Post by Xavier Cross on Feb 24, 2010 12:48:34 GMT -6
“F*** me…”
The scene opens with Xavier in a freshly painted room, void of anything except a mess of parts used to assemble a crib. His knuckle is visibly bleeding, he throws a small metal part away from him, sitting up.
“Really…Camera’s now?…Fine, Yeah…so, in this business we have to have a short memory. Almost two years ago is a long time, I remember some classy wins, some hard losses, a title victory. But do I remember The Ace, beating me? No. Not until he found the video clip. So yes, it comes back to me. The Ace did in fact beat me…in a jam packed, er…Excuse me, a slightly above average Trauma crowd.
Its not amnesia, in American Football Quarterbacks sometimes throw interceptions, make bad decisions with the ball. You got to have a short memory of your mistakes, not so you can be ignorant of the fact that you screwed up. But so you keep your confidence together. The fact is Ace, the Empire Folded, and Xavier Cross, The King. Well, my card house is still standing, and where are you Ace? Sure you won the championship from Joe Halfaman.
Somewhat of a passing of the torch. Ace, I think you see a little bit of yourself in me, at least the better half. The cocky, nothing is going to stop him part. I think that’s the same reason part of you fears me, because you see yourself in your prime looking something like I. The way Gib is kicking for your old timers, it seems a lot of the young bloods will have to tone down the past-the-prime comments, however Gib, nor yourself is of ‘Somewhat Sexy’ Jason status. So youth, nor experience will prevail here. It is based off of talent, and sheer will. How bad do you want this Ace, because I can promise…No guarantee that I want it more.”
Its not amnesia, in American Football Quarterbacks sometimes throw interceptions, make bad decisions with the ball. You got to have a short memory of your mistakes, not so you can be ignorant of the fact that you screwed up. But so you keep your confidence together. The fact is Ace, the Empire Folded, and Xavier Cross, The King. Well, my card house is still standing, and where are you Ace? Sure you won the championship from Joe Halfaman.
Somewhat of a passing of the torch. Ace, I think you see a little bit of yourself in me, at least the better half. The cocky, nothing is going to stop him part. I think that’s the same reason part of you fears me, because you see yourself in your prime looking something like I. The way Gib is kicking for your old timers, it seems a lot of the young bloods will have to tone down the past-the-prime comments, however Gib, nor yourself is of ‘Somewhat Sexy’ Jason status. So youth, nor experience will prevail here. It is based off of talent, and sheer will. How bad do you want this Ace, because I can promise…No guarantee that I want it more.”
Xavier stands himself up, looking down at the crib for a moment before slowly walking out of the room, trying to keep his temper down. The camera picks up the noise of a women’s voice reading a story.
“We gotta be quiet, Cari is trying to get the kids down for a nap. Lets head on down to the basement.”
The cameraman follows Xavier down the steps, to the familiar scene of his man cave. Stepping behind the bar, Cross disappears as he leans down grabbing a water bottle. He then takes a seat in one of the chairs, the camera looks at him from across the table.
“We talk about the power of youth, the ability to keep on lasting. Then experience as a key to victory, from various tough battles and wars over the ages. I have the right amount of both. Xavier Cross isn’t a rookie, some green horned kid coming to Cross Roads trying to upset, Nor is he a aged veteran looking to put down an n.C.w. original.
I’m here to win, plain and simple. I’m not trying to end Ace’s career, I’m not trying to put a stake in his heart. I’m going to be the National Champion. Nothing else. The fact that he refers to me as a punk trying to make a name off beating him. Ace, check it baby. I’m a two time x-treme champion, I’ve competed in some of the most brutal matches in n.C.w history. If I wanted to make a name for myself, I’d be looking at Brad Kane, trying to pull Spike away from his desk, or checking every bar I could find for Lance Ryan. If I hadn’t made a name for myself yet, I did so in my match against Will Washington.
My confidence, my swagger. It knows no bounds, some may see that as a weakness, a Achilles heel, however my excellence will stretch as far as I will reach for. I won’t stop, I won’t quit. I will not die by some fickle emotion, these feelings. This confidence, its placed in myself, by myself for good reason. I’m the best. Not only in my mind, but whether you want to admit it or not, the same goes for anyone else.
