SCW Adrenaline Championship Contendership Battle Royal

[Ruppy]

OOC: Never thought I could call getting snowed into my house a good thing, but if there's one benefit to all the snow still coming down outside and the 50 MPH winds accompanying it (an anomaly for around here even in the winter), it's given me a chance to truly sit down and think this out. I'm sticking by my guns and continuing the story I kind of started on Breakdown and even found a way to weave it into the part you all probably come to expect by now for PPVs with the latest round of "meet the demon." Thankfully, all this time to think and a chance to talk with some people about the matter has ensured that not only do I have a complete effort to present this time, but instead of feeling like I'm having a meltdown in the wake of it I truly feel at peace and happy with what I've got, and hopefully you all enjoy as well. Best of luck to everyone in this match!
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Aaron had hoped that when 2018 ended, so would his problems.

Unfortunately, it seemed like a new year meant a stronger fight would be needed.

Things certainly seemed like they were getting off to a good enough start, considering not only the progress he and Liane were making as their relationship progressed but also the fact that he’d recently made it explicitly clear to one of the warring parties within his imagination that the time for it to serve as a battlefield would be coming to an end sooner rather than later. With the Scarlet Grey issue settled once and for all, Nemesis no longer had a source of power to keep himself going as a prominent threat, and Aaron had figured it would only be a matter of time before he would be able to put the Twin Stars in their place as well. With confirmation from Sasha that he was going to be booked in some fashion at Making Things Right and not only was his creativity being encouraged but so was the desire to make this a breakout year for himself, everything truly seemed to finally be going in the right direction at long last.

Unfortunately, it always seemed to be the case that Aaron would never have the luxury of things staying that way these days, and a sudden bombshell had completely derailed everything in record time.

What had started out as a nice morning leading up to his first match of the new year with a chance to earn a major non-title victory over the reigning U.S. Champion had immediately self-destructed because of one text message that he almost wished he’d never gotten. Granted, out of all of his brothers Austin was the one he’d left behind on the most civil of terms so the two of them being able to chat without issue was never in doubt, but hearing from him that the one he’d perhaps had the most strained relationship with as time went on was now gone, and by his own hand no less, had completely shaken him to his core. He’d virtually foregone the plans of a little more training and preparation for his big match, and while it was impossible to tell when he was actually in the ring tonight considering the performance he turned in, clearly there was enough of a lack of focus that gave Bree the opening she needed to steal a victory from him, which if nothing else cemented the fact that for as much as she demanded respect and complained about not getting it Bree never deserved any to begin with, a fact he would make clear to her when they met again because he just knew that somehow, someway, he would get another crack at her.

That was for a later point in time, however.

As Aaron made his way to his locker room despite some difficulty due to how badly his eyes had been raked, he couldn’t help but think about the sheer pandemonium going on in his mind at that moment. From knowing he’d blown his first big shot of the year to the news he’d received and especially what kind of fuel it likely added to the mess still going on deeper in his thoughts that most only saw when he was willing to share it, he could almost feel a migraine beginning to settle in as there was a lot going on and barely any time to fully process it. After all, in just a few days he’d have to leave Sacramento behind for the glitz and glamor of Los Angeles for the pay-per-view, and the news of competing in a battle royal where the winner was set to become number one contender to the Adrenaline Title would’ve had him pumped under any other circumstances.

He knew he had to sort this out sooner rather than later, but the big question was exactly how he’d go about that.

As he finally made his way into his locker room the first thing that happened was Liane wrapping him up in a tight hug to console him, an act his cluttered thoughts didn’t realize he really needed until now. She helped to guide him to one of the benches as his vision finally began to clear, holding him close as a means of perhaps trying to help him collect his thoughts.

“That prima donna has some nerve thinking she actually earned that victory…”

Aaron simply nodded, an almost blank look in his eyes as the blur began to trade itself for clarity. Liane certainly couldn’t hold it against Bree too much since to some people that was the name of the game and she certainly wouldn’t have known about the news her boyfriend had received about a day or so prior. Ever the fighter, Aaron insisted on working through the task at hand, determined to prove how strong he was no matter how much the world thought up new ways to tear him down. It may be true that he didn’t win tonight, but he still made it through the match well enough and would find a way to do so again on Sunday no matter what it took. For now, he simply tried to calm himself in the loving embrace of his significant other, not caring how much time passed as he slowly looked for a way to keep everything from going too far off the rails this time while this latest turning point was still fresh.

