Post by Deleted on Aug 21, 2011 5:30:08 GMT -5
{{A dense fog fills the air. Murky, unfiltered fog so far as the eye can see. This fog is symbolic of modern America and an uncertain future. This fog is also symbolic of the WCF's uncertain future. Speculation is running rampant about what will happen to WCF after Monday night's Revenge pay-per-view extravaganza has cleared the airwaves. None of that speculation and its related questions will be answered today, not here in this promo, yet even during uncertain times there is work that must be done. It is work that must be done because competitors who are wrought from American steel and iron balls have made a commitment to excellence.
Within a matter of moments the fog of uncertainty is lifted and a clear blue sky is now visible, illuminated by the bright sun of summertime. Our ears can hear the melodic chirping of busy birds, both big and small with voices booming and timid. Our vision is gradually cast downward and we spy with our eyes the green, leafy crest of what appears to be a very formidable tree. This ain't a tree that you put in your living room to celebrate Christmas. This is a grown man's tree, the kind of tree that would destroy said home with its immense branches and behemoth trunk should it decide to collapse one of these days. We trace the branches at the very top of the tree with our eyes and gradually move downward with our line of vision. We view the patterns that have formed along the trunk of the tree as the result of striations in the bark. As our eyes move down the trunk of the tree our overall view zooms out and we gain a total perspective of this colossal tree. We see that it must stand at least one hundred feet tall if it stands an inch, and yet our eyes have not even reached the very foot of this tree that stands so beautiful, majestic and free.
As we are taking in this wondrous display of nature in all of its splendor, we hear a male voice call out. A familiar voice to many of those who have been watching WCF promos in recent months...}}
Phillip Baines: "Give us freedom. Give us will. Oh Father, give prosperity for all good people who follow the righteous path."
{{This is indeed the strong, unwavering voice of WCF's reigning Hardcore Champion, Phillip Baines. The man is an atheist yet his words seem to form the basis of a prayer to a higher power, an unseen force who nestles us all in its protecting bosom. Has Baines lost his mind in the wake of recent events in WCF and the world at large? This is not clear but what is clear, as we now see the visual of Baines for the first time in this promo, is that Baines is a man who has been working hard this morning. Baines has sweat and dirt on his brow as he rests upon the trunk of that enormous tree with his head and back, stretching his legs out in front of him. Baines is wearing a soiled button-up short. His sleeves are rolled up and the top few buttons of the shirt are undone, revealing the extent of his heaving man-bosom. Baines may not possess the alluring feminine charms of his upcoming opponent, Ms. Kaylyn James Evans, but he is certainly giving Kaylyn so much a run for her money as any young man can.
Baines's shirt is a similar shade of green to the leaves of the tree that he is resting upon, though the brown shade of the soil that has stained his shirt gives it an earthy feel. Baines is also wearing black jeans and boots to complete the ensemble. Baines has his eyes closed as he rests against the tree. Ever so suddenly he cricks his head to the left and then the right, accompanied by the sound of bones popping into place. Baines's face shows no hint of emotion. Not a smile, not a frown, not a hint of happiness nor anger. Suddenly he opens his eyes, those beaming blue eyes that could light a theatrical stage with their sheer liveliness. His jawline permeates a sly smile, a knowing smile, a world weary smile.}}
Phil: "Am I supposed to be Chicken Little and proclaim that indeed the sky is falling? Is that what WCF's resident boss man expects me to do? How about it, Creeping Death? What's your pleasure and what's your game? Does it tickle you pink to threaten the livelihoods of the men and women who have referred to the Wrestling Championship Federation as their place of employment for months and even years? With the American economy continuing to limp along I would have thought that Mr. Death would be proud to refer to WCF as a shining beacon of American entrepreneurship. I guess this was just not to be. It was doomed to failure, and not because of a flawed business model, but because of CD's own insecurities. Yes, I am attacking you on a personal level, Creeps, because I see a man who is afraid to lead WCF through uncertain times. I see a man who feels threatened by the irrefutable force of the Alliance, a group so powerful that it has risen from the ashes of the 'old WCF' like the Phoenix of ancient folklore."
{{Baines cricks his head again, but this time he's not cracking his neck. No, no... this time Baines is shaking his head in disgust.}}
Phil: "When I look at Creeping Death today I see nothing of the man that he used to be. I see a defeated man, a broken man, a coward. Am I supposed to be devastated that you've decided to pull the rug out from under the collective feet of myself and my WCF co-workers? To be honest, I am devastated, to an extent. I guess that's the power that you wield over all of us, Creeps. I guess it's the power that you have to deprive us of something that we really and truly care about, something that we bleed for. Is that what you were going for, Creeps? If so, then congratulations."
{{Baines claps his massive hands together with a thunderous rancor, in a slow and sarcastic fashion, as the expression on his face would indicate to the viewers at home.}}
Phil: "You could never beat me in the ring, CD, but in some perverse way you have gained a psychological victory over me. I would call it a moral victory, but there's nothing moral about it. Your actions are as immoral as the actions of any D.C. politician."
