One Step Closer to the Palm of My Hand
Dec 9, 2015 0:56:21 GMT -5
Nathan Saniti and Alexa Black like this
Post by Sadistic on Dec 9, 2015 0:56:21 GMT -5
Moments before the Main Event at Collision Course 4...
Well, this is it. Ground Zero. Collision Course 4. Grimm vs. Sadistic for the PCW World Championship.
Who would have ever thought that a backwoods family from a small town in Kentucky could produce two of the most successful professional wrestlers in the history of the sport?
The Phenom sat alone on a wooden bench in his dressing room, his eyes closed as he allowed his head to rest against the locker behind him. In anticipation of the brutality to come, he began another wrap of black athletic tape around his fists. Sadistic's eyes remained peacefully shut as his hands worked from the memories of a thousand past matches.
“You're up in two minutes,” interrupted a stage hand before quickly closing the door behind him.
Billy slowly opened his lids revealing those unsettling anti-freeze green eyes. With a sigh, he gazed down at the PCW World Championship on the bench beside him. He placed his right hand over the black handprint across the faceplate of the title. It was a perfect fit.
It had been nearly a year since Sadistic had defeated Whitey Ford and the rest of the PCW roster at Deadly Intentions V to claim the grandest prize in the industry. He'd taken on all comers. He'd had the odds stacked against him. Yet every single time, no matter how grimm the situation, it was the Phenom that walked out the champion. Some claimed Sadistic had the devil's own luck. They might be wryght.
The Black Hand had taken Pure Class Wrestling by stormm. One by one, PCW's mightiest were slain. Fed to the evil black dragon. But over time, the truth of their message began to sink in. With each passing show, the number of Black Hand brothers and sisters in the stands steadily increased. The Faithful came to their senses and began supporting the Hand, much like Billy knew they would.
And since Luis Malave couldn't control the Black Hand, and he couldn't summon any of his other favorite monsters to do his bidding, he planned to destroy them the only way he knew how. From within...
Nature is a wondrous thing. Killer animals with an insatiable appetite for bloodshed. Some of the zaniest, most imaginative creatures ever fathomed. And just when you think you've seen in all, you're treated to another surprise. Some would claim these are the same reasons that the Faithful keep tuning in to PCW...
The animal kingdom is home to some truly splendid and horrific creations that span the entire globe. Goblin sharks. Narwhals. Panda ants. Poodle moths. Each creature has its own unique place and its own unique story. Two such creatures happen to inhabit the woodlands of Kentucky.
While gray wolf sightings in Kentucky are extremely rare, red wolf sightings are virtually nonexistent. Or are they? Once thought to be extinct in Kentucky and the surrounding states, the elusive red wolf is actually an albino gray wolf with pale skin covered by bright red fur. Chances of a mother giving birth to a red wolf is thought to be less than one in ten thousand. While smaller and faster than their gray wolf brothers, the red wolf is a highly intelligent creature. The red wolf runs in a pack with its gray wolf brothers, but for reasons scientists cannot explain, red wolves hunt their prey with a skill set similar to a large jungle cat. Although the red wolf will sometimes hunt with its pack, it isn't out of the question for the cunning wolf to take down large elk or angus over five times its size all by itself! It is for this reason that local area farmers have nicknamed the vicious little animal the “Crimson Demon.”
“Welcome back to The Tanner and Drew Show here on KBRW The Brew. As you know, we're huge pro wrestling fans here on the show, and we've got a special treat for our listeners,” rattled off Tanner with his overbearing personality. “Right now, and you don't know how long it took Drew to secure this interview, but we've actually got PCW WORLD CHAMPION “The Phenom” Billy Sadistic to agree to come on the air with us for five minutes to promote his big showdown with Grimm at Collision Course.”
“It definitely took some doing,” laughed Drew in his gravelly voice. “Billy, you there?”
“Yes.”
“Welcome to the Tanner and Drew Show, Billy,” came Drew's courteous reply. “Now, we know that you're a busy man and we promise not to take much of your time. First off, Tanner and I are huge fans. We're Black Hand brothers. We've bought the black gloves. We've got all of the t-shirts. I can't speak for Tanner, but I'll be voting for Michael Wryght in the coming election. Huge fans.”
“Thank you for the support, guys. We really appreciate it,” came Sadistic's static telephone reply.
