Prologue: My Heart.
I want to tell you something about myself, and I want to make it very clear, I want to let the world know why exactly I’m in this match. A lot of people think I’m not deserving of a world title shot because they think I’m just this machine BUILT by Exodus Pro Wrestling to force feed propaganda to the masses. Want to know what pisses me off about that? Wanna know what makes me made; What gives me such a stale taste in my mouth?! The fact that my entire LIFE I’ve WORKED my ass off for everything I’ve had to do, and people still want to downplay me. I want to point to one guy and one guy alone, someone who wants to try and tear down the foundation of a company because of his HURT because he doesn’t know how to VENT that hurt, a guy who doesn’t know understand a DAMN thing about commitment!!
Magnus.
GUNNER.
When I stood on top of that ramp, The Big L wanted to send a clear message to you because you weren’t getting it. You still don’t get it and I don’t think you’ll ever understand what I feel each time I hear you talk. I feel hurt, anger, and damn right disgust when I hear you SPEAK!!! I hear your voice, I hear your arrogant rants, I hear your disillusioned SHIT and I still don’t understand what you believe you are. I know what I am, I know where I come from...and I’m NOT in the mood for your crap. You’re nothing more than a crying baby, a wailing crying child who’s missing a TIT in his mouth. I don’t need to tell you how many nights I’ve cried when I had my dreams crashed and burn in my FACE!! YOU DON’T KNOW PAIN!!!!!! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS MEANS WHEN YOU’RE SITTING ON YOUR ASS FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS, THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE POUNDS, NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE YOUR OWN TOES, YOU CAN’T BREATHE AND YOUR ONLY WAY TO COPE IS TO MASH FOOD IN YOUR FACE BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING ELSE!!! I’VE LIVED THE LIFE OF A LOSER SINCE DAY ONE!!!!!!! KIDS CALLING YOU NAMES, KIDS NOT WANTING TO SIT NEXT TO YOU, GETTING INTO FIGHTS WITH PEOPLE EGGING THEM ON TO HIT ME AND THEM SHOWING FAKE SUPPORT!!!!
I...am not...a hypocrite...when I say that life can get better. I am not...making these stories up and I’m not lying when I say...it can get better. I’ve got so many of these people on my side Gunner, my pride, my heart, and my dedication to the thing that saved my life, will always outweigh your inner demons. Because I’d rather be the APART of the machine instead of being the rusty screw ruining it. Your life can get better Magnus, everything can get better….there is nothing that people like you cannot do. I sit here and tell you that, I know your hurt, I know what it’s like glaring into a mirror and feeling like a piece of smoldering shit. And I know what it’s like when the world begins to crash down on you and there’s no way out.
And that is no excuse.
Those people in that ring two weeks ago in front of the thousands? Friends. Good people, people who have been through the same shit as you, people who have their own personal demons, and are still fighting with them...they look at you because you are weak. Zero McHannon’s vice is a alcohol. Lost everything, everything he ever cared about burned down to the ground, and that man cried tears, painful tears of agony, knowing that his life was forever changed. Zero McHannon however is stronger than you in this match because he’s shown that his dedication beats your hate. Zero McHannon might seem like a rough ass son of a bitch, but that son of a bitch has some CLASS. So tell me something new Gunner. Tell me how the world’s out to get you, how people have to change for you, how you have to make them change to LOVE you because that’s what it’s always been about with you since you stepped into that ring: Love.
You can’t get it with the people you’re around, and you even turn away your one and only friend in Zack Lifer, a good guy with a very meek personality and puppy mentality who just wants someone to hold him, someone who won’t judge him, someone who’ll just say he does a good job; And yet here you are, with a group of misfit toys wanting to create this dystopian society that won’t happen. You want to get the throne, you want the title of being the best, you want to be the guy people will remember forever, then you step into that ring and you look at THREE sets of eyes and you DO something about it. This isn’t your own personal Mein Kampf you wanna write your own manifesto become a fuckin’ dictator. But this?! This is professional wrestling Magnus Gunner!!!!
