Impatience
Dec 22, 2019 4:12:34 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Dec 22, 2019 4:12:34 GMT -5
*The camera turns on and we see Alicia Gordon standing right near the wrestler's backstage entrance to the UBL Battle Chamber. She is wearing her newly earned NEXUS Championship belt on the outside of an eclectic outfit consisting of a "Los Potatadoras" sweatshirt and "Platanos en Pijamas" workout pants. She points to the entrance curtains and to the ground.*
[Alicia:] "A week ago, I stepped through those curtains to challenge Matthew Rivers for the NEXUS Championship and won. You all saw the match so I will leave analysis to the folks over at the forums on OGJoshifan.net. What I want to talk about is the significance of the moment before the match. It was a recurring nightmare that finally offered lucidity."
*Alicia looks around the area again, seemingly fighting the urge to walk to the entrance.*
[Alicia:] "I had a crucial decision to make in October of 2014 while standing in a spot just like this one in the LAWLitorium during 'Destiny Drive.' We're on the opposite coast but this area of the arena here has the same basic architecture. So when I stand here, I can see it all the same way I've replayed it in my head for five long years. Even now, it pains me to admit I made the wrong choice back then, despite what I accomplished at 'ALL YOUR BASE.' But patience and the truth go hand in hand. And I had to live with my decision while doing all I could to rectify the effects that I allowed to happen.
In a minute, Thunder Strike is going to splice in footage from the occasion that I'm talking about. When you watch this, you have to understand that no one, not him, not Geese, not even Celes knew that Rivers was part of a Destiny sleeper cell. But you also have to understand that lack of knowledge doesn't absolve my guilt one bit. Roll it."
*The video switches from Alicia Gordon to paused footage right before the main event of Destiny Drive.
(Geese's note: Footage is in spoilers just for formatting and clarity)
*Backstage camera: We see Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon wearing covert ops gear with masks. They are using high frequency sound emitters causing everyone else to fall down on their knees holding their ears. They are making sure to only blow them directly at Gauntlet Security but some of the UBL wrestlers are also suffering as collateral damage. Thunder reaches into a bag and starts handing out masks to some of his allies, like the Marauder. Alicia begins rabidly attacking the vulnerable Gauntlet Security members with stiff, bone-breaking strikes in between sound blasts.*
[John:] "Ahh...that hurts. I gotta lower my earpiece volume. Geez. You know, people think J.U.S.T.I.C.E. is just 'playing around' with that declaration of war stuff. But they have met Gauntlet head on with military grade hardware here. And everyone is down in the back absolutely shocked by what happened."
*John's opens his eyes wide in recognition of a new thought.*
[John:] "Wait...does this mean... Is...is Thunder Strike going to take the Title shot? Even after going through that tag match before, we're still talking about one of the most dominant Champions ever to wrestle in UBL, one of it's legends. This would be huge!"
*Backstage camera: Thunder Strike has carved out a clear path to the stage from the backstage hallway. He looks at Alicia and boldly gestures her toward it's direction.*
[John:] "Holy sh*t...is Alicia Gordon going to challenge Joachim? Talk about insult to injury for Ruby Moreno. And Alicia...she's held her own against Orochi Geese in his prime. She's a warrior. She could do this! She could be our next Champion!"
*Alicia looks out at the ramp for a second, seemingly considering her option. She takes a few steps forward but then stops short of the divider line. Thunder walks over to her and she looks at him, shaking her head no but displaying a rare smile. Thunder nods and then takes out a communication device."
[Thunder:] "Plan B - send him in."
*Sixty grueling seconds later, a man confidently walks through the sea of bodies, past Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon, and to the entrance ramp to earn his Title shot."
*The video switches back to Alicia Gordon with a look of frustration on her face.*
[Alicia:] "Rivers was Plan B. In fact, he always was. Even after Thunder 'accompanied' him to the Walker ranch to train to defeat Joachim, Thunder had always wanted me to be the one to defeat Joachim when the chance arose.
