Chris
I’m not sure when the weather took a turn for a worse, other than some time while we were at Parko’s flat. We were going to head back to our respective homes so we could fetch some sparring clothes, but we decided to just go with what we had to minimise time out in the rain. Melanie and I piled into Parko’s expensive-looking car – which as a lifelong pedestrian I couldn’t identify for the life of me – and he took us to a run-down leisure centre in Plainmoor, just outside the local football grounds. Seeing the state of the old place, despite its location, really hammers home just how dead this town sports-wise. Probably why I chose to come here for my sojourn from professional wrestling.
Even with its condition, the centre is still in use, albeit decidedly unenthusiastic use. The employees seem thoroughly uninterested in their job and appear to be counting down the hours until the end of their shift. Nobody wants to be there, not even the few preparing to use the pool, which is the centre’s most prominent and, from what I can see, least maintained facility. There are leaves floating it, which is particularly surprising as there’s a roof over it, and the smell of chlorine is so overpowering I wonder about the safety of the water. Thankfully we’re not going anywhere near that pool, and after Parko exchanges a few words (and cash) with an eye-rolling, yawning member of staff, we follow him to the left of the building, where a dusty, barely-opened set of double doors await us.
With a good hard push and a tooth-grinding creak, the doors give way to an unlit room that actually feels dusty. Parko gives the light switch a whack and a few moments later the fluorescent bulbs reluctantly flicker into illumination. Though they hardly bathe the room in light, we get a good view of the place. It’s a dilapidated old room, crowded with rusty gym equipment and coated with a nice, thick layer of dirt. Ordinarily I’d never step foot in a place like this, but there is a purpose for our journey and it lies right in front of us – an abandoned boxing ring. It’s obvious it hasn’t been used in a decade, as Torquay is hardly known for its pugilistic talent. Nevertheless, it’s the closest thing in this town to a place we can practice the art of wrasslin’, so we’ll take it. Parko charges ahead and effortlessly leaps up onto the apron, energetic regardless of the vigour-sapping nature of our surroundings.
“Alright, guys! Who wants to go first?”
His tone is infectious in its positivity, as usual. I turn to Melanie, who hasn’t said a word since we left. She’s maintained her fury this whole time. All it took was once glance of a Youtube video and she’s been bubbling over. Soudouki really does have a powerful effect on her.
“Something tells me you’ve got some frustration to work off,” I comment, and I’ve apparently startled her, as she jumps, as if being rudely awakened.
“Oh, um...” she replies, visibly flustered and unprepared, “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry, do you mind if I spar first?”
I nod to the ring with a smirk, “Go right ahead. I just feel sorry for Parko.”
Melanie tries to smile and fails completely, and I hardly blame her. She hops up into the ring to join Parko, and it looks like I’ll be sitting by to observe this one. This will be interesting, that’s for sure.
At first Melanie doesn’t go into the ginga, that capoeira motion used like a stance, which surprises me as I thought it would be instinct to her at this point. Is that video with Soudouki bothering her that much? She did say that she wanted to kick her arse, hence her participation in this sparring session, though I do wonder how that is going to work out. I’m hoping that should I get the chance to meet Sou again in my travels that we have a civilised discussion, and Melanie doesn’t try to kick her head directly off her shoulders before then. I’m a little scared to see what she has in mind for her, so I’m going to need to talk to Mel about this one-on-one later. For now though, it’s best to let Parko be her punching bag.
Speaking of Parko, he’s just pulled his shirt off and I am immensely jealous of the dude’s physique. I always knew he was in good shape, but I never imagined he’d refined it so. He’s not a muscle-bound freak, but for a smaller, thinner man he’s cut quite impressively. Looking down at my body, it seems my belly has become pretty soft as of late. Granted, I’ve never exactly been ripped, even during my best days, but I was at least toned. It certainly helped when in this business, which explains why I’m now putting on the pounds, and they certainly aren’t pounds of muscle.
