Post by Gjenrei on Oct 6, 2013 10:35:51 GMT
A monster like me... that was what Cable had said that Angel told him. That all of Cables power, his focus, was formed into him in a way that would make him an unstoppable engine of destruction. That explained his ability to be cruel, to hurt a man in a way that no other would even consider.
I had no such mentor. And yet, I found myself being he same way.
Does that mean.. I'm just a monster... by choice?
{The man in the mask's thought train was interrupted by a phone ringing. Cable, standing across the practice ring, happened to be closer to it. He picked it up, saw that it was in fact the private investigator Hodgens, and answered.}
Cable: What's your report?
Hodgens: Woah, is that.. is that you Cable? Man, you sound all sorts of messed up..
Cable: Get to the point.
{Gjenrei crossed the ring swiftly, to where Cable was standing.}
Hodgens: Geez, Mr. Pushy. Anyway, got the blood from the hospital, took a court order and a lot of legal maneuvering though. Man, that lawyer is something else.
{Cable looked up at his partner, who gave him the barest hint of a nod. And Cable had an understanding of what happened, without any words being exchanged.}
Hodgens: Anyway, I sent it out for typing and processing, and the results came back two days ago. Soooo.. I sent it to my buddies in the bureau to run it against the national compiled database on the DL so nobody would know. And well, I just got the fax back.
Cable: Don't keep me in suspense.
Hodgens: I can't get over how funny you sound.
Cable: OUT WITH IT!
Hodgens: I was told.. the file was classified. Like top level, almost as high as you can get classified. Whoever this woman was Cable, she's done quite a bit to stay under the radar, or someone has for her.
Cable: Thank you.
{Hodgens had more to say, but Cable cut him off by ending the call. Gjenrei looked at him a moment, then a realization flickered across his eyes.}
Gjenrei: You have another lead then.
Cable: I do. But you may not wish to be a part of it.
{The two sets of eyes met, each abrim with fierce determination, and an undying will to do what they felt must be done.}
Cable: You're right, that was silly of me.
Gjenrei: Do I tell him to cease, then?
{Cable thought for a long moment.}
Cable: No, I have encountered a roadblock. I suppose it matters not who gets to the finish line first, provided that one of us finds the way there.
Gjenrei: Understood.
Cable: Now.. where were we..? Ah, yes. I believe I was kicking your ass....
--------------------------------------
"Since it is apparently storytime this week, and Xavier felt the need to rehash his last few months of happiness in the same way he used to regale audiences with his last few months of misery, I suppose I will also dip into a flight of fancy.
But pay attention Cross, Blade, this one actually has a moral. It may even have actually occured, in whole or in part.
A young man, who had a penchant for causing the deaths of other men for money, went to visit an old man one day. But this was no ordinary man, for this old man had a long and sordid history similar to the one the young man was currently building.
He was an Assassin, and quite frankly, considered amongst the peer group as the best who ever took up the art form.
The young man held in his back pocket, a piece of paper. An agreement, where some third party would pay him a king's ransom in cash to finally do away with the old man. It matters not who the third party was, not to the young man. He'd been paid by everything from jilted ex lovers, to current unhappy lovers or mistresses, to the fathers of such people. Politicians often wanted rivals dead, businessmen wanted competition removed, criminals wanted witnesses silenced. And the young man was happy to provide the service.
This was his biggest contract yet, and he was told the old man was feeble, and near helpless. The bodyguard who protected him, the maid who served him, would be convienently absent. It was a quick in and out job, but the young man was determined to learn how this old man survived in a profession where the life expectancy was slim at best. And so, he broke in.
He met the old man in a grand foyer, finding him in a wheelchair, pouring a glass of Sherri, or perhaps it is Brandy, the stories differ depending on who tells it. He flat out tells the old man..
"I'm going to kill you, but first, I want to ask you a question. How have you managed to survive this long in our trade?"
The old man, knowing he was defeated, sighed and offered the young man a drink. The young man, out of politeness, accepts. While the young man sips his drink, the old man launches into his story. How he found himself homeless and alone at a young age, first turning to thievery, then murder just to live, before taking the step into being an assassin. The young man was enthralled, listening to the tale of heartache and pain, and each time his glass was empty, the old man refilled it. After the fourth glass, the story was over. The young man stood up.
