Post by "Iron Heart" Ethan King on Mar 18, 2016 20:49:02 GMT -5
PRIDE BEFORE THE FALL
Ethan King grabbed at the golden-white mask that clung over his face upon reaching the backstage area after The Pride’s successful attack on the #BeachKrew. He couldn’t even hear his footsteps over the roar of the crowd, still booing after the events that had transpired mere moments ago.
Eddie Felt: That was some hype shit, man.
After finally pulling off his mask, he gave a glance towards his fellow Pride teammate and smiled confidently, although the feeling inside was very much different.
Ethan King: You know it, dude. We’re on the up and up, nothing’s going to hold us down.
The words came out, yet they didn’t sound real to him. If he couldn’t even convince himself that what they just did was right, then who would ever be able to believe in him? His feet shuffled forward, eyes leveled at the locker room that was fast approaching them. He shot another sidelong glance toward Eddie, who still donned the lizard mask he had worn to the arena.
Ethan King: I’m… I’m going to go get my shit together. We’ll leave in a bit, yeah?
Eddie Felt: No problem, man.
Ethan nodded, although something seemed to be bothering him.
Ethan King: Uhh… do you know where Griff went?
Eddie Felt: No clue.
The heads of the two men cranked back and forth for a few seconds, as if trying to catch a glimpse of where their friend may have disappeared to, after searching in vain, they shrugged in unison.
Ethan King: He’ll pop up somewhere. I’ll catch you in a bit.
Not even waiting for a response, he pivoted on one foot, turning away from Eddie and making his way to the locker room. He reached a bench and crumpled down onto it, his feet planting heavily on the concrete as his knees stretched outward. He reached underneath the bench for the bag he had brought with him to the arena. His outstretched hand reached into the muddle of items and latched onto a towel.
He wiped away at his face, before hanging the towel over his head, which he pulled backward as he looked upward to the ceiling, mouth agape. Ethan’s breathing had begun to calm down, yet the dubious thoughts and feelings were still there, swimming within him. Recent events still processed through his mind and made it all seem far too real.
“I am the #BeachKrew genocidist.”
Those words cut out above the rest, the image flashed before him, the three limp bodies, the smug look on the face of the champion, and then after it all… the devastating effect of the steel chair on the face of the former World Champion, Wade Moor.
He was there for it all.
He was a part of this.
But the thought that loomed over him made him wonder…
Did he want to play role in this? How right could it be, to blindside three men who had done nothing to garner your attention before this very moment… all at the whim of another man?
If Flash was the #BeachKrew genocidist…
Then what did that make him?
IF I LOOK BACK… I AM LOST.
“Hey, Cormack. It’s nice to meet you, dude. I’m Ethan King, the guy who you’ll soon realize will be taking the WCF by storm, along with the rest of The Pride.
Bold claim, I know. But that’s what this is all about, right? Coming into the federation with a chip on your shoulder, ready to take some names, ready to stake your claim to greatness. Ready to cement yourself as one of the top dudes in the organization. That’s what I’m about. That’s what The Pride are about.
It’s all about climbing the ladder one rung at a time, but this isn’t what we’re doing now… is it?
We’re like shooting stars, firing off into space with no regrets, no doubt, no fear. Only hype. In under a month, we’ve come in and made sure that all eyes are on us.
That all eyes are on The Pride.
That the world is watching.
But that’s not who you are, is it… Cormack?
Now, don’t get me wrong. That’s not a bad thing. I’ve been watching you, man. I’ve looked at all the work you’ve put in, and it’s honestly pretty refreshing to see a straight up humble guy like yourself, doing the best he can in a world filled with sharks and predators, with swords and storms, with legions and castles.
You’re just an average guy trying to make a name for himself, and I can respect that. I can get behind that. Hell, you’re one of the few guys I can actually look at and say I generally LIKE. Considering the amount of scumbags and assholes that step in here every day.
But that doesn’t mean Eddie and I aren’t going to put you down, man.
You see, there’s a few things that have come to my attention, through watching you.
You’ve let down the fans before. You’re Cormack MacNeill, the number one contender to the International Championship, a title held by the RENOWNED Dag Riddik, AKA Adam Cooper.
Do you see what I’m getting at, here?
Just a few weeks ago, you were the guy trying to call Logan out for being a joke, for being someone that doesn’t deserve any respect, and while that may be true…
You failed to put him away.
You failed to pick up the W.
What’s with that, man?
What’re you going to do? Blame your A-Grade partner in Steve Orbit? A living legend?
You couldn’t get the job done, man. You put it all on the line and failed to come away with the goods, and while I could see all the effort you put into trying to make something happen, in the end… it didn’t go your way.
You couldn’t get the job done.
And now you’re stepping straight into the lions den, a far more deadly situation than the one you were faced with in that match. This isn’t Logan and Adam Cooper you’re coming up against, these are two of the fastest rising stars in the WCF that you’re stepping into that squared circle with.
Forget The Family, forget Dag Riddik. This week? You’re not coming up against a joke squad, but it seems you’ve been fitted with one for a partner. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that in a bit. Trust me.
But for real man, how you going to step up before the world and call your opponents out for being “jokes”, then lose the match anyway? What were you expecting to come of that? You tried to shoot them down and immediately ate your words just a few days later, and for what?
Like I said man, I don’t dislike you. I don’t want to disrespect you, but with the way you’ve been acting recently, it starts to make me wonder just how big the problem is that we’re dealing with here. Look at the landscape of the WCF, look at all the threats looming in the distance.
Like I said before, there are legions out there ready to take control of the entire federation, if nobody takes a stand.
