Post by MYŌJIN on Jan 27, 2021 23:59:38 GMT -5
He had done it. After a brutal war at the Draft Show against Kat Jones, the soreness that hadn't completely left from the battles of last year, MYOJIN had won his way into the Legacy Chamber… which felt pretty good. It felt wonderfully refreshing to be confident and for once to be right as well. Though the match had been close, he was still the one walking away with the chance at becoming the inaugural Legacy Champion… Though, that match would be filed with multiple other competitors looking to make the same accomplishment as he did. It wasn't going to easy, but that was obviously expected. It was going to be another challenge, another obstacle, another odd to overcome- but…
But.
There was always a but. A simple word in the mind that could lead to a shift in mood, from confidence to uncertainty, that could lead to thoughts racing- negating the hope before it.
There was that unmistakably familiar voice in the back of his head, so quiet, but yet at the same time prominent enough that he couldn't ignore. How could he be able to ignore it? Sure, he had won another chance at another title- He had proven that he could do that multiple times. There were moments where everyone believed that he was capable of becoming a champion- of finally reaching the top of the mountain that he so badly wanted to be, including himself. There were times where he should've been, could've been, but didn't manage to. He should've expected that Watson would do anything to retain his Grand title in a match without any disqualifications to it. He should've expected that Shawn Warstein and James Raven would've been much more just that another tag team in the way, he should've been focused on them instead of worrying about the match he had right after.
Choke artist. Journeyman. Potential wasting away.
Dismissive insults he's started to see more often from fans, from social media in general. He had pushed Watson nearly to the edge, he had made it to the end of the tag team tournament, he had even won his second grueling match at Unbreakable Resolution against Colton Saint after going unconscious only some moments before. MYOJIN put everything he had to give into every opportunity he was given. But it never seemed to work.
Now he was going to be facing Shawn Warstein, the one-half of the Tag Team champions that had pinned him at Unbreakable Resolution, and Indy Darling, the X-Factor champion who got a win over the other two champions of the Proving Grounds brand. That was a match where he wouldn’t even have to be pinned in order to lose the battle. Those two were currently some of the best Project: Honor had to offer in talent. He felt so unsure of himself, a part of him even felt… afraid at the thought.
So… What was going to make this time any different? Just because he said it was a new year? Just because he hoped that it would be finally his time? What was it going to take for him?
The more he thought about it, the more his initial hopes once he had won his ladder match earlier that night started to dissipate with cynicism, doubt in his own beliefs. Sure, he had proven that he had what it took in other places- becoming Wrestleworld's Territorial Champion and XHF's Junior Heavyweight Champion, but in the promotion that he had been since its very first show… Why did it feel like he was not good enough? Why did he never feel strong enough?
Why should he try if he almost knows that there's a good chance he could fail again?
The thoughts running through his mind, the insecurity eating away at his optimism- It all began to start reminding him of time before where he had felt the same frustrations… The same helplessness.
“Shouta?”
The young preteen that would someday be MYOJIN heard his father’s voice against the door, his knees brought up to his chest. His hair at the time, instead of blonde, was a natural dark brown- nearly pure black. Instead of the flamboyant bravado and flair, he’d grow to be known for, Shouta had a timid look on his face. Defeated even. He quickly began wiping at the tears from reddened eyes with his forearm, sniffing a few times before softly clearing his throat, but hesitated. He wanted to be left alone.
He had lost his very first Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament. After training his hardest for a while, attempting to calm his own nerves, it came crashing down once he had found himself submitting to his third opponent that day. His first real, crushing loss, especially in front of his family- the people he had wanted to impress, was something he wasn’t taking well…
At all.
“...Shouta, I know you can hear me. Can I come in?” His dad’s voice lowered, softer. Shouta looked slowly up to the door.
“Okay…”
The door was gently opened. It was easy to tell that the preteen got his looks more from his mother than his father. The man stepped inside, rather tall and bulky, with a beard that hinted at his age with dull silver hairs growing at the chin. He had a cauliflower ear and a faint scar above his eyebrow. The wear and tear on the man were very visible, but the most notable thing was the concerned, caring look in his eyes as he sat down against the wall next to his son. Shouta kept his head down, looking at the floor awkwardly.
“...Listen, I know how much the competition meant to you.” He spoke.
“Dad, can't I just quit? Please? I don't like this anymore.”
