Hawkington [vs.] The Empire [Baron Tompson and Parker Wayde]

RP's go here boys

Guest

::The Shoot::

So here we are once again, the Empire against the new kids on the block. Well I shoulden't say that should I? Naw there isn't anything "new" about this pairing. It's the same shit I've been hearing all fucking week, ever since Pick Your Poison. Griffin is like a broken record these days, calling me a spineless coward who ran away from him after he won the Hawk's Nest. I clearly said before that the match no longer interested me, that I was focusing on a much larger target in mind. That target people was the former Heavyweight champion himself Stygian. No one saw me comming, no one had any idea what I was doing or why I was there. Then I attacked the champ and it all became clear........even after I stated exactly what I was going to do. Stygian should have known I was on my way towards him, it was more of a case of when I would arrive.

My timing could have not been more perfect, I wasen't watching the match. Shit I wasen't even aware of the things going on around me. I entered the Hawk's Nest to throw in a couple of toys because I felt the match was too boring and needed something to spice it up. I went in to grab something and left, I wasen't running away like Griffin claims, I was going about my business. My intent was made, and I stuck with it, I made my way towards the lower rafters armed with weapon in hand. When I arrived Parker and Corey were down and out and Stygian was getting his second wind. I did what said I would, I slayed the dragon, I would kill Superman. I costed him the title, left him a bloody mess, humilated and broken because of me. I was waiting for him to come out, I wanted him to call me out. Just like that he played right into my hands. Once again I stated my intentions, made a promise and just like that I would deliver the goods just like I said I would. I would defeat Stygian in that very ring, even after being attacked from behind I still managed to fight back. The best part was, I told him that I woulden't be leaving on a streacher. He tried.......oh he tried to make it so, but it just wasen't meant to be. I took all of his punishment, was struck with a low blow, BaneBlade into a metal chair and at the end of it all I'm still standing, still unbroken, still the man who ended the reign of the dragon, the one who killed superman.

Now he's no more than an afterthought, a footnote, with him out of the way I can center on something that has been a real thorn to my side as of late. Griffin Hawkins and Remington, friends with common goals. You can brag about how you've always "beaten" me but the fact of the matter is Griff, your wins don't mean dick! I mean come on now: First win was a countout, second I didn't even partake in that match because I knew my partner was shit, the only time you got me was when you drove my ass through a flaming table but even that was a shaddy win. The last time I had you right where I wanted you Griff and it took your old pal Remington to gain the win. You didn't pin me though and tonight the tide has turned around. Now it's my turn to turn those so called losses and make them a thing of the past. I sure hope for your sake that you and Alexander are on the same page because me and Parker will. We have some scores to settle, after all I prevented you from cashing in that case of yours. Won't be cashing in so long as I'm around punk, I'm the next in line for the strap, not you, not Remi, Remi only got the shot cus he coaxed Parker into it. I tend to correct that mistake this week. I will personally make him pay for what he did a few weeks ago when he saved your ass.

It's hunting season bitch.

Got my rifle, gonna be a two for one deal.

It's funny the way things can change in just a matter of weeks. It seems like we have done this little song and dance before. Baron and I come down to the ring and stand across from a pretentious asshole, and his pet that needed to be saved from Corey Casey. Last time the two of you had the element of surprise, and you used it. As a man that takes pride in taking advantages when they present themselves, I almost have to applaud you for your effort. It isn't every day that someone gets away with putting a knife in my back. It isn't every day that you can walk into a main event with Corey Casey's blessing and walk out having spat in his face. Remington, you did the same thing that I would have done in your position and I applaud you for that. Hawkins, you better thank your lucky stars that someone was there to have your back, or you wouldn't have lived to see the rematch, let alone take part in it. However, as much as it looks on paper to be the same match-up as before we all walked into Pick Your Poison, it isn't so simple in reality is it? I mean, like I said, this isn't going to be a 3-on-1 that goes bad. This is going to be a real contest. This isn't two random members of The Empire taking on a team of guys that came here from another company anymore. This is the IWF World Champion, and the guy that burned Stygian so bad he got to play in the opening match of the night. We took the face of this company and dropped him to the show opening jobber ranking. Last time we had friends in high enough places to put us in the main event. In two short weeks we have changed the landscape. We ARE the main event now.

