Post by Damon Graves on Jul 13, 2016 21:59:13 GMT -5
Rock 100.5 Radio Station
Sandy Springs, GA
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
“Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi played over the audio equipment as Aurora and Damon sat down inside the studio, adjusting their headsets as they sat across the booth from a man with a friendly, rounded face and straight, medium brown hair. He was going over his notes as the song played, lightly bobbing his head. As the song ended, he flipped the switch on his microphone, talking over the transition between “Bad Medicine” and the intro to “Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
DJ: Good evening, folks… this is Axel Lowe, and that was “Bad Medicine” blaring into your ears. In a few minutes, we’ll be talking with a pair of very special guests – they are the newly-crowned NGW Tag Team Champions, the Angelz of Destruction! Make sure you keep it right here on 100.5 – Atlanta’s Rock Station!
As the song played on, Axel looked across the booth and smiled at Aurora, who was gently swaying to the music. He flipped off his microphone.
Axel: Nice to see someone so young enjoy something from the 90’s.
Aurora: I grew up listening to music across several decades. Granted, this was the stuff they played over the radio when I was a kid, so it sticks out more than anything else.
Damon: It was the same for me… though my parents mostly listened to 80’s metal.
Axel: Hey, there are far worse things for them to have you listen to.
Damon: Yeah… at least it wasn’t nothing but news radio.
All three of them laughed. The music played on, transitioning from “Scar Tissue” to “Close My Eyes Forever” by Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford.
Axel: We’ll be going live after this song finishes. You guys ready?
Damon: As ready as we’re going to get….
Aurora: Yeah… what he said.
The song faded out as Axel flipped his microphone back on. Aurora caught the red glow of the “On Air” light, and forced the nerves down as Axel took a deep breath.
Axel: Aaaand we are back, ladies and gentlemen… as I said earlier, we have live in our studio, Aurora Knight and Damon Graves, collectively known as the Angelz of Destruction – yes, folks that’s Angelz with a Z. They are the reigning NGW Tag Team Champions. Now I understand that as tag teams go, you two are fairly new to the scene.
Aurora: That we are. We only met a couple of months ago. In fact, we made our NGW debut on the same night… as opponents.
Axel: Well, that had to have been an interesting first exchange…
Damon: Yeah, it was. The first exchange we had was over Twitter just after the match was signed.
Aurora: I was looking forward to my first match…
Damon: While I was looking to rain on her parade.
Axel chuckled at the pair, nodding his head.
Axel: So is it safe to say that you two didn’t exactly see eye to eye at first?
Damon: Not at first.
Aurora: But for whatever reason, once we were in the ring, we didn’t really mix it up at all. Which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to letting him have it for some of the things he said. Instead, we found ourselves teaming up to send some of the other wrestlers packing.
Damon: In the end, it could have been just the two of us going at it for the win, but the last guy to be eliminated decided he wasn’t going to go down alone… next thing I know, I’m looking into the ring, and there she is. The winner.
Aurora shrugged her shoulders, flashing an apologetic smile as Axel nodded.
Axel: But ever since then, you two have been on a tear. Both in tag team and singles matches, ever since that match, you’ve been coming out on the winning side, have you not?
Aurora nodded her head, a proud, radiant smile spreading across her face.
Aurora: That’s right. Of course, there have been other developments since then.
Axel: So I’ve seen… you two have connected on a more personal level outside the ring as well as inside. How did that come about?
Damon: Pretty much the same way a lot of intra-office romances start. Two people meet, get to know each other…
Aurora: Only in our line of work, group projects often involve a lot of spandex and throwing each other around the ring.
Axel: Sounds like a fun way to spend an evening.
Aurora and Damon chuckled quietly, glancing at each other. Damon winked at Aurora, causing her to blush.
Damon: Yeah, no comment. It happens a lot in the business – dating within the company, that is. I mean, I’d like to think that the majority of us don’t come into this sport actively LOOKING for companionship on a romantic level – or even friendship, for that matter.
Aurora: It just happens to work out that way a good deal of the time.
Axel: Is it fair to say that relationships that come about as a result of traveling the road together and competing in the ring… do they tend to get awkward at times?
They paused for a moment before Aurora spoke up.
Aurora: Well, when you’re in direct competition with your significant other, I can understand how it COULD get awkward. But it’s not something we’ve experienced ourselves.
Damon: In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to face the prospect of standing across the ring from my girlfriend. But with that said, if it DID happen, I’d like to think that we’d be able to keep the business aspect of things from affecting our personal life.
Aurora: Same goes for me. When you’re in this business, you look to mix it up with the best of the best. And sometimes, that means stepping into the ring with friends… siblings… or even your other half. It’s all part of the business, as far as we’re concerned, and if any drama comes out of it, then we leave it all in the ring where it belongs.
Axel cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his fist.
Axel: Changing gears a little bit… how did you two get started in the business?
Damon: Well, I was an apprentice in a tattoo shop back home, and one of the regulars happened to be a wrestler. He heard I was into it, so he kind of took me under his wing and trained me. I kept up my work at the tattoo shop so that I could pay for my training, not to mention traveling and other expenses…
Axel: I can imagine that it’s not something you go into looking to make a quick buck.
Damon: No it isn’t! A lot of the time, when you first start out, you’re lucky if you barely make enough to cover your expenses, let alone any extra. Only a select few manage to work their way up to the big bucks.
Aurora: You almost HAVE to have something else to fall back on in order to make ends meet.
Axel: And how did you get into wrestling, Aurora?
Aurora: Well, it was a little different for me. I have two older brothers that were HUGE wrestling fans growing up, so naturally, as the pesky little sister, I had to do everything that they did. I would go so far as to roughhouse right along with them and their friends. They didn’t want me to participate at first, because they didn’t want to take heat for “beating up on a girl,” but when they saw that I could not only keep up with them, but that I wasn’t afraid to take a risk here and there, they quickly accepted me as “one of the guys.”
And then, shortly after I graduated high school, I enrolled in a wrestling school. Pretty soon, I was doing small shows throughout Southern California and Nevada.
Damon: Funny thing is, we’ve probably passed right under each other’s noses without even realizing it.
Aurora: On multiple occasions, even. But, such is life, I suppose.
She giggled.
Axel: You two have a tag team match coming up this Saturday at Vendetta, correct?
Damon: Yeah, as a matter of fact, we do. We’re facing off against the NGW’s top two singles champions, who happen to be husband and wife.
Axel: Again, we see that dynamic of people getting romantically involved, this time, to the point of marriage.
Aurora: That’s been happening a lot in the industry lately, I’ve noticed. Not just in NGW, but in several other promotions.
Axel: Any plans for the two of you to make the trek down the aisle?
A mutual awkward chuckle prompted the DJ to lean forward, smiling as if to offer the non-physical equivalent of a nudge.
Aurora: At the moment, no. Right now, the only aisle we’re concerned with walking down is the aisle that leads to the wrestling ring.
Axel: So I take it the ring on your left hand is NOT an engagement ring?
Damon cleared his throat.
Damon: Well, that was the original reason for the ring, but I haven’t exactly popped the question yet. We both agreed to hold off on that for the time being.
Axel: But the fact that it’s on THAT particular finger…
Aurora: It just so happens that that is the only finger the ring fits on.
Axel: I guess that makes sense. Though you know you’re going to have to keep explaining that until you’re either blue in the face or you actually DO make it official.
