Post by Ace Bennett on Jul 26, 2013 16:22:29 GMT -5
“Have you ever known that you had to do something, even if you didn't really want to. I remember once when I was younger, I had these strange looking blemishes on my chest and back. My foster parents at the time were incredible hypochondriacs, so their minds immediately went to cancer. I have family history, so apparently a weird looking freckle warrants a surgery to remove it to make sure I'm not on a shortcut to death. The doctors told me it was nothing to worry about and just a precaution, but I wasn't exactly looking forward to getting it done. A fun fact about Ace Bennett for all of you Ace Bennett fact aficionados, all two of you. I hate long pointy things, needles mostly. It was why I did my best to avoid Phillip Schneider while he was having that fetish with the skewers and making skull kabobs. And of course, they had to poke me with a needle to numb me so they could cut out the problem areas. I'd have just as soon just done it without medicine, I had been through worse pain, but apparently there was no way they would do it. It was just something I simply had to do.”
“We've all had situations much like the one I just described, and I am faced with yet another. The fact of the matter is, since leaving the WFWF and being saved from a horrible situation, my life has been significantly better. The bonds I spent my whole life trying to form are stronger than they ever have been. These bonds are what I've yearned for my entire life. Truth be told, I've had a difficult time interacting with people my whole life, and building relationships, even with those who cared about me has always been difficult. And now, I must once again risk the relationship with my sister, my only friend, to dive head first into something I honestly would rather not do.”
“I have a burden on my shoulders that will never go away until I enter the ring again. Every single day, I go out and get dirty looks from people who feel I have forsaken them and all who rooted me on in my career. I get reminded of the atrocities I committed to innocent parties. I get reminded of all of the friendships I've ruined. And of course, I get reminded of all of the wasted potential. But you know what, I don't really care about that last thing. I just guess I just want everyone to know that the man that they saw shorten careers, leaving a path of destruction in his wake, that man was not me. I want people to know the true me. I want those I hurt to know that I truly regret my actions. And as much as it pains me, there is only one that it can happen. Become the needle and inject myself back into the fray that is the WFWF”
“It's time.”
_ _ _
Life in the Bennett household had taken a surprise positive turn since Ace's departure from the WFWF. A series of events to be explained at a later time left Ace Bennett, WFWF's former shooting star, living with his sister in Las Vegas, Nevada. Luckily for him, Alicia was kind enough to allow Ace to stay with her for as long as necessary, so that he could get back on his feet and fully recovered from the previously mentioned series of events. Truth be told, Ace had been assigned to be under full supervision by doctors after being cited as a threat to society. Alicia, not wanting Ace to be institutionalized, took him as her responsibility and was prepared to do whatever it took to make her little brother better.
This particular day had started much like any other in the past few months. Alicia would sleep in late after until the early hours of the morning as a blackjack dealer at one of the premier casinos on the Las Vegas strip. Turns out, Alicia was quite the natural at flirting large tips from the wealthy old men who sat at her tables. Ace was never the early riser himself, and was often still awake on the computer watching dumb Youtube videos or marathoning a TV series on Netflix when his sister returned from her job. In the Bennett household, the average bedtime was four o'clock in the morning.
Naturally, Alicia and Ace both rose from their beds early in the afternoon, usually around one or two o'clock. After Alicia watches as Ace takes his daily medication, the two would then share lunch that they would take turns preparing and maybe go for a jog at a nearby park. Then Ace would usually want to go the gym, but Alicia would try to convince him to do something else, like read comic books, or watch his box sets of Dragon Ball Z. Sometimes she could convince him, but other times she couldn't. On the days she couldn't, Ace would spend up to four hours in the gym, working back to the peak physical condition that he was in prior to the unmentioned series of events. He took pride in his physical form, and wouldn't want to become the topic of those trashy celebrity tabloids, with an unflattering picture of him with fat hanging out in all directions on the cover with a classless headline.
After either going to the gym or whatever other activity the siblings did together, Alicia went off to work, leaving Ace to himself. Ace would generally surf the internet until his eyes bled at this time, reading sports news or watching Youtube videos. A late night of internet browsing would continue until Alicia returned, and the cycle repeated itself. The schedule brought a sense of normalcy to Ace's life that he had never truly experienced before. The daily routine without the stresses and struggles of the WFWF or those associated with it had really done Ace well mentally, and his life had seemingly turned for the better. For the first time in years, Ace was truly happy. Happiness was a feeling Ace wasn't too familiar with, and he truly cherished the time that he had with his sister.
However, this happiness didn't come without a cost. Alicia watched Ace like a hawk, and set several ground rules for him that she forced him to follow, or risk being ostracized. The most important of these rules was no WFWF related activities. This meant no contact with administration, competitors, or former competitors from the wrestling company. This also meant no access to the television, which was the only way that Ace could watch WFWF Revolution or the pay per views, as there as no live streaming applications that air WFWF. Alicia had set up a parental block so that Ace could not access the WFWF website, or any affiliated sites such as their Youtube page. It was to the point where Alicia painstakingly blocked each individual Youtube video that the WFWF had posted, a number that was in the thousands. Alicia went through these precautions to lengthen the time between the present day and the day that she dreaded most; the day when Ace Bennett would decide to return to the WFWF.
Today was a day much like any other. Ace and Alicia had woken up late, had eaten brunch together. Today was a day that Alicia could not convince Ace to stay away from the gym, and like always she was forced to accompany him. He was finally feeling like he was in the getting back into the condition that he was in before the series of events, he was not going to fall out of it. As the two entered the gym, Ace quickly signed in and made a beeline for the treadmill so that he could warm up. He only knew it would be a matter of time before Alicia would bother him enough to make him leave, so he wanted to make it count. Setting the treadmill for a brisk run, Ace's mind drifted away. He thought of his past and how he was truly glad that his career was over as a wrestler. No more craziness. No more crowds screaming at you. No more-
??: Hey! Are you Ace Bennett!?
Well, so much for that. He had been spotted. A man in his mid-thirties, slightly overweight, was staring at Ace, mouth agape as he continued his workout. The gym was relatively crowded, so it was quite impressive that this man was able to spot him out of the crowd like that. He had been spotted a couple times before, but a simple nod would acknowledge the fan, and he could be on his merry way. Attempting to do the same, he simply nodded at the man and turned up his iPod. However, this fan would not be satisfied with a simple nod, he had to have more. As the fan approached him, Ace let out a sigh. He had been away from the WFWF long enough where the casual fan would have long forgotten about him, but he was aware that a large majority of WFWF fans were hardcore, remembering details about shows that even he himself didn't. This man, donning a sweat stained ZMaster t-shirt, was clearly one of those.
Fan: Yeah man, I knew it! You're Ace Bennett!
