Post by Kyle Travis on Sept 17, 2011 8:22:03 GMT -5
::Kyle Travis is laughing. It is not a joyous, boisterous laugh. Nor is it a sarcastic laugh. It is not his usual mirthless and cruel laugh. It is the kind of laughter on expects from an evil genius who has just come up with that brilliant plan. It is the laughter of the megalomaniac.::
::“The Canadian Legend is standing in his locker room. His bag sits in a cubby behind him. Other than Travis, the locker room is empty.::
::He is dressed in his wrestling gear and a black T-shirt which depicts his “Once and Future King” emblem, with his arms out wide and hands opened. His head is lifted back in laughter. It really captures that whole supervillian look::
“It is a plan that is sheer elegance in its simplicity, isn’t it brother?”
“I mean, it’s really a brilliant plan when you stop and think about it. Jack Marrow pits us against each other just a week before Struggle for Supremacy. It seems pretty obvious that he is hoping we injure each other before the big night. But what makes it truly brilliant is that he is hiding it within what appears to be an ordinary tag team match to hype the match between our ladies at Shockwave.”
“I mean think about it. Why else would he place us in the same match a week before we both enter into such a huge event? He knows full well what we are capable of. He knows that the two of us are willing to do anything we have to in order to get what we need to do done. Shockwave is a set up.”
::Travis applauds towards the camera, like he is actually applauding Marrow for this latest conspiracy.::
“A few weeks ago, I stood in the ring and said that two people should be standing in the ring alongside myself and the rest of Plague. The first person was Declan O’Farrell, who was fired just because he was in a fight and got arrested. How many times did Hyena or Mike Volnd or Snake or Devon Mayhem or Gryphon get arrested after a fight? A lot, if I recall correctly. Yet, none of them were ever fired.”
::He points to the camera.::
“The second person who should have been there was you Carnage, for we are in many ways, brothers. We both have been misused and mistreated. We both have been screwed over and both of us have had to do what others will not to get ahead. They call us psychopaths, monsters. They fear us Carnage. And thus, they hold us back.”
::“The Canadian Legend” turns from the camera, showing his back to it. He has his arms out again, in a “what’s up with that?” sort of gesture.::
“What happened to you with the United States Championship and the ACW Championship and getting fired was complete crap. It was undeserved and completely without merit. There was no justice there.”
“Honestly, what did you do that was so bad? I mean Shane Brooks attacked Mitchell Summerville and he was given a match with the World Heavyweight Champion Snake. Snake and Donavan have hit referees and officials before, yet they were never stripped of their titles or fired. Darien Hagaca interfered in the match between Gryphon and Devon Mayhem against Jack Marrow’s orders and got off scott free. The same thing happened when Aubrey Parker interfered in my match with Hiashi Shinsuma. Yet it seems you and I must be punished when we do bad things.”
::Travis turns partially to the camera. He shakes his head, and then looks upwards. His voice is cold, uncaring.::
“So you put your hands on Heather Lee? I really fail to see how anyone can be shocked that a person at ringside could somehow become a part of what we do. This is wrestling. It is not two men sitting in a ring, having a debate. It is not chess or poker or profession trading card game play. This is wrestling. It is a physical sport. People can get hurt.”
::Slowly, he slides his hands over his dark hair.::
“Everyone is boo-hooing because I broke a referee’s leg. No one, however, is acknowledging the undeniable fact that the man saw my hand on the rope and completely ignored it. No one seems to notice that as much as Smith claims to feel really bad about Crossroads, not only has he done nothing to try and rectify the situation, he is actually reveling in his being champion. Everyone is feeling so bad for Maria Caid, while completely ignoring the fact that David Caid was such a coward that he sent his wife to confront me rather than do it himself.”
::He lowers his head. As he doesTravis turns his head and glance partially towards the camera. There is a bit of anger in his voice.::
“Think about what you did brother. How was it any worse then the stuff Snake did? It wasn’t. But Jack didn’t want you to exceed what Snake had done. You and Devon Mayhem had one of the most brutal matches in the history of the ACW. So what does Jack do? He brings Gryphon back so that he and Devon can have two of the most brutal matches the ACW has ever seen. Now, he won’t you two go at it. It’d be ratings gold, brutal as hell, but still ratings gold. Yet, Marrow would rather lose money than allow it to happen.”
