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Centurion · (09-26-2020)

(In most stories, a scary trip to the cemetery takes place in the middle of the night. The idea is to convey a sense of death – that in the darkness, you are surrounded by those no longer with us.

This story, however, takes place in the middle of the day.

Perhaps that is even scarier. At night, your mind can make up its own reality. I can make you think or believe whatever it wants. But during the day, you see the gravestones, the flowers, and the flags all first hand. There is nothing to imagine – the reality of loss hits you directly in the face. It isn’t a horror story – it’s real life. And most of the time, real life is more tragic than any story a writer can dream up.

We open up on the grounds of Laurel Memorial Park Cemetery in Egg Harbor, New Jersey. There, we see Centurion, clad in a suit and tie, walking through the grass and along a line of gravestones. Next to him is his tag team partner, Ruby, but she is not in her superhero gear. Rather, she is wearing a t-shirt and pants, all while looking utterly confused as she looks up at Centurion.

They walk a few feet before Centurion stops, causing Ruby to stop, as well. Ruby looks around, still expecting to hear some kind of instruction or explanation, but Centurion just stands, silent. Ruby, never one to be rude or disrespectful, just lets the silence hang in the air, even if her natural curiosity tells her to speak up. Finally, Centurion speaks up and breaks the silence.)

Centurion: You know, I thought long and hard about whether or not to bring you here. Everything in my brain tells me that this is an incredibly bad idea. But it’s like a BandAid, right? You just have to rip it off, no matter how much it hurts?

Ruby: Maybe? If I had any idea what it is you’re referring to.

(Centurion continues to just stare in front of him, not responding to Centurion’s comments. Ruby continues to look around for some kind of clues, until a gravestone several feet in front of Centurion catches her eyes. She squints, as it is difficult to make out at such a distance. She slowly walks forward, approaching the stone, and as she does, her eyes widen in shock as she reads the engraving.)

Nikolas Cortinovis
September 5 – October 9, 2009
Beloved son. Always in our hearts.

(As Ruby stares at the gravestone, Centurion slowly walks up behind her.)

Ruby: Is…is that…

Centurion: It’s my son. Would have been eleven this month. You have no idea how excited I was. Nellie is a blessing in my life, but to start from the beginning of somebody’s life – to watch them be molded into a human being based on your actions…I was so ready for it. But he never had a chance.

Ruby: I’m so…

Centurion: Nope, don’t say it. I’m not looking for pity. I have been hearing people tell me that they’re sorry for my loss for eleven years, and after a while – it loses its meaning. The only person who should be sorry…is me.

(Centurion gestures to the gravestone next to Nikolas’, which causes Ruby to turn her attention toward it.)

In Memory Of:
Nikita Petrenko
March 6, 1989 – November 14, 2017
Interned: Lutsk, Ukraine

Centurion: Nikita…she was my wife. A passionate woman who fought for freedom and justice. She was kind, but she refused to be stepped over. She didn’t own a mask and a cape…but she sure as hell deserved to.

Ruby: I…don’t understand. Why did you bring me here?

Centurion: If you’re going to get close to me, I wanted you to see me – the REAL me. I always tried to live my life the true, honest way, but I have an awful lot of demons. Nikita and I got divorced before she died because I had an affair. I had a perfect life, and I threw it away for money, power, and greed. I’m not a superhero, Ruby. I’m far from it.

(Centurion slowly walks over to Nikita’s headstone and places his hand on it.)

Centurion: Growing up, I always wanted to be someone who did things “the right way”…but as I grew older, and became richer, more powerful, more famous…I forgot what “the right way” really was. After I was separated from the WGWF, I went away. I went FAR away. I hid from everyone and everything, because I didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore like I hurt Nikita. Slowly but surely, my family has forgiven me for my past transgressions – all but one. One that will never get the opportunity.

(Centurion looks down at the headstone as Ruby continues to watch and listen intently to Centurion.)

Centurion: I’m not a good person, Ruby. I’ve hurt people – lots of people. People I love. And every single move I’ve made in my life since that moment has been to make up for those moments, but no matter what happens, I’ll never be a hero. I’ll never be Nikita…I’ll never be…you.

