Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2021 12:28:36 GMT -5
Talking the Talk (oncam)
We open up to a view of “Old School Cool” Don Tirri, but not on his usual couch in the living room. No, instead Tirri is seated on what looks like a porch in a backyard. The Finn is dressed in a pair of black jeans, his trusty leather jacket and one of his many custom design T-shirts under said jacket. On his left hand he has a lit cigarette and on his right he has a shaker of sorts, most likely holding some sort of a sports drink. And when he speaks, there is very little of his usual bluster to be seen. He seems almost dead fucking cereal.
“Well hot damn, he finally speaks. Sure, it took over a week and nigh-relentless badgering by me in social media to finally get you to do the right thing, get a camera and talk. And without the pretty lady too. It’s amazing what a man can accomplish by virtue of being stubborn and annoying.”
Despite great effort, Tirri can’t help but to crack a small smirk, hiding it by taking a long drag from his cigarette.
“Because that is what I must be to you Luthie, isn’t that right? The annoying gnat who keeps poking at the almighty Lord of Thunder from amongst the rabble. The one man who refuses to shut up when you glare and stare at me. Must’ve been quite an experience to you Luthie, when I first do the unthinkable and DARE to tear down your dear wife, and then refuse to back down when you get in my face like the big bad wolf you are. And THEN I dare to interrupt your whatever it is you are doing week in and week out in your Ivory tower bein all quiet and formal.
But anyway I digress. See, here’s the amazing thing Luthie. When you finally DO open your mouth and start talking, it is a sight to behold. I’ve said since day 1 in UPRISING and when it comes to in ring talent, you are one of the best I know. A beast sans equal almost. And now, after badgering and badgering you finally show that yes, Luther Thunder can cut one hell of a promo. And he didn’t even need a pretty lady by his side to do that. I mean holy fuck, you can talk!”
The tone of his voice conveys genuine praise.
“Now, just so nobody gets the wrong idea, I’ll clear something up: When I say “pretty lady” in reference to Esme, I don’t actually mean I find her attractive. No. It’s just a way to point out just how little I think of her, and the only way to get through to a high and mighty hootintootin gal like her is to be condescending. So with that out of the way, lets get down to the business that actually matters. The day that Thunder meets Tirri at CORONATION.
That happens in six days and… fuck it, unlike Luthie I don’t feel like calculating the exact number of hours and minutes and seconds it takes until the bell rings at CORONATION. So I’ll just stick to the number of days. Six. That means we are 22 days removed from the moment I laid Luthie out on the floor at Revolution 4. Eight days removed from the signing of the contract that set our fates in stone and made this clash at CORONATION official. And since that day Luthie, since the day I laid you out you have been a hard man to find .Outside Revolution 5 you have barely shown your face to the public. So yes. Believing that you are a man who remains behind the scenes, locked up in his Ivory tower is very much a legitimate take. But more on that later on.”
Tirri shrugs and sips his drink, the small cringe in his face betraying the fact that it isn’t exactly to his tastes.
“See thing is Luthie, nobody has questioned your reputation or the weight your name carries. Atleast nobody with even the slightest lick of sense. Be it down south in Georgia, Up north in Edmonton or any other place you have brought your considerable talent and imposing presence to. And even though I couldn’t even begin to claim I know what goes in the head of our esteemed boss Jax, from a purely business standpoint I would imagine it is that name value that you bring that he was looking for when he reached out to sign you. I mean, anyone who has followed you or him in the recent times knows that he was there down south working his ass off to improve business for an unappreciative bitch, and you were one of his trusted men. Just like so long ago in a promotion far far away you, him and infact that masked freak fighting Jaws were the trusted men of a promoter far inferior to Jax. So yes Luthie, your name carries weight. A point I have been making. Be it you, your brother or your sister, when a Thunder walks in through the doors, people pay attention and people feel dread. And no matter how much you claim you aren’t some sort of a hoarder when it come to gold… Lets be real here Luthie. Name one place you have worked for that you haven’t grabbed some in? You might play yourself off as a humble man, but everyone sees through that facade. Something not exactly helped by the pretty lady who loves to ride your coattails. She is obviously very fond of the idea of titlegold. Even moreso than you are. “
The Finn gives the “you know what I mean”-face when he says that, a single look conveying more meaning than any string of words.
“You know, it is actually quite endearing the lengths that you go to trying to hide the fact that you can’t stand me or anything that I stand for. Hiding your disdain in carefully constructed phrases and compliments hiding backhanded insults. And yes, while we do have our similarities Luthie, when you look deep down you and I couldn’t be farther apart. Not just in career trajectories or the company we keep. We are like night and day when it comes to the way we conduct ourselves, the way we see this business, the way we see ourselves and the way we see the world. You Luthie, you clearly fancy yourself a man of fine taste, a cultured man of high class. Using a thoroughly thought out facade to hide the ugly truth from the public eye. I said during the contract signing at Revolution 5 that I wanted to fight Luther the Badass. Luther the Thug. I meant every word of that. Because I KNOW that behind that shiny exterior lies a man who has no bones about beating another man an inch of his life. Behind that exterior of wealth and upper class charm is a beast waiting to be unleashed.
It is funny how you would bring up the fact that I was an announcer. Because it was from that ringside position that I watched you the first time. It was behind that desk that I saw what a true force of nature you could be. Held back by a man desperately trying to keep himself relevant at the expense of anyone who worked for him. Yes, I can talk the talk Luthie, a fact that everybody knows. But I am not an announcer anymore. And you are not a corporate thug anymore. We are both our own men now. And by dismissing my words as merely talking to hear myself talk is a mistake many have done. Even here in UPRISING. See, when I say I am the everyman I am not bullshitting anyone. For someone like you Luthie, who keeps up appearances whenever they can, never daring to as much as crack open the door to show what lies behind… It must be completely incomprehensible to you that I could be genuine in my interactions with the fans, be it behind the merch stand or in the diners or in the bars or hell, infront of the camera. For someone who has never dared to show their true colors to the world, I am an mystery wrapped in an enigma. How can someone like me, a man who has long since passed the age that the men in our business usually hang up their boots, a man who sees his faults, admits to them and pushes on regardless of those, actually be genuine. See, contrary to what you seem to believe Luthie, I am not in UPRISING to con the general public out of their hard earned money. Nor am I here to use UPRISING as a springboard to launch myself into a comfortable retirement.”
