Post by Gjenrei on Nov 24, 2011 14:27:01 GMT -6
So, what're you thankful for?
You know how there are some conversations you simply do not look forward to? This would be one of mine.
How do you mean?
Oh, you know.. the whole Thanksgiving week, time for people to reflect on what they have in their lives that they are thankful for, y'know..
You are aware that this is simply an American holliday?
She gave me her perfected sarcastic smirk.
Yea, well you know us dumb unenlightened Americans.. always shoving our hollidays onto other people.. but even so, the point stands that it's a holliday spirit everyone should get behind.
I nodded thoughtfully. I did agree with that sentiment. Everyone should take time to reflect on what they have in their lives that makes them who they are. Then again, I also believed you didn't need to place a day on the calender for it. To me, that demeaned the whole thing. Like New Years Resolutions that were forgotten about by the third of January. I simply like giving her back the hard time she likes to give me.
I suppose the short answer is I am thankful to still be alive. I have taken many risks and suffered many dangers, and yet, I am still breathing whereas others, friend or foes alike, are not.
She tilted her head, and said nothing. This was a sign for me to continue. I suppose I should be thankful that she is not acting like she had most of the last week, after the "incident". Many an uncomfortable silence came from that.
Thankful to be working. Both in the ring and outside it.
Her smirk started to fade into a frown. I knew what she was expecting to hear. But it was more than a little fun to draw out the suspense.
Thankful for your companionship, Deanna.
She tried to shake her head in disgust, but it did not hide the smile.
I knew it. I mean, after all, what would you do without me?
I shudder at the thought.
She did not have to say thank you, her smile did that for her.
What about you?
You really want to know?
I am suitably curious, yes.
Then you will just have to join me for dinner.
This was new.
I am not sure what you mean.
Reservations are on Friday. Restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving, so it will have to do.
Very well.
I should protest, however, I really did not have anything else planned. And assuming from the fact she was not going anywhere this week as well, neither did she.
And you can't wear the mask..
Deanna.. you know I cannot...
I know as per your contract you aren't allowed to be filmed without it, I've taken special precautions and all. So, c'mon.. it's just one dinner..
When you fight not only 'for a living', but fight because you are alive. You tend to not let people in too close. They become targets, just a lever to get at you. The nameless and faceless enemies that could come back at any time, would easily have a way into your life. For a man like me, I cannot afford that easily. But now, I do not feel there is any escaping this. One dinner, and then she would see.
As you wish.
See, that wasn't so hard?
And then she was off, almost skipping across the floor, singing to herself.
Last Friday night.. we were dancing at the bar...
.....
This does not bode well.
Pride and Honor...
It has always been funny hearing those words coming out of someone else's mouth. It is as foreign to me.. well perhaps foreign is a bit of an exageration, it is rare to me as it is the concept of slapping your own self as a form of pleasure is to most people. But, to me, they are terms that are clearly defined, and yet, my definitions could still be strange to you, even if you think you know them.
People assume Honor to be about fairness. That the rules are in place for a reason and to break them means you have no sense of the word. But a real battlefield has no rules, no restrictions. Think back to your days in high school. You stand in the school yard, facing off against someone you have an issue with, someone who has tormented, bullied you for perhaps as much as several years. He raises his fists, and you, unable to tolerate the "just walk away" principle, raise yours. And then you set your feet and plant a kick to his groin, one of the places self defense teachers will instruct you to attack first and foremost. But then what happens?
You get labeled weak.. and a coward, all for winning a fight in the quickest and most effecient way possible.
Then later, you grow up, perhaps take a class in karate or kung fu. And learn that the way you won that fight was entirely justified. You realize that the way you were brought up, was a method in contradiction. "Do not fight, walk away." "When you cannot walk away, fight fairly." But to those who live on the battlefield, we know better. We know that fighting is not about winning and losing, it is about the measure of courage and heart. Whether it is boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts.. or something as deadly as war, we accept the costs of losing, no matter how high. Because I fight not to win, but to test myself against those who test against I.
It really is, that simple. I do not care for rules or civility in battle, I will break them if I feel that I must. My Honor is in the ability to accept the outcome and move forward. No matter what happens.
Pride is just a metaphorical sense of self. The only thing I pride myself in is being a Warrior, living for battle and lusting for nothing. This title, and its history are no concern of mine. It is something for you to fight for, a symbol of what it means to advance in your materialistic society. I am tired of being demeaned by people for holding it. Tired of being told how I should act because I am a "champion". I will continue to be me, whether you like it or not.
But this match.. Mr. Davis, is going to be something far less pleasant than you think.
There is one thing I ask of anybody that I have ever stepped onto the battlefield with, and that is a modicum of understanding. I have not demanded respect, or asked to be feared. All I have ever wanted is a person to look me dead in the eye, and tell me that their focus is on the task at hand. Though you started promising..
It seems you failed to do even that.
I suppose I should not have expected any less. As an American, it is very difficult for you to look past this little gold belt that shall be yours should you win. Very difficult to look past the Angel's and the Xander's who held this belt once, and have now the status of the immortals. Very difficult to see me as little more than a stone in your path to step on. And I must remind you, that everyone who has ever done that, has found out the cost of such thoughts, by getting the exact opposite of what they want.
I give you once chance now..
Take the most deadliest man you know..
Multiply by three...
And that is what you should be focusing on.
