Post by Zero on Dec 19, 2012 18:50:03 GMT -5
[The scene opens to show Shaun Cross standing in the center of an unoccupied ring, in a vacant arena. It’s the 19th of December, a day before Thursday Night Takedown. He’s dressed in his typical casual attire of jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers; his hair’s tied back into a ponytail. Shaun is looking out at the empty seats of the arena; from the floor behind the guardrail, all the way up to the rafters. He sighs before starting to speak.]
So…Here we are…Denver Colorado at the Pepsi Center, home of tomorrow night’s TNT. This’ll be the third match I wrestle for Millennium Pro Wrestling…Against Jimmy Fatal, one of the three men I was in the ring with last week. I gotta say I was really impressed. His Fatal Mistake is a hell of a move, putting out two of the three of us…Really though, that match was all about he and Dynamo Crunch, Nathan and I were put in there just to throw that ugly curveball over the backstop. Now baseball metaphors aside, I can’t wait to climb between these ropes again tomorrow night. I haven’t been exactly successful in MPW, but I’m livin’ my dream by working’ here.
[He walks over and sits on the top turnbuckle on the left side, facing the stage]
Jimmy said something last week about me. He commented about my recklessness in the ring, going so far as to quote Yamamoto Tsunetomo. Hearing his words last week caused me to have an epiphany…
[He scoffs]
Now, I’m not Chris Benoit, but I like to thank I have some pretty sound technical wrestling ability.
[He shrugs]
I’m pretty positive I could give anyone in this company a run for their money…Hell, maybe even anyone in the business. However I may never be able to do that if I keep throwing caution to the wind and go balls out every chance I get as I have in promotions past. If I want to have a solid, successful career, I feel I need to slow it down a bit and not take every risk I see unless absolutely necessary. He said it best, I was sidelined with an injury and refused to see the error in my ways…Well…Lesson learned. I’m going to come in here tomorrow night a completely different competitor. I’m pretty sure I have the skill, and I know I have an advantage in speed and agility.
[He hops down off of the turnbuckle and walks across the ring to the ropes still facing the stage]
Jimmy Fatal…You’re opponent number three for me…And I am goddamn bound and determined to get victory number one in my MPW career.
[The screen fades out, coming back into view as Shaun is checking into the hotel he’s staying at in Denver.]
Hotel Receptionist: Ah yes. Mr.…Cross is it? Yes, you have a visitor; he arrived while you were out. I believe he’s at the bar.
Shaun Cross: Oh really? Well, thank you
[He smiles and heads off to the bar in the hotel. He walks in, surprised to find his old friend Warren Bay sitting on a bar stool with a beer bottle in his hand making small-talk with the bartender. Shaun walks over and sits on the stool next to him, still almost in a state of shock, waiting for Warren to finish his story about the time he wrestled Chief Jay Strongbow (Which Shaun knew was complete horseshit).]
Shaun Cross: Warren “The Beatdown” Bay…I am your BIGGEST fan! Can I PLEEEAAASSEEE have an autograph?!”
[He played along, much to Warren’s amusement (as this was one of their favorite activities to do in public) and to the bartender’s disbelief.]
Warren Bay: My my, it looks like we have quite a strapping young man here! You look like you could do quite well in a ring! Well…Maybe not as MY opponent, but anyone else…You sure look like you could stomp ‘em! What’s that? An autograph, of course you can have my autograph! What kind of champion who’s held more title belts than you have follicles of hair on your head would I be if I didn’t sign an autograph here on there?! C’mon my boy, tell me!
SC: Not a very good one…?
WB: You’re damn right “not a very good one”! But I however AM a good one; some may even say the BEST one!
[They pause for a moment, before looking over at the bartender who is completely stunned and stammering. The two friends share a hearty chuckle before Shaun orders a beer. It takes a couple times before the bartender snaps out of it and gets right on the matter.]
SC: Warren! What the fuck are you doing in Colorado?! When did you get here?! How did you know I was at THIS hotel?!
WB: You’re debuting for MPW tomorrow night right?
[Warren grins, knowing exactly what NOT to say at exactly the right time]
SC: Hah hah…Look out, we’ve got a stand-up comedian over here…Just make sure you don’t outsell TNT huh?
