Post by MYŌJIN on Dec 16, 2020 19:31:46 GMT -5
Unbreakable Resolution: The Test of the (Un)breakable Bond.. So much had gone on, inside the ring, outside of it; this had become more than the usual deal of clashing wills and egos. While there were eyes mainly focused on the headliner of the evening, the two souls bound in one half of the attraction set right before it found their minds torn between that and their glory. It was so close now, and yet..they were drowning. The sea of doubt was cruel to them, with every victory causing more cracks. They had just been too brave, too bold, perhaps too scared to admit it. Now they were chained by fate, it was within reach. All they had to do was break free and grasp it from the hands of another formidable force.
The timed camera switches to begin recording, the sight before it rather unsavory. Fanciful furniture was nowhere to be found, elegant clothes instead changed out for casual outfits for both individuals who were seated back to back in a confined space. There was no pageantry, no style, just two friends back to back, one wearing the mask of worry, the other having one of laughter.
“You’re probably wondering if I’m sure we can do this, right dear? If we can make it out before time runs out for both of us? Aren’t we supposed to trust each other?”
A soft chuckle escaped the woman known to the wrestling world as Zane. She made sure to pull her hands a little following her words in order to properly convey the message, the predicament the hopeful champions faced. A clanging sound is heard and the man in the other chair shifts slightly. They were chained, to each other, to the chairs and a faint sound of running water began to fill the silence.
A deep, slow, sigh left the man. Given his blonde, wavy hair and the obvious context- He was the Star known as MYOJIN, though he definitely was not shining at the moment. If anything, he was one that was starting to dim. Both of the Celestials were out of their element, instead of wearing their trademark flamboyance with pride- they were forced to let go of their regal appearance and personas and to face their true, real, scared selves. He tilted his head and looked down to their chains, before turning his head to the side to get as good of a look of the moon maiden as he could.
“Can we trust each other? Can we even trust ourselves after everything, love? The pain, both physical and mental, has taken its toll… and we were too blind, too naive to open up to each other. To take a moment and stop masking the scars…. and what if it's too late for either of us? What if neither of us can work this out because both of our minds are so clouded with… guilt, hate, sadness, nihilism? I've used up all the hope I've had, for the both of us, I've worn this… fake smile. This FAKE confidence to hide fear- and it only made things worse!”
As his voice escalates, MYOJIN struggles lightly against their chains- then violently, with a frustrated yell. Though it doesn't budge as the sound of rushing water continues, it now soaking the soles of their shoes lightly with an uncomfortable, unforgiving chill. Once he realizes his efforts haven't worked, the blonde's demeanor slumps back into the chair, back to leaning his head against Zane's.
Feeling his struggle, every yank and pull bringing her back, it was her turn to try. Unlike her partner, she starts with a rather hard effort, lightening up rather quickly and again beginning to laugh. Almost as if it’s all she can do now that the tears have dried up.
“As you smiled, I watched in near silence, showing my concern for everyone except myself. I had to push us! I HAD to show I could continue when what I truly needed was rest, was an escape and now...there is no escape, no happy ending. I’ve been poisoned and in turn so have you. I was told the less you fight against it, the easier it becomes. Is that what we do now? Do we let ourselves go? Reassuring you drove you mad, and now we both sit here. We must face ourselves, face each other and see. Is it worth it? Tell me..open the door..”
His gaze falls down to the flooding floor beneath them. MYOJIN lets out a shaky breath as he then looks up above them. He could see a light, a beacon, a small shimmer in suffocating darkness- but it seemed so far away. It felt further and further by the second. If he could, he'd reach out to it desperately- but there was no use, was there? “If we let go, then what happens next? If we let ourselves be consumed, would it at least be peaceful? Would we hurt any longer? The idea of just… sitting here, giving up the struggle- it might make things easier. But is… easier better? I'm… not sure. I hate this indecisiveness. I hate that we don't even know whether to lay down and surrender or to keep charging. It’s making it unbearable.”
The murky water kept rising, now it was against their ankles- their calves. He could barely make out his legs or his reflection in the water. It was scarily almost pitch black as if it had been tainted with ink. “I'm… I'm scared. I've never felt like this. In a fight, I'm usually in my element. I usually feel excited, as if I'm meant to battle. My pride rests on it. But this fight? This one terrifies me… I don't want to look into myself. I doubt you want to either.”
“Your reflection isn’t the one I fear..” The moon maiden’s voice was soft as she spoke but also seemed a bit choked up. With the water rising and her partner fading, she painfully jerked against the chains, a very slight wincing heard as she did. “I feel myself going back into autopilot, I always do. The next task, the next event..it is time to move forward but all I want to do is go back. This reality..is not the one for me. I’ve changed, in so many ways, can you accept me now that I’m not her? I’ll never be her again..your partner died. I’m with you here but.. I’m scared too. I’m scared of what will happen if the wrong step is taken, the promise not kept. It consumes me, the light.. Is it there? I can’t see it!”
“Zane, the light's up there. Are you sure you can't see it?” His voice was nothing but a pathetic whimper as he looked up once more. Seeing their salvation leave their grasps more and more.
“I know you aren't the Emiko I first met. I'm not who I once was either. I've let the hatred I felt caused me to become bitter, selfish, and obsessed. I never considered to stop and ask how you felt about my actions, I always thought I was doing the right thing for the both of us… I'm so sorry.”
His hands curled into fists, ”No one believes in us. We used to be the odds, but not we're fighting against them. Most used to favor us, but this time it's different. The majority think we will lose. They don't believe we can beat Legacy, a tag team of decorated veterans, they don't believe we can fulfill that promise we made to each other and finally stand triumphant together… And they may be right. Even if we weren't as broken, we're too young and inexperienced to beat those two. They've survived so long in this business, and we can barely hang on as is.”
“Barey hang on...they haven’t even seen half the things that I have. This business..all the ones I find myself chained to..such disgusting places filled with politics, egos, backhanded people and darkness.. I was just a child, I didn’t know. When kids tell their parents about their dreams, they’re encouraged to work for it but not forced. Instead I became a slave..a brand..an idol.” Thinking over what became of her, the lost innocence tore away at Zane who started to feel more of the darkness consuming her. The water having reached their chests now causing another attempt at a struggle that again led to a disappointed sigh.
“I was turned into a machine that generated money and there was no room for emotions. I gave everything to this, to the sports. All I have are trophies and medals now..no life, no hope. Yet it’s still not enough. All they see is that I’m a twenty year old girl, helpless Zane. Poor Zane, is that what you see? Are you even worse? Was he right?”
He paused, and looked back over toward her. Despite his face being obscured by his mask, it was clear he was stunned and unsure of how to respond. “No, I… I don't think you're weak.. I think I am. I think I've tried to pretend to be something I'm not and my true colors are starting to show. All I'll manage is to hold you back, nothing more than a conflicted liability.”
“You’re hurt..you’re exposed..you’re vulnerable.. but you’re not truly weak. Not yet..that could happen though if you let it. What if we.. what if we didn’t give a show this time? What if.. if it was just us out there? Would they still cheer? Do we want them to? I can give you an out..if you really need it. I know a way out, I just.. no. I can’t. It’s not right, it’s undeserved and unwanted.. but I do know what is wanted. What is deserved when it comes to you, to us, it’s so simple. I will help to deliver it, I already started. Can you still see the light?”
