Post by C.J. Gates on Dec 7, 2011 0:59:23 GMT -4
The scene opens up with a shot of large whiteboard and on that whiteboard, there are photographs. Each one is taped to the board with large pieces of white paper taped below. The lighting in the room is poor at best, but enough to see the pictures of some past and present APW wrestlers. After a few moments, "The Loose Cannon" Rico Casteel walks into the shot, his mouth twisted into a smirk, his face reading pent up rage. He stands in front of the whiteboard and paces in front of it.
"In two short weeks, I will do what I should have been allowed to do following One Night in Hell. I will regain my World Heavyweight title, and make sure that Jason Kash learns the cold hard truth about my dominance. I will make sure that the smoking joke knows that the Asylum is my kingdom. It was my kingdom before and it will once again be my kingdom once the calender turns to 2012.
"You don't believe me Jason? And what's that? You don't believe me either, Manhattan?"
His smirk spreads into a full smile.
"Well then, I guess I will just have to give the two of you a lesson. I guess that I will have to demonstrate why I am as...dangerous as I've always said I am.
"Starting right here."
Rico steps up to the board and stands beside the first picture taped up and rips off the white paper underneath, which was also taped up.
"Kristina Blackwell. I'm sure the two of you don't know her and in truth, I don't know her either. What I do know is that she was rumored to have been a dangerous woman. It was rumored that she could take down even the toughest opponent. Yet when I stepped into the ring with her and two others at Massacre on 34th Street nearly a year ago, she showed none of that. She simply did what everyone has done this entire year. She was destroyed at my lethal hands. And in doing so, I was named as the first ever Suicidal champion.
"Fitting."
He takes a step to the left so that he is standing beside the second picture, removing the paper beneath.
"Delilah. Another woman that I knew nothing about going into the match but that didn't stop me from...well, the only way I can describe it is to say that she was never heard from again. A lead pipe shot to the face, a spear into the steel steps, a knock out punch and a Bedlam Buster through the table will do that to someone, let alone a woman. By destroying Delilah I also managed to successfully defend my title. I managed to show that I was not just a flash in the pan champion.
"Not that anyone was listening."
Rico shakes his head as he moves to the next picture and removes the paper.
"Nate Bishop. You know him, don't you Kash? He was the tag a long that you and Knuckles brought with you when you stepped through those doors. And I'm sure you also watched as I humiliated him inside of that ring. How I stuffed him into a trash can and beat the shit out of that can with a baseball bat before driving my fist through his skull.
"People were taking notice."
Shuffle, chuckle and paper removal.
"Madok Mortalis. Another man you will know, Jason, and another man I defeated. And at his own game to boot. Extreme Rules Submission Match. Madok thought he had me, but I showed him with I am a Loose Cannon, I proved to him why I was the Suicidal champion. I showed him that I was not to be messed with, no matter how big ones ego is.
"My kingdom was taking shape, and no one saw it coming.
"Case in point, Rasslemania. There's no picture for it, but I can regale you with the story. A battle royal to determine a contender for a title on their brand. It came down to myself and Khaos, and we battled toe to toe. Some thought that I would finally be unseated in my quest. Some figured that Khaos would reign supreme. But instead of Khaos, chaos took hold and never let go. I was the number one contender for the World Heavyweight title."
Rico shuffles down to the next picture.
"Isamu Suzuki. Funny story, Isamu won a match that you were involved in, Jason, to fight me for my title later that night. And while I didn't dominate him as much as I would have liked, his story is a perfect example of what the two of you need to do. I hope you're paying attention, Manhattan, because this goes out to you, too. Quite simply, the two of you need to do everything it takes to win. You need to go above and beyond the call of fucking duty. You see a God damn opportunity, you're going to have to go the extra mile above that to get the job done. Isamu thought he could and he climbed to the top of the video screen and jumped, dooming himself to failure when he connected with pure metal.
"He knew that he had to give it his all to beat me. And he failed.
"Just like the two of you will fail."
Rico moves down to the last picture and removes the paper.
