Post by Kimo on Apr 23, 2018 20:34:56 GMT -5
-Off Camera-
April 22, 2018.
Backstage after Crossroad: Escalation
Kimo walks in from the stage after his match. With his third straight loss, even a blind man can tell that the look on his face would indicate that he's not the happiest of people at the moment, and even that would be a gross understatement. Normally a loss like this would take a simple dusting off and he'd put his nose to the grindstone even harder than before to be better for the next match. However this one seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, a rather large straw in this case.
At the moment he only has one objective just to simply get to the locker room. As if he were Moses parting the Red Sea, everyone in the entire hallway move the side almost as if on instinct. He may not have been around for long but his mood at the moment made people second-guess staying in his way. The only people that didn't move were his wife Kate and the back breaking straw himelf, Carter Strong, who were waiting for him right next to the locker room door.
Carter: (Extends his hand) Great match, man.
Kimo just storms past him towards the locker room and slams the door shut.
Carter: Why is he so mad? I thought we were good?
Kimo: (from behind the door) GOD DAMMIT!!!!
A few seconds pass before we hear the sounds of screaming interspersed with a fist banging against the wall.
Carter: Well...someone's taking this just a bit too personal. I mean, it's just a loss.
Kate: Actually to him, it's more than that. He's been through dry spells before.
Carter: Then what would make it any different now?
Kate: I think I know why. I'll go talk to him.
Carter: (while listening in on the assumed tantrum being thrown by a grown man) You sure about that? Doesn't seem to be in a listening mood by the sound of it.
Kate: I'm his wife. He'll listen.
Kate walks toward the locker room and knocks on the door.
Kate: Babe? It's me. Can I come in?
Kimo: .....yeah.
Kate: So whats going on? Is this about what I think it is?
Kimo: Wonder what gave that away?
She sits next to her husband, places her hand on his back reassuringly, and starts rubbing.
Kate: You have to stop being so hard on yourself. I know what you're trying to do, and I'll be with you every step of the way. It's just a rough start. I'm sure you did what you intended to do despite the outcome.
Kimo: Yeah, but I can't if they're all watching me lose all the damn time! You have no idea what a win against someone like him would've meant, not just to me but to all of them.
Seeing the coast is clear, Carter wants in from the hallway.
Carter: Who exactly?
Kimo: Oh, hey Carter. Listen about earlier.
Carter: Its no big deal. Although given what I've heard. I kinda wanna know myself.
Kimo: Where do I start? When I was a kid. My teachers noticed that I was struggling when it came to focusing on things. That I wasn't showing much interest in what everyone else was learning, it was hard for me to socialize, I was quick to anger, not only that I went through bouts of depression. So looking for a the easy way out, thedoctors just wrote me a prescription for Ritalin and antidepressants. Ultimately, there were no signs of improvement so they sent me to another doctor who then told me that the previous doctors were wrong and that our was something else entirely.
Carter: Well what was it?
Kimo: Asperger's Syndrome.
Carter: What?
Kate: It's a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder. People with it are commonly seen as rigid, socially awkward, prefer routines.
Kimo: But we also exhibit intense interest in certain things, for me it was language. I could communicate in basic sign language when I was 6, was conversational in Spanish when I was 8, and taught myself how to speak Japanese, German, Chinese and French when I was 16.
I was 12 when I was diagnosed. After that, they wanted to lot me in with the special need's students, the ones with Down's Syndrome amd whatnot. Apparantly my school said students with Autism Spectrum Disorders would need to be placed with the rest of the special needs students. It pissed me off. They pretty much just told me that they thought I was mentally challenged and needed to be separated from the so-called "normal" people. So from then on I worked harder than I ever had to. I even petitioned the school bored to change their definition for what would be considered a "special needs" student. I ended up proving them wrong by graduating with a 4.3 GPA, Varsity Wrestling Captain, and a full scholarship to University of Hawai'i.
It also carried into my training. I decided that if no one was going to fight for them, than I would.
Carter: Hey despite this you can still be that guy. Hell, even and I'm inspired by that.
