Stepping Stones

Clients Posts : 55 Join date : 2019-12-18

[Deus Xavier Machina is shown in front of an orange background; seated comfortably in his usual leather chair, dressed in his usual suit with a warm smile on his face.]

Hello, my friends.

I believe that now is more than just a mere formality. It has been quite some time since I first introduced myself to you. Perhaps once upon a time I was a mysterious stranger of sorts, but now you know who I am, and what it is that I do. You know that I serve my purpose in aiding our hero through whatever means he needed to arrive here in Wrestleworld, as well as serving as the Narrator to this epic tale. And while many would say that familiarity breeds contempt, I do not believe in such a thing. I have faith in all of you, as I would hope you have faith in me. We are not here to express negativity towards one another, but to come to know one another no longer as strangers, but as peers. As friends.

It is one of my greatest wishes that someday you will even consider myself and Layne Driver as family to you. All of you who spend your lives watching us. You have your own lives, of course. The vast majority of you work your 9 to 5 jobs, a fate that many would consider to be “normal”. Satisfying your lives did not require the ambition to reach beyond the boundaries put in front of you. Instead you went along with it. You walked that road with no intention of straying from it, and you are content with your normal jobs, as well as the families you all create along the way. Beautiful, caring families. You take a break from that job that can be so stressful, sit down with your beloved family, and watch us every week. You allow us into your living room through this terrific technology, be it a television, a computer, or even a phone.

And it is my hope that one day you will sit down, even when the day comes that your job is no longer there. Perhaps even your family has gone; maybe they’ve moved on from you. You’ll seek comfort, and in doing so you will sit down in front of your device like you always have, and you will see us once more. Things may change for the worse, but we’re always here, the same as we ever were. Here to comfort you. Here to be your family. Here to take you away from the worries of jobs, everything so stressful to you. Here to be your life.

But, of course, we can only reach that future by starting out as friends. Friendship and camaraderie is exactly what our hero seeks after as well. This is his quest to find a family of sorts of his own perhaps. So let us begin.

[Deus snaps his fingers.]

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ASK… And ye shall receive.

You know, I think sometimes we get all caught up in this business. Maybe at some point we start to take it all a little too seriously and we tend to isolate ourselves in our own little worlds. Some of us start to do some very silly things as time goes on, but it’s more than that. It’s more than just a change in attitude or look. That’s just the nature of the beast. No, I’m talking about the minor things. The things people seem to gloss over because it’s considered not a big deal. At some point the people in this business become so snake-bitten and isolated from reality that they make very stupid decisions and think that things just aren’t as simple here as it is for a normal civilian. And that’s exactly where you’d be wrong! Because all it takes is the most simple of tasks to make a change where it counts. For instance, anyone else would have gone through some big, drastic measures if they were in my shoes, but me? Heck, I just went on down to Jaywalker’s Office, knocked on the door, and asked him for a tag team opportunity with my newfound friend, Stephanie Matsuda.

And yes, I know what everyone is thinking. I know that I tend to come on too strongly at times, but I promise you that my heart is always in the right place. Guys, I’m not out here to politic and ruin everything that you’ve come to love and cherish. C’mon, see, even the fans can get wrapped up in this world and dramatize everything! Look, I apologize for rudely showing up and interrupting The World’s Finest’s therapy session, I’m sure it was very enlightening and therapeutic for everyone involved, but I saw an opportunity and I felt like it was a good time to take it. That’s all. Everyone who’s anyone knows Layne Driver by now and what he represents. I don’t hate The World’s Finest, in fact it’s quite the opposite. I love what they are and what they represent. Granted, I’m not loving them having absolutely no sense of leadership, but that’s something that we can cover and work on as we go along. Right now we’re just easing ourselves into a new era of the group, you see. Because while change might make things overdramatized and far too serious, it can also be necessary for survival. And that’s what I want more than anything. I want The World’s Finest to survive. Not for the next few months. Not for the next year. YEARS onwards I want them to keep going strong. Steph told them all that if they don’t want to end up like The Underworld, they need to tackle their issues and make sure nothing causes them to implode. Now, of course, a better leader would have never had those issues in the first place, but that’s neither here nor there. I like the thought regardless. It’s smart to tighten the screws. But I think this well-oiled machine is in desperate need of major hardware and software adjustments. That’s why I took it upon myself to perform the simple task of just asking. I want change, ladies and gentlemen, and I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen.

