Tani and Kazen - Those Bound by Sin

[motosada]

The scene opens with Tani and Kazen in front of the NDP banner in the cold, damp, poorly-lit backroom area of Viking Hall. A young woman - identifiable as Aika Sugiyama only by the light-blue yukata she's worn in recent months - stands with her face to the wall, almost as if she has been placed in a "time out".

"I heard about this girl - this 'Lady'," Tani talks, sounding annoyed, "if you will - saying something about her and her buddies looking an awful lot like us. These 'Flash Senshi', or whatever they're putting on shirts. Whoever is saying these things must be the stupidest..." she pauses for a second, her mouth practicing the words, testing them before she says them, "the stupidest crank-smoking... gutter trash in wrestling... and I'll show you why."

Tani walks over to where Aika is standing by the wall, her head resting against it, looking as if the entire weight of the world is on her slender shoulders. "Ladies and gentlemen, does this--" Tani grabs Aika by her upper arms and spins her around, grasping her close with her right arm and pointing to Aika with her left hand. Aika looks down and away sharply, timid of the attention and perhaps afraid of the stares cast upon her. "Does she look like the same girl that attacked Kristin Blade and Akira Blaze at SuperKickFest04? The same girl that proclaims to be the defender of various cute things? Does she even look like she could step into a wrestling ring?!?"

Aika slumps even moreso in the arms of Tani at the mention of a wrestling ring. "That's why," Tani continues, "at Maelstrom, Kazen, myself, and this little bundle of energy here," she says as she lightly shakes Aika, "will be facing those damned Flash Senshi in a six-person tag team match!" Aika's head snaps up and her eyes go wide at the mention of a wrestling match. She looks at Tani, silently, horror on her face and breaks free of Tani's grasp, running away from the two 'sin-bound' as if her life depended on it. "Y'see, people? You see?" Tani demands, putting her hands on her hips in defiance as the scene fades out.

[motosada]

In the living room of the so-called "Ryder Household", various occupants sit in the living room, decked out in their Halloween costumes. So this promo is a week or so late. Sue me. Eddie Swan, barely recognizable as Spike Spegal, sits on the loveseat, trying to look cool smoking a cigarette. Frog, wearing a [non-descript green basketball team] jersey, sits in a nice chair, and Dizzy, dressed as a nurse, sits on a [non-descript green basketball team] jersey-wearing Frog. Tani and Kazen, dressed as Jay and Silent Bob, sit in the center of the room, shuffling through piles of candy on the floor in front of them. Jo Ryder, Phil Buster, and Fishboy are nowhere to be found.

Standing up dramatically, Tani announces, "I would just like to state, for the record, that it wasn't my idea for me and Kazen to dress as Jay and Silent Bob for Halloween."

All eyes are affixed to Tani after her statement. Frog, the guilty party for Tani and Kazen going out dressed as the two peddlers looks away from Tani after a moment, trying to not draw attention for getting Tani and Kazen exiled from Queens, NY. There was an awkward silence in the Ryder Household, which Eddie broke. "'Kazen and I'."

"What?"

"'It wasn't my idea for Kazen and I to dress up as Jay and Silent Bob for Halloween.'"

"But then I would have to say 'Silent Bob and Jay', which breaks up the fact that it's 'Jay and Silent Bob'. Grammar be damned."

"Hey, young lady. You watch that mouth."

Tani sticks her tounge out and defiantly raspberries in Eddie's general direction, and Eddie rolls his eyes. "What I want to know is, who's idea was it for you to yell 'Hey, lady, ever had your asshole licked by a fat man in an overcoat?' at that one blonde."

"Oh, that was totally my idea," Tani says before sitting back down in front of her swag.

Eddie laughs at Tani's reply as she picks up a fun size Butterfinger and begins unwrapping it. "So, how's that 'Flash Senshi' or whatever thing goin' for you two?"

"What 'Flash Senshi' thing?" Tani asked, shoving the Butterfinger into her mouth and chewing loudly.

"Yanno. The whole thing you two're doin' with that crazy Jap chick Flip's bangin'," Frog says, eliciting a "Hey!" from Dizzy.

Tani looks up at Eddie and Frog, swallowing the candy bar. "Um... That ain't us, man."

"Sure thing," Eddie says.

Tani continues shuffling thru her candy, rolling her eyes at Eddie. Suddenly, Frog jumps up from his chair and starts running out of the room, being chased by Dizzy as she yells "I didn't tell you what thermometer I want you to use yet!"

Tani, Kazen, and Eddie stare at the door, blank and silent. "You people are messed up," Tani says, looking back at the pile of candy and pulling a milky way out of the pile with a smile on her face.