Post by Evan De Parker on Nov 25, 2012 20:59:41 GMT -4
”Well, Thanksgiving didn’t go exactly as we planned... Did it?”
We blink into a vivid world of color, and immediately it strikes us as one that has been modified or altered in the deep realms of digital film... The simplest of colors have been exaggerated, and we are sitting in the front seat of a currently indistinguishable SUV with Evan Envi seated in the passenger side, and the mysterious woman that we’ve come to know as Jenny Knite drumming her thumbs along the steering wheel.
Evan turns and gives her a small smirk, shaking his head.
”No. I’m... A little embarrassed, really.”
”We need to work on that arrogance, boy.”
”Hell of a trait, isn’t it?”
”What’s your girlfriend think about it? How does she put up with your drama queen BS everyday?”
Jenny gives Evan a playful shove. She turns the keys in the ignition and the engine moans to life.
”We see each other a couple of times a week, at best. She doesn’t have to, like, put up with too much.”
”Maybe for the better.”
Evan just shoots her a curious look, but it’s likely that Jenny Knite never sees it.
”You came close though. Like-- it didn’t go as we planned, but you were right up there with Level One as the final three out of sixteen people that fought for a chance to be in that Battle Royal. That’s good. We’re on the right track.”
”The right track to what, exactly?”
Evan looks out the window of the moving Dodge Durango as they pass through the well-lit streets of Albany. They pass several small restaurants, with Evan giving each one a dreary look, completely unsatisfied with his apparent choices.
”Stardom.”
”Stardom? I’m already there. Haha, I mean, did you see? Sam Strachon dedicated an entire article to me, and my year.”
He turns to Jenny, and doesn’t seem too discouraged to see that she’s unimpressed.
”Stuff like that is exactly why you’re not a star yet, sweetie.”
”Stuff like what? I’m just stating facts. Everybody wants to book me. Code Red Wrestling, VWI, Sin Ci--”
”But what are you gonna do about APW?”
”Pardon?”
”I’m glad you’ve got your other ventures. That’s good. We need to get you exposure, but don’t ever forget about your bread and butter, darling.”
Evan continues looking at her even as she smiles humbly and goes back to driving through the moderately populated streets of New York. He had chills running down his spine. This girl couldn’t have been a day over twenty, four years his minor, but when she spoke, it was as if she were an old soul that Evan had known for ages. This may be noticed by the casual viewer, but even more-so by Envi himself.
”What happens if your star fizzles out and you lose to Speede and Deruty this week?”
”WHOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA, whoa, whoa, whoa. WHOA. Hold. On. Why would you say something like that?”
”Because I need to point out every possibility to you.”
She turns and gives him a concerned look, as if it’s something that he should’ve known.
”Are you prepared for what’s going to happen to you if you and Delikado can’t beat Speede and Deruty? Exile, Evan. You guys don’t get a shot at the Tag Team Titles, and that’d kill you. You barely know how to function in this place without some gold around your waist. I don’t think you’ve ever gone more than a month without some.”
”That’s because I can’t stop winning gol--”
”Stop.”
Jenny doesn’t say it forcefully. Her voice remains as soft and delicate as ever, but Evan stops as if she had just punched him in the nose.
”You can’t think of what you can do to rebound, can you?”
”...No, Jenny. I can’t at this particular moment.”
”I guess the best way to avoid the dilemma is to not screw this up, then, right?”
”I didn’t plan on it.”
”Doesn’t have to be you.”
It’s at this point that they pull in front of a Marriott Courtyard hotel. It isn’t one of the many hotels APW usually provides on their tours, but a quiet, discreet one just outside of Albany. Evan’s eyes drift up toward the illuminated sign, but he’s hardly surprised when Jenny doesn’t power off the vehicle yet, and doesn’t make any move to leave.
She turns to Evan and she seems to sit there, scanning and searching him for a moment before she speaks again.
”You read the Strachon article...”
”Yes?”
”So you read what he said about Delikado.”
Evan turns away from her immediately and sighs loudly, looking back up at that illuminated Marriott sign. It was a hell of a lot less complicated and demanding than the blonde girl on his left.
”Yeah. I’ve never really been one to care about what other people have to say.”
”Not the negative things anyway, right?”
Evan doesn’t attempt to hide the dirty look he gives Jenny. He pushes open the driver’s side door and shakes his head a little.
”Alright. I’m gonna go inside. I appreciate the ride. I guess I’ll see you around on one of these floors, eh?”
”Kind of. Definitely, actually.”
”Hm?”
”We’ve got the same room.”
”...What?”
Indeed they did.
”I don’t think Michelle’s gonna like this too much.”
”Michelle doesn’t talk to you much about your career, does she?”
Evan doesn’t respond, but leisurely throws his belongings down to the floor next to one of the king-sized beds in the suite.
