Post by CallMeRobert on Apr 26, 2022 7:55:18 GMT -5
North Brother Island
New York City, New York
April 21st, 2022
ON CAMERA
Blank screen.
Silence.
“Okay, Benjamin…start me at the beginning?” Dr. Joseph Marcus softly broke through the quietness that hung in the air. Our scene slowly opens up as we find ourselves on North Brother Island in New York City, New York. Located in the medical building of the Pursuit Of The Ring set, Dr. Marcus’ office is rather bright. Plants on every book case. Pictures of clouds and random weather scenarios adorn the walls. Dr. Marcus himself, sits on an off-orange colored wingback chair, while Benjamin Broadwater sits across from him. Hanging on the edge of another wingback chair, Ben nervously picks at a small crystal dish of M&Ms Dr. Marcus has laid out.
“Where would you like me to begin?” asked Benjamin, picking out the blue ones and throwing them into his mouth.
“Like I said, start me at the beginning. Tell me how the story of Benjamin Broadwater started. Tell me about your parents, your pet dog, your guinea pig…just start me at the earliest you feel comfortable.”
Benjamin sat back in his chair, his eyes still trained on the little crystal candy dish.
“Well…” Benjamin started before looking up at the camera. “What is that for?”
“Mr. DeMarco thought it would be best and most helpful if I recorded our sessions. This way I can study them when you aren’t near and see if there isn’t something I missed. It’s all to help you, Benjamin.”
Glancing another side-eye at the camera, Benjamin looks to ease a bit as he stammers to begin. “I come from a small town in Pennsylvania, called Johnstown. It’s not known for much other than massive floods and the movie Slap Shot.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Some stupid hockey movie that was loosely based off the Johnstown Jets. Way before my time. But anyway, that’s where I’m technically from. Well…until my parents passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I don’t remember much of them. They were in some car accident coming home from Pittsburgh. I was only four at the time, so I didn’t understand what was going on. All I remember is that my Grandmother, who was babysitting me while my dad picked my mom up from the airport, kept telling me that everything was going to be okay. She painted this picture of her and me just trucking along.”
“And what happened to her?” Dr. Marcus asked as he lightly scribbled some words into a legal notepad.
“One day when I was about ten, she went to Bingo with her lady friends…and just never came back.” Benjamin replied back, softly.
“Oh, Ben, that’s terrible. Did anyone ever find out what happened to her? Where she had went off to?”
“No. And without any other family to claim me, I just got shuffled into the system. Foster home, after orphanage, after foster home, after orphanage. I felt like a ping-pong ball, just bouncing off of the next paddle.” Ben answered, obviously look a little uncomfortable.
“My Lord, Benjamin. I’m sorry you had to go through that. All that time with no one to really talk to you, no one to really have on your side.” Dr. Marcus tried sympathizing with Ben, but this comment suddenly brought a twinkle to Ben’s eye.
“Well, I wasn’t alone.”
“No?” The Doc stopped writing and leaned forward in his chair, an inquisitive look on his face. “Did you make friends in the foster system? Ones that stuck with you?”
“You can say that. You see, Gram told me that as long as I had the light, I was never alone. And for the longest time, I didn’t understand what she meant. That was, until I ended up at the McConnells. They were one of my first foster homes.”
“Do explain.” Dr. Marcus was now the one hanging on the edge of his seat as Benjamin’s smile began to light up the room. “Was it one of their other children? Was it a pet? A stuffed animal?”
“You see, when you were bad at the McConnells…”
The door to the small run-down two bedroom home flew open. A rather large, burly man wearing a mechanic outfit and reeking of twenty-dollar bender one a one-dollar beer night at the local watering hole.
“How comes I don’ smell dinner?” The man yelled, echoing off the walls. “A man who works hard to make a livin’ for his family, should be served the moment he walks in his home. And not only do I not get a plate when I walk in here…but I don’ even see it cookin’ yet.”
“I’m sorry Jeff.” A thin middle aged woman said from the kitchen. Wearing an apron over a sundress, she ducked back down into the open fridge to look for something to cook. “I was helpin’ Benjamin with his math homework and we completely lost track of the time.”
“So that stupid boy comes before my supper? All because he can’t add? I’m tired of his lazy ass.” The man storms off through the house, to the bottom of the stairwell to the second floor. “BENJAMIN! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! NOW!”
