Post by C.J. Gates on Mar 18, 2012 1:19:55 GMT -4
"The hardest match of my career?
"Definitely.
"I've said that quite a few times over the past year, but every time it was warranted. When I fought Sally Talfourd in the spring, that was a match that could very well have defined my career differently then it did. When I fought Keaton Saint in the Extreme Tournament, it was the first time I fought against a man that I had watched early on with awe. My first Undisputed title match with Biggs was the first time in my career when I had officially stepped out on my own, and lived up to the hype I received from beating Sally.
"But this match? This very well could be the hardest match of my career. This is a match where anything could happen, when I realize that I could very well lose my title. I won't look at it any differently. I won't see this match as another weekly foray into the wrestling ring, especially when I know what is at stake.
"I've been riding a wave of momentum since last spring and I haven't let up since. To lose this week would mean that I have finally lost that wave, that I have finally been knocked down from the top . And while I don't like to think about that all that much, it's hard to avoid it. It's hard not to look at that fact with anything but worry.
"Johnny Rebel.
"Kurt Noble.
"Blade.
"Three talented men who have the ability to turn a match in their favor at the drop of a dime. I'd be foolish to think that I had this match wrapped up, and I won't because I know that the moment I do, the underdog Blade might come out of nowhere and snatch victory from my hands. Or the favorite in Kurt Noble will walk out with the Undisputed title. Or in the worst case, the epitome of evil Johnny Rebel will change the landscape of this federation forever.
"But this is Rasslemania. I'm not about to give up easily. I'm not about to concede defeat. Not after everything that I have done and everything that the fans have done to back me. If anything, this is the moment when i must dig deeper than ever before, when I must pull out all the stops, when I must do everything in my power to come out on top.
"If not for me, then for the fans."
blade - \b-la-de\ - [bleyd] - noun
1. the flat cutting part of a sword, knife, etc.
2. a similar part, as of a mechanism, used for clearing, wiping, scraping, etc.: the blade of a windshield wiper; the blade of a bulldozer.
The scene opens up inside of a mostly empty auditorium where two men can be seen standing on the stage. On one side stands B.J. Gates and on the other, his adopted brother O.J. Gates. Between them stands a microphone and sitting on the floor in front of the stage is a wooden table. Behind that table sits none other than the APW Undisputed champion C.J. Gates, with the title displayed proudly on the top. C.J. has a few piece of paper in front of him as he picks up a cue card and motions for B.J. to step up to the microphone. B.J. does, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Spell 'blade'," C.J. says, staring at his brother. B.J. swallows, hesitates, and looks down at his feet while shuffling them.
"Can you define the word?" B.J. asks, still not looking up from his feet.
"Blade. The flat cutting part of a sword, knife, or other such object." C.J. glances up at his brother, but B.J. shakes his head with a perplexed look on his face.
B.J. looks puzzled and glances back at O.J. for support, but his brother simply laughs. B.J. swallows hard one more time. "Can you use it in a sentence, please?"
C.J. sits back in his chair, thinking for a moment. After a few seconds, he sits forward again, looking at B.J. "Blade. If there was someone who was in over their head at Rasslemania, it would be Blade. Blade and I used to be known as the Exchange Rate, one of the more successful tag teams in Action Packed Wrestling. While he might be in over his head, Blade has the ability to play the role of the dark horse and steal this match." C.J. stops and stares at B.J., who opens his mouth to speak before C.J. interrupts.
"Blade. A man I used to be able to trust has gone about things the same way as men I can never trust. The supposed shiny dagger hanging over my back, waiting to plunge deep inside, so that he can take the glory for himself and prove lies to the world about how he was the better man in our team." C.J. pauses again and after a few more moments, he clears his throat. "Spell 'blade'."
B.J. sweats a bit more trying to figure out the word. He wipes his forehead one more time and looks up from the floor, staring into one of the floodlights in the ceiling. "Can I get the origin of the word?"
"The word is of old English origin."
"That's it?"
"Yes," C.J. says with a smirk. "That's it. Now, please, spell 'blade'." B.J. shuffles his feet a bit more and rubs his eyes with the palms of his hand. He looks down from the light and takes a deep breath
"Blade," B.J. begins. "B-L-A." B.J. hesitates, mentally attempting to spell the word. "D-E. Blade."
"That is correct," C.J. confirms, placing the cue card face down on the table top. O.J. politely claps for his brother as an applause track fills the auditorium. B.J. fist pumps as he turns away from the microphone and sits down on his chair on his side of the stage.
"Next contestant, please," C.J. says as O.J. stands up and steps up to the microphone.
"Well, Blade, here's your chance.
"Here's your chance to prove everyone wrong. Here's your chance to step out from everyone's shadow and actually make a name for yourself. It's the kind of chance that you told the world you were capable of last year when you ruined our partnership. It's the chance that not everyone gets. It's the chance that everyone, for some reason, thought you were actually capable of achieving.
"Don't mistake this as me thinking you are already washed up and will have no factor in this match. Think of this as me using logic, as me thinking back to the Blade that I know from when I was tag teaming with you. The Blade who put a quarter of his heart into the fire when there was something on the line. The Blade that let others pull the weight for him when he wasn't feeling up to actually doing anything in a match. The Blade that was content to just sit back and watch as everyone else rose up around him, and then blame everyone else for why he was still muddling about in the little leagues.
