Tap of the Class (DT/MD EOD 4 RP 1)

[Dave D-Flipz]

October 12, 2020 – Phuket International Airport

*The scene opens as we view security cam footage from the airport in Thailand. Man Mongo really spared no expense to get every ounce of promotional material out of End of Days. Gonna be weird when he finds half his roster sick in bed because they had to fight inside a giant chicken … Either way we see Death Trap and Mistress Discipline walking out to the plane to take them to the Philippines for their finals match with the Purple Emperors. DT is in his Armani Suit and hat, Discipline is in her blue flight outfit from the last flight. Chaos is in a small cluster of masked people behind them.*

"You are awfully quiet, can we at least be happy? We advanced to the finals and really all we had to do was avoid baked goods! No sharks or bears or anything."

"You allowed me to be pied in the face. You moved out of the way without a warning or signal and I am still finding bits of pie crust in my wrestling gear."

"I mean that was part of the match, all the practicing, my reflexes were on point man."

"Images of me covered in chocolate cream will now be circulating the internet. You could have punched or kicked the pie like you did to the second one that hit Keith."

*DT sees he is not winning this battle, who knew pie on the face would be such a hangup for the former librarian.*

"I guess … I’ll just shut up and mentally prepare for the match on the flight then … yeah …"

*The tag team finalists climb onto the plane and take their seats. With the middle seats blocked for distance purposes. DT climbs into the window seat and Mistress the aisle seat. Across the aisle Chaos takes the window seat and a teenage Thai girl wearing a remarkably familiar looking outfit but in green sits in the aisle. Mistress puts on headphones and DT sighs*

"First time I’ve ever gotten in trouble for remembering chocolate instead of forgetting it. *sigh* Ok then, she’ll get over it by the time we land in Manila, ten hours from now. Is she gonna let me out to pee during this flight?"

---

*The plane is now in the middle of the flight and DT has been watching youtube videos of gamers playing Among Us and Phasmophobia for hours now and finally sets his laptop to wrestling related stuff.*

"It’s true, Swedish Chants Summon Ghosts … and Wade is always sus. Oh those youtubers."

*He loads up his videos of the previous tag matches from the Purple Emperors.*

"Too bad Radu didn’t team with Ghaven, coulda been Iron Butterfly… Radu probably could outlast that damn song …"

*DT settles in and watches some videos, we can see his expression change to one of deep inner thought.*

---

*We open again another hour or so into the flight. We must be more than halfway through. It seems the camera across the aisle has clicked on again as DT has started talking to himself in thought*

"This match is going to be big. By far the most accomplishments on the opposite side of the match of any match she’s been in so far. Myself a two time X*Crown champ, current MCCW world champ. Caffrey an X*Crown champ who held the AXW title for a year. Radu who held the SWAT world title for two. Legends in the business. It’s my responsibility as her mentor to give her the tools she needs to succeed. A win here would be a HUGE boost to her Fireside credentials and get us that title shot I said we’d get back when I signed on to this partnership. I have to be at my absolute best. This is the exact legacy I’ve been working towards. The titles are nice but I want to make sure the next generation is set up to succeed. I don’t think anyone harbors any illusions that Radu and I aren’t on the tail end of our careers. And with Caffrey’s recent swing towards the ownership avenue himself, it makes sense for her to be the one to carry on the success I’ve worked my whole career for."

*he shifts uneasily in his seat as he puts his head towards the window*

"This isn’t as simple as getting into the heads of some cocky narcissists and spinning them off their game, or outclassing a team clearly not equipped for us. Radu is Deathless… I don’t know if he even knows what tapping out is. The man’s been broken so many times and he clearly has no accountability for his own safety. I can’t remember the last time anyone got Caffrey to tap out either. I couldn't get him to give in at Battleground and I’m the best there is at making people tap out. Caff has one legendary way to do it, I have many. My endurance is my savior here too. I know I can power past MY limits as well. No no this match is going to come down to a long drug out affair and at the end any one of the four of us might be the one to tap. I know I can be savage enough in the ring to get the win. And a pass out is a tap out, if I can get my Death Trap on either of them I know I can end the match without a tap out if need be. And Radu may actually be the better candidate for that with his age and broken down body giving out on him."

*He leans back and looks to the ceiling of the plane as if this thought pains him.*

"Still … I hope Radu understands the respect I have for him. After all if not for him Zoran may have actually murdered me. How that match was legal I don’t know. I could have lost my hand and all my skin to burning exploding LEGOs. God I’d be like Dylan …"

*he shudders*

"Radu took that attack for me when that cheater … well cheated. As far as I’m concerned I owe him one. I will find a way to repay it and have his back when he needs me most. Just … not at this event. I can’t let that emotion stand in the way of the bigger achievement. This win would set Mistress and me up for our first tag title reign. My first in XHF, my second ever. I’m sure Radu wouldn’t want anything less than my best either. A hollow win would do nothing for him. He’s out to prove he can still go with the best of us. Being bitten by bears and stung by murder hornets just to help his team win. I wonder if he feels his days as a standout singles star are over though. He returned to SWAT specifically for the Anzac Cup and now got dragged into a singles match for Armand’s amusement. There’s no doubt Radu is the toughest son of a bitch I’ve ever met. He has more grit and endurance and willpower than even the likes of Reeshi or Gravedigger. But I’ve overcome them all in the past, my name may not be on the top of anyone’s best wrestler ever lists but it sure as hell is on the list of best submission specialists and highest stamina/endurance lists. I can hang with Deathless right? I guess we’re both putting a lot of stock into our respective younger partners."

