Post by Delikado/J-Noble on Jan 15, 2011 22:48:15 GMT -5
A shot of the Cookeville Community Center, aka the sight of Pride’s “Oblivion” show appears into view as the scene fades in. It looks no different than usual as the clear blue sky hangs above. No doubt a nice day before the event itself begins.
David Rolley: January 10, 2011. This is Utopia Head Mentor, David Rolley. It’s been nearly a month, one single month since the Kingdom of Pride last felt the presence of Utopia, a wrestling-oriented unit put together to train athletes of any into caliber. With the intent on making them the very best professional wrestling could ask for, one would think this would be viewed as an exciting element, one the industry would seek to promote and expand by any means.
The scene switches to shots of wrestlers in the ring, but the camera is too far away to make any details out that would specifically assist with telling us who these people are. The training wrestlers compete fiercely, with plenty of young vigor, and they look to impress those watching them on the sideline. Indeed, these eager men are displaying fine talents that will be of great use to them in their careers once they gain a contract. Their skills being displayed in the ring should easily assist in that process as well.
David Rolley: It was looking to be a good year. A fresh batch of young, bold blood was moving in, and they were ready to step up and face whatever this business threw at them. They were on their way to becoming athletes on a level that would stun even the most impressive veterans. Things, to put it mildly, were going very, very well…
As the Utopia wrestlers square off in the middle of the ring, a door opens and several people in strict business attire walk in, standing out drastically compared to the t-shirts, blue jeans, wrestling tights, muscles, tattoos, etc. The other men in the ring continue to perform, and their peers watch them while the newly suited arrivals practically march into the room, eyeing anything and everything in the Utopia training area. One of the nicely dressed men steps forward, gets the attention of everyone, and then waves them over to him and his partners.
Suited Man: Gentlemen, if we may have your attention, please.
The two wrestlers in the practice ring cease their actions as the others give the suits odd looks, as if they’re alien in comparison. The suited man who called out to the group begins to speak. His words go unheard, but they carry on for several minutes.
David Rolley: And then the world’s biggest curveball came and smashed into everyone’s faces. A shot that came out of nowhere…but was heard everywhere.
As the wrestlers and their mentors listen on to what the man is telling them, their facial expressions display a vast array of emotions. At first, they’re skeptical and somewhat amused, but as the conversation carries on, things change to disbelief, anger, and question of what it is the man has told them. The suited man carries a plain face as he finishes up his speech.
Suited Man: I must ask all of you to clear out your belongings and vacate this facility immediately.
Men are seen breaking down one of the rings with grim looks on their faces. Others toss their luggage onto the curb, staring at it in stunned silence. Some, however, take more drastic measures as they struggle against security to talk---or yell---to the suited men, all of whom watch on without worry. Those that fight are pulled away and dragged off. The remainders walk past the ones that just decimated their careers, giving them nothing but a glare or a “why are you ruining my career?” look. As these formerly-signed or formerly soon-to-be signed athletes walk off into the unknown, others step into their place, many of them dressed differently and acting differently with more extreme tactics as they toss each other around and practically brutalize one another, as the suited men smile and turn, walking away into the shadows they emerged from.
David Rolley: This wasn’t an economy that was releasing all of these athletes, kicking them as far away as possible from Utopia, the Kingdom of Pride, or wrestling itself. Someone had decided Utopia wasn‘t justifying its funding anymore. We were being shut down slowly but steadily, replaced by men who were more suited to thug life than a life inside the holy squared circle. This was politics, more-or-less. Savage, uncaring politics was putting people of “their” design into place. An organization that was meant to bring a new era of professional wrestling to light…
One of the last men, one of the two who was fighting in the ring, remains standing in the center of the ring still set up, his face hung in defeat. But just as he starts to walk forward, one of the “new” wrestlers walks up behind him and kicks him in the back of the leg, causing him to stumble forward. The brute of a man grins as he slugs his opponent in the back of the head while his equally brutish brothers of the business applaud and cheer him on. The young man falls to the mat and tries to pull himself up, but the barbarian, only interested in the hardcore brutality of this sport, places a heavy boot on his back and applies pressure. The energy depleted from him, the young man crumbles to the mat as the outlandish men on the outside count to three, declaring their man victorious. The winner holds his arm up in victory as he keeps his foot down on the conquered and laughs.
David Rolley: …had just been plunged into the darkest abyss imaginable.
