Post by Gerard Angelo on Jun 30, 2024 13:54:10 GMT -5
It had been nearly two months since Anthony Angelo had awoken from his coma. Gerard stayed at his father’s side for the first few days, answering questions and filling in the blanks as best as possible. To Tony’s credit, most of his first few questions after he figured out what was going on were about Katia and Anthony Junior. While he was initially furious about what Windthrope had done to him, after a few days, he seemed to agree with Gerard that taking the Doctor’s deal was the only course of action.
It's not like they had a choice anyway. The next few weeks were spent getting Anthony Senior ready to lead an everyday life when all was said and done. Being in the coma for as long as he was had caused his body to start to atrophy. Tony had to relearn how to walk again over the next few weeks and even work up the strength for simple tasks such as feeding himself. Gerard had split time at the facility, helping his father, while the rest of his time, he had been traveling all over the country fulfilling his duties as the World Heavyweight Champion. It was Evolution season, and the biggest show of the year needed the champion going on SportsCenter, First Take, CBS Mornings, and hitting the late-night trifecta of Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon.
With all that had gone on the past few months, Gerry had been nervous about leaving his father alone at the facility. He was pleasantly surprised that the medical staff were honoring their Hippocratic oath. He watched as his father grew stronger every time he returned from his media tours to visit. Gerard had convinced Doctor Windthrope to wait until Tony was strong enough to move under his own power to complete their arrangement. He figured it would make his father feel like he had a semblance of control, like he wasn't being railroaded into this scheme. It was the least John could do after kidnapping and replacing Tony with a clone.
Soon, Tony was slowly making it around with just a cane. Despite being angry when he first heard what happened, Tony slowly became more cheerful as the weeks went on. He even shocked Gerard by speaking about how great the Phoenix Project is and how foolish he was trying to pull the plug. Gerard repeatedly convinced himself this wasn’t just another clone saying these things. Anthony even demanded to see John Windthrope and tell him how wrong he was. The Angelo family's patriarch called his lawyers shortly after that to get the documents drawn up to cement Windthrope and the Phoenix Project as a pillar of AngTech.
The day soon came for the historic contract signing, planned for the weekend before Independence Day so the company could announce it's new era coinciding with America's birthdate. Rising stock shares were as American as guns and apple pie, Gerry thought to himself. Windthrope had his staff set up one of the conference rooms at the facility. Nothing over the top; they just added extra chairs and a few bottles of scotch to celebrate once the ink dried. The extra chairs were added because Tony requested that all awake clones be present for history. After all, he argued eloquently, they were the reason for Windthrope's success. Gerard sat at the head of the long conference table. To his left sat John Windthrope, and on his right sat his father. Next to each sat a lawyer, whispering to them all the same. Gerard cast glances down at the clones of himself sitting on Windthrope’s side, wondering if any of the three were G. If he was there, he made no effort to distinguish himself. Sitting next to Windthrope’s lawyer was the clone of his father. His father and his clone had stared at each other for an uncomfortable minute when they arrived, which wasn’t all that odd considering the circumstances. Behind the Doctor stood Captain Castle while other members of the Bronze Company stood around the room, stoic as statues behind the black tinted visor of their helmets.
“Shall we get started then?” Tony asked, breaking the silence that had overtaken the room. His lawyer put a briefcase on the table and unlocked it, reaching into and pulling out the stack of contract papers. The lawyer placed them neatly on the table and pushed them toward his counterpart to read over. Tony looked across the table at John and then at the clones.
“If you had just shown me this is what you were working on instead of the odd cloned human body part, I would’ve kept the funding going indefinitely,” he said, gesturing at the clones. Windthrope sighed.
“You would’ve demanded things we weren’t prepared to give, Tony. I know you.”
