PROMO: Insecurity Killed The Cat

[King Cucaracha 0]

Date: January 6th 2005

Time: 11:40pm, hours after SWF Lockdown.

Location: Manchester, New Hampshire. Alan Clark's hotel room.

 

 

With Lockdown over and the, quite frankly shocking events at the end of the night still yet to sink in, three weary looking men and their 'manageress' have retired to their hotel for the night. For Alan Clark and Todd Cortez, victory had put them in good standing in the tag team division. In the process, they had sent a firm message to Revolution Zero. And by way of Toxxic and Sean Davis' loss, the Revolution had lost some more power. Good news for Martial Law, of course. For their ally Landon Maddix though, Lockdown had not been all good news. Far from it. Laying heavy on Maddix's mind as he sits in an uncomfortable looking wicker chair, January 14th. His draw with Sacred hours earlier means Maddix faces his first World Title defence. In not the most positive of circumstances.

 

In Maddix's lap sits the SWF World Heavyweight Championship belt. The not too positive looking Maddix looks down, staring back at his reflection in the main gold plate. Megan sits on one side of the bed flicking through some fashion magazine that's at least four months old, but the only literary material she could find in reception. Looking over her shoulder is Todd Cortez, looking far too interesting in a fashion magazine. Meanwhile, stepping out of a door to the right of the bed, Alan Clark whistles away to himself, wearing just a towel. Not a sight Cortez looks happy to see. Understandably.

 

"I still can't believe it was him." Clark finally mutters, breaking the icy silence in the room. "One minute we're all getting carted off and there I am, trying to get after Sean Davis again and away from whoever was holding me back." Maddix rolls his eyes. "And then, I heard it. 'Dace F'n Night! Dace F'n Night! Dace F'n Night!' I look up into the ring and there he is, beating the hell out of Toxxic!"

 

"We know, we were there too, remember?" Cortez sighs.

 

"It's crazy guys! I mean, just think of how many weeks Dace might have been working as a security guy, waiting for that one brawl to kick off and waiting for that one chance to get at Toxxic. I mean, for all we know, he could have been planning this for months on end!"

 

With a sigh of her own, Megan reaches into her pocket and places some headphones in her ears, Landon looking at her in envy. Clark has been jammering on for the past hour on and off. What he wouldn't give for some headphones right now.

 

 

Or a gun.

 

"Dace Night. Mak Francis. Wildchild and Johnny Dangerous. I tell ya, with all these guys coming back, I don't envy you champ."

 

"And...why would that be." Maddix asks curiously.

 

"Well, let's face it, they didn't come back with thoughts of starting at the bottom and working up the ranks. They don't need to, do they? Mak's a three-time US Champ, former ICTV Champ. More than good enough to be World Champion. Wildchild...best Hardcore Champion ever, one of the most prolific Tag Team Champions ever, former Cruiserweight Champ. He's beaten you before. Dace is a former ICTV Champ, he's plenty good enough to win the World Title. Johnny's a former World Champion and he knows that he can beat you. You know...come to think of it, it's not a good time to be champion. Let's face it, I haven't even mentioned Toxxic and Sacred yet. Max King wants you. Sooner or later, Davis might get itchy feet and want a title shot. Same for Spike. Then there's the Clusterfuck, anyone could win that. Even Cortez. Even me!"

 

Cortez stiffles a laugh.

 

"We've beaten you before, don't forget. And of course, you have to worry about TWO belts. Not just one, TWO."

 

Staring at Clark, Maddix's bad mood has just been tripled.

 

"You done?"

 

"Uhm...yeah, but you never know who's going to return next. I mean, if Mak can come back, then...well, who's to say other big names won't be back and after your title in the near future?"

 

"..."

 

"Alan..." Cortez quickly speaks up, sensing that Maddix is rapidly reaching boiling point. "...now's not the time."

 

Finally stopping, Alan looks around and sees the look on Maddix's face...eyes piercing through him. Clark sighs. He ALWAYS gives him that look. Just because he has a tendancy to talk alot sometimes. He always gets THAT look. What he wouldn't give to wipe that look off of Maddix's face.

 

 

With a gun.

 

"Sorry." Clark finally mumbles, shaking his deep rooted thoughts out of his head momentarily. "I was just saying..."

 

"Look, I know how tough it's gonna be for me to keep this World Championship Alan, believe me. I don't need you reminding me. But I'm not going to let it throw me. Dace Night, Wildchild, Mak Francis...not gonna throw me. I mean, what's the worst that can happen? Janus comes back. Thugg comes back. MacPhisto comes back. Galatea comes back. Mayor McCheese comes back. I'm not much of a World Champion if I go into meltdown every time another challenger to the belt steps up, am I?"

 

"Isn't McCheese dea..."

 

"Besides...I've got to worry about Sacred right now. Everyone else can wait."

 

Head down, looking at the World Heavyweight Championship belt in his lap, Maddix stares long and hard into the gold plate. Another silence has filled the air as Cortez stares at Maddix, trying to gauge his state of mind. It's almost as if there's doubt in the champion's eyes. Almost visable. As if, Maddix is looking at someone elses championship.

 

"You know, I was thinking." pipes up Clark again. "It's ironic. Sacred winning the World Title might be a good thing."

 

Sighing, Cortez hangs his head. Just when Clark couldn't piss Maddix off any more, he just has. Standing up from his chair, Maddix begins to walk over to where Clark sits, towering over his unlikely ally, fuming.

