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Eyes Closed
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cblack
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#1
02-17-2023, 07:55 PM

The bright lights of New York City glisten off the wet pavement, rain falling from above. The streets aren't barren and the traffic seems to be few and far between. Not a single taxi is on the street, no cars come by, it's desolate. Nestled in an unassuming corner of a block, a red door leading to a building between two taller ones opens, out steps a man with a black hoodie on. His hood covers his head but long dark hair sticks out, a beard and the hair on his head. His pants are camo joggers and he's wearing white sneakers. The red door closes slowly behind him as he trots down three steps to the sidewalk and makes his way to his right, heading down the block. No other people in sight, no cars, just the hum of a couple neon lights that glow above. The first is a strip club, right next door to where he exited. About a block down is a subway entrance, he heads down those stairs into the station.

Here, a train rumbles and comes flying by, seemingly stopping on a dime. He gets on and it too is devoid of any humans. He looks around, this time a little puzzled, and we can see the face of Corey Black for the first time maybe a little worried. Alas, the subway train begins moving, taking Corey for what seems like quite the trip into the city's heart.

Lights on the train flicker as is comes screeching to a stop, the doors explode open with such force that is sends dust through the air. Corey stands up and heads out, walking over to the stairs and looking up. The rain is so treacherous now that a stream of water comes down, step by step. He chugs through, his shoes getting soaked, but he's out into the night air once again, this time deep in the city and yet - no people again. Video billboards flash and dance, neon lights still glow, but Corey is the only person standing on the streets. He's dumbfounded, yet the task must go on.

He walks a block to his left and into a black door, using a card to enter. Finally, there are signs of life as in the distance, down a hallway, the recognizable thud of a body hitting a mat echoes. Corey walks closer, another thud, then a series and a grunt. Lights grow brighter as Corey Black steps into a facility that has a five ring setup, some large posters featuring his face on them from WCF and Action Wrestling, and finally a large banner on the back wall - Burning Hammer Dojo. Corey peels his hoodie off and slides into the ring the two men are wrestling in.

"Alright, Joey, show me what you got," Corey says, motioning to the smaller man in white. Joey rushes over and Corey locks his leg around Joey's, rolls through and grabs the ankle. The taller man laughs and dives in to check if Joey is going to tap! He doesn't, Corey wrenches and wrenches but no submission. Corey finally lets go after one last hard twist.

"You gotta let that one go. Nothing is on the line here, live to fight another day," Corey says, extending his hand and helping Joey up.

Joey hops and reaches for his foot, cracking it by pulling his toes to his backside and says "listen, what do you have to fight for? You're heading to Vegas for a fight that has no upside. No prize. You can't move up the card, you surely can't move down, there's no titles, no implications - so what gives?"

The taller man, who happens to be Japanese, wearing black tights and his long dreadlocked hair pulled back in a ponytail, steps in and speaks; "sometimes, Joey, the prize isn't something as easily seen."

"He's right, but so are you," Corey says, hitting the mat and rolling to the floor. "I have nothing to gain and yet I'm not going to tap out if Kido-san torques my ankle like that. Stuff like this, the Denzel Porter Invitational, the Tara Fenix show, hell even CCPE verses the World - it's the biggest stages, in front of the most eyes outside Action Wrestling. The names on this show, wrestling before me, shit man. Unfathomable. And yet here I am, top of the card, night two, against a man I've wanted to wrestle for months now. It's a blessing. But when it's over, it's just that. It's over. The trajectory is a linear path, it's just that the path is what it's all about."

Joey sits down, putting his hand on his head. He thinks for a second, "I think I get it," he says.

"Good, now I'm sorry I was late, you guys stop freestyling and get to some drills. I want twenty laps," Corey says, laughing to himself. The two in the ring groan, Corey walks away but throws a bird into the air, flipping them off behind him as he walks into an office space. The smile on his face quickly turns to stone, his demeanor all but shifts to intensity. His breathing becomes deeper, chest puffing out, in through his nose and out through his mouth. A bookshelf behind his desk is pushes, revealing a hidden passageway. Stone walls in a darkened hallway for a few feet before opening to a black ring with a dim light pointed to it, instead of ropes the squared circle is encased by chains. It's grimy back here, desolate and cold. But it's Corey's oasis. His personal hell. Where he comes to exercise the demons he holds within and work on himself. He steps into the ring, looking to his right. Sneering. Serious.





"It's respect, right?

Respect for the game. For the ring. For the people that walk down that aisle week in and week out to do what they should be saying they love, and yet they don't. The billionaires that are already driving top of the line cars and living in mansions giving professional wrestling a try just for the fun of it, or because daddy didn't treat them well enough and they have all this boo-hoo pent up aggression they need to release and what better place than between the ropes? The supermodels that are already worldwide known, millions of followers on Instagram, paid hefty prices to shill lipsticks and bags to the masses and they decide that it's time to risk it all, busted lip, broken nose, black eye to step onto the sacred mat and do battle with men three times their size.

