Post by David Sanchez on Jul 26, 2015 13:17:27 GMT -5
Gojira! King of Monsters.
Friday, 24th July 09:30 – Tokyo Dome, Bunkyo, Tokyo
Friday, 24th July 09:30 – Tokyo Dome, Bunkyo, Tokyo
The scene opens up to the inside of a massive building once known to locals as The Big Egg. This fifty-five thousand seated stadium, originally constructed as a baseball park today is known only as the Tokyo Dome. Opening for business on the seventeenth of March nineteen eighty-eight. The inside is busy with production, workers rushing around to ensure that the building is ready for the sporting spectacle it will host in just two days’ time; The Ultimate Showdown. The canvas of a wrestling ring is already present center stage, although no ropes, turnbuckles or apron covers have been attached yet. The entrance ramp is mid-construction and the job allocated to the ring crew for today, but the seats and the crowd barricades are already erected. Climbing up to the air-supported, dome-shaped, flexible membrane that is the roof, the audience’s viewing stands are vast and circle the ring like vultures flying around a dying gazelle. All of these seats are empty bar two.
The home field of the Yomiuri Giants baseball team is air conditioned so that a breeze floats freely through the building, cooling down the grafting staff who strive to have everything completed by the following evening; no small feat given the magnitude of this task. Known for hosting, among other things the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame it is a wonderful arena choked to the throat with history. This weekend however it will add to this lineage when the World Championship Federation comes to town to showcase professional wrestling, or puroresu as it is known here.
Hank Brown takes up a small seat next to ringside, his hands filled with paperwork and his eyes filled with regret that he finds himself, once more forced to interview such a hostile superstar. Seated to his left, with his legs propped up on the chair in front of him, David Sanchez takes stock of the arena which will host his impending brawl with Teo Del Sol on Sunday evening. The Plague is dressed in a black suit that might be better suited to a funeral, with a simple black shirt and tie combination underneath. His eyes are seen scanning the entire building, looking perhaps for some environmental advantage that will give him the edge in his match. His eyes are wide with wonder but a small smile is still present upon his, relishing the fact that his family has arrived in Tokyo, meaning that for the first time in three weeks, he is not completely alone in this world.
“Well David here we are in the Tokyo Dome where this Sunday you will…”
“Do you know the story of Godzilla, Hank?”
Perplexed and offended at his guest’s usual interruption which was rapidly becoming his calling card, Hank sighs dismay that for the third straight meeting with this man, the questions he has prepared will be left un-answered. There is a look of menace on David’s face but one which is expectant of an answer which given his past of attempting to answer Sanchez’ rhetorical questions comes reluctantly, a few minutes later than the man from Orange County would have liked. Grabbing Hank’s paperwork from out of his hands he begins to read through the literature, tossing each sheet aside as he completes the page and scuffing it onto the floor beneath his black dress-shoe.
“Hank, why do you bother?”
“It’s my job to ask questions David, it’s what pays my salary.”
A look of genuine confusion graces David’s face for a few moments before he can muster up a response. He straightens his back and offers his host three patronizing pats on the shoulder, complete with a false smile and a shake of the head that suggest he should not be so silly. Sanchez speaks in a soft tone of voice now, the noise of drills and hammers creating a stage behind them almost drowning him out.
“You get paid to ask questions? What a lovely life it must be to have your curiosity rewarded with cash. That doesn’t really answer my question though, does it? Perhaps if I rephrase. Why do you continue to think that an interview with me is going to answer any of these pressing questions?”
“I don’t David, but I have to try.”
“No Hank, you have to drink water, you have to eat, and you have to keep electrical appliances out of the bathtub when you’re washing that schoolgirl physique of yours. You do not however have to wear that ridiculous blazer and continue to insult me with your curiosities. I don’t agree to these interviews to answer questions, truth be told I’d still be in bed with the beautiful woman that is my wife right now if I didn’t already have something in mind to say. So I’ll ask you again Hank; are you familiar with the story of Godzilla?”
Succumbing to defeat, Hank nods his head, having seen several different versions of the popular movie. David seems to grow angry at this though and speaks a little louder now with a demoralizing and demotivating tone to his voice.
