Post by skyslayers on Jul 17, 2008 9:28:11 GMT -6
(Two men sit on opposite sides of a room. Two friends who stand united in the presence of a challenge, and yet inside their own minds, the two are alone. They trust one another like brothers, and yet there are some things that they cannot voice even to one another. They fight and bleed for the same cause, have the same problems, and the same concerns, and yet there is a void between them that cannot be crossed without walking the line of flames. They each know what must be done, but do not know if they possess what it takes to do it. Two men who know one another better than almost anyone, and yet are complete enigmas to each other, at least this week. The air in the room is cloudy and tense, unsure as to what the hell is actually going to go down with Sunday rolls around. Ricky and John, the wildcard team, the team no-one expected to go anywhere. Diamonds, Inc. the "new team" who are anything but new, and share a bond that very few in this business can claim. And then Falcon and Talon, the skyslayers, a team born out of sheer convience. Two men who deserve some type of opportunity, and find it in this form because of the business elsewhere. We focus on Falcon first, he sits on the bench, removing the tape from his hands after he and Talon just sparred. He doesn't say anything, doesn't even look at the camera. The camera patiently waits. A voiceover comes on the top.)
Falcon (Voice): Sorry about the not talking. I just didn't quite have the words then, lucky for me they let me edit the tape before they threw it away so it would be ready to air. There's only so long they'll watch a tape to determine if they can air it, and this silent segment ran a little too long. Well, first thing I want to say is Congratulations Chris. You did it. You gave Maniac that all important last W before that name would be set into the stone of history till the end of eternity. I really have no qualms about it being against me either, cross my little heart. I feel honored actually. It's weird I know, like a baseball pitcher who gives up some record breaking home run and gets into the history books for no reason than the opposite end of a statistic. You should know by now that I don't make excuses. I don't have anything to tell you about why. I gave Ricky the Aerial Spike, then turned to see where you were and check that I had the time I needed to pin him. You just happened to be right there, stalking me like a timber wolf. Before I could blink, I was tossed into the air and then did a faceplant on the canvas. A little move called the F-5. A devastating move from a devastatingly powerful man. Before I knew it, "Dig" was pounding my aching eardrums and I looked up to see Maniac standing above me with his hand being raised. It was my own fault. I blame nobody but me. But it was nothing knew. It may have only been the second time in nCw that I was physically pinned, but it wasn't the second time ever, nor will it be the last. I said I was immortal.. not invincible. Who knows.. you could pin me again this week. I could pin you. One of us could pin Ricky or John. Talon or Rob could get pinned. Thats the beauty of this business, anyone can be pinned at any time. When you're not trying to get pinned, you're trying to prevent someone who is not your partner from pinning someone else, and that's what makes tag and three and four way matches so beautiful. Edge of your seat, all the time. You know that's my match type Chris. Full throttle, straight ahead, take no prisoners, no barter no banter no quarter, take what you want give nothing back entertainment.
(Talons voice comes from across the room, breaking the actual silence as the voice over pauses.)
Talon: We can do this you know.
(Falcon doesn't look up, but he at least responds.)
Falcon: Of course we can..
Talon: We will to, for the cause.
Falcon: Yeah.
Talon: I know you're not so sure and all that. But we got this. You and I could not be more suited for this. Rob and Chris put on this fanciful act about brothers, but you know the rift is there. I can see it when Rob speaks, he doesn't fully trust his brother, at least not yet, not after what happened.
Falcon: Doesn't really matter.
Talon: You might not think it does. But put it this way, Ricky and John are friends. Before last month they weren't a team. Now they have a psuedo bond, it's a bond, but it's in it's beginning stages. Chris and Rob are in that stage too, whether they admit it or not. You and I, we're practically blood man. We're the real team here. I know you're not a fan of tag wrestling, but you won't let that stop you.. I know that in my heart.
Falcon: Are we?
Talon: Are we what?
Falcon: A team.. do I know what you're going to do before you do it? Can we act off one another as if we could read each others minds? To a certain extent, yes. Because we have similar styles, whether you want to admit it or not. But it might not be enough. You can watch tape of your partner and get the same reads, we don't have a special advantage.
