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Post by Shaun Hart on May 9, 2023 11:48:20 GMT
( After weeks of challenging rounds in the IIw International Championship Tournament The best of both sides of the bracket meet in the finals for the right to become the new IIW International Champion! Mac and Maverick have made it this far but who will finish the story?)
Match Three IIW International Championship Tournament Finals Standard Singles Match Mac Bane vs Maverick Tatum
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Post by Maverick Tatum on May 15, 2023 13:48:34 GMT
~looking forward to your work, good luck and cheers~ One day long before his time, long before even the time of Mac Bane, and every other participant that had been in the tournament someone or perhaps it was something found themselves pondering. When it first happened the idea that would eventually form from it was nothing that they would imagine could turn around and be applied to about sixty three percent of every day life situations. It was not their fault for their are obstacles that climb up and hoist themselves into our way and all logic, all planning goes out the window but this one simple ponder from a time long ago sticks thoroughly through out. Perhaps sometimes people label it strength, wit, determination but Maverick only labeled it balance. It was different per view and thoughts of the mind but balance for him it had remained. Even numbers, amounts, experience and yet still with the approaching Worlds Collide his eyes landed on the small, inanimate pair of libra scales that had found themselves in the same room with him. At first he had told himself that this would not consume his attention for a pair of scales were not the reason that he was here today and yet the incoherent noise of his therapist in his background found itself drowned even deeper in the background as his eyes stayed on them as he shook his head because the idea of balance while good, was something that rarely existed. How can a man who has "earned" the right to fight for the international title say such a thing when he is so close to perhaps capturing it? How can that same man, who did win Keys to Success say it? Easy. Because that man, I, from this point on, I can easily say it because there has been a negative amount of challenge in any of it. Even though the scales would make it appear even, it has never been and it is with this solitary thought, I turn my attention to you Mac. I wonder if you will turn out to be the same? If as I look at it we are on opposite sides of the scale and I can feel the evenness, it has found it's way up my body and tingled through my fingers and yet it is like I am still waiting for the pin to drop and for you to just be like everyone else. "Do they know what kind of void that has put in my mind?" I ask myself now. I get the idea that the answer is no and it is not, this is not me saying that it is in anyway your fault because it is not but you are, you have earned the right much like myself to be one the other side of the scale. Two sides of the tournament have what I call a faded fire behind them now and the smell of cinder's ash only remains underneath you and I. "This void of emptiness that plays along my thoughts has only a small bit of light left in it because you, you I have hope for." A few weeks ago I was minding my business, settled into what I had accomplished in Intense International Wrestling and then the whispers got around to me. Apparently when our current world Champion became champion it of course left the title he had vacated, not going to lie this left next to little concern with me. Big deal for him, for he lost one thing to gain what will always be the most prestigious title in IIW but none the less the whispers were still heard and a tournament was decided. I wanted no part of it Mac if I am to be honest. I simply wanted to sit back, kick my feet up and relax and yet, it was Rhett who came to me and told me to throw my name in, so I did and yet here we are. Now your story of course, the road of how you got here is different and that is all nice but Mac, perhaps I should remain cordial and say Mac Bane, this is where your story and mine have danced apart for far too long and the incoherent of what was, no longer matters for we have moved on from that of a solo dance and we are finding ourselves intertwined in not only story and focus, but the dance and movements of counting off how we train, making sure that we do everything we can and that has gotten us here but simply better for our goal now is the same, with only each of us standing in the other's way. "I can't get the lock to my door fixed," he said finally to his therapist. "I have been using my foot to hold the door in place while I turn the screw into the screws and yet the door remains unlocked, the door remains unbalanced." Still as he talked his eyes did not actually leave the scales but he had made a bit of progress now that he was taking therapy about fifteen percent seriously. "So I stopped because I did not want to overdo it and eventually knock that door off of balance." In due time Mac as I am sure you know we all get what is meant to be coming to us. We never know exactly how long it will take, hell honestly we do not even know if we will receive it all at once so our balancing moves from a state of mind only to that of a whole act out on it's own. You understand that already though, don't you? Good, because you see what I realized when I seen that it was you and I in these International Tournament Finals? It is pressure, but not for you Mac and not for I, but for those scales. This same set of scales that has found it's way through out our story are slowly starting to go up but I can not say if it is in your favor or mine for if you are to take this tournament for face value I am the supposed best that IIW has to over and that is laughable and you know how I can say that with such confidence? Because I know it is not true. I have found myself laughing about it, laughing about this outcome on my side if it were me and Mac, I am in a state of hilarious delirium because like I am pretty sure of I am also asking myself "how in the fuck?" is it me. None the less it is and so with that in mind, do not ghost me Mac, do not disappear and turn into incoherent jumble like the ones that I have faced before you seem to do. Prepare however you must, but do not, not show up because if I am the best, then I fucking deserve to go up against the best and is that not how you see yourself too? "I had to take a minute and breathe, and after that I had to not only reevaluate but reexamine everything that had found itself around me also. My world, the essence of who I am and what it is that I find myself associating with had became clouded and my vision was no longer twenty twenty on my goals in IIW. I am not going to call it soul searching because I have always knew what I wanted and leaned even more into what I needed, but reevaluation is not bad. So in realizing that the door lock fixing needed to be something that waited, I moved on to the lamp," he said to his therapist and out of the corner of his eye he could see that she was jotting away seemingly happy in her little notebook as he turned his head still fixed on the scales at least for the moment. "It was in the choice of movement from the door to the lamp when I got the notification on my phone about Worlds Collide. Truthfully I had been keeping more of an eye on the matches and doing a small bit of extracurricular preparation myself should I end up where I have but I did not expect it." He finally took his eyes off, for he, for I would never label it as a breakthrough but fixing that lamp, knowing just how to put the bulb in and watch electricity work as it should, was almost like a resurgence of power for him. The whispers of the people before and their lack of trying had been cleared away. His focus was now on the man who stood in his way. "They call him Mac Bane. I am sure our stories could not be more different and yet our goal at the moment is absolutely equal. I think that I should feel more pressure than I do, but I have been here for the past few months and I feel the only advantage that perhaps I do have if any is that I know how IIW works. Experience elsewhere will help him as it does myself but at the end of the day to me, he is still a stranger. If he was with the company before me, I did not care to look that deep for I am only interested in the now and so I know I do have my work cut out for me but for once I feel he might push back." I did not speak of it much, but the push back to improve yourself and to be better on your on version of constant speed and time, I had not felt it in this tournament. The closest had perhaps been Rhett and even then I found myself wondering if it was just not me wanting him to do more because we work together and are aligned. "My bark can not become the loudest if the other dogs constantly whimper. I am not the type to half ass anything but I need more barks and less bitches." I had found it was an honest, sad truth. I find that I am not able to personally center myself on one thing, one focus because every time someone like Mac comes along so does that reputation and I find myself expecting a version of them that is either long gone or simply they do not have in them and yet here I am going back and forth with my therapist, missing my cooking class, all because she thought it was important that we discussed what it would do to me and my massive social media presence if I were to become the International Champion of IIW. All of the shit that is going on in IIW and she wants to make me the center point. How dare she? I will still be me only with a strap of perfection a little sooner than I expected it, yet this is again where that balance gets just a little more uneven. She loves to put the cart before the horse and I am more of a let's not guy. It is with this thought in my head that I spoke again. "I think at the end of the day Mac is like the rest and will fall, not because I was proven to be better than him but because even though he has come into a place that is not his, at least since I have been there, he will find that he is still lacking it." Another pesky thing that could wrap itself around plans and bend them worse than a kid who got mad at it's flexible straw and instead of exerting patience chose to just break it in half and then have the audacity to cry at it's own mistake. Mistakes, yet another common part of life that are indeed meant to knock us on our ass Mac. I have shared and inherited my own few and to be quite honest with you, I have also did my fair share of trying to cover them up and failing but as the dirt has sprinkled itself on my mistakes I find that people have watered them and forced them back up and as I find that they have sprung on me, I find that these mistakes have come forth upon the earth ground with thorns. Thorns that have chosen to appear on either sides of the mistakes that I have planted so that right when I feel that something might be within just a little of my grasp, those thorns remind me that all it will take is on unseen mistake and just as my hand would bleed, things could easily fall out of my grasp. Nothing I need to lecture you on though. Still as his therapist went on, he made his way now forth looking, consumed even though he had said he would not be with those. "May I take these with me today?" he asked which drew enough of his therapist's attention that for once in her career she did the one thing that she perhaps never should and she simply stopped talking; something that drew his attention towards her. "You must be surprised that I asked since the one thing that you have always told me is that I never speak enough. I have never been clear enough but I sit here and I look at these and I find they stand out more than I would think would not normally draw to me as it has." He thanked Mac for this, for you see even though the two men had yet to actually speak simply knowing that the weakened pulse of competition might find itself thriving for a couple of weeks did bring his focus back ever so slightly. Still she had not given him an answer yet she only still stared at him as if he had lost his mind. Her perspective of the situation was not one that he could care to understand completely for how she seen what he did was simply mere background noise, over and over, slowly starting to dissipate so he turned awaiting a simple yes or no and yet she seemed to be in such shock that like a toddler hearing their own voice for the first time she seemed to lack the skills of how to talk for a little longer than he had anticipated. "You know what never mind, I can find my own if we are done here." He did notice her go back to scribbling something, but by that time he had made his exit. Still as the day found itself wrapped into the cloak of night only one thing finds itself in his thoughts as we see Maverick not in his usual way of checking his social feeds but outside working. The night's scent finds itself accompanied by that of wooden planks that have been cut and measured as Maverick removes the safety goggles from his face and stands back to admire the shitty wood work and shakes his head. "There is something missing here," he said as his phone was seen lighting up. He knew it was a text from Sawyer for Maverick had put simple pause on everything without a single notice which was unusual of him and yet needed. He took a minute to wipe the dust and finally turned around and took a stand up against the walls of the outside of his house. "I find it hard and almost slightly disturbing how this is the first time that I can say I feel like I walked into therapy with a completely open mind and