8 Man Number One Contender Battle Royal

[SouthernBoy]

Sorry to intrude

{{...FADE-IN to "Stupendous" Stephen Morgan riding a stationary bike in his private gym. He is breathing hard as he pedals furiously...}}

"STUPENDOUS" STEPHEN MORGAN: " You know, {{...takes breaths...}} normally {{...takes breaths...}} I wouldn't take time out {{...takes breaths...}} to address people in another match. {{...takes breaths...}} But this is different. {{...takes breaths...}} I SHOULD BE in {{...takes breaths...}} this match. So let me just say {{...takes breaths...}} this to you {{...takes breaths...}} Nemesis, {{...takes breaths...}} Don't presume to know {{...takes breaths...}} anything about me {{...takes breaths...}} or why I do anything. {{...takes breaths...}} You lucked out {{...takes breaths...}} when you beat me. {{...takes breaths...}} and pretty soon, {{...takes breaths...}} you're going to have to pay the piper. {{...takes breaths...}} As for you Manson, {{...takes breaths...}} I STILL want {{...takes breaths...}} my MONEY BACK! {{...takes breaths...}} Toodles for now. {{...takes breaths...}} And you can all, {{...takes breaths...}} KEEP DREAMING.

{{...FADE OUT...}}

 

[JLevinson]

No Excuses

[updated:LAST EDITED ON May-28-03 AT 07:32 PM (EST)](FADEIN to the balconey of a hotel room somewhere in the Columbus, Ohio region. Anarky is leaning over the railing, watching some teenage boys and girls flirt near the pool. He has a lit cigarette in his hand, and he takes a long, slow drag and exhales into the night air as he watches them.)

ANARKY: "What does this mean? The cigarette... the hotel... the teenage girls. How does it add up? What can we conclude from this? More important... what can we use from our conclusion? In what way can we exploit it? Am I a pervert? A degenerate? Or am I weak because I smoke every once in awhile? Will it hold me back? Is that the tiny thing that prevents me from earning a title shot? From being the last man standing? What is it this time? What will you use against me?"

(He smiles and takes a final drag from his cigarette, flicking it into some nearby bushes. The teenagers continue to flirt in and out of the pool, even though they probably shouldn't be.)

ANARKY: "You see... as much as I try to explain myself... as much as I try to rationalize this... you will fail to understand. Even if I could make you see my way, you would never admit it. You would stand adamantly. You would pick and choose what you heard, just like always. I could come here, and bring out a book on physics, and I could show you that the sky is blue because of certain wavelengths, and you could refute it. You would tell me that, because I use a book, I'm not smart enough. You would tell me that my entire conclusion was based upon false presumptions. You would convince me that the sky is green, not because it is, but because you would rather spend an eternity arguing a mindless point than admit that you were wrong.

"So now what? What're you going to tell me now? Is Cannonball Kidd, of all people, going to tell me to stop using faux philosophy? Is Michael Manson going to tell me that I'm nothing without him? That my entire career has been eclipsed by his? Nevermind that I've done more than he could ever dream... and I did it in places that mattered. I didn't have to conquer backwater leagues. I didn't need the false worship of peons and peasants. I never needed it. Because I'm not like you, Manson. Oh, I may break the rules, and I may spit venom when I so choose, and I may even listen to the same dark and frustrated music that you do... but the very thing that separates us is the very reason we do this. For me... I do it for the pure joy of it. The muffled cries of pain and the tears and the blood. Not for the joy or glory of battle. Nothing so... complex. No... I am a simple man, Manson. Maybe I can spell it out for you: the more I make you hurt, the more at peace I am. And the longer I go without that... the more unstable I become. The more I need it. It is, like all great addictions... completely out of control.

"But you'll just turn it around, right? You'll throw Maelstrom's name at me. You'll pretend that we're the same because it's convenient. Because it backs up a point you need to make to be right. And that's what this is really all about, right? Who's right and who's wrong? One big game of I Told You So? Are you winning, Mikey? Is your Illusionary Belt still around your waist? Still the People's Champion?"