Talon: I know... I know alright! God, I was just trying to cheer you up. You've been in that mood all day.
Falcon: God is dead..
Talon: What?
Falcon: Nevermind.. Anyway, don't worry about me.
Talon: I'm not.. this is how you act before a big match, that I'm aware of. Just a little frustrating talking to myself you know.
Falcon: Sorry, just not feeling all that yappy right now.
(Falcon goes back into muse mode. The camera turns to see Talon, holding a deck of cards, flinging each one into a hat. The shot moves close to him, hoping he has some witty rhetoric to say.)
Talon: You know.. it's funny.. really. I came back to pro wrestling to scratch an itch that had been bothering me a lot. I was living in L.A., enjoying the sunny weather everyday, mingling on the set with people I watched and admired for years. I never claimed to be a great, world famous awesome super actor. I was just in the movies, a glorified movie extra who made enough movie to get by doing stunts with wires and green screens. I just might have the acting chops of a block of wood, but if you need someone to take a punch and fall out a glass window.. I'm who you'll call. Because of that I've met Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russel.. countless others. But you guys felt the need to use that against me like I said I was going to be the next George Clooney or something. But that's what you people do. You make something out of nothing because really what do you have? All you've ever said about me was I suck as an actor, I'm bad at poker, and I was your kick around boy back in PWW. You know you can't deny what I've done, you can only point out where I've failed along the way, but you really don't do that because you think I'll come back pointing out your flaws and then by comparison you look just as bad. I admire both of the Diamonds, for different reasons. Chris because he became everything he wanted. When he put his mind to it, he was unstoppable. He can beat you on any given day, in so many ways. That's why Falcon warns people about him, because they don't know what we know. I "could" defeat Maniac.. I don't mean could in that "if I wanted to" kind of way. I just mean that I'm as talented as the next guy, and if the circumstances were in my favor and I had a little bit of luck, I could win. Pride won't let him admit it, but Chris is no fool. Rob is another story all together. He's a ball of untapped potential and as the weeks go by, he's learning a little more how to tap into it. Instead of calling Tyler every five seconds to find out what he needs to do, he's finding the strength within himself. Doesn't really matter if he believes what my reasons were for trying to impart the lesson onto him. He calls it vengeance, and you know, it does sound pretty. But vengeance is directed against the people who wronged you. Thus my target should have been Chris. We started our little endeavor before Chris's return, and I'm sure you're aware that I had no idea Chris had a family.. by adoption or no, so I couldn't have targeted you to get to him. He said it himself. He didn't even know what my actual name was, you think we spent time discussing our family lives? No. Regardless of what you think Rob, or whatever else is happening to you, I've already given you a gift. Just remember where you came from when you're sitting on top of the world.
(He stops speaking when he comes to the Jack of Spades in the deck. It's followed by the Jack of Clubs. The camera focuses on the two cards, but on the left of the shot is Talon's arm where the same image is branded onto his arm in ink.)
Talon: But you know Chris.. for all your power.. for all your might.. you just might be the most flawed human being I've ever met. For someone who disregards the way I insult people, you sounded pretty insulted by it.. and I haven't even done it yet. All games are inherantly equal. You can always compare one game to another if you try hard enough. I compare people to starting hands in hold em because theres almost always a positive and a negative side to it. Just like human beings. Some people are almost hopeless, just as there are others seemingly on top of the world. I've seen people limp in with deuce four, then flop trip deuces and rake the other guy for all his cash because he thought that the King on the flop would be enough for him to take. So even the worst always has a chance, and there's a reason someone coined the term bad beats. See, you think in such litteral terms, thinking that the only worthy hands are made up of similar cards.. pair.. two pair.. trips.. full houses... quads.. but think.. what if eight - nine shows up? Falcon and I would make eight - nine - ten - Jack - Queen... a straight.. or just two low hearts? Falcons two hearts.. my jack of hearts and those two.. flush away your two pair. There's much more to poker than you realize Chris. Which is why I use it for comparisons, because it gets across the full meaning of my point. Four eights.. four nines.. five other hearts.. two other jacks.. you're two outs just became fifteen. So much for all your knowledge huh? But I know you'll have a witty retort anyway, about how little I actually know. So yeah, I can do the math, and to me.. the numbers add up far better than you think. That of course uses your logic. But since you'll just denounce mine, I'll run with that. Hell, a two outer on the river isn't exactly as rare as you'd think. Worse things have happened when those cards are in the air. Lady Luck occasionally pays me visits too.
