Post by Ishikawa Rini on May 25, 2024 20:54:08 GMT
Rini picked up her ringing phone, wondering at her cousin calling her first. It was with no small amount of trepidation that she swiped to answer the call and her cousin’s first words after their exchanged greetings did nothing to dispel that feeling.
“So… Don’t freak out but…”
Rini didn’t have time to wonder what her cousin could present her with that he expected her to freak out over before it became clear with two voices calling out to her through the phone. “Rini-mei!”
It took a moment for Rini to find her voice. “Kaoru-oji! Asami-oba!” Her aunt and uncle were on the phone with her? She couldn’t quite grasp what was happening.
Akira came back briefly. “Sorry to spring them on you, but they insisted, and none of us knew if you’d accept their call.”
Rini felt close to tears. There was terror, hope, and hurt all burning through her. There was a rustling sound, and murmured voices. Her aunt sounded like she wanted to protest, but someone, probably her uncle, said something to quiet her.
The ambient noises on the other end got quieter, and Akira’s voice clearer. “Rini… I know you trust me… So trust that I wouldn’t allow this if I didn’t think you’d want to hear what they have to say. You trust me on that, right?”
Rini, still stunned, had to acknowledge the truth of it. Akira had been the last to sever contact with her, and the first she’d restored it with. He wouldn’t let his parents talk to her if he thought there was a risk she would cut ties over it. “Yes, Akira. I trust you.”
The noises changed tone again. She guessed he was using the speaker phone function to allow his parents to talk and all of them to hear her reply. “Rini-mei, I’m sorry we didn’t really listen.”
It was her uncle, Kaoru, and Aunt Asami quickly echoed him. “We only heard what your parents were saying.”
A voice in the back of her mind that sounded a lot like Charlie railed at that explanation, and Rini knew that it was correct… But also wrong. While Charlie had the same adherence to her family, she’d never experienced the same stifling pressure to conform as Rini had. Charlie had never felt like a disappointment to her family because of her inability to do so.
Rini sighed and said, “It’s okay, Uncle Kaoru, Aunt Asami. You didn’t have reason to doubt them.” She knew it was what she had to say, but it still left a sour taste in her mouth. Not for the first time, Rini found herself wishing she’d had parents that were more like the Shimizus.
Still, Rini consoled herself with the knowledge that at least two of her elders would now listen to her, even if they would still listen to her parents. Her aunt and uncle might still hesitate, or try to say that her parents still wanted what was best for her. It would be a long road to get them to accept everything…
As the desultory conversation went on, Rini silently set that as her goal post in her mind. It would happen, eventually; she was sure of it.
Rini, accompanied by Hannah, appears in a flurry of pink stars and gold crescent moons. While Rini is her usual energetic, if serious, self, Hannah looks as though she was questioning whether her paycheck is worth her dignity. Still, as Rini starts speaking, Hannah translates the words faithfully, even managing a creditable imitation of Rini’s grand gestures and emphatic tone.
“In the usual course of things, I would offer my respect to my opponents. I would talk about how skilled they are, how I am honored to stand across the ring from them. But this is not a normal match.”
“The Murder are not honorable opponents, so I offer no respect. They are skilled, powerful even, but they are fractured, broken, and incapable of truly sacrificing for each other. They are happy to avenge each other, but would they truly save one of their so-called allies if it meant a risk to themselves? Would they sacrifice themselves so that another member wouldn’t be hurt in the first place?”
“As a whole, they would not. The Murder may be willing to hurt, to maim, in the name of their fallen allies, but they would not take the blows meant for them. There are bonds there, but they are nothing but fragile strands of webbing. Shea, Nat, Charlotte and I are tied together with red cord, bound by destiny to defeat the shadows and chaos brought to Imperial Wrestling by The Murder.”
“They will not be defeated in only one night. But no matter how long it takes, the Birds of Prey will prevail.”
“In the name of the moon, we will defeat you!”
The last shot of the pair shown before the feed fills with pink and gold sparkles is that of Hannah dropping her mimicked pose and throwing her hands up.
“Y’all’re fuckin’ nuts!”
“So… Don’t freak out but…”
Rini didn’t have time to wonder what her cousin could present her with that he expected her to freak out over before it became clear with two voices calling out to her through the phone. “Rini-mei!”
It took a moment for Rini to find her voice. “Kaoru-oji! Asami-oba!” Her aunt and uncle were on the phone with her? She couldn’t quite grasp what was happening.
Akira came back briefly. “Sorry to spring them on you, but they insisted, and none of us knew if you’d accept their call.”
Rini felt close to tears. There was terror, hope, and hurt all burning through her. There was a rustling sound, and murmured voices. Her aunt sounded like she wanted to protest, but someone, probably her uncle, said something to quiet her.
The ambient noises on the other end got quieter, and Akira’s voice clearer. “Rini… I know you trust me… So trust that I wouldn’t allow this if I didn’t think you’d want to hear what they have to say. You trust me on that, right?”
Rini, still stunned, had to acknowledge the truth of it. Akira had been the last to sever contact with her, and the first she’d restored it with. He wouldn’t let his parents talk to her if he thought there was a risk she would cut ties over it. “Yes, Akira. I trust you.”
The noises changed tone again. She guessed he was using the speaker phone function to allow his parents to talk and all of them to hear her reply. “Rini-mei, I’m sorry we didn’t really listen.”
It was her uncle, Kaoru, and Aunt Asami quickly echoed him. “We only heard what your parents were saying.”
A voice in the back of her mind that sounded a lot like Charlie railed at that explanation, and Rini knew that it was correct… But also wrong. While Charlie had the same adherence to her family, she’d never experienced the same stifling pressure to conform as Rini had. Charlie had never felt like a disappointment to her family because of her inability to do so.
Rini sighed and said, “It’s okay, Uncle Kaoru, Aunt Asami. You didn’t have reason to doubt them.” She knew it was what she had to say, but it still left a sour taste in her mouth. Not for the first time, Rini found herself wishing she’d had parents that were more like the Shimizus.
Still, Rini consoled herself with the knowledge that at least two of her elders would now listen to her, even if they would still listen to her parents. Her aunt and uncle might still hesitate, or try to say that her parents still wanted what was best for her. It would be a long road to get them to accept everything…
As the desultory conversation went on, Rini silently set that as her goal post in her mind. It would happen, eventually; she was sure of it.
Rini, accompanied by Hannah, appears in a flurry of pink stars and gold crescent moons. While Rini is her usual energetic, if serious, self, Hannah looks as though she was questioning whether her paycheck is worth her dignity. Still, as Rini starts speaking, Hannah translates the words faithfully, even managing a creditable imitation of Rini’s grand gestures and emphatic tone.
“Y’all’re fuckin’ nuts!”
Well howdy there pardner.