“Right, now for those that might not watch PCW regularly, or that might be new to the sport, could you describe your wrestling style for us,” inquired Tanner. “I mean, you're a pretty big dude...you'd definitely squash Drew and I...but you have to get in the ring with some absolute monsters. So how would you describe yourself.”
Sadistic chuckled over the phone. “Well, I've been doing this for a long time. About twenty years. And I've come across so many styles in so many different countries. I never wanted to be that guy that was just a brawler, or just a technical wrestler, or just a high flier, because then you become one-dimensional and you're easier to gameplan for. So I've incorporated a little bit of everything into my repertoire over the years. I can hold my own on the mat, I can slug it out with the best of 'em, and every now and then these creaky old knees will climb to the top turnbuckle. But more than anything else, my style is more psychological than anything.”
“Yeah, I was just talking to Tanner about this the other day. You're not really great at any one aspect – and I mean no disrespect when I say that – but you're pretty darn good at everything. You really don't have a weakness,” proclaimed Drew in his deep voice. “A funny story, if I may. One of my best friends is a programmer and he was one of the lead designers on PCW's upcoming video game, Mass Destruction, which is set to hit shelves in about a week – just in time for Christmas. Anyways, he said that one of the hardest things to do was assign statistics to each wrestler because inevitably, one or two of the wrestlers will get pissed that they weren't rated high enough and blah blah blah. But back to the point, he said that they really struggled with YOUR ratings. Obviously, you've been the champion for almost a year...one of the most dominant champions in recent memory...so they had to rank you somewhere in the 90s. Only problem is your stats didn't add up. Because on paper, he said your Overall rating was in the mid-80s. They can't take into account your cleverness or psychology in the game.”
“Okay...” came Billy's reply.
Tanner was quick to jump in. “What Drew means is that wrestlers like Jury, Alexa Black, Murdoc – who is a secret unlockable character, I hear – they all have high Strength ratings. Stormm and Showtime have maxed out Technique. Grimm and Eira have elite Striking. Justin Kaahd and Nathan Saniti have Speed that is off the charts. On paper, nothing pops off the page in any one category with you Billy, but somehow you've managed to hold onto the World Championship longer than anybody in PCW history. You've retired some of the biggest names in the sport. Nobody has been able to stop you. What gives?”
“I...don't know what to say.” There is an awkward pause. “I'm very cerebral in my approach to each match. I like to give my opponent a false sense of comfort. Let them think I'm in a weakened state. Let them think they've got the advantage. The turn the tables.”
“I'm the statistic guru here at the station, and I've done a bit of research,” Drew presented proudly. “Since returning to Pure Class Wrestling well over a year ago, you've been a hard man to beat. In fact, you've only lost once in singles competition, and that was to Gem, whom you've since defeated and ousted from the company. Whitey Ford was one of the most successful big fight competitors the company had ever seen, and when I say "big fight" I mean that at the big pay-per-views or when the title was on the line, he brought his A-game. His pay-per-view win/loss ratio was unreal and many considered him to be one of, if not the greatest World Champions in PCW history. Since taking his belt at Deadly Intentions V, you've shattered his pay-per-view buyrates, you've taken on all comers, and you've been virtually unstoppable. Billy, YOU are now the most successful big fight competitor in the history of Pure Class Wrestling, recording a nearly flawless pay-per-view attendance. In fact, in your storied PCW career, you've only lost one pay-per-view match. Can you recall who it was against?”
Heavy breathing came through the phone before Sadistic's singular reply. “Grimm.”
The red wolf stalks its prey with shadow-like stealth. Crouched low, it moves in closer with each noiseless step. Its ears pinned back in the high grass at the edge of the clearing, his receptive nostrils pick up the scent of his favorite prey. Deer! Grazing obliviously on dry grasses, the medium-sized buck, easily twice as large as the Crimson Demon, moves from one lush patch of vegetation to the next. Inching closer to its fresh meal, the wolf's muscles tense...then uncoil like a bullet from a rifle. Exploding forward with unmatched speed, the wolf is nearly upon its prey before the deer has time to react.
Now, there are many different types of deer. There are your generic blacktail and whitetail deer. Water deer. Reindeer. In certain Asian countries, there are musk deer that grow long canine tusks in lieu of antlers to combat rival males during mating season.
And in a poetic twist, the poor deer turns and rears up on its hind quarters, leaving the red wolf with little time to react. For this in no ordinary Kentucky deer, but a Odocoileus draculae. See also: Black vampire deer. Antlers tirelessly filed on river rocks to needle points sprout from unruly black fur. Razor sharp hooves paw at the air. Three inch long fangs protrude from its mouth as the deceptively aware beast lets out a hiss. These canines aren't used for fending off rival bucks, but for killing and consuming other animals. While all deer are thought to be herbivores, the vampire deer is the only member of the Cervidae family known to prey upon other warm-blooded animals.
