Distractions...

[The Paragon of Hardcore]

*The pirated feed of Sex and Violence: Version X's Personal Cameraman, Emrys statics into life to show an almost empty, rather smokey locker room. The rest of Sex and Violence: Version X have gone... some to go back to their hotel rooms and rest their broken, battered bodies... some to go work out and try to mentally prepare for the trials to come... some to just go out for a night on the town to cause some trouble and blow off steam... But not The Excellence of Extreme... Trevor Blackwell has earned that name by eating, sleeping, and breathing the word Hardcore... The Career Killer has put his life on the line countless times to entertain his fans and build his legacy... That's what it all comes down to... His legacy... His place in the Wrestling Hall of Fame... The Hardcore Icon's eyes glaze over as his mind wanders... He takes a long, dragging pull off the fragrant blunt that rests between his cracked lips... He thinks about concepts like family... and brotherhood... and "OHANA" as Kalayla likes to put it... He thinks of "family" that he's fought beside and against... Family that turn their backs on you to further their own egos... Their own legacies... People like Tara Jacobs... And Diana Steel... And Kenny Lambardo...

That last name stings like no other... A man that claims to be a god... He helped promote that concept and personally backed his run at John Green's APW World Heavyweight Championship with Singapore Cane shot after Singapore Cane shot... And look at the monster he created... no pun intended...

The King of Hardcore looks up at the camera... a few strands of jet black hair falling into his almost luminescent ice blue eyes... The scars that cover his face and neck glow with a sort of pale shine in the low light of the camera...*

Trevor: I'm glad President Jeff decided to give me the week off. I could use the extra time to prepare myself to put down a traitor and start my APW World Title reign...

*A hesitant voice comes from behind the camera. It takes a lot of balls for Emrys to speak up against his employer. He only had to be the victim of Trevor Blackwell's legendary explosive temper once to know when to keep his mouth shut. But he figures that The Career Killer would be even angrier if he didn't say anything.*

Emrys: Um... Mr. Blackwell... Trevor... You don't have the week off... You do know that you have a match this Monday at Overdrive, right?

*The Hardcore Icon's eyes lose their glaze as he suddenly snaps back to the here and now... his voice taking on a bit of that trademark Blackwell Rage...*

Trevor: Wait... what? What the fuck are you talking about, Emrys? Who the fuck am I facing?

*The Sex and Violence: Version X Camerman recoils a bit at the harshness of his employer's tone of voice and the obscenities that seem to just be a regular, flowing part of his vocabulary. But he decides to stand his ground, his voice only cracking slightly.*

Emrys: I... I don't know... Didn't you read the card?

*The Excellence of Extreme rises to his feet, Singapore Cane in hand. Emrys has to raise the camera up a bit to take in all 6'5" of the Hardcore Warrior. A touch of laughter plays at the edges of Trevor Blackwell's voice... a sure sign of insanity.*

Trevor: No... I guess I didn't... C'mon, we'll go take a look.

*The Sex and Violence leader opens the door, the light of the hallway barely cutting through the darkness of the locker room. The camera fades out on The Hardcore Icon as nothing more then a dark, monstrous silhouette against the brightness of the portal to the outside world.

The shot fades back in to Emrys's following of The King of Hardcore down a backstage arena hallway with the blunt sticking out of the side of his mouth, a fragrant cloud of smoke trailing behind them. They turn the corner to almost walk straight into another monstrous Blackwell. Here stands the Undefeated APW Xtreme Heavyweight Champion. The Powerbomb Prince. "The Xtremist" Tony Blackwell looking rather sober and focused but somewhat lost in the alien country of Australia. Over his shoulder is a brutal weapon of steel and barbed wire and thumbtacks and electrical cord. It is a title belt created by President Jeff as a mockery to Trevor Blackwell's championship aspirations... The Hardcore Icon responded by forging it into a weapon of mass destruction. It seems rather fitting that the torch should be carried by the Future of this industy... Tony Blackwell.

Trevor looks up into his younger brother's ice blue eyes... a mirror image of his own... just not as faded by the atrocities that the elder Blackwell has borne witness to... Alright, so he caused most of those atrocities... but I digress...*

Trevor: Hey there, Champ... Where you headed?

*The Xtremist smiles... His demeanor is completely changed now that he's given up drinking... Or maybe its the status of being a champion that's changed him... Either way, it only seems to have made him all the more dangerous*

Tony: I heard that I have a match this week. I was just about to go check out the card by the Boss's office.

*The Powerbomb Prince plucks the half smoked blunt from his older brother's lips... himself taking a long, deep hit... holding it in for the space of a few heartbeats... before finally letting it out in a long stream from his nostrils... making him look like the Dragon that he truly is. The Career Killer smiles to his flesh and blood... the alcohol may be gone but old habits still die hard...*

Trevor: Well, shit, I was about to do the same thing myself.

