MIDWEEK MISC - PART II

[Red Pirate Rogers]

On Friday Night, inside the elegant Chez Barbarossa, Arizona Chance, Ronnie were double dating with the arranged couple of Red Pirate Rogers and Ronnie's friend Jessie, a tall and pretty blonde in her early thirties, wearing a dress every bit as crimson as Red's leather duster. They look comfortable in a booth with Red turned to Jessie giving her his undivided attention, while Arizona and Ronnie share their regular meals.

Jessie: I admit, when Ronnie told me her husband had a sophisticated, charming, and funny eligible friend I thought, 'oh boy, here we go...' (the table laughs). Most of the times, coworkers and I 'just happen to meet' someone on our coffee run, but Ronnie hands me the JWA magazine and points to you, lets just say that was a first for me. (The table laughs again)

Arizona: I bet you haven't had many dates with guys who wear a mask the whole time.

Ronnie: Arizona!

Arizona: What?!? C'mon Red, this is no way to make a first impression.

RPR: I'm sorry old friend, the mask comes with a reputation and a responsibility.

Arizona: And probably a couple decades of sweat stains...

Jessie: I think it's quite attractive actually. A mask is such a great way to give a man an air of mystery.

RPR: Thank you for appreciating style, Jessica.

Jessie: You can just call me Jessie.

RPR: Maybe when we've had time to become a little better acquainted...

Jessie: I'd be happy to get better acquainted after dinner...

RPR: Patience is a virtue.

Jessie: Stoicism is a vice. (Red's smile widens) And besides, you can call me Jessie, because that's my actual name. It's not short for anything, it's just plain Jessie.

Ronnie: I think she's got you there Red.

RPR: A touch, a touch, I do confess it.

Jessie: Why stop at one touch? Pretty prudish for a pirate...

RPR: You didn't see my cosplay match...

Jessie: Oh, I saw it alright, but thought it still left too much to the imagination...

Ronnie: Oh, look at the time, we've got to go get the sitter, c'mon honey.

Arizona (Confused): What are you talking about, I thought you wanted the chocolate lava...(he sees Ronnie giving him a pointed stare and picks up the hint)...oh, right...I forgot, uh...well, excuse us you two. Red would you be okay if I Venmo you our...(RPR waves him off as he looks deeper into Jessie's eyes, not turning away from her)

RPR: I've got it old friend. My best to Maddie. (Red and Jessie inch closer as Veronica steers Arizona out of the restaurant)

Ronnie: I don't want to say I told you so...

Arizona: Yes you do honey.

Ronnie: You're right, I DO! I TOLD YOU SO!!

[Dark Mauler]

***JWA.com exclusive video***
*The video starts in the MMA gym that Dyno used to train in. Two men are seen sparring in the cage, while Tommy End watches with the head trainer.*
Head trainer: I’m surprised you haven’t come in sooner.
Tommy End: Well, until recently I had access to the Green Mist Dojo and its facilities. But I’m figuring maybe Dyno learned whatever he used to dominate our rivalry here, so maybe I can figure out the same thing.
Head trainer: We can get you into a sparring match as soon as these 2 are done. I haven’t seen anything wrong with your mechanics so far, but maybe a head to head sparring match will highlight the issues you’ve been having so we can address them.
*Once the 2 sparring partners have finished Tommy gets in the cage with his sparring partner and the two begin. Tommy is dominating the match, landing several significant strikes while avoiding almost everything from his opponent. However, near the end of the match, Tommy’s opponent lands a lucky shot and everything goes black for several seconds. However, when Tommy’s eyes open again instead of being laid out on the mat, he’s being held back by the two who were sparring previously, his opponent crumpled on the mat.*
Head trainer: What the hell was that, Tommy? You nearly killed him!
*Looking at his opponent more closely, Tommy sees that the man’s nose is broken, and he’s also bleeding from the back of the head.
Tommy End: I did that? Last thing I remember was taking that punch.
Head trainer: Well whatever you “remember”, I saw what you did. You broke his nose with an elbow, kneed him in the back of the head, and were about to lock him in that dragon sleeper you do. You should probably leave before I call the police.
*As Tommy leaves, he hears the Red Oni once again.*
Red Oni: I was close, Tommy. I was an inch away from taking control.
Tommy End: If you were close, then I’ll expend more focus into keeping you from gaining control. You won’t win, demon.
Red Oni: It’s only a matter of time, and I have as much time as I need to wait.