They laughed as Axel shot a quick glance at the clock.
Axel: Folks, we are going to take a quick commercial break. But before we go, Aurora and Damon, is there anything you’d like to say to our listeners?
Aurora and Damon looked at each other and smiled as they spoke into their respective microphones.
Aurora & Damon: This Saturday, be sure to tune into NGW Vendetta, LIVE from the Phillips Arena!
Damon: Come see us take on Ashleigh and Gavin Grimes in the main event!
The microphones switched off as an ad for Buffalo Wild Wings began to play and the three exchanged some final pleasantries.
Georgia International Plaza
Atlanta, GA
July 12, 2016 - 9:00 pm
Smack dab between the Georgia Dome and the Phillips Arena sat Georgia International Plaza, an open, grassy area with a fountain in the center, featuring a statue of a man performing a balancing act on a large ring.
Off in another section of the plaza, a large stage was set up with spotlights flanking either side, a large group gathering around it. A large black curtain was mounted behind the stage, concealing any goings-on behind the structure. As the stage stood empty, the crowd began chanting “A-O-D! A-O-D!” softly at first, and then gradually louder until the speakers rang out with the intro to “Death March” by Motionless in White. The NGW Tag Team Champions emerged from behind the curtain, standing at the top of a small set of steps that led up to the stage. Aurora was dressed in a pair of black jeans that hung just above her hips, with a black fishnet top over a red tank top that showed off every curve of her body. Meanwhile, her co-champion and boyfriend wore a pair of custom-tattered jeans and a sleeveless black t-shirt under one of the denim vests he usually wore to the ring.
At the front of the stage, a pair of microphone stands stood, awaiting the champions as they played to the crowd, holding their championship belts high over their heads. The music eventually died down as Aurora and Damon each took hold of a microphone.
Aurora: How’s it going, Hot-lanta!
The crowd roared at the mention of one of the city’s many nicknames. Aurora and Damon soaked up the cheers nodding their heads until the noise died back down.
Damon: Well, I know Aurora and myself have been enjoying ourselves since we got here, but in a few short days, play time will be over. But hey, at least we’ve spent our time getting to know the battleground where we’ll be facing our biggest challenge since we came to NGW.
Aurora: And where, pray tell, are our opponents while we’re out here getting ready for war?
A mock-wistful tone took over her voice as she feigned a dreamy-eyed expression.
Aurora: That’s right… Ashleigh and Gavin Grimes are off on their honeymoon, flitting around on some island in Greece.
The crowd in attendance started to laugh.
Aurora: That’s right, folks… They’re off having the time of their lives as Gavin runs around with his pants hanging around his knees like a common thug.
Damon: Oh, but don’t let him hear you call him a common thug, Aurora. He’ll throw out some tired-ass insult like “hot garbage” at us.
Aurora rolled her eyes as Damon chuckled.
Aurora: Don’t forget “fucktard,” Damon.
Damon: Right… that’s another one of the gems he’s thrown at us recently. But apart from that, all he’s done is repeat most of the same shit his flat-assed cunt of a wife has been saying. “You’re not the Power Couple here, WE are!” I’m sorry… but when you have only teamed together ONCE in NGW prior to this match, that kind of puts a damper on your claim.
Aurora: I don’t know how long those two have been a thing, and frankly, I don’t give a damn. The fact of the matter is this… We came here with the short-term goal of claiming the NGW Tag Team Championships, and well, I’m sure everyone here can see what the end result of THAT was…
Again, they held up the Tag Team titles, much to the delight of the crowd. They lowered them, draping them over their respective shoulders as Damon cleared his throat and continued where Aurora left off.
Damon: But to hear them talk, these belts that we hold aren’t worth the blood, sweat and tears that went into crafting these beauties. All because they each hold singles championships.
A faint scattering of boos started in one corner of the crowd, gradually growing until it covered the entire gathering.
Aurora: These are the people that Devlin Scott has serving as the faces of their respective divisions. These are the people that claim to represent you, the fans of NGW. Well whether they like it or not, as long as we stand here as YOUR NGW Tag Team Champions, WE will be fighting to bring back the respect and the prestige that these, never mind all the other championships deserve!
Damon: You see, the prestige of a championship lies not with the belt itself, but with the person HOLDING the title. If you go around thinking that just because you’re the top ranking champion, that means you’re the absolute best in the business, then you’re dead wrong. All it means is that you’re the best wrestler AT THAT MOMENT.
Aurora: That’s right. I don’t care what a wrestler’s record is. They could be currently undefeated, or currently not even hold a single victory to their name, but EVERYONE in this business is capable of becoming a champion. All it takes is for the right hand of cards to be dealt, and three seconds of a referee slapping his hand on the canvas. What’s that old cliché I keep hearing?
Damon: “Even the sun shines on a dog’s ass.” But hey… can’t bring those up too often.
Laughter took over the crowd again as Damon and Aurora smirked at each other.
Aurora: Of course, that doesn’t mean a damn thing to Ashleigh and Gavin. They’re so convinced of their own hype that they think they’ll be at the top of the mountain until it’s time to hang up the boots for good. But up until now, they’ve never had to stand in the ring against anyone like us.
Damon: They want to take shots at us for the path that we took to claim these belts, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’ve taken on everything that has been placed in front of us, and we’ve come out on top. Do we think we’re unbeatable? No. I may be a cocky son of a bitch, but I’m not THAT delusional. But if they want to come into this fight with their noses in the air, then that will just make it that much more fun to make sure they come out of it with some major nosebleeds.
Aurora: Gavin Grimes can crow all he wants to about how he’s better than all of the previous champions that have since faded off into oblivion, and Ashleigh can talk about how she’s the reigning champion of a promotion that has been dead for months, and good for them. But this isn’t about the past. This is about the present. And WE, the Angelz of Destruction, are the present. We are the NGW Tag Team Champions, and while our titles may not be on the line this Saturday at Vendetta, you can bet money on the fact that we will be fighting as if they were.
Damon: Careful, Aurora… I smell another cliché in there.
Aurora: So what? If it fits, then damn it, I’m gonna use it!
Again, laughter rang out through the crowd as the Tag Team Champions soaked it in.
Damon: So while they’re off in La-La Land, arguing over who gets to eat the last Cheeto out of the bag, Aurora and I will be waiting… waiting for the so-called “Power Couple,” the King and Queen of NGW to finally get their collective acts together and show us what they’ve got in that ring. Because until they do, they’re just going to come off as a pair of spoiled little shits whose egos have gotten way out of control.
Aurora: If there was ever any doubt in ANYONE’S minds that Damon and I deserve to stand here as the NGW Tag Team Champions, at Vendetta, it will be obliterated. This match WILL become the catalyst that sets the Tag Team division ablaze… but the question remains….
Damon & Aurora: Can the rest of NGW handle the heat?
As their music once again blared over the speakers, Aurora and Damon walked to the rear of the stage, where several crates had been placed. They bent down, reached into the crates, and then began tossing out t-shirts to the eager crowd of fans. It wasn’t long before everyone walked away from the stage, sporting the newly released t-shirts bearing the likenesses of the NGW Tag Team Champions.
Dosser Works Paintball
Atlanta, GA
July 13, 2016
Scene opens on an open, dirt-covered field, with several raised areas made from such objects as old tires, plywood, and various broken-down vehicles. We see four figures wearing dark blue coveralls, with one figure sporting a mane of long blonde hair, much smaller than the other three. Even the loose-fitting coveralls can’t hide the figure’s dangerously curvy feminine frame as she heads for one of the barricades….
