"Sooner or later, you're gonna have to tell me what the fuck is going on" Sxxxy Shane Boswell's voice is heard saying.
"Huh?" comes Gabriel's reply.
Shane shakes his head slowly.
"Where's Despy?" Shane asks "We brought him out cause you said Synn wanted you to distract him"
"He saw the park and said Angel wants to go on the swings" Gabriel says with a shrug
"Is he safe around here...."
The streets of London, strange old place depending on who you talk to. Some fall in love with the mystic of the city, the old love stories about meeting under the landmarks of London. Let me tell you, all that stuff is bullshit in most of London, or at least where I'm from. Welcome to East London, the ghetto of London, the place where fancy buildings are put up to paper over the cracks of society. The little street gangs, trying to live up to the reputation of the fake gangs of the television. Truth is, East London, full of rudeboy wannabes that would sooner spit on you rather than say hello. Everyone wants to be a Soprano, no, not the singers, the television mafia. Respect and manners disappeared years ago, along with the decent people. The shit hit the fan a long time ago in this part of London, but hey, to some of it, it will always be home, regardless of the scum that infect the streets. It's still home.
"Are you ok?" Shane asks "You been sniffing the superglue or something?"
"I'm fine, why?" Gabriel replies quietly
"You looked like you had a Scrubs moment" Shane says with a smile "Your head tilted and you went in to a bit of a daze"
"Just thinking of this" Gabriel says pointing his arms around
Shane looks around the street that they're on, his eyes scannng for anything that Gabriel could be possibly referring to. The street is empty, other then a group of teenagers on the opposite side of the road, huddled together with their hoods up, suspiciously looking across the road at the two. Gabriel stops in his tracks.
"This never used to be like this" Gabriel says "When I grew up here, there were happy people all around, people willing to help you, now look what we got. Little street gang eyeing you up because of that chunky gold chain around your neck and all this shit I'm wearing"
"Well if they come close, you can wave your magic wand Harry and boom, gone" Shane says with a wide grin
"Harry?" Gabriel asks
"Potter" Shane replies still smiling.
Gabriel rolls his eyes.
"This place just doesn't exactly feel right anymore. Feels like someone took it's heart and threw it away" Gabriel starts "Feels like London has lost it's soul"
"Oh shut up you miserable twat" Shane says
"That's possibly the nicest thing you've ever said to me" Gabriel replies with a smirk.
"Now just cause you're being a miserable bitch, you can buy the first beer" Shane says, jerking his thumb towards the door of a public house.
Gabriel looks up at a sign with the name "The Lord Nelson" written across it in gold lettering. Gabriel walks through the door first and Shane follows him in.
"Ah" Gabriel says with a smile on his face "A place that hasn't changed... other then the fact it stinks of coffee"
"Not something I expected to walk in to" Shane says, nodding in agreement.
Gabriel strolls over to the bar, and a young blonde woman steps behind the bar.
"G'day" She says with an Australian accent "What can I get ya fellas?"
Before Gabriel can say anything, Shane pipes up.
"Two pints of Fosters and anything on the bottom shelf please sweetheart" Shane says with a wink.
The young lady nods and smiles before turning away to get on with her work.
"Smooth as sandpaper Shane" Gabriel comments
"It got a smile" Shane responds
Gabriel can't help but smile as Shane's reply as the barmaid puts the beer on the bar and Gabriel reaches in to his pocket. Shane puts his hand up to Gabriel.
"I got this" Shane says
"Nice of ya" Gabriel replies "Thanks"
"Dunno why you're thanking me, you're doing the hard work" Shane replies
A michievious look crosses Shane's face.
"Hey sweets" Shane says addressing the barmaid "If my buddy here can shock you, how about this one is on the house"
The barmaid looks curiously at Shane as Gabriel shoots him an angry look.
"Sure" she says "But if he doesn't, how about you pay double"
Shane nods in agreement
"No problem" Shane says turning to Gabriel "Go on buddy, do your thing"
Gabriel fires another angry look towards Shane, but clears his throat.