The moment would soon find itself being interrupted by a noise that snapped the couple out of the calming trance they’d seemed to simultaneously enter, and after a moment Aaron recognized the sound as he fished through his bag. Sure enough, his tablet was letting him know that someone was trying to video call him, and once he saw who it was he took a deep breath and proceeded as Liane watched with a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Hey Austin.”

“Long time no see Aaron. Sorry your match didn’t go well tonight… and I’m sorry that I probably had something to do with that.”

Aaron could only shake his head at this as Liane glanced over at the screen, getting her first actual look at one of Aaron’s younger brothers. She could certainly see the similarities between them, though it was also clear to her that the poor guy whose image was on the tablet right now had seen better days. One look was all you really needed to see how sickly he was, plagued most of his life by a myriad of health problems that in some cases even seemed like the first of their kind in recorded medical history. Many could even question how he was still alive after everything he’s been through, but if there’s one person within his family Aaron would ever admit was a stronger fighter than he was, it would be Austin. Even now, sitting in his room back at their family’s home in Lowell, he was trying to appear strong, but Aaron knew the oldest of his younger brothers better than that. Even if he ignored how uneasy he looked trying to sit upright, he could tell a lot of emotions had been spent recently and it wasn’t hard for him to guess why.

“It’s not your fault. You needed to tell me and it’s probably better I found out sooner rather than later. I’m a little surprised you knew I had a match tonight since I thought you dropped out of caring for wrestling when the illnesses kind of denied you the same dream we all had as kids.”

“I might’ve looked online to see and then tuned in to the show for a bit. Considering Andrew always used to watch you and fill me in on your exploits, I guess I had to see for myself sooner or later, right?”

Aaron could feel a spark of sadness run through him at the mention of Andrew’s name. He knew it would need to be discussed, but knowing now that even after all this time Andrew still never stopped watching the sport despite his problematic relationship and even filled Austin in with what he could easily assume was a great amount of zeal was something he needed to hear. Even in the wake of the news, there was a part of him deep down that was struggling to sympathize with it all considering the problems that existed, but to know now for certain that his lost brother still cared enough to cheer him on as a fan despite everything helped put some of those darker thoughts to rest at long last.

“I guess we know what we need to talk about, but before I do… who’s that I keep seeing peek into the frame?”

Liane couldn’t help but blush at being caught, and Aaron glanced at her before nodding that it was alright. She leaned closer to him and gave a small wave to the young man on the other end of the video call, clearly a bit more nervous than she usually was given that this was her first exposure to a member of her boyfriend’s family, especially after everything she did know about them.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Austin. I’m Liane, Aaron’s girlfriend. He’s, um… told me a lot of good things about you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too Liane. Don’t worry, I’m probably not like anything he’s told you about some of the other members of our family, though I can’t exactly blame my brother if we’re both kind of learning about each other’s relationships now.”

Aaron rose an eyebrow at that before Austin responded by raising his hand, revealing a small velvet box that, while empty, was clearly something he and Liane both recognized. At one point in time, sitting in that box had been an engagement ring, and there was only one reason why Austin would have such a thing. Aaron gave the best smile he could manage right now, which Austin accepted given the situation.

“Congratulations man, I’m proud to see you’ve come a long way despite everything if that means what I think it means.”

“Thanks Aaron, that means a lot to hear from you. I can introduce you soon… which kind of leads me to…”

Austin hesitantly trailing off was all the sign Aaron needed, and a glance to Liane allowed her to get the message as well. As much as she was doing her best to support him, especially now, this was a private family matter for the moment. She gave him a kiss on the cheek to help give him strength before she left the room momentarily, allowing Aaron to stand and stretch a bit as he and Austin continued to talk. Austin didn’t mind… when Aaron seemed particularly stressed he had a habit of pacing around even during a conversation, and it didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what would be coming next.

“…what exactly happened? I haven’t heard from Andrew for months, and the last I did it seemed like things were kind of getting better between him and Dylan.”

Austin could only sigh in frustration, making it clear the latter name was a sore subject right now it seemed.

