Post by Chaos Stryke on Sept 1, 2012 22:19:42 GMT -4
The scene opens to an indoor arena. It’s not very large as the camera pans from a central point, taking in the perimeter, showing the tiered bleacher seating arranged around on all sides. As the camera’s field of view lowers we find that the camera is in the center of a wrestling ring. We can see the main entrance into this small venue, and above it, written on the wall is ‘Alexander Multi Discipline Training Centre’ identifying the location as Logan Alexander’s one time wrestling school as the name suggests that it has expanded beyond that.
“Well… it was about twelve months or so ago that we had to change that name up there.”
The camera turns to face the source of the voice. We see Logan as he climbs up onto the ring apron and walks over to one of the corners. He climbs up and sits on the top turnbuckle, with his legs inside the ring. He’s in black running shoes, blue jeans and a black and red ‘Alexander Wrestling Training Centre’ t-shirt. He hasn’t glanced at the camera and keeps his gaze on the mat while the camera watches him.
“My then girlfriend had suggested previously that I could look into doing more than just wrestling here. It seemed a radical idea… then I thought about some of the people I know and the things they’ve done and brought to a wrestling ring.”
“It was an introduction of something new in here. The wrestling school itself was young at the time, but we tried out some smaller programs running alongside the wrestling, see how they fit and developed, checked on how old elements her interacted with new. Thus far things have gone well. Wrestling is still the main thing in here, but I have hopes that the other programs will grow and develop and become something worthy in their own right.”
He glances up at the camera.
“Doesn’t that sound like a good parallel for where I hope I’m going with APW?”
He smiles slightly for a few moments then lowers his gaze again.
“You know… I have to say that I get the feeling that my return to action seems to be panning out in such a way that it really feels as though I made the right decision to step back into the ring at Aubrey’s request. I know that I’ve been pondering the decision for the last several weeks since she first suggested it, and even after I signed my entry contract and became part of the Meltdown roster, I still had my doubts.”
“Then… I saw the card for Monday.”
Logan looks right at the camera and smiles.
”First off, I’m going to be bringing a nineteen month departure from the industry to an end… and it’s going to be in Canada. If there is one thing that is known about me it is that I love to work my art in front of the crowds of my home country. On a professional stage, I can’t help but feel that I don’t get the opportunity often enough to do so. Tour schedules don’t make trips into Canada that often, but the timing of my return to action lands on the first show they’ll have in Canada for Meltdown.”
“Second, I really like the match that I’ve got for my return to action. It’s not often that my first match in a company is also an opportunity to make a truly noticeable mark. Aubrey and I are teaming up to face the newly crowned number one contenders for the APW Tag Team championship. In general, I don’t need much extra motivation in order to go out and try and win a match, but here is an opportunity to beat the team that is first in line for the Tag Team titles. What does that say if we go out on Monday night and beat them in the ring in our debut match?”
“This is almost too perfect an opportunity, especially considering what we stated at Shockwave.”
He nods in appreciation of how everything seems to have played out for him and Aubrey at this juncture.
”Now, unfortunately, I couldn’t hook up with Aubrey here today, so I’m gonna be running things solo for this appearance. It’s unfortunate, but she has been unexpectedly delayed, and we’re just not going to have time to coordinate a joint appearance before the show in Vancouver. We might get lucky, but I plan for worst case.”
He shrugs to the camera as though to say ‘What can I do?’
”That’s all right. I’m used to running solo, it what I’ve mainly done. But while I may be more of a singles wrestler, I have plenty of tag team experience over the years and I have a pair of Tag Team championships to my name with different partners. I know what it takes to be successful as a team in the ring. Like now, I have to pick up the initial slack and then Aubrey will have her chance later to close things out. We’ll make it work. I have to wonder if Stefan Raab and Yarmouth are going to be able to do the same. This will only be their second tag team match together, and their first match wasn’t a true test of their abilities. You two boys were facing a couple of thrown together teams much like yourselves.”
“I’m sure you might say that you’re not just a thrown together team now. You’re the European Invasion!”
Logan snorts audibly and waves a hand dismissively.
