Post by kiddynamo on Apr 12, 2013 20:36:38 GMT -4
NOTE: The YouTube videos are selected background music for that section. Thanks! -K/KD
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Unsurprisingly, the funeral of "Kid Dynamo" Brad Christopher was attended solely by people associated with wrestling: some recognized wrestlers from the history books of APW, OWF, and MVW, other performers who had respected him, and some staff members there for PR purposes. However, the funeral home was sparsely populated.
Furthermore, when the clergyman called forward any present who wished to speak, he was answered with silence. After letting that moment lengthily sit, discomforting the still-silent mass...
Now, we ask Mr. Anderson to present the eulogy.
To the front came Seth Anderson, a wrestler whose career forever existed as "the next Dynamo". Dynamo found him, then managed him, even branding him "Dynamo" Seth Anderson early on. When Dynamo wanted back into competing, he orchestrated Seth's rebellion, thinking the feud would free Anderson of his indelible link to him.
He was wrong, and Seth's career was short-lived, but he would forever exist as a vestige of Kid Dynamo. Thus, there was no other soul more fit to eulogize him.
Today, we bury Kid Dynamo.
Seth pauses, allowing the attendees to notice his purposeful wording.
We do not, today, lay to rest Brad Christopher, for none here knew anyone by that name. Those here pay respects to a man who simply did not exist outside of professional wrestling. His life was wrestling. His hobby? Training his body. His work? Studying his opponents. His love?...
Seth gives a peripheral glance to Hestia Kratos, Dynamo's veiled widow, but also looks at his own wife, Angel, a longtime girlfriend of Dynamo's years before they wed, and probably the only other person qualified to speak for Dynamo.
...his love was victory.
"Mr. Mohre, your ten-thirty is here." His phone chirped the sound of his secretary. On his desk was a nameplate: "Martin Mohre - Vice President of Talent Relations (Overdrive)".
"Send him in", he replied to the machine. Within seconds, his door opened and in walked Kid Dynamo. He stood and offered his hand, which Dynamo shook.
"Have a seat, Mr...Dynamo?"
Just Dynamo works.
"Great. Now I called you in here today because, well, you're kind of unique. Even though you were...short-lived here in APW, a lot of fans remember you, and your talk on Twitter got our wheels turning and...well, how about one more match?"
That's...I mean, yeah, I'd love to give the fans something special like that, but, you know, I AM the OWF World Champion. I'm not trying to be an ass or anything. I just say that because I have a responsibility to be fully involved in their shows.
Martin smiled. "I appreciate your loyalty. But, that's not a problem. I already took the liberty to contact my counterpart over at OWF and they informed me that April 18th is a very convenient date to borrow you. With your "Double Pay-Per-View Weekend" at the end of the month, it seems there won't be a show that week, well, a live one. Some highlights pre-show thing.
"Anyway, they cleared you to sign a contract for a match on the 18th, so if you actually want it, there's no obstacles."
Absolutely! So, who do you want me to fight?
"...CJ Gates." Martin started to fidget, like he was hiding something.
Gates.... Makes sense, I guess. Similar styles, plus I've focused on him the past two Survive and Conquers.
Martin sighed audibly. "Yeah, we heard that back then there was a rumor that you two spoke about a one-on-one, so it made sense to make it happen. So if you just sign..."
But why now?
Martin froze. "What?"
Why now? I mean, we talked, yeah, but that was months ago. I mean, I know y'all were building to Rasslemania but it's not like he couldn't throw it in.
Martin, clearly flustered, tries to use exasperation to interrupt Dynamo's thoughts. "Look, Kid, do you wanna do this or not?"
I'm just saying this is all...I mean, I have a hell of a month. Maybe this is a bad time. He had beef with that Gordon Fury guy from that match, too.
Martin nervously laughs, but before he can stammer out a response, Dynamo's wheels start turning.
Oh...I know. After the year he's had, you don't think he can BEAT Gordon.
Martin continues nervously laughing, too flummoxed to know what else to do.
...you're even throwing him Johnny Rebel next show, because Rebel "can't beat Gates". But, God knows, he'll probably lose then, too!
So you guys need something, ANYTHING, to get his credibility back, right? And GUESS WHO?!? That's right! Let's drag in "that other guy" like a Division II team so Gates can crush him and feel like a man!
Martin snaps. "Enough! Gates doesn't know! It wasn't even his idea!"
Of course not. Poor Gates doesn't even see it, does he? He just thinks one more win and that dusty "Megastar of the Year" plaque from years ago is enough to AT LEAST get him an Overdrive shot, right?
Martin huffs, then starts to reach for the contract. "This was a bad idea..."
WHAM!
Dynamo slams his hand on the desk, securing the contract in place.
Are you kidding? You're about to get a promotion, Mr. Mohre. You see, this isn't a bad idea. In fact, you just saved CJ Gates' career.
Martin looks dumbfounded. Dynamo smiles as he signs the contract.
You honestly have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?
Not waiting for an answer, Dynamo laughs to himself, talking out loud as he walks out of the room.
