Post by Manabu on Dec 22, 2011 13:39:59 GMT -5
Origins Story Part 2
Section 1
Manabu Fujiwara:
“My, it’s been a long time since we last talked. I hope you are ready to continue are story, because this part is important; it will set the foundation as to how I became wrestler, why I left wrestling, and why I’m in UWA in the first place.
“So let’s get back into it shall we?
“I left off describing NYJA. So, after looking at a few wrestling schools, I decided to travel to Japan, to NYJA, to learn my craft. I figured it would be only right you know. It’s where my grandfather learned to wrestle, and it’s where my father learned as well. And deep down, I wanted to be better than both of them combined. Let’s be honest, sure, the two left shoes to fill, but they weren’t that big.
“Anyway, I gathered my money, and was within Japan by the end of the month. I would have left sooner, but I was helping up with an upcoming case.
“Man, I remember the first couple of days of the NYJA Dojo. It was interesting to say the least. I’ve talked to a lot of wrestlers, and most of them haven’t gone through the same type of this stuff. So, on day one, me and 14 other students walk into the Dojo. Pretty decent for a class size right? Anyway, we walk into an empty room, and in the center is a tall man with a suit. Turns out that the man was Mr. Onta, the owner of the company.
“Mr. Onta asked us to place our bags in the corner. He then gave us a small pep talk, you know, the usually stuff. ‘I can’t promise that you will make it big, but I’ll provide you all with the proper tools to do so.’ He then motions for someone to enter the room.
“The man he was calling for was Flex Johnson.
“Flex was a big star in the U.S.; he still is. He came over to Japan after he was forced to retire from a company, you know, a lot politics and backstabbing. Two years prior he had trained in the NYJA Dojo, so he knows how to work the Japanese still. Not only that, but he wrestled in Mexico and Europe, so he was well versed in every style.
“Anyway, after that Mr. Onta turned the class over to Sensei Johnson. He says a few words and then tells us to follow him into the next room. Turns out that the room was sauna. We sat in that human rotisserie four about five or six hours; we where told that it was part of the purification process.
“You can’t unlock your full potential if your body isn’t pure, that’s what we were told.
“After what seemed like forever, we dragged ourselves out of the out of sauna, and most of passed out in the main room of the Dojo. Sensei Johnson laughed at us and then told us that we should get some rest.
“When a wrestler trainers at NYJA, he or she is given housing; guess they didn’t want us wondering off too far. Our housing was alright, it was like a merger between an apartment complex and a dormitory. Each person was given a one bedroom apartment. It was actually pretty nice, better than similar apartments here in the states.
“Sensei Johnson worked us hard. He was tough, but, he knew what it took to make it big in the states.
“ In the ring I was a natural; I guess wrestling really can run through your blood. Ring psychology was a breeze as well. I guess I had the most trouble with promos. Sure, my diction and word choice was spot on, and my delivery was fine, but, that wasn’t enough, not according to Sensei Johnson. Words are just words if they don’t cut to the heart of your opponent or audience. I spent countless hours working on my mic skills.
“I’d like to think all that hard work paid off.
“I continued to work hard, heck, the whole class did. At the end of the year, we all graduated. About five of the students decided that they would start their career in Japan. I on the other hand, decided to head back to the states.
“That’s where things get complicated…”
Section 2
AsTro is a small bar and lounge in L.A. Most people don’t know about it; there aren’t any flashy neon lights outside the building. In fact, the place wasn’t even that fancy. There were no transparent tables, just hard oak tables, plastered with old gum underneath. Next to the oak tables are dusty wooden stools, probably about a decade old.
There’s no elaborate, sparkling floor. The floor board is covered with old shag carpet. The carpet resembles an forest, tall, wild, and littered with dangerous and strange objects.
AsTro’s crowd could probably be considered shady at best. The establishment is frequented by a lot motorcycle club members and professional drinkers. And let’s not forget the smokers. On most nights, the lounge is filled with a thick cloud of smoke.