“Not the pile of shit that hit theatres last year Hank, nor the atrocity from nineteen ninety-eight. I’m talking about the original concept from nineteen fifty-four.”
“In that case David, I am not.”
Satisfied now that he has outwitted another mind David stands up in front of his seat and motions his arms to suggest a giant being is in front of them, towering through the roof of the Tokyo Dome and imposing its will on the surrounding area.
“Gojira, affectionately known as the King of Monsters was first given birth to by Ishiro Honda and was thought to be a metaphor for the nuclear bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A subtle nod to how a tyrannical beast can bring destruction and death to a city of thousands. Of course, I can understand this thinking, after-all with Pearl Harbor lying in a broken, flaming ruin how else were we to respond other than to release our own brand of devastation onto the Japanese, not to sound like a child making excuses, but they did start it. It’s not our fault they couldn’t hold their own in the end.”
“I don’t see what this has to do with anything”
Hank’s ignorance rattles around David’s skull like the last gumball in a dispenser, he can’t quite believe what he is hearing. Known for talking in riddles though he gives his host the benefit of the doubt. He stretches his arms out above his head, yawning a little and displaying his pearly white teeth to the camera. Last night had been his first full night’s sleep in weeks, he always struggled to maintain a slumber when his body wasn’t intertwined with hers.
“Hank, I know you are not exactly the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree but I’m going to need you to bear with me here. Not everything is black and white you see. Although the specific details of Godzilla's appearance have varied slightly over the years, the overall impression has remained consistent. Generally depicting the beast as an enormous, violent, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation. With an erect standing posture, scaly skin, an anthropomorphic torso with muscular arms, spikes on its back and tail, and a furrowed brow, he was always feared and revered by the Japanese as the harbinger of destruction. Godzilla is shown to have great vitality: it is immune to conventional weaponry thanks to its rugged hide and ability to regenerate and as a result of surviving a nuclear explosion, it cannot be destroyed by anything less powerful. Now this sounds like quite a formidable monster right? Something that is not to be taken lightly by any man, woman or child. Yet why then is he sometimes portrayed as the protector? In many of the earlier Japanese renditions of the now popular movies, our resident dinosaur was seen defending Tokyo against the forces of evil, despite the fact that he himself was considered to be evil.”
He can still see the confusion on Hank’s face as he starts to pace away from the backstage interviewer, motioning with his hand for his counterpart to follow suit. David walks through the empty rows of seats, running the tips of his fingers across a folding chair occasionally as he gets closer and closer to the barricade which separates him from the area where the ring is being created. Several of the ring crew pause as he draws closer, looking in awe as Sanchez delivers a piece of video-graphic goodness. With Hank trailing a few steps behind, almost out of the camera’s shot he notices David stop just before the barrier, standing now in what will become the first row of fans, the ones who may ultimately decide his fate on Sunday.
“Godzilla’s vaguely humanoid appearance and strained, lumbering movements endeared it to Japanese audiences, who could relate to Godzilla sympathetically despite its wrathful nature. Audiences respond positively to the character because it acts out of rage and self-preservation and shows where science and technology can go wrong. Godzilla represented the fears that many Japanese held about the atomic bombings, and the possibility of recurrence. As time progressed, so did Gojira himself, changing into a less destructive and more heroic character as the films became geared towards children. This is not the monster I speak of today although, when I compare myself to this titan I would like to mention that everything I do, I am doing to protect the people who shun me, who fear me and who detest my very being out of terror and misunderstanding. I am trying to save you fucking cretins from a greater threat, the threat of social extinction, conformity and the illusion that your heroes will save you. Each and every person is guilty of this, you become comfortable and comfort breed weakness. You sit at home with your fucking Doritos, cheering for the good guys and casting those of us who remain aside. I might not be the three-hundred and twenty-eight foot tall monster that Hollywood has taught you to fear, appreciate and respect. Likewise I’m not the lovable, child-friendly abortion of talent that takes form in my opponent this Sunday but I am the depiction of a monster acting out of mutual interest."
“I am motherfucking Gojira, bitches.”
