(Slow fade in from black on KERRY KUROYAMA, stoically pacing back and forth before a plain black backdrop bearing the word "ARASHI" in green kanji lettering. He's wearing black training shorts and a sleeveless gray t-shirt with the emerald, navy, and aqua triple yin-yang symbol of his training school The Dojo emblazoned over the chest. He looks on slightly different from the young man that first appeared in New Frontier during the UWA Blacklist Showcase at Reloaded 18. His hair now hangs below his ears, and his arms are showing some recent ink-work.)
(But perhaps the most different thing we can notice is the expression on his face. What was filled with youthful zest and optimism almost a year ago has now been steeled into a fixed stare of focused determination. There's something off about the tightness in the corners of his mouth, and the furrow in his brow... and the hard, unwavering look in his eyes. Perhaps it's because this is the first time we've seen him anything close to angry. From left to right, he paces like a lion in a cage; denied the thrill and glory of the hunt, and reserved to be put on display.)
"At times like these, I tell myself it's important to exercise patience. It's important to remember what they taught me back at The Dojo, and to keep myself from wavering from the path."
"But lately, that patience is being tested..."
(He stops, and turns that hardened gaze toward the camera.)
"At Reloaded 21, I let a great opportunity slip through my fingers. Despite my best efforts, Teddy Alexander reclaimed his Number One Contender spot to the NFW Triple Crown Championship, and did so in a truly dominant fashion. It almost seems as if fate decided that Ocho and Teddy must battle for that title. I know the fans will benefit from that showdown... and so will the company. But for me, personally? It's hard for me to a part of that enthusiasm, knowing I'm going back to dabbling in Peter Windham's 'showcases' with the likes of Dirty Deeds."
"I don't hold it against Teddy... he definitely went in there and earned it. But I guess what's really grinding my gears is knowing that his success didn't really come at my expense, leaving me to stand here and ask myself over and over, 'What more could I have done?'"
"As I've said in the past, I often make it a personal goal to learn from my mistakes in the wake of every shortcoming. Honestly though, I'm having a hard time in trying to pinpoint what I did wrong that night back in Memphis. After all, it's not like I was the one running into the ring at every pinfall, contributing to the referee's loss of order. Nor was I the one to bring a chair to the back of Pat Black's head, provoking the Walking Dead to come down to the ring and even the score."
"But perhaps it was naive of me to assume that being the honest, honorable, rule-abiding type of competitor would have given me any sort of edge in that ring. If there's anything to be learned, it's that I'm a unique breed of professional wrestler in a company with an abundance of monsters and maniacs. And in some ways, that makes my climb up the mountain even more of a challenge."
"...but that's the path I choose to walk. I don't want to make my success off of being bigger and badder than everybody else, or being a crazy, risk-taking daredevil, or being a scheming, glad-handing politician-in-tights. The only advantage I need is being a superior professional wrestler... and that way in the end, when I finally reach the top of the ladder, there won't be any dispute on how I got there."
"But that leads to a notion that I'm damning myself to a path of destruction and inevitable defeat. Devin Millwood certainly believes in it... and it's hard to doubt him, given his experience, and the historical context backing up his claims. There's a long list of heroes that have come and fallen before me. But frankly? I didn't come to NFW to become the next Impulse, or Jack Bryant, or Evan Aho. I came here to be the first Kerry Kuroyama."
"It was never my intent to adapt to this sport, but to change it. And if the wild nature of this company is to be my expected end, then I suppose I have no choice but to go on the offensive, and do what I can to break that nature before it breaks me."
(He takes a step toward the camera, filling more of the frame... eyes growing even more determined.)
"Which brings me to BRAWL 73, down in Dallas, Texas... finding myself squaring off against Lane Cash for the second time."
"The first time we met in that ring, Lane, you clearly didn't think much of me... and probably didn't think there was anything to be gained from beating me by any legitimate means. As such, you took a set of brass knuckles to my face, leaving me helpless to an outright assault at the hands of Dirty Deeds. Maybe that feeling hasn't changed one bit since that match. And maybe you're thinking you could just as easily have one of the Blondes slip those knucks your way again, if not something similar, as a way of reminding everyone that you could care less about maintaining a sense of integrity, so long as you don't have to risk the embarrassment of losing to a younger talent."
(He shakes his head.)
"But I'm not allowing that to happen this time, Lane. And if I find anything in your hands that's not supposed to be there, then I'll make certain that it will be a long time before you're able to use that hand again..."
"I gave you the benefit of the doubt back at Reloaded Double-Ecks... and that was a mistake. One I won't dare repeat. This time, I understand that the true threat doesn't come from what's standing across from me in the ring, but who you have standing in your corner on the outside. But mark my words, Lane... if any of them try to get involved, whether it be Ramsay, the Commissioner, or whomever, I will make an example of them, as to show this company what will happen to anybody who interferes against my behalf."
"I don't feel I should have to be giving out these kind of warnings, but after going through that clusterfuck back in Memphis, it's become clear to me that the time has come to put people on notice. It's not a matter of ego or overconfidence; it's a matter of integrity. But you will be made to understand that all actions are susceptible to consequences. And as long as 'the Pacific Blitzkrieg' is standing in that ring, no sin will go unpunished."
