Post by cyborg878 on Oct 25, 2020 10:34:33 GMT -5
In the San Diego home of Warrens and Cortez the Devil Himself relaxes on the couch with his beloved resting his head on the Damon's lap. The two are rewatching Damon's triumphant return to APW. Seeing Damon's arm raised in glory brings a smile to Jaime's face.
Jaime: I'm so proud of you, you know?
Damon: Gracias mi amor. This was just the beginning though. I soon find myself staring down five men in the main event. In the Killing Floor match.
Jaime: Do you have any clue what that is?
Damon: I don't even think management knows what it is... but it matters not. I once again arrive at my true destination. The main event and a championship match. It's where I never should have left in the first place.
Although his words tell a story of knowing he belongs in the title picture Damon's voice betrays him. Jaime notices an wavering in his conviction... uncertainty at its clearest. He turns so he looks at Damon instead of the television. Cortez reaches and gently turns Damon's head to meet his gaze.
Jaime: Hi.
Damon: Hello.
Jaime: Where is the Damon from a week ago? The one that was confident that he was destroying Jason Ryan? Which... you did. I haven't seen you like this since... just before your match with Smith Jones.
It was true. Maybe it was the time away from the ring, from the main event,... from the gold. He wasn't sure, but something about this match brought Damon back to the same feeling he had before his match against Smith for the same championship he would be fighting for at Killing Floor. As he considers Jaime's observation his brow furrows.
Jaime: Damon sweetheart. You were like this in March. You went on to beat one of the greatest wrestlers in the business for the championship. You proved everyone wrong about you. Most importantly you proved yourself wrong when you started doubting yourself. You know you're capable of overcoming the odds. You know you can win this championship.
Damon: But that was the old me. That was a man who never feared anything. Now I have something to fear.
Jaime: What does the Devil Himself have to fear? Holy water? A crucifix?
Damon: Now that I'm back in APW I'm petrified that someone like a Jason Ryan will come along again and use you to get to me. I can't have you being collateral damage in a war waged against me.
Concern takes over Damon's eyes. Jaime's heart breaks at the sight of his distraught fiancé.
Jaime: You need to stop blaming yourself for that. That was Jason's doing not yours. I knew something like that was possible when I entered this world with you.
Damon: Jason only did it because you're my only obvious weakness. You were how to torture me.
Jaime: Look Damon. I'm tired of you acting like this is your fault. Cut it out.
Jaime sits up and as he speaks there is a firmness in his voice Damon is not used to.
Jaime: You are THE Damon Warrens. The Devil Himself. The longest reigning APW World Champion. The man I'm engaged to is a vicious surgeon in that ring. He's a chess master when it comes to mind games. Do you know what he isn't? He isn't a whiny self pitying bitch. So smarten the fuck up!
Damon's eyes widen from the fire flickering out of Jaime's mouth as he sets the Nitemare in his place. It catches him off guard enough that Jaime is able to mount the Canadian and forcefully hold his arms above his head.
Jaime: You need to stop treating me like some naïve, defenseless lamb. I understand the risk. And if you're still that concerned about me getting hurt then get your ass to a ring and train me to hold me own out there. Stop making excuses.
Jaime is one hundred percent correct. Damon continues to see him as some sort of lamb he had to protect from slaughter. But this is a man who withstood a brutal gang attack as well as two separate assaults from Jason Ryan and his Bloodline. Jaime is far more resilient than Damon ever gives him credit for. As Damon comes to this conclusion he looks up at Jaime.
Damon: You're right. You are stronger than I ever tell you. I need to trust that you can handle yourself.... and you will be able to after I train you. Now.... as for how you just spoke to me...
Jaime: Kinda hot wasn't it?
Damon: Admittedly so.
Jaime: Admittedly so.... SIR.
Damon: Don't push your luck.
Jaime smirks and the scene fades out as the two embrace.
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Damon's promo livestream flicks to life. Instead of Damon's red throne room the audience is instead greeted by a black room only dimly lit by the presence of five black candles. The flames illuminate Damon sitting on the floor in the center of the circle of candles. Beneath him on the floor seems to be a pentagram drawn in black paint with of course a point reaching each candle. The Nitemare is initially staring at the ground, but lifts his head revealing his pure white eyes as he stares a hole through the camera and thus the viewers.
