Lest ye be judged
Oct 8, 2024 23:28:30 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Oct 8, 2024 23:28:30 GMT -5
*It's two hours after Continuum VI and Alicia Gordon is walking from her locker room to the arena exit. There are a few people in the hallway: mostly staff and maintenance workers. She appears utterly lost in thought to the extent that even though she waves to them all, she does not recognize one notable person in particular. He is leaning against the wall and smirks at her absent minded expression. After passing him, it takes her about three seconds until she stops in place.*
[Alicia:] "Thunder is going to meet me in five minutes. You may get a few shots in, but I don't like your chances."
*The mocking laughter of Geese Walker is heard in response.*
[Geese:] "Come on, aren't we past this? I bear you no ill will, Miss Gordon."
[Alicia:] "That's what most of the roster thought. 'Isn't it time to finally trust that Geese has good intentions?' No, not me. I figure anyone who calls themselves the 'emperor of entropy' would kill for a chance to do what you did last year."
[Geese:] "Since your mind is already made up, even when I wasn't in possession of mine, then why not go about your business? If I wanted to attack, surely I would have done it before you recognized me, not after."
*Alicia lets out a "hmph" then walks another two steps. However, she freezes in place and looks impatient.*
[Alicia:] "But you already did attack. I can hear it in your voice."
[Geese:] "Well, the cooler weather has taken my throat by surprise. Is that what you detect?"
*At this, Alicia actually does turn around and stares Geese in the face.*
[Alicia:] "No, I detect your usual patronizing propaganda bullshit. I can feel you judging me. Stop acting like you figured out what happened tonight. You weren't in that ring with us, and you don't know me."
*Geese laughs.*
[Geese:] "Know you? I practically had a hand in making you."
*Alicia shudders at this and Geese is smart enough to pause then remove the biting tone from his voice.*
[Geese:] "More importantly, I've successfully gone down a road that you continue to trip over. So I know exactly what happened. You were unprepared to face an opponent that you did not wish to cripple. After all, you have spent years mastering a style uniquely suited for that task. In your defense, you've had no shortage of opponents who deserved it, present company included. But you encountered a dilemma by going against Mr. Hyde."
[Alicia:] "Don't call him that."
*Geese laughs again but with a more jovial tone.*
[Geese:] "Levity may be beneath me, but my point stands. When faced with an opponent like Jason that you actually respect, you could not become the violence that you have evolved into. Instead, you tried to revert to a style closer to your original factory setting which has badly atrophied. As a result, your lucha moves are practically vestigial organs."
[Alicia:] "Don't mock a style just because it isn't intended to cripple people."
[Geese:] "I am doing no such thing. It's not the style that tripped you up, it's your failure to properly adapt it. It is 2024 but you are using shadows of moves from 2005 that you failed to hold onto and evolve. To your credit, you mixed in a few high impact suplexes that were impressive variations of your current moves. But they just served to further highlight the overall inconsistency of your approach. Against Jason you were faced with an internal conflict that you were not up to the task of resolving. By contrast, Jason knows exactly who he is in the ring. That means he can utilize his style to maximum efficiency with no internal dissension. But you were lost at times. That uncertainty is the reason you were not at your best. Robin even said you need to get your groove back. Believe it or not, it was said in earnest."
[Alicia:] "I do not believe it."
[Geese:] "Intentions and history aside, her assessment is correct. Your dilemma is not unlike the foolish crisis of conscience facing Tetsu Gushiken or the 'working harder but not smarter' conflict holding back Kazuo Saji. Somehow Joachim, of all people, figured out who he was and what he wanted after suffering too long with his own internal tensions."
*Now it is Alicia's turn to laugh and she gets her money's worth.*
[Alicia:] "Oh so you don't have any internal tension, Mr. Threshhold?"
[Geese:] "Everyone does. The difference is that I wholeheartedly embraced mine while you still feel guilty and unmoored."
[Alicia:] "Right, I wouldn't expect you to tolerate any guilt getting in the way of your success."
*Geese looks frustrated and shakes his head.*
[Geese:] "Hate me all you want. But if I didn't feel guilty over my past, I wouldn't be chasing my threshold to begin with. I would continue dropping people on their heads whenever I thought it advantageous to do so. Other than the aberration last year, that has not been the case since my return from retirement. You would be naive to still think otherwise."
[Alicia:] "Naive? Every time you say someone is naive for pointing out the violent intentions of Orochi Geese Walker, the only way you prove them wrong is by doing something even worse than you ever did before."