"The dull blade.
"And who knows, maybe all of that time off is just what you needed to rocket yourself into relevance. Maybe all you needed was a few months off to recharge the batteries that were never full the entire time the Exchange Rate was rolling. Maybe you just needed to sharpen yourself up so that you could go from being the proverbial knife that was stabbed in my back last year after Rasslemania, to being the literal knife that stabs me in the back and leaves me for dead inside the ring at this Rasslemania. Either way, Blade, there is one thing that you and I both know for certain.
"You don't belong here.
"Simple as that really. Noble? He belongs here. He has done nothing but earn his keep, turning aside some of the top talent in APW ever since he signed his contract after Shockwave. He has earned the right to main event Rasslemania with the biggest title in the federation on the line. He has earned the right to have his name in lights and to have the fans eagerly awaiting his arrival to the ring. He belongs here.
"Johnny Rebel? As much as it pains me to say this, he has at least earned the right to be entered into this match. He has at least put in the blood, sweat and tears needed to get the job done, and to basically be a stand out. He has destroyed peoples hopes, he has nearly jumped over the bump he's stuck behind, he's taken some top talent to their limits on numerous occasions. He might be a right asshole, but at least he has earned that recognition and this match.
"You haven't. You were simply handed the opportunity so that people could become intrigued. You were thrust into the match so that people would wonder just what kind of hi-jinx were going to occur when the four of us butt heads in Indianapolis. When the four of us lock horns with my title on the line. Will he turn around and go back to his one time partner? Will he forgive Rebel? Will he forge a new relationship with the only man left?
"But what's done is done. Jeff made up his mind and here you are. So rather than continue to think of you as that little asterisk, that little blip that means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of this match, I am going to look at you as I would any other opponent that steps into the ring with me.
"I will look at you like a threat.
"I will look at you as if you pose some sort of threat and have some sort of hope at winning this match and taking the title away. I will admit, that when you're on your game, Blade, you are on your game. You are unstoppable. After all, a great number of fans and colleagues watched as you took Kurt Noble himself to the limit twice. And while that still doesn't do much to earn you a spot in this match, it does enough to show that you can turn it up a few notches if you wanted to.
"The question is will you want to?
"Sure, there is a title on the line. That would make anyone sit up and take notice, or nod their head that they would give it one hundred and ten percent to walk out with it around their waist. But last year, the tag team titles were on the line, and you seemed content then to just lay down and let the Young's walk all over us. So what's different in this case? The prestige? The fact that it's a title out of your orbit? At least the other two of given it their all when given opportunities like this. You, you just lay down and take the loss so you can move on.
"We could look at your long list of nothing that you've beaten since you got back to the ring, but it wouldn't help your case any. While I can appreciate and entertain the idea of you winning, and prepare for you coming out with all guns blazing, it wouldn't make me see you as the eventual winner. You're a throw in, Blade. An addition that no one really cares too much about. And if you want to try and use that in your favor, go for it. But I warn you that we aren't just going to forget you exist.
"After all, you're not dead. You just haven't earned the right to hold the Undisputed title."
noble - no-ble - [noh-buhl], -bler, -blest, noun, adjective
1. distinguished by rank or title.
2. pertaining to persons so distinguished.
3. of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence; lofty: a noble thought.
"Next contestant, please," C.J. says as O.J. stands up and steps up to the microphone. He swallows hard as he looks out at the empty seats, blinded by the lights. He squints just enough so he can see C.J. and rubs his hands together in front of him. C.J. eyes O.J. for a few moments, letting him sweat for a bit.
"Spell 'noble'," C.J. says. O.J. lowers his eyes and looks to be thinking before looking back up and twisting his face into a confused look.
"Could you define it, please?" O.J. asks. C.J. nods and glances down at the cue card in his hand.
"Noble. A distinguishing rank or title pertaining to persons so distinguished." C.J. looks up at O.J., meeting eyes with his brothers. "Spell 'noble'."
O.J. raises up his hands and counts off a few fingers before shaking his head with a disappointed look on his face. "Could you define that word again, please?"
C.J. lets out a long breath before smirking slightly and glancing back down at the cue card. "Noble. Of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence. Lofty. Such as a noble thought."
The second definition doesn't seem to help O.J., as he continues to look confused and unsure. He shuffles his feet some before shaking his head. "Could you please use it in a sentence?"
C.J. sighs and sits back in his seat. He remains that way for a few moments before smirking and sitting a bit straighter. "A noble man is a man that can be considered a good friend who has your back until things turn in his favor. A noble man is the sort of man who has good morals." O.J. nods and opens his mouth, but once again, C.J. continues. "One such noble man is Kurt Noble, who had my back until the big gold belt got dangled in his line of sight. He is still the kind of man that is filled with good morals, but he is also the kind of man that steals titles and lie about his reasons for doing so."
O.J. pauses before nodding and opening his mouth to speak. After pausing with his mouth open, expecting C.J. to interrupt, O.J. closes it and shakes his head. "Come on, O.J., you know this. You got this!" He takes a deep breath and looks up at C.J. "Can I get the origin of the word?"
"Middle English."
O.J. nods his head slightly, but still looks unsure. He screws up his face before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "Noble. N-O-B-L-E, Noble." O.J. lets his breath out as C.J. nods his head.
"Correct."
