Post by A Ghost Now on Oct 9, 2016 22:31:20 GMT -6
(OOC: Trying a new method to differentiate promo-based talking and the dialogues within the character developement portions. I’d appreciate feedback/opinions in terms of replies to this post or in private.)
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Prologue: The Evening of Breakthrough 51.
I… I actually… I don’t know what happened.
“PERFECT DISASTER!”
“THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!”
I throttled both of them… and adrenaline took over. The roar of the crowd drowned the count of the referee…
“ONE! TWO!! THREE!!!”
The bell rung… I… I thought it was going to be like last time. I thought I was going to lose. The deck was stacked against me. Heath was instantly taken out of the match. I was forced to deal with both Horsewomen… but in the end…
“The winner of the match… and your NEW Eye-For-An-Eye Champion! MAX-WELL. SO-LOOOOKE!!”
Not only did I survive…
… I won.
-
Backstage.
The Renaissance Man was smiling from ear-to-ear as he looked over his phone. His fans, the ones who didn’t troll him over promo and gaming streams, were blowing up over twitter about his victory. The EMTs were tending to any open wounds on his person. The soreness would last just as long as his euphoria would. He’d finally won a championship again. He got gold to call his own.
He got the I4NI Hardcore Championship.
As the medics treated him, Darius Yates stepped in. With a cameraman in tow, he approached the newly crowned champion.
“Max! May I get a quick post match interview with you?” He started off as he held the microphone out, excited.
“Oh, course.” Max straightened himself out before looking over to the duo. The medic had finished patching the wrestler up and merely left him with a towel to wipe his wounds. Soloke did just that as the interview went on.
“First off, might I say congratulations on becoming VOW’s new I4NI Champion! You overcame Joanna Thade, Katalina Star, and, arguably enough, the champion Heath Williams himself! How do you feel about this?”
“I… I still can’t get over it, really. Don’t get me wrong, Darius. I’m happy. I’m ecstatic! I’m proud to be a champion for the fans, much like Heath was for them. I’m proud to hold gold again. To be the top of the I4NI division. Well… it is a good feeling. It’s sudden… but it’s good.”
“A lot of people are already started to claim that you don’t deserve that belt already. Even Ruby stated that you only obtained this match out of pity. Your record, no offense, was awful leading up to this match. Anything you’d like to say in that regard?”
Max pondered his thoughts for a brief moment. “I understand where they are coming from. Maybe I don’t deserve this belt. Fresh out of getting my ass handed to me at Heatstroke, I was given an opportunity only because I stepped up. What do you know, though? I won. If anyone has anything to say against this win, then just like Heath did, I will gladly put this belt on the line against them.”
“Even if it was someone like Joanna or Datura? What do you have to say if you have to cross paths with them again, especially seeing as you’re going to be partnered with Joanna for the Third Eye Open Invitational.”
That question made Max think a lot longer. He took a moment to dab away some of the blood pouring from his bandaged wound. He looked Darius in the eyes with a slightly tired expression now as the adrenaline finally died. He spoke softly now as the enthusiasm left his voice. “Let them come, Darius. Especially them. I managed to get merely one point over Datura during the Ironman Match, and took the I4NI match from Joanna with powerbomb through a table and a knee to the head. Datura, I’m sure is done with me, but after tonight, I’m sure Joanna and I aren’t any close to being through. Only time will tell, though.”
“Alright. Last question, then. Do you have any plans going forward?”
“Well. I wouldn’t mind beating Tyler’s score, really.” His tone was still somber-like, but the smile was returning. “I wouldn’t mind proving to be one of the best I4NI Champions that this company has to offer. I wouldn’t even mind beating a streak like Ryder’s or even English’s! But… all in due time, we’ll just have to see.”
“That, we will. Thank you so much for your time, Max, and have a good week up to Breakthrough 52.”
“Thanks, Darius.” Max pulled the I4NI belt from his shoulder and looked over the large metal plate on the front. His blood dripped over it slightly. Fitting enough for a hardcore-esque championship. He hung it proudly over his shoulder one more time before looking up to the roof. “Sky’s the limit at this point.”
I’m a champion again. I… I have to look the part, right? I’ve got gold over my shoulder!
… Why do I have gold over my shoulder?
That last question wasn’t based around the fact that the Disaster was champion, but more to the fact that he actually took his championship belt with him to the mall. It got a number of stares as he wore it over his shoulder like an idiot. After a woman relatively close to his age gave him a full check-out from top to bottom with a bit of a disgruntled look, he decided it would be best to just put the belt away within his messenger bag.
Outside of the belt, he did not stand out among the crowd of people whatsoever. Tattered jeans and a band shirt was the usual garb. His hair parted right down the middle and tucked itself behind his ears. He played the generic part of a young adult probably on his way to either a Hot Topic or a Barnes and Noble. On any other day, Max would probably be spending his time in either for some casual clothing or a manga to read on the road.
But, with his championship bonus in hand, he had other plans for the day. The shop he was looking for today was apparel. He stepped into the first thing that he came across: Gucci.
The sun was high in the clear skies above the District of Columbia. However, Max’s own head was filled with dark clouds as he walked around the shopping center.
Two to three thousand for a goddamn suit?! Fuuuck that!
