Post by J on Dec 14, 2020 9:41:22 GMT -5
//Off Camera//
“Painting By Numbers”
Reno, Nevada.
“Don’t tell me this shit is going to be a thing over here too.” Luther sat down glaring at the laptop with the intent of seeing if it’s insides could be put in a neat little figurine. He sits there in the somewhat lavish and comfortable (at least in Reno’s standards) lodgings him and his wife had occupied for their stay in the desert. Of course they had the funds to be somewhere superior to the places that made motel 6’s look like Ritz Carlton in comparison but the desert air had not necessarily done the best for the Dutch native.
“He literally spent ages talking about how he isn’t overlooking me or disrespecting me..to disrespect me by running down his opponents and accomplishments from other organizations. I am the worn and torn old man who’s career is at its death’s door..and HE is the one who brings a championship with him to show off?!”
Esme nodded along, sipping her coffee. “Makes me wonder who he’s trying to convince. The world or himself.”
The big man grumbles and stands up, pacing back and forth in the room.
“It sure as shit isn’t impressing me! I’ve been in this company for a few weeks and already I got some eager upstart telling me how my career is done. Me? Honestly. Since I started people have told me how I have no place in this business, as far back as I can remember every goddamn opponent I have faced has told me how they are going to end me, rid the wrestling business of me and now this this..man. Believes that he can make a name of me and my career. He made a specific claim how he will not be the one to end me but how he already knows how my career is going. He went through the trouble to find out that I hold the Conquest Championship over on SRW but he didn’t find the cavalcade of rogues that I have taken down over the years, people SMARTER, YOUNGER AND BETTER THAN HIM if I may add!”
“He can believe what he wants. R Kelly believed he could fly, but I don’t see him flying out of the shit he ended up in.” She chuckles. “Stop pacing sweetie. So one more young uppity shit thinks he can knock you off. They all say that. They never do. I don’t know why you let this stuff get to you. Just shows for all his bravado about how he’s someone special, someone different, he’s just like all the others. Green as gooseshit, thinks he can say all the generic bullshit and he’s a promo God like Slick Reed. He’s not worth digging a trench in the carpet over, Luther.
He stops, looks at his wife, neck veins tensing up and his eyes looking ready they are to pop out of their sockets.
“HE’S NOT GETTING TO ME! FUCK HIM! I’LL BURY HIM! HIM AND HIS WHOLE GODDAMN FAMILY, I’LL STICK THAT CHAMPIONSHIP DOWN HIS THROAT AND REST OF HIS ACCOLADES UP HIS SELF RIGTHEOUS ASS! I’M NOT SOME OLD HAS BEEN HE CAN CHALLENGE TO A SHOUTING MATCH! I’M NOTHING LIKE THAT AND HE’LL REGRET THINKING ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY LIKE THAT!”
He slumps down in a lounge chair only to see his wife sitting there opposite him, chuckling.
“You know when ‘He’s not getting to me’ sounds sincere? When you’re screaming it at ninety decibels.” She actually flinches a second as he glares daggers into her. “Besides, judging by that outburst, you’d win the shouting match if nothing else!”
For anyone else, that would be a challenge, for his wife though Luther just scoffs.
“It’s always something. If I’m not the arrogant muscle bound brute who shouldn’t be anywhere near a real wrestler or their ring then I’m the untalented joke who got the success for breaking heads for the powers that be..or the worn and torn old man who’s clinging to last chances of fame. How in the blue hell is one supposed to earn any kind of respect in this business when at all points of your career no matter what part of the globe or size of an organization you are. You aren’t whatever the hell the respected side of the business is. Of course what he wants is for me to go out there, spewing hatred, piss and vinegar at him so he thinks he has gotten into my head, but doesn’t this knucklehead realize that now no matter how the match ends, he will look like a joke? Even in the best situation for him if he should beat me, he’s beaten a tired old man at his career’s death’s door..”
She snorts.
“Don’t forget number one seed darling.”
He snorts in response.
“Yeah, don’t you start that too. What I mean is, sure I was number one, but not once have I claimed to be number one here. I don’t need to go out there and brag by the numbers, anyone can be beaten at any given night. I didn’t decide who was what but for someone who supposedly was the number one, I’ve performed rather well, for a tired old man at least. Feel kinda sorry for SAW, I wonder how he felt getting beaten by someone like me. At least he had the decency to be respectful. I’ve tried to tell this Mr. Marou that he would not bet on himself too heavily but now he has already painted himself up to be this God-Tier talent, how is that god tier talent, multiple organization superstar and all and all great champion going to look like if he loses to me now?”