[Dyno]

Watching on from the office as Tommy End leaves the gym, Dyno turns to Vinny and Tiff.

DYNO: "Let Cal know I'll cover that kids medical expenses.  Whatever that was it wasn't the Tommy I knew, I hope he sorts his shit out soon."

VINNY: "Will do D."

[Dark Mauler]

Toni Cruise: Ladies and gentlemen, I am here tonight with the Dutch Destroyer, Tommy End. Tommy, another tough loss tonight, what do you think you need to do to break this losing streak?
Tommy End: To be honest, I don’t know. Whatever the answer is, I’ll either figure it out or I won’t.
Toni Cruise: Recently, Red Pirate Rogers has said that you deserve a shot at his title. Any comments on that?
Tommy End: I’ve got a couple of things to say about that, actually. Red, I appreciate it, but I’m not taking my title back until I’ve earned an opportunity at it. I want none of your pity. And Conor, congrats on earning the number 1 contendership. But you made a crucial mistake when you disrespected me. I may not be able to win a match right now, but I’m able and willing to win a fight. You might call yourself relentless, but if I were to ambush you on your way back to your hotel tonight you’d be relenting much sooner than you’d like to admit.
Toni Cruise: Are you saying you want a match against Conor?
Tommy End: No. I’m saying that Conor is lucky there are rules here. I’m also saying that luck doesn’t last forever.
Toni Cruise: Those were all the questions I had for you tonight, Tommy. Thank you for your time.
*Toni quickly leaves as soon as the cameras stop rolling, leaving Tommy alone with his thoughts. Well, maybe alone isn’t the right word.*
Red Oni: I couldn’t have put it better myself, Tommy.
Tommy End: You twisted my words. I’ve got no problem with Conor.
Red Oni: You might now. And you can’t back down from statements like the one we just made.
Tommy End: I don’t intend to. But I’ll do this the right way.

[Thumper Moore III]

“I wonder how things worked out that night with Red and Jessie. She hasn’t returned my calls.” Veronica put Maddie down in her crib for an afternoon nap. “Have you heard from Rogers?”

“Are you kidding? A gentleman like him doesn’t kiss and tell. Besides, maybe Jessie hasn’t returned your call because she’s caught a bit of pirate fever?” Arizona pulls the blanket up to Maddie’s chin, then kisses her on the forehead. “I’ve got to hand it to you, that went far better than the last time you set one of my friends up. That biker chick and Fireball just did not get along.”

“They got married, silly!” Veronica put her hands on her hips in mock anger.

“Yeah, then they got divorced six months later! You caused him so many headaches!” Arizona paused for a moment. “God rest his soul.”

“Listen, not everyone can have a functional marriage like us.” Veronica took Arizona’s hand and led him to the living room. “Especially in your business.”

“Speaking of business, I checked up on Bradley after the incident in my match, and he just screamed at me. I don’t get it. He hung out where he wasn’t supposed to be, and he bore the consequences when Barney landed on him.”

“Let it go, Zona. You can’t control everybody. But you can control you. What are you doing next week?”

“I’m gonna try to line up another guy from Mania. Give them a shot at the spotlight, give me another tuneup. You know the plan. I’m doing the J-1, then January 13th, and then…” Arizona trailed off.

“Then we’ll talk. For now just work toward being satisfied with this stage of life so I can have all of you in the next stage.” The reassuring smile of Veronica belied a thought in the back of her mind: What if he loses to Slash and isn’t ready to retire? Am I going to be left with a shell of a man?

