Post by Spike Kane on Jun 14, 2008 11:05:14 GMT -6
“So my personal problems seem to be mounting, gaining more momentum as time goes by. My family life has turned into the same pile of crap it used to be. Christian has all but disappeared, nobody cares about Jake....not even Jake cares about Jake. As for Brad, well....we’ve never really had a clear train of thought concerning each other. Ever since we were kids and we were separated. Brad and I have never seen eye to eye, even during the Age of the Revolution. Whilst I was awoken to my brother’s way of thinking...we just never clicked. However...I owe my career to my brother. Ever since I lost the World Title I was on a downward spiral, much like Lance was once I beat him. I could see the end of my career approaching me at an incredible speed, but at the last minute my brother stepped in and...saved me. My brother reminded me why I do what I do, and just how damn good I am at it. Brad gave me purpose, and even though he may have given up on it....I never will.”
The scene opens up on Tyler Jacob’s house once more. Rob Diamond and Freya are playing a game of water polo in the pool as Maniac sits at the side. Tyler is busy conducting business on his laptop, more than likely nCw business, in the gym however are three men. Three men working desperately hard. Jack Manson lays on a work bench lifting weights, Spike and Xavier are in the ring trading punches and kicks, almost as if Thai Boxing training.
Xavier: So...how’d it go with Brad?
Spike slams a punch into Xavier’s right arm pad.
Xavier: That bad huh?
Spike: I don’t wanna talk about it man. Gotta be focused on the Hollands.
Manson: You can say that again!
Xavier slams a high kick to Spike’s left pad. Spike retaliates with one of his own.
Xavier: We should train as a group more often.
Spike: That was the whole idea of coming here.
Manson: What about Diamond and Maniac?
Xavier: They’ve been up training since six. Tyler told them to blow off some steam in the pool...though I think it may have just been a reason to keep Freya occupied.
Spike: Speaking of occupied, didn’t Tyler say he had something for us?
Manson: Yeah but he’s working right now. He said he’d show us when he’s done.
Spike: Fair enough...
Spike and Xavier trade a few more blows, throwing in the occasional spin or jump. The two seem to be working pretty hard and enjoying themselves. Manson has moved several times through this process, from lifting weights on a bench, to using the leg press, to beating the crap out of a punch bag with his arms and legs.
Spike: Why don’t you join us Jack?
Manson: its cool man. I’m fine doing my own thing.
Just then Tyler walks into the room. With a hand on each side of the doorframe he pokes his head into the gym.
Tyler:Ok guys, it’s time for me to unveil the awesomest awesome your ever awesomed.
Xavier: That didn’t even make sense....
Tyler:Just shower up and be back in the hall in fifteen minutes.
Spike shrugs, looking to Manson who shrugs back. Spike then grabs his towel off a rack and flings it over his back before heading out of the gym and up the stairs. Behind him we can hear Tyler telling Rob, Maniac and Freya the same thing. Spike hits the top of the stairs and turns right going into the room Tyler had allocated him. Each room had an en-suite, so it didn’t really matter. Spike walked into his room and took his top off, throwing it onto the bed. He turned towards the shower and spotted his reflection in the mirror. Spike took a long look at himself before raising a hand to touch the huge scar running down his chest. Within seconds Frank is standing behind Spike, whispering into his ear.
“Much as you try, you’ll never be one of them Spike.”
Spike: I’m not trying to be anyone.
“You’re trying to be something you’re not. You’re trying to be normal.”
Spike: There’s no such thing as normal. It’s relative to the social norms of the social group a certain person belongs to.
“Save your psychology crap Spike. I can read into your mind. I know what you think, and how you think. I know you trust your friends, the members of Social Distortion. But the question is, do they trust you?”
Spike: What reason have I given them not to trust me?
“Maybe the fact that you’ve turned on every partner you’ve ever had?”
Spike: That’s a lie.
“Prove it”
Spike: I never turned on Brad, or any of the Age of the Revolution. Xavier’s still here....he has to trust me.
“You don’t think he has doubts? That they all do? “
Spike: Everybody has doubts, it’s human.
