Post by The Ace on Jul 27, 2011 14:34:41 GMT -6
When a mirror speaks...
*The scene opens with a reflection of The Ace staring back at us, he has a blue bandanna on and blue tinted shades as we see The Ace wearing a God of Xtreme T-Shirt. From the angle of the shot, its almost as if the reflection of the former World Champion is bearing down on us...*
I'm sure you're wondering exactly what I make of all this Spike, for the last few years at least, we've had no real problems or run-ins. There is too much in our personal and professional history that I'm sure if either of us wanted to, we could spend this whole week retreading old ground, rehashing the same old stories in an effort to get the fans to care about this match, but the question is why should they care? They're getting this match for free, as a warm up to the main show. A show neither of us is on because apparently we both are still earning our reputations all over again...and that's fine with me...
*The Ace pauses, any emotion in his expression obscured by the blue tint of his shades...*
You know, old friend...
*We can't help but notice the deliberate emphasis that The Ace places on those two particular words...*
There are often times when I do this - cut a promo I mean, that I often struggle with exactly what to say, particularly with an opponent I've never faced or haven't crossed paths with in a long time, but with you, I'll never have that problem. Our history is well documented, our paths are well entwined, and for that you at least deserve some thanks...
So Thank You.
*The trademark smirk lights up the glass it shines upon*
Thank you for everything you ever did for me and to me, I appreciate it. I really do, without you I just wouldn't be the man I am today. You scouted me from the indies some eight years ago and offered me my big break. You took a young kid who had nothing but pent up agression over his past failures and an eye for the ladies and groomed him. You fashioned him in your own image, the last and arguably your best graduate from the school of Xtreme. I surpassed all your expectations of me, I spent much of my early career hunting you, going from company to company, wherever you went, I was there, always looking for my next match against my mentor. Always looking for the next opportunity to show you how much better I had gotten since our last encounter, but most of all, I was always looking to get even with you...
*The Ace sighs and behind him, we hear some very odd sounds as the glass is tilted slightly to reflect a quick flash of indeterminate flesh, a wisp of blonde hair and what sounds like a female cry for help. In the brief glimpse of it all, the thing that stood out were the words 'Spike TV'. Shakily the reflection soon returns to The Ace...*
Often times though, I never did manage to get to you, because you had the uncanny ability to completely ruin my life and just move on, and push the magic button to reset it all. It's just a shame that life just doesn't work that way. As much as I wish it did, life doesn't have a magic reset button, well not for those of us who aren't Jimmy Zane anyway. Things happen in this business, things this business will never let you forget, because they are burned onto the video tapes that survive long after the place where the incident took place has shut down. You can find almost anything on Youtube these days, imagine my surprise when I typed in ICW - what was the first video to pop up?
Why, it was that infamous episode of Spike TV of course.
You know the one you'd rather forget and wish I never remembered, and even though I'd like to think I'm over it, watching it all over again brings it all back. For years that haunted me as the single most humilating thing of my rookie career...and what's worse is that you never once even apologised to me for it. No, not the mighty God of Xtreme...
I could never bring you to your knees.
Of course now it transpires that I don't have to, your addiction has done that for me, turns out there is some justice in the world after all, I always knew one day it would all catch up to you old friend, and now it has...I'm just glad I'm here to see the day. You see Spike, I'm not like any of your fans, I'm not like any of the boys in the back, I'm an outcast because I'll tell you exactly how it is, regardless of how you or other people feel about it. Eight years ago, you taught me it was all about tough love, you pushed me to my limits because you knew it was best for me, you knew it was what I needed to hear at the time....well, old friend...
Allow me to return the favour. This is all you need to hear.
I don't hate you Spike, I just hate the mysticism around you, fans all over the world have built you up into some kind of super legend, and the way you talk about yourself even now shows me that you haven't learned a damn thing. You still talk about your legend and all the sheep the world over still buy into it. The bitter irony of the fact is simply this, the name of Spike Kane has transcended even the man. The man himself no longer matters. Nobody cares about the man so long as the idea of Spike Kane, the great wrestling legend lives on...
*The Ace pauses*
When people talk about your legend, they aren't really concerned about the man, all that concerns them is how much legend there is attached to it, if you were anything more than just a buzz name to keep the old fans still watching, you wouldn't have nCw helping you through rehab, you wouldn't have the internet polls still favouring you in this match and you certainly wouldn't have Alysson Gardner as your hot little trophy piece. People have always leeched off your name Spike, the legacy behind it is the real commodity, the real hot propety, not you. Not the man. Not the drug addled, broken shell you've allowed yourself to become...and the sad part is, that even now you're too blind to see it....even now as I'm telling you, you'll deny it, you'll dismiss it simply as jealousy...
*The Ace shakes his head*
But the fact is, I'm not that young rookie anymore, I used to be jealous of Spike Kane, so jealous in fact that six years ago, I actually took pride in my little revenge when I caught Tiffany on the rebound from you, I actually thought that made us even for the Spike TV incident. I've grown up since then, and now I realise I have nothing to be jealous about. Why should I be jealous of a man who is finally getting all he deserves? Not the Hall of Fame inductions, not the World Title opportunities and not the global recognition as a wrestling superstar, but what he truly deserves. Steadily I've watched your life crumble over the years. You've survived a lot of things including the loss of your son and your wife leaving, and somehow you've always managed to find your way back to the top....
There was a time when I envied you for that.
Not anymore, not since I realised that for the first time in your storied fifteen year career, even you cannot live up to your billing. Rehabilitation isn't saving you, it's preserving your name, it's a shrewd business move on the part of this company, they're saving your legacy simply because they can still profit from it. This company doesn't want to lose the money making power of the name, that's why Spike Kane the man can do no wrong. This company will put up with anything you do so long as it doesn't mean they have to give up the legendary name. That's why your addiction hasn't hurt your reputation in the way it should have. nCw has done all it can to save face, to put a positive spin on it as if you were some hero trying to slay your own personal demons...because hey, everybody loves that story. They want to keep your name relevant at any cost, and your ego wants the same, so what are you doing now? Being reduced to special appearances in Rob Diamond promos just because as World Champion, he's the best person to make sure you still matter, even if it is only by association. Congratulations on that, good job...
Everybody still knows your name.
The difference between us Spike is that whilst I may never indeed be able to equal your legend, at least I will always be able to look in the mirror and still be proud of the man I see staring back at me...
*The scene fades on the simple smile of The Ace being reflected back at us...*
The reflection lies...