Post by Alton Kingston on Jan 24, 2016 16:51:33 GMT -5
ACT I: THE BLADES EDGE BAR
The Blades Edge bar on a moonlit street, the air is thick with smoke and the stench of blood and sake is prevalent over all else. The bar sits on the back wall with rows of pachinko machines lit up in front of it with mahjong tables to the right. People come here to get a slice of what it’s like back in their home of Japan and is the hub for the Yakuza in America. The walls have new blood stains on them, the muffled sound of slapping meat can be heard coming from a back room. The sound of someone who should have paid their debt on time. Then silence, the people at their pachinko machines stop to listen in on what would happen next. *CHOP* A howling pain echoes through the bar. Some people smirk, as this is business per usual here, and others shrug off the dead beats wailings as they go back to pachinko. When the door finally opens two men, hands covered in blood, drag a bleeding crying man clutching a bloody stump where a hand once was, out of the bar. The next man to leave is none other than Mr. Nobunaga, sheathing his Zatoichi sword.
(These conversations takes place in Japanese)
Bartender: I’m happy to see you are taking this so seriously.
Nobunaga: Of course I do. If we want this business venture to take off, we need higher rollers over these dead beats.
Bartender: I agree, but if we want that then your boy needs to start winning his matches.
Nobunaga rolls his eyes, but he knows his business partner is right. If they wanted to make money, Nagasaki would need to step up and start winning his matches.
Nobunaga: I have an idea on how to get him motivated for his next one. You know anything about his opponent?
Bartender: Travis Tusk, lost his first match, seems like he lost his first match. Maybe he lucked into his position.
Nobunaga: Perfect, Do me a favor and post our normal odds so that no matter who they bet one we make the most. Change the odds last minute if need be, you know the normal drill.
Bartender: Of course, you act like I’m new to this. Just make sure that Nagasaki wins his next match. Maybe then we can stop collecting blood and start collecting money.
Nobunaga nods to his friend and begins to leave but stops at an elderly woman playing Pachinko, pulls out a shiny red token with a golden dragon on one side and hands it to her. The woman looks to be in her early 70’s and wreaks of cigarettes and death. When she placed the shiny red token in the machine it begins to light up and start ringing as she wins the jackpot. Pay out tokens begin to pore into the shallow metal troth. She jumps out of her seat and hugs Nobunaga.
Nobunaga: Happy birthday Auntie.
Auntie: OH THANK YOU! YOU ARE THE BEST NEPHEW ANYONE COULD ASK FOR!
He kisses her on the cheek and walks out the faded, stained red door into the bright sun and begins his walk back to the hotel.
ACT II: CHEERING UP THE SAD SUMO
The hotel that Nagasaki is staying at seems almost devoid of life. It is dark and quite, the only sound being the occasional sound of a vacuum or sneezing from a room next door. Nagasaki hasn’t gotten out of bed today, how could he? His father’s voice is the only thing that echoes in his head. His father calling him things such as insect, failure, pathetic. This is all that the sad sumo can hear. He looks at his clock next to his bed and it reads twelve noon.
Father: You couldn’t even beat him. One man. At least with your other matches you could blame your loss on having more than one opponent, but this, this is just sad.
Nagasaki: I know.
Father: Why do you even try to do anything? Why can’t you do the world A FAVOR AND DIE?
Nagasaki: I don’t know.
Father: THAT’S BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING, YOU FAT SHIT!
Nagasaki: Why did I lose?
Father: Because you are less than garbage.
Nagasaki spends hours laying his bed talking to himself. He begins to toss and turn in his bed, sweating profusely, the room gets darker until it’s completely black. Nagasaki begins to shake violently about until he falls out of his bed. With a massive thud he lays there silent, No more voice of his father screaming insults at him for hours. Nagasaki looks at his clock again it reads twelve o’ one. Nagasaki gets to his knees and a tear runs down his face.
Mr. Nobunaga: Get Ready Akane. I have something to show you.
Nagasaki wipes his tear from his eye.