was actually able to pull something of the session. Perhaps it was because I seemed to stun my therapist or perhaps it was because I am still shocked and dissecting just how it is that this is the match that came out of the tournament. All of the outcomes and this is the one that will determine it all, yet as happy as I should be that I somehow managed to edge this far, happiness is not the word that I would use to describe it." It was not as if he ever truly knew or had learned how to tell the difference between one feeling or another but even in that it was off. "Perhaps this is my karma Mac," he said because he had came into IIW with high intentions and an even bigger mouth that while it had been quiet lately he still ran loudly when the moment called for it and yet this moment, what should be a pinnacle on the tournament was already soiled. "Why be the best when you can be better Mac? Come on I know that you know what I mean? What's a title really but another notch in a belt that you and perhaps even I outgrew a while ago and yet here we both are, not scrambling yet all the time sitting and studying and waiting until what will be the perfect time and simply biding away until it is time for a perfect execution of who is going to want it more. Once again we find balance in the strangest of things and in one of the most, if not THE most unexpected match to come out of the tournament for the title." His voice was calm, almost as soothing as the blanket of night, and yet it still seemed almost laced with arson. He had been here before, the ingredients being poured gently into the pot as the flame that cooked and made the water simmer was perfect for what at the end of it all could only lead to something that tasted delicious only to have that turn into something scorched and that one never wanted to taste again. "Thumpity thump Mac, do you hear that too?" Sounds, perhaps knocks, perhaps thumps that were truly just thuds in disguise wanting one to hype themselves up for the hope that there would be something, anything on the other side of the door only for it to be open and it all poof away! Only could and should one fall for that so many times, before they could learn to see through the smoke and mirrors of what the outcome would truly be, and yet in order to keep balance one must always do their part. "Don't clip the wings of the story before the pages are able to be spread and the full glory of what no one expected, what even I did not want happens," he said as he 'tsk'd' his mouth and then spoke again. "Stand across from me, deliver what you have before and then Mac when it dawns on you that it is not enough, simply dig down and do it more, not for proof that you want to be the international champion but for simple proof that you are not just another one and done who will come in simply to get an accomplishment and then sweep it under the rug because for one night where we both are the best that our respective bracket sides had to offer you want to prove that you were the best out of us all." He took a second to run his hands along the side of the wood now and went on. "It, well excuse me the common person would say that you can feel the pressure Mac and that I can feel that same pressure, perhaps that even that pressure is more for me since the title does belong to IIW but we are not common people Mac. Never will we be and never would we want to be in that sea of normalcy because that sea is calm and that sea knows not what it is like to be a fish out of water. It knows not what it is like to come upon the land, to be called if you'd rather and to look at a task and then for it's attention to simply be diverted by a small ding because something so light has landed upon something that at one point and time was so even and yet was slightly tipped. Are you that feather Mac?, Are you the one thing that keeps this match between us from being even, because I do not think so. I think deep down inside you and I have a lot more in common than you would even open up your mouth and give me credit for, but no worries on that Mac, I have been through this territory before and you are nothing new, just a different mask at the masquerade. Shiny, deeply colored for all that you have been through before, probably a nice shade of hunter green honestly, but even hunter green eventually gets tired of simply being hidden among the other treasure troves of green and fades." ~Six Days Ago~
It was highly unusual for Daddy Marisol to not hear from Maverick, even as she took a minute to stop and smell the roses for she had always been about the flowers. Flowers were hidden with so many meanings from the colors that sat upon the actual petals once they bloomed right down to the roots. She was a little worried though to say the least but still she took a minute to sniff and as the scent found it's way up to her nostrils and slightly calmed her she spoke again. "Dial Maverick," she said for the adjustment of still calling him that even for months now was just another thing in a long list of things that she had been dealing with. Finally he picked up as she heard him and yet not a single signal of him being at the airport. Disappointment easily ran through her but she kept her voice calm as she spoke. "Maverick you are not coming are you?"
He did not, he wanted to. It was a plan weeks in the making you see. #SecondComing regrouping themselves and springing back up in time for Spring itself but then plans changed. Advancements happened. "You know what I say, if you want it you have to earn it. I can not just let Mac Bane have this Beckett. I say that to you and it sounds like I would let anyone else have it but I believe in the rotation of if you want it, then when you are tasked with earning it you will step up. It does not matter that it is Mac Bane for it could have easily been anyone else from that side but it does matter that it is me that is the only thing that stands between him." He had something in the sounds of his voice, but it was not the trail of cocky or the overbearing of confident and yet he spoke on. "Moment by moment, match by match Beckett and I will get there as soon as I am able but this first."
She took a second to scrunch her nose but as the now former IIW Women's Champion she understood what he was saying. For people to come in anywhere and simply think that those of us who were already here were to be happy with it, that we were going to just lay down and let you win something that was supposedly so prestigious within the company that we worked for, a shaky foundation that we balanced ourselves on as it rebuilt around us, around a new wave of talent, simply put bitch, no. "I get it. This Mac, is it Mac Bane, let's go with that. This Mac Bane must become the one because we knew that eventually this day would come. We knew that eventually the phantoms of competition would take a true physical form and in knowing that we also realized that we would have to undergo that beautiful butterfly metamorphosis, and shed what those in IIW know about us, and show what we are really here for. The International Title being in the mix is just that, in the mix, not the reason that we do it."
The time for fading however was not here yet, no this was simply a time of flourish as he still examined the project that he had started. His eyes had spoke it from the beginning when he had found that the words were not enough, and now he too, could hear the thump. That dull sound that alerted anyone that something was happening and I know you know what I mean Mac. "Feet first and run towards not what we want but what we must do, it is our way Mr. Bane." Coming from the South, as much as he found that he hated it he knew that his manners must remain in tact and as our view finally gave us a full view of Maverick, we could see that he had slowly began to tap both of his feet one after the other. "Intensity, well you are miles ahead of me on that front Mac for I am as I am sure you have seen the type who flutters his way and has luckily found himself in this match and yet, that softness, are you able to find that you can look past it Mac?" I smiled perhaps an empty smile for a second before I simply continued on. "You know how to approach me Mac, it is not hard, I am not some mind blowing enigma of amazement that will knock you off of what you are used to but I am the one standing here, throwing out the welcome mat for that hunter green shade that I see when I look at you, sweetness I have been peeling the layers of what make you this great wrestler ever since this tournament was announced and your name was thrown in the hat. Not that it gave me anything to work with, honestly Mac I expected you to be deeper than the shallowness that seems to hide underneath. So surprise me, make me work harder than even I am expecting you know how or do not and sit there and be you as you have come to know yourself. People have come to know you for that and yet I want to know different." Praise? No praise was not the word that he would use. "Expectations are high of you Mac, because as usual the IIW office has to deal with me somehow showing up and getting oh so close to their titles. I know that makes them shake their heads because should, no WHEN i beat you, everyone is going to have to fall in line to what I have been speaking of for months now. #2ndComing is a lifestyle. It teaches those of us who follow it that we take chance, grab it by it's layers, strip it of everything that is seen to the eye and turn it into something that shines better than it has before. However it does not stop there because shine does fade. After that, we welcome those in who doubted us." Mac Bane, you will receive the same invitation. I have personally decorated it for you with the libra scales of balance and though I am sure you will say you have experienced better and while that might be true, I find that the balance in your life just like that of our match leans a little more in my favor and I am going to prove that when I smash your face in and take that International title for I am the social media guru that you should have never came up against. He finally sat down and began to once again carve out his project. Come on back, you're going to love how this finishes. TBC
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Post by Mac Bane on May 17, 2023 1:00:46 GMT
OOC - The finals at last! Good luck to you, this is gonna be a blast. The Black Wolf Chapter 2 International Title Tournament Finals “What you choose also chooses you.” ― Kamand Kojouri
The Foreword
[on-camera] As the camera begins to record, I stand out on the back porch of my ranch in Vegas. I lean on the railing and look straight ahead. It’s not yet summer here but the sun is relentless as it beats down on the bill of my blue and silver Dallas Cowboys Hat. Well kids, here we are. When Worlds Collide will go down in the history books as one of the best events of all time for IIW. A new International Champion will be crowned. Maverick Tatum and I complete our journey in a single deciding match. With a single pinfall or submission, a winner is declared. The winner goes on and defends that title, and the loser, well, who the hell knows?I smirk as I continue to talk about how we got here. They say that the end result is all that matters, but I disagree, and rightly so. You see on one side were all the known variables. They share a locker room and have a commonality of having known each other. They all work here, so they know each other and had likely faced off against each other before. I looked directly at the camera and smiled. On the other hand though, it’s a completely different story isn’t it Osh? You intended it this way, and for what? That’s right, to make sure at least one of your companies would make the finals. Your hope was that whoever from IIW made the finals would be able to win that match. I nod my head sagely, never letting my smile slip or my expression change at all. There was an “X” factor though, wasn’t there? I blow the camera a kiss. You’re welcome. I allow my facial expression to return to a more neutral one, still staring at the camera as I continue. Everyone who’s been watching this tournament knew that the real championship match was going to be me versus Enigma. You can try to dismiss it all you want but if these brackets had been laid out in an honorable fashion, none of your people would be in this match. My features harden, my gentle eyes take on a more stern glare and I set my jaw. Your owner is a coward, and the man I face had the easy path. He really didn’t even face much in the way of competition did he? Looking away again, my voice softens a bit. No, he really didn’t. The people he faced getting to this point were soft. So, no one was surprised. On my side though, that was a bitch to get to this point. Austin Ramsey, Kimberly Pain, and the Enigma. These are names that are recognized globally. Most of the people on the other side were relative unknowns, except for Fred Debonaire. It was not lost on me how this company screwed him over.I smile wistfully for a moment. My opponent for this match is an interesting person. Mav only entered this tourney to have some fun. I wonder why that is? Do you think you have nothing to prove? That was what you told DeAndre Williams right? That you were in it for the fun. That you understood why he was so serious about this since he had never won anything before? I bow my head slightly and chuckle softly. That’s an interesting tact to take, because at twenty six years old, what have you accomplished? I know you won one of the keys to the kingdom so you get a world title shot at any time of your choosing, but what else? Anything? Not likely considering they don’t even mention you much around here. I smirk at the camera as the scene fades.
