A Bone Cold Revelation (X*Crown RP #5 for NoC)
Jul 18, 2018 15:53:23 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer and Nausicaä Suzuki like this
Post by Raiden Ishimori on Jul 18, 2018 15:53:23 GMT -5
{Despite the temperature still being rather warm, the night time offered some cool air as the sun was well below the horizon by this point. It had been a few days since Raiden’s talk with Ebisawa and tonight was the day that he would get the chance to learn the exact truth about what happened to the people he considered his brothers in Osaka. Given where he was going, he was sporting his signature two-piece navy blue suit as he walked along the streets, weaving his way through the crowds to ensure he arrived at the place on time. A few times he even had to shove others out of his way due to them being rather slow for his own liking with the people giving retaliatory shouts that he ignored.}
{Barreling his way through a few more crowds, Raiden soon found himself looking down one of the quieter streets, and from afar, he was able to make out the figures of Reina and Gempachi waiting in front of an establishment that was fairly lit up. Gempachi himself was wearing a three-piece, beige colored suit with a matching tie and white dress shirt underneath his blazer. Reina, on the other hand, was sporting a black dress along with a light pink blazer with her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Raiden took his time approaching them, his hands tucked away in his pockets as he let out a long-winded exhale. Something like this was an event he never would’ve predicted happening so soon, yet here he was.}
Gempachi (looking over): “Oh, Raiden. You made it.”
{Raiden gives a silent wave in response to the elderly man with his injured hand, which was wrapped pretty protectively in gauze.}
Gempachi: “How’d you bust up your hand?”
Raiden: “Let’s just say I owe Ebisawa a new punching bag in the future…”
{The large double door in front of them slowly creaked open with Ebisawa stepping out, dressed in a silver suit with a look of content resting on his face.}
Ebisawa: “Ah, good. All of you are here. Come in. Can’t keep the boss waiting now.”
{Ebisawa pushes the door wide open, giving the trio ample room to enter and soon leading them into the main building of the establishment. The building itself was about three stories in height with a rather modern look to it, similar to those around it. Stepping inside, the group was met with a quiet interior with no other signs of any associates or anything.}
Raiden: “Is no one else here?”
Ebisawa: “There are a few, but they’re mainly up on the top floor with the boss to provide security. Other than that, everyone else is at home or at one of the bars.”
{Proceeding ahead, the four enter an elevator that was at the end of the corridor with Ebisawa pressing the button to lead them up to the third floor. Upon arrival, they are met by six other men in suits, bowing towards the opening they had created for the four to walk down.}
Men: “Welcome back, Ebisawa-san.”
{Ebisawa waves off the formality as he leads the other three down the short hall that ended at another set of double doors. Respectfully, Ebisawa knocks on the door, with both doors being opened in a matter of seconds by two other men who give the same salutation as the group entered the spacious room. In the middle of the room are four black sofas surrounding a glass coffee table with a man sitting in the one directly across from the group who appears to be in his late fifties with short hair and a small grey beard to accompany his look. A cigar hangs in his mouth as he confers with another associate, oblivious to the group’s entrance.}
Ebisawa: “Ushioda-san.”
{The man known as Ushioda turns from his associate to the group, being met with a polite bow from Ebisawa as the others observe in pure silence.}
Ebisawa: “Reina, Raiden, Gempachi-san...this is Kohei Ushioda. The man who’s still leading the Ushioda family here in Osaka.”
Kohei (standing up): “So you’re the three that Ebisawa was telling me about. Well, it is a pleasure to meet all of you for the first time.”
{None of the three say anything in response except for their body language as Gempachi straightens his suit while Reina slightly hides behind Raiden, something Kohei quickly takes notice of.}
Kohei: “Ah, you must be Jotaro’s girl. Reina, if I recall correctly.”
{Still no response came from any of their mouths as they only stood in silence with Raiden narrowing his eyes at Kohei, trying to a get reading on the man while gauging if the man was going to hold true to what Ebisawa promised them.}
Kohei (sighing): “Well, we’re gonna get nowhere in this meeting if you’re just gonna stand there. Come on, have a seat.”
