Post by ____ on Jul 13, 2010 19:33:20 GMT -5
Tomorrow, who really knows what it has in store. Surely, as Annie sang, the sun indeed will come out but beyond that, kismet has it’s reign. For the superstars of Pro Wrestling FIRE, they did not think that on that fateful Sunday they would be informed that the promotion they had devoted endless hours into building, would be shutting it’s doors. They did not think that every yesterday, which had surely been the day before’s tomorrow, the television network that had seemingly supported them by bringing their unique brand of entertainment to a broader audience, would end up being the Judas. For the fans, their tomorrow was just as foggy, they had devoted many a Sunday to watching Ignition, habit becoming routine and now, they had nothing, their tomorrow’s bleak.
Yet they could be considered the lucky ones in the equation of wrestlers and fans, they still had their jobs and the knowledge that on that fateful Monday, they would not have to find another way to provide sustenance for their families, to contribute to a failing 401K. They would not have put years of mileage on their bodies in a manner of months all for some rogue television executive in a suit worth three pay checks to decide the programming was not edgy enough for their liking, that the lack of women whoring themselves out as opposed to the lack of advertisement was the reason their lofty expectations were not being met.
“It’s nice sitting out here without a care in the world.”
Chris Hart turns to his right and looks at Kurt Noble, nodding subtly in agreement. As the gentle crashing of the surf hitting the Florida coastline and the gentle macaw of the gulls fills the air, it seems as if after months of chaos, investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency and a rogue tabloid, finally, the two of them are able to escape for a brief moment. Studying Kurt, there is a difference in the way he appeared. As always, his hair is tidy, not a single strand out of place. His face clean shaven and his shirt buttoned near the top, only the uppermost button open. The difference was not physical, at least not in the appearance sense but instead, the demeanor about him. He appeared to be slightly re-invigorated, a youthful exuberance in his eyes most distinguishable. Despite the faltering of Pro Wrestling FIRE, the world continues to move on and in many respects, for the better. With Amy Register now his wife to be and a brand new business venture on the horizon, for Kurt Noble, the world couldn’t be even better.
‘I’m happy for him, for the first time in Lord knows how long he’s finally at piece with himself. It seemed like everything we did to try and get back to the way things were, someone opposed us, something got in the way. Nick Pickles, In Media Res, The D.E.A, in the end, they were all one in the same, a faceless entity trying to destroy us …’
The musings of Chris are interrupted by the voice of Kurt Noble, looking straight out at the endless expanse of blue. “We have to leave it all behind us though, we can cherish the memories privately, reminisce from time to time, but now it’s all about the Kingdom.”
Now turning to his right, Kurt studies his former partner in crime, Chris Hart. His hair is neatly trimmed and spiked at the front, the open beach shirt showcasing the subtle six pack that had made the mid west swoon. Next to him on a wooden stool is the most expensive coaster in the world, his World Tag Team Title Championship belt, with a glass of water on top of it.
“We’re going to make something special Chris, something we can all be proud of. No television networks poking there noses in, trying to dictate what we air. It’s going to be about the wrestling Chris, who’s the king of the jungle and who are the monkeys.”
“I understand and from Jeremy and you, I wouldn‘t expect anything less.” Chris’ reply is only fitting. The two of them had seen first hand just how successful a promotion could be if ran properly, with the right people on board. “So who all else is joining up, I talked to Josh earlier and he seemed ecstatic that you’d called, but measured in his enthusiasm.”
“I don’t know, Jeremy has been heavy on the scouting front, getting the guys from FIRE, the originals and some new talent to push the lot of you so you don’t get complacent.” Kurt barely manages to finish his sentence before Chris jumps in with a retort. “Complacent? That would mean I’m sitting somewhere I don’t belong and I’m worried that someone more deserving is going to take my spot. I think all the blood I lost, the hours I spent whipping you back into ring shape after you left the loony bin.”
“Rehab,” Kurt interrupts.
“Whatever, it doesn’t make a difference, we won the tag team titles, we defended them four times and four times we walked out victorious.” Chris reaches to his side and places the water bottle onto the deck as he grabs the title belt, showcasing it for Kurt. “We fought back from the brink Kurt, where no one was willing to trust us, where we had to gamble our careers on matches just to get an opportunity and look where it got us.”