*P-SHOOM* *SPLAT*
Paintballs whiz past Aurora’s head as she ducks behind a makeshift barricade built from a pile of old tires. She carefully peeks out over the top of the pile, making sure not to expose too much of her head. Damon is crouched beside her, looking through a narrow gap in the barricade. He sees Gray Malone poking his head out from behind a dilapidated, rust-encrusted old plane.
Damon: AHA! I got ya, motherfucker!
He fires, sending a lime green paintball flying in Gray’s direction. It misses, splattering like a bug on a windshield on the side of the plane.
Gray: That was a close one!
From inside the plane, Jason Perry pokes his paintball gun out through one of the windows, having spotted Damon just as he prepares to take aim again at Malone. He fires, but misses as Aurora pulls Damon back down out of the line of fire.
Damon: Thanks, Harley!
Aurora: Gotta honor the code: Watch each other’s six. No way in hell I was gonna let you get tagged like that. Now come on… we’ve gotta keep moving if we’re gonna snag their flag.
The Tag Team Champions carefully plot their course, eyeing a bunker a few yards away.
Aurora: Three… two… one… GO!
They tear into the open as Gray and Jason open fire. One of the blood red paintballs narrowly misses tagging the heel of Aurora’s shoe, splattering on the ground and sending a splash of color onto Aurora’s leg.
Gray: Got her!
Damon: Not quite, Malone! Splatters don’t count.
Gray: Shit!
Jason: (half-whispering) We’ll get ‘em, Gray. They’re gonna have to get really bold if they want to make it as far as the flag. There’s no cover for them to duck behind.
Gray: Fuckin’ sitting ducks….
Aurora reaches the bunker first, ducking behind the thin plywood wall. Through the cutout window, she can see Jason trying to make a break for a massive dirt pile.
Aurora: Oh no you don’t, old man…
She fires, tagging Jason in the shoulder. He lets out a pained roar that sounds not that far off from a lion as he grabs his shoulder. Where the paintball hit, a large green blotch marks the shot.
Jason: FUCK that hurt!
Aurora: You were expecting it to tickle? Be glad we’re counting three shots each, otherwise, you’d be toast!
Damon: Nice shot, Harley!
Aurora: I try.
Jason turns to Gray, shooting him a look of annoyance.
Jason: You were supposed to cover me, Malone!
Gray: Sorry… I couldn’t get a clear shot.
Jason: Then move to where you can!
Gray mutters something under his breath as he makes a break for a low-lying pile of crates. As he dives for cover, Damon takes aim through the cutout in the plywood, sending a paintball right into the meat of Gray’s ass cheek. As Gray’s eyes grow wide and his face turns red as he tries to fight off the pain of the impact, Aurora cringes.
Aurora: OOH! That’s gonna leave one hell of a bruise.
Damon chuckles as they make a move for the next barricade – another tire wall.
Damon: Shit… no holes in that one. We’re gonna have to be careful.
Aurora: Go for it, Puddin’; I’ll cover you.
Jason: Yeah… “Puddin’”!
Damon: Hey, shut up! You worry about your partner with the blown-out ass cheek!
Jason looks over at Gray, who is stumbling over toward his position, a splotch of green paint on the back of his pants. Jason can’t help but laugh every time Gray yells “OW!” with his hand covering the area. Aurora sees an opening, taking aim at Jason’s now-exposed torso. She fires….
*SPLAT*
Aurora: BOOM! Direct hit! Nice distraction, babe!
She winks at Damon as he takes position behind the tire wall. Aurora decides to make a break for it. She gets close enough that if she rolls across the ground, she’ll be able to get behind the barricade, but as she rolls for that last stretch of ground, Malone takes aim over the barricade, nailing Aurora in the hip. She makes it to cover, but not without a big red “wound” for her efforts.
Aurora: Son of a bitch!
Damon: You alright?
Aurora: I’ll be fine. But I’m definitely gonna have a bruise from that one.
Damon: Can you run? It’s just a little bit further to the flag.
Aurora: I’ll be fine. Like you said… just a little further. Now come on… let’s do this…
Damon: Don’t you dare shout “Leeroy Jenkins” on me….
Aurora smirks, playfully punching Damon in the shoulder as they get ready to make their final run.
Gray: Jason, get ready. They’re gonna make a run for the flag!
Jason: I’ve got ‘em!
Damon is the first to make a break for the flag, but as Jason takes aim, Aurora fights the pain from her sore hip and pushes herself directly into the line of fire….
Scene cuts to the Your Pie pizza parlor on the east side of Atlanta. Damon and Aurora are sitting at a table with Gray and Jason.
Aurora: Whew, after all that, I am SO looking forward to this.
She rubs her hands together, licking her lips in anticipation.
Damon: I still can’t believe you threw yourself out there like that.
Jason: That was an impressive dive. I see you’ve embraced the idea that sometimes, you need to sacrifice yourself for the good of the team.
Aurora: Sometimes, it’s necessary. And in our case, the ends justified the means.
Gray nods his head in agreement.
Gray: Yeah, you guys did capture the flag. And since you guys won…
Aurora: That means YOU two get to pay for lunch!
Jason: You did well out there… but goddamn, Aurora! You’re gonna have some serious bruises!
Damon cocks his eyebrow and smiles mischievously.
Damon: Well then I guess Dr. Damon will have a patient to tend to between now and Vendetta…
Aurora: Oh, whatever will I do?
Damon leans back, smiling even wider than before as he turns to Gray.
Damon: On a similar note, how are things going with you and Daisie, Gray?
Gray: We’re just friends, man. Neither of us were looking for anything serious, anyway. Seems like she’s got herself a boyfriend now, anyway.
Their waitress brings over their order; everyone apart from Damon has pizzas set in front of them, while
Damon has a salad set in front of him.
Jason: You sure you don’t want a pizza? This place was rated the best in town?
Damon: I've got nothing against a good pizza now and then, but a salad is a little healthier….
Gray: Suit yourself….
Before they can chow down, Aurora wrinkles her nose.
Aurora: Uh, guys? Do any of you smell that?
The three men sniff the air. Jason and Gray seem to recognize the source of the odor.
Jason: Hey Gray, you don’t think...
Gray: No, it couldn’t be…
Jason: Unfortunately, he DOES live in the area….
Before they can say anything else, a commotion can be heard coming from the front of the restaurant.
Voice: WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T BRING MY DOG IN HERE?!?
All four of them turn their heads to see a rather stocky man with closely cropped hair and a goatee, wearing a pink polo shirt and a similarly hideous pair of slacks. Tucked under his arm is an English bulldog with copious amounts of drool hanging from its jowls.
Gray: Shit, it’s Bill fucking Barnhart….
Jason: And his four-legged fart machine Iris…..
Gray: I was SO glad when he finally left the AWA.
Jason: When he left, our cleaning bills shrunk by nearly 80%....
Damon: You two know that entitled gasbag?
Gray: Yeah, he used to wrestle in the AWA with Jason and I…
Aurora: What was his finisher? Unleashing that smelly mutt on his opponents?
Gray: Oh, so you’ve met his wife, Lupe?
Damon grimaces a bit.
Damon: Ouch….
Jason: Now, now, Gray, she isn’t THAT bad… she just has horrible taste…
Gray: And apparently no sense of smell…
Damon: Should we get involved in this?
