"All truth passes through three stages. First it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer.
--PROMO BEGIN--
Truth is the greatest lie of them all.
A lie can be in any form, pass through anything, and be spread like a wildfire through something as simple as just one word.
Truth is supposed to represent the good, the thing in people that is right and just, the only thing separating us from complete and total anarchy, as if it is the last true representation of good in this world when it comes to humanity. Everybody treats the truth as if it is some mystical thing that separates us from the rest of nature, because we can talk.
Well whoopdy-fucking-whoo.
Humans have been able to talk for millennia, the truth has been around the same time. When the first humans started talking, i bet they would often question each other on who ate the last fish from the fire without asking. And guess what? That person would've lied, so that they could survive without being branded, without having a bad reputation.
Because in this world, there is one human condition that overrides justice - survival.
Survival is what drives the human race to spark wars, or even simple fights in alleys. Because if we are threatened with death, or extinction, our base instinct is to do whatever the hell we can to stop our lives from becoming nothing but a speck of dust in this massive world.
If you get questioned by a policeman after you commit a crime, your first instinct is to lie, because you know that whatever the punishment is, it will threaten your means of survival. Whether it's jail - threatening your freedom or a simple fine threatening your livelihood, lying is always going to be ranked number one in the human way of thinking, because of survival.
So what about lying to protect somebody else's survival? Or lying to stop somebody else from threatening your survival? Both are reasonable, in fact both are commonly used. Lies about keeping something you desperately desire to keep, lies about protecting the identity of somebody you know for his or her safety, but most of all, and most commonly, lies about ones feelings, are where humans really shine.
Every day somebody will tell at least one lie about how they are feeling. It may be something as simple as lying about how your day was good, or faking a stomach ache to get out of doing something you don't want to do, but in the end, lies are lies. And humans tell lies.
But after a while, surely a lie must become so repetitive and so mind-numbingly boring that is often accepted as the truth. Because once we hear something for a long enough time, it starts to weasel it's way inside our brains, and then when it does that, we stop trying to question it, our sense of science and theories and reason goes out the window and we simply accept whatever it is, for what it is.
This is how the truth is born.
Something we see, hear, touch, or taste with our senses immediately tells us that this thing must be real, and must be the way it is presented, because our senses tell us so. But the human body doesn't have a built in lie detector, and we see and hear things as they are, as they appear in front of us.
It's the same with when people tell us something. Of course we question it with reason and logic, but at the end of the day, the human brain takes what it's heard as truth, because that is what it heard, not something different. But here's the clever bit, the human brain is also apt at coming up with lies, so what really is the truth if not one big lie started by somebody for reasons of it's own?
When people try to hide their own feelings, people take what they say as the truth. But the human body is evolved enough to combat lies. One word that exists inside the human brain - through this logic and reasoning, is the word: challenge.
We challenge what we hear, we challenge what we see, and we challenge what others tell us.
We challenge what other people are feeling - or rather, what the tell us they're feeling. At the end of the day, they are simply words, and we perceive only what we believe is the truth, to be so.
That being said, people always do try to hide their feelings, in hope that somebody else will perceive it as the truth, simply because they believe what is being said. Not admitting one's feelings is a prime example of this.
Isn't it Bliss?
The "Goddess" Bliss. Under that façade of complete and total ignorance of yours truly, i know you feel something in that hard blonde/brunette shell of yours. Because if you didn't, we would be done with this arguing a long time ago.
I know that when I came that close to you in the parking lot you could've easily kneed me in the gut and attempted to beat me to the ground for getting up in your personal space. I know that whenever i interact with you, whether it be on twitter or in the hall, your heart starts to pump that little bit harder and your groin area becomes that little bit more.....active.
Because i know me. And i know women love me.
And as much as it so dreadfully pains you to admit it, you're no exception to that. I know that you desperately try to hang onto the fact that you have no attraction to me whatsoever, and that you still believe that the only reason your heart races when you see me is because it's preparing for the pain that will resonate through your fist when it collides with my face, but the truth of the matter is...
Even the mind can lie.
You can tell yourself whatever you like to keep your mind from acknowledging that you have feelings for me, but at the end of the day, you can't lie to yourself any more than you can lie to me, and trust me when i say that this week, when we step into that ring, whether you like me or not, you're going to get a full taste of what it's like to have a big fat L next to the name 'Drake Hunter' when you look at your record.
