DizzaHizza
Official Unofficial FW Party Pimp
* The bus ride downtown on the warm spring day was more than anyone could handle. Shoulder to shoulder with a stranger in the stale warm air; no one could handle it. A woman leans her head slightly out a back window for some fresh air, but all she manages to inhale is exhaust and the smell of warm concrete. Disgusted, she brings her head back in as she muffles a groan and supresses her gag-reflex. The man sitting next to her rubs her back and tells her they'll be to their destination soon, but soon is a long ways off in the stop and go traffic on I-5 cutting through Seattle.
One man seems barely phased by the heat and putrid smells. He sits calmly minding his own business. A Seattle Times newspaper is opened to the stock prices, but nothing is really of notice. He used to make his fortune reading these numbers; times have changed. Two years ago he was a world reknowned athlete. Today, he's just another schmo on a bus trying to get somewhere.
There used to be a time when he had friends, important friends; friends that made a difference and had influence. The closest thing he has to a friend now is the man who sits in the cubicle next to him and snores so loud our bus rider wakes him with a stiffled cough. He used to party with celebrities and attend red carpet events. Now he sees celebrities in the news and vaccuums his own carpet. The money, fame, and women are gone.
There is no more Muffin Man. There is only Kinjo "Kin" Hiroshi, a web developer. Of course, he's a web developer until 5pm... *
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* The bus grinds to a halt near the White Center area of Seattle; not an area to let children walk alone, and not an area to walk without a weapon. Hiroshi holds onto his breifcase tightly, while his other arm grips the mace in his front pocket. All the while he carefully balances the duffle bag swung over his shoulder. The contents are priceless to Hiroshi, but, compared to the documents in the briefcase, they are worthless.
A hastened walk, nealy a jog, two more blocks and Kin is standing before a gym. He knocks on the door twice before someone answers. The large black man eyes Hiroshi up and down. Nervously, Hiroshi stares at the man. *
Man: "You here to fight?"
Hiroshi: "Man, I've been coming here for over year on the same damn night. Every week I'm here an hour early. Every week you ask me the same damn question, and every week I tell you the same damn thing. Now, what the f**k you think I'm here to do?"
* The bouncer smiles at Hiroshi. He liked the fire and intensity. It was something he hadn't seen in Kin since his early days of wrestling in Japan. Of course, this was no wrestling. This was different, and both men knew that as Hiroshi walked in the door, he might not walk out. *
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* 9:00pm. Time to fight. Time to win the extra spending money for the month. Kin stands before the ring apron...
"Just like riding a bike, Kinjo, get in there," he thinks to himself as he lifts himself up and rolls underneath the bottom rope. The small crowd of business suits sitting up above in the semi-cicular seating cheer: this is the fight they've been waiting for. This is a championship night.
Kin puts out of his mind the beating he could be receiving in a few minutes. Instead he sits alone in his corner, no trainers, no coaches, just him, and he thinks about the money. He doesn't care about winning the adoration of the "fans," but they pay well, so he puts on a good show for them.
The current "champion" walks out of the lockerroom to even bigger cheers than Hiroshi. Kin realizes he's the underdog to the crowd, but he's up bigger, meaner men before. Plus, with the added weight since leaving CSWA, he packs a harder punch, but as the current victor steps into the ring, Kin realizes the size and weight disadvantage he's facing.
The time keeper takes his place, and Kin looks down at the duffle bag on the floor behind him. Through the opening in the top he can see the faint glimmer of a former GXW belt he purchased on eBay. Thoughts and feelings and emotion come flooding back, and in an instant Kin Hiroshi is back.
The current champion is halfway across the ring before Hiroshi is out of his chair, but the agility and speed come naturally. The giant's right hook misses Kin by no more than an inch, and Hiroshi back petals against the ropes. Caught between rock hard fists and the ropes, Kin braces for the earth shaking punches.
The first one catches him in the bread basket and knocks the wind out of him, causing him to drop his guard for a brief moment. Mistakes are few and far between, and the larger man knows it as his bare knuckles rip at the flesh below Kin's right eye and drop Hiroshi to the mat.
There is no referee, and there are no rules. Heels and toes come crashing down into Kin's rib cage like sledge hammers as he tries to break away. He can taste the iron richness of the blood in his mouth before it's coughed up. The giant backs away, checking his work.
Mistakes are few and far between...
Kin kicks at the man's knee and hears the pop. A scream of pain and the champ is on his knees. A lesser man would wait, giving his opponent time to recouperate. Kin Hiroshi is not that man and is on his feet in an instant, and driving his knee into a large face over and over again. There is nothing left but blood and pulp when Kin releases his hold on the back of the man's head.
There is nothing left now, but the giant remains slouched on his knees. With a smirk Hiroshi super kicks the side of the man's jaw, hearing and feeling the crunch of a broken mouth and watches teeth fly away as the man falls hard.
Less than five minutes of work, and the cash is pouring out from the rafters to the cheers of the "audience." The ex-champ's trainers try and scrounge some of the money, but a quick glare from a combat ready Hiroshi stops them in their tracks. Kin grabs the ankle of the giant, and pulls him over to the them. *
Hiroshi: "Whatever you can fit in his mouth, you can keep."
* Kinjo knows that's at least a few hundred dollars, enough to get started on the hospital bills... *
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* A shower and a quick change, and Kin's back into his business clothes and is headed for the door. The tall black man still has the smile on his face from earlier.
Man: "Way to go, champ. Bet it feels good to have that title back in front of your name."
Hiroshi: "Sure, if you say so."
Man: "See you next week?"
