Post by Ghost Spike on Aug 24, 2017 22:09:45 GMT
We’re back to comedians again, aren’t we?
Don’t you think it’s funny that Laszlo spent so much time last week banging on and on about trust…..then he goes and pulls that shit at Sacrifice? Comedian is one word I could use, asshole is another, but there’s a word I associate with Mike Laszlo far too much not to use it here.
Hypocrite.
I said I wouldn’t put myself in a position to rely on Mike Laszlo, but I did….I made that mistake, and he made me pay for it. Just like against the Council, he stepped back, and watched me take the brunt of the beating….even the pinfall. Does it hurt? Does it sting? Not really, just my pride. Devlin Raine holds two victories over me now, yet both are tainted…..how does that sit with him?
I know Ryan Shane will take it to the bank.
That’s because he’s the biggest pussy on the roster, and would do anything to avoid an actual fight. Yet that, that’s a battle for another day, because last week? Bertie put a bounty on Andrew Jacobsens head….and despite the fact that I respect Andrew as the Imperial Champion? That was too good an offer to turn down. From the moment I lost my Man of Steel Championship, I told the world I only had one thing in mind, I only had one goal in mind…
To recapture the Imperial Championship.
I’m not promising to end careers, or threatening to recklessly break people to get it….because in my eyes? I’ve earned a shot, and the god damn fans know it too. There is nobody on the roster more deserving of an Imperial Championship shot than me…..but if I have to go through people to get there? So be it.
Going through Mike Laszlo to get it?
Well that’s just the icing on the cake.
---
The voice trails off and sobbing can be heard as the camera focus on a sign that reads “Group Therapy - Loss” the camera pans around and we see a group of normal looking people sat in a circle. In amongst them is the larger than life figure of Spike Kane. He places a hand on the shoulder of the man who had just finished talking. The man looks up at him, his eyes red from sobbing.
“He was my boy, y’know? And now…..now everythings fallen to shit.”
Spike: I understand.
The stranger nods at Spike, before tapping his hand that was on his shoulder. Spike releases the hold, before the group leader leans forwards and begins to talk.
Group Leader: Thank you for sharing with us Darren. We know it’s not easy, but keeping it bottled up never helps….this is a safe place, and you are amongst like minded individuals.
As she speaks the camera takes a moment to pan around the people in the circle, each of them looks pretty sad, and then, of course, there is Spike Kane - who just sits there, almost glaring.
Group Leader: Mister Kane, you’ve been coming for a few weeks now…..do you feel like sharing?
Spike looks down at his knuckles for a moment, almost as if he’s either contemplating punching someone, or thinking of the punches that have been thrown.
Spike: You know what? Yeah….I think I’ve sat and listened to you guys, I’ve tried to give advice when in all honesty…..I’m not the one who should be…
The group all murmur in response, some encouragement, some negating his words, but the group leader leans forwards once again.
Group Leader: Remember Michael. This is a safe place.
Spike smirks and shakes his head a little at her words, imagining Gilmore and his whore having a seizure at her words. However, he readjusts himself in his seat, and leans forwards, playing with his hands a little idly as he opens up.
Spike: I’ve got one fucked up family…...I was born in Belfast, and my old man was in the IRA. He faked his death, and it drove my mother to suicide…..some genius thought that splitting up my brother, sister, and me was a great idea. Poor Freya….it was in her room that my mom killed herself. You know….if I think really hard, I can kind of remember what she looks like….
He pauses for a second, holding his hand upwards and outwards, almost as if he was reaching out towards his mother.
Spike: Anyway….it all kinda set the tone, y’know? Turns out I had three kids in total and the first two? Their moms kept me in the dark. Didn’t tell me about them, my eldest I didn’t know about til about two years ago, and he’s a grown ass man….Warren….jesus…..but, before him...there was Zell. He was six years old when I found him, he’d inherited my heart condition. Just as he had integrated himself into my life, and that of those around me…..he was gone. His heart failed him, I knew him for six months of his six years on this planet, and I had to hold him in my arms while the life drained away from him!
