Post by ttthet on Apr 7, 2021 22:33:17 GMT -5
Our scene starts at a local cafe in the heart of Egypt, the day before Proving Ground XIV. TJ Thompson and Emmanuelle sit across from each other, each with a cup of coffee. TJ looks confident and excited to talk strategy while Emmanuelle looks distant and unfocused.
TJ Thompson: So as I was saying, I really think crabs can secretly fly. Moving on...I guess we should talk about some strategy for our match! You know, I’m usually a tag team guy myself. But I’m always teaming with my boys from Big Drip Productions! This is a new experience for me but I think we can overcome our differences and get this fat dub! Please. It's been too long since I've gotten one.
Emmanuelle looks up from her coffee with a slightly confused look for a moment before realizing that TJ was talking to her and she slowly nods her head in understanding. She had seen TJ before but hadn’t really spent much time with him before this and in all honesty she didn’t really feel keen on teaming with him. This was very different from her teaming with Myojin. She had much more in common with him than TJ, but she had to be professional about it and at least give the guy a chance. She was just now starting to build momentum again and definitely wanted to keep it going.
Emmanuelle: I’m sorry. It’s just that I have this huge match that I have on my mind. I’ve worked hard to get this title that I have and to have a main event match on a stage...I’m definitely thinking about it. But you don’t care anything about that right now, do you? You’ve got your own burdens and own problems and you’re trying to get your mojo back. I know that this is an important match for you personally and I just want you to understand that I’m going to try my best to keep my focus on this match even though I’ve got a lot on my plate at the moment.
TJ Thompson: Yeah, I feel ya. You know, I haven't been on a very good run as of late. I've been losing a whole lotta matches ever since I dropped my Warrior Rising Championship! But there's no time but the present to turn the ship around! I'm a flexible guy. I can team with whoever. I'm just goated like that. And I'm about to make you goated too! The world needs to see how great the two of us are as a team. They need to see us at our peak, and with my help, they're about to! No need to thank me. I'm a humble man.
Emmanuelle: Riiiiiiight. Look, I’m glad that you’re “Goated” and I’m already goated so there’s no need to try to “Goat” anything. I know you’re eager to get yourself back on the winning foot so let’s just calm down just a little bit. I’ve been in some pretty odd tag teams myself and I’ve won almost all of them, so I’m more than qualified to team with. I don’t think a match on this level of the card is too much of a chance to show either of us at our peak though. It almost feels like I’m an afterthought in the minds of the people who make decisions around here….
TJ Thompson: I think you're extremely underrated! You haven't been very high on the card quite yet, and that's just not right. You're talented, strong, and you know how to win a match! Everything you could want in a main eventer! But don't worry, sis. I gotchu. After we dominate these fools, there's no way you'll be overlooked anymore! I'm gonna make you look like a star because you ARE a star! And hey, so am I! But I think we know that already, am I right? Of course, I am.
Emmanuelle: (Chuckles) Right, of course you’re a star. That’s one thing that I’ve been taught by my mentors: find common ground that you’re slated to work with. I do have to say that even though you’re a little weird to me, I can tell you’ve got the ambition. You’ve held some gold here, which is more than I can say so I obviously can’t dismiss you as some scrub, y’know? Now, this Cadillac guy I know about but…..Pat the Postman? Really?
TJ Thompson: Riiiiiight. I really think this could be the match to showcase our skills and elevate us above where we are right now! Our opponents seem like the kind of guys to make an example out of, you know? Not very big names like us. Not a lot to their reputation. So we gotta squash 'em! Really drive in the point that we're people to be respected! We can't just let these guys get anything on us. It looks bad. We gotta style on em. Dunk on em. Make the people know our names. And these are the guys to do it on! It'll be eaaaaaasy. Trust me!
Emmanuelle: Hmm, as much as I want to agree with you, we need to take this seriously. I already lost to Car Boy once and I’ll be damned to Hell before I add “Lost to a Mail Delivery guy” to my wrestling resume too.
TJ Thompson: Yeah! Some people might think we're underestimating them and I guess there's an argument for that. Maybe they have a few fans that have bad taste in wrestlers. But if anyone can prove them wrong, it's us! I know we ain't underestimating them. I'm sure they're okay. It's just that we're that good! And I'm ready to prove that shit!
Emmanuelle: Good, we’re on the same page, but now we need to get ourselves a little strategy together.
TJ Thompson: That's exactly what I got! You see, Pat is like seven feet tall. Kinda intimidating, not gonna lie. But I've faced him before and I made him my bitch! We gotta take out his kneecaps. They're like...up to our waists and made of paper! He's not really a good wrestler. The only thing he has is his size, and even that doesn't help him that much! He might look tough, but the man is ass. Whatcha got on good old Cadillac?