“Yet how many people in nCw claim not to be human? Trent Helms, Dark Prophet, yourself?”
Spike: The God of Xtreme is simply a name to reference how violent and xtreme I am in the ring.
“Exactly”
Spike: What does that mean?
“When was the last time you felt you garnered the moniker ‘God of Xtreme’”
Spike: Oh, I don’t know...maybe when I beat Jack Manson in a hardcore barbed wire cage? Or when I destroyed Davey Ortega in a Dragons Den, how about the time I beat the crap out o my own brother? Not to mention decimating Trent Helms last week.
“Trent Helms was weak.”
Spike: Does it matter? We said we’d show no mercy and we did exactly that. Jack and I destroyed a candidate for the nCw World Title.
“Don’t you count yourself amongst them anymore?”
Spike: Meaning?
“YOU never lost the World Title. Lance Ryan got a rematch when he lost it, why haven’t you?”
Spike stops arguing with his imaginary friend. He looks into the mirror and a slight look of anger comes over him. His fist clench as the slow realisation comes across him.
Spike: Leonard Fox screwed me...
“But he’s out of the picture.”
Spike: You honestly think Kelly Fox will allow me back into the Title picture?
“She was once an ally of yours.”
Spike: I guess....I guess it’s worth a try.
“Confidence never used to be an issue with you.”
Spike: People change..
“You will never change Spike. People know that as much as i do. Do you think The Ace will ever forgive you for what you did to him? What about what you and Triple D did to the Hollands in XWA? You will always be a terrible human being Spike. Violence is how you were raised, and violence is your one true gift. Don’t shy away from it...embrace it.”
Spike clenches his fists and slams one right into the mirror. The image of Frank disappears and Spike’s knuckles bleed as he glares into the broken mirror with utter hatred etched across his face.
Spike: I am more than you’ll ever know.
Spike then turns away and heads into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Within seconds we can hear he shower running. The scene fades briefly before reopening...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...downstairs in the hallway. Jack Manson leans against the rail as Xavier and Rob play ‘rock, paper, scissors’ with Maniac looking on. Tyler walks into the hallway through his office. Freya can be heard outside still swimming in the pool.
Tyler:Where’s Spike?
Xavier: I dunno, I heard a smash come from his room but I didn’t think much of it.
Rob: He’s probably still pissed off with Reckless Joke.
Xavier: Hey. First of all its Brad, secondly that’s his brother and thirdly....Brad is one hell of a wrestler Rob, you’d do well to take something from him.
Spike: From who?
Spike has appeared on his way down the stairs donning camo cut-offs and a new t-shirt with a little bandage around his knuckles. Everybody spots it, but nobody makes a big deal out of it, simply acknowledged it.
Tyler:Nothing. Now....come with me.
Tyler turns around and leads them all into a large room off of his office. It’s all but empty bar some...weird things on the floor. Tyler stands in the center of the room as Social Distortion piles in around him.
Tyler:Welcome...
Xavier: To what...Thunderdome!?
Manson: What the hell is this?
Tyler:My virtual reality room.
Spike: Virtual Reality? That actually exists?
Tyler:It does if you have the Benjamin’s to pay for it.
Spike shrugs in acceptance to Xavier and Jack. Rob’s mouth is wide open in shock.
Tyler:I thought it would be a good way for you to practise as a team and to let off some steam in the process.
Manson: What did you have in mind?
Tyler:Well I saw how you all jumped at the chance to play Gears of War...so I figured you can do that.
Xavier: Holy hell...seriously?
Tyler:Yes, but as it’s only four player...Rob and Maniac will both be controlling one character.
Rob: Weird...but..hey, whatever.
Tyler:Ok, I’m going to leave the room, you guys just put those helmets and gloves on and you’re on your way as soon as I start the game.
Tyler leaves the room and the five guys run towards the helmets and gloves. Each placing theirs on as fast as they possibly could.
Manson: Dibs on Marcus.
Tyler:*Through speaker* It’s been programmed to give you a character based upon your, personality, race and actions.
Xavier: Alright, wooo!! Can’t stop the Cole train baby!