Standing up, the Finn tosses his cigarette away and cracks his knuckles.
“No. I am in UPRISING to make it a place that is in everyones lips. In this sea of dime a dozen promotions in every corner of the country, continent, hell the world… I am here to work my ass off to make UPRISING stand out. To be a place etched into the minds of the general public. You claim that I need UPRISING and its fans more than they need me. Sure, that might be true. Hell, if it wasn’t for UPRISING I would’ve been sitting on my ass with nothing to do since December 2nd. But UPRISING DOES need me. They need me because otherwise they are stuck with YOU. There is no denying that you have what it takes to lead an UPRISING when it comes to the inring exploits. AND you undoubtedly have the charisma and oratorical abilities to whip a mass into a frenzy when you choose to. But as a person. As a public figure, you are an antithesis of what this promotion needs. A fact that I have already expanded upon previously.
Fact of the matter is Luthie, I do all those things that I do. Peddle Merchandise. Sign autographs. Record cameos and smile for pictures because I genuinely enjoy it. The Fans are the one part of this business I have never had an issue with. No matter how bitter or angry I have been, I have always known that the fault to my problems has never laid in the men and women who bring their hard earned dollars and euros and pounds and whatnots to the ticketbooths so they can sit down and enjoy a night of violent entertainment. No. My problem has ALWAYS been with company men. Men like you. Men in suits spouting superficial, often pompous bullshit. Men like you, be it with the book or with the bookers cock in their mouths. I don’t just claim to be the everyman Luthie. I AM the everyman. Everything you see is real. That in a nutshell is me.”
He does his now-trademark two thumbs pointing at his chest-pose as he says that, quickly resuming a more neutral stance though.
“And you can bet your dutch ass that this match is fucking HUGE. Not just for yours truly but for the company as a whole. And yes. I have never even attempted to deny that this opportunity is absolutely gigantic for me on a personal level. Which makes this whole thing sorta funny, since you are DESPERATELY trying to push a narrative where I am just like you, just a two-timing son of a bitch who says and does whatever he deems necessary to claim his prize. Luthie. Do you HONESTLY think that if I had a moral backbone just as flexible as yours seems to be… that if I only cared for myself and was prepared to say and do whatever it was necessary to bring myself ahead… that I would have spent such a long period of time in my career in the doldrums? After all, you said it yourself. I am more than capable of getting it done in the ring and when it comes to talking, there are very few who can beat or even match me. So do tell me Luthie, if I was like you and so willing to push whatever narrative I deemed to suit my needs be it verbally, politically or physically… Why have I never made it to your level then?
I mean, I must be an absolutely shitty schemer if despite all the best laid plans of mice and men I have never managed to crack the echelon of this business. Fortunately to you and me, that is not the case. I am not a man who pushes a narrative Luthie. I am a man who calls it like I sees it. That poll? I admit I was a bit disappointed when the numbers came out… but there was no manipulation. I am well aware that I am an acquired taste and just as well as people love me for my no-nonsense attitude, my tendency to rub people the wrong way alienates people just as well. And I don’t need to push any fabricated narrative about me being the underdog. You said it yourself, your name carries weight. Your reputation is undeniable. While little old me is just a journeyman. See Luthie, ultimately you are only projecting your own view of the world and your own insecurities on me. You see duplicity where there is none. You see dishonesty where there is nothing but honesty. You see disingenuity where there is nothing but the brutal truth. And that is why you and I are so different. And it is completely irrelevant whether you believe it or not.”
Taking another sip of his drink, he lights up a second cigarette and takes a few long puffs out of it.
“You keep trying to sell the thought that you are just as approachable as I am. When that is the furthest thing from the truth. I keep calling you out about sitting in your Ivory Tower for a reason. Your argument about the plumber is not a fair comparison in the slightest. Because you see Luthie, unlike bob the plumber or carl the carpenter or even caroline the cashier, you and I.. .we are public figures. We are in the business of entertainment. We are, in various levels of the word, celebrities. So if a fan comes to bother you while you’re out with your wife having a nice dinner? Too damn bad Luthie, you chose a profession where interactions like that are part and parcel. Especially in this era of social media you should just get comfortable with the idea that you HAVE no privacy. The second you leave the premises of whatever location you have chose as your residence, you are liable to be approached. I have accepted that long time ago. I know the internet is full of images and even videos of me doing unsavory things in unsavory locations in various levels of altered states of mind. That is the way the world works. And no matter how you try to spin it, it won’t change.
So you choose instead to sit in your Ivory Tower, looking down on the common folk. Keeping yourself detached from the fans. Hell, detached even from your fellow wrestlers. That bit I did at Revolution 4 is more accurate than you’d like to admit. You have tried so hard to dispel that image ever since I called attention to it. If being in the public eye is such a bother to you Luthie, maybe, just maybe you should consider seeking other avenues of business. Just maybe this business isn’t for you.”
He shrugs as he says this, the fire in his eyes betraying the disdain he has for Luthers attitude.
“You go on how I have attempted to dehumanize you. I have done no such thing. The ONLY thing I have done over these weeks is call attention to the things in your persona and personality that you don’t want people to pay attention to. Not once have I told a lie. Not once have I spoke ill of you without a cause. Because that is what I do Luthie. You might remember the old catchphrase I used earlier in my career. “I say it so you don’t have to”. I poke at the facade someone puts up until it cracks, I take a look at what lies beneath and then… and then I speak out loud the words that those afraid of consequences… afraid of their careers and well being dare not speak. I expose people for the frauds and assholes they are. And it has come back to bite me in the ass. See Luthie, nowadays I have reached a point where I try to keep any and all interactions with colleagues or employers respectable. But almost without exception the longer I interact with someone, the higher the chance comes of them doing or saying something that sets me off. Hell, all you need to do is look at the past Revolutions and how my interactions with Flix and Pinky evolved. Both I started out respectfully, even friendly. Bantering back and forth like old friends. And BOTH ended up doing or saying shit that set me off. And I tore both to pieces verbally.
