AF24: Matt Tastic & Alex Bowen vs. Vega & Ace Stevens

[Viola Moonlight]

Last time on WZCW, Matt Tastic and Alex Bowen both made their returns to competition in losing efforts to Steven Holmes and Blade, respectively. Another returning superstar, Ace Stevens, was victorious over reigning Mayhem champion Vega. Last round's losers will try to become this round's winners as they team up against Ace Stevens and his vanquished foe Vega. Will the former and current Mayhem champions be able to coexist, or will returning greats find their way?

Deadline is Tuesday, June 11th 2013, at 11:59 P.M. (Central Time Zone)​

 

[Kermit]

Alex Bowen has been granted a 24hr extension.

 

[ABMorales787]

-------------------------------------
What the hell happened?!
-------------------------------------


The rain pours down on me as I stand outside the XCel Energy Center. Hours after my match with Steven Holmes. It was a good match. Win or loss I learned I was still in shape. That I had not skipped a beat in the squared circle. That I am back to 100%. But right now the match, the show, it's all behind me. It's all taken a back seat. Because after the match I saw cracks in my personal life. Issues I hadn't seen in ages.


As the rain pours down on Matt he lifts up a small jewelry box which he holds with great sentiment as he looks up into the cloud-filled skies. The rain masks the tears coming from his eyes as we step back to learn just what brought us here:


-----------------------
Just after Ascension
-----------------------

Matt Tastic is seen walking backstage and taking off some of his equipment. His elbow pads and wrist gear come off as he continues rather happy after his performance with World Champion Steven Holmes. He may have not won, but his performance was good enough to show that he was back to 100%. He knocks on the door for Meltdown's GM Big Dave to consult on something and enters.


Matt: Hey I--


Matt stops short once he enters the room. Spotting a familiar face he didn't expect to find in there. His once faithful girlfriend Alisha. There's an awkward silence that fills the room for a bit but no one seems to break the ice. That's until Tastic speaks up.


Matt: Alisha? What are you doing here?


After that, the silence remains as both Matt and Big Dave await an answer to the question. Dave's face clearly expresses a feeling of awkwardness being between the two estranged lovers.


Alisha: I'm here to hand your medical report. You left it behind the other day.


Matt:Oh. Gee, thanks. Listen, I wanted--


Alisha: I'm also handing in my resignation papers. I'm sorry, but I'm done.

I couldn't believe I heard those words. I knew things were going bad. But I thought things could better with a little time. Alisha had become pretty angry with me. To her my dedication to wrestling seems more like an unhealthy obsession. I worked to rehabilitate myself faster, but she saw it as me once again overworking myself. After a lot of arguing, we agreed to have a little time apart. But now? Now it looks like “a little” just became “a lot”.

Matt: Woah, woah. Wait a minute. What do you mean “you're done”? Why are you resigning?


Alisha: Our time apart has just simply made me realize you care more about wrestling than you do for me. Let's face it Matt. You've carelessly injured yourself, overworked your body to get right back at it and--


Matt: It's my job!! It's what I live for! Or course I work hard at it. I love it.


Alisha: That became abundantly clear to me seeing how you spent more time in the rehab center than in your own home with the person you claimed you loved more than anyone.


Matt: So now this is about me not paying you enough attention? I got you hired to be my manager just so you can hang out on the road with me. Alisha, if I wasn't wrestling, I was with you.


Alisha: Is that why you tore your back even though doctors told you to take time off? You think it was bad that you could barely walk and couldn't wrestle? Imagine the feeling I had watching you cripple yourself. Just what future are you setting yourself up for, anyway? Let me guess. You didn't think about that. You didn't think how your health could affect me.


Matt: I'm sorry.


Alisha: Sorry is not good enough anymore Matt. This has been going on for over 3 years and it just reached it's boiling point. I can't keep worrying about you if you don't really worry about me. Wanting to spend time with someone is not the same as truly caring for them. And you haven't shown me you care.

I always assumed I was doing the right time. Not just for me. But for her. For WZCW. And for the fans. Now I know I just didn't seem to have my head in the right place. My belief that I should fight on and never give up just cost me something very dear and irreplaceable. I recovered from a broken back. But now I suffer from a new injury. A broken heart. Just how can you satisfy everyone at once? If I had the answer to that, I wouldn't have suffered this irreparable injury.

Matt lowers his head. Saddened by Alisha's harsh but seemingly true words. He reaches into his pocket and pulls a little black box out and raises it as both the saddened Alisha and the dumbfounded GM Big Dave look at it.