“Coming, Dad.” Benjamin said as he ran out of his room and stopped at the top of the steps.
“Don’t call me that, I ain’t yo Daddy.” Jeff yelled in response as the young teenage Benjamin Broadwater slowly walked down the stairs, towards the disgruntled Jeff McConnell. The grease stains on his face made his look of hatred look even deeper. “What’s this I hear that you too stupid to do your math? Are you some kinda dummy? Did I foster some kind of retard?”
“No, sir.” Benjamin responded as his shoulders slumped and he stopped at the bottom stair in front of Jeff.
“You messed up Patty’s routine and now…now I’m starvin’, because you can’t add one plus one! Of all the lazy, good-for-nothin’ shit I’ve ever seen. After I put a roof over your house and food in your belly. And you’re going to fuck around like this?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry, isn’t good enough. You gettin’ the box.” Jeff said as he grabbed Benjamin by the hair. Tears began to stream down Benjamin’s face.
“No, please, no. Not the box. I hate the box.”
“And I hate you, so we’re even.” Jeff said as he pushed open a flimsy door to the back porch. Sitting on the enclosed porch, was a thirty-six by eighteen by eighteen storage trunk.
“I’m claustrophobic, Mr. McConnell! Please, don’t!”
“And I’m hungry.” Jeff said as he lifted the lid up. “Now get in the fuckin’ box.”
With a hard push and a release of his hair, Jeff sent Benjamin flying into the trunk. Benjamin let out a blood-curdling scream, but it was quickly drowned out as Jeff shut the lid of the trunk and locked the three padlocks he had installed on it.
“And you ain’t gettin’ out until the mornin’. I want to eat in peace.” Jeff huffed before he stormed back into the house. “PATTY, YOU BETTER HAVE SOMETHIN’ READY FOR ME!”
Meanwhile, in the box…
“It’s okay, Ben. It’s okay. You’ve made it through this many times before. This is just one more time.” Ben said through the tears, trying to pump himself up. “But…but it’s so dark in here. And you’re all alone.”
Ben went silent for a moment, trying to focus on calming down as all he could hear was the sound of his breathing and occasionally his heartbeat in his ears.
“Well, you’re not COMPLETELY alone.” A voice softly whispered. Ben’s heart rate instantly kicked up a notch as his breathing quickly began to labor as well.
“Wh-wh-who’s there?” Benjamin called out, his eyes darting back and forth to try to find something in the darkness. But…it was darkness, he couldn’t even see his own hand.
“My apologies, young Ben. Where are my manners? I’ve been hanging around you for so long that I forgot, you can’t see me.” The voice chuckled slightly. “My name is Loresto C Nnod, but you can just call me Lore. At least, that’s what all my friends call me. And I feel you and I can be GOOD friends.”
“What’s the C stand for?”
“My surrogates would say it stands for ‘curious’.” Lore replied, his smile almost being able to be heard in the way he talked..
“What…what are you?”
“Hmmm, that…that's an interesting question. I believe I am what you creatures call…a shadow person…or something similar. I belong to a race of beings that dwell in the shadows, jumping back and forth between here and our own little world.”
“You…you said…said that you have been hanging around me for so long? Why? Why talk now?” The fear that once dripped off every word Benjamin said to Lore, was beginning to fade.
“Good question. You see, I’m somewhat of a loner in my community. I enjoy hanging out in your human world while many like to just stay in our own. And for a long time, I have quite enjoyed the darkness within this box. Before you, there were many others…including Jeff himself…who were forced into this box.”
“Well, that explains why he views this as discipline. But it still doesn’t explain why he’s such an asshole.”
“That’s Jeff for you. But you, I sense something about you, Benjamin. Something my own people can see.”
“What is it?”
“In due time, my friend. For now, just rest with the idea that you are not alone in here. You try to get some rest and I’ll make sure nothing bothers you. Sound good?”
“Thank you, Lore.”
“You are welcome, my friend.”
“Soooo…you found comfort in an imaginary friend?” Dr. Marcus asked inquisitively. “Because to me, it sounds like you manifested this Lore character, so that you would not be alone in that box. Your mind created something, so that you could keep a bit of your sanity while locked in there.”