*They turn and walk together, Emrys following at their heels, trying to catch all of this for posterity's sake... The Blackwell Brothers' voices trailing down the hallway.*

Trevor: Y'know, I don't get it... Kenny got the week off to prepare for the fight of his life against me... Why don't I get the same fucking courtesy?

*The APW Xtreme Heavyweight Champion turns to his brother, about to answer his question but Trevor Blackwell cuts him off in mid thought*

Trevor: I'll tell you why... Not only has Kenny Lambardo become a traitor but now he's a Hurri-cocksucker too... I wonder if Ms. Lively's jealous about having to share the bed with him...

*The Hardcore Icon cuts off in mid sentence as he sees the card for this week's Monday Night Overdrive hanging on the stucco wall next to El Presidente's office. The Blackwell Brothers walk up side by side... Trevor casting a longing glance at the APW Xtreme Heavyweight Championship that he pioneered... resting on the shoulder of someone other then himself... before looking up at the poster. Jeff's secretary watches them with curious eyes.*

Trevor: Third match on the card! Blackwell vs. THK...

*He laughs and claps a hand teasingly on his little brother's shoulder as he notices another match... Blackwell vs. Lively in the Main Event.*

Trevor: Fighting The Hardcore Kid... That'll just be a warmup to your title defense against Razor Ryan and Sabotage... You shouldn't even break a sweat... Don't worry, Kid... You're getting there... I mean we can't all be in the Main Event...

*A squeaky voice pipes up from the Boss's office... No, it doesn't belong to a Failed Superhero... Its too masculine for that... For a moment, the Blackwell Brothers wonder whether it would be worth having sex with the round little thing just to get under the Boss's skin.*

PJ's Secretary: Um... Mr. Blackwell? Career Killer, Sir? Tony Blackwell is fighting in the Main Event against Michael Lively... You're facing The Hardcore Kid this week...

*Trevor Blackwell just stands there... momentarily speechless as the shock wears off and the reality of his situation kicks in. The Powerbomb Prince breaks into a fit of laughter... doubling over in the middle of the hallway.*

Trevor: Wh... What?! I'm fighting the fucking Hardcore Kid!!! In the fucking Mid Card no less??? Is this some kind of sick fucking joke?!?!?!

*The Secretary's voice carries over the Reception Area of President Jeff's office as she takes a sip of coffee.*

PJ's Secretary: Well, The Hardcore Kid challenged you to a match in a promo last week in the hopes of getting some revenge against you for injuring out Vinnie HaRdCoRe at Rasslemania...

*Out of nowhere, "The Genetic Powerhouse" Sabur steps up behind his new leader... fresh bandages adorning his forehead and shoulder from an impromptu Backyard Battle*

Sabur: Hey, don't sweat it, Trev... Its just like the time Vince McMahon made Stone Cold Steve Austin start at the bottom of the card again and he had to fight The Brooklyn Brawler... We could shave your head and give you this cool vest and you could give the APW Faithful the ol' double middle finger... It'll be great...

*The King of Hardcore turns on his new associate... rage flashing in his ice blue eyes at this new humiliation... The words of his new-found apprentice echo through his mind... But in the world of Trevor Blackwell, these words translate to: "Please, Mr. Blackwell... Please nearly take my face off with your Singapore Cane!"... He is only too happy to oblige... His little brother, the Xtreme Heavyweight Champion steps over the crumpled heap of Man-Cow... mumbling some apology about childing references... to take his place beside his sibling... trying desperately to catch his breath... his face red from laughter as he leans on The Career Killer's shoulder and hands him back the blunt...*

Tony: Here... take this... I think you need to be high more then I do... Don't worry, Brother... Its not like we can all be in the Main Event... I gotta go prepare to hand Lively his ass again...

*The Xtremist cackles with fresh laughter as he helps Sabur up and leads him down the hallway... Jeff's secretary fearfully slams the door... leaving The Hardcore Icon alone with his cameraman. Emrys refocuses the lens as he takes in Trevor's face.*

Trevor: Does Jeff think he's funny making this match? I have a World Heavyweight Title Shot against the traitorous Kenny Lambardo in a week and he makes me waist my fucking time against The Hardcore Kid??

*The King of Hardcore puffs angrily at his blunt as he and Emrys head down the hallway back to their locker room... his head enveloped in a psycotropic cloud.*

Trevor: And what the fuck is wrong with The Hardcore Kid? Maybe I gave that jobber too much credit... Doesn't he remember the last time he made a challenge on APW Television? I answered it by soaring off a ladder and giving him a Full Throttle though a table. I would've been World Champion that night if it wasn't for Marcus "Stylez" Saxton interfering at the worst possible time...

