Road to Redemption: Origins [1]
Mar 17, 2016 17:56:14 GMT -5
Post by STORM on Mar 17, 2016 17:56:14 GMT -5
ROAD TO REDEMPTION: ORIGINS [1]
CHAPTER ONE
The Shoot
Characters: Mark Storm
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Date: 17/03/2016
"They say the passage of time will heal all wounds, but the greater the loss, the deeper the cut and the more difficult the process to become whole again. The pain may fade, but scars serve as a reminder of our suffering and make the bearer all the more resolved never to be wounded again. So as time moves along we get lost in distractions, act out in frustration, react with aggression, give in to anger, and all the while we plot and plan as we wait to grow stronger, and before we know it, the time passes. We are healed. Ready to begin anew.."
...
"This is my town, and this is my city."
The nonchalant rain fell from the heavens as the camera faded into the dimly lit scene; a narrow road lit by the street corner lights and the lights which came from the shops surrounding the location. The air was dank and earthy; a chill ran through the spines of the camera crew on the job who had been waiting for the arrival of a particular FGA superstar, who had informed them that he'd be shooting his promo for his upcoming match in his hometown, New York - Brooklyn.
"I've never really payed homage to this place when I should have.. I never really thanked this place, when I should have. I guess I'm doing it now. This is my home."
A voice reverberated through the thick air as the camera tilted downwards after previously watching the stratus clouds move across the skies whilst raindrops landed on the lens. Emerging from the darkness was the familiar face of Mark Storm; who spoke with so much passion behind his words, sounding like a man with so much pride and wisdom. A rare smile plastered across his face as he tilted his head up and allowed the rain to fall upon his face, refreshing him as he closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair - dressed in a black trench coat - buttoned up of course, with black jeans and black timberlands. An all black attire to match the dark persona of Mark Storm, who brought his head back down and looked at the camera.
Bruises covered both eyes, scars etched on his face - his face was a destroyed art piece, but he didn't seem to concerned about his scars and bruises. He sustained these marks through his extensive regime, a regime that see's the self proclaimed reckoning of professional wrestling wrestle up to five times in a fortnight. But this is his own doing, this is the adventure that he decided to embark on, he wasn't going to complain about it. The scars, the bruises, they're just reminders that the hard times are here to pass. And he had indeed been going through a rough patch.
With a series of high profile matches being stacked against him, with championship opportunities being on the line; the pressure had indeed been on for the former EWC World Heavyweight Champion, who failed to regain the top position in Extreme Wrestling Corporation. A failure that has become almost too much to bear but with the help of his new psychiatrist, Lisa Erickson, he's finding the beacon the hope, the beacon of light at the end of the tunnel engulfed with darkness.
"You know, I used to wrestle down this street as a kid. I say wrestle, but what I really mean is that I used to fight. On my way to school, on my way back to school, heck - sometimes we'd cut class just to come down here and throw some punches at each other. We'd test each other, challenge each other and it's what made us stronger, it's what made me stronger. And it's something that I had to do in order to survive. You see, growing up here in Brooklyn New York - it ain't easy, as you can imagine. You'll get picked up, chewed on and spat out if you let it happen.. but I made it a necessity, I made it an obsession that it wasn't going to happen to me. I wasn't going to get picked on. I wasn't going to be the boy that everyone would step up on like they're a damn welcome mat. And that's what I did. I ensured it through hours and hours of just fighting, non stop, it became an obsession, a lifestyle obsession, and soon enough I'd get in trouble for it. Because obviously, you can't be fighting in the streets. That shit's illegal and damn right, it should be. I got into a lot of fights and they concluded in a lot of injuries, not only to myself but to the other guy. I remember one time I popped someones eye socket.. that shit was nasty man."
He didn't sound eloquent like he normally does when he speaks. He sounded relaxed and at home as he reminisced on his past, another smile beginning to plaster on his face as nostalgic memories ran through his mind, he buried his hands into his pockets and looked back at the camera.