"Just when you think you can trust someone, they go ahead and rewrite all of that.
"Honestly, Kurt, I don't know where you and I stand. I mean, I thought we might have cleared all of this up, but then I keep getting this reoccurring feeling that there is something inside of you keeping all of that from actually happening. Something inside of you that is making all of that seem like a lie. Like you're standing in front of me, blatantly lying to my face time after time after time. And honestly, Kurt, I just can't shake that feeling.
"Call me a pessimist in this situation, but it seems like the friendship we had is on very thin ice. That the alliance that we had forged way back in the summer has finally begun to run it's course. In your mind at least. It's the only explanation I can think of as to why you would steal my title after supposedly getting it back for me, only to hold it hostage for an extra week, and then, for what you did at Overdrive when you attacked me. When you blatantly hit me during our match.
"Sure, you can blame Rebel for getting out of the way, but for every attack like that there is some truth. You wanted to hit me. You were fine with the idea that if Rebel moved, then you would hit me all the same. You probably figured that, at the very least, you might knock some sense into me and make me realize that you were doing what was best for me.
"Right?
"After that match, after everything that happened, I prayed that that wasn't the case. I hoped that you hadn't done all of that with the undertone that if you hit me, oh well. After all, there aren't many people around here that I could trust. There aren't many people around APW that didn't take every opportunity to bust my skull in with a metal object.
"And yes, you have yet to do that much, Kurt. I've tried to shake this whole feeling, the idea that the friendship has waned to the point of breaking, but I couldn't. Especially with this title match on the horizon. How can I be sure that at the very moment that gold is able to be grasped, you won't throw me under the bus, you won't take that moment, take that steel object, and beat me senseless with it to further your own agenda.
"I can't.
"You might be a noble man, Kurt, and you might have had my back up until recently, but now...now that things enter your favor, how can I be sure of that? How can I be sure that after all of this, you will be that noble, honorable man you were before you were thrown into the title picture? How can I be so sure that your friendship and your allegiance will return when there isn't a gold belt hanging between us?
"Again, I can't. I can't be sure of anything Kurt, which is why I see it on thin ice. I will say that I meant what I said before. I meant that out of everyone involved in this match, you are the one that has truly earned it. You are the one that has put in the effort to get to this point. You didn't take the same route as Blade and weasel your way into things with one attack or another. You didn't go the way of Rebel and break every possible rule to force your way in.
"You earned it.
"But maybe I'm biased because I earned my way here. I put in all the time needed to go through my paces and climb the ladder one step at a time. I didn't need to weasel, I didn't need to lie, I earned it. I won Test for the Best and then I won the title.
"Of course there are people that will say you haven't earned it, but then, those people wouldn't truly know you, would they? They would just be jealous that they aren't standing where you are. But what they don't understand, is that you came in guns blazing at Shockwave, you toiled with Rebel for months until Survive and Conquer when you put in one of the best performances out of the APW contingent.
"If you ask me, Kurt, you have earned it. And you are going to be a dangerous man once that bell rings. But we are no strangers to one another in the ring. We've gone back and forth, and I have faith that when we meet up, all of the dangers that I see in you, the threat that I see you posing to my title...
"I'm sure that I can overcome those fears.
"I'm sure that I can overcome the most likely person to take my title away from me.
"I believe in Kurt Noble, but I can also overcome him."
rebel - reb-el, [n., adj. reb-uhl; v. ri-bel]
noun, adjective, verb, re-belled, re-bel-ling.
1. a person who resists the government or ruler of his or her country.
2. a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition.
"Correct."
O.J. pumps his fist as he walks back to his seat. B.J. stands up and walks up to the microphone.
"You're next word is rebel," C.J. says from the table. "Spell rebel."
B.J. opens his eyes wide with excitement but pauses as he thinks on the word. He screws his face up and leans in to the microphone. "Can you use the word in a sentence?"
C.J. looks at his brother. "A man who doesn't play by the rules is what some call a rebel. One such rebel is APW's own Johnny Rebel, who looks rules in the eyes and flips them off." B.J. nods, but C.J. continues. "This rebel also thinks that he has a chance at winning at Rasslemania, but like the noble man and the dull blade, he will come up sort. The difference between all of them is that this rebel, he is a rebel with a cause. He wants to be at the top of the mountain, but until he has earned it, the one rule he can not flip off is that of gravity, which will continue to pull him down until he is ready to rise up."
B.J. blinks as O.J. smirks from behind. B.J. finally speaks. "Can you define it, please?"
"I just did."
"I know, but, again. Just the definition."
C.J. rolls his eyes. "Rebel. A person who refuses allegiance to the ruler of his or her country. A person who resists authority, control or tradition."
B.J. nods again as he closes his eyes, bobbing his head in a rhythm as he, presumably, tries to spell it out in his head. "Rebel," he finally says. "R-E-B-E-L," B.J. pauses for a moment. "-L. Rebel."
C.J. stares at B.J. long and hard. "Is that your final answer?"
B.J. closes his eyes and bobs his head again before opening them. "Yes. That's my final answer."
"Incorrect."
"What!?"
"If the next contestant can spell the final word right, then they will have won the contest."
"Well, Johnny, here we go one more time.
"You'd think that by now, you'd be realizing that all of these attempts are hopeless. That all of these attempts to pull the title away from me, or to actually score a victory over me at all, is all for naught. I mean, how many times have you tried to beat me, tried to prove your points to me, only to come up short?
