Shoot 001: Breadcrumbs

The sound of a tab being popped on some carbonated beverage echoes, revealing a can of Pepsi held between two hands with scarred knuckles. The can lifts and the view follows to show the bearded face of Lex Collins. He takes a slow sip of soda before sighing.

"Introductions're like breadcrumbs."

He lets that hang for a second before lifting his gaze, letting those soulful brown eyes fix on the camera as he chuckles.

"Some look at it like a sorta pissin' contest, all the swagger an' bravado from the get-go. Me, I look at it like story hour for preschoolers, bright pictures on every page for the kids, y'know? Show," Lex paused, tapping the skull ring on his left hand against the can, "...'cause what's there to tell? I drop names, places an' all that jazz an' it's just words, blurred 'cause you can't read 'em from where you are. So you look at the pictures to get the gist… breadcrumbs left to follow."

He shrugs.

"Words're useless – I got this lyric stuck in my head but it seems apropos right now. First impressions're shit, meaningless an' all the posturin' in the world won't change shit. In hell we will all burn brightly. Regardless of the past, of all the accolades an' detriments, all the steps forward an' back – we all got our own dances. We all got our own stories an' the smartest ones know enough to play fast an' loose with the truth."

He shakes his head slowly, biting his lip for a second.

"There's not much I can really tell – my old stompin' grounds're dead an' buried. I could spin tales 'bout my dominance an' win streaks but…why? The guy I'm facin' has a better rep – more intimidatin', y'know, if I were to find that kinda shit dauntin'. I don't. Just words. An' while I can dredge up footage, doesn't tell the story. Just snapshots – breadcrumbs. Don't tell me much 'bout how well you take a punch, how quick you get up after bein' put down. Can't see your eyes in some soulless snapshot, stripped of life. An' maybe this face value shit is okay for some. Not me. I gotta experience it."

Lex clears his throat and takes a sip of his Pepsi, shaking his head again.

"Logic goes out the window. If you're a monster, if you're gonna break me, bring it on, guy. See if you're a monster like they say, I wanna see you own it. If you're a monster, better be a willin' one. Wear it with pride. I'll come at you just the same, teeth an' claws an' all – FEARLESS ain't just a cool word I picked at random from the dictionary. It's fact. I don't give a rip where you're from or what you did back in Japan. This is the here an' now. This' a fresh page, blank slate for both of us. The future's unwritten. It's up to us to decide how that goes. Forget all these labels, all these useless words. Boils down to one question'at matters: you gonna be a victor or a victim?"

A ghost of a smile crosses his lips.

"Here's the truth: I don't even give two shits 'bout anythin' you gotta say. Doesn't change the facts. Whether you dole out hatred or respect don't make or break me in any way. That's the nature of the business an' I'm pretty capable of ignorin' tossed insults an' keepin' my eyes on the horizon. Monsters only exist if you give 'em power, GOZOKU – let 'em smell your fear. You won't get that here. Just a clean fight."

He pauses, rubbing his hand over his jaw.

"Usedta make myself believe that life's pretty much just passin' through me uninterested like wind passin' through a ghost town. Found comfort in that 'cause I never sought out praise. I don't wanna be any stick you're measurin' 'gainst. I just wanna go out there an' do what I do. Last year was filled with the kinda successes you wanna scream from rooftops. I didn't then. I won't now."

Lex's tone seems bitter.

"I coulda retired after Olympus an' it woulda been acceptable to the masses – not to me. I wanted more. I NEEDED more an' after I spent enough time soul-searchin', I understand why. The slate's wiped clean. Now it's the boy who cried wolf one too many times up 'gainst the biggest, baddest predator out there. Not lookin' for allies… not lookin' for help. I got this solo. The band's tuned up an' there aren't any monsters here other'n the void inside me that I keep tryna fill with survival songs. It's like that monster under the bed from childhood: don't look at it an' it won't hurt ya. I'm unafraid, that's true. An' the sad part is people either think I'm lyin' or they just straight up don't get how that works 'cause everyone FEARS. That's human nature, right? Doubt an' fear an' pain an' all that stuff all mixed together until it's a sea of suckin' brown muck holdin' ya back."

He lets out that self-deprecating chuckle one last time.

"Been too long since I got to throw down an' I'm already cranked to eleven. There ain't no dialin' this ragin' inferno back now – can't. It is what it is. Not in the least bit sorry for yankin' your chain. Guess what I mean to say's simple enough: this ain't personal, alright? I just felt like you should know you're not gettin' me at my worst. See," he lifts his hand to gesture vaguely, "introductions're breadcrumbs – follow 'em. I left you a pretty clear trail. Be a willin' monster. I'm waitin' in the dark. Come find me."

The words cut off into a hiss of static before the video ends, offering the REPLAY and SUBSCRIBE buttons on opposite corners of the window.