Gold Rush: Kagura versus Vee ADZ [KFAD Qualifier]

[Da Prophet]

Momentum for these two picked up towards the second half of the build to Gold Rush. Both fell short in the Gold Rush Tournament but since then they’ve gotten some good wins under their belts. Kagura defeated the number one contender, Flex Mussel just days ago, and looks to keep that pace up by qualifying for the King for a Day match. Vee ADZ has been overcoming the odds for the longest time and while he may not be the favourite going into this match, we’re sure that’s the way he likes it. Who will win and earn their spot in the King for a Day match?

RP Deadline Monday 24th July 23:59 (Central).

Extensions available upon request.

 

[Da Prophet]

Match has been extended by 24 hours.

 

[Lee]

Deadline is now Tuesday 25th July 23:59 (Central). No further extensions.

 

[Prince Vee]

His eyes were fastened to the screen even after the video has ended. He couldn’t believe what he had just seen. What he had witnessed is truly beyond reality. The droplets of sweat rolling down his cheek bones and the way his lips had parted in bemuse had clearly suggested that his soul was frightened by what he had seen on that video. To add more fright that he was already in, his soulless son, Vlad, was standing behind him with his hands rested firmly over his shoulders.

Vlad’s father slowly turned his head back to look up at his son. But he paused; rather directed his sight to his feet. A cotton cloth was tightly bound to his left foot; stain of his blood had spread across the linen. He remembered that it was an unpleasant present by his son; a sharp cut to his tribalias anterior tendom. The thought of it had scared him further. Despite being a gritty old man, he couldn’t gather his courage to look up at his son. He decided to bow his head down; a little ashamed and a little confused.

He had no tenacity left in him to even utter a word. But his lips trembled; visibly, there was some curiosity in the way it trembled.

“It can’t be real… You’re bluffing”, he said without raising his head up.

Vlad wallowed around his father. He stopped when he was in front of him. Very cautiously, he raised his father’s head by his chin. He looked him right in the eye; very long and very deep.

“Tell that yourself again. You just witnessed the evidence and you still don’t believe?”, he questioned his father quite tantalizingly.

“But… how did you do that?”, incredulously he asked his son.

“What do you think I did in those 15 years inside the time warp? I escaped back to reality, father. Do you think it was an easy task to do? This isn’t the first time I did the impossible. But improbably, this is the first time you think something is impossible. Hm interesting.”

“It still doesn’t make any sense! What do you hopefully think that you can achieve from this?”, his father barked at Vlad but only with a slight stern voice.

“Keep your petulant voice down, my dear father. It is unwise that you think I can be persuaded to answer you. You still are locked up in my cabin. You still are my tool”, Vlad forced his hands against the arms of the chair.

He turned away from his father. Walked to the video screen and stood right before the projecting rays. All his father could see is the shadow of his son.

“Inevitably, you will find out what I am upto. By then, fortunately, it will be too late for you to stop me.”

He let out a muffled laugh; his father was, quite convolutedly, watching him laugh. Soon that silent laugh turned into a monstrous wild laughter that echoed the room.

……….​

Only a couple of hours before the commencement of one of the biggest events in WZCW, the Gold Rush. The Scottrade Centre in Missouri has already started to attract the huge fan base of WZCW. The Hall of famers, future Hall of famers and WZCW Legends had already arrived for the Autograph sessions and the pre-show. WZCW Champions and other superstars have started to arrive in their luxurious cars in the backstage parking area. But there is one person, who is on the match card, hasn’t yet made his arrival for the event.

Instead, he was in an old gym few miles from the Scottrade Centre. It wasn’t the best facility available in Missouri but he was there, in his wrestling trunks; kneeled down in the middle of the ring. Hands rested on his thighs, sweats pebbling down his body and huge gasps out of his mouth. He just was on his knees in that empty gym. The only other person who was present there was his girlfriend Sara. The identity of that beautiful girl, her everlasting smile was missing from her pale face. She walked to the apron and grabbed the bottom rope with both her hands and looked at her boyfriend.