Kate: There's always going to be another match.
Kimo's phone goes off. He pulls it from his locker and check the text message he just received.
Kimo: Speaking of which....oh...
Kate: Feckin hell...
Carter: What is it? (Looks at his screen.) Oh! Damn! Looks like you have your work cut out for you this time, brother.
The scene cuts to his phone showing a message from the GM before fading to black.
"UNSCRIPTED
MAY 5TH
DANIELLE BASCH
SOUTH BAY CHAMPIONSHIP!!!"
-On Camera-
April 23rd, 2018
Kimo & Kate's Beach House
Redondo Beach, CA
Kate returns home, sets her keys on the kitchen counter and pulls out a sizable clutch of Bridal magazines. The look on her face indicating that she is simply going through the motions at this point. They already had the handfasting ceremony and their marriage license has been validated, but a majority of both of their families believe that they have not been officially married. So they decided to hold an "official" ceremony in order to placate them.
Kate: Babe, I'm home. Babe?
The muffled sounds of music attempting to drown out the slapping of fists against a heavy bag emanate from the basement. He recently had the basement remodeled into a private gym for them use complete with a practice ring.
The camera and then cuts to what's going on behind the door. We see Kimo doing striking drills on a heavy bag. Something about yesterday's defeat fortified his resolve to fight. Taking inspiration from in his opinion the greatest anime character of all time, Vegeta, he's wearing a blue rash guard with the aforementioned Super Saiyan's Armor printed on it. To further add to his motivation the song "Waiting" by Not Forgotten is being blasted through the basement's sound system.
Kate opens the door and sees the man she married putting everything he has to prepare for his upcoming title match against Danielle Basch. Despite her ties to hia cousin, Alicia. He does not appear to want to relent. Nor should he. This is exactly how he trained for title fights in his PGFC days, this is exactly how he trained when he won the AWA International title, by training as hard as if he were in the match itself. No light sparring, if he sparred it would be at 100% if no taking it easy unless on days where he has to rest, just wake up...eat...train...eat...train...shower...sleep...repeat with as few breaks as possible. This will be his schedule for the next two weeks with only 4 designated rest days. He is determined to approach the upcoming match with even more intensity then his opponent.
Kate picks of the remote for the sound system and cut the music off. Which obviously catches his attention.
Kate: Have you been at this since I left?
Kimo: (Exhausted) I've been at this since this morning.
Kate: I know this match is a big one for you. But please try not to overdo it or else you'll lose before you even step between those ropes.
Kimo: I know. I'm just sick of this. Sick of the dry spells. Sick of putting in all the effort that I can possibly put in and still coming up short. I can't let this happen again I have to break this and I have to do it next Saturday. I know you probably already thinking "did I just marry a lunatic?" But I just had a another massive fire lit under my ass and I'm not going to let it burn me anymore.
Kate: Look, I get it! Keep in mind who you're talking to and who YOU just married! I've been through my share of moments like these so I know exactly what's going through your mind right now. Besides we need to talk.
Kimo: It's gotten that bad already?
Kate: No, ya feckin' smartarse, about the wedding.
Kimo: Oh, that. Alicia already said she'd help out when she could but let's at least wait until after I get out of the ring with Danielle.
Kate: That would make things kind of awkward wouldn't it?
Kimo: Just a bit, yeah. Anyways I got about another hour and a half of this, afterwards I'll make us dinner okay?
Kate: You can cook?
Kimo: Well I'm no Gordon Ramsay, but I know my way around a kitchen.
Kate: Now I KNOW I married the right man. Let me go and get changed, I'll join ya.
Kate gives him a quick kiss and then heads out. He then turns to the camera.
Kimo: Man did I get lucky or what when I married her. I don't know what she sees in me but I hope she doesn't stop seeing it.
So yeah I know my next match is against somebody that has ties to my family. I'm also aware that is also a title shot. But before this gets too long please allow me the opportunity to address my opponent directly.
Danielle, I know you're one of my cousin's protégés. Despite that, I want you to know that I am not going to pull my punches with you next Saturday.
