Post by The Nihilists on May 2, 2019 14:43:58 GMT -5
~The Network transmission fades to black again as the familiar static sound occurs. This time we are treated to the inside of a diner. We zoom around and find two men in masks sitting at a table as their food is delivered. The Nihilists are at a local diner in Minneapolis and have ordered steaks. Esmur is not eating as his mask has no mouth hole but Gebin takes a bite … and slowly swallows … and looks disgusted.~
”What’s wrong my friend? The steak looks to be cooked to your specifications.”
”And it is a perfect metaphor for my upcoming challenge. It uh … is not a perfect specimen for eating. It is just so very … boring … and tasteless. I never knew it was possible to weaponize blandness. This steak was slapped on a hot grill and ignored. It provides sustenance sure, but it does nothing to ingratiate itself to the senses, to make itself memorable. In fact, I don’t even know if it was salted at all.”
”Truly a tragedy. But it would be a shame to waste this opportunity. For some reason a camera has followed us to lunch. Truly this AWF staff has no shame about promoting itself. And yet it seems to be just what you need right now. A random chance that has gifted you with a chance to speak your message to the people of the XHF here in its hometown.”
”This upcoming Prestige showcases the very depths AWF can dig to. This Bradshaw fellow who doesn’t seem to know who anyone is has decided that a team on a quest to build itself should have a break. But that does not bother us. You see it provides a showcase to show that even alone we are forces to be reckoned with. And yet I look at the competition that has been scheduled to step into the ring with me while my partner watches and … it’s just so … unremarkable. For three shows we have stepped into the ring with dynamic individuals, men on a mission. We tussled with people with a zest for life and a desire to be the best. Danny Ray, Villalobos, Frank Fletcher, Kira Izumi, … that other fellow who we seem to have broken. These were men with a stature in this company and with a history and pedigree that made us look impactful in our victories. People spoke in hushed tones of the upstarts who believed in nothing but themselves, who spoke of the power of living in the moment and believing only in oneself and those that have PROVEN to be your family by blood or bond. When we said to embrace eternity … people listened and pondered what this message could mean and how they could harness this internal fortitude in their own life. It didn’t matter if they subscribed to the power of the void or if they simply learned from our strengths and implemented them into their own beliefs to better themselves. We made a statement. We were rising.”
”And then … Felix got hurt and we were forgotten for the Golden Week. We were overlooked by the tag team champions. And now … we are handed this. A singles triple threat. A new test. And new foes. So we did what we always do, we looked into who these men are and who they present themselves to be. And … *yawns* … oh my but this is a different set of circumstances indeed.”
”The thought occurs that maybe we were still forgotten. Because the two of us are nothing like these two men. There is just … nothing remarkable … nothing that stands out. And it is worrying to us that this is so. How is it even possible that there exists two humans who are just so generic? What message can we send when all people will remember is that Gebin outwrestled two guys … what were their names? Who were they? I think it was just two bros. You see our dilemma. With Jason Justice there is at least the fact that his name exists on a title history roll call. Jason Justice, the hometown hero of Bethesda and the original State of Ohio Champion. A true underdog story; overcoming a hulk of a man, a future champion and Icon, and … another bland cardboard cutout of a human being. Seems to be a theme here. And for over a third of the year he held the belt and defeated a string of nobodies. Until Maverick relieved him of the title. Oh don’t worry about him, we will be getting to Maverick soon enough … but we do not look past challenges regardless of how uninteresting they are.”
”It’s just that Jason Justice is just a brawler. He doesn’t seem to know the finer points of wrestling and it makes it all too easy to strategize. He takes some risks and has some explosiveness but he is just another wrestler who punches the wall until it makes a dent. Does anyone even remember that he even was a champion at this point? Or do they see the ongoing feud with Seth Dillinger and Maverick and forget all about Justice?”