Sara: You only have two hour left for the event. You shouldn’t exhaust yourself before the match.

His gasps didn’t stop. He turned his face towards her. A drop of sweat rolled down from his forehead to his eyelids. He wiped it off with the back of his hands.

Vee: Just… a few more… minutes.

He said between the long gasps. He raised to his feet and walked to the corner of the ring. He draped a long heavy chain around his right knee. He lifted his knee swiftly, and repeatedly up to the top turnbuckle. He held the ropes tightly between his hands and repeated the knee lifts. The metal clanked when he lifted his knee every time and the free end of the heavy metal chain bruised his other legs. But he didn’t care. The pain wasn’t even close to the one he endured when he tapped to Titus Avison at Unscripted the previous year. One of his failed opportunities.

He continued and repeated the same with his other knee. He dropped the chain down to the mat and started circling inside the ring. He started it with a jog but quickly took his pace and ran around the ring. His breaths became heavier and longer but he didn’t want to give it up. After all, it wasn’t even close to the suffocation he suffered at the hands of Kagura the last time KFAD was at stake at the Kingdom Come. He ended five laps inside the ring and rested himself at the corner and leaned his head to the top turnbuckle.

Sara: Come one, it’s enough already. You have been training 14 hours a day for the past one week! Wasn’t that enough?

Wasn’t that enough? The question repeated in his head. He had won two handicap matches in WZCW; quite a record that many superstars cannot take credit for. He had defeated Justin Cooper and Garth Black on consecutive occasions. Every time, when the odds were against him, he proved his critics wrong. Wasn’t that enough?

Vee: No… Just a few more... Then we can leave.

Sara rolled inside the ring under the bottom turnbuckle. Her face was adorned with assorted expressions; a little frustrated but more concerned.

Sara: What more of what?

He moved his back off the corner and took few steps towards his girlfriend, who was standing there with her hands resting on her sides.

Vee: Hit me with your best shot.

She chuckled but a little fatuously.

Sara: If you want me to leave, just tell me. But don’t ask me to do the things I don’t want to do. Are you even being serious? What are you even thinking?

Vee: No, I am not kidding. Give me your best shot.

He knew her karate background and she is a black belt holder. He knew how heavy her kicks and punches can be but he still insisted. He begged for it with his eyes. He had his arms down and chin up; wanting to get hit. Sara was reluctant but she can’t argue with him. She knows how obstinate her boyfriend can be.

Sara: At least, put your arms up.

Vee: Hit me.

He persisted. Resentfully, she took her Shotokan position; firmly planted her left feet to the mat. She swung her right leg high and hard and knocked him right on the side of his head with the Mawashi Geri. Vee stumbled and fell on his one knee. She almost shed a tear and approached him but he pushed his hands at her, quite defiantly. The hit was hard and heavy but not as hard as the Kawai kick that knocked him out of the Elite Openweight Contendership match.

He was stubborn both in his mind and in his body. He raised to his feet and gestured at Sara to hit him again. But she turned around and walked out of the ring. Her eyes had turned red and slight wetness formed across it, which she didn’t want to show it to him. She just jumped out of the ring. He followed her out of the ring. They didn’t exchange any words; nonetheless, she handed him his towel. He quietly walked to the bathroom.

He let the stream of water to flow down his body and wet him completely. His thoughts weren’t washed away. He counted the days since he left England for WZCW. The days since he left his Surrey Championship Wrestling for the world renowned promotion WZCW. Two years, one month and two days; it has been since he left his home with bigger dreams. He started to immerse in is thoughts but was soon brought back to reality with a knock on his bathroom door.

Sara: It’s getting late…

She said in a muffled voice. He turned the shower knob off and stepped out of the shower. He opened the door to look at the eyes of her girlfriend. Her eyes were filled with concern for his well-being. They were filled with love. His eyes had the same love but that was clouded by his dreams.

