Page 2 of 3 - Friendship never ends?

friend n a person whom one knows well and is fond of; an ally; a supporter - friendless adj - friendship n

It was June 2002. He'd made his triumphant return to the Revolution Wrestling Federation along with old friend and former opponent Reaper, a huge muscled man with a physique like a Greek god, long black hair and a small soul patch that led to a strip of facial hair reaching down to the very point of his chin. Reaper had teamed with an equally sized man named Bezerker not too long ago to form the powerhouse duo of Damage Inc, living up to their name by not only being a pair of bodybuilder types who loved to fight and brawl but also the fact that the incredible amount of carnage and injury they caused was more than enough hype. Bezerker had decided to compete in Japan alone while Reaper preferred the United States as his chosen destination to inflict brutality in his first run as a singles competitor in some time.

They walked into the Kemper Arena and looked around at whatever could catch their eye. It was typical of a wrestling company invading an arena for one night only, stacks and stacks of tables, tons of metal flight cases to house equipment such as monitors and speakers, thick black or yellow cables lying all over the place in straight lines, silver or black duck tape keeping it attached firmly to stop people tripping over them. Crew rushing around making sure everything was ready, working and able to impress the paying audience with a huge show. In fact, considering he lived both worlds as a pro wrestler as well as a huge rock superstar, until he'd actually met the people he would be working with or alongside in some capacity, half the time Dazz wasn't too sure if he was performing inside a ring or in front of a microphone with a guitar hanging from his shoulders, both professions were so similar behind the scenes.

His hair was long, dark and tied back, at least the hair on top of his head was anyway, leaving the back and the sides to hang loose over his shoulders. His face was adorned by a dark strip of hair from his bottom lip to his chin similar to Reaper's, looking different to today's clean shaven version who never ties his hair in any fashion. Speaking of fashion, his dress sense was of a more humble attire, no designer jeans or specially made suits for him, instead settling for any old pair of Levis, black work boots and a black t-shirt featuring whichever band logo it happened to adorn on the front, paying no mind to whether his top looked worn or scruffy and enjoying just being himself. Reaper was no different, sharing the same tastes in music and dress, the pair could be related for all anyone else knew but were in fact longtime friends from their beginnings in the wrestling business.

So you're back in RWF then huh Dazz?

Reaper's voice was loud, precise and booming, nothing like the soft spokenness of his smaller companion who was almost jolted out of his skin at the sudden declaration from the big man. He even noticed other people looking their way, wondering what the noise was and where its origins were. Looking up at Reaper as they walked, he nodded and gave his answer.

Yeah, I heard it's changed though since I was here.

He'd heard but so far all he saw were changes in roster. No longer were names like Tha Janitah, Jason Stylez, Lord London, Ethan Andrews, Rob Thorn or Cockney Rebel competing for RWF, instead replaced by men such as Blade, Brian Gaines, The Crippler, Xtreme Psycho Brett and more. Even management had changed but it wasn't surprising, he hadn't been in this company for maybe 3 years so of course it would've changed. As far as he knew, nobody that were here last time had stayed. It seemed strange although it also made a change from the usual stories of veteran wrestlers who never had a hope in hell of reaching the main event continuing to stay well beyond their capabilities, soldiering on through injury just to make sure the new guard were ready and able to take the spotlight. Seemed such a shame though, he'd hoped to maybe learn a little more from a former World champion and gain advice that could help him become what himself, Fear and Tommy Chaos failed to achieve 3 short years ago: RWF World Heavyweight champion.

The turned a corner and walked along the grey corridor, lined up with employees of both RWF and the Kemper Arena treading the concrete to make sure they had everything possible, ensuring the show wouldn't go off with any type of a hitch while also making sure that the actual talent were enjoying themselves and had arrived on time. Blue wooden doors on their left housed locker rooms on the other side, RWF kind enough to pin makeshift nametags on the front so that people wouldn't walk into what could be an empty room but which was occupied by somebody else. A man wearing LaCrosse sports gear and Adidas sneakers walked down the hallway from the opposite direction, long brown dreadlocks and a thick beard covering most of his face, pausing at one door and noticing the name tag, ripping off a piece of paper to reveal the actual RWF assigned name, throwing the piece of paper as it floated down to the ground before storming off out of sight. Dazz picked up the paper he'd dropped and noticed the word:

BITCH

Disrespectful motherfuckers. That's who did that.

He turned to look at Reaper who had seen the makeshift tag. He was big on respect and whoever did this to that person's door obviously wasn't going to be on Reaper's list of friends. As they walked by they also saw a crude penis drawn on the door in thick black permanent ink, Reaper shaking his head as they continued down the hall. The closer they got to the corner, the louder a noise was. They couldn't make out what it was. Hammering? Somebody getting beaten up already?

