"Reality is wrong. Dreams are for real."

~ Tupac Shakur

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30 December 2017
Keio Plaza Hotel
Tokyo, Japan

A joke.

Finn Kühn was officially a joke.

Time after time, Finn was handed opportunities on a silver platter. Chances to prove himself, chances to show that yes, he was capable and willing to succeed in this crazy game known as life.

But the results ended up the same.

Jack Cain? Loss.

Neville Sinclair? Loss.

Cadryn Tiberius? Loss.

Hell, even Jenny Myst, the girl who targeted him repeatedly for weeks with battering attacks? A humiliating loss.

And yet, Finn found himself in these special situations, chances to make something happen. This didn't change, as this upcoming Warfare, Finn found himself in his first actual Main Event on Warfare, chasing the one dream he had been since arrival:

The Universal Championship.

All that stood in his way? The Leader of the Motherfuckers himself, Robbie Bourbon.

And yet, this couldn't come at a lower point for the Young Lion, who was repeatedly on the receiving end of losses. Perhaps this could be the difference maker he needs?

Finn stood stoically, looking out of the window out into the late night Tokyo skyline, dazzled with lights from both cars and the gargantuan skyscrapers. What would he have to do to turn things around? Prove to not only the roster, but perhaps himself that he belonged in the upper echelon?

Reaching into his pocket and turning on his phone, Finn was greeted with the faint screen flashing the time - 23:36 in JST - right into his face. After a few clicks on his phone, he holds it up to his ear as it starts ringing.

"Jon."

"Finn, what the hell is going on with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't give me that 'what do you mean' bullshit. You've been acting more and more distant from everyone, you've barely been putting in effort for your matches... Hell, you've got the one match you've FINALLY been looking for, and you're still silent."

"I guess I've just been... thinking."

"Thinking about what?! Finn, this isn't like you. What's been happening?"

"Well..."

"I've been having dreams. In my head. I... I don't know how to explain them. It starts out normal, I guess, but then I'm being taken to a familiar scene. You remember the German Kaisers from our history textbook, yeah?"

"I... think I do. Memory's kinda shaky on them, it's been a while. Wilhelm I, Friedrich III and Wilhelm II, right?"

"Yeah. I get taken to this place, at Wilhelm I's coronation - in the Hall of Mirrors, I think it was at the Palace of Versailles - and all of the soldiers are there, the officials, et cetra."

"And?"

"It's like... I was a ghost. I was passing through them, my body... dematerializing or some shit, it was insane. And then the actual coronation happens, but... as soon as the crown touched Wilhelm's head, it was like time had stopped."

"Stopped? The hell?"

"That's not even the worst part. Wilhelm looked me dead in the eyes, and with this... disgusting hollow, empty voice, he told me to 'wake up.' 'Realize my destiny,' that kind of shit."

"Finn?"

"Yeah, Jon?"

"What the hell are you smoking, and where the hell can I get some?!"

"Oh, for fuck's sake..."

"What the hell does this have to do with anything? Dude, that's a dream. And in the real life, you're fucking up. Finn, you have the ACTUAL BIGGEST MATCH OF YOUR CAREER COMING UP, and you're choosing to laze about. That's not the Finn Kühn I know."

"Jon, this is different. That dream, it just... I know it means something. I just don't know what. But trust me, Jon, I--"

*click*

He hung up. Finn stood slack-jawed, almost awed. Perhaps he was letting himself get away from him? It's true the difference between the Finn Kühn that stepped into the Xtreme Wrestling Federation and the Finn Kühn now was like night and day. Deciding to get some sleep, Finn shuffled his feet across the hard floor to his bed, opening the warm covers and letting himself sink into the bed.

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Unknown Date
Palace of Versailles
Versailles, France

"Oh for fuck's sake, not this again," Finn moaned as the Palace of Versailles materialized around him. Spotless floors covered the entire palace, with lavishly decorated walls around him. Finn moved quickly, trying to waste as little time as possible. Servants were dotted all over the place, moving as fast as they could to keep the palace maintained seamlessly. Peeking into whatever rooms he could find, Finn found nothing of value. As Finn continued his journey, he could hear snippets of conversation between the servants.

"Kaiser William macht einen guten Job bis jetzt. Deutschland wird zu einem stolzen Staat unter seiner Herrschaft." (Kaiser Wilhelm is doing a good job so far. Germany is becoming a proud state under his rule.)

"Bitte sei nicht absurd. Die meisten Bediensteten hier wissen, dass Bismarck das eigentliche Gehirn dieser Operation ist. Er hat die lebensverändernde Politik umgesetzt." (Please, don't be absurd. Most of the servants here know the real brains of this operation is Bismarck. He's been enacting the life-changing policies.)

"Und der Sieben Wochen Krieg? Bismarck mag wertvoll sein, aber Deutschland beweist ihre Macht dank Kaiser Wilhelm." (And the Seven Weeks War? Bismarck may be a valuable asset, but Germany is proving her might thanks to Emperor William.)

