Post by Pax Stormcrow on Jul 29, 2023 0:07:42 GMT
Pax was seated on his front porch as he watched the setting sun paint the sky in purples and oranges. The air had cooled as the sun started to sink towards the horizon and he was enjoying a bottle of beer at the end of his day. He was thinking about what renovations his nostalgia would allow him to his mother’s house, but the sound of a pickup truck coming down the dirt road to his house pulled him out of his thoughts.
It was an old chevy pick up. Back when they made trucks for people who worked for a living. It had a burgundy paint job that had faded with age and like most cars on the rez, a layer of dust covered it. You could almost hear the shocks and wheels sigh with relief when the truck pulled onto the concrete driveway and parked next to his Camry. The engine was killed an an elderly heavy set man climbed out of the car. The man lifted a black cowboy hat and set it on his head as he carefully walked towards the truck.
“Aho Pax.”
“Aho James. Come on up and sit a spell. Get you something to drink? Got water, beer, or Bepsi. Could brew a pot of tea or coffee.” He stood from his chair, both to be able to head into the house at the request and out of deference for an Elder.
James let out a deep laugh as he climbed slowly up onto the porch. “Beer would do me well, young man. Been out in the sun and the dust and my throat is parched.”
Pax turned and walked into his house. It was a short trip to the kitchen to pull a beer from the fridge and to remove the cap with the assistance of the kitchen counter. In no time at all he was stepping back out onto the porch where James had already made himself comfortable in one of the chairs. Pax handed the bottle off to the old man before taking his seat. “What do I owe the privilege James?”
“Well, let’s get right down to it. Ya know I’m in charge of a lot of the infrastructure around her. Being that I was one of the people around when it got first put in. So I’ve spent the last couple days drivin around with them Prairie Fiber types, pointing out where things stand and what not. I know everyone is really excited about this whole internet thing. Can’t say that I really understand all of it to be honest. I gotta tell you though all these white folks swarming the rez make me nervous.”
“What do you mean James?” Pax tried to hide the look on his face as he took a drink of beer. Honestly Samuel and Prairie Fiber made him nervous as well.
“Well I might just be an old man. But anytime a bunch of white folks show up on our land it leads to trouble. But they also seem awfully connected with other companies that can work on our roads, our pipelines. Hell, even our electric lines. Don’t get me wrong neither, all of this is in need of upgrades here. But there is a sickness in these corporate types and I don’t want them spreading that disease here.”
“I know, sir. But it seemed worth the risk.” Pax frowned as he took a drink.
James let out a short bark. “Hell, the council thought so too. That’s why they voted to allow it. I just think we need to be careful. But really the reason why I came out here is to ask a favor from ya.”
“What can I do, sir?”
“There’s a lot of labor involved with all of this. Try and get them to hire local. Some of us could really use the work and improving the rez brings a closer attachment to it. Hell, I’m getting old and I’d like to retire and spend my days drinking beer and my nights playing bingo. Get someone to come and take my job. Someone that can keep an eye out for that sickness and do what they can to keep it from spreading.”
Pax considered the old man’s words and nodded. “Ya, I’ll bring it up with them.”
James laughed. “Get em to run some cable out here too. Storm last Tuesday messed up my satellite, something awful. Didn’t get to see the Rez’s favorite son on the TV. You give that blasphemous old man his licks? What kinda man calls himself god looking like one of those fools from KISS?”
Pax laughed and shook his head. “Well I tried too, sir.”
James nodded. “Good. We all real proud of you boy. Your Grandfather would be too, if he were still alive to see ya.” He took a heavy pull from his bottle.
“Thanks sir. That means a lot.”
~_~
The Vlog opens, for once, on a Pax with a backdrop of the Pittsburgh skyline at night. He is leaning forward with a look of concentration on his face as he fusses with the camera to make sure the shot is right.
“Yall wouldn’t believe this. I had this all set up and did a test shot and everything and then I bumped the damn table. Alright, there we go. That should do it.”
With an awkward smile he returned to his seat and then gave himself a shake to ease the jitters from the bumpy start.
“What up Neechies, it’s ya boi. Could I have started that over again? Maybe but we live so we roll with it. Coming to you from the deck of my hotel in Pittsburgh as we are set for Bloody Assizes this weekend. It’s looking to be a great show, not least of which because yours truly is going to be performing in my second match of Heir to the Throne. Should be a big one friends since I’m facing off against Nick Knight.”
Pax spread his arms out and shrugged at the camera with a wry expression. He brought his arms back together to cross over his chest.
“Nick got a win over me last week, so one could say that he has the momentum. Course things would have been different if I had a teammate who gave a damn. Would be way different if Angel hadn’t kicked the refs teeth down his throat. So who can say what that momentum is worth. We can’t change the path, so we focus on what’s coming. Specifically about what’s in front of us right now.”
Eagerly leaning forward, Pax plants his hands on the table in front of him. Grinning at the camera he pushes himself to his feet, one hand reaching out to adjust the view so that it can track him up.