The poor Crimson Demon has fallen into the carnivore's phenomenally laid trap. Blood stains the earth with the soaked offerings of a fresh Kentucky feast as a once-rare North American species ceases to exist.
Back to Ground Zero. In a few minutes, William and his brother could do ungodly, illegal things to one another. #PCWWorldChampionship #CollisionCourse4 #DillingerChristmasTradition
What was Billy's play here? Malave had put his back against the wall. Phinehas was going to come at him with everything in his arsenal. Somehow, Justin Michaels had been allowed to stand in as special guest referee for the bout. Convenient, seeing as he and Phinehas were tag team partners. And Michael...well, Showtime hadn't shown one shred of support for Billy since announcing his candidacy for the presidential race. Had Luis been responsible? Had “The Icemann” really been dismantling the Black Hand right under his nose? Looking back over the past couple months, it was all starting to make sense. Foley's convenient suspension. Stormm and Showtime lurking around the president's office constantly. Grimm and his digging and his whistling and his coldness towards Billy. Luis would fell the Black Hand at Collision Course for the whole world to see!
At that moment, Sadistic's eyes snapped open. With fifteen seconds until his entrance, William looked up into the lifeless face of the Man in Black. The room felt like a walk-in freezer as Sadistic gazed up at the lifeless man's face. The black glasses, death rictus exposing perfect, porcelain teeth, and black wide-brimmed hat. Billy could see his breath in the air as he stood to meet his tormentor.
“You remember our deal?” The Man in Black's teeth gleamed with excitement. A kid ready to get his hands on a brand new toy.
“I'm afraid I do,” acknowledged Sadistic, striding past the Man in Black without a care in the world.
William and Phinehas, the Hangtown Horrors, would risk severe injury and possibly permanent damage, but win, lose, or draw, that belt was staying within the Black Hand. In true Sadistic fashion, Billy would pose as the prey so that he might lure in the predator.
“And Luis will be one step closer to realizing his ultimate plan, which is one step closer to where I want him, and that's the palm of my hand.”
NEX ADDO
Well, this is it. Ground Zero. Collision Course 4. Grimm vs. Sadistic for the PCW World Championship.
Who would have ever thought that a backwoods family from a small town in Kentucky could produce two of the most successful professional wrestlers in the history of the sport?
The Phenom sat alone on a wooden bench in his dressing room, his eyes closed as he allowed his head to rest against the locker behind him. In anticipation of the brutality to come, he began another wrap of black athletic tape around his fists. Sadistic's eyes remained peacefully shut as his hands worked from the memories of a thousand past matches.
“You're up in two minutes,” interrupted a stage hand before quickly closing the door behind him.
Billy slowly opened his lids revealing those unsettling anti-freeze green eyes. With a sigh, he gazed down at the PCW World Championship on the bench beside him. He placed his right hand over the black handprint across the faceplate of the title. It was a perfect fit.
It had been nearly a year since Sadistic had defeated Whitey Ford and the rest of the PCW roster at Deadly Intentions V to claim the grandest prize in the industry. He'd taken on all comers. He'd had the odds stacked against him. Yet every single time, no matter how grimm the situation, it was the Phenom that walked out the champion. Some claimed Sadistic had the devil's own luck. They might be wryght.
The Black Hand had taken Pure Class Wrestling by stormm. One by one, PCW's mightiest were slain. Fed to the evil black dragon. But over time, the truth of their message began to sink in. With each passing show, the number of Black Hand brothers and sisters in the stands steadily increased. The Faithful came to their senses and began supporting the Hand, much like Billy knew they would.
And since Luis Malave couldn't control the Black Hand, and he couldn't summon any of his other favorite monsters to do his bidding, he planned to destroy them the only way he knew how. From within...
* * *
Nature is a wondrous thing. Killer animals with an insatiable appetite for bloodshed. Some of the zaniest, most imaginative creatures ever fathomed. And just when you think you've seen in all, you're treated to another surprise. Some would claim these are the same reasons that the Faithful keep tuning in to PCW...
The animal kingdom is home to some truly splendid and horrific creations that span the entire globe. Goblin sharks. Narwhals. Panda ants. Poodle moths. Each creature has its own unique place and its own unique story. Two such creatures happen to inhabit the woodlands of Kentucky.