“Gryphon’s return and targeting one of the most popular ACW wrestlers occurred right at the same time as I was challenging for the ACW World Heavyweight Championship. When I lost, I cried foul. What happened? A.C. Smith returns and starts to complain louder about how he’s been overlooked and so forth. Somehow, he is magically catapulted to become number one contender and just happens to win the ACW World Title in front of his hometown.”
::His voice takes on a sarcastic tone.::
“Oh, but he feels really bad about how it went down.”
::He throws his head back in a laugh.::
“Yeah right.”
::He lowers his head again and shakes it slowly. Travis now turns to the camera.::
“My point is brother, you and I are being held down and overshadowed every time we try to rise up.”
“Think about it.”
::He gestures towards the camera before pulling his hand back.::
“Again, Gryphon and Smith return as I am making my rise up to main event level. It was all to try and overshadow me and get attention on someone else. You left and it seemed like there was this gag order in regards to your name. No one was allowed to even talk about you. All I ever tried to do is prove I am the best in the world.”
::Travis points to the camera, like he is pointing to Carnage, as if the former world champions are face-to-face. There is that calculating coldness in his voice, mixed with a bit of anger.::
“All you have ever done is try and make a statement. There was a time that they called you the most promising rookie in the ACW. People called your Feather Lite the most devastating and fastest finisher they had ever seen. Yet, when you finally decided to be the real you, the you that seemed to be hiding and waiting for his moment, everyone turned on you. It honestly shocks me that people would expect anything less from a man calling himself Carnage. When you pick a name like that, I fail to see how anyone cannot expect you do have a violent streak in you. I don’t see how they could expect you to be some sort of nice, gentle, soft, kind person with that kind of a name.”
“You were recruited into the Army of Darkness because Snake said he wanted to harness that potential for violence you had. I joined for the chance to get ahead. However, when you really think about it, we got nothing out of the Army. When you stop and think about it, you and I and even Dahlia have forged our own paths in the ACW. You and I did it because we never compromised. We did what we had to in order to get the job done.”
“That is what Jack Marrow fears.”
“He looks at a crew like the Church of Anarchy and he’s fine with that. Why? The CoA has the potential to sweep over the ACW in a wave of destruction, it won’t. Mike Voland has already taken out Snake, so he’s good. Brian Harris, despite an impressive United States Championship reign, will not break free of Voland. Xavier Laroux is doing good and will not break free as well. The same can be said for Tee and Megan and Lola. They are content with where they are.”
::He smiles a cold, cruel smile.::
“You and I, however, are not. We want more. Jack Marrow fears that.”
::Travis glares into the camera with that predatory stare of his.::
“Don’t lie to me Brother. I can see it in your eyes. You’re wondering if letting all that rage and violence out was really a good idea. Do you restrain yourself once again and let the fans cheer you? Or do you pick up where you left off and that violent psychopath on the verge of true greatness?”
::He chuckles. From a person like Travis, it still sounds evil. He shakes his head a little. His voice loses the coldness and the anger, but not the seriousness.::
“Personally I would go with the remorseless violent psychopath. It definitely made you more interesting. And let’s be honest, your friends are not going to forgive you. The fans may, because they are stupid like that, but not your friends.”
“Oh but I am sure Dahlia would love to see you go back to that way you were before. And why shouldn’t you make her happy? After all, you’ve done so much for her already. Honestly, as messed up as she is, I am willing to bet she was worse when you first found her. But, is she really all that loyal to you Brother?”
“I know Aubrey will throw me under the bus if it suits her. When I came upon her, Harrison was about to leave and Smith had been bullying her for weeks. I took what she already was and just brought out that aggressiveness and drive to be the best in the ACW. She has done that. But there’s not a whole lot of loyalty there.”
“What there is however, is respect. I do respect what Aubrey J. Parker is capable of. There is a very devious mind there. I know she respects me. Why? Well Evan treated her as a prop and A.C. Smith treated her like some mutt. I treat her as a partner and close to an equal. I also know she is kind of scared of me. That helps keep her in line. She knows full well what will happen when and if she turns on me or throws me under that bus. When the day comes, it’ll definitely be interesting.”
