Post by ajknight on Mar 8, 2019 23:03:38 GMT -5
What a difference a year makes…
One year ago, his arms numb a shooting pain from his neck, as with one last heave he drew the all-time Great Blazin’ King, from the rope to the mat. Finally after three years as a pro, the choke artist was dead.
A month later he was world champion.
A year later here he was; With dojo students, practicing among the most basic moves in the sport: A bridge.
He was back where he started, 9 months without a taste of gold.
Again a choke artist.
His neck began to stiffen, pain shooting up and down his whole body.
It never did heal properly, and it cost him big in the Royal Road.
“Break!”
The voice of Kato sensei cuts clean through the air as the students break their bridge.
What am I missing?
That was all AJ could think at this time.
He had the talent, he had the heart, and the fighting spirit.
Time and again he’d proven that he had what it had taken to beat the best of the best.
GRIM.
Tokyo Zombie.
Zenki.
Mike Musket.
At one point or another, the greats of Max Japan had all been left staring up at the lights by AJ.
So why?
Why couldn’t he get back to that level?
AJ snapped back to reality as Kato sensei dismissed the class.
Whatever it was he needed to figure it out quick before facing Mountain Nakama, arguably the most dangerous man on the roster.
As he walks away he hears a voice behind him, “AJ-san, stay.”
Kato sensei stepped in front of AJ, stopping him in his tracks
“You were thinking about the Royal Road again, weren’t you?”
AJ’s eyes widened in shock “How did you piece that together?”
“I don’t think I’d ever seen a man so intensely focused on a bridge before. You’re looking in the wrong place though. A good bridge isn’t going to win you this match. You couldn’t bridge against Cutlass either, and that was the finest performance your career.” Kato Sensei expounded.
AJ looked down at the floor, avoiding the eye contact of the veteran fighter.
“Technique does matter, but the Royal Road, is the art of patience AJ-san. You can perfect a move all you like, but if you try it too soon all it does is leave you wide open. That’s what cost you against Irvine, and it will cost you against Shinjiro if you make that mistake. Only you won’t just find yourself rolled up, but a skull shattering knee to your jaw.” You could hear a pin drop as the Sensei of the Max Dojo drops this all on AJ.
The young fighter looks up at the instructor “So what are you saying? Why are you telling me this?”
He shrugs “I’m a teacher, it’s my job to find what a greenhorn needs and guide them where they need to go. As good as you are, as much skill as you have, you lack experience. That will come with age. I see potential, but you’re far too eager at times.”
A dawning realization spreads on AJ’s face. “When I fought Cutlass that night, it was something different. Like I’d never fought that way before. Like I haven’t fought since. Everything I did in that match, it just worked. Even the Last Crusade, only time I’ve ever used it…”
A smirk spreads across the veteran’s face “That’s Shinjiro’s weakness. He goes for the kill all day, every day. He leaves himself wide open AJ-san. When he does, make him pay. That is the way of the Royal Road.”
AJ chuckles “You know, I’m surprised you speak English so well.”
Returning the chuckle the sensei replies “I teach a lot of Gaijin.”
AJ bows deeply as the two part ways, the lesson well received.
Technical prowess hadn’t brought him where he was or fighting spirit alone, although certainly it didn’t hurt matters. It was instinct.
But somewhere along the way he’d stopped trusting himself. He lost his patience and demanded answers from himself immediately, rushing in and getting caught.
Time and again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Now before him stood a 280 pound giant. He’d faced bigger, he’d faced better, and beaten them too.
He’d force the Mountain to play his game: Just like Cutlass, like Zenki, GRIM and Musket before him.
He would stay patient and wait for his opportunities.
With the kind of patience that moves mountains.
One year ago, his arms numb a shooting pain from his neck, as with one last heave he drew the all-time Great Blazin’ King, from the rope to the mat. Finally after three years as a pro, the choke artist was dead.
A month later he was world champion.
A year later here he was; With dojo students, practicing among the most basic moves in the sport: A bridge.
He was back where he started, 9 months without a taste of gold.
Again a choke artist.
His neck began to stiffen, pain shooting up and down his whole body.
It never did heal properly, and it cost him big in the Royal Road.
“Break!”
The voice of Kato sensei cuts clean through the air as the students break their bridge.
What am I missing?
That was all AJ could think at this time.
He had the talent, he had the heart, and the fighting spirit.
Time and again he’d proven that he had what it had taken to beat the best of the best.
GRIM.
Tokyo Zombie.
Zenki.
Mike Musket.
At one point or another, the greats of Max Japan had all been left staring up at the lights by AJ.
So why?
Why couldn’t he get back to that level?
AJ snapped back to reality as Kato sensei dismissed the class.
Whatever it was he needed to figure it out quick before facing Mountain Nakama, arguably the most dangerous man on the roster.
As he walks away he hears a voice behind him, “AJ-san, stay.”
Kato sensei stepped in front of AJ, stopping him in his tracks
“You were thinking about the Royal Road again, weren’t you?”
AJ’s eyes widened in shock “How did you piece that together?”
“I don’t think I’d ever seen a man so intensely focused on a bridge before. You’re looking in the wrong place though. A good bridge isn’t going to win you this match. You couldn’t bridge against Cutlass either, and that was the finest performance your career.” Kato Sensei expounded.
AJ looked down at the floor, avoiding the eye contact of the veteran fighter.
“Technique does matter, but the Royal Road, is the art of patience AJ-san. You can perfect a move all you like, but if you try it too soon all it does is leave you wide open. That’s what cost you against Irvine, and it will cost you against Shinjiro if you make that mistake. Only you won’t just find yourself rolled up, but a skull shattering knee to your jaw.” You could hear a pin drop as the Sensei of the Max Dojo drops this all on AJ.
The young fighter looks up at the instructor “So what are you saying? Why are you telling me this?”
He shrugs “I’m a teacher, it’s my job to find what a greenhorn needs and guide them where they need to go. As good as you are, as much skill as you have, you lack experience. That will come with age. I see potential, but you’re far too eager at times.”
A dawning realization spreads on AJ’s face. “When I fought Cutlass that night, it was something different. Like I’d never fought that way before. Like I haven’t fought since. Everything I did in that match, it just worked. Even the Last Crusade, only time I’ve ever used it…”
A smirk spreads across the veteran’s face “That’s Shinjiro’s weakness. He goes for the kill all day, every day. He leaves himself wide open AJ-san. When he does, make him pay. That is the way of the Royal Road.”
AJ chuckles “You know, I’m surprised you speak English so well.”
Returning the chuckle the sensei replies “I teach a lot of Gaijin.”
AJ bows deeply as the two part ways, the lesson well received.
Technical prowess hadn’t brought him where he was or fighting spirit alone, although certainly it didn’t hurt matters. It was instinct.
But somewhere along the way he’d stopped trusting himself. He lost his patience and demanded answers from himself immediately, rushing in and getting caught.
Time and again snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Now before him stood a 280 pound giant. He’d faced bigger, he’d faced better, and beaten them too.
He’d force the Mountain to play his game: Just like Cutlass, like Zenki, GRIM and Musket before him.
He would stay patient and wait for his opportunities.
With the kind of patience that moves mountains.