Post by biggs on Dec 22, 2012 18:55:14 GMT -4
There's a loud clatter downstairs, and I find myself awakened once more. I get out of my bed with a start, putting on my robe and slippers before slowly opening my bed chamber door, and peering downstairs. Immediately, the smell of food waifs past my nose. I can smell cooked goose, all sorts of pastries and pies, and even plum pudding. There appears to be the light of a fire from the drawing room, and I cautiously make my way down the stairs. As I'm about to reach the drawing room, I hear a loud booming voice, and get my first view of a man who must be at least ten feet tall, and is as plump as Jolly St. Nick himself, none other than Terry Marvin!
”Hello there, my friend! Join me in feast and merriment!” he says, inviting me into my own drawing room. He's clad in a plush, red robe, lined with fir, and he wears a holiday wreath upon his head like a crown. His long, black hair is slicked back, and there's goose drippings lining his mouth as he jovially laughs.
”No thank you. I'm not hungry. You must be the second spirit to visit me tonight, the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present...”
”Indeed I am!”
”And are you just here to show me horrible memories, like the spirit before you?”
”Nope. I'm here to show you horrible things that are happening now! I am the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present, after all. It says it in my name.”
He lets out another jovial laugh.
”I'm just kidding, Ebeneezer Biggs. Just like Cyrus Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past, I am here to try and help to change for the better. But just like Marley and Pence, I cannot tell you how to do that, it's up to you to determine the how based on what you shall see tonight. Come, we have much to see...”
The spirit grabs me by the hand, and leads me to the front door. ”Watch your head!” I exclaim, but as if by magic, as he approaches the door, it appears to grow taller to accommodate his great height, before shrinking back down to normal after he passes through it. I don't believe my eyes, but considering all I've been through on this eventful night, it doesn't rattle me as much as it normally would have.
As we walk down the main street, we pass by the same tavern The Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past took me to, although in the present time. He directs me to enter the tavern. As we step inside, there is the sound of merry celebration, and the patrons are dancing and acting in all sorts of foolish manners. Nobody acknowledges our presence, just continuing to party on.
”I take it they can't see or hear us, much like with the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past,” I ask of Terry.
He shakes his head no, and responds, ”Nope. They can see and hear us just fine. They're just so wrapped up in their joy and celebration that they won't let a scrooge like you ruin their merriment! Come, now, there's more to see...”
As we head out back into the cold winter night, I stop the spirit. ”What was the point of that, Terry? Are you saying that I, too, should allow myself to let go and become a foolish drunkard, not tending to my responsibilities just because it is a holiday? It was not my choice what day Christmas Chaos falls on, but it is my choice to not give a care about Christmas Chaos! BA HUMBUG!”
”You're missing the point, my friend! Christmas Chaos isn't about revelry or acting foolish, it's about celebrating with those you love. Haven't you anyone in your life to share the joy of the season with?”
”Ever since my good friend Cyrus Marley passed, I haven't anyone I would call a friend in this world...”
A look of deep sadness crosses the face of the spirit, and he places his massive hand on my shoulder.
”Well, for tonight at least, you can consider me your friend, Ebeneezer Biggs.”
We head further down the street, and come to a modest home, on the bottom level of a building. The spirit directs me to look inside the window, and I peer upon my employee, C.J. Cratchett, along with his family. He has a wife, two daughters, and a tiny son who must walk with a crutch. Their entire abode is smaller than my bed chamber, but they appear to all be happy despite that fact. There are a few decorations, like holly lining the hearth and a very small, miniscule Christmas Chaos tree. They sit around the table, with a small fowl in the center, much too small to feed a family that size. The little one begins to pray for the food.
”Dear God, thank you for Christmas Chaos. Thank you for the chance to get to be with the ones we love on this special day. Thank you for my mommy, my daddy, and my two sisters. And thank you for Mr. Ebeneezer Biggs, who pays my daddy so we could have this feast tonight. I pray that he could be having a good Christmas Chaos Eve as well. Thank you. Amen...”
I am deeply moved by the words of the little one. Why would he thank me for such a meager goose on the table?
”Great prayer, Tiny Mr. Dangerous! Let's eat!” C.J. says as he begins to carve the goose.
”Oh boy! *cough* *cough*” Tiny Mr. Dangerous begins to go into a coughing fit, and his parents rush to coddle him.
I turn to the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present, and ask of him, ”What is to become of Tiny Mr. Dangerous? Will he make it?”
Terry solemnly shakes his head, and has a forlorn look on his usually jovial face. ”Sadly, this is to be Tiny Mr. Dangerous' last Christmas Chaos. You see, while they were able to afford the goose, it was only due to the kindness of the butcher. Normally, they could not afford something so extravagant, by their standards, on the pay which you give C.J. Also, they do not have the money for medicine to help Tiny Mr. Dangerous...”
”This is a tragedy! Something must be done!” I turn back to the window, peering once more upon the Cratchett family. Tiny Mr. Dangerous' coughing has subsided for now, and the five of them all share a tender embrace. It melts my heart to see such familial love. I can't help but feel regret for the fact that I have no family of my own.
As I turn back towards Terry Marvin, I notice that he is holding a wooden chair high above his head. ”That's a most curious thing you are doing, spirit. Why are you holding that chair above your head?”
”Oh no reason in particular. Just to knock you out so you can appear back in your bed...”