“Things did start going well for them for a time, and then they got ugly again as usual. It finally hit the point where Andrew actually listened to logic and reason for the first time in forever and broke up with Dylan before one of them ultimately killed the other. He’d still kind of screwed himself financially and needed to kick the drug habits he’d developed, but at least the source of most of it was out of his life at long last and he could get everything back on track.”

Aaron winced briefly, mostly considering that same line of thinking was where he was at after surviving months of the ridiculousness with Scarlet before recent events threatened to turn everything back on its head. For that reason alone, the skeptical look on his face was all Austin needed to see before continuing despite looking like he was expecting his brother to say something on the matter.

“I want to say you don’t have to look at me like that, but you truly have every reason to. Even though he broke things off, he still couldn’t fully let go of his feelings and move on, and he let Dylan convince him into moving to another town with him so they could still live together despite not being together. I don’t know if they were still hoping to make things worked or what the hell the plan was. All I know is the last time he showed up here was the afternoon before, stressing out over needing help with his car payment because he was being threatened with repo on it and trying to convince us that things had gone south again and he was well and truly done with that relationship this time. We did what we could and he left, and the next thing we know mom’s getting confronted at her new job the next morning by cops giving her the news. She called everyone else, but… she thought it might be best if I broke it to you.”

Aaron couldn’t blame her for thinking that. As stubborn and persistent as she could be at times, his mom wasn’t blind to the problems between them that had heavily contributed to his departure, and she likely knew if he saw her number come up he’d ignore it. This was news that couldn’t be ignored though, so asking the one person she knew he would hear out to pass it along was a smart call on her end. He still felt bad that such a scenario existed in the first place, but that was something he would tend to soon enough.

“Did they say what actually happened?”

“According to the police, he hung himself with some of the jumper cables he kept in his car just in case. Mom confirmed that with the coroner… as well as the police in that town being assholes about the whole thing assuming he was doing something that led to it even though toxicology reports proved otherwise. Until she told me that, I couldn’t help but think the same thing sadly.”

“Why’s that?”

“I actually saw where he was living down there once Aaron. Between his height and a fairly low ceiling, I didn’t think it was possible for him to actually hang himself.”

That sparked something in Aaron’s brain that almost immediately became a wildfire that consumed all else. Forgotten was the loss he’d suffered just minutes ago along with the internal mess he’d been dealing with for way too long already… something about this new information wasn’t sitting right with him and he knew it wasn’t simply his imagination jumping to wild conclusions, not this time. Something felt extremely off about this, and he could even see it in Austin’s eyes that he was thinking along the same lines, but for the time being, it was simply a thought and nothing more. Perhaps actually taking a trip back home would yield some answers, which lead him to try and steer the conversation towards something along those lines for the moment.

“If you don’t mind me kind of changing gears here… has a date been set yet?”

“Not yet. We were hoping to do it fairly soonish… just something small with family and friends that kind of gets everything done in one fell swoop and doesn’t get too expensive, but even that’s still going to be about $5000 or so. We already decided to have him cremated, and mom and dad have put most of the money they’ve been making as of late to cover that, but the funeral expenses…”

“Find out what they’ve already got covered on that, and I’ll pitch in for the rest.”

Austin looked genuinely surprised to hear that, but he had good reason. Given that money and Aaron’s contributions specifically was the biggest factor that finally caused him to split away, he was a little stunned to hear that Aaron gave no thought to pitching in on this matter despite the subject. Maybe it was hearing that his parents were both working hard to prove they didn’t need to rely on him as the financial backbone of the family, or maybe it was the fact that a funeral was one thing that even a divided family could compromise on without a second thought, but tears began to come to his eyes at this news regardless.

“You really mean it?”

“I may have had my issues financially with mom and dad and even Andrew to some degree, but I could never be a cold-hearted bastard Austin. Everyone deserves a chance to mourn and come to terms with what happened, and outside of some smaller things while I’m traveling for these shows and bills on my apartment I’m not really using the money I’m making from this and my artistic exploits right now. This at least ensures it’s going to a truly necessary cause. Just… do me one favor.”

“Name it.”

Aaron has to take a deep breath before he speaks again, partly because he knows there’s a lingering difficulty behind what he’s about to ask and Austin doesn’t need three guesses to figure out why.

“…as soon as you have a concrete date, let me know so I can come home. I may need to work things out with SCW, but they’ll understand.”