If nobody is willing to step up and make a challenge.
If the ones defending the honour of this place is guys like you? Then I’m worried for the future man, I seriously am. Because at the moment? You don’t have enough of that fire within you to take it to the best around. Maybe it’s just a lack of motivation, maybe you just haven’t got the heart to make it in the big leagues, but you’re floundering, man.
Your head is just above the water, meekly floating above the harsh waves.
You couldn’t take out The Family?
Then how in the world do you expect to deal with us?
Don’t get me wrong man, I know you’re going to step into that ring and give us a challenge. You aren’t the type of guy to back away from something like that, I’ve seen and heard everything you’ve said in regards to Dag. I know your true intentions, you want to take that International Championship and make something of it, you want to elevate that shit and make it better than ever before.
You want to wash the taste of Dag Riddik as a champion out of everyone’s mouths and make it clear that this is a belt worth respecting, but even though I can see where you’re coming from… I can also see through your act.
You don’t just want to be a “true” International Champion.
You want people to SEE you as a champion.
You’re tired of hanging around in the lower card, having to team up with guys such as Nagasaki, who don’t even seem to give a fuck about the people who tune in to watch our shows each and every week, who want to watch the best of the best compete, all for a chance to show why they deserve to be crowned as a champion.
You want to use the International Championship to propel yourself to heights you’ve never seen before, but even with that goal in mind, you’re still lacking the necessary requirements to ever reach that level.
What I’m saying… is that you don’t have what it takes, man.
And I know, because I’ve been there before.
Not long ago, I was in a position extremely similar to yours. Granted, I was far younger than you are now at the time, but there’s still the similarities there.
I was so insecure, so fearful of everything that surrounded me, I just wanted people to understand that I wasn’t simply a product for their entertainment. That I was actually WORTH being respected, that I was good enough to be recognized as one of the best.
But people didn’t appreciate what I gave them.
They didn’t appreciate all the hours of hard work and dedication, they don’t give a fuck about that man.
The people don’t care.
The competitors don’t care.
The higher-ups don’t care.
It’s all bullshit.
And I’ll admit, it tore me apart for so long, I got angry.
I got real angry.
And that’s what I can slowly see starting to happen to you, man. I see a humble guy who wants to prove to the world that he has what it takes, but juts isn’t getting the opportunities. And even when he does, he fails to make use of them.
It’s sad.
That’s why we’re here now, Cormack. We’re here to pull you back into the right direction, because I truly do want to see you succeed. I want to see you walk into Explosion and tear that International Title right off of Dag Riddik, hoist it high up into the sky, and watch as everyone cheers you on, before you propel that belt to a place higher than its ever been before.
But at the moment?
That’s just not going to happen.
You need to change, you need something that’s going to motivate you to become better than ever before, something that’s going to inspire you to work harder and achieve things that you never saw happening previously.
We want to make you great, man.
We want to give you the kick up the ass that’s going to light the spark, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
On Slam, we’re going to have a clean match. It’s going to be a great contest, where we show you exactly why we’re approaching stardom. It’ll be where you come to the realization that there’s things you need to work on, there’s thing that can make you better.
We’re the guys that’re going to make you great, man.
You’re good already, but only through true defeat will you ever be able to build up that fire in your belly, the thing that going to help you push through into the upper-echelon of this federation. That’s what we want to see of you, that’s what The Pride wants to see of EVERYONE that’s been stuck down here, watching as those same idiots and scumbags that criticized them sit near the top of the mountain and laugh at everyone that isn’t “good enough” to step into the same league as them.
I’m personally over that shit.
And that’s why we’re going to do what we do.
And personally?
I can’t wait.
See you Sunday, Cormack."
ALL EYES ON ME
Lights flashed and music blared, the night sky beamed with the bright beacon of light that illuminated the dark – the moon. But the beauty of the night seemed completely overrun by the chanting and screaming of the young adults that had swarmed into the Real Sudoku Hours college campus, ready to party.
Ethan King couldn’t help but smile at the sheer scale of the party, he had a cup of water in one hand, which he sipped upon contentedly. An indefinite amount of time had passed since the parties start, but one thing was for certain – it hadn’t slowed down in the slightest. Energetic teenagers still flooded into the premise, drinks and food still flew through the building and outdoor areas as if there were an unlimited supply.
Numerous times that night, Ethan had received inviting looks from elegantly dressed girls, most of them younger than him. He had declined there requests politely, the looming thought of his girlfriend, Cara Segreti, in the back of his mind. Just another person to worry about, at least in his eyes.
But tonight wasn’t the night for worrying, tonight was meant to be a celebration.
For him, for The Pride.
For their introduction into the WCF.
Ethan felt himself crashing back into reality as a hand gripped lightly down upon his shoulder, he swung around in a surprised manner, to see his roommate Miguel Myles staring at him, wide-eyed.
Miguel Myles: Dude, how quickly did this shit take off?
Ethan smiled, but said nothing. He observed his friend momentarily, trying to gauge whether or not he was drunk or not, Miguel quickly continued.
Miguel Myles: When’re you going to come up and give a speech?
Ethan King: What speech?
Miguel Myles: A speech for everyone here, dude! We all gathered for you, Eddie and Gabriel. Although you’re the only one here… do you even know where they are?
Ethan King: Grif... I mean Gabriel… said he had something to do tonight. I don’t know about Eddie, he might check in later, I guess? What’s the time?
Miguel Myles: 11:45, fifteen minutes away from your big speech.
Ethan King: Dude, I’m not giving a speech.