”Okay, I guess that makes sense, wait, wha..!?” are the last words I manage to get out before he smashes the chair right into my head, knocking me out!
Some time later, I wake up for the third time this night. I reach up immediately to feel my forehead, but despite the vicious chair shot I received at the hands of Terry, there doesn't seem to be any knot on my head. However, this is a small comfort, as my room begins to fill with an ominous black mist. I clutch my covers in terror as I see what can only be the third spirit before me, Level-One!
He is dressed in a tattered, dark robe, with a hood that mostly conceals his face. My voice trembles as I begin to speak. ”You must be the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Future...”
Without saying a word, he simply nods his head, acknowledging himself to be so.
”And you are here to show me my future...”
Again, the spirit simply nods. He sticks his bony hand out towards me, pointing right at my heart. I am gripped with fear as the black mist swirls around the two of us, and as it clears, we are standing in a cemetery, where two men are digging a plot. One of them is tall, muscular, with blonde hair upon his head, while the other is of Hispanic decent. They talk to one another as they work.
”I'll tell you what, mi amigo, this guy we're digging for, he was filthy rich, and yet, he could never get the attention of the sexy ladies!”
”Please, Armando, show some respect for the dead...”
”Why? Ol' Ebeneezer Biggs never showed respect to anyone! They say he died alone, and that nobody is planning on coming to his funeral, save for his employee, C.J. Cratchett!”
”That was a real shame for the Cratchett family, how they lost Tiny Mr. Dangerous. C.J. hasn't been the same since...”
I turn to the dark spirit, and plead with him. ”Please, Spirit, you've made your point. I see the error of my ways. I wish to go now...”
The spirit shakes his head no, and points for me to read my own tombstone as the two men continue to dig.
”I'm sorry, spirit, it's too dark, I cannot make it out.”
All of a sudden, an otherworldly green light flash from within his robes, illuminating the headstone. It simply reads “Ebeneezer Biggs, Gone and Not Missed.”
”What a terrible thing for my headstone to read, spirit! What a cruel thing for you do to do to bring me here! To show me my fate, and to remind me of the fact that poor Tiny Mr. Dangerous is not long for this world! I wish to go home this instant!”
A deep laughter begins to emanate from Level-One, a sinister laughter. He opens his robes to reveal a body made solely of bones, and a mixture of the green light and black mist envelope me once more! A sense of dread and panic overtake me, and I feel as though I'm suffocating, as his laughter continues to fill me ears, chilling me to my very soul!
”What is this darkness that I'm experiencing! Spirit, don't forsake me! Take me home!” My pulse is quickening, my panic rising as I continue to fall into the deep abyss! I have been falling for what seems like ages, my terror growing all the way down until I land with a sharp THUD! And everything is black once more...
As I open my eyes, I find myself in the safety of my bed chamber once more, and leap up with a start! I rush to my window, drawing the curtains aside to peer out upon the town, seeing the bright light of morning as snow falls outside! I see some children playing in the street below, and I'm quick to open my windows.
”Children, what day is it today?!”
Both shoot me a quizzical look, before a young boy with red hair and a ruddy coat responds, ”Sir, it is Christmas Chaos!”
”Merry Christmas Chaos, my friend! Merry Christmas Chaos to us all!”
There's a spring in my step as I prepare myself for the day, getting dressed before heading out onto the street. People are generally surprised as I greet each and every one of them with a ”Merry Christmas Chaos!” I hear murmurings that people think I've gone mad, but I heed them no attention, instead continuing the wish everyone I see a Merry Christmas Chaos. Before long, I reach the butcher's shop.
”What can I do for you, Ebeneezer Biggs, you old scrooge!?” Kash the butcher calls out.
”Well, first off, you can have a Merry Christmas Chaos! Secondly, I'd like the biggest goose you have!”
”Can do! But that's an awful of goose for one person, Mr. Biggs. Everyone knows that you don't share anything you have! How can you ever hope to finish this on your own!?”
”I won't be eating it alone!”
”Well good for you, Mr. Biggs! By the way, if you're looking for dessert, I know that JK's Bon Bons are open this morning from 8 o'clock until 11.”
”I shall have to give him a visit then! Thanks again, and Merry Christmas Chaos!”
I make a few more stops, and have to hire a boy with a wagon to carry everything I'm buying. Before long, I arrive at my destination, the house of C.J. Cratchett. I direct the boy to stand silently out of view with his wagon, and give three hard knocks on the door of Cratchett. From inside, I hear, ”I'll be right there!” and before long, C.J. opens the door. He is genuinely shocked to see me, and has a long look on his face. For my part, I pretend to be incredibly cross with him.
”Cratchett! The bank was supposed to open for business a half an hour ago! It is by no means ready for business!”
”Please, sir, I'm sorry! It's Christmas Chaos, I was hoping to spend a little bit more time with my family. But I will get my coat and be on my way...”
”I'll have nothing of the sort, C.J.! You shall not be going into work today!”
”Because I'm fired?”
At this point, I let my demeanor change to be more cheerful. ”No, because it is Christmas Chaos, and the bank is closed for the day! And don't worry, today is a paid day off!”
”Oh thank you, Mr. Biggs!” C.J. exclaims as he wraps me in a warm embrace. I see Tiny Mr. Dangerous hobbling up to me, and looks up to me with big, hopeful eyes.