Then maybe you can decide whether or not your like me.
Thursday night, we will both be in the biggest match of the year, fighting it out for a title shot. But before that, i'm going to make sure i've got all the momentum heading into that match, when i silence all of those whining little fools who say i'm not the real champion, when i get you on your back and pin you to the mat....
1.....2....3.
Then maybe your mind can tell you what it sees isn't real. But sweetheart, here's the thing. It's always going to be real. No matter how many times you play over having your little crush knocking you out, and retaining that Sin City title, you're going to realize.
That this is real. This is god-fucking-damn real.
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The sight of the little black Porsche on the side of the road, parked just in front of the nightclub immediately draws me to a halt, as i stare, interested at the building in front of me and the prospect of the lady i'm thinking of being inside there. I pull my foot back off the brake of the Aventador, still ignoring the blasting of the car sirens horns behind me as people try and convince me to keep moving, and i pull the panel on the left side of the steering to change down and push the button to change into the reverse, steering the massive car into the small gap with perfection.
As i pull the handle and raise the door vertically so that it opens, i step out, thinking of the Sin City championship belt that is currently resting on my couch and what it will finally mean to have people acknowledge me as the "true" champion, even though i already am.
Rage's retirement wasn't all that much of a surprise, rather that he decided to do it before i could beat him to a pulp once more, because after that he probably would've been forced to retire from his injuries. Rage knew that he was going to be hurt when he got in the ring with me - hell, he was already hurt by me much before he stepped into the ring with me.
I push the small door open, and my first sense i realize is that there aren't all that many people here. But then why would there be on a Tuesday night?
I walk to a small table hidden in the shadows of the bar, sitting myself down at the small table as I watch the bartender to a couple of the very few people here - probably only half a dozen - and turn my attention towards the very good looking woman currently walking onto the stage, grabbing the microphone coolly - as if she's done this a thousand times, which i don't doubt.
Because the girl walking onto the stage is none other than the Goddess herself, Bliss.
Her hair is flowing down the back of her neck and onto her short dress, and as she closes her eyes, letting the music get into her mind as she begins to sing and I can see her stress start to flow away, see her relax and just let the music take over.
So this is how she's managing to keep so calm with anger issues like that.
I look her up and down and realize she's dressed far too well for just a night for karaoke and alcohol. I see the makeup and eyeliner on her face and the handbag she's just put down, and she's not the type of person that would attend functions of her own free will.
Looks like somebody's been on a date.
She's in the middle of the song when her eyes pan over the table where i'm sitting, but she simply scans over the table, thinking it's just another drunk who's up for another drink. She closes her eyes again as she nears the conclusion of the song, letting the music still seep into her and relax her.
I watch her carefully, a smile starting to spread across my face. So this is the Bliss we never get to see. This is the oh-so-scary, anger-management problems Bliss that we don't know. It certainly isn't what i imagined, far from it. I look her up and down - even in the fancy dress and makeup she's got the look of an exceptionally tough and stubborn woman about her, not to mention that she is extremely gorgeous....
Focus Drake, focus.
Bliss sings the last word of her song and leaves her eyes closed for a moment, taking in the relaxation and probably thinking about me - we all do it. As she opens her eyes she scans over the tables once more, possibly making sure nobody got too focused on her singing and started to actually watch her.
Her eyes scan over me and continue for a second, but then she moves her head back and she tries to see who it is at the table where i'm sitting. Seemingly satisfied that it's nobody she knows, she moves off the stage, going back to her small table as she orders a drink. After a moment I step out of my table and walk over to the table where Bliss is having a drink after a hard earned night of karaoke and dating, and start clapping, very slowly, as i walk.
She sees me, and immediately leaps to her feet, not truly believing if it's me, possibly trying to comprehend how this could be happening and what she did to deserve my being at her favourite little sanctuary.
"Wow, what a wonderful, inspiring performance...." I say, a cocky smile spread across my face as i slowly move towards her, taking it a step at a time, clapping slowly. She looks at me with that cold, hard face that she gets when she means business, her eyes betraying the fact, however, that she is completely surprised by my being at her little bar.
"What the hell are you doing here Hunter?" She says the last word so softly it's almost a whisper, as if this is just a dream, and she's unsure of whether or not what is happening now is real, and whether or not she's going to do something she knows she'd regret.
