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Post by Laura Phoenix - HBIC on Jun 15, 2021 1:19:28 GMT -5
PWS: APEX Presents RIOT Tuesday, June 29th, 2021 LIVE from PWS Arena in New York, NY
Main Event: 6 Person Tag Match Sierra Williams, Heather Haze, and Chaz Holiday vs. ANTITHESIS (Jonathan Sanders, Dionysus, and Tyson Sykes)
Deadline is Sunday, June 27th 11:59:59 PM EST Word Counts: Minimum 300, Maximum 5000
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Post by sykes on Jun 15, 2021 20:49:17 GMT -5
Almost a month and a half. Forty two days. One thousand and eight hours.
That's how long its been since I've heard from Kayla. 'The love of my life'. 'The one who brings out the best in me'. 'Through thick and through thin, through rich and through poor'. Horse shit. I get it. Did I overreact to her talking to Chaz Holiday? Perhaps. Maybe it was just a talk about how big of a dick I've been. Maybe it was her attempting to reach out to stop me from doing something stupid; ya know, like I did at the Hall of Fame reception. Who knows?
Certainly not me, because I was conveniently left out of the invitation. That's what really gets to me, what really makes my blood boil... If Kayla was so disgusted with my actions then when go to somebody else? Why didn't she just talk to me?
...
Why hasn't she talked to me since? Fuck it.
9 Cascade Flats, Gorham New Hampshire. That's where I sit, and where I've sat when not traveling for the last forty two days. The old stomping grounds, my old house where I grew up. My room wasn't kept in the condition I left it in; nor should if have been. Lord knows my dad wasn't expecting my grown ass to march back in here. Dusty box's stack almost halfway up the walls and it took exhausting every angle to even fit a mattress back in here. The once white walls that once held trophies, pictures of friends and families, and questionable posters are now barren, run tan with age and grime. The mattress isn't much of a looker either, but the sheet can hide that just fine.
No matter. It's temporary. Once Kay comes around it'll be back to our apartment and everything will be back to normal...
Holmes waddles up next to me, and I honestly barely register he's there as he lays on my leg, his thick wrinkles burying my knee. "At least I have you Holmes. You're the only one I need." A couple neck scratches later and Holmes is fast asleep.
It's hard to get out of my own head, get back into the mindset of how to live an every day life. Every time I smile, I worry someone is going to try and ruin that moment. Why wouldn't I? Everyone else has surely made a habit out of stealing my happiness lately. It's to the point where; do I even know what happiness is? Yeah I do... Happiness is when I cracked that wine bottle over Chaz's head. Happiness is the fact that I'll finally be able to get my hands around his smug, poser neck. Happiness will be when we get that contract signed...
But see this is what I mean. I can't have a single thought without thinking about PWS, or my ANTITHESIS brothers, or especially Chaz... It's like I've lost all concept of where The Ripper ends and where Tyson Sykes begins. Everything just sort of... bleeds together. Bleeds...
It bleeds together 'cuz it's all pain. It's all hate. It's all... motivation. Fuck man, who knows. Maybe I am going crazy. Nobody could stay sane living inside these depressing walls. Not for this long.
Forty two days.
~~~ static ~~~
(Tyson Sykes sits in front of a stained white wall, barely any light in the room. Leaning against the dingy backdrop Sykes shakes his head, his brow furrowed and lip curled into a scowl. After a long, drawn out sigh, Sykes sits up and the camera shakes, clear that it's being held by Tyson's shaking hand.)
SYKES: I want you all to do me a favor. I know, pretty ballsy coming from a guy who has exactly two friends and a dog in this world right now to ask for, but humor me. I want you all to sit and look at this from my point of view, from my perspective. I came into PWS Apex with not much more then a sack full of testosterone and a dream to compete in a sport I love, under a brand I respect. And yeah, my trained cued me in on a couple of the intricacies and quirks that PWS has and has had since its incarnation, but for the most part I came in blind. I tried to play by the rules, tell some jokes, come up with some clever one liners, and truly earn my spot. But there in lies the issue.
A lot of people consider me a whiner. A lot of people think I bitch a lot and who knows, maybe that's a hat I do wear. But I want to know what you'd do in my situation. Imagine getting the job you thought you always wanted, that you dreamed about and genuinely respected the people that were there. Then imagine being there a week, two weeks, a month, almost a full year... and coming to the realization that these people you viewed as heroes are soft as a fucking Serta, and everything is smoke and mirrors. It's a show, and that's all it is. No matter how good you are at your job, no matter how immaculate your record is, no matter how many times you prove you're better then everyone else soaking up the TV time like a Bounty paper towel... you get ignored. You get passed over for opportunities. Hell you can barely get booked on the card because they forget you exist. That's what I've lived with since the DAY I fucking debuted.
And I tried. Believe me I tried to put on a smile, but that didn't last long. This place is a joke and that's why Dionysus, Sanders and myself have climbed to the top the only way you can in PWS if you're not from a certain few families, if you're not a stand up comedian, and if you're not willing to suck every asshole wearing a suit. By force.
ANTITHESIS? One of the most dominant factions in wrestling HISTORY. I've suffered losses but have never been pinned nor made submit. Dionysus? Undefeated and has put down literally everyone he's stepped in the ring with other than Sanders and myself. And Jonathan Sanders? Undeniably a future heavyweight champion, has been a dominant Collateral Damage Champion, and has lost one match, ONE MATCH, since his debut in January. On our own, we're some of the most dangerous and most decorated mother fuckers on this roster. As a team? Shit, as a team we'll be unstoppable.
That being said, obviously RIOT 6/29 will be the real test. I will say I'm impressed that people are actually paying attention for once, because I've heard multiple times that this is slated to be the biggest main event in RIOT history, and I guarantee we will prove them to be correct. Like them or not, six of the most polarizing members of the PWS Apex roster - well five and Chaz Holiday considering he technically isn't signed anymore - will all be competing in one match.
On one side of the ring you have Dionysus. A literal monster. An anomaly to the natural order of our world. This man is almost Lovecraft-ian in his strength and his relentless nature. Jonathan Sanders as I said has been dominant since day one. Everyone, and I mean everyone knows who he is now, fuck he's been one of the most imposing champions of the last few years. Now that Sanders holds that title? Everyone wants a shot because he's brought prestige back to it. It's not just a belt, it's the Collateral Damage Championship. As for myself? I'm not one to toot my own horn but - toot toot - here comes the train. I've said it before and I'll say it 'til I'm on my death bed, my matches and my records speak for themselves so if you need a reminder of just who the fuck 'The Ripper' is, check out any of my matches. Win lose or draw, my opponents do not leave the ring the same. Plus let's face it, if it wasn't for Chaz Holiday I'd have won Destination Next, and I'd be walking into this match tonight with the PWS Heavyweight Championship instead of Sierra Williams.
Team ANTITHESIS? Stacked.
But let's not shy away from giving credit where it's due. I said everyone in this match is polarizing and I'm not about to pretend our opposition isn't just as stacked. Heather Haze. Held multiple titles, multiple times, and like her or not? She's one of the most notorious members of the PWS roster. Yeah, she's got a mouth on her but fuck, so do I. I understand selling yourself is half the game. Plus there's a reason she's currently number one contender and that's because no matter how annoying she may be, which spoiler alert is INCREDIBLY, she also backs it up night in and night out, which frankly is all I can ask for.
Sierra Williams? Shit man, she's the champ. Top dog. The one to beat. Since the day I signed to PWS I knew, and I think I Tweeted something about it a few weeks into my tenure, that Sierra Williams was one of the baddest mother fuckers out there. I have nothing bad to say about her, chicks great. She's got intensity, she's got a back bone, and if she doesn't like what you say to her she'll knock you on your ass. Plain and simple if anyone is underestimating Sierra or thinks that I'm dumb enough to? They gotta get their head examined.
And of course, the coup de gras, Mr. Fantabulous himself Chaz Holiday. Chaz, I know this is going to come as a surprise to you, but I have a lot to say about you. However, for the purposes of this match I'll keep it brief. My issues with you don't stem from whether or not I think you're one of the bigger names of an area in PWS, because you are no questions asked. Not only that but I'll even give you kudos, because you're one of the few that found success in PWS and still went else where to face others and experience new things instead of staying here and being a big fish in a small pond like so many others have. There's things about you I do respect and that I won't take away from you Chaz, and the fact that a PWS Hall of Famer is wrestling for the first time in well over five years in a PWS ring its huge.
