Post by HALE BLACK SATIN on Jul 25, 2015 19:16:40 GMT -6
“Fuck impossible!”
Darius deep voice bellows throughout the empty gym as Aries Reed stands in the middle, bouncing gently from side to side, keeping on the balls of his feet as his calves grow tense with each small explosion of movement. The black wrestling shoes on his feet, have seen better days but yet Aries refuses to throw them away. They are a sign of who he is and where's from.
Dirty.
Busted
Worn.
But perfect in all the wrong ways.
They don't see the fact that those shoes are perfectly worn in to his feet, they don't see the fact that worn soles give him the grip or the lack thereof to keep moving when he's against the ropes. As he stands, he begins to throw a series of combination of punches to keep loose, to keep his body warm.
He picked it up from his older brother but over time, he made it his own.
“It’s only impossible until some crazy ass motherfucker comes along and does that shit.”
“And then it ain’t so impossible no fucking more, is it?”
“They told you that Aries Reed wouldn’t make it in this business.”
“They told you that you didn’t have it in you. They told you that you didn’t what it took. They would you it was fucking possible to make a name for yourself.”
“Until you told them all to go fuck themselves and proved all those motherfuckers wrong and did that shit.”
“Everything in this business, everything in this life is impossible until you come along and prove them all wrong.”
The kid had a knack for boxing and when introduced to the complexities of wrestling, he was a demon in the ring...especially on the ground. Working from the bottom to get to the top and when the opportunity arose...he could attack and before one would know it they were faced with a decision that so many never thought that they would ever have to face.
“Then it ain’t impossible anymore.”
“Then there is no more impossible!”
Aries lowered his heavily taped hands as Darius stood directly in front of him, pointing a large meaty finger into the bare chest of his younger brother to drive his point home.
“Be that motherfuckah’!”
“Be the motherfuckah’ that challenges the impossible!”
“Be the motherfucker that says ‘Fuck You! I can do that shit, sit your punk ass down and watch me!’”
“Be that motherfuckah’!”
Reaching up and pulling the hood back of his baggy gray hooded sweatshirt off of his head. The cotton material of the sweatshirt was soaked in sweat and stuck to Aries frame as beads of perspiration ran down the sides of his face as Darius stared deep into the brown eyes of Aries and placed a hand on his shoulder firmly.
“Let’s get to work.”
Standing in the middle of the empty wrestling ring, the Blackest Sun of Exodus smiles wide as he spreads his arms out from his side, showing off his impressive wingspan. Aries is wrapped in his ring attire from his custom black and red leather wrestling shorts to the white athletic tape wrapped from the middle of his forearms down to his gloved hands.
“So what is it going to be this go around?”
“What excuse are you all going to give for the past few weeks?”
“Going to stand there and say that I didn’t do exactly what I said I was going to do?”
“I said I was going to win…”
“I said I was going to beat Wulf and Taylor.”
“And that’s what I did.”
“I said I was going to beat Genji Yamato.”
“And that’s what I did.”
“And they wanted to destroy a REVOLUTION and I told them they didn’t stand a chance to beat us...”
Slowly, he lowered his arms as his smile fades only to be replaced by a trademark smirk.
“...and that’s what happened.”
“You don’t have to like the way it happened but it happened.”
“So deal with it.”
“And even while you deal with that, let the fact soak in that for the first time since I’ve been on the Main Roster of Exodus, I’ve been given the chance to compete for one of the biggest prizes that EXODUS has the balls to put on. So much so that it pulls in talent from far and near at the simple chance for glory but yet when it comes to Aries Reed, everyone wants to think that I don’t have a shot in hell.”
“And with that, I ask...how many of you watching this now thinks that I have a chance at the Honor Cup against the likes to Christum Furor, against the likes of Tsutuomu Nishioka?”
“Go ‘head...I’ll wait.”
Aries looks down at his taped wrist as if a timepiece was there as is bops his head from side to side as the seconds tick back.
“Yeah, exactly what I thought.”
“But you know, it’s funny that while no one wants to look my way ”
“So white people, prepare those anuses because I don’t think you’re ready for that fact that pretty soon you’d all have to say the name Aries Reed...the Exodus Pro Honor Cup Champion.”