”Thank you, sir!”
”Please, call me Ebeneezer!”
I direct the boy to bring the wagon. The children's eyes light up as they see all manner of toys and food in the wagon. Tiny Mr. Dangerous, in particular, is taken aback by the size of the Christmas Chaos Goose.
”Is that goose for us, Ebeneezer!?”
”Yes it is, m'boy!”
C.J. and his wife are speechless as they pour through the contents of the wagon, and they can't believe their eyes as they come across the medicine for Tiny Mr. Dangerous. C.J. comes up to me, and takes me aside.
”Sir, we appreciate your generosity, but there's no way we'll be able to pay you back for all that you've done for us here today...”
”And you shall not have to. You have my word, Cratchett, so long as Tiny Mr. Dangerous is in need of that medicine, I am more than happy to help cover the cost for it. All that I ask for in return is that I may have the chance to become a like a part of your family. I have no family of my own, and I was hoping that you might let me be a part of yours, if you would have me...”
”Of course! Kids, come say thank you to Uncle Ebeneezer Biggs for all he's done for us today!”
They thank me and hug me, and my heart is warmed all of it. I had been so focused on helping myself, that I had made myself miserable. I have learned the true meaning of Christmas Chaos, in fact life itself, and that it is much better when it is shared with others.
”Merry Christmas Chaos!” I shout once more, as Tiny Mr. Dangerous tugs on my pant leg. ”Yes, Tiny Mr. Dangerous?”
”God bless you, Uncle Ebeneezer, and God bless us, everyone!”
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background in big, bold blue letters. The video transitions to Biggs in the gym, standing in front of a large punching bag, throwing fists, knees, and kicks at it before taking a break and walking towards the camera. He takes a seat on a bench, and begins to speak.
”Welcome, one and all, to Biggs' First Contact! I'm just a little over 24 hours away from my Main Event match up with Terry Marvin for the APW Undisputed Championship! Words cannot express how excited I am for this opportunity. And Terry, while you may have cherry picked me to be your opponent for this match, I fully intend on making you pay for your pick.”
“Like I mentioned in my last episode, Terry, it's painfully obvious how much you want to walk into RassleMania as the APW Undisputed Champion, and how you want to defend that title against Level-One, or at least so you say. You've been telling the world, and telling yourself, that you picked me to be your warm-up match for that potentially epic encounter, that even though I'll put up a decent enough challenge, that you're chances of walking out with your title intact are pretty safe.”
“After all, I missed most of this year with a serious concussion, and at one point, I was mired in a huge losing streak the likes of which supposedly top guys should never find themselves in. You even talked to me earlier this fall about how I was supposedly washed up, and told me that I should do myself a favor and hang up my boots for good.”
“But then One Night in Hell happened. Going into the Elimination Chamber, conventional wisdom and popular opinion dictated that I would probably be the first or second guy eliminated. That I was simply in the Chamber to add name value to the match, and that I wasn't expected to make a lot of noise. But make noise I did, Terry, and I came within inches of ending the Year of Terry Marvin inside the Elimination Chamber. I rightfully give credit to you for being able to hold onto your title in that match, Terry, but come this Sunday, it will be only you and me inside the ring. You're good friend Level-One won't be in there to help you, and you won't have the Chamber to rely on as a weapon. The fact is, Terry, it's going to come down to simply you versus me. And in that environment, Terry, I'll be honest, I like my chances.”
“Because, Terry, like I've said before, you've already played your cards, showed your hand, and I know that you're coming into Christmas Chaos with the intent to not just defeat me, but potentially injure me in the process. I know that you're coming in as the no good, down and dirty bastard you've always been, and not the courteous, fan friendly, caring man you claimed to be for several months. You made a tactical error showing your true colors as early as you did, Terry, one that I will most certainly capitalize on!”
“Because you see, Terry, even though I've turned over a new leaf personally and professionally, even though I have been embraced by the fans, and have been making efforts to make amends with them and everyone I have wronged here in APW, that doesn't mean I've lost any of my competitive drive! Just because I am now apparently on the side of angels doesn't mean that my skill or talent has been neutered! While my world view is shifting away from the Machiavellian stance of the ends justify the means, it doesn't mean that I'm afraid to get my hands dirty when I have to.”
“Terry I know that you're going to try to pull every dirty trick in the book, and maybe even try to create some new ones, but guess what, Terry, you're looking at the guy who wrote the book on fighting dirty! And while I may no longer utilize some of the more unsavory tactics I would have employed in the past, the fact of the matter is that I know what they are, how they are used, and most importantly, how to counter them! There is nothing you can do in this match to surprise me, Terry, because any dirty trick, any short cut you try to use on me, you can bet that I've already done it before myself!”
“And if a point does come in the match to where I need to bend the rules a bit, if I may deem it necessary to nail you right between the eyes with a steel chair while the ref is out, or if I have to resort to a thumb to the eye while the ref is distracted, well, so be it. But the difference is, Terry, because I'll be doing those things against you, I'll be cheered for it!”
“People don't like being lied to, Terry Marvin, and you tried to pull one of the biggest scam jobs in recent wrestling history, convincing the fans that you were a white knight, here to save APW from the evil of the twisted Kurt Noble, who was delving further and further into madness. You pretended to give a crap what the fans thought of you, you pretended to care about others. You put on a show that you were this great guy, a guy that the fans could get behind, who would be their champion, that 2012 would be not just the Year of Terry Marvin, but the Year of the Fans as well. You promised that to them, Terry, and you didn't deliver, not by a long shot!”