Jason: Not if we don’t have to. Barnhart never was one to stand up to authority.
Back at the front of the room, the staff has had enough. They call over the manager, who listens to Barnhart’s rant for a moment.
Manager: I’m telling you right now, sir. We have never, EVER, allowed pets into our establishment, and we certainly WILL NOT make any exception for you! You need to leave the premises… NOW. I’m about half a second away from calling the police….
Bill starts to protest, but one of the wait staff hands the manager a portable phone and he hold his finger over the keypad. Realizing that he can’t win, Barnhart turns and leaves. Once he’s gone, the entire restaurant bursts out in applause and whistles. The manager instructs his staff to get some ventilation going so that they can clear the air.
Gray: I hope they don’t lose any customers over this…
Eventually, the patrons return to eating their food, none the worse for the odiferous intrusion on their meals.
Taco Mac – Phillips Arena
Atlanta, GA
July 13, 2016
Scene shifts to a shot of a darkened, empty restaurant. The only source of light apart from the sun streaming through the tinted windows is the glow of a pair of neon beer lights mounted to one of the walls.
Against a section of wall separating the windows, the shadowy forms of the NGW Tag Team Champions can be seen as they stand side by side, their championship belts draped over their shoulders. They step forward, into the light that pours in from outside. Damon has an annoyed glare in his eyes as he looks into the camera, as does Aurora. He grabs a chair from one of the tables, spins it around so that the back is facing the camera, and straddles it.
Aurora: “Vendetta.” Such a funny, yet appropriate word to describe the beef that’s existed between us and pretty much everyone else that sniffs around at Devlin Scott’s crotch, hoping that he’ll throw them a bone. Look at Gavin and Ashleigh. They say Devlin doesn’t do them any favors, but look at how quick he was to throw them into a match with us. I mean, yeah… maybe the tag team division is a little lacking right now with the departure of some of the few people that could have given us the competition we’ve been screaming for, but is that really our fault?
Meanwhile, Ashleigh and Gavin just keep on recycling the same tired lines at us… “Levi Daughterty took his ball and went home… Kenzie was drunk off her ass, but at least she showed up to MY match… All you did was fight ONE guy.” And if you look at it through the blinder-obscured perspective of a guy that walks around looking like he’s wearing a heavily-soiled diaper half of the time… when he’s not running around in his underwear, that is…
Damon recoils in disgust at Aurora’s words, a greenish tinge flooding his cheeks. He looks as if he’s about to revisit the contents of his stomach.
Damon: Ugh… I just ate, Harley. Did you HAVE to bring that up?
Aurora: I know… not a nice mental image, but what else do you expect? Did you think I was going to complement him for being such a snazzy dresser?
They both laugh as Aurora shrugs.
Damon: You’ve shown us respect, Gavin? How so? From the day we came here, it’s been a never-ending parade of bile, merely because of who we chose to associate ourselves with. You could have shown even an iota of courtesy, but you chose to malign us. That, my egotistical friend, called a burial. Even silence would have been kinder, but you being in the position you’re in, you have to stop problems before they even begin to form, right, champ? Why let a pair of promising newcomers get any momentum in this business whatsoever? Can’t let the fans get behind anybody besides you and your not-so-charming wife; hence, you take everything we do and dismiss it as cherry-picking. The battle royal… the tag team matches… our singles matches… we’ve benefitted from some mysterious power behind the scenes, feeding us cupcake victories. Am I following your line of logic correctly, Gavin?
A smug grin forms on Damon’s face as he glances up at his girlfriend.
Damon: Here’s the flaw in your reasoning, chief. Aurora and I have been in NGW a grand total of about 7 weeks. In less than two months, who would we have as a benefactor? Devlin Scott? The man barely acknowledges us as employees, let alone his Tag Team Champions. The matchmakers are all in his pockets, so where is their motivation to protect us? Simple, there is none. They put us up against people seemingly at random, like they had pictures of the roster tacked on a wall and they started chucking darts at them. Wherever the darts landed, that’s who we faced. Do either of you seriously think we would be content with that? No, we wanted better competition, so we MADE our own opportunities. We made enough noise, and we got what we wanted. Maybe the powers that be just wanted us to shut the fuck up… much like the two of you do. On the other hand, they may have realized that a match like this could be a shot of adrenaline as far as the ratings go.
Aurora nods her head in agreement.
Aurora: Either way, it’s win-win. But don’t think that just because the Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line, that means we’re gonna half ass this match. No… Now is not the time for us to get lazy. But let’s get one thing straight. I don’t pretend to know everything about you. All I know is what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard. I will readily admit that. The best way for me to TRULY learn what my opponent is about is to step through the ropes with them. Will you be the one to hand me my first loss in NGW? Maybe, maybe not. But if you think I’m going to go cry in a corner about it, you’re just as delusional as that effeminate boy band reject you call your husband.
You want to flatter yourself with the idea that Damon and I want what you have… we want the money, the glory… all of it. Hell, we can only DREAM of having the sort of relationship that you have, right? PUH-LEASE! If there was anything out of your mouths that could be considered reaching, that would be it right there. There’s no way in hell I would ever want to look like a glass-jawed, scrunched-faced snob like you. I’m more than happy with what I have, and I know Damon is, too.
Damon: As you two sit there in your little fluffy white cloud fantasy world, like you’re sitting at the top of Mount fucking Olympus and looking down on the rest of us “mere mortals,” realize one thing. Eventually, the ancient gods of Greece were no longer worshipped. Their subjects got tired of the same old shit and went searching for something new. No king rules forever, and eventually, someone… could be us, could be someone else… but nevertheless, one way or another, you WILL be knocked off of your throne. Gavin and Ashleigh, you two have been running roughshod for a long time now… maybe the time has come to give the fans of NGW something new. Do we want to be worshipped? No. Hubris is more YOUR realm, not ours. Far be it from us to step on the toes of “wrestling gods” like you two cunts.
Aurora rolls her eyes.
Damon: Speaking of cunts, let’s get back to Ashleigh….
Aurora laughs a little.
Damon: What do you find funny, hon?
Aurora: If you’re talking about Ashleigh, pretty much everything. From the fact that her face looks like the south end of a northbound horse, to the fact that she’s barely graduated out of training bras. If I were her, I wouldn’t wear a top saying “Confident” played across those two pimples she call tits…
Damon: (sarcastically) Now, now, we need to stay away from such petty snipes at our opponents’ physical attributes….
Aurora: Or lack thereof.
Damon: So we shouldn’t refer to Ashleigh as a “carpenter’s dream”, or bring up the fact that Gavin has no testicles…
Aurora holds her hands up to her cheeks in a mockery of dismay.
Aurora: Oh, dear. Whatever shall we do, then? Are we to just stand in the midst of their verbal onslaught with no recourse?
Damon and Aurora merely stare at each other, then suddenly turn back to the camera.
Both: FUCK NO!!!!
Damon: you call us childish, yet you two are the ones playing children’s games. Fine, if that’s how you want to play, we can play them too. But we’re gonna tag you harder than those love taps you keep giving each other. If I tag you with Stay Down or Aurora hits the Nighty-Knight, it’ll be light’s out, game over!
Suddenly, Damon stands up, grabs the chair he was sitting in, and heaves it at the lighted signs, shattering them, and leaving the room completely dark.
Scene ends.
