The scene fades in on the sight of Climax Control, Lucian Frost had exited the ringside area leaving Guns for Hire laying a bloody mess on the canvas floor, Ethan lays with his neck on the bottom rope, his head screaming in pain from being ripped open from the glass. Landon lays in a ball on the canvas, blood seeping into the canvas surface, the referee removes the foreign objects as the medical team slides into the ring.
Ethan Brody
Check on Landon.
One of the medical team tries to check Ethan but he shoves him towards Landon, using the ropes to pull himself into a sitting position, stretch slid into the ring to as Landon gets checked over by medical staff. Ethan watches as his eyes becomes heavy, trying to stay conscious, some of the medical staff wonders over to Brody.
Medical Staff
Ethan?
Brody tries to reply but his eyes getting very heavy.
Medical Staff
Are you okay Ethan? Speak to me Ethan.
Ethan’s eye close as he slumps onto the canvas, the medical teams split between both guns for hire as another stretcher comes down from the back to aid the fallen men, both men are wheeled out of the arena to a standing ovation as the scene fades away to black.
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Lucian Frost, I’m still at a loss as I had huge respect for what you have done within the SCW, whenever they said they’re in the ring with you, respect was a word associated with you without a moment’s hesitation. Now you’re removed the mask and this complete transformation has happened. You’ve taken the reputation of Lucian Frost and you’ve thrown it in the bin, well you’ve dragged it through the dirt and dog shit first, before throwing it in the bin and leaving this rotten smell in its wake.
You have messed with the head of my partner, Landon Axel, which resorted in you getting assaulted by him and him ejected from the building. You then did something which I don’t think anyone saw coming, bringing that towel of shard glass and slicing my head like a cheese grater, taking a steel chair wrapped with barbed wire and frog splashing Landon chest first on it. Steve Ramone said we’ll be weak and he is right. I’m not going to be at my best thanks to you, but believe you and me, In your match you’ll have Max Burke wanting to hurt your partner, the referee wanting to hurt you, Burke might want some revenge for all the defeats back in the early part of last year, plus the fact that you’ve pissed off this very angry British veteran and a youthful Texan.
I know Joshua Acquin is going to try and attempt to take the SCW Tag Team Championships away from you at Blaze of Glory, the event you’re undefeated at with a small handful of people, if he doesn’t name a partner at this show then I really hope he picks myself of Landon. I know he is not a person we should associate ourselves with, but we both have a common enemy with a common cause of ending your reign as champion, If I advance in this tournament and Landon Axel is picked then I’ll happily walk down to the ring and watch you suffer. The true victim of this is Jon Dough, the peoples champion, he doesn’t deserve such a prick of a partner like yourself.
The countdown is on, the countdown until your reign ends, the countdown until Guns for Hire get their rematch and will grace SCW screens as your Two Time Tag Team Champions!
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The scene fades in to the sight of Ethan Brody laying in a hospital bed, wires attached to his body, his head covered in bandages, his eyes slowly flicking open to see that his vision is completely hazy. Closing his eyes and opening them several times until his vision becomes normal, seeing the outline of a face getting clearer and clear, it is that of Landon Axel standing there in hospital gowns. Ethan looks at his settings as Landon slumps down into the chair beside him.
Landon Axel
Congratulations on your victory
Ethan glances over to him.
Landon Axel
Do you feel good advancing to the semi-finals?
Landon tries to laugh but the pain in his chest causes him pain, Ethan smiles at this fact, but even that smile hurt his head as he squints in pain.
Ethan Brody
I didn’t think I’d be in here after our encounter
Landon Axel
Well, no, I can honestly say that being hospital bound was not on the cards.
Landon tries to correct himself
Landon Axel
I’m not saying I couldn’t, I could if I wanted too
Ethan glares at him.
Landon Axel
I should really shut up, shouldn’t I?
Ethan Brody
I’ve been saying that for years, mate.
Ethan tries to readjust himself.
Landon Axel
You’ve had to have plastic surgery on some of your wounds and a blood transfusion.
Ethan looks slightly shocked.
Ethan Brody
I lost that much blood?
Landon Axel
My body is like a pin cushion but the glass sliced your face a gooden, the doctors have said you’re able to compete, but you’ll be 60/40 at least. BUT
Landon reaches over to the table and pulls up a mask.
Landon Axel
You’re going to have to have this protective mask on, as a precaution to the surgery you have had, if you’re split open then you’re likely to lose excessive blood again. Rendering you unconscious and if you’re the legal team-member then Steve will think its Christmas!
Ethan shakes his head disapprovingly
Ethan Brody
I’m not wearing it.
Landon Axel
You’re taking an awful risk, Vader.
Ethan Brody
What?
Landon Axel
it’s a reference, Star Wars, Tarkin…no?
Ethan shakes his head with a look of disbelief on his face
Landon Axel
You really need to see it, amazing films.
Ethan Brody
I’m not wearing it, Landon.
Ethan snatches the mask the throws it across the room.
Ethan Brody
I’m going to go to Climax Control, do everything I can for Delia, hopefully progress to the finals at Blaze of Glory and maybe find that son of a bitch, Frost!
Landon nods his head.
Landon Axel
I honestly cannot believe Frost did this to us.
Landon tries to stand up but struggles, he notices Ethan hadn’t noticed this, acting like nothing had happened he continues to talk.
Landon Axel
I may not like Josh Acquin but If anyone should partner him, it’s one of us, I don’t care if it voids our rematch. If you win Blast from the Past, you can use your shot to get us another shot at the tag titles.