[Chad Shredsbury]

***JWA Exclusive Clip***

Pierre the Enormous lays out on a huge adirondack chair on the sand with a goblet of beer in his paw, barely rubbed in sunscreen on his massive chest, and sunglasses on his face just above a long white strip of sunscreen on the bridge of his nose.  On the beach towel beside him are the two JWA World TAG Team Championship belts. Chesterton Shredsbury runs up to him, carrying his surfboard, airbrushed with a photo of Big Waves, wielding their precious gold. 
Chesterton:  Brother, you've got to get out on those waves.

Pierre peers up at Chesterton, through his sunglasses, then out to the water as waves crash along the shore. 

Pierre:  What am I gonna surf on?

Chesterton:  You can try out my board, mate.  It's one size fits all.

Pierre takes a huge gulp of his beer, emptying the entire goblet.

Pierre:  I'm good, boss.

Chesterton:   You sure?

Pierre:  Yeah.  I need another beer anyway.  You do your thing, though.

Chesterton:  Right on then.  One of these days I'll get you out there, yet.  Say.  Anybody step up to challenge us for the titles yet?

Pierre reaches into his pocket and pulls out a comically tiny flip phone and gently uses two fingers to open it up and check his messages.

Pierre:  Nobody yet.

Chesterton:  Right, right.  Well.  Enjoy your suds.  Save me a pinto or two, will you?

Chesterton runs back to the sea with his board.

Pierre:  (chuckling)  Not likely, mate.    


 

[Seph Kobane]

Killies. Bad Luck Bradley, looking worse for wear and haggard with thick bristles of unshaved beard stabbing skyward through his glistening skin, steps up to the bar. Jackson appears, cleaning a glass.

JACKSON: What'll it be?

Bad Luck Bradley holds a picture of Seph in his hands. The ink is running from murky droplets and the paper is worn from constant folding and unfolding.

BRADLEY: This is Seph Kobane. He is missing, brother. Do you-
JACKSON: I know that's Seph, Brad. I've not seen him.

Bradley's shoulders slump. Jackson disappears and reappears seconds later with a meal and two glasses of water. He starts to pick at the meal.

JACKSON: I'm on my lunch just now. I don't think I can eat all this. Care for a bit?

Bradley takes a seat, a hefty gulp of water and starts to work on the meal. After a moment, Jackson refills Brad's water and returns. He does not eat any more.

JACKSON: You struggling?
BRADLEY: It ain't easy, brother.
JACKSON: You wanna talk about it?

Bradley finishes the meal in seconds.

BRADLEY: It's the silence that gets me. If he'd just told me he was leaving, I'd be fine.

Jackson nods and disappears. He returns with a carboard box. He pats it once.

JACKSON: This came for him.
BRADLEY: Who?
JACKSON: Seph.
BRADLEY: This came for him?
JACKSON: Yep. In the post.

They both look at the box.

BRADLEY: Should we open it?
JACKSON: Opening someone else's mail is a felony.
BRADLEY: It might have a clue. Tell us where Seph is.

Both men consider this long and hard in silence.

["Lord" Taylor Thorin]

We are watching highlights from the JWA's Super Glory events from it's first two years.  Rodd Puttergill is looking back at some of his favorite matches from the events when the scene before us is paused.

UNKNOWN MALE VOICE: "Tembleberry.  Quite a raucous bunch these JWA fellows aren't they."

MALE VOICE 2 (we assume "Tembleberry"): "Yes sir, very raucous."

UNKNOWN MALE VOICE 1: "Raucous, and classless too it seems.  No class or dignity at all."

TEMBLEBERRY: "No sir, purely commoners it appears sir."

UNKNOWN MALE VOICE 1: "For as long as I've watched this sport that's the one thing they have in common Tembleberry.  I think it's about time we showed them what real class is like.  Ready the jet Tembleberry, we're going to see a show!"

TEMBLEBERRY: "Very good sir, as you wish."

