[GKD]

The moon hangs in the sky above Swallow Falls State Park, with scattered clouds obscuring the lunar luminescence. Camping out on the Maryland panhandle, the Davison family have mostly retired for the evening. Adina and Chloe have settled down in their tents, seemingly sleeping. Either that, or there are lumberjacks sawing wood not too far away. Sitting with his back against an oak tree, is Ken Davison. His wife, Kyra, lays between his legs, leaning against her husband’s chest while his arms are wrapped firmly around her waist. She tilts her head back, resting her head on Ken’s shoulder while he is staring off into space.

“Alright, Chromedome. What’s going on?” Kyra quips. People seemed to think that Ken and Kyra hated each other, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Sarcasm was simply their love language.

“Just thinking,” Ken says with his voice trailing off.

“You’re never just thinking.” Instinctively, Kyra reaches back and pushes Ken’s towards her so she can kiss him. “Now, spill it or someone’s not getting laid tonight.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“And you wonder why I call you evil.”

“Aren’t you the one who came into my life telling me that you use any technique that works?”

Ken tries to give Kyra a look, but she kisses him again for he can.

“You’re not playing fair.”

“Life’s not fair. Now what the hell is going on?”

“I’m just in my head.”

“And you were in your head before you fought Mac, but you didn’t lose your shit and you didn’t do anything you’d regret. So why the fuck are you overthing things now?”

“Because I’m the World Champion now. I’m worried that I’m going to do what I did with the Internet Championship and just fail miserably.”

“Bullshit, Ken,” Kyra says as she punches her husband with her free hand, catching him in the shoulder with enough force that he felt it, but not enough to hurt him. “That’s fucking bullshit and you know it.”

“Is it?” Ken asks as he looks down. He catches the scent of Kyra’s shampoo. Her hair smells like Floret, a pleasant combination of rose, gardenia, and sandalwood, with a hint of campfire. He smiles, in spite of himself.

“When you won the Carnage World title, did you drop it right away? No. When we won the UGWC Cooperative Championship back on Valentine's Day? Did we lose it in our first defense? No! What we did was hold onto those belts for seven months so far and we're still going. So why the fuck are you worrying about this?”

“Because that’s what I do.”

“No, it’s not.”

“I haven’t been right since that dude jumped me up in Boston.”

“You fucked his shit up, Ken. You were ready. Just like you’re ready for this.”

“Why am I still doing this?”

‘Huh?”

The question obviously catches Kyra off guard.

“Why am I still doing this?”

Kyra sits up and turns around.

“You mean us?”

“No. Why would you even say that? You’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. I mean wrestling. The school year has started. I can’t keep just running around the entire world without you, but we can’t be having Adina missing school, either. I am doing this for you guys? Am I doing this for myself? Am I just chasing fame so I can have one last hurrah? You can throw all that shit in a blender and I still won’t have an answer. I want what’s best for us, all of us.”

“Do what you think is best. I’ll trust you.”

Kyra’s trust didn’t come easily. Over the course of their almost two years together, Ken had earned that trust, just by letting down his walls and being himself. He still kept his walls up around everyone else, just as Kyra did.

“Trust me? I don’t trust myself. Seriously, what if I drop the belt to Raven? I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“For fuck’s sake, Ken. Stop it. Just fucking stop. This is not the man I married. Remember the shit that was said when we got together? Fuckin’ Knox saying you must be a hell of a climber because of my walls. To try and date Kyra Johnson, let alone marry her? That took balls of steel. Where are your balls, Ken?”

Only Kyra could get away with speaking to Ken so bluntly and the both of them knew it. Maybe Mac could get away with it, but that was a huge maybe.

“I don’t care if you win or lose this match. What I care about is that you fight like you fought for me, fought for us. You are the toughest man I know. When you had nothing left, I have seen you crawl, literally digging your fingernails into the mat until they bled, just to get to me and protect me. At the same time, I have seen you show you are the most tender man I know when you let my daughter paint your nails because you knew it would make her happy. You even wrestled with Barbie pink nail polish because you didn’t want to take that polish off. You think that I care if you win or lose a match? What I care about is how you love us. I don’t mean just Chloe, Adina and I. I mean yourself, too. My love for you will never change, as long as you go out there and show the world the man that you really are. Show them that’s just who you are as a person.”

“That’s gimmick infringement right there,” Ken says, turning Kyra back around and holding her arms so that she’s trapped. He leans forward, letting his breath tickle the back of Kyra’s neck, causing her to shiver.

“Now who’s not being fair?” Kyra says coyly.

“Turnabout is fair play.”

“Maybe,” Kyra coos. She wriggles her way free and turns onto her stomach, pulling herself as close to Ken as she can get. “I’m serious though. Think about your career since you came back from the heart attack. Every single goal you have set for yourself, you have achieved: Baltimore City Champion, Carnage World Champion, Carnage Tag Team Champion, UGWC Cooperative Champion, Sin City Internet Champion, Sin City World Champion, and my personal favorite, that match where you beat that douche canoe ex of mine. You’ve done all of that in three years and you still doubt yourself?”