(He sighs and shakes his head, lighting up another cigarette. The teenagers leave, perhaps to go back to their rooms and... but who knows. Anarky just stands and watches the ripples of the empty pool.)

ANARKY: "Yet I have been unfair. Ignoring most of you. Especially those of you who have just jumped into the fray. Jobber, I find it... amusing... that you, not so unlike Jean Rabesque, resort to semantics when it comes to me. More excuses, hm? No, I did not PIN you, Jobber. But I never needed to pin you. That was not part of the game. You are a completely disgrace to this sport, and you always have been. My only goal was to embarrass you. My only goal was to show the whole world that Jobber and Maxwell Houz were JOKES... not WRESTLERS. And I did that. And I didn't have to pin you to do it. And I won't have to do it this time, either. And the real beauty of it.... is taht you'll still have your excuse. If my hand is raised, and you're the one standing on the outside, you can always say... at least you didn't pin me. You can have your excuse, Jobber. Because that's all you'll ever have.

"As for you, Nemesis... I don't even owe you an explanation. You, who suddenly decides he cares, and what is the first thing you present us with? An excuse for your absence. Excuses, Nemesis, are a dime a dozen. It's easy to rip apart my arguments when you don't have any yourself. It's even easier to miss my point entirely and simply point out the juxtaposition of my promos. Am I supposed to be impressed that you have some kind of pattern recognition, Nemesis? Am I supposed to extend my hand in respect? No, Nemesis... you don't earn respect by sitting around and criticizing others. You earn it by showing up in the goddamned ring and showing me what you've got. And you haven't done it yet, so I would advise you to keep your mouth shut for the remainder of our time here."

(He finishes his cigarette and walks inside for a moment. After a few seconds, he comes back out, carrying a decrepit wrestling title. The letters "EWC" are scawled on the front of it on some kind of fake gold, perhaps tin. The belt has seen better days and is hardly held together at all.)

ANARKY: "I keep this to remind me. I keep this worthless piece of tin and leather... because this was the first. This was my first taste of glory... my first taste of being a champion. The fans screaming my name... buying my t-shirts. Everyone wanted to be a part of me. This was before anyone knew me. I was a nobody who turned into a somebody. And it felt... real. It felt good.

"But like all good things... it fades. It's an addiction for me. If it isn't the drugs, it's the violence. If it isn't the violence, it's the hate. And so the cycle continues. So I will never be free. And you say you want to help me? You say you want to show me the light? But I've been down that road before. I've walked your path and it doesn't have anything I haven't seen before. It doesn't... have anything... at all."

(He drops the title and his eyes gaze off into the distance, lost for a second. He looks back to the camera, the viciousness returning finally.)

ANARKY: "If I say that I'm a monster... you will call me a fool. If I say that I am dangerous... you will laugh in my face. If I say that I'm smarter than you, you'll show me test results that prove otherwise. In fact... there's really nothing I can say at all. It fall fails... and it all means nothing.

"And so the battle rages on. I have no excuses. I have nothing to prove, and even less to say now. You believe what you must. And I will do what I can. And in the end, only one will remain.

"Chaos... reigns... supreme."

(FADEOUT.)

 

[Manson]

RE: Sorry to intrude

You didn't pay me with money. I suppose you might ant the cheese back? Do you?