That briefly caused his old man to raise an eyebrow, a bit of an amused expression on his face as he looked toward him. “Do you really want that?” The question was genuine.
Shouta visibly seemed to think about it. After a few moments, he huffed, and his shoulders sunk, “No.. Not really.”
“I’m sorry, dad.. I-I tried, I really did. I thought I knew what I was doing and then he caught be my surprise, and.. It’s not fair! I was.. I was so close..-” The boy muttered, gritting his teeth. The anger and disappointment clearly began to show as his fists clenched up. “I thought I was ready.. I know how bad you and mom wanted me to win.”
His dad sighed, “Sometimes, that’s just how it happens, Shouta. You win some, you lose some. But you can always try again next year-”
“Akira won her first tournament, she still has that stupid trophy. She and Satoshi always seem so freaking good at this, so why can’t I be?! Nothing I do is ever as good as them, why are they better than me?! Both of them are so good and I can’t seem to do anything right!” Shouta suddenly shouted, his bottom lip quivered as his eyes began to water once again.
It had seemingly caught his father off guard, who grimaced and went silent for a few moments. Slowly, but surely, he placed his arm around his youngest son's shoulders, pulling him closer into a light hug.
“Don't say that. I get how you're feeling.”
The boy gave his father a distrusting look. Without words, it was easy to recognize that he had a hard time imagining his father ever struggling. It was hard at his age to imagine his parents as flawed. After all, he had spent much of his life looking up to him.
“I know you might not believe it, but I've been there. When I first started training and doing this professionally, you know, I started with a five match losing streak. Your brother nor your sister started out as some dominant force either… It's frustrating, you work as hard as you van, and sometimes you just lose. Sometimes it's not that you've done anything wrong, sometimes it's just your day. It happens. It took a while for me to accept that… Hell, once I got injured and almost thought of retiring way before I have already.” He explained.
“But.. Then how did you keep going? Did it all get to you at some point?”
“Of course it did. I'm not gonna lie to you. But I eventually had to learn something. You know what that was?”
Shouta raised his eyebrows in anticipation.
“It doesn't matter if you get knocked down, what matters is if you get back up. Things aren't going to be easy, there's always going to be an uphill fight and another challenge somewhere and somehow- But as long as you don't let it break you down, as long as you never give in- You'll be alright.” The older man said with a little smile.
Shouta looked a little confused as if he had expected a more definitive answer for his problem. “That's easy to say, but what's the point if things just get harder? I can't just keep getting my butt kicked! It's not that easy..”
His dad chuckled and began to stand up, letting out a slight grunt. “I never said it was, but I think you'll get it at some point. But keep up your head, I promise you’ll get better and better. Improvement takes time, Shouta, you just need to have some patience. 大丈夫? (Alright?)”
Shouta sniffed again but nodded. “...大丈夫 (Alright.)”
His dad gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before heading out of the room.
It doesn’t matter if you get knocked down, what matters if you get back up.
At the time, MYOJIN hadn’t understood what his father meant. Maybe he was too childish at the time to be able to. Yet, now he did as he slowly took in the thought. He wasn’t going to become any better if he kept doubting his own abilities, if he kept expecting the worst. Sometimes things weren’t going to go his way, and he was beginning to realize that… Not everything would always be in his control- yet that didn’t mean he should give up. The blonde couldn’t give up, not when he was getting closer and closer to reaching his dreams.
It was time to get out of his own head.
If he wanted to get past Shawn Warstein and Indy Darling. If he wanted to prove to himself that he deserved to be in the Legacy Chamber and if he wanted to become the first Legacy Champion… He couldn’t afford to always question himself and feeling sorry for himself.
No matter what would happen next, no matter whatever came next- He was done putting himself down. He was going to make 2021 his year.
He was going to keep getting back up.
There was nothing in the world like a Californian sunset.
The sky was something so beautiful, so unbelievably stunning- that it seemed like a magical world. While the world around began to dim into colder hues as the sun lowered itself ever so slowly. The darkening clouds above had a golden, passionate and fiery aura around them as dusk's light seeped through. Streaks of pinks and reds hues all ran through from above as if an artist's paintbrush had swayed back and forth- painting the sky above. The night seemed to rise from under, slowly swallowing the beautiful flaming heavens into its calming purples and blues. The ocean reflected the scenery so well that it was almost hard to make out the horizon, the edge where the skies meet the earth. It was a sight that could be called a lot of things- perfect, breathtaking, picturesque, incomparable.