“Now I'm not saying that I'm any white knight either, I'm grey at best, but unlike you, Terry Marvin, not once have I ever lied to anyone here in APW! I have been honest with absolutely everyone about who I am, and what I've been about. Am I proud of everything I've done while under contract in APW? Most certainly not? Am I trying to change myself for the better, you bet!”
“I think the real reason that the fans are behind me and not you, Terry, is because with me, they know exactly what they're getting. They're getting a guy who each and every time he steps into that ring tries to steal the show! They're getting a guy who trains harder and fights harder than anyone else in this business! They're getting a guy who takes this sport seriously, and trains in all facets of the game, physical and mental, to make sure that he has the best fighting chance each and every time he steps into the ring!”
“With you, Terry, they get a two faced manipulator who uses the people around him for his own ends. I'll admit, yes, I used to do that myself, but I'm changing. With you, Terry, they get somebody who is more interested in setting up a title match with his friend, rather than defending his belt against all comers! Terry Marvin versus Level-One could technically be a great match, but it's not really a match that people want to see. Simply put, you are two of the most hated men in APW today. If the fans don't have somebody to cheer for, they're not going to care.”
“I owe it not only to myself, but to the fans, to make sure that you don't get your way, Terry, because nobody wants to see you and Level-One headline RassleMania.”
Biggs takes a sip from his water bottle, before continuing on.
”That being said, as much as you're not going to have an easy time against me, I also know I'm not going have an easy time against you. After all, this hasn't been called the Year of Terry Marvin for nothing. With all the accolades you have accomplished in just this year, well, you've probably secured yourself a first ballot spot in the APW Hall of Fame one day. You can wrestle, you wouldn't be APW Undisputed Champion if you couldn't!”
“Both of us have highly technical styles, and counter wrestling is our bread and butter. However, I know I'm facing an uphill battle in the size and strength department, as you outweigh me by 30 pounds, and have almost half a foot on me in height and reach. I know that you're going to want control the tempo of the match, you're going to try and keep me grounded on the mat. Because my greatest strength, my speed and high flying game, quite frankly, you don't have an answer to! My goal is simple, Terry, to utilize my speed and aerial attack to keep you off balance, to prevent you from being able to take control of the match. While I know there will be ebbs and flows in the match, that there will be natural shifts in momentum, but by and large, I intend on dictating the pace, I intend on wrestling my type of wrestling match, not yours.”
“You can expect a lot of quick strikes, a lot of high flying, and once I have control of the match, I intend on wearing you down and tiring you out with my vast repitiore of submission holds. When we step into the ring tomorrow night, it's not going to be a short match, not in the slightest. You and I are both extremely well conditioned, and have high thresholds of pain, as was evident inside the Elimination Chamber. This match isn't going to be won in the early goings, it's not going to be won in the middle of the match. No, this match will be won in the late game, when we're both tired, when we both have to dig down into the very depths of our souls to push through to victory. You have one speed, Terry, full steam ahead. Me on the other hand, I know how to pace myself. In the late match, I will have much more left in the tank than you will. Yes, you have the heart of a champion, you have the intangibles. I know I'm not going to be able to win it with just one UFO Frog Splash. It might take more than one Spaced Out. It's certainly going to take more than a Whiplash for you to take me out!”
“Because with the lights on bright, with the title on the line, well, it shows you the true character of the men involved! You held on inside the Elimination Chamber, and quite frankly, I over performed in that match. Tomorrow night, both of us have the opportunity to prove that we didn't get lucky inside the Chamber. For you, you can prove that you are as great as your victory at One Night in Hell says you are. You defeated myself, C.J. Gates, Chris Hart, Kurt Noble, and Level-One in one night. If you aren't able to defeat me on my own, well, then unfortunately for you, it will undercut your win inside the Elimination Chamber. If I can defeat you, and I certainly think I can, then I will secure my second APW Undisputed Championship against the man who won the biggest title match in APW history. When I won my first title, nobody thought I could defeat Level-One, but I did. And while you're the heavy favorite going into this match up as well, I can't help but go in liking my chances! With my skill and talent, and for the first time in my career in a big time title match, the support of the crowd. I've already acknowledged that how I perform in the ring ultimately rests solely on me, but there's no doubt they're going to help will me on in the later parts of the match, giving me just the inspiration I need to push through to victory!”
“Tomorrow night most certainly be a silent night. What we do to each other inside the ring won't be holy! If I may mix my Christmas song analogies, tomorrow night, Terry Marvin, I'm gonna to make sure that you pout, I'm gonna make sure that you do cry, because tomorrow night, in Madison Square Garden, Biggs is coming to town, and I'm coming for your APW Undisputed Championship!”
“Just remember Terry, when you find yourself looking up at the lights, feeling the ref's hand coming down for the one, two, three, and you hear the ring of that bell, just remember that you hand picked me to be your opponent. When I shock the world once more, winning my second APW Undisputed Title Match as an underdog, you will have only yourself to blame. Thank you, Terry, for this Christmas present. Thank you for this opportunity.”