With a blatantly racist accent resting upon the Japanese pronunciation of Godzilla, David smiles slightly as Hank catches up, allowing their voices to be lowered again. His outburst moments ago having drawn further attention from the ring crew, the majority of which are of the ethnicity Sanchez had opted to mock just a few seconds ago. Noticing they have been identified as working with one eye on the job and the other on David, the majority of them look away when the Plagues gaze shifts around them, leaving only those of Asian descent staring awkwardly at him, half-expecting an apology but all the while knowing they are not about to receive one.
“You mention a mutual interest David, but in truth these fans have you worked out as somebody acting out of jealousy and trying to move up in this company at any expense. We’ve already seen you attack Teo Del Sol twice, injure a fan and tarnish your opponent’s reputation by disguising yourself in his mask and cutting quite frankly a disgusting interview on a live internet stream. Nothing you have done is for the good of these people. You haven’t even so much as apologized for your actions.”
“Did Godzilla apologize for his actions, Hank? Did he go door to door offering muffin baskets to the people whose families he maimed or property he destroyed? He did not. He arrived, he wrecked everything in his path then he fucked off back into the Ocean so that he may rise again. That is exactly what I plan to do this Sunday, without walking into the water. I came to Japan with one purpose and that is to rid the world of Teo Del Sol in that way that our mythical monster rids Tokyo of whatever threat may be keeping up with the culture of the time. I will not say sorry for performing a service to these idiots. I don’t expect them to cheer for me, to write stories or to cast Bryan fucking Cranston in a movie about this. I do this because I have a child, a child who idolizes this imposter, and that to me is the biggest threat of all. He swoons after Teddy like he could do no wrong, like he is some kind of superhero. Do you have any kids Hank?”
“Well, no bu…”
“Of course you don’t, what fucking woman has low enough self-esteem to let you impregnate her? Don’t be ridiculous. Let me tell you then, that the only measure, the only thing that matters to a real man is how they look in their kid’s eyes and Teo has made me look like a savage and a villain in order to hide his own menacing side. Deep down though, Teddy has to know he’s not going to win this match, to conquer my monster with kind words, arm-drags and optimism. He’s going to have to show the darkness inside of him, reveal it for the world to see. When that happens, I’ll have my son’s love and admiration back and Teo will just be another babyface that broke character. Another good guy, turned bad by the weight of adversity. Nobody is that fucking nice, it’s all smoke and mirrors. If I stood across from Adolf Hitler for long enough, people would begin to cheer me by proximity. By not being quite as big of a dick as the person I’m battling. The kid is clever, I’ll give you that. He’s selling merchandise and cutting bigger paycheques at my expense, using me to highlight the glow of his own halo.”
“That’s all very well David but what do you make of the match Teo has chosen, surely it would benefit him to have the fans in possession of the weapons. It’s not really any secret that these people hate you and everything you stand for, what’s to stop them simply keeping you from using anything and supplying Del Sol with the weaponry to gain a small measure of revenge for everything you’ve put him through?”
“When Godzilla was tearing up Tokyo did anyone ever stop and go: Oh hey, that giant lizard looks like it’s arms are getting tired, why don’t we give him a giant Gatling gun so that he can finish killing us all a little bit quicker? No, that would be redundant and this situation is no different. I’m not in the least bit surprised that Teo would tip the scales in this way, it’s really the only way he stands a chance. I mean to leave the match down to pure wrestling ability, a fair one versus one situation would have been idiotic on his part and he knows it better than most. This particular stipulation though, I’ll admit it really does worry me. Not that the audience will keep me from using a weapon but that in doing so, they’ll force my hand. Teddy thinks he’s found a way for the people to be a deciding factor in my demise but in truth all he has done is endanger them, again. I don’t understand how he could think any differently, if I have to knock a pregnant woman’s teeth down her throat to take the steel chair out of her hands, do you think I’ll even hesitate? Does Teo? He should know me better by now. Once more though, in trying to create an unfair advantage he has sacrificed the people he claims to be protecting and he will be forced to witness as it blows up in his face, I’ll allow him to stay conscious for that long at least, long enough for him to know that his actions have once again hurt the people around him.”
