More than you bargained for

[SouthernBoy]

{{...FADE-IN: Shane Southern sits on the roof of a Bourbon Street bar. He's trying to hide, because tonight, he just wants to be alone. Stretched out on his lawn chair with his feet propped up on the edge of the building, he finishes the latest in a long line of long neck Budweiser’s and tosses it into the corner with the rest....}}

SHANE SOUTHERN: " Memories are ah' hard thing ta' get out of yer head. I've gotta' memory of mah' very first professional match ... my first win, mah' first title ... tha' first time a steel chair cracked mah head open. I think back on those times now n' I wish I could go back to 'em. 'Cause it's not often that you get ta' do somethin' for tha' FIRST time. "

" I remember mah' first month in tha' CSWA. I won tha' Greensboro title in mah' first match against Evan Aho. I remember tha' first guy I defended that title ah'gainst ... Cameron Cruise. I ALSO remember beating you Cruise ... but what sticks out in mah' mind tha' MOST was after tha' match ... you pickin' up that steel chair n' puttin' a dent inna' perfectly good seat. "

" Mah' head hurt for a week after that ... n' ya' know Cam (smiles) ... I never got ta' pay ya' back. Things picked back up with Evan, n' you went on ta' other things. N' now, almost two years has past ... n' I still remember tha' day. Alot has changed ah'bout me in tha' past two years ... as I'm sure with you. "

" My loss at Anniversary put tha' FINAL nail in tha' coffin' of Shane Southern, "good ol' boy". It cemented tha' fact that tha' baby-face, clean-cut, All-American southern boy that you nailed with that chair two years ago has been put OUT of tha' sport. In his place iza' resentful man. Resentful at what this sport is ah'bout ta' do ta' me ... resentful at tha' fact that I can't be who I WANT ta' be ... n' still be a success at this sport. "

" So now Cam, you've got tha' UNFORTUNATE task of bein' tha' FIRST guy I meet on my way back up tha' ladder. Only this time, I'm not gonna' just climb by people on tha' ladder n' say "excuse me" as I pass by ... THIS time, I'm pullin' yer ass OFF tha' ladder n' throwin' you to tha' cold, hard STEEL below. "

" It's unfortunate Cam that YOU, are tha' FIRST, ta' see this side of me in tha' CSWA. Unfortunate fer you, unfortunate fer me ... n' unfortunate for tha' fans ... 'cause I'm ah'bout ta' unleash a BEAST that I'm not sure even I can control ... n' I KNOW you can't. "

" So kiss that pretty wife of yers goodbye before you step inta' tha' ring with me Cam, it might just be tha' last time those lips work fer ah' while. "

" Party's Over. "

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

 

[TSiegel]

A Link to the Past.

This also can tie into General/Storyline RP, I suppse.
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(Fadein, Cruise's home in Jacksonville, NC. Cruise, relaxing on the back porch, halfway strums on his Gibson guitar, in deep thought.)

CC: Finally, after quite a long road trip, I get a day off to just....relax. No chores to do, no autograph sessions to go to...while they are fun....a man is just happy for once staying at home. Alot of men choose to sleep it off, other tend to the chores around the house, and some even take the whole day and fool around with their spouse.

Me? You're lookin' right at it.

Sittin' back here with my guitar is one of the most relaxing ventures I dive into when I get the chance, and as of late, that chance has been on the few and far between.

Now, as I sit here Shane I think just about anything and everything that comes to mind. Lately, believe it or not other than what's protruded at On Time, that subject has been involving YOU.

Ya sit there on that roof with your bucket of brew with alot of the same reason I'm here now, to relax....maybe even reminisce. But in doing so you've pointed out quite a few bad moves I've made in the past couple of years.

Probably even made me think of more, some I haven't even thought twice about doing since the time I did it.

Next year it'll be about five years since I proposed to my wife Mercedes. Eventually as you can see I did marry her, but I do believe most of what's gone on wrong has been since that horrible, horrible night.

