The New Face of Ascension
Mar 31, 2023 23:48:21 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer, Steele, and 4 more like this
Post by ForeverKuroi on Mar 31, 2023 23:48:21 GMT -5
Cut in. We’re in the prestigious office of Mongo The Destroyer as can be seen from his executive desk. But this time, it’s empty. He’s not there. The camera pans until it reaches the entrance of the room. Mongo stands by the door, looking outside.
Mongo: I already told you. Just come in here. This news is far more important than to just let you know in casual conversation by the water cool. After all, this is confidential news.
Mongo walks back to his desk. Not far behind him walks the gigantic former owner of the Ascension Wrestling Federation, Felix Ziko. Mongo sits down. Felix does not.
Mongo: You know, it seems like just yesterday when we’ve taken control of your little ALF fed. How long exactly?
Felix: Almost two years. Two long years. And give it the proper respect. It was the AWF, and we kept that thing running for four full years.
Mongo: With you and your baseball shenanigans, you’re lucky I don’t call it the MLB. You know it’s a was for a reason, right? Because you couldn’t keep it up. You couldn’t keep it going. Now I admit. You’ve had some quality talent and you made us feel warm and fuzzy at times, but this isn’t the Disney Channel. This isn’t a Christmas rom-com that you’d find on the Hallmark Channel. When people watch wrestling, they do so because they want to see the limits of human achievement. They want to see how far they’re willing to bring themselves if it means they get their time in the sun. Do you see what I mean?
Before, Felix would have grimaced. His hands would have balled into fists and he would have grit his teeth. Now… Unfazed.
Felix: Yes.
Mongo: The AWF ran for four years, just as you said. I’ll give credit where credit is due. That’s not nothing. You survived. But you didn’t thrive. A poor man can push through with a broken car for four years too if that’s all they could do, but compare that to the XHF Network. We’re edging toward 25 years, and we’ve blown our competition out of the water. 25 years. Some of our wrestlers aren’t even that old yet.
Felix: You know, I really thought that my mission could have worked. I thought we could have made it.
Mongo: Unfortunately for you, that’s not how the real world works. We have the history of professional wrestling to look back on, already cracking the code for the secret recipe that keeps the fans tuning in. You had…
Felix: I know. I know. Look, you’re right. I didn’t want to admit it at first, but you’re right.
Mongo: I’m not mad. If anything, I’m impressed. You’ve stuck incessantly to your beliefs for such a long time and you finally saw reason.
As he’s talking, Mongo pulls a file out from his desk drawer and begins jotting something down.
Mongo: I discussed the matter with Joey Hawke and came to a conclusion.
Felix cocks an eyebrow.
Mongo: The AWF was flawed, but it’s still salvageable. I figure, let’s bring it back.
Felix’s eyes shoot open.
Felix: You wouldn’t.
Mongo: Do I look like someone who’s here just to tell jokes? Now this doesn’t mean we go back to how things were before. There are some caveats that you’d have to agree to. Just three rules.
There’s an uneasy pause.
Felix: I’m listening.
Mongo: First, Terry Bradshaw doesn’t get a seat at the table. He’s not employed by the AWF and he never will be. To be quite honest, I’d prefer he doesn’t even step foot in the arena, even as a fan.
Felix: I’m on board. He was only originally there because we needed the money. I see that’s not a problem here.
Mongo: Second, you’re setting up a new tournament to determine the new AWF Prestige Champion. I’m sure once you announce the news, you’ll find some contenders.
Felix: …And the third?
Mongo smirks.
Mongo: I’m offended you’d even ask. It’s the XHF motto - Bring it to the Xtreme.
The crowd is screaming. They’re going wild. They’re chanting relentlessly.
Crowd: A-DUBYA-F. A-DUBYA-F. A-DUBYA-F.
Taylor: We’re back! We’re back! Oh lord, it feels AMAZING to be back here in front of everyone here tonight. For those who haven’t met us before, I’m Tommy Taylor!
Romano: And I’m Cassius Romano! I can finally die a happy man. I didn’t believe the phone call I got when Felix told us that the Ascension Wrestling Federation would come back once more.
Taylor: IT’S STARTING!
The lights die down, causing the crowd to grow louder and louder, until the cheering starts to die down. This matches perfectly with the kicking beat of “Ravenous” by X-Ray Dog. Felix Ziko walks out, dressed in a full suit but without a tie. He has a microphone in hand as he stands on the stage, but he doesn’t speak into the microphone. He points the microphone, above the ring. The rejuvenated crowdbase kicks up their volume once again.
Romano: For those of you who can’t believe this because I can barely believe my own eyes, above the ring, there is a STEEL CAGE. IT’S WRAPPED IN BARBED WIRE!
Taylor: And we aren’t just talking about run of the mill barbed wire around the top of the cage. I’m talking ALL OVER IT! It’s interwoven through the links in the cage. This is something Felix Ziko would never have done! After almost two years, there’s one question that’s running through my mind - just what happened to him!?
