Blinded by The "Light" Pt. 1

[Nick Watson]

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The Old Master and The Young Student!
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*After New Year's Retribution*

"Good match out there, Weatherlight."

"Good to see you retained your title, Pence."

"Good job in winning that title match against Victor Hades, Mr. Main Event!"

I heard their voices, but I couldn't help, but breeze by the staff members who were giving me words of encouragement without even taking a second to reply as I made my way down the halls of the backstage area. I had just retained my Overdrive Championship with a victory over Victor Hades at New Year's Retribution, but for some odd reason the win felt pointless and meaningless. To be honest, being the Overdrive champion kind of made me feel like shit, what was a man to do about that though? I had been run out of the Heavyweight division by Slade Craven who had, by what I had seen, flopped again against the arrogant dick known as Level One. I weaved my way through the backstage area and as I passed Jeff's office door, or what would have been his door. I looked at my Overdrive title which I had slung over my shoulder. I stood there at the door for a second and then without a moment more of hesitation, dropped the belt right at the front door of the office, and made my way to my locker room.

The Overdrive belt was not the belt for me, sure I had brought some honor back to the division, sure I had increased the popularity of the division, but what does it matter? The Overdrive division was for the newer generation of wrestlers which were now starting to swarm to APW like it was some kind of oasis in the middle of the desert. It was not for someone like me...a one time world heavyweight champion who was looking for his opportunity to shine for the second time in his career as the show's main champion. But to do that I would have to take drastic measures.

"Remember the plan, Pence. It will work and when it does you will be on your way to being the APW Champion again.[/i]"

I could hear Madok's plan in my head even though Madok was no where around me. It was a sound plan, even if it did cost me some diginity to go as low as the scum known as Level One...it would indefinitely get me the title shot I was so seeking. But was that really what I wanted? Was it only the belt that I wanted? No. I knew deep within that there was another reason for me wanting to get a shot at the title again. Level One. That's right, Level One...I wanted to crush him, just to hear him scream out in agony while I stood above him with a sinister grin playing across my face. I wanted him to gush crimson all over the mat while I watched him bleed out. I wanted to attend his funeral and then piss on his coffin while singing the American national anthem and then watch as his girlfriend cried as I bad mouthed her deceased boyfriend in my good bye speach to the asshole of the APW.

He deserved it, he deserved all of what I could think of doing to him, and if anyone said otherwise they were a damn fool! He had bad mouthed everyone, he had arrogantly displayed his superiority, and believed that his actions would not go unpunished. That what he had done to everyone, especially me, was condoned because he was the champion, just because he held a shiny brass ring that he rubbed his greedy fingers over every time he stepped into the squared ring in front of countless millions of booing fans. Yet, as we viewed him as a vile, disgusting creature, he viewed us as inferiors, deemed us all as unworthy of his presence, and uttered slander about those who dare have an oppinion that differed from his own. He made me sick and as such...I seeked to destroy him. My past attempts had not been good enough, he had came out on top, even if it was by a hair, and all that did was make him feel superior and to him, prove his points were valid. It made me sick to my stomach even thinking about the fact that I was half to blame for his superiority complex and his false proven points. All that would come to an end soon though, at least that is what he hoped for! If the plan went ahead as it was plotted to...Pence would be getting another shot at the title at Rasslemania and there was nothing that Level One could do about that.

"I am here to see, Mr. Weatherlight. Can you please let me through!? I have an urgent message!"

I turned at the sound of a voice talking about me to find a guard holding back a woman who appeared to be Asian. She looked to be about my age and wore her hair up in a bun, she held an envelope in her hand, and was trying as hard as she could to press by the guard. I walked over to the guard and place a hand on his shoulder, he looked at me in confusion as I looked at the girl one more time before looking at the guard, and speaking.

"Let her by. What could it hurt anyway? Besides she has a message for me."

He looked at me questioningly and then shrugged his shoulders, giving me a reply as he did so.

"She is your responsibility. Just don't cause any problems for the other wrestlers, alright?"

The Asian woman looked at the guard and then to me, she gave me a smile, and then turned to look at the guard again, nodding her head while doing so. Giving him her word and passing by him quickly, she took my arm, and led me away from the guard quickly. I was surprised that she had took me by the arm and realized quite quickly that the young lady was quite a bit stronger than I had originally thought. Once we were a good distance away from the guard and about a few yards away from my locker room, we stopped, and she began to speak.

"It is good to see you again, Pence."

"Do I know you? Ms...."

" Please don't tell me you have forgotten my name. I guess it has been about eighteen years since we last spoke. It is me, Sasaori Shun, daughter of Master Shun of the Shun academy of combat."

I took a step back, memories of a dojo in Japan filling my head as I realized that the girl before me was the grand daughter of one of the greatest martial artists in all of Japan. Mind you he was one of those rarely seen masters because he liked his privacy, but none the less this was the very same girl I had trained with over eighteen years ago in the Shun dojo near Mt. Fuiji. I shook my head and put out my hand for a hand shake as I spoke up.

"I'm so sorry, Sasaori! I didn't mean to forget about you. It has been way too long! How is...."

She gave me a hug and began to speak to me in almost tears, I didn't know what was going on, but I comforted her none the less.

"I've come here at the request of my grandfather...he is quite ill, Pence. And he wanted to do right by you before he passes. "

"Do right by me? What did he ever do wrong? I was the one that left the dojo before I could complete his training. There is no reason for him to want to do right by me when he has never done anything wrong in the first place."