"It's time to end this old man." He said, drawing his gun. But there was something wrong. It felt heavy, and he was suddenly dizzy, stumbling back into his chair.
"I'm afraid not." Said the old man. "The reason you feel that way, is because your glass was poisoned. And the reason I survived this long in the business is simple. I hate competiton."
The old man stood up out of the wheelchair, no problem. In the final seconds before the bullet entered his brain, the young man realized he'd been tricked. His arrogance caused his death, caused him to think the old man weak. The old man's arrogance caused him to view everyone beneath him as a threat, and thus, he put them all down.
So you see Cross, while your flights of fancy and silly ideals think yourself immune to such, it just shows the naivety you really possess.
Cable and I are a team, because we have the same goals. Our hearts, our minds are our own. We didn't like one another at first, didn't trust one another at all, and together, we forged a chain, link by link, until our bond grew to be unbreakable.
You and Blade share absolutely no such chain. You are simply two men in a similar story to what I just told. You have your ego loving someone looking up to you, and you have his naive ambition latching onto your coat tails so he can learn. That's it, and no matter how many stories you concoct or scenarios your imagination dreams up will change that.
There is no leader, nor follower. WE walk together. The fact that you can assume we'll turn on one another while believing yourself immune to such things is downright disheartening to think about. That you can have such blatant disregard on one hand, but respect on the other. Disturbing.
I won't sit here and deny either of you posessing talent, or ability. Because the brain can be inept, but the body can still work. But if you think you can keep surviving, can keep that same mentality and yet not crumble when things get rough, well quite frankly, you're simply wrong.
This business will break you, as you are, just because it hasn't yet, makes neither of you invincible.
Were I you, Xavier, I'd worry more about how much of a shadow you're casting over that kid, and think about how many men were groomed to resent their former mentors because of that same thing. Robin never resented Batman, because a comic writer never decided he should. Life, unfortunately for you, is not a comic book.
Were I you, Ryan, I'd find a mentor who chooses to teach, rather than leads by example. A mentor who wants you to be just like him, will constantly push you to be such, and then remind you that you aren't. Not because he cares, but because it feeds his ego. You may tell yourself that you are your own man, but he doesn't see you that way. To him, you're a sidekick. Dick Grayson.. easily replaced by Jason Todd or Tim Drake.
Remember that.
The only thing Xavier Cross ever told me, was that he doesn't know a damn thing about anything. So, later, when life inevitably causes the two of you to hate and resent one another for the reasons stated above. You won't hear I told you so, just my laughter at the sad sight the two of you became.
You can have your comics, your success, your belts..
I have my honor.
Which is worth so much more than either of you two can fathom."
--------------------------------------
Later
"We need to talk."
{He was almost out the door. He thought about ignoring her, just leaving and going about his business. Nothing good ever came from a woman, especially Amber, opening a conversation like that.}
Gjenrei: What?
"I want you to call off the search."
Gjenrei: I believe that's his decision.
"And as his significant other, I'm telling you to do it. I also want you to break up this silly tag team and let Cable go become Imperial Champion, but you haven't done that yet either."
Gjenrei: Cable is free to persue whatever goals he desires.
{Amber muttered the next line...}
"Yet he keeps being dragged down by this anchor named Gjenrei.."
{Suddenly, Gjenrei turned to face her. She was close to the wall, and backed up against instinctively, ready to defend herself, but he made no other moves towards her.}
Gjenrei: You can think what you will. In reality, our careers are none of your business.
"And if I make them my business? What are you going to do? Beat me like you did Miyoko?"
{Gjenrei hesitated speaking for a long moment. It was a name he hadn't heard in forever. It was something that happened off the official wrestling record.}
Gjenrei: How.. do you know about that?
"I know everything, you bastard. How you beat a nineteen year old girl mercilessly. How she's blind in one eye now, because of what you did. Sure, the police couldn't touch you because she refused to testify. Just like Falcon. It's no surprise you ended up here."
Gjenrei: I doubt you know the whole story.
"I wonder that myself, then again, it's not what happened, but what Cable believes what happened. Think he'll associate with you then?"
Gjenrei: You seriously underestimate the loyalty between us.
"Maybe you overestimate it."
{Gjenrei said nothing, his dark eyes merely bored into hers. She stared back, then when she realized he wasn't going to say anything, smirked and pushed herself away from the wall, and walked past.}
"Better think about doing what I said, elsewise a certain pack of newspaper articles may make it's way to Cables doorstep."
