Post by Caleb Lockwood on Mar 2, 2013 2:22:37 GMT -6
”Hey there, fans…well, the five of you that are still out there, apparently. It’s been a while. Almost a month, in fact. Now, I know NCW pay-per-views rake in the dough, but I don’t think one match can cover an entire month unless you’re getting, like, triple plus hazard pay or something like that. The numbers just don’t add up there, guys. But…in a sense, they do. I mean, zero matches wrestled equals zero dollars earned. Can’t expect to get paid for contributing nothing to the product. That’s Willy Carter’s job, and he’s damn fine at it, if I do say so myself.”
“Apparently, defeating one of the biggest names in the company and a bona-fide legend of the industry is enough to get me unbooked for an entire month. By that logic, if I win here you shouldn’t expect to see me until at least Reborn. I’m not griping, I’m just griping. I had what could have been a career-making moment. I could have done something there. Instead, I FINALLY get a match on the doorstep of another pay-per-view…and while it’s against an opponent that I can honestly say I’ve dreamed of wrestling for a long time, it looks like everything went to hell while I was gone.”
“You’ve got everything that’s happened with The Ace and his…shapely associates, culminating in last week’s shelving of Davey Ortega. I had no idea that was going to happen until I watched the show, and I was just floored. Seeing them do that…I know what kind of a man The Ace is on his own, and with the added force of those four behind him…I’m glad I’m on his good side, that’s all I can say and that’s really all I want to say. Nothing more for me to add…not before I sort myself out.”
“What a match to come back to, though. I guess someone wanted to get on my good side…it worked. Jack freaking Hammond is my opponent this week. The Hamster. The former World Champion…and my personal idol. Yeah, Jack, I’m a huge fan of yours. You’re a style inspiration and someone whose career I would KILL for. And so being able to test myself in the ring against you, knowing how my abilities measure against someone who’s arguably one of the greatest X Division Champions of all time…if you had told me three years ago that I would be wrestling Jack Hammond live on television, coming off of a pay-per-view win over Steve Awesome, I would have been convinced you were completely drunk. But it’s reality.”
“It is so very much reality. And no amount of attempted reality checks are going to bring me back down to ground right now. So while I’m reminding gravity who the master is, I want you to be…yourself. I don’t have any insults, I don’t have any pithy remarks, I just sincerely wish you the best of luck and pray that this match is even a tenth as incredible as I think it’ll be. The fans are going to get a tremendous show of athleticism and determination, and one of us is going to walk away with the win here. I want to believe it’s me…but we’ll find out. After all, beating a former World Champion after three weeks sitting at home bored out of my skull?”
”How hard can it be?”
We open on Tiffany Jones standing in the doorway of Caleb’s room at the Conway home. Caleb’s packing his bags, running a hand through his hair as he checks and rechecks the items he’ll need for his quick trip out to the show’s location this week. He glances up at her, and the worried expression on her face causes him to stop, standing and walking over. Caleb takes her hand, raising an eyebrow in query. She sighs, looking to the side.
”It’s just been a while, Caleb. I don’t want you expecting too much of yourself before you have the chance to shake off the ring rust. Don’t feel ashamed if you’re not 100% the first time back out.”
Caleb chuckles, nodding, and squeezes her hand. She smiles at him, leaning in for a quick kiss. Tiffany wraps her arms around him, sighing as she rests her head against his chest. Caleb addresses her, voice warm and confident.
”Hey, what can I say? I set high expectations for myself because I know I can meet and exceed them. I’m going to be in top form. Besides, it’s not like I spent the entire time sitting on my ass stuffing my face with potato chips and Twinkies. I kept in shape, I practiced…you sound like I just came back from the dead or something.”
Tiffany shrugs, grinning as she looks up at Caleb.
”Some might say your career pulled a Lazarus. I mean, beating Steve Awesome, live on pay-per-view…how many people can say they’ve done that? I mean, really? Certainly put the brakes on his little comeback tour. I guess he should have taken you more seriously.”
Caleb nods, grinning. Tiffany pauses, stroking her chin, and she looks at him, tilting her head to the right as an idea dawns in her head.
”They all should. You’re one of the most athletically talented people on the roster, and you’re as determined as anyone I’ve ever seen. I bet you could tear your way to the World Title if you really put yourself to it. Forget Nathan Webb and Will Washington, Verona should be concerned with you.”
Lockwood laughs it off, smiling, but it’s clear some sort of seed has taken root in his psyche as he continues to speak. He adopts a pseudo-swaggering posture, deliberately hamming things up.
”Heh, of course he should. I can run circles around him, and if we ever got into a match his skill and seemingly unending bag of backup and tricks would be nothing compared to my ability to jump, flip and kick with the best of them. The only thing Roberto Verona has to fear is fear itself…well, call me fear, baby! But you know what? I think I’ll set my sights a bit lower. Maybe I win the X Title. Maybe I just get booked two shows in a row first. Take the small steps before I run off the cliff, y’know? Just as a precaution.”
Tiffany loops her arms around Caleb’s neck, smiling innocently up at him.
”I thought you didn’t believe in taking the slow and safe route. Fastest line from Point A to Point B, right? I say you take that path and you charge your name right into the record books. But you’re right. Let’s start by beating Jack Hammond…and if you do, I promise I’ll make it worth your while, if you know what I mean…”
She winks at Caleb, who just grins back at her. The two share another kiss before letting go of each other. Caleb steps back, nodding to Tiffany.
”Alright, Tiff. I’ve got to finish packing. I’ll see you when I’m taking off, okay?”
