nexus_crossings | … On the subject of Holiday Specials …

There's a fifteen-year-old boy assessing Cage, head tilted slightly to one side. Paul Atreides approaches with a hint of caution, more because of the man's outlandishness than anything else. It's not just the clothes, it's the bearing and cockiness. It's not hard to pick up those.

He's been reading in the Grand Library to try and learn what he can, but while he understands martial arts and knifeplay he hasn't quite learned about holiday specials. So there's genuine curiosity in his answer as Paul approaches Cage. At least that'd what he thinks the stranger's name is. Clearly somebody who isn't afraid of announcing who he is to the multiverse.

"Yes - I would watch it." Cage might notice the knife the kid has at his side, or the unusually sharp look behind his eyes. "Are you going to put one on?"

What better way to learn about both holidays and whatever form of martial arts this man practices than to watch him in action?

Edited 2021-12-04 23:37 (UTC)

“Like now? I’m not that kind of actor and it would be a shame for people in a Mezzanine not to see this face.”

He says with a breezy smile. There are slight wrinkles in the corners of his eyes (that are definitely from smiling and has nothing to do with being in his 50’s).

“What I’m trying to do is secure funding to record a big budget event, you know? Something that will make them laugh one minute and wow them the next. But the studio I normally work with thinks the ‘concept is dated’.”

"An actor?" Not disappointed, exactly, but definitely the tone of somebody who thought Cage was a veteran martial artist and now knows better. There's a blink, and then another curious question. "Can you fight for real, or is it all part of the film?"

He figures Cage has experience in whatever it is that he does. And, to be fair, even fake-fighting takes some skill to do properly. But most of the fighting Paul's been involved in recently has been the deadly-serious, very-real-risk-of-death kind. No laughter or wowing people involved. The kind of fighting where you're just glad you aren't dead. So he's less impressed than he might otherwise be.

But, still, a film like this might be worth a watch, if not for the reasons Paul anticipated. Part of the reason he visits the Nexus is to de-stress a little.

"Might need a different studio, then. Or find a way to persuade them. What kind of movies do they want?"

“An actor in the sense that I read the lines people pay me to. I can throw hands for real, though.”

A younger Johnny might have lost his temper already. Even caused a fight with Paul to prove that he was an experienced martial artist, but he was a little bit more mature now than he had been then. And this guy could have been the same age as his own kid. If not even younger.

“I suppose they probably want superhero movies more than anything and IP pictures that they think are gonna bring in big bucks.”

"I'd like to see what you can do sometime." There's a noticeable perking up once Cage confirms that he can really fight. "I apologize for doubting you." A quick apology to defuse tension, just in case, though Paul doesn't have the sense that the older man is that angry.

He can fight, too, but the Nexus isn't the place for that and he doesn't want to fight Cage in any serous capacity. If anything, he wants to watch the man in action and see what he can learn.

"I could help you train here, one day. If you want me to." Dead serious. The kid looks the older man in the eye. "A friendly sparring match."

Rekker himself is older, early 40s, fit and carries himself with a confidence that borders on coming across as arrogant. His black motorcycle jacket zipped up against the cooler weather but it's nearly hidden beneath the mass of waist length ginger, wavy, curls. He looks like he belongs in the rougher side of the LA music scene from the bullet belt, jacket and tight black jeans. It isn't a wrong assumption if it was made about him.

"I'd rather ignore all the holiday commercialism." That's the honest gut response. "An action movie would be decently better. Are you talking about something like a martial arts version of The Last Boy Scout or Die Hard?"

Having been a teenager growing up in Southern California as the metal scene blew up, oh yes, he’s familiar with the look. He might have been able to even pull it off fifteen years ago, but his hair was too thin to look full at that length now. (Not without a lot of help, anyway.)

“Is it really Christmas anymore without commercialism?”

Not to get all culturally analytical, but the corporate machine wasn’t going anywhere and heck. Johnny owed his own personal success to Hollywood which perhaps had been a creative place at one time, had been running like a big business since before he’d began acting.