Ace: In the flesh.
He extended his hand the fan, expecting a handshake and an introduction from. Instead, the man rubbed his hands through his bushy beard and moved his hair out of his eyes. He looked Ace in the eyes, at that moment fire filled them.
Fan: Nah man, none of that. I'm not here to suck your d***. I'm here to give you a little piece of my mind.
Oh great. One of those.
Fan: You know, man, I was a really big fan of you when you first showed up at the WFWF. But then you went straight to the s***er. Hitting girls, breaking camera equipment. Come on man, you were always a good guy before. And then you just had to flip your s*** and turn your back on us loyal fans. You went out for yourself man. I thought you were going to join the New Epoch before you ditched Raider. I'm surprised you aren't in an insane asylum! Quite frankly, you are a disgrace and a stain on the history of WFWF and quite frankly I'm glad you are gone.
After his rant, the man was breathing quite heavily. Sweat was dripping down his pores and he was trembling. Did he think Ace was going to hit him? Ace just stood there with a blank stare on his face. Was this how he was viewed by the WFWF fan base now? Normally something like this wouldn't have bugged him, but being isolated from the world of the WFWF had made him naive to what people around him thought. Ace looked at the man and simply nodded. He was right after all, although his execution was quite awkward. He would definitely have a story for his online friends on his wrestling forum, that much was for sure. Ace finally brought his extended hand back to his side as a handshake was not going to come.
Ace: Nice to meet you too.
Fan: F*** you man!
He angrily walked away, making sure to turn around every few steps to make sure that he wasn't being chased by “WFWF's resident sociopath.” Ace had lost all desire to work out from that, so he sat on a bench and waited for his sister to come try and convince him to leave. She usually didn't approach him for a few hours, because she knew he wouldn't be convinced, so he just sat there on a bench while she took a Zumba class or something. Was that what people saw him as? Was that how he was going to be perceived for the rest of his life. Ace sat there and stewed in his thoughts on that cold metal bench. His head in his hands, he began to realize that there was only one thing that he could do to change this. His sister had finally finished her class and showered off, and now approached Ace.
Alicia: You ready?
Yeah, he was.
The car ride home was quiet, more quiet than usual. Alicia knew that something was wrong with Ace, but whenever she asked him he would say that nothing was wrong. He knew that she would never want him to return to wrestling. He didn't want to hurt her, not anymore. She had done so much for him over the course of the past few years and now he felt like he had to dismiss her wishes and do the one thing she thought she would never have to deal with ever again. He was running through ways to tell her and to get her to understand. She never watched wrestling, she only knows the me outside of that world. He sat there silently until the car arrived back to Alicia's apartment, she dropped Ace off and headed to work.
Ace didn't undergo his usual activities on this particular night. He was conflicted. He knew he had to break it to her somehow, but didn't quite know how to. Laying there, Ace fell to sleep on the couch. It wasn't a deep sleep, where your thoughts are gone it was one of those really light sleeps, where if you realize that you are sleeping you wake yourself up. He was too deep in his thoughts to realize that he was asleep. He was sorting through all of the different ways to tell Alicia of his want, his need to return to the WFWF. She would never understand. Ace was awoken after what had seemed like an eternity inside of his head. Alicia, concerned look on her face, was sitting there upon his awakening.
Alicia: Ace, what's wrong? You've been acting strangely ever since we got back from the gym. You never sleep on the couch, especially not this early.
He looked at the clock. Alicia must have gotten off of work early tonight, as it was only midnight. He knew that he couldn't hold it in any longer, and he had to tell her no matter how she reacted.
Ace: You wouldn't understand.
Alicia: Try me. You can tell me anything little brother, you know that.
Ace: I need to go back.
Her heart sank. She knew this day would come but she didn't think it would be so soon, or so abruptly. It seemed like just yesterday that her little brother was content with the life he was living. Her face became a look of concern and worry for her little brother.
Alicia: Ace-
Ace: No Alicia, I really need to. I need to prove something to myself, and to all of the people who believed in me before. I need to prove it to you.
Alicia: Prove what to me?
Ace: That the man who was committing awful acts on whoever got in his path. The man who would turn his back on anyone if it got him one step forward. I need to prove that that man was not Ace Bennett. I can't do that being caged up like this. As much as I enjoy this life, I will never be truly normal until people know that I am not that man.
Alicia sat there in silence, she knew that she was going to be unable to convince him, but she would do her best to prevent it from happening sooner.
Alicia: Can it not wait? I mean, you still have-
Ace: I'm ready Alicia. I have a lot of wounds to mend.
Alicia: But Ace, was it really that bad? I know you-
Ace lifted his hand, he finally knew how to make her understand. She didn't truly know what he had done, other than the acts he committed towards her. He stood up and ran to his bedroom. Upon returning, he opened up his laptop that he retrieved and after a few clicks to get beyond the parental locks, went to the WFWF's Youtube website.
Alicia: Wait-
Ace: You didn't honestly think that parental controls would stop me from looking at WFWF's website? You know I'm good with computers. I have respected your rules though, and this is the first time I've seen it. I swear.
Alicia simply shook her head and laughed, she knew it was true. After a bit of scrolling through the list of videos, Ace loads up a video from his time teaming with Raider.
Ace: Watch this, then I think you may understand.
The video is titled “Raider and Ace Bennett Team for the First Time!” It features a match against Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, where if Benjamin and Demento lose, they are fired. Ace scrolls to the end of the video, where Ace pins Demento and gives them the victory. Alicia begins to speak, but Ace interrupts.
Ace: Watch.
Benjamin goes after Raider and Ace with a steel chair, downing Raider. Ace then proceeds to go crazy, as he gets that look in his eye that Alicia knows all too well. Alicia cringes as she watches her little brother smash another man's head literally to a bloody pulp. She watches a pool of blood form around the head of Randel Benjamin, yet Ace continues to smash the man's head. Tears begin to form in her eyes as Ace grabs a chain from under the ring and then chokes the life out of Dave Demento. He let's the video play out, knowing that he spews some nonsense about the tag team championship.
Ace: One more.
Alicia: Ace, no please.
Ace: This is the last one.
Ace loads up his tag team championship match with Raider against Thunder and Ripp Jackson, a TLC match. A well known fact at this time was that Thunder was underperforming and one more losing performance could have cost him his job. Ace let Alicia watch this whole match, where Ace did far more damage to his opponents than necessary and Alicia sat there, shocked as Ace performed a Syracuse Drop from the top of the ladder to Thunder, who landed square on his head. Raider and Ace would eventually win the championships, and Xavier Pierce would fire Thunder to conclude that edition of WFWF Loaded. As the video ends, the siblings sit in silence as Ace got his point across.
