"Triumph"
"Clouds and darkness surround us, yet Heaven is just, and the day of triumph will surely come, when justice and truth will be vindicated." - Daniel Ortega
PROMO BEGIN:
A mere mortal does not know the feeling of triumph that can be possessed by something greater than the imagination.
That's a quote from a movie, i do not know the name of the film, nor do i care to know what the plot was about, but it is the words of the main character that matter to me most. Because at the end of the day, nobody truly cares what happened in the lead up, no matter what kinds of darkness surround you, no matter what clouds your vision, the only thing that matters is what happens when you push through the darkness and finally see the light of triumph. And what matters is whether you reach the light, or whether you are pulled back by the darkness.
Now, the reason i bring up this quote is because of a story i heard. It was a thrilling story, almost like a fairy-tale, with twists and turns, princesses and kings, and the odd talking animal as well. In this story there was good, and there was evil. And then there was a battle between good and evil, and good came out the victor.
This weekend is not just a battle between good and evil, life is nothing like fairytales, and that's because fairytales are the adaptations of life to make it seem perfect, and life is not perfect, never has been, and never will be. The closest feeling that you can get in life, close enough to a "perfect" feeling, is the feeling of absolute and unrivaled triumph, and that is what will occur this Monday at High Stakes. I don't care whether i have to go through hell and back, i don't care if i'm knocked unconscious during the fight, this weekend....I.....Will.....Triumph.
Because when it comes down to it at the end of the day, the only thing that stands between us is the measure of our will - how far we are willing to take our bodies past the limit. As i've always said, rules are meant to be broken, and this Monday at High Stakes, the rules of physical being will be broken. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the man in question, Mr. Johnny Clash is going to bring absolutely everything to the table and then some, i also have no doubt that this will unquestionably be the greatest match in either of our careers. And i also have no shadows of a doubt that....
I....Will.....Triumph.
The Good and Evil can clearly be seen from any neutral point of view - you just have to look at the packed out crowd in the arena to get a sense of which way the moral grounds lean, but beyond the screaming fans, beyond the girls screaming my name and the teens with signs in the air, there is so much more complexity to the simple "Good and Evil" spectrum.
On one side you have the conniving, manipulating, self-righteous bastard who thinks it good to sneak attack, steal, spit in people's faces and be incredibly and totally cocky about his chances. Clearly, Johnny Clash. Then you've got the ego-centric but fun-loving believer in fair play, who thinks it better to go right up to a man's face and tell him what he thinks rather than tell him while he's stretched out across the floor after being hit in the back of the head with a frying pan, or a keyboard, or a title belt.
Greater than the imagination. The quote from the unknown film has more understanding within our society than one would care to observe at first glance. The imagination is the only thing in this life that is not held back by anything. No rules, no boundaries, no gravity, no restrictions, no laws. Nothing can stop us from imagining the impossible, from picturing the very thing inside our minds and simply put ourselves there in our thoughts, inside our imagination. And a triumph beyond the imagination, something that we can't picture inside our heads, something that we can never rival in all of our imaginative thoughts and all of our wildest dreams. An imaginable triumph, probably impossible.
But this Monday, i'll get as damn close to it as humanly possible.
People keep asking me, "How do you go into something like this?" "How do you wrestle somebody who you've faced countless times before, what's your strategy?", and to be honest, i don't know the answer. I don't think i'll ever know the answer to fighting Johnny Clash. The only thing that you can do when you get in the ring with somebody who you know inside, out, and everywhere between, is lock your eyes onto theirs, lock arms together in a trial of strength, and simply fight. Fight. Fight. Fight.
This Monday, the feeling of triumph that will sweep through my body as i pin Johnny Clash's body to the mat and the referee's hand comes down onto the mat for a third straight time will be the greatest i have ever felt. Because this is the greatest adversary i have ever fought, this is the only man who's been in the ring with me enough times that he knows me inside out and back-to-front, and this is the only man who has ever brought it to me like nobody has ever done before.
High Stakes? I'd say they've never been higher. Mandalay Bay Centre in the middle of Las Vegas? No bigger spectacle. Millennium Pro Wrestling? I couldn't think of a better place to finally end this.
The formula is all set, the ingredients are laid out on the table, and now it's time for me and Johnny to meet inside that squared ring, go face to face, and it's time for me to triumph.
