Pay Attention. (O2A)

[Kyle Nobbs]

I CAN'T WAIT

*And Nobbs' theme announces his arrival on the PA. He's all smirks as always, smiling menacingly at the booing crowd. And he chuckles to himself too, thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. He paces himself on the way to the ring, going slow and interacting with the odd fan here or there... You know, lunging at small children to frighten them, or sizing up a potential victim challenging him to a fight. But soon he is standing in the ring with a microphone in his hand, and he begins to speak.*

"My friends, thank you for that wonderful introduction. It really warms my heart to see that I've captured your attention so quickly. Hell, I remember back when I was Chuckles the Flying Gnome all of you here in this building wouldn't have even given me the time of day...

But now, I can't be ignored. Or... Can I?

You see, I did exactly what I said I was going to do. I BEAT Craig Helman, and JOKEr too, in that triple threat Iron Man match. And I also said that I would use Helman as a stepping stone to get to a Gladiator Title match against Brent Starr. But it astounds me that, after all our history together, Starr hasn't even so much as acknowledged my claim. He hasn't come out to this ring and answered my challenges, he hasn't gotten off his high horse and humbled himself enough to make note of my existence.

Your Gladiator Champion, is an egotistical, opportunity-stealing ass. And right now, I am holding this show hostage. I am going to remain in this ring until either Brent Starr comes on down here to accept my challenge for a Gladiator Title match, or Chris Lionheart himself walks on down that ramp to grant me what is my due. Brent Starr took what was rightfully mine, and I demand compensation from him.

So, Brent Starr! Lionheart... One of you surely has to be hearing this. The building isn't THAT big. If you want this Collision Course tournament to continue, you will come down to this ring and give me what's mine.

I am not moving."

[Chris Lionheart]

Lionheart comes down to the ring, looking completely fed-up. He has a microphone in hand already, so it's clear that he isn't beating around the bush tonight.

You're holding the show hostage, because you have something important to say, right? That reminds me of myself in the past. But when I used to get on a microphone and bring the show to a halt I really did have something important to say. Something I beleived in with all my heart. You want to know the difference between you and I holding up the show?

Lionheart slaps Nobbs right accross the face.

When I did it I was sticking up for the young guys in the locker room. When I did it, I went to work every week and I stole the show in Ohio. And now I look at people like you and all I see are the mistakes of my past![/color]

Nobbs goes to raise his microphone to say something, but Lionheart swatts it out of his hand, and watches it drop to the ring canvas.

I'm not done yet! I didn't win an accolade like Lord Of The Ring 2006, or FallOut 2012 in your case, and then proceed to take half a year off. I took advantage of every opportunity that was given and I earned my way to the top, before sticking up for people like you got me fired!

Lionheart shakes his head in disgust.

I didn't realize that when I was championing the 'new blood' and the 'new generation' of wrestlers, that you were all a bunch of lazy bastards, who were more interested in "winning", and title belts, than you were about improving yourself in the ring, on the mic, and drawing the most amount of money you could. C'mon Kyle, what is this, your second match back from a long hiatus and you want Brent Starr one on one? How about fuck what you want!?

[Kyle Nobbs]

"You fu..."

*Nobbs shakes his own head and glares at Lionheart. Not taking his eyes from his employer Nobbs stoops down and picks up the microphone. Standing up straight again, Nobbs moves up and gets right in Lionheart's face. Nose to nose, the two stare each other down for a moment... And then Nobbs backs off to give himself some talking room.*

"You know, Chris, for some reason I was expecting more from you. When I broke out into this business, I looked up to you. Hell, I even called you a friend once. While you were *ahem* 'championing the new blood' as you put it, I put myself out there as your champion.

And now, you have the audacity to come out here and slap me in the face? Me, who's always had your back? You're gonna call me a lazy fuck? Well hey Chris, if you want to fight me here and now, I'd gladly be willing to dust off your ring rust for you.

Oh wait, do you even wrestle anymore, Chris? Can you even take a hit anymore?"

*Nobbs repeats the question a few times without the microphone, and then looks around at the crowd. It seems like they don't quite know how to respond to this confrontation... But then, suddenly, Nobbs turns back and slaps Lionheart in his own face, and the sound echoes through the arena.*

"Come on, then. Let's see what you got! I am not moving until you give me what's rightfully mine. Fuck what I want? How about 'fuck you'. I earned this, I deserve this, and I'm NOT MOVING!!!"

[Chris Lionheart]

Lionheart's eye bulge out of his head as he turns red, getting irate.

