"Hey fatty, get moving. We are going to be late." Anna yelled at Ganryu. The humble sumi rushed out in his burgeoning tuxedo. He was never one to talk back and now it seemed he was being led like a dog upon a leash. His "girlfriend" was waiting for him to hurry up so they could both arrive at the minister's dinner party. It had been like this for months and day by day, it wore away Ganryu's spirit. He had never been one that was popular with the women and when finally someone took interest in him, it had been like a miracle from heaven. Of course some miracles later prove themselves as curses.
Anna insulted him and humiliated him in a way no human should ever be treated. In public, they made a show of a happy couple, but when the cameras were off a new face appeared. She did not love him, but she intoxicated him and filled his head with thoughts that few men could resist. She played him like an overgrown puppet on strings of steel. She was smarter than him and thus she could keep a vice grip over his mind with her beauty.
Ganryu did not complain, after all, what decent woman would want him? He was not a handsome man, nor was he a very young man. His days as Yokozhuna were over and his former fans had forgotten about him. He was fifty six years old and he had almost nothing. His money had been spent over the years on frivolous things and dignity decayed as he worked for Heihachi Mishima. In the end, Ganryu had nothing to show for his achievements. He had been Yokozhuna, sumo grand champion, nine times in a row and now he was just another pawn.
At the party, he was greeted by many well wishers, but more eyes were on Anna. She used him as a way to make herself more popular. The young girl loved the publicity that she could leech off of Ganryu. Through him, she could gain the attention of the Japanese public. If only the public knew that she was only using Ganryu. She talked as though she was a sweet and gentle girl, but Ganryu saw passed all that and it made him ill. It made him ill to see how far he had fallen. In some ways he worse than Taro Akebono, the Hawaiian born sumo grand champion, who abandoned his fans sumo simply to earn few million yen back in 1994.
He could no longer call himself a sumi. He was lower than scum itself and it gave Anna pleasure in reminding him how inferior he was. After the party, Anna went to the home of one of her agents. It gave Ganryu sometime to walk alone by himself in a park. He remembered the days when he started out as a mere rikishi and then worked his way up to an Ozuma. He could still imagine training with his brothers within the Dohyo. Those were the golden years of Ganryu's life.
"What has happened to you old friend?" A voice came from behind him. Ganryu turned to face the eyes of his former rival. It was none other than the manji leader himself, Yoshimitsu. The two warmly embraced in a way brothers do. Ganryu squeezed his friend almost to the point where Yoshimitsu was almost crushed. Yoshimitsu was probably one of the greatest sumo fans ever born.
"Yoshimitsu, my old friend, what do you mean?" Ganryu asked as he wiped the tears from his face.
"I saw how you are treated old friend. I am horrified at what you have become. How can you allow that wench to scorn you like this? You are the Yokozhuna. You are a grand champion. Where is your fire and courage my friend?" Yoshimitsu asked in disappointment.
"I am no longer a sumi. My days of Yokozhuna are long over. I am just a man now and a frail man at that. I cannot live alone for the rest of my days. I need a companion and it is obvious that I may not have the perfect companion. Anna may not show affection, but she is as close as I shall ever be to a woman. I cannot ask for more. You and I both know that I have never been one with success with women." Ganryu sighed.
"By all that is righteous, have you forgotten what you are? Ozuma is not just a sport, it is a way of life. You should know that more than any other man on earth. You are Yokozhuna, sumo grand champion, and you shall be until you are buried in your grave. Have you forgotten all the teachings that are made in Ozuma? Have you forgotten that you are sumi? Have you forgotten the traditions that made you one of mightiest men ever to walk upon the face of the earth?" Yoshimitsu's eyes glared into Ganryu's soul.
"I am sorry my friend, but those days are long over. I can no longer sumo. I am not a sumi anymore." Ganryu tried to defend himself through denial.
"There are still fans within Japan that speak then name of the great Ganryu. What would they say if they saw you now? They believed in you and they still believe in you. I believe in you. Do it for Ozuma, if you can still remember what that word even means." Yoshimitsu answered and he left Ganryu within the dark.
"Where have you been, Anna yelled at Ganryu angrily." She was not in a pleasant mood, but this time Ganryu didn't care. He had taken all the pain and suffering he could take. He no longer saw the luscious red lips or the crystalline body of pure elegance. He saw woman that cared nothing for him or anyone else. He saw a woman that had used him and belittled him.
"I have been talking to an old friend." Ganry answered with some humility.
"Well this is the last time that this is going to happen." Anna snorted meanly. "I bet it was one of those ridiculous sumi fans."
"You are right, this is the last time that this is going to happen." Ganryu answered. "You have lived with me so many months and you still do not know that sumo is a sport and sumi is the name of sumo practitioner."
"So what does that matter to me?" She asked.
"It does not matter to you, but it matters to me. I am a sumi and you just insulted all those that love watching sumo. This is the final insult, you are no longer welcome in my home. I ask you to humbly leave." Ganryu bowed.
"This is a joke right. You are dumping me?" Anna's jaw hung open.
"No more jokes. Sumo wrestling was once my life, but that does not change who I am." Ganryu charged at her and picked Anna up in the air. She flailed and kicked him in the head, but he did not care. The chains were broken and the bull was let loose. Ganryu was a free man and tears rolled down his eyes. He laughed as he had not done in years as he ran to the door. With one final bellow, Ganryu threw Anna out of his home and out of his life.