Post by Bryan "Buzz" Worthy on Jul 20, 2019 8:51:32 GMT -5
Buzz sat at his workstation in his apartment’s bedroom. On his computer, he had spent several minutes at the Alpha Pro Wrestling website searching for information. Finally, out of options, he clicked the link labeled CHAT.
A new window popped up, asking for his name. He typed in ‘Bryan’.
‘Hi, Bryan! While we are connecting you, please tell us the nature of your question.’
Several subject headings appeared; none of which addressed the issue he had. He hit the one titled OTHER.
‘Please type your question into the field below.’
Buzz put in ‘Alpha Showdown Main Event Match Stipulations’.
After a short pause, there was a response: VAL HAS ENTERED THE CHAT.
‘Hi, Bryan. I’m Val. I hope you are having a good day today. I see you have a question about Alpha Pro Wrestling’s Alpha Showdown, taking place Monday, July 22, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, and simulcast on Netflix. What is it you would like to know about the main event?’
‘Thanks, Val. I’m trying to get confirmation on the match’s rules.’
‘Bryan, the main event of Alpha Showdown is the Alpha Showdown Match. The winner of the match will earn a title shot at the APW World Heavyweight Title. Participating in Alpha Showdown are Bryan Worthy, Smith Jones, Jaice Wilds, Michael J Brilliance, Sandy Coconutz, Johnny Blaze, Tsukiko, Alex Scott, Big Bad Bodacious, Lilianna Rose, and Allen Anderson. Does that answer your question, Bryan?’
‘No, sorry,’ Buzz typed, ‘I’m trying to find out what Alpha Showdown has in common Wrestling Championship Federation’s Ultimate Showdown.’
‘The Ultimate Showdown concept used with permission. Its legacy continues in APW.’
‘So are the rules of the matches the same? Or similar?’
‘What do you need to know about the rules of Alpha Showdown?’
Buzz at this point started to get the impression he was dealing with a bot. The information Val had given were copied and pasted directly from APW’s website. ‘She’ answered questions by asking questions, as if searching for buzzwords that would trigger an appropriate response. With this in mind he typed his next post with as much detail as he thought necessary. If he couldn’t get a straight response after that, it would be time to place a phone call.
‘In WCF Ultimate Showdown was a multi-man, elimination style match that saw many titles in contention. The championships were awarded based on when wrestlers were eliminated. Lower tier titles were first. Then the mid-card titles. Finally, the last wrestler standing was awarded the World Championship. I am wondering if Alpha Showdown will have similar stipulations; except instead of winning a title the wrestlers will be awarded title shots.’
He hit send. There was another delay in a reply. Finally, ‘Val’ wrote back.
‘Alpha Showdown is the ultimate test of personal stamina and ring awareness. To succeed, a competitor must have total understanding of their own abilities, and those they are fighting. They must use strategy. Form alliances. Wisely implement their resources. Be watchful for any opportunity to weaken the competition. Avoid putting themselves in a situation where they themselves can be eliminated. The wrestler who wins Alpha Showdown will prove they among the competition have all the necessary skills to be APW World Champion.’
‘Does that answer your question, Bryan?”
“No,” Buzz said aloud. While ‘Val’s’ reply did an excellent job setting the stakes of Alpha Showdown, it didn’t come close to telling him what he wanted to know. He was certain he was dealing with an artificial intelligence now. It was time to search for his answers elsewhere. Still, his upbringing prohibited him from closing the conversation abruptly, so he typed in his farewell.
“Ok thank you.’
And moved to close the tab.
‘Does it matter?’
Val asked.
The question surprised Worthy. It was definitely not one a chatbot would propose. Honestly, even if Val were real, it wasn’t a response you’d expect from a customer service operator once their job had concluded.
‘It’s good to know the stipulations of a match going in. It helps you prepare.’
‘Every wrestler preparing for Alpha Showdown should be focused on one goal. That is outlasting all other wrestlers to become Number One Contender for the APW Title. Any other outcome is defeat.’
That was true, Bryan had to admit. Alpha Showdown was going to be an ordeal. One of the biggest, toughest matches he’ll be a part of. Only WCF’s War surpassed it.
Buzz was part of War XIII. Held October 28, 2014, it was also the last day he carried a title.
