Generational

The shot opens on a rooftop of a parking garage. It’s night, but the city below is alive, a blur of headlights, neon signs and distant noise. The camera slowly pans across the skyline before settling on David Stryker, standing at the concrete ledge, hands in the pockets of his black joggers. He’s wearing a plain white t-shirt and a Dodgers cap pulled low. He’s looking out at the city, hi back turned to the camera, for a few seconds before he turns around.

„So… Gold Rush Final…“ he says and a small smile forms on his face.

„You know, I’ve been in AWS for what, three months? Four? I’ve had eight matches. And I’m standing here telling you that this coming Monday, I’m competing in one of the biggest matches this company has put together all year, and I can bring home a trophy AND the Convergence championship in one go. All of that at 18 years old…“

He spreads his arms slightly, gesturing at the city behind him.

„You can call it luck. You can call it nepotism, because I know some of you will. But the bracket doesn’t lie, and neither does my record. I beat Jamal Payne. I beat the actual nepo baby KD Feigel. Twice, even,“ he says, but then pauses, his smile fading slightly.

„About that second time.. I’ve spent a lot of time in this company talking about earning things the right way. About not taking shortcuts. About doing it clean. And then KD Feigel gets distracted by whatever circus rolled into the arena that night, and I rolled him up for the three count,“ he says and exhales slowly.

„Did the win feel like I thought it would? No. It didn’t. I’ll give you that much,“ he nods. But he doesn’t get too carried away. That youthful bravado kicks in again.

„But you know what? I didn’t cause that distraction. I didn’t call those masked freaks down to the ring. What I did is exactly what every great wrestler in history has done. I read the moment and I took it. I’m not gonna apologize for a pinfall that the ref counted. The history books will say I made it to the final. That’s the only part of the story that matters,“ David states. He straightens up, rolling his shoulders back.

„Now… JohnZo Scary in the final…“ he says slowly.

„JohnZo is an enigma to most of the roster. But funnily enough, this 18 year old kid everybody keeps wrongfully writing off knows him already. We tagged together, in the short lived project that was ADX. I carried this so-called vet to the win, remember? My father faced him, beat him, then signed him for his own promotion. And my father has eye for talent. From that, and from standing alongside JohnZo, I can tell you he’s the real deal…“

He nods again.

„JohnZo has this whole thing. The darkness, the atmosphere, the big words, the cold stare… And it works, I’ll give him that too. But underneath all of it, his message is pretty simple. He hurts people, lights out, he goes home. That’s fine for everybody else he’s faced. But I’ve seen behind the curtain, JohnZo. I know the trick. And you can’t spook someone who already knows where you hide the blade,“ David says with a confident smirk.

„You wanna talk about how your nights tend to end? Well, how about mine? I got seven matches in my record, six wins, and I’ve already collected receipts from a thirty year veteran and both AWS tag champs, one of them being a former World Champion and my father’s latest challenger. All of that at eighteen years old.“

His voice picks up slightly.

„For you, the Gold Rush final is another day at work. Another chapter in a long, bloody career. For me? That is a destiny making night. You’re not stepping in there with just another opponent, just another young talent trying to make his name. You’ll be facing a third generation star who has studied every move of your and has more motivation than ANYONE on that roster to get that win.

My grandfather Doug was a champion at 25. My father Adam won his first title at 21. At Ward, I will be the AWS Convergence Champion at 18. Continuing the legacy of the Stryker name while writing my own, unique, record breaking chapter. So, congratulations, JohnZo. You get to be a part of history, a part of the coronation of a generational talent… Sadly for you, your role involves staring at the lights, shoulders pinned to the mat.“

He turns back toward the city, hands back in his pockets. The camera holds on him for a moment, skyline behind him, completely still. Fade to black.