Look What Happened

["Rockstar" Willie Bard]

(We are in the parking lot of the Pepsi Arena in Denver. It is right after Lockdown. Head interviewer Sonya Dupree is standing there, waiting for someone. Suddenly, Willie Bard, with bag in hand, walks into the picture. Sonya walks towards him and almost blocks his way.)

Bard - Umm... can I help you?

Sonya - Yes you can. I was wondering if I could get an interview in for HWF.com about your victory tonight against The Goblin and about the Triple Threat Cage Match next week for your HWF United States Championship.

Bard - Ok.

Sonya - Great. Lance, count me down...

Cameraman - 5... 4... 3... 2... 1. You are on Sonya.

Sonya - Hello HWF.com viewers. I am lead interviewer Sonya Dupree, and I am standing outside of the Pepsi Arena in Denver, Colorado. And I am also standing here with the HWF United States Champion. HWF's residential rocker, "Rockstar" Willie Bard. Willie, I must say, that was an impressive victory against The Goblin tonight.

Bard - Yeah. That.... whatever he is, Goblin I guess. For such a small dude, he packs a wallop. He came pretty close to getting me there.

Sonya - Well, that was in the past. Now let's look into the future. Next Thursday Night, from Las Vegas, Nevada, on HWF Lockdown, you will defend your United States Championship for the first time. And it will be against the man you won it from, Deamon Cohln, and the newest member of the HWF Roster, Alex Martinez.

Bard - Yeah. My first title defense as US Champion. I can assure you it won't be my last though.

Sonya - Not only that. But it will be inside of a steel cage. Does that tip the advantage even further away from you?

Bard - I don't think so. I know that with the Triple Threat rules, it tips the supposed "Champions" advantage away from me. I would actually have a disadvantage cause I can lose the title without even being pinned. Now, it's in a steel cage. So either Martinez or Cohln can win the title without pinning anyone. Needless to say, I've got to step up my game a notch if I want to retain the title.

Sonya - Does the fact that Cohln defeated you in the first round of the Trial By Fire Tournament a couple weeks ago still loom in your mind?

Bard - Hmm... not really. I usually am able to bounce back from losses pretty quickly. That's what I did this week by beating that Goblin thing. I bounced back from a tough loss.

Sonya - Also, do you think you'll be more focused on Deamon Cohln then Alex Martinez. Considering that you have traded wins and losses with Cohln and you know his style better.

Bard - Actually, I think that would make focus less on Cohln. I'm actually gonna focus more on Martinez because I've never seen his style. Needless to say, I'll be doing my research all week and figuring out what to expect.

Sonya - Well, I wish you good luck in your match next week. And, online viewers, if you want to see this epic encounter, the only way is to tune in to Thursday Night Lockdown, live and only on TNT.

Cameraman - Aaaand, cut!

Sonya - (Shaking Willie's hand) Thanks a lot Willie. That should hype your match even more.

Bard - No problem. I am pretty nervous about that match though.

Sonya - You'll do fine. Don't worry about it.

Bard - Thanks Sonya, I gotta go catch a flight. And I gotta drink like 8 bottles of water so I'm not stuck in security for 8 hours.

Sonya - Ha ha ha. Ok, see you next week Willie...

(Willie gets into his car, and drives off and the scene fades to black)

["Rockstar" Willie Bard]

(The camera sees nothing but fog. Then it zooms out, and we can now sort of see a high school track. Then, we see someone jogging in the picture. Then he stops and moves over to a bench. The camera moves in and we see that it was Willie Bard jogging around the track)

Bard - God... I'm in worse shape then I thought...

Voice - Hey Willie!

(Bard turns around, and we see that his teenage counterpart comes into the picture)

Bard - Dude. Do you realize what time it is? It's like 5 AM. Don't normal teens sleep in anymore?

Teen - Sorry. But I had to tell you something. I found out some info on Alex Martinez.

Bard - You did?

Teen - Yeah. HWF.com finally added his profile on their roster page.

Bard - I heard about that. Apparently the person running HWF.com is a lazy ass...

Teen - Anyway. I found out some stuff about him.

(The teen pulls out a printout with Martinez's pic on it.)

Bard - Let's see... former XWA International, Tag, and Hardcore Champion, former EHWF World Champ, and former NYCW TV Champ. Wow, this guy is the real deal.

Teen - It gets worse. His finisher is a submission move. And your track record with submission moves is well.... let's say not great.