{The group unsteadily took their spots around the table with Raiden and Reina sitting across from Kohei while Gempachi and Ebisawa filled the remaining vacant spots on the other two sofas. There was a lot of tension rising in the air, mainly with Raiden as he constantly felt the corners of his mouth twitching the longer he stared at Kohei, who put out his cigar in the ashtray that sat in front of him before leaning back on the sofa.}
Kohei: “I’ll skip the bullshit and cut right to the chase. As you people already know, Jotaro and his small group of friends were under the membership of the Ushioda family. I had been watching over them for the better part of three and a half years before I felt they were ready enough to watch over themselves, however, I do feel as if that was the wrong choice.”
Ebisawa: “I saw nothing wrong with letting them go out on their own.”
Kohei: “You may not have Ebisawa, but it was their antics that made me regret the decision.”
Gempachi: “Antics?”
{Kohei lets out another long-winded sigh.}
Kohei: “You see, when they first came under the Ushioda family, we only gave them the simple task of being debt collectors. Initially, things went pretty smooth because most people knew what would’ve happened if they didn’t listen to this sudden group of men in suits demanding money. However, as time went on, I want to say after a year had gone by, things started to...heat up.”
Reina: “What changed about them?”
Kohei (sighing): “Violence. They started arming themselves with weaponry. Bats, pipes, planks, you name it. Even when people were willing to pay up, they still felt the need to smash something on their way out. I only found about this change when Ebisawa noticed it happen a few nights in a row.”
{All eyes immediately turned to the Yakuza turned gym manager.}
Kohei: “When he phoned me about it, I knew I had made a mistake somewhere and in response, I sent some men to straighten them out. Yet, they didn’t even yield to them.”
Reina: “So you mean the men we were talking to the entire time were…”
Kohei (serious): “Masked images of their true selves.”
{He stands up from his seat, starting to make a slow circle around the cluster of sofas.}
Kohei: “It was one thing for them to become increasingly violent but to some, it appeared as if they were lusting for more power. As Ebisawa knows, as much as power is a big thing in this kind of world, money is what also makes the world turn round. They eventually started demanding more payment then what was necessary, which meant bad business for the family.”
Raiden: “Bad how?”
Kohei: “They basically milked those businesses dry and kept the extra cash for themselves, therefore robbing the Ushioda family of revenue. Think about it. How do you think they were able to afford such high-end items?”
{Kohei mainly points out the ring on Reina’s right hand, which she quickly covers up out of guilt and anger.}
Kohei (to Gempachi): “I’m surprised they never turned on you and started demanding payment.”
{Gempachi lowered his head the remark. It was something he had never given thought in the past but now...it really had caught him off guard. Even though he knew what the group was really up to throughout the time they spent in the city, they always treated him kindly and never in any demeaning way.}
Gempachi: “The respect we had for each other was too great. I don’t think they wanted to break the wall down on it and have me view them as enemies rather than friends.”
Kohei: “True as that may be, it still surprises me, Gempachi.”
{The elderly man let out an angered grumble as he kept his head low, still thinking over what was being discussed as Kohei sat himself back down.}
Kohei: “Continuing on, seeing as they came across more as street thugs rather than actual Yakuza, I decided to up their status and send them out on other tasks rather than debt collecting. Racketeering, counterfeiting, anything illegal in business deals. Figured I tried to get them to become more professional and business-like with these kinds of jobs but it wasn’t meant to be. They still resorted to violence as the first option if things weren’t going there way, and more often than naught, this rightfully pissed off other members.”
Raiden (confused): “Then why let it continue for so long?”
Kohei: “...Because I was never wise enough beyond my years, boy. There always is the saying of as you get older, you become wiser, but that doesn’t apply to me. I’ve done some stupid shit in the past but I always found ways to resolve my mistakes, unlike Jotaro and his gang.”
{Some discontentment escaped Reina’s lips but Raiden moved his hand on top of hers in order to ease her.}
Kohei: “No matter what I did, nothing seemed to satiate their hunger. Their nighttime ventures continued to pester others and ultimately, ended up becoming a nuisance for another Yakuza family.”
{There was a resounding sound of surprise from the three but Ebisawa simply shook his head at the reaction while Kohei lit up another cigar.}
Gempachi: “What family?”
