Post by cadillac on Jul 14, 2021 21:25:51 GMT -5
Scene 1: Do it myself: Part 1 [off camera]
I pushed the green phone icon on my seventh attempt to call Doobie. Having just failed to advance in the Friends like These tournament, I'll admit I was pacing the hallways aggravated and disheartened. That feeling of disappointment intensified when, for the seventh time tonight, I heard my brothers voice NOT as he answered the phone, but projected through voicemail recording.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number I'll get back to you as soon as poss-"
I ended the call before it got to the recording. Again. Where the hell was Doobie? He's always around when I need my promo recorded, and after the shit that just went down, I was ready to talk - now. I'd had enough of losing. When it's because of my own shortcomings? That's fine. But fuck am I tired of all these tag team matches being the reason I can't get a single shred of momentum in Project Honor. Shit it's been months, and I have one of the most embarrassing records in the company. I'll admit, some of that is of my own doings, but over half has come at the hands of other people letting me down. Speaking of people letting me down...
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to the phone right now, but if you leave your -"
I'm a joke. A joke. Nobody takes me seriously. Nobody remembers I exist. It's like a constant nightmare that I keep having to relive over and over again. Not advancing in the X-Factor title tournament was a lack of focus, but this? Being eliminated from the Gates of Hell match was a fluke. But this tournament was probably my last shot at the Warrior Rising Championship for a long, long time.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to -"
I just want to get out of this rut. I deserve better. I've earned better. I've at the very least proven that I can be a contender.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jack-"
I just want opportunity to knock one more time.
"Hello you've reached"
"Hello you've reached"
"Hello you've reached"
Fuck this. Letting the message go all the way through on the last attempt, I hear the tone to start recording.
"Hey, glad you could answer your fucking phone dude. I get it, you're mad that I'm not taking this serious enough, that I've forgotten we're doing this to get back on our feet and help cover dad's medical expenses. Well guess what man, listen to my promo I'm about to record, on my own. Then actually nut up and call me back and tell me how fucking serious I am." I toss the phone across the room, unsure if it's even in working condition for Doobie to call me back at this point. Who cares. I'll do this myself.
Apparently I have to do everything myself.
Scene 2: So close yet so far [on camera]
Scene 3: Do it myself: Part 2 [off camera]
Fuck Doobie. I didn't even need him to cut the best promo of my entire life. It felt weird to not have him there at first, but hey, what can ya do. If he's going to be a selfish prick and not answer my calls, then I'll just go on without him. If I learned one thing from dad it's that if you can't trust others to do it right, do it yourself.
I do wonder what happened to Doobie. I know he's upset, but still -
Oh shit. He did text me back. He better have a good reason for not answering my call -
... Shit.
End.
7/2/21 - the Coliseo Amauta in Lima, Peru
After 'Proving Ground: With Friends Like These'
I pushed the green phone icon on my seventh attempt to call Doobie. Having just failed to advance in the Friends like These tournament, I'll admit I was pacing the hallways aggravated and disheartened. That feeling of disappointment intensified when, for the seventh time tonight, I heard my brothers voice NOT as he answered the phone, but projected through voicemail recording.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to the phone right now, but if you leave your name and number I'll get back to you as soon as poss-"
I ended the call before it got to the recording. Again. Where the hell was Doobie? He's always around when I need my promo recorded, and after the shit that just went down, I was ready to talk - now. I'd had enough of losing. When it's because of my own shortcomings? That's fine. But fuck am I tired of all these tag team matches being the reason I can't get a single shred of momentum in Project Honor. Shit it's been months, and I have one of the most embarrassing records in the company. I'll admit, some of that is of my own doings, but over half has come at the hands of other people letting me down. Speaking of people letting me down...
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to the phone right now, but if you leave your -"
I'm a joke. A joke. Nobody takes me seriously. Nobody remembers I exist. It's like a constant nightmare that I keep having to relive over and over again. Not advancing in the X-Factor title tournament was a lack of focus, but this? Being eliminated from the Gates of Hell match was a fluke. But this tournament was probably my last shot at the Warrior Rising Championship for a long, long time.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jackson. I'm unable to come to -"
I just want to get out of this rut. I deserve better. I've earned better. I've at the very least proven that I can be a contender.
"Hello you've reached 'Lil Doobie' aka Dougie Jack-"
I just want opportunity to knock one more time.
"Hello you've reached"
"Hello you've reached"
"Hello you've reached"
Fuck this. Letting the message go all the way through on the last attempt, I hear the tone to start recording.