The Black Wolf
[off-camera] It had not been a dream, I mused to myself as I stepped out of the cave and into the warm night air. Wyah the black wolf waited there for me as we started walking back towards River’s home in the center of the reservation. A number of the tribe were already outside and approaching to greet me. They are coming to greet their newest warrior as a show of respect, Wyah said to me. I smiled briefly and replied, It’s a huge moment for me, and a place of honor among our people. He bowed his head slightly as the members of the tribe greeted me and sang my praises. I acknowledged them and shook hands when others offered to, while others embraced me. A good number of these people were childhood friends who shared that learning circle with me. Most of the greetings were along the lines of “Welcome home, Bear Claw, already having dreamed of The Great Spirit’s visitation with me. I felt honored and humbled all at the same time. steel your heart, Bear Claw, the work ahead of you will not be peaceful, and the road will not be kind either. I digested what Wyah had said just then and it ran in parallel to what I was feeling as a professional. Wyah looked up at me and bowed his head slightly, Exactly, you will need to approach this task in the same way, that is one of the reasons you were selected. I thought about that and responded as I reached the house, The Great Spirit’s will shall be done. I said to him in response. The task at hand was not an easy fix nor would it be a short journey. This would take planning, resources, and a cold heart. Those I had in abundance, I knew where I would start, and before I could even get the thought completed, Wyah was smiling. I’m talking about a full-on smile that regular dogs would give, tongue lolling out of their mouth, and almost a yipping sound. You don’t expect that from a being that is the size of a Dire Wolf of Legends. It made me chuckle because he already knew my first target and approved wholeheartedly. that one is a poacher of wolves, Bear Claw. Instead of using my internal communication with Wyah I chose to speak out loud. “Then this will be his last day of poaching for the rest of his life. I knew the name of the contractor already from when Jeff had introduced him to me. What I wasn’t one hundred percent sure of was where he was hunting. So, I took out my phone and gave Jeff a call. “This is Jeff,” he answered on the first ring. That was impressive considering he never does that. “Hey bud, it’s Mac. That agent you introduced me to, do you know where he does his hunting?” There was a short pause, then Jeff responded, “No compliments about me picking up on the first ring? Damn you are a hard man to impress.” he joked with me. I chuckled softly, “Well I was thinking it, even if I didn’t say it.” He chuckled in response, “Yeah yeah, whatever. He hunts not far from where we picked up that package the other night.” I paused for a moment, “He does realize that’s reservation land right?” A longer pause this time but then Jeff finally spoke, “I believe he does know that to be true.” I was starting to get angry now, “Did you know that he was hunting wolves on Cherokee Land?” This time there was no pause, “No, I mean I knew he was hunting but not reservation land.” One thing I learned about Jeff Castello, is he was an honest man. A bit naive sometimes but always honest. I cleared my throat, “So, what do you plan on doing about it, Jeff?’ Again no hesitation, “If we catch him, I’ll arrest him.” A loose translation for those of you who don’t know what the government speak is that he wasn’t going to pursue the issue. “I see,” I said quietly. “Well, I gotta run Jeff, talk to you soon.” You know what must be done, came the thought from Wyah. I nodded, it will be handled, I said in return. There were a couple of things that were not lost on me. First and foremost, the black wolf himself could be a coyote instead of the true Wyah. Most people believe that Coyote is a myth like the rest of the native american gods. Coyote is the trickster god that loves to mess with humans. Especially white men it would seem. I had heard the stories as a kid about how he would mess with white men, if you consider the history, it’s justified. Up until he started sending skinwalkers after people. That however was a Hopi legend, not Cherokee. The other thing that certainly wasn’t lost on me is Jeff Castello probably being more knowledgeable of what his people were up to than he let on. If that were true, that would be a very personal problem for me to deal with. Corruption in our capital was worse than it had been in our nation's history in a long time. I expunge those thoughts to get back on track. My thought process was broken by a beautiful woman, about my own age who wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me tightly. “Finally the claw of the bear has come home.” I smiled as I pulled back from her, “Silver Sand, It’s been far too long.” She beamed at me, we had been close friends as children, we had always been together back in those days. I know that Papa had hoped it would lead to something more down the road but that never came to pass. She had never been granted warrior status among the nation’s elders, that much I knew about her but beyond that, it was a void derived from knowledge about her. We continued to talk as the sun began its slow climb into the sky. Fade. Talkin’ the talk
[on-camera] I walk through the house and I can smell cinnamon, a scent that only my wife leaves in her wake. It always made me smile, it didn't matter if she was angry, sad, or otherwise, it made me smile. I step up from the partially sunk living area to the hallway that leads to our studio. The sound of my cowboy boots echoes off the surfaces of that hallway and I turn slightly to my left. Grabbing the handle of the door, I push it in slowly. The epitome of silence is what waits on the other side of the door as I make my way to the control station. Once again my lovely wife has everything set up the way I like it. I grab the remote for the multiple cameras and microphones in this room and step up to the podium. The finals of the International Title Tournament, a tournament that Joe named after himself. I mean shit, why not? He’s to this day undefeated in this company as far as I know. He won this belt, put his spin on it, and then cashed it in for a shot at the big belt. I would have done and have done the same in other places. Many people wonder why I’m here, why this tournament, why a secondary belt. I pause there for a moment, if for no other reason than dramatic effect. It’s not about my association with JMont or Fred or even Bam. It was an opportunity to add yet another trophy to my ever-growing collection of belts. It was to add to the hype and the prestige of CCPE. It had zero to do with Mecca, and especially not JMont. Right now, today, we are nothing more than business partners. He ain’t my boy, my friend, or anything else that might trigger in the minds of the feeble. I’m selfish that way. I skin out of the light blue cotton sweatshirt, revealing the white beater. My hair is down and tickles the exposed skin a little as I readjust the microphone in front of me. Now Mav, you don’t mind if I call you Mav do you? Good, now Mav is already accomplished in IIW. He’s been here a few months and won the key to his first world title shot in this company. He’s as good an opponent as I could have asked for on the other side of the scale as he put it. I smile as I bring out a scale, a small one that I use sometimes to make a point. So little old Mav thinks that the scales are even, I would disagree. He’s a good wrestler, don’t get me wrong, but the scales will never be in your favor. Not with me standing against you. It would have been true had it been someone like DeAndre standing on the other side or anyone else not named Mac Bane.I pull out a couple of weights, setting them even with one weight on each side. That’s the way he sees it, that we are even. When in reality, they are not. He has the edge in age and speed, no doubt about that. I add weights to his side, pushing it in his favor. My advantages are experience, skill, power, intensity, and a win by any means necessary mentality. I add the remaining weights to my side of the scale, causing it to slam down, spilling the weights of his side to the table. In watching you I was confused as to whether you were a philosopher, a poet, a wrestler. I can tell you are quite the wordsmith as in you’re just wordy as fuck. You sat there trying to paint a pretty picture with crayons. Trying to say that how we got to this point no longer matters? The deflection attempts of a fraud who knows he’s a fraud. You’ve beaten a bunch of nobodies and never was, and that my man is why you don’t want to talk about that. Smirking at the camera, I continue, although not really wanting to. It seemed bizarre to me to even try to speak to this horse shit on a pogo stick. I could just go on and on, countering every comment you made, but, really, what’s the point? I’ll leave you with this for now. Our journeys are more different than anything you can imagine. My defeats and victories have been equally epic in quality. I don’t do anything halfway, which you will discover very soon. Whether you respect me or not, I really don’t give two shits about that. If you’re smart, you fear the obvious, or at least what should be obvious to an educated man such as yourself. The Black Wolf Continued…