To compensate, the lounge’s drinks are normally a lot cheaper than most other places.
That’s the main reason Manabu comes to AsTro. At the moment he is sitting at the bar, watching ESPN on the big TV hanging on the wall. The bartender comes over and begins to chat with Manabu.
Bartender:
“How’s it going tonight Fujiwara?”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“It’s going great Jack. How about you?”
Jack:
“You know how it is man, working and making money.”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I feel you man.”
Jack:
“Oh hey, I heard you got back into the business. Heard you signed with some promotion called, UWA. How is that going?”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“It’s going well. Had my first match last week; I defeated one of the company’s main stars.”
Jack:
“That’s what I like to hear man.”
The two both turns there heads after they hear a loud clang sound. On the opposite side of AsTro is a music stage. A lot of indy bands play during the week. A band is setting up their equipment at this very moment.
Jack:
“Looks like the next band is starting to get ready.
“Oh, I’m sorry man. What are you drinking tonight?”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’ll just take a Rum and Coke, nothing fancy tonight.”
Jack goes to make the drink. Manabu turns and looks at the band. He can empathize with. Surely, they would much rather be rocking a crowd of 10,000, instead of a 30 drunk bikers. He understood, he would much rather be wrestling in front of 10,000 fans instead of few hundred.
Jack:
“Here you go.”
Manabu turns around and lays a $10 on the bar table.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“Thanks.”
He hops off the stool and grabs his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’ll be back for my two others.”
Manabu takes a slow walk to the other side of the lounge as he sips his drink. He finds an empty table of by the stage. He watches the band set up their gear for a few moments. He then lets out a sigh.
Manabu Fujiwara.:
“How long have I been employed with UWA? What about three weeks now? And yet, I’ve already defeated one of the company’s ‘stars,’ if that’s what you want to call Neptune. Not only that, but I defeated on the last match of the card. It’s wonderful right? Most people would be overjoyed.
“But not me.
“I’ll be honest, I’m not satisfied, not one bit. For the past two years I’ve been buried behind briefcases and legal documents. God it felt good to step back into the squared circle.
“It was euphoric!
“But you know what, it just wasn’t enough. After that match, I went backstage and changed, unfulfilled. I could have wrestled another five matches that night.”
Manabu sighs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“You know what, my friends have been calling me over the past couple of days. Most of them have been congratulating me. One or two asked for some money. But what’s the most interesting is that a few of them have been calling trying to offer advice.
“They kept on telling me not to be arrogant, because that’s the main reason why I’m here in UWA. If it wasn’t for my arrogance, I might still be making the big bucks and traveling the world. But, what they don’t understand is, I can’t help it. I know that I’m one of the best wrestlers in this country. I’m just waiting for a chance to prove myself.
“But, instead of getting my name out there, I’m in trading insults with some punk named Joel Hall. First things first, Hall doesn’t even looking like he should be wrestling; he looks like the dude that would be frying your KFC two-piece in the back. S*** Hall, would it kill you to hit gym, you know, try to actually look like a wrestler. I’m more intimidated by this 17-year-old guitar play on stage with the jacked up High-and-Tight.”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“My guess is, you are probably FRESH out of wrestling school.
“Want to know how I can tell?
“Well for one, you talk like s***, which there really is no excuse for. Even 5-year-olds practice delivering promos in the mirror. Christmas is coming up right? I’m going to send you a microphone and a pack of note cards, maybe that will help you get your s*** together.
“OH, and let’s not mention your ring skills. You know, early last week, during your terrible speech, you had the sheer nerve to talk about me. I found it really strange that you would comment on how I wrestled, I mean, actually moves and s***, even though you have never seen me wrestle. Hall, you need to put that darn ‘Sticky Icky,’ down.”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“But come on, let’s get real Hall. I won my match last week, and I grand fashion if I may add. How about you? What did you do out there in the ring? Well, let’s see. From the ring of the bell you flopped around in the ring. You let yourself get injured by a wicked suplex. Now, a true wrestler, heck a true MAN, would have sucked it up and fought back. But, what did you do Hall? You rolled over and took your lose. You didn’t even try to fight back from the injury.