Matt: Before you go................ here............. I just want you to have it.


Alisha begrudgingly reaches and grabs the box. After looking at it for a bit she eventually opens it to reveal a wedding ring in it. She looks at it before turning to Matt. Then hands it back.


Alisha: I'm sorry. But I can't keep this. I won't. This is yours. To give to a special someone. That's not me. I know you mean well, but it just would not be fair to either of us. Thanks. And bye.


With those words Alisha departs Big Dave's office. On her way out she pats Matt in the shoulder. A sign of comfort. But that doesn't really make things any easier.

I've suffered concussions, torn ligaments and broken backs. I've fallen from ladders, been driven through tables and steel and bleed full pints of blood. But they just don't match up to the pain I have now. She told me I'll find someone else in the future. But right now, the past keeps dragging me down. I just have one thing to look forward to. But I can't keep head straight for it. Wrestling.

With Alisha gone, Matt remains with a very downed expression. Big Dave cools down and looks at the health reports before addressing the depressed man.


Big Dave: OK Matt, physically you've completely checked out. However, right now you're obviously not mentally fit. Give me a straight answer. Can you compete for the next round of shows?


Matt delays his answer after long thought.


Matt: ….............I have nothing else to do. I might as well wrestle.


Big Dave: Well then. Chuck Myles has you then. You'll be in Aftershock for a tag team match. You and Alex Bowen will team up against Ace Stevens and Vega. Best of luck. I know you need it. Dismissed.


Matt leaves the room with his head down and the ring box in hand. Once he makes it out though, he bumps into none other than Bowen himself.


Bowen: Well. I was looking for you. Listen, I needed to talk to you about our match.


Matt: ….........................................................................


Bowen: I know it's not Mayhem rules, but it is against Vega. The current champion.


Matt: …......................................................................


Bowen: What if they decide to use weapons?


Matt: …....................................................................


Bowen: Tastic? Are you OK?

Turmoil. Rage. Frustration. Sadness. Anger. My mind is nothing but devastation now. My life just fell apart. I had no control over it. I had no idea what I was doing was pushing the one person I loved away. The one person I truly cared about.

Bowen: I'm afraid these new Mayhem guys are going to hurt us and themselves and...... Are you listening to me? Hey!


Matt: …...shut up......


Bowen: What? Speak up. I'm serious. I feel we've set the bar too high.


Matt: SHUT THE F*CK UP!!! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THEM, YOU OR THE MAYHEM DIVISION!! JUST SHUT UP!!


Bowen: Hey! What the hell is your problem? This is serious stuff. Why the sudden fit.


Matt: Just leave me alone. I don't need to see you until Aftershock. So just leave me alone until then.


Bowen: But the match. And the division.


Matt: I DON'T GIVE A SH*T ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW! I have real problems to worry about. Unlike your stupid fear of wrestling weapons.


Bowen: Fine. Be that way. But don't be surprised if Vega or Ace start trying to do crazy things during our match.


Matt: Just what the hell are you so afraid of? We're dealing with a guy from New York that spends too much time watching Happy Days and the bastard child of Jean Claude Van Damme and Johnny Depp. Meanwhile, I get a guy who's best known for getting maimed and just walking it off and he's f*cking concerned for our safety. Worry about yourself, Bowen. Trust me. Right now, I couldn't care less about my physical health. I'm out.


Matt storms off in a huff as Bowen looks on.

I feel such frustration at this moment. All that's happened after one simple night back. I know it's my fault. That I let her down. But that doesn't change how angry I am. At myself. I need to release my anger. I need to vent. Vega and Ace Stevens may be the current and former Mayhem Champions. They may have been dominant. I don't really give a damn about their accomplishments to be honest. The might be young. They might be hungry. But dammit, they don't have the kind of fire burning their asses like I do right now. They don't have the stinging sensation in their injured hearts like I do. Neither are 4 time champions. Neither broke the record for longest reign. Neither know what it is to push someone precious away because of their actions. Well I do. And it....... does not........ feel good.


….......Its time...... to Deliver Kickassery.



​

 

[Uncle Phatso]

How many words have been used to describe Alex Bowen over the past few years? Crazy, sociopath, pain magnet, juggernaut, and many more. All of them are true, but only one statement stood true for years. DC said it years ago, "Alex Bowen, the only person in wrestling history to believe that shoving thumb tacks in his forehead were just him paying his dues."