This main event is going to go down in history.
But unfortunately like much of history, it'll have a bitter asterisk next to it for all of you at home, and the three of you on team two. Heather while you've had a great career and a decorated one for sure. But you know and I know you didn't do that alone. Between Alexis and any other way you've found to bend the rules in your favor, you've hardly had to fight, truly fight for a win. That shit doesn't fly with us. Sierra? I said it before, not a bad thing to say about you. Frankly, nobody has much to say about you because ever since you've won the title it's like people forgot you, and that title have existed. Is that on you? Not entirely, clearly PWS isn't overly excited about you because when they get excited about someone they're shoved down your throat 24/7, just look at Mike Hawk. And Chaz... fucking... Holiday. You know my issues with you boy. But hey, prove me wrong ya know? Everything I said about you on Twitter and on the mic, this is your chance to make me look like a dumb mother fucker. But that ain't gonna happen. I'll tell you one thing, if you were smart? You would stay the fuck home. Brush your hair, wax your eyebrows, come up with some more bullshit Jurassic Park meets Teletubbies inspired gear... cuz if you don't? And if you step into the ring with me during this six person tag match? You won't make it to Rise to Glory, even if you do get that contract from Laura. Because I will end you right there and then, and expose you to be the Lisa Frank fraud I know you are.
ANTITHESIS is not going to be shown up in their debut as a unit. People want to call our style cowardly. People want to say we're a bunch of thugs and only attack people from behind. Here's the rub, morons. We don't attack people to better our chances of winning matches. We're not doing it to soften them up, and we're certainly not doing it to prove anything to any of you fucking nerds. We do what we do because we are tired of being held down, told what we can and can't do, can and can't say, and to get the opportunities we want we have to conform to your bullshit standards. Well guess what? Why the hell do you think we call ourselves ANTITHESIS? It's sure as hell not a catchy little name, it's not a gimmick, it's what we are. We are not like any of you. We're better, and we deserve better, and we're tired of not being given it. If you all want to sit on the sidelines and wait for someone in a tie or dress to wake up long enough to remember you exist, and maybe, just maybe give you the time of day because you asked nice enough the right amount of times? Knock yourself out. We sure as hell aren't waiting around for anybody anymore. Haze, Williams and Holiday find that out first hand soon.
And with impressive as you all are? You're all at odds. You're strangers. And you've stepped in to our backyard. We as ANTITHESIS have spent months training, talking, and getting on the same page. You three? Sierra and Heather want to kill each other and they'll be lucky if Hollywood decides he wants to drag his ass off his love seat to show up and wrestle.
We are an undeniable, unstoppable force. You three? You're just three ego's constantly one insult away from blowing up. It's an incredible match up. An insane amount of talent, and the hype couldn't be higher.
But it's our night. Our moment. At RIOT 6/29, the horsemen of the apocalypse ride into battle.
Count the bodies.
(On the surface, there's a look of malice, hatred and evil in the eyes of Sykes, but that's not what's terrifying. What's terrifying is that if you dig deeper, you can see a twinkle... of excitement. The camera shakes again, before quickly cutting out.)
~~~ static ~~~
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Haze
Full-Time Member
21-12-04
Posts: 43
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Post by Haze on Jun 27, 2021 13:56:36 GMT -5
Tuesday Night Riot: ~Backstage, Locker Room~ June 8th, 2021~Heather Haze~ "FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!" (Heather stalked through the locker room, her posture stiff, as tense as a piano wire, the slightest twang liable to cause her to snap as she paced, the rage coursing through her as she ran her hands through her brown locks, finger gripping the thick curls. It would be an understatement to say that she felt robbed out of a great match with the Collateral Damage Champion. It wasn't even about winning, or losing, in her mind, it was WHY she was put in this predicament with Sanders and his Antithesis goons in the first place as her face twisted into a snarl, where she grabbed a nearby water bottle and hurled it against the wall, causing it to spray and splash cold liquid all over the walls before dropping down to sit on the bench running along the lockers, head down. Her shoulder rose and fell slowly as she drew in and exhaled deep breaths, willing her pulse to slow, calming herself.) (The trauma her body had gone through in that Hardcore match stayed with her like a bad memory she just couldn't repress. Images of Sanders sneering along with his lumbering goons bouncing her around like a human rag doll all over the ring, and Lexy being dragged out of the arena kicking and screaming to some nuthouse were all too much for her to take. For the first time Heather had felt utterly helpless, powerless and useless to do anything about it. The butterflies slowly were setting in, as she glanced at the sink a few feet away... just in case they fluttered so hard she would be reacquainted with her last meal...) (It almost did when she could hear the knocking on her door. She sat up straight, staring at the door for a few seconds, her brain working slow through the fog of frustration. She pondered at the thought of Sanders and his Antithesis boys on the other side, looking to finish the job. Will if it was going to be her last stand, she'd go down in a blaze of glory.) (Pulling her straightened, brown hair over her shoulder and fiddling with it, she called out barely above a church mouse's whisper.) ~Heather Haze~ "C... c-come in?"(The door was opened by none other than the nosy ace reporter, Daniel Clarke, a hand over his eyes, just in case Heather was still disrobing. She glared at him, but oddly, a sense of relief flooded over her at the sight of him.) ~Daniel Clark~ "Hello, Ms. Haze. I am sorry to drop in like this, but would you be interested in joining us as our guest panel on our YouTube after show?"(Heather shook her head and sighed. She then got up with every wince in her step as she approached him, pulling his hand down, and showing him she was still dressed in her ring gear.) ~Daniel Clark~ "Oh, my. You're dressed. I wasn't expecting that."(Heather raised an eyebrow and folded her arms tightly under her chest, glaring as Daniel sheepishly chuckled and pocketed his hands into his suit.) ~Heather Haze~ "Is there a reason you've come here to annoy me, dingus?"~Daniel Clark~ "Well.... We're short of a guest and would love to hear your take on that huge six person tag match, which has gotten everyone into a frenzy. Look, it's trending right now."(Daniel shows his phone as Heather frowned, crinkling her nose at him.) ~Heather Haze~ "Oh I bet an incel like You would lovvvee to know my reaction, wouldn't you? I don't even know WHY I am being dragged into this BS in the first place just like I was reeled into that stupid hardcore match against my consent."~Daniel Clark~ "For what it's worth It was a really good competitive match between you both. Shame there wasn't a decisive winner." (She shot him a hateful glare.) ~Heather Haze~ "Oh gee I'm sorry I robbed you of a great match when I was out there literally fighting for MY damn life. But kudos to you vultures for getting off on my pain and misery. Maybe I should laugh at your expense the next time a chair comes hurling to your face!"(Daniel chuckled at that, thinking Heather was making a funny, but his face softened immediately as he could see she was serious and hurting.) ~Daniel Clark~ "I'm sorry. The match was no joke and you have every right to be upset with management putting you in that predicament with an unhinged man like Jonathan."~Heather Haze~ "Well, clearly I AM upset. My fight isn't with those Neanderthals or with Emo Sanders for that matter. I never asked for ANY of it. In fact, I should be training my butt off; getting the stage all set for the biggest match of my career at Rise 2 Glory! Do you have any idea How long I waited for an opportunity like that. Do you know much big of a deal that is for me? How big a deal it is that for consecutively 2 years that I have scratched and clawed and busted my way around here for management to finally take notice and grant me a World Freakin' Title match?" ~Daniel Clark~ "It's a very huge opportunity for you indeed, Miss Haze. A once in a lifetime opportunity."