The suited men, watching on the outside of the ring, stand at a computer belonging to Utopia, typing in information. Another computer, one of their own, is resting next to it, evidently copying the data over into its own storage. The main one, the one who gave the speech that ultimately ended dozens of careers, grins as he watches the actions in the ring, and then focuses on the data displayed at his fingertips. Violent cheering is heard in the distance as a crashing sound echoes in the distance, the sound of a once promising future imploding into itself, and everything cuts to black.
David Rolley: Without question, this particular business has seen better days. It took a single month of inactivity, something totally out of our hands, to bring things to this point. Now all Utopia is, is an abyss. It’s dark to the point there’s hardly anything to see, and we don’t know what tomorrow will mean for the few Utopia members left in this business. But, we’re still here…and that means Utopia still belongs to us.
The scene reopens onto the Kingdom of Pride arena and then fades in to a different building, one that is hardly as impressive as the arena, but being that it’s a training area, a gym, it would make sense for it to not be as stylish.
Utopia Training Facility
Cookeville, Tennessee
January 13, 2011
The gray sky hangs above as the camera moves closer to the building. A few cars are parked outside, but not much other activity is currently going on. The scene switches to inside the building, where Utopia mentor David Rolley stands overlooking some documents on a makeshift desk that looks cheaply made at that. Nonetheless, the old-timer doesn’t look bothered by that fact as he is preoccupied with the pieces of paper before him.
David Rolley: Criostoir. What am I supposed to be looking for here again?
A man standing a few feet behind him flipping through documents of his own, the Irishman Criostoir, looks toward Rolley with a lifted eyebrow.
Criostoir: Aw dawn’t know, laddie. Whole thang jus comin’ to tha door this mornin’. Stampeh to ya from dem “Keengdom ah Prahd” boys.
David Rolley: Must be something on stipulations and whatnot for the new year. These things keep coming in even after things have already started. Management has its head up its ass. Let me see the one from a week ago to compare.
Criostoir: Yah be thinkin’ de Bosses be aht ‘an abaht tryin’ tah fluff up yeh feathers then, eh? Right cheeky bastahds!
Rolley frowns as he turns one of the pages over and reads it to himself.
David Rolley: The Kingdom of Pride management was “nice enough” to leave us this little scrap of Utopia to train and go about business we never lost, and I don’t believe those “other” officials have yet to make peace with that. It always does well to check over any documents that come in to make sure Pride’s words aren’t being twisted and corrupted to suit the wishes of someone else. It’d be our luck that some stiff who never broke a sweat in his life changes up a single piece of paper that ends up issuing all us hard-working men and women a letter of dismissal.
Criostoir: Ah jus asked ye a “yah or nah” question, laddie. Wasn’t needin’ half a speech!
Rolley grins lightly.
David Rolley: I guess I can’t help myself making the Q&A process a living hell for someone even after all these years…
As he goes about reading the document, Rolley stops, narrows his eyes so as to read the line better, and then lifts his head up, looking around the building for someone. He spots Debra Mason just as she walks into the main room, but that isn’t who he was looking for.
David Rolley: Johnny! Come in here, son.
Just then, a different door opens and Johnny Noble walks out, dressed in ripped blue-jeans and a sweaty wife-beater. He’s clearly been working out, as evident by the gloves on his hands and the elbow pads.
Johnny Noble: Yeah?
Rolley holds up the paper he was reading for Johnny to see.
David Rolley: Looks like you’re going back into the squared circle after all.
Johnny lifts an eyebrow of slight surprise, but he doesn’t look to be floored by the announcement. However, as he walks forward, a hint of skepticism crosses his face.
Johnny Noble: You sure it’s not one of those tie-wearing office hands setting me up to be publically fired or placed in a 20-man handicap match?
David Rolley: No, this seems like it came from the legit Kingdom of Pride officials. You’ll be paired with one “Eddie Nash” to take on the team of Obscene and Stuart Cage.
As Rolley finishes up the reading of Noble’s match, Johnny takes the paper and skims it himself. He looks to be a bit more settled now once he reads it over, indeed finding it more in the vein of Pride to have made this match. Criostoir shakes his head as he half-listens, half-works.
Criostoir: Eddie Nash? Nevah heard of ‘em, sir.
Johnny Noble: I can’t say I have either. Then again, it’s more likely because I’ve been spending the better half of this new year debating with people on why I should be keeping my own job. Kind of keeps me unable to really focus on the career of someone else.