“Wouldn’t that be some shit?”
“But am I being cocky?”
“Am I being arrogant?”
Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he lifts up a gloved hand and slowly strokes his long jaw line as he ponders the question, only knowing the answer is oh-so simple.
“You goddamn right I am.”
“If you’re looking for humility, then you’ve got the wrong one. Even in defeat, I still remain standing and I still remain the loudest one out of the bunch because I refuse to let you know that I’m beaten...that I’ve been defeated because there isn’t a soul on that roster that’s going EVER defeat Aries Reed.”
“You all want to see me broken...beaten...shattered...a shell of what I am.”
“But you’ll never get that because I refuse let you any of you think that you’ve gotten the better of me because simply put…”
“...you can’t.”
“Bloodied, busted up, broken bones...I’ll still be standing here with a smile on my face, more than ready to spit in your general direction out of pure spite.”
“Because I can...because I know that my general existence bothers you all.”
“And any chance that I can to get under that pasty white skin of yours, well it just makes me all tingly all over.”
“So root for the likes of Gresham, Talfourd, Yamata, Furor, and Nishioka...cheer for them all and chant their names just spite me, just like you did with Yamata, Savannah, and Wulf, bring your children to watch them step into the ring with the Resident Asshole of Exodus…”
“...and then watch me systematically break them all down like never before in front of your very eyes.”
“Watch the referee count to two...and begrudgingly count to three and listen for that bell to ring. Let it echo in your ears as it signals what you all -didn’t- want to see. You watch your heroes and your villains all get left in a crumpled heap in the middle of the ring as I stand over the heap defeated bodies in defiance with the chance of the Exodus World Championship in my grasps.”
“And just to think...I am what you all created.”
“The Creation has become self-aware.”
Looking up into the camera, Aries wide smile spreads over his lips as the scene fades to black.
And just as quickly as it stated...it was all over.
My tenure with the XFF had finally come to a close with its announced merger with Pride Pro. My contract was considered null and void and with my refusal to negotiate anything further with the new management I was technically out of a job in Arlington. Which only left me with one option.
Back to San Diego.
Back to (R)Evolution Wrestling.
“Sorry, kid...but that’s the business sometimes. It’s not pretty but it that’s how it goes. This companies start up like this all the time, they come out of the gate strong and then eventually the polish fades away and they can’t support the numbers and eventually close its doors or has to merge with a rival promotion. You did still get paid, didn’t you?”
I looked down at the paper check for 3,500 dollars for services rendered and sighed loudly into my cellphone. I knew that Jimmy Riley was right, this was a business first and foremost and sometimes it was easy to forget that this business was as cutthroat as a shark tank.
“Yeah, I got paid.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I thought I was onto something here. I was a marquee name out in Texas, a lot better than I was out in San Diego. Just feel like I have to start all over again.” I admitted with a smirk. I wanted to Texas to work for several reasons. I wanted to make it work on my own...I wanted make a name for myself outside of the Lions Den gym...I wanted be the success that those fools out in San Diego wouldn’t let me be.
“Listen to me, kid...you’re not starting all over again. Take the experience that you have, take that chip on your shoulder and make them regret overlooking you in San Diego. Use this it to your advantage and never let them forget it. I got you a flight back to San Diego in about three days. See you then, yeah?”
“Yeah, Jim...I see you then.”
Pulling the cellphone from my ear, I tossed it gently across the brown leather sofa as I looked down at the check in my hand. Slowly I folded it up and placed it into the rear pocket of my baggy sweat pants as I glanced up as see Melody leaning against the wall with a concerned look on her face, holding a mug of hot chocolate between her small hands. Over the past several months, it was hard to deny that we began to grow closer finding a common bond in one another.
We were the outcasts in a world-wide popularity contest...and we liked it that way.
“So...we had a good run, huh?” She said softly with the hint of defeat in her voice. Looking down into the mug a small frown began to form on her corner of her mouth. She had decided to claim my Georgia Southern Wrestling t-shirt as her own and honestly it looked better on her anyway. A size too big for her, even after shrinking from the years of washing and drying. The end of the shift dropped past her waist, giving the slight view of the black boy short panties she loved parading around in around the apartment completely barefoot.
