Post by Coda on Mar 24, 2017 13:52:35 GMT -5
DATE: 03.22.17
LOCATION: Tokyo, Japan
CAMERA STATUS: ON / OFF
"January 15th."
Standing on the outskirts of an airport situated in the heart of Tokyo, Coda crossed her arms over her buttoned-down blouse. Her crystalline eyes were onyx black, and as she looked into the camera lens with a stoic expression, you eagerly watched as the woman opened her mouth to speak yet again.
"On January 15th—over two months ago— Anton Chase fought Trixie in the 2 out of 3 falls match for the Genesis Championship. I was in the building when failure struck him down to his knees. I earned people's attention with my first outing in a Redemption Wrestling ring while Anton Chase has been struggling to find any shred of relevancy ever since."
It was typical of the woman to lack remorse but today seemed especially cruel. Usually, the words she spoke oozed with professionalism. Her eyes glazed over with every sentence and every once in a while, a cold smile would grace her sharp features. Today, those eyes were a little more wide open between blinks. She had still carried around the air of emotionlessness she often carried with her like the luggage she would bring from city to city across Japan during the tour, but there was a twinge of something more. You couldn't place it yet, but you could tell something had definitely changed.
"On January 27th, Anton decided to speak out. Twelve days after fate gave him a poor hand, he recited the mantra that has been swelling within him since the infamous night in Fukuoka, Japan:"
The woman smiled coldly like the words that were about to spill out of her dry mouth had amused her a little.
"'What's next?'"
She let out a subtle scoff. Yes, something was different. Now you were sure of it.
"It was rather cute that Anton considered himself worthy enough that people would be asking such questions. It is like he expected workers across the nation to crowd around water coolers and children to group up in every schoolyard to speak with one singular voice on the subject. It is like he held himself in such a high regard that he failed to recognize that nobody cared what he would be doing next. It is almost something to pity, no?"
The cruelty had just started, and already you could feel the confidence radiating from her through the screen.
"Let it be known that Anton Chase blindly praised Mason Moore publically at this time in the same video—and heavily, I might add. Meanwhile, in the next, he proceeded to drag Mason Moore's name through the mud for the failure the two collectively shared in a losing effort to The Terror Twins."
"For those of you who have not paid enough attention to the words of Anton Chase, and I am sure they are many, I am sure this statement alone speaks for itself."
You were aware of the words that Anton Chase had stated in recent videos, but you hadn't noticed that particular incident until Coda brought it to light. The Korean's hands slipped into the pockets of her slacks and while she continued to speak, more aggression drenched her every word.
"On January 28th, one day after the video was posted for all to see, I made a statement on social media with one victory to my name: I volunteered to show Anton Chase why he did not deserve to be in the running for the Genesis Championship."
You paused the video. After some searching on Twitter, you found it. Coda was undeniably telling the truth.
"Despite the fact that I have tagged Anton himself, as well as the official Redemption Wrestling Twitter account, I was not granted a response. The Redemption Wrestling account favorited the tweet, but the match was not created. Anton Chase never paid it any mind, and I was blatantly ignored."
Frustration was written all over her features.
"What is the point of social media when no one wants to use it correctly?"
Dismissing it with a wave, Coda continued in that forceful tone of hers. Was she more emotional than normal? Was that the difference you noticed earlier?
"Needless to say, eleven days pass."
"February 9th. Anton reveals a new promotional video. Not only does he remain blissfully ignorant to my challenge— it's debatable whether the culprit is fear or a deliberate ignorance— but instead? He states, and I quote: 'I do not run away from anyone.'"
Her focus pointed squarely at the man himself as if she were talking directly to his face right now.
"Are you so unaware of the things happening around you? Have you truly gone out of your way to state that you do not run while you have quite obviously been running from me? That is foolish, Anton. You must be so arrogant that you thought no one would notice every inconsistency that pours out of you like sludge on a constant basis."
She laughed again, crossing her arms firmly as she stood in defiance.
"If I had known better, I would have thought you were a politician."
"Mind you, I have continually made my intentions known. I have bluntly stated that I wish to fight, and nothing was done. It aggravates me, admittedly more than it probably should. Regardless, it is time for Anton Chase to get a new agent. Not only has he done a piss-poor job informing his client of what he needs to know— mainly, who has taken the time to challenge him directly— but he has also filled his client with false hope."
"Championship opportunity after championship opportunity, and still he falls flat. The Genesis Championship? The New Generation Championship? All out of his reach. Clearly, somebody has fed him information that he is someone befitting of being called a god as well, and that fact alone would have made me want to show him that I could make him bleed."
Coda smiled softly with devious intentions.
"Many a man have claimed themselves gods in this sport. None of them as much of a failure as you continue to be on a daily basis, Aston Chase. It is laughable. You are laughable. You spend more time talking about your accomplishments than you have achieved them. You sap the energy out of every arena you walk into and yet... You still masquerade as a god. It is pathetic."
