PROMO: Killer Instinct

[Guest Ace309]

“Why do you look so down?”

 

As the plane soars above the Midwest, flying from Philadelphia to Los Angeles, William Hearford asks Tom Flesher for a candid answer to a tough question. SWF stars are peppered through the flight, but as always they stay out of each others’ way. Flesher, Hearford and Ejiro Fasaki sit together in one row, their overhead space uncomfortably empty due to the lack of championship gold. A few rows back sit the Unholy Trinity, and in between is a sleeping Jamie Drazon. The Magnificent Seven’s leader sits by the window, with Hearford between Flesher and Fasaki.

 

“Seriously, Tom,” says Hearford with concern, “it just doesn’t seem like you care. You haven’t been talking to Brian lately, not even to jockey for card position. And if you ask me, it looks like you’ve been hitting those martinis pretty hard.”

 

“What does it matter, Bill?” Flesher sighs, staring out the window as the flat lands of the Great Plains pass under the plane. “Strangler has the title. I beat him a month ago, two falls out of three, and yet, Fate comes in to kick my ass. Thoth beat me, Bill. Twice. Do you know how long it’s been since someone beat me twice? The last guy to do it was Zenon, for god’s sake, and no one’s seen him in ages. And it’s the third win he has over me in nine months.”

 

Hearford shifts uncomfortably. “But you’re going to have a chance to get the belt back, Tom.” He jerks his head slightly in Jay Dawg’s direction. “All you have to do is beat Drazon on Monday.”

 

“I’ve been reduced to fighting Jamie fucking Drazon for a title shot. Do you know how depressing that is?” Flesher sighs. “I know he’s improved a lot, but he’s just a hardcore freak. That’s what the state of the SWF is, Bill. JLers and hardcore workers are getting to the top of the ranks, and do you know why?” He pauses, then sighs sadly and spits out, “Because I couldn’t cut it at the top.” Flesher fishes the toothpick out of his martini glass and dejectedly bites the olive off.

 

“Come on. You held that belt for damn near three months, and you tied Edwin’s record for most successful defenses. Doesn’t that count for something?”

 

“Yay,” he replies dryly. “The marks think I’m exactly as good as MacPhisto. He wasn’t half the wrestler I am, but in the record books he’ll always be before me. Don’t you understand, Bill? Nothing I do makes any difference.”

 

“I think I know your problem, Tom.” Hearford looks earnestly at Flesher. When you lost that belt, you lost your killer instinct.”

 

“Killer instinct doesn’t count for shit in the wrestling ring,” says the Superior One with an impatient sigh. “It’s never mattered. All I’ve ever needed was to outsmart the unwashed that they matched me up against. Brody, Thompson, Strangler… it wasn’t killer instinct, Bill, it was technique and intellect.”

 

“Brody, Tom. Do you remember how you beat Brody?”

 

“I Germaned him over the top.”

 

“Does that sound like technique, Tom? Or intellect?”

 

“It was the technique I needed for that match.” Flesher returns to looking out the window for a moment, then adds, “Maybe you’re right. But what can I do about it now?”

 

“I can’t tell you how to build your drive back up, Tom.” Hearford pats Flesher on the shoulder in a rare display of camaraderie. “I can’t tell you where to get the missing piece of the puzzle. But you need to.”

 

Flesher sighs once more, letting the conversation drop uncomfortably and picking up the in-flight magazine.

 

 

 

And a few rows back, Jamie Drazon’s eyes flutter open, and he has a hard time suppressing a smile.

 

 

 

~fin~

[Guest The Superstar]

Damn, Tom, that was an excellent excellent EXCELLENT promo, and I'm *really* looking forward to seeing how you incorporate this into your matches and stuff.

[Guest Longdogger_Pete]

(Y) @ my idea seeing fruition.

[Guest WrestlingDeacon]

Reminds me of the 'eye of the tiger' storyline I did with LDP recently. Man, this is going to be a hell of match between Frost and Flesher when it goes down. It will probably just be us crying on each other's shoulders at a support group meeting.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

The marks think I’m exactly as good as MacPhisto. He wasn’t half the wrestler I am, but in the record books he’ll always be before me.

 

Yeah, that's right bitch! B4 U, fizznool!

 

Veddy nice. Sadpants Flesher will rise again.

[Guest Crowe]

Man, this is going to be a hell of match between Frost and Flesher when it goes down. It will probably just be us crying on each other's shoulders at a support group meeting.

I find that mental image goddamn amusing for some reason. Mainly because I visualise Tom Flesher being a wrestling ballerina in pink.

 

Anyways, nice promo from Taamo here, it's short, sweet and simple and it sets up the match upcoming well. Much like Grappler, I also look forward to seeing how you play this us.

[Guest Chuck Woolery]

After Crow's revelation, I picture Frost as the dude with bitch tits in Fight Club, and Tom as Edward Norton.

 

Thanks, Crow.