Post by Swindle Shelldrake on Jan 19, 2022 23:46:10 GMT -5
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---| Proving Ground XXIX |---
---| The Rat Race |---
∞
T h e K r a k e n
S w i n d l e S h e l l d r a k e
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---| V a l i d a t i o n |---
"Urgh....teaming with them again. Fine. Fine. I'll just get this out of the way. A state of transition before the real fun can begin".
"It's good to be back, but not so much to see where I am after my victory. It pains me to see everyone that even has a modicum of their shine shipped off to Fallout for the sake of some hair-brained match looking to draw a dime. Don't think that I haven't noticed the trends. Commentary a few weeks ago suggested that I was on strike while not appearing for my match. While not exactly true, it's not without its own".
"You have the likes of Ozymandias immediately jumping to another title the very second the stench of a loss enters that meaty head of his, everyone clamoring for their slice of being a double champion. All without showing that they really deserve to hold the first. Casanova English challenging for the X-Factor Championship....the state of the Tag Title match.....All it takes is me not being here for one edition of Proving Ground, and already there's cracks at the seems. While me? A guy who was challenging for the Grand Championship not so long ago, a man who pinned Ozymandias in the Scramble Match, is stuck once again in a trios match with two clowns against another clown, a plastic mannequin or a man, and someone who doesn't have what it takes to make it in the ring".
"It's honestly a bit rich of someone like me to criticise someone's in-ring prowess, that much is true. Believe it or not but I wasn't cut out for it to start with either, and even now. It doesn't gel together like with the others. maybe that's why all the gold is getting thrown together in one big melting pot. All the naturals facing off in a showdown of superstardom.....sounds very grand if it were to match that sentiment".
"Sonya Benson, I apologise for you getting involved in this match. Frankly, I don't have much of a reason to really get up in your grill. My qualms are with the people that you'll be tagging with. But, that puts you in the crosshairs anyway. The dastardly may be something to try against TJ, or Jackson, they're the more cloud-brained of us that might fall for it enough to give you an actual chance. But then there's me. You'll have to find something that is not in your arsenal yet. You'd be better off joining the rookies on Project: Underground to really hone your craft before you decide to take your shortcuts...maybe you can practice against Barrick or something, run him around the ring a little and make his life a bit more difficult..."
"I didn't choose this path from the get go. Believe it or not but I used to have a little more optimism about my in-ring performance, so it's a little depressing to see that it's pretty much the only thing you can manage. No matter, it's best to learn the hard way, makes the lesson speak a little bit louder".
"All it takes is that little moment to shift perspective of the moment. Giovanni, you might have thought you were really getting the upper hand with your stunt at the PPV. I'd know, because it's something I would do too. But, your mistake was to do it to me. To attack me. You'd be safer if you weren't gonna be entering the ring with me after the fact. Your little friend lost. Simple as that. A Violent Salvage and that was that. It's cute, trying to make the best of it for your next vacuous void of screen time".
"Take a word of the advice from me while you can. You can never do this in the name of art. In the name of beauty. The shortcuts aren't there to be enjoyed, not that way anyway. Do you want to be a world champion, Giovanni? Do yourself a favour, commission a replica belt and pose around with that, because you won't be getting anywhere close to the real thing. The best that you'll manage is this match right here, when you're not the star attraction. Your partner is not the draw. Your muse is a piece of arm candy that's a dime a dozen. You're cookie cutter. A fine act to have around, but not the gem to really shine. Not brighter than me".
"The best you can hope for is to just be the next person in my way. And that's exactly what the three of you are. In my way. All you've guaranteed with a superkick to my face, is that I'll have to return in kind. Only seems fair right? Only, the last time I did that, a man's career ended. Might want to think about that before you try to be a hero looking for their moment of validation.....Hmmm....and speaking of that....."
"We all seek that validation no matter how callous, and dangerous, and arrogant we can be. Don't we, Levy?"
---| Proving Ground XXIX |---
---| The Rat Race |---
∞
T h e K r a k e n
S w i n d l e S h e l l d r a k e
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---| V a l i d a t i o n |---
January 17th, 2022
The Tetran Kai Dojo
The Tetran Kai Dojo
"Urgh....teaming with them again. Fine. Fine. I'll just get this out of the way. A state of transition before the real fun can begin".
"It's good to be back, but not so much to see where I am after my victory. It pains me to see everyone that even has a modicum of their shine shipped off to Fallout for the sake of some hair-brained match looking to draw a dime. Don't think that I haven't noticed the trends. Commentary a few weeks ago suggested that I was on strike while not appearing for my match. While not exactly true, it's not without its own".