The problem was that I didn't know that. And I didn't find it out until the moment finally presented itself. So, faced with the concern that I was somehow 'cutting in line' or taking Rivers' place, I stepped back and denied my opportunity.
Understand this - it wasn't about the Title to me back then. It was only about removing it from Destiny's clutches. That limited mentality is exactly why Thunder wanted me to compete for it. He saw that our war with Destiny, like our preceding war with the Orochi Army, had taken a terrible toll on my psyche. Therefore, he wanted to give me something positive to shoot for, something that would bring my old competitive spirit back: the reason I ever became a wrestler to begin with.
So although we were satisfied that Joachim was beaten for the Title that night, Thunder was frustrated that I wasn't the one to do it. And I was too. However, frustration with decisions that I made had become familiar enough to me during that time that I easily added this indecision to the load I was already baring. It wasn't until 'Lunar Eclipse' last year that I realized the extent of my mistake. Rivers wasn't on our side, after all. Moreno was playing him against us and even against Joachim. Destiny Drive was her greatest accomplishment because she stood to win whoever won that match. She made a fool of Thunder's plan and Geese's preparation, and she made a fool of me for my decision to not compete.
The second Rivers turned on Geese and the UBL as a whole was the second my patience ran out.
Within a week, Thunder and I developed a plan to position me as a cloaked threat to Destiny's eight year stranglehold over the NEXUS Title. That was my goal all along. Understand, I didn't do this to make a statement or be the 'first' anything. I did this to right a wrong that I allowed to happen because I thought I had to wait for my place in line. When good people wait for justice to happen rather than taking the initiative to ensure that it does, they are responsible for the consequences. And every bad thing that Destiny did while leveraging their possession of the NEXUS Title is on my conscience."
*Alicia catches her breath and unhooks the NEXUS Title from her waist. She holds it up to the camera and then up to her own eyes, studying it.*
[Alicia:] "The person who holds this belt, who holds any Championship belt, should not just have earned it. They also have to strive to constantly live up to it. That means my goal is now two-fold. I'm not just here to ensure that Destiny never lays another hand on this belt again, I'm also here to make sure that my hand becomes more worthy of it. I couldn't have even beaten Rivers if I didn't aim to a Champion rather than just a spoiler.
Thunder was right - my pursuit and understanding of this Title has given me something to shoot for again beyond just defeating my enemies. It has inspired me to push beyond my best and seek new challenges."
*Alicia extends her hand with the belt, holding it closer to the camera.*
[Alicia:] "And there's no greater challenge in the UBL than Corey O'Brian."
*Alicia places the belt over her shoulder.*
[Alicia:] "Both Thunder and I have a great deal of respect for you, Corey. And we also empathize with what you went through when Agent 1 injured Xander. You almost lost your friend on that day. And while the methods Destiny used to recruit Jang Bae did not put him in any physical danger, Gauntlet almost ended his life too. Destiny has taken from us as they have taken from you. And that is why I enjoyed watching you eliminate Agent 1 at 'ALL YOUR BASE.'
But that's not the reason I'm accepting your offer.
Corey, you are not just the current World Heavyweight Champion, you're also the only person other than me to hold a claim to the NEXUS Title. You never truly lost it after winning it at OG-FPD Immortal. And you never got the chance to unify the Titles as you wished. The fact is, it has already eaten at me that my title was disputed from the second I won it. And I just had it for a week. I can't even imagine how you feel after having your Title claim go without resolution for years."
*Alicia taps the face plate of the belt and smiles.*
[Alicia:] "Corey, the need that others made on your patience ends now.
And that doesn't just mean we're going to unify the titles, it means we're not waiting until the next Anniversary show to do it. I'm not defending this Title until you are allowed to be the first contender. You, me, and the entire UBL deserve resolution to this situation. And I promise everyone that I'm not just going to sit back and hope that resolution is provided to us. That didn't get me anywhere last time. So Wingate, Yoshida, make this Championship whole again. Do it for the UBL.
