It was hot. The temperature reaching well above 96 degrees and the sun beat down mercilessly. I wiped a bit of sweat from my brow and took a moment to indulge myself with some much needed water. To think just a day ago I had snow around me! Where was I and where had I been for the last few days? A couple questions that plagued my mind pretty often but today I knew the answer to both. I had been climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and now I trekked along the ground level near the mountain. Tanzania was quite a leap from North Carolina and it would be a long trip I needed to take to reach my next destination, the Wells-Fargo Center located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Where I was to take on the European champ Neonero in a ladders match on my second appearance on Monday Night Madness. In retrospect...mountain climbing so close to a match probably wasn't a good idea. Most people wouldn't take on such a risk before jumping in a ring and battling it out. Then again most people aren't Jeff Hardy.

As I briskly walked towards the jeep I rented to arrive to this location I took note of the time. By my estimation I should be able to arrive back in the states and be ready to compete by Monday night. Than again I had never been a good judge at time. I began loading my equipment back into the jeep with the help of Tik Tok, my African guide/medicine man. His name very well could not have been TiK Tok but that's what I had been calling him for the last few days, what he's responded to. So that's what I'll refer to him as now. He was a good guy and understood English pretty well. Plus he introduced me to some herbs that literally changed my life. By my calculations that would have been the 32nd life changing moment for me. There could have been more and most likely there were but those 32 were the ones that stood out.

After loading all the gear back into the jeep Tik Tok handed me a bowl made from the horn of antelope that was packed to the brim with some of those crazy herbs. Naturally I hit it. I'm Jeff Hardy....of coarse I hit it. As I released a large cloud of smoke into the air my cell phone popped to life. Without looking at the caller id I answered.

Talk to me.

Jeff! I hope your on your way to the airport.

I smiled.

Pixie! Hello to you too. Yes, I'm on the way to the airport.

I took another hit from the antler bowl and climbed into the jeep.

Are you really?

I'm definitely on my way to be on my way.

I laughed and started the jeep up.

Jeff! This is serious. You don't want to give a bad impression on your second appearance on Madness.

Pause.

You're getting high aren't you?

Nooooo, that doesn't sound like something I'd be doing in a foreign country after scaling a mountain.

Jeff.

What? Ok...I'm definitely not, not smoking strange African herbs out of a bowl made from something that used to be connected to an antelope.

Jesus, Jeff! Ok but you promise you'll show up for Madness. You really don't wanna get on Mr. Heyman's bad side this early in your career with the XWF. Not everyone will accept the excuse - "Hey. I'm Jeff Hardy....what did you expect?".

Relax...I'll be there. Besides Paul knows what I'm doing and knows I might be a bit late.

A lie...Paul didn't know shit. He'd be fine though. I was almost a whole 48% sure at this point that I'd make it on time for Madness.

Does he? So when your late and I'm gonna guess you will be and he texts me......I should just tell him not to freak out and that he should just know you're gonna be there.

When he texts you...damn. Why would he text you?

Because, you hired me to keep track of your schedule. It's my job to get on your ass and remind you about your appointments and I also have to deal with the people you make appointments to. So don't make me deal with an irate Paul Heyman, Jeff.

So last week when we hooked up, I fucked someone I'm paying. Good to know.

Girl's gotta get some kinda bonus for working for your crazy and sporadic ass.

Touche.

Speaking of things you don't remember, ever figure out my name yet?

You mean...it's not Pixie?

I'm joking of course, I know her name isn't Pixie. I don't know it...but I do know that it's not really...Pixie. I mean I'm messed up in the head but I'm not that far gone....yet. She sighs but I can tell she's not annoyed.

Close enough I guess. Well I guess I'll see you when you get to the P.I.A. Figure this way we can go to the Wells Fargo Center together.

We'll see, I might make a stop before I head to the arena so I don't know.

Dammit Jeff, I know what that means! Fine, I'll meet you at the arena but promise me you're gonna show up.

Not a problem.

Promise me.

What's that.....I think the connection is breaking up.....

Very funny. You just better show up. I'm not gonna deal with Heyman pitching a fit and if he annoys me too much I'm gonna go into his office and relieve him of that ridiculous ponytail.

