PROMO: Roundtable

[Guest Longdogger_Pete]

Hours before SWF Storm is brought to television, live from Long Island, New York, the members of X Force 9 assemble in their locker room for a game plan meeting. Seated around a table are Longdogger Pete, Sarah Leavenworth, Erek Taylor, Annie Eclectic, and Renegade. A few feet away, seated in the corner of the room, off to himself, is Tod deKindes, who doesn't seem to be paying much attention.

 

"Thanks for coming, everyone," Pete says to the group. "Now, let me get right to the reason I called everyone here. I wanted to--"

 

Pete is interrupted as the door opens and in walks an excited, heavily bandaged Ash Ketchum. "Hi, everyone!" Ash greets. "I'm back!"

 

Erek Taylor is the only one that doesn't look surprised by Ash's arrival. "Ash!" Pete exclaims. "Good to have you back. How are you feeling?"

 

Ash winces. "I've felt better. I'm not 100% yet by any means, but they say I could be back in action as early as Smarkdown."

 

"That's great news," Renegade tells Ash.

 

"Yeah," Annie agrees. "I'm glad you're here. We were worried about you!"

 

"I'm glad you all didn't forget about me," says Ash. "Oh, Pete, I almost forgot--here's a little souvenir from my trip to Halifax." He hands Pete what appears to be a flat, circular object about a foot in diameter, covered in wrapping paper. Pete takes the gift and looks at it curiously. "I didn't mean to interrupt," Ash continues as he takes an empty seat next to Annie Eclectic. "You were saying?"

 

Pete sets Ash's gift aside for the moment and continues. "I called you all here so you can all sit down and have a few words with Sarah Leavenworth, our new business manager. She's going to try to make our lives a little easier, if we can hear her out for a few minutes."

 

"Thanks, Pete," replies Sarah. "Some of you may not know me, and those that do haven't seen me in quite some time. Since I haven't been privy to what everyone's been doing here in the SWF in the last couple of months, I wanted to ask each member a couple questions about your direction here in the league. If I know a little more about you and what you're up against, it may be easier for me to be able to get you the matches you want." Her comments are met with assorted nods around the table. "All right. Renegade, I'm going to start with you. What's your current goal in this company?"

 

Renegade thinks it over a moment. "I'd say, win a title and kick some ass."

 

Sarah grins. "Anyone in particular you'd like to face?"

 

Renegade shakes his head. "I'll take on anyone who's man enough to take on the Renegade Masta!"

 

Sarah can't help but laugh. "Aggressive and confident. I like that. How about you, Annie? Anyone specific you'd want a match against?"

 

Annie nods. "I wish to fight Jay Dawg, as apparently his status in Creative Control gets him the right to throw stablemate after stablemate at me while he defends against other people. I have the feeling he knows I'd take him in another straight up defense."

 

"So you're interested in acquiring the Hardcore title, then?"

 

"On the whole, I'd like to make a name for myself relating to the hardcore belt," Annie replies. "When you think World Title, you think Edwin and Thugg. When you think Light-Heavyweight, you think Fallout and ELM. When you think Hardcore title, I want the world to think of me, the Hardcore Queen, Annie E!"

 

Sarah raises an eyebrow. "Would you settle for the world thinking of Annie E AND Mistress Sarah?"

 

Pete can't help but interject, as he begins unwrapping the odd-shaped object Ash had given him. "Hey, I held that title too."

 

Ash cuts in as well. "I've got two reigns there myself!"

 

Annie chuckles. "Well, maybe we can call ourselves X Force 9, the Hardcore stable."

 

"Anyway, moving on with things," continues Sarah. "Ash."

 

"Ash," Pete cuts her off as he tosses a large wad of wrapping paper aside. "What the hell is this?" He holds up a large black steering wheel.

 

"That?" asks Ash. "That, Pete, is the steering wheel from your car. You know, the one I was in when it hurtled through a wall."

 

"And you're giving it back to me why?"

 

Ash just smirks. "Because there's something I want you to do with it, Pete. If you happen to see Chris Wilson tonight... I want you to RAM IT UP HIS ASS!"

 

Sarah thinks about that. "So I take it you want to be booked against the Magnificent Seven?"

 

"Frost, actually," confirms Ash. "I can't remember for sure, but I have a strong suspicion that he's the one that beat the hell out of me outside M7's room in Halifax. And if he isn't... well, that's one more M7 member down, and I can move on to the next."

 

"Got it," says Sarah. "Tod?"

 

Tod deKindes glances over from his seat, inclining his head in Sarah's direction and making no effort to get much closer to the conversation. "Mm?"

 

"You've been pretty quiet so far. What's your goal in the SWF?"

 

"Win at all costs," Tod replies simply, and tilts his head back to face the wall again.

 

Sarah shoots Pete an odd look, and he just shrugs. She decides not to pursue the matter and goes on. "Well, that leaves you, Erek. Where do you see yourself in the company, say, a month from now?"

 

"Where do I see myself from a month from now?" asks Erek. "Honestly, I see me in a bed and you're there next to me."

 

Random snickering breaks out around the table. Sarah's eyes widen at Erek's comment, but he waves it off as a joke. "Seriously, I don't see myself anywhere but here."

 

"Anyone you want to face in the ring?" Sarah asks.

 

"Yeah. I would like to be booked against LDP, because he's old and he's going to give me another free win."

 

This time, it's Pete's eyes that widen as he shoots Erek a look.

 

"Relax, pops, I'm just kidding."

