Signing A Legend

Tsongas Arena
Lowell, Massachusetts
Thursday, July 21st
2011

The Lord
What the hell are we even doing here?

The old mills cast a long, dark shadow as the sun sets behind them. This place used to be a bustling industrial center back in the Industrial revolution. These old mills were all empty now, some of them even looked like they should be torn down before they were either burned down or fell down and hurt someone. But they were all protected pieces of history…large, looming buildings that stood dark and ominous as a permanent reminder that this town was once more populated than Boston ever was.

I shake my head as I try to remember some of the more historic facts about Lowell that I had learned in grade school. I hear The Lord and Young Corey both chuckling at me

Corey Casey
What’s so funny?

Young Corey
You’re seriously trying to remember historical facts you learned in elementary school about the Lowell Mills?

The Lord
Do you realize how many blows to the head we’ve suffered? Hell, we’re lucky we even remember the name of our favorite bar in Southie some days…never mind obscure facts about some fucking stupid mills

I sigh, these two clearly had no appreciation for history. History…it was the whole reason I was even in Lowell tonight. I had come to this increasingly crappy town, not to see the decrepit old mills that still stood downtown by the large river…no, I had come because I had received a heads up from an old acquaintance of mine that, tonight only, there would be an indy wrestling show featuring a name that, at one point during his historic career, could draw fans from all over the world and sell out an arena fifteen minutes after tickets went on sale.

The Lord
You do realize that even if you find him…he’s probably just going to be some rotting old man who is going to be more of a hindrance than an asset right?

I tune The Lord out. I knew that the man that I was here to sign could be well past his prime. I had thought about the risks that I was subjecting myself and IWF to just by even thinking about singing this guy. But I had weighed the pros against the cons…and if this guy had even half the skill left that he once had…then the pros would definitely outweigh the cons at this point. Signing this guy could the thing that brings IWF to the next level…he could be the one that acted as a lightning rod and launched IWF to the next tier. Young Corey rolls his eyes and slumps down in the passenger’s seat. He suddenly nods at The Lord

Young Corey
I hope you’re right…because I’m siding with him on this one. I bet this entire trip is a massive waste of time

Corey Casey
I can’t wait until he shuts you both up

I drive through the growing darkness in silence. In about ten minutes I pull the car into a large parking garage right next to the Tsongas Arena. The parking attendant’s mouth hangs open as I pull up to his booth and ask him for a parking pass. He just barely has the mental capacity to print me off a ticket, which I quickly grab and then drive off onto the parking garage. After a few moments of searching, I park my Pontiac 67 GTO Judge in one of the open spots and exit the car.

The Lord
I don’t know why we drive around in this thing

Young Corey
Because it’s fucking MANLY AS HELL that’s why!

The Lord sneers at Young Corey

The Lord
Manly as hell would be driving around in a Hummer

I chuckle softly and look around, making sure no one is around to hear me talking to myself

Corey Casey
I don’t feel like dropping $200 on gas every three days

The Lord rolls his eyes

The Lord
Yeah…because we totally can’t afford it

I ignore him. Ever since I had fought to regain control after he had murdered Jackky Dane, The Lord had started growing more…I don’t know…bitchy. It was like he constantly complained about every little thing…but the way he said things and the tone in his voice often hinted to me that he was planning something more…almost like he was plotting something big…

I shrug my shoulders and walk out of the parking garage. I couldn’t be bothered with whatever The Lord was planning. I had much bigger fish to fry tonight. I quickly cross the open plaza between the parking garage and the Tsongas Arena and walk through the font doors. Immediately fans all quickly turn around and begin to notice me.

The Lord
Wonderful…we’re going to be mobbed to death at a fucking shitty indy show…

I quickly think to myself

“What…you didn’t think I planned for this?”

