Post by Devlin Scott on Jul 5, 2018 1:49:36 GMT -5
JOHNNY MAVERICK
Goodbye
“Nothing has ever made me feel more different than hearing people say the phrase ‘I wouldn’t change a thing’ in regards to the events of their life because….man I’d change so many fucking things.” Johnny says. We were not in his ‘Mind Palace’. We were in an empty room of what used to be ‘Casa De Maverick’. Johnny was sitting in the middle of a very empty room with the NGW Championship draped across his lap and drinking from a tall boy inside a brown paper bag. He realizes how that must look and removes the paper bag to show he was drinking from a large can of Arnold Palmer Tea and Lemonade.
“I’m not off this or any other sort of wagon so don’t worry.” Johnny says.
“I think the biggest thing I’d change is… I’d stop telling people I was okay when I wasn’t. Because honestly I haven’t been okay in a long time. It’s really hard to have people in your life like Adrien who have shown they genuinely care about you and have offered their hand in genuine friendship only to spit in that hand when it is offered to you. I feel like I’m outside of my body watching it happen and…I just want to slap myself. When you do things like that and then you tell those people that you’re ‘okay’ you’ve set the standard for what kind of person you are. You’re putting on a big ‘I’M AN ASSHOLE’ shirt and it makes all the people in your life who care about you wonder if you’re hopeless because no matter what they seem to do you can’t ever seem to be happy. When it comes to Adrien and I, Jealousy is probably a big part of it. Seeing his face plastered all over on that poster. Everyone lining up to tell him how proud they are of him. Do you know how many people in NGW congratulated me when I won the Championship? Three. I ask for the opening segment in my hometown and I get told ‘Sorry bud. Adrien is announcing he’s cashing in his shot at your title’ and that ego I’ve been trying to avoid… I’m not gonna lie it was pretty bruised. I lost sight in all of that. I lost sight of the fact that when I won this title one of the three people here who congratulated me was you, Adrien. And you meant it. And like so many other things I took that for granted. I’d make a bunch of silly jokes to try and mask all my insecurities but I mean… they were there. Plain as day for anyone to see.” Johnny says, taking a drink from the tea.
“I’m leaving.” Johnny says. There is a long pause.
“I know I’ve probably made that clear by now. I’m not gonna lie to you and say that I’m retiring for good because I’m not. I just have to get away from here. From all this. Maybe forever. Maybe not. Who knows? This place was never bad to me but I was bad to it and that toxicity spread. So where does that leave the main event of the biggest show in the World? WrestleForce 2?” Johnny asks.
“It doesn’t change much, really. I was never going to be the good guy going into this match so I’m going to villainize myself as much as possible just for the fuck of it. Adrien If you lose this match you will be responsible for allowing me to leave this company with the NGW Championship. You will have failed every single person in the back, in the audience, and you and I both know that I am speaking the GOSPEL truth in that matter. The truth is I don’t WANT to take this title away from this company. I don’t want to leave this company egomaniacally wagging my genitals at all of you before showing up in some other company to toss the NGW Championship in the garbage for ratings. I really don’t want to do that….but I want Adrien to have the motivation of knowing that that is EXACTLY what I will fucking do. No one is rooting for you in this more than I am Adrien but don’t get it twisted and think that means you are in for an easy night. I am going to do everything in my power to cause you harm. I will bend you, break you, and laugh if you step up to me with anything less than 100%.” Johnny says, intensity in his eyes.
“If you want this belt you are going to have to EARN it and god damn it I am going to MAKE you earn it so let me make myself perfectly clear on this matter Adrien. You and I are going to fight. I am going to give you every ounce of fight I have in my body because it would be disrespectful to offer you any less. The only thing you could do to make me lose respect for you in that ring is hesitate. I never slept on you, Adrien. I know EXACTLY the measure of the man I am stepping into the ring with and I wouldn’t have it any other way but what you called my mantra is more than just a mantra. I am just too goddamn stupid to stay down, man. I’ve been searching these past few years for someone…ANYONE who can stop me… who can cut me down to size. When I say I don’t HASHTAG BELIEVE that’s you it has nothing to do with who you are as a person… You’re just so certain of yourself and I’m here to tell you I know what I am capable of and there is a damn good chance you are not leaving WrestleForce with this.” Johnny says, holding up the NGW Championship.
“I’ll see you in the ring, Adrien…maybe for the last time. It was fun. You’re a good dude. Don’t let anyone tell you different. Especially not a dickhead like me.” Johnny says. He stands up and looks around the empty room.
“I guess I should make it clear before I go that this… this isn’t me grasping for pity. I deserve every bit of negativity that has come my way and then some. This isn’t me trying to play with anyone’s sympathies or anything like that. This is just goodbye. With or without the NGW Championship I am leaving the company. I have no complaints about how this place treated me. I have no complaints about the people who work here… except Shields. Fuck that guy. I just….I gotta go. I’m not asking you to understand why. I wish this place the best of luck without me.” Johnny says.
“My name is Johnny Maverick. I Never Give Up. I Never Surrender. I Never Relent.” Johnny says. There is a long moment of silence. Johnny wipes his eyes and we hear little bit of a sniffle.
“Sometimes I really wish I could, though.” Johnny walks over to the lightswitch and turns off the light. All we are left with is darkness.