[Thumper Moore III]

Arizona’s Digifoto Live

Arizona is seated in his home at his normal location: in a high backed leather chair, with an oak end table next to him. On the oak end table is an antique highball glass filled with amber liqueur. The wall behind him displays two JWA World Championship belts, two JWA Tag Team Championship belts, four Jammie awards, and the samurai sword presented to him by Tommy End. There is an empty spot on the wall labeled “Future Home of J-1 Trophy”.

“Tonight, my quest to fill the only hole on my trophy wall continues. Chief, while I’ve learned to respect your abilities in the ring, tonight, you are an unfortunate speed bump on my road to glory.

I’ve faced you before. I’m a bit concerned that your previous obsession with me will be rekindled, so I’ll just say this: good luck tonight.

Are we clear babe? Good. Glad we got that out of the way. I can go back to getting my mind sharp. He’s got one move I’m worried about, but damn, that one move is superhuman, you know? Do you remember when he broke the ring in Japan? I could’ve been on the receiving end of that. I mean, that did give me the inspiration to go on that fake safety crusade, but that was a mistake. In fact, nothing good has ever come of me facing— wait, we’re still live. No, don’t turn it off. Now that I think of it, I have more to say.

Buffalo, you piece of crap, you nearly killed me, you tried to ruin my life, and you set off the events that damn near ruined my reputation. Tonight, you’re not a speed bump. You’re not a tune up. You’re my mission. I’m gonna forget about the J-1 for just one night, and I’m gonna channel all my focus, all my energy, and every fiber of my being into making sure you don’t terrorize me or anyone else in the JWA again. Piece by piece, limb by limb, you will get what you deserved last year tonight. Because nobody, and I mean NOBODY, defends their family like Arizona Chance.”

[Kip Whistler]

@bookitkip on Chirpy

Next week is Super Glory! Red Pirate Rogers defends the JWA World Heavyweight Title against "Relentless" Conor Caine PLUS a grudge match between Duke Mongoose and Ashe! Don't miss it! (1/2)

Just announced for the September 13/14 edition of Glory: Pierre The Enormous vs. Penguino! The September 20/21 edition will feature Chesterton Shredsbury vs. Chief Buffalo! (2/2)

[Seph Kobane]

JWA.COM EXCLUSIVE VIDEO
BACKSTAGE WITH BAD LUCK BRADLEY AS HE ABANDONS SEPH KOBANE

Toni Cruise is standing beside Bad Luck Bradley, who is looking unkempt, unshaven and unsweaty. He stands holding the box that Jackson gave him, his huge sausage fingers folded into dents. It is clear that the box has not left his grip in some time.

Toni: Toni Cruise here, reporting. JWA exclusive with Bad Luck Bradley, who is making one, final, desperate plea for his friend, Seph Kobane.

Bradley makes several attempts to speak, mustering up the energy to shout and bawl at his normal ferocity, but is struggling.

Bradley: Let me tell you something Tonicruise, Bad Luck Bradley, the Bad Luck Wrestler, King of the Bad Luck Bomb and man at the top of the mountain, yeah, let me tell you... It's a long way down.
Toni: What's eating you, Brad?
Bradley: You... You put the hours in, yeah, you put the minutes and the days in. You form bonds and you let yourself become vulnerable, yeah, exposed, yeah. This whole time I've been running and gunning, scanning and panning, looking for my boy Seph and... I don't think he wants to be found. I don't think he's been taken. I don't think he's been robbed. He's gone. And I'm robbed. Robbed of my heart.
Toni: Brad, I-

Bradley bursts into an explosive, fluid roar. You can see the sweat push itself from his pores. He swells.

Bradley: And I'll tell you something else, I'm sick of it! A bunch of the locker room heroes in the back are jaw-jacking and feeling sorry for themselves. Naming no names, but we got saps on losing streaks, we got pals who get pummelled, we got guys who can't keep a gimmick together. Good workers, clean, safe, but they're marks for themselves. Well let me ask you this: who amongst you had been as prolific as Bad Luck Bradley? If I'm not in a match, I'm by ringside. If I'm not officiating, I'm backup. I'm here from dawn to dusk, first man in, last man out. And you don't hear me complaining about that. That's the end of it! It's the end of this!