BUT change is a funny thing, isn’t it? Change in attitude and look can sometimes be a little… A little controversial. I mean, how many people do you think gasped when they saw me show up with a name change and a different look? That’s just the way it goes, but it was all for the better in the end, and that’s what I’m about. Layne Driver has always been about surviving through adapting. I change what needs to be changed, whether anyone likes it or not. In fact, whether anyone else wants it or not, there isn’t a choice. But not everyone is blessed with the talent to pull that off. Some people seek change out of sheer pathetic fucking desperation, you know? And what are the ODDS that my asking for a simple tag team opportunity with Steph to prove to her that she needs me in The World’s Finest… That asking for that would put me right in front of a prime example of when change goes wrong.

Sometimes they turn to a poorly-chosen attitude. Maybe they’ll take a leap of faith on a group they’ve found that accepts them. But most of them in their time of need find salvation in religion. Well, not either of “SPAWN”, obviously. They’re full of shit. I know, because I can look at anyone and see they’re full of shit. They’re as full of shit as can be and they know it. But that’s not where I take issue with it. MY issue isn’t who they are or what they represent, but what they could be capable of with this religion bullshit they’ve got going on, because the sad truth of it is that people are sheep. And that goes double for professional wrestling fans. They’re absolute sheep that aren’t capable of making their own choices. This isn’t an insult, it’s a legitimate fact that everyone who steps inside a ring knows. It takes absolutely nothing to lead them around by the nose and tell them what they like and watch them go along with it. It’s far, far too easy really. And then you go and couple that with religion? That’s asking for trouble. I don’t want that in MY Wrestleworld. But boys and girls, what do you do when you see a problem? You find the root of it, that’s right. Good job, everyone. You have to find where the source lies, and it’s not in Roxy or Rosanna or whatever she’s calling herself to show how rebellious she is to her mommy and daddy. I know Roxy far better than I ever cared to, and do you know why? Because for years elsewhere I had her trying to cling to me like a fangirl in desperate need of attention. Hell, it wouldn’t have been hard to have her. I could have used her. I could have taken advantage of her and made her do anything for me. I could have gone out of my way to make her so dependent on me that the sheer threat of breaking things off would have pushed her to kill someone just to prove her devotion for me. People are sheep, and Rosanna may be a black sheep to her family now, but a sheep all the same.

No, the root of all evil here is her dear brother. I’ve heard of him at times. I’ve heard all the notorious things about Ares Vendetta and what he’s done to people. I can’t say it’s a surprise to me that he’s gone this far and taken it upon himself to take advantage of others through his hollow religious bullshit. I suppose I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t grateful that he’s here. Rosanna as well, even, despite all the issues she brought me in OWA. I’m grateful for the both of you, because you two are absolutely everything that I need right now. Wrestleworld is a beautiful place, and it belongs to me now. And right now, you are an infection that’s found its way through an open wound. A wound ripped open by your own mother and father actually. Isn’t that right? Isn’t that what REALLY brought you into this business, and what REALLY brought you here? It’s got nothing to do with religion. It has nothing to do with making a statement. Ares is compelled by his blood, and you, Rosanna… You’re compelled by him. What a shame, maybe we could have had something at one time. But you know what? Maybe there’s still a chance. Maybe this bridge isn’t entirely burned. You were obsessed with me at one point in your life, and that doesn’t just fade away now does it? You can bleach your hair blonde and wear slutty gear, but you’re still that fixated little stalker of mine deep down, aren’t you?

So prove it. Find Sweet Roxy deep down inside and prove your devotion to me, Rosanna, because right now I’m doing something for the greater good. I have a higher purpose than you or your brother. I don’t care about blood. I don’t care about religion. I don’t care about rebelling. Rosanna, this is my home now, and it makes me happy. Don’t you want me to be happy? Well I can’t be truly happy until this match is won and I’m a member of The World’s Finest. That I’ve proven I belong there and I show them what a leader truly is. If you want a God, Rosanna, I’m the God of Wrestleworld. I’m the hero to it and everything it stands for. I’m the one who will protect it from anyone who does ANYTHING to disturb it. So what you can do for me is help me make that a fact that cannot be disputed in anyone’s mind. Help me make Steph see that The World’s Finest needs Layne Driver. You can do the right thing for the sake of this home of ours, Rosanna, or you can keep yourself isolated in that bubble with your brother and be my enemy. If you choose the latter, it won’t make a difference to me. I’ll hurt you and your brother to get what I want. I’ll win and show all the sheep why they shouldn’t have ever doubted me, because I’m their sherpa and the only one they need. And before long, The World’s Finest will look at things the same way too. But first comes you, SPAWN. So make a choice, Rosanna. You can be who you’ve decided to become and choose your dear brother that’s opened your eyes, or you can do what’s right.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this: Step aside, or be stepped on. I really don’t give a shit which.