Even with his only sporadic forays into the sport the last five years, his championship drought was biblical. That was why he was so hung up about learning how much Alpha Showdown would mimic Ultimate. Because if there were consolation prizes, other title shots for Alpha Pro’s secondary championships: the Tag belts, the North American Title, the Jr Heavyweight Title, and the Hardcore Championship, that increased odds of walking out of the MGM Grand with something to show for it.
But those are consequences he should not be satisfied with.
His attention should be solely set on finishing the match alone, with all of his fellow APW wrestlers pinned or submitted. If he is going to put his well being on the line, if he is going to spend all his time training and preparing, he should not be worried about what happens if he comes in second place. Or third or fourth.
In Alpha Showdown, failure should not be an option. Bryan typed on his keyboard.
‘Fair enough. Thank you, Val. You have answered my question.’
‘You’re welcome! I hope you have a good day, Buzz.’
Closing their conversation, Buzz took the time to respond to the post chat customer survey; describing his experience and level of satisfaction both as ‘Excellent’.
For his efforts he got a coupon good for ten percent off his next purchase at the APW online store (offer valid on sales totalling $35 or more).
He checked. No Buzz Worthy merchandise was currently available.
*************************************************************************************************************
Later in the week Bryan will upload a video to his What’s the Buzz?” Youtube Channel. Titled “To my Opponents at Alpha Showdown”, the clip opens with him in the MGM Grand Casino. It’s either very early or hotel security was good about keeping the venue clear for filming, because all we see is Worthy. He’s dressed in a mish-mash of his ring gear and in the uniform of a roulette croupier (white Oxford, burgundy waistcoat with matching tie over his black and gold trunks and kneepads).
“Just wanted to take some time and talk to the other wrestlers I’ll be facing during the main event of Alpha Showdown. Most of you I don’t know. Those I do know we’ve barely spoken. And that’s understandable. APW is a new promotion and time just hasn’t allowed for it. I mean, three of you will be making your Alpha Pro debut Monday night. I think there’s only two wrestlers in the match who’ve been with the fed since the start, which was only two months ago. Despite these fair to middling to non-existent tenures, the powers behind Alpha Pro Wrestling have decided we deserve a place at the table.”
Worthy gestured to his left. The camera panned over and zoomed in on a roulette station, including the wheel and track. Ten spots were set up, each one will a stack of chips (some stacks higher than others), each one presumably meant for one of the other wrestlers.
Buzz had no chair, because he was dealin’. He walked over to the table and gave the roulette wheel and cursory spin.
“What I want to say, collectively, to all of you I’m facing, is that even though we’ll be fighting soon, and that we will be doing whatever we can to destroy one another during the match, afterwards I’m open to get to know you better. I’m not doing interviews anymore, but I still am interested in each and every one of your stories, because I think strong bonds among competitors only benefit a company. So, post Showdown, if you want to talk, or train, or carpool, or whatever, just let me know.”
“That’s after the main event. After I’ve eliminated the last of you and become Number One Contender for the APW World Heavyweight Championship.”
“I know I’m a prick for saying this, but Alpha Showdown is mine to lose. There’s no one else in the match who can reach my level. It might seem like an arrogant thing to say, since I haven’t even been in the ring with most of you, but after nearly ten years of watching this sport you develop instincts; and right now they tell me ‘This is my time.’ Even in a crazy scrum of a match like this, where no rules apply, I will never have had a better chance to earn a world title shot than I will Monday night. Because while there are no rules in Showdown, there is one constant: cream rises. And of the eleven among us I know I am the most thick, no matter what my BMI score tells you.”
Bryan walked along the edge of the table. The chairs had nameplates in front of them, identifying one of the wrestlers appearing in Alpha Showdown
“I will not underestimate any of you. You should all be as hungry as I am, and should know that we have been given a hell of an opportunity. We are main eventing APW’s first major show. It’s not the World Title or the Hardcore Title that’s headlining. It’s not Masuda Jubei, Odin Balfore or Dean Wolf who have their names on the marquee. It’s this match. It’s us. So all of you better live up to expectations on Monday. Bring your lunch, your working boots, and your A game. Be prepared, or expect a quick exit.”
Worthy started addressing each of his opponents individually. The camera showed their spots at the table. The first three are APW’s newcomers. Their chips are aligned to represent question marks.