”But I’m just curious to know, before you found out you two were teaming together at Shockwave, were you two planning to form a team at all? You both seemed far more interested in pursuing singles titles rather than creating a partnership. I wonder if this sudden desire to team up is really because you two are, as Stefan would put it, the future of the tag team division in APW, or if it’s just because you happened to be booked together in a match where you got a tag title shot if you won?”
“I know neither of you have had any luck on the championship front when running solo here. You both have failed to win the North American championship and Yarmouth missed out on a chance to compete for the Xtreme championship recently.”
Logan pauses for a moment as something else occurs to him.
”Oh… and before you complain about how Rivera cost you the North American championship Stefan, think about what happened thirty seconds before she pulled the referee out of the ring in that match. You might remember that she made Evan fall on the top turnbuckle, which was the only reason you had the chance to pin him there. If she hadn’t gotten involved, Evan probably would have beaten you… cleanly. Instead now, you walk around whining in order to try and save face and spare your wounded pride.”
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
”Anyway, back on track, Stefan’s shortcomings come in later.”
He smirks at the camera.
“You two might be committed to this team right now, but is that going to last? What happens should this title opportunity slip through your fingers? What happens if Aubrey and I beat you two on Monday? What happens when you two start hitting the bumps in the road on your way to tag team greatness? What kind of partnership do you two even have anyway? Yarmouth was getting ready for a wedding and is now mourning over a deeply personal loss… about which I will also extend my condolences to you, Yarmouth.”
Logan pauses for a few moments offering a nod of acknowledgement to the camera.
”Stefan has been trying to keep his own head on straight outside of the ring while he learns to wrestle on his own. You two have so much going on outside the ring. Do you really think that you’re going to be as good as you need to be once you’re inside it? Do you think that you’re going to be able to really work cohesively as a team together? I don’t think so.”
“Aubrey and I have been working together for the last few months together. I’ve had a hand in her training on and off for the better part of two years. We know each other quite well inside the ring. We know how to combine our strengths and how to compensate for each other’s weaknesses. We’re ready to watch each other’s back in the ring. We’re ready to make for each other when necessary. Can you two honestly look at one other and claim the same of each other? I’ve spent my time as a tag team wrestler looking out for my partner. I do my damnedest to make sure I’m there for them when they need me, and that I’m close by even when they don’t. That is what you two are going to have to overcome and it’s what you two are going to have to be able to do too.”
He places his hands on the top rope on either side of the turnbuckle and leans back a bit, now looking contemplative.
”Looking at Stefan and Yarmouth, I can see that they have one real advantage against Aubrey and I… size. They are huge in comparison to Aubrey. Stefan’s a little bigger than me, and Yarmouth has about an extra foot in height on me. But that’s about it. I’ve faced bigger and stronger opponents that had more experience. So what do I have to worry about in facing you two? I’ve listened to the two of you talk about how you’re going to destroy your opposition in the ring. You both try to intimidate your opponents because you’re ‘bigger and stronger’. So you’ve each got twenty pounds on me and Yarmouth has a decided leverage advantage.”
Logan smirks at the camera, not seeming concerned at all.
”Yarmouth is just a much bigger target for his weight class. I can pick him up or whip him around the ring. He’ll be easier to take off his feet since his centre of balance is a lot higher than mine. If he’s easier to bring down to the mat, I will[b/] take advantage of that.”
“Stefan is a little stronger, but he is inexperienced compared to me. He’s a suplex machine. I know about a half dozen different kinds too, but I also know a whole bunch of other things. Stefan might be picking up a few lessons from me in the ring on Monday night, but it’ll be more like dance lessons for him, because he might just be doing a tap routine on the mat.”
He still looks quite confident as he continues.
”I’ve considered that these two might have a couple of things on their side coming into this match though.”
“Yarmouth is on a mini winning streak in tag matches. I suppose two wins could be considered a winning streak… of course, he did walk out of the first one, so I’m not sure if that really counts. Then he did get pinned at Shockwave… so I’m not sure if that is much of a win in that regard. Other than those two ‘wins’ Yarmouth hasn’t had his hand raised since the beginning of July. I think we have a weak link on this team.”
