Post by Kai Morgan on Oct 2, 2022 22:27:21 GMT
And now...Zion Wrestling Presents...Invasion: London!
We open up to a crowded Wembley Stadium, with large pyro going off in every nook and cranny of the large venue as we pan over to the announce table!
Winter Mae: A show nice we had to do it twice! Welcome back to the second of a two night spectacular! This is Invasion: London! I'm Winter Mae, welcoming you back alongside my broadcast partner, Trick Morrison!
Trick Morrison: Last night we saw titles change hands! Scores become settled! And the landscape of Zion Wrestling's future begin to take form! Now we give you even more grudges to settle, with some gold on the line on the way!
Backstage at the beginning of Zion’s 2nd night of Invasion, a camera found Samuel Lopez and Marley Divata off to the side together. Some of the backstage crew were seen passing by, going off to do what they needed to do, but eyeing the man warily as they passed by. She gave the crew members a friendly smile as they passed by, nodding at a few of them that she had become friendly with. After a few moments, Dr. Castiel Talbot approaches the couple as he gives Marley a soft, kind smile before extending his hand towards her, making sure to use the opposite hand to Marley’s broken wrist.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Hello my dear, it is nice to finally meet the woman who has stolen Samuel’s heart.
Marley Divata: It’s nice to meet you as well, Dr. Talbot, well officially that is.
Marley returned the smile to Dr. Talbot as she shook his hand, a small blush creeping across her cheeks. She looked between the two men for a moment before speaking up again.
Marley Divata: Oh! Sorry…if you two needed to go over stuff about the match in a little bit, I can go find Zara. I’m sure she’s probably coming to find me soon as it is.
Talbot shakes his head as he pushes his glasses up from the bridge of his nose.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Oh that won’t be necessary, Miss Divata. After all, it already appears that Samuel’s intentions for this match are well known. Speaking of…
The doctor turns his attention to Lopez as he outstretches his hand much to Marley’s confusion.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Give it to me, Samuel.
Lopez looks down at Talbot’s hand before then reaching into his pocket and removing a knife and placing it into the doctor’s hand, much to the surprise and disappointment of Marley. Marley looked from the knife in the doctor’s hand to Samuel, a small frown on her face as she did.
Marley Divata: How did you even get…actually, I probably don’t want to know.
Marley chewed on her bottom lip for a second, looking at the knife again. She sighed softly as her gaze turned back to her boyfriend, her uninjured hand running through her hair in the process.
Marley Divata: What happened to handling things legally?
Lopez looks to the floor for a moment before lifting his head allowing his gaze to meet his girlfriend’s and begins to sign. After signing for a few moments, Talbot shakes his head.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Samuel? The man who did this to Marley’s wrist was in the armed forces. Simply just showing him a knife will not scare him. While I understand how badly you wish for Mr. Matthews to suffer, your girlfriend is right… you must go about this within the law.
Marley Divata: I understand you want revenge for what he did to Sylvia and to me, but you can’t take care of anything if you get into legal trouble. If that happens then he ends up winning.
The green-haired woman placed her hand on his arm, her voice was gentle as she spoke. The frown had been replaced with a soft smile as she continued to look at him. She knew that he wanted revenge, and truthfully, she wouldn’t mind getting some of her own, but there wasn’t a time or a place in a wrestling match…even if it was a ladder match.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Precisely. Perhaps if I take Samuel for now it may help keep him calm ahead of the match? So he does not become fixated with the cast on your hand, Miss Divata. Plus, I believe your cousin would like a little motivation from her manager ahead of this match too?
Marley Divata: Of course, Dr. Talbot. Plus you’re right, Zara most likely does want to see me before it’s time for the match.
Marley nodded in the doctor’s direction before lovingly squeezing Samuel’s upper arm and giving him a smile.
Marley Divata: I’ll see you in a bit.
With a final smile at her boyfriend and one more courteous nod towards Dr. Talbot, Marley turned on the heel of her boots and walked off to find Zara. Granted, it seemed like Zara had already decided to come to find the other woman as they almost literally bumped into each other in almost no time. Glancing over Marley’s shoulder, Zara saw the two men then looked back at her cousin.
Zara Ivory: Everything good?
Marley Divata: Yeah…don’t worry about it. Now it’s not long before this ladder match starts… let's talk about some last-minute strategies. You know, this cast could come in handy tonight.
Zara stopped dead in her tracks and just stared at her with a look as if she had grown an extra head or something. Marley took a few steps before she realized that Zara wasn’t with her, so she paused and turned around, a questioning look on her face.
