Post by Raion Kido on Nov 20, 2022 21:21:09 GMT -5
“Gather round, people! A mystical adventure is about to begin!”
The morning sun shines brightly over the grass of Kessler Park in Kansas City, where a crowd is assembled in front of a circular amphitheater, complete with Classical Greek Doric order columns - the Colonnade.
“There exist seven magical orbs scattered throughout the world… the Dragon Balls! They are artifacts of great power, and upon gathering all seven, the mighty Dragon God Shenron shall grant a wish upon whoever holds them - a wish that may very well be a miracle!”
This crowd is composed of superhero cosplayers, Star Wars costumes, all in front of a speaker wearing a tag.
“And ladies and gentlemen, I tell you here and now, that the seven Dragon Balls are scattered throughout this park! Whoever gets them shall win this contest - and earn a wish! Welcome to the Dragon Ball Drive!”
And among these people, of course, stands the Raion Kido, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and blue jeans, but the golden box of his Gold Leo Cloth strapped to his back - clenching a fist as a fire burns in his eyes. Grinning like a child, he mutters the next words, almost to himself.
“Let’s go on a mystical adventure!”
The speaker claps her hands to gather everyone’s attention, and the murmur of the crowd turns to dead silence as they turn their heads in her direction.
“On your marks! Get set! Go!”
The attendees at the park start running in all directions, and so does the Lion. While the rest of the crowd are looking upon every nook and cranny of the park, the young Saint of Athena heads down one of the park’s several trails, until he eventually loses the rest of the crowd. In this location, the Lion ventures into a densely forested area, where the thick foliage overhead obscures the sun of the morning.
“Finding the Dragon Balls isn’t meant to be easy - therefore, the best way to find them is to look where no one else will!”
He sets about his task, turning over in all directions, and trying to focus his gaze as much as he can. Though he has yet to turn up anything, the inkling he feels within himself tells him that he is on the right track.
“I’m feeling something - almost like a cosmos!”
The young Saint of Leo notices a glint from a tree top that isn’t quite looking like the sun.
“Wait- what’s that?”
Though the sun above makes it hard to see, even through the trees, the Lion notices a yellowish shine from one of the tree tops. Coming to the base of the tree, he notices, at the very top, there is something hanging like an apple - though this apple looks made of amber, and a red star is visible on its face.
“That’s it! The One-Star Dragon Ball!”
But the Lion is now presented with a problem. How is he to get the Dragon Ball down from the tree top?
“Hmm… maybe one of these will help!”
Scattered across the ground there are several twigs, a natural consequence of the constant renewal of the vegetation in the park. Raion examines them, and finds among them one longer than all the rest, large enough to hold in both hands.
“Okay - Goku did this, I can too! Hyyyyyyyah!”
The Lion twirls the tree branch he has found, and drives it towards the tree top, rocking it enough for it to release the treasure…
*THUMP!*
… which drops as gracefully as the apple dropped upon the head of Newton at the discovery of gravity.
“OW!”
The Dragon Ball drops towards the ground, and Raion picks it up before it stops rolling away.
“One down and six more to go!”
And so does Raion resume his path. Soon he leaves the small forest and comes across a pond - by the looks of it, deep enough to swim in. And there, partially hidden in the dirt below the shallow part of the pond, the young Lion notices that amber glint.
“There’s another!”
But he must be fast, as the mystical orb seems to be moving - dragged by the current of the pond into its depths…
“Okay - here we go! Burn, cosmos!”
*SPLASH*!
The Lion drops the box of his Golden Cloth and dives into the pond as a crowd of onlookers gathers round. The concerned expressions and murmurs from the audience turn into signs of relief as Raion emerges from the pond, soaking wet, but holding one more Dragon Ball in his hand.
“Oh man, that really was a close call! Are you okay?”
The contest host comes rushing to Raion’s aid, but the young Japanese wrestler raises a placatory hand, giving her a smile.
“Don’t worry, Miss, all good! Just showing that I can get wet, wild, and do dirty, dirty things.”