While gray wolf sightings in Kentucky are extremely rare, red wolf sightings are virtually nonexistent. Or are they? Once thought to be extinct in Kentucky and the surrounding states, the elusive red wolf is actually an albino gray wolf with pale skin covered by bright red fur. Chances of a mother giving birth to a red wolf is thought to be less than one in ten thousand. While smaller and faster than their gray wolf brothers, the red wolf is a highly intelligent creature. The red wolf runs in a pack with its gray wolf brothers, but for reasons scientists cannot explain, red wolves hunt their prey with a skill set similar to a large jungle cat. Although the red wolf will sometimes hunt with its pack, it isn't out of the question for the cunning wolf to take down large elk or angus over five times its size all by itself! It is for this reason that local area farmers have nicknamed the vicious little animal the “Crimson Demon.”
* * *
“Welcome back to The Tanner and Drew Show here on KBRW The Brew. As you know, we're huge pro wrestling fans here on the show, and we've got a special treat for our listeners,” rattled off Tanner with his overbearing personality. “Right now, and you don't know how long it took Drew to secure this interview, but we've actually got PCW WORLD CHAMPION “The Phenom” Billy Sadistic to agree to come on the air with us for five minutes to promote his big showdown with Grimm at Collision Course.”
“It definitely took some doing,” laughed Drew in his gravelly voice. “Billy, you there?”
“Yes.”
“Welcome to the Tanner and Drew Show, Billy,” came Drew's courteous reply. “Now, we know that you're a busy man and we promise not to take much of your time. First off, Tanner and I are huge fans. We're Black Hand brothers. We've bought the black gloves. We've got all of the t-shirts. I can't speak for Tanner, but I'll be voting for Michael Wryght in the coming election. Huge fans.”
“Thank you for the support, guys. We really appreciate it,” came Sadistic's static telephone reply.
“Right, now for those that might not watch PCW regularly, or that might be new to the sport, could you describe your wrestling style for us,” inquired Tanner. “I mean, you're a pretty big dude...you'd definitely squash Drew and I...but you have to get in the ring with some absolute monsters. So how would you describe yourself.”
Sadistic chuckled over the phone. “Well, I've been doing this for a long time. About twenty years. And I've come across so many styles in so many different countries. I never wanted to be that guy that was just a brawler, or just a technical wrestler, or just a high flier, because then you become one-dimensional and you're easier to gameplan for. So I've incorporated a little bit of everything into my repertoire over the years. I can hold my own on the mat, I can slug it out with the best of 'em, and every now and then these creaky old knees will climb to the top turnbuckle. But more than anything else, my style is more psychological than anything.”
“Yeah, I was just talking to Tanner about this the other day. You're not really great at any one aspect – and I mean no disrespect when I say that – but you're pretty darn good at everything. You really don't have a weakness,” proclaimed Drew in his deep voice. “A funny story, if I may. One of my best friends is a programmer and he was one of the lead designers on PCW's upcoming video game, Mass Destruction, which is set to hit shelves in about a week – just in time for Christmas. Anyways, he said that one of the hardest things to do was assign statistics to each wrestler because inevitably, one or two of the wrestlers will get pissed that they weren't rated high enough and blah blah blah. But back to the point, he said that they really struggled with YOUR ratings. Obviously, you've been the champion for almost a year...one of the most dominant champions in recent memory...so they had to rank you somewhere in the 90s. Only problem is your stats didn't add up. Because on paper, he said your Overall rating was in the mid-80s. They can't take into account your cleverness or psychology in the game.”
“Okay...” came Billy's reply.
Tanner was quick to jump in. “What Drew means is that wrestlers like Jury, Alexa Black, Murdoc – who is a secret unlockable character, I hear – they all have high Strength ratings. Stormm and Showtime have maxed out Technique. Grimm and Eira have elite Striking. Justin Kaahd and Nathan Saniti have Speed that is off the charts. On paper, nothing pops off the page in any one category with you Billy, but somehow you've managed to hold onto the World Championship longer than anybody in PCW history. You've retired some of the biggest names in the sport. Nobody has been able to stop you. What gives?”
“I...don't know what to say.” There is an awkward pause. “I'm very cerebral in my approach to each match. I like to give my opponent a false sense of comfort. Let them think I'm in a weakened state. Let them think they've got the advantage. The turn the tables.”