It seems as if opinion was divided on Kaiser Wilhelm, Finn noted as he walked through. Perhaps some of the servants would even be so bold to think that Wilhelm was a figurehead. As Finn walked down the hall still, he eventually came to a large set of wooden doors, perhaps pine? Whatever kind of wood they were, Finn stepped through...



The Marble Courtyard.

Words could not describe it's beauty. The floor was a beautiful cross of light and dark, lines zig-zagging across from each other. But that wasn't what Finn was focused on.

Straight ahead of him was Kaiser Wilhelm, with the Hohernzollern crown on. Much like last time, time began slowing to a crawl as the two men sized each other up. Finn felt his throat turning to parchment, much like last time, but he tried to keep control of himself.

"No more riddles. What the hell do you want with me? This isn't just a dream, is it?"

Wilhelm responded by waving his hand, and just like magic, the entire scenery, the Palace of Versailles, gone. Darkness creeped back, surrounding the two as Finn began getting nervous. Before he could speak however, a new scene was emerging, this one much more recent.

Quote:Finn rolls to the outside, seeking refuge, only for the big man to follow him. Finn tries to boot Cain in the knee again, but he's aware of it, and deftly dodges. He grabs the smaller man, and military presses him back into the ring over the top rope.

"Wait, isn't this..?" asked Finn, realizing what exactly this was. Wilhelm responded with silence.

Quote:Both men are now in the ring with the smaller man ascending the turnbuckles. He gets to the top turnbuckle, turns around to face his opponent one more time and then leaps off....


REVERSED!!!

Holy shitsnacks!!

Jack Cain just reversed Finn Kuhn's attempted moonsault into a TKO in mid air!


Cain with the cover...





1









2









3!!!

Winner: Jack Cain

"W̠̃ḛ̊a͖͋k̲̎.̣̌" Wilhelm spoke in his hollow voice, startling Finn. With another wave of his hand, another scene began showing itself.

Quote:Just then, Sinclair grabs him by the shoulder and spins him around, knee to the gut.

E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N!

Neville for the pin.


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2








3!





Jim Ross: Neville steals one here!

Huey D. Louie: He is the TV Champ and that is why! He survived, JR, real champions SURVIVE!

Tigs: The winner of this match...........and STILLLLLLLLLL XWF Television Champion..........Neville Sinclair!

Winner: Neville Sinclair

"P̛͍a̖̅ţ̒h̝̊e̜̓t͓͑ȋ͔c̰͐.͓̇" Wilhelm says with yet another wave of his hand, and another scene shift.

Quote:Kuhn throws his hands in the air and shrugs his shoulders before turning back around to go on the offensive once more.

Kuhn turns around..




THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED!





CADRYN’S PATENTED FINISHER!





BUT WAIT, FINN DUCKS UNDER IT AND BEGINS FIRING BLOWS TO THE CHAMPION!





FINN WHIPS HIM INTO THE ROPES AND CHARGES FOR A CLOTHESLINE!




CADRYN KICKS FINN IN THE STOMACH AND QUICKLY GRABS HIM!




FROM DUSK TILL DAWN!!!




CADRYNS CRUCIFIX PILEDRIVER!!




CADRYN NAILS IT, STRAIGHT INTO THE PIN!



1..



2…



3!!!!!!!

Everything just happened so fast! Cadryn retains the title, but more importantly who was the woman on the stage?!

Maybe Cadryn’s wife found out he was gay, yo..

WINNER AND STILL XWF HART CHAMPION CADRYN TIBERIUS

Finn winced at that last one, knowing that that time specifically he had the match won.

"F̟̎e̝̓ę̈́b͕̔l̳̄e̛̲.̳͝" Wilhelm spoke again. Before he could wave his hand again though, Finn spoke up.

"What the hell is the point of this?"

"D̹̃ôͅ ̻́y͙͊o̯̒u̢̾ ̲̀n̫̍o̭̓t͜͠ ̜͌s͇̀ĕ̖e͚̾,̫̓ ̺̈́F͎̓i̼̿n̖͗n̲͋?͓́ ̌ͅǏ̗n̩̚ ̢͒y̪͛o̰͊ǘ͚r̘̈́ ͖̐ċ͓ủ̝r̢̕r̫̃ė̖ń͔t̖͝ ̛̯s͎̍t͇̀a͙͗t̼́e͍̓,̠͊ ̲̇y̰̓ȯ̥ŭ̧ ̹̈́ă̺ŕ̹e̟̕ ͎̎i͖͑n͙͗ë̩p͓̿ṱ̏.̮̌ ͓͘U͓͝ṋ͊a͈̍ḇ̐l̛̹ē͚ ͚̀t̘̏ȯ͕ ̲̿g̖͊ȅͅt͉̂ ̘͊t͖̀ḣ͓e̞̐ ̪͐j̦͝o̬̚b͕͋ ̀ͅd͙͝ö̖n̝̕e̠̾.̺̌ ̢̆Ȳ̞ò̪u̥͌ ̖̉a̍͜r̢͌ẹ͒ ͎͒ẉ̅h͇̆a̗͆t̼̋ ̼͋ỵ̾ö̧́u̯͊ ͔͝c̹̾o͚̅n̜͗s̯͑t̮́ả̺ń̤t̢͝ļ͋y̤̓ ̫͛h͉̽e̩̾c̱͝k̰̇l̢͂e͎̊ ͎̿p̙̉ę̓o̟̒p̥͝ḷ͗ẽ͉ ͔̈f̘̾ȍͅr͍̈́ ̝̂b̲͌ȩ̀i̼͊n͇͠g̟̚.̬̆ ̳͋Y͎̍o̹͑u̐͜ ̱͆a͓͑r̯͋e͜͠.̭̆.̛̻.̭͂ ̧̛a͔͊ ͖͊m̻̎a͔̔ḡ̭g̺̑o̹̾t̟̏.̪͆"