Rolley shrugs his shoulders, as if it’s not his problem.
David Rolley: Well, your focus should be on this right here, son.
Debra Mason approaches the rest of the team and stands by watching as Johnny runs a hand through his hair and exhales lightly.
Johnny Noble: Hmm, well it DOES look like a better deal than the ones we’ve been getting recently.
Johnny flips the pages on Nash and his opponents.
Johnny Noble: He won that Pride Cup thing the company hosted in the last weeks of 2010.
David Rolley: I never watched it.
Debra Mason: None of us did. We were one office order away from the unemployment line.
Johnny Noble: It was fun. Anyway, also says Nash is also doing well business-wise. Minus a minor bump with Eagles a week ago, he’s been virtually undefeated.
Rolley doesn’t look deterred by this statement. He crosses his arms over his chest and thinks to himself for a few seconds.
David Rolley: Better to lose to the former-Valiant Champion than to some of the new trash going around undeservingly brandishing Utopia’s banner. Our banner.
Johnny continues going over the papers while his teammates silently reflect on the past few weeks of hardships. When he’s finished, Noble lays down the papers on the makeshift desk.
Johnny Noble: No doubt. There’s plenty of crap to go around in this place now. Although looking at the record Cage and Obscene possess, compared to Nash’s and my own, I can’t say this is the hardest match a man could get put into. It’ll be a nice throwback to some tag team wrestling; a decent “welcome back” match.
Noble gives a light shrug of the shoulders as he slowly paces around in front of the table and his team.
Johnny Noble: It’s just a matter of how much I’ll have to keep my eyes glued to the back of my head, though.
David Rolley: Meaning?
Johnny Noble: Well, my job won’t ever be 100% secure with the ignoble that is my older brother running around in office. Combine that with our new friends who are always on the lookout for greener pastures they can use our mulched careers to nourish, this here Utopia is all out of elements to make it a paradise. Big Brother Curtis gunning for my resignation by any means necessary means more chances of physical abuse on me and probably a few more antagonists than we’d feel comfortable with having in the same company. This tag match might be a chance to stretch my arms and legs after close to a month out of real-ring action, but I need to act like I’m about to be thrown into the frying pan…because that day’s going to come around sooner or later. Mark the words.
Rolley sighs regrettably.
David Rolley: Damn it, John. When you want to sound right, you go all out.
Criostoir: Yah, but he also rabbles awn ‘n awn like ye do, Rolley.
An amused chuckle for the Irishman’s blunt remark, a rare moment of soft relief for the Utopia team. Rolley turns to Debra, his arms still crossed firmly.
David Rolley: Ms. Mason, any thoughts?
Debra walks over and eyes all the documents scattered on the desk. No longer a wrestler herself and now dressed a bit more professionally in what look to be medical clothing, it would appear Ms. Mason has gone from wrestler to team medic. Whether they actually NEED one is a different exchange altogether, and one the rest of the group is not interested in pursuing.
Debra Mason: Sir. To be frank, I’ve got very few thoughts on Johnny’s match itself. Like all of us, I’ve been fighting for my own job, especially after that spill I took just before the company went on holiday. And you’d be surprised how little information a medic can get, even if it’s just from the outer rim of Pride’s circle. But Cage is a practical no-name, Obscene’s one of those “Pride Originals” and…well, Johnny covered Nash pretty well.
Johnny smiles and nods with a little cockiness about him. She returns the expression. After this, Debra flips through the rest of the pages.
Debra Mason: Meanwhile, as Johnny also hinted at, our new Utopia “partners”…
Everyone looks annoyed at this, speaking of the thugs who have been steadily replacing this training program’s former stars-to-be, but only Criostoir chimes in his views.
Criostoir: “Pahtnas?! Ain’t no pahtnas here but mah foot pahtnarin’ wit der arses! Still can’t beleheve dem friggin lots fired Seoirse…
Criostoir mutters a few quick words of “mourning” for his departed comrade but then goes back to work silently.
Debra Mason: They’ve definitely been up to something recently though. Rumors are going around that those self-serving creeps are building up their own wrestling foundation off Utopia’s remains.
Criostoir: Aye, ah heard de same, actually. What do ya tink dem bastards are up to, goin’ dahn dat route?
