Post by Frank Venable on Mar 22, 2020 13:56:21 GMT -5
FPV RP #5 - 'Till The Bitter End
Once again, Corey Black and I found ourselves in the APW locker room, minutes before stepping out for the main event of Metal. Our opponents for the night were the upstart team of Bad Boy Energy, and though Corey and I knew to keep our guard up, we knew our own strengths to be confident in our victory. That's the great thing about being the veterans of this business that we are. We walk in to every match knowing just how good our chances are. Since coming back into the business, I've only been pinned by two men: Walter and the APW Champion Smitty Jones. Far as I can tell, Corey hasn't been felled by anyone since his big return. Meanwhile, both our opponents had suffered numerous defeats in the weeks leading up to this tournament. People should have seen their loss coming.
As Black finished putting on his elbow pads, I called to him as I laced up my boots. The pain from last week, though still there, and been mostly silenced after some much needed rest, and I was heading into this match in as good a shape as I could be.
Once again, Corey Black and I found ourselves in the APW locker room, minutes before stepping out for the main event of Metal. Our opponents for the night were the upstart team of Bad Boy Energy, and though Corey and I knew to keep our guard up, we knew our own strengths to be confident in our victory. That's the great thing about being the veterans of this business that we are. We walk in to every match knowing just how good our chances are. Since coming back into the business, I've only been pinned by two men: Walter and the APW Champion Smitty Jones. Far as I can tell, Corey hasn't been felled by anyone since his big return. Meanwhile, both our opponents had suffered numerous defeats in the weeks leading up to this tournament. People should have seen their loss coming.
As Black finished putting on his elbow pads, I called to him as I laced up my boots. The pain from last week, though still there, and been mostly silenced after some much needed rest, and I was heading into this match in as good a shape as I could be.
FPV: So what's the plan, chief?
Corey Black: Any ideas on your part? You know this roster better than I do.
FPV: I'm thinking we should isolate Blaze from Teijin, and whittle him down to nothing. Get an easy win off of him. What do you think?
The King of All Wrestlers pondered for a minute, then responded.
Corey Black: No...no, if we're isolating anyone, we're isolating the Masuda boy.
FPV: You think so?
Corey Black: Yes. I've seen him in AW, and he may not look like much, but he's got the same tenacity I saw in his uncle when I booked him for XIII. We leave him alone, he's gonna bite back at us hard. But if we take him out of contention soon...
FPV:...then Blaze won't have the experience to compensate for being down a partner, we Atomic Heat Beam Teijin and win the match in time for Jack and Diet Coke.
Corey Black: You fuckin' know it.
I smirked as we finished our game plan. It had been over half a year since the formation of the Man Made Gods over in AW, and Corey and I have reached the point of partnership where we had become completely in sync with the other. We knew what the other was thinking, smoothly complimenting each other's moves in the ring and finishing each other's thoughts outside of it. In AW, we usually weren't able to show off this incredible team dynamic, with Corey focusing on his near record breaking reign as AW Hardcore Champion, and me being thrust into the World Title scene with the Turmoil tournament. Usually the only times we could work closely as a team was during XIII specials, where Corey could book us however he pleased. But here in APW? Not only were we surviving in the Tag Team division? We were THRIVING.
The first time Corey and I ever teamed, he was the booker in the old WCF, filling in for my tag team co-champion at the time Roy Speede during a title defense he was unavailable for. I had just begun my real career in wrestling only a few months before, and at that point in my life the man known as Creeping Death was more an idol than anything else. Despite this, in our one match together as a team we did marvelously, taking down the challengers with ease. In 2017, the two of us had an exciting pair of matches, each coming up with a win a piece and an incredible understanding of how the other one works.
And here we were now, in line to become the winners of the APW Tag Team Tournament, and it isn't even close. Corey Black isn't just an idol to me these days. He's many things. Partner. Peer. Confidant. But most importantly, he's the closest friend I have in this industry. His loyalty to the Man Made Gods is unmatched by anyone, and that is just one of the reasons why I will fight 'till the bitter end with this man until we are victorious.
The first time Corey and I ever teamed, he was the booker in the old WCF, filling in for my tag team co-champion at the time Roy Speede during a title defense he was unavailable for. I had just begun my real career in wrestling only a few months before, and at that point in my life the man known as Creeping Death was more an idol than anything else. Despite this, in our one match together as a team we did marvelously, taking down the challengers with ease. In 2017, the two of us had an exciting pair of matches, each coming up with a win a piece and an incredible understanding of how the other one works.
And here we were now, in line to become the winners of the APW Tag Team Tournament, and it isn't even close. Corey Black isn't just an idol to me these days. He's many things. Partner. Peer. Confidant. But most importantly, he's the closest friend I have in this industry. His loyalty to the Man Made Gods is unmatched by anyone, and that is just one of the reasons why I will fight 'till the bitter end with this man until we are victorious.
Corey adjusted his eyepatch one final time, making sure it was on just right before cracking his knuckles.
Corey Black: Let's do this.
FPV: Right behind you, chief.
With that, we walked out to our glory.
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Later on that night, a glass of Jack Daniel's Whiskey clinked together with a glass bottle of Diet Coke in celebration of another match won, and the Man Made Gods' ticket to the semi finals of the tournament punched.