Ace: Alicia, these aren't the only ones.
His voice is hushed, he realizes that he opened his sisters eyes to a violent side of him that she had never seen before. A violent side that he vows she will never see again. Ace wraps his arms around his sister and the two embrace. He holds his sister close, she is his only family. She starts to cry, and apologizes for letting him get to that point.
Ace: It's not your fault, and it's mine. Now I hope you understand why I need to do this. I am not that man and I don't want to be remembered as that man. As soon as I can get redemption from my past I will be back out of there. I hope you realize that I truly do not want to do this, but I have to.
Alicia: I understand now Ace. Once you get permission from the doctors, you can go back.
Her eyes go to the floor, she didn't want to say that but she knew she had no choice. Ace was now on the fast course to returning to the WFWF and was just eying the approval of one more person.
_ _ _
"Whatever became of Ace Bennett?"
"You know, I've seen this question asked so many times over and over again over the course of the past few months. Whether it be on the internet forums populated by the so called 'smart' fans or wrestling radio shows or podcasts with those arrogant personalities who think being a d*ckhead will get their show more listeners, my name has been upon the lips of my fans and critics alike. 'Where'd he go?' they say. They speak of the wasted potential, of a man who showed so much promise but was never able to win the big one. They speak of a crazed mind, of unpredictable actions that put fellow competitors in the hospital and ended careers. And of course, they speak of a man who walked away from it all, seemingly at the prime of his career, here one second and gone the next. Quite the tragic tale, no? I've heard dozens of stories behind the reasoning of my disappearance, and all of them are either stupid, baseless, or both. I figured I'd set the story straight myself. Why not? My life has become the running joke of plenty of the fans and competitors of WFWF as it is, might as well clear the air. Let me tell you one thing, however, and allow me to make it abundantly clear. The tale of Ace Bennett is far from over."
"Have you ever been trapped before? And I'm not talking about that figurative bulls**t where you are in a tough situation and don't know how to get yourself out. I'm talking literally trapped; thrown in a cage, getting the door locked behind you and having the key shoved down your throat. I was the subject of a sick science experiment, the guinea pig for experimental treatments to mental disorders like that of which I suffer from. Apparently a pill is not the ideal sedative, and screwing with my brain was. A scientist with a God complex wanted to 'fix me,' as if I were some sort of toy or something. Turns out, he was the one who had the true mental problem and nothing he did lent improvement to my condition."
"You know, it is quite liberating discussing my disorder. Prior to now, it was a well kept secret and only those who were closest to me knew. Not even my best friend and tag team partner Raider knew about it. I mean, sure, people knew something was wrong with my head, but nobody had the slightest clue that I believed that there was a second version of me within my mind, forcing me to perform cruel and violent acts to undeserving victims. It made me feel like a freak, like a monster, having to hide such a significant detail of my life from people who I held dearly. I remember being asked about my medication and having to make up some sort of ear infection or other form of ailment I was suffering through at the time. But now I can tell the truth. I am taking medication in order to block violent outburst that are the result of me suffering from Split Personality Disorder."
"In reality, that doesn't begin to explain the situation or why I've been away for so long, but it's a start. Every story needs a starting point, and what better place to start than letting everyone know why I was smashing people's skulls in when I was running roughshod through WFWF? But I guess since you are listening to what I have to say, you've gotta be interested, right? I guess more backstory is needed."
"As I began to settle in into the WFWF for my second run, I became accustomed to winning. It seemed like whoever they put in front of me during my return would be completely inferior to me in every way. And I liked that. I mean, who wouldn't? Manhandling another human being and pinning their shoulders to the mat for three seconds is the kind of rush that only wrestling can provide It made me cocky, overconfident in my own abilities that, in truth, weren't there yet. At the end of the day, I had beaten a bunch of nobodies and wash up has-beens. And then the true competition came. Along with the losses. Once I was deemed worthy by WFWF management to face quality opponents, I faltered. It hit me hard, losing. I was so sure that I was going to coast my way to the top of this company that I never truly thought of how difficult it would be. In my fantasy world, it was just me, coasting to the top with the WFWF World Heavyweight Championship around my waist. As you can clearly see, I was stupid, deluded even."
"I started to play the blame game. I was too good, why was I losing? It soon became apparent to me that my losing wasn't a fault of my own skills, but was due to the fact that I took a medication that hindered my complete mental capacities, and thus, my true potential. We all know that, in reality, it was in fact a fault of my own skills and I was writing checks that my skills couldn't cash quite yet. So in perfectly logical thinking, I flushed my pills down the toilet. What could go wrong, amirite? Nobody could force me to take them now, they were gone. And then, as many people are aware, I went completely and utterly apes**t. My head told me to commit gruesome acts of violence, and I did. My head told me to wrap a chain around another human being's neck and then pull until their body was lifeless, and I did. My head told me that I should drive another man, neck first, into the unforgiving mat below from the top of a ladder, and I did. I've done so many things that I'm not proud of. But thankfully, someone was there to stop me."
"My sister is truly a saint. She's done so much for me over the years and has time and time again shown that she is the only person that cares about me. Yet my head wanted her as far away from me as possible. It got to the point where I was willing to be violent against her so I could get away. But she was persistent, thank the flying spaghetti monster. She did everything in her power to make sure that I would not run wild forever. Hell, she went in cahoots with Raider with electric wrestling shorts, a plan that sounds entirely insane, to eventually capture me. I mean really, electrified wrestling gear? What idiot would think of that idea? It worked though. Probably says more about my idiocy than my sister's ingenuity though. It just goes to show you the lengths that someone who cares about you is willing to go through and how important having someone in your life who is willing to go that extra mile for you. I took my sister for granted my entire life. And I'm glad that she was willing to go the lengths she did, despite what happened afterward."
"I was delivered to the office of Dr. Schwartz. Apparently, Schwartz was a leader in brain medicine. Alicia did the research and there were a number of qualified resources stating the same types of high praise for Schwartz. Apparently two things were true at the end of the day: Schwartz had some incredible computer hackers working for him and these 'qualified' sources need to check their content more often. Never trust what you read on the internet folks, no matter where it comes from. Cost me pretty major, as you'll come to find out. So I was admitted to Dr. Schwartz' care, and allowed to continue wrestling. The other "me" so to speak had completely disappeared, but it seemed that I was getting ever more violent. I viciously attacked Mak Cross, my friend, costing him the Survival of the Fittest match, and one of the biggest opportunities of his career. Yet Schwartz continued, eventually disallowing Alicia into the examination room. One day, following my match where I lost the tag team championship, I am in for my check-up with Schwartz. Your basic day, nothing out of the ordinary. Next thing I know, I wake up in a cell with nothing but a bed, a small slot that food would come in on, and a few tubes stick out of the wall. Sounds crazy right? Alicia had apparently been told that I was checking myself in under his personal care and that she was unwelcome until I checked out."