”I care about you.”
Evan stops and turns, looking at Jenny Knite while she gazes back at him with an expression that doesn’t differ much from anything he’s seen before. He laughs a bit and runs a hand through his hair sighing.
”Oh, wow... Hahaha, you’re a little bit crazy, aren’t you?”
”I’m very informed.”
”Okay...”
”Call me crazy for wanting to make sure you get the absolute best out of your career. I’m thinking that maybe you need to reach that level in your career where you block out negative energy, like your sister, and like Michelle. Maybe you should focus on surrounding yourself with people that are here to help you.”
”Like you?”
Evan laughs again, and reaches into his bag, retrieving the red handheld video-camera we, as casual viewers, have seen often before.
”And not like Deli, right?”
”Just lookin’ out for you.”
He gives her a very long, and inquisitive look, but turns and steps out of the sliding glass door to the balcony of the hotel suite before turning the camera onto himself for the first time.
”It seems like nobody likes any of the decisions that I make these days. Nobody likes my attitude. Nobody likes the fact that I call myself the MegaMegaStar, which I am, and... Now to top it all off... It seems like nobody is particularly fond in my choice of company either, including my tag team partner Delikado. So let me take a moment to address everybody that thinks Delikado is a bad influence, or that he’s crazy, or that he’s not one of the saviors that APW needs as we’ve declared ourselves to be.
“Go fuck yourselves.”
Evan clears his throat and adjusts the collar of his jacket.
”A little earlier today, I was asked what I would do-- how I would rebound if I found myself on the losing end of this match with Roy Speede and Donald Deruty this Monday on Meltdown. After some thought, I came up with this...
“That’s. Not. Likely.”
Evan shrugs.
”I’ll tell you right now, I’m a fan of everything Roy Speede and Donald Deruty have done. Ask me and I don’t have a negative thing to say about the guys. I could complain about how they got involved in my business twice last week, but I won’t. I deserved it. I had it coming.
“I understand that in this game we play called wrestling, there have to be villains and there have to be heroes. I understand that Envikado has been portrayed as the bad guys by the fans and the media, because of the way we go about making a change and making a difference in this company.
“Some people say that what we attempted to do to William D. Williams Jr. last week was unethical. On the contrary, I think we were giving him a small dose of what to expect when he moves up to the big time. There was nobody that took it easy on me when I was starting out on Meltdown. When people got in my face, and when I had the odds stacked against me, I never had anybody to run out from the back and save my ass, so for THAT, gentlemen, I applaud you. You’re reliable, and you’re always just on time.
“In fact, later in the night last week, you guys got involved again and ran Delikado and I out of the ring during the main event. You guys... Are such heroes. Such heroes, and I’m excited to wrestle you.”
Evan laughs to himself and readjusts himself in his seat.
”And you’re the perfect kind of tag team. You guys have known each other for quite some time, and you’ve been rivals in the past.
“But let me ask you, Roy... Who came out on top in that rivalry? I’m willing to bet money it wasn’t you.
“Roy, who’s your tag team partner gonna blame when you guys lose your next match? Because if memory serves me correctly, Deruty gave Zak Warner a hell of a tongue-lashing after he came up short in his first tag team match. He didn’t accept the blame for that... And last week in the eight-man tag team match, he allowed his teammates to do the majority of the work before he swept in and took all the glory for himself! It doesn’t take a mark to see it...
“Deruty is in this for himself. You’re only allowed to go along for the ride because there’s championship gold involved, and Deruty wants to make a new legacy-- a new name for himself here in APW. And Roy, I’m not going to try to discredit anything you’ve done, or what you’re able to do in that ring, but if you try to tell me that Deruty views you as an equal... I’ll call you a liar.
“And when that pivotal moment comes where you let him down and he does turn his back on you, I’ll be there to tell you that I told you so.”
He smirks faintly and looks through the sliding glass door at the now-occupied Jenny Knite as she sorts through clothes on the inside.
”One day, Deruty is gonna have an article written about him, and the editor’s going to list all of his accomplishments, and his most notable shortcomings. And no matter how good you are as a tag team partner, and no matter how good of a pure athlete you are, Speede, you’ll end up becoming nothing more than a bullet.
“A bullet on the short list of Deruty’s shortcomings.
“His off-nights.
“His regrets.”
Another sigh.
”He’s already made up his mind that he’s going to be something in this business. But his claim only extends to himself. The plans for ‘D-Day’ never mentioned a silver lining, my friend. And it’s something I’d like you to think about.
“Envikado and I will remain here because we have an entire industry to change, but will you guys be around if you guys fail to capture the Tag Team Titles? Will you have a legitimate reason to trust each other?”
Evan scoffs, and we abruptly fade to black.
”You’re only in this for yourselves. Monday night, I want you guys to learn a thing or two about... Envikado.”
