"Trial and Error." Conquest Colliseum I.

“What the fuck is happening with you, kid?”

His old man couldn’t begin to wonder what was running through Jonah’s head right now. Having just walked away with a loss to Alejandro, spending weeks away from the ring to train himself to get into the right mindset to fight, and now throwing down a challenge for the Prodigy Champion. The series of events didn’t seem to add up. The dots didn’t seem to connect the same.

“I want to challenge myself further,” Jonah spoke.

Yet, his old man wasn’t buying it. There comes a time and a place to challenge yourself and running head first into a champion didn’t seem to fit the bill of ‘challenging yourself’ for his father. Jonah’s father grabbed him by the back of the neck and held onto him, holding his head down and forcing him to stare to the ground.

“I don’t know how hard you’ve been dropped on your head but that’s not how I taught you, that’s not how anyone taught you. Your fuckin’ stubborness is getting the better of yourself and now you’ve got yourself up shit’s creek.” The old man pushes Jonah away and almost onto the floor, “I just don’t want you heading into something you are nowhere near ready for. That Christ dude? Serious shit, man. I really don’t think you’re seeing with your real eyes. Step back from the headlights, see what you’ve gotten yourself involved with.”

Disappointment settled upon the old man, acceptance filled the void. For a man like Jonah, so young and brazen, it would take a very long time to finally break the mindset surrounding his mind. Truth be told as soon as he stood up, looking ahead at the old man and not a look of amusement along his face. Just a stern look, daggers directed toward his own father.

A deep sigh escaped the old man’s lips, shaking their head side to side.

“I’ll see you first thing tomorrow morning.”


“I’ve fucked up and you know it too.

Is there a reason why I wanted to push myself ahead of everyone and throw down the gauntlet against the Prodigy Champion? I’m sure there’s many but the main one is worth. I don’t think I need to tell you about how much I’ve shown my worth around here, I don’t think I need to give you all the big speech on what I want to be able to achieve here. I’ve gone into this shit, head first, and fucked up in how I’ve done it. I’ve dove head first with ambition, and fucked up. I’ve dove in with anger and I’ve fucked up. I’ve dove in with a goal in mind and you know what happened there. At every single page that’s been turned, everything that I’m trying to write into my story turns to blank. No hope for the future, no hope for what’s to come. A lost cause fighting a losing battle.

But I'm not looking for sympathy for my own actions, I'm not looking for the pity to be given because of my own mistakes. Rather, I'd ask for your time. To listen. The next few days may be my most important and I want to make sure everyone understands what this is all for - truly.

Patience.

A very simple concept, I want to know more about the patience of becoming a known champion rather than learning it’s highs and lows. The uproar and the downfall. I want to know what goes on inside of the mind of a champion and the only logical champion around with that kind of knowledge is James Christ. There’s many reasons why anyone could challenge for the Prodigy Championship. The namesake of ‘prodigy’ is a strong symbol to be given unto you, the future of the sport as we know it. A figure with a potential, a legendary status in the making for whoever holds the title. All of those seem very keen to have but what is any of that worth when you don’t have the patience? What does all of it mean when you cannot see the future last long enough?

I’ve been told of so many potientals, wasted away because of how little their patience is for success. How very little their patience was in chasing the glory. I’m looking at this challenge in a different light unlike anyone else. Sure, there’s the defeat but there’s also the chance of victory. I don’t rule that out quite yet. I take the early shot at testing my patience, I’ll see if it’s worth it all at the end when that bell rings. All just a game of trial and error, for me, James. The last couple of months, since signing on the dotted line here in Prestige, has been a sudden drop. The harsh reality of things, as it’s put. I came here hoping for the best, I’m getting the worst outcome.

So, quite frankly, I’m not worried at this moment - nor should I ever be.

I’ve seen myself at my lowest point before and it doesn’t compare to this moment. A couple of losses to my name? I’m not stressed anymore over it. I’m childish for becoming so peeved over it, that’s why I lost out against Rivera. I’m inexperienced, majorly, and it’s why Sawyer took care of me easily. I can be easily distracted, and always focusing on the wrong thing at the wrong time, which ended up with me seeing the lights once again because of Ceridwen. I’ve eaten up the fact that I’m destined to fail at every harsh mistake I make upon myself, I don’t need to be taught the lesson. However, I know this is a learning game and it’s a game I’ve been playing for a really long time, long enough to realize what’s going on and finally fixing it - making it right, for once.

I can name an excuse for the past couple of matches I’ve had, but what’s my excuse this time for you? I couldn’t compete with a naturally-born gifted fighter? A man with a motivation worth holding a championship for? Had I run out of patience at the end of it when I couldn’t put you down? Viable options, but none I’m willing to make. For my time here in Prestige has been short and limited, but it isn’t deemed to be anything already. I’ve got a lot of time, a lot of chances, and a lot of hope in the future. The truth about trial and error is that it’s endless, until there are no more errors. Limitless to anyone for just about anything, until you’ve achieved your goal. And for me? It’s not just the name, it’s not just the lifestyle. It’s nothing like you’d think.

‘Ace’ is more important than you’d ever imagine, and one day that will be me. Maybe not as Prodigy Champion, maybe not as any champion, but there will be the day that people are willing - and accepting - to call me exactly that. There will be one day, I swear. If I have to walk right through hell, then so be it. If I have to make sacrifices to ensure that future, then I will allow it. Some might have a one in a million chance, but I know this is only a beginning and not an ending. The first chapter of many and there’s a lot of pages in that book, I should know. It’s biblical to me. I believe in every word that those chapters are willing to tell. So, I endorse you to do whatever the hell you might want to me. Fight me, beat me down, make me bleed if you need. I’m all yours for the taking at Conquest Coliseum. But, if there’s one thing you will not take from me, James?

It’s my belief.

And I, sadly, do not believe in you, Christ. Not many will when I beat you.”