Ever since he had become champion, he was concerned over looking the part. A champion needed to carry himself with a luxurious aura. A champion needed to look like a million bucks. A champion needed to design himself to match the metal that makes his belt.
However, Max did not make enough from his championship bonus to even afford trying on a designer suit, let alone buy the thing. Mixed in with his own funds, Max had roughly $750 to spend on his outing today. He looked around all over the CityCenterDC mall for something nice within his price range… Just a nice brown jacket to match the bronze of his championship belt.
Gucci, heritage velvet jacket: $3,200
Paul Stuart, Black Italian Wool Jacket: $2,285
Canali, Brown Cashmere and Silk Exclusive Taormina Jacket: $2,795
Burberry, Modern Fit Wool Mohair: $1,550
Hugo Boss, ‘Reyno/Wave’: $1,295
For Fuck’s Sake, a shirt at VINCE is around $300! Why do people buy clothes at this high of a price? Fuck this. Where is the nearest Ross. There has GOT to be something better for buying some sort of cheap suit.
With that, he departed from the CityCenter mall to look around at other options. He pulled out his iPhone and went straight to the internet as he walked around the sidewalks. Another way to fit in with the crowd: keep your face in your phone at all times. While he played the Death of a Bachelor album from his phone to his earbuds, he looked up a simple phrase in hopes he could find something for him:
Sure enough, one of the things that he found was a shop that sold outfits that looked appealing at less than ten percent of even Hugo Boss.
Blazer Slim-Fit: $69.99
Suit Pants Slim-Fit: $49.99
Perfect!
With that… Max bolted for the nearest H&M store.
---
Online Stream
Hilton Garden Inn
October 9th, 2016
10:10 PM
Static.
MAXWELL SOLOKE: Would you turn on already? Christ almighty.
Whack. Whack. Whack!
MAX: Fucking hell… my webcam seems to be broken guys. Wait… wait, hold on, I think it’s coming to!
WHACK! The picture seemed to finally come to view… to show a rather busted up Soloke with a grin over his face.
MAX: Hey, guys! I’m back for another stream that I know you guys love.
His eyes instantly darted over towards his gaming stream’s chat room. He gave a hearty laugh before holding his hand up.
MAX: Alright, alright! You guys seem extremely concerned! Let me answer some of your questions real fast. First question comes from… PussySlayer69. … Well, then. Anyway:
Why are you in a suit?
MAX: Well… when you see all of those World-Class champions strutting to the ring with gold over their shoulder, what do you notice about them? If they aren’t in a fight, they’re looking their best. They are putting their championship bonuses and main event status to work! So… I kind of wanted to emulate that today. I wanted to look like a champion! Now, onto the next question from… UrAHomo. Aw, well thank you!
What kind of balls did you grow to outright challenge Joanna Thade?! Do you have a death wish?!
MAX: Quite possibly. You see… as I told Joanna when I put out the challenge, I felt like things were unfinished between us. I could have just as easily challenged Katalina Star to a match at Armed and Dangerous… but that doesn’t carry as much weight as this match does. Joanna is probably still seething to the fact that she let me best her at Breakthrough 51. She wants nothing more to destroy me… and quite honestly, I want to give her that chance. Why?
MAX: It is because we’ve both got something to prove. She wants to prove as wrong as I want to prove her. I’m sure she cannot stand the fact that I talked so much shit BACK AT HER after she talked me down into obscurity. She cannot bare the fact that I outplayed both her and Katalina when I threw them both into the mat and planted her for the championship. I understand where she is coming from. Even if she’d never admit it… she wants revenge. She wants to right the wrong that she allowed when she underestimated me. She wants to make sure she knows for a fact that, much like she did before Heatstroke, she can decimate me in that ring alone. As for me, what do I get from this match?
MAX: Vindication. I shut her up partially when I won the I4NI Championship belt, but that isn’t good enough for me as well. I’ll be the first to admit it: I stole that match. If Joanna had planted Katalina Star with the ElectoShock Therapy, she would have won without a single question. But, my annoying self just HAD to get in the middle of it, right? Trust me, I know how that feels: to have a match taken away from you. I know how it feels to want to behead the person who screwed you. That’s why I’m not choosing to hide and avoid Joanna. I want to fight her. I want to give her that chance to take off my head. But, most important of all?
His eyes narrowed as his lips curled into a sadistic smirk, if not for a moment as he spoke the following statements:
MAX: I want to be the one that puts an end to War. I want her to come at me with that same blood-provoked fury she had before… and I want to be the one that puts that rabid dog down once and for all to finally put all the naysayers to rest about my skills and my reign as champion. Because, if I get MY way? This belt isn’t leaving my side for a while… and it sure as hell will not fall to Joanna. Not this fast.
He took a deep breath to calm himself before returning to his happier state-of-mind.
MAX: Alright. Last question from… TrumpForPrez2016. … Okay, how about someone else. How about from… okay, I’m not even going to DIGNIFY that username by mentioning it, but I will answer your question… whilst hopefully one of the moderators gets to banning your ass.
Why do you look like you just got fucked in a back alley?
