Post by Jack Diamond on Apr 24, 2018 19:02:57 GMT -5
June 20th, 2017 – 7:06PM
The scene opens on a beautiful June evening at Victory Field in Indianapolis, Indiana: The home of the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates as they face the Toledo Mud Hens. Smell of popcorn, hot dogs and beer permeate the air on this partly cloudy, 83 degree last day of spring. The crowd, while not very large considering it is a Tuesday night, is very lively and excited to see their hometown baseball. The first pitch has just recently been thrown. Tyler Glasnow, the starting pitcher of the Indians has just given up his 2nd run of the inning and the home crowd is getting antsy. As the camera scans the fans we see ICW World Champion and Shooting Star Champion, Jack Diamond close to the top of the stands behind home plate. He is finishing up some nachos, wiping a little bit of cheese off his chin. He sees the camera crew as they walk up, takes a swig of his beer and looks up as they close in on him. He reaches to the seat beside him and picks up both of his titles, placing them over each shoulder of his recently bought, Indians shirt.
Jack Diamond: Ah, there you are. I almost thought I was going to have one outing without you showing up, but when you are the leader of the Diamond Club, everyone wants the scoop. Well here is the scoop my friends, The Ace of Spades is the first ever double champion in the ICW! That’s right, I now hold the top two titles in the company, effectively making me the so called face that runs the place. Sure, Brett Stetson went on in the main event last night and won his second title, the Ironman belt, but let’s be honest, his first title is a tag belt that he doesn’t even have a partner for. No, that Viking freak tucked his tail and ran off into the great unknown, when he realized he would never hold a candle to Jack Diamond.
Diamond sees a vendor walking by and quickly motions him over to purchase another beer as he finishes off his first.
Jack Diamond: No, what I have done doesn’t even compare to the Teen Idol. I have the titles that matter. Yeah yeah, I know the Ironman title is defended on every show and people carry it like a badge of honor, but that doesn’t mean you are a star. All it means is that you get lucky each show, a show that Jack Diamond headlines as the champion, a show that the people tune in to see what the Diamond Club has in store for them each night. There is a reason why you are opening the show next Monday Brett, and Diamond is closing it! But that’s not what is on my mind tonight.
Diamond quickly downs about half of his fresh beer. Some of the fans nearby are now gathering around Jack, more interested in what he has to say than the baseball game, which is now going into the bottom of the second inning, with the hometown Indians still down two to nothing.
Jack Diamond: What is really on my mind, is Ari Naxt. My very first feud in the ICW. Ari, I’ve had your number ever since I arrived on the scene here. Not only causing you to lose your debut match, but single handedly giving you two of your handful of loses here. Now, I’ll be the first to give you props, you are sadistic, you are feared by most, and you are a hell of a fighter. However, just like I told you before Gold Rush, you are not in the same league as your World Champion. You are not in the same league as your Shooting Star Champion. Frankly, you are not feared by Jack Diamond.
A few of the fans start trying to get to Jack, handing him baseballs, hats, and shirts to sign. Diamond, always happy to see the fans smile pulls a sharpie out and starts signing things. The Indians, barely keeping the fans attention have now pulled within one run going into the third inning.
Jack Diamond: Ari, you are on a bit of a role the last couple weeks, finally getting a couple wins under your belt. This Monday at Spectacle, you get knocked back down a couple rungs so to speak. You are not in the ring with Aaron Acheston or Halifax McAllister. No, you are in the ring with a true star. The man who has single handedly brought this promotion to prominence.
Jack now on his third beer has a calm demeanor about him, even though in his eyes you can sense the excitement for his upcoming match.
Jack Diamond: You sat in the Ford Theatre early last week and told Blaylock and the ICW Universe that you were coming for me, Ari. That you couldn’t respect me because I was Rossdale’s “golden boy.” Well, you are sadly mistaken if you think anyone has the champ in their pocket. I am only trying to do what is right, to show all you degenerates in the ICW what a TRUE champion is. If that means protecting the man who signs my checks, so be it. He isn’t the reason why I am on top of this company. Last night is the reason why I am on top. I got attacked by Barratt at the beginning of the show, I got attacked by Kade before my match, I got attacked by Barratt DURING my match, and guess what Ari… I still climbed that ladder and snatched Kade’s claim to fame away from him, much like I did against you at Gold Rush. Much like I will do this coming Monday. You see, I don’t take the easy way out, I actually fight for my spot and my success in the company and there isn’t a wrestler in this universe that can even lace the Ace’s boots. Just to prove that I don’t take the easy way out, Ari, I went to the boss. I pleaded with him to make this a First Blood match. A match that is right in your wheel-house. Now, Shawn was hesitant at first. He has to sell posters and tickets by using the ruggedly handsome face of Jack Diamond, and he was afraid that his champion would become maimed at the hands of such a sick freak like Ari Naxt. There was one thing he failed to realize at first, that I had to kindly enlighten him on, and that is Jack Diamond isn’t going to lose. There will be blood Monday Ari, but it won’t be championship blood. No, it will be the blood of a so called “God.” It will be the blood that connects to Soviets. It will be your blood Ari.
The fans, taken aback a little by this rant, all have an uneasy look on their faces as they continue to get the champ’s autographs. The Indians have now jumped ahead of the Toledo Mud Hens as it is heading into the top of the seventh inning.
