- Event: War Games 2023
Sanctuary
Denver, Colorado
Friday, May 12th, 2023
Everything was quiet inside of Sanctuary this Friday morning. Samantha and Madison were out of the estate, leaving the LSD Champion time to himself. On the second floor in a dark room, we find Davidson sitting crossed-legged. His eye was closed shut as he tried to do some meditation. Something that he had picked up around the time of his near career-ending neck injury but now that War Games was approaching. He found himself doing this whenever he has a free moment alone to try and clear his mind.
The Final Alliance and Lee Best are going to finish the job at War Games.
His father coming back into the picture, the imminent threat of a collision with STRONK Godson over the STRONKUMMS business, and the entire roster having their eyes set on becoming the LSD Champion were just a few things that swirling in his head. Being placed on a War Games team with both Scottywood and Scott Stevens meant that he was marked for death. A team captained by Michael Lee Best who would prefer to fight members of his team inside the HOFC cage than bother doing anything to help them somehow come out victorious. And most of all, revenge burned inside his skull like a raging inferno.
You’re going to waste a precious opportunity if you don’t use it. War Games is the perfect time to unleash that power.
The voice kept nagging at him at all hours of the day. Always whispering evil intentions into his ear. It kept him up at night, it distracted him during meals, and it just kept getting louder and more prominent in his head. It’s not necessarily that Jace disagreed with the things that the voice was telling him but this insistence on ‘using it’ was nonsense to him. He had specific goals in mind when it came to War Games and moving forward. He didn’t need some voice in his head screaming random gibberish at him during a critical moment.
You, Mr. Davidson, are one stubborn motherfucker.
The sound of flesh hitting flesh bounced off the walls of the dark room. The LSD Champion swayed backward from the impact of the blow but used his arms to keep himself from toppling over. Jace shot up to his feet immediately and made a beeline to the light switch on the wall. He flipped the switch and looked at a person he had never seen before walking around the room. He got into a fighting stance but the unknown person just turned their head with a smile.
“Were you expecting someone else?” The person asked with amusement in their voice.
Without even saying a word, Jace knew the sound of the voice like it was the back of his hand. It was the same voice that was in his head. The same voice he had heard from the moment that Lee Best stabbed him in the eye with that pen.
“Oh, don’t be so shocked.” The person said as they inspected the layout of the room. “I brought you back to life after that unfortunate incident. Do you think I couldn’t manifest myself into human form to slap the shit out of you?”
“All of this must be some bad dream or a psychotic mental break,” Jace muttered out loud.
“You felt that slap to the face, didn’t you? Should I punch you this time to make it more real?” The person raised a fist into the air with a devilish grin.
Jace rushed forward and tried to throw a punch of his own but came up with nothing but air. It was like the person vanished and Davidson stumbled to the point of almost falling flat on his face. As Jace turned around, the person was standing with their back to him admiring the nails on their fingers.
“That was a poor attempt but that seems to be all that you’ve been capable of lately.” The person mused out loud before turning around. “Is this the game you’re going to play instead of accepting the reality of the situation?”
“Shut up!” The LSD Champion shouted before running his fingers through his hair, trying to find some semblance of rationale.
“Please, you know exactly who I am, more so, you know exactly what I am.” The person explained as they approached Jace. “Let’s drop all the pretentious ‘this must be a nightmare or I need to see a Therapist’ bullshit. I’m as real as it gets and I’m here because you’re a dense individual that doesn’t like to listen to simple instructions.”
“What does that even mean?!” Jace questioned as he decided to walk past the person to the other side of the room.
“It means that you need to remember what I told you when you died the last time.” The person spun on their heels. “You told me you would do anything to come back and you signed your soul over to me. I told you about the power building in that eye of yours and all you’ve done is ignore it and go through the motions here in this miserable thing you call life.”
Jace went to speak up but the person raises their hand to shut him up.
“Spare me the details. You have your reasons and you’ve done things your way.” The person shudders at their words. “But with such an important event coming up, it’s about time you do it the right way. Which, of course, is my way. There is only so much knuckle dragging that even I can take before I have to step in and do something about it.”
“You keep screaming in my head to use it, use it, use it.” Jace paces around while beating the side of his head with the palm of his hand. “Yet, never once have you explained to me what ‘IT’ is and why I need to use it.”
“Have you ever even taken that eyepatch off?” The person walked up to Jace and poked the eyepatch with their finger.
“Of course I have!” Jace says in protest. “You think that I bathe with this thing on my face?”
“So, you’ve taken the eyepatch off of your face but have you tried opening the eye since you got stabbed?” The person’s eyes got wide.