I'm sick and tired of seeing CEOs and Fortune 500 owners and football team heads walking into the sport I love so much that I gave up everything for.. and in return I was given everything back because I am the very fucking best.. but they treat this like it's a hobby. Playing games with people's lives for their own enjoyment. I've seen grown ass men that could feed a town in the Midwest for a year on their salary burn down another grown ass man's mother's home just because he lost a wrestling match. I've watched Chris Page grow an empire of clueless droids and fill his stable of purebred racehorses to become one of the biggest and most well known promoters, all while doing his damnedest to hold down the best and brightest just because they won't kneel at his fat fucking feet. Has nothing to do with the sport, just lining this dipshit's pockets.

Raion Kido and Corey Black, we're a rare breed, man. We stand up for what we believe in no matter who may be across that ring from us. That's what it should be about. Two men who love this doing battle for respect, admiration and pride.

Raion the Lion is young, and in his infant career he's amassed a great success. Enough that it caught my eye and I wanted to test myself against this young Japanese stallion. I have a massive respect for his homeland and the ways most of his brothers from the Land of the Rising Sun view professional wrestling. It was in Japan where I was really able to spread my wings albeit under a mask. My roots run deep into the soil there. I've even made it a habit to make a run to Little Tokyo for some eggs and rice on my off days.

We can speak fondly of our journeys through the great island nation for weeks, Kido-san. But that isn't the purpose of this contest. This is pride, great Lion. A showcase of two men that feel that they got the short end of the stick the last time we were a part of the same show. The World, they called us, losers at the end of the night. Familiar faces, unfamiliar circumstances but a ploy all the same. No games for this one, I promise you. No hidden agendas, no half smiles, just pure professional wrestling.

That's us. Our kindred spirits. I gave up the life I had to remember what it was like to be a young, scrapping man trying to find a foothold in this business. I literally lived in a castle up on a cliff. A whole village - I thought - depended on me to help them. I was their King, Raion, not just a fancy nickname but a true and willing leader. I've had men and women tell me I was worthless, I am a broken old piece of shit, I wouldn't be anything outside my pond of Action Wrestling and I've spit in each one of their fucking faces and shown them that not only is Corey Black the measuring stick, I am the guy you should be trying to take down and boost your own name into the stratosphere. You? You don't need that. You're making your own path, you don't need this to catapult yourself any further.

Unbelievably, I like you Kido-san. I really do. You and Ryleigh being all cute together, she's gushing about the man you are, and you back that shit up. I'm not going to flip this script on you, the better man will walk away with the win and that is how it always should be. Honor, respect, dignity, integrity. I teach those values to the next generation of wrestler at my Dojo and when this is all over, I hope you'll come make a guest training seminar for them. I'll gladly sit in, maybe you can teach this old dog a thing or two.

Maybe you can't, though.

I've been doing this longer than you've walked the planet. Most would think that gives you the edge here, what with my withering body and psyche - but that couldn't be further from the truth. You tap into the fighting spirit and find your inner strength just as I do, but yours is bright and energetic. Mine? Well, mine Kido-san is dark and menacing. I don't LIKE to hurt people, especially people like you. However.. I know that's what it'll take. And I am willing to go that extra distance to ensure you will not be able to recover in any reasonable amount of time if that is what victory for me is to be.

Inside those ropes, on that sacred mat, you know as well as I do any and all admiration, respect or reverence is left on the floor. Whether you're a scumbag cult leader or a Maxim top one hundred model - I don't have a God to appease nor a deity to will me on, I just have dignity.

And as of late, the only thing people want in this world is to take that from me.

Last year at this event you were looking on from the crowd as I ripped and tore Brandon Moore into fucking pieces. He thought he could step up to Corey Black and he soon found out that when you're in there with me, it isn't finger painting. I'm there to use your blood and make a masterpiece on that canvas. Whether you leave under your own power or not is up to the fight in the soul I am against.

Raion Kido, I welcome your challenge and I am honored you accepted. Don't mistake my courtesy for weakness, you already have a barb in your appendage that I will not ignore. I will take the Lion by his toe and I will not remove the thorn from your paw, no, I will drive it deeper into your flesh until you can take no more. I won't become another name in your hall of conquests, another checkmark you can point to and use as a bargaining chip.

Don't send me a Bento Box, don't call upon the words of Athena - just fucking wrestle me, Kido-san, grant me this and maybe one day we will call upon one another to join in battle instead of test against each other's will. As iron sharpens iron, blood for blood does the same."





Whatever Corey was talking into, he reaches for and covers. Moments pass, he turns and marches out of his hidden training grounds and back into the Burning Hammer Dojo. The two men in the ring training are still lunging laps, Corey puts his hand up.

"Alright boys, that's enough. Pack it up, let's get out of here and get something to eat," Corey says, Joey and the other man nod.

"Gonna hit the shower first, shit was crazy out there when I came in!" Joey exclaims. Corey looks at him and shakes his head, then hears honking outside. He rushes over to the front door of the facility and bursts through, into a hustling and bustling New York City with people as far as the eye can see, traffic lined up and no rain whatsoever. The night sky, in fact, is a wonderful hue of pink, purple and blue with white stars sprinkled throughout. Corey can't believe his eyes, the city is finally speaking to him.

But what does he say back?
[-] The following 2 users Like cblack's post:
Atticus Gold (02-17-2023), Theo Pryce (02-18-2023)




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