Nagasaki: AH Nobunaga! I didn’t even hear you come in! Where are we going?
Mr. Nobunaga: To get a taste of home.
Nagasaki: Alright ill grab a robe!
Nagasaki quickly puts on his silk robes and rushes out of the room with Mr. Nobunaga to the elevator. They take it to the lobby and walk outside. The bright sun hurts the eyes of the sumo, but he is able to make it into the limo that is waiting for them. The car ride takes hours and the hours are spent in silence as both men lament about Nagasaki’s loss, but they finally arrive at a town that looks just like Okinawa. Nagasaki looks in awe as he sees everything he has missed about his home, the food, the people, and the architecture.
Nagasaki: THIS IS AMAZING NOBUNAGA! I HAD NO IDEA A PLACE LIKE THIS EXHISTED HERE!
Mr. Nobunaga: Almost no one does outside of those who live here.
Nagasaki: But why are we here?
Mr. Nobunaga I know that you have been very stressed about your lose here in America, so here we are a place where you can destress before your next match. I want you to watch something.
The limo stops and the door opens. Nobunaga and Nagasaki exit the limo in front of a park. The park has Japanese style swings and slides as well as a massive gathering of people towards the middle of it. As Nagasaki and Nobunaga get closer to the crowd of shouting people they find that it is a small sumo tournament. Nagasaki hasn’t felt a joy like this since he has gotten to America. The tournament continues with large sumo wrestlers throwing each other around until a champion is crowned. Nagasaki goes to congratulate him and is recognized as a yokunza in Japan. The rest of his day is spent teaching the sumo new techniques, drinking with them and karaoke. Feeling refreshed by all the friendly faces of today, Nagasaki could finally be ready for his match without the constantly looming shadow of doubt hanging over him.
ACT III: THE MEETING
Nagasaki is laying in his bed, it’s quite, but it’s tranquil. There is no voice of his father calling him a failure today. Today for the first time since Nagasaki has gotten to America, he is happy.
Nagasaki: Mr. Nobunaga do we have a press conference today?!
Mr. Nobunaga: Yes Akane, You need to get ready because it’s in thirty minutes.
Nagasaki: PLENTY OF TIME!
The jovial sumo springs from his bed and puts on his finest silk robes and grabs Mr. Nobunaga, charging out the door.
Nagasaki: I am so excited for this today!
The room is calm with a low murmur coming from the crowded press.
(This conversation takes place in English)
Mr. Nobunaga: Thank you members of the press for meeting here with my client Akane “Nagasaki” Katsu. We will begin taking questions now.
Press 1: How do you feel you are going to do against your opponent this match?
Nagasaki: Before I answer this question I would like to say something. My best friend Mr. Nobunaga Oda has been my voice for these interviews and conferences, saying things that I should have been saying. So from here on out, I will take my voice back. Now I shall answer your question. I feel confident in my abilities to win. Intact I know that I will win. Because I have proven myself to you people before that I have the skill and the prowess to enter into the ring and defeat my opponent. This man has not, and that is what makes him dangerous. I expect him to give me everything he has to offer, BUT in the end it won’t be enough. The reason is that I am an athlete, one who rose to the top of the sumo circuit in Japan, one who has won a match in the WCF and one who is going to put this man down. He seems like he is an honorable opponent, but that does mean he will be shown mercy. I haven’t been giving everything I have for the past few matches I have faced and for that I am sorry. LET THIS MATCH BE ONE THAT I SHOW EVERYONE IN THE WCF WHAT A SUMO CAN DO!
Press 2: inspiring, Mr. Nobunaga what do you think of his opponent?
Mr. Nobunaga: That he is worthless. He lost his first round and as far as I am concerned he is nothing. He is someone who lucked into his position and is even lucky to be alive after the beating he received. You want to know what I think of Travis Tusk? Is that if he manages to survive his match with my client that he should give up and go back to whatever it was that he did before this.
Press 3: How are the cookies Nagasaki?