Miguel gave a bellowing laugh, and slapped Ethan on the chest multiple times in rapid succession.
Miguel Myles: Yes you are. Besides, you’re like the only sober guy in here besides me. Nobody’s going to give a shit what you say, as long as you get up there.
Ethan King: Look… I’ll think about it, alright?
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, he saw Miguel’s mouth open to speak, he quickly interjected:
Ethan King: One second.
He whipped out his phone from his right jean pocket, and glanced at the screen curiously. He frowned slightly at the name that popped up before him. He smiled apologetically to Miguel, before starting to back out through the exit door a few metres behind them.
Ethan King: Sorry man, I’ve got to take this.
Miguel Myles: But… but what about the speech?!
Ethan King: I’ll come back if I got time.
And with that, he shut the door. Leaving the “sober” Miguel Myles to explain exactly why The Pride’s Ethan King would not be making an appearance for his long awaited speech.
THE VICTOR’S CRY
“On Sunday, warriors will step into battle, looking to build even more momentum heading into Explosion. The Family will face off against The Sentinels and get absolute blown out- I mean have an epic back and forth bout that will be sure to entertain the WCF Universe.
The #BeachKrew are pitted against a thrown together team that’ll most likely fail thanks to a certain Kat Phoenix and Shadowlove.
A living legend in Steve Orbit will face off against Raymond Hatcher, with our esteemed leader himself officiating the match.
And just a little further down the card, you got the new rookie sensations, Eddie Felt and Ethan King, facing off against the potential future International Champion and…
And…
Uhh…
Nagasaki.
Now would be a better time than any, I guess. Come on guys, say it with me.
L
O
L
But really dude, what’s up with you? You’ve been thrown a match against the hottest new thing in the WCF and you haven’t even spoken a word about it, you haven’t even acknowledged that fact that you’ve been tossed as a sacrificial lamb, whose only service is to boost the credibility of the new guys that are looking to take the federation and turn it on its head.
Sorry man, but that’s the cold hard truth. That’s a reality that you seem yet to accept, evident by the way you act around here. The way you disgrace the whole federation by throwing together these convoluted “promos” that serve no purpose other than to fill the WCF up with the eternal bullshit that seems to plague this place.
Seriously, you got fuckwits like Zombie McMorris talking a bunch of mean shit and then getting #rekt #shrekt #murkt by my boy Griff, and then you got guys like you who spent hours upon hours searching for fucking food.
Literally.
That’s what one of your entire promos consisted off, I cut the feed after that. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
THIS is what we’re being faced with?
THIS is what we have to compete against?
Hell, you would’ve been better of throwing Cormack into a handicap match against us. Granted, he still would’ve gotten his ass kicked, and we still would’ve given him the motivation he needs to absolutely white-wash Dag Riddik and allow us to forget that guy ever hold a fucking title in his company, but still… man.
Nagasaki?
Seriously?
And now that begs the question, what in the world is going on with this federation’s talent pool? You’ve got guys like Joey Flash, Dune, Wade Moor, Steve Orbit and the like dominating at the top of the ladder, and then you drop down just a few fucking runs and you get guys like Dag Riddik and Nagasaki.
It’s sad man, it really is. And it annoys me that a guy as good as Cormack is going to have to get weighed down by a F-Grade partner such as yourself, somebody that’s not going to put the effort in to help him. After all, he kicked your ass the last time you two faced off, didn’t he?
What, you think I’d forget about that?
No fucking chance.
Already, you can clearly see this is a team that’s going to get nowhere. Sure, they’re not an OFFICIALY team, but for one night and one night only, you’re going to see Cormack and “The Great” Nagasaki team together, only to fall in vain to The Pride, who not only curb stomp them into oblivion (obliviondancing.gif) but have to watch as Nagasaki flounders around and fails to help out the guy that in reality, should be much higher up the card than this.
Cormack MacNeill in the second match of the night? What the fuck is happening?
But I mean, we can already see where this match is going to go, this is some of that WWE level booking we’re about to watch go down, for real.
The Pride ruin Nagasaki.
The Pride ruin Nagasaki some more.
Cormack will try and help Nagasaki.
Nagasaki will fucking suck, like always.
Nagasaki will leave the ring, making Cormack fend for himself.
PRIDEWINSLOL
Damn, just predicted this shit and I did it without even having to think for half a minute. This is literally what we’re going to have to deal with on Sunday. Remember when I said Cormack would be better off being in a handicap match? (Continuity, bitches.)
Well, that’s what’s going to end up happening anyway. I foreshadowed this shit and none of you even realized it, and now I’m seeing into the future and realizing that this guy Nagasaki just can’t hold a candle to any of that guys that are stepping into that ring on Sunday.
He got bodied by Cormack.
He’ll get bodied by The Pride.
And then he’ll probably go face off against Adam Young, and still managed to get bodied.
The Pride is a cohesive unit, a well-oiled machine that’s going to take it to both Cormack and Nagasaki and leave them wondering why they even showed up to the arena. That’s not a knock on Cormack, by the way. That’s just the way things go, and like I said, it’s going to be a great learning experience for him, and I hope he goes on to achieve great things here.
But that’s just the way this shits going to go down, man.
You guys aren’t going to be able to put your differences asides, you aren’t going to be able to work together for a long enough stretch to give us any sort of challenge, Nagasaki isn’t capable of that. And in all honesty? If Cormack couldn’t get the job done with a guy like Steve Orbit, then how far do you expect him to get with a lumbering piece of shit like Nagasaki?
It’s not even worth calling this guy a joke, because that would just be overplayed.