“Stefan has done better, but that’s not much of a feat. You’ve gotten a big win or two. I’ll definitely give you credit for holding a win over the North American champion, but your results in the ring aren’t very consistent. When was the last time you even had two wins in a row? How far back do you have to go? Has it ever happened in your short career?”
“Now for stuff that’s working against you two.”
Logan leans forward and stares into the camera from his perch.
”Yarmouth is under a lot of strain. In the last two weeks, his personal life has imploded. How can he possibly expect to be able to walk into a match on Monday and be able to function at his best? Yarmouth, you might think that you’ll channel all the anger you have and let it go against myself and Aubrey… but you’ll be making a mistake when you do.”
“I have no trouble dealing with angry or raging opponents… they’re really easy to frustrate. They’re not as focused. They’re easier to bait and lead around. I’m not going to pull punches on you just because you’ve got personal problems Yarmouth. Once someone sets foot inside the ring, they become a viable target and I seek to put them down and get the win. My compassion and sympathy for you cease when the bell rings, because then it’s time to take care of business. If you don’t think you’re going to be able to handle that in the ring, you shouldn’t show up.”
“In your case Stefan… you tend to have all sorts of issues outside the ring. You’re trying to learn how to wrestle. You’re trying to keep your pregnant[b/] fiancée from getting mixed up in things backstage… must be hard to focus with that on your mind. You don’t look after yourself outside of the ring. I heard you had a bout of dehydration around a month back. Combine all that stuff together, and you’re a human wreck waiting for a place to happen. Add to that your emotional state, and the wreck is just a matter of when, not if.”
“You seem to have ongoing anger issues with all sorts of things too. Mostly it’s all centered on your hatred of people who aren’t German or at least European, but we’ll see how long the latter lasts. Every week you seem to be out complaining about something that you relate back to America and everyone rolls theirs eyes as you make whatever insulting or ignorant commentary that you usually do.”
Logan sighs and grimaces at the thought while he rubs his forehead with one hand. He looks back at the camera after a few moments.
”I’m a Canadian and we’re going to be in Canada, but I am sorely tempted to go out Monday night and see if the crowd will start and maintain a ‘U.S.A.’ chant for the duration of our match. Sure… it’s childish, but I think a childish response for an ongoing childish display is worth it.”
He smiles slightly.
”I’m sure you’ll have plenty of insults to hurl at me when you finally say your piece this week. I’m not American, but I know that won’t stop you. You had some words for Dante because he’s Japanese. I’m sure you can come up with something suitable for use on a Canadian. But that won’t bother me. I’ll be more interested in what your weeks of training, from an American training facility no less, do for you in the ring. I can show you first hand how to pick some of your moves apart. After all, I’ve been doing a lot of your signature stuff for years. Hopefully, by the time I’m done with you in the ring, you’ll have several examples of how to improve your technique.”
“That is assuming you stick around for the whole match of course. I’ve seen how quickly you’ll bail from a match when the situation isn’t to your liking. You might have to deal with that with me. You won’t have to worry about losing your number one contender slot in this match, but your credibility will bottom out if you lose this week, won’t it?”
He laughs quietly.
”The European Invasion, the future[b/] of the tag team division in APW, being beaten by M&M in our debut match. Will make your big win at Shockwave look like a fluke, won’t it? Sure, you still get your title shot, but if you don’t beat us, who’ll believe you can beat the champs? And if you do beat them, you know that Aubrey and I will be there to get our shot after.”
“We have everything to gain. You have everything to lose. Aubrey and I don’t like to squander opportunities. You two haven’t capitalized on the ones you’ve gotten. What makes either of you think you’re ready to carry gold? I’ve been there. Aubrey’s been there. We’re both looking to get back there in APW, as a team or even individually if those opportunities arise.”
“You two like to think that you’re the best thing going, but now you have to start proving it. You’ve both been called up to Asylum and for what may be your last match on Meltdown, you’re facing two people that are looking get the spot that you currently have. M&M want the tag titles and we’re looking to knock the European Invasion flat as out first step towards positioning ourselves for that.”
“The bad ass boom is going to make one of those in the middle of the ring when his monster sized backside gets dropped to the mat and the Killerplauze will be put down like the Raab-id animal he seems to think he is. M&M is here. We’re going to make a statement and we’re using the European Invasion for it.”