They know, I am the best. I like to believe history repeats itself, or at least we can find patterns in people’s strategies and how they react in situations. I know if I push too hard Ace, you’ll be tempted to find that little toy of yours that sledge hammer. You’re one and done, something I’ve heard your wife has trouble with as well. I don’t need coincidences, or even history to beat you Ace. I got everything right here from my head down to my toes. Understand?"
I’m here to win, plain and simple. I’m not trying to end Ace’s career, I’m not trying to put a stake in his heart. I’m going to be the National Champion. Nothing else. The fact that he refers to me as a punk trying to make a name off beating him. Ace, check it baby. I’m a two time x-treme champion, I’ve competed in some of the most brutal matches in n.C.w history. If I wanted to make a name for myself, I’d be looking at Brad Kane, trying to pull Spike away from his desk, or checking every bar I could find for Lance Ryan. If I hadn’t made a name for myself yet, I did so in my match against Will Washington.
My confidence, my swagger. It knows no bounds, some may see that as a weakness, a Achilles heel, however my excellence will stretch as far as I will reach for. I won’t stop, I won’t quit. I will not die by some fickle emotion, these feelings. This confidence, its placed in myself, by myself for good reason. I’m the best. Not only in my mind, but whether you want to admit it or not, the same goes for anyone else.
They know, I am the best. I like to believe history repeats itself, or at least we can find patterns in people’s strategies and how they react in situations. I know if I push too hard Ace, you’ll be tempted to find that little toy of yours that sledge hammer. You’re one and done, something I’ve heard your wife has trouble with as well. I don’t need coincidences, or even history to beat you Ace. I got everything right here from my head down to my toes. Understand?"
Xavier takes a small drink from his water as he leans back listening to the cool silence. The camera hears a door shut, and footsteps make their way down the steps. The camera pans up to show Cari yawning as she slides across the car onto Xavier’s lap. Cari is visible pregnant between eight and a half months at this point.
Leaning up, he kisses her cheek and wraps his arms around her. She nuzzles her head against his chin and closes her eyes. She whispers something, clearly the camera picks it up.
Cari “You remember what happened last time…when you were a champ, the title race. How far away from the family you fell, everything that stemmed from it. Are we heading down that road again?”
Xavier “I can admit to you, I sometimes get my head wrapped up. I have a child on the way, I have two of the best children a guy like me is lucky to have, and on top of that, I have an amazing wife. Someone I respect and admire for her strength and her compassion. We’ve both made mistakes in the past…”
Cari: “Quit the speeches Xavier, just say you love me already…”
Xavier: “Jerk…I love you…”
Cari lets out a soft sigh before closing her eyes, a smile slides across her face.
Cari: “I love you too…don’t be long, I’m tired…”
She slowly slides off his lap, and then carefully makes her way up the steps. Xavier turns to the camera, a different smile across his face.
“You must know how it feels Ace, to have someone who loves you, unconditionally. Someone who believes in you, no matter how many times you’ve screwed up. You can say my confidence is misplaced, but I know win or lose, I’ll come home to her, and the kids. That’s good enough for me. But if I settled for what was good enough, I wouldn’t be an athlete, and I damn sure wouldn’t be a champion. So I’ll fly home Monday night with a little bit more weight around my waist. The golden shine of the national championship.
Adam Knite? The silver spoon laid in his mouth for so long. He took your glory away, both times. However, I can’t say much. You’ve accomplished something I still yearn to do. The World Championship. As much as I can claim I’m the best, no matter how great my victories are, how brutal my matches are, how golden my championships shine. I’ve never held the one that counts. Beating you, would give me the second greatest prize in our companies history.
The National Championship is one step below a World Champion. I refuse to be second best for long, I’ll take this championship from you, I’ll defend it as many times as I need to. Then Angel, Gib, Falcon, or whoever has the title when my time comes again, I’ll prove to them, as I’m going to prove to you why I am the best. Why this swagger just oozes off of me.
Momentum, Confidence, whatever. You can talk about a man who isn’t here. A man who is taking care of his family situation, who wants his announcer of a wife to come home. A man who has your number every time you’ve met in a ring Ace. You can talk all you want about Adam Knite, because you’re getting a far superior opponent come Sunday. You’re getting The Xavier Cross. The Greatest Gift God has ever presented, and lastly. Your Worst Nightmare…
Its not a matter of thinking I’m unbeatable, you proved it two years ago that I’m not unbeatable…a few months ago Falcon proved it as well. You can mature, age like a fine wine whatever. You can talk about good days, bad days, happy days? Listen up you cheap Fonzy knock off. I will Archie Bunker your ass out that door. If you didn’t understand those two references, go watch TV Land. So we’re what, 1-1 in singles matches? Is this going to decide once-and-for-all who is better?