Ebisawa: “The Akagawa Family. They’re more well known on the other side of town but I guess Jotaro and the others must’ve stumbled onto their turf at some point and they didn’t take too kindly to seeing them there.”
Kohei: “That’s what started their downfall. Angering a family they had no business with and not heeding the warnings was the first costly mistake they made as a whole.”
{Now it was Raiden’s turn to hang his head low as he started to reminisce on the scenes he had stumbled upon in his past years. The murders of Eizan and Hideo, the grief that Jotaro wallowed in, Meiji and Yoshi distancing themselves for some time, and the last time he ever had contact with the three. He started to feel his eyes well up but he wiped them away before they could start flowing out.}
Kohei: “At this point, Ebisawa requested that I punish the five for such stupidity but I decided to let it slide and tried to settle things with the head of the Akagawa Family, Otojiro. Initially, he was willing to negotiate, but as you know…”
Raiden: “The turf war kept persisting…”
Kohei (nodding): “Exactly. The deal I had drawn up fell through and afterward, Otojiro didn’t want peace and instead wanted blood. This declaration of war soon led to first half of casualties for the group, with some of Oto’s men having pinned Eizan and Hideo down in an alleyway before butchering them with cleavers and knives and left them for dead. Of course, even if they had survived the night, there was very little guarantee that they would’ve survived in hospital, let alone the ambulance ride. Even with the deaths of those, Jotaro didn’t give up the fight, despite the warnings everyone was giving him.”
{To the right of him, Raiden could hear Reina starting to cry as the recollection of events drew closer. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her close as she tried to muffle the sounds by covering her face while Kohei took a few drags on his cigar.}
Gempachi (sighing): “Young and dumb...of course.”
Kohei: “More or less. He started plotting his revenge and a few times even tried to get me to lend him some men in order to help out with the situation but I flat out refused. At that point, I didn’t care if he was part of the family or close ally of mine. Jotaro screwed Jotaro. He brought about his own demise and the deaths of the others which affected the Ushioda family moderately.”
{He turns his attention over to Raiden, who raises his head up just enough to where makes eye contact with Kohei.}
Kohei (taking another drag): “From what Ebisawa has told me, you were the last one to make contact with Jotaro, correct?”
Raiden (nodding): “It’s true.”
Kohei: “So then you know what ultimately happened to Jotaro, Meiji, and Yoshi. Killed, left to rot in the park. Even though it was a fair three on three fight, they still failed to uphold the honor of the Ushioda family and paid the price that Otojiro wanted from them. Bloodshed. After we learned of their deaths, we gathered the bodies as quickly as we could under the cover of night and promptly burned them until their bodies were ash. It’s...not a proud thing to reminisce on but in the back of my mind, a voice was telling me they got what they ultimately deserved for their actions as Yakuza. While some of their actions were justified, they were just power hungry bottom feeders in the end.”
Ebisawa (nonchalantly): “You leave anything out?”
Kohei (shaking his head): “No. That’s all I can recall about them. On the outside, they were good people but their hearts were corrupted by the vice that is lust and thought too highly of themselves. I know you three thought of them differently but unfortunately, that is the truth about them...the bone cold truth.”
{He takes another few puffs of the cigar in his hand before putting it out in the ashtray. His attention returns to Raiden as he stands back up on his feet.}
Kohei: “Raiden, is it?”
Raiden: “Yeah…?”
Kohei: “Ebisawa has told me that you’re part of the wrestling industry with a rather important match coming up within the next the several days. Have you made this known publicly?”
Raiden (shaking his head): “Only to those close to me.”
Kohei: “I see.”
{Turning to his associate, the two have a rather brief yet hushed discussion with Ebisawa cocking a brow at the sight of the scene. Soon enough, Kohei’s attention returns to Raiden.}
Kohei: “If I may, there’s a favor I would like to provide as compensation for your troubles. You may not consider it much but it's the least I can do for you, man to man.”
Raiden (nervously): “What...is it?”
Kohei: “I’m willing to hold a press conference for you in regards to this match that you’re going into. There are some strings I can pull to help execute this but it will help with people getting to know you and in a way, help you vent with what’s on your mind. Sound like a deal?”