After what feels like a few minutes, Felix Ziko finally brings the microphone to his lips and begins to speak.
Felix: ASCENSION. WRESTLING. FEDERATION!
With a resounding roar from the crowd, the fans just go NUTS.
Felix: You’ve been with us for years, and you join us again. Yet, I don’t deserve you.
He pauses, leaving the crowd relatively silent among muttering.
Felix: I want to let you know that I’ve failed you. I didn’t listen. I knew what you wanted, yet I thought I knew better. I thought I could convince you my way was better. I thought that through mere athleticism, respect, and sportsmanship, we could pave the way toward a new face of professional wrestling. But I was BLIND!
Felix Ziko nervously paces around the stage.
Felix: You don’t think I HEARD you when you cheered louder during matches like this? The ones that shed blood? The ones that let carnage flood through the ring and stain the canvas red?! When I pointed to the barbed-wire steel cage, you were the LOUDEST I’ve ever heard you! I’m a big man, but it takes a bigger man to admit their mistakes. Ascension, I. WAS. WRONG.
He pauses once more, giving more time for the message to sink in.
Felix: AND LOOK WHERE THIS GOT US. TWO YEARS GONE! …Fans, WE CAN CHANGE THINGS! While my heart still pumps and I’m still on my feet, I will make amends! I will give you what you want! IF YOU WANT THINGS TO BE XTREME, WITH GOD AS MY WITNESS, I WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN!
The crowd begins to make noise once again. They begin to hoot, holler and let their voices be heard. It only gets louder too as a creaky system of pulleys kicks off the lowering of the cage.
Felix: A new age of Xtreme will take over! The dropping of this cage will symbolize the rebirth of the AWF! We will Ascend once more, and we will Ascend higher! For our NEW values - Xtreme, Blood, and CARNAGE!
Felix Ziko times the descent of the cage.
Felix: FANS.
WE.
ARE.
The cage stops. The Xtreme-Tron turns on. We see a familiar face.
Mongo: Very good, Felix. You almost even made a believer out of me.
Felix slowly exhales. He squints his eyes and falls to his knees.
Mongo: Just in case this wasn’t clear enough to all of you, the AWF is not coming back. We at the XHF Network wish a very happy April Fools to all of you. As for you, Felix, the dry cleaners called. My suit is ready. Why don’t you pick it up for me?
Taylor: What the HELL IS THIS!? Is this some sort of joke!?
Romano: I came out of RETIREMENT for this. What kind of mind games is Mongo pulling on Felix? How could Felix let this happen? THIS IS ABSOLUTE BULL!
Tears start to roll down Felix’s face.
Felix: I hate my job.
The scene cuts out.
Mongo: I already told you. Just come in here. This news is far more important than to just let you know in casual conversation by the water cool. After all, this is confidential news.
Mongo walks back to his desk. Not far behind him walks the gigantic former owner of the Ascension Wrestling Federation, Felix Ziko. Mongo sits down. Felix does not.
Mongo: You know, it seems like just yesterday when we’ve taken control of your little ALF fed. How long exactly?
Felix: Almost two years. Two long years. And give it the proper respect. It was the AWF, and we kept that thing running for four full years.
Mongo: With you and your baseball shenanigans, you’re lucky I don’t call it the MLB. You know it’s a was for a reason, right? Because you couldn’t keep it up. You couldn’t keep it going. Now I admit. You’ve had some quality talent and you made us feel warm and fuzzy at times, but this isn’t the Disney Channel. This isn’t a Christmas rom-com that you’d find on the Hallmark Channel. When people watch wrestling, they do so because they want to see the limits of human achievement. They want to see how far they’re willing to bring themselves if it means they get their time in the sun. Do you see what I mean?
Before, Felix would have grimaced. His hands would have balled into fists and he would have grit his teeth. Now… Unfazed.
Felix: Yes.
Mongo: The AWF ran for four years, just as you said. I’ll give credit where credit is due. That’s not nothing. You survived. But you didn’t thrive. A poor man can push through with a broken car for four years too if that’s all they could do, but compare that to the XHF Network. We’re edging toward 25 years, and we’ve blown our competition out of the water. 25 years. Some of our wrestlers aren’t even that old yet.
Felix: You know, I really thought that my mission could have worked. I thought we could have made it.
Mongo: Unfortunately for you, that’s not how the real world works. We have the history of professional wrestling to look back on, already cracking the code for the secret recipe that keeps the fans tuning in. You had…
Felix: I know. I know. Look, you’re right. I didn’t want to admit it at first, but you’re right.
Mongo: I’m not mad. If anything, I’m impressed. You’ve stuck incessantly to your beliefs for such a long time and you finally saw reason.
As he’s talking, Mongo pulls a file out from his desk drawer and begins jotting something down.
Mongo: I discussed the matter with Joey Hawke and came to a conclusion.
Felix cocks an eyebrow.
Mongo: The AWF was flawed, but it’s still salvageable. I figure, let’s bring it back.