There was a moment of silence between the two of them before the person begins to laugh after seeing the look on Jace’s face.
“I love the moment when the realization hits you mortals.” The person raises their hand into the air and waves it back and forth. “Go on, go and try it out and see for yourself why I’ve been telling you to use it.”
Jace sighs and then turns to leave the room. The LSD Champion goes to the nearest bathroom and looks at himself in the mirror above the double sink. Slowly, he reaches up and takes the eyepatch off of his face. He places it down on the counter and stands there staring at his reflection with his good eye.
“Don’t be scared now.” The person said as if once again appearing out of nowhere.
Jace’s breathing became short and heavy before he finally opened the eye that Lee Best stabbed with a pen. What he saw in the mirror was something he didn’t think was possible. His mouth hung open but words couldn’t be formed.
“That feeling coursing through your body right now?” The person said in almost a whisper as they coiled their arms around the LSD Champion’s shoulders. “That is the power that has been building in that eye all this time. All of that pain, the constant suffering you went through? All of that was for this, and with this power, for a limited amount of time. No one will be able to stop you, not even a STRONK Godson.”
Davidson’s hands gripped the counter tight until he finally closed his eye once again. It took him a few moments to recover from what he just saw and felt but once he turned around he found that he was all alone once again.
—–
Elway’s Downtown
Denver, Colorado
Friday, May 12th, 2023
Jace had the eyepatch back on and tried to shove what happened earlier to the back of his mind. Something to deal with at a later time. Now, he had to appear focused and normal. It was completely out of character for the LSD Champion to call and text his teammates for War Games. It was even more out of character for him to personally fly them out to Denver and treat them to a nice dinner. When you come to Denver, Colorado, eating at Elway’s was a must. The restaurant chain is owned by former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.
It was packed here on a Friday night but Jace had managed to get a reservation for him and his teammates. We shift inside where the LSD Champion can be seen sitting off in a booth tucked away near a window. Sitting beside Jace was former HOW World Champion Conor Fuse. Across from them in the booth sat HOW Hall of Fame Scott Stevens. All three men seemed uncomfortable being this close to each other but it was Stevens that broke the silence.
“Where is Scottywood?” Stevens looked around the restaurant and then over to the LSD Champion.
“You expect me to know where the fuck Scottywood is?” Jace replied with a cocked eyebrow.
“You did fly every member of the team out here to Denver. So, what is taking him so long?” Stevens pressed on.
“Oh, well… I flew you both out here tonight. I said nothing about inviting Scottywoood out here.” Jace shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t even look at me like that. Scottywood sucks ass and it’s not like he would have come anyway. The guy hates just about everyone that isn’t Bobbinette Carey. So, we have one less alcoholic here tonight. I think we’ll survive.”
Stevens shakes his head as Conor seems to be more focused on his phone than he is on the conversation.
“Seems pretty stupid to fly us out here to talk about team strategy without every single team member present and accounted for,” Stevens said under his breath.
“Okay, I heard that and if you’d get off your man crush on Scottywood long enough, you’d noticed that Zach Kostoff isn’t here either.” Jace narrowed his eye over at Stevens. “Consider yourself lucky I even flew you out here. You wouldn’t be here right now if Conor hadn’t insisted.”
Fuse just nodded his head at the mention of his name as Stevens raised a brow.
“Little buddy, how can I say this politely?”
Stevens takes a moment to get his thoughts correct.
“I don’t fucking trust you!”
Scott boasts aloud, much to the annoyance of Jace.
“I know you have something underhanded brewing in that mind of yours. Why else are you trying to be buddy, buddy all of a sudden? Do you think doing this makes you the leader of this group? You’re fucking delusional.” Stevens snarls.
“Oh, shut the fuck up, Stevens,” Jace said loud enough to cause other customers to look in their direction. “You’re not the leader of this team, you’ve never been the leader of any team. You’re just a guy that likes to run off at the mouth and do absolutely nothing to back it up. And don’t give me any of that ‘my teams always win War Games’ bullshit either. You’re reason 1A on why we aren’t going to win War Games, Scottywood is 1B.”
Stevens leaned back in the booth and crossed his arms over his chest.
“That’s pretty funny coming from the person that hasn’t done anything to fight back against The Final Alliance.” The smirk on Stevens’ face was as big as his home state. “It was just the last show that I stormed out to the ring to fight against The Final Alliance. Hell, Conor was out there too but you? You were nowhere to be found.”
Conor’s eyes pulled away from the phone and looked around after Stevens’ comment. Before Jace could respond the waitress walks over with the food and drinks that they had all ordered. They all thanked her and waited for her to walk off before Stevens grabs hold of his silverware.
