Just a show

I think the finish of that lumberjack match was the perfect representation of how the other teams will be presenting themselves come WOTW. Close enough, anyways. The tag team division embarrassing themselves and eating the fall. The europeans fighting amongst themselves and costing each other the match. And the shoguns spouting all that bullshit about honor. About winning fairly. And then showing their true snake colours when push comes to shove. At least I don't lie about being a piece of shit. Dampshaw did jack shit, that entire match. Getting his ass kicked and thrown to the outside as soon as he managed to haul himself back inside the ring. But a shove across the ring and a stolen pinfall on an opponent I annihilated was all it took for the shogun to win. Not so respectful, right? Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice, shame on me. It won't happen again. I'll admit that he got the better of me that time. Whether he really planned on it or not, he was in the right place at the right time and got himself an unimpressive win in the middle of all the fuckery. I'm sure he's flexing it like it's worth anything. But I guess he doesn't win very many matches so he has to take them when he can get them. It's good to know that people aren't on the same page. I doubt that'll be any different on the AD side of things, but I feel that we'll be able to weather the storm of disagreements more than other teams will. I'm sure we're used to not getting along with people. Take a look at the limited teams we know of so far. You've got the "leaders" sure. But do you really think that people like Ozy and Sabertooth are willing to bend the knee for people like Animus and Dampshaw? I doubt even that passive bitch Cynthia Rose wants to take orders from those clowns. But with the type of people on this "team", I doubt that I even need to make an effort. Why? Because I know that they won't listen to me no matter what I do. I can intimidate and yell all I want, but they'll just turn the other way. Sure, I can try. But I don't see a point in trying to keep people who'd turn their back on me in a heartbeat on my good side. To really get these people to listen, I need to make an impact in the match itself. Could it be too late? Possibly. But I'm not going to waste my time and energy trying to motivate people who see themselves as the alphas on this "team". Catch the other captains making motivational speeches. Or spitting out threats that everyone knows that they won't carry out. Maybe it'll work for them. But this is fucking wrestling. I highly doubt it really will. They might nod their heads and clap, but when it comes to barking out orders and giving instructions...well we'll see what happens then. The people will follow along once they see me throw some poor souls over the top rope. If they're competent to recognize what that even means, at least. We'll see how the rest of the draft goes.

And speaking of the draft, I'm about to knock some sense into the woman that's throwing my...our chances of winning out the window. Let's focus on who she picked on the last chapter, shall we? Oh boy, this should be a fucking trip. If I wasn't planning on carrying these idiots on my back enough already. Come on, Claudia. Do better. Three names were called that night. Does someone know who the fuck Danse Macabre is? Really. I have no idea. The first pick and the lumberjack you chose to represent me in the main event was some random B-show plebe with a guitar. God, people try so hard to set themselves apart in some other way because they know they can't keep up in a ring. Danse tries to be some spooky scary wrestler straight out of a shitty horror movie. But to make yourself look like someone to be feared, you have to make examples out of people. You have to show why people should be scared of you. And something tells me that he hasn't been doing very much of that. Daniel Horror is...Daniel Horror. Do I really have to say anything bad about him that we don't already know? He's just...unimpressive in every single fucking way I can think of. In a ring. Out of a ring. You get it. Another guy trying to make himself look like some deranged individual. But I guess you can't have all your marbles if you keep throwing yourself at a brick wall and expecting different results. The last time I saw Crazy Violet was when she was lying in the rubble of an oak table. Holy shit Claudia, you really picked someone from the World's Finest? Personally I don't have anything in particular against them, but it's an interesting selection for you. Whatever. But I think we've proved by now that Violet isn't much. And I doubt that she's ready to be led by someone like me. Compared to other choices you've made, it's not terrible, but come on. What the fuck. You have the immense talent pool that is the Wrestleworld roster. Anyone you could ever dream of. And I'm sure you complained to Jaywalker enough that he gave you the first pick just to shut you up. And this is the shit you do with it? All the talent on the table and these are the people you pick. It's not like the other architects are drafting any better, but I expect more from the longest retaining architect. Maybe I shouldn't have. This is what I get when I expect people other than myself to make important decisions. But you've still got a lot of picks left to go. Lots of time to fix your mistakes. Lots of quality still left on the table ripe for the pickings. So I suggest that you pick them. It's not that hard, is it? To use your brain for once. I'm already about to carry these sad sacks of shit to the point where it's acceptable for me to throw them out myself. But it's your job to get me people who can do the same for these scrubs. Get it done.