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Sandy Springs, GA
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
“Bad Medicine” by Bon Jovi played over the audio equipment as Aurora and Damon sat down inside the studio, adjusting their headsets as they sat across the booth from a man with a friendly, rounded face and straight, medium brown hair. He was going over his notes as the song played, lightly bobbing his head. As the song ended, he flipped the switch on his microphone, talking over the transition between “Bad Medicine” and the intro to “Scar Tissue” by Red Hot Chili Peppers.
DJ: Good evening, folks… this is Axel Lowe, and that was “Bad Medicine” blaring into your ears. In a few minutes, we’ll be talking with a pair of very special guests – they are the newly-crowned NGW Tag Team Champions, the Angelz of Destruction! Make sure you keep it right here on 100.5 – Atlanta’s Rock Station!
As the song played on, Axel looked across the booth and smiled at Aurora, who was gently swaying to the music. He flipped off his microphone.
Axel: Nice to see someone so young enjoy something from the 90’s.
Aurora: I grew up listening to music across several decades. Granted, this was the stuff they played over the radio when I was a kid, so it sticks out more than anything else.
Damon: It was the same for me… though my parents mostly listened to 80’s metal.
Axel: Hey, there are far worse things for them to have you listen to.
Damon: Yeah… at least it wasn’t nothing but news radio.
All three of them laughed. The music played on, transitioning from “Scar Tissue” to “Close My Eyes Forever” by Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford.
Axel: We’ll be going live after this song finishes. You guys ready?
Damon: As ready as we’re going to get….
Aurora: Yeah… what he said.
The song faded out as Axel flipped his microphone back on. Aurora caught the red glow of the “On Air” light, and forced the nerves down as Axel took a deep breath.
Axel: Aaaand we are back, ladies and gentlemen… as I said earlier, we have live in our studio, Aurora Knight and Damon Graves, collectively known as the Angelz of Destruction – yes, folks that’s Angelz with a Z. They are the reigning NGW Tag Team Champions. Now I understand that as tag teams go, you two are fairly new to the scene.
Aurora: That we are. We only met a couple of months ago. In fact, we made our NGW debut on the same night… as opponents.
Axel: Well, that had to have been an interesting first exchange…
Damon: Yeah, it was. The first exchange we had was over Twitter just after the match was signed.
Aurora: I was looking forward to my first match…
Damon: While I was looking to rain on her parade.
Axel chuckled at the pair, nodding his head.
Axel: So is it safe to say that you two didn’t exactly see eye to eye at first?
Damon: Not at first.
Aurora: But for whatever reason, once we were in the ring, we didn’t really mix it up at all. Which is a shame, because I was really looking forward to letting him have it for some of the things he said. Instead, we found ourselves teaming up to send some of the other wrestlers packing.
Damon: In the end, it could have been just the two of us going at it for the win, but the last guy to be eliminated decided he wasn’t going to go down alone… next thing I know, I’m looking into the ring, and there she is. The winner.
Aurora shrugged her shoulders, flashing an apologetic smile as Axel nodded.
Axel: But ever since then, you two have been on a tear. Both in tag team and singles matches, ever since that match, you’ve been coming out on the winning side, have you not?
Aurora nodded her head, a proud, radiant smile spreading across her face.
Aurora: That’s right. Of course, there have been other developments since then.
Axel: So I’ve seen… you two have connected on a more personal level outside the ring as well as inside. How did that come about?
Damon: Pretty much the same way a lot of intra-office romances start. Two people meet, get to know each other…
Aurora: Only in our line of work, group projects often involve a lot of spandex and throwing each other around the ring.
Axel: Sounds like a fun way to spend an evening.
Aurora and Damon chuckled quietly, glancing at each other. Damon winked at Aurora, causing her to blush.
Damon: Yeah, no comment. It happens a lot in the business – dating within the company, that is. I mean, I’d like to think that the majority of us don’t come into this sport actively LOOKING for companionship on a romantic level – or even friendship, for that matter.
Aurora: It just happens to work out that way a good deal of the time.
Axel: Is it fair to say that relationships that come about as a result of traveling the road together and competing in the ring… do they tend to get awkward at times?
They paused for a moment before Aurora spoke up.
Aurora: Well, when you’re in direct competition with your significant other, I can understand how it COULD get awkward. But it’s not something we’ve experienced ourselves.
Damon: In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have to face the prospect of standing across the ring from my girlfriend. But with that said, if it DID happen, I’d like to think that we’d be able to keep the business aspect of things from affecting our personal life.
Aurora: Same goes for me. When you’re in this business, you look to mix it up with the best of the best. And sometimes, that means stepping into the ring with friends… siblings… or even your other half. It’s all part of the business, as far as we’re concerned, and if any drama comes out of it, then we leave it all in the ring where it belongs.
Axel cleared his throat, covering his mouth with his fist.
Axel: Changing gears a little bit… how did you two get started in the business?
Damon: Well, I was an apprentice in a tattoo shop back home, and one of the regulars happened to be a wrestler. He heard I was into it, so he kind of took me under his wing and trained me. I kept up my work at the tattoo shop so that I could pay for my training, not to mention traveling and other expenses…
Axel: I can imagine that it’s not something you go into looking to make a quick buck.
Damon: No it isn’t! A lot of the time, when you first start out, you’re lucky if you barely make enough to cover your expenses, let alone any extra. Only a select few manage to work their way up to the big bucks.
Aurora: You almost HAVE to have something else to fall back on in order to make ends meet.
Axel: And how did you get into wrestling, Aurora?
Aurora: Well, it was a little different for me. I have two older brothers that were HUGE wrestling fans growing up, so naturally, as the pesky little sister, I had to do everything that they did. I would go so far as to roughhouse right along with them and their friends. They didn’t want me to participate at first, because they didn’t want to take heat for “beating up on a girl,” but when they saw that I could not only keep up with them, but that I wasn’t afraid to take a risk here and there, they quickly accepted me as “one of the guys.”
And then, shortly after I graduated high school, I enrolled in a wrestling school. Pretty soon, I was doing small shows throughout Southern California and Nevada.
Damon: Funny thing is, we’ve probably passed right under each other’s noses without even realizing it.
Aurora: On multiple occasions, even. But, such is life, I suppose.
She giggled.
Axel: You two have a tag team match coming up this Saturday at Vendetta, correct?
Damon: Yeah, as a matter of fact, we do. We’re facing off against the NGW’s top two singles champions, who happen to be husband and wife.
Axel: Again, we see that dynamic of people getting romantically involved, this time, to the point of marriage.
Aurora: That’s been happening a lot in the industry lately, I’ve noticed. Not just in NGW, but in several other promotions.
Axel: Any plans for the two of you to make the trek down the aisle?
A mutual awkward chuckle prompted the DJ to lean forward, smiling as if to offer the non-physical equivalent of a nudge.
Aurora: At the moment, no. Right now, the only aisle we’re concerned with walking down is the aisle that leads to the wrestling ring.
Axel: So I take it the ring on your left hand is NOT an engagement ring?
Damon cleared his throat.
Damon: Well, that was the original reason for the ring, but I haven’t exactly popped the question yet. We both agreed to hold off on that for the time being.
Axel: But the fact that it’s on THAT particular finger…
Aurora: It just so happens that that is the only finger the ring fits on.
Axel: I guess that makes sense. Though you know you’re going to have to keep explaining that until you’re either blue in the face or you actually DO make it official.
They laughed as Axel shot a quick glance at the clock.
