The Angels' Unknowing Apprentice
Feb 5, 2021 13:53:05 GMT -5
Lissie Hope, Downfall, and 1 more like this
Post by Team NATEingale on Feb 5, 2021 13:53:05 GMT -5
James Nightingale’s SUV pulls up outside the Wyoming based headquarters of AOD, Inc. Michael Brookes, Nightingale’s protege, exits the driver’s seat and opens the rear door. Exiting first is Alice, her raven coloured her flowing, her physique highlighted by her tightly fitting leather trousers. She is followed by her husband, in his custom-tailored black suit. A smug look across his face following his victory over FPV several nights before.
He reaches into his suit jacket pocket and removes his cigarette holder. He takes out a cigarette and taps the end on the holder.
“Has the board convened, Michael?” asks Nightingale, he places the cigarette in his mouth.
“Yes boss, Adrian has also managed to complete his mission and is here too,” replies Brookes.
Nightingale lights the cigarette, “Good, we have matters to discuss".
He takes a long inhale of the cigarette. He takes his wife by the hand and leads her inside, exhaling the smoke as he enters the building.
Nightingale sits at the head of the boardroom table, his wife sits at his side. The various members of AOD, Inc’s boardroom surround table. They are joined by both Adrian, Nightingale’s right-hand man, and Thomas Gray, his lawyer. Brookes stands outside the door, not yet privileged enough to take a seat at the table.
James sits back in his chair, relaxed whilst smoking another cigarette lit.
“I’m pleased with the progress we have made here tonight at this meeting. If we successfully execute my plan, then no one will be able to stand in the way of us achieving what we have discussed,” proclaims Nightingale confidently.
“As for Action Wrestling business, my plan to rid the company of FPV has been completed. Not only was I victorious in our match, but the spike piledriver delivered has also caused poor Frank a devastating neck injury,” Nightingale raises up a file.
“The medical report obtained by Adrian during his mission shows me the results of the MRI Frank required once he was taken to hospital”.
A sadistic smile begins to form on his face.
“The neck injury is likely career-ending. He appears to have herniated a disc, with this new injury as-well-as the wear and tear on his body obtained from the many beatings he has received, it looks like Frank has been eradicated once and for all”.
Nightingale stands and walks over to the window, staring out at the cold Wyoming night.
“Now that I have conquered FPV, it’s time for me to once again challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship. A victory over the only three-time Action Wrestling Champion will propel me to the top of the number one contendership rankings".
He shakes his head, and turns back to the board.
“But unfortunately, Monday Night Clash’s General Manager is incompetent, and he will likely fail to do his job accordingly by naming me the rightful number one contender. I will likely be forced to earn my way into the Chamber match instead”.
Thomas raises his hand, seeking his bosses permission to speak.
“Yes Thomas, what is it?”
“It appears you have been entered into this year's Battlebowl Tournament, maybe this is our road back to the World Title, earning the final entry spot in Havoc, securing the victory then competing for the title in the Main Event of Evolution,” Gray says optimistically.
Nightingale contemplates his next move.
“I see, well hopefully I have a strong partner this year. Last year we were initially saddled with Dagvald Riddik, only for that buffoon to go and get Covid, ruling him unable to compete. Gravedigger took his place, but he was out of ring shape, and it ultimately cost us the match. All was not lost though, because as a result of that partnership came the forming of a strong friendship between old Digger and myself, and as a result, I acquired MS-13,” he nods to Adrian, who reciprocates the gesture.
Nightingale turns to Alice and smiles.
“My queen, however, Battlebowl was her coming out party last year. She made it all the way to the final match and ultimately finished fourth. She showed the world why she is “Hard as Fuck’,” he gives her a look.
Alice blows him a kiss.
Nightingale turns back to the board, “So who's the lucky individual who'll be partnered with myself, who'll see their career taken to the next level simply by being associated with ‘The Angel of Death’”.
The members of the board look nervously at each other, Nightingale notices.
“Well… who is it?” he asks, impatiently.
Thomas answers nervously, “It’s… well he is a member of The Lost Breed”.