(Centurion looks to be a bit emotional, but he keeps it together. Ruby, meanwhile, slowly walks over to Centurion and places her hand on Centurion’s arm in a caring manner. She looks up at Centurion with soft eyes and a slight smile.)

Ruby: All superheroes have an origin story, Cent. A lot of them aren’t gumdrops and rainbows. They are dark and gritty. A person is not dictated by the mistakes they have made. They are only held down by the lessons they refuse to learn. You are a good person, Cent. I’ve seen you go above and beyond for folks without looking for so much as a thank you. Heck, you flew to flippin’ Laos with me so we can bring some scammers to justice!

(Centurion lets out a slight laugh as he remembers the adventures – and misadventures – that the Sisterhood Of Besties *Name Change Pending* found themselves in in Laos.)

Ruby: Who does that?! Do you think a bad person does that? Would a villain help a hero deal with a family situation without seeking any sort of payment?

Centurion: …I suppose not. But that wasn’t me trying to be a hero…

Ruby: I know. That’s what MAKES you one. It’s not in the big moments with the spotlight on you that makes you a hero. It’s the little things, seen by so very few. It’s standing up to a political bully who tries to intimidate your daughter. It’s adopting a cat while intoxicated and taking excellent care of her. It’s allowing a wayward Slav sleep on your couch, even when he smells like mayonnaise and cigarettes.

Centurion: To be fair, it was safer for the world if he was inside rather than out.

Ruby: Of course…poor Boris.

Centurion: But I’m still not…you. I’m not perfect.

Ruby: You think I’m perfect? I most absolutely am not! I have made plenty of mistakes in my life. But I always try to learn something from it. I see every valley in my life as an opportunity to grow. And that’s what you’re doing, right now. I don’t need you to be perfect, Cent. Nobody does. The world just needs you to be the best darn Centurion you can be, and you’ve gone above and beyond that.

(Centurion looks back down at Nikita’s headstone, before looking back as Ruby. He takes a deep breath, but isn’t able to say anything. Instead, Ruby extends her arms out, and uses her hands to motion for a hug.)

Ruby: Come here, big guy. Give Rubes a hug.

(Centurion obliges, and he wraps his arms around Ruby. Ruby then squeezes Centurion, which causes Centurion to go from sad, to relaxed, to happy, and finally to slightly uncomfortable. Ruby’s grip continues to get tighter, and Centurion lifts his head to try and tell her.)

Centurion: Ugh, Rubes…

Ruby: It’s ok, let it all out, bud. That’s some cologne you’ve got there. Is that PineSol?

Centurion: Alright.

(Centurion is able to break the hold, and Centurion brushes his jacket off. He looks slightly annoyed, but Ruby has a giant smile on her face. As Centurion finishes adjusting his suit, he looks back over at Ruby.)

Centurion: What’s with the grin? Why are you smiling like that?

Ruby: Because my hug worked…you’re not sad anymore.

(The slightly annoyed Centurion looks around. She’s right – Ruby’s unusual methods have caused Centurion to get out of his own head and have allowed him to be more present. This woman is a shaman.)

Centurion: You think Robert and Chris will be able to hug some sense into me?

Ruby: I don’t think they will be as friendly as I was, but hey, you never know!

(Centurion just shakes his head and goes to walk away, but as he goes to walk by Ruby, she stops him.)

Ruby: Hey, one more thing.

(Ruby reaches up to Centurion’s face and brushes a few hairs away from his eyes. Centurion starts to get a sweaty, nervous feeling, He closes his eyes, but as he does, he feels a rubber band feeling around his head. He opens his eyes and notices that Ruby has slipped a green mask over his eyes.)

Ruby: There…I think you’ve earned these.

------Your voice is the splinter inside me------

I’ve said it over and over this week. Robert Main. Chris Page. Cataclysm…

…Centurion can not beat you.

Centurion is an old, broken down man whose confidence has been shattered. Centurion is someone who has dropped the ball in every major match he has had since April. If there is one thing I know, it’s that Centurion is not ready to face the two of you in the ring at Relentless.

