Toxxic 0 Report post Posted February 26, 2004 A Bar, somewhere on the road to the SWF’s next show “Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! I can’t get positive! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Just get it over with! Today is Hate The World Day...” This side of the bar is designated no smoking, but whilst the patrons pay half-hearted heed to the one small sign, air currents have no such obedient tendencies. Wafting a ribbon of cigarette smoke away from his face in a resigned manner Toxxic stares blankly into his glass of Frost brand Cola and listens to the music pumping through the headphones plugged tightly into his ears, the familiar guitars of the Wildhearts drowning out the chatter of the unfamiliar accents all around him. The spiky-haired straight-edger is an incongruous sight amongst the rest of the bar’s clientele but he sits alone, not intruding on anyone’s space and radiating a certain bleakness that encourages others to return the favour. Apart, that is, from one man who reaches out a tentative finger to tap the British punk on the shoulder... “What?” Toxxic asks, turning on his stool to find himself staring into a rather timid face... a face wearing a nervous smile and determinedly clutching a microphone as if it can save him from the stares he’s getting from the drinkers... a face that has a large camera lens protruding above one shoulder as the ever-faithful Gus focuses on the face of the new number one contender to the SWF’s Hardcore Gamer’s Title. “Er, Toxxic,” begins Ben Hardy, the SWF’s committed news journalist. “I wonder if-” “Oh, hi Ben,” Toxxic cuts him off, turning back round in his stool. “Pull up a chair. Have a drink. Don’t bother lighting up; just inhale the atmosphere.” “Erm, I was wondering if I could have a few words with you following your win over Jacob Helmsley?” Hardy ventures. “Since you are now-” “What?” Toxxic queries, turning round again. “You followed me here to ask that? I heard you tracked down Johnny Dangerous to Vegas last week too - don’t you have a social life?” Before Ben can answer Toxxic waves his hand. “Ignore that - I’m the one drinking alone. OK Ben, you’ll get your interview. But we’re doing this outside.” The straight-edger drains his glass in one and makes his way out the door, Hardy and Gus trailing in his wake. **************************************************************************** “Fire away,” Toxxic says, leaning nonchalantly against the wall of the bar. The street lights are on, casting an acrid yellow light over the trio, and a faint drizzle falls from the sky. “Well, I was wondering if I could get your thoughts on the Hardcore Gamer’s Title match you have been granted with Aecas after your victory over Jacob Helmsley.” “Simple: I intend to win it. Next question?” Realising that another question is not forthcoming Toxxic cocks an eyebrow. “Not satisfied?” “I’d very much like to know how you intend to win it,” Hardy replies earnestly. “You’re a newcomer in the SWF after all, and while Aecas has only recently emerged from the SJL he still has considerably more experience than you in this company as a whole. Not to mention the fact that he is-” “Don’t tell me, let me guess,” Toxxic interrupts, holding up a hand. “The fact that he’s a foot taller than me and around 100lbs heavier, right?” The expression on Hardy’s face is as good as an answer, and Toxxic sighs. “Yeah, I thought so. But there’s a few things you need to understand Ben, so I’ll outline them to you. “Firstly, just because I have limited experience in the SWF doesn’t mean I haven’t done this before - why do you think I was picked up? If Commissioner Stevens hadn’t thought I was capable of holding my own he wouldn’t have signed me. And even though I’ve had less than half a dozen matches so far, you forget that two of them have been totally without rules, just like my match against Aecas will be. And if you really doubt my hardcore ability I suggest you go and find Jake Helmsley and ask him if his headache’s worn off yet. “Second, if you’re in a fight - not a wrestling match, a fight - and you’re facing someone who has you outmatched, what do you do, Ben? Me, I’d try and find some way of evening those odds, some sort of ‘equaliser’. And guess what? In a hardcore match, it is a fight - and all my equalisers will be legal. “Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, I know exactly what I need to do in this match. I need to pin Aecas, or make him submit. No less... and no more. I watch these hardcore matches and people bring out all these weapons like light tubes and barbed wire and stuff like that, but I’m not going into the match to hurt someone for the sake of hurting them, I’m going in to win. Who thought a water pistol could help you win a match? I did. It worked. Who knows what sort of crazy stunt I’ll bust out against Aecas? I don’t, but whatever I do will have a reason. “In fact, since you’re here Ben you can take a message for Aecas from me.” Toxxic turns to face the camera directly, the drizzle collecting on his face and causing two streaks of eyeliner to mark his cheeks, almost like dark tears. “Aecas - I’ve got nothing personal against you. Hell, it’s good to hear a familiar accent around now and again. But I’m going to be coming into this match with the intention of doing whatever it takes to win the Hardcore Gamer’s Championship. Because to do otherwise would be a breach of Commissioner Stevens’ trust in me; it would be disrespectful to the title you carry around your waist; it would be unfair on the fans who have paid to see the show we wrestle on, and it would break the promise I made to myself that I will give 100% to every single match I am in, no matter what the circumstances. I’ve wondered if winning that match against Jacob was the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I’m here now - and both you and I will have to live with the consequences of that. “It would be easier for me if you considered me a no-hoper, if you went into this match thinking that you’d breeze it and take care of me in short order. Well, I promise you this - I’m not, and you won’t. If you heed this warning, and you beat the living hell out of me and retain your title - fair play to you. Do it if you can. If you ignore what I’ve just said, if you go into the match thinking about something else, convinced that you’ll brush me aside...” For the first time since being caught on camera, the right side of Toxxic’s face creases upwards into his trademark lopsided grin. “...then I guess you’d better prepare to be proved wrong.” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Aecas Report post Posted February 26, 2004 Very nice promo. If I can get the time then exepct a responce soon. But very nice work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Suicide King Report post Posted February 26, 2004 Man, I like this Toxxic guy. He writes, he promos, and he seems to be having a blast. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thoth 0 Report post Posted February 26, 2004 And he gets his matches in pretty early. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ToddRoyal Report post Posted February 26, 2004 And he gets his matches in pretty early. Bah. He'll learn... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crowe 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 Aha, a sound promo. You have promise and I think that you will be someone to watch in the near future. Some advice though, try spacing out your promos for legibility. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest The Extreme Solution Report post Posted February 27, 2004 Nice stuff, a good job of building some atmosphere leading up to the match with Aecas.. and it's always nice to see a fellow Wildhearts fan around Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toxxic 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2004 Virtually all of my "named" moves are from British rock bands' songs. I put Jake Helmsley through a chair with a Caffeine Bomb, for example... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites