Tobias Burden: IGA International Television Champion

{Fade in from black}

{We are focused upon an unremarkable hardwood coffee table. The dark oak polished, but the wood itself of mediocre quality, with its share of scuffs, obviously an aged table. But more importantly upon the table...}

Tobias V/O: Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes...

{Is a multicolored cube, a toy used by many either to pass the time or to improve ones' cognitive skills and memory. A rubix cube. It sits there on the oak table, the light gleaming of its' gaudy array of colors... red, blue, yellow, green, orange and white. A hand comes into view and snatches the toy from off the table. The camera pans up to reveal one Tobias Burden.}

Tobias: ... The War of All Against All.

{The man known as the Riot holds the cube in front of his face. His gaze unfocused as he lets his mind wander. He is seated, shirtless on a black leather couch, seemingly set in his den, the white wash walls of his apartment are fairly bare of any decoration. Save for the odd hole in thedrywall that the young pro-wrestler may have punched into it during his time living in the residence.}

Woman's Voice: You sure use that a lot nowadays.

{Tobias does not break his gaze from the toy. but simply shrugs as his better half, Azure Frost walks into the shot and takes a seat on the couch beside him. Her silver-white hair drapped over her eyepatchas her crimson albino gaze sears into Burden, her face looking inquisitive.}

Tobias: It just seems to describe my career on so many levels...

Azure: It's a pretty clever proverb but there ae so many ways it can be interpreted.

{At that a smile breaks across the Riot's face.}

Tobias: It means that you need to look after yourself and your own first, Az... that no matter how well meaning a human being is, for all the good he or she does throughout the course of their lives, the money sent to charities, the helping hand given to those in need. One person will stil always have their mind set on what good it can do for them.

{The young women looks at the Rubix Cube in Burden's hand and shrugs in turn.}

Azure: That's a pretty morbid train of thought.

Tobias: But sadly true, no? You give a gift because you enjoy getting them in turn. You give to charity for the tax breaks, or to alleviate whatever guilt may rest on your conscience, or in some cases you help somebody just to look good in the eyes of someone else.

Azure: Trying to make everyone question their actions?

{The young man shakes his head.}

Tobias: Hardly, selfishness disguised as charity appears to make the world go around, Apparently though a realization that I have to keep a careful eye on my ideals at al times, or else...

{A moments pause...}

Azure: Or else...?

{A sigh escapes Tobias' throat.}

Tobias: Or else I stop being the Riot, the guy that sets out to right the wrongs in the industry and instead become a pretentious, self-serving dickhead.

Azure: Ah.

{Burden hands the small cube off to Azure and leans off the couch to reach something just off camera, when her sits back into view we se that he's grabbed his IGA International Television championship.}

Tobias: And this is just a symbol of the fact that I will not allow myself to slip into that territory.

{This earns an approving nod.}

Tobias: I may be out to right the wrongs in the industry, but every time I look at this gold, the gold that I have earned the right and privilidge to wear around my waist every time I step through the curtains. Well, it shows me that I also have something to be out there for myself for, that I'm not doing this, wrestling, merely out of a sense of duty which inflates my own self-worth. But that I too, have a human side that showcases that I do, indeed, have an ego I'm willing to admit exists, and am willing to go out there and try to get my glory on the side. That in between taking out the fucking idiots that stoop lower and lower with every passing second that I'm also a competitor that loves to win.

Azure: And if you can mix either goal?

{At this the Riot nods.}

Tobias: Bonus, I got to defend the thing I've worked damn hard AND long for. While at the same time I got to fold Sople up like a cheap shirt and humiliate him one-on-one on even ground. The fans love it, I love it, and that piece of shit Sople will likely never recover fully
from it. But this isn't about Sople anymore.

Azure: Big Smoothy then?

Tobias: Yep...

{Burden sets the belt on the table facing the camera.}

Tobias: Y'see, I have no problem with Big Smoothy. Fact is every time I see him on television I'm generally laughing my ass off. Not out of mockery, but because the guy is huge, MASSIVE, even. But he has such a great sense of humor and relishes in that fact. Who else in the history of wrestling is still active and rather than wait for the steroid accusations to come pouring in he simply says: "Hey, I'm shot to the fucking eyeballs with HGH, now excuse me while I go out and wrestle and pray one of my veins doesn't explodes or rupture from my bulging biceps.". It's original, it's refreshing and it's funny.