"Hey, glad you could answer your fucking phone dude. I get it, you're mad that I'm not taking this serious enough, that I've forgotten we're doing this to get back on our feet and help cover dad's medical expenses. Well guess what man, listen to my promo I'm about to record, on my own. Then actually nut up and call me back and tell me how fucking serious I am." I toss the phone across the room, unsure if it's even in working condition for Doobie to call me back at this point. Who cares. I'll do this myself.
Apparently I have to do everything myself.
Scene 2: So close yet so far [on camera]
J.T. PRICE: Cadillac was robbed! He had the match won! After he hit the Flapjack, the ref should've called it like he did just now!
TREY BOOKER: Cadillac Jackson was so close, but Pat the Postman couldn't hold on any longer.
J.T. PRICE: I just can’t believe Caddy is gone! He was instrumental in several eliminations, and when he wakes up it will have all been for nothing!
----
"I am so... sick and tired... of hearing how close I was to winning." The floor of the Coliseo Amauta in Lima, Peru was filthy after a long night of hustle and bustle, but there sits Cadillac Jackson with his back against the equally as dingy wall. Only a couple of hours after his big lose in the Friends Like These tournament Cadillac sits, only half changed into jeans yet no t-shirt, with his elbows resting on his bent knees. He let's out a long, defeated sigh, rubbing his tired eyes with a look of exhaustion and aggravation plastered on his face. Looking up solomely at the camera Caddy throws his hands in the air and leans harder against the cold wall behind him. "For months I've shown up. I've smiled. I've played nice. I've teamed with nobodies. I've lost match, after match, after match... not because of my own lackings - but because whoever they pulled from a hat to team with me on that given night couldn't hold up their end of the bargain. I swear to God they just put everyone they didn't book into a random number generator, hit the button and BINGO, there's Caddy's partner for the week - shitty Trent from catering with a bum knee and a man bun.
And I get it, people say I make a lot of excuses and this is just another one. But is it my fault that a lot of these matches I've been sick for? Is it my fault that I'm near sighted and can't get any contacts to stay in during wrestling so I can't see half the time? TELL ME... is it MY fault that I have a weird allergy to the cleaning products used on ring mats so everytime I start a match my throat instantly closes up and it makes it incredibly hard to breath let alone whoop as much ass as I do anyways? NO, IT'S NOT EXCUSES PEOPLE. IT'S SCIENCE. It's called Alergic Contact Dermititis, look it up nerds! But even if those perfectly sane and reasonable explanations WERE excuses, nobody can deny how tag team matches have effected my career thus far. Tag team matches owe me like ten dinners and a ring on my finger 'cuz they've sure enjoyed fucking me." Cadillac tosses his hands in the air again, then groans and arcs his neck, rubbing it softly, still feeling the effects of his match earlier.
"Here's what it boils down to man. It's not a joke. I'm done being made a fool, and I'm done letting other people lose matches for me. I'm over it. So what is Cadillac Jackson going to do about it? Simple. I'm going to outlast nineteen of the absolute best wrestlers in the world, including the current, terrifying Grand Champion Ozymandias, to earn an actual opportunity. Easy, right?" Cadillac rolls his eyes. "No, it's not easy. I know all of you wannabe super stars in this match are going to talk about how it'll be easy for you, or it'll be tough but you've dealt with tougher so you'll power through it and miraculously walk out the winner - but it's all talk man. You want someone to tell you the truth? Here we go, get a sound bite.
I'm Cadillac Jackson - and I'm probably not going to win the Opportunity Knocks Rumble. Period, that's just how it is. I mean look at the field man. In my head, it's broken down into brackets, in descending order. You got the elite couple that I think WILL win, a handful that I think could win, the wildcards who could surprise everyone and pull off an upset, those who I'd fucking eat my sunglasses if they won, and of course, John Blade. Here's the thing. I don't want to underestimate anybody, but I've actually been in the ring with a lot of the people in this contest so I think I have a pretty good idea of what I'm up against. And frankly, I have a lot to say about A LOT of people, so let's get the ones out of the way that I don't have as much to talk about.
People like Ace Sky, Mark Kelly and Swindle Sheldrake I'll admit - I don't know very much about. But trust me when I say that I'm not underestimating them. From the little I've seen they're more than impressive athletes, but of course, they're not Cadillac Jackson, baybee. Daniel Ackerman, Tara Fenix and Arata Asakura are all stars in the making in my opinion. They're all incredibly well traveled and well versed in practically every wrestling style. But you know just chafes my sack the most? These three, while very competent and frankly dangerous competitors in their own right, are already becoming the center of attention. Daniel Ackerman has some of the most buzz of anybody I've seen and he's barely debuted. Tara Fenix is everywhere, multiple times a show and mentioned in various interviews from other wrestlers and journalists alike. Arata Asakura won one match against Head Chef Lickass McGuire and had a highly promoted marquee contest against Myojin. Meanwhile, I get to fight the fucking Dragon Dildos with Pat the Postman. It's ridiculous.