"Counting the True Expert title match, the total seems to be up to five. And that is all since last years Test for the Best tournament. Some people might realize that each time they try, it's just becoming more and more pointless. That each loss they take, is just one more step backwards in their quest. Normal people would realize that it's time to take a step back, survey, and prepare themselves.
"And to say you do that would be a stone cold lie, Rebel. Because every time you and I face off, it seems to go the same way. It seems to end the same way. The only times when you haven't lost against me, is when you organize some sort of scheme to get things done. Whether that's plotting for Noble to hit me during our tag team match or pissing off enough of the outsiders at Survive and Conquer that they attack you...that seems to be the only way you can avoid getting a loss to me.
"Yet you keep trying. You keep pushing the envelope to try and get a title shot against me, to try and do what you call saving APW from people like me. If you can pry the Undisputed title from my hands, then you can finally go ahead with your plan of turning this place into Johnny Rebel Pro Wrestling. Well, Johnny, I'm not about to let that happen. I'm not about to let you walk away with this belt and do something to this federation that would do nothing but harm it in the long run.
"Rasslemania is going to be a sense of deja vu for you, Johnny. This is going to fall in line just like all of the other matches that you and I have fought in. This is once again going to end with you looking up at the lights from the canvas, wondering where your career has gone.
"Don't worry, I remember that ONE match where we were both involved, where you picked up a win. I remember the CWC Captaincy match we had on Overdrive. And yes, I realize that you could very well walk into Rasslemania and walk out in some lucky fashion to pick up the victory, just like you did that night by pinning Noble after you pushed him into me.
"But on this night, you're going to need more than just luck.
"You're going to need to bring all of the skills that you have. You are going to have to push yourself to the limit each and every moment that you are standing toe to toe with one of us. I've watched some of your other matches, Johnny, you've got that ability. You've got that fire that you will need this week to pull out the win. You will need to dig deep and pull back a repeat of Christmas Chaos, a repeat of Survive and Conquer. You are going to have to dig deep....
"And part of me doesn't think that you can dig that deep this weekend. Part of me thinks that while you possess the ability, you will always be just a little bit off from the mark of capturing the APW Undisputed title. And I guess I am here to prove that to you, Johnny. I am here to show you that you don't have what it takes to be the face of APW anymore than Blade does.
"Okay, maybe you have a bit more of a stake than Blade does.
"After all, you've made my life hell since the calender flipped over to 2012. You've made sure to make me bleed and make me hurt each and every time we meet up in that ring, whether it be in a match or in some chance encounter. But there is one thing that I'm sure you have forgotten. It's the same thing that Biggs and Sally Talfourd both forgot at some point in the last year.
"I never give up.
"Every time I get knocked down, I get right back up and get right back into battle. So, Johnny, no matter what you do to me, I will always get right back up. I will always pull myself up to my feet and do what I've done each time we've faced off.
"I will make sure that there is no hope of a JRPW sighting anytime soon."
gates, [plural of geyt], noun, verb, gat-ed, gat-ing
1. a movable barrier, usually on hinges, closing an opening in a fence, wall, or other enclosure.
2. a tower, architectural setting, etc., for defending or adorning such an opening or for providing a monumental entrance to a street, park, etc.
"If the next contestant can spell the final word right, then they will have won the contest."
O.J. swallows hard as he steps up. B.J. walks back to his chair and kicks it over.
"O.J., spell 'gates'," C.J. asks, looking at his brother, who swallows hard once more, wiping sweat from his forehead. "For the win, spell 'gates'."
"Can you use it in a sentence?"
"A fence has gates along its exterior to close an opening," C.J. begins. "Gates are also towers or architectural settings used to defend the opening. Gates is also the surname of the current Undisputed champion, and the surname of the man that is going to walk out with the title." O.J. smiles wide as he opens his mouth, but C.J. cuts in. "The other three men each see a different opening, but at each opening, there will be Gates to block their path. They will be met with resistance. They will be met with the champion who wants nothing more then to come out on top and prove his worth to everyone involved."
O.J. looks on some more before opening his mouth. "Gates."
"Do you want another sentence?" C.J. asks, flipping through the remaining cue cards.
O.J. shakes his head no and then shakes his arms. "Gates. G-A-T-E-S. Gates."
B.J. flips over another chair in the background as C.J. nods.
"Correct. I would have also accepted V-I-C-T-O-R."
"A year ago, no one saw me main eventing Rasslemania. I don't even know if anyone saw me winning anymore titles. But here I am, one year later, holding the Undisputed title and fighting in the main event. It's a dream come true, and it's one that I have worked hard for every moment that I have been in that ring. It's a moment that I have earned through everything that I have done.
"Finishing fourth in last years Survive and Conquer match.
"Winning the Test for the Best tournament.
"Challenging for both the CWC World title and the True Expert title.
"Defeating Biggs for the Undisputed title and defending it twice against him.
"Those are the moments that have shaped me, those are the moments that have built me up to the point where I know that I have earned this moment in the spotlight. And looking back, those moments also built me up to the point where I know that I am not going to let this moment slip through my fingers.
"I am going to give this match my all, just like I have every other match I've fought. I am going to make sure the fans have a main event match that they will always remember, because I'm not just fighting for myself, I'm fighting for all of them, too.