"But that is not how grandfather views it! And ever since father rennounced his birth right as head of the Shun academy...grandfather just hasn't been himself. He says that if he finishes your training then he can die with dignity since you were the only student who never finished the training."

I pulled Sasaori into my locker room and sat her down on a bench, she looked at me in confusion as I began to talk to her.

"Listen, I don't need his training. I'm fine as I am now besides if things go the way I think they will tonight...I will be in line for an APW championship shot."

"I see...I just thought...."

She was really delicate, regardless of how strong she was inside, I found that she was just as delicate as she had been when she was a ten year old child training side by side with me in that dojo near Fuiji. I sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her, hugging her close, and letting her cry on my shoulder. That is when Madok walked into the room. It was probably the worst time for him to arrive.

" Hey champ I found...woah! Dude, I will come back later, I see you are busy...you stud you!"

"Don't go jumping ahead of yourself here! This is just a friend of mine that I haven't seen in a very long time!"

"Well if you aren't going to throw your hat in the mix, then you don't mind if I..."

"No, actually I do mind!"

"You seem pretty aggressive for a guy who is just here with a "friend"."

Sasaori looked up at me and then at Madok before looking back at me quizzacly. I shrugged my shoulders, what else could I do in this situation? Madok was always a nag, but hell he was the best damn manager a wrestler like myself could have.

"Who is he?"

Madok got down on one knee quicker than I had ever seen a human being do before, he grabbed her hand, and put it to his lips, kissing her hand kingly, and then replying.

"Madok Mortalis, I am the head of Mortalis Incorporated, we are a weapons company that makes weapons for countries world wide. Maybe you have heard of us?"

"Can't say that I have."

I laughed as Madok litterally crumpled to the floor like a man who had just been punched square in the jaw, but I found myself being knocked back to reality as Sasaori began to speak again.

"Please, Pence...it is his dieing wish to perfect your fighting style."

"What are you talking about little miss?"

"Pence won't come back to Japan to complete his training."

Madok looked at me with his eyebrow raised and I could see that he was questioning what Sasaori meant. I nodded my head and began to explain.

"A long time ago, about twenty-one years ago...I was enlisted in a school that trained advanced combat techniques. I stayed there for three years and never really like it there, Sasaori here, is the grand daughter of the man who trained me. Master Shun of the Shun academy of combat. I never finished my training of course, leaving before I could learn the practical uses of all the techniques in a combat situation because back then I believed I would not need the physical manuevers and all I would need would be my gun and my keen sense of sight. I have regretted it alot, but in a sense I had always some where deep in my mind thought it had been the right choice."

"And now my grand father is dieing and he won't come to be the last student he will ever finish training for."

Madok rubbed his chin for a few seconds, clearly he was thinking of saying something, but didn't really know how to word it, and I waited for him patiently. Madok was definitely not an insensitive man when it came to matters of life or death, after all he had been the Invoker for many years fighting the Los Numeros, and he had seen plenty of death at their hands. He folded his hand and then sat down on a bench on the opposite side of the locker room, he cleared his throat, and then began speak.

"You should go to Japan and finish your training."

I was surprised by his statement, so surprised in fact that my jaw dropped. I had thought at most he was going to say "Go to Japan and pay your final respects.", but the man had completely threw me a curve ball. I finally willed my voice to return so that I could reply.

"Can I really just fly off for an unknown amount of time to finish my training? Wouldn't that jeporadize the mission and the plan we have in the works?"

"Don't worry about it. I will handle everything, you just finish your training. Besides, this is what you want...I can tell."

He looked at me cooly and with a smile. In truth, I guess I did want to go, I wanted to finish my training, and come back better than I had ever been to claim the APW Championship.

"I guess it would be good for me to finish my training. After all it could really help me step up my game for Rasslemania."

"Exactly, just leave everything to me. I will handle all the planning, you just go on to Japan, and finish that training that this pretty woman keeps talking about."

Sasaori smiled a bit at the compliment and Pence shrugged, Madok was always after the ladies regardless of if he had his full with them at the time. I looked to Sasaori with a grin on my face and nodded my head.

"Alright, I guess we are going to Japan."

She gave me a tight hug and I couldn't help, but hug her back. Over her shoulder I could see Madok give me the thumbs up and I waved him off, he chuckled to himself, and made his way to the locker room door.

"Make sure to be ready, the plan starts after New Year's Retribution goes off the air. I will leave you two alone for now while I go get ready for my role in the plan."

He exited through the door and made his way down the hall, at least from what I could hear and see before the door closed. Sasaori and myself were now all alone in my locker room, she stood up abruptly, and put the envelope I had seen her carrying earlier into my hand. She began to talk with a lot of emotion, mostly saddness, in her voice.

"This is from grand-father. He wanted you to read it before you arrived to reassure you of what you are doing. I will be waiting for you outside from there we will go to your hotel to pick up your things and then we will go to the airport and fly out of town to Japan."

I nodded my head as she began to walk away too, but she turned and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I was startled by the kiss and she smiled.

"Thanks for doing this for my grand father, Pence. Even though you had to be talked into it...I'm glad you are coming."

"Don't mention it. Now I have some things to do before I can go anywhere. So if you don't mind?"

"Alright, I will get out of here. Please don't keep me waiting?"

"I won't...I promise."