* Kin brushes by him. Hiroshi feels the bruise and stitches under his eye and looks back. *
Hiroshi: "If something better doesn't turn up, but it's been a while since I've made 50 grand in one night."
* The man releases a hearty laugh, and watches Kin Hiroshi walk silently and virtually unnoticed and unknown into the night.
Both men know it's going to be a long trek back home. *
One man seems barely phased by the heat and putrid smells. He sits calmly minding his own business. A Seattle Times newspaper is opened to the stock prices, but nothing is really of notice. He used to make his fortune reading these numbers; times have changed. Two years ago he was a world reknowned athlete. Today, he's just another schmo on a bus trying to get somewhere.
There used to be a time when he had friends, important friends; friends that made a difference and had influence. The closest thing he has to a friend now is the man who sits in the cubicle next to him and snores so loud our bus rider wakes him with a stiffled cough. He used to party with celebrities and attend red carpet events. Now he sees celebrities in the news and vaccuums his own carpet. The money, fame, and women are gone.
There is no more Muffin Man. There is only Kinjo "Kin" Hiroshi, a web developer. Of course, he's a web developer until 5pm... *
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* The bus grinds to a halt near the White Center area of Seattle; not an area to let children walk alone, and not an area to walk without a weapon. Hiroshi holds onto his breifcase tightly, while his other arm grips the mace in his front pocket. All the while he carefully balances the duffle bag swung over his shoulder. The contents are priceless to Hiroshi, but, compared to the documents in the briefcase, they are worthless.
A hastened walk, nealy a jog, two more blocks and Kin is standing before a gym. He knocks on the door twice before someone answers. The large black man eyes Hiroshi up and down. Nervously, Hiroshi stares at the man. *
Man: "You here to fight?"
Hiroshi: "Man, I've been coming here for over year on the same damn night. Every week I'm here an hour early. Every week you ask me the same damn question, and every week I tell you the same damn thing. Now, what the f**k you think I'm here to do?"
* The bouncer smiles at Hiroshi. He liked the fire and intensity. It was something he hadn't seen in Kin since his early days of wrestling in Japan. Of course, this was no wrestling. This was different, and both men knew that as Hiroshi walked in the door, he might not walk out. *
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 9:00pm. Time to fight. Time to win the extra spending money for the month. Kin stands before the ring apron...
"Just like riding a bike, Kinjo, get in there," he thinks to himself as he lifts himself up and rolls underneath the bottom rope. The small crowd of business suits sitting up above in the semi-cicular seating cheer: this is the fight they've been waiting for. This is a championship night.
Kin puts out of his mind the beating he could be receiving in a few minutes. Instead he sits alone in his corner, no trainers, no coaches, just him, and he thinks about the money. He doesn't care about winning the adoration of the "fans," but they pay well, so he puts on a good show for them.
The current "champion" walks out of the lockerroom to even bigger cheers than Hiroshi. Kin realizes he's the underdog to the crowd, but he's up bigger, meaner men before. Plus, with the added weight since leaving CSWA, he packs a harder punch, but as the current victor steps into the ring, Kin realizes the size and weight disadvantage he's facing.
The time keeper takes his place, and Kin looks down at the duffle bag on the floor behind him. Through the opening in the top he can see the faint glimmer of a former GXW belt he purchased on eBay. Thoughts and feelings and emotion come flooding back, and in an instant Kin Hiroshi is back.
The current champion is halfway across the ring before Hiroshi is out of his chair, but the agility and speed come naturally. The giant's right hook misses Kin by no more than an inch, and Hiroshi back petals against the ropes. Caught between rock hard fists and the ropes, Kin braces for the earth shaking punches.
The first one catches him in the bread basket and knocks the wind out of him, causing him to drop his guard for a brief moment. Mistakes are few and far between, and the larger man knows it as his bare knuckles rip at the flesh below Kin's right eye and drop Hiroshi to the mat.
There is no referee, and there are no rules. Heels and toes come crashing down into Kin's rib cage like sledge hammers as he tries to break away. He can taste the iron richness of the blood in his mouth before it's coughed up. The giant backs away, checking his work.
Mistakes are few and far between...
Kin kicks at the man's knee and hears the pop. A scream of pain and the champ is on his knees. A lesser man would wait, giving his opponent time to recouperate. Kin Hiroshi is not that man and is on his feet in an instant, and driving his knee into a large face over and over again. There is nothing left but blood and pulp when Kin releases his hold on the back of the man's head.
There is nothing left now, but the giant remains slouched on his knees. With a smirk Hiroshi super kicks the side of the man's jaw, hearing and feeling the crunch of a broken mouth and watches teeth fly away as the man falls hard.
Less than five minutes of work, and the cash is pouring out from the rafters to the cheers of the "audience." The ex-champ's trainers try and scrounge some of the money, but a quick glare from a combat ready Hiroshi stops them in their tracks. Kin grabs the ankle of the giant, and pulls him over to the them. *
Hiroshi: "Whatever you can fit in his mouth, you can keep."
* Kinjo knows that's at least a few hundred dollars, enough to get started on the hospital bills... *
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* A shower and a quick change, and Kin's back into his business clothes and is headed for the door. The tall black man still has the smile on his face from earlier.
Man: "Way to go, champ. Bet it feels good to have that title back in front of your name."
Hiroshi: "Sure, if you say so."
Man: "See you next week?"
* Kin brushes by him. Hiroshi feels the bruise and stitches under his eye and looks back. *
Hiroshi: "If something better doesn't turn up, but it's been a while since I've made 50 grand in one night."
* The man releases a hearty laugh, and watches Kin Hiroshi walk silently and virtually unnoticed and unknown into the night.
Both men know it's going to be a long trek back home. *