Steel Angel [vs.] Ryan Apollos

Title: I'm still here, still standing.

Location: Local Cemetery
Date: Unknown.
Time: Around 5 P.M


The scene opens in an open field filled with worn out tombstones many that are partly covered in moss. But the main focus is the lone figure standing before a pair of tombstones set side by side, their name barely readable from the years of damage caused by nature and deterioration. The man standing is dressed in a solid black trench coat with the collar folded down and slanted sideways. His hands dug down deep into his black jeans as his black hair flows into the afternoon wind. The figure doesn’t move for some time as his gaze is fixed on the two tombstones just a few feet from him. His expression doesn’t change as he maintains his pose for what seems like hours, the faint sound of thunder is heard in the distance as the man briefly looks upward at the sky and noticing the growing thickness of the clouds hanging overhead. He doesn’t flinch nor seem to care as he lowers his back down and retains his focus on the tombstones, practically one of the far left where his gaze is most focused on. A few more moments later and we hear the man speak.

Man: It's been a long time since I last visited here isn’t it? Four years.........four years since your deaths.........mother............father.

He almost forced the word "father" with a hint of anger in his tone; here we can see the face of Yuko in the light. A single tear, one on each side, forms on the corners of his eyes and with a blink they flow down his cheeks. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t make any attempt to remove the tears, he lets them hang loose as they drop down on his face and fall into the cold stone ground near his feet.

Yuko Isuma: So much that I want to say, so much to thank you for. If only you were still here, I would have preferred to tell you this face to face but.........the rules of fate, deny us that luxury and so.........this is the best I can do for you.

He then whips his tears off his face and straightens himself up, doing his best to not completely break down in front of his dead parents. Just being here brought the painful memories flying back but he didn't want to take that trip to memory lane right now. Too much pain, he didn't want to feel helpless, he didn't want anyone to see him like this. Even though no one is here and thus would not be able to witness him in this state, Yuko knew that if he didn't get this out of his system, it's going to haunt him in the ring. That night at Ragnarok when he was tackled by Chad Mason and sent sailing down the ring, he thought about his girlfriend, how he made that promise to her moments before her death and how it ate him from the inside. Since then he tried to not think about her death, just shrugged it off and played it like it didn't bother him. However the more time that goes by, the more Yuko began to realize that just ignoring her death won't change anything. He was just running from her and her family despite making the promise that he would watch over them.

Yuko just could not seem to be able to keep his promises.

And now being here, he remembered the words of his father whom he didn't make amends to until the final days at the hospital when he saw them died before his very eyes. Those words now echo inside his head:

"My son you will never become a success."


Yuko shook it off and thought about that time four years ago when he visited his parents who were in intensive care together. They refused to be attached to life tubes, knowing full well that they will die within a day's time. He remembers the experience striking him to the very core and since then he made the vow to follow their footsteps and live the life of a professional wrestler just like them. So far he's been able to keep that vow among others, he's been able to keep some of his promises but there were just as many promises and vows that he just could not keep no matter what he did or how hard he tried. After losing Kurumi, the love of his life.....who he neglected for some time and hoped to rekindle their relationship once more, he just felt lost. Lost and alone........with only one goal in mind, one thought, one mission.

To honor her final wish and become champion once more.

Once he did that, then what?

Everything just fell apart.

And only until NOW did Yuko begin to see exactly WHY he failed.

He wasn’t trying to honor his dead girlfriend's wishes; he was mainly just running away. He just didn't want to get hurt again, he still hasn’t been able to completely forget about the day she died in his arms, never before had Yuko felt so.......cold, so........hollow, it wasn’t just a repeat of seeing his parents died before him, this was much worse. It didn't just shake him to the core; it nearly destroyed him from within. His mind, his heart, his soul just mere seconds away from shattering into a million pieces. The resulting aftermath forever left a long mental scar that scratched the very surface of his mind. He lost all of his willpower, all his emotions, his thoughts, his feelings, he was like a ghost. He couldn’t feel, he couldn’t think, all he could do was replay the scene again and again, watching Kurumi's eyes close forever, her blood running through his hands and down on the hard floor.

