Post by Dionysus on May 16, 2023 2:22:00 GMT -5
The film set was buzzing with anxiousness as the filming crew prepared for today's shoot. "Alright, places everybody!" the director shouted. He pointed to a man off-stage, motioning him to step into the set. "Lights!" He ordered, and the stage lights lit up, revealing The Lord of the Vine himself, Dionysus. Next to Dionysus was a small table where a painting palette lie in waiting, with various colors pre-poured for this very shoot. An assortment of brushes sat underneath the palette, prepared in such a way that the camera would not pick them up in the lens. The easel had a white canvas prepared specifically for the shoot, and along one leg of the easel was a tray that held a small bucket. "Aaaand cue music!"
"Hello, and welcome to 'The Joy of Pain...ting," Dionysus began. "My name is Dionysus, and-"
"CUT!" shouted the director. "We talked about this; stick to the script for the intro, and anything after that is all you! Still rolling!"
Dionysus sighed, regained his composure, and smiled at the camera. "Hello everyone, and welcome to 'The Joy of Painting. My name is Dionysus, and I'm delighted to have you join me today. Before we get started, I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank The Splat Network and TIA Promotions for allowing me to use this space to film this show for everyone. It is rare to have anyone in this business indulge my more...interesting ideas, but I felt a nice, relaxing paint-a-long would be the perfect way to introduce you all to the man with the red mane. With the Calamity Chamber only a few short days away, you can follow along with what we are about to paint today, then talk about your new painting skills with your friends and loved ones. Who knows? If this is popular enough, we could keep this going as long as we want."
Dionysus turned toward the canvas as he picked up his painting palette and a brush. "Well, lets get started. The good folks here in the studio will run the colors you will need to paint this picture down below, so you can follow along and paint with me. For now, lets start with the two-inch brush," he paused briefly as he dabbed the brush into some red paint, "and lets get a bit of that alizarin crimson. Now, come along with me. We'll start by putting a little bit of pink in the sky." As he spoke, Dionysus brushed the canvas with even strokes, crossing over the areas he painted each time. "Not too much; just enough to make it feel warm, welcoming. Much like I'm going to do as I talk a bit about this match we have going on at The Calamity Chamber. This might be your first time having ever hearing about me, and I'm pleased as punch to meet you. You see, I'm very much like this paint; my life is devoted to the canvas, and I live to create a tapestry of sportsmanship and showmanship in every match I am in, both good and bad. But just like in life, I'm not just some one-color competitor. Which speaking of, now that we have our pink," he said, dabbing his brush into some bluish paint. "Without cleaning the brush, we'll go right into the phthalo blue, and then starting at the very top, we'll take our criss-cross strokes and start blending in with the pink." He continued his brush strokes as he instructed, blending the blue with the pink to create a purple hue around the edges of the top of the canvas. "Like this sky, I have a rich blend of color, and can really bring a painting...or a match...to life. What better way to show that off than with a unique match concept in the TIA Five Star match? Five competitors enter, with each one needing two others to be pinned or submitted, either by you or another opponent, to win the match. A little more complicated than your regular five-way match, but it can still be fun. So now we'll clean off our brush by dipping it," he stopped again to dip his brush into the small bucket, "into the odorless paint thinner. Then just like what I'll do with my fellow opponents, we'll shake the brush, and then..." After shaking the brush, he quickly slapped the brush against the easel leg. Giggling, he looked back at the camera, finishing his sentence with, "...we'll beat the devil out of it. That's the most fun part of this process."
