Brandr Hoff: "Lies"
Apr 17, 2023 1:59:45 GMT -5
Post by OrochiGeese on Apr 17, 2023 1:59:45 GMT -5
*We fade into a promo room two days after Continuum V. Brandr Hoff is standing in front of the UBL banner. He is wearing a black long-sleeved T-shirt, dark grey jeans, black boots, and a black denim vest jacket. He marches back and forth so you can see a large illustration of a Norse glyph in the shape of an eagle on the back of his vest. His facial expressions keep switching from triumph to anger.*
[Brandr:] “This promotion is run on lies. I will cleave through them with my axe of truth.
Lie number 1 - RYOMA is a warrior. Yet a true warrior acknowledges his defeat in a fair contest and celebrates his vanquisher. Even though there was no doubt who prevailed, I still enjoyed the fight. In fact, had he raised my hand high in victory as honor demanded, I would have gladly taken him for some Hoffenweizen. But he did not pay me the respect that I deserve, and that failure exposed his true self. What was his motive? Protecting the bigger falsehood this promotion depends on.
Lie number 2 - UBL is an even battlefield: a meritocracy where your victories determine your standing and honor. There are those of us who know better. We know that if you are not one of the favored, you are not dealt respect through words or actions. You are left to languish.
That is why John Randolph tries to wound me with his words every event. That is why RYOMA refused to celebrate my win. The favored believe people will not take their losses seriously when they come at the hand of the forgotten. A few weeks from now, Randolph will still be talking about how RYOMA and Wonderland are the two that will advance from this Block. My victory will be ignored even though I proved I will become the first Infinite Continuum Champion. I will show the UBL that a battle isn't something you do once every few months: it's my way of life.”
*Brandr gets increasingly agitated.*
[Brandr:] “But can the favored say the same? They are beloved by all even in the face of their cowardice. Look upon the utterly disgraced Tetsu Gushiken. It's a perversion of warrior spirit that he, violently triumphant against Langford, would punish himself for that very feat. He walked away from battle yet is begged to return by his biggest fans. I vow to fight every day but am ignored and underestimated. Tetsu will receive more praise for his mere existence than I ever will for my victories.
Tetsu is the perfect example of the falsehoods perpetuated by those in charge of UBL. Become one of the favored and your career becomes bullet proof against those who are not. A few years ago, I defeated Tetsu head-to-head in the final minutes of a battle royale for a NEXUS Title shot. Yet it was Tetsu that was always spoken of so highly afterward while I was forgotten. He can do no wrong in the eyes of the elite. People were initially stunned that I eliminated him. But rather than acknowledge the reason for that shock and challenge the narrative about who deserves to be seen as the best, they just ignored my victory. Forget the inconvenient details: Tetsu was still the golden boy who deserved a title shot. And they pretended like Matt Rivers beat me so decisively that a rematch was never deserved again.”
*Brandr laughs with a look of callous joy.*
[Brandr:] “Then they all fell to their knees when their hero Rivers turned out to be the true villain. I could have been their savior. I, the warrior who felled Matthias when he was at the height of his dominance. I could have put together an invading horde to take out Destiny before Gauntlet became a threat. But they refused a hero who didn't fit their preexisting notions. That's why the crowd fell silent when I defeated RYOMA. That's why they will fall silent when I defeat everyone else in this league. My very existence is profane to them so my triumph will be silenced to protect their lies.”
*Brandr takes a second and appears to be thinking of something.*
[Brandr:] “But maybe silence isn’t all bad when it’s respected to protect our sanity. ”
*Brandr puts his fingers over his lips, making a “shhhh” gesture.*
[Brandr:] “Kazuo Saji – do you recognize this? We would all benefit if you learned the value of silence. I’m not impressed with the celebration thrown for you. One would think your chrome would be shiny enough to see the reflection of the lie you tell yourself even if everyone else is taken by your false bravado.
You have one less victory in this league than I do. I defeated Mills and your mentor. You defeated a man who was gone for years. So why are you beloved so much? Why is Randolph knighting you our new King? Why do think you belong in the same ring as me, barking your head off like a chihuahua, mere moments after I vanquished your hero? The lie is even more profane when it is screamed from the mountain tops by those least deserving to raise their voice. It is now impossible to let stand. So I am going to make this very clear, Saji. While you have dedicated your entire life to being spread eagle, I have learned to perform the rite of the blood eagle. I will be glad to teach it to you if you ever get in my way again.”