“God-tier talent. I didn’t read in the Bible about God winning any wrestling matches. Most of his moves would likely cause a disqualification.” She chuckles. “So he doesn’t know how to promote a match? No skin off your nose. We’ve been in this business a long time Luther, and we’ve seen all types. Some wanna be tough, some wanna be smart, some wanna be assholes... whatever. None of it changes the fact that the Sword of Damocles is hanging above their heads, and more often than not they end up powerbombed halfway through the ring mat.”
He leans back and smiles, even if for a little moment. “Got to hand it to the kid though, he isn’t pulling any punches, wants to go through all the stops with me to prove just how good he is. So saying whatever about him but you gotta admit he is not scared of me one bit.”
She smiles back in return. “There is a great difference being brave and being foolish. That’s like fighting a lion barehanded when you could have brought weapons that would give you an advantage. He might be brave but smart is something he is not. You tried to educate him, but some kids are like dogs, they only learn through violence, and I think you have to educate him a different way, come Revolution, because as brave and brash and bold as Michael Marou is, if he thinks he can look at you as his toughest opponent and still claim he can go through you, he should change his name to Mr. Magoo.”
//On Camera//
“Perceptions”
We open up to a view of Luther Thunder dressed to impress in his tailored dark suit, while his wife and manager Esme Thunder sits next to him dressed more casual with jeans and boots along with a UPRISING promotional shirt. The pair of them seem as content as ever.
“Good afternoon, fans of the Revolution. My name is Esme Thunder, wife and manager of Luther Thunder, sat here beside me. And as the championship tournament in UPRISING reaches its penultimate stage, my husband & I have been enjoying ourselves here in Reno. I apologize to fans and wrestlers alike if you haven’t seen us around, but we’ve been staying in the most exclusive resort away from the riff-raff... when you look around UPRISING’s roster, you have to understand that many of these “fine people” are not the type I want my husband spending time around. No, I have kept him focused and relaxed, ready to go out there and do what he has done twice already... defeat the man put in front of him; a sacrificial lamb to the God of Thunder, if you will. Michael Marou, you may think yourself some kind of star in the making, some kind of big game player with a money fist and a mouth to match, but yet it seems to me you have yet to grasp a few basic nuances of this business. So allow me to clarify something for you, young one. Portraying my husband as a washed up old man you are going to put down not only does him a massive disservice but you as well. Because if you do beat him, then so what? You beat up, by your own words, a washed up has been. Best case scenario, you did something any half decent wrestler can do. Worst case, you lose... and the guy you told the world was a washed up past his best guy kicked your ass... so what does that make you? I hope you’re beginning to understand, Mr. Marou, that this is not the way to promote exciting wrestling that UPRISING has to offer. I personally find your attempts to “hype” this match deeply disappointing and borderline offensive. D+. Please try harder.
Showcasing a polite smile Luther picks up from where his wife left off.
“Mr. Marou, I do have to apologize in case my wife’s words offended you but you do understand that while there might have been a different way of wording her concern she does bring out some valid points. You made it quite clear to me yourself that we can be as polite as ever on social media and cut a few promos back and forth as you eloquently put it I believe, however it does not mean that I have earned any of your respect and that is something that can be earned in the ring I believe? Which is all well and good Michael, have it your way. We are both adults and know how friendships don’t make for the best business but just remember that I offered you a chance to be respectable. Master. SAW my opponent before you took it happily and both me and him had a great competitive match between us. You however seem to insist on trying to make this something it does not have to be at all. If you want to settle things in the ring then maybe we should do it there and not have these little exchanges before it. You made your opinion of me and my career quite clear and I do applaud you for your effort for research. However as far as claiming how you didn’t want to disrespect me or overlook me the only one I can see that you did not disrespect was my darling wife, which if I dare say so might have been the smartest decision I have ever seen you or most of my opponents do, so kudos to you Mr. Marou you have already set yourself apart from the usual suspects. That being said however you do realize that I am not the type who thinks bragging about championships and other such accolades is truly needed. If you are as good as you claim to be I wouldn’t need to know of your previous opponents or places of employment and how they view you would I? I certainly would not need you to bring along a championship of yours to prove whatever it is you thought that would prove. Of course if you managed to get maybe a hefty compensation from the promotion getting visibility in UPRISING then great, never hurts to make a bit of extra on the side especially since the way the economy is these days..”
