PROMO: "Rules of Engagement."

[Guest step up, ghetto blaster.]

Tom Flesher is not a happy man.

 

the camera follows him over his shoulder as he makes his way to the locker room after Storm, he reviews the events of the day to make sure he’s in the proper frame of mind for Kibagami:

 

his World champion is sponsored by Disney and compelling challengers are hard to come by at best. talent shows up late or doesn’t show at all; they aren‘t afraid of losing jobs they don‘t expect to keep through year‘s end anyway. half the roster is composed of people he personally despises. the other half he despises in a very professional capacity. buyrates are so far down that he actually had to fly coach out to Scotland. Tom Flesher does not fly coach anywhere.

 

and now, as though this was not enough, his newest acquisition, who is almost certainly overpaid and definitely already drunk, has gone and dropped his debut match to Austin Sly. Austin Sly, whom he has already blown off this evening. Austin Sly, who will now add his name to the ever-growing list of jobbers, dropouts, and has-beens that think they have a shot now that the SWF’s World Heavyweight champion is sporting Mickey Mouse ears.

 

no, Tom Flesher is not pleased by this at all.

 

he opens the door to the locker room and almost chokes on a cloud of blue smoke. Kibagami is sprawled out on one of the benches, apparently reading a book. a crumpled pack of Camel Menthols sits next to a half-emptied pint of Jameson; his tights have been discarded in a corner of the room, traded in for a ripped pair of blue jeans and a faded Back Flag t-shirt. Flesher grimaces as he notices that the River Dragon is actually barefoot in the locker room.

 

“this is what I paid for?”

 

Kibagami looks to his right…slowly. he sits up - well, sort of leans, kind of sways - mostly he drunkenly lurches up into what passes for a sitting position.

 

“oh, Tom. didn’t see you there.” Silent takes a long pull of his pint and offers it to Flesher, who quickly declines. “somethin’ I can do for you?”

 

“yes, Nathan, there is something you can do for me. or can you?" Flesher lights a cigarette and puts a hand to his temple. "I am paying you because at some point you were actually watchable in the ring. tonight was not watchable. it was embarrassing. I found it embarrassing and I don’t particularly like you. you made five figures today to drop a match to Austin Sly in less than three minutes, and - wrong end.”

 

“what?” Kibagami’s eyes focus on the end of his cigarette and he stops just short of lighting the filter. “ah, thanks. right, then. go on.”

 

“for fuck’s sake, Nathan!” shouts Flesher. “I thought you could at least handle the god-damn undercard!”

 

 

The River Dragon shrugs. “as far as I’m concerned, I handled it fine. I made five figures for three minutes of work and a couple thousand people tuned in to see my face. I’m surprised you’d expect more of me at this point, Tom. I’ll be thirty-eight in September. I‘ve got no damn business in a wrestling ring.”

 

“what’s the point, then? do you need the money that bad?”

 

“nah, not really.” Kibagami lobs the empty pack of Camels towards the far corner of the room. “I’ve been mostly retired for three years. I’ve got nothin’ to do with myself. I figured I might as well give it a try.”

 

Flesher sneers. “that’s very touching, Nathan, but you’ll forgive me if I can’t afford to fund your midlife crisis. I suggest you buy yourself a sports car like everybody else. consider your contract terminated.” the commissioner turns on his heel to leave.

 

 

“I have a better idea.”

 

 

 

he almost walks out the door anyway, but it has been a very trying day. if he can belittle this drunken golden-ager a while longer, why not?

 

“oh, do enlighten me.”

 

 

Kibagami straightens a little on the bench. “I can’t wrestle worth a damn any more, but I can fight. you take away the acrobatics and the rope breaks and all the bullshit and I can outfight anybody in this organization. you know what kind of numbers MMA is doing these days?”

 

“I’m familiar with their buyrates, yes.”

 

“familiar, shit. they’re killing you and you know it. the whole locker room knows they’re out of a job by year’s end and your shareholders know it too - “

 

“I don’t need any assistance with my job, thank you,” snaps the Superior One. “if you have something to say beyond antagonizing the man that’s about to fire you, I suggest you say it now.”

 

“let me fight here, Flesher.” Kibagami rises from the bench, albeit a little unsteadily. “everybody remembers Silent. the fans will buy blood and injuries more readily than Disney merchandise. you want to pop a buyrate? put me in the ring with whoever the marks hate this month and let me take the gloves off. the only thing that’s ever kept me from doing it more than once in a while has been the management - but you can smooth that over long enough to get me to pay-per-view, and then it’ll either work or it won’t.”

 

 

Flesher pauses for a moment as he weighs his options. “you’re asking me to risk the health of my entire roster in order to experiment with a buyrate?”

 

“yeah, I am, because you’re the one who decides who’s put at risk. be honest with me, Tom. does this company have more months left on its television deal than you have grudges with active competitors?”

 

 

there is a long silence while the commissioner deliberates. finally, his eyes meet Kibagami’s.

 

 

“we close our doors after Genesis. you’ve got until Ground Zero. do whatever you like.”

 

 

and without so much as a handshake, he turns and walks back through the door.

 

 

 

a slight smile on his face, Kibagami sits back down on the bench and drains the rest of the pint before picking his book back up. the camera slowly pans around him until we can see a portion of the text over his shoulder:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

making fire has requisites.

the requisites must be sought out and prepared.

 

there is a season for setting fires…

the season is when heaven is dry.

 

Sun-Tzu, Chapter Twelve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

end.

[Toxxic 0]

This promo intrigues me, although how the hell you're going to do something MMA-related I don't know. Also, what is this sudden aversion to non-name capital letters?

[Nightwing 0]

I have to agree; very interesting, even for someone not familiar with your history. Like the Sun Tzu quote, as well.

 

I also fully approve of Fed-Based arson, if that's what you're implying is going to happen.

[Angel_Grace_Blue 0]

Kibs is going to be doing this to fools, only drugs won't be the impetus.