Post by danieldaemon on May 21, 2024 17:33:33 GMT -5
He suplexes the weighted dummy in the center of the ring. There’s a terrifying precision and clinical expertise to the way he lowers his hips and gets as much of his weight under the dummy as he can and snaps back, turning his whole body into a trebuchet essentially. He removes his mouthguard and wipes the sweat from his forehead.
Outside the ring another version of him watches on. Johnathan Daemon is wearing a well-tailored bespoke suit and the ‘King’ chess piece pocket square is sticking out of the breast pocket.
No he doesn’t have ‘multiple personalities’ or whatever. That's not what we’re doing here.
Johnathan Daemon: She’s a real cunt. You can give and give and give to her and all she will leave you is broken…and you will love her for it. Because you are a fool.
A pause.
Johnathan Daemon: Because I am a fool. If a fool learns the truth and continues his behavior he’s still a fool.
The man formerly known as Johnny Maverick in the ring is in training gear, looking down at the grappling dummy laying in the middle of the shitty old boxing ring he is standing in.
Johnathan Daemon: I’m in the ring with my father. He tapped. He surrendered.
Johnathan doesn’t blink as he looks at the dummy. Lost in the moment. The well-dressed Johnathan continues.
Johnathan Daemon: And in that moment I think about what making people tap out has always meant to me. To tap out is to acknowledge your own inferiority.
He sees Daniel tapping out in his mind. He snaps himself out of it.
Johnathan Daemon:Acknowledging the person who made you tap as your better.
A smirk.
Johnathan Daemon: And I… have made a lot of people tap.
Johnathan runs the ropes a few times, hitting them hard before stopping on a dime in the middle of the ring.
Johnathan Daemon: A lot of people asking ‘Why Johnny Why?’ What happened to the Johnny we all love? But… this has always been in here. Not a ‘Demon’ or whatever my dad thought but… this desire to stop pretending like any of you are even CLOSE to on my level.
Johnathan in the ring lays on his back before snapping up into a neck bridge he keeps held.
Johnathan Daemon: Because you aren’t.
He says this the same way one might say ‘The sky is blue’ or ‘Salt is salty.’ Johnathan adjusts his tie.
Johnathan Daemon: I’m not a Demon but there is… something in here. Nothing supernatural. Something… has come Untethered. The knots started to fray and tear some time ago.
Johnathan rolls his neck a little bit and puts his hand there as he remembers…
Johnathan Daemon: Back when I believed there was merit in being what you’d all describe as a good person… I felt that tear away from me as a company I believed in and wanted to help build up disappeared then reappeared a couple months later and said ‘Oops, Sorry J-Mav. All broads now.’
An eye roll. He’s had time to be bitter about that and it sounds like he’s put it far behind him.
Johnathan Daemon:But my time there showed me one thing… it wasn’t enough to just BE great. I certainly did no one any favors putting on a fake smile and playing nice. To keep a company THRIVING you not only need to give the roster something to fight against… you need to hurt them. You need to put them through Hell. If they survive? They improve. They and this company by extension become better. The alternative? They disappoint me, I break them, and the company becomes better. I will leave a trail of snapped arms and disappointment in my wake if it means making Empire Wrestling thrive.
The Johnathan in the ring kips back up to his feet and it’s on to different burpee variants.
Johnathan Daemon: Adams. Hartson. Rodriguez. Levitt. Walker. Riot. Everyone here. It’s a good enough roster… but ‘good enough’ isn’t good enough anymore. I am here to make you better. And if you find yourself upset I didn’t mention your name just now. Fucking do something about it.
He adjusts his tie again. Still getting used to it.
Johnathan Daemon: If you survive in the ring with me you will come out of it a better fighter. The moment you give me your back I will suplex you into a different time zone. The very SECOND you aren’t keeping your arm guarded I will bend and twist and tear every muscle and tendon in it. I am not 7 feet tall or as strong as a silverback gorilla like my father was well into his old age, but I feel up to sitting on his throne and living up to his legacy means… Gold. In due time. No ‘Johnny Maverick’ joke belt either.
Johnathan in the ring stops and checks his pulse. Something seems to frustrate him.
Johnathan Daemon:I know the whole ‘King’ thing is very played out…but there is no ‘Empire’ without an Emperor. That’s just common sense. My name is Johnathan Daemon…
Johnathan calmly steps aside as the Johnathan in the ring overshoots and suplexes the weighted dummy straight out of the ring with a furious roar.
