Worth the battle.
* Fanatic RP for C11.
FADE IN.
The outfield seats of Fenway Park. We see a sea of chairs in ‘Fenway Green,’ but find only one man walking up the steps. He wears a sleeveless white t-shirt with the Major League Baseball logo on it, and reads: “Major League Baseball: Strike And Lockout-Free Since 1994”; a pair of SilverTab jeans; and a pair of blue-lensed, silver-rimmed Revo Abyss sunglasses. Walking up to a particular row, he finds his seat-- a lone red seat. Taking his place in the seat, he reaches back and adjusts the tied back portion of his golden blonde hair. The shot closes in on Larry Tact as he speaks.
LARRY TACT: “Back in a time when just about everyone walking the world wasn’t so much as a promiscuous urge yet… 1912... is the year this ballpark opened. Closing in on 100 years later, people are still able to appreciate it.”
“And this seat I’m in… this is where a memory that has lasted through generation upon generation still lives on. This is where a fan sat when Ted Williams hit a 500-foot home run, and hit the guy. The tale goes that, at that time, hitting a baseball so far was such an extraordinary feat for anyone to have done, they changed the green seat out for this red one.”
“History can be a great indicator, in some people’s view. To be honest, I don’t feel that way about most things. It’s simply not true that people ‘listen to history’ and, ‘learn from their mistakes.’ We repeat our mistakes time and again, and make history repeat itself in one form or another.”
“But then, there are some times when history does matter. It isn’t often, but sometimes there are instances where people… appreciate… history. They look back and appreciate the significance of what has come about before their time. “
(He motions around.)
“This ballpark is an example of that. When you take care of something that’s of great significance, it remains significant to the wider world. It retains the importance because fans pass down stories and history. And this place is spoken of as one of the greatest treasures of its sport, gaining appreciation and respect for still being here, each and every year.”
“In wrestling, of course, that respect and significance of history is even rarer. People are disrespected left and right, and history can be forgotten quite easily, if people are caught by the newest flashy thing or concept. For me, that’s disappointing. I feel strongly that history in wrestling can make for a great present. And I’m not just talking about who won Championships when. That isn’t what I’m talking about at all.”
“At PrimeTime, I showed exactly what I was talking about. I may not have won my match, but I showed the power of history, before and during that triple threat. I made history relevant, and then added history to what has been a storied rivalry. And I‘m proud of it, even in defeat. If history has taught me anything, it’s that defeat is never a bad thing unless you make it so. And for me, the Gold Standard of New ERA? Well, I just don’t sweat a rare loss. It’s like this red seat-- significant in its time, but overall, only a piece of the grander history. And Larry Tact’s overall history is one of success.”
“I could say more, and at PrimeTime, maybe I will. But right now, it’s not about me, and it isn’t about my PrimeTime opponents. If you look back at history, there is another point to be made, and that is this: New ERA has and continues to be about its Champion. Yes, there are always peripheral happenings influencing the scene. But in the end, when it comes down to it, everyone locks in on the New ERA Championship. The New ERA Champion is the driving force of the company, and the leader of its direction.”
(He grins.)
“And finally… THANKFULLY… it is NOT Mister Entertainment!“
“At PrimeTime, Fanatic fulfilled the Tact Legacy. My brother went out and captured the New ERA Championship. And not just once-- he emerged as the 14th AND 16th New ERA Champion! You can spin it however you want, and I’m sure everyone will have their opinion. At the end of the night, Fanatic erased any doubt as to how far he would go to stake his claim in New ERA history, and restore the Championship to a place it hasn’t been in years…”
“Because the New ERA Championship has been all about entertainment recently. That’s fine, to a degree, but lately it’s gone overboard. The New ERA Champion has gone through a phase driven by elaborate studios; props; over-the-top speeches; busty sisters; and then, somewhere in the mix, in passing… title defenses.”
“Now, while studios should look nice, that’s really a job for interior designers. Props, they’re like crutches; the more you use, the more you’re compensating for what you lack. And if I wanted to hear speeches in the ring, I’d go to Congress and listen to the epic borefests that go on there every week. As for Shawn Hart‘s sister, well… I‘m pretty sure that wasn’t the first time he‘s been pinned down in a strange place. We’ll just leave it at that…“
“When you look back, you’d think it was a late-night talk show being run with all these things, when in fact, HELLO! This is a WRESTLING COMPANY. So we‘re going to scale back on some of this excessive glamour, and tap into what made this company great in the first place.”
“While Mister Entertainment has been focused on, shocker, himself and his title loss… the Tact Legacy has been in discussions with NEW brass about how to shake up the landscape. And at Cyberstrike 11, we’re going to return New ERA to two core principles: the wrestling, and the fans.”
“But for now, let’s focus on the wrestling, shall we? That brings us to Yossi Hayat, the Smark Boy! The ‘Austistic Miracle,’ which is no doubt one of the more colorful monikers I‘ve heard in my career. Yossi, you deserve props for fulfilling your own promise, and that‘s to step up to the plate and cash in your banked shot at the New ERA Championship. You’ve got a tough act to follow, considering what went down at PrimeTime.”
