SteelCitySon
League Member
Tornado Tag Team Table Elimination Match for the World Tag Titles
Covert Ops vs. The Assassins vs. Blitz vs. The Crimson Calling
- Thread starter SteelCitySon
- Start date
JABolich
League Member
(FADEIN: The typical Stars-and-Stripes backdrop favored by COVERT OPS. As usual, CLOAK and DAGGER sit on steel chairs in front of the banner, each holding an American flag resting across his shoulder.)
Cloak: Well, FINALLY! What the hell took you so long to give us a booking, FREEEEEEEEMAN? I've half a mind to complain to your boss about the tardiness factor.
Dagger: Eh. As long as we're here, might as well beat the hell out of someone. Eh, man?
Cloak: Yeah, I suppose you're right. But you know... I kinda love this. Here Freeman probably thinks he's booked us into this super hardcore match or whatever... "Ooh, tables, tables, put 'em through a table." Weh... tables are nothing. If you REALLY wanna get hardcore, give everyone AR-15s and hand grenades and let's have a little war! I'll tell all you kids out there something. When you've been on the front lines with bullets hitting the sand around your head and suicide bombers trying to rush you, a few tables don't mean a damn thing. I've been shot a few times. Dagger's been shot a couple more. So if you think that after recovering flawlessly from having been shot, we're going to sweat a few thin little tables, you're insane.
Dagger: Not that we really have to worry, though. Considering the caliber of competition in this match, there seems to be very little risk of defeat for us.
Cloak: Got that right. Look at what we've got here. First, the Assassins, who might as well just tuck their d*cks between their legs and run home considering how bad we SQUASHED them last time. Hey, O-Boys! You missed a few pieces of your pride when you were picking it up off the mat after we beat your asses! You failed to get in so much as a sliver of offense against us - and man, you even failed when you tried to ambush us after the match. Couple of losers, you are. Maybe you should go back to boot camp and train until you can actually hang with REAL MEN.
Dagger: Like that'll ever happen.
Cloak: Let's see, who's next on the docket? How about these Blitz chumps. Hey, guys! The post office called. They said your personalities got lost in the mail. Honestly, if anyone can show me two people more BLAND AND PATHETIC than Blitz, I will laugh. ESPECIALLY pathetic because these are two GROWN MEN who are a walking advertisement for Final Fantasy 10. Come on... You come out to their music, are named after Blitzball... hell, you borrowed your names from game characters, okay? Pathetic ones.
You know... Come to think of it, the names Jecht and Max are stupid and uncool. So I'm gonna call you Aerith and Tifa.
So, Aerith and Tifa... what makes you think you can do a number on us, huh? Wait, wait, let me guess... "Durrr, we're Blitz, we're the perfect combination of this and this and this and Max likes schnitzel." Do me a favor. SHUT THE F*CK UP! We've heard your shtick before, and frankly the world is tired of it. EVERYONE OUT THERE LAUGHS AT YOU!!! When they look at you, people don't see the perfect combination of cheese and bacon - they see two ass-rammers with all the personality of a table. ...Hey! You two should get acquainted with some of those tables! We'll happily send you their way! Of course, we'll be sending you THROUGH them, but you can apologize to them later - AFTER you're done kissing the boots of the new Tag-Team Champions. Us.
Dagger: Don't worry, guys, I'll even step in some dog sh*t before the match just for you.
Cloak: Npw let's talk the Crimson Calling. OOH, THEY'RE CRIMSON!!! CRIMSON IS AN EVIL BAD COLOR, SO THEY MUST BE BIG NASTY BAD GUYS!!! Sh*t... Crimson's just a fancy way of saying RED, and this team's home to the absolute biggest Red I've seen in my life. Hey, Dalkichev! How's your boy Stalin doing, huh? Visited Lenin's grave lately? Gonna put on one of those flat-topped hats and a trenchcoat and talk about the motherland for awhile, you bloated Commie f*ck? TOO BAD! It's a known fact that America ALWAYS beats Russia, because CAPITALISM IS COOL. If capitalism were a person it'd be crusing through Compton in a Navigator with the chromed-out spinners and three shorties in the back poppin' Cris. Meanwhile, the Commies would be driving through Des Moines, Iowa in a Chevette with the spare tire on the front and a sheep in the back seat drinking milk.
Don't even tell me this is irrelevant, because we know you worked for the KGB, fat boy. I don't care if you say you've reformed. Once a Red, always a dirty stinking filthy Red.
Yet even if Ivan weren't a Red and Fear and Black weren't a couple of Commie-kissers... we'd STILL beat your asses because we're leagues better than you. Look at the facts. You beat the Monsta Boyz. The Assassins beat the Monsta Boyz at Genesis of 2003. And we squashed the Assassins. So we've beaten people who've beaten who you've beaten, and we did it in two minutes without letting them throw a punch. Even if we'd had a normal match with the Assassins we'd still be one tier above you having beaten them. But after SQUASHING them... oh no, sir. We're WAY above your level.
Dagger: Think about it. When you've got a team of a large, barely mobile glob of human sh*t and a little weasel who jumps around, you've got plenty of weaknesses to exploit. And that's something you're trained to do in the army - find an enemy's weakness and exploit it.
Cloak: Exactly. So in closing - quit trying to front, b*tches. None of you come close to holding a candle to us. Thus, we'll be going on to Black Dawn to capture those tag straps in the name of Uncle Sam. Try and stop us. But listen.
When you f*ck with Empire Pro Wrestling's tag-team SUPERPOWER, you get BOMBED OUT.
See ya on the field, maggots.
(FADEOUT)
Cloak: Well, FINALLY! What the hell took you so long to give us a booking, FREEEEEEEEMAN? I've half a mind to complain to your boss about the tardiness factor.
Dagger: Eh. As long as we're here, might as well beat the hell out of someone. Eh, man?
Cloak: Yeah, I suppose you're right. But you know... I kinda love this. Here Freeman probably thinks he's booked us into this super hardcore match or whatever... "Ooh, tables, tables, put 'em through a table." Weh... tables are nothing. If you REALLY wanna get hardcore, give everyone AR-15s and hand grenades and let's have a little war! I'll tell all you kids out there something. When you've been on the front lines with bullets hitting the sand around your head and suicide bombers trying to rush you, a few tables don't mean a damn thing. I've been shot a few times. Dagger's been shot a couple more. So if you think that after recovering flawlessly from having been shot, we're going to sweat a few thin little tables, you're insane.
Dagger: Not that we really have to worry, though. Considering the caliber of competition in this match, there seems to be very little risk of defeat for us.
Cloak: Got that right. Look at what we've got here. First, the Assassins, who might as well just tuck their d*cks between their legs and run home considering how bad we SQUASHED them last time. Hey, O-Boys! You missed a few pieces of your pride when you were picking it up off the mat after we beat your asses! You failed to get in so much as a sliver of offense against us - and man, you even failed when you tried to ambush us after the match. Couple of losers, you are. Maybe you should go back to boot camp and train until you can actually hang with REAL MEN.
Dagger: Like that'll ever happen.
Cloak: Let's see, who's next on the docket? How about these Blitz chumps. Hey, guys! The post office called. They said your personalities got lost in the mail. Honestly, if anyone can show me two people more BLAND AND PATHETIC than Blitz, I will laugh. ESPECIALLY pathetic because these are two GROWN MEN who are a walking advertisement for Final Fantasy 10. Come on... You come out to their music, are named after Blitzball... hell, you borrowed your names from game characters, okay? Pathetic ones.
You know... Come to think of it, the names Jecht and Max are stupid and uncool. So I'm gonna call you Aerith and Tifa.
So, Aerith and Tifa... what makes you think you can do a number on us, huh? Wait, wait, let me guess... "Durrr, we're Blitz, we're the perfect combination of this and this and this and Max likes schnitzel." Do me a favor. SHUT THE F*CK UP! We've heard your shtick before, and frankly the world is tired of it. EVERYONE OUT THERE LAUGHS AT YOU!!! When they look at you, people don't see the perfect combination of cheese and bacon - they see two ass-rammers with all the personality of a table. ...Hey! You two should get acquainted with some of those tables! We'll happily send you their way! Of course, we'll be sending you THROUGH them, but you can apologize to them later - AFTER you're done kissing the boots of the new Tag-Team Champions. Us.
Dagger: Don't worry, guys, I'll even step in some dog sh*t before the match just for you.
Cloak: Npw let's talk the Crimson Calling. OOH, THEY'RE CRIMSON!!! CRIMSON IS AN EVIL BAD COLOR, SO THEY MUST BE BIG NASTY BAD GUYS!!! Sh*t... Crimson's just a fancy way of saying RED, and this team's home to the absolute biggest Red I've seen in my life. Hey, Dalkichev! How's your boy Stalin doing, huh? Visited Lenin's grave lately? Gonna put on one of those flat-topped hats and a trenchcoat and talk about the motherland for awhile, you bloated Commie f*ck? TOO BAD! It's a known fact that America ALWAYS beats Russia, because CAPITALISM IS COOL. If capitalism were a person it'd be crusing through Compton in a Navigator with the chromed-out spinners and three shorties in the back poppin' Cris. Meanwhile, the Commies would be driving through Des Moines, Iowa in a Chevette with the spare tire on the front and a sheep in the back seat drinking milk.
Don't even tell me this is irrelevant, because we know you worked for the KGB, fat boy. I don't care if you say you've reformed. Once a Red, always a dirty stinking filthy Red.
Yet even if Ivan weren't a Red and Fear and Black weren't a couple of Commie-kissers... we'd STILL beat your asses because we're leagues better than you. Look at the facts. You beat the Monsta Boyz. The Assassins beat the Monsta Boyz at Genesis of 2003. And we squashed the Assassins. So we've beaten people who've beaten who you've beaten, and we did it in two minutes without letting them throw a punch. Even if we'd had a normal match with the Assassins we'd still be one tier above you having beaten them. But after SQUASHING them... oh no, sir. We're WAY above your level.
Dagger: Think about it. When you've got a team of a large, barely mobile glob of human sh*t and a little weasel who jumps around, you've got plenty of weaknesses to exploit. And that's something you're trained to do in the army - find an enemy's weakness and exploit it.
Cloak: Exactly. So in closing - quit trying to front, b*tches. None of you come close to holding a candle to us. Thus, we'll be going on to Black Dawn to capture those tag straps in the name of Uncle Sam. Try and stop us. But listen.
When you f*ck with Empire Pro Wrestling's tag-team SUPERPOWER, you get BOMBED OUT.
See ya on the field, maggots.
(FADEOUT)
EpyonMarx
New member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,004
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Nottingham, England
- Website
- www.karl-brown.co.uk
[FADE IN. Leonard Johnson, manager of Blitz, is standing in front of an Empire Pro backdrop in a typical cheap suit. To his left stands Max, and on his right, Jecht. Both are wearing simple street clothes. Jecht has his hair tied back]
LJ: Well, well, well. Looks like we have a couple of smart guys in Covert Ops, eh? You know, I thought that in the military, you did reconnaissance on your enemies to learn all about them. It seems, with regards Blitz; their investigations drew a blank. Oh, how pitiful and foolish you two are.
About the name of the team, Blitz. It comes from the German word "Blitzen," meaning lightning. Max and Jecht were given to me because I wanted to get back into management and they needed someone to talk for them. You see, Jecht is an aggressive man, but he keeps to himself a lot. Very quiet. Max? He can talk, but his accent means that uneducated people such as yourselves have difficulty understanding him unless he speaks in German, and I severely doubt you're as fluent as you would need to be to fully understand him. I named the team Blitz because of their speed and power. Like lightning, they are powerful, swift, and deadly. Ask any team they faced over the years. Until the Crimson Calling, none survived. Blitzball? Maybe you've had too many shots to your head. Too many bullets lodged themselves in.
We come out to the song, Otherworld. It was given to us in one of the now forgotten independent promotions, Glorious Combat Zone. They wanted something powerful to announce the greatest team on their roster, and they came to us with this. Granted, it isn't my personal favourite, but it does its job of telling the whole WORLD that Blitz has arrived.
As for the name Jecht, I'll allow Max to tell you, since he is the one who renamed Paulo into Jecht.
[Max steps forward, looking straight into the camera with a disturbing intensity. When he speaks in English, he speaks in a heavy Germanic accent]
Max: Herr Cloak, Herr Dagger. Ich hoffe das du kannst mich verstanden. Die namen Jecht ist nur das; eine Name. Es war der Familenamen von der Familie Jecht. Allow me to repeat auf English fur dich. Mr Cloak, Mr Dagger. I hope you can understand me. The name Jecht is only that; a name. It was the family name of the Jecht family. Also, the von Jecht family. There are many paths the name came from. The same as your English words 'object,' and 'subject.' That is the Latin root, jactare, to throw. His name also comes from the German, jetzt. Now. The sheer power this man has, it seems appropriate, ja? Numerologically, his name has significance, being the number eins, one. He is courageous. Only he never does speak about his accomplishments. Unlike you.
[Max steps back, letting us see Leonard clearly]
LJ: You see? What, besides the music given to us, links us to some cheap computer game? I thought the military were supposed to be out fighting and protecting this nation from her enemies, not playing a Japanese game.
But what can one expect from two jacked up muscle heads without a brain cell between them?
You can call Max and Jecht bland and pathetic if you wish. That is your mistake to make, and if you continue, you'll have to lay in the hole you're digging, be covered, and buried.
But what strikes me as pathetic is you seem to think people across this globe give a damn about you. You may be able to get the cheap pops with your flag waving, your 'USA IS NUMBER ONE!!' spiel, your army careers. But look around you; besides your outdated gimmick, worn thin by that over the hill has-been Sergeant Slaughter, there is nothing that distinguishes you from any other team. If anything, it proves how pathetic the two of you are. You need to rely on the cheap pop to gain attention? You need to hire some jobber to dress up as Osama to get a little support? Like any of us really give a damn. You carry on, though. Maybe you'll develop a decent personality someday. Until then, go back to the Buff Bellows School of promo. Like the Monsta Boyz, you two are nothing if not wastes of air. In fact, for a team calling yourselves 'Covert Ops,' you certainly aren't very covert, are you?
[Leonard straightens his tie before continuing]
LJ: Now, since we have now dispensed with the human detritus, let us move on to another team. The Assassins. A team who seem to be in a rut. I must say, though, I do like how you handled the Monsta Boyz in GXW. Never a more fitting ending for two wastes of time like them. But, what of the two of you? You are a bit of a mystery to me. I've seen two different sides to you; the unstoppable, and the crushed. I hope you don't bring the crushed to Black Dawn. We do want a challenge from you, after all. I'll say more about you two in due time.
Now, Crimson Calling. Congratulations on your victory on the first Aggression, gentleman. You are one of the few who have ever managed a win against Blitz. But, even you, Mr. Fear, must admit it wasn't the walkover some said it might be. Your boys, Black and Ivan, showed me something that day. And I have used it to train Max and Jecht, to be better than they were. You caught them off guard I sensed. Not this time. They have waited years for this opportunity, and they can now see the gold. They can see their path to greatness, to showing the whole WORLD what the perfect combination of POWER and SPEED can bring. You bested us once. But this time, you shall not be so fortunate.
Good luck, gentlemen all. The tables are set. Set for each and every single one of you to go straight through. Enjoy your moments in the sun, Covert Ops, Assassins, Crimson Calling, because I do not see you getting another chance for a VERY long time.
[FADE OUT. Simple]
LJ: Well, well, well. Looks like we have a couple of smart guys in Covert Ops, eh? You know, I thought that in the military, you did reconnaissance on your enemies to learn all about them. It seems, with regards Blitz; their investigations drew a blank. Oh, how pitiful and foolish you two are.
About the name of the team, Blitz. It comes from the German word "Blitzen," meaning lightning. Max and Jecht were given to me because I wanted to get back into management and they needed someone to talk for them. You see, Jecht is an aggressive man, but he keeps to himself a lot. Very quiet. Max? He can talk, but his accent means that uneducated people such as yourselves have difficulty understanding him unless he speaks in German, and I severely doubt you're as fluent as you would need to be to fully understand him. I named the team Blitz because of their speed and power. Like lightning, they are powerful, swift, and deadly. Ask any team they faced over the years. Until the Crimson Calling, none survived. Blitzball? Maybe you've had too many shots to your head. Too many bullets lodged themselves in.
We come out to the song, Otherworld. It was given to us in one of the now forgotten independent promotions, Glorious Combat Zone. They wanted something powerful to announce the greatest team on their roster, and they came to us with this. Granted, it isn't my personal favourite, but it does its job of telling the whole WORLD that Blitz has arrived.
As for the name Jecht, I'll allow Max to tell you, since he is the one who renamed Paulo into Jecht.
[Max steps forward, looking straight into the camera with a disturbing intensity. When he speaks in English, he speaks in a heavy Germanic accent]
Max: Herr Cloak, Herr Dagger. Ich hoffe das du kannst mich verstanden. Die namen Jecht ist nur das; eine Name. Es war der Familenamen von der Familie Jecht. Allow me to repeat auf English fur dich. Mr Cloak, Mr Dagger. I hope you can understand me. The name Jecht is only that; a name. It was the family name of the Jecht family. Also, the von Jecht family. There are many paths the name came from. The same as your English words 'object,' and 'subject.' That is the Latin root, jactare, to throw. His name also comes from the German, jetzt. Now. The sheer power this man has, it seems appropriate, ja? Numerologically, his name has significance, being the number eins, one. He is courageous. Only he never does speak about his accomplishments. Unlike you.
[Max steps back, letting us see Leonard clearly]
LJ: You see? What, besides the music given to us, links us to some cheap computer game? I thought the military were supposed to be out fighting and protecting this nation from her enemies, not playing a Japanese game.
But what can one expect from two jacked up muscle heads without a brain cell between them?
You can call Max and Jecht bland and pathetic if you wish. That is your mistake to make, and if you continue, you'll have to lay in the hole you're digging, be covered, and buried.
But what strikes me as pathetic is you seem to think people across this globe give a damn about you. You may be able to get the cheap pops with your flag waving, your 'USA IS NUMBER ONE!!' spiel, your army careers. But look around you; besides your outdated gimmick, worn thin by that over the hill has-been Sergeant Slaughter, there is nothing that distinguishes you from any other team. If anything, it proves how pathetic the two of you are. You need to rely on the cheap pop to gain attention? You need to hire some jobber to dress up as Osama to get a little support? Like any of us really give a damn. You carry on, though. Maybe you'll develop a decent personality someday. Until then, go back to the Buff Bellows School of promo. Like the Monsta Boyz, you two are nothing if not wastes of air. In fact, for a team calling yourselves 'Covert Ops,' you certainly aren't very covert, are you?
[Leonard straightens his tie before continuing]
LJ: Now, since we have now dispensed with the human detritus, let us move on to another team. The Assassins. A team who seem to be in a rut. I must say, though, I do like how you handled the Monsta Boyz in GXW. Never a more fitting ending for two wastes of time like them. But, what of the two of you? You are a bit of a mystery to me. I've seen two different sides to you; the unstoppable, and the crushed. I hope you don't bring the crushed to Black Dawn. We do want a challenge from you, after all. I'll say more about you two in due time.