Now you've done it! Now you've... You wanna slap me, boy? Lemme tell ya something... Kyle Nobbs --

Lionheart lowers his non-microphone hand to his waist.

See that, that's you -- Shut the fuck up, or I'll show you that I can still snap some bones the same way I showed Genesis in Japan that I can still put people in the hospital! I'm not as corporate as this suit and tie make me seem.

Lionheart raises his hand to his throat, indicating that he is of a much higher station than Nobbs.

And here's Chris Lionheart. Your Submission Gawd. The Lord of 'Your' Ring... Oh, and here's something else. If I hadn't have wasted years... YEARS of my career, my life, trying to help punks like you be better than you ever could be... I'd be even higher!

Lionheart throws his hand up into the air, high above his head, indicating his career sky rocketing.

So as big as I am, even with weight of the world on my shoulders, even when I was blackballed as a wrestler and my creative ideas ripped from my heart and mangled beyond recognition, you just remember the sacrifices that I've made for people like you!

Lionheart pauses, realizing that quite a lot of blood had begun to trickle from his nose curtesy of Nobbs' slap. The kid had an arm on him alright. Chris spits a giant glob of blood over Nobbs, hitting mostly his chest, but also splattering some accross Nobbs' chin.

I might not wrestle anymore, but I went out on top. As the World Champion of this great company, where politics don't play a part of who holds the strap. Against the hottest wrestler in the business at that point, Ryan Blaze. I clawed my way back from the incident in Ohio and I earned everything that I got in my career's 'second wind'. I may not wrestle anymore on U.S. soil, but at least I've been a World Champion in a globally recognized company both here and in Ohio. If you want to add your name to the list of World Champions for this company, you will earn it. Not stroll in after hiatus and get a title shot. Do you fucking hear me, kid?

[Craig Helman]

With Lionhearts last words, the arena speakers start to blare "Am I Evil" by Metallica as Craig Helman makes his way out onto the stage and toward the ring.CLimbing in through the ropes and walking up to Lionheart.

Sorry Mr. Lionheart, I know that I was probably the last person that you would hav expected to come out, I sir have no prolems with you. I have followed your career, I have seen how you enjoyed stepping into this ring or any other ring for that matter. Chris, you and I go back a long way and I am not out here to confront you.

Helman turns to look at Kyle Nobbs, pointing his finger at Nobbs.

You Kyle, are a different story, yes you said that you would use me as a stepping stone, yes you did beat me AND JOKER in a triple threat ironman match, so you cant say that you beat me by yourself. You have yet to see what I can do in this ring one on one. Now after our match you want to say that our champion is an egotistical, opportunity-stealing ass, I may not know the champion personally, I have never wrestled the champion in this ring myself, but right now I do know of one person that is an egotistical pain and that is you Kyle. You see, only someone that is egotistical will come out here, stand in this ring and say the things that you have. And trust me Kyle, in my career as a wrestler, I have come across some people with some humongous egos, and those egos didnt last long in the end.I'm not one of these people that come out here and say that I deserve a title shot, hell if I get a title shot in my career, so be it, so be it, I get a title shot, I dont come out here and hold a show hostage until I get what I want, I come out and do what I do, say what I have to say and go about my business.

Helman looks out to the fans who are both cheering and booing at what is going on in the ring.

Now I have to say that if you really want to say that you have used me as a stepping stone, how about you and me in a one on one match, no one else in the ring, no one helping the other, because you see, in the triple threat match that we were in, you won, yes, but you didnt win by a landslide, I also had some pins of my own, but if you want to, we can settle this like men and not some little kids that throw fits on christmas when they didnt get that toy or video game that they had been asking for all year long.

Helman turns to look at Chris Lionheart before turning his attention back to Kyle Nobbs.

So Nobbs, what do you have to say, are you game or not? And lets make this interesting, if you win, you can stop your damn complaining and wait for the course of action to take its place for the right time that it is meant to be for you to step into this ring and face the champion for the title.

[Lucas Styles]

A thundering cacophony of drums begins to swirl around the arena. The crowd begins to stir and buzz as screeching guitars join the rousing sound, propelling the pulses of everyone in attendance further and further, into dangerous territories. The house lights drop down and the sound continues to drive everyone further and further into a frenzy.