As the contract signing reached its climax, the tension in the room was palpable. Windthrope’s lawyer finished reviewing the contract and nodded at John, sliding the papers over. Windthrope picked up a pen and scribbled his signature across the bottom of the paper. He pushed the papers and pen across the table towards Tony. The elder Angelo picked up the pen, his eyes fixed on the doctor, a smirk playing on his lips. The silence was deafening, each moment stretching the nerves of everyone in the room. The pen hovered over the paper, the weight of the decision hanging in the air.
“I’ve known you a long time, John. I never thought you’d have it for an elaborate plot like this. Kidnapping me, cloning me and my son, basically taking over my company. I underestimated you, old friend. Something I’m loathe to do with anyone.”
“Sounds like I’ve earned your respect.”
“Not many people can get on by me,” he replied as he jotted his name on the contract and slid it to his lawyer, “But that still doesn’t mean you can underestimate me, John.”
“What do you mean?” the doctor asked, furrowing his brow. Anthony’s smirk split into a wide grin.
“You should read documents before you sign them, old friend. Your signature on that paper just signed all the rights to your research over to me.”
Tony continued to grin at Windthrope, the doctor’s face turned as red as a tomato, and he scowled at his lawyer.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed out, looking like he’d throttle the attorney, “you’re supposed to catch this shit!”
“Oh, he did, John. But remember, whose dollar pays for all this. Your counsel is my counsel.”
Windthrope’s rage turned from the lawyer to across the table at Anthony, ready to leap across and tear him apart like a wild animal.
“You no good dirty sonovabitch. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance! Castle! Shoot him!”
Gerard’s muscles tensed up, ready to spring into action to protect his father, but the captain didn’t even flinch. Windthrope turned and looked at him incredulously before looking back at Tony, who continued to grin like the cat who caught the canary.
“Whose dollar pays for everything? Captain, if you would.”
Castle moved with surprising speed and pulled his handgun from his holster. The barrel pressed up against Windthrope’s temple, and bang! Gerard sat there in shock as fragments of skull and brain matter landed on him and all over the table. The other members of the bronze company also drew their weapons and executed the Gerard clones. The original Gerry watched in horror as they fell out of their chairs or slumped on the table. Castle even took care of the two attorneys with brutal efficiency. He turned his horrified stare at his father.
“Dad, what the fuck are you doing?!”
“What needed to be done, Gerry. This man attacked our family. He could’ve killed me. Or you. Or Katia and the baby. I was protecting the family.”
“This isn’t fucking Game of Thrones!”
Tony had already turned his attention to his own clone, the only one who the Bronze company hadn’t killed.
“You there. I have a particular assignment for you. And I assume you don’t want to join the rest of these men, so you’ll do it.”
Anthony’s clone gulped before nodding, still shocked by this turn of events.
“I am in no shape to return home to my wife and child, as you can see from our differences. That would bring up things I don’t want my wife to worry about. I heard you filled in for me marvelously, correct?”
The clone just simply nodded.
“Good. You’ll keep playing me until I’m ready to return and take my place in the public eye. And you’re going to be every bit the loving husband and doting father that I am. Once your job is finished, I will find a new, suitable one for you. Are these agreeable terms?”
The clone nodded again. Tony smiled and clapped his hands before using his cane to push himself to his feet.
“So we are all in agreement then? Fantastic. Captain, dispose of this mess and have this place cleaned will you?”
“Sir,” Castle replied gruffly before barking some orders to his men.
“C’mon, Gerard,” Tony said, leaving, “I believe you have a flight to catch to Los Angeles.”
Gerard was still sitting there in shock, staring at his father.
“You’re just gonna act fucking nonchalant like this after you had six men killed?”
“Like I said, I was protecting the family. Besides, it’s more like one man. Lawyers are soulless as it is, and clones don’t count.”
“They were living and breathing men, Dad. They were me!”
Anthony turned to look at his eldest son and sighed. He stepped forward and put a hand on Gerard’s shoulder.
“They were not you. You are you. Don’t get inside your head and overthink this shit,” he said as he looked Gerard in the eye, “You have a massive championship defense tomorrow. You’ve reached the pinnacle of your profession. Worry about making the family proud. And I’ll worry about protecting it.”
