Post by Johnny Mason on Apr 4, 2021 2:13:32 GMT -5
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
I don’t need anything or anybody to help me get where I’m destined to go, because I’ve already got where I currently am by myself.
The old wood that creaks with every movement made is old and withering away.
The smell of mildew and mold is accompanied by the spots and stains that could tell stories.
If only the walls could talk.
I don’t need Tyson Watts.
He has needed me and I’ve helped him with his sh*t while I’ve accomplished my own.
In the corner of the run down shack, the young champion sits in a rusty metal folding chair that he fantasizes about smashing Mesh’s skull in with.
The daylight of the cold morning gleams extra bright through the open hole where a window used to be.
I don’t even need myself.
I’ve beat that motherf*cker more times than I can even begin to remember.
The light shines down on what lies in front of Johnny,
The Vanguard Championship.
While the others who have held the Vanguard Championship have tried to use it as a stepping stone and failed, I have elevated not only myself, but the title along with me over the last year.
I won my championship from the second champion, Anna Ahriman, and became the third.
Now I’ll defeat the first.
Mason grabs his title as he stands up and drapes it over his shoulder.
CHAMP DESOLATE
Watts and Mason make their way up the ramp and into the backstage area of the Marshall Arena where Johnny just lost his first match since becoming the Vanguard Champion, against Josh Dean
Now that baby!
That was a match!
It was the Fright Night Delight!
As they walk, everyone they pass remain silent.
Johnny can feel their eyes following him, just like they do everywhere he goes.
He wonders what they think.
Do they want to clap for him?
Do they pity him?
Are they of the opinion that he’s the future?
Or is he a failure?
They head into their locker room after the dreaded walk of shame that’s suffered after a loss where Johnny can finally wash the blood of off himself.
He goes directly into the shower, closing his eyes as the hot water runs down his back.
“Main event Mason is hanging with the big dogs!” The fat man belts out before barking and biting up in the air.
Then biting some old food he left out on the couch before the match.
Getting out of the shower as the running water comes to a stop, Mason dries off before getting dressed and looking at himself in the mirror.
He resets his nose as he stares into his own bloodshot eyes, before turning his attention to the boar in the other room that he can hear chewing and giggling.
Why are you so happy?
I lost.
Well for one Johnny boy-
He licks his lips
that’s as good as I’ve ever seen anyone look in defeat-
I tapped out.
And two, look at you. You’re not even angry.
You shook his hand!
He beat me and he beat me fair.
He hasn’t lost a step.
Oh I know! That’s what I’m so happy about!
You held your own with one of the best of all time!
Johnny shuts the bathroom door behind him, before coming into the room, standing nose to nose with the fat one
“Holding my own” isn’t good enough Tyson.
You go out there every night and tell the world how great I am, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I held my own.
And it shouldn’t of been a surprise if I would of beat him.
But this is good.
You proved something out there.
He tosses his plate back down on the greasy black leather couch.
Not to me, I already know it.
And not to yourself.
But to Dean, the fans, and most importantly, The WFWF.
Yeah?
What if I look “impressive in defeat” at Superbrawl against Mesh?
Then you’d be on to bigger and better things Johnny.
That’s how it works!
That’s how it works?
That means I would have lost MY championship!
Joh-
No Tyson!
Just stop.
Don’t you see that’s what’s most important to me?
I can’t lose that.
Johnny sits down on the couch, pushing Tyson’s filthy plate into the floor.
Watts winces as he sits next to him staring at the plate that still had some fried chicken on it.
It’ll be okay Johnny.
You know, the stars shine the brightest when it’s the darkest or some bullsh*t.
Johnny is emotionless, staring off into space
You won’t lose against Mesh.
I know you won’t.
We will do everything we can to keep our title.
Mason gets up and is about to head out of the door before turning back and stating calmly,
I’ll see you at Superbrawl.
He opens the door and walks out of it as Watts fumbles for the right words to say, until the door slams shut leaving the pig to wallow in his sty.
I know who I am,
I know what I’m capable of,
But most importantly, I know what I’m not.
I’m not going to be wasted potential like so many others who have came before me.
I’ll be doing great and then the self doubt creeps in.
It’s not just fueled by my own insecurities, it’s fueled by the people around me as well.
“Professional Wrestler”
Maybe at first, when I still had my family.
I can’t help but to take everything so personal.
I’m fighting for my life out there because it’s all I have left.
It’s just me in the ring, beating the hell out of whoever they put in front of me.
Meanwhile, there are tens of thousands of “fans” in the same arena as me just watching.
Analyzing and criticizing everything I do, whether it be right or wrong.
Like they have the authority to call it right or wrong.