By now, the water was rising up to their necks, lightly scraping its icy cold nature against their chins. He began to close his eyes and look upward one more time as he shivered lightly. There wasn't a point, was there, anymore? They'd be better off allowing themselves to drown, wouldn't they…?
...Wait, no. Whatever happened to their dreams? What happened to their fighting spirit? They got so far. They made it to the finals, fighting tooth and nail IN the ring and OUT. He wasn't ready to give up, no. Not this close. Not when they reached the finals.
His demeanor boldened, the will growing back into his body like a spreading fire. “Don't you EVER say that. As long as we are still breathing, as long as you can physically stand- there is no out. Real strength isn't pretending that you're okay, Zane. It's never been that… I mean think about it, it's accepting that pain, that struggle, it helps us grow. It helps us evolve as people. Don't you see? Real strength comes from accepting it, and yet… powering through it, continuing, never letting your will go. It's such a cruel world, and it's changed us both- But maybe that change isn't for the worst. If we have it within us to beat Legacy, we need a stronger will than theirs. Maybe we have…. to face what's hurting us. Instead of running from ourselves, if we're going to make it through this… we have to.”
When it rains, it pours. Though, they had it all wrong. In order to come back better than ever, they had to experience the flood of emotions first.
“Face it... I see. I guess I should tell you the tru-”
Before she could continue, she was forced to hold her breath, as was he. The water had reached to the point where neither could lean up for that last gasp of air. Now was the true test. It took them so long to get to the point of realization that they found themselves still drowning despite it. Though their thoughts weren’t as scattered now, the worst was on the horizon and they had to do whatever it took to not panic now. What started by chance, strengthened through care, and was now tested by chaos, faced its end.
There never seemed to be a moment where Shouta Kuromiya could catch a break or… feel triumphant, satisfied, pleased. After overcoming a challenge, there always seemed to be a more difficult one waiting just right after… One step forward. Three steps back. There was a time where he believed he could overcome any obstacle and keep moving forward. Or at least, he always told himself that. Never one to slow down and let the confident facade fade away. Even after his biggest loss at Bloodbath, the blonde always tried to keep his head up and wear a smile to keep moving.
He didn't know if he could do that this time.
The Celestial Lovers had made it to the finals of the Tag Team tournament… but his career was almost ended that same night by the man he hated the most. Colton fucking Saint. When he first came to after the attack, it took a while but he slowly remembered everything. The sore, burning pain in his throat made sure he did. Saint had almost broken his neck. Rewatching the footage… he realized that the man he hated the most could have ended his career, or worse- his life. The sheer thought of that man almost permanently putting him out of commission was enough to eat at him, but the insecurity and fear were worse…
He had two matches at Unbreakable Resolution. For the right to become the inaugural tag team champions of Project: Honor against Legacy, a team of two well-accomplished men who have both probably wrestled longer than he or Emiko had been alive… and a Last Man Standing match against the one who had abducted her, the one who tried to kill him, and the man he wanted to destroy.
What was he supposed to focus on? Both matches were back to back. Could he really pull it off? Would his head be in the game…? Which mattered more to him, and even if he and Emiko win- Would he be too worn out to face Saint? Hell, would Shouta even be cleared to compete then after the damage he had suffered?
It didn't help that when his family, sister and brother and even his parents, visited- He could see the worry in their eyes about him. As much as they tried to be comforting and loving, he saw the fear, the doubt that he would be okay. Worst part is that he could see that same doubt in Emiko…
And the more he thought about it, the more he realized: They were probably right to be so scared for his safety. What he was trying to accomplish would be near impossible...
As he opened his eyes slowly, weakly, looking around his hospital room- It had been a day or two by now since the brutal beating he had taken. Shouta coughed softly, sitting up as he saw morning light peek through the windows of his room. He also saw that Emiko was sitting in a chair next to his bed, it seemed she had fallen asleep there. Had she been there all night…?
Another cough caused the young woman to begin stirring a bit herself, heavy eyelids fluttering until they remained open. Emiko wiped her eyes before placing her focus over to Shouta. She gave a small smile, doing what she can to address her injured partner delicately.
“You’re up finally. You’d think being in the blah scene of a hospital would help you wake up at the same time functioning humans do, but of course you still manage to get your supposed beauty sleep. Jeez…”
Well, so much for being delicate. “How are you feeling, Shouta? Any better?”
He looked toward her and gave her a little smile of his own, giving a little soft snicker at her joke. It was good to hear her, to see her.
Opening his mouth to speak, “I'm-..” Shouta gave a pained wince, placing a hand to his throat. It was still relatively hard to walk, it hurt, but it was getting better.
“I'm… feeling much better. What's.. going on..?” His voice was quiet, somewhat hoarse.
“Well..at least you can kind of talk now and aren’t throwing things anymore.” While not the best at easing the underlying tension of the whole situation, Emiko was glad to get some sort of reaction that reminded her of her friend.
“Not much is going on. Just the usual schedule of madness, but I made sure to get here and check in on you. I got yelled at in Russian, but what else is new... I also overheard some pretty good news from the doctors about your recovery. So once we break you out we can get to training and forget all about this..”
He frowned ever so lightly, remembering his outburst the other day. When Shouta had came to after the attack, he had gone livid… The blonde took a deep breath and sighed with some relief, at least he'd be able to leave soon. “Forget about all of this…?”
How were they just going to do that? Forget everything that had been happening? “Emi, I…. I don't know anymore..”
The sigh that escaped from Emiko clearly showed that wasn’t exactly the answer she had been hoping for. Still, she did her best to keep her composure and not get emotional again. She’d been doing that far too much for her liking and was tired of the constant pain. Lowering her gaze, she frowned slightly.
“Shouta, I’m going to be honest here. I seriously think you should consider just forgetting about everything. I know last time we discussed this, and your family rightfully chimed in too, we talked about the physical risks. You know, the whole ending of your career, you two killing each other, things like that. This time Shouta, I want you to know that I’m concerned about you mentally. Hell I’m concerned about myself mentally, and we’re supposed to be having a Tag Team Championship victory on top of all this? I just.. I don’t see this as a good idea..”
His frown turned into a glare, not at Emiko or anything in particular. His jaw tightened as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair, looking down to avoid eye contact with her. “Do you want me to… just forget everything he's done… to you, to me, to Lillie…? I can't just let him get away with this…!” As he raised his voice, he stopped, placing a hand to his neck again with a grimace.
Seeing him pained like that caused Emiko to sit back a bit in the chair, a look of concern on her face before she shook her head. “Look, just forget I said anything..it’s fine. I’m simply concerned, that’s all. Maybe we can take things one at a time though? At least that way gameplans can be forged because the night is going to be a crazy one. Even before all..that, we have our Tag Team Championship match to win. Perhaps we can come up with ideas now since the whole world is already counting us out and I have a thing for wanting to prove these people wrong.”
Shouta looked back toward her, his glare fading. He knew she had a point- and he needed to get his head into the game- especially for their match. While his heart, his motivations were driving him in two different places- He knew for sure that he wanted them to win. It wasn't just about having gold, no, those championships meant so more to him… They would show how far they had come together. And he wanted to prove that they should never be counted out, just like she did-
But at the same time? Shouta continued to second guess himself. What if he would be a weak link in the condition he's in? Both mentally and physically… Legacy just wasn't some… random team. Warstein and Raven aren't just names to look past. They were a big deal, one that they absolutely needed to take seriously.