But even then, I’m still going to call him a fucking joke, because that’s what he is.
He’s a guy who doesn’t give enough of a fuck to even provide the WCF Universe, people that have literally paid to watch his ass flop around like a virtual punching bag, a show worth watching.
And that? That’s something that’s really unforgivable.
On Sunday, The Pride steps into the ring with one guy they respect, and another guy they’re going to absolutely body, a guy who will most likely do his best to leave his partner high and dry.
And that, my friends, is one sad story.
Good luck on Sunday guys.
You’re really gonna need it."
THE PHONE CALL
Ethan stepped out of the building, allowing him a small amount of reprieve from the music that continued to blast throughout the room which had previously left his ears ringing. Upon leaving the building and his friend Miguel Myles, he slid his finger over the phone screen and brought it up to his ears, it was only now that he noticed light rain pattering against his skin. Almost as soothing as the voice that came through the phone.
Cara Segreti: Ethan, are you there?
He smiled to himself, although still somewhat confused.
Ethan King: Yeah, I’m here. I didn’t know you were going to have the time to call me.
Cara Segreti: Oh please, you think I don’t know what was going on tonight?
Ethan King: I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.
He felt defeated already.
Cara Segreti: I certainly couldn’t see all the flyers posted around the city, telling the entire world that there was a party happening right on campus.
Ethan King: Goddamn it, Miguel.
Cara Segreti: Hey, don’t blame him. You were the one who lied to me, remember?
Ethan King: That wasn’t what I was trying to do
He could already hear the sarcastic note rising in her voice, even over the phone he could imagine her raising an eyebrow curiously, almost mockingly.
Cara Segreti: What were you trying to do, then?
Time to put on the damage control.
Ethan King: I just… I knew you were working hard and had a heap of stuff due, plus you just got back from vacation and I didn’t want to stress you out. Miguel told me about the party last week, basically left me with no choice but to go with it, you know what I’m saying?
Cara Segreti: Look, you don’t need to explain. I was joking, for the most part. There was something else I needed to tell you about, something more important.
He gave a relieved sigh – one that he hoped Cara could hear.
Ethan King: Okay, what did you want to talk about?
He thought he could almost hear her chuckling already.
Cara Segreti: I talked to your sister the other day.
Ethan cursed inwardly, ever since they had begun dating around two years ago, his sister Kylie had taken a huge liking towards Cara. It wasn’t long before she had become what was basically an older sister to Kylie, who had never had anyone else to look up to other than Ethan.
Their close relationship almost guaranteed that Cara would’ve received word about Ethan and Kylie’s conversation last week, where the tension between the two of them had risen slightly. Ethan pursed his lips together uncertainly.
Ethan King: And… what did she say?
Cara Segreti: She told me you haven’t visited them in a while.
Ethan King: I’ve been busy, yeah? You know that.
Cara Segreti: Yes… I also know that you’ve been “busy” spending time with Eddie, Gabriel and Miguel, as well as all your other friends. Getting ready for your big chance to wrestle. Is that all that’s been on your mind, recently? Is that all you care about?
Ethan King: No…
Cara Segreti: Family’s important, Ethan.
Ethan King: I know that!
Cara Segreti: Don’t get angry, I’ve already organized a remedy.
Ethan King: What?
Cara Segreti: You, me, Kylie and your Father are going to meet up next week, isn’t that wonderful?
Ethan King: What?!
Cara Segreti: You already said that.
Ethan King: I know.
She let out a sweet little laugh.
Cara Segreti: Don’t worry, it’s going to be fantastic. A wonderful dinner in the light of the moon, taking in the crisp night air as we-
Ethan King: Okay, okay. I get it.
Cara Segreti: Then I’ll see you there?
Ethan King: Well, you’re going to be on my back about it until we end up going, so sure. I’ll be there.
Cara Segreti: Wonderful. I’ll see you there. Love you, Ethan.
Ethan King: I love you too.
Oh, how she managed to convince him.
Every.
Single.
Time.
He couldn’t help but frown, had he really treated his sister that badly to warrant her calling his girlfriend to tell her of the situation?
He hoped not.
Agitated, he navigated through the phone momentarily before shooting a text to Miguel, who he assumed was still with the rest of the partygoers, tearing it up in the night.
“Heading to my room, tell everyone I passed out and cant give the speech.”
He sent the message, and not even a few moments later received a response.
“WHAT? Nah dude cmon you needa give this speech erry1’s waiting”
Ethan shook his head and shoved the phone down his pocket. His feet eventually got moving again, which made him realize he really was tired, his head had started to ring for some unknown reason. His feet shuffled forward pace by pace, until he had finally arrived at his dorm. A flight of stairs carried him up to the next level of the building, but proved to be his biggest challenge as he stumbled towards his door.
He couldn’t remember ever drinking anything, which made it seem all the more odd.
He shoved the door open to his dorm room, and realized that the lights were turned off, but a laptop screen illuminated the room in a dark blue hue. Ethan’s hand flailed about until it hit the light switch, to reveal Eddie Felt sitting at the laptop screen, eyes wide open, unblinking as they watched the screen with deadly intent.
Ethan’s face contorted into a look of confusion, yet his mind couldn’t process what was happening, he held himself up with the wall to stop himself from falling.
He hadn’t had a drink.
There was no way.
He glanced up at Eddie, who hadn’t even noticed him.
That’s when he saw the notes written by the man himself.
REALity iS stranger than fiction
OWLS
Truth Contest
K
M
I
W
I
Finally, whatever had entered his system fully took over.
And he fell asleep.
Ashes To Ashes.