Now I know Pinky still occasionally attempts to insert herself into my business ,but I have made it painfully obvious that I do not care one bit about anything she has to say and she has move on to torment other people .Hell, my rants at her probably exposed her to a level she was uncomfortable. And Flix… She was almost as active as I was the first few months of UPRISING but ever since I put her down and out at Revolution 3… ever since I called her out on every single stupid thing she has said and done… she has gone silent. Eerily silent. THAT is what I do Luthie. I won’t claim sole credit for the above facts… but you cannot deny the fact that both have greatly toned down their social media and promowork presence after getting schooled by yours truly both in the mic and in the ring.”
Another few puffs of his cigarette follows. You can see from his demeanour that it is not often he goes for this long, which underlines just how high of a regard he holds the upcoming match.
“Now. Ultimately all the things we say in these promos and in social media won’t have much weight at CORONATION when the bell rings. At best they put butts in the seats, which is a good thing for UPRISING, and/or allow one of us claim a mental upper hand even before said bell rings. But the fact is Luthie, that on February 6th history will be made. And while you make a damn fine point about men like Knox, JC, Mac or Dunn not having taken part of the tournament… Its a moot one. In this business you snooze you lose. And I have no doubt that whoever of us walks out of CORONATION as the champion will have to face ALL of the aforementioned men with the belt at stake. Not to mention other members of the roster like Stone, Ryan, Nevaeh and so on. But such is life in this business. This tournament was fought between the men and women who signed up in time. And through 6 gruelling weeks of hard fought matches, the two of us stand tall.
You are very correct in that CORONATION won’t be the culmination of our stories. But merely a beginning. Like you so helpfully have reminded me and everyone else the few times you have chose to grace us with your presence… Winning the title is just the beginning. But I am a man who prefers to walk before learning to run. Sure, winning the title means that you will have a target painted on your back and everyone worth a damn in this promotion will be gunning for you. But you have to win the belt first. And so many men and women in this business have NEVER reached that point in their careers. So yes, even the simple act of winning the title is a major milestone. So don’t you try to diminish it even the slightest. Even though I do understand why you attempt to do it. You do it so you have an excuse to hide behind if you lose. See Luthie, if you beat me at CORONATION mano y mano. I will shake your hand and bow down to the superior athlete. Afterwards I will probably drink myself senseless, wallow in self pity at a missed opportunity, maybe ponder about retirement for a moment. But ultimately even if I lose I know I can’t stay away from this business. So should you beat me at CORONATION Luthie, I can promise you this: I will be back. No matter how long it takes, I will climb the mountain again. Once I get the disappointment of defeat out of my system I WILL get up and get right back to fighting.”
He thumps his chest to emphasize his words, the fire in him being well and truly lit.
“Because if there is one thing that has always been true… one constat about the man who stands infront of you today. If there is ONE thing about Don Tirri that has never changed, will never change.. Its the fact that I always come back. I always bounce back. No matter how deep the dive I take is. No matter how great the pain i go through is. No matter how old and busted up I get… I will ALWAYS bounce back. And another thing that will ring true long after I have finally been put six feet under. After I finally mouth my last insult, throw my last boot and drink my last beer… one thing will ring true. The name Don Tirri will never be forgotten. Love me. Hate me. Despise me. Pity me. No matter how you spin it… I leave an impression. Good. Bad. Ugly. makes no difference. It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you aren’t Luthie. And I am real. As real as anyone gets. Whether it takes me to the heights of superstardom or the depths of hellish half-life is irrelevant. I am. What I am.
And at CORONATION Luthie… I will tear off the mask that you hide your true self behind. I will expose to the whole damn world what you are. I will poke and prod and push you until you snap and give me what I want. Luther the badass. Luther the thug. And at the end of the night when we’ve spent god knows how many minutes it takes to beat the absolute living SHIT out of each other… There is one thing that nobody can deny or change. There WILL be a champion standing tall. And the UPRISING title will have its first holder. The company will have a face who will represent the company.”
And with that the camera zooms right into him so that his smiling visage fills the frame to the brim as he emphatically speaks the last few words of the recording.
“And Luther… that face will be MINE.”
(OOC NOTE: If anyone is still reading after that wall of text, here is a little CD piece I did originally for Levelup, but since it has some good character moments, I figured I'd share with you here aswell)
Back Home(off-cam)
It had been a long drive back home from my first excursion to Indianapolis. I pulled my Corvette to the driveway of my house in Reno and went in, throwing my bag to the livingroom floor and crashing down on the couch. I was exhausted, more so than I had believed I’d be. I kicked off my boots and threw my feet on the armrest on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Never really managed to get comfortable with the american custom of wearing shoes indoors, so that was usually the first thing I did after getting inside.
Suddenly I heard noise from the stairwell to the second floor and glanced from under my arm that I had placed over my face, seeing that I wasn’t alone. And before I could speak up I heard Donny’s voice.
“Hey old man, didn’t think you’d be back this soon. Figured you wouldn’t mind me crashing here even if you weren’t home” The kiddo was in casual clothes, which didn’t really surprise me. After I had told him he could crash at my place if his roomie began to piss him off, he had carried a bag full of spare clothes to my place.
“Yeah, no problem kiddo. As long as you refill the fridge after you leave and don’t hold a houseparty while I’m gone, by all means. I told you you were welcome to crash anytime, and I meant it.”
Donny chuckled “Aight, just wanted to make sure.” He sat down on the armchair opposite the couch. “So, rough trip?”