“Definitely not The Last Boy Scout. I can’t pull off a buddy movie. I’m good at a lot of things but not sharing the spotlight. And as far as Die Hard goes, it’s a great flick, but I’d rather it be more Christmas-y.”

"Depression, suicide, commercialism... really fucking joyful season isn't it?"

Rekker would openly admit there was commercialism needed for the music industry but there was commercialism and then there was the madness of holidays and the manipulation that went right along with it.

"No one goes into Hollywood wanting to share the spotlight." He's got the idea that this guy is an actor or movie exec, probably doesn't matter which one but he knows the type. "If you make Santa a ninja or a karate kid I will come kill you myself."

That was the only thing kicking around in his brain right now and though his normal tone is aggressive he's got a sarcastic smirk that tones down the seriousness.

“I feel like the elves would make better ninjas and considering I can’t think of anyone who can’t take the spotlight away from Santa, he’d have to be played by me.”

Rekker can probably get the sense that Johnny is only partially joking at best.

“Not that I have anything written out. I’m still working it all out, you know?”

"You should be a vigilante spy Santa that punishes people on the most wanted lists?" Rekker wasn't being serious but if this guy wanted to make something as ridiculous as a Santa as an action hero movie, how could anyone be serious. "Or, be Thor."

That was only slightly less crazy but he was thinking about the Swedes explaining their take on the season. Thor with a chariot of angry goats felt like a better action character than actual Santa.

He does nod in understanding. "I've worked on movie soundtracks. The process from start to finish takes a long time."

The Brit punk looked over the man wearing the "CAGE" jacket and wondered what that meant. Was he a cage fighter or something? The man looked built and Viktor liked strong men who could carry themselves in a fight and not just bullshit their way through with meaningless words. The punk himself dressed in ripped faded blue jeans, a black leather jacket and Union flag t-shirt with "Fuck You" written on the front.

"Martial arts? Sometimes I watch Bruce Lee movies. Like a Dragon. That sort of thing. I hate those really fucking cheesy romance films at Christmas though. Does my head in."

Viktor pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one up using his fancy Zippo lighter, which was shaped like a bike's fuel tank with flames emblazoned alone it.

“Bruce was a legend and Jeet Kune Do is the foundation of my style.”

At this point in his career that was a well know fact. Johnny Cage had grown up watching the hell out of 70’s Kung Fu movies at an impressionable age and who was bigger then Bruce Lee? He idolized the guy. These days he wasn’t as forthcoming into getting into long discussions about being the straight white guy that wanted to be even bigger than the most famous martial artist of all time, though. The optics were kind of … not great in the age of wokeness.

“I think the best action movies have a little bit of romance and comedy. It makes them more accessible for everyone’s taste that way.”

"He was a fucking legend and back home I own so many tapes of him in his films. I love wrestling more though and follow WWE on the telly too. American wrestlers and stuff."

Did Viktor liked ones like the Rock and the Undertaker? Yes, he did. The styles he copied when getting into bar brawls and the like, just barrelling towards people, picking them up and slamming them down onto any nearby piece of furniture. The punk was a brawler and always had been.

"Yeah? I don't like the whole mushy romance shit myself. Terminator is a good sci-fi film though. He kicks fucking ass too."

“You’d have thought by now more of them would have success breaking into films, but it is a very different kind of performing.”

There was The Rock and that was about it. Johnny didn’t have a particularly strong feeling about wrestling one way or another. He hadn’t believed it was real since he was a kid, but that was the magic of Pro Wrestling, it doesn’t have to be real.

“But the first Terminator has romance too. What I wouldn’t have given to be able to play Kyle Reese. I think I have more of the build of a T-800.”

"Yeah I know about that. When I was a kid and saw that movie I wanted to be Terminator and get on my bike firing off a shotgun with one arm. Fucking epic that."

Of course Viktor, being a pyromaniac, would have wanted to have thrown molotov cocktails whilst riding the Harley chopper along the freeway. Kicking some serious robotic ass along the way. An ultimate action movie.

