Post by Frank Venable on Nov 17, 2019 21:19:23 GMT -5
FPV RP #12 - Wishes and Dreams
After seven months, it was finally time. On the grandest stage Las Vegas had to offer, I get my first true shot at the Action Wrestling World Championship. I've gone through the King of Slabs to get here. I've gone through The Last Action Hero to get here. And now, to get that title, I have to get through The Bag Guy herself, Lissie Hope.
This match presents an interesting challenge. For the first time this tournament, I'm facing off against a new face, someone I've never wrestled before. Wheras for KOS and Kidsgrove I already had an idea of their style from personal experience, here I'm walking in a little blindly. Not that it worries me. I thrive in these kinds of challenges, especially when it comes to world titles. I'm Frank Patrick Venable, I win more titles in one career than some stables do in their entire lifetime.I have experience on my side, Lissie Hope has youthful inexperience on hers. I'm an established veteran, she's a rising star. I'm going to win, she won't win.
The question of this match isn't if Frank Venable is ready for Lissie Hope. It's if Lissie Hope is ready for Frank Venable.
One thing that the two of us share, though, is the city we call home. New Orleans, Louisiana. At night, the city comes alive like no other. A vibrant nightlife and and a culture that is uniquely ours. I came to this city at a very young age and fell in love with it instantly, it's the city I chose to headquarter The People's Grounds when that business took off. I knew without even asking her that Lissie made an excellent choice moving here from her small town roots in Texas.
Standing in my office across from me, gazing out the window onto the streets below, was Ramon from PepsiCO. After our previous two meetings in his office, the time had come for him to visit my neck of the woods. He seemed to be treating what was essentially a business trip more like a vacation away from his usual environment. Considering what city we were in, I honestly could not blame him one bit.
After seven months, it was finally time. On the grandest stage Las Vegas had to offer, I get my first true shot at the Action Wrestling World Championship. I've gone through the King of Slabs to get here. I've gone through The Last Action Hero to get here. And now, to get that title, I have to get through The Bag Guy herself, Lissie Hope.
This match presents an interesting challenge. For the first time this tournament, I'm facing off against a new face, someone I've never wrestled before. Wheras for KOS and Kidsgrove I already had an idea of their style from personal experience, here I'm walking in a little blindly. Not that it worries me. I thrive in these kinds of challenges, especially when it comes to world titles. I'm Frank Patrick Venable, I win more titles in one career than some stables do in their entire lifetime.I have experience on my side, Lissie Hope has youthful inexperience on hers. I'm an established veteran, she's a rising star. I'm going to win, she won't win.
The question of this match isn't if Frank Venable is ready for Lissie Hope. It's if Lissie Hope is ready for Frank Venable.
One thing that the two of us share, though, is the city we call home. New Orleans, Louisiana. At night, the city comes alive like no other. A vibrant nightlife and and a culture that is uniquely ours. I came to this city at a very young age and fell in love with it instantly, it's the city I chose to headquarter The People's Grounds when that business took off. I knew without even asking her that Lissie made an excellent choice moving here from her small town roots in Texas.
Standing in my office across from me, gazing out the window onto the streets below, was Ramon from PepsiCO. After our previous two meetings in his office, the time had come for him to visit my neck of the woods. He seemed to be treating what was essentially a business trip more like a vacation away from his usual environment. Considering what city we were in, I honestly could not blame him one bit.
Ramon: My friend, the city is alive and thriving tonight. Is it always like this?
FPV: It absolutely is, believe it not. you should come here during Mardi Gras. That's when the real fun begins.
Ramon: I'll have to fit it in, during my schedule, haha.
Ramon had come to my office to celebrate. He and I both agreed that the Mountain Dew sponsorship had exceeded both of our expectations wildly, and with the prospects of me soon becoming the AW World Champion, things could only go up from here. I reached into a nearby cabinet to get something to toast my business partner. While I had thought earlier in the day it would be funny to cheers with wine glasses filled with Mountain Dew, my better senses got to me, and I took out a bottle of red wine to serve him. He smiled as I poured his glass.
Ramon: Thank you, Frank. You and this city have treated me very well these past two days.
FPV: If nothing else, we are a city of hospitality.
