Post by Ishikawa Rini on Jun 24, 2024 3:43:46 GMT
Masao hated Tokyo, it always brought back bad memories, a long arduous and rainy Funeral, The night part of his soul died, the night his Sensei almost gave up on him and everything.
It wasn’t something he really talked about, but it was a reason he had not ventured much out of training or the southern promotion work, it had worked out well enough but the specter of Neo-Honshu was in fact long reaching and far more intricate than he cared to admit.
He was scheduled to meet with Rini later that day but as it was he bowed at the shrine and spoke to himself , well to whatever was listening.
“I think you’d like her, she’s bright, like you used to be, she didn’t let them get to her.”
There was no response of course, the unrelenting stone and script provided no helpful guidance as he arranged the flowers again and his jaw clenched.
“She doesn’t know about you, or that we’re related, no one really does. But we miss you Hotaru-chan.”
He sighed and seemed to ask for silent permission.
“Let me enjoy my craft again? Please?”
He nodded to himself as the stone and surroundings were once again quiet, it had been more than 5 years but it still hadn’t really hit him how she could have done it, how this woman who was almost like a sister to him, had gone so far away from the person he knew and now she left a void in him that he thought would never be filled.
Pull yourself together Masao.
As he turned, breathing with a long sigh.
Rini was standing there, wearing a plain white top under a black jumper skirt; a more somber outfit than he’d ever seen her wear. She was holding a set of flowers, chrysanthemums and daffodils approaching quietly, standing just behind her was Hannah, keeping her distance at the edge of the graveyard. Masao was quiet for a moment before he approached speaking quietly.
“Small world.”
She shook her head and looked over his shoulder, the name imprinted in Kanji , not to mention the small picture of the shrine was given a quiet moment of recognition as she got closer and spoke a little nervously given the circumstances..
“I didn’t want to intrude, but it’s important.”
A shake of his head and he offered his arm to Rini quietly.
“Not at all, come.”
She moved close and Rini laid the Bouquet down as Masao aske gently.
“Did you know her?”
She shook her head and answered, “We all did in a way, I could have been her if not for Maasu.”
He nodded and sighed gently.
“Shimizu-San prevented this fate?”
All she could do was nod as Masao hugged her and spoke very gently.
“She is owed many debts she is unaware of.”
Rini nodded solemnly as Masao said, looking at the grave and then Rini and turning to face her.
“Promise me something, Rini Ishikawa?”
Rini didn’t respond, she couldn't respond to that just looking up at him with these wide, expressive eyes of hers before the tiniest word slipped out.
“Hai?”
He nodded his words, picking up resolve.
“No matter what happens, win or lose, remember to have fun again, for that is the gift you have given me.”
She managed a smile, nodding enthusiastically as she stood back and the two bowed to each other formally.
Promises made, promises kept hopefully.
Rini twisted the kerchief in her hands as she waited in the bus station. Akira said they’d get a hotel close to where the rental house was so they could spend time together before and after the coming show. It was a touching gesture, even if her days were mostly full with practice thanks to Sugioka-sensei deciding that she would stick around until the end of Phase One for the tournament. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, since Masao’s mentor had also chosen to do the same. The presence of the two former wrestlers made training… interesting, as Nat would say.
She was worried about who might come with him, or who might not. Uncle Kaoru and Aunt Asami wouldn’t be so bad, but what if one of the cousins did join in on the trip? Which one? Akira had said he wouldn’t let Midori weasel her way in on the excursion, but Midori had so many fooled. What if his parents overruled Akira and invited Midori anyway? Would Akira be able to get himself out of that situation?
The rumbling of an arriving bus made her look up. She glanced at the signs and saw the new bus was arriving from Haneda Airport. She rose from the bench and approached the terminal it had pulled into. She found another bench to stand by and stay out of the major traffic of debarking passengers. She peered at all the faces, searching for her cousin.
Rini barely registered the squeal of her name before she found herself nearly tackled to the ground. Blinking to steady her vision, she saw a dark head, and beyond it, Akira’s unreasonably smug expression.