“They're going to target me, Emiko.. Even when my voice fully comes back, my neck is still going to be a target.” He spoke softly, clearing his throat with a rough grunt uncharacteristic for his honey-like way of speaking.
“I’ll just make sure to get in the way of that then.” The words came out so smoothly, coming from a genuine source of confidence. While it had taken her some time to get back into tag team wrestling, she knew what she was capable of in the ring. It was everything else outside of it, and her other professions, that caused any issues.
“I mean, I get it. For this match, we’ll have to figure out a way from the obvious issue, but I don’t have a single doubt in my mind that I can handle that. We have tough opponents, sure, the people out there probably already see them as the champions, probably, but Shouta...they don’t know what I know. That, or they refuse to see it.. but they will. If not, we’ll just have to keep on showing them more and more of the truth.”
“And what is it that you know?” He slowly, but carefully began to try to get out of bed. Taking a deep breath, his body felt sore as he did- gripping the edge as he brought his feet to the floor. “Emiko, you're the best… You have every right to be confident, but-”
Shouta looked away and bit his lip, “This means everything to me. This is something we both have been looking forward to for so long. Legacy, they already believe the titles are in their hands… They see being champions as something that is just bound to happen… What if they're right? What if I fuck this up for both of us, Emi? I mean.. Just look at me right now.”
“Well fuck..guess we lost then, huh?” Emiko huffed, her frustration surfacing more-so than she had wanted it to. Getting up from the chair, she walked over by the window, leaning her forehead against it.
He stayed quiet for a few moments, deciding to stand. Shouta carefully walked towards her, somewhat with a subtle limp before leaning to gently place his hand in hers. “I… never said I wasn't going to try my best. I'm worried, I'm scared... but I will give it my all… Nothing worth fighting for comes easy, right?”
More silence filled the room as Emiko’s gaze slowly shifted towards their hands. It took her a bit to allow his words to absorb into her mind and once she did, a small smile made its way onto her face.
“Nothing worth fighting for comes easy..I think it’s pretty obvious that statement rings true. Tell me then, what do you think is worth the fight? I need to know everything. We’re supposed to be partners who trust each other no matter what, so I need to know. It’s clear that you want to win this match, but you’re scared. Scared of failure, but I feel like there’s something else. Something you’re not telling me. Please.. please open up. It’s too important not to. Don’t you want to make it to the end?”
He tilted his head to meet her eyes, unsure of how to respond. How to answer her question. Until then, Shouta hadn't even asked himself what he was bothering him. “I… I haven't been as good of a friend or partner to you as I could be. I think that… maybe everyone could be right. That I'm not good enough.. I'm not just scared of failing, Emiko, I'm scared that… maybe if we lose this, it'll mean everything they've said is true about me… and maybe you'll start to think the same.”
Though Emiko slowly slid her hand away from Shouta’s, she made sure to offer a quick smile when he looked at her. “I think in the end, that’s up to me.. I should be the one who decides what I believe. I don’t need any influence or help with that. You want to see how I feel after our tag match? You want to test the waters and see how I feel now? Come find me, when you’re ready, and just ask..” Letting out a sigh, Emiko stepped back now. “Look..I have to go. I’ll see you later though, okay?”
“Okay. Be safe.” He nodded slowly, going back to sit on the bed. There was a lot on his mind, but as Emiko headed toward the door- He looked down at his hands, a troubled but thoughtful expression growing on his face.
Taking one last look back, Emiko then made her way out of the room, being sure to close the door softly behind her. Leaning against it, she let out a sigh. “This is either going to end up being far better than I can imagine, or a complete disaster. He needs to get his head back in the game and I need to get mine out of it.. I swear this needs to work out so I can be done with all of..”
Emiko’s verbal expression of her thoughts was cut short at the sound of footsteps coming close by. Though many were scattered throughout the medical facility, these were different, heading in her specific direction, or at least the one of the room. Turning herself away, she began walking around, opting to take the long way towards the exit.
An older- seemingly in her mid to late 20s- woman, dark-haired and with a concerned but rather fierce look in her eyes walked down the hallway. She rather quickly headed towards the room Shouta was in, but stopped as she saw Emiko head towards the other way. She briefly peaked inside the room to see the blonde, but quickly turned back to the younger girl. “Hey, you.” She called out- in a somewhat harsh tone to get her attention.
“You're Emiko- err Zane, right? His tag team partner?”
While she tried to continue on her way, hearing her name caused her to stop. Taking a deep breath, she turned herself around rather slowly, unsure of what she’s in for. Looking over at the woman caused her to raise an eyebrow before giving a soft nod. “Yes..you may call me Emiko. Forgive my assumption, but based on pictures, I’m guessing you’re Akira?”
Akira, the older sister of Shouta and the middle child of the Kuromiya family nodded. She wore a stern expression as her arms were crossed, but then walked forward to Emiko and briefly took a look over her. Suddenly, the expression on her face softened. “I saw you last night in his room when our family came to see him, you avoided us and left for a bit… You two are really close, huh?”
Emiko didn’t exactly know how to respond in this instance. While she knew that Akira was right in having seen her, she didn’t want to give off the wrong impression or come across as disrespectful in any way. Deciding to take the simplest approach, she took a step closer and offered another nod. “Most would consider what we have to be a close bond, yes. It’s not beyond what is shown though, you know if anything of the sort was the case that a meeting would have taken place and you would have met me under very different circumstances. So please, don’t worry. I just wanted to make sure he was alright.”
The seemingly tough woman gave a little laugh, though her brief bemusement turned back into a bothered stare. “I wasn't worried about you two being together or somethin' like that. I just wanted to know, how has he been? He hasn't opened up to me, or big bro, or our parents… He usually runs to me for help with everything, but now he won't even tell me what's going on with him… He's stubborn, but he's never… quiet. Not like this. Not to me.”
Akira crossed her arms again and leaned against the wall, “Has he talked to you by any chance?”
“To a degree...but I know there’s more than what he was willing to say. Granted, I’ve always known he’s had confidence issues, he just seems so much more rattled than he usually is. It’s like his whole core’s been shaken up. I’m not even concerned about anything with what we have going on, I can handle that. It wouldn’t be the first time. Look...if that’s the guy who shows up to any future show, especially the next one..he’s not going to come out of it walking. I’m sorry. I tried to discuss that, but he shut down any sense being spoken. Instead he is only talking to me about the tag match, thinking he’s going to let me down and fail. I tried, but I’m not sure what else I can say. He’s drowning, and I think I’m going to be the end of him.”
“Have you given up on him?” Was Akira's simple, sudden response.
“No.” While her voice was soft when responding, there was a certain strength behind it. “There’s no way I could do that considering...well we’ll leave it at everything, I suppose. I just don’t know what can be done aside from literally having things boil down to life or death to shake him out of this and bring back his fighting spirit.”
“You wanna know something, Emiko?” She looked back to the door and sighed softly. “I've seen a look in his eyes last night when we visited, a look of determination. He hasn't lost his fighting spirit, he's just letting it take over his head. He's not thinking straight… but he's doing it because you mean a lot to him. I think you're what's keeping him going, and you're also the only person he'll listen to right now.. So can you do me a favor?”
Allowing a moment for Akira’s words to register with her, Emiko almost looked as if she was going to fall back, but of course she stood her ground. It felt weird to be seen as someone of importance outside the realm of sports and beyond a certain source. She took the words in though and offered a soft smile. “Sure, of course. What’s the favor?”