The Lion gives a thumbs up with his free hand, as he takes a look into the ball he has captured - this time, the Six-Star Dragon Ball.
“But there’s still plenty more to go!”
And as the sun rises into its zenith, and the day goes on, the Lion still goes about his task. The Five-Star Dragon Ball turns up in the bushes of the Kessler Park Reservoir…
“WHAAAAAAAAAA-!”
*BONK!*
… at which the Lion absent-mindedly landed face-first, being so much lost in thought that he failed to mind the huge gap that formed the Reservoir.
“Ow-owowow…”
The Two-Star ball appears in the middle of Concourse Fountain - which most timely released a water blast just as Raion was picking it up.
*SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASHHHHHHHHHH!*
“NOT AGAIN!”
The Seven-Star ball is at the top of the Cliff Drive sport climbing area, at which the Lion had to climb over rocks that might have very well been a mountain.
“Huff… that S.U.V. could have come in handy right about now…”
It was then the Three-Star ball’s turn, which was inside one of the holes in the Cliff Drive golf course.
“Well, at least this time there were no adv-”
“FOOOOOOOOOOOORE!”
*POCK!*
“Me and my big mouth-!”
A golf ball suddenly impacts almost at his feet as the young Saint of Athena breaks into a run, trying to stay away from its path. At that point, two golfers come looking for the ball.
“Hole-in-one!”
Right before leaving, the Lion points towards the ball on the floor.
“Nope, that was an eagle. Better luck next time, sir.”
The sun is beginning to go down, but the remaining ball is nowhere to be found. The Lion decides to go back to the starting point to collect his thoughts before setting out on one last attempt, and once he’s there, he finds a child - from the looks of him, a poor child from the ghetto, who is trying to get his mother’s attention.
“Mom, look! I found one!”
“Oh, that’s great sweetie! Maybe you can take it home if we don’t find the rest!”
“I hope we can get the rest so we can get some turkey!”
“I hope God is listening to that, dear…”
Having watched them and overheard their conversation, the Lion looks at his Gold Cloth box, then back at the family, and without hesitation approaches them.
“Excuse me, ma’am!”
Both mother and child turn towards his direction.
“Say, aren’t you that guy from T.V.?”
“Mom! It’s Raion Kido!”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“My boy’s a huge fan, he’s watching Dragon Ball all the time, and he likes when you come on!”
At this point, the kid shows Raion the ball he’s found.
“Look, sir! The Four-Star one, the one Goku himself had!”
“Oh, that’s awesome! Where was it?”
“Hehe, it was here all along! We decided to stay and look around while everyone was leaving.”
“Hah! Leave it to Goku’s ball to be the easiest to find, right? By the way, forgive me for intruding, but I heard you talking about turkey?”
“Well, it is Thanksgiving, and turkey is tradition. We try to eat it if we can, but we don’t always make it every year…”
“And that’s the wish I’m going to make if I find all the Dragon Balls! What’s going to be yours?”
The Lion holds still and thinks about it. What could he really have asked? He already had what he wanted - the confirmation that his life’s path had been worth it, and the recognition of everyone around him - even those that opposed him.
Did a Saint of Athena really need anything else?
“Well, kid. It’s a good question, but I don’t think there’s going to be an answer to it. Because I’ve been thinking while spending time around here, and I realized that, as much as I like Dragon Ball, in the end, that is not my story. Above everything else, I am a Saint of Athena - I don’t need the Dragon Balls to make a miracle!”
The Lion takes a knee to be at eye level with the boy…
“So you do it!”
… and hands him the Dragon Balls he found, not without a smile and a playful wink.
“In the end, you need it more than I.”
“REALLY!? Thank you so very much, sir!”
And so the contest is at an end. The boy and his mom celebrate as their wish is granted - an order of turkey from the contest’s host organization.
“Mr. Kido… Why?”
The Lion gives the boy’s mother an amiable smile.
“Because this, ma’am, is my way to say thanks for all I have.
And one of the many ways in which a Saint of Athena may make a miracle happen.”
