Post by The Dunne Deal on Oct 5, 2023 2:04:55 GMT -5
Three members of the Sanctuary, KENNETH CASPER, ANDREW DANIELS, and TRAVIS MONROE, sit in a dimly lit local bar, sipping on their drinks. They huddle together, engaged in a conversation filled with intrigue.
KENNETH CASPER: (leaning in) So, Andy, have you decided which one of us is going to participate in the Tag Team Eliminator tournament?
ANDREW DANIELS: (setting his drink down) Honestly, no. But then again, no one told me I had to put it in writing. So, as far as I can tell, we're okay to use the Freebird rule. Whoever decides to do it, does it. Or we'll decide on Match Night. I mean, keeping it unknown to our opponents gives us an advantage. And Kenny, you thrive on chaos and madness, so why not just go with the flow?
KENNETH CASPER: (raising an eyebrow) That's a little odd for you. Normally, you're very strict and by the book.
ANDREW DANIELS: (shrugging) What can I say? I'm trying to loosen up. Anyway, do we have any information on the team we're facing in the first round?
KENNETH CASPER: You mean 'The End'?
ANDREW DANIELS: No, not that, Daniels. I meant who are we facing in the first round?
TRAVIS MONROE: (speaking up) He told you, 'The End.'
ANDREW DANIELS: How can we be facing a team at the end of the tournament when the tournament isn't even over?
TRAVIS MONROE: (chuckling) No, Andrew, that's the name of the team we're facing—'The End.' Mehrunes Smith and Scott Fargo. Ringing a bell?
ANDREW DANIELS: (recognizing) Oh, you mean those two guys that were in NLW and then lost the NLW Tag Team Championships to that team made up of your old Saga running mate, Wellington Dunne, and that gamer kid. What was his name again... Cheez?
TRAVIS MONROE: (nodding) That's right, Cheez. They lost tag team gold to a nerdy Twitch streamer named Cheez through a Sunset flip. It was, for them, kind of embarrassing.
KENNETH CASPER: (commenting) Well, I mean, that's what happens when you underestimate people.
ANDREW DANIELS: (reflecting) True, but let's not forget that just because they lost that title match due to pure dumb luck—
TRAVIS MONROE: (interrupting) It doesn't mean they're going to make the same mistake twice.
KENNETH CASPER: (supporting) I know that, and look, I'm not taking anything away from those two. But, follow me on this one, if that moronic meathead Wellington and a nerd could one-up them, then we have just as much of a chance as anyone else. So why not take the chance? The three of us, as a group, we are relatively unknown outside of people who don't watch SCCW. There's so much talent within our team, and we've come so close so many times. Whether we're successful in this tournament or not, maybe it's time to step out of the shadows, away from the protective light of SCCW, and show the XHF network what we're truly capable of.
ANDREW DANIELS: (considering) Maybe you're right.
TRAVIS MONROE: (addressing them) Is he?
ANDREW DANIELS: (nodding) He is.
They exchange a determined look.
TRAVIS MONROE: (rising from his seat) Now finish your drinks because we have work to do.
Daniels and Casper nod and down the rest of their drinks. They follow Monroe out of the bar, their thoughts now focused on the challenge ahead.
EXT. BAR PARKING LOT - NIGHT
As they reach Monroe's car, one of the bartenders rushes out after them.
BARTENDER: (calling out) You forgot to pay!
TRAVIS MONROE: (casually) Keep the tab open. We'll be back in a bit. We just have a few small things to take care of.
ANDREW DANIELS: (grinning) Yeah, man, don't worry. We'll make sure to pay it back because, in the end, it doesn't really matter.
KENNETH CASPER: (nodding) No, nothing else matters.
TRAVIS MONROE: (rolling his eyes) In the car, both of you now.
KENNETH CASPER: (curious) What's with the attitude?
TRAVIS MONROE: (firmly) Just shut up and get in before I run you both over for that terrible joke you two just made. We don't have to make jokes. We are The Sanctuary. There are no safe spaces left to hide anymore.
Daniels and Casper exchange glances, recognizing the seriousness in Monroe's tone. They get into the car as instructed, and Monroe drives off.
ANDREW DANIELS: (curious) I don't know why you're so testy for.
TRAVIS MONROE: (serious) I'm testy because I told you two we had work to do, and you want to make a stupid Linkin Park pun based on the name of the team we're supposed to be facing.
ANDREW DANIELS: But they lost the NLW tag title to a nerd.
KENNETH CASPER: (correcting) No, they lost the NLW Tag title to dumb luck.
TRAVIS MONROE: (determined) And I will be damned if I'm going to let blind dumb luck dictate my future any longer. I didn't become a two-time Destiny Wrestling Shooting Star Champ and a one-time DW Heavyweight champ by dumb luck. Andrew, you didn't become a dominant force in things like the Gold Rush and GFC by dumb luck. Casper, you didn't become the first SCCW High Roller Champion by dumb luck.
ANDREW DANIELS: (reflecting) True.
KENNETH CASPER: (nodding) You're right.
TRAVIS MONROE: (firmly) I left one group because that's all they wanted to rely on, and I refuse to be in another. So either you two get your heads out of your asses and take this shit seriously, or I will run the Tag Team Eliminator tournament solo. Do you two understand?
Daniels and Casper nod in silence, absorbing the gravity of Monroe's words.
