Post by Raiden Ishimori on Sept 28, 2018 1:38:42 GMT -5
Date: September 27, 2018
Location: San Pedro, California
{The sun shined brightly over the coastal neighborhood of Los Angeles, with most residents wandering about on the sidewalks while others were down by the Port of Los Angeles, watching ships flow in and out of the harbor...except for one ship in particular. It was a decent sized ship, perhaps a small cruise ship if one could count it but it appeared to be in good shape nonetheless. Docked in the middle of the harbor, sat the XHF Sailbarge, the ship that would serve as the venue for the upcoming XHF Shipwrecked event that would kick off the End of Days and Tag Team Annihilator tournaments in front of a bloodthirsty crowd. From afar, the duo making up the Boston-Newark Connection had themselves leaned up against the railing, staring the Sailbarge. For them, it was one thing to see the boats and ships enter the harbor back in Boston but not once did they think that they would get to wrestle on an actual ship in their life. Like before, Soul is the one with headphones in his ears, bobbing his head along to whatever song that’s playing while Marcus absent-mindedly rolled a coin across his knuckles, humming some sort of tune to himself.}
Marcus: “Three more days, man. It’s still unreal with where we’re at right now and not once did I think we’d be going into something as huge as this.”
{Soul just nods along but it’s hard to tell if he’s agreeing with what Marcus just stated or if he’s only bobbing along with the music.}
Marcus: “Just to think...two decades ago was when things in this industry really kicked off with the NWC. Your dad, my cousin, both sharing the ring in that triple threat match for the world title...man, I can’t even imagine the amount of pressure and adrenaline that was flowing through the atmosphere. That shit must’ve been nuts once it was all over with the confetti, fireworks, the fans screaming for more…”
{Marcus chuckles at the thought of it as he continues to stare out at the Sailbarge, idly rocking in rhythm with the waves that ebb and flow. To the side, Soul has gone into training mode as he starts striking the air with various punches, knees, and kicks. Marcus doesn’t seem to notice as he pushes himself away from the railing. Turning around, he’s momentarily stunned at the sight of Soul fighting the air but chuckles nonetheless.}
Marcus: “Yo, Hunt.”
{The teen wrestler pulls one of the headphones out of his ears, turning to his BNC partner whilst still bouncing side to side into a fighting stance.}
Soul: “Hm?”
Marcus: “Restless?”
Soul: “A little.”
Marcus: “You need to learn to relax, man. I get being nervous for this tournament but wearing yourself out before it is gonna be detrimental to us. Need ya in top form for our match against that dysfunctional father/son pairing we got in that whack ass match with the fish and what not. I don’t even know who to blame for putting us in that kind of gimmick match?”
Soul: “Management...possibly?”
Marcus: “Eh, maybe, maybe not. At this point who cares.”
{With a shrug of the shoulders, Marcus starts to walk away from their current spot, Soul quickly catching up to him as they stroll along with the edge of the harbor.}
Soul: “Say, you had any recent contact with Avalon? Hell, even your sister by chance?”
Marcus (shaking his head): “Nah. I normally try my best not to annoy them all that often especially given their current professions. Avalon’s doing something pertaining to nightclubs and Charlotte went back to her modeling career. Needless to say, they’re leading busy lives at the moment and I’m okay with that. Just means I don’t have to hear them buzzing in my ear every so often like when the two of them were wrestling half a decade ago.”
Soul: “Figured as much your sister went back to modeling but Avalon doing business with nightclubs? That’s something I thought I’d never hear about in my life.”
Marcus (shrugging): “He’s got his connections, mainly from old college classmates so I’m not surprised by it. He’s not complaining as long he’s making money.”
Soul (snickering): “And got the spotlight on him so he can go off with that big mouth of his.”
Marcus (laughing): “Straight facts.”
{Marcus gives a friendly slap to Soul’s shoulder as the duo laugh at the remarks of the former’s cousin. The laughter quickly dies down as it started but a few faint chuckles still linger between the two.}
Marcus: “Speaking of relatives, how’s your old man holding up?”
Soul: “No idea, to be honest. Every time I try calling it just goes straight to voicemail and sometimes I’ll get calls back but that’s like once in a blue moon. I can only assume that the sports agency is keeping him busy with clientele flooding his desk with constant offers and other sponsorships but that’s just my guess. As for what’s really going on, he hasn’t said.”
Marcus: “Damn, that sucks man.”
