HD: HD Cold Opening + Promo

[King Cucaracha 0]

Okay, the cold opening...

 

[b]EARLIER TODAY[/b]

It's a mean and moody cold opening to OAOAST HeldDOWN~! this week as we fade in with a shot of the parking lot of the Rose Garden Arena. The camera pans the seemingly deserted lot to find Leon Rodez entering the arena. Leon hauls his bag over his shoulder as he marches the arena and finds himself confronted by a microphone weilding Josh Matthews.

MATTHEWS
Leon! Leon, can we get a few wor...

But much to Josh's surprise, the usually warm and friendly Rodez completely blanks him and marches right past him, head down, scowling. Josh stand and watches Leon walking off for a second, before signalling for the camera to cut.

[King Cucaracha 0]

...and the promo, which needn't be straight at the top of the show, but should be before my HI-YAH match which I'm going to need extra time to finish. So, if whoever's posting can leave a space after this, I'll edit my match in tommorrow.

 

"You break the laws
You hustle, you deal, you steal from us all
Come on come on, lovin' for the money
Come on come on, listen to the Money talk
Come on come on, lovin' for the money
Come on come on, listen to the Money talk
Money talks"

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The crowd greet Theodore Moneymaker with the typical response as "Money Talks" by AC/DC hits. This week it's a slightly slimmed down version of The Enterprise walking out into the wave of boos. Theodore Moneymaker walks out laughing away to himself, with newest recruit Jade Rodez on his arm. Jade looks out into the crowd with a scowl, again dressed down as opposed to her old look. Accompanying the duo is Christopher Patrick Allen, Moneymaker's one-man security force, marching behind as Moneymaker leads Jade up the ring steps and into the ring itself.

COLE
Well, Theodore Moneymaker gracing us with his 'presence' again here tonight on HeldDOWN~! And Jade Rodez by his side... I still can't get over seeing her with Moneymaker, looking like that, acting the way she is. It's like the life's been drained out of her.

COACH
What? This isn't a zombie movie Mikey. Her life is just beginning, she's one of the upper-crust elite now. That's how the well-to-do dress and nobody argues with them, because they've earnt the right to be above reproach by virtue of their wealth.

COLE
That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard you say in the past five minutes.

Moneymaker now has the mic and sure enough, the crowd in Portland seem intent to drown out The Billion Dollar Heir with boos. Smirking away, Teddy waits for them to predictably wane, before beginning.

MONEYMAKER
Now, I'm sure all you nickel n' dimers are wondering where the rest of my Enterprise are right now. Christian, Ned and Simon are currently hard in training at the finest facility money can buy in Vero Beach, California, preparing for next week, when finally championship gold will come to The Enterprise. Because next week, they will be challenging for and winning the OAOAST 6-Man Tag Team Championships! So tonight, it's just myself, the man who last week announced himself to the OAOAST world with his crushing victory CPA and of course, Miss Jade Rodez.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

Unmoved by the boos it would seem, Jade glares forward, a sparkle shooting off the new diamond-encrusted bracelet around his right wrist from underneath her tracksuit top.

MONEYMAKER
You see, we are here for one reason. To conduct business. Somewhere in the back, D*LUX are cooped in their little locker room, biting their fingernails over how they're ever gonna cope without their manager to guide them, like the weak, pathetic peons that they are! See, they've got a BIG match tonight. They're gonna be defending their HI-YAH Tag Team Titles, against the fine combination of Lucius Soul and Rico de Janeiro, The Mardi Gras Homewrecking Crew. And for that, they can thank one person. And that is Jade Rodez.

"D - LUX!"
"D - LUX!"
"D - LUX!"
"D - LUX!"

MONEYMAKER
You peasants chant all you want! Because every time you chant for those pathetic little boybanders, every time you go out and you buy their merchandise and you pay to see them wrestle, you're putting more and more money into The Billion Dollar Heir's pockets! Tyler, Shayne... wonder why you're suddenly in this match, defending your titles, against a team that haven't even competed in Japan before? It's pretty simple. You may be contracted to the OAOAST, you may have a contract with HI-YAH now you're the Champs, but your contracts are owned by the young lady standing next to me, remember!

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

MONEYMAKER
What was it Jade? 60% of all of the team's profits? HAHAHA! Say what you want about that urchin Krista Isadora Duncan, she knows exploitation when she sees it! And hey, let's not forget about the fact you're the one who signs off on all their matches! How convenient, tha...


.:CUE: Trust Company, "Rock The Casbah":.

All eyes suddenly turn to the entrance way, as the sliding doors part at the hands of LEON RODEZ!

"YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

COACH
Oh boy! Baton down the hatches, cause here comes big brother!

Moneymaker quickly palms Jade back towards CPA, Jade being shielded by the big bodyguard as Leon marches down the aisle, right past the outstretched arms of the fans. He's not dressed to wrestle and he's not here to play to the fans. Leon is here for answers as he climbs the steps and enters the ring. It's only once he gets through the ropes that he slows down, unsure of whether to run straight through Moneymaker or whether to back off, clearly conflicted about how to react to seeing his sister behind The Billion Dollar Heir.

"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"

The music dies down and the chants take over. Moneymaker doesn't back down, although he does back up a couple of steps, safe in the knowledge that Leon won't make any sharp moves now that he's got Jade close to him. Quickly he throws the microphone over to the Silky Smooth One and demands one of his own, as Leon ignores the mic at his feet, staring with disappointment at his little sister.