Why am I always playing chess when other people are still on Candy Land?
Martin watches him leave, then goes blank, mentally exhausted. Finally, he recalls his next move and dials the phone.
"Yeah, It's Martin. Dynamo versus Gates is a Go."
Seth Anderson cleared his throat, desperate to hold himself together.
For most of his career, that love was unrequited. He had his moments, of course, but Dynamo did not have the consistent success enjoyed by others in his field.
The tension is palpable as the attendees grow increasingly nervous at the less-than-gushing tone of the eulogy.
To the Outsider, it seems strange that this journeyman would...take his own life.
Seth stops, holding back tears after forcing out the tragic truth.
...but, to that Outsider, I say this: he did NOT kill himself!
Numerous listeners look up, their focus renewed after Seth's strange accusation. After all, there was no question: Dynamo purposefully overdosed on painkillers shortly after his career was ended by a poorly-assembled steel cage.
As I said before, today we honor Kid Dynamo, and Dynamo...he died exactly where he would've wanted. Kid Dynamo died as he was about to win the NMW Championship. Sure, to that pesky Outsider, that title is worthless, especially beside the major championships he pursued throughout his twenty-year career. But to Dynamo, the paramount was always what was directly in front of him.
Seth points towards the small grouping of former APW Megastars in attendance.
APW guys know what I'm talking about. Dynamo NEVER spent more than a month or two in their company, usually popping in for Survive and Conquer or the occasional one-off, but anyone who faced him knew that, win or lose, that match, that moment...nothing mattered more to him.
Dynamo stood in a familiarly dark and empty room. Dynamo looked up to face the camera, his countenance somber...like a priest conducting a funeral.
This is about you, CJ.
When it came time for our match, you probably did your homework: checked back on my run as a Megastar, watched my OWF matches since I returned, maybe even looked back to Survive 2012 to review my venomous allegations about you. You studied, you prepared...and you completely wasted your time, because this isn't about me.
This is about you, CJ.
We're in your house with your fans. I am nothing save for an outsider, an intruder, an enemy you've been tasked to dispatch. Who I am is irrelevant, only THAT I am.
This is about you, CJ.
Dynamo paused, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
Do you believe in God, CJ? A supreme deity that controls our lives?
You should. You should, for those like us needn't bother with faith; our higher power is right before our eyes...
Dynamo waved his hand behind him grandly, looking like - in his mind - he stood in the center of the ring on a packed Overdrive.
...the fans. Some like you worship them. Some like Lester defy them. Others agnostically ignore them, focusing on the in-ring combat. But regardless, they're there.
And they do not take kindly to betrayal.
Dynamo pointed his finger directly at the camera.
You betrayed them, CJ. YOU took what had been given to you and SPIT on it!
What's that famous Spider-Man quote? "With great power comes great responsibility." Well they gave you great power, CJ. Two years ago, you prayed to them, and they answered. They gave you Test for the Best, they gave you the Undisputed Championship, and they voted you Megastar of the Year. They chose you, they loved you, and week after week, they came to witness you represent them as their hero, their franchise, their champion.
And you betrayed them. You dismissed their blessings and selfishly inserted yourself into the Survive and Conquer match. The fans wanted to cheer for their Undisputed Champion, but that night you refused to be their Undisputed Champion. Instead, you were just one man among eighty-six, AND YOU WERE NOT CHOSEN to just be one among many.
Nevertheless, you made a selfish, sacrilegious decision, and you assumed - no, you TOOK FOR GRANTED - that the fans would understand.
Dynamo smiled and shook his head, the standard response to witnessing a fool.
Well, CJ, they understood, all right. They understood that you wanted to be one man amongst many. You chose to be ordinary over being Undisputed. The fans wanted you to be the champion, but you proved that you didn't.
Dynamo stepped back while making a "hold on" gesture with his hands.
But, you know what? That was one mistake, one sin. The fans are forgiving, but only to a soul desiring to repent.
So they tested you, CJ. They challenged your dedication to them. They stripped you of their championship and paraded Kurt Noble in front of you as "their new champion".
They wanted you to be angry. They wanted you to be driven. They wanted you to show them that you had changed, that you wanted it all back. The next Overdrive, you were afforded the opportunity to tell them they were wrong to anoint Noble and discard you.
So what did you do with that opportunity?
Dynamo held up his phone, set to a YouTube-posted replay of the April 5th, 2012 Overdrive paused at the scene where Gates approached Noble, their first face-to-face since Rasslemania VIII. Dynamo presses play, and holds the phone up so the audio is heard.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Dynamo pressed pause, then fingered the video back a few seconds, repeatedly replaying the message.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Suddenly, Dynamo tossed the phone while returning his focus to the camera, disgust dripping from his face.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!? I don’t give a damn about if you are friends with him, you can still be friends with him, but to be HAPPY THAT HE TOOK YOUR TITLE?!? ARE…YOU…KIDDING ME?!?
Dynamo paused to visibly compose himself and return to an emotional even keel.