Ethan King grabbed at the golden-white mask that clung over his face upon reaching the backstage area after The Pride’s successful attack on the #BeachKrew. He couldn’t even hear his footsteps over the roar of the crowd, still booing after the events that had transpired mere moments ago.
Eddie Felt: That was some hype shit, man.
After finally pulling off his mask, he gave a glance towards his fellow Pride teammate and smiled confidently, although the feeling inside was very much different.
Ethan King: You know it, dude. We’re on the up and up, nothing’s going to hold us down.
The words came out, yet they didn’t sound real to him. If he couldn’t even convince himself that what they just did was right, then who would ever be able to believe in him? His feet shuffled forward, eyes leveled at the locker room that was fast approaching them. He shot another sidelong glance toward Eddie, who still donned the lizard mask he had worn to the arena.
Ethan King: I’m… I’m going to go get my shit together. We’ll leave in a bit, yeah?
Eddie Felt: No problem, man.
Ethan nodded, although something seemed to be bothering him.
Ethan King: Uhh… do you know where Griff went?
Eddie Felt: No clue.
The heads of the two men cranked back and forth for a few seconds, as if trying to catch a glimpse of where their friend may have disappeared to, after searching in vain, they shrugged in unison.
Ethan King: He’ll pop up somewhere. I’ll catch you in a bit.
Not even waiting for a response, he pivoted on one foot, turning away from Eddie and making his way to the locker room. He reached a bench and crumpled down onto it, his feet planting heavily on the concrete as his knees stretched outward. He reached underneath the bench for the bag he had brought with him to the arena. His outstretched hand reached into the muddle of items and latched onto a towel.
He wiped away at his face, before hanging the towel over his head, which he pulled backward as he looked upward to the ceiling, mouth agape. Ethan’s breathing had begun to calm down, yet the dubious thoughts and feelings were still there, swimming within him. Recent events still processed through his mind and made it all seem far too real.
“I am the #BeachKrew genocidist.”
Those words cut out above the rest, the image flashed before him, the three limp bodies, the smug look on the face of the champion, and then after it all… the devastating effect of the steel chair on the face of the former World Champion, Wade Moor.
He was there for it all.
He was a part of this.
But the thought that loomed over him made him wonder…
Did he want to play role in this? How right could it be, to blindside three men who had done nothing to garner your attention before this very moment… all at the whim of another man?
If Flash was the #BeachKrew genocidist…
Then what did that make him?
IF I LOOK BACK… I AM LOST.
“Hey, Cormack. It’s nice to meet you, dude. I’m Ethan King, the guy who you’ll soon realize will be taking the WCF by storm, along with the rest of The Pride.
Bold claim, I know. But that’s what this is all about, right? Coming into the federation with a chip on your shoulder, ready to take some names, ready to stake your claim to greatness. Ready to cement yourself as one of the top dudes in the organization. That’s what I’m about. That’s what The Pride are about.
It’s all about climbing the ladder one rung at a time, but this isn’t what we’re doing now… is it?
We’re like shooting stars, firing off into space with no regrets, no doubt, no fear. Only hype. In under a month, we’ve come in and made sure that all eyes are on us.
That all eyes are on The Pride.
That the world is watching.
But that’s not who you are, is it… Cormack?
Now, don’t get me wrong. That’s not a bad thing. I’ve been watching you, man. I’ve looked at all the work you’ve put in, and it’s honestly pretty refreshing to see a straight up humble guy like yourself, doing the best he can in a world filled with sharks and predators, with swords and storms, with legions and castles.
You’re just an average guy trying to make a name for himself, and I can respect that. I can get behind that. Hell, you’re one of the few guys I can actually look at and say I generally LIKE. Considering the amount of scumbags and assholes that step in here every day.
But that doesn’t mean Eddie and I aren’t going to put you down, man.
You see, there’s a few things that have come to my attention, through watching you.
You’ve let down the fans before. You’re Cormack MacNeill, the number one contender to the International Championship, a title held by the RENOWNED Dag Riddik, AKA Adam Cooper.
Do you see what I’m getting at, here?
Just a few weeks ago, you were the guy trying to call Logan out for being a joke, for being someone that doesn’t deserve any respect, and while that may be true…
You failed to put him away.
You failed to pick up the W.
What’s with that, man?
What’re you going to do? Blame your A-Grade partner in Steve Orbit? A living legend?
You couldn’t get the job done, man. You put it all on the line and failed to come away with the goods, and while I could see all the effort you put into trying to make something happen, in the end… it didn’t go your way.
You couldn’t get the job done.
And now you’re stepping straight into the lions den, a far more deadly situation than the one you were faced with in that match. This isn’t Logan and Adam Cooper you’re coming up against, these are two of the fastest rising stars in the WCF that you’re stepping into that squared circle with.
Forget The Family, forget Dag Riddik. This week? You’re not coming up against a joke squad, but it seems you’ve been fitted with one for a partner. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that in a bit. Trust me.
But for real man, how you going to step up before the world and call your opponents out for being “jokes”, then lose the match anyway? What were you expecting to come of that? You tried to shoot them down and immediately ate your words just a few days later, and for what?
Like I said man, I don’t dislike you. I don’t want to disrespect you, but with the way you’ve been acting recently, it starts to make me wonder just how big the problem is that we’re dealing with here. Look at the landscape of the WCF, look at all the threats looming in the distance.
Like I said before, there are legions out there ready to take control of the entire federation, if nobody takes a stand.
If nobody is willing to step up and make a challenge.