He slams his eyes shut, as the emotion of the memory is still there, no matter what people might think.
Spike: Then my old man - who wasn’t dead by the way, super long story - paid some bitch to lure me in, and I fell for her, I fell hard. She ended up falling for me too and we had a baby together, Xander…..my dear boy….God. Ahem….there’d been a break in at my house in Boston, so River….his mom, she ugh….she bought a gun. I’m not a fan, I know that’s how you do things in America, but it’s just not me. Not with my old mans background, you know? Anyway….just before Christmas….on the same exact day that Zell had died eleven years earlier, he found his mothers gun….and…..and he….
The man from earlier, Derek, places his hand on Spike’s shoulder. Spike turns to look at him, tears in his eyes.
Derek: It’s ok. You can tell us if you want, but you don’t have to.
Spike nods at him, before grimacing.
Spike: He shot himself, in the head. Must have been looking down the barrel or something….but again, I was left, holding my son in my arms as he died….and it filled me with so much anger, so much rage. I showed up to work days later, I probably shouldn’t have - lord knows it’s one of the many things I’ve done that I should have done a different way….I got in the ring, and I nearly killed some poor dude, just for being there…..for being the outlet I needed. A group of guys came out to stop me, for my own good more than anything. All people I’d once called friend…..but I was going down such a dark path, and it was just the beginning. I tore into everyone, I beat up anyone who even looked at me wrong, and I used my sons death as a mask to hide behind….
Tears are slowly rolling down his face, as Spike seems to almost be releasing these thoughts as he speaks.
Spike: I honestly feel like had I continued? I would have either killed someone in that ring, or myself in attempting it….but something pulled me out, someone. You probably know her, Pandora….Pandora Freeman. She saw me in a way nobody else did. She really did get in my head and pull me out of the darkness, in my heart….I think she saved my life. The thing is, it still hurts, it’s always going to hurt. Everyone always says “it gets better with time” but that’s just bullshit, it doesn’t get better….you just forget. I don’t want to forget my boys for one single solitary moment of my life. I wear their pain like armour, and I wear their love like a shield. The only thing I have to do…..is to try and fix things with my eldest…….fix them, before I lose him for good too…..if I haven’t already….
Everyone in the room is almost stunned silent. Then Derek stands up abruptly and walks to Spike, hugging him. For a moment Spike looks like he might punch him, before he hugs back, and then the rest of the group join the hug, even the group leader. She calls time on the group, and Spike turns to walk away, before seeing Pandora Freeman standing in the doorway, she’s hugging the doorframe and her eyes are ever so slightly glistening, perhaps from tears.
Spike: How much did you hear?
Pandora: Enough.
She pulls him into a tight hug and lets a deep sigh go, as she tries to stop herself from crying.
Pandora: I’m so proud of you….and I love you.
They part, just enough, for her to lean in and kiss him.
Spike: I love you too, and I meant every word.
They kiss once more, before hugging again. Spike takes her hand as they turn to head through the door.
Spike: I mean it though, people mention my kids to try and get under my skin….and I just can’t let that happen anymore. I loved my boys, and they loved me….I just wish they could have met you…
Pan stops for a second a wry, sad, smile on her face, before she leans her head on Spike’s shoulder. He places his arm around her and the two walk out of the building.
---
Eight.
That’s how many Imperial Title matches you’ve had Mike. EIGHT. More than anyone else in the history of the company. Do you know how many I’ve had? Two. One of which had you in it, the other was when I won the title from Lex Sense.
Do you see the shocking unbalance in these scales?
You like to claim that you get the short end of the stick, that people overlook you, that nobody gives Mike Laszlo a chance - I mean, when you’re not too busy defending the fact that you sit on your ass for about nine months of the year, popping up when it gets close to Night of Immortals, or even the Heir to the Throne….except it never works out for you does it Mike? Because for all your hyperbole, for all your talk of being overlooked, for all your complaints of other people getting things and you’re not?