Soul: “I’m used to it though. Even during my middle and high school years, I was used to barely seeing him home because he was out on the road so often in order to perform at shows or meet with his clients at the time. Kind of enjoyed the silence though but every once in a while his niece regularly checked up on me while he was overseas or whatever.”
Marcus: “At least you had someone watching out for you.”
Soul: “To a certain extent. Most of the time it was mainly my teammates on the soccer team that kept me company since we usually hung at one another’s houses after practices. After leaving the youth program though, I was basically on my one as I started training to follow in the old man’s footsteps. I don’t know why, but there was just something gnawing at my insides, telling me to preserve his legacy. Ultimately, I just decided to go with the choice and here we are now.”
Marcus: “Legacy’s such a big word when you think about it. You just got so much put on your shoulders and it’s pretty much up to you as to how you carry it going forward.”
{A rather low grumble is heard, causing Marcus to look down at his stomach before placing his hands over it.}
Soul: “Food?”
Marcus: “Yeah. Let’s find a place to get some chow. All that talking made me hungry.”
{The two exchange a nod of agreement as they walk out of the shot, their footsteps gradually fading out before all goes quiet.}
{The shot cuts to the interior of the ship, the ring already set up in its designated area as empty seats face it. The lights are rather dim, giving poor visibility to the viewers at home as the camera swivels about trying to find something of interest before zooming in on the ring. The lights brighten up a bit as it draws closer and the hooded figures of the Boston-Newark Connection are shown standing in the ring with Soul standing in the center, hands behind his back while Marcus is casually leaning against the turnbuckles to the right. Pushing his hood back, Soul clears his throat before addressing the camera.}
Soul: “Legacy. A thing handed down by a predecessor. The definition of that really should be expanded but we’re not here to be grammar nazis or whatever the meta is these days. There’s a particular reason why I brought up the term ‘legacy’ at a time like this and for those who have seen the brackets will most likely know why. First Round: Team Viper vs Boston-Newark Connection. Veterans of the XHF Network vs the rookie team that no one has an absolute clue on except for what occurred during the Wildfire Tournament but that’s okay. We didn’t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves some months ago but here we are now, ready to fight and preserve our legacies. Marcus trying to salvage his cousin’s renowned past from years ago and then you have me trying to follow my father’s footsteps in hopes of becoming the superstar he once was many moons ago. Then...there’s Team Viper…”
Marcus: “Straight up clowns.”
Soul: “That’s being awfully generous, Marcus.”
Marcus: “I’m holding back for now.”
{The two share a laugh as Soul walks over to set of ropes on the left. He leans back against them, wrapping his arms under the top rope, testing it out.}
Soul: “To put it bluntly, Team Viper is nothing but a pair of dysfunctional has-beens who clearly don’t know what the word ‘quit’ means. You got Jeffrey Viper, who for some unknown reason is being allowed to compete under circumstances none of us know or probably want to know for that matter and then there’s his bastard son…”
Marcus: “Is Dylan the bastard son or are they actually related?”
Soul: “I don’t know nor do I care. It’s probably been confirmed that they’re actually father and son...wait, we already made note of this last time out.”
Marcus: “Oh yeah...whoops.”
Soul: “Anyway...what were we on about...legacy. You got two, maybe three people who are out in that ring with legacies to carry although Dylan probably wishes he didn’t have to be the one carrying Jeffrey’s legacy to begin with, let alone carry his old man in tag matches. Sucks when you have to do that, isn’t it Dylan? Do all the hard work, hate your family even more but somehow still maintain relationships by a thread. It’s understandable that a woman such as your mother is keeping you and your delusional father in check but have some common sense and cut the bullshit. You don’t want to wrestle with him and he doesn’t want to wrestle with you. All you two are really doing is wasting our time in this tournament’s first round. I know we were down to take on any challenge but after seeing the shitstorm that is the Viper Family, I really question it.”
{A simultaneous sigh emits from both men, Soul pushing away from the ropes before stopping in the center of the ring.}
Soul: “I normally wouldn’t hate on a fellow Bostonian but this is ridiculous. How can you just disappoint the fans like that? You’re more disappointing than the times the Patriots choked in the Superbowl and that’s saying quite a lot if you ask me. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt though, Dylan, you got heart and passion for this business. However, you have no real motive these days, do you? Ever since your former partner in crime took his leave, you’ve been left to fend for yourself and man have you suffered. A loss to Dreadvan, a tie with your old man, being PAIRED UP with your old man...shit’s just hit the fan. In the end, what legacy are you looking to salvage from all of this? What is there to salvage from this mess of a family? The answer? Nothing. Just like how your father amounted to nothing and also how this ‘tag team’ of yours will amount to nothing in this tournament. Call yourselves a team all you want but without a strong bond and chemistry between you two, ya’ll are gonna derail from the tracks before you even know it. The anger, the hate, the rage, the downfall is inevitable.”
