Unlike Any Other (EOD)

[Spike Kane]

X*Crown Champion.

I don’t think any of you quite understand how much that means to me, how much those three words actually mean. The X*Crown Championship was something I failed to win in XHF’s prime. That’s not something that has happened very often in my career, usually, if I set my mind to something, if I set myself a goal? I fucking hit it. Whether that’s becoming a TWO TIME XHF HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION ... .or the United States Championship, or forging my own path in federation after federation, and making a name for myself in a way that only Spike Kane can.

Seen it all.

Done it all.

Won it all.

Now I can finally call myself the X*Crown Champion. I can finally hold the championship that my very own company’s world heavyweight championship became a part of so long ago. More than that though….because finally, after years…

I’m fucking free bitches

---

THEN
~~~

We open up on the dorm like home of Spike Kane, his rather large turtle friend Dax, and the mischievous little red panda Tomo. Spike is sat underneath the window with his back against the wall, not looking to pleased. Tomo is busy rifling through Spike’s things, throwing bits all over the place, while Dax sits on a bean bag, his clearly just used pipe sat next to him. He leans forwards to Spike and taps him on his leg.

Dax: Don’t worry, he’s just looking for books.

Spike: Books? Why? ….he can read?

Dax shakes his head a little.

Dax: That kind of attitude is why we er….err…..why we left our home in the first place. People think we’re monsters, or we’re like super dumb or somethin’

Now Spike raises an eyebrow at Dax’s almost Brummie (Birmingham, England) accent that isn’t too dissimilar to his own, which has been watered down after two decades in the states.

Spike: ….I don’t think he’ll find any books.

Dax: Books or cheese. If you got cheese, he’ll find it.

Tomo is frantically digging into one of Spike’s bigger bags, before he falls into it complete with a little scream, which causes Spike to chuckle.

Dax: I think dat’s the first time I seen you laugh.

Spike: Not much to really laugh about right now buddy.

With much effort Dax begins to shuffle over towards Spike, taking the beanbag with him. It’s not smooth, and it takes a few moments and hefty grunts from Dax.

Dax: Dat’s okay bud. You can talk to me. What’s got ya so down?

Spike: Really? Come on man….I died. I’ve been in hell for years.

Dax: But you ain’t now, are you?

Spike makes a vague gesture towards his surroundings at the duffel bag that is wriggling and jostling about. When Tomo suddenly appears out of the bag with what looks like a Dairylea Lunchable, processed ham, cheese, and crackers. His face is full of happiness and awe as he looks at it.

Tomo: OH MY GOD! IT’S GOT CHEESE, MEAT, AND CRACKERS!

Spike reaches out to try and stop Tomo from eating it, but the Red Panda absolutely destroys the packaging before shoving all the food in his mouth.

Spike: That’s….that’s probably been in there for a very long time….

Tomo: *Between mouthfuls* is okay *munch* I got *much* a hardy *much* stomach.

Dax: You know we been watchin’ your stuff on the magic box...ever since we knew you was comin’ we decided to check you out.

Tomo: You’re *crunch* not *crunch* bad.

The absolute insanity of the situation causes Spike to smirk besides himself.

Spike: I like to think I’m pretty good at what I do. I mean, everyone’s been making deals with a devil to get me back, so that has to stand for something right?

Dax: So, if you get to do what your good at….why so down?

Spike: Dax...I don’t know how to explain it all….I mean, my life was far from rainbows and butterflies. I had a traumatic upbringing, I’ve had to bury two of my children, and I went through a rough bout of cancer.

Tomo: Wassat?

Spike: ...it’s a disease. It’s not pretty. I thought it was going to kill me, so I tried to make amends before I died. I wasn’t a good person. I hurt a lot of people, and I left a wake of destruction in and out of the ring. I had a chance to make things right with my daughter and my son, and I thought I had. I fell in love with the most amazing Skald you’ll ever meet….Pandora Freeman. She saved me, mentally at least. I was at the edge, on a monster run, absolutely brutalising anyone in my way….even some of my oldest friends. I wasn’t enough for her, she fell for a viking warrior named Astrid….I knew I was dying, so I did my best to make her happy. I shared my love with Astrid, knowing she could give Pandora what I couldn’t, and perhaps when I was gone, she would look after her….I found my sister….it wasn’t pretty, the poor girl has been through so much, and I feel responsible for most of it….but at least she’s found Eternity….

As the words trail off, Spike almost seems to stare off into space.

Dax: Dat don’t sound too bad?

Spike: I thought so...but part of my torture over the last few years is watching everyone I ever cared about turn against me. Spit upon my legacy, throw away the gifts or things I left behind for them, and trash my name. The people I thought loved me...turns out they never did. So here I am once again, wrestling. Because I have nothing else, I’m no good for anything else….and all I can feel is pain…

With a deep sigh, Spike buries his hands in his palms. Tomo immediately stops rummaging through Spike’s things and looks up at Spike, then Dax, then back to Spike. He nods to Dax, who reaches over for his ornate pipe.

Dax: Well you got us now. Tomo likes you, and if you’re a friend of Tomo’s then you’re a friend of mine., plus you gots yourself a match for that belt thingy that means you'll be free, right?

Tomo: So we will look after you. We will cheer you up, and you can get us cheese, right?

Dax glares at Tomo who shrugs with a “what?” motion, before Dax waves the pipe in front of Spike.

Dax: It might not make you feel the love that’s been lost, but it’ll make you not feel pain for a while….

Spike: I don’t….it’s been a long time since I…

Dax: Ssssshhhh.

Dax plants one of his huge fat fingers on Spike’s lips before shoving the pipe in his mouth.

Dax: This is from the feywild…..it’ll be fine….sssssshhhh

Spike’s eyes grow wide and his pupils expand before rapidly shrinking, and we cut away.

---