Tyler presses the button and the room goes bright white for a second before the game starts up. Our heroes no longer look like themselves. They no longer look like your everyday nCw wrestlers. Instead they are each characters from Gears of War. Jack Manson is in fact Marcus Fenix, Xavier Williams is Dominic Santiago, Spike is Baird and the combo of Rob and Maniac is Cole.
Xavier: Aww God dammit, Dominic!? Nobody wants to be Dominic!
Manson: Sweet.
Spike: I get to be the asshole, awesome.
Rob/Maniac: Wooo!
Ok so the guys begin walking around getting used to the system, how to move, how their weapons work and such things. Then suddenly an emergence hole opens up right near them. Spike pulls Manson down behind cover, as Xavier and Rob/Diamond go behind another set of cover flanking. Within seconds the enemies, the Locust begins crawling out. Except..these aren’t normal locust. These grunts have every aspect of normal grunts except for their heads. Their heads have been replaced with those of Falcon and Talon.
Rob/Maniac-Cole: Get them!!
They all begin to shoot like crazy. Manson blind fires his weapon as Xavier changes to a shotgun and moves forward to try and pop a few heads off. Spike equips a sniper rifle and begins to shoot that with almost perfect accuracy.
Manson-Marcus: Damn you’re good with that.
Spike-Baird: Practise man, that’s all it takes.
The grunts get themselves into cover so it becomes a large scale cover Vs cover gun fight, long and drawn out.
Rob/Maniac-Cole: God dammit...these guys are almost as annoying as the real Falcon and Talon!
The combination of Rob/Maniac-Cole charges forwards with grenades. He throws one over the cover and it bounces off the wall trapping it in-between the wall and the ledge of cover. All the grunts die bar one, who dives out of cover just in time to be tagged with a grenade in the head by the Rob/Maniac-Cole combination.
Rob/Maniac-Cole: woo! So hot!
Xavier-Dominic: Hey man, that was pretty sweet.
The three climb out of cover and all come to congratulate them on their good work. Suddenly the sun starts to go down.
Spike: Oh crap, we need to get somewhere light.
Manson: Why?
Spike: Because...in Gears of War, when it gets dark the Kryll come out!!
Xavier: Screw that...there’s a vehicle over there.
Xavier points to a short distance away. They nod and begin to run towards it when suddenly the room goes bright white once more a deep voice speaks saying ”Level 2 activated” the screen comes back to normal colours but this time we’re not in the gears of war universe. Instead we’re in the Halo universe. By the visuals you’d have to guess Halo 3. Our heroes have changed once more. Xavier Williams has become Master Chief, Spike has become the Arbiter, Manson has become another Elite whereas Rob/Maniac have become two separate marines now. One packs a sniper the other a rocket launcher.
Xavier: Now that’s what I’m talking ‘bout!
Spike: Not too bad...this energy sword rocks.
Spike swings the sword around making lightsaber noises. Manson joins in and the two pretend to have a lightsaber battle. Before Rob and Maniac tap them on the back. Xavier is a little way apart looking down a long pathway. I say pathway it’s more like a skyway. Banshees fly all over the place and several of the covenant stand between our heroes and their destination. Xavier nods to the others and the charge begins.
Xavier: Let’s rock!
Spike: Blarg!! Hehehe...
They run down the skyway, jumping over boxes, shooting the grunts and jackals in the head or simply bopping them. Spike and Manson swing their energy swords like pros, whilst Maniac and Diamond clean up everything left behind.
Xavier:[/green] Ok, we’re almost there Sp-....Spike, what the hell are you doing.
Spike had currently just killed a jackal and after tea bagging him was standing there groin thrusting.
Spike: Blarg chikka honk honk!
Manson: Dude...what the hell?
Spike: What man? I’ve been looking for a way to quote Red Vs Blue since we started playing this Halo thing.
Manson sighs and Xavier shakes his head. They run into the large building and suddenly it all goes quiet. Maniac and Rob guard the doors, almost continually mowing down covenant. The other three run in, where the Prophet of Truth is, near a control panel, except once again the face has been replaced this time with Angels. Xavier clenches his fist as Angel the Prophet goes into a long winded speech. Xavier quickly throws a plasma grenade in an attempt to shut up his ranting.
