Against All Odds

[jayshort]

"You okay?"

Sean Stevens and Poison Ivy were only moments into their search for their dressing room and a hot shower. Sean, still wearing the same black & blue tights with his trademark 'X' on the back that he wrestled in minutes earlier, slipped on a sleeveless, white t- shirt, covering his partially sweaty body. Ivy, stood by his side, touching her neck slightly, in the areas where she was sore.

"It's a little sore right here in the front, but I'm fine.... What about you?"

"I'm fine physically. ...the bastard hardly touched me. I'm more upset about him putting his hands on you, y'know? ...and, how he's trying to expose us."

"Sean, don't worry about it. Half the world already knows anyway. We kinda put our private lives out on public display in the fWo ourselves..."

Sean grinned.

"No... You put us out there."

They both shared a smile. Sean spoke again.

"You sure you okay, Ivy?"

"Of course. Been through FAR worse. Don't worry about me. Go on and shower up, I'll stop by the dressing room in about a half an hour."

"Okay... don't be too long."

Sean reached out and touched Ivy's hand, as she went her way, down one end of the hall, and he prepared to go his, in the opposite direction. Sean stood there for a moment, however... watching Ivy as she made her way to wherever it was she was going.

She was tough. ...tough as hell. But, Sean saw the grip Ryan locked on her, it HAD to be more painful than she told him. Ryan was a huge man, in height and weight... and, Ivy was about a buck ten... it just didn't add up.

Ivy, obviously, didn't want Sean to worry. And, she knew that if she said she was anything other than okay... Sean's focus would no longer be the match, instead... it'd be on hurting Dan Ryan.

But, what she didn't know was... that's EXACTLY where his motivtion was.


As Sean prepared to enter his dressing room... he noticed a cameraman, in a CSWA jacket carrying his equipment in his direction. Stevens signalled for him to walk his direction.

 

[jayshort]

Against All Odds(the Promo)

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Jul-18-02 AT 03:30 PM (EDT)]"So I guess you think you're bad now, huh Ryan?"

fade- in:

[small]Sean sat on a bench next to his locker, shirtless, with a towel draped over his shoulder. All signs pointed toward him heading for the showers, as soon as he was finished. He ran his fingers through his long golden hair, before looking up at the camera again.[/small]

"I personally can't understand why. You were everything I said you'd be. Which is the total opposite of everything you thought you were. You think I'm impressed by what you did to Carl Brigsby a couple of weeks ago? Please... Ryan, I'm not impressed until you do it to me. You're so bad, right? So tough. GXW champion, and all that jazz... but, guess what? I'm still walking. Still talking. You haven't shown me a damned thing, other than the fact that you're smarter than you look. ...and, know how to high- tail- it when the situation gets a little tough.

"I'm a tune- up for Fish Fund, right? Well guess what, B#tch? ...this is Fish Fund. No more excuses, Ryan. No more games. You wanna cut, paste, and strategically place pieces of my promo in certain areas of yours, so that you'll have something to talk about? Go right ahead. You wanna show the fans what I know I said, and play with their intelligence, by altering my words... twisting them up... leaving important pieces of the sentence out? Have fun. It didn't have anything to do with our match tonight, and it won't have anything to do with the outcome at Fish Fund XIII.

"Call me a contradiction. A Liar. Gay. ...hell, you can call me 'Susan' for all I care. It doesn't matter. What matters is, I didn't get the job done like I wanted to tonight, which means I'm not done with you. You said you plan on annoying me for a while... well, unless I feel a sudden urge to be compassionate... I'm gonna send your punk a## packing, tail tucked, eating your meals through a straw.

"That's how serious this is, Ryan.

"You thought you were so cool, exposing my personal life to the fans... then, having the audacity to put your hands on her? ...now I'm gonna expose you. For the fraud you are. For the phony tough, talentless hack you always were. And, there is only one way to stop me, Ryan...

"...don't show up..."

[small]Sean had two un- opened bottles of water in front of him. His throat was cracking, so he opened one and sipped it before returning his attention to the camera.[/small]

"Now, Shane Southern... I don't know you, I won't lie. And, I can hardly understand a damned thing your country a## says... But, I've seen you wrestle, I've seen you handle your business in the ring, and you're well worth the hype. You're very talented, Shane. I watched as you beat Evan Aho for the Greensboro Title... I've watched you give Hornet a hell of a match, and even saw you and Aho team up a couple of times.

