The Past Plaguing The Future?

[Zero]

[Sunday January 6th, Forest City ME. Kale Jenson is throwing another big party. In the depths of the darkened house the TV is heard, through the haze of pot smoke and party lights it flickers and crackles.]

1...2...3 DING DING DING!!!
Honey Winters: And the winner of the match THE SAMURAI SHAAAAAUUUUNNNN CROOOOSSSS!!!!
Thomas Simon: What a win by Cross!
Bob Herman: Finally this guy gets a break. Tyler deserved to win though. What a joke
Thomas Simon: Give him credit where credit is due Bob



Jason Porter: Shaun… I’m impressed, man. Fuckin’ good win got under your belt there, what’s next?

Shaun: Jason! Goddamn when’d you get here?!

JP: I’ve been here dude, I’ve been chillin’ in the back bedroom…Ya know…

[He brings his index finger and thumb to his lips miming the act of smoking something. The two laugh a bit, Shaun nods]

SC: Ah yeah, I hear ya…I would but I dunno any drug testing policies in MPW…

[The two laugh again]

JP: So, MPW huh? Damn, seems like just yesterday we were in BWR…How you doin’ so far?

SC: Well I’m 2-2 right now, but the last two matches have been wins, so I guess I’m slowly but surely pickin’ up some speed. I’m havin’ a ball though, workin’ with the best in the world.

JP: Oh I can imagine, I haven’t had much time to catch any TNT lately, but I’ve always loved what I saw every week in MPW…Even way back in the days of Monday Night Main Event they were puttin’ on great shows.

SC: Dude, not to brag or say that it’s because of me of course, but even still, it’s constantly getting better.

JP: Nah man, shut the fuck up, of course it’s because you’re on there!

[Shaun laughs at Jason’s almost hostile sounding enthusiasm. “The Beatdown” Warren Bay hears the laughter (Just coming out of the back bedroom himself) and decides to move in and get maybe get a few yucks.]

WB: Well if it isn’t Jason fuckin’ Plague! Man I haven’t seen you since you got here, you catch the showing of ol’ Shaun’s match here?! Damn impressive huh?!

JP: Oh yeah, man, helluva match he and that “Playboy” fella put on. He tells me he’s now got two wins? When’d the first one happen?!

[Warren lets out a series of “Ummm’s” and “Uhhhh’s” trying to remember before Shaun steps in]

SC: December 20th, I was wrestlin’ Jimmy Fatal…That was also a pretty decent match, busted him open…

[He can’t help but smirk a bit]

JP: Did ya now?! First time you’ve seen blood in a match since…well…Us?

SC: Yeah, man, it felt just like old times…

[Warren suddenly gets very excited before finally spitting out what he seemed to have a difficult time remembering]

WB: Shit guys! Speaking of old times! Kale has a surprise for the two of you, knowing you’d both be here! Holy shit I gotta idea! This is amazing!

SC: Calm down bud, land the spacecraft…What is it?

WB: Go ask him! Go ask Kale!

[Jason and Shaun look at Warren as if he had six heads, before looking at one another and shrugging, setting off through the crowded, dimly lit house to find their rather husky friend Kale Jenson]

KJ: I assume Warren squealed?!

[Kale yells over the volume of the music when he sees the two seemingly looking for someone. Shaun and Jason follow the voice and find Kale sitting at his table with a small mixing board, a laptop, and a speaker on it, as he was the one DJ’ing the party, a passion and job he’d had since they were 16.]

SC: Yeah, man, what the hell’s that all about?

JP: Whatever it is, Warren damn near creamed his pants trying to tell us…

[Kale nods with a grin]

KJ: Well I guess you’ll just have to follow me to see it…

[Kale lights a cigarette and hands the pack to Jason, who takes one and borrows Kale’s lighter. The trio walks out the front door and toward Kales car.]

JP: Where we going, dude? The party’s back there!

[He chuckles, Shaun just rolls his eyes. “Same ol’ Jason…” He thinks.]

KJ: All shall be revealed in time my friend…Get in the fuckin’ car...