“Tomorrow night, at Christmas Chaos, the Year of Terry Marvin will come to an end, and the Year of Biggs will begin! Why? Because when it's Showtime, I'm quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
Biggs flashes his trademark smirk, and gets back to training as “Spacewalker” plays again, and First Contact fades to black.
”Hello there, my friend! Join me in feast and merriment!” he says, inviting me into my own drawing room. He's clad in a plush, red robe, lined with fir, and he wears a holiday wreath upon his head like a crown. His long, black hair is slicked back, and there's goose drippings lining his mouth as he jovially laughs.
”No thank you. I'm not hungry. You must be the second spirit to visit me tonight, the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present...”
”Indeed I am!”
”And are you just here to show me horrible memories, like the spirit before you?”
”Nope. I'm here to show you horrible things that are happening now! I am the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present, after all. It says it in my name.”
He lets out another jovial laugh.
”I'm just kidding, Ebeneezer Biggs. Just like Cyrus Marley and the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past, I am here to try and help to change for the better. But just like Marley and Pence, I cannot tell you how to do that, it's up to you to determine the how based on what you shall see tonight. Come, we have much to see...”
The spirit grabs me by the hand, and leads me to the front door. ”Watch your head!” I exclaim, but as if by magic, as he approaches the door, it appears to grow taller to accommodate his great height, before shrinking back down to normal after he passes through it. I don't believe my eyes, but considering all I've been through on this eventful night, it doesn't rattle me as much as it normally would have.
As we walk down the main street, we pass by the same tavern The Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past took me to, although in the present time. He directs me to enter the tavern. As we step inside, there is the sound of merry celebration, and the patrons are dancing and acting in all sorts of foolish manners. Nobody acknowledges our presence, just continuing to party on.
”I take it they can't see or hear us, much like with the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Past,” I ask of Terry.
He shakes his head no, and responds, ”Nope. They can see and hear us just fine. They're just so wrapped up in their joy and celebration that they won't let a scrooge like you ruin their merriment! Come, now, there's more to see...”
As we head out back into the cold winter night, I stop the spirit. ”What was the point of that, Terry? Are you saying that I, too, should allow myself to let go and become a foolish drunkard, not tending to my responsibilities just because it is a holiday? It was not my choice what day Christmas Chaos falls on, but it is my choice to not give a care about Christmas Chaos! BA HUMBUG!”
”You're missing the point, my friend! Christmas Chaos isn't about revelry or acting foolish, it's about celebrating with those you love. Haven't you anyone in your life to share the joy of the season with?”
”Ever since my good friend Cyrus Marley passed, I haven't anyone I would call a friend in this world...”
A look of deep sadness crosses the face of the spirit, and he places his massive hand on my shoulder.
”Well, for tonight at least, you can consider me your friend, Ebeneezer Biggs.”
We head further down the street, and come to a modest home, on the bottom level of a building. The spirit directs me to look inside the window, and I peer upon my employee, C.J. Cratchett, along with his family. He has a wife, two daughters, and a tiny son who must walk with a crutch. Their entire abode is smaller than my bed chamber, but they appear to all be happy despite that fact. There are a few decorations, like holly lining the hearth and a very small, miniscule Christmas Chaos tree. They sit around the table, with a small fowl in the center, much too small to feed a family that size. The little one begins to pray for the food.
”Dear God, thank you for Christmas Chaos. Thank you for the chance to get to be with the ones we love on this special day. Thank you for my mommy, my daddy, and my two sisters. And thank you for Mr. Ebeneezer Biggs, who pays my daddy so we could have this feast tonight. I pray that he could be having a good Christmas Chaos Eve as well. Thank you. Amen...”
I am deeply moved by the words of the little one. Why would he thank me for such a meager goose on the table?
”Great prayer, Tiny Mr. Dangerous! Let's eat!” C.J. says as he begins to carve the goose.
”Oh boy! *cough* *cough*” Tiny Mr. Dangerous begins to go into a coughing fit, and his parents rush to coddle him.
I turn to the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Present, and ask of him, ”What is to become of Tiny Mr. Dangerous? Will he make it?”
Terry solemnly shakes his head, and has a forlorn look on his usually jovial face. ”Sadly, this is to be Tiny Mr. Dangerous' last Christmas Chaos. You see, while they were able to afford the goose, it was only due to the kindness of the butcher. Normally, they could not afford something so extravagant, by their standards, on the pay which you give C.J. Also, they do not have the money for medicine to help Tiny Mr. Dangerous...”
”This is a tragedy! Something must be done!” I turn back to the window, peering once more upon the Cratchett family. Tiny Mr. Dangerous' coughing has subsided for now, and the five of them all share a tender embrace. It melts my heart to see such familial love. I can't help but feel regret for the fact that I have no family of my own.
As I turn back towards Terry Marvin, I notice that he is holding a wooden chair high above his head. ”That's a most curious thing you are doing, spirit. Why are you holding that chair above your head?”
”Oh no reason in particular. Just to knock you out so you can appear back in your bed...”
”Okay, I guess that makes sense, wait, wha..!?” are the last words I manage to get out before he smashes the chair right into my head, knocking me out!
*~*~*
Some time later, I wake up for the third time this night. I reach up immediately to feel my forehead, but despite the vicious chair shot I received at the hands of Terry, there doesn't seem to be any knot on my head. However, this is a small comfort, as my room begins to fill with an ominous black mist. I clutch my covers in terror as I see what can only be the third spirit before me, Level-One!
