Post by Next Generation on Feb 4, 2007 3:52:21 GMT -5
Fade in to Leo Mack and Next Generation inside of a Japanese restuarant, specializing in sushi and seafood. They sit on the ground along a short table, eating sushi and drinking (very moderate amounts of) sake. Leo is in a suit with a "LIONHEART LUCHADOR" hat on that he had made himself. Santiago wears a baby blue mask, with contacts and pants to match, and an NAPW t-shirt that reads "The BEST Tag Team Division in the World". Sakai is wearing a long, white, Japanese robe. They've all left their shoes in the corner of the room. An older gentlemen, perhaps the proprietor of the restaurant, walks over to them to have a word.
Gentleman: (in Japanese) Mr. Mack, I hope you and your friends are enjoying your stay.
Mack: (in Japanese) It's excellent, Mr. Hiyamota.
Sakai: (in Japanese) The best sushi I've ever had.
Santiago simply nods - he can't speak Japanese, as we all know.
Mr. Hiyamoto: (in Japanese) I'll leave you gentlemen to your meal. Enjoy. (bow)
All three men bow in return, and Mr. Hiyamoto returns to the kitchen.
Sakai picks up a piece of Sashimi with chopsticks and eats it whole. Santiago grimaces - he can eat the sushi, but the raw fish is too much for his stomach.
Mack: Have you seen the latest promo from Kodiak?
Sakai nods, and continues eating.
Santiago: El nos llamó "Nueva Generación". ¿No está él enterado que no es nuestro nombre?
Sakai: (in Japanese) Typical. (goes back to his food)
Mack: Yeah, but that was just the least of it. He sounded downright PISSED. And you can say what you want about their intelligence, but there's no denying that these guys aren't balls to the wall brawlers.
Sakai: (in Japanese) That they are, Leo. (again goes back to his food)
Mack: What the hell is wrong with you?
Sakai just shrugs and shakes his head "no".
Santiago: El apenas se ha cansado un poco de todos diciendo que luchadores más pequeños nos quieren que no podamos competir con luchadores más grande. Tengo que concordar, ser la frustración. Es como si nadie tome el talento en la cuenta ya. Alguien tan pequeño como yo, que en México sería bastante la superestrella, sería tomado a risa en anillos de Amercian, y tiene que ser puesto por el infierno por un monstruo para obtener cualquier respeto. No es correcto, Leo. ¿Y lo frustra - hace no, Sakai?
Sakai looks a bit uncomfortable, and nods to Santiago.
Sakai: (in Japanese) We have to change that, my friend. We'll have our respect.
Mack: I don't get it though. Look at all the supposed cruiserweights who have been NAPW Champion! D!, Static, Ravager, Patrick Bickle! All under two hundred twenty five pounds, all champions! And did you see the article on the site, the one where almost EVERYONE in NAPW picked you to win.
Sakai: (in Japanese) I don't read that junk, Leo.
Mack: Well they did. You and Santi are becoming mega-stars, nobody cares about your weight.
Sakai: (in Japanese) It's just - before the match with the Untouchables, people didn't know what to make of us. They were silent for the most part. Now things are different. People stop us in the street, ask for autograps. I have to tell them sorry, I can't write in English. Most of them don't mind, but a few people were rather rude about it and wouldn't take the Japanese signature.
Mack: Wait...you're not talking about what I think you are, are you?
Santiago excuses himself. He and Sakai have already had this talk.
Sakai: (in Japanese) Sometimes I worry that people cheer for us because they find us...funny. As if our different cultures and backgrounds amuse them.
Mack takes his cap off and runs his hands through his hair.
Mack: Look, Sakai, I think you've got it all wrong. They cheer you because they respect you, not because they think you're some kind of WWE comedy act! Last I checked, Santiago is an eloquent, talented performer - Winchell doesn't point a gun to his head and limit him to saying "SI!" all the time. And you're out their wrestling, Sakai, not the "Greatest SmackDown! Announcer in the World" or whatever the hell he was called. You're just being paranoid. This is Canada. An independent promotion in Canada, at that. I don't understand it, kid. You - we - have a great thing going here. Why can't you just enjoy it?
Sakai's face tightens up, and he eats another piece of sashimi.
Sakai: (in Japanese) I think it's just that I - I feel obliged to rectify the situation. International competitors shouldn't be forced to be a backstage joke. People shouldn't have judged Santiago and I as something to be laughed about, even if they do appreciate us now. And don't get me wrong, I love the fans...I just hope they love me for the RIGHT reason. Because I entertain them in the ring, not because I'm a funny looking Japanese man who wears karate clothes in the ring and Santiago is a tiny little luchador eho can't speak English. Why is it that Westerners tend to laugh at foreigners, Leo?
Mack shrugs. He looks...embarrassed.
Mack: I couldn't tell ya, kid. Just know that it isn't the majority - most of us are smart enough to know that it's our differences that bring us together.
Sakai smiles and nods.
