Post by johndoe on Nov 13, 2020 22:11:02 GMT -5
-Donny is sitting in front of his home, on the steps leading up to his porch looking out towards the road. Cars pass by, children ride along on their bikes, and dogs relieve themselves as time marches on. Donny’s nose picks up the scent of apple pie off in the ether and the sound of a mother calling out for dinner. Truly living in a slice of americana.
But still, Donny’s thoughts were elsewhere. Hard fought matches, decent showings. He thought of opportunities won, opportunities handed to him, and of course opportunities lost. Each of these had occurred in every facet of Don’s life, and he was lost in a sea of what ifs. What if he won that night, what If he stayed with the circus, what if he never passed that test, what if he was never born.
Deville couldn’t help himself now. He was sinking ever lower into a pit of despair of his own making. Trapped in his head, not even trying to claw his way out. The tranquility afforded to him by simply living in the United States, the security of his financial position, the modicum of fame that let others recognize him states away wasn’t going to be enough this time. Something was wrong with him fundamentally. He was sure of it.
The sky was getting darker and as soon as he saw one more vehicle pass by, this time with their headlights on, he chose to stand. After a brief stretch he made his way inside his house. The screen door would clap behind him a few seconds before seating himself on his couch. He looked at his walls around him, lined with various pictures of times gone by. Moments in his story, his life. The more he starred though, the more he was sick of the sight of them.
His eyes settle on one picture in particular. It’s a shot of him hoisting up the Phantom Horse World Title. Something about the way he stands there smiling sets Deville’s face from nothing to a deep scowl. His face turning and bit red, he reaches out and taps at his sides. The remote control found its way into his grasp and he launches it at the frame. The glass cracks, but the image remains on the wall, cracked.
Donny stands up and approaches his disaster. He slams both of his hands around the target. Other photos fall from the perch but this one remains. He stares at it for a long time. His smile there seemingly eternal. But he can’t shake the feeling of it being a fraud. A sham. A title won in a place no one respects. A reminder that being the king of shit mountain still amounts to shit. He sighs heavily and finally retreats. He climbs the stairs but the shot remains on that broken picture frame.
Some time later, Donny is in a ring taking a few bumps from a sparring partner. Not because it benefits him, but because he was pressured to “pay it forward” by several industry vets. Just a routine hip toss from these young bucks is sloppy as hell. But Donny grins and bears it, offering the same cookie cutter responses like “good job” and other sort of blind encouragement. After the third mistake in a row though, Deville felt his rage overswelling and just cut the thing short claiming he was late for something.
Donny calls over a camera person.-
“Well folks. Here I am again. Representing my country, my fans, and of course now my tag partner. And boy do we have a tall order ahead of us! The nihilists! Network legends! Gee I wish my name was mentioned alongside them! They’ve done seemingly everything tag related in this business. Accolade after accolade! They rely on each other, and they show up each and every time. I bet every tag team hall of fame in the world has them in it!
Me and my partner, literally Nobody, will have to get on the same page. Not just for a win, but for title gold! Imagine me and Joe, together, getting a win against the odds! That would be something. So Nobody, back me up partner! We have a chance to write our names down in the history books too!
With that being said, it won’t be easy. Of course it can’t be. They aren’t like those kids I just wrestled with. They will be watching tape and studying everything me and Joe have ever done. That’s fine. I’m not going to go down without a fight. I’m not done yet, and I’m sure Nobody isn’t either.”
-Donny offers a solid thumbs up and a huge smile before the camera personnelle wave him off. The fake expression leaves his face instantly. Donny goes into the venue’s bathroom. He washes his hands and throws some water on his face. He looks into the mirror at the man in front of him. He begins talking to himself.-
“You piece of shit. How long can you keep up this charade? You weren’t good enough for the olympics, you were not popular enough to keep phantom horse alive, and you aren’t good enough to beat the networks little tag team prodigys either. And worse? You got stuck with a fucking nobody.
You’re sick. Taking money out of kids mouths for you own good. Those shrimps in the ring? At least they have the drive to get out there. You? You aren’t even fit to lace that nobodies boots. At least he’s going to go out there and try to impress someone for the sake of his job and career. You’re only going out there to inflate your own ego.
You failure. You miserable piece of trash…”
-Donny takes a second and then smiles.-
“...You cunning son of a bitch. Why work for glory when it can be handed to you? You figured it out. That man who won that Phantom Horse belt? He’s not you anymore. Oh no, and neither is that guy you parade in front of the cameras. You are a different breed. A predator. One that’s going to use people like Nobody, like the Nihilists, as stepping stones to line your pockets. It’s genius. And no matter what happens, you’ll make out like a king won’t you?
