Watch Your Backs (Thespian Rumble)
Apr 17, 2023 1:46:35 GMT -5
Mongo the Destroyer and bloodiedfox like this
Post by Thespian on Apr 17, 2023 1:46:35 GMT -5
“Oh, I'm way over my head here… but you know what?”
A clap in the darkness as spotlights spring to life.
“Let’s piss some people off anyway.”
The Thespian stands at the front of the stage with his hands clasped together. Behind him, the curtain remains closed.
“Hello, XHF Network. It’s been a while since I’ve graced you all personally. I’m going to keep it brief, though. I know I’m not going to win the Rumble, but it was a very fun idea and after getting paid to make the promotional material for TAPOUT… I couldn’t very well say no to throwing my hat in at least. That being said, there are a couple of notable names I would like to put on notice… because win or lose, I’m going to make your lives just a little bit… inconvenient.”
With another clap, the curtain rises and the view zooms in.
Centerstage sits a wooden table, with a steel chair set up behind it. In the center of the table sits a toy wrestling ring, with various figurines strewn about.
Figurines of wrestlers within the Rumble.
Theo circles himself behind the table and takes a seat. His gloves hands reach forward, grabbing up some of the figures.
“Let’s start with some good old acquaintances of those who have been in the late-great-NLW.”
In total, five figurines are pulled from the pile and rearranged. Three of the four corners pose one wrestler, while two more stand back-to-back in the last. Theo picks up the first, and addresses it through the pale mask.
“Donzig. You didn’t make many waves in your short time there. Hell, let’s be real, you didn’t make any. You came in to try and piss Felix off, show off your dominance, and when shit hit the fan, you lost, turn-tailed, and left. Quite honestly, from that alone, I do not fear you. It doesn't matter how far you've gotten elsewhere, you've lost any respect I could've had for you then and there. I hope you bring a lot more bite than bark.”
He tosses the figurine over his shoulder and far behind him before grasping at the pairing next.
“The Tilted Cartridges, Wellington Dunne and Cheez. It wasn’t a long run, but I will commend you both on still achieving the Tag Team Championships. But, I hope you guys are ready to put your similarities aside, because only one person walks out the winner. Still, I’ll keep my eye on you especially, Cheez. Outsmarting ten of the company’s greatest to win the Super Scramble? Impressive… even if you could not score the JHW after. You tried your best. But speaking of former JHWs…”
He takes both Wellington Dunne and Cheez’ figures out from the ring and drops them into the pile of bodies before regarding the next corner.
“Florida Man. The one who would outsmart Bloodied Fox… only to lose the championship to Chris Sanderson. In a parallel universe, maybe instead of becoming the company’s best midcarder… I could’ve been putting you down and becoming the NETWORK’S best midcarder. But… destiny gave you one of many losers of mine, and he beat you for your title instead. Much like Donzig… I have no strong feelings for you. When all you’re good for is losing to my SCRAPS, you no longer have my concern.”
Much like Donzig, Florida Man is thrown over the Thespian’s masked head and lands on the wooden floor behind him with a clatter. He picks up the last figurine. With a pause, he simply looks it over in all its fine detail.
“Bloodied Fox. We cross again. Alas… these seem to be more your stage than they do mine. As much as I’d love to fully rehash and rematch you my friend… we’ve got thirty other monkeys to contend with. But you know what? I think I’m rooting for you the most. You were the first person I wanted to beat when I joined the Network… when YOU still had the JHW Championship. Now? Now I wanna see if you can win the gold. NOW, I wanna see if you can put me down yourself. Up to the challenge?”
Unlike the rest, Theo leaves Fox’s figurine in the corner. He starts fishing out a couple more figurines from the wreckage, but continues to speak all the same.
“Random McConalogue, Aiden Merric, Jack Diamond. While I do have words I wish to say to all of you… those are more befitting TAPOUT’s stage rather than this grand stage. Don’t you worry, though… you’re all on notice. Though, speaking of TAPOUT.”
He pulls out a feminine figurine, and begins to speak fondly with it.
“Esmerelda von Krauss. I hear rumors you’re the reason we have to deal with one Sticky the Clown in TAPOUT. Cute.”
The tone drops.
“I’ll make you wish you didn’t.”
With a hint of hatred, Esmerelda is slammed into the stage floor. A couple of pieces break off and scatter. Theo’s tongue clicks.
“... I’ll have to replace that one, but I guess that means there’s no harm in bringing up my main benefactor for such a promo like this.”