{Azure gives him an inquisitive look.}

Azure: So it's funny that the guy is an admitted user?

Tobias: That's the funny part, nobody knows whether he does them or not, I mean in all reasoning if he were he'd surely have been busted by the IGA's wellness program and sent into rehab right?

Azure: I guess I can see that.

Tobias: Yeah, but then something happened, something that makes me look past al the muscles and humor. That keeps me from looking past the Smoothy as nothing more than a match on my way from point A to point B in my career.

{The Riot has now focused his attention on the camera, his face stoic but his silver-grey eyes alight with excitement.}

Tobias: He became a champion. Didn't you Smoothy? And not only that, but you defended it once again against a team that everyone assumed would win. Everyone thought you and Christian were nothing more than fluke champions for what was seen as nothing more than a feel-good publicity stunt. But now, you guys have PROVEN that you're worthy to hold those titles, but you now have rthe chance to gain MY championship. The International Television Championship.

Azure: You're not going to add the 'SLASH' in there?

Tobias: Nope, because I'm not fucking retarded.

{That earns a chuckle from the small albino woman.}

Tobias: So you see Smoothy, I respect you, and I'm excited for our upcoming match. But know this, just because you're one of the few opponents I've faced in the last little while that I haven't loathed means that I'm not gonna take it easy on you. And coincidentally that's where the phrase off the top of this promo comes in. Because I am a champion, and because I am indeed looking out for my own interests you better be prepared for me to come in at you full boar. Thios title is mine and I doubt you have enough power in that physique of yours to topple me with the focus in my very being right now.

{A grin breaks out on the Riot's face.}

Tobias: You may be the 'One Man Stable' Smoothy, but you are going against the Riot. And if you play fair I'll play fair, but that doesn't stop me from stiffing you, from hitting you as hard as I can. I will cause you terrible amounts of pain, if I can open you up through legal means I will. I certainly can't match strength with you Smoothy, but don't think I'm helpless, I embody the people, I AM the Riot. And come this match, I wil be competing in the 'War of All Against All'. I will come out on top because I'm looking after number one, and next Combat Zone, that number one will still be ME.

{Toby reaches back towards Azure and takes the Rubix Cube from her hands, he sets it down between the camera and the belt.}

Tobias: And if you want to prove me wrong, or if you want my title bad enough you're going to have to solve the Rubix Cube in less than three seconds...

{Fades to Black.}

Big Smoothy: One half of the IGA world tag team champions

~ The Smoothone lays back on his couch puffing on a large cuban cigar. He appears to have a look of satisfaction in his eyes. His living room seems to be semi-clean for a change. He takes a large draw on his stogie and blows several large rings into the air before glancing at his coffee table which his tag team belt is strewn across.~

Smoothy: Life is good. Nothing can keep this locomotive from running down the tracks. I am the type of man the legends are modeled after, the type of man that children want to be when they grow up, the type of man that....

~ His face grows tight as he shifts his ass on the couch ever so slightly as he lets loose of hellacious and noxious odor from his inside. At the same time a woman who seems to have seen better days walks into the room and gags slightly.~

Skank: Just shit himself from the sounds of it. Listen there champ, where's my money you said if you didn't have to wear a rubber you'd pay me double, now lets go hand it over.

~ The One Man Stable scratches at his crotch real quick and reluctantly breaks out the cash, throwing it down on his coffee table next to his champions ship belt.~

Smoothy: Yeah, well, dawn just works wonders on my hands. I mean all those years and I never took those commercials seriously. Anywho, So you gonna come around next week to clean? I'm heading out of town tomorrow.

Skank: Yeah, I'll clean the joint. I know your not going to do it.

~With that being said the "Cleaning Lady" go out the backdoor. Big Smoothy lays his cuban in an ashtray and sits up. He reaches under his cushion and pulls out a large bottle of Southern Comfort,. quickly draining half of its contents down his throat.~

Smoothy: This week it seems the company brass has felt me worthy of a real title shot. I have no doubts that I am going to come out on top this week just as I have in weeks past. This week its the return of the One Man Stable into singles action.