That is when she turned and left me alone in my locker room which had grown deathly silent because I didn't want to speak. I looked at the letter in my hand and slowly began to peel away at the top of the letter so that I could access the content inside. I wondered what master Shu would send me at a time like this. I finished opening the envelope and turned it over to pour the paper from within out at a faster rate and as I did so a sort of medallion fell out of the envelope along with a letter. I looked at the medallion for a second, it was a beautiful gold medallion that I had only seen once in my lifetime...the medallion of the students of Shu academy that had passed the final test. I looked at it for only a second more and then put it back in the envelope. I was not worthy of the medallion yet, but in time I would be. Now was not that time so I would have to make due with knowing it was in my possesion for now at least. I unfolded the paper, which I knew was a letter, and began to read it to myself.

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P.S.: Pence, thank you...
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"Dear, Pence Weatherlight

As of right now my life has been a living hell, sitting in a bed unable to train the newer generation of fighter, being spoon fed food by my wife while knowing she is silently concerned about my health, and watching the world breeze by knowing the time is coming soon for when I will join my ancestors above. I know my fate, Pence, and I know that my death is as inevitable as the sun rising in the morning or the moon falling beneath the horizon as the night ends. But where as I know my fate, yours is ever so hidden. You were always the student I could barely read, always cryptic, always dedicated to his studies, but yet I could sense a great deal of sadness from you. The only time I could feel that you were even a fighter was when you were on the battle field, training with Sasaori, and the others to become a better warrior. But then you left the dojo, with no intention of ever coming back, and I realize now that you were young and you did not yet understand why the training was so important. But now I think you do understand. I will be honest with you Weatherlight, I have regretted that you left the dojo since the day you did. You were a strong warrior, a little brash and reckless at times, but none the less a great warrior who had high potential of taking my place as the master of the dojo.

However over time I have realized that you had no interest in being the master of a dojo...it is a life of simplicity, a life that I know that you can not live by the way you are, and the way the people love you. Yes, I have watched you on APW. I find myself tuning in to see how you have been doing and to see how far you have progressed on your own and it is true...you have trained hard to get where you are at, but your fighting abilities are saddly predictable. And I believe in all honesty that I can fix those problems once you arrive. But this of course up to you. You don't have to come if you don't want to Pence, don't feel obligated to this old man to at least show up. Just know that the offer is on the table if you would like to come here. It is up to you in the end and no one else. I just hope that you make the right decision that will lead you down the path of victory.

Good luck to you Pence, no matter what you choose, know that I love you, and that the fans love you. I know I was never a good master, always busy with other students, and for other reasons. But right now I am indefinitely offering my services to you in order to make you better and I think you will see this as an opportunity that will not be too easy to pass up. So let Sasaori know of your choice. I will not mind if you never want to come back here, I know you never really liked it at the dojo as a kid, and that you were always more interested in training your firearm proficieny over training your physical prowess, but I believe that now things are different. I hope you see it in your heart to come see me one last time. So...until the day we meet again...I wish you a happy life.

Sincerely,
Master Yun Shun

P.S.: Thank you Pence for turning out the way you did. Many of those that have left my dojo have turned to the side of wrong, but you have remained pure...thank you for that. For out of all the things a pupil can do for his teacher remaining righteous and pure in the things done is the most valued."

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The Masked Man...why I did it.
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I read the letter again after the attack, it meant a lot to me that my old master loved me so much, and as I sat in the back of a van that had been rented by Madok so that we could make a clean get away I felt sort of happy that Shun wanted to help me. But my eyes drifted from the paper to the mask, it lay not far from me, sitting on top of the uniform that would be what I wore for the attacks on Level One. I picked the mask up and put the letter down on the clothes. I looked at the mask in more detail and silently began to think about what I was about to do. I was about go off the deep end for a shot at the title, did it really need to be done this way? Could I find no other way to get back at Level One for all the shit he had done to everyone, for all the shit that he spewed out on a weekly basis, or for all the things that he had made people suffer through? No, there was no other options, the easy routes had all been exploited, it was time to get down, and dirty for the opportunity to be APW Champion. It would in the end hurt my reputation, but the end clearly justified the means, and it sickened me that I could think that to myself when clearly it made me almost the same as Level One for even thinking about that.

I balled up the mask and threw it against the wall. I didn't want to hold it let alone be near it because it made me feel slimey and sickened me to my stomach to even be near such an instrument of villainy. I could hear Madok's voice now coming from the front seat of the van, I had been so focused on my own thoughts that I had not been paying any attention to him, and as I focused in on what he was saying, I knew what time it was. It was time for the big reveal, it was time for my pre-recorded message...it would explain everything, at least that is what I hoped. I opened the door to the van and noticed that Sasaori had been watching me the whole time from the front seat, she had not said a word, but clearly I could tell she did not understand fully what had happened earlier that night.

She made to get out of the van with me, but I stopped her from doing so.

"This is something me and Madok must do. Please stay here, Sasaori."

"Will you please tell me what is going on? Madok attacked you after the show and I have no clue why this is all happening!"

"It will all be revealed in due time, but for now...it is best to remain in the dark. Trust me, you don't want to understand what is going on. Not yet anyway. So please stay in the van."

I could tell she still wanted to go with me, but she did not pursue the arguement any longer, if it could even be called an arguement, and I opened the back door of the van to find Benny parked behind us with a camera. I looked back into the van and grabbed the mask, I didn't put it on, and instead held it in my hand like a sock, dangling loosely from my clenched up fist. Me, Madok, who had appeared from the driver's seat to join me and Benny, and Benny made our way to a diner across from the parking lot, and went behind it as to avoid being seen. For a few moments we said nothing and I think that is because most of us realized what we were about to do. We were about to destroy our images as decent human beings just to get a shot at Level One just once more.

I was the first to speak, my face pale as a ghost, and my heart racing.