“Rini-san! You look amazing!” Hina exclaimed and chattered like the years of silence had never happened.
Akira finally came within range, and Rini extracted one arm to punch his shoulder. “You could have warned -” she started, but then saw the two people following him, hauling several bags. She stared. Uncle Kaoru’s presence wasn’t so surprising but - “Aunt Mei‽”
Takahashi Mei was her mother’s sister, and Hina’s mother, and had always been an enigma to Rini. Her mother had never explained why Mei and Hina only appeared at family functions for the Kato grandparents, and when she’d gone to Neo-Honshu, Rini hadn’t been surprised when Mei had stopped talking to her, though she’d been one of the last few to sever contact. Mei had generally been a proponent of not upsetting anyone, counseling Rini to outwardly obey her parents.
“Hina? Would you mind letting the rest of us greet your cousin?”
Even as Hina released her at her mother’s request, Rini felt frozen. She was terrified.
She couldn’t stop the small squeak of fearful surprise that escaped her as Mei pulled her into a warm hug. “Prove me wrong whenever you like, dear niece,” Mei murmured in Rini’s ear.
Unbidden, Rini folded against the older woman, tears flowing down her face and onto Mei’s shoulder. It was a relief that was nearly painful, a closing of the gaping wound in her heart that her family had left. She knew it was still there, but it was smaller now.
She was worried about who might come with him, or who might not. Uncle Kaoru and Aunt Asami wouldn’t be so bad, but what if one of the cousins did join in on the trip? Which one? Akira had said he wouldn’t let Midori weasel her way in on the excursion, but Midori had so many fooled. What if his parents overruled Akira and invited Midori anyway? Would Akira be able to get himself out of that situation?
The rumbling of an arriving bus made her look up. She glanced at the signs and saw the new bus was arriving from Haneda Airport. She rose from the bench and approached the terminal it had pulled into. She found another bench to stand by and stay out of the major traffic of debarking passengers. She peered at all the faces, searching for her cousin.
Rini barely registered the squeal of her name before she found herself nearly tackled to the ground. Blinking to steady her vision, she saw a dark head, and beyond it, Akira’s unreasonably smug expression.
“Rini-san! You look amazing!” Hina exclaimed and chattered like the years of silence had never happened.
Akira finally came within range, and Rini extracted one arm to punch his shoulder. “You could have warned -” she started, but then saw the two people following him, hauling several bags. She stared. Uncle Kaoru’s presence wasn’t so surprising but - “Aunt Mei‽”
Takahashi Mei was her mother’s sister, and Hina’s mother, and had always been an enigma to Rini. Her mother had never explained why Mei and Hina only appeared at family functions for the Kato grandparents, and when she’d gone to Neo-Honshu, Rini hadn’t been surprised when Mei had stopped talking to her, though she’d been one of the last few to sever contact. Mei had generally been a proponent of not upsetting anyone, counseling Rini to outwardly obey her parents.
“Hina? Would you mind letting the rest of us greet your cousin?”
Even as Hina released her at her mother’s request, Rini felt frozen. She was terrified.
She couldn’t stop the small squeak of fearful surprise that escaped her as Mei pulled her into a warm hug. “Prove me wrong whenever you like, dear niece,” Mei murmured in Rini’s ear.
Unbidden, Rini folded against the older woman, tears flowing down her face and onto Mei’s shoulder. It was a relief that was nearly painful, a closing of the gaping wound in her heart that her family had left. She knew it was still there, but it was smaller now.
Fade in on Masao and Rini, standing together in front of a view of the famous Tokyo Tower, the pair of them in the now familiar get up that has journeyed with them for this first stage.
“So we stand united together again! Tokyo is our destination and our foes, Nick Knight and Kasey Vex await their justice! Two foes who are as different rivers!”
Masao nods and dances a little with Rini to put her in shot.
“Vex and Knight refuse to rely or trust the other to help them win, and that shall be their undoing. Not a lack of skill, not a lack of strength for each have a significant amount of both… It is their lack of faith that shall end their journey in this tournament.”
