Pride

[Corey Black]

Pride Envy Wrath Gluttony Lust Sloth Greed
The Seven Deadly Sins


Chapter 2: "@@@" - Adrian Augustus Archer - "Triple A"

Nikki Venus
Now, don't freak out..

We open to Nikki leading Corey Black down a busy street in downtown Philadelphia. It's a few hours before the second round of the first WCF Deathmatch Tournament begins, but that's not exactly the focus right now. The pair round a corner and Corey stops in his tracks. His eyes fix at an angle upward toward the sky, his fists clench and sweat begins forming at his brow. He grits his teeth, trying with all his might not to shout in anger.

Nikki Venus
I said don't freak out.. yet.

Well, too late for that. Corey immediately turns to walk the opposite direction.

Nikki Venus
Oh come on, don't be like that. After you fry Triple A tonight, you'll have three notches in your belt and you'll be able to talk to me again. Just come back.

Black is having none of it. Corey's already almost an entire block down the street. Nikki runs after him, putting her arm around The Jomsviking. She smiles out the corner of her mouth.

Nikki Venus
Is it happening?

Corey stops. Nikki's eyes light up, but then Black looks right into those blues.

Nikki Venus
Not yet. Good. We don't need that mess on our hands just yet. You probably won't need that mess either way. The first few rounds are for you. You need these to prove to those new chumps that you're still the fuckin' man.

Continuing back on his way, Corey bumps into Nikki and spins her to face the same direction - rather aggressively. Nikki smiles out the side of her mouth once again, grasping onto Corey's arm and walking side by side with him down the sidewalk.

---

Later, in the famed 2300 Arena, fans are piling in to watch the carnage. Pieces of the steel cage lay where Corey Black and Nikki Venus stand, the enclosure will be used twice tonight. Corey is already dressed for combat in his all black attire and leather vest. A stagehand walks over and speaks in Corey's ear, he nods and walks with him, taking Nikki by the hand. They are led to a lit up WCFWrestling.com banner, a camera in front of it. Corey takes his place beside his manager, and she begins speaking.

Nikki Venus
Underestimate you and he'll be purged, you say - ON TWITTER no less, Adrian?. I don't think you understand what your role in all of this is. You're part of the problem, not the answer. You came into this company same as all the rest, with a big ol' chip on your shoulder. Problem is, you've been out of the game 15 years. Do you know what Corey Black was doing the last 15 years while you traded stocks? He was destroying men like Oblivion and Adam Young with his hands tied behind his back. Your greatest achievement in WCF so far is beating old, broken down dinosaurs and forming a tag-team. Is that supposed to give you leeway to call me out on Twitter? Like you're even in any position to reference me even in passing? Please. The dinosaur put in front of you is unlike any of the ones you've battled before. He's faster. He's younger - than you, even, Adrian. He's been in battles far more dangerous than you could dream of. And he's coming for your bones tonight.

You're exactly the same as every other newcomer into WCF since 2004. "Rah rah rah, the old guard's time is up, blah blah blah, we are the now!" Here's the thing, doofus, the old guard has been the old guard since 2002. Nobody has ever been able to take Corey Black out in 15 years. The entire time you weren't wrestling, someone was trying to take Corey's spot. And you? You're absolutely not going to be the one to do it. Not in the Deathmatch Tournament, not in a singles match, not in a tag match, shit, I bet you couldn't even beat Corey in Street Fighter 2. You THINK you can, though, and that's what lands you in hot water. You are boastful, a brash asshole that hasn't proven himself worthy of anything beyond a beat down. Do you really think you're going to steamroll the competition? You stand up to The Jomsviking and The Nordic Tank with your chest puffed out only to get it caved in. Do yourself a favor and learn from your lashings in this tournament.

The opinion you have is exactly why Corey isn't communication with anyone. He hasn't said a word since he dropped Vic Viceroy on his head the first time, and he'll be the silent new blood assassin he has been since then until the day this new crop of talent realizes the mistakes they've made. The Purge is a perfect place to pick up after destroying Viceroy. You're going to be locked inside an electrified steel cage with a man you've wronged, Adrian. You've wronged him and you've wronged me. In what way did you think that would be a good idea? You didn't think, did you.. you let your pride cloud your own judgement. Everywhere you've gone, everything you've done, you've succeeded. Your pride proceeds you. It's in the way you exist. Every little thing you do. You project the aura of thinking you're better than everyone. You're the superior wrestler, more important that anyone else.

You walk and talk like a God. Like everyone is supposed to bow at your feet and you're the second coming. Pride is a tool for some, a weapon for others. You ATTEMPT to use it as a weapon. You're selfish in a time when we should be the least. The desires in your heart take precedent. Wrestling is your love, and you'd do anything to continue it, yet the ones that carved your path are - for some reason - your prime targets. You've created your own church, The Purge, as a way to convert others into believing your own ideology. Some would say you're the very worst person in this tournament, even more so than Adam Young - the devil himself. Nobody likes a guy that thinks the world of himself when he hasn't earned it. Look back on the last few years of Corey Black's career. Almost everything he did was for the men he fought with in Pantheon. To help them achieve greatness and take over as the pillars of WCF. Jonny Fly, Polar Phantasm, Jeff Purse - these are men that did not let their pride lead them astray.

It will be Corey Black's honor to shock some sense into your body. The Purge lived for two days. May it rest, fully cooked, in peace.

This is the most dangerous man in the company, bar none. You look at his track record and you'll find out exactly what he is capable of.

But you're too good to do that. You don't need to do your homework, you're the prideful Triple A!

Instead, you'll have to learn first hand.

The old guard will never be overthrown.

For the old guard will be King of the Deathmatch.

Corey brings his elbow up into frame and Nikki places her hand on it, confident her man will destroy Triple A tonight and finally break his vow of silence tomorrow.