Rolley leans down with his hands on the desk and sighs as he looks over the pages from Pride. While they may be from the likes of Kurt Noble and Jeremy Sterling, the Utopia mentor still looks bothered, as if there’s something in these documents that also go into the thoughts of this “other Utopia” or this “Dystopia” as Johnny and the like have unofficially regarded it as on occasion.
David Rolley: Hmmm. We’re just going to have to keep our eyes open and our ears perked to listen for anything else. In the meantime, Johnny…
Rolley looks to Johnny and nods his head softly.
David Rolley: You go on back to Pride and start showing the crooks who downsized us that trying to break Utopia was a poor play. You’re our only representative left, son. Do us all proud.
Johnny looks into his old teacher’s eyes and nods his head in confirmation. Debra steps forward, looking concentrated as well.
Debra Mason: It’d be best if I headed on back to the arena as well.
As she starts to leave, Johnny watches her with a cocked eyebrow.
Johnny Noble: Miss, you shouldn’t be wondering off to that clinic unless you think I’m going to get my ass kicked by Stu or Obscene. Personally, as long as Nash does his thing and lets me do mine, I don’t foresee a real problem. Now, I may get my feelings hurt and could want a good shoulder to cry on, but this on the table right now is just business as usual.
Debra stops, rolls her eyes, verbally ignores Johnny’s comment and leaves the room. Rolley turns back to Johnny and despite not looking entirely pleased with the young man’s harmless comment, he does still appear focused and glad to have the young Noble among his fractured ranks.
David Rolley: Johnny, the ring is calling you back. I suggest you go and start prepping up to answer its call.
Johnny slowly inhales and exhales.
Johnny Noble: You can consider me ready to roll. I’m out.
Johnny gives Rolley and Criostoir a departing wave and exits the room himself.
Criostoir: Aye, Rolley, man, ya thinkin’ things can really be pickin’ up dis easy again for us?
Rolley turns and slowly walks toward a Utopia banner hanging on the wall. He stares at it silently for a few seconds before answering.
David Rolley: I couldn’t give you an honest yes or no answer if I wanted to, C. Johnny’s looking prepared to go back into the fire, but this new branch of wrestling politics is just striking me as potential gas that could fall on all of us. There’s a lot of risk to be had, sure, but Utopia is relying on the likes of us to take them. And with the talent remaining and the drive of all of us here…I’d like nothing better than for it all to be worth that risk.
Rolley continues to stare at the Utopia banner as the scene cuts to black.
David Rolley: January 10, 2011. This is Utopia Head Mentor, David Rolley. It’s been nearly a month, one single month since the Kingdom of Pride last felt the presence of Utopia, a wrestling-oriented unit put together to train athletes of any into caliber. With the intent on making them the very best professional wrestling could ask for, one would think this would be viewed as an exciting element, one the industry would seek to promote and expand by any means.
The scene switches to shots of wrestlers in the ring, but the camera is too far away to make any details out that would specifically assist with telling us who these people are. The training wrestlers compete fiercely, with plenty of young vigor, and they look to impress those watching them on the sideline. Indeed, these eager men are displaying fine talents that will be of great use to them in their careers once they gain a contract. Their skills being displayed in the ring should easily assist in that process as well.
David Rolley: It was looking to be a good year. A fresh batch of young, bold blood was moving in, and they were ready to step up and face whatever this business threw at them. They were on their way to becoming athletes on a level that would stun even the most impressive veterans. Things, to put it mildly, were going very, very well…
As the Utopia wrestlers square off in the middle of the ring, a door opens and several people in strict business attire walk in, standing out drastically compared to the t-shirts, blue jeans, wrestling tights, muscles, tattoos, etc. The other men in the ring continue to perform, and their peers watch them while the newly suited arrivals practically march into the room, eyeing anything and everything in the Utopia training area. One of the nicely dressed men steps forward, gets the attention of everyone, and then waves them over to him and his partners.
Suited Man: Gentlemen, if we may have your attention, please.
The two wrestlers in the practice ring cease their actions as the others give the suits odd looks, as if they’re alien in comparison. The suited man who called out to the group begins to speak. His words go unheard, but they carry on for several minutes.
David Rolley: And then the world’s biggest curveball came and smashed into everyone’s faces. A shot that came out of nowhere…but was heard everywhere.
As the wrestlers and their mentors listen on to what the man is telling them, their facial expressions display a vast array of emotions. At first, they’re skeptical and somewhat amused, but as the conversation carries on, things change to disbelief, anger, and question of what it is the man has told them. The suited man carries a plain face as he finishes up his speech.
