Travis Murphy
Clients
Posts : 11
Join date : 2020-12-15
Age : 35
Location : Havelock, North Carolina
 |  Subject: More Than A Tag Team  Sun Dec 27, 2020 12:23 am | |
| More Than A Tag Team
Christmas Night 2020
Charlotte, NC
“We’re...fucking...CLOSED!”
Travis’ loud yell echoes out into the night as he hurls what looks to be an intoxicated Marine through the front door of the bar. He stumbles and falls over a trash can, face planting on the concrete before quickly making his way back to his feet, blood trickling down his forehead.
“THIS ISN’T OVER!”
“Yes..it is. Go home.”
Travis wasn’t yelling anymore, but he still spoke with a sternness that let the man know that there wouldn’t be another warning. After a moment of contemplation, the man thinks better of arguing any further and walks off muttering to himself. Travis sighs and tries to wipe a bit of blood off his Security shirt as he walks back into the bar to finish his closing duties. It’s Christmas night, but Travis was not feeling quite in the Christmas spirit. On the contrary, he was fed up. Completely sick of dealing with drunk idiots night after night for pennies. He didn’t want to be here. He’d much rather be preparing for his debut WrestleWorld match, but that first WrestleWorld check hadn’t hit yet and Travis still had bills to pay. So here he was, mopping up spilled beer off of an old bar floor. But he wouldn’t be doing this much longer. He knew that he was just days away from finally escaping the sad reality that had become his adult life. This was his chance...his one moment to impress the world and make something of himself. His one opportunity to make sure that his days of cleaning a shitty bar were over. And he wasn’t going to let it go to waste…
------------------------------------------------------------------
We fast forward to the next morning. Travis was sitting on the bench visibly exhausted. He was riding off very little sleep due to working late at the bar, but knew he’d need to push through it and prepare for his match anyway. He couldn't let himself down...couldn’t let Teddy down. Sleep or no sleep, he was going to do whatever it took to get the job done. And so here he was, having spent the entire morning running the ropes of the raggedy looking ring, lifting weights, and firing away at the ripped punching bag hanging in the corner. But as bad as he wanted this, even Travis needed a break. So he sat there, wiping the sweat from his forehead and drinking from his water bottle as he gazed out over the cheap gym equipment and thought about the task that was before him...and the literal golden opportunity that had been laid at his feet.
“It’s funny how things can change over the course of time. When I first met Teddy back in school...he was shy, awkward, not a lot of friends. I was the opposite. High school was my own personal playground. Sports, girls, parties...the whole nine yards. Hell, crazy as it seems now, I spent a good chunk of my youth just keeping the kid from getting his ass kicked. And he always looked up to me for it. As if I was exerting some herculean God-like effort by keeping him from getting stuffed into a locker. Truth be told, that was nothing compared to everything Teddy has given me since then, for as our youths faded, I was quick to find out that the real world wasn’t going to be as kind to me as my high school and college days. I wasn’t the king of the school...I wasn’t the king of anything. Just another lost man trying to find his place in the world, but doing nothing other than make one mistake after another. But while I was busy wasting my life, my boy Teddy? He was flourishing. Started a beautiful family, had a promising career, even before this whole wrestling thing. And now look at him. One of the brightest competitors on the planet with accomplishments across multiple promotions, living out a dream that everyone told him was impossible growing up. But even through all that...as crazy as his life is now with all the traveling and the fame and the success...Teddy’s never forgotten about me. He’s loaned me money when I didn’t have any...given me a place to stay when I’ve had nowhere to go. Truthfully, he’s the only person that I have in my life that cares whether I’m alive or not. He’s more than my friend. He’s my brother, bound by a bond that can only be forged through years and years of seeing each other at our lowest and highest points. It’s the kind of relationship that not many people get to experience. Built on the trust that the other will always have your back no matter what happens. But lately, I haven’t been in a position to where I could live up to my end of the bargain. After all, how’s a college dropout, bouncing at bars supposed to help one of the fastest rising stars in the entire wrestling industry? But as fate would have it...a cheap strike on Teddy’s tag team partner would leave him needing an extra set of hands. So when I got that call, rest assured, there was no doubt...no hesitation. When a brother asks you for help...you help him, no questions asked.”
Travis pauses to wipe the sweat from his eyes.
