Post by MYŌJIN on Mar 10, 2021 23:56:43 GMT -5
10. The Two Stars
vs Cadillac Jackson & Lance Williams | Proving Ground X
In the Blackheart, the uber emo, had given him a fight that he had to work for. MYOJIN wouldn't have had it any other way. It had been pretty back and forth- though, in the end, the result was just what everyone had expected.
Rolling takedown into the Orion.. and then Blackheart tapped out. Another win to his record. The crowd cheered, MYOJIN left victorious, still with more wins to his name than anyone else in the company.
Yet, it felt hollow. It didn't feel like it mattered. Usually, after a fight, the youthful wrestler would feel something, anything- whether it be warm satisfaction and happiness from another success or cold and soul-crushing disappointment from a loss. That's how it was supposed to be, right? A wrestler seldom just wrestled for money alone, they had to feel some OTHER passionate reason…
Yet at the moment, it felt like another day. A chore, even. Just something to be done with. He had been expecting to feel some happiness about his return to the ring, excitement, enjoyment at the audience's love for his skill and grace.
Sure, it hadn't been that long since he had been gone. Only about four weeks. But seeing everyone out there, successful and moving forward within their careers, all the while MYOJIN had been at home, licking his wounds. Watching from the sidelines. There had never been a time where the Shining Star had felt so far behind everyone else. But the more he thought about it as he walked backstage after his match, the more he considered… Maybe being put out of commission had been a blessing in disguise. Maybe it took losing the opportunity of a lifetime to give him the wake-up call that he needed.
Honestly? Deep down, there was a part of him that felt… relieved to not have been at The Crowning. MYOJIN felt almost disgusted with himself to even have such thoughts, mindlessly unraveling the wrist tape on his right hand as his eyes glanced around the many staff and other wrestlers around him.
The blonde had lost sight of why he became a wrestler. Why he decided to start wrestling when he had other options… Why did he even begin originally? Had it been so long that he had forgotten his own conviction, his passion?
MYOJIN, no- Shouta, had an easy path to take in life. The world was obsessed with beauty and quirky personalities to distract from the boring, depressing shit that usually went on. When he was younger, he could remember modeling for the most part. His family were pretty well off, and originally modeling was supposed to promote the beginning of his MMA career to show how unique he was- surprisingly, it took off way bigger than he had expected.
Shouta remembered plenty of photoshoots, wearing brand clothing, and using his face as a marketing tool. Most people would love that, wouldn't they? If anything, he could imagine to some that he came off as ungrateful for having such an easy go at things… But that had honestly never been what he wanted. Nor was he ever really that interested in MMA despite enjoying practicing martial arts. His family had chalked it up to him being a rebellious teenager, but it was more than that- It always had been. He felt like he was seen more as an objectified trophy of his family than a real person, he wondered if his siblings had ever felt the same. His appearance was worth more than his actual dreams, so was the tradition of fighting in the octagon- and he tried, and he was good at it.
But was it what he wanted? No.
It seemed like no one ever understood that.
Hell, the reason he got trained to be a high flyer instead of just a pure technical submission artist in wrestling what he wanted to distance himself from being known as the Kuromiyas' youngest child. He wanted to step out of the shadow of his family and do what he found brought him happiness, not what they expected of him. As a young boy, he had always loved wrestling but felt ashamed to admit such as it was always seen by his family as a poor man's version of their sport.
But he loved the freedom of it. The creativity, the lack of rules and regulations. The larger-than-life personas. Shouta found that he finally found the chance of being himself instead of what everyone else wanted him to be. Where he owed nothing to anyone but himself and he was free.
So, what happened to that? What happened to being a wrestler for his own aspirations? Why was he so interested in making fans happy when they were only spectators? Why and when did he start caring so much about everyone else's opinions and thinking so little of his own? He got so caught up trying to be a fan favorite, trying to be some sort of role model to a generation. Shouta had forgotten about his own dreams while trying to fulfill everyone else's pretentious tool.
Ironic, isn't it? He ran away from where he started just to end up doing the exact same shit.
“MYOJIN…? MYOJIN!”
The voice of Crystal Ward brought him back to reality. The blonde blinked, looking up to see the interviewer with an intrigued look on her face- and with a cameraman right next to her. MYOJIN offered a polite smile as he stopped walking. “Hello, Crystal-darling! What is that I can do for you?”