Now, Crimson Calling. Congratulations on your victory on the first Aggression, gentleman. You are one of the few who have ever managed a win against Blitz. But, even you, Mr. Fear, must admit it wasn't the walkover some said it might be. Your boys, Black and Ivan, showed me something that day. And I have used it to train Max and Jecht, to be better than they were. You caught them off guard I sensed. Not this time. They have waited years for this opportunity, and they can now see the gold. They can see their path to greatness, to showing the whole WORLD what the perfect combination of POWER and SPEED can bring. You bested us once. But this time, you shall not be so fortunate.
Good luck, gentlemen all. The tables are set. Set for each and every single one of you to go straight through. Enjoy your moments in the sun, Covert Ops, Assassins, Crimson Calling, because I do not see you getting another chance for a VERY long time.
[FADE OUT. Simple]
SCENE BEGINS
(A montage of shots cut together is played, showing clips of both members of the Crimson Calling put through some heavy duty training, on the track, lifting weights, in the ring... standard professional wrestling exercises. "Slip In Sin" by Pulse Ultra plays with the footage, giving it the perfect Crimson Calling effect.)
(After a moment or two of the training clips, we music dies down and we fade to a shot of Nathan Fear with the team itself, in their training gear and sweating after a lengthy session in the gym. No cheap backdrops; Fear has them in their NATURAL setting, which is the ring. Fear stands proudly closest to the camera, aside Erik Black who sits on the outside apron near the corner. Inside the ring and above them, Ivan Dalkichev leans into the turnbuckle. Fear greets the camera with a bow and a smirk.)
Nathan Fear
Heh... it's funny...
I almost forgot we were even INVOLVED with this federation, until I got a call last night! I merely assumed that Paul Freeman wasn't very interested in an explosive tag team division... which would explain why he's kept us on the bench all week--with the rest of the teams, I should add.
But at last, our patience has paid off. The Crimson Calling are booked to appear at Empire Pro's first Pay Per View, a little event called Black Dawn. The Tag Team Titles are within our grasp, but to get there, we must go through three other teams...
(Fear holds out a hand and gestures to the surrounding room.)
Nathan Fear
You see, the entire time we've been off the cards, costing this federation valuable ratings and appeal, the Crimson Calling have been busting their asses every minute of every day in the ring, preparing for this one moment. And after many weeks, I think it's safe to say that my guys are READY to take those titles, after a long, patient wait...
But as I said, there are three teams to go through. First there are the Assassins, Orion and Osiris--good team, two great competitors. Next, there are the Rednecks, Cletus Cloak and Jim-Bob Dagger. And, rounding out this event, there's the Ripoffs, in the form of "Mr. Quiet" Jecht and "Mr. Bad Accent" Max.
(Throw looks over his shoulder, at the Raging Russian behind him.)
Nathan Fear
Is any of this sounding familiar to you, Ivan? Seems to me that somebody can't think up anything original for a personality, so they decided to make a couple of photocopies of you.
(Ivan smirks a bit, but remains quiet. Fear turns back to the camera.)
Nathan Fear
Not that I blame you... Leonard Johnson is a victim of the same thing.
(Fear smiles slightly, tugging on the lapels of his fine blazer, and winking.)
Nathan Fear
But there's nothing I could really say bad in terms of performance about Blitz; after all, the two of them put up a decent fight weeks ago when the Calling made their victorious debut. But we've been in the gym night after night, preparing for our return... our NEXT glorious victory in the ring. What has Blitz been doing? Well, of course their trainer Leonard Johnson says they've been training for the opportunity to "better" the Crimson Calling, but...
(He holds his hands out to the sweaty men beside him.)
Nathan Fear
I guess you could say, in retrospect, the Crimson Calling are men who show their game as opposed to saying it. No jibber-jabber and trash talking, like our opponents seem accustomed to. I could easily SAY we've been training, but... where's the fun in that? Too many people in this industry try to weigh facts through what is said. But everybody with a brain on their shoulders knows that this is a game where words don't matter; it's all about what you do in that ring.
But the team of Blitz disappoint me, cause rather than leave the pointless bickering aside, they make excuses and two-bit explanations to defend their corny reputation. I really don't care for sitting through a five minute lecture while you explain the name Blitz, or having to sit through a German man's attempt to explain the name of his partner through broken English. Why should you even care about what Cletus and Jim-Bob have to say? This is professional wrestling, not Gimmicks 101.
Take that as a lesson, Lenny. I've been in this game for a long time, training the same two men you see here to be at the top of their game. Through that entire time, the Crimson Calling have rarely disappointed me. And take my word for it: I'm an EASY MAN to disappoint.
(A little wink wink, nudge nudge to the camera, and then he continues.)
Nathan Fear
You see, Lenny... I think it's safe to assume that Max and Jecht have been in the gym, training very hard to gain that extra step ahead of us. You guys did well in your match, I'll give you that... you might pull ahead of the Assassins and the Rednecks if you try really hard. But you see, we did better at Aggression, because we ARE better.
I know you guys have been training; I have, after all, a far more superior intellect than you, Mr. Johnson. And because I know what you're up to, I've been pushing Erik and Ivan even HARDER in the gym, to be prepared for ANY damage the opposing teams might dish out at Black Dawn.
I could understand how Max and Jecht might be a little more determined this time around, considering it's a Pay Per View and the Tag Titles are up for grabs... but what makes you think Erik and Ivan are not MORE determined? What we did to you at the first Aggression was merely motivated for the sake of being victorious on our debut appearance into Empire Pro. And now it's our Pay Per View debut... the titles are on the line...
And all these guys have to do is put you through a table to get the gold? The Crimson Calling would blast you down to the depths of HELL for those Tag Team Champion straps! We have proven to the world that we are better than Blitz... but now it's time to prove than we're better than EVERY tag team out there!
(He nods with confidence.)
Nathan Fear
Superior talent... superior determination. I'm sad to say, Lenny, that you're boys don't have a chance at winning those titles at Black Dawn. But don't worry... I expect you'll put up a good show.
(Placid smile, and he moves his hand in a rolling motion.)
Nathan Fear
But let's keep going with this and move on to the next team, known as the Rednecks. Yes, I know their "official" name is Covert Ops, but after that last promo, I'm inclined to believe that they'd be more aptly known as the Rednecks, because that is certainly how they appear to be.
Two trigger-happy idiots appearing in front of an American flag, going on and on about Patriotism and excelling in nothing except trash talking, some of which being racist. Heh... all you need to add are a pair of beer cans and some John Deer hats, and you'd think you were watching a FISHING show, or something!
Was that promo supposed to intimidate us? Warn us? Send us a message? I've seen more entertaining films from stoned teenagers with a household video recorder! What the Rednecks essentially did was nothing different from Beavis and Butthead; two morons sitting around cracking jokes back and forth. I'm disheartened...
I guess you could say, I expected more from a team who is so passionate for their home country.
(He shakes his head in disappointment.)
Nathan Fear
It's sad how some people can so easily follow behind a man who wants to inhabit MARS of all places...
But back to the topic at hand, what is there to say about this promo? First, they poke fun at the word "Crimson", cause I guess they have a problem with it being slightly more sonorant than just plain, oridnary "Red"... they blatantly insult Ivan's Russian heritage... and they see themselves as better because... they're Capitalist?
(Fear shakes his head again... obvious saddened by the fact that such idiots are allowed to exist.)
Nathan Fear
You know something, guys? I pay my taxes... I work like every other man in this nation; used to do some hard time in a factory until I got my big break with starting my career in professional wrestling. To suggest that we're COMMUNIST do to the fact that our team includes a Russian truly disgusts me...
Granted, I feel Communism could do this nations LOADS better; it's obviously not doing well will an ape like Bush behind the desk. But that's beside the point. I may be a little more liberal minded than you two racist sheep, always sucking down everything your government tells you like its always a total fact, thinking that the reason why you're being sent overseas to fight for OIL is because you're protecting "the interest of the country"...
But that doesn't make you BETTER than the Crimson Calling. The Soviet Union might have failed due to Nixon milking half of the nation's economy into the nuclear arms race, where Russia inevitably failed when they ran out of funds, but America's hardly doing any better. How about instead of bragging about all the bullets you've dodged in the Middle East, you go to downtown Harlem and ask any kid of the streets how many bullets he's dodged there in his own NEIGHBORHOOD... THEN try to convince me that Capitalism is the great, perfect social society you think it is.
But I'm not going to make this into a political war; I'm just telling you right here and now that our affiliation is completely irrelevant. This isn't measuring how we spend money; this is FLESH against FLESH, pure power and brute strength in the ring. No cowardly shooting at your opponents with a rifle from several hundred feet away; you are IN THE FACE of your angry and powerful opponent, and unless you can hold your own, you can kiss those Tag Titles goodbye!
(Fear turns and point to the two men standing beside him.)
Nathan Fear
You're looking at the superior team of STRENGTH and SPEED; forget "weaknesses". How can you exploit a weakness when your opponent is too fast for you to catch or too strong to overpower? How can you put one through the table when he's too LIGHT to even BREAK THROUGH, or the other when he's too HEAVY for you to LIFT?! The fact that you ignore logic tells me a lot about the both of you.
I don't know how the two of you idiots overpowered the Assassins; it's likely that Orion and Osiris were missing a step in their game. If you don't think tag teams don't have bad nights, then the both of you are in for a HELL of a wake-up call at Black Dawn.
(Fear finishes, not smiling any more. He comes to a thought, and begins to speak on it.)
Nathan Fear
I'm not entirely sure as to what the Assassins have been up to. But either way, we eagerly look forward to going up against them in the ring. We also look forward to beating them... catching them off their feet and showing them exactly WHO the greatest tag team in professional wrestling is to date.
There's not much else I can say. Gentlemen, any words?
(Black nods, and clears his throat.)
Erik Black
Something you guys might want to consider before going ahead and getting arrogant and cocky...
The Crimson Calling are second in FWI Magazine's Top Ten tag teams, and there's a reason for that. The only reason we don't hold first is because we don't hold the Empire Pro Tag Titles. That will change, following Black Dawn.
We've done more and SUCCEEDED more than many of the teams in existence--and that includes you guys. Why any of you should think that we won't carry that reputation into Black Dawn is beyond me...
(Black finishes. Fear looks to the man in the ring.)
Nathan Fear
Ivan?
(The Russian simply shakes his head. Fear turns back to the camera and shrugs.)
Nathan Fear
Then I guess we ought to get back to training. I hope the six of you who listened took some valuable lessons from what was said. You can't beat us on a physical level, nor can you compete with us on an intellectual level...
Though I don't for one second believe that none of you won't try your damndest when the match rolls around. However, the Crimson Calling are a step above the rest of the teams around here. Ivan and Erik are stronger... smarter... and perhaps most important of all, more determined...
I'm sure you'll all fight very valiantly, but in the end, only two men may be the Tag Team champions...
(He gestures to Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev, the Crimson Calling.)
Nathan Fear
...and you're looking at them.
Ta-ta, for now.
(With a smile, Fear nods, then turns back to his team, ready to get them both back in the ring to sharpen their physical abilities. We fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
(A montage of shots cut together is played, showing clips of both members of the Crimson Calling put through some heavy duty training, on the track, lifting weights, in the ring... standard professional wrestling exercises. "Slip In Sin" by Pulse Ultra plays with the footage, giving it the perfect Crimson Calling effect.)
(After a moment or two of the training clips, we music dies down and we fade to a shot of Nathan Fear with the team itself, in their training gear and sweating after a lengthy session in the gym. No cheap backdrops; Fear has them in their NATURAL setting, which is the ring. Fear stands proudly closest to the camera, aside Erik Black who sits on the outside apron near the corner. Inside the ring and above them, Ivan Dalkichev leans into the turnbuckle. Fear greets the camera with a bow and a smirk.)
Nathan Fear
Heh... it's funny...
I almost forgot we were even INVOLVED with this federation, until I got a call last night! I merely assumed that Paul Freeman wasn't very interested in an explosive tag team division... which would explain why he's kept us on the bench all week--with the rest of the teams, I should add.
But at last, our patience has paid off. The Crimson Calling are booked to appear at Empire Pro's first Pay Per View, a little event called Black Dawn. The Tag Team Titles are within our grasp, but to get there, we must go through three other teams...
(Fear holds out a hand and gestures to the surrounding room.)
Nathan Fear
You see, the entire time we've been off the cards, costing this federation valuable ratings and appeal, the Crimson Calling have been busting their asses every minute of every day in the ring, preparing for this one moment. And after many weeks, I think it's safe to say that my guys are READY to take those titles, after a long, patient wait...
But as I said, there are three teams to go through. First there are the Assassins, Orion and Osiris--good team, two great competitors. Next, there are the Rednecks, Cletus Cloak and Jim-Bob Dagger. And, rounding out this event, there's the Ripoffs, in the form of "Mr. Quiet" Jecht and "Mr. Bad Accent" Max.
(Throw looks over his shoulder, at the Raging Russian behind him.)
Nathan Fear
Is any of this sounding familiar to you, Ivan? Seems to me that somebody can't think up anything original for a personality, so they decided to make a couple of photocopies of you.
(Ivan smirks a bit, but remains quiet. Fear turns back to the camera.)
Nathan Fear
Not that I blame you... Leonard Johnson is a victim of the same thing.
(Fear smiles slightly, tugging on the lapels of his fine blazer, and winking.)
Nathan Fear
But there's nothing I could really say bad in terms of performance about Blitz; after all, the two of them put up a decent fight weeks ago when the Calling made their victorious debut. But we've been in the gym night after night, preparing for our return... our NEXT glorious victory in the ring. What has Blitz been doing? Well, of course their trainer Leonard Johnson says they've been training for the opportunity to "better" the Crimson Calling, but...
(He holds his hands out to the sweaty men beside him.)
Nathan Fear
I guess you could say, in retrospect, the Crimson Calling are men who show their game as opposed to saying it. No jibber-jabber and trash talking, like our opponents seem accustomed to. I could easily SAY we've been training, but... where's the fun in that? Too many people in this industry try to weigh facts through what is said. But everybody with a brain on their shoulders knows that this is a game where words don't matter; it's all about what you do in that ring.
But the team of Blitz disappoint me, cause rather than leave the pointless bickering aside, they make excuses and two-bit explanations to defend their corny reputation. I really don't care for sitting through a five minute lecture while you explain the name Blitz, or having to sit through a German man's attempt to explain the name of his partner through broken English. Why should you even care about what Cletus and Jim-Bob have to say? This is professional wrestling, not Gimmicks 101.
Take that as a lesson, Lenny. I've been in this game for a long time, training the same two men you see here to be at the top of their game. Through that entire time, the Crimson Calling have rarely disappointed me. And take my word for it: I'm an EASY MAN to disappoint.
(A little wink wink, nudge nudge to the camera, and then he continues.)
Nathan Fear
You see, Lenny... I think it's safe to assume that Max and Jecht have been in the gym, training very hard to gain that extra step ahead of us. You guys did well in your match, I'll give you that... you might pull ahead of the Assassins and the Rednecks if you try really hard. But you see, we did better at Aggression, because we ARE better.
I know you guys have been training; I have, after all, a far more superior intellect than you, Mr. Johnson. And because I know what you're up to, I've been pushing Erik and Ivan even HARDER in the gym, to be prepared for ANY damage the opposing teams might dish out at Black Dawn.
I could understand how Max and Jecht might be a little more determined this time around, considering it's a Pay Per View and the Tag Titles are up for grabs... but what makes you think Erik and Ivan are not MORE determined? What we did to you at the first Aggression was merely motivated for the sake of being victorious on our debut appearance into Empire Pro. And now it's our Pay Per View debut... the titles are on the line...
And all these guys have to do is put you through a table to get the gold? The Crimson Calling would blast you down to the depths of HELL for those Tag Team Champion straps! We have proven to the world that we are better than Blitz... but now it's time to prove than we're better than EVERY tag team out there!
(He nods with confidence.)
Nathan Fear
Superior talent... superior determination. I'm sad to say, Lenny, that you're boys don't have a chance at winning those titles at Black Dawn. But don't worry... I expect you'll put up a good show.
(Placid smile, and he moves his hand in a rolling motion.)
Nathan Fear
But let's keep going with this and move on to the next team, known as the Rednecks. Yes, I know their "official" name is Covert Ops, but after that last promo, I'm inclined to believe that they'd be more aptly known as the Rednecks, because that is certainly how they appear to be.
Two trigger-happy idiots appearing in front of an American flag, going on and on about Patriotism and excelling in nothing except trash talking, some of which being racist. Heh... all you need to add are a pair of beer cans and some John Deer hats, and you'd think you were watching a FISHING show, or something!
Was that promo supposed to intimidate us? Warn us? Send us a message? I've seen more entertaining films from stoned teenagers with a household video recorder! What the Rednecks essentially did was nothing different from Beavis and Butthead; two morons sitting around cracking jokes back and forth. I'm disheartened...
I guess you could say, I expected more from a team who is so passionate for their home country.
(He shakes his head in disappointment.)
Nathan Fear
It's sad how some people can so easily follow behind a man who wants to inhabit MARS of all places...
But back to the topic at hand, what is there to say about this promo? First, they poke fun at the word "Crimson", cause I guess they have a problem with it being slightly more sonorant than just plain, oridnary "Red"... they blatantly insult Ivan's Russian heritage... and they see themselves as better because... they're Capitalist?
(Fear shakes his head again... obvious saddened by the fact that such idiots are allowed to exist.)
Nathan Fear
You know something, guys? I pay my taxes... I work like every other man in this nation; used to do some hard time in a factory until I got my big break with starting my career in professional wrestling. To suggest that we're COMMUNIST do to the fact that our team includes a Russian truly disgusts me...
Granted, I feel Communism could do this nations LOADS better; it's obviously not doing well will an ape like Bush behind the desk. But that's beside the point. I may be a little more liberal minded than you two racist sheep, always sucking down everything your government tells you like its always a total fact, thinking that the reason why you're being sent overseas to fight for OIL is because you're protecting "the interest of the country"...
But that doesn't make you BETTER than the Crimson Calling. The Soviet Union might have failed due to Nixon milking half of the nation's economy into the nuclear arms race, where Russia inevitably failed when they ran out of funds, but America's hardly doing any better. How about instead of bragging about all the bullets you've dodged in the Middle East, you go to downtown Harlem and ask any kid of the streets how many bullets he's dodged there in his own NEIGHBORHOOD... THEN try to convince me that Capitalism is the great, perfect social society you think it is.
But I'm not going to make this into a political war; I'm just telling you right here and now that our affiliation is completely irrelevant. This isn't measuring how we spend money; this is FLESH against FLESH, pure power and brute strength in the ring. No cowardly shooting at your opponents with a rifle from several hundred feet away; you are IN THE FACE of your angry and powerful opponent, and unless you can hold your own, you can kiss those Tag Titles goodbye!
(Fear turns and point to the two men standing beside him.)
Nathan Fear
You're looking at the superior team of STRENGTH and SPEED; forget "weaknesses". How can you exploit a weakness when your opponent is too fast for you to catch or too strong to overpower? How can you put one through the table when he's too LIGHT to even BREAK THROUGH, or the other when he's too HEAVY for you to LIFT?! The fact that you ignore logic tells me a lot about the both of you.
I don't know how the two of you idiots overpowered the Assassins; it's likely that Orion and Osiris were missing a step in their game. If you don't think tag teams don't have bad nights, then the both of you are in for a HELL of a wake-up call at Black Dawn.
(Fear finishes, not smiling any more. He comes to a thought, and begins to speak on it.)
