The scene opens inside what looks to be a bingo hall. There are a bunch of folding chairs, about three-quarters of them being occupied. In the front of the hall is a slightly elevated stage with a table and three chairs on the left side of it. A banner across the front of the room says Garth Black Look-A-Like Contest. A few more of the seats get filled up as a man in a cheap suit walks on stage with a microphone and a goofy smile on his face.
Ladies and gentlemen, its time to crown the winner of the Garth Black Look-A-Like Contest! Can we bring the three finalists out onto the stage?
Some cheesy music plays and two guys and a woman come out onto the stage, having varying degrees of similarity to Garth Black. All three have paper numbers attached to their clothing. The man on the left is wearing number 39, the woman is wearing number 93, and the other man is wearing number 8.
Now, the judges have tallied up the final scores. First, I would like to thank WZCW superstar Phoenix for helping to sponsor this event and being gracious enough to help judge! (The audience breaks into applause) Before we announce the winners, let us remind everyone of the prizes. The two runners-up will receive autographed photos of them and Phoenix. The winner will not only get their own autographed photo with Phoenix, but will also get a meet-and-greet with Phoenix immediately after the show and a variety of official WZCW merchandise.
The audience applauds again. All three contestants have slightly differing looks of nervousness and excitement.
First, the second runner-up, Number
93!
The crowd gives polite applause as she walks across the stage. She motions to the crowd, heads over and shakes all three judges hands, and exits the stage.
Can the final two contestants please step forward?
They both move toward the front of the stage, looking even more nervous than before. They shake hands and look toward the announcer.
And the runner-up is
Number
8! Which means Contestant Number 39 is the winner!
Contestant 39 jumps and screams in excitement. The two final contestants shake hands and embrace before Contestant 8 shakes the judges hands and exits the stage. The winner still looks to be in disbelief as the announcer begins to speak once again.
(To Contestant 39) Well, we are going to get you and Phoenix out to a limo and you have dinner reservations at Johnnys Charhouse! Your prize package will be waiting here for you afterwards. Good night everybody!
The crowd begins to shuffle out, as Phoenix and Garth go out a side door and get into a waiting limo. Phoenix introduces himself, but stops Garth before he can do the same.
Im terrible with names. Is it okay if I just call you Garth?
Sure! It would be an honor to be called that!
So is Garth some kind of hero of yours?
Oh yes, sir. The things he has accomplished in WZCW is hope for all kinds of smaller guys like myself that we can be successful in anything we do. May I ask you a question, Mr. Phoenix?
You may.
Why dont you like Garth anymore? I thought you were best friends.
Phoenix clearly looks nervous at hearing this question. He looks out the window, and sees a way out of answering it.
Ahhh, were here. (The door opens, and the door into a building is right outside.) Please, after you.
Garth exits the limo, and looks around briefly before entering the building, followed by Phoenix.
This doesnt look like Johnnys Charhouse
Its a back entrance. Dont want to stir all of the customers into a frenzy.
The room they are in is very dark. Phoenix seems to be looking for something, while Garth just seems to be lost.
Just ahead of you is a chair, Garth. Please take a seat while I go
alert the staff that we are here. Ill be right back.
Garth sits in the chair as Phoenix disappears into the darkness. Suddenly, the lights come on. Garth is still sitting in his chair, but now he can see that he is in a small shed filled with steel chairs, kendo sticks, tables, and other assorted wrestling weapons. A calm smile comes across the face of Phoenix as he grabs one of the steel chairs and sets it up backwards in front of Garth and sits to speak with him once more.
So, Garth, I believe just before we exited the limousine, you asked me why I dont like you anymore. Is this correct?
I asked why you and the real Garth arent friends. Where are we?
Ahh, I guess I should fill you in. Did you see what I had to say before the match last week? Well, another step that I failed to mention in my study of The Art of War is The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain, while the town remains untaken. So, what you will do, Garth, is help to rid me of my irritation before our match at Apocalypse. Understand?
Garth weakly nods yes, clearly terrified about the situation he finds himself in.