You could probably put it down to the number of chair shots I’ve had over the years, but I don’t actually remember ever taking part in the fabled End of Days tournament. If I did, I clearly didn’t win, because you bet your sweet ass I’d be standing here bragging about it, but alas ... .I'm not. Makes a change, right? However, I fully understand that in today's day and age, in the era of the Network, the End of Days tournament has taken on a whole new lease of life. Unlike the “old” tournament, End of Days now encompasses a number of wrestling federations, seeking the best of the best, for the biggest prize going.

The prize around my waist.

It probably seems hypocritical of me to stand here and demand respect. Demand that this championship be respected, right? After all I’m the guy who took the XHF Title to some shit hole federation ran by the most carniest of carnies I’ve ever come across, set a trash can on fire and chucked said championship in. It’s not a proud moment of mine, no, because it shows how easily a wrestler can be led astray, it shows how easily the backstage politics that run rife through this business, can take a toll on a person's mental health. It shows how young and stupid I was, and even though I’d reached the hallowed heights of being a two time XHF Champion, I was still looked down on, I was still disrespected, and I still had half the roster begging for my spot…..

Funny, that hasn’t changed….

I was angry, I was hurt, and I knew my fucking worth. Something I’ve had to fight with people over the years, constantly. I know that I am worthy of being a main event talent. I know that I am worthy of holding THE championship. I know that I am hands down one of the best that has ever graced any version of the XHF, and I’ve proven it. Time, after time, after time. I wrestled more often than anyone else, I wrestled at a consistently high level longer than anyone else. I’ve taken on any and all comers, and I’ve never backed down from a fight. I adapt, evolve, and everywhere I go, everywhere I’ve been I’ve been regarded as a benchmark, so someone with newer talent, the younger talent, the up and coming talent are sent to be tested against. Someone who demands respect, someone who left behind a legacy second to absolutely none.

Not your Reeshi’s, not your Venom’s, not your Bloodied Fox’s, not your Dylan Black’s, not your Anthony fucking Caffrey’s….no…..nobody comes close.

So while Evan Valentine bitches and moans about losing this here gold to yours truly, ensuring that Spike Kane lives rent free in his head for the rest of his career, I have been looking forward to End of Days. I have been watching, been scouting, and doing my goddamn research, lucky for me? The winner of End of Days is someone I go waaaaaay back with, someone many consider InFamous….and someone who fucking deserves it too. Oh, don’t worry Steve, we’ll get down to the nitty gritty eventually….but as far as End of Days goes?

I tip my hat.

Congratulations Steve, you deserve it.

I’m not going to lie, there’s a side of me that really wanted Anthony Caffrey to win, just so that I could cave his skull in myself. Why? Well shit, have you guys not been paying attention to the things I’ve been saying? I joined FIRESIDE to prove a point, to the XHF at large, and to Caffrey himself. I did exactly what the little prick complained I wasn’t doing. I joined a federation, I put the effort it, and I EARNED my god damn X*Crown Title shot…

Much like I earned my way into Night of Champions, but hey….

People see what they want to see.

I came to FIRESIDE with one goal in mind, why do you think I absolutely destroyed Dylan Black the night I made my debut? The X*Crown Championship, was, is, and always has been my end goal since returning to action. Since clawing my way from Hell itself. Oh, I expect everyone to dismiss that, and dismiss my efforts, because we all know that the XHF and everyone involved doesn’t actually give a shit about their roster members. They don’t actually care about the trials and tribulations that we all go through, all they give a shit about is their money making headline acts, and I don’t know if you’re aware of this….but I’ve pretty consistently been in the Main Event since returning, even for a “lower” tier championship, because at the end of the day…

Spike Kane is the attraction.

Yet still, I have more respect for this company, I have more respect for the XHF Network and the umbrella of federations and workers that fall underneath it, than so many of you do. Than I did way back when, when I took my ball and left… I learned the hard way, that the championship doesn’t make the man, no the man makes the championship. Let me rephrase that, given my competition at End of Days: Battlefield - the person makes the championship. That is why this belt, this very belt I hold so dear has been looked down upon as of late. The calibre of champion has dropped so drastically, that it’s almost like this championship has been hot potato’d through a shit tip…. But now? ….now I hold this championship. I earned this championship, and if you look through my history, you’ll find a long record of how hard it is to take such a championship from me. You’ll find how I learned my lesson when I left XHF and was treated even worse by the next company, before stumbling into nCw, and bringing half the XHF Roster with me...because whether the “old boys” like to admit it or not, the XHF’s Legacy lived on without all of them. It lived on in the likes of myself, in the likes of Steve Awesome, Joe Everyman, Mark Evil...when the ball was dropped, when people decided to take THEIR balls home, we continued, I continued! Every week, year after year, I went out there and I established that IWF’s history, was nCw’s history, and nCw’s history, was XHF’s.

I’ve always campaigned as such, because you can’t just pretend something didn’t happen because you weren’t there.

Now….the last time I took a title off someone unworthy, deliberately to wipe a stain from the record books? I kind overshot a little, and ended up breaking the longest reign record ... .I don’t expect to do that here, but you can trust me when I say I’m damn sure going to try. I’m a fighting champion, and I always have been, so whether it’s Dakota Jennings, Steve Awesome, Dylan Black, JFK, Mongo himself...who tries to come and take this title from me? Just know, you’re in for the fight of your life, and it is going to take everything, EVERYTHING you have to do so….because I don’t go down without a fight, I don’t go down easily….

I am finally free, and it’s because of this baby, so if you think after years of toil, years of hard work, years of torture, that you can waltz in and take it away from me?

Think again.

Because I’m Spike Fucking Kane.

Y’all don’t even come close.