Shaking her head, she eyed the ground with those jet black hues.
"It is fitting then. The Rags 2 Riches match is upon us, and you have been given another chance. You can qualify and solidify yourself as a god, or you can be the first in a long line of make-believe mythical beings to fall at my feet."
She paused, seemingly contemplating things for a few short moments until she spoke up again. Calmly, she recalled a memory from years prior.
"I knew a man like you, Anton. I have seen many men and many women like you, but a particular man stands out to me. I watched him on television when I began wrestling. He spoke of the way wrestling ruined him. He spoke of the way it made him feel unimaginable mental pain, constantly reaching for the brass ring as you have. He claimed the pain had unlocked his subconscious. He claimed it had assisted him in attaining godhood."
She took a deep breath, thoughtfully explaining the man she saw.
"He said he mastered the madness that wrestling has given him. He wanted to change things. He wanted to 'evolve' wrestling to the same heights using pain. He was 'fighting to create a peaceful world,' dishing out violence as a way to make people feel what he had. He thought pain would bring about peace, and championships were mere trinkets that only stood to make his words that much louder."
Her eyes switched from thoughtful to fury.
"Magnus Gunner was thoroughly insane, although he was inspirational. Several aspects of the 'New Age' - a perfect version of wrestling he had painted as the idyllic goal to aim towards - stuck with me, but I have grown to have a strong distaste for people who claim themselves to be gods ever since."
She wasn't done.
"You may disagree with my opinion, but gods do not exist nor do they walk among us. Even if gods did exist, I can safely say that Anton Chase is the farthest thing from a god that I have ever had the displeasure of knowing. He is just like everyone else who claims the same - delusional. Maybe I can knock some sense into him?"
It was then that you realized for sure what was different about her. No longer did she passively state her opinions on her opponent. She actively wanted to hurt Anton worse than anyone else she's ever faced. Maybe that was the stakes of the match, or maybe that was the fact that he called himself a god. Maybe, and this was the most likely, Coda was still mad over the count out draw to Mason Moore a couple weeks prior at Redemption Wrestling's Ultimate Resolve.
"You cannot ignore me now, Anton Chase. You have no other choice than to look me eye to eye. There is nowhere to run. There is nowhere to hide. Let us see what a 'god' looks like when he has fallen at my feet, and when you bleed? We will all know that you are only human."
"Or would you prefer if I nailed you to a cross instead?"
She laughed again like she just told a hilarious knock knock joke, unflinchingly apathetic to anyone she offended. Before the video came to a chilling conclusion, she looked directly into the camera lens and spoke with a devious smile to everyone watching.
"Anton Chase will suffer for your sins."
"Redemption Wrestling Glory."
"03.26.17"
DATE: 03.23.17
LOCATION: San Diego, California
CAMERA STATUS: ON / OFF
"Soooo, tell me. How was Japan?" Beautiful light gray eyes peeked through squinted slits as the young woman rummaged through the luggage without permission with her back turned towards her sister.
"Better than America," Yuri answered plainly, sitting on the bed with her arms crossed firmly. "What are you doing, Mari? I told you that you were not to touch my things."
"Why do you always have to talk like that? Can't you lighten up a little?" Mari answered, shaking her head back and forth until she plucked out a large black trenchcoat from the bag. Her eyes lit up with excitement. In an instant, she stood up and poked her arms through the jacket. Once she flipped it over her head like a child, her eyes widened, and her tongue escaped her lips. Mari gave Yuri a silly face while Yuri just scowled back at her.
"I did not invite you to my apartment so you could make fun of me and wear my clothes," Yuri sister responded, smugly restricting herself to her side of the room. After a pause, her younger sister pulled the jacket up and over her head, lazily tossing it to the ground. With a small sigh, she appeached Yuri slowly and sat beside her on the bed.
"Listen... How are you holding up? You've never been away from family for this long," Mari asked softly, kindness coating her every syllable. "I know you wanted to make your professional start in Redemption Wrestling's Japan Tour, but—"
"But nothing. I am fine."
"Have you been taking your medicine?"
"Yes."
Mari paused, looking down at the black jacket that had fallen to the floor. It was the very same jacket that her sister wore to the ring when she made her grand entrance before a match, and she had just disrespected it by putting it on the floor. She reached down and scooped it up, handing it gently to her sister with a wistful smile.
"Just let me stay a few days, okay? I promise I won't get in your way."
"Fine."
Yuri's words were cold, but as she thought for a moment, she corrected herself.
"I am sorry I am not easy to deal with. I thank you for putting up with me for so long."
"That's what family does, Yuri. And we'll always be family. Right?"
Yuri finally smiled softly, affirming the answer without a word. It was a genuine smile without any malice too. She was happy.
"Now c'mon," Mari chuckled cheerfully, "Let's stop unpacking for a while and get some fresh air, hm? You need to be out in the sun every once in a while!"