"See Shane, I didn't know you, and I never had a problem with you, but I watched. I watched because I know that you - just like me - happen to be a young superstar with all the right tools to break the CSWA barrier. You're a contender. Hungry. And, have a bright future in this business. I knew the day would come when you and I were on the opposite sides of the ring, and I understand that it's not gonna be easy. But, Shane... I firmly believe this - and, I'm not just talking - it's not your time. I believe in destiny, and it'd be tough to convince me that winning the US Championship at Fish Fund isn't mine. I know you're good, Shane... but, I know I'm better. I know you can and will do great things in this business... but, the things I've done and am gonna do, will far exceed anything you place on the table.

"Why? Because I've been blessed with an unmatched amount of skill.

"I truly believe that I can't be beaten, unless I beat myself. I guaranteed I wouldn't lose to Dan Ryan, and because he's a coward, he wouldn't allow me to beat him in the manner in which I know I can. He ran to save face... He'll use his whole: 'I didn't take you seriously' or 'I didn't want to waste my time, with Fish Fund being around the corner' spiel... but, the fact remains the same... at the end of the day... *I* won. I did what I said I'd do.

"...well I think I can beat you, Southern. And, I think I'm better than you. And I think you think otherwise, so it'll be my pleasure to beat you and prove it.

"With all due respect."

[small]A loud noise was heard in the background. ...it was Ivy entering Sean's dressing room, expecting him showered and ready to go, imagine her surprise when she saw him in the same outfit he wrestled in, sweating the same sweat she saw about thirty minutes earlier, in front of a camera. Sean paid her little mind, however... his focus was on the task at hand, and she... being the professional that she is, stepped aside and simply watched the rest on the sidelines.[/small]

"Now, I was trying to figure out where to piece you into this, Hornet. Do I hate you? No... I dispise you for turning your back on the same people that made you a millionaire. I hate you for making Ivy's life a living hell, but in the same token, Love you for making Ivy's life a living hell, because if you hadn't... she'd probably be with you, not me.

"So, thank you, Hornet. You've given me the greatest gift one can give. ...the Love of My Life. Blame Dan Ryan that it's out in the open like it is. But, not only that... You've obviously taken a liking to me, Hornet. You saw what happened the last time you and I wrestled. And, you've made it right. Tom Adler, eager to get the one- up on you and I in anyway that he could, ruined a question I've always wondered.

"I've heard the stories. Better than that, I've seen alot of 'em. And, I'm not gonna lie and say I wasn't impressed because I was. I screamed for you, just as loud as the next man, and when I entered this business and you turned your back on the world, I kept on screaming, because as another pretty popular performer, even if I didn't agree with it - I felt your pain. I thought - at the time - that we were similar. That we believed in some of the same things. But, I've realized now - all these years later - that I don't want anything to do with you... and, I can be a far better man than you ever were.

"Save me the excuses, Hornet. Merritt and Melton set that whole 'kid' plan in motion, but Merritt didn't force you to sleep with her. Chad did end up being the bad guy when it was all said and done, but you, Eli, and Randalls staked your claim because you wanted to, and each of you said the part when you got your turn on the stick."

[small]Sean smirked.[/small]

"Now, it appears you're spending most of your time explaining yourself. Justifying your past actions. Well... save it. We went through this the last time... I've heard your side of the story and I'm not sure if I can stomach it anymore.

"I just want you to 'bring it'. Your 'A game'. All the tricks... all the things that made you the man that you are, so when I beat you, I'll know that I didn't just beat a man who's living off of his reputation. A shell of his former self. I hate unfinished business Hornet, and I feel like the last time we wrestled, nothing was proven, because Tom Adler didn't allow it. But, this is different...

"...this is Fish Fund. The entire world will be watching. I'm sure you don't want to go home empty handed, just like I don't. I know I'm not in your top ten category of 'worst nightmare', but I also know that I'm ready. Ready to take that giant leap onto the next level. It is my goal to be CSWA World Heavyweight Champion, and I feel like it starts here. I don't know what's going on with you and the GXW, and you can call me 'selfish' if you want... but, I want your undivided attention. And, if I don't have it already... I plan on getting it. Because Hornet..."

[small]He paused for a moment, as his lips formed a thin smile.[/small]

"... I can't see myself leaving Texas without the CSWA United States Title."

[small]Sean turned in another direction, perhaps turning his attention to Ivy... who knows? All that mattered was, he got his point across and was ready to shower.[/small]

fade- to- black

 

[DBrunkGXW]

RE: Against All Odds(the Promo)

Cut to a crowded airport waiting area. Dan Ryan is sitting in a secluded corner roped off by several security guards. Ryan is leaning back...sunglasses on...street clothes...waiting for the next flight out...two matches in two days....finally...some rest....