“Please… guide him, okay? He fights for you, so I need to know that you'll fight for him too. I need to know that you two have each others backs through and through, and I need to know that you'll keep my little brother's head on his shoulders. Can you promise me that?” Akira asked. Her voice was caring, but serious as she stared at Emiko with a little sad smile of her own.
“I will…” Emiko looked to want to say more but stopped herself, though she made sure to keep her eyes locked on Akira’s as she answered.
“Good, thank you. I'm cheering you both on, got it? So you both better kick ass at this show. Take care of yourself, Emiko.” Akira's smile briefly brightened before leaning to pat Emiko on the shoulder in a friendly manner. She turned back to the door of Shouta's room before giving Emiko one last glance. She then opened the door and headed inside, saying hello to her brother inside before closing the door.
Watching until the door shut, Emiko then turned herself away, heading towards the exit once again. While she initially let out a sigh, a familiar smirk came across her face afterward. Was this a matter where confidence was reforged? She wasn’t exactly sure, but one thing she did know was that there was a heavy set of tests coming up for the both of them, apart and together. There’s nothing in the way of their success aside from themselves and she had to carry out her promises both new and old. No matter what.
They could hold their breaths for a while, but not forever.
As the murky water, the darkness overcame them and continued to rise- MYOJIN's view of the light above started to dim. His eyes burned underneath having a faint sting from the feeling as they both struggled, kicking and fighting- attempting to escape the chains they were bound to. But nothing would budge, they were losing the battle. Losing themselves as the fatigue and overwhelming feeling of not being able to hold their breath any longer. Was this the end? Had they come so far to fall and lose themselves right when they were so close to the ultimate victory?
The kicking had ceased, but the fight remained on the other end as Zane did her best to combat the discomfort from having her eyes opened underwater for the time that she had. Within the pulling, something had caught her attention, the slight shift to the left that was made. Doing her best to get her partner to notice the same, she moved once again to make another shift happen. They needed to move in a synchronized fashion, but she wasn’t sure if there was enough time left, especially since the lightheaded feeling began to overwhelm her.
Once he realized what she had done, he shifted at the same moment she did in the next movement. Teamwork. They needed to have each other's backs. He gave her a frantic but focused nod as a way to time their movements.
While initially taking a bit, with each movement, the pace was quickened. A moment of realization hit the two when a loud click was heard and, at the very least, the duo were free from their attachment to the chairs. Still chained together, Zane gave a soft nod, looking to her partner to see if he was ready to head towards the light, the light that finally made its own way to her view.
He nodded in response, looking up and making his way with each stroke along with hers to make it back to the surface. The darkness in the water started to fade as they began to move forward and forward.
And eventually, oxygen reached their lungs again as they brought their heads from under. Gasping for air, MYŌJIN felt like a weight… like a pressure had been lifted and that he was okay. They were okay.
Zane reached the surface just a second ahead and looked over with a bit of an exhausted smile as she listened to the gasping coming from her partner. Taking a few labored breaths herself, after coughing a bit, she let out a single laugh. “Guess it’s a good...good thing I’m an expert at puzzles..huh?”
“Well..-” MYŌJIN sneezed out some water, and wheezed lightly, ripping the comedy mask off his face and letting it fall back into the water. His blonde hair, now dampened to a sandy brown color clung to his face in a stringy, drenched manner. “We wouldn't have actually… drowned.. At least I hope so. After all this was just a fancy little idea to make a unique promo that I'm now regretting- This is why we should just stick to dressing up fancy in a cozy room.”
He tiredly giggled and wiped at his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Zane coughed some more alongside another laugh, this time more plentiful in amount. Removing her mask, she did her best to shake her dark locks away from her face, but was unable to really. Now truly looking at her partner, she offered a cheeky grin.
“Oh...oh no..we could have actually drowned. This was a true test of..of our trust so yeah.. real deal there, Shouta.” Giving a rather slow nod, Zane’s attention shifted over to the camera. “While my partner..well.. I am at least hoping he’s just catching his breath and not thinking of.. drowning me, I need to say why this happened. No, it wasn’t him.. I don’t need his help in doing crazy things, I just...well we thought it’d be a great idea to kick ourselves into gear in the most insane way possible. He needed to know where my trust lied, I needed to know if.. I can ever take him out in this manner, and we both proved to have a level of resilience that makes..me..proud. Don’t see any other team doing that, huh?”
While Zane takes another moment to catch her breath, she once again looks over to MYOJIN with a smirk.
MYOJIN responds with a playful glare, though also turning back to the camera. “While I'm going to hope she's just joking about the actual drowning part, we didn't just do this for a little team excercise. No, it was more than that.”
“Throughout these past few months, we have gone through so much together and by ourselves. We've been kicked while we're down, had our wills nearly broken, and some even tried to separate and turn us against each other- but we continued to prevail. We refused to give in, because we needed to do this… And look how it turned out, Zane. We made it to the finals of this tag tournament. The only obstacle left in our way, unfortunately, is a very tough one- Legacy.”
“Of course I was kidding...maybe. Either way, you’re absolutely right. We have been through so much, dealt with so many different people, factors, and in the end there has been absolutely nothing able to get in the way of what’s desired. While so many view Legacy as the biggest force the Project: Honor tag team division has to offer, those are the same people who don’t see what I see, what we see. Before you is a team, not forged for profits, fame, or anything like that. While we may get all that and more, at the end of the day, he sees me as a priceless friend and I..? Well, considering everything he’s done, continues to do and prove both in and out the ring, it’s pretty damn clear that I’m one of the only ones who sees his true value as a person. Soon enough though, you’ll all be exposed to the truth.”
He smiled towards her, placing an arm around her shoulders. MYOJIN's heartfelt smile turned into a confident smirk as he brushed some of his hair out of his face.
“Legacy is… a successful and dominant, they aren't something to laugh at like Big Drip Productions or AV Club. Legacy is the real deal and more than likely will be the toughest team either of us have ever faced… and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Those tag team championships, to us, they aren't just another piece of gold- they aren't just a bonus to our paycheck- those titles will be the physical proof of how far we've come together, as corny as that sounds. This entire tournament had been a trial for us, and Legacy will be our final test, the last thing in our way from claiming what will rightfully be ours.”
Giving a nod of understanding, Zane kept her focus on the camera, making sure that those around the world watching knew that the conviction was pure in nature.
“Since day one here, the two of us, separately and on our own, have told you things that we already see as fact. We are the ones in charge of the narrative here, and while certain obstacles have tried to keep our minds foggy and make us forget this fact, in the end we were able to pull ourselves from the madness just long enough to recover ourselves. Now, we take that next step. We may come across as cheesy, he may be incredibly dorky, but together..well let’s say there will be championship gold, and the proper resolution in our stories. Legacy be damned.”
MYOJIN rolled his eyes at the ‘dorky’ comment, shaking his head but his passionate intensity never fading.
“Warstein and Raven already think they've got the match won. It'll be pretty funny to see the looks on their faces when the Shining Star and the Crescent Moon make them regret even thinking about underestimating us. We will win- and we fill fight as hard as we need to in order to beat them. What's it that we normally say, Zane?”
“Hmm..excellent question there, MYOJIN.. I think it may go a little something like..”