However, one word fit the place perfectly for MYOJIN; nostalgic.
Whenever I come to this place, it's to reminisce. He had been to the place multiple times in his life- most notably many times as a kid. The memories of playing with his siblings, swimming through the waves, the excitement of going underwater to see the rich life that was below. And of course, that beautiful sunset. As many times as he had seen it, it never grew old.
Though one of the strongest memories he had was of pretending to play wrestler when he was a kid. Performing fake wrestling moves like little bodyslams and suplexes, pretending he was one when he was a kid. While it may have been just. fun roughhousing to his brother and sister, it left a lasting mark that inspired him greatly.
“It’s been a while since I've last visited here.”
The white beach he stood at was known as La Jolla Cove. A place in San Diego popular for many reasons; its scenery of course being one of them. Though, at the moment it was a place without anyone else. It was more than just a tourist attraction to him however, it was arguably the place where all of this had started for him. The only sounds were of the rushing waves crashing against the damp sand, which was loud but also in a way, comforting while it rhythmically moved in a back-and-forth pattern. A few birds flew by, nearly appearing like silhouettes. The Shining Star sat close to the shore, leaning back. It was almost strange, as he always had elegant posture- yet, for once, MYOJIN seemed pretty casual. He wore a simple tee and some shorts, along with his signature shades. Though most notably, the Legacy Gauntlet briefcase that he won at the Draft Show laid right next to him.
“This place has been a very important part of my life. I may have been a kid at the time, but… This had been where I finally went from just wanting to watch this sport to wanting to be in this sport. Playfighting when I was a little made me feel.. capable. Though things were much simpler then than they are now, I felt like I needed to come back here. I felt after Unbreakable Resolution, I needed to come back here, to remember my roots. That I've been losing sight of things, losing sight of why I'm here.”
The Shining Star felt the cold breeze, lightly blowing his hair. He briefly closed his eyes, clasping his hands together. The blonde placed them against his chin.
“I've been in Project: Honor since the very beginning. I had a match on the first show and yet it feels like I've started to fall behind everyone else. I've lost every big opportunity I've had so far. Always so close but… so far. And you know, that ate away at me for the longest time. I was living through my biggest fear, never sure of myself. I started to believe in my own skills less and less. I was my biggest enemy. And when I originally saw that I was booked for this match- between two people that are holding titles that I’ve failed to win, between one of the only two people to have ever pinned me in this company and the man that’s gotten one over the unstoppable Dickie Watson- I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel any anxiety. Even intimidated.”
“But I’m done feeling like that. I refuse to allow myself to be scared of anyone, of fighting anyone. I may not have gotten what I was looking for yet, but that doesn’t change what I’ve been able to accomplish here. I’m the first person in Project: Honor with ten wins, and I have wrestled more matches than anyone else. I’m the only person to have wrestled two consecutive matches on one PPV. I’m the only person to have wrestled I made it to the finals of the tag team tournament. I pushed Dickie Watson to the point where he had to go against his own morals to beat me. I’ve given blood, sweat, and tears to this place and you know what? I’d do it again. I’ll keep doing it because I love this sport, and somewhere along the line I let my own fears and insecurities make me forget that. I love Project: Honor and I will never stop trying until I can become the face that represents this promotion.”
MYOJIN picked up the briefcase and wiped the sand from it, but brought it up to his face. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m not willing to hide my weaknesses, my flaws. My vulnerability. I’m honest enough to everyone and myself when I say I haven’t taken my losses well and I can grow arrogant and can grow doubtful of myself.I’ll be real enough to admit that this match means everything to me; as it’s my chance to gain some redemption, some revenge, some confidence back. I’m accepting my own humility.”
“That’s why it’s pretty appropriate that I’m facing two people that in a way are symbolic for me.”
“One-half of Legacy, Shawn Warstein, I remember one of the first things you ever said when coming to Project: Honor is that you don’t care about this place or anything it has to offer… So why are you here? What’s your purpose? Do you think that makes you look cool? Because if you truly think Project: Honor is just your personal playground, then you aren’t going to last. We aren’t playthings for you, your inability to take your competition seriously may pass off in GCWA but it won’t here, not in the long run.”
The blonde stood up, taking off his shades. He wasn’t wearing his eye contacts- his real, sincere dark browns were visible. “Warstein, for a good while after our last encounter, I envied you. I envied how things were so easy for you. You came here, you ran through anyone placed in front of you. I almost really believed you when you said you were always great and always will be, because you somehow for a while seemed impossible to beat. In a way, I think I respected you… But after a while? Especially after your match against Elena, I see through that now.”