Does that sound like music to you?

They made it round the corner and into another section of hallway and the rhythmic pounding they'd heard did indeed sound more like music the closer they got to the source. It definitely seemed to be somewhere along here anyway, their striding taking them further down as they looked for their individual rooms, eventually finding them on either side of a particular door from which the music was emanating at an extreme volume. Reaper hammered on the door with all the force he could muster without trying to break it, looking particularly disgusted at the words "FUCK OFF" written in the same ink as the drawing on the other person's door round the corner. He hammered again until the door was opened from inside the room and the dreadlocked man stormed out, pushing past Reaper and going towards his own room. Reaper took this time to step inside, Dazz waiting outside for a few minutes as what appeared to be rapping supported by heavy guitars blasted out of the room, the door slightly ajar, hearing Reaper and another man talking but their words muffled by the next track which he instantly recognised as "Blind" by Korn. After some time Reaper emerged looking angry, slamming the door behind him.

I'm gonna go see if someone can do something about this or else move me cause I can't get ready having to listen to that shit in my ears constantly. How am I supposed to concentrate if all I can hear is loud music?

Dazz barely had time to answer, Reaper taking quick paced strides down the hall looking for someone with authority to make whoever was in the room turn off his music. The door was pulled inward by the occupant and he stood face to face with a man that had short spiky blonde hair, a black pair of sweatpants and a Twiztid t-shirt, his face adorned with black and white clown makeup while he held a hatchet in his left hand, gripping the wooden handle tightly. This clown's eyes darted up and down the rock star in front of him before opening his mouth.

Fuck you want ya prick?

Wow this guy really was rude and obnoxious. Better to try and be polite anyway, reaching out his hand.

I'm Dazz, coming back to this company, spent a few years away from it.

Shoulda stayed the fuck away bitch, me and Hatchet gonna bust some heads and split wigs, wanna be first?

Hatchet? Maybe that was his tag team partner. Wouldn't surprise him, besides some people liked to use intimidating names whether they were physically imposing or not, try and threaten people before they even got in the ring. This clown, whatever his name was, seemed to have some weird sort of affection for that hatchet, almost cooing at the thing and cradling it like a baby........

You and Hatchet in a tag team match? I mean if you're going over strategies.......

Fuck you on man? I ain't in no team, fuck that.

Oh shit. This guy was totally loopy, the Hatchet he meant seemed to be the inanimate object in his hands.

So what the fuck you want anyway? If I got you tonight you better get a good look at Hatchet cause he'll be coming at your face in the ring, got it?

Oh, no no, I'm in a triple threat against Nemesis and Xtreme Psycho Brett. Who you got then?

Fuck knows, don't give a shit anyway, whoever it is I'm gonna bust up.

Right. Well, errr....it was nice meeting you anyway errr.......

The Violent One, The Wicked Clown, The Psy-co-pa-thic....

That last one helped him break out into a little rap, something about busting heads or something, he wasn't sure, totally zoned out trying to keep an eye on that weapon in case it came at his head.

......Violent A matherfacko.

Cool, well I'll watch your match then.

And so he did, watching this guy hit a jumping piledriver that was apparently called The Sikth to win his debut RWF match. Seemed talented even through the brawling and one to watch. It was time for his match, stepping out of his locker room with his black baggy leather pants, black boots and black wrist tape, long hair tied into plaits as he made his way towards the ring.....

******

Coming through the curtain he caught a congratulatory round of applause from some of his fellow wrestlers, RWF employees and even the President of the company. Dazz turned his head, wiping the sweat with one downwards glide, his palm glistening with moisture as he looked at the various monitors and saw replays and footage of the match, watching Xtreme Psycho Brett perform a Stunner to Nemesis before being gripped and dropped with the Chaos Factor for the win, Dazz winning the RWF Hardcore championship. His vision seemed blurry and almost like his world were in soft focus as he watched the same thing a few more times then looked over at his right shoulder, noticing his own hand holding a championship belt to the top of his limb. He'd done it, in his debut match he'd won gold, something he'd never done in the three or four months he'd spent here back in 1999. He smiled and gently pushed past those in his way, various hands patting him on the back and shoulders as he walked, almost glided, all the way down the hallway until he finally got to his locker room, pushing open the door to step inside before gently closing it behind himself.

The room was barren, hardly anything in it, just his bags and street boots. A brief noise was heard emanating from the bag, walking in that direction and placing the Hardcore title on the bench next to him as he rummaged through his belongings and found his cell phone, answering the call. It was his old friend and former stable mate Tommy Chaos.

