2010-11-05 Who's With Me?

[Alex]

A huddled mass are gathered in a rather gloomy part of tonight’s arena. Chairs litter the area, some occupied, while others in the room prefer to stand to the side of the room, watching warily, waiting for things to begin. Pipes, cracked walls and patches of damp draw the eye, and one can’t think of a less auspicious location for the start of a revolution. Nevertheless, all eyes are at the front of the room, focussed on one man. The self-named leader of the defenders of this great company is unreadable, displaying neither ease nor tension. A man near the door addresses him.

Pain: I think this is it, bud.

The self-declared leader raises an eyebrow slightly, before shrugging.

Rose: Alright. I sort of expected Temp…whatever. Doesn’t matter.

Pain: Best get started, I guess.

Rose: Mm.

Rose looks out at his audience of XWA wrestlers. Some are at the very pinnacle of their careers – Angelus comes to mind. Satine X, too, is present, after making a grand return to the big stage last week. Others are hungry, eager troops at the beginning of their careers. The XS fit nicely into this category, and have already declared themselves ready to break themselves for the good of their company.

Rose: Alright, guys, you know why you’re here, right?


[TAG TO WHOMEVER]

[Alex]

<Seated on a backwards folding-chair, Steel Eagle, the Flying Fury glanced around the room, taking in the assembled wrestlers...who was and wasn't there, and he gave a small smile when Johawn voiced his question. Eagle spoke from behind his ever-present mask.>

SE: Yeah, Homes, to see exactly why you think we should all follow YOU. I mean, its a no-brainer to say that we need to fight fuergo-con-fuergo, fire with fire, and there's safety in numbers and all that...but why YOU? Why should any of us trust YOU to lead the way, eh? Answer me that and I'll stay. Otherwise, I'm history, Esse.


<TAG to whomever>

[Alex]

OFF-CAMERA VOICE: Because Mr. Eagle, he's the only guy around here who seems to have his head screwed on properly.

Everyone turns to the door to see Eddie Flitchcroft stood right there looking around at everyone.

PAIN: The hell is he doing here...

EDDIE: Reckoned I needed to stop skulking around in the shadows and choose a side. I dunno about you guys, but I'm in. I'm not having this Legion or Rated X shit anymore.

Eddie takes a seat next to Rose and sits patiently.

[Tag to WHOMEVER]

[Alex]

Karma: Personally I could careless what any of you think. I trust no one and follow no one. I'll just sit back and watch you guys falter and when the time is right I'll strike by myself.

Pain: Who in the hell are you?

Karma: Soon enough you will know who I am and when that time comes, I bet you all will join me and follow down my path.

Pain and all the others sit in the meeting with disgrunted looks on their faces. As Karma walks out of the meeting, bumping shoulders with Pain as he slams the door.

{Tag Whomever}

[Alex]

(Satine X steps out from the shadows. He's smoking. Taking deep drags from his Marlboro light cig. He moves towards Rose. He nods at him and Rose steps back. Satine stands central, looking out at the crowd of people gathered in the damp and cluttered corridor. He takes a final drag of his cig and then chucks it at the ground. Angelus during all of this has not taken his eyes off Satine X and either have some of the other veterans of the XWA. He begins to speak with authority in his voice)

Satine X: I am aware that many of you do not trust me... I mean I used to be in Rated X! I have a well documented history of betrayal and some would say I am a little insane...

(A lot of heads bob up and down from the roster and Satine's glare puts an end to that. He composes himself...)

Satine X: Well i've got to say fellas, the feeling is mutual... I look out into this room and I see a locker room full of talented guys. Talented guys who aren't very smart and will probably at some point in the future try and screw me out of my ambitions... However, I was hired by Carmen to wage a war against anyone who is not with the XWA. It's in my contract and therefore I have only one ambition and that is to take back the XWA for people like me and to an extent some of you. My message is clear... anyone who gets in my way will be destroyed. Some of you who do not know that much about me can take warning from what I do too that little blue chipper Drake. Your going to see "Vintage" Satine X tonight and you should all huddle together so you can see what a wrestling god can do.

(Everyone looks a little unsure in the room and a few people are stood, ready to fight...)

Satine X: Now...Now... Children settle down. I'm a fair man. Just stay out of my way or else deal with the consequences...

(Tag to whoever)

[Alex]

The XS sit and watch everyone.

Novak: You know where we stand, Rose you know that you got Me and Joe on your side. But, I came here to say one thing. I want the Hardcore title shot at Christmas Chaos. I don't care who I face, but I want my shot. Now I get it, or I take everyone out who stops me from getting it. And that includes our new 'I want what's best for the fan's only after he has made a fortune' chairman.

The fans cheer at Novak's comment.

Novak: So I am in your rebellion, Rose, We are XWA UTD. Now lets see if anyone else fancies do what's really best for the fans, and putting on show to remember week after week.