Suited Man: I must ask all of you to clear out your belongings and vacate this facility immediately.
Men are seen breaking down one of the rings with grim looks on their faces. Others toss their luggage onto the curb, staring at it in stunned silence. Some, however, take more drastic measures as they struggle against security to talk---or yell---to the suited men, all of whom watch on without worry. Those that fight are pulled away and dragged off. The remainders walk past the ones that just decimated their careers, giving them nothing but a glare or a “why are you ruining my career?” look. As these formerly-signed or formerly soon-to-be signed athletes walk off into the unknown, others step into their place, many of them dressed differently and acting differently with more extreme tactics as they toss each other around and practically brutalize one another, as the suited men smile and turn, walking away into the shadows they emerged from.
David Rolley: This wasn’t an economy that was releasing all of these athletes, kicking them as far away as possible from Utopia, the Kingdom of Pride, or wrestling itself. Someone had decided Utopia wasn‘t justifying its funding anymore. We were being shut down slowly but steadily, replaced by men who were more suited to thug life than a life inside the holy squared circle. This was politics, more-or-less. Savage, uncaring politics was putting people of “their” design into place. An organization that was meant to bring a new era of professional wrestling to light…
One of the last men, one of the two who was fighting in the ring, remains standing in the center of the ring still set up, his face hung in defeat. But just as he starts to walk forward, one of the “new” wrestlers walks up behind him and kicks him in the back of the leg, causing him to stumble forward. The brute of a man grins as he slugs his opponent in the back of the head while his equally brutish brothers of the business applaud and cheer him on. The young man falls to the mat and tries to pull himself up, but the barbarian, only interested in the hardcore brutality of this sport, places a heavy boot on his back and applies pressure. The energy depleted from him, the young man crumbles to the mat as the outlandish men on the outside count to three, declaring their man victorious. The winner holds his arm up in victory as he keeps his foot down on the conquered and laughs.
David Rolley: …had just been plunged into the darkest abyss imaginable.
The suited men, watching on the outside of the ring, stand at a computer belonging to Utopia, typing in information. Another computer, one of their own, is resting next to it, evidently copying the data over into its own storage. The main one, the one who gave the speech that ultimately ended dozens of careers, grins as he watches the actions in the ring, and then focuses on the data displayed at his fingertips. Violent cheering is heard in the distance as a crashing sound echoes in the distance, the sound of a once promising future imploding into itself, and everything cuts to black.
David Rolley: Without question, this particular business has seen better days. It took a single month of inactivity, something totally out of our hands, to bring things to this point. Now all Utopia is, is an abyss. It’s dark to the point there’s hardly anything to see, and we don’t know what tomorrow will mean for the few Utopia members left in this business. But, we’re still here…and that means Utopia still belongs to us.
Johnny Noble
Into the Abyss
Into the Abyss
The scene reopens onto the Kingdom of Pride arena and then fades in to a different building, one that is hardly as impressive as the arena, but being that it’s a training area, a gym, it would make sense for it to not be as stylish.
Utopia Training Facility
Cookeville, Tennessee
January 13, 2011
The gray sky hangs above as the camera moves closer to the building. A few cars are parked outside, but not much other activity is currently going on. The scene switches to inside the building, where Utopia mentor David Rolley stands overlooking some documents on a makeshift desk that looks cheaply made at that. Nonetheless, the old-timer doesn’t look bothered by that fact as he is preoccupied with the pieces of paper before him.
David Rolley: Criostoir. What am I supposed to be looking for here again?
A man standing a few feet behind him flipping through documents of his own, the Irishman Criostoir, looks toward Rolley with a lifted eyebrow.
Criostoir: Aw dawn’t know, laddie. Whole thang jus comin’ to tha door this mornin’. Stampeh to ya from dem “Keengdom ah Prahd” boys.
David Rolley: Must be something on stipulations and whatnot for the new year. These things keep coming in even after things have already started. Management has its head up its ass. Let me see the one from a week ago to compare.
Criostoir: Yah be thinkin’ de Bosses be aht ‘an abaht tryin’ tah fluff up yeh feathers then, eh? Right cheeky bastahds!
Rolley frowns as he turns one of the pages over and reads it to himself.
