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XXXVI · (08-04-2025)

Karma (/ˈkɑːrmə/ is an ancient Indian concept that refers to an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences.

Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of his fury will fail. (Proverbs 22:8 ESV)

XXXVI had felt that it was karma that he was alone, that he was being punished…but for what? To his knowledge, he had not done anything particularly bad. He didn’t deserve this, did he?

His lease was up. Nothing remained to keep him in his current place, so XXXVI left. He chose not to renew. He sold what he could of his possessions and donated the rest. He knew he may have some inheritance from his parents, but he had not sought to find out on principle. The pain of loss was crippling at times and the last thing he wanted was a handout. He vowed to take a break from drinking and drugs and seek out meaning. After all, this life is short.

With only the clothes on his back, he set out for a one-way trip, before travel restrictions were in full effect. Ironically, the first time he’d donned a mask, aside from Halloweens past, was on the plane. He set out on a journey that would forever change him. First stop? India. With nothing else to lose, XXXVI left everything he knew in favor of adventure.

When he arrived, he began with typical tourist fare, the spiritual walking tour of Dehli, yoga classes outside the Taj Mahal, real Eat, Pray, Love activities. But he wanted more. He wanted to dig deeper, but also, he wanted to be a ghost. His lot was to be the son of rich people, eating from a silver spoon, but now he was without a family or purpose. Money wouldn’t soothe the pain or fill the emptiness. He was raised in a church. Taught of a god and a Jesus who was supposed to do just that. He never felt the presence of said god. He prayed the prayer as a child, raised his hands and his voice in worship. If god existed, his response was silence and then to take away all that XXXVI loved. If god existed, he could only be cruel, he thought. But maybe he didn’t. Maybe there are no gods, or he had been praying to the wrong one. Not one to be content with all that was known, he sought out another story. This led him to a temple in India, also known as a Mandir and to Sanatana Dharma, or Hinduism.

Behind the mask

“Dear Ozymandias, it’s time we meet again, however under different circumstances. This time, we meet as opponents. See, the irony of this is that now, everything has changed. Weeks ago, we both had opportunities to face off for the chance to become number one contender for the Revolution championship. You won your “challenge” if you can call it that and I, unfortunately came up short in my endeavors against JC Keeton. Since then, and on the same night, you showed your true colors…yellow and attempted to sabotage my opportunity for gold and your best pal teekay became Revolution champion. Now, in a brilliant move from mister Stars, you must defend your right to fight for contendership on Anarchy. I believe it has been said that karma bites like a female canine.”

“But the real question is, do you even want this? You showed your so-called loyalty at Leap of Faith to Them No Good Bastards, so, if you were to make an example of me and mister Knuckles were to retain, would you even put up a fight against Keeton? Would you really give your all to waste TV time in a nothing match against your best friend, where you simply take the loss with no hesitation? I certainly will not be as easy to beat as the American Storm and I’ll be out for blood after that stunt you pulled at Leap of Faith. You call it loyalty, I call it cowardice.”

“Is this what you teach your students? This is the example you want to set for them? Put on a show. Go hard in the ring. Unless you’re booked against a friend or a brother…or you’re just not feeling it that day. Always show up physically, but sometimes it’s okay to phone it in. What a fucking joke. So I get a second chance to face JC Keeton, to even the odds, if I take you out. Good. I’d say that beating you and doing it soundly would be a wake up call, but at this point I don’t know that you are capable of waking. You do seem to be going through the motions as of late. Sure you have a few wins, but what are your goals? What are you striving for? Is this just to collect a pay check? What does Mr. Oz want? Is it stagnation? Only you have the answers and I have neither the time nor the patience to hear them. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll bring the same energy I brought when I nearly ended the career of Frances Marigold and if you bring the same energy that you have brought lately, there can be only one outcome. Me. On top. Moving on to bigger and better things and you…just rotting away in real time. Make your choice, Oz. I’ve made mine.”

“Oswald, I refer to you as Ozymandias, both as a reference to the Shelly poem, which concludes that nothing lasts forever and to Adrian Veidt of Watchman. A hero who lived long enough to become the villain. Only I wish you had killed the Comedian at Leap of Faith instead of laying down for him. If you had, perhaps I would have cause to spare you from the embarrassment and the violent beating that I will unleash. See you Anarchy. Until then, sleep with one eye open, you inglorious bastard.”

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