The fact is, the world knows I’m better than you Ace. Based purely on my blood, of where I reside, not just who I am, or what I’ve done. You think fighting me is equal ground, that I’m due for a bad day, on any given Sunday? Well I can promise you, this Sunday, even at my worst, I’m better than you on your best.
You’ve had your breaks, you’ve had your high points. You’re riding a nice little high now Ace. I can admit that, but breaking you down, taking you off this perch you’ve climbed up on. The fact is I’ll soar higher, I’ll swing harder, and I’ll do what needs to be done to put you down. You can talk about how you’ve had every title in this business, the fact is, you told the world in your promo the same thing I see, you never get past the first defense. This will be no exception, you will not, I repeat, you will not walk out of Cross Roads as champion.”
Adam Knite? The silver spoon laid in his mouth for so long. He took your glory away, both times. However, I can’t say much. You’ve accomplished something I still yearn to do. The World Championship. As much as I can claim I’m the best, no matter how great my victories are, how brutal my matches are, how golden my championships shine. I’ve never held the one that counts. Beating you, would give me the second greatest prize in our companies history.
The National Championship is one step below a World Champion. I refuse to be second best for long, I’ll take this championship from you, I’ll defend it as many times as I need to. Then Angel, Gib, Falcon, or whoever has the title when my time comes again, I’ll prove to them, as I’m going to prove to you why I am the best. Why this swagger just oozes off of me.
Momentum, Confidence, whatever. You can talk about a man who isn’t here. A man who is taking care of his family situation, who wants his announcer of a wife to come home. A man who has your number every time you’ve met in a ring Ace. You can talk all you want about Adam Knite, because you’re getting a far superior opponent come Sunday. You’re getting The Xavier Cross. The Greatest Gift God has ever presented, and lastly. Your Worst Nightmare…
Its not a matter of thinking I’m unbeatable, you proved it two years ago that I’m not unbeatable…a few months ago Falcon proved it as well. You can mature, age like a fine wine whatever. You can talk about good days, bad days, happy days? Listen up you cheap Fonzy knock off. I will Archie Bunker your ass out that door. If you didn’t understand those two references, go watch TV Land. So we’re what, 1-1 in singles matches? Is this going to decide once-and-for-all who is better?
The fact is, the world knows I’m better than you Ace. Based purely on my blood, of where I reside, not just who I am, or what I’ve done. You think fighting me is equal ground, that I’m due for a bad day, on any given Sunday? Well I can promise you, this Sunday, even at my worst, I’m better than you on your best.
You’ve had your breaks, you’ve had your high points. You’re riding a nice little high now Ace. I can admit that, but breaking you down, taking you off this perch you’ve climbed up on. The fact is I’ll soar higher, I’ll swing harder, and I’ll do what needs to be done to put you down. You can talk about how you’ve had every title in this business, the fact is, you told the world in your promo the same thing I see, you never get past the first defense. This will be no exception, you will not, I repeat, you will not walk out of Cross Roads as champion.”
Xavier stands up, obviously a bit angry at the statements. Getting into the action he puts his bottle down and crackles his knuckles, while rolling his wrists.
“I’m not sure if I can wait till Sunday, I’m fairly riled up right now. I’m not saying you got under my skin, but its been a while since someone made my teeth clench, boiled my blood a bit. I haven’t had a need to betray anyone, at the same time, I haven’t needed anyone’s help to advance myself further in this company. The only tag matches I’ve been in where a booking scam to get viewers. Like last week, I was paired with Xavier Williams, and Falcon.
You can betray as many people as you want, in my book I only see that as a weakness, you’ll do anything it takes to win. Meaning you couldn’t get it done in the first place. I win, because I’m great, because I work for it. I don’t need help. You call them sacrifices, I call them a series of personal mistakes. Because when I take that belt from you, you will have nothing.