“But I’m not stupid. I hear the questions from everybody. All the doubts and second guessing. Why would Teddy do this? Why would he choose some bouncer from North Carolina that hasn’t wrestled a match on any level since college to be his partner? Why wouldn’t he find somebody else on the Wrestleworld roster, or even one of his friends from OWA or at the very least OWT? You want to know why he didn’t go that route? It’s simple...I’m fucking better than they are. Teddy’s a smart guy. Always has been. Do you really think that he’d fuck around and make the WRONG decision here? No. Teddy knows what the fuck he’s doing. He’s seen me fight tooth and nail for things that are absolutely meaningless my entire life. And now? With something actually worth fighting for on the line...he knows damn well that I will deliver. He knows that I will stand side by side with him and fight to the death if need be, because trust me...I don’t have anything else going for me. This is it. Do or fucking die, and I don’t have any intentions of climbing into a casket anytime soon. At War of the Worlds I’m going to prove any doubters wrong and make Teddy look like the smartest man alive. And I don’t care how many fucking bones I have to snap in the process...and that’s not exactly good news for you, Wild Cards.”
Travis takes a small drink from his water bottle to try and hydrate himself so he can continue his workout soon.
“Nobi...fucking where do I even begin with you. I will say, up front, that I’m thankful that you were there to help Teddy get his foot in the door. With his talent, it would have happened eventually anyway, but a partnership with you surely expedited the process. For that, you have my gratitude. But that’s about as far as the good vibes between us go. Cause I’ve watched you for many years, Nobi. All across the globe, multiple promotions...you somehow find a way to latch on and fool any and everyone into thinking you’re some kind of saint. But I don’t buy that, Nobi. I’ve seen enough in my time to know how the world works and I know damn well, nobody’s perfect. And those who pretend they are tend to be the worst of us all, deep down inside. You’re finally starting to show that now. My guess...you’re the one that attacked Jungle Jaguar. Because you knew that taking him out was your only chance at seeing the Campeonatos de Parejas. Hoping that afterwards, you’d be able to manipulate Teddy into just handing you the titles...and worse comes to worse, you and Reno could just take him out two on one. But what you didn’t count on was Teddy having a backup plan. An ace up his sleeve that’s been waiting to take you the fuck out ever since I had to sit through that shitty Cars, Guns, and Fights movie. Seriously...three hours of my fucking life that I’ll never get back...thanks for that, dickhead. But I bet with that mountain-sized ego of yours, you probably thought it was a smash film...just like you somehow think that you’re responsible for Teddy’s success. Well if that’s the case, Nobi, then tell me...why the fuck is Teddy holding that title right now and not you? And why was your OWA career failing miserably until Teddy came along to make you relevant again? What? Didn’t think anybody would remember that you were NOTHING before the Nice Guys were formed? That you were handed big spot after big spot, title shot after title shot, only to fall flat on your face every time? Face it, Nobi. You were washed. On the brink of having to leave this all behind so you could retreat off to make shitty straight to DVD movies for the rest of your career. But lucky for you, Teddy came along and you were able to manipulate him into thinking that you were his friend. You were able to use his abilities to resuscitate that dumpster fire of a career you had going on. Don’t get it twisted...the Nice Guys were never a true ‘tag team’. It was just Teddy Mac carting around 251 pounds of dead fucking weight. And you have the nerve to stand up here and act like you’re responsible for his success...get the fuck out of here. I know you think that you’re hot shit again now that you’re carrying around the SSW Puroresu Heavyweight Championship, but I’d hardly consider it an accomplishment to win a title in that fucking cartoon they call a wrestling promotion. And what happened AFTER you won it, Nobi? They SHUT DOWN! Even SSW finally realized they couldn’t possibly sink any lower than by having YOU at the forefront of their company. They’d rather close up shop and act like it never happened. For all the fuckery that SSW put on, THAT was ONE THING that even THEY were too embarrassed to associate with! Congratu-fucking-lations! But trust, Nobi...you will NEVER be able to associate yourself with the Campeonatos de Parejas. This match right here...it’s as close as you’re ever going to get. I know you may THINK that you have the advantage now that Jag’s out the picture. I know you may THINK that you can use your former friendship with Teddy to your advantage. After all...Teddy’s a nice guy. He couldn’t possibly bring himself to actually REALLY hurt Nobi, could he? Surely you’ll be able to manipulate him further and capitalize when the time is right, won’t you? Hell, who knows? You could be right. Teddy’s a hell of a guy with a heart of fucking gold. Best man I’ve ever known. Maybe he will have a tough time doing what needs to be done if it came down to it...but guess what, Nobi? I fucking won’t. I will have no reservations painting the ring in your blood...no hesitations snapping your bones in two and tearing you limb from fucking limb to keep these titles where they belong. Because I'm like the rest of the world. I don’t fucking like you Nobi. I don’t like your fake fucking image. I don’t like your shitty movies. I don’t even like the sound of your voice. And I especially don’t like how you’ve used my best friend for your own benefit for the last calendar year. And I’m going to make you pay for it in your own fucking blood. I’m going to make you wish you had never, ever met Teddy Mac.”
Travis closes his eyes and takes a moment to calm himself down, realizing that he had begun to lose his cool thinking of how Nobi had taken advantage of his best friend and brother. After clenching his fist a few times and taking a few deep breaths, he opens his eyes back up and smirks at the camera.