Dionysus set the brush on the table next to him, picking up a painting knife. Without listing the colors, Dionysus immediately grabbed a few pieces of dark colors on the palette and mixed them together. "Much like in painting, when we wrestle, we paint a tapestry on the canvas. Each stroke should be placed with care, every color playing an important role in the end result. This match is a showcase of a number of talents from across various walks of life, from the young up-and-comers to the long-standing veterans. Where do I fit in this painting? Why, I am the vibrant sky, overseeing it all with the understanding that none in this match can reach my heights." He cut across the freshly mixed paint on the palette with the knife, making a small line on the edge. Turning back to the easel, he began to drag the knife across the surface, leaving sharp-edged streaks against the skyline. "I felt this painting needed a mountain. In your world, you can paint whatever your heart desires. And even if you think you have made a mistake, just remember; there are no mistakes, only happy accidents. Incidentally, that was the nickname John Cable was given when he was born." Dionysus giggled again, finishing the outline of the mountains. "Oh I kid around; John Cable is probably the best person in this match to represent the mountains in this painting. They express majesty and a timelessness that few other natural landmarks can pull off. Though there are other downsides to the mountain." Dionysus cleaned off the blade and gathered some white paint and a lighter blue, mixing it on the palette and once again cutting through to create a small roll on the edge. "Mountains show their age through many millenia of erosion." He turned once more to the canvas, lightly spreading the paint to create definition and detail in the mountainside. "A stone may hold small cracks, but a mountain's imperfections are quite prominent." Another light drag with the knife to expand the appearance of the range. "Consider that the man is pushing into his fifties and still believes he will continue to maintain a winning legacy in his twilight years. His most recent accomplishment? A ninth-place finish in the World Series of Wrestling. Commendable...but considering I faired better at sixth, I simply look down in pity at the man whose career has hit the level of midlife crisis where he may as well purchase a bad toupee to go along with his new muscle car and pretend he's thirty years younger. Any shine that Cable has had in the past has long since been eclipsed by his betters...including me." Cleaning off the blade again once the light definition was finished, he cut through some black to mix with his light blue to darken the color, again cutting through the paint mixture. He then touched the blade to the canvas, creating a shadow effect on the sides he left bare. "Jonathan Cable is a man whose canvas may be large, but his tapestry may as well be stick figure drawings scrawled over with a dried piece of shit, with only the slightest hint of gold flaking against the edges of an era long gone. The mountain that is Jonathan Cable is now nothing more than a mole hill, waiting for someone, anyone, to die on."
Dionysus pulled the knife away from the canvas, looking at the work he had done and seeing if he could touch anything up. Shrugging, he set the painting knife aside and picked up a fan brush, casually mixing two brown paints with a yellow to create a treebark color. "I think in this world, we want to create a line of trees. We'll start with just a little thin line," he instructed, dabbing the edge of the brush against the base of the mountains he just finished painting, then dabbing a second line attached to it, "then, starting at the top, just touch the end of the brush lightly, then heavier as you go down." As he did so, the lines began to look like pine trees. "Tell you what; lets give this little guy a friend." Smiling, Dionysus continued to paint pine trees against the mountainscape. "You might be thinking, 'but Dionysus, wouldn't Cable be the sensible choice to win this newly minted TIA Men's Championship?' And maybe you're right in thinking so, if your favorite program happens to be All in the Family and you're off to bed at the stroke of seven. But for me, I believe the first recipient should be the person that best exemplifies what a champion of this era should be; unlimited potential, a never-say-die attitude, and still able to look like a champion, as opposed to an extra for the California Raisins. I suppose that could make Cable ineligible." Dionysus cleaned off his fan brush and mixed a bright yellow with a dark blue and a hint of white to create a lovely evergreen color. "Now, you'll want to go back over these trees to add some color. It will really liven up the picture." As he continued to dab with the fan brush, Dionysus continued musing. "The title should, naturally, go to the most deserving; not the most decorated, not the one who demands for it the loudest, but the one willing to put the work in to actually want that championship. To treat it with the respect and reverence it should have, not just collect it like a trading card to add to the binder in storage. It should be a symbol of the future, not a relic of a bygone era. Cable's continued disappointment has created the mindset that one title win will definitely turn his luck around...when he has failed to realize that his luck ran out with the Buchanan administration. Time to hang up the boots and move on to the joys of retirement; empty autograph booths at conventions that criminally underpay you, the rare one-off appearance to grant a fellow superstar some kind of hall of fame or lifetime achievement award, whatever makes you happy, sport."
