Re: WRESTLEVERSE IV: EPW TAG TITLES: Steven Shane & Stalker (cc) vs. Karl Brown & Ota
[FADE IN to a frozen wasteland, the wind howling, tearing at the thick ice sheets. The scene is something not of this world, the deep vermillion sky home to three moons: if you look closely, one spews fire and another shoots a near frozen liquid miles into space. The third moon appears less active, but is pitted and battered by countless ages of attack from asteroids, meteors and comets.
The frozen wind-torn environment we find ourselves in is no more inviting. There are the odd spikes of what appear like ruins, crooked and twisted beneath shimmering ice, but whether these are structures of some ancient civilisation or a natural structure it’s impossible to know. In the middle of this frozen waste stand two men. One is shivering, wrapped up warm, and the other… since when has “The Dragon” appeared in something like this in keeping with what the scene sets? His hair is windswept and he’s being blown by ice, but he takes it in stride, while his partner for Wrestleverse is wrapped up so warm we can barely make out his blonde hair]
Karl: You know, whenever I listen to guys like Stalker I can’t help but think, “Aww, diddums.” Because somewhere along the way, for whatever reason he wants to give, he’s morphed from a grown man into a crying bully. A dangerous crying bully, yes – the an insecure kid who can break your arm is still someone who can break your arm, no matter what insecurities they have. But nothing more than a bully, whichever way you look at it.
You mention a triple threat – to be honest I wasn’t paying attention. I suppose I did make a mistake, if you look closely, on paper. If you look at it another way, though, that triple threat combined with your first round match really only counts as against two teams. If you want to go down the technicality route that you went down before, since Team V.I.A.G.R.A. had never competed in Empire Pro that I can recall before, and the Colossal Connection haven’t been on a hot streak of late. Going down your line of reasoning, that those two regular teams don’t really count, then the facts that Aaron Jones isn’t a wrestler and Erik Black bailed on his partner means that I was right and you beat three teams.
Come on, Stalker. Either Otaku and I beat two teams in one night to earn this shot, against teams that wanted it, or you only beat three teams. You can try and have it both ways if you want, I’m sure some people will accommodate you and that kind of thing, but facts speak for themselves, as they say.
But I’ll admit, on paper, yes, you beat four teams. My mistake. I’ll be a man and admit it. The same way I’ll admit to having never been in the ring with Impulse. A bit of a shock, I know – I surely can never beat someone like Impulse, as hot as he was that night, so I must be useless!
I’m sure I’ve heard that before, Stalker. It could be before I beat Shane the first time. It could be before I beat him on Pay Per View last, when he said I’d never beat him. It could be in airports across the country when I was told I’d never win the Intercontinental Championship, or beat Cameron Cruise, or Troy Douglas, or last five minutes against Lindsay Troy, or destroy Kin Hiroshi on live TV.
I could go on. But I’m hoping you get the point. I’ve never faced Impulse so I can’t guarantee that one on one I’d beat him, but since I’ve made a habit in the past of overturning rather naïve views, I’d like to hold judgement on that one until we’ve actually wrestled. Or said hello to each other, for that matter.
But you like to assume, don’t you? You’ve been doing it for years, that I’ve seen. You assume people actually see you as a serious threat. The whole “Fear me” bit, “Stalker’s World” – I’ve seen it too often, Stalker. It stopped being impressive when X was doing it – wanting to fight people instead of wrestling. I remember him saying nobody had the guts to face him in his environment, and I did. I remember Issac Byrnes, also known as John Doe, when he did that crazed violent phrase, and I beat him. Layne Winters does the angry violent bit far better than you, and… well, it didn’t matter to me what he thought of himself, because I saw in him the same as I see in you.
A scared little boy begging for attention and not caring how you get it. Lashing out at a world and thinking that people not giving toss about you means they’re scared of you.
You say Kin never gave you a rematch… and? Was he scared or did he have nothing to prove? Fuse was never the same after you? I remember someone said that about Marcus once when I was representing Empire Pro Wrestling, and they seemed to miss the point that Marcus kept turning up and wrestling with the same focus and dedication afterwards. The same as Fusenshoff, actually. He had the same fire in his eyes when I last saw him at Aggression 53 that he did when he first came in to Empire Pro. And Stevens, knowing him he was more interested in something bigger than a minnow.
The First…I’d actually give that to Anarky. First was a man so wrapped up in the chasing and winning the title that without it he lost his purpose, and a man without purpose is nothing.
Just look at yourself. You’ve changed your purpose a lot since you first came here, but you’ve always had a purpose. When you finally got your revenge on Rocko, you switched your purpose to being… something. I still can’t work it out since all you really do is flit around the outside instead of just going straight for it. Is it all the gold? Is it glory? Is it a hug from Beau Michaels?
Whatever your purpose is, it’s good you’ve got one.
But if you want to mention people who’ve faced your violence, what about High Flyer? Was he so damaged by what you did to him, throwing him from the top of a steel cage, that he retired? No. Last I saw him he was trying to win a shot at your tag team titles, trying to get his hands desperately on you again. He didn’t seem scared of you.
So why should I be, when you’ve already lost?
[Pause]
Karl: Yes, Stalker. You’ve already lost. As violent as you claim to be, as much damage as you say you’re going to dish out to me, you’ve made a huge mistake. Like this world we’re in right now, your world, your dominance, is a sham.
