Vengeance

[Bernard de Montfort]

You know what really pisses me off?

Having my head kicked in on, of all days, the anniversary of the Armistice when I prefer to remember those who once stood beside me, rather than having a bunch of jumped up little jack asses in fancy costumes beat me up on national television.

Forget the fact that my father, who apparently acts out of love yet seems to have that mixed up with spite, has held me off television for weeks, or the fact that I got made to look inferior to a guy with a fucking moustache.

Nothings pissed me off more than being made an example of for somebody else’s little crusade.

Honestly, I aren’t entirely sure what these guys want and in truth, I really couldn’t give a rats ass, the fact is I have never been martyred for somebody else’s cause and I’ll be damned if I am now just to help some jerk offs make an impact. I am not some charity case who is going to simply let it slide, no, this week I will respond to violence, with violence.

And who better to help dole it out than Cyrus Daniels? Yet another monster shackled by my father.

Though it appears, mercifully for now at least, that those chains have been broken and boy, will it be sweet to see him in full flow again.

Watching him snap a faux-Nordic Transexual and a goth with a multiple body count in two will be nothing shot of bliss after what happened last week. I never claimed to be forgiving and this week me and Cyrus will demonstrate why, no matter what, if you cross us you will pay the price for your arrogance, with your own blood if necessary.

So, ShoGun is it? It would be wrong of my to ignore this before continuing, but who the fuck decided on your ring name? Did you just pull out random pages of an Atlas of World history and throw it together or something? You pretend to be Odin whilst calling yourself a samurai? Do you realise how preposterous that is?

Is it meant to be ironic? Clever? Or perhaps just asinine, it’d suit you.

Even ignoring the fact that you seem to base yourself on two cultures quite literally half a world apart, the fact is by your own actions last week you revealed yourself to be a fool. You may have thought attacking the court jester was a wise strategum, but knocking out the royal guard whilst you were at it…

Well that was just plain stupid.

I’ll give you this, you used my own tactic against me quite well. I am all for making a statement with violence and letting our actions speak for us, yet at the same time I’m happy to admit my pride won’t allow it to go unmeasured. That would make me no better than the Punch and Judy act we somehow lost to last week.

No, somehow, in their wisdom, the booking committee have granted me and Cyrus the opportunity to make sure payback isn’t placed on hold for too long. Seems we can get our hands on you, legally too, way sooner than we ever expected.

And I will be blunt, you’ll forever regret that we have.

I know, I know, it all sounds the same amongst the juvenile posturing everyone trots out on a weekly basis in this business, but the difference between me and the drooling sycophants I share a locker room with is they’re just presenting idle threats they pray will come off. I’m not. When I say I am going to make you beg for mercy, no matter how long it takes.

I will accomplish that goal.

Even if you get the upper hand this week, let me make it clear that somewhere down the line, you and I, our paths will cross again and whilst you may forget all about this insult. I will not and I will gladly stab you in the back to make my point.

As for your partner…

Let me be blunt again, Lust, I don’t really give a rats ass which one of you shows up this week, heck bring the whole family if you really want to because a bigger body county will just make the euphoric rush even greater. You might think that your magic tricks and parlour games will have me and Cyrus dazzled, but you’d be wrong. Quite honestly, you can let out whichever pet you want and we’ll swat you down like the little bug that you are.

You see, we don’t just play vindictive and bat shit crazy to make troubled teenagers wet themselves, we do it because it’s just plain fun.

Honestly, I understand the whole idea of never allowing your opponent to know which threat they are facing, feigning one offensive and then flanking with another, as a man of the military I can commend you for it. It’s smart, a latter day Trojan horse if you will, just waiting to spew out whichever cast of the Addams family you have inside for the week. But its futile when utilised against two men who are more than prepared for whatever side of you emerges from the cauldron.

I don’t know what you may have planned, all I know is we’ll be ready for it. One way or another.

I have no desire to slip into the spiders web and to be consumed by you, or your entourage. If that means we have to beat you so badly you go back to whatever Marilyn Manson video you crawled out of, then so be it.

We’ll take pleasure in our civic duty.

This week, it isn’t about wins or losses, it’s about good old fashioned revenge. They say it’s a dish best served cold, let’s just say you two ought to be praying to God that when we’re through with you, you’re still warm.

Bright strip lighting flickers in the corridor leading from a hospital as Cyrus Daniels, strapped up wth a bandage, and Bernard de Montfort, who carries and obvious limp, make their way out towards the sliding doors and into the cold November night.

I can’t believe he would suspend me, all because of the coppers sniffing around your business.

Ya know what he’s like mate, he saw a good excuse to keep us off the screens until he had a use for us again.

Perhaps, but I had nothing to do with Kingsley, I don’t see why that means I deserved to be punished.

Aint’ nothin’ about deserving mate, chin up, we’ve got another chance this week to put a cat among the pigeons.

Maybe you’re right, I just wish he’d have a little faith in me for once. I mean, he let me get devoured out there, on fucking Armistice Day. He knew we had a remembrance dinner to attend in the evening, instead I was stuck in the ER with you.

Bernard smiles.

No offence.

None taken mate, I know how important all that is to ye, dressing up in all your fancy regalia and what not.

I do like my red coats…

The pair laugh.

Listen, we’ve sat on the sidelines long enough now, I think it’s time to stop making ourselves a temporary fixture around here.

How do ya mean?

I mean, we can’t keep getting a run going and having it stop dead in its tracks just because my Dad wants to keep me in my place. We need a solution so that next time we are in contention for honours, we aren’t sent on gardening leave.

What did ye have in mind then?

Bernard pauses for a moment, deep in reflective thought.

I’m not sure, perhaps we ought to debase ourselves to Verona, it’s selling out our dignity momentarily but sometimes you have to dine with the devil.

Ye really think he would want owt to do with us? Besides, isn’t he busy messin’ with Awesome?

Perhaps, but him and my Dad… they just play friends for the cameras. Deep down, they’ll always be rivals and they know it, they need to shuffle around pawns to play their little game of Kings every once in a while, if we can do something to upset my father, but with Verona’s backing, we’ll be safe.

I like it. But what can we offer him?

Bernard stops again.

Right now, I’m not sure. We just need to keep our heads down, avoid suspension and listen to whats going on backstage. Eventually we’ll find an opening and then…

We’ll seize it.

Exactly.

Bernard laughs and pats Cyrus on the back as the pair begin to walk out of the ER and towards the car park, ready for whatever challenges lay ahead.