“Go on, let’s hear all the jokes about how I like my steak.” Stevens waited for the sarcastic comments.
Conor looked at Jace and then Jace looked at Conor. The LSD Champion shook his head and sighed.
“You’re right, Scott,” Jace revealed. “I haven’t done anything to fight back against The Final Alliance. I wasn’t there with you all at the end of the show to have an all-out brawl just for the sake of having one. But there is a very good reason for that.”
“We already know, that’s because you’re a selfish coward,” Stevens commented as he began to cut into his steak.
“Get over yourself, Stevens.” Jace hissed. “You came out to the ring alongside Clay Byrd of all people to fight The Final Alliance. Clay Byrd doesn’t like you, Clay Byrd isn’t your friend. The moment you’re not looking, he’s going to try and rip your head from your shoulders. You literally went from being Lee Best’s pawn to being a warm body for Clay Byrd to throw at The Final Alliance.”
“At least I didn’t just sit in the back and hide as you did after getting your ass handed to you by Mike,” Stevens argued.
“Fucks sake, Stevens. Don’t you fucking get it yet? Mike Best is only back to get a free pass into War Games. He’s not the Captain of our team, he’s the idiot that took out Marvolo so that he can take his spot in the fatal four-way match before War Games. A match that he’s obviously going to win and guess what? He’s not going to be fighting for our team.” Jace pointed his steak knife at Stevens.
That bit of information caused Conor to pay even more attention to the conversation being held between the two Hall of Famers. Stevens took a moment to think and then shook his head.
“All I hear is you making excuses for not doing anything. This is War Games! It doesn’t matter if Mike Best is our team Captain or if he’s someone I have to eliminate.” Stevens proclaims with an enormous amount of confidence.
“This is what matters.” Stevens motions to himself and the other two men sitting across from him. “It’s about coming together as a team to make sure The Final Alliance doesn’t walk out victorious,” Stevens emphasizes as he hits his hand on the table. “Jace, I’m walking into that match with your help or not and I’m going to will this team to victory. And I’m going to walk out of that match with gold around my waist because that will hurt Christopher America and thus hurt Lee Best. It’s just a shame you’re too scared to do the same.”
Jace turned and looked at Conor.
“Talk some sense into this idiot, please.” Jace pleaded.
Conor just shrugged his shoulders and used his fork to push around the food on his plate.
“All I know is that I’ll be there. I’ll give 100% effort like I always do but as far as deciding who is right and who is wrong? That’s not my concern.” Fuse says with zero emotion behind his words.
“And that sounds very reassuring.” Stevens spews sarcasm before waving over to the waitress.
The waitress heads over with to-go boxes for all three men. Once Stevens’ food is tucked away into its container he stands up from the booth.
“Thanks for the free meal and the pep talk, Champ. I guess I’ll see you in Mexico if you ever find the balls to show up and fight.” Stevens grabbed his container and left the restaurant.
“I think I’m going to head out as well,” Conor said as he grabbed his container and started to leave the booth but Jace grabbed him by the shoulder.
“Hang back a bit.” Jace requested. “Now that Stevens is gone, there is something I want you to see.”
—–
War Games 2023
The match; which is big and bold enough to bring Micheal Lee Best out of his hidey-hole to compete in. The match where Christopher America tries to go from War Games match to War Games match and accomplish a full calendar year as HOW World Champion. And of course, there is everyone else in the match that has dreams of grandeur about being the person to not only end Christopher America’s record streak with the title but to be able to call themselves a War Games winner.
Naturally, you take all the members of The Final Alliance and the mission statement is clear. Make sure that all the Championship belts come home to the Alliance by hook or by crook. A group united by one cause, but as always that will fall miserably once the War Games match begins. The problem is having an Alliance is that you have a group of individuals who may or may not like each other all trying to put their wants and desires on the shelf for the so-called greater good. This is High Octane Wrestling, no one puts anything they want on the shelf for the sake of someone else.
So, what does that mean for Christopher America? What does that mean for Jace Parker Davidson? What does that mean for Dan Ryan, and possibly even Jatt Starr?
It means all our heads need to be on a swivel. Christopher America had a commitment ceremony with his Championship belt, so we know what his agenda is. What about Dan Ryan? Will he be satisfied to walk out of this War Games match still the HOTv Champion? Or will he want to win War Games? Will he want to be the one that knocks Christopher America off the top of the mountain and finally capture the HOW World Championship?
