The Legacy

[CD's Old Account]

Friday, December 20th

The holiday season is upon us once again, Thanksgiving has passed, Christmas is coming up, New Years Eve and Day are closer than you'd care to think - most everyone in the world is looking forward to a few days off work and spending time with loved ones. Most everyone. Corey Black, however, sits alone in the main living quarters of his castle in Denmark, The Dethfort. a raging fire burns before him in his fireplace, a tall Christmas tree illuminates the corner behind him, but Corey seems disconnected. Emotionless, if not that then just sad. Oblivious to it all. He has pictures in his hand, from days gone by. Early days of WCF with his friends. Too many to name, none are in his life anymore though. One by one, Corey tosses these pictures into the fire, until he gets to one of Torture and himself. Corey just stares at this picture, some of the best years of his life. Finally he throws it in, burning the paper and destroying the picture in sadness.

Lights on the Christmas tree flicker, catching Corey's attention out of the corner of his eye. Corey stands up from his chair, and goes to check the power supply. It's plugged in and fine, the flicker happens again. Puzzled, Corey takes a step back and the tree begins shaking, the ornaments almost coming off. Confused and a little afraid, Corey takes another step back until a ghostly apparition comes out of the Christmas tree. Just a torso, head and arms, no legs, the body trails off and turns into a tail almost.

Ghost
Corey Black, I am one of the Ghosts of WCF Past.

Corey Black
Nate? Is that you?

Nate Nytro
Uh ... yeah. It is.

Corey Black
What the fuck, you're not dead.

Nate Nytro
That isn't the point. You've got a big match coming up in a few days, and you're not ready for it.

Corey Black
No?

Nate Nytro
No, not even close. You've never been able to beat Torture. I've never been able to beat him. Nobody has been able to put this guy away. We were a tripod, Corey, we know best. You are not in the right state of mind to be going one on one with your former best friend.

Corey Black
Bullshit Nate, I'm more than ready. I've waited a year for this moment. Did you see what I did to Jay Price a week ago? Child's play.

Nate Nytro
You're comparing Torture to Jay Price when you know damn well Torture jobberkilled that clown last year?

Corey Black
Well no, not really, but Jay Price is at least a little bit relevant. Without me, Torture would still be in obscurity playing company executive somewhere.

Nate Nytro
Look man, I was there in the early days. I've seen you both in your prime.

Corey Black
Oh Nate, no you haven't. You've seen Torture in his prime. You haven't seen me in mine. I haven't seen you for years man, how do you know anything?

Nate Nytro
I don't need to be around, I'm a Ghost of WCF Past. I know everything.

Corey Black
No, you don't Nate. You up and left just like Torture did. You're nowhere to be found. We were supposed to rule the wrestling world Nate, you and Torture and I, but you vanished without a trace. Hell, I've heard from Torture more in the last five years than I have from you.

Nate Nytro
That's not the point, bro. You can't beat the unbeatable. You can't.. beat.. the unbeatable..

Nate's ghost gets sucked back into the Christmas tree, but it spits out another. Corey Black is taken by surprise again, confused as to why this is all happening to him.

Doctor Gonz0
Prick.

Corey Black
Really, you?

Doctor Gonz0
Who did you expect?

Corey Black
Someone a bit more relevant to my life, if you're Ghosts of WCF Past. You were in WCF for one match. And you lost. To Torture.

Doctor Gonz0
That's why I'm here, kid. I'm here to tell you that you can't win.

Corey Black
Coming from a jackass in a blue football uniform, I don't think I care.

Doctor Gonz0
Do you want to go one on one with me - NON-TITLE - little man?

Corey Black
Jesus Christ, yes. I'll fight you.

Doctor Gonz0
Exactly my point. You're content with just fighting anyone. I saw your infancy, Corey. You were nothing but a jobber in XCW while I was the best that place has seen. You grew when you got to WCF, but not as much as Torture. He's better than you are, he's going to spin you around and probably laugh the whole time.

Corey Black
Are you fucking high, dude? I'm Corey Black, Creeping Death, and everything in between. You're an old sonofabitch with superiority complex. You don't know shit about beating people, you don't know shit about Torture, and you don't know shit about me.

Doctor Gonz0
Enough of this jibba jabba, you won't win.

Just like Nate, the ghost of Doctor Gonz0 is sucked back into the tree, causing it to shake and flicker. Corey stands there in front of the tree, completely dumbfounded. He grabs a dark gray hoodie to put on, sliding it over his Battlecross t-shirt and throwing the hood up. Again, though, the tree shakes and out comes another ghostly apparition.