“I wouldn’t call him imaginary. But honestly, it has been a long time since I’ve seen him. I wonder what he is doing right no-” Before Ben could finish his sentence, the egg timer that assisted Dr. Marcus in gauging the hour-long length of their sessions had gone off and caused Ben himself to jump a little.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Benjamin. How about we hang this one up until our next session and at that point we can talk more about Lore? I feel we need to venture down that path QUITE a bit.” Dr. Marcus apologized as he placed his notepad down on the end table and stood to his feet. Following suit, Ben stood to his feet and nodded his head in agreement. For all he knew, Dr. Marcus could be talking gibberish right now, because Ben’s mind was lost in thought about Lore…his former best friend. He shook the Doc’s hand and quickly made his way out of his office.
We find ourselves at the Canton Waterfront Park, in Baltimore, Maryland. Families are out enjoying the beautiful Sunday weather, while random badlings of ducks and gaggles of geese litter the landscape in search of a meal. A rather large flock of ducks had found their way to one specific bench, as a familiar face was slowly tossing corn kernels out to them. As we got closer to them, the sound of them eating and lightly quacking was almost calming.
“Beautiful creatures, the duck. Did you know that ducklings can communicate before they hatch? Often times they communicate with each other while in their eggs and try to hatch at the same time! You gotta love that bond. Makes me feel jealous of them.” Benjamin smiled as he tossed another handful of kernels out to the waiting ducks. “You know who I am also jealous of? Stella Jade! She got to experience first hand, the wonders and life-changing abilities the power of kindness can bring. We stepped into that ring together on Proving Ground and while she started off friendly, she quickly showed an ugly side. It was not a side I was ready for, nor was it a side that can be tolerated. So after a bit of back-and-forth, I introduced her to my vision and not only changed her mentally…but I changed her physically.”
A picture of Stella before Proving Ground, appears on the left side of the screen. Benjamin points up to it, like he knew the picture was going to be placed there. “I took her from this…”
“...to this.” Benjamin pointed over to the right side of the screen where a new picture appeared.
He paused for a moment, letting both pictures just hang there.
“Her change is monumental and hopefully long-lasting. And I’m giddy knowing that I was a part of that. Gone are the restraints of negativity and hatefulness in Ms Jade’s life. I’m sure even Brandon Hendrix might have a thank-you note for me. After all, his girlfriend is going to be SO much nicer. And think of all that kind-hearted fanfiction she is going to right now. It’s going to be full of love…and passion…and purity. You gotta love it.” Ben smiles as he grabs another handful of corn from a small bucket on his left side, tossing it out to the ducks. The pictures of Stella slowly fade away.
“But where are my manners? Stella Jade is one victory in my step-ladder of success. Now? Now I get to step into the Fallout ring with TWO wonderful people. The handsome man known as Andrei Sokolov and the equally beautiful woman, Elizabeth Karlson. Andrei steps into our triple threat match as a man on fire. While he carries a three-and-one record into our battle, we all know that one loss wasn’t on his shoulders. Hyde knocked out Boyde, while Andrei got his revenge at Public Execution. I know Andrei is as hungry for another Gatekeeper Championship shot as he is for his bride-to-be, the beautiful DIANA. And he deserves them both!” Ben reaches for another handful of corn, only to find a random sneaky duck had grabbed the small bucket he had and pulled it through the space in the back of the wooden bench he sat on. A small gathering of additional ducks were behind him, laying waste to the spilled bounties. The carefree Benjamin just shrugged his shoulders and stood to his feet, gazing out at the waters. “And it will be amazing to see the true Lionheart in action. I’ve watched him make Nick Danger tap…plant Latoya Hixx on her back…and just come out looking like he is unbeatable. Such an amazing athlete…such an amazing spirit.”
A good stretch with a few cracking of joints and Benjamin started walking, the camera following behind.
“Now I know some people out there want to point out to me ‘But Ben, Andrei is such a vile person. He’s nothing more than some crazy Russian kid who wants to set the world on fire.’ And to them I respond…well it’s cold in Russia, he needs to stay warm somehow…right? Yeah, I know your MO, Andrei, but I choose to look at the good in people. And while you come off as this off-the-wall, half-cocked, loose-trigger finger type…I know deep down in your heart, you are just a big ol’ Teddy Bear. DIANA walks into the room and you melt like butter in Texas. Amirite or amirite?” Benjamin pauses as his little stroll has taken him up to the water itself. He peers out onto the soft waves and the birds flying above the water. “I get it. You dipped into a lifestyle your family hated and it just sent you spiraling out of control until Mr. Sinclair brought you to the good ol’ U.S. of A. But is that a reason for US to hate you? Nah. If DIANA can love you, we can love you.”