“I was planning to anyway. Thank you, Aaron…”

The two brothers bid each other farewell before Aaron returned his tablet to his bag, slumping back down on the bench. Liane would come back in shortly, seeing that his video chat was done and informing him of the chaos that was erupting out in the arena that was easily a result of the conflict between Sasha and Katya. This news would help pierce through his latest developing thoughts and get a bit of clarity again, knowing what he needed to do Sunday while he was still expected to compete. When he saw Liane’s concerns on the matter, he didn’t hesitate to put her at ease.

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve used my creativity to mask my feelings… kind of reminds me of what I did before we first met last year around this time actually. Maybe this is exactly what I need to kind of make up for lost time and start honoring someone who ended up misunderstood by the world.”

“So what’s the plan then?”

“…a little help from one of my oldest friends…”

It was something that only made sense to Aaron, but Liane wasn’t going to push the issue at this point in time. She knew she’d find out just as the rest of the world would in due time, and once he was done sorting out everything that had been learned from that brotherly conversation he would share the details with her as well. Clearly there was more to this than the cut and dry notion of taking one’s own life… Aaron was sure of it, and he knew of one specific entity that might help steer him towards truly figuring this out to know how he should advance forward with everything.

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The rhythmic ticking of time as it slowly passes by…

No matter what universe it may be for, he can see and hear it all as it proceeds, almost like watching millions of parades all taking subtle different twists and turns even when they seemed to be marching along the exact same path.

To Zeitgeist, this was both a way to entertain himself as well as a full-time job all its own.

He had long since grown used to the ticking of the various different clocks and moving gears and chiming bells that both decorated the clock tower he called home as well as allowed it to function, providing a sense of time even to those beyond its walls who normally may not feel as though they have need for such a thing. To him, reality and fantasy were irrelevant, because the concept of time always mattered regardless of the plane of existence you found yourself in. He knew others would likely be bored to death simply standing here looking through one of the many time windows that functioned to him much like a TV, but he would always stand here with his hands folded behind his back, often fiddling with the multiple watches around his gloved wrists as he observed the world from various different points in time.

Considering how much he’d grown used to the clockwork noises that dominated his abode, to him it was easy to cut through it all to catch a sound that didn’t mesh with all the rest, such as the footsteps he could hear ascending to the main chamber where he stood now. Despite focusing his hearing on it, he didn’t turn away from the events playing out before him. He did, however, unfold his hands so his right one could drift to the stopwatch that served as a belt buckle to him, and one press of a button suddenly changed what the time window before him was currently displaying. It wasn’t that he had simply wanted to watch something else, but rather out of respect for a guest he hadn’t had in a long time.

“It’s good to see you again Aaron. I am a bit surprised you decided to come here as opposed to your first option when you need solitude, though.”

As Aaron finally made his way up the stairs, he heard the voice of the clock tower’s master, the faintest of smiles gracing his lips for what felt like the first time in days. He slowly pulled off the hood of his cloak to fully take in his surroundings, recalling every detail of the intricate building as though it were yesterday. Every gear, clock and bell, every time window ready to reveal some point in history regardless of whether it had already happened or was still to come, even the various faded silver statues that all depicted the cloaked figure that resides here wielding a scythe as though he were the grim reaper himself. Truly it was one of the more impressive masterpieces of his imagination and a true testament to the level of detail he was willing to employ in order to make his vision loud and clear. The same was true of the being he found his gaze drifting towards as he slowly turned to lock eyes with his visitor.

Zeitgeist was a truly intriguing specimen all his own. Appearing human in figure, the only part of his body that wasn’t covered was his face, which looked very much human aside from his skin appearing to be a metallic silver in color along with a unique mixture of features that made it look both old and young simultaneously. It also wasn’t too hard for your gaze to be drawn from that to his red pupils that seemed to pop even more because of it, especially considering there was a long, jagged scar running through his left eye that didn’t seem to impair his vision in the slightest, though whether this was due to a stroke of luck or an intervention of time was uncertain. He certainly played to the motif that defines his entire character: the purple hooded cape he wore was fixed into place with a gear he’d taken from one of the many spares he had lying around, his chest had a gaping hole cut into it where it looked like a miniature grandfather clock was now residing, and we can’t forget about the aforementioned stopwatch belt buckle and several wristwatches he also wore. Even his boots appeared to have digital clocks built into them, ensuring he always knew exactly what time it was anywhere he desired to look.