~Heather Haze~ "You damn right it is a BIG opportunity because opportunities like this don't come by too often for someone like me. I should be all excited for it. I should be on top of the world, screaming, shouting and cart wheeling all the way to the moon that finally I'm going somewhere in my damn career. That FINALLY things are starting to look up for me. I should be beaming with a sense of joy and pride and a sense of entitlement to reap the fruit of my labours."(Her shoulders sagged as she flopped down on the bench in a dramatic way and sighed.) ~Heather Haze~ "But I can't do that because I got these million zillion thoughts racing in my head. I'm thinking of Lexy who got dragged off to a nuthouse somewhere while I allowed that to happen. I'm thinking of tonight's match from which I barely came out of alive. And now I am pigeonholed in this lame ass tag match with that same eye liner wearing mass murdering dweeb along with his lumbering goons for reasons I don't even bloody well know." (Her voice barely squeaked out, before she cleared her throat to try and muster up a more commanding, self-assured tone.) ~Heather Haze~ "I mean I know Chaz has his issues with that meat head Syke over their twitter spat along with our spotlight hogging world champion who has her own issues with Mr. Emo stemming from their match at that 2 year Riot Anniversary. But what does this all HAVE TO DO WITH ME I ASK!? How do I fit into all this clusterfuck dogshit?! I feel like my head is firing off in all cylinders with all this over thinking...and I'm not the type to put my brain into overdrive figuring out all this BS that I been caught up in."(She sighed once more, cradling her head in her hands while Daniel stood there awkwardly, scratching his receding hairline, before taking a seat next to her) ~Daniel Clark~ "Well, you've certainly caught the attention and the ire of the Collateral Damage Champion. I shudder to think that had Chaz and Sierra not shown up it could have very well ended very badly for you with Dionysus." (Scoffing, Heather shook her head in almost disbelief before rolling her eyes away in a sarcastic way.) ~Heather Haze~ "Lucky me I suppose. At least I didn't have anybody in my corner as back up. However way emo boy wants to spin it, I went out there and put up a great fight and almost came close to beating him... until that big dumb lumbering buffoon had to go ruin everything. Well, screw Sanders. Screw everyone of those dumb freaks." (Heather rubbed her neck, still reeling over Dionysus's large hands wrapping around her windpipe.) ~Daniel Clark~ "It seems as though like Jonathan has really struck a nerve with you."(Daniel asked as Heather turned her nose up at him, narrowing both eyebrows in his direction.) ~Heather Haze~ "I don't appreciate the mind games. Clearly he thinks he's got me all figured out. In that sad lil' pathetic brain of his he thinks he can get me to reach my breaking point...make me be like him, but I am NOTHING like him."~Daniel Clark~ "He does have ways with words. It's almost scary as if he can stare into someone's soul and use that against them." (She snorts, shaking her head over the absurdness in that.) ~Heather Haze~ "So he came across some Wikipedia information and psychoanalyzed me. Big deal. I have absolutely nothing to hide. My life is an open book as it is. I didn't get this far on pretend basis. He obviously doesn't know SHIT! If he's taken such a shine to me then I'd bet he's been paying extra close attention to several of my old smut stuff I did from waaay back in the day. Probably beating his meat off to it as well and psychoanalyzing on that too." (Heather somewhat cringes at that as her bitchy smile fell from her face immediately, replaced with a rather cold scowl painted on her face.) ~Heather Haze~ "The Dude seriously needs to ditch his crappy crusade and get laid or something. The whole creepy ass stalker cult leader thingy isn't really cutting it."~Daniel Clark~ "So what's the 411 heading into this tag match?"(Heather thought about it and gave a dismissive shrug.) ~Heather Haze~ "Nothing. I'm just gonna stand there and look pretty. Why bother putting myself in a situation that's gonna end up being a complete colossal trainwreck?" ~Daniel Clark~ "Well, I'd guess Miss Phoenix would want the three of you to work together. After all, Antithesis are all on the same page and working as a cohesive unit."~Heather Haze~ "Let Chaz and Sierra handle their business for themselves with those assholes. The only person I ever cared for teaming up with was Lexy...and now that ship has sailed...it's abundantly clear that I am meant to be a solo act."(Heather trails off, letting that one sink in, as her shoulders drop a bit. There wasn't anyone else on the roster that she liked, let alone trusted, the way that she trusted Alexis. But if there was a slim chance of making out alive she knew she'd have to put aside her ego and put her trust in two complete opposite strangers she hardly even knew or cared for.) ~Daniel Clarke~ "What are you thinking?"~Heather Haze~ "Just how this just went from joke fodder to serious business. Okay, so Laura and management wants to test me, clearly. They all want to see if I can be a team player. Okay. fair enough. I guess I will play nice this one time. If there's one thing about this match is that....everyone has something to prove. Chaz. Sierra. Antithesis. Me. But one thing is for darn sure..."~Daniel Clarke~ "And what would that be? It's okay. You can tell me anything. Strictly off the record."(Daniel scoots over closer, almost too close for personal space, which makes Heather barf at the stench of odor coming from his body as she gives him a scowling look.) ~Heather Haze~ "Ewww. You ever hear of deodorant? And why the hell would I tell you anything??"(Daniel's cheeks burned a slight shade of red as he quickly scooted over to the side, putting a 2 meter distance between them.) ~Daniel Clarke~ "I thought we were making a connection." ~Heather Haze~ "Ugh, Seriously can you be any more of a creep and a perv?"~Daniel Clarke~ "So I take it that is a 'no' as a guest panel for the YouTube After show?" (From Heather's scowling glare we are brought to the outside of the dressing room. The camera zooms in on the door before Daniel comes bursting though it followed by a piercing girlish scream as the scene faded.) ~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 Weeks Later(Gorgeous sunlight poured down from the cloudless skies as Heather sat by the poolside, reflecting her thoughts on the upcoming six person tag match. Her dark brown hair flowed loosely down her back in curls, sunglasses perched on the bridge of her nose, covering her dark brown eyes, and a light zebra printed bikini on her tanned skin. She sipped at the margarita in her hand, licking her lips together, and then setting it next to the table before averting her eyes at the camera that's filming her.)
~Heather Haze~ "I'm not big on tag matches. I don't like having to rely on anyone else other than myself to find success. I mean sure I found some success with Lexy as one half of the tag team champions, but otherwise I've always been a self-made woman, and I'd prefer to live or die, win or lose on my own merits. But...regardless, I am a professional. So in the spirit of doing the right and honorable thing, I'm going to do what I'm contracted to do and bring myself down to the ring, and stand on the apron, in the corner of Chaz Holiday and our current proxy World Champion, and do what I do. So, first off, I'm going to address my 'team mates'."(She clears her throat gently, as if he was thinking of how best to put his thoughts into words as she brought a leg up, hoisting herself up on the luxury chair.) ~Heather Haze~ "I don't know a whole lot about you, Chaz, and honestly? I don't really feel like I need to. Now, I realize that you're some kind of...big shot and a 'hall of famer' with a lot of these guys, you're a name some of the other people on the roster know and recognize, and that's totally fine, because the only thing that I ask is that you live up to your reputation. As far as Ms. Williams goes, well....let's just say at Rise 2 Glory her lackluster World Championship reign is gonna come to an end where I graciously save that belt from its bereavement. But I guess for now I'm going to have to behave. I have to, because I'm going to have to count on her and Chaz to bring their game to Tuesday Night Riot. I'm going to have to rely on the both of them in an uphill battle, and make no mistakes, it is going to be an uphill battle with these freaks calling themselves the 'ANTITHESIS'."(Heather rolled her eyes, thankful for the sunglasses hiding that.) ~Heather Haze~ "Tyson. I heard your ramblings. And quite honestly I was waiting on for a punchline somewhere in there with you screaming out 'SYKE!!'. Really, I was. At least it would've come off as quasi-hilarious instead of you sounding off as a very angry, very bald, very generic big guy, which an awful lot of people seem to have a good respect for your skill....
SYKE!!