AND SPEAKING OF PAT THE FUCKING POSTMAN... you and I need to have a little chat pal. That's right you're getting your own section of this interview bucko. Call us Wendy's Pat, cuz after how many times you've cost me matches and opportunities? Our beef is fresh, never frozen." A whimsical smile takes over Cadillac's face. "I loved you when I joined Project Honor man. I was just like everyone else who looked up to and admired you. A hardworking fella doing his best and inspiring the nation, helping out kids, his name is fucking Pat the Postman... what's not to love?" As quickly as the smile appeared, it dissipates into a look of disappointment and annoyance. "How about the fact that I tried my hardest to put your name back on the map with my own, and you failed me over and over and over again?! Is that a good enough reason? I gave it my all man, and like an elderly man with diarrhea - you're the one that shit the bed. I don't hate you man, nobody can hate Pat... but I want you to understand that our little impromptu tag team? It's over. This match is every man for themselves. So if I have to be the one to eliminate Pat, I'll do so with a heavy heart but a clear conscience knowing that I tried my best to help you out, and now it's too late.
Speaking of those I have beef with, let us move on to what happened earlier tonight. I... oh boy... I yet again had the ever so lovely privilege to be paired up with yet another random tag team partner... Valkyrie... as we took on the team of Will Riley and Ulf Hednir. Now look, I'm going to say this as nicely as I can considering I'm still a little heated... but Valkyrie? I'm glad Will attempted to break your arm. Look I'll give you credit where credit is due. You're a tough son of a bitch and being able to hang on for as long as you did, showed a lot of drive and a want to succeed. But, and this is a biggg dump-truck ass sized but... God I feel like a broken record... but you cost me an opportunity that was so, so important to me. Will and Ulf were fantastic opponents and I'm sure they'll both fair incredibly well in this match - but I think everyone could tell that I had that match right where I wanted it. All you needed to do... was not lose... and we'd have been fine. Did that happen? Well gosh, I don't know Valkyrie, why don't you look at the fucking bracket and you tell me what the outcome of the match was." Caddy elbows the wall behind him and scoffs. "Will you're a crazy bastard and Ulf, as much as my ignorant American brain doesn't understand half the shit you say - you're both great in my book and I wish you the best of luck in the tournament, as well as in the Opportunity Knocks Rumble. As for Valkyrie? Eat shit." With a labored groan Cadillac pushes his way to his feet.
"Now the Champs. Emmanuelle and Lance Williams. Clearly, both of you know what it's like to hold gold already, and I gotta admit I couldn't be more proud of my former of my former Team Cadillac members. I'm not saying that the guidance and wisdom is solely what brought you both championships, but my guidance and wisdom is definitely what brought you both championships. Emmy, frankly saying your name after our previous 4,192 matches makes me a little I'll, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little worried about you in this match. I've got a win over you from my debut match, but you've got at least three over me. Including when it counts most - with the Warrior Rising Championship on the line. Now I'd be foolish to not see that since I didn't advance in the tournament tonight, that I probably won't be getting another Warrior Rising title shot in quite a while, at least not while you're holding it. And Lance? Mr. X-Factor Champion. Hopefully you're not too edgy now for me to say your name, 'cuz I've seen you've undergone quite the attitude change. I'm gonna be honest with you, I get why you did what you did, it's hard to make a name for yourself out here and love you or hate you, at least people know who you are now. Do I think you deserve that championship? Absolutely not. I think you were lucky, both that I didn't show up mentally, and that others didn't show up physically. Not for nothing, I genuinely think you're great and destined for better things. I just also think you're going to need some lube pretty soon if you're going to keep riding your own dick that hard. Both of you have a special place in my heart, because you're two people I know in my soul I can beat but haven't been able to more often than not. So win lose or draw? My personal goal is to at least eliminate the two of you. And hey, if I win the Grand Championship down the line, that Means Team Caddy will all be champions! Score, right?