“Had a good run?” I arched a brow as I sat up on sofa, giving her the once over as she nervous ran a foot up and down the opposite leg.
“Yeah, I mean that was your manager, right? You’re going back to San Diego, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t help but nod my head slowly, not wanting to lie to poor girl.
“Yeah, I am. I came out to Texas for more ring experience and proper name recognition. And for the past several months I got that. I captured two titles while I was here and got some matches underneath my belt. It’s all that this was...there’s just one thing I didn’t count on.”
“And what was that, Aries?” Her tone grew a bit frigid, maybe she was waiting for the other shoe to drop and just waiting for the executioner to drop the final blow.
“I really didn’t count on that some Puerto Rican chick was going to come backstage and bring me some goddamn cake. I didn’t count on becoming friends...I didn’t count on us sharing a bed together damn near every night. I didn’t count on actually growing attached to you and bothers the shit out of me because I don’t get attached to anyone. I’m not that guy..not with that emotional bullshit.”
Pulling her eyes from her small mug, she looked up at me with a soft smirk tugging on the corner of her lips and a tear welding in the corner of her brown eyes. Padding across the small living room, she set the mug down on the small glass table as she slowly lowered herself to her knees in front of me. Silently she took my large hands into hers and gently placed a kiss into the calloused palms of my hands.
“Trust me, I didn’t think we’d get this far, honestly I figured we’d go our separate ways long ago. But I’ve grown attached to you, so much so...that I can honestly say I really don’t want this to end but you got a career out in Cali. I’m not going to be the one to keep you from that, it’s not fair to you to ask that of you.”
“Good, I wouldn’t expect you to ask that of me and you’re right it wouldn’t be fair. But I ask you a question, what’s keeping you in Texas? ” I said bluntly.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she took on the question for size, my sudden bluntness catching her off guard.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t have much really keeping me here. I mean mi familia is out here but other than that…”
“...then come with me.”
“Que?”
“You heard me.”
Resting back on her bare heels, she blinked several times in complete shock. I couldn’t tell it was from the fact that I was asking her to come with me to San Diego or she was having a small seizure but I gently bopped her nose to bring her back to Earth as she shook her head to gather her thoughts quickly.
“Aries, do you know what you’re asking me?”
“Yeah, I do...it’s why I asked, Mels. I’m not the guy to just ask question for the sake of asking questions. I’m going back to San Diego, that’s gonna happen and there ain’t nothing that’s going to stop it. But I’m asking that you come with me and see how far this thing goes? So...you wanna come back to San Diego with me or what?”
Not able to hold back the raw emotion a large smile breaks through as she launches herself into me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a large. Instinctively, I wrap a large single arm around her waist, holding her smaller frame against me.
“Of course I’ll go with you.” She whispered into my ear, giving in and letting her guard down privately with me. “I was afraid you were going to leave and I’d never see you again.”
“Oh com’n, Lil’ Bit...you’re the reason why I stayed in Texas as long as I did.” I admitted to her, causing her to tighten her grip around my neck a bit more.
“Aries, I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Good, I’m going to hold you to that.”
“It’s easy for you all to hate me.”
“It’s easy for you all to mock me.”
“It’s easy for you all to look down at me from your Ivory Towers."
“To turn your chins up at my mere presence and think that you’re better...think that you’re all bigger than me.”
“You all can jump upon the ‘Aries Reed Hate Train’ along with everyone else and I’ll be the first one to admit, that I don’t exactly make it difficult to get admission but still, let’s be for real, Furor...you coming up against the likes of me?”
“Yeah, it’s not going to bode well for you.”
“But let’s get a few things out of the way, it’s real easy for someone to bring up my losses to Abby and more recently Kane, it’s easy for them to do to do that because honestly, it’s all anyone has got on me.”
“Since I’ve arrived on the Main Roster of Exodus I’ve been short of unstoppable, I’ve been one of the most talked about wrestlers in Exodus that’s not named Chris Strike. I’ve been the driving force of a group of individuals whose sole purpose was to shake EXODUS to it’s foundation, so much so that we make Gods and Monsters look like child’s play.”
