I Am 01 - Ships In the Night

This was one of those nice places that was out of the way. It wasn't formal enough that they had to be in dress clothes, but it was simple enough that Shinji and Destiny could be out of the way from everyone. The two of them had a strange way of just connecting like this, functioning better when the outside world wasn't looking in at them. Shinji had been wearing a gift t-shirt she gave him, one of the band Twenty-One Pilots, along with some jeans and sneakers. Looking over at her, he smiled softly as he shifted the chair at the table they were sitting at to be closer to her.

"Thank you for coming to see my home," he said quietly, humbled and happy she joined him. "It means much to me that you would do this to see me. And look what happened! You got job! It is much great to see these things."

"It's been really fun out here. I never thought I'd get the chance to leave California, but hey, here I am with you in Japan. It's pretty cool." Destiny grinned at him, running a hand back through her dyed green hair. She lightly tapped her foot against the floor and bit her lower lip, full of energy even though she'd been up early that morning. Her wrists were covered in bangles and beaded bracelets, which jingled softly as she moved. She was dressed in an old Led Zeppelin tee, ripped jeans, and Converse - almost matching Shinji even though that hadn't been her intention.

"I guess the job's all right, too. Gives me something to do, and I'm actually kind of good at it. My next assignment is working on t-shirt designs for some of the new guys on the main roster. Including you. So I promise it'll be good."

"You mean they didn't tell you?" he asked. "Destiny...Kingdom of Japan has asked me to return home. Win or lose, I may not return to the US after Repetition of Hatred," he told her glancing at her with a little bit of worry and sadness. He didn't want her to find out through someone on staff or Jonathan himself. He knew that at the end of the day, Destiny had to hear it from him. It wasn't the easiest thing to talk about, but he had to tell her eventually.

"They have said I may be competing on the big show where Genji Yamato meets Kazuma Fujita. It would be an amazing honor to compete on a show with two of the biggest legends in puroresu history!" he exclaimed, realizing this wasn't helping at all. "But...I know in my heart that I will miss you. And I know that I will miss seeing you."

"No, nobody told me... They gave me the assignment awhile ago, so I guess maybe they were waiting for Repetition to tell me. Or maybe they wanted me to hear it from you. I don't know." All at once, Destiny's demeanor changed. Her nervous energy from before shifted to anxiety, and she started chewing on her thumbnail in order to try and contain what was happening in her head. The thought of going back to California without Shinji made her stomach twist into knots.

"I know it's a big show, I saw the announcement too. I just... I guess I thought that since you were doing so well here that they'd let you stay. It's a huge opportunity, and I know you've gotta be excited, but... yeah, I'm gonna miss you too. I like having you around, Shinji." Destiny tried to give him a smile, but it was short-lived. "You'll still have time to like, Skype me or something, right? Cause I'll miss stuff like this. And I guess if I can't be with you in person, that'll have to do."

Even Shinji's demeanor changed with it out in the open. He wasn't sure how to work around it, but he knew that it was something that had to be said and this was something that had to be done. Shinji wasn't the biggest fan of leaving Destiny behind, but he knew that it was one of those things that he was quietly dreading and that had to be done at this point. Sighing as he looked at her, he frowned some and put an arm around her.

"I will do my best to Skype and talk. I do not know if this will be forever. Maybe you can visit here and maybe I can visit there! There are lots of options...I think that is the right word, yes?" he asked hoping that his English had been improving during his time with her. "Do not be sad much. There are always options for us and I do hope that we can find them to make things work."

Again, he looked at her, hopeful that something he said would give her a smile, or even just a small glimmer of hope.

He was leaving. Or staying, technically, but the point was that she wasn't going to have him there every day to talk to. Even if she didn't talk to him each day, at least she knew that he was there if she needed someone. Their friendship had been an unexpected side effect of her favorite Japanese wrestler coming to America and she only realized how much she had come to depend on it now that she was on the brink of losing him. Destiny leaned her head against his shoulder and laid her arm over his stomach, her fingers clutching his shirt.

"Yeah, options is the right word. I'm trying to not be sad, but it's hard. You... you're really important to me, you know? Like, I thought it was cool that I got to meet my favorite wrestler, but you're my friend now too, and it's... yeah. I don't want you to forget about me."

Destiny ducked her head, biting her lip and squeezing her eyes shut to try and keep herself from crying. It took her a few moments to gather her composure, but once she did, she looked up at Shinji and gave him another attempt at a smile. "We'll do our best. I'll try to get out here as soon as I can afford a round trip ticket and a hotel. But we'll keep in touch. It's just going to be hard to go back to watching you on a livestream when I've had nights like this hanging out with you."

He tried to help her now, knowing that there was a lot that could hurt her in this. He didn't want her to feel like she was being abandoned, and of course, Shinji wasn't going to let that happen. As he sighed, he looked at her and tried to wrap an arm around her as well to let her know that she didn't have to be alone. Having managed to get to know her, he tried to do his best to keep her positive and cheerful, but even he couldn't do it, knowing that he was having a hard time being that way for himself.

"We will work it out. I cannot promise the world, but I promise you that I will find time for you always, Destiny. You are, as you have told me, my friend. And I am your friend. And I will always be there for you," he promised. "This world can be most difficult, but I will always find time to be there for you."

Destiny reached for his hand and took it in her own, lacing their fingers together. Her vision was blurred by uncried tears, tears that she was trying to keep at bay at least until she got back to her hotel room. She knew Shinji hated to see her upset and she wanted to be strong for him, to prove that she would survive him staying in Japan.