Nagasaki: EXCELLENT, I HOPE TO GET A RAISE!
Press 4: Nagasaki, do you have any advice for Travis Tusk?
Nagasaki: I do. If you do not fight at your best, you might as well not fight at all. And if you lose fighting at your best then you need do better than that. I plan to fight you with everything I Have. There will be no rest for you once that bell rings and will show you what it takes to be a wrestler. I will show you what happens when you go up against someone better than you. I will show you what it is like to lose. Only then will you be able to better yourself.
Mr. Nobunaga: once My Client has broken you Travis Tusk, then you will learn why you are considered a failure. A failure to the sport and a failure to the world. Because you are not a wrestler. My client believes that you have some semblance of skill but I do not. Anyone can wrestle the gun out of a drunk’s hand, but that does not make you a wrestler. My client has spent his whole life training to be a sumo, but the fact that you just happened to be in the right place at the right time doesn’t mean you get to play with the big boys. My best advice I could give you, don’t show up. Save yourself some dignity and honor.
With that the two depart leaving the maelstrom of questions the press still needed to ask. They meet on the roof of the hotel and stare in the direction of the city they spent the day at yesterday.
Mr. Nobunaga: I didn’t think you would keep a straight face in there.
Nagasaki: it was difficult, but had to be done. I need to be taken seriously here if I ever want the joy of Sumo spread to the world.
Mr. Nobunaga: Hm well I’m glad you finally take your time here seriously. Would you like to go back there?
Nagasaki: Not just go back my friend, I want that to be where I open my first sumo school in America.
Mr. Nobunaga: You had better win your match tonight then. Because if you do then maybe those people in that town will be inspired to join your cause. Hell maybe one of them might even join the WCF.
Nagasaki: HA! NOW THAT IS SOMETHING I COULD DRINK TO!
Nagasaki opens a bottle of sake and begins to take large gulps of it from the bottle before handing it over to Mr. Nobunaga. He then takes a mouth full of it and hands it back.
Nagasaki: TO VICTORY AND SUMO!
Mr. Nobunaga: Haha to victory and sumo my friend.
The Blades Edge bar on a moonlit street, the air is thick with smoke and the stench of blood and sake is prevalent over all else. The bar sits on the back wall with rows of pachinko machines lit up in front of it with mahjong tables to the right. People come here to get a slice of what it’s like back in their home of Japan and is the hub for the Yakuza in America. The walls have new blood stains on them, the muffled sound of slapping meat can be heard coming from a back room. The sound of someone who should have paid their debt on time. Then silence, the people at their pachinko machines stop to listen in on what would happen next. *CHOP* A howling pain echoes through the bar. Some people smirk, as this is business per usual here, and others shrug off the dead beats wailings as they go back to pachinko. When the door finally opens two men, hands covered in blood, drag a bleeding crying man clutching a bloody stump where a hand once was, out of the bar. The next man to leave is none other than Mr. Nobunaga, sheathing his Zatoichi sword.
(These conversations takes place in Japanese)
Bartender: I’m happy to see you are taking this so seriously.
Nobunaga: Of course I do. If we want this business venture to take off, we need higher rollers over these dead beats.
Bartender: I agree, but if we want that then your boy needs to start winning his matches.
Nobunaga rolls his eyes, but he knows his business partner is right. If they wanted to make money, Nagasaki would need to step up and start winning his matches.
Nobunaga: I have an idea on how to get him motivated for his next one. You know anything about his opponent?
Bartender: Travis Tusk, lost his first match, seems like he lost his first match. Maybe he lucked into his position.
Nobunaga: Perfect, Do me a favor and post our normal odds so that no matter who they bet one we make the most. Change the odds last minute if need be, you know the normal drill.
Bartender: Of course, you act like I’m new to this. Just make sure that Nagasaki wins his next match. Maybe then we can stop collecting blood and start collecting money.
