The Mask.

[ADudeFromCLE]

Can I tell you how much I despise people talking to me? And yet. Every. Damn. Week. I have someone stopping me in the back to give me a talking to, a lecture, or a sales pitch.

And people wonder why they can't find me backstage most of the time.

You mortals are not worthy of my time, yet you all seem to thing you deserve it.

You don't.

But I humor some of you.

Like our "boss" a few weeks ago. A few weeks ago our Roberto Verona stopped me back stage, it was shorty after I utterly and completely destroyed my brother-in-law James Franklin Karn. I broke him to the point where he will NEVER wrestle in a Imperial Wrestling Federation ring, ever again.

But apparently someone in management took issue with that, took issue with me making a statement and took issue with me making an example out of James.

I know this because they use Roberto Verona as their mouth piece to "scold" me.

His words were empty and hallow, they had nothing backing them and at the end of the day they meant nothing, not to him, and not to me, he was just saying these words, scolding me, warning me "to behave" or next time there will be "repercussions" …right.

But these are not his words, I can see it in his eyes, I can see it when he looks at me, all he sees, is money.

“Pray” and “The Age of Kaos” shirts where flying off the shelves, sold out on day one after I made my presence felt, that's all little Verona cares about, and as long as the money keeps flowing, I will continue to do what I want to do.

Regardless if Kelly Fox likes it or not.

Oh I know it was you sweet peach, Roberto's words echoed with your sentiments, I know you don't like me, as you shouldn’t, I should have thrown you off that production truck all those years ago, but I didn't and now, now you get a front row seat to watch me burn down everything you've ever loved.

I do what I want because I can, I am not hindered by the laws of man as I am not a one anymore, I am chaos personified, I am the avatar of destruction, I am a force of nature, that comes and goes as he pleases, and there is not a damn thing anyone on this roster can do about it.

Then the following week after I did what I said I was going to do and made that stray pup Zasshu submit to his master, I got another stern talking to.

This time by some fool named Tyler? Taylor? Tanya? I don't remember. He was saying something about how disrespectful it was to try and take Zasshus's mask from him, that it is dishonorable to remove a lucha's mask.

I stared at him as he talked, blinked once, then walked off. 

Yet another mortal who think's I give two shits about honor and respect.

That mask, it has power, power that Nakamura Akirho has no clue about, power that Nakamura Akirho has ignored. Power that I will harness and unleash when I claim that mask as my own and wear it like a pelt.

And then last week, as I was hunting for Nakamura Akirho to take what is mine, I ran into a little man with funny hair who fancies himself a king. 

Xavier Cross.

Xavier Cross came to me selling me an idea, an ideal. A plan that he had for reshaping the Imperial Wrestling Federation and remaking it anew. He talked, and talked, and talked some more. He talked about the plans he had for me, for Ulf, for Jason Sandman. But the truth of the matter is I know why he was talking to me, it wasn’t because I was like Ulf, a naive talent that he could mold and shape, it's not because I’m a lunatic who has a blood lust that needs to be quenched, no Xavier Cross came to me for one simple reason, and I saw it in his eyes as he vomited words for his pie hole. 

Fear.

He fears what I can do, he fears what I am, and he fears ME. As he should, as all on this roster SHOULD. And if they don’t? They will.

So I'll work with this Council as they are calling themselves, I will work with them till it no longer suits my needs, I will see what Cross's true intentions are, I will mold Ulf into a true warrior of chaos, and I will help Jason Sandman control his demons to become the true monster he is destined to be.

I will do these things, because I can, and because no one can stop me.

---

We open up once more in a room filled with candles burning a green flame, in the center of the lowly lit room we see Kole Kaos once again sitting on his throne of bones. The hand rest on the right arm of the throne has been re-carved to look like Zasshu's head. He sits with both arms resting on the arm rests, his head lowered a bit with his hair hanging down over his face.

"I told you to bring me Akirho Nakamura. I told you to bring me a warrior worthy of being in the ring with me. I told you to bring me a MAN who would actually FIGHT me.

Instead.

You bring me a lost whimpering PUP!

I told you two weeks ago Zasshu, if you showed up, wearing that mask, that mask that you no longer deserve, a mask you no longer even have RIGHTS too, that I was going to destroy you, that I was going to hurt you, that I was going to BREAK you.