"Ok" he says thinking for a second
A confident look crosses Gabriel's face. He pulls a full pint glass towards him, dipping his finger in to the cold beer, he takes it out and flicks the cold, frosty, alcohol filled beer at Shane's face.
"Hey!" Shane yells "New shirt"
Gabriel ignores Shane and turns to the barmaid.
"Ok, you just pulled that right from the tap, as you can see by the patches on my friends shirt, the beer is liquid, no tricks about that, right?" Gabriel says confidently.
The barmaid nods
"What I want you to do, is I want you to trace your finger down the side of the glass in two different places, just with your finger, wiping the condensation down to the bottom" Gabriel says
The barmaid looks at the glass and traces her finger down one side of the glass, top to bottom. She spins the glass and draws another line down with the same finger.
"Thank you" Gabriel says "Now watch very closely"
Gabriel puts one hand on the top of the glass, and one near the bottom, his thumbs and forefinger resting on both lines "drawn" down the side of the glass. He looks at the barmaid and to Shane, their eyes not leaving the glass. He slowly pulls the glass apart, leaving the liquid staying where it is.
"Holy shit!" Shane says in shock.
Gabriel looks at the barmaid
"Does this count as shock?" He asks her
She nods and Gabriel moves his fingers through the break in the glass, his finger moving in to the liquid before turning around and flicking the liquid in to Shane face. Shane doesn't move this time. Gabriel puts his hand around the glass and pushes the two halves back together and picks up the glass, lifting it to his lips and taking a drink. He nods at Shane and turns away, walking towards a sofa and sitting down. Gabriel reaches in to his pocket and pulls his phone out, the Twitter sign on the top. He types in a message quickly as Shane joins him, sitting on an opposite sofa.
"How in the..." Shane says but is cut off by his phone buzzing in his pocket.
Shane picks up the phone from his pocket and looks at it.
"You tweeted me?" Shane says.
Gabriel nods as Shane types a message in to his phone, causing Gabriel's phone to buzz. Gabriel takes his phone out of his pocket and taps in a reply, causing Shane's phone to buzz.
"I'm not replying to that one"Shane says in a huff "Voodoo son, voodoo"
Gabriel raises his eyebrows as he takes another mouthful of beer
"So what's going on witch doctor?" Shane asks
"Not much" Gabriel replies "Just thinking about that promo I should really be coming up with, I'm gonna win the tag titles on the next show you know"
"I don't mean that" Shane says while picking up his beer "I meant this whole thing with you and Synn"
Shane takes a huge gulp of beer
"Beer is awesome" Shane says quietly "Must call cousin Matt this week while I'm here"
"Nothing's up with me and Synn" Gabriel says convincingly "I just think he needs to do a couple of things slightly differently. Not that he's doing anything wrong at the moment"
"You're lying Gabriel" Shane says "I know you are, how about you hit me with some truth here? Is Synn in trouble or something?"
Gabriel turns away from Shane for a few seconds.
"It's not Synn as such.... it's" Gabriel says uncomfortably
"Angel?" Shane says with surprised in his voice
Gabriel looks at Shane confused
"Not Angel" Gabriel says very slowly
"Yes it is!" Shane says pointing behind Gabriel
Gabriel turns around to see the padded face of Despayre's furry friend Angel, resting on a table.
"It can't be" Gabriel says standing up.
From out of nowhere, Despayre runs in the door, seeing Shane and Gabriel, he waves at them
"Hiiiiiiiiii" Despayre says loudly, causing every patron in there to turn around
"Hi" Shane and Gabriel say in unison very slowly
"There you are Angel!" Despayre says picking up the bear in both hands. He looks at Shane and Gabriel "Can't take your eyes off him for a second"
"No shit" Gabriel mutters
"Ahem" Despayre says, clearing his throat and putting his hand out.
Shane looks at Gabriel
"Swear jar" he reminds Gabriel
Gabriel rolls his eyes and reaches in to his pocket, pulling out a gold coin and giving it to Despayre. Despayre bites the coin.
