Post by Masao Akiyama on Jul 5, 2024 8:59:52 GMT
He’d look at the package he’d been sent even as he ate breakfast, a long day of training ahead and Preparation for the next step, A new hotel, another new section of Japan to see, a new city , so many things to do and so little time to do it.
The package was distinctly Rini’s, he’s already come to recognise that shaking his head with a wry smile as he kept picking open the package.
“Ah, what is this Ishikawa-san?”
As the package tore open with each movement, he’d find a little card, and a pair of arm bands one in black, one in red, each containing a rose stitched on, a white rose on the red band and a red one on the black band.
He felt a smile tug at his cheeks, even as he turned over the card that was laid within.
OHAIYO Akiyama-san! –
A reminder of our time together, I wish you well on your travels!
May the light of the moon always sing with the strength of the Earth.
Rini.
The package was distinctly Rini’s, he’s already come to recognise that shaking his head with a wry smile as he kept picking open the package.
“Ah, what is this Ishikawa-san?”
As the package tore open with each movement, he’d find a little card, and a pair of arm bands one in black, one in red, each containing a rose stitched on, a white rose on the red band and a red one on the black band.
He felt a smile tug at his cheeks, even as he turned over the card that was laid within.
OHAIYO Akiyama-san! –
A reminder of our time together, I wish you well on your travels!
May the light of the moon always sing with the strength of the Earth.
Rini.
It took Masao a moment to translate this particular meaning, Rini’s chosen writing style was only in Hiragana, leaving some interpretation and subtext in some of her words, like a poem some words and sentences had entirely different meanings without the specific context to back it up.
Multiple choice conversations, pick your meaning, earn your subtext.
Could she be saying something else, something more?
Multiple choice conversations, pick your meaning, earn your subtext.
Could she be saying something else, something more?
Masao chuckled as he blushed and felt just a little guilty he hadn’t gotten Rini anything in return, was he supposed to? Was that even right? Proper, Should he reply?
So many meanings and all of them are affectionate on some level.
The awkwardness built in equal measure to the gratitude he felt, even as he stared at the armbands rubbing under one eyes as he sighed, the loneliness he felt punctuated even more by the lack of laugh he’d gotten used to hearing in the last month, but he couldn’t really focus on much else but he path ahead, he’d chosen to go this way despite what he knew was coming.
This road was a lonely one even if you did share your heart.
This road was a lonely one even if you did share your heart.
He picked up the armband, the simple garment that had started this thought process, measured to perfection to slide about his biceps, in perfect pairs his jaw setting as he mused.
“Just because it is hard doesn’t mean it is not worth doing.”
He nods a bit and moved over to his gear to place the armbands with them, they’d fit, he knew they would, He had faith they would there wasn’t a need to test it, to make sure, he just knew.
It felt good to just know, a certainty that came out of recent tiding, moving his body towards the balcony to look out at the Nagano surroundings, listening to the traffic, taking in the relative peace and quiet of the city he was calling home at least for this week.
His thoughts turned to the other meanings that letter could have, despite choosing one way, the most polite way. He couldn’t help but wonder was she being more affectionate? What did that mean? Did it mean anything at all? Ah! Women!
Yeah the uncertainty in her tone was not helping that line of thinking was it?
Yeah the uncertainty in her tone was not helping that line of thinking was it?
There was a sting of wondering if Rini even knew she was doing what was happening, She was sweet but much like her favourite anime hero she could occasionally be wonderfully naive and that was something he’d identified. The world was her friend so it was natural to presume innocence on her behalf but still there was enough doubt.
Still it was a nice thought she intended more than he’d divined, any maybe that was the entire point of the exercise, choose your own adventures.
Eh, get your mind back on work!
He felt his back straighten at the imagined voice of his mentor, human as the man was that a bolt out of the mental blue did make him realise he had things to do, places to be, things to eat, workouts to have a career to storm out of, face the sun Masao.
It was time to shine once more.
“Out of the teams battle, and now onto more individual merits, we stand at the edge of the abyss, there is no more time for mistakes, only to succeed, only to move forwards or be left behind, Whoever wins moves on whoever loses stops short.”
“Out of the teams battle, and now onto more individual merits, we stand at the edge of the abyss, there is no more time for mistakes, only to succeed, only to move forwards or be left behind, Whoever wins moves on whoever loses stops short.”
