A84: Mikey Stormrage vs. The Beard

Deadline is Wednesday, September 10th at 11:59 PM Central Time.

 

Deadline extended by 24 hours.

 

"Peter Dinklage, hurry up! We can't hold off these Fallen much longer!"

A loud knocking sound penetrated the sounds of Guardians and Fallen locked in battle, all while the rain poured down around us.

"Dinklebot, you better fucking hurry!"

Again the knocking sound began to drown out the sound of guns and yells from brave warriors locked in conflict.

"Waffle, I'm down! God help me I've been hit and I can't get up. I need a revive."

As I looked for my comrade to lend a hand, Dinklebot finished his job.

[YOUTUBE]FlOYatDYC40[/YOUTUBE]​

As Dinklebot groaned out another deathly monotone line, Waffle was able to get me back to my feet and Spearman was able to finish off the last few straggling Fallen just as the knocking sounds came back.

I threw my hands in the air after I threw my controller onto the desk in front of me.

"B-R-B guys, someone is knocking on the fucking door."

I opened the door to see Serafina standing in the door way, clutching to the Pinkie Pie plushie I had bought her around the time Ty and I first began working out and teaming up together.

"What are you doing here?"

She stepped inside, out of the rain, her hair matted and her clothes soaked. I closed the door behind her, catching a glimpse of her eyes. Her mascara was running, though it was hard to tell if she had been crying or if she had simply been in the rain for too long.

"You look terrible, how long have you been out there?"

Serafina finally looked me in the eyes and responded with a question of her own.

"Me, what is wrong with you? You look terrible, like you haven't slept in days. And why are you yelling at Tyrion Lannister?"

I took a look at myself in a nearby mirror. Sure enough, the fact that I had been awake nearly nonstop since Monday playing Destiny with my online friends was starting to show. I had gotten about eight hours of sleep over the span of four days. I was surviving on Mt. Dew Kickstart and Taco Bell(Live Más) the entire time. My living room was starting to smell like the Latin American tour.

"I've been awake for the better part of four days playing Destiny. I will become legend by this weekend. Anyway, who is Tyrion Lannister? I was yelling at Peter Dinklage."

Serafina shook her head, as if she was questioning why she was here.

"Peter Dinklage plays Tyrion Lannister. Game of Thrones? Anyway, I can't find Ty. He isn't answering his phone, he hasn't been home, I have no clue where he is."

"I don't watch Game of Thrones. But why would you come to me, like I know where he is? Last time I saw him, he was kicking me in the face."

She flopped down on my couch, ready to cry again.

"Regardless, you are going to catch a cold. You should get out of those cold, wet clothes. I have some stuff that should fit you."

I walked to my room and grabbed some clothes that an unknown one night stand had left. I returned to my living room and handed the clothes to Serafina. I turned my back as she began to change.

"Let me know when you finish up."

"All done."

It wasn't her normal attire, but she looked good. She was still wet enough that the clothes clung to her lightly, but she no longer looked homeless. I took a seat next to her on the couch.

"Okay, now tell me what is going on."

Serafina took a deep breath before she began to speak.

"Well, ever since Ascension, Ty has been missing. Backstage at Meltdown, everything was fine. Twenty four hours later, and he isn't answering his phone, he isn't home, he left no notes, nothing."

I looked at her, and she was stunning. In my mind, I harkened back to the last time I had someone I could truly call my own. Ty was a lucky man, he had pretty much everything I wanted. A beautiful girl and World Titles to his name, fast cars, a big house, but maybe, just maybe, that was coming to an end. I had eliminated him from the Lethal Lottery, which was a great, though I caught a boot to the face and a betrayal for it. On top of that, his girl was in my house. She was vulnerable, if my name was Ricky Runn I could take advantage of that.

"I think Ty is upset. Me, I mean look at me, I cost him his shot at another World Title. I think deep down Ty knows he is on his last legs, at least solo. He needs help, and he couldn't stand to share the spotlight with someone like me."

Serafina looked at me with her beautiful, innocent eyes.

"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You aren't nearly as bad as you or those around you think you are."

I blushed a little as I did my best to mouth a "thank you" but there was a lump in my throat.

"I've always admired that about you. You don't forget who you are. Its like you know the world won't forget either, and you wear those flaws like armor. People can't hurt you."

I laughed and raised the hair on the back of my head, showing her a knot from my recent match. I lifted my shirt and showed her some bruises.