Kurt turns and looks at Chris, studying him slightly as the cogs inside the mind of Chris start rolling. ‘Crap, he’s got that look again. Slowly the wheels are turning, trying to figure out how to tell me something that he really doesn’t want to but that his conscience won’t let him. It’s not really going to hurt me, but it’s something he wishes weren’t true and he’s struggling. There’s a reason the kid can’t play poker.’ Finally putting his broken thoughts together. “All they got us was the respect of a certain people. Sure there will be some that come to Tennessee for a show, there might be a few FIRE fans in Tennessee but otherwise, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to walk out there and all they know is I’m the man trying to make a profit off of them. They see you, and you’re just a pink wearing fairy with a last name.”
“Speaking of fairies, Ruford’s cleaning up our messes right?” Immediately Chris smiles at the recollection of the burly janitor. ‘Damn, I loved that guy.’ “Sure he is, I couldn’t leave him hanging.” Kurt’s reply to the question draws an even bigger smile from Chris. “Enough about FIRE though, let’s look at the future,” Kurt says with an eye to the water, “what do you think about the championship gauntlet?”
Chris pauses for a moment, looking out at the water in front of trying to gather his thoughts. ‘It’s a good idea but there’s something about it that just doesn’t sit right. I can’t place it, can’t describe why I don’t think it’s going to work but …’ “Are you okay?” Chris turns away from the water at Kurt Noble, peering at him from behind the Oakley sunglasses now perched on his face. “Yeah,” Chris responds, “I like it, I think it means that someone controls their own fate. They have to win their match and the more decisive they do that, the more advantages they gain in the finals.”
Kurt nods his head before responding, “That’s what Jeremy said and I’m glad you agree. I just hope those in Tennessee think it’s not some hokey gimmick.” Chris chuckles slightly before he takes a long drink from the bottle of water. The interruption of the conversation allows the dim roar of the collective voices of hundred of beech goers to make it’s way to the backside paradise of the Noble residence. “Hell, if you’re worried, you could just give me the title,” Chris says as he screws the cap back onto his bottle.
“Yeah, but then someone would end up getting their knickers in a knot, saying that I just handed you the title because of our partnership” Kurt says with a slight chuckle. Chris moves his head in the affirmative to the statement, running it through his head a second time before chuckling, causing Kurt to turn to his right and shoot him a questioning look. “When I say partner, it sounds fine but with your accent, it makes it sound so queer. It’s like listening to Robert describe Berkshire.”
Kurt can only shake his head at his partner. “What are you going to do for accommodations? I know you bought the house in Illinois, are you going to sell that and move down there or try and get Jeremy to agree to pay for your transport?” “I think I’ll probably commute once of twice on Jeremy’s dollar until I can find a house down there. I’ve already got the one in Ellis up for sale.”
“What about the new fans, you’re probably going to have to win them over again?” Kurt says before grabbing his water as well, the scorching heat of the Florida sun beating down on them. Chris squirms slightly in his chair, the topic he had been trying to avoid being pushed forward again. Knowing the question will dog him until he answers it, he simply plows through the question. “I don’t know, I think they might dislike me, they might not. I put a lot of stock into it before but now, I’m going to be exactly like Pride, and let my wrestling do the talking. I can’t control what they do, all I can do is influence it and when they see how I work, they will.” Chris pauses for a moment, “That, and if they see me in boots in a hat, they’ll accept me as one of their own.”
“Fit in with the locals, not necessarily a bad strategy” Kurt says with a wide eyed smile before continuing on “Think you could take the microphone at the first show too? Jeremy or I, maybe both will make some form of official address, but we want one of the roster to get out there too, so it doesn’t just seem like the bankrollers are trying to sell the product. We want to show that the wrestlers are in this too, that they’re committed and going to bring the people of Tennessee the best wrestling show they’ve seen.”