[Geese:] "The involuntary intoxication that was foisted on me is no different than what happened to Thunder Strike at the hands of Tommy Fiero."
[Alicia:] "Tommy did that under your orders!"
[Geese:] "In 2007."
[Alicia:] "Hey, don't bring up the past if you're afraid of being burned by the glare in the mirror."
[Geese:] "And that brings us to the point here, doesn't it? The real difference between us is that I have come to terms with my past. I pay regular penance for what I have done, whether you believe it or not. You think I can trick the world? Celes would see right through it. But you - you continue to lash out against everyone, including yourself. I've never seen anyone soldier on yet utterly fail to define their goals in the way that you have. Until you understand who you are, who you want to be, and your true reasons for continuing to compete in this sport, your style will continue to be frayed and limited. What one does in the ring is always an extension of what is in their head, even if they do not know it."
[Alicia:] "No shit I wrestled Jason differently than I would Sanders or you. You think there's a deeper psychological meaning there but you're wrong. Someone's been spending too much time with Dr. Holt."
[Geese:] "There's nothing wrong with having different strategic approaches for different opponents. But I don't think you pursue the same fundamental goals from one day to another. You are not chasing a specific balance like I am because you have not identified which primary goals to even hold. I will never deny the shameful role that Robin and I played in causing your conflicts, but it's about time you claim full agency in solving them."
*Alicia is silent for a few minutes. She stretches her legs then shoots a hateful look at Geese.*
[Alicia:] "Maybe I solve it by kicking your face in."
*Geese shrugs.*
[Geese:] "Do it now. At this rate, you have zero chance of advancing out of your block to meet me in the finals."
*Alicia takes a step forward but stops when she sees Thunder Strike walking in their direction. He looks as angry as Alicia is.*
[Thunder:] "What is going on here!? Alicia, did he goad you again!?"
[Geese:] "Stand down, soldier. Miss Gordon and I were just amicably discussing how quickly it would have taken our old beloved J.U.S.T.I.C.E security outfit to neutralize Ogawa and Alexander's little party. I posited 30 seconds to account for the increased bulge in the audience but she had more confidence and said 15. Loyalty is certainly an admirable quality in her. I'm sure all your students feel the same way, even those I'm not supposed to know about."
*Geese reaches into his jacket and puts on a pair of sunglasses. He smirks and walks away, leaving a frustrated Thunder Strike to punch the wall. Alicia calms him down and the two exit the arena.*
[Alicia:] "Thunder is going to meet me in five minutes. You may get a few shots in, but I don't like your chances."
*The mocking laughter of Geese Walker is heard in response.*
[Geese:] "Come on, aren't we past this? I bear you no ill will, Miss Gordon."
[Alicia:] "That's what most of the roster thought. 'Isn't it time to finally trust that Geese has good intentions?' No, not me. I figure anyone who calls themselves the 'emperor of entropy' would kill for a chance to do what you did last year."
[Geese:] "Since your mind is already made up, even when I wasn't in possession of mine, then why not go about your business? If I wanted to attack, surely I would have done it before you recognized me, not after."
*Alicia lets out a "hmph" then walks another two steps. However, she freezes in place and looks impatient.*
[Alicia:] "But you already did attack. I can hear it in your voice."
[Geese:] "Well, the cooler weather has taken my throat by surprise. Is that what you detect?"
*At this, Alicia actually does turn around and stares Geese in the face.*
[Alicia:] "No, I detect your usual patronizing propaganda bullshit. I can feel you judging me. Stop acting like you figured out what happened tonight. You weren't in that ring with us, and you don't know me."
*Geese laughs.*
[Geese:] "Know you? I practically had a hand in making you."
*Alicia shudders at this and Geese is smart enough to pause then remove the biting tone from his voice.*
[Geese:] "More importantly, I've successfully gone down a road that you continue to trip over. So I know exactly what happened. You were unprepared to face an opponent that you did not wish to cripple. After all, you have spent years mastering a style uniquely suited for that task. In your defense, you've had no shortage of opponents who deserved it, present company included. But you encountered a dilemma by going against Mr. Hyde."
[Alicia:] "Don't call him that."
*Geese laughs again but with a more jovial tone.*
[Geese:] "Levity may be beneath me, but my point stands. When faced with an opponent like Jason that you actually respect, you could not become the violence that you have evolved into. Instead, you tried to revert to a style closer to your original factory setting which has badly atrophied. As a result, your lucha moves are practically vestigial organs."