"Needless to say, I was in a pretty s*** situation. Schwartz was now free to perform his sick experiments on me at will with no long time periods between check-ins. Alicia and my wrestling career, Schwartz' two biggest obstacles between myself and him, were now eliminated. I essentially became his lab rat. For two weeks. Now, that may not sound very to you, but with nothing but hourly visits from a psychopathic doctor looking to make you into more of a monster than you already are to keep you bus, you'd find that time moves at a snails place. I laid in that bed, terrified for the next check in, for the next drilling. I could do nothing but lay and wait."
"Those two weeks were hell. Schwartz did as he pleased with me. If I resisted, he simply turned the sleeping gas on so he could do it anyways. So that's what those tubes in the wall were for. On the first day, he shaved my head to the scalp, giving himself access to his Holy Grail, my brain. I was zapped with a cattle prod, stabbed with needles, cut with any sort of utensil that you could imagine (and probably a few that you couldn't). I'm pretty sure if you somehow peeled back my scalp to reveal my skull, there would be some clue or map engraved into the bone, revealing the location of some hidden fortune. Who knows what was done to me when I was passed out. Doctors are requiring me to come in to monitor any adverse effects Schwartz' experiments had on me, whether it be physically or mentally. One side effect is certain, my head has been throbbing since getting out."
"As time passed, Alicia became suspicious. I always tease her about it, because I'm a d**k like that. I mean, it took her two weeks to realize something was up. Anyways, she delved deeper into the character of our lovable doctor. Searching, she found that Schwartz had changed his name and under his prior name he had his medical license revoked in Germany, and then in the United States. Cool, huh? Calling the police, they refused to investigate until further proof was found. As if my well being was important or anything. Cops are dumb sometimes, man. After finding a medical card from Schwartz, and giving it to the police, they finally were convinced that something fishy was going on. Again, cops are dumb sometimes. Schwartz' office was searched and I was found. Schwartz was arrested on the spot, and now he stands trial for practicing medicine without a license and torture charges."
"Seems like a happy ending, huh? Not exactly. I was in bad shape. I lost about 40 pounds in muscle mass and gained countless scars on the scalp and forehead. I was immediately placed back on my medication and I now must go to weekly psychologist appointments, which have honesty helped a lot. The road to recovery has been a rough one, and a broken window and three holds in the wall in Alicia's apartment can attest to that. I've seen countless doctors and shrinks and quite frankly, I'm sick of being interviewed every other day. But now, I've decided that I'm physically and mentally prepared to return to the WFWF, and pick up where I left off. That being without the whole being the resident sociopath thing."
“And that brings us to the last edition of WFWF Revolution. Aware of my intent to return to the company, Shawn Malakai and Xavier Pierce contacted me in an effort to make me the newest recruit in his crusade to save the WFWF from the grasps of Trace Demon. Thus, I ran to the aid of a former rival of mine, Thunder, as well as a former friend of mine, Shawn Malakai, and saved them from a beatdown at the hands of Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento. And in the wake of my return, I am booked in WFWF's next pay per view, Battleground, to team with Thunder against the men I rescued him from.”
“It's quite ironic really, when you look at it. You see, Thunder, Dave Demento, and Randel Benjamin all have one thing in common. They were all sidelined for a significant amount of time by my hands. They were victims of my self-proclaimed cleansing of the WFWF, at least that's what I called it in my head at the time. They were men who all were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and paid dearly for it. And they are a large reason for why I am returning to the WFWF. I know that could potentially confuse one who hasn't been following the WFWF for that long, but it's the truth. The man who walked around in my skin, masquerading as Ace Bennett as he destroyed all that was in his path, including himself, that man was not the true Ace Bennett. That was a man with his mind corrupted. That was a man who was willing to shorten people's lives in order to get what he wanted. That man is no longer in control and now I must face the consequences he set forward.”
“With that being said, I'd like to come back to a very important issue that is probably on the minds of many. According to the WFWF and fans alike, I am now the newest ally for the WFWF in this clash between co-owners Xavier Pierce and Trace Demon. Even in the Battleground preview, I am listed as the newest ally for Xavier Pierce's cause, much like Reverend Shadow is Trace Demon's. Shawn Malakai and Xavier Pierce, along with all of those who fight the on the side of the WFWF see Ace Bennett and they see a symbol. They saw me as that final weight that would tip the scale in their favor. They saw me fighting the good fight, fending off all who stood in their way. But above all else, they saw me as a loyal soldier, submitting to all commands that they set forward to me. Allow me to stop that grovelling at once. And that's why that I want to make this entirely clear. I will not be a pawn in some war between two power hungry war mongerers only interested in taking control. Because guess what, no matter what the outcome of this so called 'war' the result will be the same. The WFWF will go on. There will be good guys, and there will be bad guys. There will be personal conflicts on the fringe of boiling over at any minute. And of course, there will be Shawn Malakai, failing to win the WFWF World Championship. Nothing new there.”
“That little assist that you saw last week, that is what you would call a 'one time only' offer. I owed Shawn Malakai one, and now I don't. Much like you use Mak Cross, Cam Nitta, and Devilkiller, I used you, Xavier Pierce. I used you to get my foot back in the door, to accomplish my goals. And now that I've done so, it's on to what I'm here to accomplish. And that is not to fight this so called 'good fight.' That is to get my redemption. To prove to people that I am more than just an undug well of potential. To prove that I am not bats**t crazy. And to prove that I am not the person that I was in my last run of the WFWF. Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, it is unfortunate that our paths have crossed once again. I have maimed you both once before, and now I must make an example out of you once again. I am here for much more than championship gold or glory. I am here to prove that I am the man that I was when I started my career here in the WFWF. A man with morals, but one who will not allow himself to be used by those with more power than him. A man who will put his heart and soul into what he does, and is unwilling to compromise until he is where he feels he deserves to be. And above all, a man who knows that he has all of the skills necessary to do so without having to kill someone to do so. That starts with Thunder, Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, and will move down the line of all of those I have wronged over the course of my career.”
“My path is one of forgiveness. I've done some horrible things in my time in the WFWF, things that were out of my control but that I still regret. I must now make amends to all of those that I wronged. To Mak Cross, for costing him the opportunity of a lifetime and victory in Survival of the Fittest. To Cam Nitta, for betraying our friendship and becoming the man that I did. To Raider, for leaving you in your time of need, and disappearing without a word. To Samael Ahriman, for putting you in a situation that you shouldn't have been in on my behalf. And to Thunder, Randel Benjamin, and Dave Demento, for attempting to cut their careers short and committing unspeakable acts of violence upon them. None of these men deserved what they got from me, and it is my time to make up for it. I am not worried about getting wins here in the WFWF; if they come, so be it. I am here to rebuild all of the bridges I have burned in the course of my career. So Xavier Pierce and Shawn Malakai, you will have to fight your own war. I have more pressing matters to attend to.”