“I'm the statistic guru here at the station, and I've done a bit of research,” Drew presented proudly. “Since returning to Pure Class Wrestling well over a year ago, you've been a hard man to beat. In fact, you've only lost once in singles competition, and that was to Gem, whom you've since defeated and ousted from the company. Whitey Ford was one of the most successful big fight competitors the company had ever seen, and when I say "big fight" I mean that at the big pay-per-views or when the title was on the line, he brought his A-game. His pay-per-view win/loss ratio was unreal and many considered him to be one of, if not the greatest World Champions in PCW history. Since taking his belt at Deadly Intentions V, you've shattered his pay-per-view buyrates, you've taken on all comers, and you've been virtually unstoppable. Billy, YOU are now the most successful big fight competitor in the history of Pure Class Wrestling, recording a nearly flawless pay-per-view attendance. In fact, in your storied PCW career, you've only lost one pay-per-view match. Can you recall who it was against?”
Heavy breathing came through the phone before Sadistic's singular reply. “Grimm.”
* * *
The red wolf stalks its prey with shadow-like stealth. Crouched low, it moves in closer with each noiseless step. Its ears pinned back in the high grass at the edge of the clearing, his receptive nostrils pick up the scent of his favorite prey. Deer! Grazing obliviously on dry grasses, the medium-sized buck, easily twice as large as the Crimson Demon, moves from one lush patch of vegetation to the next. Inching closer to its fresh meal, the wolf's muscles tense...then uncoil like a bullet from a rifle. Exploding forward with unmatched speed, the wolf is nearly upon its prey before the deer has time to react.
Now, there are many different types of deer. There are your generic blacktail and whitetail deer. Water deer. Reindeer. In certain Asian countries, there are musk deer that grow long canine tusks in lieu of antlers to combat rival males during mating season.
And in a poetic twist, the poor deer turns and rears up on its hind quarters, leaving the red wolf with little time to react. For this in no ordinary Kentucky deer, but a Odocoileus draculae. See also: Black vampire deer. Antlers tirelessly filed on river rocks to needle points sprout from unruly black fur. Razor sharp hooves paw at the air. Three inch long fangs protrude from its mouth as the deceptively aware beast lets out a hiss. These canines aren't used for fending off rival bucks, but for killing and consuming other animals. While all deer are thought to be herbivores, the vampire deer is the only member of the Cervidae family known to prey upon other warm-blooded animals.
The poor Crimson Demon has fallen into the carnivore's phenomenally laid trap. Blood stains the earth with the soaked offerings of a fresh Kentucky feast as a once-rare North American species ceases to exist.
* * *
Back to Ground Zero. In a few minutes, William and his brother could do ungodly, illegal things to one another. #PCWWorldChampionship #CollisionCourse4 #DillingerChristmasTradition
What was Billy's play here? Malave had put his back against the wall. Phinehas was going to come at him with everything in his arsenal. Somehow, Justin Michaels had been allowed to stand in as special guest referee for the bout. Convenient, seeing as he and Phinehas were tag team partners. And Michael...well, Showtime hadn't shown one shred of support for Billy since announcing his candidacy for the presidential race. Had Luis been responsible? Had “The Icemann” really been dismantling the Black Hand right under his nose? Looking back over the past couple months, it was all starting to make sense. Foley's convenient suspension. Stormm and Showtime lurking around the president's office constantly. Grimm and his digging and his whistling and his coldness towards Billy. Luis would fell the Black Hand at Collision Course for the whole world to see!
At that moment, Sadistic's eyes snapped open. With fifteen seconds until his entrance, William looked up into the lifeless face of the Man in Black. The room felt like a walk-in freezer as Sadistic gazed up at the lifeless man's face. The black glasses, death rictus exposing perfect, porcelain teeth, and black wide-brimmed hat. Billy could see his breath in the air as he stood to meet his tormentor.
“You remember our deal?” The Man in Black's teeth gleamed with excitement. A kid ready to get his hands on a brand new toy.
“I'm afraid I do,” acknowledged Sadistic, striding past the Man in Black without a care in the world.
William and Phinehas, the Hangtown Horrors, would risk severe injury and possibly permanent damage, but win, lose, or draw, that belt was staying within the Black Hand. In true Sadistic fashion, Billy would pose as the prey so that he might lure in the predator.
“And Luis will be one step closer to realizing his ultimate plan, which is one step closer to where I want him, and that's the palm of my hand.”
NEX ADDO