“Oh I don’t like that Johnny Mason, he’s just a bad person.”
If doing what I do makes me a bad person in the eyes of the people then so be it.
What do you want me to do?
Come out here and give you all high fives so we can chant together while I get my head bashed in?
I won’t let anybody, especially some idiots who paid to boo me, get in my head and try to bring me down.
No more distractions.
I’m doing this on my own and I know just where to go.
DESOLATE
: bleakly and depressingly empty or bare.
: deserted of people and in a state of bleak and dismal emptiness.
The cabin used to be the family getaway.
Family as in Johnny and his father.
Located in Minnesota, it was a long drive but It was their place to stay while they went ice fishing, a pastime that was a annual event in the month of December leading into Christmas.
Every single year, young Johnny would have his hopes sky high.
He gets to spend time with his dad after all.
Usually working 12 hour shifts at his dead end factory job, it was a prestigious job in the small Indiana town where they lived.
In between Indianapolis and Louisville it was about an hour away from each.
Johnny loved dreaming about going to live in one of the big cities.
In his mind there was always something to do there, a contrast to the cornfields and country roads that led to nowhere like he’s been accustomed to.
An only child, Johnny and his father would leave his mother at home.
Her final words before leaving were always
“Love you! Be good!”
Like it f*cking mattered, his father would yell and hit him regardless.
But nonetheless, maybe this year would be better than last.
It had to be he thought.
Nothing could be worse than seeing the man he looks up to cry for the first time like he did last year after the family dog fell into the water and died.
Even though the dog was a dumb dog, they loved him the same as the smartest one.
Frank the Pug
Contrary to his name he was never actually neutered.
It came to a surprise that this was actually the best trip they ever had together, and the last one as well.
A little after New Years, Johnny’s mom got pregnant and that put an end to the December trips.
Johnny’s often wondered if they ever meant anything to his dad.
Being from a small town in Indiana, and now residing in Canada.
Maybe the trip meant something. But never him.
A knight in shining armor is a person who has never had their metal tested.
Pacing back and forth with his prized possession, the champion is suddenly wondering why he’s decided to come back here.
He told himself it was a place where he could be secluded in solitude.
A place with no distractions and nothing stopping him by getting in his way.
Now he hates himself for forgetting his mind never stops.
For not realizing he’s the one getting in his own way.
I’m a f*cking idiot!
I thought I could get myself into the right mindset but there is no right mindset. Only mine.
I wonder what Mesh is doing to prepare for our match.
While that remains somewhat of a mystery to me, the one thing that doesn’t is her.
I might not know what she does in her spare time but I know who she is.
What she is, and how she’s feeling.
If I could sum it up in one word it would be... powerless.
Now does she have the “skill” to compete here?
Yeah most definitely.
She was here before me and she used to call my title hers.
But that girl is dead and gone.
When I say that I know how she’s feeling I’m not being pretentious. I’m not assuming.
As someone who has been there and is still stuck there, I can see it in her eyes.
The girl that achieved so much in the WFWF will never come back.
The only way to go forward and be successful is to use it as fuel on your way to the top.
Make that your escape to all the sh*t that is your life.
I don’t think she has it in her, but I know I do
For every single show I’m the first one here and i would say the last to leave, but I never leave.
I haven’t missed a show since I’ve debuted and I’m here to do nothing else but win, and when I do, I am immediately focused on what’s next.
I don’t get breaks.
I don’t want breaks!
Being out with an injury is one thing.
But not being here is something totally different and I’ll be damned if you think you can just show up and take my championship.
I know that I can push it to that next level.
The place where you scratch and you crawl to do everything and anything you can to get the victory.
You don’t do it for the fans or the money or anything besides yourself.
To prove to yourself that all the sh*t that comes out of your mouth is backed up.
The question is can you do that Mesh?
Is it going to be tragedy and triumph or tragedy and self pity?
I would say that I want you to succeed.
That I want you to overcome this sh*t just like I want myself to.
But I don’t.
I don’t care about anything or anybody besides myself.
You’re standing in my way and what I do to you at Superbrawl, I’ll do with no remorse.
What are you looking at you freak?
Uh I don’t know dad. I’m sorry.
11 year old Johnny Mason is telling the truth.
He really doesn’t know what he’s looking at.
Well stop that right now!
No son of mine is going to act like a dumb*ss,
No wonder why you cry and moan about being picked on at school!
Johnny doesn’t understand why he does this.
His mind gets to thinking about something, and then he’s thinking about something else, and something else, and something else, meanwhile he’s so deep in thought that he just stares blankly at the wall.
So deep in thought he doesn’t process that he is disassociating.
Being tired of having to carefully choose his words so his father doesn’t take it as “talking back”, Johnny decides to head back to his room to somehow try to stay out of trouble or at the very least, out of reach.