"It's time to go big or go home."
"Definitely.
"I've said that quite a few times over the past year, but every time it was warranted. When I fought Sally Talfourd in the spring, that was a match that could very well have defined my career differently then it did. When I fought Keaton Saint in the Extreme Tournament, it was the first time I fought against a man that I had watched early on with awe. My first Undisputed title match with Biggs was the first time in my career when I had officially stepped out on my own, and lived up to the hype I received from beating Sally.
"But this match? This very well could be the hardest match of my career. This is a match where anything could happen, when I realize that I could very well lose my title. I won't look at it any differently. I won't see this match as another weekly foray into the wrestling ring, especially when I know what is at stake.
"I've been riding a wave of momentum since last spring and I haven't let up since. To lose this week would mean that I have finally lost that wave, that I have finally been knocked down from the top . And while I don't like to think about that all that much, it's hard to avoid it. It's hard not to look at that fact with anything but worry.
"Johnny Rebel.
"Kurt Noble.
"Blade.
"Three talented men who have the ability to turn a match in their favor at the drop of a dime. I'd be foolish to think that I had this match wrapped up, and I won't because I know that the moment I do, the underdog Blade might come out of nowhere and snatch victory from my hands. Or the favorite in Kurt Noble will walk out with the Undisputed title. Or in the worst case, the epitome of evil Johnny Rebel will change the landscape of this federation forever.
"But this is Rasslemania. I'm not about to give up easily. I'm not about to concede defeat. Not after everything that I have done and everything that the fans have done to back me. If anything, this is the moment when i must dig deeper than ever before, when I must pull out all the stops, when I must do everything in my power to come out on top.
"If not for me, then for the fans."
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blade - \b-la-de\ - [bleyd] - noun
1. the flat cutting part of a sword, knife, etc.
2. a similar part, as of a mechanism, used for clearing, wiping, scraping, etc.: the blade of a windshield wiper; the blade of a bulldozer.
The scene opens up inside of a mostly empty auditorium where two men can be seen standing on the stage. On one side stands B.J. Gates and on the other, his adopted brother O.J. Gates. Between them stands a microphone and sitting on the floor in front of the stage is a wooden table. Behind that table sits none other than the APW Undisputed champion C.J. Gates, with the title displayed proudly on the top. C.J. has a few piece of paper in front of him as he picks up a cue card and motions for B.J. to step up to the microphone. B.J. does, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand.
"Spell 'blade'," C.J. says, staring at his brother. B.J. swallows, hesitates, and looks down at his feet while shuffling them.
"Can you define the word?" B.J. asks, still not looking up from his feet.
"Blade. The flat cutting part of a sword, knife, or other such object." C.J. glances up at his brother, but B.J. shakes his head with a perplexed look on his face.
B.J. looks puzzled and glances back at O.J. for support, but his brother simply laughs. B.J. swallows hard one more time. "Can you use it in a sentence, please?"
C.J. sits back in his chair, thinking for a moment. After a few seconds, he sits forward again, looking at B.J. "Blade. If there was someone who was in over their head at Rasslemania, it would be Blade. Blade and I used to be known as the Exchange Rate, one of the more successful tag teams in Action Packed Wrestling. While he might be in over his head, Blade has the ability to play the role of the dark horse and steal this match." C.J. stops and stares at B.J., who opens his mouth to speak before C.J. interrupts.
"Blade. A man I used to be able to trust has gone about things the same way as men I can never trust. The supposed shiny dagger hanging over my back, waiting to plunge deep inside, so that he can take the glory for himself and prove lies to the world about how he was the better man in our team." C.J. pauses again and after a few more moments, he clears his throat. "Spell 'blade'."
B.J. sweats a bit more trying to figure out the word. He wipes his forehead one more time and looks up from the floor, staring into one of the floodlights in the ceiling. "Can I get the origin of the word?"
"The word is of old English origin."
"That's it?"
"Yes," C.J. says with a smirk. "That's it. Now, please, spell 'blade'." B.J. shuffles his feet a bit more and rubs his eyes with the palms of his hand. He looks down from the light and takes a deep breath
"Blade," B.J. begins. "B-L-A." B.J. hesitates, mentally attempting to spell the word. "D-E. Blade."
"That is correct," C.J. confirms, placing the cue card face down on the table top. O.J. politely claps for his brother as an applause track fills the auditorium. B.J. fist pumps as he turns away from the microphone and sits down on his chair on his side of the stage.
"Next contestant, please," C.J. says as O.J. stands up and steps up to the microphone.
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"Well, Blade, here's your chance.
"Here's your chance to prove everyone wrong. Here's your chance to step out from everyone's shadow and actually make a name for yourself. It's the kind of chance that you told the world you were capable of last year when you ruined our partnership. It's the chance that not everyone gets. It's the chance that everyone, for some reason, thought you were actually capable of achieving.
"Don't mistake this as me thinking you are already washed up and will have no factor in this match. Think of this as me using logic, as me thinking back to the Blade that I know from when I was tag teaming with you. The Blade who put a quarter of his heart into the fire when there was something on the line. The Blade that let others pull the weight for him when he wasn't feeling up to actually doing anything in a match. The Blade that was content to just sit back and watch as everyone else rose up around him, and then blame everyone else for why he was still muddling about in the little leagues.
"The dull blade.