“And despite when you want to think about me personally…”
“...inside of that goddamn ring, I’m fuckin’ gold.”
“I’m fuckin’ solid…”
“I’m one of the hardest workers between those ropes and I wish that you would try to deny that as fact because I’ll be the one to prove it and knock you slap the fuck out you…”
“...and take that Honor Cup away from you while I’m at it.”
“Come at me wrong, Christum and watch what I do. Take me lightly and watch me fuck your shit up. Take me for granted...and I’ll crush you like a fat kid does a slice of pizza at Planet Fitness.”
“This ain’t Japan, Tsutuomu, and I’m not some nameless Japanese wrestler, like Shinji, that was fed to you to bolster whatever worthless credit that been bestowed upon you.”
“I’m Aries goddamn Reed and not only will I be the biggest test of your ever so fledgling career but I’m going to be the man who will knock you out of the Honor Cup and this time it’s going to be for all the marbles. This ain’t going to be against another Shinji Uchikawa, who’s protected around here, because honestly...”
“...I’m better than Shinji Uchikawa”
“I’m smarter than Shinji Uchikawa.”
“I’m stronger, faster, and more deadlier than Shinji will ever be.”
“And I have the killer instinct to do what needs to be done to make sure that you don’t get up off that mat again.”
“You two want to be the hero that Savannah Taylor and Wulf wanted to be?”
“Be the hero that Genji couldn’t be?”
“Be the hero that Abby Park couldn’t do the first time?”
Aries breaks from his serious tone into a large smile, which only breaks into a solid laugh as he places a hand on his stomach for a moment, letting the moment pass. Soon the smile fades as he stares back into the camera with a stern expression on his face once again.
“Then I invite you both to come and try…”
“...but please when you wake up from the smelling salts and with the knowledge that Aries Reed is everything that he says he is, don’t take it too hard, will you?”
“...you both did bring this all upon yourselves.”
Darius deep voice bellows throughout the empty gym as Aries Reed stands in the middle, bouncing gently from side to side, keeping on the balls of his feet as his calves grow tense with each small explosion of movement. The black wrestling shoes on his feet, have seen better days but yet Aries refuses to throw them away. They are a sign of who he is and where's from.
Dirty.
Busted
Worn.
But perfect in all the wrong ways.
They don't see the fact that those shoes are perfectly worn in to his feet, they don't see the fact that worn soles give him the grip or the lack thereof to keep moving when he's against the ropes. As he stands, he begins to throw a series of combination of punches to keep loose, to keep his body warm.
He picked it up from his older brother but over time, he made it his own.
“It’s only impossible until some crazy ass motherfucker comes along and does that shit.”
“And then it ain’t so impossible no fucking more, is it?”
“They told you that Aries Reed wouldn’t make it in this business.”
“They told you that you didn’t have it in you. They told you that you didn’t what it took. They would you it was fucking possible to make a name for yourself.”
“Until you told them all to go fuck themselves and proved all those motherfuckers wrong and did that shit.”
“Everything in this business, everything in this life is impossible until you come along and prove them all wrong.”
Jab-Jab-Jab
Jab-Jab-Hook
Jab-Hook-Hook
Jab-Jab-Hook
Jab-Hook-Hook
The kid had a knack for boxing and when introduced to the complexities of wrestling, he was a demon in the ring...especially on the ground. Working from the bottom to get to the top and when the opportunity arose...he could attack and before one would know it they were faced with a decision that so many never thought that they would ever have to face.
“Then it ain’t impossible anymore.”
“Then there is no more impossible!”
Aries lowered his heavily taped hands as Darius stood directly in front of him, pointing a large meaty finger into the bare chest of his younger brother to drive his point home.
“Be that motherfuckah’!”
“Be the motherfuckah’ that challenges the impossible!”
“Be the motherfucker that says ‘Fuck You! I can do that shit, sit your punk ass down and watch me!’”
“Be that motherfuckah’!”
Reaching up and pulling the hood back of his baggy gray hooded sweatshirt off of his head. The cotton material of the sweatshirt was soaked in sweat and stuck to Aries frame as beads of perspiration ran down the sides of his face as Darius stared deep into the brown eyes of Aries and placed a hand on his shoulder firmly.