“As good as you are, you try to pretend that there isn’t any weakness to you. And when it shows, you try to cover it up and ignore it. For someone that likes to pretend that he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks, he deliberately tries to portray himself as the best there ever was. He doesn’t want you to notice that he cuts the same promo, looking down at his opponents as if they’re beneath him when that’s exactly what got him choked out at the Draft Show. He doesn’t want to be seen as vulnerable because he’s scared of that- He is a great wrestler, that I won’t even try to deny, but he tries to forget his own journey. He’s not giving any credit to what him built him into the wrestler he is today. He runs from what created him because his ego is scared to show anything beyond the bland arrogant veteran persona than so many others put on for the same reason. The truth is our struggles, our ambitions, our desperation is what makes us strong. It’s what pushes us to be better. It makes us unpredictable. Our imperfections are what make us grow.”
“Trying to act like you’re untouchable doesn’t work when you have a tantrum and threaten to quit because the Grand Champion hurt your feelings on Twitter when you’re the one who subtweeted at him. You’re older than me, you have a son, and yet you come off as probably one of the most childish and fragile people on the roster- I envied you, but honestly now, I want to never become like you.” The Shining Star shrugged with a bit of a grin on his face as he stood up.
“And Indy, I haven’t forgotten about you. You’ve been on the rise for a while now. Despite how shaky your wins and losses have been, you’ve continually proven yourself again and again that you’re good. You came out as the one champion on top at the Draft Show, doing what many people thought would be impossible. You really have had a rags to riches story.”
“You went from having this narcissistic attitude about how everyone was trying to keep you down, but you’ve matured and grown. I respect you a lot for that, but that’s also why I’m glad to be facing you. Because a while back, every time I saw you with the X-Factor belt, I couldn’t help but imagine what could’ve been for me if Colton Saint hadn’t distracted me. If he hadn’t gotten himself DQed against me. If I had ever faced him for that title- but you’re better than him. For starters, you’ve actually done more with that title than he ever did. You’ve been on your way to making your championship the strongest…”
MYOJIN held the briefcase he carried close to his chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him. It was his ticket to a chance at greatness finally. He walked across the shoreline as the water calmly rushed against the muddy sand.
“That’s why I need to beat you. The Legacy title, whoever wins it, deserves to have someone among the best competing for it. You, Indy, are absolutely one of the best. You could even be considered the best champion of the brand. If I really want to become the Legacy champion, if I want to be able to hold my head high once I head to that chamber- I have to beat you and Warstein. I have to beat the best to become the best.”
“I’m through being put down. I hope the both of you bring your absolute A-game. Because as many times as you knock me down, I will keep getting back up. My will was broken once and that won’t ever happen again.”
“I’ll keep coming.”
“It’s really good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too… I’m uh, I’m sorry for not talking often. We haven’t had a good chat in a while, just the two of us.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Shouta. I get it. I’m just glad you’ve stayed in one piece without having yours truly supervise you.”
MYOJIN, or at the moment, Shouta rolled his eyes playfully as Zane, or Emiko snickered. The Shining Star and the Crescent Moon talked to each other happily, smiles on their faces. It was a rather late night, with moody lighting around the table they sat at. Shouta took a sip from his mocha with a little sigh. It’s been a while since he had talked to Emiko. The coffee of the cafe they sat in gave a pleasing aroma during the night as they both sat. The two had been rather distant to each other after their last tag match and then the title match they had against each other. , and thus he had offered to take her out for a bit. Fortunately, she had agreed. The blonde smiled at his friend.
“So, how have things been?”
He knew she had been taking a break from Project: Honor and wrestling as a whole for a while. She seemed to not really want to talk about why, but he was fine without knowing. After everything she had went through in the span of months last year, she deserved some time off.
She politely smiled, though there did seem to be something on her mind. “I’ve been alright, I just needed time to cool off. To relax, I’ve been on autopilot for so long that I guess I forgot what that was like. What about you?”
“I’ve been feeling pretty well recently. I’ve been starting to get over Unbreakable Resolution… I was being too hard on myself for the longest. So I kinda get what you mean about taking a moment to just… breathe.”
