Post by Joe Stanton on Apr 2, 2018 21:13:55 GMT -5
"War horse."
It's on these words that our picture opens up on a hillside area, Joe Stanton walking along the grassy plane below the hill and looking upwards to it and the sun that's setting in the distance. The setting sun hits the hill just right to obscure it, making it stand in contrast to the purples and oranges that fill with sky. Stanton is dressed comfortably, jeans, t-shirt and a leather jacket, he doesn't look like he's particularly ready for war. Though inside the reaches of his mind is another story entirely.
"Since practically the dawn of war horses were there right alongside humans. We rode on them, had them pull wagons and carts, had them carry supplies, a war horse for the longest time was as versatile of a soldier as a human being was. They were often times a deciding factor in wars, how many you had, how you used them in strategy, they were such an asset that even as recent as World War 2 they were still full fledged units."
His left hand pantomimes the motions of a horse striding along when he talks about their role in war. He becomes bombastic when describing their various uses and for just how long they were used for.
"Hell, they were brought back and used again when the U.S. busted down Afghanistan's door, and some third world countries still keep them around for patrol and reconnaissance. But the timeline of the War Horse isn't exactly what I want you to take away from this. It isn't what I took away from this. And, it is most certainly not what I want Kimitsu to take away from this."
Stanton shakes his head when he brings up Afghanistan and mentions some lower on the totem pole countries still use them. He makes a sweeping cut of a gesture to put an end to that aspect of the story though. Waving a finger, Joe looks towards the camera filming him when he addresses what he wants everyone to take away from this.
"Versatility, war horses were used in all aspects of war, they were as malleable as any human soldier and in a lot of cases they were expected to serve whatever country had them in all manner of military service. When I think of a War Horse, when I look at the information about a War Horse, what I see them embody is the ability to adapt and to be whatever it is they need to be in any given situation to best deal with whatever hurdle they need to overcome to move themselves that much closer to beating the opposition. I think that and then I look at a championship that calls itself the War Horse Championship, and sure, maybe it's just a snazzy name that someone came up with because they thought it sounded super neato but do you know what that says to me?"
raising a finger to the heavens, Joe wags it some when he describes what his take away from war horses is. A smile on his face, he speaks to the strengths he sees that these horse units had throughout history. A knowing smile, because he knows where he's going with this. He just isn't sure if the audience watching this knows till he starts putting down the bread crumbs for them.
"The War Horse Champion embodies somebody that is versatile, that's able to answer the call of whatever it is that's asked of them and whoever it is that's put in front of them. Some shooter steps up, while maybe not playing their game exactly, they have an answer for them. Some bruiser tries to show he's the big dog, they have an answer for him too. Some luchadore springs up, they have what it takes and they have the know how to put him back down. The War Horse Champion is somebody that isn't some rock, immovable, unchanging, they're like a river that flows and changes with the current."
Holding out his hands, Joe Stanton reveals his hypothetical War Horse Champion. Doing a faux hooking gesture when describing a shooter, walking like he's the Hulk when talking about a bruiser, and generally being energetic when he mentions a luchadore. He makes a fist with his left hand to initially represent the rock before making a wavy motion with it to represent the river.
"Fifteen years gives you a lot of experience with a lot of different types of wrestlers, a lot of different types of style, it allows you to get better decent at preparing for an opponent and researching them. I'll be honest, I've fought a lot of Zombie's in my career, and I know you're not a single one of them, Kimitsu. You're not like Any of them. I'm not a fool, I know you didn't luck into the championship that you're holding right now either. You're good at what you do, but my question is what happens when you're pushed out of your comfort zone, what happens when you can't just rely on what you're good at? Can you be a war horse and adapt, prove that you're capable of fulfilling the duties of multiple roles?"
The Scarlet Speedster starts climbing the hill, the steepness of it ensures that the trek isn't a quick one. He casually talks about Kimitsu, the only time he gets a little odd is the sternness with which he states she's not like any other Zombie he's fought. A subtle little cue to her statement to him a week or so ago on Twitter, claiming she was nothing like Aokigahara. Joe had already been well aware of that fact, though he keeps his rather nonchalant attitude when he makes it to the top of the hill and he looks out over the plane. The camera pans up to keep filming him.
"Or, like horses not suited to war, is this the hill you'll die on?"
Curiously Joe doesn't sound convinced that Kimitsu'll die on this hill. Though it's on this hanging question that the piece comes to a close.
Post by Kimitsu Zombie on Apr 2, 2018 22:47:51 GMT -5
This isn’t a game that she could afford to lose. Right now, at this moment, stacking these orange pills is the most important thing in the world for her. Kimitsu Zombie gets down low so that her face is tight and close to her tower of stimulants. She has the tower going five pills high and now concentrates on building a stairway to the top by stacking nearly the whole bottle’s worth of pills to lean next to it. She ignores the lit cigarette in her mouth until the smoke gets close and into her eyes. She winces, blinks, and finally flinches to destroy all her hard work with a forearm. She was going to build a staircase on the other side and make an arch. She frowns and smacks the pills away in a flash of anger. Then she notices the red dot on the camera in front of her and she smiles.