He changed to a very casual outfit and grabbed his bag and paced to the parking area. He tossed the bag to the bag seat.

Sara: Let me drive.

Sara insisted and took the wheels. She started the engine and in few minutes they had reached the Scottrade centre. Their sedan pierced through the crowd to the backstage parking. He marched down the aisle to the locker room area but was stopped by Leon Kensworth.

Leon: Actually, I was waiting for almost an hour to get a few words from you. I know you’re in a bit of a rush but we are getting paid to do this.

Sara leaned at Vee and whispered in his ears.

Sara: Don’t you have anything to say?

Vee: As a matter of fact, I do.

He turned to her and presented a small smile. The smile was enough to bring back the lost glee to her face. She wrapped her arm under his and leaned to him.

Vee: It has been more than two years since I started my journey in WZCW. I remember my first match against a forgettable wrestler named Prince. I won that match quite comfortably and I thought the journey is going to be very pleasant. I was wrong. It hasn’t been a very easy and pleasant one so far. Every time I pull myself up the wall, I slip and fall back to the same pit. This keeps repeating no matter what. Every time I prove myself that I can cling on to this wall and someday I can climb over it, something pulls me down.

Despite what he was saying, his face still adorned the same smile. He continued.

Vee: One thing that makes me believe that I can climb this wall some day is the cheer of my fans. No matter who my opponent is, even when it is their favourite Mikey Stormrage or Matt Tastic, I still hear them chant these three letters, A.D.Z. They keep chanting those letters even without knowing what that stands for. As far as they are concerned, they believe in what I stand for. Someone who never gives up. No matter how heavy the burden is on his shoulder, he still manages to walk.

He gusted out a sharp breath and moved his lips closer to the mic.

Vee: It is time my fans know some truth. You cheer me because you think I am your hero. Unfortunately, I am not one of your heroes. I am just some guy with a dream and you people are my heroes, not the otherwise. I just am chasing my dream for the last two years and you people who cheer me every time when I stepped into the ring are my heroes. And I believe firmly that someday I will end the chasing and live my dream.

The small smile across his lips had started to grow wider as he tilted his head and faced closer to the camera.

Vee: And that someday is not far away.

He turned his face towards Sara and planted a small kiss on the side of her head. Her face blossomed like a flower and turned pink.

Vee: I want something very important. It may sound very generic and simple but that’s what I want. I want an identity. I want to represent something. I don’t even have any old glory to live with. I have built my career from the scratch and I want something to define my career. The only identity that I seek for, at the moment, is the King for a Day. How honour it is to be a KING!

He paused a little; he slowly curtailed his smile and looked at the camera.

Vee: This is my time and this is my story. I am writing it and it doesn’t end with Vee defeating Kagura to qualify for the King for a Day Elimination match. It doesn’t end with Vee defeating five other competitors to win the KFAD Contract and hell it doesn’t end with Vee cashing it in successfully and winning a championship. It ends when I decide it ends. It ends when I can’t lift my hand no more to write another word. Till then, the story continues.

Still there was a very little smile across the corner of his lips but his face was intense. He looked again at her girlfriend and she gave a nod for him to continue.

Vee: I know you’re watching and listening to me, Kagura. I know every time, we stepped into the ring together, you always had the upper hand. But a wise man once said, the true intellect is confident in his acumen but not blinded by it.

 

[Bernkastel]

[youtube]GVm8pFDxUjU[/youtube]​

I blacked out. The last thing that I remembered was waiting for the cold embrace of death. I felt its touch on my skin. It crawled, as the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Nothing could have prepared me as I felt the breath being driven from my lungs. My voice caught in my throat. I fell to the floor in a heap. After what felt like an eternity, I slowly opened my eyes. I heard voices. There were people in the room. A nurse bent down to check on me. I remained motionless. But I heard another sound too, one that seemed to block out everything else. It was the sound of a heartbeat. A strong heartbeat. While Sasuke’s heart never stopped beating while comatose, it was always weak. Many medical professionals had not given him long to live. But the sound I was hearing now was that of a normal heartbeat. I heard gasps. One nurse screamed in shock.