It looks as though Melanie’s got her head in the game now, and she sways back and forth in that all-too-familiar motion. Parko adopts a musabi-dachi stance, used in various forms of karate. Not what one would expect of a professional wrestler, but then that’s not his only discipline. He’s always been fond of martial arts, due in large part to his fandom of fighting games that he shares with us. He really did take it to the next level by not only studying in many different ryu of karate, but by teaching himself physically-plausible versions of his favourite character moves. He can do one hell of a Shoryuken if the mood strikes him. Though I’ve never seen him in the squared circle before, it wouldn’t surprise me if he implemented this to his wrestling style.
It all comes down to his ability to read people, not just from their inner feelings and intentions, but the way in which they execute movements. This is something Melanie becomes very much aware of from the get-go, as she dodges a punch by performing a role which seems to transition into a cartwheel, trying to take Parko off-guard with her incredible agility, then attempts to tag him with a meia lua de frente kick, he pulls off the exact same rolling motion as she just performed. Unless capoeira is on his list of studied styles, that is just insane. It’s as if he motion-capped her and loaded the data in his brain.
Unsurprisingly, Melanie is taken aback, but she doesn’t allow it to throw her off her game. She’s always been able to adapt to situations regardless of how desperate they are. She’s always been at a disadvantage solely due to her gender, and wanting to get anywhere at sports or in a career has been a challenge, especially without betraying her morals. She still stays strong, however, and does whatever she can to progress.
The next few minutes and no contact is made whatsoever. Both of them are springing about the ring, finding new and inventive ways to attempt strikes and dodge, and they both look amazing. Parko obviously isn’t holding back - just like me he’s finding it extremely hard to catch her. Melanie becomes more intense by the moment, looking for that perfect opportunity to knock him off balance. Eventually she does just that, finding a spot after a front kick where she can use a negativa on his recovering legs. Her foot swipes at his ankle and he stumbles, and with that she uses her current stance to execute a martelo de chão hammer kick, using her upper body to swing her leg around from a tucked position. She finally makes big contact, sending Parko reeling backwards.
She rolls back onto her shoulders, and springs forward on her neck to kip up, so she can continue the barrage. She certainly isn’t showing any mercy here. Unfortunately, as soon as she’s up to a vertical base, Parko has used the momentum from the kick in his favour, spinning himself around into a roundhouse punch, and Melanie has no time to protect against it. He strikes her against the cheek, before continuing his twirling motion with a rolling backfist using the opposite hand, and catches her particularly hard. As worried as I am for Melanie as she hits the mat with a grunt, I can’t help but recognise that move.
The Teikiatsu. The double fist strike combo that was used in a favourite fighting game of ours. He really has worked out a way to use those moves in real life.
“Sorry about that, Mel,” Parko says, wincing a little after seeing how hard she fell, “I knew you wouldn’t want me to hold back, though.”
I get up from the dusty wooden bench and walk to where Melanie has fallen. She’s nursing her cheek, but doesn’t seem as though she wants to stop.
“Are you okay there?” I ask, “You want to keep going?”
She gives me a harsh look, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intimidated by it. I raise my hands in an “if you say so” gesture and she’s back up. A moment later she’s right back up in Parko’s face, swaying in that ginga, and they’re back on. You can see from Parko’s face that he’s feeling a bit bad about what he did, and even though Mel clearly isn’t too pleased about it, he drops his stance and heads to the ropes.
“What are you doing?” she almost hisses.
“I think it’s best we trade places here,” he responds, “Just to keep things fresh.”
“But I need to get you back for that,” she exclaims, trying her best to fake laugh, although I just know she means it.
“Come on, let’s give Chris a go,” he insists, hopping off the apron, and patting me on the shoulder.
Gee, thanks a lot, Parko.
I take his place in the ring, toss of my shirt and nod to Mel. She seems distracted for a moment, evidently ticked off about not getting even with Parko, but she acknowledges me soon thereafter.