“Bodacious, Allen Anderson, and Lilianna Rose. All of you are competing in APW for the first time. Bluntly, you’re probably in this match because management sees you as filler; meat for the Showdown grinder. People don’t like to talk about this fact; don’t like to admit to how the sausage gets made, but sometimes a company hires talent just because they need someone to lose. I don’t want to put that scarlet J on any of your breasts, but unless you bring it on Monday, you’re going to earn that letter. This is a chance to become Number One Contender for your company’s top title. If you can’t get motivated for that, what are we going to see from you when you’re fighting in a random five man tag match booked in the middle of Monday Night Metal 7?”
When Buzz moved to the next pair of chairs, we see the same question mark pattern of chips, except the stacks themselves are higher.
“Tsukiko. Sandy Coconutz. You’ve been a part of APW for a while. And while some might not take you seriously, I will. You can both be key players in Showdown if you take it seriously and live up to your abilities. Do it. Go for broke. I want this Alpha Showdown to be a match people talk about when they list the great ones Alpha Pro has put on, and to do that, it needs you to be your best.”
Taking another few steps, Worthy stood by a trio of chairs. The stacks are high, but of low denomination.
“I don’t have to tell Michael Brilliance this. Or Johnny Blaze and Alex Scott. You three have been bringing it in your matches. You’ve been putting in the work. The problem isn’t your efforts. None of you, based on what I’ve seen, are World Title material. That can change. You’re all relatively new to wrestling. You’re all young. I fought Johnny’s father in WCF. He whipped my ass. But Johnny, you’re not your father yet. Even you have to admit that. With seasoning, maybe at some point your talent can match your ambition. But that’s not going to happen in time for Alpha Showdown.”
Buzz moved again, with the camera zooming in on a single chair. The number of tokens here is larger than all the previous, and the amounts vary.
“Smith Jones. You’re one of the favorites to win this match. You’re a veteran with a championship pedigree elsewhere. It’s pretty obvious APW wants you to do it here. And I can see why. You’ve been here since Alpha Rising, so you can be called an Alpha Pro Original, for whatever that’s worth given the fact the fed’s only run half a dozen shows. Your record isn’t stellar, but you’ve done consistent work. You’ve earned match of the week and wrestler of the week honors. Which isn’t quite as rewarding as the winner’s share of the purse, but those accolades still have value. It shows you’re good. We’ve wrestled as a team here in APW, and worked together well enough to win. Now I’m eager to test myself against you, and prove that even though you got the pin in our match at Metal 5 I still did the yeoman’s work.”
The last chair moved to was reserved for X. With a smile Buzz flipped the nameplate, revealing the name of the final Alpha Showdown entrant.
“Jaice Wilds.”
Jaice’s pile of tokens was larger than Jones’s. Obsessive-compulsive types prone to hunting easter-eggs in every online video posted would see the denominations of the chips weren’t the same, and in fact if you counted them Smitty was ahead $2.
“You’re the biggest name in Alpha Showdown. You might be in the top five big names on this roster. If you had debuted earlier, no doubt you’d be somewhere else on the card. Not the World Title. I don’t think you’re good enough for that. But it’s worked out for you perfectly. Your playing the role of mystery man X at One Big Brawl got you more attention than your effort deserved. And it’s clear management wants you to succeed. They scouted you. They recruited you. They were fine with you sitting at commentary, earning a paycheck, stealing the spotlight from others who were busting their asses trying to become APW’s first official champion. Heard you even got a sweet merchandise deal out of them. That’s a hell of a lot better than a basket of fruit. Or the run around when you’re trying to get a straight answer on how much of a homage Alpha Showdown is of Ultimate Showdown.”
Bryan seemed to realize he was starting to sound a bit catty, and adjusted his tone.
“That’s not to say your spot is undeserved. You did beat Spartan and the road dawg in your true match debut. Both of them are fighting for titles Monday. You are owed the same shot.”
Reaching into the pocket of his waistcoat, Worthy produced a white marble: the roulette ball, or if you’re a degenerate gambler, the ‘pill’.
“But no matter how talented you are, or how much APW covets you, you’re not winning Monday. This little detour from Action Wrestling? What you see as a vacation from getting burning-hammered by Corey Black? It’s my vindication.”
Worthy tossed the pill from hand to hand. He set it on his knuckle, and manipulated it so it rolled back and forth, from forefinger to pinky, until letting it rest in his purlicue
“I came to Alpha Pro to work. And I don’t mean just collect a paycheck, or get fresh eyes on my brand. To get that feeling that comes when you know you’ve done everything you can to do the job, and do it well. That’s the plan for Alpha Showdown. And my work, my labor, is going to make me the next Number One Contender for the APW Title.”