“Yes and no. I still like the long hours of driving, but the motel I had to sleep in was a real shithole. Not the first one I’ve been to, but I guess that after the comfy hotel I spent the first months in Reno at and now this place, I’ve gotten picky.” I flashed him a small grin and stretched. “Roomie pissing you off again?” It was more of a statement than a question. Donny didn’t exactly like going into detail, but I had skimmed a lot from the little he did say.
And sure enough he looked a bit uncomfortable. “Yeah, you can say that. We had a bit of a falling out. I might be hanging around a bit longer this time. That cool with you? I can call on a few other friends to find a couch spot if I’m bothering ya old man.” He was clearly trying to place his words carefully and I noticed he wasn’t even really looking at me.
I was quiet for a while. On the other hand, I didn’t mind the kiddo hanging at my place, we got along well, he helped me fix my diet and workouts and the way he saw the world reminded me a lot of myself. But then again. I had always kept myself at an arms length of everyone. Was I really okay with letting this 20-something kid basically live under my roof?
I didn’t even understand why it felt so natural to hang around with him. It was like we’d known each other for years. And I mean, from his PoV you could argue that we did. Growing up with a mother who was a near-obsessed fan of mine. Or atleast thats how he has phrased it. And from my PoV… He didn’t judge my habits or my personality. Which was more than any friend I had ever had truly could say. So eh. Why not. Besides. There was that nagging feeling that there was something too familiar about Donny. Something that ran deeper than mere friendship. And I don’t mean in the physical side of things. But a connection that I couldn’t put my hand on.
Hell, he reminded me a lot of myself when I was in my 20’s. So maybe thats why I had taken him under my wing so naturally. Who knows.
Donny noticed that I had been quiet for a long time and sighed. “Aight, I’ll call up a friend and be outta your hair soon. Don’t worry.”
I sat up and gave him a frown. “Sorry kiddo, didn’t mean it like that. I’m old, sometimes I just fall into my own world. Like I said, just keep the fridge stocked and you can stick around as long as you want. Just two rules: Don’t drink my boozes, and don’t bring girls in unless they have a friend who’s into more experienced guys. I don’t want to come in after a show and find this place turned into a college frat party, aight?” I smiled as I said the last part and gave him a pat in the back.
Donny busts out laughing and shakes his head. “Sure thing dad. I’ll behave.”
That stopped me on my tracks. I gave him a stern stare. “I know you like to kid around Donny, but that joke ain’t funny. I get it. You grew up without one. And I know your mom held me in some kind of a weird pedestal through your whole childhood. But I’m not your father. So don’t even kid around with that aight?”
Donny was quiet. Maybe I was a bit harsh. I did lecture him like a parent would in a way. He looks like he’s about to say something but doesn’t. Until he sighs and nods. “Aight, sorry bout that old man.” A second passes and he glances up to me with a grin. “But the other part still applies, I’ll behave.”
I sat back down. “Then welcome to my abode Donny. Infact you’ll have the run of the place after next week. Got a call from up north, they’re back running again. So I’ll have a busy week. Reno 6th, Indianapolis on the 9th and then Edmonton on the 11th. I’ll probably be back by Friday though.” I sighed a bit. My life had suddenly gotten very busy.
Donny raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Alright, I get it. Life on the road and all that jazz right?” He gave me a meaningful stare. “But anyway, how was Levelup? I watched the show and it was pretty entertaining. Shame about the result though.”
I groaned. “Yeah, I lost. First pinfall loss I had since I got back into the spin of things in October. But I kinda knew it was gonna come sooner than later anyway,and Wendy is someone I didn’t mind losing to. Atleast she isn’t a cunt like Luther.” I had tried to keep UPRISING out of my thoughts while at Levelup, but it was kinda hard to push it aside completely considering the stakes on the 6th. But I forced myself to not think about it. “Other than that, Levelup was great. I liked the setup they got there and the staff, as much as I interacted with them, were professional. Well except maybe for that color commentator girl, DeSue or something.” I looked at Donny and scratched my head. “What the hell is TikTok? She came to me after the match and asked me to come talk to hers.”
Donny blinked and bust out laughing. “You don’t know what TikTok is? Seriously. You really ARE an old man. It’s the new hotness. Kinda like twitter, but with videos. I guess she took a liking to you. Maybe you should teach her how to play with YOUR joystick. That’d make a helluva tiktok.”
“Oh fuck you kiddo.” I groaned and reached over to give him a slap on the head, which seemed to just cause him to laugh harder. “Fucking hell. I will not sit here in my own home and be ridiculed by some snot-nosed kid. Dammit Donny, I’m a wrestler, not an influencer.”
For his credit, Donny managed to quell the laughter, wiping tears from his eyes as he did. “Man… that was funny. You should take the girl up on her offer next time around. Who knows, maybe she’ll teach you a trick or two and the next thing you know you can open an onlyfans.” He tried desperately to keep a straight face.
I actually did know Onlyfans, and because of that I groaned, knowing I was gonna lose this exchange. “Oh fuck you kiddo, real clever. I bet your roomie will appreciate your humor more, maybe I should send you back to him?” I gave him a stare.
That snapped him back. “Aight, aight chill old man.Guess I need to add that to the list of “Do not joke around about” aswell.” He was quiet for a moment. “AAANYWAY, changing the subject. I’m heading off to work, wanna come in for a workout?”
I shook my head. “Nah. I need to kick back and relax for a while. Maybe boot up a camera and talk a bit. Ya know how it goes. I’ll come tomorrow, promise.”
Donny stood up and shrugged. “Sure. Just trying to keep you in shape, since you got 3 jobs now and one of the bookings is basically the biggest match in your career. But I get it, long drive and everything. I’ll catch ya later then.” He gave me a sly smirk, the bastard was trying to guilt me into coming with him. But it wasn’t working. I was too tired.
“Yeahyeah, tomorrow, I promise. Have fun kiddo” I waved him off and laid back down. I needed a nap.
