Post by Sam Sawyer on Jan 21, 2022 23:34:44 GMT -5
On a large television, thousands of fans cram The Hearth as Sam Sawyer quickly scales the top turnbuckle, their back to the ring. The energy in the arena suggests we've missed something important. Sawyer springs backwards with a lightning-quick moonsault - the Sawyersault - only for their ribs to batter against Rebecca Brookes' knees. Sawyer threw their entire body into it and paid the price. They didn't expect to miss.
The fans start to clap in time with each other, loving the action. Both wrestlers look in no condition to move, let alone fight, but they force themselves back up anyway. Sawyer is the first to strike, brushing off their hurt ribs to nail Brookes with a high-impact chop. Brookes seems barely able to stand, apparently having suffered a great deal before we joined the fight. She sucks it up - the fire in her eyes plain to see - and blasts Sawyer in the face with an elbow strike. Sawyer sways a little but stands firm, then grabs Brookes' head with their left hand in order to deliver a stiff, precise forearm shot. Brookes rebounds with a headbutt. Sawyer headbutts her back. Brookes hits a chop. Sawyer hits a forearm, palm strike and throat chop. Stiff strikes continue to rain down on Brookes at speed. Sawyer's face is an emotionless blur. They whip Brookes into the ropes and go for a knee strike on the return, but gets caught with a huge spear - The Climb Back - and lays dead on the mat. They start to come round as Brookes lifts them up. The breathless Sawyer feebly attempts to fight her off, but Brookes gets behind them, chops their neck, clubs their head, and hits a bridging full nelson suplex - Watch the Throne. The referee counts to three and the screen goes black.
The camera turns to reveal Jack Hamilton, seated with a remote in his hand.
Jack: I thought you'd appreciate a little break from me. It is supposed to be a Sam Sawyer promo. But that's the last you'll see of Sam before Caveat Emptor. Don't worry, you're not missing much.
He sighs after humorlessly insulting his client.
I know... you could watch the match on the XHF Network if you really wanted to see it. But believe me, that match will tell you more about Sam than I ever could. That's why I chose this time... that match... in particular. ... When I try to speak for Sam, I'm only guessing. Or telling you the same obvious shit over and over. The fact is: Sam lives in the gym. They fight, they fight, then they fight some more. It's nothing to look at, but it's who they are. And all that work was put to the test at Good Riddance. It was tested to within an inch of its life. And in that ring... in The Hearth... with the fans... and a game-as-hell Brookes... it was finally something worth watching. Human versus machine. Fire against steel. On that night, Brookes won. Rightfully so. Sam doesn't have bad days, or leave anything to luck. But while it was a defeat, it was also a glimpse into the future.
Jack pauses for a moment. His eyes are despondent as he seems to reflect on something.
Because make no mistake, this is going to continue. It's not going to stop, or go backwards... not even slow down. It's going up. In a straight line. It's not even hard. It shouldn't be hard, but we make it hard. We spend our lives going in circles, flaking out, letting people down, looking for a quick fix. It's amazing what you can achieve with a little patience. Someone who probably knows all about that is Sam's next opponent... Ace Sky.
His eyes intensify. He smirks coldly as he ponders Sam's next challenge.
I saw you at Good Riddance, Ace. I've read a lot about you too. There's a lot to get my teeth into, but let's start with the most obvious fact of all. Last July, you were the very first person Sam came into contact with in their first professional match. The five-way in AWF. After the opening bell, you got the better of Sam for a few seconds, moved on, then never crossed paths again. You were the first eliminated, by count out, while Sam finished third. It's safe to say you have unfinished business. Sam might have finished ahead of you, but who is better one-on-one? Make no mistake, Sam doesn't care about you, but I thought it was interesting. It's weird how things turn out. Really weird.
You're both from Houston, you were both child prodigies, you're both top tier members of Mensa, you both use a version of the Muta Lock... was this match written in the stars or what? Although compared to you, Sam might actually be a late bloomer. Sam was off the map before fourteen, but you started learning to fight at five! I would be worried if... if you weren't nearly forty now. You're still young, but you've been a pro for over twenty years. You've had a decent career, maybe better than decent, but for a wonder kid I can't help but think you're a disappointment. When you look across the ring at Sam, it must sting a little.
If Sam continues at the rate they're going, they'll own the entire XHF Network before twenty. They'll be richer than Bill Gates before twenty one. Jeff Bezos before twenty two. Well, if they cared about money. But if they set their mind to it, they could do it. It probably wouldn't be legal, but they'd do it. I called you patient before. But I wonder if I really meant "patient"... or "lazy".
Jack puts it like a challenge, the answer unknown.
If you didn't already know, Sam is building an army in Philadelphia. Sam needed people as strong as they are to train with, so they built them. Sam took the bunch of losers that were hanging out in that gym, and taught them to be patient, and cold. They don't even think for themselves anymore. I guess it's a religion, right?
He smirks, defiant in the face of Ace's opposition to it.
Maybe it is. Sam's religion might be evil, but it works. It gets the job done. What does spirituality do? Whatever it is, it's not working. Or maybe you can educate me. Maybe history will repeat itself, and human will defeat machine once again.
This again sounds like a challenge, now in the guise of sarcasm. He takes a deep breath and briefly looks off camera.
Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware. Have any match you want. I wanted everybody, I wanted the whole roster... I got one. And even that one didn't choose it. I guess the buyers bewore. Or just don't think Sam is worthy. If someone wants to let a challenge slide, that's their prerogative, but if it's almost the entire roster, that's a pattern. Luckily... Sam doesn't need a shortcut to the top. They don't need a lottery, or a miracle, or a push. They're going to get there. All they have to do is stay patient.
