Post by Kalidah on Sept 1, 2024 2:25:37 GMT
People seldom change. Only their masks do. It is only our perception of them and the perception they have of themselves that actually changes. ~ Shannon L. Alder
Eli Buchanan arrived back in Las Angeles to a great amount of fanfare. Banners with "Tiger Mask Red" written on them waved in the air and people were chanting "TMR". Part of him couldn't imagine why. It wasn't as that he felt he hadn't deserved it, coming in second place in the J1 Summit was no small feat. It was simply that he had never received such a reception before and it somehow rang hollow in his head as he exited the plane. Besides, he had other things on his mind now.
Eli was tired. Wearing any one face for too long exhausted him. Some were easier than others to bear, but this one was itching to come off but he didn't feel like humoring the crowd by putting the other one back on. Just let me get home please, he thought to himself, so I can put on my favourite one for a while.
Eli poked his head out the airplane window and stared at the crowd for a moment. He was about to ask his companion if he knew anything about this when he looked out into the crowd and saw a head of bright red hair and noticed the shit eating grin on the face beneath it.
"That fucker," he growed, pulling something from his bag. "I should have known. Kid, get your other face on."
"Yes, Sensei," came the answer behind him. That was on of the things he liked about the young man, he didn't have to explain himself. The kid got him. All three of them did.
A moment later Eli was replaced by Tiger Mask Red, much to both their frustration. He waited until his companion was ready and the two exited the plane, the young man a step behind him. The man with the red hair quickly walked over to meet them and tossed an arm around TMR and waved at the crowd.
"Good to see you," the man whispered in his ear. He turned and nodded to Red Tiger III behind them before grabbing TMR's arm and raising it in the air.
"Riel, what the fuck is all this about," TMR whispered into his ear, while he attempted to smile at the crowd.
"Just some good P.R., little brother. Those fuckers in Japan want to paint you as a western devil. That might be true, but we're going to make sure they know you're our demon and we're proud of you. Now shut up and keep smiling, I'll do all the talking."
***
An hour later, he was finally allowed to get into the limousine to head for home. His driver offered him a sympathetic smile as he opened the door for him and gently closed it once he and his companions were safely inside. He waited until the vehicle pulled away from the airport before changing faces; this one still itched him but it would have to do until he got home.
"Will that could have went better," Riel said.
"Shut up."
"Really, brother, would it have harmed you to show some gratitude," Riel asked. "After all the work I went through to put this on for you, I..."
"With all due respect, he doesn't care about any of that right now," Red Tiger III cut in. "There’s a cibernetico ahead of him. He needs to get ready for the hunt."
"Oh cut the crap, H," Riel snapped, "I know you understand what I was trying to do back there. You're just as good as he is at juggling more than one mask at a time. We need to rebuild his brand. Show the world that Tiger Mask Red is back, better than ever and ready to kick some ass."
Eli raised his hand before RT3 could respond. He turned to his brother and glared.
"Riel, get this through your head. I simply don't care. For two weeks I have had to push all other thoughts away while Tiger Mask Red ripped his way through all the competition. There will be a time for me to slip back into his face, but..."
Eli paused for a moment and closed his eyes.
"All I can think about is Roy Vezina. The sound of my wife crying echos through my head! Memories of my children asking me what he meant in those videos threatens to eat away at me if I let it."
He began clawing at this face, his breath growing ragged. When he opened his eyes, he saw both Riel and RT3 visibly move back and realized with some satisfaction that he had changed his face again.
"Vezina and his Chump Line need to pay for what they've done to us," he rumbled, a slight hiss in his voice now, "He wants to make this personal, we'll make this personal. What is that line from the bible? An eye for an eye..."
He felt his contact lenses pop out and drop to the floor. His smile grew a bit wider. If he could have saw himself in the mirror he would have had no doubt that he must have looked almost feral now; like a beast.
Riel looked like he was about to jump from the moving limo. He reached for the button to call the driver, but Red Tiger III grabbed his hand. The young man was grinning now.
"And a tooth for a tooth," RT3 answered. "I have no doubt you will make them all suffer, Kalidah. There's only so many people Roy and his idiots can throw in front of you before you get your hands on them. And if your partners get in your way, well, you don’t exactly need them after you’ve wiped out Verona’s team…”
Both of them turned to look Riel. The elder Buchanan sibling licked his lips and tried to force a smile.
"Hey listen, E... Kalidah, I don’t want to come across unsympathetic. You and I have a deal, I’m just trying to hold up my end.”
The limousine slowed as it entered the long driveway leading up to the house. Even from within the confines of the vehicle, they could all hear the joyful voices of children calling out. The sound seemed to calm the heart of the beast. He closed his eyes again and sighed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his sunglasses and put them on. His shoulders sagged and an easy smile found its way to his face.
“Finally…”
Eli sat forward and patted his brother on the leg.
“I know, and I appreciate it. So why don’t you go do what you need to do, and let us go do what we must do!”
The limo came to a halt and a moment later the driver opened the door for them. Eli nodded to his brother, and without another word he climbed out. He was immediately set upon by his five children, who tackled him to the ground. Eli laughed as he embraced them all and shot his wife a warm smile as she came out to join them. He was finally wearing the face he loved the best.
