Post by soulshadow on Sept 22, 2013 17:44:19 GMT -5
{Despite it only being late summer in New England, there is an autumn crispness in the sky. A steady breeze ruffles several blades of verdant grass in a beautiful cemetery. A few loose leaves are blown amongst the tombstones. The camera follows one of them as it gently floats through the air, landing softly on the emerald carpet.}
{A shadow falls over the foliage just prior to it being crushed under a black shoe. The camera angle both widens and pans upwards, revealing rising MPW star Soul Shadow walking through the markers. In contrast to his previous appearances, he is formally dressed in a dark suit. In his hands is a large bouquet of yellow roses. His features, though still handsome, are marred with a grim sadness and determination.}
{Finally, he stops in front of a large obsidian marble headstone, set in the middle of a large plot surrounded by small white stones. The view is from behind the monument, thus hiding the name from the camera. The only distinguishing features are the cross which rises from the top, as well as the lone, decayed red rose lying across it. Yet this is indeed Soul’s destination, as he kneels to place the flowers before it.}
{Over his shoulder in the background, a large crow flies through the azure sky. Feathers blacker than the darkest coal mine, it lands high in a nearby tree. Its onyx eyes alight on the MPW wrestler, watching him as if with an unexpected intelligence. Soul Shadow does not notice as he stands, smiling at the marker before him.}
Soul: Hi, love. It’s been a little while since I’ve stopped by for a chat. I’m sorry for that, hun. Trust me, you are on my mind and in my heart quite a bit these days. For I’m finally doing it, babe. It took a little longer than I had planned… certainly longer than you probably thought, though you had told me not to stop… but it’s finally happening.
Soul: I’m back in the wrestling ring.
{Soul smiles grows slightly wider as he continues.}
Soul: I’ve been working for Millennium Pro Wrestling, an organization based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s been amazing to me how easily, despite not having been in the ring for about a decade, I was able to get back up to speed with the sport. I’ve only been back for a month, and already I’ve main-evented in a cage, had a couple of tag matches, made a couple of new friends, and even had managed to develop a big rivalry. If it wasn’t for the fact none of my old running mates are there, I would have thought I never left.
{Over his shoulder, the crow moves a little restlessly as it watches the wrestler.}
Soul: This weekend comes the biggest moment since my return. I’m in what they call a “Roll the Dice” match. Six participants, a ton of ladders, and a briefcase containing a contract guaranteeing a shot against any one of the four MPW titles whenever you want. Honestly, the World championship is the only belt for which anyone with half a brain is going to use it to challenge. To be sure, with that many opponents and steel ladders being legal as weapons, it is one of the most dangerous matches in the business. But given the reward, the risk is extremely worth it.
{Soul starts to pace in front of the marker, a small breeze kicking up in his face.}
Soul: My opponents for this match are all tough competitors on their own. Chris Radke is an athletic former World champion from another organization. Chris Cable has been in the federation from day one, having won two titles himself over the past year. Impaler is an impressively agile big man with many years of experience. Crow is a gifted performer, if a little obsessed with both you and me.
{The bird’s head moves up and down rapidly, almost as if nodding in assent.}
Soul: Finally, there’s Aeryn Ashfield, a veteran who spent a number of years away from the sport like myself. I’ve gotten to be in the ring with all five of them over the past month. I’ve partnered with them; drank a few beers with them; defeated them; lost to them; received a couple of fresh scars from them. We six have been in a number of battles between us, giving each of us a level of familiarity that just might be vital to this match.
{Soul gives a little sigh as he pauses in his walk.}
Soul: You know, babe, a lot of people probably seeing me as the underdog for High Stakes II. I was out of the business for ten years taking care of our baby boy. Aeryn had a five-year break herself, but that is only half as long as my sabbatical. Impaler and Radke are new to MPW, yet they had been active and successful in other feds. Cable has been killing it not only from day one in this league, but also enjoyed much success in its predecessor NYCCW. And Crow emerged victorious in a bloody feud with Diablo just prior to crossing paths with me.
{The crow gives a caw at Soul’s words, almost sounding like an avian chuckle. The MPW wrestler does not seem to notice as he continues.}
Soul: And it’s not only my alleged “ring rust” which has set the Vegas odds against me. I am the oldest of the five involved. I was damned near killed by the Damned two weeks ago and then Crow and Impaler assaulted me last week as well. My body has been battered, beaten, and broken in the past fortnight. I’ve been checking the websites, Facebook, Twitter, and all sorts of social media. No one thinks my body can recover nor will I be able to keep up with younger and more active opponents to even come close to grabbing that title shot.