Ben glances towards the camera, making a heart with his fingers.
“Speaking of love…how can we not love our opponent? Liz Karlson has stepped foot onto Project: Honor soil and lit a flame under Michael Bishop’s ass. Together, they have torn through Proving Ground Talent, Fallout Talent, Enhancement Talent…then capped it off with Championship Talent. Now? After just four matches in our wondrous walls, she steps out of the Tag Team division with a shiny around her waist…but now she is ready to add a singles streak to her repertoire as well.” Enough with the finger hearts as Ben turns and begins to walk the coastline. “Levy, Benson, Wright, Grace, any of them would be MONSTROUS to face one on one, but she faced them in teams! Where they could HELP one another! AND SHE STILL WON! Then Ratman had this wondrous idea of tossing her in a triple threat? Does he understand that facing two people at once is kind of her thing? Or maybe that’s the whole point. Push Liz to think beyond tagging, to venture into the Project: Honor singles waters. Serving up a large heaping of Andrei and a side-portion of Benjamin. While it won’t be an easy task to topple the King Cobra…it could be a cakewalk to take down the Bringer of Peace. I just wanted to share the positivity, share a hug, share a pat on the back. Is that too much to ask?”
Ben glances back at the camera, a smirk on his face.
“It’s not like she is not a singles extraordinaire on her own anyway. Have you seen Liz’s accomplishments? It took me longer to read through all her titles and things she has accomplished, than it was to read through the Triple A Championship History. I mean, really Liz? Show off much?” Ben chuckles loudly. “Nah, I’m just playing. You do you, boo. You are a massive talent and Project: Honor is lucky to have you. You and Andrei are going to do wonderful at this week’s Fallout. I have faith in both of you. I’ll be rooting for ya.”
And with that, Ben turns and walks off from the camera, stopping only to gently pet a passing duck.
New York City, New York
April 21st, 2022
ON CAMERA
Blank screen.
Silence.
“Okay, Benjamin…start me at the beginning?” Dr. Joseph Marcus softly broke through the quietness that hung in the air. Our scene slowly opens up as we find ourselves on North Brother Island in New York City, New York. Located in the medical building of the Pursuit Of The Ring set, Dr. Marcus’ office is rather bright. Plants on every book case. Pictures of clouds and random weather scenarios adorn the walls. Dr. Marcus himself, sits on an off-orange colored wingback chair, while Benjamin Broadwater sits across from him. Hanging on the edge of another wingback chair, Ben nervously picks at a small crystal dish of M&Ms Dr. Marcus has laid out.
“Where would you like me to begin?” asked Benjamin, picking out the blue ones and throwing them into his mouth.
“Like I said, start me at the beginning. Tell me how the story of Benjamin Broadwater started. Tell me about your parents, your pet dog, your guinea pig…just start me at the earliest you feel comfortable.”
Benjamin sat back in his chair, his eyes still trained on the little crystal candy dish.
“Well…” Benjamin started before looking up at the camera. “What is that for?”
“Mr. DeMarco thought it would be best and most helpful if I recorded our sessions. This way I can study them when you aren’t near and see if there isn’t something I missed. It’s all to help you, Benjamin.”
Glancing another side-eye at the camera, Benjamin looks to ease a bit as he stammers to begin. “I come from a small town in Pennsylvania, called Johnstown. It’s not known for much other than massive floods and the movie Slap Shot.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. Some stupid hockey movie that was loosely based off the Johnstown Jets. Way before my time. But anyway, that’s where I’m technically from. Well…until my parents passed away.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“I don’t remember much of them. They were in some car accident coming home from Pittsburgh. I was only four at the time, so I didn’t understand what was going on. All I remember is that my Grandmother, who was babysitting me while my dad picked my mom up from the airport, kept telling me that everything was going to be okay. She painted this picture of her and me just trucking along.”
“And what happened to her?” Dr. Marcus asked as he lightly scribbled some words into a legal notepad.
“One day when I was about ten, she went to Bingo with her lady friends…and just never came back.” Benjamin replied back, softly.