WB: Nah man, I meant to get out to Salt Lake to surprise you last week before your match, but it was sold out before I got a chance. So when I immediately got a ticket for the next show as soon as they went on sale…And here I am. You looked damn good in that four way match last week. It’s a shame that that Dynamo character eliminated ya…But because he did, you gotta match against him or something?
SC: Nah…I’m actually wrestling Jimmy Fatal tomorrow.
WB: Oh are ya? Huh, you must be due for some big singles push then?
[He grins and laughs, this time not bother Shaun as much]
SC: Don’t I wish. Hell, I just wanna win a match
WB: Well shit, it’s certainly not due to lack of trying. I know how you are in that ring…you give it everything you got and them some of whatever else you can scrape up off the bathroom floor…And then if you have to, you’ll scrounge around in the crowd picking old chewed up bubble gum off from under the seat and give ‘em that too! I could really go on and on, but I’ll quit while I feel like I’m ahead…
[They share a bit of a laugh at his disgusting analogy]
So this Jimmy Fatal…You had anything to do with him besides the past two matches?
SC: Not really, I did take advice that he’s somewhat inadvertently given me though. Before the match last week, I heard him say stuff to the effect of me not having a long or safe career if I risk life and limb night after night. So since then, I’ve been thinking…After essentially being fired from a company due to the inability to make them any more money, defend my title, or even compete…All because of a botched moonsault through a table not even connecting with my opponent…Maybe I should slow things down and actually wrestle to the best of my abilities instead of jumping off of everything I can see and using any weapon I can wrap my hands around…Of course unless that’s absolutely needed. If I may borrow your metaphor for my wrestling ambition, the weapons and the high risk stuff would be the old gum under the seats.
[They finish their beers, and sit through a couple moments of silence]
Well shit man, it's been fucking fantastic to see you, but I gotta go, it's gettin' late. I need sleep...I'll see you after the show tomorrow alright?
WB: Sure thing bud, I ordered so early that I got front row seats, right by the steps near the ramp. I'll be pullin' for ya!
[The two shake hands and Shaun heads out of the bar to go back to his room to rest up before the big day ahead. Warren turns back to the bartender...]
WB: So I'm in the corner right!? There's Chief Jay comin' at me, right on that fuckin' warpath of his right...?!
[The scene fades to black once again as "The Beatdown" continues his story]
So…Here we are…Denver Colorado at the Pepsi Center, home of tomorrow night’s TNT. This’ll be the third match I wrestle for Millennium Pro Wrestling…Against Jimmy Fatal, one of the three men I was in the ring with last week. I gotta say I was really impressed. His Fatal Mistake is a hell of a move, putting out two of the three of us…Really though, that match was all about he and Dynamo Crunch, Nathan and I were put in there just to throw that ugly curveball over the backstop. Now baseball metaphors aside, I can’t wait to climb between these ropes again tomorrow night. I haven’t been exactly successful in MPW, but I’m livin’ my dream by working’ here.
[He walks over and sits on the top turnbuckle on the left side, facing the stage]
Jimmy said something last week about me. He commented about my recklessness in the ring, going so far as to quote Yamamoto Tsunetomo. Hearing his words last week caused me to have an epiphany…
[He scoffs]
Now, I’m not Chris Benoit, but I like to thank I have some pretty sound technical wrestling ability.
[He shrugs]
I’m pretty positive I could give anyone in this company a run for their money…Hell, maybe even anyone in the business. However I may never be able to do that if I keep throwing caution to the wind and go balls out every chance I get as I have in promotions past. If I want to have a solid, successful career, I feel I need to slow it down a bit and not take every risk I see unless absolutely necessary. He said it best, I was sidelined with an injury and refused to see the error in my ways…Well…Lesson learned. I’m going to come in here tomorrow night a completely different competitor. I’m pretty sure I have the skill, and I know I have an advantage in speed and agility.
[He hops down off of the turnbuckle and walks across the ring to the ropes still facing the stage]
Jimmy Fatal…You’re opponent number three for me…And I am goddamn bound and determined to get victory number one in my MPW career.
[The screen fades out, coming back into view as Shaun is checking into the hotel he’s staying at in Denver.]