Do it because justice demands impatience."
*After nodding, Alicia walks to the entrance of the Battle Chamber without hesitation.*
[Alicia:] "A week ago, I stepped through those curtains to challenge Matthew Rivers for the NEXUS Championship and won. You all saw the match so I will leave analysis to the folks over at the forums on OGJoshifan.net. What I want to talk about is the significance of the moment before the match. It was a recurring nightmare that finally offered lucidity."
*Alicia looks around the area again, seemingly fighting the urge to walk to the entrance.*
[Alicia:] "I had a crucial decision to make in October of 2014 while standing in a spot just like this one in the LAWLitorium during 'Destiny Drive.' We're on the opposite coast but this area of the arena here has the same basic architecture. So when I stand here, I can see it all the same way I've replayed it in my head for five long years. Even now, it pains me to admit I made the wrong choice back then, despite what I accomplished at 'ALL YOUR BASE.' But patience and the truth go hand in hand. And I had to live with my decision while doing all I could to rectify the effects that I allowed to happen.
In a minute, Thunder Strike is going to splice in footage from the occasion that I'm talking about. When you watch this, you have to understand that no one, not him, not Geese, not even Celes knew that Rivers was part of a Destiny sleeper cell. But you also have to understand that lack of knowledge doesn't absolve my guilt one bit. Roll it."
*The video switches from Alicia Gordon to paused footage right before the main event of Destiny Drive.
(Geese's note: Footage is in spoilers just for formatting and clarity)
*Backstage camera: We see Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon wearing covert ops gear with masks. They are using high frequency sound emitters causing everyone else to fall down on their knees holding their ears. They are making sure to only blow them directly at Gauntlet Security but some of the UBL wrestlers are also suffering as collateral damage. Thunder reaches into a bag and starts handing out masks to some of his allies, like the Marauder. Alicia begins rabidly attacking the vulnerable Gauntlet Security members with stiff, bone-breaking strikes in between sound blasts.*
[John:] "Ahh...that hurts. I gotta lower my earpiece volume. Geez. You know, people think J.U.S.T.I.C.E. is just 'playing around' with that declaration of war stuff. But they have met Gauntlet head on with military grade hardware here. And everyone is down in the back absolutely shocked by what happened."
*John's opens his eyes wide in recognition of a new thought.*
[John:] "Wait...does this mean... Is...is Thunder Strike going to take the Title shot? Even after going through that tag match before, we're still talking about one of the most dominant Champions ever to wrestle in UBL, one of it's legends. This would be huge!"
*Backstage camera: Thunder Strike has carved out a clear path to the stage from the backstage hallway. He looks at Alicia and boldly gestures her toward it's direction.*
[John:] "Holy sh*t...is Alicia Gordon going to challenge Joachim? Talk about insult to injury for Ruby Moreno. And Alicia...she's held her own against Orochi Geese in his prime. She's a warrior. She could do this! She could be our next Champion!"
*Alicia looks out at the ramp for a second, seemingly considering her option. She takes a few steps forward but then stops short of the divider line. Thunder walks over to her and she looks at him, shaking her head no but displaying a rare smile. Thunder nods and then takes out a communication device."
[Thunder:] "Plan B - send him in."
*Sixty grueling seconds later, a man confidently walks through the sea of bodies, past Thunder Strike and Alicia Gordon, and to the entrance ramp to earn his Title shot."
*The video switches back to Alicia Gordon with a look of frustration on her face.*
[Alicia:] "Rivers was Plan B. In fact, he always was. Even after Thunder 'accompanied' him to the Walker ranch to train to defeat Joachim, Thunder had always wanted me to be the one to defeat Joachim when the chance arose.
The problem was that I didn't know that. And I didn't find it out until the moment finally presented itself. So, faced with the concern that I was somehow 'cutting in line' or taking Rivers' place, I stepped back and denied my opportunity.