"Aww, i thought you'd be happy to see me..." I say, taking one more step towards her as i finish clapping and we are a very short distance away from each other - close enough that i could put my hand on her cheek.
"Can't a friend just come and see another friend sing some karaoke?" I say, the sarcasm and mocking in my voice completely evident.
"Sure." She says, "But we're not even close to friends...." I see her lean back and cross her arms, trying to relax. But i can see right through the façade, i know that she's got a thousand thoughts flowing through her head right now, trying to figure out why i'm here and trying to keep her thoughts under control.
"That hurts Kahlan, it really hurts." I say, moving my hand forwards and brushing a hair from her face. I look into her eyes, trying to fake as much intimacy as possible....just to see Bliss squirm under her feelings.
"Good. It won't be the last time i hurt you this week..." She says, trying to sound confident, and rather succeeding. But i knew it wouldn't last.
I take another small step towards Bliss, making her feel exceptionally uncomfortable with the distance between us.
"Nice dress....you been somewhere special tonight?" I say, whispering in her ear and i pull my head back.
Bliss looks at me with those cold, hard eyes that tries to convince me, somewhat desperately, to stop, turn around and head back out of the bar as if nothing happened. But she wasn't going to get off that easily.
"No, nowhere at all." She says, her face betraying the lie.
"Come on Bliss, i know you've been out on a date. You're not the type of girl to go to those fancy functions, and let alone wear something like that even if you did. The only possible explanation is that you were with a special...somebody." The look on her face says that i'm a hundred percent right, and she remains really quiet, not wanting to dish out any more fuel to the fire.
"Well, that's good for you, i wonder how long it took you to realize that it was a waste of time and the person you really want is standing right in front of you?" I say, trying to provoke a response from Bliss, trying to get the anger out of her, to release all the tension built up.
"Pfft, keep dreaming. The only feelings i've got for you are ones of hate and disdain. I don't know what your little voices are telling you about me, but whatever it is, it isn't real."
I laugh, making her feel more and more uncomfortable, as i move in beside her ear and start to whisper very softly.
"I know you've been thinking about what happened the other day....i know you wanted me to move forward an inch so our lips touched, i know you wanted me to take control, because i know you like that. I know every part of you wanted to knee me in the groin and put me in the place that day, but the bottom line is.....you couldn't."
"Just like you can't stop me now..." I move away from her ear and go eye to eye with her, our noses almost touching, and Bliss looks at me with those same, cold, determined eyes.
"You really are stubborn...." I say, not moving an inch.
"You're damn right." She says, also not budging.
I smile another cocky, egotistical grin as i move a little bit closer and look into her eyes for another moment, before i move back a bit, only to move back in and plant a kiss on her cheek, the grin still spread across my face as i move back and the look in her eyes changes.
"Well it wasn't a make-out session, but hopefully that can keep you're desires busy until tomorrow night...." I say, moving back and walking back to the door, listening out for any last word from Bliss.
"Always the arrogant one...." She says, putting her hands on her hips. "You always have to have the last laugh, don't you?" She says, the moment of intimacy forgotten for a brief second.
I turn around and walk backwards, my arms out wide and a massive grin spread across my face once more.
"Of course."
And with that I walk back out of the club, winking at Bliss as i go and enter my Aventador, ready to spend one last night in Vegas before tomorrow, before i win that Army of One match, and before i'm rightfully crowned as the true Sin City champion.
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I push down hard on the brake as i pull up to the white front of the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Having just come from the hotel, this is my third sight of the arena today - with merely hours left until Army of One, i was getting myself prepared for the big match, getting my locker room ready and getting everything in order.
One quick run back to the hotel for a quick afternoon nap and then i was back in the big Lamborghini, pushing down hard on the accelerator as i sped away from the Hyatt, and sped towards the big HP Pavilion.
The front of the arena was a mass of glass with white patterns of metal spread across it, and even from the front i could tell it was a massive arena. It could contain nearly twenty-thousand people - eighteen-thousand, thirteen-hundred to be exact.
I pull open the door vertically and hop out of the Aventador, to the dismay of the hundreds of fans packed on either side of the small lane-way created for the MPW superstars as they enter the arena, just a few hours before the event is going to begin. The small carpeted lane, only a few metres wide, is blocked off by barricades and a horde of security guards.