Chris looks at Kurt, ‘are you serious’, running through his head. “You’re going to give me the microphone, with no reigns attached and ask me to be the face of the company? How times have changed.” Kurt laughs along with Chris, the self-depreciating humor lightening the serious atmosphere their conversation had taken. “I think I can trust my best man to go out there and do what’s right. Besides, you’ve grown up a lot since then and everyone’s seen it. You’re going to be gold Chris, everyone knows it and that’s one of the reasons I’m excited for Kingdom of Pride, you finally get a chance to shine on your own”
“It’ll be easier without having to carry a one legged, coke addict such as yourself too” Chris laughs as Kurt playfully punches him in the arm before jumping in. “I know, you’ve always been stuck in my shadow and it burns you alive. Working with a decrepit old man managed by an English numpty and just couldn’t can’t break free from the stigma of being along for the ride.” Chris shakes his head in response to Kurt Noble. ‘That’s the sole reason I was heading for Japan instead of the deep south.’
There’s another pause of silence, both men soaking up the sun. ‘He tells the truth though, this is my chance to finally break free of his shadow. I’ve got a chance to prove to the world that they were wrong to write me off, that when I was considered the best at what I do they were right. It’s not Kurt Noble or Delikado who deserves that mantle, it‘s Chris Hart. I’ve got a chance to make Kingdom of Pride a success, my fans from Canada tuning in, same with those from the mid-west. The causal observers who have only heard bad things about me, they’ll want to find out if they were true and not only can I prove them wrong, but turn them into Pride fans. I’m a big piece of this venture and Kurt’s put his faith in me, I can’t simply go out and screw it up again, there’s just to much riding on the line.’
Breaking free from his own thoughts, he turns and looks at Kurt Noble. “So what all else can you divulge about Pride?” Kurt shrugs his shoulders before responding. “I don’t know if there’s a lot else to say. You show up and wrestle, a couple of locker rooms. It’s wrestling, nothing more, nothing less. Like you said earlier; we‘re about the wrestling.” Chris looks at Kurt before speaking to him softly. “For now.”
Kurt looks at Chris questioningly, usually the two are on the same wavelength but he finds himself now trying to figure out what he’s saying. Finally giving in he asks “What do you mean?” Chris turns and takes one glance at the water before looking back at Kurt. “You said Kingdom of Pride is wrestling; nothing more, nothing less. Soon though, it’s going to be home.” Kurt smiles, the always introspective Chris making sense. “Here, here.” Kurt responds as they both raise the bottles, clunking them together before looking back out of the water as the scene fades out on a lone osprey, swooping down trying to catch a fish, the splash and subsequent falling of the drops the final image.
Yet they could be considered the lucky ones in the equation of wrestlers and fans, they still had their jobs and the knowledge that on that fateful Monday, they would not have to find another way to provide sustenance for their families, to contribute to a failing 401K. They would not have put years of mileage on their bodies in a manner of months all for some rogue television executive in a suit worth three pay checks to decide the programming was not edgy enough for their liking, that the lack of women whoring themselves out as opposed to the lack of advertisement was the reason their lofty expectations were not being met.
“It’s nice sitting out here without a care in the world.”
Chris Hart turns to his right and looks at Kurt Noble, nodding subtly in agreement. As the gentle crashing of the surf hitting the Florida coastline and the gentle macaw of the gulls fills the air, it seems as if after months of chaos, investigations by the Drug Enforcement Agency and a rogue tabloid, finally, the two of them are able to escape for a brief moment. Studying Kurt, there is a difference in the way he appeared. As always, his hair is tidy, not a single strand out of place. His face clean shaven and his shirt buttoned near the top, only the uppermost button open. The difference was not physical, at least not in the appearance sense but instead, the demeanor about him. He appeared to be slightly re-invigorated, a youthful exuberance in his eyes most distinguishable. Despite the faltering of Pro Wrestling FIRE, the world continues to move on and in many respects, for the better. With Amy Register now his wife to be and a brand new business venture on the horizon, for Kurt Noble, the world couldn’t be even better.
‘I’m happy for him, for the first time in Lord knows how long he’s finally at piece with himself. It seemed like everything we did to try and get back to the way things were, someone opposed us, something got in the way. Nick Pickles, In Media Res, The D.E.A, in the end, they were all one in the same, a faceless entity trying to destroy us …’
The musings of Chris are interrupted by the voice of Kurt Noble, looking straight out at the endless expanse of blue. “We have to leave it all behind us though, we can cherish the memories privately, reminisce from time to time, but now it’s all about the Kingdom.”