Landon pauses.
Landon Axel
Unless you’re going to use it for the Heavyweight Championship?
Ethan doesn’t respond.
Landon Axel
Never really asked you, if you did win, what title shot will you cash in on?
Landon watches Ethan, who doesn’t react to the question or reply, he looks towards the wall adjacent to him and sighs.
Landon Axel
If I was still in the tournament, I’d of used it as a backup title shot for us, I wouldn’t make a good heavyweight champion. You on the other hand, I could see you being the SCW Champion, as a lot of people have said. You are the main man on this team.
Ethan smiles.
Ethan Brody
Main man? Are you ghetto now?
Landon Axel
You know what I mean.
Ethan Brody
I’ve still got Steve Ramone and Odette Ryder to think about first, I’m not in the final yet, we’re the most unlikeliest of teams to reach this stage.
Landon Axel
You’re growing fond of that French Poodle, aren’t ya.
Ethan looks daggers into Landon
Landon Axel
Okay, statement retracted, but you seem to defend her more and more.
Ethan Brody
Delia may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but she is my partner, we’re doing everything we can to make it to the final. That was our goal, our achievement and we’re two wins away from doing it. That is all, Landon.
A nurse pops her head in through the door.
Nurse
You should rest.
Landon nods his head and gingerly gets up, slapping the thigh of Brody as he heads out of his room, Ethan lays there touching the bandages on his face as the scene fades away to black.
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The scene fades in several days later, Ethan Brody exits the hospital, bandages over his face and cigarette in mouth. He looks into the camera,
Ethan Brody
Steve Ramone said something interesting that I cannot help but pick up upon, he said that the favourites for the tournament was himself and Odette Ryder, favourites… meaning well liked to actually win. I’m sorry but on Twitter earlier this week, Steve said that he’ll see one of the other teams in the final, completely oblivious to the threat standing before them this week. I’m sure the favourites wouldn’t completely ignore myself, a former champion in the promotion, or the French model who has surprised everyone in reaching the semi-finals! The fans would openly admit that the favourites for this tournament would have been Emma Rose and Giani Di Luca, the then heavyweight champion, but they were eliminated in the first round and since then it has been a complete guessing game as to who will win this tournament. Which makes the tournament more unique, wouldn’t you say, as each team is as dominant as the next and whomever advances from these semi-finals will be in the match of their careers.
You said that this company has a lot of British Wrestlers, which it does, the heavyweight champion is British. I’m a former tag champion and I’m British, the triple crown winner of ACW and other semi-finalist is British. It could be seen as a British-Uprising but there is only one true European Team and that is myself and Delia. English and French. Normally it isn’t exactly a partnership made in heaven, but look at Newcastle United and Arsenal FC, majority of the team is comprised of French players that play in England. We may not see eye to eye but there is a mutual understanding that has gotten us this far, Steve.
Thank you for recapping the match for me, Steve, It isn’t like I was there or watched the reruns of Climax Control. You seem to be infuriated that Delia ‘cheated’ like it threatens you, trying to clear your conscience by saying it won’t happen to Odette, but it’s a lingering thought that keeps reoccurring when I listened to you, Ramone. The threat of danger my partner poses, even if it is from the ‘helping hand’ variety, and what harm it’ll do to your advancement in this tournament. Hold on, Threat of Danger, harmful scenario that haunts you, unpleasant emotions you have towards Delia. They are all the meaning for one word… FEAR. The man who proclaims himself as being the ‘fearless one’ seems to show all the traits of a man in fear of Delia Darling and Ethan Brody. How can you say that there is nothing to fear but fear itself but no one to fear but the fearless one, when the fear you fear is facing you this week, how can the fearless one feel fear? It seems so contradictorily to what you stand for, Steve.
You said that I won a match and then Delia did, even in a controversial way, and that makes us different…how? Misty got pinned by Odette and the following show, a mix up about who was the legal partner resorted in both of you pinning your opponents. It really doesn’t matter how you win, Ramone, it’s about progressing and advancing to the finals. My partner, Landon, may have said that you ride Odette’s coattails, but it seems to be true when you fear what Delia has done and could possibly replicate again. The ‘it’s not cheating if you don’t get caught’ saying isn’t rearing any head for me, I doubt Delia feels that way either, so presuming that is a sign that perhaps you’re going to cost the remaining Blast from the Past champion her place in a second repetitive final in this tournament.
‘Double D’ is the most Pornographic nickname you’ve heard? Double D, I think you’ll find it’s me who calls her that, she prefers Delia or Delia Darling, if Double D is pornographic then I dread to think what you’d consider hardcore porn. Bra and Panties, maybe? Who cares about pornographic sounding wrestlers you’d known, I’ve wrestled many people but I’m not going to list strange sounding ones, or say other promotions as it has no relevance here. Look at Nicolas Blair and Austin Parker, they mean something to some of the roster, people like me I do not know who they are or the history they shared. What matters is what will happen and Steve, until you come to terms that Delia will win by any means necessary, until you realise that you’re not the ‘favourites’ and that saying you’re in the final on twitter and completely blanking us. Well Steve Ramone, until you conquer your own fears, you may not be able to conquer us.
Ethan takes a long drag from his cigarette and flicks it away, walking towards the taxi rank, pulling his cellular phone out and scanning his contact list as it lands on Delia He looks at the screen as the scene begins to fade away to black.