“Oh, Ben, that’s terrible. Did anyone ever find out what happened to her? Where she had went off to?”
“No. And without any other family to claim me, I just got shuffled into the system. Foster home, after orphanage, after foster home, after orphanage. I felt like a ping-pong ball, just bouncing off of the next paddle.” Ben answered, obviously look a little uncomfortable.
“My Lord, Benjamin. I’m sorry you had to go through that. All that time with no one to really talk to you, no one to really have on your side.” Dr. Marcus tried sympathizing with Ben, but this comment suddenly brought a twinkle to Ben’s eye.
“Well, I wasn’t alone.”
“No?” The Doc stopped writing and leaned forward in his chair, an inquisitive look on his face. “Did you make friends in the foster system? Ones that stuck with you?”
“You can say that. You see, Gram told me that as long as I had the light, I was never alone. And for the longest time, I didn’t understand what she meant. That was, until I ended up at the McConnells. They were one of my first foster homes.”
“Do explain.” Dr. Marcus was now the one hanging on the edge of his seat as Benjamin’s smile began to light up the room. “Was it one of their other children? Was it a pet? A stuffed animal?”
“You see, when you were bad at the McConnells…”
FLASHBACK
June 2nd, 2008
Somerset, Pennsylvania
The door to the small run-down two bedroom home flew open. A rather large, burly man wearing a mechanic outfit and reeking of twenty-dollar bender one a one-dollar beer night at the local watering hole.
“How comes I don’ smell dinner?” The man yelled, echoing off the walls. “A man who works hard to make a livin’ for his family, should be served the moment he walks in his home. And not only do I not get a plate when I walk in here…but I don’ even see it cookin’ yet.”
“I’m sorry Jeff.” A thin middle aged woman said from the kitchen. Wearing an apron over a sundress, she ducked back down into the open fridge to look for something to cook. “I was helpin’ Benjamin with his math homework and we completely lost track of the time.”
“So that stupid boy comes before my supper? All because he can’t add? I’m tired of his lazy ass.” The man storms off through the house, to the bottom of the stairwell to the second floor. “BENJAMIN! GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! NOW!”
“Coming, Dad.” Benjamin said as he ran out of his room and stopped at the top of the steps.
“Don’t call me that, I ain’t yo Daddy.” Jeff yelled in response as the young teenage Benjamin Broadwater slowly walked down the stairs, towards the disgruntled Jeff McConnell. The grease stains on his face made his look of hatred look even deeper. “What’s this I hear that you too stupid to do your math? Are you some kinda dummy? Did I foster some kind of retard?”
“No, sir.” Benjamin responded as his shoulders slumped and he stopped at the bottom stair in front of Jeff.
“You messed up Patty’s routine and now…now I’m starvin’, because you can’t add one plus one! Of all the lazy, good-for-nothin’ shit I’ve ever seen. After I put a roof over your house and food in your belly. And you’re going to fuck around like this?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry, isn’t good enough. You gettin’ the box.” Jeff said as he grabbed Benjamin by the hair. Tears began to stream down Benjamin’s face.
“No, please, no. Not the box. I hate the box.”
“And I hate you, so we’re even.” Jeff said as he pushed open a flimsy door to the back porch. Sitting on the enclosed porch, was a thirty-six by eighteen by eighteen storage trunk.
“I’m claustrophobic, Mr. McConnell! Please, don’t!”
“And I’m hungry.” Jeff said as he lifted the lid up. “Now get in the fuckin’ box.”
With a hard push and a release of his hair, Jeff sent Benjamin flying into the trunk. Benjamin let out a blood-curdling scream, but it was quickly drowned out as Jeff shut the lid of the trunk and locked the three padlocks he had installed on it.
“And you ain’t gettin’ out until the mornin’. I want to eat in peace.” Jeff huffed before he stormed back into the house. “PATTY, YOU BETTER HAVE SOMETHIN’ READY FOR ME!”
Meanwhile, in the box…
“It’s okay, Ben. It’s okay. You’ve made it through this many times before. This is just one more time.” Ben said through the tears, trying to pump himself up. “But…but it’s so dark in here. And you’re all alone.”
Ben went silent for a moment, trying to focus on calming down as all he could hear was the sound of his breathing and occasionally his heartbeat in his ears.
“Well, you’re not COMPLETELY alone.” A voice softly whispered. Ben’s heart rate instantly kicked up a notch as his breathing quickly began to labor as well.