“Tonight you just faced Seth Blackheart and defeated him after recovering from a rotator cuff tear last month. How does it feel to be back to winning ways in a Project: Honor ring?”
He paused, the charismatic facade faltering as he went back into his thoughts. How did he want to respond to that? Should he have said what people would expect and want to hear from him? Or did he speak his mind? MYOJIN looked toward Crystal as she held out the microphone to his lips. His eyes then turned to stare directly into the camera, his smile completely fading.
“A win is a win, I made the goth clown submit- But that… isn't enough. None of this has been enough. For a while now, the way I've gone at things hasn't been enough. I've never complained once and I've always dusted myself off from a failure and kept trying to move on with optimism. Did it ever work? No. I lowered myself to being a people-pleaser; a follower, and for what? That's not me. That's certainly not how I started out. So I'm done with it.” He spoke, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. He began to turn to walk off again.
Crystal looked somewhat surprised by his response. “What do you exactly mean by that?”
The Shining Star stopped and turned back to her, his smile returned though much more sly. “Sorry, sweethearts, but none of you have seen the real me. Even I forgot who I was… So next show, I'm going to go back to being who I really am- I spent my entire tenure trying to please others, now I'm going to focus on myself. Some are going to still love me, some are going to hate me- I guess we'll just see what the majority thinks.”
And with that, he continued walking.
For the longest time, it seemed like I had been stuck in this never-ending loop in this company that I haven't experienced anywhere else. I go after something that catches my eye, I try to finally reach my potential- and I get close… I get so close. Though I end up failing. I started to get eaten up by insecurity. Asking myself, what did I have to do to improve? What did I need to do in order to finally get past this block I've experienced.
Being so far from the ring, it left some time for me to think. I realized I had spent more time dedicated to being an entertainer instead of a competitor. I lost my killer instinct and the drive that got me far in the first place.
Being nice just.. isn't for me. Being humble doesn't work for me. The mascara brand I buy probably costs more than what it takes for some to keep their lights on. I mean, can we keep it real? I'm so damn pretty, and if that wasn't enough- I have the talent to bend anyone you sit in front of me into a pretzel.
I forgot my place- it's above most of you bitches. Like Cadillac Jackson and Lance Williams, for example. Two of the newest names at Proving Ground who want to show just what they're capable of. Both bright-eyed and ready to show their worth. Though there is a bit of an issue with that- because I'm not really that interested in being the stepping stone for the biggest tool in the ring with his gym rat partner.
And do you want to know something funny? I have a partner who feels the exact same way.
If there was a payoff from getting yourself brutalized for others' entertainment as a professional wrestler working for a well-financed promotion that clearly didn't care that much about your wellbeing, it definitely would have to be touring around the world. Seeing foreign sights that one could only see from pictures, tasting exotic foods that one could only imagine the taste of from afar, experiencing cultures that are so different from anything else that one had experienced before.
There was something about Italy that just screamed- or rather, seductively whispered glamour and wealth and sexiness. With renowned designer brands like Versace and Gucci originating from the country- along with supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. Last but not least the beauty standards that existed. Such preserved and undeniably beautiful art and architecture from the Renaissance period. It was a materialistic, classy paradise.
There was that part of MYOJIN that believed he should feel guilty for having such a privilege to be there or to be admiring its admittedly unrealistic and expensive ideals that covered up the ugliness underneath. After all, he knew better than to believe the country was squeaky clean. Matter of fact, Italy got away with a lot of things other places wouldn't accept- like romanticizing sexism, racial enmity being prominent, and.. of course, the unhealthy amounts of olive oil that went into the food. It wasn't all that it appeared to be, he knew that...
But it was hard for the Shining Star to look past the charisma of the country and not be stunned. He sat at an outside cafe in Bologna, where the next Proving Ground episode would be held. Golden light seeping down from the sun, though blocked by the shading that the young wrestler's table sat under.
He'd be tagging with someone he had a bit of a history with soon, Emmanuelle. They had met a few times back, more accurately- they had competed against each other. MYOJIN had invited her out to discuss their upcoming match and she had agreed, but there was a part of him that didn't feel up to it…
Why? He couldn't really explain why. But whenever he thought of a tag team match, MYOJIN always thought of Zane being by his side. Zane being his partner. But ever since they lost the tag team tournament… Well, he was still in contact with her frequently- but their friendship had grown distant, and he missed her being by his side. He missed sparring with her, wrestling alongside her.