*The voice of Sex and Violence: Version X's Personal Cameraman chimes in from off camera again.*

Emrys: Didn't he interfere because you attacked him and injured him out before the match?

*Trevor Blackwell turns on him... his eyes flashing with rage*

Trevor: That's besides the fucking point! I seriously injured Vinnie HaRdCoRe at Rasslemania! I mean, I know he's a talentless half-breed but he's deffinitely the stronger link of Team Hardcore... So let me get this straight... I injured the vastly more talented Vinnie HaRdCoRe and The Kid thinks it would be a good idea to challenge me to a Grudge Match?? I'd love to know who The Hardcore Kid's Dealer is 'cause this guy MUST be smoking better shit then I am... He should talk to Dr. Matt... Even that has-been can warn him that crack kills...

*Emrys laughs... the camera shaking slightly before he regains his composure.*

Trevor: If The Kid's talent in the ring was nearly as big as his mouth, he'd be a Champion by now. But look, the fucking Kid is winless and he wants to step up against a Gladiator that is nearly undefeated...

*The Sex and Violence cameraman chimes in again... a regluar peanut gallery this guy is tonight*

Emrys: I don't think he's winless... didn't he finally get a win against someone?

*The Hardcore Icon stops dead in his tracks... turning to look at the camera... his face a mask of absolute puzzlement.*

Trevor: But... But who would suck bad enough to lose to The Hardcore Kid?

*Emrys laughs and takes the blunt as his employer passes it to him.*

Emrys: I don't know... some nameless jobber I think...

*And so The King of Hardcore embarks on a quest... A journey to find out what man bears the humiliation of being the victim of The Hardcore Kid's one lone victory... APW's answer to Frodo and Samwise happen upon a tech crew member... Asking him the fateful question, "Who lost to The Hardcore Kid?". But the man simply replies with:*

Techie: The Hardcore Kid still works here?

*Upon further such questing, the journeymen stumble upon a cowardly creature that strangely resembles Gollum... Short and mishapen and lonely... Phil... Again they riddle him with the question, "Who lost to The Hardcore Kid?"... But the backstage interviewer further puzzles them with:*

Phil: I don't know... I usually take a bathroom break during his matches...

*Finally the quest reaches an end... The two exhaustive search reaching a new low as they find "The Iceman" Jason Royce. They bring to him the age-old question, "Who lost to The Hardcore Kid?"... The Iceman's face positively beams with excitement as he launches into a long, boring, and nearly incoherant rant the likes of which haven't been seen since the heyday of The Ultimate Warrior.*

Jason Royce: IBeatTheHardcoreKidAtCarnage! IDestroyThatWeaslyLittleBastardAndICan'tWaitToDoItAgain! HeWasJustAnotherVictimOfTheGTSAndWhenIFightHimAgainAtSab
otageBecauseHe'sTheOnlyGuyI'mCapableOfPuttingOnAHalfway
DecentMatchAgainst...

*Alright... so that wasn't what Jason really said... But it didn't matter becaus no one was really listening to what he had to say after the first two words of that messy jumble he calls speech... truly an impressive promo that would've made The Great Khali jealous... But it didn't matter... For the second time today, all The Excellence of Extreme truly heard was, "Please Mr. Blackwell! Please hit me in the face with your Singapore Cane!"... Ever the crowd pleaser, Trevor was only too happy to oblige... shattering his trusty weapon over The Iceman's skull before continuing down the hallway with his employee.*

Trevor: See? The moral of this story is no one cares, Kid. No one watches your matches and no one wastes their hard earned money to see you wrestle... That's what Sex and Violence: Version X is for... To give the APW Faithful their ticket's worth... But I still don't understand why you would challenge me. Have you finally given up on being anything meaningful in Action Packed Wrestling? Did you realize that you're nothing more then a ratings killer? Did you finally decide to cash in the chips and cut your losses? Are you really this hungry to have your career ended and share a hospital room with Vinnie?

*The Career Killer suddenly turns towards the camera... his ice blue eyes flashing with murderous intent.*

Trevor: Well, I'm only too happy to help you out there, Kid... Think of me like Dr. Kevorkian... This won't even be a squash match... It'll be like an assisted suicide. I will end your career and use you as what you are... An excuse to build momentum going into Sabotage. So enjoy these last few days. Enjoy traveling on the road with the boys and pretending that you belong here... Enjoy the fat paychecks that President Jeff hands you to pad out the lower mid card. Because it all comes crashing down this Monday. You'll be the first victim of the Revolutionized Sex and Violence... And may the gods have mercy on your soul...

*The camera fades out on Trevor Blackwell's eyes... his laughter echoing in the darkness.*