WOO. Hey everyone, Natagarasu here! .w./ Just a little Author's Note before we begin, just to add to the summary... yeah. Wait, what to say? OH. Yeah. If you spot any problems, make sure to tell me! Also, if I stop updating, I guess... if you want more of this, for some reason, just poke me. So... um... yeah. Just... go do the thing!
(O)
I sat in one of the big-shot meeting rooms, walls coloured an obnoxious purple, velvet curtains hugging huge windows to conceal the room in moody light. Either side of me were the higher ups of Worldwide Studios, talking among themselves for the big plans they had for the Nickel Samurai. The scent of cigar smoke lingered in the air, hanging over my head like misty lights. While they simply spoke among themselves, I lent back in my chair, playing with the watch phone I had, waiting for something. What something? Something interesting, maybe even exciting... Or just a something that could concern me and not my career. No matter how loud I spoke, it's like I was invisible. The only person who seemed to pay me any mind was Adrian, but even then, she was almost acting like I was just an item, a source of income. I guess it runs in the blood, from mentor to protégée.
When I stepped out of the meeting that day, I walked back to my house as I always did, locked the door, once that was done I just stared at the wooden rectangle, eyes stinging slightly. In a sudden fit of rage, I suppose, I slammed my fist against it, and turned, sliding down with my back right up against the door. I didn't know what had overcome me, I really didn't… but I couldn't stop myself from letting small trickles roll down my cheeks as I held my head in my hands, feeling a small ball of fur brush up against my leg with a soft meow. I glanced up from my sorry state, smiling as I called Shoe over, the tabby cat brushing his head against my wrist, purring gently.
"...You need attention too, huh?" I muttered, laughing to myself as I stood to my feet, stretching and wiping away the last of my tears, walking over to the kitchen. "Either that or you're just hungry. That's probably it. Right, Shoe?" The cat simply replied with a meow as he hopped up onto the counter.
I had been home an hour or so, probably no more, and was just fixing something inside the microwave when there was a knock on the door. I thought to myself who that could possibly be when I walked over and answered, eyes widening at the first thing I saw - a blue jacket and a limp stem. "...Corada?"
"Engarde." Juan folded his arms and turned to face me fully, looking rather annoyed. I just stared at him blankly, or at least, I think I did. "I heard loud noises. I moved in last week, 'member? Next door?" Ah, that was true. He was living just to the left, the walls of these houses were thin, as I recalled. "Oh, and…" He pointed to the dent in the door. ...I didn't realize the wood was that frail.
"Oh… that? It was nothing, don't worry. "
"I wasn't going to. Just making sure you weren't killing anyone." He seemed to scowl slightly, huffing before walking away, speaking as he did. "Guess I'll… see you around."
"Yeah…" I called after him, before shutting the door.
We'd been friends since childhood, you know. You never would have guessed with all the publicity surrounding our 'undeniable rivalry'. But it was more a case of… clinging to nostalgia. I just did whatever he did. He was the one that got me into acting. I wanted to join him at Global… but the company turned me down, and I had to go to Worldwide, only adding to the story. ...I guess you can't escape the press, not really. They'll just do whatever they can to ruin you. I don't know why they take such pleasure in turning a person to rubble, breaking down their infrastructure like an emotionally tormenting earthquake. Maybe that's not their intention, but… it sure feels like it. But that's beside the point. Me and Juan Corada… we used to be like twins. That's what I remember. We did everything together, inseparable. We grew up together, even defended each other and picked each other up when we felt down. But… he changed, for some reason I never knew why. And everything I tried to do made it worse, even trying to tell him about that manager, Celeste Inpax, only lead to more conflict between us. I just don't know what went wrong. But I want to fix it, no doubt or reason to.
That's why I came to the conclusion it was… me. Myself. Me, myself, and I. The way I was. Lost and confused, the guy who was only noticed for his face and nothing more. I decided to change that. Change it until I found a thing that stuck. Yes… Matt Engarde, starting tomorrow, would be a whole new man. And maybe I could fix what was once broken, who knows. That was the intention, anyways.
...It started out with a me that was seen but never heard.