If the ones defending the honour of this place is guys like you? Then I’m worried for the future man, I seriously am. Because at the moment? You don’t have enough of that fire within you to take it to the best around. Maybe it’s just a lack of motivation, maybe you just haven’t got the heart to make it in the big leagues, but you’re floundering, man.
Your head is just above the water, meekly floating above the harsh waves.
You couldn’t take out The Family?
Then how in the world do you expect to deal with us?
Don’t get me wrong man, I know you’re going to step into that ring and give us a challenge. You aren’t the type of guy to back away from something like that, I’ve seen and heard everything you’ve said in regards to Dag. I know your true intentions, you want to take that International Championship and make something of it, you want to elevate that shit and make it better than ever before.
You want to wash the taste of Dag Riddik as a champion out of everyone’s mouths and make it clear that this is a belt worth respecting, but even though I can see where you’re coming from… I can also see through your act.
You don’t just want to be a “true” International Champion.
You want people to SEE you as a champion.
You’re tired of hanging around in the lower card, having to team up with guys such as Nagasaki, who don’t even seem to give a fuck about the people who tune in to watch our shows each and every week, who want to watch the best of the best compete, all for a chance to show why they deserve to be crowned as a champion.
You want to use the International Championship to propel yourself to heights you’ve never seen before, but even with that goal in mind, you’re still lacking the necessary requirements to ever reach that level.
What I’m saying… is that you don’t have what it takes, man.
And I know, because I’ve been there before.
Not long ago, I was in a position extremely similar to yours. Granted, I was far younger than you are now at the time, but there’s still the similarities there.
I was so insecure, so fearful of everything that surrounded me, I just wanted people to understand that I wasn’t simply a product for their entertainment. That I was actually WORTH being respected, that I was good enough to be recognized as one of the best.
But people didn’t appreciate what I gave them.
They didn’t appreciate all the hours of hard work and dedication, they don’t give a fuck about that man.
The people don’t care.
The competitors don’t care.
The higher-ups don’t care.
It’s all bullshit.
And I’ll admit, it tore me apart for so long, I got angry.
I got real angry.
And that’s what I can slowly see starting to happen to you, man. I see a humble guy who wants to prove to the world that he has what it takes, but juts isn’t getting the opportunities. And even when he does, he fails to make use of them.
It’s sad.
That’s why we’re here now, Cormack. We’re here to pull you back into the right direction, because I truly do want to see you succeed. I want to see you walk into Explosion and tear that International Title right off of Dag Riddik, hoist it high up into the sky, and watch as everyone cheers you on, before you propel that belt to a place higher than its ever been before.
But at the moment?
That’s just not going to happen.
You need to change, you need something that’s going to motivate you to become better than ever before, something that’s going to inspire you to work harder and achieve things that you never saw happening previously.
We want to make you great, man.
We want to give you the kick up the ass that’s going to light the spark, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.
On Slam, we’re going to have a clean match. It’s going to be a great contest, where we show you exactly why we’re approaching stardom. It’ll be where you come to the realization that there’s things you need to work on, there’s thing that can make you better.
We’re the guys that’re going to make you great, man.
You’re good already, but only through true defeat will you ever be able to build up that fire in your belly, the thing that going to help you push through into the upper-echelon of this federation. That’s what we want to see of you, that’s what The Pride wants to see of EVERYONE that’s been stuck down here, watching as those same idiots and scumbags that criticized them sit near the top of the mountain and laugh at everyone that isn’t “good enough” to step into the same league as them.
I’m personally over that shit.
And that’s why we’re going to do what we do.
And personally?
I can’t wait.
See you Sunday, Cormack."
ALL EYES ON ME
Lights flashed and music blared, the night sky beamed with the bright beacon of light that illuminated the dark – the moon. But the beauty of the night seemed completely overrun by the chanting and screaming of the young adults that had swarmed into the Real Sudoku Hours college campus, ready to party.
Ethan King couldn’t help but smile at the sheer scale of the party, he had a cup of water in one hand, which he sipped upon contentedly. An indefinite amount of time had passed since the parties start, but one thing was for certain – it hadn’t slowed down in the slightest. Energetic teenagers still flooded into the premise, drinks and food still flew through the building and outdoor areas as if there were an unlimited supply.
Numerous times that night, Ethan had received inviting looks from elegantly dressed girls, most of them younger than him. He had declined there requests politely, the looming thought of his girlfriend, Cara Segreti, in the back of his mind. Just another person to worry about, at least in his eyes.
But tonight wasn’t the night for worrying, tonight was meant to be a celebration.
For him, for The Pride.
For their introduction into the WCF.
Ethan felt himself crashing back into reality as a hand gripped lightly down upon his shoulder, he swung around in a surprised manner, to see his roommate Miguel Myles staring at him, wide-eyed.
Miguel Myles: Dude, how quickly did this shit take off?
Ethan smiled, but said nothing. He observed his friend momentarily, trying to gauge whether or not he was drunk or not, Miguel quickly continued.
Miguel Myles: When’re you going to come up and give a speech?
Ethan King: What speech?
Miguel Myles: A speech for everyone here, dude! We all gathered for you, Eddie and Gabriel. Although you’re the only one here… do you even know where they are?
Ethan King: Grif... I mean Gabriel… said he had something to do tonight. I don’t know about Eddie, he might check in later, I guess? What’s the time?
Miguel Myles: 11:45, fifteen minutes away from your big speech.
Ethan King: Dude, I’m not giving a speech.
Miguel gave a bellowing laugh, and slapped Ethan on the chest multiple times in rapid succession.
