Post by kaster on Feb 26, 2024 5:22:45 GMT
The camera comes to life on the shot of a hand being encased in a black glove. Each finger moves back and forth before closing up into a clenched fist.
The shot pans up to Caleb Cannin, stone-faced. His eyes are blocked by a pair of black shutter shades, but his head tilts up to look towards the camera.
That trademark smirk flickers onto his lips. As the shot zooms out slightly, the Joker in the Pack briefcase sits in the background. Kilgore, meanwhile, stands in the corner of the room and silently broods.
Another smile, with this one breaking out into a slight laugh.
He rubs at his beard, thinking about his statement.
Taking a deep breath, Caleb tilts back and composes himself.
Kilgore instantly brandishes a bottle of water for Cannin to drink out of. He wipes his lips and nods slightly.
He mockingly claps his hands together. His head turns to look at Kilgore, who rolls his eyes and begins weakly clapping along with his boss.
The gloved hand arrives at the pair of shades to lower them, showing Caleb’s eyes fully.
Kilgore looks down at Cannin. He grunts and then does a single nod, not changing the stoic expression on his face.
He snaps his fingers, which prompts Kilgore to stomp over to the camera and pick it up. His menacing face fills the shot before the camera gets spiked into the ground.
The shot pans up to Caleb Cannin, stone-faced. His eyes are blocked by a pair of black shutter shades, but his head tilts up to look towards the camera.
“I’m baaaaack!”
That trademark smirk flickers onto his lips. As the shot zooms out slightly, the Joker in the Pack briefcase sits in the background. Kilgore, meanwhile, stands in the corner of the room and silently broods.
“I know there were a lot of people that missed me. After Holiday Havoc, I’ve got to be honest, I saw all of the talk. ‘Has Caleb Cannin turned over a new leaf?’ ‘Are the fans finally warming up to Caleb Cannin?’ ‘Is Caleb Cannin… a good guy now?!’”
Another smile, with this one breaking out into a slight laugh.
“Trust me, ladies and gentlemen, I’m still as bad as ever. I don't go around shaking hands and worrying about sportsmanship. When I said that I was going to change this company, I meant every word of it. I know I said 2023 would be the year of Caleb Cannin, but there were a lot of bumps along the way. A lot of those bumps came down to the paths I went down. But now… now I’ve got the golden path right in front of me. In 2024, I will walk down that golden path and become the face of the IWF.”
He rubs at his beard, thinking about his statement.
“So why now? Why, out of all the times in the past year, did I choose to finally confront Dean Harper? It’s pretty simple. Dean has been in my sights for a long, long time. He’s a fighting champion, right? He fought and has triumphed over nearly every opponent that he’s come across. But while he was busy putting his body through wars, I was studying every single move he made. I know what I need to do to beat Dean Harper and that will probably earn me some wry comment from him. I don’t care if he wants to shrug off any threat that I make, because he knows deep down that I am the one to take that championship away from him. When I stood face-to-face with him last week, I saw it in his eyes. He was scared of what’s to come. That’s because he understands the threat that I pose to his championship. With the Joker in the Pack, I have him on the back pedal. He’s in the palm of my hand and he doesn’t even realize it. Despite what people may think, I don’t just talk trash and look good. I am a student of the game, one of few men that have been able to capture the Joker in the Pack. In fact, I know that Dean also won the Joker in the Pack at one time. So he knows the power that I hold in my hands, because it’s the same power he once had. The difference between myself and Dean is that when I become the champion, I’m not going to lose to some asshole climbing up a pole! You’ve held that title four times by now, same as your daddy Angel Blake. I won’t need four championship reigns because I intend on holding onto that belt with EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING!”
Taking a deep breath, Caleb tilts back and composes himself.
“Kilgore, water.”
Kilgore instantly brandishes a bottle of water for Cannin to drink out of. He wipes his lips and nods slightly.
“I’m getting ahead of myself. When it comes time, Dean, there isn’t going to be some family feud that ends your reign. It’ll be the unstoppable force that is The Future! Now, onto some old business… NICK GODDAMN FUCKING DANGER! If I could pay money to stop facing you, I would. Common sense should be screaming at you to not walk into the Curtis Culwell Center. You should just stay home! It won’t do you any good to try and face me. I know your main priority is Wraith, so why worry about something that’s been squashed for months? Even after coming back from my injury, I’m still faster, stronger, smarter and better than you. Do any of our matches actually ring a bell for you? I think they should. Unless you just want to bring up that one match…”
He mockingly claps his hands together. His head turns to look at Kilgore, who rolls his eyes and begins weakly clapping along with his boss.
“Congrats, Nick! You won one match at Night of the Immortals and took the Television Championship from me. I should actually thank you, because that loss helped me move onto winning the Joker in the Pack. You, on the other hand, have kept trying to recapture that temporary glory. My glory will be eternal. People will remember me years from now for being one of the very best to ever step foot in this company. All anyone will remember you for is being the guy who always got beat by Caleb Cannin! So if you decide to come down that aisle yet again, the result will still be the same. I suggest you save everyone the trouble and actually focus on something else. You want to fight Wraith for that TV title, right? Good luck, Nick. If I couldn’t wrestle it away from him, I sure as hell know you won’t be able to. As much as I would like for someone to pop that guy right in the mouth, I don’t think you have what it takes to do so.”
The gloved hand arrives at the pair of shades to lower them, showing Caleb’s eyes fully.
“Let it be known that I am starting this year off with no bullshit, no lies and no failures. I said it back in December, but I will not apologize to anybody in this very locker room that gets in my way! I said that I would be the one to lead IWF into a new era and I still believe that. I know that people might not trust what I say, but when I looked out into that crowd, I saw some people start to believe. That’s all I need. You can like me or hate me, but one thing you can’t do is deny that I am fast becoming one of the major players in this company. All it will take is just one match. How many guys could say that they’ve won the IWF World title on their first try? I can’t think of many! And when I got injured, I knew it was time to start putting things into action. I will not allow Dean Harper to walk around this place without thinking about me and my rise to the top. I know we’re already approaching March, but 2024 is a new year and I can guarantee that you will see a new Caleb Cannin. Isn’t that right, Kilgore?”
Kilgore looks down at Cannin. He grunts and then does a single nod, not changing the stoic expression on his face.
“You said it, big man! I am laser-focused on one thing right now and that’s Dean Harper and his IWF Championship. I promise you that I will announce the time and the place where I’ll win that championship soon. Until then, just know that I have the plan in motion. Every move Dean makes, I know about it. I am not afraid of Dean Harper, just like I’m not afraid of Nick Danger. I have adapted, I have overcome the injury and I will conquer the main event scene because I am the rebel. I am the revolutionary. And what the hell, let’s do it again! I am THE FUTURE… THE FUUUUUTURRRRE. THE FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE… World Champion, Caleb Cannin!”
He snaps his fingers, which prompts Kilgore to stomp over to the camera and pick it up. His menacing face fills the shot before the camera gets spiked into the ground.
Well howdy there pardner.