"A new chapter in Ace Bennett's WFWF career has begun."
“We've all had situations much like the one I just described, and I am faced with yet another. The fact of the matter is, since leaving the WFWF and being saved from a horrible situation, my life has been significantly better. The bonds I spent my whole life trying to form are stronger than they ever have been. These bonds are what I've yearned for my entire life. Truth be told, I've had a difficult time interacting with people my whole life, and building relationships, even with those who cared about me has always been difficult. And now, I must once again risk the relationship with my sister, my only friend, to dive head first into something I honestly would rather not do.”
“I have a burden on my shoulders that will never go away until I enter the ring again. Every single day, I go out and get dirty looks from people who feel I have forsaken them and all who rooted me on in my career. I get reminded of the atrocities I committed to innocent parties. I get reminded of all of the friendships I've ruined. And of course, I get reminded of all of the wasted potential. But you know what, I don't really care about that last thing. I just guess I just want everyone to know that the man that they saw shorten careers, leaving a path of destruction in his wake, that man was not me. I want people to know the true me. I want those I hurt to know that I truly regret my actions. And as much as it pains me, there is only one that it can happen. Become the needle and inject myself back into the fray that is the WFWF”
“It's time.”
_ _ _
Life in the Bennett household had taken a surprise positive turn since Ace's departure from the WFWF. A series of events to be explained at a later time left Ace Bennett, WFWF's former shooting star, living with his sister in Las Vegas, Nevada. Luckily for him, Alicia was kind enough to allow Ace to stay with her for as long as necessary, so that he could get back on his feet and fully recovered from the previously mentioned series of events. Truth be told, Ace had been assigned to be under full supervision by doctors after being cited as a threat to society. Alicia, not wanting Ace to be institutionalized, took him as her responsibility and was prepared to do whatever it took to make her little brother better.
This particular day had started much like any other in the past few months. Alicia would sleep in late after until the early hours of the morning as a blackjack dealer at one of the premier casinos on the Las Vegas strip. Turns out, Alicia was quite the natural at flirting large tips from the wealthy old men who sat at her tables. Ace was never the early riser himself, and was often still awake on the computer watching dumb Youtube videos or marathoning a TV series on Netflix when his sister returned from her job. In the Bennett household, the average bedtime was four o'clock in the morning.
Naturally, Alicia and Ace both rose from their beds early in the afternoon, usually around one or two o'clock. After Alicia watches as Ace takes his daily medication, the two would then share lunch that they would take turns preparing and maybe go for a jog at a nearby park. Then Ace would usually want to go the gym, but Alicia would try to convince him to do something else, like read comic books, or watch his box sets of Dragon Ball Z. Sometimes she could convince him, but other times she couldn't. On the days she couldn't, Ace would spend up to four hours in the gym, working back to the peak physical condition that he was in prior to the unmentioned series of events. He took pride in his physical form, and wouldn't want to become the topic of those trashy celebrity tabloids, with an unflattering picture of him with fat hanging out in all directions on the cover with a classless headline.
After either going to the gym or whatever other activity the siblings did together, Alicia went off to work, leaving Ace to himself. Ace would generally surf the internet until his eyes bled at this time, reading sports news or watching Youtube videos. A late night of internet browsing would continue until Alicia returned, and the cycle repeated itself. The schedule brought a sense of normalcy to Ace's life that he had never truly experienced before. The daily routine without the stresses and struggles of the WFWF or those associated with it had really done Ace well mentally, and his life had seemingly turned for the better. For the first time in years, Ace was truly happy. Happiness was a feeling Ace wasn't too familiar with, and he truly cherished the time that he had with his sister.
However, this happiness didn't come without a cost. Alicia watched Ace like a hawk, and set several ground rules for him that she forced him to follow, or risk being ostracized. The most important of these rules was no WFWF related activities. This meant no contact with administration, competitors, or former competitors from the wrestling company. This also meant no access to the television, which was the only way that Ace could watch WFWF Revolution or the pay per views, as there as no live streaming applications that air WFWF. Alicia had set up a parental block so that Ace could not access the WFWF website, or any affiliated sites such as their Youtube page. It was to the point where Alicia painstakingly blocked each individual Youtube video that the WFWF had posted, a number that was in the thousands. Alicia went through these precautions to lengthen the time between the present day and the day that she dreaded most; the day when Ace Bennett would decide to return to the WFWF.
Today was a day much like any other. Ace and Alicia had woken up late, had eaten brunch together. Today was a day that Alicia could not convince Ace to stay away from the gym, and like always she was forced to accompany him. He was finally feeling like he was in the getting back into the condition that he was in before the series of events, he was not going to fall out of it. As the two entered the gym, Ace quickly signed in and made a beeline for the treadmill so that he could warm up. He only knew it would be a matter of time before Alicia would bother him enough to make him leave, so he wanted to make it count. Setting the treadmill for a brisk run, Ace's mind drifted away. He thought of his past and how he was truly glad that his career was over as a wrestler. No more craziness. No more crowds screaming at you. No more-
??: Hey! Are you Ace Bennett!?
Well, so much for that. He had been spotted. A man in his mid-thirties, slightly overweight, was staring at Ace, mouth agape as he continued his workout. The gym was relatively crowded, so it was quite impressive that this man was able to spot him out of the crowd like that. He had been spotted a couple times before, but a simple nod would acknowledge the fan, and he could be on his merry way. Attempting to do the same, he simply nodded at the man and turned up his iPod. However, this fan would not be satisfied with a simple nod, he had to have more. As the fan approached him, Ace let out a sigh. He had been away from the WFWF long enough where the casual fan would have long forgotten about him, but he was aware that a large majority of WFWF fans were hardcore, remembering details about shows that even he himself didn't. This man, donning a sweat stained ZMaster t-shirt, was clearly one of those.
Fan: Yeah man, I knew it! You're Ace Bennett!
Ace: In the flesh.
He extended his hand the fan, expecting a handshake and an introduction from. Instead, the man rubbed his hands through his bushy beard and moved his hair out of his eyes. He looked Ace in the eyes, at that moment fire filled them.
Fan: Nah man, none of that. I'm not here to suck your d***. I'm here to give you a little piece of my mind.
Oh great. One of those.