He smiles smugly as he hops down from the corner and walks over to the camera, for a close up.
“See you two then.”
He walks past the camera and out of the shot before the scene fades to black.
“Well… it was about twelve months or so ago that we had to change that name up there.”
The camera turns to face the source of the voice. We see Logan as he climbs up onto the ring apron and walks over to one of the corners. He climbs up and sits on the top turnbuckle, with his legs inside the ring. He’s in black running shoes, blue jeans and a black and red ‘Alexander Wrestling Training Centre’ t-shirt. He hasn’t glanced at the camera and keeps his gaze on the mat while the camera watches him.
“My then girlfriend had suggested previously that I could look into doing more than just wrestling here. It seemed a radical idea… then I thought about some of the people I know and the things they’ve done and brought to a wrestling ring.”
“It was an introduction of something new in here. The wrestling school itself was young at the time, but we tried out some smaller programs running alongside the wrestling, see how they fit and developed, checked on how old elements her interacted with new. Thus far things have gone well. Wrestling is still the main thing in here, but I have hopes that the other programs will grow and develop and become something worthy in their own right.”
He glances up at the camera.
“Doesn’t that sound like a good parallel for where I hope I’m going with APW?”
He smiles slightly for a few moments then lowers his gaze again.
“You know… I have to say that I get the feeling that my return to action seems to be panning out in such a way that it really feels as though I made the right decision to step back into the ring at Aubrey’s request. I know that I’ve been pondering the decision for the last several weeks since she first suggested it, and even after I signed my entry contract and became part of the Meltdown roster, I still had my doubts.”
“Then… I saw the card for Monday.”
Logan looks right at the camera and smiles.
”First off, I’m going to be bringing a nineteen month departure from the industry to an end… and it’s going to be in Canada. If there is one thing that is known about me it is that I love to work my art in front of the crowds of my home country. On a professional stage, I can’t help but feel that I don’t get the opportunity often enough to do so. Tour schedules don’t make trips into Canada that often, but the timing of my return to action lands on the first show they’ll have in Canada for Meltdown.”
“Second, I really like the match that I’ve got for my return to action. It’s not often that my first match in a company is also an opportunity to make a truly noticeable mark. Aubrey and I are teaming up to face the newly crowned number one contenders for the APW Tag Team championship. In general, I don’t need much extra motivation in order to go out and try and win a match, but here is an opportunity to beat the team that is first in line for the Tag Team titles. What does that say if we go out on Monday night and beat them in the ring in our debut match?”
“This is almost too perfect an opportunity, especially considering what we stated at Shockwave.”
He nods in appreciation of how everything seems to have played out for him and Aubrey at this juncture.
”Now, unfortunately, I couldn’t hook up with Aubrey here today, so I’m gonna be running things solo for this appearance. It’s unfortunate, but she has been unexpectedly delayed, and we’re just not going to have time to coordinate a joint appearance before the show in Vancouver. We might get lucky, but I plan for worst case.”
He shrugs to the camera as though to say ‘What can I do?’
”That’s all right. I’m used to running solo, it what I’ve mainly done. But while I may be more of a singles wrestler, I have plenty of tag team experience over the years and I have a pair of Tag Team championships to my name with different partners. I know what it takes to be successful as a team in the ring. Like now, I have to pick up the initial slack and then Aubrey will have her chance later to close things out. We’ll make it work. I have to wonder if Stefan Raab and Yarmouth are going to be able to do the same. This will only be their second tag team match together, and their first match wasn’t a true test of their abilities. You two boys were facing a couple of thrown together teams much like yourselves.”
“I’m sure you might say that you’re not just a thrown together team now. You’re the European Invasion!”
Logan snorts audibly and waves a hand dismissively.
”But I’m just curious to know, before you found out you two were teaming together at Shockwave, were you two planning to form a team at all? You both seemed far more interested in pursuing singles titles rather than creating a partnership. I wonder if this sudden desire to team up is really because you two are, as Stefan would put it, the future of the tag team division in APW, or if it’s just because you happened to be booked together in a match where you got a tag title shot if you won?”
