Call it a return.
* Adrian Willard RP for C11.
They say time heals all injuries…
Fade in…
To a close up of a lighter sparking up a cigarette a slow zoom out to show living room of Adrian Willard as he sits in a chair with a bag of ice taped to his left shoulder. He takes a long drag of his cigarette then looks at the camera smirking slightly. Sporting a University of Illinois wrestling t-shirt and washed jeans.
That’s what they say at least.
Some injuries progress over time lying dormant until pushed beyond that final threshold, my rotator cuff was of this type. What can you expect after being in a Pier Six Brawl, what can you expect after wrestling the finest of athletes pushing the distance and your body even when the doctor says take it slow.
This injury, my shoulder, tore at the end of the true New Era; this hampering injury hit its threshold because of one man, Cameron Cruise. It’s put me on the bench it’s delayed my greatness against Shawn Hart for his New Era title.
It f-cked me.
Yet I am not here to cry and moan about an injury that has left me in rehab the last six months.
I am here because of obligation, because I am a company man.
I have watched this company grow like a child from the womb before it was broken apart by the stock holders. Before this last revival, not World’s Finest Wrestling: The New Era, when it was New Era when this company was in its prime.
I watched Larry Tact be the first champion.
I watched Jean Rabesque and John Doe fight for the first Television title.
I watched as DREDD created marching orders and took over Raucous and as New Era spawned a sister company Venus.
I have watched as the company began slipping due to corporate interference then merged stocks with Jonathan Marx and his WFW boys.
Then watched Marx win the New Era title.
I watched as that merger fell through, and then New Era began its clean run.
I was offered a contract following the greatest debut anyone has put forth in A1E’s Pier Six Brawl becoming a finalist and having my first gripe with a man by the name of Shawn Jessica Hart, New Era’s champion at the time.
And that’s history, that’s what was put before me on the table before the first season which I agreed to, before this.
Adrian points slyly to his shoulder which is icing. Then ashes his cigarette taking a small drag again
Life changes, fate never does.
It’s unavoidable.
A solid return however, going toe to toe with one of the greatest legends to ever touch the ring, being SCREWED by a referee who couldn’t see that my shoulder was up, making Hornet work for over twenty minutes.
To hit such a pinnacle is remarkable, some would say career changing.
Some would even claim that its life changing.
Wrestling Hornet and hitting such a pinnacle puts a different step in your walk it makes you look at a PROCLAIMED multi-time champion across many promotions, which I have yet to hear of, and shrug your shoulders.
Because no one has heard of Damian Stone, but everyone has uttered the name Hornet.
Hell, Google can’t even find Damian Stone but it sure as hell can find me, fact…
Adrian with his free hand holds up his hand sporting the number 5
…fifth search result.
But no matter what you say to a man who has been in the business eleven years. No matter what evidence you put before him, he will still believe those bingo and VFW halls meant something. That they PROVE his worth in this industry.
Damian, they don’t prove sh-t.
To be honest, your resume, doesn’t impress me. Nor does it impress Larry Tact, or Chaos, or the fan in the front row who will be texting during your entrance. No one saw your name on the marquee for New Era’s Breaking News. It doesn’t say “New Era is proud to have rookie Damian Stone signed for season three.”
It highlights ONE name.
Adrian Willard.
Yours truly.
You said it yourself in your wonderful hype promo that had a total of ten hits. You are inconstant. You are in and out because you are like ‘water’, as you eloquently put it.
Yes, like water just evaporating and then vanish back to a state where no one NOTICES you or even pays attention.
You put forth a question, Damian, of why are you here? Then some crap about respect, honor and the New Era title.
You haven’t earned, nor deserve any of these.
You don’t even deserve to sh-t in the same bathroom as Brandon Jacobs let alone wrestle Fanatic for the title. Or even step in that ring which greats like Suicide, Cameron Cruise, Larry Tact, and Jean Rabesque have stepped foot in.
But that’s why they hired you, to test you out, see how well you get around the squared circle. Unfortunately for you at Cyberstrike your dreams will be crushed, as well as your idea of ‘reality’.
Because that is your future.
That is your prophecy.
Fade out.
