Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

Raion Kido · (02-24-2023)

“It seems like Mastermind wants to be a cyclone. Very well!”

The New Zealand native had appeared on the airwaves to discuss the upcoming match with the Lion… and used the tragedy that befell his country for his own ends.

But even this self-serving move would not deter Raion Kido from reaching his goal.

“Then it’s time to build for him a foundation that the strongest of storms cannot destroy!”

The victory against Sarah Lacklan was a solid enough start, but the Saint of Athena knew that, even with that, the stakes were higher than they had ever been - and Peter Vaughn himself might be on the other side next.

“Ohh, very nice! Is this a castle, Raion?”

“It certainly looks majestic, even if it’s only taking shape! But let’s let our guest explain!”

The Lion’s concentration on the work he’s building is now gone, as a myriad children with their parents stand in front of him. The Master Builder of LEGOLAND San Antonio was the one to speak last, and it would be rude for Raion to ignore his audience.

“Ah, sorry - just figuring out what piece to put next!”

Strewn in front of him are uncountable pieces of LEGO blocks of all sizes and colors, but the Lion’s work in progress is grey. A solid floor made of layer after layer of blocks makes up the foundation, and several columns of grey start rising from this floor - columns of square blocks arranged to look like Doric columns of Ancient Greece. Though clearly distinguishable as a noble building, the construction Raion has been making is still some distance away from completion.

“But no - I’m building a temple, like the Parthenon in Greece, or the Capitol in Rome. It’s my thing, after all!”

“Wooooooooow!”

“That’s what we do here at the LEGOLAND’s Master Builder Workshop, folks, we make dreams come to life!”

The visiting children and their parents cheer in approval, and Raion responds with a wink.

“That’s how it is with everything. We have to start from something - something we dreamt, something we imagined, something we want to be a reality. Of course - making things exist from a mere thought tends to be much harder than we think - and though it is always possible, sometimes it takes a special talent to achieve it.

Because dreams and ideas come a dime a dozen - it’s truly when you start applying yourself to them that they begin to take place.

Something my opponent has ignored all this time, but I hope he’ll be illuminated this weekend.”

The sly grin that appears at the Lion’s lips is soon gone in favor of a beaming, toothy smile.

“But this is going to be too much for me to do alone, friends. What say you help me? Would you like that?”

“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Let’s do this!”

An instant later, the kids and their parents are gladly assisting in the LEGO temple construction, whether separating the blocks that will go into the building, or placing blocks with the Master Builder’s guidance. Even Raion himself is happy to take advice.

“See those fish-like ornament pieces that look like they’re leaping? They could make for a fine decorative piece for the temple roof!”

Taking one of those pieces in his hand, the Lion notices it’s colored gold - the perfect complement to the temple’s marble grey.

“Thank you, sir! I know exactly where this shall go!”

And so the Lion places the golden fish in the front of the temple’s roof, soon followed by several others at the building’s edges. Soon enough, the building is finished - a magnificent replica of Greece’s Temple of Athena, complete with greek-styled minifigures at its entrance.

“And there you have it, people! Look at all the work you all have done! A very beautiful building, born from your imagination!”

“But this is not just beautiful, sir. It’s also strong! Let’s see if it will stand the strength of a cyclone!”

Raion and the Master Builder share a knowing smile, and one of the fans in the room for refrigeration begins to spin more intensely, creating a very strong wind.

*WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!!!*

“Oh no - the temple’s going to break!”

Though the wind rattles the minifigures, knocking some of them over, the temple itself shakes with the fan’s motion, but none of the blocks moves its assigned place.

“Wait! It’s holding together! It’s indestructible!”

The Lion breaks into a small laugh.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s a very solid foundation. And that’s what you must have in order to make something like this, or even better. I hope not only that you have had fun here, but that you also have learned something to take with you when you grow up.

Don’t let your dreams be dreams, kids. Give them a solid foundation, and don’t let anything or anyone knock them down!”

And as the visitors make one final cheer, the Lion’s smile turns again into that sly grin - the grin that symbolizes that the cosmos has to burn.

“Though I’m afraid the Mastermind’s dreams shall have to stay dreams.”

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Mastermind had a dream.”

Thus begins the Lion, from the LEGOLAND entrance, and already donning his Golden Cloth.

“I mean, I can’t blame him for that. I know I once had, otherwise I wouldn’t be who I am, or where I am now. And everyone of us has the power to make these dreams come true.

Of course - whether we know how to use that power is an entirely different story, and here is where we come to the crux of this all. The problem with our New Zealand friend is that, one more time, he shows one more time he lacks the mind, and the mastery, to put whatever power he has to use.