"You have the likes of Ozymandias immediately jumping to another title the very second the stench of a loss enters that meaty head of his, everyone clamoring for their slice of being a double champion. All without showing that they really deserve to hold the first. Casanova English challenging for the X-Factor Championship....the state of the Tag Title match.....All it takes is me not being here for one edition of Proving Ground, and already there's cracks at the seems. While me? A guy who was challenging for the Grand Championship not so long ago, a man who pinned Ozymandias in the Scramble Match, is stuck once again in a trios match with two clowns against another clown, a plastic mannequin or a man, and someone who doesn't have what it takes to make it in the ring".
"It's honestly a bit rich of someone like me to criticise someone's in-ring prowess, that much is true. Believe it or not but I wasn't cut out for it to start with either, and even now. It doesn't gel together like with the others. maybe that's why all the gold is getting thrown together in one big melting pot. All the naturals facing off in a showdown of superstardom.....sounds very grand if it were to match that sentiment".
"Sonya Benson, I apologise for you getting involved in this match. Frankly, I don't have much of a reason to really get up in your grill. My qualms are with the people that you'll be tagging with. But, that puts you in the crosshairs anyway. The dastardly may be something to try against TJ, or Jackson, they're the more cloud-brained of us that might fall for it enough to give you an actual chance. But then there's me. You'll have to find something that is not in your arsenal yet. You'd be better off joining the rookies on Project: Underground to really hone your craft before you decide to take your shortcuts...maybe you can practice against Barrick or something, run him around the ring a little and make his life a bit more difficult..."
"I didn't choose this path from the get go. Believe it or not but I used to have a little more optimism about my in-ring performance, so it's a little depressing to see that it's pretty much the only thing you can manage. No matter, it's best to learn the hard way, makes the lesson speak a little bit louder".
"All it takes is that little moment to shift perspective of the moment. Giovanni, you might have thought you were really getting the upper hand with your stunt at the PPV. I'd know, because it's something I would do too. But, your mistake was to do it to me. To attack me. You'd be safer if you weren't gonna be entering the ring with me after the fact. Your little friend lost. Simple as that. A Violent Salvage and that was that. It's cute, trying to make the best of it for your next vacuous void of screen time".
"Take a word of the advice from me while you can. You can never do this in the name of art. In the name of beauty. The shortcuts aren't there to be enjoyed, not that way anyway. Do you want to be a world champion, Giovanni? Do yourself a favour, commission a replica belt and pose around with that, because you won't be getting anywhere close to the real thing. The best that you'll manage is this match right here, when you're not the star attraction. Your partner is not the draw. Your muse is a piece of arm candy that's a dime a dozen. You're cookie cutter. A fine act to have around, but not the gem to really shine. Not brighter than me".
"The best you can hope for is to just be the next person in my way. And that's exactly what the three of you are. In my way. All you've guaranteed with a superkick to my face, is that I'll have to return in kind. Only seems fair right? Only, the last time I did that, a man's career ended. Might want to think about that before you try to be a hero looking for their moment of validation.....Hmmm....and speaking of that....."
"We all seek that validation no matter how callous, and dangerous, and arrogant we can be. Don't we, Levy?"
"Scraping for every moment for someone as loose-lipped as you, as ravenous to faceless eyes as you….a moth to the camera like you. Maybe the biggest annoyance you provide is that you can be good in the ring. Can Be. The performance you put on at Unbreakable Resolution….bell-to-bell….they’ll remember that ten times longer than anything that dribbles out of your mouth. That’s where the stardom you want is really made. You’re doing the right thing and choosing anything but".
"Its takes something to not go down once I land the Violent Salvage. Be it through my frustration or your own merits, I'll have to put you down for something more this time. To keep you down while I move on to bigger, and better, and more meaningful things than clinging to the loser that happened to be in my return match".
"Its takes something to not go down once I land the Violent Salvage. Be it through my frustration or your own merits, I'll have to put you down for something more this time. To keep you down while I move on to bigger, and better, and more meaningful things than clinging to the loser that happened to be in my return match".
"Me, it isn’t what I say that people remember. Of course not. It’s representing Proving Ground against The Prime Champion and seconds away from toppling the delicate status quo that this promotion is teetering on. It’s shaving off the veneer of invincibility of The Butcher of Reine that Asakura would reap the rewards of. That gap in the armour that breaks the glass…..It’s making one less man walk out of the Scramble. All these precious moments, the ones that live on…..not a word to be said".
"The same will be true when I become champion in Project: Honor, and that'll be sooner than what I, or anyone else will think. The tiny influences that I've been able to make in this promotion to this point, now, they don't hit the spot like they used to. They're not satisfying enough anymore. Beating you again, won't be satisfying enough. Even more than Giovanni, you're very much in the way. And your little friend has just made it all the harder for you to get even with me, because I am all the more motivated to shift you aside. Make no mistake, I don't want to face either of you on Proving Ground. Why would I? I already have you on the defeated list. It's done. A 6-Man Tag for your dying light won't spark something bigger for you with me. Go ahead and tie up Thompson and Jackson with your schtick all you want, I won't be sticking around to indulge these tags for you again. We already had a victory with this combination while you were our opponents before. Do us all a favour and bow out quietly".