*Brandr turns to walk away, lets the back of his jacket be more clearly visible, then marches away .*
[Brandr:] “This promotion is run on lies. I will cleave through them with my axe of truth.
Lie number 1 - RYOMA is a warrior. Yet a true warrior acknowledges his defeat in a fair contest and celebrates his vanquisher. Even though there was no doubt who prevailed, I still enjoyed the fight. In fact, had he raised my hand high in victory as honor demanded, I would have gladly taken him for some Hoffenweizen. But he did not pay me the respect that I deserve, and that failure exposed his true self. What was his motive? Protecting the bigger falsehood this promotion depends on.
Lie number 2 - UBL is an even battlefield: a meritocracy where your victories determine your standing and honor. There are those of us who know better. We know that if you are not one of the favored, you are not dealt respect through words or actions. You are left to languish.
That is why John Randolph tries to wound me with his words every event. That is why RYOMA refused to celebrate my win. The favored believe people will not take their losses seriously when they come at the hand of the forgotten. A few weeks from now, Randolph will still be talking about how RYOMA and Wonderland are the two that will advance from this Block. My victory will be ignored even though I proved I will become the first Infinite Continuum Champion. I will show the UBL that a battle isn't something you do once every few months: it's my way of life.”
*Brandr gets increasingly agitated.*
[Brandr:] “But can the favored say the same? They are beloved by all even in the face of their cowardice. Look upon the utterly disgraced Tetsu Gushiken. It's a perversion of warrior spirit that he, violently triumphant against Langford, would punish himself for that very feat. He walked away from battle yet is begged to return by his biggest fans. I vow to fight every day but am ignored and underestimated. Tetsu will receive more praise for his mere existence than I ever will for my victories.
Tetsu is the perfect example of the falsehoods perpetuated by those in charge of UBL. Become one of the favored and your career becomes bullet proof against those who are not. A few years ago, I defeated Tetsu head-to-head in the final minutes of a battle royale for a NEXUS Title shot. Yet it was Tetsu that was always spoken of so highly afterward while I was forgotten. He can do no wrong in the eyes of the elite. People were initially stunned that I eliminated him. But rather than acknowledge the reason for that shock and challenge the narrative about who deserves to be seen as the best, they just ignored my victory. Forget the inconvenient details: Tetsu was still the golden boy who deserved a title shot. And they pretended like Matt Rivers beat me so decisively that a rematch was never deserved again.”
*Brandr laughs with a look of callous joy.*
[Brandr:] “Then they all fell to their knees when their hero Rivers turned out to be the true villain. I could have been their savior. I, the warrior who felled Matthias when he was at the height of his dominance. I could have put together an invading horde to take out Destiny before Gauntlet became a threat. But they refused a hero who didn't fit their preexisting notions. That's why the crowd fell silent when I defeated RYOMA. That's why they will fall silent when I defeat everyone else in this league. My very existence is profane to them so my triumph will be silenced to protect their lies.”
*Brandr takes a second and appears to be thinking of something.*
[Brandr:] “But maybe silence isn’t all bad when it’s respected to protect our sanity. ”
*Brandr puts his fingers over his lips, making a “shhhh” gesture.*
[Brandr:] “Kazuo Saji – do you recognize this? We would all benefit if you learned the value of silence. I’m not impressed with the celebration thrown for you. One would think your chrome would be shiny enough to see the reflection of the lie you tell yourself even if everyone else is taken by your false bravado.
You have one less victory in this league than I do. I defeated Mills and your mentor. You defeated a man who was gone for years. So why are you beloved so much? Why is Randolph knighting you our new King? Why do think you belong in the same ring as me, barking your head off like a chihuahua, mere moments after I vanquished your hero? The lie is even more profane when it is screamed from the mountain tops by those least deserving to raise their voice. It is now impossible to let stand. So I am going to make this very clear, Saji. While you have dedicated your entire life to being spread eagle, I have learned to perform the rite of the blood eagle. I will be glad to teach it to you if you ever get in my way again.”
*Brandr turns to walk away, lets the back of his jacket be more clearly visible, then marches away .*