“Let’s get to work.”
battle without honor or humility II: the sound of violence
reed v. furor v. nishioka
honor cup semi-final
hype i
Standing in the middle of the empty wrestling ring, the Blackest Sun of Exodus smiles wide as he spreads his arms out from his side, showing off his impressive wingspan. Aries is wrapped in his ring attire from his custom black and red leather wrestling shorts to the white athletic tape wrapped from the middle of his forearms down to his gloved hands.
“So what is it going to be this go around?”
“What excuse are you all going to give for the past few weeks?”
“Going to stand there and say that I didn’t do exactly what I said I was going to do?”
“I said I was going to win…”
“I said I was going to beat Wulf and Taylor.”
“And that’s what I did.”
“I said I was going to beat Genji Yamato.”
“And that’s what I did.”
“And they wanted to destroy a REVOLUTION and I told them they didn’t stand a chance to beat us...”
Slowly, he lowered his arms as his smile fades only to be replaced by a trademark smirk.
“...and that’s what happened.”
“You don’t have to like the way it happened but it happened.”
“So deal with it.”
“And even while you deal with that, let the fact soak in that for the first time since I’ve been on the Main Roster of Exodus, I’ve been given the chance to compete for one of the biggest prizes that EXODUS has the balls to put on. So much so that it pulls in talent from far and near at the simple chance for glory but yet when it comes to Aries Reed, everyone wants to think that I don’t have a shot in hell.”
“And with that, I ask...how many of you watching this now thinks that I have a chance at the Honor Cup against the likes to Christum Furor, against the likes of Tsutuomu Nishioka?”
“Go ‘head...I’ll wait.”
Aries looks down at his taped wrist as if a timepiece was there as is bops his head from side to side as the seconds tick back.
“Yeah, exactly what I thought.”
“But you know, it’s funny that while no one wants to look my way ”
“So white people, prepare those anuses because I don’t think you’re ready for that fact that pretty soon you’d all have to say the name Aries Reed...the Exodus Pro Honor Cup Champion.”
“Wouldn’t that be some shit?”
“But am I being cocky?”
“Am I being arrogant?”
Crossing his arms over his broad chest, he lifts up a gloved hand and slowly strokes his long jaw line as he ponders the question, only knowing the answer is oh-so simple.
“You goddamn right I am.”
“If you’re looking for humility, then you’ve got the wrong one. Even in defeat, I still remain standing and I still remain the loudest one out of the bunch because I refuse to let you know that I’m beaten...that I’ve been defeated because there isn’t a soul on that roster that’s going EVER defeat Aries Reed.”
“You all want to see me broken...beaten...shattered...a shell of what I am.”
“But you’ll never get that because I refuse let you any of you think that you’ve gotten the better of me because simply put…”
“...you can’t.”
“Bloodied, busted up, broken bones...I’ll still be standing here with a smile on my face, more than ready to spit in your general direction out of pure spite.”
“Because I can...because I know that my general existence bothers you all.”
“And any chance that I can to get under that pasty white skin of yours, well it just makes me all tingly all over.”
“So root for the likes of Gresham, Talfourd, Yamata, Furor, and Nishioka...cheer for them all and chant their names just spite me, just like you did with Yamata, Savannah, and Wulf, bring your children to watch them step into the ring with the Resident Asshole of Exodus…”
“...and then watch me systematically break them all down like never before in front of your very eyes.”
“Watch the referee count to two...and begrudgingly count to three and listen for that bell to ring. Let it echo in your ears as it signals what you all -didn’t- want to see. You watch your heroes and your villains all get left in a crumpled heap in the middle of the ring as I stand over the heap defeated bodies in defiance with the chance of the Exodus World Championship in my grasps.”
“And just to think...I am what you all created.”
“The Creation has become self-aware.”
Looking up into the camera, Aries wide smile spreads over his lips as the scene fades to black.
november, 2014
arlington, texas
reed apartment
And just as quickly as it stated...it was all over.
My tenure with the XFF had finally come to a close with its announced merger with Pride Pro. My contract was considered null and void and with my refusal to negotiate anything further with the new management I was technically out of a job in Arlington. Which only left me with one option.
Back to San Diego.