COLE
Well, we knew Leon was here tonight. And hopefully he's going to sort this issue out here.

COACH
I hope he brought his cheque book with him then.

"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"
"LE - ON!"

MONEYMAKER
Well well, isn't this a pleasant surprise? I must warn you little man, this may be a wrestling ring but this is no wrestling match. You lay one finger on me and you'll be hearing from the most expensive lawyers in the known world!

Leon bends down to pick up the microphone, while Jade peeks out from behind CPA's back.

LEON
I don't know what the hell is going on here... but I suggest you step aside and let me talk to my sister.

MONEYMAKER
Anything you wanna say, you can say right now.

LEON
Listen, I don't know what this is all about, but you're long past the line already withou...

Leon stops in mid-sentence, upon seeing Jade appearing from behind CPA. She takes the microphone from Moneymaker and insists it's okay, as she turns to her big brother. Leon simply shakes his head as Jade stares at him, lip curling.

JADE
You wanna know what this is all about, 'brother'. Well, I wanna know why you care all of a sudden.

LEON
What's that supposed to mean? You're my sister...

JADE
Oh, so you finally realised that, huh? Because it never felt like it! Let's face it Le', you always cared about one person and that was yourself. So don't come playing the moral highground with me, because you've NEVER been there for me the rest of my life, there's no reason for you to start now! I was barely a teenager when you disappeared to 'live your dream' as a professional wrestler. You left me and mom to fend for ourselves. I barely knew who you were!

The crowd seem noticeably uncomfortable being the audience for this public family feud and grow silent.

JADE
And now you have the nerve to come out here and try and 'rescue me', is that what this is all about?

LEON
It's about you making a big mistake, associating yourself with scumbags like that guy (points at Moneymaker).

JADE
No! The mistake I made was associating myself with people like Alix and Krista and Melody, YOUR kind of people! I didn't lower myself to their standards, I was at their level because I never knew any better! I never had the chance to be any better!!

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

JADE
I've got dreams of my own ya know. I've got aspirations. I'm good at what I do, damnit! I deserve a good life and that's what I'm getting. Hanging around with meterosexual American Idol wannabees was only going to get me so far. You know, I looked at myself and I didn't like what I saw. My future was trawling bars with the likes of Krista and Alix until Teddy came along and made me an offer. See, The Enterprise is where I want to be. Teddy is willing to invest his time and his money into helping me achieve something with my life, as opposed to wasting my life with classless, desperate wannabees like you and Krista! People who don't respect me. People who make me not respect myself! Let's face it, I was never going make much of myself, considering my big brother was a pornstar now, was I!?

Leon hangs his head, running a hand through his hair.

JADE
Do you even know what it was like for me? Do you know what it was like to be a 15 year old kid, knowing my big brother was whoring himself out a screwing crackwhores for a living!? I came to the OAOAST to get to know you, to know my own brother. Now, I wish I hadn't bothered.

"OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

This talking down is having it's effect on Leon, as he forlornly looks at his little sister.

LEON
You know what, maybe you're right. This... this greed. This venom you're spitting out. If you're my sister, then maybe I don't know you. The sister I remember was sweet, innocent, a GOOD person.

JADE
I've changed since then. Being with people like Krista opens your eyes to what the world is really like and it gave me a long overdue wake-up call. 

LEON
You're just buying into the garbage that Moneymaker's feeding you. You always were naive, bu...

JADE
SHUT UP! I'm sick of being treated like a kid all the damn time! Teddy respects me and treats me for who I am! Not who he wants me to be, like you. I've grown up. I guess you can't see that, what with being more concerned with yourself... (turns to Moneymaker, who nods) ... well, let's see if you can see this...


[i]*SLAP~!*[/i]

"OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

COLE
Oh my...

A stunned silence washes over the crowd as Leon falls to one knee, clutching his cheek. Jade stands over him still breathing heavily from the anger that caused her to slap her own brother, nursing her hand a little from the ferocity with which she delivered the strike. In the background, Moneymaker is postively in HYSTERICS, laughing his head off as Jade takes one last bitter look down at her big brother before walking across the ring and exiting. Quickly Moneymaker and CPA decide to make a quick exit too, while Leon continues to hang sadly on one knee in the centre of the ring.

"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

COLE
Wow.

COACH
Man oh MAN, what a shot that was!

COLE
I don't believe what we've just seen here. I can't believe that Jade Rodez just slapped her own brother.

Jade walks backwards up the aisle looking back into the ring, Moneymaker still laughing at the top of his lungs, Catching up to Jade, The Billion Dollar Heir can be seen thanking her for "the best laugh I've had all year" as he takes a couple of hundred dollar bills, tucking them into her pocket before pointing into the ring at Leon. Now stood up Leon still nurses his cheek, looking close to tears as Moneymaker lets out another roaring laugh at his expense.

COLE
As if things weren't emotional enough after Moneymaker's recruitment of Jade Rodez... man alive, this has just become personal. Theodore Moneymaker has torn the Rodez family apart. And... you know what, I don't think I want to dwell on this much longer. Can we go somewhere else? This is... *sighs*

We get a last shot of Leon slowly and sadly exiting the ring, looking shell-shocked at what just happened, before we thankfully go to a commercial break.