same type of trenchcoat and slacks as G was carrying.

The burning in Mika’s entire body was torture, but she got to her feet, retreated to her locker room and slammed the door shut, locking it and stepping back to the wall. G spoke through the door. “You asked for help. That’s why we are here.”

Mika gripped the metal chair next to her vanity, trying to stay on her feet. She screamed back, but as burning pain clenched her neck, her words became laborious. Her loud, powerful voice was reduced to near-grunting. “I don’t… want… your help!”

There was silence for a few seconds, and then G spoke through the door. “You need us.”

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, as if someone was kicking at the door. It happened again, and then a third time. The door moved, but it held in place. Mika picked up the chair to use as a potential weapon, much to her body’s displeasure as she was racked with more pain as she held it. She could barely grip it now. The door was kicked one more time, then G was heard, his words muffled by the door.

“Light it up.”

The first magma pillar blew open the door. The second hit only the vanity, but caused Mika to back up all the way to the wall. The third connected with Mika, but hit the chair, knocking it out of her hands and hitting with enough force to knock Mika to the ground. Even more burning pain rushed through Mika’s body as she fell, but quickly after her body went completely numb. She couldn’t move at all. She lay mostly on the floor, with the wall propping her head and neck up.

She watched helplessly as G nonchalantly walked into the room with some of the masked figures. As he kneeled next to Mika’s paralyzed, prone body, Mika saw that he wasn’t carrying the trenchcoat and slacks anymore. They were being carried by one of the masked figures. This time, G was holding something else – a metal half-mask that looked similar to the one Mika was already wearing.
G spoke again, his voice calm and pleasant. “You asked for us, and we are here. We are one. We are all. We are here to help. You will become one with us.”

Mika, knowing fully what this meant, her body incapacitated, closed her eyes and reflected on what her mentor had taught her. “Don’t show weakness!”, Yoko had said. “Never let them see you vulnerable! You are strong!” In that moment, Mika’s emotions took over, and her eyes filled with tears. “Don’t… show… weakness…” Mika whispered out loud, her voice thin and burdened, but audible enough where G could hear her. “I… am… strong….”

G nodded in compliance. “You are not weak. You are strong. We are strong. It is us. It is me.”

G reached up to Mika’s face and easily tore off the cloth mask Mika wore, exposing her beautiful, young face. This freed the tears that collected in her eyes, and they poured down her soft, fair cheeks. G wiped the tears from her face. “Tears too, beautiful Earthling, are a wonderful thing. They are us as well.”

Mika felt G’s hand underneath her neck. He lifted her head forward. “But you shall cry no more.” G placed the half-mask on Mika’s face. “This was made especially for you, child of the Earth. The world will continue to see how beautiful you are.”

As G slipped the strap of the mask around Mika’s head and fully attached it, Mika’s deep blue eyes slowly began to glow yellow. Mika’s vision faded to black, G and the masked figures becoming more and more distant. She couldn’t feel the burning or numbness in her body. She couldn’t feel G’s hand holding her head. She couldn’t feel the tears streaking her face.

Soon, she couldn’t feel anything at all.