Post by Markus Michael on Sept 26, 2021 11:13:41 GMT -5
Part I
He converses in the most superficial way, Grace remarked to herself. He always spoke with cadence and everything he said lead to a point or a branch in the conversation. Yet still, all felt completely artificial, as if he were afraid for just one moment to let his mask slip and reveal the REAL Markus Michael underneath.
What had her mother called it? She pondered, Being gimmicked up?
Yeah, that was the word. He was trying to sell her on a person who didn’t - by any meaning of the word - exist. Though the personality was loud, vibrant, and more than likely the life of the party wherever it went…it wasn’t real. None of it. The bravado, the machismo, even the fucking handlebar mustache felt alien.
Markus continued to talk and Grace continued to listen. And watch. This person was fascinating and disgusting at the same time. She smiled as he spoke, noting the curl in his lips whenever he lied, and the furrow of his brow when he tried to dance around a subject that would shine him in a bad light. Most of all, she reckoned, she watched his eyes. The way they lit up when he told stories of his past, of his time in the ring, and of his time with her mother.
Most importantly, his eyes revealed his soul. Underneath the Markus Michael shell he had perfectly etched and crafted for himself over the years, she could see his true self. A womanizer who could never quite find the lady love who could tame the brash lion. An addict with more up days than down. A frightened child pretending to be a grizzled man. A wrestler who never made it in his career longing to finally be set free from it all.
She could tell he was definitely halfway into the back nine of years he had left on his career, but any reckless maneuver from his opponents could douse any fickle flame that is still left burning inside of him. Hell, he could end his entire life if he decided to drive himself home tonight.
Grace kindly offered to give him a ride in the rental that was waiting for her in Lot F. Sure, it would likely save from a coffin or a night in jail, but she would be remiss if she didn’t admit she had her own selfish reasoning behind the offer.
When she placed the phone call to Markus Michael, her intention was to find out as much about this man as she possibly could. The shell before her was as tough as a tortoise, so she had to take extraneous measures, one that her mother would certainly frown upon…if she were still alive to see him.
Part II
“LISTEN TO ME GOOD LUC LANGERBY AND ZOLTON BECAUSE WHAT I’M ABOUT TO TELL YA AND WHAT I’M GONNA DO TO YA AT MONDAY NIGHT CLASH ARE ONE IN THE SAME DUDES!!! I’m gonna bring the pain brothers! “DTF” Markus Michael has been having trouble sleeping lately dudes. I’ve had to keep one eye open brother because no matter what, no matter when, and no matter where dudes I know they’re coming for me!
“Let me take ya back to last week dudes where I had Hippo Harry Diderot down and out for the three count, but he listened to those words the souls of his father and brother whispered in his ear. You see, Harry didn’t want to go down like a man of courage and honor. He would rather win a cowards win than take the L like a real man dude! That makes “DTF” absolutely sick to his stomach brothers!”
Markus cringes at the thought.
“So I haven’t slept brothers. I haven’t showered. I haven’t even sat on the toilet in a week dudes because everywhere I go, they’re waiting to roll me up for the three count dude and get one over and get over at Markus Michael’s expense! Not this week, there’s no way in hell either of you are going for that roll up victory because neither of you are going to be able to see an inch in front of your faces with all the stars in your eyes! What Hippo underestimated was how dangerous a cornered and desperate animal becomes!
“My name. My gambit. That “Down to Fight” life? It’s both a blessing and a curse dudes! Luc Langerby knows a lot about curses brother because he’s been cursed since the minute he was born into this world. Yeah I did my research dude. I like to get to know my opponents before I step in the ring with them to know just what they’re capable of. So boohoo you grew up without a daddy! Sometimes that’s the best option dude! You know Old Man Michaels would have been better off gone. He used to slap my eleven brothers and sisters and I around with a belt just because he ran out of wild turkey and there was nothing to watch on television brother!”
Michael slams into his closed fist into his hand as if he were reliving some old memory.
“So you turned to the streets dude! You turned to the only place that hadn’t casted you out brother and there you found your own family brother! You created your own family, one you can lord over with your hoodoo voodoo ways dude! A cult of personality brother but I’m not buying what you’re selling! You know what I see instead? I see you becoming exactly what you hate dude! I see you becoming the sum of all your fears brother and giving in to the darkness! You’re just another absent father figure whose left his flock behind!