How he was able to completely recover that no one knows, in fact even Yuko himself didn't know the answer. Call it faith, call it god's way of giving him another chance, or perhaps Kurumi herself had something to do with it. Somehow, someway Yuko was able to regain his sense of self again and since then tried to move forward. It soon became clear however that the past would not let him go so easily. Hence why he's here, not just to pay his respects to his parents who nurtured him and made him who he is today, but also to be able to fight his demons, understand where he went wrong and hopefully get some closure from it.

Yuko Isuma: Father........you always were my biggest form of motivation. Ever since the day I could walk on my own two feet, you brought me into the wrestling world. You taught me the ropes just like your father and his father before you. You pushed me beyond my limits, you didn't care how tired I got, you keep on going, pushing me till I finally reach a breaking point and even then you continue to add on the pressure. You kept a stone face, never cared if I hurt myself or was drenched in sweat, you made me bust my ass and inside you were laughing at my suffering. You were a good father at home but inside the training ring you were like a slave driver, you shouted orders, you cracked the whip, while you never really harmed me you did pick me up and shoved me even when I was about to collapse. You showed me the moves only once and had me mimic it without making a mistake, you had me climb ladders at an accelerated pace, had me jump from the top turnbuckle land directly on the spot you marked, if I was even an inch away from the landing spot you would have me do again until I got it right. You expected perfection, you expected a warrior, a phoenix of all things. Yet in spite of all that training, all those times I messed up, I was pressured, I was scared, scared to fail, scared to do the moves you told me to because I always thought to myself "what if I mess it up?", "I don't want to fail because I would get punished for it.". Not that your punishments were much, mostly long lectures and no dessert after dinner or any snacks for that matter. I've gotten used to it, you were hoping I would just break down before you, you were hoping that I would just say "I quit". But nope, instead I kept taking your abuse much to your annoyance; all the while my mother would always watch me from afar. She never fully agreed to your methods of teaching but out of respect she didn't dare question them. Never the less she was always there to encourage me, telling me that I've shown great progress. She was my shield to your wrath, you never physically abused me, only grabbing me just to get me on my feet and keep on going long after my body has used up all its energy. For the longest time I never understood why you did this, why push me so hard? Why is it you want me to suffer so much? Why did you put into my head that failure is not an option, that there can only be one outcome and anything less in unacceptable?

He then stood there for a long time before speaking again.

Yuko Isuma: For so long I've been trying to find the answer.......and now I think I know why. During your career you were always the work horse of the company, busting your ass every week for the sake of giving the fans their money's worth. All that hard work and yet you kept getting the rug pulled from under you, why is that? Because of some big shot guys from management and some kiss ass athlete with a silver tongue who was able to convince the guys that you weren’t good enough for ratings. You didn't have a gimmick but you never needed one, you go out there and beat your opponents, simple as that. However while that was all good and all, what have you got to remembered by? Just a few low ranks titles and the fact that you and mother were the first and only mixed tag to ever win the tag titles. Despite that however, you were barely promoted, your face was never on the cover of any PPV or any merchandise. Hell you weren’t even on the opening that plays at the start of the show. Still you couldn’t take a hint and choose to ignore the advice of management. Preferring to just........do what you've been doing all along: Win matches and give the crowd something to love. However your own pride and stubbornness would ultimately become your downfall and just like that, they signed you your release papers and sent you on your way. You kept telling yourself time and time again that one day you would become a Heavyweight champion, a champion that everyone would remember.

He then tilts his head towards the side and relaxes himself.

Yuko Isuma: That's why you pushed me dad, because you were afraid of me. You were scared that I would become what you could not. That I would surpass you, and achieve the one thing that has escaped your grasp.........immortality. Well look at me now dad! After everything you threw at me, after everything you've done, your intense training, you planting the seed of doubt in my mind, telling me I won't do this or become that, all that ammo you unleashed on me? Didn't do a damn thing dad, I'm still here, I'm still standing, I've become the warrior you ironically enough wanted me to be. I've tasted gold, I've carried main events, had my face on a PPV poster, everything you could not of done, I DID What's funny about all that.............I have you to thank.

