Promo

[Guest Xstasy]

"Woohoo... I won... I won..."

 

Everyone's favorite prince of flashe and pinache does the cabbage patch in the hallway after Battleground 2.

 

"Go Edwin... Go Edwin... It's your birthday... get-cho freak on..."

 

A few lingering stagehands look at him a little funny, but say nothing to the ICTV champion.  Eddie Mac slowly walks past the usually femme-filled Locker room of Uber-Face and once Carnie-ally X-traoridnaire... the Perfect Drug, Xstasy!  And tonight, one would never think anything was any different... except for the obvious lack of ladies- which Edwin finds a bit unsettling.  And the door is cracked.  The ICTV Champ puts his ear to the doorway and listens intently, humming the theme from Mission Impossible while he eavesdrops on the goings on.

 

"Are you sure about this?  The SWF has always been your dream."

 

Another voice... obviously Xstasy...

 

"I'm sure.  It doesn't matter how far I go, how much I do... I'm getting held back.  First Spike and Shinji, now Stubby... I refuse to do it anymore... not when I can do something I love, and get paid for it, AND get the chance to create something beautiful."

 

The first voice again...

 

"Bullsh*t, little man.  I know how you feel about wrestling.  It's your passion, your dream.  You'll be back."

 

"For me to come back... alot of things have to change.  This is crap, Chris, and you know it.  Crap.  I've been busting my ass for this company, working night and day, and I get no thanks.  The guys in the lockerroom treat me like a nobody.  And don't get me started on the powers that be..."

 

"But isn't that your whole role.  You're an underdog, Phoenix... always have been, always will be.  You are the upstart, and its your job to challenge the norm... nobody ever sleeps around you, they always bring their A+ game."

 

"So that's my job, sis?  To make these other guys look good?  I don't think so.  I've put everything on the line for this federation.  Valuable time I coulda spent working on my family, finding out about you, getting to know EVERYONE all over again... so much stuff I could have been doing.  I can't now.  I wasted time preparing for that match.  Do you have any idea how much time I trained?  Only to have it taken away from me because the commish is on some ego boost?  Do you know how much time I lost dealing with Thugg when no one else would?  Do you have any idea?  After everything I get, this is the thanks I get!"

 

"You're starting to sound like Dad..."

 

"Who's dad??"

 

The conversation pauses for awhile, and Edwin's eyebrows raise.  Intriguing, yes... but very personal.  He contemplates leaving, but the female voice speaks again.

 

"That was a low blow, Phoenix.  Please don't be that way..."

 

"I deserve more than this, Christienne.  I lost that match before I ever stepped into the ring.  Matter of fact, I probably lost the second I was a solid lock-in for that title shot.  This was all predetermined..."

 

"Well, the business is a work, kid..."

 

"That's not what I mean!  I've been held down.  Everyone gets over on my expense.  It happened last year, it's happening now.  No one wants to see me become anything.  It doesn't matter what I do, or how well I do it.  It doesn't matter how hard I work... the only thing that matters is feeding people's power hungry desires, those ever lovin' BASTARDS!!  I can't stand this crap anymore!"

 

"So you're just gonna pick up and leave?  Without saying anything to anyone?"

 

"They won't miss me.  Besides, where I'm going, there'll be plenty of things to make me forget, if you catch my drift..."

 

"Ewww... you're my baby brother, I don't want to hear about that stuff..."

 

"Heh heh heh..."

 

Another pause, obviously for a sibling's embrace.

 

"If you really have the guts to do this, I'm behind you one-hundred percent.  And I'm proud of you!  Hey, maybe now I'll get to see you every once in awhile... since you're not on the road..."

 

"Make plans for it, sis."

 

"I really am proud of you Phoenix.  You stuck with it... you did an incredible amount of work.  That kind of effort deserves more than you get, but you'll always have us, your family!"

 

"My new family!"

 

"Call me when you get to New York..."

 

Another pause, and suddenly, the door opens!  Edwin straightens up, and looks into the face of the beautiful dark skinned woman he had seen several times at poker games of old.

 

"Errrmmm... Chrissy Night... what's shakin'..."

 

"Oh cut the crap, Eddie Mac, I know you were listening..."

 

"What's goin' on with him?"

 

"Why don't you ask him."

 

Christienne walks away, her heels clicking the floor as Edwin pushes the door in and enters.  He can see the Drug sitting on a bench, putting stuff into his bag.  A packed suitcase sits by him on the ground.

 

"X... what the hell is going on?"

 

"Heh... something that should have happened a long time ago... my friend... a LONG time ago..."

 

"You're leaving."

 

"Yup.  For good this time.  At least it wasn't Thugg that put me out... heh heh..."

 

"Don't joke around, Drug, you can't just pick up and go.  You have honor to fight for!  This whole thing was a sham, you need to fight it..."

 

"For what, Edwin?  For what?"  He pauses, wrapping up some tape, and then sighs.  "It took me a year... A f*ckin' year to get this title shot.  I work damn hard..."

 

"... damn right you do..."

 

"... and it took me a year to get ONE shot.  ONE number one contender's match.  And that entire dream was taken away from me.  Taken away.  It's gonna be another year before I get this chance again."

 

"No way!  No way, and you know it!  You're here man!  You have unfinished busines..."

 

"It's finished.  It's all done.  I can't stay here, at least not as long as... HE's around."