And it was the truth, a former hardcore champion all over the world, Alex Bowen has made friends with almost no man. But stood in front of every challenge with an open mind and closed fists. He survived the Rios era, The Age of Chaos, The Reign of the Empire, but through all that he has tried to come back with an open mind.

The age of true Mayhem is over for Alex Bowen, he's off trying to push past his old ways. Wrestling truly is something that's in his blood, a two time highschool state placer, Alex was scouted by a few D-1 schools for his talents before he went to jail. Trained by a multi time champion in James Takai, Alex learned the craft in just about the most brutal way possible. His first few matches were singles competition, but his bookers soon found a hidden skill. Alex Bowen was one on the toughest men on their roster. After a childhood of mental and phisical abuse, combined with his roughneck amateur and professional training, Alex had turned into a rock. This lead to an almost fifteen year reign of terror across the hardcore world.

But since beating Steamboat Ricky, his hardcore idol, Alex gave up the chairs, the tables, and the barbed wire that was ever so constant in his live. It's not been an easy road, but he's shown improvement over the last year. Old habits are truly hard to break! After breakout matches with Triple X, Barbosa, and even one this past show with Blade, Alex Bowen is truly looking to make a statement to the company. The weapons are gone, but the toughest man in WZCW is looking to tear people arms off the old fashioned way.

Over the last year Alex has trained his body to become something new, changing his move set from something of a basic wrestler, to more of a ground based submission wrestler, Alex, outside of a small bout with addiction has been dedicating his life to becoming a true professional wrestler.

But the Mayhem division isn't totally staying out of his life, he has a match with the current and former Mayhem champ, tagging with none other than Matt Tastic. The four greatest Mayhem champs will collide this week, but after a small run in with Matt, Alex, is in a foul mood. Downstairs in his suburban house, he has a monster wrestling room, weight training area, along with a heavy bag and speed bag. But Alex isn't using any of his hard earned equipment, he's already worked out, and is having a small talk session with David Bowen.

David: I don't really think Vega or Ace know what they are getting into here.

Alex: Why do you say that?

David: They just aren't cut from the same cloth as you and Tastic.

Alex: No one is cut from the same cloth as me, I tried to be nice to that dude, we've had our stuff in the past. But i'd even try to sink the hatchet with Barbosa and the machine if I had to. I know Vega and Ace won't be on the same page, but either are we! This is stupid, and it's all over a girl. Captain Killjoy is going the end our big advantage here.

David: I can't see any way on how to get his head back in the game either, I guess you'll just have to end up going in with the same mindset. You both know how to pull out wins, and use your mind when you need to. They both do too, but you both have years of experience up on them. It's not totally about that, but I know for a fact that both men aren't as ruthless as you two are. If that's the way he is going to be, Alex... you're going to have to follow his lead.

David throws up one arm at the idea, as if it's his last resort. He just let's out a long breath of air and looks to his brother.

Alex: I see what you're saying, I'm just worried that they'll try and take the cheap way out and try and use weapons. That's not what I want anymore, dude.

Bowen waves that idea away with two hands, as if he doesn't want to even go close to it.

Alex: No one respects the fact that I'm retired from Mayhem. I have nothing left to prove to any of the punks in that division now.

Bowen points out a stiff finger to his brother.

Alex: But for the last calander year I've had to deal with Chuck and Vance trying to push me back into it!

David: Why do you think that?

Alex: Because the division is dying, and it's because of me. I was the first real log jam, and then Mr. Happy days came up and traded belts with some kid who couldn't hold his head above water. Now I've got to set and watch Vega destroy the division I built up. I lost during my reign, but it always made for a good show. He just wins against puds, and tries to call himself the King of Mayhem? Give me a second...

Bowen gets up out of his chair in a huff and walks over to a small room, opening the door he turns on a light. A few seconds pass and the door opens and slams shut. Bowen has the Sceptre of Mayhem! Barbed wire lines the weapon, only the King of Mayhem could enjoy a weapon like this. He holds it up for David to see, red faced he snorts.

Alex: There is a reason why I'm retired, and this is it. I don't need to be in a match with two kids like them. I beat the man who started this shit, because he thought it would be cool to pander to the crowd. I'm all for putting up a good match now, but I wrestle to win. I wash my hands of the Mayhem division, Vega, and Ace. If they want to stand up, Ace can ask Vega about the last time we met. I'm sure the crowd would love to see me cave in a face or two with the curb stomp, then rip off their arm while they are choking on their own blood. I don't need weapons, I don't need that division. I need my own two hands to destroy punks like that.