I look around the inside of the lobby and see a large burly white guy with black sunglasses on and an ear piece plugged into his ear. I immediately walk over to the big, bouncer looking guy and nod my head

Corey Casey
Evening Sully

Brandon Sullivan looks at me and nods his head

Sully
Evening Mr. Casey

Sully and I used to be good friends back in the day. We had both trained at the same wrestling school when we were young. Sully had left the school though after he got caught by Boston Police driving a large white unmarked van loaded with Ak-47’s. Turns out Sully had been running guns for Irish Mob that still haunted South Boston. Sully had been provided with one of the best defense attorneys in the state though and had managed to get off without serving a single year in prison. He had then managed to somehow talk his way into a security position here at the Tsongas Arena. I turn my head and nod at the growing crowd of fans who were all staring and pointing at me and talking in excited hushed whispers

Corey Casey
Is my sky box ready?

Sully smirks as he steps to the side, exposing a metal door

Sully
Everything is all set Mr. Casey

I reach into my back pocket and pull out my wallet. I remove two $100 bills and slip them to Sully as I walk past him and through the metal door. Everything had a price…you just had to know who to talk to and know what the right price was. It wasn’t that I had to worry about the sky box not being prepared or ready for my arrival, that’s not why I paid Sully the extra $200. I paid him the more than generous tip because Sully would ensure that I was left alone for the remainder of the evening as I went about the arena. Sully and his crew would ensure that I didn’t have to worry about showing anyone a single backstage pass, credentials, or explain who I was.

I chuckle softly

Corey Casey
You pay the cost to be the boss…

The Lord
Really? You’re an idiot…

I walk up the carpeted stairs and soon find myself standing in a large open room. I smirk as I close my eyes and revel in the silence. I had also made it perfectly clear that I didn’t want to have to worry about being disturbed up in the sky box this evening. Sully had taken care of the rest of the arrangements…

I walk across the empty room and over to a small door. I open the door and find myself standing in a large, fully furbished sky box that overlooked the entire arena. The lights had been turned off specifically to give the idea that the sky boxes were empty. I knew that, being a superstar of my caliber at a shitty indy show like this, me even being here would take away from the two guys brawling in the middle of the ring. And if the crowd was distracted, then I wouldn’t be able to see how they reacted to the guy I was here to sign…

The Lord
You’re just such a big fucking superstar aren’t you? I mean, you’re just the guy who everyone loves and can’t wait to see…fucking ETA

Young Corey suddenly appears behind The Lord wielding a beer bottle. He smashes the beer bottle over The Lord’s head, knocking The Lord out. I chuckle as Young Corey shrugs his shoulders

Young Corey
I know it’s a waste of beer…but I was getting just as sick of that ass hole as you were!

Before I can respond, I hear the small but passionate crowd roar to life as the opening strains of “Blow Me Away” by Breaking Benjamin blast out of the house PA system, signifying that the show was starting up. I settle back in my chair and fold my hands, all I had to do was just sit here and wait until the main event…then I would see if the man I came here to sign was worth my time and IWF’s money…I would see if he was still the one that the fans all came to see and the one who could send IWF’s star shooting into the atmosphere

I lean back in my chair…and wait…

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Main Event
Rick Landry
[vs.]
Johnny Styles

I take the last sip of my beer and set the bottle aside. In the ring, some nobody was pumping his fist up and down while standing atop the turnbuckle. I shake my head as a smirk appears on my face.

Corey Casey
This poor bastard has no idea what’s about to hit him…

The guy in the ring slowly climbs down from the turnbuckle and walks over to the ropes nearest the time keeper. He motions for the time keeper to give him a microphone. The time keeper stands up and, after grabbing a mic, walks over to the ring and hands the guy in the ring the mic

Rick Landry
LOWELL…let’s fuckin hear it!