::For a moment, Travis allows a smile. If a shark or a cobra could smile, it would be like that. It’s more a warning than anything else. He stops smiling.::
“Yet somehow, the two of us are able to work together. I don’t know if one can say the same thing about Dahlia and yourself.”
“Dahlia has won just about every match she’s been in, and yet was held back. She accepted her punishment for the Army of Darkness incident, and now has a shot at the title. But were she truly loyal to you brother, she’d have left when the ACW fired you. But I am sure she had her reasons.”
::He shrugs.::
“But I am also sure that in many ways she holds you back.
::Travis holds his hand out to the camera, then pulls it to the side, like he is gesturing to someone.::
“Hell, she already threw you under the bus. After you were fired, time and time again, Dahlia would make sure that any of the people who might want to get at you didn’t blame her. She cost the Army the match at Defiance. She is so concerned with everyone seeing her as a sweet and innocent yet creepy girl that she’s lost any real drive or intensity. She’s more lamb than lioness and that cost you.”
::With on swift motion, he pulls his arm back.::
“You know what I am saying is true. She was held back for almost half a year. For what, the stuff she did in the Army of Darkness? She was coerced, somewhat similar to Aaron Lawrence, yet he got off free and clear. How is that fair? Gavin Sinclair may have sold Lawrence’s contract, but Lawrence still kicked Mayhem in the groin. But he got off. You they held back, Dahlia they punished and me they screwed out of the title. Seems fair doesn’t it? Dahlia should be pissed, yet she’s not.”
“There is a timidness, like she’s holding something back. She’s very good in the ring, but if she lets go, she’d be great. You achieved your greatest height brother, by letting go and embracing the monster you are. She has not and it holds you back, just a little.”
::Again, he turns from the camera and runs his hands through his hair. He holds his hands on the back of his neck for a moment, tapping his index fingers on the back of his neck. He pulls them apart and turns back towards the camera.::
“Yes, Aubrey and Dahlia have a match at Struggle for Supremacy. That is a given. You and I may not even meet in the Tournament of Eight. We could be on complete opposite ends of the brackets, or meeting in the quarterfinal round if neither of us loses in the semi-final round. But that is neither here nor there at the moment. We are not on a collision course.”
“We do not have to be enemies. No, we should be allies against Jack Marrow. Forget the fans and your friends. You and I are cut from the same cloth. The things the two of us are capable of together would be legendary. They would be horrific and terrible things, but they would still be legendary. And the thought of that keeps Jack up at night. Together, we would be the stuff of nightmares.”
::He shakes his head.::
“But I have a strong feeling that it will not happen.”
::Travis sighs. As he speaks, he begins to sound angry again. He is a man who feels like he is being used.::
“No. You and I could use that all important victory going into the Tournament of Eight at Struggle for Supremacy. Dahlia and Aubrey need momentum going into the their pay-per-view match. And that is exactly what Jack wants. He’s hoping we take each other out this week, or at the very least, possibly damage each other enough to ruin our chances.”
“And maybe he’ll get his wish. We both want the title we feel was stolen from us back. We are both willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Time and time again, we proved that. So right now, we’re simply playing into Jack’s hands.”
::The fingers of his left hand, the hand he uses for the Cold Snap, begin to flex, stretch and wiggle, loosening up.::
“I am not a man who is known for his regrets, but I do regret that this has to happen brother. It shouldn’t be. It should be you and me, with a pile of bodies at our feet and the world in the palm of our hands. Instead, it will be us inside the ring doing what we do best and trying to gain momentum for a tournament no one in the front office wants either of us to win by whatever means we can get it.”
“And thus, our fighting may ruin any chance of us allying. You will take my words and think that maybe I am scared. But the reality is that I am not scared.”
::Within those predatory eyes for Kyle Travis, there is anger and drive. The two seem to be clashing.::
“I am annoyed that I am playing into Jack’s plan. I am angry that A.C. Smith is reveling while acting so upset about how he became champion. Most importantly, I am so very disappointed that after finally realizing your true and full potential, you’ve come back as this pale shadow of your former self.”
“We should not be fighting brother. You know that deep down in your gut. We should be allies. We should be carving a path of devastation through the ACW the likes of which have not been seen.”