“You don’t have to pretend Zeitgeist. I know there’s no such thing as ‘surprise’ when it comes to you.”

Zeitgeist couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle at this. It was the truth, though: as you’ve probably guessed what he’s all about, it’s not hard for this figure to easily see into the future to know exactly what’s going to happen and how many different variables are in play regarding how it will reach that conclusion. He already knew Aaron would be coming here today, but he wasn’t smug about it. One thing Aaron appreciated about Zeitgeist is that despite all the power he possessed he held a sense of responsibility in regards to it, knowing it was not a toy to abuse to get his way. Other than rare cases of minor annoyance and irritation at best, he only ever seemed to have one emotion: calm. He was a truly neutral party in every sense of the word and preferred to stay that way. After all, how fair is it if he already knows everything he would need to, both about a potential enemy and how things would fall if a battle were to take place?

“Fair enough, but I’m not completely pretending when I say that. You know the power I possess and the fact that I am capable of meddling with it as I see fit if I deem it necessary, but I still prefer to see the choices someone will make along the way to decide which of the infinite possibilities actually comes to pass.”

“You truly haven’t changed after all this time, have you? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at that… in case you did happen to be curious, it’s kind of hard to get to where I’d want to go for inner peace if a pair of warring parties that don’t have my best interests in mind seem hellbent on keeping me from getting there.”

As Aaron moved to sit down on one of the gear halves embedded into the floor to be used kind of like a bench, Zeitgeist couldn’t keep his lips from forming a scowl. Just because he preferred to stay neutral didn’t mean he couldn’t form an opinion regarding some of the things that went on outside of his lair, and the ever-escalating war between Nemesis and the Twin Stars was a rarity in and of itself for being the first thing in an eternity that actually angered him. He found the entire endeavor to be pointless and trivial, and the toll it was taking on Aaron grated on his nerves even further. Despite his disposition, Zeitgeist held a tremendous amount of respect for the young man who had brought him into existence in this plane, giving him form from a simple idea and allowing him to evolve from there. Truth be told, the reason for this respect was that Zeitgeist was one of Aaron’s very first fully-formed creations, born from a book he’d read during a philosophy class he took for college credit while still in high school.

Opinions on the war he despised aside, Zeitgeist couldn’t help but feel a twinge of disappointment as well. As it was clear he’d known Aaron probably the longest out of every creature that resided within the vast landscape of his thoughts, he couldn’t remember a time where it seemed like Aaron had given up so easily. He watched as his creator proudly advocated the benefits of freely embracing one’s creative instincts no matter how many times he was told it had no place in the world at present, stood against his own family and made a difficult decision when the burden they placed upon his shoulders finally became too much, and even stand firm against someone who sought to turn his entire life upside-down all over a matter of relationships and their own desires… even in the moments where Aaron was defeated, such as his recent match, he would always put forth so much of a fight no matter what was going on around him that those who opposed him would never forget without lying to themselves about how far they were pushed. Aaron simply opting not to try and barrel through whatever blockades had been set up to keep him from his personal mental sanctuary didn’t fit with the man he knew, and to say it bothered Zeitgeist was an understatement.

“I know your clock tower isn’t exactly a true ‘fortress of solitude’ if we’re both present, but maybe I could use the company of another right now.”

“…I understand, and I apologize for your brother’s passing. Even if I know something like that is on the horizon, it’s still a way to go that nobody deserves for any reason. I have to admit, the fact that you still went through with your recent wrestling match and showed no sign of what had happened never ceases to amaze me.”

Aaron can only nod, though any sense of emotion is subdued right now given the topic of conversation. His gaze slowly moves from the spirit of time to the window he was looking at before his arrival, and his eyebrow slowly raises at the sight of he and Andrew play-wrestling when they were younger, a favorite hobby of theirs to help fuel their desires of potentially breaking into the business for real someday. It was back during a happier time in his life when he was still with his family; a pleasant memory buried beneath the toxic garbage that time had decided to dump upon him as his family ultimately drifted apart for reasons he still couldn’t explain to this day. His host also seemed preoccupied as his eyes drifted over the cloak Aaron had decided to wear. While he knew the master of his own imagination could easily alter his attire as he saw fit, Zeitgeist had known Aaron for so long since he finally began merging his creativity with his wrestling endeavors that he knew what this specific cloak signified, but for the moment he remained quiet on the matter.