I might sound like I'm asking a lot from you, here. But you've said yourself that you picked me for my so-called "loyalty" to this division. That I've never done anything wrong to you unlike the numerous chasers of the AD title, but I feel like that's only because I've never had any reason to do anything. I was never a contender to become the first ever AD champion. I never really mixed it up with the Underworld. Hell, I bet you didn't even know I existed until I was right in front of you. I've never done this division wrong because It's pretty damn hard to do so to a lawless place like this. I've never done wrong to you because I've never had an opportunity to. People close to you left you behind in a heartbeat when you were either no use to them, or they were no use to you. But I don't think we've used up our reasons for aligning yet, have we? Why would I turn my back on someone who can give me a real title match with the snap of a finger? I haven't done anything wrong to the AD division. Loyal? Sure, I guess you could say that. But I don't know if the same thing can be said for you, Claudia. I've spoken on it before. I've said my piece about that cute little championship scramble that you decided to pull out of your ass. How you couldn't be bothered to give me an individual shot at the strap. Not only did you want Matsuda to have a harder time, but you wanted every single person in that match to have a hard time. Am I still bitter about it? Maybe, but there's no point thinking about the what-ifs or the maybes. But the part I have a problem with is picking me as a captain and pretending that nothing ever happened. Thinking that I forgot all about what went down at BTS and that I'd be a replacement for Maverick after he left for greener pastures. I’m not as stupid as the people that once sat in your court. I don’t forget and move on from shitty things that have happened to me. I get even. And that’s why we’re here, right?

You underestimate me. I don't have short-term memory. Even after you made me the big captain, I was still a bit sore about it. I wondered what the fuck you were thinking for giving a position like this to someone who hates your guts. But I took it because what else was I supposed to do? I doubt another title shot was coming my way. I didn't feel like making more mortal enemies and starting fights with random people. I probably would’ve found myself shoved into this match anyways, so I took what I could get. But I guess I’ll take a little joy in showing you what you could’ve had. I can take out all that pent up frustration that I had from that scramble shit on the person who put me there in the first place. I can show you the champion that could be representing you at your own bodily expense. Sure, you’re the one that’s supposed to be on my side here, but you agreed to the match too, right? Either way, I’m going to enjoy this. I’m going to enjoy it a lot. I’m going to have a great fucking time beating the shit out of you at your own game. And I guess I’m going to teach you that maybe you should think about what the consequences could be before you make any big decisions. But that’s not really what I care about. I’m not here to teach you something most preschoolers already know. I’m just focused on taking my hunk of flesh and moving on with my life. So it’s time to fucking take it. It’s time to show you just how unloyal a guy can be. I’m not your happy little caddy like Maverick or The Professional was. I’m not about to slide into that role and do whatever the fuck you ask me to do. People are saying that I’m the last resort. That I’m only here because everyone else you wanted on your side is either out of this place or on their own, away from your needy claws. Is that true? Yeah. Even I see it like it is. Because unlike those brainless idiots, I’d like to think that I have a little self respect. I’m the last option not because they’re somehow superior in a ring. Not because they’re faster, or stronger, or whatever. It’s because under Claudia, they were compliant. They bowed down. I don’t think I can say the same for myself, however. I’m the last option because I don’t bend the knee to someone who calls herself a Queen. I don't listen to people who think they know better than me. I'm your last choice, Claudia. And god, do I know it. I'm the last person you'd want to take over your shitty empire but still, you're forced to try and turn me into another one of your complacent little minions. So let's cut to the chase. It's not going to work. After I kick your ass, we're going into WOTW as equals. Maybe we can work together so we both achieve our mutual goals. If I win, you get your little bragging rights and I get a title shot and a big old trophy. Are we really that equal when it comes to the hierarchy in this place? Of course not. But I don't feel like being anyone's underling. Ever. I know it's hard to process. After a long career of having people to attend your every desire. With talented wrestlers committed to serving you and giving you everything you could ever dream of. And now you're offering the great service of serving you to another young gun and...they don't want to? Imagine that. You've had people to do every single unpleasant thing in the world for you, and for some reason, with a smile. Old friends. People you once considered equals were the ones bowing at your feet. And I’m not about to add to them. That's unhealthy for a reason. And look how that ended for you. Slowly but surely, everyone in your service was either alienated to the point of making a break for it, or they were taken out by that little group that tossed you off the roof of a cage. And now you're all alone with the exception of little old me. The guy you're trying to turn into one of them. The guy you're facing this week.  