I don't mean to sell you two short either. Griffin, you went on to do some pretty impressive things at Pick Your Poison. You even managed to scoop up that championship briefcase. I suppose that means that I am going to have to watch out for you everywhere I go now. You went from someone that was seconds away from getting crippled, to someone that has the advantage of telling the champ when and where he is going to challenged. I have no preparation. I have no way to know when or where you will cash in. In two weeks you went from someone that needed to be saved, to someone that needed to be feared. I guess Remington had to do something of note in that time frame though. I mean at Pick Your Poison he... uh... did absolutely nothing. Well I guess that isn't totally true. He lost to Corey Casey when he tried to referee my match. He has done a lot of talking on twitter as well. I suppose in some circles that may amount to: something. The biggest thing that he did was show me that he cannot be trusted. The most important thing that is different between Remington two weeks ago, and Remington today, is that I know where he actually stands now. I understand that he is the kind of guy that talks a big game, but can never really back it up. He said that Griffin Hawkins was going to be a present served up to Corey Casey, and then choked and went soft before he could get the job done. He has said countless times that he can walk all over Stygian and yet the two haven't met in the ring. In the last two weeks he has bragged about having beaten me, but he wasn't able to do it without having to stab me in the back. I guess that means that all four of us are a little different than we were last time.

It only makes sense then, that the outcome will be different. I mean all things equal, right? All four men are walking into the match different from the people that they were the last time they all walked in. It would fit right in, if the two that walk out were different. It would fit right in, if two of the competitors were unable to leave the ring at all. That was the problem that Hawkington made last time. I mean, you two had us down. You had tricked your way into a win, and then you made the mistake of leaving us breathing. The two of you may have won the battle, but you left the war ongoing. Not only did you leave us breathing, but you allowed us to get up and walk away after the match. There were bumps and bruises. There was hurt pride, and bad blood. The thing is, there was no permanent damage. If anything, you have managed to piss us off more now than we were then. The two of you have made us more focused. After you screwed us, you made us determined to make sure that we paid you back tenfold. The first shot that you threw against us was an investment into your funeral, and we are about to pay out huge. I can't speak for Baron, but I know the two of you are going to get your ass handed to you by me before the end of the night.

If you two remember back to Pick Your Poison, if you can recall the night that I was so focused on walking out of a match with Stygian alive, if you can think back to what I said beforehand, this match tonight cannot surprise you. I laid into Stygian with every piece of truth that I could lace into an insult. I told the guy my life story so that he would know that I was not to be taken lightly. I admitted that I wasn't the biggest or strongest guy, and I told him that he would have to kill me to beat me. In the midst of all of that though, there were the two of you. Fresh off your betrayal, and on the evening that I was walking into hell, you two were still front and center in my mind. I promised that if I were to make it past Stygian that the two of you were next on my list. I swore that if I managed to make it through that night alive, that the two of you would live to regret what happened last time we were in the ring together. What does that say about me? "The Instant Impact" was about to make history by becoming "The DragonSlayer" and was wasting time talking about some duo that managed to steal a victory. If that doesn't make you a little timid to step back into the ring with me, then nothing else that I can say to you is worth my breath. I was walking into a war with superman, and all I could think about was getting even with the two of you. That should make you shake in your boots. That should haunt your dreams. That should make you have to sleep with an eye open at night. The fact of the matter is, I beat Stygian on that night. I walked through him, and now people aren't calling me the lap dog of Corey Casey. I beat the only man in this company that was unbeatable, against every single person saying I would never do it. Parker Wayde became the second Triple Crown Champion in this company in six months. How long have your careers been? What makes you think that you are even on my level anymore?

Come Battlegrounds, you don't have the advantage of not having my full attention. Come Battlegrounds, you don't have the element of surprise when I find out one of you isn't on my side anymore. There aren't going to be any games. Come Battlegrounds, it is Hawkington's Final Call.

I'll see you there.

==============Repeating History================

Edwin: You going to put your own personal spin on this one too?

Typical Parker. Gym bag in hand, stalking through the backstage area looking for the room in the back that leads to his only time he can actually be alone. Edwin has basically moved into his front lawn. This man was on the same planes and using the same car rental company. Parker's only salvation is behind whatever door has his name on it. The only threshold that Edwin wasn't going to cross. Until he found it though, he had to deal with the small talk.

Parker: Yea, because that turned out so well last time, didn't it?

How the conversation had managed to get to the world title, Parker had no idea. It was safely tucked away in the gym bag that he hadn't let go of since leaving his car. Nevertheless, once Edwin got started on a topic, it was hard to shut him up without violence. Parker was learning to indulge the man.

Edwin: Are you trying to say that you won't redesign the belt because last time you did it you watched it slip away? I wouldn't have taken you as a superstitious person.

Parker fights the urge to turn in his tracks and strike the man for bringing up his High Impact title. In the month since letting that title go he has expressed, a number of times, his distaste for Steel Angel having stolen the title from him. Instead, he takes a deep breath and tries to hold on to the very small bit of patience he has for the reporter.