Emmanuelle: As I said earlier, I actually lost to him once before already. Myo and I beat him in a tag team match the next time out, but it wasn’t me beating him. He can still say that he got one over on me clean and I am very much annoyed by that. He’s much more athletic than you would think just looking at him or watching him talk. He’s a doofus, but he’s got some talent. (grins) In some ways he kinda reminds me of you...
TJ Thompson: I see! I see. I think I can handle him! Well...I think I can handle a lot of people, but this time I think I've actually got this! Trust me, when I'm done with him, he'll need Pat to carry him out! Alright. That's a bit far. I'm not that violent. But I can at least pin him!
Emmanuelle: There’s no need for that. If you want to put something on Pat the Postman that’s fine, but Caddy Boy is my collar if it comes down to it, if you don’t mind. I want to make our personal score even...if it’s all the same to you of course.
TJ Thompson: Yeah, I don't really care. Do what you gotta do, homie! I've got nothing against either of these guys, they just happen to be in between me and a W! Do what you want! Settle your score! As long as we're winning and working together, it's all great! I've got no beef with Pat, really. I've already beaten him clean, dead center of the ring so there's nothing else I need to do! I can knock him out again.
Emmanuelle chuckles at his claim but doesn't say anything, sipping her coffee as he continues.
TJ Thompson: But hey, beef or no beef, I know we got this one handled! As long as we stick to the plan and help each other out, I can't see us losing! Caddy and Patty better watch out!
Our scene fades to black as TJ and Emmanuelle walk out of the cafe.
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The scene opens back to reveal TJ Thompson with a camera, filming himself vlog style. The perspective switches to the camera that TJ is holding.
TJ Thompson: Ayo! It's your boy! TJ Thompson, back with yet another segment where I talk shit about the poor souls placed in front of me this Friday at Proving Ground. And when I mean poor, I really do feel bad for them. I do. They won't know what hit them when Emmy and I knock their socks off! That's right, she said I could call her Emmy! WOOOOO!!! But first, I guess I gotta talk about the events that went down at the last show. I know y'all are wondering what's on my mind! And if you're not, I'm gonna tell you anyway! I'm a nice guy like that. Well...the last Proving Ground was not good. Not very good at all! First, I had to prepare my homies for their title shot...which didn't go that well. And then I had to wrestle a match on my own! Which...didn't go well either. Fuck. Damn it. On the tuff scale, that's like...a 7.69. But on the bright side, I didn't eat the pin! Let's go! Normally that's not something I should be celebrating that much, but listen. I've been having a rough go of things as of late. A VERY rough go. Life is suffering. So I gotta take the small wins when they come! Because the big wins simply do not exist. Sigh. But I'm a guy that likes to look at the glass as half full. So I'm optimistic that the big wins are coming up soon! Please. My heart can't take any more of this.
TJ's face goes solemn for a second before returning to his usual happy demeanor.
TJ Thompson: But heeeeeeeeyyy, speaking of that, I've gotta chance at a big win this Friday with my homegirl Emmy! Like I said in our little conversation, I'm usually teaming up with the Big Drip boys. We know each other well. We're a great team! But sometimes you're teaming with someone you don't know. Someone you're not familiar with. But that's okay! Because I just hit the random tag team partner lottery! Poor Caddy got stuck with Pat! Take a close look at Emmanuelle and tell me you don't see a star! Tell me you don't see a future world champion! She's got it all! Charisma, speed, and great wrestling ability! The whole damn package! And right next to her is me! I don't need any introduction. I hope everyone is as familiar with me as they are with their friends and family. The people know what I'm made of. The people know I'm a certified goat. So Pat and Cadillac better watch the fuck out! They won't know what hit em when the Emmy and TJ connection pins one of them for the one-two-three!
TJ flashes the camera another goofy grin.
TJ Thompson: But speaking of those opponents, I've got a little history with one guy named Postman Pat! Back when I had my championship...pain...he was one of my challengers! At first, I was kinda intimidated. He's a seven foot tall monster! But once I was in the ring with him, I realized he sucked at wrestling. Boy, was I relieved! And not gonna lie, I can't see this going any different. Sure, he has a partner that I'll get to later, but I don't think anyone can carry that trash ass! He's heavy. Very heavy. He needs a forklift. Maybe a plane. But hey, Pat! How've you been? How's the family? Good? Still delivering mail? I hope so. I don't know if this whole wrestling thing is really working out for ya. But here we are, meeting up in the ring again! I hope you're ready, because I sure am. I'm ready to beat that ass for the second time in a row! Unlike Emmy who has a whole beef thing with Cadillac, I've got nothing to prove against you! I know I'm the better man! I know I'm superior! I'm just facing you again for some reason! But hey Pat, tell me this. Remember the last time you saw me? It was way back at The Crowning. You tried to hang with the Hipbeast and got sent to the mat! Over and over again. Until I pinned you. Ready for it to happen again?!? Great! Get your mailbag ready, because when we beat that ass, you're gonna be back to delivering papers, boy!