“What does that make you Hall?”
“A pussy, a b****?
“No. It means you aren’t fit to wrestle in that ring. I bet wrestling is a side-thing to you. You don’t love wrestling. I’m willing to bet that you are just in this business for the money. You’re one of the punks that try and pick up women by telling them you are wrestler.
“You’re a fraud, a quack!”
Manabu takes a sip of his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’m going to take great pleasure in busting your head open at this Pay-Per-View. See, unlike you Hall, this isn’t my first go-around. I’ve wrestled Pay-Per-Views before, I’ve raised my hands in front of the big crowds. How about you kid? You think that you are better than me? You think you can slip out of holds easily? Hall, I’ve studied moves that have never seen before in your life. Maybe I’ll take that right arm of yours and stretch it all the way around your head.
“There’s going to be some lonely Friday nights in your future son.
“You want to know the worst part about all this Hall? The worst part is, you brought this all upon yourself. I understand, you are new to the company, you want to show that you aren’t to be taken lightly. But insulting everyone on the roster, well, that’s just ignorant Hall.
“And insulting me? Well Hall, that’s just dangerous!”
Manabu sips his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“Think of this as the first in many beatings you will receive in this business Hall. I’m going to let you in on something. This business is rough and dirty; it’s not for the faint of heart. Ethics go out the window when it comes to professional wrestling. Wrestling will eat a sane man alive.
“So at this Pay-Per-View, I’m throwing ethics to the way side. I’m going to walk out to that ring, not to ‘wrestle’ you, but to hurt you Hall. Then maybe you will show more respect.”
Manabu laughs. He then finishes the last bit on his drink.
“Cheers!”
Manabu sets the empty glass on the table. The camera lingers on the glass for just a moment before fading out.
END
Section 1
Manabu Fujiwara:
“My, it’s been a long time since we last talked. I hope you are ready to continue are story, because this part is important; it will set the foundation as to how I became wrestler, why I left wrestling, and why I’m in UWA in the first place.
“So let’s get back into it shall we?
“I left off describing NYJA. So, after looking at a few wrestling schools, I decided to travel to Japan, to NYJA, to learn my craft. I figured it would be only right you know. It’s where my grandfather learned to wrestle, and it’s where my father learned as well. And deep down, I wanted to be better than both of them combined. Let’s be honest, sure, the two left shoes to fill, but they weren’t that big.
“Anyway, I gathered my money, and was within Japan by the end of the month. I would have left sooner, but I was helping up with an upcoming case.
“Man, I remember the first couple of days of the NYJA Dojo. It was interesting to say the least. I’ve talked to a lot of wrestlers, and most of them haven’t gone through the same type of this stuff. So, on day one, me and 14 other students walk into the Dojo. Pretty decent for a class size right? Anyway, we walk into an empty room, and in the center is a tall man with a suit. Turns out that the man was Mr. Onta, the owner of the company.
“Mr. Onta asked us to place our bags in the corner. He then gave us a small pep talk, you know, the usually stuff. ‘I can’t promise that you will make it big, but I’ll provide you all with the proper tools to do so.’ He then motions for someone to enter the room.
“The man he was calling for was Flex Johnson.
“Flex was a big star in the U.S.; he still is. He came over to Japan after he was forced to retire from a company, you know, a lot politics and backstabbing. Two years prior he had trained in the NYJA Dojo, so he knows how to work the Japanese still. Not only that, but he wrestled in Mexico and Europe, so he was well versed in every style.
“Anyway, after that Mr. Onta turned the class over to Sensei Johnson. He says a few words and then tells us to follow him into the next room. Turns out that the room was sauna. We sat in that human rotisserie four about five or six hours; we where told that it was part of the purification process.