"And this is where it all started. James Chambers. The man whose title I should have won at Mayhem, but instead, I was forced into a triple threat with him and Isamu Suzuki. A match where I lost the Suicidal title and the World title without having been beaten. Without having been defeated. A match that should never have happened ended up costing me the ultimate prize!
"Then, the very next week, James Chambers walked out. When he was supposed to face me with his title on the line, he turned tail and disappeared. And that didn't sit well with me...but you know that, right Jason? After all, you were the next in line. You were the one who was hit with every bit of anger that I had in me. You were the one that was destroyed because of James Chambers. A match which I'm sure you remember and a match that I'm sure you haven't forgotten.
"Though, I'm sure a little part of you realized that was your opportunity to make a big splash in your career. That was the time when you wanted to build up to payback. The only problem is that while you were working to improve yourself, so was I. I was destroying everyone who came in my path.
"Chris Cyrus? I made sure he never set foot in the spotlight of Asylum when I defeated him for the title I should have already had. BDC? I showed him just how old and over the hill he really is when he popped his knee in fear. Branden Harvey? Please. I made chump meat of him at Shockwave, proving what everyone else already knew."
Rico pauses and shakes his head. He walks forward away from the white board and takes a seat on a nearby chair. Off to the right and in the background a large throne like chair can be seen sitting idle.
"But what does this matter to you, Jason? What do these names mean? In your words, probably nothing. In your mind, all of these names are probably just worthless words that I am throwing out to try and intimidate you. Though, by all means, Jason, I'm not trying to intimidate you. I already know that I intimidate you. The names are just there to show you that everything I have done is no joke. It's to show you that each and every one of my accomplishments has been done with serious pain inflicted on my opponents.
"It's to show you and Mr. White just how it's going to feel to lose to me at Christmas Chaos.
"Though maybe I decided to enlighten Manhattan on my past so that he could see what I am capable of. Maybe, just maybe, I decided to give Mr. White an insight into the true beast that lives within me, of the madness that drives me to such great...lengths. After all, Mr. White has only had small glimpses of me since he rumbled into the federation. Since he weaseled his way into the Elimination Chamber, since he weaseled his way into the World title match that should only be between Jason and myself.
"Deny it all you want, Manhattan, but the fact is still there. You may have been public about wanting to wait until your turn in line came, but apparently, behind the scenes it all changed. Behind the scene, you went to Reginald and begged him to put you into the picture right away. And because Reginald has this...vendetta against me, and because he doesn't want me to be the champion that I should. He's holding me back, just like he has all year. And the only reason I reigned? Was because I forced his hand. I made sure that he saw that I wasn't going to back down. And now? The same rules apply. Except this time, I've got back up. This time, I've got a man on my side with a similar state of mind. A man who will watch my back and make sure that everything is done to par.
"There will be nothing more holding back the Loose Cannon from regaining his throne. Nothing more to keep me from reaching the heights that I have already had within my grasp. Unfortunately for the two of you, to get there, I have to destroy you. Simple as that. I have to make sure that you feel the pain Isamu felt when he jumped from the top of the video screen. I have to make sure that you swallowed your teeth the same way Delilah did when I made an example out of her. Though, I'm not all bad.
"I will give both of you the opportunity to do what the former champion did.
"I will allow both of you the opportunity to run away before the match gets underway. To turn around once your music is played and walk back to your locker room, pack your bags, and leave the Asylum forever just like James Chambers did."
Rico chuckles to himself as he slowly rises from his chair.
"And really, that might be the best option the two of you could hope for. After all, Jason, you've never beaten me for the title. Which of course is why we're here, right? You feel like you need the opportunity to legitimize your reign and to make sure that you are actually worthy of being the champion. Well, let me fill you in on a little newsflash, your reign will never be legitimized because you will never beat me. If by some fluke you happen to retain your belt at Christmas Chaos, then it will be because you defeated Manhattan White and not myself. And there will still be doubt. So, really, Jason, if you want to accomplish your feat, you need to pin me to the mat for the three count. Me. Not Manhattan. You need to beat the King.