"The streets is where it all started for me, living in the roughest parts of New York Brooklyn is why is started for me.. I often come back here and just reminisce, comparing my life then and my life now. People ask me if I would like to go back to the way it used to be.. before the schizophrenia, before the problems that arose in my life.. and I tell em, no. Because despite all the trials and tribulations that are in my life right now, I'm where I wanna be, competing in some of the best promotions in the world and I wouldn't have it any other way. Back then I was fighting in front of an audience of boys, around twenty to thirty who'd all place their bets, and afterwards we'd go to the store, shake hands and share a soda. Now I'm fightin' in front of hundreds and thousands, in some of the biggest arenas, the biggest events in the history of wrestling. I'm not fightin' for a soda pop anymore, I'm fightin' for that paycheck. I'm challenging for championship belts, for accolades.. I'm fightin' for my family, the few friends that I have, I'm fightin' for a better life. I'm a humble guy, that's what people don't know about me. I'm very humble, and I'm very grateful for everything that I have right now.. because I used to have nothing. Nothing but a dollar for some soda and a dream. And now I'm living it."
"I'm living the dream baby!"
His voice lingered in the air as he screamed out to the heavens.
"But I know that I can't become complacent. I know that I have to keep on pushing to progress, keep on pushing to be better and that's why I've embarked on this Global Takeover tour. People have been calling it stupid and over the top, with the schedule that I have, I'm not going to deny that it is idiotic. But heck, when have I ever cared about what people thought about my schedule? I'm doing this because I want to challenge myself. I'm doing this because I want to be the best wrestlers that's ever graced the four sided ring. I'm doing this because this is the shit I was born to do! Maybe I'm just a bit crazy.."
Sounding sarcastic.
"But you know what they say about the crazy one's, the one's who are crazy enough to believe an idea, who devote themselves to an idea, who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world - usually do."
He paused, taking his right hand out of his pockets and running his fingers through his slicked back hair, the rain continuing to fall nonchalantly from above.
"My career here in Frontier Grappling Arts, it's been mediocre to say the least. I've managed to put on performance that are of main event quality, I've managed to push both of my opponents to their very limits, but it's all about the end result. It's all about whether you win or lose. And I've suffered a loss one one occasion and a draw. A draw to Aries Reed who was so sure that he'd be able to defeat me. He was so sure that he was better than me. He had it embedded in his mind that at the end of the match, his arm was the one that was going to be raised but I contradicted his expectations. And I contradicted the expectations of many of the roster members at the back, who despite their hatred towards The Silver Tongued Devil, still had him pegged down to score a victory over me.
Am I pissed off? No, I'm not pissed off.
People have their opinions on me, and it's fine, I understand that the roster members here and everybody alike, they don't believe that I have what it takes to go far in this promotion. They probably believe that I'm one of those guys who's gonna stick around for a couple of weeks before taking a leave of absence because they've suffered a couple of losses, and ends up being released from the promotion. I'm not that type of guy. I'm not that type of wrestler. I'm not that type of man. I'm humble in defeat and I'm humble in victory, that's a damn fact about me. Molly Reid bested me, fair play to her. But Reed wasn't able to pin me, he wasn't able to tap me out.. but I couldn't do the same to him. But we'll meet one day and we'll settle the score.. and I'll prove that I am better than him. I'll prove that I have what it takes. I'll prove that I belong here in Frontier Grappling Arts.
Maybe I'm not as sociable as the other guys and gals who are constantly on their twitter feeds, updating their fans and what not, signing autographs, heading to premieres on the red carpet. Maybe I haven't established myself like the likes of Chandler Scott, Jimmy Page, Cyncity and Zero. I haven't even got people I would call my friends here, but that doesn't matter. What matters is what I'm able to do in the ring, and fuck it, I know that I'm capable of wrestling with the best that this promotion has to offer. I know what I'm capable of, I know that there's a fire that burns within me, a fire that has been tampered on many occasions, people have tried to blow away the light but they can't. And even at my darkest, at my bleakest, the fire still burns."
Contemplating what to say next, he paused and silence exasperated before a thunderous clap lingered in the air. Forcing Storm to look up at the skies for a moment.