Having to replace Emiko, even for one match, felt so.. wrong. But he couldn't let his emotions get in the way of another win, especially after he was still making a comeback from injury.
The blonde sat, checking the watch on his wrist occasionally as a handsome waiter came by.
“Salve, posso prendere il vostro ordine?” He asked. MYOJIN didn't really know Italian… at all, but he knew vaguely that if he wanted to order something.
“I'm waiting for someone. Err... Potresti.. a-.. aspettare per favore..?” MYOJIN reluctantly responded with a cringe, hoping what he was saying was comprehensible as he asked the polite waiter to wait a little longer. Or at least, correct enough.
“Sono qui.” Emmanuelle had arrived wearing one of her favorite red dresses, a small smile on her face as she sat down. The young woman was reluctant to do anything with anyone that resembled bonding or getting to know them. While she definitely respected MYOJIN and appreciated the idea of getting to know each other better before their teaming together, the wrestling world had made her increasingly wary of making friends. Getting off to a losing start in a federation for the first time wasn’t exactly fun either.
“How are you feeling? When I got the news that we were tag teaming together I was happy to see a familiar face, how have you been?” Emmy wasn’t an Italian citizen, but she was more than familiar with the country, the food and the people. Her mother was Italian and was proud to pass on a love for the place in her. While the place filled ordinary people with wonder and excitement, it felt more like a second home for her, complimenting her lifestyle in California almost perfectly.
The blonde turned to see his future partner for their upcoming match. Giving a little grin of his own, he leaned back in his chair. MYOJIN was happy that she decided to show up. He knew that Emmanuelle had been far from happy with losing to Cadillac Jackson, and knowing her- She would work as hard as possible to fix an error, even if it meant breaking her harsh shell for a little while. That said, he had never been used to seeing Emmanuelle actually… smile and seem happy. That was a new one.
“I never realized how absolutely lovely Italy is until we landed here, I might have to come back some time for vacation.” He spoke with a little smile.
“I'm doing fine. It's good to see you. I'm a bit surprised you actually agreed to talk with me. I know how you feel about tag teaming. I just… thought, I don't know, getting to really speak to each other and talk things out would do us some good as a team, even if a temporary one.”
“I was thinking that maybe you can relate to me some, I guess. This losing, this constant falling short has been hard on me. I don’t really get put in this situation and I guess maybe since you’ve been through similar things you’d understand. I’m glad you agreed to meet me here.” Emmy flashed another smile before sipping a glass of water. Very few people would ever actually see the young woman smile. Sure, she would smirk and flash sarcastic smiles on camera, but very seldom were they happy, genuinely happy ones. Before she could ask a question the waiter interrupted her. He seemed a little nervous but Emmy eased his worries with a smile and spoke clearly to him. “Come sta la tua bistecca qui? Vorrei questo e delle verdure. E il tuo miglior vino per me e il mio socio qui.” The waiter appeared dumbfounded, forcing Emmy to hide a chuckle. She was suspecting the man wasn’t expecting her to speak Italian back.
MYOJIN ran a hand through his golden hair. He took his signature shades off and nodded with a bit of a frown. He did understand how Emmanuelle was feeling at the moment. Constantly getting put down, not knowing where you went wrong and the more one would try to get up and try again- The more each continuous loss could make someone start to feel hopeless.
He could see the exact same issue he had been facing recently in her. She wasn't her usual aggressive and overconfident self. It was rather convenient they were paired together given their parallels.
“I think that the both of us could use a change of pace. We both have been going at this a certain way for a while now. Project: Honor has some of the absolute best and sometimes it takes a change, a need to adapt. I know I'm good, I know you're good. If we give this our absolute best and consider what our opponents are capable of, then there's no way we'll lose.”
“So, what do you make of our opponents? I don’t really know much about them but I’ve been trying to watch some matches with them in between training sessions. There’s a lot more that I need to work on and preparation is big on the list of things on the to-do list.”
“What do I think of them?” MYOJIN stifled a laugh, somewhat. That said, he could guess how she felt about the one that had beaten her last Proving Ground. “Cadillac got an upset over you. That doesn't mean he's better than you. I think he's so full of himself that he'll think it could be easy to do it again. As for his partner, Lance? He's a big, strong, guy.. The both of us are on the smaller side. If we could keep him out of the equation and focus most of our attention on the wannabe influencer, it'll be much easier.”
He sighed and leaned back into his chair, still thinking to himself. It seemed she had been doing the same as she was the first to open her mouth after a while.