I don’t have to befriend people, sure I’ll go out for drinks every now and then. But family comes first, I wrestle one day out of a week, my frequent flyer miles are out the roof. I’m not a flavor of the month Ace, I’m far from it. I’m a favorite of the decade. I’m vanilla ice cream, I stay strong throughout all these gimmicky ice creams come running around. F*** the analogies Ace. I could sit here and talk about poker, burn an Ace card. Whatever, it doesn’t matter anymore. These silly little games are coming to an end come Cross Roads. You’ll remember who is the real man, I may even give you a few stiff shots for Steve and Adam. Who knows…
Ten Pounds…I never really weighed my belts, I never thought of it. When you lift them up, above your head as the crowd goes crazy. I never really felt the weight of it, the pressure that surrounds it. You sacrifice, you continue to give up, to betray. I haven’t had to give anything up for my success other than hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. You’ve turned your back on friends, stabbed them in the back to further yourself. I haven’t had to do any of that. Maybe that speaks for my character, or just proves to my statements that I am better than you.
Make all the biblical references you want. You’ll need a lord and savior to walk out of Cross Roads with that belt. You’ll need the power of god almighty to stop me from taking that belt from you. We have all struggled, no one has had an easy road, at any point we’ve had our struggles. We’ve stumbled a bit. I refuse to lose my step, I refuse to back away from my glory that awaits me. Its been overused so many times, but you’re just a piece to the masterpiece that is, Xavier Cross.
Keep sacrificing, keep stabbing people in the back Ace. You’ll die alone. You’ll be nothing but the cold stone of your grandfather and bones of the past. Remember by a feeble human being that you’ve somehow manage to touch. Your child will grow up ashamed, your wife will seek Steve Awesome’s penis. You will seek the solace of a bottle, and the refuge of your memories of the glory days. I am Xavier Cross, and I’m the future National Champion.”
You can betray as many people as you want, in my book I only see that as a weakness, you’ll do anything it takes to win. Meaning you couldn’t get it done in the first place. I win, because I’m great, because I work for it. I don’t need help. You call them sacrifices, I call them a series of personal mistakes. Because when I take that belt from you, you will have nothing.
I don’t have to befriend people, sure I’ll go out for drinks every now and then. But family comes first, I wrestle one day out of a week, my frequent flyer miles are out the roof. I’m not a flavor of the month Ace, I’m far from it. I’m a favorite of the decade. I’m vanilla ice cream, I stay strong throughout all these gimmicky ice creams come running around. F*** the analogies Ace. I could sit here and talk about poker, burn an Ace card. Whatever, it doesn’t matter anymore. These silly little games are coming to an end come Cross Roads. You’ll remember who is the real man, I may even give you a few stiff shots for Steve and Adam. Who knows…
Ten Pounds…I never really weighed my belts, I never thought of it. When you lift them up, above your head as the crowd goes crazy. I never really felt the weight of it, the pressure that surrounds it. You sacrifice, you continue to give up, to betray. I haven’t had to give anything up for my success other than hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. You’ve turned your back on friends, stabbed them in the back to further yourself. I haven’t had to do any of that. Maybe that speaks for my character, or just proves to my statements that I am better than you.
Make all the biblical references you want. You’ll need a lord and savior to walk out of Cross Roads with that belt. You’ll need the power of god almighty to stop me from taking that belt from you. We have all struggled, no one has had an easy road, at any point we’ve had our struggles. We’ve stumbled a bit. I refuse to lose my step, I refuse to back away from my glory that awaits me. Its been overused so many times, but you’re just a piece to the masterpiece that is, Xavier Cross.
Keep sacrificing, keep stabbing people in the back Ace. You’ll die alone. You’ll be nothing but the cold stone of your grandfather and bones of the past. Remember by a feeble human being that you’ve somehow manage to touch. Your child will grow up ashamed, your wife will seek Steve Awesome’s penis. You will seek the solace of a bottle, and the refuge of your memories of the glory days. I am Xavier Cross, and I’m the future National Champion.”
Xavier pick himself up from the seat, picking the bottle of water up. He makes his way towards the steps.
“Sunday, it will come to a head. No matter what you say, it won’t change the outcome, it won’t change a *** damn thing Ace. You know your fate is inevitable. Its not about destiny, its about who is the best. I’m striving to be the best, while you’re holding on tightly to a clock that is quickly counting down. Get out while you can, before you can’t walk out on your own power.”
The camera fades as Xavier leaves the basement to lay with his wife.