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The gods bestowed upon mankind a terrible power… the ability to obtain more than human strength and approach the gods themselves. And that power, ladies and gentlemen… is called a miracle!”
These are the initial words of Raion Kido, who now stands in front of the Colonnade, the bright light of the sun rays reflected on his Golden Cloth, his clean white cape billowing at his back, and his mane of light brown hair fluttering in the breeze.
“I bring this up, friends, because miracles are exactly what I set out to do in the ring - but also, because a miracle is indeed the story of my path.”
The Lion points upward towards the sun of the afternoon, almost as if he were to thank the gods - and perhaps he is.
For was he not, after all, a Saint of Athena, and was that not the right thing to do?
“For it can be said, without exaggeration, that my road from the first time I stepped into the ring in the XWF until now has been nothing short of miraculous. I mean, here is a boy from Osaka with an Anime gimmick, thrust into arguably the foremost wrestling promotion in the world. Who would have expected him to go so far?
And yet, here I am, with the likes of Amber Ryan, and Vhodka Black, and Shawn Warstein and Molly Hatchet, and there were those who did. There were those that saw what I did, and just like me, they were filled with faith. I don’t expect everyone to understand, but that faith I had in myself was returned, and it would be insincere of me if I did not say that, despite what I have done, I am not grateful for it all.
Because, my friends, there is justice in that too.”
With a deep inclination of his head, the Lion goes silent for a small moment. A mighty warrior he might be, but at the end of the day, he is an honorable man.
And it is an honorable man’s charge to acknowledge the people to whom he is indebted.
“So this is the time to give thanks, and as for myself, I am grateful for the many blessings that have been granted upon me in my life. I am grateful to my family for having supported me in my dreams to become a wrestler, to everyone in Japan for their support, and more than anything else, to my girlfriend Ryleigh Dixon for having given me her trust and her love. Ours is a very special thing, and with her by my side, I am the most fortunate man in the world.
I am grateful to the XWF for having recognized me as one of their very top talents almost from the first match - something that can very well be attested by the fact that they gave me the Golden Ticket that TIA Promotions sent them.
I am also grateful to Theo Pryce for having inducted me into the Trilogy, to Jason Cashe and Ned Kaye for being there as well, and to “Chronic” Chris Page for having granted me the opportunity to compete for the XWF Universal Title at the Cannabis Cup.
I stand before you all now by virtue of all these people, and here is the recognition from me that they deserve.
And of course, I am also thankful to Masami Kurumada-sensei and TOEI Animation, without whom there would be no Saint Seiya, and therefore no Raion Kido as you know him!”
The Lion gives now a silly smile as he rubs his head, an awkward boyish smile from the Osaka boy he still was deep down.
But after a small chuckle, he gives the camera a serious, honest look, even if his smile does not fade.
“But seriously speaking now. There is something else for which I am grateful. I’m a warrior above everything else, and what is a warrior without a battle to fight? It’s easy to be grateful for those that support us, and it’s only the right thing to be - but a warrior must be grateful for those that give him a fight - for those that push him, again and again, to become better than he was, as best as he can possibly be.
For those that teach us how to win, even if that means we lose, and that drive us to overcome a challenge. Whether we fail once, twice, three times, what a warrior and a Saint of Athena must do is to rise up and come back!
That is why I must be grateful for the people that have given me the greatest challenges in my career. The Brotherhood of Bastards, ALIAS, Dolly Waters, and Mark Flynn. The first group gave me the very first hurdles to overcome as I arrived at the XWF. ALIAS and Dolly were there in the biggest match of my life, and Flynn is my next goal to overcome.”
Raion now stands ramrod straight, clicks his heels, and clashes his right fist against his left palm - the metallic impact producing a slight echo among the whisper of the wind.
When he speaks again, his smile is now gone - replaced by the unyielding expression of a man that has come to state a truth.
