Color Dictates

[Dre Cutler]

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Patience; some have a lot of it, others can't define it. Dre Cutler is a man that prides himself on a lot of things, one of which is patience. He's stood in the dark for years; gritted his teeth and kept his hands in fists as he waited for his moment. In a world such as this one -- in an environment such as his -- one cannot survive without patience.

But, fuck, what's taking her so long? Answer the God damn door.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A little harder this time; the sound of his knuckles connecting with the thick wood echoes throughout the halls of the apartment complex. He takes a couple of steps back and digs his hands into the pockets of his shorts. He stares at the ground for a moment as he works to organize his thoughts to ensure he gets his words out perfectly. He glances back towards the door; an eerie feeling travels through his body and sends chills up and down his spine. 

Dre Cutler: Come on, Kelsey...

His words are barely audible as he concludes the statement with an exasperated sigh. He steps towards her apartment door once again and raises his hand to knock, but something comes over him and causes a hesitation. He closes his eyes for a second, freezing himself in that pose as he falls back into his thoughts.

Dre Cutler: I -- fuck..

He trails off, feeling deflated and defeated as he lowers his hand back to his side. His left hand, still deep in his pocket, cradles his phone and, for a moment, he considers pulling it out and calling her. But something comes over him, making him decide otherwise as he starts backing away from the door. He reaches the stairs and turns to start his descent, but again, something hits him and causes a hesitation.

He turns his head and looks at the door once more. He squints as his mind threatens to explode and send pieces of his skull everywhere as his thoughts are running a mile a minute. Something feels off, but he can't quite place his finger on it. He inhales deeply and exhales slowly before turning his head and focusing on the steps as he makes his way down and towards the exit.

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Survival of the Fittest.

A fitting name for a trying time in the life of Dre Cutler.

See, I waited for an opportunity to show the world what I had to give to the sport of professional wrestling. I sat and witnessed individuals far less talented than me get the call from major wrestling promotions all around the world. All I could do was sit on my hands and bite my tongue each and every time it happened. What else could I do about it? Bitch and complain? Groan and moan?

That's not Dre Cutler.

I kept my head down and my mouth shut. It's something I was taught as a young kid; a way of life for a person of color to survive in this world. I kept hungry and kept clawing and fighting all across the state of Alabama. I refused to give up or let myself become disheartened as the opportunities that should be mine were given to others. 

Eventually, the call came and the person on the other end of the line was inquiring about Dre Cutler.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

But it'd be so easy for me to lose the hunger; it'd be so convenient for me to develop a feeling of complacency. After all, I made it; I proved to all of my doubters that I could make it out of Alabama. I showed everyone that said I'd never amount to anything that they were wrong -- I told all of them they were full of shit and I provided factual evidence.

I made it.

Or have I?

See, I'm here, I'm in the Imperial Wrestling Federation. I have a spot; and if I'm being honest, I think I've risen up the ranks very quickly. I can't say the company is mine, but it's there for me to take it. Cable Arcane is the man in the driver's seat at this very moment, but he isn't wearing his seat belt.

I've had my opportunities, I've been so close to grabbing hold of this organization by winning the Imperial championship. It's been in my face; I've touched it with my finger tips. But, again and again, I've let it slip away and I've come up short. 

How many more chances does Dre Cutler have before the door closes forever?

Not many, probably none after Survival of the Fittest.

It's a trying time in my life. It's do or die, as cliche as those words are. If I don't get the job done, someone else is going to be given an opportunity to do so.

But this time is different; not as simplistic as my previous chances at Cable Arcane. This time, I find myself in the Extinction Event, and two other individuals have the same opportunity as I do: Falcon and JFK.

First and foremost, James, I'm tired of seeing your face. Your breath stinks and your facial craters make me feel uncomfortable. At the end of the day, I can really only blame myself for your position in this company. The powers that be are looking at me with doubt in their eyes and disappointment in their hearts. I've failed to conquer the House; and more importantly, I've failed to relieve them of the Imperial championship. So, desperate times call for desperate measures and that brings us to you, James.

My inability to fully complete my mission has left the door open for you to pick up the slack. The ironic thing is you're hardly able to pick yourself up off the mat after an ass kicking. I'm not a big fan of yours, never have been and never will be. I think you're arrogant; and it's silly to me because you have no reason to be. As much as I've stumbled, you've done nothing but trip and fall flat on your face the entire time you've been here.

Again, who can I blame other than myself?