The smile on her face brightened, “Last year was rough, but it seems like.. Maybe, just maybe there’s a light at the other end of the tunnel. You know, I might not be in the ring currently, but.. I’ll always have your back, always, okay?” She reached out to lightly place a hand on his, which caused a warm smile to grow on his face again.
“The same goes to you.” He had really needed to hear that.
But.
There was always a but. A simple word in the mind that could lead to a shift in mood, from confidence to uncertainty, that could lead to thoughts racing- negating the hope before it.
There was that unmistakably familiar voice in the back of his head, so quiet, but yet at the same time prominent enough that he couldn't ignore. How could he be able to ignore it? Sure, he had won another chance at another title- He had proven that he could do that multiple times. There were moments where everyone believed that he was capable of becoming a champion- of finally reaching the top of the mountain that he so badly wanted to be, including himself. There were times where he should've been, could've been, but didn't manage to. He should've expected that Watson would do anything to retain his Grand title in a match without any disqualifications to it. He should've expected that Shawn Warstein and James Raven would've been much more just that another tag team in the way, he should've been focused on them instead of worrying about the match he had right after.
Choke artist. Journeyman. Potential wasting away.
Dismissive insults he's started to see more often from fans, from social media in general. He had pushed Watson nearly to the edge, he had made it to the end of the tag team tournament, he had even won his second grueling match at Unbreakable Resolution against Colton Saint after going unconscious only some moments before. MYOJIN put everything he had to give into every opportunity he was given. But it never seemed to work.
Now he was going to be facing Shawn Warstein, the one-half of the Tag Team champions that had pinned him at Unbreakable Resolution, and Indy Darling, the X-Factor champion who got a win over the other two champions of the Proving Grounds brand. That was a match where he wouldn’t even have to be pinned in order to lose the battle. Those two were currently some of the best Project: Honor had to offer in talent. He felt so unsure of himself, a part of him even felt… afraid at the thought.
So… What was going to make this time any different? Just because he said it was a new year? Just because he hoped that it would be finally his time? What was it going to take for him?
The more he thought about it, the more his initial hopes once he had won his ladder match earlier that night started to dissipate with cynicism, doubt in his own beliefs. Sure, he had proven that he had what it took in other places- becoming Wrestleworld's Territorial Champion and XHF's Junior Heavyweight Champion, but in the promotion that he had been since its very first show… Why did it feel like he was not good enough? Why did he never feel strong enough?
Why should he try if he almost knows that there's a good chance he could fail again?
The thoughts running through his mind, the insecurity eating away at his optimism- It all began to start reminding him of time before where he had felt the same frustrations… The same helplessness.
Years Earlier…
“Shouta?”
The young preteen that would someday be MYOJIN heard his father’s voice against the door, his knees brought up to his chest. His hair at the time, instead of blonde, was a natural dark brown- nearly pure black. Instead of the flamboyant bravado and flair, he’d grow to be known for, Shouta had a timid look on his face. Defeated even. He quickly began wiping at the tears from reddened eyes with his forearm, sniffing a few times before softly clearing his throat, but hesitated. He wanted to be left alone.
He had lost his very first Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament. After training his hardest for a while, attempting to calm his own nerves, it came crashing down once he had found himself submitting to his third opponent that day. His first real, crushing loss, especially in front of his family- the people he had wanted to impress, was something he wasn’t taking well…
At all.
“...Shouta, I know you can hear me. Can I come in?” His dad’s voice lowered, softer. Shouta looked slowly up to the door.
“Okay…”
The door was gently opened. It was easy to tell that the preteen got his looks more from his mother than his father. The man stepped inside, rather tall and bulky, with a beard that hinted at his age with dull silver hairs growing at the chin. He had a cauliflower ear and a faint scar above his eyebrow. The wear and tear on the man were very visible, but the most notable thing was the concerned, caring look in his eyes as he sat down against the wall next to his son. Shouta kept his head down, looking at the floor awkwardly.
“...Listen, I know how much the competition meant to you.” He spoke.
“Dad, can't I just quit? Please? I don't like this anymore.”
That briefly caused his old man to raise an eyebrow, a bit of an amused expression on his face as he looked toward him. “Do you really want that?” The question was genuine.
Shouta visibly seemed to think about it. After a few moments, he huffed, and his shoulders sunk, “No.. Not really.”