MAX: Heh… funny story about that, actually! Y’see… after I took a trip to… uhm… GUCCI, yeah, we’ll go with that one. After I bought some RATHER NICE LOOKING suits from GUCCI… I decided to practice my walk in public on my way back to the hotel room… in the dead of night… Heh. Shame on me, right? So, naturally… I got jumped on my way home… Was one guy with a knife. He did not know who I was but merely wanted everything I had: my belt, my phone, and my wallet namely. Naturally… I gave him the belt first before swinging by bag straight for his skull. A couple of books and a bulky handheld put him down to the ground fast. We rolled around on the sidewalk for a bit, it was very erotic, I assure you. But, in the end, I had my happy ending… and knocked his ass out with a very passive punt to the head. Y’know, I should just make a punt kick a signature move at this point; it’s how I deal with all of my issues outside of the ring. But, in any case, the fucker did get a good swipe at my chest and a punch or two to the face, but hey, it’s all good in the end, right? I mean… a hardcore champion shouldn’t be all nice looking anyway, right? They should look… banged up… and look like they don’t give a shit.
Max took a moment to think about what he just said before he groaned exceptionally loud towards the air.
MAX: It took me an entire afternoon, an ass-kicking session with a stranger, and about $300 to realize that I don’t need this shit right now. Fuck it, where is my Panic! T-shirt. Let me get changed, and we’ll play some fan games tonight, okay?
Max got up from his desk to go look for his clothing. Right before he left the view of the camera, he coughed a little. Blood splattered over the hands that instinctively covered his mouth, as well as his jacket. He looked down at both for a moment with dimmed eyes and a small smirk.
MAX: I’ve missed the color red, though… oh, how I’ve missed you plenty.
---
1:18 AM
Static. A faint voice could be heard.
MAX: Camera in position… tattered jeans… blood-stained Panic! T-shirt… I think this should do for this promotional video. Heh… I’ve gotten myself into quite the pickle this time, haven’t I?
The picture slowly becomes clearer and clearer. This isn’t a stream for the fans this time around. Instead of using his laptop’s webcam for this, he set up a tripod in his hotel room. Maxwell Soloke sat on his bed with his championship belt loosely held over his hunched shoulders. He looked down to the ground for a moment as he spoke.
MAX: I’m not going to lie: I don’t think I’m going to win this. Heh. But, that’s fine. Win or lose, I got to be a champion for a sliver of time again. But, I hope I win. I really hope I win, just to show that I’m not going to end up being a paper champion. I don’t want to be a transitional champion.
He adjusted the I4NI Championship over his shoulder. He sat himself up and rolled his shoulders before addressing the one person this recording is targeted at.
MAX: Joanna, this is going to be the last time we face off against each other, even if it’s for a while. We’re going to be stuck together as partners for the Third Eye Open tournament. So, hopefully we can squash any… personal issues at Armed and Dangerous, okay? I’d like to believe we both didn’t join this tournament just to lose in the first round and that we MIGHT be able to co-exist as allies for it.
He readjusted himself for a moment. From both his expression, which turned from collected to determined, to his body, which shifted from a casual slouch to a serious and upright pose, he readied himself for what would follow next:
MAX: But, that is then. This is now; and now, we’re opponents trying to close out this little rivalry. To those of you just joining, let me give you a recap of the history between The Warchild and the Renaissance Man. Thade defeats Soloke to qualify for the Quest for the Case match at Heatstroke. Soloke qualifies after toppling Craig Anderson and Patrick Jones. Soloke and Thade both end the Ironman Match at Heatstroke with a score of one point each. Soloke, Thade, and Katalina Star step up to Heath Williams’s open challenge for the I4NI Championship. Finally, at Breakthrough 51, Soloke… ‘steals’ the victory by capitalizing on Thade and Star being flung from the top rope and by driving his knee straight through the skull of the Warchild to become the new I4NI Champion.
He looked over at the bronze-plated belt for a moment with a modest smile before looking back to the camera with the same charisma.
MAX: So, as it stands, the record is BASICALLY 1-1-1 between us. This is the tiebreaker, Joanna.
He took a moment to take in some air and ponder his thoughts. His head leaned back with closed eyes before he turned his focus again.
MAX: If I asked you what your opinion of me was when I came back in this company, you probably couldn’t give a damn. But, I knew of you. The first match I saw of yours was against E. You… interested me. You went on a rampage from that match on, up to Heatstroke and barring Ryder Blade, you never lost. You had so much momentum… but here’s the biggest mistake you made, and I am so glad you owned up to it: you underestimated me. At Breakthrough 48, that’s fine. You kicked my ass and didn’t give me a second thought. At Heatstroke? Same thing. You, as well as everyone else in that match, made it a point to make me out into a human punching bag. But… Breakthrough 51, with championship gold on the line and you STILL doubted me? I’d think it would be wise not to doubt ANYONE when titles are in the question.
He flashed the front plate of the I4NI Championship to the camera before looking it over himself.
MAX: Let me run down something for you real fast. Let me tell you who I am in full, so you are PREPARED this time. Here is YOUR history lesson.
He put the championship on the bed before glaring into the lens of the camera as if it was the barrel of a gun.