“Sometimes, I do wonder...why do I do this? I have money. I have, well, could have, any person I want on the planet. I can easily quit this job now, start-up the other little businesses I had planned out and live comfortably. What is it about wrestling that keeps me coming back? What is it about it that makes me want to keep going? Is there something similar with you?” Emmy eyed the man curiously. Even though the two of them were opponents once, they got along fairly well in the limited time they spent together. She didn’t think much of the man at first sight other than he was good-looking, but the more she observed the more she felt at ease around him. She saw how he treated his fans, his opposition, his friends especially.
MYOJIN looked up, surprised by her honesty. He had always been under the assumption that she wrestled solely because it came naturally to her and she was exceptional at it, not because she really had a passion for it. He wasn't used to her being expressive about how she felt. He appreciated that she was trying to be more open.
“Yes, actually..” He clasped his hands together, looking down for a few moments. “There have been a lot of times why I've questioned why I keep coming back to wrestling despite all the bullshit that it's put me through. I could do anything else- I could go back to modelling or even the octagon, but.. that'd mean I'd be giving up on what for some reason I really enjoy. I'd rather be doing something I love than be more successful doing something I don't care about.”
“Maybe, just maybe, you feel the same deep down.”
Cadillac, Lance. I'm sure you two will bring a challenge. It'd be naive to say that the both of you won't stand a chance, every wrestler is more than capable. However, the both of you just had a really unlucky shot. You know, Emmanuelle hasn't been sitting well after that lost she took to you, Jackson. She's been working on herself, watching any tapes she can get her hands on, improving on herself. She's never been the one to take a loss lightly.
That said, you've never faced me before, have you? The either of you, actually. So allow me to properly introduce myself to you both.
I'm MYOJIN, the Shining Star. The one who's going to end up making one of you tap out before the night ends.
Caddy, you don't mind if I call you that right? Of course you don't- You're an interesting case. Usually most of the time, despite the way I may feel about a wrestler I face in the ring, I'm at the very least able to respect their skill and their ability as a fighter. I don't really feel any of that when I look at you or see your very, VERY punchable face.
There's something about you that just screams fake. Maybe it's trying to dress classy while having the facial hair of a homeless man and the haircut of a frat boy who didn't know any better. Maybe it's the fact that you act like the greatest thing this roster has ever seen when you have nothing but words to back up. Do people even actually watch The Cadillac Experience? You're the one thing that's worse than a generic, copy and pasted arrogant wrestler that this business already has thousands of. It's a little shit that has done nothing to prove himself.
I've done a lot in this sport already. I've gone through cell ceilings, I've been hit and hit people with objects that could leave lasting brain damage. I've worked my ass off every show I've been on, win or lose, to show what I'm worth. Not for some little fuckboy to stroll around and pretend to be the best while seemingly more focused on using wrestling to promote his shitty appearances than actually interested in making anything out of it.
Do you really want to be famous that bad? I'll help you go viral. It's going to be all over social media- “MYOJIN bends Cadillac Jackson's leg inside out!”
It's hard to tell if you really even believe yourself when all that comes out of your mouth is bullshit. Plus for someone that seems to think he's hot shit, you're very timid when it comes to talking about other people. Like maybe you either expect people to take it easier on you in the ring.
I'll be honest: I just don't like you. Like, anything about you.
As for Lance? Yeah, you're big. Yeah, you've had prior experience as a wrestler. We know that you're strong- and that you're pretty much Big Drip Productions' sidekick. Any credibility you had coming into Project: Honor went out the window when you go by. ‘Dripdozer’ and hangout with failed Soundcloud rappers who rap worse than they actually fight, which is… saying something.
But, let me let you in on something..
Are you ready to hear it?
Having a lot of muscle doesn't count as a personality trait.
I know, that's shocking for you to hear. But you being big? Well, that does nothing for you. Your physique and your strength won't do much when joint manipulation is added to the equation. The human body is something that can both be admired for how resilient, yet easy to tear apart it is. You can let me know how easy it is to lift me for any move after I catch you with a cross armbar.
And that's just coming from me. Emmanuelle has been doing this for a while, she's even beaten me in other promotions a few times. She learns and adapts to any situation she's put in. Sure, her start in Project: Honor had been a bit rocky. However, she's one of the best I've ever wrestled.