The small but passionate crowd give Rick Landry a mixed reaction, some of them boo him while others cheer loudly. I shake my head, this guy was clearly some local guy who thought that just because the ring announcer had said he was from Lowell that he would get a big reaction. That was the thing with these new guys….they always thought that just because they said that they were from a certain area that they would automatically get a standing ovation if they were in that town. Applause was earned in blood, sweat and tears…but this annoying bastard named Rick Landry was about to find that out first hand…

Rick Landry
Yo! I said…

Johnny Cash’s song “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” rings out of the house PA system. I lean forward and narrow my eyes as I see the man I came here to sign walk out of the backstage area and onto the small stage as the announcer tried desperately to be heard over the roar of the crowd

Announcer
And his opponent…From Boston, Massachusetts…Weighing in at 225 pounds…”The Strike Back Kid” Johnny Styles!

The Lord
Seriously? He’s still calling himself The Strike Back Kid? Isn’t he like 50 years old?

Young Corey shoots The Lord a menacing look while brandishing one of the empty beer bottles. The Lord instantly falls silent. I ignore the entire exchange though, my eyes were glued to Johnny Styles. I looked him up and down and decided that he was clearly still in very good shape. Also I could just be the ovation from the crowd that he could still put asses in the seats and draw like he used to be able to draw back when he was a part owner of NLWF back in the company’s heyday.

Corey Casey
I’d say this is a good sign…

Young Corey
Let’s not make any decisions until we see what he can do in the ring…

I nod my head in agreement. Johnny Styles slowly walks down the short entrance ramp, his gaze firmly glued on Rick Landry. SBK walks up the steel steps and ducks into the ring. the ref then nods at both men and then calls for the bell


Johnny Styles [vs.] Rick Landry

[Ding, Ding, Ding!]

Rick Landry walks towards Johnny Styles running his mouth a mile a minute. I chuckle softly as Johnny Styles just tunes the loud mouthed kid out completely. Johnny Styles waits until the kid is within an arm’s length before suddenly springing to life. Johnny Styles leaps into the air and connects a spinning heel kick that drops Rick Landry like a bad habit. Rick Landry collapses to the mat, clutching his throat and upper chest.

Johnny Styles then leans down and forces Rick Landry to his feet. Johnny Styles Irish whips Rick Landry to the ropes. Rick Landry hits the ropes and comes running back at Johnny Styles. Rick Landry attempts to connect a clothesline, but Johnny Styles ducks underneath the clothesline and quickly positions himself behind Rick Landry. Johnny Styles quickly wraps his arms around Rick Landry’s waist and then lifts Rick Landry up, dropping Rick Landry on the back of his head with a crushing German Suplex

Corey Casey
He still moves like a vet in the ring

Young Corey
I’d certainly say so…

Johnny Styles doesn’t release the German Suplex though. Instead, he bends himself up and angles himself in such a way that he has turned the German Suplex into a bridging pin. The ref drops down and begins counting

-1-
-2…

Rick Landry manages to kick out. I can feel a look of surprise appear on my face

Corey Casey
Wow…I thought for sure that Rick was going to just fucking give up and let Styles pin him after that suplex

Young Corey
Apparently not

Johnny Styles rolls over onto his stomach and then quickly pushes himself up to his feet. Johnny Styles shakes his head as he watches Rick Landry, intensity burning in SBK’s eyes. I have to give it to SBK…he’s still one of the very best when it comes to selling the crowd…

Rick Landry slowly gets to his feet. Johnny Styles rushes across the ring and grabs Rick Landry and then hoists him up onto his shoulders. Johnny Styles doesn’t even pause and his delivery is as smooth as ever. He tosses Rick Landry up into the air and, as Rick Landry is plummeting towards the ground, Johnny Styles delivers a crushing kick to Rick Landry’s face

Corey Casey
And there it is…The Round Lottery…

Young Corey
Game over, thanks for playing Rick

Johnny Styles drops down and pins Rick Landry while the ref makes the academic count

-1-
-2-
-3-

[Ding, Ding, Ding!]

Announcer
Here is your winner ladies and gentlemen…Johnny Styles!

In the ring, Johnny Styles calmly gets to his feet as the ref grabs his wrist and holds SBK’s hand up in victory. I slowly pull himself to my feet and clap along with the crowd, feeling a smile creep across my features.