She nods, waving as she begins to walk away.
”Good luck!”
Caleb nods, smiling as she walks down the hall. He turns around, the smile thinning to an almost arrogant grin.
”Don’t need luck when you’ve got this much skill.”
He resumes his packing with the same grin on his face as we fade to black.
“Apparently, defeating one of the biggest names in the company and a bona-fide legend of the industry is enough to get me unbooked for an entire month. By that logic, if I win here you shouldn’t expect to see me until at least Reborn. I’m not griping, I’m just griping. I had what could have been a career-making moment. I could have done something there. Instead, I FINALLY get a match on the doorstep of another pay-per-view…and while it’s against an opponent that I can honestly say I’ve dreamed of wrestling for a long time, it looks like everything went to hell while I was gone.”
“You’ve got everything that’s happened with The Ace and his…shapely associates, culminating in last week’s shelving of Davey Ortega. I had no idea that was going to happen until I watched the show, and I was just floored. Seeing them do that…I know what kind of a man The Ace is on his own, and with the added force of those four behind him…I’m glad I’m on his good side, that’s all I can say and that’s really all I want to say. Nothing more for me to add…not before I sort myself out.”
“What a match to come back to, though. I guess someone wanted to get on my good side…it worked. Jack freaking Hammond is my opponent this week. The Hamster. The former World Champion…and my personal idol. Yeah, Jack, I’m a huge fan of yours. You’re a style inspiration and someone whose career I would KILL for. And so being able to test myself in the ring against you, knowing how my abilities measure against someone who’s arguably one of the greatest X Division Champions of all time…if you had told me three years ago that I would be wrestling Jack Hammond live on television, coming off of a pay-per-view win over Steve Awesome, I would have been convinced you were completely drunk. But it’s reality.”
“It is so very much reality. And no amount of attempted reality checks are going to bring me back down to ground right now. So while I’m reminding gravity who the master is, I want you to be…yourself. I don’t have any insults, I don’t have any pithy remarks, I just sincerely wish you the best of luck and pray that this match is even a tenth as incredible as I think it’ll be. The fans are going to get a tremendous show of athleticism and determination, and one of us is going to walk away with the win here. I want to believe it’s me…but we’ll find out. After all, beating a former World Champion after three weeks sitting at home bored out of my skull?”
”How hard can it be?”
We open on Tiffany Jones standing in the doorway of Caleb’s room at the Conway home. Caleb’s packing his bags, running a hand through his hair as he checks and rechecks the items he’ll need for his quick trip out to the show’s location this week. He glances up at her, and the worried expression on her face causes him to stop, standing and walking over. Caleb takes her hand, raising an eyebrow in query. She sighs, looking to the side.
”It’s just been a while, Caleb. I don’t want you expecting too much of yourself before you have the chance to shake off the ring rust. Don’t feel ashamed if you’re not 100% the first time back out.”
Caleb chuckles, nodding, and squeezes her hand. She smiles at him, leaning in for a quick kiss. Tiffany wraps her arms around him, sighing as she rests her head against his chest. Caleb addresses her, voice warm and confident.
”Hey, what can I say? I set high expectations for myself because I know I can meet and exceed them. I’m going to be in top form. Besides, it’s not like I spent the entire time sitting on my ass stuffing my face with potato chips and Twinkies. I kept in shape, I practiced…you sound like I just came back from the dead or something.”
Tiffany shrugs, grinning as she looks up at Caleb.
”Some might say your career pulled a Lazarus. I mean, beating Steve Awesome, live on pay-per-view…how many people can say they’ve done that? I mean, really? Certainly put the brakes on his little comeback tour. I guess he should have taken you more seriously.”
Caleb nods, grinning. Tiffany pauses, stroking her chin, and she looks at him, tilting her head to the right as an idea dawns in her head.
”They all should. You’re one of the most athletically talented people on the roster, and you’re as determined as anyone I’ve ever seen. I bet you could tear your way to the World Title if you really put yourself to it. Forget Nathan Webb and Will Washington, Verona should be concerned with you.”
Lockwood laughs it off, smiling, but it’s clear some sort of seed has taken root in his psyche as he continues to speak. He adopts a pseudo-swaggering posture, deliberately hamming things up.
”Heh, of course he should. I can run circles around him, and if we ever got into a match his skill and seemingly unending bag of backup and tricks would be nothing compared to my ability to jump, flip and kick with the best of them. The only thing Roberto Verona has to fear is fear itself…well, call me fear, baby! But you know what? I think I’ll set my sights a bit lower. Maybe I win the X Title. Maybe I just get booked two shows in a row first. Take the small steps before I run off the cliff, y’know? Just as a precaution.”
Tiffany loops her arms around Caleb’s neck, smiling innocently up at him.
”I thought you didn’t believe in taking the slow and safe route. Fastest line from Point A to Point B, right? I say you take that path and you charge your name right into the record books. But you’re right. Let’s start by beating Jack Hammond…and if you do, I promise I’ll make it worth your while, if you know what I mean…”
She winks at Caleb, who just grins back at her. The two share another kiss before letting go of each other. Caleb steps back, nodding to Tiffany.
”Alright, Tiff. I’ve got to finish packing. I’ll see you when I’m taking off, okay?”
She nods, waving as she begins to walk away.
”Good luck!”
Caleb nods, smiling as she walks down the hall. He turns around, the smile thinning to an almost arrogant grin.
”Don’t need luck when you’ve got this much skill.”
He resumes his packing with the same grin on his face as we fade to black.