"There would be people that won't be best pleased if I stumble at this hurdle of all things, not when the grasp of a championship shot are closer and closer, the more I defeat people like you, levy. They want to protect their assets and investments, I simply don't want to give you the satisfaction. What I want, is for the next time we meet, for me to be thoroughly on top. Sat on the throne you desperately crave to make in your jump across industries".
"I've already seen that I have what it takes to damage the design that goes against people like me. Against failures of the ring like I used to be. The bigger players of this game will feel my impact soon enough, but sadly, that doesn't include any of the three people across the ring at Proving Ground".
"You and Giovanni might be kings in other worlds, but not here. And you never will be".
"As for the rest that have swapped over for the glorious clusterfuck, I'll be waiting".
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---| T r a i n o f T h o u g h t |---
ROLAND RAITH [V.O.]: "If you're certain....at least he's tied up for now. It'll be harder and harder to keep him on a leash if he isn't shown some recognition for wins. Even in losses, he believes that he's so far above a lot of that roster that anytime they're chosen for a bigger moment than him, it'll chip away at his mind...."
"....."
"Will Swindle be able to call himself a World Champion? If I didn't believe the potential was there, I would have dropped him long before you were injured and out of the picture. Sad reality is that he very much can reach the top, if he stays out of his own way. As understated as the position might be now given the recent changing of the guard, he was able to get the better of not only Asakura, but Ozymandias, and Mark Hunter in the span of what? A month? That's not something to simply ignore".
"..Mmm hmmm....yes.....yes..."
"I understand why you don't want him on the books, and I know with what I'm asking it doesn't make it any better. But he is the best I have. All I can do is ensure he stays on track, as time-consuming and frustrating that task might be".
"....."
"But about our other plans. When can she start? Is she already in the US? Good. I know it was a hard decision for you, so I really do appreciate it. I'm not going to lie to you, her presence is beneficial for not only her career, but also for Shelldrake's. Just like my other man, her being around...and with your name, it'll mean something for him".
"Hopefully it'll light the fire under his ass again...without burning the whole house down...."
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"The same will be true when I become champion in Project: Honor, and that'll be sooner than what I, or anyone else will think. The tiny influences that I've been able to make in this promotion to this point, now, they don't hit the spot like they used to. They're not satisfying enough anymore. Beating you again, won't be satisfying enough. Even more than Giovanni, you're very much in the way. And your little friend has just made it all the harder for you to get even with me, because I am all the more motivated to shift you aside. Make no mistake, I don't want to face either of you on Proving Ground. Why would I? I already have you on the defeated list. It's done. A 6-Man Tag for your dying light won't spark something bigger for you with me. Go ahead and tie up Thompson and Jackson with your schtick all you want, I won't be sticking around to indulge these tags for you again. We already had a victory with this combination while you were our opponents before. Do us all a favour and bow out quietly".
"There would be people that won't be best pleased if I stumble at this hurdle of all things, not when the grasp of a championship shot are closer and closer, the more I defeat people like you, levy. They want to protect their assets and investments, I simply don't want to give you the satisfaction. What I want, is for the next time we meet, for me to be thoroughly on top. Sat on the throne you desperately crave to make in your jump across industries".
"I've already seen that I have what it takes to damage the design that goes against people like me. Against failures of the ring like I used to be. The bigger players of this game will feel my impact soon enough, but sadly, that doesn't include any of the three people across the ring at Proving Ground".
"You and Giovanni might be kings in other worlds, but not here. And you never will be".
"As for the rest that have swapped over for the glorious clusterfuck, I'll be waiting".
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---| T r a i n o f T h o u g h t |---
ROLAND RAITH [V.O.]: "If you're certain....at least he's tied up for now. It'll be harder and harder to keep him on a leash if he isn't shown some recognition for wins. Even in losses, he believes that he's so far above a lot of that roster that anytime they're chosen for a bigger moment than him, it'll chip away at his mind...."
"....."
"Will Swindle be able to call himself a World Champion? If I didn't believe the potential was there, I would have dropped him long before you were injured and out of the picture. Sad reality is that he very much can reach the top, if he stays out of his own way. As understated as the position might be now given the recent changing of the guard, he was able to get the better of not only Asakura, but Ozymandias, and Mark Hunter in the span of what? A month? That's not something to simply ignore".
"..Mmm hmmm....yes.....yes..."
"I understand why you don't want him on the books, and I know with what I'm asking it doesn't make it any better. But he is the best I have. All I can do is ensure he stays on track, as time-consuming and frustrating that task might be".
"....."
"But about our other plans. When can she start? Is she already in the US? Good. I know it was a hard decision for you, so I really do appreciate it. I'm not going to lie to you, her presence is beneficial for not only her career, but also for Shelldrake's. Just like my other man, her being around...and with your name, it'll mean something for him".
"Hopefully it'll light the fire under his ass again...without burning the whole house down...."
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