[Kale and Shaun are the ones laughing this time as they get into the tiny Toyota Corolla and start out of the driveway and down the road. Just a minute or so later, Kale pulls into the old Community Center building (which he’d actually saved his pennies and bought recently). They park and get out. Jason and Shaun are speechless at what they see.]

SC: You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me! Kale you clever mother fucker!

[Shaun starts to laugh a bit, smiling ear to ear at a big sign near the door that reads “Fluffy Entertainment: DJ’ing, Shows, Events”]

Kale Jenson…You REALLY do have a business for yourself!

JP: Fuckin’ right dude! This is incredible!

KJ: Well hey guys; don’t get too excited yet…There’s more to be seen!

[Shaun and Jason look at one another and can’t help but laugh again. The three walk up to the door, Kale unlocks it and lets them in. Posters and signs are all around, all promoting what looks to be a pro wrestling event the very next day on the 7th…]

SC: Yo KJ…? What’s this?! You some sort of promoter now?

KJ: Oh I’ve done a show or two…Nothing special, just kinda more to add to the “shows” you see on the sign outdoors…

[Shaun and Jason are now speechless, they truly believed that Kale Jenson could do anything…He could produce dubstep, he could DJ, he could do magic that may even scare David Copperfield…But be a promoter?! They almost couldn’t believe it.]

However…This next show is special. Pretty fucking huge would put it in better words. This time, it’s being filmed and broadcast on Channel 7…a bit of friendly competition for Independent Wrestling Entertainment on Channel 22…

SC: Dude, you’re running a wrestling promotion now…And immediately competing with IWE?! Granted they don’t have much in terms of star power…But…Do you even have a fuckin’ ring?!

KJ: Oh yeah bud, have a look see through the double doors to the gym…

[Kale grins as Shaun and Jason go right into the gym through the double doors. They stop in their tracks once again to see a professional size wrestling ring. The ring is all decked out in black with “NMWA” on the skirt.]

JP: Goddamn Kale!

SC: Fuckin’ awesome bub!

JP: Yo Shaun, you and I should climb on in there sometime!

[Jason seems to be joking, but Kale gets a devilish smile on his face again, thinking…plotting something spectacular…]

KJ: Hey guys…Instead of just “climbing on in there…” You thinking what I’m thinking?!

[Shaun sharply turns to Kale, almost looking angry.]

SC: You’re one of them real tyrant-like promoters huh? I know EXACTLY what you’re thinking…

KJ: C’mon Shaun! This is the biggest show that the Northern Maine Wrestling Alliance has put on so far! It’d be fucking huge! We have a couple undercard matches, Warren’s actually hooked us up with a cross-promotion of sorts with IWE for this show (little do they know huh?)…The band Breakneck Speed is gonna be playing, and to top it all off, we’d have two indie legends and former rivals in the main event…What do ya say…?

JP: Fuck me running I’m all for it! C’mon Shaun!

SC: Jesus Kale, that sounds like a blast…I’d friggin love to hit the ring with Jason again, especially knowing that it’s for a company owned and operated by a best friend…I just don’t know about what the higher up’s at MPDub would think about ME cross promoting like this.

JP: Do it Cross…Let’s fuckin’ do it…

SC: I dunno Jason…Tomorrow’s Monday; I leave for Anaheim on Tuesday, and then wrestle Chase Ramsey on Thursday. That’s a fuckin’ long haul of a week…But God is it tempting…Who from IWE is all gonna be there?

KJ: Matthew Jakkson, King, Warren, and that newbie Aaron Webber…Jakkson’s wrestling Webber, King’s wrestling Warren. I’m doing the ring announcing, and Phil Beach is doing commentary for us.

[After what seemed like forever, and even during a tour of the venue, Shaun had his decision. He hadn’t been paying too much attention to that evening’s “tour guide” in Kale; he was too busy pondering the offer.]

SC: Fuck it…I’ll do it…

[Those were his only words the second that he convinced himself. Kale and Jason almost went through the roof in happiness and excitement. After the excitement settled down, Kale had another suggestion…]

KJ: You need to cut a promo dude! I’ve heard the shit you can spew out; you’re a monster on the mic! Now…How about you two get in the ring and start working out the greatest match, and the fitting finale to your storied feud…

[The scene fades out, fading back in the next day. Monday January 7th, show time…Kale is standing in the center of the ring, mic in hand as the (quite impressive) turnout of the crowd is buzzing.]

