Post by Pax Stormcrow on Oct 30, 2023 4:48:42 GMT
“Cut!”
Pax let out a breath and walked away from the set so that he could grab a bottle of water. He was sweltering under the filming lights, even just wearing his ring gear. He’d been at this all day, filming various parts for a string of Prairie Fiber commercials that they wanted him to appear in. All part of the deal of course. He’d done bits for IWF of course, but never as the main focus. But that would probably be changing soon too.
That had honestly been how the week had gone for him. He did some photos for stills with the IWF. Then a flight out to Chicago for a day of stills, a day of voice reads, and now some filming for commercials for Prairie Fiber. It was maddening honestly. He had his first title defense coming up. He should be training. But instead he was dancing to corporate strings. He sighed softly and took a long drink from his bottle of water.
“Mr. Stormcrow!”
He did his best to hide the sigh that wanted to escape him as he heard the dulcit tones of Mr. Morris as the suit approached. Instead he forced a smile on his face and turned to the man.
“Mr. Morris. I’m surprised to see you.”
The man in the charcoal suit gave him a smile full of teeth.
“I am your Liason, after all, Mr. Stormcrow. The trip was not too far. I even chose to drive. I am turning into a true midwesterner now, yes?”
Prairie Fiber chose Chicago for their headquarters, but Mr. Morris had no discernible accent. Pax wasn’t certain where he came from. But in truth he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the company was a puppet for a much larger corporation. But he didn’t have the resources to track that. Maybe he should have.
“I suppose so. What brings you all the way down here?”
“I wanted to check in on you to see how your big film day was going. Excited for your acting debut?”
“Honestly, I kind of think I should be training.” He lifted the shoulder that his Men’s Heavyweight Championship was resting on. “Be kind of silly to shoot all of these commercials if I lose the belt before these commercials show me with it air, ya?”
“Mr. Stormcrow, we have every confidence in you retaining your championship. But perhaps you are right. I will ensure that you get a guest card to our company gym, and we can cancel the future dates we had planned for you so that you can prep.”
“Wait, what future dates?”
“Did you not get the itinerary? The director wanted another 2 days to make certain the shots were perfect. We are doing a marketing blitz after all. But I understand you are doing spectacular. Perhaps you have a career in acting ahead of you?”
“Honestly, I just want to compete. Sir.”
“But of course Mr. Stormcrow. But keep it in mind. We could assist you in this endeavor.”
Pax couldn’t imagine doing this sort of thing every day. Constantly repeating the same lines and movements? No thank you.
“I’ll uh, think about it.”
“You do that, Mr. Stormcrow.” Another tooth filled smile. Thankfully, people were milling about like shooting was about to begin.
“I should get back to it.”
“Of course, Mr. Stormcrow. I will make the arrangements for you to get your training.”
Pax nodded his head and moved back to his place after finishing the bottle of water and tossing it into the recycling bin. Somehow he felt like a snare was tightening around him. He shook the feeling away, before looking at the director to get ready for his cue.
~_~
The scene opens as it usually does. Pax is sitting once more in a nondescript hotel room. As his vlog starts. But he is not his usual, jovial self. Instead of his usual intro, he simply reaches under the table he is sitting at. When he lifts his hand, he is holding the Men’s World Heavyweight championship in his hand. He stares dead into the camera as the seconds tick by, holding one of the greatest prizes in their sport that he had god damn well earned. Then he slowly lowers it back beneath the table.
“I fucking did it, Neechis. I did what everyone told me that I couldn’t. I have climbed to the top of the mountain and now the Thunderbird reigns. I took every criticism, every word of doubt, and I shoved it down each person’s throat as I tore through the Heir to the Throne. I tore through the top guys in our sport to claim that prize. I had to go through Nick Knight, Angel Black, Wraith, and Dean Harper. A who’s who of veritable bad asses of our sport.”
He takes a deep breath, running his fingers over his short cut hair.
“So naturally, everyone and their mother is coming out of the woodwork to question my decision. Why would you give away a free shot to Dean Harper? Why would you risk your reign? Why would you go against your words about having people earn a shot at the title?”
He presses his hands together and takes a deep breath,
“Look, I got two reasons for that, so let’s break it down. The most obvious one? I don’t want an asterisk next to my name. Everyone has already been quick to dismiss me. That I’m gonna choke. That I’m gonna disappear. Think they won’t bring up that Angel’s bitch ass showed up and distracted Dean? I’m not about to sit there and give any of my dumbass naysayers any more ammunition. We about making people choke on their words. So l’mma give Dean his shot so I can beat him clean and tell everyone else to fuck off.”
He rubs his hands together.
“So what’s the second reason you ask? I am not afraid of Dean Harper. Look, the man is a violent son of a bitch and everytime I step into the ring with him I know that I am at risk of a hospital bill. I don’t look forward to fighting someone like that, cause I’m not an idiot. But I’m also not afraid of him. I’ve beaten him before and on any given day I can beat him again. I intend to face everyone who comes forward to challenge me for my title. So ya, I’ll step between the ropes to fight the most sadistic twink that ever lived. It is my era, and I want my era to be built on the bones of everyone who ever doubted me. So ya, I’ll give Dean his shot.”
He leans in, staring into the camera.
“So let’s do this dance again, Cousin. Bring every sick bone in your body into this fight. Because to put me down you will need to hospitalize me. I got the bit in my teeth and I am dragging this fed along with me as I build a legacy for all the people that were told they could never live up to their full potential. You are just another step on the path. It is strength and conviction against speed and sadism. This is the shit that legends are built on, cousin. But like all legends, the warrior ends on top. Let’s write another chapter, Dean.”
He slams his fist on the table.
“No peace. Only war. Skoden!”