“Did you think it would end this way Luc Langerby dude?! Did you think you were coming to Action Wrestling the anti hero brother ready to cull the rising tide? You didn’t think that tide was named Markus Michael and I’m actually a monsoon brother! I don’t care if I have to pin you or Zolton dude…but truth be told, I kind of hope it’s you to know you off your perch and show you what it looks like a peg or two below the people you want to lord over!”
Markus Michael’s shake his head violently.
“And you Zolton dude if that is your real name! Not much is known about you dude outside of your time in the ring but that’s how you like it brother! What are you hiding from dude? Better yet, what are you running from?! Because guys like you, the ones so entrenched in shadows brother, they’re always running from something! Their past! Their future! It doesn’t matter brother, the only thing that does is what you can do inside the ring brother and that’s the only thing I care about when Monday Night Clash rolls around dude!
“The Man of Chaos is a fitting title because after watching a Zolton match brother my brains completely befuddled! You’re over here doing karate kid kicks and power slams dude like you can’t commit to one style! It may have gotten you far in the little leagues dude where most of those guys don’t know a scoop slam from a power bomb brother but up here with the real men dude it’s not gonna take you far! A jack of all trades but master of none! Dude, I’m an absolute shit brick powerhouse! I’ll catch your flying crane kick dude and throw you twenty feet into the crowd so hard by the time you wake up brother they’ll be cleaning up the arena!”
Markus Michae points to the side of his head.
“I’m not scared of your mind games dude because there’s no room for it in here! I already got to worry about Diderot rolling me up from behind everywhere I go man so I can’t be burdened with whatever smoke and mirror cockamamie nonsense you want to throw my way brother! Save it for the weak of mind and weak of soul dude and come at me like a real man this week brother! So when I absolutely demolish you in the center of the ring man you can’t talk your way out this one! So next week when the Zolton promo airs and you talk about how I was a joke and you couldn’t possibly take me seriously, all the damn pretense is thrown out the window brother!
“You can just tell them you’re scared dude! You can tell them you’re hurting brother! You can tell them you’re running away from Markus Michael just like you’ve been running your whole life dude! I said I wanted to pin Luc Langerby brother but I think I’ll only be satisfied by pinning both of your shoulders to the mat for the three count dude! I have unfinished business with Harry Diderot brother and I intend to finish it! See you two buffoons as Clash!
He converses in the most superficial way, Grace remarked to herself. He always spoke with cadence and everything he said lead to a point or a branch in the conversation. Yet still, all felt completely artificial, as if he were afraid for just one moment to let his mask slip and reveal the REAL Markus Michael underneath.
What had her mother called it? She pondered, Being gimmicked up?
Yeah, that was the word. He was trying to sell her on a person who didn’t - by any meaning of the word - exist. Though the personality was loud, vibrant, and more than likely the life of the party wherever it went…it wasn’t real. None of it. The bravado, the machismo, even the fucking handlebar mustache felt alien.
Markus continued to talk and Grace continued to listen. And watch. This person was fascinating and disgusting at the same time. She smiled as he spoke, noting the curl in his lips whenever he lied, and the furrow of his brow when he tried to dance around a subject that would shine him in a bad light. Most of all, she reckoned, she watched his eyes. The way they lit up when he told stories of his past, of his time in the ring, and of his time with her mother.
Most importantly, his eyes revealed his soul. Underneath the Markus Michael shell he had perfectly etched and crafted for himself over the years, she could see his true self. A womanizer who could never quite find the lady love who could tame the brash lion. An addict with more up days than down. A frightened child pretending to be a grizzled man. A wrestler who never made it in his career longing to finally be set free from it all.
She could tell he was definitely halfway into the back nine of years he had left on his career, but any reckless maneuver from his opponents could douse any fickle flame that is still left burning inside of him. Hell, he could end his entire life if he decided to drive himself home tonight.
Grace kindly offered to give him a ride in the rental that was waiting for her in Lot F. Sure, it would likely save from a coffin or a night in jail, but she would be remiss if she didn’t admit she had her own selfish reasoning behind the offer.
When she placed the phone call to Markus Michael, her intention was to find out as much about this man as she possibly could. The shell before her was as tough as a tortoise, so she had to take extraneous measures, one that her mother would certainly frown upon…if she were still alive to see him.