This is your new normal, Claudia. Now you have to actually do things on your own. There's nobody to help you. No loyal savior to run in on all your matches. The one guy that you think you can rely on to help you out will be the one dishing out the punishment. You're all alone. You think Robbie's gonna run all the way down from his little commentary booth to get his ass kicked too? He talks a big game, but that's all it really is. Talk. But he probably happens to be the only person on your side, come next Sunday. You'd think that your husband would have your back in any situation. When there's nobody to call upon, you can always count on him to run down and have your back, right? But he's as spineless as you when there's no one to help you. He'll make all his threats. He'll cheer and boo all he wants. But moral support isn't worth much in a place like this. Especially for a person with morals as non-existent as your chances in this match. You're done. The last time we saw you in a ring was with your entire fucking faction running out to the ring, and it took your opponents to use one of your strategies against you for you to finally drop that belt. That was also the last time we saw the Underworld in all its glory, wasn't it? In a losing effort, as well. The last time we saw you in a ring was when the Underworld finally wasn't enough for you to walk out with the strap. I'm sure it was a new feeling. You tried literally everything that you could think of and it still wasn't enough. I'm sure you're used to winning without having to lift a finger. But one loss was all it took to turn your life upside down. A "champion" no longer. That’s the difference between you and me. I’ve taken my fair amount of losses but I’ve still come out the same guy. I can take a loss and know what needs to be fixed. What needs to be changed for the next time I step in a ring. But when you lose, you look for people to blame. You don’t adapt, you don’t improve, you just scream and cry. And when there’s nobody to come running, screaming and crying won’t help you.

We're in outlaw rules because it's your "specialty". Is it because you're good at hitting people with various objects? Is it because you don't show any mercy in between the ropes? Or is it your specialty because you could get your underlings to do the work for you while you sat back and watched. Sure, maybe you were a master at this type of match a few years ago. But in my time in this company, I haven't seen that from you. The words outlaw rules meant that Claudia gets Underworld to run in and clear house against whoever the poor challenger of the week is. God, you couldn't even beat Alice Gamer on your own. It took what...two, three people stomping out poor Alice for you to win? Does Alice outmatch you that much? I wouldn't know. It's been a while since I saw you in a ring on your own. Hell, I don't know if I even have. This is going to be your first match truly on your own in who knows how long. People think that you're back in your element, but your element is having other people wrestle for you. You're doomed. Your own rules are about to dig your grave. I don't think you thought that they would backfire on you, did you? When putting those rules in place, I know all you thought about was defending your title in any way possible. Focusing on the present rather than what the future could have in store. Who knows what could happen to you when someone that hates your guts gets to do anything they want. Probably nothing good, right? You might think that I'm walking into your domain, but you're really walking into a whole new world. A world that you've been protected from as of late. And I'm about to be your rude introduction back to the world of fighting for yourself.

There's a lot of reasons why I can't wait to kick your ass on Sunday. One is for payback after wasting my title shot in a shitty championship scramble. Another is to show you that I won't be another one of your complacent little servants. And finally, to teach you to fight for yourself again. I've built a career on being ruthless. To not being loyal to anyone but myself. In my time here I've had people approach me and try to form some type of alliance. And every single time, I've walked out stronger than I was before. Because in this business there's no room for friendships. You build bridges. And you burn them down when they don't benefit you anymore. I've teamed with people countless times, but I never kept the goal out of my mind. If I don't get anything out of it, there's no fucking point. That's why I'm so determined to set myself apart from one of your underlings, Claudia. I'm not in it for you, I'm in it for me. And knocking your block off certainly will do something for me, no matter how small. It'll show that I'm miles ahead of the longest retaining architect. It'll show that if I got an opportunity before Cloud did, I could be the AD champ right now. If someone locked the Underworld's locker room, at least. The mighty architect stumbled on a weekly show against Jay Jones. I'm going to make sure that the outlaw rules that kept that belt around your waist for so long will be the ones to secure your upcoming loss. You're supposed to be on my side at WOTW, but I feel like that's going to change after the next chapter. I guess it shouldn't matter to me since you won't be in the match, but it'll be a fucking riot to see you switch sides from your "loyal" captain.

And if it does, I'll know that I truly did a job well done.