“Here we go again, then,” she tells me with a half-smile and a sigh, and it looks like I’m facing the same Mel I’ve sparred with all those times before, not the furious one who just took on Parko. For now, anyway.
“Yup”, I reply with a nod, and I get into my ready stance, “Let’s see if anything’s different.”
“Somehow I doubt that,” she smirks.
“You might be surprised,” I tell her.
“Would you two lovebirds just hurry up and hit each other already?” Parko mockingly yells with a laugh.
We follow his command. Our sparring session begins.
Parko
That was close. I was just looking for a bit of sparring, not to get decapitated. I love Mel and all, but I know from personal experience that you do not want to feed that fire once it gets burning or you’ll end up as a cinder. I had a feeling that pairing her off with Chris would calm her down a little bit, and I was right. Judging from their playful back-and-forth in the ring now, it’s quite obvious that this isn’t their first time facing one another.
There’s obviously more going on in her head than I could tell before, though I suppose it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. I remember when she first met Soudouki back in the day, and her attitude clearly got right up Mel’s nose. The two never saw eye to eye to say the very least, but more often than not Soudouki would dismiss Mel as a nobody and barely acknowledge her existence, which only made matters worse. Skip forward to when she was dating Chris and on their few visits back here, she seemed to continue that trend. There’s definitely some unresolved issues there, and it goes beyond Soudouki apparently mistreating and cheating on Chris.
I suppose it’s all coming to the surface now, though I’m glad that she’s now not as relentless as she was in our bout. I have to say, I was worried for a moment that she might have saw me as Soudouki. Granted, I would have to grow breasts to pull off that illusion better, so maybe my life wasn’t quite in danger there. Still, got to be careful when it comes to Melanie.
Chris is looking pretty good in there. He’s still got the poise, even with that extra weight of his. It’s obvious he isn’t taking this little battle very seriously, though. He almost seems a little tentative when he goes for a throw against Melanie. Almost makes me wonder if he might have struck her hard before, by accident. While this keeps him on his toes, it won’t do him much good just trying to catch her. Melanie seems to pride herself on her agility and craftiness, as I experienced myself, though I think he could do with a more direct bout. I’ll have to step in at some point.
For now though, it is fun to watch. The two of them have an interesting rhythm when in the ring together. It almost seems like a dance rather than a real fight. That probably suits them better, all things considered. They’re very much alike, looking at them. Not in appearance, of course, but in how they are. They’ve both clearly worked hard even though they weren’t blessed with the ideal circumstances or bodies, to the point of becoming excellent at what they do. They’re very stubborn individuals, and that’s just the way they’ve always been.
Well, there are some differences these days, truth be told, when it comes to Chris. I wouldn’t say his passion’s completely gone, but he isn’t the same as he was in his prime. It’s not just his figure, it’s his drive. He wants to get it back, I can tell that much, but he really needs to wake up on the inside. Right now he’s practically sleepwalking, and though he looks good, he could be a lot better.
Actually, to be brutally honest, he could’ve been a lot better, now that I really think about it. As a student of the pro wrestling game, I can’t help but feel as though there’s untapped potential in him, and this is coming from somebody younger than him...
Okay, I have to do something.
“Hey, you two,” I call out, interrupting their bout, “How about the lads face off now?”
Chris turns to Mel, dropping his mid-fight stance, and motions towards me, “You could probably use a break.”
Melanie has actually stopped in the midst of a handstand, and shows no sign of relenting, “Hey, I can still go.”
I vault up to the apron, and jokingly add, “Oh, let me cut in. Your little play-fight has me so intrigued I simply must take part.”
Mel gets back to her feet and shrugs, “Fine, fine. You two gays go right ahead. I’ll sit back and give you pointers.” She slides out of the ring and goes to take a seat.
