Post by Tapioca Joe on Jan 23, 2018 17:13:27 GMT -8
It's a cold winter night in Denver, Colorado. The wind blows ferociously through the trees, a slight snow falls from the sky, and an almost evil chill runs through the air. A lone man walks through a courtyard, clad in a heavy winter jacket, leather gloves, denim jeans, boots, and a red scarf around his neck. Snowflakes make their home in his long, salt and pepper colored hair. Behind him stands a gargantuan mansion, several stories high. Nearly all of the lights inside the mansion have been shut off, everything is calm and quiet. The man walks through the light layer of snow blanketing the courtyard ground, leaving a trail of footprints in his wake. The camera moves to get us a clearer shot of the man's face...to surprisingly find out it is none other than Tapioca Joe also simply known as Tap.
It's now become pretty apparent that Tap is in a backyard of sorts, an area of land kept away from the prying eyes of civilization. And as he reaches the very end, it can be made out the possible reason why he's here. One tombstone marks the edge of the courtyard. Hovering above it, almost guarding it, is a large, delicately carved statue of an eagle, its wings spread out and it's head raised high. Tap walks towards the tombstones and kneels down in front of it. He runs his fingers across the engraved name as he slowly reads them to himself.
"Patricia Fortune...1954-1995...May her soul fly high above the skies...forever watching us."
He sighs...and rises back up. He stares down at the grave for a moment and shakes his head. Finally, he turns to the camera, glaring into it. It's hard to say how he's feeling right now. He seems angry...confused...sad...whatever it is...he is not in a good mood. Tap speaks...soft, but stern, to the camera.
"It has been said that it is not the beginning or the end that counts...that it's what you do in between that really matters in the end. That could never be more...right. I couldn't have said it better myself...it's the dash...not the birth or the death...that you will be remembered for."
He turns back towards the tombstone again and looks down at it. He raises his voice slightly, but stays relatively quiet.
”And it pains me so much...to look down at what remains of this woman...and see what SHE has done with the dash. Here lies the body of Mrs. Fortune...and if you know anything about my history, I will tell you that YES...it is who you think it is. This is Kandi Fortune's mother, what's left of her after she was mangled in a car wreck years ago. And behind me stands Fortune Manor, where she once made their glorious home. Kandi no longer lives here, but growing up, this is where you would find her, sitting out here in the cold...scared and alone, afraid of what might happen to her next. The story of Patricia Fortune is a sad and tragic one. For as she will always be remembered for being one of the most successful business people in the country, she spent her life bringing misery to others...causing pain and suffering wherever she went. Want to know how she spent HER dash? I'll tell you."
"Corruption...blackmail...embezzlement...perhaps even murder. Mrs. Fortune did whatever she could behind the scenes to keep her family's tight grasp on the public and their competition. The crimes she committed...the pain she inflicted on her fellow man sickens me to no end and it would take weeks for me to even scratch the surface of the horrible things she has done. But the worst part of it all...is the things she did to her children. The chapter of the dash that I can barely stand to think about. The Fortunes raised their oldest heir to become just like them in every way imaginable. Young Nikita Fortune got everything she wanted...the way she wanted...she was raised to rule. Her parents poisoned her mind...and spawned someone we all know and dread. Nikita Fortune became Strife and she brought on a new age of misery in the world of Sports Entertainment. Such a shame...she has an incredibly high IQ and was once touted as the most brilliant psychology students out there. But her parents fate ruled hers, and she was warped into a woman who has done everything she can to destroy the lives of others. And then we have Kandi. Poor Kandi...she's been a victim all her life...and it started right here. Savagely verbally beaten and abused day after day...Kandi was nearly driven to suicide...and may not be alive today if I hadn't have caught her in the act. Kandi was nothing to her mother...the family dog was held in higher regard. Patricia Fortune was a monster...a blight on humanity. And now...she's gone. All that's left is the dash."
"This woman...is a woman who has wasted her dash. It makes me sick to see an entire family leave a legacy like THAT behind. Patricia...Nikita...and Kandi after them...they stood for everything evil in this world. Greed...hatred......strife...their dash leaves a trail of these things in its wake. And it makes me so...depressed...to look at a man or a woman's life and see how much pain they've caused others...it makes me sad to see someone waste their potential...waste their life...on sin. They do nothing for their fellow man...they just do what they want to fulfill their own selfish desires. And...that day, long ago...when I stopped Kandi from jumping off that bridge...I swore to myself...never again. Never again would I let someone have to go through what she did. Never again would I leave an innocent...I promised myself that I would do whatever it takes to make an impact, no matter how miniscule it may be in the grand scheme of things. Ever since I laid my eyes on her so long ago...I've dedicated my life to aiding the weak...the hurt...the suffering...the victims."