Jack Diamond: I know what is at stake for you. If you somehow are able to bust me open, you bust your way right into a World Title match at Dead End. Look in the mirror though. You don’t deserve that shot yet, hell you even admitted that much last week. But you know they say a blind squirrel even finds a nut every once in a while. Let’s say that happens, that you somehow sneak one in on me. Then it’s you and I, taking on either Kade, Barratt, or Steele in a triple threat match at Dead End. Four men that I have already beat in the ICW ring. Sure, Steele got the best of me one on one, but I gave him all he wanted and he still remembers the pain of getting his face smashed into the concrete floor at Gold Rush. A feeling that he will once again experience if he wins his match this week. As far as Barratt and Kade are concerned, I proved to them without a shadow of a doubt last night, that it is Jack Diamond who gets ratings. After all the shenanigans they pulled, I was still victorious. And Jericho, please know that there will be payback for you jumping me as the show went off the air last night.
Much of the crowd is cheering as their hometown team is now in the lead. Those around Jack are cheering for a completely different reason though, cheering for him, agreeing with him that he is the measuring stick of everyone in ICW. A “Diamond Club” chant is starting to form, and before long the whole stadium is chanting it, mostly probably thinking it has something to do with the baseball diamond, not the Diamond that shines on behind home plate.
Jack Diamond: But if you win, it’s one of them, you, and Jack Diamond. No offense Ari, but I would rather my first successful title defense come in a one on one match, so I plan on splitting that crazy head of yours open until the void inside it is shown to the whole world. As the warm blood spills down your face and washes away the tears that will inevitably form in your eyes when you realize you are outsmarted, outclassed, and outmatched, I will stand in front of all my VIPs while you will have reached YOUR Dead End a week early. You see, after I beat you so bad at Gold Rush, you forgot where you were even from Ari. You ran to the Russians, looking for family. Well, it doesn’t matter who shows up at ringside. I don’t care who is in your corner. Mandy Joe, Alexis Grace, Levi Kosloff, or even the Soviet Monster himself, Duke… the results will be the same as they have been each time you stepped into MY ring… Ari Loses, Jack Diamond wins.
The top of the seventh ends and the Indians are still holding onto their lead by one run. The action packed game has fans really upbeat tonight, and it is now time for one of the most famous parts of a baseball game, the seventh inning stretch. Unbeknownst to all in attendance, this is why Jack Diamond is at this minor league game, as the stadium announcer breaks through the nighttime air.
Announcer: Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time for the Seventh Inning Stretch! Please welcome, a very special guest tonight… ICW World Champion, Jack Diamond!
The crowd around Jack goes in a frenzy as they, along with the dual champ is seen on the video board in right field. Jack is handed a microphone by a stadium worker, and smiles to the cameras and the rest of the stadium.
Jack Diamond: INDIANAPOLIS HOW YOU DOING?!? Where is all my Diamond Club VIPS?
The crowd explodes with cheers at the sight of the champion. The Diamond Club chants resume, this time with a clear understanding for what it’s about, and who it’s for. Jack smiles from ear to ear as he continues.
Jack Diamond: I’ve been asked to perform the seventh inning stretch tonight and while that would be a lot of fun, the song is far too repetitive and quite frankly, boring and that is not what Jack is all about. So, I have taken it upon myself to change up the lyrics a little bit. Without further ado, I give you “The Seventh Inning Ace!”
Jack clears his throat as the familiar music is played over the loud speaker. While the music is the same that is at every baseball game in America, the lyrics that follow are anything but familiar.
Jack Diamond:
Take Me Out to Monday Spectacle,
One on one with Ari Naxt
For brains he has peanuts and Don’t Know Jack,
I don’t care if Duke does have his back,
Cause it’s root, root, root for The Diamond Club,
If the Champ doesn’t win it’s a crime,
For it’s one, two, three strikes Ari’s out,
Take your crazy ass to the back of the line!!!
The crowd goes insane with the improvised lyrics from Jack Diamond. The stadium’s video board cuts away to resume the baseball festivities, Jack hands the microphone back to the worker and looks at the camera once more.
Jack Diamond: You see Ari, this Monday night IS your third strike. I’ve already beaten you twice, and after you lose a third time at Spectacle, it will be a long time before you EVER have the privilege of being in the ring with my greatness again! After that, you can go back to your decrepit house in Asheville and play with your clown figurines and baby doll heads. You can pull all your hair out of your head and beard. You can go back to Mother Russia, drink Vodka, and eat potatoes for all I care. One thing you WON’T be doing, is carrying ICW Gold, because that all belongs to The Ace of Spade Jack Diamond!
Jack pats both of his titles, and grabs another beer from the vendor who just finally made another round. Jack gets back in his seat and continues to sign a few autographs as the game continues. Despite Toledo’s best efforts, Indianapolis is able to score another run in the bottom of the seventh and hold on to the two run lead to win their game. Not only are the home fans excited about seeing their beloved Indians win, they are able to leave the stadium Tuesday night with a memory that will last a life time. They, if even for just a moment, got to share in a moment with the World Champion and Shooting Star Champion of Icon Championship Wrestling. As the camera pans out on the crowd one more time after the game, many of them making their way back to their cars to head home, a shimmer is still seen where Jack Diamond is standing, still signing autographs for his fans.
Jack Diamond, a true face of ICW with so much tom foolery going on. Jack Diamond, a double champion. Jack Diamond, who vows to introduce all those who step before him to their Dead End. Will Ari be able to find a way to draw first blood on Jack Monday night? Will Diamond finish Ari off one last time, ensuring his match at the Pay-per-view is one on one? Who will his opponent be coming out of the Kade/Barratt/Steele triple threat match? What stipulation will Jack assign to his title match at Dead End? In the End, when all the chips are on the table and the cards are thrown down, it doesn’t matter because the results will be the same:
JACK DIAMOND WINS
JACK DIAMOND RETAINS
JACK DIAMOND IS ICON CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING
BET ON IT!
The scene comes to a close.