"As for you Manhattan White, you may have been the one to send me through that table in the chamber, but just remember that you had the help of Mike Morrison and Tommy Knoxville. Just remember that if you didn't have the two of them there to help you, things would be much, much different. Who knows? Maybe you wouldn't even be where you stand right now? Maybe you wouldn't even be challenging for the World title? Of course, you'll deny it like the punk you are. You'll tell me I'm dreaming, that I don't have a hope of reclaiming MY prize, but you know what Manhattan, that would just be another wrong answer to questions that you will keep having as the match goes on.
"You want the right answers?
"Does Manhattan White belong in this match? No. Is Manhattan White in over his head? Fucking right he is. Does Manhattan White believe that he's in for the beating of a lifetime? He doesn't believe it, but he will be. After all, I don't think you've truly been...initiated into the Asylum. Consider this your true initiation. Consider this, your step up from the awkward newcomer to the peasant that will now down at my feet. Whether he likes it or not."
Rico stands up and walks toward the back of the room and stands beside his throne. He pats the arm of it before looking up.
"But that is what the two of you have in common. That is what the mighty Jason Kash and the might Manhattan White have in common. Oh, sure you will consider me the common enemy and team up to try and take me down, but part of you, Jason, will know that you are going to have beat me to be taken seriously as a champion. So while you will team up against me, how long will that truly last? Three? Four minutes before one of you turns on the other?
"And that's when I'll be waiting to strike. Waiting to take the two of you down. Waiting to reclaim the whore that turned her back on us. The title that shows everyone what they should already know. The crown that lets the newcomers and the low lifes know that I am the rightful king, that Asylum is my Kingdom of Madness!
"Deny me that and you will both pay. Perhaps with your lives, but that is still left to be seen. If you decide to make it difficult, then I can't promise that either of you will escape this Pay-Per-View as an active member of the APW roster.
"Because this is my night. This is when everything comes back around and I once again stand atop the pyramid."
He turns to look at the throne again and smirks.
"At the end of the night, I will be crowned King and will be able to retake my spot in the throne that I once sat in, that I once ruled from. The two of you stand in my way.
"And I will destroy you.
"I will reclaim my throne.
"I will once again rule the Asylum."
"In two short weeks, I will do what I should have been allowed to do following One Night in Hell. I will regain my World Heavyweight title, and make sure that Jason Kash learns the cold hard truth about my dominance. I will make sure that the smoking joke knows that the Asylum is my kingdom. It was my kingdom before and it will once again be my kingdom once the calender turns to 2012.
"You don't believe me Jason? And what's that? You don't believe me either, Manhattan?"
His smirk spreads into a full smile.
"Well then, I guess I will just have to give the two of you a lesson. I guess that I will have to demonstrate why I am as...dangerous as I've always said I am.
"Starting right here."
Rico steps up to the board and stands beside the first picture taped up and rips off the white paper underneath, which was also taped up.
"Kristina Blackwell. I'm sure the two of you don't know her and in truth, I don't know her either. What I do know is that she was rumored to have been a dangerous woman. It was rumored that she could take down even the toughest opponent. Yet when I stepped into the ring with her and two others at Massacre on 34th Street nearly a year ago, she showed none of that. She simply did what everyone has done this entire year. She was destroyed at my lethal hands. And in doing so, I was named as the first ever Suicidal champion.
"Fitting."
He takes a step to the left so that he is standing beside the second picture, removing the paper beneath.
"Delilah. Another woman that I knew nothing about going into the match but that didn't stop me from...well, the only way I can describe it is to say that she was never heard from again. A lead pipe shot to the face, a spear into the steel steps, a knock out punch and a Bedlam Buster through the table will do that to someone, let alone a woman. By destroying Delilah I also managed to successfully defend my title. I managed to show that I was not just a flash in the pan champion.
"Not that anyone was listening."
Rico shakes his head as he moves to the next picture and removes the paper.