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The following week, I found myself in that same spot, though this time I was by myself. No Corey, no crew members, just me, myself and I. I was fashionably early to the stadium, getting ready for our next stop in the tournament. At this point I was beginning to have flashbacks to the Turmoil tournament in AW, where I had blown through the competition in theatrical fashion to get to the finals. Now the finals of another tournament was within my sight, and I could feel it getting closer and closer. But before Corey and I could get there, we had one more obstacle in our way.
The Cow Girls From Hell.
I took my phone out and began to go live.
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Later on that night, a glass of Jack Daniel's Whiskey clinked together with a glass bottle of Diet Coke in celebration of another match won, and the Man Made Gods' ticket to the semi finals of the tournament punched.
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The following week, I found myself in that same spot, though this time I was by myself. No Corey, no crew members, just me, myself and I. I was fashionably early to the stadium, getting ready for our next stop in the tournament. At this point I was beginning to have flashbacks to the Turmoil tournament in AW, where I had blown through the competition in theatrical fashion to get to the finals. Now the finals of another tournament was within my sight, and I could feel it getting closer and closer. But before Corey and I could get there, we had one more obstacle in our way.
The Cow Girls From Hell.
I took my phone out and began to go live.
FPV: Hello APW fans. There are just two matches left, yup, just two before the Man Made Gods are declared your new APW Tag Team Champions. Personally? I've been having a blast so far in this tournament, and to know how close we are to the end fills me with excitement. I'm ready, and I know Corey is just as ready to hoist those Tag belts into the air along with our other titles. That's an image that's going to be reality in just one short week, fans.
But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Because there's a new team on the block in APW looking to make just ass big a name for themselves as the Gods are. That's right Meg and Max, this one goes out to yall. You've had an impressive debut in this company so far, making it to the semis of the tourney. I hope you've enjoyed your success these first two weeks in the company, because come our match on Metal, that's where the new signee luck ends. You've been good so far...but you haven't been "Tag Team Champions" level good.
Meghan, it's quite apparent your the vet of the duo, over twenty years if I heard correctly! That's quite a number, and it should be commended! And yet, it doesn't seem that way when you're cutting promos with your protege Max. You bounce around, you joke and crack wise with her, it's almost like you've got the air of the mom who's trying desperately to act cool in front of her 17-year-old daughter. You def don't fall into the same pitfalls of people with your level of experience, talking on and on about your legacy. You've got the spirit and energy of a newbie who hasn't had her heart broken yet.
Lemme ask you Meg, why are you here in APW? Do you want to actually be a champion, ready to crush everyone in your path. Or are you just doing this as one giant mid-life crisis? Because that's what your entire persona makes me think. You're after the thing absolutely no one has in this industry: eternal youth. You're trying to keep up the illusion that you're a twentysomething hanging out and enjoying life with her BFF Max, when in reality you're a mother to twins who's definitely seen her fair share of industry darkness.
I'mma tell you this now Meg, I ain't doing this to make myself feel younger, and neither is my boy Corey. We're here for one reason and one reason alone: TO BE CHAMP. If you can't abide by that, if your heart isn't in this so you can be the best...well, than we're going to do you a favor when you take you out of the tournament. Because while this industry can be fun, that shouldn't be your raison d'etre. Neither Corey nor I have the time for a wannabe party girl on our way to Tag gold.
And Max, how about you? You’re brand new to this business, wrestling alongside your trainer and mentor. You must think you’ve got it good, partnering with the one person in this business you know better than the back of your hand. Six years under her wing sounds pretty good, yeah? Well here’s a little reality check Miss Chaos, six years in this business to people like Corey and I? That’s CHUMP CHANGE. That’s barely a cup of coffee in this business. You’re still a fresh faced newbie, waiting to take her licks like those that came before you.
I’ve seen the promos you cut with Meghan, and those more than anything show how unprepared you are for this business. You can barely have a sentence all to yourself, you always let your mother figure Meg handle the heavy lifting, popping in whenever you can to make a small, snide little interjection. I see it in the ring too, always leaning on Meg because you just don’t have the experience to let yourself take the lead. Lemme ask you Max, what are you going to do when Meg isn’t here to give you that helping hand? I can tell you in one word: FLOUNDER. Sooner or later mother bird is going to have to kick you out of the nest and let you fly all by yourself. Are you ready to fly yet, Max?
If I give Meg any sort of credit, it’ll be that she knows how to handle you, cause you aren’t her first rodeo partner. Nah, she’s had experience guiding younger partners with her own little sister Tamika. But no amount of mentorship can wash away that stench of “NEW Cowgirls From Hell!” away from your team. Any team name that has to have that little descriptor in the front is doomed to fail.
Every team except for one, and I think you know what that team is already, Max.
MAN.
MADE.
GODS.
This iteration of the team ain’t the first. Not by a fucking longshot. But I’ll tell you right now, we are the BEST ITERETION THIS TEAM NAME WILL EVER SEE. World Title? CHECK. Record breaking Hardcore title reign? CHECK. Soon to be tag team champions? BIG CHECK. Corey and I, we’re at the apex of our careers, the best that we’ve ever been. This run as the Gods, this is a run that is going to define BOTH OF OUR CAREERS FOREVER.
And your team? It’s only going to be remembered as a stepping stone to our greatness. I guarantee it.
See you on Monday, ladies.