As I poured my own glass, my thoughts turned to Lissie. What was she up to right now, in this very city? Resting up her injuries from Clash? Finding company and solace in the arms of a man or woman of the night? In a room? Alone? Isolated from almost everyone she knew, including her cohorts in the former Royal Family? All of these options seemed equally viable. Ramon was happy to take his glass from me.
Ramon: What's that saying that I've heard people tell me, that French phrase?
FPV: You mean "Laissez les bon temps roulers?"
Ramon: Yes, that's the one!
FPV: It's "Let the good times roll." It's sort of a motto here in NOLA.
Ramon: A fine motto, if ever there was one.
He raised his glass in the air for a toast. I raised mine to answer.
FPV: To absolute victory.
Ramon: To absolute victory. And let the good times roll while we do it!
Our glasses clinked together. Life, more than ever before, was good.
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The interior of the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas was barren and empty, save for myself. The neon lights that come to mind with establishments like this were off, replaced by the more normal "house lights" used to traditionally illuminate the building. I had received permission from the owner to do a small shoot here early in the morning, outside of normal operating hours. The sense of loneliness was overbearing, exactly the kind of atmosphere that I would need to make these points against Lissie Hope. Sitting alone on one of the couches here, I took out my phone and went live for the world to see.
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The interior of the Sapphire Gentlemen's Club in Las Vegas was barren and empty, save for myself. The neon lights that come to mind with establishments like this were off, replaced by the more normal "house lights" used to traditionally illuminate the building. I had received permission from the owner to do a small shoot here early in the morning, outside of normal operating hours. The sense of loneliness was overbearing, exactly the kind of atmosphere that I would need to make these points against Lissie Hope. Sitting alone on one of the couches here, I took out my phone and went live for the world to see.
FPV: Hello Lissie. Hopefully you get a hold of an archive of this stream. Congratulations on the World Title win, before I forget. You've made your first step towards solidifying your place as a mainstay of Action Wrestling. One can only hope you're able to continue that journey past this week.
Familiar location though, right Lissie? I've heard you like to frequent this place right before your moments of triumph. Some birdies have told me you were the night before your All In win, and again right before you took Gravedigger out of the Turmoil tournament. I'm sure you're real glad that we're in Las Vegas all this month so you can see your main squeezes as often as you want. But why exactly a strip club, of all places? I mean, you're an Action Wrestling star, surely if you want company you can find it easily, right?
Aye, that's the rub, ain't it? Even a casual observer of yours like me can see clear as day that you are just incapable of actually finding people to support you in any meaningful way. Think of it, you get shanghaied into being a part of the Royal "Family" against your will, you do everything to make it seem like everything is good, but the minute things start falling apart as they always do with you, they abandon you when you need them most and leave to die. Every time you came under fire during Dandy's little lottery, you sought for help, and help never came. Well, it was about to at one point with Bull, but your own paranoia and mistrust put a stop to that, didn't it? Not even MONEY was enough to convince DAGGER to help you out, that was the final straw, wasn't it? From that point on you were completely alone.
What's the cause of all of that, Lissie? Why does absolutely nobody want to associate themselves with you? If I was a random member of the roster and was friends with someone who was on the fast track to becoming World Champion with that briefcase, I'd want to be their friend, just think of the benefits being tight with the top dog are! So why's that not the case with you, Lissie? I only have one answer to that, and it's unfortunately not a very nice one.
You're just an absolutely miserable person, Lissie.
You came into this company and immediately went to town on the men and women here, calling Magic Maddox a "pussy-ass magician", sucking up to L Verez and Casey Holliday because they happened to be on top at the time while tearing down Kennedy Matthews for "failing on the grandest of stages" while reducing her friend Estrella and several other ladies to mere sex objects. And this is who we're marketing now to young girls out there that are undoubtedly watching you and want to emulate you?
You don't think Kennedy saw that and formed some nasty notions about you right off the bat? You never get a second chance at a first impression, and your first impression was absolute sludge. That's why you shouldn't have been surprised as you were when Kennedy and Estrella abandoned you when you needed them the most. They may have convinced you that they were your friends, but it was never going to work out because they don't respect you.
How do the lyrics to my entrance music go again? "Bet if you keep this up, you'll die here all alone, yet you still fill your cup, nodding off, nodding off now?"