"And who knows, maybe all of that time off is just what you needed to rocket yourself into relevance. Maybe all you needed was a few months off to recharge the batteries that were never full the entire time the Exchange Rate was rolling. Maybe you just needed to sharpen yourself up so that you could go from being the proverbial knife that was stabbed in my back last year after Rasslemania, to being the literal knife that stabs me in the back and leaves me for dead inside the ring at this Rasslemania. Either way, Blade, there is one thing that you and I both know for certain.
"You don't belong here.
"Simple as that really. Noble? He belongs here. He has done nothing but earn his keep, turning aside some of the top talent in APW ever since he signed his contract after Shockwave. He has earned the right to main event Rasslemania with the biggest title in the federation on the line. He has earned the right to have his name in lights and to have the fans eagerly awaiting his arrival to the ring. He belongs here.
"Johnny Rebel? As much as it pains me to say this, he has at least earned the right to be entered into this match. He has at least put in the blood, sweat and tears needed to get the job done, and to basically be a stand out. He has destroyed peoples hopes, he has nearly jumped over the bump he's stuck behind, he's taken some top talent to their limits on numerous occasions. He might be a right asshole, but at least he has earned that recognition and this match.
"You haven't. You were simply handed the opportunity so that people could become intrigued. You were thrust into the match so that people would wonder just what kind of hi-jinx were going to occur when the four of us butt heads in Indianapolis. When the four of us lock horns with my title on the line. Will he turn around and go back to his one time partner? Will he forgive Rebel? Will he forge a new relationship with the only man left?
"But what's done is done. Jeff made up his mind and here you are. So rather than continue to think of you as that little asterisk, that little blip that means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of this match, I am going to look at you as I would any other opponent that steps into the ring with me.
"I will look at you like a threat.
"I will look at you as if you pose some sort of threat and have some sort of hope at winning this match and taking the title away. I will admit, that when you're on your game, Blade, you are on your game. You are unstoppable. After all, a great number of fans and colleagues watched as you took Kurt Noble himself to the limit twice. And while that still doesn't do much to earn you a spot in this match, it does enough to show that you can turn it up a few notches if you wanted to.
"The question is will you want to?
"Sure, there is a title on the line. That would make anyone sit up and take notice, or nod their head that they would give it one hundred and ten percent to walk out with it around their waist. But last year, the tag team titles were on the line, and you seemed content then to just lay down and let the Young's walk all over us. So what's different in this case? The prestige? The fact that it's a title out of your orbit? At least the other two of given it their all when given opportunities like this. You, you just lay down and take the loss so you can move on.
"We could look at your long list of nothing that you've beaten since you got back to the ring, but it wouldn't help your case any. While I can appreciate and entertain the idea of you winning, and prepare for you coming out with all guns blazing, it wouldn't make me see you as the eventual winner. You're a throw in, Blade. An addition that no one really cares too much about. And if you want to try and use that in your favor, go for it. But I warn you that we aren't just going to forget you exist.
"After all, you're not dead. You just haven't earned the right to hold the Undisputed title."
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noble - no-ble - [noh-buhl], -bler, -blest, noun, adjective
1. distinguished by rank or title.
2. pertaining to persons so distinguished.
3. of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence; lofty: a noble thought.
"Next contestant, please," C.J. says as O.J. stands up and steps up to the microphone. He swallows hard as he looks out at the empty seats, blinded by the lights. He squints just enough so he can see C.J. and rubs his hands together in front of him. C.J. eyes O.J. for a few moments, letting him sweat for a bit.
"Spell 'noble'," C.J. says. O.J. lowers his eyes and looks to be thinking before looking back up and twisting his face into a confused look.
"Could you define it, please?" O.J. asks. C.J. nods and glances down at the cue card in his hand.
"Noble. A distinguishing rank or title pertaining to persons so distinguished." C.J. looks up at O.J., meeting eyes with his brothers. "Spell 'noble'."
O.J. raises up his hands and counts off a few fingers before shaking his head with a disappointed look on his face. "Could you define that word again, please?"
C.J. lets out a long breath before smirking slightly and glancing back down at the cue card. "Noble. Of an exalted moral or mental character or excellence. Lofty. Such as a noble thought."
The second definition doesn't seem to help O.J., as he continues to look confused and unsure. He shuffles his feet some before shaking his head. "Could you please use it in a sentence?"
C.J. sighs and sits back in his seat. He remains that way for a few moments before smirking and sitting a bit straighter. "A noble man is a man that can be considered a good friend who has your back until things turn in his favor. A noble man is the sort of man who has good morals." O.J. nods and opens his mouth, but once again, C.J. continues. "One such noble man is Kurt Noble, who had my back until the big gold belt got dangled in his line of sight. He is still the kind of man that is filled with good morals, but he is also the kind of man that steals titles and lie about his reasons for doing so."
O.J. pauses before nodding and opening his mouth to speak. After pausing with his mouth open, expecting C.J. to interrupt, O.J. closes it and shakes his head. "Come on, O.J., you know this. You got this!" He takes a deep breath and looks up at C.J. "Can I get the origin of the word?"
"Middle English."
O.J. nods his head slightly, but still looks unsure. He screws up his face before taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. "Noble. N-O-B-L-E, Noble." O.J. lets his breath out as C.J. nods his head.
"Correct."
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"Just when you think you can trust someone, they go ahead and rewrite all of that.