“Oh! Hello Union Battleground.” She wipes her eyes hoping to erase the bags under them. She brings her hair over her shoulders to try to hide how tired she is and squints while looking around the room to hide how wired she is. Kimitsu finally finds her War Horse Championship on a side table and gets it to admire it.
“This is the one thing that I have going for me at the moment. This is one of my most prized possessions. This title is that arch that is keeping the world from crashing down over my head. Someone told me recently not to run from the truth. My truth is that I am walking down a tightrope. On the other side lies success and the Trench War Championship. The failures I suffer everywhere are on one side, the people fucking with my sanity are on the other. Some of them are here in Union. I am teetering right in the middle or that rope trying to regain my balance before I come crashing down and drowning in pills and booze. I teeter on way and recover but I am taking little steps.
“The one step forward I have taken recently involved beating that buxom fairy, Trixie. I did what I set out to do and proved that I am the sole contender for Emery’s title. I left her for the dogs, and no, I did not have anything to do with that. I guess Trixie makes enemies everywhere she goes no matter how nice she is. Anyway, I defended that title, but someone I beat for it comes out and with a little blow, they threatened to ruin me. Hi, Viduus. Lucky, for you, Joe Stanton, I have impeccable balance. It doesn’t matter how many matches I win or lose. I am forever going to tighten the War Horse Championship around my waist, spread my arms out, and find the balance. One of the biggest blows I have taken also involves someone we both know as well, Joe. You know about us Zombies. We aren’t related, but some bitch recently uncovered that one of the reasons that I was scouted for the group in the first place was because Aokigahara Zombie is my real father. That one had me reeling and I almost fell. Aokigahara Zombie is my father.”
Kimitsu cringes, and lights another cigarette. She gathers some of the pills into a circle to get some order before staring back.
“That is the first time I have said that. Before you get all happy, know that this is not good. You won’t see me calling you Uncle Joe any time soon. See, your friend, or rival, or whatever the fuck… Aokigahara isn’t such a jovial man to be around once he gets to hating someone. I have been wondering recently what it was that got him to hate my mother and me so much to get the balls to leave us when I was born. It’s either that or he’s a coward. I have seen your matches with him, and some of the other ones you have. You have some things in common with him, Joe. You’re game for anything aren’t you? It seems as if you are right there drooling with a pen in your hand the second a company waves a contract in your general direction. I don’t see this as a bad thing like some of the others in Union Battleground do. Get your work in and fight. I like that about you. It shows you aren’t afraid to throw down against anyone. You’re even game for a deathmatch against someone like my father. Some people see this as an honor for some reason. You seemed to enjoy that match as much as he did. You two aren’t like the other bloodletting psychos either, you just enjoy the competition and the fight. You take on all comers, Joe, and you have some accolades to go with this fighting attitude.The King of Violence is one of them, I believe. That name says it all, right? You love the back and forth action just to show that you can hang with the best, then you try to take them out. You’ve done well in Union Battleground so now you get a shot at my title. I am going to show you that this isn’t all fun and games like it is when you are fighting the battle hungry junkies over in Japan.”
She leans forward and points at the table in front of her.
“That’s what this is, Joe. This is an addiction. You can’t help it, can’t you. The toll this takes on your body doesn’t matter as long as you can walk to the next one. This is very admirable, but all it does is let your opponents know so much about you. You look like the type of man to care about showing a weakness, but this ignorance is what is going to cost you. Every addiction has its downside and that is one of them. This is a symptom of it. Your body is breaking down, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not. I bet you don’t wonder when enough is going to be enough. It’s all about the adrenaline keeping you going. Well the latest tournament might just be the one that weakens you, and the last rager, might have been the one that forces you to think. If not those then it will be me.
“There is something to be said about your resilience, however. You might be at your prime and this is the next step up for your career. Being a champion here is like being a champion everywhere. That is the type of place Union Battleground has become when they started taking on challengers and their grudges. This time is going to be different from your average title match. I, as champion, won’t be thinking of you as an underdog. This time you are facing someone that is desperate. I’m going to stay on top of that tightrope. I am going to treat this match like a real death match. If I fail, my career dies, and my life dies. I am done. That is the desperation that you are facing. I am the wild animal backed into a corner trying to protect its last meal for the winter. I will bite and claw my way to victory. Your experience will not matter to me. I’ve been scrapping for what’s mine my whole life. Your determination will not matter to me. No one is as determined as I am to get to where I want to go and it’s been a long time. You will not be getting this War Horse Championship because your punch drunk ass doesn’t deserve it.”
Kimitsu gets up and looks at her title.
“When you have failed it is usually because your opponents got into your mind. Viduus, that fuck, rattled your confidence. Crimson, found a hole in your pride. I won’t be looking down on you because I respect you. I do. Your battles with Aokigahara showed me that you are a good competitor. I will be looking down on you because that is the only thing you are. You just fight to fight. It is ‘on to the next one’ for you at all times. This title dies with me if I let you have it. You are not the sort of man to carry a cause. I have a cause. That is to destroy Emery Layton. That will only be prolonged if you take this away from me. I need this win now. You are not going to be the one to take this chance away from me. Don’t worry, Joe. I’ll try to leave you intact to fight another day.”