{{Baines grits his teeth, sucks in a deep breath through his nose and then lets out a burdened sigh.}}
Phil: "Troubled as I am by your revelation, Creeps, I cannot allow it to distract me from the task at hand. I will be facing two opponents at Revenge who are most deserving of my complete focus. I must be head strong, strong like the bison. For all I know you're playing games and trying to get inside my head, Odin's head, the collective heads of the Alliance. Hell, for all I know you've lost your mind once and for all. After all, you've got how many different personalities? You might wake up on Tuesday morning in the emergency room that Odin's going to send you to and realize that you've made a horrible mistake by shutting down WCF. Whatever kind of trip you're on, CD, I cannot let it affect my mindstate heading into Revenge. That's why I'm here in the great wide open. The fresh country air is good for me."
{{Baines smiles wide and eager as he gazes out upon his surroundings. We cannot see what he sees, but the reaction on his face tells us that he must be looking at something beautiful, the kind of picturesque scene that would inspire America's finest master painters.}}
Phil: "Even before Creeping Death's announcement I had been feeling rather introspective lately. I've been looking deep within myself and thinking about who I am, what I represent, and the path that I've taken to reach this point in my life and career. I can state for the record that there are two times in which I've compromised my principles here in WCF. The first time occurred at XIII, which ironically took place at Des Moines, Iowa, the host city of Revenge. Back in May at the spectacle that is XIII, I killed a man. I killed Greenfever in the middle of the ring at Water Works Park. I've never felt good about that. I've never made peace with it. It can be said that my life was in danger that night because Greenfever was certainly trying to kill me, but I never should have accepted the terms of that match. I never should have stepped into the ring for a match that stipulated that one of the competitors must die. That's not an act of self-defense, that's an act of homicide."
{{Baines hangs his head in sadness and in shame. The sadness and guilt permeate his being, like the ghostly spirit of a man who haplessly haunts an old estate because he can't move on to the next world. The shame and the guilt won't let him move on. They cling to him like static.}}
Phil: "The other moment that I regret, a moment in time during which I compromised my principles, was when I attacked D-Day on Slam last month. I'm sure that many of you remember it. Day and Kaylyn had teamed up to face the duo of Odin and Oblivion in a huge tag team main event match on Slam, a preview of the Ultimate Showdown match that was to take place the following week. That was the night that I strolled down to the ring, bashed Obi's head in with the WCF World Championship and proceeded to whomp the shit out of D-Day. I bled Day like a stuck pig that night. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I might have killed D-Day that night if not for the intervention of Bobby Cairo. It's not that I was unjustified in attacking D-Day. It's that... attacking another man from behind isn't the Phillip Baines way and it never should be."
{{Baines nods his head in hearty agreement with the statement that he just made.}}
Phil: "In that moment I felt betrayed because D-Day had, in my eyes, turned his back on our friendship by agreeing to be Oblivion's mystery partner on Slam one week earlier against Buzzsaw Bundy and I. D-Day was the last man that I ever expected to team with Oblivion, the last man that I ever expected to upstage me and align himself with my arch-rival. I still remember the way that Day waddled down to the ring that night in the Hot Dog Mascot's costume to the laughter of the crowd in the WCF Arena. Then he unmasked himself and the crowd exploded with cheers. I nearly died in shock. Sure, Buzzsaw and I fought valiantly that night but it was not enough to overcome the swerve that had been perpetrated upon us. That match represents my one and only defeat in a WCF ring and you can better believe that I was filled with rage the following week when I attacked D-Day. My rage turned to wrath and unleashed itself upon the then-reigning WCF World Champion, much as my pride had caused me to accept a fight to the death against Greenfever at XIII."
{{Baines breathes another burdened sigh that falls hot and heavy upon our ears, much the same way that a sweltering summer heat smothers the pores of our skin.}}
Phil: "The funny thing is that I've had so much on my mind since joining the Alliance that I've barely thought much about my run-ins with D-Day in recent weeks. It wasn't until I was booked to face him in the Title Unification Bout that will take place at Revenge that I allowed my mind to wander down memory lane. For me the night D-Day 'betrayed' me really doesn't mean anything anymore. It's not a big deal for me, but I suspect that D-Day has a much different perspective. I was mad about it for a few weeks, but I got over it. However, the benefit of hindsight tells us that for D-Day that night was the tipping point. It started the Deruty/Baines rivalry in motion and it planted the seeds for D-Day's demise. It signaled the beginning of his downward trajectory. After all when I attacked D-Day that night on Slam to gain my revenge, what happened? Well, he dropped the WCF World Championship one week later at Ultimate Showdown. I don't take anything away from Odin's victory over Day because the man is obviously a beast, but D-Day himself blamed my attack against him on Slam for costing him the championship at Ultimate Showdown."