David Bowen has a smile on his face while standing up, he puts an arm on his brothers shoulder. Grabbing the sceptre, he tosses it down on the chair he was sitting on.

David: Chill out, big brother. All you have to do is think... take out that aggression out there. Follow Matt's lead, and get that W.

Alex: I don't need to follow him, I'm my own man. If he wants to, he can just go cry over his girlfriend. I'll take them both on, I don't care anymore.

Alex points a long finger into the soft flesh of David's chest.

Alex: I've got a small bone to pick with both of those punks. Neither of the have met the Butcher of WZCW.

David: But they will on Aftershock.

David pats his smaller brother on the back, and pushes him to the door, the scene fades out.

 

[Daniel]

Ace Stevens
Old Habits Die Hard

-​

Brooklyn, New York
The Apartment of Ace Stevens
-​

Knock. Knock. Knock. The door creaks forward as it would in any terribly clichéd horror film. The newly-appointed agent of Ace Stevens, Lewis Middleton, steps through the now open door and into an apartment that can only be described as “trashed”. As he walks to the living room area, he accidentally knocks over two empty glass bottles, which were presumably full of alcoholic beverages the night before.

“Ace?”

As Middleton approaches the living room area, he can faintly hear two things: tapping and breathing. The tapping is more noticeable. I kind of sounds like stone on stone or rock on rock.

“Ace?” Middleton once again calls, this time more forcefully.

The Englishman open the living room door slowly, only to discover his client, colleague and friend, Ace Stevens, desperately scribbling on a large, black chalkboard. The living room itself is even messier than the rest of the apartment, with glass bottles, cans and streamers littering the floor.

“Erm, what are you doing?”

“Writing” he replies, while still obsessively doodling on the chalkboard.

“Yes, I gathered that. What exactly is it you’re writing? And where did you get that blackboard?”

Ace stops. He turns around to make eye contact with his agent for the first time and proceeds to quickly answer Middleton’s questions.

“Catchphrases. And I think it would be best if you didn’t know.”

The former Mayhem champion returns to his writing with as much vigour as he previously had.

“Sure, sure. And what’s with all the mess?”

“Had a party. Not every day you beat the Mayhem champion on your return match,” Ace replies, his speaking being as quick and as direct as his doodling on the board. “But now I’m working. So if you don’t mind, y’know, get lost... kind of thing.”

“Certainly. I was just in the neighbourhood and I thought I’d come by to let you know your match for this week.”

“Shoot,” says Ace, still scribbling away.

“Well it’s a match on Aftershock...”

“Aftershock, huh? You would’ve thought they considered me Meltdown material by now.”

“Quite. The match itself is Alex Bowen and Matt Tastic going up against yourself and Vega.”

Ace stops once again. He drops his piece of chalk and turns around to face Middleton.

“Vega? The Mayhem champion Vega? That one? The one who I beat the other day. My Vega? That Vega?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Huh. Can’t imagine he’d like that much, after, y’know me kicking his ass. He’ll probably try to attack me at some point. Never mind. Oh, and what about the other two... erm... Tastic and Bowen?”

At this point, Stevens is still uncharacteristically speaking a mile a minute.

“They don’t like each other either. Always bickering backstage. They also happen to be Mayhem legends.”

“Oh, like me.”

“And Vega...”

“Once he holds the Mayhem title for as long as I did, then we’ll talk.”

“I don’t want to get caught up with semantics and everything, but he’s actually held that title longer than you did.”

“He what?” asks Ace, rhetorically. The anger of his statement is somewhat hidden by the speed of his response.

“Well, you know, it is technically true. Matt Tastic and Alex Bowen have held the title longer too. Bowen the all-tim-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. You’re saying I’m the weak link, right? Didn’t you see what I did on Meltdown? I DESTROYED Vega! I PROVED that I’m the greatest Mayhem champion of ALL-TIME! I’M THE KING OF MAYHEM! I’M ON FIRE! SO BUCKLE UP, BECAUSE IT’S TIME TO FACE STEVENS!”

“Are these your new catchphrases?”

“That depends,” a suddenly calm Stevens says, “like any of them?”

“I’m going to go now.”

“Fine. Just one more thing though, Lulu. WZCW doesn’t have a wellness policy, does it? I’m asking for a, um, friend” says a more than jittery Ace.

Middleton simply sighs and leaves.

“I’m asking for a friend! I swear,” Ace calls as his agent leaves. “It’s Krypto! He loves Soma.”

