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X-treme Wrestling Federation »   » Archives » Relentless Day 3 RP Boards 2022
PlaceMarker Act CII: Bullfighter - Part 2 of 2
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Finn Kühn Offline
Be the best, or be broken.



XWF FanBase:
Mixed

(loved by some; hated by some; dips between clean/dirty)


#1
09-24-2022, 10:31 PM





Read Part 1 here!







20 September 2022
The 'Old Man of Storr'
Isle of Skye, Scotland



"Out of all the places to bring me to..." I muttered under my breath, checking down on my phone to make sure I had the right location. There was very little service out here, but at the very least, I could still check my messages. Christine had taken a while to get this place sent over to me as a guiding location, between all the nonsense about 'making sure Skyla's ready for me' and what not.

Though, I had to admit - high up on the hills, with the craggy rocks stretching out high above the ground and casting looming shadows over the lands, the bright sun peeking out from the clouds for a temperate weather, and the pure water that looked like stained glass from high up above... it felt like something out of a storybook.


[Image: view-over-old-man-of-storr-isle-of-skye-...2m9D74qBg=]


I didn't know how high in elevation this place was. Maybe it was because of that, or maybe it was the fact that I had walked so far already, but I was finding it hard just to catch my breath. I decided to just sit down, and try my best to collect my thoughts. It was good to try and ruminate on things in the meantime, too, as I settled on one of the many edged rocks nearby and just let myself soak in the air.

I had put my life on hold for a while, essentially, while I was trying to get settled back into the XWF. That was a fact I did not mind terribly - this was something I had to prioritize and I had zero issues doing that. If I could, I'd try dedicating almost if not all of my time to this craft. But of course, others would probably have other ideas in mind for me. Sooner or later, they were going to want me to 'expand' myself again by delving into other facets of life and take time away from doing what I appreciated most. I could remember now, how that went in High School...

Romance, for instance, had never really been my preference to try and-


"Too slow!"


THUD!


"Ow - FUCK!" I yelped, trying to shake off the impact of what felt like a stick being driven into my skull as my hands immediately went to the growing welt to try and dull the pain from that and a now growing dull headache. My head craned around, finding none other than a tall, toned woman with long, flowing black hair giving off an almost predatory aura with the smile she had on her face. In her hand was what looked to be something close to a crimson spear - and yet, even with it being like that, she had used it as a tool just to rap me on the head. There was only one person I could think of as to who this was...

"Skyla Hawkins, I presume?" I asked, dusting myself off as I turned to face her. "Would you care to explain just what that was about?"

"Your guess is correct," She said as her smile wasn't wavering even with my reaction. Her voice was deep, and tinged with a faint Scottish accent. "That was just a small test of mine, trying to see your reactions, see how you'd react. You have much work to do, I see."

I snorted in response, finally managing to handle taking my hands off of my head. "Some test of yours. You expect most people to handle something they have little warning about?"

"Ah, but that's the thing - you have plenty of warning for attacks like that, especially given the place you're now working at once more," Skyla said as she slightly raised her open, free hand towards me. "After all, you now work once more in the company that has not one, but two titles defended twenty-four hours, seven days a week once more. And considering some of the actions your 'coworkers' have done on their own, between the assaults, murders, and various other crimes they do by themselves or with others... you should come to expect the unexpected, or else the next 'THUD' you have to deal with will be from someone else - and it won't have nearly as pretty an outcome as here."

She was crazy. She had a point - a very valid point, admittedly, but she was still crazy. And those dark eyes of hers were practically piercing me, metaphorically stripping me and trying to see what exactly I'd be made of, for her to judge and see.

Note to self - strangle Christine's neck out for this insanity.


"Besides," Skyla continued, slowly pacing around me, keeping a fixated, amused eye on me as she spoke. "I've heard - and seen - much from you in your prior runs in the XWF, Finn. You're clearly talented, but you've gotten into your own head in more ways than just how you've done here. You get caught up and swept in things repeatedly, or you're never paying enough attention in the moment. That leaves you open to surprise attacks that do more against you than they have any right to, and you've lost far more matches than you should have as a result. Wouldn't you agree?"