“I’m sorry, dad.. I-I tried, I really did. I thought I knew what I was doing and then he caught be my surprise, and.. It’s not fair! I was.. I was so close..-” The boy muttered, gritting his teeth. The anger and disappointment clearly began to show as his fists clenched up. “I thought I was ready.. I know how bad you and mom wanted me to win.”
His dad sighed, “Sometimes, that’s just how it happens, Shouta. You win some, you lose some. But you can always try again next year-”
“Akira won her first tournament, she still has that stupid trophy. She and Satoshi always seem so freaking good at this, so why can’t I be?! Nothing I do is ever as good as them, why are they better than me?! Both of them are so good and I can’t seem to do anything right!” Shouta suddenly shouted, his bottom lip quivered as his eyes began to water once again.
It had seemingly caught his father off guard, who grimaced and went silent for a few moments. Slowly, but surely, he placed his arm around his youngest son's shoulders, pulling him closer into a light hug.
“Don't say that. I get how you're feeling.”
The boy gave his father a distrusting look. Without words, it was easy to recognize that he had a hard time imagining his father ever struggling. It was hard at his age to imagine his parents as flawed. After all, he had spent much of his life looking up to him.
“I know you might not believe it, but I've been there. When I first started training and doing this professionally, you know, I started with a five match losing streak. Your brother nor your sister started out as some dominant force either… It's frustrating, you work as hard as you van, and sometimes you just lose. Sometimes it's not that you've done anything wrong, sometimes it's just your day. It happens. It took a while for me to accept that… Hell, once I got injured and almost thought of retiring way before I have already.” He explained.
“But.. Then how did you keep going? Did it all get to you at some point?”
“Of course it did. I'm not gonna lie to you. But I eventually had to learn something. You know what that was?”
Shouta raised his eyebrows in anticipation.
“It doesn't matter if you get knocked down, what matters is if you get back up. Things aren't going to be easy, there's always going to be an uphill fight and another challenge somewhere and somehow- But as long as you don't let it break you down, as long as you never give in- You'll be alright.” The older man said with a little smile.
Shouta looked a little confused as if he had expected a more definitive answer for his problem. “That's easy to say, but what's the point if things just get harder? I can't just keep getting my butt kicked! It's not that easy..”
His dad chuckled and began to stand up, letting out a slight grunt. “I never said it was, but I think you'll get it at some point. But keep up your head, I promise you’ll get better and better. Improvement takes time, Shouta, you just need to have some patience. 大丈夫? (Alright?)”
Shouta sniffed again but nodded. “...大丈夫 (Alright.)”
His dad gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, before heading out of the room.
Present Time
It doesn’t matter if you get knocked down, what matters if you get back up.
At the time, MYOJIN hadn’t understood what his father meant. Maybe he was too childish at the time to be able to. Yet, now he did as he slowly took in the thought. He wasn’t going to become any better if he kept doubting his own abilities, if he kept expecting the worst. Sometimes things weren’t going to go his way, and he was beginning to realize that… Not everything would always be in his control- yet that didn’t mean he should give up. The blonde couldn’t give up, not when he was getting closer and closer to reaching his dreams.
It was time to get out of his own head.
If he wanted to get past Shawn Warstein and Indy Darling. If he wanted to prove to himself that he deserved to be in the Legacy Chamber and if he wanted to become the first Legacy Champion… He couldn’t afford to always question himself and feeling sorry for himself.
No matter what would happen next, no matter whatever came next- He was done putting himself down. He was going to make 2021 his year.
He was going to keep getting back up.
There was nothing in the world like a Californian sunset.
The sky was something so beautiful, so unbelievably stunning- that it seemed like a magical world. While the world around began to dim into colder hues as the sun lowered itself ever so slowly. The darkening clouds above had a golden, passionate and fiery aura around them as dusk's light seeped through. Streaks of pinks and reds hues all ran through from above as if an artist's paintbrush had swayed back and forth- painting the sky above. The night seemed to rise from under, slowly swallowing the beautiful flaming heavens into its calming purples and blues. The ocean reflected the scenery so well that it was almost hard to make out the horizon, the edge where the skies meet the earth. It was a sight that could be called a lot of things- perfect, breathtaking, picturesque, incomparable.
However, one word fit the place perfectly for MYOJIN; nostalgic.
Whenever I come to this place, it's to reminisce. He had been to the place multiple times in his life- most notably many times as a kid. The memories of playing with his siblings, swimming through the waves, the excitement of going underwater to see the rich life that was below. And of course, that beautiful sunset. As many times as he had seen it, it never grew old.