-PROMO END-
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I find that there's only one real problem with people. People are too likely to do the unexpected.
Last week, i talked about change, i talked about how i don't like not having control, how i like things to work out for me, and me only, and how everything i do is planned, everything is calculated, except when something changes, and then i'm forced to make a decision on the spot. And i'm not good at those decisions, not one bit.
And in those decisions, in those hard times where i'm forced to make my mind go at four times the speed it usually does. in those times when the pressure is on more so than any other time in my life, and when every single impulse counts towards the final outcome, and where the final outcome can define my life.
Those are the times where the plan has no control over what's happening, and when all of the things that i had thought about prior to this point in time are completely and utterly useless to me. These impulse-based decisions are unfortunately a common sight in our lives, and soon enough i know i have to deal with them. Also, to my misfortune, i know that this rivalry with Johnny Clash has created so many of those situations.
And yet, i realize that there are times when i must simply give into the temptation and let the impulse take control. There are times when the plan is not needed, when there is simply action, and in these times i find that i don't care whether or not things are going to plan, i'm not listening to the calculations that are going on inside this head, but rather one single voice, one single guidance.
"And that's me, isn't it Drake?"
As much as i hate to admit it, sometimes it's easier to simply give into the temptation and listen to the voice, the voice who's words seem to make a world of sense in times of crisis, and a voice that is impossible to block out forever. Sometimes, submission is simply easier.
I pull the tape on my wrists tight, making sure not to aggravate the injury i sustained in my epic bout against the man in black back in NYCCW. All of this, all of what's going on now seems like a dream after everything i went through, and yet there seems to be only one constant......Johnny Clash.
Since the beginning of 2012, when we moved to the new network, me and Johnny have shared bad blood. Ever since NYCCW was aired on the Gfed network, we have been at each others' throats. Whether it be fighting Van Gorgeous and Raven in a fatal four way Hell in a Cell match, or whether it simply be one on one. No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the gimmicks, every single time we met in that ring, we made people watch, we turned heads and created moments. Every single time we stepped into that ring, shit got real.
And yet, one thing always remained the same. Every single time he landed a blow, i would land a blow, every time he ducked under a clothesline, i'd dodge a kick. Every single time one of us attempted to finish the other off, we would be there with a reversal. And now, it's time to end it all, this match will be the final encore for our feud, that is, until we fight again. And then who knows?
All i know is that this Monday, when it comes down to the two of us inside that ring, i will be the one retiring that coveted NYCCW World Heavyweight Championship, MY World Championship. I have never felt such a resolve, and there is nothing that will stop me from finally proving to Johnny Clash that i am the better man, and that no matter how many people he has behind him, no matter how many lies and tricks he tries to pull, and no matter what words emanate from that stupid mouth, I am better.
A sound at the door awakens me from my thoughts, and as i get to my feet and pull the laces on my boots tight enough so that i won't trip over myself, I twist the golden handle on the bathroom door and pull it open, taking a couple of steps forward before scooping up my iPad and clicking the centre button, seeing the familiarity of my signature Punk logo flicker onto the screen and remain as the background, partly covered with the touch-pad. As i type in the password and see the set of small squares appear, displaying a wide variety of apps for my entertainment pleasure, i twist the golden handle, pulling the surprisingly heavy door open halfway before i drop the iPad to my side, placing it on the table and looking up to see my visitor.
"Whoa." I say, looking the gorgeous figure of the female in front of me up and down before I try to keep my footing as she presses her lips against mine. Once the kiss finally breaks i take a step back and analyse the smile of the beautiful woman in front of me.
Her brown hair is tied back in an elegant and complicated knot, her makeup reflecting the light from the hall. She is downing bright red lipstick and black mascara, looking almost the same as she did last night. The only difference is the dress - instead of the bright blue cocktail dress she was wearing last night, she is wearing an equally revealing blue and white dress, hugging close enough to her chest that there is more than enough vision in terms of the chest department.
"Same thing that you said last night, huh?" She says, smiling as I take a couple of steps back and i let her into the condo, kicking a beer can into the kitchen so that she doesn't trip on my laziness.
"Yeah, except i said it more than once." I say, waiting for her to sit on the couch before i sit down myself, still slightly in awe of her looks, even though it had been over twelve hours since i had first seen it.