And with that, we vanish.
We blink into a vivid world of color, and immediately it strikes us as one that has been modified or altered in the deep realms of digital film... The simplest of colors have been exaggerated, and we are sitting in the front seat of a currently indistinguishable SUV with Evan Envi seated in the passenger side, and the mysterious woman that we’ve come to know as Jenny Knite drumming her thumbs along the steering wheel.
Evan turns and gives her a small smirk, shaking his head.
”No. I’m... A little embarrassed, really.”
”We need to work on that arrogance, boy.”
”Hell of a trait, isn’t it?”
”What’s your girlfriend think about it? How does she put up with your drama queen BS everyday?”
Jenny gives Evan a playful shove. She turns the keys in the ignition and the engine moans to life.
”We see each other a couple of times a week, at best. She doesn’t have to, like, put up with too much.”
”Maybe for the better.”
Evan just shoots her a curious look, but it’s likely that Jenny Knite never sees it.
”You came close though. Like-- it didn’t go as we planned, but you were right up there with Level One as the final three out of sixteen people that fought for a chance to be in that Battle Royal. That’s good. We’re on the right track.”
”The right track to what, exactly?”
Evan looks out the window of the moving Dodge Durango as they pass through the well-lit streets of Albany. They pass several small restaurants, with Evan giving each one a dreary look, completely unsatisfied with his apparent choices.
”Stardom.”
”Stardom? I’m already there. Haha, I mean, did you see? Sam Strachon dedicated an entire article to me, and my year.”
He turns to Jenny, and doesn’t seem too discouraged to see that she’s unimpressed.
”Stuff like that is exactly why you’re not a star yet, sweetie.”
”Stuff like what? I’m just stating facts. Everybody wants to book me. Code Red Wrestling, VWI, Sin Ci--”
”But what are you gonna do about APW?”
”Pardon?”
”I’m glad you’ve got your other ventures. That’s good. We need to get you exposure, but don’t ever forget about your bread and butter, darling.”
Evan continues looking at her even as she smiles humbly and goes back to driving through the moderately populated streets of New York. He had chills running down his spine. This girl couldn’t have been a day over twenty, four years his minor, but when she spoke, it was as if she were an old soul that Evan had known for ages. This may be noticed by the casual viewer, but even more-so by Envi himself.
”What happens if your star fizzles out and you lose to Speede and Deruty this week?”
”WHOOOAAAAAAAAAAAA, whoa, whoa, whoa. WHOA. Hold. On. Why would you say something like that?”
”Because I need to point out every possibility to you.”
She turns and gives him a concerned look, as if it’s something that he should’ve known.
”Are you prepared for what’s going to happen to you if you and Delikado can’t beat Speede and Deruty? Exile, Evan. You guys don’t get a shot at the Tag Team Titles, and that’d kill you. You barely know how to function in this place without some gold around your waist. I don’t think you’ve ever gone more than a month without some.”
”That’s because I can’t stop winning gol--”
”Stop.”
Jenny doesn’t say it forcefully. Her voice remains as soft and delicate as ever, but Evan stops as if she had just punched him in the nose.
”You can’t think of what you can do to rebound, can you?”
”...No, Jenny. I can’t at this particular moment.”
”I guess the best way to avoid the dilemma is to not screw this up, then, right?”
”I didn’t plan on it.”
”Doesn’t have to be you.”
It’s at this point that they pull in front of a Marriott Courtyard hotel. It isn’t one of the many hotels APW usually provides on their tours, but a quiet, discreet one just outside of Albany. Evan’s eyes drift up toward the illuminated sign, but he’s hardly surprised when Jenny doesn’t power off the vehicle yet, and doesn’t make any move to leave.
She turns to Evan and she seems to sit there, scanning and searching him for a moment before she speaks again.
”You read the Strachon article...”
”Yes?”
”So you read what he said about Delikado.”
Evan turns away from her immediately and sighs loudly, looking back up at that illuminated Marriott sign. It was a hell of a lot less complicated and demanding than the blonde girl on his left.
”Yeah. I’ve never really been one to care about what other people have to say.”
”Not the negative things anyway, right?”
Evan doesn’t attempt to hide the dirty look he gives Jenny. He pushes open the driver’s side door and shakes his head a little.
”Alright. I’m gonna go inside. I appreciate the ride. I guess I’ll see you around on one of these floors, eh?”
”Kind of. Definitely, actually.”
”Hm?”
”We’ve got the same room.”
”...What?”
***
Indeed they did.
”I don’t think Michelle’s gonna like this too much.”
”Michelle doesn’t talk to you much about your career, does she?”
Evan doesn’t respond, but leisurely throws his belongings down to the floor next to one of the king-sized beds in the suite.
”I care about you.”
