Eclipse of the Spirit
Jun 25, 2018 1:10:57 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Jun 25, 2018 1:10:57 GMT -5
*A light-sounding audio cue alerts us to the fact that a camera is rolling but there is no visual yet, just a voice.*
[Voice:] "Is this what you imagine it must feel like for them?"
*The lens cap is lifted off and we have a visual: that of a grassy field on a farm on a very sunny day. The camera pans up to show the sun shining brightly, and then down and to the right where we see Geese Walker. He is dressed in old, faded, denim clothes and appears to have just finished moving some bales of hay. He wipes his brow and looks at the camera.*
[Geese:] "The fans, RYOMA. Do you think that is their perspective now? Is it yours too?
Are you worried that my return to the world of professional wrestling blocks the fans from viewing the brightness of your light? Do even you doubt that your legacy and potential can shine through my presence?
In the years since I retired, you have simultaneously earned Tag Team Championships in four different promotions and the Azteca Pro Warriors Championship. To many in the UBL, you would have been next in line for Matt Rivers' NEXUS Championship even had you not challenged him...or me. And yet, you speak of the doubt that you have heard from others that you and your generation deserves to be at the top of the food chain of UBL. Is that not a doubt that you hold too?
You should now. You gave that doubt life by even acknowledging it and certainly by publicly stating it.
In my prime, I would have made that an impossible concept for anyone to have even considered. But you are not me, RYOMA. Perhaps you will be even greater one day, but I doubt it. I still see such hesitation 10 years into your career. That desire of yours to prove something to Matt Rivers by beating me tells me that you need to prove it to yourself even more.
You posit that the best of your generation has superseded the best of mine, yet you don't truly understand of whom you speak of. As the 1990's drew to a close, a critical juncture in UBL was upon us. The last year that Cosmic K*I*D won the Universal Championship was 1999 but he left immediately after his victory. Whatever one can say about him in the years that followed, there was no question that he defined the first generation of the UBL and dominated the competition.
Thunder Strike and I never asked questions like that though. Instead, we immediately took to creating new answers for our competition and the fans when they asked who the best in UBL was. By the time I left UBL in 2002, no one spoke of Cosmic K*I*D anymore other than as a footnote of history. You could choose Thunder as the best, or you could choose me as the best, but no one gave serious consideration to those who preceded us because we became the gold standard by never looking back. And that was after K*I*D had defeated us in the past. You and I never even fought before. If Thunder and I could take over the legacy of the UBL despite falling once to K*I*D, why do you doubt you and Matt can't do the same? Why do you doubt that you haven't already done the same in the years since I retired?
It's a failure of your spirit that answers why.
Being the best in the UBL isn't about one victory, it's about your presence, your force, your spirit. That is how Matt Rivers could lose to Joachim a few years back but return to regain his Championship without anyone questioning whether he was the center of the UBL. But you, despite never even stepping foot in the ring with me, immediately prostrated yourself and your generation by even raising the question, the doubt, of whether or not you were the best in the world. Your weak spirit is allowing my existence to block your sunlight and that is worse than any individual loss you could sustain."
*Geese puts his thumb and index fingers on his chin and smiles.*
[Geese:] "However, your loss could be my gain. The reason I have taken so long to reply to your challenge is because I have been in serious negotiations over the past week: partially on this matter with the UBL. Matt Rivers, Drake Yoshida, and Arthur Wingate were all surprised by your challenge but far more intrigued by my response. After all, I have returned to pro wrestling, to an extent that I choose. Could this offer be attractive enough for me to accept my second match, and even consider a return to the promotion I once owned and became the centerpiece of through sheer force of will?"
*Geese puts his hand down and shakes his head.*
[Geese:] "No, not as it stood.
One match with a wrestler, impressive as you are, needs far more incentive for me than what you initially offered.