“I know you’re right, but, yeah, I do.”

“So, all that talk about falling forward we talked about awhile back, that was bullshit?”

“No. of course it wasn’t. That’s what I did when I lost that tag match that Mac reffed.”

“And…”

“And then I went out there and beat Mac for the World Championship.”

“There you go. There you fucking go!”

Kyra pushes herself up and gives Ken a deep, passionate kiss.

“Now would you get over here so we can make some sweet lovin' down by the fire?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ken grabs Kyra by the waist so she can sit more comfortably.

"You know what that does to me."

"You're damned right I do."

 The crickets chirping and the fire crackling finish creating the mood set by the blaze a few feet away from them.

The lush emerald foliage grows up and over the oaken boardwalk running through the wet marshland. Farther down the path, there are trees, both lush and bare coming up out of the water to pierce the horizon from afar. About two and half miles away is the Youghiogheny Mountain overtaking a great portion of the azure sky. Aside from the sounds of insects and birds chirping, it is mostly silent… silent until the sound of hard rubber soles striking the oak boardwalk cuts through the nature preserve piercing the silence in a smooth, steady cadence.

“Godly” Ken Davison strides on screen, wearing a pair of camouflage pants and a black sleeveless t-shirt with the likeness of the Baltimore Elite, the team consisting of himself and his wife, printed on it. Around his waist lies the SCW World Heavyweight Championship. As he is not wearing his priestly garments, he has opted for a pair of mirrored wraparound sunglasses, as opposed to his usual tinted eyewear.

“Ravens are funny little creatures. Amazingly smart, and somewhat dangerous. Ravens, overtime, have learned to use their beaks to rip things open enabling them to find both food and shelter. They have even Incorporated the use of tools to provide what they need to obtain what they need and defend their territories. They are also known to be quite cunning, and more importantly, opportunistic.”

Davison quietly chuckles to himself.

“I find that you very much embody the spirit of the raven, that it is not just a clever name. Unlike the last raven I dealt with around here, who’s only raven-like quality was that he would squawk all the time, I respect you, Alex. There was something you said on Twitter, and you know what I am talking about because I responded to it, that resonated with me. While I struggled to find out what angle to take, three words, the same three words, kept popping into my brain…”

Davison pauses, holding up three fingers to reinforce his point.

“Freedom to hunt.”

Davison lowers hand and uses it to tap the World Championship around his waist.

“You would think that this right here would make me the prey. You would think that having the largest target on my back would eliminate any possibility of becoming the hunter. In this case, nothing could be farther from the truth. When it comes to what I do and how I handle myself in this business, I am always the hunter. Every move I make is calculated with such meticulous precision that I am never at a disadvantage. When Matt Knox and I came to a draw, I did not run away from that fight. I invited him into the Internet Championship match because I wanted to prove that I was the better man. Even though I was defeated in that match, I still proved that I was a better man than he. I took every opportunity I could to try to come out victorious. When he decided that he wasn’t man enough to try to win the match, when he decided that he would rather stand and watch while Jack Washington won the match, he proved that he wasn’t the better man. He also proved that he was half a man, a ‘ma’ if you will. He has no ‘n’. Bonus points to whoever gets that reference. Anyway, I digress. The point is that even though I lost that match, I still sought out Matt Knox. I chose him as my prey, to show the world I was a better man and I did exactly that.”

“Where you see yourself as a raven, I see myself as a Cooper’s hawk. A bit small as far as hawks go, but no less dangerous. As the World Champion, I sit atop the proverbial perch. Think  about it. Think about how it soars high in the air for long periods of time. Its prey, waiting down on the ground, becomes nervous. gives the hawk the opportunity to circle around, stressing its prey out so that it's not thinking straight. Then, when the time is right, it swoops down and makes the kill. But, that's not what I'm dealing with when I look at you. Is it, Alex?“

Davison smiles slyly, knowing full well where he is going with this.

“Another tactic that the hawk uses is low soaring. In a manner of speaking, this is what I used by challenging Mac Bane. Predators that use low soaring, much like I mentioned about ravens, are  very opportunistic. This form of hunting is swift, sharp, using the element of surprise and fast action. Hawks, such as the Cooper's Hawk, are a bit on the smaller side, and tend to use this tactic. It's like the German Blitzkrieg. It hits hard. It hits fast. And it is effective. When you catch your opponent off-guard, regardless of their size, strength, or ability, you have the advantage. Again, while I enjoy this tactic, I don't feel it's appropriate to use it with a man of your particular skill set.” 

The loud ‘CAW’ of a raven is heard overhead. Ken puts his finger up to his lips, silently ordering the cameraman to be quiet. With his other hand, he points skyward as a lone raven fledgeling in the sky. Behind it is a hawk, pursuing it from a few meters above. The raven chick dives down, but this proves to be its fatal mistake. The hawk dive bombs behind it, swooping down and grabbing the Raven McNugget in it’s talons. The raven caws again, helplessly, as the hawk ascends back towards its perch where it will undoubtedly consume the raven.

