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Post by Sebastian Hamilton on May 6, 2023 7:14:21 GMT
Unfortunately it wasn’t Cyrus’ night again, against Sebastian Hamilton at Riot Act. Perhaps he can get some revenge against Florida Man who has made an impressive start to his Combat career so far and the former FNC Global Champion, Caleb Scott.
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Post by Caleb Scott on May 16, 2023 20:22:00 GMT
A Pontiac GTO is seen pulling up to a small house in the woods. The rumbling engine cuts off as the door opens and Caleb Scott steps out. A look of disappointment covers his face as he approaches the door but as he approaches his cabin, a sense of unease washes over him. The front door is ajar, and the unmistakable signs of a break-in are evident. Caleb's heart races as he cautiously pushes the door open and enters his sanctuary as the door creaks, prepared for any threat that may lie within. As Caleb makes his way through his home, he realizes the intruder has long since left. There is minimal damage, but enough evidence of someone being inside. A few things moved around but the worst part is the feeling of someone intruding in your space. "So this is what it has come to. I think I have an idea as to who decided to get themselves killed and enter my domain." Caleb continues to wander around his home, looking at everything for any possible concrete proof of who was there. His eyes narrow as he follows the trail of destruction, his footsteps echoing through the silent house. The intruder had not been subtle, leaving behind clear signs of their invasion. "The same people that cost me my match against Sean Raines. I may have technically won but the opportunity to inflict pain on another person was stolen from me. That leaves Cyrus Youngblood and the newcomer Florida Man to take the brunt of my pent up aggression. I have…"Caleb trails off as something catches his eye. In the living room wall, carved inconspicuously into the wooden wall, is a "14." "I knew it."Caleb approaches and looks closely at the carving, running his fingers over it before turning around. He scans the walls looking for something else. "That means…"Spotting something on the opposite wall, Caleb darts across the room to the wall and looks closely. Carved into this wall is a "3." Caleb's anger begins to boil over, his rage courses through his Veins like a wildfire until he snaps. Caleb grabs a wooden chair sitting at the table, lifts it over his head and smashes it to the floor, watching it break into pieces and scatter across the room. "So, Jack Tyde, you want to come into my sanctuary? The one place I can escape from all the bullshit in IIW. You have made the biggest mistake of your life and at the Burton Coliseum, Cyrus Youngblood and Florida Man will pay for your indiscretions. You will not get me to join your little cult by breaking into my home."Caleb stands in the room, breathing heavily with anger, before beginning to pace back and forth. "Florida Man, I would recommend you get yourself put in jail because if you make it to Lake Charles then your next stop won't be a small cell, but a hole deep in the ground. You come in and beat Landerson in your debut and then get put in a match with the former, first-ever, Global Champion. Whether you're from Florida or not, there is no conceivable world where you get the better of me. You will not be more brutal than me and you cannot be more violent than me. You're about to get a proper welcome to Combat and I will remind you and everyone else that this is my show. Tyde, Nightmare Court, Florida Man, not a damn person can stop my journey back to my Global Championship and I will send you right back to your little local promotion where you belong. You can even bring those clowns Ralphie and Poppins…that is, if they don't get themselves killed first trying to knock over a local Wawa. Oh, excuse me, that was Landerson though, right? I'll be shocked if you even make it to the ring."Caleb spots his chain-wrapped bat on the floor and walks over to it. Picking it up, the chains clanking against the metal plating underneath, Caleb stares at it with a burning rage in his eyes. He grips the handle of the bat until his knuckles turn white. "And Cyrus, after what happened at Riot Act, I know you hate Nightmare Court as much as I do. They sure did put the boots to you after Sebastain retained both titles. Not to mention Tyde clocked you with some brass knuckles the last time we faced off. Unfortunately, your life is only going to get harder. We may have a common enemy but don't think for a second that makes us anything. If you think I showed you what a sinner really is in our last match, after I brought you to your Final Resting Place and planted your shoulders on the mat for the three count, you're extremely mistaken. Our last match was just a warm up, a precursor to what is yet to come. Even though we both would love to get our hands on Nightmare Court, I ride alone and after I take you out for a second time, Nightmare Court will be next in line to feel the kind of brutality that I can dish out."Caleb, in a fit of anger, swings his bat with everything he has and lands directly on the carved number on the wall. After a few swings, he then walks furiously over to the other wall and does the same. By the time he is finished, both numbers have been beaten badly enough to not be noticeable, only broken pieces of wood remain. Caleb turns around and points his bat at the camera. "Lake Charles, Louisiana. Burton Coliseum. I am going to make both of you suffer. You can team up against me, Cyrus can bring Eden, bring his god, you can use whatever you want but nothing will make a difference because when that bell rings it will be me standing above Cyrus and Florida Man. They will be nothing but grotesque heaps of flesh left to rot and when Jack Tyde shows up, and we all know he will, I will make sure he knows exactly where I stand with him and his goons."Caleb storms across the room and whips open the front door. He stands in the doorway briefly and rests his bat on his shoulder before stepping forward onto the top step. The camera watches from inside as Caleb's silhouette rests in the doorway. Caleb looks to his left then his right, pausing as he is deep in thought. Acting as if he has just had an epiphany, through his face paint, Caleb slowly gets a wide grin on his face before stepping down a couple steps to the ground. "They took out Sean and stole an opportunity from me. That is not going to happen again. Florida Man and Cyrus Youngblood have come to their bitter ends."Caleb walks over to his GTO and gets in. He starts the car and puts it into gear. The tires spin and kick up dirt and rocks as Caleb tears down the path. The final shot showing him pull away as a ray of sun shoots down toward Caleb from the rising sun on the horizon. ___________________________________________
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Post by Florida Man on May 18, 2023 1:02:34 GMT
5/4… one day before the debut of Florida Man on Friday Night Combat
Arby Dillon sits in his bedroom shocked at what he’s seeing on the news. If you remember, him and his pal Ralphie were on their way to pick up a big lot of bootleg El Landerson masks to sell at future IIW Combat shows. But that all went south real quickly when Ralphie decided to stick up a gas station on the way. Being the hopelessly loyal friend he is, ol’ Arby put on one of the masks and went into help his friend who had just been shot and got himself identified. But the police aren’t suspecting Arby… yet.
