Post by cyborg878 on Oct 25, 2020 15:05:45 GMT -5
In a dingy bar just outside of San Diego a scraggly middle aged man with disheveled hair leaves his barstool. About three drinks beyond drunk at this point he stumbles towards the door. As he reaches the exit something catches his glazed over eyes: a poster that he hasn't seen before. He inspects it and sees that it is promoting a ten thousand dollar cash reward for anyone who can beat some guy in a fight. An address is printed at the bottom of the poster as well as a time and date...tomorrow night. Below that is a phone number to "RSVP". The man looks at his hands bruised and cracked from night after night of drunken brawls. Should be easy enough. He grabs the poster and leaves the bar.
---------------------------------------
Two men stand outside a rundown abandoned hospital in what feels like the middle of nowhere California. It seems it was left to decay after newer ones were built closer to bigger cities like San Diego. The first man holds a camera in his hands while the other rests a barbed wire baseball bat over his shoulder.
Damon: So let me get this straight Jaime. You put out a ten thousand dollar challenge for people to come fight me in an abandoned hospital...
Jaime: That is correct.
Damon: And now there are ten guys coming to try and beat the shit out of me in what is likely a haunted building.
Jaime: Yup!
Damon: and you did this because you think it's a brilliant way to try and prepare me for my match at Killing Floor.
Jaime: I do!
Damon: And...why the Hell do you think this will help?
Jaime: I know this seems crazy, but try to follow my logic. You haven't had a violent, bloody brawl of as match in months. Now even though no one seems to know what a Killing Floor match actually is... I can assume it will be both violent and bloody. Sooooo why not invite some local tough guys to give you some practice dummies. Help you get back to that vicious level of violence that we all know and love.
Damon: Right so that part I follow. Why are we at a haunted hospital?
Jaime: AMBIANCE! I mean your match is called the Killing Floor. This hospital pretty much had a killing floor. It's almost Halloween and this just makes the best slasher movie setting. You with your signature weapon stalking victims in a dimly lit hospital. Leaving them bloody messes.... I know... I'm brilliant.
Damon: You're twisted... I love you.
--------------------------------------------------------
The bar brawler drives up in a truck just as the sun starts to set. He steps out with the poster from the bar in hand. He checks the address on the poster before looking at his destination. What sorta psycho wants to fight at a haunted hospital? He cracks knuckles and back before adjusting his coveralls. The mechanic like clothes have a nametag reading Dirk.
Dirk: Well let's get this over with. Daddy needs some money!
Dirk walks up to the doors of the old emergency room and after a brief pause he enters. When he does Dirk immediately notices how dark the inside of the building is. It seems a few low watt bulbs had been installed recently to provide a little light, but they were few and far between. Dust covers every surface he walks by. Dirk turns down a hall and cautiously makes his way towards what seems to have been a reception area. The chairs are strewn across the room and glass partitions for receptionists seem to have been cracked. He steps carefully over some debris that seems to have fallen from the ceiling when he hears a loud bang off in the distance. He drops behind one of the desks and waits to see if there's any more noise, but after a few minutes of silence he gingerly stands up.
-----------------------------------------------
On the other side of the hospital the source of the noise becomes clear. Damon Warrens wearing his signature mask, as any good horror movie villain should, stands over one of his many 'sparring partners'. The man lays motionless on the ground as blood trickles from a head wound caused by his skull being slammed into a metal medicine cabinet. Damon leans down to admire his work and checks the victim's pulse.
Damon: Still alive. Don't need manslaughter charges...
Damon gets back to his feet and motions for Jaime to follow him out of the room. The two twisted lovers walk out of an examination room and into a hallway where another one of the challengers lay injured and unconscious on the ground. He seems to be bleeding from his ribs most likely from a stiff barbed wire baseball bat shot. The Devil Himself smirks and the two continue to scour the hospital.
Jaime: By my count that just leaves one left. Our final girl if you will.
Damon: And how do we know they showed up.
Jaime: There's ten grand on the line Damon. They showed up.
Damon nods at the fair point.
-----------------------------
Dirk creeps down one of the adjoining corridors illuminated by a flickering light. As he reaches the end and turns the corner he spots a young blonde man leaning against the wall. He rushes over and notices immediately that the man is out cold. He seems to have a few fresh wounds on his arms and face. Dirk backs up and realizes that he may be way in over his head. He decides to scramble back down the hall he came from now not caring about being stealthy.