TRAVIS MONROE: (concluding) Good. Now shut up and think. Because. We. Have. Work. To. Do.
The car continues down the dimly lit street, carrying the three members of The Sanctuary toward their destiny.
KENNETH CASPER: (leaning in) So, Andy, have you decided which one of us is going to participate in the Tag Team Eliminator tournament?
ANDREW DANIELS: (setting his drink down) Honestly, no. But then again, no one told me I had to put it in writing. So, as far as I can tell, we're okay to use the Freebird rule. Whoever decides to do it, does it. Or we'll decide on Match Night. I mean, keeping it unknown to our opponents gives us an advantage. And Kenny, you thrive on chaos and madness, so why not just go with the flow?
KENNETH CASPER: (raising an eyebrow) That's a little odd for you. Normally, you're very strict and by the book.
ANDREW DANIELS: (shrugging) What can I say? I'm trying to loosen up. Anyway, do we have any information on the team we're facing in the first round?
KENNETH CASPER: You mean 'The End'?
ANDREW DANIELS: No, not that, Daniels. I meant who are we facing in the first round?
TRAVIS MONROE: (speaking up) He told you, 'The End.'
ANDREW DANIELS: How can we be facing a team at the end of the tournament when the tournament isn't even over?
TRAVIS MONROE: (chuckling) No, Andrew, that's the name of the team we're facing—'The End.' Mehrunes Smith and Scott Fargo. Ringing a bell?
ANDREW DANIELS: (recognizing) Oh, you mean those two guys that were in NLW and then lost the NLW Tag Team Championships to that team made up of your old Saga running mate, Wellington Dunne, and that gamer kid. What was his name again... Cheez?
TRAVIS MONROE: (nodding) That's right, Cheez. They lost tag team gold to a nerdy Twitch streamer named Cheez through a Sunset flip. It was, for them, kind of embarrassing.
KENNETH CASPER: (commenting) Well, I mean, that's what happens when you underestimate people.
ANDREW DANIELS: (reflecting) True, but let's not forget that just because they lost that title match due to pure dumb luck—
TRAVIS MONROE: (interrupting) It doesn't mean they're going to make the same mistake twice.
KENNETH CASPER: (supporting) I know that, and look, I'm not taking anything away from those two. But, follow me on this one, if that moronic meathead Wellington and a nerd could one-up them, then we have just as much of a chance as anyone else. So why not take the chance? The three of us, as a group, we are relatively unknown outside of people who don't watch SCCW. There's so much talent within our team, and we've come so close so many times. Whether we're successful in this tournament or not, maybe it's time to step out of the shadows, away from the protective light of SCCW, and show the XHF network what we're truly capable of.
ANDREW DANIELS: (considering) Maybe you're right.
TRAVIS MONROE: (addressing them) Is he?
ANDREW DANIELS: (nodding) He is.
They exchange a determined look.
TRAVIS MONROE: (rising from his seat) Now finish your drinks because we have work to do.
Daniels and Casper nod and down the rest of their drinks. They follow Monroe out of the bar, their thoughts now focused on the challenge ahead.
EXT. BAR PARKING LOT - NIGHT
As they reach Monroe's car, one of the bartenders rushes out after them.
BARTENDER: (calling out) You forgot to pay!
TRAVIS MONROE: (casually) Keep the tab open. We'll be back in a bit. We just have a few small things to take care of.
ANDREW DANIELS: (grinning) Yeah, man, don't worry. We'll make sure to pay it back because, in the end, it doesn't really matter.
KENNETH CASPER: (nodding) No, nothing else matters.
TRAVIS MONROE: (rolling his eyes) In the car, both of you now.
KENNETH CASPER: (curious) What's with the attitude?
TRAVIS MONROE: (firmly) Just shut up and get in before I run you both over for that terrible joke you two just made. We don't have to make jokes. We are The Sanctuary. There are no safe spaces left to hide anymore.
Daniels and Casper exchange glances, recognizing the seriousness in Monroe's tone. They get into the car as instructed, and Monroe drives off.
ANDREW DANIELS: (curious) I don't know why you're so testy for.
TRAVIS MONROE: (serious) I'm testy because I told you two we had work to do, and you want to make a stupid Linkin Park pun based on the name of the team we're supposed to be facing.
ANDREW DANIELS: But they lost the NLW tag title to a nerd.
KENNETH CASPER: (correcting) No, they lost the NLW Tag title to dumb luck.
TRAVIS MONROE: (determined) And I will be damned if I'm going to let blind dumb luck dictate my future any longer. I didn't become a two-time Destiny Wrestling Shooting Star Champ and a one-time DW Heavyweight champ by dumb luck. Andrew, you didn't become a dominant force in things like the Gold Rush and GFC by dumb luck. Casper, you didn't become the first SCCW High Roller Champion by dumb luck.
ANDREW DANIELS: (reflecting) True.
KENNETH CASPER: (nodding) You're right.
TRAVIS MONROE: (firmly) I left one group because that's all they wanted to rely on, and I refuse to be in another. So either you two get your heads out of your asses and take this shit seriously, or I will run the Tag Team Eliminator tournament solo. Do you two understand?
Daniels and Casper nod in silence, absorbing the gravity of Monroe's words.
TRAVIS MONROE: (concluding) Good. Now shut up and think. Because. We. Have. Work. To. Do.
The car continues down the dimly lit street, carrying the three members of The Sanctuary toward their destiny.