CJ, you probably think I think I had something to do with your downward spiral.
False. I was a messenger. The fans desired to express their disapproval, so they spoke through me.
No...THAT was the moment, CJ…
…when you looked at the man who replaced you as the fans’ anointed icon…and sincerely congratulated him.
THAT was the moment, CJ.
Noble even gave you another chance, a LAST DITCH EFFORT out of HIS friendship with you to show the fans that you wanted their approval back. Sure, there’s no guarantee that his rematch proposal would’ve been approved, BUT WHO CARES?!?
Nevertheless, in the moment, when Noble tried to right the wrong and return to you your crown…
…you chose to be ordinary again.
You may think you were being honorable, but you were being weak. You were declaring that you didn’t deserve to be champion.
A superimposed graphic appeared on the screen, obviously input in post-production:
CJ GATES: Year of the Cowboy?
(Since Rasslemania VIII)
One-on-one matches: 8-10
Overdrive matches: 11-15
Pay-Per-View matches: 2-5
Vs. APW.com Top 25: 9-18
Championship Matches: 0-6
(3 Undisputed; 2 Overdrive; 1 Tag Team)
APW.com Rank for March 2012: 2
APW.com Rank for March 2013: 15
Like a meteorologist, Dynamo spoke as if the graphic is there with him, directing audience attention with his hands and words.
Take a look, CJ. You wanted to be ordinary? Well, congratulations because THIS...is ordinary! From "Megastar of the Year" to "Overdrive's Doormat". From two consecutive wins for the Undisputed Title to two consecutive losses for the Overdrive belt. From winning Test for the Best...to losing in the first round.
Dynamo waved off the graphic, and it faded out.
But, what does this really mean? Why should anyone care? How does your miserable record the past twelve months factor into this one little match?
Simple, CJ. It's the reason I'm here.
Remember, Gates, this is about you.
You see, you might be happy wallowing in mediocrity...
YOU might be happy losing title matches and main events because "at least you still get them"...
YOU may be happy failing to defeat Level One and Kurt Noble - and forget your recent wins over them; you lost TEN STRAIGHT TIMES to them before that - "but that's okay because it was a great match"...
YOU might be happy losing to the guy who could never beat you, Johnny Rebel, in a match YOU YOURSELF CALLED "a climb back to relevance" because, as you said, "you dominated APW for a year", a declaration that is itself a blend of ancient history and blatant lie. After all, lets face it. The APW audience voted you Megastar of the Year because you'd held the company's top title for FOUR - NOT TWELVE - months at the time...
YOU may be happy...
...but APW isn't. The company you love, the fans for whose interests you swear you fight, and the top-rated show on which you compete...they have suffered while you callously dismissed their purpose for you. They spent MONTHS trapped under the thumb of Terry Marvin and his friends, but you did nothing. You piddled around with Delikado and Mark Mania while the Sindicate tormented the fans you said you'd protect. You wasted time rekindling old memories with Biggs while the Undisputed Championship, the title you've coveted for years, underwent perpetual defilement.
Oh, and the THREE chances you had to do something about it - Test for the Best, when you could have prevented his ascension from ever occurring; One Night in Hell; and Rasslemania IX after ended a year-long losing streak to Lester Only - you COULD NOT EXECUTE!
Call it cheating, call it interference, call it whatever, but there's one reason that the Undisputed Championship is on Asylum, and that's you, CJ.
But what are you going to do about it?
Nothing. You're just gonna sit back, keep assuming the fans have your back. Keep pretending that you're one win away from being a top contender again. The same lackadaisical arrogance you've had since Rasslemania VIII, the same self-assured indifference that has carried you from franchise to obscurity.
Dynamo paused purposefully, a rehearsed reset of his soliloquy.
This is about you, CJ.
This is about returning you to where your fans want you, where they expect you to be.
This is about deconstructing your indifference and restoring your drive.
This is about me doing for you what you CLEARLY won't do for yourself.
And what is that, exactly? What is it that will save your career from your own apathy?
Dynamo looked directly at the camera.
Defeat...blistering, stinging, bitter defeat.
The camera angle shifted such that Dynamo was to the right of view instead of centered. To the left, a full-length mirror with an image of CJ Gates superimposed.
The kind of unspeakable failure that makes you look in the mirror. And no, I'm not talking about a staged look like you've done before to introduce the "fallen but I'll get back up" talking point.
I'm talking a GOOD HARD LOOK where you ask yourself "How did I get this far? Why did I ignore the signs?" That's the thing, CJ! I KNOW YOU KNOW this year has been terrible for you. I can quote you as saying for every step forward, you take a step back, and frankly, looking at your record, that's a bit optimistic!
Yet, you've never fallen so hard that you've felt the need to change. Part of it is the GM's fault for continuously giving you big matches you haven't earned. Did you know that you were in FIVE nominees for match of the year, LOSING ALL FIVE? Yet, you think just being there is good enough.
You need a wake-up call. You need a moment where you look in that mirror and you FIGURE OUT why good enough was good enough in 2012. In 2011 you were King of the Jungle; a year later, you were a lion in the zoo, lounging around lazily while your boss hand-fed you steak.