Nathan Fear
I'm not entirely sure as to what the Assassins have been up to. But either way, we eagerly look forward to going up against them in the ring. We also look forward to beating them... catching them off their feet and showing them exactly WHO the greatest tag team in professional wrestling is to date.
There's not much else I can say. Gentlemen, any words?
(Black nods, and clears his throat.)
Erik Black
Something you guys might want to consider before going ahead and getting arrogant and cocky...
The Crimson Calling are second in FWI Magazine's Top Ten tag teams, and there's a reason for that. The only reason we don't hold first is because we don't hold the Empire Pro Tag Titles. That will change, following Black Dawn.
We've done more and SUCCEEDED more than many of the teams in existence--and that includes you guys. Why any of you should think that we won't carry that reputation into Black Dawn is beyond me...
(Black finishes. Fear looks to the man in the ring.)
Nathan Fear
Ivan?
(The Russian simply shakes his head. Fear turns back to the camera and shrugs.)
Nathan Fear
Then I guess we ought to get back to training. I hope the six of you who listened took some valuable lessons from what was said. You can't beat us on a physical level, nor can you compete with us on an intellectual level...
Though I don't for one second believe that none of you won't try your damndest when the match rolls around. However, the Crimson Calling are a step above the rest of the teams around here. Ivan and Erik are stronger... smarter... and perhaps most important of all, more determined...
I'm sure you'll all fight very valiantly, but in the end, only two men may be the Tag Team champions...
(He gestures to Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev, the Crimson Calling.)
Nathan Fear
...and you're looking at them.
Ta-ta, for now.
(With a smile, Fear nods, then turns back to his team, ready to get them both back in the ring to sharpen their physical abilities. We fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
JABolich
League Member
(FADEIN: This time, a plain white backdrop. CLOAK and DAGGER sit in front of it in their typical camo. DAGGER seems calm and sedate... but CLOAK seems pissed.)
Cloak: What the f*ck did I just hear from you, Johnson?
Did I just hear you f*ckin' tell us that we're no different from any other team? Did I just hear this from YOU, who manages a team so generic, they might as well wrestle under the moniker of "No-Name Brand"? F*ck you, Johnson. Pull your head out of your ass and take a look around, because you obviously don't know a damn thing.
Here's the scenario, you little sh*t. You're sitting on a tank, driving in a convoy through a town in southern Iraq. All's quiet. Suddenly, there's gunfire. It's a bunch of Iraqi rebels with Kalashnikovs taking shots at you. The guy sitting next to you falls over. You look, and you notice half his face has been blown off and his blood and brains have sprayed all over your fatigues. You take aim and start firing back at those damn terrorists. They fall backwards and convulse in the dirt as you riddle them with bullets, their blood painting patterns across the earth. The last one falls. Suddenly, a shadow appears. It's another Iraqi, and he's jumped off a six-storey building. As he drops closer you see that he has a bomb strapped around his body. Before you can react, he falls onto the commander's jeep at the head of the convoy. Boom. The jeep explodes. The jeep behind it is caught in the explosion, and the flying shrapnel hits two guys on the tank in front of you and kills them. Suddenly, more gunmen appear and attempt to capitalize, but you mow them down.
This is what life is like on the front lines. There, you witness death. There, you take a man's life into your hands and snuff it out with no remorse, because you know that if you don't kill first you're going to wind up like that guy who got his face blown off. Until you've been through that, you f*cking ignorant son of a b*tch, you have NO room to tell us that we're no different, because you have no idea what we've been through, you stupid, lazy, ignorant f*ck.
But I'll tell you what. You go on and tell your boys to expect the usual, but you're going to get them lost up sh*t creek without a paddle, because I will end their careers without remorse. I am more than f*ckin' happy to take your boy Otto von Jeck by the head and break his neck in three places. I am more than f*ckin' happy to get ahold of Maximillian and snap his legs in such a way that he'll be able to rest them across his shoulders. I have killed countless men in my day, and if you think that your f*ckin' not-so-perfect combination of strength and speed is something I sweat, you can kiss my great American *ss. You don't have the f*cking RIGHT to tell us that we're no different, because we're better than you, and what we've been through PROVES it! Don't talk to me until you can say something other than "they're the perfect combination of green eggs and ham"! DON'T talk to me until your boys score a win that MEANS something! DON'T TALK TO ME UNTIL YOUR BOYS HAVE LEFT AT LEAST FIVE MEN DEAD IN THEIR OWN BLOOD AND DONE IT WITHOUT REMORSE, YOU F*CKING CO-
(DAGGER suddenly stands and slaps CLOAK in the face.)
Dagger: SOLDIER!!! WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION?!?! DROP AND GIVE ME FIFTY!!!
Cloak: SIR YES SIR!!!
(Holding back his anger, CLOAK drops and begins doing push-ups. DAGGER resumes his seat.)
Dagger: By the way, if we were no different than any other team you wouldn't have just seen that. Everyone else believes that it's the best policy to be utterly emotionless at all times and play it cool as a cucumber, but we Armed Forces types know that letting your emotions out before a battle is alright, because you don't want them hampering you on the field.
Incidentally, Leonard Johnson, feel free to talk again when your Blitzen boys stop being named after one of Santa's reindeer and score a win over somebody other than Ray Rock and Big Johnny Mambo.
As for the Red Menace over there - Fear, listen up. Do you have a problem with our being from the South? I was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, and Cloak was born and raised in Alabama, but that doesn't mean we're racist, because we're not. We just hate Commies. See, we don't hate Ivan for being Russian - we hate him 'cause he used to work for the KGB, which means he was part of an organization that devoted resources to trying to undermine America and defeat American capitalism. We're patriots, so we have a problem with that. But hell, if loving my damn country makes me a redneck, then dammit, someone throw an armadiller on the grill and call me Cletus.
But I'll tell you what. You go ahead and tell your boys that we're just a couple of idiot hicks who don't know their elbow from their asses, and you go ahead and tell them that our squashing the Assassins was a fluke. But then go back and watch the tape, and you'll notice that our crushing of them was pefectly calculated to play to their weaknesses. We had their offense scouted and knew how to counter it before they even threw it, because when you're in the army you learn how to kill the enemy before he kills you. Same goes for your boys, Nate. That walking tub of sh*t may be big, but he's not unstoppable. Cloak knows how to deal with them oafs. So do I - and if push comes to shove I'd wager I could get Ivan up on my shoulders and slam him. Wouldn't care to, though, because I've got other ways to deal with oafs. Should I tell you?
Naw... I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
(By now, CLOAK has finished his push-ups and has resumed his seat.)
Cloak: Remember this, guys. When you step up against us at Black Dawn you're getting something completely different from anyone else out there. You're facing off against two men who have ended countless lives without batting an eyelash. And if we're not moved in the slightest by killing someone...
...imagine what we can do to YOU guys.
Bring what you've got. But it won't be enough, 'cause when you face America's tag-team SUPERPOWER...
Dagger: ...you get BOMBED THE HELL OUT.
Cloak: See you in the trenches, worms.
(FADEOUT)
Cloak: What the f*ck did I just hear from you, Johnson?
Did I just hear you f*ckin' tell us that we're no different from any other team? Did I just hear this from YOU, who manages a team so generic, they might as well wrestle under the moniker of "No-Name Brand"? F*ck you, Johnson. Pull your head out of your ass and take a look around, because you obviously don't know a damn thing.
Here's the scenario, you little sh*t. You're sitting on a tank, driving in a convoy through a town in southern Iraq. All's quiet. Suddenly, there's gunfire. It's a bunch of Iraqi rebels with Kalashnikovs taking shots at you. The guy sitting next to you falls over. You look, and you notice half his face has been blown off and his blood and brains have sprayed all over your fatigues. You take aim and start firing back at those damn terrorists. They fall backwards and convulse in the dirt as you riddle them with bullets, their blood painting patterns across the earth. The last one falls. Suddenly, a shadow appears. It's another Iraqi, and he's jumped off a six-storey building. As he drops closer you see that he has a bomb strapped around his body. Before you can react, he falls onto the commander's jeep at the head of the convoy. Boom. The jeep explodes. The jeep behind it is caught in the explosion, and the flying shrapnel hits two guys on the tank in front of you and kills them. Suddenly, more gunmen appear and attempt to capitalize, but you mow them down.
This is what life is like on the front lines. There, you witness death. There, you take a man's life into your hands and snuff it out with no remorse, because you know that if you don't kill first you're going to wind up like that guy who got his face blown off. Until you've been through that, you f*cking ignorant son of a b*tch, you have NO room to tell us that we're no different, because you have no idea what we've been through, you stupid, lazy, ignorant f*ck.
But I'll tell you what. You go on and tell your boys to expect the usual, but you're going to get them lost up sh*t creek without a paddle, because I will end their careers without remorse. I am more than f*ckin' happy to take your boy Otto von Jeck by the head and break his neck in three places. I am more than f*ckin' happy to get ahold of Maximillian and snap his legs in such a way that he'll be able to rest them across his shoulders. I have killed countless men in my day, and if you think that your f*ckin' not-so-perfect combination of strength and speed is something I sweat, you can kiss my great American *ss. You don't have the f*cking RIGHT to tell us that we're no different, because we're better than you, and what we've been through PROVES it! Don't talk to me until you can say something other than "they're the perfect combination of green eggs and ham"! DON'T talk to me until your boys score a win that MEANS something! DON'T TALK TO ME UNTIL YOUR BOYS HAVE LEFT AT LEAST FIVE MEN DEAD IN THEIR OWN BLOOD AND DONE IT WITHOUT REMORSE, YOU F*CKING CO-
(DAGGER suddenly stands and slaps CLOAK in the face.)
Dagger: SOLDIER!!! WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION?!?! DROP AND GIVE ME FIFTY!!!
Cloak: SIR YES SIR!!!
(Holding back his anger, CLOAK drops and begins doing push-ups. DAGGER resumes his seat.)
Dagger: By the way, if we were no different than any other team you wouldn't have just seen that. Everyone else believes that it's the best policy to be utterly emotionless at all times and play it cool as a cucumber, but we Armed Forces types know that letting your emotions out before a battle is alright, because you don't want them hampering you on the field.
Incidentally, Leonard Johnson, feel free to talk again when your Blitzen boys stop being named after one of Santa's reindeer and score a win over somebody other than Ray Rock and Big Johnny Mambo.
As for the Red Menace over there - Fear, listen up. Do you have a problem with our being from the South? I was born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, and Cloak was born and raised in Alabama, but that doesn't mean we're racist, because we're not. We just hate Commies. See, we don't hate Ivan for being Russian - we hate him 'cause he used to work for the KGB, which means he was part of an organization that devoted resources to trying to undermine America and defeat American capitalism. We're patriots, so we have a problem with that. But hell, if loving my damn country makes me a redneck, then dammit, someone throw an armadiller on the grill and call me Cletus.
But I'll tell you what. You go ahead and tell your boys that we're just a couple of idiot hicks who don't know their elbow from their asses, and you go ahead and tell them that our squashing the Assassins was a fluke. But then go back and watch the tape, and you'll notice that our crushing of them was pefectly calculated to play to their weaknesses. We had their offense scouted and knew how to counter it before they even threw it, because when you're in the army you learn how to kill the enemy before he kills you. Same goes for your boys, Nate. That walking tub of sh*t may be big, but he's not unstoppable. Cloak knows how to deal with them oafs. So do I - and if push comes to shove I'd wager I could get Ivan up on my shoulders and slam him. Wouldn't care to, though, because I've got other ways to deal with oafs. Should I tell you?
Naw... I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
(By now, CLOAK has finished his push-ups and has resumed his seat.)
Cloak: Remember this, guys. When you step up against us at Black Dawn you're getting something completely different from anyone else out there. You're facing off against two men who have ended countless lives without batting an eyelash. And if we're not moved in the slightest by killing someone...
...imagine what we can do to YOU guys.
Bring what you've got. But it won't be enough, 'cause when you face America's tag-team SUPERPOWER...
Dagger: ...you get BOMBED THE HELL OUT.
Cloak: See you in the trenches, worms.
(FADEOUT)
EpyonMarx
New member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,004
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Nottingham, England
- Website
- www.karl-brown.co.uk
[FADE IN. Leonard Johnson, dressed in a cheap suit as always, is standing in a ring, making an announcement. Only, something is odd; he looks a lot younger than usual, and the shot looks as if it’s been recorded on a tape that has now faded. Next to him, dressed in military fatigues, is CLAW, a now retired independent wrestler. On the mat is his opponent]
LJ: Ladies and Gentleman, what you see before you is the end result of battling my man, the one and only CLAW. You boys in the back listen up; you can come and try everything you’ve got, but you’ll lose, each and every one of you. None of you can match him, so don’t even try.
[The camera pans back, as the tape is paused, before panning round to see Leonard Johnson, sitting at his desk, dressed in a grey suit and blue shirt, a mismatching tie similar to the one in the video to the side of the desk]
LJ: My first management experience. Twenty-five years ago. I’ve gotten better in delivery, haven’t I? But that’s a tale for another day. CLAW was good, but even he paled in comparison to Blitz. And he, nor any of his foes, had to resort to losing their tempers. As a matter of interest, he served in Vietnam.
But, that doesn’t mean anything to you, Cloak, does it? After all, I’ve never been in the combat zone. Which is true. And I never said you hadn’t. But, in all the twenty-five years I’ve been in this business, I’ve seen most every gimmick imaginable. Wrestling roosters, wrestling soldiers, patriots, clowns, gargoyles, the lot. And, Cloak, you and Dagger are the same as every single other guy who wants to try and play on their military career and the old patriot gimmick. Leave it at the door; congrats on killing people for this great nation, but leave that at the door. It has NO relevance on the outcome of a wrestling match. You’re no different to ANY of the thousands who’ve tried that gimmick. But, Cloak, it’s obvious your recon has failed you again. What you’ve been through proves you’re better? No. It shows you can kill better than I. It shows you can use a gun better than Max or Jecht. It doesn’t prove a damn thing about what happens in between those ropes. And your use of insults shows why you made it into the military; you lack the mental faculties for anything else. CLAW, he was different. He was drafted, he didn’t have much choice. He went through hell day after day in Vietnam. Did he once tell of his experiences? Not when he was talking about wrestling. You think killing some poorly armed soldiers qualifies you for some major accolade? Too bad. Next time you want to open your mouth and talk about how you’ve killed people in the name of this country, remember that so have thousands of others. What you’ve done doesn’t make you different or special. And claming it as if it were a great and wondrous thing we should all be in awe of is simply showing your inabilities.
Now, we move to you, Dagger. The calmer of the two. A man I can maybe talk with in a civil conversation. You know, Dagger, your partner reminds me of someone. He didn’t let his partner talk. He tried to show Blitz up every chance he got. He never accepted my challenge to let his partner, Fat Farrell, talk. We never saw which team was the better, since the company folded before the card, even with Blitz and the Monsta Boyz promoting like crazy. You see, that’s what I do. I promote, I guide, and I manage. Blitz train, they work, they wrestle. But, named after Santa’s reindeer? How imaginative of you. Maybe I should be scared? Somehow, I don’t see how I can be scared of one man who shouts and rants, and another, you, Dagger, who feels the need to resort to a child’s attempt at an insult. Do I make fun of your in-ring names? No, because that’s the little gimmick you two have going. Maybe you two should keep your mouths closed and your voices stilled until you have thought and grown in intelligence. Because you make the Armed Forces of this great nation seem uneducated, and I will not allow the memories of those soldiers who have died for this nation to be disgraced by two uneducated, dishonourably discharged ex’s who only fought in the one campaign.
Now, the wheat being cut from the chaff, let me address Mr. Fear. Twenty-five years, I’ve been doing this. Dressed as this. Improved on the mic considerably. Whom is copying whom? The correct answer is neither. I’ve been on the independent circuit until recently, so it’s doubtful you’d have seen me. You may find the odd old tape, but not many survive. I did do commentary though, so you might find that. As for Max and Jecht; I let them do as they wish. They were held back in this industry because of their lack of communicative skills compared to their competitors, so I was asked to help them. Does that make them copies of Ivan? No, they’ve been this way for years themselves. So, let’s drop that topic before you embarrass yourself.
I appreciate, though, that you acknowledge their efforts in the last encounter. It’s good to see in this business a man who appreciates a good contest. And yes, Blitz have been training. I expected nothing less of either of your boys either. I never expect anything less of esteemed opponents. But, to argue that you’re going to steam roller this match is inaccurate. And to say you’re more intelligent than me; well, that’s on the level of Mr Dagger’s ‘reindeer’ comment.
How are you preparing? Most likely by watching tapes, lifting weights, getting physically and mentally ready. The same as Blitz. Right now, they’re training. They’ve been training almost non-stop. They know what to expect; they know that Black and Ivan are going to push them more in this match than last. They expect it, and are working accordingly. They crave those titles, they crave to show the WORLD that they are the superior team. But they know not to expect anything less than perfection from the Calling, Covert Ops, and the Assassins. They are training to be every bit as perfect as they can be. Their combination of speed and power is uncanny. Never have I seen two men as large, powerful, yet as quick, as they are. Like I have said in the past, they may not be as fast as Erik, or as powerful as Ivan, but they are still the PERFECT combination of speed and power. That’s is the key word, Nathan. They possess BOTH in quantities few can fathom. Train your boys well.
And if you don’t like a part of a promo, fast-forward it the next time. [Leonard smiles, standing and walking over to the TV. He puts his arm over the top, looking at the screen]
LJ: Twenty-five years. And I’ve loved each and every minute of it. Standing in the ring at Black Dawn with Max and Jecht, the tag titles held high, will be the greatest moment in my career. And from there, the moments will just get better and better. Calling, Ops, Assassins, we’ll make sure the tables are set properly for you.
[FADE OUT]
LJ: Ladies and Gentleman, what you see before you is the end result of battling my man, the one and only CLAW. You boys in the back listen up; you can come and try everything you’ve got, but you’ll lose, each and every one of you. None of you can match him, so don’t even try.
[The camera pans back, as the tape is paused, before panning round to see Leonard Johnson, sitting at his desk, dressed in a grey suit and blue shirt, a mismatching tie similar to the one in the video to the side of the desk]
LJ: My first management experience. Twenty-five years ago. I’ve gotten better in delivery, haven’t I? But that’s a tale for another day. CLAW was good, but even he paled in comparison to Blitz. And he, nor any of his foes, had to resort to losing their tempers. As a matter of interest, he served in Vietnam.
But, that doesn’t mean anything to you, Cloak, does it? After all, I’ve never been in the combat zone. Which is true. And I never said you hadn’t. But, in all the twenty-five years I’ve been in this business, I’ve seen most every gimmick imaginable. Wrestling roosters, wrestling soldiers, patriots, clowns, gargoyles, the lot. And, Cloak, you and Dagger are the same as every single other guy who wants to try and play on their military career and the old patriot gimmick. Leave it at the door; congrats on killing people for this great nation, but leave that at the door. It has NO relevance on the outcome of a wrestling match. You’re no different to ANY of the thousands who’ve tried that gimmick. But, Cloak, it’s obvious your recon has failed you again. What you’ve been through proves you’re better? No. It shows you can kill better than I. It shows you can use a gun better than Max or Jecht. It doesn’t prove a damn thing about what happens in between those ropes. And your use of insults shows why you made it into the military; you lack the mental faculties for anything else. CLAW, he was different. He was drafted, he didn’t have much choice. He went through hell day after day in Vietnam. Did he once tell of his experiences? Not when he was talking about wrestling. You think killing some poorly armed soldiers qualifies you for some major accolade? Too bad. Next time you want to open your mouth and talk about how you’ve killed people in the name of this country, remember that so have thousands of others. What you’ve done doesn’t make you different or special. And claming it as if it were a great and wondrous thing we should all be in awe of is simply showing your inabilities.