He lowers his voice real quiet, “...sort of”.
“David… it's Sanchez?” Nightingale begins to think about how he can get his fellow Lost Breed member out of jail.
“Getting him out of jail will be…”
Adrian cuts him off, “It’s NATE!”
Nightingale pauses, a look of irritation appears on his face, “Excuse me?”
“You heard me correctly, boss, it's god-damn NATE,” replies Adrian.
Nightingale turns away in shock, he turns to Alice, who equally looks pissed off. After a moment of thinking through his next move, he snaps and picks up his chair, throwing it in frustration.
“NATE! NATE!!!” he shouts.
Adrian speaks up again, “It gets better boss, it’s you and NATE against FPV and Jayson Price, in the main event next week”.
Alice stands up and comforts Nightingale, she whispers in his ear and kisses him on the cheek, which appears to calm him down.
“First of all, NATE never has, nor will he ever be a member of The Lost Breed. He is merely an associate of Mintzel’s who, for some reason I cannot fathom, has decided to keep him around despite the riches and increased stature The Lost Breed has provided him”.
He walks back over to the head of the table, unable to sit as he has destroyed his own chair.
“Getting through the first round will not be a problem, I won’t need NATE to help me overcome Jayson Price, and as we have already determined, FPV will not be medically cleared to compete. Therefore it will be a handicap match in our favour. We just have to ensure NATE knows his place and stays the hell out of my way".
He looks over at Adrian once again.
“Who are our likely opponents in the second round?” Nightingale asks.
“Looking at the brackets boss, it’s likely you will face Dandy and CJ Phoenix in the next round,” Adrian replies.
“How's it at all possible that two members of The Following are placed together as a team, yet I’m saddled with NATE? Pasternak’s incompetence I’m sure”.
He looks over to Thomas, who has been making notes throughout the meeting.
“Thomas, you're to ring Matthias, immediately. We're going to fly him and his ‘companion’ in. The simpleton will not be required for the first round, but I'll need him to at least hold his own during round two,” demands Nightingale.
"As you wish," answers Thomas.
“This meeting is adjourned,” proclaims Nightingale.
The mighty God, Frank Patrick Venable has fallen upon hard times.
Your arrogance has truly cost you.
First, it cost you your older brother, Vic…
…and now it cost you your own career.
You turned your nose up at me when I laid down the challenge back at Turmoil, dismissing me as a credible threat…
...how did that work out for you, Frank? Shall we ask Vic?
You Man Made Gods, you think you are better than everyone else. Corey Black disrespected me in the past, and he learned that I shouldn’t be toyed with…
...maybe you should have sought the former champions advice before biting off more than you could chew?
I am a smart man Frank; I take calculated risks.
Starting this war against you, I knew that your biggest weakness…
…was your emotions.
Who knew by simply wearing a T-Shirt with poor Vic’s name written on it would entice such a reaction from yourself?
I knew wearing such T-Shirt would cause you to lose your mind, forget your game plan and fight me in the kind of match that best suits myself, a proper old fashioned brawl.
I knew that your emotions would overcome you so strongly that there would be a good chance you’d cost yourself the match…
…and you walked straight into it, and I BEAT YOU!
I beat you by breaking your mind even before the bell rung…
…I’d already beaten you when I broke your good Doctor’s jaw…
…and I’d already beaten you when I caved in your brother’s skull.
This is a game of chess we are playing, yet whilst you’re fumbling around with the pawns…
...I’ve already plotted your Queen’s demise.
My plan to avoid your new Piledriver worked like a charm, who knew planting a sign in the crowd would be enough to snap you out of your rage, to regain your composure, to do the right thing and not use that devastating manoeuvre…
…I did, and it worked.
Your good conscience let you down, if you’d had the conviction which I know you have, which saw you defeat the likes of Walter and Lissie Hope, you would have hit the move and pinned me, but you made a grievous mistake.
That mistake opened the door for me to execute a Mercy Killing onto exposed concrete…
…and it ended your career.
Now that I have laid your career to rest, it is time for me to move on to my next challenge. I should automatically be named number one contender for the World Title, but instead now know I must run the Battlebowl gauntlet once more.