Hey Tommy.

Hey Dazz, loved that match my man, congratulations.

He tilted his head and looked at his reflection in the gold, another wide grin spreading across his face.

Thanks, means a lot to me, my first RWF championship.

Yeah I know man, it's great. Me and Fear were sitting having a few beers, watching the match, the big man almost threw the couch across the room when it looked like you might be beat but you pulled through.

That didn't surprise him. Fear was a huge mountain of a man, 7'1 in height, long dark hair, goatee and known for his slow, methodical and powerful onslaughts inside the ring. His Jacknife Powerbomb finisher and the Waves of Fear signature move, involving a very rough one man flapjack across the top rope or the top turnbuckle depending on his mood, had put away a lot of opponents over the years. Tommy on the other hand was slightly smaller, also dark haired and with a goatee but very tough, using a Diamond Cutter, combining it with the Waves of Fear into a move the Dudley Boys would be proud of to win tag team matches, the double team named after the team as well as the combination of move names.......Fear Factor. This was said to be what inspired the creators of that reality tv show to name that particular program.

Yeah just about though, I mean both guys had maybe a foot in height and over 100 pounds in weight over me.

Listen, I'm gonna give you some advice. Back when the three of us were active as a group we took any challenge right?

Well yeah but that's cause we had you and Fear, you've both done this longer than me and he's huge anyway.

It doesn't matter how tall he is or how long you've been in this game, it's confidence. Go into every match as if you've already won it and you'll find yourself on the right side of victory, trust me.

Ok, yeah I'll do that.

Good and if you need to, you got our permission to continue the group, have a new generation but with you as the main guy, the veteran, the man the others look up to for guidance and advice.

You sure about that? I mean some traditionalists will go crazy.

Fuck tradition, we were never about tradition, we were about causing mayhem and anarchy, doing things our way and showing how great we were despite management trying to ignore us and put us aside. Trust me, in years from now the originals may be forgotten and a group you put together now could be seen as the classic lineup.

Ok well thanks Tommy, tell Fear I said hi.

No problem Dazz, take it easy my man.

He hung up, ending the call and feeling both proud and ecstatic at not only winning his first RWF gold but also having the blessing from his friends to continue and do even better in his career. It felt good knowing he had friends for life supporting him no matter what, urging him to do well and quelling any hint of self doubt in his own abilities. By all accounts, he really could be one the best the wrestling industry had ever seen, his friends had told him so, wrestling writers had been saying he could be if he had the chance to prove himself and believe in himself a little more and the fans most certainly felt that too, especially as they cheered him onto victory. It was still a surprise to him, beating two imposing men in a triple threat match, not only putting up with their incredible power but also adding weapons into the mix and he'd emerged as the new Hardcore champion? That was amazing. He couldn't help but keep glancing at the championship resting next to him, reaching out to gently touch it with his fingertips and make sure this wasn't some sort of crazy dream, that it was real life.

Stop touching that title, dunno where it's been.

He looked up to see who said it, noticing the clown from earlier, Violent A. He was standing looking pleased with himself after winning his match, next to him was a familiar person, the same from earlier with the long brown dreadlocks.

Me and Souless wanna say well done for winning.

Yeah it was a nice match.

Thanks, same for you guys, you looked great out there. Been in the business long?

Nah man just a few months.

Yeah and me.

Hmm, they'd won their debut matches, looked like they had talent and had only been in the industry a few months? They reminded him a little of himself when he first met Fear and Tommy.

Say, you guys wanna team up, form a group and take as many titles as we can here?

******

The three sat down, Dazz in a chair wearing leather pants, boots and a Chaos A.D. sleeveless t-shirt, his hair in plaits down to his shoulders, Souless with short brown hair and clean shaven, looking smart in his sports wear while Violent A had his face painted like the Insane Clown Posse as always, the makeup smeared and almost gone, his short hair dyed blue while he wore an ICP t-shirt and Adidas shorts. The couch was occupied by the two men that joined Dazz 6 months ago to form the newest version of this group, all three looking pissed off, their moods not helped much when Souless grabbed the remote control nearby and switched on the tv, having to see the latest Britney Spears music video briefly until the man known to his friends as Alex snatched the remote from the Brazilian native, turning off the tv and tossing the remote across the room.

Fuck that shit

Dazz and Souless looked bemused at this show of sudden aggression.

Fuck you talkin' about Alex? I'd be on her given the chance.

Fuck off, she needs a fuckin' slap.

I know where I'd slap her.

I'll slap you in a minute if you don't shut up.

Ooo touchy, what's up with you ya prick?