"Oh, this ones real" he says excitedly "Last time you gave me a gold coin, I bit it and chocolate came out"
Gabriel stiffles a laugh.
"So what ya doing?" Despayre asks.
"Trying to think of a place to do a promo" Gabriel replies
Despayre smiles as he looks at Angel, nodding his head.
"Great idea Angel" Despayre says "That's why we pay you the big bucks"
Gabriel and Shane shrug
"Come with me" Despayre says, hustling Gabriel to his feet.
Shane and Gabriel follow Despayre to the door of the pub and Despayre points. Gabriel and Shane nod at each other as the scene fades out
<img src=http://www.dormanlongtechnology.com/images/DS7_01.jpg>
A while later...
Despayre and Gabriel enter the hotel.
"That was a fun afternoon" Despayre comments as he and Gabriel walk through the lobby.
"Yeah, it was" Gabriel replies
A commotion is heard in the distance.
"Ohhhh, Someone's fighting!" Despayre says
Despayre charges off and through a door. Gabriel charges after Despayre, but gets there two late to stop what Despayre hears
"I am his mother!"
"I'm his FATHER!"
Despayre stands behind the two, clutching Angel tightly with both hands. Gabriel stands behind Despayre, his eyes shut tightly, his left hand on Despayre's shoulder, Despayre rigid with shock. Gabriel clears his throat, causing both to turn around. Both look at Despayre, frozen to the spot. Synn stumbles for words, for the first time, unable to turn thoughts to words.
"Joshua" Synn says in a low deep voice.
Despayre doesn't respond, he stands clutching Angel with both hands.
"Gabriel" Synn stumbles past his lips "Could you...."
"I'm not sure I can le..." Gabriel says
"Please" Synn says pleading with his eyes.
Gabriel nods, not saying a word, stepping back away as the scene fades out
Later that night...
The night sky is seen in the background of the shot. A long shot of Canary Wharf, more to the point, the One Canada Square tower, is seen in the background of the shot, the pyramid top showing the light flashing brightly in to the London night sky. The camera zooms in to the top of the pyramid, to see SCW star, Gabriel, sitting eight hundred feet above the ground. The breeze blows through Gabriel's hair as he sits looking down at the city of London, everything looking so small. He looks up at the camera.
"No fear, eh?" Gabriel says with a smirk "Yes, I am nearly up with the Gods here, but fitting for me I feel"
Gabriel flicks his hair back as the wind blows it across his face.
"London has been an amazing thing to me over the years" Gabriel says, turning his head away from the camea "It gave me life, it gave me gold, it gave me everything I ever wanted for a while in my life. But nothing comes in life without pain, without a slight bit of suffering, but to me, London has give me more then a city gives most. A couple of years ago, this very city gave me my second career title, my first ever tag team championship with Despayre. AWA tag gold, a day that pissed Goth off no end, but I didn't care really, I was a champion again, all that glitters was gold, oh yes."
A smile crosses Gabriel's face
"The irony of the thing right now is that again, it's the same scene. It's my second title shot in this company, as it was for the AWA, same city, same titles, same end game is well and truly on the line. I gotta admit, I lke that end game, it's actually pretty damn fun, it puts me back on the map." Gabriel says, his finger tracing the shape of his lower lip. "I do like gold, I do like winning, I do like winnng in my own city but something has well and truly changed with me. Before, I was too blind to see some things. I went in thinking I was invinsible, in the AWA, I was, but this, this is different, the hunger to keep and to get these titles are truly a magnetic pull for each and every SCW star in this match. There is so much desire in this match, it's leaking out of everyone's skin"
Gabriel looks down at the camera
"Not only from me" he says wth a casual shrug "But with Despayre. We all have our own reasons for wanting what we want, we all have our reasons for wanting this gold. Despayre has been like a man possessed with his plans to help us win the gold. The motive with Despayre is simple, he wants us to team more, he wants us to work in the ring together more, that's a big reason for getting these titles, it's what drives him, it's what pushes him to work harder. That desire alone is driving him to take out anything in front of him. He's not stupid, he knows people are questioning my part in this team, he knows people are wondering why I'm not a single superstar. People need to see that these tag titles are why I'm not a single star, because I want them, I need them, I crave them, I must have them. Despayre knows this, he craves them as badly as I do. We both want to show the world that we are the greatest tag team of all time and we will be."