[Brown snaps his fingers, and we’re in front of an Empire Pro Wrestling backdrop]
Karl: You think this is a match between you and me, that you’ll destroy me, sneak in a chair shot or two, and be done with it. The problem with that is…
[Otaku stands straight, throwing off his winter clothing and standing tall. He’s wearing a gi with a black belt around his waist, and he immediately snaps into a fighting stance]
Otaku: Looks are deceiving! And I am deceiving! And I will defeat you with the power of youth!! HI-YA!
Karl: The thing with tag team matches, Stalker, is they don’t often come down to one person from each team. Unless Shane and Otaku do an Erik Black, we have to contend with Shane, and you have to contend with Otaku.
Otaku: And you’ll never do it, Stalker-chan! Because, seriously, who calls themselves “Stalker”? That’s not even a cute name! Doesn’t describe you at all! Should I call you Jason-chan? Reeves-chan? Or Stalker-chan?
Karl: Hold on, you’re digging a hole.
Otaku: And I’ll dig it all the way to Nippon! Because Stalker-chan’s not going to be able to do anything about it! You said so yourself, he’s only actually gotten rid of one person, and Rocko didn’t run away. He was beaten and he’s stuck to the stipulation! First left because he lost the title to Anarky even though Stalker-chan nailed Anarky with a chair. High Flyer-san wants revenge on Stalker-chan and wanted this match so much you could feel it in the air! There’s nothing to fear from Stalker-chan except a few broken bones and broken bones heal with a few curaga spells from a high level white mage!
Stalker-chan’s not going to break my spirit! Bones maybe but I’m ready, I want those titles, I want them!
Karl: Calm down. It’s only Stalker.
Otaku: [taking a few calming breaths] Yeah… you’re right. I’m used to people disrespecting me. People have done it for years. Because I have something I love. I love anime and manga and I love wrestling. But you know, their words don’t hurt. Because I know me, I know what I’m capable of, and I know that Stalker is just a man. A man, not a beast, not a monster – though that would be kind of cool if he transformed into one in the middle of the ring, right? Right! Wonder if I can measure him up for a costume, I have the most adorable little monster outfit he might just fit into…
Karl: Focus!
Otaku: Hm? Oh! Yeah, Stalker-chan! Soon to be former tag champion, Stalker-chan!
If you think it’s gonna be you and Dragon-sama, you’re hugely wrong. Because you may have forgotten but I pinned Ivan-san! I took High Flyer-san out in the final so Dragon-sama could win the match! I’m part of this team, Animezing Dragon, we’re not individuals. We’re a team going after your titles. You forget about me and you’re done, kaput, season cancelled!
Grr, I’m all fired up! I gotta go train with Bushy-brow Sensei!
[and with that, Otaku sprints away from the camera, leaving “The Dragon” alone, though we can hear some sounds of Otaku kicking a wooden practise dummy]
Karl: He’s definitely energetic.
You think I’m digging a hole, and that you’re going to bury me. I get it, Stalker. You want to hurt me. You’ll destroy me!
I’ve heard it. I’ve heard it from bigger, stronger, meaner men than you. I’ve seen bigger, meaner, tougher men than you brought to their knees when they realise that all their talk as gained them absolutely nothing, and I’ve seen better men than you say nothing, turn up, and get the job done.
Talk is cheap until you prove it against me, Stalker. You want to use a chair, go ahead.
In fact… I want you to prove that you’re the kind of person you claim. All I’ve heard from you is how you’re going to destroy me. How you’ve got big things planned for Wrestleverse, outside of this match. I’ve heard your talk and talk, and go on and on about how great you are, how tough, how nobody can stand up to you in Stalker’s World.
Well… how about we set a date? After all, I actually owe you for a previous attack. Not at Wrestleverse – that’s a tag team match – but how about at the next Aggression, you and I meet one on one? Leave Shane and Otaku aside at Aggression, and face each other in a chain match?
If you’re as good and as brave and as destructive as you say, all you need to do is repeat these words: “I accept your challenge. Chain match. Aggression. You’re on.”
Whether you accept the challenge or not, we’re still due to meet at Wrestleverse. I know that Otaku has my back, and the two of us are more than enough for either one of the champs. The way things look, even though it’ll be a damn hard fight at times, we’re more than enough to take the belts. Not because we’re badder, or we’re going to cause untold destruction or bring forth the end of pretzels as we know them, but because we’re two young, talented wrestlers going for the same goal.
And as for not knowing what it’s like in your world?
I don’t care what it’s like in your world. Because believe me… there’s nothing about you that would scare a timid kitten.
And there’s even less about you that’s going to scare me.
[FADE…]
VoiceOver: Next time, on Animezing Dragon…
Otaku: Hey guys! Otaku and Dragon-sama here! We’ve crossed the frozen wastelands after crashing on Stapellor, the Ice World! We’re hounded by Space Pirate Shane and Squawk-a-lot, a storm’s blowing at our backs, but we’re getting closer to our destination! Will we make it in time before the cold air freezes us?
Next time on Animezing Dragon – Episode 26, the final episode of the season. Dragon Fire of Youth! GO!
Karl: Animezing Dragon… it’s growing on me.
Otaku: I told ya it would! Yatta!
[FADE OUT]