Flickering Flame

[D.J]

Wrestlemania- it was an entity in itself that in the world of Sports Entertainment, literally can change people's lives for the better. It was one of those things like the SuperBowl, or Game 7 of the World Series, that no matter what your level of devotion to EBWF programming, when it was time for Wrestlemania, your interest was at the very least peaked. In 2021 The EBWF celebrates it's 20th birthday, with one of the most action packed- star studded Wrestlemania Cards in quite sometime. The show would be headlined by two men in Randy Orton and Edge, that have been no stranger to the spot light, success, or quite frankly to each other. AJ Styles would face 11 time World Champion Chris Jericho, it was match after match of excitement, but one match that stood out to the EBWF Universe was the Championship of the Gateway Title Tournament. It was two men who were mainstays and had a tremendous history in the EBWF. The Miz was a four time World Champion who has put together quite the career for himself dating back to his 2012 reinstatement. His opponent was Raven, who any EBWF historians would tell you, was one of the most decorated and successful superstars of all time, though this version of Raven is a member of the Balor Club, and trying to re-carve out his niche in the company, it was still a pretty high profile match-up. Both men had defeated several superstars en route to this final match, with The Miz' most recent victory coming against Balor Club leader Finn Balor. Miz was dead set on becoming Gateway Champion as his "drive for 5" would certainly depend on it.

The scene opened in an empty theatre. The lights were on just bright enough for the viewer to see the stage, as the camera panned towards a figure. The figure was dressed in all black and had his head down resting on his right fist. In his left hand, the figure continuously flicked a lighter on and then off, on and then off. Finally the figure's head arose and then looked into the camera. The man in front of the EBWF Universe was none other than The Miz. He had black war paint on his face as well, as it almost looked like he was about to enter a game of capture the flag. He peered into the camera and spoke very slow, monotone, and full of drama.

The Miz: Isn't it funny how fleeting a flame on a lighter can be. In one moment, an instant flash, and ignition of light, sudden heat encompassing your thumb. Then in an instant, it is gone, disappeared as if it had never existed.

The Miz flicked the lighter on and off again.

The Miz: My opponent at Wrestlemania, Raven, is a personification of that flickering flame. Once upon of time, his light ignited. He was a success story in professional wrestling, everybody knew who he was, people came in droves to listen to him speak and watch him compete.

The Miz flicked the lighter on and held it. Suddenly he flicked his thumb causing the flame to disappear.

The Miz: How quickly do the memories of your once upon a time success- evaporate from our minds and melt away from our memories. Now The Raven that is before us is a 56 year old man trying to hang on to the only ounce of achievement that he accomplished in his miserable, dreadful, horrendous existence. MELANCHOLY.. MELANCHOLY indeed that I have to be the man, the opponent, to literally and figuratively put out this flame. To finally end this impossible dream of Raven to once again rise to the apex of this profession. MELANCHOLY.. that I have to be the gatekeeper to reality.. that I have to be the tour guide who shows Raven around a familiar setting.. a place where he is a failure. You see dear, sweet Raven. Dressing up in JENCO JEANS doesn't make it 1997 again. Dear Raven, hanging with younger guys doesn't make you a younger guy again. Dear, Impressionable, Vulnerable, Deperate Raven.. entering the ring with guys who are MUCH better than you.. doesn't make you better.. it infact gets you DESTROYED.

The Miz stared a hole into the camera. It was clear this was a mockery of Raven's poetic persona, but in this latest sentence. It was clear, this was heading more towards a true Miz message.

The Miz: Raven I can smell the desperation all over you, even admist the musk of homeless guy piss and bodily fluids of raccoons, I can get a whiff of the desperation you have burning inside you as we head into Wrestlemania. You need this match, don't you? Don't you? You do. You know why you do? Because it's 2021 and this is the only thing that you know how to do. You're 56 years old and you look 96. You have pissed away all your money as you have traveled the world getting paid in Kit Kat Bars to get hit in the back of the head with a barbed wire bat in front of 19 people. What have you become? How did it get so bleak? When I joined the EBWF, all I heard about were the legends that started the EBWF down it's path to becoming the #1 wrestling promotion on the planet. Some of which are still kicking around, and one of the guys that I heard about was Raven. It gives me.. quite a laugh.. because as I sit and think about that here in present day, my first honest thought was.. I wonder if the Raven who was a big success cares that this hobo who smells like aligator shit is using his name on a night to night basis.

The Miz smirked at his own comment.

The Miz: Come to find out.. shockingly.. that it's the same guy. MELANCHOLY.. MELANCHOLY indeed.. as I think about what type of sadness that that must create. To know that in one moment in time, you were a success- only to be reduced so far by the often unkind hands of father time.

The Miz bowed his head. Completely mocking Raven.. soaking this promo in unneeded dramatic pauses.