You’re nothing and you will forever be nothing if you think you can step into this ring, in front of these hungry savages, drooling for that title and believe you’re not going to walk out wounded. I’m prepared for the war, I’m prepared for the PAIN, I’m ready to step into this ticking time bomb ready to EXPLODE, and you want to know something Gunner, I’M EXCITED!!!!! I’M READY!!!!! BRING IT ON!!!! THE BIG L WANTS WHAT YOU CAN DISH OUT BECAUSE GODDAMN BOY, THIS HAS BEEN BREWING SINCE I STEPPED INTO THIS COMPANY A YEAR AGO!!!! I WASN’T AFRAID THEN...I’m NOT...afraid now. So take your talk, ball that shit up, I want you to brew it nice, add some seasoning, I want you to put some ginger in it to give it that atmospheric taste, and then I want you to EAT...EVERY...LAST...THING YOU’VE SAID!!!! I’M HERE, RIGHT HERE, I’M NOT GOING ANY DAMN WHERE, AND THAT IS WHY PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT ME!!!!
THE GUYS IN THE BACK, THE PEOPLE I’VE FACED, JONATHAN COLLINS, BLAKE JONES, FINOA ROURKE (TEAM FRIENDSHIP), HEATHER HALLIWELL, JAIME ALEJANDRO, THE TURKS, WULF AND STACEY...EVERYONE OF THESE PEOPLE...A PIECE OF MY HEART...will love me...win or lose...they will always love me. So I’m going to take it, call me what you want, downplay it, mock it, parody it….but no one...and The Big L will tell you...no one...can match The Big L’s intensity when he’s motivated.
Intensity….that goes hand in hand with Chris Strike. Strike’s wants to get that belt, look at him. Look in his eyes, look into the pit of his soul, look into everything that he does...HE...WANTS...THAT...BELT! And the problem is that he has to step into that ring with the rest of us if he wants a chance at it. He has to go through his own personal Hell, in order to solidify himself as the elite in EXODUS. And I respect this man, why?! Because he’s been knocked down and he’s going to get BACK up and he’s going to come at the three of us like the wild animal that he is. I’ve felt The God of Thunder’s POWER, I’ve got the stiff neck, the ice bag, and the bottle of Advil to prove it.
What I love about Chris Strike is that when I beat him to get my chance at to get in this title bout, he nutted him and accepted this challenge. He’s that type of guy, the type to face any obstacle you can throw at’em and give some Hell BACK! Chris Strike’s the guy people are going to have to watch out for, he’s the guy who’s going to be looking to KNOCK some damn heads off and keep coming back for seconds!! THAT...LADIES AND GENTLEMEN...IS CHRIS STRIKE!!!!
But Chris Strike, with all of the respect in the world I got for ya, all of the admiration I have for such an amazing wrestling, that doesn’t mean The Big L is going to sit there, quiver in his boots and bow down to a man such as you. HELL NAW, he ain’t got time for that pussyfooting!!! What Chris Strike needs to worry about, YES, what Chris STRIKE needs to worry about is the six-foot-five MIGHTY JOE YOUNG STOMPING AROUND JAPAN LIKE HE OWNS IT!!!!!
YOU’RE TOUGH! YES. YOU’RE DRIVEN. YES. YOU’RE READY FOR THE BIG L’S SIZE 13 TO COME FOR THAT BUNDA. NO!!!! So yeah you’re a bad ass Strike, you’re the guy who people wanna be in the wrestling business. You got Heather Halliwell the fine lil’ mama to keep your ass motivated and you have THOUSANDS in JAPAN and THOUSANDS in the U.S.A. and the MILLIONS in BRAZIL CHEERING YOU ON!!!! But that will not, cannot...push you to become the new world champion. Because this right here...you can’t hear it, but until this heart of mine decided to give out on a whim, then you ain’t gonna walk out champion.
You ain’t going back to Heather Halliwell ten pounds heavier with that belt, because The Big L plans on taking that championship home to Victoria Reid!!! I’m READY for what you got to dish against me! I’m READY to put what I have to on the line, and I am WILLING to go toe to toe with you like I’ve done in the past and put on a SHOW!!! So yeah, you’ve got the talent, but you’re going to need that raw primal ability to take me out.
And you’re going to need to cut Zero McHannon’s limbs off before he gives up the world championship. Zero. McHannon. You and I had one of the best matches on live television. You’ve given me where props are due, you’ve told people I deserve to be in this match, and for that…
Thank You.
I look at you, I look at your struggles, I look at a man who rose from the ashes of his tragedy and came out as the champ. With that you were put into such an amazing match, and people BELIEVE in you. I’ve seen your Twitter, The Big L knows what he’s getting into and knows that he’s going to coming into a wrestling ring, against Zero McHannon, the KING of the fucking THRONE and you ain’t ready to give that shit up yet. You’ve made it clear, “ALL CHALLENGERS, YOU WANT THE BELT?! COME TAKE IT FROM ME!!” that is your message, that is your stance and GODDAMN I want the balls that you have!!! I WISH I could look at three of the best in this company and tell them to TAKE the belt from me!!! You make The Big L’s Bigger L seem like a CARROT stick you’re so confident in your abilities man!!!