His other hand brings up a figure that he places in the ring, adjacent to Fox’s corner. Cross Recoba. His tone ramps up slightly once more.
“Man of the hour at TAPOUT; the one who so graciously loaned me all of this XHF merchandise for TAPOUT’s Promotional Material… as well as my own. I have to say, thank you for this. While I know we got off on the wrong foot, I’m glad things have become more… mutual between us!”
He chuckles to himself before the pitch dies once more.
“But don’t think I’m going to go easy on you because you sign the paychecks; not that I’d expect someone like you would care for. It’s just business at the end of the day, right? Doesn’t matter which one of us knocks the other out, as long as it benefits the brand. No hard feelings, alright?”
He leaves Cross’ figure in the ring as well as he fishes out a couple more.
“Lastly, I’ve got some… higher profile targets to address as well.–”
He pauses for a moment as he pulls up one figurine in particular.
The Copycat.
“... Disgusting. Picking a name for yourself but not even giving yourself any credit? I suppose that’s apt for a would-be shapeshifter, but god forbid I lose to you.”
Once more, a figurine is thrown gracefully, but carelessly, behind him. He picks up three final figurines from the piles.
“Ah, yes… the last three people to hold the X*Crown over the last year.”
Two of them he places in his lap to obscure them while the third ends up in another corner.
“You’re a complete menace, Zoran, and I kind of respect that about you. Not only did you survive the Rumble last year… you also managed to bring things right back around and take both the End of Days tournament right after… THEN the X*Crown Championship! Impressive… very impressive. I wonder how that dominance will play this year, hrm?”
Filling in the last corner, Theo places down the figurine of Steve Awesome.
“Mr. Awesome. You and I have only really faced off once in the past. End of Days 2021. I said some not nice things to you as I was getting my bearings… and you made sure to not only kick my ass for it… but you took that momentum up and up until YOU won the whole tournament in 2021!
It’s a shame, however, that unlike Zoran… you could not overcome Spike Kane for the belt immediately after. I can’t even fault you for that, though… because Kane ended up jobbing to me all while you pulled off the heist of 2022 by taking the X*Crown from dear Zoran himself! Sure, you lost it immediately after when End of Days wrapped up, but, silver linings, I suppose. Perhaps it’s you that takes the win. Perhaps not.”
Theo stretches himself out somewhat in his chair.
“Can you imagine doing this for EVERY single competitor? I’ve barely hit ten people, and that’s still probably going to be more people than I interact with in the match as a whole. But THIRTY appraisals and/or insults? Mad. Absolutely mad. But, on that note, it’s time to bring out the man of the hour himself… the one with the target on his back.”
He reaches down into his lap and grabs the last figurine. Dylan Black sits in the center of the ring with his arms holding up a miniature version of the XHF X*Crown Championship.
“Dylan Black. 2021 was a very busy year for you, wasn’t it? You came into the year as a champion, and while you maybe lost it eventually… you made sure to win it back in the most emphatic way you could. You, the winner of the 2021 XHF Rumble. Sure, maybe you did not hold it for longer than a month after that, but does that really matter? You won it by surviving the gauntlet of XHF’s best.
But, things quieted down for you, and you went for other goals. One such opportunity… was Cruiserfest 2021. An Open-Invitation Battle Royale to all cruiserweights of the XHF Network. Free opportunity, why not take it, right?
I sure did. And you taught me a very valuable lesson that day.”
Everything in the theater goes dark for a moment as a projector begins to play against the backwall. There, footage of the event begins to play directly. The Thespian looks to take out one of the competitors with his trademark Mimicry… but a familiar face rushes in from off to the side. Slamming Theo in the face with a leaping knee, the wrestler falls from the ropes straight to the floor.
“Disasterpiece from Dylan! The former X*Crown champ looking to make an impact here.”
“Thespian has been eliminated!”
The cameras zoom in on Dylan, who merely gives a smirk to the cameras as if it were nothing, before climbing back into the ring to compete. The footage ends, but the lights don’t come back on.
“For one; don’t go high risk in a contest that asks you to stay in the ring… ever.
"Two… that was one of many lessons that taught me I needed to not goof off as much if I wanted to succeed around here in this den of sharks and rats. But three?”
A singular spotlight shines over only the center of the table. The ring is gone… and all that’s left are the figurines as they lay in what looks like a puddle of blood.
“Watch your back, always. Because you never know who is going to come out of your blindspot and take such opportunities away from you.
“I may not be the favorite and I may not be winning, Dylan. But this is a notice to you and everyone else that sees me there.