This is that moment. THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL!
Dynamo paused to calm his intensity as the cameras shifted focus back solely to him. He shrugged his shoulders.
But why me? Why Kid Dynamo? Why am I the one that can save you? Why am I the ONE PERSON that can give you your wake-up call?
Dynamo held up one finger.
One...I'm not a cheater. Despite how many times you failed to defeat Level One or Terry Marvin, you dismissed each loss because they cheated. But MY victory will be clean, free of interference - since even Rebel and Havok are rooting for you! - and void of foul play.
Dynamo's middle finger joined his pointer.
Two...I'm not from here. No one in APW can pull you from the depths of your disinterest. In fact, no one from your interfederational partnerships would help. Fury, Evans, Benevolence...you have too much respect for these guys to be impacted emotionally by defeat. See, those eighteen losses against ranked competition, those repeated losses in Survive and Conquer and interfederational tournaments indicate that you don't care about losing to a respected opponent.
But you don't respect me. My APW career was largely unimpressive, and the OWF isn't part of APW's partnerships so, to you, it might as well be a South Dakota backyard fed. I could explain how you're wrong, but that doesn't matter. Truth is: I am not someone you respect, therefore I am someone that, if you failed to defeat, would be a huge shock, the kind of WTF moment that would get you looking in the mirror and figuring out how a former Megastar of the Year could fail against such a worthless opponent.
Dynamo waves his arms in an all-encompassing circle.
Now, out of ALL the people that qualify as straight shooters so unworthy to share the ring with "the great CJ Gates" as to cataclysmically shatter your current self-perceptions...
Dynamo makes a "1" with his right hand, then moves it directly in front of him
...ONLY ONE wants to. ONLY ONE carries the compassion for YOUR fans to save you, to cure you, TO DEFEAT YOU.
And ONLY ONE can.
Dynamo puts his hands down, looking slightly down from the camera and adopting a somber, solemn tone.
This is the only way.
You can't defeat me and save yourself. You can't take that one step forward without taking that one step right back. If you could do this without me, you would've already done it.
If you could do this without me, you would've done it at Rasslemania IX.
But you can't.
This is the only way.
You can't keep beating lesser talent to appear strong and cash in outdated rivalries and accolades to receive title shots.
If you could do this without me, you would've defeated Delikado and salvaged your career.
But you can't.
This is the only way.
If you think I want this, you're wrong. If you think I revel in my mission to burn you to the ground so you can rise from the ashes, you're wrong. If you think that i'll enjoy earning victory over a future Hall of Famer by crushing his spirit into extinction, you're wrong.
But it's not about me, it's about you, CJ, and for you...
...this is the only way.
Dynamo looks back at the camera, trying to use intensity to evanesce the pooling water in his eyes.
"Go big or go home", right, CJ? Well, I don't have a choice. Win or lose, I go home. On the nineteenth, I'm no longer in APW. So nobody's concerned with my fate. Nobody's considered the implications, win or lose, on my career.
But that doesn't mean I can't also "go big", and I've never gone bigger than this. I've never invaded a company for its own sake. I've never performed surgery on a franchise to excise a cancer. I've never euthanized a wayward hero.
THAT would mean something. THAT would matter. THAT would be something worth remembering.
"The night CJ Gates was reborn, baptized by the fire...
...of God Mode."
Dynamo smiles at the camera and pulls out his hand, offering a handshake.
Good luck, CJ. You'll need it.
The hand clenches to fist as Dynamo moves forward until all you can see is his eyes, as the scene blackens around the rest of his face.
I...WON'T!
With that, he closes his eyes, causing the scene to go black.
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Seth looks one more time over at his mentor, his friend, before reengaging the crowd.
Dynamo's favorite quotation - besides, of course, his own - was from a movie: The search for a hero must begin with the thing that every hero requires: a villain.
To a man who existed solely in a world where the struggle of good versus evil was decided in a squared circle, his villain was...
...reality.
Kid Dynamo battled reality every day of his career. For example, he challenged the theory that "words don't matter in the ring" with promos overtly intended to affect his opponent's performance.
Yet, simultaneously he embraced reality, he recruited reality. It was never his intention to escape reality. It was to conquer it. Had Brad Christopher outlived Kid Dynamo long enough to trump his wrestling career, reality would have won the final battle. Reality would have conquered him.
Seth looks up at Heaven briefly, tears no longer contained by his eyes and streaking slowly down his face.
So cry for wrestling and the hole that now exists in the industry. Cry for the fans, who have one less inspiration.
But do not cry for Kid Dynamo, because in the last contest of his existence...
...he won.
Seth stepped down from the podium and sat back in his spot next to his wife. She squeezed his hand supportively, and he silently thanked God for Kid Dynamo, a man who gave his very soul to wrestling...
...so that he didn't have to.
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"He had a lot to say. He had a lot of nothing to say."
