Post by Dakota Smith on Feb 12, 2019 2:54:01 GMT -5
“ From the ashes, a new champion will come up! “
With the ever rhythmic voice of Flash Kassidy narrating over, our scene slowly starts to take shape. We find our protagonist held up in his hotel room, slumped over a desk with a pencil in his hand. But the paper in front of him was blank, , and by the erratic tapping of the pencil against his forehead you could tell that that was annoying Flash. The red hood of the “Real Killas Only” zip-up he was wearing was up, but strands of hair shot through the front. Flash slowly shook his head, scoffing to himself as he started to draw out a line, but quickly he stopped, flipped the pencil and erased what he had just drawn. From the amount of burnt eraser markings scattered around the paper it would seem that he had been doing for some time.
With an annoyed groan Flash tosses the pencil in front of him before shooting his hands up and behind his head -leaning back as he bites down on his bottom lip. His eyes shot up to the ceiling as he once again shook his head, seemingly very displeased with himself.
“ You know, I been waiting for this moment, I been wonderin’ when it was gonna’ happen. Especially after my elimination from the Cobra? Shit I didn’t think it was ever gonna’ come again. I thought I done did blew my shot and someone else was gonna’ steal my moment, steal my fuckin’ shine! Kinda like you did the first time around, ain’t that right Alyssa? “
Flash’s eyes quickly dart directly into the camera, as a forced smirk runs across his face. As he began to speak once again, you could hear a more bitter tone in his voice.
“ I remember War of the Worlds, I remember when I was left in the middle of that ring with Nemesis, got eliminated! That wasn't suppose to go down like that! I was supposed to lead our team to victory! But instead… You was left last women standing, and the way these fans got behind you, the way they hated Salvation for stoppin’ you? They didn’t give a fuck about me! And you wanna’ know the truth Alyssa? That’s why I dipped the fuck out! “
As if his nose was running Flash sniffs the air, before pulling his hood back and pushing himself up and away from the desk. With one hand he pushes his hair back as he grabs his signature shades off the desk, along with a blunt that he pushes behind his ear. He then turns his back to the desk, and begins to casually walk around the room with the certain kind of swag that only Flash Kassidy has - as if there was a song playing that only he could hear. With every step you could swear that you can see smoke coming from his feet, almost as if he was singeing the rug underneath him.
“ But ya’ see my sweet sweet Alyssa D…I don’t care if these fine folk pay to see me got my back or not! Cause I still got theirs! So I’m gonna go out there and do what I was born ta’ do. What I done did said I was gonna do! I’ma go out there and burn the whole fuckin’ buildin’ down! Like Mike Tyson! Like The Beatles! I’ma light Boardwalk Hall on fire! HELTKER FUCKIN’ SKELTER! “
Extending his arms out, Flash does a little spin as his head begins to bob in rhythmic fashion. The chains hanging from his white and black skinny jeans jangle as he moves.
“Done been your partner, Went ta war witcha' seen how you works. You quick like me, you a fuckin’ daredevil like ya’ boy! I can respect all of that, but what I can’t respect if the lack of anything you’ve done since becomin’ that champo. Ya’ beat Emery Layton on her way out of the company, you beat Dicky boy on his way out. But I ain’t plannin’ on leavin’ again anytime soon, you ain’t gonna catch me slippin’ up there. When I fell to Finn weeks back, when I got shoved out my shot at the Cobra, I swore that I was gonna’ learn from that ish. And I fuckin’ did. I gave everything I had to Finn! Still came up short! You know what that taught me Ah-Lyssa? It taught me that everything isn’t enough! It taught me that I gots to push past my own limits, I gots to soar higher than I’ve gone! I wanna see another fucking galaxy! Ya feel me? And ain’t no better opportunity eva’ gonna come along than you, and that Union Battleground Championship! “
Once again Flash runs his hand through his hair, really getting into whatever beat was flowing through him. He snatches blunt from behind his ear and places it in between his lips. At this point, there was a heavy smoke coming from Flash’s feet, with every little step sparks flew like the flicking of a lighter from the bottom of his candy red Allstar Hightops.