“But of course, it isn’t enough for me to just say I am grateful. This is no token saying of thanks, nor am I simply paying lip service. I am convinced that someone like me, that has been given so much, must be a beacon of hope, and an example to follow, as I’ve had it from childhood, and from those that I have seen in the XWF ring prior to me.
And for someone like me, the best way to prove my gratitude is to give, not just to those that gave me, but to those that come after. People that may one day be in my same position, and might remember when they are, that there was a man named Raion Kido, that was there before them. So when they do, they will say “I’m now like that guy.”. Just as I wanted to be when I was a kid.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the ultimate test of character. It goes deeper than what we do in the ring, what titles we win, how many matches we win, whether we’re a rising star that burns out in the way or whether we forge an ever-lasting kingdom that shall forever live on in memory after we’re gone.
Because I have come to realize through this road that I have walked, that the best thing that we can give is an example. Something for which to be grateful we have received, and something for other people that will thank us for having given them. Something that shall endure from generation to generation.
And that might be the thing of greatest value I can possibly give to express how grateful I am.”
A slight smile now makes its way into the corner of Raion’s mouth - a somewhat mischievous glint in his eyes, bright as the Golden Cloth he wears, and the Dragon Balls gathered at the pedestal in the center of the Colonnade.
It is one thing to be grateful, but what would a Saint of Athena want with a supercharged S.U.V.?
“Now, as to that fine vehicle that’s up for grabs, well, I’ll be honest with you, friends. I don’t know if I deserve to win it. And why would I? Because I try to be a good person? I do not do this to get anything in return, or to get a pat on the head, but because I must, as everyone should.
But I shall admit, however, I do want to earn the AXTGRIFF, for several reasons. Firstly, I don’t have a vehicle of my own, so that would be nice to have in the first place. But more importantly, because I want to use this vehicle for that I’ve just stated above - as a tool to help people.
Because there is now a wish I have, a wish for another miracle, and in order for that wish to be fulfilled, I want to find the Dragon Balls! Or rather, to help people find them! This same thing that has transpired today, I want to see happen again. I want this expedition that you have seen to be a regular occurrence - the Dragon Ball Drive.
An opportunity for people to find the Dragon Balls and get a wish fulfilled. For a hungry family to be fed, or a sick person to get their treatment, or for a kid to get their long-wished toy, and the proceeds for that event going to the ill, the poor or the cause that you deem worthy.
That’s my way to express gratitude, and to pay forward everything I have received. And while it is not the solution to the world’s problems, it is at least within my grasp, my own way to bring the miracle of the Dragon Balls to reality. And I know it can be done - with the AXTGRIFF, there is no limit!”
The Lion clenches his fist once more as a grin comes to his face.
“I want to be the guy that gives a ride to the people struggling in the middle of nowhere so they can find the Dragon Balls and make their wish come true.
I want to use the AXTGRIFF and those mighty wheels, that roaring engine, and those sturdy bumpers to carry whoever’s vehicle is mired in the mud. To lift the people’s tired legs so they can have a seat so that they no longer have to drag their feet in an endless search.
And in the end, when the people have gathered at the end of the Dragon Ball Drive, and the winner gets their wish, I want them to remember this day. I want them to tell their children, or their grandchildren, that the Dragon Balls actually exist, and that they shall grant you a wish if you gather them.
Of course, they’re not meant to be easy to find, or else there would be no challenge - but with a great challenge comes a great reward - a miracle.
And with it, comes the chance to pay it forward. To teach people that miracles can be achieved if we set our mind and our heart to it.”
*CLANG!*
The Lion takes a fist to his heart, and takes a deep bow in customary Japanese fashion. The audience had put up with his story enough, and it was time to end it.
He had told his story and stated his truth - and now, he was at peace.
“And with that, friends, I have said enough. That’s my Thanksgiving story, and it is my deepest desire that you have enjoyed it.
And I hope that next year there will be another Dragon Ball Drive, and that I shall be riding into it in the AXTGRIFF, to take those that need it on a ride.
A ride towards a miracle, and a granted wish, but above everything else…”
Raion gives a big, toothy grin towards the camera, and a final V-sign.