Gerry went to say something but clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. He wanted to protest and say they didn’t deserve to die, but he couldn’t think of a reason to believe this. He was put through hell by a mad scientist, and now, the situation is seemingly solved. His methods may be questionable, but no one could say that Tony Angelo didn’t get results. He sighed and nodded his head in agreement with his father. Tony grinned.
“Good. Now, let us catch that flight, my boy. We have things to discuss.”
It’s here. It’s finally here. What I set my sights on when I signed my name to an Action Wrestling contract in December of 2021. It is the main event of the biggest show in professional wrestling.
Evolution.
I’ve headlined many big shows, but this is different. A certain magic is in the air when it’s Evolution. Ask any competitor, past or present, what it’s like being able to compete at this show. I’ve wrestled at two of these, but the third time’s the charm because I’m the motherfuckin’ headliner. Thousands of tickets were sold because they all wanted to see the greatest ever to do it in Gerard Angelo. Finally, I am getting the respect I deserve from this place. My face is finally on the fucking poster for Evolution, something I was robbed of two years in a row.
Now, I’m walking into Evo as the champion, the standard bearer for the entire industry. The man making this whole company move forward into its new era. And despite it being a new era of ADub, I’m facing off against a man I’ve had quite the history with since the end of 2023.
Oh, Teo, aren't you tired of this song and dance, pal? Are you not weary of me constantly outclassing you every time we wrestle? I’m sure you’re gonna point to that one fluke victory you have over me in that fateful triple-threat match. You flex that lone victory like KG and Paul Pierce flex that lone championship ring. Every other time we’ve been in a match together, I’ve always come out the victor. I’m sure you’d love to wipe those losses away because they don’t fit your narrative that I’m just a snake that hasn’t won anything, while your victory over me is so heroic, right? Now we stand here, ready for our first-ever one-on-one confrontation, and I ask you this, Teo.
What will your excuse be when I defeat you with the eyes of the world watching us? None of your excuses that I pinned someone else in the match or used All-In, which has been part of the company since its inception, will have any fucking merit. You claimed on Clash that I love to twist facts and spin my own narratives, even though you're doing the same, talking about my lack of respect and honor when I went All-In on you. Weren’t you the same Teo Blaze who tried to win the briefcase from me last year?
Are you telling me you would’ve named a time and place to use the guaranteed title shot?
You’re a fucking fool, then.
Success is the only thing that matters in this fucking business. Winning titles and making money, leaving a legacy that’s worth a damn at the end of the day. It’s a cold, heartless business, so you must be equally cold and callous to survive. There’s a reason you toiled away on CursierClash for so long, and it’s because you think this shit is a fucking fairytale. Even after getting moved up to the big leagues, you still treat this shit like you’re doing a bit with Jenson.
What was that Havoc promo? Doing an empty gym, long-winded Rocky Balboa ass monologue.
How fucking cliche can you get?
You expect me to fear you because you won a Havoc full of fucking jobbers, Teo? Hell, you didn’t even win that shit the first time. You almost had your big chance at revenge foiled by a Kyle Shane who hadn’t laced up his boots in nearly half a decade. The same guy I beat clean as a whistle when he was at the top of his game.
Who have you even beaten, Teo? I could go band for band, scalp for scalp, with you, see who has the more impressive list of heads on the wall, but I would just fucking embarrass you. You talk about being a fighter, yet you were the one who was getting underhand softball tossed at him for challengers while you were world champion. Jaice Wilds, an over-the-hill Odin Balfore, and Muru? But you didn’t choose your competition, right? That can't be held against Teo Blaze!
I forgot people can only bring up strength of schedule when I’m the champ. We’re held to different standards, and the company treats you with kid gloves. Just look at our title defenses. All of yours were singles matches, while mine were a triple threat and a fatal four-way. I have to work twice as hard for the same result. So don’t talk to me about honor and respect when you’re getting the franchise player treatment while being a backup. I forgot you get special treatment around here when you convince those idiotic sheep that fill the arenas to buy a bunch of tacky merchandise. And even then, you can’t be trusted as the face of the company.