“That’s all I’m going to say to you Hank, so you might as well grab a spanner and go build the stage with the rest of these fucking servants you bum. Me, Godzilla. Teo, Tokyo. The destruction is going to be biblical, and they’ll hate me for it at first, but sooner or later a bigger threat will come along and they’ll be begging me to come back, to conquer, to maim and mangle. It’s just how the world works and it’s ugly, and we pretend we hate it but deep down every single fucking fan will be peering through their fingers, begging me to kick him in the fucking skull until the bleeding stops and the referee declares:”
“YOUR WINNER BY WAY OF TOTAL ANNIHILATION: YOUR KING OF THE MONSTERS, YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND. DAVID, MOTHERFUCKING SANCHEZZZZZ!”
Pedestals
Friday, 24th July 21:00 – Tokyo Skytree, Sumida, Tokyo
Friday, 24th July 21:00 – Tokyo Skytree, Sumida, Tokyo
The scene opens up to an overview of Tokyo, the camera drawing ever closer to the Tokyo Skytree with every passing second. Opening to the public in 2012, this behemoth of a structure stands as the tallest tower in the world and the second tallest man-made structure. Reaching an astronomical two-thousand and eighty feet into the air this cylindrical structure stands on a base not unlike a tripod, with its highest observation deck available to the public at one-thousand four-hundred and eighty feet. Nikken Sekkei designed this neofuturistic styled structure and it was developed by Tobu Railway with the completion being reached on the twenty-ninth of February in two-thousand and twelve. The architect had done a wonderful job on this building, leaving the circular shape to offer panoramic views of both the river and the city.
It is night-time now and the structure is illuminated with a purple and pink LED lighting effect known to the locals as Miyabi, which is said to promote elegance and refinement. The color alternates from this to a sky-blue tint known as iki which locals believe inspires chic and stylish imagery. Tonight though the violet glow shines for as far as the eye can see, casting a magnificent aura of lilac light over both the tower itself and the surrounding city. The camera scales up the side of the tower, showcasing the seismic proofing of reinforced concrete and oil dampeners that has rendered this phenomenon to be resistant to almost the most intense of earthquakes. Before its functionality though comes the sheer beauty of the structure itself. The exterior lattice consists of strips of white metal holding glass sheets in place in a design that mixes the aforementioned neofuturistic style with traditional Japanese beauty.
Though its main function is to serve as a radio and television broadcast station in lieu of Tokyo Tower no longer being able to provide a signal for digital terrestrial television due to its location amidst an area that is literally congested with skyscrapers it is not this purpose which we are drawn to today. Instead we find ourselves zooming in on the highest observation deck and a particular, familiar face standing inches from the glass, staring out at the night sky and the busy streets of Tokyo below. David’s feet are planted on the glass floor of the skywalk firmly, his gaze firmly fixated on the world as it turns beneath him. A freshly fucked grin is still present on his face due to Sammantha’s sexual attack on him the previous evening although it is clear from his eyes that there is a lot on his mind. Those cold, blue windows to his soul are almost steamed up with the weight of his mental baggage.
“You know, from up here it’s easy to play god. The people look like ants, those little black dots on the pavement that go about their lives, unaware what fate befalls them is out of their control. Their destinies are intertwined with their demise as the sun rises and sets each day, beating down on them like a fucked up kid with a magnifying glass. That’s all you are to me Teo, an ant in an ant-farm. Frittering away your life like all the other insects as I examine you and study your every move. Nothing you do goes unseen, every move you make, every fan who’s heart you touch and every single relationship you forge in the flames of life. They are equally as trivial in my eyes, for after all you are not but a rat in a cage. A means to an end of a study I have grown tired of. It’s time for you to reach the height of your potential and become another statistic, another broken body in the hospital wing of my memory.”
The empty observatory surrounds David, and only David in a tomb of glass, suspended high above Tokyo in some kind of transparent vertigo. He holds onto a railing at the North side of the room, his knuckles turning white hot as his grip tightens around the shining, silver beam. It is all he can do to marvel at the world around him, the busy streets of Sumida below, that carry on with their lives, completely unaware of this spectator who watches from above, suggesting that he can shape and manipulate the people to his own will.