“A mystical adventure!”
Fade to black.
The morning sun shines brightly over the grass of Kessler Park in Kansas City, where a crowd is assembled in front of a circular amphitheater, complete with Classical Greek Doric order columns - the Colonnade.
“There exist seven magical orbs scattered throughout the world… the Dragon Balls! They are artifacts of great power, and upon gathering all seven, the mighty Dragon God Shenron shall grant a wish upon whoever holds them - a wish that may very well be a miracle!”
This crowd is composed of superhero cosplayers, Star Wars costumes, all in front of a speaker wearing a tag.
“And ladies and gentlemen, I tell you here and now, that the seven Dragon Balls are scattered throughout this park! Whoever gets them shall win this contest - and earn a wish! Welcome to the Dragon Ball Drive!”
And among these people, of course, stands the Raion Kido, dressed in a simple black T-shirt and blue jeans, but the golden box of his Gold Leo Cloth strapped to his back - clenching a fist as a fire burns in his eyes. Grinning like a child, he mutters the next words, almost to himself.
“Let’s go on a mystical adventure!”
The speaker claps her hands to gather everyone’s attention, and the murmur of the crowd turns to dead silence as they turn their heads in her direction.
“On your marks! Get set! Go!”
The attendees at the park start running in all directions, and so does the Lion. While the rest of the crowd are looking upon every nook and cranny of the park, the young Saint of Athena heads down one of the park’s several trails, until he eventually loses the rest of the crowd. In this location, the Lion ventures into a densely forested area, where the thick foliage overhead obscures the sun of the morning.
“Finding the Dragon Balls isn’t meant to be easy - therefore, the best way to find them is to look where no one else will!”
He sets about his task, turning over in all directions, and trying to focus his gaze as much as he can. Though he has yet to turn up anything, the inkling he feels within himself tells him that he is on the right track.
“I’m feeling something - almost like a cosmos!”
The young Saint of Leo notices a glint from a tree top that isn’t quite looking like the sun.
“Wait- what’s that?”
Though the sun above makes it hard to see, even through the trees, the Lion notices a yellowish shine from one of the tree tops. Coming to the base of the tree, he notices, at the very top, there is something hanging like an apple - though this apple looks made of amber, and a red star is visible on its face.
“That’s it! The One-Star Dragon Ball!”
But the Lion is now presented with a problem. How is he to get the Dragon Ball down from the tree top?
“Hmm… maybe one of these will help!”
Scattered across the ground there are several twigs, a natural consequence of the constant renewal of the vegetation in the park. Raion examines them, and finds among them one longer than all the rest, large enough to hold in both hands.
“Okay - Goku did this, I can too! Hyyyyyyyah!”
The Lion twirls the tree branch he has found, and drives it towards the tree top, rocking it enough for it to release the treasure…
*THUMP!*
… which drops as gracefully as the apple dropped upon the head of Newton at the discovery of gravity.
“OW!”
The Dragon Ball drops towards the ground, and Raion picks it up before it stops rolling away.
“One down and six more to go!”
And so does Raion resume his path. Soon he leaves the small forest and comes across a pond - by the looks of it, deep enough to swim in. And there, partially hidden in the dirt below the shallow part of the pond, the young Lion notices that amber glint.
“There’s another!”
But he must be fast, as the mystical orb seems to be moving - dragged by the current of the pond into its depths…
“Okay - here we go! Burn, cosmos!”
*SPLASH*!
The Lion drops the box of his Golden Cloth and dives into the pond as a crowd of onlookers gathers round. The concerned expressions and murmurs from the audience turn into signs of relief as Raion emerges from the pond, soaking wet, but holding one more Dragon Ball in his hand.
“Oh man, that really was a close call! Are you okay?”
The contest host comes rushing to Raion’s aid, but the young Japanese wrestler raises a placatory hand, giving her a smile.
“Don’t worry, Miss, all good! Just showing that I can get wet, wild, and do dirty, dirty things.”