Steve Carr
You, CD.

Corey Black
You're not dead either!

Steve Carr
Don't you get the entire point of this? We don't need to be dead, we're here to tell you that you can't beat Torture.

Corey Black
The third fucking Christmas tree ghost to tell me that today. What's your story?

Steve Carr
I may be one of three people to truly see your entire career. I gave you your very first big break in wrestling, I put you in the match where you won your very first World Championship, I came here and I'm the reason why you have XIII. Face it man, I have been there for the biggest moments of your life. And even I know you can't win this match at One.

Corey Black
Look dude, you're right about some shit. My big break was in NCW, winning the Cruiserweight Title Tournament in my first three matches, going on to win the NCW World Title, XIII, everything. But you're wrong about me losing to Torture.

Steve Carr
You know I'm not wrong, Corey, that's the true problem here. We're trying to get through to you do you don't feel bad when you do lose. We don't want it to break you, we don't want you to leave WCF again. This is your home.

Corey Black
Is it Steve? I look around the locker room and I see like three dudes that give a damn about me, and the rest are piles of feces. Sarah Twilight runs this place like Hitler, Eric Price is too much of a prick for his own good, the newbies are all self-absorbed attention whores. And then you have the older guys like Gravedigger and Logan who don't have the heart I do anymore. I'm a dying breed, Steve. There's nobody around like me. The fans are appreciative, but my peers don't care. They're all too caught up in trying to get themselves over than to give a damn about all the things I have sacrificed, all the things I have done to keep WCF alive and running so they even have these jobs, this place to wrestle. Torture is the worst of all. He's a gloryhog, he's not worthy of a spot in the Hall of Fame. He beat Jay Price to get in, HE HAS TO BEAT ME FOR ME TO GIVE A FUCK ABOUT HIM.

Steve Carr
I know, Corey. It won't happen, though.

Corey Black
WHY STEVE?! Why can't I beat Torture?!

Steve Carr
I can't tell you why, I can only tell you that you can't.

Corey Black
You motherfu-

The ghost of Steve Carr is sucked back into the tree, Corey almost unleashing an elbow on the ectoplasmic entity. He's about had it with this Ghost of WCF Past crap, so he kicks his tree over. The tall tree lands on the cold stone floor of the castle, but then it stands right back up, lights flickering. Another ghost emerges from the tree.

Corey Black
Now I know you're not here right now..

Hellz Angel
You little fuck.

Corey Black
What did I do to deserve to be here in YOUR presence?

Hellz Angel
You couldn't beat me you asshole. You never pinned my shoulders to the mat for the three because you're not good enough. You never beat me, you never beat Logan, and you won't beat Torture.

Corey Black
FIRST OF ALL, I've beat both you AND Logan. I'm pretty sure they were both Casket Matches, too, do don't give me any of that crap. I pinned Logan in my second offical match in WCF,and I'm going to pin Torture at One.

Hellz Angel
Haha, right you are kid. You're going to pin him just as easy as you packed your bags and left WCF. You're not loyal, you're doing the exact same thing you accuse Torture of doing - you're just wrestling somewhere else. That's even worse.

Corey Black
Really, is it? The fans know where they can find me. The wrestlers here in WCF that aren't total pricks know where to find me. I'm just a text message away if they need my help. Pantheon? Cryogenix? Do these names ring a bell, old timer?

Hellz Angel
They do, and it also rings the bell of Corey Black doing whatever he wants because he knows he can't get it done on his own anymore. You can't compete with the new WCF and you can't beat Torture, Corey. Face the facts.

Corey Black
You're a piece of shit, Hellz. I actually buy that you're dead.

Hellz Angel's ghost suffers the same fate as the last ghosts, back into the tree with no warning. Corey is furious now, after seeing all these ghosts come out and tell him he can't beat Torture. Who are they to tell him anything? Who do they think they are? Another one emerges, the tree shakes in a most violent way. Different than the others. The ghost comes out and almost floors Corey Black.

Creeping Death
You're not going to win, Corey.

Floating above Corey Black is a ghostly Creeping Death, himself, more or less. Corey's eyes widen and his jaw drops.

Creeping Death
You don't have to believe anybody else, but believe me. Torture is going to beat you in a few days and all you can do is accept it.

Nothing from Corey. He's too shocked.