And just as I said I was going to do Zas, you came down to that ring, wearing a mask that you have no clue the power behind, and I made you submit. I made you roll over and give me your belly like the GOOD BITCH THAT YOU ARE."

His right hand digs into Zasshu's "head" on his chair, causing his nails to cut into the carving.

"And now, now...this week you want to do it again? This week you even want to get your partner involved? What has he ever done to you Akirho? Why would you want to punish this man? Or...do you...

Do you really think the two of you can....beat....us?

Xaiver Cross, the world beater who has honed his craft all over this round earth and has become one of the best wrestlers in the world, and Kole Kaos, the living embodiment of chaos itself, the god of fire and destruction, and you two...you two masked idiots think you even stand a chance?

Let me tell you what's going to happen Bueno Club, or whatever the fuck you two fools are calling your selves. This week, you two masked marks are going to come down to that ring, the fans are going to cheer for you, you’re going to pull off some amazing moves that only the two of you can do then when it looks like you just might...MIGHT overcome and walk out of the AccorHotels Arena in Paris, France with your heads held high and your arms raised in victory"

Kole slams his left fist down on the chair breaking a skull off the arm rest.

"That is when it will all come crashing down, that is when we will beat you two fools within an inch of your lives, that is when we will crush your dreams and make you realize that reality? Reality is a nightmare, especially when you have to get into that ring with me, Kole Kaos.

Malo, Malo Malo Malo, you simpleton. You have no idea what you've just gotten yourself into. I will not stop until I've claimed Zasshu as my own. I WILL own that mask Malo, I WILL take your friends identity and change him forever, and there is nothing, NOTHING you can do about it my funny talking little friend. The only thing you can do Malo. Is...."

His face looks up at the camera, his face good soft as his eyes go wide and his eyebrows go upwards. He says this as a matter of fact

"Pray."

---

Backstage at Bloody Assizes. I and the rest of the Council just got done making an example out of four so called "Hall of Famers". Where we put down a so called Devil and God, the "best in the world" and a part-timer. We made an example out of four of the "biggest" names in this company, and we did it with ease.

Personally? I wanted to go out there and end Jake Conway once and for all, but Cross, he had other plans. So I'll bind my time, I'll get my hands on Jake eventually, he can't hide forever, he might have hid from James this past year, but me...I know where that rat likes to hide. And I know what poison draws him out, I'll get my hands on my so called "friend" one day.

Cross and Ulf went their own way after the beat down as we were avoiding security, Jason Sandman and I went another, mostly in silence till we got to the back and looked like we were in the clear, Sandman slaps me on the chest with a huge grin on his face.

Jason Sandman: "Man what a rush! That was almost as good as cocaine right brother!?"

I just look at the man, such potential here, an aura of evil and destruction follows this man yet, he's a simpleton addicted to the vices of man, why did she chose him? And why does he refer to her as a he? Granted, she manifests herself as ones truest darkest desires but Jason does not come off to me as a Johnny Fuckboy. But, you never know.

Kole Kaos: "We better go before the powers to be find us. We will meet up later. You and I have much to discuss."

Jason Sandman: "Yeah sure, whatever you say."

I walk off with nothing left to say, I can hear Jason mutter under his breath calling me a “fucking weirdo”. Yeah, I'm not the one possessed by the angel of death, yet I'm the weird one.

Fool.

I grab my duster jacket and toss it on before flipping the hood up over my head and heading out into the night via a fire escape door. I don't get far from the building before I hear a voice, a female voice.

"You know, there was a day when you would have done what I did to get a head also. Kole."

I slowly turn my head and see Laura Howlet leaning on the wall, she pushes off the wall and comes walking up to me, looking me dead in the eye, and funny enough....there is no fear....wait..no...There it is.

Laura: "But, I am not here to discuss the past or what you think of what I did. I am here to talk to you about the future Kole. And I think our future can be very bright."

Kole: "I am not looking for representation."

Laura: "Oh God no, you'd be too much of a headache as a client. No. I have a business deal I'd like to offer you. Seeing as you already have an issue with my former client Zasshu, I was thinking that if maybe you wanted to scratch my back, I'd scratch your palms."

I have no need for money. Yet I always like to part a fool with theirs, and seeing as I am now living once again in a capitalist country, well...when in Rome right?

Kole: "I'm listening."

Laura: "It's simple really. Bring me Zasshu's mask and I will make it very much worth your time."

With no emotion I turn to walk off, I say very lowly as I am walking off.

"Deal"