“That Union Battleground championship that you defended against my girl Kimitsu Zombie, shit that was impressive my girl, Game recognizes game, and I ain’t out here tryin’ to underplay that talent that you ooze outcha pours. You got it girl! Cemented yo place as the face of this company, did what I failed ta do. And I realize that, I see that boo boo! I really fuckin’ do! You don’t think every single day I spent away from this company I didn’t fuckin’ die a little inside seein’ you take the place that was meant fo me! That I had promised all of these fans a fuckin’ lifetime ago! Ar least that what it feel like to me, since I had my last chance against Nemesis… I let em down once Alyssa….Ain’t gonna’ do it again. “
Smoke begins to rise from the blunt hanging from Flash’s lips, though he hadn’t lit it yet. This doesn’t seem to bother the burner however as he Johnny Knoxville style kicks his leg to the leg and side steps to the two glass doors at the end of the room. Pushing them open Flash walks onto the balcony, you could see the boardwalk lights off in the distance it’s signature ferris wheel illuminating the night time sky. Flash places his elbows on the balcony gate, looking out over Atlantic City.
“ Whether they wanna accept me, or accept you I don’t give two shits to the moon bout none of that! I care about winnin’ that championship, I care about being the best Flash Kassidy that I ever been! Care about improvin’ on what I know, and becomin’ aware of any possibility that I may encounter! I’m takin’ this shit seriously Alyssa, you best believe that. I ain’t gonna play no games witchu’ like I been known to do in the past. I ain’t gonna make Flash Kassidy no fuckin’ joke! Because I want this more than I want the THC running through my bloodstream, I wanna taste what its like to be at the top of the mountain, Nawh I wanna go above that! I wanna reach new heights that ain't any other Union Battleground wrestler done befoe! And the only way to do that Lyssa is to fly high up above you, and come crashin’ down with such force that you can’t get the fuck up! I don’t give no fucks who thinks I can do it, who hopes I can do it! I know!... I can fuckin do’s it.”
As if this was a big budget hollywood movie, flames now began to engulf Flash’s shoes. He doesn’t seem to pay it any attention as he continues to stare out at the always moving city. You could see his ears perk up as car horns and people shouting could be heard off in the distance. The flames gradually began to spread up Flash’s legs, but still he acted as if nothing was happening, continuing to puff off the blunt and gaze into the night.
“ I know I gots ta be faster, gots ta be smarter. I know that this is gonna be my biggest match to date! That this is a make it or break it moment, a real career changin’ opportunity, I fuckin’ know that! But I’m Flash motha’ fuckin’ Kassidy, never shook! Not even once! So while I may be aware of who you are, what you done! While I may understands how good you really is! I’ma still go out there with my head held higher than my girl charlie after me n Jay smoke her ass up. Go out there one hundred percent confident that i’ma win that sum’bitch and prove to everyone that I gots what it takes to hold his company up on my shoulders! Be the face that runs the place, not showin’ up once a month but defendin’ that bitch every single week! “
With the flames still gradually creeping up his small athletic frame, Flash flicks the blunt roach out into the city.
“ I learned that everything wasen’t enough from Flinn, that you need ta always expect the unexpected with Nemesis. Every match, every win, every loss that I have gone through all has led up to this moment, that in itself was all by chance. I would of never been here if I wasen’t given the opportunity, the moment to shine against Datura… And I ain’t gonna let this opportunity turn to piss, won’t let it go down in vein. I will give every inch of me and more ta make sure that these words I’m spittin’ right now don’t make me a liar. Said I was gonna be the king cobra twice, and failed… But here we are at Crown of the King Cobra… And here I is with a chance to become the new Union Battleground Champion… Life funny like that ain’t it? Sometimes the things ya think you want you don’t really need. And sometimes failures can present perfect opportunities… “
As Flash turns around and faces the camera his entire body becomes engulfed by the flame, looking like a modern day Human Torch. Through his fiery pupils he stares into the camera, his golden grill shining through the flickering flames as he grins. Slowly you start to see pieces of him fly away into the night time sky, as the flames burn him up into a crisp, his flesh slowly disintegrating as he burns down to nothing but a pile of ashes. The camera zooms in on said ashes as Flash continues to narrate over the scene.
