THE BOOK OF EXTREME: Just Like Old Times

[Mikey eXtreme]

THE BOOK OF EXTREME
Just Like Old Times

I

After what felt like an eternity, but in all actuality was only a short time away from the ring, Michael X stepped into that ring with AW’s Tag Team of the Year and walked out with a victory in his hand. Michael X was officially the greatest TAG TEAM in all of professional wrestling and there was nobody that could debate that. There was nobody that could challenge that because Michael X would lay them down the same way he put Power Word: Kill down. Now, he was back in the saddle, he was back in the thick of things. He was back in the WCF and he was ready for each and every challenge.

And what was next?

Vincent Augustine. The same Vincent Augustine that he had defeated during his burning rise to the top. And now? Well, it was time to do it again. It was time to show the world that Michael X was the same ol’ X that he was before the injury. He’s here to show the world that he is still the top of professional wrestling. That he is the one that everyone should strive to be.

This was a huge match for Michael X because it was his first singles match in quite some time. It was his first singles match since losing the big one to Odin Balfore, and he had to make this match matter. He had to make this match important. He had to make this match stand out. He had to steal the show.

Vincent Augustine had no idea what he was getting himself into.

II

April 1, 2018.

Amway Center, Orlando, Florida

Post Slam

Michael X, who is still sweating from his match with Kyle Kemp and Vincent Augustine for the Hardcore Championship, is standing in front of a WCF camera crew, his newly held Hardcore Championship draped over his shoulder. Vidalia, who looks as stunning as always, is standing next to Michael with her eyes glued to the belt and a smile on her face.

Michael X: When Corey came down to that ring and decided that he was going to just get rid of MY Omega Championship? No. That’s not how things work around here, you don’t come down into MY ring and take what is rightfully mine. Every belt I’ve ever held, every championship, has been stolen from me.

So there we stood, with my Omega Championship out the window, that Hardcore Championship..

Michael pauses, a smile comes over his face as he taps the belt draped over his shoulder,

Michael X: THIS hardcore championship was the logical next step in the RISE OF DARKNESS.

And, here I stand after I pinned Vincent Augustine, 1..2..3.. In the middle of that ring, here I stand as the GREATEST Hardcore champion that has ever stepped foot inside the WCF ring.

Michael laughed as he looked into the camera, the WCF was about to be shook to the core with the rise of X.

January 16, 2019

Somewhere between Pennsylvania and Florida

3:00 AM

Michael X was peering into the small portable camera. The Hardcore championships was no longer around his waist, but this was the same Michael X that defeated Vincent Augustine. This was the same man that put everything on the line that night. There wasn’t much on his mind, as they were in the process of traveling to the next city. They had pulled the van over to rest. Freakshow was asleep in the front seat. Ol’ X was outside of the van with Vidalia.

Michael X: All this time later, and here I am, Vi.

A smile came across her face,

Vidalia: And, where is that?

Michael X: Still at the top of my game. STILL the greatest competitor in the history of WCF. STILL the one that everyone in the WCF fears.

Here I am, getting ready to slap Vincent Augustine around, again. There might not be any championship on the line here, there might not be anything for me to boast about after defeating the glorified jobber but this will send me down a path of glory, a path through the DARKNESS back to the top of professional wrestling, where Ol’ X belongs.

But, what if the lottery sinks Michael X and pairs him WITH Augustine? The throught sent disgust through Michael’s stomach.

Michael X: Last time I stepped in that ring with you, Vinny, I took you out because you were the weakest link. I took you out because there was nothing that you could do to stop it. I took you out because you didn’t belong in that ring with me.

And guess what?

You still don’t belong. But, the powers that be, they think you do. They think that you stand some kind of chance with me. They think that this could be a well balanced match.

Michael shakes his head.

Michael X: I didn’t die in that match with Odin, so your chances are still the same. You have no chance to win this match. You will be humiliated in front of the entire WCF GALAXY again, and I will stand above you, victorious, for the second time in as many matches. I will stand above your bloody lifeless body to show the WCF that Michael X is back. Michael X is here to stay. Michael X is the fucking top dog here in WCF and there is nothing that anyone can do about it.

Michael laughs, he presses the stop button to end recording and pulls Vidalia close to him.

Michael X: The World is ours, Vi. The whole fucking world.

They slide back into the van, laying down across the seats. A short nap was in order while Freakshow slept. They would be on the road again in just a few short hours. On their way to Slam. On their way to destroy Vincent Augustine.