No worries, I'll be there.

With that we ended the call and I continued on my way to the charter plane that would take me to the airport.







Where angels fear to tread and morning glories dance inside my head. The sun shines upon me, soulless am I in the face of all. A puppet? A pauper? Lord and master of my domain? Nothing's the same. Strike down the heathens. Strike them down and bring forth more. This is a battle for not the faint of heart. The non-believers shun all they do not understand. Be it angels, demons or fairies' footprints on the sand. Tragic charlatans in a feeble castle of cards. Mocking the ruler of the extreme. King Jeffery who hails from the land of the X-treme. Coming to stir up trouble and shake things up. To rattle cages and leap off ladders. Mad! I must be mad! Mad as a hatter....perhaps? Or mad as a dog...maybe? To rock the boat and shake the shackles. To care not for thee as I care not for me. To dive, leap, and tumble. To fly for a second's timeline. To soar in the air and pay no qualm or query towards the impending crash. My body is a mere shell, a vessel to transport me from here to there. To aid my journey of running amok. I believe it shall serve it's purpose until the time fully transpires. No adventure comes without an end. No song starts without leading to a finish. So why not make it the very best while I can? Why not push all the chips in and bet all I got? Ride on the moment while it lasts. Take it for all it's got. There's no reason not to. Why not ride forward into the setting sun and continue straight on till morning......



Morning.

It's morning and I am on a plane. Not a different plane of existence although it very well could be to some. I'm on a plane headed for Philadelphia where my next match is soon to be had. To exchange blows with Neonero. Neonero the XWF's European champ is about to face a force he could not fathom to bear witness to let alone conjure the courage to fight. I bet he's sitting somewhere telling himself all is well in this neatly played out world of war. There is no such thing as a neatly played out war. A battle for a spot in the sun is still a battle no matter who the participants are. The only thing that changes is the outcome, What's to come when Neonero and I come face to face. Who walks out the winner and is rejoiced as such? Who walks out a loser and is sparked with the desire to retaliate? To wait for the moment that they can prove themselves once more. What will our roles be today Neonero?

The plane declines and the runway nears. I anticipate what's to come, what does today have in store for me? I know the idea of a loss is very far from my mind. Which means the loss is impossible. Is the loss looked at the same way by you Neonero? Do you see your loss as a fate that could never happen? Will you give it your all? I know I will. My all is a lot different than most people's so I doubt we could put you and I on a grid of comparison. I think like all the rest your all is something sub-level at best. If you don't believe me the proof will be when we step into the ring tonight. I hope you attempt to prove me wrong though. I hope you show something more to me than what I have you pegged out to be.

Truth be told I have a feeling you won't. Neonero, I think like the ones I faced before you and the ones I'll continue to face, you'll fall. Fall in the wake of the dawning of a new me. Destroyed and beaten. Yet another in the many, the many masses who will be laid to waste. Another soul with not enough potential. What you fail to have won't stop me Neonero. I won't feel pity for you. I won't feel bad for the man with lackluster abilities. Abilities that somehow got him this far only to have all he gained taken away. I will destroy you in that ring and then like an assembly line I will be greeted with the next challenger. That challenger shall fall and be replaced by the next. The cycle will not change or cease and I will show all who doubt me their doubts do nothing but encourage me. I am fueled to fly forward. Powered by the opposition for the simple need to crush it.

The plane comes to a full stop but my journey is far from over. Even once I reach the Wells-Fargo Center and claim another victory, my journey still isn't complete. It's funny to know that, but yet not where the journey leads fully...or if it will ever end. I suppose the true end of the journey will be when I can't compete any further. Until that moment I won't hesitate or falter. I won't fail to embrace every and any opportunity. I will seize the day and strive for more. Bask in the tidal wave of excellence as I continue to knock down anything and anyone that stands in my way. Brock Lesnar and Stone Cold felt my metamorphosis when I destroyed them in the ring. Neonero will too. So will anyone who claims a spot in the ring facing me. I am prejudiced against none. Watch out XWF....Jeff Hardy is coming to dominate. The king of extreme has come for his crown.