Now with that out of the way, allow me to ask you a question....
What are you fighting for?
What reason do you have to fight? What do you have left to prove? You've already done all you can from what I can tell. You've gotten used to being champion, so what is the title to you aside from another credit to an already impressive resume at this point? To you, its just another feather in your hat. To me it's something else entirely.
As everyone is now aware, I was born with Asperger's Syndrome. I have people that have stuck with me through it all and I can't thank them enough for that, but I've had even more people that let my disorder define who I am. Schools tried to label me, doctors tried to medicate me into normalcy, and then there were the people that tried to make me feel less than human for being born the way I was. Some of THOSE people were even in my FAMILY!
Let me tell you a story. Not long after I won the AWA International title, I was pulled into the CEO's office. He congratulated me on the win, but told me that, despite my victory, a majority of the administration were apprehensive about having someone with my "condition" represent their brand.They would allow me to retain the title until they found someone they believed to be "more capable of the responsibility" and told me that I had to lose against him or I'd face being blacklisted. Sure enough, they found the one they wanted, so they made me play their game. I was at odds with them ever since. The only one up there that had my back was Jason. He wasn't too happy about it either. Not long after I was forced to surrender the title, I ended up leaving.
Do you have any idea what its like to work so hard for something and get it, only to have it taken away from you because someone who doesnt even know or even care about you considered you defective? I could've used my time as champion to inspire thousands if not millions of kids like me to pursue whatever goals they had amd not let anyone stop them. I could've proved that someone like them is about is capable of greatness as anyone else. But no, I was forced to simply keep it warm for the person that "they" thought was worthy of it.
Coming here to WCG gave me an opportunity for a second chance to make that dream possible. So come Unscripted, I will be there. I will face you, And I will defeat you. Not just for me but but also for those like me.
And I will NOT...
HOLD...
BACK!!!
Now let me ask you this more time Danielle....
What are you fighting for?
He then turns the music back on and resumed the drill that he was doing earlier on the heavy bag as the scene fades to black
April 22, 2018.
Backstage after Crossroad: Escalation
Kimo walks in from the stage after his match. With his third straight loss, even a blind man can tell that the look on his face would indicate that he's not the happiest of people at the moment, and even that would be a gross understatement. Normally a loss like this would take a simple dusting off and he'd put his nose to the grindstone even harder than before to be better for the next match. However this one seemed to be the straw that broke the camel's back, a rather large straw in this case.
At the moment he only has one objective just to simply get to the locker room. As if he were Moses parting the Red Sea, everyone in the entire hallway move the side almost as if on instinct. He may not have been around for long but his mood at the moment made people second-guess staying in his way. The only people that didn't move were his wife Kate and the back breaking straw himelf, Carter Strong, who were waiting for him right next to the locker room door.
Carter: (Extends his hand) Great match, man.
Kimo just storms past him towards the locker room and slams the door shut.
Carter: Why is he so mad? I thought we were good?
Kimo: (from behind the door) GOD DAMMIT!!!!
A few seconds pass before we hear the sounds of screaming interspersed with a fist banging against the wall.
Carter: Well...someone's taking this just a bit too personal. I mean, it's just a loss.
Kate: Actually to him, it's more than that. He's been through dry spells before.
Carter: Then what would make it any different now?
Kate: I think I know why. I'll go talk to him.
Carter: (while listening in on the assumed tantrum being thrown by a grown man) You sure about that? Doesn't seem to be in a listening mood by the sound of it.
Kate: I'm his wife. He'll listen.
Kate walks toward the locker room and knocks on the door.
Kate: Babe? It's me. Can I come in?
Kimo: .....yeah.
Kate: So whats going on? Is this about what I think it is?
Kimo: Wonder what gave that away?
She sits next to her husband, places her hand on his back reassuringly, and starts rubbing.
Kate: You have to stop being so hard on yourself. I know what you're trying to do, and I'll be with you every step of the way. It's just a rough start. I'm sure you did what you intended to do despite the outcome.
