Post by chaos lite on May 31, 2013 10:37:12 GMT -4
i’ll conquer them for me and you
may.26.thirteen12:00pm
Ugh... where the hell am I?
I opened my eyes and the first thing I did was laugh. I laughed because I didn’t realize where I was. I didn’t know why I was alone in a hotel room. I didn’t know why I was wearing Talon’s shirt, and little more than Talon’s shirt. I didn’t know why I had an excruciating headache (made less excruciating solely by the fact that I was used to the aforementioned excruciating headache).
If I had to guess, I’d say I’m in Miami. It’s just a guess.
I lose time. I drink a lot. I do a lot of shit I shouldn’t do. All of the minute details are lost on me, so go ahead, pass your judgment. See if I give a flying fuck. I probably did more meaningful shit while I was blacked out than you’ve done in your entire life.
There’s blood in my nose. That’s fucking lovely. That could be from anything.
”CAAASSSSSSSSSS!”
I sat in the bed and giggled again, because I found it truly amusing when I didn’t get a response. What was I expecting?
”TAAAAAL!”
Nothing.
Hahahahahaha.
”Holy fffffffuck.”
I threw myself back down on the bed and buried my face in my pillow. For all I know, I could’ve fallen asleep again, but I don’t think I did. I’m not that unstable... I do know that when I finally opened my eyes again and looked toward the digital alarm clock, I was a little bit sickened with myself because it was noon. Noon. How’d you manage that one, Aubs?
Rhetorical. I don’t have the answer.
There are a lot of things I don’t have the answer to, though. Like... why aren’t you one half of the World Tag Team Champions? I speak in rhetorics.
A better question I could ask myself is... why don’t you win Test for the Best? What’s stopping you? Who’s holding you back?
AUBREY.
AUBREY.
AUBREY is the answer.
It’s always Aubrey J. Parker that stops me from taking that one giant step into greatness, and I’ve seen what happens to so many talented Megastars that are held back by their own egos, for years, and years, until they reach a point where nobody cares anymore- and I won’t become one of those Megastars. I won’t let me kill me.
may.26.thirteen12:06pm
Norman’s here.
He was in the kitchen of the suite, sitting, helping himself to a cup of tea like some sort of creep.
”Whaaaaat the hell.”
”Good mor..... ha, good afternoon, Ms. Parker.”
”This is a severe breach of professionalism. You realize that breaking and entering is still a crime, even in hotels, right?”
”Mr. Wilkinson actually invited me in a few moments ago... I told him to slam the door, figuring it might startle you awake. He was amused by the whole thing- wonderful guy, really. He said you two had a wild night last night, so I procured some ibuprofen if you have-”
”I don’t want to talk to you.”
Dr. Norman N. Nemo looked at me with a blank expression for a moment, and I felt my heart beating faster... eventually his lips curled into that devilish smile that I’ve grown to hate.
”I figured that was the case. You missed our last two meetings.”
”I didn’t miss them.”
He got a laugh out of that and looked away for a moment, breaking the stare... I consider it a tally under the “win” section on the Aubrey/Norman scoreboard.
”Okay. You avoided them.”
”I had other things to do.”
”Such as the events that transpired last night, then?”
”It’s not your business.”
”...Aubrey, I want to talk about your injuries and a pattern I’ve noticed with your- your psychological decline.”
I’m not sure what look I was giving him but if I had to guess, my mouth was ever so slightly agape and my left eyebrow was arched while I burned a hole through his fucking soul.
”With each injury you’ve sustained while signed with Action Packed Wrestling, there has also been an incredible amount of stress to accompany it. Perhaps it’s the attitude that you’ve tricked yourself into adapting in order to survive in your current situation in your profession-”
”You shouldn’t even be here.”
”-but whatever the case, Aubrey, it’s unhealthy, and it’s caused you to hurt yourself more. With those injuries, I understand you’ve discovered the need to self-medicate, and I’ve seen your Twitter... I’ve seen how great of a job you do at hiding these things from the general public and your dedicated fans, but there has to come a time when, whether you’re in a match with Keaton Saint, or if you’re sitting in a cublicle-”
”You shouldn’t be here.”
Norman’s face fell. He looked at me, and I could tell from his glance that it wasn’t his first time noticing that I’d failed to move a single muscle since entering the kitchen. He had his guard up.
”Aubrey, you’re a sociopath.”
I don’t know if you know what it feels like to get shot.
”Excuse me?”
For a long time, Norman stared at me- through me. He looked guilty, and then pleased, and then... apathetic. He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms and shook his head.
”I shouldn’t have... that was out of line.”
I don’t know what prompted me to do so, and I don’t remember doing it, but I took a seat at the table across from Norman.
”You know what’s killing me?”
”What?”
”I think I’m the best in the world at my career. The best ever made. And... I feel that no one else feels like that. And now I have a chance to silence everybody, and I’m choking. I’m fucking drowning, Norm.”
”Inside the New Sindicate?”
”Inside myself. I can’t fuck this up.”
”Then don’t. Don’t fuck this up.”
”Easy for you to say. I make one wrong move, and I could break my ribs all over again.”
”Not so easy for me to say, because if I make one wrong move, I could help you ruin your life. And that isn’t what we’re here to do.”
My mouth was dry. I remember the little things.
”How are you feeling?”
”I feel fantastic.”
”Your ribs?”
”A little bruised, but healing very nicely. I’ll be medically cleared by Saturday, just in time for Sunday night. In time for Keaton Saint, and... and my shot at silencing everyone.”
”You want them to talk though, don’t you?”