Xavier: Drop this mother****er.
Manson: Alright!!
Manson and Spike flank Angel and begin shooting him with their carbines as Xavier takes the brunt of Angel’s fire. Xavier gets bogged down by Angel’s fire, trying to hide behind some cover whilst his shields regenerate.
Spike: X, go!!
Manson throws a plasma grenade at Angel, it misses but explodes close enough to distract him. Spike then throws his energy sword forwards as Xavier runs forward, he catches the energy sword and in swift motion thrusts it right where Angels throat should be. The Angel Prophet lets out a wild scream before falling dead. Manson and Spike jump down to where Xavier is and soon enough Rob and Maniac come running in.
Spike: That was cool man.
Manson: Tell me about it...pure teamwork.
Xavier: Damn, what a rush!
The screen goes white again before returning to the normal room. Spike takes off his helmet looking a little confused. Tyler’s voice rings through again.
Tyler:Spike, Jack I need to see you in the gym immediately.
Spike looks back and shrugs before Manson does the same. They head out of the room and towards the gym. Tyler bumps into them.
Tyler:Ok guys...i know you’re thinking ‘what about us?’ right...well let me let you in on a secret. Those games, that whole thing. It was a confidence booster. A way to make Rob, Maniac and Xavier believe that they can win. I’m not saying they can’t or couldn’t but now they truly believe they can.
Manson: Wise move.
Tyler: Indeed. But i knew you two wouldn’t need the encouragement. I know you two already know that you can beat the Hollands. You two are two of nCw’s top stars. I mean you’ve both been in world title matches...and let’s face it, before Spike went up against Lance Ryan the greatest feud nCw had seen was you two. Now, I’m not trying to stir up old memories, but I have to know that you two can co-exist, that you two have put your past behind you.
Spike: He cost me the title...
Manson: He kidnapped my parents...
Spike: But we’re cool.
Manson: Yes. We’re cool.
Spike: We’ve become one hell of a dominant team. Social Distortion rose up from the joke people had labelled it as, to become the most dominant faction nCw has ever seen. Rob Diamond is learning fast and working hard, we haven’t even seen the stuff that Maniac can do....Xavier is probably the best X Division Champion we’ve had....and us two? Like I said we’re future tag team champions!
Manson: Exactly, and we’ll prove as much by defeating the only two time tag champions and the longest reigning tag team champions.
Tyler:Good....that’s what I wanted to hear.
Tyler slaps hem on the back. Manson and Spike slap a high five before Manson heads back into the gym. Spike slips a hoodie on though. Time for a walk.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We open up now on a street, the street outside Tyler’s house. Spike has his hoodie open, and a baseball cap on. He looks down the hills and over towards the city. The sun is beginning to set and the city is coming to life.
Spike: It’s quite weird, coming from the city...when you stop and look at it. You see the busy lives people have, and how they don’t give a **** about anybody but themselves. After coming out here, up here for a few days. When I went back into the city...I felt so claustrophobic...I felt so crushed and pressured. I watched the drones go by, doing their daily routines. No cares for anybody or anything, just working their asses off to get that oh so desperately needed pay check. To buy the new New Kids on the Block album, or that new pair of Armani jeans. It makes me think how pathetic people can be, how pathetic the human race is. What does this have to do with nCw? Allow me to elaborate.
Spike flicks his hood up over his cap. Just like with Xavier people are looking out their windows at this ragamuffin street urchin looking superstar. Spike ignores them as he carries on.