…HOWEVER, I do believe Ruby deserves a partner in that match, and the XWF deserves to have a tag team title match Saturday night. So, I searched high and low for a suitable partner for the Banana Lime Blur. I went on Twitter and Instagram, and Tik-Tok – whatever the hell that is – and in the end, I found someone who is ready to step up to the big time. I found someone who can not only stack up to the two of you, but best you in a battle of good vs evil. So tomorrow night, from Alcatraz Island, Cataclysm will defend the XWF Tag Team Titles against the NEW Sisterhood Of Besties*- Ruby and her partner…

[Image: fb7402641e81b4697549539bc5a81571_35.jpg]

[Image: fb7402641e81b4697549539bc5a81571_35.jpg]

SUPER CENT!

Yes, evildoers! Gone are the days of the old Centurion! No longer will the focus be on winning titles and boosting a career, but it will now be on serving up a big old slice of justice! And who better to begin this journey against than the biggest set of villains in this wrestling company – Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis!

See, boys and girls, the super villains of Cataclysm want us all to believe that they are possessed by evil demons, but we know the truth, don’t we! Just like in Scooby Doo, it is not a ghost, but rather Old Man Whethers behind the sheet! It is not demons or beasts that haunt the mind of Cataclysm, but rather it is Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis who attempt to scare us out of the house!

And how do they attempt to accomplish such a goal, boys and girls! Why, they say mean, nasty words in a dark room while flipping through a Thesaurus in order to get you all to forget that they show the same footage over and over again! Yes, fans, Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis like to talk about “cut and paste” promos, but what have they given you over the course of the past two weeks? Why, nothing more than the same words over and over again! Throw in calling me “boring” and calling Ruby “a fake superhero” and we have ourselves Trash Talk Bingo!

Let this be a lesson to you, boys and girls. The biggest bullies – those who try their hardest to be as mean as possible – are usually hiding some insecurities about themselves. The members of Cataclysm may be loud and grandiose, but once you hear them speak once…you’ve heard them speak all the time. How long do we have to watch Cataclysm torture Adam Barker before we get the point?

Aye, and there it is, boys and girls. There IS no point! It’s just evil for evil sake! Think of your favorite superhero comics, or movies, or any other genre. The best villains are usually the ones that you can at least somewhat sympathize with, are they not? Sure, their plans may be diabolical, but you can understand why they do it. They have some sort of sad story, some noble cause that just gets twisted up in their heads and makes them go crazy.

But not Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis! No sir, they just do bad things because they find it “interesting”. And maybe, at first, people were interested. Who doesn’t love a good horror flick once and a while? But could you imagine watching the same horror movie over and over again, and most of it is just two people talking about nothing? Why, that wouldn’t be very interesting at all, would it?

There is no “plan” for Cataclysm. Once they’re taken down, or once someone shines the spotlight on them, it’s done. So my question is – what is it you truly want, Cataclysm? And I’m not looking for the “death and destruction of our enemies” answer. We know that one. We’ve heard that one. We’re tired of that one. What do you REALLY want? Acceptance? Respect? A hug? Because I can give you a hug. I’ve gotten pretty dang good at them.

If you can not answer that question for yourselves, then turn to your partner and ask if of them. Why are THEY doing what they’re doing? Do they know? Do your goals line up with one another? If you can’t answer those questions, maybe you’re in this for the wrong reasons.

Not that your reasons matter at this point anyway. You still have a lot to atone for! Your attack on Anarchy, for example. Was there a purpose to that? Were you trying to send some kind of message – that the evil Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis were going to destroy Ruby? Or, was it more strategic then that? Were you afraid to step into this match with Ruby at 100%, knowing she has more skill and agility than the two of you ever had?

That’s right, I said it! You may doubt Ruby’s skills and downplay her accomplishments all you want, but the only reason you’re doing so is because you see the writing on the wall – the end is near. The future is upon us, and Ruby IS that future. You may see some little girl who plays dress up. I see a Bonafide superstar. I see the future of professional wrestling. I see someone who will finally turn this business around, and save it from ne'er-do-wells like you. You can block the path of progress all you want, but in the end, time takes us all. Whether Ruby is on top of this federation Saturday night, or a year from now, or five years from now, it’s GOING to happen, and no amount of villainous stables is going to stop her.