Buzz palmed the marble. Giving the wheel a spin with his free hand, he held the ball over it.
He held it there for the remainder of the video; never letting it drop.
A new window popped up, asking for his name. He typed in ‘Bryan’.
‘Hi, Bryan! While we are connecting you, please tell us the nature of your question.’
Several subject headings appeared; none of which addressed the issue he had. He hit the one titled OTHER.
‘Please type your question into the field below.’
Buzz put in ‘Alpha Showdown Main Event Match Stipulations’.
After a short pause, there was a response: VAL HAS ENTERED THE CHAT.
‘Hi, Bryan. I’m Val. I hope you are having a good day today. I see you have a question about Alpha Pro Wrestling’s Alpha Showdown, taking place Monday, July 22, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, and simulcast on Netflix. What is it you would like to know about the main event?’
‘Thanks, Val. I’m trying to get confirmation on the match’s rules.’
‘Bryan, the main event of Alpha Showdown is the Alpha Showdown Match. The winner of the match will earn a title shot at the APW World Heavyweight Title. Participating in Alpha Showdown are Bryan Worthy, Smith Jones, Jaice Wilds, Michael J Brilliance, Sandy Coconutz, Johnny Blaze, Tsukiko, Alex Scott, Big Bad Bodacious, Lilianna Rose, and Allen Anderson. Does that answer your question, Bryan?’
‘No, sorry,’ Buzz typed, ‘I’m trying to find out what Alpha Showdown has in common Wrestling Championship Federation’s Ultimate Showdown.’
‘The Ultimate Showdown concept used with permission. Its legacy continues in APW.’
‘So are the rules of the matches the same? Or similar?’
‘What do you need to know about the rules of Alpha Showdown?’
Buzz at this point started to get the impression he was dealing with a bot. The information Val had given were copied and pasted directly from APW’s website. ‘She’ answered questions by asking questions, as if searching for buzzwords that would trigger an appropriate response. With this in mind he typed his next post with as much detail as he thought necessary. If he couldn’t get a straight response after that, it would be time to place a phone call.
‘In WCF Ultimate Showdown was a multi-man, elimination style match that saw many titles in contention. The championships were awarded based on when wrestlers were eliminated. Lower tier titles were first. Then the mid-card titles. Finally, the last wrestler standing was awarded the World Championship. I am wondering if Alpha Showdown will have similar stipulations; except instead of winning a title the wrestlers will be awarded title shots.’
He hit send. There was another delay in a reply. Finally, ‘Val’ wrote back.
‘Alpha Showdown is the ultimate test of personal stamina and ring awareness. To succeed, a competitor must have total understanding of their own abilities, and those they are fighting. They must use strategy. Form alliances. Wisely implement their resources. Be watchful for any opportunity to weaken the competition. Avoid putting themselves in a situation where they themselves can be eliminated. The wrestler who wins Alpha Showdown will prove they among the competition have all the necessary skills to be APW World Champion.’
‘Does that answer your question, Bryan?”
“No,” Buzz said aloud. While ‘Val’s’ reply did an excellent job setting the stakes of Alpha Showdown, it didn’t come close to telling him what he wanted to know. He was certain he was dealing with an artificial intelligence now. It was time to search for his answers elsewhere. Still, his upbringing prohibited him from closing the conversation abruptly, so he typed in his farewell.
“Ok thank you.’
And moved to close the tab.
‘Does it matter?’
Val asked.
The question surprised Worthy. It was definitely not one a chatbot would propose. Honestly, even if Val were real, it wasn’t a response you’d expect from a customer service operator once their job had concluded.
‘It’s good to know the stipulations of a match going in. It helps you prepare.’
‘Every wrestler preparing for Alpha Showdown should be focused on one goal. That is outlasting all other wrestlers to become Number One Contender for the APW Title. Any other outcome is defeat.’
That was true, Bryan had to admit. Alpha Showdown was going to be an ordeal. One of the biggest, toughest matches he’ll be a part of. Only WCF’s War surpassed it.
Buzz was part of War XIII. Held October 28, 2014, it was also the last day he carried a title.
Even with his only sporadic forays into the sport the last five years, his championship drought was biblical. That was why he was so hung up about learning how much Alpha Showdown would mimic Ultimate. Because if there were consolation prizes, other title shots for Alpha Pro’s secondary championships: the Tag belts, the North American Title, the Jr Heavyweight Title, and the Hardcore Championship, that increased odds of walking out of the MGM Grand with something to show for it.