"Lets do this fucking thing before I begin to regret ever going along with it in the first place."

Benny didn't do anything at first and neither did Madok, they both still were looking at how wrong this was, but Madok snapped out of it really quickly, and sat down with audible disgust in his voice.

"You heard the man, Benny...lets get this show on the road."

Benny looked at me, pleading with me to stop this before it went too far, and I shook my head. He sighed and then spoke.

"He is the boss..."

He pushed the record button and for a few seconds I said nothing, I looked into the lense, and the usual blurbs about morality and purity seemed to escape me. I felt cold, but I tried to plow through that cold, and quickly began to speak.

"By now, the cat is out of the bag, and everyone in the world knows that I, Pence Weatherlight, am the Masked Man who has been orchestrating attacks on Level One, myself, and Madok. But what has not yet been explained is why I have had to do these things, why I have had to don this mask..."

I held it up to the camera so the fans and Level One could see the weapon of vile trickery that I would be using for now until a little before Rasslemania.

"Or why I have had to do these things the way that they have been done. I intend to now give you those answers so that maybe you can understand, so that maybe you can forgive me, and so that maybe I can save a little bit of dignity for myself after it is all said and done. I just want to let everyone know that what I am doing is not making me too happy with myself, at this point I am sick to my stomach, and feel guilty for having to go this low to obtain what I want, but it is a neccessary action. I see no other option because if I had gone the traditional route, then I would be no where near the Main Event because Level One would try some underhanded trick to keep me away from him because he knows I have his number. I had to do what I did because it was the only way I knew that I could lash out at him and catch him by surprise, hopefully it worked, and I am sitting on the precipice of a Main Event at Rasslemania when this goes live.

I did what I had to do, ladies and gentlemen, and I am sure some of you are sort of dissapointed in me, and I don't blame you, but I do ask that you give me the benefit of the doubt. As one who has fought Level One for nearly a year on and off...I want you to understand that this was the only way to do it, Level One may say I had a choice, but there was no choice. It was either watch someone else lose to the monster, or slay it while costing myself some integrity. I had to choose the second option because I could not stand by and watch another match with Level One as the champion and I believe you all feel the very same way. It goes without saying that Level One has ruled this show with an iron fist, he has destroyed countless foes to earn the title, and retain, and for the past two PPVs I have had to watch him vicously crush Slade Craven over and over again...a sight that was not very appealing to my eyes....and I say enough is enough.

I've had just about my fill with Level One folks and that is why this plan is in motion right now. I had hoped to avoid being dragged into the corruption that usually circles Level One like ravinous vultures looking to pick the corpses of dead creatures dry. But it seems I have failed in that. It seems as though Level One will finally get what he wanted, he wanted to drag me down to the first level of hell and now here we are at the gates of cerebrus, about to embark on a heated battle that will not be soon forgotten...at least that is the plan. So why the mask, I bet some of you are wondering?"

I look at the mask in my hand and then back at the camera, a look of dread crossing over me as I begin to speak again, and luckily the feeling of dread is not played out over my voice.

"To me this mask is a symbol. A symbol that represents Level One's deceitful tactics over the years. This mask represents everything that is wrong with this business: the arrogance, the corruption, and the false sense of invisibility that the two bring to the man who has them. And lastly this mask represents Level One himself, because much like Level One...this mask is concealing a great secret....that the man behind the mask much like Level One is flawed. All mankind is imperfect, but it is up to us if we allow those imperfections to dictate our lives. Level One is weaker than the rest of you out there watching this right now because he has allowed the imperfections of his life to take control, his greed, his selfishness, his pride, and his deceitfulness have all staked a claim on his life. He can not escape his imperfections because he has held on to them for far too long and the only way to hide those imperfections is to..."

I take the mask and pull it over my face, I can barely see anything once I do except for feint outlines. I know the mask will change my voice because of the voice-distorter built into the mask, but I continue on anyway.

"To hide behind a mask of arrogance and corruption. Level One is not truly the man we all see him as anyway. Because deep down he is weak, deep down he is very much like me because he depends on others, but his arrogance and his prideful ways will not allow him to say it out loud. And the reason he will not say it out loud, the reason that he will not accept the fact that two of us are similar...is because he needs to keep his mask to protect himself from harm. He has got so used to the Level One charade that Lester Only the man inside is starting to cease to exist. Level One is dominating and ruining Lester Only's life only because Lester has allowed the weaker part of his psyche to dictate his whole life. It is why I pity Lester, but at the same time hate Level One. So in memorial to Lester...I wear this mask, and in defiance of Level One....I wear this mask.

Level can say whatever he wants, but I can hear the cries of a man who is stuck with what he has made for himself...a coffin. Lester knows what is going to happen to him, Lester knows that he is going to be consumed by his Level persona to the point where there will be nothing left of him, but a few remains to bury with his coffin. But what I fear the most is when it is all said and done and Lester is gone for good...and all that remains is without a shadow of a doubt the pure evil of Level One...will he still be in a position to destroy the company that Jeff founded? You see there is the problem in all of it. Slowly but surely Level One has systematically destroyed his competition, he views this as him being perfect, but all this has ended up doing is destroying the want or need to challenge him. If I lose to him at Rasslemania...who will step up to the plate to fight him next? No one will...and that in itself will be the end of this company. I am at this point representing the hopes and dreams of countless millions of fans and roster mates who are hoping to God that I can shuffle the deck, that I can bring back something other than monotiny to this company in terms to the main championship. And I promise that I will try my best, but if I am to fail...if I am to fall against Level One in whatever match type he is to set up between us two...then...May God have mercy on this company's fan base because there will be nothing left of the entertainment this company once had. And if it is not worth sacraficing your dignity to give these fans one last hope for a brighter future...then I don't know what is."