" *chuckle* You see what I did there? Nah for real tho, I guess maybe this is it for you, your big chance to really see how you measure up in the grand scheme of things and also to impress your man crush, Chaz. Just...do yourself a favor, please. Everybody else seems to think that knocking on my 'shady wins' is the way to go...but I think you're better than that. I think you've got a bit more of a working brain in your head, and know better, because make no mistakes, meathead, just like I reminded your great emo leader..."(A small grin begins to etch its way across her face as she slid her shades down halfway, perching it between the bridge of her nose.) ~Heather Haze~ "If you take me lightly, you'd better expect problems, because I'm not the gal to write off that easily. I'm a fighter, I'm a survivor, and I can beat anyone on any given night if I put my mind to it. Does that mean sometime taking the easy route and resorting to under handed tactics to secure a victory? Sure... because a win is always a win in my books. And I see to it that at the end of the day the job gets done. You know that...and I know that. See, I don't have any problems with you per say, Syke...well....that is unless you want to deliberately put a stop to my rise in APEX PWS and use me as your own stepping stone. At which point, you and I will have plenty of problems, but we'll burn that bridge, if we ever have to cross it. So, just try not to fan boy too much over emo boy over there, bring your fight, bring your a-game, chug down as many protein shakes if you have to, and we'll see what's what this time, big guy."(That bitchy smile fell from her face immediately, with a rather cold scowl painted on her face.) ~Heather Haze~ "And Speaking of the devil. Mr. Sanders...I've been meaning to get a lot of things off my chest, because for you, I probably have the most to say. Now, I'm sure that you probably think I'm feelin' pretty darn good of myself....don't you? I mean, why wouldn't I be, I survived your supposed diabolical mass murder massacre that you designed exclusively for me. And also the record books does show that the great Jonathan Sanders couldn't get the job done. And that He failed to pin Heather Haze's shoulder to the mat, which means I am still the quintessential undisputed Queen of the Collateral Damage... and that championship belt that you carry around as your measly prop is still irrelevant because you didn't kill off the original OG that made that belt famous."(Her nose crinkled just slightly.) ~Heather Haze~ "I would turn my nose up at that, because to me, Johnny, a no contest match isn't good enough. To me, all that happened was that a classic match being interrupted and ruined by your dumb goons. After all your boy Syke was all over social media talking about 'Antithesis this' and 'Antithesis that'. But I know better, Johnny. You was full of 100% pure salt content about it. I bet you still watch the match, thinking about it, stewing on it, brooding on it, and letting it fester and smolder until it burned itself in your mind's eye so deeply, that you can't think about anything else, other than the fact that you failed to pick up that big W and break me and silence your 'Alice' permanently."(She licked her lips in a sexy way, before nonchalantly shaking head, and letting those words hang in the air, before resuming.) ~Heather Haze~ "You have to understand how it looks from this side of things, Johnny boy. Because you did underestimate me, and you very nearly paid the price for it. And you want to know something? I've got a little spoiler for you,...something that you haven't thought of, something that you may not have actually noticed. You're still underestimating me. And let me tell you why...you throw out the fact that I shy away from the violence, phrasing it as a mistake on my part, like it wasn't what I'd had hoped and planned for, all along. Understand one thing, my motivations aren't what you think they are. Because this? All of this?" (Heather motions around, spreading her hands as if in a 'what are you gonna do?' type of motion, and giggling a bit.) ~Heather Haze~ "All of it is just stepping stones. I couldn't care less with you being the collateral Damage Champion. After all they need a patsy to fill in those shoes and you play that part wonderfully. If not brilliantly. I don't have a problem with that, because where you see me at? Right now? This is ground level for me. I have upward mobility, as I've only gotten better, stronger, faster, and more seasoned in the ring. So all of these tests, all of these uphill battles that management seems to enjoy putting me in, well...all that does is serve my purpose. Testing myself against you or even the bitchy World Champion herself in three weeks time? Serves my grand purpose." (She claps her hands together several times in a slow clap, and chews her bottom lip as she drops her hands back into her lap, and raises her eyebrow slowly.) ~Heather Haze~ "So Go ahead then. Keep pretending that I'm a scared little girl, running away from big fights. Keep pretending that you have the power to derail my path. Because every time you fellas knock me down, I'll get right back up and throw it in all your faces. You want to promise a war, well, Johnny boy....I'm more than happy to fight a war with you and your boys this time around. You got my attention for OUR very short, very brief exchange of ours. Don't expect to lose however....but expect the unexpected, because once again, as always, It can't be any worse than watching you fail, and subjecting yourself to the same disappointment. At least? It's nowhere new for you to be.
"Oh and tell your boy Dionysus, he can go eat a dick!"(Winking, She then slides her shades up, covering her eyes from the glistening sun before grabbing her margarita, and taking another sip from it as the scene slowly fades.)
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Post by Chaz Holiday on Jun 27, 2021 14:43:38 GMT -5
FLASHBACK: January 12th, 2021 *** It was a typical Tuesday night for Chaz - a quiet night at his home in Los Angeles. It was also fairly uneventful. He had just finished up recording a Cameo video for a fan, when he pushed his laptop away from him. He was just about to get up out of the chair, when he had an email notification pop up. Settling back down, he pulled the laptop forward and went to his email. Upon opening it, he quickly realized it was something he'd grown accustomed to - wrestling offers.
He'd been out of the game now, for a few years. And while he'd never considered himself fully retired, an in-ring return wasn't something he was exactly chomping at the bit to do, either. He appreciated the offers. It meant people still wanted to see him and thought high enough of him, to want him in their ring. He was grateful, no doubt. But he was enjoying life. Doing appearances on podcasts, endorsement deals, even some occasional modeling, among many other side projects. He worked hard in wrestling, to live a life of luxury and he was enjoying the fruits of his hard labor.
He loved wrestling. But it was never something he saw himself doing for 15-20 years. He didn't want to become the next "legend" that hung aroun too long and wrestled until his body gave out. He wanted to enjoy his time in wrestling, which he did and then enjoy life, which he was. So when he got these wrestling offers, he would typically politely decline, unless it was just for an autograph signing or special referee spot or something of that nature. He enjoyed those, as it gave him a way to be back around wrestling fans without active wrestling.
But there was one email that remained unanswered. It was from PWS. He wasn't sure why he hasn't answered it like the rest. He wasn't sure why he had such hesitation. Sure, it was where he spent the majority of his active in-ring career. It was where his journey into wrestling all began. But wrestling was wrestling. So why hadn't he answered, giving the same ol' "I appreciate the interest but right now, it's not something I'm looking to pursue, yadda yadda"? The truth was, he wasn't sure. He couldn't put a finger on it. But something was making him hesitate. Something was stopping him from saying "thanks but no thanks."
He opened up the email and read it again. It was what you'd expect. Management inquiring if he'd have any interest in making a return of some sorts. He looked at the screen for several moments, tapping his chin with the tip of his index finger. Shaking his head, he leaned forward to start typing his response. *** Chaz Holiday: Don't be silly. There's nothing to prove. You don't need to wrestle again. *** His fingers were on the keys and began to type, when he stopped. Why? He couldn't explain it. It was unusual. He'd never had this nagging hesitation before. He was a big believer in things happening for a reason. And maybe... maybe this was one of those things.