You’re full of shit.
I know I’ve taken time away from the ring Mike, I’m not an idiot, but boy, I’ve had less time off than anyone who’s been here since day one. In fact, the only people still active right now from day one? Are you and me…..now, I’ve been working my ass off as Man of Steel Champion, but what have you been doing? Being a cheerleader? Sitting on your ass? Who knows?
Who cares!?
The truth of the matter is, Mike, you talk out of your ass every time you open your mouth to speak. You try so desperately to be relevant, and when you catch a glimmer, you cling onto it with everything you possibly can. We saw it when you beat Angel…..now, don’t get me wrong, beating Angel is an achievement, and you deserve to be applauded for it...hell, you beat him twice. I know someone else who’s done that, and you’re looking at him. The thing is, I don’t go on and on about it. Oh, I like to talk about my achievements, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t, the problem is Mike, when you only have one? It gets pretty boring. When you’ve got the legacy that I have?
People bend the knee.
The easiest way to compare us Mike? To show the real gulf in ability, skill, and class? Is simply to look at the numbers….you held the Imperial title and defended it twice…..I defended mine twice as much, and held the title for over one hundred and twenty days. What about the Man of Steel Championship? You held that too, right? Yeah…..for twenty eight days! I held that championship for two hundred and seventeen days longer than you did! Let me put that into perspective for you…..
That’s as long as Roberto Verona held the Imperial Championship for.
You know, the longest reigning Imperial Champion?
I know what you’re going to say though Mike, how you’ll try and shrug it off, ignore your failings….you’ll say how it’s not about championships, right? About how it’s not holding onto the gold….and you’d be dead fucking wrong. No matter what people might say, every single person on this roster wants to be a champion, hell, I’d push to say THE champion, some people just are too humble to admit it….but everyone wants to be the champion Mike.
Every. Single. Person.
Why else would they be here? Why else would they put their bodies through the hell we do? For cheers? For that reaction from the crowd? Oh….it’s intoxicating, there’s nothing like it….but that reaction when you’re holding the gold?
It’s the best drug in existence.
So we’re going into this match, with a title shot as the prize. Please, tell me how everything I’ve said was wrong and you don’t care, then turn around and tell me you’re going to beat me and become Imperial Champion. Or, y’know, pull an Ortega and tell me I’m right, tell me I win……
Somehow that worked out for him.
Either way, I’m going into this match with absolutely no restraints. I don’t like you Laszlo, I never have, and I never will. Yeah, there’s been some things we’ve agreed on in the past, hell even this shit show with the Council, but underneath it all? You’re a scumbag. You don’t care about anyone, you’re the most selfish person I’ve ever come across in this business, and I KNOW it’s ironic of me to say that….but there are people I care about, people I’ve hand picked to train, people I’ve mentored, people I’ve brought through the ranks….hell, I spent my downtime training people down in the Performance Center…..when was the last time you popped in there?
When was the last time you gave anything back?
I bust out match of the night on a weekly basis, being in the ring with me elevates people….and I’m always happy to give anyone a chance, but not you Mike. Come Lineage? I’m going to destroy you. I’m going to expose you for the fraud that you are, I’m going to make everyone see what I see when I look at you….then I’m going to beat you, right in the middle of the ring, clean as a whistle….so there’s no bitching, no complaining, no second chances, or eight chances….
I’m going to humble you.
Then when my hand is raised? I’ll turn my head to Andrew Jacobsen and our unfinished business…….because trust me, there’s a lot.
But you Mike?
I’m not looking past you, I’m looking right at you, looking right at the biggest joke in IWF….and I’m going to hit you with everything I have, show you what real competition is like….and show you how to EARN that Imperial Championship shot….and if you beat me Mike?
Honestly?
I’ll hold your hand in the air.
Chances are though? You’ll be looking up at the lights while my music blasts through the arena, and you begin to think about returning to your armchair…
Where you fucking belong.
Well howdy there pardner.