---

-
Manhattan, New York
Times Square
-​

Times Square. The Crossroads of the World. The Centre of the Universe. The Great White Way. The place almost has as many nicknames as Ace Stevens himself. It is a location without peers. With thirty-nine million visitors every year, it is the most popular tourist location in the world. And with that abundance of unassuming people it is, crucially, a haven for thieves, crooks and pickpockets.

Ace Stevens, for once in his life, is not the centre of attention. Flanked by his best friend, Marty McLaren, he is nothing more than just another nameless face. But considering the reason he is at the tourist attraction, he actually like it that way. The two long-time friends are in deep conversation, discussing what they are about to do.

“Remind me again why you wanna do this?”

“Just gotta brush up on my old skills, man. Vega’s like... awesome at this shit. I used to be.”

“I don’t know, man. You’re not a kid any more. Taking stuff from people now... I don’t know... ain’t it a bit unacceptable?”

“I’m going to give their stuff back to them, numb nuts. Well, unless I find somethin’ good.”

“I think you’re trying to prove a point. But it’s a point you don’t need to prove. Yeah, he’s awesome at this. But so what? What have you got to prove?”

Ace sighs, preparing to open up to his best friend.

“You know what it’s like, dude? What this whole Vega situation's like? It’s like when you’re regularly banging this chick right. And then you stop. You ain’t stopped for good, though. But for the moment, you don’t wanna be banging the girl. Maybe you go hit up some other girl. But you know you’ll probably start again. Well Vega is that guy who swoops in as soon as you stop seeing the broad. Now he’s trying to show her a good time, and he’s doing pretty well. And suddenly, you don’t know if that girl wants to get back with ya’, or if you should get back with the girl.”

“Right. So the woman is the title?”

“No. You’d think it would be, huh? But it ain’t. Not really, anyway. The chick is my I.D. My identity. I was the thief, the crook, the guy who just wouldn’t let go of the title. I was the guy people didn’t like. That’s what everyone knew me as. But as soon as I got injured, Vega saw an opening to be that guy. He rode my success and did the shit I did months earlier. So what do I do now? Do I try to be that guy again? Do I become a different guy?”

“What does it matter? Either way, you’re doin’ it because of him. You try to be the old Ace, you have to take that identity from him. You try to be a new Ace, you’re doin’ it because you can’t be the old Ace. I’m telling ya’ now, Johnny. You need to be the guy you wanna be. Forget everyone else.”

“You talk a lot of sense, Marty. You talk a lot of sense. Now pick a mark.”

“What about him? Obvious tourist.”

Marty covertly gestures towards an elderly bald gentleman who, despite his apparent age, is fairly tall and has a fair amount of upper-body muscle. With a thick moustache and heavy frame, he certainly doesn't look like your stereotypical old man.

“Hmm, he seems a bit old.”

“Nah, man. He must be what? Fifty-five? Sixty? My pops is older than that.”

“And the guy’s a bit big. Ah, fuck it, I fancy a challenge. I’m thinking we perform The Domino Effect.”

“Gotcha,” responds Marty as he begins walking towards the duo’s next target. Within seconds he is standing in front of the bald, old man. “Excuse me, sir. I’m sorry to bother you. My name is Martin, and I’m from the Domino Players Alliance of America. If you don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a few questions today.”

“Listen, kid. I love dominoes. I’m actually the DPAA Midwest Over-85 Champion of 2011. But I ain’t got time to answer your questions, son. I’ve gotta get out of this hellhole. I was only looking for a restroom, and now I’m surrounded by everyone from Limeys to Krauts. And they’ve all got them camera machines...”

As the elderly man simultaneously continues to complain and be lovably racist, Ace becomes an undetected presence behind him. He quickly but cautiously reaches into the front pocket of the man’s trousers and retrieves a black leather wallet.

“...and that’s the reason we won the Great War. Them redcoats had nothing to do with it, I tell ya’, nothing t-“

“Don’t worry, sir. I can see you are in a rush. Have a nice day” interjects Marty, looking to bring their conversation to a close after witnessing Ace do his job.

The old man mumbles something inaudible under his breath as he walks away, fading back into the large crowd. As this happens, Marty and Ace slowly regroup to see what the latter man managed to steal.

“This thing is empty. No cards, no cash, no nothing,” says Ace, as he rifles through the wallet.

“Nothing at all?”

“Oh, there is one thing: some laminated card issued by the Domino Players Alliance of America.”

“Wow, he weren’t kidding. So you gonna give it him back?”

“Sure,” says Ace, as he examines the card. “I just need to post it back to him.”

“Where to?”

“St. Louis, Missouri.”