{Raiden looked at the remaining party members with Ebisawa keeping silent on the terms while Gempachi was also the same way. Reina offered nothing in response either as she was still slightly crying into her hands. Drawing in a breath, he slowly exhaled it with closed eyes before looking back up at Kohei.}
Raiden: “Alright...I’ll take you up on it.”
{Standing up from his seat, he gives Kohei a firm handshake but he keeps his face expressionless as the two break contact. Turning, Raiden starts to depart from the room, much to the others’ surprise.}
Ebisawa (shocked): “Raiden!”
Gempachi (baffled): “Where in God’s name are you going?”
Raiden (still walking away): “...to train. I don’t have much time left before I have to fly out...may as well make the best use of it.”
{Raiden exits the room, remaining silent as he walks by the other Yakuza before descending down the elevator and arriving back at the first floor. Taking his time, he starts the walk from the landing to the front door.}
“Sometimes...people say it’s easier to run from your past than confront it but at the same time, the saying is bullshit. I did what I had to do and that was to learn the truth of my friends’ past in order to know what really happened so I wasn’t having an inner demon gnaw at my insides as I continue my training. There’s a lot I’m feeling right now...misery, rage, hate, disgust...I probably couldn’t fit what I’m feeling on a piece of paper if I tried.”
“Regardless, I can finally put this shit behind me and regain focus. I may not have much time but I got to utilize it as best I can while it remains. I have to be, no, NEED to be in top form if I even want to stand a chance in that damned ring with those seven competitors or I’m lunch meat. This just isn’t trying to get to the top of the mountain anymore, this is to show that I am the best that Suzuki Blitz has to offer and showcase exactly why I was chosen for this match.”
“Tabitha, Rob, Jack, Jackson, Anomoly, Steve, Harry...I hope you guys are ready for a fight against a wolf. Not against a pup, not against an adolescent, but one who’s looking to become the Alpha of XHF. That X*Crown championship is going to be my reward for my perseverance, my will to succeed, my drive to do this for those who support me to the fullest. This isn’t a dream I’m telling you all...this is a promise that I plan to keep…”
{Pushing the doors wide open, Raiden continues his way down the stairs, stuffing his hands back into his pocket as he proceeds down the stretch of cobblestone to the front gate. Stopping at the gate, he takes one last moment to crane his head around and look up at the top of the establishment, eyes narrowing at it before stepping out and starting the walk back home. The only thing left to hear is the click of his shoes against the asphalt surface as the shot fades to black.}
{Barreling his way through a few more crowds, Raiden soon found himself looking down one of the quieter streets, and from afar, he was able to make out the figures of Reina and Gempachi waiting in front of an establishment that was fairly lit up. Gempachi himself was wearing a three-piece, beige colored suit with a matching tie and white dress shirt underneath his blazer. Reina, on the other hand, was sporting a black dress along with a light pink blazer with her hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Raiden took his time approaching them, his hands tucked away in his pockets as he let out a long-winded exhale. Something like this was an event he never would’ve predicted happening so soon, yet here he was.}
Gempachi (looking over): “Oh, Raiden. You made it.”
{Raiden gives a silent wave in response to the elderly man with his injured hand, which was wrapped pretty protectively in gauze.}
Gempachi: “How’d you bust up your hand?”
Raiden: “Let’s just say I owe Ebisawa a new punching bag in the future…”
{The large double door in front of them slowly creaked open with Ebisawa stepping out, dressed in a silver suit with a look of content resting on his face.}
Ebisawa: “Ah, good. All of you are here. Come in. Can’t keep the boss waiting now.”
{Ebisawa pushes the door wide open, giving the trio ample room to enter and soon leading them into the main building of the establishment. The building itself was about three stories in height with a rather modern look to it, similar to those around it. Stepping inside, the group was met with a quiet interior with no other signs of any associates or anything.}
Raiden: “Is no one else here?”
Ebisawa: “There are a few, but they’re mainly up on the top floor with the boss to provide security. Other than that, everyone else is at home or at one of the bars.”
{Proceeding ahead, the four enter an elevator that was at the end of the corridor with Ebisawa pressing the button to lead them up to the third floor. Upon arrival, they are met by six other men in suits, bowing towards the opening they had created for the four to walk down.}
Men: “Welcome back, Ebisawa-san.”