Tap glares back into the camera.
"Participants for the Immortal Kingdom Crown...you have no idea who I am...who I was...and who I want to be. You sit there and try to analyze me...but you fail to really see what I am all about. Do you really think that I'm out for glory? Yes, I love my sport...I have spent my life trying to be the best damn wrestler I can be. Yes, I want to be a champion. I'd love to go down in the history books as one of the greatest of all time. But unlike wrestlers such as Adi Gold and Chris Crippler...I do not let these desires rule my life. If I can pull it off, great...if I can't, well, then I can't. I will not throw away my friends...my family...for some goddamn golden strap. I am not in Global Wrestling Division because I want to feed my ego...I am in GWD because I LOVE the sport! All I ever wanted was to climb into the ring and have FUN. Spirited competition against another man or woman, one person wins, one loses...no hard feelings attached. I respect each and every person who works hard enough to make a living in this business and I dream of the day when we ALL will be able to respect one another. You see, when I die and people look back and remember me...I could care less if they remember me as a champion...an icon...that's not what I want. I want them to look at my life...and see a man who made a difference. A man who watched the sport, more specifically GWD, decay and self destruct until he said "NO MORE"!"
Tap steps forward, closer to the camera. He raises his voice once more, his words becoming clearer and more fluent.
"During the past month alone...I have watched week in and week out...and what I see...I do NOT like. I have seen and been in the ring with a maniacal wrestler named Mark Storm, bent on destroying each and everyone of his peers, looking to decimate them until they, and ultimately GWD, are no more. It’s only a matter of time before men like Tony Savage and women like Samantha Hamilton attain power...and instead of using it for the good of the company...they’ll abuse it to fit their own selfish ends. I watch and I listen as one by one, the men and women on the roster will be broken down. Some will leave GWD...their lives forever tainted by what they've gone through. Some will DIE...their lives totally consumed by GWD. And some others will remain...desperately trying to keep their composure and their sanity. But they won’t escape the corruption forever. People like Sammy Duke and Melody Mitchell...GOOD people...are going to be forced to live through all the hardship...and eventually...it will destroy them, too. I look at GWD...and I see a company that needs HELP. I see a roster that is doomed to fall apart on itself. But I also see the best damn wrestling federation out there...one that deserves to go on to make history."
"So you're probably wondering what my point is. Well, it's simple. When I die...I want people to think of me as the man who fought for the future of GWD. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to be successful in the ring...I want the titles as bad as most of the other wrestlers out there. And I sure as hell have the ability to win it. I may not have had titles for a very long time, but I still held them and that's more than A LOT of people can say. I may not have set any records, but I can get it done in the ring. Not to sound egotistical...but I really believe I am one of the very best in the world...and I intend to prove it. Nothing you can say can make me feel otherwise...I believe in myself. But becoming champion is not the only thing I intend to do. I am here to aid a suffering federation. I am here to put a stop to men like Chris Crippler. I am here to make sure men like Storm will never destroy an innocent life. I am here to keep men like Sammy Duke and Nameless from beating each other to death. To put things simply...I want to be the one who finally stands up for the weak and the helpless. When someone is hurt and alone...I'll be there to console them. When someone is battered and bruised...I'll be there to help them back to their feet. And when someone has no one left to turn to...I'll be there to protect them. To be as blunt as I possibly can be...I am here to HELP PEOPLE. To keep guys like Broseph from giving in to the pain. To stop the plans of power-hungry Daddy’s girls like Britney Anders. To teach the rookies a valuable lesson in honor and decency. That, Global Wrestling Division...THAT is what I will do with MY dash. And I know it's foolish to think I can help everyone...if I can even make a small impact...change even ONE person's life for the better...then I will be happy. I love wrestling...and I want everyone else to love it, too."
Tap raises his head up and gazes out into the stars.
“So many people...so many have wasted their dash on their petty, evil desires. I'm not going to be like them. I will be known as the man who fought for justice...fought for what was right. I will be known as the man who keeps GWD clean...and if needed winning the title...keeping it away from the clutches of those who would abuse their power...is the first step. I failed once to protect the people I love and care about...never again. I promise that I won't leave this sport hanging this time...I let myself sink into depression and it won't happen again. Now that my life is back on track...I am ready to once again be the champion of justice...not only in name...but in spirit. Crippler, Hamilton, Marshall, Gold, Broseph, and Savage...I am no fraud. I am every bit as good as my reputation implies. Don't believe me? Just try and stop me. I still have a whole lot to do before my dash is done."