[off-camera] I moved through the forest of the reservation, taking in my surroundings completely. Hickory bow in hand with a quiver full of arrows on my back. A man of my size is not supposed to be able to do this silently. My training in the military would say otherwise, as I continued to glide through the treeline. Something caused me to stop, so trusting my instincts I did so, moving over behind an oak tree. Your instincts serve you well, Bear Claw, he knows you’re here and has brought help, I heard in my mind from Wyah. Taking out my “work” phone, a burner phone that Jeff had given me. I should be hidden from view, so I took the risk to send him a message, “If you sold me out, to him, I’ll be coming for you next.” I waited a moment and his reply came back silently. “What are you talking about, Mac?” was his reply. “I’ll explain later,” was the last reply I made before I shut the phone down. Your friend is not guilty,was the response I had gotten from Wyah. How many, Wyah There was a long pause, six in total, all armed with guns Of course they were, the real question in my mind was who tipped them off. It was the classic moment when the hunter realizes he has become the hunted. I was by myself and no one I could call to assist me in this. I had Wyah, but the black wolf was a spirit with no physical form. You’re never alone, Bear Claw, and then the great wolf howled a long mournful howl that seemed to pierce the night itself. The goosebumps grew across my flesh at the sound of it. Then there were no less than a dozen forms ghosting through the trees on four legs, not two. I bowed my head in response to what Wyah had done, You humble me great wolf, thank you. He returned my bow with one of his own. Without another word, I took off through the night. Trusting my senses, I could almost smell the sweat of the men who searched and waited in the ambush. That shouldn’t be possible but I was a part of their pack so to speak and it dawned on me that they must be sharing information through that bond. It caught me off guard at first and I almost stumbled as I ran. After a few faltering steps, I regained my momentum, but the noise had attracted attention and they were prepared. I silently cursed myself for the mistake. Wyah surged past me into the clearing where they began to shoot. The bullets passed through Wyah harmlessly as he chuckled over the bond. foolish children, he said with a genuine sense of myrrh. After going through two full clips of ammunition the leader of the team held up his hand to cease fire. He shouted my name, “Bane! I know you’re out there! Come on in and we’ll talk, no one will harm you or the wolves if you come forward.” deception, was the word that came through the link, it was more than one voice. I nodded in response, agreed I sent back through the link. From behind a tree a bit farther back I yelled back, “Why should I believe that?” I was off again, gliding through the trees until I found another thick oak tree to hide behind that was within twenty yards of them now. “Well, it’s because if you don’t, I’ll slaughter every single wolf in this forest along with your tribe.” Without a word or a sound, I let the first arrow fly toward the man that stood in front of my aggressor. It hit but in the shoulder where the armor he wore was thick. It hit with enough force to send him down to one knee though. I ducked back without them ever seeing where I was. I cursed silently for not anticipating body armor. “Last chance Bane!” He yelled as I heard the slides being triggered. That meant automatic weapons. danger, do not advance, I sent through the link to the wolves. “Alright, I’m coming out,” I said loud enough for him to hear me. He was startled at how close I actually was to them. I dropped the hickory bow near the tree I had been hiding behind as I started to walk forward. don’t worry, I have a plan, I sent to the others. That of course was not true, I was playing a game on instinct and trust alone. My instincts had seen me through some tough times, events that should have killed me in the past. I kept walking slowly towards them and didn’t stop until I was standing in front of the man who had caused all this trauma. Two men walked forward and searched me, and announced that I was clean. “Unarmed? You are a fool, Bane. Why would I let you live by interrupting my cash flow?” A new voice became clear, “Because hunting on Cherokee lands is a felony, dumbass.” The voice of my old friend, Jeff Castello, soon that man stepped out of the shadows. “You sprout wings and fly, Jeff?” He shook his head, "we were supposed to meet up at that dive bar you come to when you’re in the area, remember?” I nodded, “that’s what I was hoping for,” I said with a wink and a smile. “Agent Michael Androv, you are under arrest as your companions,” He started to say but the agent was quick to point something out. “You’re outnumbered, old man.” That was when the red dots came to life and painted a different picture for him. Well-played bear claw, we are proud.Fade Walking The Walk
[on-camera] continued from the previous match talk sectionStill leaning on the podium and glaring at the camera, I feel my blood pressure rise and the temple on the right side of my face begins to beat in time. With all the pretty words that have come from my opponent, we can tell he is either well-educated or just spent a lot of time reading in his youth. When I go against someone so much younger than me, I expect to see the substance of their character.The fire, the enthusiasm, the heart of a champion. Not that… I take about half a step back, removing the weight from the podium and spreading my arms out to show a vast sea of nothingness. All I see is some kid, grasping at straws, and hoping he wins a match. All I see is some kid, throwing insults at the screen and hoping something sticks. I bring my arms back to my side and shake my head in disgust. He says he wants me to dig, to show him something, but I might ask the same of you, Mav. Show me something other than generic bad-guy comments and cliches that have been time and time again by people with far more charisma than you possess. A snort of derision escapes me and I shake my head again. I just don’t know man, you talk a big game, throwing these elegant sounding tiny barbs at me. For what? Are you going to talk me to death before the match and hope that’s enough? Hell, maybe you’ll bring a bottle of that wine you’re so fond of and hit me with that? I shake my head in a dismissive nature. How are you at digging, Mr. Tatum? When you’re getting beaten to a pulp in the middle of that ring by a man who hits harder than anyone in this business. Can you dig deeper than you’ve ever had to in your career to mount any kind of comeback? I lean into the shot, seeing on a nearby monitor, the colors of my eyes begin to shift to a darker color. Or will you make a business decision and just hope I don’t end everything for you and take that decision away from you? Your pretty words won’t save you from what’s coming for you.I smile, not a friendly smile but a feral one as my eyes continue to darken. I smack the top of the podium and laugh. It’s funny, just six months ago this would have been a different conversation. Back then I was one of the nicest guys in this fucking business. My friends often referred to me as the Gentleman Wolf. It’s because I had such an easy-going nature. People would say, that Mac, he’s just a good ol’ boy. He’s a good fighter but he’s not out there trying to hurt nobody.My eyes have now turned the color of obsidian as I continue. Then one day, all that changed. Today, I am reintroducing The One-Man Wrecking Crew to the world. People like JMont can have their twisted thoughts or whatever that means. I’m returning to my roots, to where it all started. Back in those days, my idea of a good time was perplexing people off the top of cages. Making little bitch boys like you cry as I manipulated their joints. Snapping another man’s tendons gave me a euphoric high. So, the next time you start talking about shallow. Look in the mirror and understand it’s your gene pool that’s shallow. Not the man standing across the ring from you. I snap my fingers and my eyes return to their normal color, my temple stops throbbing and my smile appears to be more genuine, even though it’s not. With a snap of my fingers I can bring our match to an end. Here is the biggest difference between you and me. You can throw everything else I’ve said away. You will anyway, so it doesn’t make any difference. I shrug in indifference. Every single punch I throw… Every single move is executed.. Those are meant to accomplish one thing and one thing only.
To win a fight.
I roll my right shoulder a couple of times as I sneer at the camera. I do that because your type is always out here trying to win a match. Dig deeper Mav, the next time you come at me you better come with all barrels blazing. When you come at me, make sure you’re rocking a V8 and not a V6 with two cylinders misfiring. Most of all, make sure you bring every single thing you’ve got because recess is over and the real shit begins.
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Post by Maverick Tatum on May 19, 2023 23:35:12 GMT
The smell of saw and wood enhanced the nostrils as the sound was heard. It would normally be a sight to see someone taking down lumber and making a craft but at this moment the craft was not completed and that only left an empty feeling of disappointment. Still in order to get a beautiful piece of work out of the creator, one had to understand where the creator was not only coming from but how they had gotten to this particular point. "I suppose Mac as much as the tale between us for the title could have been vlogged differently, as much as I could say that I wanted to create something else you see I found myself a few steps ahead of not only myself but you as well and that simply is not fair." As he worked still he closed his eyes remembering how he had gotten here. "I think," his voice came out as he sat recording himself as he spoke. "I think when people see this entry into my vlog and all of the other entries, honestly I hope that they find just an ounce of curiosity out of it because much like myself does, sometimes it is hard to see what someone has done and how they have been not necessarily ahead but on the same pace all the same while for we all make the mistake of judging a book by it's cover way too many times. I knew or I will say that I felt that many people would think that I would not train and cut down for this match but you see I did just in my own way. It has consisted of vlogs that I am now revealing for my followers on social media because it is how I communicate with them the best."
He had not cared who it was because he had never thought to get this far but that dangling question of if was something that he did have to prepare for.