Though one of the strongest memories he had was of pretending to play wrestler when he was a kid. Performing fake wrestling moves like little bodyslams and suplexes, pretending he was one when he was a kid. While it may have been just. fun roughhousing to his brother and sister, it left a lasting mark that inspired him greatly.
“It’s been a while since I've last visited here.”
The white beach he stood at was known as La Jolla Cove. A place in San Diego popular for many reasons; its scenery of course being one of them. Though, at the moment it was a place without anyone else. It was more than just a tourist attraction to him however, it was arguably the place where all of this had started for him. The only sounds were of the rushing waves crashing against the damp sand, which was loud but also in a way, comforting while it rhythmically moved in a back-and-forth pattern. A few birds flew by, nearly appearing like silhouettes. The Shining Star sat close to the shore, leaning back. It was almost strange, as he always had elegant posture- yet, for once, MYOJIN seemed pretty casual. He wore a simple tee and some shorts, along with his signature shades. Though most notably, the Legacy Gauntlet briefcase that he won at the Draft Show laid right next to him.
“This place has been a very important part of my life. I may have been a kid at the time, but… This had been where I finally went from just wanting to watch this sport to wanting to be in this sport. Playfighting when I was a little made me feel.. capable. Though things were much simpler then than they are now, I felt like I needed to come back here. I felt after Unbreakable Resolution, I needed to come back here, to remember my roots. That I've been losing sight of things, losing sight of why I'm here.”
The Shining Star felt the cold breeze, lightly blowing his hair. He briefly closed his eyes, clasping his hands together. The blonde placed them against his chin.
“I've been in Project: Honor since the very beginning. I had a match on the first show and yet it feels like I've started to fall behind everyone else. I've lost every big opportunity I've had so far. Always so close but… so far. And you know, that ate away at me for the longest time. I was living through my biggest fear, never sure of myself. I started to believe in my own skills less and less. I was my biggest enemy. And when I originally saw that I was booked for this match- between two people that are holding titles that I’ve failed to win, between one of the only two people to have ever pinned me in this company and the man that’s gotten one over the unstoppable Dickie Watson- I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel any anxiety. Even intimidated.”
“But I’m done feeling like that. I refuse to allow myself to be scared of anyone, of fighting anyone. I may not have gotten what I was looking for yet, but that doesn’t change what I’ve been able to accomplish here. I’m the first person in Project: Honor with ten wins, and I have wrestled more matches than anyone else. I’m the only person to have wrestled two consecutive matches on one PPV. I’m the only person to have wrestled I made it to the finals of the tag team tournament. I pushed Dickie Watson to the point where he had to go against his own morals to beat me. I’ve given blood, sweat, and tears to this place and you know what? I’d do it again. I’ll keep doing it because I love this sport, and somewhere along the line I let my own fears and insecurities make me forget that. I love Project: Honor and I will never stop trying until I can become the face that represents this promotion.”
MYOJIN picked up the briefcase and wiped the sand from it, but brought it up to his face. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m not willing to hide my weaknesses, my flaws. My vulnerability. I’m honest enough to everyone and myself when I say I haven’t taken my losses well and I can grow arrogant and can grow doubtful of myself.I’ll be real enough to admit that this match means everything to me; as it’s my chance to gain some redemption, some revenge, some confidence back. I’m accepting my own humility.”
“That’s why it’s pretty appropriate that I’m facing two people that in a way are symbolic for me.”
“One-half of Legacy, Shawn Warstein, I remember one of the first things you ever said when coming to Project: Honor is that you don’t care about this place or anything it has to offer… So why are you here? What’s your purpose? Do you think that makes you look cool? Because if you truly think Project: Honor is just your personal playground, then you aren’t going to last. We aren’t playthings for you, your inability to take your competition seriously may pass off in GCWA but it won’t here, not in the long run.”
The blonde stood up, taking off his shades. He wasn’t wearing his eye contacts- his real, sincere dark browns were visible. “Warstein, for a good while after our last encounter, I envied you. I envied how things were so easy for you. You came here, you ran through anyone placed in front of you. I almost really believed you when you said you were always great and always will be, because you somehow for a while seemed impossible to beat. In a way, I think I respected you… But after a while? Especially after your match against Elena, I see through that now.”