ADub gave you a whole-ass television show for ya vanilla midget ass, and you still let yourself be overshadowed by a revolving door of half-remembered characters. Even with all those title reigns to your name, you always felt like an afterthought on that show. Somebody else was always the face of that shitty little brand. That’s what was happening to the World title because of you. You were letting it become a fucking joke, letting people like Jaice and Muru come near the most prestigious title in the game. I’m working fucking overtime to restore the prestige it lost because of you. We didn’t even get to close out the go-home Clash to fucking Evolution with our face-to-face. We got sandwiched between a Karlie Nash and Vespertine segment and a fucking Burger King commercial. Instead, Clash closed out with Addy and Sara discussing how they scissored in Mexico after a bender.
That’s how far you’ve brought the title down, Teo. That’s the kind of leadership I’m bringing. I’m returning to the rightful order where the Action Wrestling World title and its holder are treated with the reverence they deserve. A champion the company can be proud of. Not one who wants to walk around abandoned gyms and warehouses and talk to themselves like they’re a late 90s comic book hero. You were a great little story this year, Teo. You fought hard and worked to become the World champion—a feel-good story for the ages. But every story has an ending.
Yours just happens to be a Hollywood Ending. The Teo Blaze experiment was fun, but now it’s time to be serious. Evolution isn’t just about the World Championship. It's about far more. It's about the future of Action Wrestling. The company won’t survive in the hands of someone like you, Teo. I’m the only person who can steer this place in the direction it needs to go.
Because I’m not the champion Action Wrestling needs, I’m the champion Action Wrestling deserves.
An old house sat at the end of a block, looking ordinary from the outside. Even the inside seemed normal. However, the basement was filled with expensive equipment and machines hooked up to a cylindrical cloning pod. The dormant machines suddenly appeared, making noises before stopping just as suddenly. The pod opened, the embryonic fluid flooding the dusty basement floor. The body of a man flopped out and onto his hands and knees. A hand came up and started ripping wires and tubes out as he took a breath of air for the first time.
And he started to cackle.
It's not like they had a choice anyway. The next few weeks were spent getting Anthony Senior ready to lead an everyday life when all was said and done. Being in the coma for as long as he was had caused his body to start to atrophy. Tony had to relearn how to walk again over the next few weeks and even work up the strength for simple tasks such as feeding himself. Gerard had split time at the facility, helping his father, while the rest of his time, he had been traveling all over the country fulfilling his duties as the World Heavyweight Champion. It was Evolution season, and the biggest show of the year needed the champion going on SportsCenter, First Take, CBS Mornings, and hitting the late-night trifecta of Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon.
With all that had gone on the past few months, Gerry had been nervous about leaving his father alone at the facility. He was pleasantly surprised that the medical staff were honoring their Hippocratic oath. He watched as his father grew stronger every time he returned from his media tours to visit. Gerard had convinced Doctor Windthrope to wait until Tony was strong enough to move under his own power to complete their arrangement. He figured it would make his father feel like he had a semblance of control, like he wasn't being railroaded into this scheme. It was the least John could do after kidnapping and replacing Tony with a clone.
Soon, Tony was slowly making it around with just a cane. Despite being angry when he first heard what happened, Tony slowly became more cheerful as the weeks went on. He even shocked Gerard by speaking about how great the Phoenix Project is and how foolish he was trying to pull the plug. Gerard repeatedly convinced himself this wasn’t just another clone saying these things. Anthony even demanded to see John Windthrope and tell him how wrong he was. The Angelo family's patriarch called his lawyers shortly after that to get the documents drawn up to cement Windthrope and the Phoenix Project as a pillar of AngTech.
