Post by Dathyn on Sept 25, 2015 22:58:55 GMT -6
A Brave New World
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Talent:
/ˈtalənt/
Noun.
Natural aptitude or skill.
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Dualities – we face them every day. For every good, there is an evil. For every martyr, there is an ‘executioner.’ For every truth, there is a lie. For every winner, there is a loser. Life is full of dualities, and Newton said it best: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. There are two sides to every coin. And even as I sit here, fiddling with my lucky coin, I find myself struggling with dualities.
Which side am I on? Am I a martyr? Well, I can’t die. A hero? I don’t think so. A villain? Nope. Maybe life is a little more than black and white. One more question: am I a winner? Well not to brag...
I had defeated the legend. I had taken the best Seth Iser could offer me, and managed to pin him, leaving not a single question in anyone’s mind who the superior wrestler was. A school-boy pin, yes, but all the same, a very technical display of wrestling. Iser was just another victim to me, another feather in my cap, another person who I was able to outsmart in a human game of chess. Sure, defeating him was like taking a queen in chess, but it wasn’t a checkmate. The checkmate is soon to come.
They call us savages. They call us savages because they could never begin to understand the subtle intricacies of our motives. They call us savages because they (as well as most) are blind as to see the good we do for society. We do what others cannot, we do the work others are too weak to do – we cleanse, we purge society of its sins.
Yet, they call us savages. They call us cut-throat. They are too neglectful and ignorant to open their eyes to the world that stands brazenly before us, the world that they helped create. We are the beasts of burden, those who do the dirty work so you can sleep at night. We maintain order, we incinerate waste and we make this world a better place. We take no credit.
“Now then...all that aside…let’s talk about a certain ‘talent’, shall we?”
Cera’s harsh, cold eyes fell upon me and settled like a syrupy glaze. Night was falling upon the campsite, and I had already sent Jen on the daunting task of gathering firewood; surprisingly, she succeeded, thus making me send her on another task in order to gain privacy. I slowly lowered myself onto a log and slowly flickered my lighter on the tinder until it set ablaze. Beginning to bite my lower lip, I looked up at Cera, choosing for the moment not to address her question. Why? Because I was thinking of a way to phrase it without me sounding like I belonged in a padded room.
I do not belong in a padded room.
I’m not crazy. Crazy would be like allowing myself to be in a situation where I go two-on-one with two of the most feared wrestlers on the VoW roster for the tag titles, rather than just surrendering them to their rightful owners. Let’s throw in an extra batch of crazy and say that one of those people you’re going to be fighting has choked your tag partner (who is far more talented than yourself) unconscious and the other has kicked you so hard in the face that you’re wrist locking police officers.
But perhaps there is a difference between bravery, lunacy and simple stupidity, and even though Shay McClure walks the fine line of all three, I feel as though he mainly embraces the third. Unfortunately, one half of the Gang Stars are going to find himself on the wrong side of a World Star Hip Hop video.
“So are you choosing not to answer me because you lack any sort of talent? Not sure how a millionaire like yourself could get so far without talent…” If tongues could be sharp, Cera’s was that of a blade. Insulting, sharp, and witty – there are reasons that Cera and I get along the way we do. We have a delicate relationship, based upon the foundations of mutual respect, attraction and admiration for one another’s style of ‘operating.’ And even now, as I look at her, I realize that even with the mental fortitude she has, she may not be strong enough to accept this truth.
Inhaling, I take one last look at her before looking at the fire. The flames danced seductively, drawing my eyes even deeper, drawing my inch by inch closer. Its smoky musk and warm presence immersed me, bathing me in its beauty. I allowed the smoke to caress and fondle every inch of my being, causing my sexual arousal.
“Do you ever wonder why I chose you to be my tag partner?” Locking eyes with Cera, I inched towards her, still keeping my distance. With a half smirk, Cera rolled her eyes (a reaction I receive from my tag partner quite regularly). She responded quick, however “I typically don’t bother myself with such silly questions.”
“A decade ago, around the time you met Jen, you were experimented on, no Cera?” Well…that got her attention. She didn’t have to say a word for me to know that I wasn’t supposed to know that information – but I did, and there is a very logical reason for that. “You don’t believe me about the immortality drug that I’ve created – not yet at least – however, you do know the cruel ways of humans, and you understand that there are forces at work that most could never comprehend.”
“I suggest you get to the point.” Cera calmly prodded the fire with a stick, perhaps hoping that the flames were my ribs, and the stick was a lance. I had to phrase my words very carefully here, as this moment could make or break our team.
“One of the drugs that was used on you was my drug. It fell into the wrong hands and you were given a dosage of it. By no means are you immortal, I’ve been watching your behavior ever since. I’ve followed you to New Edge Wrestling, to all of these federations to watch you. You impressed me. And when I came to Visionaries of Wrestling, I did not come to wreak havoc alone, I did not come for world titles. Sure, I will probably win a couple, however, that was never my intention. I came, to find a replacement.”
Realization set in for Cera, I could tell there was so much that she was questioning, so much that upset her, that made her want to stab me. “You’ve been stalking me for years? And now you want me to become the next you? In what world does this make sense?”
“My time for this – my era is drawing its terminal breaths. Sure, do I have a couple years, maybe a couple title runs in me? Yes. But you, Cera, you are the chosen one, the one who will continue bringing those who oppose us to their knees. But don’t take my word for it, try the drug. I promise you that it will change your perspective, and that you will fully understand what I am trying to tell you. It’s an interesting day we live in, and a beautiful day to go to war…an even better one to die. It’s a shame I’ll never be allowed the warm embrace of death. But hey, let’s leave it to chance.”
Taking my coin out of my pocket, I flip it. “Heads – you take it, tails – you don’t.” No response from the speechless and rage filled Cera.
Heads.
That’s the beauty of double sided coins. Sometimes you have to force luck. But no trick coin was going to decide Cera’s destiny. Only she could decide the legacy she wanted to leave.