"..." Correction. She was crazy, but her eye was nothing short of keen. She certainly did her homework in anticipation for this, as I let out a breathy chuckle in response. "So you read up on me, then? You sure seem to have me figured out..."

"One could say such a thing is my talent," Skyla smirked, studying my reaction intently. "And besides, it's not much different from what you've been doing these past few weeks, no? After all, I'd be successful in that ring if I wanted to be, but instead I'm more than content being a simple, humble trainer. But that's neither here nor there - because the fact of the matter is, you have a major match looming over your shoulders right now. You're trying to get back the success you once had, but you need a new edge now in order to capture it. You didn't have a role in setting up this meeting, but the fact that you didn't run scared from me when I hit you over the head, or started looking into you deeply tells me that you're rather desperate to get that edge. Which I'll be more than happy with... provided you pass my test today." Skyla twirled the spear in her hands, before sinking it into the soft earth and leaning on it as she still looked at me dead in the eye. "How right am I so far?"

"Tch." I broke the eye contact finally, trying to recollect my nerve. We didn't even really start yet, and already this woman was having me on the ropes. I was starting to understand what Christine meant now - unorthodox, yet gifted. She might make me rip my own hair out at this rate, but her eye is almost unmatched. "I'm making no promises about how things will be going here. Christine mentioned that 'test' of yours though - what did you have in mind?"

"Oh, you needn't worry. It's something rather simple, you see," Skyla pointed off nearby, over on the edge of the hill and bringing my attention with it. "Those rocks over there are plenty heavy enough for you. I want you to pick up one of the larger ones, and then..." Her hand then went off towards the distance, pointing towards the shimmering lake on the horizon. "Make the several mile run over to the lake while holding onto it, and then finally run back. As I said - simple."

"Just cardio with weights attached?" I smirked back at Skyla. "Fine. Easy enough. I've done way worse before."

"I hope you keep to that, then," Skyla said as that smile - that damn predatory, teeth-bearing smile - bore through again. "Especially since... you'll be having to curl the rock. Oh, and before I forget... here. You'll be needing this." She reached into her pocket, pulling out an earpiece that glowed a low blue for me. I slipped it on seamlessly, with a small microphone attached that was just enough to clearly pick up on everything I'd say.

"What's this all about?" I finally asked while squinting at her.

"Again, nothing major," Skyla said innocently as she held her hands up towards me. "I simply figure it would be ideal for us to communicate from long distances while you run. I can make sure your form stays proper, and... perhaps, if we are to work together, it would do us best if I get to know you at least a little, no?"

"You have to earn the right to ask me those kinds of questions," I quickly and coolly shot back while having that icy stare of mine return. Even if this woman's aura was intimidating, I kept my figure rigid without fear. That stance seemed to be to Skyla's liking, who arched her eyebrows in approval.

"Fair enough. Then perhaps, we could chat about your opponent, the craft of wrestling itself, or... perhaps even life, the universe and everything in between. That'll do well enough," she said with a shrug.

...I can't get a damn read on her. She's like a damn enigma. At this rate, curiosity was going to lead to killing the cat at this rate. I had to balance it with caution here, but she was making it rather hard. I gave a grumble of acceptance, before heading over to the rocks. I kneeled down gently, finding a large-sized rock as she wanted that was coming right up to my knee. Lifting with my legs, I managed to get a good grip while keeping it at waist high, fidgeting as I did so.

"Heavy..." I mumbled absentmindedly.

"What did you expect?" Skyla chuckled. "I figure it will be good for endurance's sake as well as building muscle and improving balance - after all, when it comes to an 'I Quit' match, nothing matters more than sheer endurance and willpower. Now then, if I were you... I'd get running."

She was right again, but damn it, having to be on the move while lugging this stupid thing was going to give me an aneurism at this rate, especially while having to curl it. Bitching and moaning would do me no favors though, and I quickly got to running, trying to handle the uneven terrain as I wobbled on the path while trying to keep lifting the stupid rock.