Back to (R)Evolution Wrestling.
“Sorry, kid...but that’s the business sometimes. It’s not pretty but it that’s how it goes. This companies start up like this all the time, they come out of the gate strong and then eventually the polish fades away and they can’t support the numbers and eventually close its doors or has to merge with a rival promotion. You did still get paid, didn’t you?”
I looked down at the paper check for 3,500 dollars for services rendered and sighed loudly into my cellphone. I knew that Jimmy Riley was right, this was a business first and foremost and sometimes it was easy to forget that this business was as cutthroat as a shark tank.
“Yeah, I got paid.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I thought I was onto something here. I was a marquee name out in Texas, a lot better than I was out in San Diego. Just feel like I have to start all over again.” I admitted with a smirk. I wanted to Texas to work for several reasons. I wanted to make it work on my own...I wanted make a name for myself outside of the Lions Den gym...I wanted be the success that those fools out in San Diego wouldn’t let me be.
“Listen to me, kid...you’re not starting all over again. Take the experience that you have, take that chip on your shoulder and make them regret overlooking you in San Diego. Use this it to your advantage and never let them forget it. I got you a flight back to San Diego in about three days. See you then, yeah?”
“Yeah, Jim...I see you then.”
Pulling the cellphone from my ear, I tossed it gently across the brown leather sofa as I looked down at the check in my hand. Slowly I folded it up and placed it into the rear pocket of my baggy sweat pants as I glanced up as see Melody leaning against the wall with a concerned look on her face, holding a mug of hot chocolate between her small hands. Over the past several months, it was hard to deny that we began to grow closer finding a common bond in one another.
We were the outcasts in a world-wide popularity contest...and we liked it that way.
“So...we had a good run, huh?” She said softly with the hint of defeat in her voice. Looking down into the mug a small frown began to form on her corner of her mouth. She had decided to claim my Georgia Southern Wrestling t-shirt as her own and honestly it looked better on her anyway. A size too big for her, even after shrinking from the years of washing and drying. The end of the shift dropped past her waist, giving the slight view of the black boy short panties she loved parading around in around the apartment completely barefoot.
“Had a good run?” I arched a brow as I sat up on sofa, giving her the once over as she nervous ran a foot up and down the opposite leg.
“Yeah, I mean that was your manager, right? You’re going back to San Diego, aren’t you?”
I couldn’t help but nod my head slowly, not wanting to lie to poor girl.
“Yeah, I am. I came out to Texas for more ring experience and proper name recognition. And for the past several months I got that. I captured two titles while I was here and got some matches underneath my belt. It’s all that this was...there’s just one thing I didn’t count on.”
“And what was that, Aries?” Her tone grew a bit frigid, maybe she was waiting for the other shoe to drop and just waiting for the executioner to drop the final blow.
“I really didn’t count on that some Puerto Rican chick was going to come backstage and bring me some goddamn cake. I didn’t count on becoming friends...I didn’t count on us sharing a bed together damn near every night. I didn’t count on actually growing attached to you and bothers the shit out of me because I don’t get attached to anyone. I’m not that guy..not with that emotional bullshit.”
Pulling her eyes from her small mug, she looked up at me with a soft smirk tugging on the corner of her lips and a tear welding in the corner of her brown eyes. Padding across the small living room, she set the mug down on the small glass table as she slowly lowered herself to her knees in front of me. Silently she took my large hands into hers and gently placed a kiss into the calloused palms of my hands.
“Trust me, I didn’t think we’d get this far, honestly I figured we’d go our separate ways long ago. But I’ve grown attached to you, so much so...that I can honestly say I really don’t want this to end but you got a career out in Cali. I’m not going to be the one to keep you from that, it’s not fair to you to ask that of you.”
“Good, I wouldn’t expect you to ask that of me and you’re right it wouldn’t be fair. But I ask you a question, what’s keeping you in Texas? ” I said bluntly.
Her brow furrowed slightly as she took on the question for size, my sudden bluntness catching her off guard.
“Well, I mean, I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t have much really keeping me here. I mean mi familia is out here but other than that…”
“...then come with me.”
“Que?”
“You heard me.”