Creeping Death
As soon as you accept your fate, you too will open your eyes and see the truth. I've been with you since you were a boy, Corey, I know how you are. You can't get it done in big matches. Reckless Jack at One? Lost. Five man gauntlet? Lost. You've beat Rick Mad and Odin Balfore, impressed you beat Odin to be honest, but he's no Torture. You've known Tort for way too long to take this so lightly. He beat Jay Price like he was nothing in his last match -

Corey Black
- so did I! -

Creeping Death
- but that was at XIII, this is ONE. You can't win big matches and you can't defend belts. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. You're dense if you think Torture won't beat you. He beat Slickie T at One, man. Nobody beats Slickie, ESPECIALLY not at One. You're doomed.

Corey Black
No, fuck you. This is my time to shine. It might be twelve years too late, but it's my match to win. I'm not going to let all this crap get me down. Try to deflate me all you want, whatever the fuck you are, you're not going to do it. I'm going to fly my ass to Los Angeles and kick Torture's ass for myself and for every single fan that watched us over those years. I'm going to beat his ass for the boys and girls in the back, for every single wrestler that was frustrated because he just kept pulling out wins from his ass. I'm not fighting for me, I'm fighting for everyone.

Creeping Death
That's not enough. You have to fight for yourself. Break free from the shadow.

Corey Black
Me? Break from his shadow? The world knows Torture was in MY shadow his entire career. You say his name, and you think of me. You say mine and you think of WCF. Greatness isn't achieved by the names you run with, it's what you do with your time. Torture getting into the Hall of Fame isn't because he was the best, or because he won a lot. It's because he was always associated with me and he is perceived as some great, grand wrestler because I couldn't beat him. When you always beat the best, you're going to be seen as the best. That's what pisses me off. I'm mad that he rode my wave to glory and I'm pissed off that he won't accept it. He moved on from WCF, he went off to run his clothing company and one hundred percent ditched me from his life.

Creeping Death
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.

Corey Black
This guy turned his back on me at least three times, we built dynasties and he made them come crumbling down at his own whim because he was bored. He couldn't handle being a friend then and he can't now. He's always been this way, hasn't he?

Creeping Death
Bingo.

Corey Black
Jesus Christ, I ... he's always been a prick, I just overlooked it.

Creeping Death
Ten out of ten times, Torture was the bad guy. He just spins it and makes you look bad. He blames you for not calling, he blames you for not being there, when in fact he's the one that has always done this to you.

Corey Black
Man. I just kept on believing he'd change. I wanted my friend back. He's always been the enemy. Never once was Torture my friend, he was always using me to get his ultimate goal - immortality. Torture's name will always be in the history books, new people will always know about him - his name will never die. And it's all because of me. He used me, abused me, and then dumped me when he was done.

The ghost of Creeping Death is sucked back into the tree, having done its job. Corey Black is slowly realizing the situations presented to him by the ghosts themselves. Corey drops down to his knees, suddenly aware of his entire career.

Jonny Fly
Dude, get up.

The ghost of Jonny Fly has come from the tree, this time without much fanfare. The tree itself didn't shake much at all, Fly just slipped on out. Corey stands up and sort of smiles at this ghost.

Corey Black
Alright, now I know someone is playing a trick on me.

Jonny Fly
Kinda. In a weird way, I suppose someone is. Torture is, he's pulling the wool over your eyes. You know you can beat this guy.

Corey Black
I know I can, and I will.

Jonny Fly
Weeell let's not get ahead of ourselves. See, I know you can beat him. You know you can beat him. But you won't yet. There's still one more thing you need to be shown.

Corey Black
Ugh motherfucker, what is it this time?

Jonny Fly
Reality. Open your eyes and see what is in front of you, and what is behind. Pantheon was great. We got to jobberkill Doc Henry and Synn. We beat Waylon Cash and Steve Orbit. We ruled the division and the company.

Corey Black
And you didn't stab me in the back when you left.

Jonny Fly
Not even once.

Corey Black
I still get texts from you.

Jonny Fly
And I'm getting you coffee cakes for Christmas.

Corey Black
So, what you're saying is - you're a real friend. Friendships aren't about backstabbing bullshit. You made your own name for yourself in WCF, then I joined up with Pantheon and you didn't once turn your back on me.

Jonny Fly
Torture sucks dicks, dude. He's worse than Kate Winslet. You beat her ass, you're going to beat his.

And with that, Jonny Fly's ghost flies back into the tree. It shakes and quivers, the lights flicker and die. The tree itself bursts into flames, but Corey doesn't rush to put it out. He simply unplugs the lights from the wall and lets the tree go. Stone won't burn, the tree will burn itself out. No, instead Corey walks back to the fireplace which has now stopped burning. The photo of he and Torture is still visible - half, anyway. Torture's half has burnt away and turned to ash, while Corey still remains. He smiles to himself and takes his seat back on his couch. This is where we fade.