{{Baines raises his brow, shrugs his broad shoulders and then drops his arms straight down to his sides.}}
Phil: "As much credit as Odin deserves, I guess it can be said that I'm the man who truly brought D-Day's fabled fairytale to a screeching halt. WCF's American Hero was brought to his knees by WCF's Antihero. I'm not proud of it, my old friend Donald, but the facts speak for themselves and they speak loudly and clearly through my mouth. Much like the reports that WCF will be shuttering its doors on Monday night, there are also reports that you, D-Day, are considering hanging up the old cape. I'm not sure what to say about that. I'm not sure whether to take it seriously or dismiss it as internet rumor-mongering. I do know, for a fact, that Monday night's Revenge pay-per-view is an aptly named spectacle for a showdown between two men who have held a litany of animosity toward each other. If this is our final showdown inside of a WCF ring then I know that you're going to be like a wounded animal in that ring on Monday night. I know that you've got a sour taste in your mouth. I know that your pride is hurting the same way that mine was hurting after you and Obi beat Buzzsaw and I all those weeks ago on the Fourth of July Slam. I know that you don't want to go out on a losing note, in spite of, or should I say because of the losing streak that you've been on."
{{Baines cradles one of his large, exceedingly masculine hands inside the palm of his other hand and cracks the knuckles on that hand into place. The loud, cracking sounds that this produces are well within the expected proportion for a man his size. Baines switches hands and repeats the exercise, cracking the knuckles on that hand as well. The look in Baines's blue eyes is fierce and focused.}}
Phil: "I am not sorry to say, Day, that I will be doing everything within my power to close the doors on your career in one way or another on Monday night. Whether you're retiring under your own power, whether you're retiring because WCF as a whole is being retired by Creeping Death, or whether I'm just going to have to take it upon myself to retire you against your and everyone else's will, one way or another you're wrestling your last match on Monday night. That's not all, Donald. You will be returning home with your tail tucked between your legs in pain, humiliation and defeat. I'm a sentimental man in many ways, but when it comes to competition I do not back down. Prod me with a stick like a caged animal and I will grab that stick from your hands and shove it up your ass. Then I'll bust through the cage, pick you upside down and seven-twenty powerbomb you through the nearest table. It ain't an animosity thing, D-Day. It ain't a rage thing. It ain't a wrath thing. It ain't a pride thing. This is about competition, plain and simple. You are the man who has been placed in front of me at Revenge and as such I must destroy you. It's that simple. In light of this reality I cannot offer you my friendship, D-Day, but if nothing else you can take solace that I've told you the truth. The man who will defeat you on Monday night is an honest man, a man of integrity... a better man than you."
{{Baines emphatically nods his head in affirmation of his words.}}
Phil: "Yes, indeed. D-Day is the man who stands before me on Monday night, but of course he is not my only opponent in the match that will crown the first and perhaps last and only WCF Triple Crown Champion. As eager as I am to rip D-Day's head off at the shoulder, in the name of competition not spite, I cannot muster those same feelings toward Kaylyn James Evans. In fact Ms. Kaylyn leaves me feeling quite conflicted. I'm sure that I'm not the first man that she's done that to. Hell, we all saw how she fucked up Tommy Knoxville and Steve Thunder's careers after they fell for her charms. We all saw how she ended Jason Kash's long reign as TV Champion. We all saw how she defeated my Alliance teammate Ryan Blake to regain that championship last Monday on Slam. You can certainly take care of yourself as well as any man, Kaylyn. Although you and I have never had direct contact with each other, I have admired you from afar from the first moment that you set your dainty, Reebok-clad feet inside of a WCF ring. You're a special lady, Kaylyn. There's no denying that. You are certainly worthy of being in Monday night's unification match. You are a worthy adversary, a worthy challenger for such a prestigious championship."
{{Baines licks his lips and brushes some of the sweat and dirt from his face and shirt, as if tidying himself up for Kaylyn.}}
Phil: "You and I might not agree on much, Kaylyn, including whether Creeping Death is a slimy, sleazy piece of shit, but there's no doubt that you have defeated many top superstars in this company and earned your spot as a main event talent. You've shattered the dreams of many-a-man and even one woman, in Aubrey Summers's case. The problem for you, Kaylyn, is that regardless of whether I want to physically and mentally impale you with the power of my groin on Monday night, I know that I must destroy you the same way that I would destroy a male opponent such as D-Day. I know... it's a motherfucker of a bitch, isn't it? Pardon my language. I'm not meaning to offend your feminine sensibilities with the b-word, but fate is sometimes a cruel mistress. In the name of pure, unrelenting competition between elite-caliber foes, I must plant my size fifteen moon boot up your sweet, succulent ass. I must lift you high into the air and viciously drop you onto your pretty little head, which in turn will probably be dropped onto a table, ladder or chair since our match will be a hardcore affair."
{{Baines glances down in front of him as if one bold, glimmering object in particular has caught his attention, though again we cannot see what he's looking at. We can only see that telling expression on Baines's face as he continues to lean against the base of that massive American tree.}}
Phil: "In a different time and place you and I might have been lovers, Kaylyn, though instead we find ourselves as rivals who are united only by the spirit of competition and the desire to achieve championship glory, to appease our wildest wrestling dreams. I want you to know that I respect you as a competitor, Kaylyn. I respect you so much that I will be coming to rip you apart on Monday night in Des Moines, and I respect you enough to know that you'll be primed and ready to do the same to me."