He shakes the box in front of him.

Bradley: I know what's in here. An empty black box with a bright red bow. I don't need to break it down, brothers. I don't need to build it up. I'm done. And, to show how done I am... I've brought my own personal lawyer to do some fancy big-city talk.

His lawyer is none other than Weaselly J. Fontaine, Sean Beeman's personal attorney. Fontaine walks into frame as Brad puts on his half-moon glasses.

Bradley: See, I'm a notary public, which means I can push the envelope, legally speaking. This ambulance-chaser here is about to help me sign these documents.

They do.

Bradley: And now I can legally open this box, normally a felony, under the assumption that Seph is missing, dead, or has abandoned it. I'm going to open this up and close it again and move on with my life, because there is nothing in here to stop me from-

Brad opens the box. It is not empty. Indeed, an inner light glows upon his face, alighting on his sweat-covered brow. Both Fontaine and Toni glance in, fear flowing over their features, before melting away. The camera pans towards Brad as he reaches into the black box bedazzled with a blood-red bow, snapping to darkness.

[Duke Mongoose]

OOC:

["Lord" Taylor Thorin]

We open up in a candlelit study.  A man is sat with his back to us in a high backed chair looking into a burning fireplace.  Another man enters wearing a nice suit and carrying a silver tray with what looks like a bottle of port and a glass containing a few chunks of ice.

UNKNOWN MALE: "Ah Tembleberry thank you.  That was a quite interesting experience wasn't it?"

TEMBLEBERRY: "I found it rather exhilarating sir.  Do you intend to follow things up?"

Tembleberry pours some port into the glass and hands it to the man.

UNKNOWN MALE: "I was struck by how scruffy they all are though.  There's no class there at all.  Yes Tembleberry I think, for the good of the people of course, there is a need to show these JWA folks a thing or two about class.  Get that Whistler fellow on the phone will you Tembleberry, then you can take the rest of the night off."

TEMBLEBERRY: "Very good sir, thank you."

[Red Pirate Rogers]

Digifoto post from @yourcommand

The video shows Red Pirate Rogers at the gym, dark red yoga shorts, no shirt, and the mask still wrapped tight around his head. We see him finishing a shuttle run sprint, then sprinting up a mat on the wall and jumping to catch a raised chin up bar doing a set of ten. He drops down and turns to the camera, short of breath, but still showing strong form.

"I'm aware that my absence from JWA Glory shows hasn't gone unnoticed. I apologize to anyone who hoped to see me and came away without that pleasure. But please understand, that we wrestlers are people too, people who live lives and find ourselves intertwined (his eyes glance smiling off camera) with all manner of adventures. But rest assured good fans of the JWA, I am proud to be your champion, and I will serve (pauses and smiles) at your command.

"I've had little time to chatter before next week's Super Glory, as I certainly anticipate nothing less than a formidable challenge from Mister Connor Caine. I've had to redouble my training to ensure that I am not simply representing the JWA now, but that anyone who wishes to represent us as champion must deliver their absolute best to earn that title. Mr. Caine, rest assured, I don't deny your claim to the title, I don't deny your "god given talent", but I will deny that any man knows his destiny before it's written. You may be our champion, you may earn that title soon, but I will do everything I can to ensure that you don't earn it at my expense. Not (pauses and smiles off camera) when this title has opened such wonderous opportunities for me.

"So, until Super Glory, I will be...at your command."

Rogers crouches low and takes off on another shuttle run, as the camera turns to see him run, we can see Jessie from Chez Barbarossa waiting at the far end, and planting a quick peck on his lips before he turns and sprints back to the mat, the chin up, and a back flip to the ground.

[Penguino]

@penguino on chirpy

Okay @bookitkip the giant Vs the smallest one on the roster is gonna be hell of an interesting one. Best of luck.