Now, Garth, we never were friends. We were business partners. We simply worked together to achieve our goal of becoming WZCW Tag Team Champions. We rarely, if ever, interacted outside of matches, and that worked for us. That is, until, I had the realization. The realization soon after you lost our tag team titles that you, Garth Black, were little more than a leech, using me to hide the fact that you were worthless.
How can you call Garth worthless? Youve never beaten him! You couldnt even pin him last week when he was down!
Phoenix looks furious that Garth would dare speak up, even more so that he called Phoenix out. Phoenix takes a deep breath, and begins to continue again.
I wondered if you have the courage to speak up, Garth. I must admit, that is one of the very few qualities you have that I do admire and please, dont use third person. It annoys me.
Now you are correct in two things you say. I have never beaten you one-on-one and I didnt pin you last week. There is no excuse for never beating you one-on-one before, something I plan to rectify at Apocalypse.
But as for last week, that is something I can explain. You see, I couldve pinned you with ease in the tag match. But, I realized it wouldve been a hollow victory. What do I prove by pinning you, 1
2
3, in a tag team match on Meltdown? It became clear to me that pinning you or making you tap out isnt my desire anymore. A 3-count wont do, Garth. Only a 10-count will prove that I, Phoenix, the Eternal One, am the real Second Coming! I was the reason we held those tag team titles.
Phoenixs voice goes from yelling to very quiet, and leans over to speak directly into Garths ear.
And that I am better than you.
Garth finally cannot take it anymore, and slaps Phoenix across the face. Phoenix pauses for a moment, then begins to chuckle as he walks over and folds up the chair he was sitting in.
Whoa, no way. You lay so much as 1 finger on me, and I will sue you, the people that organized this bullshit competition, and WZCW for everything all of you are worth! I already could get you charged with kidnapping!
Poor, poor Garth. First of all, this isnt kidnapping. This is our meet-and-greet that you won. As for the rest of your rant, that waver you signed when you entered the competition cleared any and everyone of any liabilities that may happen. Just like always, Garth: Youre clever, but that doesnt make you smart.
As soon as he finishes his sentence, Phoenix swings the steel chair and with a sickening thud, meets Garths skull. Garth falls into a heap on the floor, but Phoenix continues to connect with more chair shots to his back. He tosses the chair and looks frantically around the room to find his next item. A kendo stick catches Phoenixs eye, and he goes to retrieve it. Garth, dripping with blood tries to stagger to his feet but instead, a crack echoes through the small room as Phoenix breaks the kendo stick across the back of Garths head.
Cmon Garth! Fight back! Prove that youre better than me!
Phoenix goes across the room toward where a few wooden tables sit, throwing any steel chairs in his path at Garths nearly lifeless body. Phoenix stacks up two of the tables, before dragging the other two closer to the center of the room. He props up one table so it stands vertically, and uses the other to help it stay upright. Phoenix picks up Garth and throws him up against the standing table. Phoenix throws another chair, which connects with Garths head once again, which is now completely covered in blood. A gasoline can and matches are retrieved, and Phoenix sets the supporting table on fire. He goes back around and stops directly in front of Garth.
Whats about to happen is nothing compared to what I will do to you at Apocalypse. I will make sure that you have nightmares about me. All it will take is for someone to utter the name Phoenix to cause you to break out into a panic. I am the Second Coming, Garth, and no one, especially you, is going to stand in my way now.
Phoenix takes a step back and a deep breath, before connecting with the Rebirth, sending Garth through the upright table onto the burning one below. Garth is unable to even scream out in pain as the flames jump in excitement over their new fuel. Phoenix scales the stacked tables and screams out
Your Apocalypse comes now, Garth!
and jumps off the tables and goes through the blazing table with the Final Flight, putting himself and Garth through it and extinguishing the flames. Phoenix goes over to the door, where the limo driver is waiting.
Sorry that took so long. Take me back to my hotel. About 5 minutes after we arrive, call the police and tell them that a Marvin Schwartz has gone missing. Mention that he has a medical condition where he has severe hallucinations and the area in which he was last seen.
The limo driver nods and heads toward the drivers door as Phoenix goes to sit in the back. He stops for a moment, and takes one last glance at "Garth's" bloodied, burnt, lifeless body.
Sure hope this turns out okay for him. That was the best training session Ive ever had.
Screen fades to black.