Fuckin' prick in CWA man, fuckin' closed it ain't he?

We all know no one can handle Chaos A.D. though, that's probably why. Shut it down before we could dominate there like we did in RWF.

Alex looked over at Dazz, Souless sitting with his middle finger aimed at the back of the clown's head while he isn't looking.

Yeah but I mean is this gonna be what it's like everywhere?

They just can't take the fact we're better.

So what then? Where do we go now? Try and find some other shithole that'll try and keep us out then close before we get to hold all the titles?

It was then that Souless had what could be the greatest idea he's ever had in his life.

Why don't we start our own then, run it how we want and shit.

Fuck man, that's a great idea. What we gonna call it though?

After much brainstorming, they decided on the name that would be on the lips and at the top of the ratings as far as wrestling television and ppvs would be concerned from the moment it opened until the very last show in 2007, a company named after their group to show who was in charge: Chaotic Wrestling Federation. They gathered around the computer which Souless owned, staring at the screen as they tried to get in touch with as many people they knew to join, hiring staff and a roster that included the likes of Magma, Lithium, Nemesis, Spike, Casta T, the Jeckels and more. They found the name of a man who created championship belts, typing up their ideas for designs of titles that would include the World Heavyweight, Television, United States, Tag Team, Cruiserweight and Hardcore belts, Souless in charge of typing it up as the other two watched and started laughing.

ViolentA@hoemail.cunt? You're a fuckin' prick man.

******


Your feelings, I can't help but rape them
I'm sorry, I don't feel the same
My heart inside is constantly hating
I'm sorry I just throw you away
- "Trash" by Korn


******

It happened suddenly, quickly. The bell ringing and the outpouring of hatred from the fans echoed throughout that entire arena from the moment the War Games match ended. Of course some fans loved Chaos A.D. having supported them over the years, enjoying their reign of dominance but to the majority of the NLCW fans here in this jam-packed building they were despised. Seen as the outsiders wanting to take over the company, hold every championship. Dazz had just pinned Scotty Ace to not only win for the team but also retain his World Heavyweight championship while the announce team of Aaron Jennings, Bryan Terwilliger and special guest commentator Ethan Andrews sat discussing the win that had just taken place and the implications that could mean now that Rebellion were defeated.

And then it happened.

To the shock of everybody, including Dazz himself and Faith, while Chaos A.D. were celebrating yet another win over a group that formed to try and take them out before they could damage the company, two of its own turned their backs. First Violent A hitting Dazz with his finisher - renamed Black Rain - then doing the same to Faith before hoisting her onto a turnbuckle for Souless to drop her head first with the Enterfaith, punching their longtime "friend" repeatedly as he tried to stand up and screaming at him before delivering a right hook to Dazz and leaving the ring.

He could do nothing but sit at home nursing the wounds that the friends he had known for years, who he helped grow as athletes and people whilst learning from them, had caused not only physically but mentally too. These were men he'd trusted, men he'd relied on for backup and whose backs he also had throughout. How could they do this? Why would they do this? Their excuse was ridiculous. He was blaming Dazz for taking the spotlight when Chaos A.D. always shared it together as a unit. Claiming they always put in the hard work while Dazz took the titles, seeming to forget that it was together as a group that they helped each other win or retain half the championships they earned, the rest of the time doing so through sheer hard work and God given talent. It just seemed like the usual bitching and whining rather than continuing to forge a legacy together as they'd done for the three years previous in the "classic" lineup. Their whole reasoning and excuse for turning on him seemed so fake, so forced, so put on, like they'd done it to make their mark without thinking it through.

Whatever the real reason, he had a target on his back and the person aiming at it was a man he'd trusted as a close friend for years, a former tag team partner who now wanted to take the NLCW World Heavyweight championship from him. The matter seemed to be out of control, Ethan Andrews wanting to be called World champion of this company again, Rob Thorn wanting to defeat the man who took the gold from him during an Avulsion show, Matt "Icey" Arren added to the match thanks to NLCW's President Mark Steele wanting some new blood added to the title picture. It was now May of 2004 and Mark had granted Dazz the wish to bring back the old CWF contest he'd created, the Highway to Hell match, this upcoming one being the second ever but two more needed to complete the match's requirement of six athletes. Dazz had allowed a man named Bucky Skyler, somebody who hadn't won any championships yet in NLCW, to compete in it and the last choice? It was obvious, the man who turned his back on him just a month ago at Fallout; Violent A.