-----------------------------
Dirk's mad dash catches the attention of Jaime and Damon. The Nitemare smiles sinisterly under his white Tragedy mask.
Damon: I do believe that is our 'final girl' right now. Shall we?
Jaime: Let's.... but first let's just set the scene a bit more. Jaime pulls out his phone. He goes to a bluetooth app and connects to some small speakers he has placed around the hospital and presses play.
------------------------------
As Dirk makes his way back to the reception area suddenly music starts to play.... "Tiptoe Through the Tulips'. The high pitched vocals echo around the building making the already unnerving place even eerier.
Dirk: What sort of sick fuck....
Dirk walks through the doors of the reception area and upon bursting through is met with a bat right to the knee. His kneecap explodes with pain and Dirk crashes to the ground. He clutches his knee as if that would help stop the searing pain. as he does he feels blood seeping through his pants. He looks up at his attacker and sees a raven haired man wearing a white mask with a creepy frown. Beside him is a young man in a similar smiling mask holding a camera. He tries to crawl away from the two, but they slowly stalk towards him as Tiny Tim's voice continues to ring through the hospital. The frowning man walks around in front of him to prevent escape. He leans down towards Dirk with his bat in hand.
Damon; I have to thank you friend... you and the others have been great sparring partners. Word of advice though.... maybe be more careful about answering anonymous ads.
The man stands and steps back. Dirk tries to use the reception desk to get to his feet so he can run, but as he almost reaches a standing position his attacker sprints towards him and slams his knee into Dirk's temple and suddenly the world goes dark.
-------------------------
As Damon's promo-feed begins the audience sees the former world champion standing in a dimly lit operating room. He has on his tragedy mask and rests a bloodied barbed wire baseball bat over his shoulder.
Damon: Welcome back APW. I know you've been on the edge of your seat just waiting to hear more from your soon to be two time world champion. I am here to fulfill that craving. Ahead of my Killing Floor match I felt it was apropos that I take a journey to a realm of death to get myself in the mood. I needed some motivation to bring myself back to the Damon Warrens of yesteryear. APW has seen a glimmer of that Damon, but now it's time to let him free.
Damon takes off his mask revealing a cold expressionless visage below.
Damon: Out of all of the competitors in this upcoming mystery match if it is as violent as the name suggest than no one is better prepared than I. Sure Jason Ryan has shown a vicious streak, but he has merely dabbled in being a relentless fiend. I on the other hand have lived and thrived in violent debauchery for over a decade. When I came to my first major company Premium Championship Wrestling I became known for being a two-time hardcore champion. I consistently fought in weapon filled bouts of mayhem.
The Nitemare's face changes to show pride at his past.
Damon: When I moved on from PCW and made my way to Cardinal City Pro my path of violence only continued. Ladder matches for world championships, steel cage matches against mortal enemies, ruthless assaults on best friends... no one was ever safe from my onslaught. These actions rightfully brought my three Villain of the Year awards. Even my own company praised just how depraved and immoral I was willing to be. And now we come to APW and the Killing Floor. Whereas I am born of evil and willing to eviscerate without any concern for the moral implications. This viciousness is lost on my opponents. Jason took a seasonal residence in villainy. Barnes and Ironside seem to be your squeaky clean good guys. Siscoe lost his touch from his days in the army. John Blade? The only ruthless thing he's ever done is continue to make us listen to him speak.
Damon chuckles lightly at his own joke. His voice echoes in the otherwise silent operating room.
Damon; Andrew Barnes I feel is the most unprepared. This is a man concerned about everyone liking him. He already has his focus on winning approval. Barnes that is your first mistake. This desire to be loved it holds you back. You aren't willing to cross the lines you need to in order to get whatever you want. You've even apologized to opponents for so-called cheap victories. Sure I can understand that you want to win on your own merits. I also understand that a win is a win. If it means making it another day as champion you do whatever is necessary to continue your reign. No exceptions.
As Damon says this he looks to the weapon in his hands.
Damon: Your concern for others even cost you a win over Beazley. So what happens Andrew when one of your opponents in the Killing Floor begs for mercy? What happens when one of use is bleeding profusely? If we get injured? Will you hesitate? If Legend interferes will you stop him? Are you going to be able to PUT ME DOWN?! Or will you end up stopping yourself like with Eli? I want you to know something Andrew. I won't hesitate. I won't stop myself. I will cross any line, set aside any moral, I will do whatever I need to if it means walking out once more with my dear championship. I will suffer through endless pain and suffering, but I will be APW's king once more.
