Post by Old Line Jeff on Jun 26, 2023 0:08:21 GMT -5
Ronnie Long’s face is lit by the flickering glow of a bonfire. The country grows so quiet at night that the only sound besides the crackle of the fire are the endless drone of the crickets.
“When I failed to win the World Title, I at least succeeded at one of my other career goals. I swore to myself that I would not be another Eric Dane - that I would not turn my nose up and walk away on the first instance I tasted defeat.”
“And now, here I am, my first shot at the World Title behind me and no belt around my waist, but at least I’m here.”
“It’s a hollow victory at best.”
A loud snap from the fire as a log bursts into flame.
“So how do you fill that hollowness?”
“I tried hearth and home. Frankly, it works for me personally. However, it doesn’t work so well for my fellow wrestlers. I’ve been told I’m soft. That I’m lacking drive, lacking edge. I don’t know, but I haven’t forgotten I came into this sport with a trenchcoat mafia gimmick. That’s more than enough edge for several lifetimes. As for drive… maybe they’re onto something. You’d think that having a safety net like a loving wife and profitable non-wrestling business would make it easier to take risks. But maybe I’m too concerned with preserving what I’ve got to take the risks I need to.”
He looks skyward. There’s nothing up there but stars and pitch.
“Besides, I know that things can be lost in an instant.”
The fire spits again, and Long looks back down at it.
“Everything burns.”
“I don’t have to tell that to Jakie Wentzel.”
“He’s seen that orange glow closer than most of us.”
Ronnie lowers his head, letting his hair fall across his eyes.
“Armand von Krauss burns an entire town to cinders, kills dozens. But here in the XHF the rule of law doesn’t apply as much as it does elsewhere, so he remains free. Free to continue worming his way into the heart and soul of a once good man.”
“I don’t know von Krauss’ history. I know Daeriq Damien’s. And though von Krauss has access to…”
He hesitates, trying to think of the right word or phrase.
“...unnatural forces that Daeriq does not, there is a fundamental sameness about them. Their influence is like a fungus. When bad things happen, things that damage your psyche and your sense of self, they are there to fill those cracks. And once they’re there, they grow until you crumble, leaving only… themselves.”
“The man who believed in faith, community and hard work, now believes in only the words and deeds of a different man who turned to the eldritch for power. Jakie Wentzel now serves Armand von Krauss, a man who as far as I can see, does evil for nothing so much as evil’s sake. Toying with powers simply because he can.”
“I have my own belief when it comes to what I’ll call Powers. Respect them, take them seriously, don’t touch them. Anything they have to offer you comes at a price you cannot afford, and the longer you barter the more you owe. Kai Scott never talked about it. He didn’t even want power, just a little bit of foresight. He never got free of the webs of the Powers.”
The fire flares as another log bursts into full flame.
“And so when I had a chance to make a deal, I donned an eyepatch and refused. I healed. I stayed myself. Jakie Wentzel now has a glass eye. That was his choice.”
“Just like it was his choice to taunt me over the Commonwealth Championship.”
“And just like it was his choice to shanghai me when I refused to follow von Krauss.”
Long stands up.
“It’s funny that for as many choices as we have to make, how many we don’t get to make. I would’ve chosen to win the Commonwealth Championship off Rob Riot, and to have done so on the main event of a pay per view. And yes, I know the Commonwealth belt is ‘secondary’ - between him, Eron Hunter and myself, we were changing that.”
“Then Rob Riot decided to throw that away and trash the legacy of the belt.”
“When you didn’t think you could hate somebody more and then they find another way…”
“But more importantly, Rob is gone. And Jakie-boy is doing his best to step into that void.”
Long bends down, picks up another log and throws it on the fire.
“Here’s the thing though. We can talk about past and future and paths and masters and Powers all we want. And it’s relevant, it always will be. Here’s what’s relevant to right now, though.”
“I’m tired of seeing my name in title defense histories but not lists of champions. And I don’t like being shangai’d. Jakie Wentzel may have had his reasons. I may have some sympathy for what he went through. But the fact remains, he has something that I want, and he did something that pissed me off.”
“I don’t know exactly where my path is leading, and I know nothing about his. But I know what path my fist is taking.”