“Wh-wh-who’s there?” Benjamin called out, his eyes darting back and forth to try to find something in the darkness. But…it was darkness, he couldn’t even see his own hand.
“My apologies, young Ben. Where are my manners? I’ve been hanging around you for so long that I forgot, you can’t see me.” The voice chuckled slightly. “My name is Loresto C Nnod, but you can just call me Lore. At least, that’s what all my friends call me. And I feel you and I can be GOOD friends.”
“What’s the C stand for?”
“My surrogates would say it stands for ‘curious’.” Lore replied, his smile almost being able to be heard in the way he talked..
“What…what are you?”
“Hmmm, that…that's an interesting question. I believe I am what you creatures call…a shadow person…or something similar. I belong to a race of beings that dwell in the shadows, jumping back and forth between here and our own little world.”
“You…you said…said that you have been hanging around me for so long? Why? Why talk now?” The fear that once dripped off every word Benjamin said to Lore, was beginning to fade.
“Good question. You see, I’m somewhat of a loner in my community. I enjoy hanging out in your human world while many like to just stay in our own. And for a long time, I have quite enjoyed the darkness within this box. Before you, there were many others…including Jeff himself…who were forced into this box.”
“Well, that explains why he views this as discipline. But it still doesn’t explain why he’s such an asshole.”
“That’s Jeff for you. But you, I sense something about you, Benjamin. Something my own people can see.”
“What is it?”
“In due time, my friend. For now, just rest with the idea that you are not alone in here. You try to get some rest and I’ll make sure nothing bothers you. Sound good?”
“Thank you, Lore.”
“You are welcome, my friend.”
END FLASHBACK
North Brother Island
New York City, New York
April 21st, 2022
ON CAMERA
“Soooo…you found comfort in an imaginary friend?” Dr. Marcus asked inquisitively. “Because to me, it sounds like you manifested this Lore character, so that you would not be alone in that box. Your mind created something, so that you could keep a bit of your sanity while locked in there.”
“I wouldn’t call him imaginary. But honestly, it has been a long time since I’ve seen him. I wonder what he is doing right no-” Before Ben could finish his sentence, the egg timer that assisted Dr. Marcus in gauging the hour-long length of their sessions had gone off and caused Ben himself to jump a little.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Benjamin. How about we hang this one up until our next session and at that point we can talk more about Lore? I feel we need to venture down that path QUITE a bit.” Dr. Marcus apologized as he placed his notepad down on the end table and stood to his feet. Following suit, Ben stood to his feet and nodded his head in agreement. For all he knew, Dr. Marcus could be talking gibberish right now, because Ben’s mind was lost in thought about Lore…his former best friend. He shook the Doc’s hand and quickly made his way out of his office.
Canton Waterfront Park
Baltimore, Maryland
April 24th, 2022
ON CAMERA
We find ourselves at the Canton Waterfront Park, in Baltimore, Maryland. Families are out enjoying the beautiful Sunday weather, while random badlings of ducks and gaggles of geese litter the landscape in search of a meal. A rather large flock of ducks had found their way to one specific bench, as a familiar face was slowly tossing corn kernels out to them. As we got closer to them, the sound of them eating and lightly quacking was almost calming.
“Beautiful creatures, the duck. Did you know that ducklings can communicate before they hatch? Often times they communicate with each other while in their eggs and try to hatch at the same time! You gotta love that bond. Makes me feel jealous of them.” Benjamin smiled as he tossed another handful of kernels out to the waiting ducks. “You know who I am also jealous of? Stella Jade! She got to experience first hand, the wonders and life-changing abilities the power of kindness can bring. We stepped into that ring together on Proving Ground and while she started off friendly, she quickly showed an ugly side. It was not a side I was ready for, nor was it a side that can be tolerated. So after a bit of back-and-forth, I introduced her to my vision and not only changed her mentally…but I changed her physically.”
A picture of Stella before Proving Ground, appears on the left side of the screen. Benjamin points up to it, like he knew the picture was going to be placed there. “I took her from this…”
“...to this.” Benjamin pointed over to the right side of the screen where a new picture appeared.
He paused for a moment, letting both pictures just hang there.