Nobunaga nods to his friend and begins to leave but stops at an elderly woman playing Pachinko, pulls out a shiny red token with a golden dragon on one side and hands it to her. The woman looks to be in her early 70’s and wreaks of cigarettes and death. When she placed the shiny red token in the machine it begins to light up and start ringing as she wins the jackpot. Pay out tokens begin to pore into the shallow metal troth. She jumps out of her seat and hugs Nobunaga.
Nobunaga: Happy birthday Auntie.
Auntie: OH THANK YOU! YOU ARE THE BEST NEPHEW ANYONE COULD ASK FOR!
He kisses her on the cheek and walks out the faded, stained red door into the bright sun and begins his walk back to the hotel.
ACT II: CHEERING UP THE SAD SUMO
The hotel that Nagasaki is staying at seems almost devoid of life. It is dark and quite, the only sound being the occasional sound of a vacuum or sneezing from a room next door. Nagasaki hasn’t gotten out of bed today, how could he? His father’s voice is the only thing that echoes in his head. His father calling him things such as insect, failure, pathetic. This is all that the sad sumo can hear. He looks at his clock next to his bed and it reads twelve noon.
Father: You couldn’t even beat him. One man. At least with your other matches you could blame your loss on having more than one opponent, but this, this is just sad.
Nagasaki: I know.
Father: Why do you even try to do anything? Why can’t you do the world A FAVOR AND DIE?
Nagasaki: I don’t know.
Father: THAT’S BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW ANYTHING, YOU FAT SHIT!
Nagasaki: Why did I lose?
Father: Because you are less than garbage.
Nagasaki spends hours laying his bed talking to himself. He begins to toss and turn in his bed, sweating profusely, the room gets darker until it’s completely black. Nagasaki begins to shake violently about until he falls out of his bed. With a massive thud he lays there silent, No more voice of his father screaming insults at him for hours. Nagasaki looks at his clock again it reads twelve o’ one. Nagasaki gets to his knees and a tear runs down his face.
Mr. Nobunaga: Get Ready Akane. I have something to show you.
Nagasaki wipes his tear from his eye.
Nagasaki: AH Nobunaga! I didn’t even hear you come in! Where are we going?
Mr. Nobunaga: To get a taste of home.
Nagasaki: Alright ill grab a robe!
Nagasaki quickly puts on his silk robes and rushes out of the room with Mr. Nobunaga to the elevator. They take it to the lobby and walk outside. The bright sun hurts the eyes of the sumo, but he is able to make it into the limo that is waiting for them. The car ride takes hours and the hours are spent in silence as both men lament about Nagasaki’s loss, but they finally arrive at a town that looks just like Okinawa. Nagasaki looks in awe as he sees everything he has missed about his home, the food, the people, and the architecture.
Nagasaki: THIS IS AMAZING NOBUNAGA! I HAD NO IDEA A PLACE LIKE THIS EXHISTED HERE!
Mr. Nobunaga: Almost no one does outside of those who live here.
Nagasaki: But why are we here?
Mr. Nobunaga I know that you have been very stressed about your lose here in America, so here we are a place where you can destress before your next match. I want you to watch something.
The limo stops and the door opens. Nobunaga and Nagasaki exit the limo in front of a park. The park has Japanese style swings and slides as well as a massive gathering of people towards the middle of it. As Nagasaki and Nobunaga get closer to the crowd of shouting people they find that it is a small sumo tournament. Nagasaki hasn’t felt a joy like this since he has gotten to America. The tournament continues with large sumo wrestlers throwing each other around until a champion is crowned. Nagasaki goes to congratulate him and is recognized as a yokunza in Japan. The rest of his day is spent teaching the sumo new techniques, drinking with them and karaoke. Feeling refreshed by all the friendly faces of today, Nagasaki could finally be ready for his match without the constantly looming shadow of doubt hanging over him.
ACT III: THE MEETING
Nagasaki is laying in his bed, it’s quite, but it’s tranquil. There is no voice of his father calling him a failure today. Today for the first time since Nagasaki has gotten to America, he is happy.
Nagasaki: Mr. Nobunaga do we have a press conference today?!