{The wry smile reforms on Soul’s visage. Over his shoulder, a cardinal lands on the branch next to the crow. Its feathers, a fiery bright crimson, stands in sharp contrast to the crow’s ebon plumage. The darker bird tries to scare the newcomer away with a sharp cry, but it is unmoved. The cardinal looks defiant as it glares at its rival.}
Soul: If you were here, babe, you’d be the first one to shout “Bullshit” in the face of every single one of those doubters. After all, you knew me better than anyone, sometimes even better than I knew myself. Hell, if anything, you’d actually ENJOY the fact no one is giving me a chance. I bet you’d read to me all those quotes, all those predictions, all those negative comments, knowing what effect it would have on me. You’d know it would make me work just that much harder, train that much longer, study my opponents in every minute detail, doing everything I could make sure I would go into the match at the peak of my abilities to prove all the naysayers who have dogged my career wrong one… more… time.
{The crow edges closer, trying to protect his established territory. However, the cardinal refuses to back down. It unexpectedly lashes out, pecking the bigger bird square in the eye. The crow is staggered, tucking its head to protect itself. Its attacker presses its advantage, unleashing a flurry of strikes with its sharp beak. Realizing the danger, the crow takes wing and races into the clear sky. The cardinal watches it disappear before setting comfortably on the branch.}
Soul: You’d remind me that it takes not just raw talent but a ton of hard work to succeed, a lesson Chris Radke apparently had not learned judging from his approach to his MPW run. You’d tell me you can’t rest on your accomplishments if you expect to earn new and greater ones in the future, a truism Chris Cable’s comments reveal he surely has not realized. You’d mark every single wound and injury I’ve gotten during my career, letting me know that I’ve walked away from far worse than the weak attempts Impaler has made to end my career. You’d channel my ever-growing rage of my hatred of Crow, using it to exact some measure of revenge yet all the while never losing sight of the larger goal. And you’d support me in the fact that even though Aeryn and I have formed a growing bond, I won’t let those feelings get in the way of me doing whatever I have to do in order to emerge victorious in the ring.
{Soul drops once more to a knee as he places a hand on the grave marker.}
Soul: You know, love, they say behind every great man is a greater woman. Every iota of my success ten years ago proved that adage beyond a shadow of a doubt. No one realized it, as you were one to duck the spotlight, but you were perhaps one of the greatest wrestling minds in history. You helped myself, my former partner Dread Saxon, and all of the wrestlers our talent agency signed become better at our craft and ascend to the very top of the sport. You took all the talent you saw and molded us into champions.
{Soul picks himself up from his knee. Above him, the cardinal puffs out its breast, as if swollen with pride.}
Soul: That’s why this means so much to me, hun. For the first time in my career, I am going to an important match without you physically here to support me. It saddens me for we were always a great team together. But despite that, I honestly don’t believe I’ve ever been more confident heading into the ring. I know Radke’s talent ain’t gonna be enough to stop me from outworking him up that ladder. I know Cable’s bluster and bravado won’t help him one damn bit once he realizes just being the longer tenured wrestler in MPW means absolutely nothing once the bell is rung. I know Impaler and Crow won’t be able to stop me, because I’ve taken their worse already and am still coming without even the tiniest hint of slowdown. And I know my friendship with Aeryn will survive, even though I will not hesitate to send her hurtling from the ladder if she stands in my way. I know all this, for it is more than just a chance to earn a title shot.
{Above him, the cardinal silently watches, though the movements of its head show it is oddly following his every move.}
Soul: This match is a testament to all we did together, my love. Before you passed on to the next life, you did more than you probably knew to help me stand on my own two feet in the wrestling business. By winning the Roll the Dice match and standing tall above my five opponents, I will take everything you have given me and move forward, continuing the legacy you have left behind.
{Soul once again places his hand on the stone.}
Soul: I will always love you. And I will never forget you.