“You wish we were gay,” I tell her with a smile, and turn to Chris, “Ready to get serious now, bud?”
“Serious is my middle name,” he replies, getting into his stance again, “Chris Serious Reto.”
“Well then,” I begin, following suit, “Let’s just see how apt that name is.”
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay,” Melanie calls out, and I can’t help but chuckle at her persistence. Utterly offensive persistence, but persistence nonetheless.
Once I’m done laughing, I get right into it. Love ya, Chris, but this needs to be done.
Melanie
I can joke around all I want, but truth be told I’ve been dreading this bout. If Chris has as much trouble as he does catching me, how the hell can he hope to stand a chance against Parko?
Parko is in the business. He’s only been at it for a few years now, but his work on the indies has been greatly recognised. He took to it like a fish to water, applying what he learned from different karate schools to develop a powerful striking style, along with some impressive high-flying moves. I was nervous fighting him for that reason, and wanted to really prove myself against him for that very same reason. Sure, I let my rage towards Soudouki cloud my mind during it, but I’m competitive too, and I’m a damn fine capoeirista. Of course I want to do a good job against somebody like him.
Oh dear, he’s got into this early. He’s already hit Chris with a lot of stiff strikes. This is what I’ve seen on Youtube so many times, the vicious karateka Parko Knight. This is starting to look less like a sparring session and more like a mugging.
To Chris’s credit, he’s fighting back. He’s leaving no shot unanswered, and though Parko’s expertly blocking each one, Chris is definitely doing some damage. Out goes Parko’s arm for a lunge punch, and I think he’s made a mistake here. Chris is leaping up and wrapping both arms around it and... wow, he’s going for that jujigatame, that judo hold the Kobayashis use. I’m no fan of Soudouki, but I respect the hell out of her family and that move has made many top guys tap out... oh wait. Parko wriggled out before he could lock it in. Too wise to Chris’s style, it seems. As to be expected.
Uh-oh. Chris is on the mat from that and OW! That is a nasty kick to the sternum! I’d object to that, but I don’t think Chris would approve. Best just leave them to it, really. Still, that left a nasty mark on his chest. And yikes! Parko’s taken this chance to hit a similar kick to the back. That’s got to hurt.
Chris is back up, and is covering up well against more strikes. He intercepts Parko’s leg as he tries another kick... they’re both all the way up... oh hang on just a second is he going to...? Oh man. Flipping forward kick as a reversal. It was like a complete circular motion, with Parko’s foot driving right into Chris’s face.
Ichirinsha. Another move from Outdoor Warrior. It only occurred to me right afterwards that he used a Teikiatsu earlier. How does he manage this?
Chris is okay. He’s suffered worse. He rolls back to his feet and is ready to go. He seems to be fine with the intensity of this fight. Maybe this is what he needs? It hurts to watch this, but I can’t exactly step in right now.
As I watch Parko go back after Chris, it occurs to me that the two are pretty alike. They’re both pretty much geeks who became professional wrestlers. It’s like Parko went the extra mile, though, with his karate training and chiselled physique. Looking at him, it’s almost like he’s what Chris would be if he chose to apply himself at a younger age. I mean, Chris has always been a good performer and a pretty stellar talker, but never really reached the top of the business. Give Parko a few more years, and I could see him as a really big name in one of the main companies.
Chris practically yanks Parko by the hair, and forces him into a front facelock. Seems he’s matching the aggression that Parko is bringing. He drapes the arm for a suplex, but Parko twists out and forcefully takes his arm. He scissors his legs around it and you have got to be kidding me. With a quick spin he has Chris in a perfect jujigatame. He pulled it off super fast and far better than Chris could’ve hoped to. I don’t even know if he’s used one before!
Chris is down and obviously in pain. This sort of hold, used as an armbar, has ended more than its fair share of mixed martial arts fights.
“What do you say, Chris? You give in?” Parko asks him, grunting from applying so much pressure.