“He’s awake! By God he’s awake!”

I wanted to lift my head to get a better look, but I had no strength. I clenched my fist and tried in vain to pull myself to my feet. I couldn’t even move myself forward one inch before collapsing back down onto the concrete.

‘Is this real? Is he really awake? Or am I dreaming?’

I assumed that I had died and was now about to reunite with my old sensei in the afterlife. If so then that really sucked. I was prepared to die. I thought it was the only way to atone for what I had done. But it was all meaningless if Sasuke died too. Was I so worthless that my life couldn’t even be traded for another? I didn’t want to think about that. Suddenly the room became filled with people. No less than a dozen nurses and staff members were now crowded around Sasuke’s bed, taking his vitals. I still laid on the floor, forgotten in the moment, until one of the nurses turned towards me.

“Miss, can you move?”

I tried to open my mouth to respond, but all that came out were a few jumbled noises. Nothing resembling actual speech. I felt woozy. The room was starting to spin. I was glad I was already on the floor. It took two nurses to help me to my feet, and I collapsed under my own weight immediately. I could not walk. They led me to the chair beside Sasuke’s bed. I eyeballed a Styrofoam cup and did my best to point at it, while signally for something to drink.

“Would you like some water?”

I nodded, as another nurse approached me. He didn’t appear to be hostile. He looked just as baffled by the situation as anyone else. I had been the only one in Sasuke’s room when the power had gone out. And when order had been restored, Sasuke had somehow woken from his coma. I imagine he had a few questions.

“Miss, can you tell me what happened here?”

I shook my head. I was just as baffled by the whole thing as everyone else. Another nurse handed me my glass of water and I downed it quickly. I rubbed by throat. It was sore. The male nurse nodded and left me be. This was one of those situations that might have been considered an act of God. A miracle. Something divine. That’s what I believed it was. And for whatever reason I had had been spared death.

I looked over and caught a glimpse of Sasuke’s face. His eyes were opened just slightly. He looked completely lethargic, but his vitals were beginning to stabilize. I tried to raise my hand to his, but I found that I still lacked the strength to move my body. I opened my mouth and managed to choke out his name.

“SSah-uke?”

I felt so elated, like the icy grip on my heart was finally starting to melt. And along with it went my pain, and my worries, and most importantly my guilt. I couldn’t help but smile. I was so happy. I felt the tears beginning to fall. I cried out in pure bliss. I was finally free.

---​

I left the hospital shortly afterwards. The nurses had practically thrown me out. They weren’t trying to be cruel; I understood. The man had just woken up from a coma that had nearly lasted two years. No one had expected him to survive. The doctor on call had taken one look at him and I saw his jaw almost hit the floor. His skin had turned white as a sheet. Immediately he contacted more of his colleagues. Sasuke’s case had already baffled the medical community. Even a skeptic like Derrick, who didn’t believe in the supernatural, had no real answer behind the coma. I think it was his rational in the scientific that gave him enough comfort not to leave me sooner. Even when we got back together, I knew that he couldn’t forgive me for doing this, because deep down in his mind he knew that there was not scientific answer.

Everything that had happened to me he always found a way to justify it rationally. When I kicked him out, he blamed the depression. When I had lost my mind, and became increasingly paranoid and started chasing ghosts, he blamed the drugs that I was taking and my terrible sleep schedule. But through that whole experience he never once mocked me. He never once badmouthed my beliefs. He simply used his belief in science as a way of bringing me back down to reality. But he never could wrap his head around Sasuke’s condition. And I think because of that he became afraid of me. I suppose that was natural, as people tended to fear what they did not understand. And I wondered if Sasuke would grow to fear me too. I wonder if he would hate me for what I did. And I wouldn’t blame him.