The Lion gives a thumbs up with his free hand, as he takes a look into the ball he has captured - this time, the Six-Star Dragon Ball.
“But there’s still plenty more to go!”
And as the sun rises into its zenith, and the day goes on, the Lion still goes about his task. The Five-Star Dragon Ball turns up in the bushes of the Kessler Park Reservoir…
“WHAAAAAAAAAA-!”
*BONK!*
… at which the Lion absent-mindedly landed face-first, being so much lost in thought that he failed to mind the huge gap that formed the Reservoir.
“Ow-owowow…”
The Two-Star ball appears in the middle of Concourse Fountain - which most timely released a water blast just as Raion was picking it up.
*SPLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASHHHHHHHHHH!*
“NOT AGAIN!”
The Seven-Star ball is at the top of the Cliff Drive sport climbing area, at which the Lion had to climb over rocks that might have very well been a mountain.
“Huff… that S.U.V. could have come in handy right about now…”
It was then the Three-Star ball’s turn, which was inside one of the holes in the Cliff Drive golf course.
“Well, at least this time there were no adv-”
“FOOOOOOOOOOOORE!”
*POCK!*
“Me and my big mouth-!”
A golf ball suddenly impacts almost at his feet as the young Saint of Athena breaks into a run, trying to stay away from its path. At that point, two golfers come looking for the ball.
“Hole-in-one!”
Right before leaving, the Lion points towards the ball on the floor.
“Nope, that was an eagle. Better luck next time, sir.”
The sun is beginning to go down, but the remaining ball is nowhere to be found. The Lion decides to go back to the starting point to collect his thoughts before setting out on one last attempt, and once he’s there, he finds a child - from the looks of him, a poor child from the ghetto, who is trying to get his mother’s attention.
“Mom, look! I found one!”
“Oh, that’s great sweetie! Maybe you can take it home if we don’t find the rest!”
“I hope we can get the rest so we can get some turkey!”
“I hope God is listening to that, dear…”
Having watched them and overheard their conversation, the Lion looks at his Gold Cloth box, then back at the family, and without hesitation approaches them.
“Excuse me, ma’am!”
Both mother and child turn towards his direction.
“Say, aren’t you that guy from T.V.?”
“Mom! It’s Raion Kido!”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“My boy’s a huge fan, he’s watching Dragon Ball all the time, and he likes when you come on!”
At this point, the kid shows Raion the ball he’s found.
“Look, sir! The Four-Star one, the one Goku himself had!”
“Oh, that’s awesome! Where was it?”
“Hehe, it was here all along! We decided to stay and look around while everyone was leaving.”
“Hah! Leave it to Goku’s ball to be the easiest to find, right? By the way, forgive me for intruding, but I heard you talking about turkey?”
“Well, it is Thanksgiving, and turkey is tradition. We try to eat it if we can, but we don’t always make it every year…”
“And that’s the wish I’m going to make if I find all the Dragon Balls! What’s going to be yours?”
The Lion holds still and thinks about it. What could he really have asked? He already had what he wanted - the confirmation that his life’s path had been worth it, and the recognition of everyone around him - even those that opposed him.
Did a Saint of Athena really need anything else?
“Well, kid. It’s a good question, but I don’t think there’s going to be an answer to it. Because I’ve been thinking while spending time around here, and I realized that, as much as I like Dragon Ball, in the end, that is not my story. Above everything else, I am a Saint of Athena - I don’t need the Dragon Balls to make a miracle!”
The Lion takes a knee to be at eye level with the boy…
“So you do it!”
… and hands him the Dragon Balls he found, not without a smile and a playful wink.
“In the end, you need it more than I.”
“REALLY!? Thank you so very much, sir!”
And so the contest is at an end. The boy and his mom celebrate as their wish is granted - an order of turkey from the contest’s host organization.
“Mr. Kido… Why?”
The Lion gives the boy’s mother an amiable smile.
“Because this, ma’am, is my way to say thanks for all I have.
And one of the many ways in which a Saint of Athena may make a miracle happen.”