{Ebisawa waves off the formality as he leads the other three down the short hall that ended at another set of double doors. Respectfully, Ebisawa knocks on the door, with both doors being opened in a matter of seconds by two other men who give the same salutation as the group entered the spacious room. In the middle of the room are four black sofas surrounding a glass coffee table with a man sitting in the one directly across from the group who appears to be in his late fifties with short hair and a small grey beard to accompany his look. A cigar hangs in his mouth as he confers with another associate, oblivious to the group’s entrance.}
Ebisawa: “Ushioda-san.”
{The man known as Ushioda turns from his associate to the group, being met with a polite bow from Ebisawa as the others observe in pure silence.}
Ebisawa: “Reina, Raiden, Gempachi-san...this is Kohei Ushioda. The man who’s still leading the Ushioda family here in Osaka.”
Kohei (standing up): “So you’re the three that Ebisawa was telling me about. Well, it is a pleasure to meet all of you for the first time.”
{None of the three say anything in response except for their body language as Gempachi straightens his suit while Reina slightly hides behind Raiden, something Kohei quickly takes notice of.}
Kohei: “Ah, you must be Jotaro’s girl. Reina, if I recall correctly.”
{Still no response came from any of their mouths as they only stood in silence with Raiden narrowing his eyes at Kohei, trying to a get reading on the man while gauging if the man was going to hold true to what Ebisawa promised them.}
Kohei (sighing): “Well, we’re gonna get nowhere in this meeting if you’re just gonna stand there. Come on, have a seat.”
{The group unsteadily took their spots around the table with Raiden and Reina sitting across from Kohei while Gempachi and Ebisawa filled the remaining vacant spots on the other two sofas. There was a lot of tension rising in the air, mainly with Raiden as he constantly felt the corners of his mouth twitching the longer he stared at Kohei, who put out his cigar in the ashtray that sat in front of him before leaning back on the sofa.}
Kohei: “I’ll skip the bullshit and cut right to the chase. As you people already know, Jotaro and his small group of friends were under the membership of the Ushioda family. I had been watching over them for the better part of three and a half years before I felt they were ready enough to watch over themselves, however, I do feel as if that was the wrong choice.”
Ebisawa: “I saw nothing wrong with letting them go out on their own.”
Kohei: “You may not have Ebisawa, but it was their antics that made me regret the decision.”
Gempachi: “Antics?”
{Kohei lets out another long-winded sigh.}
Kohei: “You see, when they first came under the Ushioda family, we only gave them the simple task of being debt collectors. Initially, things went pretty smooth because most people knew what would’ve happened if they didn’t listen to this sudden group of men in suits demanding money. However, as time went on, I want to say after a year had gone by, things started to...heat up.”
Reina: “What changed about them?”
Kohei (sighing): “Violence. They started arming themselves with weaponry. Bats, pipes, planks, you name it. Even when people were willing to pay up, they still felt the need to smash something on their way out. I only found about this change when Ebisawa noticed it happen a few nights in a row.”
{All eyes immediately turned to the Yakuza turned gym manager.}
Kohei: “When he phoned me about it, I knew I had made a mistake somewhere and in response, I sent some men to straighten them out. Yet, they didn’t even yield to them.”
Reina: “So you mean the men we were talking to the entire time were…”
Kohei (serious): “Masked images of their true selves.”
{He stands up from his seat, starting to make a slow circle around the cluster of sofas.}
Kohei: “It was one thing for them to become increasingly violent but to some, it appeared as if they were lusting for more power. As Ebisawa knows, as much as power is a big thing in this kind of world, money is what also makes the world turn round. They eventually started demanding more payment then what was necessary, which meant bad business for the family.”
Raiden: “Bad how?”
Kohei: “They basically milked those businesses dry and kept the extra cash for themselves, therefore robbing the Ushioda family of revenue. Think about it. How do you think they were able to afford such high-end items?”
{Kohei mainly points out the ring on Reina’s right hand, which she quickly covers up out of guilt and anger.}
Kohei (to Gempachi): “I’m surprised they never turned on you and started demanding payment.”