‘It was my own selfish desires that caused all of this. The effects of which I am still feeling. All I wanted was to be like Sasuke. I wanted his strength, so that I could accomplish something that I didn’t think that I could do by myself. I was afraid of becoming a failure. But looking back on the past two years, I realize that all I have been doing is failing. I couldn’t defeat Ramparte. I didn’t win the Lethal Lottery. I couldn’t win the Elite Openweight title. I couldn’t defeat Titus for the Eurasian title, despite being considered a heavy favorite. I was kicked from the Gold Rush after being defeated by an opponent that I had previously defeated. In the past, I might have sunk to newer and newer lows to justify my own sense of self-worth, but now I know better. I learned something these past two years. I don’t need Sasuke’s strength, or his intellect, or his abilities to accomplish great things. Somewhere along the way I stepped off my path as a wrestler, and tried to walk the exact same one that Sasuke did. That was a mistake. Because in the process I abandoned my identity. I became disillusioned, and drunk with power. I thought having the book by my side would give me the power to do anything. I was wrong. The curse had nearly cost me my life, and Sasuke’s too. And now I understand that I had the power to make my dreams come true all along. I never needed the book at all. What a fool I have been.’

It was in that moment that I decided that I would keep fighting. I would show the world my true strength. My true value. All the fans that had supported me the past few months deserved more. My opponents deserved more. I was not a weak, unstable woman destined to be someone else’s punching bag. And at Ascension 119, I left it all in the ring…

Cohen: That may have been Kagura's last gas.

Flex grabs Kagura by the legs and executes Spin-and-Win, spinning her around. The rotations go by 1, 2, 3, fans counting along, 7, 10, 13, the count increases, faster and faster, 15, 17, 20, 23, but suddenly, Kagura twists herself mid-spin and using the momentum, applies the Third Dance of Amenouzume no Mikoto. A Victory Roll, cradling and pinning Flex's shoulders to the mat. 1.......... 2........... 3!!

Cohen: Wait, WHAT?!

Anderson: HERE IS YOUR WINNER, KAGURA!!

As Kagura releases the hold, both competitors collapse in complete dizziness. Elizabeth Prince raising the arm of the winner, while the #1 Contender can't even react in shock as his world spins.

Connor: I do not believe it! What an upset! That- That came from out nowhere!

Cohen: It was a complete fluke! A sham! She lucked into that victory.

Elizabeth helps Kagura up, holding her arm in victory as Flex is assisted outside. As he starts to come around, he can't believe what's just happened.

‘That was no fluke, Jack. That victory was the result of all my hard work. I knew Flex Mussel. I hadn’t forgotten his fighting technique, and I simply used his momentum against him to win. I don’t know if he came into the match underestimating me. I doubt it. I’m sure he had been stewing over the last time I defeated him, because I felt his determination. His self-pride. He wanted to beat me, just to show the world that he could. But that night I proved that I’m still one step ahead of him, because I have returned to my original path; the one that I left so long ago. Maybe in the beginning when the book gave me power, and I thought I could do anything, I found a new resolve. But now things were different. I’m not going to stoop to new lows just to get what I want. There’s no honor in that. I do not want to become a monster again.’

I had thought long and hard about this. There was no way I was ever going to betray myself, my family, my friends, or my fans like that again.

‘I will continue to fight and claw my way forward until I succeed, because I want to make something of myself. I want to hold my held high and say that my accomplishments were achieved through the result of my own skills and abilities. And I think deep down, that’s always been my resolve. And now that I realize that, I’m not going to let anything stop me. I have one more opportunity left in front of me: The King of a Day elimination match. If I can win that, then I can challenge for any one of the prestigious championships in the league. And I want to become the world champion. That’s always been my dream. My goal. And even if I do fall short in the long run, then I’ll keep trying. I’ll keep walking this path of mine, because I am fighting for something here.’