~Esmur pushes his steak dish away and shakes his head~
”The difference is you can’t just send back this dish for one with proper seasoning. So you have to stomach it. We come out here week after week and show personality. We come out here day after day with new material and honestly it’s a bit of a disappointment to be faced with the prospect of such blandness. It’s like a painting of a forest done in grayscale. Sure it’s technically art but nobody will see it among the other artworks that feature color, that pop out at you and call to the eyes. People will flock to the ones that leave a mark, that affect them internally, that make them think. And even though they surely see the grey forest, it fades from their memory never to be thought on again. There is no impact. Do they remember that this artwork had a medal on it for first place in a local art show? Do they recognize its appearance when someone shows them the list of winners from years past or do they forget they even saw it and have to look it up on the internet? Look Jason, it isn’t that we think you a bad person or an unskilled wrestler. You are a champion and make no mistake when I defeat you and Jordan Cassidy people will still know that Gebin of the Nihilists owns ANOTHER win over a former AWF Champion. Four straight matches with a victory over a long reigning champion. Four victories and no defeats. So know that I do appreciate your accomplishments for what it will do for my career. I just wish there was more to you. And like this steak no amount of salt or ketchup or barbeque sauce is going to make it palatable. But it is sustenance nevertheless.”
~He takes another bite and then downs a whole glass of water to get it down. He shakes his head in disgust.~
”There is nothing to you. You are a guy who steps in the ring, appeals to the local fans, acts as an underdog, and then walks out of their memories while people like Bobby Barratt and Seth Dillinger steal their attention and the show. And the case is even blander for Cassidy. My oh my but this rookie is about as interesting as watching grass grow. The difference is that would have the benefit of providing you a lawn. This man has as much personality as this fork I hold in my hand. Then again the fork again at least provides me with a service.”
”Now let’s be fair, the boy is a rookie and it is entirely possible he could be exciting some day. But right now Cassidy is just a cardboard cutout with a thumbs up waiting to be placed in some movie stock footage. I question whether he is capable of anything more exciting than lacing up his boots. Look Cassidy, all I ask is that you make things interesting. Provide me with some entertainment and a challenge. Because the way I see it now I am going to be attempting to make the case for the void to a pair of men who have already deposited their personalities into it. It appears to me that you and Jason Justice have both looked into the great abyss and rather than taking the ordeal as a message, you tried to copy it. You blanked out yourselves into hollow empty shells and then turned around and thought you’d accomplished something. You both are formless, faceless mannequins. Sure you can use those mannequins to model the latest in ring attire and hang a title or two off the shoulders. Yes, I suppose you can use the mannequin as a training dummy to show off the newest moves in your arsenal. But how can you make an impact when your opponent is as blank as those autons from the first episode of that Doctor Who reboot. Though I suppose again, I at least remember them. They made an impact. They were at least threatening.”
~He sighs and sits back in the booth and holds a hand to his head. He lowers the hand and then continues~
”August 10 … Prestige XX … I intend to make an example of you both. The world, the tag team division, and the AWF brass … all need to take notice of this match. I make it my personal mission to make you both relevant. I will personally see to it that you both are remembered. It will be the greatest tribute to the abyss to show you the truth of its message. The idea is not to cast aside everything about you and become as generic and likable as you can. You need an identity so you do not just merge into the group consciousness. There has to be a part of you that is unique and memorable or else what is the point of existing in the first place. We are not meant to be some hive mind consciousness taking orders from some central intelligence … or some higher power. We are not meant to simply read words from a book or get advice from a wrestling trainer and simply blindly follow it. You are meant to trust in yourself. Show the world the seasoning, the flavor, the interesting pieces that make you unique. That is the gloriousness of the nothingness. You are able to be what you truly are inside because it offers you nothing. It doesn’t paint over your desires or your needs with its own. You are not stuck as a grayscale forest or a forgettable steak. You are not just meant to be sustenance for the rest of the interesting people in the world. And if it takes me using you as that sustenance, fueling my own rise to the top with my partner, than it is my sworn duty to do that and show you what it means to be remembered. I will grasp onto this opportunity and deliver to the world, to the XHF Network, that with no hindrance from some outside entity or beliefs, with only the drive to show the emptiness for its true benevolent form … one can become unstoppable, unbeatable, and immortal in the minds of those who bear witness to the rise. And those are my promises, my words that you can truly believe in. For they come not from a place of malice … but from a place of blank nothingness. They emanate from the null itself. And from nothingness we can define our own selves to stand out against that void. To honor the void is to become its messenger … and to show the power of believing in nothing beyond what you are.”