~ A loud grumbling sound emits from the big mans stomach as a very puzzled look comes over his face.~

Smoothy: Oh man, That is not a fart, I think I just shi......Damnit.

~ Smoothy springs from the couch and scurries towards the bathroom,.his improvised duck like walk shows the pressure he is using to keeps his cheeks together. The door slams shut behind him as an ungodly sound echoes from behind the closed door.~

Smoothy: ( Semi-muffled through the door) They call him the riot, what's a real riot is how the hell this guy is going to suuuuuurrrrrvie under pressuuuuuuure this week. The Smoothone, oh god...Is coming in as one half of the tag team champions. The rioOOOOOOOTTT.....good lord that's not natural....is going to feel me and the DNR.

~ More nasty noises can be heard when all of a sudden there the sound of a toilet flushing and the familiar sound of lysol being sprayed.~

Smoothy: I am walking out of South Bend the new International champ...that is if I ever get off this goddamn toilet.

Aaron Rupp

"So... here we are again. 'Lionheart' Aaron Rupp vs. 'The Heretic' Derek Weaver for the IGA Phoenix Championship."

[We fade in to an empty church cathedral. Standing at the altar is a lone figure, dressed from head to toe in a pure white robe. The figure's head is hidden by the hood. Apparantly, he's the one who just spoke. He appears to be looking down at something on the altar. He continues speaking]

Figure: It has been said that "it is the fate of new truths to begin as heresies and end and superstitions." I believe that quote rings truest in regards to what you said at GrappleFest before your match with Tommy Danger, Weaver. You talked about how you were perfect in your imperfection, and told everybody your views on what reality is. It is true that we are all human and that we all have our flaws. But is anybody normal? The answer is no, and the reason for that is because of one glaring fact. What can be defined as "normal"? Is there a human being alive that can be considered normal? No, because no two people share the exact same qualities. There is no human that God used to base the creation of every other human off of. He made everybody different so that each individual was unique. That especially holds true in the way an individual thinks. So the true reality is that humans are flawed, but they technically cannot be considered normal. It's as the quote says: Your new truth began as a heresy, and I just proved it to be superstition.

[The figure looks up and into the camera. With his right hand he flips his hood back, revealing the face of Aaron Rupp]

Rupp: "A man may be a heretic in the truth; and if he believe things only because his pastor says so, or the assembly so determines, without knowing other reason, though his belief be true, yet the very truth he holds becomes his heresy." That is a quote that also holds true in regards to what you said, Derek. I could keep finding quotes in that regard, but I think you'd rather hear my own words for a while.

[Aaron closes the book that he'd been looking at on the altar]

Rupp: So Derek, it appears that we needed to have a tiebreaker in our series at some point. For those that havn't been keeping track, Derek and I are 1-1 against one another. But that is going to change at Under Pressure. All three of our matches have seen the Phoenix Title belt as the prize for the victor. I won the first match, but it was by disqualification because Weaver tried to rip myn eye out of my head. We would meet again at Requiem for Pain in a Leather Strap Match, which Weaver won because of interference from Anthony Alred. Alred was the main reason for why I asked for our third match to be inside a steel cage, but after what happened at GrappleFest... I don't think I'll need to worry about him anymore. Still, this will make sure that nobody else gets any ideas. Just you and me Weaver. And this time, I have every intention of defeating you with my own skills. That Phoenix Title belongs to me, and I'm getting it back come Under Pressure.

[Aaron's eyes narrow into a glare]

Rupp: You've said some pretty sickening things about me and the fact that I have Asperger's Syndrome in the past. But that only serves to further go against your words. You said that you've embraced your flaws. That's nice to hear, but I embraced mine a long time ago. I know who I am and what I am afflicted with. Yet I constantly fight against adversity and show that I don't let my disorders affect my performance in the ring. And since I havn't drilled that point home with you the past few times, I'll make damn sure to do so this time. GrappleFest was a good night for me and a bad one for you. I won my 6-Man Tag Match alongside Enigma and Bryan Warrior over Chris Justice and the Hollywood Syndicate. You, on the other hand, lost your match to Tommy Danger as well as your trainer. I'd say things are looking more in my favor heading into Under Pressure, don't you think? But rest assured Weaver... I'm not going to underestimate you. I know firsthand how dangerous you are, and I'll be ready. You'd better get your head together, or else...