Spike: We have people like Dark Prophet running around taking every and all possible shots at me that he possibly can, out of jealousy. Does it matter what my name is? Does it matter what I’ve been labelled as? No...I do a job, just like everybody else. But I’m damn good at my job. This week my job brings up painful and hurtful memories. I grew up with Milo and Dave Holland. I know them better than anybody else ever could. I trained with Milo on a regular basis, before Dave even got into this business. We looked after each other as kids, but then they abandoned me. They left me to face Conrad Jones on my own. Not that any of this matters, because without that physical and mental conditioning I wouldn’t be the man I am today. I wouldn’t have become a man that people fear, a man that people are terrified of being billed against. Yeah, right now I’m pissed off...I’m pissed off because it’s been brought to my attention that Leonard Fox screwed me over. That Fox musta had a boner for Lance Ryan by giving him some bull**** rematch for the World title and I got butt ****ed. I’m not angry that Manson lost and I never, I’m angry that I never got MY rematch. What the hell is that all about huh? So I guess it comes to where am I going to direct this anger? Why...in the direction of Mr’s Milo and Dave Holland. Once close friends, are now bitter enemies....now that the truth about my father is out. Revenge doesn’t even begin to explain what’s on my mind boys. I’m letting things out, I’m letting my thoughts fly, all my twisted thoughts free flow.
Spike takes a moment to sit down on a small wall at the front of somebody’s garden. They’re car is in the drive and it’s very flashy. I’m not going to give it a make and stuff because I’m not very good with cars. So just imagine a car that you want and say it’s that one.
Spike: But Dave, Milo...please don’t take this as a joke. Our little training session earlier...it’s not to be laughed at, because Manson and myself are taking this seriously. This is no game, this is no joke. We are dead set on causing a huge upset at Picture Perfect. We are set on becoming the most dominant tag team in nCw. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Brothers Holland team on form or not, because simply put we’re better than you. If you’re on form, the better for us...so we don’t get sloppy. We’ll work hard and we’ll defeat you in your own territory. Sunday Night the world will have no choice but to take notice of Social Distortion, take notice of Manson and Spike, as a team and as individuals....whoever stands tall after the main event, be it Trent Helms, Steve Awesome..or if Lance Ryan does what he does best...whoever they will be forced to take notice. Because I want my rematch, and I will fight tooth and nail to get it, to prove my point...I’ll show the world by destroying the Brothers Holland.
Spike stands back up, he turns around looking into the window of the house. A man stands there shouting at him. Spike simply smirks, giving the guy the finger before plunging his hands back into his pockets and walking back up towards Tyler’s house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back in his room Spike sits on his bed, looking into the broken mirror. Several different faces of Frank look back at him, one in each segment of the broken mirror.
“Don’t call him Spike....he doesn’t want you to. He doesn’t even want you as a brother.”
Spike has his cell phone in his hands, the address book open and the bar on Brad Kane’s number.
Spike: How can you say that? He’s my brother.
“Not out of choice. Brad has never liked you Spike. Why do you think he never came after you when you left the restaurant?”
Spike: Your wrong. Brad would lay down his life for me, whether we were on talking terms or not.
“Do you truly believe that?”
Spike: Why wouldn’t I? I’d do the same for him. Sometimes we’re exactly the same person.
“Yet at others you’re not”
Spike: Stop trying to mess my mind up! I’ve worked hard to become the man I am, to become stable. Stop trying to ruin all my hard work.
“I’m not trying to ruin it....they are”
Spike: Who the **** are they?
“You cannot see, but in time you will”
Spike: Stop this crap. I’m tired of it.
“You know deep inside that I’m right. You know you’ll never be accepted, you’ll never become one of them. You’ll always be the outcast, the black sheep.”
Spike: I can’t take this. I’ve got a match to prepare for. I can’t have you throwing my focus off like this.
Spike gets up turning his back on the mirror, he punches the call button on the cell. The phone begins to dial Brad’s phone number. After almost a minute Spike gives up and kills the call, he lowers his head trying not to let his depression take over when suddenly his phone rings again. He answers it quickly.
Spike: Hey Brad, I just wan-
“It’s not Brad...hehehe..”
Spike: Oh River. I...I was just trying to call Brad but his phone rang out. I thought you were him phoning me back.
“I...umm...I was wondering if you could meet up with me. I just need somebody to keep me company.”
Spike: Ugh...yeah sure. I’ll be right over.
She hangs up and Spike slides his cell back into his pocket a small smile spreading across his face.
“She’ll never love you”
Spike: Oh shut up...
Spike grabs his hoodie and heads out of the door. The camera stays focused on the mirror, Frank’s grin grows larger and larger until it completely envelopes him and he disappears, in the background we can hear the tell tale sound of Spike’s truck starting up and driving away.