"I've never really been much interested in this miserable country or the poor quality of life that seems to be the norm' around here. There is nothing I would love more at this moment in time than to be back home in California, tucking into a cheeseburger and fries like is our god given right as Americans. Yet here I am, stuck in this fucking glass tower left to watch these abuse the gift of life they have been given. Fish markets, machines which dispense used panties and a borderline offensive love for sumo wrestling is basically all I've seen since I got off the plane. You are a sick people you Asians, a sick people with a twisted set of acceptable standards that makes you even harder to tolerate. Look at the sumo thing. What is the big deal? Two fat guys in thongs trying to push each other out of a circle does not sound like an enjoyable evening of entertainment to me. It sounds like obesity being worshiped, encouraged and rewarded. Yet you throw your precious yen at them. Wasting the lifeblood, the fruits of your labor just to see them shove and grope at one another."
"Now this isn't my first trip to Japan, I've wrestled in this country more times than I would care to admit but when a fat man in his underwear getting out of breath, as another wide-load grinds him mercilessly becomes a bigger draw than me, I start to worry a little bit. I'll never understand this place, the way you all live, it seems more alien than foreign”
The cool nights air flows through the city as David’s gaze floats above it, high over the skyscrapers below. His head still stings a little, the stitches still prominent from where the glass picture frame lacerated his skull on Slam. Exhaling his dis-approval at this side of the world he seems thoughtful, contemplating everything he is privy to.
“Teddy, I can’t believe we’ve come so far across the world and yet these people are just as fickle and easily led astray as they are back home. As much as I may detest this part of the world I thought them to be an intelligent race, these Asians. I guess their mental capacity is as greatly exaggerated as their fear of giant, mythical green lizards because somehow you have them convinced that what it is you are selling is the product of the month. It’s all lies. This idea of righteousness overcoming adversity and the forces of good overcoming the dark arts. If only that were true my friend. What a beautiful world we would live in. No murder, no rape, no poverty, no pain. Everybody would be equal and we would all join hands to sing songs of unity. Regardless of race, age, gender and religion. That would be eternal bliss right? Wrong. Nothing is blissful eternally. I never understood that concept when religious people talk of heaven and the afterlife. If something lasts forever then pretty soon it will become repetitive and boring, it’s the way of the human mind. We cannot read the same book for the duration of our lives without knowing what word comes next. We can’t eat steak for every meal. Day in, day out, the taste becomes tepid and familiar. Familiarity is fine when it isn’t eternal. We all have people in our existence that we grow fond of, but to spend every waking moment in your lover’s warm embrace would soon become more of a burden than a blessing. So why, I ask does this concept not shine through? Why do we cling to the idea that what comes after life is eternal happiness, devoid of suffering? Eternal happiness would be suffering in a new sense. You claim to be a voice of the people, perhaps you could shed some light on this for me.”
David turns away from the window now, his eyes entranced on the camera as the lights of Tokyo illuminate the background, complimented by a purple hue from the Skytree itself. There is a serious expression present on his face as always but his eyes are not quite the unforgiving, empty husks they had had been just a few short days ago. He taps his feet on the cool, glass floor and clears his throat.
“Nobody in this world of ours is perfect Teo, so why do you continue to pretend to be? Why can’t you just be honest with the people? Are you so scared of being unpopular that you have to lie and mascaraed as something you are not? I’ve broken you Teddy. This much was obvious when you ambushed me on Slam. You can claim to be anything you want, fuck you can tell these people that cheering for you on Sunday will cure cancer if you like but just know that what fate befalls you is the fault of these people, the product of your own naivety. I don’t have to lie to win matches, I don’t make false promises to the masses in exchange for moral support. I tell it like it is and the cost of my own unpopularity and that is the only way I can operate. At least when I go to bed at night, with the beautiful woman who has accepted my truth as her own, I sleep like a baby. I saw something in your eyes last week, you’ve changed. Teo Del Sol can no longer rest on his morals, I brought you down to my level but still you sit there and spew venom disguised as gumdrops and puppy dogs.”
Bringing the promotional video to a close, David looks up at the glass ceiling and the radio broadcast aerial which towers out of the observation deck. Uttering a few more words to the camera as the scene fades out, panning away from the Skytree and back across the busy Tokyo landscape.
“It must get lonely up here on your pedestal Teo, but rest assured, on Sunday night, I’m going to bring you back down to earth.”
