Post by Raiden Ishimori on Mar 14, 2024 17:45:24 GMT -5
“Come on now gents. Another round of sparring and we’ll call it a day for you lot.”
The air in the underground gym of The Gambler’s Den was a bit thick with tension, coupled with the various sources of noise stemming from gym equipment and bodies hitting the mat every so often as almost every person associated with The Harbingers was getting their training in for the day. Amid the weight racks were the likes of Raiden and Daigo where the former was currently bench pressing while the other was working on bicep curls, gaze also fixated on the ongoing ring work being put on by both members of The Archfiends, Drake Manson and Marcus Jackson. Outside the ring, spectating and observing, were the likes of Kingsley and Storms. Both bore nonchalant expressions, brows furrowing every so often as they studied the skill set of each member as Drake took Jackson down with a Side Russian Leg Sweep.
Kingsley: “Back up on your feet, Marcus. Can’t let the opponent’s constantly keep the initiative if you want to make the Cup finals this year.”
Jackson quickly rolled up to his feet as Drake rushed, quickly dropping down to take the former SCCW World Champion by the hook of the elbow and down to the mat with a swift arm drag before attempting to slap on an armbar but Manson just as quickly twisted his way out of the hold and sprain right back up to his feet. Almost immediately, the two lunged for another, culminating in the collar-and-elbow tie up as they jockeyed for control. Daigo huffed a faint chuckle to himself, gaze fixing itself onto his current set of reps while Raiden heaved the barbell up onto the rack, dragging himself up to a seated position on the bench.
Daigo: “The boys there are putting in a decent shift right now ahead of this week.”
The Harbinger of Chaos glanced up at his fellow Son of Loki.
Daigo: “No slight on your part of course. Both teams are off to good starts with getting wins in the first week. It’s a matter of repeating that process consistently though if you want to be a two-time winner in your case.”
Raiden: “Remains to be tested is the thing. This…isn’t the first time Jason and I have teamed up in matches like this, but even then, the last time we did was well over a couple years ago, if not at least three.”
Daigo: “Yeah, but the chemistry seems to still be there even with that wide of a time gap. Then again, both of you are intimately familiar with wrestling as a team. Taking into consideration his accolades as a global tag champ and his longevity with The Icons, and then there’s you with being a member of the longest Double Down reign in Sin City’s history, and as an inaugural champ no less. I’d say it’s a match made a heaven for this run in the S&S Cup.”
Raiden: “Still…there’s a decent chunk of competition we have to deal with. We were lucky to scrape past The Bullets, and then there’s still the fact that taking tough bastards into the equation, there’s Chaos Theory and The Academy to deal with. On paper, it might seem like we have an edge, but experience doesn’t lie nor does star power for either of those.”
Daigo shakes his head as he puts the dumbbell aside, rolling his shoulder around for a few moments to try and mitigate some of the aches.
Daigo: “You think too little of yourself, Raiden. Besides, this Cup is honestly just a thing to make up for the lack of action I would imagine from the previous month when Tap Out took a hiatus and let everyone rest up following Supremacy.”
Raiden: “You’re not wrong on that front. Speaking of the Cup though…I’m surprised you and Hanzo didn’t enter it.”
Daigo: “Eh, we’re kind of putting the tag team stuff on hold for now so we can focus on our singles endeavors. We at least won the belts together, which was honestly the main thing we wanted to do as a team, but I’m intent on becoming a Triple Crown winner myself, so I’d like to see that done by either getting the World title or the High Roller. Both at some point would be nice so I can also join Storms there as a Grand Slam winner.”
Raiden: “Provided someone else doesn’t beat you to the punch.”
Daigo: “What, like Justice? He keeps letting stuff slip through his fingers like sand.”
Raiden: “You say that now, but watch him get one if not both accolades by the end of the year.”
Daigo: “That’s considering he finds a tag partner worth his time.”
A thunderous slam echoing in the gym captures both men’s attention as Marcus rolls up to his feet, having just powerbombed Drake into the mat. Kingsley claps for The Archfiend of Water as Manson rolls up to a seated position, holding his neck while he briefly massages it to try and take away some of the pain.
Daigo: “Seems like Marcus is ready for the week. Don’t know about Drake.”
Daigo huffed out a small laugh though Raiden shot him a deadpan glare that quickly silenced his fellow Harbinger.
Daigo: “Anyway…you got that other tag match coming up, right?”