"Nate Bishop. You know him, don't you Kash? He was the tag a long that you and Knuckles brought with you when you stepped through those doors. And I'm sure you also watched as I humiliated him inside of that ring. How I stuffed him into a trash can and beat the shit out of that can with a baseball bat before driving my fist through his skull.
"People were taking notice."
Shuffle, chuckle and paper removal.
"Madok Mortalis. Another man you will know, Jason, and another man I defeated. And at his own game to boot. Extreme Rules Submission Match. Madok thought he had me, but I showed him with I am a Loose Cannon, I proved to him why I was the Suicidal champion. I showed him that I was not to be messed with, no matter how big ones ego is.
"My kingdom was taking shape, and no one saw it coming.
"Case in point, Rasslemania. There's no picture for it, but I can regale you with the story. A battle royal to determine a contender for a title on their brand. It came down to myself and Khaos, and we battled toe to toe. Some thought that I would finally be unseated in my quest. Some figured that Khaos would reign supreme. But instead of Khaos, chaos took hold and never let go. I was the number one contender for the World Heavyweight title."
Rico shuffles down to the next picture.
"Isamu Suzuki. Funny story, Isamu won a match that you were involved in, Jason, to fight me for my title later that night. And while I didn't dominate him as much as I would have liked, his story is a perfect example of what the two of you need to do. I hope you're paying attention, Manhattan, because this goes out to you, too. Quite simply, the two of you need to do everything it takes to win. You need to go above and beyond the call of fucking duty. You see a God damn opportunity, you're going to have to go the extra mile above that to get the job done. Isamu thought he could and he climbed to the top of the video screen and jumped, dooming himself to failure when he connected with pure metal.
"He knew that he had to give it his all to beat me. And he failed.
"Just like the two of you will fail."
Rico moves down to the last picture and removes the paper.
"And this is where it all started. James Chambers. The man whose title I should have won at Mayhem, but instead, I was forced into a triple threat with him and Isamu Suzuki. A match where I lost the Suicidal title and the World title without having been beaten. Without having been defeated. A match that should never have happened ended up costing me the ultimate prize!
"Then, the very next week, James Chambers walked out. When he was supposed to face me with his title on the line, he turned tail and disappeared. And that didn't sit well with me...but you know that, right Jason? After all, you were the next in line. You were the one who was hit with every bit of anger that I had in me. You were the one that was destroyed because of James Chambers. A match which I'm sure you remember and a match that I'm sure you haven't forgotten.
"Though, I'm sure a little part of you realized that was your opportunity to make a big splash in your career. That was the time when you wanted to build up to payback. The only problem is that while you were working to improve yourself, so was I. I was destroying everyone who came in my path.
"Chris Cyrus? I made sure he never set foot in the spotlight of Asylum when I defeated him for the title I should have already had. BDC? I showed him just how old and over the hill he really is when he popped his knee in fear. Branden Harvey? Please. I made chump meat of him at Shockwave, proving what everyone else already knew."
Rico pauses and shakes his head. He walks forward away from the white board and takes a seat on a nearby chair. Off to the right and in the background a large throne like chair can be seen sitting idle.
"But what does this matter to you, Jason? What do these names mean? In your words, probably nothing. In your mind, all of these names are probably just worthless words that I am throwing out to try and intimidate you. Though, by all means, Jason, I'm not trying to intimidate you. I already know that I intimidate you. The names are just there to show you that everything I have done is no joke. It's to show you that each and every one of my accomplishments has been done with serious pain inflicted on my opponents.
"It's to show you and Mr. White just how it's going to feel to lose to me at Christmas Chaos.
"Though maybe I decided to enlighten Manhattan on my past so that he could see what I am capable of. Maybe, just maybe, I decided to give Mr. White an insight into the true beast that lives within me, of the madness that drives me to such great...lengths. After all, Mr. White has only had small glimpses of me since he rumbled into the federation. Since he weaseled his way into the Elimination Chamber, since he weaseled his way into the World title match that should only be between Jason and myself.