Pulling the fan brush away, Dionysus inspected the canvas again. "In this world...I think it would be nice to have a little meadow. A nice clearing, maybe with a few stones and a cabin. This part of the painting might be a bit easy for you all, so I'm just going to paint this while I keep rambling." He picked up a wider brush, and began mixing some dark paints together to lay the foundation of the meadow, starting along the forest line. "As I mentioned earlier, the stipulation of this five-star match is unlike the traditional elimination matches you may be familiar with. While I will need to keep my eye on every competitor in the ring, there are only two I need worry about when it comes to picking up a pinfall. In case you are just tuning in, the first of those two opponents is John Cable. The other is Ricky Rodriguez. Or 'Ironbuns' as his friends might call him. Now, Ricky, I believe we have never met before, but you and I share a unique similarity. Namely, that our asses have been a focus of conversation at one point or another. So from one cheeky bastard to another, I'm looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table. You remind me a bit of myself when I first started in this business; bright-eyed, maybe a bit naive, mixing it up with people I shouldn't have, only to come to that realization and striking out on my own. For you, there is no scorn or hatred that I can truly dig up, but rather I feel like friendly advice will be your friend here. The longer you stay in this business, the more likely you will wind up in strange scenarios like this. It can be overwhelming trying to remember exactly what it is you need to do to secure victory. So my advice, if you do, in fact, feel overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe. Count to ten. Still your mind for just a moment. Throwing yourself headlong into every situation is a guaranteed way for an opponent to catch you in a vulnerable position. Maybe you will anticipate that, but in truth, that kind of weakness is something I am more than willing to prey on."
Dionysus's painting became more erratic as he continued talking. "Move too fast and without any thought, and you will smudge your canvas, much like how I am painting right now." Dionysus looked to the camera, giving it a sly wink, before saying, "But then again, the foundation here is done. Now we add in the detail." He mixed many light colors together to make a vibrant green, which he dabbed into the bristles of the brush, and began dabbing onto the foundation he laid out. "Make your actions deliberate and with some thought, not strictly on instinct. You are as decorated as the rest of us in this match; there is nothing here you need to prove to anyone, not even yourself. That said, and truly with no offense intended, but this title is mine and mine alone to claim. I compete week in and week out between Action Wrestling and XWF, and if there is one thing anyone on those rosters will tell you, is regardless of whether I win or lose, I give everyone the fight of their life. I am not just someone who can win a championship and hold it like a trophy. I claim those places with two hands, and with those same hands I shape divisions. You see, one of the greatest lessons I have learned in this industry is that there is a certain freedom on this canvas. No matter where you are in any company you work for, your role is vital. All you need to do is remember what that role is. Now, before you come after me like I think you're a junior who isn't ready for this, what I mean to say is we all have a part to play in every match. While we may all want to win, we also need to know when we cannot win. I am telling you, Cable, even JMont and Tempest; you need to realize before this match even begins that the world we are creating will result in me walking away with the TIA Men's Title."
He took a step away from the canvas to admire the work he has put into the painting. "Alright, lets get two more little details out of the way, and I think we'll call that painting done. First, lets add a happy little bush, right in the corner there." Dionysus picked up a slightly larger fan brush, tapping it into the foundational color and began splotching brownish dots in the bottom left corner. "I would simply kick myself if I made zero mention of the two other competitors in this match, but as mentioned earlier, neither JMont nor Tempest are my direct competition based on the stipulation. Their only purpose is to either eliminate each other, or eliminate my own competition." Dionysus stopped painting, a realization having crossed his mind. "Wait a minute...am I now just realizing that I could have simply persuaded you two to just take care of my opponents for me?" A moment of silence passed...then Dionysus shrugged, concluding, "But then where is the fun for me? No risk, only reward? Booo-ring. If the plan for me is to actually win this thing, I must be able to do so on my terms, with my own hands, not just another's. Still, good luck beating each other up...or my opponents up. Whichever you prefer, really. Just, one thing. If you happen to see me pin either Ricky or John for the win, maybe...maybe just let it happen. You do that, and we'll work on lining up future defenses, one-on-one, so we can settle the score for real."
Dionysus finished laying out the foundation for the bush, muttering a "there we go" under his breath. "Now, you will want to take-" he stopped as he watched his brush fly out of his hands, landing on the floor in front of the canvas. Without thinking, he bent over to pick up the brush, only to smack his forehead against the canvas. "Oops," Dionysus said as he backed up a touch to grab the brush. When he looked up, he noticed what the audience would likely see; there was a nice forehead print on his freshly painted meadow. He turned to face the camera, his forehead covered in a mix of light green and dark brown. He didn't say anything for a few seconds...then he started to chuckle. Then laugh deeply. "Of course I'd end up doing something like that. Oh well, its like I said before; there are no mistakes, only happy accidents." He turned again to look at the canvas he inadvertently headbutted, noticing that the imprint gave the meadow more definition than his brush strokes were able to do. "As you can see, even a little accident like that can turn out to create great art. As I was saying," he continued on, "you will want to take your bright green and go over the bush once again to add some color and definition." He moved the brush toward his splotch of mixed light green, then paused. Grinning, he lifted the fan brush to his forehead, scraping off the lightest greens possible, and adding it to the mixture on his palette. Then he went back to the canvas, filling in the final details of the portrait. "There. That looks nice, doesn't it? And that bush is going to be our little secret. Sure, its up in front, but no one will know how long it really took you to make it."