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“The gods bestowed upon mankind a terrible power… the ability to obtain more than human strength and approach the gods themselves. And that power, ladies and gentlemen… is called a miracle!”
These are the initial words of Raion Kido, who now stands in front of the Colonnade, the bright light of the sun rays reflected on his Golden Cloth, his clean white cape billowing at his back, and his mane of light brown hair fluttering in the breeze.
“I bring this up, friends, because miracles are exactly what I set out to do in the ring - but also, because a miracle is indeed the story of my path.”
The Lion points upward towards the sun of the afternoon, almost as if he were to thank the gods - and perhaps he is.
For was he not, after all, a Saint of Athena, and was that not the right thing to do?
“For it can be said, without exaggeration, that my road from the first time I stepped into the ring in the XWF until now has been nothing short of miraculous. I mean, here is a boy from Osaka with an Anime gimmick, thrust into arguably the foremost wrestling promotion in the world. Who would have expected him to go so far?
And yet, here I am, with the likes of Amber Ryan, and Vhodka Black, and Shawn Warstein and Molly Hatchet, and there were those who did. There were those that saw what I did, and just like me, they were filled with faith. I don’t expect everyone to understand, but that faith I had in myself was returned, and it would be insincere of me if I did not say that, despite what I have done, I am not grateful for it all.
Because, my friends, there is justice in that too.”
With a deep inclination of his head, the Lion goes silent for a small moment. A mighty warrior he might be, but at the end of the day, he is an honorable man.
And it is an honorable man’s charge to acknowledge the people to whom he is indebted.
“So this is the time to give thanks, and as for myself, I am grateful for the many blessings that have been granted upon me in my life. I am grateful to my family for having supported me in my dreams to become a wrestler, to everyone in Japan for their support, and more than anything else, to my girlfriend Ryleigh Dixon for having given me her trust and her love. Ours is a very special thing, and with her by my side, I am the most fortunate man in the world.
I am grateful to the XWF for having recognized me as one of their very top talents almost from the first match - something that can very well be attested by the fact that they gave me the Golden Ticket that TIA Promotions sent them.
I am also grateful to Theo Pryce for having inducted me into the Trilogy, to Jason Cashe and Ned Kaye for being there as well, and to “Chronic” Chris Page for having granted me the opportunity to compete for the XWF Universal Title at the Cannabis Cup.
I stand before you all now by virtue of all these people, and here is the recognition from me that they deserve.
And of course, I am also thankful to Masami Kurumada-sensei and TOEI Animation, without whom there would be no Saint Seiya, and therefore no Raion Kido as you know him!”
The Lion gives now a silly smile as he rubs his head, an awkward boyish smile from the Osaka boy he still was deep down.
But after a small chuckle, he gives the camera a serious, honest look, even if his smile does not fade.
“But seriously speaking now. There is something else for which I am grateful. I’m a warrior above everything else, and what is a warrior without a battle to fight? It’s easy to be grateful for those that support us, and it’s only the right thing to be - but a warrior must be grateful for those that give him a fight - for those that push him, again and again, to become better than he was, as best as he can possibly be.
For those that teach us how to win, even if that means we lose, and that drive us to overcome a challenge. Whether we fail once, twice, three times, what a warrior and a Saint of Athena must do is to rise up and come back!
That is why I must be grateful for the people that have given me the greatest challenges in my career. The Brotherhood of Bastards, ALIAS, Dolly Waters, and Mark Flynn. The first group gave me the very first hurdles to overcome as I arrived at the XWF. ALIAS and Dolly were there in the biggest match of my life, and Flynn is my next goal to overcome.”
Raion now stands ramrod straight, clicks his heels, and clashes his right fist against his left palm - the metallic impact producing a slight echo among the whisper of the wind.
When he speaks again, his smile is now gone - replaced by the unyielding expression of a man that has come to state a truth.
“But of course, it isn’t enough for me to just say I am grateful. This is no token saying of thanks, nor am I simply paying lip service. I am convinced that someone like me, that has been given so much, must be a beacon of hope, and an example to follow, as I’ve had it from childhood, and from those that I have seen in the XWF ring prior to me.