Jokingly looking as though she’s in deep thought for a moment, Zane looks to her partner with a matching aura of confidence. The two then look back to the camera and show their united front as only they can.
“Sorry, not sorry!”
Just like that, with the simultaneous snaps of their fingers, the scene quickly cuts to black, with only the ring left to tell the rest of their tale.
The timed camera switches to begin recording, the sight before it rather unsavory. Fanciful furniture was nowhere to be found, elegant clothes instead changed out for casual outfits for both individuals who were seated back to back in a confined space. There was no pageantry, no style, just two friends back to back, one wearing the mask of worry, the other having one of laughter.
“You’re probably wondering if I’m sure we can do this, right dear? If we can make it out before time runs out for both of us? Aren’t we supposed to trust each other?”
A soft chuckle escaped the woman known to the wrestling world as Zane. She made sure to pull her hands a little following her words in order to properly convey the message, the predicament the hopeful champions faced. A clanging sound is heard and the man in the other chair shifts slightly. They were chained, to each other, to the chairs and a faint sound of running water began to fill the silence.
A deep, slow, sigh left the man. Given his blonde, wavy hair and the obvious context- He was the Star known as MYOJIN, though he definitely was not shining at the moment. If anything, he was one that was starting to dim. Both of the Celestials were out of their element, instead of wearing their trademark flamboyance with pride- they were forced to let go of their regal appearance and personas and to face their true, real, scared selves. He tilted his head and looked down to their chains, before turning his head to the side to get as good of a look of the moon maiden as he could.
“Can we trust each other? Can we even trust ourselves after everything, love? The pain, both physical and mental, has taken its toll… and we were too blind, too naive to open up to each other. To take a moment and stop masking the scars…. and what if it's too late for either of us? What if neither of us can work this out because both of our minds are so clouded with… guilt, hate, sadness, nihilism? I've used up all the hope I've had, for the both of us, I've worn this… fake smile. This FAKE confidence to hide fear- and it only made things worse!”
As his voice escalates, MYOJIN struggles lightly against their chains- then violently, with a frustrated yell. Though it doesn't budge as the sound of rushing water continues, it now soaking the soles of their shoes lightly with an uncomfortable, unforgiving chill. Once he realizes his efforts haven't worked, the blonde's demeanor slumps back into the chair, back to leaning his head against Zane's.
Feeling his struggle, every yank and pull bringing her back, it was her turn to try. Unlike her partner, she starts with a rather hard effort, lightening up rather quickly and again beginning to laugh. Almost as if it’s all she can do now that the tears have dried up.
“As you smiled, I watched in near silence, showing my concern for everyone except myself. I had to push us! I HAD to show I could continue when what I truly needed was rest, was an escape and now...there is no escape, no happy ending. I’ve been poisoned and in turn so have you. I was told the less you fight against it, the easier it becomes. Is that what we do now? Do we let ourselves go? Reassuring you drove you mad, and now we both sit here. We must face ourselves, face each other and see. Is it worth it? Tell me..open the door..”
His gaze falls down to the flooding floor beneath them. MYOJIN lets out a shaky breath as he then looks up above them. He could see a light, a beacon, a small shimmer in suffocating darkness- but it seemed so far away. It felt further and further by the second. If he could, he'd reach out to it desperately- but there was no use, was there? “If we let go, then what happens next? If we let ourselves be consumed, would it at least be peaceful? Would we hurt any longer? The idea of just… sitting here, giving up the struggle- it might make things easier. But is… easier better? I'm… not sure. I hate this indecisiveness. I hate that we don't even know whether to lay down and surrender or to keep charging. It’s making it unbearable.”
The murky water kept rising, now it was against their ankles- their calves. He could barely make out his legs or his reflection in the water. It was scarily almost pitch black as if it had been tainted with ink. “I'm… I'm scared. I've never felt like this. In a fight, I'm usually in my element. I usually feel excited, as if I'm meant to battle. My pride rests on it. But this fight? This one terrifies me… I don't want to look into myself. I doubt you want to either.”
“Your reflection isn’t the one I fear..” The moon maiden’s voice was soft as she spoke but also seemed a bit choked up. With the water rising and her partner fading, she painfully jerked against the chains, a very slight wincing heard as she did. “I feel myself going back into autopilot, I always do. The next task, the next event..it is time to move forward but all I want to do is go back. This reality..is not the one for me. I’ve changed, in so many ways, can you accept me now that I’m not her? I’ll never be her again..your partner died. I’m with you here but.. I’m scared too. I’m scared of what will happen if the wrong step is taken, the promise not kept. It consumes me, the light.. Is it there? I can’t see it!”
“Zane, the light's up there. Are you sure you can't see it?” His voice was nothing but a pathetic whimper as he looked up once more. Seeing their salvation leave their grasps more and more.
“I know you aren't the Emiko I first met. I'm not who I once was either. I've let the hatred I felt caused me to become bitter, selfish, and obsessed. I never considered to stop and ask how you felt about my actions, I always thought I was doing the right thing for the both of us… I'm so sorry.”
His hands curled into fists, ”No one believes in us. We used to be the odds, but not we're fighting against them. Most used to favor us, but this time it's different. The majority think we will lose. They don't believe we can beat Legacy, a tag team of decorated veterans, they don't believe we can fulfill that promise we made to each other and finally stand triumphant together… And they may be right. Even if we weren't as broken, we're too young and inexperienced to beat those two. They've survived so long in this business, and we can barely hang on as is.”
“Barey hang on...they haven’t even seen half the things that I have. This business..all the ones I find myself chained to..such disgusting places filled with politics, egos, backhanded people and darkness.. I was just a child, I didn’t know. When kids tell their parents about their dreams, they’re encouraged to work for it but not forced. Instead I became a slave..a brand..an idol.” Thinking over what became of her, the lost innocence tore away at Zane who started to feel more of the darkness consuming her. The water having reached their chests now causing another attempt at a struggle that again led to a disappointed sigh.
“I was turned into a machine that generated money and there was no room for emotions. I gave everything to this, to the sports. All I have are trophies and medals now..no life, no hope. Yet it’s still not enough. All they see is that I’m a twenty year old girl, helpless Zane. Poor Zane, is that what you see? Are you even worse? Was he right?”
He paused, and looked back over toward her. Despite his face being obscured by his mask, it was clear he was stunned and unsure of how to respond. “No, I… I don't think you're weak.. I think I am. I think I've tried to pretend to be something I'm not and my true colors are starting to show. All I'll manage is to hold you back, nothing more than a conflicted liability.”
“You’re hurt..you’re exposed..you’re vulnerable.. but you’re not truly weak. Not yet..that could happen though if you let it. What if we.. what if we didn’t give a show this time? What if.. if it was just us out there? Would they still cheer? Do we want them to? I can give you an out..if you really need it. I know a way out, I just.. no. I can’t. It’s not right, it’s undeserved and unwanted.. but I do know what is wanted. What is deserved when it comes to you, to us, it’s so simple. I will help to deliver it, I already started. Can you still see the light?”
By now, the water was rising up to their necks, lightly scraping its icy cold nature against their chins. He began to close his eyes and look upward one more time as he shivered lightly. There wasn't a point, was there, anymore? They'd be better off allowing themselves to drown, wouldn't they…?
...Wait, no. Whatever happened to their dreams? What happened to their fighting spirit? They got so far. They made it to the finals, fighting tooth and nail IN the ring and OUT. He wasn't ready to give up, no. Not this close. Not when they reached the finals.