Damon: Alpha Pro your king has returned and he is looking to return to his throne. My redebut on the last episode of Metal was a roaring success. I vanquished the ghost that has been haunting me for month. So there I was standing victorious in the ring basking in the love of all of you when to my surprise I found out that I would be immediately be back in the main event of a pay per view and once again be battling for my dear championship that I never should have lost in the first place. Now I am a admittedly in the dark about what a Killing Floor match is... however if it is anything close to what I am imagining then I can promise I will be right in my element.
Damon smiles wickedly as he pictures what violence could occur.
Damon: See when my mind tries to process what I could be stepping into with five others... all I can envision is blood... violence.. suffering. With months away from this company and months to stew with anger I have wanted to unleash bloody violence... to be the source of suffering for those who dare to stand in my way. At Killing Floor I will be that origin point. I am the Pandora's Box that APW has decided to break open and five unfortunate souls will be my victims. Five lambs to slaughter in the name of the Devil Himself. All with the goal of bringing myself back to my old prominence in this kingdom.
As Damon discusses the five 'victims' he gestures around him to the five candles. He looks first to the candle to his right rear side. When he does so images flash on screen showing not just Jason Ryan, but also his alter ego the Scourge.
Damon: One of my opponents I am very well acquainted with. He was not only my undoing many months previous... he was also the first step to my true resurrection. Jason Ryan once more finds himself trying to wrest the crown from my head. Jason has yet another chance to try and redeem his miserable failure of a title reign. You may think that you have atoned enough for sins that you hope will be long forgotten, but Jason... the Devil never forgives.. and he certainly never forgets. Some may say it is ludicrous that Jason Ryan is in this Killing Floor match for the world championship because in all fairness... you haven't done anything of note to earn this opportunity. That's certainly no different that your previous championship opportunities though so why stop the trend now?
Damon pauses before continuing.
Damon: I may be alone in this statement Jason, but I'm thrilled you have this opportunity. The last time I was able to eviscerate you in front of the APW faithful feels far too long ago. Our match on Metal was tame compared to what I have in store for you. Even our battle at Kingdom Come....child's play. Nothing is quite a rush as watching you realize you've fallen yet again to me. It's a thrill I can't stop chasing.
Damon breathes in heavily as if experiencing the euphoria of ripping Jason to pieces. As he breathes out the flame on the candle presumably corresponding to Jason Ryan dims before extinguishing all together. Damon then brings his attention to the candle on his rear left.
Damon: Jason Ryan is not the only familiar foe in this match. John Blade and I go way back in APW. See John was one of my opponents in my very first match in this company. Before that first match I told John that he was a delusional idiot who JUST couldn't reach for the stars. I advised him to just quit. And well I guess he didn't. I will give him that. EVen though his win/loss record here rivals that of Jason Ryan... he still just keeps going. Even when Lex Collins and I left him and three others defeated.. he decided to just keep trying. Fast forward A month and yet again John finds himself in a match with the Devil Himself at Liberty or Death. The night I outlasted the Unlucky Thirteen and punched my ticket to a world championship match...which I of course proceeded to win. John didn't even make it beyond the final ten...out of fourteen competitors. He got eliminated by a seventeen year old.
Damon laughs in disbelief.
Damon: Look there is one thing I can say positively about John. He refuses to bow to pressure and change. His attitude never changes. His determination never changes. His pre-match promos never change.
Damon pauses to allow his jab to sink in.
Damon: John I appreciate that you keep trying. It's charming. But no matter how hard you try you still won't change. You will still be the jobber who falls so that I can shine during a milestone in my career. First my debut. Then my number one contendership. Now my second world title. Thank you John.
Just like the previous candle this too fades to darkness. With this Damon looks to his right and as he does flashes from Elliott Siscoe's brief APW career appear.
Damon: Elliott you are one of the new acquaintances I will be making myself known to in this match. You intrigue me. Your long history in war games and fighting rings. You bring a promise of violence which I can imagine will serve you well in this match. Now violence may help, but I'm not sure it's enough Siscoe. I mean yes you do have some victories under your belt here.. you toppled Apokalypse.. you even felled Brother Zeke. Impressive stuff. Truly. I mean yes there was that little bump in the road where you lost to Renaissance Taylor Swift... but I mean you just had an off day right? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with your ring rust from being away for years.
