The air was thick and humid as the sun hung high above the training grounds of Base Camp Hansen where Zayvion Lyons and Cleo stood before the military obstacle course. Long stretches of tires, climbing ropes, low crawl wires, the whole nine yards. All designed with one purpose, to break people down.
“How'd you even get us on a military base?” asked Zayvion
“I got a guy.” said Cleo.
“You really got a guy for everything don't you?” grinned Zayvion “I bet if I needed worms you probably got a guy for that too.”
“Well unless you're trying to fishin’, you ain't gotta worry bout’ my worm guy.” said Cleo bluntly, “You're here to train, not ask questions.”
Zayvion nodded.
No nonsense, of course, he should have expected no less. This was crunch time. The next time he stepped into a Sin City Wrestling ring, it was going to be for a championship. Cleo didn't bring him here to train for the next season of Deadliest Catch, she brought him here to forge a champion.
Cleo pointed toward the course.
“Run it.” she ordered.
And like that, he was off. No warm up speeches, just action. He stepped into the first tire and it immediately swallowed his foot deeper than he expected. He yanked his foot free and stepped into the next, something still felt off.
“You're rushing.” he heard Cleo's voice call out “Focus. Don't be sloppy.”
Zayvion took in a breath and adjusted his pace, cleaner and more controlled. These tires weren't there to just slow him down, they were there to punish his mistakes, and every mistake he took would cost him rhythm, and when you were in the ring, rhythm meant everything.
Step.
Lift.
Step.
He started to fall in place with his rhythm, the deeper he got into the stretch of tires the more he felt his mind get sharper. Every placement and movement had intent. There was no wasted motion, by the time he cleared the last tire he felt his chest tightening against the humid air as his breathing picked up but he didn't fold, he pushed forward towards the next obstacle.
The wall, tall and imposing as he approached it.
“Climb.” he heard Cleo call out like his own personal drill sergeant.
He let out a deep breath and just went for it, jumping up and grabbing hold of the rope. His muscles were already starting to protest as he began to climb but he kept going. Burn head about halfway up and he held himself there just for a moment.
“Don't.” he heard Cleo say
No pauses. Of course. Nobody was going to give him a pause in the ring. He continued to climb, each pull heavier than the last but that didn't stop him he dragged himself over the top and dropped down landing hard into the ground below, stumbling slightly.
As he looked forward ahead of him he saw the mud crawl.
“Down.” ordered Cleo.
“You ain't playing no games today are you?” he said.
“Down.” she repeated.
He didn't need to hear it a third time. He dropped to his stomach. The mud soaking into him instantly, the netting above him keeping him flat as he dragged his body inch by inch.
It was slow and grinding every pull felt heavier and slower. It was like those moments when a match drags on and your momentum dies. The moments you have to fight just to keep moving.
He was halfway through when he felt a sudden heavy weight on his back. It was cold and thick. He flinched slightly has the mud poured over his shoulders holding him deeper to the ground his eyes caught just a glimpse of Cleo holding a bucket.
“Hey come on..” he said “That's not playin’ fair.”
“Does Logan Hunter fight fair?” she reminded him.
Fair enough. He couldn't argue that point, Logan was a tricky bastard and would take any opportunity he could, and turn it into an advantage.
He continued to push forward the extra weight dragging him down harder. This was the weight of having everything stacked against you at once.
“Keep going!” he heard Cleo call out “If you get stuck out there you think Logan's going to let you up?”
“No.” Zayvion huffed.
“Will he give you space?” said Cleo
“No.” Zayvion said again.
He grunted and forced himself forward another inch, he had to stay locked in. Keep moving forward that was the only way to reach his goal.
One inch
Then another.
Another one.
He didn't look back or say another word. He just kept dragging himself forward until finally he reached the end of the netting and dragged himself out from under, rolling onto his side breathing heavily as he stared up at the sky.
Then Cleo's face appeared standing over him.
“Get up.” she said
With a heavy breath he rose to his feet.