[tag to anyone]

[Alex]

Utah Joe walks into the room, bumping Pain as he goes by...

Utah Joe; Wrestling god pfft! If it wasn't for helping out Rose and the company that gave me my first job here I would bitch slap you with my bible you silly little freak!

Satine X just glares at Joe as he walks past him, Joe takes a seat.

Utah Joe; Hey Pain you putting the spandex on for a comeback to help us boys out?

Pain looking pissed starts towards Joe, Rose pulls on Pain's shoulder.

Rose; We are here for one cause now lets just get along.

Pain steps back and takes his seat.

Tag to the next fella

[Alex]

Karma is heading down the hallway making his exit of the building, when he bumps into one of the members of Rated X. Smirking as he pass, it sparks intrest on Alex Sean's face.

Alex Sean: What seems to be so funny?

Karma turns around with his hood up and walks right up to Alex's face. Sizing him up he speaks..

Karma: Nothing you need to be worried about.

Alex Sean: Look I don't know if you realize who you are talking to.

Karma: wait before you finish I know who you are and really I don't give a damn. You see unlike everyone else in this federation, I ain't scared of Rated X or whatever you call yourselves. Frankly you guys seem like a bunch of mis-guided homo butt buddies that enjoy each others company if you know what I mean.

An angry look on Alex's faces begins to stir. Karma picks up on it and continues...

Karma: What did I piss you off or something cause you look a little upset. Anyways I ain't got time for you or anybody else. Just remember to watch your back cause you never know who might show up and end your career bitch..

Karma pushes Alex out of the way and heads out of the building. The camea cues back on Alex who looks like someone just shit in his wheaties....

{Tag to whomever}

[Alex]

-=Rose looks around, avoiding the more penetrating question presented to him, the answer to which he is not ready to give. Why is Rose taking charge here? Instead he gathers himself, trying to regain some focus.=-

Rose: Well, one guy already walked out. That's fine. This is your one chance, boys. If you want to walk out and go running to Legion or Rated X, then go. This one time, I will let you. But once we leave this room, if any one of you decides the grass is greener elsewhere, I will make it my personal mission to end you. Is that clear?

-=This statement is met by shrugs and vague grunts. Rose is indifferent, confident in his ability to back his words up.=-

Rose: Satine, I honestly have very little idea of what exactly it is you do or have done, but if you're on our side, we can put you to good use.

-=Rose turns to look at the XS.=-

Rose: Boys, I appreciate your sentiments. But if you're here for title shots, you're in the wrong place. Go buddy up with the new "boss."

-=Rose makes the word "boss" sound uncannily like "scum."=-

Rose: But if you think you're "hardcore," great. I have just the job for you two. Tonight you have Rated X to deal with, and I have to tell you, I'm not sure how much I like your chances. But give it what you got, and come back to me. Oh, I have big plans for you.

-=Rose turns to look at Angelus.=-

Rose: You're quiet, Ange. Nothing you want to add?

[TAG - PREFERABLY TO ANGELUS]

[Alex]

-=Rose shifts his weight as he glances over at Angelus waiting patiently for a response=-

Rose: So...?

-=Rather than Angelus, it's Gillian Hart who responds=-

Gillian: Rosey pie, I'd just leave him be for the minute... he's not in the best of moods.

-=Rose breaks from looking at Angelus to glance at Gillian, taking a second to admire the spectacle that she is he replied in a calmer tone of voice=-

Rose: Oh... Can the big bad monster not speak for himself?!

-=Rose takes a step towards the pair and in doing so causes Angelus to finally stop staring at the floor and raise his head to face the former XWA champion. As the pair meet eyes for the first time since the conflict has started, the animosity in Angelus' glare is met by a an equally steely gaze from Rose=-

Angelus: Oh the big bad monster can damn well speak for himself.

-=Angelus boots the chair in front of him causing it to fly across the room, he stands up and marches over to Rose in a few long purposefully strides, inches from Rose's face Angelus stares a whole straight through him=-

Angelus: I can speak for myself. Like I have been having to fight for myself. Like I have been out there week after week fighting this dickheads.... BY. MY. SELF!!!

-=Angelus steps back from Rose and uncourteously surveys the room, sweeps a gaze over all of the assembled superstars resting his gaze on Satine slightly longer than the rest of the superstars=-

Angelus: I came back here to help defend this company on the request of Tempest, T to me... and Former boss to all of you. He's my family and he was getting his arsed kicked by The Legion! No one here stepped up to help.... no one here had the balls to step up and represent this company. That's why I'm back.