Day One he had spent honestly telling his mates that it did not need to be like this but they did not listen to Maverick for it was not there fault they never did. They wanted to push him like a work horse and though he had never understood why as the days passed it made more and more sense. In order to take the root from the ground and turn it up and spin it where it has never been before you have to infiltrate from the inside. Ah-ha! most would say but as days were spent, he simply quieted himself and quieted his thoughts and let the course of nature flow. "I can admit to myself that new challenges are hard and Mac I think that is something you have known for years yet this is not about you but me." It was not meant to come across as condescending but just a moment of honesty. "You see my followers at first they came here for the likes and the content because it was thin and spruce but through out that which is my amazing social media following I have dripped truths and small inklets of deepness through out which has made my followers see that sometimes I am even capable of surprising myself," he said as he laughed. At first he had thought that his art piece would come out as nothing; that he would get bored and toss it to the side and then he had his therapy session and the one thing that had gotten through to him was the fact that his focus had become too much. His therapist had not said it in too many words but Maverick himself could tell it, so he was stepping back, breathing and letting the outcome of this IIW International tournament shape itself. His focus was not lost, he was not giving up but he was slowly turning the door into a new entrance. "Step through this door with me Mac. You see I am a man who considers himself constantly opening up ways and doing my best to bring others with me but it always seems like they fall off. I have become used to it but you thankfully are right on the other end and I can see your curiousness rising. You want to see on the other side of this door Mac, not because it will blow your mind or because it appears like nothing else you have ever witnessed in your life but because deep down, even in your words I can tell. I do not have to hear your tone to know that human nature resides in all of us and if our roles were reversed, as they are when I watch footage of the matches of how you got here, we can feel that tingle and not have to be ashamed." During the days of taping the vlog, he had to work in his training but like everyone else in the tournament Maverick could not find comfort in just training one way. No the other wrestlers in the tournament had different styles and so for him to push himself in different ways had tired him but it was a visit from the currently injured Sawyer that had inspired him to push on. On the vlog the two men bullshitted about what was next, because that was what Maverick had to do when he was with his other faction mates. Put on the front as if he did not care, his increased training and lack of social media presence were nothing to be alarmed about since he had did it before. All the while though, he knew that what his faction mates did not see might help him and then again it could always turn out to be a waste, but it was like Instagram, Maverick did whatever was needed for the likes and the perception for we all had an image to keep up.He wiped the forming beads of sweat off of his head and decided to take a break as he entered his house. The lights were dim because he did not need to be distracted as he leaned over and grabbed a few napkins to finish catching the sweat. "Fuck Mac, let me stop and give your ass a round of applause," he said as he stopped and clapped his hands before abruptly stopping and speaking. "You honestly need to give yourself a damn pat on the back too for proving to me that finally there are other athletes out there who care and who do it for the same reason that I do even if I think that you still are not all that you are cracked up to be. Now do not get offended and tell me how I am wrong, just show me." It was like one of those old western dares. Let's turn ten paces and see who has the nerve to pull the trigger first in a way. If only that were the case, too bad for Maverick and Mac Bane, all they had was a ring. The sun ups and sun downs of old western ways were long gone and swooshed in was an era of technology that sometimes even baffled Maverick but it was this same technology that ironically had helped him. The vlog, both what the people could and could not see were things of beauty. They were things that had helped him be prepared and for that he knew he owed them eternally. Still he finally found himself a seat upon a stool and leaned on the bar that now was seen in his view. "Usually when someone has come as far as I have and also as far as you have I do not find myself this open to understanding that they have earned it and yet with you I have to. I have to because it will be the last nice thing that people will remember that I say about you and perhaps to you should I take the time to find you before our match." He took a longer pause than usual and it was because he knew that once the world seen his vlog, which he did plan to release after the match they would see and be able to pinpoint a different side of him. Still he did not mind as he thought about what he had taped about a week after the entire International Championship tournament had happened. "I am not usually a man who puts his training on video but I wanted the people to know that there are times that I do take my matches seriously. The man behind the mask so to speak is not something that should ever be seen at least not much but then it seems I have inched even closer to a spot in the finals of this tournament." Still the look of worry did sit across his face but his training continued on. "On the other side of the brackets there are still various other individuals and I know that each one of them have particular strengths and weaknesses much like myself, so we are all training but as a person who might actually have to represent the side of the bracket that is hosting the International tournament, it is a lot to take on."
His breathing had patterned itself easily in his emotions much like most other things that happened in life. His body tone and fat had even became less and sharpened. By this time he had gotten past Rhett which had internally mentally fucked him and without anything to say after. It was never easy getting past someone who you worked with, whose friendship ran through more than the ins and outs of business but he had no time to live in the pool of regret about it. More days passed and his social media had went quiet, only small notes of time here and there but compared to how he had normally did, it was darkened.
Days of thoughts and constant questions of what if it was him? Those were starting to be sounds that he could hear and he did not know if he liked it and yet at the same time the players on the other sides were becoming less and less as well. The matches seemed to line up as if it were nothing short of bowling and the strikes and spares that begin to be seen down the lane were not as hard as a seven ten split to see who was coming and going. However his vlog went on, the things Maverick personally felt about this match, the tournament went on and became deeper. He could no longer just be a social media presence because now he HAD to show up and do the work. He had found a small glass of water and downed it instead of the alcohol that he wanted to taste. Now he was not going to get drunk, that was for fools, but he had to finish his project before the morning because in the morning he had to finish his train. He had to give the world one last days amount of vlog and also so that he could watch it once the match between him and Mac were done. It was not hard though as he finally stepped back on the porch. It was no secret that hours of sleep had been lost but it was close to being done. Ever since he had set in his therapist office and seen those scales, he knew..the match..it seemed to be against him. It was something that he had hoped would be different but at the end of the day, this was a match that Maverick should have never gotten to. Did anyone realize that was the line in the sand between him and Mac? Mac and everyone else on the other side of the bracket were, any one of them could be on that side but the guy on the IIW side, they were just there for pickings. Did they not think that the talent that flowed through their own company was good enough so not only did the IIIW guys have to fight their own but then prove that they had it against someone else. Bro, welcome to the reality."Even as I realized it Mac, even with every match that got not only me but you closer as well I felt those scales tipping but it took a grasp of air and a break from social media for it truly slap me in the face but you, you get the honor of coming in as a guest in this tournament and that pressure, you do not know shit about it. You do not live and breathe this company for you would have been here already since I have, called it home and yet a guest which is what you will always be to me, even if you win, a guest where the house is not yours, fucker you do not deserve that title as does no one that was on your side. As I am complimenting the work that you did put in, it is only over the course of a short time." Still he remained calm, luck would only carry anyone so far and the rest was coming down to skill. "My vlogs leading up to this match have been focused on everything about it and after the match my final vlog of this particular point in my career is going to have a big portion with your name on it." He chuckled at that part. "Not because I want it but I have to speak of the man who does not deserve anything here and yet here we are. Hoo fucking rah Mac, welcome to the circus that you should have stayed out of." Four days before the IIW International Tournament Announcement:
"Maverick," she said as she lifted her phone up. Screw nature, and once again why was she left alone? At this time she was still the IIW Women's champion but even then, she deserved better than to be left alone in the dusts of nature and trees that clearly needed pruning and attention more than anything else. She shook her phone out holding it up clearly looking for a signal and failing by not finding one. A few steps forward and she got two bars and called him as he picked up. "So I am back in this forest but I am by myself, what has your attention this time and please go the hell to therapy. #2ndComing needs to start being treated with more respect."
He had to sit in for Shante on her podcast as he heard Daddy Marisol shouting through the phone. A podcast was easy but the alerts of rumors pinging on his phone had him puzzled as he took a minute to flip his hair. "Eight from outside federations are rumored to be coming to IIW for a tournament." He rolled his eyes. "Beckett you ever notice how the internet runs wild with rumors? I hate that if you want to know the truth just go ask the higher ups. I think that someone leaked this to stir the pot within IIW, it's really not very professional."