III

Vidalia, who had a slight hangover from the previous night, was searching in her bag for a bottle of tylenol when Michael X entered the room. There hadn’t been any tension between the two, but there was an underlying issue of the Church of Singh. Vidalia was no fan of the Church, and Michael was fully invested, or lost in the cult in her eyes. But, she did not want to push the issue, and had put it behind them. She could look past it if that was what Michael wanted.

But, Singh had walked out on the Church during their match. Right? Michael would argue that Singh had some important duties to get to, something involving the higher powers or something. Michael wasn’t quite sure, but the Church was victorious.

And for what? The WCF would dismantle the tag team division and get rid of the tag team championships, leaving what? A tag team tournament that could promise the winners any match of their choosing. That’s right, all Michael had to do was throw his name in a hat and get a random partner and get a shot at whatever he wanted.

World Championship again? Maybe.
Hardcore Strap? There was no better hardcore champion than Ol’ X.
United States? WCF was still trying to figure out how to make that belt matter again without the holder being unfairly compared to the greatest run in championship history by the GREATEST LIVING AMERICAN, Mikey eXtreme.
Television Championship? Michael had never held the belt and had long been trying to even get a shot at it.

But, those were questions for another time. Michael had to get there first, and Vidalia looked at him with love in her eyes as he smiled at her. The Church didn’t matter at this moment, it barely mattered to her at all, but she wanted to see him happy. She wanted to see him at his best, and he felt at his best. He felt like he was on top of the world.

Michael X: Head hurt?

There was sarcasm in his voice, he knew she had too much to drink last night. But they were having fun, they were having the time of their lives. Last night was a celebration. A celebration of his victory at ONE. Last night they had partied like it was, well, some could say 1999, but that was cliche, and outdated. They partied like it was the last night on earth, still cliche but with the way Trump was running the country, who knew?

Vidalia: Funny. Where’s the tylenol?

She looked at Michael, who was grinning like an asshole back at her, with an annoyed look. He had moved the pills from her bag, this she was certain. His smile was his confession, but he kept looking at her trying to hide his guilt.

Michael X: Uh, nah, haven’t seen them.

He was a fucking liar. Ol’ X had taken the tylenol out of her bag for a headache earlier in the night. She had passed out after an intense, drunk, and lust filled trist the night before. But he, he had taken the tylenol for some pain that had popped up. His first match in months, there was some soreness involved. Though, he did clean the mat with Power Word: Kill.

Vidalia: Don’t lie to me..

He laughed,

Michael X: Lie? To you?!

He was going to drag this out as long as he could, but she grabbed him by his beard and pulled him close.

Vidalia: I will fucking kill you.

He took a deep breath and let out an exaggerated sigh.

Michael X: Don’t hurt me, ma’am. They’re in the bathroom on the counter.

She let his beard go and headed towards the Holiday Inn’s bathroom. The pills were actually on the sink just outside the bathroom, but she knew what he meant. She poured three out of the bottle, filled a small cup with water and took the pills.

Vidalia: What’s the plan for today?

She didn’t have to ask that question, she already knew. Whiskey. That was their life right now. Night after night: Drinking, fucking, drinking, and fucking. The occasional WCF appearance thrown in there, and traveling, but there was one constant. They were going to get drunk and fuck each other’s brains out.

Michael X: Maybe we’ll go out to eat?

And come back to the hotel and fuck each other.

Vidalia: Anywhere in mind?

Michael X: What’s around?

Vidalia: There should be a book or paper by the bed, I think I seen it last night when we checked in.

It was on the nightstand, right next to the alarm clock and the phone. Two things that were not going to be used at all during their stay.

Michael X: Italian? There’s a place nearby, we could walk over there it looks like?

She smiled. She was in the mood for italian food.

Vidalia: Yeah, that sounds good. You wanna head over there in an hour or so?

Michael X: An hour? I just woke up!

Vidalia’s eyes told Michael to look at the alarm clock that they wouldn’t be using. 6:10 PM.

Michael X: Shit, yeah, I guess we should get ready. You want the shower first? Or..?

Michael looked at her with lust in his eyes, and she giggled.

Vidalia: Not right now, baby. How about you buy me dinner and a drink first?

He shook his head with a smile on his face.

Michael X: I’ll buy everything for you. Now get your ass in that shower while I take care of some business.

Vidalia: Business?

Michael X: I gotta make sure Freakshow lined up some time at the gym for us tomorrow. I gotta get some light training in for my match at Slam, I got some light work ahead of me. Should only need some light training, right?

They both laughed as Vidalia pushed open the bathroom door and headed towards the shower. She turned the knob, the sound of water came pouring down as she rose the temperature. She liked her showers hot, the hotter the better. It was the only way she felt clean, almost scalding hot water.