Sakai: I hope so. For now, I'll try to bridge the gap in the ring.
Mack smiles back and puts his arm around Sakai.
Mack: (jokingly) C'mon, you're the Buzzsaw! Feelings are for sisses!
They share a laugh, and Santiago walks back in and takes a seat. They all start to eat again, and Santiago starts to tell a Mexican joke as the camera fades out.
Gentleman: (in Japanese) Mr. Mack, I hope you and your friends are enjoying your stay.
Mack: (in Japanese) It's excellent, Mr. Hiyamota.
Sakai: (in Japanese) The best sushi I've ever had.
Santiago simply nods - he can't speak Japanese, as we all know.
Mr. Hiyamoto: (in Japanese) I'll leave you gentlemen to your meal. Enjoy. (bow)
All three men bow in return, and Mr. Hiyamoto returns to the kitchen.
Sakai picks up a piece of Sashimi with chopsticks and eats it whole. Santiago grimaces - he can eat the sushi, but the raw fish is too much for his stomach.
Mack: Have you seen the latest promo from Kodiak?
Sakai nods, and continues eating.
Santiago: El nos llamó "Nueva Generación". ¿No está él enterado que no es nuestro nombre?
Sakai: (in Japanese) Typical. (goes back to his food)
Mack: Yeah, but that was just the least of it. He sounded downright PISSED. And you can say what you want about their intelligence, but there's no denying that these guys aren't balls to the wall brawlers.
Sakai: (in Japanese) That they are, Leo. (again goes back to his food)
Mack: What the hell is wrong with you?
Sakai just shrugs and shakes his head "no".
Santiago: El apenas se ha cansado un poco de todos diciendo que luchadores más pequeños nos quieren que no podamos competir con luchadores más grande. Tengo que concordar, ser la frustración. Es como si nadie tome el talento en la cuenta ya. Alguien tan pequeño como yo, que en México sería bastante la superestrella, sería tomado a risa en anillos de Amercian, y tiene que ser puesto por el infierno por un monstruo para obtener cualquier respeto. No es correcto, Leo. ¿Y lo frustra - hace no, Sakai?
Sakai looks a bit uncomfortable, and nods to Santiago.
Sakai: (in Japanese) We have to change that, my friend. We'll have our respect.
Mack: I don't get it though. Look at all the supposed cruiserweights who have been NAPW Champion! D!, Static, Ravager, Patrick Bickle! All under two hundred twenty five pounds, all champions! And did you see the article on the site, the one where almost EVERYONE in NAPW picked you to win.
Sakai: (in Japanese) I don't read that junk, Leo.
Mack: Well they did. You and Santi are becoming mega-stars, nobody cares about your weight.
Sakai: (in Japanese) It's just - before the match with the Untouchables, people didn't know what to make of us. They were silent for the most part. Now things are different. People stop us in the street, ask for autograps. I have to tell them sorry, I can't write in English. Most of them don't mind, but a few people were rather rude about it and wouldn't take the Japanese signature.
Mack: Wait...you're not talking about what I think you are, are you?
Santiago excuses himself. He and Sakai have already had this talk.
Sakai: (in Japanese) Sometimes I worry that people cheer for us because they find us...funny. As if our different cultures and backgrounds amuse them.
Mack takes his cap off and runs his hands through his hair.
Mack: Look, Sakai, I think you've got it all wrong. They cheer you because they respect you, not because they think you're some kind of WWE comedy act! Last I checked, Santiago is an eloquent, talented performer - Winchell doesn't point a gun to his head and limit him to saying "SI!" all the time. And you're out their wrestling, Sakai, not the "Greatest SmackDown! Announcer in the World" or whatever the hell he was called. You're just being paranoid. This is Canada. An independent promotion in Canada, at that. I don't understand it, kid. You - we - have a great thing going here. Why can't you just enjoy it?
Sakai's face tightens up, and he eats another piece of sashimi.
Sakai: (in Japanese) I think it's just that I - I feel obliged to rectify the situation. International competitors shouldn't be forced to be a backstage joke. People shouldn't have judged Santiago and I as something to be laughed about, even if they do appreciate us now. And don't get me wrong, I love the fans...I just hope they love me for the RIGHT reason. Because I entertain them in the ring, not because I'm a funny looking Japanese man who wears karate clothes in the ring and Santiago is a tiny little luchador eho can't speak English. Why is it that Westerners tend to laugh at foreigners, Leo?
Mack shrugs. He looks...embarrassed.
Mack: I couldn't tell ya, kid. Just know that it isn't the majority - most of us are smart enough to know that it's our differences that bring us together.
Sakai smiles and nods.
Sakai: I hope so. For now, I'll try to bridge the gap in the ring.
Mack smiles back and puts his arm around Sakai.
Mack: (jokingly) C'mon, you're the Buzzsaw! Feelings are for sisses!
They share a laugh, and Santiago walks back in and takes a seat. They all start to eat again, and Santiago starts to tell a Mexican joke as the camera fades out.