Mr. Nobunaga: Yes Akane, You need to get ready because it’s in thirty minutes.
Nagasaki: PLENTY OF TIME!
The jovial sumo springs from his bed and puts on his finest silk robes and grabs Mr. Nobunaga, charging out the door.
Nagasaki: I am so excited for this today!
The room is calm with a low murmur coming from the crowded press.
(This conversation takes place in English)
Mr. Nobunaga: Thank you members of the press for meeting here with my client Akane “Nagasaki” Katsu. We will begin taking questions now.
Press 1: How do you feel you are going to do against your opponent this match?
Nagasaki: Before I answer this question I would like to say something. My best friend Mr. Nobunaga Oda has been my voice for these interviews and conferences, saying things that I should have been saying. So from here on out, I will take my voice back. Now I shall answer your question. I feel confident in my abilities to win. Intact I know that I will win. Because I have proven myself to you people before that I have the skill and the prowess to enter into the ring and defeat my opponent. This man has not, and that is what makes him dangerous. I expect him to give me everything he has to offer, BUT in the end it won’t be enough. The reason is that I am an athlete, one who rose to the top of the sumo circuit in Japan, one who has won a match in the WCF and one who is going to put this man down. He seems like he is an honorable opponent, but that does mean he will be shown mercy. I haven’t been giving everything I have for the past few matches I have faced and for that I am sorry. LET THIS MATCH BE ONE THAT I SHOW EVERYONE IN THE WCF WHAT A SUMO CAN DO!
Press 2: inspiring, Mr. Nobunaga what do you think of his opponent?
Mr. Nobunaga: That he is worthless. He lost his first round and as far as I am concerned he is nothing. He is someone who lucked into his position and is even lucky to be alive after the beating he received. You want to know what I think of Travis Tusk? Is that if he manages to survive his match with my client that he should give up and go back to whatever it was that he did before this.
Press 3: How are the cookies Nagasaki?
Nagasaki: EXCELLENT, I HOPE TO GET A RAISE!
Press 4: Nagasaki, do you have any advice for Travis Tusk?
Nagasaki: I do. If you do not fight at your best, you might as well not fight at all. And if you lose fighting at your best then you need do better than that. I plan to fight you with everything I Have. There will be no rest for you once that bell rings and will show you what it takes to be a wrestler. I will show you what happens when you go up against someone better than you. I will show you what it is like to lose. Only then will you be able to better yourself.
Mr. Nobunaga: once My Client has broken you Travis Tusk, then you will learn why you are considered a failure. A failure to the sport and a failure to the world. Because you are not a wrestler. My client believes that you have some semblance of skill but I do not. Anyone can wrestle the gun out of a drunk’s hand, but that does not make you a wrestler. My client has spent his whole life training to be a sumo, but the fact that you just happened to be in the right place at the right time doesn’t mean you get to play with the big boys. My best advice I could give you, don’t show up. Save yourself some dignity and honor.
With that the two depart leaving the maelstrom of questions the press still needed to ask. They meet on the roof of the hotel and stare in the direction of the city they spent the day at yesterday.
Mr. Nobunaga: I didn’t think you would keep a straight face in there.
Nagasaki: it was difficult, but had to be done. I need to be taken seriously here if I ever want the joy of Sumo spread to the world.
Mr. Nobunaga: Hm well I’m glad you finally take your time here seriously. Would you like to go back there?
Nagasaki: Not just go back my friend, I want that to be where I open my first sumo school in America.
Mr. Nobunaga: You had better win your match tonight then. Because if you do then maybe those people in that town will be inspired to join your cause. Hell maybe one of them might even join the WCF.
Nagasaki: HA! NOW THAT IS SOMETHING I COULD DRINK TO!
Nagasaki opens a bottle of sake and begins to take large gulps of it from the bottle before handing it over to Mr. Nobunaga. He then takes a mouth full of it and hands it back.
Nagasaki: TO VICTORY AND SUMO!
Mr. Nobunaga: Haha to victory and sumo my friend.