(He stares at the camera for another couple moments as the last words sink in. As he turns away, we fade back to black.)
(But perhaps the most different thing we can notice is the expression on his face. What was filled with youthful zest and optimism almost a year ago has now been steeled into a fixed stare of focused determination. There's something off about the tightness in the corners of his mouth, and the furrow in his brow... and the hard, unwavering look in his eyes. Perhaps it's because this is the first time we've seen him anything close to angry. From left to right, he paces like a lion in a cage; denied the thrill and glory of the hunt, and reserved to be put on display.)
"At times like these, I tell myself it's important to exercise patience. It's important to remember what they taught me back at The Dojo, and to keep myself from wavering from the path."
"But lately, that patience is being tested..."
(He stops, and turns that hardened gaze toward the camera.)
"At Reloaded 21, I let a great opportunity slip through my fingers. Despite my best efforts, Teddy Alexander reclaimed his Number One Contender spot to the NFW Triple Crown Championship, and did so in a truly dominant fashion. It almost seems as if fate decided that Ocho and Teddy must battle for that title. I know the fans will benefit from that showdown... and so will the company. But for me, personally? It's hard for me to a part of that enthusiasm, knowing I'm going back to dabbling in Peter Windham's 'showcases' with the likes of Dirty Deeds."
"I don't hold it against Teddy... he definitely went in there and earned it. But I guess what's really grinding my gears is knowing that his success didn't really come at my expense, leaving me to stand here and ask myself over and over, 'What more could I have done?'"
"As I've said in the past, I often make it a personal goal to learn from my mistakes in the wake of every shortcoming. Honestly though, I'm having a hard time in trying to pinpoint what I did wrong that night back in Memphis. After all, it's not like I was the one running into the ring at every pinfall, contributing to the referee's loss of order. Nor was I the one to bring a chair to the back of Pat Black's head, provoking the Walking Dead to come down to the ring and even the score."
"But perhaps it was naive of me to assume that being the honest, honorable, rule-abiding type of competitor would have given me any sort of edge in that ring. If there's anything to be learned, it's that I'm a unique breed of professional wrestler in a company with an abundance of monsters and maniacs. And in some ways, that makes my climb up the mountain even more of a challenge."
"...but that's the path I choose to walk. I don't want to make my success off of being bigger and badder than everybody else, or being a crazy, risk-taking daredevil, or being a scheming, glad-handing politician-in-tights. The only advantage I need is being a superior professional wrestler... and that way in the end, when I finally reach the top of the ladder, there won't be any dispute on how I got there."
"But that leads to a notion that I'm damning myself to a path of destruction and inevitable defeat. Devin Millwood certainly believes in it... and it's hard to doubt him, given his experience, and the historical context backing up his claims. There's a long list of heroes that have come and fallen before me. But frankly? I didn't come to NFW to become the next Impulse, or Jack Bryant, or Evan Aho. I came here to be the first Kerry Kuroyama."
"It was never my intent to adapt to this sport, but to change it. And if the wild nature of this company is to be my expected end, then I suppose I have no choice but to go on the offensive, and do what I can to break that nature before it breaks me."
(He takes a step toward the camera, filling more of the frame... eyes growing even more determined.)
"Which brings me to BRAWL 73, down in Dallas, Texas... finding myself squaring off against Lane Cash for the second time."
"The first time we met in that ring, Lane, you clearly didn't think much of me... and probably didn't think there was anything to be gained from beating me by any legitimate means. As such, you took a set of brass knuckles to my face, leaving me helpless to an outright assault at the hands of Dirty Deeds. Maybe that feeling hasn't changed one bit since that match. And maybe you're thinking you could just as easily have one of the Blondes slip those knucks your way again, if not something similar, as a way of reminding everyone that you could care less about maintaining a sense of integrity, so long as you don't have to risk the embarrassment of losing to a younger talent."
(He shakes his head.)
"But I'm not allowing that to happen this time, Lane. And if I find anything in your hands that's not supposed to be there, then I'll make certain that it will be a long time before you're able to use that hand again..."
"I gave you the benefit of the doubt back at Reloaded Double-Ecks... and that was a mistake. One I won't dare repeat. This time, I understand that the true threat doesn't come from what's standing across from me in the ring, but who you have standing in your corner on the outside. But mark my words, Lane... if any of them try to get involved, whether it be Ramsay, the Commissioner, or whomever, I will make an example of them, as to show this company what will happen to anybody who interferes against my behalf."
"I don't feel I should have to be giving out these kind of warnings, but after going through that clusterfuck back in Memphis, it's become clear to me that the time has come to put people on notice. It's not a matter of ego or overconfidence; it's a matter of integrity. But you will be made to understand that all actions are susceptible to consequences. And as long as 'the Pacific Blitzkrieg' is standing in that ring, no sin will go unpunished."
(He stares at the camera for another couple moments as the last words sink in. As he turns away, we fade back to black.)