"Well, i seem to have that effect on men." She says, giving me that smile, a smile that could kill.
"Ooh, somebody's a little cocky."
"No, just pointing out facts."
"Is that so? So what other facts could you tell me?"
"Well, i could tell you any number of things, but i'm not here to simply talk to you."
Do you remember what i said about plans, and how sometimes they don't work out, and sometimes things spring up on you without notice. Well, this is one of the times when i don't mind.
Kelly Mathisen works at a local newspaper agency, in an attempt to become an up-and-coming journalist. Already she has been noticed by some of Vegas' major papers, and recently signed a one year contract with a wrestling website, becoming one of it's leading journalists. She has been watching MPW since it's inaugural show back in July, and apparently "The interview's only half of the reason" - the reason she agreed to go back to my condo last night after our meeting at the bar. The other half of the reason was becoming apparent once again.
I bend forward and our lips meet, and soon we are full on making out, my back leaning against the soft end of the couch, her body's warmth pressing onto mine. Suddenly however, i feel the familiar buzzing of my cellphone in my pocket, and the ringtone of "Bound" by Disturbed plays. I curse myself for not putting it on silent, but then again i didn't know i'd be in this position fifteen minutes ago.
"I'm so, so, so sorry, i'll just switch it off." I say, pulling my phone out of my pocket.
However, as i look at the face of Kelly, she doesn't seem to mind, simply snuggling up to my chest as i look at the screen of the iPhone.
*CHRIS*
I click the green button on the screen and hold the phone up to my ear, softly caressing Kelly's hair as i do so.
"Yo, what's up?"
"Hey, have you got a minute, mate?" The voice of none other than "C Double" Chris Cable echoes through my ears as i lean back on the leather couch, and i roll my eyes. He always calls at the worst times.
"Um, not really mate, i'm sort of busy right now."
"Let me guess, it's a girl you picked up at the bar last night?"
Shit, was i really that obvious? I'm silent for a moment, before i hear his voice on the other end once again.
"I''m right aren't I?"
"How can you seriously know me that well?" I ask, shaking my head as i realize how long Chris and I have been friends - nearly all the time we've been wrestling together.
I just hear laughter on the other end, before Chris regains his composure and puts the phone back to the side of his head.
"Well, is she hot?"
"Would i be with her if she wasn't?" I smile as Kelly's head bobs up from my chest and she looks at me with those eyes full of lust and desire, but also with a hint of mischief. She knows that she has me wrapped around her finger. And i'm fine with that.
"Fair enough. Anyway, there's something you should see."
"What is it?" I ask, wanting this conversation to end abruptly so that i can get on to more pressing matters.
"It's Johnny."
"Oh yeah, what's he done this time?"
"He's gone to your house."
"Huh? He's not here now, if that's-"
"No, as in, your house in Australia. He went to the house where you grew up and gave your mother a 'visit'."
I'm silent for a moment, and Chris asks me whether i'm still on the line before i immediately start cracking up laughing. It's too much for me to handle, and as i continue my laughter, Kelly sticks her head up and opens her eyes, questioning the sudden outbreak of laughter that seemed to have come from nowhere.
"Oh God, jeez i hope he's not too badly injured." I say, putting a hand through Kelly's hair as i tell her that everything's fine and she resumes her position on my chest, her eyes closed.
Chris seems to have been drawn away by something as i continue laughing, but he quickly resumes his place on the phone line as my laughter ceases. Judging by the noises emanating from his mouth, he had been laughing as well.
"Well, by the looks of it, it seems as if your Mom tried to do some "unusual" acts to Johnny."
"Yeah, that's what i expect from that old bag."
"What ever happened between you and your family that makes you hate them so much?" Chris asks, only half serious.
"That my friend, is a story for another time. Because right now i have more 'pressing' business to attend to."
"Ah yes, of course. Well, we all have our priorities. Have fun mate."
"Thanks Chris, i'll talk to you later."
I click the red "hang up" button on the phone and place it on the desk, making sure to turn it to silent so that there would be no more interruptions to our "activities".
"What was that about?" Kelly asks, rubbing her hand across my chin.
"I'll tell you later, when we get to the interview section of the proceedings. Until then thought, i believe you owe me something."
Our embrace resumes, and I feel assured by the feeling of a gorgeous woman in my arms. The world can wait a couple of hours.