We open up to a view of “Old School Cool” Don Tirri, but not on his usual couch in the living room. No, instead Tirri is seated on what looks like a porch in a backyard. The Finn is dressed in a pair of black jeans, his trusty leather jacket and one of his many custom design T-shirts under said jacket. On his left hand he has a lit cigarette and on his right he has a shaker of sorts, most likely holding some sort of a sports drink. And when he speaks, there is very little of his usual bluster to be seen. He seems almost dead fucking cereal.
“Well hot damn, he finally speaks. Sure, it took over a week and nigh-relentless badgering by me in social media to finally get you to do the right thing, get a camera and talk. And without the pretty lady too. It’s amazing what a man can accomplish by virtue of being stubborn and annoying.”
Despite great effort, Tirri can’t help but to crack a small smirk, hiding it by taking a long drag from his cigarette.
“Because that is what I must be to you Luthie, isn’t that right? The annoying gnat who keeps poking at the almighty Lord of Thunder from amongst the rabble. The one man who refuses to shut up when you glare and stare at me. Must’ve been quite an experience to you Luthie, when I first do the unthinkable and DARE to tear down your dear wife, and then refuse to back down when you get in my face like the big bad wolf you are. And THEN I dare to interrupt your whatever it is you are doing week in and week out in your Ivory tower bein all quiet and formal.
But anyway I digress. See, here’s the amazing thing Luthie. When you finally DO open your mouth and start talking, it is a sight to behold. I’ve said since day 1 in UPRISING and when it comes to in ring talent, you are one of the best I know. A beast sans equal almost. And now, after badgering and badgering you finally show that yes, Luther Thunder can cut one hell of a promo. And he didn’t even need a pretty lady by his side to do that. I mean holy fuck, you can talk!”
The tone of his voice conveys genuine praise.
“Now, just so nobody gets the wrong idea, I’ll clear something up: When I say “pretty lady” in reference to Esme, I don’t actually mean I find her attractive. No. It’s just a way to point out just how little I think of her, and the only way to get through to a high and mighty hootintootin gal like her is to be condescending. So with that out of the way, lets get down to the business that actually matters. The day that Thunder meets Tirri at CORONATION.
That happens in six days and… fuck it, unlike Luthie I don’t feel like calculating the exact number of hours and minutes and seconds it takes until the bell rings at CORONATION. So I’ll just stick to the number of days. Six. That means we are 22 days removed from the moment I laid Luthie out on the floor at Revolution 4. Eight days removed from the signing of the contract that set our fates in stone and made this clash at CORONATION official. And since that day Luthie, since the day I laid you out you have been a hard man to find .Outside Revolution 5 you have barely shown your face to the public. So yes. Believing that you are a man who remains behind the scenes, locked up in his Ivory tower is very much a legitimate take. But more on that later on.”
Tirri shrugs and sips his drink, the small cringe in his face betraying the fact that it isn’t exactly to his tastes.
“See thing is Luthie, nobody has questioned your reputation or the weight your name carries. Atleast nobody with even the slightest lick of sense. Be it down south in Georgia, Up north in Edmonton or any other place you have brought your considerable talent and imposing presence to. And even though I couldn’t even begin to claim I know what goes in the head of our esteemed boss Jax, from a purely business standpoint I would imagine it is that name value that you bring that he was looking for when he reached out to sign you. I mean, anyone who has followed you or him in the recent times knows that he was there down south working his ass off to improve business for an unappreciative bitch, and you were one of his trusted men. Just like so long ago in a promotion far far away you, him and infact that masked freak fighting Jaws were the trusted men of a promoter far inferior to Jax. So yes Luthie, your name carries weight. A point I have been making. Be it you, your brother or your sister, when a Thunder walks in through the doors, people pay attention and people feel dread. And no matter how much you claim you aren’t some sort of a hoarder when it come to gold… Lets be real here Luthie. Name one place you have worked for that you haven’t grabbed some in? You might play yourself off as a humble man, but everyone sees through that facade. Something not exactly helped by the pretty lady who loves to ride your coattails. She is obviously very fond of the idea of titlegold. Even moreso than you are. “
The Finn gives the “you know what I mean”-face when he says that, a single look conveying more meaning than any string of words.
“You know, it is actually quite endearing the lengths that you go to trying to hide the fact that you can’t stand me or anything that I stand for. Hiding your disdain in carefully constructed phrases and compliments hiding backhanded insults. And yes, while we do have our similarities Luthie, when you look deep down you and I couldn’t be farther apart. Not just in career trajectories or the company we keep. We are like night and day when it comes to the way we conduct ourselves, the way we see this business, the way we see ourselves and the way we see the world. You Luthie, you clearly fancy yourself a man of fine taste, a cultured man of high class. Using a thoroughly thought out facade to hide the ugly truth from the public eye. I said during the contract signing at Revolution 5 that I wanted to fight Luther the Badass. Luther the Thug. I meant every word of that. Because I KNOW that behind that shiny exterior lies a man who has no bones about beating another man an inch of his life. Behind that exterior of wealth and upper class charm is a beast waiting to be unleashed.
It is funny how you would bring up the fact that I was an announcer. Because it was from that ringside position that I watched you the first time. It was behind that desk that I saw what a true force of nature you could be. Held back by a man desperately trying to keep himself relevant at the expense of anyone who worked for him. Yes, I can talk the talk Luthie, a fact that everybody knows. But I am not an announcer anymore. And you are not a corporate thug anymore. We are both our own men now. And by dismissing my words as merely talking to hear myself talk is a mistake many have done. Even here in UPRISING. See, when I say I am the everyman I am not bullshitting anyone. For someone like you Luthie, who keeps up appearances whenever they can, never daring to as much as crack open the door to show what lies behind… It must be completely incomprehensible to you that I could be genuine in my interactions with the fans, be it behind the merch stand or in the diners or in the bars or hell, infront of the camera. For someone who has never dared to show their true colors to the world, I am an mystery wrapped in an enigma. How can someone like me, a man who has long since passed the age that the men in our business usually hang up their boots, a man who sees his faults, admits to them and pushes on regardless of those, actually be genuine. See, contrary to what you seem to believe Luthie, I am not in UPRISING to con the general public out of their hard earned money. Nor am I here to use UPRISING as a springboard to launch myself into a comfortable retirement.”
