Post by Gjenrei on May 25, 2014 7:23:13 GMT
(Thanks to the change in the board layout, Gjenrei will now speak in dark blue, and the inner voice will be in red italic)
{The man in the mask sat crosslegged on the bench in the park. People milled about their day, alone or in small groups, and aside from the occasional glance thrown his way, people seem to pay him no mind. There was a big glass plaque next to the bench, an advertisement for something or other, but the Gjenrei reflected in the glass was standing up, looking disdainfully out at the park with his arms crossed. The woman, Miyoko, jogged past him, without looking up or even opening his eyes, he flatly stated.}
Three seconds faster, two more.
{She acknowledged it with a nod, and kept running past. The reflection followed her with a gaze until she was out of sight, then shook his head.}
I don't understand you. Against my repeated advice to remove her from the equation, she continues to hang around. Now, you're what.. trying to run her into the ground? Slowly, I might add.
{Two women, not in the best of shapes, ran by, and the reflection watched them as well, shrugging with a muted disgust.}
If you wanted to play up being normal, and living like a weak sheep for the rest of your life, I suppose that would be your choice. But look at them, no courage, no willpower, no heart. Infinite numbers of excuses and regrets inside a shallow pathetic shell.
{A man ran by, with a pitbull in tow. He saw the man in the mask, and went taut on the dogs leash in preperation in case the dog got out of hand. But Gjenrei was calm inwardly as well as out, so the dog paid him no mind. The man however, saw the mask and made a condescending smirk.}
One of them.. a shallow wretch, self absorbed and self encompassed, doing whatever he thinks will allow him the easiest way into a single superior football moms yoga pants for a quickie. Is that what you want?
{Miyoko passed again.}
A second slower, one more lap.
One more? Why not a thousand? Why make this a slow painful process? Your weakness will remain until you get rid of her.
{The wind picked up so the words Gjenrei spoke were lost to the breeze.}
Come again? I heard some such nonsense come out of your mouth.
I said that is where you are wrong.
I am? I am your voice of reason, telling you what you know deep down inside. Please tell me how you know more than I.
Reason? I think not. You are correct in your assertion that we are the same, you and I. But you are not reason.
Pray tell what I am then? I am your shadow, the true self. If I am not here to tell your conscious mind what your heart already knows, then what am I here for?
{There was silence as the wind picked up for a second again, and the two women made it past them again.}
You may simply be a voice inside my mind, but reason you are not. It took some time for me to realize it, and all the while, I fought a battle in my heart over whether to heed your advice or not.
So you know me by another name, then?
Your true name. Doubt...
{The reflection seemed not surprised in the slightest, but he looked away anyway.}
Doubt, Kurohito? What do you mean? Who are you talking to?
{Miyoko had finished her last lap, and took a seat beside him, toweling off the sweat from her body.}
Something you will learn very soon, I hope. Everyone has the doubting voice that dogs their every step, from which relationships to start, and which to avoid. Whether this new pursuit will make you stronger, or weaker.
So, what do you do then?
{Gjenrei turned to look at where his reflection was, and saw that it was normal again. The doubt was gone, the doubt about his relationship with Miyoko, the doubt about the strength of his heart. All of it.}
You accept it for what it is, and know that you control it. It.. does not control you. One of the few lessons you will learn.
I look forward to your lessons.
Oh, these are lessons you'll learn as we all do. ...In the ring.
What's first?
....Survival.
-------------------------------
"Can you hear the trumpets, Muru? The somber tones that sound to sing you to your final rest. The slow shambling walk off this mortal coil.
Your inside is already dead, why not simply roll over and let the outside match the inside?
You need look no further than the past few weeks. Going through the motions, as the expression says, trying gainfully to find a purpose. Unable to get things done as you wish alone, you leaned on Shane, only to find that he was a pillar of sand, and now, you are alone yet again.
Will you understand this doomed cycle is your own doing, as is the power to change it? Or will you continue to wallow in self pity and obscurity until you decide the struggle of your beloved wrestling is no longer worth it?
There is no need for you to answer, because I'm making the choice for you. Clearly, you aren't responsible enough to do it on your own.
In any group of people, there are predators, and there are prey. The wolves and the sheep. The wolves are men like Angel and Spike, asserting their power over those who will allow themselves to be subjucated. The sheep are mostly happy to just do the minimum and collect a check. This is where you come in, a man who brags about his love and desire to be the best at what he does, but forgets all of that when he picks up his pay at the end of the day.
Myself, I am a bear, not a constant predator, but the stalwart lone force that stands on the side. Proud, but vengeful. An unwavering sentinel that cares not for the demands and desires of others.
A guardian force, dedicated to eradicating the moping mewling mess of apathy that is Muru.
This isn't a threat, it's a simple fact. In any sport, you either have passion or you don't. Professional coaches cut talented players who half ass the game. People fight tooth and nail to simply make it to the big time. YOU have had the luxury of being in the prime time for some time now, without putting in near the effort it takes to stay.
That ends now.
This isn't up for debate. I am going to test everything about you. I am going to find out if you have the heart inside you claim to, or if you are simply blowing smoke. You have been disrespecting the ring for too long to be allowed to continue.
It is survival of the fittest, rise above or perish in obscurity. Reach within your soul and find where your heart was to revive it, or simply fade away.
The choice is yours, but be forewarned, you will make a choice. I will not continue to stand idly by and watch you breeze your way through each week, stealing money from the blood of those who spilled it when you could not. Argue if you must, it will not help you. Beg if you wish, it will not save you.