{{Baines flashes a smooth, flirtatious wink at you. No, not YOU you, unless YOU happen to be Kaylyn James Evans...
}}
Phil: "That respect goes for both of my opponents. It's been stated by some fans and pundits that because this Triple Crown Title bout is being contested under hardcore rules that I hold a distinct advantage over my opponents, After all I've been a dominant Hardcore Champion for more than four months now. I'm going to surprise a lot of people by disagreeing with that sentiment. You see one thing that I know is that you don't reach this level in WCF, this main event level by being a pansy who can't throw down when push comes to shove. And one thing that I will never do is underestimate my opponents. I know that I'm going to be in for the fight of my life on Monday night against Kaylyn and Day, regardless of any uncertainty that might be swirling around WCF these days. I know that I cannot let my guard down for one second in that ring on Monday night or I will fall prey to the same tactics that I have used to defeat four-and-a-half months worth of Hardcore Title challengers."
{{Baines glances down at the ground in front of him once again, to a target in his line of sight that we the viewers still cannot see.}}
Phil: "My most famous of those Hardcore Title bouts was the one at XIII against Greenfever that I referenced earlier. That infamous match, that infamous night was the last time that I was in Des Moines. Despite my ambitions to claim victory in the Triple Crown Championship bout, I won't be looking to bury an opponent after I get to Des Moines this time around. I will, however, bury something before I ever reach Des Moines. I will bury the past and all of the glories and burdens that the past carries with it."
{{Our perspective zooms out and for the first time we see the greater area that surrounds Baines. In front of Baines we see a grave that has been dug and a large shovel sticking up from the grave. To one side of the grave we see a glimmering object, which is being illuminated by the sunlight that has managed to creep in through the leaves of that massive tree that stands behind Baines. The glimmering object is too bright for us to identify at first, but after a few moments the sunlight fades from view and the object becomes visible. It is the WCF Hardcore Championship belt, sitting to the side of the grave that Baines has dug. Baines nods his head in acknowledgement of the belt.}}
Phil: "Today I will bury the past because the past must die. The last time they tried to unify the belts I got a bit annoyed. I felt that it was part of a conspiracy that aimed to target Ryan Blake and myself and punish us for our success, punish us for having the guts to stand up against a corrupt establishment. Maybe I was right about that and maybe I was wrong, but there's no point in fighting it anymore. On Monday night the WCF United States, Television and Hardcore Championships will be unified once and for all, and a Triple Crown Champion will finally be crowned. I think that more than anything all I ever really wanted was the chance to make peace with the sense of loss that I was feeling..."
{{Baines walks up to the grave and kneels down beside it, in front of the Hardcore belt. The polished gold face plate of the belt is staring up at Baines as he stares back down at it. Baines smiles at the belt, like a young man smiling adoringly at his lover. Baines reaches down and grabs one side of the belt strap in each hand. He lifts the belt up to within a foot of his face. His expression turns to a hardened gaze as he stares at the belt for several moments. Gradually that hardened gaze softens and his eyes become watery. Baines plants a soft kiss on the face plate of the belt and then turns and places the belt down into the grave beside him.}}
Phil: "Sleep well, my friend. You've earned it."
{{Baines rises to his feet. He walks over and grips the iron eagle's talon that forms the handle of that old, heavy shovel that he used to dig the grave. He pulls the shovel up from the grave and begins draping dirt into the grave and covering his most cherished material possession in this world, the WCF Hardcore Championship belt. As Baines goes about his undoubtedly heart-wrenching burial work, our perspective gradually pans one-hundred and eighty degrees behind us, an area that Baines had been able to see the entire time while we could not. Upon reaching this new perspective we see row after row of tombstones and gravemarkers, as far as our eyes can see, several with flowers and other memorial trinkets placed on or in front of them. To the far sides of the burial grounds, mausoleums are visible. As we gaze upon the cemetery and the parishioners paying respect to their departed loved ones in the distance, we once again hear Baines's stoic and unwavering voice with that hint of New England accent.}}
Phil: "As much as I love and cherish the Hardcore Championship, I know that the time has come to lay it down and let it rest. I know too that a new challenge awaits me on Monday night. The challenge of capturing a brand new championship, the WCF Triple Crown Championship, or "Il Tricolore" as WCF legend Slickie T has dubbed it. I will not kill my opponents to win this match and the championship that comes with it, not as I once killed to retain the Hardcore Championship. I will not kill because I do not have to. So much as I respect my opponents, Kaylyn Evans and Donald Deruty, I will defeat them because I possess inside of me a ferocious competitive spirit that cannot be tamed and the heart of a lion. So much as I respect both of my opponents, this is a profession in which we must sometimes hurt people that we respect. If Monday night's Revenge pay-per-view is indeed the final stand for WCF then the "Young Lion" Phillip Baines will stand tall as the final victor in the final match on the final night in Wrestling Championship Federation history. The past will have been buried, but the seeds of memory will grow and flourish for generations to come. That will be my legacy, the legacy of the Alliance and the legacy of WCF."