He'd come out of When Worlds Collide without the World title after Ethan had sneakily managed to gain the pin but at least Violent A hadn't won it, that was a blessing to him. His injuries though during that match weren't severe but enough to make his in ring actions limited, disappearing after a huge tag team main event in June but returning to compete against Ethan and Chris Champion for the World title, again coming up short. His clash with Violent A was far from over though, watching as what many consider the classic Chaos A.D. lineup made their way to 2004's Slamfest event with victories, first Souless entering and winning the Road 2 Slamfest tournament, Violent A being the first to defeat Rick Majors for Cruiserweight gold and Dazz benig granted a match on the big stage purely because of his status as a main eventer. It was to be the first clash between former tag team partners, a match that people both wanted to see and also wished would never happen. It wasn't for the World Heavyweight championship but another title was on the line in a dangerous match both had agreed upon.

******

He sat still and silent in the room, white walls surrounding him as his solitude became his only friend, at least for this moment. The chair underneath him was soft and comfortable, adding to his relaxation. He remembered the conversations he'd had beforehand with James L Rockingwell, discussing the factors going into this match. "But you have to be careful in this match, you could get hurt, it might be too dangerous", he'd say. Well this was the wrestling business, dangerous matches were part of the deal when you enter this sport. So what he and Alex wanted to kill each other and were determined to prove who was the better half of their legendary tag team, wouldn't that attract ratings? Isn't that what he wanted from them as performers and athletes? It'd be like banning Olympic swimmers from going into the pool for fear of drowning. He knew the risks much like Alex did and not only did they wanna inflict as much pain on each other as possible - Alex for being "held back" as he called it, Dazz for revenge because of the backstabbing - but deep down inside they both knew that they wanted, no, CRAVED the spotlight.

It wasn't just a case of wanting to damage each other with the varying implements of destruction readily available to them, it was a fact that they wanted to steal the show, something they'd been used to doing as singles wrestlers or as a tag team. Case in point, back in late summer 2002 the buzz was around the GWF invasion of RWF, yet that buzz was quickly killed the moment Chaos A.D. stormed back onto the scene to take back the tag team gold they'd previously lost, fans talking about that and also the time they wore masks to hide themselves as King Nothing (Violent A) and Jake Fury (Dazz), something which upset the real Jake Fury plus his legions of fans but caused a major stir because Chaos A.D. had been previously banned from competing as a tag team yet here they were, rising the ranks and winning the gold under everybody's noses before finally unveiling themselves to the world and marking their territory.

In NLCW even, Dazz interrupted the in ring promo of Rob Thorn during Bloodbath to mark the return of Chaos A.D. and its many old and new influx of members, stealing the self-proclaimed "Greatest Sports Entertainer on the Face of the Planet" while also shocking those who thought Dazz was seriously injured having seen him lose the NLCW hardcore championship to Nemesis after a suicidal shooting star press wrapped in barbed wire off the Avultron only 2 weeks prior. Then to see NLCW's third ever Hardcore champion (behind Greg Hatrick and Eddie September) interrupt who many believed was the biggest star in the business at that time and put the boots to him.......it was unthinkable to most.

Alex had even followed up on that conduct by attacking his longtime friend after a major Wargames win live on ppv, breaking the confidence of those in attendance who thought that maybe Chaos A.D. would continue to be the cohesive and unstoppable unit they'd been for the 5 years previously......it hurt his chances of being cheered by the Chaos Collective massively but it helped propel him towards the main event even if it was just once and he was a handpicked opponent by the very man he turned on. All that seemed to matter to him was that he was now on the road to stardom on his own, to some foolishly leaving behind the group that helped him and that he helped in return to flourish and grow. There had even been talk that once the Wargames was over and Rebellion had been killed off that perhaps Dazz and Violent A would've had a fake feud leading to When Worlds Collide, Dazz aiding the man he considered like a brother to screw everyone over by laying down and allowing Violent A his first World Heavyweight championship.

Alas that was not to be though, the speculation would have to remain just that because Alex and Dikkie had decided to go it alone. Some may argue that perhaps leaving the group that made them famous was a good thing because Souless became the first Road 2 Slamfest tournament champion, managed to headline NLCW's biggest event of the year in a World title match and was also the second ever NLCW American champion after its previous identity as the PPV championship, only defended once a month at ppv events.

Because Souless had his big contest against Chris Champion, Dazz wanted to up his game and try to steal the spotlight from him and he had a feeling that, while Alex may be congratulating him and wishing him luck, on the other hand he'd be wishing he never brought home the World title and trying to plan ahead to make his match against Dazz the best and most talked about on the card. That's just the way they worked, it had been the same since they first met and the feeling must continue to this day.