KJ: Ladies and gentlemen hello and welcome to the Northern Maine Wrestling Alliance! We are here live at the Forest City Event Center and we have a helluva show lined up for you tonight! We have local IWE superstars Matthew Jakkson! Warren “The Beatdown” Bay! And…King!

[The large crowd filling the gym pops once again…Kale waits for the noise to die a bit]

But…In our main event of the evening…We have a massive surprise! Though I’m keeping it on the down low right now, I can guarantee that everyone in this building is in for an enormous treat! Without any further ado…Introducing first…

[“Trash” by Alice Cooper starts blaring through the gym’s PA system as the young upstart Aaron Webber makes his way to the ring]

Our opening contest is scheduled for one fall! Weighing in at 198lbs from Vanceboro, ME…Aaron! Webber!

[The scene fades out as Matthew Jakkson is being introduced. It fades back in right before the main event; Kale is back in the ring.]

Ladies and gents it’s been a great show, and I’ve been having a lot of fun, how about you all?!

[The crowd explodes, having seen three quality matches, highlighted by the No-DQ war between King and Warren Bay.]

It is time for the main event of the evening! I booked this match yesterday, and I gotta tell ya, this is gonna be incredible! I…I don’t believe that this first man will need much of an introduction… How about we get our musical guest Breakneck Speed back out here though?!

[The local New-England heavy-metal band immediately returns to the small stage. They begin playing their newest single “Fire Away” as Shaun makes his way into the gym carrying a mic of his own. The crowd, all of who are regular MPW watchers is ecstatic.]

Making his way to the ring! Weighing in at 215lbs originally from Topsfield, ME…MPW superstar…The Samurai! Shaun fucking Cross!

[Shaun climbs into the ring with the mic and gives Kale a hug before bringing the microphone to his mouth]

SC: My man…Kale Jenson ladies and gentlemen! Goddamn, Kale Jenson put all of this together! Of course nothing against anyone here, but this son-of-a-bitch is really the only reason I’m here!

[He points to Kale with a huge smile on his face]

Kale Jenson…Could convince the Pope to change religion…I almost didn’t show up tonight. You see, I’m set to wrestle another MPW newcomer this Thursday on Takedown…I didn’t know, and I guess still don’t know any set rules about cross-promotion in Millennium Pro Wrestling, but eventually I decided that I could NEVER pass this up…Chase Ramsey…I gotta say, I haven’t seen this guy in action, but I’ve heard quite a bit…He honestly seems to me like just another trust fund baby thinking he wants to wrestle. Chase Ramsey wants to wrestle? Okay, I’ll see if Kale can’t somehow get him a copy of this next match you’re about to see…Gambler, con-man, scholar, aristocrat…He calls himself a snake in the ring…I’m not afraid of snakes. Trust me Chase, I’ve been bitten before…Let’s see how big those fangs are. Now…I will say, I’m no aristocrat, far from actually. You probably haven’t worked a day in your life, correct? Hmm…I’ve worked job after job every day since I turned 16. Scraping and saving every dime or nickel I could…So…Being in MPW, being in the greatest wrestling organization in the country is…It’s…I don’t consider it a job. The most fun I can have is to get into a ring and put on the best match I know how to…And if I may steal your job for a moment Kale?

[He turns to Kale who is still in the ring, leaning up against the corner. Kale nods]

If I may steal your job for a moment Kale, I’d like to introduce my opponent tonight…He and I have wrestled all over New England, countless times. This man constantly brings out the best in me…And if I may break kayfabe…He’s honestly been one of the best friends a person could have. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, people of all ages. Please, give a round of applause for Jason Plague!

[The crowd explodes as Jason’s music hits. He walks to the ring slowly, breaking character, not playing the heel, even signing an autograph for a young fan. He climbs into the ring, as Shaun brings the mic to his mouth on final time.]

Oh. Chase Ramsey…You want to wrestle? I suggest taking notes…

[Shaun hands the mic to Kale as Kale scurries out of the ring. The scene fades as Shaun and Jason shake hands, about to lock up.]