I have been disadvantaged more than anyone else in the tournament by being given NATE as my partner. I will not let this hold me back. I have proven that I am a leader of men, I help mould individuals, helping them reach their potential.
I helped Mintzel and Downfall win Action Wrestling Championships with my guidance…
...I gave Keeton his killer instinct which he is using in his war against Reo…
…I even made Alice into the warrior queen she is today.
So I must now do the same to NATE, I must take those raw natural abilities which he possesses and turn the rough piece of coal you currently see into a blood diamond.
If anyone can win this tournament despite having NATE as a partner…
...it is The Angel of Death…
...and I will prove once and for all why I am the best.
You used to be the best, Frank…
...but that was then, and now you are my latest victim.
This is your final warning Frank, I implore you, listen to the medical advice and stay away from Monday Night Clash. Please leave Vic as the only disabled member of the family…
...could your mother live with herself knowing both her sons are cripples?
“Don’t ever say 'Team NATEingale' again, he’s obviously fuming he’s got you as a partner”.
“Downt U Wurry Miss Der Minstrel Eye Amm Undifeetad Inn Twen Tee Twen Tee Wun”.
“Nope, you lost to Carter Shaw”.
“Wel Eye Amm Onn A Wining Streek”.
“You won one match, I don’t think that counts as a streak”.
“Wel Last Tym Eye Fased Fran Klo Eye Wun An Eye Amm Agenst Hym Agen”.
“First of all, you lost. And this is Frank Patrick Venable. There’s more than one Frank in the world”.
“Wot”
“James Nightingale might be a friend, but he’s a fucking psycho. Just don’t make an enemy of him, he’ll eat you alive and I’m telling you now, I’m not gonna help”.
Mintzel’s phone beeps twice, he looks down at it.
“Well he’s just outside. Here goes nothing I guess”.
He moves towards the door of the gym they’ve been training in and stops himself.
“Just don’t be all like ‘HI JAMES NIGHTINGALE YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND AND WE WILL WIN THE BATTLE BOWL’ and shit, yeah?”
“O Kay”.
Mintzel disappears and leaves NATE in the gym, he stands completely still. A couple of minutes later, Mintzel and Nightingale enter the room.
“High Jayms Nytingayl U R Mi Bessd Frend An Wi Wil Wyn Da Batl Bowel”.
“You’re a fucking liability”.
Nightingale doesn’t even look at NATE, even when NATE spoke to him he kept his gaze on his Lost Breed brother, Mintzel.
“Matthias, I want you to be honest with me, can he fight? At all?”
“Like I said, a little, compared to 6 months ago anyway”.
Nightingale turns away from Mintzel and looks NATE up and down, he walks over and gets extremely close to him, walking around as if he’s inspecting a racehorse.
“He is a big boy. He has been gifted with so many natural advantages, surely he’s not completely useless?”
“Mate, that’s what I thought, all you need is to teach this lump how to wrestle a little bit and you’re away. We work on moves and, honestly it’s not good, but it’s not awful. But when he gets into the ring he forgets where he is. He’s as strong as anyone, terrible cardio but fuck me, nothing goes on in his head at all”.
“I want to see him in action”.
“Sure, in the ring with me NATE”.
“No, I’ll see for myself”.
NATE, who has been standing there listening to Nightingale and Mintzel talk about him without a flicker of acknowledgement, gets into the ring that’s set up in the gym and James Nightingale gets in with him.
“Ready?”
“Red E”.
Nightingale lunges towards NATE, grabs his arm and performs an arm drag, bringing the big man down before he’s even realised what was going on.
Nightingale looks at Mintzel who shrugs and tries to hide a smirk.
“Come at me”.
“R U Shaw?”
“I raged a war against Walter and I’m still standing, son. I think I will be fine”.
NATE runs forwards at Nightingale who quite easily dodges out the way, engages NATE and rolls him into a pinning position. For his own amusement, Nightingale holds the pin in for a long time, a good 9 or 10 seconds of NATE’s tree trunk legs flailing helplessly in the air before Nightingale lets him go.
