Post by Lord Hastings on Apr 30, 2018 20:46:49 GMT -5
You can hear the chattering of a large crowd, but no visuals. As a cold, blue spotlight clicks on over a blocky “U”, the opening strains of “Red Cold River” by Breaking Benjamin slowly tease the opening. A slow, CO2 mist curls out from around the letters as the fans start to get excited. Spotlights continue to flick on over subsequent letters, “G,” “W,” “C,” and when Ben Burnley screams “RUN” to usher in the song proper, the stage lights up with six-foot blue flames and the word “Chill” is emblazoned in black across the company letters. The fans hit their feet as pyros fly, and we’re taken to ringside to join our broadcast team of Aaron Reese and Daniel Hanson.
Reese: Welcome, UGWC faithfuls to the debut episode of “Chill!”
Hanson: We’re here in Detroit, Michigan, at the Little Caesar’s arena, where one week ago the Synergy Brand brought us No Holds Barred!
Reese: But tonight, the Chill Brand gets their turn! Debuts, re-debuts, returns, and guest spots from the Synergy roster!
Hanson: Donovan Hastings, UGWC’s Creative Director, has given us a stacked card for launch night, featuring a Main Event that will see Holden Orson make his in-ring return against former World Champion challenger Phrixus Deimos!
Reese: Other feature matches tonight will see the returns of former Star of Tomorrow, Captain 80s, and Wrestlestock Champion Kem Dynamo!!
Hanson: #CoolKids Kenzi Grey-Lackan and Cooperative Champion Roxy Cotton will appear tonight, along with Synergy’s Mizore Payne!
Reese: But there are plenty of debuts tonight as we welcome Jack Levy, Lindsey Bunny, Daniel Corvin, and Elizabeth Blackwell to the Chill roster!!
Hanson: Let’s kick it over to our official Chill ring announcer, Mark Thompson!
The camera changes to a view of Thompson in the ring, a microphone lowered from the rafters for him to use.
Thompson: Thanks Daniel, Thanks Aaron! We’re all excited to be taking up the UGWC mantle and reprising our roles in the business we all love so much! We have a talented staff of professionals here at Chill, but there’s still one more role to fill before we kick off the action tonight!
The fans are hyped up, suspecting a big surprise.
Thompson: Who’s going to be calling the shots? There’s only one man deemed… chaotic enough… to steer this raw new brand toward an innovative revelation! Ladies and Gentlemen, your Chill General Manager…
Hanson: No way!!
The fans lose their minds as Ichabod takes the stage. He walks easily down the ramp and up into the ring. Smirking around at the frenzied fans, he takes the mic from Thompson.
Ichabod: Welcome to Chill!!
The fans are on their feet, no doubt imagining the ramifications of this development.
Ichabod: Some fucking assbag thought it would be a great idea if The Engine of Calamity were in charge around here. Some forward thinking, pencil pushing, tie wearing fucking choad thought that what the new brand needed was somebody that would give it a kick in the ass right out the fucking door. What would it be like if a dozen new entertainment professionals, fresh faced and ambitious, chomping at the bit for their time in the spotlight, eager to prove themselves before the world, had to answer to my authority.
Ichabod smiles.
Reese: That sounds fairly ominous…
Ichabod: And I thought that was a damn good idea. Fucking brilliant, in fact. Chill is going to be a non-stop, hands-free, no seatbelt ride with no stops, and I’m going to make gods-damned sure of it. Make no mistake, I have a fucking agenda here, but you’ll be caught up in it before you figure it out. The card is signed for tonight, and I like what I see, so I’m not going to fuck with that. But there is one small change I intend to make, right fucking now.
Ichabod turns to look at the announce table, where Reese and Hanson glance at one another. Hanson, having been canned by UGWC in the past, tenses up.
Ichabod: I think we need to balance out the broadcast team, by adding just one more voice to the panel. A voice I’ve come to respect over the years, someone who’ll tell it like it is and wipe his ass with your opinions. You should have all seen this coming… because as usual, I bring you… CHAOS!!
Hanson: Oh dear God...
Reese: What? I love this addition! I've known Chaos for YEARS.
Hanson: So has he always been a drunken ass?
Reese: Yes.
Chaos appears on the stage, a bottle of Chadweiser in hand. Swilling the remnants of the bottle, he makes his way down the ramp, as the fans in attendance erupt for the former Cooperative and Chaos Champion.
Reese: You can really tell that the fans miss this guy.
Hanson: I've missed him, too. Like a toothache.
Reese: You do realize that he is gonna hear these comments if he watches the playback, right?
Hanson: Yeah, but he's liable to be drunk when he does so.
Reese: Because that is a good thing?
Hanson: Point taken.
Chaos walks up the steps and enters the ring. Walking to the center of the ring, he and Ichabod look at each other for a moment, before both men extend their hands for a handshake. The newly announced Chill General Manager then hands Chaos the microphone.
Hanson: I find it hard to believe that this guy is going to get a live microphone.
Reese: And to think, he's going to be helping us every week. Chaos as a color commentator... Ichabod as the GM... Chill might already be better than Synergy.
Chaos stands in center ring, listening to the thousands in attendance provide him a 'Welcome Back' chant.
Chaos: Seems like you guys might have missed me a little bit.
The chants get louder, as Chaos actually allows a slight smile to escape from his lips. He quickly stops, because Chaos, and brings the microphone back to his lips.
Chaos: Look, I appreciate the response, I really do... but we aren't here for me. So with all due respect, shut the fuck up a minute."
Laughter, followed by cheers, from the crowd, but they do then begin to quiet down.
Reese: They're eating from the palm of his hand.
Hanson: Maybe they're just frightened of him. I mean look at him, for crying out loud! We're dressed for work... he looks like he just rolled out from under his bike.
Reese: I wouldn't badmouth his baby if I were you...
Chaos: I imagine some of you are shocked to see me here. Hell, I'm just as fuckin' shocked myself. All of you know my story... know that my in-ring career was taken away in the blink of an eye. And I'll be the first to admit, after the first month or two of self-loathing and blatant fuckin' anger, I came to enjoy the fact that I didn't have to be on the road all the damn time. Came to enjoy the fact that I could spend time at home with Xandy and Hay-Hay... spend more time focusing on club dealings with Cy. Fact is though, I never lost my love of this godforsaken business known as professional wrestling. I just came to the realization that I had to channel that love in another way.
Hanson: Foul-mouthed as always, but he doesn't seem as angry as he used to.
Reese: He hasn't spoken to you yet. Give it time.
Chaos: Enter Chill. Hastings called me up, wanted to know if I'd be interesting in helping in any way. Or something, fuck if I remember. Apparently said yes though, and when I woke up the next morning with the particulars in my email, figured why not? Anything with this asshole attached to it...
Chaos motions to Ichabod, who barks out a laugh, as Chaos smiles.
Chaos: Anything Ichy is associated with is sure to be total fuckin' chaos, pardon the pun. Add in a new crop of wrestlers trying to hone their craft in this industry, and I'd have been a complete fuckin' idiot to not wanna be a part of it. Besides...
Chaos turns and walks towards the ropes, looking down at the announce table.
Chaos: If history repeats itself, they'll eventually need a second guy anyway. Right Daniel?
Chaos glares down at Daniel Hanson, before turning and meeting back up with Ichabod.
Chaos: Whaddaya say we get this fuckin' thing started, eh Ichy? Have a feeling I need to put Hanson in his place real soon.
Chaos hands the microphone back to Ichabod, as the two men nod at one another, Chaos then turning and leaving the ring, taking his place at the announce table.
Ichabod: Without further delay, it's time to CHILL!