So of course it's time to address the elephant in the room before we got onto the big daddy - and that being the ones I think have the absolute best chance of winning. Obviously... I'm talking about Victoria McKenzie and John Blade. LOLjustkiddingfuck'em. I'm talking about four competitors representing two teams - Aiden Reynolds and Dickie Watson, and Tj Thompson and Lil Petey. I'm sure putting the Drip boys in might throw a couple people off, but while I'm not their biggest fans personally, professionally I know for a fact that they have what it takes to win the entire thing. Tj Thompson has defeated me multiple times, and after his performance in the Seven Gates match I think everyone saw that its just a matter of time before he does something more. And Lil Petey, while he looks, and sometimes acts like an 11 year old trapped in a game show hosts on a watch list's body - came so close to doing the unthinkable. I don't think I'm putting words in any bodies mouth when I say I don't think anybody thought Pete was going to beat Mark Hunter or Ozymandias for that title... shit he almost did. And I know after the brutal beating he received from Ozy two weeks in a row that he's probably not entertaining this Rumble at 100%, but that may be the only thing stopping him from winning the whole damn thing. Surprising nobody to be in my top picks is The Commonwealth - Dickie Watson and Aiden Reynolds. Aiden is fucking great, and I think sometimes people forget that because of how good Dickie is. But Reynolds has held his own against some of the toughest competition Project Honor has to offer and has proven to be a force as a singles wrestler too. Dickie Watson - needs no explanation. He's been picked by multiple Project Honor exclusive reports to win this match and with good reason. The dudes done it all, won it all and will do it again. Hell Dickie and Aiden are entered into the tournament to - probably - win the returning tag team championships and are on course to do the same thing in another company as well. But while these 'Apex' wrestlers are indeed stars... hell all four of these competitors are literally some of the best in the world today... I need to think I can beat them. Even if it's just once, I have to if I want any chance of winning this match."
For the first time in the scene, Cadillac cracks a true smile and laughs, but one clearly of self doubt. "Hell I think saying I 'want' to win this match is a little bit of a lie. I think anybody with half a brain would be terrifyed of winning this opportunity. While it's by far one of the biggest matches in Project Honor with one of the best rewards for winning ever - you don't win a title. You win a shot at going eye to eye with Ozymandias. I've said this before and I'll say it until I'm blue in the face Ozy. You scare the shit out of me. Look at you for God's sake, you're like an Lovecraftian monster come to life. You've done nothing but win matches and crush bodies, break bones and spirits since the day you stepped foot into this arena and frankly, I don't think a match against Cadillac Jackson is anything that'd even phase you as much as a jet plane crashing into a beach ball. Honest statement number two? I know for a fact that were it not for this match? There's a good chance I wouldn't be sharing a ring with you for a long, long time. But, and this is a huge but, if I somehow get this win Ozy? If I somehow outlast some of the absolute best minds, rookies and veterans this game has to offer? I'm going to give it everything I got. That may not be a lot to some people, but I swear to you Ozy if you underestimate me? I'm going to knock you on your ass and take that championship. I'll probably run away and hide got a while afterwards, but hell I'll do it. It's going to take everything I have to survive this match up, especially with you in it, but I'm pissed off just enough that I may just be able to pull it off Ozy." Cadillac glares into the camera with a look of serious determination we've never seen from him.
"Regardless of what happens I want to thank Larry KaChow for this opportunity. I've watched for too long as new face after new face walks in the door, old face after old face walks out the door, and there's little ol' Caddy still doing his best to be noticed and given an opportunity to shine. And guess what? Whether it was that Callum dude who's name I don't fully remember, or Indy Darling - the result was always the same." Cadillac holds his thumb down and does the Price is Right 'wrong' sound effect. "DUN DUN dun dun... weewwwww. They couldn't care less about me. It took Larry fucking KaChow being given the power because Lance Williams went mental and lost his shit on Indy Darling for me to even get this opportunity. But I won't waste it. Since I signed with Project Honor, I've wanted to face the likes of Lil Petey, Dickie Watson, Ozymandias... and if this is the last time I get to I'm going to make it count. I'm not promising I'll win Lucky Larry's Limbo or whatever he called it. But I will promise ya one thing, I'm going to give it hell.
While everyone else has fucking knuckle impressions in their door from how many times opportunity has knocked on it, my virgin door will finally be visited. And you best believe that when opportunity knocks?
I plan on answering it." With a swift flail of the hand Cadillac snags the camera. There's a soft rustling as he maneuvers it haphazardly before he shuts it off, abruptly ending the scene.
Scene 3: Do it myself: Part 2 [off camera]
7/2/21 - the Coliseo Amauta in Lima, Peru
After 'Proving Ground: With Friends Like These'
Fuck Doobie. I didn't even need him to cut the best promo of my entire life. It felt weird to not have him there at first, but hey, what can ya do. If he's going to be a selfish prick and not answer my calls, then I'll just go on without him. If I learned one thing from dad it's that if you can't trust others to do it right, do it yourself.
I do wonder what happened to Doobie. I know he's upset, but still -
Oh shit. He did text me back. He better have a good reason for not answering my call -
... Shit.
End.
