The scene opens in one of the many repurposed locker rooms of the Barclays center. This one itself seemingly empty apart from abandoned bags and strung up gear. Although one singular person can still be seen in the room tying up their boots.
Cameraman: Wrex, is that you?
Wrex: How many people look like me that you would need to ask that huh? Did six other bald and bearded shit stains sign their developmental deals before I got here? What do you want?
The cameras get closer to Wrex, as if to prepare for an interview.
Wrex: Nope, not dealing with this crap right now. I got a match to do and a senile mutt to prepare for, ask what you want and get the hell out.
Wrex: Actually before that, don’t we hire people to do interviews these days? Where the hell are they?
Cameraman 2: Busy with another interview.
Wrex: Amazing, let me guess. Here to ask me about my match and whatever Pugh’s been spouting again? Fine.
Wrex: I don’t care about the match, next question.
Cameraman: I didn’t-
Wrex: -Next question! Paul Pugh right? Yeah, I’ve heard what he had to say. Of course I have I watched the damn show from Gorilla last week I couldn’t miss it.
Cameraman 2: Why the hell are you all jumpy all of a sudden?
Wrex stops his rambling, takes a deep breath and takes a seat on the bench giving the camera crew time to continue setting up equipment.
Wrex: I’m not jumpy okay, just agitated.. I got this old mutt hunting me down meanwhile I’ll be stuck inside a ring with a man who enjoys trying to snap legs. Sitting duck. Sometimes I feel like the bookers are trying to get me killed you know?
Cameraman: Probably a coincidence.
Wrex: Yeah probably.. Alright, what did you want to ask?
Cameraman: You did touch on it. What Pugh said at the end of the show.
Wrex: Figured, its funny. What he said wasn’t wrong, That was me. Stagnant, stale.. losing, going nowhere. That was me, a year ago.
He looks straight into the camera, giving a grin to one man in particular.
Wrex: Clearly, he stopped paying attention the day right after WrestLution a year ago, the day I made a promise to myself that If I ever ended up like that fucking failure again, it was time to quit. I refused to be that man again. First Turmoil back, Wrex died, and the scumbag of Turmoil was born.
Wrex: And where did that get me? Stagnation? Staleness? A midcard position? Let’s run down the timeline, shall we? Summercide, first championship victory, The Clash, first world championship. One month later? Main eventing over Paul “The A-1 GOAT” Pugh and retiring Jacob Trance. Lution? First Deathmatch on OCW’s dime in a long goddamn time, you think I would have gotten away with what I did there a year ago? Not a fucking chance!
Wrex: What you said was true, not a doubt about it. But those days are already gone, I’m not what you were in 2011, I’ve already lived that stage of my life, never again.
Wrex: But I’m anything if not a student of the game, and I'm not.. egotistical enough to know that I’ve still got a long way to go to reach where you got in your prime. So I’ll continue to listen to what you’re saying. Course I know what has to happen first. I need to beat you, doesn’t seem too hard if watching your recent tape is anything to go by.
Wrex: When the time is right, I’m going to beat you Pugh, no doubt about it. Only question is where and when. But I have a pretty good idea of both of those.
Wrex: But of course, it’s on your terms. Isn’t it? always has been with you it seems.
Wrex: So in a show of my willingness to cripple an old man on his own terms-
Wrex reaches into his bag and brings out a crumpled white shirt.
Wrex: -I got a little something, just for this match. I hope you like it.. We’re done.
The crew looks to each other before the camera is abruptly shut off and the scene comes to its close.
The camera switches to Jim Black standing in front of an OCW-decorated backdrop with a monitor hanging from the ceiling. He is holding a microphone, and begins to speak...
Jim Black: Please help me welcome my guest at this time, Judge Leroy Brown III.
The camera pans and centers on Brown in the frame. Brown, in his ring attire of a tanktop and dress pants, seems very cheerful.
Jim Black: Good evening, Mr. Brown. So tell us, how do you feel about your debut last week against Maxx Edwards?
Judge Leroy Brown III: Jim, I gotta say, I feel absolutely wonderful. It's everything I hoped for, and more! When I signed my contract with OCW, I wanted a fight. A true test of strength between two men with no outside interfence or cheap ways to the top. No money or power can get you out of what you deserve in this ring when it comes down to it. Maxx Edwards was a worthy first opponent, and I appreciate the opportunity to face him last week. But, with all contests, there's a winner and a loser. And as the winner, I'm looking forward to more here in OCW.
Jim Black: That's great, Mr. Brown. So on that note, what are your next steps here in OCW?
Judge Leroy Brown III: I'm gonna be honest Jim, I don't know! And that's the best part! Anyone, anytime. That's my mantra from now on. Maybe they're be a Judge Leroy Brown III open challenge? Who knows. You might say I'm now a judge, jury, and executioner... ha! I love a good legal joke, Jim.
Jim Black: I can tell, Mr. Brown. Well, thank you for time as always, great having you on.
Judge Leroy Brown III: Thank you very much, Jim.