“God damn it!”
Nightingale shakes his head at NATE.
“Come on...push me”.
“Wot”
“Push me!”
“Butt U R Mi”
“I... said... PUSH ME!”
NATE is confused but does as he’s told, he takes both hands and pushes Nightingale, who stumbles backwards and even falls over before he gets himself up. He brushes himself down and looks briefly impressed.
“Sori”.
“I’ve seen enough”.
Nightingale climbs out the ring and walks over to Mintzel.
“It’s not like I have a choice, he’ll have to do. Can he understand instructions?”
“Not really, no”.
Nightingale turns to look at NATE.
“Listen to me, NATE. On Monday night you don’t do anything without my say so, is that understood?. The intel I have received has taught me that FPV has suffered a potentially career-ending neck injury as a result of the Piledriver I gave him at Revolution, therefore he will not be medically cleared to compete. This will leave Jayson Price all on his own. You just need to stand there, I can defeat him all by myself. If he hits you, hit him back harder, but don’t get in the damn ring, I cannot afford you being rolled up for a quick three count. I’m going to be in the Battlebowl and I guess I have no choice but to take you with me. One less contender at the actual event I guess”.
NATE nods slowly but deliberately.
“Do you understand what I just said?”
“Yess”.
Nightingale turns to Mintzel and glares at him.
“Well… does he?"
“Doubt it”.
“I need you to remind him, it doesn’t matter what it takes to get it into that thick brain of his, remind him every hour from now until Monday night if you have to. All he has to do is stay out of my way and let me do my thing. If he gets in my way I can’t guarantee his safety, and I don’t mean from Price or a broken FPV. Do you understand me?”
“I’ll do my best”.
“Once I carry this team to victory, we’ll likely face Dandy DiVito and CJ Phoenix in the next round. That will be more of a challenge, I am expecting you to deliver me a vastly improved competitor for that match, do I make myself clear?”
Mintzel nods, and Nightingale turns and lets himself out of the gym. He is met by Alice, who is standing in the entrance of the gym, watching her husband trying to mould NATE into, at least, a semi adequate fighter. She shakes her head in disbelief when Mintzel looks her way. Nightingale talks discreetly to her as they both exit, Mintzel sighs a bit of relief.
“Wot A Luv Lee Mann”.
“Jesus christ NATE, you’re playing with fire and you don’t even know it”.
“Eye Fink Wi Wil B A Grate Teem”.
“NATE, I know I might be pissing in the wind here, but you’ve gotta try and understand what I’m actually saying this time. Are you concentrating right now?”
“Yepp”.
“Most matches when you turn up it’s just you against an opponent. It makes no fucking difference to anyone whether you win or lose. I suppose it makes a difference to your opponent, I think Estrella Luiz and Bam Beefer’s careers are pretty much over forever after losing to you… But what I’m saying is I don’t give a shit if you lose, no one really notices or is surprised when you lose, occasionally you win and everyone gets a laugh at your opponent’s expense, but this time it matters. In theory, James is one of the favourites for this whole thing. I mean, he’d have to get through me to win it, but if it was me and him together we’d walk to the finals, but he’s handicapped by you. You’ve gotta try and snap out of your normal idiocy and at least help him out a little bit”.
“O Kay”.
“Let’s hope that FPV doesn’t get medically cleared to compete. But if he does, do you even know who you’re up against? Do you know what FPV’s achieved in this company?”
“Itt Duznt Matta Wot Eff Pee Vee Haz Dun Becoz Twen Tee Twen Tee Wun Iz Da Yeer Eye Beet Every 1 Sew Eff Pee Vee Hoo Ever Yoo Ar Wotch Owt Becoz Mi An Mi Bessd Frend Jayms Nytingayl Arr Gona Beet Yoo Upp An Beet Yoo”.
“And his partner? To be fair I don’t really know who Jayson Price is either…”
“Jay Sun Prise Iz Inn 4 A Sup Prise Ha Ha Get It”.
Matthias wishes he hadn’t heard that.