And I want to see that same fire, when you say it to my face. I wanna see your Tang colored ass in MY face with that belt raised in the air and letting the people know, “YEAH, I might be in a bad situation, but they ain’t getting this belt from me. Period.” Because Zero, if that confidence I saw oozing from you in front of a camera, from your Tweets, from the rumors, then I’m going to be PISSED OFF!!!! Because if the Zero McHannon I fought in front of the thousands in San Diego, California doesn’t show up, then that belt is going to be up for grabs, that BELT is going to be given up to ME.
I know you want to keep it.
I know you want to people to recognize you as great.
I know you’ve got the blueprint to do so.
But not on my watch. Not when I’m in this match. Not while people are rooting for me to come home with the EXODUS Pro World Championship. I have all the compassion in the world to make them happy. Zero...as a friend, as someone who’s sat and talked to you and has had the privilege to go into a battle against you...I’m smiling ear to ear...because The Big L knows he’s in some big ass trouble. SUNDAY...The Big L goes into a war, the best talent EXODUS has to offer, until one of us can’t GO anymore. Sunday night...it’s about to go DOWN...
Bet On That!!!
The People || 001 || His Name Is Stephen
Victoria: Stop iiit~ *giggles*
Steve Lenton: I'm not doing anything wrong, I'm just, y'know....
Victoria: You're tickling me.
Steve Lenton: Hm? Where's it tickle? Here?
I placed a kiss on her naval and worked up towards her neck. She smiles and lets out a soft sigh of happiness and placed two hands on my face and pulled me up.
Victoria: It's too early for that right now, at least allow me some time to wake up.
Steve Lenton: That's why I'm helping you...
Victoria: You're trying to set me in the mood, and you're doing a good job of doing that.
Steve Lenton: Mhmm.
I leaned in and kissed her with a nice kiss on the lips, which then turned into a long embrace. She pushed away and looked at me with a joyous gleam in her loving eyes. She placed a hand on my chest and began to rub at the space where my heart began to beat. I smiled and laid down next to her looking up at the white ceiling as she leaned in and glanced up with me.
Victoria: ...Are you nervous about your trip to Japan?
I smirk and then chuckle at her.
Steve Lenton: No, why would I be?
Victoria: Well, three guys, trying to take you apart. Then there's that Magnus Gunner, with all his gloom and brooding, he seriously needs to get a stress relieving hobby.
Steve Lenton: Wrestling IS his stress relieving hobby.
Victoria: I was thinking more of a sex doll, seems like the type to go to down on one of those.
Steve Lenton: ...Don't let'em hear you say that.
Victoria: As if I'm afraid of someone who uses more mascara as I do? Please love I believe I'm more gallant than that.
Steve Lenton: I see, then you can wrestle for me.
Victoria: Wouldn't want to take your spotlight from you.
I laugh and turn towards her, kissing the temple of her head.
Steve Lenton: At least you're modest.
Victoria: Mmn. I feel icky, could you start a shower?
Steve Lenton: As you wish my "majesty".
Victoria: Hmmm, cute.
She smiled as I got out of the bed, she reached over and gave me a smack on the butt. I turned around and grinned at her, she winked and watched quietly as I went into the back to start our shower.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
Steve Lenton: Could ya get that?
Victoria: Yes, yes.
She walked towards the door, let out a small yawn and opened the door. There her face turned into a look of shock.
Victoria: Mother....father.....wha--
Mr. Reid: Victoria, I'm glad to see you're fine darling.
Mrs. Reid: Oh my little princess...
Victoria was embraced by her mother who hugged her in a tight grip. Victoria kissed her on the cheek and looked at them with a puzzled glance.
Victoria: What are you doing here...? I thought you were overseas.
Mr. Reid: We returned home last week, where we then were informed you had taken a leave from campus and had come....
Her father looked around for a moment, then formed a half smile.
Mr. Reid: Here.
Victoria: I'm just...visiting someone here, a friend.
Mr. Reid: Allow me to guess: Is it that fellow we forbid you to speak to?
Victoria: ....
Mr. Reid: I see that I'm correct. Well, we're here to get you, we have someone waiting to take your bags, we'll return back to California and forget about this little misunderstanding, hm?