If you take the either of us lightly, this match will be over faster than you'll realize. Though, that's inevitable. The end result is going to be simple:
The Silver Starlet is going to kick your heads off, then the Shining Star is going to make you tap. Sorry, not sorry.
I hope that isn't too hard for the both of you to understand!
Rolling takedown into the Orion.. and then Blackheart tapped out. Another win to his record. The crowd cheered, MYOJIN left victorious, still with more wins to his name than anyone else in the company.
Yet, it felt hollow. It didn't feel like it mattered. Usually, after a fight, the youthful wrestler would feel something, anything- whether it be warm satisfaction and happiness from another success or cold and soul-crushing disappointment from a loss. That's how it was supposed to be, right? A wrestler seldom just wrestled for money alone, they had to feel some OTHER passionate reason…
Yet at the moment, it felt like another day. A chore, even. Just something to be done with. He had been expecting to feel some happiness about his return to the ring, excitement, enjoyment at the audience's love for his skill and grace.
Sure, it hadn't been that long since he had been gone. Only about four weeks. But seeing everyone out there, successful and moving forward within their careers, all the while MYOJIN had been at home, licking his wounds. Watching from the sidelines. There had never been a time where the Shining Star had felt so far behind everyone else. But the more he thought about it as he walked backstage after his match, the more he considered… Maybe being put out of commission had been a blessing in disguise. Maybe it took losing the opportunity of a lifetime to give him the wake-up call that he needed.
Honestly? Deep down, there was a part of him that felt… relieved to not have been at The Crowning. MYOJIN felt almost disgusted with himself to even have such thoughts, mindlessly unraveling the wrist tape on his right hand as his eyes glanced around the many staff and other wrestlers around him.
The blonde had lost sight of why he became a wrestler. Why he decided to start wrestling when he had other options… Why did he even begin originally? Had it been so long that he had forgotten his own conviction, his passion?
MYOJIN, no- Shouta, had an easy path to take in life. The world was obsessed with beauty and quirky personalities to distract from the boring, depressing shit that usually went on. When he was younger, he could remember modeling for the most part. His family were pretty well off, and originally modeling was supposed to promote the beginning of his MMA career to show how unique he was- surprisingly, it took off way bigger than he had expected.
Shouta remembered plenty of photoshoots, wearing brand clothing, and using his face as a marketing tool. Most people would love that, wouldn't they? If anything, he could imagine to some that he came off as ungrateful for having such an easy go at things… But that had honestly never been what he wanted. Nor was he ever really that interested in MMA despite enjoying practicing martial arts. His family had chalked it up to him being a rebellious teenager, but it was more than that- It always had been. He felt like he was seen more as an objectified trophy of his family than a real person, he wondered if his siblings had ever felt the same. His appearance was worth more than his actual dreams, so was the tradition of fighting in the octagon- and he tried, and he was good at it.
But was it what he wanted? No.
It seemed like no one ever understood that.
Hell, the reason he got trained to be a high flyer instead of just a pure technical submission artist in wrestling what he wanted to distance himself from being known as the Kuromiyas' youngest child. He wanted to step out of the shadow of his family and do what he found brought him happiness, not what they expected of him. As a young boy, he had always loved wrestling but felt ashamed to admit such as it was always seen by his family as a poor man's version of their sport.
But he loved the freedom of it. The creativity, the lack of rules and regulations. The larger-than-life personas. Shouta found that he finally found the chance of being himself instead of what everyone else wanted him to be. Where he owed nothing to anyone but himself and he was free.
So, what happened to that? What happened to being a wrestler for his own aspirations? Why was he so interested in making fans happy when they were only spectators? Why and when did he start caring so much about everyone else's opinions and thinking so little of his own? He got so caught up trying to be a fan favorite, trying to be some sort of role model to a generation. Shouta had forgotten about his own dreams while trying to fulfill everyone else's pretentious tool.
Ironic, isn't it? He ran away from where he started just to end up doing the exact same shit.
“MYOJIN…? MYOJIN!”
The voice of Crystal Ward brought him back to reality. The blonde blinked, looking up to see the interviewer with an intrigued look on her face- and with a cameraman right next to her. MYOJIN offered a polite smile as he stopped walking. “Hello, Crystal-darling! What is that I can do for you?”
“Tonight you just faced Seth Blackheart and defeated him after recovering from a rotator cuff tear last month. How does it feel to be back to winning ways in a Project: Honor ring?”