(Talon turns to face the opposite way. In his other hand he has the two red Jacks and a tattoo on his other arm with the same image.)
Talon: Besides.. why should I only have two Jacks.. when I can have four?
(Falcon chuckles from back across the room.)
Falcon: Queen Ten huh?
Talon: Thats what he said?
Falcon: I suppose he's making some joke about my sexual orientation.
Talon: He might have been, I'm not sure.
Falcon: It's irrelevant. For all his complications, Chris is a simple man. Once he gets it in his head that he's right, it's impossible to convince him otherwise without beating it into his head with a shovel. If I felt fear Chris, I wouldn't have signed up for that match. If I felt fear Chris, I wouldn't have jumped off of half the things you've seen me. If I felt fear Chris, when Tyrant stared me in the face I would have backed down. I've walked through fire a million times, and while I've been burned, I've never been broken. There is no fear left in me anymore. I forced it out when I started walking this path. I knew from the start I would meet people who not only would promise to destroy me, but would actually try. That's why, aside from Talon, Angel, Faith, Fixxer.. you.. I walk alone. I don't leave the arena to go back to a family who welcomes me home. I promised myself I wouldn't have any of that until I was done. I didn't need the feeling of attachment, only to lose it like so many have. I've never had any illusions about this business. how it works. Yea, I suppose it makes me empty on the inside. But it's simply the way I've decided to do things, and that's how it's going to be. You and I are cut from more of the same cloth than you'd like to believe. That's why when you needed back, you came to me. There could be a thousand reasons why you beat me.. your talent.. my lack of.. your strength and size advantage.. your experience.. but I'll tell you what wasn't the reason. The hype. You knew I was going to say that before I did. And you know you knew that because it's true. You said, not because you believe it, because you want me to believe it. Out of all the people you've ever known, there are a handful that you know for a fact, have no fear. You've never been quite sure how to deal with it, so you reverted to your usual standard. Assert your power, tell everyone they have no chance, and then sit back and watch them stumble over themselves trying to figure out what the hell they're going to do. But you, you know what I'm going to do. Wait for that music to start, walk out to that ring, wait for you, and fight you again like I know you want me to. I don't know if we'll win on Sunday, Chris. But I'm going to try. Whether it's you or Rob, I'm going to try to pin the legal man. As per the rules. You're welcome to try and destroy me in persuit of your goals, I expect nothing less. But I don't need to tell you that.
Talon: We may sound the same as those two kids who followed you around PWW Chris. But we, like you, have grown since then.
Falcon: Last Stand is going to be another chapter in the saga of us. Nobody is that naive enough to believe that this will be the end. We're all here in this for a reason. We can argue till we're blue in the face over who deserves this and who really doesn't. But all it'll ever be is talk. Who are we even to really say who deserves what, who works harder than anybody else.
Talon: It doesn't matter what you think about us as people, what you think about us as wrestlers, and if we reciprocate the same feelings. We're still all here, taking this next step together. Side by side. I bow before no-one, and I don't expect to find you on your knees either. Change if you want to, it doesn't matter to me.
Falcon: As for Ricky and John, the alleged "paper champions". I want you to stop a minute before you find the nearest camera and start speaking. Some of the things you've heard may anger you to no end, but it's only when you give in to what you've heard that you lose your focus. All I've ever heard is how I'm not good enough, and I know you've had your fair share of those experiences.
Talon: All I've ever heard is how I'm a worthless clone of someone who's worthless himself. It never seems to matter to our backstage colleagues or the front office what we actually do, but the fans know. And that's why we're here. We're entertainers, all six of us, whether you like it or not. Some of us may have signed up for different reasons, but in the end, thats exactly what you become. Love it or hate it, all you have to do is live with it.
