Post by Teo Blaze on Nov 12, 2023 13:39:52 GMT -5
Monday, 11/6/2023
Cruiserclash
The eruption of cheers echoes through the arena, the searing guitar riff almost joining with audiences chants and screams, mingling to create a musical maelstrom of sound and fury. It is this sound that fills the air as the curtain bursts open, and the gasping, exhausted Teo Blaze pushes his way into the backstage area.
One of the medical staff quickly rushes to him, placing an ice pack on his neck and examining him, but he almost immediately pushes them away, letting out a strained but unmistakably joyous laugh so loud it causes nearby staff to jump back.
On a nearby wall, a stagehand has pinned the turmoil bracket, to keep track of the progressing tournament throughout the night. Teo snatches a red marker off one of the nearby tables, and before anyone can stop him, signs his name in the quarterfinal bracket, tossing the pen over his shoulder. He turns to the attendants, a wild emotion in his eyes, gasping out the words as his energy returns.
“One of you, I don’t care which. Get on the phone with Corey Black. Let him know…that he’s in trouble.”
===
“I hoped it would be you, you know.”
The scene has shifted significantly. No longer in the backstage of a crowded arena, Teo now stands isolated, in a darkened space not quite providing enough light for details to be clear.
“You may not realize it, caught up as you are in that never-ending passion play that you call a personality, but we’ve got business to settle, Corey.
And I don’t even want to hear for a god damned second that you don’t have it coming, you old, dirty, bastard. Did you think that I would just let it go?
The fact that you managed to humiliate me in front of the entire world, to put me through the most painful night of my life, and that I would just let you walk away unpunished?
Oh no, this has been a long time coming. I’ve let this simmer, Corey, waiting for the perfect moment to take away something from you in front of the entire world…and wouldn’t you know it? Fate has given me the chance.
And look at how far you have fallen, Deathproof. From the very top of the world to the sad shell of a forgotten memory that you are now. A creature barely worthy of being called a man dredging up his past accomplishments at every opportunity while sliding further and further into self parody.”
Teo shakes his head laughingly, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose as he considers his next words.
“Maybe I waited too long, Corey. I wanted this to be a triumph, I wanted to shut down every bit of that ego machine that keeps you going from week to week.
I mean let’s call a spade a spade, you’re a smug fucking fella, aintcha? Oh I know, you’ll tell me that you’re worthy of it, that you’re bigger than this business, that the name Corey Black will be written in history books when the pyramids fall and we all acknowledge the name of the one true deathproof man made god king of hardcore deathmatch pro wrestling!”
The sarcasm in Teo’s voice is as thick as molasses, and the obscene gesture he is making with his left hand makes it clear that he is patronizing his opponent.
“See, that’s your fuckin’ problem, Corey. You just don’t get it, do you? Behind the nicknames, behind the steel chairs and barbed wire, behind the hype, you face a fundamental problem that keeps biting you in the ass.
And do you wanna know what that problem is?
You’re Corey Black
Stop for a second, really think about what that means. You’ve got records. History. A reputation. Respect! Every goddamned week you walk in front of that camera and you complain that people have forgotten how legendary you are, how great you are, that your name should be shouted from the rooftops, you should have your own batsignal with a thirteen on it!
And Corey, if you can stop the oral autofellatio for a second and actually stop for a second, focus on something besides your own ego, have you ever considered what it does to a man?
What it means when he has the name value to get whatever he wants? The chops, the history to justify a first round bye for instance?
Or maybe even his own show, where he is guaranteed to be able to book himself in the main event every few months?
I feel like even bringing up the absolute ego trip joke of that retirement tour again is like playing a broken record, so let’s just move on.
Am I saying you’ve never made good on the opportunities you’ve been given? Hell no, that would be an insane point to try to prove.
But really ask yourself. Look into your heart and consider just for a moment- how many opportunities have you gotten on that name? How many bites at the apple have come not because you deserved them more than anyone else, but because you’re Corey Black?
And really, truly ask yourself. How hard do you have to push yourself when there’s always another opportunity just around the corner?
Face it, Deathproof. You know you have options. You’re basically tenured in this company, with a nice hall of fame spot all polished up and waiting for you the moment that you decide you’ve finally had enough. Just what does that do to a man? Is there a reason why every Corey Black promo also has to be a history lesson? Should he really be main eventing XIII? Even over the World Champion?
Makes you think, doesn’t it?
