"Never Meet Your Heroes"

by **krzy** Sat Aug 24, 2019 1:19 am

Brett Angel casually strolls onto the stage to rapturous applause from this enthusiastic crowd. Some cheer, some laugh, some cry, some are currently rushing back from the bathroom, but just about all of them, save for Jamie, Chris and Oliver, are happy to see that “THE OUTCAST” BRETT ANGEL is in the building tonight. He saunters over to the announce table.

— MR. DASHING —
You...you want me to get up? But Brett... there are two empty chairs around.

Angel shrugs and sits down on Dashing instead, knocking off his glasses in the process.

— BRETT ANGEL —
I AM—

And just as they’ve done for years, the crowd finishes up for Angel.

— BRETT ANGEL —
And if you all remember that, then you can definitely remember last week when I was given the absolute PRIVILEGE of facing the living legend himself, Bob LUGER, in his grand return to CMV! Bob Luger is everything I could ever hope to be in this life of mine. A former Alpha World Champion, part of a successful stable, unpleasant to look at, a fighter, a survivor, but most importantly, Bob Luger has some really nice pants that I can only dream of pulling off.

Angel tone indicates a jovial mood, but those gray eyes of his betray that. They’re cold, just as they’ve been all year, and soon his tone shifts to match that.

— BRETT ANGEL —
I wanted to start this on a positive note. Maybe you forgot in your time away: Xander Slate is mine and mine only, and unlike Adam Scott, I’m not in the business of sharing the men in my life.

But, hey, look, with that said, that puts me in the unique position of understanding where you’re coming from. Our King has a way of making us so mad we see red and can’t see straight. So I’m hoping that by now you’ve come to terms that when Ascendance rolls around...Xander Slate will stand across the ring from me, not you, and not anyone else. Last year, I got a taste. This year, I’m going to finish him once and for all.

I don’t want to leave you directionless, so I put together a list of options for you.

Angel begins absent mindedly stroking his scarf. Dashing stirs uncomfortably. His legs must have fallen asleep by now. A slide of Tim LaFave shows up on the titantron.

— BRETT ANGEL —
I’d personally love to see this one again. Doesn’t he have his name written on a vest? I know I wouldn’t want my likeness on such a tacky piece of clothing.

The next slide is of the Milkman, Randy Borton, himself.

— BRETT ANGEL —
Maybe a heart to heart with your brother will teach him how to fight his own battles so you don't have to go playing hero.

Current International Champion Chris Proudfoot follows up.

— BRETT ANGEL —
Since I'm taking Slate off your hands, you can do me this favor. This foot's been up my ass for a few months now. Go ahead and give him the once over and pass the notes along to me.

The next slide doesn't immediately appear.

— BRETT ANGEL —
C’mon guys, I was getting into a nice groove.

This isn't a slide, but a video. A familiar voice blasts through the speakers.

— COP —
IN THE FIRST EVER IMPLOSION MAIN EVENT, BRETT ANGEL HAS JUST BEATEN CHRIS ADAMS TO WIN HIS FIRST WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP!

Angel's head whips around toward Dashing.

— BRETT ANGEL —
This is you isn't it? Turn this off!

Angel stands then slaps the announce table in frustration.

— COP —
BRETT ANGEL HAS DONE IT! HE HAS OUTLASTED 29 OTHER MEN AND IS YOUR ROYAL RUMBLE WINNER!

The video shifts again.

— COP —
And the Glammy for the Superstar of the Year goes to… Brett Angel!

The crowd cheer and applaud Brett Angel, but he stays on the announce table in both frustration and confusion. A man walks onto stage, but stays away from the spotlight. All we can see is his silhouette.

— ??? —
You really do have a resume a mile long, don’t you, Outcast?

The man turns his head toward Angel. Still blacked out, a slight magenta gleam appears by his eyes.

— ??? —
So, you should be facing Xander Slate at Ascendance, eh? I guess that does make sense, you two go way back. Not to mention, he was the man who said things about Rosemary that I wouldn't dare think, much less say out loud. A regular man may forget, but you, you are truly inspirational, you never forget. Anybody can see this is what you want, one last match with the plague of your life, this time on the grandest stage of them all. It truly has been a long time coming, all culminating here, Ascendance VII.

But ask yourself this, is this truly what you need? Brett, look at that man on the screen. When I look at you now, I don’t see that man. I haven’t seen that man in months now. All I see now is someone… no, something that spits in the face of the legacy of Brett Angel and spits in the face of each and every one of you who have ever invested in him.

The crowd lash out at the mystery man for insulting one of their favorites.

— ??? —
I guess it really is true, you either die an angel, or live long enough to become a demon. And here you all, the man we all thought to be invincible, now nothing more than another victim to the sands of time.

Angel cocks his head to the side, really going out of his way to consider what the man has to say.

