Part 1 - Off The Rails
The scene opens to a small apartment. It’s a mess of clothes strewn everywhere, takeaway containers, and possibly the biggest mess of all, a very hung over Mark “The Dragon” Cross. Our favourite boring Brit is having to use near surgical precision to free his arm from...whatever that girl’s name was...from the night before without waking her. The camera turns away to survey the view out of the window while Mark finds his underwear and jeans, dressing himself to a suitable standard to be shown on the screen.
We spin back into the room, where Mark has been able to retrieve his shirt, which he begins to button up as he opens the first door he comes to, hoping to find the bathroom. Sitting up in bed, aged maybe three or four at a guess, is a young girl. She looks expectantly towards the door as it swings open.
Kid: Mummy?
The Dragon: Aaah...a child…
Realising it definitely isn’t Mummy, and not recognising the stranger, the child lets out a blood-curdling cry that pierces right through the skull of a worse-for-ware Dragon. Not wanting to deal with the noise, or the awkward morning-after conversation, he abandons the socks and shoes that still needed to be put back on him and makes a break for it.
Mark foot-slaps it out of the apartment, along the balcony, down the stairs…
The Dragon: Oh jeeeez how did my car get here? Ow...ow...ow…
The sun-baked parking lot was scalding to his bare feet, and suddenly he was glad of having it, even if whatever he did last night was a sure-fire DUI had he been pulled over. It was a rental Mustang convertible, for some reason with the roof already down, and he launched himself straight over the top of the door rather than opening one.
Girl: HEY!! CALL ME!
Mark fires up the car, drops it into drive and puts the pedal to the metal, screeching out of the car park in a cloud of smoking and burning rubber.
The Dragon: Don't even have your digits!!
We are cut to a hotel bar. Seated at one of the stools is Andy, accountant/occasional agent of Mark "The Dragon" Cross with Eggs Benedict and orange juice in front of him. We catch one side of a heated phone conversation.
Andy: I really don’t see how you being pregnant affects any...hey who are you calling stupid? How about you just tell me how that’s relev-OH FUCK...is it...why haven’t you told him...there is no right time to drop a bombshell like that and derail his career, what do you mean when you think the time’s right...lookIgottago…
As the forlorn figure of Mark “The Dragon” Cross slumps alongside him at the bar, Andy very swiftly brings his call to a close.
Andy: What happened to you? And where the hell are you shoes?!?
The Dragon: That thing you said, about keeping things under control. I think you're right.
Andy: I thought you and Val were having a quiet few drinks?
The Dragon: We did, but I got the flavour…And I went back to the bar. And woke up in an apartment next to some girl I didn't recognise.
Andy’s phone rings. Mark visibly winces as the ringtone cuts right through the fuzziness that occupied his head. Andy cancels the call.
Andy: Grim.
The Dragon: Exactly. She had a kid too..
The barmaid comes over to take the new arrival's order.
The Dragon: Do you have any Red Stripe?
Andy: You're getting a beer? It's breakfast time.
The Dragon: Red Stripe's a breakfast beer.
Andy: It's not a...never mind.
The phone rings again. Andy is quicker to it this time and cancels it almost immediately.
The Dragon: Ugh that sound. Someone's popular.
The phone rings again.
The Dragon: Andy, answer it or turn it off. Please.
Andy: Sorry...one sec…
Andy picks the phone off the bar, tweaks a few settings, and manages to get it onto silent. He leaves it face up next to him, and we can see it light up intermittantly as the same person tries to get through again.
Andy: So I don't think you and that pizza girl back in Miami are a good idea.
The Dragon: I know.
Andy: I know I said to call her, but you shouldn't.
The Dragon: I wasn't going to. Why are you so...
Andy: Oh, good. She's not the one that got away then?
The Dragon: I mean...probably. I found another few pictures of us…Two people that should have been together all along finally hooking up though? Someone already ran that storyline for this Supershow just gone.
Andy: Now who's breaking the fourth wall?
The Dragon: Honestly, right now? I'm too hung over to care.
Andy: Do you have one of those pictures?
The Dragon: Yeah, hang on.
