Prestigious Prey
Dec 4, 2020 4:18:27 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Dec 4, 2020 4:18:27 GMT -5
*Matt Rivers and Thomas Mills are sitting in the UBL Dojo after finishing a training session. Matt looks exhausted.*
[Mills:] "You're pushing yourself way too hard, Matt. It was your first match back. Saji has been wrestling everywhere this year."
[Rivers:] "I don't feel bad about the draw. I feel guilty that I enjoyed wrestling so much."
*Thomas looks surprised.*
[Mills:] "Wh...why? You love this, that's you. Matt Rivers loves wrestling. It's practically a bumper sticker. It's been the truth that so many of us have rallied around. It's inspired half of our locker room for ten years."
[Rivers:] "I feel like I don't have the right to enjoy it anymore. More than half the locker room today agrees."
*Thomas stands up, visibly agitated.*
[Mills:] "Then they are morons! So it's your fault that Destiny brainwashed you? I don't get it - how can the UBL continue to alienate you in good conscience? None of this was your fault, Matt."
[Rivers:] "A lot of them know that. They just aren't comfortable with me. Like what Geese said-"
[Mills:] "No, f*ck what Geese said!"
*Matt looks surprised at the swear by the normally reserved and PG-rated Mills.*
[Mills:] "Why are his returns celebrated? He's intentionally done worse things than you ever did last year. Why does he get infinite pardons in his career? He even used mind control over Thunder like Destiny did to you!"
[Rivers:] "He changed during retirement, Thomas."
[Mills:] "Even if he really did change, it's not by much. He used to be a violent narcissist looking to win at all costs. Now he's a self-absorbed preacher who reminds us of his old sins just so that he can demand respect for not repeating them."
[Rivers:] "To make a point he's trying to thread a difficult needle. It doesn't always come across well but it's still new to him."
[Mills:] "It's not new. He still uses propaganda to get everything he wants. He used to be the Kaiser of chaos. Now he's the great and powerful Geese who can fell anyone in this promotion but is too noble to end their career doing it. He's so magnanimous! We should all marvel at his psychological mastery and fall to our knees to thank him for his self-control!"
[Rivers:] "I didn't like what he said last week about a lot of people either. He could convince more people that he's changed for the better if he talked less about what he used to do and better explained why he's totally against it now."
[Mills:] "And if he stopped saying that you're no longer the same person or wrestler that you used to be. Why did he doubt your value? Why claim that so many other people were also uncomfortable with you? How is that not propaganda? How is that aimed toward helping anyone in this promotion but himself?"
[Rivers:] "I don't know. If he's not comfortable with me after what happened, I do get it. But he took it further than that and doubted my place here when I already told everyone that I was retiring after the league if I don't win."
[Mills:] "That's another thing. Why should you retire? Matt Rivers didn't do anything wrong. You were the victim in all of this. Why should you have to be punished twice? You had one year of your agency and career taken away from you and now you have to retire just because everyone is uncomfortable with what someone else made you do? How is that fair to anyone, especially you? It's certainly not fair to the fans, to me, or anyone else who you helped. Look at Saji."
[Rivers:] "He deserved me at my best."
[Mills:] "But he understood why you weren't there yet. He didn't blame or doubt your value. That's because you helped him mature. You belong in that ring and you belong here training people again. If you don't win the Title, fine, why not help Barton train the Front Lines? Why not compete for another Title like the Universal Circuit? Tetsu valued that Title because of what you did with the NEXUS one. Fact is, we need more Matt Rivers and less hypocrites like Geese."
[Rivers:] "A hypocrite?"
[Mills:] "How can Geese be uncomfortable with you but call Kyle Walker his brother and say they share a deep understanding? Kyle did far worse things to Geese than 'you' did and he did them intentionally. Why is Kyle embraced and you are shunned? Kyle is a psychopath who tried to end good people's careers and ruin this promotion out of pure spite. You saved the UBL multiple times but still don't get all the credit that you deserve."
*A third voice is heard from the hallway.*
"Really? Not enough credit? Cause all I ever hear is that the great Matt Rivers is the savior of this promotion. Funny thing is, I never hear anything about Thomas Mills. Probably because the saved aren't talked about."
*The voice belongs to an ornery Kyle Walker. He saunters up to Mills and Rivers. Mills doesn't back down but Rivers attempts to get in between the two. Kyle ignores him and stares at Mills.*
[Kyle:] "So it sounds like you got a problem with me and ole Geese."
[Mills:] "Geese can't stop calling me out so we already had a problem."
[Kyle:] "Nope, Geese ain't the one with the problem. He knows how to tie his shoes before a match."
[Mills:] "Right, and look what 'terrible' thing I did to deserve that mockery: Defend everyone in the league against Geese's accusations that they were unworthy to compete. But I guess Geese can't handle any criticism?"