“It’s like… The world is talkin’ to me, tellin’ me that this is it! This is my moment in time to do something great, to finally make good on all my promises. My time to rise high above the competition! So Alyssa, I hope you come at me with your best, because I knows that’ll I’ll need to do better than it. I knows that however good you know you is, I’ll have to surpass it! They might not even be a main event, cause it a fact that me’n’you gonna’ burn the whole fuckin’ building down! We just two damn talented, too damn gifted not too! I knows that championship means something to you, that you fuckin’ earned it! But i’ma fuckin earn it to! If I gotta bleed, than I’ll bleed! If I gots’ta suffer than i’ll suffer. Nothin’ means more to me than beatin’ you, and takin’ yo championship. “
It’s then that once again reality seemingly breaks as from the ashes rises Flash Kassidy, this time dressed in his ring attire - with the Union Battleground championship in his hands.
“I’ve won and I’ve lost, tasted bitter defeate and jumped off ancient fuckin’ pillars onto spooky boi’s! I waged a war against Salvation while you was still playin’ over there in Elysium! I been Union Battleground! This is my home, my place! These are my fans, and whether they love me or not I’ma give them the best damn show they recieve! But I ain’t doin’ this for them, not entirely! No I’ma win this for me! Because it’s what I wanna do, it’s what I knows I can do! I’m doin’ this, because this is what I was built ta do! This moment, this match, everything on the line! I will over fuckin’ come any and all obstacles, riser higher than I ever been! Because you see… The thing is. "
Flash raises the championship up in the air as the camera focuses in on him, while still getting the ferris wheel off into the background into the shot. He then looked into the camera and speaks directly to it for the first time.
“ Alyssa, you walking into this just match trying to defend yo’ championship… But me? Ya’ boy Flash Kassidy? I’m walking in as yo’ next Union Battleground Champion!. “
It’s at this moment the scene freezes, and slowly the image starts to transform into a very detailed drawing, something that you would see in a high value graphic novel. Flash standing with the Union Battleground held high above his shades, looking almost like a superhero.
Post by Alyssa Daniels on Feb 19, 2019 16:59:11 GMT -5
“Ragnarok has been eliminated!”
Those words from Mike Dempsey seemed to bring Flash Kassidy back to life. Just a moment earlier, he was grabbing his leg and dragging himself over to cover Salvation member Ragnarok. Now, he popped up to his feet and celebrated before laying into the defeated competitor with stomps and kicks. Meanwhile on the ramp, Dick Devereaux and Alyssa Daniels isolated Legion and began to wear her down with double-team moves. The entire match was chaos at this point. Little did they know, Nemesis interrupted Kassidy’s extracurriculars and proceeded to pummel him with blows and a crucifix powerbomb. Nemesis would then roll Kassidy into the ring and hit him with a GTS followed by a Kinshasa. With the count of three, Mike Dempsey’s voice would be heard again in such a short time.
“Flash Kassidy has been eliminated!”
Suddenly, Alyssa and Dick turned back to the ring and looked in shock as Nemesis stood over the defeated Kassidy, an eerie grin on his face. They hadn’t been paying attention and let Nemesis isolate and eliminate their teammate. The rest, as they say it, was history. A brutal violent battle ended in betrayal and a victory for Salvation.