Was he really going to consider this? Was he really going to DO this? He didn't want to get ahead of himself but if he wasn't automatically going to decline, he may as well hear the offer out. So instead, he responded to the email, telling them that he was interested and willing to listen to the offer. Chances where, nothing would come of it. But who knows... *** CURRENT DAY: June 26th, 2021 *** Out in the parking lot of the arena, for the upcoming Riot, sat a large tour bus. It belonged to none other than 2021 Hall of Fame inductee, Chaz Holiday. Inside of the luxurious bus, Chaz was sitting on the edge of the bed. In his hands was a copy of one of the programs for the showing coming up, in a few short days. He was looking at one of the pictures, in the program, in particular. It was the hype section for his match. His first match, in a PWS ring, in well over six years. *** Chaz Holiday: If you had told me back in December, that within the next six months, I'd be inducted into the PWS Hall of Fame and that I'd sign on to wrestle again... I would have called you absolutely crazy. I would have asked what alternate universe you were living in. Those two things weren't even a minor thought in my mind. Yet, here we are, six months later... and not only one of those things have become a reality, but both have. *** He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. He ran a hand back through his hair, taking a deep breath and then slowly exhaling. *** Chaz Holiday: I've been asked a lot... Why? Why did I deicde to step back into the ring? And honestly, I asked myself that quite a bit as well. Until I finally found my answer. I knew I had nothing to prove. I had a successful career with the PWS. Heck, I even made it to the coveted Hall of Fame. So it had nothing to do with proving anything. One night, after a glass of wine, I was pondering the question. And that's when it finally hit me. I never had a true final chapter, in PWS. PWS was where it all began for me. It's where most of my success, in wrestling, happened. It's where my largest fanbase is. It's where I had my most memorable matches and moments. But I never really had closure. And I think that's the reason that led me to make the decision that I did. And I'm glad I did! I'm excited about it. Nervous... But excited. I'm not going to sit here and pretend I know everything there is to know, about my partners and my opponents. Clearly I don't. But I've studied the tape. I've watched the matches. ANTITHESIS? Dangerous. Now, what makes them dangerous isn't their cowardly attacks or their tough talk. It's the fact that they wrestle and they live like animals who are backed into a corner. They live like animals who don't know when their next meal is going to come, so when they see prey? The pounce and they pounce with no remorse. They live like they have nothing to lose. But here's the thing. I don't have anything to lose either. Does that mean I'm gonna come from behind, like a bunch of cowards? No. What it does mean is I'm going to bring just as much fight to the table, as they are. And I'm sure they're going to laugh at that. They're gonna discredit me. Talk about my lack of matches over the last few years, about how I have no killer instinct, yadda, yadda. That's just the kind of people they are. But that's nothing new to me. Because of my positive disposition, I'm always underestimated. Which is fine. I've never let opinions deter me before and I'm not going to start now. Especially not after what those three miscreants have done to me. *** Chaz reached to the side and grabbed a bottle of water off of the counter top, unscrewing the cap off of it and taking a sip. *** Chaz Holiday: Not to mention, I've got one heck of a team, by my side. A team that includes the current World Champion. And in my opinion? Williams and Haze are two of the most gifted athletes in pro wrestling, right now. Are we the most compatible of teammates? No. We don't have much in common. We won't be hitting the VIP room and poppin' bottles together, anytime soon. But we all have a common goal - to win this match. Sierra and Heather want to show why they are two of the top competitors, not only in PWS but in the industry today. And me? I'll show ANTITHESIS that despite their despicable and desperate antics, they can't and they won't put an end to Chaz Holiday. I stepped away from this business on my own terms. Nobody forced me out. So I'll be damned if I let anyone, much less a few parasites like Sykes, Sanders and Dionysus, dictate how my career is going to to. So make no mistake, I didn't come back to feed my ego or anything like that. I accepted this match for one reason - to put ANTITHESIS in their place. And to do that, I know we've got to win this match. I'm ready. I'm always ready. And if I had to place a bet, I'd say Sierra and Heather are ready too. But is ANTITHESIS? We're gonna find out.
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Post by Dionysus on Jun 27, 2021 17:40:46 GMT -5
*The camera suddenly cuts out into static, which, once it clears, reveals a dilapidated building that reads “Lakeside Mental institution”. The camera cuts to inside. The walls are lined with cell after cell, each one a room with a clear wall facing out, and each one very much empty. The lights are dim, but not off. The camera goes down the hallway, stopping at a particular room where, in the middle of the floor, sits a giant. The Mad God. Dionysus sits with a soft cloth dummy beside him. The dummy looks beaten up, like someone, or something, has been attacking it. Dionysus rocks back and forth, his hands folded in front of him. He’s softly humming “Drunken Whaler” as he rocks. He stops to glare at the dummy, then smiles and turns back to the camera. Soon the Mad God speaks.*
Dionysus: Let’s talk about insanity…
*He speaks with a quiet malice.*
Dionysus: After I left the circus, they locked me up. Said I was crazy!
*He puts a lot of emphasis onto that last word.*
Dionysus: They said I was unfit for society, a danger to those around me, and you know what?
*He smirks.*
Dionysus: I am.
*He stands up, grabbing the dummy and dragging it behind him as he leaves the cell.*
Dionysus: But as you’ll find… in this match, I’m not the only one!
*He taps his head in time with the last 4 words, stopping and laughing a little.*
Dionysus: Heather… you’re either crazy or delusional. Do you really think you’re fit to know the meaning of the words “collateral damage”? The punishment we put people through, your paltry squabbles can’t compare. You can use weapons all you want, but don’t call yourself violent if you can’t prove it.
*He looks directly at the camera.*
Dionysus: John…
*There’s an overlay of Jonathan Sanders going off the roof with Cleo Philips at Destiny.*
Dionysus: Tyson…
*The overlay changes to Tyson Sykes putting Shawn Young through a ladder-covered table during the Destination NEXT match.*
Dionysus: You’ve seen what my partners can do, Heather. You’ve had my hands wrapped around your scrawny little throat…
*He cups his hands around the throat of the dummy, throttling it a little. His voice drops to a whisper.*
Dionysus: …You can’t possibly think you stand a chance against any one of us.
*He goes back to dragging the dummy behind him, scowling at the camera.*
Dionysus: And you’d better watch out. Because when a pride of lions goes after a herd of deer… the runt of the litter is the first to die.
*He stops, pausing, breathing in sharply and putting his head down, his long hair in his face.*
Dionysus: Kill, Sierra, Kill. Kill, Sierra, Kill. Kill, Sierra, Kill! Kill! Sierra! Kill! Kill! Sierra! Kill!
*He grabs the cloth dummy, violently ripping it in half in one smooth motion, looking at the camera with a gritted-toothed scowl. His voice goes once again into a whisper.*
Dionysus: …You don’t know the meaning of the word.
*He smirks again, fluff and cloth from the dummy spread out around his feet, both halves of the bisected dummy on the floor on either side of him.*
Dionysus: But that’s not why you’re insane. No, for you, Sierra, it’s because you think you’ve earned that trinket. That you think you deserve to be on top because of it! I told Rider, and I’ll tell you, we’re only what people say we are. I was told from a young age that I was monster, and now I know that I am. You… you were told by this company that you deserved to be at the top of the food chain because you fluked your way into winning a meaningless prize that they gave a perception of value to.
*He turns the corner, going down another long hallway lined with cells on either side. There’s a chilling atmosphere from the empty building, but Dionysus seems unaffected.*
Dionysus: And because of that, Sierra, you’ve become reckless. Violence means nothing if you don’t know how to use it. You were nearly done in by a clown! John’s already beaten you, what do you think teaming up will accomplish!? You can hide behind Holiday all match, it won’t save you from the inevitable.
*Dionysus stops again, his eyes closing.*
Dionysus: And now we come to Chaz.
*He takes a deep breath, sharply exhaling.*
Dionysus: Your fight is with Tyson. But by making an enemy out of him, you’ve made an enemy out of all 3 of us. And soon you’ll find, Chaz, that you’re the craziest one of the lot of you because of it.
*He keeps walking, running his hand along one of the clear cell walls. He grimaces at it, before taking his hand off the wall and continuing along his path.*
Dionysus: Chaz, you’re older, but you’re no wiser. After seeing everything we’ve done, everything we’ve accomplished in just our short time here… what makes you think we won’t do the same to you? See, you’re under the same delusions as Sierra. You’ve won a few meaningless pieces of metal, been put in a “hall of fame” that contains everyone who did anything even remotely successful in their tenure, and because of it you think you can take on the three most violent people in the company!?
*Dionysus points to himself as he says the final part of that last sentence.*
Dionysus: Now who’s crazy?
*Walking through a big set of double doors, kicking them open, Dionysus walks into what appears to be a reception area. He stops and looks dead into the camera.*
Dionysus: Heather, Sierra, Chaz… we will not show mercy. You’ve started a war and forgot to bring weapons. You’ve challenged Goliath but left the stone behind. And you’ll pay severely for it.
*He pauses.*
Dionysus: And answer me this. If the lamb provokes the wolf...
*Dionysus gets a wicked smile, not unlike that of Sanders.*
Dionysus: …Whose fault is it when the lamb dies?
*He grabs the camera, shoving it violently to the ground. It gets an angled shot of him walking out of the asylum, as the camera slowly but surely fades back into static, which soon cuts to black.*
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Post by Sierra Williams on Jun 27, 2021 19:47:55 GMT -5
I bet I could pull a little rapper outta Cloud9 Make a diss record' with a free translation You see me, bet your knees be shakin' That's why I'm on the throne and this seat's amazing
We’re Moving….
Sometimes in life you get an offer. One that you can’t refuse. Or maybe, one that you shouldn’t. This was one of those situations. Orlando Florida. A sun soaked city in a state that had one of the highest numbers of retirees in the world. A state that, while it had a certain reputation was also somewhere that people lived a good life in.Sierra and Lachlan, with their family were going to move. The entire family on Sierras side. Her mother, father, sister and brothers. The fact that Sierra had agreed to this was something else. Taking up a position at Wolfslair? Not just Wolfslair but their new sister gym in Orlando far from the crazy go go nature of New York City where Lachlan had been spending his time? It was different, it was new. But it was what Sierra needed.