Reporter (on TV): If you have any information about this crime or the whereabouts of this “El Landerson,” please reach out to the number below on your screen.
Arby snaps a photo of the number with his phone.
THIRTY-TWO MINUTES LATER Arby is rummaging through the toy section at the 24 Hour Walmart.
Arby (to himself): C’mon.. They’ve got to have something.
He makes his way to the toys in the bargain bin and it is there he finds the type of thing he’s looking for.
SEVENTEEN MINUTES LATER Arby approaches a decrepit payphone in front of a Checkers fast food restaurant. He lifts the phone up. Good, it works. Arby removes an item from his Walmart bag and attaches it to his face. It’s a toy Bane mask from The Dark Knight Rises.
Arby (distorted voice): Testing. Test. Perfect.
Arby picks up the phone and inserts a couple of coins into the slot. He nervously taps his foot as he punches in the phone number.
Operator: Nocatee Police Department.
Bane Arby: Well hello, officers of Nocatee! The man known as El Landerson is innocent! Hear my words, for they bear the truth!
Operator: Umm… this is the tip line for the Nocatee police department. Do you have any information on a crime?
Bane Arby: Crime? I call upon this tip line to proclaim the innocence of El Landerson! He’s not the perpetrator you seek, he is a mere pawn in this wicked game.
An annoyed sigh can be heard from the other end.
Operator: Sir, if you have information regarding a crime, I need you to provide details so we can investigate. Also, your voice sounds distorted. Can you please speak clearly?
Bane Arby: Very well, police lady. You should be aware that the true culprit, the shadow hiding in the dark, is someone else entirely. El Landerson is but a victim of circumstance, caught in the crossfire of fate.
Operator: Look, sir, if you have any credible information or evidence to support your claims, I urge you to come forward. We take all reports seriously, but this impersonation is not helpful.
Bane Arby: Impersonation? No, my dear police woman, I am the embodiment of justice. I am the bringer of truth, here to dispel the fog of confusion that has befallen the great state of Florida! Remember this: the innocence of El Landerson shall prevail.
Operator: Okay… I must insist that you provide your name and contact information if you want your claims to be considered. We cannot act solely based on an anonymous call from someone who might be pretending to be Bane from Batman.
Bane Arby: Names are of no importance. It's the message that carries weight. Remember, operator, the fire that rises in the hearts of the innocent cannot be extinguished. El Landerson shall be vindicated, for I, Arb… I mean Bane, have spoken!
Arby hangs up the phone and removes the mask.
Arby (to himself): I think that worked! I'd hate to not have an opponent for my big debut.
TWO WEEKS LATER Arby is packing a bag in his bedroom as he's gearing up to hit the road. He notices the El Landerson mask poking out from the bottom of the clothes pile. He grabs it and packs in away in his bag. He then sees the toy Bane mask and adds that to his travel belongings.
Some time passes to catch us up with Arby as he's behind the wheel on his way to his next Friday Night Combat match. He appears to be rehearsing for what he wants to say about his opponents.
Arby (to himself): Caleb Scott… I ain't scared of you. You might be a former Global Champion but that don't mean you're just gonna come out there and knock me around! And you might look creepy but you don't creep me out.
Arby exhales some air and nods his head.
Arby: Nah, this ain't working… hmm.
Arby pulls over on the side of the road and opens the trunk of his car.
CUT TO Arby back behind the wheel. He's wearing his bootleg El Landerson mask in tandem with the toy Bane voice changer.
Bane Arby: My friends! Prepare to witness my reckoning on Friday Night Combat where I shall face not one, but TWO opponents in the ring. But fear not, for I, the all powerful Florida Man welcomes such a daunting challenge!
Arby laughs to himself. He’s cracking himself up with the voice he’s doing.