“But I know how you operate, Nobi. That self-centered God complex of yours probably won’t allow you to take my threats seriously. You probably still think Teddy made a foolish decision to bring in an unproven commodity to team with him at War of the Worlds. But let me ask you this Nobi. What’s more foolish...taking a chance on an unproven friend...or teaming with someone who has PROVEN time and time again to be nothing more than a fucking failure. Reno fucking Dumont. Are you serious about this? I’ve faced more daunting opponents bouncing at the bar than this fucking dude. Hell, making it all the way through Space Jam was a more difficult task than beating Reno Dumont. But if you listen to him talk, you’d think the man has more credentials than Cloud Matsuda and Chris Sabertooth combined. Seriously, Reno...what the fuck is wrong with you? In what world do you see yourself EVER being relevant?! You yammer on and on about how you 'just don’t give a fuck'..WELL NO SHIT! Your win/loss record makes that VERY apparent! Time and time and time again you show up only to get completely embarrassed. And yet, you still think that SOMEHOW that’s an accomplishment! ‘I’vE bEeN wReStLiNg SiNcE tHe NiNtIeS!’ Fucking CONGRATULATIONS! YOU’VE BEEN A GOD DAMN FAILURE FOR THIRTY FUCKING YEARS! PROUD OF YOU! Like Jesus Christ, you’d think that at some point you’d realize that you’re just not cut out for this and go the fuck home. But no...you just keep hanging around year after year, infecting everyone with your presence. We just can't get rid of you. You’re like a fucking case of AIDS. Wait...no...that’s not a good comparison. AIDS has actually won a few battles..something you couldn’t even FATHOM. Seriously...I’ve been in Wrestleworld for all of two weeks...TWO FUCKING WEEKS!
Haven’t even competed in my first match yet and I’ve ALREADY made more waves than you have! In thirty fucking years of doing this, you’ve NEVER been able to make the noise that I made in FIVE FUCKING SECONDS of stepping through those ropes. But please...do go on and tell us all about your legendary battles with ‘the Egg Bandits’. THE EGG BANDITS?! You made that shit up. You had to. There’s just no way. You’re really going to sit up here and brag to me about facing somebody called the Egg Bandits. I fucking...I just can’t with you Reno. You make it TOO easy. You sit there and wonder why everyone says the same shit to you over and over...that’s because everyone’s opinion of you is the exact same. We ALL think you’re a fucking loser. You’re a walking fucking punchline. The brunt of everyone’s joke. You claim that you came to WrestleWorld to show your kids what kind of man you are...well guess what? I think they get it. I don’t think they need anymore reminders that their father’s a fucking failure. ‘Daddys on TV!’ isn’t quite as cool as it sounds when he’s just getting his shit kicked in week after week after week. Save them the shame and hang it the fuck up already. Now I know...you’re hanging on looking for that one moment of glory. But the sad, bitter truth for you Reno...is that it’s never going to come. Not against me...not against Teddy...not against anyone. You can talk all you want about the things that you’re willing to do to take these championships from us. But being willing to do it and being capable of doing it are two separate things entirely. It doesn’t matter how badly you want it, Reno. You’re just simply not cut out for this. You will never, ever be championship material, no matter how many D-list movie stars you associate yourself with. You will NEVER hold the Campeonatos de Parejas. You're always just going to be Wrestleworld's sad, cruel joke. But I’m not in a laughing mood, Reno...and come War of the Worlds...joke’s over.”
Travis begins wrapping his hands up again as he prepares to get back to work, but looks up at the camera as he does so.
“Despite your delusions of being the foundation of this division, at the end of the day, the both of you are going to go down in history as nothing more than the answer to a bar trivia question. Being the first team to fall to the Mac N’ Murphy Connection...THAT is your legacy...your ONE notable accomplishment as a team. Because you see, Teddy and I go back further than either of you could comprehend. He knows me and I know him better than we even know ourselves. A bond that has lasted since Reno was first taking L's to the egg thieves. I may be new to Wrestleworld, but I am far, far from new to fighting alongside my brother, Teddy Mac. I will not fail him. I will beat both of your fragile bones into fucking dust if I must, but I guarantee you...Teddy and I are going to be walking out of War of Worlds with the Campeonatos de Parejas straps wrapped tightly around our waists. For the first time in a long time, I have the chance to make something of my life...to use the skills that I have for something meaningful. Teddy requested my assistance, sure...but he has also given me a huge opportunity...and unlike the two of you...I don’t let opportunities pass me by. Reno...Nobi...your fate is already sealed. You don’t know it yet, but this match was lost for you seventeen years ago in a high school in Charlotte. Because Teddy and I...we’re more than just a tag team. We’re friends. We’re brothers. We’re family. And come War of the Worlds...we’ll be champions.”
[Fade to Black]
| |
|