Finn winced again. It was bitter, but perhaps it was the truth. Like it or not, he hasn't been able to get the job done in that ring.

"Y̞͝o̦̓ư̦ ̩̀c̠̆a̩͐n̗͝ ̺͝b͔̀ē͉ ͙͘s̬͝o̟̾ ̛̙m͉͐u͚͛c͖̃h̟̒ ̼͛m̤̈o͖̐r̘̍ĕ̩.̫͑ ͕͂Ĺ͖e͍̋à͚d̰̆ ̼͛t͉͒ȟ͇e̘͐ş̑e̹̽ ̏ͅv̬̅e̗͑r͎̈m̫̀ị̉ń͔ ̯͝t̉͜o̳͂ ̳̎t̰͗ḥ̌ĕ̲ ̢͂p̳̀r̞͘o͈̿m͔̋ì͔s̖͂e̘̅d͇̑ ̲̿ḷ͠ä̤́n̓ͅd̺͊.̹̒ ̺͐I̚ͅt̙͆ ̭͑i̫̚s͓̈ ̫͠y̬͗ő̱ǔ̜r̨̋ ̭̂b̤̋í̩r͔͝t͚̑h͕̆r̛̰i̜͐g͔̈́h̳͝t̰̆ ̪̅t̗̉o̡͝ ̺̿ť͔e͓̅ȁ̤c̦͋h̦͝ ̫̀t̺̅h̖͑ḛ̂ṡ̤e͔͆ ̣́p̲͘e̤̓ȏ̭ṕ̦l̖̔e͐͜ ̲̎t̝͌ḫ͊e͑͜ ͍͂e̩̒r̖̂r̘͝ǫ͋r͎̐ ̰̎o͚͋f̬͑ ̳̿t͔͒h̳͌ë͇́i̳͆ŕ̡ ̤̏w̪̆ȧ̠y̩̽s̢̿.͉̆"

"Birthright? What the hell do you mean by that?"

"Ṃ̀ŭ͈s̤̒t̳̆ ̻̅ỹ͚o̢͑u̳͊ ̹͐b̙̐e͔͒ ̟̃s͉̅o̡̎ ̙̿c̮͊o̜͂n̜̐t̡͗i̘͐ṇ̃u͕̍ỏ̡ů̢s͍̕l͙͑y̩̍ ̿͜d̩͝a͎͛f͇͆t̨̏?͕͝ ͇̕Ī̺ṯ̽ ̥́i̢͝ș̚ ͉̈ŷ͙o̻͒u̙̒r̪̈́ ̲̾b͙̓i̛̘ȓ̙t̼͠ȟ̞r̯͋ï͎ġ̙h͎͆ṭ̽,̥̍ ̠̒b̖͌e̝̾c̳͆a̙͒u̠̒s̺̔ȩ͗ ̧̈́y̰͋o͈̚u̹͗ ̹̓ḣ̯a̩̽i̜̔l̻͒ ̧̆f̯͝r̩͒ǒ̲m̜̿ ̯͗ǵ̹ŕ̦e̹͝á̫t̮͠n̹͝ě͖s̥͐s̪̓.̢̔ ̲͐Y̮͗o̰͂u̬͝ ̱͋ä͕r̟̎e̯̽ ̼͗m̭͂ỷ̗ ̤̇d̗͑e̠̓s̬̃c̟͝ẹ̓n̞̈́d͖͒ä̰́ǹ͇t̟͂.̟͗ ͉́F̭͒ȋ̺n͕̈́n̗̏ ̟̓Ḱ͔ü̙͋ḣ̭ń̳,͕͆ ̩̑y̰̆o̪͋ǘ̻ ̗̊ä̘́ṙ̥e͈̚.̘͝.͉͂.̝̏"

Ä͓́ ̈́͜K̹̽a͙̋i͚̚s̭͠ě͖ṛ͛.̱̑"

~FIN~