Mark presses a few buttons on his Samsung Galaxy, finding the picture and sliding the phone along the bar. Andy peers at it for a second.
Andy: You look really happy to be fair.
The Dragon: When we both forgot my life was a little extraordinary, we were. It was the other times that were the problem.
Andy: So Mark I don't think I've ever asked...how do you feel about kids?
The Dragon: Mine or other people's?
Andy: Is there a difference?
The Dragon: Of course. I'm not fussed about other people's, but if it was mine? I mean I would have helped make that.
Andy: Would you still wrestle?
The Dragon: Doubt it. When Amanda and I were talking about kids a few years back I was looking for new coaches for Faith.
Andy: You'd walk away? Just like that? Even from coaching?
The Dragon: I mean...why not? With parenthood it's not about me anymore, it's about making good memories for my kids. Being away all the time, travelling the globe, putting my body on the line? That doesn't fit with the programme. Plus like you said before High Stakes, nobody NEEDS me to be wrestling.
Mark's pint of beer lands on the bar. He pulls it close, catches the smell of alcohol and instantly pushes it back away from him. Nope.
The Dragon: Are you OK Andy? You look like you've seen a ghost?
Andy: Yeah umm...I need to make a call…
Andy spins himself off the stool and disappears off into the depths of the hotel. Mark’s phone pings next to him with a message, which the camera zooms in to see:
“Matilda Cipriani 10:34 - WE NEED TO TALK!!!!!”
Mark glances to it, shakes his head, then lowers it slowly to the bar. Nope. Not. Today.
Part 2 - Press Conference
We are taken to Sin City Wrestling's High Stakes press conference. Next to take the stage, Double Down championship belt loosely draped over his shoulder, is Mark "The Dragon" Cross.
Murmurs of "Oh no, not this guy...we haven't got all day...Is there going to be time to get anyone else in…" can just about be heard rumbling around the room.
The Dragon: I can hear you mumbling back there - Don't worry I'm under strict instructions to keep it brief. I won’t keep running back in either.
A few nods of approval as the first question fires in.
Reporter: So a pretty memorable night for you at High Stakes! Which win meant the most to you?
The Dragon: I think I probably said this in the build-up, but capturing the Double Down title was my number one focus. The opportunities that may come on the main show is an added bonus, but keeping the straps in Fire Dragons hands will be my main focus.
Reporter: Even after two impressive victories at the Supershow, you still ended up in a heated exchange with Alex Jones, about your SCU status and your footballing past. Do the comments get to you?
The Dragon: Not at all - I’d love it if people were coming after me for the right reasons, and slapping the Underground scrub back down ain't it chief. I've had a bit-part role on the main show so far, it’s what I signed up after all, but I've already taken down Bill Barnhart…
Mark holds his fingers up and counts as he rolls through the names.
The Dragon: ...Caleb Storms, Jake Raab, and Stephen Callaway. I'm the guy on a hot streak right now. If anyone wants to test their mettle against someone in the kind of form I’m in right now? That deserves respect right? I figure if I keep stacking up victories like I am now, the script will flip soon enough.
Reporter: Do you expect a match between the two of you any time soon?
The Dragon: Who, me and Alex Jones? I doubt it. Let's face it, if I had a match against everyone that doubted my abilities because I signed for Underground, or because I played football before I wrestled, my calendar would be pretty full. It's probably more fun to watch us flap our gums at each other on Twitter than book the match to be honest.
Reporter: That'd be a good match though, right?
The Dragon: One hell of a match. Two guys with the potential to be World champions? That’s Supercard main event level quality. Whether we see it or not is out of both of our hands.
Reporter: OK, so what's next for you?
The Dragon: Defend our titles, win more main show matches, troll anyone on Twitter that falls for the bait, keep boring you guys with my ramblings. Any more ques...oh time’s up? Cool, thanks guys!
Mark “The Dragon” Cross collects his title belt from the table and promptly leaves for the next person. His ability to keep it short when he wanted to almost seemed to impress a few around the room as they waited for their next victim.