“Hi Woant No Wot Haz Hit Hym Wen Teem NATEyngayl Ar Hiz Oppownens Hee Wil B Sadd Dat Hee Haz Noe Chans 2 B Inn Da Battl Bowel An 2 Becum Da Hevywate Champeeun Lyk Mi”.
“That’s not the prize”.
“O”.
“Like I say, I can’t help you. If you piss James off and he hurts you, I’ve got my own problems to worry about. Just do your role and stay out of his way, Christ I’d back Nightingale two on one, you might end up with us in the Battlebowl if you let him do his thing”.
“O Kay”.
Matthias shrugs, unconvinced, but what can he do? Fate had brought his friend James Nightingale and whatever the hell NATE was together and there was nothing he could do to help except try and get NATE in some kind of state of mind for the match… impossible though that may be...
The nickname “South Street Nightmare” is somewhat misleading for someone like myself who couldn’t give a damn about the dead federation known as WCF.
That cancer-infested company died a slow death long ago. After the greats had departed, bottom feeders such as yourself and Teo Blaze tried to become the stars…
...you can see why the company died off quickly after.
Luckily it eventually died, similar to when a cancer patient is smothered to death with a pillow over their face to end their suffering.
Yet the pain goes on Jayson, you have arrived here in “MY” company, with your long lists of accolades from a company that means nothing to me so I will treat you like any other no-name talent who wash upon these Action Wrestling shores…
...and who are quickly eradicated by “The Angel of Death”.
That there is a nickname, Jayson. When you hear that nickname, you know what you’re going to get, because it is a name that has been terrorising these shores for the last fifteen months.
“South Street Nightmare” is misleading because naturally, I hear that and I should be scared…
…yet I look at you and want to laugh out loud hysterically because the only nightmare which will take place…
…is your own worst nightmare.
You have no partner to back you up. I suspect you danced in glee at the prospect of teaming with a star such as FPV, one whom I know you have a history with. This was your chance at making it big here in Action Wrestling.
But your nightmare will begin as soon as that bell rings and you realise that your partner is not by your side…
…because I broke his neck!
You will be stuck in the ring alone with myself and NATE, and I will show you why my nickname is a reflection of my true nature.
And to complete your own worst nightmare, you can add to your very long resume that you were beaten by NATE…
…yes NATE!
That there is a career killer, all of those who carry that burden see their career die a very painful death.
You think you have landed on these shores with the hope of resurrecting your career…
…yet the biggest free-agent signing of recent time (allegedly) will simply be Team NATEingale’s warm-up for bigger and harder tests.
Bring Cameraman Bob with you so he can document your latest painful loss, that way you can watch the match over and over again…
…because it will be the last match you ever have here in Action Wrestling!
The Angel of Death… and NATE… are coming for you, Jayson…
…PRAY FOR MERCY!
Matthias Mintzel is tidying the gym following another day spent training up NATE ready for his partnership with James Nightingale. Having already sent NATE home, Mintzel is almost ready to leave himself.
Mintzel walks over to switch off the lights when he notices a hooded figure standing in the entrance doorway. They enter and pull down their hood, it is Alice.
She confidently approaches the former Hardcore Champion and stands within his personal space. He does not flinch, nor back away.
“Matthias Mintzel… Der Schmetterling. I hope you’ve had another productive day training NATE,” she asks.
Mintzel answers honestly, “He’s not as useless as he seems, he’ll do better than plenty on the roster”.
“Good,” Alice smiles seductively, she turns to leave the gym but stops after a few steps.
“Let me remind you Butterfly...” she slowly looks back at Mintzel.
“...that you had nothing before my husband recruited you into The Lost Breed, you were a nobody”.
That comment appears to cut a little deep, Mintzel frowns at Nightingale’s Queen.
She continues, “The spinebuster on Walter, the Hardcore title, the increased fame and fortune, none of it would have been achieved without The Lost Breed… without James. You best not disappoint him now, I strongly suggest you join him at ringside for the main event. NATE is your responsibility, if he costs James his opportunity, you know what the consequences will be, do I make myself clear?”
Mintzel takes a deep breath, “...Yes”.
“Good, I will be out there with you Butterfly, keep up the good work”.