"And?" she said. "You know for someone who claims that you do not care you sure do following them on social media a lot. Just give in and at the least admit that some small part of you cares. It might actually do your career some good, one might even say that you could start to make it truly take a form. "Well I got bored in the middle of the podcast so I had no choice but to surf the internet, you never know what is truth and what is not. At the end of the day I guess it is all just it's own version of smoke and mirrors." Even though he knew that it was hard to know the difference but he was going to try and do his best. "I will let you know how it turns out if any of it turns out to be true. He had picked up his saw because his project was almost done. Home improvement had done wonders for him and yet he still took a minute. "Mac I, a moment of honesty out of your no doubt preciously viewed time. I must say I hope this is not just a one and done between you and I because Mac, once I again I can see it and I know that greatness is the rainbow above the clod that has come over our match. You see as incoherent as I wish that the noise about this tournament would have remained I find that this is now the loudest in the room. If the silence was to stop now we could drop a pin and hear it but I do not want that and neither do you or so I would hope." None the less the truth was that the project had taken shape on it's own in the end as he now stood back, took a second to kneel down and moved carefully out of the way to reveal a slightly carved duck. "I know I know what does a fucking duck have to do with our situation Mac? Everything bro, seriously." Adaptable, Balance, Gracefulness and Feelings just a few of the traits associated with ducks, all things that Maverick felt that Mac had to have if he wanted to be the better. Mac had to feel like he had already won the match because to feel as if he had lost it to someone like Maverick simply could not be a thought this man allowed to dance around in his head. We are not hear to waltz to the sound of a symphony but to pummel the shit out of one another until we can say that through all the matches, we were the one to stand and prove that we had what it took the become the new champion. Now Maverick felt as if the person would also have that damn shadow of what the previous champion had did, but why? We love to turn the page around here and this is where it starts. "Moving along to grace," he said as the smirk now on his face could be slightly seen even in the darkness of the night. "You have gracefully went past people just like I did but not real ones that wanted it enough to stop you. Everything that you have, that same grace that you will no doubt have learned over your years to execute in the ring, I live to see it but I plan to knock you off so that what you thought would be, you getting this close to get the title becomes nothing and you realize damn you were close but not quite good enough, that is the look that I find myself looking forward to the most. May you gracefully know how to bow out and never coming knock on that which is IIW as a guest anymore." Still everything applied to Maverick too and he was aware but he would be here in the end, that key still dangled ever so graciously as well in the background that was his career, as this match had found itself at the forefront unexpectedly. "Balance I have covered again and again so excuse me Mac while I stand and hear the sounds of the symphony as they strum the chords of their instruments and look out and find themselves adapting to the crowd that has their eyes looking straight up at them. You have adapted well, a little too easily if you want my opinion not that it matters. It is colored in a coat of quick impressiveness and even though it is thin, the measure of these qualities, you hit tens all across the board at least in previous matches. Will you in this one? I am a fool if I stand here and say yes so I simply say do not let the quick and thin overshadow the long and impressive. It does not take much to look at you and see you can be better than that however if you will, that is only up to you Mac." The time that he had taken into carving this had been too much, the effort was too much considering that he only planned to trash it. It was also a waste of supplies, talent, and money and that had also struck a deep, troubling chord within him, but we are not yet to that chapter of Maverick's story. He eyed it one more time and for once the sadness that he felt about having to trash it was clearly shown. A miniature breakthrough of emotions for anyone who had known him ever since he had stepped inside of Intense International Wrestling and still, he at least had found a way to release it all out even if it was in this lame fucking art piece which he proceeded to kick over and watch as it went and fell but did not crack. "Just my luck," he said. Luck had nothing to do with it though. In the end it was going to come down to who simply got the job done. He honestly hated that he had wasted so much material but sometimes you had to waste in order to create something better. He had also figured Mac Bane knew of that as well and honestly he hoped that he was not giving him too much credit, for Maverick could simply hear that incoherent sound starting again, except with a clearness that for the moment remained unknown to him, but did excite him none the less. "Well Mac," he wanted to end it on a high note as he turned to stare out at the darkness and he shook his head. "Nothing left to say, see you soon." END
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Post by Mac Bane on May 20, 2023 15:24:26 GMT
The Black Wolf Part 3 “Beginning in itself has no value, it is an end which makes beginning meaningful, we must end what we have begun.” ― Amit Kalantri
The Foreword
Typical television snow is how the scene opens, then the feed goes live, with me sitting in a high-backed leather chair. Attired in a proper suit and tie for the occasion. I smile at the camera. I bring my arms up and steeple my fingers in front of my face as I lean forward resting my elbows on my knees. For so many years, I’ve said that I’m not a saint but I’m not the devil either. Was it a lie? Was the devil inside me all along? Maybe.I lean back and allow my hands to drop back into my lap, still smiling a coy little smile. After one round of promo what have we learned? Well, we learned that my opponent likes to use backhanded compliments and thinly veiled insults. We’ve learned that he thinks I’m shallow and I think he’s boring as hell. I shrug my shoulders in indifference. Perhaps he was looking for ways to trigger me? Kid, you don’t have the talent or the vocabulary to do that. I’ve been doing this too long to be offended by anything you might have to say. It does make me happy that without knowing anything at all about me that you think so poorly of me already. You’re right about one thing though, expectations of me are extremely high. Unlike you, I have a track record, I’m a top dog everywhere I go. When I walk through the doors of any company, champions piss their pants because they know it’s simply a matter of time. Winning tournaments like this are just a step in the right direction toward my ultimate goal.I smile fully, not only because saying it makes me happy, but knowing it's the truth and not hype gives me a sense of pride that most wouldn’t ever understand. Why do you suppose that Shaun and Joe worked so hard to get me on their side? It wasn’t just about my reputation and ability, they want to make sure that after I’m done winning this thing I don’t come after him. I chuckle a bit before I continue. Yeah, let’s go with that. I dig a cigar out of the monogrammed case, clipping the end off, I then light my cigar. Perhaps you’re confused right now as to my change in demeanor from the previous episode of Mac Rules The World. Don’t be, You wanted to see a softer side, right? Something you could sink your teeth into? I allow my smile to fade because I’m done playing games with my opponent and the audience watching along. I’m so sorry about your coming misfortune. I told you that recess was over, kiddo, and I wasn’t kidding. Do you want to step up to the plate and try to play mind games with me? Step right on up to the tree of knowledge and I’ll educate you inside and outside the ring. Fade
The Black Wolf Part 3
[off-camera] continued moments after my last cd ended…As the men under Jeff’s command continued to filter into the area, the men with Andov looked like they wanted to fight. I looked over at him and smiled when they were putting the cuffs on him. I snarled at him, “They’ll all be dead before their weapons are even brought to bear. More importantly, I’ll start with you.” He swallowed hard at the harshness of my voice and immediately gave the stand-down order to his men. “Okay, guys, let’s not do anything hasty, just put your weapons down. This fight is over.” They complied one by one, setting their firearms down on the ground beside them. I turned him squarely towards me, “Who was your contact inside the reservation? There is no way you could have known about me otherwise?” In return, he had regained some of his backbone, “I’m not saying a thing until I’m in front of a lawyer.” Before I even knew I was doing it, I held my 9mm pistol to his face, just under his nose to be more specific. “Perhaps I wasn’t clear, Andov. Who’s your fucking contact!?” He closed his eyes, but wouldn’t say anything. Jeff laid a hand on my arm, “I’ve got this pal, no need to go to jail over a piece of shit like this.” I nodded in return. It was then that Jeff’s radio began to chirp. “Hey Cas, we got her,” that made Jeff smile. “See, you stumbled into a sting we had been working on for months, trying to catch the poacher and his accomplices. We knew something was going on based on the complaints from the nation, but weren’t able to prove anything until recently.” I shook my head, “So, who was it on the reservation?” I asked him in a quiet voice, even though I feared I already knew the answer. He patted me on the shoulder, “Silver Sand”. That was all he said as he walked past me to keep an eye on the process as his men cuffed and disarmed the men responsible. I would say that I was shocked by this revelation and the information provided by Jeff, but recently I had been betrayed on a regular basis so I really wasn’t. The Matt Knox and Masque Delune saga had left me bitter and angry at the world. My heart had grown cold to almost nonexistent over the past six months or so. I looked at Andov, you were a lucky man tonight, Agent. Jeff Castello saved your life. When and if you should ever get out of prison, you remember that. I could feel my anger building, I had to leave the area before I lost it and ended his life. “Jeff, is she still in my lodge or has she been moved already?” He looked back over his shoulder, “She's still there, but don’t do anything rash, please.” I nodded at him, “No worries, she’s a childhood friend, even after all of this I wouldn’t do anything violent to her.” I shook my head, it’s like he forgets my past at times. There are times, I’d like to forget my past and what it was like to grow up in a household full of abuse. I started walking back towards the reservation proper, still thinking about that. A father that was so brutal, he beat up my mom and my sisters on a regular basis. A man that died by my hands and that was something I would have to live with for the rest of my life. A burden I was more than willing to bear. He was the worst kind of human being, and I put him on another plane of existence, quite permanently. I finished that thought as I had a hand on the door to my lodge. “Mr. Bane, she’s been asking for you,” the agent told me politely. “Thank you, Agent Miller,” I responded politely. It was a struggle no doubt about that. I was exhausted both physically and emotionally. I opened the door and saw her seated there in a chair with her arms behind her back in zip ties instead of cuffs because her wrists were so small. No details were left unchecked in her apprehension, I did love that about Jeff’s people. I grabbed a chair and swung it around, I straddled the chair and looked her in the eyes. She was still connected to me through the bond that we shared. To prevent her from using it, I severed her tie to it. It was something that Whisper had taught me, and it felt so good to do that to someone I used to call a friend. The gasp that came from her, was all the satisfaction I needed. “How?....Why?....” she stammered as I glared at her. “I might ask you the same question, you’ve lived among the people your entire life, while I have not, Why would you sell them out?” Before she could speak I went on, “I cut your ties to the nation because you don’t deserve them. You betrayed everything we ever believed in. Everything we were taught from childhood, and I can’t think of a single reason why. Enlighten me.” I sat in the chair and watched her as she sobbed uncontrollably. “Every action you take in this life has consequences. You were my best friend when we were children. Was it because I attained something that you never could because you are a woman?” She continued to cry, although more softly now as her tears were running out of steam. They were fake tears, to begin with, so I wasn’t concerned in the least. “Did Agen Andov pay you a lot of money for not informing the reservation authorities of his intent to hunt wolves here?” She nodded, very slightly. “If you needed money, I'd always make sure that you had my information. Why not just ask for it?” She shook her head back and forth, refusing to answer these questions. When she was a little more calm, still unsure of her voice, she finally answered me. “Pride,” she said as she looked away. “Pride?” I exhaled forcefully through my nose and shook my head in disgust. “So much pride that you’d accept a bribe so they could kill a part of our history and culture? It seems your pride was in short supply, little bird.” She looked at me in shock, I had used her childhood name and it shook her.” Her eyes flashed and I knew she wanted to attack. I knew what would be coming instead, “How dare you?! I’ve been here all this time! I had days when I had no food or even basic things that everyone needs! It was a chance to help more than myself. Who the fuck are you to question that?!” I spat in her face. I’m the only person that could have possibly gotten the charges reduced or dismissed altogether. My grandfather trusted you to care for the people after he passed on. Wyah had made her way into the room as I continued to verbally castigate the woman who had been my friend all those years ago. She was so far gone that she could never see me. The statement from Wyah made me sigh a very sad sigh as I looked back up at her. “Wyah would send his regards but it seems you’ve fallen a great distance and can’t see him anymore. Not like when we were children anyway. We are done here.” I stood up from the chair and turned back towards the door. “Please tell him I’m sorry.” She said to my back as I grabbed the handle. As I was walking away I said to her, “He knows. He’s been here the entire time. It’s part of the reason I was selected.” Without another word, I left the lodge, closing the door and a chapter of my life all with one swift motion. Fade.