Gabriel turns away from the camera
"Thing is, people know my greed, people know how much I want things, to add something to my collection and Grand Slam Champion sounds like such a great title" Gabriel says, the tone of his voice getting lower "I need these titles, I need to show the world that I'm a capable champion at all levels. Despayre has his masterplan, he's ready and set to go, he's determined like nothing else, I am two, but these four men standing in front of us are nothing to be sneezed at, these four men, are not exactly slouches, these four men know exactly what they're doing. One of those four knows me pretty well, one of those four has taken me on on a number of occasions and haven't beaten me yet, have ya Casey?"
A smirk crosses Gabriel's face
"Don't get me wrong Casey, god knows you've tried, but you might as well face it, I am your everest, I am the mountain you just can't climb, I am the demon you just can't put to rest. Lord knows every time I end up the ring with you, I make you look stupid" Gabriel mentions with a nod "I do, I make you look like you're unimportant but this match Casey, this time, you are important, you are very important because you hold something I want big man, you hold that gold that I want, you hold the gold that I need, that I desire, that I require and more then anything, you are the target. Not only for us I expect, I would say that The Aristocrats also have you down at the one to target. I would say that with your losing streak that you're on, we all know your confidence is shot. You know me Casey, you know how well I read people, how I get in to their minds and see weaknesses and exploit those weaknesses. Well Casey, I see yours, I see your weaknesses, I see that crisis of confidence you're having right now, I see your confidence shot, I do, it's gut wrenching to see. It's not that your bad Casey, it's not that you're an awful wrestler, it's not that you're a bad guy, but the pressure Casey, that pressure has got to you. We're not all made to be champions you know, some are just like you, made to destroy, made to rip people apart, made to make people suffer, you are one of those people. Being a champion adds great responsability. Look at SCW current champions, Nick Jones, he's been around a while, been a champion for a while, he can handle the pressure. Bo Dreamwolf, mentored by Austin Parker, preparing him for life as a star, Raynin, the woman has championship written all over her, made for gold, ex military, pressure means shit to her, and to your tag team partner, Jordan Williams, one of the most decorated men in wrestling history, he can handle it, but what about you Casey?"
Gabriel pauses for a second
"Who do you have to turn to to teach you how to handle the pressure?" Gabriel asks "Despayre and I, if we become tag team champions, we have Synn, Shane and Fantasia to show us the way. If Rage defeats Nick Jones, he too as Synn, Shane and Fantasia to keep him focused, when our pretty Kittie gets her Bombshell title back, she has Synn, Shane and Fantasia to keep her mind on soaking up the pressure and turning it around, but who do you have Casey? Does Spike sit there and keep you levelled out? Does Jordan? Seems to me you're a loner is a stable full of championship material Casey. You need to learn from others, Go to Spike, go to Jordan, ask them to teach you Casey, you need to end this losing streak before it consumes you, sadly, you won't end it against us, you will be saying farewell to your tag team title though."