You’re a brand. McDonalds. You may think that you’re edgy, or an underdog, but you are one hundred percent the establishment, and the only reason why you even pretend to be otherwise is to soothe your ego, like a CEO bragging that he still cooks his own meals or cuts his own grass, like that somehow makes him any less of a privileged assshole.”
At this point, Teo places his hand on his chin, as if deep in thought, but his eyes stay locked on the viewer, unblinking.
“You want to have it both ways, Corey. You always have. You’re the king, the bar, the one who defines greatness, the mountain to climb, but you’re also the scrappy underdog who just has to train hard in his dirty little gym because aw shucks those champions just won’t give me respect.
Walking contradiction, much?
And this utter refusal to pick a lane has worked as a smokescreen for so long because no one has ever had the balls to call you out on it. They try to paint you as washed up, as this old fart on the way out, a narrative you encourage I might add-
Because you want to be underestimated. To be overlooked. You want opponents to walk into that ring thinking that they’ll make a name off of you, to look past you to whatever accomplishment awaits them in the future.
Because that’s when you strike. That’s when you turn back the clock and spring the trap! You’ve still got a few tricks left in your sleeve, and the moment they let their guard down, you’ve got them right where you want them.”
As Teo lets the words out, his voice is suddenly overcome with humor, a dry, cackling laughter erupts from somewhere deep inside.
“News Fucking Flash, Teo Blaze does not do underestimation, you jackass! Every time I walk into that ring, I treat each opponent as though they could be the end! Whether my first or my last, every name that I have stepped in the ring with is etched in my mind, because I know that every name on that roster is looking to add my name to their trophy case!
Your mind tricks will not work on me, Corey, and if you’re relying on me looking past you for even a second, then Turmoil may turn out to be your actual retirement tour!”
Teo’s posture has changed, the humor is gone from his voice and his fists are clenched, his posture taut as he shouts the words.
“Every year I have entered Turmoil, and every year I have been turned away by people like you, Corey, wrestlers who tell me that I’m not good enough! That I don’t care enough! They look me in the eye and tell me that I am not serious enough, that Teo Blaze will never be mentioned in the same breath as the likes of Walter, Odin Balfore, or Corey Black! Telling me that I can’t do it! That Cruiserclash is a B show!
I am sick and tired of assholes like you telling me that my home doesn’t matter!”
Teo’s voice echoes in the darkness, his shout doubling over itself in echo, filling the void until it surrounds him, his heavy breathing over the repeated cries of “doesn’t matter”
Finally, however, as the sound fades, Teo’s eyes raise, filled with a crazed and passionate look.
“Your ego may not allow you to see it, Corey. But you’ve pissed me off. Both by what you’ve done to me, and what you stand for.
A ceiling. A bar. A way to push down everyone around you to desperately cling to a constantly fading flame. The hypocrisy, to pretend you have to struggle when you already have a guarantee of everything you could possibly want. To make yourself feel better about the fact that you are a poison, a toxin that chokes out everything important in this business!
And that’s why I can’t wait to step into that ring with you. To wipe that smug smile off of your fucking face and look you in the eye as my hand is raised. To take every word of disrespect, everything you’ve ever done to try and wipe me away, to make me a footnote in your legend, and toss it back into your face.
And I have to wonder, what will you blame it on this time? Will it be a momentary lapse of judgment, a temporary slip? Hell, maybe you’ll try to lionize me as some great challenge in the hopes of a rematch at XIII.
But I doubt it.
Corey Black, you’re not a legend. You’re a myth.
You’re something people believe in propped up by trickery and self-delusion until it becomes real enough.
And I’m tired of hearing your name. I have been waiting for this moment for so long, to embarrass you the way you humiliated me, but now, upon seeing where you are? I realize the truth.
When we faced off the first time, I wanted to believe in the myth. That’s probably why I lost. But now? When that bell rings? You’re not deathproof. You’re not World Champion. You’re not a future hall of famer.
You are in my way.
And I can’t let that go unpunished.I will put you down and then I will move on to whoever is next.
Then you can go back to your delusions. Your hopes of grandeur. Being the hero of your sad little story, wringing whatever you can out of an epilogue that should have ended fifty pages ago.
You shell, you husk, you parasite piece of filth. You will not stop me again. I will never let you hurt me again!
Because Corey, at the end of the day, you are just not worth the energy. I could say I’ll teach you a lesson, but we both know you’ll never learn.
So instead, I’m just going to let it happen- and I’m not going to waste my time feeling bad about it afterwards.”
With that, Teo smiles one final time, standing alone in the void before the light slowly fades- the last image flashing across the screen red eyes in the dark.