Miguel Myles: Yes you are. Besides, you’re like the only sober guy in here besides me. Nobody’s going to give a shit what you say, as long as you get up there.
Ethan King: Look… I’ll think about it, alright?
He felt his phone buzz in his pocket, he saw Miguel’s mouth open to speak, he quickly interjected:
Ethan King: One second.
He whipped out his phone from his right jean pocket, and glanced at the screen curiously. He frowned slightly at the name that popped up before him. He smiled apologetically to Miguel, before starting to back out through the exit door a few metres behind them.
Ethan King: Sorry man, I’ve got to take this.
Miguel Myles: But… but what about the speech?!
Ethan King: I’ll come back if I got time.
And with that, he shut the door. Leaving the “sober” Miguel Myles to explain exactly why The Pride’s Ethan King would not be making an appearance for his long awaited speech.
THE VICTOR’S CRY
“On Sunday, warriors will step into battle, looking to build even more momentum heading into Explosion. The Family will face off against The Sentinels and get absolute blown out- I mean have an epic back and forth bout that will be sure to entertain the WCF Universe.
The #BeachKrew are pitted against a thrown together team that’ll most likely fail thanks to a certain Kat Phoenix and Shadowlove.
A living legend in Steve Orbit will face off against Raymond Hatcher, with our esteemed leader himself officiating the match.
And just a little further down the card, you got the new rookie sensations, Eddie Felt and Ethan King, facing off against the potential future International Champion and…
And…
Uhh…
Nagasaki.
Now would be a better time than any, I guess. Come on guys, say it with me.
L
O
L
But really dude, what’s up with you? You’ve been thrown a match against the hottest new thing in the WCF and you haven’t even spoken a word about it, you haven’t even acknowledged that fact that you’ve been tossed as a sacrificial lamb, whose only service is to boost the credibility of the new guys that are looking to take the federation and turn it on its head.
Sorry man, but that’s the cold hard truth. That’s a reality that you seem yet to accept, evident by the way you act around here. The way you disgrace the whole federation by throwing together these convoluted “promos” that serve no purpose other than to fill the WCF up with the eternal bullshit that seems to plague this place.
Seriously, you got fuckwits like Zombie McMorris talking a bunch of mean shit and then getting #rekt #shrekt #murkt by my boy Griff, and then you got guys like you who spent hours upon hours searching for fucking food.
Literally.
That’s what one of your entire promos consisted off, I cut the feed after that. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
THIS is what we’re being faced with?
THIS is what we have to compete against?
Hell, you would’ve been better of throwing Cormack into a handicap match against us. Granted, he still would’ve gotten his ass kicked, and we still would’ve given him the motivation he needs to absolutely white-wash Dag Riddik and allow us to forget that guy ever hold a fucking title in his company, but still… man.
Nagasaki?
Seriously?
And now that begs the question, what in the world is going on with this federation’s talent pool? You’ve got guys like Joey Flash, Dune, Wade Moor, Steve Orbit and the like dominating at the top of the ladder, and then you drop down just a few fucking runs and you get guys like Dag Riddik and Nagasaki.
It’s sad man, it really is. And it annoys me that a guy as good as Cormack is going to have to get weighed down by a F-Grade partner such as yourself, somebody that’s not going to put the effort in to help him. After all, he kicked your ass the last time you two faced off, didn’t he?
What, you think I’d forget about that?
No fucking chance.
Already, you can clearly see this is a team that’s going to get nowhere. Sure, they’re not an OFFICIALY team, but for one night and one night only, you’re going to see Cormack and “The Great” Nagasaki team together, only to fall in vain to The Pride, who not only curb stomp them into oblivion (obliviondancing.gif) but have to watch as Nagasaki flounders around and fails to help out the guy that in reality, should be much higher up the card than this.
Cormack MacNeill in the second match of the night? What the fuck is happening?
But I mean, we can already see where this match is going to go, this is some of that WWE level booking we’re about to watch go down, for real.
The Pride ruin Nagasaki.
The Pride ruin Nagasaki some more.
Cormack will try and help Nagasaki.
Nagasaki will fucking suck, like always.
Nagasaki will leave the ring, making Cormack fend for himself.
PRIDEWINSLOL
Damn, just predicted this shit and I did it without even having to think for half a minute. This is literally what we’re going to have to deal with on Sunday. Remember when I said Cormack would be better off being in a handicap match? (Continuity, bitches.)
Well, that’s what’s going to end up happening anyway. I foreshadowed this shit and none of you even realized it, and now I’m seeing into the future and realizing that this guy Nagasaki just can’t hold a candle to any of that guys that are stepping into that ring on Sunday.
He got bodied by Cormack.
He’ll get bodied by The Pride.
And then he’ll probably go face off against Adam Young, and still managed to get bodied.
The Pride is a cohesive unit, a well-oiled machine that’s going to take it to both Cormack and Nagasaki and leave them wondering why they even showed up to the arena. That’s not a knock on Cormack, by the way. That’s just the way things go, and like I said, it’s going to be a great learning experience for him, and I hope he goes on to achieve great things here.
But that’s just the way this shits going to go down, man.
You guys aren’t going to be able to put your differences asides, you aren’t going to be able to work together for a long enough stretch to give us any sort of challenge, Nagasaki isn’t capable of that. And in all honesty? If Cormack couldn’t get the job done with a guy like Steve Orbit, then how far do you expect him to get with a lumbering piece of shit like Nagasaki?
It’s not even worth calling this guy a joke, because that would just be overplayed.
But even then, I’m still going to call him a fucking joke, because that’s what he is.