Now, we move to you, Dagger. The calmer of the two. A man I can maybe talk with in a civil conversation. You know, Dagger, your partner reminds me of someone. He didn’t let his partner talk. He tried to show Blitz up every chance he got. He never accepted my challenge to let his partner, Fat Farrell, talk. We never saw which team was the better, since the company folded before the card, even with Blitz and the Monsta Boyz promoting like crazy. You see, that’s what I do. I promote, I guide, and I manage. Blitz train, they work, they wrestle. But, named after Santa’s reindeer? How imaginative of you. Maybe I should be scared? Somehow, I don’t see how I can be scared of one man who shouts and rants, and another, you, Dagger, who feels the need to resort to a child’s attempt at an insult. Do I make fun of your in-ring names? No, because that’s the little gimmick you two have going. Maybe you two should keep your mouths closed and your voices stilled until you have thought and grown in intelligence. Because you make the Armed Forces of this great nation seem uneducated, and I will not allow the memories of those soldiers who have died for this nation to be disgraced by two uneducated, dishonourably discharged ex’s who only fought in the one campaign.
Now, the wheat being cut from the chaff, let me address Mr. Fear. Twenty-five years, I’ve been doing this. Dressed as this. Improved on the mic considerably. Whom is copying whom? The correct answer is neither. I’ve been on the independent circuit until recently, so it’s doubtful you’d have seen me. You may find the odd old tape, but not many survive. I did do commentary though, so you might find that. As for Max and Jecht; I let them do as they wish. They were held back in this industry because of their lack of communicative skills compared to their competitors, so I was asked to help them. Does that make them copies of Ivan? No, they’ve been this way for years themselves. So, let’s drop that topic before you embarrass yourself.
I appreciate, though, that you acknowledge their efforts in the last encounter. It’s good to see in this business a man who appreciates a good contest. And yes, Blitz have been training. I expected nothing less of either of your boys either. I never expect anything less of esteemed opponents. But, to argue that you’re going to steam roller this match is inaccurate. And to say you’re more intelligent than me; well, that’s on the level of Mr Dagger’s ‘reindeer’ comment.
How are you preparing? Most likely by watching tapes, lifting weights, getting physically and mentally ready. The same as Blitz. Right now, they’re training. They’ve been training almost non-stop. They know what to expect; they know that Black and Ivan are going to push them more in this match than last. They expect it, and are working accordingly. They crave those titles, they crave to show the WORLD that they are the superior team. But they know not to expect anything less than perfection from the Calling, Covert Ops, and the Assassins. They are training to be every bit as perfect as they can be. Their combination of speed and power is uncanny. Never have I seen two men as large, powerful, yet as quick, as they are. Like I have said in the past, they may not be as fast as Erik, or as powerful as Ivan, but they are still the PERFECT combination of speed and power. That’s is the key word, Nathan. They possess BOTH in quantities few can fathom. Train your boys well.
And if you don’t like a part of a promo, fast-forward it the next time. [Leonard smiles, standing and walking over to the TV. He puts his arm over the top, looking at the screen]
LJ: Twenty-five years. And I’ve loved each and every minute of it. Standing in the ring at Black Dawn with Max and Jecht, the tag titles held high, will be the greatest moment in my career. And from there, the moments will just get better and better. Calling, Ops, Assassins, we’ll make sure the tables are set properly for you.
[FADE OUT]
SCENE BEGINS
(Fade into a cozy little scene... one of those typical downtown New York pizzerias; the pillar of East Coast society, some would say. You know the kind of place it is, even if you've never been in one; tile floors, placemats, the smell of tomatos, with the big Italian guy who could take your order in under a minute and would likely knock your head off with a big stick if you said the wrong thing to him, usually named Sal, or Vinnie, or Tony. This particular man in the stained white apron bears a nametag that reads "Vito"...)
(All you need is Spike Lee walking out with a pizza delivery, and you'd be set.)
(We open up with the camera set above the jukebox against the wall, looking across the restaurant and the people inside. Behind the counter, Vito, the typically disgruntled New York worker, hammers away on the next order. Stepping up to the jukebox are two people--no, not who you THINK they are. These guys, just upon the first glance, are HORRIBLY out of place. Evidently, someone got their North mixed up with their South, and the two punks stepping up to the camera now are obviously on the wrong side of the country.)
(Everything about them screams LA, straight down to the dyed hair, the Linkin Park t-shirts, the big doorknocker noserings, the combined weight between them possibly being just over 200 pounds, with faces uglier than one of Vito's pizzas, and voices that assuredly sound as adolescent and whiny as any other sh*tty numetal band on the scene. The very sight of them here, in New York, gives you the feeling of nails on a chalkboard.)
(Dumb begins sifting through the CD selections of the jukebox while Dumber stands idly around in his exaggerated LA trip. For the moment, let's just call these scum bags two of the lamest names ever: Josh and Darren. No offense to anybody who bears those names in real life, but... you have to admit, they are kind of lame.)
Darren
Wow, man! Just think, in just a few days, you and I are gonna be at BLACK DAWN, front row and center!
Josh
Yeah, boyyy! Front row and center, and we're going to see our man Karl "The Dragon" Brown tear the sh*t up, hardcore!
(They share a high five, for no particular reason, aside form the fact that they are Southern California garbage in an environment that is worlds tougher than finding tickets to the next Saliva concert. Josh continues to go through the CD selection.)
Josh
Check this out, bro! This place has got a bunch of crappy bands in their SOUND box! Who ever heard of Pantera? Losers...
Darren
Huh huh... AC/DC? Those old faggots? God, what a bunch of lamers...
Josh
Led Zepellin? God, those guys are a bunch of overrated sellouts!
Darren
HAHAHAHA!! There's a CD from those posers called Nirvana!
(From behind the counter, Vito is someone irked. Not simply because his choices in music are being criticized... more because a couple of superficial jerk-offs are in his store and disturbing his East Coast vibe.)
Vito the Pizza Man
Ey, you guys gonna order anything, or just jerk-off around here all day?
(Sensing some hostility--and if you don't get hostility in New York, then it must be a cold day in hell, cause EVERYBODY gives you sh*t over there--the LA punks immediately go into their cheesy "tough" mode, puffing up their chests and sizing up the man behind the counter. One look at the Italian pizza man, who has likely been serving pieces of sh*t like these two guys for over thirty years, you could obviously see that he could whipe the floor with these guys in a heartbeat.)
Josh
Aw, you wanna start something, biatch?
Darren
Better watch out, before I get up all in your bizz-nass!
(Contrary to what that sh*tty lead singer of Linkin Park whines about, everything you say to these guys gets them one step closer to the edge, but it's usually a boot to the ass that sends them off the cliff. Vito twitches... a small move that happens in the blink of an eye. The next thing you know, a baseball bat is firmly gripped into his hand, and swings out toward the punks, NARROWLY missing their faces by inches. A normal New Yorker would have jerked back a bit... both of these guys fall back on their ASSES, entirely caught off guard.)
Vito
GET DA F*CK OUTTA MY STORE!!
(Without delay, the pitiful Trust Company rejects run out of Vito's Pizza. The camera pans right as they make their hasty retreat, and comes to rest on a pair of men seated at a table, who have witnessed the entire thing.)
(Okay, you know who these guys are. The Crimson Calling, right? Yeah, okay, lucky you; here's your freaking prize. Surprisingly, Nathan Fear is not present this time around. You get Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev in their regular street clothes, half of a pie of half cheese and half pepperoni on the table before them. Black watches as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum stumble through the door and disappear in the downtown New York streets, then turns back to Ivan with a smile. Dalkichev, seeming to have not noticed anything, takes a bite out of a newly acquired slice of pizza--leaving only half left.)
Erik Black
Man, these New York guys don't f*ck around, huh?
(Dalkichev holds up a finger, busily chewing his food, and he swallows. After lightly dabbing a napkin over his lips, he speaks with a moderate Russian accent.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Remember last time we come to New York?
(With a twinkle of nostalgia in his eye, Erik nods.)
Erik Black
Heh... who could forget? You and I were nearly torn apart by a mob of angry Knick fans. This obviously ain't the place to be when you're on the side of the Pacers... like me.
(Ivan takes a gush of his drink to wash down his meal.)
Ivan Dalkichev
American sports... I can never understand. So proud and aggressive...
Erik Black
Yeah, it is kind of barbaric... but hey, when beer and pizza are your best friends, what else do you have to look to?
(In a single bite, Ivan finishes off the remaining half of his pizza and cleans his mouth again with the napkin. Erik turns his attention to the camera.)
Erik Black
Well, I guess I should welcome you all for coming down here to join us. Ivan and I have just arrived in New York, and decided to stop and grab some lunch before we went to the hotel. Mr. Fear is out finding a gym to rent for our convenience for the week--it's hard to find a place with the proper equipment and resources needed for our training, even in a city as big as this. But don't worry... we should return to our hefty work-out schedule by tomorrow.
Ivan Dalkichev
Until then, please... sit.
(Dalkichev offers one mighty hand forward, and the camera tracks in, positioning itself where the third chair might be pulled up. The Crimson Calling now fill the frame.)
Erik Black
Now, isn't this better? For once, you're given an opportunity to get to know your future Tag Team champions, without having Mr. Fear do all the talking for us. Sounds ingenious, doesn't it? You wouldn't expect this kind of thing from Blitz... nor would you WANT it, I suppose. After all, who would sit through an entire promo with nothing but Jecht going on and on in broken English while Meathead Max stands there with his mouth shut, trying to uphold his lame "strong and silent" image...
Ivan Dalkichev
Nyet, Erik... you have it, how do you say... "backways?"
(Black thinks for a moment.)
Erik Black
Oh, you mean I got the two mixed up?
Ivan Dalkichev
Yes. Max is German, Jecht is brain dead... not other way around.
Erik Black
Bah, what's the difference? Both have a tendency to hide behind their manager and let HIM do all the talking for them, because they are incapable of doing it themselves.
Ivan Dalkichev
Likely speak up in next promo...
Erik Black
Yeah, probably. Everybody knows those guys have problems with originality. But the point I'm trying to make is, how are we supposed to see these guys as Empire Pro's first Tag Team Champions? When I see Blitz, I don't see a guy named Max and a guy named Jecht... I see that little troll, Leonard Johnson, and a couple of oversized puppets. From what I can gather, we're not competing against Max and Jecht; we're competing against Leonard Johnson's boys...
You'd think they'd get a clue, and realize that they are being completely overshadowed by their employer. I bet they'd follow him off a cliff.
Ivan Dalkichev
What is spectacular for Leonard Johnson?
Erik Black
Ya got me, Ivan...
(Erik turns his focus to the camera.)
Erik Black
Lenny... you boast a big 25 years in this business... but, you've only done work in the indy and underground feds, "until recently"? We might be shy twenty years of your experience... but Ivan and I never wasted a quarter of a century of our time entertaining backwater hicks in high school gymnasiums.
Ivan Dalkichev
For past five years, Crimson Calling has competed in many federations, for many fans all over world. Much competition through these five years, but at height of our experience, we stand tall as strongest tag team in industry to date. But Leonard Johnson just now comes to our level? After 25 years of struggling in bush leagues, only NOW come into the REAL game?
Erik Black
I think, Lenny, you should take your own advise, and shut the hell up before you embarrass yourself. Twenty-five years is a considerable amount of time... it means you've been a manager for about as long as I've been alive. But then again, you'd think that in all that time... you would ACCOMPLISH something. We've been in this industry for a good half a decade, together every step of the way. I know my partner like the back of my hand, and he knows me the exact same. Through those entire five years, Ivan and I have wowed THOUSANDS of fans and decimating the competition in MAJOR professional wrestling federations--not the underground crap you hail from.
And the Boss? Heh... he's been doing the same thing for twice as long. Yeah, he might not match 25 years, Lenny... but in the small ten years he's been in this industry, he's been a manager, a professional wrestler, a talent representative, a trainer, and a Vice President. He's been doing all of that in MAINSTREAM federations, where the REAL TALENT competes to entertain the people who pay to watch.
So screw you and your 25 years in the independent circuits... it's kind of sad to know that for as much as you've grown during that time and become wiser, your cunning and motivation are STILL below those of the boss. In the entire time it took for you to get where you are, Nathan Fear has done even MORE in less than HALF the time, in federations all over the world, just like Empire Pro.
Ivan Dalkichev
Imagine where we will be in 25 years... I see giant statues in Tokyo!
But seriously... why does Mr. Johnson still cling to old arguments? Max and Jecht are perfect combinations of speed and power? I have heard before! You said same thing before first Aggression, and guess what? We won match! You make good effort, but however you see it, Crimson Calling proved stronger that night.
Blitz are phyiscally inferior to Crimson Calling, as past has shown. But... over past four weeks, Erik and myself have trained very hard. Trained not just for my strength, or for his speed... rather, I have trained to make strength faster, and Erik has been trained to make speed more effective.
You see this?
(He holds up his fist.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Very big, no?
You could say... matches power of speeding locomotive? Perhaps it does... but what if also matches SPEED of locomotive? Then you must beware of my fist, or it will CRUSH your puny heads!
In same way, Erik has trained to be strong. Maybe can't lift me off the mat, but... can surely lift YOU, Max, or YOU, Jecht!
You do well at Aggression, yes... but at Black Dawn? Crimson Calling make sure you do WORSE!! Maybe you be surprised... when you see you are not as fast as Ivan Dalkichev! Or, not as strong as Erik Black!
(A large, sinister grin crosses the face of the Raging Russian.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Until then... please, Mr. Johnson...
Come up with something NEW!! We tire of hearing same pompous remarks!
Erik Black
We never believed for a second that this was going to be an easy match. But... Leonard, you seem to be under the impression that your guys can win this match. Why the confidence?
Is it because in your 25 years, you've never seen a pair of guys who could match the speed and power of Max and Jecht? That's all fine and dandy, but you're forgetting that those are 25 years in the indy feds. On the other hand, in the time Ivan and I have been with Mr. Fear, we HAVE seen guys like Max and Jecht, and beaten them. We've seen many wrestlers who are BETTER than those two, and beaten them as well.
Take it from us... a couple of guys who have spent less time in more talented places...
(Ivan heaves a sigh.)
Ivan Dalkichev
I tire of Blitz...
Erik Black
Yeah, I do too, Ivan. Hopefully after Black Dawn, after they pull themselves out of the destroyed tables we're bound to send them through, we'll go on to defend our belts against the TRULY talented teams out there, and never have to cross paths with these guys again...
Set yourself up with another slice of pizza, Ivan, cause we're going to switch tracks to another pair of individuals, known as Cloak and Dagger...
(Ivan takes his advice and grabs another slice of cheese, consuming half of it in a single bite from his enourmous mouth. Erik takes a sip of his Coke, and moves on.)
Erik Black
I don't know whether I should laugh at these guys, or take them seriously in every aspect. I have an older brother over seas in Iraq this very moment, risking his life to make this world a better place. I don't agree with his being over there, but he signed the contract, he accepted the uniform, and he's following through with his past decision to become a soldier with the grace and responsibility of any great human being.
Cloak and Dagger... you guys had a good match against the Assassins. But come on... you HAVE to know that your victory was complete luck. Ivan and I have been watching the progress of the Assassins for the past year, seeing how far they've come and where they're willing to go in the ring. Those guys, Orion and Osiris... are BADASSES...
Knowing that these same to men are in the same match is a threat to our confidence... but, there's something we realize. Lately, Orion and Osiris have been behind in their game. They haven't been performing up to par, as their reputation requires. I can't say what they've been up to, but...
(He shrugs.)
Erik Black
All I'm saying is, don't think last week's big victory means you're better than those guys. They have had many better matches. I bet you could take any two guys off the street, and they'd probably have the same success. Sometimes, to topple a couple of legends, the problem has to come from within. It certainly doesn't take a pair of war veterans to do the job...
Or GULF war veterans, for that matter. Cloak carries quite a chip on his shoulder. I haven't been in a war, but I do have relatives that have told me about it...
And it's nothing like YOU guys describe it... that's for sure.
I'm sure life in the desert must have been very hard, sitting around at a base and grieving the loss of all your war buddies to friendly fire.
(Erik rolls his eyes.)
Erik Black
I've got a newsflash for you guys...
This is professional wrestling... not a war for oil.
While you had your little romp in Iraq, Ivan and I have been busting our asses in this industry for the past five years, establishing ourselves as one of the best tag teams ever. Ever heard of Butt-F*ck Bellows and Fat-Ass Farrell? Met them in the ring, fought a hell of a match, and walked out with the titles. More threatening than a dozen Iraqi soldiers running out of a bunker with their hands up, I assure you.
(Ivan, finishing his pizza and washing it down with a sip of his own drink, chimes in with his broad voice.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Perhaps I should address something. It has come to surface that I was an agent for KGB. This is true... and can't be forgotten, unfortunately. But, it has been long time since fall of Soviet Union. I have since broken all ties to Mother Russia, and become American citizen. Day by day, I try to cope with past... try to leave it behind me, and move on with my life.
Please, do not hate me for who I was... hate me because I am opponent, and stronger, and BETTER in ring! But as Americans, let us be brothers!
If you cannot forgive, then I understand. I will not hold it against you... not inside or outside of ring. At Black Dawn, it will be business. I will fight you because you are my opponent. I will put both of you through tables, because I want Crimson Calling to be Tag Team Champions.
Erik Black
And for the same reasons, I'm going to help him.
Forget the KGB, Cloak and Dagger... I assure you, what you're bound to meet in the ring at Black Dawn is more threatening than the Red Scare. When the Pay Per View rolls around, and eight men are standing in the ring... two are going to steal the show, and overcome all the competition. Two men, who are faster... stronger... and more determined than the other teams.
(Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev exchange a glance, and look to the camera again.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Heh heh... and you are LOOKING at them!
Erik Black
To our opponents, the best of luck at Black Dawn... but only two men can be the Tag Team Champions, and at the moment, all signs point to the Crimson Calling...
(Fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
(Fade into a cozy little scene... one of those typical downtown New York pizzerias; the pillar of East Coast society, some would say. You know the kind of place it is, even if you've never been in one; tile floors, placemats, the smell of tomatos, with the big Italian guy who could take your order in under a minute and would likely knock your head off with a big stick if you said the wrong thing to him, usually named Sal, or Vinnie, or Tony. This particular man in the stained white apron bears a nametag that reads "Vito"...)
(All you need is Spike Lee walking out with a pizza delivery, and you'd be set.)
(We open up with the camera set above the jukebox against the wall, looking across the restaurant and the people inside. Behind the counter, Vito, the typically disgruntled New York worker, hammers away on the next order. Stepping up to the jukebox are two people--no, not who you THINK they are. These guys, just upon the first glance, are HORRIBLY out of place. Evidently, someone got their North mixed up with their South, and the two punks stepping up to the camera now are obviously on the wrong side of the country.)
(Everything about them screams LA, straight down to the dyed hair, the Linkin Park t-shirts, the big doorknocker noserings, the combined weight between them possibly being just over 200 pounds, with faces uglier than one of Vito's pizzas, and voices that assuredly sound as adolescent and whiny as any other sh*tty numetal band on the scene. The very sight of them here, in New York, gives you the feeling of nails on a chalkboard.)