He paused, the charismatic facade faltering as he went back into his thoughts. How did he want to respond to that? Should he have said what people would expect and want to hear from him? Or did he speak his mind? MYOJIN looked toward Crystal as she held out the microphone to his lips. His eyes then turned to stare directly into the camera, his smile completely fading.
“A win is a win, I made the goth clown submit- But that… isn't enough. None of this has been enough. For a while now, the way I've gone at things hasn't been enough. I've never complained once and I've always dusted myself off from a failure and kept trying to move on with optimism. Did it ever work? No. I lowered myself to being a people-pleaser; a follower, and for what? That's not me. That's certainly not how I started out. So I'm done with it.” He spoke, an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. He began to turn to walk off again.
Crystal looked somewhat surprised by his response. “What do you exactly mean by that?”
The Shining Star stopped and turned back to her, his smile returned though much more sly. “Sorry, sweethearts, but none of you have seen the real me. Even I forgot who I was… So next show, I'm going to go back to being who I really am- I spent my entire tenure trying to please others, now I'm going to focus on myself. Some are going to still love me, some are going to hate me- I guess we'll just see what the majority thinks.”
And with that, he continued walking.
For the longest time, it seemed like I had been stuck in this never-ending loop in this company that I haven't experienced anywhere else. I go after something that catches my eye, I try to finally reach my potential- and I get close… I get so close. Though I end up failing. I started to get eaten up by insecurity. Asking myself, what did I have to do to improve? What did I need to do in order to finally get past this block I've experienced.
Being so far from the ring, it left some time for me to think. I realized I had spent more time dedicated to being an entertainer instead of a competitor. I lost my killer instinct and the drive that got me far in the first place.
Being nice just.. isn't for me. Being humble doesn't work for me. The mascara brand I buy probably costs more than what it takes for some to keep their lights on. I mean, can we keep it real? I'm so damn pretty, and if that wasn't enough- I have the talent to bend anyone you sit in front of me into a pretzel.
I forgot my place- it's above most of you bitches. Like Cadillac Jackson and Lance Williams, for example. Two of the newest names at Proving Ground who want to show just what they're capable of. Both bright-eyed and ready to show their worth. Though there is a bit of an issue with that- because I'm not really that interested in being the stepping stone for the biggest tool in the ring with his gym rat partner.
And do you want to know something funny? I have a partner who feels the exact same way.
If there was a payoff from getting yourself brutalized for others' entertainment as a professional wrestler working for a well-financed promotion that clearly didn't care that much about your wellbeing, it definitely would have to be touring around the world. Seeing foreign sights that one could only see from pictures, tasting exotic foods that one could only imagine the taste of from afar, experiencing cultures that are so different from anything else that one had experienced before.
There was something about Italy that just screamed- or rather, seductively whispered glamour and wealth and sexiness. With renowned designer brands like Versace and Gucci originating from the country- along with supercars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. Last but not least the beauty standards that existed. Such preserved and undeniably beautiful art and architecture from the Renaissance period. It was a materialistic, classy paradise.
There was that part of MYOJIN that believed he should feel guilty for having such a privilege to be there or to be admiring its admittedly unrealistic and expensive ideals that covered up the ugliness underneath. After all, he knew better than to believe the country was squeaky clean. Matter of fact, Italy got away with a lot of things other places wouldn't accept- like romanticizing sexism, racial enmity being prominent, and.. of course, the unhealthy amounts of olive oil that went into the food. It wasn't all that it appeared to be, he knew that...
But it was hard for the Shining Star to look past the charisma of the country and not be stunned. He sat at an outside cafe in Bologna, where the next Proving Ground episode would be held. Golden light seeping down from the sun, though blocked by the shading that the young wrestler's table sat under.
He'd be tagging with someone he had a bit of a history with soon, Emmanuelle. They had met a few times back, more accurately- they had competed against each other. MYOJIN had invited her out to discuss their upcoming match and she had agreed, but there was a part of him that didn't feel up to it…
Why? He couldn't really explain why. But whenever he thought of a tag team match, MYOJIN always thought of Zane being by his side. Zane being his partner. But ever since they lost the tag team tournament… Well, he was still in contact with her frequently- but their friendship had grown distant, and he missed her being by his side. He missed sparring with her, wrestling alongside her.
Having to replace Emiko, even for one match, felt so.. wrong. But he couldn't let his emotions get in the way of another win, especially after he was still making a comeback from injury.
The blonde sat, checking the watch on his wrist occasionally as a handsome waiter came by.