Marcus: “Lemme say something on this.”
Soul: “Take center stage, my friend.”
{The two trade places with Soul leaning against the turnbuckles while Marcus stands in the center, loosening his arms up.}
Marcus: “Team Viper, ya’ll remind me of my cousin’s team back in WWO. Him, and a man by the name of Hunter Maverick. Completely different morals, views...they were basically polar opposites but they somehow managed to find the connection and went on to be successful in the tag division. Why? All because they took the challenge head-on and in the end, they were able to co-operate effectively and work fluidly like specialists, just like Hunt and I from our training days in wrestling school. Looking at you guys, ya’ll ain’t worth jack. You’ve failed to find a way to click and now you’re just stuck in that rut beating each other up while the woman keeping you together tries to calm the situation to no avail. A sad, sad tale of something that could’ve been great but failed to unlock its potential. There is no legacy worth carrying between you two, only shame and tarnished reputations. On Sunday, we’re putting the exclamation point on that freak show and we’re going to show the Network why they ought to be watching us carefully. We’re not here to play, we’re here to make our names heard, preserve our legacies, cement our own legacies, and ultimately, become one of the greatest teams this place has to offer in today’s era.”
{Marcus half shrugs at the camera with a faint chuckle.}
Marcus: “Just like the generation before us youngins’, we’re aiming for the pinnacle and we’ll make sure we’re the ones getting the title shot when this all said and done and not some useless family made team. Come the end of the weekend, the only names you’ll be hearing at the end of that fish match will be Marcus Jackson and Soul Hunter.”
{Soul steps forward from the corner, joining Marcus in the center as he raises his right arm up at a crooked angle.}
Soul: “From Boston…”
{Marcus does the same with his arm, linking his with Soul’s at the elbow.}
Marcus: “...to Newark…”
{The two perform a simultaneous two finger salute at the camera.}
Soul & Marcus: “Goodnight!”
{Fade to black.}
Location: San Pedro, California
{The sun shined brightly over the coastal neighborhood of Los Angeles, with most residents wandering about on the sidewalks while others were down by the Port of Los Angeles, watching ships flow in and out of the harbor...except for one ship in particular. It was a decent sized ship, perhaps a small cruise ship if one could count it but it appeared to be in good shape nonetheless. Docked in the middle of the harbor, sat the XHF Sailbarge, the ship that would serve as the venue for the upcoming XHF Shipwrecked event that would kick off the End of Days and Tag Team Annihilator tournaments in front of a bloodthirsty crowd. From afar, the duo making up the Boston-Newark Connection had themselves leaned up against the railing, staring the Sailbarge. For them, it was one thing to see the boats and ships enter the harbor back in Boston but not once did they think that they would get to wrestle on an actual ship in their life. Like before, Soul is the one with headphones in his ears, bobbing his head along to whatever song that’s playing while Marcus absent-mindedly rolled a coin across his knuckles, humming some sort of tune to himself.}
Marcus: “Three more days, man. It’s still unreal with where we’re at right now and not once did I think we’d be going into something as huge as this.”
{Soul just nods along but it’s hard to tell if he’s agreeing with what Marcus just stated or if he’s only bobbing along with the music.}
Marcus: “Just to think...two decades ago was when things in this industry really kicked off with the NWC. Your dad, my cousin, both sharing the ring in that triple threat match for the world title...man, I can’t even imagine the amount of pressure and adrenaline that was flowing through the atmosphere. That shit must’ve been nuts once it was all over with the confetti, fireworks, the fans screaming for more…”
{Marcus chuckles at the thought of it as he continues to stare out at the Sailbarge, idly rocking in rhythm with the waves that ebb and flow. To the side, Soul has gone into training mode as he starts striking the air with various punches, knees, and kicks. Marcus doesn’t seem to notice as he pushes himself away from the railing. Turning around, he’s momentarily stunned at the sight of Soul fighting the air but chuckles nonetheless.}
Marcus: “Yo, Hunt.”
{The teen wrestler pulls one of the headphones out of his ears, turning to his BNC partner whilst still bouncing side to side into a fighting stance.}
Soul: “Hm?”