*DT looks at a sleeping Mistress with her kindle resting on her stomach*

"Still, she’s in much fresher condition than Caff and she can actually LIFT her opponents. Radu and Caff … and I guess myself … all have these long term histories to worry about. Caff is going to go for the ankles no problem but Mistress and I know to attack Caff’s shoulder and Radu’s … well a lot of Radu is basically scar tissue stitched into a human form powered by willpower and the good will of fans of wrestling."

*he shrugs*

"And I’m sure at least Radu is smart enough to go for my head so I’ll have to guard myself and play this smart. Game respecting game I suppose. But her … she’s not harboring any lingering injuries or easily targeted weaknesses like us old men. Smart play is to keep her fresh while we weaken them down and let her contort Caffrey’s shoulder and Radu’s neck with her submissions. Her wins are my wins after all … still … I owe Caffrey a receipt."

*He gets serious*

"Our last match was less than conclusive. I may have walked out with the X*Crown but I’d have rather done it on my own recognizance. Fucking Timeless making everyone doubt me. And losing to Rob didn’t help that … nor did Caff losing to Rat … This is certainly a chance for us to finish what we started. He’s going to want to be the one to make me tap out. And I’m going to be the one to make him understand that I am more than just a dumb hat and a desire for the spotlight. He swears I was about to tap but I know better. It was less than a minute to the end of the time limit. A sudden death OT means I get out of that hold and can find a way to win. It’s what I do best. Back against the wall, find a way to win. It’s what I have to do this week. Find a way to do the unthinkable."

*DT looks back at the computer watching Caff and Radu work together surprisingly well*

"Last time we fought Caff … I was skeptical. I hit you where you live and made you have to confront your inner asshole. Judging by our match and opening Fireside … I guess you really have been trying to turn it around and give back. And I can respect that. You didn’t cheat to beat me. And I believe you won’t here. But I still see you struggle to suppress that younger, dumber version of yourself. That fire and bile spilling out when you get offended or worked up. Feeling slighted and turning back into the Emperor Asshole. It takes time to really change man. You gotta keep at it. I was once just like you. It’s all about mental focus. And I’ll be honest. I think you need help. Not trying to insult you but it’s clear this whole Swann thing hasn’t done wonders for your already stress addled brain. It’s perfectly acceptable to feel the way you did after that whole … incident … with Brad. But it’s affecting your life and making your change harder for us to digest. It’s making you self-destructive. You keep shooting yourself in the foot and I think this suppressed trauma is the culprit. Trust me, a history of head injuries basically repressing all of me for years has given me a bit of clarity on the subject. You can’t be the yearlong champ you were with that rattling in your dome."

*He is monologuing to the screen now. I guess he’s recording this bit on his webcam to post to the site later.*

"You lost your cool against me leading into the match. Who knows, had you been honest with yourself … or were able to commit to really changing and not losing control … maybe you could have beat me. Maybe if you weren’t so dead set on making me tap out to assert your superiority you’d still be X*Crown Champ. I can’t say. That elbow sure hurt though. Question is are you gonna shoot yourself in the foot again? Go get wasted? Try to jump off a building? Forget that you have a partner and don’t need the glory all to yourself? Or are you going to actually get help, open up, let that shit go, and do what your team needs to win? Cuz when the chips are down … I trust her to win us the match and stop me from doing something stupid, and she trusts me to step in and keep her focused and make sure our strategies remain sound. Either one of us can earn this win. Are you willing to allow Radu to step in if you have me down but not out but he could win it? I want the best of you both. I want to either lose to two men I can respect and say took my best and beat me at it … or I want to beat two legends. One solid and one in the making. To make one of you tap out to one of us. To tap for us so we can win those titles. For myself … and Mistress Discipline to truly be top of the XHF tag team class."

*DT looks at Mistress as some turbulence wakes her up.*

"Are … are you watching me sleep?"

*She doesn’t sound … upset per se …*

"What? No! I was talking to myself about our upcoming match and then the turbulence and …"

*DT notices the phone propped up on a pop socket on Chaos’s tray table. He realizes his deep inner thoughts have been broadcast for everyone to see.*

"Chaos really? What if I had revealed some horrible dark secret? I don’t want people thinking I like … murdered … I dunno … Price … or something! Or what if I had gotten hot and taken my shirt off?"

"What if INDEED!"

*DT is about to rant at her when he casts his eyes to the girl in the row with Chaos. She smiles at him*

"I’m sorry miss, do you understand English? Am I bothering you, I can swap seats with you to argue with my tag partner’s manager with no respect for privacy …"

*If he only knew*

"Hi y’all!"

*Well that was odd … it’s at this point DT realizes she’s wearing a green version of the same flight outfit as Mistress’s blue one and Chaos’s pink one.*

"Uhhh …. Chaos?"

*Mistress has now leaned into the conversation as well with a quizzical look on her face.*

"Oh didn’t I tell y’all? She’s with me!"

"Hi y’all!"

*DT stands there mouth agape looking at her, then the girl, then Chaos. Then to Discipline who shrugs and shakes her head like she has no idea.*

"That … certainly raises some questions …"