"Honestly, Kurt, I don't know where you and I stand. I mean, I thought we might have cleared all of this up, but then I keep getting this reoccurring feeling that there is something inside of you keeping all of that from actually happening. Something inside of you that is making all of that seem like a lie. Like you're standing in front of me, blatantly lying to my face time after time after time. And honestly, Kurt, I just can't shake that feeling.
"Call me a pessimist in this situation, but it seems like the friendship we had is on very thin ice. That the alliance that we had forged way back in the summer has finally begun to run it's course. In your mind at least. It's the only explanation I can think of as to why you would steal my title after supposedly getting it back for me, only to hold it hostage for an extra week, and then, for what you did at Overdrive when you attacked me. When you blatantly hit me during our match.
"Sure, you can blame Rebel for getting out of the way, but for every attack like that there is some truth. You wanted to hit me. You were fine with the idea that if Rebel moved, then you would hit me all the same. You probably figured that, at the very least, you might knock some sense into me and make me realize that you were doing what was best for me.
"Right?
"After that match, after everything that happened, I prayed that that wasn't the case. I hoped that you hadn't done all of that with the undertone that if you hit me, oh well. After all, there aren't many people around here that I could trust. There aren't many people around APW that didn't take every opportunity to bust my skull in with a metal object.
"And yes, you have yet to do that much, Kurt. I've tried to shake this whole feeling, the idea that the friendship has waned to the point of breaking, but I couldn't. Especially with this title match on the horizon. How can I be sure that at the very moment that gold is able to be grasped, you won't throw me under the bus, you won't take that moment, take that steel object, and beat me senseless with it to further your own agenda.
"I can't.
"You might be a noble man, Kurt, and you might have had my back up until recently, but now...now that things enter your favor, how can I be sure of that? How can I be sure that after all of this, you will be that noble, honorable man you were before you were thrown into the title picture? How can I be so sure that your friendship and your allegiance will return when there isn't a gold belt hanging between us?
"Again, I can't. I can't be sure of anything Kurt, which is why I see it on thin ice. I will say that I meant what I said before. I meant that out of everyone involved in this match, you are the one that has truly earned it. You are the one that has put in the effort to get to this point. You didn't take the same route as Blade and weasel your way into things with one attack or another. You didn't go the way of Rebel and break every possible rule to force your way in.
"You earned it.
"But maybe I'm biased because I earned my way here. I put in all the time needed to go through my paces and climb the ladder one step at a time. I didn't need to weasel, I didn't need to lie, I earned it. I won Test for the Best and then I won the title.
"Of course there are people that will say you haven't earned it, but then, those people wouldn't truly know you, would they? They would just be jealous that they aren't standing where you are. But what they don't understand, is that you came in guns blazing at Shockwave, you toiled with Rebel for months until Survive and Conquer when you put in one of the best performances out of the APW contingent.
"If you ask me, Kurt, you have earned it. And you are going to be a dangerous man once that bell rings. But we are no strangers to one another in the ring. We've gone back and forth, and I have faith that when we meet up, all of the dangers that I see in you, the threat that I see you posing to my title...
"I'm sure that I can overcome those fears.
"I'm sure that I can overcome the most likely person to take my title away from me.
"I believe in Kurt Noble, but I can also overcome him."
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rebel - reb-el, [n., adj. reb-uhl; v. ri-bel]
noun, adjective, verb, re-belled, re-bel-ling.
1. a person who resists the government or ruler of his or her country.
2. a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition.
"Correct."
O.J. pumps his fist as he walks back to his seat. B.J. stands up and walks up to the microphone.
"You're next word is rebel," C.J. says from the table. "Spell rebel."
B.J. opens his eyes wide with excitement but pauses as he thinks on the word. He screws his face up and leans in to the microphone. "Can you use the word in a sentence?"
C.J. looks at his brother. "A man who doesn't play by the rules is what some call a rebel. One such rebel is APW's own Johnny Rebel, who looks rules in the eyes and flips them off." B.J. nods, but C.J. continues. "This rebel also thinks that he has a chance at winning at Rasslemania, but like the noble man and the dull blade, he will come up sort. The difference between all of them is that this rebel, he is a rebel with a cause. He wants to be at the top of the mountain, but until he has earned it, the one rule he can not flip off is that of gravity, which will continue to pull him down until he is ready to rise up."
B.J. blinks as O.J. smirks from behind. B.J. finally speaks. "Can you define it, please?"
"I just did."
"I know, but, again. Just the definition."
C.J. rolls his eyes. "Rebel. A person who refuses allegiance to the ruler of his or her country. A person who resists authority, control or tradition."
B.J. nods again as he closes his eyes, bobbing his head in a rhythm as he, presumably, tries to spell it out in his head. "Rebel," he finally says. "R-E-B-E-L," B.J. pauses for a moment. "-L. Rebel."
C.J. stares at B.J. long and hard. "Is that your final answer?"
B.J. closes his eyes and bobs his head again before opening them. "Yes. That's my final answer."
"Incorrect."
"What!?"
"If the next contestant can spell the final word right, then they will have won the contest."
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"Well, Johnny, here we go one more time.
"You'd think that by now, you'd be realizing that all of these attempts are hopeless. That all of these attempts to pull the title away from me, or to actually score a victory over me at all, is all for naught. I mean, how many times have you tried to beat me, tried to prove your points to me, only to come up short?