“As much as I know now is probably a bad time, I have to ask… why?”

“Hm?”

“I know you better than this Aaron… you’ve never found a reason to give up on anything in your entire life, regardless of whether it was a piece you were creating or a challenge that stood before you. Even in SCW when things seem to be following a path you know will negatively affect you, it doesn’t keep you from pushing forward. So why, then, are you not simply forcing your way towards the place you know deep down you truly wish to go here?”

Aaron opened his mouth to answer but froze when he realized he truly had none to give. The more he pondered this question, the more something began to realize something: the master of time had a valid point as he was never shy about fighting for what was important to him no matter who stood in his way or how much the odds were stacked against him. It was the biggest reason why despite knowing the stress and issues that could accompany it he still made it clear he was willing to fight against Katya and the way she wanted to run SCW. And yet, when it came to the matters of his mind there had been an odd turning point as of late where the longer this petty war raged on, the harder it became for him to justify standing his ground. Even when he knew he desperately needed to get to the one place he knew they could never contaminate no matter how hard they tried, he suddenly lacked the willpower that was a staple of his entire being to make the journey no matter how far off course he was thrown or how impossible it seemed to get beyond whatever was put in place to keep him away. His fists slowly clenched as things started to become clearer.

“You have a point Zeitgeist, and I hate that it took me this long to truly see it. No matter how tall I stand against everything else, the one place where I hold the most power almost seems like it’s become a prison as of late, and the counterproductive decisions I’m making aren’t entirely my own doing. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nemesis was abusing the recent news to regain his power, and anything those cosmic children can do to mess with me they’ll take without a second thought. I guess I never thought that, in the face of knowing how much they truly need me whether they like it or not, they would resort to subtly influencing my decisions for their benefit regardless of the damage it could cause.”

Aaron slowly stood up and walked over to grab an object sitting against the nearby wall; a motion that intrigued Zeitgeist. In his creator’s hands was his personal scythe: a large blade attached to an intricate black and purple handle design and tipped with another stopwatch that was the spirit’s preferred method of toying with time directly. He watched as the young man ran his fingers over that particular timepiece

“I’ve made it clear that I want this to end, and I’m sick of how much they continue to fight over something they truly don’t deserve regardless of the rationale behind it. I thought I had Nemesis ready to throw in the towel, but I guess he’s fortunate about this sudden change of events that’s become the newest plague of my thoughts. The more I think about it… even if I had my suspicions, maybe I just needed someone to help open my eyes to know for sure what I need to do going forward.”

Aaron proceeds to swing the scythe once, stopping roughly mid-swing as Zeitgeist couldn’t resist smirking. If there was anyone who knew how to penetrate his seemingly permanent calm demeanor and get more positive reactions out of him, it was the man responsible for his very being. Knowing exactly what the intent was, the spirit took his scythe and held it by his side as he and Aaron locked eyes again, the latter slowly starting to regain a bit of his own smile as well.

“You knew the whole time, didn’t you? You just wanted me to help confirm your suspicions and make sure you didn’t spiral any further in the face of the darkness that continues to grow in hopes of crushing you.”

“I may have created you Zeitgeist, but I’d be lying if I said you haven’t taught me a few tricks over the years.”

“I guess it has been too long since our previous meeting because I’m quite impressed at how you decided to play this. Very well… I’m sure you can already figure I know part of the reason why you’re truly here, even if the cloak wasn’t enough of a giveaway to me by now. Normally I would be inclined to turn down your offer, but out of respect for our history and how we’ve helped one another evolve as time has gone on… I will allow myself to get involved this time.”

That was all Aaron could have asked for without needing to say it. Deep down, he knew that as much as he wanted to command the presence of Zeitgeist he would never willingly oblige. The spirit was not only one of the oldest but also one of the most powerful of his designs after all, and as much as he could pose the same kind of threat as the likes of Nemesis, the Twin Stars or even Ferrugo he had no reason to pursue such a path even if he did feel anything for Aaron that was the polar opposite of respect. If he wanted this to happen, he needed a legitimate reason to speak with him and get his help in some other fashion, and recent events had allowed this opening even if he wasn’t too fond of the circumstances. Aaron turned to leave, feeling he got everything he needed out of this encounter but was surprised when, in the blink of an eye, he was no longer walking back towards the stairs but instead standing before the time window with Zeitgeist by his side.

