Journey To Wolfslair: Chapter 1. Japanese Odyssey Part 3
Dec 7, 2020 2:28:46 GMT -5
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Post by Aiden Reynolds on Dec 7, 2020 2:28:46 GMT -5
It is what it is.
Cultural divides and lines between classes and races shouldn’t be a problem in our day and age. Religious differences too should just be discussions of ideology and faith, not reasons for war and conquest. Growing up Aiden Reynolds never had ideas of divides. He saw everyone equally from the start, his opinions on individuals forming over time and experience. It’s how many people start off their lives and how we should all see things. Ignoring the vocal minority of stupidity and casting off the chains of bias and embracing our differences. But when Aiden arrived in Japan for the first time in when he noticed those cultural differences.
Back home, everything was so carefree and informal. It was the same for the most part in Europe and America. People went through their lives with an air of selfishness and it was normal. But in Japan, there was a feeling in the air that opened Aidens eyes.
A deep wellspring of respect and stoic respect. But a passion for life and tradition that flowed underneath. It was something that Aiden had tried to learn and appreciate. Admittedly he stumbled from time to time. Made some societal faux pas. But Aiden always felt his heart and head was in the right place. Even buying an apartment in Tokyo, moving to Japan almost full time, being there for over a year and learning the language enough to be passable. But, to everyone else he was still just a gaijin.
An outsider.
And that feeling, that meaning was not as prevalent in his mind as when he went to meet his boss, Etsuko’s father. Awkward wasn’t quite the word for it….
Late 2018.
He had been waiting a few hours. And for no reason. Aiden stood across the street from the JWL headquarters. It was a giant building right in the middle of Tokyo. The windows mirrored to reflect the sun. He didn’t have an appointment. He was not asked to be here. But Aiden needed to know, he needed to know why. Why was he attacked? Why was he told to stay away from Etsuko Hashi?. It had been a few days, his physical scars had healed, the bruising and swelling had gone down. But there was now a confusion and anger that burned him. Etsuko had tried to call, his cellphone having missed calls, voicemails and messages. But he had no idea what to do or say.
He didn’t want to lie to her.
Aiden enclosed his eyes and took a long deep breath before walking across the street as the indicator turned green. He moved around and through the doors with his hoodie pulled up over his head, he moved with a group as they all filtered in. Aiden then turned and broke off from the group heading right towards the elevator. The doors stayed closed for a few moments as he pressed the button, those moments feeling like hours. He could feel the eyes on him, the security guards starting to become alerted and suspicious. He swallowed hard, suddenly wishing he had a cardboard box out of Metal Gear Solid.
There was a ding, the doors opened and Aiden quickly moved in before pressing the button and closing the doors. There was a wave of relief that moved over him, he had been able to get through the hardest part, he unzipped his hoodie taking it off showing a white button up shirt and a black tie tucked into black slacks.
The numbers rolled over and over until they reached the penthouse floor. The office of Natiro Hashi. President, CEO and owner of JWL.
The doors opened and Aiden stepped out, he moved right through the large glass doors, golden letters painstakingly painted on them in both Japanese and English. He pushed through them glancing over at Mr Hashi’s assistant. He remembered her from his first meeting with the upper management of the company. He wondered if she would remember him, would that give him a split second advantage?. She glanced up, a moment of recognition in her eyes and then confusion checking her computer screen. That is nall Aiden needed.
He quickly got to the large wooden doors pushing the ornate handles, the door wasn’t locked. He made it inside before she could stop him. Aiden smiled as Natiro Hashi slowly turned. His eyebrow raised but knowing why Aiden was there, he chuckled and put his hand up, the assistant stopped in her tracks and with a flip of his wrist she backed away and closed the door behind her. There was a silence between them. Moments passed and turned into an awkward feeling. A feeling that Aiden hated as it slowly made its way down to his gut.
He took a deep breath in and stepped forward bowing his head in respect before speaking. Dusting off his best Japanese. “Hashi-san,-banashi ga hitsuyōdesu” Natiro sneered and shook his head with a sigh before interrupting.