Tap turns away from the camera...and the tombstone...and starts to walk back up the path he came. The wind is calmer now, and it's stopped snowing. It's quiet...very quiet...as the grizzled veteran goes to make his exit. He drops his head, talking softly to himself, in almost a whisper. As he moves to cut across the hill towards the road that leads away from the mansion, the camera starts to fade to black.
It's now become pretty apparent that Tap is in a backyard of sorts, an area of land kept away from the prying eyes of civilization. And as he reaches the very end, it can be made out the possible reason why he's here. One tombstone marks the edge of the courtyard. Hovering above it, almost guarding it, is a large, delicately carved statue of an eagle, its wings spread out and it's head raised high. Tap walks towards the tombstones and kneels down in front of it. He runs his fingers across the engraved name as he slowly reads them to himself.
"Patricia Fortune...1954-1995...May her soul fly high above the skies...forever watching us."
He sighs...and rises back up. He stares down at the grave for a moment and shakes his head. Finally, he turns to the camera, glaring into it. It's hard to say how he's feeling right now. He seems angry...confused...sad...whatever it is...he is not in a good mood. Tap speaks...soft, but stern, to the camera.
"It has been said that it is not the beginning or the end that counts...that it's what you do in between that really matters in the end. That could never be more...right. I couldn't have said it better myself...it's the dash...not the birth or the death...that you will be remembered for."
He turns back towards the tombstone again and looks down at it. He raises his voice slightly, but stays relatively quiet.
”And it pains me so much...to look down at what remains of this woman...and see what SHE has done with the dash. Here lies the body of Mrs. Fortune...and if you know anything about my history, I will tell you that YES...it is who you think it is. This is Kandi Fortune's mother, what's left of her after she was mangled in a car wreck years ago. And behind me stands Fortune Manor, where she once made their glorious home. Kandi no longer lives here, but growing up, this is where you would find her, sitting out here in the cold...scared and alone, afraid of what might happen to her next. The story of Patricia Fortune is a sad and tragic one. For as she will always be remembered for being one of the most successful business people in the country, she spent her life bringing misery to others...causing pain and suffering wherever she went. Want to know how she spent HER dash? I'll tell you."
"Corruption...blackmail...embezzlement...perhaps even murder. Mrs. Fortune did whatever she could behind the scenes to keep her family's tight grasp on the public and their competition. The crimes she committed...the pain she inflicted on her fellow man sickens me to no end and it would take weeks for me to even scratch the surface of the horrible things she has done. But the worst part of it all...is the things she did to her children. The chapter of the dash that I can barely stand to think about. The Fortunes raised their oldest heir to become just like them in every way imaginable. Young Nikita Fortune got everything she wanted...the way she wanted...she was raised to rule. Her parents poisoned her mind...and spawned someone we all know and dread. Nikita Fortune became Strife and she brought on a new age of misery in the world of Sports Entertainment. Such a shame...she has an incredibly high IQ and was once touted as the most brilliant psychology students out there. But her parents fate ruled hers, and she was warped into a woman who has done everything she can to destroy the lives of others. And then we have Kandi. Poor Kandi...she's been a victim all her life...and it started right here. Savagely verbally beaten and abused day after day...Kandi was nearly driven to suicide...and may not be alive today if I hadn't have caught her in the act. Kandi was nothing to her mother...the family dog was held in higher regard. Patricia Fortune was a monster...a blight on humanity. And now...she's gone. All that's left is the dash."
"This woman...is a woman who has wasted her dash. It makes me sick to see an entire family leave a legacy like THAT behind. Patricia...Nikita...and Kandi after them...they stood for everything evil in this world. Greed...hatred......strife...their dash leaves a trail of these things in its wake. And it makes me so...depressed...to look at a man or a woman's life and see how much pain they've caused others...it makes me sad to see someone waste their potential...waste their life...on sin. They do nothing for their fellow man...they just do what they want to fulfill their own selfish desires. And...that day, long ago...when I stopped Kandi from jumping off that bridge...I swore to myself...never again. Never again would I let someone have to go through what she did. Never again would I leave an innocent...I promised myself that I would do whatever it takes to make an impact, no matter how miniscule it may be in the grand scheme of things. Ever since I laid my eyes on her so long ago...I've dedicated my life to aiding the weak...the hurt...the suffering...the victims."
Tap glares back into the camera.