Part II
“LISTEN TO ME GOOD LUC LANGERBY AND ZOLTON BECAUSE WHAT I’M ABOUT TO TELL YA AND WHAT I’M GONNA DO TO YA AT MONDAY NIGHT CLASH ARE ONE IN THE SAME DUDES!!! I’m gonna bring the pain brothers! “DTF” Markus Michael has been having trouble sleeping lately dudes. I’ve had to keep one eye open brother because no matter what, no matter when, and no matter where dudes I know they’re coming for me!
“Let me take ya back to last week dudes where I had Hippo Harry Diderot down and out for the three count, but he listened to those words the souls of his father and brother whispered in his ear. You see, Harry didn’t want to go down like a man of courage and honor. He would rather win a cowards win than take the L like a real man dude! That makes “DTF” absolutely sick to his stomach brothers!”
Markus cringes at the thought.
“So I haven’t slept brothers. I haven’t showered. I haven’t even sat on the toilet in a week dudes because everywhere I go, they’re waiting to roll me up for the three count dude and get one over and get over at Markus Michael’s expense! Not this week, there’s no way in hell either of you are going for that roll up victory because neither of you are going to be able to see an inch in front of your faces with all the stars in your eyes! What Hippo underestimated was how dangerous a cornered and desperate animal becomes!
“My name. My gambit. That “Down to Fight” life? It’s both a blessing and a curse dudes! Luc Langerby knows a lot about curses brother because he’s been cursed since the minute he was born into this world. Yeah I did my research dude. I like to get to know my opponents before I step in the ring with them to know just what they’re capable of. So boohoo you grew up without a daddy! Sometimes that’s the best option dude! You know Old Man Michaels would have been better off gone. He used to slap my eleven brothers and sisters and I around with a belt just because he ran out of wild turkey and there was nothing to watch on television brother!”
Michael slams into his closed fist into his hand as if he were reliving some old memory.
“So you turned to the streets dude! You turned to the only place that hadn’t casted you out brother and there you found your own family brother! You created your own family, one you can lord over with your hoodoo voodoo ways dude! A cult of personality brother but I’m not buying what you’re selling! You know what I see instead? I see you becoming exactly what you hate dude! I see you becoming the sum of all your fears brother and giving in to the darkness! You’re just another absent father figure whose left his flock behind!
“Did you think it would end this way Luc Langerby dude?! Did you think you were coming to Action Wrestling the anti hero brother ready to cull the rising tide? You didn’t think that tide was named Markus Michael and I’m actually a monsoon brother! I don’t care if I have to pin you or Zolton dude…but truth be told, I kind of hope it’s you to know you off your perch and show you what it looks like a peg or two below the people you want to lord over!”
Markus Michael’s shake his head violently.
“And you Zolton dude if that is your real name! Not much is known about you dude outside of your time in the ring but that’s how you like it brother! What are you hiding from dude? Better yet, what are you running from?! Because guys like you, the ones so entrenched in shadows brother, they’re always running from something! Their past! Their future! It doesn’t matter brother, the only thing that does is what you can do inside the ring brother and that’s the only thing I care about when Monday Night Clash rolls around dude!
“The Man of Chaos is a fitting title because after watching a Zolton match brother my brains completely befuddled! You’re over here doing karate kid kicks and power slams dude like you can’t commit to one style! It may have gotten you far in the little leagues dude where most of those guys don’t know a scoop slam from a power bomb brother but up here with the real men dude it’s not gonna take you far! A jack of all trades but master of none! Dude, I’m an absolute shit brick powerhouse! I’ll catch your flying crane kick dude and throw you twenty feet into the crowd so hard by the time you wake up brother they’ll be cleaning up the arena!”
Markus Michae points to the side of his head.
“I’m not scared of your mind games dude because there’s no room for it in here! I already got to worry about Diderot rolling me up from behind everywhere I go man so I can’t be burdened with whatever smoke and mirror cockamamie nonsense you want to throw my way brother! Save it for the weak of mind and weak of soul dude and come at me like a real man this week brother! So when I absolutely demolish you in the center of the ring man you can’t talk your way out this one! So next week when the Zolton promo airs and you talk about how I was a joke and you couldn’t possibly take me seriously, all the damn pretense is thrown out the window brother!
“You can just tell them you’re scared dude! You can tell them you’re hurting brother! You can tell them you’re running away from Markus Michael just like you’ve been running your whole life dude! I said I wanted to pin Luc Langerby brother but I think I’ll only be satisfied by pinning both of your shoulders to the mat for the three count dude! I have unfinished business with Harry Diderot brother and I intend to finish it! See you two buffoons as Clash!