[Aaron smirks]

Rupp: ...you're going to fall victim to the Rupp Syndrome.

[Aaron walks away as the scene fades out]

Derek Weaver: IGA Phoenix Champion

[A man holding his temples tightly, knuckles white with the effort and wrists straining. The veins bulge in his hands and the brown strands of hair jutting from between his fingers are slightly tinged with crimson]

"Burdened... constantly burdened."

[The hands shift and grip again, now jamming his knuckles into his eyes]

"Burdened by the double edged blade of an active mind.

Burdened by the need to be right.

Burdened by the need to shove that 'right-ness' onto the world.

Burdened by the truth that refuses to reveal itself to the world."

[The hands change again, folding over themselves and pushing into his mouth, a shadow from his hair still casting darkness across his eyes and nose]

"Burdened by the past, which won't fix itself... which constantly burns images into my eyes every time I blink."

[The man shudders and leans forward, resting his forehead onto his folded hands]

"Burdened by those images... images of happier times when life wasn't about the blood and the truth and the right and the wrong.

Burdened by the knowledge that I was once happy."

[The camera switches to a view of a bottle of bourbon sitting next to a highball glass. The shaky hands reach out and grasp the bottle, leaning it over to pour three fingers into the glass]

DW: There was a time when I used to drown myself in this... a time when it was the only thing that pushed the pain down. The idea of living in a stupor where reality and dreams blurred was far preferable to the pain of living my life. I still remember the taste of it, the feel as it warmed me from the inside, blasting away the ice around my heart, even for a second.

I still remember.

[The hand grips the glass, swirling it around and letting it settle again]

DW: And yet when I rediscovered myself through violence... I had to give it up. It numbed me in a way I couldn't afford to be. I couldn't fight and react properly. I couldn't hear the distinct sounds of bone slamming into flesh. I couldn't... I couldn't lose myself to the smell of copper in the blood, or the sight of the crimson because everything was a blur.

[Derek's eyes, fixed and haunting in the dark. Looking towards the camera at an angle, Derek's nonchalant view belies the fact that the man is probably at his most dangerous... alone and unfocused]

DW: Anthony, I bet you're thinking that what you did... who you aligned with would drive me back to the bottle. Knowing the things you do and giving Winston that information, you must be assured that my end is near. Hell, when you took your hand off the hilt of the knife, I thought I felt a sigh of relief on my back, knowing that you were probably doing a better thing.

But the truth is that the knife in my back didn't hurt. I barely even noticed it. After all, I've been living with two in my heart since before we met.

[Derek blinks and leans forward, now turning his head more fully and staring into the lens of the camera]

DW: But while you breath that sigh of relief, you must wonder if you did the right thing. Betray the man who treated you as you deserved? With RESPECT and REVERENCE? Turn on him because a few men were left at the wayside? Or sit by, knowing that the body count will only rise. Damned if you do, damned if you don't. Is that what you think?

[Derek chuckles]

DW: Anthony, you never saw beyond your own nose. The fact is: You were DAMNED before the option MADE ITSELF KNOWN!

All you've done is let go of the leash, Athony. All you've done, is let the animal out of the cage.

ALL YOU'VE DONE... IS PUT YOUR NECK... ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK!

[Derek lifts the bourbon glass high over his head before smashing it down on the table. Shards hang in his palm and as he turns his hand over, blood intermingling with the alcohol, he smiles. Fade out]

Lara Leigh Love

[The scene opens to Baltimore's Druid Hill Park. It's a sunny afternoon and the camera pans the area, suddenly catching sight of a Harley Davidson motorcycle as it zooms into frame, entering the parking area. The rider, who has a slender, decidedly female figure, is clad in a black, tank top and jeans, completing the look with boots and leather gloves. As she parks the motorcycle, she suddenly looks up to face the camera, removing her helmet and sending a mane of raven tresses tumbling down her back, as well as revealing the visage of Lara Leigh Love.]