Standing up, the Finn tosses his cigarette away and cracks his knuckles.
“No. I am in UPRISING to make it a place that is in everyones lips. In this sea of dime a dozen promotions in every corner of the country, continent, hell the world… I am here to work my ass off to make UPRISING stand out. To be a place etched into the minds of the general public. You claim that I need UPRISING and its fans more than they need me. Sure, that might be true. Hell, if it wasn’t for UPRISING I would’ve been sitting on my ass with nothing to do since December 2nd. But UPRISING DOES need me. They need me because otherwise they are stuck with YOU. There is no denying that you have what it takes to lead an UPRISING when it comes to the inring exploits. AND you undoubtedly have the charisma and oratorical abilities to whip a mass into a frenzy when you choose to. But as a person. As a public figure, you are an antithesis of what this promotion needs. A fact that I have already expanded upon previously.
Fact of the matter is Luthie, I do all those things that I do. Peddle Merchandise. Sign autographs. Record cameos and smile for pictures because I genuinely enjoy it. The Fans are the one part of this business I have never had an issue with. No matter how bitter or angry I have been, I have always known that the fault to my problems has never laid in the men and women who bring their hard earned dollars and euros and pounds and whatnots to the ticketbooths so they can sit down and enjoy a night of violent entertainment. No. My problem has ALWAYS been with company men. Men like you. Men in suits spouting superficial, often pompous bullshit. Men like you, be it with the book or with the bookers cock in their mouths. I don’t just claim to be the everyman Luthie. I AM the everyman. Everything you see is real. That in a nutshell is me.”
He does his now-trademark two thumbs pointing at his chest-pose as he says that, quickly resuming a more neutral stance though.
“And you can bet your dutch ass that this match is fucking HUGE. Not just for yours truly but for the company as a whole. And yes. I have never even attempted to deny that this opportunity is absolutely gigantic for me on a personal level. Which makes this whole thing sorta funny, since you are DESPERATELY trying to push a narrative where I am just like you, just a two-timing son of a bitch who says and does whatever he deems necessary to claim his prize. Luthie. Do you HONESTLY think that if I had a moral backbone just as flexible as yours seems to be… that if I only cared for myself and was prepared to say and do whatever it was necessary to bring myself ahead… that I would have spent such a long period of time in my career in the doldrums? After all, you said it yourself. I am more than capable of getting it done in the ring and when it comes to talking, there are very few who can beat or even match me. So do tell me Luthie, if I was like you and so willing to push whatever narrative I deemed to suit my needs be it verbally, politically or physically… Why have I never made it to your level then?
I mean, I must be an absolutely shitty schemer if despite all the best laid plans of mice and men I have never managed to crack the echelon of this business. Fortunately to you and me, that is not the case. I am not a man who pushes a narrative Luthie. I am a man who calls it like I sees it. That poll? I admit I was a bit disappointed when the numbers came out… but there was no manipulation. I am well aware that I am an acquired taste and just as well as people love me for my no-nonsense attitude, my tendency to rub people the wrong way alienates people just as well. And I don’t need to push any fabricated narrative about me being the underdog. You said it yourself, your name carries weight. Your reputation is undeniable. While little old me is just a journeyman. See Luthie, ultimately you are only projecting your own view of the world and your own insecurities on me. You see duplicity where there is none. You see dishonesty where there is nothing but honesty. You see disingenuity where there is nothing but the brutal truth. And that is why you and I are so different. And it is completely irrelevant whether you believe it or not.”
Taking another sip of his drink, he lights up a second cigarette and takes a few long puffs out of it.
“You keep trying to sell the thought that you are just as approachable as I am. When that is the furthest thing from the truth. I keep calling you out about sitting in your Ivory Tower for a reason. Your argument about the plumber is not a fair comparison in the slightest. Because you see Luthie, unlike bob the plumber or carl the carpenter or even caroline the cashier, you and I.. .we are public figures. We are in the business of entertainment. We are, in various levels of the word, celebrities. So if a fan comes to bother you while you’re out with your wife having a nice dinner? Too damn bad Luthie, you chose a profession where interactions like that are part and parcel. Especially in this era of social media you should just get comfortable with the idea that you HAVE no privacy. The second you leave the premises of whatever location you have chose as your residence, you are liable to be approached. I have accepted that long time ago. I know the internet is full of images and even videos of me doing unsavory things in unsavory locations in various levels of altered states of mind. That is the way the world works. And no matter how you try to spin it, it won’t change.
So you choose instead to sit in your Ivory Tower, looking down on the common folk. Keeping yourself detached from the fans. Hell, detached even from your fellow wrestlers. That bit I did at Revolution 4 is more accurate than you’d like to admit. You have tried so hard to dispel that image ever since I called attention to it. If being in the public eye is such a bother to you Luthie, maybe, just maybe you should consider seeking other avenues of business. Just maybe this business isn’t for you.”
He shrugs as he says this, the fire in his eyes betraying the disdain he has for Luthers attitude.
“You go on how I have attempted to dehumanize you. I have done no such thing. The ONLY thing I have done over these weeks is call attention to the things in your persona and personality that you don’t want people to pay attention to. Not once have I told a lie. Not once have I spoke ill of you without a cause. Because that is what I do Luthie. You might remember the old catchphrase I used earlier in my career. “I say it so you don’t have to”. I poke at the facade someone puts up until it cracks, I take a look at what lies beneath and then… and then I speak out loud the words that those afraid of consequences… afraid of their careers and well being dare not speak. I expose people for the frauds and assholes they are. And it has come back to bite me in the ass. See Luthie, nowadays I have reached a point where I try to keep any and all interactions with colleagues or employers respectable. But almost without exception the longer I interact with someone, the higher the chance comes of them doing or saying something that sets me off. Hell, all you need to do is look at the past Revolutions and how my interactions with Flix and Pinky evolved. Both I started out respectfully, even friendly. Bantering back and forth like old friends. And BOTH ended up doing or saying shit that set me off. And I tore both to pieces verbally.