He then extends his hand and produced some red flowers which he dropped at the very center of the two graves. The sound of thunder becoming louder and the sky getting darker as the cloud have completely engulfed the night sky. Yuko doesn’t seem to pay any mind though, his expression is on the two tombstones before him.

Yuko Isuma: I'm not going to run away anymore, Chad Mason has something I want. It's not just the title, it's the promise I made to Kurumi. I know I've been trying to hide my true feelings from my friends and the people backstage, but I know now that just standing and act like her death doesn’t have any effect on me........it’s just a coward's way of saying "whatever it's not important.". I'll admit........I was a coward, I kept telling myself I wasn’t, but I knew deep down that I was just lying to myself. Well not anymore, Chad has made this a personal fight, by holding onto that title, he's spitting on Kurumi's grave and I for one will not tolerate for it! I will regain that belt or die trying, and this time nothing can stop me. I am on a mission from god himself, but this one is on me, never again will I run from my fears, I will not be like my father, I will reclaim that belt and my honor. Then........and only then...........can I finally make peace with her.

He then turns away and begins to walk back to opposite direction, the sound of thunder echoing across the otherwise silent grave.



*Shoot*

Chad is desperate, he has to be, I mean there's really no other way to get around it.

He knew when this match was made, that it was going to pose a huge threat to his title reign either way.

This was why he made a last minuite attempt to put himself into this, by once again donning the zebra stripes.

Ryan let me be the first to say I'm very impressed with you as of late.

I mean before you were no one, just a loser, just a weak link in the chain, you lost to so many people, people you should have been able to beat easy.

Now look at you, main event match with a shot at the crown jewel of IWF on the line and an awkward version of Chuck Matthews standing between us.

Let's face it Ryan, we both know that Chad is just here to fuck with us, it was no different when Brenton tried to fuck with Dan and Brandon during the second Battle for the Briefcase tournament. This guy has claimed to be trained by the likes of Brenton and it's starting to show.

And I guess you and I are the next Dan Alexander and Brandon Macdonald.

Question is: Who is who?

I mean I won't take anything away from you Ryan, you're clearly a good athlete, and you’ve even beaten me once although many have pointed out that it was by sheer dumb luck that you won. It was one of those "what if" scenarios but really, we're past that now.

Let's go back to how this all really started shall we?

Ragnarok, you came back after a brutal attack from Marcus, you had the guy right there and many said that you should have won, that you were cheated out of a win. However it was not meant to be.

Then you had me, I wasn’t going to allow some so called "title curse" be an excuse for me to lose the belt. I fought Chad and made him work for it. I took him above and beyond the limit and I would have the match had Marcus, the same guy who fucked you over, not intervened.

But unlike you, I actually did something about it. I took on the personal body guard of Chad and destroyed him in less than a minute. I even held off a complete beat down from the rest of Natural Law though with some help in the form of an unlikely psycho clown with a crowbar dressed as a doll. Still though you can't deny that I'm taking the fight straight to Natural Law.

While you keep trying to get back into the winning pattern, only to find yourself losing again, just like the old times.

So now I have to ask, will I be seeing this same Ryan in tonight's match? Or will I see the Ryan that has been a force to be reckoned with?

Either way you and I can both agree on one thing Ryan, no matter who wins this fight, Chad will be the one standing tall.

So I think you and I should do something about that, wouldn’t you agree? After all we both have a common foe and we've both been victims of Natural Law's attacks. I think it's time we take a stand for a change.

I say we should take him out first, and then have an actual non crooked ref call this match to make sure that there is a clear winner.

Because there's alot on the line for both you and me Ryan.

However we won't gain anything as long as Chad calls the shots.

I hope for your sake that you're giving this some good thought because in the end you know I'm right.

Because while Chad's the ref, it doesn’t matter who wins.

In the end, we both lose.