Falcon: Tag titles or no, he and I will walk out of Last Stand with our heads up high after putting on a great show. Something our fans have come to expect out of us. Win or lose, life will continue on.. even if one of us doesn't.. god forbid. Having something to prove is all well and good when you start, but we're all past that point now. Now it comes the time to make the choice..
Talon: Live in infamy..
Falcon: Or falter in obscurity. We can't help you make that decision. Last Stand is just a name, nothing more. Only the most foolish would even think that it's really final.
Talon: Even for Spike Kane..
Falcon: Nothing ends... when you let everything begin.
(Fade)
Falcon (Voice): Sorry about the not talking. I just didn't quite have the words then, lucky for me they let me edit the tape before they threw it away so it would be ready to air. There's only so long they'll watch a tape to determine if they can air it, and this silent segment ran a little too long. Well, first thing I want to say is Congratulations Chris. You did it. You gave Maniac that all important last W before that name would be set into the stone of history till the end of eternity. I really have no qualms about it being against me either, cross my little heart. I feel honored actually. It's weird I know, like a baseball pitcher who gives up some record breaking home run and gets into the history books for no reason than the opposite end of a statistic. You should know by now that I don't make excuses. I don't have anything to tell you about why. I gave Ricky the Aerial Spike, then turned to see where you were and check that I had the time I needed to pin him. You just happened to be right there, stalking me like a timber wolf. Before I could blink, I was tossed into the air and then did a faceplant on the canvas. A little move called the F-5. A devastating move from a devastatingly powerful man. Before I knew it, "Dig" was pounding my aching eardrums and I looked up to see Maniac standing above me with his hand being raised. It was my own fault. I blame nobody but me. But it was nothing knew. It may have only been the second time in nCw that I was physically pinned, but it wasn't the second time ever, nor will it be the last. I said I was immortal.. not invincible. Who knows.. you could pin me again this week. I could pin you. One of us could pin Ricky or John. Talon or Rob could get pinned. Thats the beauty of this business, anyone can be pinned at any time. When you're not trying to get pinned, you're trying to prevent someone who is not your partner from pinning someone else, and that's what makes tag and three and four way matches so beautiful. Edge of your seat, all the time. You know that's my match type Chris. Full throttle, straight ahead, take no prisoners, no barter no banter no quarter, take what you want give nothing back entertainment.
(Talons voice comes from across the room, breaking the actual silence as the voice over pauses.)
Talon: We can do this you know.
(Falcon doesn't look up, but he at least responds.)
Falcon: Of course we can..
Talon: We will to, for the cause.
Falcon: Yeah.
Talon: I know you're not so sure and all that. But we got this. You and I could not be more suited for this. Rob and Chris put on this fanciful act about brothers, but you know the rift is there. I can see it when Rob speaks, he doesn't fully trust his brother, at least not yet, not after what happened.
Falcon: Doesn't really matter.
Talon: You might not think it does. But put it this way, Ricky and John are friends. Before last month they weren't a team. Now they have a psuedo bond, it's a bond, but it's in it's beginning stages. Chris and Rob are in that stage too, whether they admit it or not. You and I, we're practically blood man. We're the real team here. I know you're not a fan of tag wrestling, but you won't let that stop you.. I know that in my heart.
Falcon: Are we?
Talon: Are we what?
Falcon: A team.. do I know what you're going to do before you do it? Can we act off one another as if we could read each others minds? To a certain extent, yes. Because we have similar styles, whether you want to admit it or not. But it might not be enough. You can watch tape of your partner and get the same reads, we don't have a special advantage.
Talon: I know... I know alright! God, I was just trying to cheer you up. You've been in that mood all day.
Falcon: God is dead..
Talon: What?
Falcon: Nevermind.. Anyway, don't worry about me.
Talon: I'm not.. this is how you act before a big match, that I'm aware of. Just a little frustrating talking to myself you know.
Falcon: Sorry, just not feeling all that yappy right now.
(Falcon goes back into muse mode. The camera turns to see Talon, holding a deck of cards, flinging each one into a hat. The shot moves close to him, hoping he has some witty rhetoric to say.)