— BRETT ANGEL —
I have to say... "Brett Demon" doesn’t quite roll off the tongue the same way. Maybe after this we can go out, grab some drinks and workshop the idea to see what sticks. I know it took a lot of courage to come out here and make that recommendation. Wish I knew your name so I can properly thank you. And you are, who?

The man turns to face Angel, and brings the mic up.

— ??? —
I—

— BRETT ANGEL —
CARES! You don't think I know I'm not the man I was before? Nobody wants him back more than ME. But that Brett Angel only had one tragedy weighing on his soul. Since then, I've had countless people I've loved ripped away from me, and that's the kind of loss that can bre—

— ??? —
Oh, shut the hell up! Misery loves your company, Angel, that much is true, but don’t you dare act like a victim to me! Don’t you realize how much you meant to these people? How much you inspired them to be better? They supported you, they mourned for you! When you needed somebody there, we were there for you!

And yet here you are, succumbing to your own sadness. Let me ask you, have you ever stopped to think about how many people you’ve let down? How many people you’ve crushed the dreams of? How many people you’ve hurt? How dare you walk around, crying about being a broken man, when you are the cause of so much suffering? You’re a hypocrite!

— BRETT ANGEL —
If I ever let you down, or crushed your dreams or hurt you in any way, then I'm sorry. I didn't come into this business to be a hero or an idol. I'm here because someone had a dream she lost the chance to fight for, and I'm still here because I still care! I know that's something these fans appreciate, so I don't think you quite have your finger on the pulse.

— ??? —
You really want to know how I know what your fans are thinking? Isn’t it obvious?

The man steps forward into the light.

— SHAY HOXTON —
Because I’m one of them.

You’ve had such a huge impact on my career, and you’ve never even realized it! When I was first debuting just under five years ago, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t wrestle, I was an embarrassment! But then, then I found you. You, even from day one, you were a true superstar. You were exactly what I wanted to be. I watched you, studied you, learned from you. You helped me become a better me, and you didn’t even know my name.

Shay looks around at the audience.

— SHAY HOXTON —
How many of these faces are just a young Shay? How many of you people have been transformed by this guy?

Loud cheers scatter throughout the arena.

— SHAY HOXTON —
You hear that, Brett? Do you hear the love? Well I’m sorry to break the news to you, but he doesn’t care. He never cared. You’re all just background to him, a faceless nameless horde.

Shay turns his attention back to Angel.

— SHAY HOXTON —
But your inspiration transcends to nobodies. I have a name, I have a face, and I have a soul. And yet, I’ve still been inspired. I’ve still been disappointed. What happened to you, man? You were consistently the top of the world, you were crazy! Now, here you are, the victim of your own madness.

— BRETT ANGEL —
Don't you put that on me. Don't you put that weight back on my shoulders!

Angel pauses to take in a deep breath before motioning toward the crowd.

— BRETT ANGEL —
Anyone who's struggled, who's been knocked down and pulled themselves up cause they have no one to lean on, knows what it's like to be in my shoes. Sure, some of that is my fault, but I've learned to live with my mistakes. I don't pretend they're still around when they're gone for good, the same way I don't pretend I'm undefeated when I lose a match.

That's right, I've been keeping a close eye on you, Shay. One of CMV's fastest rising stars, the name on the tip of every tongue. The man who manipulated a referee just so his Anarchy Championship reign could live another day. The man who taunted the crowd when he won the International Championship. I knew it was only a matter of time before we crossed paths; I just expected to have a nicer haircut when it happened.

Now that you're here, though, I want to make something clear: it means a lot that I inspired you in the beginning. However, somewhere along the line you strayed, and anything you learned from me got twisted and corrupted. So you don't get to come out here and be disappointed in me!

Shay shakes his head, laughing to himself. He takes off his magenta sunglasses and slides them into his jacket.

— SHAY HOXTON —
They say never meet your heroes.

Shay pauses, really soaking in what just came out of Brett Angel’s mouth.

— SHAY HOXTON —
What kind of boohoo bullcrap is that? You’re sorry, but you didn’t sign up for this? You’re a broken man, but what kind of man even are you? You’ve hurt so many people, and all you can do is deflect the blame? I may be an asshole, but at least I can admit it! You, you, you are a snake. You bring people in with your in-ring talent and your silver tongue, then you suck them dry and toss them aside. You’re supposed to be the victim? You’re a vampire!

Shay holds his head in disbelief.

— SHAY HOXTON —
My role model, the guy I’ve dreamt of meeting for half a decade, the guy who helped make me who I am… is nothing but a filthy Judas…

Filled with grief and shock, shocks expression slowly changes as he becomes filled with rage.

— SHAY HOXTON —
You lied to everybody, you lied to me! Now, you’re out here cracking jokes? You knew we’d cross paths, but you wish you had better hair? What am I to you, the flavour of the month? I emulated you! I did everything in my power just to meet you! But oh, oh it certainly means a lot. You’re damn right it means a lot!