"I let other people hurt me all the time. Physically and mentally, but I do know who I am. I'm the guy who is being overlooked in all this mess. People like to forget I've never lost to The Beard, people like to forget I eliminated Ty Burna. I came in at number three, and fought to the final three of the Lethal Lottery. People forget that I was the one who brought Matt Tastic back from the dark side. When Strikeforce won the tag team titles at Kingdom Come Four, I was the one who overcame fear to scale a ladder and unhook our belts. When we won our second pair of titles, I was the one who made Saboteur quit. I was the same guy who threw friendship out the window and slammed James Howard from the second rope to win my EurAsian title. I haven't always been proud of my actions, but I will be damned if anyone writes me off. Be it Ty, be in The NeckBeard, be it Jack fucking Cohen. I am Mikey fucking Stormrage! Mess with me and it is Game Fucking Over!"

In my moment, I pulled Serafina to her feet and kissed her passionately. I quickly pushed her back down, realizing my mistake.

"I...I'm sor...sor...sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

Without hesitation, Serafina grabbed my collar and pulled me down on top of her, returning the kiss as my online friends pondered where I had gone.

 

A dimly lit room, the size of a walk in closet covered with shelves as a large man slowly paces back and forth.[/i]

A storm rages inside all of us, my children. It all depends on how you control the storm that brews within. Some have complete control, whereas others release monsoon like anger in mere seconds.

The man is revealed to be The Beard, who gently rubs his hand against the smooth shelf as if it were the cheek of a beautiful woman. He continues to speak to his “children”.

The world was once again reminded of my rage, my storm, my anger when I destroyed their beloved hero, their savior Matt Tastic. And now they feed me a man who was a friend long ago, but has always been an enemy. Mikey, how ironic that our paths cross again. Children, tell me the legends of Mikey Stormrage. Tell me how his heroic quest has led him to our gates.

He loves video games.

Yes he was an avid gamer. Lost in a fantasy world not much different than the one he lives now. A world where he is a false hero, a world forcing you to be the winner. A world like that of professional wrestling.

He is a former tag team champion.

A great champion he was. Strikerforce was the premiere tag team division while your father was starting up as a nobody. But it is funny how our paths would always end up intersecting.

He is a former Eurasian champion.

A championship he lost to his best friend, Matt Tastic. The man who we will crush at Kingdom Come and take back what was taken from us, the World Heavyweight Championship.

You have never defeated him in a one on one match.

Beard takes a deep breath, trying to ignore the previous statement. The children cause a scene as they laugh at Beard’s clear frustration.

Live Mas!
Live Mas!
Live Mas!
Live Mas!
Live Ma-

A loud thud echoes through the small room as the children’s “Live Mas!” chant fades to a deep slow motion like voice. Another thud as sparks begin to fly. The room lights up as we see Beard smashing a tape player with a bat. Beard falls to the ground, in tears as he rips his hair out of a ponytail as he falls past his shoulders.

Live no more! Is there life after death? No there’s not. There isn’t life before death. Mikey Stormrage will realize what Matt Tastic has got him into. His blood is on Tastic’s hands. And when I eviscerate Mikey Stormrage, a statement will be made. They will ask to show them what goes on inside the mind of a madmen, but I can’t help them. I’m not a mad man, I’m not crazy. Am I children? Is your father crazy?

Beard flips a switch, brightening up the room. His children are revealed to be props. Mannequins, scare crows, dolls, stuffed animals, inanimate objects built into that of life. Beard holds on his children as he strokes the hair of the child as he begins to whisper.

Tell me my son, am I crazy? Tell me I’m not mad. Tell me I’m not insane. Tell me I’m normal.

Silence. Beard looks desperate for an answer. Still nothing.

Answer me!

Beard rips the head off the doll and launches it across the room. He proceeds to start destroying the rest of his beloved family.

Why won’t you answer me damn it?

Beard falls to the ground with his arms sprawled across the floor as if he were ready to create a snow angel. Suddenly the lights go out.

The say the craziest of minds is the sharpest of minds. They say the quiet ones are the dangerous ones. I am crazy, I am a madman, I am insane, and I am the most dangerous man in the universe. I didn’t realize that leaving wouldn’t destroy the company like I had thought. The machine keeps churning. False heroes will keep appearing and keep the people attached. What will ultimately kill this is a real hero. Me, the man with the beard. The man with nothing left. They didn’t account for me to come back. They made you all believe that everything was right again. You could cheer for your favorites. But I came back. And now the fear blows through the air. An awkwardness sets in, where you aren’t show what’s reality and what is show. The mystery begins to creep in and you actually see the reality that your heroes are not heroes at all. They are props churned out by the man. But I, I am real. I am the hero you all seek, the hero you refuse to believe exists. I am unstable. I am unstoppable. I am a warrior. I am the beast. I am The Beard.

Beard takes a breath of fresh air as a feint humming and crackle can be heard, one very similar to a record player. A loud scratch screams through the room as the voice of children rain throughout.

A man with nothing to lose will walk into Ascension and he will reveal your heroes for what they truly are. Our father will stop at nothing until we are happy, until we are rulers, until we are champion. The world will live in fear. In fear of The Beard.