Promo: 'Loose Ends'.

[Guest Kibagami]

PROMO: “Loose Ends.”

 

 

The extraordinary and the orthodox circle and give

birth to each other.

As a circle has no beginning,

Who is able to exhaust it?

 

- Chapter Five of the Sun-Tzu

 

 

Aechiba in the summer is a peaceful place. Birds fill the air with their songs, and here and there a rabbit hops across a path in the verdant fields. The hillsides are in bloom; the people seem almost buoyant, as if they were being pushed along by the gentle breeze that floats through the town.

 

Many of the houses are small, decaying – there are holes in poorly thatched roofs, patches of dead or dying grass along a dirt road scattered with potholes…but everywhere, there are signs of life. There is evidence of construction through all of Aechiba, signs of life in a village that has seemingly endured a long, dark winter. Children play in the once deserted streets. Shopkeepers trade openly with the rest of the villagers, no longer forced to protect their wares behind barred windows and locked doors. Slowly, Aechiba is recovering. And so are its two most prominent benefactors…

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRACK!

 

Nathaniel Kibagami’s right foot shoots briefly towards his opponent’s shin before he retracts it, shifts his weight, and sends his left foot crashing into the face of his startled half-brother! Yuuichiro Kaesame –Thoth, to the majority of the SWF’s American audience – reels back, a surprised hand flying up to guard his injured jaw from further abuse.

 

Nathan grins a little. “That one stung, huh?” he breathes through gritted teeth.

 

“Not as much as this will,” quips Thoth as he rushes at Kibagami. The younger brother throws a flurry of palm strikes at his sibling, and Nathaniel falls back, dodging, dodging, blocking, dodging…

 

An elbow slips through Kibagami’s guard and catches him flush in the neck, eliciting a wince from the man and sending him back an involuntary step. Sensing an advantage, Yuuichiro swings for his brother’s head…

 

…and finds himself continuing past his target and onto the dojo floor with an audible thud, a victim of Kibagami’s quick reaction time and a simple judo throw. He suddenly finds Nathan’s legs wrapped around his neck, pressing his extended arm sharply against his throat. Kaesame struggles in vain for a brief moment or two, but his vision quickly begins to dim as a result.

 

With something that is almost a sigh, but becomes more of a gasp for air, Yuuichiro taps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outside the dojo, both men nurse their wounds. The two men sit facing each other on the dojo’s front steps, the sounds of an Aechiba in bloom in the background.

 

“This is three in a row you’ve won. I never lose three in a row.” Yuuichiro shakes his head, but a slight grin betrays his self-deprecating humor.

 

“Bah!” bellows Nathan. “I said that last time you won three in a row. The extraordinary and the orthodox, remember? ‘As a circle has no beginning’…”

“Who can hope to exhaust it, I know. We’re certainly trying.”

 

Nathaniel nods in response. “We certainly are.”

 

They are silent for a moment. The day passes around them, summer breezes and children playing in the fields.

 

Jovial shopkeepers.

 

Smiling faces.

 

Serenity.

 

Peace.

 

…

 

“I’m leaving for Denver tomorrow.”

 

Yuuichiro’s attention snaps back to his half-brother. “What? Why?”

 

Nathaniel sighs. “Angel wants to visit an aunt of hers. We’ll be gone for a week or two, no more.”

 

“I wish you’d told me earlier. The supplies from Konoha just arrived this morning. I was counting on your help to repair the roof of the inn.”

 

”We’ll do it after supper. It’s not a problem.”

 

“It is. I’m teaching a class tonight.”

 

“Then I’ll take care of it myself. Angel will help.”

 

”You’re sure?”

 

”It’s just thatching. It’s not that complicated, and I can’t leave it undone while I go back to the States.”

 

“Well, if you don’t mind.”

 

”I don’t.”

 

Again, there is a pause.

 

Shopkeepers. Serenity. Children. Peace. The two are surrounded by a contentment most people will never have the opportunity to know.

 

This time, Yuuichiro breaks the silence.

 

“There’s a PPV coming up.”

 

Kibagami only nods in response.

 

“You’re going.”

 

”I’m using some of the comp tickets. I’ll be in the skybox with most of the office. You don’t get farther away from the action than that.”

 

”I hope you’re not suddenly trusting doctors.”

 

”I’m not,” snaps Nathan. “I’m going to make sure everything is order as far as my contract is concerned. I intend to let it run out, and that’ll happen in August. I’m not going back, and you know just as well as I do that I wouldn’t be taking Angel with me if I was.”

 

Yuuichiro pauses for a moment, digesting the information.

 

“You’ll be leaving in the morning.”

 

”We will, yes.”

 

”…good luck.”

 

“Thank you, Yuuichiro.”

 

Around them, Aechiba moves happily onward. Full of contentment, full of peace.

 

No one could ask for anything more than this.

 

No one gets more than one chance at this kind of peace.

 

No one would give this up.

 

Would they?

 

END

Edited May 1, 2003 by Kibagami

[Guest Dace59]

*Goes to read the back story*

 

This has got me interested.

 

It's good so many people rule at promos.

[Guest realitycheck]

Thoth and Kibs life in Aechiba is something like Little House on the Prarie. Helping people, helping each other, learning life lessons. Except with more kicks to the face.

 

Why, yes, I am purposely avoiding commenting on anything important.

 

Good promo.

 

-Z

[Guest Ace309]

*applauds*

[Guest Beezel]

Interesting. Simply interesting.

[Guest 5_moves_of_doom]

(Y)

[Guest kelloggs]

Well, what can I say, except that this has been another example of your promoing prowess and if I could type something else about it I would... but I think...

 

Sun-Tzu~!!!!

 

Kibs promo

 

... willl suffice

[janusd 0]

 

Verrrry nice promo, Kibs. A life of peace, and he's merely going back to the States to get thing settled with his contract...

 

...or is he?

 

I love those sorts of endings to promos. Adds a nice air of mystery to it.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Told you I'd reply.

 

Yep, it's good.

[Guest Insanityman]

Nicely done. I still want Edwin/Silent, but Thoth/Silent works. Not to mention the promo had a nice, unexplainable flow and feel to it.

[Guest Tyler McClelland]

I somewhat regret missing parts of your backstory, Kib, and reading this has a strange serenity when compared to your entrance at Battleground. Excellent prose, even though you do some things with your clauses that piss me off; you always have been superior at this aspect of our game, and I love to read it. Keep it coming; I know you will.

 

Great job, I loved it.