Me? I don't blatantly disrespect every one of my colleagues. I have the capacity to respect them without resorting to using a sarcastic tone when giving that respect. Corey Black and I? Thick as thieves, forged in flame. Good luck driving us apart. We've been through enough shit in this business to know when someone truly has their back. You're only 23, you're still young and you haven't honed those senses yet. With the rate you're burning bridges I suggest you work on them soon.
You may come here and enjoy the company of people pretending that they love you Lissie, but you and I both know that when the house lights come on the morning after, that those relationships are as empty and hollow as this club I'm sitting in. But please, by all means, spend the night before Clash here wasting your time trying to get some easy action like I know you will. Maybe you can find a stripper that can get past your abhorrent personality and befriend them for real.
I'll be in the gym, getting ready to snatch that title belt off your waist.
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On Thursday, I was asked to meet someone at MountainView Hospital in Vegas.
The limo ride there was a solemn one, a stark contrast to Ramon and his joie de vivre in New Orleans a few days ago. I rode with Michelle, a representative from the Make-a-Wish foundation. She had called me on the phone to ask for a meeting with me, informing me that a local patient, Ian, had used his wish to meet me before my title match. From there, we worked together to arrange the meeting with Ian's parents, and once that was done, we got into my limo to drive out. She smiled weakly, she looked like she was trying to enjoy the ride as best she could, but deep down she probably was consumed by thoughts of Ian and of helping grant him his wish. The spitting image of a behind-the-scenes hero.
On Thursday, I was asked to meet someone at MountainView Hospital in Vegas.
The limo ride there was a solemn one, a stark contrast to Ramon and his joie de vivre in New Orleans a few days ago. I rode with Michelle, a representative from the Make-a-Wish foundation. She had called me on the phone to ask for a meeting with me, informing me that a local patient, Ian, had used his wish to meet me before my title match. From there, we worked together to arrange the meeting with Ian's parents, and once that was done, we got into my limo to drive out. She smiled weakly, she looked like she was trying to enjoy the ride as best she could, but deep down she probably was consumed by thoughts of Ian and of helping grant him his wish. The spitting image of a behind-the-scenes hero.
FPV: It's Leukemia, yes?
Michelle: It is. A highly aggressive form, at that. He's a resilient fighter, Ian is, but truthfully...truthfully it's not a question of "If he does?" but a question of "When will he?"
FPV: Does he have a set amount of time left?
Michelle: We honestly can't tell. It could be months from now or it could be tomorrow. That's why i'm so glad that you answered when you did, this case, compared to some of the others that I overlook is a bit...urgent.
FPV: Of course. I'm happy to help in any way that I can.
This felt different. I had done plenty of charity work before (lord knows people had begun to use that as an attack on me as a person, God forbid I try to do some good in this world) but those has almost always been large charities and foundations I had been aiding. This was so much more personal and so much more emotionally charged than anything I had ever done before. I had been tasked with giving this dying child one last glimmer of hope and happiness before the inevitable was to come, no matter how you looked at it that is an intense thing to ask of a person. Still, this was the sort of thing that I was compelled to do because of my social responsibility being the man that I was, so I took the job with all the gravitas it deserved.
Michelle and I made our way into MountainView Hospital, where we were soon greeted by two people, Walt and Lyra, the parents of Ian. They seemed relieved that I had made it, their faces said "Thank God he agreed to actually do it." I greeted them with a smile and a handshake to the both of them.
Michelle and I made our way into MountainView Hospital, where we were soon greeted by two people, Walt and Lyra, the parents of Ian. They seemed relieved that I had made it, their faces said "Thank God he agreed to actually do it." I greeted them with a smile and a handshake to the both of them.
FPV: Hi guys, glad to finally put faces to names.
Walt: I know you haven't actually done anything yet, but thank you. Thank you for actually coming, this is such a load off our minds.
Lyra: Ian was so adamant that it would be you who saw him. "I don't want anyone else to come and see me, just FPV." I lost count of how many times he told us that.
FPV: Well, that's certainly a lot of pressure, but i'll do my best. Can I see him now?
Walt: Yeah, let's take you there now.