Soon enough, Roy Vezina was going to regret making him take it off again.
Eli Buchanan arrived back in Las Angeles to a great amount of fanfare. Banners with "Tiger Mask Red" written on them waved in the air and people were chanting "TMR". Part of him couldn't imagine why. It wasn't as that he felt he hadn't deserved it, coming in second place in the J1 Summit was no small feat. It was simply that he had never received such a reception before and it somehow rang hollow in his head as he exited the plane. Besides, he had other things on his mind now.
Eli was tired. Wearing any one face for too long exhausted him. Some were easier than others to bear, but this one was itching to come off but he didn't feel like humoring the crowd by putting the other one back on. Just let me get home please, he thought to himself, so I can put on my favourite one for a while.
Eli poked his head out the airplane window and stared at the crowd for a moment. He was about to ask his companion if he knew anything about this when he looked out into the crowd and saw a head of bright red hair and noticed the shit eating grin on the face beneath it.
"That fucker," he growed, pulling something from his bag. "I should have known. Kid, get your other face on."
"Yes, Sensei," came the answer behind him. That was on of the things he liked about the young man, he didn't have to explain himself. The kid got him. All three of them did.
A moment later Eli was replaced by Tiger Mask Red, much to both their frustration. He waited until his companion was ready and the two exited the plane, the young man a step behind him. The man with the red hair quickly walked over to meet them and tossed an arm around TMR and waved at the crowd.
"Good to see you," the man whispered in his ear. He turned and nodded to Red Tiger III behind them before grabbing TMR's arm and raising it in the air.
"Riel, what the fuck is all this about," TMR whispered into his ear, while he attempted to smile at the crowd.
"Just some good P.R., little brother. Those fuckers in Japan want to paint you as a western devil. That might be true, but we're going to make sure they know you're our demon and we're proud of you. Now shut up and keep smiling, I'll do all the talking."
***
An hour later, he was finally allowed to get into the limousine to head for home. His driver offered him a sympathetic smile as he opened the door for him and gently closed it once he and his companions were safely inside. He waited until the vehicle pulled away from the airport before changing faces; this one still itched him but it would have to do until he got home.
"Will that could have went better," Riel said.
"Shut up."
"Really, brother, would it have harmed you to show some gratitude," Riel asked. "After all the work I went through to put this on for you, I..."
"With all due respect, he doesn't care about any of that right now," Red Tiger III cut in. "There’s a cibernetico ahead of him. He needs to get ready for the hunt."
"Oh cut the crap, H," Riel snapped, "I know you understand what I was trying to do back there. You're just as good as he is at juggling more than one mask at a time. We need to rebuild his brand. Show the world that Tiger Mask Red is back, better than ever and ready to kick some ass."
Eli raised his hand before RT3 could respond. He turned to his brother and glared.
"Riel, get this through your head. I simply don't care. For two weeks I have had to push all other thoughts away while Tiger Mask Red ripped his way through all the competition. There will be a time for me to slip back into his face, but..."
Eli paused for a moment and closed his eyes.
"All I can think about is Roy Vezina. The sound of my wife crying echos through my head! Memories of my children asking me what he meant in those videos threatens to eat away at me if I let it."
He began clawing at this face, his breath growing ragged. When he opened his eyes, he saw both Riel and RT3 visibly move back and realized with some satisfaction that he had changed his face again.
"Vezina and his Chump Line need to pay for what they've done to us," he rumbled, a slight hiss in his voice now, "He wants to make this personal, we'll make this personal. What is that line from the bible? An eye for an eye..."
He felt his contact lenses pop out and drop to the floor. His smile grew a bit wider. If he could have saw himself in the mirror he would have had no doubt that he must have looked almost feral now; like a beast.
Riel looked like he was about to jump from the moving limo. He reached for the button to call the driver, but Red Tiger III grabbed his hand. The young man was grinning now.
"And a tooth for a tooth," RT3 answered. "I have no doubt you will make them all suffer, Kalidah. There's only so many people Roy and his idiots can throw in front of you before you get your hands on them. And if your partners get in your way, well, you don’t exactly need them after you’ve wiped out Verona’s team…”
Both of them turned to look Riel. The elder Buchanan sibling licked his lips and tried to force a smile.
"Hey listen, E... Kalidah, I don’t want to come across unsympathetic. You and I have a deal, I’m just trying to hold up my end.”
The limousine slowed as it entered the long driveway leading up to the house. Even from within the confines of the vehicle, they could all hear the joyful voices of children calling out. The sound seemed to calm the heart of the beast. He closed his eyes again and sighed. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his sunglasses and put them on. His shoulders sagged and an easy smile found its way to his face.
“Finally…”
Eli sat forward and patted his brother on the leg.
“I know, and I appreciate it. So why don’t you go do what you need to do, and let us go do what we must do!”
The limo came to a halt and a moment later the driver opened the door for them. Eli nodded to his brother, and without another word he climbed out. He was immediately set upon by his five children, who tackled him to the ground. Eli laughed as he embraced them all and shot his wife a warm smile as she came out to join them. He was finally wearing the face he loved the best.
Soon enough, Roy Vezina was going to regret making him take it off again.