Talon: You know.. it's funny.. really. I came back to pro wrestling to scratch an itch that had been bothering me a lot. I was living in L.A., enjoying the sunny weather everyday, mingling on the set with people I watched and admired for years. I never claimed to be a great, world famous awesome super actor. I was just in the movies, a glorified movie extra who made enough movie to get by doing stunts with wires and green screens. I just might have the acting chops of a block of wood, but if you need someone to take a punch and fall out a glass window.. I'm who you'll call. Because of that I've met Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Mel Gibson, Kurt Russel.. countless others. But you guys felt the need to use that against me like I said I was going to be the next George Clooney or something. But that's what you people do. You make something out of nothing because really what do you have? All you've ever said about me was I suck as an actor, I'm bad at poker, and I was your kick around boy back in PWW. You know you can't deny what I've done, you can only point out where I've failed along the way, but you really don't do that because you think I'll come back pointing out your flaws and then by comparison you look just as bad. I admire both of the Diamonds, for different reasons. Chris because he became everything he wanted. When he put his mind to it, he was unstoppable. He can beat you on any given day, in so many ways. That's why Falcon warns people about him, because they don't know what we know. I "could" defeat Maniac.. I don't mean could in that "if I wanted to" kind of way. I just mean that I'm as talented as the next guy, and if the circumstances were in my favor and I had a little bit of luck, I could win. Pride won't let him admit it, but Chris is no fool. Rob is another story all together. He's a ball of untapped potential and as the weeks go by, he's learning a little more how to tap into it. Instead of calling Tyler every five seconds to find out what he needs to do, he's finding the strength within himself. Doesn't really matter if he believes what my reasons were for trying to impart the lesson onto him. He calls it vengeance, and you know, it does sound pretty. But vengeance is directed against the people who wronged you. Thus my target should have been Chris. We started our little endeavor before Chris's return, and I'm sure you're aware that I had no idea Chris had a family.. by adoption or no, so I couldn't have targeted you to get to him. He said it himself. He didn't even know what my actual name was, you think we spent time discussing our family lives? No. Regardless of what you think Rob, or whatever else is happening to you, I've already given you a gift. Just remember where you came from when you're sitting on top of the world.
(He stops speaking when he comes to the Jack of Spades in the deck. It's followed by the Jack of Clubs. The camera focuses on the two cards, but on the left of the shot is Talon's arm where the same image is branded onto his arm in ink.)
Talon: But you know Chris.. for all your power.. for all your might.. you just might be the most flawed human being I've ever met. For someone who disregards the way I insult people, you sounded pretty insulted by it.. and I haven't even done it yet. All games are inherantly equal. You can always compare one game to another if you try hard enough. I compare people to starting hands in hold em because theres almost always a positive and a negative side to it. Just like human beings. Some people are almost hopeless, just as there are others seemingly on top of the world. I've seen people limp in with deuce four, then flop trip deuces and rake the other guy for all his cash because he thought that the King on the flop would be enough for him to take. So even the worst always has a chance, and there's a reason someone coined the term bad beats. See, you think in such litteral terms, thinking that the only worthy hands are made up of similar cards.. pair.. two pair.. trips.. full houses... quads.. but think.. what if eight - nine shows up? Falcon and I would make eight - nine - ten - Jack - Queen... a straight.. or just two low hearts? Falcons two hearts.. my jack of hearts and those two.. flush away your two pair. There's much more to poker than you realize Chris. Which is why I use it for comparisons, because it gets across the full meaning of my point. Four eights.. four nines.. five other hearts.. two other jacks.. you're two outs just became fifteen. So much for all your knowledge huh? But I know you'll have a witty retort anyway, about how little I actually know. So yeah, I can do the math, and to me.. the numbers add up far better than you think. That of course uses your logic. But since you'll just denounce mine, I'll run with that. Hell, a two outer on the river isn't exactly as rare as you'd think. Worse things have happened when those cards are in the air. Lady Luck occasionally pays me visits too.
(Talon turns to face the opposite way. In his other hand he has the two red Jacks and a tattoo on his other arm with the same image.)
Talon: Besides.. why should I only have two Jacks.. when I can have four?