MAX: I have gone by many names in my career: The Wild Factor. The Showstopper. The Perfect Disaster. My name is Maxwell Soloke. I have been wrestling professionally… rather, I have been just FIGHTING professionally for four years now, but I have been involved with combat sports for six years on account of having some fun in illegal back-alley brawls under the guide of “MMA.” While I may not have won a World Championship, I have, instead, held over my head NINETEEN championships: One of those championships may have been of a World Class but was not actually named as such, two of those have been inter-federation, and, count them, TWELVE OF THEM, including the current one, have been for HARDCORE STIPULATIONS. Nine-time CLAW Anything, Anytime, Anywhere 24/7 Champion. One-time WWI Bloodstain Champion. One-time RSW Rampage Champion. And, finally, your current Eye-For-An-Eye Champion. I have toppled most every in-ring giant I have faced, from seven-foot and five-hundred pounds, to a midget high on LSD and Crack Cocaine. No, I’m not kidding about that last one.
His gaze never wavered for a second; he barely even blinked.
MAX: Joanna, if you had met me about two years ago, you’d probably have me quaking in my boots scared shitless. Hell, you might even find the means to still do that if you surprise me. But, I will say this. I’ve dealt with all manners of crazy. I’ve dealt with all manners of hardcore. You see… I was just like you back then and, in a federation like this with the talent it has, I still am. A sideshow act with a love for pain, both giving AND taking.
As if to put emphasis on his point, he got up close to the camera and pointed to his right eye. It was hard to tell now, but it looks like a knife severer over it.
MAX: In a circus federation alone, I have had my skull fractured on chairs, ringposts, dumpsters, cigar humidors, bags of gold coins… I’ve been backdropped through glass and thumbtacks… I HAVE BEEN THROWN FROM TWENTY-FOOT CAGES INTO ANNOUNCE TABLES TWICE! With every pain delivered onto me, I delivered onto others. I have broken bones. I have legitimately knocked teeth straight down people’s throats. I have tormented so many victims within that squared circle; but no one you’d know by name so what is the point of listing them, right? I understand fully that this is not a wrestling match, Joanna. Why do you think I challenged you to a match of this caliber? It fits the championship, and more importantly, it fits us.
He sat back on the bed again with a bit of a confident smirk over his lips again. His arms and legs crossed as he talked down to the camera again.
MAX: I could have gone my entire career without facing you and cemented my legacy? That’s a load right there. Y’see, Joanna, you are part of the big picture! Defeating you in such a hellacious match is going to be a GRAND highlight in my career, moreso than winning this championship was! That list of people you gave off in regards to VOW shows promise. You’ve beaten people I could only DREAM of FACING, let alone beating. Datura? Lost three times. Cera? Got my ass handed to me inside of a fucking Freezer. Ryder Blade? Casanova English? It’ll be YEARS before I have even a chance of stepping into the ring with them. But, you… you’ve beaten them all and now stand before me. I see you as a grand challenge, Joanna. You aren’t a sideshow… you deserve the main event, but it’s okay… the opening contest is just as important! It gives the crowd a showcase of the carnage to come… something they’ll be taking about all the way to the main event and beyond. You claim no one is going to leave the same after our match? That’s completely fine! Why? Because we’re going to steal the damn show together with this sanguine waltz.
Max chuckled for a moment to himself.
MAX: But let’s focus on the present and not the match to come… not just yet. You claim that I merely took this belt because I played the role of the opportunist, correct? That’s fair and fine. Believe me, I spent the first month and a half with Datura’s name on my lips because she stole matches at my expense a total of THREE times now; two indirectly and once at Heatstroke in that final pinfall. I am a lot of things, but a hypocrite is something I try to avoid.
His gaze shifted from jovial to serious now. It wasn’t the soul-stabbing glare it was before, but his eyes still held weight in their message.
MAX: I knew exactly what I was doing when I challenged you, not to a match, but a fight. I knew what I was doing when I made certain that it would just be you and me in that ring and no one else to interfere. Why? It’s because I’m not scared of you. I’m not afraid of you, do you understand me? I respect you as a competitor and as a blood-stained brawler, like myself, and I’m ready to give you one-hundred percent and more. I do hope you’ll do the same. Emotions in the ring is what gets people killed, per say, in the end. You and I both know what got you killed in the Fatal-Four-Way. Arrogance. Ignorance. You underestimated my abilities. You didn’t know where I came from and, quite honestly, I don’t blame you. Hell, I bet you still don’t care do you?
He nodded to himself with the smallest of laughs.
MAX: You don’t. That’s fine. Point being… if I hesitate against you for a moment, I know I’m going to lose. That’s why I’m making my declaration now, Joanna Thade. Warchild, I’m not afraid of Hepthy and I’m not afraid of you. You know the resume of the man before the joke persona of the Renaissance Man. You’re stepping in the ring with the Perfect Disaster, the man who took every single one of those championships without mercy.
He stood up from the bed again, this time taking the championship belt with him. His face was out of view from the camera as he approached it… up until he knelt down right in front of the lens. He held the I4NI Championship’s main plate for Joanna to see before his face showed right behind it. He looked… determined.
MAX: I don’t need your pity. I need your blood. I need your hatred and I need your anguish. I need everything you’ve got… just so I make sure that when I put you down, girl… it was your brightest flame that I snuffed away from you. I’ll see you at Armed and Dangerous, Joanna. Be ready for a dance to the death, because I’m not letting you take this from me. Not this soon.
Fade to black.