"My road to redemption. This is where it starts here in New York Brooklyn! My home.. my city. You remember that.. the road to redemption starts here, right now on the seventeenth of March twenty sixteen. My first match on my road to redemption happens to be a match where I also have to depend on others in order to win the match, a six man tag team match. Something that I've become accustomed to, something that I've adapted to and something that I'm comfortable with. My tag team partners being one competitor who managed to beat me, Molly Reid and The Glorious Leader: Nero Darling. And our opponents are the team of Danny Diamond, Johnny Cannon and the former FGA Pride Champion; Sunshine Scandalous Tony Carmine."
"Well damn."
He laughed to himself, rubbing his jaw with his hand.
"Carmine told everybody that I've been thrown into the deep end of some sorts. The three heaviest hitters in FGA, he referred himself, Diamond and Cannon as? I'm sorry Carmine. I certainly wouldn't call you one of the three heavy hitters that this promotion has to offer, first off - you lost your Pride Championship the other week, something that you yourself pointed out. So immediately you've dropped down the pecking order. And second of all, whilst you are talented, I do admit - and your companions are also talented wrestlers, if you guys were as good as you say you are - maybe you'd find yourself with some titles strapped around your waist. But that's not the case. Yeah, I'm the new guy around. I still have a lot to prove, I still have a lot to accomplish whilst yourself, you've been here for quite some time Carmine, dominating that Pride division and making the title greater than it was. A great advocate but now it's all about advancing to the next level like you say, and whether you'll be able to do that, remains to be seen. What's very evident however is that you've got a big mouth, haven't ya, Carmine? I mean damn, the amount of nonsensical diarrhea that comes out of your mouth, it's pretty amusing. I've been living under a rock? I've been splashing in the kiddie's pool? Are you serious right now?"
He laughed hysterically, his eyes however told a different story.
"I don't want to toot my own horn right now. It's something that I vowed that I wouldn't do Carmine, but I guess I need to introduce myself to you. My name, is Mark Storm. The Reckoning of Professional Wrestling. The former Extreme Wrestling Corporation World Heavyweight Champion, holding that title for two hundred and sixty days. The next New Generation Unified Heavyweight Champion and the eventual Frontier Grappling Arts; World Champion. Have I made myself known now Carmine? Because that's what you wanted right, you wanted to know where I've been, who I am.. because you're too great to turn on a damn television screen, because I promise you my face is what you'll see on most of the sports channels."
He didn't mean to sound arrogant or cocky, it was his anger that forced those traits out of him as he spoke.
"I'm the guy who came from nothing to become something. I'm the guy who's traveling coast to coast, nation to nation to become a global commodity, a household name. I'm the guy who wants to become a legend in this promotion. I'm the guy who's gonna grab you by that wack as f*ck hair of yours and drag you round that four sided ring, putting you on my shoulders, throwing you up into the air and driving my knee into that skull of yours. And then maybe, you'll remember.. oh yeah, he's that guy! That's Mark Storm.. maybe that's all you need, a knee to the skull to tap into that head of yours.
And then you have your egotistical ass kissers who go by the name of Danny Diamond and Johnny Canon, too men that just like Carmine show no respect towards others. They're part of the infection that continues to grow within this promotion and to be honest with you, I'm getting sick of it. I'm getting sick of the games that they play, I'm getting sick of the twisted torment that they try to inflict.. I'm getting sick of the fact that they think they can have it their own way, and nobody is stopping them. Nobody is doing anything about it? I guess I'm stepping up to the plate. I guess what I'm saying right now, is that at Vertigo, I'm going to make sure that Cannon, and Carmine, and Diamond don't walk away as the victors of our match. I'll wrestle like it's the last match of my career, I'll wrestle like there's a title on the line.. there's one thing that's certain, Carmine, Diamond and Canon - they're not gonna know what's hit them.
Myself, Reid and Nero - we've all got a common goal. Despite our recent altercations that haven't been positive, we all want to increase the win in our ratios and we'll do everything in our power to do so. I'll put trust in my tag partners to put their all into this match."
He looked up at the skies as they began to clear.
"The Storm maybe coming to an end here in New York Brooklyn but there's going to be one arriving in Salem Virginia on Saturday night.."
Appearing on the screen:
The scene cut to black.
