Hey guys... I know it's strange that I should do something like this, but hang with me here... it's important that I do. I'll be honest with all of you, throughout the entire course of my e-fedding career, never before has a match exhausted me as much as this one has. In the past couple of days, I've stayed up over 24 hours to write a roleplay, and I've only managed to catch roughly four hours of sleep. It seems kind-of stupid to do such a thing, but... it's who I am.

Ever since I was a little kid I've been writing stories, and all throughout my life it's been writing that's been one of the key things to help me realize what I can do. When I first got into the e-fed scene, it was because I enjoyed writing and wrestling, and thought of it as a game. I think it stayed that way until several years ago, when I made my first major attempt with a character in "Blue Moon". That... I won't forget how much fun it was to experiment with a character like that.

Dominic Pericolo was the first character I made to really further myself as a writer. I wanted new challenges, and Dominic was more then able to bring me to them. Over these years that I've RPed as Dominic, I've met so many great people who I can call my friends today, and Champion's the best example of all of them. The guy's constantly been an inspiration to me as a writer, and a measuring stick to get better. To me... the works I've done in the NLCW aren't roleplays, they're stories.

So many people say this is a game, that it's supposed to be fun and yeah, it is... I could never argue against that. Yet ever since I joined the NLCW, I set out to do one thing: be a storyteller, not a roleplayer. By doing so I met alot of success, sure... but I was just happy furthering my character and helping the place that was letting me do so out. When I took over, I was so happy people trusted me to do right by the fed, and not be corrupted and try to hog the titles I held due to my position, or have myself win matches I didn't deserve to win. Sure, there have been some people who've doubted me, but...

... I don't know, I think deep down around here, everyone knows better. They know I'm as honest as I can be, and I do my best to keep things fair when I'm involved. One thing I've always wanted to tell everyone who's ever thought I've unfairly ran things to let me win... is that I'm in no way that kind of person. I'm a writer... I want to get better and improve; you can't do that by cheating to win... if anything, you improve by pushing yourself and overcoming losses. Losing is discouraging, but it improves who we are as writers, and I take advantage of every loss I have.

I'm rambling here, but there is a point to all of this. To those of you who clicked this expecting a roleplay... I'm very sorry. I've been awake since roughly 8:30AM or so today, trying to think of a way to follow-up my last roleplay and hopefully even beat Chris in this match... but all I've been met with is cries of frustration and a continued fadingof my will to keep trying.

I know alot of you never really thought I'd run out of ideas, because every roleplay I've written here has something new in it that I've tried, but... I just can't do it right now. I don't have enough time to overcome this writer's block I've been hit with, and to be honest? I'm... almost glad. It's a breath of fresh air for me... for once, Dominic Pericolo is fresh out of stories to tell.

I think I'll always be proud of that first roleplay of mine in this match... it really captured exactly how I and my character feel about all of this. This match was incredibly important to me... and despite how this second one has came out? I'm proud of what's gone down.

Dominic Pericolo... he's quite the character, and I'm happy to say that. I think... I think it's fitting that he'd go out with something like this, especially with Champion. If I had one wish during these past few years for Dominic, it'd be that his last match in wrestling would be against Chris Champion. Looks like I might get that... but not exactly the way I expected.

I'm sorry, Chris... I really have given you everything I have. It's hard knowing that you've hit a limit you're not yet strong enough to break through, but here I am, and that's what's happened. Like I said though, I'm actually happy... like always, you brought out the best in me and made me realize something new. Hopefully it won't be long before I push past these limitations and work my way back up again... but right now, this is it. This is the best that I've got.

I spent literally all day today struggling to come up with ideas. I spoke to Esad about one, but... halfway through the first part I burned out, and I realized in the end that it was better to not continue it. It wasn't... it wasn't me, it was just me trying to get up something to not fall behind.

I don't like that... if I'm going to write something, I want it to come from the desire to write it... not the desperation to keep up to speed. I'd feel worse posting a second roleplay that completely went against what I wanted to do, as opposed to one that I felt inspired to write. Champion... what did you call it? "Selling out for the win?" Well here I am, Chris... and I'm not selling myself out to beat you.

I'm not going to write something for the purpose of winning... if I write anything, I'm writing it for the simple love of writing it.

Some of you might see this as a cop-out to the match... but it's not. Champion's second roleplay really struck a chord with me, it was everything I wanted to say staring right back at me on my screen. Funny how that works... our feelings for this match mirror each others, don't they Chris?

It's... not easy going out like this, you know. I always thought my last major roleplay would be this spectacular series that I put all my effort into... but look what wound up happening, huh? I can say this: I'm not ashamed of bowing out like this at all... that first roleplay of mine is by far the most satisfying thing I've ever written in the NLCW. And this? This... this is my own type of closure, you could say.

After Sultan, I'm retiring Dominic Pericolo.

Isn't that funny? Main event, two guys who've had so much history together throughout their careers... and it marks the both of their ends. I still haven't read that PM of yours, Chris... but after reading your second roleplay, I have a feeling I know what it's about, and it just makes this whole match all the better.

You beat me, Chris... you really did beat me. I gave it all I had, and now here I am... creatively spent and happy because of it. Thank you for everything, Champ... you've been the best friend I've ever made in this game, and you're by far the best writer I know. This might be our last match, sure... but our story doesn't end with it. Bet your ass, I'll still be trying to beat you years down the line, regardless of how this has turned out.

It's been an incredible ride, and I really am sad to see it all end. After this... I'll be running the NLCW full-time, with Dominic taking over onscreen. Just so all of you know, he was going to retire regardless as to whether he won or not... the way I figured it was I'd just drop the title and spark up a competition for it if I won.

This is closure, NLCW... this is exactly what I needed.

Thanks again, Champ, and to all of you? I hope you understand why I had to do this... I hope you all see why there is no second roleplay.

And though not all of you may like me... I hope that as a writer, I've gained your respect; because that's all I've ever really wanted as a writer here.

See you guys in the forums... and thanks for reading.

Thanks for everything.

-Norris.