Post by Masao Akiyama on Mar 21, 2024 18:11:48 GMT
The sturdy steel of ring surround snapped into place as he was helping put up the ring, it was a meditative process, one that letter he troubles of the world slip away, the loneliness of travel had eaten what him just a bit, listening to Logan's passionate speech and Malo's fire had him wondering what other new challenges laid ahead, that victory had come his way wasn't too important.
The enduring respect of his peers and the approval of the crowd. That was the harder thing to come by.
At least judging by some of what he'd seen online, he'd been advised to unplug and not listen to that but naturally he was curious and well, it would seem Japans prejudices ran very similar to Americas.
Nobody likes an outsider, that had become apparent form a small number of voices on match videos, there was no talking to Verona, Raine or Pooler about that sort of thing, they understood but they didn't understand the pale reflection of his own youth in those comments he understood the anger , the hatred the division.
Pax StormCrow likely understood but it's not exactly a conversation you bring up in front of people you hardly know, casual racism is not the Water cooler talking points, Tv shows music, work out routines, that's water cooler conversation.
He shook it off as he moved to pick up a thick wooden plank counting off with the ring guy as they lifted the wood into position, it was good English Practice, he had insisted they try and keep to English as much as possible help him learn faster, get into the habit of speaking the language, he was never going to lose the accent, he'd accepted that much.
But he was thankful for the lessons Mr Ryan had given him, Neil was a cocky Welsh man who wrestled circles around most folk and never really had the break he expected but was not bitter about it, he just loved the game, and the trash talk.
So much trash talk.
The memory came easy to him, the feel of an Octopus Stretch on his form as the Voice was teaching him all the Rude words first, his ABC's joined with Wrist lock, Snapmare, Scoop slam, Armbar...Armbar Armbar.
And that was all before Kimura-sensei had even gotten involved in his actual training a humble reminder that even his size and power did not match too well against somebody who could and had probably dismantled larger men.
Masao's first lessons were in humility, teaching a new language, and learning he was not the hot shit his parents had taught him he was, confronting the bully inside you and finding you didn't really like that person was a hell of a thing.
It had made his decisions to stay away from home a lot easier, scant contact with his parents as he grew into a man, leaving behind the shallow scared boy that cruised by on wit, luck and pure strength into something tempered like steel, adventurous and looking for the next horizon, well when the doubts didn't set in.
The pain of his finger almost getting trapped by a board brought him back to the here and now as he chuckles about it to himself and made sure there wasn't a splinter.
Nope, all good, and soon enough canvas and rope and just like that a ring was assembled in record time.
The satisfaction of goo work got a water bottle and a little laugh from those who'd been involved, sometimes it was the simple things in life that reminded you why you had chosen the path you walked.
This was worth it.
________________________________________
"What is there to say about Adel Trevant?"
We fade in on Masao, leant on a balcony at a hotel, sipping a water bottle as the Florida sun and win graces his skin, enjoying the March Climate some even as he feels the change coming the ever present march of time marking springs approach.
"What do you see beyond your fist Adel? A world beneath you undeserving of your might, your from."
He nods a bit eyes casting long the view afforded to him by this small slice of Jacksonville paradise.
"I know what it is being stronger than most, bigger than most how easily the world crumples breathe you like so much cardboard, how easy it must be to place yourself on pedestal, once upon a time, when I was younger , more foolish full of the pride of my teenage years yes...I saw the world as naught but my sandbox."
He gives a slight smirk and a small sigh looking at the water bottle he drinks form before looking towards the camera.
"That is not Strength, it is not real strength, strength is found in the little dark, in the moments of doubt and pain in the trials of the world, all I see of you Trevant is a man who blames the world cannot see his faults, shouts at the clouds and demands retribution..and yet takes no action towards what it is they desire, expecting your natural ability and your physical manner to bulldoze every path, cut down every forest and gold will surely be yours!"
A slight chuckle and a shake of his head with a almost pitying sigh.
"I grew up, Adel I learned that I must earn my place through toil and effort and patience, I learned that no one is too good to sweep the floor, assemble the ring, cook the food that all of us are equals until we have proved ourselves and what? What is it you have proven Adel?"
Masao's composure seems to slip as anger flickers across his face and he sighs.
"So, We will face each other Strength and form against strength and form and only one of us can proceed, as the build tot the roulette continues I find myself faced against you, will you seek to Prove yourself Trevant? Or will you rely on the strength of your body alone? Or will you reach into the fire....Temper yourself acknowledge yourself and your thoughts and see a different world beyond your fist?"
He flared a breath form his nostrils and stood form his little perch, turning fully towards the camera.
"Or will the people of Jacksonville see you exposed once more? Will they call my name? Will we meet as equals? As respected opponents? No Adel I have seen your words and your deeds. I am no fool so we will meet on the mat and one of us will stand over the other victorious and the other? Will have no strength to do much else but roll out and walk to the back knowing their path that night could have taken a different path."
He smirks, just a little more a hard edged coming to his eyes as his tone grows more bold.
"So, Adel Trevant, what is it you see when you look beyond my fist, for I see the world and my opponent, the crowd and all the beauty that encompasses it."
He mutters something in Japanese that is subtitled as.
-God damn that sounded hokey, move on.-
"We both also know this match will also give some semblance of Momentum towards the oncoming roulette, I've already said my Speech about it, written the words and spoken them to the air, but as I said An will continue to say I do not plan to gamble my future away, I do not wish to ruin my chances, So I will be coming at you like a veritable Mack Truck Adel, I will not pause , or rest I will show my worth, I will give you the same I gave Malo, the same I gave Logan and you will see the fire that blooms in me."
He straightens even more and this time flexes just a bit as he gives a wry smirk.