Marley Divata: What? Why’d you stop?
Zara Ivory: You are NOT going out there tonight. And don’t try to fucking argue with me on it either. The asshole that broke your wrist is involved in the damn match not to mention multiple others that we’d have to worry about coming after you. No, it’s not happening, end of story.
Marley opened her mouth to object but groaned in frustration instead. She knew that Zara had a point, but it didn’t frustrate her any less. She looked at her cousin and just her head before letting out a sigh.
Marley Divata: Fine! Whatever…let’s just go talk strategy so I can stay back here and be a nervous wreck for y’all.
Zara rolled her eyes before the two women continued to a quieter area to talk for the little bit of time left before the ladder match.
A bit of pre recorded footage began to roll. Focus fell to a ladder in the middle of a ring in the middle of an empty arena. Well..a mostly empty arena. Not only was that ladder in the ring but so was Big Ass Bobby and Alessa Halloway, Marisol Vilaro, and of course Ricky Rodriguez.
Ricky stood in front of that ladder, gazing up at it, almost in a trance. The lights around him dimmed down as a single spotlight shined down onto that ladder, y'know for dramatic effect and all that. Bringing his leg up, Ricky stepped onto the bottom rung of that ladder.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'This ladder is alottabit like sooo many different things. It's like..this business. It's like..life, really. I mean, you start here down at the bottom. You're fuckin lookin up..just starin at that prize above your head. And..you want it..like you reallyy fuckin want it. So, you adjust yourself a bit and you take that first step.'
He stood still, with both feet on that bottom rung. Even still, he kept his head back and eyes focused upwards.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But that first step ain't enough..nowhere near it. So, you keep pushin. You take step after step. You do whatever you needa do to climb that ladder. You get closer..and closer..and closer until..'
As he spoke, Ricky continued to climb up that ladder. Once he got to the top, he reached up and ripped down that Gateway Championship replica.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'You succeed. You make that climb to the top and you get exactly what you wanted. But gettin to the top ain't even half the battle. Once you get up there..that's when the real challenge begins..stayin there. See, that's the lesson I learned when I won the Gateway Championship.
I busted my ass and I pushed harder than I ever pushed before. I drug my ass up this ladder, knockin everyone outta my way..and I got to the top. But when I got there..I slacked off..I took my eye off the prize. And..I paid for it..'
Looking down at Bobby, Ricky gave the man a single nod of his head, as if signaling for something. Bobby looked a bit apprehensive at first but after Ricky nodded once more, Bobby nodded as well. He grabbed hold of that ladder and pushed it over without hesitation. Ricky came crashing down onto that canvas with a thud.
Rolling over onto his side, groaning out in pain. After a moment or two, he dug his forearms into the canvas and pushed himself up a bit. He began to crawl back towards that ladder, a look of determination growing across his face.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But..I learned my lesson. I learned what I did wrong. And right then and there, I drug my broke ass back up and I started back up that ladder..no matter how hard it was.'
Reaching the ladder, Ricky grabbed onto it, using it for support as he drug himself back up to a stand. Stepping back onto that bottom step, Ricky started to climb once again.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But I won't make the same mistake. Which is why I hafta do exactly what I did last time. I hafta tear through each..and..every person in front of me. I hafta step over each of them until I make my way back up this ladder. I hafta do..whatever it takes to get back to the top..to get back to my Gateway Championship. And that's exactly what I'm gonna do.'
Finally making it back to the top of that ladder, Ricky moved to sit on top of it. As he did, Bobby tossed that championship up for Ricky to catch. After doing so, he flung it over his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'And this time..there is no eye off the prize..there is no droppin the ball. There is only..gold.'
Ricky sat perfectly still, basking in the warmth of that spotlight. And with that, the video ended, the scene cutting away.
The scene opens backstage to Your Hero and Mine, Mark Storm.
He's dressed in his gear, relaxing himself with a bottle of water as he stares into the distance in deep reflection as the camera approaches him.
Mark Storm: "Y'know, lately - I've been thinking about this whole damn thing, from where it all started to where I am now. I've been in this game for twelve years now, grinding through promotion to promotion, reinventing myself and wanting to be the best at what I do, no matter the place... I've been at the tippy top of promotions and down at the bottom of the barrel too, grinding my way all the way to the top, eventually - because that's just what I do. No matter how bleak things might get, I'll always find a way to the light at the end of the tunnel."