Axel: Folks, we are going to take a quick commercial break. But before we go, Aurora and Damon, is there anything you’d like to say to our listeners?
Aurora and Damon looked at each other and smiled as they spoke into their respective microphones.
Aurora & Damon: This Saturday, be sure to tune into NGW Vendetta, LIVE from the Phillips Arena!
Damon: Come see us take on Ashleigh and Gavin Grimes in the main event!
The microphones switched off as an ad for Buffalo Wild Wings began to play and the three exchanged some final pleasantries.
Georgia International Plaza
Atlanta, GA
July 12, 2016 - 9:00 pm
Smack dab between the Georgia Dome and the Phillips Arena sat Georgia International Plaza, an open, grassy area with a fountain in the center, featuring a statue of a man performing a balancing act on a large ring.
Off in another section of the plaza, a large stage was set up with spotlights flanking either side, a large group gathering around it. A large black curtain was mounted behind the stage, concealing any goings-on behind the structure. As the stage stood empty, the crowd began chanting “A-O-D! A-O-D!” softly at first, and then gradually louder until the speakers rang out with the intro to “Death March” by Motionless in White. The NGW Tag Team Champions emerged from behind the curtain, standing at the top of a small set of steps that led up to the stage. Aurora was dressed in a pair of black jeans that hung just above her hips, with a black fishnet top over a red tank top that showed off every curve of her body. Meanwhile, her co-champion and boyfriend wore a pair of custom-tattered jeans and a sleeveless black t-shirt under one of the denim vests he usually wore to the ring.
At the front of the stage, a pair of microphone stands stood, awaiting the champions as they played to the crowd, holding their championship belts high over their heads. The music eventually died down as Aurora and Damon each took hold of a microphone.
Aurora: How’s it going, Hot-lanta!
The crowd roared at the mention of one of the city’s many nicknames. Aurora and Damon soaked up the cheers nodding their heads until the noise died back down.
Damon: Well, I know Aurora and myself have been enjoying ourselves since we got here, but in a few short days, play time will be over. But hey, at least we’ve spent our time getting to know the battleground where we’ll be facing our biggest challenge since we came to NGW.
Aurora: And where, pray tell, are our opponents while we’re out here getting ready for war?
A mock-wistful tone took over her voice as she feigned a dreamy-eyed expression.
Aurora: That’s right… Ashleigh and Gavin Grimes are off on their honeymoon, flitting around on some island in Greece.
The crowd in attendance started to laugh.
Aurora: That’s right, folks… They’re off having the time of their lives as Gavin runs around with his pants hanging around his knees like a common thug.
Damon: Oh, but don’t let him hear you call him a common thug, Aurora. He’ll throw out some tired-ass insult like “hot garbage” at us.
Aurora rolled her eyes as Damon chuckled.
Aurora: Don’t forget “fucktard,” Damon.
Damon: Right… that’s another one of the gems he’s thrown at us recently. But apart from that, all he’s done is repeat most of the same shit his flat-assed cunt of a wife has been saying. “You’re not the Power Couple here, WE are!” I’m sorry… but when you have only teamed together ONCE in NGW prior to this match, that kind of puts a damper on your claim.
Aurora: I don’t know how long those two have been a thing, and frankly, I don’t give a damn. The fact of the matter is this… We came here with the short-term goal of claiming the NGW Tag Team Championships, and well, I’m sure everyone here can see what the end result of THAT was…
Again, they held up the Tag Team titles, much to the delight of the crowd. They lowered them, draping them over their respective shoulders as Damon cleared his throat and continued where Aurora left off.
Damon: But to hear them talk, these belts that we hold aren’t worth the blood, sweat and tears that went into crafting these beauties. All because they each hold singles championships.
A faint scattering of boos started in one corner of the crowd, gradually growing until it covered the entire gathering.
Aurora: These are the people that Devlin Scott has serving as the faces of their respective divisions. These are the people that claim to represent you, the fans of NGW. Well whether they like it or not, as long as we stand here as YOUR NGW Tag Team Champions, WE will be fighting to bring back the respect and the prestige that these, never mind all the other championships deserve!
Damon: You see, the prestige of a championship lies not with the belt itself, but with the person HOLDING the title. If you go around thinking that just because you’re the top ranking champion, that means you’re the absolute best in the business, then you’re dead wrong. All it means is that you’re the best wrestler AT THAT MOMENT.
Aurora: That’s right. I don’t care what a wrestler’s record is. They could be currently undefeated, or currently not even hold a single victory to their name, but EVERYONE in this business is capable of becoming a champion. All it takes is for the right hand of cards to be dealt, and three seconds of a referee slapping his hand on the canvas. What’s that old cliché I keep hearing?
Damon: “Even the sun shines on a dog’s ass.” But hey… can’t bring those up too often.
Laughter took over the crowd again as Damon and Aurora smirked at each other.
Aurora: Of course, that doesn’t mean a damn thing to Ashleigh and Gavin. They’re so convinced of their own hype that they think they’ll be at the top of the mountain until it’s time to hang up the boots for good. But up until now, they’ve never had to stand in the ring against anyone like us.
Damon: They want to take shots at us for the path that we took to claim these belts, but that doesn’t change the fact that we’ve taken on everything that has been placed in front of us, and we’ve come out on top. Do we think we’re unbeatable? No. I may be a cocky son of a bitch, but I’m not THAT delusional. But if they want to come into this fight with their noses in the air, then that will just make it that much more fun to make sure they come out of it with some major nosebleeds.
Aurora: Gavin Grimes can crow all he wants to about how he’s better than all of the previous champions that have since faded off into oblivion, and Ashleigh can talk about how she’s the reigning champion of a promotion that has been dead for months, and good for them. But this isn’t about the past. This is about the present. And WE, the Angelz of Destruction, are the present. We are the NGW Tag Team Champions, and while our titles may not be on the line this Saturday at Vendetta, you can bet money on the fact that we will be fighting as if they were.
Damon: Careful, Aurora… I smell another cliché in there.
Aurora: So what? If it fits, then damn it, I’m gonna use it!
Again, laughter rang out through the crowd as the Tag Team Champions soaked it in.
Damon: So while they’re off in La-La Land, arguing over who gets to eat the last Cheeto out of the bag, Aurora and I will be waiting… waiting for the so-called “Power Couple,” the King and Queen of NGW to finally get their collective acts together and show us what they’ve got in that ring. Because until they do, they’re just going to come off as a pair of spoiled little shits whose egos have gotten way out of control.
Aurora: If there was ever any doubt in ANYONE’S minds that Damon and I deserve to stand here as the NGW Tag Team Champions, at Vendetta, it will be obliterated. This match WILL become the catalyst that sets the Tag Team division ablaze… but the question remains….
Damon & Aurora: Can the rest of NGW handle the heat?
As their music once again blared over the speakers, Aurora and Damon walked to the rear of the stage, where several crates had been placed. They bent down, reached into the crates, and then began tossing out t-shirts to the eager crowd of fans. It wasn’t long before everyone walked away from the stage, sporting the newly released t-shirts bearing the likenesses of the NGW Tag Team Champions.
Dosser Works Paintball
Atlanta, GA
July 13, 2016
Scene opens on an open, dirt-covered field, with several raised areas made from such objects as old tires, plywood, and various broken-down vehicles. We see four figures wearing dark blue coveralls, with one figure sporting a mane of long blonde hair, much smaller than the other three. Even the loose-fitting coveralls can’t hide the figure’s dangerously curvy feminine frame as she heads for one of the barricades….