I take off the mask and put it down on top of one of the garbage cans in the back alley and sit down on the other one to the left of the mask.

"So now that you know my reasons, so now that you know why this is neccesary, why I wear this mask, and why I have fallen from grace for this opportunity. I ask you all to forgive me for what I must do to get to the main event and I hope that this does not change your oppinion on who I am before I wore the mask. For now I must leave, I am going to Japan. You may see me every now and again as the masked man, but Pence Weatherlight is going to remain silent, because right now he is sickened and appauled by what he must do. For now until Rasslemania...the Masked Man is in charge and I have no idea to what lengths he will go to crush Level One and get us in line for the APW Heavyweight Championship. I hope you all sleep well and I hope that I can do what I have set out to do because if I can't do it...then I doubt anyone else can."

I nod my head at Benny to end the feed and he does so, I turn to look at Madok and give him a nod of my head too. He gives me a weak smile and I know he doesn't like the idea we had, but it was necessary, the sacrafice was necessary, and hopefully everything that had been done would come to fruitition at Rasslemania.

"Keep everything quiet till I get back."

"Alright, you go to Japan and finish your training. We will all be waiting for when you get back."

I got up off my improvised seat and made my way passed Benny. I put my hand on his shoulder and nodded my head as I passed him. I knew that I had to win, to save what was left of my dignity, and to save these fans from a future so dark that no light would ever penetrate its darkness. I would go to Sasaori, who was standing outside the van, looking a little bit upset, and without saying a word, pull her into the airport where we would buy tickets for a flight to Japan. We received our tickets and I passed by her without saying a word, I could tell she was looking at me with concern, but it was best that I not speak at this point because I had a lot on my mind. Too much in fact to burden her with what was swimming around in my head. As the plane got off the runway over an hour later, I still hadn't spoke, all I knew is that in Japan I would learn from one of the greats, and hopefully with his training and guidance...I would be able to defeat Level One once and for all.

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Welcome to The Land of The Rising Sun!
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*6 Weeks Ago, Japan, Somewhere Near Mt. Fuji.*

It had been so long since I had strode along the stone road that lead to the dojo, twenty-one years ago I had been brought here by Chris "Longshot" Hunt to learn how to fight in close quarters, I was only ten back then, and now here I stand. Thirty-One years old and repeating history almost to a key except this time, I am going to the dojo of my own free will, and instead of Chris by my side this time I have Sasaori Shun, grandaughter of Master Yun Shun. I stop to catch my breath, we had been walking for almost four hours straight without break, and I sit down on the stone road looking at Sasaori who is also on the stone road sitting down. Me and her crack a grin and begin to laugh.

"I forgot how long this road was!"

"Well in the brochure it said secluded and I guess it is living up to its rep."

"I don't think it will take much longer, maybe about an hour more of walking and then we will be at the dojo. You will be able to rest today, but tomorrow you will be expected to train hard, and long."

"I remember what you Shuns refer to as "hard and long"...man this is going to totally consume all my time isn't it?"

"Well if you thought your training was going to consist of sitting on your ass, eating sushi, drinking sake, and playing videogames then this training is not for you."

We both let out another long laugh as we both got up off of the stone road and commenced walking some more. We did talk to try and pass the time since it was the only thing we could do, and sometimes we would stop and look at the scenery which was breathtaking.

"So, how does it feel being an international superstar?"

I turned to look at her, I had been whistling to myself for about a minute, and was surprised by the question that almost came out of no where. I replied with a smile in my face.

"It is alright I suppose. Don't get me wrong the fans chanting your name never gets old, but when you deal with the scum that I have to deal with...it kind of makes things a little less fun."

"If you had the choice to drop it all now and fade from the public eye...would you do it?"

"Where did these questions come from?"

"I just want to know. I am curious. Me and grand father have always watched you on the one television we have and have enjoyed everything you have done..."

"Alright....no, I wouldn't. I can't do that to the fans, I love them too much, and they love me too much."

We continued on walking, this time in silence, but at the same time taking in the sounds of nature. We could hear birds, insects, and other wild life all around us and it put me at peace. We continued on walking for about another ten minutes in silence and taking in nature before Sasaori had something else to say.

"You and Level One...you've always hated each other. Haven't you?"

"I don't know about him, but I have hated him since my days back on Wendesday Night Warfare."

"It makes sense...but couldn't you guys..."

"Talk things over?"

"Yeah?"

"I've tried that, but trying to make Level One realize he is wrong is like when they tried to make George W. Bush stay in the white house when he was elected president...it is nearly impossible."

She giggled and I shrugged, apparenlty everyone liked George W. Bush jokes. Who would have thought? We continued on walking, with me cracking a joke every once in a while to lighten the mood, and her throwing out an infectious giggle that nearly made me laugh on several occasions, and after about twenty minutes more we arrived at the gates of the dojo. Large stone gates constructed hundreds of years ago by ancient martial artists who were part of the Shun family, this dojo held much historical importance to the Shun family, and was a place of honor and serenity. As we walked over to the gates they opened, two guards heaving with all their might to move the gate doors so that we could step inside and look at the beautfiul courtyard. The courtyard was filled with bamboo trees, nearly blooming cherry blossoms, and beautiful Japanese architecture that was mimicked in almost ever Kung-fu movie to date, in all honesty this place for me was like paradise.