TJ fist bumps himself after that sick burn.
TJ Thompson: But I can't forget about Pat's partner. Good old Cadillac Jackson! Emmy said that I kinda remind her of the guy. I don't know if that's a complement or what, but I'll sure take it! But let's be honest here. Let's speak some facts. Really, I'm way better than him! Sure, I've never met him. Sure, I don't know who he is. But I'm sure I'm superior! He's just a copycat of ME!!! So Caddy. Hi! How's it going! I'm sure you're going into this match feeling good. You're teaming up with a giant! You're going against someone you beat before! But hey, you haven't beaten me! And trust me. Not a lot of people have. Uhh...yeah. Let's say that. But really, I'm not a guy to be underestimated. I can make people beg for mercy that I usually give to them! I'm a former champ in this place! And if you're anything like me, I'm sure you're taking me lightly. Whatever. I guess you'll learn! I'm sure you're more focused on my tag team partner, but don't forget about me. I can sneak up on you. I can get you when you least expect it. So watch the fuck out!
TJ takes a deep breath as he prepares to wrap it up.
TJ Thompson: This is a chance to turn the Hip Train around! This is a chance to get some momentum on my side! I can't see any way this can even go wrong. I've got a great partner on my side. I'm facing someone that I've beaten before easily! This is ours to lose! And if you ask me, I don't plan on losing one bit! Come on, peeps. You know the winner is obvious. Anyway, I got some TV to watch and some pizza to eat. TJ Thompson, signing off!
TJ waves goodbye and the camera fades to black for a moment before the picture shifts to Emmanuelle sitting alone in her hotel room, studying a little tourist’s trinket she picked up not far from the cafe where she and TJ met.
Egypt is one of the cradles of civilization, right? A place with so much history and amazing contributions to the world. It feels surreal to be here in this country. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m accustomed to traveling, it’s part of a pro wrestler’s life after all, but this just feels different. I’m certainly no Pharoah yet on Proving Ground, but I’m working my way to that point, sneakily building up some momentum. Got my first singles win last time out and now I have an opportunity to make it 2-for-2 with two different tag team partners at that. TJ and I are different in a lot of ways. He’s got his crew that he rolls with; I personally prefer to be solo when it comes to wrestling. Not that I can’t work well with others, of course, but someone like me craves a bit more spotlight and attention than being in a more traditional tag team or unit can give just one person. It is a bit strange to me that even after tapping out someone that has had a respected run here in Project Honor that I’m relegated to random tag teaming again, but maybe that’s to be expected.
I’m not going to run around screaming about how great I am because frankly you all have only seen bits and pieces of what Emmanuelle can actually do. Maybe that it’s because there have been some matches that I haven’t particularly been able to sink my teeth into. Maybe because of my schedule being a little heavier than I would like sometimes I haven’t given my best. Regardless, I’m very much rested now and very much prepared to make the lives of anyone standing across from me a living hell. I don’t want people to look at me and think that I’m not worthy, that I’m not willing to put in the work, that I’m willing to be looked at as an afterthought. Putting me in the ring with the giant mailman isn’t very convincing with regard to having positive plans for my future. I don’t care what he’s done or who he’s wrestled, I personally consider fighting him a waste of my God-given talent and if I have to break him down bit by fucking bit myself I will display why I think it’s such.
But I can’t say the same thing about you, can I, Car Boy? You and I have a little bit of history now. You won our singles match, me and Myo won our tag meeting. I don’t really have any contempt for you. Despite your dickhead persona and exceedingly annoying commercials and promotions, you’ve never uttered an ill word about me. It’s really hard to generate hatred or aggression towards someone who has been nice to you, but you’ve already beaten me once in the middle of the ring. You know what that means? Now I have to take you seriously, and now I have to pick you apart to progress. This is by no stretch of the imagination personal, Caddy. You’re a decent enough guy...but my friend you’re standing in the way of the wheels of progress and you and the mailman are about to get run the fuck over.
The beauty of team sports is that people from different backgrounds, different levels of ability and different skill sets can gel together. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things, you could say. We both have a common goal, a common vision, and the common determination to see it through. We will probably never be a full-time tag team. Hell, I don’t know if I’m going to even have coffee with the guy again in my life. One thing I do know, however, is that once that bell rings, his HIP TRAIN or whatever its called is going to be latched to the non-stopped one-way express that is the Platinum Standard. We’re not in the mood to play games and we’re certainly not willing to be overlooked any longer. We’re going to show the entire world why we are top-level and the guys that we are facing are just little kids playing Super Mario Bros for the first time stuck on the first level, completely clueless about what to do next.
It’s time that the world learns the one rule of life that matters: “Don’t Fuck With Emmanuelle.”