Damon proudly tilts his head up as if he were infact the king he claims himself to be.
Damon Warrens: You have touted yourself as some sort of Savior of APW! You're the one who is going to keep putting in the effort! You will bring about a future where everyone will flourish under you! You. Will. Save. APW.
Damon begins to once again laugh before it turns into a full on burst of wicked cackling. There's a clear darkness in his reaction. Damon regains his composure and allows for a few moments of silence before continuing.
Damon: Look we've all said we will save APW. Like every other promo from someone here claims that. You haven't saved APW Andrew. You aren't some messiah here to bring us forth into a great future. You aren't a king ruling over this company. That's me. When I came to APW it was in a state where it lacked true singles competition. Sure there were a few good hands here and there, but overall Smith Jones and Lex Collins were the only real people of note. I changed that. I raised the level of competition here. When I became champion guys who had never stepped up began to undergo a metamorphosis. People like Andre Aquarius who had faded to the background became a main event player. Jason Ryan finally became interesting for the first time ever. A man who would have never dreamed of being in a main event made himself an actual threat. APW was already flourishing. I made that happen. Now that I'm back it will happen again.
Damon pauses for a moment.
Damon: I will bring APW back to the upper echelon I had it at previously. But that is merely just a bonus. The only true goal that matters to me isn't about uplifting the talent here. It isn't about bringing glory to APW. It is about righting a wrong that dearly needs revised. Once that goal is met it will be time to focus on the secondary outcomes. You once said this company has a foundation... it was a foundation that the Architects built. A foundation that champions like you and Jason and America have all left to crumble. But with me as a yet again dominant champion we will rebuild and we will improve. Afterall Andrew there is no person better suited to redesign and restructure this company than and Architect.
Damon gets closer to the camera so that only his face is visible.
Damon: So I want you to understand Andrew you are in for the fight of your life. Not with Blade or Ryan or the others. With me and with your morals. I dare you to leave your self righteous ethical code at home. Join me in sadism. Try and conquer the Devil Himself. Just know that Hell won't freeze over. This won't be your heroic triumph. This is my triumphant return to power. This is my chance to again rule over this company with dominance. This is MY chance to flourish and allow those beneath me to reach for my brass ring that their arms are just too short to reach.
With that the feed flickers like the lighting in the hospital For a brief moment the video cycles to shots of ten injured men in various locations across the hospital before returning to Damon who is again wearing his mask.
Damon: Welcome to Hell Barnes.
---------------------------------------
Two men stand outside a rundown abandoned hospital in what feels like the middle of nowhere California. It seems it was left to decay after newer ones were built closer to bigger cities like San Diego. The first man holds a camera in his hands while the other rests a barbed wire baseball bat over his shoulder.
Damon: So let me get this straight Jaime. You put out a ten thousand dollar challenge for people to come fight me in an abandoned hospital...
Jaime: That is correct.
Damon: And now there are ten guys coming to try and beat the shit out of me in what is likely a haunted building.
Jaime: Yup!
Damon: and you did this because you think it's a brilliant way to try and prepare me for my match at Killing Floor.
Jaime: I do!
Damon: And...why the Hell do you think this will help?
Jaime: I know this seems crazy, but try to follow my logic. You haven't had a violent, bloody brawl of as match in months. Now even though no one seems to know what a Killing Floor match actually is... I can assume it will be both violent and bloody. Sooooo why not invite some local tough guys to give you some practice dummies. Help you get back to that vicious level of violence that we all know and love.
Damon: Right so that part I follow. Why are we at a haunted hospital?
Jaime: AMBIANCE! I mean your match is called the Killing Floor. This hospital pretty much had a killing floor. It's almost Halloween and this just makes the best slasher movie setting. You with your signature weapon stalking victims in a dimly lit hospital. Leaving them bloody messes.... I know... I'm brilliant.
Damon: You're twisted... I love you.
--------------------------------------------------------
The bar brawler drives up in a truck just as the sun starts to set. He steps out with the poster from the bar in hand. He checks the address on the poster before looking at his destination. What sorta psycho wants to fight at a haunted hospital? He cracks knuckles and back before adjusting his coveralls. The mechanic like clothes have a nametag reading Dirk.
Dirk: Well let's get this over with. Daddy needs some money!