David Rolley: The Kingdom of Pride management was “nice enough” to leave us this little scrap of Utopia to train and go about business we never lost, and I don’t believe those “other” officials have yet to make peace with that. It always does well to check over any documents that come in to make sure Pride’s words aren’t being twisted and corrupted to suit the wishes of someone else. It’d be our luck that some stiff who never broke a sweat in his life changes up a single piece of paper that ends up issuing all us hard-working men and women a letter of dismissal.
Criostoir: Ah jus asked ye a “yah or nah” question, laddie. Wasn’t needin’ half a speech!
Rolley grins lightly.
David Rolley: I guess I can’t help myself making the Q&A process a living hell for someone even after all these years…
As he goes about reading the document, Rolley stops, narrows his eyes so as to read the line better, and then lifts his head up, looking around the building for someone. He spots Debra Mason just as she walks into the main room, but that isn’t who he was looking for.
David Rolley: Johnny! Come in here, son.
Just then, a different door opens and Johnny Noble walks out, dressed in ripped blue-jeans and a sweaty wife-beater. He’s clearly been working out, as evident by the gloves on his hands and the elbow pads.
Johnny Noble: Yeah?
Rolley holds up the paper he was reading for Johnny to see.
David Rolley: Looks like you’re going back into the squared circle after all.
Johnny lifts an eyebrow of slight surprise, but he doesn’t look to be floored by the announcement. However, as he walks forward, a hint of skepticism crosses his face.
Johnny Noble: You sure it’s not one of those tie-wearing office hands setting me up to be publically fired or placed in a 20-man handicap match?
David Rolley: No, this seems like it came from the legit Kingdom of Pride officials. You’ll be paired with one “Eddie Nash” to take on the team of Obscene and Stuart Cage.
As Rolley finishes up the reading of Noble’s match, Johnny takes the paper and skims it himself. He looks to be a bit more settled now once he reads it over, indeed finding it more in the vein of Pride to have made this match. Criostoir shakes his head as he half-listens, half-works.
Criostoir: Eddie Nash? Nevah heard of ‘em, sir.
Johnny Noble: I can’t say I have either. Then again, it’s more likely because I’ve been spending the better half of this new year debating with people on why I should be keeping my own job. Kind of keeps me unable to really focus on the career of someone else.
Rolley shrugs his shoulders, as if it’s not his problem.
David Rolley: Well, your focus should be on this right here, son.
Debra Mason approaches the rest of the team and stands by watching as Johnny runs a hand through his hair and exhales lightly.
Johnny Noble: Hmm, well it DOES look like a better deal than the ones we’ve been getting recently.
Johnny flips the pages on Nash and his opponents.
Johnny Noble: He won that Pride Cup thing the company hosted in the last weeks of 2010.
David Rolley: I never watched it.
Debra Mason: None of us did. We were one office order away from the unemployment line.
Johnny Noble: It was fun. Anyway, also says Nash is also doing well business-wise. Minus a minor bump with Eagles a week ago, he’s been virtually undefeated.
Rolley doesn’t look deterred by this statement. He crosses his arms over his chest and thinks to himself for a few seconds.
David Rolley: Better to lose to the former-Valiant Champion than to some of the new trash going around undeservingly brandishing Utopia’s banner. Our banner.
Johnny continues going over the papers while his teammates silently reflect on the past few weeks of hardships. When he’s finished, Noble lays down the papers on the makeshift desk.
Johnny Noble: No doubt. There’s plenty of crap to go around in this place now. Although looking at the record Cage and Obscene possess, compared to Nash’s and my own, I can’t say this is the hardest match a man could get put into. It’ll be a nice throwback to some tag team wrestling; a decent “welcome back” match.
Noble gives a light shrug of the shoulders as he slowly paces around in front of the table and his team.
Johnny Noble: It’s just a matter of how much I’ll have to keep my eyes glued to the back of my head, though.
David Rolley: Meaning?
Johnny Noble: Well, my job won’t ever be 100% secure with the ignoble that is my older brother running around in office. Combine that with our new friends who are always on the lookout for greener pastures they can use our mulched careers to nourish, this here Utopia is all out of elements to make it a paradise. Big Brother Curtis gunning for my resignation by any means necessary means more chances of physical abuse on me and probably a few more antagonists than we’d feel comfortable with having in the same company. This tag match might be a chance to stretch my arms and legs after close to a month out of real-ring action, but I need to act like I’m about to be thrown into the frying pan…because that day’s going to come around sooner or later. Mark the words.
Rolley sighs regrettably.
David Rolley: Damn it, John. When you want to sound right, you go all out.