Corey Casey
SBK is as good as ever…

Young Corey gets to his feet as well. He looks at SBK for a few moments before turning and walking out of the sky box

Young Corey
We should go tell him the good news then

I cast one last look at SBK before turning and following Young Corey out of the sky box

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Later That Night…

I walk through the backstage hallways, my eyes scanning the hallways from right to left and then back again. I ignore the few members of the indy fed’s roster that I see, who can’t help but to stop and stare at me. They all knew who I was of course…and they all knew why I was here. They all had heard the rumors swirling around the locker room…that Corey Casey was going to be in attendance at tonight’s show and that, rumor had it, he was here to sign someone to an IWF contract.

I have to stop myself from laughing at them openly. I think to myself

“These wastes of human flesh all think I’m here to sign them? I wouldn’t even pair them up with someone like fucking Libra”

Young Corey chuckles softly

Young Corey
Ignore them. As good as it would be to crush each and every one of their dreams one by one…we have more important matters to attend to at the moment

With Young Corey’s words ringing in my ears, I quickly navigate the back hallway until I come to a door with the name “SBK” on the tag. I knock twice, waiting until I hear Johnny Styles’ familiar voice call out from inside the locker room

Johnny Styles
Who the fuck is it?

I push open the locker room door without bothering to say anything. I see Johnny Styles sitting on a small metal chair, staring at a small ass piece of shit TV that was sitting on a wooden box in front of him. SBK had already changed out of his ring gear and was wearing jeans and a faded “Salvation’s Anti-Christ” t-shirt.

Corey Casey
Corey Casey

Johnny Styles turns his head and looks me up and down. After a moment he slowly stands up and walks over to me

Johnny Styles
Corey Casey…well I’ll be damned. The last time I saw you, you were standing outside my prison cell in the City of Salvation

I suddenly feel a sense of déjà vu pass over me. I see myself standing outside of a prison cell containing Shadow Demon and a thin man who was sitting in the corner of the cell. I remember I couldn’t see him very well…but I knew from the arrest log who the other man was…

The Lord
Nice to see he remembers us

I shrug my shoulders as I hold out my hand

Corey Casey
Yeah…sorry about that one mate

Johnny Styles looks me up and down once more before narrowing his gaze questioningly

Johnny Styles
So Corey Casey….what brings you here?

Corey Casey
Well Johnny…I have a business proposition for you

Johnny Styles turns and walks over to the corner of the locker room. He leans over and grabs another small metal chair from behind a set of lockers. He then turns around and opens the chair and sets it down across from his own. He then bows slightly and motions towards the two chairs

Johnny Styles
Step into my office

Both Johnny and I sit down in our respective chairs. After a moment of silence, I finally speak up

Corey Casey
So…you tired of slumming around indy feds yet?

Young Corey
brilliant opening comment

SBK shrugs his shoulders

Johnny Styles
At least here I don’t have to worry about anyone fucking me over or stealing my company

I chuckle softly

Corey Casey
Yeah…that was before my time Johnny. I had nothing to do with that

Johnny Styles
Yeah…but you still joined up with Cyrus and his band of religious nut jobs…you still managed to almost kill my company. Speaking of companies…I tried getting a hold of IWF a few months ago. I heard a rumor through the grapevine that you were looking for one of the old time NLWF guys to step up and be the new general manager of Battle Grounds. Funny thing about that is…your fucking front office people said that you couldn’t be bothered. They told me that you had already signed someone…Shadow Demon specifically…

I make a mental note to fire every single dumbass who worked answering phones in IWF’s front office

Corey Casey
I can assure you that I would’ve made time if someone had told me that SBK Johnny Styles was on the phone

Johnny Styles shakes his head as he smiles sadly

Johnny Styles
I also made damn sure to tell the bitch who answered the phone exactly who I was. She claimed she had never heard of me and that the great Corey Casey couldn’t be troubled to talk to “every NLWF has been that called looking for a job.”