[Lara Leigh turns the bike off, kickstand down. She then places her helmet on the back of the bike and her gloves in her back pocket, before leaning forward, her hands on the handle bars.]

LLL: I gotta admit that it's good to be getting back in the ring again. I miss being able to beat a bitch, within an inch of her life, and not get locked up for it.

[A knowing smirk crosses her lips.]

LLL: It's just too bad that I'm not going in against one of those silicone sluts from the Agency again. I never get tired of slapping the taste out of their mouths. Instead, I got myself up against Apathy.

[Her face grows serious.]

LLL: You know, Apathy's actually shown herself to be a decent broad, in the months that I've gotten to know her. Unlike a lot of women around here, she's not trying to coast on her looks and can actually throw down in the ring. Plus, she's anti-Agency too, which earns her at least a dozen extra cool points. But even though I've got mad respect for her, there's no way in Hell that I'm still not doing everything I can to win this match.

See, I'm tired of playing second fiddle to chicks that can't hold a candle to me, just because they flash their tits, shake their asses, and pose for Playboy. Since my sleazebag cousin won the women's title, it's been all Agency, all of the time. And it makes me sick to my stomach to see those tramps in the spotlight, while the _real_ fighters in this division get tossed aside and treated like step-children.

After a while, I realized I had two options. I could continue to piss and moan, while the top brass did nothing. Or, I could take matters into my own hands. As you can guess, I decided on option 2.

[She grins.]

LLL: Which is why I will be putting in my best effort against Apathy. After all, winning this match will show the dudes in charge that, despite what some of these fools think, I'm still in the game and more than willing and able to step up to the plate, face that slut, and take back what she stole from me.

[Fade.]

Apathy

"Congratulations."

"You reached to very tip of the mountain Sato. You knocked the queen off her throne of glass and then you smashed her with it. Again, congratulations. I'm impressed."

"But there are changes to be had if this dying division intends to stay afloat. You know of what I speak."

++She flicks her cigarette out the driver side window where her bare feet hang. Her red toenails glimmer in the peach and butterscotch sunsent overlooking the farm land, and the desolate crypts++

"This place always makes me feel at peace with myself. I realize it's a bone yard, but, the view from up here is just amazing. I mean look! You can see for miles both ways. When I die, I want buried right up on this hill. I want my gave to be kissed by the morning sun, and my bones to be able to feel the cold of night slipping upon me."

++She draws her feet in and resituates herself so that she sits right behind the leather bound steering wheel. A faint wind blows atop the great hill and she closes her eyes. She can feel it again++

"I put so much aside so that my husband could have his day in the sun, but it has become increasingly clear that, as far as this company is concerned, he has lost his smile, and for once, I had nothing to do with it. So where does this leave me?"

"It has been a year since I touched prestegious gold."

"Hell it's truly been a year since anybody in this two bit flea circus gave a crap that I was even under contract. They were all more intrested in my husband, when he would quit flaking and how soon he would be back. And that's when I realized that, everywhere I looked, that was the SAME DAMN TREND everywhere."

"Sato, hear me out for a minute, and you Love, even you, just listen to me as nothing more than a female in the business."

"When was the last time any MALE in this company barked praise about any of our matches? When was the last time we were glorified? You keep thinking, and Sato, when I talk about praise, I mean actual, true, homage, not a bunch of suits and guys who want in your pants, patting you on the ass while looking down your shirt and saying "good job kid". You know where I'm going with this. They DON'T care. They HAVEN'T cared since Tori broke her neck. And what happened AFTER Tori went home to heal? They moved on to whoever was next in line for faux praise."

"Well I'm tired of it."

"I'm sorry Love but you are going to be a victim of circumstance not because I think I'm better than you, but merely because, you aren't qualified for what I have in mind."

++The hues in the sky have changed to a lavender and tangerine, darkness comes soon, not only on this earth, but, for this womens roster if somebody doesn't do something fast++

"They are phasing us out. Pushing us into the back ground and they are just throwing us by the wayside Sato. IS that what you want? Your career to be forgotten? We both have given a lot to this business, too much to be erased by a company who is too busy with their cliques and their private parts shoved up where the sun don't shine."