Part 3 - Show of Respect
The scene opens once again to a wrestling gym - Predictable. Mark “The Dragon” Cross is again sporting the Double Down tag title over his shoulder, the thing probably worn on his person more than his ever-growing collection of watches since victory at the Supershow. In his hand is a book, which he shows to the camera. It looks handmade, like it was sheets of paper that had been stapled together to look like a book, and the writing within it was in different colours of crayon, almost like it was scrawled by a child.
The Dragon: So sadly, I don't need this, since it's one of those rare matches based on playground level mudslinging. I write in this book right-handed so it almost looks like a child wrote it. Shame really, I had some good ideas on here too...Bill's only one year older than me, homie you didn't age well...his wife's script is written with Bill's script and a piece of tracing paper...the dog has more personality than both of them combined...that was a good one, but alas, we move on and we treat Bill with the same level of professional courtesy that he’s shown me.
Mark launches the book over his shoulder and behind him. The sound of ruffling paper can be heard as it smacks against the ring canvas.
The Dragon: Bill Barnhart the rematch...now he’s a potential banana skin for me. It wasn’t that long ago since we faced off against each other, but we’ve both gone in rather different directions. His form since then? Indifferent. Mine - Anything but, and one of the victories on this upward curve included...well...this…
Mark holds aloft his SCU Double Down tag championship belt for a second, before lowering it down to rest on the mat next to him.
The Dragon: So at this point you’d say advantage me, right? On the face of it, probably yeah, and I think once we’ve talked through everything, the conclusion will be the same. I have to play Devil's Advocate with myself, or find someone to do it for me. It’s all part of the preparation that goes before any match-up, especially one that can open up even more doors for the winner, and while I got one free pass a few weeks back, I won’t be slacking in my preparation again.
Mark stretches out his shoulders, feeling the effects of the training session he’d just finished.
The Dragon: Let’s start with the obvious - Bill admitted that he underestimated me a little the first time we squared off, and this was ahead of his High Stakes match, before this match had even been announced. I accept that, he wouldn’t be the first to have done that since I came to Vegas, and definitely won’t be the last. What happens when you underestimate in this business? You don’t work so hard figuring out what an opponent is going to throw at you. You ease up on your training schedule, or you build an extra cheat day into your nutrition plan, you don’t apply enough pressure early on in the match, or hey, maybe you don’t mentally prepare yourself for being pushed to your limit. Most likely, it’s a combination of those things, but every one of them has the same outcome, the best version of you isn’t going to turn up when it counts. Problem for me? A better Bulldog Barnhart will be waiting for me out there, one much more like the opponent I’d prepared for in our first match.
Mark holds up two fingers to the camera.
The Dragon: Problem number two - What does pulling double duty involve for me? More matches. What does more matches give you? More footage to go over. Now whether Bill sits and goes meticulously through footage like me, that’s down to him to tell you, but we’re both old school guys. Giving your opponent a verbal lashing, watch tape behind the scenes, then turn up on the night and leave it all in the ring. That’s the bread and butter for guys like us. Boring. Predictable. Effective. The issue for me? He has plenty of material to work with just on recent Sin City matches alone, without going back over ten plus years of previous footage.
Mark goes to hold up a third finger, but stops himself.
The Dragon: Oh, that’s it. Just as the same Bill Barnhart won't be in the ring this week, it won't be the same Mark Cross either. It probably surprised a few, admitting I wasn’t completely confident in my own abilities when I made my debut on the main show, especially amongst my own team. I mean, my record on Underground was already speaking for itself, but I think the thing I feared the most is probably what drives a lot of guys to retirement - We all know what our best feels like. You know, those times when you’re in the zone, beating anything and anyone in your path comprehensively. That’s the pinnacle, the performance level we want to reach every time the bell rings. I’m over a decade into this business, Bill’s the same. We both know what our absolute best feels like, and this isn’t one of those “shoot for the moon and at least you might reach the stars” kind of situations. Turn up, don’t bring the best game that you know you have, and lose? Nothing more frustrating.
Mark shrugs.