Bard - Yeah, but it is a steel cage match. So at least if he locks it in on either me or Cohln, the other will be close enough to hopefully break it up.

Teen - Hey... something's wrong here.

Bard - What?

Teen - You.

Bard - Me?

Teen - Yes you.

Bard - What's different about me?

Teen - Hmm... you actually give a damn about a match. You're actually working to improve yourself for this one match. And you actually are willing to hear about some of my research.

Bard - Dude. I don't think you realized what this is for. This is for my UNITED STATES Title. I need to prove that I am not a transitional champ. I need to prove that I am what I say I am. I want to prove that I am the greatest US Champion in HWF History!

Teen - But you're the 2nd US Champion in HWF History.

Bard - And I intend to keep it that way. Why do you think I'm jogging in the mornings, and weight training in the afternoons? I've got to make sure that I'm stronger and faster then both Cohln and Martinez.

Teen - I can see where you're coming from. But if you took this kind of mentality in every match, you'd be the best in the whole world.

Bard - Yeah... but I don't have that much time. I need to secure time to get plastered and lose my pants.

Teen - Whatever you need to tell yourself. Listen, I gotta get back. I'll see you sometime before Thursday.

(The teen walks off. And Bard thinks out loud)

Bard - Hmm... maybe that chiseller's got something there. Oh well, at least I'll be ready for Cohln and Martinez this week. God damn that Flame, a cage match... unbelieveable...

(Bard begins to jog again muttering to himself as the scene fades to black)

["Rockstar" Willie Bard]

(All that is seen are a few chain links shimmering in what light is in the room. Then, a spotlight comes on overhead, and we can now see that Willie Bard is standing, enclosed inside of a chain link cage)

Bard - So it comes to this...

(Bard walks towards the near side of the cage and leans up against it)

Bard - My first US Title defense. It happens tomorrow night. And it happens in this. Confined to a 40x40 space thanks to this.

(Bard gestures to the cage he is confined in)

Bard - Thanks to this chain link cage. A cage that was designed to keep the participants in the ring. But also designed to inflict punishment. I've been in many cage matches. And when you get thrown into it, it's flesh vs steel. And steel wins 99.9% of the time.

(Bard pulls his hair back. The camera zooms in on what looks to be a very large scar)

Bard - You see that? I recieved that in a steel cage match in Bismark, North Dakota. The man I faced was the biggest baddest man in the whole damn company. Needless to say, I got my ass handed to me. And that, (Pointing at the scar) is how I will always remember that match. How brutal, how bloody...

(Bard shudders a bit as though reminicing)

Bard - And tomorrow night, in Las Vegas, Nevada, I go through that again. I will be confined, not necessarily with the biggest baddest wrestler this time though. No, this time, I will be locked in with 2 competitors. One of which, a longtime rival, a longtime nemisis, a man who I have been forced to call my better on a few occasions. That man is Deamon Cohln.

(Bard thinks deeply for a second)

Bard - Deamon Cohln has been the guy who is constantly dogging me. He won't leave me alone. He beat me in my first try at winning the US Title. Then, I beat him to win it 2 weeks later. Then he embarasses me in front of the Pay-Per-View audience and beats me in the first round of the Trial By Fire Tournament. Then, just to stick it to me, he attacks me after my match last week against The Goblin. I will be gunning for you Deamon, not just to beat you, but to hurt you!

(Bard twitches a little bit)

The 2nd man is a man I've never seen before, a man that is debuting in this company tomorrow night. As we say backstage, a "noob." But I did my research this time, and I've found that he is indeed a very accomplished wrestler. That man is Alex Martinez. I must say, when I first saw him last week, and saw what he did to Deamon Cohln, I was impressed. And then when I heard that he'd be in the very same match that myself and Deamon Cohln are in, I was a little surprised. I mean, to put me in a match with a guy I've never even heard of. I figured they had to be off their rockers.

(Bard looks around at his surroundings again)

Bard - But, no matter how I feel about it, the card is set. It's myself vs Deamon Cohln vs Alex Martinez. And it's for my United States Championship. And it's in a god damn steel cage match. And I am vowing to all the HWF fans out there, whether they like me or not. I am vowing to bleed, to sweat, and to cry...

(Bard throws himself into the cage)

Bard - ...to make sure that I retain my United States championship! I refuse to lose this week. I am too damn determined, more determined then I have ever been, to win this match. Not just for me, but for everyone who gives a damn!

(Bard throws himself into the cage again and then stares into the camera, taking deep breaths, and the scene fades to black)