Storm turns to face the camera, allowing a smile to etch onto his face.
Mark Storm: "I've had my fair share of trials and tribulations here, too, already and I haven't been here for the longest of times, but already I've seen opportunities stolen from me, I already have people wanting to interfere in my matches and try cost me one because they know that in reality, I'm the real danger."
He points at himself, nodding his head whilst doing so.
Mark Storm: "I'm the guy who's globe trotted the world, collected titles from various promotions and cemented himself as a pinnacle figure in this industry. I'm the guy, who's leading the most coveted faction in this industry today, the Heroes for Hire. I'm the guy, who's stepping up to the plate, taking that mantle and letting the world know, that I'm the guy - to take Zion Wrestling forwards, to greener pastures.
I'm not just some guy on the card who comes and goes when he pleases, a footnote or a sidebar, no - I'm the whole fuckin' show, and the Heroes for Hire having validating that fact, week after week on Mayhem. We're not just putting on banger after banger, we're exposing the fakes and the posers, the phonies that call themselves wrestlers but haven't even got a shred of wrestling about them... we're professional wrestling personified, and we're cleaning out the locker room from all of that other bullshit!"
Storm clenches his fist, having to cool off and compose himself before continuing.
Mark Storm: "I've had my eyes on the Zion Wrestling Gateway Championship for a few weeks now, that's already well documented. Others will see it as a stepping stone to the Zion Wrestling title, but to me; it's a platform to redefine myself, an opportunity to build myself back up to the top guy, I know I am.
I've been doing it all over the world and it's only a matter of time before it happens here. That Gateway Championship becomes the most important title in this company from the second I lay my hands on it, and that's just an honest truth, and when that does happen - it's an open challenge on each and every brand, because that's the sort of fighting champion you're gonna get!
I know it ain't gonna be easy... there's seven other guys and gals, all hungry, and have been starving for some time in the limelight, and here they'll have it - in London, England! They're gonna be wanting their fairy-tale endings for their stories but unfortunately, only one of us is coming out with that, and I'm afraid to inform you chumps, that's gonna be none of you. You're looking at the next Zion Wrestling Gateway Champion right here, Your Hero and Mine - Mark Storm!"
The scene gradually fades with Mark Storm posing to the camera.
We open up to a crowded Wembley Stadium, with large pyro going off in every nook and cranny of the large venue as we pan over to the announce table!
Winter Mae: A show nice we had to do it twice! Welcome back to the second of a two night spectacular! This is Invasion: London! I'm Winter Mae, welcoming you back alongside my broadcast partner, Trick Morrison!
Trick Morrison: Last night we saw titles change hands! Scores become settled! And the landscape of Zion Wrestling's future begin to take form! Now we give you even more grudges to settle, with some gold on the line on the way!
Backstage at the beginning of Zion’s 2nd night of Invasion, a camera found Samuel Lopez and Marley Divata off to the side together. Some of the backstage crew were seen passing by, going off to do what they needed to do, but eyeing the man warily as they passed by. She gave the crew members a friendly smile as they passed by, nodding at a few of them that she had become friendly with. After a few moments, Dr. Castiel Talbot approaches the couple as he gives Marley a soft, kind smile before extending his hand towards her, making sure to use the opposite hand to Marley’s broken wrist.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Hello my dear, it is nice to finally meet the woman who has stolen Samuel’s heart.
Marley Divata: It’s nice to meet you as well, Dr. Talbot, well officially that is.
Marley returned the smile to Dr. Talbot as she shook his hand, a small blush creeping across her cheeks. She looked between the two men for a moment before speaking up again.
Marley Divata: Oh! Sorry…if you two needed to go over stuff about the match in a little bit, I can go find Zara. I’m sure she’s probably coming to find me soon as it is.
Talbot shakes his head as he pushes his glasses up from the bridge of his nose.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Oh that won’t be necessary, Miss Divata. After all, it already appears that Samuel’s intentions for this match are well known. Speaking of…
The doctor turns his attention to Lopez as he outstretches his hand much to Marley’s confusion.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Give it to me, Samuel.
Lopez looks down at Talbot’s hand before then reaching into his pocket and removing a knife and placing it into the doctor’s hand, much to the surprise and disappointment of Marley. Marley looked from the knife in the doctor’s hand to Samuel, a small frown on her face as she did.
Marley Divata: How did you even get…actually, I probably don’t want to know.