All I can say is I hope you succeed, take a strap off The House, go after Spike or Noah. Prove me wrong. But if, for some world-altering reason you seem to be on your way to taking out Cable Arcane, watch your back because I'll probably be en route to say HEY.

I like you, Falcon. There's something about you; you fight with pride and determination. When I needed some assistance, you risked it all to back me up against The House. You didn't have to do that, you had nothing to gain and everything to lose. I respect the hell out of you for sticking your neck out like that.

And I wish nothing but the best for you in the future.

But, my opinion on you is similar to the one I have for James.

Spike or Noah, take your choice. 

But Cable Arcane is mine.

And business above friendship; I will not hesitate to send your head flying into the fifth row if you get in my way. 

Nothing personal, it's just the way Dre Cutler operates.

A man on a mission is a man that shouldn't be fucked with.

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"Dre?"

He barely steps foot out of the apartment complex before her voice penetrates his ears. There's some edge, distress even, that scrapes his eardrum and causes him to shudder as he turns towards her direction.

Kelsey Grace: Dre...

She says again, although this time it's more of a statement. His mouth falls agape as he catches sight of her; but she's not alone, she's being accompanied by two gentlemen, both white. It's easy for his mind to jump to conclusions and become overwhelmed with questions to which he has no answers. He simply sighs softly prior to making his way down the concrete steps in front of her building and stops a few feet away from her and the men.

Dre Cutler: Hey, Kelsey, I -- 

He trails off; the pressure of the situation is making him feel tiny and desperate. Why did he do this? Why'd he come to her apartment? Should of have just called her. 

One of the guys steps forward and stands between Kelsey and Dre. A smile creeps across his face; but his eyes shout disgust as he looks at Dre, a man of color on the wrong side of town.

"What are you doing here, boy?"

Kelsey Grace: Don't talk to him like that!

She steps forward, but the other guy grabs hold of her shoulders and keeps her back. The tension is high and Dre moves towards her, but the man slides to his left and blocks him.

Dre Cutler: It'd be a smart decision for you to get the fuck out of my way.

"And it'd be a smart of you if you knew your place, nigger."

The white man shoves Dre; but Dre quickly lunges forward and punches him in the mouth. The other guy lets go of Kelsey and charges at him. Cutler blocks a wild right hand and quickly clocks him with a punch to the nose. But while this is going on, the first guy recovers and clubs Dre from behind. Cutler falls to the concrete and both men start kicking at him profusely. 

Kelsey Grace: Stop! Please stop!

Kelsey is losing her shit, sobbing like crazy and trying to pull the men off Dre, but they're not budging. One of them shoves her away and she stumbles to the concrete. They continue their vicious assault on him with kick after kick; and he does every thing he can to block the assault, but he's not having much success. One of them changes location and delivers a stiff kick to his face, which knocks him unconscious. 

"We gotta get out of here, man, let's go."

He grabs at his friends shirt and tugs him along as they start running down the sidewalk.

Kelsey Grace: Dre...

She can barely speak through sobs as she crawls to his motionless body and lifts his head into her lap. He's bleeding from the kick to the face and he's not moving.

Kelsey Grace: Someone help! Please!

She screams as loud as she can, but no one stops. There are people walking across the street, cars driving by. No one is stopping. No one is looking.

They're ignoring all of it.

She continues sobbing as she bends down and clutches his head close to her chest; unsure of what to do or how to fix it. 

All she can do is cry.

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We live in a world that's so fucked, Cable.

The decisions some people make, they're fucking ridiculous. 

I could spend so much effort on trying to figure everything out. But I still think I'd finish with more questions than answers.

It's really how I feel about you.

On one hand, you come across like an arrogant and heartless piece of shit. You care about nothing other than mowing down the competition and making sure everyone realizes that you're the best this business has to offer. You want the entire world to bow down at your feet and thank you for gracing us with your presence. You want the respect you feel you deserve, even if you've yet to fully earn it. 

On the other hand, you show glimpses of pride and remorse. You show signs of wanting to see the world prosper correctly before you burn it down. You want things to be fair and cut and dry, rather than diluted with bullshit. You want fights to be fair and outcomes to be legitimate. You want the sides to be even so that you can truly showcase your abilities and prove your claim as the best in the world.

And then sometimes, those hands come together and create a giant pile of shit.

I don't really know who the real Cable Arcane is. And quite frankly, I don't care to know who you are. All I know, all I care about, is the fact that you are the Imperial champion. And you are, if only for this moment, the best in the world because your status in this company puts fact to that.

You're the champ.

Whether you're truly evil or mysteriously good, no one really cares.

I know I don't.

