Rebirth
FADE IN...
[Denver Airport, arrivals section as we get a glimpse of Adrian Willard who has been absent. He walks out of the terminal getting closer to the camera. Ignoring it he continues on his way, right to the Aviator's Club Smoking Lounge. He takes a seat leaning back in the high back chair, camera facing his right side he doesn't even bother to look at the lenses.]
Its mind boggling the way the tides change, just like the movements of those fans that sit in the seats, the ones I fought loyal for, the ones who turned their backs so easily on me, the ones who washed away just like the tide.
When I lost that match to Rich Mahogany, who then a week later lost that same title to Larry Tact, it was because I...how do you say it....was humble. I beat Rich like a pulp up and down the ring. I broke him, and pinned him.
And when he stood their on the floor demanding another shot, demanding a rematch, I did it for the fans, for honor, for valor, because I was humble. I didn't take much pride in my performance, I wanted to give the second shot. I wanted to be that figure.
And it cost me.
[He shakes his head in a soft manner]
It cost me a title, my patience, the fans have yet to utter my name even if it was them I was the martyr for! In the end, the effort was wasted, in the end I went the extra milestone to get kicked back to the base. To wrestle you, Kendall. That is not to say you aren't a worthy opponent.
Maybe, you are...just maybe.
Then again, the foundations of the Codine family are built on sand. They don't mean anything here. Your father, your teachings of life and humility. They are null and void. Whatever your father taught you unlearn it.
And unlearn it quickly.
I am not Aaron Jones, a shadow of Copycat, a valet who wants to turn wrestler.
I am not Darkness who wasted his life away in SCW and guess where he is now, Empire Pro. But trust me I would have walked out of the match also if I was him, WHY WASTE MY TIME.
[Adrian shrugs a bit his fingers tapping against the bar counter]
Now you sit ready to face me in that ring and you are excited about the prospects?
What prospects? There is only one outcome here Kendall, your shoulders planted on that canvass for three seconds. There is nothing more.
The prospects of me beating you, advancing you, out-wrestling you, overpowering you. Those prospects are more motivating to me than they should be for you.
Regardless, you can scratch my name off your history list of people you beat. Counting your chickens before the egg was even dropped.
[Adrian rolls his eyes as he is served a glass of water with a lemon.]
It all boils down to you thinking you know me, thinking that because you watched me topple Cameron Cruise that you have me down as some push over. My focus was too much dedication to very unworthy individuals who sit in those stands. It blinded me and caused me to lose my pace.
My dedication forward is pure pain. Like me, hate me, say whatever.
Bottom line is, I don't care. I stopped caring and I will never do it again. Not for the fans, not for my family, not for anyone but myself. Call me selfish, call me whatever it is you like but at the end of the day I am “The Prophecy”.
So consider this a rebirth, a radical change from what you were use to, consider this your lesson, the same lesson I gave to Cameron Cruise and several others, the lesson that pushed me to be one of the top competitors Hornet ever saw in that ring.
[He smiles and takes a sip of the water]
The same man that will work his way to The First and deliver payback for screwing me in A1E's Pier Six Brawl.
A stepping stone you consider me, Kendall? I suppose putting on your resume that you wrestled and were beat by Adrian Willard will add some bonus points. I guess in a sense losing to me would be a stepping stone other than winning over bums like Aaron Jones.
It's been envisioned.
FADE OUT