His demeanor boldened, the will growing back into his body like a spreading fire. “Don't you EVER say that. As long as we are still breathing, as long as you can physically stand- there is no out. Real strength isn't pretending that you're okay, Zane. It's never been that… I mean think about it, it's accepting that pain, that struggle, it helps us grow. It helps us evolve as people. Don't you see? Real strength comes from accepting it, and yet… powering through it, continuing, never letting your will go. It's such a cruel world, and it's changed us both- But maybe that change isn't for the worst. If we have it within us to beat Legacy, we need a stronger will than theirs. Maybe we have…. to face what's hurting us. Instead of running from ourselves, if we're going to make it through this… we have to.”
When it rains, it pours. Though, they had it all wrong. In order to come back better than ever, they had to experience the flood of emotions first.
“Face it... I see. I guess I should tell you the tru-”
Before she could continue, she was forced to hold her breath, as was he. The water had reached to the point where neither could lean up for that last gasp of air. Now was the true test. It took them so long to get to the point of realization that they found themselves still drowning despite it. Though their thoughts weren’t as scattered now, the worst was on the horizon and they had to do whatever it took to not panic now. What started by chance, strengthened through care, and was now tested by chaos, faced its end.
There never seemed to be a moment where Shouta Kuromiya could catch a break or… feel triumphant, satisfied, pleased. After overcoming a challenge, there always seemed to be a more difficult one waiting just right after… One step forward. Three steps back. There was a time where he believed he could overcome any obstacle and keep moving forward. Or at least, he always told himself that. Never one to slow down and let the confident facade fade away. Even after his biggest loss at Bloodbath, the blonde always tried to keep his head up and wear a smile to keep moving.
He didn't know if he could do that this time.
The Celestial Lovers had made it to the finals of the Tag Team tournament… but his career was almost ended that same night by the man he hated the most. Colton fucking Saint. When he first came to after the attack, it took a while but he slowly remembered everything. The sore, burning pain in his throat made sure he did. Saint had almost broken his neck. Rewatching the footage… he realized that the man he hated the most could have ended his career, or worse- his life. The sheer thought of that man almost permanently putting him out of commission was enough to eat at him, but the insecurity and fear were worse…
He had two matches at Unbreakable Resolution. For the right to become the inaugural tag team champions of Project: Honor against Legacy, a team of two well-accomplished men who have both probably wrestled longer than he or Emiko had been alive… and a Last Man Standing match against the one who had abducted her, the one who tried to kill him, and the man he wanted to destroy.
What was he supposed to focus on? Both matches were back to back. Could he really pull it off? Would his head be in the game…? Which mattered more to him, and even if he and Emiko win- Would he be too worn out to face Saint? Hell, would Shouta even be cleared to compete then after the damage he had suffered?
It didn't help that when his family, sister and brother and even his parents, visited- He could see the worry in their eyes about him. As much as they tried to be comforting and loving, he saw the fear, the doubt that he would be okay. Worst part is that he could see that same doubt in Emiko…
And the more he thought about it, the more he realized: They were probably right to be so scared for his safety. What he was trying to accomplish would be near impossible...
As he opened his eyes slowly, weakly, looking around his hospital room- It had been a day or two by now since the brutal beating he had taken. Shouta coughed softly, sitting up as he saw morning light peek through the windows of his room. He also saw that Emiko was sitting in a chair next to his bed, it seemed she had fallen asleep there. Had she been there all night…?
Another cough caused the young woman to begin stirring a bit herself, heavy eyelids fluttering until they remained open. Emiko wiped her eyes before placing her focus over to Shouta. She gave a small smile, doing what she can to address her injured partner delicately.
“You’re up finally. You’d think being in the blah scene of a hospital would help you wake up at the same time functioning humans do, but of course you still manage to get your supposed beauty sleep. Jeez…”
Well, so much for being delicate. “How are you feeling, Shouta? Any better?”
He looked toward her and gave her a little smile of his own, giving a little soft snicker at her joke. It was good to hear her, to see her.
Opening his mouth to speak, “I'm-..” Shouta gave a pained wince, placing a hand to his throat. It was still relatively hard to walk, it hurt, but it was getting better.
“I'm… feeling much better. What's.. going on..?” His voice was quiet, somewhat hoarse.
“Well..at least you can kind of talk now and aren’t throwing things anymore.” While not the best at easing the underlying tension of the whole situation, Emiko was glad to get some sort of reaction that reminded her of her friend.
“Not much is going on. Just the usual schedule of madness, but I made sure to get here and check in on you. I got yelled at in Russian, but what else is new... I also overheard some pretty good news from the doctors about your recovery. So once we break you out we can get to training and forget all about this..”
He frowned ever so lightly, remembering his outburst the other day. When Shouta had came to after the attack, he had gone livid… The blonde took a deep breath and sighed with some relief, at least he'd be able to leave soon. “Forget about all of this…?”
How were they just going to do that? Forget everything that had been happening? “Emi, I…. I don't know anymore..”
The sigh that escaped from Emiko clearly showed that wasn’t exactly the answer she had been hoping for. Still, she did her best to keep her composure and not get emotional again. She’d been doing that far too much for her liking and was tired of the constant pain. Lowering her gaze, she frowned slightly.
“Shouta, I’m going to be honest here. I seriously think you should consider just forgetting about everything. I know last time we discussed this, and your family rightfully chimed in too, we talked about the physical risks. You know, the whole ending of your career, you two killing each other, things like that. This time Shouta, I want you to know that I’m concerned about you mentally. Hell I’m concerned about myself mentally, and we’re supposed to be having a Tag Team Championship victory on top of all this? I just.. I don’t see this as a good idea..”
His frown turned into a glare, not at Emiko or anything in particular. His jaw tightened as he ran a hand through his unkempt hair, looking down to avoid eye contact with her. “Do you want me to… just forget everything he's done… to you, to me, to Lillie…? I can't just let him get away with this…!” As he raised his voice, he stopped, placing a hand to his neck again with a grimace.
Seeing him pained like that caused Emiko to sit back a bit in the chair, a look of concern on her face before she shook her head. “Look, just forget I said anything..it’s fine. I’m simply concerned, that’s all. Maybe we can take things one at a time though? At least that way gameplans can be forged because the night is going to be a crazy one. Even before all..that, we have our Tag Team Championship match to win. Perhaps we can come up with ideas now since the whole world is already counting us out and I have a thing for wanting to prove these people wrong.”
Shouta looked back toward her, his glare fading. He knew she had a point- and he needed to get his head into the game- especially for their match. While his heart, his motivations were driving him in two different places- He knew for sure that he wanted them to win. It wasn't just about having gold, no, those championships meant so more to him… They would show how far they had come together. And he wanted to prove that they should never be counted out, just like she did-
But at the same time? Shouta continued to second guess himself. What if he would be a weak link in the condition he's in? Both mentally and physically… Legacy just wasn't some… random team. Warstein and Raven aren't just names to look past. They were a big deal, one that they absolutely needed to take seriously.
“They're going to target me, Emiko.. Even when my voice fully comes back, my neck is still going to be a target.” He spoke softly, clearing his throat with a rough grunt uncharacteristic for his honey-like way of speaking.