It’s what her family needed.
The move coming with the added benefit of being able to give her father a better quality of life as he moved towards what he called “his setting sun”. But, she hadn’t told him. The cat was out of the bag, after Sierra had broke down and told her younger sister the family had got together. They confronted Oscar who came clean. There were tears, there was sadness. But there was also a renewed sense of purpose. Everyone wanting to spend time with the old man. Rico and Diego enjoyed their time with him, as did Rosa. Sierras daughters, too young to understand the concept of death, always loved their grandfather. And now Sierra made sure they were forging some memories. Ones that would last.
Even when Oscar was gone.
But, then Sierra got the call. A phone call that would change her life. Sonja Jones, the wife of wrestling legend Alex Jones, the business manager of Wolfslair. An offer to go to Orlando, become a trainer at Wolfslair there. With Lachlan in tow.
It was a great offer, great money and a chance to train with some of the best in the world. It would have been foolish not to take it. So, she talked with Lachlan, they agreed and she said yes. And from that moment Sierra was determined to make her fathers life more comfortable. Determined to give him an end that was relaxing and as carefree as something like this could be. She talked to her siblings, her mother and they all decided. The family was moving. Paperwork was prepared, houses and locations scouted. But now it was time to do the one thing that they all knew would be hard, something that had fallen on Sierras shoulders and her shoulders alone.
It was time to tell Oscar.
She had gone out to his favorite take out place, grabbed Oscars favorite burder complete with the hand made and cut fries and a Dr Pepper. She walked through the door, her mother smiling and giving her a nod as Si moved through to the back where Oscar was sitting. An old lay-z-boy say against the back wall of the house. He stared out into the backyard with a grin enjoying the summer weather. As Sierra walked out his face lit up, even more when he smelt the bag.
Oscar: “Is that what I think it is?”
Sierra: “Oh did you want some lunch too?”
He laughed and shook his head as Sierra handed him the bag, moving around the table to sit on the opposite side in her mothers chair, she leaned back and opened a bottle of water taking a sip as Oscar unwrapped the burger taking a huge bite out of it, the look of happiness on his face from such a simple thing making Si smile.
Oscar: “That’s one thing I hated when I was on chemo ya know? I hated eating, I hated the look and smell of food, and that sucked.”
Sierra gave a small nod, her smile fading. Since the family knew Oscar had been alot more open about it all. Talking to Sierras siblings and talking in the open about his experiences while fighting it. The pain, the sickness, the hatred.
Sierra: “I have to talk to you about something important….and it has to do with you.”
Oscar swallowed his bite putting the burger down and shaking his head.
Oscar: “We’ve gone through this Sierra, I don’t want to go back to chemo, I don’t want to fight, and thats fin-”
Sierra: “No...it’s not that…”
He raised an eyebrow, slowly reaching over for a handful of fries, Sierra laughed and shook her head before looking out into the backyard. The same backyard where she and her brothers and sister would play and beat the hell out of each other when they were little.
Sierra: “So, I got a job offer. And it’s not just wrestling for a company, it’s for a gym. And I said yes, it’s in Orlando…”
Oscar: “Hey congrats baby girl, that sounds big...extra money aside from your contract with Apex huh? But, what does that have to do with me?”
Sierra: “Well…”
She took a sharp breath in and out, this was harder than she thought.
Sierra: “I know I can’t change your mind about trying to get treatment, I understand it, I don’t agree with it, but I get it. Sometimes the treatment is worse than the disease and you’d rather not feel it. But, I want you, and Mom, and Rico, Diego and Rosa, to move to Orlando too…”
Oscar sat back, before he could answer Sierra blurted out an explanation…
Sierra: “They would have jobs and you’d have a nice house, in a great area, you would be more comfortable there in the warmer weather for...the time you have left.”
She swallowed hard and closed her eyes, coming face to face to her fathers mortality again and reminding herself his days were numbered. Oscar cleared his throat, he shook his head and smiled before taking another bite of his burger swallowing it with a mouthful of Dr Pepper.
Oscar: “So...when are we moving?”
Anti-Antithesis
Sierra: “You gotta be shittin me.”
Sierra shook her head, an annoyed look on her face, which seems to be the norm when cutting a promo, or being in the ring, or doing literally anything that involved other people….
Sierra: “After beating that joke of a “wrestler” Mike Hawk I went home, I felt good, I shut him up and as much as people want to go on about the hows and whys of me beating that idiot the truth is, I won. The end. And as much as he wishes he could get back in the ring with me, let me be clear. Until such time as PWS Apex forces me to have to give attention to him, this right here, this part of my promo, this part of my time, is the final time I will be addressing him. Because he isn’t worth it, he isn’t worth talking about, thinking about or even tweeting. But, as I said, I beat him, I went home. I relaxed.”
“I trained.”
“I spent time with my family.”
“And then, well then I made some personal and professional choices. Ones that would impact not just me, but also my family. Lachlan and I moving on up in the world, taking up positions and making decisions that would impact and provide for our kids. We organised and moved down to Florida and started to set up our lives before I got the call. And as much as I love the fact I get to get back in the ring, the truth is looking over at my partners pisses me off in ways that are hard to vocalize without overuse of the word “fuck”. And yes, it is a versatile word but I also promised Lachlan I would clan up my language.”
She rolls her eyes and sighs heavily.
Sierra: “I hate tag team matches. I liked them when I was teaming with Lachlan, cause with him I knew I had someone I could rely on. Someone who would watch my back, someone who would be there for me who I also knew would hold up his end of the bargain. But, with anyone else? To be honest, I hate it. And this is with the added annoyance of having to team with the woman who is the number one contender for my PWS Apex world championship. I have to team with Heather Haze, a woman who, and this is me being completely honest here and shooting from the hip, I have zero respect for.”
“Yes Heather. I can stand here and accept management are “rewarding” you for consistency and are giving you a championship opportunity against me. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it or respect you. Because I don’t, I don’t respect you as a competitor, a challenger, a professional wrestler. Or a woman. To me you’re a vapid, arrogant, self righteous bitch who would be more suited to being an “instagram” model than a professional wrestler. And the fact I have to team with you and the physical epitome of “jersey shore” Chaz Holliday is a joke.”
“You and I are going to be opponents and we have to watch each others backs? Fucking rediculous. And the fact we have to rely on a walking injury and someone who doesn’t even have a full first name is insulting. But, I will do what I do, and that is be a fucking champion. And I will drag yopu two idiots kicking and fucking screaming to a win. And when we do win, when we are able to walk out of there with our hands raised and our heads held high, I will expect you both to look over at me and say a very simple and very heartful message. I will want you both to look at me, nod in respect and say two special words.”
“Thank you.”
Sierra can’t help but laugh to herself as she clears her throat.
Sierra: “But, our opponents are people who can actually watch each others backs. Apparently. Antithesis. A well oiled machine right? And a team that has an added advantage or having a member who has already beaten me. Yes Jonathan I haven’t forgotten that you were able to get the better of me. And hey I congratulated you for it. It was a hard fought win where you had my number. And I respect you more than I do my future opponent and to be honest if I was you? I’d be pissed at Heather Haze and PWS Apex management. See, while you are a champion and have your own division to rule over and be a champion of, in my world, someone who beats the champion should get a shot at said title.”
“Did you get a title match Jonathan? Do you have a future one to cash in? No? So, you beat me and don’t even get a shot at the title, yet Heather Haze just kind of exists and gets something handed to her. Now, I don’t want to accuse Heather of doing something untoward or sneaky, but it certainly seems like she had a friend in charge who is handing her things she doesn’t deserve right? If I were you, I’d do something about it….”
“Not that I’m encouraging you to do something like..break her leg..but hey. Jonathan Sanders should do Jonathan Sanders things…”
She winks and folds her arms over her chest.