Parker: Superstitious? No. Just cautious. Why allow history to repeat itself if it doesn't have to?

Edwin could hear the frustration in his voice, happy to know that the High Impact title was still an open wound. Parker's defenses were tough to cut through, but Edwin had been able to get some of the information that he wanted out of the champ.

Edwin: Seems to be a very calm and rational approach to things. I guess there is still a lot to learn about you Parker.

The frustration in Parker's voice intensifies as he stops in the middle of the hallway. He doesn't turn to face Edwin, which is probably for the best, but does manage to intimidate through simply the tone of his voice.

Parker: You could fill up this fucking arena with things that you don't know about me. What the hell do you want anyways?

Edwin takes a half of a step back from Parker, wanting at least enough space to brace himself if the larger man were to snap.

Edwin: Nothing. I was just trying to make conversation.

This time Parker lets out a laugh that Edwin can tell is not a sign of the mood lightening. It was more of a warning that Parker was getting close to the end of his leash. Two weeks ago Parker had laughed like that just before grabbing him by the collar and trying to drop him off a balcony.

Parker: There is no need to make conversation. There is no need to have any conversation at all. We aren't friends. I don't know what I have to do to get you to stop following me around Edwin.

Parker turns his head so that he can look over his shoulder at the reaction Edwin has to the words. Possibly to see if the warning had been received. Edwin tries to follow his racing thoughts to anything that would eliminate the tension, and latches back on to the World Title.

Edwin: Come on. You know it would be sweet to have something like "The Man that Slayed the Dragon" on the belt.

Parker shakes his head and starts once again to walk down the hallway, turning a corner into an adjacent corridor before continuing the conversation.

Parker: So that I can spend the rest of my title reign looking back on that night like it was the biggest moment, right? That is what you would have me do?

Edwin shrugs his shoulders, not finding anything wrong with the idea.

Edwin: Why is that such a bad thing? You beat Stygian. You walked out with the strap…

Parker turns once again, this time seeing a sign taped to the wall with an arrow pointing to the locker room area.

Parker: And so the rest of the time I hold this belt needs to be an after thought? The rest of my time as champ is going to be some kind of footnote to me beating Stygian? I think I will pass.

He stops in the middle of a two intersecting hallways. There are multiple doors in each direction, and Parker seems to be trying to figure out which would be the best bet for his room. He turns to his left to see Baron Tompson and immediately turns in his direction. Where there were members of The Empire, there was a room for Parker. Edwin nearly had to pick up his pace to a jog to keep up at this point.

Edwin: You know, you don't always have to look at the glass half empty.

The world champion just laughs at the notion. This laugh a lot less threatening than the last.

Parker: You would rather me look at it as slowly emptying. If I dwell on that match with Stygian, I am allowing myself to agree that Pick Your Poison was the top of the ladder for me. Everything after it is on a downwards slope.

Edwin: I guess I didn't think of it that way.

Parker: That is because you don't think. You spend your time mindlessly following me around. So please, fuck off.

Parker once against tries to walk away, having given a logical ending point to the conversation. Someone didn't relay the message to this stalker though.

Edwin: Don't you think it would be nice to make the title your own though? Something like, "The New Superman"

Parker: I am not the new superman. I am Parker Wayde. Stygian allowed himself to think that he was better than everyone else, and I walked up to him and reminded him what it was like to lose. Nobody is superman. Every person that steps into the ring can beat me if the chips fall in their favor. Stygian thought he was superman and walked into hell without a second thought. The moment I pick up that way of thinking, the same thing will happen to me. So the real question is… do you think I am stupid?

Parker finally finds the door that he is looking for and grabs a hold of the handle happy that the conversation is finally over.

Edwin: Are we back to the superstitious thing?

With salvation literally in his grasp, the pull to escape the conversation starts to subside. Parker turns with a smile on his face to answer the question without any kind of tension, knowing that he is now just seconds away from terminating the chat.

Parker: I am not going to sit back and let history repeat itself. There is no need. My eyes were open the first time around. Dwelling on the past is for you reporters, and the people that buy their way into the arena.

Edwin: What are you trying to say?

Parker: I guess I am saying that you need to leave me the hell alone.

Parker steps through the door and slams it behind him. Edwin offers a last word before walking away to do some real work...

Edwin: See…. You are repeating history… You say that to me all the time.

» The Empire [Baron Tompson and Parker Wayde] [vs.] Griffin Hawkins and Alexander Remington
» Stygian [vs.] Baron Tompson
» Baron Tompson [vs.] Devlin Raine
» Philip Joseph [vs.] Baron Tompson
» Crimson Skull [vs.] Baron Tompson