He is dressed in a tattered, dark robe, with a hood that mostly conceals his face. My voice trembles as I begin to speak. ”You must be the Ghost of Christmas Chaos Future...”
Without saying a word, he simply nods his head, acknowledging himself to be so.
”And you are here to show me my future...”
Again, the spirit simply nods. He sticks his bony hand out towards me, pointing right at my heart. I am gripped with fear as the black mist swirls around the two of us, and as it clears, we are standing in a cemetery, where two men are digging a plot. One of them is tall, muscular, with blonde hair upon his head, while the other is of Hispanic decent. They talk to one another as they work.
”I'll tell you what, mi amigo, this guy we're digging for, he was filthy rich, and yet, he could never get the attention of the sexy ladies!”
”Please, Armando, show some respect for the dead...”
”Why? Ol' Ebeneezer Biggs never showed respect to anyone! They say he died alone, and that nobody is planning on coming to his funeral, save for his employee, C.J. Cratchett!”
”That was a real shame for the Cratchett family, how they lost Tiny Mr. Dangerous. C.J. hasn't been the same since...”
I turn to the dark spirit, and plead with him. ”Please, Spirit, you've made your point. I see the error of my ways. I wish to go now...”
The spirit shakes his head no, and points for me to read my own tombstone as the two men continue to dig.
”I'm sorry, spirit, it's too dark, I cannot make it out.”
All of a sudden, an otherworldly green light flash from within his robes, illuminating the headstone. It simply reads “Ebeneezer Biggs, Gone and Not Missed.”
”What a terrible thing for my headstone to read, spirit! What a cruel thing for you do to do to bring me here! To show me my fate, and to remind me of the fact that poor Tiny Mr. Dangerous is not long for this world! I wish to go home this instant!”
A deep laughter begins to emanate from Level-One, a sinister laughter. He opens his robes to reveal a body made solely of bones, and a mixture of the green light and black mist envelope me once more! A sense of dread and panic overtake me, and I feel as though I'm suffocating, as his laughter continues to fill me ears, chilling me to my very soul!
”What is this darkness that I'm experiencing! Spirit, don't forsake me! Take me home!” My pulse is quickening, my panic rising as I continue to fall into the deep abyss! I have been falling for what seems like ages, my terror growing all the way down until I land with a sharp THUD! And everything is black once more...
*~*~*
As I open my eyes, I find myself in the safety of my bed chamber once more, and leap up with a start! I rush to my window, drawing the curtains aside to peer out upon the town, seeing the bright light of morning as snow falls outside! I see some children playing in the street below, and I'm quick to open my windows.
”Children, what day is it today?!”
Both shoot me a quizzical look, before a young boy with red hair and a ruddy coat responds, ”Sir, it is Christmas Chaos!”
”Merry Christmas Chaos, my friend! Merry Christmas Chaos to us all!”
There's a spring in my step as I prepare myself for the day, getting dressed before heading out onto the street. People are generally surprised as I greet each and every one of them with a ”Merry Christmas Chaos!” I hear murmurings that people think I've gone mad, but I heed them no attention, instead continuing the wish everyone I see a Merry Christmas Chaos. Before long, I reach the butcher's shop.
”What can I do for you, Ebeneezer Biggs, you old scrooge!?” Kash the butcher calls out.
”Well, first off, you can have a Merry Christmas Chaos! Secondly, I'd like the biggest goose you have!”
”Can do! But that's an awful of goose for one person, Mr. Biggs. Everyone knows that you don't share anything you have! How can you ever hope to finish this on your own!?”
”I won't be eating it alone!”
”Well good for you, Mr. Biggs! By the way, if you're looking for dessert, I know that JK's Bon Bons are open this morning from 8 o'clock until 11.”
”I shall have to give him a visit then! Thanks again, and Merry Christmas Chaos!”
I make a few more stops, and have to hire a boy with a wagon to carry everything I'm buying. Before long, I arrive at my destination, the house of C.J. Cratchett. I direct the boy to stand silently out of view with his wagon, and give three hard knocks on the door of Cratchett. From inside, I hear, ”I'll be right there!” and before long, C.J. opens the door. He is genuinely shocked to see me, and has a long look on his face. For my part, I pretend to be incredibly cross with him.
”Cratchett! The bank was supposed to open for business a half an hour ago! It is by no means ready for business!”
”Please, sir, I'm sorry! It's Christmas Chaos, I was hoping to spend a little bit more time with my family. But I will get my coat and be on my way...”
”I'll have nothing of the sort, C.J.! You shall not be going into work today!”
”Because I'm fired?”
At this point, I let my demeanor change to be more cheerful. ”No, because it is Christmas Chaos, and the bank is closed for the day! And don't worry, today is a paid day off!”
”Oh thank you, Mr. Biggs!” C.J. exclaims as he wraps me in a warm embrace. I see Tiny Mr. Dangerous hobbling up to me, and looks up to me with big, hopeful eyes.
”Thank you, sir!”
”Please, call me Ebeneezer!”
I direct the boy to bring the wagon. The children's eyes light up as they see all manner of toys and food in the wagon. Tiny Mr. Dangerous, in particular, is taken aback by the size of the Christmas Chaos Goose.
”Is that goose for us, Ebeneezer!?”