“You think we done?” she said
“Of course not.” he said
“Good.” she nodded. “See that track over there you go do laps until I tell you to stop.”
He didn't argue, he headed over toward the dirt track and after a slow breath began a brisk jog. His legs feeling heavier with every step, the sun continuing to blaze down upon him.
He just had to keep his rhythm as he moved around the track, and even when his body wanted to quit he had to push past even his own limits. He had gotten this far going through everything Cleo put him through, the abandoned pool, the radio tower and now this military style obstacle course.
He continued to run, not even bothering to count his laps. His focus was just to keep going, when Into The Void came around there was going to be absolutely nothing that could stand in his way of becoming the next SCW Roulette Champion.
__________
The cameras open on Zayvion Lyons, eyes closed with his familiar white Beats by Dre headphones on, Cleo stands casually nearby, as a snippet of “Lucky You” by Eminem feat. Joyner Lucas
//I ain't never had no trophy or no motherfuckin' ribbon (Yah I said it)
Fuck the system, I'm that n****, bend the law, cut the rules
I'm about to risk it all, I ain't got too much to lose
Y'all been eatin' long enough, it's my turn to cut the food
Pass the plate! Where my drink? This my day, lucky you
Fuck you too, woo!\\
Zayvion removes the headphones and looks up at the camera from his seat.
“So the time has finally come to put up or shut up." said Zayvion, “Are you really sure you're ready for what's coming for you Logan? Are you really sure? Because when I look at you I don't see someone who's ready, I see someone who might think they're ready but in reality you ain't”
He shakes his head.
“You know all I want to do a couple weeks ago was talk.” he said “Man to man. I never been involved in no heavy gang stuff like Cleo has, but I've been in my share of street fights. Where I come from, if you're going to fight a man you look them in the eye and you ask him one thing.”
“Sup’?” ad-libbed Cleo.
“Sup’.” Zayvion repeated. "They might say it back to you, you do some back and forth, then you lock eyes for a moment and you handle your business. But you do it face to face. You try to hide behind your girl where I come from the whole block finna clown on you.”
“And on the subject of you Brooke.” Cleo chimed in “I'll remind you again that if your ratchet ass involves yourself, I'm a fuck you up. It's that simple you keep your triflin’ ass posted in your corner, and we good. You involve yourself then it's going to be time for me to set it off.”
“You out here writing too many checks your ass can't cash Logan.” he continued “You got involved in Carter's business now you got that boy pissed off but it ain't him you got to worry about right now. You got to worry about that boy that came from the block, you got to worry about Zayvion Lyons.”
He points to himself for further clarification.
“You comin’ in thinking it's just another match.” he continued “Another opportunity for you to run your mouth, play your dumb little games and use your crusty ass ho’ to sneak out a win like you always do.”
He glanced over at Cleo.
“You know while she was putting me through hell…” Zayvion continued “Cleo reminded me of one thing, you ain't coming to play fair and that's fine. I'm not preparing for fair, I'm preparing for you. So when that bell rings and you try to take your shortcuts and hide behind whoever you got to hide behind, just understand I've already been through worse before I even stepped into that ring. My entire life has been people treating me unfairly, and I continue to stand here and fight.”
He steps away from the wall behind him closer to the camera.
“You haven't felt pressure.” he said “Not real pressure, real pressure is clawing your way out when you got people around you telling you ain't supposed to make it. I had teachers who told me I wasn't going to amount to anything.”
He exhales slightly.
“You can't out play me.” he said “Because I've been surviving my whole life and grinding before you even do what work was. Ain't nobody did nothing for me, I put in the work and I got myself here. I didn't hide behind nobody and I certainly don't let nobody else do my talking for me. I got my homies that'll back me up but I still stand on my own business as a man.”
He pauses shortly.
“I don't see a man when I look at you.” he continued “That's just me being real. I see a boy who thinks he's hot shit because he's lucked his way into a few championships. Championships he's never been able to defend, that trend ain't fixin’ to change at Into The Void.”
He keeps his tone firm and confident.