 

[BarryClarkJr]

R.A.G.E -forever-

LIVE! Inside the Value City Arena
(Camera opens up to Jared Wells standing in front of a door with his name on it. He opens the door and walks inside to put his bags down and looks around. Camera pans around the dressing room as Wells gets comfortable then takes a seat. He then pulls his sunglasses over his head. Also is wearing the NEW GLCW white tee-shirt with the word 'RAGE' on the front in orange letters, and on the back says 'IS GONNA GIVE IT TO YA')

JARED WELLS: If I'm not mistaken we are getting closer and closer to the event here in the VCA. Kinda funny I'm the first one here and hopefully the last one leaving here. Leaving here the number one contender of the GLCW. Nuthin' would be any sweeter than that. EIGHT men will walk in, one man can only be considered the best. But who? Who wants it more than anybody in the GLCW? I'll tell you who wants it the most. The person with the heart and desire. THE ONE that is worthy of facing the GLCW champion. That man is 'RAGE 'o FIRE baby. I believe I'm worthy to be the top guy in the GLCW and dammit the fans believe it. Sure I have a couple of loses and a few wins but this is a chance for me to pick that ball up and run fast as hell with it.

I've heard over and over from some of the guys in the GLCW that I don't belong here, or I don't deserve to be in the battle royal. Too late, I'm already here and ready to fight. It will be an honor throwing great stars over the top rope. Whether its Manson, Ash, Marx, Nemesis, Anark, Can-Kidd, or Jobby Job. It's not going to matter to me. When all eight of us are in the ring, the fans will be screaming RAGE-RAGE-RAGE.

The first person I will look at in the damn eyes is the self proclaimed PEOPLE'S CHAMPION, Mike Manson. And the first question I will ask him is, DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER? If your answer is yes, me and my fans will save you MAN! We will turn all the negative into positive. BUT! If you answer is no, may god help you because he won't help you being thrown over the top rope DUDE!

There is a rumor going around that if I don't win this match I'm leaving GLCW. (PAUSES/LAUGHS) Oh do they wish. Nah, I'm not going anywhere. To stop all rumors I've signed a long term deal with GLCW, enough said. Anybody seen JOBBER? All of the sudden this guy is GREAT? I remind you of SEAN EDMUNDS? Don't even get on that subject pal. Also where is 'ol EDMUNDS? He's not here anymore. He took his ball and went home man.

To be honest with you I'm kinda tired of talking. Let my actions speak loudly tonight in the ring. I'm lookin' to become the number one contender of the GLCW. I told everbody I will make ANY, and I mean ANY sacrifice I have to, TO WIN. Tonight we make history, and tonight we will change not only the path of RAGE, but wrestling itself. And MANSON hey.......

(Wells pulls out a pez dispenser, eats a piece and drops the dispenser on the floor)

JARED WELLS: Whoops!

(Wells get an angry look on his face and stomps the pez into pieces)

...TIME HAS COME TO RAGE...

(...FADEOUT)

 

[Manson]

Friends Again

((FADEIN: A dark, damp alley at night. The only source of light is a fire burning in a trashcan. A man, bearded, dressed in dirty shards and rags warms his hands up against the fire. The camera focuses in and an edited version of JARED WELLS’s face is shown.))

MANSON V/O: I keep saying I’m the People’s Champ, I keep saying that I dragged Jared Wells back out of the gutter. Well, I’ve decided to follow the old rule of show, not tell. And here, re-created with the best of possible community college actors and directors....is how Mike Manson saved Jared Wells. A tale of horror..and ultimately redemption.

((A rat scurries across Wells’s foot. He steps on it quickly with his other foot and then stabs it with a nearby stick. He holds it over the fire licking his lips.))

MANSON(providing the deep, graveled voice of Wells): Ah used ta be da people’s champ working for 5 dollars an hour, AN HOUR OH POWAH ah tell ya. Me an me gang ran all round. Now ah down in de GLCW and no one thinks Ah’s de people’s champ.

((“Wells” starts raising the roof.))

Now ah jus talk to dis dead rat here, Mister malec though, he said ah could wash his TBIRD next week an I get that extra 4 dollars in mah paycheck. Hear it up, y’all, hear it up.

((Raises roof again.))

Thet don’t care bout da RAGE. Ah look into sum fool’s eyes an ay DO YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER..because I sure as hell don’t eating these rats all the damn time. SHHEETTT..ah worked down in that other league..Ah was da man..how can Ah be da man again?