I had a sense of nostalgia as I took my first steps into the interior of the walled in courtyard, smelling the sweet fragrance of the nearly blooming flowers, and taking in the sights of the beautiful architecture, I found myself lost in my own memories of this place. I noticed that Sasaori was not bothering me in wandering around and I guess that was because she didn't want to disturb my trip down memory lane, and I respected her for that. Finally I stopped moving around as I came to the steps of the main hall of the building, it was usually where the men and women training here ate, but right now it lay empty, it was too early in the morning for eating, and as I began to walk away I heard a familiar voice behind me, a voice I had not heard in twenty-one years. It was raspy, but I recognized it indefinitely.

"You have finally arrived...Pence?"

I turned to look back up the stairs to see the old feeble man known as Yun Shun, walking down the steps, barely able to stand of his own accord. A young man followed him, mostly there ,by the looks of things, to help master Shun move about with less of a hassle. He walked right up to me and put one hand on each of my shoulders and spoke to me softly.

"Welcome home, Pence."

"It is good to be home, Master Shun."

He let go of my shoulders and covered his mouth as he let out a raspy cough, I allowed master Shun to lean against me as did so. He looked horrible with his sagging skin, droopy eyes, and completely white hair, but I knew that behind all of that, Master Shun's warrior spirit was still burning exceedinly bright. He nodded his head at me as he let go and stood up as straight as he possibly could.

"Grand father! What are you doing out of bed!?"

I heard Sasaori as she shouted from half-way across the courtyard, she ran over to master Shun quickly, and Shun smiled brightly at her when she finally arrived.

"I wanted to meet Pence here at the front gate. After all...he is an old pupil of mine."

"Please go back to bed, grand father. I will help Pence settle in. You need your rest for tomorrow."

"I know my dead, but it is not every day you get to see a young hawk that you trained come back to you as a mature hawk. Let me get a good look at you, Pence."

I obliged the old man as he put on his glasses so that he could see me better, he laughed as I spun around like a male model.

"Built like a mountain you are, strong, and sturdy. It will be interesting training you. Now that I have done what I have intended to..."

He let out another cough, but this one was shorter, and not as heavy. He continued as if he had not coughed at all as the fit had finished.

"Do, now I will return to bed. Please Sasaori, help Pence settle in so that he can get some rest for tomorrow as well. He has a long treacherous road ahead of him if he wants to be ready for whatever is coming his way."

Master Shun began to walk off as I looked at Sasaori, I could see the worry in her eyes, and I wrapped my arm around her. She looked up at me, the look of worry still in her eyes, and then she sighed in relief, breaking my hold, and walking off to where I remembered the dorms were located at.

"Follow me."

She said to me as she began to walk a bit faster and I nodded my head, following her in a light jog, and with a sort of excited look on my face. I couldn't wait to start training tomorrow and knew that I would give it my all so that I could become the APW champion again. I would dedicate every minute of the six weeks that I had to training to beat Level One, and that was a fact. We walked up the stairs to the top of the dorms area and made our way to a long hallway with many different doors. Sasaori led me by the hand to a room at the far end of the hall and knocked on the door.

"What is it?"

"It is me Sasaori. I've brought you a new room mate for the next six weeks."

"Oh! Hold on for one second!"

We waited for about twenty seconds before the door opened revealing a man who looked in his mid-twenties who look at us with a sort of confused look on his face.

"Hello Sasaori. Who is the new guy?"

"This is Pence, Pence this is Kenta Yong. He is one of the few students here at the Shun school."

Kenta gave me a bow that I returned and without saying another word he waved me inside.

"Get some rest, Pence. I have some matters to attend to as of right. I hope you will fit right in."

"Don't worry, he will. I will make sure he gets all set up in here."

"Thank you, Kenta."

"Your welcome, come on Pence lets get you set up."

"Yeah."

I watched as Sasaorin ran off the down the hall in a hurry, wondering what exactly she had to do that was so important. I shrugged my shoulders as I looked over to what would soon be my bed, by what Kenta pointed out, and lay down on the bed heavily. The matress wasn't too comfortable, but it would have to suffice. My eyes felt heavy from lack of sleep and the walk that me and Sasaori had to brave earlier. So my eyeslids fell and darkness took me as my last thought was of the training that tomorrow would bring and what exactly I had to look forward to now that I was part of the Shun Academy.

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Once Again With Feeling!
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*Hotel Room, Houston, Texas. Present Day*

I am laying on my bed, my eyes looking at the ceiling, and the sound of the clock on my wall ticking down the seconds to the coming storm. An event with no equal...Rasslemania. The camera is rolling, at least that is what I hear from Benny who is sitting behind the camera with a frown on his face, looking at me as if I don't hear or understand him. I understand him fine, I hear him fine. I just want a few more seconds of silence before I break the seal, before I open up in front of this camera for millions of fans to see. I close my eyes as I sit up straight before opening my eyes and looking at the camera in front of me.

" It is finally here. The PPV the fans have been waiting to see since the start of this new year has finally arrived and I can feel their anticipation because I too am anxious to get this show on the road. This is my first Rasslemania, ladies and gentlemen, and I can quite honestly say I have something to prove to my opponent and everyone else who will be watching from either the stands or the backstage area, and that is that a real warrior never gives up. Even in the face of adversity and unsumerable odds, a warrior never gives in, and always continues on regardless of the situation. At Rasslemania, ladies and gentlemen I will step into the ring and do exactly that...I will overcome adversity and I will continue on even if the road gets tough and as soon that bell rings for the match to be over I will step out of the ring holding that beautiful gold in my hands and continue what was so drastically cut short over half a year ago. I'm not going to lie...this match is going to be a challenge and to ignorantly assume that I am going to avoid being pinned for a three count at least one time would be blasphamous and short sighted.