-=Rose steps back slightly to allow Angelus the floor sensing that this rant may help with the rallying cry that he himself is trying to get across but still maintains a central position on the floor=-

Angelus: T has done what T does best... My man is muy loco. So I've been out there on my own fighting them all off. When your guys were being picked off and branded... Who struck back? I smashed into the Legion's dressing room and branded both of their guards. I branded them with OUR mark. The XWA mark. The mark that I came back to defend....

-=Angelus loses some of the fire in his eyes as he stares at the floor briefly before looking up=-

Angelus: I'm not a good man, I've never tried to be... I don't inspire people, I'm not really someone that people want to help but I can't do this alone. Rated X on their own, maybe. Legion on their own, maybe. Together... last week proved that I can't. I had to leave my match to go save that lovely young lady there.

-=Angelus points over to Gillian causes a few heads to turn=-

Angelus: I can't fight them all and that is why I am here. Someone had to make the rallying call and it couldn't be me, it's been made and if we are going to come out of this... we are going to need to stick together. We are going to need each and everyone of you to represent and show what you've got. We are going to need Rose here to show that winning the title wasn't a one off. We are going to need Satine here to keep his head in the game long enough to make a difference. We are going to need all the new faces here to make the jump to the next level.

-=Rose steps up next to Angelus and rest his hand on his shoulder, which quickly draws an annoyed glance from Angelus causing Rose to remove his hand slowly, laughing ruefully to himself as he starts to speak=-

Rose: He's right. Now... Do you guys have what it takes?

[Alex]

Daz: And so you see when we attach this rubber hose into the space-time overflow valve of the fourth wall that the Guvnah had re-installed but then reverse the circutry in the Shop-vac engine we wired it to, we end up, as anyone can plainly figure out...

Baz: In a cowshed full of Eggswah superstars... nice one Daz!

Daz: Baz, what you smokin' playa...leave the technical eplanations to me homie... holy shiz-nit... we IS in a cowshed full of eggswah superstars.

Chaz: Oh my.... if I'd known i would have done something with my hair!

I tune out the bickering of my mates and stare around me in bewilderment hardly able to believe my own eyes. After weeks of being denied access to the eggswah and to you my own personnal audience due to a town council dispute about renting three-walled properties, I am here. Thanks to some ingenuity and illegalities I am standing in a cowshed....

Rose: Oi... mate... can you go narrate your autobiography somewhere else, we're trying to have a serious meeting here.
...and Oh My God.... he just spoke... to me? He did! No-one else is narrating their own presence at this meeting, he MUST me talking to me... the greatest living legend of all time to ever grace a wrestling ring....

Rose: Oh... well... carry on then :sbiggrin:

...has just addressed ME!

And now look at me... I am standing here frozen like a blithering idiot! Crap. Ummm. Shit.... guys, help me out here!

Baz: Evening all... we're wreslters.

Me: Yes, that's right, we're...what?

I look at Baz, he shrugs. Can he be seriously suggesting we try and bluff our way into the eggswah. I mean we do beat the living crap out of each other every Friday night and the Eggswah do seem to be kind of desperate right now but....

Me: Yes. We have fought all over the second floor.

Pain: Is that some trendy new indy fed?

Me: We are the ummm.... the Four Rosebuds of the ummm... Gardenclips and we have been sent here to protect and serve the mother Rose and umm...well.... just give me a match, I can prove myself I swear and I know lots of moves and umm... I'm the house champion and

Damn it I'm losing them. My dreams, my hopes, my excuse for being in the presence of my hero is all fading, think fast, think fast dammit....

Me:...and we brough beer and popcorn enough for everyone!

Rose, Angie, Satine, et al: BEER AND POPCORN! These guys are so in! :sbiggrin:

*narraotr's afterword* Well.. at least that's how it all went down in my mind... my recollections may be a bit fuzzy, that was some pretty strong popcorn, and I was still a bit jetlagged from Daz's crazy invention, not to mention of course, I MAY have fainted in Rose's presence so like yeah...so hopefully tomorrow I'll be waking up with a hangover and a one match eggswah contract to prove myself

[Alex]

Utah Joe stands up, shaking his head at the latest going ons in the room.

Joe; Yo Rose, your talk about kicking these punks ass is all fine with me, but lets get down to some serious stuff here. Less of the comics and lets get down with a plan.

Rose looks over at the newcomer like he was, well new.

Rose; Easy there fella, lets not get too excited we gotta know who is with us.

Joe walks over and gets in Rose's face

Joe; Less of the smug attitude, I do not give a crap which one of them it is. I just wanna prove I am extreme, whether it is breaking down one of those Rated X fagots or wheelchair and handicap union. I will tear them apart, bash their fucking skulls in. I just wanna know when, who books around here? Gimme Sabbath, DGX hell gimme Hutton I will eat em alive

Rose cuts Joe off.

Rose; Easy there big fella, I love the enthusiasm but we gotta get a plan together first

Joe backs off smiling then looks at Angelus.

