Ghostbusters III

As I sit in my four cornered room staring at cand- Wait, that's not right. As I sit on the back porch of my house watching my children play on their brand new play set, I can't help but think what a roller coaster ride the past few weeks have been. Getting back on the road again has been something else. I never expected it to be so hard to be away from my kids for so long. I don't think I've spent more than a few days away from them since they were born. So that's been... interesting. Of course, I knew what I was getting into when I took the job, It's just one of those things where you never really believe it until you do it, yknow?

But it's moments like this, right here and now, that make it all worth it. I never get tired of just sitting and watching them run around like the little rugrats they are. Course, it'd be kinda cool if Daddy got to bring home a World Title to show off to them some time, but I'm taking things as they come. I'm not doing this to win titles, though that would be nice, I'm doing this to prove I can still do it.

And so far? I seem to be doing pretty well at it. Even with the petty nuisance of Chuck Matthews buzzing around my ear like a gnat. I'm not so much about winning or losing so much as just being able to go out there and kick some ass, but should Chuck decide to step up and be a MAN about this whole thing? Well, he's gonna see the full fury of Bryant Andrew Tanner coming after him like a BAT outta hell!

Hah, I made a pun. Shut up brain, I can laugh at my own narrative jokes in my head all I want to you're not the boss of me!

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[The scene opens up at the training center inside the Notorious Wrestling Academy where we find Bryant Tanner, wearing black training pants and a grey "Notorious Wrestling" t-shirt, shadow boxing in the ring. He does a couple runs off the ropes, and general stretches before he notices the camera.]

Bryant: Hola! You'll have to excuse my current dress, I'm just warming up before the next class starts. But I'm glad you came by, gives me time to get my piece said now instead of later.

[Bryant grabs a bottle of water from underneath one of the turnbuckles, taking a long drink from it.]

Bryant: Don't start bein' shy now, guys. Hop on up and join me in the ring! I promise I'm not gonna make you run sprints or do any moves. I save that for the newbs.

[Bryant grins as he motions for the camera to join him. The camera shakes yes, and then the cameraman climbs up through the ropes into the ring.]

Bryant: That's better! I know what you guy's are thinkin right off, I should be pissed right? Chuck fuckin Matthews stuck his nose in my business and ruined a perfectly good match. And yknow, a little part of me IS quite pissed at that, but then I remembered that this is the wrestling business, and that's generally what COWARDS do. They pick their spots, hit and run, only working when it suits them. And while originally I was not very happy about what happened, I don't sweat it because it showed Chuck Matthews for who he really is.

Well that, and yknow, the whole me-and-Titus-dropping-the-fuck-on-his-head-deal that happened after the match.

[Bryant smirks, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize just where his little brother got his famous smirk from.]

Bryant: I got somethin' to say to Titus, but before I get to that lemme address you, Chuck. See even though one would think dropping you like a bad habit would be enough... It aint. Because I know you're gonna try and retaliate. I know you'll probably try to run in in this next match, maybe screw me outta the briefcase tourney. I just know it's comin, and honestly? That's fine. But if'n you ever feel like you wanna stop hiding behind that desk, stop sneak attacking me, or sending impressionable rookies to do your dirty work for you... If you ever wanna step up and PROVE who the better man is between us? Well, I'm right here, Chuck. I'm right here.

Ball's in your court now, "Champ." I'll bring the asskicking you so richly deserve.

[Bryant glares at the camera for a moment before a slight smile returns to his lips.]

Bryant: I have to say that there was one thing that did surprise me last week.

Titus. Knowing your rep I really wasn't sure what to expect from you, man. I was mostly expecting you to revert to the way I knew you to be, but... you didn't. You fought a fair fight, and for that I both thank and applaud you. At least someone around here seems to have some common fucking courtesy, I just didn't believe it would be from YOU of all people. But, that's the way the cookie crumbles, I suppose. I dunno if it's the real deal, if you're truly genuine, but for now... you've earned my respect. I always knew you were a hell of a talent, but your methods never sat well with me. So to see the match go down the way it did, even with the bogus ending, we went out there and did what we said we were gonna do, tore the roof off the joint and that was all I wanted to see. I don't even hold any ill will towards you for winning the match or how you won it. Can't really do that when it was Matthews who caused it now can I?

You're gonna go places, Titus. But I think you know that already.

[Bryant chuckles to himself before taking another sip of water.]

Bryant: And that brings me to the man of the hour. One mister Vincent Van Rose. First off, what is with you people and your insistence on me being "little?" I know you're seven feet tall and all you generally look down on everyone but, uh, 6'5" guy. I am no "little guy."

And while we're talking about your seven-foot-ness? Hate to break it to ya Vinnie... I can call ya Vinnie right? Well, hate to break it to ya but... you being seven foot? Really ain't shit.

Been there, done that. One of my best friends in this entire business is a seven foot, 325 pound monster who would make you and your backwoods love life cry back into the hole you all crawled out of. This seems to be the only thing you've got goin for ya, Vinnie. You're big and you're tall and you think that makes ya somethin' special but like I told the LAST guy who thought he was 'special' or 'unique' you are really anything but. You are just yet another really tall guy who thinks he's hot shit and I'm gonna enjoy proving to you just why you are not.

See while you're screwing skanks and crying into your beer about your impending divorce-slash-pregnancy-slash-hillbilly-wedding while your favorite country rock song croons through the jukebox at your favorite watering hole, I'm in here, spending every moment I can spare learning your strengths and weaknesses. Studying every tape I can get my hands on on the "great" VVR" and using my students as practice dummies to test new shit on.

[Bryant chuckles to himself again.]

Bryant: The benefits of running a wrestling school I suppose.

But the point is, Vinnie, instead of having the sex with Mercy or putsing around with your pregnant soon to be ex-wife you should be focusing on ME, because I may lose a match here and there but that's just ring rust. Facing guys like you brings out the best in me. Just ask Johnny Valentine. Oh wait, you can't cause he fled the company. To a regular guy you may seem big and bad but to me you're just another guy who needs a little lesson in class, a lesson I will happily provide because that's just the type of guy I am. And the only payment I expect to receive is the flesh I take outta your ass when I'm done kicking it all over that ring.

You aren't a wrestler, Vinnie. You're a country-fried-sissy who needs to lay off the booze and the chicks and maybe focus on your chosen craft s'more. I hear you talk about you're some train who's gonna bulldoze over me or something like your king fucking kong, but if that was the case... Why are you even in this tournament? If you were really such a massive badass as you claimed to be why aren't you in the World title picture right now? Why are you ranked number 11 in this tournament and facing the number 14 guy instead of already facing Brandon Macdonald for the belt?

I'll tell ya why, Vinnie. Because you aren't nearly the top tier guy you think you are. Oh your big and strong and you could throw most guys around that ring with ease, but that doesn't equal "good" and that definitely doesn't equal "better than ME."

You are just another guy, Vinnie. You're just another so-called "monster" running around a business filled with the same types of guy. You are Vigo the Carpathian runnin around here scaring the norms with your cheap tricks and your Frankenstein's Monster-like appearance, which gives me all the more reason to Ghost Bust your ass back to oblivion.

[As he finishes his speech, the doors open up and a crowd of students walk into the area. Bryant takes one more look at the camera and says one final thing.]

Bryant: Who ya gonna call?

[A smirk, and then a fade.]