The Dragon: I learned a long time ago, the best way to improve, aside from working harder than anyone else, is to be honest with yourself. I’ll also admit - Anyone who’s watched my matches here in Sin City, pick any one of them, and my performance isn’t flawless. I’m still not reaching that level I want to be at. I’m still making a few mistakes out there, and while it gives me plenty of material to go over in training, it probably has my opponents rubbing their hands together with glee. Getting to the bottom of that and ironing it out? That’s on me and my team...so why is this situation not frustrating like I just mentioned?
Mark picks up his title belt again, looking down at it.
The Dragon: I’m not losing. This thing we do, it's a combat sport. We can all take a banging...not the good kind...to varying degrees, and all have that fighting spirit burning away inside of us To some it's a mere flicker, for others it's a roaring furnace, but it's always there. You can't control every moment of every match, as the bloke is going to come back at you at some point, right? I practice in Strong Style, punishing strikes, powerful grappling, excellent technical wrestling. Wearing down an opponent, playing the long game? Fine by me, but why risk hanging in there any longer than needed, what if the wounded bear mounts a comeback? No thanks. We can’t perform at 120% all the time, it’s a given. The best champions are the ones that learn to win at any cost.
Mark returns the belt to his shoulder.
The Dragon: I’ve purposely tried to avoid regurgitating Bill’s words ahead of this match, but I will touch on just one point. I think if he, or anyone else, decides to write me off as being nothing more than an opportunist away from singles competitions - Watch the matches back. You’ll see it’s me smacking people across the back with deck chairs. It’s me duking it out with the champion with one hand on the belt. It’s me administering the Go 2 Sleeps and sending opponents to their Ketteiteki Desaki...it’s “Final Destination” in Japanese by the way...and collecting the pinfall. Just because I’m not involved in anything doesn’t mean I’m not inflicting the most damage, or having the most impact and you know what’s worse about singles? It’s only being directed at one target. It doesn’t get diluted in any way. I won’t be recruiting help for this one. I have more than enough in my locker to bring it home myself.
Mark looks around on the floor, reaching for a bottle of water. He opens it, takes a long swig, then stares at it thoughtfully before returning his attention back to the camera.
The Dragon: One last thing, before this starts to get used against me more than anything else...and since I still have a 7 hour black spot in my memory from the night of High Stakes...Going back to a full-time schedule and the opportunities here in Sin City isn’t getting to my head, and I’m not going off the rails. The work hard, play hard mentality isn’t new to me. I'm very out of practice, and as I get deeper into my thirties DAMN the hangover kicks like a mule - but in my teens I was the guy that'd go on a full session on a Saturday, wake up in a stranger’s bed in who knows where, somehow find my way to the game, score 4 touchdowns, then go home to my own bed and collapse. I still managed to dig deep and find a performance somehow.
Mark puts the bottle of water down next to him.
The Dragon: Obviously I can't do that now. Even after the end of my marriage, I drink maybe once every couple of weeks, a pint of beer or a glass of whisky, but I know I can still go hard for big occasions, like title wins on the biggest show on the calendar, so therefore, if anyone ran into me in a sorry state, I apologise for anything I might have said, I still don't remember. To me, all things are good in moderation in this game. What we do is tough, physically, mentally, and it doesn't allow a lot of free time if you’re putting the hours in to become the best. Sometimes we have to let our hair down once in a while so we can keep on performing for a few more months. The battle is making sure it isn't a crutch, as long as we don't get strung out on something like poor Emmie...hope she kicks the drink and gets back in action soon...I think a little harmless fun is healthy for us all.
Mark grabs another quick sip of water, keeping the bottle in his hand as he begins to wrap up.
The Dragon: For anyone that might be worried, I’m not sure if anyone is - I'm fine. I'm better than fine. The wins are pouring faster than the alcohol on High Stakes night and I'm back with a big gold strap over my shoulder where it belongs. I'm on cloud effing nine right now, living my best life, feeling great, and delivering big performances week in, week out. I don't plan on that changing anytime soon, and as much as Bill wants revenge for last time out, he’ll have to wait for part 3. After the referee raises my hand...don't wait for me at the bar.. I'm sticking to the good old H2O for a few weeks. Cheers guys!
Mark holds his bottle of water aloft like it's a champagne flute, taking a regal sip with his pinky in the air as the scene fades out.