The sarcasm is heavy in the Nitemare's voice.
Damon: Look Siscoe.... who was born Elliot Siscoe, but now I will refer to you as Sis. For Satan's sake that whole bit of yours where you outline people's names and what you've decided to nickname them is just... it's a choice. Elliott I know you're probably at home now looking up the Damon Warrens Wikipedia page so you can go into a fact checked retelling of where I was born, what my name is, and a bullet point list of my history. You're probably seeing that I'm a PCW Hall of Famer who held several hardcore championships. You've scrolled to my Cardinal City Pro summary where you see that I was one of the company's longest reigning world champions in twenty years. I want you to continue further though because at Killing Floor there's really only one part of that history research you're doing that matters. Alpha Pro Wrestling. In MY kingdom I am a force like no other. A man who despite constant accusations of being a flash in the pan flipped this company upside down. A man who entered the main event scene and took up residence there. Someone who out wrestled the at the time best wrestler this company had seen Smith Jones at Battlecade. Someone who out talked the charismatic Andre Aquarius at Gods of Wrestling. A Devil who proved to be more sadistic than Jason Ryan at Kingdom Come. So listen very closely Elliott...
Damon leans closer to the camera.
Damon: I suggest for your sake that you spend less time on Wikipedia or Google trying to find out my past and instead focus on figuring out how the Hell you plan on surviving in my future.
The "Elliott" candle flares up momentarily before it joins the others in darkness. Damon's attention then switches to his left as Max Ironside briefly flickers onto the screen.
Damon: The second of a trifecta of new victims... Max Ironside. Our dear Handicapped Hero and winner of the ICUP Tournament. Undefeated inspirational trailblazer. You are truly a groundbreaking individual. In your short time here with us in APW you've really proven yourself. Before promptly disappearing into the night to go inspire some Make a Wish Foundation kids. That's the only logical explanation for why you would just stop showing up to work. Especially considering you were actually doing well. You left AWF to come here and then you ...wait did you leave here too and have yet to inform management? That's incredibly inconsiderate.
Damon is clearly disappointed.
Damon: Now this Max is the part of the promo where I'm supposed to echo the words of people like Coral Rose and say that all you are is some pitiful joke. I'm supposed to tell you that you're right you will never be the future of the business. I don't think that I will say that though. I plan to afford you a luxury I give almost no one, and unfortunately a luxury it seems almost no one gives you: respect. Despite being seen as a joke you are currently undefeated in APW. People may say that you're out of your league because of the disadvantages you have in life, but I love an underdog. People once told me a 'fag' could never be a world champion and I've won world titles in several companies. I have spit in the face in my doubters. I am challenging you to do the same. Keep proving the world wrong. I will say though...don't be disappointed when you end up falling short. I promise though that when I regain my championship that I will shake your hand first.
Damon reaches forward as if to shake hands. He instead grabs the candle in front of him. As he does so the one to his left goes out.
Damon: And now finally... Andrew Barnes. Our current reigning APW World Champion. Out of everyone I have to run through in this match you seem to be my biggest challenge. I mean you are a "Cut Above the Rest" after all. Certainly a cut above your father. From your accounts he was quite the low life Barnes. You ended up pretty great though right? Nice guy wanting everyone to like him... and for the most part people seem to. Now unfortunately I don't count myself among that group, but it's nothing personal. See Andrew you just happen to be keeping a very important possession of mine warm. A possession that only an army managed to take from me. A possession I will be taking back at Killing Floor.
Damon's voice is determined and honest as he outlines his goal.
Damon: Andrew I'm not sure if you've noticed a pattern in APW since I left. Three weeks, sixty-three days, one month.... not one world champion has managed to hit my magical number of seventy. Not one champion has been able to handle the pressure and defend their throne for more than sixty three days. Now I see that you COULD do that.... had it not been for the return of APW's true World Champion... me. I am your spoiler. Try not to be too disappointed when you do part ways with my championship though. I mean you did say a loss in this business is only temporary. That it's only when we lose ourselves to the darkness that it becomes permanent. So don't lose yourself in that darkness Andrew because I'm not sure if you knew, but the Devil can do some pretty awful things to those trapped in the dark.