Those images crumble to dust, blowing away as if by a big gust of wind. The scene changes to modern day. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The time is 1:15 AM. There are scattered passengers waiting to board their flights but it’s not quite as busy as it would be during the day. The digital gate sign for a Spirit Airlines gate indicates that a flight to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport departs at 1:59 AM. One passenger sticks out a little more than the others. The pink hair is probably the reason. Usually is. She has it tied back in a bun and is wearing dark gray sweatpants, a black track jacket, and white sneakers. Though she holds a book mostly in front, the gashes and bruising on her face are apparent despite her makeup. Those came from battles fought elsewhere. She’s sitting cross-legged on one of the chairs while she waits, her bag in the floor just in front of and beneath her chair. Alyssa’s voice narrates over the scene as the Alyssa in the frame continues to read silently.
“Once upon a time, this company faced a great evil and an uncertain future. Just under a year ago, four of us stood on the front lines to meet that evil head on, consequences be damned. It’s hard to believe it’s only been ten months. It feels like a completely different lifetime. With a common enemy, we went to war together. We had a mutual respect of sorts back then. After that night though, something interesting happened.”
Alyssa turns a page in her book.
“In the lead up, I called you the ‘kid with infinite lives.’ Little did I know that Infinity was not your calling. Maybe they finally got into your head, filled it with despair and hopelessness. Maybe you decided that this war was no longer worth fighting. Or maybe you thought victory was impossible. Whatever the reason, you let them run you off. You gave up and went home. Meanwhile, the rest of us kept fighting even when things looked bleak, even when there was arguably no reason to keep fighting. We refused to give up and, in the end, we sent Salvation running. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll get to where you’re going. But you? You backpedaled and withdrew. Now you’re back here in season three having won a match with a surprise stipulation. Now you’re fighting for the Union Battleground Championship. So tell me, Flash...”
Beat.
“What makes you a champion?”
Another page turns.
“Back then, you told the world that you meant business. Back then, you said that good will surpass all when given the chance. This time, you said. This time... So what makes this time so special? Don’t get me wrong, I watched that battle you had with Datura. I saw you emerge victorious, crimson mask and all. You effort is there, and I would never question your talent. But what happens when Flash Kassidy is sitting alone in his locker room, disheartened by a battle he could not win. What then? Does he soldier on, work through it, and come back for more? Or do we not see him again until the start of season four?”
Alyssa touches her chin in contemplation as she reads.
“Now that I think about it though, I wonder... Was it that you thought we couldn’t beat Salvation? Or were you afraid we actually could?”
Alyssa’s attention is drawn away from her book to a nearby mother and child. Tears roll down the child’s face as the mother hugs him tightly.
“It’ll be alright sweetie,” the mother says in a comforting voice.
“But, but,” her son sputters, “but what if the plane explodes?”
“They examine the plane in great detail,” she explains to her son. “That’s what they’re doing now. Our plane as been here for a little while but they check it every time it lands to make sure it’s really safe.”
“But plane crashes happen all the time,” the boy counters.
“Plane crashes are so rare that the news makes a big deal about them. Do you know how many flights happen each day?”
“Um… Fifty?”
The mother laughs softly at her son’s naivety.
“Tens of thousands of flights happen each day in the United States alone.”
This revelation causes the boy’s eyes to go wide.
“Compare that to how many times you hear about a plane crash and you see just how rare they are.”
Alyssa smiles in approval as the child’s anxiety visibly softens. She looks back down at her book.
“Fear isn’t uncommon, Flash. And it’s much more common than you’d think in our line of work, no matter what the boasters would have you believe. Maybe the truth of the matter is that you fear success. You thrive as the scrappy underdog tearing away at those in prestigious positions. When Salvation dominated the Battleground, you salivated at the opportunity to tear them apart piece by piece. But when the time came to take everything from Nemesis, you came up a tenth of a second short. When we had the opportunity to land a massive blow at War of the Worlds, you couldn’t defend yourself against Salvation’s leader after eliminating Ragnarok. It’s like success is the car and you’re the dog chasing it, barking with convincing ferocity. But what if you actually caught it?”