He'd gone to the management about the match, taking up the offer of a Cruiserweight title match at Slamfest against Violent A having worked his ass off and found himself at the required weight limit and since he'd never challenged for a Cruiserweight championship before he figured it might as well be good for him to have at least one shot at it before he gained the weght he felt he needed even if it were an extra few pounds. The fact that his scheduled opponent had shocked the world by ending the Rick Majors Cruiserweight title reign, which started a week before he'd even had his debut match for NLCW and a month before Violent A signed a contract to compete here, that just meant his head would swell even more and would make possibly one or two mistakes in thinking that he could conquer this next hurdle.

Dazz wasn't about to be another hurdle though, he wanted to tough it out, prove to himself, to the fans, to management and to Violent A himself that between the two of them, he was the better wrestler, the more talented of this legendary tag team and that without him or the group that helped make their names, the so-called "Violent One" was nothing. Funnily enough, NLCW seemed to favour the current Cruiserweight champion more than the challenger, perhaps because he made more of a decision to fit in, cater to their needs and become one of those "under the radar" type of athletes rather than the method they were used to, which was to make a huge mark instantly, show the world how talented they were the moment they stepped in rather than be meek and quiet about it.

Maybe that was his problem. Maybe he had to learn to live like that, not rush into a match or a promo all guns blazing, showing his talents instead of gradually warming up to it and getting into a cosy position surrounded by new friends? That was probably why people were banking on yet another Violent A win, why nobody talked about how great Dazz was, because he'd been outspoken against the way the current owner was destroying the company from within, arguing the fact he had the abilities that got him this far in his career already while they continued to ignore him constantly and seek solace in others, genuine shock when he did win matches and utter disrespect and ignorance to the skills he brought to the ring. Of course away from the ring, at home with friends and family and while touring or doing meet and greet sessions with his band he was a humble, friendly and approachable guy, nothing like the egotistical jackass he portrayed in the wrestling ring or during interviews. He wanted to change, to finally get the respect of the influx of new people that had joined this company during his time away but at the same time he didn't want to alienate the fans he'd built up over the past 5 and three quarter years with the actions he had done so far in his career. It was almost 2005 and he'd wanted to change, not knowing that he'd fluctuate between the persona he wanted to become and the persona he had at the time for the next few years, living life how he wanted while also actually making friends with people like Chris Logan, with Frank Merritt, with Tanya Black and even two of the people he was strongly opposed to at that point in his life, Rick Majors and Ethan Andrews. In fact throughout 2004 he despised Jason Stylez with a passion too, not knowing that just 3 short years after successfully retaining in a World title match against him and trading insults that they'd find out they were half brothers and become more reciprocating to each other.

It was late November 2004 when he had a meeting with NLCW's upper echelon of staff, having to sit in a boardroom discussing Slamfest with them, telling them why he and Violent A should be allowed to choose their own stipulations. They were dead against that, having seen just a month earlier the potential for injury when two talents request that, the Four Pillars match between Andrews/Stylez still a burning, painful recent memory imprinted in their heads, a showcase of what happens when former best friends and tag partners begin to hate each other to the point they wish physical injury against one another.

He spent what seemed like hours reassuring them that if things got too dangerous or violent they could call a stop to the match but following this with soothing words about how things wouldn't be taken that far. The two athletes agreed to have two stipulations added to the match, another way to steal the show while also trying to damage each other. Violent A as champion went first, naming his as 10 Weapons and getting to pick those items of destruction himself. Management had pushed a piece of paper across the table to Dazz, allowing him to read the shopping list of harm:

Singapore Cane
Lead Pipe
Brass Knucks
Axe
Barbed Wire 2x4
Steel Chair
Barbed Wire
Thumbtacks
Trash Can
Steel Chain

Hmmm, that seemed dangerous but he was ok with it, surprised that Alex had chosen an axe rather than a hatchet. Overall though it was a nice list and he already had in mind ideas on how to use some of those weapons. He wondered if Alex felt the same way but having chosen the weapons, he probably already had a few uses for them in mind when he made that list. Now all that was left to do would be to choose his stipulation, something unique and never before seen in NLCW, something that could potentially compete with Highway to Hell II from that year which people were already talking about as Match of the Year. Slamfest already had a Hell in a Cell Last Man Standing match between Priest and Frank Merritt for the American title so it had to be big, big enough to maybe outshine even that........the idea of another cage match using the same structure went down ok but it took a lot of convincing to allow sections of the roof to be removed and explosive charges to be set against the walls to go off whenever someone was slammed against the sides. Once they agreed though, the match was signed and it would become a 10 Weapons Exploding Cage match, Dazz finding himself winning his first and so far only Cruiserweight championship, defeating his former ally and proving without a shadow of a doubt that he was the better wrestler of the pair, a vicious, bloody and violent brawl which ended with Violent A tasting the Chaos Factor. It felt great, proving himself but he didn't feel total satisfaction, especially when Alex bounced back a month later to win his first World Heavyweight championship, something he felt odd considering their bad blood and feud hadn't ended and yet, despite coming out on top at Slamfest, Dazz was left playing second fiddle while his former partner got the shot at World title glory.