Evan stops and turns, looking at Jenny Knite while she gazes back at him with an expression that doesn’t differ much from anything he’s seen before. He laughs a bit and runs a hand through his hair sighing.
”Oh, wow... Hahaha, you’re a little bit crazy, aren’t you?”
”I’m very informed.”
”Okay...”
”Call me crazy for wanting to make sure you get the absolute best out of your career. I’m thinking that maybe you need to reach that level in your career where you block out negative energy, like your sister, and like Michelle. Maybe you should focus on surrounding yourself with people that are here to help you.”
”Like you?”
Evan laughs again, and reaches into his bag, retrieving the red handheld video-camera we, as casual viewers, have seen often before.
”And not like Deli, right?”
”Just lookin’ out for you.”
He gives her a very long, and inquisitive look, but turns and steps out of the sliding glass door to the balcony of the hotel suite before turning the camera onto himself for the first time.
***
”It seems like nobody likes any of the decisions that I make these days. Nobody likes my attitude. Nobody likes the fact that I call myself the MegaMegaStar, which I am, and... Now to top it all off... It seems like nobody is particularly fond in my choice of company either, including my tag team partner Delikado. So let me take a moment to address everybody that thinks Delikado is a bad influence, or that he’s crazy, or that he’s not one of the saviors that APW needs as we’ve declared ourselves to be.
“Go fuck yourselves.”
Evan clears his throat and adjusts the collar of his jacket.
”A little earlier today, I was asked what I would do-- how I would rebound if I found myself on the losing end of this match with Roy Speede and Donald Deruty this Monday on Meltdown. After some thought, I came up with this...
“That’s. Not. Likely.”
Evan shrugs.
”I’ll tell you right now, I’m a fan of everything Roy Speede and Donald Deruty have done. Ask me and I don’t have a negative thing to say about the guys. I could complain about how they got involved in my business twice last week, but I won’t. I deserved it. I had it coming.
“I understand that in this game we play called wrestling, there have to be villains and there have to be heroes. I understand that Envikado has been portrayed as the bad guys by the fans and the media, because of the way we go about making a change and making a difference in this company.
“Some people say that what we attempted to do to William D. Williams Jr. last week was unethical. On the contrary, I think we were giving him a small dose of what to expect when he moves up to the big time. There was nobody that took it easy on me when I was starting out on Meltdown. When people got in my face, and when I had the odds stacked against me, I never had anybody to run out from the back and save my ass, so for THAT, gentlemen, I applaud you. You’re reliable, and you’re always just on time.
“In fact, later in the night last week, you guys got involved again and ran Delikado and I out of the ring during the main event. You guys... Are such heroes. Such heroes, and I’m excited to wrestle you.”
Evan laughs to himself and readjusts himself in his seat.
”And you’re the perfect kind of tag team. You guys have known each other for quite some time, and you’ve been rivals in the past.
“But let me ask you, Roy... Who came out on top in that rivalry? I’m willing to bet money it wasn’t you.
“Roy, who’s your tag team partner gonna blame when you guys lose your next match? Because if memory serves me correctly, Deruty gave Zak Warner a hell of a tongue-lashing after he came up short in his first tag team match. He didn’t accept the blame for that... And last week in the eight-man tag team match, he allowed his teammates to do the majority of the work before he swept in and took all the glory for himself! It doesn’t take a mark to see it...
“Deruty is in this for himself. You’re only allowed to go along for the ride because there’s championship gold involved, and Deruty wants to make a new legacy-- a new name for himself here in APW. And Roy, I’m not going to try to discredit anything you’ve done, or what you’re able to do in that ring, but if you try to tell me that Deruty views you as an equal... I’ll call you a liar.
“And when that pivotal moment comes where you let him down and he does turn his back on you, I’ll be there to tell you that I told you so.”
He smirks faintly and looks through the sliding glass door at the now-occupied Jenny Knite as she sorts through clothes on the inside.
”One day, Deruty is gonna have an article written about him, and the editor’s going to list all of his accomplishments, and his most notable shortcomings. And no matter how good you are as a tag team partner, and no matter how good of a pure athlete you are, Speede, you’ll end up becoming nothing more than a bullet.
“A bullet on the short list of Deruty’s shortcomings.
“His off-nights.
“His regrets.”
Another sigh.
”He’s already made up his mind that he’s going to be something in this business. But his claim only extends to himself. The plans for ‘D-Day’ never mentioned a silver lining, my friend. And it’s something I’d like you to think about.
“Envikado and I will remain here because we have an entire industry to change, but will you guys be around if you guys fail to capture the Tag Team Titles? Will you have a legitimate reason to trust each other?”
Evan scoffs, and we abruptly fade to black.
”You’re only in this for yourselves. Monday night, I want you guys to learn a thing or two about... Envikado.”
And with that, we vanish.