The day soon came for the historic contract signing, planned for the weekend before Independence Day so the company could announce it's new era coinciding with America's birthdate. Rising stock shares were as American as guns and apple pie, Gerry thought to himself. Windthrope had his staff set up one of the conference rooms at the facility. Nothing over the top; they just added extra chairs and a few bottles of scotch to celebrate once the ink dried. The extra chairs were added because Tony requested that all awake clones be present for history. After all, he argued eloquently, they were the reason for Windthrope's success. Gerard sat at the head of the long conference table. To his left sat John Windthrope, and on his right sat his father. Next to each sat a lawyer, whispering to them all the same. Gerard cast glances down at the clones of himself sitting on Windthrope’s side, wondering if any of the three were G. If he was there, he made no effort to distinguish himself. Sitting next to Windthrope’s lawyer was the clone of his father. His father and his clone had stared at each other for an uncomfortable minute when they arrived, which wasn’t all that odd considering the circumstances. Behind the Doctor stood Captain Castle while other members of the Bronze Company stood around the room, stoic as statues behind the black tinted visor of their helmets.
“Shall we get started then?” Tony asked, breaking the silence that had overtaken the room. His lawyer put a briefcase on the table and unlocked it, reaching into and pulling out the stack of contract papers. The lawyer placed them neatly on the table and pushed them toward his counterpart to read over. Tony looked across the table at John and then at the clones.
“If you had just shown me this is what you were working on instead of the odd cloned human body part, I would’ve kept the funding going indefinitely,” he said, gesturing at the clones. Windthrope sighed.
“You would’ve demanded things we weren’t prepared to give, Tony. I know you.”
As the contract signing reached its climax, the tension in the room was palpable. Windthrope’s lawyer finished reviewing the contract and nodded at John, sliding the papers over. Windthrope picked up a pen and scribbled his signature across the bottom of the paper. He pushed the papers and pen across the table towards Tony. The elder Angelo picked up the pen, his eyes fixed on the doctor, a smirk playing on his lips. The silence was deafening, each moment stretching the nerves of everyone in the room. The pen hovered over the paper, the weight of the decision hanging in the air.
“I’ve known you a long time, John. I never thought you’d have it for an elaborate plot like this. Kidnapping me, cloning me and my son, basically taking over my company. I underestimated you, old friend. Something I’m loathe to do with anyone.”
“Sounds like I’ve earned your respect.”
“Not many people can get on by me,” he replied as he jotted his name on the contract and slid it to his lawyer, “But that still doesn’t mean you can underestimate me, John.”
“What do you mean?” the doctor asked, furrowing his brow. Anthony’s smirk split into a wide grin.
“You should read documents before you sign them, old friend. Your signature on that paper just signed all the rights to your research over to me.”
Tony continued to grin at Windthrope, the doctor’s face turned as red as a tomato, and he scowled at his lawyer.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he hissed out, looking like he’d throttle the attorney, “you’re supposed to catch this shit!”
“Oh, he did, John. But remember, whose dollar pays for all this. Your counsel is my counsel.”
Windthrope’s rage turned from the lawyer to across the table at Anthony, ready to leap across and tear him apart like a wild animal.
“You no good dirty sonovabitch. I should’ve killed you when I had the chance! Castle! Shoot him!”
Gerard’s muscles tensed up, ready to spring into action to protect his father, but the captain didn’t even flinch. Windthrope turned and looked at him incredulously before looking back at Tony, who continued to grin like the cat who caught the canary.
“Whose dollar pays for everything? Captain, if you would.”
Castle moved with surprising speed and pulled his handgun from his holster. The barrel pressed up against Windthrope’s temple, and bang! Gerard sat there in shock as fragments of skull and brain matter landed on him and all over the table. The other members of the bronze company also drew their weapons and executed the Gerard clones. The original Gerry watched in horror as they fell out of their chairs or slumped on the table. Castle even took care of the two attorneys with brutal efficiency. He turned his horrified stare at his father.
“Dad, what the fuck are you doing?!”
“What needed to be done, Gerry. This man attacked our family. He could’ve killed me. Or you. Or Katia and the baby. I was protecting the family.”