~He leans back over the table and tries a piece of Esmur’s steak~
”I don’t know why I thought seasoning this steak with metaphor and words would make it taste like anything other than the void itself.”
~The scene returns to static~
”What’s wrong my friend? The steak looks to be cooked to your specifications.”
”And it is a perfect metaphor for my upcoming challenge. It uh … is not a perfect specimen for eating. It is just so very … boring … and tasteless. I never knew it was possible to weaponize blandness. This steak was slapped on a hot grill and ignored. It provides sustenance sure, but it does nothing to ingratiate itself to the senses, to make itself memorable. In fact, I don’t even know if it was salted at all.”
”Truly a tragedy. But it would be a shame to waste this opportunity. For some reason a camera has followed us to lunch. Truly this AWF staff has no shame about promoting itself. And yet it seems to be just what you need right now. A random chance that has gifted you with a chance to speak your message to the people of the XHF here in its hometown.”
”This upcoming Prestige showcases the very depths AWF can dig to. This Bradshaw fellow who doesn’t seem to know who anyone is has decided that a team on a quest to build itself should have a break. But that does not bother us. You see it provides a showcase to show that even alone we are forces to be reckoned with. And yet I look at the competition that has been scheduled to step into the ring with me while my partner watches and … it’s just so … unremarkable. For three shows we have stepped into the ring with dynamic individuals, men on a mission. We tussled with people with a zest for life and a desire to be the best. Danny Ray, Villalobos, Frank Fletcher, Kira Izumi, … that other fellow who we seem to have broken. These were men with a stature in this company and with a history and pedigree that made us look impactful in our victories. People spoke in hushed tones of the upstarts who believed in nothing but themselves, who spoke of the power of living in the moment and believing only in oneself and those that have PROVEN to be your family by blood or bond. When we said to embrace eternity … people listened and pondered what this message could mean and how they could harness this internal fortitude in their own life. It didn’t matter if they subscribed to the power of the void or if they simply learned from our strengths and implemented them into their own beliefs to better themselves. We made a statement. We were rising.”
”And then … Felix got hurt and we were forgotten for the Golden Week. We were overlooked by the tag team champions. And now … we are handed this. A singles triple threat. A new test. And new foes. So we did what we always do, we looked into who these men are and who they present themselves to be. And … *yawns* … oh my but this is a different set of circumstances indeed.”
”The thought occurs that maybe we were still forgotten. Because the two of us are nothing like these two men. There is just … nothing remarkable … nothing that stands out. And it is worrying to us that this is so. How is it even possible that there exists two humans who are just so generic? What message can we send when all people will remember is that Gebin outwrestled two guys … what were their names? Who were they? I think it was just two bros. You see our dilemma. With Jason Justice there is at least the fact that his name exists on a title history roll call. Jason Justice, the hometown hero of Bethesda and the original State of Ohio Champion. A true underdog story; overcoming a hulk of a man, a future champion and Icon, and … another bland cardboard cutout of a human being. Seems to be a theme here. And for over a third of the year he held the belt and defeated a string of nobodies. Until Maverick relieved him of the title. Oh don’t worry about him, we will be getting to Maverick soon enough … but we do not look past challenges regardless of how uninteresting they are.”
”It’s just that Jason Justice is just a brawler. He doesn’t seem to know the finer points of wrestling and it makes it all too easy to strategize. He takes some risks and has some explosiveness but he is just another wrestler who punches the wall until it makes a dent. Does anyone even remember that he even was a champion at this point? Or do they see the ongoing feud with Seth Dillinger and Maverick and forget all about Justice?”