 

Sarah makes one more glance across the table. "All right, guys, I think that's it. Thanks, everyone, for your time, and we'll see you back here tonight for Storm."

 

One by one, the stablemates make a break for the exit, until moments later, only Sarah and Pete are left. Neither has moved from their seats.

 

"You're still here," Sarah says.

 

Pete nods slowly. "You didn't ask me."

 

"Ask you?"

 

"You didn't ask who I wanted to face."

 

Sarah concedes the point. "All right, Pete. Who do you want to face?"

 

Pete spouts the next two words as though cursing them out. "Chris. Wilson."

 

"Wilson?" Sarah seems surprised. "Are you sure about that?"

 

"Damn right I'm sure."

 

"Pete..." Sarah tries to be as delicate as possible. "I don't mean any offense, because I know you've been around a long time, but... you're not exactly a main eventer here. And Chris Wilson may even be walking out of Storm tonight with the World Championship. What makes you think I can get you a match with him?"

 

Pete's eyes flare with anger. "Because he has it coming. He had the temerity to attack one of my guys, to ambush him backstage and nearly end his career. And that's something I take very personally." Pete looks Sarah in the eye. "And I don't care if that man is the champion. Title or no title, it doesn't matter to me. I just want Wilson, one way or another. That's all I want. Make it happen."

 

Sarah frowns and releases a long sigh. "All right, Pete. I'll see what I can do."

 

* * * * *

 

Inside the SWF commissioner's office, Stubby McWeed looks over a sheet of paper handed to him by Sarah Leavenworth. "So these are all requests from X Force 9 members?" he asks.

 

"Yes," Sarah replies. "I don't think they're very unreasonable. X Force 9 has a large and diverse membership, but that doesn't mean that each member doesn't have his or her own individual goals at the same time."

 

Stubby, nods, reading some of Sarah's notes aloud. "Ash vs. Frost... hmm... Annie vs. Jay Dawg... well, she already had one chance there... hmm..." And then Stubby blinked in surprise. "Longdogger Pete vs. Chris Wilson?"

 

Sarah nods. "Wilson did a number on Ash Ketchum. Pete would like the chance to pay him back."

 

"Are you crazy?" Stubby exclaims. "I"m not going to book a match like that!"

 

"What?"

 

"In fact, to hell with this whole idea!" Stubby tears the paper in half. "Why should I feel obligated to book any special requests from X Force 9? They're nothing but a bunch of punks that think they're the future of the SWF! You know something, Sarah? I'll tell you who the future of the SWF is. It's guys like Jay Dawg and Lerrin Breggan. Have you met Lerrin yet, Sarah? The guy's a monster! He's on the fast track to the top... whereas LDP is one a one way trip to Retirementville."

 

"Look, Stubby, would you just hear me out?" Sarah pleads with the commissioner.

 

"No. I've had enough requests from you today, Sarah. You're damned lucky I even let you back into this federation. Now get the hell out of my office!"

 

Sarah quickly obliges, slamming the door behind her. She sighs once again as she begins walking down the hall. "This job is going to be more difficult than I thought," she mutters to herself.

[Guest Lerrin Breggan]

I like it very much. showing some team direction, and also showing that each individual member has a seperate agenda, but it all coincides to make one good trip. Good Promo!

[Guest Beingz0wningj00]

I own you guys!

[Guest TheBostonStrangler]

Nice promo, Pete. You did a pretty damn good job capturing all the differnet characters, and XF9 is a diverse lot. And it's nice seeing Pete aiming high. Hopefully a mini-feud with Wilson is in order...and I like the way Sarah is being written. It gives the group a serious voice that they never really had before. And the fact that it's Sarah asking Stubby for all these things makes it even funnier...good work, man.

[Guest Kibagami]

I likes the promo. I say, I likes it.

 

This promo does a good job of establishing goals for XF9 as a stable, and also focusing on the individual goals of its members. I like the way Tod and Erek were characterized, too. Tension = ratings.

 

S.

[Guest chirs3]

Stable-wide promos kick all sorts of ass. Especially ones with SARAH~!

 

Excellent job, Pete.

[Guest AnnieEclectic]

Nice, very very nice! Heh, the 'Hardcore Stable' huh? well... hell, why not, as long as my name is the first on the list I'm perfectly fine

 

-Annie

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Huzzah for goals, and huzzah for Sarah! She'll always be a Carnie to me, but I like this fit very well. XF9, through tag matches and the Ash-gets-assaulted storyline, now with this...have become quite the cohesive group. Electrons are firing on all cylinders here, and I'll admit I said "ooo" at the prospect of LDP/Wilson actually happening. Nice stuff, and a good reintroduction to Sarah--and bit of an introduction for those who've not known her yet.

[Guest TheSatanicAngel]

I see Pete beat me to my promo idea. Damn you! Well, at least we had the same ideas running ...

 

HUZZAH FOR ME!!

 

Though I think Sarah would've been a little less surprised at the 'next to you in bed' Erek comment ...

 

Of all the people in XF9, I'm the first to win the SWF Hardcore title, so I must be first in the list! Annie, don't make me reprimand you!

 

EDIT: Oh, and Damn that Stubby! He's holding XF9 down!

[Guest BA_Baracus]

PROMO (Stubby P. McWeed);

"Well...

 

...if I wasn't before, I will not that you've joined.

 

Ah...I've missed bashing you Sarah.

 

Mothernature says..."

[Guest Longdogger_Pete]

In writing this promo, I had a little bit of input from all of the XF9 members. Everyone contributed something, so thanks guys for your help.