Ascertainment (Skull's Debut)

[ESC]

Ascertainment


"I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world, is discovery."


- James Dean


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In the bustling city lights outside the SEF arena, hundreds of people walk through the streets for an evening of adventure. A young couple walk hand-in-hand into a nouveau-chic restaurant for an enjoyable romantic dinner; a group of women in their mid-twenties glance through several shopping boutique windows to marvel at the season's latest trends, three young children run after one another with wooden pistols playing the game "Cops and Robbers". The city is truly alive.


And yet, there is one who stands apart. A single solitary figure who cannot assimilate into the surroundings that we find ourselves enshrouded with. It is not because the angel of the night embraces the darkness; far from it. As much as he wants to be a part of our world, there is something holding him back that prevents him from taking that extra step needed.


Walking out of small side alley, the enigma known as Skull joins the rest of humanity. Covered a long brown trench coat with a grey hat covering his face, Skull continues his journey to self-discovery. Where had he been for so long? What was he doing? Skull did not bother replying to such questions. Truth be told, he did not know how to fully answer them.


One step becomes two. Five steps become ten. Skull's journey into self-discovery continues. All "The Lone Wolf" wanted was to gain knowledge; the knowledge of the power of the human spirit. Knowledge is power and thus, the pen is mightier than the sword. Every time Skull puts on his ring gear, he transforms into something different. A being not man nor creature, but an entity stronger than both combined. Every single time he walked into the squared circle to fight another opponent, he learned something uniquely different about the human condition – despite how mankind was capable of great evil, also possessed an unparalleled ability for good. And so he would go out there, gladly, week in and week out to find out more about himself, risk body and limb gladly, to patiently add one more piece to the puzzle.


A young child accidentally trips against Skull's foot when running to meet his brother but as he soars through the air, but the lost superstar displays almost godlike reflexes to catch him before tenderly placing him on the ground. The young boy looks up to Skull with surprise on his face, a bit of snot rolling out of his left nostril. He smiles appreciatively at his saviour, rewarding him with a toothy grin before turning around to continue his uncomplicated life of childhood games.


Ah, to be a child again. When the world was vast and anything was possible.


How long had "The Diamond in the Rough" been away from the world of professional wrestling? A week? A month? More? Time became meaningless to him; all that mattered to him was re-discovering the golden path of enlightenment. Skull was no spiritual hippie, not by any means, but he believed that mankind's true potential remained dormant and hidden. It was his destiny to unlock the treasure that kept the human spirit bound and chained, but how would one take his first step upon the golden path? How would he be sure that he remained steadfast on his journey and not be derailed? Skull was highly renown was his remarkably sharp intellect, but he was far from being omniscient – even he did not know for certain.


Skull spent months in meditation and silent contemplation while he was away from the spotlight. Who was he really? Was he on the correct path? He had lost contact with everyone he considered an ally, a friend, the people that made him whole. It was not intentional self-harming when he separated himself from them but instead an experiment to see if he could form himself complete, instead of disappearing away in the hopelessness of shadows. He was climbing to the end of his rope, his palms bleeding from the grip, but still further he climbed. Skull could not give up hope. He would not give up hope. Hope was all that kept the fabrics of the universe together, from creature to creature, from element to element, hope was what kept the balance in harmony. Or chaos would soon take over, and that was one thing that Skull would not allow to happen in any circumstance even when he himself faced his darkest hour.


What was it about himself that made him the leader of men, women and children everywhere? He did not ask for it. At least, not now. When Skull was first started wrestling, he was prone to self-indulgence and hyperbole from time to time, but he consistently backed up his proud words with incomparable success within the ring. He was young back then; proud and stupid. But with time comes wisdom, regardless of how gradual the adaptation takes. But as Skull turned twenty-seven, the burden of worldwide expectations grew heavily on his shoulders. He had transfigured into something more than a sports celebrity, more than merely a household name. As the name Skull was uttered, it was whispered as if it was a holy prayer. Burying his hands into his pockets, Skull could only sigh in regret as he took a further step into his journey.


Skull decided right then and there as he circled round past a sharp corner that it time to enter that world again. He recollected in his mind as he signed the contract for SEF, walking through the doors of a large building he pauses and smiles. He was here, he was in the arena. He was finally in the SEF. As he pauses, a grin forms on his face, was it from glancing at the SEF logo? Or was there someone standing before him?


F I N

OOC: TBC by anyone! Also comments and criticism is welcome, I'm roleplaying after a long time!