Felix’s eyes shoot open.
Felix: You wouldn’t.
Mongo: Do I look like someone who’s here just to tell jokes? Now this doesn’t mean we go back to how things were before. There are some caveats that you’d have to agree to. Just three rules.
There’s an uneasy pause.
Felix: I’m listening.
Mongo: First, Terry Bradshaw doesn’t get a seat at the table. He’s not employed by the AWF and he never will be. To be quite honest, I’d prefer he doesn’t even step foot in the arena, even as a fan.
Felix: I’m on board. He was only originally there because we needed the money. I see that’s not a problem here.
Mongo: Second, you’re setting up a new tournament to determine the new AWF Prestige Champion. I’m sure once you announce the news, you’ll find some contenders.
Felix: …And the third?
Mongo smirks.
Mongo: I’m offended you’d even ask. It’s the XHF motto - Bring it to the Xtreme.
~CUT TO~
The crowd is screaming. They’re going wild. They’re chanting relentlessly.
Crowd: A-DUBYA-F. A-DUBYA-F. A-DUBYA-F.
Taylor: We’re back! We’re back! Oh lord, it feels AMAZING to be back here in front of everyone here tonight. For those who haven’t met us before, I’m Tommy Taylor!
Romano: And I’m Cassius Romano! I can finally die a happy man. I didn’t believe the phone call I got when Felix told us that the Ascension Wrestling Federation would come back once more.
Taylor: IT’S STARTING!
The lights die down, causing the crowd to grow louder and louder, until the cheering starts to die down. This matches perfectly with the kicking beat of “Ravenous” by X-Ray Dog. Felix Ziko walks out, dressed in a full suit but without a tie. He has a microphone in hand as he stands on the stage, but he doesn’t speak into the microphone. He points the microphone, above the ring. The rejuvenated crowdbase kicks up their volume once again.
Romano: For those of you who can’t believe this because I can barely believe my own eyes, above the ring, there is a STEEL CAGE. IT’S WRAPPED IN BARBED WIRE!
Taylor: And we aren’t just talking about run of the mill barbed wire around the top of the cage. I’m talking ALL OVER IT! It’s interwoven through the links in the cage. This is something Felix Ziko would never have done! After almost two years, there’s one question that’s running through my mind - just what happened to him!?
After what feels like a few minutes, Felix Ziko finally brings the microphone to his lips and begins to speak.
Felix: ASCENSION. WRESTLING. FEDERATION!
With a resounding roar from the crowd, the fans just go NUTS.
Felix: You’ve been with us for years, and you join us again. Yet, I don’t deserve you.
He pauses, leaving the crowd relatively silent among muttering.
Felix: I want to let you know that I’ve failed you. I didn’t listen. I knew what you wanted, yet I thought I knew better. I thought I could convince you my way was better. I thought that through mere athleticism, respect, and sportsmanship, we could pave the way toward a new face of professional wrestling. But I was BLIND!
Felix Ziko nervously paces around the stage.
Felix: You don’t think I HEARD you when you cheered louder during matches like this? The ones that shed blood? The ones that let carnage flood through the ring and stain the canvas red?! When I pointed to the barbed-wire steel cage, you were the LOUDEST I’ve ever heard you! I’m a big man, but it takes a bigger man to admit their mistakes. Ascension, I. WAS. WRONG.
He pauses once more, giving more time for the message to sink in.
Felix: AND LOOK WHERE THIS GOT US. TWO YEARS GONE! …Fans, WE CAN CHANGE THINGS! While my heart still pumps and I’m still on my feet, I will make amends! I will give you what you want! IF YOU WANT THINGS TO BE XTREME, WITH GOD AS MY WITNESS, I WILL MAKE THAT HAPPEN!
The crowd begins to make noise once again. They begin to hoot, holler and let their voices be heard. It only gets louder too as a creaky system of pulleys kicks off the lowering of the cage.
Felix: A new age of Xtreme will take over! The dropping of this cage will symbolize the rebirth of the AWF! We will Ascend once more, and we will Ascend higher! For our NEW values - Xtreme, Blood, and CARNAGE!
Felix Ziko times the descent of the cage.
Felix: FANS.
WE.
ARE.
The cage stops. The Xtreme-Tron turns on. We see a familiar face.
Mongo: Very good, Felix. You almost even made a believer out of me.
Felix slowly exhales. He squints his eyes and falls to his knees.
Mongo: Just in case this wasn’t clear enough to all of you, the AWF is not coming back. We at the XHF Network wish a very happy April Fools to all of you. As for you, Felix, the dry cleaners called. My suit is ready. Why don’t you pick it up for me?
Taylor: What the HELL IS THIS!? Is this some sort of joke!?
Romano: I came out of RETIREMENT for this. What kind of mind games is Mongo pulling on Felix? How could Felix let this happen? THIS IS ABSOLUTE BULL!
Tears start to roll down Felix’s face.
Felix: I hate my job.
The scene cuts out.