Long clenches his fist and stares down at it.
“It’s taking the very quickest route to Jakie Wentzel’s mouth.”
End.
“When I failed to win the World Title, I at least succeeded at one of my other career goals. I swore to myself that I would not be another Eric Dane - that I would not turn my nose up and walk away on the first instance I tasted defeat.”
“And now, here I am, my first shot at the World Title behind me and no belt around my waist, but at least I’m here.”
“It’s a hollow victory at best.”
A loud snap from the fire as a log bursts into flame.
“So how do you fill that hollowness?”
“I tried hearth and home. Frankly, it works for me personally. However, it doesn’t work so well for my fellow wrestlers. I’ve been told I’m soft. That I’m lacking drive, lacking edge. I don’t know, but I haven’t forgotten I came into this sport with a trenchcoat mafia gimmick. That’s more than enough edge for several lifetimes. As for drive… maybe they’re onto something. You’d think that having a safety net like a loving wife and profitable non-wrestling business would make it easier to take risks. But maybe I’m too concerned with preserving what I’ve got to take the risks I need to.”
He looks skyward. There’s nothing up there but stars and pitch.
“Besides, I know that things can be lost in an instant.”
The fire spits again, and Long looks back down at it.
“Everything burns.”
“I don’t have to tell that to Jakie Wentzel.”
“He’s seen that orange glow closer than most of us.”
Ronnie lowers his head, letting his hair fall across his eyes.
“Armand von Krauss burns an entire town to cinders, kills dozens. But here in the XHF the rule of law doesn’t apply as much as it does elsewhere, so he remains free. Free to continue worming his way into the heart and soul of a once good man.”
“I don’t know von Krauss’ history. I know Daeriq Damien’s. And though von Krauss has access to…”
He hesitates, trying to think of the right word or phrase.
“...unnatural forces that Daeriq does not, there is a fundamental sameness about them. Their influence is like a fungus. When bad things happen, things that damage your psyche and your sense of self, they are there to fill those cracks. And once they’re there, they grow until you crumble, leaving only… themselves.”
“The man who believed in faith, community and hard work, now believes in only the words and deeds of a different man who turned to the eldritch for power. Jakie Wentzel now serves Armand von Krauss, a man who as far as I can see, does evil for nothing so much as evil’s sake. Toying with powers simply because he can.”
“I have my own belief when it comes to what I’ll call Powers. Respect them, take them seriously, don’t touch them. Anything they have to offer you comes at a price you cannot afford, and the longer you barter the more you owe. Kai Scott never talked about it. He didn’t even want power, just a little bit of foresight. He never got free of the webs of the Powers.”
The fire flares as another log bursts into full flame.
“And so when I had a chance to make a deal, I donned an eyepatch and refused. I healed. I stayed myself. Jakie Wentzel now has a glass eye. That was his choice.”
“Just like it was his choice to taunt me over the Commonwealth Championship.”
“And just like it was his choice to shanghai me when I refused to follow von Krauss.”
Long stands up.
“It’s funny that for as many choices as we have to make, how many we don’t get to make. I would’ve chosen to win the Commonwealth Championship off Rob Riot, and to have done so on the main event of a pay per view. And yes, I know the Commonwealth belt is ‘secondary’ - between him, Eron Hunter and myself, we were changing that.”
“Then Rob Riot decided to throw that away and trash the legacy of the belt.”
“When you didn’t think you could hate somebody more and then they find another way…”
“But more importantly, Rob is gone. And Jakie-boy is doing his best to step into that void.”
Long bends down, picks up another log and throws it on the fire.
“Here’s the thing though. We can talk about past and future and paths and masters and Powers all we want. And it’s relevant, it always will be. Here’s what’s relevant to right now, though.”
“I’m tired of seeing my name in title defense histories but not lists of champions. And I don’t like being shangai’d. Jakie Wentzel may have had his reasons. I may have some sympathy for what he went through. But the fact remains, he has something that I want, and he did something that pissed me off.”
“I don’t know exactly where my path is leading, and I know nothing about his. But I know what path my fist is taking.”
Long clenches his fist and stares down at it.
“It’s taking the very quickest route to Jakie Wentzel’s mouth.”
End.