Alyssa closes the book.
“What are you so afraid of?”
She stores the book in her bag.
“Knowledge is the enemy of fear. Like the safety of flying, the more you know about something the less scary it becomes. I’ve been told at times that I am the ‘ultimate underdog.’ But I, Flash, have been able to win championships. I’ve been Elysium World Champion, Fight Union Champion, and of course Union Battleground Champion. Now, I’m not saying that to mean I deserve anything. I say that because as someone who has both been called an underdog and been to the mountaintop, I can tell you from experience that you can be both yourself and successful. You need not fear it. Salvation thrived on that fear but the more we took the fight to them rather than waiting and hoping they didn’t come for us, the more they lost their grip on the Battleground. Inevitably, their fear mongering wasn’t sustainable but people like us? We are. I just think you didn’t see that in yourself at the time.”
“We are now preboarding,” a voice from the desk announces. “All unaccompanied minors or passengers that need extra time to board, you are clear to board at this time.”
“Being completely honest with you, Flash? I don’t hold a grudge because you dipped out of the war with Salvation. It was unfortunate but whatever they were, you had your reasons. I believed in me and I believed in the fight. I’d have taken them on single-handedly if it came down to it and at times, I thought it might. It would be unfair of me to assume you should adopt my principles and take on the danger I am willing to face. But at the same time, this belt doesn’t make it any easier. You’re used to picking your target but this? This makes you the target. This takes you to the top of the mountain. To everyone looking up, this is what makes you successful. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”
“We are now boarding those who selected the ‘big front seat’ for this flight,” the voice from the desk announces.
“I don’t believe you are. I believe that, this time, you’re ready. I saw what you were willing to do, what you were willing to go through to take down Datura and earn this opportunity. Nothing you were before, nothing you’ve done before needs to hold back who you are now in this moment you’re in. I am not Nemesis using parlor tricks and ‘black magic.’ I have no horde of minions ready to leap out at any moment. When you walk down to the ring at Crown of the King Cobra, you are facing me. You are facing someone who fought Salvation to their last and never gave up no matter how bleak things looked. You are facing someone who took on all comers in Guerrilla Warfare and was the only one standing when the dust settled. You are facing someone who defeated very likely the first two inductees to the Union Battleground hall of fame, if such a thing ever exists, in one match. You are facing You are facing a champion in more than name. And I am facing Flash Kassidy. I’m facing the Burner, one of the best and quickest fighters to step in a Battleground ring. I’m facing a man who isn’t afraid to take big risks for big rewards. I’m facing a man who prevailed over the violent Datura despite the amount of blood he lost in the process.”
Beat.
“I’m facing the deserving number one contender to this championship.”
“We are now boarding holders of the Spirit MasterCard, anyone who purchased ‘shortcut boarding,’ and anyone who paid for a carry on bag,” the desk voice informed the passengers.
The mother stands. The young boy, having had plenty of time now to think about the flight and everything his mother told him, steels himself to face his first ever flight. He came into the airport afraid but now, with the power of knowledge, he’s ready to face his fear. The two move to the desk and head into the jet bridge.
“We will be fearless. We must be. We will put on an aerial performance the likes of which the Battleground has never seen and may never see again. We will put our bodies, our hearts, and our souls on the line to determine the victor and the true Champion of the Battleground. We will soar into the stratosphere and put on a show that will be worth the price of admission for those fans and more. You and I, Flash, have the chance to do something special. Fear no longer...”
Alyssa stands and moves toward the jet bridge as the desk announcer invites all remaining passengers to board. Just as she reaches the threshold of the tunnel, she turns back with a smile and speaks.
“Come soar with me.”
She turns and disappears into the jet bridge as the feed fades to black.