Kimo: Yeah, but I can't if they're all watching me lose all the damn time! You have no idea what a win against someone like him would've meant, not just to me but to all of them.
Seeing the coast is clear, Carter wants in from the hallway.
Carter: Who exactly?
Kimo: Oh, hey Carter. Listen about earlier.
Carter: Its no big deal. Although given what I've heard. I kinda wanna know myself.
Kimo: Where do I start? When I was a kid. My teachers noticed that I was struggling when it came to focusing on things. That I wasn't showing much interest in what everyone else was learning, it was hard for me to socialize, I was quick to anger, not only that I went through bouts of depression. So looking for a the easy way out, thedoctors just wrote me a prescription for Ritalin and antidepressants. Ultimately, there were no signs of improvement so they sent me to another doctor who then told me that the previous doctors were wrong and that our was something else entirely.
Carter: Well what was it?
Kimo: Asperger's Syndrome.
Carter: What?
Kate: It's a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder. People with it are commonly seen as rigid, socially awkward, prefer routines.
Kimo: But we also exhibit intense interest in certain things, for me it was language. I could communicate in basic sign language when I was 6, was conversational in Spanish when I was 8, and taught myself how to speak Japanese, German, Chinese and French when I was 16.
I was 12 when I was diagnosed. After that, they wanted to lot me in with the special need's students, the ones with Down's Syndrome amd whatnot. Apparantly my school said students with Autism Spectrum Disorders would need to be placed with the rest of the special needs students. It pissed me off. They pretty much just told me that they thought I was mentally challenged and needed to be separated from the so-called "normal" people. So from then on I worked harder than I ever had to. I even petitioned the school bored to change their definition for what would be considered a "special needs" student. I ended up proving them wrong by graduating with a 4.3 GPA, Varsity Wrestling Captain, and a full scholarship to University of Hawai'i.
It also carried into my training. I decided that if no one was going to fight for them, than I would.
Carter: Hey despite this you can still be that guy. Hell, even and I'm inspired by that.
Kate: There's always going to be another match.
Kimo's phone goes off. He pulls it from his locker and check the text message he just received.
Kimo: Speaking of which....oh...
Kate: Feckin hell...
Carter: What is it? (Looks at his screen.) Oh! Damn! Looks like you have your work cut out for you this time, brother.
The scene cuts to his phone showing a message from the GM before fading to black.
"UNSCRIPTED
MAY 5TH
DANIELLE BASCH
SOUTH BAY CHAMPIONSHIP!!!"
-On Camera-
April 23rd, 2018
Kimo & Kate's Beach House
Redondo Beach, CA
Kate returns home, sets her keys on the kitchen counter and pulls out a sizable clutch of Bridal magazines. The look on her face indicating that she is simply going through the motions at this point. They already had the handfasting ceremony and their marriage license has been validated, but a majority of both of their families believe that they have not been officially married. So they decided to hold an "official" ceremony in order to placate them.
Kate: Babe, I'm home. Babe?
The muffled sounds of music attempting to drown out the slapping of fists against a heavy bag emanate from the basement. He recently had the basement remodeled into a private gym for them use complete with a practice ring.
The camera and then cuts to what's going on behind the door. We see Kimo doing striking drills on a heavy bag. Something about yesterday's defeat fortified his resolve to fight. Taking inspiration from in his opinion the greatest anime character of all time, Vegeta, he's wearing a blue rash guard with the aforementioned Super Saiyan's Armor printed on it. To further add to his motivation the song "Waiting" by Not Forgotten is being blasted through the basement's sound system.
Kate opens the door and sees the man she married putting everything he has to prepare for his upcoming title match against Danielle Basch. Despite her ties to hia cousin, Alicia. He does not appear to want to relent. Nor should he. This is exactly how he trained for title fights in his PGFC days, this is exactly how he trained when he won the AWA International title, by training as hard as if he were in the match itself. No light sparring, if he sparred it would be at 100% if no taking it easy unless on days where he has to rest, just wake up...eat...train...eat...train...shower...sleep...repeat with as few breaks as possible. This will be his schedule for the next two weeks with only 4 designated rest days. He is determined to approach the upcoming match with even more intensity then his opponent.