Well, I’m sure you know what it feels like to be punched. This feeling is a little bit more tangible.
”Yes.”
”I don’t think anybody is silenced if you win this tournament, Aubrey. I think you might silence yourself. You might find that you’re worth more to you than you originally thought.”
I don’t think I picked up on what he was trying to do. He had made the mistake of allowing me to get on the subject of APW, and I had tunnel vision.
”They’ll talk, because when I win, then everybody gets to talk about how I’m going to stick the knife in Terry Marvin’s back, and twist it until I take the Undisputed Title... everybody can witness a classic match between two of the best the world has ever seen... but first, I have to get through somebody that Terry knows very well. I have to get through dear Keaton.”
”Is this all you’ve been thinking about?”
”I don’t want him to have a chance. I don’t want to see Keaton Saint get another opportunity for the Undisputed Title. I want it!”
”How bad do you want it?”
”Really bad.”
”Enough to hurt your friends for it? Your comrades? Those that are close to you?”
”It’s all I can think about.”
Somewhere in the back of my head, I realized I hadn’t given him a straight answer, but somewhere in the front, I didn’t care.
”I don’t care what I have to do to get there, but I’m going to win Test for the Best and I’m going to become the Undisputed Champion by any means necessary. That’s the way I roll, Norm. Everybody knows that... you know it.”
Things are a little bit tricky here. I don’t remember what Norman said to me, but I know he didn’t say it with the intent of making me feel good about myself. I remember feeling my face grow hot, and I said something to him- maybe it was something nasty- I really don’t know. But before I knew it, it was 1:00, and he was pushing himself up to his feet, giving me a smile with an arm extended out to me, a patient hand waiting for the exchange of farewells.
”I wish you luck, Aubrey, with everything. Hopefully I’ll see you in my office next Wednesday morning?”
”Maybe. Don’t strain yourself looking too hard though...”
And he left.
I mean, yeah, his departure was a little warmer and more heartfelt (or what he thought was such) than that but who wants to hear that shit? Instead, hear what happened when that bitch of a best friend, Cassandra McPherson came back to the hotel suite.
may.26.thirteen1:33pm
”I don’t know if you’re ready for Keaton.”
”Pardon?”
”Aubs, it’s all you talk about. I get it- it’s important, but you’re beating yourself up. Let’s go to a spa or something... just get your mind off of everything for a few days and-”
”Cass, this is the first time I’ve been able to train in weeks! I can actually stretch without feeling like my ribcage is going to explode; it’s a fucking miracle.”
”We just need to get you away for a couple of days. It’ll be good for you.”
”...and do what?”
”We’ll figure it out. It’s just- the last thing I want to see is you throwing a temper tantrum because you psyched yourself out of winning that tournament.”
I was irked at the dismissive terminology: ”that tournament.” Fuck you, Cassandra.
”Alright. Pick a day.”
If I’d known what she was up to, I wouldn’t have smiled back at her. I wouldn’t have been relaxed by Cassandra’s grin. I would’ve done everything I could to prevent what was coming... but hindsight is 20/20 as they say.
”Friday. I’ll have a surprise for you.”
Surprises.
I hate them.
may.29.thirteen8:05pm
”Keaton, you’re great.
You’re one of the best wrestlers to ever come into APW and everybody agrees. Everybody knows that... and if they wanted evidence, they wouldn’t have to look any farther than Terry Marvin for that proof.
Terry has TOLD me how great you are, Keaton. He’s warned me... and I’ve heeded every warning. I will approach you with the deathly intent of a professional. I will do anything I can to put you out of this Test for the Best tournament and I’ll do it by any means necessary. I’m doing it for the New Sindicate. I’m doing it for the people.
He told me that I might get hurt. He told me that you have a lot to fight for... and it’s not like I couldn’t see that. You held the World Heavyweight Championship for two weeks before Michael Callahan took it from you- and then he let it become dull, and meaningless in his hands, bless his heart.
And now a tyrant has it. Level One. You caused that to happen, Keaton. As far as I’m concerned, and as far as the NEW Sindicate is concerned, you let Asylum down when you failed at Rasslemania. You let yourself down, and you let your fans down when you failed at Mayhem.
All of your comrades have fallen, and all of them have fled... and now you’re the single pillar, doing your best to uphold your morals... to be the primary support of this big machine we call APW.
Except-
Except I’m going to knock you down, and everything you fight so valiantly for is gonna come crashing down right on top of you.
I don’t know who you’ll reach out to for help, but I’ll be there to take your hand... pull you up to your feet... and tell you ‘job well done’ because that’s the kind of girl I am, but then I’ll let you see how everything you guys fought for became nothing.
What happened at Mayhem wasn't fair. You and Atken were supposed to have a fighting chance but you never did... and despite all the wrong, I have no sympathy for you. I've been there, on the receiving end of attacks and conspiracies and it feels GOOD to be on the other side of it.
You were a target, Keaton, and this is a conspiracy.
I'm going to avenge Asylum, and along with Logan, Christian, and Terry, I'm going to help make things right again. We're going to give these men and women a group that they can idolize... not one that'll abandon them at the drop of a hat. No- we're the new faces of hope.
I am the new face of hope.
I am the best.
I shouldn't have to say it, so I have to show you and... a win over you... it makes a statement. It shows the world that I should be where Level One is, and Terry, and- and-
The thought... Ha, it drives me fucking crazy, babydoll. I can feel it in my grasp and I've never wanted anything so fucking bad. I've never wanted to hurt anybody as bad as I want to hurt you on Sunday.
I am the best.
You're gonna help me prove it, baby.
And for that... I thank you.
I thank you."
fin.
