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Post by Sebastian Hamilton on May 6, 2023 7:10:37 GMT
Newcomer Trent Darby takes on El Landerson in this show opener.
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Post by Trent Darby on May 10, 2023 14:59:04 GMT
What makes an opportunity?
You can never fool the people you want to.
“How’re you doin', Trent?”
A glance up from his seat at the end of the couch reveals a brunette woman appearing to be in her mid-twenties, slightly chubby-faced but still somewhat attractive (or so he had been told over the years, and sharp blue eyes that were now studying him with a look that couldn’t quite be placed. Trying hard to attempt a reassuring smile, a disheveled young man sticks his right leg out and makes a show of kicking his leg a few times.
“Better most days than not. Only really bothers me when it rains, so I-”
“I know you know that’s not what I meant.”
Cut through the small talk and right to the heart of the matter with no nonsense, he never could fool his younger sister. Too good of a head on her shoulders and with a slight pause of shock at being called out, with a bit of a sigh he slumps back onto the couch.
“You know, we always knew it was supposed to be temporary. I’ll get by.”
“Somehow’ starts to follow that attempt at easing her concern for his well-being and current lack of employment, but luckily Trent can cut himself short before anything unnecessary is said to make things worse. Not that it matters, as after a few moments of silent hand-wringing almost timidly:
“You know, I’m sure if I were to ask Eric he would be glad t-”
He couldn’t help but snort at the idea, which is enough to cut that train of thought off at the pass. You get drunk and call someone a ‘rat-sucking piece of shit’ one time and it ruins your relationship with your brother-in-law forever for some reason.
“Lizzy I don’t want you worrying about me, alright? You an’ Eric got your own family to worry about. Kids. Your big brother’s gonna be just fine.” She returns his statement with a snort of disbelief of her own, and he had to admit it wasn’t unfounded. Any further arguments on this topic are interrupted however by a sudden buzzing that seems to catch the both of them off guard, and it was slightly longer than he would like to admit that it was the sound of a text message being sent to a phone. Mindlessly, Trent opened the messages section of the phone, scanning whatever was sent silently and unmoving as if he had been frozen in place by the words on the screen before tucking it back into his pocket and strides over towards his sister.
“I forgot to mention, but I gotta go out of town for a few days. Can we continue this argument later?”
She opened her mouth as if she wanted to object once again, or at least question what it was on the phone that was causing him to suddenly leave but as if he sensed either of these conversations about to take place, Trent placed a hand onto one of her shoulders and have it a soft and what he hoped was a somewhat reassuring squeeze.
“Everything’s gonna be okay Liz, honest. I’ll swing back by in a few days to see you and the kid and we can talk about everything then. Trust in me.”
If Liz was going to argue she was caught off guard by the sudden role shift here that she decided against it, finally giving a simple silent nod of agreement. With a small smile and another shoulder squeeze the man named Trent turned and started for the door, pausing only momentarily in the doorway to open his phone back up and scrolling down a few contacts until stopping, typing a short message based on the number of beeps and clicks heard and then hurrying out the door.
‘Something’s come up. Wanna make a quick 20 bucks?”
***
“Listen. You’re my boy but I can’t let this slide, this is messed up.”
Calling him had been a bad idea. Full of them lately, so why this was a surprise Trent honestly was unable to explain but as Moses, a longtime friend and go-to whenever you needed a late night helping hand and had nobody else to turn to stood before him on the overpass, staring in mock horror at the blocky camcorder he was now holding in his hands, Trent couldn’t help but feel it would have been better to just hire one of the kids smoking weed in the nearby park to help him instead. “My dog it’s 2023, whats this grandma-ass bullshit you’re pulling out?”
“It was a last-minute call, give me a break.” Mildly irritated, to say the least, Trent brushed dreadlocks out of view before he turned to face the overpass, staring at cars zipping by down below. “It’s not like I’m asking you to drive me to fucking Louisiana, alright? Will you just help me with this without busting my balls too much tonight, please?”
Scowling slightly as the chuckling that was happening behind him, Trent turned back around and focused on the cars that continued to zoom along the road beneath the overpass and the dull humming that was coming from the streetlight overhead until he heard a countdown and a soft *click* that signaled that a record button had finally been pushed. Raising his head slightly so he was gazing out towards the horizon instead of the streets below, Trent remained silent for a moment until finally-
“It’s currently 12:15 on a Wednesday morning here in Baltimore. Seeing as I have a…’ job interview’ of sorts, this Friday most people you think would be sleeping, or packing, making travel plans to get across the country. But see, the longer I keep things to myself the more I let thoughts bubble up so I figured let me come out here, talk to ya, get a few things off my chest.”