“As good as you are, you try to pretend that there isn’t any weakness to you. And when it shows, you try to cover it up and ignore it. For someone that likes to pretend that he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks, he deliberately tries to portray himself as the best there ever was. He doesn’t want you to notice that he cuts the same promo, looking down at his opponents as if they’re beneath him when that’s exactly what got him choked out at the Draft Show. He doesn’t want to be seen as vulnerable because he’s scared of that- He is a great wrestler, that I won’t even try to deny, but he tries to forget his own journey. He’s not giving any credit to what him built him into the wrestler he is today. He runs from what created him because his ego is scared to show anything beyond the bland arrogant veteran persona than so many others put on for the same reason. The truth is our struggles, our ambitions, our desperation is what makes us strong. It’s what pushes us to be better. It makes us unpredictable. Our imperfections are what make us grow.”
“Trying to act like you’re untouchable doesn’t work when you have a tantrum and threaten to quit because the Grand Champion hurt your feelings on Twitter when you’re the one who subtweeted at him. You’re older than me, you have a son, and yet you come off as probably one of the most childish and fragile people on the roster- I envied you, but honestly now, I want to never become like you.” The Shining Star shrugged with a bit of a grin on his face as he stood up.
“And Indy, I haven’t forgotten about you. You’ve been on the rise for a while now. Despite how shaky your wins and losses have been, you’ve continually proven yourself again and again that you’re good. You came out as the one champion on top at the Draft Show, doing what many people thought would be impossible. You really have had a rags to riches story.”
“You went from having this narcissistic attitude about how everyone was trying to keep you down, but you’ve matured and grown. I respect you a lot for that, but that’s also why I’m glad to be facing you. Because a while back, every time I saw you with the X-Factor belt, I couldn’t help but imagine what could’ve been for me if Colton Saint hadn’t distracted me. If he hadn’t gotten himself DQed against me. If I had ever faced him for that title- but you’re better than him. For starters, you’ve actually done more with that title than he ever did. You’ve been on your way to making your championship the strongest…”
MYOJIN held the briefcase he carried close to his chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world to him. It was his ticket to a chance at greatness finally. He walked across the shoreline as the water calmly rushed against the muddy sand.
“That’s why I need to beat you. The Legacy title, whoever wins it, deserves to have someone among the best competing for it. You, Indy, are absolutely one of the best. You could even be considered the best champion of the brand. If I really want to become the Legacy champion, if I want to be able to hold my head high once I head to that chamber- I have to beat you and Warstein. I have to beat the best to become the best.”
“I’m through being put down. I hope the both of you bring your absolute A-game. Because as many times as you knock me down, I will keep getting back up. My will was broken once and that won’t ever happen again.”
“I’ll keep coming.”
“It’s really good to see you.”
“It’s good to see you too… I’m uh, I’m sorry for not talking often. We haven’t had a good chat in a while, just the two of us.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Shouta. I get it. I’m just glad you’ve stayed in one piece without having yours truly supervise you.”
MYOJIN, or at the moment, Shouta rolled his eyes playfully as Zane, or Emiko snickered. The Shining Star and the Crescent Moon talked to each other happily, smiles on their faces. It was a rather late night, with moody lighting around the table they sat at. Shouta took a sip from his mocha with a little sigh. It’s been a while since he had talked to Emiko. The coffee of the cafe they sat in gave a pleasing aroma during the night as they both sat. The two had been rather distant to each other after their last tag match and then the title match they had against each other. , and thus he had offered to take her out for a bit. Fortunately, she had agreed. The blonde smiled at his friend.
“So, how have things been?”
He knew she had been taking a break from Project: Honor and wrestling as a whole for a while. She seemed to not really want to talk about why, but he was fine without knowing. After everything she had went through in the span of months last year, she deserved some time off.
She politely smiled, though there did seem to be something on her mind. “I’ve been alright, I just needed time to cool off. To relax, I’ve been on autopilot for so long that I guess I forgot what that was like. What about you?”
“I’ve been feeling pretty well recently. I’ve been starting to get over Unbreakable Resolution… I was being too hard on myself for the longest. So I kinda get what you mean about taking a moment to just… breathe.”
The smile on her face brightened, “Last year was rough, but it seems like.. Maybe, just maybe there’s a light at the other end of the tunnel. You know, I might not be in the ring currently, but.. I’ll always have your back, always, okay?” She reached out to lightly place a hand on his, which caused a warm smile to grow on his face again.
“The same goes to you.” He had really needed to hear that.