(Dumb begins sifting through the CD selections of the jukebox while Dumber stands idly around in his exaggerated LA trip. For the moment, let's just call these scum bags two of the lamest names ever: Josh and Darren. No offense to anybody who bears those names in real life, but... you have to admit, they are kind of lame.)
Darren
Wow, man! Just think, in just a few days, you and I are gonna be at BLACK DAWN, front row and center!
Josh
Yeah, boyyy! Front row and center, and we're going to see our man Karl "The Dragon" Brown tear the sh*t up, hardcore!
(They share a high five, for no particular reason, aside form the fact that they are Southern California garbage in an environment that is worlds tougher than finding tickets to the next Saliva concert. Josh continues to go through the CD selection.)
Josh
Check this out, bro! This place has got a bunch of crappy bands in their SOUND box! Who ever heard of Pantera? Losers...
Darren
Huh huh... AC/DC? Those old faggots? God, what a bunch of lamers...
Josh
Led Zepellin? God, those guys are a bunch of overrated sellouts!
Darren
HAHAHAHA!! There's a CD from those posers called Nirvana!
(From behind the counter, Vito is someone irked. Not simply because his choices in music are being criticized... more because a couple of superficial jerk-offs are in his store and disturbing his East Coast vibe.)
Vito the Pizza Man
Ey, you guys gonna order anything, or just jerk-off around here all day?
(Sensing some hostility--and if you don't get hostility in New York, then it must be a cold day in hell, cause EVERYBODY gives you sh*t over there--the LA punks immediately go into their cheesy "tough" mode, puffing up their chests and sizing up the man behind the counter. One look at the Italian pizza man, who has likely been serving pieces of sh*t like these two guys for over thirty years, you could obviously see that he could whipe the floor with these guys in a heartbeat.)
Josh
Aw, you wanna start something, biatch?
Darren
Better watch out, before I get up all in your bizz-nass!
(Contrary to what that sh*tty lead singer of Linkin Park whines about, everything you say to these guys gets them one step closer to the edge, but it's usually a boot to the ass that sends them off the cliff. Vito twitches... a small move that happens in the blink of an eye. The next thing you know, a baseball bat is firmly gripped into his hand, and swings out toward the punks, NARROWLY missing their faces by inches. A normal New Yorker would have jerked back a bit... both of these guys fall back on their ASSES, entirely caught off guard.)
Vito
GET DA F*CK OUTTA MY STORE!!
(Without delay, the pitiful Trust Company rejects run out of Vito's Pizza. The camera pans right as they make their hasty retreat, and comes to rest on a pair of men seated at a table, who have witnessed the entire thing.)
(Okay, you know who these guys are. The Crimson Calling, right? Yeah, okay, lucky you; here's your freaking prize. Surprisingly, Nathan Fear is not present this time around. You get Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev in their regular street clothes, half of a pie of half cheese and half pepperoni on the table before them. Black watches as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum stumble through the door and disappear in the downtown New York streets, then turns back to Ivan with a smile. Dalkichev, seeming to have not noticed anything, takes a bite out of a newly acquired slice of pizza--leaving only half left.)
Erik Black
Man, these New York guys don't f*ck around, huh?
(Dalkichev holds up a finger, busily chewing his food, and he swallows. After lightly dabbing a napkin over his lips, he speaks with a moderate Russian accent.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Remember last time we come to New York?
(With a twinkle of nostalgia in his eye, Erik nods.)
Erik Black
Heh... who could forget? You and I were nearly torn apart by a mob of angry Knick fans. This obviously ain't the place to be when you're on the side of the Pacers... like me.
(Ivan takes a gush of his drink to wash down his meal.)
Ivan Dalkichev
American sports... I can never understand. So proud and aggressive...
Erik Black
Yeah, it is kind of barbaric... but hey, when beer and pizza are your best friends, what else do you have to look to?
(In a single bite, Ivan finishes off the remaining half of his pizza and cleans his mouth again with the napkin. Erik turns his attention to the camera.)
Erik Black
Well, I guess I should welcome you all for coming down here to join us. Ivan and I have just arrived in New York, and decided to stop and grab some lunch before we went to the hotel. Mr. Fear is out finding a gym to rent for our convenience for the week--it's hard to find a place with the proper equipment and resources needed for our training, even in a city as big as this. But don't worry... we should return to our hefty work-out schedule by tomorrow.
Ivan Dalkichev
Until then, please... sit.
(Dalkichev offers one mighty hand forward, and the camera tracks in, positioning itself where the third chair might be pulled up. The Crimson Calling now fill the frame.)
Erik Black
Now, isn't this better? For once, you're given an opportunity to get to know your future Tag Team champions, without having Mr. Fear do all the talking for us. Sounds ingenious, doesn't it? You wouldn't expect this kind of thing from Blitz... nor would you WANT it, I suppose. After all, who would sit through an entire promo with nothing but Jecht going on and on in broken English while Meathead Max stands there with his mouth shut, trying to uphold his lame "strong and silent" image...
Ivan Dalkichev
Nyet, Erik... you have it, how do you say... "backways?"
(Black thinks for a moment.)
Erik Black
Oh, you mean I got the two mixed up?
Ivan Dalkichev
Yes. Max is German, Jecht is brain dead... not other way around.
Erik Black
Bah, what's the difference? Both have a tendency to hide behind their manager and let HIM do all the talking for them, because they are incapable of doing it themselves.
Ivan Dalkichev
Likely speak up in next promo...
Erik Black
Yeah, probably. Everybody knows those guys have problems with originality. But the point I'm trying to make is, how are we supposed to see these guys as Empire Pro's first Tag Team Champions? When I see Blitz, I don't see a guy named Max and a guy named Jecht... I see that little troll, Leonard Johnson, and a couple of oversized puppets. From what I can gather, we're not competing against Max and Jecht; we're competing against Leonard Johnson's boys...
You'd think they'd get a clue, and realize that they are being completely overshadowed by their employer. I bet they'd follow him off a cliff.
Ivan Dalkichev
What is spectacular for Leonard Johnson?
Erik Black
Ya got me, Ivan...
(Erik turns his focus to the camera.)
Erik Black
Lenny... you boast a big 25 years in this business... but, you've only done work in the indy and underground feds, "until recently"? We might be shy twenty years of your experience... but Ivan and I never wasted a quarter of a century of our time entertaining backwater hicks in high school gymnasiums.
Ivan Dalkichev
For past five years, Crimson Calling has competed in many federations, for many fans all over world. Much competition through these five years, but at height of our experience, we stand tall as strongest tag team in industry to date. But Leonard Johnson just now comes to our level? After 25 years of struggling in bush leagues, only NOW come into the REAL game?
Erik Black
I think, Lenny, you should take your own advise, and shut the hell up before you embarrass yourself. Twenty-five years is a considerable amount of time... it means you've been a manager for about as long as I've been alive. But then again, you'd think that in all that time... you would ACCOMPLISH something. We've been in this industry for a good half a decade, together every step of the way. I know my partner like the back of my hand, and he knows me the exact same. Through those entire five years, Ivan and I have wowed THOUSANDS of fans and decimating the competition in MAJOR professional wrestling federations--not the underground crap you hail from.
And the Boss? Heh... he's been doing the same thing for twice as long. Yeah, he might not match 25 years, Lenny... but in the small ten years he's been in this industry, he's been a manager, a professional wrestler, a talent representative, a trainer, and a Vice President. He's been doing all of that in MAINSTREAM federations, where the REAL TALENT competes to entertain the people who pay to watch.
So screw you and your 25 years in the independent circuits... it's kind of sad to know that for as much as you've grown during that time and become wiser, your cunning and motivation are STILL below those of the boss. In the entire time it took for you to get where you are, Nathan Fear has done even MORE in less than HALF the time, in federations all over the world, just like Empire Pro.
Ivan Dalkichev
Imagine where we will be in 25 years... I see giant statues in Tokyo!
But seriously... why does Mr. Johnson still cling to old arguments? Max and Jecht are perfect combinations of speed and power? I have heard before! You said same thing before first Aggression, and guess what? We won match! You make good effort, but however you see it, Crimson Calling proved stronger that night.
Blitz are phyiscally inferior to Crimson Calling, as past has shown. But... over past four weeks, Erik and myself have trained very hard. Trained not just for my strength, or for his speed... rather, I have trained to make strength faster, and Erik has been trained to make speed more effective.
You see this?
(He holds up his fist.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Very big, no?
You could say... matches power of speeding locomotive? Perhaps it does... but what if also matches SPEED of locomotive? Then you must beware of my fist, or it will CRUSH your puny heads!
In same way, Erik has trained to be strong. Maybe can't lift me off the mat, but... can surely lift YOU, Max, or YOU, Jecht!
You do well at Aggression, yes... but at Black Dawn? Crimson Calling make sure you do WORSE!! Maybe you be surprised... when you see you are not as fast as Ivan Dalkichev! Or, not as strong as Erik Black!
(A large, sinister grin crosses the face of the Raging Russian.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Until then... please, Mr. Johnson...
Come up with something NEW!! We tire of hearing same pompous remarks!
Erik Black
We never believed for a second that this was going to be an easy match. But... Leonard, you seem to be under the impression that your guys can win this match. Why the confidence?
Is it because in your 25 years, you've never seen a pair of guys who could match the speed and power of Max and Jecht? That's all fine and dandy, but you're forgetting that those are 25 years in the indy feds. On the other hand, in the time Ivan and I have been with Mr. Fear, we HAVE seen guys like Max and Jecht, and beaten them. We've seen many wrestlers who are BETTER than those two, and beaten them as well.
Take it from us... a couple of guys who have spent less time in more talented places...
(Ivan heaves a sigh.)
Ivan Dalkichev
I tire of Blitz...
Erik Black
Yeah, I do too, Ivan. Hopefully after Black Dawn, after they pull themselves out of the destroyed tables we're bound to send them through, we'll go on to defend our belts against the TRULY talented teams out there, and never have to cross paths with these guys again...
Set yourself up with another slice of pizza, Ivan, cause we're going to switch tracks to another pair of individuals, known as Cloak and Dagger...
(Ivan takes his advice and grabs another slice of cheese, consuming half of it in a single bite from his enourmous mouth. Erik takes a sip of his Coke, and moves on.)
Erik Black
I don't know whether I should laugh at these guys, or take them seriously in every aspect. I have an older brother over seas in Iraq this very moment, risking his life to make this world a better place. I don't agree with his being over there, but he signed the contract, he accepted the uniform, and he's following through with his past decision to become a soldier with the grace and responsibility of any great human being.
Cloak and Dagger... you guys had a good match against the Assassins. But come on... you HAVE to know that your victory was complete luck. Ivan and I have been watching the progress of the Assassins for the past year, seeing how far they've come and where they're willing to go in the ring. Those guys, Orion and Osiris... are BADASSES...
Knowing that these same to men are in the same match is a threat to our confidence... but, there's something we realize. Lately, Orion and Osiris have been behind in their game. They haven't been performing up to par, as their reputation requires. I can't say what they've been up to, but...
(He shrugs.)
Erik Black
All I'm saying is, don't think last week's big victory means you're better than those guys. They have had many better matches. I bet you could take any two guys off the street, and they'd probably have the same success. Sometimes, to topple a couple of legends, the problem has to come from within. It certainly doesn't take a pair of war veterans to do the job...
Or GULF war veterans, for that matter. Cloak carries quite a chip on his shoulder. I haven't been in a war, but I do have relatives that have told me about it...
And it's nothing like YOU guys describe it... that's for sure.
I'm sure life in the desert must have been very hard, sitting around at a base and grieving the loss of all your war buddies to friendly fire.
(Erik rolls his eyes.)
Erik Black
I've got a newsflash for you guys...
This is professional wrestling... not a war for oil.
While you had your little romp in Iraq, Ivan and I have been busting our asses in this industry for the past five years, establishing ourselves as one of the best tag teams ever. Ever heard of Butt-F*ck Bellows and Fat-Ass Farrell? Met them in the ring, fought a hell of a match, and walked out with the titles. More threatening than a dozen Iraqi soldiers running out of a bunker with their hands up, I assure you.
(Ivan, finishing his pizza and washing it down with a sip of his own drink, chimes in with his broad voice.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Perhaps I should address something. It has come to surface that I was an agent for KGB. This is true... and can't be forgotten, unfortunately. But, it has been long time since fall of Soviet Union. I have since broken all ties to Mother Russia, and become American citizen. Day by day, I try to cope with past... try to leave it behind me, and move on with my life.
Please, do not hate me for who I was... hate me because I am opponent, and stronger, and BETTER in ring! But as Americans, let us be brothers!
If you cannot forgive, then I understand. I will not hold it against you... not inside or outside of ring. At Black Dawn, it will be business. I will fight you because you are my opponent. I will put both of you through tables, because I want Crimson Calling to be Tag Team Champions.
Erik Black
And for the same reasons, I'm going to help him.
Forget the KGB, Cloak and Dagger... I assure you, what you're bound to meet in the ring at Black Dawn is more threatening than the Red Scare. When the Pay Per View rolls around, and eight men are standing in the ring... two are going to steal the show, and overcome all the competition. Two men, who are faster... stronger... and more determined than the other teams.
(Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev exchange a glance, and look to the camera again.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Heh heh... and you are LOOKING at them!
Erik Black
To our opponents, the best of luck at Black Dawn... but only two men can be the Tag Team Champions, and at the moment, all signs point to the Crimson Calling...
(Fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
EpyonMarx
New member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2003
- Messages
- 1,004
- Points
- 0
- Location
- Nottingham, England
- Website
- www.karl-brown.co.uk
[FADE IN. Blitz are training on CV equipment in a gymnasium, as Leonard watches the tape of the Calling's last promo, stifling laughter all the while. At the end of the tape, he leaves it running, before turning to the camera]
LJ: Never in my time in this industry have I seen a more pathetic piece of work from a team that's supposed to be so highly regarded. Nathan, I like how you've let them handle their own promo for this match, but do them a favour and don't do it again until they develop personality traits I can't attribute directly to a script written by you. Or maybe their time together with you has caused them to talk in a similar way as you?
I'll dispense with the usual pleasantries and get straight to the point. Black, Dalkichev, you two are a great team in the ring. But you're overconfident. How many teams are there where both men are over three hundred pounds, can pick up Ivan WITH EASE and still run the hundred metres in just under eleven seconds? I've spoken to some boys on the circuit, men coming up the ranks, and men on their way down. Hell, I've even spoken to some people whose skills far exceed yours, Erik, and they struggle at around eleven and a half. Next time, Boy, you should actually research your claims fully.
Now, with regards my twenty-five years in this industry. Yes, it took a long time to get to the so-called 'big leagues,' and yes, it may have been a long time. But, remember something; back when I started, there was no 'big league.' It was a territorial thing. Within ten years, there were two major promotions. By that time, I had become an announcer on the independent circuit, contractually obligated. They even paid better than offers from the big leagues. Within the last few years, there've been more and more of these big leagues coming out. It was more a case of wrong place, wrong time. But, had I accepted a contract with some Atlanta based organisation, I would never have been given the opportunity to manage two of the best at what they do. We've toured the country, creating waves, and we got asked to meet with MCW on the basis of what others were saying. People who'd seen the Calling in action had also seen Blitz in action, and apparently, they said Max and Jecht were the better team. I watched tapes of your old matches, and I've seen nothing special, besides Ivan's undoubted strength. He's one of the three strongest men I've seen in this industry. But, something just doesn't seem quite right.
Would he have made it to this height without Nathan's money and skill with words? More importantly, would he have made it alone?
I have no doubt in the abilities of Max and Jecht, but they were struggling for recognition, because neither could garner interest outside of a match. People couldn't understand Max when he spoke because of his heavy Germanic accent, and Jecht has been incredibly quiet most of his life. However, he's brain-dead? My my my, I'd have thought a student of Nathan's would be able to come up with something more imaginative and original. But, you're completely wrong regardless. His intelligence is far above yours. It's not the loud-mouthed, brash man who's the most intelligent. Jecht may keep to himself a lot, but that's because of who he is, and his childhood. Expelled from school for nearly killing someone with his bare hands. He has problems with anger, which is why he keeps to himself. Many people with his level of anger and aggression do. But, he's also one of the most intelligent people there is. He's actually statistically in the top ten per cent in this country. I doubt that makes him brain-dead. And to have ever made that accusation shows a distinct lack of intelligence on your part.
Now, as to why I think Blitz can win this match. You make a comment that to me seems to imply you think I'm overconfident, when you yourselves are guilty of much the same thing. This match hasn't started yet, let alone finished. The Calling are good, and in a standard match, one team on another, you could win more easily. However, this is a tables match, with a total of four teams. That's eight men. Now, I know that there hasn't been a clear indication of the complete rules yet, but rest assured, Blitz are ready for this match, and are prepared to put however many people through the tables they have to in order to win. I know for a fact you two are as well, but let me ask you this; what will happen when one of you is trying to put an opponent through a table, and the other gets sent through a different table at the same time? How about, when the first of you turns round, he gets put straight through a table? You two are just as easy to put through a table as any other man in this match. I'm overconfident? Perhaps. But to then say that you ARE going to win this match is the same sin as you try and attribute to myself.
Now, about Jecht trying to uphold some image. He is who he is. You've surely done your research, haven't you? He's always been like this, as far back as I have known him, and Max assures me he has been the same as long as he's known Jecht. This is in his private life too. Much the same way as you're the cocky, brash young man over there, Erik. So, leave the supposed character analysis to the experts. Jecht isn't an image in anything more than his change of name. Then again, even if we used his birth name, Paulo, you'd try saying he was trying to uphold an image. Really, when someone has to try and take that route, you know they're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
[Leonard shakes his head]
LJ: But what can I expect from a man who's desperate?
Now, I asked Max and Jecht if there was anything they wanted to say. They declined, knowing they had to train. So, I asked if there was any message they wanted me to give to you, Erik, Ivan. From Max, he wishes you 'schones gluck,' and Jecht wishes you two 'the best of luck in the match as esteemed and talented men of the mat.' From me, I say I fully expect to see the gold around your waist sometime down the line. But at Black Dawn, you should prepare to be Blitzed.
[FADE OUT to a message, Max and Jecht still training. The message reads, Black Dawn, Blitzed. END]
LJ: Never in my time in this industry have I seen a more pathetic piece of work from a team that's supposed to be so highly regarded. Nathan, I like how you've let them handle their own promo for this match, but do them a favour and don't do it again until they develop personality traits I can't attribute directly to a script written by you. Or maybe their time together with you has caused them to talk in a similar way as you?
I'll dispense with the usual pleasantries and get straight to the point. Black, Dalkichev, you two are a great team in the ring. But you're overconfident. How many teams are there where both men are over three hundred pounds, can pick up Ivan WITH EASE and still run the hundred metres in just under eleven seconds? I've spoken to some boys on the circuit, men coming up the ranks, and men on their way down. Hell, I've even spoken to some people whose skills far exceed yours, Erik, and they struggle at around eleven and a half. Next time, Boy, you should actually research your claims fully.