{She was out the door before he could say anything.}
I had no such mentor. And yet, I found myself being he same way.
Does that mean.. I'm just a monster... by choice?
{The man in the mask's thought train was interrupted by a phone ringing. Cable, standing across the practice ring, happened to be closer to it. He picked it up, saw that it was in fact the private investigator Hodgens, and answered.}
Cable: What's your report?
Hodgens: Woah, is that.. is that you Cable? Man, you sound all sorts of messed up..
Cable: Get to the point.
{Gjenrei crossed the ring swiftly, to where Cable was standing.}
Hodgens: Geez, Mr. Pushy. Anyway, got the blood from the hospital, took a court order and a lot of legal maneuvering though. Man, that lawyer is something else.
{Cable looked up at his partner, who gave him the barest hint of a nod. And Cable had an understanding of what happened, without any words being exchanged.}
Hodgens: Anyway, I sent it out for typing and processing, and the results came back two days ago. Soooo.. I sent it to my buddies in the bureau to run it against the national compiled database on the DL so nobody would know. And well, I just got the fax back.
Cable: Don't keep me in suspense.
Hodgens: I can't get over how funny you sound.
Cable: OUT WITH IT!
Hodgens: I was told.. the file was classified. Like top level, almost as high as you can get classified. Whoever this woman was Cable, she's done quite a bit to stay under the radar, or someone has for her.
Cable: Thank you.
{Hodgens had more to say, but Cable cut him off by ending the call. Gjenrei looked at him a moment, then a realization flickered across his eyes.}
Gjenrei: You have another lead then.
Cable: I do. But you may not wish to be a part of it.
{The two sets of eyes met, each abrim with fierce determination, and an undying will to do what they felt must be done.}
Cable: You're right, that was silly of me.
Gjenrei: Do I tell him to cease, then?
{Cable thought for a long moment.}
Cable: No, I have encountered a roadblock. I suppose it matters not who gets to the finish line first, provided that one of us finds the way there.
Gjenrei: Understood.
Cable: Now.. where were we..? Ah, yes. I believe I was kicking your ass....
--------------------------------------
"Since it is apparently storytime this week, and Xavier felt the need to rehash his last few months of happiness in the same way he used to regale audiences with his last few months of misery, I suppose I will also dip into a flight of fancy.
But pay attention Cross, Blade, this one actually has a moral. It may even have actually occured, in whole or in part.
A young man, who had a penchant for causing the deaths of other men for money, went to visit an old man one day. But this was no ordinary man, for this old man had a long and sordid history similar to the one the young man was currently building.
He was an Assassin, and quite frankly, considered amongst the peer group as the best who ever took up the art form.
The young man held in his back pocket, a piece of paper. An agreement, where some third party would pay him a king's ransom in cash to finally do away with the old man. It matters not who the third party was, not to the young man. He'd been paid by everything from jilted ex lovers, to current unhappy lovers or mistresses, to the fathers of such people. Politicians often wanted rivals dead, businessmen wanted competition removed, criminals wanted witnesses silenced. And the young man was happy to provide the service.
This was his biggest contract yet, and he was told the old man was feeble, and near helpless. The bodyguard who protected him, the maid who served him, would be convienently absent. It was a quick in and out job, but the young man was determined to learn how this old man survived in a profession where the life expectancy was slim at best. And so, he broke in.
He met the old man in a grand foyer, finding him in a wheelchair, pouring a glass of Sherri, or perhaps it is Brandy, the stories differ depending on who tells it. He flat out tells the old man..
"I'm going to kill you, but first, I want to ask you a question. How have you managed to survive this long in our trade?"
The old man, knowing he was defeated, sighed and offered the young man a drink. The young man, out of politeness, accepts. While the young man sips his drink, the old man launches into his story. How he found himself homeless and alone at a young age, first turning to thievery, then murder just to live, before taking the step into being an assassin. The young man was enthralled, listening to the tale of heartache and pain, and each time his glass was empty, the old man refilled it. After the fourth glass, the story was over. The young man stood up.
"It's time to end this old man." He said, drawing his gun. But there was something wrong. It felt heavy, and he was suddenly dizzy, stumbling back into his chair.