“You can’t unlock your full potential if your body isn’t pure, that’s what we were told.
“After what seemed like forever, we dragged ourselves out of the out of sauna, and most of passed out in the main room of the Dojo. Sensei Johnson laughed at us and then told us that we should get some rest.
“When a wrestler trainers at NYJA, he or she is given housing; guess they didn’t want us wondering off too far. Our housing was alright, it was like a merger between an apartment complex and a dormitory. Each person was given a one bedroom apartment. It was actually pretty nice, better than similar apartments here in the states.
“Sensei Johnson worked us hard. He was tough, but, he knew what it took to make it big in the states.
“ In the ring I was a natural; I guess wrestling really can run through your blood. Ring psychology was a breeze as well. I guess I had the most trouble with promos. Sure, my diction and word choice was spot on, and my delivery was fine, but, that wasn’t enough, not according to Sensei Johnson. Words are just words if they don’t cut to the heart of your opponent or audience. I spent countless hours working on my mic skills.
“I’d like to think all that hard work paid off.
“I continued to work hard, heck, the whole class did. At the end of the year, we all graduated. About five of the students decided that they would start their career in Japan. I on the other hand, decided to head back to the states.
“That’s where things get complicated…”
Section 2
AsTro is a small bar and lounge in L.A. Most people don’t know about it; there aren’t any flashy neon lights outside the building. In fact, the place wasn’t even that fancy. There were no transparent tables, just hard oak tables, plastered with old gum underneath. Next to the oak tables are dusty wooden stools, probably about a decade old.
There’s no elaborate, sparkling floor. The floor board is covered with old shag carpet. The carpet resembles an forest, tall, wild, and littered with dangerous and strange objects.
AsTro’s crowd could probably be considered shady at best. The establishment is frequented by a lot motorcycle club members and professional drinkers. And let’s not forget the smokers. On most nights, the lounge is filled with a thick cloud of smoke.
To compensate, the lounge’s drinks are normally a lot cheaper than most other places.
That’s the main reason Manabu comes to AsTro. At the moment he is sitting at the bar, watching ESPN on the big TV hanging on the wall. The bartender comes over and begins to chat with Manabu.
Bartender:
“How’s it going tonight Fujiwara?”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“It’s going great Jack. How about you?”
Jack:
“You know how it is man, working and making money.”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I feel you man.”
Jack:
“Oh hey, I heard you got back into the business. Heard you signed with some promotion called, UWA. How is that going?”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“It’s going well. Had my first match last week; I defeated one of the company’s main stars.”
Jack:
“That’s what I like to hear man.”
The two both turns there heads after they hear a loud clang sound. On the opposite side of AsTro is a music stage. A lot of indy bands play during the week. A band is setting up their equipment at this very moment.
Jack:
“Looks like the next band is starting to get ready.
“Oh, I’m sorry man. What are you drinking tonight?”
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’ll just take a Rum and Coke, nothing fancy tonight.”
Jack goes to make the drink. Manabu turns and looks at the band. He can empathize with. Surely, they would much rather be rocking a crowd of 10,000, instead of a 30 drunk bikers. He understood, he would much rather be wrestling in front of 10,000 fans instead of few hundred.
Jack:
“Here you go.”
Manabu turns around and lays a $10 on the bar table.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“Thanks.”
He hops off the stool and grabs his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’ll be back for my two others.”
Manabu takes a slow walk to the other side of the lounge as he sips his drink. He finds an empty table of by the stage. He watches the band set up their gear for a few moments. He then lets out a sigh.
Manabu Fujiwara.:
“How long have I been employed with UWA? What about three weeks now? And yet, I’ve already defeated one of the company’s ‘stars,’ if that’s what you want to call Neptune. Not only that, but I defeated on the last match of the card. It’s wonderful right? Most people would be overjoyed.
“But not me.
“I’ll be honest, I’m not satisfied, not one bit. For the past two years I’ve been buried behind briefcases and legal documents. God it felt good to step back into the squared circle.