Johnny Styles leans forward as a mischievous smile creeps across his features

Johnny Styles
So why should this “NLWF has been” waste anymore of his time talking to you, Casey?

Corey Casey
Because I can make you a star again…I can get you back into the limelight…

Johnny Styles laughs and motions towards the locker room door. He is about to tell me to go fuck myself when I utter

Corey Casey
…and I can make sure that you are the one who puts down Shadow Demon once and for all

Johnny Styles shuts his mouth and his eyes narrow again as he searches my face for a sign that I was lying or was somehow deceiving him

Johnny Styles
Excuse me?

Corey Casey
You heard me. Shadow Demon has become a pain in my side as of late…and I need someone I know I can count on to take him out. I have a plan in motion that will make sure that I start the deed and carry out a majority of the work…but I need someone who I know won’t hesitate to pull the trigger to finish the job. I need someone whom I know would do the deed and relish the opportunity to take down the overrated Demon…

I stare into Johnny Styles’ eyes. I can see the hatred and anger mixing with the excitement and conflict deep in his pupils. I knew that he wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like this…I knew that he wouldn’t pass up a chance to make one last run in the spotlight before he bowed off the stage for good. After a moment, SBK speaks

Johnny Styles
What’d you have in mind?

Corey Casey
Nothing fancy…I’m going to beat Shadow Demon to a bloody pulp on Sunday. After the match, you, me and a friend of mine are going to send a message that SD can’t possibly ignore…

I can see the wheels in SBK’s head turning as he mulls my offer over in his head again and again. After a moment, he holds his hand out.

Johnny Styles
I’m in…

I reach out and take SBK’s hand and shake it. Before I can say anything though, SBK continues talking

Johnny Styles
…but I’m joining on my terms. I’m not going to help you re-form Salvation…I’m not going to be your fucking little messenger boy. I’m going to work alongside you until I deem it no longer profitable. You understand?

I shake my head and smile as I begin planning the eventual betrayal of Johnny Styles

Corey Casey
I wouldn’t have it any other way Johnny…



+
+
+The Match+
+
+
+Encore! Encore!+
+
+
+

Really?

Are we really doing this again?

Corey Casey and Shadow Demon have to face off AGAIN?! WAS SUNDAY NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU PEOPLE?! DID YOU NOT SEE WHAT I FUCKING DID TO HIM INSIDE THE DOUBLE CAGE HORROR?!

No, I forgot, this is the “I want it, and I want it now” generation of fucking spoiled little pieces of dogshit. The match between SD and I was a long match that involved many exchanges ot back and forth artistry. Which means that the fucking MTV “Jersey Shore” generation probably fell asleep about half way through since it was past 10:45 and their fucking retarded, brain dead heroes were on…oh, and they probably ran out of hair jell

You fucking people sicken me

Speaking of people who sicken me….JAMES SHARK IS DA NEW IWF WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!!!!

Wait…that’s not a good thing…that’s a very very bad thing. It means that the cockiest, most fucking loud mouth piece of trash on the roster managed to somehow take advantage of a guy with a broken arm and blown out right knee and essentially got handed the IWF title on a platter. It means that this…



…is the face of our company. Yea ladies and gentlemen, the picture above is the face of the now IWF World Heavyweight Champion…the picture above is the face of the man who is going to be representing our company all over the world…he will be on all the talk shows, in all the radio interviews, and be all over the internet. Everywhere you look, you will see his face staring at you from billboards and TV screens…



Is anyone else terrified?

Good news! If you are terrified, then you can take solace in the fact that James Shark’s title reign will be nothing more than a bad memory by the time From The Ashes rolls around! Because Sharky m’boy…you just don’t fucking have it in you anymore. Yes, you did manage to beat the current IWF Champion…who had a broken arm…and a blown out knee…WHOOP DE FUCKING DOO!