“Salve, posso prendere il vostro ordine?” He asked. MYOJIN didn't really know Italian… at all, but he knew vaguely that if he wanted to order something.
“I'm waiting for someone. Err... Potresti.. a-.. aspettare per favore..?” MYOJIN reluctantly responded with a cringe, hoping what he was saying was comprehensible as he asked the polite waiter to wait a little longer. Or at least, correct enough.
“Sono qui.” Emmanuelle had arrived wearing one of her favorite red dresses, a small smile on her face as she sat down. The young woman was reluctant to do anything with anyone that resembled bonding or getting to know them. While she definitely respected MYOJIN and appreciated the idea of getting to know each other better before their teaming together, the wrestling world had made her increasingly wary of making friends. Getting off to a losing start in a federation for the first time wasn’t exactly fun either.
“How are you feeling? When I got the news that we were tag teaming together I was happy to see a familiar face, how have you been?” Emmy wasn’t an Italian citizen, but she was more than familiar with the country, the food and the people. Her mother was Italian and was proud to pass on a love for the place in her. While the place filled ordinary people with wonder and excitement, it felt more like a second home for her, complimenting her lifestyle in California almost perfectly.
The blonde turned to see his future partner for their upcoming match. Giving a little grin of his own, he leaned back in his chair. MYOJIN was happy that she decided to show up. He knew that Emmanuelle had been far from happy with losing to Cadillac Jackson, and knowing her- She would work as hard as possible to fix an error, even if it meant breaking her harsh shell for a little while. That said, he had never been used to seeing Emmanuelle actually… smile and seem happy. That was a new one.
“I never realized how absolutely lovely Italy is until we landed here, I might have to come back some time for vacation.” He spoke with a little smile.
“I'm doing fine. It's good to see you. I'm a bit surprised you actually agreed to talk with me. I know how you feel about tag teaming. I just… thought, I don't know, getting to really speak to each other and talk things out would do us some good as a team, even if a temporary one.”
“I was thinking that maybe you can relate to me some, I guess. This losing, this constant falling short has been hard on me. I don’t really get put in this situation and I guess maybe since you’ve been through similar things you’d understand. I’m glad you agreed to meet me here.” Emmy flashed another smile before sipping a glass of water. Very few people would ever actually see the young woman smile. Sure, she would smirk and flash sarcastic smiles on camera, but very seldom were they happy, genuinely happy ones. Before she could ask a question the waiter interrupted her. He seemed a little nervous but Emmy eased his worries with a smile and spoke clearly to him. “Come sta la tua bistecca qui? Vorrei questo e delle verdure. E il tuo miglior vino per me e il mio socio qui.” The waiter appeared dumbfounded, forcing Emmy to hide a chuckle. She was suspecting the man wasn’t expecting her to speak Italian back.
MYOJIN ran a hand through his golden hair. He took his signature shades off and nodded with a bit of a frown. He did understand how Emmanuelle was feeling at the moment. Constantly getting put down, not knowing where you went wrong and the more one would try to get up and try again- The more each continuous loss could make someone start to feel hopeless.
He could see the exact same issue he had been facing recently in her. She wasn't her usual aggressive and overconfident self. It was rather convenient they were paired together given their parallels.
“I think that the both of us could use a change of pace. We both have been going at this a certain way for a while now. Project: Honor has some of the absolute best and sometimes it takes a change, a need to adapt. I know I'm good, I know you're good. If we give this our absolute best and consider what our opponents are capable of, then there's no way we'll lose.”
“So, what do you make of our opponents? I don’t really know much about them but I’ve been trying to watch some matches with them in between training sessions. There’s a lot more that I need to work on and preparation is big on the list of things on the to-do list.”
“What do I think of them?” MYOJIN stifled a laugh, somewhat. That said, he could guess how she felt about the one that had beaten her last Proving Ground. “Cadillac got an upset over you. That doesn't mean he's better than you. I think he's so full of himself that he'll think it could be easy to do it again. As for his partner, Lance? He's a big, strong, guy.. The both of us are on the smaller side. If we could keep him out of the equation and focus most of our attention on the wannabe influencer, it'll be much easier.”
He sighed and leaned back into his chair, still thinking to himself. It seemed she had been doing the same as she was the first to open her mouth after a while.