“Her change is monumental and hopefully long-lasting. And I’m giddy knowing that I was a part of that. Gone are the restraints of negativity and hatefulness in Ms Jade’s life. I’m sure even Brandon Hendrix might have a thank-you note for me. After all, his girlfriend is going to be SO much nicer. And think of all that kind-hearted fanfiction she is going to right now. It’s going to be full of love…and passion…and purity. You gotta love it.” Ben smiles as he grabs another handful of corn from a small bucket on his left side, tossing it out to the ducks. The pictures of Stella slowly fade away.
“But where are my manners? Stella Jade is one victory in my step-ladder of success. Now? Now I get to step into the Fallout ring with TWO wonderful people. The handsome man known as Andrei Sokolov and the equally beautiful woman, Elizabeth Karlson. Andrei steps into our triple threat match as a man on fire. While he carries a three-and-one record into our battle, we all know that one loss wasn’t on his shoulders. Hyde knocked out Boyde, while Andrei got his revenge at Public Execution. I know Andrei is as hungry for another Gatekeeper Championship shot as he is for his bride-to-be, the beautiful DIANA. And he deserves them both!” Ben reaches for another handful of corn, only to find a random sneaky duck had grabbed the small bucket he had and pulled it through the space in the back of the wooden bench he sat on. A small gathering of additional ducks were behind him, laying waste to the spilled bounties. The carefree Benjamin just shrugged his shoulders and stood to his feet, gazing out at the waters. “And it will be amazing to see the true Lionheart in action. I’ve watched him make Nick Danger tap…plant Latoya Hixx on her back…and just come out looking like he is unbeatable. Such an amazing athlete…such an amazing spirit.”
A good stretch with a few cracking of joints and Benjamin started walking, the camera following behind.
“Now I know some people out there want to point out to me ‘But Ben, Andrei is such a vile person. He’s nothing more than some crazy Russian kid who wants to set the world on fire.’ And to them I respond…well it’s cold in Russia, he needs to stay warm somehow…right? Yeah, I know your MO, Andrei, but I choose to look at the good in people. And while you come off as this off-the-wall, half-cocked, loose-trigger finger type…I know deep down in your heart, you are just a big ol’ Teddy Bear. DIANA walks into the room and you melt like butter in Texas. Amirite or amirite?” Benjamin pauses as his little stroll has taken him up to the water itself. He peers out onto the soft waves and the birds flying above the water. “I get it. You dipped into a lifestyle your family hated and it just sent you spiraling out of control until Mr. Sinclair brought you to the good ol’ U.S. of A. But is that a reason for US to hate you? Nah. If DIANA can love you, we can love you.”
Ben glances towards the camera, making a heart with his fingers.
“Speaking of love…how can we not love our opponent? Liz Karlson has stepped foot onto Project: Honor soil and lit a flame under Michael Bishop’s ass. Together, they have torn through Proving Ground Talent, Fallout Talent, Enhancement Talent…then capped it off with Championship Talent. Now? After just four matches in our wondrous walls, she steps out of the Tag Team division with a shiny around her waist…but now she is ready to add a singles streak to her repertoire as well.” Enough with the finger hearts as Ben turns and begins to walk the coastline. “Levy, Benson, Wright, Grace, any of them would be MONSTROUS to face one on one, but she faced them in teams! Where they could HELP one another! AND SHE STILL WON! Then Ratman had this wondrous idea of tossing her in a triple threat? Does he understand that facing two people at once is kind of her thing? Or maybe that’s the whole point. Push Liz to think beyond tagging, to venture into the Project: Honor singles waters. Serving up a large heaping of Andrei and a side-portion of Benjamin. While it won’t be an easy task to topple the King Cobra…it could be a cakewalk to take down the Bringer of Peace. I just wanted to share the positivity, share a hug, share a pat on the back. Is that too much to ask?”
Ben glances back at the camera, a smirk on his face.
“It’s not like she is not a singles extraordinaire on her own anyway. Have you seen Liz’s accomplishments? It took me longer to read through all her titles and things she has accomplished, than it was to read through the Triple A Championship History. I mean, really Liz? Show off much?” Ben chuckles loudly. “Nah, I’m just playing. You do you, boo. You are a massive talent and Project: Honor is lucky to have you. You and Andrei are going to do wonderful at this week’s Fallout. I have faith in both of you. I’ll be rooting for ya.”
And with that, Ben turns and walks off from the camera, stopping only to gently pet a passing duck.