Johnathan Daemon: And having bested my Father. A man who never received a FRACTION of the respect he deserved from you people…I am the Emperor of Empire Wrestling. I will make you Give Up. I will make you Surrender. I will make you Relent.
Johnathan smirks darkly and leaves.
Outside the ring another version of him watches on. Johnathan Daemon is wearing a well-tailored bespoke suit and the ‘King’ chess piece pocket square is sticking out of the breast pocket.
No he doesn’t have ‘multiple personalities’ or whatever. That's not what we’re doing here.
Johnathan Daemon: She’s a real cunt. You can give and give and give to her and all she will leave you is broken…and you will love her for it. Because you are a fool.
A pause.
Johnathan Daemon: Because I am a fool. If a fool learns the truth and continues his behavior he’s still a fool.
The man formerly known as Johnny Maverick in the ring is in training gear, looking down at the grappling dummy laying in the middle of the shitty old boxing ring he is standing in.
Johnathan Daemon: I’m in the ring with my father. He tapped. He surrendered.
Johnathan doesn’t blink as he looks at the dummy. Lost in the moment. The well-dressed Johnathan continues.
Johnathan Daemon: And in that moment I think about what making people tap out has always meant to me. To tap out is to acknowledge your own inferiority.
He sees Daniel tapping out in his mind. He snaps himself out of it.
Johnathan Daemon:Acknowledging the person who made you tap as your better.
A smirk.
Johnathan Daemon: And I… have made a lot of people tap.
Johnathan runs the ropes a few times, hitting them hard before stopping on a dime in the middle of the ring.
Johnathan Daemon: A lot of people asking ‘Why Johnny Why?’ What happened to the Johnny we all love? But… this has always been in here. Not a ‘Demon’ or whatever my dad thought but… this desire to stop pretending like any of you are even CLOSE to on my level.
Johnathan in the ring lays on his back before snapping up into a neck bridge he keeps held.
Johnathan Daemon: Because you aren’t.
He says this the same way one might say ‘The sky is blue’ or ‘Salt is salty.’ Johnathan adjusts his tie.
Johnathan Daemon: I’m not a Demon but there is… something in here. Nothing supernatural. Something… has come Untethered. The knots started to fray and tear some time ago.
Johnathan rolls his neck a little bit and puts his hand there as he remembers…
Johnathan Daemon: Back when I believed there was merit in being what you’d all describe as a good person… I felt that tear away from me as a company I believed in and wanted to help build up disappeared then reappeared a couple months later and said ‘Oops, Sorry J-Mav. All broads now.’
An eye roll. He’s had time to be bitter about that and it sounds like he’s put it far behind him.
Johnathan Daemon:But my time there showed me one thing… it wasn’t enough to just BE great. I certainly did no one any favors putting on a fake smile and playing nice. To keep a company THRIVING you not only need to give the roster something to fight against… you need to hurt them. You need to put them through Hell. If they survive? They improve. They and this company by extension become better. The alternative? They disappoint me, I break them, and the company becomes better. I will leave a trail of snapped arms and disappointment in my wake if it means making Empire Wrestling thrive.
The Johnathan in the ring kips back up to his feet and it’s on to different burpee variants.
Johnathan Daemon: Adams. Hartson. Rodriguez. Levitt. Walker. Riot. Everyone here. It’s a good enough roster… but ‘good enough’ isn’t good enough anymore. I am here to make you better. And if you find yourself upset I didn’t mention your name just now. Fucking do something about it.
He adjusts his tie again. Still getting used to it.
Johnathan Daemon: If you survive in the ring with me you will come out of it a better fighter. The moment you give me your back I will suplex you into a different time zone. The very SECOND you aren’t keeping your arm guarded I will bend and twist and tear every muscle and tendon in it. I am not 7 feet tall or as strong as a silverback gorilla like my father was well into his old age, but I feel up to sitting on his throne and living up to his legacy means… Gold. In due time. No ‘Johnny Maverick’ joke belt either.
Johnathan in the ring stops and checks his pulse. Something seems to frustrate him.
Johnathan Daemon:I know the whole ‘King’ thing is very played out…but there is no ‘Empire’ without an Emperor. That’s just common sense. My name is Johnathan Daemon…
Johnathan calmly steps aside as the Johnathan in the ring overshoots and suplexes the weighted dummy straight out of the ring with a furious roar.
Johnathan Daemon: And having bested my Father. A man who never received a FRACTION of the respect he deserved from you people…I am the Emperor of Empire Wrestling. I will make you Give Up. I will make you Surrender. I will make you Relent.
Johnathan smirks darkly and leaves.