“Aiden, please don’t insult us both by attempting to speak to me in Japanese.” He gave a small nod and raised his head back up, staying silent and letting his elder lead the conversation. For now. “I know why you’re here, I don’t understand why you would actually come here. I think the message was clear Aiden.” He stayed calm, his voice was measured. It was actually off putting. Aiden not being able to read the emotions behind his words.
He took a deep breath and spoke, keeping his voice quiet but loud enough to carry the conversation. “Mr Hashi, Etsuko and I….we enjoy each other's company.”
He could feel the dynamic of the room change. Natiro’s eyes burned with anger but he still kept himself calm as Aiden did. This was a chess match, emotional instability would be a loss. “My daughter is not to spend time with you. You have made good money working for me and have been a good draw. But do not mistake it, you are not irreplaceable. And my child is.” The last few words came out as a lower growl. Aiden stepped forward placing his hands behind his back but pushing his chest up.
His voice was hardened, a little louder and forceful. “She is a growl woman, allowed to make her own choices, and I respectfully ask that you let her.” Hashi let out a small laugh and a shake of his head before turning away from Aiden, his eyes moving to the window and down to the street. There was more silence. More awkward moments.
“Spoken from youth and inexperience.” Hashi moved his hands around his back as well, showing the same stance as Aiden, not willing to give an inch as he turned around to face him. “They never really grow up Aiden, your child is ALWAYS your child. You will always protect them.”
“Etsuko doesn’t need protecting from me.” His voice was louder now, his arms moving a little more free as Aiden stepped forward reaching the other side of the desk now only five feet or so from Etsuokos father, his employer. And someone who in all honesty Aiden should not fuck with.
Natiro Hashi was first and foremost a businessman, but that business sometimes turned illegal. Working with Yakuza and others. Aiden knew it, he wasn’t blind. Yet here he was standing up to a man who many said was fair, but dangerous if crossed. And Aiden had crossed him in a personal way.. “I am going to make this easier than I should for you….” He moved and sat in the large dark wood chair behind the matching desk. It was beautiful and freshly varnished. Natiro opened his book, scribbling something down before pulling out a slip of paper. He held it up with a smile. “The rest of your contract. The next eight months of your pay, including all bonus….to leave now…”
Aiden was stunned, he stepped back and shook his head with a sneer, anger boiling up. “You think you can buy me?”
Natiro stood up and slammed the piece of paper down on the table right in front of Aiden. “Don’t be stupid. You can take this money, money I owe you, and go find somewhere else to work. Europe, America, go back home to Australia. I don’t care. But take my offer Aiden…..” His eyes trailed down. It was a a lot of money, enough that he could take some time off, enough that he could go to America.
But that wasn’t the point. His hands slowly moved down to the paper picking it up, pre signed, the figure on it even larger than his contract. He took a long deep breath and slowly ripped it in half. “Etsuko…..she’s priceless….good day sir…” Aiden bowed and turned on his heels as Natiro simply sat back down picking up his phone, the doors closing behind Aiden.
Striking a match.
“I don’t want to say, “I told you so”. But, I told you so.”
Aiden Reynolds, Australian superstar and all around smart ass, sits in his apartment. He reaches forward picking up a can of Monster energy from the table cracking it open and taking a sip before letting out a deep breath and sitting back against his black leather couch. He looks over at Dickie Watson, sitting back and happily playing a nintendo switch while munching on corn chips.
“Contessa tried to tell you all I was nothing but Dickie’s bitch. That I was just a second fiddle and I wasn’t going to do a damn thing. Yet here I am beating the woman who is technically the number one contender for Dickie’s title. The grand championship, the number one title in this company held by the number one bloke. So in another world, I’d be number one contender. But, we both know I ain’t going for that title while Dickie holds it. It would be a real dick move for me to suddenly pop up and want that championship eh?. Now, I’m not going to just sit here and rag on ol Tessa flo, cause she did what is commonly known as “the balls play”. She called someone out, not just someone but someone who was close to her target. She had to know that calling me out and saying everything she did meant that if she lost, she’d look like a right tit…”
“Or, an idiot in a more ‘Murican way.”
“And hey, that’s what happened, she threw down the challenge, got in the ring with me and when the dust settled, she had no choice but to tap out before I took her legs and lower back home with me as trophies.”