February 18th, 2020
February 18th, 2020
Unsurprisingly, the funeral of "Kid Dynamo" Brad Christopher was attended solely by people associated with wrestling: some recognized wrestlers from the history books of APW, OWF, and MVW, other performers who had respected him, and some staff members there for PR purposes. However, the funeral home was sparsely populated.
Furthermore, when the clergyman called forward any present who wished to speak, he was answered with silence. After letting that moment lengthily sit, discomforting the still-silent mass...
Now, we ask Mr. Anderson to present the eulogy.
To the front came Seth Anderson, a wrestler whose career forever existed as "the next Dynamo". Dynamo found him, then managed him, even branding him "Dynamo" Seth Anderson early on. When Dynamo wanted back into competing, he orchestrated Seth's rebellion, thinking the feud would free Anderson of his indelible link to him.
He was wrong, and Seth's career was short-lived, but he would forever exist as a vestige of Kid Dynamo. Thus, there was no other soul more fit to eulogize him.
Today, we bury Kid Dynamo.
Seth pauses, allowing the attendees to notice his purposeful wording.
We do not, today, lay to rest Brad Christopher, for none here knew anyone by that name. Those here pay respects to a man who simply did not exist outside of professional wrestling. His life was wrestling. His hobby? Training his body. His work? Studying his opponents. His love?...
Seth gives a peripheral glance to Hestia Kratos, Dynamo's veiled widow, but also looks at his own wife, Angel, a longtime girlfriend of Dynamo's years before they wed, and probably the only other person qualified to speak for Dynamo.
...his love was victory.
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"...you're searching for an angel, someone who can make you whole."
March 27th, 2013
"...you're searching for an angel, someone who can make you whole."
March 27th, 2013
"Mr. Mohre, your ten-thirty is here." His phone chirped the sound of his secretary. On his desk was a nameplate: "Martin Mohre - Vice President of Talent Relations (Overdrive)".
"Send him in", he replied to the machine. Within seconds, his door opened and in walked Kid Dynamo. He stood and offered his hand, which Dynamo shook.
"Have a seat, Mr...Dynamo?"
Just Dynamo works.
"Great. Now I called you in here today because, well, you're kind of unique. Even though you were...short-lived here in APW, a lot of fans remember you, and your talk on Twitter got our wheels turning and...well, how about one more match?"
That's...I mean, yeah, I'd love to give the fans something special like that, but, you know, I AM the OWF World Champion. I'm not trying to be an ass or anything. I just say that because I have a responsibility to be fully involved in their shows.
Martin smiled. "I appreciate your loyalty. But, that's not a problem. I already took the liberty to contact my counterpart over at OWF and they informed me that April 18th is a very convenient date to borrow you. With your "Double Pay-Per-View Weekend" at the end of the month, it seems there won't be a show that week, well, a live one. Some highlights pre-show thing.
"Anyway, they cleared you to sign a contract for a match on the 18th, so if you actually want it, there's no obstacles."
Absolutely! So, who do you want me to fight?
"...CJ Gates." Martin started to fidget, like he was hiding something.
Gates.... Makes sense, I guess. Similar styles, plus I've focused on him the past two Survive and Conquers.
Martin sighed audibly. "Yeah, we heard that back then there was a rumor that you two spoke about a one-on-one, so it made sense to make it happen. So if you just sign..."
But why now?
Martin froze. "What?"
Why now? I mean, we talked, yeah, but that was months ago. I mean, I know y'all were building to Rasslemania but it's not like he couldn't throw it in.
Martin, clearly flustered, tries to use exasperation to interrupt Dynamo's thoughts. "Look, Kid, do you wanna do this or not?"
I'm just saying this is all...I mean, I have a hell of a month. Maybe this is a bad time. He had beef with that Gordon Fury guy from that match, too.
Martin nervously laughs, but before he can stammer out a response, Dynamo's wheels start turning.
Oh...I know. After the year he's had, you don't think he can BEAT Gordon.
Martin continues nervously laughing, too flummoxed to know what else to do.
...you're even throwing him Johnny Rebel next show, because Rebel "can't beat Gates". But, God knows, he'll probably lose then, too!
So you guys need something, ANYTHING, to get his credibility back, right? And GUESS WHO?!? That's right! Let's drag in "that other guy" like a Division II team so Gates can crush him and feel like a man!
Martin snaps. "Enough! Gates doesn't know! It wasn't even his idea!"
Of course not. Poor Gates doesn't even see it, does he? He just thinks one more win and that dusty "Megastar of the Year" plaque from years ago is enough to AT LEAST get him an Overdrive shot, right?
Martin huffs, then starts to reach for the contract. "This was a bad idea..."
WHAM!
Dynamo slams his hand on the desk, securing the contract in place.
Are you kidding? You're about to get a promotion, Mr. Mohre. You see, this isn't a bad idea. In fact, you just saved CJ Gates' career.
Martin looks dumbfounded. Dynamo smiles as he signs the contract.
You honestly have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?
Not waiting for an answer, Dynamo laughs to himself, talking out loud as he walks out of the room.