Now, with regards my twenty-five years in this industry. Yes, it took a long time to get to the so-called 'big leagues,' and yes, it may have been a long time. But, remember something; back when I started, there was no 'big league.' It was a territorial thing. Within ten years, there were two major promotions. By that time, I had become an announcer on the independent circuit, contractually obligated. They even paid better than offers from the big leagues. Within the last few years, there've been more and more of these big leagues coming out. It was more a case of wrong place, wrong time. But, had I accepted a contract with some Atlanta based organisation, I would never have been given the opportunity to manage two of the best at what they do. We've toured the country, creating waves, and we got asked to meet with MCW on the basis of what others were saying. People who'd seen the Calling in action had also seen Blitz in action, and apparently, they said Max and Jecht were the better team. I watched tapes of your old matches, and I've seen nothing special, besides Ivan's undoubted strength. He's one of the three strongest men I've seen in this industry. But, something just doesn't seem quite right.
Would he have made it to this height without Nathan's money and skill with words? More importantly, would he have made it alone?
I have no doubt in the abilities of Max and Jecht, but they were struggling for recognition, because neither could garner interest outside of a match. People couldn't understand Max when he spoke because of his heavy Germanic accent, and Jecht has been incredibly quiet most of his life. However, he's brain-dead? My my my, I'd have thought a student of Nathan's would be able to come up with something more imaginative and original. But, you're completely wrong regardless. His intelligence is far above yours. It's not the loud-mouthed, brash man who's the most intelligent. Jecht may keep to himself a lot, but that's because of who he is, and his childhood. Expelled from school for nearly killing someone with his bare hands. He has problems with anger, which is why he keeps to himself. Many people with his level of anger and aggression do. But, he's also one of the most intelligent people there is. He's actually statistically in the top ten per cent in this country. I doubt that makes him brain-dead. And to have ever made that accusation shows a distinct lack of intelligence on your part.
Now, as to why I think Blitz can win this match. You make a comment that to me seems to imply you think I'm overconfident, when you yourselves are guilty of much the same thing. This match hasn't started yet, let alone finished. The Calling are good, and in a standard match, one team on another, you could win more easily. However, this is a tables match, with a total of four teams. That's eight men. Now, I know that there hasn't been a clear indication of the complete rules yet, but rest assured, Blitz are ready for this match, and are prepared to put however many people through the tables they have to in order to win. I know for a fact you two are as well, but let me ask you this; what will happen when one of you is trying to put an opponent through a table, and the other gets sent through a different table at the same time? How about, when the first of you turns round, he gets put straight through a table? You two are just as easy to put through a table as any other man in this match. I'm overconfident? Perhaps. But to then say that you ARE going to win this match is the same sin as you try and attribute to myself.
Now, about Jecht trying to uphold some image. He is who he is. You've surely done your research, haven't you? He's always been like this, as far back as I have known him, and Max assures me he has been the same as long as he's known Jecht. This is in his private life too. Much the same way as you're the cocky, brash young man over there, Erik. So, leave the supposed character analysis to the experts. Jecht isn't an image in anything more than his change of name. Then again, even if we used his birth name, Paulo, you'd try saying he was trying to uphold an image. Really, when someone has to try and take that route, you know they're scraping the bottom of the barrel.
[Leonard shakes his head]
LJ: But what can I expect from a man who's desperate?
Now, I asked Max and Jecht if there was anything they wanted to say. They declined, knowing they had to train. So, I asked if there was any message they wanted me to give to you, Erik, Ivan. From Max, he wishes you 'schones gluck,' and Jecht wishes you two 'the best of luck in the match as esteemed and talented men of the mat.' From me, I say I fully expect to see the gold around your waist sometime down the line. But at Black Dawn, you should prepare to be Blitzed.
[FADE OUT to a message, Max and Jecht still training. The message reads, Black Dawn, Blitzed. END]
SCENE BEGINS
(Fade in.)
(A montage of shots pieced together with dissolve transfers. The camera angles slowly pan over the points of focus at close-ups. In the background, dramatic music plays. We pass over a rippling bicep, the size of a honeydew melon... a red crescent-shaped symbol embroidered on the corner of a set of tights... the chiseled features of a large man's back muscles... a clenched fist with a black wrist band, bearing CC in small red letters... a good shot of Ivan Dalkichev's face, brute and powerful, a demeanor of absolute confidence and intimidation... a shot of Erik Black, the cunning and wit shining through his countenance, with a fox-like gaze in his eyes. We are looking at champions, and Nathan Fear speaks over the footage.)
Nathan Fear
For the past week, I, Nathan Alexander Fear, have pumped my own blood and sweat behind the scenes through the veins of the two men you see now. Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev... unquestionably the greatest wrestling duo in the industry to date. There is not another team out there than can be compared to these two fine athletes.
Since our coming to Empire Pro, I have pushed these two beyond their standards, and accurately crafted them into a pairing that resembles perfection in an ideal Tag Team. These outstanding men, with the help of my guidance and direction, have given everything to be where they are today, and are willing to give it again to traverse the next obstacle. For these reasons, at Black Dawn, the team of Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev, well known as the Crimson Calling, promise to achieve nothing less than victory. While we regard the valor of the three opposing teams involved in this challenge with high esteem, the Crimson Calling will do anything it takes to become Empire Pro's first Tag Team champions.
And I know they can do it...
(Dissolve to a full shot of both competitors, standing tall on a darkened set, well-lit by overhead lights. Nathan Fear steps into the frame and covers the foreground.)
Nathan Fear
As I said in an earlier promo, these guys rarely disappoint me. I've been with these guys for quite a while. I've seen them in many matches, and I've been in their corner through every challenge that has appeared in our path. In certain cases, of course we get cocky... and it causes us to lose our focus.
But this is not another one of those occassions. We have been preparing for this moment at Black Dawn since the day we signed the contracts. You could call focus and determination the two platforms of our Tag Team Title campaign.
Our debut match was one thing. It was a match that would give us a foothold in bragging rights. We came to Aggression, in the heart of Washington, D.C., and we did exactly what we said we would do. But this time, things are different. This isn't just about proving ourselves... this is about becoming champions!
And now, finally, the moment of our absolute conquest is coming near. In the center of Madison Square Garden, deep in the heart of New York City, every wrestling fan in attendance, and every man, woman, and child watching at home, will see Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev raise their titles high into the air... in the exact manner it was meant to be...
(He's silent for a moment, the smile spreading wider of his face. He laughs for a moment, regaining his composure after ending the tense moment.)
Nathan Fear
Am I sounding... "overconfident?"
Well, maybe I am. But if there's one thing history tells me, the Crimson Calling are never overconfident without a valid reason to be so, and they never, EVER lose their primary focus when going into crucial matches, such as this. It's just not their style. Erik might come off as a little brash, and Ivan might appear to be nothing more than a muscle-headed ape, but deep inside their heads, they are focused... determined... motivated to do everything they can to win this match.
Is "overconfident" the right word? Perhaps. I, personally, like to see it as cognitive know-how, spawned by logic.
(He nods.)
Nathan Fear
Logic is, after all, the determining factor in this match. The Crimson Calling competes against three other teams, all wanting the gold, and all willing to do anything to get it. One of these teams, Blitz, the Calling has beaten, proving that the pairing of Max and Jecht are inferior to that of Dalkichev and Black. Another team, the Assassins, have shown quite an obvious struggle in the ring as of late. They haven't been clicking together--we have yet to see them make a televised appearance--and I don't think they'll be getting their game together any time between now and Black Dawn. Call it a hunch...
That just leaves Cloak and Dagger, who are still somewhat up in the air. But after seeing their on-camera antics, I get the feeling that they'll be no problem against the unbeatable team of the Cunning Wolf and the Raging Russian.
So you see, logically, the Crimson Calling have every REASON to feel confident in this match. When you look at everything on the table, and leave out the meaningless bullsh*t Leonard Johnson heaves out on a regular basis, anybody could see that Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black are clearly the superior team. There's nothing anybody could bring that could say otherwise...
(He shrugs.)
Nathan Fear
I mean, really... that's just the way it is. There's a reason why Pete Penzler and Scooter McGufrey down at FW Torch predict the Calling to walk out of this match as the champions. Equally, there's a reason why FW Illustrated labels the Crimson Calling as the second greatest tag team in the local circuit of federations.
(From behind him, Erik clears his throat. Fear turns around, and steps aside to give the prodigy of speed, agility, high-flying, and martial arts skills say a word.)
Erik Black
Actually, when you think about it, there's only one thing keeping us from being number one.
(Ivan Dalkichev steps nods.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Tag Team gold... and come Black Dawn, do not be surprised to see Crimson Calling take number one position!
(Fear, beaming ear to ear, nods as he comes back into the frame.)
Nathan Fear
Last I checked the charts--which was last night, mind you--Blitz and the two Rednecks weren't even included on the top ten. Proof, yet again, that we are a superior team.
The critics see it... the owners see it... the fans see it... and we see it as well as everybody else. But why, oh why, is it so hard for our opponents to understand that no matter how hard they try, they keep clinging to their views in spite of the obvious truth dangling in front of their eyes?
They are nowhere near the Crimson Calling... and even though they continue to make excuses, and brag about themselves, and perceive any minute "imperfection" they see as a "weakness" they can exploit, it doesn't change the fact that at Black Dawn, the team walking out with the straps is going to be that of Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev. The rest of them will be fading in and out of reality, amidst their beds of broken tables.
(He looks off for a moment, getting a good mental picture of the scene, then continues on.)
Nathan Fear
The only two involved in this match who come marginally close to our level are the Assassins. I've been keeping tabs on Orion and Osiris for a long while. I've seen where their talent has taken then, and how far they've come to be where they are. These guys are, indisputably, one of the greatest tag teams in professional wrestling history. We respect the Assassins for everything they've done...
Which is why it's so heartbreaking to see them how they are now...
I mean... I can't believe what I've seen from these guys lately. First, they get their asses handed to them by the Monsta Boyz... then they get WHOMPED on by Cloak and Dagger... and now, they still haven't promoted this match in any way. I don't know what's going through their heads... but it disappoints me.
(He shakes his head, and Erik Black nods in agreement.)
Erik Black
I know what you're saying, Boss...
The Assassins are better than that... just look at the tapes from GXW. But I don't know what's wrong with their game. Perhaps they're having a hard time communicating in the ring, and maybe even backstage. Perhaps its another problem... I really don't have a clue.
But no matter what, Ivan and I are going to be prepared for anything. If the Assassins come ready to fight, we'll be ready to do the same... to do anything and everything to prove ourselves as the better team. And if they come and perform as they have been, and show that they have no real drive to win... then the Calling will run over them like a steamroller. 'Nuff said.
(Fear nods, thinking over what the Cunning Wolf has just said.)
Nathan Fear
You're right, Erik. But the Assassins are the least of our worries in this match. From what I've seen, the other two teams have just a little bit more to offer in terms of competition.
Next on the agenda are Cloak and Dagger... two men who overcame Orion and Osiris. Now, like I've said... the Assassins are at a low point in their careers, but that doesn't mean a pair of average joes off the streets could whoop them in the ring. Cloak and Dagger had a great showing at the last Aggression. There's no doubt in my mind that both individuals know how to wrestle to their fullest ability...
But even so, Cloak and Dagger don't add up anywhere close to the Crimson Calling. After watching their promos, I get the impression that their heart isn't into this match. They have a lot of patriotic pride, and I respect that... but it's nothing short of a couple of hicks sitting around, cleaning their shotguns, drinking beer, and cracking jokes about their opponents.
(Ivan Dalkichev grunts.)
Ivan Dalkichev
This match is serious matter. Only team that is most determined will win and become champions. Cloak and Dagger seem too obsessed with Communist ties. But we are past Russia and the Cold War... this is new war, Black Dawn. The Crimson Calling promise victory. America is strong country... but Ivan Dalkichev is stronger than many American men, Cloak and Dagger included.
Nathan Fear
Ivan raises an interesting point. I think Cloak and Dagger seem to think the fact that they are as American as apple pie, their physical and talent prowess would reflect their nation's political stance. But I don't see that as logical... and let's not forget that logic is one of the central subjects of this promo.
I'm sure they're a pair of great wrestlers, but Cloak and Dagger... come on, there's nothing that could make me believe they are in any way superior to the pairing of Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black. The Crimson Calling put more into their thoughts, and into their performance. For that reason, it's easy to assume that though Cloak and Dagger will put up a good fight at Black Dawn... they won't last very long against the power of the Calling.
(Pauses for a beat.)
Nathan Fear
So who does that leave?
Only one other team... Blitz.
The only team out of the three scheduled to appear at Black Dawn... that the Crimson Calling has openly and justly proven themselves better than. Yet day after day, the fans have had to put up with the illogical rantings of the manager, Leonard Johnson, because somewhere in his warped little head, there still lingers a shred of hope.
Hope is a good thing to have... but when it spreads like a cancer, warping all perception of truth and reason, a hopeful man becomes nothing more than a fool. Such is the case of Leonard Johnson.
(He moves off to the right, and the camera pans to follow him. He walks up to a nearby blackboard that seems to be on the darkened stage, and picks up a piece of chalk.)
Nathan Fear
Last night, Erik, Ivan, and myself went through all the Blitz promos building up to this event, trying to get into the minds of our opponents. Our first task was to discover their motivation. We wanted to know, what makes Leonard Johnson think his boys can win, after seeing what happened last week? Through every promo, these were the main points we could draw out...
(He turns to the blackboard and begins to make a list.)
Nathan Fear
First, there's training... then, motivation... third is their "perfect" physical and mental prowess... next is the manager's experience... then the opinions of other people... then the table match stipulations... and finally, our "overconfidence."
(Upon finishing his writing, Fear backs away, smiling a bit as he reads the word "Overconfidence" neatly written near the bottom of the board.)
Nathan Fear
Heh, we might as well go about these out of order. This... "overconfidence" issue seems to stand out to me. But fortunately, I already touched on it earlier in this promo. Our confidence stems from logic. We see everything happening... we look at every point on this board, and know that there's nothing substantial that holds up Blitz's platform.
The Crimson Calling KNOW they can win this match, based on logical evidence. But if common sense is seen as "overconfidence", then to each his own. The bottom line is that we are focused and determined; we know we can do this, but we won't allow ourselves to be caught off guard. We always expect the unexpected, and we rarely allow mistakes.
As it stands, our "overconfidence" isn't anything anybody can exploit. We expect everything from the other teams... and we NEVER said anything against that. But the way we see it, "everything" isn't enough for the Assassins, or Cloak and Dagger... or even Blitz.
(Fear picks up the eraser and whipes away "Overconfidence". He looks over the board again.)
Nathan Fear
Let's get some of these easier ones out of the way...
First, let's talk about this matter of what other people think. Roll the footage...
(Fade to previously played footage of a Blitz promo. Johnson appears on the screen.)
Leonard Johnson
People who'd seen the Calling in action had also seen Blitz in action, and apparently, they said Max and Jecht were the better team.
(Fade back to Fear, whose eyebrows perk up slightly.)
Nathan Fear
Really...
Well, ever man's entitled to his own opinion. I'm sure I could find a dozen or so of my friends in the professional wrestling industry who could say the exact opposite. I could probably find the same opinions from people who know me just as well. Something I'm going to talk about later is how we are different in terms of experience. In this case, Lenny... you've only talked to guys in your bushleague federations. Try asking that question to some of the more established men in this industry, who belong to federations like GXW, NEW, and A1E, and ask them if they think the same thing.
You obviously aren't much of a reader. The first chance you get, pick up a copy of the FW Torch. Flip to the Black Dawn predictions, and tell me what two men who look beyond the same team week after week, and probably know what they see better than the both of us.
I could care less what your friends behind the scenes think, Johnson. If Blitz is a better team, then explain that match in the nation's capital?
(He whipes away the word "Opinions" from the blackboard.)
Nathan Fear
Next, Johnson brings up the table match stipulation, trying to work that element into his own favor by suggesting that his boys are better prepared. Let's go back to that...
(Fade to another segment of a Blitz promo.)
Leonard Johnson
The Calling are good, and in a standard match, one team on another, you could win more easily. However, this is a tables match, with a total of four teams. That's eight men. Now, I know that there hasn't been a clear indication of the complete rules yet, but rest assured, Blitz are ready for this match, and are prepared to put however many people through the tables they have to in order to win. I know for a fact you two are as well, but let me ask you this; what will happen when one of you is trying to put an opponent through a table, and the other gets sent through a different table at the same time? How about, when the first of you turns round, he gets put straight through a table? You two are just as easy to put through a table as any other man in this match.
(Cut back to Fear, who is nodding.)
Nathan Fear
Now I could understand how Max and Jecht are preparing for this match, but... what gives you the idea that Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev have just been kicking back, assuming this is going to be a normal match? Every man could just as easily be put through a table, yes... and Max and Jecht are just as likely as Ivan and Erik. But the team that survives the longest is the more strategic.
You see, Leonard... unlike your pair of Hush Puppies, Max and Jecht, Black and Dalkichev are a COMMUNICATIVE team. How can one be put through a table when the other is there to watch his back? The amazing thing is, Lenny... for as much as you've been talking about how determined your boys are, and how physcially and mentally set they are, you haven't said a word on how well they work together as a team. In a match like this, where you could easily lose everything because of your partner's mistakes... teamwork is the most valuable asset.
(Into the frame walks Erik Black.)
Erik Black
You seem to forget that in our last promo, Mr. Johnson... I told you that Ivan and I have been a team for five years. We know each other well, and we do a lot of talking in the ring. We understand each other on all accounts. It's hard to expect the same thing from a guy who speaks only twelve words of English and another who says hardly anything at all...
Nathan Fear
Thank you, Erik...
If I were you, Lenny... I wouldn't be worried about how we plan to walk into this match. I'd be more worried about how Max and Jecht are as partners. Maybe you could suggest that poor teamwork was something that held them back at Aggression...
I think it's safe to say that this notion gets Blitz nowhere closer to getting their point across...
(He erases the word "Stipulations." Then, he points to "Motivation".)
Nathan Fear
How about the issue of motivation? Could Blitz be more motivated than the Crimson Calling? Let's look back and see what Mr. Johnson had to say...
(Another fade back to previously played footage.)
Leonard Johnson
You caught them off guard I sensed. Not this time. They have waited years for this opportunity, and they can now see the gold. They can see their path to greatness, to showing the whole WORLD what the perfect combination of POWER and SPEED can bring. You bested us once. But this time, you shall not be so fortunate.
(Back to Fear.)
Nathan Fear
I could understand that. Motivation does build over time. But you know something? There are other wrestlers who have waited many years for their big opportunity. Many of them are jobbers. And, as you might expect, practically all of them choke when the time comes to prove themselves. You know why that is? It's because their talent holds them back.
More on that later, when I talk about this "perfect combination of speed and power" balony. I could understand how Max and Jecht want this... but wanting isn't everything. And, it just so happens, two men want it just a little more.
Imagine this... your team fights against the same pair of bozos, week after week, doing their job of entertaining the crowd. They put up with this for months... waiting patiently for their great opportunity. And finally, it comes... and because they have the drive and the talent, they finally accomplish their goal and become Tag Team champions...
And a week later, the owner decides to pull the plug on the federation...
(Fear sighs.)
Nathan Fear
After all the hard work these two men have gone through, one man's decision erased all they had accomplished. Because Jeff Bolich lacked the motivation to keep his federation rolling, MCW closed. Ivan and Erik were forced to give up their titles... forced to transfer over here, to Empire Pro, only to have to work their way up from the bottom again.
Wanting something after many years is one thing... but when you bust your ass and finally gain everything you've wanted, only to have it stripped away for NO good reason, this matter doesn't become merely proving who the better team is. It's about reclaiming that lost thunder... busting your ass even more to show the world that even when the Man decides to hold you back, the team is too strong to be contained.