~Esmur pushes his steak dish away and shakes his head~
”The difference is you can’t just send back this dish for one with proper seasoning. So you have to stomach it. We come out here week after week and show personality. We come out here day after day with new material and honestly it’s a bit of a disappointment to be faced with the prospect of such blandness. It’s like a painting of a forest done in grayscale. Sure it’s technically art but nobody will see it among the other artworks that feature color, that pop out at you and call to the eyes. People will flock to the ones that leave a mark, that affect them internally, that make them think. And even though they surely see the grey forest, it fades from their memory never to be thought on again. There is no impact. Do they remember that this artwork had a medal on it for first place in a local art show? Do they recognize its appearance when someone shows them the list of winners from years past or do they forget they even saw it and have to look it up on the internet? Look Jason, it isn’t that we think you a bad person or an unskilled wrestler. You are a champion and make no mistake when I defeat you and Jordan Cassidy people will still know that Gebin of the Nihilists owns ANOTHER win over a former AWF Champion. Four straight matches with a victory over a long reigning champion. Four victories and no defeats. So know that I do appreciate your accomplishments for what it will do for my career. I just wish there was more to you. And like this steak no amount of salt or ketchup or barbeque sauce is going to make it palatable. But it is sustenance nevertheless.”
~He takes another bite and then downs a whole glass of water to get it down. He shakes his head in disgust.~
”There is nothing to you. You are a guy who steps in the ring, appeals to the local fans, acts as an underdog, and then walks out of their memories while people like Bobby Barratt and Seth Dillinger steal their attention and the show. And the case is even blander for Cassidy. My oh my but this rookie is about as interesting as watching grass grow. The difference is that would have the benefit of providing you a lawn. This man has as much personality as this fork I hold in my hand. Then again the fork again at least provides me with a service.”
”Now let’s be fair, the boy is a rookie and it is entirely possible he could be exciting some day. But right now Cassidy is just a cardboard cutout with a thumbs up waiting to be placed in some movie stock footage. I question whether he is capable of anything more exciting than lacing up his boots. Look Cassidy, all I ask is that you make things interesting. Provide me with some entertainment and a challenge. Because the way I see it now I am going to be attempting to make the case for the void to a pair of men who have already deposited their personalities into it. It appears to me that you and Jason Justice have both looked into the great abyss and rather than taking the ordeal as a message, you tried to copy it. You blanked out yourselves into hollow empty shells and then turned around and thought you’d accomplished something. You both are formless, faceless mannequins. Sure you can use those mannequins to model the latest in ring attire and hang a title or two off the shoulders. Yes, I suppose you can use the mannequin as a training dummy to show off the newest moves in your arsenal. But how can you make an impact when your opponent is as blank as those autons from the first episode of that Doctor Who reboot. Though I suppose again, I at least remember them. They made an impact. They were at least threatening.”
~He sighs and sits back in the booth and holds a hand to his head. He lowers the hand and then continues~
”August 10 … Prestige XX … I intend to make an example of you both. The world, the tag team division, and the AWF brass … all need to take notice of this match. I make it my personal mission to make you both relevant. I will personally see to it that you both are remembered. It will be the greatest tribute to the abyss to show you the truth of its message. The idea is not to cast aside everything about you and become as generic and likable as you can. You need an identity so you do not just merge into the group consciousness. There has to be a part of you that is unique and memorable or else what is the point of existing in the first place. We are not meant to be some hive mind consciousness taking orders from some central intelligence … or some higher power. We are not meant to simply read words from a book or get advice from a wrestling trainer and simply blindly follow it. You are meant to trust in yourself. Show the world the seasoning, the flavor, the interesting pieces that make you unique. That is the gloriousness of the nothingness. You are able to be what you truly are inside because it offers you nothing. It doesn’t paint over your desires or your needs with its own. You are not stuck as a grayscale forest or a forgettable steak. You are not just meant to be sustenance for the rest of the interesting people in the world. And if it takes me using you as that sustenance, fueling my own rise to the top with my partner, than it is my sworn duty to do that and show you what it means to be remembered. I will grasp onto this opportunity and deliver to the world, to the XHF Network, that with no hindrance from some outside entity or beliefs, with only the drive to show the emptiness for its true benevolent form … one can become unstoppable, unbeatable, and immortal in the minds of those who bear witness to the rise. And those are my promises, my words that you can truly believe in. For they come not from a place of malice … but from a place of blank nothingness. They emanate from the null itself. And from nothingness we can define our own selves to stand out against that void. To honor the void is to become its messenger … and to show the power of believing in nothing beyond what you are.”
~He leans back over the table and tries a piece of Esmur’s steak~
”I don’t know why I thought seasoning this steak with metaphor and words would make it taste like anything other than the void itself.”
~The scene returns to static~