[FADE IN to the sounds of Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi, or the theme from Gunslinger Girl II – Il Teatrino for those who may not understand Japanese. The song is playing fairly loudly as the scene fades, FOCUSING to show Otaku running on a treadmill. He looks odd, for him, dressed in shorts and a tight athletics vest, sweat glistening on his brow and across his shoulders. He keeps a steady tempo, weights added to his wrists and ankles and a bottle of water sitting on the treadmill control panel. Owing to his activity his breath is heavier than normal, but that’s to be expected]
Otaku: Hey. Sorry for training while I talk but we’re only a couple days away. Dragon-domo’s having his eye checked again but we won’t know until the day before Russian Roulette if he can wrestle. Don’t worry, he’s found someone who’s a real legend in case he can’t make it, so there’s going to be tag team action. I just don’t know who. But that’s life, ain’t it? Doesn’t always go as planned but you gotta be ready!
Especially with idiots standing across the ring. Yeah, I said it. Greedy idiots like First and Burns-baka. Especially Burns-baka. Don’t know if he even watches the show, probably not or he’d know Dragon-domo’s been injured and it’s been the Mighty Otaku saying that Burns-baka’s a weak, pitiful baka. Baka, baka, baka!
No, I’m not sorry. I’m angry. Angry that I couldn’t help Dragon-domo out in the elimination triple threat. Angry that Burns-baka’s walking around with one of the most prestigious championships in the wrestling world, right up there with the IWGP tag team titles. I’m angry that Burns-baka’s not been punished. Dragon-domo’s said not to worry about it because it’s one of those things that happens in this business, but it doesn’t make me any less angry. I’m also angry that First is being so hollow and so transparent that even Burns-baka can see the glint in First’s eyes when there’s a title belt around. Well, guess what, First, I have the same hunger for the tag team title and I’m getting it back!
Yeah, everyone can see it. From the moment he came back gold’s been the only thing on his mind and he’s gonna do anything to keep it now he’s got it, even give Burns-baka freedom to do whatever he wants until he decides he wants to go after another title. Even Burns-baka’s caught on. I guess that makes First the Baka-domo. Or baka-kami. Some sort of baka.
But Russian Roulette isn’t going to go their way. No. Whatever Burns-baka’s got planned isn’t going to work, whether it’s him having dirt on the ref or bringing more fireballs or Asian-mist or whatever! Two can play that game! But I won’t. Except maybe the Asian-mist. Yellow mist might work.
[The song finishes, FADING to be replaced by a remix of The Starry Sky by HAL. Otaku quickens his pace to match the higher tempo beat]
Otaku: Seriously, I’m mad as hell but I guess I’m gonna have to use it properly. Undirected rage is worthless, said Dragon-domo. And he’s right! You can even look at weapons to find that. A bomb in the open does less damage than a bomb in a smaller space. The blast’s more focused, like a beam weapon. That’s what I’ve gotta be like at Russian Roulette, whether it’s Dragon-domo or someone else on the apron. I’m gonna focus the last few weeks since we lost the tag team titles into this one match, focus it more onto Burns-baka and First, focus it more and more and more until they can’t take it any more and they walk away embarrassed and humiliated. Or just beaten. That’ll work. Because I don’t want to end their careers, I’d feel bad about that. Maybe. Guess I’m a little unfocused right now.
But seriously, anyone who needs to use fireballs is pathetic. Yeah. Anyone who hides from what everyone can see about them is pathetic, and pathetic people don’t deserve to run around with prestigious titles. It’s a blight on the whole business!
You, Burns-baka, are a blight! And you, First. Blight!
One of you talks about doing whatever it takes, the other talks about honour. Dragon-domo’s gonna disagree with me, but if you’ve gotta do things outside the rules, you don’t deserve to call yourself good, let alone a champion, and if you talk about honour you better be able to back it up, and First can’t. He had the chance but didn’t, he could have walked away and said to Burns-baka, you defend this belt on your own, one on one. But no, First likes gold too much and doesn’t want to say it, it’s all about the title and the title alone for him.
Well… it’s more than the title to me. It’s my growth, and it’s about myself and it’s about my friendship with Dragon-domo. He’s helped me a lot. He’s made me a lot more confident. A lot more ready to take Empire Pro Wrestling and show it the true power of anime and youth! But above all he’s shown me that life’s only hard if you let it be. So, yeah, while he doesn’t like that I want a bit of revenge for what happened to him, I owe him a lot. I can respect the differences he and I have and it’s not gonna be either of us consciously changing or trying to change the other. We’ve grown to be friends, while First sounds like he just wants to control Burns-baka.
Gah! Thoughts disjointed. Sorry, folks, but I better focus. On training. Next stop after this is the fan show before Russian Roulette, and I promise, I promise I’ll tell you all whether Dragon-domo’s going to be in my corner as a wrestler or as my friend. He’s getting the call from his insurance that morning. He can’t use his left eye properly still but I know he wants to be there. I hope he can make it and wrestle because it’ll be even better to see Burns-baka get beaten by the man he hurt so badly. But even if Dragon-domo can’t wrestle, he’s got a replacement. He’s thinking about me and the fans, even now when it’s the biggest match of my career in the States, and I’ve gotta be at my best. I owe him so much, and this is all I can to say thanks now. Take what he’s taught me and win back the titles, with the power of youth!
[FADE…]
Voice: Next time, on Animezing Otaku…
Otaku: Hey everyone! Otaku here! It’s been a long journey but we’re almost at the end! I’ve fought through hoards of monsters and demons sent by Burns and his puppet master to reach their hideout, but it looks like I’m all alone, going up against the big boss and the mid-boss! It looks like the end for me! But wait a minute, who’s that in the shadows? Is it friend or foe?
Next time on Animezing Otaku, the penultimate episode. Treasure Chest. See you soon!
[END]