I could care less how long Max and Jecht have waited. Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev have EARNED their gold, and they're going to take it back.
(In an almost cold and unforgiving action, Fear whipes away the word "Motivation." He looks over the board again.)
Nathan Fear
I'm only scratching the surface.
Now, we're going to talk about experience.
Since I had to sit through Mr. Johnson's snooze-fest of a life story--and no, I won't be playing THAT again--I'm going to give him my own...
(Fear clears his throat.)
Nathan Fear
I grew up in a middle-class household in midwest... just a typical, lackidasial suburban dream. I lived inside a shell, you could say, oblivious to the tragedies and horrors of the outside world--many of which existing here in this nation that our friends Cloak and Dagger worship extensively. Because I was a studious student, I was accepted at Yale following my graduation from high school.
I took a lot of classes in social and economical studies, and... it was like a new world had been opened to me. I had realized that I was living as nothing more than a sheep in the great American dream, while many others suffered at my expense. It disgusted me to see my naivity... and hurt me even more to see the millions of others who were following my suit. I became a visionary... I wanted to reconstruct this world into something better. I won't get into that any more, cause I feel it's irrelevant...
Let's just say that the views of the university didn't coincide with my own, and we eventually had to part ways. But because I was a noted athlete, I found my break in independent professional wrestling leagues. Perhaps you've heard of me? Anyways, I humped my way through many federations across the globe... all the while, forming connections and making relationships with some very influencial and notable controllers of the world's power. On the side, I did a lot of investing...
And after five years of that, it all paid off. Now I'm a millionaire... and having everything I needed, I decided to end my career as a wrestler, and became a manager. I found Erik back in my hometown... picked him up because he reminded me so much of myself. Ivan was introduced to me through some of those... "connections" I was talking about earlier. In them, I saw the elite combination of strength and power. I worked on their in-ring ability, and crafted them into perfect fighting and wrestling machines...
For a time, I was the Vice President of IWF... a talent representative in SCW... a commentator elsewhere. I've taken many positions in this industry. I have a broad perspective...
(He looks into the camera.)
Nathan Fear
Unlike you, Mr. Johnson. You've done nothing but manage and do commentary for the 25 years you've been in wrestling. But I've been doing just about everything... and not all of it was in the independent leagues. I've had my hand in many major federations all over the world. I've seen--and COMPETED AGAINST--teams that would put Max and Jecht to shame...
It doesn't matter what YOU'VE seen in your 25 years of licking the floor in independent leagues. I've been everywhere and seen everything possible in the entertainment industry. The men you see in the ring before televised audiences are the best in the industry; owners know how to invest in talent...
So when Erik Black says the Crimson Calling have seen, competed against, AND BEATEN better teams than Blitz, you better believe it. You have a couple of very talented men on your side, Leonard... but they don't come anywhere close to the Crimson Calling, or some of the other teams we've been through. This is true based on my experience from ten years of working all over professional wrestling... and also based on what went down in Washington D.C.
Where were those 25 years then, Johnson? You'd think you would have had a few warning signs thrown in your face, recalled from memory... but I guess it just goes to prove, that no matter how long you've been busting your ass in the independent leagues, I have done more, seen more, and become more.
(He erases "Manager's Experience" from the board.)
Nathan Fear
Only two left. You're running out of finer points, Mr. Johnson. I suppose next, we'll talk about your training program.
You have said countless times that Max and Jecht are working extra hard to do better this time around... and, you even said you expect the same from us, knowing that we're going to be staying one step ahead. Well, all of that is true... let's look into what Johnson had to say...
(Cut to another Blitz segment.)
Leonard Johnson
How are you preparing? Most likely by watching tapes, lifting weights, getting physically and mentally ready. The same as Blitz. Right now, they’re training. They’ve been training almost non-stop. They know what to expect; they know that Black and Ivan are going to push them more in this match than last. They expect it, and are working accordingly.
(Back to Fear, who is nodding.)
Nathan Fear
It's good you know what to expect... but unfortunately, you DON'T know what to expect.
Take your opening statements. You assume that the Crimson Calling are... "most likely" watching tapes, lifting weights, and getting mentally and physically ready. Yes, they are doing that, and then some. You see, Johnson... training isn't about research and farting around in the gym for hours upon hours. You're missing ONE crucial point...
And that's strategy.
Let me show you this...
(A montage of shots is played, featuring Fear, Black, and Dalkichev all in the gym, around the ring. We get some clips of Fear talking between one of the Calling members and other people who seem to be professional wrestlers. We get some action footage of Black and Dalkichev sparring in the ring against random opponents who Fear has most likely hired to help with training. They compete in both single and tag team action. Fear speaks over the footage.)
Nathan Fear
It's not simple exercise that makes a wrestler better... it's knowing how to adapt to a situation, and how to accomodate against anything. Erik and Ivan have been training against at least a dozen or so local professional wrestles, toning their abilities in the ring. For obvious purposes, I've been putting Erik against men who are stronger, and Ivan against men who are faster.
You can do all the weight pumping and track running in the world... but unless you know how to fight against another man in the ring, you don't have an icecube's chance in hell at winning this match.
Yes we've been in the gym... and yes, we've been watching the tapes... but on top of that, we've been working on the game. The Crimson Calling have been getting a feel of the ring, and are training themselves to expect different styles from different opponents. After all, there are two teams they have yet to go against in the ring involved in this match. They have to be prepared to fight them... to expect the unexpected, as I said earlier in this promo.
(We fade back to Fear.)
Nathan Fear
So as much as you've been training... I'm afraid to say that the Crimson Calling have just been doing a little more in terms of preparation. You can't expect to breach that extra step required to come to our level without doing more, and from what you suggest, Mr. Johnson, it sounds to me that you're boys are LESS prepared for this match when compared to Ivan and Erik.
(Fear whipes away "Training", then looks at the last word on the blackboard: "Perfect Combination." He sighs.)
Nathan Fear
All week, I've been hearing the exact same thing... how Max and Jecht are the "perfect combination" of speed and power, and how there is no other team out there that has men as fast or as strong as them...
You know, after seeing that last Blitz promo... I came to a conclusion. You know what it is?
Leonard Johnson has no idea what he's talking about.
(He looks to the camera, smirking.)
Nathan Fear
It's obvious now that he's just exaggerating, doing anything he can to make his guys sound like they're regular supermen, either for intimidation purposes, or just because he wants the fans to be impressed. But I don't buy it... the Crimson Calling doesn't buy it. And nobody with a decent brain on their shoulders would buy it either.
Let's play something back...
(We go again to previous Blitz footage.)
Leonard Johnson
How many teams are there where both men are over three hundred pounds, can pick up Ivan WITH EASE and still run the hundred metres in just under eleven seconds? I've spoken to some boys on the circuit, men coming up the ranks, and men on their way down. Hell, I've even spoken to some people whose skills far exceed yours, Erik, and they struggle at around eleven and a half. Next time, Boy, you should actually research your claims fully.
(Back to Fear, who stands with a look of disbelief in his face. He turns around for a moment to look at Erik, standing by the blackboard, who merely shrugs back. Fear turns to the camera, sighs, then begins to speak.)
Nathan Fear
You're kidding me, Lenny... right?
This goes back to the whole "logic" that keeps popping up. It seems to me, that by the statement we just heard, the manager of the team Blitz is ignoring the rules of logic.
First and foremost... I was there, outside the ring in Washington. And though Max DID manage to lift Ivan off the mat, he hardly did it "with ease". Anybody could have seen the pain and agony running through that man's face as he strained every part of his body lifting Ivan Dalkichev off the ground.
Second, I don't care what you think or where you live... three hundred plus pound men DO NOT run the hundred meter dash in eleven seconds. It is physically impossible for any man at that body weight to run that fast, unless he was on performance enhancing drugs. Maybe I should convince Freeman to test your guys, cause by the exaggerated way you describe them, I can only assume that they're pumped full of steroids.
And as for Jecht being in the top ten percent of the nation? That's hard to believe, considering those top ten percent, based on psychological research, are typically leaders and visionaries, as opposed to one-dimensional deaf mutes who do nothing but take orders and act upon them.
Who the hell are you trying to kid, Johnson? Are you SO DESPERATE to give your team something to be appreciated for that you would brag about things that the laws of nature deem impossible?
Wait, on second thought, forget that...
(He waves his hands.)
Nathan Fear
I don't need to judge you. That's irrelevant at this point. What I want to touch on now, is how physical standards matter when you don't have the talent to back them up.
Here's a simple question, Lenny... if Max and Jecht TRULY ARE the "perfect combination" of power and speed... why is it that we won at Aggression? And I know you're going to bring up the "good effort" argument, and yes, Blitz put on a good show... but either way you look at it, both the Sears Tower and the Empire State building register as very tall buildings, but one IS STILL taller than the other. If Blitz is so perfect, what held them back at Aggression?
You know what the answer is, Lenny? TALENT!
Maybe instead of having them work out in the gym, you should put them through a few more matches to sharpen their in-ring abilities! You could be the strongest or fastest man in the world, but if you don't know how to wrestle, you can't win this match. Furthermore, teamwork comes into play...
(He gestures to the chalk board.)
Nathan Fear
But we've already come to the conclusion that the Crimson Calling have more of that than Blitz...
While strength and speed are great attributes... this match will ultimately be decided on the elements of skill and strategy. Take a look at history... look at Henry V's invasion of France. His ragtag bunch of a few hundred English soldiers against the thousands of French troops. Not only did the English king lead his army to victory... he suffered LESS THAN THIRTY CASUALTIES on his side. How could that be? How could the smaller army be victorious in such a situation?
(He leans in close and winks to the camera.)
Nathan Fear
You guess it, Johnson... skill and strategy. Exactly what Blitz is lacking, and exactly what the Crimson Calling have. If you don't believe it, then I suggest you look back on our career, and see our current position in this industry.
(He turns to the chalkboard, looking at the final word... and shaking his head, he erases it. He moves back to the left, and the camera follows him. Ivan and Erik are standing uniformly behind him.)
Nathan Fear
Hit the lights...
(On come the lights... and we see we are NOT in a studio. Around them, thousands of empty seats stare down at the wrestling ring they stand in. They are in the empty arena of Madison Square Garden... in the very place where they will compete for the tag titles.)
Nathan Fear
This is it, Johnson... get a good look at it. Remember this place, Madison Square Garden, or New York City, as the one time you got so very close to making it... to see your Max and Jecht as champions in a big league sport...
Cause as long as the Crimson Calling are in Empire Pro, this is as close as you'll ever get.
(He smirks, shaking his head.)
Nathan Fear
I'm not even going to begin defending myself on all of these accusations of mental inferiority and desperation you've made in your promos... character is irrelevant at this point. What it's about is talent, moviation, and that magical word...
"Logic."
Learn it, love it, and live by it, Johnson. Then, maybe, I'll see you further down the line. But at Black Dawn, you'll be the one watching in horror as your men are put through the tables. The same goes for the Assassins and Cloak and Dagger...
We've come too far to be beaten now. Simply put, there isn't a damn thing anybody can do to keep us away from these Tag Titles. So come Black Dawn, keep your eyes fixed on the Red Horizon...
The champions who will be crowned... stand here before you.
(Fear steps aside, giving the audience a lingering shot of both Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black, the Crimson Calling, standing proudly in the ring, in the middle of Madison Square Garden. From that image, we fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS
(Fade in.)
(A montage of shots pieced together with dissolve transfers. The camera angles slowly pan over the points of focus at close-ups. In the background, dramatic music plays. We pass over a rippling bicep, the size of a honeydew melon... a red crescent-shaped symbol embroidered on the corner of a set of tights... the chiseled features of a large man's back muscles... a clenched fist with a black wrist band, bearing CC in small red letters... a good shot of Ivan Dalkichev's face, brute and powerful, a demeanor of absolute confidence and intimidation... a shot of Erik Black, the cunning and wit shining through his countenance, with a fox-like gaze in his eyes. We are looking at champions, and Nathan Fear speaks over the footage.)
Nathan Fear
For the past week, I, Nathan Alexander Fear, have pumped my own blood and sweat behind the scenes through the veins of the two men you see now. Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev... unquestionably the greatest wrestling duo in the industry to date. There is not another team out there than can be compared to these two fine athletes.
Since our coming to Empire Pro, I have pushed these two beyond their standards, and accurately crafted them into a pairing that resembles perfection in an ideal Tag Team. These outstanding men, with the help of my guidance and direction, have given everything to be where they are today, and are willing to give it again to traverse the next obstacle. For these reasons, at Black Dawn, the team of Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev, well known as the Crimson Calling, promise to achieve nothing less than victory. While we regard the valor of the three opposing teams involved in this challenge with high esteem, the Crimson Calling will do anything it takes to become Empire Pro's first Tag Team champions.
And I know they can do it...
(Dissolve to a full shot of both competitors, standing tall on a darkened set, well-lit by overhead lights. Nathan Fear steps into the frame and covers the foreground.)
Nathan Fear
As I said in an earlier promo, these guys rarely disappoint me. I've been with these guys for quite a while. I've seen them in many matches, and I've been in their corner through every challenge that has appeared in our path. In certain cases, of course we get cocky... and it causes us to lose our focus.
But this is not another one of those occassions. We have been preparing for this moment at Black Dawn since the day we signed the contracts. You could call focus and determination the two platforms of our Tag Team Title campaign.
Our debut match was one thing. It was a match that would give us a foothold in bragging rights. We came to Aggression, in the heart of Washington, D.C., and we did exactly what we said we would do. But this time, things are different. This isn't just about proving ourselves... this is about becoming champions!
And now, finally, the moment of our absolute conquest is coming near. In the center of Madison Square Garden, deep in the heart of New York City, every wrestling fan in attendance, and every man, woman, and child watching at home, will see Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev raise their titles high into the air... in the exact manner it was meant to be...
(He's silent for a moment, the smile spreading wider of his face. He laughs for a moment, regaining his composure after ending the tense moment.)
Nathan Fear
Am I sounding... "overconfident?"
Well, maybe I am. But if there's one thing history tells me, the Crimson Calling are never overconfident without a valid reason to be so, and they never, EVER lose their primary focus when going into crucial matches, such as this. It's just not their style. Erik might come off as a little brash, and Ivan might appear to be nothing more than a muscle-headed ape, but deep inside their heads, they are focused... determined... motivated to do everything they can to win this match.
Is "overconfident" the right word? Perhaps. I, personally, like to see it as cognitive know-how, spawned by logic.
(He nods.)
Nathan Fear
Logic is, after all, the determining factor in this match. The Crimson Calling competes against three other teams, all wanting the gold, and all willing to do anything to get it. One of these teams, Blitz, the Calling has beaten, proving that the pairing of Max and Jecht are inferior to that of Dalkichev and Black. Another team, the Assassins, have shown quite an obvious struggle in the ring as of late. They haven't been clicking together--we have yet to see them make a televised appearance--and I don't think they'll be getting their game together any time between now and Black Dawn. Call it a hunch...
That just leaves Cloak and Dagger, who are still somewhat up in the air. But after seeing their on-camera antics, I get the feeling that they'll be no problem against the unbeatable team of the Cunning Wolf and the Raging Russian.
So you see, logically, the Crimson Calling have every REASON to feel confident in this match. When you look at everything on the table, and leave out the meaningless bullsh*t Leonard Johnson heaves out on a regular basis, anybody could see that Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black are clearly the superior team. There's nothing anybody could bring that could say otherwise...
(He shrugs.)
Nathan Fear
I mean, really... that's just the way it is. There's a reason why Pete Penzler and Scooter McGufrey down at FW Torch predict the Calling to walk out of this match as the champions. Equally, there's a reason why FW Illustrated labels the Crimson Calling as the second greatest tag team in the local circuit of federations.
(From behind him, Erik clears his throat. Fear turns around, and steps aside to give the prodigy of speed, agility, high-flying, and martial arts skills say a word.)
Erik Black
Actually, when you think about it, there's only one thing keeping us from being number one.
(Ivan Dalkichev steps nods.)
Ivan Dalkichev
Tag Team gold... and come Black Dawn, do not be surprised to see Crimson Calling take number one position!
(Fear, beaming ear to ear, nods as he comes back into the frame.)
Nathan Fear
Last I checked the charts--which was last night, mind you--Blitz and the two Rednecks weren't even included on the top ten. Proof, yet again, that we are a superior team.
The critics see it... the owners see it... the fans see it... and we see it as well as everybody else. But why, oh why, is it so hard for our opponents to understand that no matter how hard they try, they keep clinging to their views in spite of the obvious truth dangling in front of their eyes?
They are nowhere near the Crimson Calling... and even though they continue to make excuses, and brag about themselves, and perceive any minute "imperfection" they see as a "weakness" they can exploit, it doesn't change the fact that at Black Dawn, the team walking out with the straps is going to be that of Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev. The rest of them will be fading in and out of reality, amidst their beds of broken tables.
(He looks off for a moment, getting a good mental picture of the scene, then continues on.)
Nathan Fear
The only two involved in this match who come marginally close to our level are the Assassins. I've been keeping tabs on Orion and Osiris for a long while. I've seen where their talent has taken then, and how far they've come to be where they are. These guys are, indisputably, one of the greatest tag teams in professional wrestling history. We respect the Assassins for everything they've done...
Which is why it's so heartbreaking to see them how they are now...
I mean... I can't believe what I've seen from these guys lately. First, they get their asses handed to them by the Monsta Boyz... then they get WHOMPED on by Cloak and Dagger... and now, they still haven't promoted this match in any way. I don't know what's going through their heads... but it disappoints me.
(He shakes his head, and Erik Black nods in agreement.)
Erik Black
I know what you're saying, Boss...
The Assassins are better than that... just look at the tapes from GXW. But I don't know what's wrong with their game. Perhaps they're having a hard time communicating in the ring, and maybe even backstage. Perhaps its another problem... I really don't have a clue.
But no matter what, Ivan and I are going to be prepared for anything. If the Assassins come ready to fight, we'll be ready to do the same... to do anything and everything to prove ourselves as the better team. And if they come and perform as they have been, and show that they have no real drive to win... then the Calling will run over them like a steamroller. 'Nuff said.
(Fear nods, thinking over what the Cunning Wolf has just said.)
Nathan Fear
You're right, Erik. But the Assassins are the least of our worries in this match. From what I've seen, the other two teams have just a little bit more to offer in terms of competition.
Next on the agenda are Cloak and Dagger... two men who overcame Orion and Osiris. Now, like I've said... the Assassins are at a low point in their careers, but that doesn't mean a pair of average joes off the streets could whoop them in the ring. Cloak and Dagger had a great showing at the last Aggression. There's no doubt in my mind that both individuals know how to wrestle to their fullest ability...
But even so, Cloak and Dagger don't add up anywhere close to the Crimson Calling. After watching their promos, I get the impression that their heart isn't into this match. They have a lot of patriotic pride, and I respect that... but it's nothing short of a couple of hicks sitting around, cleaning their shotguns, drinking beer, and cracking jokes about their opponents.
(Ivan Dalkichev grunts.)
Ivan Dalkichev
This match is serious matter. Only team that is most determined will win and become champions. Cloak and Dagger seem too obsessed with Communist ties. But we are past Russia and the Cold War... this is new war, Black Dawn. The Crimson Calling promise victory. America is strong country... but Ivan Dalkichev is stronger than many American men, Cloak and Dagger included.