Everything was set to go. I was dressed in a tux feeling nervous as hell, but the most unlikely man calmed me down, just prior to stepping out. That man was a man I had quite a distaste for in that of Mark Maverick. Then just as I was about to kiss my new bride, Sky Suicide came down and made the biggest mistake of his life, breaking up the wedding and even causing my wife to leave me at the alter. Have you ever been left at the Alter Shane? Better yet, have you ever had something like what happened to me, happen to you....and then still had to wrestle that night? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm not sure you have.

I lost the Presidential title that night, and to this day....remember the hell-ish pain, all the anger I went through. I went on one of the biggest rampages I've ever had, taking out athletes with chairs, obsessed over what had happened that night in Greensboro, hell I even took you out as well, just like you said.

Right before I took on....well, as coicidence would say it, Evan Aho....I felt a need to refocus at just what it was I was doing at the time. I have a need to be more centered, back to where and when I started. Now, albeit, it was by virtue of Mercedes, I've found at least the start of my new journey.

I now have a brother in which I never knew. Why it is my parents never thought about telling me is something else, but the fact that I have something positive back on my side really motivates me. Not just here, but in whatever it is I do in or outside that ring.

So, you see, even mid-card punks like me can change.

Let me tell you something thing though, Shane while deep down I've always respected you, chairshot or not...I knew you could wrestle like a true champion should. Although I've never had a one-on-one shot here in CSWA, not even in all the years I've been wrestling before you showed up, you beat me to it....I've never had the thought to just rush through getting ready to go down to the ring, before.

A man could never know what might happen.

But now you sit there and talk about my being the temporary-target-of-Shane Southern's-rage-just-because-he-didn't-get-what-he-wanted, the CSWA World Title. You're not the first to be in that position, I'm sure. I also really don't think that it'll be the last, so get over yourself or otherwise...

Boo-friggin'-hoo, Shane. Go cry to Mama Vivian, because neither I, nor Mercedes wanna hear it.

I still haven't got what I've wanted since I came here almost ten years ago for, and you don't see me b*tch about it, do you now?

Be grateful Shane.

At least you GOT a shot.

I mean really, back in the day....I knew I was gonna take ya out with that chair....I'm sorry for doing it, sure, but I already had it planned to take you out, win or not.

But give me credit Shane.

At least I was man enough to wait until the match was over to do it.

Fade

 

[SouthernBoy]

{{...FADE-IN: Shane Southern stands in front of a CSWA backdrop...}}

SHANE SOUTHERN: " Ya' know Cam, I really wasn't lookin' for n' explanation ... but I bet it sounded good comin' outta' yer mouth. I really don't care for tha' "who, what, when, where, how" crap, all I care ah'bout it tha' RESULT. Fer tha' last few weeks, I ain't liked tha' RESULT that Shane Southern has been layin' on tha' table. "

" Mah' whole career I've LET people get away with hittin' below tha' belt, I've stood by n' WATCHED as people with more, "motivation", left guys like ME layin' in tha' ring with a busted knee, or a dented skull, or cracked ribs. I chalked it up ta' bein' tha' "better man", but now I realize that bein' tha' "better man" ain't gonna' get ya' NOWHERE in this sport. Sure, it generates a few cheers from tha' fans, it puts a few bucks in tha' bank account ... but in tha' end, all ya' got are memories of what MIGHT have been had ya' took ah' different path. "

" But it ain't too late fer me yet Cam. I'm just thirty, still in mah' prime, still with enough TALENT ta' get me places ... n' enough DRIVE ta' put me in tha' SPOT I need ta' be in ... n' now, all I gotta' do is take tha' NEXT step. "

" Tha' DIFFERENCE between you n' me Cam is that I'm DOIN' something ah'bout my situation. You sit back ... like this "new blood" ... n' claim that you never had ah' chance ... well Cam, in this sport, we make our OWN chances. I MADE that title shot with Ryan happen by beatin' FIVE other guys ta' get it ... I failed this time, but you can rest assured that I'm gonna' get another shot. Not 'cause I'm OWED it by management, not 'cause I'm a big name in this sport, but because I'm gonna' EARN it. I'm gonna' beat YOU at PRIMETIME, then I'm gonna' beat tha' next guy, n' tha' next, n' tha' NEXT until there ain't nobody left but tha' champ ... n' then ... (smiles) I guess we'll see. "

" I accept yer apology fer clockin' me Cam ... I really do ... I've got nuthin' ta' gain by holdin' a grudge, but I'm still gonna' kick yer ass fer it. ... I've got to. ... It's nuthin' personal you understand ... "

" Just business. "

" Party's OVER. "

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

 

[TSiegel]

(Fadein, the front of Cruise's house. The front door hangs open for a minute as Cruise then comes out dressed in black jeans, a blue shirt, and his black leather jacket. The sun sends a particular shine across his shades, as the wind picks up a little bit. Shouldering a bag, he calmly walks over to his sleek, violet-colored, 1999 Pontiac Trans-Am as he sets the bag into the back.)