Dirk walks up to the doors of the old emergency room and after a brief pause he enters. When he does Dirk immediately notices how dark the inside of the building is. It seems a few low watt bulbs had been installed recently to provide a little light, but they were few and far between. Dust covers every surface he walks by. Dirk turns down a hall and cautiously makes his way towards what seems to have been a reception area. The chairs are strewn across the room and glass partitions for receptionists seem to have been cracked. He steps carefully over some debris that seems to have fallen from the ceiling when he hears a loud bang off in the distance. He drops behind one of the desks and waits to see if there's any more noise, but after a few minutes of silence he gingerly stands up.
-----------------------------------------------
On the other side of the hospital the source of the noise becomes clear. Damon Warrens wearing his signature mask, as any good horror movie villain should, stands over one of his many 'sparring partners'. The man lays motionless on the ground as blood trickles from a head wound caused by his skull being slammed into a metal medicine cabinet. Damon leans down to admire his work and checks the victim's pulse.
Damon: Still alive. Don't need manslaughter charges...
Damon gets back to his feet and motions for Jaime to follow him out of the room. The two twisted lovers walk out of an examination room and into a hallway where another one of the challengers lay injured and unconscious on the ground. He seems to be bleeding from his ribs most likely from a stiff barbed wire baseball bat shot. The Devil Himself smirks and the two continue to scour the hospital.
Jaime: By my count that just leaves one left. Our final girl if you will.
Damon: And how do we know they showed up.
Jaime: There's ten grand on the line Damon. They showed up.
Damon nods at the fair point.
-----------------------------
Dirk creeps down one of the adjoining corridors illuminated by a flickering light. As he reaches the end and turns the corner he spots a young blonde man leaning against the wall. He rushes over and notices immediately that the man is out cold. He seems to have a few fresh wounds on his arms and face. Dirk backs up and realizes that he may be way in over his head. He decides to scramble back down the hall he came from now not caring about being stealthy.
-----------------------------
Dirk's mad dash catches the attention of Jaime and Damon. The Nitemare smiles sinisterly under his white Tragedy mask.
Damon: I do believe that is our 'final girl' right now. Shall we?
Jaime: Let's.... but first let's just set the scene a bit more. Jaime pulls out his phone. He goes to a bluetooth app and connects to some small speakers he has placed around the hospital and presses play.
------------------------------
As Dirk makes his way back to the reception area suddenly music starts to play.... "Tiptoe Through the Tulips'. The high pitched vocals echo around the building making the already unnerving place even eerier.
Dirk: What sort of sick fuck....
Dirk walks through the doors of the reception area and upon bursting through is met with a bat right to the knee. His kneecap explodes with pain and Dirk crashes to the ground. He clutches his knee as if that would help stop the searing pain. as he does he feels blood seeping through his pants. He looks up at his attacker and sees a raven haired man wearing a white mask with a creepy frown. Beside him is a young man in a similar smiling mask holding a camera. He tries to crawl away from the two, but they slowly stalk towards him as Tiny Tim's voice continues to ring through the hospital. The frowning man walks around in front of him to prevent escape. He leans down towards Dirk with his bat in hand.
Damon; I have to thank you friend... you and the others have been great sparring partners. Word of advice though.... maybe be more careful about answering anonymous ads.
The man stands and steps back. Dirk tries to use the reception desk to get to his feet so he can run, but as he almost reaches a standing position his attacker sprints towards him and slams his knee into Dirk's temple and suddenly the world goes dark.
-------------------------
As Damon's promo-feed begins the audience sees the former world champion standing in a dimly lit operating room. He has on his tragedy mask and rests a bloodied barbed wire baseball bat over his shoulder.
Damon: Welcome back APW. I know you've been on the edge of your seat just waiting to hear more from your soon to be two time world champion. I am here to fulfill that craving. Ahead of my Killing Floor match I felt it was apropos that I take a journey to a realm of death to get myself in the mood. I needed some motivation to bring myself back to the Damon Warrens of yesteryear. APW has seen a glimmer of that Damon, but now it's time to let him free.
Damon takes off his mask revealing a cold expressionless visage below.
Damon: Out of all of the competitors in this upcoming mystery match if it is as violent as the name suggest than no one is better prepared than I. Sure Jason Ryan has shown a vicious streak, but he has merely dabbled in being a relentless fiend. I on the other hand have lived and thrived in violent debauchery for over a decade. When I came to my first major company Premium Championship Wrestling I became known for being a two-time hardcore champion. I consistently fought in weapon filled bouts of mayhem.