Heading towards the finish
Still in the suit and puffing on my cigar, I exhale slowly so that the smoke frames my face, giving it a strange feeling for the viewer. Education is a vague and subjective word, isn’t it? I’ve known many competitors who loved to talk about the degree they hold and how it gives them an edge. Or does it? Even the most educated man can be a sucker, they can be tricked into saying or doing something that is out of character for them. As the song says, “I’ve seen a good man steal and an honest man lie.” Tator over there appears to be a well-educated and cultured man, until he started speaking, then that all went out the window. If he were educated at all about our industry, he would know far more about me than he does. I scrunch my nose at the camera, mocking him, for no other reason than my own personal amusement. Typical homer type of stuff, about people earning things. For those following along at home that wasn’t an Illiad reference. You see, Mav, you misunderstand a great many things about this business. Those who thrive in it are the men and women who take what they want. Don’t think I deserve to be here? That’s fine because I don't care. It’s not indifference to your opinion, it’s much more simple than that, it’s called apathy, you should probably look that up in your spare time. As far as giving you things to work with, that’s not a me problem, that’s a you problem. My story is out there, written across a long line of broken bodies and hearts. I’m sure that if you actually put forth some effort you’ll find what you need. Or you can continue to cry like a bitch.I smirk in response to what’s been said and what I’ve said in return. I hope that you come at me with something more creative than this dribble that you started with. You’d better finish strong my man, otherwise, this will be the shortest championship match in the history of this company. You’ll get the opportunity to prove the world wrong because you obviously don’t like the fact that I was the favorite to win it all before the tournament even started. It eats at you and every other member of this roster. Those are facts, not ego. My disdain is fully on display now as I roll the tip of the cigar in the ashtray. People like Maverick Tatum annoy the shit out of me, they assume too much and realize too little. Your colleague Max Stone is the perfect example of this. He hates organizations like CCPE. I spelled it out plainly, his disdain for us is opportunity. Like you he believes that we are taking opportunities away from current roster members. If that was the case, if you all were more hungry they wouldn’t open it to the outside world. He would have just filled the brackets with IIW personnel. He didn’t do that though did he? I bark a laugh at the thought of these people being so offended by the fact that we were invited to participate. Ha! Now I’m not saying that you guys suck. You’re all professional wrestlers, some with a greater amount of talent than others. What I am saying is that I’m better, and I’ve already proved it. I proved it by having twenty years in this business. I’ve won titles all over the world, never been satisfied with winning titles in a single company. It’s about building a brand that sometimes provides a passive income. In other cases requires more work from me and that’s fine because I’ve always been a workhorse. It beats the shit out of being a deadbeat jackass like the vast majority of you. Another drag from the cigar and a smile, the disdain is still there but the smile is not a friendly one. I’ve literally got no reason at all to respect you or anything you stand for. Why should I have respect from someone I’ve never met, or even heard of. Why should anyone from the roster believe in you? The fans? Nah, you don’t care about that. Maybe your cool little group believes in you? Or maybe that is the optics they would like you to believe. You’re simply not believable, if I don’t believe in the things you say as an outsider, how can anyone possibly think you will be a viable champion? I shake my head in disgust as I recall his promo. I put the cigar out, quite simply even saying his name makes my cigar taste bad. You’re not, but I am. Track records like mine are generational. I’m a once in a lifetime talent with a record in this business to prove it. I’ll even give you a one company example. I won the WCW world title four times. That was in a seventeen-month time span, breaking the record for total reigns. You’ve won…the key to the kingdom. Other than that, I’m lost as to what you’ve accomplished because I don’t waste my time on second-rate hacks. The feed cuts and we go back to snow.
The Black Wolf continued.
As I walked away from the lodge, I inhaled deeply, that event had impacted me far more than I first realized. What had just happened was cathartic in a way, Silver Sand had been one of those know it all kids when we were young. It didn’t matter what anyone had accomplished, she would claim something outrageous in order to one-up them. Around the fire, she had been my nemesis as far as the children. I never worried about it too much, because my grandfather had been the Medi here on the reservation. I knew where I stood with the nation and that was the important part. Even though I was not full-blood Cherokee, they all had always treated me as I was. No bear claw, they treated you with sympathy because of your father, most of these people couldn’t care less if you died tomorrow. That was the message from Wyah, but the real question is why would he present it in that way. It stopped me cold as the truth often will, I knew it was true. The number of times people would talk about that poor white kid hanging around the fire hoping for scraps of knowledge from his betters. I remembered hearing the whispers, except for my grandfather. I think he and I shared a bond that was special. That you did, your grandfather loved you very much, came the thought from Wyah. I bowed my head in acceptance of what I’d been told. I really wasn’t sure what was expected from me with this information, but I was certain it would come to me in time. I just needed time to think, time was not something I had in great quality these days. I needed to get ready for a flight to England and then back again for my match against JMont in WGWF. The match against Maverick Tatum was my focus right now though, the match against Joe was important but there was no title on the line. Things are fine here for the moment, Bear Claw, I’ll be in touch should something come up that needs immediate attention. I nodded and sent a message back, Thank you, Wyah, I appreciate everything you have done, not just for me but for the Cherokee nation. I had hoped that my emotion was portrayed properly, one can just never really be sure. I thought the tone was correct but I came off a certain way to people sometimes. I knew that there would be many more tasks to undertake in the future. The needs of the people were many, not few. Based on what Wyah had told me, I wasn’t sure they were worth saving right now. Destroying them and starting over might be a better solution, I turned to face Wyah but he was gone. I looked up just then in the crook of a branch in the live oak and saw the oversized owl again. It was nodding its head as if confirming the real ask. Then that’s how it shall be. I knew that time and patience would lead me in the proper direction to accomplish the task. The state of the nation was not rosy, to say the least. One minor thing, a small nudge in either direction would have a cascade effect that would destroy them from within. That thought satisfied me in ways that are not explainable. The scene closes with my head bowed in thought…. Fade
The Gate
[off-camera] Just a few hours later, I was headed to Colorado.A fifteen-hour drive was no laughing matter, especially as I was growing older. I found myself having to make more frequent stops than I used to. A side of me that I don’t allow anyone outside of my family to see was the tired part. This match against someone almost half my age had me excited. Mostly because he was showing his age as well. That youthful exuberance that always got his kind in trouble when they stepped into the ring with me. There were two places I’ve always found the answers I needed, My ranch in Texas and while working out at the Hell’s Gate Wrestling School. These people were my tribe and an extension of my family. Some of them were family or at least people that I held in high regard. The visit today was two-fold, first and foremost was training. Through some miracle, I hadn’t slacked off of my training at all with my crazy schedule. I was getting older though, I knew that and I had to put in the extra work to stay in shape and ahead of the younger competition. It was one of the things that made me angry, even on my good days. Father Time had not been kind to some of us. It’s a part of why there’s so much ego in older wrestlers, we use it to hide the fact that we’ve lost a step. The other reason was my encountering Wyah the way I had. I suspected that Wyah and the supposed great spirit were not on the up and up. I knew Maria could help with that. These were all my jumbled thoughts as I pulled into my usual parking spot, that and the fact that I needed a cigarette and more coffee. I still had plenty of smokes but I’d run out of coffee about a hundred miles ago, and my stubbornness had gotten the better of me and I refused to stop. Fortunately for me, baby sister Kim was on the case and met me in the lot with a fresh cup. “Bless you, baby girl!” I exclaimed probably a little too loudly for six a.m. She physically blanched at the volume of my voice. I smiled a sheepish smile, “Oops sorry, inside voice now.” She shook her head, “For fucks sake Mac, trying to wake up Denver too?” She did love teasing me. I set the cup of coffee on the hood of the truck and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you for the coffee,” I said more quietly. “Why were you so loud though,” she asked me in a quiet voice of her own. I snarled the name, “Aiden” She looked a bit confused, “The new kid?” I shook my head in disgust, “He’s nearly thirty years old, Kim,” I said in exasperation. She held up her hands in mock surrender, “I know that, what exactly did he do?” I opened my phone up and showed her the screen capture of the article from the Denver newspaper. She held the phone and read it out loud. “Local wrestling hopeful, Aiden Ross, caught in a compromising position…I’ll say he was. Used his status as an up-and-coming star…” She looked at me over the top of the phone. “Go on,” I said, “It gets better.” She grimaced a little, “Claiming to be the favorite new prospect of Mac Bane