(Falcon chuckles from back across the room.)
Falcon: Queen Ten huh?
Talon: Thats what he said?
Falcon: I suppose he's making some joke about my sexual orientation.
Talon: He might have been, I'm not sure.
Falcon: It's irrelevant. For all his complications, Chris is a simple man. Once he gets it in his head that he's right, it's impossible to convince him otherwise without beating it into his head with a shovel. If I felt fear Chris, I wouldn't have signed up for that match. If I felt fear Chris, I wouldn't have jumped off of half the things you've seen me. If I felt fear Chris, when Tyrant stared me in the face I would have backed down. I've walked through fire a million times, and while I've been burned, I've never been broken. There is no fear left in me anymore. I forced it out when I started walking this path. I knew from the start I would meet people who not only would promise to destroy me, but would actually try. That's why, aside from Talon, Angel, Faith, Fixxer.. you.. I walk alone. I don't leave the arena to go back to a family who welcomes me home. I promised myself I wouldn't have any of that until I was done. I didn't need the feeling of attachment, only to lose it like so many have. I've never had any illusions about this business. how it works. Yea, I suppose it makes me empty on the inside. But it's simply the way I've decided to do things, and that's how it's going to be. You and I are cut from more of the same cloth than you'd like to believe. That's why when you needed back, you came to me. There could be a thousand reasons why you beat me.. your talent.. my lack of.. your strength and size advantage.. your experience.. but I'll tell you what wasn't the reason. The hype. You knew I was going to say that before I did. And you know you knew that because it's true. You said, not because you believe it, because you want me to believe it. Out of all the people you've ever known, there are a handful that you know for a fact, have no fear. You've never been quite sure how to deal with it, so you reverted to your usual standard. Assert your power, tell everyone they have no chance, and then sit back and watch them stumble over themselves trying to figure out what the hell they're going to do. But you, you know what I'm going to do. Wait for that music to start, walk out to that ring, wait for you, and fight you again like I know you want me to. I don't know if we'll win on Sunday, Chris. But I'm going to try. Whether it's you or Rob, I'm going to try to pin the legal man. As per the rules. You're welcome to try and destroy me in persuit of your goals, I expect nothing less. But I don't need to tell you that.
Talon: We may sound the same as those two kids who followed you around PWW Chris. But we, like you, have grown since then.
Falcon: Last Stand is going to be another chapter in the saga of us. Nobody is that naive enough to believe that this will be the end. We're all here in this for a reason. We can argue till we're blue in the face over who deserves this and who really doesn't. But all it'll ever be is talk. Who are we even to really say who deserves what, who works harder than anybody else.
Talon: It doesn't matter what you think about us as people, what you think about us as wrestlers, and if we reciprocate the same feelings. We're still all here, taking this next step together. Side by side. I bow before no-one, and I don't expect to find you on your knees either. Change if you want to, it doesn't matter to me.
Falcon: As for Ricky and John, the alleged "paper champions". I want you to stop a minute before you find the nearest camera and start speaking. Some of the things you've heard may anger you to no end, but it's only when you give in to what you've heard that you lose your focus. All I've ever heard is how I'm not good enough, and I know you've had your fair share of those experiences.
Talon: All I've ever heard is how I'm a worthless clone of someone who's worthless himself. It never seems to matter to our backstage colleagues or the front office what we actually do, but the fans know. And that's why we're here. We're entertainers, all six of us, whether you like it or not. Some of us may have signed up for different reasons, but in the end, thats exactly what you become. Love it or hate it, all you have to do is live with it.
Falcon: Tag titles or no, he and I will walk out of Last Stand with our heads up high after putting on a great show. Something our fans have come to expect out of us. Win or lose, life will continue on.. even if one of us doesn't.. god forbid. Having something to prove is all well and good when you start, but we're all past that point now. Now it comes the time to make the choice..
Talon: Live in infamy..
Falcon: Or falter in obscurity. We can't help you make that decision. Last Stand is just a name, nothing more. Only the most foolish would even think that it's really final.
Talon: Even for Spike Kane..
Falcon: Nothing ends... when you let everything begin.
(Fade)