Masao’s face comes into view slowly and surely the Tuxedo mask gear is gone but the smile that came with it remains.
“Uncivil war, as if a war could be civil in any way, sees the Heir of the Throne being decided in single competition, And this week I find myself stood across from the Russian Lion, a man of iron, a man who will no doubt make many mentions as to my unworthiness Tytus Rost.”
Masao blows a breath and rubs at his face, wrinkling his nose and licking at his lips and sighing.
“The time has come for us to ask, if one thing is not working, do we change, or commit to out methods? I chose to change, I chose In short to lighten up, relax against the waves of the storm this world throws at me, The mountain does not brace, why should ? The strength of the earth runs in my arm, and the might and fires of Sakurajima burn inside me…I should fight it no more than a lion fights his hunger.”
He shook his head at that.
“Tytus Rost is very hungry, starving even, snarling and snapping at all who approach rabid and eager to rend flesh form limb, if I give him even a moment he will pounce and seek to put me down, I have made no secret that I believed my Time here was over, that I for lack of a better term, was not welcome here that I was as others seem to put it nothing but excess and pretty meat to hang on display and marvel.”
A pause and a smirk.
“But you would know nothing about that would you, Tytus? So focused on the straight line and that hunger, on that viciousness that you don’t see it, You couldn’t care less. That fine, I notice I notice the little insecurities you carry, the weakness you mask, an animal you present yourself but really? Is there anything much more to you?”
He considered that question.
“We are the same in that regard, are we not? People look and see the country we come from, how we are, the use that to justify whatever they wish, ammunition in their chosen rifle, The firing squad of words and our records they speak for themselves, we are cut of the same cloth Powerful, ambitious, but saddled with the worst of all labels.”
He smirks and lets the next word sit for dramatic effect.
“Boring.”
That got a shake of his head as he straightens more and the camera slowly zooms out to reveal Masao is in a hot tub arms spread across the back rest as he relaxes in the water which covers the rest of his physique.
“But we both know we’re anything but, they use our lack of the language and their xenophobia to cover their own shortcomings they don't know what it is like. Your world is cold, hard and brutal with no time for humour, mine was similar, I grew up in the spitting distance of an active volcano. I have done more earthquake and eruption drills in my life than you could conceive, I have had to abandon training runs because of the risk of ash in the sky. I have seen my friends and strangers lose everything to a moment's hesitation because mother nature declares so.”
A small pause and he straightens.
“I found time for humour and relaxation in this world, in those four ropes, in the feel of strength against strength and of the burn of fighting spirit. The fires of Sakurajima are not just a metaphor for me, Tytus Rost they are my life.”
He nods.
“We have both determined that strength is not enough to carry us to victory, so what roads are there? Sharpen the mind? Keep hitting until the other man does not? I can handle both of those, I am prepared to weather whatever storm you assail on me whilst we conflict. I I have no doubt you will bring all your considerable strength to bear, bring every once of your anger to my door.”
Masao manages a little shrug and looks at the camera.
“I have faced your kind before, I have seen true monsters , and you are just a man, a man of strength, a man of deep conviction, a talented man, but a lion? ? It has no chance atop the mountain.”
He shook his head again and seemed to focus off to the side.
“But that does not mean I should take you for granted, no matter what internal confidence I feel Rost that Men like you are dangerous, and would look to level all before you just to feel the satisfaction, I cannot allow that.”
He leans forward, arm leaning on the other wall of the hot tub exposing that chest of his.
“I will move forward Tytus, I can’t stop now, my journey can;t end now, I won’t allow it, I know you feel the same way , I know you have no desire no want but …In the end ….Your journey for the Heir will stop at me, I will climb a journey of a thousand steps, crawl through the fires laid before me if I must. show those of my homeland my worth and put to rest my doubters.”
He smirks and his chest wells with that confidence in every word.
“Nothing will stand before me, and the crowd will cheer my name, and I will do it clean, By pinning your shoulders to the mat ..”
A long pause, his eyes focusing once more.
“Then I will show respect to a worthy foe, equal of my measure, and bow.”
Masao straightens and inclines his head as he speaks with a smile.
“By the strength of the Earth, in the fires of Sakurajima Tytus Rost, I will defeat you; it is just a matter of how and if I have fun doing so.”
He bows his head to the camera with a wry smile as we slowly fade out as Masao returns to lounging in the hot tub.