“I know neither of you have had any luck on the championship front when running solo here. You both have failed to win the North American championship and Yarmouth missed out on a chance to compete for the Xtreme championship recently.”
Logan pauses for a moment as something else occurs to him.
”Oh… and before you complain about how Rivera cost you the North American championship Stefan, think about what happened thirty seconds before she pulled the referee out of the ring in that match. You might remember that she made Evan fall on the top turnbuckle, which was the only reason you had the chance to pin him there. If she hadn’t gotten involved, Evan probably would have beaten you… cleanly. Instead now, you walk around whining in order to try and save face and spare your wounded pride.”
He rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
”Anyway, back on track, Stefan’s shortcomings come in later.”
He smirks at the camera.
“You two might be committed to this team right now, but is that going to last? What happens should this title opportunity slip through your fingers? What happens if Aubrey and I beat you two on Monday? What happens when you two start hitting the bumps in the road on your way to tag team greatness? What kind of partnership do you two even have anyway? Yarmouth was getting ready for a wedding and is now mourning over a deeply personal loss… about which I will also extend my condolences to you, Yarmouth.”
Logan pauses for a few moments offering a nod of acknowledgement to the camera.
”Stefan has been trying to keep his own head on straight outside of the ring while he learns to wrestle on his own. You two have so much going on outside the ring. Do you really think that you’re going to be as good as you need to be once you’re inside it? Do you think that you’re going to be able to really work cohesively as a team together? I don’t think so.”
“Aubrey and I have been working together for the last few months together. I’ve had a hand in her training on and off for the better part of two years. We know each other quite well inside the ring. We know how to combine our strengths and how to compensate for each other’s weaknesses. We’re ready to watch each other’s back in the ring. We’re ready to make for each other when necessary. Can you two honestly look at one other and claim the same of each other? I’ve spent my time as a tag team wrestler looking out for my partner. I do my damnedest to make sure I’m there for them when they need me, and that I’m close by even when they don’t. That is what you two are going to have to overcome and it’s what you two are going to have to be able to do too.”
He places his hands on the top rope on either side of the turnbuckle and leans back a bit, now looking contemplative.
”Looking at Stefan and Yarmouth, I can see that they have one real advantage against Aubrey and I… size. They are huge in comparison to Aubrey. Stefan’s a little bigger than me, and Yarmouth has about an extra foot in height on me. But that’s about it. I’ve faced bigger and stronger opponents that had more experience. So what do I have to worry about in facing you two? I’ve listened to the two of you talk about how you’re going to destroy your opposition in the ring. You both try to intimidate your opponents because you’re ‘bigger and stronger’. So you’ve each got twenty pounds on me and Yarmouth has a decided leverage advantage.”
Logan smirks at the camera, not seeming concerned at all.
”Yarmouth is just a much bigger target for his weight class. I can pick him up or whip him around the ring. He’ll be easier to take off his feet since his centre of balance is a lot higher than mine. If he’s easier to bring down to the mat, I will[b/] take advantage of that.”
“Stefan is a little stronger, but he is inexperienced compared to me. He’s a suplex machine. I know about a half dozen different kinds too, but I also know a whole bunch of other things. Stefan might be picking up a few lessons from me in the ring on Monday night, but it’ll be more like dance lessons for him, because he might just be doing a tap routine on the mat.”
He still looks quite confident as he continues.
”I’ve considered that these two might have a couple of things on their side coming into this match though.”
“Yarmouth is on a mini winning streak in tag matches. I suppose two wins could be considered a winning streak… of course, he did walk out of the first one, so I’m not sure if that really counts. Then he did get pinned at Shockwave… so I’m not sure if that is much of a win in that regard. Other than those two ‘wins’ Yarmouth hasn’t had his hand raised since the beginning of July. I think we have a weak link on this team.”
“Stefan has done better, but that’s not much of a feat. You’ve gotten a big win or two. I’ll definitely give you credit for holding a win over the North American champion, but your results in the ring aren’t very consistent. When was the last time you even had two wins in a row? How far back do you have to go? Has it ever happened in your short career?”
“Now for stuff that’s working against you two.”