[Alicia:] "Don't mock a style just because it isn't intended to cripple people."
[Geese:] "I am doing no such thing. It's not the style that tripped you up, it's your failure to properly adapt it. It is 2024 but you are using shadows of moves from 2005 that you failed to hold onto and evolve. To your credit, you mixed in a few high impact suplexes that were impressive variations of your current moves. But they just served to further highlight the overall inconsistency of your approach. Against Jason you were faced with an internal conflict that you were not up to the task of resolving. By contrast, Jason knows exactly who he is in the ring. That means he can utilize his style to maximum efficiency with no internal dissension. But you were lost at times. That uncertainty is the reason you were not at your best. Robin even said you need to get your groove back. Believe it or not, it was said in earnest."
[Alicia:] "I do not believe it."
[Geese:] "Intentions and history aside, her assessment is correct. Your dilemma is not unlike the foolish crisis of conscience facing Tetsu Gushiken or the 'working harder but not smarter' conflict holding back Kazuo Saji. Somehow Joachim, of all people, figured out who he was and what he wanted after suffering too long with his own internal tensions."
*Now it is Alicia's turn to laugh and she gets her money's worth.*
[Alicia:] "Oh so you don't have any internal tension, Mr. Threshhold?"
[Geese:] "Everyone does. The difference is that I wholeheartedly embraced mine while you still feel guilty and unmoored."
[Alicia:] "Right, I wouldn't expect you to tolerate any guilt getting in the way of your success."
*Geese looks frustrated and shakes his head.*
[Geese:] "Hate me all you want. But if I didn't feel guilty over my past, I wouldn't be chasing my threshold to begin with. I would continue dropping people on their heads whenever I thought it advantageous to do so. Other than the aberration last year, that has not been the case since my return from retirement. You would be naive to still think otherwise."
[Alicia:] "Naive? Every time you say someone is naive for pointing out the violent intentions of Orochi Geese Walker, the only way you prove them wrong is by doing something even worse than you ever did before."
[Geese:] "The involuntary intoxication that was foisted on me is no different than what happened to Thunder Strike at the hands of Tommy Fiero."
[Alicia:] "Tommy did that under your orders!"
[Geese:] "In 2007."
[Alicia:] "Hey, don't bring up the past if you're afraid of being burned by the glare in the mirror."
[Geese:] "And that brings us to the point here, doesn't it? The real difference between us is that I have come to terms with my past. I pay regular penance for what I have done, whether you believe it or not. You think I can trick the world? Celes would see right through it. But you - you continue to lash out against everyone, including yourself. I've never seen anyone soldier on yet utterly fail to define their goals in the way that you have. Until you understand who you are, who you want to be, and your true reasons for continuing to compete in this sport, your style will continue to be frayed and limited. What one does in the ring is always an extension of what is in their head, even if they do not know it."
[Alicia:] "No shit I wrestled Jason differently than I would Sanders or you. You think there's a deeper psychological meaning there but you're wrong. Someone's been spending too much time with Dr. Holt."
[Geese:] "There's nothing wrong with having different strategic approaches for different opponents. But I don't think you pursue the same fundamental goals from one day to another. You are not chasing a specific balance like I am because you have not identified which primary goals to even hold. I will never deny the shameful role that Robin and I played in causing your conflicts, but it's about time you claim full agency in solving them."
*Alicia is silent for a few minutes. She stretches her legs then shoots a hateful look at Geese.*
[Alicia:] "Maybe I solve it by kicking your face in."
*Geese shrugs.*
[Geese:] "Do it now. At this rate, you have zero chance of advancing out of your block to meet me in the finals."
*Alicia takes a step forward but stops when she sees Thunder Strike walking in their direction. He looks as angry as Alicia is.*
[Thunder:] "What is going on here!? Alicia, did he goad you again!?"
[Geese:] "Stand down, soldier. Miss Gordon and I were just amicably discussing how quickly it would have taken our old beloved J.U.S.T.I.C.E security outfit to neutralize Ogawa and Alexander's little party. I posited 30 seconds to account for the increased bulge in the audience but she had more confidence and said 15. Loyalty is certainly an admirable quality in her. I'm sure all your students feel the same way, even those I'm not supposed to know about."
*Geese reaches into his jacket and puts on a pair of sunglasses. He smirks and walks away, leaving a frustrated Thunder Strike to punch the wall. Alicia calms him down and the two exit the arena.*