You know what woulda been funny? If your fucking ass had gotten smoked. Then we all would’ve been able to point at laugh as you stared into the camera…



You’re a fucking worn out piece of shit Sharky, pure and simple. You’ve had your little run at glory, you’ve scored your pin falls over some of the more noteworthy legends of this business (myself included)…hell, you even won the stereotypical “Big Title Match that fulfills your dreams.” You know what the funny things about dreams is though Sharky? Dreams fucking die. Eventually you have to wake up and realize that what you were just envisioning was just that…nothing more than a goddamn dream. Eventually you have to wake up and realize that you’ve been fucking wasting your time and that you have to fucking concentrate on the here and now. And your “here and now” translates into “I’m about as worthy to be wearing this IWF title as Tails or Havoc was to be the NLWF Champion.” Because, at the end of the day, that’s all you are Sharky, another over hyped, over publicized failure…just like Tails and Havoc.

Yay! Celebrate while you can…because your fucking gangsterrific face is about to be fucking wiped off the face of the fucking planet.

Speaking of people who should be dead right about now…

HAI ES DEE!

Hey SD…remember Heroes Also Die? Remember when I sent you through the top of the fucking cell after punt kicking you in the skull? Remember when I went 10-0-1 inside the Double Cage Horror? That was every funny. You know what else is every funny? When you said that you were going to be the guy that was going to end my winning streak. That was pretty every funny…because it ended up with you lying in the middle of the ring fucking bleeding like a 12 year old bitch who just started her period.

Oh yeah…remember when VVR, SBK and I almost crucified you? That was pretty funny too

You are a fucking part of my past Shadow Demon…a guy that I wanted to fight because I wanted to get back to being the sickest and most violent bastard on the roster. Mission Accomplished I’d say…considering that I took everything you had to dish out and more and STILL managed to punt kick your fucking brain halfway back to Australia. Maybe this week I will finish the fucking job and close the circle once and for all…maybe this week I will leave you like I fucking left Brenton Cyrus on the last episode of Showtime…

Swinging in the breeze by a fucking rope wrapped around your neck

Get the fuck out of my way Shadow Demon, you’re standing in the way of me achieving glory

Oh yeah, one quick thing before I tell you all to go fuck off…Brandon Macdonald is going to be the referee of this match. That’s cool and all…considering two of his Jesus flunkies are teaming up to take on a team consisting of me and Johnny Styles (who, if you don’t remember the ending of HAD, willing associated with me and helped me to almost crucify SD). Yeah, Brandon is going to fucking call this one right down the middle I’d wager. I mean, it’s not like he would love to see me get fucking injured heading into the main event of the biggest fucking PPV on the IWF calendar. No, Brandon will definitely call this match right down the middle considering he’s best friends with James Shark (his Team Swag tag team partner if you will remember correctly) and Shadow Demon (the guy who he hand picked to be the first member of the Jesus Christ version of the Mickey Mouse Club). Yeah…this is going to be something that definitely ends in a fair pinfall

WRONG!

Brandon…I want you to fucking listen up and listen up good. I don’t give a fuck if I have to personally choke the life out of your fucking lungs, attach your fucking hand to a wooden stick, and then FORCE you to make the three count. There is no fucking way in HELL that SBK and I are walking out of Battle Grounds without being victorious. If you try to fuck us out of a victory, I will make DAMN SURE that you get a special swing right next to Brenton Cyrus’ fucking rotting corpse. Let’s see God try and whisk you away from the fucking rafters now bitch.

Oh , and one other thing. I will be seeing you in the main event of From The Ashes…don’t think I’ve forgotten the fucking screw job that you fucking managed to pull at Bloody Sunday. Don’t think I forget how your meth addicted ass walked out of Bloody Sunday the champion after the ref of that fucking match screwed me out of MY title. You are a shit stain on the underpants of this company Brandon. You have fucking disgraced yourself, and IWF for the last fucking time. I can PROMISE you that.

So it is written
So it shall come to pass
Quoth The Lord
See you in Hell