Post by Anton Chase on Mar 31, 2018 15:03:43 GMT -5
(The scene opens up and were inside of a hotel room. Where we are overlooking the beautiful city of Verona, Italy. We are on the balcony of the hotel room. A spacious balcony with a table and chairs section. Anton is standing and leaning on the railing of the balcony. Anton who is wearing some blue jeans and a blue and white checkered shirt.)
"Here we are in a beautiful city and a beautiful country. I've visited Italy on a number of occasions for vacation over the years. But this visit is not a vacation. This week we are here representing Union Battleground. And this week I get to face off against Finn Whelan. I don't know much about Finn but what I've seen of him well I'm not impressed."
(Anton smirks)
"You see Finn I'm not impressed by you because If I throw a quarter into the crowd I'll find another fifty of you. You see Finn you're look isn't new. It's not. It's everywhere and It's ordinary. And Finn kid I'm not hating on you because I'm almost retired. I'm not hating on you because I'm jealous of you. I'm telling the truth. And the truth of the matter is Finn that once we get in the ring you'll understand that you're not on my level. Not even close."
(Anton still leaning on the railing)
"It's gonna hit you like a hit in the head when you realise that whatever you have learned in your short career I've got more experience in my little finger. I'm gonna enjoy watching you figure out exactly what I am gonna' do. I'm gonna stretch you in this match. I'm gonna hurt you in this match and only when I'm done I'm gonna finish it."
(Anton pauses)
"I know what you're gonna say before you say it. I know that you're gonna mention how I lost last week at Lights Out #21 to Danny Colt who made his debut. I know that your gonna mention that and hopefully get inside my mind. But it takes more than that to break me. In case you haven't followed my career. I've had one of the worst years in my career last year, from a few personal issues revealing themselves and a few demons coming to light. I've lost people last year that would normally cause anyone normal to downward spiral and destroy their lives. I however I'm not normal."
(Anton pauses)
"I'm not normal - I think differently to everyone else. Simply because I know I'm better than everyone else. And I'm better than you. I'm better than you Finn and this week you're gonna find out. I'm not normal. I'll fully admit it and embrace it because I know what I am capable off. And like I mentioned before in case you haven't followed my career, go do that. Do some research on me Finn."
(Anton smirks)
"You don't get to where I am in life in being normal or caring about others in this business. Finn I can retire right now and I would be satisfied. However there is a little voice in my head that talks me out of retiring each time and he wants me to dominate. He pushes me on and pushes me forward to winning. I've always been a winner. And this week I'll pick up another win."
(Anton pauses looking into the City)
"One thing I know about you Finn is that you love your career which is good. But it's going to be soul destroying when you get in the ring with me and see me across the other side. And then you'll think to yourself holy shit what have I done. You'll shit your pants. Because reality has hit you. Reality has hit you hard when you see me in front of you. I've won many championships and carried companies on my back. I've done more than you'll dream of doing because you won't get far after when I beat you. You'll hang up your boots and run a mile."
(Anton smiles)
"You'll run a mile out of my world because you'll realise that you aren't good enough. That you're expectations of this business is far bigger than you can imagine and you can't handle it. That's the difference between you and I. The minute I put on a pair of boots, I knew from day one that the expectations were big. But I knew I could handle any expectations that are in front of me. That the world was on my shoulder and I surpassed any expectations. You however Finn will fail miserable. "
(Anton pauses)
"And I'm gonna enjoy watching the doubt appear on your face. Then I'll take the victory, so Finn I'll see you soon."
Post by Finn Whelan on Apr 2, 2018 19:03:33 GMT -5
'TIL I COLLAPSE “You're coming with me, feel it or not; You're gonna fear is like I showed you the spirit of God lives in us.” EMINEM
•••••
Mantras. Slogans. Quotes. Lyrics. You repeat it over and over in your own head, making them the words you want to believe, ingraining them into your brain and hoping like hell that people don’t see through you. You stand there, pushing yourself, selling yourself in your own mind so that even you will believe the words you state in your mind. I am the champion of ______. I am the purveyor of _______. I am your God. I am everything you wish you were.. Repeat your tired phrases, the same thing over and over again with the hope that it’ll be just enough.
At the beginning of your career, you fight harder than you ever have. You fight for that slice of the pie that you swear to God you deserve because you’ve been putting in the effort, you’ve been fighting for that one shot, two shot. Look at me, motherfuckers. Look and see what I can do. You botch things. You fail. You sit at the end of your match and wonder, Why in the hell did I do this?
Then, you rise. You begin making moves that get people to look at you. You push yourself beyond the envelope, and you find your stride. The matches, they come easier one by one. You start facing people that hold a higher name. A higher caliber of skill. Then you find yourself face-to-face with that golden opportunity.
And then you fail.
Failure.
There are people that respond in such a way where it’s the end of the goddamned world. It would be impossible for you to succeed and prevail after you’ve hit the bottom, that you don’t know where the hell you’re supposed to go from here.