{{As Baines's words fade so too does our vision, which becomes blurry at first and then fades to black... the blackness of death.}}
Within a matter of moments the fog of uncertainty is lifted and a clear blue sky is now visible, illuminated by the bright sun of summertime. Our ears can hear the melodic chirping of busy birds, both big and small with voices booming and timid. Our vision is gradually cast downward and we spy with our eyes the green, leafy crest of what appears to be a very formidable tree. This ain't a tree that you put in your living room to celebrate Christmas. This is a grown man's tree, the kind of tree that would destroy said home with its immense branches and behemoth trunk should it decide to collapse one of these days. We trace the branches at the very top of the tree with our eyes and gradually move downward with our line of vision. We view the patterns that have formed along the trunk of the tree as the result of striations in the bark. As our eyes move down the trunk of the tree our overall view zooms out and we gain a total perspective of this colossal tree. We see that it must stand at least one hundred feet tall if it stands an inch, and yet our eyes have not even reached the very foot of this tree that stands so beautiful, majestic and free.
As we are taking in this wondrous display of nature in all of its splendor, we hear a male voice call out. A familiar voice to many of those who have been watching WCF promos in recent months...}}
Phillip Baines: "Give us freedom. Give us will. Oh Father, give prosperity for all good people who follow the righteous path."
{{This is indeed the strong, unwavering voice of WCF's reigning Hardcore Champion, Phillip Baines. The man is an atheist yet his words seem to form the basis of a prayer to a higher power, an unseen force who nestles us all in its protecting bosom. Has Baines lost his mind in the wake of recent events in WCF and the world at large? This is not clear but what is clear, as we now see the visual of Baines for the first time in this promo, is that Baines is a man who has been working hard this morning. Baines has sweat and dirt on his brow as he rests upon the trunk of that enormous tree with his head and back, stretching his legs out in front of him. Baines is wearing a soiled button-up short. His sleeves are rolled up and the top few buttons of the shirt are undone, revealing the extent of his heaving man-bosom. Baines may not possess the alluring feminine charms of his upcoming opponent, Ms. Kaylyn James Evans, but he is certainly giving Kaylyn so much a run for her money as any young man can.
Baines's shirt is a similar shade of green to the leaves of the tree that he is resting upon, though the brown shade of the soil that has stained his shirt gives it an earthy feel. Baines is also wearing black jeans and boots to complete the ensemble. Baines has his eyes closed as he rests against the tree. Ever so suddenly he cricks his head to the left and then the right, accompanied by the sound of bones popping into place. Baines's face shows no hint of emotion. Not a smile, not a frown, not a hint of happiness nor anger. Suddenly he opens his eyes, those beaming blue eyes that could light a theatrical stage with their sheer liveliness. His jawline permeates a sly smile, a knowing smile, a world weary smile.}}
Phil: "Am I supposed to be Chicken Little and proclaim that indeed the sky is falling? Is that what WCF's resident boss man expects me to do? How about it, Creeping Death? What's your pleasure and what's your game? Does it tickle you pink to threaten the livelihoods of the men and women who have referred to the Wrestling Championship Federation as their place of employment for months and even years? With the American economy continuing to limp along I would have thought that Mr. Death would be proud to refer to WCF as a shining beacon of American entrepreneurship. I guess this was just not to be. It was doomed to failure, and not because of a flawed business model, but because of CD's own insecurities. Yes, I am attacking you on a personal level, Creeps, because I see a man who is afraid to lead WCF through uncertain times. I see a man who feels threatened by the irrefutable force of the Alliance, a group so powerful that it has risen from the ashes of the 'old WCF' like the Phoenix of ancient folklore."
{{Baines cricks his head again, but this time he's not cracking his neck. No, no... this time Baines is shaking his head in disgust.}}
Phil: "When I look at Creeping Death today I see nothing of the man that he used to be. I see a defeated man, a broken man, a coward. Am I supposed to be devastated that you've decided to pull the rug out from under the collective feet of myself and my WCF co-workers? To be honest, I am devastated, to an extent. I guess that's the power that you wield over all of us, Creeps. I guess it's the power that you have to deprive us of something that we really and truly care about, something that we bleed for. Is that what you were going for, Creeps? If so, then congratulations."
{{Baines claps his massive hands together with a thunderous rancor, in a slow and sarcastic fashion, as the expression on his face would indicate to the viewers at home.}}
Phil: "You could never beat me in the ring, CD, but in some perverse way you have gained a psychological victory over me. I would call it a moral victory, but there's nothing moral about it. Your actions are as immoral as the actions of any D.C. politician."
