Post by Joe Stanton on May 28, 2018 22:30:16 GMT -5
"I am the Scarlet Speedster."
"I am the Guy in Shades."
"I am the One Punch Man."
"I am Built to Last"
"I am one of two Second City Scrublords with Izzy Van Doren."
"I am the Smokin' Joe in the Smokin' Joe and the Electric Dream Machine."
"I am the Red of Red & Black."
"I am..."
"I am..."
"I am..."
"Joe Stanton"
It's on this proclamation that the scene fades in on Joe, he's standing-by wearing his sunglasses and in casual wear today. A Mr. Intensity Michael May t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes are how he's rolling. His expression is one of contemplation.
"I came to Union Battleground to fight not only some of the best wrestlers in the industry going today, but I came here to fight people that I maybe wouldn't cross paths with anywhere else. I have wrestled against world champions, giants and all manner of fighter. I have laid out open challenges every single major event for the best of the best to come to this promotion and fight me. Two of the hottest names in the industry right now answered the call and have stepped into the ring with me."
Pointing down at the ground below him when talking about Union Battleground one can assume Joe's somewhere in the backstage area of the arena. With aid of his hand he counts off the type of wrestlers he's fought against in an Union Battleground ring, spreading his arms out when talking about issuing his open challenges before pointing at himself with both index fingers.
"There have been...setbacks along the way. Mistakes made that I feel I should've known better than to make. But if you find any man or woman, any wrestler that tells you they've had no failures in their lives, I'll tell you you've found yourself a liar. Rather than belly ache about it I've done everything that I can to continue to learn, to continue to improve, to meet the challenge of my contemporaries."
There's only a brief pause when Joe stops to think of how to phrase his setbacks, the word doesn't entirely sit well with him even after he says it. He shrugs about the mistakes he's made in his Union Battleground career and he smirks when he jokes about his and others' failures in their careers.
"June first, it's no different. It's the same grind it's always been. In San Juan, Puerto Rico I step into the ring with Magdalena and I continue to push myself with different, new talent. I continue to try to have the best damn match every single night I can for Union Battleground and for the fans. Because..."
All the pain in the world is worth nothing without sacrifice. Sacrifice is all that the lord has ever required of us. Without sacrifice, and truly it has to be meaningful sacrifice, this world is purposeless and means nothing. Truly, if not for God’s grace, we would be worthless beings. Truly, God’s grace is all that we should strive for as beings. Sacrifice through bloodshed. Sacrifice through pain. And most importantly, sacrifice through death.
Magdalena let out a soft breath, slowly closing up her bible and resting her palm on it. She lifted her head up, looking forward as Miss Sarin set up the camera. She gazed forward at it, confusion on her face. Miss Sarin looked into the camera, checking that it was on before looking to Magdalena. She nodded her head, motioning for her to speak, but she just stared back with what seemed to be confusion on her face. Miss Sarin let out an exasperated sigh before walking beside her, folding her arms in front of her, in the sign of a prayer.
“Good evening Union Battleground. Now, I know you are used to seeing me with Caden Walker. However, I think that Caden is doing just fine with minimal help from me. After all, Caden simply needs guidance. Not like my precious Magdalena. No. You see, Magdalena doesn’t truly need me or my help. The only thing that she needs is a target. In a sense, she needs a goal. Someone to direct her to where she needs to go. And that’s why I’m here. I want to show her just what she needs to do in Union. After all, what kind of bride of God would I be, if I were to not lead his children along the correct path? Magdalena is a special child of God as well. She is his chosen sword. His guillotine. And if one is to have a guillotine, one must know who to execute. Now, if Magdalena had her own options, everyone would face executions for their heresy. Everyone. And I hope you all understand just what that means. Why it is so important that I am at her side, and how valuable I am to this industry. I am all that prevents this world from burning in her cleansing fire. No, you see, I truly direct her rage where it needs to be. And where I feel it currently should go...is towards the War Horse Medallion. Truly, a championship like the War Horse title. No other belt would signify the might of God’s chosen more than that belt. After all, look at the competitors that we have already challenging for it. And now...it’s Joe Stanton standing in our way. Once again. The Man with the Right Hand. You stood in the path of Caden Walker, and you survived it. Just barely, but you survived. And now you stand in our path again. This time...however, I want to pose a question to you, Mr. Stanton.
Do you even know why you do the things you do? Why you fight like you do? Why you would so willingly jump into certain death? After all, you have stepped into the flame so many times. Your body must be wracked with wounds. You must feel every ache in the bones in your body. Every bit of blood that you have shed on the field of battle must be pounding in your body. You’re an adrenaline junkie, if I remember correctly. You like the thrill of combat. You think that something like that is all it takes, I’d assume. Well, I hope you understand, that isn’t how this works. You see, you may have just barely bested Caden, but you will not get past Magdalena. Not with what you think you are. You need to understand something very important, Mr. Stanton. You want that belt because it’s the fix for your addiction. You’re an addict. That’s why they call them Adrenaline Junkies. Things like this are just a fix to people like you. Why I want this, why Magdalena wants this, is because it is truly what the lord himself would desire above all things. For us to be recognized as the threat that we truly are. And you are standing in that way of that...Mr. Stanton.”
As Miss Sarin moves to continue speaking, Magdalena lifted herself from the chair. She quickly moved in front of her, clutching the bible harder in her hands as she stepped forward slowly. The fire in her eyes blazing as she opened up the skin bound book, pressing her finger to the passage she was going to read from.
“Penance. Chapter 13. And none shall fall to their addictions. For to fall to addiction is to place your own desires above the desires of God himself. Those who fall shall be struck from the earth, their bodies torn asunder and scattered to the winds like ash. They are but living ideals of Sin. And those that live and represent sin, must be exterminated. Such is the way of Penance. Such is your way. Amen. Joe Stanton. Repent.”
She slammed the bible closed, a twisted grin carving its way across her face before she grabbed the camera. Miss Sarin was quick to rush forward, able to shut it off, but not before the piercing laughter filled the darkening screen.