Kicking Puppies
Saturday, 24th July 17:30 – Narisawa Restaurant, Tokyo, Japan
Saturday, 24th July 17:30 – Narisawa Restaurant, Tokyo, Japan
“In Japan, our hearts naturally open up when it is time for us to enjoy the beauty of nature, when blossoming spring flowers call anew for the sky, when birds begin to sing cheerfully, when the light autumn breeze caresses, when the round moon wanes gently to a slender crescent and when each season dies and the next announces a promises of happiness and fulfilment to one’s heart. Being in the midst of nature one will find the signs, the prime and the remnants of every changing thing. Beauty is present in each season, bringing nostalgia to Japanese hearts year-round. Treasuring the spirit of Japanese who traditionally believe that the spirits of the Gods lie in even the smallest elements of nature, we must cherish with our true heart the environment that produces ingredients. For my fellow men, I dream of reviving and resuscitating natural landscapes desecrated by men. In order to bring our natural landscape and the particular strength of that season to a dish, one must carefully consider the main ingredients that form the core of said dish. The smell, aspect and inner texture which were inspired by landscape will be added on the plate but the dish structure is built with only necessary ingredients. Guests should fall under the spell of the season. They should not only be eating a meal, they should absorb life itself. There is no feeling that can exist beyond that experience, for one cannot perfect that which nature has created.”
Nobody could read aloud quite like her, David thought as he sat in across the table from his wife, Samm, listening to her reading the mantra of restaurant owner Yoshihiro Narisawa. The place was deserted but for them, David had paid generously to ensure it would stay so. He hadn’t spent twenty minutes alone with her since they had landed, even as they rolled around a Hilton the previous evening, their actions had been stifled by the knowledge that their son lay only a few meters away on the other side of a thin wall. It had taken Sammantha almost the entire day to source a babysitter who was fluent in English and even longer to run the correct checks to ensure that she was not releasing their son into the arms of a baby-snatcher. They finally had peace though. The freedom to enjoy each others company and discuss the issues at hand. When would she be ready to get back in the ring? What was next for David after Ultimate Showdown? How the fuck did you order a beer in Japanese? Uncultured in all things un-American, this tour was killing David, he would have enjoyed Australia if not for the heat, as for China and Russia, he couldn’t understand or even bother to attempt to grasp the language enough to entertain finding joy in these countries. Japan was proving equally as difficult for him to enjoy, at least he had her this time though. Her partial understanding of the culture was enough to get by on.
They had decided on this location to dine the very same morning, Knives having fallen in love with the beauty of the décor, philosophy of the owner and uniqueness of the menu. David on the other hand was just happy to be eating somewhere that he wasn’t going to have eel forced down his throat, having tried it once and regurgitated it shortly after.
“So… no cheeseburgers and curly fries then?”
David joked, staring lovingly into his lover’s eyes as he feels the very point of her black, leather heels jab into the front of his shin. He winces in pain as she smiles at him, the tips of her white canines protruding cheekily from behind her lips. A waiter approaches their table and bows gracefully at the couple, an act which David emulates in a sarcastic manner, receiving a second kick from his wife.
“Could I get you some drinks?”
The waiter’s English is reasonable, his tone is welcoming and his posture is excellent. He looks like a glorified chess-pawn. Dressed completely in white with a black tie he surveys the table for a second, recognizing the pair but thinking better of announcing this recognition. Sammantha lifts her brows at David before speaking out in a soft tone, her tongue seemingly massaging the words as they vacate her mouth.
“Two cups of sake please, and you might as well just bring us the bottle.”
With a further bow the waiter disappears into the bar area and emerges a few moments later with two small cups and a bottle of sake. He pours a generous measure into each cup and smiles expectantly at the married couple before withdrawing a small notepad from his pocket and awaiting further instruction. Not quite ready to order though, David motions with his hand for the waiter to leave them alone to decide, an instruction which the waiter obeys. Bidding them good fortune as he disappears into the kitchen.