Patience... doesn't sound like the right word. It is. It doesn't mean take it slow. Patience is hard work. Patience hurts. But for Sam it's easy. It's their biggest strength. Patience is heading straight at you FIRESIDE... at a thousand miles an hour. Don't say I didn't warn you.
The fans start to clap in time with each other, loving the action. Both wrestlers look in no condition to move, let alone fight, but they force themselves back up anyway. Sawyer is the first to strike, brushing off their hurt ribs to nail Brookes with a high-impact chop. Brookes seems barely able to stand, apparently having suffered a great deal before we joined the fight. She sucks it up - the fire in her eyes plain to see - and blasts Sawyer in the face with an elbow strike. Sawyer sways a little but stands firm, then grabs Brookes' head with their left hand in order to deliver a stiff, precise forearm shot. Brookes rebounds with a headbutt. Sawyer headbutts her back. Brookes hits a chop. Sawyer hits a forearm, palm strike and throat chop. Stiff strikes continue to rain down on Brookes at speed. Sawyer's face is an emotionless blur. They whip Brookes into the ropes and go for a knee strike on the return, but gets caught with a huge spear - The Climb Back - and lays dead on the mat. They start to come round as Brookes lifts them up. The breathless Sawyer feebly attempts to fight her off, but Brookes gets behind them, chops their neck, clubs their head, and hits a bridging full nelson suplex - Watch the Throne. The referee counts to three and the screen goes black.
The camera turns to reveal Jack Hamilton, seated with a remote in his hand.
Jack: I thought you'd appreciate a little break from me. It is supposed to be a Sam Sawyer promo. But that's the last you'll see of Sam before Caveat Emptor. Don't worry, you're not missing much.
He sighs after humorlessly insulting his client.
I know... you could watch the match on the XHF Network if you really wanted to see it. But believe me, that match will tell you more about Sam than I ever could. That's why I chose this time... that match... in particular. ... When I try to speak for Sam, I'm only guessing. Or telling you the same obvious shit over and over. The fact is: Sam lives in the gym. They fight, they fight, then they fight some more. It's nothing to look at, but it's who they are. And all that work was put to the test at Good Riddance. It was tested to within an inch of its life. And in that ring... in The Hearth... with the fans... and a game-as-hell Brookes... it was finally something worth watching. Human versus machine. Fire against steel. On that night, Brookes won. Rightfully so. Sam doesn't have bad days, or leave anything to luck. But while it was a defeat, it was also a glimpse into the future.
Jack pauses for a moment. His eyes are despondent as he seems to reflect on something.
Because make no mistake, this is going to continue. It's not going to stop, or go backwards... not even slow down. It's going up. In a straight line. It's not even hard. It shouldn't be hard, but we make it hard. We spend our lives going in circles, flaking out, letting people down, looking for a quick fix. It's amazing what you can achieve with a little patience. Someone who probably knows all about that is Sam's next opponent... Ace Sky.
His eyes intensify. He smirks coldly as he ponders Sam's next challenge.
I saw you at Good Riddance, Ace. I've read a lot about you too. There's a lot to get my teeth into, but let's start with the most obvious fact of all. Last July, you were the very first person Sam came into contact with in their first professional match. The five-way in AWF. After the opening bell, you got the better of Sam for a few seconds, moved on, then never crossed paths again. You were the first eliminated, by count out, while Sam finished third. It's safe to say you have unfinished business. Sam might have finished ahead of you, but who is better one-on-one? Make no mistake, Sam doesn't care about you, but I thought it was interesting. It's weird how things turn out. Really weird.
You're both from Houston, you were both child prodigies, you're both top tier members of Mensa, you both use a version of the Muta Lock... was this match written in the stars or what? Although compared to you, Sam might actually be a late bloomer. Sam was off the map before fourteen, but you started learning to fight at five! I would be worried if... if you weren't nearly forty now. You're still young, but you've been a pro for over twenty years. You've had a decent career, maybe better than decent, but for a wonder kid I can't help but think you're a disappointment. When you look across the ring at Sam, it must sting a little.
If Sam continues at the rate they're going, they'll own the entire XHF Network before twenty. They'll be richer than Bill Gates before twenty one. Jeff Bezos before twenty two. Well, if they cared about money. But if they set their mind to it, they could do it. It probably wouldn't be legal, but they'd do it. I called you patient before. But I wonder if I really meant "patient"... or "lazy".
Jack puts it like a challenge, the answer unknown.
If you didn't already know, Sam is building an army in Philadelphia. Sam needed people as strong as they are to train with, so they built them. Sam took the bunch of losers that were hanging out in that gym, and taught them to be patient, and cold. They don't even think for themselves anymore. I guess it's a religion, right?
He smirks, defiant in the face of Ace's opposition to it.
Maybe it is. Sam's religion might be evil, but it works. It gets the job done. What does spirituality do? Whatever it is, it's not working. Or maybe you can educate me. Maybe history will repeat itself, and human will defeat machine once again.
This again sounds like a challenge, now in the guise of sarcasm. He takes a deep breath and briefly looks off camera.
Caveat Emptor. Let the buyer beware. Have any match you want. I wanted everybody, I wanted the whole roster... I got one. And even that one didn't choose it. I guess the buyers bewore. Or just don't think Sam is worthy. If someone wants to let a challenge slide, that's their prerogative, but if it's almost the entire roster, that's a pattern. Luckily... Sam doesn't need a shortcut to the top. They don't need a lottery, or a miracle, or a push. They're going to get there. All they have to do is stay patient.
Patience... doesn't sound like the right word. It is. It doesn't mean take it slow. Patience is hard work. Patience hurts. But for Sam it's easy. It's their biggest strength. Patience is heading straight at you FIRESIDE... at a thousand miles an hour. Don't say I didn't warn you.