The Miz: ALAS..I look upon Raven and I feel a bit of sorrow for him. Since I exploded back into the EBWF in 2012 I have made my mark. There have been World Championship runs.. there have been main events at all the major events.. but what there hasn't been.. is a dip. By and large for 9 STRAIGHT YEARS.. I have been a threat.. The Miz has been in the conversation. Sustained success is the lifeblood of anyone in any profession, but nobody has personified it like I have for almost a decade. Nobody.. Raven.. isn't going to step on my head on the way up a ladder.. as you so eloquently put it. You want to know why? Because I've been the type and I still am the type.. to climb to the top of the ladder first, and as you climb behind me chasing me. I push the damn thing over and watch you plummet to your sad and unfortunate demise. There's no dip, and if there ever is Raven.. I can promise I will not reemerge as the old guy trying to be a hip kid again. I promise I will not reemerge looking like a deranged Grandpa who just got home from mainlining whiskey at a biker bar that doesn't believe in showers.

Another dramatic pause

The Miz: I promise I will not reemerge as a legend who now looks like a wanna-be. How sad is it to watch someone who people used to "wanna be" turn into such a pathetic, lousy, wanna-be. A member of the Balor Club? Really? That's what you're going with? A lackey for a guy named Finn.. who are you Tom Sawyer?

The Miz paused.

The Miz: What you had in a major way, Raven, is a dip. Now you come back into the company you help build, and you come back looking like the strange guy in the park.. and it's just the weirdest most visbily saddening things I've ever had to experience. MELANCHOLY.. MELANCHOLY INDEED.

The Miz motioned and the lights turned on much brighter in the theatre.

The Miz: I honestly.. I can't do it.. I need the light.. I am the light. I am that flame that CONTINUES to burn day after day.. night after night.. month after month year after year. There's a reason why freaks like Raven like to sit in a chair in a dimly lit room, and talk and talk to anyone that will listen. It's because for so long, nobody would even give them the time of day. Why do you think he's so troubled? It's because guys like Raven will say that he doesn't need anyone, or care about getting love from others.. when the sad harsh reality is that they are often the ones that CRY out for attention. Raven right now is hunting for any shred of recognition and fame he can salvage. He is SCREAMING at us to give him attention. The problem is, all of my Mizfits have now been conditioned to a higher level of excellence. All of the Mizfits in the EBWF universe have been subjected to greatness. They have been entertained on such a consistent level, that when the Wallflower of the EBWF starts trying to force his way back into the limelight.. all of my Mizfits.. and all of the EBWF fans in general.. in unison let out one long, collective... PFFT!

The Miz smiled.

The Miz: People are not stupid, they know what elite looks like.. and it's this beautiful bastard in front of them right now. What I said earlier, I meant it. I feel bad that I have to be the one to finally hand Raven the harshest dose of "real world" that he's had in quite sometime. I feel bad that I have to be the one.. who makes Raven give everyone watching that same sad feeling you get when an old man falls.. or a fat person breaks a chair. It is truly going to be heartbreaking to see someone so physically worn down.. give his absolute best to put on a show.. only to be publicly and viciously humiliated on the grandest stage in our business. That negative tingle you feel when you watch a human being.. try SO hard.. and give so much of themselves.. only to have it be a miserable result..only to have them go NOWHERE near success. It makes you want to look away.. but Mizfits.. I advise you.. DON'T. I want all of you to watch as your hero, your god, your favorite wrestler's favorite wrestler.. highlights a small but CRITICAL fact that everyone needs to listen to.. and that is this.. there is NOTHING.. NOTHING.. wrong with knowing when it's time to walk away. Walking away gets you rest.. walking away gives you appreciation for what you contributed.. walking away.. keeps you SAFE. Raven it's so clear to me.. and everyone else.. that your time to walk away has far since past. Yet here you are.. limping up and down the ramp like someone shot you in the ass with a BB gun. Refusing to know when to say when. Refusing to rest, to be appreciated.. to be SAFE.. and instead having the audacity to show back up.. in MY ring.. in MY company.. to not only embarass himself by how he now acts and performs.. but also to PUT himself in HARMS WAY.. because you're too stubborn to call it quits like you should have a long time ago. Showing back up in the EBWF and carrying on the way you have.. all that is going to do is get you hurt.

The Miz shook his head.

The Miz: It's going to be a truly ugly, grotesque, Madusa-esque scene at Wrestlemania. Because though this literal car wreck of a return that you've had, makes me seem like a bully picking on the weak kid- I have no problem waking people up to the actual world we're living in. Even though I'm going to create a match that the decency that lives inside you is going to tell you to turn away from.. I have NO PROBLEM creating that scene, because Raven.. you have literally ASKED for it. You want to act like you should be relevant? I have no problem showing you, painfully, why I know you deserve to NOT be. You want to come out here and tell people you're going to beat me? I have no problem SHOWING you, painfully.. why that will NEVER happen. You want to claim to be on your way to the World Title? I have no problem SHOWING you, PAINFULLY.. why the World Title will NEVER again touch your greasy, germ infested palms. Most importantly, if you want to come out here and talk down about MY NAME. I have.. NO problem.. showing you... painfully.. why MY NAME means more in this business THAN YOURS EVER WILL.

The Miz grinned he almost looked deranged in this moment.

The Miz: QUOTH THE MIZ....

BECAUSE HE'S.....

AWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEE!

In an instant the lights all went out. The scene ended with a quick flick of the Lighter. A single flame was seen. Rapidly, The Miz clicked the lighter off, and the flame disappeared. Fade To Black.