---
Prologue: The Evening of Breakthrough 51.
I… I actually… I don’t know what happened.
“PERFECT DISASTER!”
“THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!”
I throttled both of them… and adrenaline took over. The roar of the crowd drowned the count of the referee…
“ONE! TWO!! THREE!!!”
The bell rung… I… I thought it was going to be like last time. I thought I was going to lose. The deck was stacked against me. Heath was instantly taken out of the match. I was forced to deal with both Horsewomen… but in the end…
“The winner of the match… and your NEW Eye-For-An-Eye Champion! MAX-WELL. SO-LOOOOKE!!”
Not only did I survive…
… I won.
-
Backstage.
The Renaissance Man was smiling from ear-to-ear as he looked over his phone. His fans, the ones who didn’t troll him over promo and gaming streams, were blowing up over twitter about his victory. The EMTs were tending to any open wounds on his person. The soreness would last just as long as his euphoria would. He’d finally won a championship again. He got gold to call his own.
He got the I4NI Hardcore Championship.
As the medics treated him, Darius Yates stepped in. With a cameraman in tow, he approached the newly crowned champion.
“Max! May I get a quick post match interview with you?” He started off as he held the microphone out, excited.
“Oh, course.” Max straightened himself out before looking over to the duo. The medic had finished patching the wrestler up and merely left him with a towel to wipe his wounds. Soloke did just that as the interview went on.
“First off, might I say congratulations on becoming VOW’s new I4NI Champion! You overcame Joanna Thade, Katalina Star, and, arguably enough, the champion Heath Williams himself! How do you feel about this?”
“I… I still can’t get over it, really. Don’t get me wrong, Darius. I’m happy. I’m ecstatic! I’m proud to be a champion for the fans, much like Heath was for them. I’m proud to hold gold again. To be the top of the I4NI division. Well… it is a good feeling. It’s sudden… but it’s good.”
“A lot of people are already started to claim that you don’t deserve that belt already. Even Ruby stated that you only obtained this match out of pity. Your record, no offense, was awful leading up to this match. Anything you’d like to say in that regard?”
Max pondered his thoughts for a brief moment. “I understand where they are coming from. Maybe I don’t deserve this belt. Fresh out of getting my ass handed to me at Heatstroke, I was given an opportunity only because I stepped up. What do you know, though? I won. If anyone has anything to say against this win, then just like Heath did, I will gladly put this belt on the line against them.”
“Even if it was someone like Joanna or Datura? What do you have to say if you have to cross paths with them again, especially seeing as you’re going to be partnered with Joanna for the Third Eye Open Invitational.”
That question made Max think a lot longer. He took a moment to dab away some of the blood pouring from his bandaged wound. He looked Darius in the eyes with a slightly tired expression now as the adrenaline finally died. He spoke softly now as the enthusiasm left his voice. “Let them come, Darius. Especially them. I managed to get merely one point over Datura during the Ironman Match, and took the I4NI match from Joanna with powerbomb through a table and a knee to the head. Datura, I’m sure is done with me, but after tonight, I’m sure Joanna and I aren’t any close to being through. Only time will tell, though.”
“Alright. Last question, then. Do you have any plans going forward?”
“Well. I wouldn’t mind beating Tyler’s score, really.” His tone was still somber-like, but the smile was returning. “I wouldn’t mind proving to be one of the best I4NI Champions that this company has to offer. I wouldn’t even mind beating a streak like Ryder’s or even English’s! But… all in due time, we’ll just have to see.”
“That, we will. Thank you so much for your time, Max, and have a good week up to Breakthrough 52.”
“Thanks, Darius.” Max pulled the I4NI belt from his shoulder and looked over the large metal plate on the front. His blood dripped over it slightly. Fitting enough for a hardcore-esque championship. He hung it proudly over his shoulder one more time before looking up to the roof. “Sky’s the limit at this point.”
-----
Looking the Part, Strut like a Champion and Fall like a Chump.
CityCenterDC Mall, Washington DC
3:29 PM
Looking the Part, Strut like a Champion and Fall like a Chump.
CityCenterDC Mall, Washington DC
3:29 PM
I’m a champion again. I… I have to look the part, right? I’ve got gold over my shoulder!
… Why do I have gold over my shoulder?
That last question wasn’t based around the fact that the Disaster was champion, but more to the fact that he actually took his championship belt with him to the mall. It got a number of stares as he wore it over his shoulder like an idiot. After a woman relatively close to his age gave him a full check-out from top to bottom with a bit of a disgruntled look, he decided it would be best to just put the belt away within his messenger bag.
Outside of the belt, he did not stand out among the crowd of people whatsoever. Tattered jeans and a band shirt was the usual garb. His hair parted right down the middle and tucked itself behind his ears. He played the generic part of a young adult probably on his way to either a Hot Topic or a Barnes and Noble. On any other day, Max would probably be spending his time in either for some casual clothing or a manga to read on the road.
But, with his championship bonus in hand, he had other plans for the day. The shop he was looking for today was apparel. He stepped into the first thing that he came across: Gucci.
The sun was high in the clear skies above the District of Columbia. However, Max’s own head was filled with dark clouds as he walked around the shopping center.
Two to three thousand for a goddamn suit?! Fuuuck that!