Trent finally turns around at this and leans back slightly so he was against the chain fence that blocked off the overpass from the street below and tilted his head upward as if he was studying the night sky for a moment before speaking once again. “It occurs to me that we’re facing off this Friday but you may not know a lot about me man, so let me take you on a little bit of a brief history lesson. May 16th, 2016 to a lot of people it may just be another random day from many years ago but for me, it’s a special date. Y’see because that was the day I first stepped into a wrestling ring in front of people who were paying to see me fight so Landerson, man: the point is you’re not facing a guy who’s got no training looking to fluke his way into a win. I’ve dedicated the past seven years to this beautiful sport. This is not just a match for me, alright?! This is a…”
He trails off momentarily, stroking his beard absentmindedly under the dull yellow shine of the street light and sighs. “I’m not here just to run you down, Landerson. See. I’ve done my homework on you ever since I got the phone call telling me I was being given a spot, you’re a hell of an athlete man. There are things that you can do that the average person would sell their soul to the devil down the road to be able to pull off. Not for a second am I here to try and take away from the athletic gifts that you possess. The thing I will slam you on, though…”
There was another should pause as Trent seemed to suck on the inside of his cheek thoughtfully, searching for words inside his brain for once instead of just blurting them out like a madman. “The world is a dark place when we stop to think about things, wouldn’t you agree? People lie, people steal, cheat, stab each other in the back, all of this horrid shit yeah, and it seems like people need someone who will…point them in a direction. Tell them what they need to hear instead of what they want to hear, be a guiding light of sorts. And the problem I have with you, Landerson is that you portray yourself as this bighearted baby-kissing handshaking hero when in actuality you are nothing but a liar!”
His voice had raised in volume by the end of that statement and there was a point where it even seems to have caught himself off guard at how heated he had gotten because after another pointed pause Trent gives a soft chuckle and holds his arms out, palms up in the universal sign of ‘what can I do?’ “I don’t say that to be antagonistic man. There is a part of you that knows this about yourself. After all, all you have to do is look at your recent track record man: You promised the people that you would beat Sebastian Hamilton for the Uprising championship…and you failed. Riot Act, once again you promised to beat Florida Man-” once again there was a momentary pause and a small shake of the head, seemingly it was hard to wrap his head around the name ‘Florida Man’ as a competitor- “and at Riot Act what happened? You failed. And this is just recent history, you know what I'm sayin? If we dug any further I'm sure it'd be more of the same but I've never been one to kick a man when he's down."”
Stepping forward towards the camera until the only thing that was visible in the frame was a shaggy head, Trent glances around at the mostly empty streets and again sweeps his hand through his dreadlocks. “But that’s alright, man. See as I said most people, truth be told: they’re sheep. Not sure how to lead themselves so they need someone to tell them what the right thing to do is. And Friday, in Lake Charles, Louisiana; Combat will get the first glimpse at the man who will be their guiding light. Whether they want to accept that or not.”
“My name…is Trent Darby. I am the last honest man in all of pro wrestling so you can believe me when I tell you that whatever happens Friday…it ain’t personal, man. It’s simply a necessity.”
With that, Trent steps off camera and when he is fairly sure he’s out of view makes a ‘cut’ signal with his hand. Sighing one last time now that he was done as his friend and camera operator flashed a thumbs up to signal that everything was good on his end, Trent nudged the other man with his shoulder and began the slow walk down the street a little ahead of him.
“Let’s go grab somethin to eat. I’m too fuckin wound up for my own good.”
It was a long way to Louisiana from Baltimore, but nobody ever said the right path was a short one.
Google docs clocks it at just over 1800 Not the best rp I'll ever do, but I have to admit about being out for a while it's kinda nice being back in this game. Onward and upward =]
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Post by El landerson on May 12, 2023 9:31:28 GMT
[When landerson has his hands onto his waist his Wife and Daughter step foot into the plate while Ally Anderson stops him]
Ally Anderson: landerson. last Friday on Combat you lost to an newcomer Florida man. which is why you will compete in a match next week against Trent Darby. any suggestions Mr El
Bit Luchador|landerson: ever since I lost my match to Florida man. I didn't know what came over me but instead I looked at the new card and I was schedule for a fight against Trent Darby. right here next week on Friday night Combat.
Ally Anderson: and did you find out who locked you inside of that backstage door two weeks ago on Friday night Combat.
Bit Luchador|landerson: actually no but I will find out sooner or later but right now I have to stay focused on Trent Darby. next week cause if i don't beat Trent Darby then I'll never get another title Opportunity from Sebastien Hamilton for his Uprising Championship at the next PPV event on IIW.
Ally Anderson: but can you handle Trent Darby. on Friday Combat
Bit Luchador|landerson: Trent Darby. maybe haven't fought me inside of the ring but I got news flash for him when humiliate him then Sebastien would have no choice but to defend his Uprising Championship against me inside of a Steel Cage at The PPV event after I settle the score with Trent Darby. next week on Friday night Combat.
Ally Anderson: can you even defeat Trent Darby. next Friday
Bit Luchador|landerosn: depends on the match cause if I don't win this next match then I mind as well just not face Sebastien for his Uprising Championship at the upcoming PPV for Friday night Combat and the only thing to do that is to get pass Trent Darby. next week on Combat to earn my title shot with Sebastien Hamilton on IIW.
Bit Luchador|landerson: So Trent Darby. I'll be seeing you next week and as for you Sebastien you may run Friday night Combat but wait until next Friday when I take out Trent Darby and earn myself a shot for your Uprising Champion at the PPV event when I beaten Trent Darby on Friday night Combat.
Bit Luchador|landerson: in it's the Six one nine!
(landerson and his Wife and Daughter signs out when Ally Anderson continues talking)
Ally Anderson: thanks for the support landerson. and good luck next Friday
Ally Anderson: we hope that landerson. can win his other match when he steps right back into the Combat ring and beat Trent Darby. on Friday night Combat at IIW.
[Camera fades when landerson and Angie n Aaliyah heads straight back to his locker room before Friday Combat begins next week]
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