Mrs. Reid: Listen to your father dear.
Victoria: Mum...Daddy...I love you but...I-I'm happy here. If you would giv--
Mr. Reid: I don't believe you understand what your title is. You are the daughter of one of the wealthiest couples in the United Kingdom. You have had dinner with the Queen, had pieces in magazines, and have a status to uphold. We're making sure that your currect status isn't being tarnished and you live a long, lovely life.
Victoria scoffs and glances down, then back at them with a hurt expression.
Victoria: Do you honestly believe that I care about the money...? Is really how you believe I am? I love you because of money...?
Mr. Reid: Well you happily took it during your three years studying abroad.
Victoria: Because I wish to form a life for myself, not based on what you wish me to be! I'm a human being, I have a choice in my life! I'm not just some pretty little robot you can command about for your own self satisfaction...
Mr. Reid: How dare you use that tone with me. I've given you everything, and you come and play with trash. The money, the clothes, the credit cards, everything I've permitted you to use. You betrayed my trust when I'm told that you've been seeing a...a..a certain gentlemen, knowing how we FEEL about that.
Victoria: If you gave him a chance, you'd understand he isn't a bad person. He loves me...
Mr. Reid: His kind are only after two things Victoria: Money and a bint they think they can screw....
Mrs. Reid: What your father is saying is that, he sees you for our money and wealth....he doesn't love you dear. I'm surprised you used that word to describe such a creature. Please...just gather your things and we'll be off. I know a nice little boutique where we can shop for some dazzling clothes. Won't that be nice? Come on...
She tried to grab Victoria, she slowly pulls away.
Victoria: I am a grown woman, you will not treat me as a child.
There was a loud smack, Mrs. Reid looks at Victoria who's eyes fill with tears. Mrs. Reid straightens her coat jacket and gives a dominating glare.
Mrs. Reid: You run off like such when you don't get your way. We cut you off, and still you defy our wishes like the spoiled girl that you are. We give you everything you could possibly imagine and you treat me and your father with such arrogance....how DARE you.
Victoria glances at her and then folds her arms over her chest, shaking her head with a stubborn expression.
Mr. Reid: Victoria, I’m only going to tell you this once: Gather your belongings and get in the car.
Victoria: Daddy--
Mr. Reid: I do not want to hear your excuses. We traveled back to San Diego, just to be told you had left east. You came here of all places, and expect us to be level headed about our daughter running off with some….person…! Do you understand how worried we were that you might get hurt?!
Victoria: I’m staying here Daddy, I want to be here, can’t you ever think about my happiness?
Mr. Reid: Your happiness is what I think about. And I can tell you, that you will never be happy with someone of his status.
Victoria: ...Mummy…
Mrs. Reid: You are too naive to know what true love is. This man has you confused and has caused you to do a very silly thing. Now, gather your things and come with us, the car is waiting. Go on then...do as your father tell you.
I overhead it all while I was in the bathroom, voices of anger directed at Victoria as she tried to reason with her parents. She did her best to try and let them see that I wasn’t like the others. She did it all for my sake and all I heard was condescending undertones, and skeptical voices. I didn’t know what to do, I didn’t know what to say...all I could do was listen to them talk about me like I was some sort of disease. I dealt with people like this back in the day, you’d think with there being computers that can talk; A black president of the world; And other innovations in the world you would think the color of my skin would be an afterthought amongst these people, but it clearly isn’t.
Victoria: No!
Mr. Reid: You watch your tone around your mother. It’s bad enough that we wasted time coming to this freezing cesspool, but you have us travel because you have a thing for a bootlip--
Victoria: His name is STEPHEN, and I would appreciate you don’t use such a callous word towards my boyfriend.
Mr. Reid: Well certainly he has you hardwire to defend him. Tell me where is this “Stephen” fellow is, I do hope I didn’t scare him off with my human language, I know how his kind feels when someone of my status talks to them as if they’re small.
Victoria: ….Stephen, please come out, my parents are here….
I guess this was my chance...time to go make an impression. I step out, putting on a tank top and towering over them with a small smile and a nod of the head. Her father's face turned pale as he glanced up at me, he took a swallow of his saliva and glanced at Victoria who kept her head down.
Victoria: Daddy, this is Stephen.
Mr. Reid: ....Pleasure.
Steve Lenton: Nice to meet you. Annnd you must be her mother, I see where she gets her amazing looks from, I'm honored.