Or will Dan Ryan be distracted? Will he be slowed down by the likes of Jatt Starr if the HOTv World Tag Team Championship belts are also on the line in that match? Will Dan sacrifice Jatt Starr at a critical moment because his eyes are on a bigger prize? Or will the budding friendship between these two men cause them to stick together through thick and thin?
And then there is me and my record-setting reign with the LSD Championship belt.
There will be those out there that try to insult me by saying it’s a pointless record, especially for a secondary title but then there will be those hot on my trail for this belt.
Darin Zion, Bob/Nettie Carey, STRONK Godson, and many others will have their eyes set on me and my Championship belt. No matter what anyone tries to say, a title win over Jace Parker Davidson still means something. That’s still a career-defining moment for 95% of the HOW roster.
And what better way to accomplish such a feat than in a match where I have to take on pretty much the entire roster?
I know some of you will think I’ve been sitting back, I’ve been bidding my time, and when push comes to shove that I’ll sacrifice the LSD Championship belt for the chance to become HOW World Champion once again.
That’s the logical thing, right?
Even Christopher America has called me out for being a threat to him and his title reign. But I’m here to tell each one of you in this match that I have no desire to walk out of War Games as the new HOW World Champion.
Believe me or not, that is the truth.
See, to me, being the LSD Champion doesn’t mean that I’m just a secondary title holder. I’m not bored with being LSD Champion even after 280-plus days. A younger Jace Parker Davidson would be all about winning War Games and walking out with 97red around my waist.
The current me knows a little better and is a little wiser.
I know what it feels like to be HOW World Champion. I know the pressure of trying to stand at the top of that mountain and set the tone for an entire company. It means showing up and showing out every single week. It means going out there and showing the world that the HOW World Championship belt is the premiere title in this industry. It means competing in the main event of PWA shows and trying to beat opponents from other federations that you don’t even know or care about.
Nobody thinks about what it takes to be World Champion, everyone just lives for the moment of holding that Championship belt in their hands. Isn’t that right, Xander?
I have my Hall of Fame ring, I’ve won a War Games match before, and I’ve been the HOW World Champion multiple times.
I don’t NEED to win this match or the title.
Michael Lee Best has won ten of the damn things and yet he’s willing to jump out of his office and put on a mask just for the shot to turn ten reigns into eleven.
I’m not in an eternal records race with Christopher America or Mike Best.
I know there isn’t much different in my three reigns as World Champion than it would be if I had five of them.
The Championship belt doesn’t make the man, the man makes the Championship belt.
I did that with the HOTv Championship belt when I won it from Steve Solex. If not for my reign with that title I’m pretty sure that it would be retired by now next to that god-awful HOFC Championship belt and my ICON Championship belt.
I won that title and made it something worth holding. Look at the men that have held that belt proudly since I made it prestigious. STRONK Godson, GREAT SCOTT, and now Dan Ryan.
I did that.
Just look at the LSD Championship belt. For years Lee would tell everyone that the LSD Championship belt and the ICON Championship belt were equal. But that was never the case. The LSD Championship was always looked at as the bastard step-child compared to the ICON Championship belt.
The LSD Championship belt was competed over by the likes of Scottywood, David Black, and Silent Witness. Not exactly what you would call top-shelf wrestlers in the HOW record books.
The ICON Championship belt had such names as Shane Reynolds, Max Kael, John Sektor, Graystone, Cecilworth Farthington, and obviously Mike Best attached to it.
Hell, Sektor even tried to turn the LSD Championship into the ICON Championship when he held it.
The ICON Championship was always looked at as better than the LSD Championship. That is until I made the LSD Championship belt into THE title it is today.
When I won this title once again and then beat Tyler Best in a match to decide if the ICON or LSD Championship belt would be retired, everyone took notice. There is no longer a debate. There is no longer talk about how the LSD Championship belt is lesser than the ICON Championship belt. Once again I made this Championship belt something to be desired.
No one goes around crying about missing the ICON Championship belt.
Everyone is just trying to figure out a way to prey the World Championship or LSD Championship from Christopher America’s hands or my death grip.
That’s why Darin Zion wants endless shots at this title. That’s why Bobbinette Carey literally stabbed me three times in pursuit of winning this Championship belt. Scottywood, Xander, Jatt Starr, Joe Bergman, and even STRONK all want to get their hands on me and this belt.
So, no, I’m not going to just toss this title to the wolves and shoot my shot of winning War Games and walking away with the HOW World Championship belt around my waist.
I’m walking into Mexico proudly as the LSD Champion. And I will do everything in my earthly, and otherwise, power to make sure that IT stays with me after War Games is all said and done.