“Then, well then the little blonde twit decided to take the bull by the-”
“Aiden!”
“Horns…..I WAS GOING TO SAY HORNS MAN DAMN….”
Aiden and Dickie exchange awkward glances before Aiden shakes his head and goes right back to his promo, letting out a deep sigh and taking another drink of Monster Energy (not a sponsor).
“Anyway, she decided to come right after me when the bell rang and I’d already won. So I’ll give ol Tessa credit, she has some big ol balls. But, I’m going to do one thing here, something I never do…..I’m going to give her a pass. See, I know that I could get all pissy and go after her and take my eyes off the prize that I have in front of me and get revenge. But, that ain’t going to do me any good, I’d not gonna do Dickie any good and all it will do is make Cuntessa feel that she’s more important than she actually is.”
“Did you just call her Cun-”
“Oi mate...no need for that language….”
Dickie just shakes his head and mumbles under his breath as Aiden continues.
“So, I know that my ol mate Dickie Watason is going to roll on up and defend that title and pimp slap that little bitch back down to whatever circle of hell she thinks she’s from. Meanwhile I’m going to hop on Satan's ice cream truck and take a little drive down past Haddonfield, take a let at camp crystal lake and roll up on Elm street….”
“Did...did I get all the horror cliches in? Are we cool? Or are we going to get sued by 20th century fox? Or Disney since they own everything else….”
“But just in case you haven’t gathered it yet, I get to go one on one with The Horror King himself PYRO at Unbreakable Resolution. And man the stakes in this could not be higher eh?. He and I go toe to toe, mano e mano for the right to get into the Legacy Championship Series. Or rather that's what I have gathered, that’s what qualifier means right? So me and Pyro are going to fight it out and I gotta say, I’m impressed with the guy, not the whole horror thing, but what he did in the ring. Whooping Alex Kincaid up and down the pine and canvas, it shows that Pyro knows his way around the ring. It shows that he isn’t a slouch. And that is what I really care about. I couldn’t care less about the whole horror thing.”
“Don’t get me wrong I do love horror movies. But I love them as works of fiction and entertainment. If I’m going to beat you though mate, I’m going to need to look at everything. I can’t just discount your physical aesthetic. I mean you’re six foot one, 205 pounds, similar size to me, you have a brutal style. It’s nothing to scoff at mate. And hey, I’m sure there’s alot of people out there who believe you’re going to light my ass up on fire and beat me. That is what you’ll have people believe right? Then again, belief is a huge part of wrestling. You believe you’re a horror king from England, you believe that gives you some kind of power and that your love of fire and empty threats are going to some how get under me skin right?”
Aiden raises his eyebrows and then stops for a moment looking as if he is in deep thought.
“Wait...I GOT IT…”
Dickie slowly lowers his switch again with an eyebrow raised almost scared of what his friend might say.
“We cut his hair!. See my theory, a totally unbiased theory based on years of watching really bad B and often C grade horror flicks, is that Pyro gets his powers from that mangy mop of hair! We cut it and boom, no powers like Sauron…”
“Sauron?...you mean Samson?”
“Yeah, that’s it!. Thanks mate, you know I don’t read Harry Potter…”
“.....”
Dickie goes to say something but instead lowers his eyes back to his switch. Aiden rubs his chin and finishes his Monster before letting out an almighty burp and clearing his throat.
“Here’s the thing mate, I get that we all do what we can to stand out in this wacky world of professional wrestling, in fact this business kinda brings in the wackiest people from around the globe. So your whole thing, the way you talk and your threats, I understand it mate. See you have bad horror shtick, I have the accent, abs, athletic ability, good looks and the actual track record. And think about it, a win over me could change your life in Project Honor right off the bat, you could go from the weird dude who beat Alex Kincaid to a possible Legacy champion. And hey mate, I am not going to say you don’t have the ability to do it because you clearly do. I just ask that you not underestimate me like Contessa did, cause I want a challenge, I want to be pushed and to get better...so please Pyro...bring ya big boy pants and a bottle of lube…”
“A bottle of lube?”