Esme nodded. “Of course, what really matters is what’s going down in the ring this Saturday, and we remain optimistic that your wrestling skills shine brighter than your promotional skills, and that you and my husband can put on a semi-final match that will get tongues wagging and t-shirts flying off the shelves. It is, after all, crunch time in the tournament; and whilst everyone here has gotten this far with two wins over tough opponents... with a notable exception... there always comes a time when every journey but one ends in inevitable failure. And at the end of the day, whether you lose in Round 1 or the final itself, a loss is a loss and only one man, woman or the like can be the first champion at the end of the day. And who knows, whomever comes out on top could very well lose instantly to the winner of the last chance battle royal, and our champion a month or two from now could be someone who was eliminated in round one. These are the ways of the business, nothing ever stands still and nothing is for damn sure ever certain or predictable. So many in UPRISING like to bang on and on about the seedings, like an arbitrary number given to all wrestlers means a damn thing. Yes, Luther was named as the number one seed. But that decision by Mr. Jackson is no guarantee of success, nor does it give my husband any right to assume anything or take anything for granted. But that’s the thing... my husband is smart enough to know that. Luther is well aware that if he is to be the first champion, it will not be because of his seeding, it will not be because of his “first round bye” - heck he’s won two matches just like anyone else, defeating the “number two seed” if we’re actually putting stock in that.. If Luther is to be champion, it will be exclusively down to his own hard work, dedication and drive to be the best. Talent is all well and good, but everyone here has talent. It is how one utilizes the talents one has that separates the champions from the also-rans, and my husband has made his career on that fact more than anyone else. Luther doesn’t proclaim himself the best because whether he is or he isn’t, is largely irrelevant. How many athletes, sports teams and the like have been touted as “the best” only to come up short? Luther, I assure you, will utilize his talents, and give himself the best chance at success in your match and in this whole tournament. But in professional sport, especially combat, anyone who thinks outcomes and results are in any way certain is a damn fool. Especially someone who would wager on such a thing, as a certain Mr. Tirri may find out to his detriment in the future.”
Sitting there listening to his wife Luther puts his palms casually together eyeing at the camera.
“Mr. Marou, Michael. Do not take offense to any of this. You may not think much of me or respect me and I understand that, you know why? Because once in a while, long time ago. I was just like you. I’ve been the young, dumb and full of cum rookie out of the gate at the start of his career looking to prove all my doubters wrong, to fight anyone who as much as looked at me wrong and to end all arguments decisively and far be it from me to say I had the perfect career or that I should give anyone advice on how to operate in this profession. However I am glad that you are confident at the start of your career, it is important to believe in yourself and in the end if you wouldn’t why would anyone else? However what I’m glad for you is that you acknowledge that your career is just starting up, because it means that you will have plenty of time to learn and grow over the years. Learn from your mistakes and grow not just as a person but as a competitor. Because Michael as much as you may think my career is dwindling and how my star is about ready to fade. That my strong minded and eager young friend is something you are wrong. People have told for years now how my time is up and how I should retire, so many of my peers have done just that, retired, moved on from the ring or out of this world of ours. I however have no intentions of doing anything like that. I did not join UPRISING just bow out and exit stage left, however I am not here to flex my muscles and boast about how I am the greatest or some such tribe so many of the veterans and self proclaimed legends do these days. I am here on an equal playing field with everyone else on the roster and I’d never expect any more from you than anyone else on the roster. I want to treat my peers equally despite their age, gender or years in the profession. However if you choose not to believe me or see me as some bitter and negative boogeyman. There are plenty of my former peers out there who will happily share that notion with you, tell you slanderous and juicy gossip of my misdeeds and mistakes from the past and embellish on every single negative think they have heard or can think of..you are welcome to join them if that is what you want.
However, I may be so bold and encourage you to make your own assumptions. Face me in that ring thi Saturday, see for yourself just how much of a worn & torn and tired old man I truly am and then think of the statements you made of me and at me. Think and ponder within your heart of hearts if those were valid observations and should you have shown more or less respect. I’m not saying if I beat you that you have to grovel before me and pucker up to kiss my backside. Oh God no. I am just saying that first impressions while you can only make them once can truly be deceiving. I hope that what I’ve seen from you is not just smoke and mirror, that I at least have seen you as your true self as a man and as a contender. Of course,as all humans I have been wrong before and might be again only time will reveal us the truth.”
He smiles at the camera.
“Looking forward to facing you Mr. Marou. I do hope you won’t disappoint me.”
With that we fade to black.