In my first match back in pro wrestling in 7 years, I faced SonnyX in the ARENA promotion. I took that match because we were rivals for over 10 years. In my victory over him, I avenged my first loss in the FPCPP, a loss that prevented me from being the first FPCPP Champion. Despite eventually winning that Championship, I nursed the hunger to avenge that loss for over 10 years. Taking that match was an easy choice. But you? I have no ill will toward you and I have nothing to prove."
But I realized that I might have something to gain. I haven't forgotten my business roots. I made a counteroffer of sorts to Matt Rivers and he accepted. If I defeat you at Matsuki Mobile, Matt will offer me a shot at his NEXUS Championship at the 'Lunar Eclipse of the Heart" event in October. Yes, a shot to win a Championship in the UBL that I never competed for, and a Championship that has become the premiere one due to the efforts of Gene Starr, Julian Caesaro, and Matt Rivers.
So I accept your challenge. However, you need to understand why. I seek to win the NEXUS Championship not just to further my legacy, but to allay your concerns. If there is truly doubt in your mind that you and your generation is ready to supplant me and mine, wouldn't the merit of the Championship you value plummet if the best warrior is not holding it?"
*A sly grin comes onto Geese's face.*
[Geese:] "If you want what's best for the NEXUS Championship and the UBL, you now need to prove even more that best is you. Otherwise, after I defeat you, I will do the same to Matt Rivers and become the new Champion of old.
You said that it was time for your generation to rise up and show the UBL that you are the main event now. I say it was time to do that years ago and make everyone forget that my generation even existed. However, you didn't forget and now you truly reminded me of who I am. What makes this unfortunate situation even worse is your poor sense of timing. This past week brought the beginning of summer to the United States and, with it, the longest period of daily sunshine all year.
And yet your spirit allowed me to totally eclipse your light. Don't make the same mistake again. I don't aim to hurt people anymore. And I do not think I will need to break that vow against you. But what you are doing to your career by your own perception may be worse than what I have ever done to an opponent. Reclaim your spirit and you will reclaim the UBL for you and your generation. Anything less and you are looking at your new Champion.
See you at Matsuki Mobile, RYOMA."
*Geese walks away as the camera shot fades.*
[Voice:] "Is this what you imagine it must feel like for them?"
*The lens cap is lifted off and we have a visual: that of a grassy field on a farm on a very sunny day. The camera pans up to show the sun shining brightly, and then down and to the right where we see Geese Walker. He is dressed in old, faded, denim clothes and appears to have just finished moving some bales of hay. He wipes his brow and looks at the camera.*
[Geese:] "The fans, RYOMA. Do you think that is their perspective now? Is it yours too?
Are you worried that my return to the world of professional wrestling blocks the fans from viewing the brightness of your light? Do even you doubt that your legacy and potential can shine through my presence?
In the years since I retired, you have simultaneously earned Tag Team Championships in four different promotions and the Azteca Pro Warriors Championship. To many in the UBL, you would have been next in line for Matt Rivers' NEXUS Championship even had you not challenged him...or me. And yet, you speak of the doubt that you have heard from others that you and your generation deserves to be at the top of the food chain of UBL. Is that not a doubt that you hold too?
You should now. You gave that doubt life by even acknowledging it and certainly by publicly stating it.
In my prime, I would have made that an impossible concept for anyone to have even considered. But you are not me, RYOMA. Perhaps you will be even greater one day, but I doubt it. I still see such hesitation 10 years into your career. That desire of yours to prove something to Matt Rivers by beating me tells me that you need to prove it to yourself even more.
You posit that the best of your generation has superseded the best of mine, yet you don't truly understand of whom you speak of. As the 1990's drew to a close, a critical juncture in UBL was upon us. The last year that Cosmic K*I*D won the Universal Championship was 1999 but he left immediately after his victory. Whatever one can say about him in the years that followed, there was no question that he defined the first generation of the UBL and dominated the competition.