Joe; Why don't you get that branding iron and brand me?

Angelus looks at Joe, in a weird way not really knowing how to react.

Joe; Call me crazy but those pansy bitches whined about alittle pain, I crave it! What do you say you brand me big man?

Tag

[Alex]

-=Rose looks quite alarmed by Joe's insistence he be burned for his cause. Angelus looks a little amused as Rose quickly makes his way across the room and grabs Joe lightly by the shoulders. He turns Joe around to face him.=-

Rose: Look, mate. We all want to do our bit for the cause. But there's a way of doing things and jabbing flaming metal into each other isn't it.

-=Angelus raises an eyebrow, as if this is exactly the sort of thing we should be doing.=-

Rose: Not to ourselves, Ange. Now, Joe, sit back down.

-=Joe throws Rose's hands off his shoulders.=-

Rose: Joe, please.

-=Rose grabs a nearby chair and sets it next to Joe. Joe glowers, but, after a time, takes his seat.=-

Rose: Thank you.

-=Rose walks back to the front of the room and leans on a desk.=-

Rose: As I was saying. We need a plan. We have a plan, or the beginnings of one, at least. And Joe, your role in that plan is NOT to run around trying to get yourself some respect. That'll come in time. Be patient, and don't worry. Your position here will become clear, and you're gonna love it, I promise. But you have to wait, and I have to wait until the people gathered in this room plant their flag in the name of this company.

Look at Angelus, people. Until today, I thought I could trust this man about as far as I could throw him. But this man, this giant of XWA history, has said "I'm here, I'm with you, Rose, I'm XWA all the way." That's a man who doesn't have to be here, and doesn't have to listen to someone like me. But he is, because he's a man who knows who's paying his bills and giving him a living. Do you think Jack Sabbath's going to put your kids through college?

Of course he won't. Not if you're fighting him. So if you want to slink off and run off to accept the Legion into your life because you think they're going beat us, that's fine. The losing side won't put food on your table, and if you think that side is us, then you leave and hope to God you're right.

Who's next?

[Alex]

Kasey: All I know bro is that when I signed my contract it said XWA in the corner there. If we gotta fight I'm with you.

TAG

[Alex]

<Steel Eagle grins over at his tag team partner and nods in agreement, rising. He seems rather fired up, and as he speaks, a good deal of his adopted on-camera "accent" drops by the wayside. >

SE: Exactly. We don't work for the Rated X Alliance or the Legion Alliance...its the Xtreme Wrestling Alliance we're supposed to be loyal to. Not PWR or WFWF either. Not any of those. Sure...all those other places have talent and are successful, but to be in the XWA...to BE the XWA...it means something. There's a REASON that people come to the XWA...because to be in the XWA means that you're amongst the best of the best. Period.


<The masked wrestler inhales deeply, obviously moved by Rose and Angelus' words.>


SE: The Legion say they want to change the status quo and knock the Main Eventers from their perches, but to do what...to replace them with their own guys? Guys who, while some of them are dangerous and possibly even worthy to be Main Eventers, need to attack as a gang to get anywhere. To take out their adversaries...because, simply put, they can't take them out in the ring by themselves, where it counts. Where it means something. Hell, at least the Rated X guys have the balls to take the fight to us man-to-man.


<'Eagle lowers his head, shaking it.>


SE: And Rated X? They don't get it either. They whine and complain about the way this place is run, but when it comes right down to it, what are all of them but mercenaries-for-hire, bouncing from company to company, expecting people who've been loyal and busting their asses to shuffle out of their way so that they can steal the limelight from anyone and everyone who actually deserves it?


<Steel Eagle raises his head and looks around the room, then shakes his head.>


SE: Dammit. I can't do this like this. Maxwell's gonna kill me, but...what the hell...


<And with that, Steel Eagle reaches up behind his head and unfastens his mask. With a small sigh, he yanks it forward off his head. Long blonde hair tumbles out and he shakes his head once and then runs his hand back through the tangled mess to get it out of his face, revealing...Tempest? There's a sharp intake of breath from everyone around him, and both Rose and Angelus scowl at him from the front of the room.


Tempest:[/b] Dick Maxwell's gonna have me cleaning toilets for ruining the whole "who is Steel Eagle" angle, but at a time like this, we can't be playing games. Its gone way beyond that. Look, Rose...just to show how serious I am about this...I'll follow YOUR lead on this. You called this meeting, and I'm here to hear what YOU have to say and what you and Angy have planned. Crazy or not...I'm here and I'm loyal, and I can't hide behind any mask or makeup anymore while the company that I've bled for is under attack by assholes like Alex, DGX, and Diamond Jack Sabbath.


<Tempest sits back down, ignorning the odd looks from those around him.>


Tempest:[/b] So, what are we gonna do?