Why am I always playing chess when other people are still on Candy Land?
Martin watches him leave, then goes blank, mentally exhausted. Finally, he recalls his next move and dials the phone.
"Yeah, It's Martin. Dynamo versus Gates is a Go."
----------
Seth Anderson cleared his throat, desperate to hold himself together.
For most of his career, that love was unrequited. He had his moments, of course, but Dynamo did not have the consistent success enjoyed by others in his field.
The tension is palpable as the attendees grow increasingly nervous at the less-than-gushing tone of the eulogy.
To the Outsider, it seems strange that this journeyman would...take his own life.
Seth stops, holding back tears after forcing out the tragic truth.
...but, to that Outsider, I say this: he did NOT kill himself!
Numerous listeners look up, their focus renewed after Seth's strange accusation. After all, there was no question: Dynamo purposefully overdosed on painkillers shortly after his career was ended by a poorly-assembled steel cage.
As I said before, today we honor Kid Dynamo, and Dynamo...he died exactly where he would've wanted. Kid Dynamo died as he was about to win the NMW Championship. Sure, to that pesky Outsider, that title is worthless, especially beside the major championships he pursued throughout his twenty-year career. But to Dynamo, the paramount was always what was directly in front of him.
Seth points towards the small grouping of former APW Megastars in attendance.
APW guys know what I'm talking about. Dynamo NEVER spent more than a month or two in their company, usually popping in for Survive and Conquer or the occasional one-off, but anyone who faced him knew that, win or lose, that match, that moment...nothing mattered more to him.
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"Help me if you can..."
Today
"Help me if you can..."
Today
Dynamo stood in a familiarly dark and empty room. Dynamo looked up to face the camera, his countenance somber...like a priest conducting a funeral.
This is about you, CJ.
When it came time for our match, you probably did your homework: checked back on my run as a Megastar, watched my OWF matches since I returned, maybe even looked back to Survive 2012 to review my venomous allegations about you. You studied, you prepared...and you completely wasted your time, because this isn't about me.
This is about you, CJ.
We're in your house with your fans. I am nothing save for an outsider, an intruder, an enemy you've been tasked to dispatch. Who I am is irrelevant, only THAT I am.
This is about you, CJ.
Dynamo paused, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
Do you believe in God, CJ? A supreme deity that controls our lives?
You should. You should, for those like us needn't bother with faith; our higher power is right before our eyes...
Dynamo waved his hand behind him grandly, looking like - in his mind - he stood in the center of the ring on a packed Overdrive.
...the fans. Some like you worship them. Some like Lester defy them. Others agnostically ignore them, focusing on the in-ring combat. But regardless, they're there.
And they do not take kindly to betrayal.
Dynamo pointed his finger directly at the camera.
You betrayed them, CJ. YOU took what had been given to you and SPIT on it!
What's that famous Spider-Man quote? "With great power comes great responsibility." Well they gave you great power, CJ. Two years ago, you prayed to them, and they answered. They gave you Test for the Best, they gave you the Undisputed Championship, and they voted you Megastar of the Year. They chose you, they loved you, and week after week, they came to witness you represent them as their hero, their franchise, their champion.
And you betrayed them. You dismissed their blessings and selfishly inserted yourself into the Survive and Conquer match. The fans wanted to cheer for their Undisputed Champion, but that night you refused to be their Undisputed Champion. Instead, you were just one man among eighty-six, AND YOU WERE NOT CHOSEN to just be one among many.
Nevertheless, you made a selfish, sacrilegious decision, and you assumed - no, you TOOK FOR GRANTED - that the fans would understand.
Dynamo smiled and shook his head, the standard response to witnessing a fool.
Well, CJ, they understood, all right. They understood that you wanted to be one man amongst many. You chose to be ordinary over being Undisputed. The fans wanted you to be the champion, but you proved that you didn't.
Dynamo stepped back while making a "hold on" gesture with his hands.
But, you know what? That was one mistake, one sin. The fans are forgiving, but only to a soul desiring to repent.
So they tested you, CJ. They challenged your dedication to them. They stripped you of their championship and paraded Kurt Noble in front of you as "their new champion".
They wanted you to be angry. They wanted you to be driven. They wanted you to show them that you had changed, that you wanted it all back. The next Overdrive, you were afforded the opportunity to tell them they were wrong to anoint Noble and discard you.
So what did you do with that opportunity?
Dynamo held up his phone, set to a YouTube-posted replay of the April 5th, 2012 Overdrive paused at the scene where Gates approached Noble, their first face-to-face since Rasslemania VIII. Dynamo presses play, and holds the phone up so the audio is heard.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Dynamo pressed pause, then fingered the video back a few seconds, repeatedly replaying the message.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Looks good on you, Kurt.
Suddenly, Dynamo tossed the phone while returning his focus to the camera, disgust dripping from his face.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!? I don’t give a damn about if you are friends with him, you can still be friends with him, but to be HAPPY THAT HE TOOK YOUR TITLE?!? ARE…YOU…KIDDING ME?!?