Thunder Strike and I never asked questions like that though. Instead, we immediately took to creating new answers for our competition and the fans when they asked who the best in UBL was. By the time I left UBL in 2002, no one spoke of Cosmic K*I*D anymore other than as a footnote of history. You could choose Thunder as the best, or you could choose me as the best, but no one gave serious consideration to those who preceded us because we became the gold standard by never looking back. And that was after K*I*D had defeated us in the past. You and I never even fought before. If Thunder and I could take over the legacy of the UBL despite falling once to K*I*D, why do you doubt you and Matt can't do the same? Why do you doubt that you haven't already done the same in the years since I retired?
It's a failure of your spirit that answers why.
Being the best in the UBL isn't about one victory, it's about your presence, your force, your spirit. That is how Matt Rivers could lose to Joachim a few years back but return to regain his Championship without anyone questioning whether he was the center of the UBL. But you, despite never even stepping foot in the ring with me, immediately prostrated yourself and your generation by even raising the question, the doubt, of whether or not you were the best in the world. Your weak spirit is allowing my existence to block your sunlight and that is worse than any individual loss you could sustain."
*Geese puts his thumb and index fingers on his chin and smiles.*
[Geese:] "However, your loss could be my gain. The reason I have taken so long to reply to your challenge is because I have been in serious negotiations over the past week: partially on this matter with the UBL. Matt Rivers, Drake Yoshida, and Arthur Wingate were all surprised by your challenge but far more intrigued by my response. After all, I have returned to pro wrestling, to an extent that I choose. Could this offer be attractive enough for me to accept my second match, and even consider a return to the promotion I once owned and became the centerpiece of through sheer force of will?"
*Geese puts his hand down and shakes his head.*
[Geese:] "No, not as it stood.
One match with a wrestler, impressive as you are, needs far more incentive for me than what you initially offered.
In my first match back in pro wrestling in 7 years, I faced SonnyX in the ARENA promotion. I took that match because we were rivals for over 10 years. In my victory over him, I avenged my first loss in the FPCPP, a loss that prevented me from being the first FPCPP Champion. Despite eventually winning that Championship, I nursed the hunger to avenge that loss for over 10 years. Taking that match was an easy choice. But you? I have no ill will toward you and I have nothing to prove."
But I realized that I might have something to gain. I haven't forgotten my business roots. I made a counteroffer of sorts to Matt Rivers and he accepted. If I defeat you at Matsuki Mobile, Matt will offer me a shot at his NEXUS Championship at the 'Lunar Eclipse of the Heart" event in October. Yes, a shot to win a Championship in the UBL that I never competed for, and a Championship that has become the premiere one due to the efforts of Gene Starr, Julian Caesaro, and Matt Rivers.
So I accept your challenge. However, you need to understand why. I seek to win the NEXUS Championship not just to further my legacy, but to allay your concerns. If there is truly doubt in your mind that you and your generation is ready to supplant me and mine, wouldn't the merit of the Championship you value plummet if the best warrior is not holding it?"
*A sly grin comes onto Geese's face.*
[Geese:] "If you want what's best for the NEXUS Championship and the UBL, you now need to prove even more that best is you. Otherwise, after I defeat you, I will do the same to Matt Rivers and become the new Champion of old.
You said that it was time for your generation to rise up and show the UBL that you are the main event now. I say it was time to do that years ago and make everyone forget that my generation even existed. However, you didn't forget and now you truly reminded me of who I am. What makes this unfortunate situation even worse is your poor sense of timing. This past week brought the beginning of summer to the United States and, with it, the longest period of daily sunshine all year.
And yet your spirit allowed me to totally eclipse your light. Don't make the same mistake again. I don't aim to hurt people anymore. And I do not think I will need to break that vow against you. But what you are doing to your career by your own perception may be worse than what I have ever done to an opponent. Reclaim your spirit and you will reclaim the UBL for you and your generation. Anything less and you are looking at your new Champion.
See you at Matsuki Mobile, RYOMA."
*Geese walks away as the camera shot fades.*