“Because this ain't about who got lucky and who slipped through the cracks one more time.” he said “This is about who's built for it and you ain't built like me. You ain't been through what I've been through, you couldn't. You wouldn't survive if you had to fight like I had to fight.”
“Tell em.” Cleo chimed in.
“When the bell rings it's going to show.“ he said “You're going to try your tricks, look for your openings and hope Brooke will be able to bail you out like she always does. But this time she ain't going to be able to save you because if she tries..”
“She already know. I ain't got to repeat myself.” Cleo said.
Zayvion nods with a shrug and grin.
“Well hopefully she's listenin’” Zayvion said “I hope you're listenin’ too Logan. Because when all your little plans fall apart and it's said and done and your shortcuts don't get you nowhere. When you're forced to watch me raise that championship high above my head, I hope you know that that ain't nobody's screwing you over. It's just me beating you.”
He steps closer to the camera.
“I told you from the jump this ain't your moment.” he said “It's mine. I earned my right to fight for that championship and I'm finna take it from you. You can make all the excuses you want after, tell you whatever you need to so you can sleep at night but it ain't going to change nuthin’.”
He pauses.
“All that will remain is the truth.” he said “And the truth will be, you got outclassed plain and simple. No controversy, just a new champion. You go back to the drawing board, and I continue to the next stage of my career. You continue to involve yourself and other people's business and try to keep your name relevant, while I'll be making myself relevant as the new SCW Roulette Champion.”
He straightens up his posture.
“You're out here chasing moments.” he continued “I build em’, you look for ways around the grind, while I am the grind. Every step I took here was through hard work and dedication, and that championship you hold? It's just something you've been borrowin’ and I'm coming to collect.”
“He overdue.” Cleo chimed in.
“Long overdue.” Zayvion grinned. “This is going to be your reality check Logan and I hope it doesn't hit you too hard, but I promise you it's going to hit.”
“Bet.” said Cleo
“I'll see you at Into The Void Logan." Zayvion said, putting his headphones back up and leaning back against the wall, “Don't be late.”
The camera lingered on him for a moment locked in and ready before fading to black.
__________
The sun had begun to dip below the skyline of Osaka the warm air from the day still lingered about as Zayvion stood a few steps off the main flow of the street, alone.
No headphones, no Cleo, nobody ordering him to run it back or go again, just him. With a heavy breath healing slightly against the concrete wall looking up toward the skyline at the neon colors reflecting off the signs. Right now there was nothing trying to break him down.
So his mind did instead.
He thought about Logan, and the match and the championship and everything that had got him here. He knew that the narrative was that someone that came from where he came from wasn't supposed to be here. But here he was, ready to prove not just Logan, but all of his doubters wrong.
He pushed off the wall and started walking unhurried through the streets, people passing by having conversations he didn't understand. He kept his eyes forward unsure of his destination, letting his thoughts stay with him.
He didn't come this far to question himself now whatever came next, he didn't need confidence anymore. He had confidence and he knew he was ready all he had to do was lock in and follow through.
“You've got everything you need.” he said to himself “You just got to go get it.”
He kept walking as the words settled in. It wasn't overconfidence, just confidence he knew exactly what type of person Logan was. shortcuts or not you don't become a champion three times by accident.
The fight wasn't going to be clean that much he knew was certain. But after everything he had been through to get here, it didn't matter and if he had to play dirty, then he would play dirty. Nothing was going to stand in his way of becoming the SCW Roulette Champion.
He didn't like the idea of playing dirty but Cleo's voice ringing his mind reminded him that Logan wasn't going to play fair so he shouldn't expect fair. All he had to be was simple, cold and effective.
He stopped for a moment and just beneath an overpass, just him in a place far from everything familiar. Standing in the space between where he came from what he was about to take.
“Into the Void...” he muttered. “Yeah…”
That's where it would happen. He would shut Logan Hunter down and the next chapter in the story Zayvion Lyons would begin.
He started walking again steadier, and ready to face whatever came next. There was no turning back now, he was completely locked in.