“I apologize for taking the chance to bend time a bit, but I want to show you something before you go. I know you don’t like when I show you events from the timestream that either haven’t happened yet or don’t directly pertain to you, but this one time I’d like for you to set aside your desires to focus on your own destiny and indulge in something I think you might need soon enough. Consider it a parting gift to help ensure you stick to our conversation today.”

Before Aaron could argue, Zeitgeist had clicked the button on his scythe’s stopwatch again to change what the window displayed. While the idea of actually being able to use his imagination to know the details of events where he hadn’t been present was easily a stretch even for him, thinking of it in terms of convincing himself of very strong evidence that things might not be exactly what they’re said to be would be a more accurate depiction of what was happening now. What he saw playing out before his very eyes lined up with some things he’d been pondering since the conversation with Austin, and if there was some truth to what he was seeing?

Once he was done sharing the power of one of his very first designs with nine other men and women whose time simply wasn’t meant to be right now, he had some work he would need to do to make sure everything was as it truly should be.

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Time…

It’s an idea that gets thrown around a lot, especially these days it seems. You have people shouting that it’s their time to emerge and take what they feel belongs to them, others claiming that it’s time for a change but are only interested in the change that benefits them specifically… it’s time for this, time for that. We hear it all the time in the wrestling business as everyone is always ready to shove down everyone else’s throats that this is their moment and no one will take it from them, or perhaps jumping on a certain bandwagon when someone comes along promising to change things for the better knowing that if they can benefit they’re ready to go all in behind them. But this extends to the world around us as well: promises of change and people getting fed up with the idea that their time is being wasted because it’s not what they wanted to do with their lives or some things simply didn’t go their way.

The sad truth of the matter is that these people rarely understand exactly what it is they’re talking about.

By itself, time can have an obvious definition and also exist as an abstract concept beyond anyone’s truest understanding, but you’d be hard-pressed to know it with how often the idea gets thrown around these days. It always seems like that’s the crutch people will reach for to try and support what they say because they think it’s hard to argue against such a thing. After all, maybe it is their time now and you’re delusional for not wanting to believe. Even in SCW, you have no less than at least half of the roster talking about it in some fashion that it’s lost all its luster, from trying to convince you that they’re the obvious winner of a match to discussing aspects of the past and the future of this company. And yet, this doesn’t stop anyone from using it as a go-to solution, now does it?

The more you simply believe in an ideology just because you think it supports what you want and fail to question why some people might be opposed to it to explain the resistance you receive, the more it becomes clear just how much people have lost sense of a word that is thrown around way more often than it should be.

Take this year for example. So far as it pertains to me, I’ve been told to make 2019 my year and then my first chance to do just that ends in defeat. I bring this up because I know there will be many who will try to throw it in my face as a means of trying to convince me that I cannot overcome them either. Bree Lancaster, the reigning U.S. Champion as of this time and a fact I have to make clear as a reminder of who some are trying to compare themselves to, was the better athlete on that night, plain and simple. Does that mean she will defeat me again when we inevitably cross paths down the road once more? She might think so, which only plays to her undoing in the end. But it’s only one match where I still proved what kind of challenge I can pose even in defeat… who’s to say for certain that the same result will be present come Sunday night in Los Angeles?

If you’re one of the nine individuals opposing me and you claim to know the answer, then you’re only paying attention to the one path along this infinitely twisting trail that gives you everything you desire.

Don’t get me wrong… I know that I am considered as part of the future of SCW and I will not deny that, but unlike many who make that claim I am willing to put in the work to show exactly why I am not the one making such claims, but those around me are believing in them. I want to do exactly what Sasha asked me to do and make 2019 my year in this business to make up for a lot of the lows that plagued my rookie year here and heavily weighed down the accomplishments I did manage. But I have no reason to stand here and waste my breath trying to convince each and every one of you that I’m supposedly better because at the end of the day it always falls on deaf ears as you likely won’t listen as you make the same argument against me in a neverending cycle.

When we all meet in that ring, I can simply show you what makes me unique and why so many people are willing to get behind what I represent.