The Nitemare's face changes to show pride at his past.
Damon: When I moved on from PCW and made my way to Cardinal City Pro my path of violence only continued. Ladder matches for world championships, steel cage matches against mortal enemies, ruthless assaults on best friends... no one was ever safe from my onslaught. These actions rightfully brought my three Villain of the Year awards. Even my own company praised just how depraved and immoral I was willing to be. And now we come to APW and the Killing Floor. Whereas I am born of evil and willing to eviscerate without any concern for the moral implications. This viciousness is lost on my opponents. Jason took a seasonal residence in villainy. Barnes and Ironside seem to be your squeaky clean good guys. Siscoe lost his touch from his days in the army. John Blade? The only ruthless thing he's ever done is continue to make us listen to him speak.
Damon chuckles lightly at his own joke. His voice echoes in the otherwise silent operating room.
Damon; Andrew Barnes I feel is the most unprepared. This is a man concerned about everyone liking him. He already has his focus on winning approval. Barnes that is your first mistake. This desire to be loved it holds you back. You aren't willing to cross the lines you need to in order to get whatever you want. You've even apologized to opponents for so-called cheap victories. Sure I can understand that you want to win on your own merits. I also understand that a win is a win. If it means making it another day as champion you do whatever is necessary to continue your reign. No exceptions.
As Damon says this he looks to the weapon in his hands.
Damon: Your concern for others even cost you a win over Beazley. So what happens Andrew when one of your opponents in the Killing Floor begs for mercy? What happens when one of use is bleeding profusely? If we get injured? Will you hesitate? If Legend interferes will you stop him? Are you going to be able to PUT ME DOWN?! Or will you end up stopping yourself like with Eli? I want you to know something Andrew. I won't hesitate. I won't stop myself. I will cross any line, set aside any moral, I will do whatever I need to if it means walking out once more with my dear championship. I will suffer through endless pain and suffering, but I will be APW's king once more.
Damon proudly tilts his head up as if he were infact the king he claims himself to be.
Damon Warrens: You have touted yourself as some sort of Savior of APW! You're the one who is going to keep putting in the effort! You will bring about a future where everyone will flourish under you! You. Will. Save. APW.
Damon begins to once again laugh before it turns into a full on burst of wicked cackling. There's a clear darkness in his reaction. Damon regains his composure and allows for a few moments of silence before continuing.
Damon: Look we've all said we will save APW. Like every other promo from someone here claims that. You haven't saved APW Andrew. You aren't some messiah here to bring us forth into a great future. You aren't a king ruling over this company. That's me. When I came to APW it was in a state where it lacked true singles competition. Sure there were a few good hands here and there, but overall Smith Jones and Lex Collins were the only real people of note. I changed that. I raised the level of competition here. When I became champion guys who had never stepped up began to undergo a metamorphosis. People like Andre Aquarius who had faded to the background became a main event player. Jason Ryan finally became interesting for the first time ever. A man who would have never dreamed of being in a main event made himself an actual threat. APW was already flourishing. I made that happen. Now that I'm back it will happen again.
Damon pauses for a moment.
Damon: I will bring APW back to the upper echelon I had it at previously. But that is merely just a bonus. The only true goal that matters to me isn't about uplifting the talent here. It isn't about bringing glory to APW. It is about righting a wrong that dearly needs revised. Once that goal is met it will be time to focus on the secondary outcomes. You once said this company has a foundation... it was a foundation that the Architects built. A foundation that champions like you and Jason and America have all left to crumble. But with me as a yet again dominant champion we will rebuild and we will improve. Afterall Andrew there is no person better suited to redesign and restructure this company than and Architect.
Damon gets closer to the camera so that only his face is visible.
Damon: So I want you to understand Andrew you are in for the fight of your life. Not with Blade or Ryan or the others. With me and with your morals. I dare you to leave your self righteous ethical code at home. Join me in sadism. Try and conquer the Devil Himself. Just know that Hell won't freeze over. This won't be your heroic triumph. This is my triumphant return to power. This is my chance to again rule over this company with dominance. This is MY chance to flourish and allow those beneath me to reach for my brass ring that their arms are just too short to reach.
With that the feed flickers like the lighting in the hospital For a brief moment the video cycles to shots of ten injured men in various locations across the hospital before returning to Damon who is again wearing his mask.
Damon: Welcome to Hell Barnes.