Ever since he had become champion, he was concerned over looking the part. A champion needed to carry himself with a luxurious aura. A champion needed to look like a million bucks. A champion needed to design himself to match the metal that makes his belt.
However, Max did not make enough from his championship bonus to even afford trying on a designer suit, let alone buy the thing. Mixed in with his own funds, Max had roughly $750 to spend on his outing today. He looked around all over the CityCenterDC mall for something nice within his price range… Just a nice brown jacket to match the bronze of his championship belt.
Gucci, heritage velvet jacket: $3,200
Paul Stuart, Black Italian Wool Jacket: $2,285
Canali, Brown Cashmere and Silk Exclusive Taormina Jacket: $2,795
Burberry, Modern Fit Wool Mohair: $1,550
Hugo Boss, ‘Reyno/Wave’: $1,295
For Fuck’s Sake, a shirt at VINCE is around $300! Why do people buy clothes at this high of a price? Fuck this. Where is the nearest Ross. There has GOT to be something better for buying some sort of cheap suit.
With that, he departed from the CityCenter mall to look around at other options. He pulled out his iPhone and went straight to the internet as he walked around the sidewalks. Another way to fit in with the crowd: keep your face in your phone at all times. While he played the Death of a Bachelor album from his phone to his earbuds, he looked up a simple phrase in hopes he could find something for him:
Suits for less.
Sure enough, one of the things that he found was a shop that sold outfits that looked appealing at less than ten percent of even Hugo Boss.
Blazer Slim-Fit: $69.99
Suit Pants Slim-Fit: $49.99
Perfect!
With that… Max bolted for the nearest H&M store.
---
Online Stream
Hilton Garden Inn
October 9th, 2016
10:10 PM
Static.
MAXWELL SOLOKE: Would you turn on already? Christ almighty.
Whack. Whack. Whack!
MAX: Fucking hell… my webcam seems to be broken guys. Wait… wait, hold on, I think it’s coming to!
WHACK! The picture seemed to finally come to view… to show a rather busted up Soloke with a grin over his face.
MAX: Hey, guys! I’m back for another stream that I know you guys love.
His eyes instantly darted over towards his gaming stream’s chat room. He gave a hearty laugh before holding his hand up.
MAX: Alright, alright! You guys seem extremely concerned! Let me answer some of your questions real fast. First question comes from… PussySlayer69. … Well, then. Anyway:
Why are you in a suit?
MAX: Well… when you see all of those World-Class champions strutting to the ring with gold over their shoulder, what do you notice about them? If they aren’t in a fight, they’re looking their best. They are putting their championship bonuses and main event status to work! So… I kind of wanted to emulate that today. I wanted to look like a champion! Now, onto the next question from… UrAHomo. Aw, well thank you!
What kind of balls did you grow to outright challenge Joanna Thade?! Do you have a death wish?!
MAX: Quite possibly. You see… as I told Joanna when I put out the challenge, I felt like things were unfinished between us. I could have just as easily challenged Katalina Star to a match at Armed and Dangerous… but that doesn’t carry as much weight as this match does. Joanna is probably still seething to the fact that she let me best her at Breakthrough 51. She wants nothing more to destroy me… and quite honestly, I want to give her that chance. Why?
MAX: It is because we’ve both got something to prove. She wants to prove as wrong as I want to prove her. I’m sure she cannot stand the fact that I talked so much shit BACK AT HER after she talked me down into obscurity. She cannot bare the fact that I outplayed both her and Katalina when I threw them both into the mat and planted her for the championship. I understand where she is coming from. Even if she’d never admit it… she wants revenge. She wants to right the wrong that she allowed when she underestimated me. She wants to make sure she knows for a fact that, much like she did before Heatstroke, she can decimate me in that ring alone. As for me, what do I get from this match?
MAX: Vindication. I shut her up partially when I won the I4NI Championship belt, but that isn’t good enough for me as well. I’ll be the first to admit it: I stole that match. If Joanna had planted Katalina Star with the ElectoShock Therapy, she would have won without a single question. But, my annoying self just HAD to get in the middle of it, right? Trust me, I know how that feels: to have a match taken away from you. I know how it feels to want to behead the person who screwed you. That’s why I’m not choosing to hide and avoid Joanna. I want to fight her. I want to give her that chance to take off my head. But, most important of all?
His eyes narrowed as his lips curled into a sadistic smirk, if not for a moment as he spoke the following statements:
MAX: I want to be the one that puts an end to War. I want her to come at me with that same blood-provoked fury she had before… and I want to be the one that puts that rabid dog down once and for all to finally put all the naysayers to rest about my skills and my reign as champion. Because, if I get MY way? This belt isn’t leaving my side for a while… and it sure as hell will not fall to Joanna. Not this fast.
He took a deep breath to calm himself before returning to his happier state-of-mind.
MAX: Alright. Last question from… TrumpForPrez2016. … Okay, how about someone else. How about from… okay, I’m not even going to DIGNIFY that username by mentioning it, but I will answer your question… whilst hopefully one of the moderators gets to banning your ass.
Why do you look like you just got fucked in a back alley?