"I must have read a thousand faces
I must have robbed them of their cause
sickened thirst, sickened thirst
keeps it together
soft white glow in the cranium
a bulls eye made sedated"


Movement can be seen on the stage as the man in the song begins screaming "BEWARE!", as if warning the entire crowd of what is coming. Their eyes strain through the darkness to make out shapes and shifting weight. Camera flashes explode throughout the arena and as people begin looking at their screens to see the hidden figure, the noise in the building grows even more deafening.

Kyle…Kyle…Kyle.

A voice cuts through the music still booming through the arena.

How far you have fallen my…friend.

The lights slowly rise in the arena as the music fades out and standing tall upon the stage staring directly down at the ring, cold, calculated violence painted gorgeously across his face. Lucas Styles. The crowd roars, throats ripping in celebration of his arrival. Kyle looks stunned in the ring, and Lionheart has a smirk matching the one growing across Lucas' face.

It has been awhile hasn't it folks?!

The crowd erupts in further cheers for the returning superstar.

Yes it has, yes it has. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it seems like you've all missed me. Don't you worry your cute little heads though, I've been keeping busy. I've been training, observing, learning.

Lucas begins pacing back and forth on the stage, running a hand through his hair, a look of discomfort growing apparent on his face.

Learning…ha…ha…ha. Do you know what I've learned? Do you want to know what Lucas Styles has realized? That this business has fallen to absolute shambles and a prime example stands in that ring, right now.

The crowds reactions begin to become mildly mixed at Lucas' statements. While they weren't necessarily fond of Kyle either, Lucas' sudden change in demeanour seems to be sitting them on edge.


Kyle, I expected more out of you. This is what you've let yourself become? A snivelling fool. Perhaps it's with age that your backbone has grown a little thicker, but the mask you wear is still paper thin. Your weight grew to be far too much for me to carry back in Ohio, back in the early days. I DID THE HEAVY LIFTING, AND YOU BROKE. I'm ashamed to have ever called you a colleague, let alone a partner and friend.

Lucas stops his pacing and stands at the very top of the ramp, his eyes unwavering from Kyle. He's transfixed on a man he once called his best friend.

Go ahead, tell me I gave up and tell me that I quit. I did, I left the business. I took a big step back and realized what this twisted game had become, and what it had made me become.

So why return? Why come back if I so despise all that this is? I am here to be a glorious purge. See Mr. Lionheart is quite the brilliant man. He saw a problem, and he found a solution. THE solution. I am that solution.

Kyle you have as much clout as I do in this business right now, strolling in demanding title shots and performing occupy I:W acts. Come on. I'd like to say I expect more out of you but seeing it in action, I always knew you had so much weakness inside you. Weaknesses I plan to exploit. Would you like me to go over the ways intend on breaking you?

Lucas begins to laugh as he can see anger rising in Kyle's eyes.

Wait wait wait though Kyle don't think it's just you I'm after.

Lucas points at Chris.

Yeah I'm talking to you…whoever the fuck you are? First things first, why don't you just back up and pry your nose out of my bosses ass. Hell, I hate to try support him inadvertently but you're even worse than Nobbs.

Lucas cackles again, resting his hands on his knees as he allows himself a good hard laugh at the fools he sees. Gasping for breath, he collects himself and can be seen egging on both men in the ring verbally, before raising the mic back up to let everyone hear the venom he's spitting at these men.

Egos right? I must have ONE HELL OF AN EGO to be coming out here like this.

He nearly begins laughing again.

Listen, friend-o, if you don't want to deal with egos, go find a new profession. If you want to be anything, throw your damn morals out the window or enjoy getting your ass handed to you, by the likes of Nobbs. It's so unfortunate that I actually have to say something like that.

I mean you can't even form complete thoughts and you expect someone to not come out here and call you a stupid piece of shit? Well guess what, you're a stupid piece of shit. You expect to get places being nice and kissing everyone's ass? Let's see how well that fairs when I have your face underneath my boot.

Lucas lowers the mic, once again inaudibly taunting the two men in the ring, anxiously awaiting their response to his sudden arrival.[/center][/font]

[Kyle Nobbs]

*And Kyle looks at Lucas. He looks at Helman, and looks at Lionheart. But back to Lucas. His former partner, arriving so suddenly... What was he supposed to think? How was he supposed to feel?

Kyle didn't know. Kyle didn't care to find out, evidently, as he just simply leaves his microphone and the ring behind. He doesn't answer Craig's challenge. He doesn't offer any sort of retort to Lucas' venomous words towards him... He just slips out of the ring and leaves.

He knew that he wouldn't fight tonight. And he didn't care. His whole world was thrown upside down at this ghost of his past... And he didn't like it much.*