Then again, while they never got to finish off their quest to prove themselves to each other as opponents, they more than made up for it as tag team partners once again......

******

He stared at the cell phone in his hand, sleek and black, the buttons looking small on their place on the keypad and his dark reflection in the glass screen. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he gazed continuously at this device, wondering if he should go through with his plan, unsure as to the answer he'd receive and not wanting to be told no either in that fashion or in more inappropriate wording. He looked at the digital calendar on the wall, itself the same colour as his cell with red LED lighting up both the date and the current time. It was only 10:42am on Friday February 23rd. It was a month early but it had to be asked, there was no way he was gonna wait and put it off until closer to the day only to receive an answer of no. The potential was huge, could even draw more revenue and fans just by having that idea set in stone. It was now or never, he had to do this. Pressing a button lit up the screen as he pored through his list of contacts, pausing and taking a huge breath as he looked at the name he'd come to a halt upon;

Alex Taylor

It was now or never as he pushed his thumb gently then raised his right hand to his ear, waiting patiently as it rang. His nerves were tested, tempted to just quickly hang up but wanting an answer, forcing himself to hang in there. The last time they'd spoken was several years ago at Slamfest 2005 when Alex had asked him to be the special guest referee between himself and Souless, feeling he had to be as impartial as possible mainly because both men were his friends and allies for such a long time that he couldn't favour one or the other while at the same time begging them during the match to quit this, hating to see two people he'd known for a long time, had fun with and grew as a wrestler and as a person fighting. Since then, their contact had been lost and he wasn't even sure if this number would still work but here it was, ringing. The ringing stopped and for a second he thought it'd go to a voicemail message but when he realised he could hear sounds on the other end and a familiar voice answering, he felt in shock, unsure what to say.

Yo, I said who the fuck is this?

Hey it's me, Dazz.

What you been up to then? Ain't heard from you in time.

Yeah, well I've been back in NLCW but you're not around, on some break or some shit, right?

Yeah, been fucked, not gave a shit about wrestling so took a break, clear my head. So what you want then?

He had to tell him but wasn't sure how he'd take the news. Better to be told no than have never asked at all though, plus Alex might have wanted to do this for a long time too. A quick intake of breath and he was ready.

Listen, we got CWF's biggest show of the year coming up in April, Ultimate Chaos.

Ahh yeah, I remember that, what about it?

Well there's this team that dominated in 2005, they were called Talent Inc and pretty much defended the Tag Team titles every single week pretty much against every team that challenged, went undefeated for a year and only lost the titles when they retired from wrestling and vacated the gold.

Shit man, that's a long time, reminds me of us.

Yeah that's what I thought. That's why i thought maybe at Ultimate Chaos we could get the band back together, get them out of retirement and take them on in a showcase of two of the best tag teams in history.

Nah I dunno man, not sure I wanna.

He had a feeling he might say that but took one last stab at coaxing him into agreeing to the match, even if he still said no at least he's spoken to him.

Remember when we joined some company in 2002, October or some shit, we had a tag match against The Odinist and Christian Cage?

Yeah man, fuckin' time ago.

Well Cage, he had to change his last name in late 2005, copyright issues or something but used his real name Christian Connolly, anyway he was one half of this team I told you about.

There was a long silent pause. He had no idea what Alex was doing or thinking but he hung on, clinging onto all hope. Finally he heard Alex's voice again.

Sure ok, who's the other clown we're against then?

Dark Rayne, undefeated International champion for just over a year, vacated that along with the tag titles, wears red facepaint.

Ahh so these bitches trying to be like us then with that shiz?

Something like that, so you in?

Sure yeah, book that bitch.

Cool well I'll let you know when you can come over and sign the contract to make it official. Nice talking to ya, later man.

He ended the call and smiled, pleased that someone who just a few years ago he hated and who felt the same way after years of teaming and being inseparable was willing to bury the proverbial - and literal in his case - hatchet and team again after all these years was both refreshing and made the hair stand on the back of his neck at the thought of such a history making contest.