::He sighs and shakes his head.::
“I regret that this match has to happen, but it will happen against whatever I want. So I will see you at Shockwave brother.”
::Travis turns from the camera and walks out of the locker room, leaving it empty.::
::“The Canadian Legend is standing in his locker room. His bag sits in a cubby behind him. Other than Travis, the locker room is empty.::
::He is dressed in his wrestling gear and a black T-shirt which depicts his “Once and Future King” emblem, with his arms out wide and hands opened. His head is lifted back in laughter. It really captures that whole supervillian look::
“It is a plan that is sheer elegance in its simplicity, isn’t it brother?”
“I mean, it’s really a brilliant plan when you stop and think about it. Jack Marrow pits us against each other just a week before Struggle for Supremacy. It seems pretty obvious that he is hoping we injure each other before the big night. But what makes it truly brilliant is that he is hiding it within what appears to be an ordinary tag team match to hype the match between our ladies at Shockwave.”
“I mean think about it. Why else would he place us in the same match a week before we both enter into such a huge event? He knows full well what we are capable of. He knows that the two of us are willing to do anything we have to in order to get what we need to do done. Shockwave is a set up.”
::Travis applauds towards the camera, like he is actually applauding Marrow for this latest conspiracy.::
“A few weeks ago, I stood in the ring and said that two people should be standing in the ring alongside myself and the rest of Plague. The first person was Declan O’Farrell, who was fired just because he was in a fight and got arrested. How many times did Hyena or Mike Volnd or Snake or Devon Mayhem or Gryphon get arrested after a fight? A lot, if I recall correctly. Yet, none of them were ever fired.”
::He points to the camera.::
“The second person who should have been there was you Carnage, for we are in many ways, brothers. We both have been misused and mistreated. We both have been screwed over and both of us have had to do what others will not to get ahead. They call us psychopaths, monsters. They fear us Carnage. And thus, they hold us back.”
::“The Canadian Legend” turns from the camera, showing his back to it. He has his arms out again, in a “what’s up with that?” sort of gesture.::
“What happened to you with the United States Championship and the ACW Championship and getting fired was complete crap. It was undeserved and completely without merit. There was no justice there.”
“Honestly, what did you do that was so bad? I mean Shane Brooks attacked Mitchell Summerville and he was given a match with the World Heavyweight Champion Snake. Snake and Donavan have hit referees and officials before, yet they were never stripped of their titles or fired. Darien Hagaca interfered in the match between Gryphon and Devon Mayhem against Jack Marrow’s orders and got off scott free. The same thing happened when Aubrey Parker interfered in my match with Hiashi Shinsuma. Yet it seems you and I must be punished when we do bad things.”
::Travis turns partially to the camera. He shakes his head, and then looks upwards. His voice is cold, uncaring.::
“So you put your hands on Heather Lee? I really fail to see how anyone can be shocked that a person at ringside could somehow become a part of what we do. This is wrestling. It is not two men sitting in a ring, having a debate. It is not chess or poker or profession trading card game play. This is wrestling. It is a physical sport. People can get hurt.”
::Slowly, he slides his hands over his dark hair.::
“Everyone is boo-hooing because I broke a referee’s leg. No one, however, is acknowledging the undeniable fact that the man saw my hand on the rope and completely ignored it. No one seems to notice that as much as Smith claims to feel really bad about Crossroads, not only has he done nothing to try and rectify the situation, he is actually reveling in his being champion. Everyone is feeling so bad for Maria Caid, while completely ignoring the fact that David Caid was such a coward that he sent his wife to confront me rather than do it himself.”
::He lowers his head. As he doesTravis turns his head and glance partially towards the camera. There is a bit of anger in his voice.::
“Think about what you did brother. How was it any worse then the stuff Snake did? It wasn’t. But Jack didn’t want you to exceed what Snake had done. You and Devon Mayhem had one of the most brutal matches in the history of the ACW. So what does Jack do? He brings Gryphon back so that he and Devon can have two of the most brutal matches the ACW has ever seen. Now, he won’t you two go at it. It’d be ratings gold, brutal as hell, but still ratings gold. Yet, Marrow would rather lose money than allow it to happen.”