"I'm calling a spade a spade."

"Someone needs to remind these sexist chumps what it is that brought us to the dance."

"A Revolution is coming.....and no, I won't cut promos in German."

++FTB++

Johnny Pembroke

V/O: The Cruiserweight Icon AsH

[Pause.]

V/O: Essex

[Pause.]

V/O: Bryant McCoy

[Pause.]

V/O: Scott Stylez

[Pause.]

V/O: Chance Fortune

[Pause.]

V/O: And Me.

[The camera opened up on Johnny Pembroke leaning back against a brick wall, he had on a pair of black jersey shorts and a black jersey cut-off tank top. Those perfectly fitted black Oakley's covered his eyes, shielding them from a looming sun over-head. The names mentioned earlier had been said with uncaring disdain. Pembroke crossed his arms over his stomach as he released what sounded like a sigh.]

Johnny: All these men I've came across before, whether it be in the back or in the ring. I know them, I know their thought process, and I know their capabilities. They might think they know me.. all they know is how I wrestle. They don't know what goes through my head, they don't know what it's like to be a stepping stone, to rise high and then be brought back down to nothing, rise again and once more fall from grace.

They don't know what that does to your mind.. a part of me hopes they never find out.

[Pembroke grinned slyly and shook his head from left to right. A small laugh escaped his lips.]

Johnny: Now now, I guess I should be a good ol' boy and play along? Be nice to my team-mates even if I don't like them. Respect ..yes I respect everyone in this match, but I don't like them, but sometimes you just have to do what you're told right? Fucking shame though, AsH is the kick-out machine, yet how is he going to kick out of the Vice? McCoy.. he probably has so much ring-rust it will be fun to rip the rust right off him and tear his arm out of socket. Then we come to Essex, the man who's shot to the top and was IGA's Golden Child. We've had our crossings before, we'll have more crossing's in the future. [Pembroke just shrugged.] He didn't escape the Vice last time, he won't escape it this time either.

[Johnny pushed himself up off the wall and uncrossed his arms. He looked down for a moment before lifting his head back up and looked straight at the camera.]

Johnny: This is the part where you say a snappy catch-phrase, get the crowd at home riled up and go out there, have a five-star match and win or lose come off looking like a million bucks. [Pembroke smiled that sly grin once more.] I don't need think I want to try and do that anymore. I'm Johnny Pembroke, and that's all the fuck you need to know.

[FTB.]

Mr. Chris Justice

[Before the start of his match, the camera opens up in the back to a very angry and focused Mr. Chris Justice face came up on the titan tron. Taking a small toke of his Pall Mall cigarette, Chris clears his throat and blows the smoke out from his reddish looking lips.]

Mr. Chris Justice: Grapplefest.

[Chris takes another puff.]

Mr. Chris Justice: Six-Man Tag.

[Chris shakes his head.]

Mr. Chris Justice: Pain…

[His eyes lit up with a fire that could burn the world down. Taking another puff from his cigarette before tilting his head the other way.]

Mr. Chris Justice: Scott Justice, you and Andrew Raynes both got in the ring with me. Fighting side by side with me. But when it was all said and done, you two fell with me. We lost because of me. I can say that. It was because of me. But…

[Chris took another quick puff of his cig.]

Mr. Chris Justice: What happen afterwards was going over the line. You see, I’m the new cat on the bloke. No experience inside that ring. Only two wins under my belt. Basically got as much talent in my body as you as a new born child. But what you to forget is this. You know nothing about me. So listen to my words closely. When you hit me with those chairs you awoke something. Something that I can’t describe, something I don’t want to describe.

[The camera pans out to view Chris full view. In his right hand he holds his cig, in his left he holds a steel chair of his own. Chris took another puff of the cig before looking down at the chair.]

Mr. Chris Justice: Scott, Andrew, Tyler. Three against one. The odds are against me. But tonight I get one. Scott Justice, you are the first to view what I really am. Tonight you get to feel the anger that you awoke inside me. And tonight, you get to feel real justice.

[Chris takes one more puff before pressing the cig against the steel chair.]

Mr. Chris Justice: And tonight Scott, Justice comes straight from hell for you.

[With that Chris walks away as the scene goes black.]