Marley chewed on her bottom lip for a second, looking at the knife again. She sighed softly as her gaze turned back to her boyfriend, her uninjured hand running through her hair in the process.
Marley Divata: What happened to handling things legally?
Lopez looks to the floor for a moment before lifting his head allowing his gaze to meet his girlfriend’s and begins to sign. After signing for a few moments, Talbot shakes his head.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Samuel? The man who did this to Marley’s wrist was in the armed forces. Simply just showing him a knife will not scare him. While I understand how badly you wish for Mr. Matthews to suffer, your girlfriend is right… you must go about this within the law.
Marley Divata: I understand you want revenge for what he did to Sylvia and to me, but you can’t take care of anything if you get into legal trouble. If that happens then he ends up winning.
The green-haired woman placed her hand on his arm, her voice was gentle as she spoke. The frown had been replaced with a soft smile as she continued to look at him. She knew that he wanted revenge, and truthfully, she wouldn’t mind getting some of her own, but there wasn’t a time or a place in a wrestling match…even if it was a ladder match.
Dr. Castiel Talbot: Precisely. Perhaps if I take Samuel for now it may help keep him calm ahead of the match? So he does not become fixated with the cast on your hand, Miss Divata. Plus, I believe your cousin would like a little motivation from her manager ahead of this match too?
Marley Divata: Of course, Dr. Talbot. Plus you’re right, Zara most likely does want to see me before it’s time for the match.
Marley nodded in the doctor’s direction before lovingly squeezing Samuel’s upper arm and giving him a smile.
Marley Divata: I’ll see you in a bit.
With a final smile at her boyfriend and one more courteous nod towards Dr. Talbot, Marley turned on the heel of her boots and walked off to find Zara. Granted, it seemed like Zara had already decided to come to find the other woman as they almost literally bumped into each other in almost no time. Glancing over Marley’s shoulder, Zara saw the two men then looked back at her cousin.
Zara Ivory: Everything good?
Marley Divata: Yeah…don’t worry about it. Now it’s not long before this ladder match starts… let's talk about some last-minute strategies. You know, this cast could come in handy tonight.
Zara stopped dead in her tracks and just stared at her with a look as if she had grown an extra head or something. Marley took a few steps before she realized that Zara wasn’t with her, so she paused and turned around, a questioning look on her face.
Marley Divata: What? Why’d you stop?
Zara Ivory: You are NOT going out there tonight. And don’t try to fucking argue with me on it either. The asshole that broke your wrist is involved in the damn match not to mention multiple others that we’d have to worry about coming after you. No, it’s not happening, end of story.
Marley opened her mouth to object but groaned in frustration instead. She knew that Zara had a point, but it didn’t frustrate her any less. She looked at her cousin and just her head before letting out a sigh.
Marley Divata: Fine! Whatever…let’s just go talk strategy so I can stay back here and be a nervous wreck for y’all.
Zara rolled her eyes before the two women continued to a quieter area to talk for the little bit of time left before the ladder match.
A bit of pre recorded footage began to roll. Focus fell to a ladder in the middle of a ring in the middle of an empty arena. Well..a mostly empty arena. Not only was that ladder in the ring but so was Big Ass Bobby and Alessa Halloway, Marisol Vilaro, and of course Ricky Rodriguez.
Ricky stood in front of that ladder, gazing up at it, almost in a trance. The lights around him dimmed down as a single spotlight shined down onto that ladder, y'know for dramatic effect and all that. Bringing his leg up, Ricky stepped onto the bottom rung of that ladder.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'This ladder is alottabit like sooo many different things. It's like..this business. It's like..life, really. I mean, you start here down at the bottom. You're fuckin lookin up..just starin at that prize above your head. And..you want it..like you reallyy fuckin want it. So, you adjust yourself a bit and you take that first step.'
He stood still, with both feet on that bottom rung. Even still, he kept his head back and eyes focused upwards.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But that first step ain't enough..nowhere near it. So, you keep pushin. You take step after step. You do whatever you needa do to climb that ladder. You get closer..and closer..and closer until..'
As he spoke, Ricky continued to climb up that ladder. Once he got to the top, he reached up and ripped down that Gateway Championship replica.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'You succeed. You make that climb to the top and you get exactly what you wanted. But gettin to the top ain't even half the battle. Once you get up there..that's when the real challenge begins..stayin there. See, that's the lesson I learned when I won the Gateway Championship.
I busted my ass and I pushed harder than I ever pushed before. I drug my ass up this ladder, knockin everyone outta my way..and I got to the top. But when I got there..I slacked off..I took my eye off the prize. And..I paid for it..'
