Forged Steel's Wrestling Journal

Day 4

Spent all of yesterday putting everything into storage in preparation of this trip. At this upcoming show, I'm going to finally drop the title and head off to the southern territory, which will be nice because I finally get to show off my freestyle roots again. This extended stay at the home did great, four months of sold out shows and at several of them the fire marshal himself was present to turn people away. Big Mac and I had a great feud, blurred the lines, got very rough and even nearly started riots. He's the real star of our feuds, sells for me like ice cream on a hot summer day.

Packing into and unpacking from storage is always an emotional experience. It's mostly all the awards and accolades I've won through all my years. Many have seen the many awards I've won through my years, from my wrestling championships to my basketball trophies, but so far not not even one of them has guessed the ones that I hold dearest. Ironically enough, neither is a championship but a consolation award.

The first is for an academic decathlon from my high school years. Maybe it's out of spite for everyone else that I treasure it. For so long in my life I've been treated as little more than a meat head jock, many talked down to me which is why I felt so isolated so often. When I entered this competition everyone laughed at me. The competition organizer even said to my face "There's no special education division here, boy." It was only the insistence of Papa and my sister's infamous persuasion that let him relent and enter me. I must have studied all spring break long non-stop to prepare.

The assembled crowd was in disbelief at my performance, and the jerkasses who talked down to me all year long because I happen to be athletically gifted were literally in tears as I eliminated them, one by one. I ended up finishing second, only to a university student. My second place finish was enough to shut everyone up about me. It only took me until I was 17.

The other award was a third place in the Stalliongrad Father-Son Games. I was only 15 and thought I'd come to rock bottom. I hadn't seen Papa in over 10 years, I had become so stressed trying to care for sister, we had finally gotten mother locked away after all she put us through. Entering into the games with me was how Papa wanted to reconnect with me. We hadn't put any training together at all and had no idea what games were to happen but at the end of the Red October Festival, we had finished in 3rd place. I think that may have been the first time I wept in public. Just that feeling of that I could feel loved and that I could be worth something.

I'm the only one in the territory who travels by train. I prefer the train because I'm not cramped, it's far quieter than a bus, and there's drinks served. Plus, I get to think back on days gone by, laugh and cry at the memories and not have some nosy prick butt in on me.

I'm fortunate to have such a great housing arrangement in Canterlot, the apartment is owned by a former wrestler who rents the place out when I'm off traveling as I'm about to do. Its location is prime, only a few blocks away from the nearby gym, the train station, right in the heart of the city for shopping or food, and about three miles from the Royal Arena, which is where we do our Canterlot shows. The owner says to just let him know a month before I come back and the place is all mine.

Out south is where sister is. It's been months since I last saw her, and will be nice to finally get together again. She's in political activism, and is very outspoken. Lately she's been trying to organize labor unions in Appleoosa, and had some surprising success, unionizing the oil refinery and the rubber plant. I just hope she's not in jail yet again, but I suppose her lack of fear for consequence is what often makes her so effective for her causes. Personally, I prefer Babushka's advice to leave my political beliefs in the ballot box.

My final show in the territory is going to be in Ponyville, Big Mac's hometown. North and Wine would usually attend this one since it's also where they live, but they're off on a vacation for their kids finishing school and to try and find retailers for their wine. Mel is smart to the sport, which is why I'm her favorite. I think Dip is too, but I'm not sure he cares, he's really not into sport or much anything athletic. He says he wants to be Mel's race engineer because she's his sister and mostly for the science. I can relate, I'll do anything for my sister myself.

Going forward I believe I'm just going number my entries instead of dating them, because like now I can just keep going about things, but other days I can't hardly put pen to paper. If I don't write again after the big show, I'll definitely write on the train to my debut in Appleoosa.