{{Baines grits his teeth, sucks in a deep breath through his nose and then lets out a burdened sigh.}}
Phil: "Troubled as I am by your revelation, Creeps, I cannot allow it to distract me from the task at hand. I will be facing two opponents at Revenge who are most deserving of my complete focus. I must be head strong, strong like the bison. For all I know you're playing games and trying to get inside my head, Odin's head, the collective heads of the Alliance. Hell, for all I know you've lost your mind once and for all. After all, you've got how many different personalities? You might wake up on Tuesday morning in the emergency room that Odin's going to send you to and realize that you've made a horrible mistake by shutting down WCF. Whatever kind of trip you're on, CD, I cannot let it affect my mindstate heading into Revenge. That's why I'm here in the great wide open. The fresh country air is good for me."
{{Baines smiles wide and eager as he gazes out upon his surroundings. We cannot see what he sees, but the reaction on his face tells us that he must be looking at something beautiful, the kind of picturesque scene that would inspire America's finest master painters.}}
Phil: "Even before Creeping Death's announcement I had been feeling rather introspective lately. I've been looking deep within myself and thinking about who I am, what I represent, and the path that I've taken to reach this point in my life and career. I can state for the record that there are two times in which I've compromised my principles here in WCF. The first time occurred at XIII, which ironically took place at Des Moines, Iowa, the host city of Revenge. Back in May at the spectacle that is XIII, I killed a man. I killed Greenfever in the middle of the ring at Water Works Park. I've never felt good about that. I've never made peace with it. It can be said that my life was in danger that night because Greenfever was certainly trying to kill me, but I never should have accepted the terms of that match. I never should have stepped into the ring for a match that stipulated that one of the competitors must die. That's not an act of self-defense, that's an act of homicide."
{{Baines hangs his head in sadness and in shame. The sadness and guilt permeate his being, like the ghostly spirit of a man who haplessly haunts an old estate because he can't move on to the next world. The shame and the guilt won't let him move on. They cling to him like static.}}
Phil: "The other moment that I regret, a moment in time during which I compromised my principles, was when I attacked D-Day on Slam last month. I'm sure that many of you remember it. Day and Kaylyn had teamed up to face the duo of Odin and Oblivion in a huge tag team main event match on Slam, a preview of the Ultimate Showdown match that was to take place the following week. That was the night that I strolled down to the ring, bashed Obi's head in with the WCF World Championship and proceeded to whomp the shit out of D-Day. I bled Day like a stuck pig that night. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I might have killed D-Day that night if not for the intervention of Bobby Cairo. It's not that I was unjustified in attacking D-Day. It's that... attacking another man from behind isn't the Phillip Baines way and it never should be."
{{Baines nods his head in hearty agreement with the statement that he just made.}}
Phil: "In that moment I felt betrayed because D-Day had, in my eyes, turned his back on our friendship by agreeing to be Oblivion's mystery partner on Slam one week earlier against Buzzsaw Bundy and I. D-Day was the last man that I ever expected to team with Oblivion, the last man that I ever expected to upstage me and align himself with my arch-rival. I still remember the way that Day waddled down to the ring that night in the Hot Dog Mascot's costume to the laughter of the crowd in the WCF Arena. Then he unmasked himself and the crowd exploded with cheers. I nearly died in shock. Sure, Buzzsaw and I fought valiantly that night but it was not enough to overcome the swerve that had been perpetrated upon us. That match represents my one and only defeat in a WCF ring and you can better believe that I was filled with rage the following week when I attacked D-Day. My rage turned to wrath and unleashed itself upon the then-reigning WCF World Champion, much as my pride had caused me to accept a fight to the death against Greenfever at XIII."
{{Baines breathes another burdened sigh that falls hot and heavy upon our ears, much the same way that a sweltering summer heat smothers the pores of our skin.}}
Phil: "The funny thing is that I've had so much on my mind since joining the Alliance that I've barely thought much about my run-ins with D-Day in recent weeks. It wasn't until I was booked to face him in the Title Unification Bout that will take place at Revenge that I allowed my mind to wander down memory lane. For me the night D-Day 'betrayed' me really doesn't mean anything anymore. It's not a big deal for me, but I suspect that D-Day has a much different perspective. I was mad about it for a few weeks, but I got over it. However, the benefit of hindsight tells us that for D-Day that night was the tipping point. It started the Deruty/Baines rivalry in motion and it planted the seeds for D-Day's demise. It signaled the beginning of his downward trajectory. After all when I attacked D-Day that night on Slam to gain my revenge, what happened? Well, he dropped the WCF World Championship one week later at Ultimate Showdown. I don't take anything away from Odin's victory over Day because the man is obviously a beast, but D-Day himself blamed my attack against him on Slam for costing him the championship at Ultimate Showdown."