Sorry. That’s not me.
I’m not going to lie. Losing to Emery Layton after having been undefeated since August wasn’t the greatest feeling in the world. But when it comes down to it, I stood toe for toe with one of the best that Union Battleground has to offer, and I pushed myself -- and Layton -- to the limit that we both have. I brought my A game, and for one night . . . it wasn’t enough. But that doesn’t stop me. I have faced adversity through my short tenure within this sport, day in and day out. You’re not good enough. You’re never going to be anything..
I’m a champion. Not just the bottom-tier -- the top of the company. I have been in champion pools since the day I started in this sport. And every time I am knocked down from one opportunity, I rise again for another. Like a phoenix. Like a wrestler. I push harder, stronger, and better than I ever have before. For a moment, I bet you thought you were done with me. That you wouldn’t see me again.
Nah. I will rise. I will take what’s mine. It doesn’t matter if it is the King Cobra championship, the Trench War title, or the Union Battleground championship, or no championship on the line, I will succeed.
And a little man like Anton Chase can’t stop me.
•••••
27 MARCH 2018 // COMBAT SYNDICATE
What do you want to be remembered for, Callien?
The words hung precariously in his head, becoming part of his subconscious more than he’d like to admit. He sat in the chair that Kei used, his foot bouncing up and down as he waited for the owner of the training facility to arrive. It was strange, to be certain, that Kei Hideshima was late to anything, especially to a meeting that he had pushed himself. But he was, and thus, it left Finn with far too much thinking time. And with a mind like his, one that never slept, it was both a benefit and a bane.
His original answer had been easy. I don’t do this for anyone. But was that truly the case?
Perhaps.
There was more to the question, he realized. The Colonel, Aaron’s father, hadn’t been asking him the question just to have a chitty-chitty chat-chat. He’d asked him point blank because when it came down to it, he wanted to make the younger man think. He wanted him to sit back and wonder why in the hell he did the things he did, why he went to such lengths to pound the ground beneath him.
He was far from that kid he’d been when he’d started. That kid had been the one that’d pushed himself up from the gutter and made something of himself, pushing to make sure that anyone -- everyone -- saw him for what he could be. A bonafide competitor. He was the Underdog; he’d always been that. The one that no one expected to survive the weathering storm when it came down to pushing and shoving.
But he’d survived. No. He’d done more than survive. He succeeded.
Beating someone like Lex Collins, who despite all that was said and done, was a triumph that even his little brain hadn’t been one hundred percent sure he could do. But he did. And now he rose to the top of the company that’d said for how many months that he wouldn’t amount to anything but midcard talent?
Perhaps the change in his behavior had been the benefit. You could only go so long by pushing your soliloquy of respect for the rest of the wrestling world, hoping that at some point, they would recognize you. He needed to take respect, and he needed to shove it down their throat. And maybe, maybe that was the better route to take. It wasn’t being bitter, but just simply done. Done taking shit. Done looking at others and knowing he could do just the same, if not better than them.
Maybe that’s what he needed to do at Union.
It was a thought.
•••••
You think rather highly of yourself, don’t you, Chase? It’s in every promotional video you’ve ever procured across the time you’ve been in Union Battleground. This . . . tried and true competitor who doesn’t need to be here. I mean, look at you: eighteen championships since 2001. I mean, fuck . . . that’s one championship for every year that you’ve been pushing the rocker into this sport, Old Man.
At one point or another, though, Anton . . . the redeemed and certified competitor persona gets old. A tired cliche. I can still do this. I can push ahead and beat all these crap whippersnappers. I’m a fuckin’ win. Sorry, I ad-libbed a bit of myself into that one there . . . can’t seem to keep myself from doing it.
But here’s the thing that I’ve realized. You don’t need to have tens of thousands of championships. You don’t need a golden strap to be noticed. Nah. You don’t need accolades from numerous places to be feared.
Because that’s what I’m gonna make you do.
Fear.
Not because I am the mall goth in the back, bleeding about bringing about salvation for the poor souls. Not because I’m the headcase that likes to break light tubes and go crazy for blood. And not because I’m a champion.
But simply because I am relentless.
Never, not once in my career, have I stood down from a challenge. I stand and fight until I can’t anymore, until I collapse from exhaustion and hard work. Because that’s what I put in — hard work. I don’t stop. I don’t quit. I will stand across from you, Chase, with the understanding that I face a multi-time Champion. But here in the battleground? You are nothing.
It’ll be fuckin’ lights out for you, Chase.
I would wish you luck, but in all honesty . . . I simply don’t care. You’re a stepping stone in my road back to success here in Union. Nothing more. Nothing less.
Come at me, bro. But make sure that when your teeth are kicked in and your head spinning from the concussion I give you, you remember to pay your respects to those who will be far better than you for the test of time. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll make it to your retirement party with all limbs intact.