“And just remember, when you’re talking about how you’re going to dethrone the New ERA Champion… remember how far he went at PrimeTime. Remember how he survived it to become New ERA Champion. Remember… that he is now going to be at full strength, come Cyberstrike.”
“Lay off your tales of fiction, Yossi, and appreciate the history happening before your eyes. Appreciate the tale of the ‘Elite Enigma,’ Fanatic, and his road to the New ERA Championship. And appreciate that you’re about to kick off a new chapter in the Tact Legacy. It’s the one where Fanatic stands toe-to-toe with you, in the ring, and show how serious he is about putting the Wrestling back… in New ERA of WRESTLING.”
(FADE TO: between the walls of the Green Monster. It is a place even celebrities and stars are fascinated by. Today its confines play host to the New ERA Champion. Fanatic stands wearing a pair of blue cargo pants, a custom-made red baseball jersey with ‘New ERA of Wrestling‘ in navy blue, as well as the #16; and navy blue mask with red infinity ‘Mark of Fanatic’ on the front. He observes the autographs of ballplayers, celebrities, and the like, seemingly taking it all in. With the New ERA Championship strapped around his waist, Fanatic takes up a marker and signs an open space on the wall.)
FANATIC
“It would be an understatement saying that this has been a thrill. Being here … Fenway Park … with free reign to roam the halls, and absorb the time-honored traditions and memories, eternally stored in the banners … the numbers … the history. I do not take a particular rooting interest … however, I appreciate the passion of the sport. I certainly have a passion for it, and so it makes this day all the more special.”
(He reaches out and touches part of the wall, running his hand across it momentarily.)
“However, it also makes for a greater appreciation of what we have here. Yossi Hayat … I’m not sure if you are a fan of baseball, itself … but surely you understand how fragile life can be? Do not mistake my passion for baseball as forgotten … simply understand that it is pieces of lives, interwoven to create something bigger than themselves. Understand that it is a conduit for many, many lives to congregate … for many souls to find a haven for their spirit, and to find a passion to invest those spirits in. After all, in the beginning it was not money or fame that drove the breath of life into baseball. That was provided for by the spirits of people.”
“In that sense, New ERA of Wrestling is not so different. While money certainly is a necessary asset for businesses … without passion, no one would invest even that financial portion. And without passion, no amount of money is worth investing into a company with no one attending. Yossi, you see … New ERA has always and will always be driven by the fans. And at PrimeTime, I showed the fans that… passion and spirit… matter.”
“I set out to have a match for the New ERA Championship, with Mister Entertainment. What I ended up experiencing was three matches, an arena-wide brawl, and a steel cage thrown in, how would one say… for good measure. And Yossi, do you understand what kept driving me towards the next maneuver … the next match … and finally, to overcoming the opponent, the steel cage, and claiming the Championship?”
“I would be dishonest to say it was solely the abilities I have honed over my career. No, Yossi, for when one endures the night I was subjected to … it is difficult to say things were not on the razor’s edge of tilting in an opposing direction. However, where was it that Mister Entertainment and I differed? What was it the Mister Entertainment refused, and I myself embraced?”
“The idea of passion and spirit … that of the fans … the significance of what has transpired over the years in that ring. The Spirit of the Ring … the Craze … it was almost tangible in its essence. These facets of the night, Yossi … the emotions projected through the Craze … these are what I remember most vividly. They are not to be denied, not to be so roughly and crassly brushed aside.”
“And now, Yossi, you believe it will be so easily dismissed? You proclaim that all the life that went into PrimeTime … all of what the New ERA faithful invested in … can be unmade with but a declaration of your coming efforts? Yossi … I am the unfortunate bearer of some bad news for you…“
“Your whims do not dictate the direction of the New ERA Championship. You are sadly mistaken if you believe it is all about you. This…(points to the title)… the New ERA Championship, is a symbol. It is essentially a representation of the efforts of many, many competitors in many battles. And it is currently driven by the spirit of the Craze … and looking at Seasons One and Two … the Craze has only continued to grow stronger.”
“With the New ERA fans behind the Craze, I shall make sure to honor them along with this title. And that is not intended as a disrespect to yourself, Yossi. I realize that you shall not bow easily to myself. I acknowledge that you have earned your opportunity at the New ERA Championship through your work in the ring. However … you are one who has experienced the Craze. You have been touched by the Craze … have you found an answer to it, yet? Are you prepared to face up to what comes with it?”
“For my part, as Champion, I must respect the legacy of this company … appreciate the passion of the fans … and defend this title to the last. So while you may desire to be New ERA Champion, Yossi Hayat … understand that I have more reason and desire than ever before. And I am squarely aiming to uphold the standard I have brought since Season One, straight through PrimeTime. For it has been begun again … the build of the wave of the Craze … and come Cyberstrike, it will be prepared to wash over a new battle, and consume …”
“… all in a blur.”
FADE OUT.