Marcus: “Restless?”
Soul: “A little.”
Marcus: “You need to learn to relax, man. I get being nervous for this tournament but wearing yourself out before it is gonna be detrimental to us. Need ya in top form for our match against that dysfunctional father/son pairing we got in that whack ass match with the fish and what not. I don’t even know who to blame for putting us in that kind of gimmick match?”
Soul: “Management...possibly?”
Marcus: “Eh, maybe, maybe not. At this point who cares.”
{With a shrug of the shoulders, Marcus starts to walk away from their current spot, Soul quickly catching up to him as they stroll along with the edge of the harbor.}
Soul: “Say, you had any recent contact with Avalon? Hell, even your sister by chance?”
Marcus (shaking his head): “Nah. I normally try my best not to annoy them all that often especially given their current professions. Avalon’s doing something pertaining to nightclubs and Charlotte went back to her modeling career. Needless to say, they’re leading busy lives at the moment and I’m okay with that. Just means I don’t have to hear them buzzing in my ear every so often like when the two of them were wrestling half a decade ago.”
Soul: “Figured as much your sister went back to modeling but Avalon doing business with nightclubs? That’s something I thought I’d never hear about in my life.”
Marcus (shrugging): “He’s got his connections, mainly from old college classmates so I’m not surprised by it. He’s not complaining as long he’s making money.”
Soul (snickering): “And got the spotlight on him so he can go off with that big mouth of his.”
Marcus (laughing): “Straight facts.”
{Marcus gives a friendly slap to Soul’s shoulder as the duo laugh at the remarks of the former’s cousin. The laughter quickly dies down as it started but a few faint chuckles still linger between the two.}
Marcus: “Speaking of relatives, how’s your old man holding up?”
Soul: “No idea, to be honest. Every time I try calling it just goes straight to voicemail and sometimes I’ll get calls back but that’s like once in a blue moon. I can only assume that the sports agency is keeping him busy with clientele flooding his desk with constant offers and other sponsorships but that’s just my guess. As for what’s really going on, he hasn’t said.”
Marcus: “Damn, that sucks man.”
Soul: “I’m used to it though. Even during my middle and high school years, I was used to barely seeing him home because he was out on the road so often in order to perform at shows or meet with his clients at the time. Kind of enjoyed the silence though but every once in a while his niece regularly checked up on me while he was overseas or whatever.”
Marcus: “At least you had someone watching out for you.”
Soul: “To a certain extent. Most of the time it was mainly my teammates on the soccer team that kept me company since we usually hung at one another’s houses after practices. After leaving the youth program though, I was basically on my one as I started training to follow in the old man’s footsteps. I don’t know why, but there was just something gnawing at my insides, telling me to preserve his legacy. Ultimately, I just decided to go with the choice and here we are now.”
Marcus: “Legacy’s such a big word when you think about it. You just got so much put on your shoulders and it’s pretty much up to you as to how you carry it going forward.”
{A rather low grumble is heard, causing Marcus to look down at his stomach before placing his hands over it.}
Soul: “Food?”
Marcus: “Yeah. Let’s find a place to get some chow. All that talking made me hungry.”
{The two exchange a nod of agreement as they walk out of the shot, their footsteps gradually fading out before all goes quiet.}
{The shot cuts to the interior of the ship, the ring already set up in its designated area as empty seats face it. The lights are rather dim, giving poor visibility to the viewers at home as the camera swivels about trying to find something of interest before zooming in on the ring. The lights brighten up a bit as it draws closer and the hooded figures of the Boston-Newark Connection are shown standing in the ring with Soul standing in the center, hands behind his back while Marcus is casually leaning against the turnbuckles to the right. Pushing his hood back, Soul clears his throat before addressing the camera.}
Soul: “Legacy. A thing handed down by a predecessor. The definition of that really should be expanded but we’re not here to be grammar nazis or whatever the meta is these days. There’s a particular reason why I brought up the term ‘legacy’ at a time like this and for those who have seen the brackets will most likely know why. First Round: Team Viper vs Boston-Newark Connection. Veterans of the XHF Network vs the rookie team that no one has an absolute clue on except for what occurred during the Wildfire Tournament but that’s okay. We didn’t get a chance to properly introduce ourselves some months ago but here we are now, ready to fight and preserve our legacies. Marcus trying to salvage his cousin’s renowned past from years ago and then you have me trying to follow my father’s footsteps in hopes of becoming the superstar he once was many moons ago. Then...there’s Team Viper…”
Marcus: “Straight up clowns.”