He slams his laptop closed, ending the stream.
Pax let out a breath and walked away from the set so that he could grab a bottle of water. He was sweltering under the filming lights, even just wearing his ring gear. He’d been at this all day, filming various parts for a string of Prairie Fiber commercials that they wanted him to appear in. All part of the deal of course. He’d done bits for IWF of course, but never as the main focus. But that would probably be changing soon too.
That had honestly been how the week had gone for him. He did some photos for stills with the IWF. Then a flight out to Chicago for a day of stills, a day of voice reads, and now some filming for commercials for Prairie Fiber. It was maddening honestly. He had his first title defense coming up. He should be training. But instead he was dancing to corporate strings. He sighed softly and took a long drink from his bottle of water.
“Mr. Stormcrow!”
He did his best to hide the sigh that wanted to escape him as he heard the dulcit tones of Mr. Morris as the suit approached. Instead he forced a smile on his face and turned to the man.
“Mr. Morris. I’m surprised to see you.”
The man in the charcoal suit gave him a smile full of teeth.
“I am your Liason, after all, Mr. Stormcrow. The trip was not too far. I even chose to drive. I am turning into a true midwesterner now, yes?”
Prairie Fiber chose Chicago for their headquarters, but Mr. Morris had no discernible accent. Pax wasn’t certain where he came from. But in truth he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the company was a puppet for a much larger corporation. But he didn’t have the resources to track that. Maybe he should have.
“I suppose so. What brings you all the way down here?”
“I wanted to check in on you to see how your big film day was going. Excited for your acting debut?”
“Honestly, I kind of think I should be training.” He lifted the shoulder that his Men’s Heavyweight Championship was resting on. “Be kind of silly to shoot all of these commercials if I lose the belt before these commercials show me with it air, ya?”
“Mr. Stormcrow, we have every confidence in you retaining your championship. But perhaps you are right. I will ensure that you get a guest card to our company gym, and we can cancel the future dates we had planned for you so that you can prep.”
“Wait, what future dates?”
“Did you not get the itinerary? The director wanted another 2 days to make certain the shots were perfect. We are doing a marketing blitz after all. But I understand you are doing spectacular. Perhaps you have a career in acting ahead of you?”
“Honestly, I just want to compete. Sir.”
“But of course Mr. Stormcrow. But keep it in mind. We could assist you in this endeavor.”
Pax couldn’t imagine doing this sort of thing every day. Constantly repeating the same lines and movements? No thank you.
“I’ll uh, think about it.”
“You do that, Mr. Stormcrow.” Another tooth filled smile. Thankfully, people were milling about like shooting was about to begin.
“I should get back to it.”
“Of course, Mr. Stormcrow. I will make the arrangements for you to get your training.”
Pax nodded his head and moved back to his place after finishing the bottle of water and tossing it into the recycling bin. Somehow he felt like a snare was tightening around him. He shook the feeling away, before looking at the director to get ready for his cue.
~_~
The scene opens as it usually does. Pax is sitting once more in a nondescript hotel room. As his vlog starts. But he is not his usual, jovial self. Instead of his usual intro, he simply reaches under the table he is sitting at. When he lifts his hand, he is holding the Men’s World Heavyweight championship in his hand. He stares dead into the camera as the seconds tick by, holding one of the greatest prizes in their sport that he had god damn well earned. Then he slowly lowers it back beneath the table.
“I fucking did it, Neechis. I did what everyone told me that I couldn’t. I have climbed to the top of the mountain and now the Thunderbird reigns. I took every criticism, every word of doubt, and I shoved it down each person’s throat as I tore through the Heir to the Throne. I tore through the top guys in our sport to claim that prize. I had to go through Nick Knight, Angel Black, Wraith, and Dean Harper. A who’s who of veritable bad asses of our sport.”
He takes a deep breath, running his fingers over his short cut hair.
“So naturally, everyone and their mother is coming out of the woodwork to question my decision. Why would you give away a free shot to Dean Harper? Why would you risk your reign? Why would you go against your words about having people earn a shot at the title?”
He presses his hands together and takes a deep breath,
“Look, I got two reasons for that, so let’s break it down. The most obvious one? I don’t want an asterisk next to my name. Everyone has already been quick to dismiss me. That I’m gonna choke. That I’m gonna disappear. Think they won’t bring up that Angel’s bitch ass showed up and distracted Dean? I’m not about to sit there and give any of my dumbass naysayers any more ammunition. We about making people choke on their words. So l’mma give Dean his shot so I can beat him clean and tell everyone else to fuck off.”
He rubs his hands together.
“So what’s the second reason you ask? I am not afraid of Dean Harper. Look, the man is a violent son of a bitch and everytime I step into the ring with him I know that I am at risk of a hospital bill. I don’t look forward to fighting someone like that, cause I’m not an idiot. But I’m also not afraid of him. I’ve beaten him before and on any given day I can beat him again. I intend to face everyone who comes forward to challenge me for my title. So ya, I’ll step between the ropes to fight the most sadistic twink that ever lived. It is my era, and I want my era to be built on the bones of everyone who ever doubted me. So ya, I’ll give Dean his shot.”
He leans in, staring into the camera.
“So let’s do this dance again, Cousin. Bring every sick bone in your body into this fight. Because to put me down you will need to hospitalize me. I got the bit in my teeth and I am dragging this fed along with me as I build a legacy for all the people that were told they could never live up to their full potential. You are just another step on the path. It is strength and conviction against speed and sadism. This is the shit that legends are built on, cousin. But like all legends, the warrior ends on top. Let’s write another chapter, Dean.”
He slams his fist on the table.
“No peace. Only war. Skoden!”
He slams his laptop closed, ending the stream.
Well howdy there pardner.