IV

What a joke, Michael thought to himself as he seen an event flyer for Slam. A tag team main event with a bunch of bums and the #FALSEGOD that took Michael’s world championship. A television championship match with one of Michael’s biggest rivals and the #FALSEXTREME. A non-title match with two undeserving of the term HARDCORE. And a tag team championship match to crown the last tag team champions?

Michael rolled his eyes.

Michael X: All these matches come after the true main event? They all come AFTER the Dark Prophet steals the show? Nobody is paying to see Little Boy Blue and Johnny Rabbit tag up in the main event. Nobody is paying for the quote unquote featured matches this week on Slam, no. People are paying so that they can get a glimpse at the greatest competitor that the WCF has ever seen. They’re paying to watch Ol’ X step in that ring and kick some teeth down throats.

You think that anyone else in this entire company matters? You think that anyone else in the WCF can put on a match like I do? I’m the fucking greatest mother fucker that this world has ever seen. Yet, here I am, gearing up for a match with a complete and utter useless bum. I’m taxed with the job of making Vincent Augustine look good inside of a wrestling ring, make it look like he deserves to be there, but that’s not my job. I’m going into this match with one thing on my mind and one thing only. I’m going in there to send a message to everyone in the back. I’m going in there to send a message to everyone watching, everyone listening, everyone in the business, and everyone who wants to get into the business.

I’m stepping into that ring to show the world that this is MY world. That when you step into that ring with me, that you’re signing your life away. That you are giving me permission to do whatever I want with you. That I can end your career in the blink of an eye. That if I want to? I can end you right where you stand. Right where you think that you’re safe, that you’re in your element.

The moment you step into MY ring, you’ve left your element. You’ve entered into a world that you will never understand, a world that you will never escape. Once you enter into that DARKNESS, you have lost everything. You have lost the ability to function as a professional wrestler. The moment that you step into MY ring, you’ve entered MY ELEMENT.

Michael grabs the camera and pulls it close to his face. He stares deeply inside, deeply into the mind and soul on the other side of the monitor. He stares deep with an anger that fills the viewer with fear.

Michael X: You don’t belong in this world, Vincent. I let you know that the first time that we stepped inside that ring together. I pinned you down to that mat for the three count and that should have been the end of us. That should have sent you packing, but you’re not smart enough. You’re too stupid to get out while you can, and now? Fresh off my MAULING of the top tag team in Action, you think that it’s time for you to step up to the plate? I’m throwing one hundred mile per hour heaters while you’re still hitting off a tee. This isn’t where you belong. THis isn’t where you’ve ever belonged.

But, you’ve let yourself believe that you’re good. You’ve let yourself believe that you can hang with the big boys. You’ve let yourself believe that you’ve lost matches by mistake and by luck. You’ve let yourself believe that despite your shortcomings, despite your failures, despite your dwindling stuck in the mud career, that you’re about to turn the page. That you’re about to find another gear, one that has eluded you for your whole fucking life. But, here’s some bad news for you, Vinny, you’re shit out of luck here. You’re not going to find that gear, you’re just going to be met with the same old same old. You’re going to lose.

Something that you’re used to. Something that you’re grown so accustomed to that you won’t even bat an eyelash after I slap the shit out of you for the entire world to see. Just another day, right? Just another loss for a bum that nobody cares about.

Michael laughs. The grip on the camera loosens as he backs away. There is a sadistic smile across his face, his eyes never leave the camera. They’re as focused and angry as they have been the entire time he has been on camera.

Michael X: Mark my words, Vinny, just as I will mark that X cross your face. You’re done. You were the ALPHA when I was the OMEGA. For as long as you’ve been in the WCF you’ve been chasing my shadow. You’ve been trying to catch up and be me, but it’s something that will never happen because in order to become me, in order to get onto my level? You have to beat me and that’s something that I will never allow to happen. That’s something that you just don’t have the ability to take. As long as I’m living, as long as there is breath in my lungs you will never be able to defeat me, Vincent.

There is no changing that.

Bring everything that you have. Bring every move in your arsenal. Bring every weapon that you can find, it won’t matter.

I’ll put you down instantly. Where you stand is where you will be put down. X-Marks the SPOT. Boom! Teeth flying, jaw broken, Vincent Augustine sobbing. Michael X with his arm raised in the air, as the screaming idiots in Pensacola cheer and scream and boo and think that they matter but they’re just like you, Vinny. They’re fucking useless. 

I’ll see you out there Vinny, I’ll be the guy in the middle of the ring that you’re afraid to look in the eyes. Good luck, Vinny. It won’t help you, but, fuck it, why not?

Michael laughs as the scene fades.