*P-SHOOM* *SPLAT*
Paintballs whiz past Aurora’s head as she ducks behind a makeshift barricade built from a pile of old tires. She carefully peeks out over the top of the pile, making sure not to expose too much of her head. Damon is crouched beside her, looking through a narrow gap in the barricade. He sees Gray Malone poking his head out from behind a dilapidated, rust-encrusted old plane.
Damon: AHA! I got ya, motherfucker!
He fires, sending a lime green paintball flying in Gray’s direction. It misses, splattering like a bug on a windshield on the side of the plane.
Gray: That was a close one!
From inside the plane, Jason Perry pokes his paintball gun out through one of the windows, having spotted Damon just as he prepares to take aim again at Malone. He fires, but misses as Aurora pulls Damon back down out of the line of fire.
Damon: Thanks, Harley!
Aurora: Gotta honor the code: Watch each other’s six. No way in hell I was gonna let you get tagged like that. Now come on… we’ve gotta keep moving if we’re gonna snag their flag.
The Tag Team Champions carefully plot their course, eyeing a bunker a few yards away.
Aurora: Three… two… one… GO!
They tear into the open as Gray and Jason open fire. One of the blood red paintballs narrowly misses tagging the heel of Aurora’s shoe, splattering on the ground and sending a splash of color onto Aurora’s leg.
Gray: Got her!
Damon: Not quite, Malone! Splatters don’t count.
Gray: Shit!
Jason: (half-whispering) We’ll get ‘em, Gray. They’re gonna have to get really bold if they want to make it as far as the flag. There’s no cover for them to duck behind.
Gray: Fuckin’ sitting ducks….
Aurora reaches the bunker first, ducking behind the thin plywood wall. Through the cutout window, she can see Jason trying to make a break for a massive dirt pile.
Aurora: Oh no you don’t, old man…
She fires, tagging Jason in the shoulder. He lets out a pained roar that sounds not that far off from a lion as he grabs his shoulder. Where the paintball hit, a large green blotch marks the shot.
Jason: FUCK that hurt!
Aurora: You were expecting it to tickle? Be glad we’re counting three shots each, otherwise, you’d be toast!
Damon: Nice shot, Harley!
Aurora: I try.
Jason turns to Gray, shooting him a look of annoyance.
Jason: You were supposed to cover me, Malone!
Gray: Sorry… I couldn’t get a clear shot.
Jason: Then move to where you can!
Gray mutters something under his breath as he makes a break for a low-lying pile of crates. As he dives for cover, Damon takes aim through the cutout in the plywood, sending a paintball right into the meat of Gray’s ass cheek. As Gray’s eyes grow wide and his face turns red as he tries to fight off the pain of the impact, Aurora cringes.
Aurora: OOH! That’s gonna leave one hell of a bruise.
Damon chuckles as they make a move for the next barricade – another tire wall.
Damon: Shit… no holes in that one. We’re gonna have to be careful.
Aurora: Go for it, Puddin’; I’ll cover you.
Jason: Yeah… “Puddin’”!
Damon: Hey, shut up! You worry about your partner with the blown-out ass cheek!
Jason looks over at Gray, who is stumbling over toward his position, a splotch of green paint on the back of his pants. Jason can’t help but laugh every time Gray yells “OW!” with his hand covering the area. Aurora sees an opening, taking aim at Jason’s now-exposed torso. She fires….
*SPLAT*
Aurora: BOOM! Direct hit! Nice distraction, babe!
She winks at Damon as he takes position behind the tire wall. Aurora decides to make a break for it. She gets close enough that if she rolls across the ground, she’ll be able to get behind the barricade, but as she rolls for that last stretch of ground, Malone takes aim over the barricade, nailing Aurora in the hip. She makes it to cover, but not without a big red “wound” for her efforts.
Aurora: Son of a bitch!
Damon: You alright?
Aurora: I’ll be fine. But I’m definitely gonna have a bruise from that one.
Damon: Can you run? It’s just a little bit further to the flag.
Aurora: I’ll be fine. Like you said… just a little further. Now come on… let’s do this…
Damon: Don’t you dare shout “Leeroy Jenkins” on me….
Aurora smirks, playfully punching Damon in the shoulder as they get ready to make their final run.
Gray: Jason, get ready. They’re gonna make a run for the flag!
Jason: I’ve got ‘em!
Damon is the first to make a break for the flag, but as Jason takes aim, Aurora fights the pain from her sore hip and pushes herself directly into the line of fire….
Scene cuts to the Your Pie pizza parlor on the east side of Atlanta. Damon and Aurora are sitting at a table with Gray and Jason.
Aurora: Whew, after all that, I am SO looking forward to this.
She rubs her hands together, licking her lips in anticipation.
Damon: I still can’t believe you threw yourself out there like that.
Jason: That was an impressive dive. I see you’ve embraced the idea that sometimes, you need to sacrifice yourself for the good of the team.
Aurora: Sometimes, it’s necessary. And in our case, the ends justified the means.
Gray nods his head in agreement.
Gray: Yeah, you guys did capture the flag. And since you guys won…
Aurora: That means YOU two get to pay for lunch!
Jason: You did well out there… but goddamn, Aurora! You’re gonna have some serious bruises!
Damon cocks his eyebrow and smiles mischievously.
Damon: Well then I guess Dr. Damon will have a patient to tend to between now and Vendetta…
Aurora: Oh, whatever will I do?
Damon leans back, smiling even wider than before as he turns to Gray.
Damon: On a similar note, how are things going with you and Daisie, Gray?
Gray: We’re just friends, man. Neither of us were looking for anything serious, anyway. Seems like she’s got herself a boyfriend now, anyway.
Their waitress brings over their order; everyone apart from Damon has pizzas set in front of them, while
Damon has a salad set in front of him.
Jason: You sure you don’t want a pizza? This place was rated the best in town?
Damon: I've got nothing against a good pizza now and then, but a salad is a little healthier….
Gray: Suit yourself….
Before they can chow down, Aurora wrinkles her nose.
Aurora: Uh, guys? Do any of you smell that?
The three men sniff the air. Jason and Gray seem to recognize the source of the odor.
Jason: Hey Gray, you don’t think...
Gray: No, it couldn’t be…
Jason: Unfortunately, he DOES live in the area….
Before they can say anything else, a commotion can be heard coming from the front of the restaurant.
Voice: WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T BRING MY DOG IN HERE?!?
All four of them turn their heads to see a rather stocky man with closely cropped hair and a goatee, wearing a pink polo shirt and a similarly hideous pair of slacks. Tucked under his arm is an English bulldog with copious amounts of drool hanging from its jowls.
Gray: Shit, it’s Bill fucking Barnhart….
Jason: And his four-legged fart machine Iris…..
Gray: I was SO glad when he finally left the AWA.
Jason: When he left, our cleaning bills shrunk by nearly 80%....
Damon: You two know that entitled gasbag?
Gray: Yeah, he used to wrestle in the AWA with Jason and I…
Aurora: What was his finisher? Unleashing that smelly mutt on his opponents?
Gray: Oh, so you’ve met his wife, Lupe?
Damon grimaces a bit.
Damon: Ouch….
Jason: Now, now, Gray, she isn’t THAT bad… she just has horrible taste…
Gray: And apparently no sense of smell…
Damon: Should we get involved in this?