You have a choice. Make it quickly.
This is your last chance."
{The man in the mask sat crosslegged on the bench in the park. People milled about their day, alone or in small groups, and aside from the occasional glance thrown his way, people seem to pay him no mind. There was a big glass plaque next to the bench, an advertisement for something or other, but the Gjenrei reflected in the glass was standing up, looking disdainfully out at the park with his arms crossed. The woman, Miyoko, jogged past him, without looking up or even opening his eyes, he flatly stated.}
Three seconds faster, two more.
{She acknowledged it with a nod, and kept running past. The reflection followed her with a gaze until she was out of sight, then shook his head.}
I don't understand you. Against my repeated advice to remove her from the equation, she continues to hang around. Now, you're what.. trying to run her into the ground? Slowly, I might add.
{Two women, not in the best of shapes, ran by, and the reflection watched them as well, shrugging with a muted disgust.}
If you wanted to play up being normal, and living like a weak sheep for the rest of your life, I suppose that would be your choice. But look at them, no courage, no willpower, no heart. Infinite numbers of excuses and regrets inside a shallow pathetic shell.
{A man ran by, with a pitbull in tow. He saw the man in the mask, and went taut on the dogs leash in preperation in case the dog got out of hand. But Gjenrei was calm inwardly as well as out, so the dog paid him no mind. The man however, saw the mask and made a condescending smirk.}
One of them.. a shallow wretch, self absorbed and self encompassed, doing whatever he thinks will allow him the easiest way into a single superior football moms yoga pants for a quickie. Is that what you want?
{Miyoko passed again.}
A second slower, one more lap.
One more? Why not a thousand? Why make this a slow painful process? Your weakness will remain until you get rid of her.
{The wind picked up so the words Gjenrei spoke were lost to the breeze.}
Come again? I heard some such nonsense come out of your mouth.
I said that is where you are wrong.
I am? I am your voice of reason, telling you what you know deep down inside. Please tell me how you know more than I.
Reason? I think not. You are correct in your assertion that we are the same, you and I. But you are not reason.
Pray tell what I am then? I am your shadow, the true self. If I am not here to tell your conscious mind what your heart already knows, then what am I here for?
{There was silence as the wind picked up for a second again, and the two women made it past them again.}
You may simply be a voice inside my mind, but reason you are not. It took some time for me to realize it, and all the while, I fought a battle in my heart over whether to heed your advice or not.
So you know me by another name, then?
Your true name. Doubt...
{The reflection seemed not surprised in the slightest, but he looked away anyway.}
Doubt, Kurohito? What do you mean? Who are you talking to?
{Miyoko had finished her last lap, and took a seat beside him, toweling off the sweat from her body.}
Something you will learn very soon, I hope. Everyone has the doubting voice that dogs their every step, from which relationships to start, and which to avoid. Whether this new pursuit will make you stronger, or weaker.
So, what do you do then?
{Gjenrei turned to look at where his reflection was, and saw that it was normal again. The doubt was gone, the doubt about his relationship with Miyoko, the doubt about the strength of his heart. All of it.}
You accept it for what it is, and know that you control it. It.. does not control you. One of the few lessons you will learn.
I look forward to your lessons.
Oh, these are lessons you'll learn as we all do. ...In the ring.
What's first?
....Survival.
-------------------------------
"Can you hear the trumpets, Muru? The somber tones that sound to sing you to your final rest. The slow shambling walk off this mortal coil.
Your inside is already dead, why not simply roll over and let the outside match the inside?
You need look no further than the past few weeks. Going through the motions, as the expression says, trying gainfully to find a purpose. Unable to get things done as you wish alone, you leaned on Shane, only to find that he was a pillar of sand, and now, you are alone yet again.
Will you understand this doomed cycle is your own doing, as is the power to change it? Or will you continue to wallow in self pity and obscurity until you decide the struggle of your beloved wrestling is no longer worth it?
There is no need for you to answer, because I'm making the choice for you. Clearly, you aren't responsible enough to do it on your own.
In any group of people, there are predators, and there are prey. The wolves and the sheep. The wolves are men like Angel and Spike, asserting their power over those who will allow themselves to be subjucated. The sheep are mostly happy to just do the minimum and collect a check. This is where you come in, a man who brags about his love and desire to be the best at what he does, but forgets all of that when he picks up his pay at the end of the day.
Myself, I am a bear, not a constant predator, but the stalwart lone force that stands on the side. Proud, but vengeful. An unwavering sentinel that cares not for the demands and desires of others.
A guardian force, dedicated to eradicating the moping mewling mess of apathy that is Muru.
This isn't a threat, it's a simple fact. In any sport, you either have passion or you don't. Professional coaches cut talented players who half ass the game. People fight tooth and nail to simply make it to the big time. YOU have had the luxury of being in the prime time for some time now, without putting in near the effort it takes to stay.
That ends now.
This isn't up for debate. I am going to test everything about you. I am going to find out if you have the heart inside you claim to, or if you are simply blowing smoke. You have been disrespecting the ring for too long to be allowed to continue.
It is survival of the fittest, rise above or perish in obscurity. Reach within your soul and find where your heart was to revive it, or simply fade away.
The choice is yours, but be forewarned, you will make a choice. I will not continue to stand idly by and watch you breeze your way through each week, stealing money from the blood of those who spilled it when you could not. Argue if you must, it will not help you. Beg if you wish, it will not save you.
You have a choice. Make it quickly.
This is your last chance."
Well howdy there pardner.