Bane Arby: Caleb Scott! Ah, you think darkness is your ally. But you merely adopted the dark; I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but blinding! Caleb, you know pain and destruction all too well and you prefer to surround yourself with reminders of it as you lurk around among the dead and the decrepit! The pain and misery that you feel does not give you the right to inflict that pain on others, no no! In that ring, I will be the one that inflicts the pain and emerges victorious!
Arby snickers once more. He doesn’t know where this is all coming from but it’s fun to put on a mask and get lost in the identity of another.
Bane Arby: Caleb Scott, the inaugural Friday Night Combat Global Champion! A man who once held the prestigious title, but let it slip from his grasp. Caleb, you may have tasted glory in the past, but tonight, I will be the one to bury you in the depths of your own despair. The darkness that surrounds you will crumble before the light that shines within me. And then that brings me to one Cyrus Youngblood! Much like Caleb, Cyrus has let championship glory be taken away from him by a powerful force! Cyrus believes to his core that he is the next messiah but his beliefs are misguided. His glare is persuasive and charming but that’s just because those who choose to believe in him are among the uninitiated! Unfortunately for you, Cyrus and Caleb, I am among the initiated and I am going to walk away the victor in this battle on Friday Night Combat.
Arby is starting to have a hard time breathing through the two masks and is starting to pant.
Bane Arby: And I will do it all for you… the people.
The scene changes to the outside where Arby’s car zooms past a sign that says “Welcome to Louisiana. Beinvenue en Louisiane.” and then it fades to black.
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Post by Caleb Scott on May 18, 2023 1:27:30 GMT
The camera fades into a low shot of a set of train tracks surrounded by trees with the sun beginning to set off in the distance. The orange sky covering the area as a set of feet walk into frame from behind the camera. Caleb Scott finds himself walking down a desolate stretch of train tracks in the heart of Louisiana, his head down with his hands in his pockets. The rhythmic clanging of the nearby railroad signals served as a constant reminder of the impending clash he would soon face inside the wrestling ring. The camera catches up and follows beside Caleb. "Nightmare Court continues to pursue me and now they've gone as far as to take out Sean Raines so I couldn't have my No Disqualification match against him. They stole that from me. Tyde says I have an immense evil growing inside me…and he's right. Tyde decided to break into my home, in doing so he crossed a line but how do I proceed with his punishment?"The sun shines on Caleb as he continues down the track. The wind whispers through the tall grass along the tracks, and Caleb pauses for a moment, gazing into the distance. "That evil inside has been there my entire life but someone evil is never completely evil. Even someone like myself is capable of good. Good and evil has been a common theme in my life, it could be argued that I was the "good guy" when I broke free from Amon years ago. In this business, the lines of good and evil are often blurred."Continuing down the tracks, we all of a sudden hear a faint horn in the distance and the tracks begin to lightly rumble as a train approaches. "Am I good or bad for what I'm about to do to Florida Man and Cyrus? They're an obstacle on my way back to the Global Championship so I must take them out but at what point is the line crossed? Do I walk in, beat them and leave or do I send a message to everyone and make an example out of them? Would anyone even care if I was overly brutal to a religious nut and an out of control child? Do I continue to surrender to my darkness and allow it to maintain control or do I push back? The older I get, the more I feel a pull in another direction."Caleb glances at each side of the tracks as he ponders both sides. The bottom of the sun now touches the horizon as dusk begins to creep in to usher another night upon us. "I remain conflicted on the inside as I enter this match against Cyrus and Arby but one thing that will always remain is my need to get back what was stolen from me. With Dayspring out of the way now, maybe I can use that to my advantage. The Global Championship has given me purpose beyond causing pain to everyone. In Louisiana I will advance my campaign back to the Global Championship but what route do I take?"Far behind Caleb, the light from the train becomes visible as it tears down the track. The sun continues to drop as it does. "I will move past Cyrus and push him further down the roster into obscurity and put Arby in his place, I'm sure the Lake Charles police will be standing by to throw that dolt in a cell after he loses to the Granite City Sadist. Then, after that, my focus switches to Tyde. He will be dealt with, he will know where I stand."Each step Caleb takes brings him closer to Burton Coliseum and each second brings the train closer to him. He doesn't flinch as he hears the train's horn blowing behind him.
"My journey back to the Global Championship isn't my only journey. I can't help but come back to that tug at my shoulder, that figure on my other shoulder telling me something different. Can I even change at this point? I guess we'll see what I end up doing to Cyrus and the man from Florida tonight and maybe everyone will get an answer."The train barrels toward Caleb and he stays on the tracks. Walking as if in complete silence with no chaos rapidly approaching. The wind from the speeding train blows around the trees as it approaches closer to Caleb. "The left or right side, right or wrong, good or evil. Life is nothing but wondering whether you're doing what you're supposed to be doing. I've always believed my darkness was who I am…but maybe I've been wrong."The train rushes behind Caleb, merely seconds away as Caleb contemplates his choices and future. He looks to both sides of the tracks, the light of the train speeding closer by the second. "A decision must be made…"The train then speeds by the camera with such force it shakes the view and we don't see whether Caleb made it off the tracks or not. As the train passes and continues into the distance, the area is absent of any sign of Caleb as the sun dips below the horizon and the camera cuts to black. ________________________________________________
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