Gabriel takes a deep breath
"I need to talk about you Jordan, I do, and as you don't know me so well, I think maybe you should be asking Casey what I do, what I'm capable of. As I mentoned, I pick weaknesses, but I thought you was hard to work out, until I faced you the other week. When I was in that right with you, you opened up lke an ugly chick on prom night." Gabriel says with a smirk "You're not commited, are you Jordan? You won the tag titles with a partner you didn't want, nor ask for. You've carried this team and you're sick of it, I can tell. You're so much more confortable teaming with Spike, because you know him, rather then team with the guy you don't know. It's showing Jordan, it really is, I can see it in your eyes. You don't wanna team with that guy, you're a singles man, a man with the urge to be at the top, not weighed down with Casey. It's written all over your face with a cheap biro. I don't blame you at all, you look like you've had your wings clipped and pulled down lower then you wanted to ever go here. The world knows who Jordan Williams is, the world knows how good Jordan Williams is, the world is watching to see that one special Jordan Williams moment, but they just can't see it while you're with Casey. I get it, I get it"
The sound of the wind blowing past is heard as Gabriel looks at the city below
"I'll help you out, I'll take those anchors from you, those tag titles and you can soar again Jordan, you can fly high, you can head towards the dizzy heights of the title that used to be mine and Casey and drop towards the roulette and kick everyone's head in, in hard impact, high pain matches. It will work out well for you both Jordan, it will be just what you need. You can be that superstar that you crave so much to be. You can do it Jordan, you just need to let Despayre and I take those titles from your possession and you can fly once more. You're world renouned Jordan, and deep down in your soul, this team is sucking the life right out of you, it's taking every breath you had and pulling every centimetre of air right from you. I will save you Jordan, I will"
Gabriel rolls his shoulders backwards and continues
"I know it might sound like I'm focusing on one team in the match but I'm not, I know the rave reviews the second team in the match have been getting lately"
Gabriel runs his fingers across his chin
"The Aristocrats" Gabriel starts "My eyes have been on you two gentlemen, I've listened to what everyone has said about you two, and it interests me. When it comes to pure tag team wrestling, you two are rated highly. Win or lose, you put other teams to shame with your style. I applaud you for that, I do. I love tag team wrestling and love smoothness, but gents, your skills, your moves, your dirty cheatiing ways and quick tags mean nothing really, means you'll look great as you lose but that's it, you have nothing else to really offer. You see from day one, those titles were meant to be ours, those titles were always gonna head our way. We knew it, it was a matter of time and we've seen teams like yourselves get shot after shot for those titles when rightfully, they should have been our shots and this is where we collect. It doesn't really matter much to Despayre and I that you've tried and failed at them and we haven't tried yet, but I will tell you straight up. This is where we take those titles, this is where we become the kings and you go back to being nobodies. I respect your style, but you need something extra for this one, you need to be able to do the unexpected, just like us. You need to be able to really stand out. Being a cowboy is pretty popular in SCW, but Despayre and I are one of a kind, we are something very special, something very unique. Those titles will look great around our waists, they will be like me - home."
Gabriel smiles
"You just know when something feels right and those titles will feel right with us" Gabriel says "As much as I commend you for your attempt to climb the NWA ladder and move towards that gold, this gold is all that matters to me. Something special about SCW titles, they get defended more, they feel more appreciated. I wish you well on the NWA tag titles quest, I hope at some point you kick seven bags of bullshit out of The Harkore Warriors, because I can't stand those morons, I hope you end them, I do, just to stop the talk of seventeen years, blah, blah, blah, but gents, the SCW tag titles will be finding a new home, a new home with Despayre and I, a new home in the sins. It's where it always belonged. I know a thing or two about titles and where they belong, Aristocrats, try as you may, try as hard as you can, work like monsters, but the truth is, these are ours. Focus elsewhere, focus NWA"
Gabriel stands up, looking around, standing directly on the point of the tower
"Jordan Williams, Casey Williams, Big Steve Scanlon, Chett Hangman Hawkins" Gabriel starts "I hope you have listened to my words wisely, I really hope you take very close notice to everything that I have said, I hope you take a huge interest in all the wisdom I've imparted on you all. London Brawling is going to be a very tough night at work for you all, it's going to be an absolute nightmare for you, but fear not, after all is said and done, I will have released you from the ties that bind. Jordan can step up, Casey can go hurt people and The Aristocrats can stop worrying about SCW titles and go get the NWA titles and Sinful Obsession will have what fate has always written out for us. We will have the SCW tag team titles. Everyone's a winner"
Gabriel puts his arms out to his side
"Everyone"
Gabriel falls backwards, free falling from the eight hundred feet high and disappearing in to the night sky