Jason: Not if we don’t have to. Barnhart never was one to stand up to authority.
Back at the front of the room, the staff has had enough. They call over the manager, who listens to Barnhart’s rant for a moment.
Manager: I’m telling you right now, sir. We have never, EVER, allowed pets into our establishment, and we certainly WILL NOT make any exception for you! You need to leave the premises… NOW. I’m about half a second away from calling the police….
Bill starts to protest, but one of the wait staff hands the manager a portable phone and he hold his finger over the keypad. Realizing that he can’t win, Barnhart turns and leaves. Once he’s gone, the entire restaurant bursts out in applause and whistles. The manager instructs his staff to get some ventilation going so that they can clear the air.
Gray: I hope they don’t lose any customers over this…
Eventually, the patrons return to eating their food, none the worse for the odiferous intrusion on their meals.
Taco Mac – Phillips Arena
Atlanta, GA
July 13, 2016
Scene shifts to a shot of a darkened, empty restaurant. The only source of light apart from the sun streaming through the tinted windows is the glow of a pair of neon beer lights mounted to one of the walls.
Against a section of wall separating the windows, the shadowy forms of the NGW Tag Team Champions can be seen as they stand side by side, their championship belts draped over their shoulders. They step forward, into the light that pours in from outside. Damon has an annoyed glare in his eyes as he looks into the camera, as does Aurora. He grabs a chair from one of the tables, spins it around so that the back is facing the camera, and straddles it.
Aurora: “Vendetta.” Such a funny, yet appropriate word to describe the beef that’s existed between us and pretty much everyone else that sniffs around at Devlin Scott’s crotch, hoping that he’ll throw them a bone. Look at Gavin and Ashleigh. They say Devlin doesn’t do them any favors, but look at how quick he was to throw them into a match with us. I mean, yeah… maybe the tag team division is a little lacking right now with the departure of some of the few people that could have given us the competition we’ve been screaming for, but is that really our fault?
Meanwhile, Ashleigh and Gavin just keep on recycling the same tired lines at us… “Levi Daughterty took his ball and went home… Kenzie was drunk off her ass, but at least she showed up to MY match… All you did was fight ONE guy.” And if you look at it through the blinder-obscured perspective of a guy that walks around looking like he’s wearing a heavily-soiled diaper half of the time… when he’s not running around in his underwear, that is…
Damon recoils in disgust at Aurora’s words, a greenish tinge flooding his cheeks. He looks as if he’s about to revisit the contents of his stomach.
Damon: Ugh… I just ate, Harley. Did you HAVE to bring that up?
Aurora: I know… not a nice mental image, but what else do you expect? Did you think I was going to complement him for being such a snazzy dresser?
They both laugh as Aurora shrugs.
Damon: You’ve shown us respect, Gavin? How so? From the day we came here, it’s been a never-ending parade of bile, merely because of who we chose to associate ourselves with. You could have shown even an iota of courtesy, but you chose to malign us. That, my egotistical friend, called a burial. Even silence would have been kinder, but you being in the position you’re in, you have to stop problems before they even begin to form, right, champ? Why let a pair of promising newcomers get any momentum in this business whatsoever? Can’t let the fans get behind anybody besides you and your not-so-charming wife; hence, you take everything we do and dismiss it as cherry-picking. The battle royal… the tag team matches… our singles matches… we’ve benefitted from some mysterious power behind the scenes, feeding us cupcake victories. Am I following your line of logic correctly, Gavin?
A smug grin forms on Damon’s face as he glances up at his girlfriend.
Damon: Here’s the flaw in your reasoning, chief. Aurora and I have been in NGW a grand total of about 7 weeks. In less than two months, who would we have as a benefactor? Devlin Scott? The man barely acknowledges us as employees, let alone his Tag Team Champions. The matchmakers are all in his pockets, so where is their motivation to protect us? Simple, there is none. They put us up against people seemingly at random, like they had pictures of the roster tacked on a wall and they started chucking darts at them. Wherever the darts landed, that’s who we faced. Do either of you seriously think we would be content with that? No, we wanted better competition, so we MADE our own opportunities. We made enough noise, and we got what we wanted. Maybe the powers that be just wanted us to shut the fuck up… much like the two of you do. On the other hand, they may have realized that a match like this could be a shot of adrenaline as far as the ratings go.
Aurora nods her head in agreement.
Aurora: Either way, it’s win-win. But don’t think that just because the Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line, that means we’re gonna half ass this match. No… Now is not the time for us to get lazy. But let’s get one thing straight. I don’t pretend to know everything about you. All I know is what I’ve seen and what I’ve heard. I will readily admit that. The best way for me to TRULY learn what my opponent is about is to step through the ropes with them. Will you be the one to hand me my first loss in NGW? Maybe, maybe not. But if you think I’m going to go cry in a corner about it, you’re just as delusional as that effeminate boy band reject you call your husband.
You want to flatter yourself with the idea that Damon and I want what you have… we want the money, the glory… all of it. Hell, we can only DREAM of having the sort of relationship that you have, right? PUH-LEASE! If there was anything out of your mouths that could be considered reaching, that would be it right there. There’s no way in hell I would ever want to look like a glass-jawed, scrunched-faced snob like you. I’m more than happy with what I have, and I know Damon is, too.
Damon: As you two sit there in your little fluffy white cloud fantasy world, like you’re sitting at the top of Mount fucking Olympus and looking down on the rest of us “mere mortals,” realize one thing. Eventually, the ancient gods of Greece were no longer worshipped. Their subjects got tired of the same old shit and went searching for something new. No king rules forever, and eventually, someone… could be us, could be someone else… but nevertheless, one way or another, you WILL be knocked off of your throne. Gavin and Ashleigh, you two have been running roughshod for a long time now… maybe the time has come to give the fans of NGW something new. Do we want to be worshipped? No. Hubris is more YOUR realm, not ours. Far be it from us to step on the toes of “wrestling gods” like you two cunts.
Aurora rolls her eyes.
Damon: Speaking of cunts, let’s get back to Ashleigh….
Aurora laughs a little.
Damon: What do you find funny, hon?
Aurora: If you’re talking about Ashleigh, pretty much everything. From the fact that her face looks like the south end of a northbound horse, to the fact that she’s barely graduated out of training bras. If I were her, I wouldn’t wear a top saying “Confident” played across those two pimples she call tits…
Damon: (sarcastically) Now, now, we need to stay away from such petty snipes at our opponents’ physical attributes….
Aurora: Or lack thereof.
Damon: So we shouldn’t refer to Ashleigh as a “carpenter’s dream”, or bring up the fact that Gavin has no testicles…
Aurora holds her hands up to her cheeks in a mockery of dismay.
Aurora: Oh, dear. Whatever shall we do, then? Are we to just stand in the midst of their verbal onslaught with no recourse?
Damon and Aurora merely stare at each other, then suddenly turn back to the camera.
Both: FUCK NO!!!!
Damon: you call us childish, yet you two are the ones playing children’s games. Fine, if that’s how you want to play, we can play them too. But we’re gonna tag you harder than those love taps you keep giving each other. If I tag you with Stay Down or Aurora hits the Nighty-Knight, it’ll be light’s out, game over!
Suddenly, Damon stands up, grabs the chair he was sitting in, and heaves it at the lighted signs, shattering them, and leaving the room completely dark.
Scene ends.
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