“That...that just slipped out...I wanted to end this promo strong…”
“You failed as bad as Colton Saints kidnapping career….”
“Ooop”
Cultural divides and lines between classes and races shouldn’t be a problem in our day and age. Religious differences too should just be discussions of ideology and faith, not reasons for war and conquest. Growing up Aiden Reynolds never had ideas of divides. He saw everyone equally from the start, his opinions on individuals forming over time and experience. It’s how many people start off their lives and how we should all see things. Ignoring the vocal minority of stupidity and casting off the chains of bias and embracing our differences. But when Aiden arrived in Japan for the first time in when he noticed those cultural differences.
Back home, everything was so carefree and informal. It was the same for the most part in Europe and America. People went through their lives with an air of selfishness and it was normal. But in Japan, there was a feeling in the air that opened Aidens eyes.
A deep wellspring of respect and stoic respect. But a passion for life and tradition that flowed underneath. It was something that Aiden had tried to learn and appreciate. Admittedly he stumbled from time to time. Made some societal faux pas. But Aiden always felt his heart and head was in the right place. Even buying an apartment in Tokyo, moving to Japan almost full time, being there for over a year and learning the language enough to be passable. But, to everyone else he was still just a gaijin.
An outsider.
And that feeling, that meaning was not as prevalent in his mind as when he went to meet his boss, Etsuko’s father. Awkward wasn’t quite the word for it….
Late 2018.
He had been waiting a few hours. And for no reason. Aiden stood across the street from the JWL headquarters. It was a giant building right in the middle of Tokyo. The windows mirrored to reflect the sun. He didn’t have an appointment. He was not asked to be here. But Aiden needed to know, he needed to know why. Why was he attacked? Why was he told to stay away from Etsuko Hashi?. It had been a few days, his physical scars had healed, the bruising and swelling had gone down. But there was now a confusion and anger that burned him. Etsuko had tried to call, his cellphone having missed calls, voicemails and messages. But he had no idea what to do or say.
He didn’t want to lie to her.
Aiden enclosed his eyes and took a long deep breath before walking across the street as the indicator turned green. He moved around and through the doors with his hoodie pulled up over his head, he moved with a group as they all filtered in. Aiden then turned and broke off from the group heading right towards the elevator. The doors stayed closed for a few moments as he pressed the button, those moments feeling like hours. He could feel the eyes on him, the security guards starting to become alerted and suspicious. He swallowed hard, suddenly wishing he had a cardboard box out of Metal Gear Solid.
There was a ding, the doors opened and Aiden quickly moved in before pressing the button and closing the doors. There was a wave of relief that moved over him, he had been able to get through the hardest part, he unzipped his hoodie taking it off showing a white button up shirt and a black tie tucked into black slacks.
The numbers rolled over and over until they reached the penthouse floor. The office of Natiro Hashi. President, CEO and owner of JWL.
The doors opened and Aiden stepped out, he moved right through the large glass doors, golden letters painstakingly painted on them in both Japanese and English. He pushed through them glancing over at Mr Hashi’s assistant. He remembered her from his first meeting with the upper management of the company. He wondered if she would remember him, would that give him a split second advantage?. She glanced up, a moment of recognition in her eyes and then confusion checking her computer screen. That is nall Aiden needed.
He quickly got to the large wooden doors pushing the ornate handles, the door wasn’t locked. He made it inside before she could stop him. Aiden smiled as Natiro Hashi slowly turned. His eyebrow raised but knowing why Aiden was there, he chuckled and put his hand up, the assistant stopped in her tracks and with a flip of his wrist she backed away and closed the door behind her. There was a silence between them. Moments passed and turned into an awkward feeling. A feeling that Aiden hated as it slowly made its way down to his gut.
He took a deep breath in and stepped forward bowing his head in respect before speaking. Dusting off his best Japanese. “Hashi-san,-banashi ga hitsuyōdesu” Natiro sneered and shook his head with a sigh before interrupting.
“Aiden, please don’t insult us both by attempting to speak to me in Japanese.” He gave a small nod and raised his head back up, staying silent and letting his elder lead the conversation. For now. “I know why you’re here, I don’t understand why you would actually come here. I think the message was clear Aiden.” He stayed calm, his voice was measured. It was actually off putting. Aiden not being able to read the emotions behind his words.