“Sometimes, I do wonder...why do I do this? I have money. I have, well, could have, any person I want on the planet. I can easily quit this job now, start-up the other little businesses I had planned out and live comfortably. What is it about wrestling that keeps me coming back? What is it about it that makes me want to keep going? Is there something similar with you?” Emmy eyed the man curiously. Even though the two of them were opponents once, they got along fairly well in the limited time they spent together. She didn’t think much of the man at first sight other than he was good-looking, but the more she observed the more she felt at ease around him. She saw how he treated his fans, his opposition, his friends especially.
MYOJIN looked up, surprised by her honesty. He had always been under the assumption that she wrestled solely because it came naturally to her and she was exceptional at it, not because she really had a passion for it. He wasn't used to her being expressive about how she felt. He appreciated that she was trying to be more open.
“Yes, actually..” He clasped his hands together, looking down for a few moments. “There have been a lot of times why I've questioned why I keep coming back to wrestling despite all the bullshit that it's put me through. I could do anything else- I could go back to modelling or even the octagon, but.. that'd mean I'd be giving up on what for some reason I really enjoy. I'd rather be doing something I love than be more successful doing something I don't care about.”
“Maybe, just maybe, you feel the same deep down.”
Cadillac, Lance. I'm sure you two will bring a challenge. It'd be naive to say that the both of you won't stand a chance, every wrestler is more than capable. However, the both of you just had a really unlucky shot. You know, Emmanuelle hasn't been sitting well after that lost she took to you, Jackson. She's been working on herself, watching any tapes she can get her hands on, improving on herself. She's never been the one to take a loss lightly.
That said, you've never faced me before, have you? The either of you, actually. So allow me to properly introduce myself to you both.
I'm MYOJIN, the Shining Star. The one who's going to end up making one of you tap out before the night ends.
Caddy, you don't mind if I call you that right? Of course you don't- You're an interesting case. Usually most of the time, despite the way I may feel about a wrestler I face in the ring, I'm at the very least able to respect their skill and their ability as a fighter. I don't really feel any of that when I look at you or see your very, VERY punchable face.
There's something about you that just screams fake. Maybe it's trying to dress classy while having the facial hair of a homeless man and the haircut of a frat boy who didn't know any better. Maybe it's the fact that you act like the greatest thing this roster has ever seen when you have nothing but words to back up. Do people even actually watch The Cadillac Experience? You're the one thing that's worse than a generic, copy and pasted arrogant wrestler that this business already has thousands of. It's a little shit that has done nothing to prove himself.
I've done a lot in this sport already. I've gone through cell ceilings, I've been hit and hit people with objects that could leave lasting brain damage. I've worked my ass off every show I've been on, win or lose, to show what I'm worth. Not for some little fuckboy to stroll around and pretend to be the best while seemingly more focused on using wrestling to promote his shitty appearances than actually interested in making anything out of it.
Do you really want to be famous that bad? I'll help you go viral. It's going to be all over social media- “MYOJIN bends Cadillac Jackson's leg inside out!”
It's hard to tell if you really even believe yourself when all that comes out of your mouth is bullshit. Plus for someone that seems to think he's hot shit, you're very timid when it comes to talking about other people. Like maybe you either expect people to take it easier on you in the ring.
I'll be honest: I just don't like you. Like, anything about you.
As for Lance? Yeah, you're big. Yeah, you've had prior experience as a wrestler. We know that you're strong- and that you're pretty much Big Drip Productions' sidekick. Any credibility you had coming into Project: Honor went out the window when you go by. ‘Dripdozer’ and hangout with failed Soundcloud rappers who rap worse than they actually fight, which is… saying something.
But, let me let you in on something..
Are you ready to hear it?
Having a lot of muscle doesn't count as a personality trait.
I know, that's shocking for you to hear. But you being big? Well, that does nothing for you. Your physique and your strength won't do much when joint manipulation is added to the equation. The human body is something that can both be admired for how resilient, yet easy to tear apart it is. You can let me know how easy it is to lift me for any move after I catch you with a cross armbar.
And that's just coming from me. Emmanuelle has been doing this for a while, she's even beaten me in other promotions a few times. She learns and adapts to any situation she's put in. Sure, her start in Project: Honor had been a bit rocky. However, she's one of the best I've ever wrestled.
If you take the either of us lightly, this match will be over faster than you'll realize. Though, that's inevitable. The end result is going to be simple:
The Silver Starlet is going to kick your heads off, then the Shining Star is going to make you tap. Sorry, not sorry.
I hope that isn't too hard for the both of you to understand!