"Participants for the Immortal Kingdom Crown...you have no idea who I am...who I was...and who I want to be. You sit there and try to analyze me...but you fail to really see what I am all about. Do you really think that I'm out for glory? Yes, I love my sport...I have spent my life trying to be the best damn wrestler I can be. Yes, I want to be a champion. I'd love to go down in the history books as one of the greatest of all time. But unlike wrestlers such as Adi Gold and Chris Crippler...I do not let these desires rule my life. If I can pull it off, great...if I can't, well, then I can't. I will not throw away my friends...my family...for some goddamn golden strap. I am not in Global Wrestling Division because I want to feed my ego...I am in GWD because I LOVE the sport! All I ever wanted was to climb into the ring and have FUN. Spirited competition against another man or woman, one person wins, one loses...no hard feelings attached. I respect each and every person who works hard enough to make a living in this business and I dream of the day when we ALL will be able to respect one another. You see, when I die and people look back and remember me...I could care less if they remember me as a champion...an icon...that's not what I want. I want them to look at my life...and see a man who made a difference. A man who watched the sport, more specifically GWD, decay and self destruct until he said "NO MORE"!"
Tap steps forward, closer to the camera. He raises his voice once more, his words becoming clearer and more fluent.
"During the past month alone...I have watched week in and week out...and what I see...I do NOT like. I have seen and been in the ring with a maniacal wrestler named Mark Storm, bent on destroying each and everyone of his peers, looking to decimate them until they, and ultimately GWD, are no more. It’s only a matter of time before men like Tony Savage and women like Samantha Hamilton attain power...and instead of using it for the good of the company...they’ll abuse it to fit their own selfish ends. I watch and I listen as one by one, the men and women on the roster will be broken down. Some will leave GWD...their lives forever tainted by what they've gone through. Some will DIE...their lives totally consumed by GWD. And some others will remain...desperately trying to keep their composure and their sanity. But they won’t escape the corruption forever. People like Sammy Duke and Melody Mitchell...GOOD people...are going to be forced to live through all the hardship...and eventually...it will destroy them, too. I look at GWD...and I see a company that needs HELP. I see a roster that is doomed to fall apart on itself. But I also see the best damn wrestling federation out there...one that deserves to go on to make history."
"So you're probably wondering what my point is. Well, it's simple. When I die...I want people to think of me as the man who fought for the future of GWD. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to be successful in the ring...I want the titles as bad as most of the other wrestlers out there. And I sure as hell have the ability to win it. I may not have had titles for a very long time, but I still held them and that's more than A LOT of people can say. I may not have set any records, but I can get it done in the ring. Not to sound egotistical...but I really believe I am one of the very best in the world...and I intend to prove it. Nothing you can say can make me feel otherwise...I believe in myself. But becoming champion is not the only thing I intend to do. I am here to aid a suffering federation. I am here to put a stop to men like Chris Crippler. I am here to make sure men like Storm will never destroy an innocent life. I am here to keep men like Sammy Duke and Nameless from beating each other to death. To put things simply...I want to be the one who finally stands up for the weak and the helpless. When someone is hurt and alone...I'll be there to console them. When someone is battered and bruised...I'll be there to help them back to their feet. And when someone has no one left to turn to...I'll be there to protect them. To be as blunt as I possibly can be...I am here to HELP PEOPLE. To keep guys like Broseph from giving in to the pain. To stop the plans of power-hungry Daddy’s girls like Britney Anders. To teach the rookies a valuable lesson in honor and decency. That, Global Wrestling Division...THAT is what I will do with MY dash. And I know it's foolish to think I can help everyone...if I can even make a small impact...change even ONE person's life for the better...then I will be happy. I love wrestling...and I want everyone else to love it, too."
Tap raises his head up and gazes out into the stars.
“So many people...so many have wasted their dash on their petty, evil desires. I'm not going to be like them. I will be known as the man who fought for justice...fought for what was right. I will be known as the man who keeps GWD clean...and if needed winning the title...keeping it away from the clutches of those who would abuse their power...is the first step. I failed once to protect the people I love and care about...never again. I promise that I won't leave this sport hanging this time...I let myself sink into depression and it won't happen again. Now that my life is back on track...I am ready to once again be the champion of justice...not only in name...but in spirit. Crippler, Hamilton, Marshall, Gold, Broseph, and Savage...I am no fraud. I am every bit as good as my reputation implies. Don't believe me? Just try and stop me. I still have a whole lot to do before my dash is done."
Tap turns away from the camera...and the tombstone...and starts to walk back up the path he came. The wind is calmer now, and it's stopped snowing. It's quiet...very quiet...as the grizzled veteran goes to make his exit. He drops his head, talking softly to himself, in almost a whisper. As he moves to cut across the hill towards the road that leads away from the mansion, the camera starts to fade to black.