MAX: Heh… funny story about that, actually! Y’see… after I took a trip to… uhm… GUCCI, yeah, we’ll go with that one. After I bought some RATHER NICE LOOKING suits from GUCCI… I decided to practice my walk in public on my way back to the hotel room… in the dead of night… Heh. Shame on me, right? So, naturally… I got jumped on my way home… Was one guy with a knife. He did not know who I was but merely wanted everything I had: my belt, my phone, and my wallet namely. Naturally… I gave him the belt first before swinging by bag straight for his skull. A couple of books and a bulky handheld put him down to the ground fast. We rolled around on the sidewalk for a bit, it was very erotic, I assure you. But, in the end, I had my happy ending… and knocked his ass out with a very passive punt to the head. Y’know, I should just make a punt kick a signature move at this point; it’s how I deal with all of my issues outside of the ring. But, in any case, the fucker did get a good swipe at my chest and a punch or two to the face, but hey, it’s all good in the end, right? I mean… a hardcore champion shouldn’t be all nice looking anyway, right? They should look… banged up… and look like they don’t give a shit.
Max took a moment to think about what he just said before he groaned exceptionally loud towards the air.
MAX: It took me an entire afternoon, an ass-kicking session with a stranger, and about $300 to realize that I don’t need this shit right now. Fuck it, where is my Panic! T-shirt. Let me get changed, and we’ll play some fan games tonight, okay?
Max got up from his desk to go look for his clothing. Right before he left the view of the camera, he coughed a little. Blood splattered over the hands that instinctively covered his mouth, as well as his jacket. He looked down at both for a moment with dimmed eyes and a small smirk.
MAX: I’ve missed the color red, though… oh, how I’ve missed you plenty.
---
1:18 AM
Static. A faint voice could be heard.
MAX: Camera in position… tattered jeans… blood-stained Panic! T-shirt… I think this should do for this promotional video. Heh… I’ve gotten myself into quite the pickle this time, haven’t I?
The picture slowly becomes clearer and clearer. This isn’t a stream for the fans this time around. Instead of using his laptop’s webcam for this, he set up a tripod in his hotel room. Maxwell Soloke sat on his bed with his championship belt loosely held over his hunched shoulders. He looked down to the ground for a moment as he spoke.
MAX: I’m not going to lie: I don’t think I’m going to win this. Heh. But, that’s fine. Win or lose, I got to be a champion for a sliver of time again. But, I hope I win. I really hope I win, just to show that I’m not going to end up being a paper champion. I don’t want to be a transitional champion.
He adjusted the I4NI Championship over his shoulder. He sat himself up and rolled his shoulders before addressing the one person this recording is targeted at.
MAX: Joanna, this is going to be the last time we face off against each other, even if it’s for a while. We’re going to be stuck together as partners for the Third Eye Open tournament. So, hopefully we can squash any… personal issues at Armed and Dangerous, okay? I’d like to believe we both didn’t join this tournament just to lose in the first round and that we MIGHT be able to co-exist as allies for it.
He readjusted himself for a moment. From both his expression, which turned from collected to determined, to his body, which shifted from a casual slouch to a serious and upright pose, he readied himself for what would follow next:
MAX: But, that is then. This is now; and now, we’re opponents trying to close out this little rivalry. To those of you just joining, let me give you a recap of the history between The Warchild and the Renaissance Man. Thade defeats Soloke to qualify for the Quest for the Case match at Heatstroke. Soloke qualifies after toppling Craig Anderson and Patrick Jones. Soloke and Thade both end the Ironman Match at Heatstroke with a score of one point each. Soloke, Thade, and Katalina Star step up to Heath Williams’s open challenge for the I4NI Championship. Finally, at Breakthrough 51, Soloke… ‘steals’ the victory by capitalizing on Thade and Star being flung from the top rope and by driving his knee straight through the skull of the Warchild to become the new I4NI Champion.
He looked over at the bronze-plated belt for a moment with a modest smile before looking back to the camera with the same charisma.
MAX: So, as it stands, the record is BASICALLY 1-1-1 between us. This is the tiebreaker, Joanna.
He took a moment to take in some air and ponder his thoughts. His head leaned back with closed eyes before he turned his focus again.
MAX: If I asked you what your opinion of me was when I came back in this company, you probably couldn’t give a damn. But, I knew of you. The first match I saw of yours was against E. You… interested me. You went on a rampage from that match on, up to Heatstroke and barring Ryder Blade, you never lost. You had so much momentum… but here’s the biggest mistake you made, and I am so glad you owned up to it: you underestimated me. At Breakthrough 48, that’s fine. You kicked my ass and didn’t give me a second thought. At Heatstroke? Same thing. You, as well as everyone else in that match, made it a point to make me out into a human punching bag. But… Breakthrough 51, with championship gold on the line and you STILL doubted me? I’d think it would be wise not to doubt ANYONE when titles are in the question.
He flashed the front plate of the I4NI Championship to the camera before looking it over himself.
MAX: Let me run down something for you real fast. Let me tell you who I am in full, so you are PREPARED this time. Here is YOUR history lesson.
He put the championship on the bed before glaring into the lens of the camera as if it was the barrel of a gun.