"I don't need you to give me the world, Shinji. I just need you to be part of my world. You're my best friend, and the thought of losing that scares me. But if you say you'll find time to be there for me, then I'll believe you. You've always been a man of your word."

He nodded at what she said, and he agreed with her. It was a moment that was quiet, nothing that was needing to be said in all of it. It was more important to let actions talk at this point, and while he let her stay there and say what she needed to say, Shinji just listened. Their relationship wasn't perfect. There was unrequited love on Shinji's end and there was just the feeling of friendship from Destiny. This was what Shinji knew and had grown to accept, because it was more important to just hold on and see what he could do to make her feel as happy as he could with the few options he had.

"No matter where I am, I will always be with you, I promise," he said to her quietly while looking at her. He couldn't hide wanting to be there for her, and he couldn't hide the fact that he was going to do his best not to let her down. "Just know that someday, when I can, I will come back. I promise."

There was silence now, the kind of uncomfortable silence that came with two people not knowing what to do. Two people adrift in a sea of uncertainty, the kind that came with age. Even with the few years that separated Shinji and Destiny, there was still a growing up process both of them were having. Thanks to Shinji being alone in this country until Tom had joined him, he had been alone, truly a foreign exchange student. Destiny had welcomed him with open arms and gave him a reason to find himself. Over the past year, through the ups and downs, Shinji had grown to become the person he had wanted to be. He had finally found the success that he had tried so hard to find. When it came down to it, Shinji had found what he had been looking for all along.

Himself.



We are here in a defining moment. The die has been cast, and four of us stand here for one goal. The Pacific Coast Title has a unique set of qualifications for victory, and I wonder if most of us are qualified to compete in this environment on a consistent basis.

I stand in this ring with Jackie The Lad, Simon Raines, and Shozo Arino. I have come up through (R)Evolution with those three men, and I stand here with the knowledge that we all have strengths and weaknesses that qualify us for this.

Simon has unparalleled striking ability, perfect for knocking someone out. Though his submission skills are unknown, his strikes speak for themselves. I must watch out for him, even as deals with his struggles. Simon is not one to be trifled with, and I will react accordingly to him. I willingly helped him once escape a fate unknowingly thrust upon him, but I will unhappily be the bringer of pain upon him.

Jackie is a dangerous quantity in this equation. His fists are clearly dangerous, evidenced by his striking style. Trained by Andreas Lasiewicz, I understand that he is dangerous. Jackie and I have tangled once, and I defeated him. I know how he wrestles, and even if he knows my intentions are noble, one is sure to believe he is still surly and ready to knock me out to achieve his goal. I do not blame Jackie either, as we all are fighting for the same thing.

Shozo. What can I say about Shozo that people do not expect to hear from me? I know that Shozo is a talented wrestler. Papa is an incredible senpai, and I understand what he can teach a student. I know that Shozo has sat under his tree longer than most, and I know that the Shozo that I once knew is no longer the brother I touted to be at my side. This Shozo is calculating and dangerous...and this Shozo is one I need to stop.

But what of their weaknesses?

Simon is sloppy. Consumed with other things, trying to piece himself together from shards of what he thinks is truth and what may be fiction. Focus on defending a relationship that may or may not have entangled matters of the heart. He doesn't have the know how in the ring that I do. With all my technical abilities, I have miles ahead of him that can keep me better prepared to defeat him. He is talented, but he is unpolished.

Jackie is arrogant. There are many things Jackie can do well, but we all are the same when our feet are on the ground. Jackie's punches are lethal, but how effective will they be if his arms are tied up and unable to throw a punch? Jackie has a pedigree of being blessed with knowledge from the Morning Star himself, but that does not make him the second coming of Andreas Lasiewicz. You can learn many things from a mentor, but they mean little if you do not know how to apply them. He is talented, but he is not good as he boasts to be.

Shozo? As much as it pains me to say, Shozo is blind. I love my brother more than anything, but he has forsaken wisdom and foresight in favor of blind revenge and irrational thinking. Shozo is talented, but his arrogance and his refusal to change his ways have now sealed his fate in a most unfortunate way. Shozo is a good man deep inside, I know it, but I also know that I cannot have remorse or mercy for a man that I once called my best friend. Even if he believes that I have betrayed him, I know where I stand. Shozo, even if you disagree, you will understand someday. He is talented, but he is shortsighted.

The truth is that I am not perfect. I have a long way to go, but I am still learning and growing. Shozo speaks of evolution, but true evolution isn't devouring our ancestors and sending them to early graves, it's learning from them and learning how to avoid the pitfalls they once fell into. Deep inside my heart, I know that I have grown in my own way. Through my senpai and my friends, I have grown into The Sentinel. A sentinel is a protector; he watches over something as a guard. EXODUS is my home. My friends are what I watch over as a guard. And at Repetition of Hatred, in front of my family and friends...in front of my home country, I WILL NOT LET THEM DOWN! I will stand tall as a protector, and I will become the first Pacific Coast Champion! I will put down whoever stands in my way! I will tap out my opponent and be the best at what I do, because I AM NOT AFRAID.

They tell me he is the Artist of War, but I am ready to battle.

They tell me he is a drunken hooligan, but I am sober enough to see him for who he is.

They tell me he is the leader of a REVOLUTION, but I am strong enough to know I will change how the world sees me.

I am Shinji Uchikawa.

I am The Sentinel.

And I will soon be able to say something for the first time in my career.

I am a champion.