Kate picks of the remote for the sound system and cut the music off. Which obviously catches his attention.
Kate: Have you been at this since I left?
Kimo: (Exhausted) I've been at this since this morning.
Kate: I know this match is a big one for you. But please try not to overdo it or else you'll lose before you even step between those ropes.
Kimo: I know. I'm just sick of this. Sick of the dry spells. Sick of putting in all the effort that I can possibly put in and still coming up short. I can't let this happen again I have to break this and I have to do it next Saturday. I know you probably already thinking "did I just marry a lunatic?" But I just had a another massive fire lit under my ass and I'm not going to let it burn me anymore.
Kate: Look, I get it! Keep in mind who you're talking to and who YOU just married! I've been through my share of moments like these so I know exactly what's going through your mind right now. Besides we need to talk.
Kimo: It's gotten that bad already?
Kate: No, ya feckin' smartarse, about the wedding.
Kimo: Oh, that. Alicia already said she'd help out when she could but let's at least wait until after I get out of the ring with Danielle.
Kate: That would make things kind of awkward wouldn't it?
Kimo: Just a bit, yeah. Anyways I got about another hour and a half of this, afterwards I'll make us dinner okay?
Kate: You can cook?
Kimo: Well I'm no Gordon Ramsay, but I know my way around a kitchen.
Kate: Now I KNOW I married the right man. Let me go and get changed, I'll join ya.
Kate gives him a quick kiss and then heads out. He then turns to the camera.
Kimo: Man did I get lucky or what when I married her. I don't know what she sees in me but I hope she doesn't stop seeing it.
So yeah I know my next match is against somebody that has ties to my family. I'm also aware that is also a title shot. But before this gets too long please allow me the opportunity to address my opponent directly.
Danielle, I know you're one of my cousin's protégés. Despite that, I want you to know that I am not going to pull my punches with you next Saturday.
Now with that out of the way, allow me to ask you a question....
What are you fighting for?
What reason do you have to fight? What do you have left to prove? You've already done all you can from what I can tell. You've gotten used to being champion, so what is the title to you aside from another credit to an already impressive resume at this point? To you, its just another feather in your hat. To me it's something else entirely.
As everyone is now aware, I was born with Asperger's Syndrome. I have people that have stuck with me through it all and I can't thank them enough for that, but I've had even more people that let my disorder define who I am. Schools tried to label me, doctors tried to medicate me into normalcy, and then there were the people that tried to make me feel less than human for being born the way I was. Some of THOSE people were even in my FAMILY!
Let me tell you a story. Not long after I won the AWA International title, I was pulled into the CEO's office. He congratulated me on the win, but told me that, despite my victory, a majority of the administration were apprehensive about having someone with my "condition" represent their brand.They would allow me to retain the title until they found someone they believed to be "more capable of the responsibility" and told me that I had to lose against him or I'd face being blacklisted. Sure enough, they found the one they wanted, so they made me play their game. I was at odds with them ever since. The only one up there that had my back was Jason. He wasn't too happy about it either. Not long after I was forced to surrender the title, I ended up leaving.
Do you have any idea what its like to work so hard for something and get it, only to have it taken away from you because someone who doesnt even know or even care about you considered you defective? I could've used my time as champion to inspire thousands if not millions of kids like me to pursue whatever goals they had amd not let anyone stop them. I could've proved that someone like them is about is capable of greatness as anyone else. But no, I was forced to simply keep it warm for the person that "they" thought was worthy of it.
Coming here to WCG gave me an opportunity for a second chance to make that dream possible. So come Unscripted, I will be there. I will face you, And I will defeat you. Not just for me but but also for those like me.
And I will NOT...
HOLD...
BACK!!!
Now let me ask you this more time Danielle....
What are you fighting for?
He then turns the music back on and resumed the drill that he was doing earlier on the heavy bag as the scene fades to black