"Do you like much of any sci-fi horror movies like Alien too? Those can be fun to watch too."

Viktor didn't find any of them scary though since that was for pussies.

Hunter was out buying some different wines from a shop out on the Plaza when he heard the question directed to him by a strange man wearing aviator shades. Also, he was adorned with a Santa hat and long red scarf. Oh, the scarf caught the singer's eye immediately as he walked over to meet the man; his bag of wine bottles chinking together in the bag.

"Hello, blomma. I do love your hat and that scarf you wear is very stylish. As for martial arts films? I don't really watch any as I prefer romance and thriller movies myself. Some adult films too."

The Swede shooting a coy glance to the man, noticing his jacket emblem and wondering what "CAGE" meant. His accent would be strong but not thick enough as to Johnny not being able to understand him.

“Thanks man. I was looking at scarfs for hours before I found the one with the green I wanted.”

If that comment wasn’t enough to set Johnny apart from all the stereotype tough guys he normally played, nothing will. At any rate, the actor put his hand for a shake and then, added.

“I can do knuckles too, if you’re more of a fist bump kind of guy.”

“But as I was saying to someone I ran into earlier, the best ‘action movies’ have everything. Laughs. Tears. Exhilarated breaths. Are you sure you just haven’t see the right kind of movies?”

"My name is Hunter, blomma. It is nice to meet another man who appreciates the wearing of scarves. Green matches you and I prefer pinks or oranges usually to match whatever I'm wearing for the day."

Hunter was a shopaholic and loved to go out clothes shopping for hours. Literally hours. Of course Gilly, his partner, was used to this by now and it was lucky he loved to shop too. The Swede giggled at the whole fist bump thing because he wasn't used to greeting people this way. Maybe it was an American thing.

"Perhaps I have not? I do love romance and thrillers though, some crime too. What would you suggest?"

“I’m Johnny.”

And he offered his hand. You could say a lot of things about this action star, but you couldn’t accuse him of not being outgoing. It was, among other things, at least part of the reason why makes it in Hollywood at all.

“Among recent big budget action films, I don’t think it gets any better than John Wick. Of course if you’re looking for a classic, the first Die Hard is always a good time and it’s low key Christmas-y.”

"Nice to meet you, Johnny. Die-Hard? I do not know if I have seen those or not. Maybe I should ask Gilly since he is good at American films more than me. I haven't hardly watched many action films."

Hunter was more into romance or even some sci-fi. Nothing wrong with a bit of Space Odyssey 2001. That HAL was fucking creepy.

"The Titanic film made me cry a lot."

It didn't take much for the Swede to cry at emotional films.

Isamu glanced up from the book he was reading nearby. “I must admit, it would likely depend on the film and the circumstances in which I would be viewing it.”

He answered honestly in a way that did not confirm or deny anything.

“However…” he raised an eyebrow at the thought. “If you are asking because you have the intent to make one, I could put you in contact a very competent stuntman, non union, who would eagerly participate in the project, regardless of the pay offered.”

He held up his PINpoint. The offer was on the table. Isamu wasn’t kidding.

Minoru would have a field day doing movie stunts, even for small parts. And he should be awake by now.

“I’m looking to get a project off the ground, yeah.”

Johnny’s eyes narrow just slightly from behind the glasses. A smile becomes a somewhat more muted look.

“And we can always use talented guys. Higher level talent in the goons brings out the best in me when we’re filming, but I don’t use a double.”

Keep it friendly Johnny’, he reminds himself. Him not being recognized was low-key annoying but anytime the words ‘stunt double’ get brought up, it rubs him a little raw.

Still. The guy probably meant nothing by it, right?

Unfortunately, Isamu was not the type of person to recognize a famous actor. Famous Nobel laureate, perhaps. But not a famous action star. Sorry there, Mister Cage.

“Oh, he could never pass as your double. The thought never crossed my mind. You have a different build, height, ethnicity, just to name a few.” Isamu clarified. He did technically say stuntman, not stunt double. “Minoru is a skilled freerunner and traceur, and an American Ninja Warrior finalist. He would make an impressive goon, should you need one with a more acrobatic style. Or simply need someone to throw out of a third story window.”