in order to get sexual favors from a local dancer…” She shook her head, “For fucks sake.” using my hands and putting air quotes in the air, “I spoke with him a few moments ago.” She rolled her eyes, “You yelled at him and didn’t give him a chance to give his side of the story.” I took another angry drag from my cigarette, “He also didn’t deny it,” I almost spat the response rather than saying it. “Things like this piss me off, no respect for himself or the school, Kim. I’m not going to overstep certain boundaries here, you are the lead trainer for the school. I am not going to put that on you though. He knows that I’m pissed, so he’s going to be my training partner today and if he survives the process, he can decide if this business is for him or not.” She was shaking with laughter by the time I’d finished. “What?” I asked in annoyance. “You’re really bothered by this, but why?” I snarled as I reached for the coffee cup, “Because it’s disrespectful to Becca, that’s my problem with it. Because it’s disrespectful to the name that hangs above the entryway. So, I’m going to explain it to him in terms I’m sure he’ll understand.” I turned to the ashtray and put my cigarette out when I heard the voice of Whisper, “No broken bones in my school,” she said in an obvious no-debate kind of voice. I climbed up the steps and gave her a kiss on the cheek, “Yes ma’am.” I said in passing as I headed to the locker room. I knew she approved of this approach because I’d seen her do the same thing on countless occasions. I knew she knew about the article and I could feel her rage, and I let it fill me up. I smiled as I changed into my workout gear but kept it in check, there was no reason for having any incident with anyone other than the one who had earned it. I planned to use this same approach against Maverick Tatum in the finals of the IIW International Title Tournament. Aiden Ross was a thick kid, 6’3”, and about two hundred and forty pounds. He was confident as he approached me, he would soon learn what real fear was. I was going to stretch him to his limits and if he broke, he broke. Either way, he was going to beg forgiveness for the disservice he did to this school. The actual confrontation was censored out of compassion for those with weak stomachs I gave the kid credit for lasting as long as he did. He had a towel over his face and Kim was making sure he wasn’t bleeding too much. The towel was muffling the sound of his voice as he apologized to Kim and Whisper. The only blood I had on me was his, life lessons were hard sometimes. “What happened?” That was the question that came over my left shoulder. I turned and saw Kat, “Oh, Mr. Ross needed to learn about respect, so I taught him.” I said it in a nonchalant manner. I handed her my phone which already had the article pulled up. “And you never pulled any stunts like this when you were his age,” she asked with a slight edge to her voice. I turned around fully, “No, I did not.” She started to say something but then I guess she remembered who she was talking to. I shook my head, “Sorry Kat, didn’t mean to be short with you. I’ve never done anything like that, For the vast majority of my life, I’ve been married, and always faithful. That’s just not something I can do, imagine if he was married, what must his girlfriend or boyfriend think after seeing that article?” I let out a deep sigh, “What’s done is done, and I was probably too hard on him, I just want him to use his brain.” I walked over to where he was slowly getting to his feet and helped him up by grabbing his arm just behind the elbow. He still had the towel over his head and was rubbing his face dry of the blood, sweat, and tears. “Look Aiden, you’ve got to use the head on your shoulders, not the one in your pants. I know you’re young, but that’s not an acceptable excuse. You’ve got to be smarter, not just for this school and the people who teach here, but for yourself.” Whisper touched my shoulder and we walked outside at her behest. She studied me for a moment, as I grabbed my cigarettes from the nearby railing where I normally left them when I was here. “What you did to him,” she began as I stepped down a couple of steps. “It was beautiful and you did it without channeling everything available.” Kim stepped out behind Whisper as she continued to speak. “That’s right, his eyes never did turn,” she began as I waved them off. “He made a mistake, the objective was to teach him humility, not permanently injure him. By the way, how badly did I break his nose?” Kim smirked at me, “Well, he won’t be attracting anything other than a plastic surgeon for a while.” I beamed a smile at her and another question hit me, “Is Maria here?” The ladies both looked at me obviously concerned. I explained to them what I had encountered and my concerns. Maria was there within moments, I had finished my smoke and she had my head in her hands. I opened myself to her as I always did and after a moment she withdrew. “He’s legit, Mcintyre, you are blessed to have that one around and providing guidance to you. He won’t interfere with the things you do. He’s not a spirit of vengeance. He’s what he appears to be in every sense of the word. Wyah, is a guide, a messenger for The Great Spirit. You can now lay claim to doing a god's work without all that Christian stuff.” I bowed my head to her, “Thank you, little mother.” When I raised my head they all looked at me kinda funny except for Maria. She beamed and gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “You’re welcome, Mac. Now I shall go patch up Aiden, good work out there, Bear Claw.” Maria rushed off as quickly as her little legs would take her. Fade.
The Finish
For the final installment of this promotional video, I have ditched the suit and tie, going with a more traditional look of jeans, a white beater, and cowboy boots. My hair is tied back in a ponytail because man buns are for pussies. I still wasn’t in what anyone would consider a good mood. My opponent had been silent since his original video was aired. Maybe he doesn’t have a social media presence., I thought to myself as I got ready to begin. We’re rounding third and heading for home! I smirk at the camera as I approach the podium and rest my hands on it. There is no way you are ready for me, you’ve never been up against someone like me. I’m destruction personified, and you’re just in the fucking way., I think to myself, it’s all about setting the tone internally and externally, the message has to be clear and proper. Pressure? What do you know of pressure? Pressure is when you have an actual reputation across this business and you walk into someone else's house and kick the shit out of anyone and everyone they put before you. That’s pressure, kid, so fuck off with your crybaby bullshit. I roll my eyes as I continue. What might your game plan be for someone like me? That’s not even the real question though, is it? The real question is do you have one at all? Not that it will matter, I’m like the Mike Tyson of wrestling, no matter what your plan is, once you get hit in the mouth, it all changes. My opponents and enemies alike all tell me the same thing. I hit like a Mac Truck. When I hit you, you’re fucked, and you’ll stay that way until the man counts three. Unless you have someone on hand to help you. My expression changes to neutral, eliminating emotion from the equation is my thing. I literally have no reason to dislike this human being but I do. If for no other reason than he is across the ring from me.That’s right, you have your group, “The Second Coming”, more like sloppy seconds according to people on the roster. We’ve already had groups like this in the past who think they are the second coming of whatever God they worship. The Left Hand comes to mind, they too are irrelevant in this business. So, it begs the question, what have you all done as a team? Anything? Oh, that’s right, Miss Marisol has a title currently, doesn’t she? My expression remains neutral as I continue to address his shortcomings. When your girl or whatever she is to him has a title and he doesn’t, that must really irk the fuck out of him., I think to myself. I mean, I’m not your therapist so I really can’t help you with your personal issues, well, they’re volumes though aren't they? So, as a group, you’ve got nothing, but Miss Marisol has a title. Former tag team champions, but that was back in October right? That’s a bit cute, at least we know where the real talent lies in that bunch. I’ve mentioned your possession of one of the keys to success. I’m really interested in why you entered this tournament instead of challenging Joe. Why are you ducking the champ?A smile threatens to tug at the corners of my mouth, but I dive into him more to get a point across. But back to your little group, I do hope they decide to come to your rescue should you need it, and you’re going to need it. When I tell people that they’ve never been in the ring with someone like me, it’s not some boast or generic reply to what others have said. I’m not a genetic freak like some claim to be, I am a relentless hunter to the point of self-destruction. I cannot and will not stop in pursuit of the goal. I tell you these things so you can protect yourself. it won’t matter what I say, he won’t take me seriously and that gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling, I do love it when people underestimate what I bring to the ring., was my thought as I continued. When I speak, my tone is condescending, I don’t feel he deserves any respect. Will you and can you are the real questions. Mav, this is not just another match to me, and it shouldn’t be to you either. Instead of putting yourself in harm's way, what you should have been doing is figuring out how you can beat JMont. Chasing secondary titles instead of the big prize? I have to wonder if you always settle for second best. I mean look at you and your group as a whole. The corners of my mouth continue to tug, threatening a smile but I stamp that out with the anger I’m feeling. Hell, the second coming aren’t even the second-best group in this company. I get it, you just can’t hope to be better than Mecca. We are the elite of this business. I should say, they are now by adding myself and Kim to the mix. They were great before that, don’t get me wrong, but now? Unfuckingstoppable. The smile returns this time in full force, my condescension though is still very heavy in my words as I go to close this out. You can’t beat me, you can only hope to survive me. If you do, I’ll be the first one to sing your praises, but at this point, we both know that you can’t and you won’t because I won’t allow it.
I have spoken.
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