“... Might I say, you look lovely this evening my dear”
David smiles at Sammantha, his compliments towards her had been something she had missed, then again the man himself was just as vain. His observations were accurate though, she looked stunning in a black halter top and an evening dress that shimmered with glitter, the silver sparkles contrasting on the black fabric which in turn contrasted with her pale skin. They had had only been in this restaurant for five minutes and already she had left a trail of sparkling glitter on the tablecloth, the seat cushions and basically any surface she had come in contact with. David was equally well dressed, in the black suit and purple tie which had become somewhat of a regular attire for him since this tour had started. Knives’ cheeks turn a little bit crimson as she blushes, quietly mouthing her approval at her husband’s comment.
“Why thank you sweetheart. You don’t look too bad yourself”
Ego satisfied, David leans forward. His ability to pretend to understand the menu was not quite as convincing as his compliments. Succumbing to defeat after a few seconds he shrugs his shoulders in confusion.
“I… I’m going to be honest, I have no fucking idea what I’m looking at here.”
“We should start with sushi, if you call the waiter back over I’ll order us a platter to get started.”
Pouring the cup of sake down his Throat David lifts his hand and motions for service. Not three second seem to pass before they are greeted once more by their diligent waiter.
“Could we please have a selection of sushi to start us off? Particularly: sea urchin roe, ama-ebi, maguro and gei-niku.”
Impressed at her use of the proper words for one of his country’s traditional dishes the waiter bows his head in her direction again, scoffing at David’s uncultured manners a little before jotting down her order into his notepad and making his way back into the kitchen.
“So my love, how are you feeling about tomorrow night?”
“The same way I always feel before a match like this; confident. I’m a little worried that the fans are going to get in my way but I’m not above kicking a child in the throat if he tries to fuck with my match. I can’t believe Lerch actually signed off on letting those heathens bring the weapons, I mean there’s nothing I’m going to enjoy more than breaking Teddy’s legs in his own element but still, it feels a little bit like a conspiracy to me.”
“Yeah it does seem like you’ve pissed on the wrong fire hydrant somewhere down the line but you’ll get through it and come out shining honey, you always do. Truth be told I’m actually thinking of leaving Kayden with the ‘sitter. He seems to be really taken with Del Sol so at this point you might as well be about to beat the shit of Santa and the Easter Bunny.”
“The kid has to learn someday that neither: Santa, the Easter Bunny, Teo’s perceived niceness or Jesus are real. We’ll just think of this as the first step in educating him that the world is a cruel mistress and not everything he reads in nursery rhymes is legitimate. I think you’re right though. I don’t want him to stop speaking to me again like he did after I said he couldn’t have a puppy. It’s the same principle.”
“It’s not the same principle David, you didn’t buy him a puppy then kick it to death in front of him.”
“No but I didn’t buy him Teo Del Sol either. Just have the babysitter keep him backstage, we can all watch the rest of the show together in the dressing room once I’m finished with Teddy.”
Lady Knives nods her approval at this suggestion, emptying her own cup of sake’ into her mouth and swallowing the contents elegantly before picking up the bottle and pouring them both another glass. As she screws the cork back into the bottle the waiter re-appears with a generous spread of raw fish, setting it atop the pristine white table cloth and issuing them both with a set of chopsticks before he vanishes again.
“itadakimasu.”
Sammantha thanks the waiter in his native tongue as David fumbles with the chopsticks quite a bit before finding his grip and lifting a piece of Hosomaki, tossing it into his mouth and gnashing at it with his incisors as though he hadn’t eaten in a month. Across the table Sammantha does the same, although her skill with these eating utensils far surpasses his own, and she opts to taste a piece of Tamaki instead.
“You know I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this worked up about a match since before we got together, what is it about this guy that’s got you so pissed off?”
“Everything, he’s a fucking fraud.”
David speaks with his mouth full of raw fish, an action which causes Samm to lower her brows. Noticing this he chews the remainder of the piece of Uramaki he was savoring and swallows it before continuing.
“It’s all just a big lie. The mask, the nice-guy routine. I’ve seen it a million times. I don’t trust anybody who has to appeal to the kids to get over in this business, it’s just a total grab for merchandise sales. The whole idea that he’s just one of the people too. That shit really gets to me, if you want to be part of the crowd then buy a fucking ticket.”