 

"Excuse me!?!"

 

"What?" Clark mumbles innocently.

 

"You think SACRED..as World Champion..would be a GOOD thing!?!" Maddix fumes, getting ever closer to strangling Clark as Cortez is forced to step between the two and move Maddix back. But despite the friend and team-mate's best efforts, Maddix is still trying to get at Clark. "You're saying that ME, LOSING...would be a GOOD thing!?!"

 

"Landon, leave it..." Cortez pleads as Megan sees the commotion and pulls off her headphones.

 

"You wanna get you priorities set Clark! We're supposed to be UNITED to take down Revolution Zero. UNITED! United doesn't mean you hoping I LOSE this title!"

 

"I'm not hop..."

 

"We're supposed to be team-mates now, you STUPID, son of a BITCH!"

 

And now, Clark stands up and glares at Maddix, the uneasy alliance threatening to break down. Now, Clark is advancing on Maddix, despite Megan trying to hold him back...while trying not to accidently disrobe him.

 

 

"ALRIGHT...ENOUGH!"

 

Suddenly, Cortez speaks up and right on cue Clark stops in his tracks, understandably surprised to see the usually calm Todd Cortez yelling in such an unaccustomed way. Maddix stops too, but is still clearly fuming. And as Cortez and Megan continue to stand between the two men, Maddix turns away towards the door. Only to stop, look at Clark...

 

...and gather up his two title belts, before storming out of the room and slamming the door behind him. Leaving behind him, another awkward silence.

 

"What IS it with you, huh?" snaps Cortez as he regains his bearings, aiming his fury at Clark who sits back down on the bed calmly. "You just can't resist winding him up, can you? I thought we agreed, when I suggested this..when you AGREED to this. I thought we agreed that you'd try to get on with Maddix. And yet, here we are, arguing and fighting amongst ourselves."

 

Sighing, Cortez slumps back down frustratedly.

 

"...what did you mean anyway?"

 

"About Sacred?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Well, you heard a while back...that interview Sean Davis did. When he said he'd step back from the World Title shot he's more than entitled to, so that Toxxic can go after the World Title instead?" Clark looks up as Cortez nods. "And then there's Spike Jenkins. He was sent by Toxxic to get the ICTV Title from Maddix before, so you'd imagine that Toxxic would have had plans for Spike as ICTV Champ. Plans that would have kept him clear of the World Championship." Cortez nods again. "So, you have Davis, loyal to his leader...Spike, loyal to his leader. Sacred?" Clark makes like he's musing the thought over a bit, before shaking his head.

 

"So..."

 

"So? Todd, look at it this way. What was Sacred's main reason for returning? Toxxic. Revolution Zero. Or the same thing he's been after for years...glory..and respect."

 

It all seems to be sinking in for Cortez now, Megan too.

 

"I'm sure Sacred's loyal to Revolution Zero, don't get me wrong. But, and maybe it's just me I don't know...but, I can't see Sacred being content with playing second fiddle to Toxxic all of his life. He's going for the World Title after all." A wry smile creeps over Clark's face as he looks up again. "And, do you think that Sacred would let Toxxic 'lead' him if he was holding the World Heavyweight Title."

 

"You think Sacred wants to lead Revolution Zero?"

 

"Well, no...but I don't think any World Champion would want to play second fiddle in a stable setting. Let's face it, Maddix thinks he's leading us. If you or I were to say we were the leader of Martial Law, he'd be storming out of the room faster than he did just now. Sacred's a veteran though. It must be hard for him to be lead by someone who's so much younger and has so much less wrestling experience than him as it is. But if Sacred's World Champion, he might want to lead Rev Zero. Toxxic would still secretly or maybe not so secretly want the World Title for himself. And...well, I just think Revolution Zero imploding with Sacred as champion is...a quicker prospect than us taking them down."

 

Shrugging, Clark sighs to himself as he stands up from the bed and grabs a towel off of the desk behind him.

 

"I'm goin' for a shower. If Maddix gets back before I'm done, have a word with him would you?"

 

"Sure thing." Cortez mutters absent mindedly as Clark leaves to his en-suite, shutting the door behind him. A few seconds later, the sound of water can be heard, loud enough for Clark to be considered out of earshot. Laughing to himself and shaking his head, it seems the Hardcore Gamers Champion doesn't seem too convinced by Clark's premonitions. "And to think, I thought Mike and Mask were bad."

 

Megan giggles to herself. "Oh, this is nothing."

 

"Should...someone go after Landon?"

 

"Best not. I think he's going through one of his 'self-doubting' phases and when he gets like that, every little thing anyone says plays on his mind. That's why he over-reacted to Alan. Best to give him some space."

 

"He'll be alright for the 14th though, right?"

 

"...probably." Smile disappearing from her face, Megan stares into space. "But, if there's one person he wouldn't want to be wrestling in this state of mind, it's Sacred..."

[The Amazing Rando 0]

damn. seriously.

 

 

Cortez is going to end up with high blood pressure cause of us.

 

Or a gun.

[Toxxic 0]

I'd like everyone to bear in mind, when you read Smarkdown, that I wrote the promo with me and Sacred BEFORE I read Landon's promo. Damn Landon, you must be psychic or something.

 

Or a gun.

 

(votes for 'or a gun' to become the new random SWF comment)

 

But seriously. A good and VERY insightful promo. But I wonder... is it true then, that Martial Law exists only to take down Revolution Zero...