Chris doesn’t reply, and actually takes Parko off-guard by rolling over and pulling his arm free in one fluid motion. Not too shabby! With Parko prone, he drops an elbow to the spine, and our friend sure does feel that one. He is soon back up, though, and they face off.
They’re staring at one another, trying to read each other’s next move, and Parko gets there first. A kick to the gut later, he wraps his arm around Chris’s neck, and flips forward, forcing Chris’s body to follow suit. A spinning neckbreaker that he’s known for on the indies - the Tsukiyaki.
Parko gets to his feet, as Chris rolls around on the mat, understandably dazed. He’s hit the mat hard and he’s holding his neck. Parko extends his hand to his fallen opponent.
“I think that’ll do for now,” Parko tells him, between breaths, “Seems you’ve got more practice ahead.”
Chris swats the hand away. He’s back to his knees.
“Then let’s keep practicing,” is Chris’s response.
I want to object again, but if Chris can still go, it’s best to let him. Parko seems amused by this, and shrugs. “Alright then, as you wish.”
Chris returns to his feet, albeit shakily, and the match continues. Man, I wish I had this opportunity to get my own back against Parko.
They exchange blows back and forth, and this time neither one is blocking nor covering up. It becomes frantic as the two keep striking and striking and striking. Finally Parko finds himself reeling again following a strong kick, and I hope Chris doesn’t make the same mistake I did here.
He doesn’t. Chris nabs Parko’s left arm as it goes up, suddenly twists around to his back, and applies a full nelson, using his size advantage against the thinner Parko. Before his foe can even attempt to reverse it, Chris quickly bridges backwards and drives him into the mat shoulders-first with a release dragon suplex. I can hear a light crunch. That’s not a good sign.
A second later, Chris has taken to the top rope. He seems to have had trouble with the way the boxing ring has been assembled, as it’s typically not meant for that sort of thing, but he soon rights himself and looks to do what he’s done to opponents so many times. He’s going to let flight with Unbroken Light.
That’s when I see it. That look in his eyes. It’s as though he’s right there in front of god-knows-how-many fans, preparing to deliver one of his signature moves. That’s when it seems like he could really do this - go back and be the Demi-Legend again.
That is, until Parko knocks him off his perch with a side kick, sending Chris tumbling to the canvas. The illusion quickly wears off.
Parko stalks around Chris, waiting for him to get back up, and as Chris struggles to do so, he hooks his head again, seemingly for another Tsukiyaki.
Except Parko yanks Chris by the trousers. He’s not. I know he can easily emulate moves, but that would be going too far... that would be...
...Impossible, because Chris struggles out of it with incredible strength. I see his eyes as he strikes Parko in the forehead with the point of his elbow. This time there’s no nostalgic look of a former wrestler recapturing his lost glory. No, his eyes are wide with fury. Nobody can do that move but him, apparently.
Chris demonstrates this fact for Parko by yanking him by the hair again, and with a movement that he’s got down to pure instinct at this point, he hoists Parko up and then down with that implant DDT that made him a star.
ChiDT. How long has it been?
Parko’s face hits the floor and his body recoils with the impact. Chris lets him go, gets back to his feet, and stares down, eyes still wide. And it returns. The fury is swallowed up by that satisfaction of delivering that move. Right now, at this moment, it’s like looking at the old him again.
No, not the old him. The real him. The him he’s meant to be. I can actually feel it.
Parko coughs violently, clearly winded by the move. Once he regains control of his breathing, he extends his hand once again.
“Now that’s what I like to see,” Parko comments, his voice a bit raspy.
Chris takes his hand and hoists him up to his feet.
“Seems you’re waking up,” Parko adds, holding his ribs in pain, “Think you’re ready for this, Chris?”
Chris glares at him.
“Chio,” he sharply admonishes him, “Call me Chio.”
Chio
Yeah, I’m ready.
Subject: Round Robin 
Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:11 pm