“Gryphon’s return and targeting one of the most popular ACW wrestlers occurred right at the same time as I was challenging for the ACW World Heavyweight Championship. When I lost, I cried foul. What happened? A.C. Smith returns and starts to complain louder about how he’s been overlooked and so forth. Somehow, he is magically catapulted to become number one contender and just happens to win the ACW World Title in front of his hometown.”
::His voice takes on a sarcastic tone.::
“Oh, but he feels really bad about how it went down.”
::He throws his head back in a laugh.::
“Yeah right.”
::He lowers his head again and shakes it slowly. Travis now turns to the camera.::
“My point is brother, you and I are being held down and overshadowed every time we try to rise up.”
“Think about it.”
::He gestures towards the camera before pulling his hand back.::
“Again, Gryphon and Smith return as I am making my rise up to main event level. It was all to try and overshadow me and get attention on someone else. You left and it seemed like there was this gag order in regards to your name. No one was allowed to even talk about you. All I ever tried to do is prove I am the best in the world.”
::Travis points to the camera, like he is pointing to Carnage, as if the former world champions are face-to-face. There is that calculating coldness in his voice, mixed with a bit of anger.::
“All you have ever done is try and make a statement. There was a time that they called you the most promising rookie in the ACW. People called your Feather Lite the most devastating and fastest finisher they had ever seen. Yet, when you finally decided to be the real you, the you that seemed to be hiding and waiting for his moment, everyone turned on you. It honestly shocks me that people would expect anything less from a man calling himself Carnage. When you pick a name like that, I fail to see how anyone cannot expect you do have a violent streak in you. I don’t see how they could expect you to be some sort of nice, gentle, soft, kind person with that kind of a name.”
“You were recruited into the Army of Darkness because Snake said he wanted to harness that potential for violence you had. I joined for the chance to get ahead. However, when you really think about it, we got nothing out of the Army. When you stop and think about it, you and I and even Dahlia have forged our own paths in the ACW. You and I did it because we never compromised. We did what we had to in order to get the job done.”
“That is what Jack Marrow fears.”
“He looks at a crew like the Church of Anarchy and he’s fine with that. Why? The CoA has the potential to sweep over the ACW in a wave of destruction, it won’t. Mike Voland has already taken out Snake, so he’s good. Brian Harris, despite an impressive United States Championship reign, will not break free of Voland. Xavier Laroux is doing good and will not break free as well. The same can be said for Tee and Megan and Lola. They are content with where they are.”
::He smiles a cold, cruel smile.::
“You and I, however, are not. We want more. Jack Marrow fears that.”
::Travis glares into the camera with that predatory stare of his.::
“Don’t lie to me Brother. I can see it in your eyes. You’re wondering if letting all that rage and violence out was really a good idea. Do you restrain yourself once again and let the fans cheer you? Or do you pick up where you left off and that violent psychopath on the verge of true greatness?”
::He chuckles. From a person like Travis, it still sounds evil. He shakes his head a little. His voice loses the coldness and the anger, but not the seriousness.::
“Personally I would go with the remorseless violent psychopath. It definitely made you more interesting. And let’s be honest, your friends are not going to forgive you. The fans may, because they are stupid like that, but not your friends.”
“Oh but I am sure Dahlia would love to see you go back to that way you were before. And why shouldn’t you make her happy? After all, you’ve done so much for her already. Honestly, as messed up as she is, I am willing to bet she was worse when you first found her. But, is she really all that loyal to you Brother?”
“I know Aubrey will throw me under the bus if it suits her. When I came upon her, Harrison was about to leave and Smith had been bullying her for weeks. I took what she already was and just brought out that aggressiveness and drive to be the best in the ACW. She has done that. But there’s not a whole lot of loyalty there.”
“What there is however, is respect. I do respect what Aubrey J. Parker is capable of. There is a very devious mind there. I know she respects me. Why? Well Evan treated her as a prop and A.C. Smith treated her like some mutt. I treat her as a partner and close to an equal. I also know she is kind of scared of me. That helps keep her in line. She knows full well what will happen when and if she turns on me or throws me under that bus. When the day comes, it’ll definitely be interesting.”
::For a moment, Travis allows a smile. If a shark or a cobra could smile, it would be like that. It’s more a warning than anything else. He stops smiling.::
“Yet somehow, the two of us are able to work together. I don’t know if one can say the same thing about Dahlia and yourself.”