As for me? Well, I know my worth now. I may not be able to bring about the change I want to bring on my own, but I can boost those that I know can. My legacy will not just be made based on my own accomplishments in the ring, but also on the number of great superstars I was able to elevate along the way, and the positive impact I have on the business.

Do you want me to tell the world your little secret, Cataclysm? I’m sure you don’t, but given you’ve said some pretty horrible things about me and my esteemed partner this week, I think it’s time to let the boys and girls in on the thing you are hiding the most from everyone. We know you’re dark and mysterious. We know you’re evil and chaotic. We know you have all the skills in the world. But you want to know what everyone DOESN’T know about you?

…it’s that you’re not as tough as you think you are.

That’s why you talk about draining the blood out of your opponents, and pulling fingernails out of managers, and all of the other things that make you Cataclysm – it’s because you have weaknesses, and you don’t want anyone to know about it. This is what will be your ultimate downfall. Me? I’ve shown you my weaknesses. They are well documented. If you’re still not sure, give Shawn Warstein a call – he’ll be more than willing to give you a list. But you two? You act like you are infallible. You act as if you can not be defeated. This is all a lie, and while you may have the audience fooled, the two people you haven’t been able to fool are yourselves. And secretly…you’re scared.

You’re scared because you have tied your entire identities to being these unbeatable tough guys who dominate all their opponents and brutalize everyone in their path. You’re scared because the moment those tag titles are gone, the entire illusion is gone, as well. And Mud Mask and Midlife Crisis, or The Beast and The Omega, just go right back to being who they truly are…Robert Main and Chris Page. Identities you have tried to bury.

This mask I put on, to become “Super Cent”? I did it to prove a point. The moment I put this mask on and stood in my superhero pose, you laughed. You both did. I know you did, because I know you’re kind. You think the whole thing was childish, and no matter how many masks I may put on my face, or what kind of clothes I may wear, I’ll always be “Old Man Centurion”, the boring failure, to both of you.

And yet, you try to put on these masks and cake yourselves in makeup to try and create new identities for yourselves. You hope all the screaming and the spiked jackets and the “I haven’t showered in months” look will make people believe you’re something new…but you’re not. You’re still Robert Main, the man who took his ball and went home when Unknown Soldier got the jump on him. You’re still Chris Page, the man who failed in 19 Universal Title matches, and tried very unsuccessfully to lead an invasion of WGWF washouts into the XWF to tear it down from within.

In the end, this isn’t a story of good vs evil. It’s not a story of David vs Goliath. It’s actually a tragedy – a sad story of two men who had to become someone else in order to keep their heads above water. The story of two men who think they have pulled the wool over everyone’s eyes, when in fact, all they’ve done is fooled themselves into thinking they’ve become “evil”. Trust me, I can not wait until the episode of Warfare one year from now when Adam Barker walks out on stage, all of his fingers intact, pointing and laughing because he and the two of you think you “put one over on us.” I may be boring, but you’re predictable. You have followed the same sad story every wrestler going through a crisis of confidence has – align yourself with someone you previous hated, create a brand new “persona”, get some of your closest friends to film some spooky stuff, and pretend like you’ve created a brand new approach to professional wrestling. This would hold more weight if I didn’t see Shane

“kill” himself or Lux suddenly turn himself into “The Engineer”.

I don’t know for sure if the Sisterhood of Besties* are going to walk out of Relentless as tag team champions. What I do know is that we’re going to try harder than any team has tried before us. We’re going to bring a bigger fight than anyone else has brought to Cataclysm. And Cataclysm is walking in, expecting this to be a complete walk in the park. Cataclysm is going to experience their worst nightmare, however – they’re going to be exposed. They’re going to walk into the front gates of Alcatraz looking like monsters, and they’re going to walk out looking like frauds. And it will be a “naïve little girl” and a “broken old man” who do it to them. At that point, it no longer matters who the champions are. The veneer is off…

…though, let’s be honest, we all know it’s going to be the Sisterhood of Besties* that walk away with those belts. The parade we’re going to have in downtown San Francisco is going to be awesome! And most of you are invited. It has no start time – it’s just going to begin the moment Robert Main and Chris Page meet their…

FINAL FANTASY!!!

*Name change pending

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