"I'm afraid not." Said the old man. "The reason you feel that way, is because your glass was poisoned. And the reason I survived this long in the business is simple. I hate competiton."
The old man stood up out of the wheelchair, no problem. In the final seconds before the bullet entered his brain, the young man realized he'd been tricked. His arrogance caused his death, caused him to think the old man weak. The old man's arrogance caused him to view everyone beneath him as a threat, and thus, he put them all down.
So you see Cross, while your flights of fancy and silly ideals think yourself immune to such, it just shows the naivety you really possess.
Cable and I are a team, because we have the same goals. Our hearts, our minds are our own. We didn't like one another at first, didn't trust one another at all, and together, we forged a chain, link by link, until our bond grew to be unbreakable.
You and Blade share absolutely no such chain. You are simply two men in a similar story to what I just told. You have your ego loving someone looking up to you, and you have his naive ambition latching onto your coat tails so he can learn. That's it, and no matter how many stories you concoct or scenarios your imagination dreams up will change that.
There is no leader, nor follower. WE walk together. The fact that you can assume we'll turn on one another while believing yourself immune to such things is downright disheartening to think about. That you can have such blatant disregard on one hand, but respect on the other. Disturbing.
I won't sit here and deny either of you posessing talent, or ability. Because the brain can be inept, but the body can still work. But if you think you can keep surviving, can keep that same mentality and yet not crumble when things get rough, well quite frankly, you're simply wrong.
This business will break you, as you are, just because it hasn't yet, makes neither of you invincible.
Were I you, Xavier, I'd worry more about how much of a shadow you're casting over that kid, and think about how many men were groomed to resent their former mentors because of that same thing. Robin never resented Batman, because a comic writer never decided he should. Life, unfortunately for you, is not a comic book.
Were I you, Ryan, I'd find a mentor who chooses to teach, rather than leads by example. A mentor who wants you to be just like him, will constantly push you to be such, and then remind you that you aren't. Not because he cares, but because it feeds his ego. You may tell yourself that you are your own man, but he doesn't see you that way. To him, you're a sidekick. Dick Grayson.. easily replaced by Jason Todd or Tim Drake.
Remember that.
The only thing Xavier Cross ever told me, was that he doesn't know a damn thing about anything. So, later, when life inevitably causes the two of you to hate and resent one another for the reasons stated above. You won't hear I told you so, just my laughter at the sad sight the two of you became.
You can have your comics, your success, your belts..
I have my honor.
Which is worth so much more than either of you two can fathom."
--------------------------------------
Later
"We need to talk."
{He was almost out the door. He thought about ignoring her, just leaving and going about his business. Nothing good ever came from a woman, especially Amber, opening a conversation like that.}
Gjenrei: What?
"I want you to call off the search."
Gjenrei: I believe that's his decision.
"And as his significant other, I'm telling you to do it. I also want you to break up this silly tag team and let Cable go become Imperial Champion, but you haven't done that yet either."
Gjenrei: Cable is free to persue whatever goals he desires.
{Amber muttered the next line...}
"Yet he keeps being dragged down by this anchor named Gjenrei.."
{Suddenly, Gjenrei turned to face her. She was close to the wall, and backed up against instinctively, ready to defend herself, but he made no other moves towards her.}
Gjenrei: You can think what you will. In reality, our careers are none of your business.
"And if I make them my business? What are you going to do? Beat me like you did Miyoko?"
{Gjenrei hesitated speaking for a long moment. It was a name he hadn't heard in forever. It was something that happened off the official wrestling record.}
Gjenrei: How.. do you know about that?
"I know everything, you bastard. How you beat a nineteen year old girl mercilessly. How she's blind in one eye now, because of what you did. Sure, the police couldn't touch you because she refused to testify. Just like Falcon. It's no surprise you ended up here."
Gjenrei: I doubt you know the whole story.
"I wonder that myself, then again, it's not what happened, but what Cable believes what happened. Think he'll associate with you then?"
Gjenrei: You seriously underestimate the loyalty between us.
"Maybe you overestimate it."
{Gjenrei said nothing, his dark eyes merely bored into hers. She stared back, then when she realized he wasn't going to say anything, smirked and pushed herself away from the wall, and walked past.}
"Better think about doing what I said, elsewise a certain pack of newspaper articles may make it's way to Cables doorstep."
{She was out the door before he could say anything.}
Well howdy there pardner.