CC: Perhaps you're right Shane. Maybe I have been slacking off abit. I mean, despite Vipers' little interruption last week, I guess takin' it to the next level with Mike Randalls is just another drop in the proverbial bucket for you, ain't it Shane? Yeah, the same man that went toe-to-toe with Evan Aho, that shook the world up plenty of times with Deacon, Hornet, and lord knows who else....didn't get the job done. In his defense however....I'm just as satisified with being able to take Randalls to the time-limit....STANDING NO LESS, as you would be if you won the belt last week, I really am. Because for me....that show just how much more I've come since I started in this business.

But hey, even #1 contender's like you for the World title can forget right?

Ya know Shane, if it weren't for my little wake-up call with Randalls a few weeks ago, you very well might've seen me be doin' this (Motions to his bag over his shoulder), just for the hell of it. Hell Shane, if it weren't for a few weeks ago, I might've been not only carrying my bags....but if it were up to Merritt and whatever slimeball that doesn't give a damn, hell.....he might have had me carry everyone else's too.

I might even had a lay-off from appearances altogether, had I not done what I did a few weeks ago.

But you see Shane, we're not that different, you and I. You won that match for the #1 contendership to the title fair and square, I'm not disputing that. I'd even applaud you if I had the hands available to do it with, you earned it.

But to hang back and talk about trying to be the better man....gimmie a break.

If everyman around the world didn't do anything about what happened to them, the world as we know it would probably be in chaos. The USA wouldn't be as strong as we are, if we didn't try to be the 'better man' about things...(bleep), Shane do you know what could've went down?

Germany and Japan would've been able to finish the jobs in World War I and II...because we were just....the 'BETTER MAN'.

Russia would've been able to punk us out during the chaos known as the "Cuban-Missle Crisis", and could've gotten whatever we had in value....because we were the 'BETTER MAN'.

Hell, even the Abolishment of Slavery might not have happened, even though, deep down...we knew we were the 'BETTER MAN'.

You see where I'm going with this Shane? Is it quite hitting you in the noggin' there at all?

I've played the role of...the BETTER MAN before, Shane. Had I not taken the roads I did back then....I might have let Hornet punk me out the same night that I got left at the Alter. Therefore....I could be very much a different man in front of you because of it. Now, bein' that I still don't like the fact that he got involved....I've lessened the hatred I have for Hornet since then. I mean, I still maintain the fact that it was him that lost me the Presidential Title, but I'm above that now.

(Cruise leans over a minute and puts the other bag on his shoulder in the car, shutting the door. Standing back up, another shine from the sun flies across his shades.)

Like I said before, we're not that different you and I.

My twenty-nine years to your thirty, we've both been around the world plenty of times and accomplished quite abit of satisfaction with what we've done so far, I'm sure.

But just because you've been one step closer to the top of the mountain than I have doesn't mean that you have any kind of a decent grip. You might not be that far away from another shot Shane, this I'm open to admit.

However Shane, if you ask around now-a-days I'm not as easy to take out as you think.

As a matter of fact, come Primetime in Atlanta, I might be just as tough as your match with the World Champion if you keep up your assumptions, maybe even worse.

But as far as Atlanta goes, I'm comin' atcha' with just as much pain to dish out as you can give me Shane, probably more.

I can guarantee you at least one thing though Shane, and that is that unless you change your focus about things and get your mind on me for Primetime....

You might not be able to make it to your next shot at the World title.

That, my newly made pal, isn't just a reality check Shane. But it's one that I'm going to guarantee you come Primetime....you won't like.

Fadeout.