“Uncivil war, as if a war could be civil in any way, sees the Heir of the Throne being decided in single competition, And this week I find myself stood across from the Russian Lion, a man of iron, a man who will no doubt make many mentions as to my unworthiness Tytus Rost.”
Masao blows a breath and rubs at his face, wrinkling his nose and licking at his lips and sighing.
“The time has come for us to ask, if one thing is not working, do we change, or commit to out methods? I chose to change, I chose In short to lighten up, relax against the waves of the storm this world throws at me, The mountain does not brace, why should ? The strength of the earth runs in my arm, and the might and fires of Sakurajima burn inside me…I should fight it no more than a lion fights his hunger.”
He shook his head at that.
“Tytus Rost is very hungry, starving even, snarling and snapping at all who approach rabid and eager to rend flesh form limb, if I give him even a moment he will pounce and seek to put me down, I have made no secret that I believed my Time here was over, that I for lack of a better term, was not welcome here that I was as others seem to put it nothing but excess and pretty meat to hang on display and marvel.”
A pause and a smirk.
“But you would know nothing about that would you, Tytus? So focused on the straight line and that hunger, on that viciousness that you don’t see it, You couldn’t care less. That fine, I notice I notice the little insecurities you carry, the weakness you mask, an animal you present yourself but really? Is there anything much more to you?”
He considered that question.
“We are the same in that regard, are we not? People look and see the country we come from, how we are, the use that to justify whatever they wish, ammunition in their chosen rifle, The firing squad of words and our records they speak for themselves, we are cut of the same cloth Powerful, ambitious, but saddled with the worst of all labels.”
He smirks and lets the next word sit for dramatic effect.
“Boring.”
That got a shake of his head as he straightens more and the camera slowly zooms out to reveal Masao is in a hot tub arms spread across the back rest as he relaxes in the water which covers the rest of his physique.
“But we both know we’re anything but, they use our lack of the language and their xenophobia to cover their own shortcomings they don't know what it is like. Your world is cold, hard and brutal with no time for humour, mine was similar, I grew up in the spitting distance of an active volcano. I have done more earthquake and eruption drills in my life than you could conceive, I have had to abandon training runs because of the risk of ash in the sky. I have seen my friends and strangers lose everything to a moment's hesitation because mother nature declares so.”
A small pause and he straightens.
“I found time for humour and relaxation in this world, in those four ropes, in the feel of strength against strength and of the burn of fighting spirit. The fires of Sakurajima are not just a metaphor for me, Tytus Rost they are my life.”
He nods.
“We have both determined that strength is not enough to carry us to victory, so what roads are there? Sharpen the mind? Keep hitting until the other man does not? I can handle both of those, I am prepared to weather whatever storm you assail on me whilst we conflict. I I have no doubt you will bring all your considerable strength to bear, bring every once of your anger to my door.”
Masao manages a little shrug and looks at the camera.
“I have faced your kind before, I have seen true monsters , and you are just a man, a man of strength, a man of deep conviction, a talented man, but a lion? ? It has no chance atop the mountain.”
He shook his head again and seemed to focus off to the side.
“But that does not mean I should take you for granted, no matter what internal confidence I feel Rost that Men like you are dangerous, and would look to level all before you just to feel the satisfaction, I cannot allow that.”
He leans forward, arm leaning on the other wall of the hot tub exposing that chest of his.
“I will move forward Tytus, I can’t stop now, my journey can;t end now, I won’t allow it, I know you feel the same way , I know you have no desire no want but …In the end ….Your journey for the Heir will stop at me, I will climb a journey of a thousand steps, crawl through the fires laid before me if I must. show those of my homeland my worth and put to rest my doubters.”
He smirks and his chest wells with that confidence in every word.
“Nothing will stand before me, and the crowd will cheer my name, and I will do it clean, By pinning your shoulders to the mat ..”
A long pause, his eyes focusing once more.
“Then I will show respect to a worthy foe, equal of my measure, and bow.”
Masao straightens and inclines his head as he speaks with a smile.
“By the strength of the Earth, in the fires of Sakurajima Tytus Rost, I will defeat you; it is just a matter of how and if I have fun doing so.”
He bows his head to the camera with a wry smile as we slowly fade out as Masao returns to lounging in the hot tub.
Well howdy there pardner.