Damon grins wickedly before blowing out the last candle engulfing the scene in darkness.
Jaime: I'm so proud of you, you know?
Damon: Gracias mi amor. This was just the beginning though. I soon find myself staring down five men in the main event. In the Killing Floor match.
Jaime: Do you have any clue what that is?
Damon: I don't even think management knows what it is... but it matters not. I once again arrive at my true destination. The main event and a championship match. It's where I never should have left in the first place.
Although his words tell a story of knowing he belongs in the title picture Damon's voice betrays him. Jaime notices an wavering in his conviction... uncertainty at its clearest. He turns so he looks at Damon instead of the television. Cortez reaches and gently turns Damon's head to meet his gaze.
Jaime: Hi.
Damon: Hello.
Jaime: Where is the Damon from a week ago? The one that was confident that he was destroying Jason Ryan? Which... you did. I haven't seen you like this since... just before your match with Smith Jones.
It was true. Maybe it was the time away from the ring, from the main event,... from the gold. He wasn't sure, but something about this match brought Damon back to the same feeling he had before his match against Smith for the same championship he would be fighting for at Killing Floor. As he considers Jaime's observation his brow furrows.
Jaime: Damon sweetheart. You were like this in March. You went on to beat one of the greatest wrestlers in the business for the championship. You proved everyone wrong about you. Most importantly you proved yourself wrong when you started doubting yourself. You know you're capable of overcoming the odds. You know you can win this championship.
Damon: But that was the old me. That was a man who never feared anything. Now I have something to fear.
Jaime: What does the Devil Himself have to fear? Holy water? A crucifix?
Damon: Now that I'm back in APW I'm petrified that someone like a Jason Ryan will come along again and use you to get to me. I can't have you being collateral damage in a war waged against me.
Concern takes over Damon's eyes. Jaime's heart breaks at the sight of his distraught fiancé.
Jaime: You need to stop blaming yourself for that. That was Jason's doing not yours. I knew something like that was possible when I entered this world with you.
Damon: Jason only did it because you're my only obvious weakness. You were how to torture me.
Jaime: Look Damon. I'm tired of you acting like this is your fault. Cut it out.
Jaime sits up and as he speaks there is a firmness in his voice Damon is not used to.
Jaime: You are THE Damon Warrens. The Devil Himself. The longest reigning APW World Champion. The man I'm engaged to is a vicious surgeon in that ring. He's a chess master when it comes to mind games. Do you know what he isn't? He isn't a whiny self pitying bitch. So smarten the fuck up!
Damon's eyes widen from the fire flickering out of Jaime's mouth as he sets the Nitemare in his place. It catches him off guard enough that Jaime is able to mount the Canadian and forcefully hold his arms above his head.
Jaime: You need to stop treating me like some naïve, defenseless lamb. I understand the risk. And if you're still that concerned about me getting hurt then get your ass to a ring and train me to hold me own out there. Stop making excuses.
Jaime is one hundred percent correct. Damon continues to see him as some sort of lamb he had to protect from slaughter. But this is a man who withstood a brutal gang attack as well as two separate assaults from Jason Ryan and his Bloodline. Jaime is far more resilient than Damon ever gives him credit for. As Damon comes to this conclusion he looks up at Jaime.
Damon: You're right. You are stronger than I ever tell you. I need to trust that you can handle yourself.... and you will be able to after I train you. Now.... as for how you just spoke to me...
Jaime: Kinda hot wasn't it?
Damon: Admittedly so.
Jaime: Admittedly so.... SIR.
Damon: Don't push your luck.
Jaime smirks and the scene fades out as the two embrace.
--------------------------------------
Damon's promo livestream flicks to life. Instead of Damon's red throne room the audience is instead greeted by a black room only dimly lit by the presence of five black candles. The flames illuminate Damon sitting on the floor in the center of the circle of candles. Beneath him on the floor seems to be a pentagram drawn in black paint with of course a point reaching each candle. The Nitemare is initially staring at the ground, but lifts his head revealing his pure white eyes as he stares a hole through the camera and thus the viewers.