Now turning to his right, Kurt studies his former partner in crime, Chris Hart. His hair is neatly trimmed and spiked at the front, the open beach shirt showcasing the subtle six pack that had made the mid west swoon. Next to him on a wooden stool is the most expensive coaster in the world, his World Tag Team Title Championship belt, with a glass of water on top of it.
“We’re going to make something special Chris, something we can all be proud of. No television networks poking there noses in, trying to dictate what we air. It’s going to be about the wrestling Chris, who’s the king of the jungle and who are the monkeys.”
“I understand and from Jeremy and you, I wouldn‘t expect anything less.” Chris’ reply is only fitting. The two of them had seen first hand just how successful a promotion could be if ran properly, with the right people on board. “So who all else is joining up, I talked to Josh earlier and he seemed ecstatic that you’d called, but measured in his enthusiasm.”
“I don’t know, Jeremy has been heavy on the scouting front, getting the guys from FIRE, the originals and some new talent to push the lot of you so you don’t get complacent.” Kurt barely manages to finish his sentence before Chris jumps in with a retort. “Complacent? That would mean I’m sitting somewhere I don’t belong and I’m worried that someone more deserving is going to take my spot. I think all the blood I lost, the hours I spent whipping you back into ring shape after you left the loony bin.”
“Rehab,” Kurt interrupts.
“Whatever, it doesn’t make a difference, we won the tag team titles, we defended them four times and four times we walked out victorious.” Chris reaches to his side and places the water bottle onto the deck as he grabs the title belt, showcasing it for Kurt. “We fought back from the brink Kurt, where no one was willing to trust us, where we had to gamble our careers on matches just to get an opportunity and look where it got us.”
Kurt turns and looks at Chris, studying him slightly as the cogs inside the mind of Chris start rolling. ‘Crap, he’s got that look again. Slowly the wheels are turning, trying to figure out how to tell me something that he really doesn’t want to but that his conscience won’t let him. It’s not really going to hurt me, but it’s something he wishes weren’t true and he’s struggling. There’s a reason the kid can’t play poker.’ Finally putting his broken thoughts together. “All they got us was the respect of a certain people. Sure there will be some that come to Tennessee for a show, there might be a few FIRE fans in Tennessee but otherwise, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to walk out there and all they know is I’m the man trying to make a profit off of them. They see you, and you’re just a pink wearing fairy with a last name.”
“Speaking of fairies, Ruford’s cleaning up our messes right?” Immediately Chris smiles at the recollection of the burly janitor. ‘Damn, I loved that guy.’ “Sure he is, I couldn’t leave him hanging.” Kurt’s reply to the question draws an even bigger smile from Chris. “Enough about FIRE though, let’s look at the future,” Kurt says with an eye to the water, “what do you think about the championship gauntlet?”
Chris pauses for a moment, looking out at the water in front of trying to gather his thoughts. ‘It’s a good idea but there’s something about it that just doesn’t sit right. I can’t place it, can’t describe why I don’t think it’s going to work but …’ “Are you okay?” Chris turns away from the water at Kurt Noble, peering at him from behind the Oakley sunglasses now perched on his face. “Yeah,” Chris responds, “I like it, I think it means that someone controls their own fate. They have to win their match and the more decisive they do that, the more advantages they gain in the finals.”
Kurt nods his head before responding, “That’s what Jeremy said and I’m glad you agree. I just hope those in Tennessee think it’s not some hokey gimmick.” Chris chuckles slightly before he takes a long drink from the bottle of water. The interruption of the conversation allows the dim roar of the collective voices of hundred of beech goers to make it’s way to the backside paradise of the Noble residence. “Hell, if you’re worried, you could just give me the title,” Chris says as he screws the cap back onto his bottle.
“Yeah, but then someone would end up getting their knickers in a knot, saying that I just handed you the title because of our partnership” Kurt says with a slight chuckle. Chris moves his head in the affirmative to the statement, running it through his head a second time before chuckling, causing Kurt to turn to his right and shoot him a questioning look. “When I say partner, it sounds fine but with your accent, it makes it sound so queer. It’s like listening to Robert describe Berkshire.”