That’s Devilish Donny Deville. That’s the man you chose to become, and it’s exactly why you will end up perfectly fine.”
-Donny spits on his own reflection before leaving the bathroom.-
But still, Donny’s thoughts were elsewhere. Hard fought matches, decent showings. He thought of opportunities won, opportunities handed to him, and of course opportunities lost. Each of these had occurred in every facet of Don’s life, and he was lost in a sea of what ifs. What if he won that night, what If he stayed with the circus, what if he never passed that test, what if he was never born.
Deville couldn’t help himself now. He was sinking ever lower into a pit of despair of his own making. Trapped in his head, not even trying to claw his way out. The tranquility afforded to him by simply living in the United States, the security of his financial position, the modicum of fame that let others recognize him states away wasn’t going to be enough this time. Something was wrong with him fundamentally. He was sure of it.
The sky was getting darker and as soon as he saw one more vehicle pass by, this time with their headlights on, he chose to stand. After a brief stretch he made his way inside his house. The screen door would clap behind him a few seconds before seating himself on his couch. He looked at his walls around him, lined with various pictures of times gone by. Moments in his story, his life. The more he starred though, the more he was sick of the sight of them.
His eyes settle on one picture in particular. It’s a shot of him hoisting up the Phantom Horse World Title. Something about the way he stands there smiling sets Deville’s face from nothing to a deep scowl. His face turning and bit red, he reaches out and taps at his sides. The remote control found its way into his grasp and he launches it at the frame. The glass cracks, but the image remains on the wall, cracked.
Donny stands up and approaches his disaster. He slams both of his hands around the target. Other photos fall from the perch but this one remains. He stares at it for a long time. His smile there seemingly eternal. But he can’t shake the feeling of it being a fraud. A sham. A title won in a place no one respects. A reminder that being the king of shit mountain still amounts to shit. He sighs heavily and finally retreats. He climbs the stairs but the shot remains on that broken picture frame.
Some time later, Donny is in a ring taking a few bumps from a sparring partner. Not because it benefits him, but because he was pressured to “pay it forward” by several industry vets. Just a routine hip toss from these young bucks is sloppy as hell. But Donny grins and bears it, offering the same cookie cutter responses like “good job” and other sort of blind encouragement. After the third mistake in a row though, Deville felt his rage overswelling and just cut the thing short claiming he was late for something.
Donny calls over a camera person.-
“Well folks. Here I am again. Representing my country, my fans, and of course now my tag partner. And boy do we have a tall order ahead of us! The nihilists! Network legends! Gee I wish my name was mentioned alongside them! They’ve done seemingly everything tag related in this business. Accolade after accolade! They rely on each other, and they show up each and every time. I bet every tag team hall of fame in the world has them in it!
Me and my partner, literally Nobody, will have to get on the same page. Not just for a win, but for title gold! Imagine me and Joe, together, getting a win against the odds! That would be something. So Nobody, back me up partner! We have a chance to write our names down in the history books too!
With that being said, it won’t be easy. Of course it can’t be. They aren’t like those kids I just wrestled with. They will be watching tape and studying everything me and Joe have ever done. That’s fine. I’m not going to go down without a fight. I’m not done yet, and I’m sure Nobody isn’t either.”
-Donny offers a solid thumbs up and a huge smile before the camera personnelle wave him off. The fake expression leaves his face instantly. Donny goes into the venue’s bathroom. He washes his hands and throws some water on his face. He looks into the mirror at the man in front of him. He begins talking to himself.-
“You piece of shit. How long can you keep up this charade? You weren’t good enough for the olympics, you were not popular enough to keep phantom horse alive, and you aren’t good enough to beat the networks little tag team prodigys either. And worse? You got stuck with a fucking nobody.
You’re sick. Taking money out of kids mouths for you own good. Those shrimps in the ring? At least they have the drive to get out there. You? You aren’t even fit to lace that nobodies boots. At least he’s going to go out there and try to impress someone for the sake of his job and career. You’re only going out there to inflate your own ego.
You failure. You miserable piece of trash…”
-Donny takes a second and then smiles.-
“...You cunning son of a bitch. Why work for glory when it can be handed to you? You figured it out. That man who won that Phantom Horse belt? He’s not you anymore. Oh no, and neither is that guy you parade in front of the cameras. You are a different breed. A predator. One that’s going to use people like Nobody, like the Nihilists, as stepping stones to line your pockets. It’s genius. And no matter what happens, you’ll make out like a king won’t you?
That’s Devilish Donny Deville. That’s the man you chose to become, and it’s exactly why you will end up perfectly fine.”
-Donny spits on his own reflection before leaving the bathroom.-