He’s a guy who doesn’t give enough of a fuck to even provide the WCF Universe, people that have literally paid to watch his ass flop around like a virtual punching bag, a show worth watching.
And that? That’s something that’s really unforgivable.
On Sunday, The Pride steps into the ring with one guy they respect, and another guy they’re going to absolutely body, a guy who will most likely do his best to leave his partner high and dry.
And that, my friends, is one sad story.
Good luck on Sunday guys.
You’re really gonna need it."
THE PHONE CALL
Ethan stepped out of the building, allowing him a small amount of reprieve from the music that continued to blast throughout the room which had previously left his ears ringing. Upon leaving the building and his friend Miguel Myles, he slid his finger over the phone screen and brought it up to his ears, it was only now that he noticed light rain pattering against his skin. Almost as soothing as the voice that came through the phone.
Cara Segreti: Ethan, are you there?
He smiled to himself, although still somewhat confused.
Ethan King: Yeah, I’m here. I didn’t know you were going to have the time to call me.
Cara Segreti: Oh please, you think I don’t know what was going on tonight?
Ethan King: I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.
He felt defeated already.
Cara Segreti: I certainly couldn’t see all the flyers posted around the city, telling the entire world that there was a party happening right on campus.
Ethan King: Goddamn it, Miguel.
Cara Segreti: Hey, don’t blame him. You were the one who lied to me, remember?
Ethan King: That wasn’t what I was trying to do
He could already hear the sarcastic note rising in her voice, even over the phone he could imagine her raising an eyebrow curiously, almost mockingly.
Cara Segreti: What were you trying to do, then?
Time to put on the damage control.
Ethan King: I just… I knew you were working hard and had a heap of stuff due, plus you just got back from vacation and I didn’t want to stress you out. Miguel told me about the party last week, basically left me with no choice but to go with it, you know what I’m saying?
Cara Segreti: Look, you don’t need to explain. I was joking, for the most part. There was something else I needed to tell you about, something more important.
He gave a relieved sigh – one that he hoped Cara could hear.
Ethan King: Okay, what did you want to talk about?
He thought he could almost hear her chuckling already.
Cara Segreti: I talked to your sister the other day.
Ethan cursed inwardly, ever since they had begun dating around two years ago, his sister Kylie had taken a huge liking towards Cara. It wasn’t long before she had become what was basically an older sister to Kylie, who had never had anyone else to look up to other than Ethan.
Their close relationship almost guaranteed that Cara would’ve received word about Ethan and Kylie’s conversation last week, where the tension between the two of them had risen slightly. Ethan pursed his lips together uncertainly.
Ethan King: And… what did she say?
Cara Segreti: She told me you haven’t visited them in a while.
Ethan King: I’ve been busy, yeah? You know that.
Cara Segreti: Yes… I also know that you’ve been “busy” spending time with Eddie, Gabriel and Miguel, as well as all your other friends. Getting ready for your big chance to wrestle. Is that all that’s been on your mind, recently? Is that all you care about?
Ethan King: No…
Cara Segreti: Family’s important, Ethan.
Ethan King: I know that!
Cara Segreti: Don’t get angry, I’ve already organized a remedy.
Ethan King: What?
Cara Segreti: You, me, Kylie and your Father are going to meet up next week, isn’t that wonderful?
Ethan King: What?!
Cara Segreti: You already said that.
Ethan King: I know.
She let out a sweet little laugh.
Cara Segreti: Don’t worry, it’s going to be fantastic. A wonderful dinner in the light of the moon, taking in the crisp night air as we-
Ethan King: Okay, okay. I get it.
Cara Segreti: Then I’ll see you there?
Ethan King: Well, you’re going to be on my back about it until we end up going, so sure. I’ll be there.
Cara Segreti: Wonderful. I’ll see you there. Love you, Ethan.
Ethan King: I love you too.
Oh, how she managed to convince him.
Every.
Single.
Time.
He couldn’t help but frown, had he really treated his sister that badly to warrant her calling his girlfriend to tell her of the situation?
He hoped not.
Agitated, he navigated through the phone momentarily before shooting a text to Miguel, who he assumed was still with the rest of the partygoers, tearing it up in the night.
“Heading to my room, tell everyone I passed out and cant give the speech.”
He sent the message, and not even a few moments later received a response.
“WHAT? Nah dude cmon you needa give this speech erry1’s waiting”
Ethan shook his head and shoved the phone down his pocket. His feet eventually got moving again, which made him realize he really was tired, his head had started to ring for some unknown reason. His feet shuffled forward pace by pace, until he had finally arrived at his dorm. A flight of stairs carried him up to the next level of the building, but proved to be his biggest challenge as he stumbled towards his door.
He couldn’t remember ever drinking anything, which made it seem all the more odd.
He shoved the door open to his dorm room, and realized that the lights were turned off, but a laptop screen illuminated the room in a dark blue hue. Ethan’s hand flailed about until it hit the light switch, to reveal Eddie Felt sitting at the laptop screen, eyes wide open, unblinking as they watched the screen with deadly intent.
Ethan’s face contorted into a look of confusion, yet his mind couldn’t process what was happening, he held himself up with the wall to stop himself from falling.
He hadn’t had a drink.
There was no way.
He glanced up at Eddie, who hadn’t even noticed him.
That’s when he saw the notes written by the man himself.
REALity iS stranger than fiction
OWLS
Truth Contest
396218745
1
9
4
2
5
8
6
7REALity iS stranger than fiction
KMIWI
K
M
I
W
I
Finally, whatever had entered his system fully took over.
And he fell asleep.
Ashes To Ashes.