Raiden: “I do, yes.”
Daigo: “Word. I imagine you’ve already got a plan devised?”
Raiden: “Nope.”
Daigo: “Cool so- huh?”
Raiden pushed himself up from the bench, rolling his neck around a few times.
Raiden: “When it comes to who I’m having to deal with on this occasion, Daigo, there is no planning. Only acting in the moment like any apex predator would. This is about making a powerful statement to NOMAD. I don’t give a shit about Random or Poena being involved in this matchup when I was robbed of a match against Merric with that madhouse of a six-man tag last time out.”
Deep breath in, deep breath out as Bone Cold grabbed one of the nearby towels from a nearby rack, draping it around his neck.
Raiden: “Once again I’m being thrown back into the lion’s den, and alongside Poena for that matter. The man who I swear could give Ozymandias a run for his money on who has the creepiest cult to boot. For all the sadomasochism aside, I’ll concede that the bastard has plenty of wit and wile about him that he once claimed the throne for himself, but he found himself ousted from it not too long after.”
Raiden shakes his head.
Raiden: “Better than he’s an ally, even if temporary. Take one of the hardest hitters and one of the best technical wrestlers to grace the Network, put them together, and what do you do with them? Pit them against a team of similar caliber and watch the fireworks that follow.”
He scoffs at the thought.
Raiden: “No…if anything, this is just another prime opportunity to show that I am the one that everyone needs to fear. The injuries I’ve handed out, the tendons I’ve torn from bones, the blood I’ve spilled in countless rings…I’m a godsdamned Harbinger. One of the most decorated talents to step through Tap Out’s doors and someone who made an immediate impact when I stepped through its doors by putting El Rey on his face. In my first match here, Merric and I brought down both NOMAD and Thespian, and who was the man that got that pin in that bout? I did. I was the man who sent Thespian out the door with a loss stapled to his backside and planted my stake into the ground to say, ‘I’m here fuckers,’ and only then did everyone else wake up in this company. No longer were they having to look at Poena as the lone threat anymore, but me.”
He wipes at some of the sweat clinging to his forehead.
Raiden: “Now I’m out here having to shoot dice with McConalogue when really, it’d be better to just break a leg, and more specifically, her leg. Cross wants to take odds on her being put in a match against me and Poena? Nah, nah. If anything you’re stacking the deck against her with two aces hidden up our sleeves on top of it. I don’t care if that’s something she probably even wants, if it’s something she gets off on, those dice rolling don’t mean shit when they’re landing on snake eyes and I’m making her cross eyed after dropping her on her damn head.”
A long sigh escapes the Japanese talent.
Raiden: “Your constant climb here is more of a parasite rather than a paragon, and for a damn change, someone needs to reset your luck counter because one too many times have you been catching lucky breaks with your namesake. You know what won’t be so random? Having your limbs folded and broken because you stepped up to me. Resumes mean nothing to me at this point unless you can back it up against me, and to my knowledge, you still have yet to even taste so much as a draught of the pain that I can inflict. Who knew that these would be the odds of your free sample…though I’m the one who’s going to be enjoying the main course.”
A light laugh escapes Raiden.
Raiden: “NOMAD…I hope you’ve been reviewing recovery methods in the meantime because I intend on making sure that as much you’ve been out of rehab, that you find yourself back in it one way or another. Snap an ankle, an arm, maybe even bang up that shoulder again for old time’s sake to make sure you know that your time is damn well limited as both champion and star. The wolf always gets his kill at some point, and it doesn’t matter how much I need to make you bleed, scream, or stomp you into unconsciousness, I will get my shot one of these days.”
A low growl rumbles in his throat.
Raiden: “So be it that I have to kill two birds with one stone in order to ensure that the operation is a success around here. I’ve been playing with my food for far, far too long by this point and it’s about time I close in for the kill. My boots on both necks, and in time, I’ll be back up where I belong: a king.”
Another heavy sigh leaves him.
Raiden: “I am a Harbinger for many reasons, and this is one of them: a harbinger of things to come, things that will be, and the harbinger of your demise. I am the man that will haunt your dreams in the months that follow because I bring the pain, and you will feel it burning in your bones when you sleep at night. I. Am. Fear.”
He huffs out one last sigh, wiping at his face with the towel once more before taking his leave from the gym floor. Daigo shakes his head as he moves to stand, opting to go watch the rest of the ongoing spar between his fellow stablemates as Drake and Marcus ready up for another round in the ring while the shot fades to black.