Now I know Pinky still occasionally attempts to insert herself into my business ,but I have made it painfully obvious that I do not care one bit about anything she has to say and she has move on to torment other people .Hell, my rants at her probably exposed her to a level she was uncomfortable. And Flix… She was almost as active as I was the first few months of UPRISING but ever since I put her down and out at Revolution 3… ever since I called her out on every single stupid thing she has said and done… she has gone silent. Eerily silent. THAT is what I do Luthie. I won’t claim sole credit for the above facts… but you cannot deny the fact that both have greatly toned down their social media and promowork presence after getting schooled by yours truly both in the mic and in the ring.”
Another few puffs of his cigarette follows. You can see from his demeanour that it is not often he goes for this long, which underlines just how high of a regard he holds the upcoming match.
“Now. Ultimately all the things we say in these promos and in social media won’t have much weight at CORONATION when the bell rings. At best they put butts in the seats, which is a good thing for UPRISING, and/or allow one of us claim a mental upper hand even before said bell rings. But the fact is Luthie, that on February 6th history will be made. And while you make a damn fine point about men like Knox, JC, Mac or Dunn not having taken part of the tournament… Its a moot one. In this business you snooze you lose. And I have no doubt that whoever of us walks out of CORONATION as the champion will have to face ALL of the aforementioned men with the belt at stake. Not to mention other members of the roster like Stone, Ryan, Nevaeh and so on. But such is life in this business. This tournament was fought between the men and women who signed up in time. And through 6 gruelling weeks of hard fought matches, the two of us stand tall.
You are very correct in that CORONATION won’t be the culmination of our stories. But merely a beginning. Like you so helpfully have reminded me and everyone else the few times you have chose to grace us with your presence… Winning the title is just the beginning. But I am a man who prefers to walk before learning to run. Sure, winning the title means that you will have a target painted on your back and everyone worth a damn in this promotion will be gunning for you. But you have to win the belt first. And so many men and women in this business have NEVER reached that point in their careers. So yes, even the simple act of winning the title is a major milestone. So don’t you try to diminish it even the slightest. Even though I do understand why you attempt to do it. You do it so you have an excuse to hide behind if you lose. See Luthie, if you beat me at CORONATION mano y mano. I will shake your hand and bow down to the superior athlete. Afterwards I will probably drink myself senseless, wallow in self pity at a missed opportunity, maybe ponder about retirement for a moment. But ultimately even if I lose I know I can’t stay away from this business. So should you beat me at CORONATION Luthie, I can promise you this: I will be back. No matter how long it takes, I will climb the mountain again. Once I get the disappointment of defeat out of my system I WILL get up and get right back to fighting.”
He thumps his chest to emphasize his words, the fire in him being well and truly lit.
“Because if there is one thing that has always been true… one constat about the man who stands infront of you today. If there is ONE thing about Don Tirri that has never changed, will never change.. Its the fact that I always come back. I always bounce back. No matter how deep the dive I take is. No matter how great the pain i go through is. No matter how old and busted up I get… I will ALWAYS bounce back. And another thing that will ring true long after I have finally been put six feet under. After I finally mouth my last insult, throw my last boot and drink my last beer… one thing will ring true. The name Don Tirri will never be forgotten. Love me. Hate me. Despise me. Pity me. No matter how you spin it… I leave an impression. Good. Bad. Ugly. makes no difference. It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you aren’t Luthie. And I am real. As real as anyone gets. Whether it takes me to the heights of superstardom or the depths of hellish half-life is irrelevant. I am. What I am.
And at CORONATION Luthie… I will tear off the mask that you hide your true self behind. I will expose to the whole damn world what you are. I will poke and prod and push you until you snap and give me what I want. Luther the badass. Luther the thug. And at the end of the night when we’ve spent god knows how many minutes it takes to beat the absolute living SHIT out of each other… There is one thing that nobody can deny or change. There WILL be a champion standing tall. And the UPRISING title will have its first holder. The company will have a face who will represent the company.”
And with that the camera zooms right into him so that his smiling visage fills the frame to the brim as he emphatically speaks the last few words of the recording.
“And Luther… that face will be MINE.”
(OOC NOTE: If anyone is still reading after that wall of text, here is a little CD piece I did originally for Levelup, but since it has some good character moments, I figured I'd share with you here aswell)
Back Home(off-cam)
It had been a long drive back home from my first excursion to Indianapolis. I pulled my Corvette to the driveway of my house in Reno and went in, throwing my bag to the livingroom floor and crashing down on the couch. I was exhausted, more so than I had believed I’d be. I kicked off my boots and threw my feet on the armrest on the couch, staring at the ceiling. Never really managed to get comfortable with the american custom of wearing shoes indoors, so that was usually the first thing I did after getting inside.
Suddenly I heard noise from the stairwell to the second floor and glanced from under my arm that I had placed over my face, seeing that I wasn’t alone. And before I could speak up I heard Donny’s voice.
“Hey old man, didn’t think you’d be back this soon. Figured you wouldn’t mind me crashing here even if you weren’t home” The kiddo was in casual clothes, which didn’t really surprise me. After I had told him he could crash at my place if his roomie began to piss him off, he had carried a bag full of spare clothes to my place.
“Yeah, no problem kiddo. As long as you refill the fridge after you leave and don’t hold a houseparty while I’m gone, by all means. I told you you were welcome to crash anytime, and I meant it.”
Donny chuckled “Aight, just wanted to make sure.” He sat down on the armchair opposite the couch. “So, rough trip?”