Dynamo paused to visibly compose himself and return to an emotional even keel.
CJ, you probably think I think I had something to do with your downward spiral.
False. I was a messenger. The fans desired to express their disapproval, so they spoke through me.
No...THAT was the moment, CJ…
…when you looked at the man who replaced you as the fans’ anointed icon…and sincerely congratulated him.
THAT was the moment, CJ.
Noble even gave you another chance, a LAST DITCH EFFORT out of HIS friendship with you to show the fans that you wanted their approval back. Sure, there’s no guarantee that his rematch proposal would’ve been approved, BUT WHO CARES?!?
Nevertheless, in the moment, when Noble tried to right the wrong and return to you your crown…
…you chose to be ordinary again.
You may think you were being honorable, but you were being weak. You were declaring that you didn’t deserve to be champion.
A superimposed graphic appeared on the screen, obviously input in post-production:
CJ GATES: Year of the Cowboy?
(Since Rasslemania VIII)
One-on-one matches: 8-10
Overdrive matches: 11-15
Pay-Per-View matches: 2-5
Vs. APW.com Top 25: 9-18
Championship Matches: 0-6
(3 Undisputed; 2 Overdrive; 1 Tag Team)
APW.com Rank for March 2012: 2
APW.com Rank for March 2013: 15
Like a meteorologist, Dynamo spoke as if the graphic is there with him, directing audience attention with his hands and words.
Take a look, CJ. You wanted to be ordinary? Well, congratulations because THIS...is ordinary! From "Megastar of the Year" to "Overdrive's Doormat". From two consecutive wins for the Undisputed Title to two consecutive losses for the Overdrive belt. From winning Test for the Best...to losing in the first round.
Dynamo waved off the graphic, and it faded out.
But, what does this really mean? Why should anyone care? How does your miserable record the past twelve months factor into this one little match?
Simple, CJ. It's the reason I'm here.
Remember, Gates, this is about you.
You see, you might be happy wallowing in mediocrity...
YOU might be happy losing title matches and main events because "at least you still get them"...
YOU may be happy failing to defeat Level One and Kurt Noble - and forget your recent wins over them; you lost TEN STRAIGHT TIMES to them before that - "but that's okay because it was a great match"...
YOU might be happy losing to the guy who could never beat you, Johnny Rebel, in a match YOU YOURSELF CALLED "a climb back to relevance" because, as you said, "you dominated APW for a year", a declaration that is itself a blend of ancient history and blatant lie. After all, lets face it. The APW audience voted you Megastar of the Year because you'd held the company's top title for FOUR - NOT TWELVE - months at the time...
YOU may be happy...
...but APW isn't. The company you love, the fans for whose interests you swear you fight, and the top-rated show on which you compete...they have suffered while you callously dismissed their purpose for you. They spent MONTHS trapped under the thumb of Terry Marvin and his friends, but you did nothing. You piddled around with Delikado and Mark Mania while the Sindicate tormented the fans you said you'd protect. You wasted time rekindling old memories with Biggs while the Undisputed Championship, the title you've coveted for years, underwent perpetual defilement.
Oh, and the THREE chances you had to do something about it - Test for the Best, when you could have prevented his ascension from ever occurring; One Night in Hell; and Rasslemania IX after ended a year-long losing streak to Lester Only - you COULD NOT EXECUTE!
Call it cheating, call it interference, call it whatever, but there's one reason that the Undisputed Championship is on Asylum, and that's you, CJ.
But what are you going to do about it?
Nothing. You're just gonna sit back, keep assuming the fans have your back. Keep pretending that you're one win away from being a top contender again. The same lackadaisical arrogance you've had since Rasslemania VIII, the same self-assured indifference that has carried you from franchise to obscurity.
Dynamo paused purposefully, a rehearsed reset of his soliloquy.
This is about you, CJ.
This is about returning you to where your fans want you, where they expect you to be.
This is about deconstructing your indifference and restoring your drive.
This is about me doing for you what you CLEARLY won't do for yourself.
And what is that, exactly? What is it that will save your career from your own apathy?
Dynamo looked directly at the camera.
Defeat...blistering, stinging, bitter defeat.
The camera angle shifted such that Dynamo was to the right of view instead of centered. To the left, a full-length mirror with an image of CJ Gates superimposed.
The kind of unspeakable failure that makes you look in the mirror. And no, I'm not talking about a staged look like you've done before to introduce the "fallen but I'll get back up" talking point.
I'm talking a GOOD HARD LOOK where you ask yourself "How did I get this far? Why did I ignore the signs?" That's the thing, CJ! I KNOW YOU KNOW this year has been terrible for you. I can quote you as saying for every step forward, you take a step back, and frankly, looking at your record, that's a bit optimistic!
Yet, you've never fallen so hard that you've felt the need to change. Part of it is the GM's fault for continuously giving you big matches you haven't earned. Did you know that you were in FIVE nominees for match of the year, LOSING ALL FIVE? Yet, you think just being there is good enough.