I walk through, not bothering to even acknowledge the fans as they boo me from both sides. However, as i look across, i see some banners with my name on it, and a few people - young people in their twenties - who are cheering my name and chanting the Age of Arrogance. These are the people I am so desperately trying to create, people who see wrestling as wrestling, who don't care how the methods are enforced to get a message across, but rather that the message does come across.
Because these are the people that the fans should base their support of their favourite wrestlers off - wrestling ability - not how much they can get the so-called "superstars" to suck their dicks because corporate told them to. These are the people of future generations, these are the people who will be the most vital part of the Age of Arrogance.
I am touched by this so much that i walk over to a group of three people who are cheering the name of "Age of Arrogance". One is holding up a sign saying 'Sweet Dreams at Army of One' and the other is labelled as 'Cable and Dixon - Tag Team Arrogance' with a picture of the Tag team title belts on the sign.
They yell loudly as i walk over to them, obviously overcome with excitement. There's a guy with two girls - i wonder how he got that to work - and as i walk over and hand the young lady, probably around twenty years old - my spiked jacket she smiles a grin that would be hard to wipe off her face. I pull her head towards mine and put my mouth to her ear.
"You are the future of this business." I say, as she retreats from my chest and gives a simple resounding nod, while the other two - probably about the same age as her - smile at me as i nod at them, before the continue their cheering, and i walk towards the door.
Waiting for me at the door is none other than the dweeb himself, Tim Bowers, who seems to be with his fellow dweeb Jay Wyatt conducting interviews for all the MPW stars that enter the arena. He approaches me for a quick word, and i give in. You can't win 'em all against Bowers.
"Drake Hunter, current holder of the Sin City championship, even if it's not entirely yours to have. Tonight you go one on one with Bliss for that title, thoughts?"
"First of all, as i have proved over the past few weeks, i am the rightful holder of this title, i have brought dignity to this title where there was none. Think about it, the previous holders include Bliss, who got injured at the hands of Laura Tavares to forfeit the title, and Rage, who had to retire to forfeit the title - which is currently, and was then, in my hands."
"There you go, two people who haven't even been able to defend the title with dignity, forced to give it up due to outside circumstances. What I am going to do to this title is actually bring it the dignity it deserves. Because by the end of tonight, the Age of Arrogance is going to be the dominant force in Millennium Pro Wrestling, not corporate."
"What about your opponent for tonight, Bliss? You two have been going at it on twitter for a couple of weeks now, any thoughts on the match?"
"Bliss seems to be under the impression that she can beat me. It seems to be an impression that is quite common among people that i face. But here, you see, is the fatal flaw. It would be so much better for everybody if they just admitted they had no chance of beating me."
"But what are the chances of that happening? Besides, i need a little fun here and there. So i am going to do to Bliss tonight what i did to Roxi Johnson last week, and what i do on a weekly basis, and that's knock people out. I don't care what feelings Bliss has for me - and believe me, she does - when we step inside that ring, because once inside there is only one thing i am going to focus my mind on, and that's this." I hold up the Sin City championship.
"Bliss seems to get it inside her mind that when she steps into that ring with me, her determination will get her through, her incredible stubbornness will be the deciding factor. Well sweetheart, i hate to break it to you, but while you may be as stubborn as can be - and i do admire that about you, there is nothing that will take away from my survival, there is nothing can defeat my need to survive, my desire for victory will be greater than yours, i can guarantee that."
"Because unlike you, i'm not doing this because i need to please the corporate lackeys that control this company, i'm not even doing this for me. I'm doing this because i'm the Technical Messiah of pro wrestling, i'm the prodigy of this company, and i am going to save this business, one person at a time, one title at a time. And tonight it's the Sin City championship, at Road to Glory it will be the World Heavyweight championship."
"Bliss, i know you. You were like me, you didn't care what anybody thought about you, you were your own person, and you didn't give a monkey's ass what those corporate douchebags wanted for you. But suddenly you return from an injury at the hands of the 'Queen Bee' and you're suddenly at the under the corporates kissing their feet like their the only ones with a fresh supply of water after forty days in the Sahara."
"Bliss, when we step into that ring, i'll show you how wrong you are for kissing the feet of not only corporates, but the fans as well. Because when i step into that ring, no matter what the fans cheer for you, you're going to be finding your Sweet Dreams. And i'm going to find my title, once again."
With that i walk into the arena, into my fate as Sin City champion, and onto my fate as World Heavyweight champion.