Kurt can only shake his head at his partner. “What are you going to do for accommodations? I know you bought the house in Illinois, are you going to sell that and move down there or try and get Jeremy to agree to pay for your transport?” “I think I’ll probably commute once of twice on Jeremy’s dollar until I can find a house down there. I’ve already got the one in Ellis up for sale.”
“What about the new fans, you’re probably going to have to win them over again?” Kurt says before grabbing his water as well, the scorching heat of the Florida sun beating down on them. Chris squirms slightly in his chair, the topic he had been trying to avoid being pushed forward again. Knowing the question will dog him until he answers it, he simply plows through the question. “I don’t know, I think they might dislike me, they might not. I put a lot of stock into it before but now, I’m going to be exactly like Pride, and let my wrestling do the talking. I can’t control what they do, all I can do is influence it and when they see how I work, they will.” Chris pauses for a moment, “That, and if they see me in boots in a hat, they’ll accept me as one of their own.”
“Fit in with the locals, not necessarily a bad strategy” Kurt says with a wide eyed smile before continuing on “Think you could take the microphone at the first show too? Jeremy or I, maybe both will make some form of official address, but we want one of the roster to get out there too, so it doesn’t just seem like the bankrollers are trying to sell the product. We want to show that the wrestlers are in this too, that they’re committed and going to bring the people of Tennessee the best wrestling show they’ve seen.”
Chris looks at Kurt, ‘are you serious’, running through his head. “You’re going to give me the microphone, with no reigns attached and ask me to be the face of the company? How times have changed.” Kurt laughs along with Chris, the self-depreciating humor lightening the serious atmosphere their conversation had taken. “I think I can trust my best man to go out there and do what’s right. Besides, you’ve grown up a lot since then and everyone’s seen it. You’re going to be gold Chris, everyone knows it and that’s one of the reasons I’m excited for Kingdom of Pride, you finally get a chance to shine on your own”
“It’ll be easier without having to carry a one legged, coke addict such as yourself too” Chris laughs as Kurt playfully punches him in the arm before jumping in. “I know, you’ve always been stuck in my shadow and it burns you alive. Working with a decrepit old man managed by an English numpty and just couldn’t can’t break free from the stigma of being along for the ride.” Chris shakes his head in response to Kurt Noble. ‘That’s the sole reason I was heading for Japan instead of the deep south.’
There’s another pause of silence, both men soaking up the sun. ‘He tells the truth though, this is my chance to finally break free of his shadow. I’ve got a chance to prove to the world that they were wrong to write me off, that when I was considered the best at what I do they were right. It’s not Kurt Noble or Delikado who deserves that mantle, it‘s Chris Hart. I’ve got a chance to make Kingdom of Pride a success, my fans from Canada tuning in, same with those from the mid-west. The causal observers who have only heard bad things about me, they’ll want to find out if they were true and not only can I prove them wrong, but turn them into Pride fans. I’m a big piece of this venture and Kurt’s put his faith in me, I can’t simply go out and screw it up again, there’s just to much riding on the line.’
Breaking free from his own thoughts, he turns and looks at Kurt Noble. “So what all else can you divulge about Pride?” Kurt shrugs his shoulders before responding. “I don’t know if there’s a lot else to say. You show up and wrestle, a couple of locker rooms. It’s wrestling, nothing more, nothing less. Like you said earlier; we‘re about the wrestling.” Chris looks at Kurt before speaking to him softly. “For now.”
Kurt looks at Chris questioningly, usually the two are on the same wavelength but he finds himself now trying to figure out what he’s saying. Finally giving in he asks “What do you mean?” Chris turns and takes one glance at the water before looking back at Kurt. “You said Kingdom of Pride is wrestling; nothing more, nothing less. Soon though, it’s going to be home.” Kurt smiles, the always introspective Chris making sense. “Here, here.” Kurt responds as they both raise the bottles, clunking them together before looking back out of the water as the scene fades out on a lone osprey, swooping down trying to catch a fish, the splash and subsequent falling of the drops the final image.