Brown walks off the set as the camera refocuses onto Jim and fades to black.
Thomas Archer (c) vs Wrex
As Wrex drops to the floor, Pugh turns around and notices the white “Kid Ego” shirt Wrex had been wearing sitting on the floor. Pugh immediately snatches it off the canvas and looks at the logo. A huge smile cuts his face as he spits on the shirt and tosses it out of the ring after Wrex
He summons a member of the ring crew to provide a microphone, and quick as a flash it’s the Paul Pugh show.
Pugh: You all thought you were getting a show huh? Thought I was sending your boy Wrex through this table?
He grins again, before turning around to face the direction where Wrex is laid out. Pugh sticks the microphone down the front of his jeans for safekeeping before folding the table up and tossing it over the top rope. It clatters down on the slain Mr Turmoil as Pugh turns back to the hard camera
Pugh: You think I’d waste my time ending him tonight? For free? On this shitbox of a show? It seems blase to keep running it down right?
He puts on a high pitched voice
Pugh: Oh Pugh thinks he’s better than Turmoil… Pugh thinks he’s above us… Pugh thinks he’s still the biggest draw on the roster
He sniffles and grins
Pugh: Yep. You wanna know why? Because while all you nerds are sitting on your internet computers, in your discord servers, exchanging your memes and your gifs, I am out here still changing the game. Rehabbing Titles. Asses in Seats. Sneaking up on your hero Wrex…
He looks down at his clothes
Pugh: “Is he wearing jeans? I preferred his glittery attire”, “I don’t understand, he should be retired, not stinking up Turmoil”, “but why does he keep coming back?”. Negative comments, thumbs down on my matches, boos from your stinking mouths…
The fans boo him
Pugh: They give me LIFE. I LOVE HURTING EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR FEELINGS, EVERY SINGLE WEEK. The whole reason I am here on Turmoil is because you people have painted Wrex to be better than me. Stronger than me. Faster than me. Well, why don’t we fucking see where he is right now?
He turns round to face Wrex who is still laying on the floor, surrounded by referees at this point
Pugh: That’s right, face down, blowing out of his arse. Because of ME. Because I did that to him. The more you rant and rave about how good he is, the more you make me want to beat him up every time I see him. The more you boo me, the more damage I will do to him at each and every opportunity.
He’s leaning on the ropes looking down at Wrex
Pugh: Wrex, I’m told we have a match at Consequence in a few weeks. If you have an iota of sense in that scarred up bean you call a head, you will stay away from that show. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay at home. This right here
He points at the former CCW Champion
Pugh: Is just a taste of what I will do to you if you show up to Consequence. Wrex if you know my career, and you know my history, you’ll know about some of the sadistic things I’ve done. You’ll know about me breaking bodies on my way to being Hardcore Champion for 300 days. You’ll know about me fighting for my life in Deathmatches in Japan. You’ll know about me being thrown through table after table. Hit with Chair after Chair. Thrown off Ladder after Ladder all in the name of making this company great. Before the flash. Before the razzle and the dazzle, I was a mean MF’er.
He grins again
Pugh: ...if you come to Consequence. You’re putting your career in your own hands. See, I might have lost a step in here. I might not be the wrestler I was three years ago… but you know what I am? I’m more grizzled, angry and tougher than I ever was. Wrex do not take this risk. I said a few weeks ago that you remind me of me, but do yourself a favour and deviate from that path… because if you show up at Consequence, and I get my way - once all is said and done. Neither of us is leaving that building under our own power.
He slides out of the ring as the referees scatter, before kneeling down next to Wrex, getting in his face
Pugh: Like I said at the start of all of this. If I’m going to hell. You’re coming with me.
Pugh hops back up to his feet and throws the microphone at Wrex’s head with immense force - the corner of it catches him on the eyebrow and causes a little cut. Pugh looks both ways before taking a deep breath and hopping over the guardrail and back into the crowd where we can only assume he came from. As Turmoil fades to the next segment, we get a a close up of a newly bloodied Wrex looking up at Pugh
H2O walks into the room where Malu had his banquet dinner with friends. The room is completely empty with chairs and tables folded up against the wall.
All except one table.
The very table Malu sat at the head of to deliver his soliloquy. Harvey stands at the head and places both hands down on the table causing him to lean over a bit.
He all around the table and raises a brow.
“When I win, we all win.” he says. Hmph, the words of a true champion? Yes. It was something that H2O used to be.
But in that very same breath you stated that you were “...going to expose the unworthy.”
Harvey stands himself up over looking the table while he pulls back his hair with a single stroke.
I don’t know if I can be exposed more than what Drago has done to me. I’m still trying to recover from it and prove that I am worthy of becoming one of OCW’s elite contenders.
If defeating the current CCW Heavyweight Champion will mark myself as elite….especially after beating the former CCW Champion, then I’m ready for the challenge.
I know I have to put my life on the line out there tonight.
I didn’t know that against Drago.
I won’t make that mistake against Malu.
Harvey steps back slowly away from the table. As he turns and exits out of the banquet room we fade from the scene.