“I’ll just make sure to get in the way of that then.” The words came out so smoothly, coming from a genuine source of confidence. While it had taken her some time to get back into tag team wrestling, she knew what she was capable of in the ring. It was everything else outside of it, and her other professions, that caused any issues.
“I mean, I get it. For this match, we’ll have to figure out a way from the obvious issue, but I don’t have a single doubt in my mind that I can handle that. We have tough opponents, sure, the people out there probably already see them as the champions, probably, but Shouta...they don’t know what I know. That, or they refuse to see it.. but they will. If not, we’ll just have to keep on showing them more and more of the truth.”
“And what is it that you know?” He slowly, but carefully began to try to get out of bed. Taking a deep breath, his body felt sore as he did- gripping the edge as he brought his feet to the floor. “Emiko, you're the best… You have every right to be confident, but-”
Shouta looked away and bit his lip, “This means everything to me. This is something we both have been looking forward to for so long. Legacy, they already believe the titles are in their hands… They see being champions as something that is just bound to happen… What if they're right? What if I fuck this up for both of us, Emi? I mean.. Just look at me right now.”
“Well fuck..guess we lost then, huh?” Emiko huffed, her frustration surfacing more-so than she had wanted it to. Getting up from the chair, she walked over by the window, leaning her forehead against it.
He stayed quiet for a few moments, deciding to stand. Shouta carefully walked towards her, somewhat with a subtle limp before leaning to gently place his hand in hers. “I… never said I wasn't going to try my best. I'm worried, I'm scared... but I will give it my all… Nothing worth fighting for comes easy, right?”
More silence filled the room as Emiko’s gaze slowly shifted towards their hands. It took her a bit to allow his words to absorb into her mind and once she did, a small smile made its way onto her face.
“Nothing worth fighting for comes easy..I think it’s pretty obvious that statement rings true. Tell me then, what do you think is worth the fight? I need to know everything. We’re supposed to be partners who trust each other no matter what, so I need to know. It’s clear that you want to win this match, but you’re scared. Scared of failure, but I feel like there’s something else. Something you’re not telling me. Please.. please open up. It’s too important not to. Don’t you want to make it to the end?”
He tilted his head to meet her eyes, unsure of how to respond. How to answer her question. Until then, Shouta hadn't even asked himself what he was bothering him. “I… I haven't been as good of a friend or partner to you as I could be. I think that… maybe everyone could be right. That I'm not good enough.. I'm not just scared of failing, Emiko, I'm scared that… maybe if we lose this, it'll mean everything they've said is true about me… and maybe you'll start to think the same.”
Though Emiko slowly slid her hand away from Shouta’s, she made sure to offer a quick smile when he looked at her. “I think in the end, that’s up to me.. I should be the one who decides what I believe. I don’t need any influence or help with that. You want to see how I feel after our tag match? You want to test the waters and see how I feel now? Come find me, when you’re ready, and just ask..” Letting out a sigh, Emiko stepped back now. “Look..I have to go. I’ll see you later though, okay?”
“Okay. Be safe.” He nodded slowly, going back to sit on the bed. There was a lot on his mind, but as Emiko headed toward the door- He looked down at his hands, a troubled but thoughtful expression growing on his face.
Taking one last look back, Emiko then made her way out of the room, being sure to close the door softly behind her. Leaning against it, she let out a sigh. “This is either going to end up being far better than I can imagine, or a complete disaster. He needs to get his head back in the game and I need to get mine out of it.. I swear this needs to work out so I can be done with all of..”
Emiko’s verbal expression of her thoughts was cut short at the sound of footsteps coming close by. Though many were scattered throughout the medical facility, these were different, heading in her specific direction, or at least the one of the room. Turning herself away, she began walking around, opting to take the long way towards the exit.
An older- seemingly in her mid to late 20s- woman, dark-haired and with a concerned but rather fierce look in her eyes walked down the hallway. She rather quickly headed towards the room Shouta was in, but stopped as she saw Emiko head towards the other way. She briefly peaked inside the room to see the blonde, but quickly turned back to the younger girl. “Hey, you.” She called out- in a somewhat harsh tone to get her attention.
“You're Emiko- err Zane, right? His tag team partner?”
While she tried to continue on her way, hearing her name caused her to stop. Taking a deep breath, she turned herself around rather slowly, unsure of what she’s in for. Looking over at the woman caused her to raise an eyebrow before giving a soft nod. “Yes..you may call me Emiko. Forgive my assumption, but based on pictures, I’m guessing you’re Akira?”
Akira, the older sister of Shouta and the middle child of the Kuromiya family nodded. She wore a stern expression as her arms were crossed, but then walked forward to Emiko and briefly took a look over her. Suddenly, the expression on her face softened. “I saw you last night in his room when our family came to see him, you avoided us and left for a bit… You two are really close, huh?”
Emiko didn’t exactly know how to respond in this instance. While she knew that Akira was right in having seen her, she didn’t want to give off the wrong impression or come across as disrespectful in any way. Deciding to take the simplest approach, she took a step closer and offered another nod. “Most would consider what we have to be a close bond, yes. It’s not beyond what is shown though, you know if anything of the sort was the case that a meeting would have taken place and you would have met me under very different circumstances. So please, don’t worry. I just wanted to make sure he was alright.”
The seemingly tough woman gave a little laugh, though her brief bemusement turned back into a bothered stare. “I wasn't worried about you two being together or somethin' like that. I just wanted to know, how has he been? He hasn't opened up to me, or big bro, or our parents… He usually runs to me for help with everything, but now he won't even tell me what's going on with him… He's stubborn, but he's never… quiet. Not like this. Not to me.”
Akira crossed her arms again and leaned against the wall, “Has he talked to you by any chance?”
“To a degree...but I know there’s more than what he was willing to say. Granted, I’ve always known he’s had confidence issues, he just seems so much more rattled than he usually is. It’s like his whole core’s been shaken up. I’m not even concerned about anything with what we have going on, I can handle that. It wouldn’t be the first time. Look...if that’s the guy who shows up to any future show, especially the next one..he’s not going to come out of it walking. I’m sorry. I tried to discuss that, but he shut down any sense being spoken. Instead he is only talking to me about the tag match, thinking he’s going to let me down and fail. I tried, but I’m not sure what else I can say. He’s drowning, and I think I’m going to be the end of him.”
“Have you given up on him?” Was Akira's simple, sudden response.
“No.” While her voice was soft when responding, there was a certain strength behind it. “There’s no way I could do that considering...well we’ll leave it at everything, I suppose. I just don’t know what can be done aside from literally having things boil down to life or death to shake him out of this and bring back his fighting spirit.”
“You wanna know something, Emiko?” She looked back to the door and sighed softly. “I've seen a look in his eyes last night when we visited, a look of determination. He hasn't lost his fighting spirit, he's just letting it take over his head. He's not thinking straight… but he's doing it because you mean a lot to him. I think you're what's keeping him going, and you're also the only person he'll listen to right now.. So can you do me a favor?”
Allowing a moment for Akira’s words to register with her, Emiko almost looked as if she was going to fall back, but of course she stood her ground. It felt weird to be seen as someone of importance outside the realm of sports and beyond a certain source. She took the words in though and offered a soft smile. “Sure, of course. What’s the favor?”
“Please… guide him, okay? He fights for you, so I need to know that you'll fight for him too. I need to know that you two have each others backs through and through, and I need to know that you'll keep my little brother's head on his shoulders. Can you promise me that?” Akira asked. Her voice was caring, but serious as she stared at Emiko with a little sad smile of her own.