{{Baines raises his brow, shrugs his broad shoulders and then drops his arms straight down to his sides.}}
Phil: "As much credit as Odin deserves, I guess it can be said that I'm the man who truly brought D-Day's fabled fairytale to a screeching halt. WCF's American Hero was brought to his knees by WCF's Antihero. I'm not proud of it, my old friend Donald, but the facts speak for themselves and they speak loudly and clearly through my mouth. Much like the reports that WCF will be shuttering its doors on Monday night, there are also reports that you, D-Day, are considering hanging up the old cape. I'm not sure what to say about that. I'm not sure whether to take it seriously or dismiss it as internet rumor-mongering. I do know, for a fact, that Monday night's Revenge pay-per-view is an aptly named spectacle for a showdown between two men who have held a litany of animosity toward each other. If this is our final showdown inside of a WCF ring then I know that you're going to be like a wounded animal in that ring on Monday night. I know that you've got a sour taste in your mouth. I know that your pride is hurting the same way that mine was hurting after you and Obi beat Buzzsaw and I all those weeks ago on the Fourth of July Slam. I know that you don't want to go out on a losing note, in spite of, or should I say because of the losing streak that you've been on."
{{Baines cradles one of his large, exceedingly masculine hands inside the palm of his other hand and cracks the knuckles on that hand into place. The loud, cracking sounds that this produces are well within the expected proportion for a man his size. Baines switches hands and repeats the exercise, cracking the knuckles on that hand as well. The look in Baines's blue eyes is fierce and focused.}}
Phil: "I am not sorry to say, Day, that I will be doing everything within my power to close the doors on your career in one way or another on Monday night. Whether you're retiring under your own power, whether you're retiring because WCF as a whole is being retired by Creeping Death, or whether I'm just going to have to take it upon myself to retire you against your and everyone else's will, one way or another you're wrestling your last match on Monday night. That's not all, Donald. You will be returning home with your tail tucked between your legs in pain, humiliation and defeat. I'm a sentimental man in many ways, but when it comes to competition I do not back down. Prod me with a stick like a caged animal and I will grab that stick from your hands and shove it up your ass. Then I'll bust through the cage, pick you upside down and seven-twenty powerbomb you through the nearest table. It ain't an animosity thing, D-Day. It ain't a rage thing. It ain't a wrath thing. It ain't a pride thing. This is about competition, plain and simple. You are the man who has been placed in front of me at Revenge and as such I must destroy you. It's that simple. In light of this reality I cannot offer you my friendship, D-Day, but if nothing else you can take solace that I've told you the truth. The man who will defeat you on Monday night is an honest man, a man of integrity... a better man than you."
{{Baines emphatically nods his head in affirmation of his words.}}
Phil: "Yes, indeed. D-Day is the man who stands before me on Monday night, but of course he is not my only opponent in the match that will crown the first and perhaps last and only WCF Triple Crown Champion. As eager as I am to rip D-Day's head off at the shoulder, in the name of competition not spite, I cannot muster those same feelings toward Kaylyn James Evans. In fact Ms. Kaylyn leaves me feeling quite conflicted. I'm sure that I'm not the first man that she's done that to. Hell, we all saw how she fucked up Tommy Knoxville and Steve Thunder's careers after they fell for her charms. We all saw how she ended Jason Kash's long reign as TV Champion. We all saw how she defeated my Alliance teammate Ryan Blake to regain that championship last Monday on Slam. You can certainly take care of yourself as well as any man, Kaylyn. Although you and I have never had direct contact with each other, I have admired you from afar from the first moment that you set your dainty, Reebok-clad feet inside of a WCF ring. You're a special lady, Kaylyn. There's no denying that. You are certainly worthy of being in Monday night's unification match. You are a worthy adversary, a worthy challenger for such a prestigious championship."
{{Baines licks his lips and brushes some of the sweat and dirt from his face and shirt, as if tidying himself up for Kaylyn.}}
Phil: "You and I might not agree on much, Kaylyn, including whether Creeping Death is a slimy, sleazy piece of shit, but there's no doubt that you have defeated many top superstars in this company and earned your spot as a main event talent. You've shattered the dreams of many-a-man and even one woman, in Aubrey Summers's case. The problem for you, Kaylyn, is that regardless of whether I want to physically and mentally impale you with the power of my groin on Monday night, I know that I must destroy you the same way that I would destroy a male opponent such as D-Day. I know... it's a motherfucker of a bitch, isn't it? Pardon my language. I'm not meaning to offend your feminine sensibilities with the b-word, but fate is sometimes a cruel mistress. In the name of pure, unrelenting competition between elite-caliber foes, I must plant my size fifteen moon boot up your sweet, succulent ass. I must lift you high into the air and viciously drop you onto your pretty little head, which in turn will probably be dropped onto a table, ladder or chair since our match will be a hardcore affair."
{{Baines glances down in front of him as if one bold, glimmering object in particular has caught his attention, though again we cannot see what he's looking at. We can only see that telling expression on Baines's face as he continues to lean against the base of that massive American tree.}}
Phil: "In a different time and place you and I might have been lovers, Kaylyn, though instead we find ourselves as rivals who are united only by the spirit of competition and the desire to achieve championship glory, to appease our wildest wrestling dreams. I want you to know that I respect you as a competitor, Kaylyn. I respect you so much that I will be coming to rip you apart on Monday night in Des Moines, and I respect you enough to know that you'll be primed and ready to do the same to me."
{{Baines flashes a smooth, flirtatious wink at you. No, not YOU you, unless YOU happen to be Kaylyn James Evans...
