Post by Thespian on Apr 28, 2022 17:23:31 GMT -5
“You know…”
The calm, yet raspy voice of the Thespian cuts through the dark silence that takes the video feed. A lighter flicks on to barely illuminate the area around it as we see the clay-colored hand of the wrestler waving it gently around.
“... With how much you wanna play up the Rabid Dog, I’d think you were trying to blow him. And last I checked, we frown upon sexual acts with animals around here. I understand we work in the South, but, damn.”
The masked wrestler tosses the lighter to the floor in-front of him. Immediately, the floor lights up in flames as it trails around his typical throne… as well as engulfing the curtains that hang along the edges of the stage it sits on. Theo sits up properly with one leg nonchalantly crossed over the other… and the makings of a smirk across his face as he addresses his audience once more:
“Welcome to Act Two, ladies and gentlemen! Oh, I’ve missed all of you wonderful people, but alas, I’m on a short timer today as the Fire Department has already been called. Instead, I’ll be talking to you directly now, Scott Hampton.”
A hand reaches behind the Thespian’s throne to pull at a nearby rope. A banner unfurls itself from the burning rafters. It shows an image of Hampton walking towards the ring on Ascendancy I.
“You’ve been here from the very start, but I have to say your first couple of matches weren’t exactly the most stellar, nor the most victorious, were they? Let’s see...”
The first banner falls to reveal Hampton down on the mat three times with the numerals I, III, and V next to each slice.
"Jobbed it, jobbed it, and jobbed it. Only to finally get a win against... Cheez, I guess."
One more pull, revealing Scott Hampton finally scoring the Vae Victus combo against Cheez on Ascendency IX.
"Eight shows and three losses later. But, hey, at least this is where your streak of dominance finally begins, right? Wait, no, you instead went down as someone who actually has a recorded loss against…”
He pauses for a moment to pull out a tiny notepad to glean over. As he does, another tug reveals the battered face of one:
“... Joe Blow. Well, we can’t all be winners. The last time anyone actually gave a damn about you around here was last OFN; you were screaming about how you were going to get your hands on the Heavyweight Championship right before you beat down a jobber and disappeared again. Meanwhile, what was I doing…? Oh, right, DEFENDING GOLD!”
One last string pull shows the Thespian taking the pinfall victory over Sexton Love at OFN III.
“Chalk my disappearance up however you’d like; it makes no difference. I came, I defended, I lost, and I stepped out. Meanwhile, what have you done? Anyone? Can anyone here tell me what Scott Hampton has been doing for the last four or so months?”
He holds a gloved hand up to his ear under the facemask. All that responds back to him is crackling fires around him. He scoffs to himself.
“That’s what I thought. Nothing. I took some time away from NLW to get my priorities in order, so let me do you a favor, before I put out the shambles of what’s left of your career, you burn-out. I’m going to tell you what your priorities should be going into the next show:
“Your opponent for Open Fight Night IV isn’t the Rabid Dog. It’s not a G1 Match. Your opponent is Little Old Me in an opening exhibition match. And should you, or anyone else out there, not know who I am by now, Mr. Hampton, then let me right that wrong and REMIND you who I am, since clearly your name matters to me far more than mine does to you.
“I am the longest reigning, and most dominant, champion that this company has produced. I am both the opening attraction and the main event. I am the Thespian, and you will learn to respect me! On! My! Stage!”
The fires begin to take the roof of the abandoned theater. Almost as if on cue, a portion of the roof collapses right over the camera, cutting the video feed. Only audio plays as the crackles of the fire nearly drown out the retreating footsteps… and the sirens of firetrucks behind those.
“I’ll see your flames extinguished, Hampton."
The calm, yet raspy voice of the Thespian cuts through the dark silence that takes the video feed. A lighter flicks on to barely illuminate the area around it as we see the clay-colored hand of the wrestler waving it gently around.
“... With how much you wanna play up the Rabid Dog, I’d think you were trying to blow him. And last I checked, we frown upon sexual acts with animals around here. I understand we work in the South, but, damn.”
The masked wrestler tosses the lighter to the floor in-front of him. Immediately, the floor lights up in flames as it trails around his typical throne… as well as engulfing the curtains that hang along the edges of the stage it sits on. Theo sits up properly with one leg nonchalantly crossed over the other… and the makings of a smirk across his face as he addresses his audience once more:
“Welcome to Act Two, ladies and gentlemen! Oh, I’ve missed all of you wonderful people, but alas, I’m on a short timer today as the Fire Department has already been called. Instead, I’ll be talking to you directly now, Scott Hampton.”
A hand reaches behind the Thespian’s throne to pull at a nearby rope. A banner unfurls itself from the burning rafters. It shows an image of Hampton walking towards the ring on Ascendancy I.
“You’ve been here from the very start, but I have to say your first couple of matches weren’t exactly the most stellar, nor the most victorious, were they? Let’s see...”
The first banner falls to reveal Hampton down on the mat three times with the numerals I, III, and V next to each slice.
"Jobbed it, jobbed it, and jobbed it. Only to finally get a win against... Cheez, I guess."
One more pull, revealing Scott Hampton finally scoring the Vae Victus combo against Cheez on Ascendency IX.
"Eight shows and three losses later. But, hey, at least this is where your streak of dominance finally begins, right? Wait, no, you instead went down as someone who actually has a recorded loss against…”
He pauses for a moment to pull out a tiny notepad to glean over. As he does, another tug reveals the battered face of one:
“... Joe Blow. Well, we can’t all be winners. The last time anyone actually gave a damn about you around here was last OFN; you were screaming about how you were going to get your hands on the Heavyweight Championship right before you beat down a jobber and disappeared again. Meanwhile, what was I doing…? Oh, right, DEFENDING GOLD!”
One last string pull shows the Thespian taking the pinfall victory over Sexton Love at OFN III.
“Chalk my disappearance up however you’d like; it makes no difference. I came, I defended, I lost, and I stepped out. Meanwhile, what have you done? Anyone? Can anyone here tell me what Scott Hampton has been doing for the last four or so months?”
He holds a gloved hand up to his ear under the facemask. All that responds back to him is crackling fires around him. He scoffs to himself.
“That’s what I thought. Nothing. I took some time away from NLW to get my priorities in order, so let me do you a favor, before I put out the shambles of what’s left of your career, you burn-out. I’m going to tell you what your priorities should be going into the next show:
“Your opponent for Open Fight Night IV isn’t the Rabid Dog. It’s not a G1 Match. Your opponent is Little Old Me in an opening exhibition match. And should you, or anyone else out there, not know who I am by now, Mr. Hampton, then let me right that wrong and REMIND you who I am, since clearly your name matters to me far more than mine does to you.
“I am the longest reigning, and most dominant, champion that this company has produced. I am both the opening attraction and the main event. I am the Thespian, and you will learn to respect me! On! My! Stage!”
The fires begin to take the roof of the abandoned theater. Almost as if on cue, a portion of the roof collapses right over the camera, cutting the video feed. Only audio plays as the crackles of the fire nearly drown out the retreating footsteps… and the sirens of firetrucks behind those.
“I’ll see your flames extinguished, Hampton."