“It was euphoric!
“But you know what, it just wasn’t enough. After that match, I went backstage and changed, unfulfilled. I could have wrestled another five matches that night.”
Manabu sighs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“You know what, my friends have been calling me over the past couple of days. Most of them have been congratulating me. One or two asked for some money. But what’s the most interesting is that a few of them have been calling trying to offer advice.
“They kept on telling me not to be arrogant, because that’s the main reason why I’m here in UWA. If it wasn’t for my arrogance, I might still be making the big bucks and traveling the world. But, what they don’t understand is, I can’t help it. I know that I’m one of the best wrestlers in this country. I’m just waiting for a chance to prove myself.
“But, instead of getting my name out there, I’m in trading insults with some punk named Joel Hall. First things first, Hall doesn’t even looking like he should be wrestling; he looks like the dude that would be frying your KFC two-piece in the back. S*** Hall, would it kill you to hit gym, you know, try to actually look like a wrestler. I’m more intimidated by this 17-year-old guitar play on stage with the jacked up High-and-Tight.”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“My guess is, you are probably FRESH out of wrestling school.
“Want to know how I can tell?
“Well for one, you talk like s***, which there really is no excuse for. Even 5-year-olds practice delivering promos in the mirror. Christmas is coming up right? I’m going to send you a microphone and a pack of note cards, maybe that will help you get your s*** together.
“OH, and let’s not mention your ring skills. You know, early last week, during your terrible speech, you had the sheer nerve to talk about me. I found it really strange that you would comment on how I wrestled, I mean, actually moves and s***, even though you have never seen me wrestle. Hall, you need to put that darn ‘Sticky Icky,’ down.”
Manabu laughs.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“But come on, let’s get real Hall. I won my match last week, and I grand fashion if I may add. How about you? What did you do out there in the ring? Well, let’s see. From the ring of the bell you flopped around in the ring. You let yourself get injured by a wicked suplex. Now, a true wrestler, heck a true MAN, would have sucked it up and fought back. But, what did you do Hall? You rolled over and took your lose. You didn’t even try to fight back from the injury.
“What does that make you Hall?”
“A pussy, a b****?
“No. It means you aren’t fit to wrestle in that ring. I bet wrestling is a side-thing to you. You don’t love wrestling. I’m willing to bet that you are just in this business for the money. You’re one of the punks that try and pick up women by telling them you are wrestler.
“You’re a fraud, a quack!”
Manabu takes a sip of his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“I’m going to take great pleasure in busting your head open at this Pay-Per-View. See, unlike you Hall, this isn’t my first go-around. I’ve wrestled Pay-Per-Views before, I’ve raised my hands in front of the big crowds. How about you kid? You think that you are better than me? You think you can slip out of holds easily? Hall, I’ve studied moves that have never seen before in your life. Maybe I’ll take that right arm of yours and stretch it all the way around your head.
“There’s going to be some lonely Friday nights in your future son.
“You want to know the worst part about all this Hall? The worst part is, you brought this all upon yourself. I understand, you are new to the company, you want to show that you aren’t to be taken lightly. But insulting everyone on the roster, well, that’s just ignorant Hall.
“And insulting me? Well Hall, that’s just dangerous!”
Manabu sips his drink.
Manabu Fujiwara:
“Think of this as the first in many beatings you will receive in this business Hall. I’m going to let you in on something. This business is rough and dirty; it’s not for the faint of heart. Ethics go out the window when it comes to professional wrestling. Wrestling will eat a sane man alive.
“So at this Pay-Per-View, I’m throwing ethics to the way side. I’m going to walk out to that ring, not to ‘wrestle’ you, but to hurt you Hall. Then maybe you will show more respect.”
Manabu laughs. He then finishes the last bit on his drink.
“Cheers!”
Manabu sets the empty glass on the table. The camera lingers on the glass for just a moment before fading out.
END