“I will not go out quietly and I will not play nice. There is a knife awaiting each and every one of your backs should you turn it to me.
“I will make your collective lives hell in that ring until you put me away.
“Good luck.”
A clap in the darkness as spotlights spring to life.
“Let’s piss some people off anyway.”
The Thespian stands at the front of the stage with his hands clasped together. Behind him, the curtain remains closed.
“Hello, XHF Network. It’s been a while since I’ve graced you all personally. I’m going to keep it brief, though. I know I’m not going to win the Rumble, but it was a very fun idea and after getting paid to make the promotional material for TAPOUT… I couldn’t very well say no to throwing my hat in at least. That being said, there are a couple of notable names I would like to put on notice… because win or lose, I’m going to make your lives just a little bit… inconvenient.”
With another clap, the curtain rises and the view zooms in.
Centerstage sits a wooden table, with a steel chair set up behind it. In the center of the table sits a toy wrestling ring, with various figurines strewn about.
Figurines of wrestlers within the Rumble.
Theo circles himself behind the table and takes a seat. His gloves hands reach forward, grabbing up some of the figures.
“Let’s start with some good old acquaintances of those who have been in the late-great-NLW.”
In total, five figurines are pulled from the pile and rearranged. Three of the four corners pose one wrestler, while two more stand back-to-back in the last. Theo picks up the first, and addresses it through the pale mask.
“Donzig. You didn’t make many waves in your short time there. Hell, let’s be real, you didn’t make any. You came in to try and piss Felix off, show off your dominance, and when shit hit the fan, you lost, turn-tailed, and left. Quite honestly, from that alone, I do not fear you. It doesn't matter how far you've gotten elsewhere, you've lost any respect I could've had for you then and there. I hope you bring a lot more bite than bark.”
He tosses the figurine over his shoulder and far behind him before grasping at the pairing next.
“The Tilted Cartridges, Wellington Dunne and Cheez. It wasn’t a long run, but I will commend you both on still achieving the Tag Team Championships. But, I hope you guys are ready to put your similarities aside, because only one person walks out the winner. Still, I’ll keep my eye on you especially, Cheez. Outsmarting ten of the company’s greatest to win the Super Scramble? Impressive… even if you could not score the JHW after. You tried your best. But speaking of former JHWs…”
He takes both Wellington Dunne and Cheez’ figures out from the ring and drops them into the pile of bodies before regarding the next corner.
“Florida Man. The one who would outsmart Bloodied Fox… only to lose the championship to Chris Sanderson. In a parallel universe, maybe instead of becoming the company’s best midcarder… I could’ve been putting you down and becoming the NETWORK’S best midcarder. But… destiny gave you one of many losers of mine, and he beat you for your title instead. Much like Donzig… I have no strong feelings for you. When all you’re good for is losing to my SCRAPS, you no longer have my concern.”
Much like Donzig, Florida Man is thrown over the Thespian’s masked head and lands on the wooden floor behind him with a clatter. He picks up the last figurine. With a pause, he simply looks it over in all its fine detail.
“Bloodied Fox. We cross again. Alas… these seem to be more your stage than they do mine. As much as I’d love to fully rehash and rematch you my friend… we’ve got thirty other monkeys to contend with. But you know what? I think I’m rooting for you the most. You were the first person I wanted to beat when I joined the Network… when YOU still had the JHW Championship. Now? Now I wanna see if you can win the gold. NOW, I wanna see if you can put me down yourself. Up to the challenge?”
Unlike the rest, Theo leaves Fox’s figurine in the corner. He starts fishing out a couple more figurines from the wreckage, but continues to speak all the same.
“Random McConalogue, Aiden Merric, Jack Diamond. While I do have words I wish to say to all of you… those are more befitting TAPOUT’s stage rather than this grand stage. Don’t you worry, though… you’re all on notice. Though, speaking of TAPOUT.”
He pulls out a feminine figurine, and begins to speak fondly with it.
“Esmerelda von Krauss. I hear rumors you’re the reason we have to deal with one Sticky the Clown in TAPOUT. Cute.”
The tone drops.
“I’ll make you wish you didn’t.”
With a hint of hatred, Esmerelda is slammed into the stage floor. A couple of pieces break off and scatter. Theo’s tongue clicks.
“... I’ll have to replace that one, but I guess that means there’s no harm in bringing up my main benefactor for such a promo like this.”
His other hand brings up a figure that he places in the ring, adjacent to Fox’s corner. Cross Recoba. His tone ramps up slightly once more.