All I care about is proving to you and the entire world that I can beat you when it matters. When the stakes are high, and the gold is on the line, I want to showcase the real Dre Cutler -- I want to show you just how serious I am. Just how legitimate I can be.

I want to make sure you remember my name, Cable.

See, you and I have been battling on the same path for months now. We blew through the competition in the Heir to the Throne tournament. You've kept trying to knock me out with your vicious punches and kicks; you've tried to shut me down and push me away. You've had the help of The House, regardless of whether or not you've always wanted it. You've beat me senseless and made me forget my name.

I'm being honest with you.

But you're right, Dre Cutler doesn't die. He doesn't quit. It'd be too easy for me to quit. It'd justify so many different people's opinions about me. My entire life people have said I wouldn't make it. They've looked at me and figured I'd become a failure; perhaps I'd end up in prison. Or I'd die on the streets. Or I'd be like my fucked parents, fuck some bitches, have some kids, and dip out.

The color of my skin has tried to dictate my entire life, Cable.

And all I'm on a mission to do is prove that skin color has nothing to fucking do with it.

Dre Cutler is hungry. And he is determined. And he will become the Imperial champion because I know I have what it takes to get the job done. And everyone that has doubted me and questioned my ability, they can fuck off, you included.

I will not quit as long as there is air in my lungs. And blood flowing from my heart. I am destined to be one of the best wrestlers this business has ever seen. And while you think you're the best right now, I'm more concerned with the bigger picture. I want people to remember my name for decades. I want people to look back at my time in the ring years from now, and still remember my greatness.

I want the name Dre Cutler to mean something.

The name Cable Arcane? It's bound to be forgotten. Being the "Best in the World" is a singular accomplishment and one that doesn't age very well. You're the best there is right now, but how's your staying power? Do you really think you can come back from your first major defeat of the reborn saga of your career?

Do you think you can handle the sour taste now that you've had nothing but sweets for months?

Can you recover?

Cable Arcane, a name that makes me stomach turn. Dre Cutler, a name that inspires the masses.

You're going down at Survival of the Fittest, Cable.

I can promise you that.

Spike Kane and Noah Field. I can't really forget about you two, can I? The House is well represented in this match. And I'm sure you two have been tasked with making sure Cable Arcane leaves with the Imperial championship, even if it means sacrificing your individual reigns.

Spike, you already know how I feel about you. And I know what you think of me. I don't like you, you don't like me. Everyone knows all of this already. We've crossed paths a lot more than I'd like. And here we are again, set to step into the same ring once more.

Do you really think you can set aside your pride long enough to do what's best for The House? Are you willing to relinquish your hold on your title if necessary? Can you really put someone else ahead? I don't think you can. And if you say you're willing to do it, then you're lying to all of us as well as yourself.

You're selfish and arrogant. You're going to die a painful death one day because of the decisions you've made throughout your life. You're bound for hell; and I find it hard to believe, after all we know about Spike Kane, that you're going to put someone else ahead.

The House means very little to you in the grand scheme of things.

We all know that.

And know this; I don't want your title. I truly don't, but keep an eye on me because if the opportunity presents itself, I'm willing to take an alternative route to remove you of your gold and redirect myself back to the main road and go after Cable at a later time.

You're not safe, Spike.

And if things go as planned, you will not be a champion after the Extinction Event concludes.

And as for you, Noah, what the fuck are you thinking? Much like Cable and Spike, you're one of the most arrogant son of a bitches that has ever laced up a pair of boots. And yet, you align yourself with The House. Some would speculate the money was right, but me... I think you're not as confident as you try to make us believe.

I think you had your doubts.

With Chris King out of the picture, you didn't have someone so obviously beneath you to beat up every week. And faced with stiff and real competition, you pissed your pants. You looked for someone to hide behind. You searched long and hard and ran right into Laura's snatch.

And here you are.

The newest member of The House.

A prized acquisition? I don't think so. I'd say you're a scared kitty cat that has finally realized the business isn't as easy as you thought.

What's your end game? You're content being nothing but an after thought in a stable dominated by individuals far more accomplished than you are? Do you even have the killer instinct to one day be "the guy?" Do you even want to be in that position?

I think you're finally realizing you've peaked.

And in an attempt to try to gain a bit more ground, you made what felt like a sound business decision.

Mistakes were made, Noah.

Prepare to feel the wraith and reap the negatives from your decisions.

The match is going to be chaotic and a lot of unknowns are all around.

But there's one fact, one truth..

Dre Cutler is going to shine.

See you all in the ring.

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