I know that going into this match, my track record against my opponent has not been the best, hell he has won most of our encounters, and has pretty much already bought the gold polish for his title after he successfully defends it at Rasslemania. But I say we give him a little surprise...I say we show him that this is not going to be as easy as he fucking thinks it is going to be. He thinks that the end result is going to be a constant well lets prove him wrong! Lets burn the book that he is reading from and find one with a lighter mood because I for one am tired of listening and seeing the same bullshit on every fucking page because lets face it, Level, the only thing that has constantly been the same is your over the top cocky attitude and it is boring the shit out of everyone but you.

I mean do you honestly think anyone pays enough attention to you to give a fuck what you think? In all honesty do you think I sat through half the shit you said without having to pause and take a nap? Let me tell you sitting through one of your promotions is torture enough, but then you bring in the bragging, and add the bull shit you are going to pull out of your ass and you can go ahead and rest assured that at least half of the target audience is asleep and the other half is wondering why the fuck they have not changed the channel yet. I guess that is a good thing though because you don't like the fans anyway, I guess have fun preaching to the crickets then because they are the only ones who are paying attention to you just so that they can avoid getting stepped on by your big ass feet."

I laugh a bit as I get up off the bed and go to the window, looking out across the night sky. I let out a sigh of contentment and I open the window to allow some fresh air to enter my room. I let out another laugh as I continue on.

"I find it funny when people think I care if they are confident. I really could care less if your voice is confident, saddened, happy, angry, or whatever other emotion you can think of because confidence is simply put...nothing. You have no reason to be confident just because you have got more ones in the win column than me when it comes to records or that you have beaten me a few times before. Those losses mean nothing because in the world of wrestling wins and losses are fleeting and at any time with a stroke of good luck and immense training anyone can win a title match. Besides if you were so confident in yourself then you wouldn't have needed to call in a favor with a trainer to give you training sessions to prepare for this match. I mean I can admit I wasn't so confident in the beginning, but now after completeing my training with the Shun Academy...I feel like I can take on the world with the new techniques and skills I have picked up from the my training. So don't bull shit me or yank my chain because unlike the flavor of the month wrestlers you see coming and going out of this place like your mom out of liquor store, I know you better than that. So don't bring up this confidence bull shit to me because I know better than to fall for this crap. And what is this non-sense about me being born to be in the crowd and not here in the ring and that I have to cope with being inferior to you in every way?

First of all, born to sit in the crowd? Born to sit in the crowd?! You are fucking kidding me man, really get serious. If this is your first attempt at racking up some kind of offensive score on the board here then you are in real trouble. Born to sit in the crowd...man this is like a re-run of your old speeches. What did you do? Take the old one's recycle the material, jazz it up, and then duct tape it back together in hopes that it would be at least presentable? You know what, forget it. Hoping for some kind of originality out of you is like hoping for Kid Cannabis to stop smoking marijane...it is just not fucking going to happen! Second of all...your greatness? What is so great about you? You have had a horrible life and your career is not much better. Your mom is an alcoholic, you really haven't had a real father, and to top it all off...your love life fucking blows! I don't see anything great about it. I don't see the preverbial silver lining behind this all. I mean winning a few matches is great and all, but this really doesn't make up for the fact that everything else has been one screw job after the next. Maybe I'm not seeing the big picture here and there is something great that happened, but I just don't see it. And lastly...why the fuck are you talking about the fans? Better yet, why the hell are you talking about you building the APW like you are some kind of fucking construction worker who came in and layed down the ground work for the company?

I mean it is one thing to call the fans pigs, which coming from you is probably the most original thing you have said all evening, but is another thing to claim that you have done anything more than self-promote yourself. You didn't build this company, Jeff did, so don't flatter yourself with achievments that you didn't even earn, and stop acting like such a God damn martyr, because as long as your spitting in the fan's faces nobody is going to give a rat's ass what you have to say. I guess you are jealous and this is just your reaction. You hate what you can not have. I mean its painfully obvious when you practically put a lot of emphisis on the word "me" when describing what the fans should be doing. I guess you forgot how to be gentlemen, probably because you never really had a father figure, but I am pretty sure, and this may just be me, that calling the fan's pigs and calling their champ inferior is not the way to get people to bow at your feet. But dont you worry your little head, Level. Good old Papa Pence is going to smack that grin off your face an teach you some God damn manners. Until then, sorry, better luck next time, chum.

Then we have the comparison to a politcian, you know what...do what you want. At this point your comparisons are kind of out there...you spend a whole minute discussing about me being like a politician who flips flops on his morale compass to me caring for children to me cursing like a little kid who is watching videos to learn what to say. But where is the point? I thought this was a title match not you judging how I fucking spoke. I guess I was wrong, let me go get my dictionary...eh? Eh? Remember the line about the dictionary and words I never knew how to use? Eh? Eh? Remember the part with me using words I don't understand? Right? Yeah? I mean it is not like your retarded ass is any better with the shit you say anyways. Yeah, that was in poor taste, but then again everything you say is in poor taste so I believe that it is condoned. Speaking of dictionaries, I'm pretty sure you are not a..."

I change my voice to sound like a mentally challenged child, clearly desperate times call for desperate measures.

"C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N, because if you were..."

I change my voice back to normal.