MAX: I have gone by many names in my career: The Wild Factor. The Showstopper. The Perfect Disaster. My name is Maxwell Soloke. I have been wrestling professionally… rather, I have been just FIGHTING professionally for four years now, but I have been involved with combat sports for six years on account of having some fun in illegal back-alley brawls under the guide of “MMA.” While I may not have won a World Championship, I have, instead, held over my head NINETEEN championships: One of those championships may have been of a World Class but was not actually named as such, two of those have been inter-federation, and, count them, TWELVE OF THEM, including the current one, have been for HARDCORE STIPULATIONS. Nine-time CLAW Anything, Anytime, Anywhere 24/7 Champion. One-time WWI Bloodstain Champion. One-time RSW Rampage Champion. And, finally, your current Eye-For-An-Eye Champion. I have toppled most every in-ring giant I have faced, from seven-foot and five-hundred pounds, to a midget high on LSD and Crack Cocaine. No, I’m not kidding about that last one.
His gaze never wavered for a second; he barely even blinked.
MAX: Joanna, if you had met me about two years ago, you’d probably have me quaking in my boots scared shitless. Hell, you might even find the means to still do that if you surprise me. But, I will say this. I’ve dealt with all manners of crazy. I’ve dealt with all manners of hardcore. You see… I was just like you back then and, in a federation like this with the talent it has, I still am. A sideshow act with a love for pain, both giving AND taking.
As if to put emphasis on his point, he got up close to the camera and pointed to his right eye. It was hard to tell now, but it looks like a knife severer over it.
MAX: In a circus federation alone, I have had my skull fractured on chairs, ringposts, dumpsters, cigar humidors, bags of gold coins… I’ve been backdropped through glass and thumbtacks… I HAVE BEEN THROWN FROM TWENTY-FOOT CAGES INTO ANNOUNCE TABLES TWICE! With every pain delivered onto me, I delivered onto others. I have broken bones. I have legitimately knocked teeth straight down people’s throats. I have tormented so many victims within that squared circle; but no one you’d know by name so what is the point of listing them, right? I understand fully that this is not a wrestling match, Joanna. Why do you think I challenged you to a match of this caliber? It fits the championship, and more importantly, it fits us.
He sat back on the bed again with a bit of a confident smirk over his lips again. His arms and legs crossed as he talked down to the camera again.
MAX: I could have gone my entire career without facing you and cemented my legacy? That’s a load right there. Y’see, Joanna, you are part of the big picture! Defeating you in such a hellacious match is going to be a GRAND highlight in my career, moreso than winning this championship was! That list of people you gave off in regards to VOW shows promise. You’ve beaten people I could only DREAM of FACING, let alone beating. Datura? Lost three times. Cera? Got my ass handed to me inside of a fucking Freezer. Ryder Blade? Casanova English? It’ll be YEARS before I have even a chance of stepping into the ring with them. But, you… you’ve beaten them all and now stand before me. I see you as a grand challenge, Joanna. You aren’t a sideshow… you deserve the main event, but it’s okay… the opening contest is just as important! It gives the crowd a showcase of the carnage to come… something they’ll be taking about all the way to the main event and beyond. You claim no one is going to leave the same after our match? That’s completely fine! Why? Because we’re going to steal the damn show together with this sanguine waltz.
Max chuckled for a moment to himself.
MAX: But let’s focus on the present and not the match to come… not just yet. You claim that I merely took this belt because I played the role of the opportunist, correct? That’s fair and fine. Believe me, I spent the first month and a half with Datura’s name on my lips because she stole matches at my expense a total of THREE times now; two indirectly and once at Heatstroke in that final pinfall. I am a lot of things, but a hypocrite is something I try to avoid.
His gaze shifted from jovial to serious now. It wasn’t the soul-stabbing glare it was before, but his eyes still held weight in their message.
MAX: I knew exactly what I was doing when I challenged you, not to a match, but a fight. I knew what I was doing when I made certain that it would just be you and me in that ring and no one else to interfere. Why? It’s because I’m not scared of you. I’m not afraid of you, do you understand me? I respect you as a competitor and as a blood-stained brawler, like myself, and I’m ready to give you one-hundred percent and more. I do hope you’ll do the same. Emotions in the ring is what gets people killed, per say, in the end. You and I both know what got you killed in the Fatal-Four-Way. Arrogance. Ignorance. You underestimated my abilities. You didn’t know where I came from and, quite honestly, I don’t blame you. Hell, I bet you still don’t care do you?
He nodded to himself with the smallest of laughs.
MAX: You don’t. That’s fine. Point being… if I hesitate against you for a moment, I know I’m going to lose. That’s why I’m making my declaration now, Joanna Thade. Warchild, I’m not afraid of Hepthy and I’m not afraid of you. You know the resume of the man before the joke persona of the Renaissance Man. You’re stepping in the ring with the Perfect Disaster, the man who took every single one of those championships without mercy.
He stood up from the bed again, this time taking the championship belt with him. His face was out of view from the camera as he approached it… up until he knelt down right in front of the lens. He held the I4NI Championship’s main plate for Joanna to see before his face showed right behind it. He looked… determined.
MAX: I don’t need your pity. I need your blood. I need your hatred and I need your anguish. I need everything you’ve got… just so I make sure that when I put you down, girl… it was your brightest flame that I snuffed away from you. I’ll see you at Armed and Dangerous, Joanna. Be ready for a dance to the death, because I’m not letting you take this from me. Not this soon.
Fade to black.