But those are consequences he should not be satisfied with.
His attention should be solely set on finishing the match alone, with all of his fellow APW wrestlers pinned or submitted. If he is going to put his well being on the line, if he is going to spend all his time training and preparing, he should not be worried about what happens if he comes in second place. Or third or fourth.
In Alpha Showdown, failure should not be an option. Bryan typed on his keyboard.
‘Fair enough. Thank you, Val. You have answered my question.’
‘You’re welcome! I hope you have a good day, Buzz.’
Closing their conversation, Buzz took the time to respond to the post chat customer survey; describing his experience and level of satisfaction both as ‘Excellent’.
For his efforts he got a coupon good for ten percent off his next purchase at the APW online store (offer valid on sales totalling $35 or more).
He checked. No Buzz Worthy merchandise was currently available.
*************************************************************************************************************
Later in the week Bryan will upload a video to his What’s the Buzz?” Youtube Channel. Titled “To my Opponents at Alpha Showdown”, the clip opens with him in the MGM Grand Casino. It’s either very early or hotel security was good about keeping the venue clear for filming, because all we see is Worthy. He’s dressed in a mish-mash of his ring gear and in the uniform of a roulette croupier (white Oxford, burgundy waistcoat with matching tie over his black and gold trunks and kneepads).
“Just wanted to take some time and talk to the other wrestlers I’ll be facing during the main event of Alpha Showdown. Most of you I don’t know. Those I do know we’ve barely spoken. And that’s understandable. APW is a new promotion and time just hasn’t allowed for it. I mean, three of you will be making your Alpha Pro debut Monday night. I think there’s only two wrestlers in the match who’ve been with the fed since the start, which was only two months ago. Despite these fair to middling to non-existent tenures, the powers behind Alpha Pro Wrestling have decided we deserve a place at the table.”
Worthy gestured to his left. The camera panned over and zoomed in on a roulette station, including the wheel and track. Ten spots were set up, each one will a stack of chips (some stacks higher than others), each one presumably meant for one of the other wrestlers.
Buzz had no chair, because he was dealin’. He walked over to the table and gave the roulette wheel and cursory spin.
“What I want to say, collectively, to all of you I’m facing, is that even though we’ll be fighting soon, and that we will be doing whatever we can to destroy one another during the match, afterwards I’m open to get to know you better. I’m not doing interviews anymore, but I still am interested in each and every one of your stories, because I think strong bonds among competitors only benefit a company. So, post Showdown, if you want to talk, or train, or carpool, or whatever, just let me know.”
“That’s after the main event. After I’ve eliminated the last of you and become Number One Contender for the APW World Heavyweight Championship.”
“I know I’m a prick for saying this, but Alpha Showdown is mine to lose. There’s no one else in the match who can reach my level. It might seem like an arrogant thing to say, since I haven’t even been in the ring with most of you, but after nearly ten years of watching this sport you develop instincts; and right now they tell me ‘This is my time.’ Even in a crazy scrum of a match like this, where no rules apply, I will never have had a better chance to earn a world title shot than I will Monday night. Because while there are no rules in Showdown, there is one constant: cream rises. And of the eleven among us I know I am the most thick, no matter what my BMI score tells you.”
Bryan walked along the edge of the table. The chairs had nameplates in front of them, identifying one of the wrestlers appearing in Alpha Showdown
“I will not underestimate any of you. You should all be as hungry as I am, and should know that we have been given a hell of an opportunity. We are main eventing APW’s first major show. It’s not the World Title or the Hardcore Title that’s headlining. It’s not Masuda Jubei, Odin Balfore or Dean Wolf who have their names on the marquee. It’s this match. It’s us. So all of you better live up to expectations on Monday. Bring your lunch, your working boots, and your A game. Be prepared, or expect a quick exit.”
Worthy started addressing each of his opponents individually. The camera showed their spots at the table. The first three are APW’s newcomers. Their chips are aligned to represent question marks.
“Bodacious, Allen Anderson, and Lilianna Rose. All of you are competing in APW for the first time. Bluntly, you’re probably in this match because management sees you as filler; meat for the Showdown grinder. People don’t like to talk about this fact; don’t like to admit to how the sausage gets made, but sometimes a company hires talent just because they need someone to lose. I don’t want to put that scarlet J on any of your breasts, but unless you bring it on Monday, you’re going to earn that letter. This is a chance to become Number One Contender for your company’s top title. If you can’t get motivated for that, what are we going to see from you when you’re fighting in a random five man tag match booked in the middle of Monday Night Metal 7?”