{With that, Soul finally turns to leave. Drawing by chirping, he looks up and sees the cardinal sitting above him. He smiles at the sight.}
Soul: Well, what do you know, love. A cardinal, your favorite bird. Seeing it before I leave for my big match makes me think someone is watching over me…
{After once last glance, Soul heads down the path to exit the graveyard. The cardinal’s eyes follow him as he disappears from sight. Finally, the bird takes flight, sailing into the sun as the scene fades.}
{A shadow falls over the foliage just prior to it being crushed under a black shoe. The camera angle both widens and pans upwards, revealing rising MPW star Soul Shadow walking through the markers. In contrast to his previous appearances, he is formally dressed in a dark suit. In his hands is a large bouquet of yellow roses. His features, though still handsome, are marred with a grim sadness and determination.}
{Finally, he stops in front of a large obsidian marble headstone, set in the middle of a large plot surrounded by small white stones. The view is from behind the monument, thus hiding the name from the camera. The only distinguishing features are the cross which rises from the top, as well as the lone, decayed red rose lying across it. Yet this is indeed Soul’s destination, as he kneels to place the flowers before it.}
{Over his shoulder in the background, a large crow flies through the azure sky. Feathers blacker than the darkest coal mine, it lands high in a nearby tree. Its onyx eyes alight on the MPW wrestler, watching him as if with an unexpected intelligence. Soul Shadow does not notice as he stands, smiling at the marker before him.}
Soul: Hi, love. It’s been a little while since I’ve stopped by for a chat. I’m sorry for that, hun. Trust me, you are on my mind and in my heart quite a bit these days. For I’m finally doing it, babe. It took a little longer than I had planned… certainly longer than you probably thought, though you had told me not to stop… but it’s finally happening.
Soul: I’m back in the wrestling ring.
{Soul smiles grows slightly wider as he continues.}
Soul: I’ve been working for Millennium Pro Wrestling, an organization based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. It’s been amazing to me how easily, despite not having been in the ring for about a decade, I was able to get back up to speed with the sport. I’ve only been back for a month, and already I’ve main-evented in a cage, had a couple of tag matches, made a couple of new friends, and even had managed to develop a big rivalry. If it wasn’t for the fact none of my old running mates are there, I would have thought I never left.
{Over his shoulder, the crow moves a little restlessly as it watches the wrestler.}
Soul: This weekend comes the biggest moment since my return. I’m in what they call a “Roll the Dice” match. Six participants, a ton of ladders, and a briefcase containing a contract guaranteeing a shot against any one of the four MPW titles whenever you want. Honestly, the World championship is the only belt for which anyone with half a brain is going to use it to challenge. To be sure, with that many opponents and steel ladders being legal as weapons, it is one of the most dangerous matches in the business. But given the reward, the risk is extremely worth it.
{Soul starts to pace in front of the marker, a small breeze kicking up in his face.}
Soul: My opponents for this match are all tough competitors on their own. Chris Radke is an athletic former World champion from another organization. Chris Cable has been in the federation from day one, having won two titles himself over the past year. Impaler is an impressively agile big man with many years of experience. Crow is a gifted performer, if a little obsessed with both you and me.
{The bird’s head moves up and down rapidly, almost as if nodding in assent.}
Soul: Finally, there’s Aeryn Ashfield, a veteran who spent a number of years away from the sport like myself. I’ve gotten to be in the ring with all five of them over the past month. I’ve partnered with them; drank a few beers with them; defeated them; lost to them; received a couple of fresh scars from them. We six have been in a number of battles between us, giving each of us a level of familiarity that just might be vital to this match.
{Soul gives a little sigh as he pauses in his walk.}
Soul: You know, babe, a lot of people probably seeing me as the underdog for High Stakes II. I was out of the business for ten years taking care of our baby boy. Aeryn had a five-year break herself, but that is only half as long as my sabbatical. Impaler and Radke are new to MPW, yet they had been active and successful in other feds. Cable has been killing it not only from day one in this league, but also enjoyed much success in its predecessor NYCCW. And Crow emerged victorious in a bloody feud with Diablo just prior to crossing paths with me.
{The crow gives a caw at Soul’s words, almost sounding like an avian chuckle. The MPW wrestler does not seem to notice as he continues.}
Soul: And it’s not only my alleged “ring rust” which has set the Vegas odds against me. I am the oldest of the five involved. I was damned near killed by the Damned two weeks ago and then Crow and Impaler assaulted me last week as well. My body has been battered, beaten, and broken in the past fortnight. I’ve been checking the websites, Facebook, Twitter, and all sorts of social media. No one thinks my body can recover nor will I be able to keep up with younger and more active opponents to even come close to grabbing that title shot.