"Deny it all you want, Manhattan, but the fact is still there. You may have been public about wanting to wait until your turn in line came, but apparently, behind the scenes it all changed. Behind the scene, you went to Reginald and begged him to put you into the picture right away. And because Reginald has this...vendetta against me, and because he doesn't want me to be the champion that I should. He's holding me back, just like he has all year. And the only reason I reigned? Was because I forced his hand. I made sure that he saw that I wasn't going to back down. And now? The same rules apply. Except this time, I've got back up. This time, I've got a man on my side with a similar state of mind. A man who will watch my back and make sure that everything is done to par.
"There will be nothing more holding back the Loose Cannon from regaining his throne. Nothing more to keep me from reaching the heights that I have already had within my grasp. Unfortunately for the two of you, to get there, I have to destroy you. Simple as that. I have to make sure that you feel the pain Isamu felt when he jumped from the top of the video screen. I have to make sure that you swallowed your teeth the same way Delilah did when I made an example out of her. Though, I'm not all bad.
"I will give both of you the opportunity to do what the former champion did.
"I will allow both of you the opportunity to run away before the match gets underway. To turn around once your music is played and walk back to your locker room, pack your bags, and leave the Asylum forever just like James Chambers did."
Rico chuckles to himself as he slowly rises from his chair.
"And really, that might be the best option the two of you could hope for. After all, Jason, you've never beaten me for the title. Which of course is why we're here, right? You feel like you need the opportunity to legitimize your reign and to make sure that you are actually worthy of being the champion. Well, let me fill you in on a little newsflash, your reign will never be legitimized because you will never beat me. If by some fluke you happen to retain your belt at Christmas Chaos, then it will be because you defeated Manhattan White and not myself. And there will still be doubt. So, really, Jason, if you want to accomplish your feat, you need to pin me to the mat for the three count. Me. Not Manhattan. You need to beat the King.
"As for you Manhattan White, you may have been the one to send me through that table in the chamber, but just remember that you had the help of Mike Morrison and Tommy Knoxville. Just remember that if you didn't have the two of them there to help you, things would be much, much different. Who knows? Maybe you wouldn't even be where you stand right now? Maybe you wouldn't even be challenging for the World title? Of course, you'll deny it like the punk you are. You'll tell me I'm dreaming, that I don't have a hope of reclaiming MY prize, but you know what Manhattan, that would just be another wrong answer to questions that you will keep having as the match goes on.
"You want the right answers?
"Does Manhattan White belong in this match? No. Is Manhattan White in over his head? Fucking right he is. Does Manhattan White believe that he's in for the beating of a lifetime? He doesn't believe it, but he will be. After all, I don't think you've truly been...initiated into the Asylum. Consider this your true initiation. Consider this, your step up from the awkward newcomer to the peasant that will now down at my feet. Whether he likes it or not."
Rico stands up and walks toward the back of the room and stands beside his throne. He pats the arm of it before looking up.
"But that is what the two of you have in common. That is what the mighty Jason Kash and the might Manhattan White have in common. Oh, sure you will consider me the common enemy and team up to try and take me down, but part of you, Jason, will know that you are going to have beat me to be taken seriously as a champion. So while you will team up against me, how long will that truly last? Three? Four minutes before one of you turns on the other?
"And that's when I'll be waiting to strike. Waiting to take the two of you down. Waiting to reclaim the whore that turned her back on us. The title that shows everyone what they should already know. The crown that lets the newcomers and the low lifes know that I am the rightful king, that Asylum is my Kingdom of Madness!
"Deny me that and you will both pay. Perhaps with your lives, but that is still left to be seen. If you decide to make it difficult, then I can't promise that either of you will escape this Pay-Per-View as an active member of the APW roster.
"Because this is my night. This is when everything comes back around and I once again stand atop the pyramid."
He turns to look at the throne again and smirks.
"At the end of the night, I will be crowned King and will be able to retake my spot in the throne that I once sat in, that I once ruled from. The two of you stand in my way.
"And I will destroy you.
"I will reclaim my throne.
"I will once again rule the Asylum."