Sierra: “But it’s not just Jonathan Sanders we have to watch out for, it’s the other two members of Antithesis. Dionysus and Tyson Sykes. Now, Dionysus, has a stupid fucking name. Naming yourself after a greek god is incredibly arrogant for someone who’s only talent is that he can reach the coco puffs on the top fucking shelf. And yeah, I get it, you’re tall. You’re seven feet tall, it’s a natural attribute. You can’t teach that. And some would say you have a huge upside, seven foot one, three hundred pounds. And like me you’re Canadaian. Hell you’re even young at only twenty four...wait..what?”
“Bitch you ain’t twenty four you’re atleast forty…”
“As big as you are buddy, I see you as the weak link in the team, Sanders beat me and Sykes? Well, as much as it pains me to admit it, I’m kind of a fan of Tyson. See, I do enjoy violence. And Tyson is violence. But don’t get it twisted Skyes, as much as I enjoy what you do and what you’re capable of I’m still going to look to kick the shit out of you. See, as violent as you are, I’m just that little bit more sadistic and bitchy.”
“I’m the champion, me, no one else. I’m the one who beat Mack McKane, I’m the one who has been the guiding, shining light of this fucking company. And it seems like some people have forgotten that. So I’m going to take this time to send a message, a message to Heather Haze, a message to management...a simple one that you should all remember because it will make all of your lives so much easier.”
“Don’t fuck with Sierra Williams…”
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Post by Jonathan Sanders on Jun 27, 2021 21:38:58 GMT -5
PRELUDE: ALL YOU HAVE*Fade in. We open on a raven, stark black wings and beak silhouetted against a grey overcast sky. As the bird takes flight, the opening refrain of Hozier’s "Arsonist’s Lullabye" sets the mood for the scene. The soft humming (0:00-0:09) which heralds the beginning of the song accompanies our shot as the bird flies away, and we pan directly downwards from its previous position to see "The Lost Cause" Jonathan Sanders standing on a shoreline, staring out at the water. The Collateral Damage Champion holds the belt over one shoulder and his black devil's mask in the other hand. He turns on his heel and follows the black bird up the beach as the humming continues (0:09-0:14).*"Some say the world will end in fire…"*Sanders comes to a stop at the base of a large wicker man, staring up at the structure as the raven perches on top of it. The humming continues (0:14-0:20).*"Some say, in ice."*The champion pulls the devil mask onto his face in one smooth motion, then retrieves a torch from the sand in front of him and lights it. As the flames expand, the humming comes to an end (0:20-0:29).*"From what I’ve tasted of desire, I hold with those who favour fire."*The flames expand to cover the entire screen as the opening riff picks up (0:30), with the shot giving way to a young Jonathan Sanders - the same child we glimpsed in the last video - cowering on the floor of his bedroom, hands over his ears. Two adults, the same blonde woman and older man we saw previously as well, shout at each other on either side of him. We cannot hear their words.*"When I was a child, I heard voices Some would sing and some would scream." *We zoom in on the child’s face, as his eyes suddenly snap open, full of rage and sorrow.*"You soon find you have few choices..." *As we zoom back out, we see the eyes are in fact those of modern-day Jonathan Sanders, who is standing alongside his ANTITHESIS brothers. The champion still carries the torch we just saw him light, and the trio are presiding over an open casket, inside which lies the little boy we saw earlier.*
"I learned the voices died with me." *Sanders slowly lowers the torch to touch the wooden coffin, which immediately erupts in flames. The flames once again completely engulf the screen and our scene transitions once again to young Jonathan Sanders sitting on his bed, holding a lit match between two fingers.*"When I was a child, I’d sit for hours, Staring into open flame." *The young Sanders' lips curl into a wicked, devilish grin, as the image flickers and cuts from young Jonathan to his modern-day counterpart, staring through the eyeholes of the devil mask into the torch we saw him light earlier.*"Something in it had a power; Could barely tear my eyes away." *This is the image we hold on, then as the chorus picks up the current-day Sanders walks forward and lights the wicker man. He steps back to watch it burn as ANTITHESIS joins him on either side.*"All you have is your fire, And the place you need to reach. Don't you ever tame your demons. But always keep 'em on a leash." *We get a close-up of Jonathan Sanders now, as the song devolves into humming again (2:00-2:13). We can see reflections of the orangey light from the flames reflected in the faceplate of the CD title as well as the glossy surface of his devil's mask, and once again the champion’s voice narrates over the scene.*"But if it had to perish twice..."*From here, the image subtly changes, zooming back out to see a teenage or young-adult Jonathan Sanders standing in total darkness, with bleached blonde hair, wearing shiny orange ring attire with yellow flames plastered over it. Fans will recognize this as "Jonny Flame", one of Sanders’ earliest gimmicks, who was seen in flashback sequences during his Destiny promo.*"When I was 16, my senses fooled me…" *The younger Jonny takes off sprinting through the dark, his face a mask of terror as he searches for any path forward.*"Thought gasoline was on my clothes." *Suddenly a mirror erupts from the ground in front of Jonny.*"I knew that something would always rule me…" *He approaches the mirror and looks through it to see modern-day Sanders, devil mask and all, mimicking his motions like a reflection.*"I knew the scent was mine alone." *Suddenly, without warning, the Lost Cause reaches through the mirror and grabs Jonny Flame by the throat, yanking him through the looking glass and into a cage in the torso of the wicker man. He screams silently and pounds on the walls as we pan out to reveal three similar cages in the hands and the head, each one containing a hyper-realistic mannequin representation of Heather Haze, Sierra Williams and Chaz Holiday respectively. From here our perspective shifts to look down through the fire onto ANTITHESIS, all clad in their devil masks now, still watching as the flames rise higher on the burning effigy.*"All you have is your fire, And the place you need to reach. Don't you ever tame your demons, But always keep 'em on a leash." *Once again, the flames continue to expand until they’ve engulfed the screen, serving to transition to a shot of Jonathan Sanders winning the Collateral Damage championship for the first time.*"When I was a man, I thought it ended When I knew love's perfect ache…" *We hold for a moment on Sanders, kneeling in the centre of the ring and holding up the CD title with one hand. This image flickers rapidly back and forth between modern-day Sanders in the ring and the child Jonathan Sanders, still holding the title belt, standing in the ruins of a burned-down house with the corpses of Chaz Holiday, Heather Haze, Sierra Williams and Jonny Flame surrounding him.*"But my peace has always depended On all the ashes in my wake." *We cut abruptly back to the beach once more, with the wicker man now completely engulfed in flames. ANTITHESIS have now turned their backs on the structure and are walking away down the beach, past the child Jonathan Sanders, who stares up at the effigy with a wicked, sadistic glint in his eyes.*"All you have is your fire, And the place you need to reach. Don't you ever tame your demons, But always keep 'em on a leash." *As the song dies down, we hold on the child's hardened, steel-grey eyes for the final bit of narration.*"I think I know enough of hate To say that, for destruction, ice Is also great, And would suffice." *Fade out.*------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ANTITHESIS: THE BUTCHERBIRDS*As we fade back in, we find ourselves in the midst of a huge, open field. As the camera pans around it becomes clear this was once farmland, but has since been abandoned and left to deteriorate. Rows of withered, wilted corn husks shudder in the stiff breeze, eerie ghostly fingers grasping for a long-gone farmer, bearing water they will never drink. Beyond this patch of forgotten crops lies a rusted, useless tractor, its cabin playing host to a massive, intricate spider web that glistens in the twilight. Slowly we pan past the tractor towards the edge of the disused fields, where we find a sagging barn in desperate need of some repair. Against the side of the rotting, decrepit structure leans none other than the Lost Cause himself, PWS: Apex Collateral Damage Champion, Jonathan Sanders. Clad in a black "ANTITHESIS" t-shirt and a long, deep charcoal overcoat with steel spikes adorning each shoulder, the champion holds his Collateral Damage title in one hand and has the other arm bent in front of his face, with a small dark shape resting on his hand. As we get closer, we can see a tiny bird perched on the Snake of Eden’s right index finger, its gaze darting around in all directions as Sanders' steel-grey eyes examine the creature.*"This is the Loggerhead Shrike. An intriguing little bird; so small, so innocent...not unlike any other you might see out gallivanting among the trees as the winter turns to spring. They are endangered, of course; with humanity running roughshod over the Earth, there’s hardly a species that ISN’T, these days, but that is not the most interesting fact about these birds. No, the Loggerhead Shrike has a secret. A dark, disturbing little secret. See, this cute, unassuming specimen of nature’s beauty is not what it appears to be. Beneath its charming, friendly, run-of-the-mill exterior beats the heart of a ruthless, cold-blooded torturer. A predator appropriately named the butcherbird."