Setting the fan brush on the table, Dionysus picked up a thin painting brush next to it, dipping it in the paint thinner bucket. "Now all that's left is to sign the painting. To keep it light, start by dipping your brush in paint thinner, then choose the color you want to use for the signature. I'm going with the bright red, since it will stand out among the other color on the canvas." Dipping the brush into the bright red paint, he delicately signed "Dionysus" in the bottom right hand corner. "Absolutely perfect. The tapestry of a five-star match and the result of Dionysus signing it off with a victory. That will about wrap it up for us here today. I want to take another opportunity to thank The Splat Network and TIA Promotions for allowing me the use of their facilities to film this program, as well as the opportunity to compete for your enjoyment. I will have a booth for autographs and pictures during the event, and we'll be auctioning off this painting for one of you lucky folk to take home with you. Remember, it will only become more valuable when I'm dead and gone." Dionysus chuckled at the morbid joke, then quickly followed up with, "Or you could keep it as a wonderful memory of the Carnage Carnival. Well, from all of us here, happy painting, and god bless, my friends." Dionysus waved lightly, giving the camera a warm smile.
"CUUUT!" shouted the director. The bell rang signaling that the filming was done. "Aside from that slip-up, you did okay, I suppose. We'll need to edit that slip out in post, and-"
Dionysus held a hand up, stopping the director in his tracks. "I think," he interrupted, "you should leave that in. Even if I walk out of this match as a champion, I want people to remember that I am also still human and prone to mistakes. Besides, it makes for a great blooper reel."
The diretor shrugged. "Alright then. This is your world, after all." And without so much as a goodbye, the director left the set.
Dionysus stayed where he was, looking at the canvas he just finished painting. He slowly reached for it with both hands, grabbing at the sides delicately as to not disturb the still wet paint, and really absorbing the work he had put in. And with the quietest whisper under his breath, Dionysus repeated...
"This IS my world...and I am the creator."
"CUT!" shouted the director. "We talked about this; stick to the script for the intro, and anything after that is all you! Still rolling!"
Dionysus sighed, regained his composure, and smiled at the camera. "Hello everyone, and welcome to 'The Joy of Painting. My name is Dionysus, and I'm delighted to have you join me today. Before we get started, I just wanted to take the opportunity to thank The Splat Network and TIA Promotions for allowing me to use this space to film this show for everyone. It is rare to have anyone in this business indulge my more...interesting ideas, but I felt a nice, relaxing paint-a-long would be the perfect way to introduce you all to the man with the red mane. With the Calamity Chamber only a few short days away, you can follow along with what we are about to paint today, then talk about your new painting skills with your friends and loved ones. Who knows? If this is popular enough, we could keep this going as long as we want."
Dionysus turned toward the canvas as he picked up his painting palette and a brush. "Well, lets get started. The good folks here in the studio will run the colors you will need to paint this picture down below, so you can follow along and paint with me. For now, lets start with the two-inch brush," he paused briefly as he dabbed the brush into some red paint, "and lets get a bit of that alizarin crimson. Now, come along with me. We'll start by putting a little bit of pink in the sky." As he spoke, Dionysus brushed the canvas with even strokes, crossing over the areas he painted each time. "Not too much; just enough to make it feel warm, welcoming. Much like I'm going to do as I talk a bit about this match we have going on at The Calamity Chamber. This might be your first time having ever hearing about me, and I'm pleased as punch to meet you. You see, I'm very much like this paint; my life is devoted to the canvas, and I live to create a tapestry of sportsmanship and showmanship in every match I am in, both good and bad. But just like in life, I'm not just some one-color competitor. Which speaking of, now that we have our pink," he said, dabbing his brush into some bluish paint. "Without cleaning the brush, we'll go right into the phthalo blue, and then starting at the very top, we'll take our criss-cross strokes and start blending in with the pink." He continued his brush strokes as he instructed, blending the blue with the pink to create a purple hue around the edges of the top of the canvas. "Like this sky, I have a rich blend of color, and can really bring a painting...or a match...to life. What better way to show that off than with a unique match concept in the TIA Five Star match? Five competitors enter, with each one needing two others to be pinned or submitted, either by you or another opponent, to win the match. A little more complicated than your regular five-way match, but it can still be fun. So now we'll clean off our brush by dipping it," he stopped again to dip his brush into the small bucket, "into the odorless paint thinner. Then just like what I'll do with my fellow opponents, we'll shake the brush, and then..." After shaking the brush, he quickly slapped the brush against the easel leg. Giggling, he looked back at the camera, finishing his sentence with, "...we'll beat the devil out of it. That's the most fun part of this process."