The air in the underground gym of The Gambler’s Den was a bit thick with tension, coupled with the various sources of noise stemming from gym equipment and bodies hitting the mat every so often as almost every person associated with The Harbingers was getting their training in for the day. Amid the weight racks were the likes of Raiden and Daigo where the former was currently bench pressing while the other was working on bicep curls, gaze also fixated on the ongoing ring work being put on by both members of The Archfiends, Drake Manson and Marcus Jackson. Outside the ring, spectating and observing, were the likes of Kingsley and Storms. Both bore nonchalant expressions, brows furrowing every so often as they studied the skill set of each member as Drake took Jackson down with a Side Russian Leg Sweep.
Kingsley: “Back up on your feet, Marcus. Can’t let the opponent’s constantly keep the initiative if you want to make the Cup finals this year.”
Jackson quickly rolled up to his feet as Drake rushed, quickly dropping down to take the former SCCW World Champion by the hook of the elbow and down to the mat with a swift arm drag before attempting to slap on an armbar but Manson just as quickly twisted his way out of the hold and sprain right back up to his feet. Almost immediately, the two lunged for another, culminating in the collar-and-elbow tie up as they jockeyed for control. Daigo huffed a faint chuckle to himself, gaze fixing itself onto his current set of reps while Raiden heaved the barbell up onto the rack, dragging himself up to a seated position on the bench.
Daigo: “The boys there are putting in a decent shift right now ahead of this week.”
The Harbinger of Chaos glanced up at his fellow Son of Loki.
Daigo: “No slight on your part of course. Both teams are off to good starts with getting wins in the first week. It’s a matter of repeating that process consistently though if you want to be a two-time winner in your case.”
Raiden: “Remains to be tested is the thing. This…isn’t the first time Jason and I have teamed up in matches like this, but even then, the last time we did was well over a couple years ago, if not at least three.”
Daigo: “Yeah, but the chemistry seems to still be there even with that wide of a time gap. Then again, both of you are intimately familiar with wrestling as a team. Taking into consideration his accolades as a global tag champ and his longevity with The Icons, and then there’s you with being a member of the longest Double Down reign in Sin City’s history, and as an inaugural champ no less. I’d say it’s a match made a heaven for this run in the S&S Cup.”
Raiden: “Still…there’s a decent chunk of competition we have to deal with. We were lucky to scrape past The Bullets, and then there’s still the fact that taking tough bastards into the equation, there’s Chaos Theory and The Academy to deal with. On paper, it might seem like we have an edge, but experience doesn’t lie nor does star power for either of those.”
Daigo shakes his head as he puts the dumbbell aside, rolling his shoulder around for a few moments to try and mitigate some of the aches.
Daigo: “You think too little of yourself, Raiden. Besides, this Cup is honestly just a thing to make up for the lack of action I would imagine from the previous month when Tap Out took a hiatus and let everyone rest up following Supremacy.”
Raiden: “You’re not wrong on that front. Speaking of the Cup though…I’m surprised you and Hanzo didn’t enter it.”
Daigo: “Eh, we’re kind of putting the tag team stuff on hold for now so we can focus on our singles endeavors. We at least won the belts together, which was honestly the main thing we wanted to do as a team, but I’m intent on becoming a Triple Crown winner myself, so I’d like to see that done by either getting the World title or the High Roller. Both at some point would be nice so I can also join Storms there as a Grand Slam winner.”
Raiden: “Provided someone else doesn’t beat you to the punch.”
Daigo: “What, like Justice? He keeps letting stuff slip through his fingers like sand.”
Raiden: “You say that now, but watch him get one if not both accolades by the end of the year.”
Daigo: “That’s considering he finds a tag partner worth his time.”
A thunderous slam echoing in the gym captures both men’s attention as Marcus rolls up to his feet, having just powerbombed Drake into the mat. Kingsley claps for The Archfiend of Water as Manson rolls up to a seated position, holding his neck while he briefly massages it to try and take away some of the pain.
Daigo: “Seems like Marcus is ready for the week. Don’t know about Drake.”
Daigo huffed out a small laugh though Raiden shot him a deadpan glare that quickly silenced his fellow Harbinger.
Daigo: “Anyway…you got that other tag match coming up, right?”
Raiden: “I do, yes.”
Daigo: “Word. I imagine you’ve already got a plan devised?”
