Reality's new presence....

[JLebron]

<b>(FADE-IN..... </b>ever so slowly to the top of a table in a room nearly bare of furnishings. Letters are strewn lazily over the top of the table, some have even fallen off the table and on to the ground. On the letters that are visible to our view, we can make out a few logos.... GXW, NEW, Empire Pro, NWL..... one boldly displays the CSWA logo in giant gold letters while another displays the TWA in a more subtle manner. They're all of different approaches, some being very detailed while others leaning toward being more to the point. All apparently of the same intent however as they all bear words such as "....invites you to join our league...", "....please review and sign the attached contract...." or "....contact us at your earliest convenience for contract negotiations....", not to mention, the all purpose enticement, promises of salary offerings, nearly all of them obscenely extravagant. <b>..... FADE-OUT....)</b>

<center> <img src="http://fwrestling.com/host/glcw/maelimages/eyes2mael2.jpg"> </center>

<b>(FADE-IN......</b> once again, this time to a pair of eyes glaring intensely at us<b>...... CUTTO.....</b> a hand reaching in from out of the cameras view, pulling one of the letters from the pile on the table. After a moment or two you could almost feel his smile as he mutters to himself.....)

<b>OFF-CAMERA MUTTERINGS:</b> .....so Medina's back eh? Been a while since I've come across his name. (brief moment of silence as he continues to read, all the while muttering almost inaudibly) Jarod Poe huh? (smiles faintly as he continues to scan the letter, after a few moments, he sighs heavily and shakes his head disparagingly) Smith, don't ya ever get tired of trying to ride my coattails? Apparently not, go figure. Hart, another familiar face that gazed "up" at me after all was said and done. (chuckles to himself) And then we have a couple I've never heard of, Theo and The Watcher...... hmmmmm, two who'll soon endure the reality that awaits them at my presence, (chuckles to himself).....all in good time though, all in very good time.....

<b>(CUTTO:.....</b> A large figure with his back to us walking towards the door. As he opens it a stiff breeze blows in from outside, tossing his black mane wildly about. As he steps through the door and vanishes, the wind begins to subside, but not before it sends nearly all the letters flying to the air...... all save one that is as the camera begins to zoom in on that one letter<b>..... FADE-OUT on the NWL logo.....)</b>

 

[JC]

You thought wrong....

(Fade in onto a NWL backdrop and as the camera focuses in yet closer, the silhouette becomes more obvious as Dakota Smith… He slowly paces in front of the camera, appearing to be deep in thought… Zooming in for a facial shot, he suddenly stops and turns to face the camera…)

DAKOTA: The Ink hasn’t even dried on the contract yet and already Maelstrom has graced us with words of wisdom…

(Steps away from the camera and continues pacing… He paces a while before he continues to speak, his tone and volume changing as quickly as his expressions which vary as he continues talking…)

DAKOTA: Now I can understand this aurora of being superior to the rest of the peons, but what makes you actually think that I of all people would be riding your coat tails!?

(He smirks cynically and paces again, several moments pass before he comes out of his deep thought and with a sneer says…)

DAKOTA: You actually believe that crap, don’t ya Mael!? The feelings and desires of those dreams are so freaking strong that you actually believe that crap… What makes you think that you’re so special Mael!? Was it the way they showered you with gifts and promises of grandeur so you can sign up with their fed!? Could your track record hold the key to your behavior!? Maybe it’s a combination of both and the fact that for the moment you appear to be the top dog in the pound… Yea, that has to be it… You’re intoxicated by the stench of your own crap, and you’re just rambling on… I have to admit Mael that you are indeed the top dog, with the NEH gone, the UA and Nevada retired it was a no brainer that you would at last ascend the throne vacated by them… With them gone, you’re the only one left to carry the torch, so of course they shower you with gold and silver… The future is truly yours…

(His expression suddenly turns hostile and with glaring eyes and a malicious tone continues…)

DAKOTA: Or so you thought Mael… You thought wrong dude, your long list of accomplishments and your outstanding track record means crap to me Mael… I am neither intimated by you nor am I impressed; in other words Mael, I really give a rat’s a$$ about you and your assumptions… You want to believe that I am trying to ride your coat tails, go right ahead… I am the new generation of Pandorian and I don’t intend on taking a backseat to you or anyone else…

(His pace continues, a cynical laughter can be heard as we slowly fade off… )

 

[JLebron]

Ya don't think at all.....