Mrs. Reid: Yes, quite, thank you.
Steve Lenton: Uhm, would you like some coffee?
Mr. Reid: No we were just about to leave, we don't want to be a bother.
Steve Lenton: Please I insist, I’m very interested in knowing more about her family. I don’t like things to be held a secret, but Victoria didn’t know how you guys would take me being with her, so she held off on it.
Mr. Reid: We know quite enough about you already, uh, Stephen...was it?
Steve Lenton: Yessir...Stephen Lenton.
Mr. Reid: Well Mr. Lenton, I’m very glad you’ve kept my daughter safe, but, I believe it’s time for her return home...she’s due back.
Steve Lenton: I wish you would stay I just want to--
Mrs. Reid: I’m sure you have a very good story to tell us, but--
Victoria: Mum...dad….please.
Her dad gave me a look, then glanced at his wife. She frowned then nods. I smiled at Victoria and place a hand on her shoulder.
Steve Lenton: Come make the coffee with me please…
Victoria followed behind me, she looked up at me like I had a deathwish wanting to talk to these people.
Steve Lenton: ...What?
Victoria: Do you realize what you’re getting yourself into…?
Steve Lenton: Coffee with your parents.
Victoria: I’ve told you before that--
Steve Lenton: I know...and I’m not going to let that stop me from having a conversation with them.
Victoria: Be careful of daddy….he’s a very arrogant fellow...seems to believe that he got rich from his hardwork…
Steve Lenton: I can handle myself.
Victoria: ….I believe you.
Steve Lenton: C’mon, help me out.
Victoria: Okay……..okay.
The People || 002 || Love Isn’t A Color.
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock…
There was that stale silence in the room. We sat there, coffee in our hands, a look of awkwardness surfaced upon our face. I glanced around the table and then look at Victoria with a kind smile. I sip my coffee and glance at Mr. Reid with a bright smile.
Steve Lenton: So Victoria tells me that you're a pretty rich guy?
Mr. Reid: Oh, yes, I do make by...how about you...what is it that you do?
Steve Lenton: Uhm, well, I'm a wrestler. Back then I use to play college football, played for the Buffalo Bills for a short time, then I discovered I had a passion for professional wrestling.
Mr. Reid: American football, huh. You do have the genetics for it, it truly must be in your nature.
I keep my eyes locked on Mr. Reid.
Steve Lenton: Well as a boy I was kind of chubby and didn't really play a lot of sport. I didn't get into it until I was in middle school, my mom and dad let me and I took it pretty seriously.
Mr. Reid: And your mother...and father...what do they do?
Steve Lenton: My father is a shipfitter for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and my mother is a certified nurse.
Mr. Reid: It must have been hard for your father...him and the adversities he faced.
Steve Lenton: Well, my father has gone to college, he's very smart...so is my mother.
Mrs. Reid: I see, well it's great to know some parts of this part of the globe have some modesty in their work.
Victoria: Mother.
Steve Lenton: ....Well if you got out a little more, I believe you would see that a few people do have commitment to their work, like I do.
Mr. Reid: Professional wrestling you said...where men hug amongst each other and play hit one another, correct? I must say I'm more of a boxing chap if I do say so myself...
Steve Lenton: Oh, me too, Joe Louis is one of my favorites! Muhammad Ali? Greatest of All Time!
Mr. Reid: I wouldn't say all of that, Jack Dempsey, Gene Tunney...both of them were beasts in their time and were considered the best.
Steve Lenton: Well, Muhammad Ali was in a very elite class wouldn't you agree.
Mr. Reid: He was rather brash and arrogant for a man of his....situation.
Steve Lenton: ...I see.
Mr. Reid: Do you make a lot of money Mr. Lenton? Victoria hasn't mentioned your income. From the looks of this loft you seem to be somewhat financially stable am I correct?
Steve Lenton: My current salary is very solid yeah.
Mrs. Reid: We only want our daughter to have the best. We just fear that she might not have made the right choice in choosing someone to speak her entire life with.
Steve Lenton: Well, my mom always says opposites attract one another. She's a very elegant young woman, she's smart, funny, and very blunt. I like that about her, and I don't want to change a thing.
Mr. Reid: That's all well and good Mr. Lenton, but my daughter frankly is of a higher class than...well....
Steve Lenton: ....Sir, do you have a certain problem with me?
Mr. Reid: Fine, I'll be blunt, you like that don't you? I don't want my daughter dating a negro. You may be trying to play us for fools and have my daughter starry-eyed, but I know when a thicklip is lying.