Flash forwards to the night, April 2nd 2007 and Ultimate Chaos was well underway. Dazz was sat in the locker room, a comfortable chair and a monitor on a table were the only extras he'd required so that he could watch the show as he got ready for his match. It was a memorable night so far, the Chairman of the company being booed for selling his majority shares to a businessman for the third time yet instead of the Seth Payne or Jason Stylez eras where the new owners lasted mere weeks before leaving the company to thrive and develop as the biggest force in professional wrestling, the new man in charge had decided to close it and reopen as a whole new company. Faith had retained the Women's title and The Punk had defeated X-Factor to become the last International champion of this era. Even the "Hardcore Icon" himself Jake Fury had his final hurrah in a Barbed Wire Massacre match against Hall Jarrett, leaving the ring and surrounding area soaked in crimson. That first of three main event matches marked the moment he had to leave the locker room for his historic tag team match, the Battle of the Icons as one reporter had called it, pitting two of the biggest teams in not just CWF but the world against each other for the first and only time, Chaos A.D. taking on Talent Inc.

He left the tv on so that he wouldn't have to miss the third main event match between defending World Heavyweight champion Priest and challenger John Thomas, closing the door behind him gently and swinging his arms as he walked down the hall, smiling at people he passed on the way. As he got closer to the Gorilla position, he could hear the huge reaction of the fans in the arena while Joe Esposito's major hit "You're the Best", recognisable as the theme for the Karate Kid movies to most, pumped around the ARENA NAME, causing Dazz to grin knowing that Christian Connolly was working his magic, the thousands of Cageaholics in attendance going wild for the man who liked to call himself C2 and the Suntan Superman amongst other many and varied nicknames. Then the guitar riff of Wrathchild by Iron Maiden while vocalist Paul Di'Anno was still in the band rang out, Dazz just picturing Dark Rayne's spectacular entrance via zipline having seen it hundreds of times as he finally got to his position by the curtain. Shaking hands with the crew he watched the two members of Talent Inc inside the ring soaking in the adulation of the sold out crowd before hugging each other, having not seen each other since Dark Rayne retired. It made him feel good knowing he'd helped reunite them for tonight. He turned and faced the biggest shock of his life though.

Standing there grinning as he watched the monitors was Alex Taylor but his face was painted up like a clown and he was wearing his old Chaos A.D. t-shirt, a hatchet in one hand and his hair dyed platinum blonde.

What the hell?

Whut?

I thought you said you'd left the makeup behind years ago? It was just Alex Taylor and nothing else?

Yeah well, can't be a Chaos A.D. reunion without Violent A. The dye job's temporary and I just had to buy this fucking hatchet.

But we got your music cued up, we don't have your old theme, you should've said.

Not much of a surprise if you knew and fuck the music, I'm ok.

Fuck it, guys, don't bother with my music, use the back up theme.

Alex watched as the got ready to cue it, looking through a gap in the curtain as they saw the arena go completely pitch black, a few lights where people were using camera flashes creating short pops of light for a split second each. The sound of rain and the patter of droplets of water coming from the stage area all over the flooring announced that Alex's entrance would be the first, the eerie sound of girls chanting the infamous "Rain, rain, go away, come again another day" and thunderclaps causing some cheering in the crowd. The pair waited for Alex's music but when his Slipknot theme didn't start and instead tribal drumming and heavy guitars followed by the first vocal line "Fuck shit up" began, Alex just turned to Dazz grinning madly.

You son of a bitch.

He walked through the curtain, shaking his head and laughing to himself at the fact that Dazz had got them to play Sepultura's "Refuse/Resist", the Chaos A.D. theme while the crowd lapped it up. He took his place by the curtain, hoppnig up and down on the spot and getting his last few nervous breaths out of his system, hearing the fans go crazy before making his way through the curtain in the darkness, taking his spot at the front of the stage, his back to the ring as a huge wall of pyro shot out behind him, spinning on his heel and going crazy with adrenaline. Walking down the ramp, he looked around with a grin on his own face at the amount of people in the building, most of them cheering him on as his tag team partner stood waiting in the ring, watching Dazz climb the steel steps, make his way inside the ring then stand in the middle arms outstretched while he span on the spot. He turned, looking at the members of Talent Inc standing by the announce table, excitement hardly contained as they watched Dazz and Violent A look at each other and walk toward the other.

Still can't believe you did that with the music man.

Yeah well it got a reaction out of the fans and it's nostalgia man, you're enjoying it right?

Fuck yeah I am, now come here ya homo.

The two embraced in the middle of the ring as friends, as blood brothers and as tag team partners, an eerie and surreal experience created for whoever was watching this, ring announcer Phil Sullivan summing up the moment in one sentence.

Seeing these two men embracing after three years not talking to one another brings goosebumps and I can tell you right now that the hair on the back of my neck is standing on end.

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