As I was settling down the path now, I felt my earpiece crackle to life as Skyla's voice came through. "Keep your back straight," she said while keeping her eye trained on me from afar. Something told me that no matter how far I ran on this path, she was always going to be seeing me clearly.

"Yeah..." I said back through the earpiece, focused on trying to keep my balance as I went along to straighten out my back as I moved along. My legs kicked against the dirt, moving me forward as I knew this exercise was going to be far more than what I had initially bargained it for.

If nothing else, this new attempt at a run through the XWF would prove to be... unique.

"So..." Skyla mused, her voice almost taking a dream-like state as she sighed. "How about we start by going over your last match on Warfare against Isaiah King..."







Present Day...


"If you look at me and see yourselves in that mirror, then looking at my opponent - I am still not calling him by that ridiculous name, seriously, get a new one - is what most would aspire to become when they look at the full picture."

"Despite his downplaying, his humble-bragging, his attitude, he has what most people would dream of. He's good looking. He has the respect of serving in the military. He's an accomplished MMA fighter. He's main-evented shows, been a star on cards, been a champion. That makes him automatically more decorated than most who would ever come into the domain of pro wrestling, even if he goes on about 'making shit up as he goes.'"

"He was close to the top of Level-Up. But he never quite made it to the top. The last of his time in Level-Up went poorly, and he decided he'd run from the grind, thinking that he's nothing more than chopped liver there in the eyes of management. He wants the attention of a star, and he has the talent to back it up, even with his more humble upbringing. He's had the taste of success, and he's wanting it back."

"So his first idea is to come to here once it's been offered to him. He wants to be part of that so-called 'inner circle' again, and what better way to shoot yourselves up the ranks quickly by making a massive debut on the big stage, Night 3 of Relentless, and use the most of that momentum it gives you?"

"But he's going to find that he's in a lot more than what he bargained for. See, I give him props, personally, for that Wisdom Championship run, his MMA run, what have you. But to almost everyone else, there is no special star power here from him. He's just a new wrestler with experience at his job, stepping into an XWF ring for the first time. His record's 0-0. My record ever since my return is 1-1. We're two fresher faces in the year of 2022, no matter what others may know of us from elsewhere and before, trying to make something of ourselves."

"In that vein, we're similar. But his backhanded compliments about 'if I lose,' or 'becoming an astronaut,' or focusing on those 'one-in-three' odds betray him. He thinks this is going to be easy. He thinks he can roll that die when he steps into the ring on that Hill Valley set, and he thinks he's going to get those one-in-three odds to go on and win."

"Do me a favor, 'Buster.' Keep that energy. Underestimate me more. Keep up those backhanded compliments."

"We're defined right now by our stigmas around ourselves. Your stigma is that of an outsider - nobody knows you here, but you're trying to change that. My perceived stigma was that of a loser. People always, always found it in themselves to just bet against me because I had my head blowing up to the size of a balloon. And it popped. Over. And over. And over again. But there's always that magical moment where I proved what I could do, and I showed people up."

"People bet against me when I faced the likes of Chris Chaos. I proved them wrong."

"People bet against me when I went into the Great American Shove-It, as godawful a catastrophe as that was. I proved them wrong."

"Nobody expected me to main event a Pay-Per-View here before. And even if that went nowhere close to how I wanted, I still proved them wrong by getting to that point."

"We've both gotten close to the top and just came up short. But while you pretend to show respect and think your supposed odds are going to favor you, I'm training for each match like it's the fight of my life. Because I know I have to. I'm tired of overconfidence leading to my downfall. I'm tired of only being close to the top of the mountain. I'm tired of having the stigma of a loser."

"Because mark my words. I am Finn Kühn. I will be a Kaiser once more. I will be a champion for the first time, and I will bite, and scratch, and kick, and claw my way to achieving that point, because I know I have that in me. I do not know when that win will be, but mark my words - I intend to walk out of Relentless next year as a champion."

"Bring your best, 'Buster.' Because if you think you can coast to a win, I'm not going to get much out of a win against someone who half-assed their effort here."



(Word count - 2.726 per wordcounter.net)

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Act CII: Bullfighter - Part 2 of 2 - by Finn Kühn - 09-24-2022, 10:31 PM



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