Nathan Fear
Ivan raises an interesting point. I think Cloak and Dagger seem to think the fact that they are as American as apple pie, their physical and talent prowess would reflect their nation's political stance. But I don't see that as logical... and let's not forget that logic is one of the central subjects of this promo.
I'm sure they're a pair of great wrestlers, but Cloak and Dagger... come on, there's nothing that could make me believe they are in any way superior to the pairing of Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black. The Crimson Calling put more into their thoughts, and into their performance. For that reason, it's easy to assume that though Cloak and Dagger will put up a good fight at Black Dawn... they won't last very long against the power of the Calling.
(Pauses for a beat.)
Nathan Fear
So who does that leave?
Only one other team... Blitz.
The only team out of the three scheduled to appear at Black Dawn... that the Crimson Calling has openly and justly proven themselves better than. Yet day after day, the fans have had to put up with the illogical rantings of the manager, Leonard Johnson, because somewhere in his warped little head, there still lingers a shred of hope.
Hope is a good thing to have... but when it spreads like a cancer, warping all perception of truth and reason, a hopeful man becomes nothing more than a fool. Such is the case of Leonard Johnson.
(He moves off to the right, and the camera pans to follow him. He walks up to a nearby blackboard that seems to be on the darkened stage, and picks up a piece of chalk.)
Nathan Fear
Last night, Erik, Ivan, and myself went through all the Blitz promos building up to this event, trying to get into the minds of our opponents. Our first task was to discover their motivation. We wanted to know, what makes Leonard Johnson think his boys can win, after seeing what happened last week? Through every promo, these were the main points we could draw out...
(He turns to the blackboard and begins to make a list.)
Nathan Fear
First, there's training... then, motivation... third is their "perfect" physical and mental prowess... next is the manager's experience... then the opinions of other people... then the table match stipulations... and finally, our "overconfidence."
(Upon finishing his writing, Fear backs away, smiling a bit as he reads the word "Overconfidence" neatly written near the bottom of the board.)
Nathan Fear
Heh, we might as well go about these out of order. This... "overconfidence" issue seems to stand out to me. But fortunately, I already touched on it earlier in this promo. Our confidence stems from logic. We see everything happening... we look at every point on this board, and know that there's nothing substantial that holds up Blitz's platform.
The Crimson Calling KNOW they can win this match, based on logical evidence. But if common sense is seen as "overconfidence", then to each his own. The bottom line is that we are focused and determined; we know we can do this, but we won't allow ourselves to be caught off guard. We always expect the unexpected, and we rarely allow mistakes.
As it stands, our "overconfidence" isn't anything anybody can exploit. We expect everything from the other teams... and we NEVER said anything against that. But the way we see it, "everything" isn't enough for the Assassins, or Cloak and Dagger... or even Blitz.
(Fear picks up the eraser and whipes away "Overconfidence". He looks over the board again.)
Nathan Fear
Let's get some of these easier ones out of the way...
First, let's talk about this matter of what other people think. Roll the footage...
(Fade to previously played footage of a Blitz promo. Johnson appears on the screen.)
Leonard Johnson
People who'd seen the Calling in action had also seen Blitz in action, and apparently, they said Max and Jecht were the better team.
(Fade back to Fear, whose eyebrows perk up slightly.)
Nathan Fear
Really...
Well, ever man's entitled to his own opinion. I'm sure I could find a dozen or so of my friends in the professional wrestling industry who could say the exact opposite. I could probably find the same opinions from people who know me just as well. Something I'm going to talk about later is how we are different in terms of experience. In this case, Lenny... you've only talked to guys in your bushleague federations. Try asking that question to some of the more established men in this industry, who belong to federations like GXW, NEW, and A1E, and ask them if they think the same thing.
You obviously aren't much of a reader. The first chance you get, pick up a copy of the FW Torch. Flip to the Black Dawn predictions, and tell me what two men who look beyond the same team week after week, and probably know what they see better than the both of us.
I could care less what your friends behind the scenes think, Johnson. If Blitz is a better team, then explain that match in the nation's capital?
(He whipes away the word "Opinions" from the blackboard.)
Nathan Fear
Next, Johnson brings up the table match stipulation, trying to work that element into his own favor by suggesting that his boys are better prepared. Let's go back to that...
(Fade to another segment of a Blitz promo.)
Leonard Johnson
The Calling are good, and in a standard match, one team on another, you could win more easily. However, this is a tables match, with a total of four teams. That's eight men. Now, I know that there hasn't been a clear indication of the complete rules yet, but rest assured, Blitz are ready for this match, and are prepared to put however many people through the tables they have to in order to win. I know for a fact you two are as well, but let me ask you this; what will happen when one of you is trying to put an opponent through a table, and the other gets sent through a different table at the same time? How about, when the first of you turns round, he gets put straight through a table? You two are just as easy to put through a table as any other man in this match.
(Cut back to Fear, who is nodding.)
Nathan Fear
Now I could understand how Max and Jecht are preparing for this match, but... what gives you the idea that Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev have just been kicking back, assuming this is going to be a normal match? Every man could just as easily be put through a table, yes... and Max and Jecht are just as likely as Ivan and Erik. But the team that survives the longest is the more strategic.
You see, Leonard... unlike your pair of Hush Puppies, Max and Jecht, Black and Dalkichev are a COMMUNICATIVE team. How can one be put through a table when the other is there to watch his back? The amazing thing is, Lenny... for as much as you've been talking about how determined your boys are, and how physcially and mentally set they are, you haven't said a word on how well they work together as a team. In a match like this, where you could easily lose everything because of your partner's mistakes... teamwork is the most valuable asset.
(Into the frame walks Erik Black.)
Erik Black
You seem to forget that in our last promo, Mr. Johnson... I told you that Ivan and I have been a team for five years. We know each other well, and we do a lot of talking in the ring. We understand each other on all accounts. It's hard to expect the same thing from a guy who speaks only twelve words of English and another who says hardly anything at all...
Nathan Fear
Thank you, Erik...
If I were you, Lenny... I wouldn't be worried about how we plan to walk into this match. I'd be more worried about how Max and Jecht are as partners. Maybe you could suggest that poor teamwork was something that held them back at Aggression...
I think it's safe to say that this notion gets Blitz nowhere closer to getting their point across...
(He erases the word "Stipulations." Then, he points to "Motivation".)
Nathan Fear
How about the issue of motivation? Could Blitz be more motivated than the Crimson Calling? Let's look back and see what Mr. Johnson had to say...
(Another fade back to previously played footage.)
Leonard Johnson
You caught them off guard I sensed. Not this time. They have waited years for this opportunity, and they can now see the gold. They can see their path to greatness, to showing the whole WORLD what the perfect combination of POWER and SPEED can bring. You bested us once. But this time, you shall not be so fortunate.
(Back to Fear.)
Nathan Fear
I could understand that. Motivation does build over time. But you know something? There are other wrestlers who have waited many years for their big opportunity. Many of them are jobbers. And, as you might expect, practically all of them choke when the time comes to prove themselves. You know why that is? It's because their talent holds them back.
More on that later, when I talk about this "perfect combination of speed and power" balony. I could understand how Max and Jecht want this... but wanting isn't everything. And, it just so happens, two men want it just a little more.
Imagine this... your team fights against the same pair of bozos, week after week, doing their job of entertaining the crowd. They put up with this for months... waiting patiently for their great opportunity. And finally, it comes... and because they have the drive and the talent, they finally accomplish their goal and become Tag Team champions...
And a week later, the owner decides to pull the plug on the federation...
(Fear sighs.)
Nathan Fear
After all the hard work these two men have gone through, one man's decision erased all they had accomplished. Because Jeff Bolich lacked the motivation to keep his federation rolling, MCW closed. Ivan and Erik were forced to give up their titles... forced to transfer over here, to Empire Pro, only to have to work their way up from the bottom again.
Wanting something after many years is one thing... but when you bust your ass and finally gain everything you've wanted, only to have it stripped away for NO good reason, this matter doesn't become merely proving who the better team is. It's about reclaiming that lost thunder... busting your ass even more to show the world that even when the Man decides to hold you back, the team is too strong to be contained.
I could care less how long Max and Jecht have waited. Erik Black and Ivan Dalkichev have EARNED their gold, and they're going to take it back.
(In an almost cold and unforgiving action, Fear whipes away the word "Motivation." He looks over the board again.)
Nathan Fear
I'm only scratching the surface.
Now, we're going to talk about experience.
Since I had to sit through Mr. Johnson's snooze-fest of a life story--and no, I won't be playing THAT again--I'm going to give him my own...
(Fear clears his throat.)
Nathan Fear
I grew up in a middle-class household in midwest... just a typical, lackidasial suburban dream. I lived inside a shell, you could say, oblivious to the tragedies and horrors of the outside world--many of which existing here in this nation that our friends Cloak and Dagger worship extensively. Because I was a studious student, I was accepted at Yale following my graduation from high school.
I took a lot of classes in social and economical studies, and... it was like a new world had been opened to me. I had realized that I was living as nothing more than a sheep in the great American dream, while many others suffered at my expense. It disgusted me to see my naivity... and hurt me even more to see the millions of others who were following my suit. I became a visionary... I wanted to reconstruct this world into something better. I won't get into that any more, cause I feel it's irrelevant...
Let's just say that the views of the university didn't coincide with my own, and we eventually had to part ways. But because I was a noted athlete, I found my break in independent professional wrestling leagues. Perhaps you've heard of me? Anyways, I humped my way through many federations across the globe... all the while, forming connections and making relationships with some very influencial and notable controllers of the world's power. On the side, I did a lot of investing...
And after five years of that, it all paid off. Now I'm a millionaire... and having everything I needed, I decided to end my career as a wrestler, and became a manager. I found Erik back in my hometown... picked him up because he reminded me so much of myself. Ivan was introduced to me through some of those... "connections" I was talking about earlier. In them, I saw the elite combination of strength and power. I worked on their in-ring ability, and crafted them into perfect fighting and wrestling machines...
For a time, I was the Vice President of IWF... a talent representative in SCW... a commentator elsewhere. I've taken many positions in this industry. I have a broad perspective...
(He looks into the camera.)
Nathan Fear
Unlike you, Mr. Johnson. You've done nothing but manage and do commentary for the 25 years you've been in wrestling. But I've been doing just about everything... and not all of it was in the independent leagues. I've had my hand in many major federations all over the world. I've seen--and COMPETED AGAINST--teams that would put Max and Jecht to shame...
It doesn't matter what YOU'VE seen in your 25 years of licking the floor in independent leagues. I've been everywhere and seen everything possible in the entertainment industry. The men you see in the ring before televised audiences are the best in the industry; owners know how to invest in talent...
So when Erik Black says the Crimson Calling have seen, competed against, AND BEATEN better teams than Blitz, you better believe it. You have a couple of very talented men on your side, Leonard... but they don't come anywhere close to the Crimson Calling, or some of the other teams we've been through. This is true based on my experience from ten years of working all over professional wrestling... and also based on what went down in Washington D.C.
Where were those 25 years then, Johnson? You'd think you would have had a few warning signs thrown in your face, recalled from memory... but I guess it just goes to prove, that no matter how long you've been busting your ass in the independent leagues, I have done more, seen more, and become more.
(He erases "Manager's Experience" from the board.)
Nathan Fear
Only two left. You're running out of finer points, Mr. Johnson. I suppose next, we'll talk about your training program.
You have said countless times that Max and Jecht are working extra hard to do better this time around... and, you even said you expect the same from us, knowing that we're going to be staying one step ahead. Well, all of that is true... let's look into what Johnson had to say...
(Cut to another Blitz segment.)
Leonard Johnson
How are you preparing? Most likely by watching tapes, lifting weights, getting physically and mentally ready. The same as Blitz. Right now, they’re training. They’ve been training almost non-stop. They know what to expect; they know that Black and Ivan are going to push them more in this match than last. They expect it, and are working accordingly.
(Back to Fear, who is nodding.)
Nathan Fear
It's good you know what to expect... but unfortunately, you DON'T know what to expect.
Take your opening statements. You assume that the Crimson Calling are... "most likely" watching tapes, lifting weights, and getting mentally and physically ready. Yes, they are doing that, and then some. You see, Johnson... training isn't about research and farting around in the gym for hours upon hours. You're missing ONE crucial point...
And that's strategy.
Let me show you this...
(A montage of shots is played, featuring Fear, Black, and Dalkichev all in the gym, around the ring. We get some clips of Fear talking between one of the Calling members and other people who seem to be professional wrestlers. We get some action footage of Black and Dalkichev sparring in the ring against random opponents who Fear has most likely hired to help with training. They compete in both single and tag team action. Fear speaks over the footage.)
Nathan Fear
It's not simple exercise that makes a wrestler better... it's knowing how to adapt to a situation, and how to accomodate against anything. Erik and Ivan have been training against at least a dozen or so local professional wrestles, toning their abilities in the ring. For obvious purposes, I've been putting Erik against men who are stronger, and Ivan against men who are faster.
You can do all the weight pumping and track running in the world... but unless you know how to fight against another man in the ring, you don't have an icecube's chance in hell at winning this match.
Yes we've been in the gym... and yes, we've been watching the tapes... but on top of that, we've been working on the game. The Crimson Calling have been getting a feel of the ring, and are training themselves to expect different styles from different opponents. After all, there are two teams they have yet to go against in the ring involved in this match. They have to be prepared to fight them... to expect the unexpected, as I said earlier in this promo.
(We fade back to Fear.)
Nathan Fear
So as much as you've been training... I'm afraid to say that the Crimson Calling have just been doing a little more in terms of preparation. You can't expect to breach that extra step required to come to our level without doing more, and from what you suggest, Mr. Johnson, it sounds to me that you're boys are LESS prepared for this match when compared to Ivan and Erik.
(Fear whipes away "Training", then looks at the last word on the blackboard: "Perfect Combination." He sighs.)
Nathan Fear
All week, I've been hearing the exact same thing... how Max and Jecht are the "perfect combination" of speed and power, and how there is no other team out there that has men as fast or as strong as them...
You know, after seeing that last Blitz promo... I came to a conclusion. You know what it is?
Leonard Johnson has no idea what he's talking about.
(He looks to the camera, smirking.)
Nathan Fear
It's obvious now that he's just exaggerating, doing anything he can to make his guys sound like they're regular supermen, either for intimidation purposes, or just because he wants the fans to be impressed. But I don't buy it... the Crimson Calling doesn't buy it. And nobody with a decent brain on their shoulders would buy it either.
Let's play something back...
(We go again to previous Blitz footage.)
Leonard Johnson
How many teams are there where both men are over three hundred pounds, can pick up Ivan WITH EASE and still run the hundred metres in just under eleven seconds? I've spoken to some boys on the circuit, men coming up the ranks, and men on their way down. Hell, I've even spoken to some people whose skills far exceed yours, Erik, and they struggle at around eleven and a half. Next time, Boy, you should actually research your claims fully.
(Back to Fear, who stands with a look of disbelief in his face. He turns around for a moment to look at Erik, standing by the blackboard, who merely shrugs back. Fear turns to the camera, sighs, then begins to speak.)
Nathan Fear
You're kidding me, Lenny... right?
This goes back to the whole "logic" that keeps popping up. It seems to me, that by the statement we just heard, the manager of the team Blitz is ignoring the rules of logic.
First and foremost... I was there, outside the ring in Washington. And though Max DID manage to lift Ivan off the mat, he hardly did it "with ease". Anybody could have seen the pain and agony running through that man's face as he strained every part of his body lifting Ivan Dalkichev off the ground.
Second, I don't care what you think or where you live... three hundred plus pound men DO NOT run the hundred meter dash in eleven seconds. It is physically impossible for any man at that body weight to run that fast, unless he was on performance enhancing drugs. Maybe I should convince Freeman to test your guys, cause by the exaggerated way you describe them, I can only assume that they're pumped full of steroids.
And as for Jecht being in the top ten percent of the nation? That's hard to believe, considering those top ten percent, based on psychological research, are typically leaders and visionaries, as opposed to one-dimensional deaf mutes who do nothing but take orders and act upon them.
Who the hell are you trying to kid, Johnson? Are you SO DESPERATE to give your team something to be appreciated for that you would brag about things that the laws of nature deem impossible?
Wait, on second thought, forget that...
(He waves his hands.)
Nathan Fear
I don't need to judge you. That's irrelevant at this point. What I want to touch on now, is how physical standards matter when you don't have the talent to back them up.
Here's a simple question, Lenny... if Max and Jecht TRULY ARE the "perfect combination" of power and speed... why is it that we won at Aggression? And I know you're going to bring up the "good effort" argument, and yes, Blitz put on a good show... but either way you look at it, both the Sears Tower and the Empire State building register as very tall buildings, but one IS STILL taller than the other. If Blitz is so perfect, what held them back at Aggression?
You know what the answer is, Lenny? TALENT!
Maybe instead of having them work out in the gym, you should put them through a few more matches to sharpen their in-ring abilities! You could be the strongest or fastest man in the world, but if you don't know how to wrestle, you can't win this match. Furthermore, teamwork comes into play...
(He gestures to the chalk board.)
Nathan Fear
But we've already come to the conclusion that the Crimson Calling have more of that than Blitz...
While strength and speed are great attributes... this match will ultimately be decided on the elements of skill and strategy. Take a look at history... look at Henry V's invasion of France. His ragtag bunch of a few hundred English soldiers against the thousands of French troops. Not only did the English king lead his army to victory... he suffered LESS THAN THIRTY CASUALTIES on his side. How could that be? How could the smaller army be victorious in such a situation?
(He leans in close and winks to the camera.)
Nathan Fear
You guess it, Johnson... skill and strategy. Exactly what Blitz is lacking, and exactly what the Crimson Calling have. If you don't believe it, then I suggest you look back on our career, and see our current position in this industry.
(He turns to the chalkboard, looking at the final word... and shaking his head, he erases it. He moves back to the left, and the camera follows him. Ivan and Erik are standing uniformly behind him.)
Nathan Fear
Hit the lights...
(On come the lights... and we see we are NOT in a studio. Around them, thousands of empty seats stare down at the wrestling ring they stand in. They are in the empty arena of Madison Square Garden... in the very place where they will compete for the tag titles.)
Nathan Fear
This is it, Johnson... get a good look at it. Remember this place, Madison Square Garden, or New York City, as the one time you got so very close to making it... to see your Max and Jecht as champions in a big league sport...
Cause as long as the Crimson Calling are in Empire Pro, this is as close as you'll ever get.
(He smirks, shaking his head.)
Nathan Fear
I'm not even going to begin defending myself on all of these accusations of mental inferiority and desperation you've made in your promos... character is irrelevant at this point. What it's about is talent, moviation, and that magical word...
"Logic."
Learn it, love it, and live by it, Johnson. Then, maybe, I'll see you further down the line. But at Black Dawn, you'll be the one watching in horror as your men are put through the tables. The same goes for the Assassins and Cloak and Dagger...
We've come too far to be beaten now. Simply put, there isn't a damn thing anybody can do to keep us away from these Tag Titles. So come Black Dawn, keep your eyes fixed on the Red Horizon...
The champions who will be crowned... stand here before you.
(Fear steps aside, giving the audience a lingering shot of both Ivan Dalkichev and Erik Black, the Crimson Calling, standing proudly in the ring, in the middle of Madison Square Garden. From that image, we fade to black.)
SCENE ENDS