Masao nods and keeps up his movements moving into frame himself.
“You Knight, will want vengeance over that you perceive to be my fault, but as a man of war you should know, better than anyone, that plans do not always go as intended, You know that things are not as simple as they seem, And I am as worthy as anyone on the roster despite your claims, I am able to beat you, I know I am.”
Rini nods herself to interject as she poses.
“You will come to know the strength of our will; we will no longer be cast into shadow by two such selfish people. Knight looks for corruption but ignores the darkness eating him alive. Vex blames everyone else for her team's failures. Neither have learned from their mistakes.”
Masao nods firmly as he picks up his speaking.
“The closing rounds of the first part of the Heir and Heiress have not been kind to us but that is no matter, if it were kind we would still face you with the same ferocity of a thousand suns, with every passing area I feel my bond with the company grows, I will… not lie, I had considered quietly making my exit if this tournament did not go well.”
Rini blinks and looks at Masao does not mask her shock at hearing that at all. But then, reaching out to touch his arm, Rini blinds the world with her smile.
“Masao-kun… You deserve this chance. We deserve it. Even if it does not go well, we have proven our right to be here, to show the world our stars, and let them burn away the darkness.”
He nods at her and looks down and put hands on her shoulders.
“Deserve, perhaps? But we must earn it, I have faith in you, in me. I look at my past foes and what do I see? One of the largest, most vicious men in the company and a former world champion, I have nothing to hide in shame about and I will not be told otherwise by a man so driven by his rebellion he makes no room for anything else.”
A pause as Masao rubs under his nose.
“I will defeat you, we will defeat you. I will avenge the doubts and the mocking I know goes on, all of you, you have no shame, no sense of fun, or passion..and I do not doubt your toughness, or your ability but I do not enjoy being written off, You will regret that mistake, you will regret your hubris, you will regret all that you have sown Nick Knight, your justice..Is never getting to touch the Heir this year and you will have earned it.”
Rini urges Masao back a bit to get a word in Edgeways.
“Vex-san, you said that nothing and no-one could stop you, that you would step over anyone to move forward. It is that selfish shortsightedness and your antagonism towards your partner that has made it so now you must grapple with me to see who is the least of our group! My team may have the same score as yours, but the difference lay in how we arrived here.”
A quick pause pause she continues, her smile having faded just a smidge.
“Whilst you and Knight bicker, your hands at each other's throats and tearing each other part, Masao and I have grown and learned together. The success of one is the success of us both, we survive together or wither alone. This week on this stage the division of our opponents shall herald our victory!”
Masao smiled at Rini and turned to face the camera himself.
“Under the lights of Tokyo's Ryōgoku Kokugikan, we will show that our strength has only gown, our light will pierce the very heavens and the fires of Sakurajima will bathe in the light of the moon and you will feel only the bitter sting of defeat.”
Masao flexes a bit, even picking up Rini as he shakes his head.
“I am not afraid or even regretful of my losses, Everything that has happened has taught me something. I have learned the strength that comes with the trust of a good partner, I have learned that even in defeat you can hold your head high, I have learned that truly the only real defeat is that of walking away. The line gets drawn here. For we will not compromise ourselves, in order to achieve victory by any means lower than straight down the middle.”
Masao nods as Rini speaks once more.
“The truth is you have brought your fates upon yourselves. Wins are not promised from on high nor are they denied by the gods. Knight is an opponent worthy only of the respect he gives and Vex has only beaten three trainees which whilst credible is not the same arena she is now in… and she is found wanting.”
The Two of them finish their little dance as Masao picks up Rini for a short spin, and then somewhat comically, Rini returns the favor with very little trouble if a little awkwardness due to size as Masao gives the camera a bemused smile as Rini also hops up on a nearby bench to lean on Masao a bit.
“By the Strength of the Earth.”
“By the light of the Moon!”
The two pose once more.
“We will defeat you!”
We fade out on the pair of them laughing together and flexing for the camera overdramatically.
Well howdy there pardner.