Fan: You know, man, I was a really big fan of you when you first showed up at the WFWF. But then you went straight to the s***er. Hitting girls, breaking camera equipment. Come on man, you were always a good guy before. And then you just had to flip your s*** and turn your back on us loyal fans. You went out for yourself man. I thought you were going to join the New Epoch before you ditched Raider. I'm surprised you aren't in an insane asylum! Quite frankly, you are a disgrace and a stain on the history of WFWF and quite frankly I'm glad you are gone.
After his rant, the man was breathing quite heavily. Sweat was dripping down his pores and he was trembling. Did he think Ace was going to hit him? Ace just stood there with a blank stare on his face. Was this how he was viewed by the WFWF fan base now? Normally something like this wouldn't have bugged him, but being isolated from the world of the WFWF had made him naive to what people around him thought. Ace looked at the man and simply nodded. He was right after all, although his execution was quite awkward. He would definitely have a story for his online friends on his wrestling forum, that much was for sure. Ace finally brought his extended hand back to his side as a handshake was not going to come.
Ace: Nice to meet you too.
Fan: F*** you man!
He angrily walked away, making sure to turn around every few steps to make sure that he wasn't being chased by “WFWF's resident sociopath.” Ace had lost all desire to work out from that, so he sat on a bench and waited for his sister to come try and convince him to leave. She usually didn't approach him for a few hours, because she knew he wouldn't be convinced, so he just sat there on a bench while she took a Zumba class or something. Was that what people saw him as? Was that how he was going to be perceived for the rest of his life. Ace sat there and stewed in his thoughts on that cold metal bench. His head in his hands, he began to realize that there was only one thing that he could do to change this. His sister had finally finished her class and showered off, and now approached Ace.
Alicia: You ready?
Yeah, he was.
The car ride home was quiet, more quiet than usual. Alicia knew that something was wrong with Ace, but whenever she asked him he would say that nothing was wrong. He knew that she would never want him to return to wrestling. He didn't want to hurt her, not anymore. She had done so much for him over the course of the past few years and now he felt like he had to dismiss her wishes and do the one thing she thought she would never have to deal with ever again. He was running through ways to tell her and to get her to understand. She never watched wrestling, she only knows the me outside of that world. He sat there silently until the car arrived back to Alicia's apartment, she dropped Ace off and headed to work.
Ace didn't undergo his usual activities on this particular night. He was conflicted. He knew he had to break it to her somehow, but didn't quite know how to. Laying there, Ace fell to sleep on the couch. It wasn't a deep sleep, where your thoughts are gone it was one of those really light sleeps, where if you realize that you are sleeping you wake yourself up. He was too deep in his thoughts to realize that he was asleep. He was sorting through all of the different ways to tell Alicia of his want, his need to return to the WFWF. She would never understand. Ace was awoken after what had seemed like an eternity inside of his head. Alicia, concerned look on her face, was sitting there upon his awakening.
Alicia: Ace, what's wrong? You've been acting strangely ever since we got back from the gym. You never sleep on the couch, especially not this early.
He looked at the clock. Alicia must have gotten off of work early tonight, as it was only midnight. He knew that he couldn't hold it in any longer, and he had to tell her no matter how she reacted.
Ace: You wouldn't understand.
Alicia: Try me. You can tell me anything little brother, you know that.
Ace: I need to go back.
Her heart sank. She knew this day would come but she didn't think it would be so soon, or so abruptly. It seemed like just yesterday that her little brother was content with the life he was living. Her face became a look of concern and worry for her little brother.
Alicia: Ace-
Ace: No Alicia, I really need to. I need to prove something to myself, and to all of the people who believed in me before. I need to prove it to you.
Alicia: Prove what to me?
Ace: That the man who was committing awful acts on whoever got in his path. The man who would turn his back on anyone if it got him one step forward. I need to prove that that man was not Ace Bennett. I can't do that being caged up like this. As much as I enjoy this life, I will never be truly normal until people know that I am not that man.
Alicia sat there in silence, she knew that she was going to be unable to convince him, but she would do her best to prevent it from happening sooner.
Alicia: Can it not wait? I mean, you still have-
Ace: I'm ready Alicia. I have a lot of wounds to mend.
Alicia: But Ace, was it really that bad? I know you-
Ace lifted his hand, he finally knew how to make her understand. She didn't truly know what he had done, other than the acts he committed towards her. He stood up and ran to his bedroom. Upon returning, he opened up his laptop that he retrieved and after a few clicks to get beyond the parental locks, went to the WFWF's Youtube website.
Alicia: Wait-
Ace: You didn't honestly think that parental controls would stop me from looking at WFWF's website? You know I'm good with computers. I have respected your rules though, and this is the first time I've seen it. I swear.
Alicia simply shook her head and laughed, she knew it was true. After a bit of scrolling through the list of videos, Ace loads up a video from his time teaming with Raider.
Ace: Watch this, then I think you may understand.
The video is titled “Raider and Ace Bennett Team for the First Time!” It features a match against Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, where if Benjamin and Demento lose, they are fired. Ace scrolls to the end of the video, where Ace pins Demento and gives them the victory. Alicia begins to speak, but Ace interrupts.
Ace: Watch.
Benjamin goes after Raider and Ace with a steel chair, downing Raider. Ace then proceeds to go crazy, as he gets that look in his eye that Alicia knows all too well. Alicia cringes as she watches her little brother smash another man's head literally to a bloody pulp. She watches a pool of blood form around the head of Randel Benjamin, yet Ace continues to smash the man's head. Tears begin to form in her eyes as Ace grabs a chain from under the ring and then chokes the life out of Dave Demento. He let's the video play out, knowing that he spews some nonsense about the tag team championship.
Ace: One more.
Alicia: Ace, no please.
Ace: This is the last one.
Ace loads up his tag team championship match with Raider against Thunder and Ripp Jackson, a TLC match. A well known fact at this time was that Thunder was underperforming and one more losing performance could have cost him his job. Ace let Alicia watch this whole match, where Ace did far more damage to his opponents than necessary and Alicia sat there, shocked as Ace performed a Syracuse Drop from the top of the ladder to Thunder, who landed square on his head. Raider and Ace would eventually win the championships, and Xavier Pierce would fire Thunder to conclude that edition of WFWF Loaded. As the video ends, the siblings sit in silence as Ace got his point across.
Ace: Alicia, these aren't the only ones.
His voice is hushed, he realizes that he opened his sisters eyes to a violent side of him that she had never seen before. A violent side that he vows she will never see again. Ace wraps his arms around his sister and the two embrace. He holds his sister close, she is his only family. She starts to cry, and apologizes for letting him get to that point.
Ace: It's not your fault, and it's mine. Now I hope you understand why I need to do this. I am not that man and I don't want to be remembered as that man. As soon as I can get redemption from my past I will be back out of there. I hope you realize that I truly do not want to do this, but I have to.