[Kyle:] "Trust me - as someone who almost paralyzed the man, Geese can handle plenty and come back stronger. He's not the one losing his sh*t like you are. My question is why. Between you and me..."
*Kyle looks at Matt but registers almost no actual reaction to him.*
[Kyle:] "I think there's more going on under that $500 haircut than just your anger of being called unworthy. You may not know this about me, Tommy ... *smirks* but I'm pretty good at holding a secret grudge. And you know the ole saying, it takes one to know one. So how bout you spill your venom?"
[Mills:] "Prestige."
[Kyle:] "That promotion your rich daddy set up just for you? Not going so well anymore?"
[Mills:] "No, you f*cking moron."
*Kyle's eyes open wide and he smiles. Rivers immediately pulls Thomas back a few inches.*
[Matt:] "Easy Thomas..."
[Kyle:] "Boy's got a fire in his belly after all! This is turning out to be a lot more fun than I thought."
*An annoyed female voice is suddenly heard from the door.*
"The UBL isn't about fun, Kyle. It's about cult invasions and wallowing in decades of anger. Let's stop the cycle."
*The voice belongs to Kyle's sister, Robin. She nods at Matt.*
[Robin:] "I'm sorry, Matt. You know how my boys can be. Don't take it personally."
[Mills:] "Miss Walker, that excuse isn't good enough to take back everything Geese said about him."
[Robin:] "Mr. Mills, it's really not my place to take back anything that Geese said, much as it's not yours to expect me to do so. Right now your place is to deeply understand that my brother got all the 'fun' out of his system to last him an entire decade. The problem is, that decade is almost over. So we're going to leave in silence now for everyone's benefit. And just in case it isn't perfectly clear what's happening, I have another ace up my sleeve. See, I know an old girlfriend of yours named Sandy. Turns out she misses you and would love to have your current number."
*Thomas shudders at the thought of Sandy Morton and backs up a few paces, holding his hands up. Robin smiles.*
[Robin:] "Kyle..."
*Kyle rolls his eyes in disgust at Matt, gives one last glare to an annoyed Thomas Mills, and follows Robin out of the Dojo. As they are walking, Robin smiles and starts speaking softly.*
[Robin:] "What do you think?"
[Kyle:] "Geese was right. He's braver than he looks. This just might work."
[Robin:] "I meant what did you want for dinner? Of course Geese was right!"
*Robin smirks and playfully punches Kyle in the shoulder. Kyle laughs but the look in his eye is far from jovial as he glances back at the Dojo.*
[Mills:] "You're pushing yourself way too hard, Matt. It was your first match back. Saji has been wrestling everywhere this year."
[Rivers:] "I don't feel bad about the draw. I feel guilty that I enjoyed wrestling so much."
*Thomas looks surprised.*
[Mills:] "Wh...why? You love this, that's you. Matt Rivers loves wrestling. It's practically a bumper sticker. It's been the truth that so many of us have rallied around. It's inspired half of our locker room for ten years."
[Rivers:] "I feel like I don't have the right to enjoy it anymore. More than half the locker room today agrees."
*Thomas stands up, visibly agitated.*
[Mills:] "Then they are morons! So it's your fault that Destiny brainwashed you? I don't get it - how can the UBL continue to alienate you in good conscience? None of this was your fault, Matt."
[Rivers:] "A lot of them know that. They just aren't comfortable with me. Like what Geese said-"
[Mills:] "No, f*ck what Geese said!"
*Matt looks surprised at the swear by the normally reserved and PG-rated Mills.*
[Mills:] "Why are his returns celebrated? He's intentionally done worse things than you ever did last year. Why does he get infinite pardons in his career? He even used mind control over Thunder like Destiny did to you!"
[Rivers:] "He changed during retirement, Thomas."
[Mills:] "Even if he really did change, it's not by much. He used to be a violent narcissist looking to win at all costs. Now he's a self-absorbed preacher who reminds us of his old sins just so that he can demand respect for not repeating them."
[Rivers:] "To make a point he's trying to thread a difficult needle. It doesn't always come across well but it's still new to him."
[Mills:] "It's not new. He still uses propaganda to get everything he wants. He used to be the Kaiser of chaos. Now he's the great and powerful Geese who can fell anyone in this promotion but is too noble to end their career doing it. He's so magnanimous! We should all marvel at his psychological mastery and fall to our knees to thank him for his self-control!"
[Rivers:] "I didn't like what he said last week about a lot of people either. He could convince more people that he's changed for the better if he talked less about what he used to do and better explained why he's totally against it now."
[Mills:] "And if he stopped saying that you're no longer the same person or wrestler that you used to be. Why did he doubt your value? Why claim that so many other people were also uncomfortable with you? How is that not propaganda? How is that aimed toward helping anyone in this promotion but himself?"