Dionysus set the brush on the table next to him, picking up a painting knife. Without listing the colors, Dionysus immediately grabbed a few pieces of dark colors on the palette and mixed them together. "Much like in painting, when we wrestle, we paint a tapestry on the canvas. Each stroke should be placed with care, every color playing an important role in the end result. This match is a showcase of a number of talents from across various walks of life, from the young up-and-comers to the long-standing veterans. Where do I fit in this painting? Why, I am the vibrant sky, overseeing it all with the understanding that none in this match can reach my heights." He cut across the freshly mixed paint on the palette with the knife, making a small line on the edge. Turning back to the easel, he began to drag the knife across the surface, leaving sharp-edged streaks against the skyline. "I felt this painting needed a mountain. In your world, you can paint whatever your heart desires. And even if you think you have made a mistake, just remember; there are no mistakes, only happy accidents. Incidentally, that was the nickname John Cable was given when he was born." Dionysus giggled again, finishing the outline of the mountains. "Oh I kid around; John Cable is probably the best person in this match to represent the mountains in this painting. They express majesty and a timelessness that few other natural landmarks can pull off. Though there are other downsides to the mountain." Dionysus cleaned off the blade and gathered some white paint and a lighter blue, mixing it on the palette and once again cutting through to create a small roll on the edge. "Mountains show their age through many millenia of erosion." He turned once more to the canvas, lightly spreading the paint to create definition and detail in the mountainside. "A stone may hold small cracks, but a mountain's imperfections are quite prominent." Another light drag with the knife to expand the appearance of the range. "Consider that the man is pushing into his fifties and still believes he will continue to maintain a winning legacy in his twilight years. His most recent accomplishment? A ninth-place finish in the World Series of Wrestling. Commendable...but considering I faired better at sixth, I simply look down in pity at the man whose career has hit the level of midlife crisis where he may as well purchase a bad toupee to go along with his new muscle car and pretend he's thirty years younger. Any shine that Cable has had in the past has long since been eclipsed by his betters...including me." Cleaning off the blade again once the light definition was finished, he cut through some black to mix with his light blue to darken the color, again cutting through the paint mixture. He then touched the blade to the canvas, creating a shadow effect on the sides he left bare. "Jonathan Cable is a man whose canvas may be large, but his tapestry may as well be stick figure drawings scrawled over with a dried piece of shit, with only the slightest hint of gold flaking against the edges of an era long gone. The mountain that is Jonathan Cable is now nothing more than a mole hill, waiting for someone, anyone, to die on."
