Post by Johnny Mason on Jul 11, 2022 0:35:58 GMT -5
Two years and Three months
That is how long I’ve been the Vanguard Champion.
For almost half of that time it has been taken away from me.
Stolen from me.
I thought it couldn’t get any worse after that but I should of known better.
I finally get signed by the WFWF and my son passes away shortly after.
I scratch and crawl and work my a** off to improve and get better and I earn the Vanguard Title.
Day in and day out I try my best to make it mean something by taking on anybody and everybody.
Hell some matches I might of been in over my head but by the end of the match I have earned everybody’s respect.
My opponent’s.
The fan’s.
The people backstage.
And even my own.
I thought I was at the top and I was going hard and I was living fast but somewhere along the way I let my guard down only for that bastard to betray me and take everything I’ve ever worked for.
Everything I’ve earned for my son.
Up to this point I thought I’ve hit rock bottom before.
I thought there was nowhere to go but up because if I went any lower I’d be f*cking dead.
I was on a mission.
I went from hotel to hotel, bar to bar, every single one we ever went to.
Just hoping to find that son of a b*tch.
There were times I’d be forced to stop and think,
Look what he’s done. Look at what he’s driving you to.
That’s when I realized he wasn’t driving me to do anything.
Every mistake and every decision I’ve ever made,
I’ve drove myself.
I’ve never had a hero.
Neither parent has ever been a hero to me.
I’ve had wrestlers that I’ve looked up to somewhat but none I would call a hero.
Tyson was definitely not a hero.
I’m my own godd*mn hero.
So I picked myself up and dusted myself off.
I got in the gym and put as much work in as I possibly could and gave all of myself that I had inside me.
I awaited the call of who i was stepping into the ring with next.
Hell I can have another championship made.
I don’t care.
As long as Tyson is out of my life for good.
But that call never came.
I was never afforded an explanation.
Everyone knows now what happened.
And I now know what is next for me.
But at the time I knew in my head that my life was over.
The WFWF had abandoned me
Sink or Swim
Johnny Mason awaits his name being called as he sits in his own personal ringside seat.
He sticks to the black leather from his own anxious sweat which is an unwanted contrast from the otherwise cold room.
Focused in and avoiding eye contact with the other people around him, he stares at the objects on the wall across from him.
One is just a picture of some flowers.
Daisies perhaps.
Daisies perhaps.
Simple but delicate.
Innocent.
Innocent.
The other is just a clock.
It’s white with a black border, but the face of it is cracked.
It’s still working, but barely it seems.
They should probably throw it out and get a new one.
Johnny?
Like an alarm clock that awakens you from your euphoric, yet fraudulent dreams, the bird-like screech of his own name causes him to jump up as it could only signal one thing.
“It’s go time” he mumbles under his breath as he makes his way down the hallway.
You can do this! You can do this!
You’re Johnny Mason!
You’re the f*cking champ!
I got this!
I got th-
“Here we are!” She says in a jovial tone, as she motions Johnny into a room.
“Take a seat wherever you would like!”
There’s a blue couch with three gray throw pillows placed ever so flawlessly on top of it to the left and a small black leather chair that looks identical to the one he had just sat in to the right.
He picks the black chair.
“It’s so nice to see you back again, Johnny!”
He cancelled the last two appointments out of anxiety the morning before each one.
“It’s good to be back.” He sheepishly says.
“Well great, that makes me happy Johnny!”
“This is your safe place, a place where you are always welcome!” She says through her Gary Busey like smile.
She stands four foot eleven, weighing in at around one hundred pounds.
With puffy gray hair, teeth like a horse, and also a menacing beak!
She is the Devourer of Souls!
The Head Lice of Nice!
Not So Big Bird!
She is Gertrude Brown !!!
“I appreciate that.” Johnny says. “Thank you.”
“You’re ever so welcome young man.”
“How’ve you been feeling lately?”
Wanting to leave, and avoiding eye contact he manages to get a simple “I’ve been alright.” out.
A vanilla candle in the corner is lit but overpowered by the smells of whatever Gertrude had for lunch.
Spaghetti perhaps.
Spaghetti perhaps.
“That doesn’t sound like you’re alright Mr. Mason. Tell me how you feel.”
“I don’t know, I’ve just been feeling down I guess.”
“You guess, or you know?”
Johnny moves his head to make eye contact.
“I know.”
Before his eyes dart back away to some diplomas on the wall.
“I know.”
Before his eyes dart back away to some diplomas on the wall.
“Have you been having anymore suicidal thoughts.”
Johnny pauses
“Yes.”
She’s trying to help me
Maybe I should tell her the truth.
“Have you came up with any plans?”
“No , not this time.
Just the feeling is there, but no plans.”
Okay I lied.
But I can’t tell her the truth on that one okay?
The WFWF just restarted. I can’t go away.
“Please contact someone if you ever start to feel that way.”
I feel that way now and I have nobody
“Of course”
She lets out a slight smile before getting onto her computer.
“And you’re still taking your medicine?”
“The prozac? Yes.”
“Okay we’re going to bump that up to eighty milligrams.”
“Okay.”
And just like that the appointment ends.
Johnny can take a sigh of relief until next week.
As he is walking out, Gertrude places her hand on his shoulder.
“Things will get better soon. Just keep trying.”
He nods his head as he walks out.
Mesh when I seen you out there at Ascension my first thought was that you will never go away.
After the match was over and you got your hand raised I then realized that you will never die.
I came down to that ring to end this once and for all.
To shake your hand and give you the respect that I thought you deserved.
For the first time in my career I mean this with no malice.
If you’re not ready to jump back into the shark infested waters that is the WFWF please don’t.
I don’t want to see you get torn apart again.
My opponent for the next show reminds me of you quite a bit actually.
You’ve beat him before to become the first ever Vanguard Champion.
Shuggy it’s simple.
I have something to prove.
I don’t want to hurt you anymore than I have to, to get the win.
I’m not underestimating you.
I’m not disrespecting you.
This is not personal.
I do not step into that ring for fun.
Toughen up and take this serious.
I’m afraid if you don’t, at the end of this match the fans are just going to know you as the bleeding red man.
The ice is going to break below our feet And it’ll be time to see if you sink or swim.
As for me, they don’t call me the Icebreaker for nothing