Understand this - it wasn't about the Title to me back then. It was only about removing it from Destiny's clutches. That limited mentality is exactly why Thunder wanted me to compete for it. He saw that our war with Destiny, like our preceding war with the Orochi Army, had taken a terrible toll on my psyche. Therefore, he wanted to give me something positive to shoot for, something that would bring my old competitive spirit back: the reason I ever became a wrestler to begin with.
So although we were satisfied that Joachim was beaten for the Title that night, Thunder was frustrated that I wasn't the one to do it. And I was too. However, frustration with decisions that I made had become familiar enough to me during that time that I easily added this indecision to the load I was already baring. It wasn't until 'Lunar Eclipse' last year that I realized the extent of my mistake. Rivers wasn't on our side, after all. Moreno was playing him against us and even against Joachim. Destiny Drive was her greatest accomplishment because she stood to win whoever won that match. She made a fool of Thunder's plan and Geese's preparation, and she made a fool of me for my decision to not compete.
The second Rivers turned on Geese and the UBL as a whole was the second my patience ran out.
Within a week, Thunder and I developed a plan to position me as a cloaked threat to Destiny's eight year stranglehold over the NEXUS Title. That was my goal all along. Understand, I didn't do this to make a statement or be the 'first' anything. I did this to right a wrong that I allowed to happen because I thought I had to wait for my place in line. When good people wait for justice to happen rather than taking the initiative to ensure that it does, they are responsible for the consequences. And every bad thing that Destiny did while leveraging their possession of the NEXUS Title is on my conscience."
*Alicia catches her breath and unhooks the NEXUS Title from her waist. She holds it up to the camera and then up to her own eyes, studying it.*
[Alicia:] "The person who holds this belt, who holds any Championship belt, should not just have earned it. They also have to strive to constantly live up to it. That means my goal is now two-fold. I'm not just here to ensure that Destiny never lays another hand on this belt again, I'm also here to make sure that my hand becomes more worthy of it. I couldn't have even beaten Rivers if I didn't aim to a Champion rather than just a spoiler.
Thunder was right - my pursuit and understanding of this Title has given me something to shoot for again beyond just defeating my enemies. It has inspired me to push beyond my best and seek new challenges."
*Alicia extends her hand with the belt, holding it closer to the camera.*
[Alicia:] "And there's no greater challenge in the UBL than Corey O'Brian."
*Alicia places the belt over her shoulder.*
[Alicia:] "Both Thunder and I have a great deal of respect for you, Corey. And we also empathize with what you went through when Agent 1 injured Xander. You almost lost your friend on that day. And while the methods Destiny used to recruit Jang Bae did not put him in any physical danger, Gauntlet almost ended his life too. Destiny has taken from us as they have taken from you. And that is why I enjoyed watching you eliminate Agent 1 at 'ALL YOUR BASE.'
But that's not the reason I'm accepting your offer.
Corey, you are not just the current World Heavyweight Champion, you're also the only person other than me to hold a claim to the NEXUS Title. You never truly lost it after winning it at OG-FPD Immortal. And you never got the chance to unify the Titles as you wished. The fact is, it has already eaten at me that my title was disputed from the second I won it. And I just had it for a week. I can't even imagine how you feel after having your Title claim go without resolution for years."
*Alicia taps the face plate of the belt and smiles.*
[Alicia:] "Corey, the need that others made on your patience ends now.
And that doesn't just mean we're going to unify the titles, it means we're not waiting until the next Anniversary show to do it. I'm not defending this Title until you are allowed to be the first contender. You, me, and the entire UBL deserve resolution to this situation. And I promise everyone that I'm not just going to sit back and hope that resolution is provided to us. That didn't get me anywhere last time. So Wingate, Yoshida, make this Championship whole again. Do it for the UBL.
Do it because justice demands impatience."
*After nodding, Alicia walks to the entrance of the Battle Chamber without hesitation.*