Post by Nathaniel Dixon 🗡️ on Feb 5, 2022 23:56:45 GMT -5
The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
The day is my enemy
The night my fave
The day is my enemy
The night my fave
Down!
Down!
Get down, get down, get down, get (get) down
“Well… tomorrow is now.”
Nathaniel chuckles. It’s just like he promised.
“Let’s speak more about the matter, shall we? The 2022 Global Challenge Tournament.”
Sitting on one of the cozy chairs of the private theater room within the Streeterville Luxury Apartments, the Lord of Charisma is semi-casual in his appearance tonight. Despite this, his attire is more suited for comfort. On the small table next to him is a wine glass of Lyme Block English Rosé. The bottle sits beside it. He crosses one leg over the other and folds his hands on his lap.
“Yesterday, I shared some details about the episodes of Synergy where I was showcased. If you missed my PWE Magnificence promo, I suggest you watch it first.”
He pauses, allowing the viewers of his current promotional video the opportunity to do this. Literally, a few seconds pass and he even checks the time on his watch. He resumes once he’s content.
“Now then, my hunt within Block B of this tournament has been rather complex. My victory over Mr. Phrixus Deimos, my defeat at the hands of Mr. Montague Cervantes, and the time-limit draw with Hide Yamazaki-san. The results have left me standing with five points, three from the victory and two from the… bloody draw. That still perplexes me. Did our match really go for ten minutes?”
He asks this as if Yamazaki and his (in)famous manager Johnny Hitmaker are tuning in.
“The ending was…. So Very Sinful. Yamazaki-san tapped out like so.”
To demonstrate, his right hand moves from his lap to tap the armrest of the chair. Then he relaxes his entire right arm and sighs.
“But apparently, the match was already over. The countdown reached zero and the bell sounded. I suppose all I could hear at that moment was Yamazaki-san writhing in pain.”
An off-kilter smirk crosses his face. To simply enjoy a person’s agony…
Sickening.
He shakes his head a little and presses on.
“It was certainly not the outcome I wanted. Far from it. A win via submission would have added five points to my score. With eight points total, I would be right behind Mr. Cervantes in second place. Instead, Yamazaki-san and I are tied in second place. It makes this upcoming episode of Synergy far more… risky.
Oh, I’m sure the fans of Unified Global Wrestling Coalition are placing their bets at their local taverns, dives, and casinos. In order for me to place high in this block, not only do I need to be victorious against Mr. Konrad Raab, but I need Mr. Cervantes to defeat Yamazaki-san. It doesn’t matter if it’s with a pinfall or a submission. Hell, they can even end their bout in another time-limit draw.
I can only hope that if the Showman of the Astro Creeps is forced into a submission hold, he does not tap out. That would see my placement in this block fall to third.
The bronze medal…
What an ugly material.”
Clearly, the Intellectual Evolution is appalled by it. Uncrossing his legs, he leans over and retrieves his glass of wine. He lightly swishes the alcohol before taking a sip.
“Ah… let’s not forget about the events within Block A.
Miss Pierrot and Ms. Lucy Wylde are in the top two. Mr. Sebastian Everett Bryce has five points on the scoreboard. Should he emerge victorious against Miss Pierrot with a submission, it will place him in second. A fascinating way to shake things up considering he wasn’t in the Global Challenge from the beginning. Really, I would be delighted to face any of the three in the squared circle.
The rest of the competitors are of no real concern to me. The Dark Destroyer is an absolute joke and Mr. Travis Pierce has no chance of scoring high after his loss to Mr. Bryce.
So then…”
His earth-colored eyes focus on the viewing screen as the lights begin to dim. The screen itself flickers to life and presents a familiar image.
“What do we have here?”
“Ah, this is from the fifteenth Horizons.
The Challenger, Konrad Raab.
The Champion, Tempest.
The Special Guest Referee, Phrixus Deimos.
It was quite the spectacle, wasn’t it? How did the Iceman tango in the webs of the Spider King?”
Highlights of the match begin to play on the screen as Nathaniel takes another sip of his wine. The inclusion of technical skills, the power of submissions, the biting of Konrad’s icy calf, the ejection of Ragdoll, the question of whether or not Tempest has rabies… The action pauses.
“I know some people are into the vampire kink, but good Lord…”
He shakes his head as the action continues. In the midst of the highlights, the attempted superplex into the accidental turnbuckle brainbuster is displayed. The visual pauses again.
“Ohhh, that’s brutal! I’ve seen this match before and yet that’s still unsettling. The fact that Mr. Deimos had to temporarily stop the match in order to allow medics to check on both competitors… That’s how you know it was bad.”
Nathaniel’s commentary is on point. The highlights resume and, of course, there’s insanity when Tempest throws medical personnel everywhere. Montague’s distraction proves to be useful to Tempest as Konrad is sent tiptoeing through the tulips. Still, Konrad’s power is demonstrated sooner rather than later. He continues to fight, even when he’s profuse bleeding.
“And yet despite everything…”
The highlights reach the point where Tempest ensnares Konrad in his Fishboy Sculpture.
“The Iceman thaws out.”
For the third time, the visual pauses -- right on Konrad’s bleeding and unconscious form. Nathaniel enjoys another sip of his wine and sighs.
“I must commend you, Mr. Raab.”
Now he’s properly addressing his opposition.
“You fought until the bitter end.
Some would say that tapping out is a sign of weakness. In my mind, I see no weakness of the sort. If you’re trapped in an excruciatingly painful hold and you know you can’t escape, there’s nothing wrong with surrender. Your health will thank you for it. Your body will recover faster and you will fight another day. But you…
You wanted that Cross-Hemisphere title so badly, didn’t you?
The temptation of gold was far too addictive. It held power over you.
It was overwhelming you.
Your greed is what ties you into the Global Challenge, isn’t it? Is it a coincidence that your bloodthirsty fight against the Storm resulted in his severe injuries? Or was it on purpose?”
Slowly, a sick, twisted grin crosses Nathaniel’s face.
“Did you lose control, Mr. Raab?
Did you enjoy his suffering?
Tempest loses his golden treasure… not in a wrestling match, no. Not in a fight. No. He loses the Cross-Hemisphere championship because of you. Some might say it was his own fault because he continued to do battle with you, but isn’t that what a real champion does in this industry?
They fight and they fight until they cannot fight anymore.”
Leering, Nathaniel’s eyes darken as the viewing screen turns pitch black.
“Even with all of the agony you inflicted upon him, he still defeated you. He had everything to lose. So then… how do you expect to match up against me? Someone who has absolutely everything to win? In the wrestling industry, I have no titles or accomplishments. Despite the on-and-off years in my career, I have yet to earn something worthwhile… But that’s why I’m here.
To earn my golden opportunity.
To fight for a title I’ve ranked for.
To become a champion at last.
Whether I accomplish this here in UGWC, Pro Wrestling Excellence, New Frontier Wrestling, the GeminiOne Tournament, or anywhere else! It doesn’t matter, does it? As long as the gold is mine and, oh yes, Mr. Raab, it is inevitable. You cannot stop me.
No one can.”
He chuckles as the lights slowly brighten within the private theater. Swishing the wine in his glass once more, he drains it completely and rises to his feet.
“The King is dead. Long live the Queen.”
He leaves it at that. Everything else becomes dark as his laughter echoes.
EX Chapter V: Trials & Tribulations