 

"HVT?"

 

X looks at Edwin, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

 

"No... you know who..."

 

"Oh... what does he have to do with..."

 

"Everything.  Don't you see, man?  I'm fighting a losing battle here.  I lost this match two weeks ago.  Just like I've lost everything.  This was my one shot.  ONE!  I'm done... it's over.  I'm retiring at age 19... heh heh heh..."

 

They pause... and Edwin shrugs...

 

"So whatcha doin' in New York... another fed?"

 

"Huh?  Oh, you heard about that huh?  No, not another fed.  Broadway, actually."

 

The crown prince's eyes light up at the mention of the great strip...

 

"Broad-whaaaa?"

 

"heh... yes, Broadway... I got asked to choreograph and star in a show.  It's really urban, the entire thing is Capoeira.  I'll get to meet tons of amazing people, and do things that I couldn't do here.  Namely control my career!"

 

"Wow... movin' up in the world, huh?"

 

"Yeah, and getting paid too... I never new there was that much money in live theatre..."

 

They both pause for awhile, and X closes his locker.

 

"Well, that's the last of it, anyway, it's been real..."

 

"It's gonna eat up at you... ya know?"

 

"I know."

 

"You're not even gonna give it another chance?  You're good at this man, really good... and what about the Xstatic fans?"

 

"They can pay about the same amount to see my show when it opens up."

 

"You know what I mean.  You're not a quitter, Phoenix.  If you were, you would never have gotten out of that hospital bed.  You would never have kept Thugg at Bay for three months!  You would never have gotten this far."

 

"I can't take the disrespect man.  It's too much work.  I'm done.  It's over... forever!  I'm NOT coming back."

 

"If you say so..."

 

"I've found something much better."

 

"Who are you trying to convince?"

 

X stops, staring at the floor, then smiles as he rises and grabs his luggage.  He shakes Edwin's hand, and makes his way out.

 

"It's been real, man."

 

"Yeah... too bad I never got to kick your ass one on one..."

 

"heh heh... If you ever get to New York, look for the best Gym in Manhattan... that's where you'll find me.  I've got an Xception with your name on it."

 

They nod, and X carries his bags out.

 

"See ya around."

 

"Yeah man.  Later."

 

And that's it.  It's over.  It's done.  The Joy is going to the Big Apple.

 

For good.

 

FIN

[Guest El Luchadore Magnifico]

.........

 

Don't leave us, Xstasy!

[Guest Perfect_Bo]

Yo X, I advise you not to go to the big Apple...  You're too pretty to get respect...  In the Apple, you either have to be a pretty boy and be a pimp, or be a thug...  But you can't be both...  Because they will hate you more and leave a bullet on your deads...

 

But dont leave, you've done so much shit in the biz that the feud between you and H was the best feud in a hot minute...

 

Please reconsider, I would love to see more shit between ya...  Bulldoze his ass through a concrete wall and then smoke a cigarette...

 

B "X, dont leave" O

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Aieeee!

 

The real Edwin says just what the promo Edwin says!  Don't be leaving!  Maybe we can just have all our shows at MSG now.  Yeah!  Then...then...

 

Dude, if you're really going...which you seem to be...then...::sob:: bye bye.  It's been wonderful.  But but but!  Argh!  To quote Low Brass, Blargg!

[Guest BA_Baracus]

PROMO (Stubby P. McWeed);

"Hmmm...my ears are burning.  Is someone talking about me?

 

I will say that when I lost my first title match I really felt like quitting and even sent Jayson a PM accusing him of being agasint me as I recall.

 

But I stuck with it and things turned out for the best.  So if you are quitting I'd suggest you re-consider.  This seems kind of like a knee-jerk type reaction to losing the match...

 

Mothernature says, don't go lad!"

[Guest Xstasy]

Sorry guys.  But there are just too many cons, and not enough pros.

 

For one- the input/output ratio is just too high for me.  I'm trying to balance work, school, girls (you know me... heh heh heh), money problems, and my writing.  I've been spending way too much time working on fantasy wrestling stuff, and not enough time actually enjoying the results.  Plus there really aren't many Xstasy fans out there right now, and its not worth it to me if no one actually enjoys what I do write.

 

Secondly- to be quite honest, I doubt there's another chance for me.  It also has to do with the input/output ratio, but if I knew I was established, I wouldn't have to worry as much.  There's no guarantee of a second, or third, or fourth chance for me, and it kinda feels like X'll take a bump down because of the loss.

 

And Thirdly- We only have ONE net worthy computer!!  Frickin' Cox @ Home internet not helping us out with our networking... and HVT is the only one in the apartment with a stable net connection, so its not worth it to split time writing, and getting everything in late- especially when combined with the first two factors.

 

Anyways, this isn't necessarily goodbye- remember anything can happen in the SWF.  It looks like it right now... but you never know.  If I do come back, though, it'll be after a short (or LONG) break.  I just don't like the direction the fed is taking right now.  Maybe there will be a big bend in the cycle soon... but I can't keep spending this much time doing it if I don't enjoy the results.  A person like me will never get anywhere right now.

[Guest Edwin MacPhisto]

Well, as long as you might come back soon, or late, or sometime, and as long as you'll be spending a fair portion of your extra time on womenfolk, I have less of a problem with this.