And for someone like me, the best way to prove my gratitude is to give, not just to those that gave me, but to those that come after. People that may one day be in my same position, and might remember when they are, that there was a man named Raion Kido, that was there before them. So when they do, they will say “I’m now like that guy.”. Just as I wanted to be when I was a kid.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is the ultimate test of character. It goes deeper than what we do in the ring, what titles we win, how many matches we win, whether we’re a rising star that burns out in the way or whether we forge an ever-lasting kingdom that shall forever live on in memory after we’re gone.
Because I have come to realize through this road that I have walked, that the best thing that we can give is an example. Something for which to be grateful we have received, and something for other people that will thank us for having given them. Something that shall endure from generation to generation.
And that might be the thing of greatest value I can possibly give to express how grateful I am.”
A slight smile now makes its way into the corner of Raion’s mouth - a somewhat mischievous glint in his eyes, bright as the Golden Cloth he wears, and the Dragon Balls gathered at the pedestal in the center of the Colonnade.
It is one thing to be grateful, but what would a Saint of Athena want with a supercharged S.U.V.?
“Now, as to that fine vehicle that’s up for grabs, well, I’ll be honest with you, friends. I don’t know if I deserve to win it. And why would I? Because I try to be a good person? I do not do this to get anything in return, or to get a pat on the head, but because I must, as everyone should.
But I shall admit, however, I do want to earn the AXTGRIFF, for several reasons. Firstly, I don’t have a vehicle of my own, so that would be nice to have in the first place. But more importantly, because I want to use this vehicle for that I’ve just stated above - as a tool to help people.
Because there is now a wish I have, a wish for another miracle, and in order for that wish to be fulfilled, I want to find the Dragon Balls! Or rather, to help people find them! This same thing that has transpired today, I want to see happen again. I want this expedition that you have seen to be a regular occurrence - the Dragon Ball Drive.
An opportunity for people to find the Dragon Balls and get a wish fulfilled. For a hungry family to be fed, or a sick person to get their treatment, or for a kid to get their long-wished toy, and the proceeds for that event going to the ill, the poor or the cause that you deem worthy.
That’s my way to express gratitude, and to pay forward everything I have received. And while it is not the solution to the world’s problems, it is at least within my grasp, my own way to bring the miracle of the Dragon Balls to reality. And I know it can be done - with the AXTGRIFF, there is no limit!”
The Lion clenches his fist once more as a grin comes to his face.
“I want to be the guy that gives a ride to the people struggling in the middle of nowhere so they can find the Dragon Balls and make their wish come true.
I want to use the AXTGRIFF and those mighty wheels, that roaring engine, and those sturdy bumpers to carry whoever’s vehicle is mired in the mud. To lift the people’s tired legs so they can have a seat so that they no longer have to drag their feet in an endless search.
And in the end, when the people have gathered at the end of the Dragon Ball Drive, and the winner gets their wish, I want them to remember this day. I want them to tell their children, or their grandchildren, that the Dragon Balls actually exist, and that they shall grant you a wish if you gather them.
Of course, they’re not meant to be easy to find, or else there would be no challenge - but with a great challenge comes a great reward - a miracle.
And with it, comes the chance to pay it forward. To teach people that miracles can be achieved if we set our mind and our heart to it.”
*CLANG!*
The Lion takes a fist to his heart, and takes a deep bow in customary Japanese fashion. The audience had put up with his story enough, and it was time to end it.
He had told his story and stated his truth - and now, he was at peace.
“And with that, friends, I have said enough. That’s my Thanksgiving story, and it is my deepest desire that you have enjoyed it.
And I hope that next year there will be another Dragon Ball Drive, and that I shall be riding into it in the AXTGRIFF, to take those that need it on a ride.
A ride towards a miracle, and a granted wish, but above everything else…”
Raion gives a big, toothy grin towards the camera, and a final V-sign.
“A mystical adventure!”
Fade to black.
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