“Nick, you and I are the only ones in A block who have any points up on the board. This match means the exact same for both of us. We are both fighting to get to the top of this thing. We both want to add this to our list of accomplishments. To reach all the way up and tear that brass ring down from hands of those who don’t deserve to hold on to it. We are not so different. When we step through those ropes we throw everything else aside and focus on one thing and one thing only. Putting on the fight of our lives against whoever the hell is staring at us from the other side of the ring.”
Pacing as he speaks, Pax gestures passionately as he speaks. He punctuates each statement with a fist slammed into his palm.
“I can’t help but respect the hell out of you Knight. I’ve watched you for a while. You got a code and you stick to that. Plus, you fight like a mad son of a bitch and I can appreciate the hell out of that attitude cause that is the level of energy that I try to put into every match that I am in. I even like this little mission you’ve given yourself. You see a problem in this business, a problem in this sport. I believe you called it a sickness. Because you are absolutely right, Nick. There is a sickness here. People hell bent on their ways of how and why things should be done. Stifling those around them so that their chosen few can flourish. An old guard that needs to have someone step up and tell them that their time is over.”
Suddenly, Pax turns to face the camera and brings a fist down onto the table that it is sitting on. The camera is knocked loose and crashes to its side, sending the feed into a blurry mess as the sound of splintering wood can be heard. Some muffled words can be heard before the Camera is lifted up and Pax’s face comes back into focus.
“The question I have is what makes you think that it is your god damned job Nick Knight! Think we kids can’t do it ourselves? That we need some battered old sheppard to do it for us? Ya, that’s what I like to see. Someone waltzing in and telling me they are looking after my interests because I’m not able to do it myself. Tell me. Explain to me Nick how that makes you any different from them? You are not going to be the one to shatter that ceiling for me, I am. I intend to show you just how I intend to do that when that bell rings and I throw your body all around that ring.”
Pax pulled the camera back from his face and took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself. Lifting a hand to run over his cropped hair shows the blood slowly dripping from his knuckles.
“Knight, I’m gonna show you and everyone else who has gone back to doubting me just what I intend to do in this sport. This tournament is where I will plant my flag and declare just what everyone is getting into for looking down on me. I don’t need to tell you to bring the heat Nick. I know you will.”
Glancing down at his hand, it seems he finally realizes that he is bleeding. He looks down at it for a moment, watching the blood drip across his skin. Then he lifts his hand, drawing a line of blood down the center of his face. He stares into the camera for a long moment.
“Peace Out.”
Throwing his head back he let out a shrill whoop before the camera feed cuts.
It was an old chevy pick up. Back when they made trucks for people who worked for a living. It had a burgundy paint job that had faded with age and like most cars on the rez, a layer of dust covered it. You could almost hear the shocks and wheels sigh with relief when the truck pulled onto the concrete driveway and parked next to his Camry. The engine was killed an an elderly heavy set man climbed out of the car. The man lifted a black cowboy hat and set it on his head as he carefully walked towards the truck.
“Aho Pax.”
“Aho James. Come on up and sit a spell. Get you something to drink? Got water, beer, or Bepsi. Could brew a pot of tea or coffee.” He stood from his chair, both to be able to head into the house at the request and out of deference for an Elder.
James let out a deep laugh as he climbed slowly up onto the porch. “Beer would do me well, young man. Been out in the sun and the dust and my throat is parched.”
Pax turned and walked into his house. It was a short trip to the kitchen to pull a beer from the fridge and to remove the cap with the assistance of the kitchen counter. In no time at all he was stepping back out onto the porch where James had already made himself comfortable in one of the chairs. Pax handed the bottle off to the old man before taking his seat. “What do I owe the privilege James?”
“Well, let’s get right down to it. Ya know I’m in charge of a lot of the infrastructure around her. Being that I was one of the people around when it got first put in. So I’ve spent the last couple days drivin around with them Prairie Fiber types, pointing out where things stand and what not. I know everyone is really excited about this whole internet thing. Can’t say that I really understand all of it to be honest. I gotta tell you though all these white folks swarming the rez make me nervous.”
“What do you mean James?” Pax tried to hide the look on his face as he took a drink of beer. Honestly Samuel and Prairie Fiber made him nervous as well.
“Well I might just be an old man. But anytime a bunch of white folks show up on our land it leads to trouble. But they also seem awfully connected with other companies that can work on our roads, our pipelines. Hell, even our electric lines. Don’t get me wrong neither, all of this is in need of upgrades here. But there is a sickness in these corporate types and I don’t want them spreading that disease here.”
“I know, sir. But it seemed worth the risk.” Pax frowned as he took a drink.
James let out a short bark. “Hell, the council thought so too. That’s why they voted to allow it. I just think we need to be careful. But really the reason why I came out here is to ask a favor from ya.”
“What can I do, sir?”