As he was talking, Isamu did text his brother to see if he was up. Night shift at the hospital meant the afternoon was basically Minoru’s early morning. But thankfully, he was.

“If you could spare a few minutes, I am certain he would enjoy the opportunity to show you what he is capable of.” He asked politely, only now realizing he hadn’t even introduced himself. Something he quickly corrected, “Oh! I am Isamu Uchiwa. Pleased to meet you.”

“You mean he can drop in if you get ahold of him? Sure. I don’t mind seeing what he’s got.”

Johnny wasn’t lying when he said that they could always use good people. It was true that some of the most dangerous stunt work was being accomplished safer and more cheaply with CGI, but not every picture had a budget for that. And if Minoru had the goods than he could pass along his name to a whole bunch of different production companies.

Isamu sent Minoru another couple of texts, and Minoru, to his credit, wasted no time in heading that way.

Isamu didn’t give away any specific details - just that someone wanted to see his parkour skills - but even without the heads up, Minoru probably would have still made an entrance. He had a habit of turning the plaza into his own personal jungle gym.

Pretty soon, a body literally vaulted itself up and over the wall. Minoru sprinted through the plaza, using the various chairs, benches and tables as everything from springboards to stepping stones. His movements were fluid, his landings precise and controlled, and his acrobatics top notch.

“Figured I’d better warm up on the way, Bro.”

He slowed to a stop next to Isamu, rolling his shoulders and shaking himself loose.

“Who wants to see…” Minoru turned to look at who had been waiting alongside his brother, and froze mid-sentence. “Woah… Johnny Cage? THE Action star, Johnny Cage?!”

"Depends on the actor that's in it. I prefer more of an adventure to martial arts though." Taylor's bundled up in a blue wool coat, heavy boots and hands in mittens sporting sharks around a travel mug steaming with the warm coffee inside.

"Though really who has time for movies when best hunts can happen while everyone is distracted by the holiday parties." Hey she's honest at least. She'd rather hang off a cliff by her fingertips than sit in a packed movie theater where the AC is on full blast.

“What about Johnny Cage?”

He had to float his name out there. Johnny was starting to get used to the idea that he wasn’t terribly famous in the multiverse, but he wasn’t above fishing for the possibility of a compliment.

“I mean … lots of people? October through the end of December isn’t quite as busy a time of years as the summer, but there’s lots of awards pictures that come out this time of year if dramas are you thing and Marvel has made some big money with late in the year releases.”

"I don't think I've heard of him. Though really I don't watch many movies to be honest. Hard to watch them when you're planning an excavation of some long lost temple." She shrugged. "So pop culture, is something I may fail a little at sorry. Is he really good?" Sorry Cage! She really has no idea who you are.

"Yeah, see October through March I'm usually either on a treasure hunt or surfing off Australia's coasts." Taylor chuckled nervously. "I think the last actual movie I saw of any kind, was Silver Lining playbook, and only because it was played on the flight from Honolulu to Tokyo, and I was mostly reading and translating the journal of a Chinese pirate from turn of the century."

He comes off as the kind of guy she avoids, but his question piques her interest with more than a little ease. She's dressed in military gear, fur around the collar and hood that hides her ponytail and keeps her cozy; she's clearly not about appearance, though she holds herself well. Most women don't have a shape like her, with thick legs and thighs and muscle invisible beneath the jacket -- still, she holds herself in such a way that it can be assumed.

"I suppose I would, depending. I'm surprised Jean Claude Van Damme hasn't done one yet." She wipes at her chin, a phantom itch from the cold breeze. "I don't watch a lot of movies, though."

The confession is sheepish in person where it would've been less awkward if over text on a phone or from a distance. The cool air creates a slight fog when she exhales, but she seems to be plenty into the conversation.

"Why? You a producer or something? I don't run cheap." She assumes her reputation speaks for itself.

… On the subject of Holiday Specials …

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