Alicia: I understand now Ace. Once you get permission from the doctors, you can go back.
Her eyes go to the floor, she didn't want to say that but she knew she had no choice. Ace was now on the fast course to returning to the WFWF and was just eying the approval of one more person.
_ _ _
"Whatever became of Ace Bennett?"
"You know, I've seen this question asked so many times over and over again over the course of the past few months. Whether it be on the internet forums populated by the so called 'smart' fans or wrestling radio shows or podcasts with those arrogant personalities who think being a d*ckhead will get their show more listeners, my name has been upon the lips of my fans and critics alike. 'Where'd he go?' they say. They speak of the wasted potential, of a man who showed so much promise but was never able to win the big one. They speak of a crazed mind, of unpredictable actions that put fellow competitors in the hospital and ended careers. And of course, they speak of a man who walked away from it all, seemingly at the prime of his career, here one second and gone the next. Quite the tragic tale, no? I've heard dozens of stories behind the reasoning of my disappearance, and all of them are either stupid, baseless, or both. I figured I'd set the story straight myself. Why not? My life has become the running joke of plenty of the fans and competitors of WFWF as it is, might as well clear the air. Let me tell you one thing, however, and allow me to make it abundantly clear. The tale of Ace Bennett is far from over."
"Have you ever been trapped before? And I'm not talking about that figurative bulls**t where you are in a tough situation and don't know how to get yourself out. I'm talking literally trapped; thrown in a cage, getting the door locked behind you and having the key shoved down your throat. I was the subject of a sick science experiment, the guinea pig for experimental treatments to mental disorders like that of which I suffer from. Apparently a pill is not the ideal sedative, and screwing with my brain was. A scientist with a God complex wanted to 'fix me,' as if I were some sort of toy or something. Turns out, he was the one who had the true mental problem and nothing he did lent improvement to my condition."
"You know, it is quite liberating discussing my disorder. Prior to now, it was a well kept secret and only those who were closest to me knew. Not even my best friend and tag team partner Raider knew about it. I mean, sure, people knew something was wrong with my head, but nobody had the slightest clue that I believed that there was a second version of me within my mind, forcing me to perform cruel and violent acts to undeserving victims. It made me feel like a freak, like a monster, having to hide such a significant detail of my life from people who I held dearly. I remember being asked about my medication and having to make up some sort of ear infection or other form of ailment I was suffering through at the time. But now I can tell the truth. I am taking medication in order to block violent outburst that are the result of me suffering from Split Personality Disorder."
"In reality, that doesn't begin to explain the situation or why I've been away for so long, but it's a start. Every story needs a starting point, and what better place to start than letting everyone know why I was smashing people's skulls in when I was running roughshod through WFWF? But I guess since you are listening to what I have to say, you've gotta be interested, right? I guess more backstory is needed."
"As I began to settle in into the WFWF for my second run, I became accustomed to winning. It seemed like whoever they put in front of me during my return would be completely inferior to me in every way. And I liked that. I mean, who wouldn't? Manhandling another human being and pinning their shoulders to the mat for three seconds is the kind of rush that only wrestling can provide It made me cocky, overconfident in my own abilities that, in truth, weren't there yet. At the end of the day, I had beaten a bunch of nobodies and wash up has-beens. And then the true competition came. Along with the losses. Once I was deemed worthy by WFWF management to face quality opponents, I faltered. It hit me hard, losing. I was so sure that I was going to coast my way to the top of this company that I never truly thought of how difficult it would be. In my fantasy world, it was just me, coasting to the top with the WFWF World Heavyweight Championship around my waist. As you can clearly see, I was stupid, deluded even."
"I started to play the blame game. I was too good, why was I losing? It soon became apparent to me that my losing wasn't a fault of my own skills, but was due to the fact that I took a medication that hindered my complete mental capacities, and thus, my true potential. We all know that, in reality, it was in fact a fault of my own skills and I was writing checks that my skills couldn't cash quite yet. So in perfectly logical thinking, I flushed my pills down the toilet. What could go wrong, amirite? Nobody could force me to take them now, they were gone. And then, as many people are aware, I went completely and utterly apes**t. My head told me to commit gruesome acts of violence, and I did. My head told me to wrap a chain around another human being's neck and then pull until their body was lifeless, and I did. My head told me that I should drive another man, neck first, into the unforgiving mat below from the top of a ladder, and I did. I've done so many things that I'm not proud of. But thankfully, someone was there to stop me."
"My sister is truly a saint. She's done so much for me over the years and has time and time again shown that she is the only person that cares about me. Yet my head wanted her as far away from me as possible. It got to the point where I was willing to be violent against her so I could get away. But she was persistent, thank the flying spaghetti monster. She did everything in her power to make sure that I would not run wild forever. Hell, she went in cahoots with Raider with electric wrestling shorts, a plan that sounds entirely insane, to eventually capture me. I mean really, electrified wrestling gear? What idiot would think of that idea? It worked though. Probably says more about my idiocy than my sister's ingenuity though. It just goes to show you the lengths that someone who cares about you is willing to go through and how important having someone in your life who is willing to go that extra mile for you. I took my sister for granted my entire life. And I'm glad that she was willing to go the lengths she did, despite what happened afterward."
"I was delivered to the office of Dr. Schwartz. Apparently, Schwartz was a leader in brain medicine. Alicia did the research and there were a number of qualified resources stating the same types of high praise for Schwartz. Apparently two things were true at the end of the day: Schwartz had some incredible computer hackers working for him and these 'qualified' sources need to check their content more often. Never trust what you read on the internet folks, no matter where it comes from. Cost me pretty major, as you'll come to find out. So I was admitted to Dr. Schwartz' care, and allowed to continue wrestling. The other "me" so to speak had completely disappeared, but it seemed that I was getting ever more violent. I viciously attacked Mak Cross, my friend, costing him the Survival of the Fittest match, and one of the biggest opportunities of his career. Yet Schwartz continued, eventually disallowing Alicia into the examination room. One day, following my match where I lost the tag team championship, I am in for my check-up with Schwartz. Your basic day, nothing out of the ordinary. Next thing I know, I wake up in a cell with nothing but a bed, a small slot that food would come in on, and a few tubes stick out of the wall. Sounds crazy right? Alicia had apparently been told that I was checking myself in under his personal care and that she was unwelcome until I checked out."
"Needless to say, I was in a pretty s*** situation. Schwartz was now free to perform his sick experiments on me at will with no long time periods between check-ins. Alicia and my wrestling career, Schwartz' two biggest obstacles between myself and him, were now eliminated. I essentially became his lab rat. For two weeks. Now, that may not sound very to you, but with nothing but hourly visits from a psychopathic doctor looking to make you into more of a monster than you already are to keep you bus, you'd find that time moves at a snails place. I laid in that bed, terrified for the next check in, for the next drilling. I could do nothing but lay and wait."