“Man of the hour at TAPOUT; the one who so graciously loaned me all of this XHF merchandise for TAPOUT’s Promotional Material… as well as my own. I have to say, thank you for this. While I know we got off on the wrong foot, I’m glad things have become more… mutual between us!”
He chuckles to himself before the pitch dies once more.
“But don’t think I’m going to go easy on you because you sign the paychecks; not that I’d expect someone like you would care for. It’s just business at the end of the day, right? Doesn’t matter which one of us knocks the other out, as long as it benefits the brand. No hard feelings, alright?”
He leaves Cross’ figure in the ring as well as he fishes out a couple more.
“Lastly, I’ve got some… higher profile targets to address as well.–”
He pauses for a moment as he pulls up one figurine in particular.
The Copycat.
“... Disgusting. Picking a name for yourself but not even giving yourself any credit? I suppose that’s apt for a would-be shapeshifter, but god forbid I lose to you.”
Once more, a figurine is thrown gracefully, but carelessly, behind him. He picks up three final figurines from the piles.
“Ah, yes… the last three people to hold the X*Crown over the last year.”
Two of them he places in his lap to obscure them while the third ends up in another corner.
“You’re a complete menace, Zoran, and I kind of respect that about you. Not only did you survive the Rumble last year… you also managed to bring things right back around and take both the End of Days tournament right after… THEN the X*Crown Championship! Impressive… very impressive. I wonder how that dominance will play this year, hrm?”
Filling in the last corner, Theo places down the figurine of Steve Awesome.
“Mr. Awesome. You and I have only really faced off once in the past. End of Days 2021. I said some not nice things to you as I was getting my bearings… and you made sure to not only kick my ass for it… but you took that momentum up and up until YOU won the whole tournament in 2021!
It’s a shame, however, that unlike Zoran… you could not overcome Spike Kane for the belt immediately after. I can’t even fault you for that, though… because Kane ended up jobbing to me all while you pulled off the heist of 2022 by taking the X*Crown from dear Zoran himself! Sure, you lost it immediately after when End of Days wrapped up, but, silver linings, I suppose. Perhaps it’s you that takes the win. Perhaps not.”
Theo stretches himself out somewhat in his chair.
“Can you imagine doing this for EVERY single competitor? I’ve barely hit ten people, and that’s still probably going to be more people than I interact with in the match as a whole. But THIRTY appraisals and/or insults? Mad. Absolutely mad. But, on that note, it’s time to bring out the man of the hour himself… the one with the target on his back.”
He reaches down into his lap and grabs the last figurine. Dylan Black sits in the center of the ring with his arms holding up a miniature version of the XHF X*Crown Championship.
“Dylan Black. 2021 was a very busy year for you, wasn’t it? You came into the year as a champion, and while you maybe lost it eventually… you made sure to win it back in the most emphatic way you could. You, the winner of the 2021 XHF Rumble. Sure, maybe you did not hold it for longer than a month after that, but does that really matter? You won it by surviving the gauntlet of XHF’s best.
But, things quieted down for you, and you went for other goals. One such opportunity… was Cruiserfest 2021. An Open-Invitation Battle Royale to all cruiserweights of the XHF Network. Free opportunity, why not take it, right?
I sure did. And you taught me a very valuable lesson that day.”
Everything in the theater goes dark for a moment as a projector begins to play against the backwall. There, footage of the event begins to play directly. The Thespian looks to take out one of the competitors with his trademark Mimicry… but a familiar face rushes in from off to the side. Slamming Theo in the face with a leaping knee, the wrestler falls from the ropes straight to the floor.
“Disasterpiece from Dylan! The former X*Crown champ looking to make an impact here.”
“Thespian has been eliminated!”
The cameras zoom in on Dylan, who merely gives a smirk to the cameras as if it were nothing, before climbing back into the ring to compete. The footage ends, but the lights don’t come back on.
“For one; don’t go high risk in a contest that asks you to stay in the ring… ever.
"Two… that was one of many lessons that taught me I needed to not goof off as much if I wanted to succeed around here in this den of sharks and rats. But three?”
A singular spotlight shines over only the center of the table. The ring is gone… and all that’s left are the figurines as they lay in what looks like a puddle of blood.
“Watch your back, always. Because you never know who is going to come out of your blindspot and take such opportunities away from you.
“I may not be the favorite and I may not be winning, Dylan. But this is a notice to you and everyone else that sees me there.
“I will not go out quietly and I will not play nice. There is a knife awaiting each and every one of your backs should you turn it to me.
“I will make your collective lives hell in that ring until you put me away.
“Good luck.”