Steve Lenton: With all due respect sir, I don't think you truly know who I am, and that your misconception of my character based on my skin is very disappointing.
Mrs. Reid: What's disappointing is that, she'd rather lay with someone like you than with someone who's more charming.
Steve Lenton: ...And what pray tell is a more charming person? A upper-class wealthy white male?
Mrs. Reid: You make it sound so harsh...but yes. Someone who's going to be able to take care of her for a very long time. And seeing as you're just another black with a spit of pocket money, I doubt that's possible.
Steve Lenton: ....
Victoria: MOTHER.
Steve Lenton: Don't worry.
I place a hand over her's and grasp it lightly. I look at her parents with a stern glare.
Steve Lenton: Mrs. Reid have you ever been hung from a tree and lit on fire?
She has a disgusted expression.
Mrs. Reid: HEAVENS no...!!
Mr. Reid: Are you threatening--
Steve Lenton: My great grandfather....who was my grandfather's father....lived in the Isle of Wight, inside of that county was a small rural town. My great grandfather lived in the woods, and the clan would ride out into those very woods.....
I pause for a moment.
Steve Lenton: They hung and burned my grandfather because they could. Did nothing wrong, and my grandfather and his mother watched.....my great grandfather hang from a tree and had whites laughing. Wanna know what my grandfather did? My grandfather, after what your color had done, fought for this country and did it because he wanted to protect everyone....
Mr. Reid: Your point Mr. Lenton, the point.
Steve Lenton: He loved his country enough to die for it, and he didn't give a damn about the color of our skin.
I lean forward, my eyes glistening with a serious glow.
Steve Lenton: My love has no color. My love for Victoria will forever shine. This young girl means a lot to me, and I won't take something like that for granted. I will never....never in my life allow something as the color of my skin to come inbetween this young lady because she and I are too good for that. But, I respect your lineage enough and I kindly ask to not embarrass her with your bigoted and closed minded presumption of what I am as a man. I pay my bills, I work hard, and I do the damn best I can to make the ones in my life happy. And if Victoria is okay with me...
I look at her, holding her hand tightly, a firm grip signifying my love.
Steve Lenton: Then I will do everything I can to make this woman happy.
Mr. Reid: ....
He looks at Mrs. Reid, then back at me.
He looks at Mrs. Reid, then back at me.
Mr. Reid: Victoria gather your things.
Victoria looked at him hurt, her eyes began to pour tears.
Victoria: Daddy--
Mr. Reid: Enough!!!! Gather your things NOW!!!!!
Victoria: You're nothing more than a pig!!!!
Mr. Reid: I BEG your pardon!!!??
Victoria: YOU AND MOTHER THINK YOU CAN COME HERE AND INSULT THE MAN THAT I'M WITH BECAUSE OF YOUR MONEY!!! BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU'RE SO MUCH BETTER WHEN YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A BIGOT!!! YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY I CAME TO SAN DIEGO?! TO GET AWAY FROM YOU TWO BECAUSE OF YOUR BIAS OUTLOOK ON LIFE!!!! YOU DON'T LOVE ME, I'M JUST SOMETHING YOU WANT TO KEEP SO YOU CAN HAVE AN HEIR TO YOUR FUCKING MAKE BELIEVE THRONE!!! YOU'RE A SAD, HATEFUL OLD MAN AND I HATE YOU!!!
He rose his hand to strike her, I grabbed his hand and got in his face. His appearance turned pale.
Steve Lenton: No.
I push him away, standing my grown as he began to sweat. He fixed his tie and his salt and pepper hair and then cleared his throat.
Mr. Reid: You're an ungrateful little brat...I knew we should have been more stern with you. If you choose to live your life with filth then I'm NOT going to be there when you fail. Love, come.
Mrs. Reid got up, a look of disappointment plopped on top of her heavy make-up. She walked out of the door with Victoria's father who sat there, crying. She sobbed, covering her mouth as began to breakdown. I pull her seat in front of me and place my hands on her face. I kiss her head and hug her lightly.
Steve Lenton: Hey, hey, shhh, c’mon.
Victoria: ...Why are they so…--
Steve Lenton: ...Listen, you know I love you right?
She nods her head quickly.
Steve Lenton: Does anything else matter at this point then…?
