PROMO: Tsuzuku...

[Guest Thoth]

Nathaniel Kibagami jogs through the labyrinthine corridors of whatever arena we’re in now, like a mouse looking for cheese. It’s funny, at some point, the layout of each becomes exactly the same. He stops panting, in front of Orochi, who is packing a bag full of gear. Nathaniel’s eyes show his shortness of breath, but they also look hurt.

 

“Yuuichiro... why?” he asks simply. Orochi gets to his feet, and looks down at the floor, tracing an invisible line up to his brother’s eyes.

 

“I’m done, Nathan. There’s no point.”

 

“No point to what?”

 

“Fighting,” he replies, dragging his feet. “I came to the SWF, originally... because I was an emotional mess. Raging, fury... the whole cliché. Well, you and I both know that’s been all resolved. I don’t have a reason to fight anymore.”

 

“What about Orochi,” Nathan replies snidely, shoving a finger into his chest. Orochi pushes it to the side, gently, and looks up again. “Orochi’s dead, or at least, absorbed in to the rest of my psyche.” Kibagami notices the mix of white and red in his brother’s hair, a tinted testament to what has become.

 

“What about Thoth?”

 

He droops his head again. “I don’t deserve to be called Thoth... not right now. Maybe, someday...” he shrugs. “You never know.”

 

Kibagami turns to the side, looking at the plain white wall wistfully as if there were a picture painted on it. “I remember when you used to have so much fighting spirit. Hell in a Cell...” the phrase alone conjures up a cornucopia of memories for both battle-worn warriors. “But I guess you really don’t have that spirit.” He perks up suddenly, yet speaks in his reserved state. “I see now that Orochi was your last hope of preserving what spirit who had left... by stretching it so far, you twisted it into something less-than-holy.” Yuuichiro nods solemnly. “I really let myself down... and you.” He sighs deeply, then inhales, almost choking on his own air as he says, very carefully, his next few words. “I’m sorry about... Angel... and...” Kibagami cuts him off. “I don’t know how to feel about that. Angel is someone really close to me. But... I don’t blame you. I can see it from your point of view, and... it was just reflexes... wasn’t it?”

 

“Yeah, it was.”

 

Kibagami shuffles his feet again. “So... what are you going to do now?”

 

“First, I have to go tell Brian Applewhite I’m leaving. And then... I’m going home.”

 

“Aechiba?”

 

“Yup, I’ve got a lot of thinking to do. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Spider Nekura, and now that he’s out of the picture... I need to figure out what I really want to do with my life.”

 

“A lot of thinking indeed.” He pats his brother on the shoulder. “Well met, Yuuichiro Kaesame. Well met.” He leaves his hand on his shoulder, and then, in a gesture that would never be repeated again, the two brothers hug.

---

“Ugh... I need an assistant,” says the Suicide King, very loudly, in the hopes that an assistant would drop into his office. Papers are strewn about his desk: Advertising notices, booking sheets, what appears to be a Christmas List from Ash Ketchum... the door swings open, and Yuuichiro Kaesame swings it closed, and takes a seat in front of King. He is ignored, and he knows he is being actively ignored. King mumbles some words he can’t make out. He smiles, knowing this is all part of a system he has to get people to leave. He did learn Commissionering from the best, anyway. Yuuichiro, though, isn’t playing games. He pulls out a knife and jams it into the thick mahogany desk, spearing a few papers. King freezes, his eyes locking with Yuuichiro’s. The Balancer smirks; he finally got one on the Commish.

 

“WHAT.” Bellows the ruler of the SWF.

 

"I'm done, King. I'm leaving."

 

“You can’t leave.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“You’re under contract.”

 

“Go get my contract. I want to negotiate.”

 

“Goddamn...” King pulls out the knife and puts it to the side, setting the cut papers on the other, and opens a drawer. His fingers walk over the tops of the paper until he comes to ‘K’, and pulls it out. He opens the contract and slams it down in front of the Balancer, because slamming is cooler than just setting it down. “Ah ha,” he says, his index finger tracing down, “We see here that your contract doesn’t expire until...” his voice’s energy drops. “November 1, 2002.”

 

“I signed an 18 month contract,” says Yuuichiro. “I’ve been working on a pay-per-appearance deal since then, Stubby never had the time to negotiate with me. I can leave any time, nothing you can do about it.”

 

King looks down at a particular stack of papers, requests for time off. This stack is thicker than the other stacks. How can he book a show without talent?

 

This is not Yuuichiro’s concern. It used to be, in another universe, a universe where only his whims and wishes mattered. But as people travel physically, they travel mentally too. And Yuuichiro Kaesame has just found a mental hotel for the night.

 

King sighs. “I’ll manage.” Yuu gets up to leave, but turns before he makes the door.

 

“You know, we’ve never really faced each other. We have, but our hearts weren’t in it. And there wasn’t enough at stake. A real shame.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Alright, I’m outta here.”

 

“See ya, Thoth.”

 

He doesn’t have a lot of goodbyes to make. Only one. And he’s already made it. That night, he catches a flight out of the states and back into Japan.

---

The rowboat tilts to and fro, giving Thoth a slanted view of the landless ocean. The ferryman, the same one from before, is pulling a stick of oak through the solid water, disturbing its perfect frame.

 

“So, you’re back for good?” asks the ferryman.

 

“Seems like it. I’ve been away from home for a long time.”

 

“Yes. But you know, they still remember you.”

 

“I want...” Yuuichiro stops, and thinks for himself, for the first time in his life. He looks up again, a changed man. “I want to help rebuild Aechiba. I mean,” he stands up, absorbed in his words, and nearly tilts the narrow boat over due to the change in balance, “I can really do something! I have money, and notoriety... I can get public focus... and then... and then...”

 

“That’s very good, Yuuichiro. Now please sit back down before you drown us both. We’re almost there.” The island appears as a silhouette in the dusk sky. And this time, he can remain under his father’s shadow without worry or fear. Freed of the constructs that were artificially placed upon him. No more inexplicable urge to hate, or fight.

 

Finally.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

And it ends the way one of the very first Thoth promos went, in a rowboat on the water. From way back on the ML Promo Page to now...quite the distance you've gone.

 

A good final say.

[Guest AnnieEclectic]

No goodbye to Annie? NO GOODBYE TO RED??? DAMN YOUSE~!

 

Heh

 

Wow man, I'm happy that you leave this open ended, if only just a crack if you need to come back. I'm hoping, but for now it's good to know that you'll be doing just what you want to do. Kinda sad to see Thoth go, but at least he's a permanent part of the SWF history.

 

*raises glass of Jolt*

 

Blessed be.

 

-Annie

[Guest Ace309]

Fine promo that probably has more behind it than I understand. Thank you for doing and caring so much.