Soul: “That’s being awfully generous, Marcus.”
Marcus: “I’m holding back for now.”
{The two share a laugh as Soul walks over to set of ropes on the left. He leans back against them, wrapping his arms under the top rope, testing it out.}
Soul: “To put it bluntly, Team Viper is nothing but a pair of dysfunctional has-beens who clearly don’t know what the word ‘quit’ means. You got Jeffrey Viper, who for some unknown reason is being allowed to compete under circumstances none of us know or probably want to know for that matter and then there’s his bastard son…”
Marcus: “Is Dylan the bastard son or are they actually related?”
Soul: “I don’t know nor do I care. It’s probably been confirmed that they’re actually father and son...wait, we already made note of this last time out.”
Marcus: “Oh yeah...whoops.”
Soul: “Anyway...what were we on about...legacy. You got two, maybe three people who are out in that ring with legacies to carry although Dylan probably wishes he didn’t have to be the one carrying Jeffrey’s legacy to begin with, let alone carry his old man in tag matches. Sucks when you have to do that, isn’t it Dylan? Do all the hard work, hate your family even more but somehow still maintain relationships by a thread. It’s understandable that a woman such as your mother is keeping you and your delusional father in check but have some common sense and cut the bullshit. You don’t want to wrestle with him and he doesn’t want to wrestle with you. All you two are really doing is wasting our time in this tournament’s first round. I know we were down to take on any challenge but after seeing the shitstorm that is the Viper Family, I really question it.”
{A simultaneous sigh emits from both men, Soul pushing away from the ropes before stopping in the center of the ring.}
Soul: “I normally wouldn’t hate on a fellow Bostonian but this is ridiculous. How can you just disappoint the fans like that? You’re more disappointing than the times the Patriots choked in the Superbowl and that’s saying quite a lot if you ask me. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt though, Dylan, you got heart and passion for this business. However, you have no real motive these days, do you? Ever since your former partner in crime took his leave, you’ve been left to fend for yourself and man have you suffered. A loss to Dreadvan, a tie with your old man, being PAIRED UP with your old man...shit’s just hit the fan. In the end, what legacy are you looking to salvage from all of this? What is there to salvage from this mess of a family? The answer? Nothing. Just like how your father amounted to nothing and also how this ‘tag team’ of yours will amount to nothing in this tournament. Call yourselves a team all you want but without a strong bond and chemistry between you two, ya’ll are gonna derail from the tracks before you even know it. The anger, the hate, the rage, the downfall is inevitable.”
Marcus: “Lemme say something on this.”
Soul: “Take center stage, my friend.”
{The two trade places with Soul leaning against the turnbuckles while Marcus stands in the center, loosening his arms up.}
Marcus: “Team Viper, ya’ll remind me of my cousin’s team back in WWO. Him, and a man by the name of Hunter Maverick. Completely different morals, views...they were basically polar opposites but they somehow managed to find the connection and went on to be successful in the tag division. Why? All because they took the challenge head-on and in the end, they were able to co-operate effectively and work fluidly like specialists, just like Hunt and I from our training days in wrestling school. Looking at you guys, ya’ll ain’t worth jack. You’ve failed to find a way to click and now you’re just stuck in that rut beating each other up while the woman keeping you together tries to calm the situation to no avail. A sad, sad tale of something that could’ve been great but failed to unlock its potential. There is no legacy worth carrying between you two, only shame and tarnished reputations. On Sunday, we’re putting the exclamation point on that freak show and we’re going to show the Network why they ought to be watching us carefully. We’re not here to play, we’re here to make our names heard, preserve our legacies, cement our own legacies, and ultimately, become one of the greatest teams this place has to offer in today’s era.”
{Marcus half shrugs at the camera with a faint chuckle.}
Marcus: “Just like the generation before us youngins’, we’re aiming for the pinnacle and we’ll make sure we’re the ones getting the title shot when this all said and done and not some useless family made team. Come the end of the weekend, the only names you’ll be hearing at the end of that fish match will be Marcus Jackson and Soul Hunter.”
{Soul steps forward from the corner, joining Marcus in the center as he raises his right arm up at a crooked angle.}
Soul: “From Boston…”
{Marcus does the same with his arm, linking his with Soul’s at the elbow.}
Marcus: “...to Newark…”
{The two perform a simultaneous two finger salute at the camera.}
Soul & Marcus: “Goodnight!”
{Fade to black.}