Because that is I.
Listen now, or know Justice.
You know how there are some conversations you simply do not look forward to? This would be one of mine.
How do you mean?
Oh, you know.. the whole Thanksgiving week, time for people to reflect on what they have in their lives that they are thankful for, y'know..
You are aware that this is simply an American holliday?
She gave me her perfected sarcastic smirk.
Yea, well you know us dumb unenlightened Americans.. always shoving our hollidays onto other people.. but even so, the point stands that it's a holliday spirit everyone should get behind.
I nodded thoughtfully. I did agree with that sentiment. Everyone should take time to reflect on what they have in their lives that makes them who they are. Then again, I also believed you didn't need to place a day on the calender for it. To me, that demeaned the whole thing. Like New Years Resolutions that were forgotten about by the third of January. I simply like giving her back the hard time she likes to give me.
I suppose the short answer is I am thankful to still be alive. I have taken many risks and suffered many dangers, and yet, I am still breathing whereas others, friend or foes alike, are not.
She tilted her head, and said nothing. This was a sign for me to continue. I suppose I should be thankful that she is not acting like she had most of the last week, after the "incident". Many an uncomfortable silence came from that.
Thankful to be working. Both in the ring and outside it.
Her smirk started to fade into a frown. I knew what she was expecting to hear. But it was more than a little fun to draw out the suspense.
Thankful for your companionship, Deanna.
She tried to shake her head in disgust, but it did not hide the smile.
I knew it. I mean, after all, what would you do without me?
I shudder at the thought.
She did not have to say thank you, her smile did that for her.
What about you?
You really want to know?
I am suitably curious, yes.
Then you will just have to join me for dinner.
This was new.
I am not sure what you mean.
Reservations are on Friday. Restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving, so it will have to do.
Very well.
I should protest, however, I really did not have anything else planned. And assuming from the fact she was not going anywhere this week as well, neither did she.
And you can't wear the mask..
Deanna.. you know I cannot...
I know as per your contract you aren't allowed to be filmed without it, I've taken special precautions and all. So, c'mon.. it's just one dinner..
When you fight not only 'for a living', but fight because you are alive. You tend to not let people in too close. They become targets, just a lever to get at you. The nameless and faceless enemies that could come back at any time, would easily have a way into your life. For a man like me, I cannot afford that easily. But now, I do not feel there is any escaping this. One dinner, and then she would see.
As you wish.
See, that wasn't so hard?
And then she was off, almost skipping across the floor, singing to herself.
Last Friday night.. we were dancing at the bar...
.....
This does not bode well.
Pride and Honor...
It has always been funny hearing those words coming out of someone else's mouth. It is as foreign to me.. well perhaps foreign is a bit of an exageration, it is rare to me as it is the concept of slapping your own self as a form of pleasure is to most people. But, to me, they are terms that are clearly defined, and yet, my definitions could still be strange to you, even if you think you know them.
People assume Honor to be about fairness. That the rules are in place for a reason and to break them means you have no sense of the word. But a real battlefield has no rules, no restrictions. Think back to your days in high school. You stand in the school yard, facing off against someone you have an issue with, someone who has tormented, bullied you for perhaps as much as several years. He raises his fists, and you, unable to tolerate the "just walk away" principle, raise yours. And then you set your feet and plant a kick to his groin, one of the places self defense teachers will instruct you to attack first and foremost. But then what happens?
You get labeled weak.. and a coward, all for winning a fight in the quickest and most effecient way possible.
Then later, you grow up, perhaps take a class in karate or kung fu. And learn that the way you won that fight was entirely justified. You realize that the way you were brought up, was a method in contradiction. "Do not fight, walk away." "When you cannot walk away, fight fairly." But to those who live on the battlefield, we know better. We know that fighting is not about winning and losing, it is about the measure of courage and heart. Whether it is boxing, wrestling, mixed martial arts.. or something as deadly as war, we accept the costs of losing, no matter how high. Because I fight not to win, but to test myself against those who test against I.
It really is, that simple. I do not care for rules or civility in battle, I will break them if I feel that I must. My Honor is in the ability to accept the outcome and move forward. No matter what happens.
Pride is just a metaphorical sense of self. The only thing I pride myself in is being a Warrior, living for battle and lusting for nothing. This title, and its history are no concern of mine. It is something for you to fight for, a symbol of what it means to advance in your materialistic society. I am tired of being demeaned by people for holding it. Tired of being told how I should act because I am a "champion". I will continue to be me, whether you like it or not.
But this match.. Mr. Davis, is going to be something far less pleasant than you think.
There is one thing I ask of anybody that I have ever stepped onto the battlefield with, and that is a modicum of understanding. I have not demanded respect, or asked to be feared. All I have ever wanted is a person to look me dead in the eye, and tell me that their focus is on the task at hand. Though you started promising..
It seems you failed to do even that.
I suppose I should not have expected any less. As an American, it is very difficult for you to look past this little gold belt that shall be yours should you win. Very difficult to look past the Angel's and the Xander's who held this belt once, and have now the status of the immortals. Very difficult to see me as little more than a stone in your path to step on. And I must remind you, that everyone who has ever done that, has found out the cost of such thoughts, by getting the exact opposite of what they want.
I give you once chance now..
Take the most deadliest man you know..
Multiply by three...
And that is what you should be focusing on.
Because that is I.
Listen now, or know Justice.