”Yes it is, m'boy!”
C.J. and his wife are speechless as they pour through the contents of the wagon, and they can't believe their eyes as they come across the medicine for Tiny Mr. Dangerous. C.J. comes up to me, and takes me aside.
”Sir, we appreciate your generosity, but there's no way we'll be able to pay you back for all that you've done for us here today...”
”And you shall not have to. You have my word, Cratchett, so long as Tiny Mr. Dangerous is in need of that medicine, I am more than happy to help cover the cost for it. All that I ask for in return is that I may have the chance to become a like a part of your family. I have no family of my own, and I was hoping that you might let me be a part of yours, if you would have me...”
”Of course! Kids, come say thank you to Uncle Ebeneezer Biggs for all he's done for us today!”
They thank me and hug me, and my heart is warmed all of it. I had been so focused on helping myself, that I had made myself miserable. I have learned the true meaning of Christmas Chaos, in fact life itself, and that it is much better when it is shared with others.
”Merry Christmas Chaos!” I shout once more, as Tiny Mr. Dangerous tugs on my pant leg. ”Yes, Tiny Mr. Dangerous?”
”God bless you, Uncle Ebeneezer, and God bless us, everyone!”
The End
***
Depeche Mode's “Spacewalker” plays as the words FIRST CONTACT flash across the starry background in big, bold blue letters. The video transitions to Biggs in the gym, standing in front of a large punching bag, throwing fists, knees, and kicks at it before taking a break and walking towards the camera. He takes a seat on a bench, and begins to speak.
”Welcome, one and all, to Biggs' First Contact! I'm just a little over 24 hours away from my Main Event match up with Terry Marvin for the APW Undisputed Championship! Words cannot express how excited I am for this opportunity. And Terry, while you may have cherry picked me to be your opponent for this match, I fully intend on making you pay for your pick.”
“Like I mentioned in my last episode, Terry, it's painfully obvious how much you want to walk into RassleMania as the APW Undisputed Champion, and how you want to defend that title against Level-One, or at least so you say. You've been telling the world, and telling yourself, that you picked me to be your warm-up match for that potentially epic encounter, that even though I'll put up a decent enough challenge, that you're chances of walking out with your title intact are pretty safe.”
“After all, I missed most of this year with a serious concussion, and at one point, I was mired in a huge losing streak the likes of which supposedly top guys should never find themselves in. You even talked to me earlier this fall about how I was supposedly washed up, and told me that I should do myself a favor and hang up my boots for good.”
“But then One Night in Hell happened. Going into the Elimination Chamber, conventional wisdom and popular opinion dictated that I would probably be the first or second guy eliminated. That I was simply in the Chamber to add name value to the match, and that I wasn't expected to make a lot of noise. But make noise I did, Terry, and I came within inches of ending the Year of Terry Marvin inside the Elimination Chamber. I rightfully give credit to you for being able to hold onto your title in that match, Terry, but come this Sunday, it will be only you and me inside the ring. You're good friend Level-One won't be in there to help you, and you won't have the Chamber to rely on as a weapon. The fact is, Terry, it's going to come down to simply you versus me. And in that environment, Terry, I'll be honest, I like my chances.”
“Because, Terry, like I've said before, you've already played your cards, showed your hand, and I know that you're coming into Christmas Chaos with the intent to not just defeat me, but potentially injure me in the process. I know that you're coming in as the no good, down and dirty bastard you've always been, and not the courteous, fan friendly, caring man you claimed to be for several months. You made a tactical error showing your true colors as early as you did, Terry, one that I will most certainly capitalize on!”
“Because you see, Terry, even though I've turned over a new leaf personally and professionally, even though I have been embraced by the fans, and have been making efforts to make amends with them and everyone I have wronged here in APW, that doesn't mean I've lost any of my competitive drive! Just because I am now apparently on the side of angels doesn't mean that my skill or talent has been neutered! While my world view is shifting away from the Machiavellian stance of the ends justify the means, it doesn't mean that I'm afraid to get my hands dirty when I have to.”
“Terry I know that you're going to try to pull every dirty trick in the book, and maybe even try to create some new ones, but guess what, Terry, you're looking at the guy who wrote the book on fighting dirty! And while I may no longer utilize some of the more unsavory tactics I would have employed in the past, the fact of the matter is that I know what they are, how they are used, and most importantly, how to counter them! There is nothing you can do in this match to surprise me, Terry, because any dirty trick, any short cut you try to use on me, you can bet that I've already done it before myself!”
“And if a point does come in the match to where I need to bend the rules a bit, if I may deem it necessary to nail you right between the eyes with a steel chair while the ref is out, or if I have to resort to a thumb to the eye while the ref is distracted, well, so be it. But the difference is, Terry, because I'll be doing those things against you, I'll be cheered for it!”
“People don't like being lied to, Terry Marvin, and you tried to pull one of the biggest scam jobs in recent wrestling history, convincing the fans that you were a white knight, here to save APW from the evil of the twisted Kurt Noble, who was delving further and further into madness. You pretended to give a crap what the fans thought of you, you pretended to care about others. You put on a show that you were this great guy, a guy that the fans could get behind, who would be their champion, that 2012 would be not just the Year of Terry Marvin, but the Year of the Fans as well. You promised that to them, Terry, and you didn't deliver, not by a long shot!”