Ryan: Ahhhh, Sean Stevens. I'm so glad we're getting the chance to talk again. I've missed the stimulating feeling that our little discourses bring me. I'm gonna do you the service of answering your questions in a simple and direct manner. You see, the night before our....match...I was defending my World title. A much more interesting and imminently more important match I should say, but I won't offer up that excuse. In fact an excuse is one thing I don't need because the answer to your question is quite simple really. It's not our time yet, my friend. Not our time at all. In fact, the answer to all of your questions is coming very very soon. So soon in fact that at Fish Fund...there will be many questions that no longer need asking. I'm continually touched by your name calling. B!tch and whatnot, but I'm simply in no condition to play the insult game today. Give me some time to recover from the exhaustion of a real match, a World title defense...a real challenge. As for the pointing out of your private life. (Ryan snickers) Ohhhh, I think you should know by now that I did that only for my own personal amusement..."

"But often in life we find that when we're not looking...we come across the most interesting things. Like for example, sometimes a person is so busy trying to prevent another from seeing one weakness...that he fails to notice himself exposing another. It seems that your one weakness is one that I should have noticed before, and that now...you have put it on display for the entire world. I've had my hands on your weakness once already. How interesting it was to see you abandon your wits and come running, and in that moment...in that one solitary instance...I learned all I need to know about you. What would happen to Sean Stevens I wonder if something were to befall the fair lady McGinniss?

Ryans leans his head down and looks up at the camera with a sneering grin on his face

"Ahhh, yes. But you see, Stevens I really am not a violent man. Violence is a means to an end at times I admit but in the end, I find it does it's job only when properly prepared. Things between us...oh, they're not even remotely beginning to come around to that point yet. But don't fret, my good man. All good things come to those that wait.

And waiting is something you're gonna have to do a little more of...Susan....

Ryan smiles and looks out the window at the approaching plans then goes on

"You know, before everything went down...before Evan Aho tried to make a mockery of my company on our own show and before I put out the open challenge that brought us together, I knew nothing of XXXstacy...of Triple X...Trips....Sean Stevens. I knew nothing of you and I didn't really feel that missing void in my life because of it. But you've played your part wonderfully, Sean. Played it to a 'T'. In fact! (Ryan raises one finger up in thought as he continues) In fact...anyone may have done just fine but I don't think anyone would have dropped into the situation so perfectly. The bold up and coming superstar coming to the defense of his company. Yes, I do believe nothing could have gone much better. And now...your life and career is an open book. Exposed to the world for all to see. And believe me when I tell you, it will be exploited...and it will be exploited mercilessly. Not a spot unsearched...not a stone unturned. And you will look back on me and wonder...why? Why is it? Why is it that I put myself into that situation? You had your little Ivy. And now...now I fear you don't know what lies ahead for you. But I digress..."

Ryan takes a moment to collect his thoughts, as several people call out his name in recognition..

"Shane Southern, I must admit to much of the same as my good friend Mr. Stevens. I know very little of you, and what I do know of you I will keep to myself for the moment. But I can assure you that beating that runt Evan Aho for any title...in any company...is meaningless. With that as your claim to fame, I would call that claim completely empty. The coming days will tell the tale for you, I would think. Until then, consider this a reprieve..."

"Ah, but Hornet. The one and only...the big bad granddaddy of all CSWA jackasses, Hornet. You I know, and all too well I'm afraid. See, Hornet...I don't really give a damn about 'As the CSWA turns' like Triple Snooze does. I don't care if you banged Ivy McGinnis, Carl McGinniss, Carl Sagan or Old King Cole. Quite honestly if you spent your free time getting your buddies together and gangbanging Chad Merritt's mother I still wouldn't give a damn. Who you dated, who you impregnated...all meaningless. But what is NOT meaningless is you chose to make a hero of yourself, didn't you? A simple problem between Evan Aho and myself became your newest cause. Your newest cross to thrust yourself upon and gain another dash of what goes for hero worship around here. The problem is, you've opened up a big can of worms that your creaking old bones aren't prepared for. I'm really not as dumb as you all think I am, you know.. (smile) ..I'm fully prepared for what will take place in this match. I see three CSWA stalwarts on one side, and me...all by my little bitty lonesone...on the other side. Now one might look at those odds and call that a bit of a set up. But not me. I see it as oppurtunity. Oppurtunity for what..you'll find out on your own."

"Fish Fund...my very first...in Texas...right at home..."

A stewardess calls out for early boarding for the flight to Houston...

"I can't wait..."

F2B