Dionysus pulled the knife away from the canvas, looking at the work he had done and seeing if he could touch anything up. Shrugging, he set the painting knife aside and picked up a fan brush, casually mixing two brown paints with a yellow to create a treebark color. "I think in this world, we want to create a line of trees. We'll start with just a little thin line," he instructed, dabbing the edge of the brush against the base of the mountains he just finished painting, then dabbing a second line attached to it, "then, starting at the top, just touch the end of the brush lightly, then heavier as you go down." As he did so, the lines began to look like pine trees. "Tell you what; lets give this little guy a friend." Smiling, Dionysus continued to paint pine trees against the mountainscape. "You might be thinking, 'but Dionysus, wouldn't Cable be the sensible choice to win this newly minted TIA Men's Championship?' And maybe you're right in thinking so, if your favorite program happens to be All in the Family and you're off to bed at the stroke of seven. But for me, I believe the first recipient should be the person that best exemplifies what a champion of this era should be; unlimited potential, a never-say-die attitude, and still able to look like a champion, as opposed to an extra for the California Raisins. I suppose that could make Cable ineligible." Dionysus cleaned off his fan brush and mixed a bright yellow with a dark blue and a hint of white to create a lovely evergreen color. "Now, you'll want to go back over these trees to add some color. It will really liven up the picture." As he continued to dab with the fan brush, Dionysus continued musing. "The title should, naturally, go to the most deserving; not the most decorated, not the one who demands for it the loudest, but the one willing to put the work in to actually want that championship. To treat it with the respect and reverence it should have, not just collect it like a trading card to add to the binder in storage. It should be a symbol of the future, not a relic of a bygone era. Cable's continued disappointment has created the mindset that one title win will definitely turn his luck around...when he has failed to realize that his luck ran out with the Buchanan administration. Time to hang up the boots and move on to the joys of retirement; empty autograph booths at conventions that criminally underpay you, the rare one-off appearance to grant a fellow superstar some kind of hall of fame or lifetime achievement award, whatever makes you happy, sport."
Pulling the fan brush away, Dionysus inspected the canvas again. "In this world...I think it would be nice to have a little meadow. A nice clearing, maybe with a few stones and a cabin. This part of the painting might be a bit easy for you all, so I'm just going to paint this while I keep rambling." He picked up a wider brush, and began mixing some dark paints together to lay the foundation of the meadow, starting along the forest line. "As I mentioned earlier, the stipulation of this five-star match is unlike the traditional elimination matches you may be familiar with. While I will need to keep my eye on every competitor in the ring, there are only two I need worry about when it comes to picking up a pinfall. In case you are just tuning in, the first of those two opponents is John Cable. The other is Ricky Rodriguez. Or 'Ironbuns' as his friends might call him. Now, Ricky, I believe we have never met before, but you and I share a unique similarity. Namely, that our asses have been a focus of conversation at one point or another. So from one cheeky bastard to another, I'm looking forward to seeing what you bring to the table. You remind me a bit of myself when I first started in this business; bright-eyed, maybe a bit naive, mixing it up with people I shouldn't have, only to come to that realization and striking out on my own. For you, there is no scorn or hatred that I can truly dig up, but rather I feel like friendly advice will be your friend here. The longer you stay in this business, the more likely you will wind up in strange scenarios like this. It can be overwhelming trying to remember exactly what it is you need to do to secure victory. So my advice, if you do, in fact, feel overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe. Count to ten. Still your mind for just a moment. Throwing yourself headlong into every situation is a guaranteed way for an opponent to catch you in a vulnerable position. Maybe you will anticipate that, but in truth, that kind of weakness is something I am more than willing to prey on."
Dionysus's painting became more erratic as he continued talking. "Move too fast and without any thought, and you will smudge your canvas, much like how I am painting right now." Dionysus looked to the camera, giving it a sly wink, before saying, "But then again, the foundation here is done. Now we add in the detail." He mixed many light colors together to make a vibrant green, which he dabbed into the bristles of the brush, and began dabbing onto the foundation he laid out. "Make your actions deliberate and with some thought, not strictly on instinct. You are as decorated as the rest of us in this match; there is nothing here you need to prove to anyone, not even yourself. That said, and truly with no offense intended, but this title is mine and mine alone to claim. I compete week in and week out between Action Wrestling and XWF, and if there is one thing anyone on those rosters will tell you, is regardless of whether I win or lose, I give everyone the fight of their life. I am not just someone who can win a championship and hold it like a trophy. I claim those places with two hands, and with those same hands I shape divisions. You see, one of the greatest lessons I have learned in this industry is that there is a certain freedom on this canvas. No matter where you are in any company you work for, your role is vital. All you need to do is remember what that role is. Now, before you come after me like I think you're a junior who isn't ready for this, what I mean to say is we all have a part to play in every match. While we may all want to win, we also need to know when we cannot win. I am telling you, Cable, even JMont and Tempest; you need to realize before this match even begins that the world we are creating will result in me walking away with the TIA Men's Title."