Criostoir: Yah, but he also rabbles awn ‘n awn like ye do, Rolley.
An amused chuckle for the Irishman’s blunt remark, a rare moment of soft relief for the Utopia team. Rolley turns to Debra, his arms still crossed firmly.
David Rolley: Ms. Mason, any thoughts?
Debra walks over and eyes all the documents scattered on the desk. No longer a wrestler herself and now dressed a bit more professionally in what look to be medical clothing, it would appear Ms. Mason has gone from wrestler to team medic. Whether they actually NEED one is a different exchange altogether, and one the rest of the group is not interested in pursuing.
Debra Mason: Sir. To be frank, I’ve got very few thoughts on Johnny’s match itself. Like all of us, I’ve been fighting for my own job, especially after that spill I took just before the company went on holiday. And you’d be surprised how little information a medic can get, even if it’s just from the outer rim of Pride’s circle. But Cage is a practical no-name, Obscene’s one of those “Pride Originals” and…well, Johnny covered Nash pretty well.
Johnny smiles and nods with a little cockiness about him. She returns the expression. After this, Debra flips through the rest of the pages.
Debra Mason: Meanwhile, as Johnny also hinted at, our new Utopia “partners”…
Everyone looks annoyed at this, speaking of the thugs who have been steadily replacing this training program’s former stars-to-be, but only Criostoir chimes in his views.
Criostoir: “Pahtnas?! Ain’t no pahtnas here but mah foot pahtnarin’ wit der arses! Still can’t beleheve dem friggin lots fired Seoirse…
Criostoir mutters a few quick words of “mourning” for his departed comrade but then goes back to work silently.
Debra Mason: They’ve definitely been up to something recently though. Rumors are going around that those self-serving creeps are building up their own wrestling foundation off Utopia’s remains.
Criostoir: Aye, ah heard de same, actually. What do ya tink dem bastards are up to, goin’ dahn dat route?
Rolley leans down with his hands on the desk and sighs as he looks over the pages from Pride. While they may be from the likes of Kurt Noble and Jeremy Sterling, the Utopia mentor still looks bothered, as if there’s something in these documents that also go into the thoughts of this “other Utopia” or this “Dystopia” as Johnny and the like have unofficially regarded it as on occasion.
David Rolley: Hmmm. We’re just going to have to keep our eyes open and our ears perked to listen for anything else. In the meantime, Johnny…
Rolley looks to Johnny and nods his head softly.
David Rolley: You go on back to Pride and start showing the crooks who downsized us that trying to break Utopia was a poor play. You’re our only representative left, son. Do us all proud.
Johnny looks into his old teacher’s eyes and nods his head in confirmation. Debra steps forward, looking concentrated as well.
Debra Mason: It’d be best if I headed on back to the arena as well.
As she starts to leave, Johnny watches her with a cocked eyebrow.
Johnny Noble: Miss, you shouldn’t be wondering off to that clinic unless you think I’m going to get my ass kicked by Stu or Obscene. Personally, as long as Nash does his thing and lets me do mine, I don’t foresee a real problem. Now, I may get my feelings hurt and could want a good shoulder to cry on, but this on the table right now is just business as usual.
Debra stops, rolls her eyes, verbally ignores Johnny’s comment and leaves the room. Rolley turns back to Johnny and despite not looking entirely pleased with the young man’s harmless comment, he does still appear focused and glad to have the young Noble among his fractured ranks.
David Rolley: Johnny, the ring is calling you back. I suggest you go and start prepping up to answer its call.
Johnny slowly inhales and exhales.
Johnny Noble: You can consider me ready to roll. I’m out.
Johnny gives Rolley and Criostoir a departing wave and exits the room himself.
Criostoir: Aye, Rolley, man, ya thinkin’ things can really be pickin’ up dis easy again for us?
Rolley turns and slowly walks toward a Utopia banner hanging on the wall. He stares at it silently for a few seconds before answering.
David Rolley: I couldn’t give you an honest yes or no answer if I wanted to, C. Johnny’s looking prepared to go back into the fire, but this new branch of wrestling politics is just striking me as potential gas that could fall on all of us. There’s a lot of risk to be had, sure, but Utopia is relying on the likes of us to take them. And with the talent remaining and the drive of all of us here…I’d like nothing better than for it all to be worth that risk.
Rolley continues to stare at the Utopia banner as the scene cuts to black.
<END OF FEED>