"Counting the True Expert title match, the total seems to be up to five. And that is all since last years Test for the Best tournament. Some people might realize that each time they try, it's just becoming more and more pointless. That each loss they take, is just one more step backwards in their quest. Normal people would realize that it's time to take a step back, survey, and prepare themselves.
"And to say you do that would be a stone cold lie, Rebel. Because every time you and I face off, it seems to go the same way. It seems to end the same way. The only times when you haven't lost against me, is when you organize some sort of scheme to get things done. Whether that's plotting for Noble to hit me during our tag team match or pissing off enough of the outsiders at Survive and Conquer that they attack you...that seems to be the only way you can avoid getting a loss to me.
"Yet you keep trying. You keep pushing the envelope to try and get a title shot against me, to try and do what you call saving APW from people like me. If you can pry the Undisputed title from my hands, then you can finally go ahead with your plan of turning this place into Johnny Rebel Pro Wrestling. Well, Johnny, I'm not about to let that happen. I'm not about to let you walk away with this belt and do something to this federation that would do nothing but harm it in the long run.
"Rasslemania is going to be a sense of deja vu for you, Johnny. This is going to fall in line just like all of the other matches that you and I have fought in. This is once again going to end with you looking up at the lights from the canvas, wondering where your career has gone.
"Don't worry, I remember that ONE match where we were both involved, where you picked up a win. I remember the CWC Captaincy match we had on Overdrive. And yes, I realize that you could very well walk into Rasslemania and walk out in some lucky fashion to pick up the victory, just like you did that night by pinning Noble after you pushed him into me.
"But on this night, you're going to need more than just luck.
"You're going to need to bring all of the skills that you have. You are going to have to push yourself to the limit each and every moment that you are standing toe to toe with one of us. I've watched some of your other matches, Johnny, you've got that ability. You've got that fire that you will need this week to pull out the win. You will need to dig deep and pull back a repeat of Christmas Chaos, a repeat of Survive and Conquer. You are going to have to dig deep....
"And part of me doesn't think that you can dig that deep this weekend. Part of me thinks that while you possess the ability, you will always be just a little bit off from the mark of capturing the APW Undisputed title. And I guess I am here to prove that to you, Johnny. I am here to show you that you don't have what it takes to be the face of APW anymore than Blade does.
"Okay, maybe you have a bit more of a stake than Blade does.
"After all, you've made my life hell since the calender flipped over to 2012. You've made sure to make me bleed and make me hurt each and every time we meet up in that ring, whether it be in a match or in some chance encounter. But there is one thing that I'm sure you have forgotten. It's the same thing that Biggs and Sally Talfourd both forgot at some point in the last year.
"I never give up.
"Every time I get knocked down, I get right back up and get right back into battle. So, Johnny, no matter what you do to me, I will always get right back up. I will always pull myself up to my feet and do what I've done each time we've faced off.
"I will make sure that there is no hope of a JRPW sighting anytime soon."
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gates, [plural of geyt], noun, verb, gat-ed, gat-ing
1. a movable barrier, usually on hinges, closing an opening in a fence, wall, or other enclosure.
2. a tower, architectural setting, etc., for defending or adorning such an opening or for providing a monumental entrance to a street, park, etc.
"If the next contestant can spell the final word right, then they will have won the contest."
O.J. swallows hard as he steps up. B.J. walks back to his chair and kicks it over.
"O.J., spell 'gates'," C.J. asks, looking at his brother, who swallows hard once more, wiping sweat from his forehead. "For the win, spell 'gates'."
"Can you use it in a sentence?"
"A fence has gates along its exterior to close an opening," C.J. begins. "Gates are also towers or architectural settings used to defend the opening. Gates is also the surname of the current Undisputed champion, and the surname of the man that is going to walk out with the title." O.J. smiles wide as he opens his mouth, but C.J. cuts in. "The other three men each see a different opening, but at each opening, there will be Gates to block their path. They will be met with resistance. They will be met with the champion who wants nothing more then to come out on top and prove his worth to everyone involved."
O.J. looks on some more before opening his mouth. "Gates."
"Do you want another sentence?" C.J. asks, flipping through the remaining cue cards.
O.J. shakes his head no and then shakes his arms. "Gates. G-A-T-E-S. Gates."
B.J. flips over another chair in the background as C.J. nods.
"Correct. I would have also accepted V-I-C-T-O-R."
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"A year ago, no one saw me main eventing Rasslemania. I don't even know if anyone saw me winning anymore titles. But here I am, one year later, holding the Undisputed title and fighting in the main event. It's a dream come true, and it's one that I have worked hard for every moment that I have been in that ring. It's a moment that I have earned through everything that I have done.
"Finishing fourth in last years Survive and Conquer match.
"Winning the Test for the Best tournament.
"Challenging for both the CWC World title and the True Expert title.
"Defeating Biggs for the Undisputed title and defending it twice against him.
"Those are the moments that have shaped me, those are the moments that have built me up to the point where I know that I have earned this moment in the spotlight. And looking back, those moments also built me up to the point where I know that I am not going to let this moment slip through my fingers.
"I am going to give this match my all, just like I have every other match I've fought. I am going to make sure the fans have a main event match that they will always remember, because I'm not just fighting for myself, I'm fighting for all of them, too.
"It's time to go big or go home."