<b>(FADE IN....</b> to an empty set, still in the midst of construction. Saw dust litters the floor, 2 x 4's lay carelessly about, some of the walls are half painted while the others show splotches of plaster smeared in all directions. Leaning against one wall, on the floor, still bound in stretch-wrap and apparently waiting to be mounted is a 3 foot metallic NWL logo. Moments later a large shadow begins looming over it and as the cameras pan to capture its source, we find ourselves staring into the face of the man known simply as<b>......)</b>

<b>MAELSTROM: </b>Hook line and sinker..... if there's ever a sure bet in wrestling Dakota, it's that you'll always prove that ya don't think at all. I mean really, I bait the line, cast it out to everyone within ear shot, yet it's always YOU who responds so readily with the same old tripe that yer daddy and the NEH have become accustomed to spewing out. Tell me something Dakota, do y'all rehearse together or just mail each other comparison scripts?

(smiles faintly)

<b>MAELSTROM: </b>I think the problem is that your 5 mph mind just can't catch up to your 100 mph mouth! It's usually the case with people who simply don't think at all, unless of course there's simply not enough brain matter in yer head to produce an intelligent, original thought. Ya see Dakota, ya seem to be under the delusion that I actually care about your opinions..... that I actually find you to be a threat of sorts....

(glares directly at us in a stoic manner, then without warning burss out laughing..... after a while he raises an eyebrow in a very animated and comical fashion......)

<b>MAELSTROM: </b>Need I say more?

(Without saying another word, Maelstrom turns and walks off the set, leaving behind saw-dust foot prints amidst resounding echoes of laughter<b>..... FADE OUT....)</b>

 

[JC]

A very grim reality....

(Fade in back onto the same scene we were privy to view just a few moments ago… This time instead of Maelstrom, we see Dakota and Nevada Smith…. Nevada looks about and shakes his head disparagingly as he scans the construction going on… With a cynical grin, he turns and faces our camera…)


NEVADA: Is this what you've been reduced to Mael, to conduct your lil promos from a yet to be built set!? (Laughs) No matter, a promo is a promo no matter where you conduct it from, eh Mael!? It has been a while since I last saw you, but I can see that your mentality has not change one iota… Same old “tripe” Mael!? (Again he laughs) Mael, Mael… The days of my fearing you are gone and no we do not exchange mail nor do we rehearse together… But I didn’t come here to mess with ya, my days of doing that are long over… In fact I grew bored of having to deal with the likes of you, so now it is a new breed that you have to deal and contend with, nastier, more dangerous that anything you’ve encountered up until now … It is a clear and present danger Mael, one which will consume you and all who happen to get entangled into it… But don’t take my word for it, I know that you’re the type that needs to experience the physical aspect of things so without further ado, allow me to introduce to you the new demon in your wretched life…. Allow me to introduce you and the world at large to…. DAKOTA SMITH!!!

(A massive Dakota momentarily engulfs our camera’s view, and as we zoom out, his eyes lock in on the camera, he solemnly begins to speak…)