When Buzz moved to the next pair of chairs, we see the same question mark pattern of chips, except the stacks themselves are higher.
“Tsukiko. Sandy Coconutz. You’ve been a part of APW for a while. And while some might not take you seriously, I will. You can both be key players in Showdown if you take it seriously and live up to your abilities. Do it. Go for broke. I want this Alpha Showdown to be a match people talk about when they list the great ones Alpha Pro has put on, and to do that, it needs you to be your best.”
Taking another few steps, Worthy stood by a trio of chairs. The stacks are high, but of low denomination.
“I don’t have to tell Michael Brilliance this. Or Johnny Blaze and Alex Scott. You three have been bringing it in your matches. You’ve been putting in the work. The problem isn’t your efforts. None of you, based on what I’ve seen, are World Title material. That can change. You’re all relatively new to wrestling. You’re all young. I fought Johnny’s father in WCF. He whipped my ass. But Johnny, you’re not your father yet. Even you have to admit that. With seasoning, maybe at some point your talent can match your ambition. But that’s not going to happen in time for Alpha Showdown.”
Buzz moved again, with the camera zooming in on a single chair. The number of tokens here is larger than all the previous, and the amounts vary.
“Smith Jones. You’re one of the favorites to win this match. You’re a veteran with a championship pedigree elsewhere. It’s pretty obvious APW wants you to do it here. And I can see why. You’ve been here since Alpha Rising, so you can be called an Alpha Pro Original, for whatever that’s worth given the fact the fed’s only run half a dozen shows. Your record isn’t stellar, but you’ve done consistent work. You’ve earned match of the week and wrestler of the week honors. Which isn’t quite as rewarding as the winner’s share of the purse, but those accolades still have value. It shows you’re good. We’ve wrestled as a team here in APW, and worked together well enough to win. Now I’m eager to test myself against you, and prove that even though you got the pin in our match at Metal 5 I still did the yeoman’s work.”
The last chair moved to was reserved for X. With a smile Buzz flipped the nameplate, revealing the name of the final Alpha Showdown entrant.
“Jaice Wilds.”
Jaice’s pile of tokens was larger than Jones’s. Obsessive-compulsive types prone to hunting easter-eggs in every online video posted would see the denominations of the chips weren’t the same, and in fact if you counted them Smitty was ahead $2.
“You’re the biggest name in Alpha Showdown. You might be in the top five big names on this roster. If you had debuted earlier, no doubt you’d be somewhere else on the card. Not the World Title. I don’t think you’re good enough for that. But it’s worked out for you perfectly. Your playing the role of mystery man X at One Big Brawl got you more attention than your effort deserved. And it’s clear management wants you to succeed. They scouted you. They recruited you. They were fine with you sitting at commentary, earning a paycheck, stealing the spotlight from others who were busting their asses trying to become APW’s first official champion. Heard you even got a sweet merchandise deal out of them. That’s a hell of a lot better than a basket of fruit. Or the run around when you’re trying to get a straight answer on how much of a homage Alpha Showdown is of Ultimate Showdown.”
Bryan seemed to realize he was starting to sound a bit catty, and adjusted his tone.
“That’s not to say your spot is undeserved. You did beat Spartan and the road dawg in your true match debut. Both of them are fighting for titles Monday. You are owed the same shot.”
Reaching into the pocket of his waistcoat, Worthy produced a white marble: the roulette ball, or if you’re a degenerate gambler, the ‘pill’.
“But no matter how talented you are, or how much APW covets you, you’re not winning Monday. This little detour from Action Wrestling? What you see as a vacation from getting burning-hammered by Corey Black? It’s my vindication.”
Worthy tossed the pill from hand to hand. He set it on his knuckle, and manipulated it so it rolled back and forth, from forefinger to pinky, until letting it rest in his purlicue
“I came to Alpha Pro to work. And I don’t mean just collect a paycheck, or get fresh eyes on my brand. To get that feeling that comes when you know you’ve done everything you can to do the job, and do it well. That’s the plan for Alpha Showdown. And my work, my labor, is going to make me the next Number One Contender for the APW Title.”
Buzz palmed the marble. Giving the wheel a spin with his free hand, he held the ball over it.
He held it there for the remainder of the video; never letting it drop.