“Funny thing about ravens is that they have almost no natural predators. The reason for that is something that the Saviors,” Ken’s voice goes flat as he finishes his sentence, “And Wolfslair both understand.”

Moving past the mention of Wolfslair, Ken’s voice picks back up as he continues.

“There is strength in numbers. A single, solitary raven is not a threat. A flock of ravens working together with the same goal, protecting their territory, protecting their young, are nearly invincible. Even though our battle will take place with our feet firmly planted firmly on the ground, for the most part, I see the way this match will unfold. I see that it will be very similar to Aerial Pursuit. Aerial Pursuit is a fast-paced, exciting to watch, hunting style that is used by highly maneuverable predators. You mostly see this used in areas such as a deep forest; success depends on speed, acrobatics, and also the element of surprise. You cannot look at that picture, you cannot listen to that description, and tell me that isn't professional wrestling in a nutshell. Much in the same way that we will be challenging, pushing, forcing our wills upon each other, Aerial Pursuit happens so quickly, so extremely fast, that if you blink, oh, you'll miss the kill. And that, Alexander Raven, is exactly what this is to me. This is a hunt. You are the prey. I will be watching and waiting, as long as I have to drag this match out. When we reach the moment of truth, when we have that moment where you look me in the eyes and think you've got me exactly where you want me, that will be the moment of your demise. I am going to lead you through this match like those old cartoons where the donkey is chasing a carrot on a stick. You'll try to get the price. But it will always be just out of your reach. You'll have your moment next. And that moment will be when you snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Like I said, you will look me in the eye. You will look me in the eye with the confidence of a man who knows he's on the cusp of becoming the Sin City Wrestling World Champion. You will have that moment of extreme confidence, then, right as you blink, I will look you in your eyes and I will simply smile because at that moment,” Ken snaps his fingers. “Just like that, you will learn two seconds too late that you have fallen into my trap.”

“I have made it clear that I came here to be a champion. I feel like my time as the Internet Champion was a failure. This world championship around my waist isn't going anywhere. The days of this Championship bouncing back and forth every two months are over. In this industry we have had men and women talk about hard times. We have had men and women dropped pipe bombs. We have had men and women who go around quoting scripture, something I've done a time or two myself. I've talked a lot about moments, right here, in this one, I'm not going to blow smoke up your ass. I'm not going to tell you how great I am. I'm not even going to tear you down Raven.  I am going to be as subtle as a sledgehammer. I have fought too long and too hard to let history repeat itself. I will not fail to defend this championship. I have come too far to allow you to take this from me.”

“My entire career, people have looked at me and told me I was too small, too weak, that I would never make it in this industry. Even after 20 years, four Hall of Fame inductions, more World Championships that I can count, when I had my heart attack, people counted me out. Here I am, three years later, on the cusp of making history in one company and now your Sin City Heavyweight Champion here… you’d be wise to realize that this isn’t the end of my comeback, this isn’t the end of my redemption arc because I am a destroyer. I am a warrior. I am a champion and I am just getting started.” 

Ken thumps his chest, the adrenaline courses through his veins.

“Benjamin Franklin once famously said “If you do tomorrow what you did today, you will get tomorrow what you got today” What that means is that if I do what I did against Mac Bane, I will get the same result when I face you. But that’s not the point. If I do the same thing day after day, I wouldn’t move up. I would fail to elevate my position. There are people who are okay with that. I am not one of those people. I don’t want to simply win the World Championship. I want to defend the World Championship. I want to beat the best that this company has to offer, be it Austin James Mercer, Mac Bane, or the man who seems to have my number, Ben Jordan.”

“Twenty five years ago, if I had been content to do tomorrow what I did today, I wouldn’t have the house, the car, the fame, the fortune, the family. I would still be wrestling in high school gyms in New Jersey for a hot dog and a handshake. Isn’t that what we all want? If you do the same thing today that you did yesterday you’d be stuck in a rut and unable to get out. Raven, I move forward. I don’t look back. I take my beatings and I become a better man for them. If I go out there, and I fail to defeat you, whether I have the championship or not, I’m stuck. When people fail, they always blame other people. It was the referee’s fault. It was the timekeeper’s fault. I used to do that, but one day, I decided I needed to do something different. I looked in the mirror and I took accountability for my shortcomings. At Climax Control, I am going to go out there and do something different. I am going to go out there and I am going to put you down. I am going to walk out there and make a statement. Those are facts.”

Davison takes off his sunglasses, squinting slightly as his eyes adjust to the sunlight. There is no bravado or cockiness on his face. Simply a look of seriousness.

“Despite all of those facts, I want you to remember one thing. Foolish people can believe in anything they want, so believe in yourself.”

Ken places his sunglasses back on before he turns around, the sound of his boots on the oak underneath begin to fill the air again. The camera fades to black.