{The wry smile reforms on Soul’s visage. Over his shoulder, a cardinal lands on the branch next to the crow. Its feathers, a fiery bright crimson, stands in sharp contrast to the crow’s ebon plumage. The darker bird tries to scare the newcomer away with a sharp cry, but it is unmoved. The cardinal looks defiant as it glares at its rival.}
Soul: If you were here, babe, you’d be the first one to shout “Bullshit” in the face of every single one of those doubters. After all, you knew me better than anyone, sometimes even better than I knew myself. Hell, if anything, you’d actually ENJOY the fact no one is giving me a chance. I bet you’d read to me all those quotes, all those predictions, all those negative comments, knowing what effect it would have on me. You’d know it would make me work just that much harder, train that much longer, study my opponents in every minute detail, doing everything I could make sure I would go into the match at the peak of my abilities to prove all the naysayers who have dogged my career wrong one… more… time.
{The crow edges closer, trying to protect his established territory. However, the cardinal refuses to back down. It unexpectedly lashes out, pecking the bigger bird square in the eye. The crow is staggered, tucking its head to protect itself. Its attacker presses its advantage, unleashing a flurry of strikes with its sharp beak. Realizing the danger, the crow takes wing and races into the clear sky. The cardinal watches it disappear before setting comfortably on the branch.}
Soul: You’d remind me that it takes not just raw talent but a ton of hard work to succeed, a lesson Chris Radke apparently had not learned judging from his approach to his MPW run. You’d tell me you can’t rest on your accomplishments if you expect to earn new and greater ones in the future, a truism Chris Cable’s comments reveal he surely has not realized. You’d mark every single wound and injury I’ve gotten during my career, letting me know that I’ve walked away from far worse than the weak attempts Impaler has made to end my career. You’d channel my ever-growing rage of my hatred of Crow, using it to exact some measure of revenge yet all the while never losing sight of the larger goal. And you’d support me in the fact that even though Aeryn and I have formed a growing bond, I won’t let those feelings get in the way of me doing whatever I have to do in order to emerge victorious in the ring.
{Soul drops once more to a knee as he places a hand on the grave marker.}
Soul: You know, love, they say behind every great man is a greater woman. Every iota of my success ten years ago proved that adage beyond a shadow of a doubt. No one realized it, as you were one to duck the spotlight, but you were perhaps one of the greatest wrestling minds in history. You helped myself, my former partner Dread Saxon, and all of the wrestlers our talent agency signed become better at our craft and ascend to the very top of the sport. You took all the talent you saw and molded us into champions.
{Soul picks himself up from his knee. Above him, the cardinal puffs out its breast, as if swollen with pride.}
Soul: That’s why this means so much to me, hun. For the first time in my career, I am going to an important match without you physically here to support me. It saddens me for we were always a great team together. But despite that, I honestly don’t believe I’ve ever been more confident heading into the ring. I know Radke’s talent ain’t gonna be enough to stop me from outworking him up that ladder. I know Cable’s bluster and bravado won’t help him one damn bit once he realizes just being the longer tenured wrestler in MPW means absolutely nothing once the bell is rung. I know Impaler and Crow won’t be able to stop me, because I’ve taken their worse already and am still coming without even the tiniest hint of slowdown. And I know my friendship with Aeryn will survive, even though I will not hesitate to send her hurtling from the ladder if she stands in my way. I know all this, for it is more than just a chance to earn a title shot.
{Above him, the cardinal silently watches, though the movements of its head show it is oddly following his every move.}
Soul: This match is a testament to all we did together, my love. Before you passed on to the next life, you did more than you probably knew to help me stand on my own two feet in the wrestling business. By winning the Roll the Dice match and standing tall above my five opponents, I will take everything you have given me and move forward, continuing the legacy you have left behind.
{Soul once again places his hand on the stone.}
Soul: I will always love you. And I will never forget you.
{With that, Soul finally turns to leave. Drawing by chirping, he looks up and sees the cardinal sitting above him. He smiles at the sight.}
Soul: Well, what do you know, love. A cardinal, your favorite bird. Seeing it before I leave for my big match makes me think someone is watching over me…
{After once last glance, Soul heads down the path to exit the graveyard. The cardinal’s eyes follow him as he disappears from sight. Finally, the bird takes flight, sailing into the sun as the scene fades.}