Logan leans forward and stares into the camera from his perch.
”Yarmouth is under a lot of strain. In the last two weeks, his personal life has imploded. How can he possibly expect to be able to walk into a match on Monday and be able to function at his best? Yarmouth, you might think that you’ll channel all the anger you have and let it go against myself and Aubrey… but you’ll be making a mistake when you do.”
“I have no trouble dealing with angry or raging opponents… they’re really easy to frustrate. They’re not as focused. They’re easier to bait and lead around. I’m not going to pull punches on you just because you’ve got personal problems Yarmouth. Once someone sets foot inside the ring, they become a viable target and I seek to put them down and get the win. My compassion and sympathy for you cease when the bell rings, because then it’s time to take care of business. If you don’t think you’re going to be able to handle that in the ring, you shouldn’t show up.”
“In your case Stefan… you tend to have all sorts of issues outside the ring. You’re trying to learn how to wrestle. You’re trying to keep your pregnant[b/] fiancée from getting mixed up in things backstage… must be hard to focus with that on your mind. You don’t look after yourself outside of the ring. I heard you had a bout of dehydration around a month back. Combine all that stuff together, and you’re a human wreck waiting for a place to happen. Add to that your emotional state, and the wreck is just a matter of when, not if.”
“You seem to have ongoing anger issues with all sorts of things too. Mostly it’s all centered on your hatred of people who aren’t German or at least European, but we’ll see how long the latter lasts. Every week you seem to be out complaining about something that you relate back to America and everyone rolls theirs eyes as you make whatever insulting or ignorant commentary that you usually do.”
Logan sighs and grimaces at the thought while he rubs his forehead with one hand. He looks back at the camera after a few moments.
”I’m a Canadian and we’re going to be in Canada, but I am sorely tempted to go out Monday night and see if the crowd will start and maintain a ‘U.S.A.’ chant for the duration of our match. Sure… it’s childish, but I think a childish response for an ongoing childish display is worth it.”
He smiles slightly.
”I’m sure you’ll have plenty of insults to hurl at me when you finally say your piece this week. I’m not American, but I know that won’t stop you. You had some words for Dante because he’s Japanese. I’m sure you can come up with something suitable for use on a Canadian. But that won’t bother me. I’ll be more interested in what your weeks of training, from an American training facility no less, do for you in the ring. I can show you first hand how to pick some of your moves apart. After all, I’ve been doing a lot of your signature stuff for years. Hopefully, by the time I’m done with you in the ring, you’ll have several examples of how to improve your technique.”
“That is assuming you stick around for the whole match of course. I’ve seen how quickly you’ll bail from a match when the situation isn’t to your liking. You might have to deal with that with me. You won’t have to worry about losing your number one contender slot in this match, but your credibility will bottom out if you lose this week, won’t it?”
He laughs quietly.
”The European Invasion, the future[b/] of the tag team division in APW, being beaten by M&M in our debut match. Will make your big win at Shockwave look like a fluke, won’t it? Sure, you still get your title shot, but if you don’t beat us, who’ll believe you can beat the champs? And if you do beat them, you know that Aubrey and I will be there to get our shot after.”
“We have everything to gain. You have everything to lose. Aubrey and I don’t like to squander opportunities. You two haven’t capitalized on the ones you’ve gotten. What makes either of you think you’re ready to carry gold? I’ve been there. Aubrey’s been there. We’re both looking to get back there in APW, as a team or even individually if those opportunities arise.”
“You two like to think that you’re the best thing going, but now you have to start proving it. You’ve both been called up to Asylum and for what may be your last match on Meltdown, you’re facing two people that are looking get the spot that you currently have. M&M want the tag titles and we’re looking to knock the European Invasion flat as out first step towards positioning ourselves for that.”
“The bad ass boom is going to make one of those in the middle of the ring when his monster sized backside gets dropped to the mat and the Killerplauze will be put down like the Raab-id animal he seems to think he is. M&M is here. We’re going to make a statement and we’re using the European Invasion for it.”
He smiles smugly as he hops down from the corner and walks over to the camera, for a close up.
“See you two then.”
He walks past the camera and out of the shot before the scene fades to black.