He took a deep breath and spoke, keeping his voice quiet but loud enough to carry the conversation. “Mr Hashi, Etsuko and I….we enjoy each other's company.”
He could feel the dynamic of the room change. Natiro’s eyes burned with anger but he still kept himself calm as Aiden did. This was a chess match, emotional instability would be a loss. “My daughter is not to spend time with you. You have made good money working for me and have been a good draw. But do not mistake it, you are not irreplaceable. And my child is.” The last few words came out as a lower growl. Aiden stepped forward placing his hands behind his back but pushing his chest up.
His voice was hardened, a little louder and forceful. “She is a growl woman, allowed to make her own choices, and I respectfully ask that you let her.” Hashi let out a small laugh and a shake of his head before turning away from Aiden, his eyes moving to the window and down to the street. There was more silence. More awkward moments.
“Spoken from youth and inexperience.” Hashi moved his hands around his back as well, showing the same stance as Aiden, not willing to give an inch as he turned around to face him. “They never really grow up Aiden, your child is ALWAYS your child. You will always protect them.”
“Etsuko doesn’t need protecting from me.” His voice was louder now, his arms moving a little more free as Aiden stepped forward reaching the other side of the desk now only five feet or so from Etsuokos father, his employer. And someone who in all honesty Aiden should not fuck with.
Natiro Hashi was first and foremost a businessman, but that business sometimes turned illegal. Working with Yakuza and others. Aiden knew it, he wasn’t blind. Yet here he was standing up to a man who many said was fair, but dangerous if crossed. And Aiden had crossed him in a personal way.. “I am going to make this easier than I should for you….” He moved and sat in the large dark wood chair behind the matching desk. It was beautiful and freshly varnished. Natiro opened his book, scribbling something down before pulling out a slip of paper. He held it up with a smile. “The rest of your contract. The next eight months of your pay, including all bonus….to leave now…”
Aiden was stunned, he stepped back and shook his head with a sneer, anger boiling up. “You think you can buy me?”
Natiro stood up and slammed the piece of paper down on the table right in front of Aiden. “Don’t be stupid. You can take this money, money I owe you, and go find somewhere else to work. Europe, America, go back home to Australia. I don’t care. But take my offer Aiden…..” His eyes trailed down. It was a a lot of money, enough that he could take some time off, enough that he could go to America.
But that wasn’t the point. His hands slowly moved down to the paper picking it up, pre signed, the figure on it even larger than his contract. He took a long deep breath and slowly ripped it in half. “Etsuko…..she’s priceless….good day sir…” Aiden bowed and turned on his heels as Natiro simply sat back down picking up his phone, the doors closing behind Aiden.
Striking a match.
“I don’t want to say, “I told you so”. But, I told you so.”
Aiden Reynolds, Australian superstar and all around smart ass, sits in his apartment. He reaches forward picking up a can of Monster energy from the table cracking it open and taking a sip before letting out a deep breath and sitting back against his black leather couch. He looks over at Dickie Watson, sitting back and happily playing a nintendo switch while munching on corn chips.
“Contessa tried to tell you all I was nothing but Dickie’s bitch. That I was just a second fiddle and I wasn’t going to do a damn thing. Yet here I am beating the woman who is technically the number one contender for Dickie’s title. The grand championship, the number one title in this company held by the number one bloke. So in another world, I’d be number one contender. But, we both know I ain’t going for that title while Dickie holds it. It would be a real dick move for me to suddenly pop up and want that championship eh?. Now, I’m not going to just sit here and rag on ol Tessa flo, cause she did what is commonly known as “the balls play”. She called someone out, not just someone but someone who was close to her target. She had to know that calling me out and saying everything she did meant that if she lost, she’d look like a right tit…”
“Or, an idiot in a more ‘Murican way.”
“And hey, that’s what happened, she threw down the challenge, got in the ring with me and when the dust settled, she had no choice but to tap out before I took her legs and lower back home with me as trophies.”
“Then, well then the little blonde twit decided to take the bull by the-”
“Aiden!”