You need a wake-up call. You need a moment where you look in that mirror and you FIGURE OUT why good enough was good enough in 2012. In 2011 you were King of the Jungle; a year later, you were a lion in the zoo, lounging around lazily while your boss hand-fed you steak.
This is that moment. THIS IS YOUR WAKE-UP CALL!
Dynamo paused to calm his intensity as the cameras shifted focus back solely to him. He shrugged his shoulders.
But why me? Why Kid Dynamo? Why am I the one that can save you? Why am I the ONE PERSON that can give you your wake-up call?
Dynamo held up one finger.
One...I'm not a cheater. Despite how many times you failed to defeat Level One or Terry Marvin, you dismissed each loss because they cheated. But MY victory will be clean, free of interference - since even Rebel and Havok are rooting for you! - and void of foul play.
Dynamo's middle finger joined his pointer.
Two...I'm not from here. No one in APW can pull you from the depths of your disinterest. In fact, no one from your interfederational partnerships would help. Fury, Evans, Benevolence...you have too much respect for these guys to be impacted emotionally by defeat. See, those eighteen losses against ranked competition, those repeated losses in Survive and Conquer and interfederational tournaments indicate that you don't care about losing to a respected opponent.
But you don't respect me. My APW career was largely unimpressive, and the OWF isn't part of APW's partnerships so, to you, it might as well be a South Dakota backyard fed. I could explain how you're wrong, but that doesn't matter. Truth is: I am not someone you respect, therefore I am someone that, if you failed to defeat, would be a huge shock, the kind of WTF moment that would get you looking in the mirror and figuring out how a former Megastar of the Year could fail against such a worthless opponent.
Dynamo waves his arms in an all-encompassing circle.
Now, out of ALL the people that qualify as straight shooters so unworthy to share the ring with "the great CJ Gates" as to cataclysmically shatter your current self-perceptions...
Dynamo makes a "1" with his right hand, then moves it directly in front of him
...ONLY ONE wants to. ONLY ONE carries the compassion for YOUR fans to save you, to cure you, TO DEFEAT YOU.
And ONLY ONE can.
Dynamo puts his hands down, looking slightly down from the camera and adopting a somber, solemn tone.
This is the only way.
You can't defeat me and save yourself. You can't take that one step forward without taking that one step right back. If you could do this without me, you would've already done it.
If you could do this without me, you would've done it at Rasslemania IX.
But you can't.
This is the only way.
You can't keep beating lesser talent to appear strong and cash in outdated rivalries and accolades to receive title shots.
If you could do this without me, you would've defeated Delikado and salvaged your career.
But you can't.
This is the only way.
If you think I want this, you're wrong. If you think I revel in my mission to burn you to the ground so you can rise from the ashes, you're wrong. If you think that i'll enjoy earning victory over a future Hall of Famer by crushing his spirit into extinction, you're wrong.
But it's not about me, it's about you, CJ, and for you...
...this is the only way.
Dynamo looks back at the camera, trying to use intensity to evanesce the pooling water in his eyes.
"Go big or go home", right, CJ? Well, I don't have a choice. Win or lose, I go home. On the nineteenth, I'm no longer in APW. So nobody's concerned with my fate. Nobody's considered the implications, win or lose, on my career.
But that doesn't mean I can't also "go big", and I've never gone bigger than this. I've never invaded a company for its own sake. I've never performed surgery on a franchise to excise a cancer. I've never euthanized a wayward hero.
THAT would mean something. THAT would matter. THAT would be something worth remembering.
"The night CJ Gates was reborn, baptized by the fire...
...of God Mode."
Dynamo smiles at the camera and pulls out his hand, offering a handshake.
Good luck, CJ. You'll need it.
The hand clenches to fist as Dynamo moves forward until all you can see is his eyes, as the scene blackens around the rest of his face.
I...WON'T!
With that, he closes his eyes, causing the scene to go black.
----------
Seth looks one more time over at his mentor, his friend, before reengaging the crowd.
Dynamo's favorite quotation - besides, of course, his own - was from a movie: The search for a hero must begin with the thing that every hero requires: a villain.
To a man who existed solely in a world where the struggle of good versus evil was decided in a squared circle, his villain was...
...reality.
Kid Dynamo battled reality every day of his career. For example, he challenged the theory that "words don't matter in the ring" with promos overtly intended to affect his opponent's performance.
Yet, simultaneously he embraced reality, he recruited reality. It was never his intention to escape reality. It was to conquer it. Had Brad Christopher outlived Kid Dynamo long enough to trump his wrestling career, reality would have won the final battle. Reality would have conquered him.
Seth looks up at Heaven briefly, tears no longer contained by his eyes and streaking slowly down his face.
So cry for wrestling and the hole that now exists in the industry. Cry for the fans, who have one less inspiration.
But do not cry for Kid Dynamo, because in the last contest of his existence...
...he won.
Seth stepped down from the podium and sat back in his spot next to his wife. She squeezed his hand supportively, and he silently thanked God for Kid Dynamo, a man who gave his very soul to wrestling...
...so that he didn't have to.