I have never been this offended in my damn life. My blood has been boiling, literally boiling in anticipation waiting to confront you, and here you are standing on an announce table blaming the world for getting attached! What is it you want from me, huh? Am I supposed to twirl my mustache and laugh about my hair being better than yours? Am I supposed to tell you scarves are out of fashion? Oh, or maybe I’m supposed to let you know that if your dead wife could look in the eyes of the husk you are today, she would drop your ass for another man within the hour.

The crowd gasps at the outburst, and rumblings of whispers fill the arena.

— SHAY HOXTON —
Is that what you want? Me to poke at your scars? Is me spilling my heart and bloody guts out on international TV not good enough for you? What if I tell you the hard truth, and remind you that damn near every hardship you’ve ever faced is your own fault? That that horrible night with the Black Gael was nothing more than a twisted form of karma? Is that what I need to tell you to make you look me in the eyes?

You’ve cut me, Brett, you’ve cut me deeper than I’ve ever been cut, and while I stand here, bleeding out of my chest, you overlook me as nothing more than another faceless man. I’ve always wanted to be you Brett, but I will tell you right now I refuse to let you make me a victim! I am better! I am stronger! I am more! You want to break down, Brett? Fine, so be it! Step in the ring with the guy who you just tried to steal his last shred of soul from! If you want to finally get the silver bullet, then fight me!

Shay points at the Supremacy ring.

— SHAY HOXTON —
But not there.

And slowly moves up towards the sign to Ascendance VII.

— SHAY HOXTON —
There. If there is even a fraction of Brett Angel left in you, fight me at Ascendance and let me tear it out of you. You don’t deserve to be Brett Angel. Either prove me wrong, or embrace your failures and get the hell out of my arena. Make your choice, your sands of time are limited.

Shay drops his microphone onto the stage, staring daggers at Angel. Meanwhile, Angel starts walking around the ring and toward Hoxton on the stage.

— BRETT ANGEL —
I suppose I have no choice but to accept that challenge. Especially after you invoked Rosemary to get me riled up…..something I've come to expect from the current flavor of the month in a long list of men who've pulled the same. It's sad, really, because you had such a fresh angle. You really had me going.

"I admired you, Brett! I bought all your t-shirts! I can recite every line you've ever said!"

There was potential, but it's always destined to devolve into the same old trope in the end. It's inevitable. Death, taxes and...well, Rosemary's dead.

Angel sighs, his journey is now taking him up the ramp.

— BRETT ANGEL —
It's funny.

No one in CMV has met her.

They've never heard her voice. They've never watched one of her matches. They've never heard her cry at night wondering if she'd get her big break. They've never seen her come home from her first job, take a two minute nap, then scramble to a high school gym to wrestle. They’ve never her seen her smile….that fucking smile...when a little kid ran up to her and asked for a picture.

They've NEVER watched her empty her savings for a vacation she desperately wanted to pay for a surgery she desperately needed. They've NEVER held her tight and told her tomorrow will be a better day. THEY’VE NEVER PUT A FLOWER ON HER GRAVE AND ASKED WHY THE MAN WHO PUT HER THERE GETS TO WALK FREE.

Angel’s eyes are glazed over, the first time he’s shown any kind of emotion, real emotion, tonight.

— BRETT ANGEL —
Yet somehow they ALWAYS know what she'd be thinking or saying at any given moment. And it's ALWAYS some kind of disappointment in me. In reality, she’d be let down that once again I'm getting roped into the same old fights years deep into my career. Hell, then she’d try to leave this husk, look around and see that there are only guys like you around. A self-absorbed, self-entitled kid who thinks I owe him anything more than a “nice job” for making it this far and then a punch in the face for coming out here and speaking to me like this. Yeah, you’ve WATCHED me. You’ve only seen the things I’ve been through from a safe distance...not felt it. Not even half.

They’re face to face no.

— BRETT ANGEL —
That’s why I accept your challenge. Not because of Rosemary, but because something you said really did hurt me. “Damn near every hardship you’ve ever faced is your own fault…” You could have been a protege, an ally, a friend. I’m looking you in the eyes now, and I see there’s only one way this can end. You want to know—you want to demand to hear what happened to Brett Angel? I’ll let you experience it for yourself. You can never truly understand pain...tragedy until it happens to you. And what happens to you at Ascendance will be another failure, another hardship that I’ll have on my conscience.

Years from now, they’ll be asking “what ever happened to Shay Hoxton? He was a legend in the making, destined to become a multi-time champion and go down as the greatest to ever do it.”

Then my name will come up.

Because it’ll be my fault. What a waste of potential.

Shay snatches the microphone away, ready to pelt Angel with another emotional barrage. Angel intercepts him by placing his hand on the top of Shay's head and ruffling his hair.

— BRETT ANGEL —
And that IS a nice head of hair. Don't let anyone tell ya otherwise.