"You are not an Island, surrounded by an ocean of mediocrity and unfairness, you are no pinnacle, you are a man, nothing less nothing more, and we will see which of these men will rise or fall in the ring come Sacrifice."
The enduring respect of his peers and the approval of the crowd. That was the harder thing to come by.
At least judging by some of what he'd seen online, he'd been advised to unplug and not listen to that but naturally he was curious and well, it would seem Japans prejudices ran very similar to Americas.
Nobody likes an outsider, that had become apparent form a small number of voices on match videos, there was no talking to Verona, Raine or Pooler about that sort of thing, they understood but they didn't understand the pale reflection of his own youth in those comments he understood the anger , the hatred the division.
Pax StormCrow likely understood but it's not exactly a conversation you bring up in front of people you hardly know, casual racism is not the Water cooler talking points, Tv shows music, work out routines, that's water cooler conversation.
He shook it off as he moved to pick up a thick wooden plank counting off with the ring guy as they lifted the wood into position, it was good English Practice, he had insisted they try and keep to English as much as possible help him learn faster, get into the habit of speaking the language, he was never going to lose the accent, he'd accepted that much.
But he was thankful for the lessons Mr Ryan had given him, Neil was a cocky Welsh man who wrestled circles around most folk and never really had the break he expected but was not bitter about it, he just loved the game, and the trash talk.
So much trash talk.
The memory came easy to him, the feel of an Octopus Stretch on his form as the Voice was teaching him all the Rude words first, his ABC's joined with Wrist lock, Snapmare, Scoop slam, Armbar...Armbar Armbar.
And that was all before Kimura-sensei had even gotten involved in his actual training a humble reminder that even his size and power did not match too well against somebody who could and had probably dismantled larger men.
Masao's first lessons were in humility, teaching a new language, and learning he was not the hot shit his parents had taught him he was, confronting the bully inside you and finding you didn't really like that person was a hell of a thing.
It had made his decisions to stay away from home a lot easier, scant contact with his parents as he grew into a man, leaving behind the shallow scared boy that cruised by on wit, luck and pure strength into something tempered like steel, adventurous and looking for the next horizon, well when the doubts didn't set in.
The pain of his finger almost getting trapped by a board brought him back to the here and now as he chuckles about it to himself and made sure there wasn't a splinter.
Nope, all good, and soon enough canvas and rope and just like that a ring was assembled in record time.
The satisfaction of goo work got a water bottle and a little laugh from those who'd been involved, sometimes it was the simple things in life that reminded you why you had chosen the path you walked.
This was worth it.
________________________________________
"What is there to say about Adel Trevant?"
We fade in on Masao, leant on a balcony at a hotel, sipping a water bottle as the Florida sun and win graces his skin, enjoying the March Climate some even as he feels the change coming the ever present march of time marking springs approach.
"What do you see beyond your fist Adel? A world beneath you undeserving of your might, your from."
He nods a bit eyes casting long the view afforded to him by this small slice of Jacksonville paradise.
"I know what it is being stronger than most, bigger than most how easily the world crumples breathe you like so much cardboard, how easy it must be to place yourself on pedestal, once upon a time, when I was younger , more foolish full of the pride of my teenage years yes...I saw the world as naught but my sandbox."
He gives a slight smirk and a small sigh looking at the water bottle he drinks form before looking towards the camera.
"That is not Strength, it is not real strength, strength is found in the little dark, in the moments of doubt and pain in the trials of the world, all I see of you Trevant is a man who blames the world cannot see his faults, shouts at the clouds and demands retribution..and yet takes no action towards what it is they desire, expecting your natural ability and your physical manner to bulldoze every path, cut down every forest and gold will surely be yours!"
A slight chuckle and a shake of his head with a almost pitying sigh.
"I grew up, Adel I learned that I must earn my place through toil and effort and patience, I learned that no one is too good to sweep the floor, assemble the ring, cook the food that all of us are equals until we have proved ourselves and what? What is it you have proven Adel?"
Masao's composure seems to slip as anger flickers across his face and he sighs.
"So, We will face each other Strength and form against strength and form and only one of us can proceed, as the build tot the roulette continues I find myself faced against you, will you seek to Prove yourself Trevant? Or will you rely on the strength of your body alone? Or will you reach into the fire....Temper yourself acknowledge yourself and your thoughts and see a different world beyond your fist?"
He flared a breath form his nostrils and stood form his little perch, turning fully towards the camera.
"Or will the people of Jacksonville see you exposed once more? Will they call my name? Will we meet as equals? As respected opponents? No Adel I have seen your words and your deeds. I am no fool so we will meet on the mat and one of us will stand over the other victorious and the other? Will have no strength to do much else but roll out and walk to the back knowing their path that night could have taken a different path."
He smirks, just a little more a hard edged coming to his eyes as his tone grows more bold.
"So, Adel Trevant, what is it you see when you look beyond my fist, for I see the world and my opponent, the crowd and all the beauty that encompasses it."
He mutters something in Japanese that is subtitled as.
-God damn that sounded hokey, move on.-
"We both also know this match will also give some semblance of Momentum towards the oncoming roulette, I've already said my Speech about it, written the words and spoken them to the air, but as I said An will continue to say I do not plan to gamble my future away, I do not wish to ruin my chances, So I will be coming at you like a veritable Mack Truck Adel, I will not pause , or rest I will show my worth, I will give you the same I gave Malo, the same I gave Logan and you will see the fire that blooms in me."
He straightens even more and this time flexes just a bit as he gives a wry smirk.
"You are not an Island, surrounded by an ocean of mediocrity and unfairness, you are no pinnacle, you are a man, nothing less nothing more, and we will see which of these men will rise or fall in the ring come Sacrifice."
He smirks ever so slightly, eyes glancing up and down the camera.
"Be ready."
Fade out.
Well howdy there pardner.