Re: UNLEASHED 2010: TV TITLE: Karl "The Dragon" Brown (c) vs. Donovan Astros
OoC Note: The first part of this RP is a transcript of the video below, just in case you can't see the video or don't want to watch it. I hope you enjoy it
(SCENE: Diner. SFX: Background noise.)
(SFX: Mobile phone ringing. Rock track)
(SFX: Phone being answered)
KARL: Hey! How’s it going, you don’t normally call me.
(beat)
Yeah, well, I’ve been busy.
(beat)
Yes, still doing bits of radio work. I’ve also been hitting the indie scene again. It’s been pretty fun. Anyway, what’re you calling about? How’s the teaching?
(long beat)
Well you know how kids can be.
(beat)
Rather you than me. But seriously, what’re you calling about?
(beat)
Donovan Astros? Yeah, I know I’m facing him at Unleashed for the title. It’s going to be a good match.
(beat)
Well, there is that. Honestly, though, I’m looking forward to it. I really didn’t think he’d be able to reverse the Bite into a small package.
(beat)
You’re as bad as Neely.
(beat)
Yeah? Donovan’s talking? No, I haven’t seen it yet. The tapes don’t get sent over here any more, I have to download them and I’ve been a little busy with interviews and getting the word out over here about Unleashed. The ratings may be good in the States but in the UK (interrupted)
No, of course I don’t want to know what Donovan said. I’ll watch the tape later.
(beat)
No, I’m not under-estimating him. I just don’t care to hear it from someone else. Besides, I’ve been around long enough to be able to guess the kinds of things he’s said. Mostly how he’s going to win, how it’s his time, probably something about having already beaten me. The usual kinds of things.
(beat)
Listen, whatever I say, whatever Donovan says, it’s meaningless once the bell rings. This isn’t some kind of debate or creative writing hobby. It’s real life, it’s real wrestling. Donovan could paint himself as the baddest man on the planet before hand, and his history could be the longest and greatest the sport’s ever seen but anything can happen.
(beat)
Yes, like him twisting his ankle climbing the steps. Don’t laugh, I’ve seen stranger things than twisted ankles. Someone knocked themselves out trying to get in the ring once. Yes I’m serious!
(beat)
No, no. I’m not saying he’s going to do that. But if you close yourself off to possibilities, you’re going to get shocked more often than not. The more possibilities you close yourself off to the more opportunities you’ll miss and the more times you’ll miss your goal.
(beat)
I know I sound preachy. That’s just how I am. But hey, at least I make sense.
(beat)
(laughs) Yes, unlike Erik Black.
(beat)
Hm? Of course I saw that. I live over here. Yeah, I know it looked bad. I don’t condone what happened but you know how it goes when the police decide to start hemming people in. And you can’t generalise like that. It’s like standing at a train station and seeing someone who’s… 6 feet tall coming through the turnstile, then 20 minutes later seeing someone 4 feet coming through and ignoring all the other people you may’ve seen in the meantime concluding that the human race is shrinking at such an alarming rate we’re going to be the size of a grain of sand within a week.
(beat)
No, not like Donovan’s brain.
(beat)
No, I wouldn’t say it’s smaller than a grain of sand. I made that joke once when you were around (interrupted)
OK, maybe more than once. But still, I don’t think Donovan’s going to be easy. I don’t think he’s an idiot. If he’s the same guy he was last time we stepped into the ring he’s overconfident.
(beat)
Yes, I know. I hope he thinks he’s going to win. I don’t mind that. But like I said, if that’s all he’s open to, if deep down there’s not even a sliver of a sense he might lose, then he’s going to be leaving Unleashed without the TV title and with a lot of egg on his face.
(beat)
You’ve only just noticed I’m in a restaurant? Took you long enough. No, no, I’m just having a cup of tea while I’m doing some paperwork. Got an interview in Reading later… Berkshire… no reason why you should know where it is, you’ve only been to Britain once.
(beat)
Ok, ok. Well… thanks. Of course I’ll be careful. Donovan’s a dangerous opponent, and I may lose, but if that happens you know I’ll have done everything I can in the ring. I hope Donovan can say the same when he loses though. OK, I’ll call you when I get to the States. Sounds good. Bye.