Sunday, December 22nd

Los Angeles, California around 3pm. The Staples Center is the location tonight for One, where a plethora of great matches take place. Outside the arena, a black SUV rolls into the performer-parking area. Corey Black steps out with a backpack, greeting the very dedicated WCF fans that stand behind the arena and try to catch a glimpse of their favorite wrestlers. Corey waves as he walks toward the door, with a big smile on his face. He's wearing a black hoodie and green cargo pants, nothing too special, but Corey is Corey. He won't dress up, even for One. As soon as the door closes behind him, though, Corey's smile is gone. Instead, he's focused and ready for a fight. There's a giant chart set up backstage, showing where the locker rooms are. Men to the left, women to the right, Corey Black is straight through. This is one of the perks of being a Hall of Fame wrestler for WCF, working twelve years. Walking through the halls and not making eye contact with anyone, Corey makes his way straight to his locker room. Inside, he places his bag down and finds a note.

Corey.
Please go to the interview area of the arena as soon as you arrive. We're taping promos for the preshow and we'd like you to do one about your match and One. Thanks.
- Sarah

A chuckle from Corey as he crumples the paper and tosses it aside. Always busy in WCF. Never a chance to just breathe. As such, Corey throws his hood over his head and leaves his locker room, heading for the interview area. It's a WCF banner backdrop with green lights coming in from the top. Corey stands in front of the banner and waits for the cameraman's signal.

Corey Black
January 13th of this year, I challenged Torture to a match for One. Here we are, in Torture's hometown, on the grandest stage of them all. We aren't the main event, but in many eyes we are. We're not going on last but we may as well be. This is far more than eleven months in the making, it's years upon years. I've been shunned from Torture's life for the last three years, the only time I see him is when he wants the spotlight. He was the referee in my match with Odin Balfore at One. Why? Because he couldn't take the fact that I was finally in the main event and I didn't need him. He had a match with Jay Price last year. Why? Because Torture wanted in the Hall of Fame, and the only way Seth would let him in was if he beat Jay. I didn't need some bullshit ultimatum match to get into the Hall. I worked my ass off, I beat the best WCF had to offer night in and night out, and I was recognized. I spent eight years bleeding WCF to get into the Hall of Fame, and Torture couldn't handle it. He always has to be better. He can't just let me have one.

Nine days ago I dropped Torture on his head at XIII. Before that, I took Jay Price's finger and hit him with the hardest lariat known to mankind. This was nine days ago, Torture. Before that, you had to pull a sneak attack to get one over on me. You deserved every last ounce of that Burning Hammer, and you deserve every last elbow I am going to be giving you tonight.

Oh, that one is new, isn't it? You don't know about the elbow. Ha, man, you're in for a world of shit. See, while you are off making millions of dollars by selling douche-tank-tops and way-too-tight-shorts, I wrestle week in and week out. I have built this elbow up to legendary status. You're going to be looking left and I'll elbow your head to the right. I'm only giving you this warning as a way for you to catch up on the last few years of my life, lord knows you couldn't drop a simple text and ask what's up. You sit on your ass in an office for eighty percent of your life, I spend ninety nine of mine inside a ring.

I didn't want it to come to this. I didn't mean for the animosity, but you forced my hand. I have no choice but to resent you, man, and it sucks. I don't want your excuses, or an apology or anything from you. I just want your dignity, I want your blood, and I want you to suffer, Jaxxon. I want you to step back into obscurity knowing full well that you were defeated by Corey Black at One. I want it to eat at you, to tear your stomach to shreds, and then I want you to realize what you've done to me. The friendship, the brotherhood, thrown away because you felt that business was better than professional wrestling - until you can gain some kind of accolade, then you're back with bells on.

One is tonight, Jaxxon. If you're even half the man you claim you are, you'll put up a decent fight. If you're the man I think you are, you're going to be Burning Hammered right through the ring again. Torture, the bells will toll tonight at One. They're going to toll for you.

Corey stares into the camera until the cameraman says he has his shot, and Corey still doesn't move. His intensity is over the top. Soon he snaps out of it, shakes his head and thanks the cameraman for his duty before heading back toward his locker room. He arrives and unzips his bag, pulling out his black and red elbow pad. Corey slides it over his arm into position on his right elbow, giving it a few taps to really get it positioned well. Corey laughs to himself knowing full well this may be the biggest match he's ever had in WCF.