}}Phil: "That respect goes for both of my opponents. It's been stated by some fans and pundits that because this Triple Crown Title bout is being contested under hardcore rules that I hold a distinct advantage over my opponents, After all I've been a dominant Hardcore Champion for more than four months now. I'm going to surprise a lot of people by disagreeing with that sentiment. You see one thing that I know is that you don't reach this level in WCF, this main event level by being a pansy who can't throw down when push comes to shove. And one thing that I will never do is underestimate my opponents. I know that I'm going to be in for the fight of my life on Monday night against Kaylyn and Day, regardless of any uncertainty that might be swirling around WCF these days. I know that I cannot let my guard down for one second in that ring on Monday night or I will fall prey to the same tactics that I have used to defeat four-and-a-half months worth of Hardcore Title challengers."
{{Baines glances down at the ground in front of him once again, to a target in his line of sight that we the viewers still cannot see.}}
Phil: "My most famous of those Hardcore Title bouts was the one at XIII against Greenfever that I referenced earlier. That infamous match, that infamous night was the last time that I was in Des Moines. Despite my ambitions to claim victory in the Triple Crown Championship bout, I won't be looking to bury an opponent after I get to Des Moines this time around. I will, however, bury something before I ever reach Des Moines. I will bury the past and all of the glories and burdens that the past carries with it."
{{Our perspective zooms out and for the first time we see the greater area that surrounds Baines. In front of Baines we see a grave that has been dug and a large shovel sticking up from the grave. To one side of the grave we see a glimmering object, which is being illuminated by the sunlight that has managed to creep in through the leaves of that massive tree that stands behind Baines. The glimmering object is too bright for us to identify at first, but after a few moments the sunlight fades from view and the object becomes visible. It is the WCF Hardcore Championship belt, sitting to the side of the grave that Baines has dug. Baines nods his head in acknowledgement of the belt.}}
Phil: "Today I will bury the past because the past must die. The last time they tried to unify the belts I got a bit annoyed. I felt that it was part of a conspiracy that aimed to target Ryan Blake and myself and punish us for our success, punish us for having the guts to stand up against a corrupt establishment. Maybe I was right about that and maybe I was wrong, but there's no point in fighting it anymore. On Monday night the WCF United States, Television and Hardcore Championships will be unified once and for all, and a Triple Crown Champion will finally be crowned. I think that more than anything all I ever really wanted was the chance to make peace with the sense of loss that I was feeling..."
{{Baines walks up to the grave and kneels down beside it, in front of the Hardcore belt. The polished gold face plate of the belt is staring up at Baines as he stares back down at it. Baines smiles at the belt, like a young man smiling adoringly at his lover. Baines reaches down and grabs one side of the belt strap in each hand. He lifts the belt up to within a foot of his face. His expression turns to a hardened gaze as he stares at the belt for several moments. Gradually that hardened gaze softens and his eyes become watery. Baines plants a soft kiss on the face plate of the belt and then turns and places the belt down into the grave beside him.}}
Phil: "Sleep well, my friend. You've earned it."
{{Baines rises to his feet. He walks over and grips the iron eagle's talon that forms the handle of that old, heavy shovel that he used to dig the grave. He pulls the shovel up from the grave and begins draping dirt into the grave and covering his most cherished material possession in this world, the WCF Hardcore Championship belt. As Baines goes about his undoubtedly heart-wrenching burial work, our perspective gradually pans one-hundred and eighty degrees behind us, an area that Baines had been able to see the entire time while we could not. Upon reaching this new perspective we see row after row of tombstones and gravemarkers, as far as our eyes can see, several with flowers and other memorial trinkets placed on or in front of them. To the far sides of the burial grounds, mausoleums are visible. As we gaze upon the cemetery and the parishioners paying respect to their departed loved ones in the distance, we once again hear Baines's stoic and unwavering voice with that hint of New England accent.}}
Phil: "As much as I love and cherish the Hardcore Championship, I know that the time has come to lay it down and let it rest. I know too that a new challenge awaits me on Monday night. The challenge of capturing a brand new championship, the WCF Triple Crown Championship, or "Il Tricolore" as WCF legend Slickie T has dubbed it. I will not kill my opponents to win this match and the championship that comes with it, not as I once killed to retain the Hardcore Championship. I will not kill because I do not have to. So much as I respect my opponents, Kaylyn Evans and Donald Deruty, I will defeat them because I possess inside of me a ferocious competitive spirit that cannot be tamed and the heart of a lion. So much as I respect both of my opponents, this is a profession in which we must sometimes hurt people that we respect. If Monday night's Revenge pay-per-view is indeed the final stand for WCF then the "Young Lion" Phillip Baines will stand tall as the final victor in the final match on the final night in Wrestling Championship Federation history. The past will have been buried, but the seeds of memory will grow and flourish for generations to come. That will be my legacy, the legacy of the Alliance and the legacy of WCF."
{{As Baines's words fade so too does our vision, which becomes blurry at first and then fades to black... the blackness of death.}}
