Bullet With Butterfly Wings

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“Quite some words, Damon Graves. Tell me how you really feel, right?”

The Dropkick King stares into the camera, dressed in his usual plaid shirt and blue jeans, the shirt mostly covered by the black leather jacket. Behind him is the famous religious landmark of the Notre-Dame de Paris. The sun is beginning to set behind them, Adrien’s sunglasses, now unneeded, is dangling the collar of his shirt.

“So, you thought that I wasn’t bothered to address you directly. Interesting, because I was planning on doing one of these videos, even if I had no idea that Eddie was going to do one. A slight miscommunication between employer and employee, but it is what it is. But anytime Eddie does a video for me very early in the week does not mean I’m not getting one up myself. But you know what they say about assuming, am I right?

“So where was I when Eddie was talking? Well, I was putting aside my differences with Johnny Maverick for the benefit of a common cause: the wedding of Joshua Goldstein. Because that’s what you do when you have a common goal, Damon. You work together to get to that goal. The stupid disputes and quarreling are less important than that goal. I care enough about Goldstein enough to ignore the discord between me and Johnny Maverick to work with Maverick to take care of my friend. I am humble enough to accept the help of a person who doesn’t like me a whole lot right now and I have some disappointments with to do what it takes to reach that goal.

“And honestly, that’s what I believe is the best course of action for the Guardians and Rebel Society. There are differences between the two factions, yes. But we all came together in our units to take care of a threat that is much important than anything going on between our two groups.

“But alas, that is just hopeless optimism from me. The more time has gone on since the formation of Rebel Society, that dream of mine becomes much more unlikely. Because from the moment you formed, on more than one occasion, the Rebel Society has mocked my teammates. Attacked them. Belittled them. Not every member of your group but enough for me to feel like that was the groupthink of your stable. And I will not stand for that!”

Adrien’s voice raises for a moment. His ice cold blue eyes stare into the camera with a resistant anger.

“YOU are the one who called these three people I love and care about ‘bit players’ LIKE MATTHEW SHIELDS has. YOU are the one who keeps harping on that I am an egomaniac while I’m trying to BUILD THEM UP! Or have you not seen my reaction every time I said that the real person who is the ‘least important Guardian’ IS me. And you have the nerve to act like Eddie should be ashamed of himself for breathing your name in the same breath as Matthew Shields.

“If you don’t want to be compared to Matthew Shields, STOP ACTING LIKE HIM!!”

Adrien steps away from the camera for a moment before turning back around and facing the camera once more.

“Jessica, Jazmyn, and Josh mean the world to me. Because I was prepared to do this on my own. I made that clear at WrestleForce. The mission was absolutely clear. A king needed to be dethroned. I never asked for anyone to join me on this crusade. I knew the risks. I was expecting to have a lot more injuries in my tenure so far in NGW than I have, believe me. This knee? This was the best case scenario, and honestly, I’m shocked it was not given to me by a Destroyer, quite honestly.

“But when I saw that Alechs was suspended and I saw a person in need, I did what I knew was the right thing to do. Honey needed someone to step up. And I want to make a difference. That’s all I want to do from an interpersonal standpoint. I want to be a positive force in the universe. I hope I am one.

“But those actions set a series of events I never expected. Alechs Aurelio and Honey Smith felt like they owed me something, contrary to me telling them that they didn’t. I tried to tell them that making the best of their opportunity against you and Aurora was all I needed from them. But they decided that they wanted to help me with my mission. At that point, the Destroyers were already formed. Jazmyn Rain, impressed by my ambition and goal and I’m guessing my heart, told me she wanted to be a part of this. And with a booming debut while I was trying to escape out of that steel cage with an armed Kayla Richards waiting for me. The Destroyers wanted to play a numbers game...only right that we evened those out, right?

“Sure, Alechs hasn’t been seen from since the match with Julianna. Honey left shortly thereafter. But my longtime friend Jessica Sears joined the company and made it clear that she trusted me enough to join this fight. I fought to get another Eddie Walker client, Joshua Goldstein’s head screwed back on properly when the Five Lakes Championship got a little overwhelming for him. I did that because I saw how much it was burdening Walker and so many other people who care about him. I didn’t expect him to want to be a fifth Guardian prior to Honey’s departure.

“I was prepared to fight by myself. But suddenly, I had an army who thought my mission was important enough to be their mission. And where were you when I was trying to do this?

“Worrying about your own tag team championship.”

Adrien exhales and shakes his head.

“What took you so long, Damon? You’ve been around here longer than I have. You’ve been exposed to what the Destroyers are longer than I have. Did you need to get an invite from Avery, Alex, and Daisy before you thought this was worth accomplishing? Better late than never, right?

“Honestly, it's fine. Really. Because regardless of all of that, I was glad to see the four of you band together to try to at least do the same thing we want to do. It was until the shots from you all went in our direction. The Guardians don’t have what it takes? Remind me who won Warfare, where Team AA had three out of four members of the Rebel Society? Who stood tall when he was alone in the ring with two Destroyers and was able to score a pinfall against both of them?

“You’ve said you want to beat me senseless because of Eddie’s words. Not going to be the first time that’s happened. Eddie’s mouth has a tendency to put me in trouble, but it’s the price I have to pay to have an outspoken person who says whatever the hell is on his mind regardless if I’m okay with it or not, knowing that it comes back on me and not him. And you know what, I’m fine with that. He’s my best friend. And I can handle any backlash he sends my way. Walker is more valuable than anyone could ever realize.

“And in a way, this is a good thing. You’re angry. You’re motivated. You want to beat me to a point where I can’t stand anymore. You want me to ‘stay down’ as you have decorated your hand with. That’s fine. Because I’m not going to stay down. I’m going to keep standing right back up. Keep talking about how you can hit me hard enough that I won’t because I will pop right back to my feet and ask you to hit me again. Be angry. Want to destroy me. That’s the best way to make sure I know for a fact that I got your best, and I want your best, Damon Graves. I want you to feel like you have to give me every ounce you have.

“Because it won’t stop me.”

The head shaking has been replaced with nodding.

“You’ve disrespect my team. You’ve said untrue things about me, their falsity easily proven by my actions. You’ve freaked out over my manager pointing out these facts, causing you to go into a frenzy. And in the end, you will end up being the message that I’m sending, instead of the message you wanted to send. No matter what you think you can do to me, you’re going to find out that when I am on the top of my game, I can stand toe to toe with anyone. Anyone. Damon Graves, one of the greatest tag team competitors I ever met, included. And anyone who wants to hurt my team, even if it’s ignoring how great and talented they are, will have to answer to me. I want you to remember that, Damon. I want you to remember all of these words you have said about me, Jessica, Jazmyn, and Joshua, as I pin you to the mat for a three count. Because that will be what is running through my mind. I will defend their honor to the death.

“That’s what it will take for me to stay down, Damon. Physically incapable of standing. You think you can hit me hard enough for me to not be capable of standing? Try me. See what kind of heart you’re fighting. See what kind of toughness you’re fighting. See what kind of endurance I can take. See that despite all your rage, you’re still just a rat in a cage.”

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But can you fake it, for just one more show?

And what do you want? I want to change

And what have you got, when you feel the same?

Even though I know - I suppose I'll show

All my cool and cold - like old Job

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Then someone will say what is lost can never be saved

Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage

Tell me I'm the only one

Tell me there's no other one

Jesus was the only son, yeah

Tell me I'm the chosen one

Jesus was the only son for you