Damon: Alpha Pro your king has returned and he is looking to return to his throne. My redebut on the last episode of Metal was a roaring success. I vanquished the ghost that has been haunting me for month. So there I was standing victorious in the ring basking in the love of all of you when to my surprise I found out that I would be immediately be back in the main event of a pay per view and once again be battling for my dear championship that I never should have lost in the first place. Now I am a admittedly in the dark about what a Killing Floor match is... however if it is anything close to what I am imagining then I can promise I will be right in my element.
Damon smiles wickedly as he pictures what violence could occur.
Damon: See when my mind tries to process what I could be stepping into with five others... all I can envision is blood... violence.. suffering. With months away from this company and months to stew with anger I have wanted to unleash bloody violence... to be the source of suffering for those who dare to stand in my way. At Killing Floor I will be that origin point. I am the Pandora's Box that APW has decided to break open and five unfortunate souls will be my victims. Five lambs to slaughter in the name of the Devil Himself. All with the goal of bringing myself back to my old prominence in this kingdom.
As Damon discusses the five 'victims' he gestures around him to the five candles. He looks first to the candle to his right rear side. When he does so images flash on screen showing not just Jason Ryan, but also his alter ego the Scourge.
Damon: One of my opponents I am very well acquainted with. He was not only my undoing many months previous... he was also the first step to my true resurrection. Jason Ryan once more finds himself trying to wrest the crown from my head. Jason has yet another chance to try and redeem his miserable failure of a title reign. You may think that you have atoned enough for sins that you hope will be long forgotten, but Jason... the Devil never forgives.. and he certainly never forgets. Some may say it is ludicrous that Jason Ryan is in this Killing Floor match for the world championship because in all fairness... you haven't done anything of note to earn this opportunity. That's certainly no different that your previous championship opportunities though so why stop the trend now?
Damon pauses before continuing.
Damon: I may be alone in this statement Jason, but I'm thrilled you have this opportunity. The last time I was able to eviscerate you in front of the APW faithful feels far too long ago. Our match on Metal was tame compared to what I have in store for you. Even our battle at Kingdom Come....child's play. Nothing is quite a rush as watching you realize you've fallen yet again to me. It's a thrill I can't stop chasing.
Damon breathes in heavily as if experiencing the euphoria of ripping Jason to pieces. As he breathes out the flame on the candle presumably corresponding to Jason Ryan dims before extinguishing all together. Damon then brings his attention to the candle on his rear left.
Damon: Jason Ryan is not the only familiar foe in this match. John Blade and I go way back in APW. See John was one of my opponents in my very first match in this company. Before that first match I told John that he was a delusional idiot who JUST couldn't reach for the stars. I advised him to just quit. And well I guess he didn't. I will give him that. EVen though his win/loss record here rivals that of Jason Ryan... he still just keeps going. Even when Lex Collins and I left him and three others defeated.. he decided to just keep trying. Fast forward A month and yet again John finds himself in a match with the Devil Himself at Liberty or Death. The night I outlasted the Unlucky Thirteen and punched my ticket to a world championship match...which I of course proceeded to win. John didn't even make it beyond the final ten...out of fourteen competitors. He got eliminated by a seventeen year old.
Damon laughs in disbelief.
Damon: Look there is one thing I can say positively about John. He refuses to bow to pressure and change. His attitude never changes. His determination never changes. His pre-match promos never change.
Damon pauses to allow his jab to sink in.
Damon: John I appreciate that you keep trying. It's charming. But no matter how hard you try you still won't change. You will still be the jobber who falls so that I can shine during a milestone in my career. First my debut. Then my number one contendership. Now my second world title. Thank you John.
Just like the previous candle this too fades to darkness. With this Damon looks to his right and as he does flashes from Elliott Siscoe's brief APW career appear.
Damon: Elliott you are one of the new acquaintances I will be making myself known to in this match. You intrigue me. Your long history in war games and fighting rings. You bring a promise of violence which I can imagine will serve you well in this match. Now violence may help, but I'm not sure it's enough Siscoe. I mean yes you do have some victories under your belt here.. you toppled Apokalypse.. you even felled Brother Zeke. Impressive stuff. Truly. I mean yes there was that little bump in the road where you lost to Renaissance Taylor Swift... but I mean you just had an off day right? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with your ring rust from being away for years.