Don’t you turn your back on me boy!
He couldn’t have hesitated for more than a second when the young boy’s father struck him in the side of the head, knocking him down.
You always have to start your sh*t!
Always have to make me be the bad guy!
In Johnny’s head he’s trying to say he’s sorry but nothings coming out of his mouth which only enrages his father even more.
You hate me don’t you?
In this moment if you ask Johnny how tall his father is, he would be sure to say at least seven feet.
He stands five foot eight, with light brown hair that’s starting to gray.
Albeit short, his muscles always reminded Johnny of the professional wrestlers that he’d see on the television when he was lucky enough to watch it.
He picks his son up off the ground by his shirt.
Having both hands clenched and twisted into the front of it.
N-no dad I don’t,
I love you!
I love you!
You sound just like your mother!
He shoves Johnny into the wall. Almost knocking the air out of him, causing him to gasp for air.
You know she hates me too son!
She blames me for your sister not making it.
He lets go of Johnny who sinks to the floor as he sits back down on the couch.
If you ask me I’m glad she didn’t get to see this world.
Didn’t have the chance to hate her father.
Didn’t get to meet her p*ssy brother.
Didn’t get to love her wh*re mother.
Aren’t you happy too son?
I know god sure is!
Johnny gets up and runs to his room like he’s never ran before, passing his mother who is frozen still in the doorway to her bedroom.
The Vanguard Champion left the cabin feeling worse than he did before.
All of the memories and nightmares reminded him of the fact that things never change.
You just move from one sh*tty thing to the next.
On his way to Wembley, he held his title extra tight, and now at the hotel, he knows that in a couple of days he will define his legacy,
I knew you’d come back baby, you just can’t resist me!
The parasite of life has a huge grin on his face, as his money maker is back.
“Here I am” Mason says unenthusiastically.
He makes his way into the hotel room that looks identical to the last where he finds Watts sitting up in his chair in his aviator shades and custom tailored suit.
I’ll cut the bullsh*t with you Johnny.
Mason sits across from him, in his black hoodie and black shorts.
You and I, we’re just too good of a team to let all the little things tear us apart.
I don’t know what you’ve been up to as of late but I’ve been reflecting on what got us here, and that’s you.
Tyson-
No listen.
I just, I lost sight of the end goal.
Every match is getting bigger and bigger and you keep stepping up more and more
That’s debatable after my loss at Fright Night
It’s not debatable, you’ve scratched and crawled for everything that you’ve earned
I’m not going to argue with you there
Of course, you’re not stupid.
You’re the best you’ve ever been and I’m trying to tell you that it doesn’t have to be lonely at the top
It’s been like that everywhere else I’ve been so I don’t see why it won’t be
Because you’ve got me.
Tyson takes off his sunglasses as Johnny looks into his eager eyes.
Surprised that he seems so sincere.
In our partnership I’ve prided myself on being your mentor,
but you’ve became greater than I ever was
Uh okay...
Where is this going?
Watts chuckles
I’ve been overstepping my bounds, and I just don’t want this to end badly.
We’re on this collision course but if it’s okay with you i think I have a solution for this to work
I don’t want to lose you Tyson.
I’ve lost too much already.
I’d give anything to go back in time for my son.
To save him.
I don’t want to live with regrets anymore.
Me either son
So that’s why I’m going to be following your lead.
You following me?
It’s time Johnny.
We’re going to beat that little b*tch Mesh and you’re going to cement your legacy.
They both smile as Mason busts out the whiskey.
How much?
None.
Johnny looks up surprised
Jack and I don’t get along anymore
Since I’ve been in the WFWF, Every single match I’ve had becomes the most important match of my career.
I’ve got my teeth knocked down my throat, I’ve ended careers, and I’ve held my Vangaurd Championship high.
But through everything, I’ve never been as confident as I am right now.
I’ve had things happen to me that I never seen coming.
From achieving my dreams, to succumbing to my worst nightmares.
And I’m still standing here.
I haven’t had any time off. I just work harder to get better.
Im a flawed man just like the next, but nobody puts as much effort in as I do.
Yes the insecurities are still there, but if I’m anything, I’m self aware.
I can never beat my demons.
But for the first time in a long time, I feel like they’re somewhat under control
Only one of us can come out of this match as champion Mesh.
You and everybody else think you’re going to win but I’m going to continue to bet on myself.
I still feel underestimated after all this time.
Like people expect me to be great in the future but not right now.
Like this isn’t my time.
Nobody knows me!
They’re still calling me the Icebreaker.
Well the ice has broke and at Superbrawl I’m going to leave you drowning below the surface.