"You would be fighting for someone's honor that is not your own and clearly...you are only fighting for yourself...also you are not defending anything except your own life...thus you can not be a champion. Sorry bud, better luck next time. Also if you think that messing with the best is going to get someone hurt, then you better be fucking worried for your own safety because if you keep this up I'm pretty sure you are going to be in a body cast real soon. But if you don't fucking care, just keep pressing my buttons nimrod because I am a nuclear bomb that you don't want to fuck around with. Then you started talking about my blood...first of all you fucking twighlight fag, stop talking about how my blood is sweet because it creeps me the fuck out, and secondly I hope you hated every little drop of blood I made you spill because I so fucking enjoyed breaking you like a twig. And the whole reason I did what I did is because you deserved it, you deserved to be taught a lesson about what you do, and how it effects others. Because if there is anything that you need to learn it is what are the consequences of your actions.

For a minute I thought you were done and you had made your point, or so I had hopes, and then out of no where something caught my ear that made me shake my head. You raped my soul? Are you gay dude? It would explain why you can't seem to keep a fucking girlfriend. It would also explain your fascination with my blood and your jealousy of me, I guess all you want is a little dick in your life. Sorry dude, but I don't bend that way, if you want that type of loving you are going to need to talk to Chris and Biggs from what I hear they are looking for a third party in the circle jerk fiestas they have every Overdrive. And about your dark corner where you were born, I don't think I've ever been to Ontario save that one time when I was forced to go there for that PPV. And I know you are attracted to scum, just look at your horrible choice in psychotic bitch girlfriends, and you will realize that everyone knew and you didn't need to say anything about it. "

I pause for a moment and shake my head and continue on.

" Are you fucking coming on to me? I thought I was watching a promotion for a top end PPV, but then it started getting weird, mainly when you started talking about my blood, and I am a bit taken back. I don't know if it was intended, but for the love of God man...shut the fuck up. I don't want to hear about your fascination with scum or you liking my blood because...well...it just fucking freaks me out, alright! Moving on before I puke my dinner up. Taking me to a dark place and leaving me there...oh wait! THIS SEEMS FAMILIAR! OH THAT'S RIGHT! It is not a Level One promotion against me without the 'dark' place referrence, and of course the metaphorical taking of me to this 'dark' place. Oh and who can forget the leaving me there! I sure as hell can't! Just shut the fuck up Level One, I'm not a lost lamb, and I am sure as hell not in your dark place. I'm right here, mind you I'm a little worried about your psychological health, and may be calling a therapist for you, but I am right here. Ready to go for a fight against you at Rasslemania Six!

Seriously dude get some help, you are seriously having some psychological issues if we are talking about killing somebody in a wrestling promotion, seriously...get some fucking help before you go on a killing spree. Also don't call me a coward when you barely understand the reason I did what I did. Sure it was for a title shot, but there were righteous reasons behind it that I don't think someone like you would ever understand. After all what you view as "soft", "desperate", and "weak" to me is sparring you so I could shame you in front of countless millions of fans instead of a handful of millions. In terms of numbers, I made a decision that would be the most humiliating for you. Also, I never asked for this title shot, except for when I told Jeff about it a week before I made my move, and he gave me the thumbs up. It had nothing to do with saving him, I had already owed him one for bringing me into the company so really in essence I did it to make us even, and to return APW to its' rightful owner. But say what you want, even though it is an uneducated guess at best, I'm not going to stop you from making an ass out of yourself. Oh and I am so fucking sure that you have gotten the short end of the stick in the last month or so...I mean it is not like you got two weeks off, a couple of easy clear cut matches, and an easy match at New Year's Retribution against a retiring Slade Craven. What kind of short end of the stick are you talking about? To me it looks like you have it pretty good. What are you upset that you actually have to fucking work instead of sit on your ass all day and watch old re-runs of Seinfeld? And here we are again with my bloody fucking contract, would you just stop? It has nothing to do with Main Eventing, the fact that I am Main Eventing, and your not going to believe this, is because I am actually mother fucking talented. Imagine that, the guy who saved President Jeff and won 3rd place in the King of the Cage tournament is actually a fucking great wrestler. What are the God damn odds?

And as far as me nodding my head and saying "You got me Level" goes, a warrior never gives up, and I have no intention simply just rolling over and dieing just because you are tired of this little feud we have. Besides if you are such a great wrestler you shouldn't have any problem beating me this last time anyway, right? And also if the shows I have been on have zero to no relevance then why the fuck bring them up? I went to SCW to learn from Stu Who who learned from Ryan Ruckus, you know...the guy who beat you at Survive and Conquer! Yeah that guy! The guy who is better than you in every possible way and is not a complete dick! And also I didn't realize you were trying to teach me a lesson. A lesson about what? Oh I get it, you are trying to cement...ah I see what you did there. Sounds to me like you are nothing more than a glory hog looking for attention and you called me the attention whore.

So you want to be the greatest, you want to be the next big thing in professional wrestling? Well then I guess we are going to have a problem because I am not going to let that happen, so you better get ready you sick pup because me and you are going to dance for the big gold, whether you call foul or not. So be prepared because on Sunday, in front of millions of people when you have testified to being the greatest force in professional wrestling, and where you have claimed that it will be impossible for me to walk out victorious, I will succeed, and I will be the new APW Champion on the biggest stage of them all...Rasslemania! So get ready, Level One because at Rasslemania your eyes which have been so used to the darkness will be blinded! BLINDED BY THE LIGHT OF MY WARRIOR SPIRIT! Ladies and gentlemen, good night and see you at Rasslemania!"[/b]

*Screen bursts to static*