I flash a smile and blink a few times, showing her that the words they spewed didn’t hurt. I’ve heard it all before, it wasn’t as if it was going to faze me as a person. People were going to say things out of hate, that was how human beings are sometimes. Me? Being the guy who’s been around countless people who hated my guts...adversity can drive people to do great things. Victoria looks into my eyes, sniffling quietly as she grabbed my hands and closed her eyes.
Victoria: Please don’t leave me…
I kiss her lips tenderly and caressed her right hand with my own.
Steve Lenton: I won’t.
She gave a very tiny grin and kissed me back. She looked me in the eyes and kissed me again. She embraced me, and I held onto her small frame as she continued to kiss me. I became aggressive and continued to kiss her some more. Soon we moved to the door, her breath and mine began to become heavily. I fiddled with the lock on the door, clearly making sure her parents didn’t decide to come back. Soon we were on the floor...there was a knock…
Mr. Reid: VICTORIA, COME OUT THIS INSANT! I’m WARNING you little girl! I will NOT allow you to waste your life away on such GARBAGE!!!!
Steve Lenton: Should I answer it?
She looked at me for a moment, then jerked me back down and kissed me hungrily.
Victoria: Fuck them for now, I want you…
She tugged at my tanktop, and began to take it off. Soon we were ready to show each other how much we really cared, drowning out her father’s threats with our breathing.
Mr. Reid: Victoria?! VICTORIA!!!!
I wouldn’t give her up, not to anyone. Her parents might think they know what’s best for her, but I knew what I was in her heart. This girl, she saw nothing but me, not my color, just me. That was the power of the human heart. No matter what people said we had to find it in ourselves to fight for the things we believed in. Maybe that was the case for someone like Magnus Gunner because he believes he has a cause. But the problem with a Magnus Gunner is that his logic is so ass backward you can’t take someone like him seriously.
He wanted to rule his people by fear. Me? I let the people give me their love and in turn I give them it back because I want to reassure them I will forever fight for them. That’s the power of love, the colorless philosophical form of one’s affection for the other. Love’s shining light was undying and those who would try and case a black cloud over it would burn…
No One Can Kill The People’s Love…
“FIGHT. ALWAYS FIGHT.”
Steve Lenton: It’s taken me everything to get to this point. The grit, the hard times, everything that I had to face; I did it all just so I could get in that ring with thousands of people to see me wrestle. I came up, a gleam in my dad’s eye to a grown man looking to become a world champion. And you want to know how I did it?
I turn towards the camera and point at it.
Steve Lenton: I did it because of you people, the people who cheer me one...the people who continue to support me, The Big L...loves you all. And the people, MY people, I can’t find the words for those who always believe in my words, always live by my code, you people mean the world to me, and I…
I pause for a moment, sucking in a bit of air and blink a few times.
Steve Lenton: I will NOT let you down. A lot of people have had a lot to stay, they’ve talked about how The Big L’s this, and that they’ve said the things I’ve said before the past on how I’m ready and how this is going to be a big fight. The Big L...he’s standing here in front of you, the people, his people...giving you a heart to heart. So without an further interruptions...I want you to know this: 2008 I was sitting on my ass eating a bag of potato chips hoping that something would come my way because my fat ass wanted miracles to come my way. Every night, I’d sit up awake, wondering about my future; WONDERING if I should just kill myself and get it over with, because the game I dedicated myself to for nearly a decade had been tainted. No one wanted to be around me, I was a disgrace to my friends and family and even though I smile in front of this camera, and make people feel good? The Big L knows the truth about himself back then. The Big L felt sorry for himself because he had no will or guidance to get back on that field and try again.
And you wanna know something, Magnus Gunner knows dick. He doesn’t understand that people go through shit like this everyday. People who have actually taken their lives because they can’t deal with their ordeals. And Magnus Gunner knows nothing about the struggles of other people, because Magnus Gunner cares about Magnus Gunner. His Makaveli bullshit, his god speak, the way he presents himself, I’m not at all angry at Magnus Gunner, because the kid who didn’t any a damn thing wants to lash out at someone because he’s angry with himself and angry at the people who put him through Hell. What I am?! I’m sad for him, I’m said that no one was there to pick you up, dust your ass off and tell you to try again. I’m SORRY Magnus Gunner no one was there to put a motherfuckin’ titty in your mouth as a little kid; And I am SO SORRY Magnus Gunner that you believe yourself to be this DEITY among the “mortals” because you just ARE which is a major flaw in logic and makes you seem like a total and utter asshole. But you want to know what really pisses me off? You insult not me, not the company, not Chris Strike, or Zero McHannon; You insults my long family, my PEOPLE. I wanna show you something, I want to really show you just how active I am with these people that you won’t even BLINK at because HEY, Magnus Gunner wants the fame but doesn’t wanna talk to the people.