Hotel Receptionist: Ah yes. Mr.…Cross is it? Yes, you have a visitor; he arrived while you were out. I believe he’s at the bar.
Shaun Cross: Oh really? Well, thank you
[He smiles and heads off to the bar in the hotel. He walks in, surprised to find his old friend Warren Bay sitting on a bar stool with a beer bottle in his hand making small-talk with the bartender. Shaun walks over and sits on the stool next to him, still almost in a state of shock, waiting for Warren to finish his story about the time he wrestled Chief Jay Strongbow (Which Shaun knew was complete horseshit).]
Shaun Cross: Warren “The Beatdown” Bay…I am your BIGGEST fan! Can I PLEEEAAASSEEE have an autograph?!”
[He played along, much to Warren’s amusement (as this was one of their favorite activities to do in public) and to the bartender’s disbelief.]
Warren Bay: My my, it looks like we have quite a strapping young man here! You look like you could do quite well in a ring! Well…Maybe not as MY opponent, but anyone else…You sure look like you could stomp ‘em! What’s that? An autograph, of course you can have my autograph! What kind of champion who’s held more title belts than you have follicles of hair on your head would I be if I didn’t sign an autograph here on there?! C’mon my boy, tell me!
SC: Not a very good one…?
WB: You’re damn right “not a very good one”! But I however AM a good one; some may even say the BEST one!
[They pause for a moment, before looking over at the bartender who is completely stunned and stammering. The two friends share a hearty chuckle before Shaun orders a beer. It takes a couple times before the bartender snaps out of it and gets right on the matter.]
SC: Warren! What the fuck are you doing in Colorado?! When did you get here?! How did you know I was at THIS hotel?!
WB: You’re debuting for MPW tomorrow night right?
[Warren grins, knowing exactly what NOT to say at exactly the right time]
SC: Hah hah…Look out, we’ve got a stand-up comedian over here…Just make sure you don’t outsell TNT huh?
WB: Nah man, I meant to get out to Salt Lake to surprise you last week before your match, but it was sold out before I got a chance. So when I immediately got a ticket for the next show as soon as they went on sale…And here I am. You looked damn good in that four way match last week. It’s a shame that that Dynamo character eliminated ya…But because he did, you gotta match against him or something?
SC: Nah…I’m actually wrestling Jimmy Fatal tomorrow.
WB: Oh are ya? Huh, you must be due for some big singles push then?
[He grins and laughs, this time not bother Shaun as much]
SC: Don’t I wish. Hell, I just wanna win a match
WB: Well shit, it’s certainly not due to lack of trying. I know how you are in that ring…you give it everything you got and them some of whatever else you can scrape up off the bathroom floor…And then if you have to, you’ll scrounge around in the crowd picking old chewed up bubble gum off from under the seat and give ‘em that too! I could really go on and on, but I’ll quit while I feel like I’m ahead…
[They share a bit of a laugh at his disgusting analogy]
So this Jimmy Fatal…You had anything to do with him besides the past two matches?
SC: Not really, I did take advice that he’s somewhat inadvertently given me though. Before the match last week, I heard him say stuff to the effect of me not having a long or safe career if I risk life and limb night after night. So since then, I’ve been thinking…After essentially being fired from a company due to the inability to make them any more money, defend my title, or even compete…All because of a botched moonsault through a table not even connecting with my opponent…Maybe I should slow things down and actually wrestle to the best of my abilities instead of jumping off of everything I can see and using any weapon I can wrap my hands around…Of course unless that’s absolutely needed. If I may borrow your metaphor for my wrestling ambition, the weapons and the high risk stuff would be the old gum under the seats.
[They finish their beers, and sit through a couple moments of silence]
Well shit man, it's been fucking fantastic to see you, but I gotta go, it's gettin' late. I need sleep...I'll see you after the show tomorrow alright?
WB: Sure thing bud, I ordered so early that I got front row seats, right by the steps near the ramp. I'll be pullin' for ya!
[The two shake hands and Shaun heads out of the bar to go back to his room to rest up before the big day ahead. Warren turns back to the bartender...]
WB: So I'm in the corner right!? There's Chief Jay comin' at me, right on that fuckin' warpath of his right...?!
[The scene fades to black once again as "The Beatdown" continues his story]