My opponent at Gold Rush was another man that I had beaten before: Vee A.D.Z. We fought each other at Meltdown 137. That was right after I had my first encounter with the onryo, the horrific spirit that had possessed the book. I had lost my voice that night. During our match, I came out the winner. Since then my journey has been very different from his. I do not know Vee’s affairs, but through all the twists and turns we found ourselves fighting once more.

‘I’m not going to pretend to care to know exactly what you’ve been doing these past few months, because our roads up to this point have been different. But the fact that we are both here fighting for the same opportunity must be fate. I’m also not going to pretend that you don’t have a goal that drives you forward. However, I plan to test that resolve of yours. I have been through Hell these past few months. Losing my voice was the tip of the iceberg. I have been thrown into an entire sea of ice. My health declined. I lost sleep. I lost my sanity. And I very nearly lost my life. It was so cold in that ocean of despair. For months, I treaded water. I almost drowned when the water filled my lungs. I had the life choked out of me. But through it all I kept fighting. I never stopped. I suffered two concussions. I overdosed on pain medication. My heart stopped and I nearly went into cardiac arrest. I went weeks with practically no sleep. After everything that I have been through, there’s no doubt that I have probably shortened my natural lifespan. But it was worth it, because my body never quit. I understand how strong I really am. And at Gold Rush, you won’t stop me. We have done this dance once before, and the result will be the same. Now that the ice has melted, I can see my way forward. And if I must go through you again, then so be it. I have known you to be an honorable man, so once the dust settles and my hand is raised in victory, I will be sure to shake yours.’

---​

The night of Gold Rush was to take place in St. Louis. I had known that for a long time. In a perfect world, Sasuke would be well and would be by my side as I walked to the ring. But that was not to be. I would be doing this solo. At least the fighting part. As for companionship, I still had Derrick by my side. Sasuke had barely known him. If I recall they had only interacted a handful of times before the incident. At the time, Derrick and I weren’t particularly close. He remained in our little group because I had the book, and he wanted to keep an eye on it. He still had his job to do. Slowly our relationship became platonic, and then sexual. Our relation evolved from one of lust, to one of hatred, to one of unconditional love.

‘I can say that over the past few months that I have fallen for him. He’s been the most devoted person that I have ever met in my life. And he saved me from myself. I wonder what Sasuke will think, when I reintroduce him as my lover?’

I shook my head. It was funny. My father died years ago, and the only family I ever really had was my grandfather. Ever since I began training with him, I had come to see Sasuke as the father figure that I had lost. And here I was worried that he might not approve of the man that I loved. The hospital was only about 20 minutes from the Scottrade’s arena. I wanted to see him one last time before my match. The nurses let me through after I explained that I wasn’t going to stay long. I just wanted to check on him. Derrick opened the door for me, and we stepped inside the dark room. He was sleeping, but he was no longer hooked up to the machine. He was breathing on his own. His heart rate was still steady. That made me smile. I wondered at night sometimes if I had dreamt the whole thing up, and Sasuke was still lying there, unresponsive on his bed. To see him breathing on his own at least gave me a guarantee that I wasn’t crazy, and that what I had seen that day was real. I reached out and held his hand, as Derrick placed his hand on my shoulder. I tried to speak, but all that came up was more incoherent noise.

“SSah-uke…”

My throat was still sore. There were many things that I wanted to say. I wanted to apologize, but I knew those words would have to wait. It hurt to use my vocal chords. I stared at him. He looked so peaceful. That made me happy. I reached into my bag and took out a single white camellia flower, and laid it by his bedside table. In Japanese custom, these flowers were a sign of bad luck for warriors, but I was willing to make that gamble. As a warrior, I had managed to survive more than what a normal person could have endured these past few months. Sasuke had survived even worse, but he didn’t live by the warrior code anymore. The flower had another meaning in the West, and I wanted to show him that I loved him.