He took a step away from the canvas to admire the work he has put into the painting. "Alright, lets get two more little details out of the way, and I think we'll call that painting done. First, lets add a happy little bush, right in the corner there." Dionysus picked up a slightly larger fan brush, tapping it into the foundational color and began splotching brownish dots in the bottom left corner. "I would simply kick myself if I made zero mention of the two other competitors in this match, but as mentioned earlier, neither JMont nor Tempest are my direct competition based on the stipulation. Their only purpose is to either eliminate each other, or eliminate my own competition." Dionysus stopped painting, a realization having crossed his mind. "Wait a minute...am I now just realizing that I could have simply persuaded you two to just take care of my opponents for me?" A moment of silence passed...then Dionysus shrugged, concluding, "But then where is the fun for me? No risk, only reward? Booo-ring. If the plan for me is to actually win this thing, I must be able to do so on my terms, with my own hands, not just another's. Still, good luck beating each other up...or my opponents up. Whichever you prefer, really. Just, one thing. If you happen to see me pin either Ricky or John for the win, maybe...maybe just let it happen. You do that, and we'll work on lining up future defenses, one-on-one, so we can settle the score for real."
Dionysus finished laying out the foundation for the bush, muttering a "there we go" under his breath. "Now, you will want to take-" he stopped as he watched his brush fly out of his hands, landing on the floor in front of the canvas. Without thinking, he bent over to pick up the brush, only to smack his forehead against the canvas. "Oops," Dionysus said as he backed up a touch to grab the brush. When he looked up, he noticed what the audience would likely see; there was a nice forehead print on his freshly painted meadow. He turned to face the camera, his forehead covered in a mix of light green and dark brown. He didn't say anything for a few seconds...then he started to chuckle. Then laugh deeply. "Of course I'd end up doing something like that. Oh well, its like I said before; there are no mistakes, only happy accidents." He turned again to look at the canvas he inadvertently headbutted, noticing that the imprint gave the meadow more definition than his brush strokes were able to do. "As you can see, even a little accident like that can turn out to create great art. As I was saying," he continued on, "you will want to take your bright green and go over the bush once again to add some color and definition." He moved the brush toward his splotch of mixed light green, then paused. Grinning, he lifted the fan brush to his forehead, scraping off the lightest greens possible, and adding it to the mixture on his palette. Then he went back to the canvas, filling in the final details of the portrait. "There. That looks nice, doesn't it? And that bush is going to be our little secret. Sure, its up in front, but no one will know how long it really took you to make it."
Setting the fan brush on the table, Dionysus picked up a thin painting brush next to it, dipping it in the paint thinner bucket. "Now all that's left is to sign the painting. To keep it light, start by dipping your brush in paint thinner, then choose the color you want to use for the signature. I'm going with the bright red, since it will stand out among the other color on the canvas." Dipping the brush into the bright red paint, he delicately signed "Dionysus" in the bottom right hand corner. "Absolutely perfect. The tapestry of a five-star match and the result of Dionysus signing it off with a victory. That will about wrap it up for us here today. I want to take another opportunity to thank The Splat Network and TIA Promotions for allowing me the use of their facilities to film this program, as well as the opportunity to compete for your enjoyment. I will have a booth for autographs and pictures during the event, and we'll be auctioning off this painting for one of you lucky folk to take home with you. Remember, it will only become more valuable when I'm dead and gone." Dionysus chuckled at the morbid joke, then quickly followed up with, "Or you could keep it as a wonderful memory of the Carnage Carnival. Well, from all of us here, happy painting, and god bless, my friends." Dionysus waved lightly, giving the camera a warm smile.
"CUUUT!" shouted the director. The bell rang signaling that the filming was done. "Aside from that slip-up, you did okay, I suppose. We'll need to edit that slip out in post, and-"
Dionysus held a hand up, stopping the director in his tracks. "I think," he interrupted, "you should leave that in. Even if I walk out of this match as a champion, I want people to remember that I am also still human and prone to mistakes. Besides, it makes for a great blooper reel."
The diretor shrugged. "Alright then. This is your world, after all." And without so much as a goodbye, the director left the set.
Dionysus stayed where he was, looking at the canvas he just finished painting. He slowly reached for it with both hands, grabbing at the sides delicately as to not disturb the still wet paint, and really absorbing the work he had put in. And with the quietest whisper under his breath, Dionysus repeated...
"This IS my world...and I am the creator."