“Dahlia has won just about every match she’s been in, and yet was held back. She accepted her punishment for the Army of Darkness incident, and now has a shot at the title. But were she truly loyal to you brother, she’d have left when the ACW fired you. But I am sure she had her reasons.”
::He shrugs.::
“But I am also sure that in many ways she holds you back.
::Travis holds his hand out to the camera, then pulls it to the side, like he is gesturing to someone.::
“Hell, she already threw you under the bus. After you were fired, time and time again, Dahlia would make sure that any of the people who might want to get at you didn’t blame her. She cost the Army the match at Defiance. She is so concerned with everyone seeing her as a sweet and innocent yet creepy girl that she’s lost any real drive or intensity. She’s more lamb than lioness and that cost you.”
::With on swift motion, he pulls his arm back.::
“You know what I am saying is true. She was held back for almost half a year. For what, the stuff she did in the Army of Darkness? She was coerced, somewhat similar to Aaron Lawrence, yet he got off free and clear. How is that fair? Gavin Sinclair may have sold Lawrence’s contract, but Lawrence still kicked Mayhem in the groin. But he got off. You they held back, Dahlia they punished and me they screwed out of the title. Seems fair doesn’t it? Dahlia should be pissed, yet she’s not.”
“There is a timidness, like she’s holding something back. She’s very good in the ring, but if she lets go, she’d be great. You achieved your greatest height brother, by letting go and embracing the monster you are. She has not and it holds you back, just a little.”
::Again, he turns from the camera and runs his hands through his hair. He holds his hands on the back of his neck for a moment, tapping his index fingers on the back of his neck. He pulls them apart and turns back towards the camera.::
“Yes, Aubrey and Dahlia have a match at Struggle for Supremacy. That is a given. You and I may not even meet in the Tournament of Eight. We could be on complete opposite ends of the brackets, or meeting in the quarterfinal round if neither of us loses in the semi-final round. But that is neither here nor there at the moment. We are not on a collision course.”
“We do not have to be enemies. No, we should be allies against Jack Marrow. Forget the fans and your friends. You and I are cut from the same cloth. The things the two of us are capable of together would be legendary. They would be horrific and terrible things, but they would still be legendary. And the thought of that keeps Jack up at night. Together, we would be the stuff of nightmares.”
::He shakes his head.::
“But I have a strong feeling that it will not happen.”
::Travis sighs. As he speaks, he begins to sound angry again. He is a man who feels like he is being used.::
“No. You and I could use that all important victory going into the Tournament of Eight at Struggle for Supremacy. Dahlia and Aubrey need momentum going into the their pay-per-view match. And that is exactly what Jack wants. He’s hoping we take each other out this week, or at the very least, possibly damage each other enough to ruin our chances.”
“And maybe he’ll get his wish. We both want the title we feel was stolen from us back. We are both willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen. Time and time again, we proved that. So right now, we’re simply playing into Jack’s hands.”
::The fingers of his left hand, the hand he uses for the Cold Snap, begin to flex, stretch and wiggle, loosening up.::
“I am not a man who is known for his regrets, but I do regret that this has to happen brother. It shouldn’t be. It should be you and me, with a pile of bodies at our feet and the world in the palm of our hands. Instead, it will be us inside the ring doing what we do best and trying to gain momentum for a tournament no one in the front office wants either of us to win by whatever means we can get it.”
“And thus, our fighting may ruin any chance of us allying. You will take my words and think that maybe I am scared. But the reality is that I am not scared.”
::Within those predatory eyes for Kyle Travis, there is anger and drive. The two seem to be clashing.::
“I am annoyed that I am playing into Jack’s plan. I am angry that A.C. Smith is reveling while acting so upset about how he became champion. Most importantly, I am so very disappointed that after finally realizing your true and full potential, you’ve come back as this pale shadow of your former self.”
“We should not be fighting brother. You know that deep down in your gut. We should be allies. We should be carving a path of devastation through the ACW the likes of which have not been seen.”
::He sighs and shakes his head.::
“I regret that this match has to happen, but it will happen against whatever I want. So I will see you at Shockwave brother.”
::Travis turns from the camera and walks out of the locker room, leaving it empty.::