“This isn’t fucking Game of Thrones!”
Tony had already turned his attention to his own clone, the only one who the Bronze company hadn’t killed.
“You there. I have a particular assignment for you. And I assume you don’t want to join the rest of these men, so you’ll do it.”
Anthony’s clone gulped before nodding, still shocked by this turn of events.
“I am in no shape to return home to my wife and child, as you can see from our differences. That would bring up things I don’t want my wife to worry about. I heard you filled in for me marvelously, correct?”
The clone just simply nodded.
“Good. You’ll keep playing me until I’m ready to return and take my place in the public eye. And you’re going to be every bit the loving husband and doting father that I am. Once your job is finished, I will find a new, suitable one for you. Are these agreeable terms?”
The clone nodded again. Tony smiled and clapped his hands before using his cane to push himself to his feet.
“So we are all in agreement then? Fantastic. Captain, dispose of this mess and have this place cleaned will you?”
“Sir,” Castle replied gruffly before barking some orders to his men.
“C’mon, Gerard,” Tony said, leaving, “I believe you have a flight to catch to Los Angeles.”
Gerard was still sitting there in shock, staring at his father.
“You’re just gonna act fucking nonchalant like this after you had six men killed?”
“Like I said, I was protecting the family. Besides, it’s more like one man. Lawyers are soulless as it is, and clones don’t count.”
“They were living and breathing men, Dad. They were me!”
Anthony turned to look at his eldest son and sighed. He stepped forward and put a hand on Gerard’s shoulder.
“They were not you. You are you. Don’t get inside your head and overthink this shit,” he said as he looked Gerard in the eye, “You have a massive championship defense tomorrow. You’ve reached the pinnacle of your profession. Worry about making the family proud. And I’ll worry about protecting it.”
Gerry went to say something but clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. He wanted to protest and say they didn’t deserve to die, but he couldn’t think of a reason to believe this. He was put through hell by a mad scientist, and now, the situation is seemingly solved. His methods may be questionable, but no one could say that Tony Angelo didn’t get results. He sighed and nodded his head in agreement with his father. Tony grinned.
“Good. Now, let us catch that flight, my boy. We have things to discuss.”
It’s here. It’s finally here. What I set my sights on when I signed my name to an Action Wrestling contract in December of 2021. It is the main event of the biggest show in professional wrestling.
Evolution.
I’ve headlined many big shows, but this is different. A certain magic is in the air when it’s Evolution. Ask any competitor, past or present, what it’s like being able to compete at this show. I’ve wrestled at two of these, but the third time’s the charm because I’m the motherfuckin’ headliner. Thousands of tickets were sold because they all wanted to see the greatest ever to do it in Gerard Angelo. Finally, I am getting the respect I deserve from this place. My face is finally on the fucking poster for Evolution, something I was robbed of two years in a row.
Now, I’m walking into Evo as the champion, the standard bearer for the entire industry. The man making this whole company move forward into its new era. And despite it being a new era of ADub, I’m facing off against a man I’ve had quite the history with since the end of 2023.
Oh, Teo, aren't you tired of this song and dance, pal? Are you not weary of me constantly outclassing you every time we wrestle? I’m sure you’re gonna point to that one fluke victory you have over me in that fateful triple-threat match. You flex that lone victory like KG and Paul Pierce flex that lone championship ring. Every other time we’ve been in a match together, I’ve always come out the victor. I’m sure you’d love to wipe those losses away because they don’t fit your narrative that I’m just a snake that hasn’t won anything, while your victory over me is so heroic, right? Now we stand here, ready for our first-ever one-on-one confrontation, and I ask you this, Teo.
What will your excuse be when I defeat you with the eyes of the world watching us? None of your excuses that I pinned someone else in the match or used All-In, which has been part of the company since its inception, will have any fucking merit. You claimed on Clash that I love to twist facts and spin my own narratives, even though you're doing the same, talking about my lack of respect and honor when I went All-In on you. Weren’t you the same Teo Blaze who tried to win the briefcase from me last year?