Resting back on her bare heels, she blinked several times in complete shock. I couldn’t tell it was from the fact that I was asking her to come with me to San Diego or she was having a small seizure but I gently bopped her nose to bring her back to Earth as she shook her head to gather her thoughts quickly.
“Aries, do you know what you’re asking me?”
“Yeah, I do...it’s why I asked, Mels. I’m not the guy to just ask question for the sake of asking questions. I’m going back to San Diego, that’s gonna happen and there ain’t nothing that’s going to stop it. But I’m asking that you come with me and see how far this thing goes? So...you wanna come back to San Diego with me or what?”
Not able to hold back the raw emotion a large smile breaks through as she launches herself into me, wrapping her arms around my neck in a large. Instinctively, I wrap a large single arm around her waist, holding her smaller frame against me.
“Of course I’ll go with you.” She whispered into my ear, giving in and letting her guard down privately with me. “I was afraid you were going to leave and I’d never see you again.”
“Oh com’n, Lil’ Bit...you’re the reason why I stayed in Texas as long as I did.” I admitted to her, causing her to tighten her grip around my neck a bit more.
“Aries, I’ll follow you anywhere.”
“Good, I’m going to hold you to that.”
battle without honor or humility II: the sound of violence
reed v. furor v. nishioka
honor cup semi-final
hype ii
“It’s easy for you all to hate me.”
“It’s easy for you all to mock me.”
“It’s easy for you all to look down at me from your Ivory Towers."
“To turn your chins up at my mere presence and think that you’re better...think that you’re all bigger than me.”
“You all can jump upon the ‘Aries Reed Hate Train’ along with everyone else and I’ll be the first one to admit, that I don’t exactly make it difficult to get admission but still, let’s be for real, Furor...you coming up against the likes of me?”
“Yeah, it’s not going to bode well for you.”
“But let’s get a few things out of the way, it’s real easy for someone to bring up my losses to Abby and more recently Kane, it’s easy for them to do to do that because honestly, it’s all anyone has got on me.”
“Since I’ve arrived on the Main Roster of Exodus I’ve been short of unstoppable, I’ve been one of the most talked about wrestlers in Exodus that’s not named Chris Strike. I’ve been the driving force of a group of individuals whose sole purpose was to shake EXODUS to it’s foundation, so much so that we make Gods and Monsters look like child’s play.”
“And despite when you want to think about me personally…”
“...inside of that goddamn ring, I’m fuckin’ gold.”
“I’m fuckin’ solid…”
“I’m one of the hardest workers between those ropes and I wish that you would try to deny that as fact because I’ll be the one to prove it and knock you slap the fuck out you…”
“...and take that Honor Cup away from you while I’m at it.”
“Come at me wrong, Christum and watch what I do. Take me lightly and watch me fuck your shit up. Take me for granted...and I’ll crush you like a fat kid does a slice of pizza at Planet Fitness.”
“This ain’t Japan, Tsutuomu, and I’m not some nameless Japanese wrestler, like Shinji, that was fed to you to bolster whatever worthless credit that been bestowed upon you.”
“I’m Aries goddamn Reed and not only will I be the biggest test of your ever so fledgling career but I’m going to be the man who will knock you out of the Honor Cup and this time it’s going to be for all the marbles. This ain’t going to be against another Shinji Uchikawa, who’s protected around here, because honestly...”
“...I’m better than Shinji Uchikawa”
“I’m smarter than Shinji Uchikawa.”
“I’m stronger, faster, and more deadlier than Shinji will ever be.”
“And I have the killer instinct to do what needs to be done to make sure that you don’t get up off that mat again.”
“You two want to be the hero that Savannah Taylor and Wulf wanted to be?”
“Be the hero that Genji couldn’t be?”
“Be the hero that Abby Park couldn’t do the first time?”
Aries breaks from his serious tone into a large smile, which only breaks into a solid laugh as he places a hand on his stomach for a moment, letting the moment pass. Soon the smile fades as he stares back into the camera with a stern expression on his face once again.
“Then I invite you both to come and try…”
“...but please when you wake up from the smelling salts and with the knowledge that Aries Reed is everything that he says he is, don’t take it too hard, will you?”
“...you both did bring this all upon yourselves.”
fade.