Looking down at Bobby, Ricky gave the man a single nod of his head, as if signaling for something. Bobby looked a bit apprehensive at first but after Ricky nodded once more, Bobby nodded as well. He grabbed hold of that ladder and pushed it over without hesitation. Ricky came crashing down onto that canvas with a thud.
Rolling over onto his side, groaning out in pain. After a moment or two, he dug his forearms into the canvas and pushed himself up a bit. He began to crawl back towards that ladder, a look of determination growing across his face.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But..I learned my lesson. I learned what I did wrong. And right then and there, I drug my broke ass back up and I started back up that ladder..no matter how hard it was.'
Reaching the ladder, Ricky grabbed onto it, using it for support as he drug himself back up to a stand. Stepping back onto that bottom step, Ricky started to climb once again.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'But I won't make the same mistake. Which is why I hafta do exactly what I did last time. I hafta tear through each..and..every person in front of me. I hafta step over each of them until I make my way back up this ladder. I hafta do..whatever it takes to get back to the top..to get back to my Gateway Championship. And that's exactly what I'm gonna do.'
Finally making it back to the top of that ladder, Ricky moved to sit on top of it. As he did, Bobby tossed that championship up for Ricky to catch. After doing so, he flung it over his shoulder, grinning from ear to ear.
Ricky Rodriguez: 'And this time..there is no eye off the prize..there is no droppin the ball. There is only..gold.'
Ricky sat perfectly still, basking in the warmth of that spotlight. And with that, the video ended, the scene cutting away.
The scene opens backstage to Your Hero and Mine, Mark Storm.
He's dressed in his gear, relaxing himself with a bottle of water as he stares into the distance in deep reflection as the camera approaches him.
Mark Storm: "Y'know, lately - I've been thinking about this whole damn thing, from where it all started to where I am now. I've been in this game for twelve years now, grinding through promotion to promotion, reinventing myself and wanting to be the best at what I do, no matter the place... I've been at the tippy top of promotions and down at the bottom of the barrel too, grinding my way all the way to the top, eventually - because that's just what I do. No matter how bleak things might get, I'll always find a way to the light at the end of the tunnel."
Storm turns to face the camera, allowing a smile to etch onto his face.
Mark Storm: "I've had my fair share of trials and tribulations here, too, already and I haven't been here for the longest of times, but already I've seen opportunities stolen from me, I already have people wanting to interfere in my matches and try cost me one because they know that in reality, I'm the real danger."
He points at himself, nodding his head whilst doing so.
Mark Storm: "I'm the guy who's globe trotted the world, collected titles from various promotions and cemented himself as a pinnacle figure in this industry. I'm the guy, who's leading the most coveted faction in this industry today, the Heroes for Hire. I'm the guy, who's stepping up to the plate, taking that mantle and letting the world know, that I'm the guy - to take Zion Wrestling forwards, to greener pastures.
I'm not just some guy on the card who comes and goes when he pleases, a footnote or a sidebar, no - I'm the whole fuckin' show, and the Heroes for Hire having validating that fact, week after week on Mayhem. We're not just putting on banger after banger, we're exposing the fakes and the posers, the phonies that call themselves wrestlers but haven't even got a shred of wrestling about them... we're professional wrestling personified, and we're cleaning out the locker room from all of that other bullshit!"
Storm clenches his fist, having to cool off and compose himself before continuing.
Mark Storm: "I've had my eyes on the Zion Wrestling Gateway Championship for a few weeks now, that's already well documented. Others will see it as a stepping stone to the Zion Wrestling title, but to me; it's a platform to redefine myself, an opportunity to build myself back up to the top guy, I know I am.
I've been doing it all over the world and it's only a matter of time before it happens here. That Gateway Championship becomes the most important title in this company from the second I lay my hands on it, and that's just an honest truth, and when that does happen - it's an open challenge on each and every brand, because that's the sort of fighting champion you're gonna get!
I know it ain't gonna be easy... there's seven other guys and gals, all hungry, and have been starving for some time in the limelight, and here they'll have it - in London, England! They're gonna be wanting their fairy-tale endings for their stories but unfortunately, only one of us is coming out with that, and I'm afraid to inform you chumps, that's gonna be none of you. You're looking at the next Zion Wrestling Gateway Champion right here, Your Hero and Mine - Mark Storm!"
The scene gradually fades with Mark Storm posing to the camera.