(SFX: sound of call being ended)
(sigh)
(END)
[FADE IN. We ZOOM PAST a rock face to find the TV champion is sitting in a candle-lit cave. We can hear the wind outside the cave blowing, while “The Dragon” sits with his back against the cave wall. There are several candles casting a flickering light about the cave, and while it’s not too bright you don’t have to strain too hard to make out the wrestler’s features]
Karl: You’ve heard what I was thinking yesterday, and today having downloaded and watched the tape, I can safely say that I was right about Donovan. He’s said he’s the greatest on the planet. That it’s going to go the same way as last time. He’s implied that I might not have taken him as seriously as I should. He’s closed himself off to the vast possibilities and is focusing on just the one – where he walks away with the win – and is blinkered.
Pity. I was hoping for something original, something different. I don’t know, maybe I was hoping he’d realise that what happened at Aggression happened at Aggression, and has no relevance for Unleashed. I remember a few years back, a former TV and Intercontinental champion said he and I were going to tear the house down with a match on Aggression, based on our classic matches before-hand – and the match if I’m honest was poor to watch. It was great for me since I was able to see how far I’d come from the man who lost in the first Intercontinental Title match, but as a spectacle it left a lot to be desired.
Why’m I mentioned Adam Benjamin? Because it makes the point. He crowed about how we were going to tear the house down and put on a clinic, and he was so focused on that one thing that he made a simple error, and the match was over. He saw history, and missed the present.
That’s what you’re doing, Donovan. Yes, you beat me at Aggression. Congratulations. I said straight after that you deserved it, that on the night – that one night – you were better in the ring than I was. However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because you’ve done it once, you’ll do it again. I beat Troy Douglas once, and couldn’t again the next two, four matches we had together. One win against me doesn’t mean you’re any closer to another one at Unleashed. You may win – but the only certainty in life is death. Wins and losses are far from certain.
So, what makes me think I’m going to win, hm? I couldn’t beat you at Aggression, why now?
Because Unleashed is another day. I know there are some people out there who probably think that since I had time for a cup of tea, I’m taking you lightly. Before you get that idea in your head, Donovan, let me talk you through something. The phone call lasted about five minutes – and I was just recording my thoughts over coffee before an interview – and the entire interview plus travel was about three hours. Take eight hours of sleep into account, and that’s thirteen hours left in which to prepare for this title defence. And that’s just in one day. I can assure you, Donovan, that I’m not taking you lightly.
And it’s because I’m not taking you lightly that I’m more confident about walking out of Unleashed with the same Television Title I walked in with. In the past I’ve trained more, worked harder, but this time… well, I don’t need to train as hard as I used to. I’m training with a lot more intelligence, and I know not to expect anything in this match.
It sounds strange, doesn’t it? Being confident of the win without expecting to win? How can I say that?
[He smirks]
Karl: How can Donovan say he’s going to beat me?
No, I guess I should probably explain. You see, for some people, success means following a very narrow path. To walk with blinkers on and avoid distractions. Being so focused on something does have benefits – you don’t get distracted from your goal. But – and here’s why I can be confident of winning without expecting to win and without expecting to lose – you miss the bigger things. And those bigger things include the unexpected.
That’s what I mean by me not expecting to win. Because I’m not expecting anything from Donovan, he’s going to find it harder to surprise me. Because I know that anything could happen, I’m more ready for anything
to happen.
How can put this… that’s still sounding confusing. I know that Donovan could win. I know that I could win. I know that Donovan could fall over the ring steps. I know there’s an almost infinite number of possibilities out there. And I’m not focused on any single one of them. I’m not going into the ring with a rigid game plan but with a far more flexible one.
Donovan? Well, saying he’s going to win is all well and good, but if that’s his only option – to win – he’ll miss something. And if he misses just one thing
[“The Dragon” snaps off a backhand to the cave wall, punching a hole into the seemingly solid rock! As he takes his hand away, we see behind a white-washed wall a few centimetres behind the ‘rock face’, with a cavity between the two. The sound of the wind also cuts out]
Karl: Like the split second on the way in where you could have glimpsed a boom mic shadow… you’ll be in for a surprise.
Keep the possibilities in mind, Donovan. You may have beaten me at Aggression – and it wasn’t luck – but if winning is the only option in your mind, you’ll find that one win is the only one you’ll get over me.
[FADE OUT]