{Gempachi lowered his head the remark. It was something he had never given thought in the past but now...it really had caught him off guard. Even though he knew what the group was really up to throughout the time they spent in the city, they always treated him kindly and never in any demeaning way.}
Gempachi: “The respect we had for each other was too great. I don’t think they wanted to break the wall down on it and have me view them as enemies rather than friends.”
Kohei: “True as that may be, it still surprises me, Gempachi.”
{The elderly man let out an angered grumble as he kept his head low, still thinking over what was being discussed as Kohei sat himself back down.}
Kohei: “Continuing on, seeing as they came across more as street thugs rather than actual Yakuza, I decided to up their status and send them out on other tasks rather than debt collecting. Racketeering, counterfeiting, anything illegal in business deals. Figured I tried to get them to become more professional and business-like with these kinds of jobs but it wasn’t meant to be. They still resorted to violence as the first option if things weren’t going there way, and more often than naught, this rightfully pissed off other members.”
Raiden (confused): “Then why let it continue for so long?”
Kohei: “...Because I was never wise enough beyond my years, boy. There always is the saying of as you get older, you become wiser, but that doesn’t apply to me. I’ve done some stupid shit in the past but I always found ways to resolve my mistakes, unlike Jotaro and his gang.”
{Some discontentment escaped Reina’s lips but Raiden moved his hand on top of hers in order to ease her.}
Kohei: “No matter what I did, nothing seemed to satiate their hunger. Their nighttime ventures continued to pester others and ultimately, ended up becoming a nuisance for another Yakuza family.”
{There was a resounding sound of surprise from the three but Ebisawa simply shook his head at the reaction while Kohei lit up another cigar.}
Gempachi: “What family?”
Ebisawa: “The Akagawa Family. They’re more well known on the other side of town but I guess Jotaro and the others must’ve stumbled onto their turf at some point and they didn’t take too kindly to seeing them there.”
Kohei: “That’s what started their downfall. Angering a family they had no business with and not heeding the warnings was the first costly mistake they made as a whole.”
{Now it was Raiden’s turn to hang his head low as he started to reminisce on the scenes he had stumbled upon in his past years. The murders of Eizan and Hideo, the grief that Jotaro wallowed in, Meiji and Yoshi distancing themselves for some time, and the last time he ever had contact with the three. He started to feel his eyes well up but he wiped them away before they could start flowing out.}
Kohei: “At this point, Ebisawa requested that I punish the five for such stupidity but I decided to let it slide and tried to settle things with the head of the Akagawa Family, Otojiro. Initially, he was willing to negotiate, but as you know…”
Raiden: “The turf war kept persisting…”
Kohei (nodding): “Exactly. The deal I had drawn up fell through and afterward, Otojiro didn’t want peace and instead wanted blood. This declaration of war soon led to first half of casualties for the group, with some of Oto’s men having pinned Eizan and Hideo down in an alleyway before butchering them with cleavers and knives and left them for dead. Of course, even if they had survived the night, there was very little guarantee that they would’ve survived in hospital, let alone the ambulance ride. Even with the deaths of those, Jotaro didn’t give up the fight, despite the warnings everyone was giving him.”
{To the right of him, Raiden could hear Reina starting to cry as the recollection of events drew closer. Putting his arm around her, he pulled her close as she tried to muffle the sounds by covering her face while Kohei took a few drags on his cigar.}
Gempachi (sighing): “Young and dumb...of course.”
Kohei: “More or less. He started plotting his revenge and a few times even tried to get me to lend him some men in order to help out with the situation but I flat out refused. At that point, I didn’t care if he was part of the family or close ally of mine. Jotaro screwed Jotaro. He brought about his own demise and the deaths of the others which affected the Ushioda family moderately.”
{He turns his attention over to Raiden, who raises his head up just enough to where makes eye contact with Kohei.}
Kohei (taking another drag): “From what Ebisawa has told me, you were the last one to make contact with Jotaro, correct?”
Raiden (nodding): “It’s true.”