Raiden: “Nope.”
Daigo: “Cool so- huh?”
Raiden pushed himself up from the bench, rolling his neck around a few times.
Raiden: “When it comes to who I’m having to deal with on this occasion, Daigo, there is no planning. Only acting in the moment like any apex predator would. This is about making a powerful statement to NOMAD. I don’t give a shit about Random or Poena being involved in this matchup when I was robbed of a match against Merric with that madhouse of a six-man tag last time out.”
Deep breath in, deep breath out as Bone Cold grabbed one of the nearby towels from a nearby rack, draping it around his neck.
Raiden: “Once again I’m being thrown back into the lion’s den, and alongside Poena for that matter. The man who I swear could give Ozymandias a run for his money on who has the creepiest cult to boot. For all the sadomasochism aside, I’ll concede that the bastard has plenty of wit and wile about him that he once claimed the throne for himself, but he found himself ousted from it not too long after.”
Raiden shakes his head.
Raiden: “Better than he’s an ally, even if temporary. Take one of the hardest hitters and one of the best technical wrestlers to grace the Network, put them together, and what do you do with them? Pit them against a team of similar caliber and watch the fireworks that follow.”
He scoffs at the thought.
Raiden: “No…if anything, this is just another prime opportunity to show that I am the one that everyone needs to fear. The injuries I’ve handed out, the tendons I’ve torn from bones, the blood I’ve spilled in countless rings…I’m a godsdamned Harbinger. One of the most decorated talents to step through Tap Out’s doors and someone who made an immediate impact when I stepped through its doors by putting El Rey on his face. In my first match here, Merric and I brought down both NOMAD and Thespian, and who was the man that got that pin in that bout? I did. I was the man who sent Thespian out the door with a loss stapled to his backside and planted my stake into the ground to say, ‘I’m here fuckers,’ and only then did everyone else wake up in this company. No longer were they having to look at Poena as the lone threat anymore, but me.”
He wipes at some of the sweat clinging to his forehead.
Raiden: “Now I’m out here having to shoot dice with McConalogue when really, it’d be better to just break a leg, and more specifically, her leg. Cross wants to take odds on her being put in a match against me and Poena? Nah, nah. If anything you’re stacking the deck against her with two aces hidden up our sleeves on top of it. I don’t care if that’s something she probably even wants, if it’s something she gets off on, those dice rolling don’t mean shit when they’re landing on snake eyes and I’m making her cross eyed after dropping her on her damn head.”
A long sigh escapes the Japanese talent.
Raiden: “Your constant climb here is more of a parasite rather than a paragon, and for a damn change, someone needs to reset your luck counter because one too many times have you been catching lucky breaks with your namesake. You know what won’t be so random? Having your limbs folded and broken because you stepped up to me. Resumes mean nothing to me at this point unless you can back it up against me, and to my knowledge, you still have yet to even taste so much as a draught of the pain that I can inflict. Who knew that these would be the odds of your free sample…though I’m the one who’s going to be enjoying the main course.”
A light laugh escapes Raiden.
Raiden: “NOMAD…I hope you’ve been reviewing recovery methods in the meantime because I intend on making sure that as much you’ve been out of rehab, that you find yourself back in it one way or another. Snap an ankle, an arm, maybe even bang up that shoulder again for old time’s sake to make sure you know that your time is damn well limited as both champion and star. The wolf always gets his kill at some point, and it doesn’t matter how much I need to make you bleed, scream, or stomp you into unconsciousness, I will get my shot one of these days.”
A low growl rumbles in his throat.
Raiden: “So be it that I have to kill two birds with one stone in order to ensure that the operation is a success around here. I’ve been playing with my food for far, far too long by this point and it’s about time I close in for the kill. My boots on both necks, and in time, I’ll be back up where I belong: a king.”
Another heavy sigh leaves him.
Raiden: “I am a Harbinger for many reasons, and this is one of them: a harbinger of things to come, things that will be, and the harbinger of your demise. I am the man that will haunt your dreams in the months that follow because I bring the pain, and you will feel it burning in your bones when you sleep at night. I. Am. Fear.”
He huffs out one last sigh, wiping at his face with the towel once more before taking his leave from the gym floor. Daigo shakes his head as he moves to stand, opting to go watch the rest of the ongoing spar between his fellow stablemates as Drake and Marcus ready up for another round in the ring while the shot fades to black.