“Horns…..I WAS GOING TO SAY HORNS MAN DAMN….”
Aiden and Dickie exchange awkward glances before Aiden shakes his head and goes right back to his promo, letting out a deep sigh and taking another drink of Monster Energy (not a sponsor).
“Anyway, she decided to come right after me when the bell rang and I’d already won. So I’ll give ol Tessa credit, she has some big ol balls. But, I’m going to do one thing here, something I never do…..I’m going to give her a pass. See, I know that I could get all pissy and go after her and take my eyes off the prize that I have in front of me and get revenge. But, that ain’t going to do me any good, I’d not gonna do Dickie any good and all it will do is make Cuntessa feel that she’s more important than she actually is.”
“Did you just call her Cun-”
“Oi mate...no need for that language….”
Dickie just shakes his head and mumbles under his breath as Aiden continues.
“So, I know that my ol mate Dickie Watason is going to roll on up and defend that title and pimp slap that little bitch back down to whatever circle of hell she thinks she’s from. Meanwhile I’m going to hop on Satan's ice cream truck and take a little drive down past Haddonfield, take a let at camp crystal lake and roll up on Elm street….”
“Did...did I get all the horror cliches in? Are we cool? Or are we going to get sued by 20th century fox? Or Disney since they own everything else….”
“But just in case you haven’t gathered it yet, I get to go one on one with The Horror King himself PYRO at Unbreakable Resolution. And man the stakes in this could not be higher eh?. He and I go toe to toe, mano e mano for the right to get into the Legacy Championship Series. Or rather that's what I have gathered, that’s what qualifier means right? So me and Pyro are going to fight it out and I gotta say, I’m impressed with the guy, not the whole horror thing, but what he did in the ring. Whooping Alex Kincaid up and down the pine and canvas, it shows that Pyro knows his way around the ring. It shows that he isn’t a slouch. And that is what I really care about. I couldn’t care less about the whole horror thing.”
“Don’t get me wrong I do love horror movies. But I love them as works of fiction and entertainment. If I’m going to beat you though mate, I’m going to need to look at everything. I can’t just discount your physical aesthetic. I mean you’re six foot one, 205 pounds, similar size to me, you have a brutal style. It’s nothing to scoff at mate. And hey, I’m sure there’s alot of people out there who believe you’re going to light my ass up on fire and beat me. That is what you’ll have people believe right? Then again, belief is a huge part of wrestling. You believe you’re a horror king from England, you believe that gives you some kind of power and that your love of fire and empty threats are going to some how get under me skin right?”
Aiden raises his eyebrows and then stops for a moment looking as if he is in deep thought.
“Wait...I GOT IT…”
Dickie slowly lowers his switch again with an eyebrow raised almost scared of what his friend might say.
“We cut his hair!. See my theory, a totally unbiased theory based on years of watching really bad B and often C grade horror flicks, is that Pyro gets his powers from that mangy mop of hair! We cut it and boom, no powers like Sauron…”
“Sauron?...you mean Samson?”
“Yeah, that’s it!. Thanks mate, you know I don’t read Harry Potter…”
“.....”
Dickie goes to say something but instead lowers his eyes back to his switch. Aiden rubs his chin and finishes his Monster before letting out an almighty burp and clearing his throat.
“Here’s the thing mate, I get that we all do what we can to stand out in this wacky world of professional wrestling, in fact this business kinda brings in the wackiest people from around the globe. So your whole thing, the way you talk and your threats, I understand it mate. See you have bad horror shtick, I have the accent, abs, athletic ability, good looks and the actual track record. And think about it, a win over me could change your life in Project Honor right off the bat, you could go from the weird dude who beat Alex Kincaid to a possible Legacy champion. And hey mate, I am not going to say you don’t have the ability to do it because you clearly do. I just ask that you not underestimate me like Contessa did, cause I want a challenge, I want to be pushed and to get better...so please Pyro...bring ya big boy pants and a bottle of lube…”
“A bottle of lube?”
“That...that just slipped out...I wanted to end this promo strong…”
“You failed as bad as Colton Saints kidnapping career….”
“Ooop”