Are you telling me you would’ve named a time and place to use the guaranteed title shot?
You’re a fucking fool, then.
Success is the only thing that matters in this fucking business. Winning titles and making money, leaving a legacy that’s worth a damn at the end of the day. It’s a cold, heartless business, so you must be equally cold and callous to survive. There’s a reason you toiled away on CursierClash for so long, and it’s because you think this shit is a fucking fairytale. Even after getting moved up to the big leagues, you still treat this shit like you’re doing a bit with Jenson.
What was that Havoc promo? Doing an empty gym, long-winded Rocky Balboa ass monologue.
How fucking cliche can you get?
You expect me to fear you because you won a Havoc full of fucking jobbers, Teo? Hell, you didn’t even win that shit the first time. You almost had your big chance at revenge foiled by a Kyle Shane who hadn’t laced up his boots in nearly half a decade. The same guy I beat clean as a whistle when he was at the top of his game.
Who have you even beaten, Teo? I could go band for band, scalp for scalp, with you, see who has the more impressive list of heads on the wall, but I would just fucking embarrass you. You talk about being a fighter, yet you were the one who was getting underhand softball tossed at him for challengers while you were world champion. Jaice Wilds, an over-the-hill Odin Balfore, and Muru? But you didn’t choose your competition, right? That can't be held against Teo Blaze!
I forgot people can only bring up strength of schedule when I’m the champ. We’re held to different standards, and the company treats you with kid gloves. Just look at our title defenses. All of yours were singles matches, while mine were a triple threat and a fatal four-way. I have to work twice as hard for the same result. So don’t talk to me about honor and respect when you’re getting the franchise player treatment while being a backup. I forgot you get special treatment around here when you convince those idiotic sheep that fill the arenas to buy a bunch of tacky merchandise. And even then, you can’t be trusted as the face of the company.
ADub gave you a whole-ass television show for ya vanilla midget ass, and you still let yourself be overshadowed by a revolving door of half-remembered characters. Even with all those title reigns to your name, you always felt like an afterthought on that show. Somebody else was always the face of that shitty little brand. That’s what was happening to the World title because of you. You were letting it become a fucking joke, letting people like Jaice and Muru come near the most prestigious title in the game. I’m working fucking overtime to restore the prestige it lost because of you. We didn’t even get to close out the go-home Clash to fucking Evolution with our face-to-face. We got sandwiched between a Karlie Nash and Vespertine segment and a fucking Burger King commercial. Instead, Clash closed out with Addy and Sara discussing how they scissored in Mexico after a bender.
That’s how far you’ve brought the title down, Teo. That’s the kind of leadership I’m bringing. I’m returning to the rightful order where the Action Wrestling World title and its holder are treated with the reverence they deserve. A champion the company can be proud of. Not one who wants to walk around abandoned gyms and warehouses and talk to themselves like they’re a late 90s comic book hero. You were a great little story this year, Teo. You fought hard and worked to become the World champion—a feel-good story for the ages. But every story has an ending.
Yours just happens to be a Hollywood Ending. The Teo Blaze experiment was fun, but now it’s time to be serious. Evolution isn’t just about the World Championship. It's about far more. It's about the future of Action Wrestling. The company won’t survive in the hands of someone like you, Teo. I’m the only person who can steer this place in the direction it needs to go.
Because I’m not the champion Action Wrestling needs, I’m the champion Action Wrestling deserves.
An old house sat at the end of a block, looking ordinary from the outside. Even the inside seemed normal. However, the basement was filled with expensive equipment and machines hooked up to a cylindrical cloning pod. The dormant machines suddenly appeared, making noises before stopping just as suddenly. The pod opened, the embryonic fluid flooding the dusty basement floor. The body of a man flopped out and onto his hands and knees. A hand came up and started ripping wires and tubes out as he took a breath of air for the first time.
And he started to cackle.