*Sanders gently raises his hand, encouraging the shrike to take flight towards a nearby evergreen tree. Sanders follows the bird at a leisurely pace, letting the CD title drag haphazardly along the ground as he does.*"Now, butcherbirds have not earned that nickname lightly. This isn’t the result of some observational scientists making a private joke within their papers, or an amusing misnomer applying an undeserved stigma to what would otherwise be harmless, ordinary animals. No. The shrike DESERVES its nickname. You see, they eat meat, the shrikes. While other birds of their stature are content to subsist on tiny berries or seeds, perhaps a grub or two that they can wrestle from the Earth, shrikes have more...ambitious feeding habits. Shrikes will eat lizards, or mice, or even - in times of desperation - other, less-fortunate birds. But the shrike does not have the powerful, murderous beak of other raptors like the hawk or the noble owl, no. Instead, they make use of the environment to kill their prey."*Sanders comes to a stop here, having reached the evergreen the shrike fled into earlier, and he runs his fingers along the trunk until he comes to a thin, protruding branch. It looks unremarkable except for the fact that, hanging from the end like some horrible ersatz meat freezer, is the carcass of an adolescent garter snake. It’s clearly been picked over, and the animal has been dead for some time. Jonathan regards it with amusement as he speaks.*"When a shrike has deigned to feed - or, on occasion, merely to impress a mate - they’ll catch whatever prey they wish to feast on, find a sturdy, pointed little branch like this one, and IMPALE their victim directly upon it. This often doesn’t kill the animal, of course; or, if it does, it will take them many hours to finally bleed out. But the shrike doesn’t let that stop them. Once their prey is rendered helpless, even while it’s still alive and thrashing, the shrike begins to feed, tearing its victim apart piece by piece with an almost surgical efficiency. It can be beautiful, in a way. A sort of grotesque tapestry of the morbid truth about the callous world we live in. Nature doesn’t care about its many denizens, there is no mercy offered by predators to prey...and no matter how tender or innocent something may seem from the outside, there will always be some horror lurking beneath the surface."*Sanders lets his wicked grin blossom, pivoting to face the camera as he hoists the CD title onto his left shoulder.*"See, we all have a dark side, like the shrike. We all have that evil inner voice, those dark fantasies we entertain when we think nobody’s watching. What defines us is whether we act on those fantasies. How far down the rabbit hole do we allow ourselves to go? Some of us resist the urges, fighting and repressing them so we can be the manufactured, obedient drone society tells us is "normal", but most of us find some excuse to give in...and some go much further than others. Like the loving, devoted father who sleeps with his secretary on weekends; the smiling celebrity crooner who viciously beats his wife and children...or the washed-up, retired Hall-of-Famer drawn back into the spotlight because he just can’t resist the chance to be a hero."*Sanders fixes his piercing steel-grey eyes on the camera, glinting with sadistic mischief as his grin merely widens.*"Hello, Chaz. Are you feeling Fantabulous today? I’m certain you must be, with the buzz your in-ring return is generating. How fortunate you must be to still have such a following even after all this time. How grateful you must feel for every single impressionable child who still buys your t-shirts, every fangirl screaming and chanting your name...every dollar they spend to get a ‘happy birthday’ shoutout for their boyfriends on your Cameo profile. Don’t pretend that isn’t why you do this, Mr. Holiday. Don’t try to claim you have some admirable ulterior motive like 'getting closure' or 'cementing your legacy'; we both know that's not the truth. This persona you project, it’s all a smokescreen. A cleverly-calculated deception to fool these fickle fanatics into giving you what you crave. You are not Richard the Lionheart, no noble crusader fighting even as his body fails him to vanquish the ultimate evil from his kingdom. You are no retired, aging gunslinger, riding back into town for one final showdown with the despicable band of outlaws who have taken over. You’re an addict, Chaz Holiday. Nothing more, and nothing less. A JUNKIE for the adulation of these fickle, demanding sycophants. You don’t care about them, you only care that they WORSHIP you. That they cheer and scream and wet themselves when YOU walk out on stage. That is why you couldn’t stay away, why you allowed my blood-brother Tyson to lure you back to the abyss...because deep down, you miss being their hero. You miss being King. You knew your fame was dwindling, and you weren’t content to live the life of a "once-was", so you found an opportunity and clung to it like a survivor to a shred of the Titanic. But your lifeboat is sinking, Chaz Holiday, and soon the kraken of ANTITHESIS will drag you by the neck into the black and briny depths, until your legend is worth nothing more than those ancient, rotting wrecks collecting algae on the bottom of the sea." *The Lost Cause pauses, still grinning his evil grin into the camera.*"But you are not alone, oh no. Tonight you’ll be joined by two OTHER junkies at the mercy of this vicious, withering business. The self-styled 'Bad Girl', Heather Haze, and our very own Queen Ozymandias herself, Sierra Williams. Now, Sierra, I have clashed with you before. I told you I would one day return to besiege your hard-won kingdom, but it seems you were not content to wait. You knew your Ragnarok was coming, so you charged headlong to meet it. I ALMOST admire that. That...surety in the face of the inevitable. That battle-hardened eagerness to see your own demise. I have been precisely where you are; the headstrong warrior, satisfying his own death wish by seeking to pick a fight with the most dangerous opponent in his path. But I want you to know that your death will not be swift. You CHOSE to fight this battle, elected to place yourself squarely in the Horsemen’s path...but your bravery will not save you from the suffering to come. Like the shrike, we will savour your destruction, picking you apart piece by piece, wearing down your will to fight as you slowly, steadily bleed out. This is the only salvation we offer, because that is what we ARE. We are the Butcherbirds, violent and sadistic by design because it is the only way that we know how to survive."*Sanders pauses now, his grin having vanished to be replaced by a steely, furious glare.* "I know you think of yourself as a fighter, Sierra; you fancy you’re the apex predator sitting comfortably at the top of the PWS: Apex food chain. But you know NOTHING of the violence we can inflict, Sierra. You are unprepared for the fight that WE will offer. If you could not handle me alone, what makes tonight any different? Your partners will not help you, your rage will do no good, and the belt you fought so hard to claim will bring you little comfort when you’re lying in a broken, twisted heap beneath your teammates, praying for the end through shattered teeth." *He pauses now, inhaling deeply to collect himself before slowly leveling his gaze back into the camera lens. As his eyes open they glint once again with a horrible sadistic glee, one corner of his lips twitching upwards into a bitter smirk as he speaks again.* "And that leaves Heather Haze. The poor, frightened little Alice, lost in Wonderland, desperately searching for a way back to the comfortable life she left behind. But this fairy tale will not have a happy ending, Heather. There will BE no ‘happily ever after’. I know you are afraid of this - afraid of us, and what ANTITHESIS is capable of doing to you. I saw that fear three weeks ago, when the Mad God Dionysus lifted you into his arms and prepared to show you exactly how woefully unfit you are to call yourself the Queen of Collateral Damage. I saw that fear written plainly on your face, even as Queen Ozymandias and the once-Fantabulous Chaz Holiday came rushing to your rescue. Just as I predicted, when faced with TRUE evil, that scared little girl you’ve always been came right back to the surface. I told you I would crack your façade. I told you that you couldn’t run forever. Well tonight, we do this dance again. Tonight, I can finish what was so rudely interrupted the last time we saw each other. Tonight, Heather Haze, the poor, defenceless snake comes face to face with a flock of angry, ravenous butcherbirds. Are you finally prepared for what you’ll have to do to stop us? Are you ready to become what you need to be to survive? I suppose only time will tell. Consider this your chessboard, Alice; the final stop on your journey back to what you left behind. The Cheshire Cat is watching...can you keep your head?"
*Smirking, Sanders turns and takes hold of the half-eaten snake adorning the tree branch that’s behind him. In one smooth motion, he twists the neck and tears the creature’s head away from the rest of its body, flicking it towards the camera as he walks off into the night.* Fin.
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