“Now I'm not saying that I'm any white knight either, I'm grey at best, but unlike you, Terry Marvin, not once have I ever lied to anyone here in APW! I have been honest with absolutely everyone about who I am, and what I've been about. Am I proud of everything I've done while under contract in APW? Most certainly not? Am I trying to change myself for the better, you bet!”
“I think the real reason that the fans are behind me and not you, Terry, is because with me, they know exactly what they're getting. They're getting a guy who each and every time he steps into that ring tries to steal the show! They're getting a guy who trains harder and fights harder than anyone else in this business! They're getting a guy who takes this sport seriously, and trains in all facets of the game, physical and mental, to make sure that he has the best fighting chance each and every time he steps into the ring!”
“With you, Terry, they get a two faced manipulator who uses the people around him for his own ends. I'll admit, yes, I used to do that myself, but I'm changing. With you, Terry, they get somebody who is more interested in setting up a title match with his friend, rather than defending his belt against all comers! Terry Marvin versus Level-One could technically be a great match, but it's not really a match that people want to see. Simply put, you are two of the most hated men in APW today. If the fans don't have somebody to cheer for, they're not going to care.”
“I owe it not only to myself, but to the fans, to make sure that you don't get your way, Terry, because nobody wants to see you and Level-One headline RassleMania.”
Biggs takes a sip from his water bottle, before continuing on.
”That being said, as much as you're not going to have an easy time against me, I also know I'm not going have an easy time against you. After all, this hasn't been called the Year of Terry Marvin for nothing. With all the accolades you have accomplished in just this year, well, you've probably secured yourself a first ballot spot in the APW Hall of Fame one day. You can wrestle, you wouldn't be APW Undisputed Champion if you couldn't!”
“Both of us have highly technical styles, and counter wrestling is our bread and butter. However, I know I'm facing an uphill battle in the size and strength department, as you outweigh me by 30 pounds, and have almost half a foot on me in height and reach. I know that you're going to want control the tempo of the match, you're going to try and keep me grounded on the mat. Because my greatest strength, my speed and high flying game, quite frankly, you don't have an answer to! My goal is simple, Terry, to utilize my speed and aerial attack to keep you off balance, to prevent you from being able to take control of the match. While I know there will be ebbs and flows in the match, that there will be natural shifts in momentum, but by and large, I intend on dictating the pace, I intend on wrestling my type of wrestling match, not yours.”
“You can expect a lot of quick strikes, a lot of high flying, and once I have control of the match, I intend on wearing you down and tiring you out with my vast repitiore of submission holds. When we step into the ring tomorrow night, it's not going to be a short match, not in the slightest. You and I are both extremely well conditioned, and have high thresholds of pain, as was evident inside the Elimination Chamber. This match isn't going to be won in the early goings, it's not going to be won in the middle of the match. No, this match will be won in the late game, when we're both tired, when we both have to dig down into the very depths of our souls to push through to victory. You have one speed, Terry, full steam ahead. Me on the other hand, I know how to pace myself. In the late match, I will have much more left in the tank than you will. Yes, you have the heart of a champion, you have the intangibles. I know I'm not going to be able to win it with just one UFO Frog Splash. It might take more than one Spaced Out. It's certainly going to take more than a Whiplash for you to take me out!”
“Because with the lights on bright, with the title on the line, well, it shows you the true character of the men involved! You held on inside the Elimination Chamber, and quite frankly, I over performed in that match. Tomorrow night, both of us have the opportunity to prove that we didn't get lucky inside the Chamber. For you, you can prove that you are as great as your victory at One Night in Hell says you are. You defeated myself, C.J. Gates, Chris Hart, Kurt Noble, and Level-One in one night. If you aren't able to defeat me on my own, well, then unfortunately for you, it will undercut your win inside the Elimination Chamber. If I can defeat you, and I certainly think I can, then I will secure my second APW Undisputed Championship against the man who won the biggest title match in APW history. When I won my first title, nobody thought I could defeat Level-One, but I did. And while you're the heavy favorite going into this match up as well, I can't help but go in liking my chances! With my skill and talent, and for the first time in my career in a big time title match, the support of the crowd. I've already acknowledged that how I perform in the ring ultimately rests solely on me, but there's no doubt they're going to help will me on in the later parts of the match, giving me just the inspiration I need to push through to victory!”
“Tomorrow night most certainly be a silent night. What we do to each other inside the ring won't be holy! If I may mix my Christmas song analogies, tomorrow night, Terry Marvin, I'm gonna to make sure that you pout, I'm gonna make sure that you do cry, because tomorrow night, in Madison Square Garden, Biggs is coming to town, and I'm coming for your APW Undisputed Championship!”
“Just remember Terry, when you find yourself looking up at the lights, feeling the ref's hand coming down for the one, two, three, and you hear the ring of that bell, just remember that you hand picked me to be your opponent. When I shock the world once more, winning my second APW Undisputed Title Match as an underdog, you will have only yourself to blame. Thank you, Terry, for this Christmas present. Thank you for this opportunity.”
“Tomorrow night, at Christmas Chaos, the Year of Terry Marvin will come to an end, and the Year of Biggs will begin! Why? Because when it's Showtime, I'm quite simply OUT OF THIS WORLD!”
Biggs flashes his trademark smirk, and gets back to training as “Spacewalker” plays again, and First Contact fades to black.