DAKOTA: It’s “always” me Mael!? It’s always me who “always responds”!? (Starts to pace) What did you expect!? You didn’t leave me much choice Mael… I’ve always liked ya Mael, or have you forgotten that already!? (Smirks as he paces…) Yea, you most likely have… I guess that and a lot of other things have abandoned your memory, whether by choice or circumstances… I don’t take away from ya that YOU ARE the MAN!!! The man of the hour… King of the mountain… Yea Mael, you are strong, you are vicious and you know your way around the square circle… You are a man to be feared inside that ring and even out… I have watched you throughout my youth, I have observed you from close and afar, your many battles with my old man and the UA were brutal ones… And a lot of people would steer clear from you, your rep far exceeds who you really are Mael, I’m sure the peons out there don’t know that and that’s irrelevant at this point… (Stops pacing and stares into the camera again…) You seem to want to make this personal between you and I… You seem to somehow think that you can get payback by starting some sort of feud with me… “The sins of my father”… EH MAEL!? Well anyway as far as “daddy” goes; he’s Nevada and I’m Dakota, we’re as different as night and day, he says it’s black, I say it’s red… I do have a trace of respect for ya Mael; after all we’re family… But don’t confuse that with fear or lack of intelligence, everything you see and hear is not always what it appears to be… I know for a fact that you don’t think of me as a threat, s(bleep)t my previous stint was disastrous, but you of all people should know that I learn quickly, that I only make the same mistake, only once… Throughout the years I looked up to you much in the way I looked up to Nevada, the UA and the NEH… I studied all of you immensely, I watched and watched until my eyes could not stay open any longer and even then I watched… I absorbed it all Mael, took the bad, turned it good, took the good and made it better… I’m not under the influence of some damn misguided delusion, I neither care nor do I sweat you Mael… I’ve read that book from front to back many times over… You, Nevada, the UA, the NEH and even that no good punk JC are all the same, deep inside you all think and react the same way… And while I may have to lurk in your shadows for a while, it will be just that Mael… A VERY SHORT WHILE!!!

(Without saying another word, he walks off the still unfinished set, Nevada stares at him as he walks off and with a cynical smirk says…)

NEVADA: Well I hope you’re happy now Mael, you have antagonized the ONLY family member that really liked you… Now I’ll speak to him and let’s hope I can calm him down, otherwise you’re up s(bleep)t’s creek without a paddle… And in case you’re wondering just what I am doing here, wonder no more amigo, I just came along for the ride and to say hello to my good amigo Medina… And I do want to wish ya good luck on your new endeavors cause quite frankly Mael, you’re going to need it…

(Starts to laughs as he also begins to walk away… Camera fades off… “For whom the bells toll” plays softly in the background as we completely fade off to black….)

 

[JLebron]

Lurking in the shadows....

<b>(FADE IN:..... </b>on total darkness..... moments later a dim light begins to shine somewhere in the middle of our view, revealing a solitary silhouette. As the silhouette walks closer towards our view, the lighting becomes more intense, revealing to us just how massive this person is, his chiseled muscles seemingly spring to life with every step he takes. As for his face..... somehow his features remain hidden even though the rest of his body isn't. Just when we think we're about to catch a glimpse at his features, a shadow quickly veils it. This goes on for a few seconds longer, his approach almost surreal.... until he stops that is. At that point, he raises a hand up to his face and sweeps back both shadows and hair away from his face, revealing to us finally, the sullen eyes, the stoic expression of the man known simply as.....)

<b>MAELSTROM: </b>You speak of shadows with familiarity Dakota…… I suppose you got that from your father and the rest of the NEH......

(pauses momentarily as his eyes narrow and his lips curl into a faint, cruel grin.....)

<b>MAELSTROM: ......</b>is it contagious then Dakota? Have the NEH also infected you with the same bitterness they refuse to acknowledge? The same bitterness your own father still refuses to admit despite his own recent admission of fearing me? You see Dakota, you were trained and raised under the tutelage of propaganda all these years...... under the "guise" of "fabricated" truth according to what your father and the NEH taught you.

(falls momentarily silent as he simply glares straight at us, then without warning.....)

<b>MAELSTROM:</b> You truly ARE lurking in the shadows Dakota...... though not necessarily for the reasons you referred to earlier.....

(Maelstrom glares stoically at us, his intense gaze smoldering an insatiable caged rage that's extinguished from our view as the shadows move in, embracing him completely...... preempting our own course and fading us out entirely........)