Post by Coda on Jun 18, 2017 16:08:06 GMT -5
DATE: 06.18.17
LOCATION: Philidelphia, PA
CAMERA STATUS: ON
As the YouTube video flickered to life, Coda sat cross-legged on a makeshift throne with a stoic expression adorn her features. An arm hung lazily across the side of one of the royal blue armrests while her head rested comfortably on the cushioned backing. Flipping a switch on the side, the recliner leaned backward as the leg rest flipped upward at lightning speed.
"Jeremy Starling has compared himself to Perseus — a Greek hero of legend who slew monsters in a time before Hercules took his place. Perseus has beheaded Medusa, perhaps the most famous monster in Greek legend today."
"Jeremy Starling compared himself to Hercules — brave and strong, capable of defeating anything who stands before him. Many movies and cartoons revolve around the man's heroic nature. With golden armor and a smile, the son of Zeus rode a Pegasus into battle and fought Hades himself in the Disney movie."
"Jeremy Starling compared himself to Odysseus — clever and persistent in his climb to greatness, except the part where he takes 20 years getting back to his wife thanks to a fair share of obstacles, two of which involve cheating on his wife. Homer's Odyssey told the timeless tale of the cunning he possessed, the overwhelming willpower which assisted him in overcoming every obstacle that came in his direction."
The information was effortless to roll off of the Korean's tongue. Rocking back and forth in the chair while she spoke, Coda eyed the camera lens with a slight smirk adorn those lips.
"I have seen the movies. I have watched the cartoons. I have read the countless books in which those three figures make their triumphant appearance and I have come to this conclusion: Perseus defeated the gorgon Medusa, his grandfather Acrisius, as well as countless other monsters. Hercules murdered the deadly nine-headed Hydra, slew the Nemean Lion as well as 10 other labors. Odysseus outsmarted the gods, lead in the Trojan War and dispatched of everything that stood in his path despite the overwhelming odds against him. And Jeremy Starling?"
"Jeremy Starling could not defeat Anton Chase. Jeremy Starling could not defeat Courtney Steele. Jeremy Sterling could not defeat Yujiro Fujiwara and Jeremy Starling could not defeat Caroline O'Hara Burchill. The man is talented, do not get me wrong, but compared to the men of myth Jeremy himself touts as heroes in which he finds commonalities... He does not compare."
She scoffed, crossing her legs in the other direction as she shut her eyes softly. In an instant, her eyes opened wide again. The sound of customers scurrying around the throne itself suddenly reached a higher volume.
"He is Icarus. He is flying too close to the sun. He is Narcissus. So consumed with himself, he would rather gaze upon himself in a pond than acknowledge the other people who care about him. 'Living Greatness.' 'Born Better.' These are pointless terms used to call attention to himself. These are the words of himself echoed before every utterance of his name across the globe in an attempt to make it true. It is no different than 'The Monster Messiah' Martin Karloff. It is no different than referring to oneself as a god or a king. It has no meaning when it is you giving yourself the moniker and every time it is said in serious conversation, people like Jeremy Starling fly closer and closer towards that sun until their wings burst into flames and they fall back down to earth."
"I wish this was not the case. I wish Jeremy Starling dropped this ridiculous nickname and strictly stuck to being Jeremy Starling. Instead, he has become a parody of himself. All the talent in the world is wasted. In an attempt to sound important, 'Living Greatness' sounds tired and cliche, a lackluster series of words used to boost confidence when the talent Jeremy Starling possesses alone more than makes up for it."
With clasped hands, she cupped the back of her head as she calmly spoke on the subject.
"I respect Jeremy Starling. I do not respect 'Living Greatness.' I respect the man. I do not respect the characacher. I respect my friend. I do not respect the public figure. This is simply an opinion. I do not know if I am explaining it correctly. All I understand is I dislike the use of self-given nicknames. He is an example of this trend. It needs to end."
"I am not so ignorant to believe one heavily scripted speech such as this one will successfully abolish the use of self-given nicknames in their entirety when it comes to this sport. It is not possible. Many seek to change the world in wrestling, I only seek to bring some awareness to the things around us. Do as you will with this knowledge and I will keep doing as I do as well."
With the scratch of her eyebrow, Coda shut her eyes firmly and kept them closed.
"I am Daedalus, in this analogy. I, too, have wings along with Icarus. I have warned him not to fly too close to the sun, nor too close to the sea, but to follow his path of flight. These wings I have created for us out of wax and feathers will not do well in water nor will they survive the overwhelming heat of the sun. Overcome with excitement and bravado, Icarus flapped those wings and soared through the sky in a brilliant display of confidence. However... It did not take too long at all for Icarus to do the one thing Daedalus warned him against. Icarus flew too close to the sun and in the process, the heat melted the wax. No matter how hard Icarus attempted to flap his arms, our hero fell from grace and drowned in the sea below."
"From my perspective, it is not a moment to gloat and claim that I have told you so. I believe Daedalus would feel disappointed. I imagine Daedalus would grieve. It is a lesson Jeremy Starling should learn or else he may find himself falling from grace as well. Does this make sense?"
With a slight tilt of the head, Coda emphasised her next few words carefully as her arms flopped back down to her sides.
"The Sword of Damocles hangs firmly over your head, Jeremy. The imminent fall of your reign as champion is coming in lieu of the confidence you constantly show. Expect it. The sword is ready to drop. Once this reign is over, I will gladly capture the Young Lions Championship and use my own wings to fly on the path. For those of you unsure why I want the championship at all, allow me to elaborate simply."
"Achieving the Young Lions Championship is not merely achieving the ability to call myself the champion with a new accessory to wrap around my waist. It is not an arbitrary goal, no. It is more. It is bringing the most out of opponents in the future. It is the thrill of being a target. While most dread defending championships in order to have a long reign, I would rather accept the challenges. I would rather fight in matches where my opponent wants so desperately to obtain what I have that they give me the competition I crave. This is what I am after. This is what I hope to achieve. It is not simply to expand this aura surrounding my name in a way which silly nicknames never could but it is openly competing in matches that can make me a stronger wrestler whether I win or I lose."
"Competition like this — the match with Mason Moore and surely my upcoming match against Jeremy Starling — help me sleep at night. It calms my brain. I cannot explain it accurately. I simply know it to be true. Matches against 'The Monster Messiah' or 'Wrestling's God' Anton Chase do not give me this luxury when it is over. I do not know if this is a normal occurrence for others in this sport or if this is something uniquely a part of me. This is what I like. This is what I crave. It is normal. It is the way I am."
As more customers walk around the furniture store, a woman walks up to the recliner where Coda is seated and quietly asks to try it out. Politely, Coda pushes the lever and lets the leg rest slowly sink back down to the floor. Now at a right angle, Coda stands up and discards the 'throne,' politely gesturing towards the customer to sit down in her place.
"I must seek refuge in the Wells Fargo Center now. I have a championship to acquire."
With a slight awkward wave, the YouTube video comes to a conclusion.