“I will…” Emiko looked to want to say more but stopped herself, though she made sure to keep her eyes locked on Akira’s as she answered.
“Good, thank you. I'm cheering you both on, got it? So you both better kick ass at this show. Take care of yourself, Emiko.” Akira's smile briefly brightened before leaning to pat Emiko on the shoulder in a friendly manner. She turned back to the door of Shouta's room before giving Emiko one last glance. She then opened the door and headed inside, saying hello to her brother inside before closing the door.
Watching until the door shut, Emiko then turned herself away, heading towards the exit once again. While she initially let out a sigh, a familiar smirk came across her face afterward. Was this a matter where confidence was reforged? She wasn’t exactly sure, but one thing she did know was that there was a heavy set of tests coming up for the both of them, apart and together. There’s nothing in the way of their success aside from themselves and she had to carry out her promises both new and old. No matter what.
They could hold their breaths for a while, but not forever.
As the murky water, the darkness overcame them and continued to rise- MYOJIN's view of the light above started to dim. His eyes burned underneath having a faint sting from the feeling as they both struggled, kicking and fighting- attempting to escape the chains they were bound to. But nothing would budge, they were losing the battle. Losing themselves as the fatigue and overwhelming feeling of not being able to hold their breath any longer. Was this the end? Had they come so far to fall and lose themselves right when they were so close to the ultimate victory?
The kicking had ceased, but the fight remained on the other end as Zane did her best to combat the discomfort from having her eyes opened underwater for the time that she had. Within the pulling, something had caught her attention, the slight shift to the left that was made. Doing her best to get her partner to notice the same, she moved once again to make another shift happen. They needed to move in a synchronized fashion, but she wasn’t sure if there was enough time left, especially since the lightheaded feeling began to overwhelm her.
Once he realized what she had done, he shifted at the same moment she did in the next movement. Teamwork. They needed to have each other's backs. He gave her a frantic but focused nod as a way to time their movements.
While initially taking a bit, with each movement, the pace was quickened. A moment of realization hit the two when a loud click was heard and, at the very least, the duo were free from their attachment to the chairs. Still chained together, Zane gave a soft nod, looking to her partner to see if he was ready to head towards the light, the light that finally made its own way to her view.
He nodded in response, looking up and making his way with each stroke along with hers to make it back to the surface. The darkness in the water started to fade as they began to move forward and forward.
And eventually, oxygen reached their lungs again as they brought their heads from under. Gasping for air, MYŌJIN felt like a weight… like a pressure had been lifted and that he was okay. They were okay.
Zane reached the surface just a second ahead and looked over with a bit of an exhausted smile as she listened to the gasping coming from her partner. Taking a few labored breaths herself, after coughing a bit, she let out a single laugh. “Guess it’s a good...good thing I’m an expert at puzzles..huh?”
“Well..-” MYŌJIN sneezed out some water, and wheezed lightly, ripping the comedy mask off his face and letting it fall back into the water. His blonde hair, now dampened to a sandy brown color clung to his face in a stringy, drenched manner. “We wouldn't have actually… drowned.. At least I hope so. After all this was just a fancy little idea to make a unique promo that I'm now regretting- This is why we should just stick to dressing up fancy in a cozy room.”
He tiredly giggled and wiped at his eyes, taking a deep breath.
Zane coughed some more alongside another laugh, this time more plentiful in amount. Removing her mask, she did her best to shake her dark locks away from her face, but was unable to really. Now truly looking at her partner, she offered a cheeky grin.
“Oh...oh no..we could have actually drowned. This was a true test of..of our trust so yeah.. real deal there, Shouta.” Giving a rather slow nod, Zane’s attention shifted over to the camera. “While my partner..well.. I am at least hoping he’s just catching his breath and not thinking of.. drowning me, I need to say why this happened. No, it wasn’t him.. I don’t need his help in doing crazy things, I just...well we thought it’d be a great idea to kick ourselves into gear in the most insane way possible. He needed to know where my trust lied, I needed to know if.. I can ever take him out in this manner, and we both proved to have a level of resilience that makes..me..proud. Don’t see any other team doing that, huh?”
While Zane takes another moment to catch her breath, she once again looks over to MYOJIN with a smirk.
MYOJIN responds with a playful glare, though also turning back to the camera. “While I'm going to hope she's just joking about the actual drowning part, we didn't just do this for a little team excercise. No, it was more than that.”
“Throughout these past few months, we have gone through so much together and by ourselves. We've been kicked while we're down, had our wills nearly broken, and some even tried to separate and turn us against each other- but we continued to prevail. We refused to give in, because we needed to do this… And look how it turned out, Zane. We made it to the finals of this tag tournament. The only obstacle left in our way, unfortunately, is a very tough one- Legacy.”
“Of course I was kidding...maybe. Either way, you’re absolutely right. We have been through so much, dealt with so many different people, factors, and in the end there has been absolutely nothing able to get in the way of what’s desired. While so many view Legacy as the biggest force the Project: Honor tag team division has to offer, those are the same people who don’t see what I see, what we see. Before you is a team, not forged for profits, fame, or anything like that. While we may get all that and more, at the end of the day, he sees me as a priceless friend and I..? Well, considering everything he’s done, continues to do and prove both in and out the ring, it’s pretty damn clear that I’m one of the only ones who sees his true value as a person. Soon enough though, you’ll all be exposed to the truth.”
He smiled towards her, placing an arm around her shoulders. MYOJIN's heartfelt smile turned into a confident smirk as he brushed some of his hair out of his face.
“Legacy is… a successful and dominant, they aren't something to laugh at like Big Drip Productions or AV Club. Legacy is the real deal and more than likely will be the toughest team either of us have ever faced… and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Those tag team championships, to us, they aren't just another piece of gold- they aren't just a bonus to our paycheck- those titles will be the physical proof of how far we've come together, as corny as that sounds. This entire tournament had been a trial for us, and Legacy will be our final test, the last thing in our way from claiming what will rightfully be ours.”
Giving a nod of understanding, Zane kept her focus on the camera, making sure that those around the world watching knew that the conviction was pure in nature.
“Since day one here, the two of us, separately and on our own, have told you things that we already see as fact. We are the ones in charge of the narrative here, and while certain obstacles have tried to keep our minds foggy and make us forget this fact, in the end we were able to pull ourselves from the madness just long enough to recover ourselves. Now, we take that next step. We may come across as cheesy, he may be incredibly dorky, but together..well let’s say there will be championship gold, and the proper resolution in our stories. Legacy be damned.”
MYOJIN rolled his eyes at the ‘dorky’ comment, shaking his head but his passionate intensity never fading.
“Warstein and Raven already think they've got the match won. It'll be pretty funny to see the looks on their faces when the Shining Star and the Crescent Moon make them regret even thinking about underestimating us. We will win- and we fill fight as hard as we need to in order to beat them. What's it that we normally say, Zane?”
“Hmm..excellent question there, MYOJIN.. I think it may go a little something like..”
Jokingly looking as though she’s in deep thought for a moment, Zane looks to her partner with a matching aura of confidence. The two then look back to the camera and show their united front as only they can.
“Sorry, not sorry!”
Just like that, with the simultaneous snaps of their fingers, the scene quickly cuts to black, with only the ring left to tell the rest of their tale.