The parents and Michelle led me through the hospital, bringing me to room 1112. Ian's room. I was to be the only one in there with him. I looked to everyone, gave them a nod, then turned the knob and walked into the room as quietly as possible.
The room was as blank and sterile as you would expect a hospital room to be, the only thing that seemed to give the room a little color was the small television that was currently playing an episode of the latest "Spider-Man" animated series. I stepped into the room some more, and saw Ian in bed, initially not even paying me any mind. He probably had assumed it was a doctor come to check on him. He was gaunt, bone thin. The chemo had already taken all of his hair, and the dark circles around his eyes gave him the look of a corpse that hadn't fully died yet. It was a troubling sight, but I still put on my best smile for him.
The room was as blank and sterile as you would expect a hospital room to be, the only thing that seemed to give the room a little color was the small television that was currently playing an episode of the latest "Spider-Man" animated series. I stepped into the room some more, and saw Ian in bed, initially not even paying me any mind. He probably had assumed it was a doctor come to check on him. He was gaunt, bone thin. The chemo had already taken all of his hair, and the dark circles around his eyes gave him the look of a corpse that hadn't fully died yet. It was a troubling sight, but I still put on my best smile for him.
FPV: Knock knock, Ian.
Finally, he turned to see me, and a small weak, gasp escaped him before he smiled, as wide as he could.
Ian: Oh my gosh. It worked. You actually came!
FPV: Of course I would. I wouldn't miss this for anything. You've got great taste in superheroes, I'll tell you that.
His eyes lit up, shining some light on the darkness around them. We must've talked for some time, I completely lost track of the minutes. He had so many questions for me, what was it like to be a wrestler? Who was just as villainous outside of the ring as they were inside? What was it like to be friends with Corey Black? I answered his questions as best I could, and though I could see how hard it was for him to just "be," he seemed to be as happy as the circumstances would allow him to be. I felt like I was actually helping him just by being there for him.
FPV: I actually have a question for you now, Ian.
Ian: Mmmm?
FPV: Why pick me? Your parents said you wouldn't take anyone else. Why pick me when you could have the World Champion or someone like QDT or Vayden?
Ian: Because I just...I knew you'd be the best. I watch Clash every week, and I see how bad everyone else is. If they came, they'd bring a bunch of cameras to take their picture with me, and it would make be feel uncomfortable. But I knew you'd be different. I knew that you would actually help me, just by being here with me and no one else.
For two weeks now, I had been going on about the support that the fans of AW gave me, about how they were the reason I was able to receive all these opportunities that I did. I had always talked about them, but I hadn't thought about why they did. I had my answer now. This was the support of the people distilled into it's purest form. I smiled, struggling not to shed any tears in front of Ian, before I put my hand on his shoulder.
FPV: Thank you. I may have helped you, but you've helped me in ways you can't even imagine, Ian. When you watch Clash this week, when I win that belt, I'll be pointing to you through the screen. I want you to win this with me, Ian, because you're just as strong a fighter as I am. And that's a fact.
Thank you for everything, Ian.
I stayed for a bit longer, until Michelle came back in to check up on us. I said my goodbyes to Ian, and left the hospital. The last thing I saw from Ian was him smiling, wishing me luck at Clash. There was nothing on Earth that could make me forget about that.
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I sat on the top turnbuckle in the ring, watching as the crew workers did their thing. They were for the most part leaving me alone and allowing me to just think. I had been thinking about my meeting with Ian ever since I left his room, and it was beginning to reshape my thoughts on things.
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I sat on the top turnbuckle in the ring, watching as the crew workers did their thing. They were for the most part leaving me alone and allowing me to just think. I had been thinking about my meeting with Ian ever since I left his room, and it was beginning to reshape my thoughts on things.
FPV: Do you still dream, Lissie Hope? I'm sure you do, you just turned 23 years old, you've still got both a career and a lifetime ahead of you. I wonder exactly what it is you dream of. Is it a long and storied career? A spot on Action Wrestling's Mount Rushmore? A passionate night of love in the arms of a partner? What are the desires you hold so closely and so dearly that they can only manifest while your asleep, Lissie?