That is why, ladies and gentlemen, Mastermind now makes the idiotic attempt to change his tune, acting the humble part now. What was it you said last time? I’d given it all away? I’m not focusing on delivering the goods?

Do you think I have forgotten all of that, or are you taking the radio audience for fools!?”

The Lion’s mighty roar of indignation echoes across the now empty park. How dare Mastermind take advantage of a tragedy for personal gain?

“Here’s some advice for you, Mr. Liar: I really don’t think they’re buying it when, just the very last show, you made it a point to grandstand your victory against Jacoby Spencer, after discrediting him and his family. Now I know someone of your grand intellect will consider this a genius trick, but to us with a minimal shred of decency, this is honestly disgusting.

It makes me sick that you would use a tragedy that befell your country to make it about yourself. It makes me sick that you try to hide it under a paper-thin layer of modesty, and above everything else, it disgusts me that you think the New Zealand people, and the XWF Universe, are stupid enough to believe it.

And that, I cannot forgive.

I am a Saint of Athena and I fight for justice, and my charge for Weekend Warfare is not just to beat you, but to send you, quite literally, to the oblivion where you belong.

And you have no one to blame for this but yourself, because you decided, once more, to commit the ultimate show of idiocy, in a futile attempt to show me up.”

A pointed finger towards the camera, followed by a stone-faced expression and a voice as metallic as the Lion’s armor.

“What, you did not think I would miss that, would I? You want to speak to me of showing people up after what I did just last show? Sarah Lacklan tried to attack my entire character and the only thing she achieved was to be shown just how wrong she was.

I said last time that she was the first challenge I’ve had in a very long time, and I thanked her for having woken me up, and now I’m going to show you the meaning of those words. Because that’s what happens when you attack the Lion’s whole being - he makes his cosmos burn, and he comes back brighter than ever!

And against that, what could you muster that could possibly prevent me from utterly obliterating you? That same drivel you spout to every opponent about breaking my heart and mastering my mind? Some talk about visions and believing in yourself? It’s almost as if you already said that against your last foe, almost as if I saw that coming, because I did.

Here you have the great opportunity to show up Raion Kido, and that is the best with which you can come up. Like the Mastermind you’re supposed to be - and I’m trying, with all strength of my being, to use the word correctly - you’ve chosen to be predictable. But not only that - you’ve chosen to throw yourself out the window. You switched from your usual arrogance to a fake humility, just for the microphone.

You’ve betrayed your country and your entire being just so you could win this battle, and this plan is going to fail, because I simply shall not let you.”

The Lion slashes the air with his arms, the white cape at his back billowing with the motion.

“But wait! You also are counting on me realizing I can’t beat you! Because of course, I haven’t done it before, like, say, two matches ago? When you were powerless to do anything but try to submit Marf instead of going after me? Am I supposed to freeze in place, that’s your meager hope? Brilliant strategy, Mastermind. Truly worthy of your name.

And the worst thing of all. is that this appeal to hope comes out even more powerless than the strategy you had when we first faced, so how are you, in any way, more powerful than anyone? Last time you were going to beat me because I wasn’t at my best, what’s going to be your excuse when you lose now? Were the lights suddenly turned off? Did they blind you before you saw my fist coming for you?

Or could it be that, quite simply, and more disappointingly, you simply have no idea of what the hell you’re saying?”

Raion now brings his leonine snarl to play, clenching his teeth as well as his fists.

“Let this be yet another lesson to you, Mr. Genius. You speak of exposing me, but here I am turning that trick on you, amplified tenfold. You speak of breaking my heart, but I come to shatter yours with the Lightning Bolt. Try to put me on my knees, and feel yours giving out once every morsel of strength leaves your body.

Because I do not have the time, nor the inclination, to indulge the likes of you - not with Peter Vaughn potentially on the other side, and not when the stakes in this tournament have been higher for me than they have ever been.

That is why you shall, one more time, run into the golden wall that stymied you before Snow Job, and maybe this time you’ll finally think for one second before spouting off empty words whose meaning you simply do not know.

And know, on that moment before the light goes out your eyes, that you foolishly tried to show up someone that makes embarrassing people his way of life.

But that’s okay, Mastermind. You never had a chance, but don’t blame yourself - few do against the Lion. And then, of course, you’ll always have your dreams. Hold on to them Mastermind, because it’s the only thing that shall remain. This edition of Weekend Warfare…”

The Saint of Athena draws back his right arm, and thrusts it forward in a mighty punch.

“... it’s finally time I send you to an eternal drowsiness.”

Fade to black.

2000 words (wordcounter.net)

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode Eternal Drowsiness
Author	Message