The sarcasm is heavy in the Nitemare's voice.
Damon: Look Siscoe.... who was born Elliot Siscoe, but now I will refer to you as Sis. For Satan's sake that whole bit of yours where you outline people's names and what you've decided to nickname them is just... it's a choice. Elliott I know you're probably at home now looking up the Damon Warrens Wikipedia page so you can go into a fact checked retelling of where I was born, what my name is, and a bullet point list of my history. You're probably seeing that I'm a PCW Hall of Famer who held several hardcore championships. You've scrolled to my Cardinal City Pro summary where you see that I was one of the company's longest reigning world champions in twenty years. I want you to continue further though because at Killing Floor there's really only one part of that history research you're doing that matters. Alpha Pro Wrestling. In MY kingdom I am a force like no other. A man who despite constant accusations of being a flash in the pan flipped this company upside down. A man who entered the main event scene and took up residence there. Someone who out wrestled the at the time best wrestler this company had seen Smith Jones at Battlecade. Someone who out talked the charismatic Andre Aquarius at Gods of Wrestling. A Devil who proved to be more sadistic than Jason Ryan at Kingdom Come. So listen very closely Elliott...
Damon leans closer to the camera.
Damon: I suggest for your sake that you spend less time on Wikipedia or Google trying to find out my past and instead focus on figuring out how the Hell you plan on surviving in my future.
The "Elliott" candle flares up momentarily before it joins the others in darkness. Damon's attention then switches to his left as Max Ironside briefly flickers onto the screen.
Damon: The second of a trifecta of new victims... Max Ironside. Our dear Handicapped Hero and winner of the ICUP Tournament. Undefeated inspirational trailblazer. You are truly a groundbreaking individual. In your short time here with us in APW you've really proven yourself. Before promptly disappearing into the night to go inspire some Make a Wish Foundation kids. That's the only logical explanation for why you would just stop showing up to work. Especially considering you were actually doing well. You left AWF to come here and then you ...wait did you leave here too and have yet to inform management? That's incredibly inconsiderate.
Damon is clearly disappointed.
Damon: Now this Max is the part of the promo where I'm supposed to echo the words of people like Coral Rose and say that all you are is some pitiful joke. I'm supposed to tell you that you're right you will never be the future of the business. I don't think that I will say that though. I plan to afford you a luxury I give almost no one, and unfortunately a luxury it seems almost no one gives you: respect. Despite being seen as a joke you are currently undefeated in APW. People may say that you're out of your league because of the disadvantages you have in life, but I love an underdog. People once told me a 'fag' could never be a world champion and I've won world titles in several companies. I have spit in the face in my doubters. I am challenging you to do the same. Keep proving the world wrong. I will say though...don't be disappointed when you end up falling short. I promise though that when I regain my championship that I will shake your hand first.
Damon reaches forward as if to shake hands. He instead grabs the candle in front of him. As he does so the one to his left goes out.
Damon: And now finally... Andrew Barnes. Our current reigning APW World Champion. Out of everyone I have to run through in this match you seem to be my biggest challenge. I mean you are a "Cut Above the Rest" after all. Certainly a cut above your father. From your accounts he was quite the low life Barnes. You ended up pretty great though right? Nice guy wanting everyone to like him... and for the most part people seem to. Now unfortunately I don't count myself among that group, but it's nothing personal. See Andrew you just happen to be keeping a very important possession of mine warm. A possession that only an army managed to take from me. A possession I will be taking back at Killing Floor.
Damon's voice is determined and honest as he outlines his goal.
Damon: Andrew I'm not sure if you've noticed a pattern in APW since I left. Three weeks, sixty-three days, one month.... not one world champion has managed to hit my magical number of seventy. Not one champion has been able to handle the pressure and defend their throne for more than sixty three days. Now I see that you COULD do that.... had it not been for the return of APW's true World Champion... me. I am your spoiler. Try not to be too disappointed when you do part ways with my championship though. I mean you did say a loss in this business is only temporary. That it's only when we lose ourselves to the darkness that it becomes permanent. So don't lose yourself in that darkness Andrew because I'm not sure if you knew, but the Devil can do some pretty awful things to those trapped in the dark.
Damon grins wickedly before blowing out the last candle engulfing the scene in darkness.