Kohei: “So then you know what ultimately happened to Jotaro, Meiji, and Yoshi. Killed, left to rot in the park. Even though it was a fair three on three fight, they still failed to uphold the honor of the Ushioda family and paid the price that Otojiro wanted from them. Bloodshed. After we learned of their deaths, we gathered the bodies as quickly as we could under the cover of night and promptly burned them until their bodies were ash. It’s...not a proud thing to reminisce on but in the back of my mind, a voice was telling me they got what they ultimately deserved for their actions as Yakuza. While some of their actions were justified, they were just power hungry bottom feeders in the end.”
Ebisawa (nonchalantly): “You leave anything out?”
Kohei (shaking his head): “No. That’s all I can recall about them. On the outside, they were good people but their hearts were corrupted by the vice that is lust and thought too highly of themselves. I know you three thought of them differently but unfortunately, that is the truth about them...the bone cold truth.”
{He takes another few puffs of the cigar in his hand before putting it out in the ashtray. His attention returns to Raiden as he stands back up on his feet.}
Kohei: “Raiden, is it?”
Raiden: “Yeah…?”
Kohei: “Ebisawa has told me that you’re part of the wrestling industry with a rather important match coming up within the next the several days. Have you made this known publicly?”
Raiden (shaking his head): “Only to those close to me.”
Kohei: “I see.”
{Turning to his associate, the two have a rather brief yet hushed discussion with Ebisawa cocking a brow at the sight of the scene. Soon enough, Kohei’s attention returns to Raiden.}
Kohei: “If I may, there’s a favor I would like to provide as compensation for your troubles. You may not consider it much but it's the least I can do for you, man to man.”
Raiden (nervously): “What...is it?”
Kohei: “I’m willing to hold a press conference for you in regards to this match that you’re going into. There are some strings I can pull to help execute this but it will help with people getting to know you and in a way, help you vent with what’s on your mind. Sound like a deal?”
{Raiden looked at the remaining party members with Ebisawa keeping silent on the terms while Gempachi was also the same way. Reina offered nothing in response either as she was still slightly crying into her hands. Drawing in a breath, he slowly exhaled it with closed eyes before looking back up at Kohei.}
Raiden: “Alright...I’ll take you up on it.”
{Standing up from his seat, he gives Kohei a firm handshake but he keeps his face expressionless as the two break contact. Turning, Raiden starts to depart from the room, much to the others’ surprise.}
Ebisawa (shocked): “Raiden!”
Gempachi (baffled): “Where in God’s name are you going?”
Raiden (still walking away): “...to train. I don’t have much time left before I have to fly out...may as well make the best use of it.”
{Raiden exits the room, remaining silent as he walks by the other Yakuza before descending down the elevator and arriving back at the first floor. Taking his time, he starts the walk from the landing to the front door.}
“Sometimes...people say it’s easier to run from your past than confront it but at the same time, the saying is bullshit. I did what I had to do and that was to learn the truth of my friends’ past in order to know what really happened so I wasn’t having an inner demon gnaw at my insides as I continue my training. There’s a lot I’m feeling right now...misery, rage, hate, disgust...I probably couldn’t fit what I’m feeling on a piece of paper if I tried.”
“Regardless, I can finally put this shit behind me and regain focus. I may not have much time but I got to utilize it as best I can while it remains. I have to be, no, NEED to be in top form if I even want to stand a chance in that damned ring with those seven competitors or I’m lunch meat. This just isn’t trying to get to the top of the mountain anymore, this is to show that I am the best that Suzuki Blitz has to offer and showcase exactly why I was chosen for this match.”
“Tabitha, Rob, Jack, Jackson, Anomoly, Steve, Harry...I hope you guys are ready for a fight against a wolf. Not against a pup, not against an adolescent, but one who’s looking to become the Alpha of XHF. That X*Crown championship is going to be my reward for my perseverance, my will to succeed, my drive to do this for those who support me to the fullest. This isn’t a dream I’m telling you all...this is a promise that I plan to keep…”
{Pushing the doors wide open, Raiden continues his way down the stairs, stuffing his hands back into his pocket as he proceeds down the stretch of cobblestone to the front gate. Stopping at the gate, he takes one last moment to crane his head around and look up at the top of the establishment, eyes narrowing at it before stepping out and starting the walk back home. The only thing left to hear is the click of his shoes against the asphalt surface as the shot fades to black.}