I'll tell you this right now, I don't dream anymore, Lissie. I haven't for quite some time. I mean...why would I? My life as it is absolutely AMAZING right now. I have everything I could ever want available to me at a moment's notice. I have more money than I could ever know what to do with. I have fans all across the world that know my name and wear my merch. I've already had a long and storied career since I arrived on the scene in 2011. I started at the very bottom and worked myself all the way up to the top multiple times. If that isn't a Hollywood rags-to-riches story in the most literal sense of the term, then I don't know what is.
Life is good, Lissie. Any dream that I'd have today would have to work REALLY hard to top my waking life.
And yet, there are millions of people out there in the AW fanbase, and their dream is to see me win.
Lissie, you're only in this for personal gain, as far as I see. You're not the role model to the young AW fans that I am, and you never could be with the way that you act. And that's okay. It takes a certain kind of someone to fill that role, and not many can. But I can, and I have to. I'm doing this for myself too, of course. There's absolutely no denying that. But I'm also doing it for the fans. I'm doing this for every child out there with an FPV hoodie on and a bottle of Mountain Dew in his hand. I'm doing for all the mothers and fathers who want someone they can show their kids and say "that's someone you should aspire to be." I'm doing for every internet smark who's been watching AW for the past year and who's only wish is for someone who isn't an absolute asshole to win the World Championship.
You're only doing this for yourself Lissie. I'm doing this for THE PEOPLE.
You may have that belt right now Lissie, and yet you have so much less to lose in this match than I do. You've got a viable excuse if you lose. You're still not 100% after that attack from Odin Balfore last week, no one is that superhuman enough to recover that quickly. If you were to lose, you can say "I wasn't at my best, give me another shot and I'll rock your world." I'm in peak physical condition, I've never felt better in my life. If I lose this week, I have nothing to hide behind. NOTHING. The only thing I can say to everyone who looks up to me is "I just wasn't good enough." And I can't do that, Lissie. I can't let everyone down that way.
Even if you do lose, you won't be far from the World title. You've got that briefcase back in your possession and out of the dirty hands of Dandy Divito. You've done something that's unprecedented, hold both a briefcase and the World title at the same time. You've got that security cushion to help cover the blow of losing the World Title. Losing this match won't be an issue for you, you'll just cash in when you're feeling better. Hell, you could even cash in on me right after I beat and put me in the history books as the shortest reigning Action World Champion. You've got so many options at your disposal if you lose, Lissie?
Do you realize just how much work I had to do to get to where I am this week, Lissie? I had to not only beat two of the toughest opponents AW has to offer, but I also had to win a fan poll to even get this shot at the tournament. There's a timeline somewhere where your old colleague Kennedy Matthews wins the fan poll and faces off against you for the World Title while I'm relegated to the undercard. I don't know about you, Lissie, but I don't want to think about that timeline. I'm here because the people want me here, but that's the only thing keeping me here. If I lose this shot, I start all. The. Way. Back. From. The. Bottom. I have to do all of that work once again before I get considered for another World Title shot, and there's no guarantee when that will be. This is for all intents and purposes my one true shot, and I intend to make the most of it just like I have this whole tournament.
And like I said, you're only here for yourself, Lissie. You haven't made a promise to a young fan who wants nothing more than to succeed.
I can't let him down, Lissie. I can't let ANYONE down.
Despite everything I've just said, I don't want you to make this easy on me Lissie. Don't you fucking dare make this a hollow victory on my end. I know that you're a beast in that ring, and I intend to fight that same beast, even if you're not at 100%. We're both already record breakers, I want our match to be the most watched match not just in Monday Night Clash history, but the most watched professional wrestling match PERIOD. I want every fucking set of eyeballs tuned in to watch us wrestle. I want people leaping up off their couches and cheering their hearts out when I get the 1, 2, 3. I want this to mean something, I want this to be special.
I had asked if you were still a dreamer, I know that you used to put a lot of stock into dreams. If you're still a dreamer, then dream about that World Title around your waist, because your dreams are going to be the only place that your reign lasts more than one week, Lissie.
But if you've truly awakened, then show me. Give me everything you've got in that ring! Don't hold anything back!! SHOW ME THAT YOU FUCKING WANT THIS JUST AS MUCH AS YOU SAY YOU DO!!
Or stay asleep, and keep dreaming.
Sweet dreams, Lissie. I hope you get a good long night's sleep before Monday. You're going to need it.