“Yes and no. I still like the long hours of driving, but the motel I had to sleep in was a real shithole. Not the first one I’ve been to, but I guess that after the comfy hotel I spent the first months in Reno at and now this place, I’ve gotten picky.” I flashed him a small grin and stretched. “Roomie pissing you off again?” It was more of a statement than a question. Donny didn’t exactly like going into detail, but I had skimmed a lot from the little he did say.
And sure enough he looked a bit uncomfortable. “Yeah, you can say that. We had a bit of a falling out. I might be hanging around a bit longer this time. That cool with you? I can call on a few other friends to find a couch spot if I’m bothering ya old man.” He was clearly trying to place his words carefully and I noticed he wasn’t even really looking at me.
I was quiet for a while. On the other hand, I didn’t mind the kiddo hanging at my place, we got along well, he helped me fix my diet and workouts and the way he saw the world reminded me a lot of myself. But then again. I had always kept myself at an arms length of everyone. Was I really okay with letting this 20-something kid basically live under my roof?
I didn’t even understand why it felt so natural to hang around with him. It was like we’d known each other for years. And I mean, from his PoV you could argue that we did. Growing up with a mother who was a near-obsessed fan of mine. Or atleast thats how he has phrased it. And from my PoV… He didn’t judge my habits or my personality. Which was more than any friend I had ever had truly could say. So eh. Why not. Besides. There was that nagging feeling that there was something too familiar about Donny. Something that ran deeper than mere friendship. And I don’t mean in the physical side of things. But a connection that I couldn’t put my hand on.
Hell, he reminded me a lot of myself when I was in my 20’s. So maybe thats why I had taken him under my wing so naturally. Who knows.
Donny noticed that I had been quiet for a long time and sighed. “Aight, I’ll call up a friend and be outta your hair soon. Don’t worry.”
I sat up and gave him a frown. “Sorry kiddo, didn’t mean it like that. I’m old, sometimes I just fall into my own world. Like I said, just keep the fridge stocked and you can stick around as long as you want. Just two rules: Don’t drink my boozes, and don’t bring girls in unless they have a friend who’s into more experienced guys. I don’t want to come in after a show and find this place turned into a college frat party, aight?” I smiled as I said the last part and gave him a pat in the back.
Donny busts out laughing and shakes his head. “Sure thing dad. I’ll behave.”
That stopped me on my tracks. I gave him a stern stare. “I know you like to kid around Donny, but that joke ain’t funny. I get it. You grew up without one. And I know your mom held me in some kind of a weird pedestal through your whole childhood. But I’m not your father. So don’t even kid around with that aight?”
Donny was quiet. Maybe I was a bit harsh. I did lecture him like a parent would in a way. He looks like he’s about to say something but doesn’t. Until he sighs and nods. “Aight, sorry bout that old man.” A second passes and he glances up to me with a grin. “But the other part still applies, I’ll behave.”
I sat back down. “Then welcome to my abode Donny. Infact you’ll have the run of the place after next week. Got a call from up north, they’re back running again. So I’ll have a busy week. Reno 6th, Indianapolis on the 9th and then Edmonton on the 11th. I’ll probably be back by Friday though.” I sighed a bit. My life had suddenly gotten very busy.
Donny raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Alright, I get it. Life on the road and all that jazz right?” He gave me a meaningful stare. “But anyway, how was Levelup? I watched the show and it was pretty entertaining. Shame about the result though.”
I groaned. “Yeah, I lost. First pinfall loss I had since I got back into the spin of things in October. But I kinda knew it was gonna come sooner than later anyway,and Wendy is someone I didn’t mind losing to. Atleast she isn’t a cunt like Luther.” I had tried to keep UPRISING out of my thoughts while at Levelup, but it was kinda hard to push it aside completely considering the stakes on the 6th. But I forced myself to not think about it. “Other than that, Levelup was great. I liked the setup they got there and the staff, as much as I interacted with them, were professional. Well except maybe for that color commentator girl, DeSue or something.” I looked at Donny and scratched my head. “What the hell is TikTok? She came to me after the match and asked me to come talk to hers.”
Donny blinked and bust out laughing. “You don’t know what TikTok is? Seriously. You really ARE an old man. It’s the new hotness. Kinda like twitter, but with videos. I guess she took a liking to you. Maybe you should teach her how to play with YOUR joystick. That’d make a helluva tiktok.”
“Oh fuck you kiddo.” I groaned and reached over to give him a slap on the head, which seemed to just cause him to laugh harder. “Fucking hell. I will not sit here in my own home and be ridiculed by some snot-nosed kid. Dammit Donny, I’m a wrestler, not an influencer.”
For his credit, Donny managed to quell the laughter, wiping tears from his eyes as he did. “Man… that was funny. You should take the girl up on her offer next time around. Who knows, maybe she’ll teach you a trick or two and the next thing you know you can open an onlyfans.” He tried desperately to keep a straight face.
I actually did know Onlyfans, and because of that I groaned, knowing I was gonna lose this exchange. “Oh fuck you kiddo, real clever. I bet your roomie will appreciate your humor more, maybe I should send you back to him?” I gave him a stare.
That snapped him back. “Aight, aight chill old man.Guess I need to add that to the list of “Do not joke around about” aswell.” He was quiet for a moment. “AAANYWAY, changing the subject. I’m heading off to work, wanna come in for a workout?”
I shook my head. “Nah. I need to kick back and relax for a while. Maybe boot up a camera and talk a bit. Ya know how it goes. I’ll come tomorrow, promise.”
Donny stood up and shrugged. “Sure. Just trying to keep you in shape, since you got 3 jobs now and one of the bookings is basically the biggest match in your career. But I get it, long drive and everything. I’ll catch ya later then.” He gave me a sly smirk, the bastard was trying to guilt me into coming with him. But it wasn’t working. I was too tired.
“Yeahyeah, tomorrow, I promise. Have fun kiddo” I waved him off and laid back down. I needed a nap.