“There’s a lot of labor involved with all of this. Try and get them to hire local. Some of us could really use the work and improving the rez brings a closer attachment to it. Hell, I’m getting old and I’d like to retire and spend my days drinking beer and my nights playing bingo. Get someone to come and take my job. Someone that can keep an eye out for that sickness and do what they can to keep it from spreading.”
Pax considered the old man’s words and nodded. “Ya, I’ll bring it up with them.”
James laughed. “Get em to run some cable out here too. Storm last Tuesday messed up my satellite, something awful. Didn’t get to see the Rez’s favorite son on the TV. You give that blasphemous old man his licks? What kinda man calls himself god looking like one of those fools from KISS?”
Pax laughed and shook his head. “Well I tried too, sir.”
James nodded. “Good. We all real proud of you boy. Your Grandfather would be too, if he were still alive to see ya.” He took a heavy pull from his bottle.
“Thanks sir. That means a lot.”
~_~
The Vlog opens, for once, on a Pax with a backdrop of the Pittsburgh skyline at night. He is leaning forward with a look of concentration on his face as he fusses with the camera to make sure the shot is right.
“Yall wouldn’t believe this. I had this all set up and did a test shot and everything and then I bumped the damn table. Alright, there we go. That should do it.”
With an awkward smile he returned to his seat and then gave himself a shake to ease the jitters from the bumpy start.
“What up Neechies, it’s ya boi. Could I have started that over again? Maybe but we live so we roll with it. Coming to you from the deck of my hotel in Pittsburgh as we are set for Bloody Assizes this weekend. It’s looking to be a great show, not least of which because yours truly is going to be performing in my second match of Heir to the Throne. Should be a big one friends since I’m facing off against Nick Knight.”
Pax spread his arms out and shrugged at the camera with a wry expression. He brought his arms back together to cross over his chest.
“Nick got a win over me last week, so one could say that he has the momentum. Course things would have been different if I had a teammate who gave a damn. Would be way different if Angel hadn’t kicked the refs teeth down his throat. So who can say what that momentum is worth. We can’t change the path, so we focus on what’s coming. Specifically about what’s in front of us right now.”
Eagerly leaning forward, Pax plants his hands on the table in front of him. Grinning at the camera he pushes himself to his feet, one hand reaching out to adjust the view so that it can track him up.
“Nick, you and I are the only ones in A block who have any points up on the board. This match means the exact same for both of us. We are both fighting to get to the top of this thing. We both want to add this to our list of accomplishments. To reach all the way up and tear that brass ring down from hands of those who don’t deserve to hold on to it. We are not so different. When we step through those ropes we throw everything else aside and focus on one thing and one thing only. Putting on the fight of our lives against whoever the hell is staring at us from the other side of the ring.”
Pacing as he speaks, Pax gestures passionately as he speaks. He punctuates each statement with a fist slammed into his palm.
“I can’t help but respect the hell out of you Knight. I’ve watched you for a while. You got a code and you stick to that. Plus, you fight like a mad son of a bitch and I can appreciate the hell out of that attitude cause that is the level of energy that I try to put into every match that I am in. I even like this little mission you’ve given yourself. You see a problem in this business, a problem in this sport. I believe you called it a sickness. Because you are absolutely right, Nick. There is a sickness here. People hell bent on their ways of how and why things should be done. Stifling those around them so that their chosen few can flourish. An old guard that needs to have someone step up and tell them that their time is over.”
Suddenly, Pax turns to face the camera and brings a fist down onto the table that it is sitting on. The camera is knocked loose and crashes to its side, sending the feed into a blurry mess as the sound of splintering wood can be heard. Some muffled words can be heard before the Camera is lifted up and Pax’s face comes back into focus.
“The question I have is what makes you think that it is your god damned job Nick Knight! Think we kids can’t do it ourselves? That we need some battered old sheppard to do it for us? Ya, that’s what I like to see. Someone waltzing in and telling me they are looking after my interests because I’m not able to do it myself. Tell me. Explain to me Nick how that makes you any different from them? You are not going to be the one to shatter that ceiling for me, I am. I intend to show you just how I intend to do that when that bell rings and I throw your body all around that ring.”
Pax pulled the camera back from his face and took a deep breath in an attempt to steady himself. Lifting a hand to run over his cropped hair shows the blood slowly dripping from his knuckles.
“Knight, I’m gonna show you and everyone else who has gone back to doubting me just what I intend to do in this sport. This tournament is where I will plant my flag and declare just what everyone is getting into for looking down on me. I don’t need to tell you to bring the heat Nick. I know you will.”
Glancing down at his hand, it seems he finally realizes that he is bleeding. He looks down at it for a moment, watching the blood drip across his skin. Then he lifts his hand, drawing a line of blood down the center of his face. He stares into the camera for a long moment.
“Peace Out.”
Throwing his head back he let out a shrill whoop before the camera feed cuts.
Well howdy there pardner.