Knives laughs a little as a momentary silence descends, the two finish off the plate of sushi that was placed in front of them before taking a drink out of their respective sake cups. This time it is David who replenishes them as the waiter comes back to the table with his little notepad, bowing at them both as he looks at Sammantha this time, having gathered that she is the only one of the two with insight into Japanese cuisine. Silently he suggests that they place the rest of their order.
“That was delicious, thank you. I’d like to try the chicken Mizutaki and my husband will have the same.”
The polite waiter bows again, lifting the empty plate of sushi from their table before David can start licking the residue from it, his diet not used to such small portions. He was practically ravenous but did not dare question what his lover had just ordered. As long as it contained meat at this point he didn’t honestly care.
“Shall we toast my dear?”
He lifts his glass in the air and motions for Samm to do the same. As the scene begins to fade out, leaving them to dine in peace and enjoy each others company in this beautiful corner of the world.
“To us, and to victory.”
Working on the Night Moves
Saturday, July 25th – Hilton Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRFWQoXq4c
Saturday, July 25th – Hilton Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mRFWQoXq4c
The door to Kayden's connected hotel room was closed silently, and as tenderly as possible to keep him from waking back up. Samm tip toed over to the entertainment center across from their bed and put on a random channel that wasn't entirely obnoxious. This was to keep Kayden from hearing anything foul the couple might be saying if their child were to wake. She saw that David was stripping off his clothes and getting into a pair of relaxed Pyjama pants. It didn't take much to sneak up on him now the TV was on.
“As I'm sure you know, honey, there is a difference between a woman who is comfortable with her sexuality enough to dress the way she wants, and a painted-up closet whore, who dresses modestly to hide the inner-skank.”
She spoke as though she were lecturing to a whole hall of thirsty, in-debt college students. Samm was continuing a conversation they carefully had started in the car when they had noticed Kayden falling asleep on the way home from dinner.
“Of course, dear.”
“Now that I have actually stopped and taken time out of my day to evaluate this 'divine embodiment' of femininity, I see that is such a poorly constructed illusion. Those tits though, can't wait to get my hands on those. They look like water balloons! Hahhahah!”
She laughed as she kicked off her heels, collapsed onto the ebony sheeted mattress and gazed up at David with an impish glint in her emerald eyes.
“Just like the illusion constructed by that fraud; Teo Del Sol, in reality, he's getting walked all over like a lucha-door mat!”
He laughed at the corny nature of his statement, looking back at Knives for a reaction. Samm's eyebrow was raised. A small giggle escaped her throat before she looked at him in the eyes and said:
“GRINGO DEL SOL! BAHAHAHAHA! How LUCHADORABLE!”
They both burst into a fit of ridiculously ludicrous laughter, then rolled around the bed as Samm smacked David all across his body with playful blows.
“Well, you are going to be there ringside, lovely, so you will get to see me smash Gringo del Sol from all angles.”
David smirked. Knives growled a little bit, pouted and looked up at her other half.
“I'm still going to be jealous of only being able to stand there and look pretty though...You know that, right?”
She whined a little, grabbed him around the waist and squeezed him as hard as she could, which was much harder than she was able to last time. She heard David forcefully expel the air from his lungs and smirked, looked up and seeing his expression a little taken aback. Her expression was proud and silly, a strange mixture of emotions. He looked back at her with a similar expression, funny how that works sometimes.
“Well, I will say that is extremely impressive, seeing as the last time you squeezed me it felt nothing like that!”
He laughed as he wrapped his large arms around her and constricted her back, forcing the air out of her lungs as she giggled and wiggled around, trying to escape. Samm gave up, relaxing fully in his embrace.
“I've been working really hard ever since you debuted. Personal training sessions every day, several hours at a time. I've been watching what I've been eating and doing a lot of modeling to get my self-esteem and confidence up. I have to stay distracted when we aren't spending time together. Kayden is a wonderful distraction because he reminds me of you. But of course he's not you. I will be proud to fight alongside you in another federation.”
“And I am excited to watch you return. I will make sure to be ringside, no doubt about it.”
He smiled that charming smile that melted her when they had first met at the last Federation, pulled her closer and pressed his lips onto her forehead, coming the black hair out of her face as they nuzzled together and the camera fades to black as Bob Seger bursts into life from the television screen that seems to have been counting down a list of eighties songs.