[Rivers:] "I don't know. If he's not comfortable with me after what happened, I do get it. But he took it further than that and doubted my place here when I already told everyone that I was retiring after the league if I don't win."
[Mills:] "That's another thing. Why should you retire? Matt Rivers didn't do anything wrong. You were the victim in all of this. Why should you have to be punished twice? You had one year of your agency and career taken away from you and now you have to retire just because everyone is uncomfortable with what someone else made you do? How is that fair to anyone, especially you? It's certainly not fair to the fans, to me, or anyone else who you helped. Look at Saji."
[Rivers:] "He deserved me at my best."
[Mills:] "But he understood why you weren't there yet. He didn't blame or doubt your value. That's because you helped him mature. You belong in that ring and you belong here training people again. If you don't win the Title, fine, why not help Barton train the Front Lines? Why not compete for another Title like the Universal Circuit? Tetsu valued that Title because of what you did with the NEXUS one. Fact is, we need more Matt Rivers and less hypocrites like Geese."
[Rivers:] "A hypocrite?"
[Mills:] "How can Geese be uncomfortable with you but call Kyle Walker his brother and say they share a deep understanding? Kyle did far worse things to Geese than 'you' did and he did them intentionally. Why is Kyle embraced and you are shunned? Kyle is a psychopath who tried to end good people's careers and ruin this promotion out of pure spite. You saved the UBL multiple times but still don't get all the credit that you deserve."
*A third voice is heard from the hallway.*
"Really? Not enough credit? Cause all I ever hear is that the great Matt Rivers is the savior of this promotion. Funny thing is, I never hear anything about Thomas Mills. Probably because the saved aren't talked about."
*The voice belongs to an ornery Kyle Walker. He saunters up to Mills and Rivers. Mills doesn't back down but Rivers attempts to get in between the two. Kyle ignores him and stares at Mills.*
[Kyle:] "So it sounds like you got a problem with me and ole Geese."
[Mills:] "Geese can't stop calling me out so we already had a problem."
[Kyle:] "Nope, Geese ain't the one with the problem. He knows how to tie his shoes before a match."
[Mills:] "Right, and look what 'terrible' thing I did to deserve that mockery: Defend everyone in the league against Geese's accusations that they were unworthy to compete. But I guess Geese can't handle any criticism?"
[Kyle:] "Trust me - as someone who almost paralyzed the man, Geese can handle plenty and come back stronger. He's not the one losing his sh*t like you are. My question is why. Between you and me..."
*Kyle looks at Matt but registers almost no actual reaction to him.*
[Kyle:] "I think there's more going on under that $500 haircut than just your anger of being called unworthy. You may not know this about me, Tommy ... *smirks* but I'm pretty good at holding a secret grudge. And you know the ole saying, it takes one to know one. So how bout you spill your venom?"
[Mills:] "Prestige."
[Kyle:] "That promotion your rich daddy set up just for you? Not going so well anymore?"
[Mills:] "No, you f*cking moron."
*Kyle's eyes open wide and he smiles. Rivers immediately pulls Thomas back a few inches.*
[Matt:] "Easy Thomas..."
[Kyle:] "Boy's got a fire in his belly after all! This is turning out to be a lot more fun than I thought."
*An annoyed female voice is suddenly heard from the door.*
"The UBL isn't about fun, Kyle. It's about cult invasions and wallowing in decades of anger. Let's stop the cycle."
*The voice belongs to Kyle's sister, Robin. She nods at Matt.*
[Robin:] "I'm sorry, Matt. You know how my boys can be. Don't take it personally."
[Mills:] "Miss Walker, that excuse isn't good enough to take back everything Geese said about him."
[Robin:] "Mr. Mills, it's really not my place to take back anything that Geese said, much as it's not yours to expect me to do so. Right now your place is to deeply understand that my brother got all the 'fun' out of his system to last him an entire decade. The problem is, that decade is almost over. So we're going to leave in silence now for everyone's benefit. And just in case it isn't perfectly clear what's happening, I have another ace up my sleeve. See, I know an old girlfriend of yours named Sandy. Turns out she misses you and would love to have your current number."
*Thomas shudders at the thought of Sandy Morton and backs up a few paces, holding his hands up. Robin smiles.*
[Robin:] "Kyle..."
*Kyle rolls his eyes in disgust at Matt, gives one last glare to an annoyed Thomas Mills, and follows Robin out of the Dojo. As they are walking, Robin smiles and starts speaking softly.*
[Robin:] "What do you think?"
[Kyle:] "Geese was right. He's braver than he looks. This just might work."
[Robin:] "I meant what did you want for dinner? Of course Geese was right!"
*Robin smirks and playfully punches Kyle in the shoulder. Kyle laughs but the look in his eye is far from jovial as he glances back at the Dojo.*