Maybe you don’t believe I deserve this opportunity, which wouldn’t be the first time I've heard that since coming here. After all, U.S. Champion or not I did just lose a few nights ago and while second place in that Open Invitational at the End of the Year Special is impressive considering the number of individuals involved and the talent they each possessed, it’s still not a win. But in making those claims you’re likely to ignore your own shortcomings that I could also use against you to make the same argument if I truly wished to do so, not to mention that I’m still coming out of a situation that would’ve driven most to the brink of madness and I’m not only holding my head high with my life and career intact but along the way I managed to score a few of those marquee victories that many loved to wield against me because they were always so elusive for the longest time.

There is one simple fact here that does prevail: the longer I do this, the better I will become and the more I will succeed as long as I’m willing to recognize it and keep working towards it.

This battle royal is a prime example of the many different possibilities on the table right now that many of you might look at and simply think ‘there’s no question this is mine to win.’ Taking myself out of the equation, this match contains several names who either currently hold, have once held or came close to winning the TV Title, one of the hardest championships to hang onto. There are a total of four former World Champions in the running as well, and we can’t forget about the hungry newcomers to SCW’s ranks and those who have been working for a long time to prove they’re ready for a chance like this. Add in the element that makes a battle royal so unique in its own right, and there truly is no guarantee the final outcome will be exactly what you want it to be.

For someone in my position, this is quite an interesting scenario to be in. TV Title reigns aside, the only other title opportunities that have come along have both involved a battle royal kind of situation, whether it be the match that determined who would face AJ Helms for an interim copy of the U.S. Title later in the night or the Open Invitational two years ago where I first debut that had the Adrenaline Title on the line and drew the largest crowd ever for that match primarily because of that or even Taking Hold of the Flame. True, my track record in such matches hasn’t been great, but the benefit to having these matches to look back on allows me to figure out the best way to approach this one to see if maybe, just maybe, this is the one.

On top of that, let’s play devil’s advocate for a moment in the case of most of you and say that I do end up winning this match. I would now have an Adrenaline Title shot, but waiting for me would be either Ravyn Taylor or Owen Cruze. Ravyn is someone who honestly needs to be knocked down several pegs and not just because she loves what she’s getting out of Katya running the show, considering she probably already has an idea of how she would approach me because she’s a firm believer in her intelligence being all she needs to easily dismantle any one of us that might walk away on Sunday night in victory. On the flip side, it’s no secret that Owen is my best friend and a man I truly believe has had this opportunity coming to him for a long time now. Getting to tear the house down with him again for a title would be incredible, even if the idea of possibly ending his reign so soon doesn’t fully sit well with me. Besides… I think we owe each other a truly proper match, no interference to taint the outcome and just the two of us to see exactly what could happen one-on-one.

I acknowledge these possibilities, but I’m not the guy who will stand here and say this is exactly what’s going to happen. In a battle royal, anything can happen, which is exactly why the match is such beautiful chaos. No matter how much you try to preach that this is your time to shine, this match will always have that element of unpredictability that separates those that only know how to hype themselves up and those who truly know what it takes to survive. In my case? All you need to do is look at my life, from what made me who I am today to recent happenings that have challenged my mental and emotional strength as well as my ability to fight, as well as how close I’ve come to prevailing in these matches before to know that while my victory is by no means a guarantee, I’m certainly a threat that needs to be considered all the same.

Making Things Right is the name of the pay-per-view we all enter Sunday night, and just like the idea of time itself, those very words can be interpreted in many different ways. For me personally? Making Things Right is about proving that even if I fell short recently, I’m still willing to fight to make this my year and prove I’m ready to keep climbing the mountains of SCW. It’s about reminding the world of what I stand for and sharing it to prove that there is nothing wrong with being true to yourself and your beliefs. Even if I don’t win, I plan on walking away from this match making it very clear my time is coming, regardless of how much you may not want to believe it because I know there will be those out there who will. I’m not going to say this is the time and L.A. is the place, but I will say this…

If you’re walking into this pay-per-view thinking you know exactly what you’re talking about when you say this [b]is your time, right this second? Maybe you should think long and hard about why that might not be the case when the clock strikes midnight on your hopes of being able to boast about being the next Adrenaline Champion.

After all… no one can truly say for sure what the future holds. They can only try to take their destiny into their own hands and fight for the future that benefits not just them, but everyone in the long run.[/i]