I hold up a picture of a little boy, posing with me in the gym.
Steve Lenton: This is Hector, Hector’s mother died in car accident when he was five, his father died during a gang shootout when he was walking back home to get some ice cream for his boy when Hector was eight. Oh top of this GUNNER, on top of this, HE HAS CANCER!!!! And this little boy...a kid I didn’t know, loves wrestling, and loves EXODUS pro wrestling so much so that after coming from the doctors he gets to watch our shows on his uncle’s computer after he’s done with his homework! And so he came up to me Gunner, this kid, someone I didn’t know while I was working out, and I stopped and I took a picture, gave him an AUTOGRAPH Magnus and talked to his guardian. He told me that they don’t know how long Hector has long to live. And just to make this kid feel normal I asked him what he wanted to be when he grows up.
I shake, I blink a few times and then take hold of this picture and hold it close to myself. I glance back up, my jaw locked, and my eyes glued with intensity.
Steve Lenton: “I want to be you. I wanna make people feel good.” Is what this eleven year old kid SAID to me…. And he said this with so much confidence Gunner, I knew he was going to pull through. And that feeling I go when I connected with this kid, that feeling, I knew why I did this. Zero, Chris, Magnus. I do this for them. ALL of them, all of these people who are willing to put their trust into me, all of these eyes looking at me for a guide, I love them...I love every last one of them. And it HURTS Magnus when I hear you speak as if they don’t matter because without ANY of these people you would be just another brooding sack of angry shit who’s too busy worrying about himself and not worrying about the product. You want me to prove something to you?! You want proof that people can strive to be ANYTHING they want to be. LOOK...AT ME!!! FROM THE GROUND UP NO ONE GAVE A SHIT ABOUT ME!!!! NO ONE WANTED ANYTHING TO DO WITH ME, AND I’VE COME BACK STRONGER THAN I EVER WAS BEFORE AND YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ELSE?! THAT...is why I’m going to beat you three Sunday NIGHT!!! NO LONGER WILL WE HEAR….
I give a scowl and hunch my back like a caveman and give an evil look.
“Magnus Gunner”: YOU ALL ARE SHEEP! I AM THE LORD AND MASTER!!!! I CAN’T BLINK BECAUSE IF I DO THIS MAN-SCARA IS GOING TO STING MY EYES!!!! I FIGHT THE MACHINE, SKYNET IS WATCHING!!!!
I turn back and then pace around.
Steve Lenton: You don’t have a candle against my army of MILLIONS Magnus. You wish you had that support, you wish you had The Big L’s power. You can keep your Gods and Monsters, because I’ve got the COLLATION THOUSANDS AND MILLIONS STRONG, COMING TOGETHER TO FORM A BOOT READY TO LAUNCH YOUR ASS BACK TO THE PIT FOR WHICH YOU CAME!!!! They’ll help me beat you Magnus. They’ll help me beat YOU Chris Strike, God of Thunder, the guy with all the guts in the world!!! The Big L steps into that ring and knows I’m going to be in for a fight!!! The air is filled with that atmosphere! You and Zero, Chris, you got the same mindset, make’em hurt. You want the masses to see that you guys are going to be taking the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.
But you gotta problem and it’s a walking-talking, BIG, BLACK, NASTY, DANGEROUS, HANDSOME, SON OF A GUN!!! It’s STEVE...LENTON. That problem is going surface in that ring!! When the Japanese fans come alive, when that moment comes about, when they SEE The Big L come in and WIN the Exodus Pro World Champion...THAT is when they will cheer!!! YOU WANT THE BELT?! YOU BETTER BRING THAT SAUCE BOYS! Because The Big L is READY!!!! I’m so fired up I could replace the damn SUN!!! SUNDAY NIGHT, TOKYO, JAPAN, ONLY ONE of us is going to be coming out as champion and it WILL be me!!!! Why??
I look off and back at the camera. I point at the camera, pointing down.
Steve Lenton: Because I have that on my side…
The camera looks down, there they were, hundreds of people holding up signs and cheering for me. “LEN-TON!” chants rang out as they continued to show their support. I loved this sport, I loved the fans in this sport…and I was going to WIN!!!!
Fade. Static. End.