"Those two weeks were hell. Schwartz did as he pleased with me. If I resisted, he simply turned the sleeping gas on so he could do it anyways. So that's what those tubes in the wall were for. On the first day, he shaved my head to the scalp, giving himself access to his Holy Grail, my brain. I was zapped with a cattle prod, stabbed with needles, cut with any sort of utensil that you could imagine (and probably a few that you couldn't). I'm pretty sure if you somehow peeled back my scalp to reveal my skull, there would be some clue or map engraved into the bone, revealing the location of some hidden fortune. Who knows what was done to me when I was passed out. Doctors are requiring me to come in to monitor any adverse effects Schwartz' experiments had on me, whether it be physically or mentally. One side effect is certain, my head has been throbbing since getting out."
"As time passed, Alicia became suspicious. I always tease her about it, because I'm a d**k like that. I mean, it took her two weeks to realize something was up. Anyways, she delved deeper into the character of our lovable doctor. Searching, she found that Schwartz had changed his name and under his prior name he had his medical license revoked in Germany, and then in the United States. Cool, huh? Calling the police, they refused to investigate until further proof was found. As if my well being was important or anything. Cops are dumb sometimes, man. After finding a medical card from Schwartz, and giving it to the police, they finally were convinced that something fishy was going on. Again, cops are dumb sometimes. Schwartz' office was searched and I was found. Schwartz was arrested on the spot, and now he stands trial for practicing medicine without a license and torture charges."
"Seems like a happy ending, huh? Not exactly. I was in bad shape. I lost about 40 pounds in muscle mass and gained countless scars on the scalp and forehead. I was immediately placed back on my medication and I now must go to weekly psychologist appointments, which have honesty helped a lot. The road to recovery has been a rough one, and a broken window and three holds in the wall in Alicia's apartment can attest to that. I've seen countless doctors and shrinks and quite frankly, I'm sick of being interviewed every other day. But now, I've decided that I'm physically and mentally prepared to return to the WFWF, and pick up where I left off. That being without the whole being the resident sociopath thing."
“And that brings us to the last edition of WFWF Revolution. Aware of my intent to return to the company, Shawn Malakai and Xavier Pierce contacted me in an effort to make me the newest recruit in his crusade to save the WFWF from the grasps of Trace Demon. Thus, I ran to the aid of a former rival of mine, Thunder, as well as a former friend of mine, Shawn Malakai, and saved them from a beatdown at the hands of Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento. And in the wake of my return, I am booked in WFWF's next pay per view, Battleground, to team with Thunder against the men I rescued him from.”
“It's quite ironic really, when you look at it. You see, Thunder, Dave Demento, and Randel Benjamin all have one thing in common. They were all sidelined for a significant amount of time by my hands. They were victims of my self-proclaimed cleansing of the WFWF, at least that's what I called it in my head at the time. They were men who all were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and paid dearly for it. And they are a large reason for why I am returning to the WFWF. I know that could potentially confuse one who hasn't been following the WFWF for that long, but it's the truth. The man who walked around in my skin, masquerading as Ace Bennett as he destroyed all that was in his path, including himself, that man was not the true Ace Bennett. That was a man with his mind corrupted. That was a man who was willing to shorten people's lives in order to get what he wanted. That man is no longer in control and now I must face the consequences he set forward.”
“With that being said, I'd like to come back to a very important issue that is probably on the minds of many. According to the WFWF and fans alike, I am now the newest ally for the WFWF in this clash between co-owners Xavier Pierce and Trace Demon. Even in the Battleground preview, I am listed as the newest ally for Xavier Pierce's cause, much like Reverend Shadow is Trace Demon's. Shawn Malakai and Xavier Pierce, along with all of those who fight the on the side of the WFWF see Ace Bennett and they see a symbol. They saw me as that final weight that would tip the scale in their favor. They saw me fighting the good fight, fending off all who stood in their way. But above all else, they saw me as a loyal soldier, submitting to all commands that they set forward to me. Allow me to stop that grovelling at once. And that's why that I want to make this entirely clear. I will not be a pawn in some war between two power hungry war mongerers only interested in taking control. Because guess what, no matter what the outcome of this so called 'war' the result will be the same. The WFWF will go on. There will be good guys, and there will be bad guys. There will be personal conflicts on the fringe of boiling over at any minute. And of course, there will be Shawn Malakai, failing to win the WFWF World Championship. Nothing new there.”
“That little assist that you saw last week, that is what you would call a 'one time only' offer. I owed Shawn Malakai one, and now I don't. Much like you use Mak Cross, Cam Nitta, and Devilkiller, I used you, Xavier Pierce. I used you to get my foot back in the door, to accomplish my goals. And now that I've done so, it's on to what I'm here to accomplish. And that is not to fight this so called 'good fight.' That is to get my redemption. To prove to people that I am more than just an undug well of potential. To prove that I am not bats**t crazy. And to prove that I am not the person that I was in my last run of the WFWF. Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, it is unfortunate that our paths have crossed once again. I have maimed you both once before, and now I must make an example out of you once again. I am here for much more than championship gold or glory. I am here to prove that I am the man that I was when I started my career here in the WFWF. A man with morals, but one who will not allow himself to be used by those with more power than him. A man who will put his heart and soul into what he does, and is unwilling to compromise until he is where he feels he deserves to be. And above all, a man who knows that he has all of the skills necessary to do so without having to kill someone to do so. That starts with Thunder, Randel Benjamin and Dave Demento, and will move down the line of all of those I have wronged over the course of my career.”
“My path is one of forgiveness. I've done some horrible things in my time in the WFWF, things that were out of my control but that I still regret. I must now make amends to all of those that I wronged. To Mak Cross, for costing him the opportunity of a lifetime and victory in Survival of the Fittest. To Cam Nitta, for betraying our friendship and becoming the man that I did. To Raider, for leaving you in your time of need, and disappearing without a word. To Samael Ahriman, for putting you in a situation that you shouldn't have been in on my behalf. And to Thunder, Randel Benjamin, and Dave Demento, for attempting to cut their careers short and committing unspeakable acts of violence upon them. None of these men deserved what they got from me, and it is my time to make up for it. I am not worried about getting wins here in the WFWF; if they come, so be it. I am here to rebuild all of the bridges I have burned in the course of my career. So Xavier Pierce and Shawn Malakai, you will have to fight your own war. I have more pressing matters to attend to.”
"A new chapter in Ace Bennett's WFWF career has begun."
- Ace