((Takes a bite out of his rat.))

Ah’s know.

((Wells pulls over a black sheet and picks another stick to form a cross under a rat.))

Ah be like Mike Manson, y’all. No one will notice. Ah just need more of da extra 2 dollars a week in da HIZZOUSE((Starts doing generic white man trying to be black man dance swaying from side to side. Suddenly, a black van pulls up. The doors to the back swing open and hit the dead rat from Wells’s hand.))

SHHHEEETTT..Ah was going eat that man. Now Ah have ta hit da dumpster.

((2 men in black coats with a yellow GLCW logo on the breast and back emerge with tazers.))

MAN: Are you Jared Wells?

WELLS: AH BE DA RAGE!!

: You have a match scheduled for Wired this week with Michael Manson.

WELLS: Fer real? SHHEETTTTT..((Raises roof.))

MAN: Office orders, they want you in better shape.

WELLS: Ah yeah. Y’all getting me a place ta crash?

MAN#2: No, but you can sleep in the van.

((Wells raises the roof. He goes to enter the van as they use their tazers on him until he falls to the ground. Then they drape a net over him and drag him into the van. It pulls away as the screen becomes static.))

MANSON V/O: Now, Nark, I would never say you’re nothing without me. You’ve had a long, successful career and you’re still that interesting, well-bred guy that we all like. You enjoy that aggressive satanic evil heavy metal all the young people like. And hell, when I’m with you I can actually point and say you’re the weird one. I realize that doesn’t actually work out either, but it’s nice to have the opportunity to try. But here in GLCW, you are close to nothing. In fact, without my association you’re pretty much the Jobber or even worse, Jared Wells. So be thankful for what you have. After all, it was a phone call, more like a threat but a rather polite one, that got you your job here. And it was a similar phone call that got you your last job...

((FADEIN: Blurry picture of a backyard with a group of young, scabbed people standing around a fascimile of a wrestling ring made with garden hoses. On the mat, well tough rug, lying in 2 borken faming tables slicked with oil, thumbtacks, broken glass, Playboy magazine shards, a phone bike, a bike, and barb wire is a slightly out of man with his face edited to be ANARKY. Suddenly a young man with a bloody face in a “Jared Wells” t-shirt stained with grass leaps off a nearby garbage and hits a tree branch on the way down. He falls hard and Anarky gets up and does the Chaos Breaker on the lad’s twisted neck. Then he takes salt and sugar out of his pockets and pours them on him and then lights him on fire. 6 broken tables and 2 cars later, he pins him on the grass. ANARKY holds his cardboard belt in triumph.))

((The image is stilled as Manson’s silhouette is seen through it.))
,V/O: Now is this really what you want to go back to? This? It could be just so easy for you, Nark. The world, the GLCW is designed to work for you. Just have to know how. Marx knows, he falls into line quite easily. So will others, will you? After all, even an imaginary title is better than nothing.

((SMASH CUT: A small cheese statue of STEPHEN MORGAN rests on a pedestal. The Manson silhouette hangs over it. A spotlight is placed on it and it begins to rotate.))

MANSON: Now, I don’t do this often, but it appears Morgan took my intentions the wrong way. I only really had his own good at heart, I always do. But he wants some type of repayment. Something to replace the title that should be around my...errr...his waist. So there we have it. The balance is restored....and we all can be friends again now. Morgan, Nark, yes, you Wells, you can join our blessed circle of friendship too. In fact, we can all shake hands before the battle royal. I would proudly break such bread with any of you.

((Manson steps over and bites a piece of Morgan’s head off. He smiles with SUMMER teeth, some are green, some are yellow, some are black, and now some have cheese.))

It’s the way the GLCW should be. It’s the way it will be. I’m working on it. Wouldn’t you all like to help? Cannonball Kid isn't the only one with a mission. Mine is a better GLCW for you and for me. I'll take care of the specifics.

MANSON
MAN #2