*Chuck Myles is once again in his office but this time instead of looking over some papers, he is just finishing up a phone call.*
Myles: Yes, Meltdown was indeed another excellent show. I am glad that you enjoyed it. And as for our agreement, I will be sending one of biggest stars to make several appearances in your stores across western America.
*Knock Knock*
Myles: Ah, my 11 o'clock is here. It was great to speak to you again and I am sure that we will get that drink the next time I am in town. Goodbye.
*Myles puts the phone down and sighs.*
Myles: What a moron. Come in!
*The door opens and Barbosa walks into the room.*
Myles: Ah Barbosa, take a seat.
*Barbosa makes himself comfortable in front of Myles' desk.*
Myles: I suppose congratulations are in order for an excellent performance on Ascension, rewarded by a high level victory against a top quality opponent. Even the interference of Showtime and the World Heavyweight Champion did not stop you. However, I hope you are not getting ahead of yourself. This is just one victory
Барбоса: Thank you, Mr Myles. We
I do understand that one good performance against a World title contender does not automatically elevate us to his level. And even if it were, I know that such an elevation could be temporary without laying the proper groundwork. We have been bitten by that yo-yo effect before and do not wish to fall victim to it again so the next time we are entered into the World title picture, I intend for it to be permanent.
Myles: Eloquently put. I am glad to see that you are retaining some control over your expectations. It was just a few short months ago, weeks even, that you would have been demanding a shot at Ty Burna immediately after one good performance and then sucker-punching the nearest person when you did not receive it. However, I hope your interview with Leon was not indicative of your true feelings
Барбоса: It would be remiss of us if we claimed that I did not still harbour some disappointment regarding our lack of a rematch with Ty Burna, especially given that Reynolds himself is about to receive his second rematch, but I assure you that we only brought it up as a way to accentuate a negative and maintain our heat.
*Myles does not appear to be sold on Barbosas claim to have let go of the past.*
Myles: So long as that kind of complaining remains in front of the camera rather than insidiously spreading to the backstage area. Besides, that heat you speak of could be lost as quickly as it is gained because your next match could easily end in defeat.
Барбоса: Well at least I get my spot back on Meltdown.
Myles: Actually, because you put on an excellent main event for Ascension, Bateman has dug his heels in and I have been unable to secure you a promotion back to the Meltdown card this week.
*Barbosa takes this in his stride.*
Барбоса: Thank you very much for trying, Mr Myles. I appreciate the trust you are putting in me.
Myles: Now lets get something straight. I will not be providing you with an overt help at all. Indeed, I may even ask you to do something that you will not like.
Барбоса: We understand. However, seeing as how it would not count as overt help, if it is too much to ask, do you know if a decision been made regarding my opponent this week?
*Myles picks up a piece of paper from his desk.*
Myles: Actually, I have a copy of the Ascension card right here and even though it is not set to be announced for a couple of hours yet, I do not think it would cause any harm to let you know that you will be facing the former WZCW tag team champion and current No.1 contender to the EurAsian championship, Scott Hammond.
*Myles studies Barbosa closely to gain any insight as to what the former inmate thinks about this matchup.*
Барбоса: While I might have been expecting some kind of multi-person match with those involved in the KFAD or even World title pictures, a match with Hammond will provide a good opportunity to build on my win last week by producing a dominant performance and also to exact a little payback
Myles: Payback? What for?
Барбоса: Our pathes have crossed before; back at All Or Nothing the recently disbanded Brothers In Arms squashed us in the tag team gauntlet match. While that was a handicap match, the separation of BiA might make Hammond a more dangerous opponent than would usually be the case from a 6'6 man with a solid wrestling base.
Myles: And why is that?
Барбоса: For a couple of reasons - firstly, as Hammond has spent much of the last year in the tag team division, it is less obvious as to how he will approach his singles career. His last match was a triple threat which does not provide much help as to how he will compete in a one-on-one match.
Secondly, teaming with Wasabi Toyota also makes him less predictable as a competitor for it was the first time that Hammond was relied upon to be more agile in order to bring some balance to the team. That BiA had such a long run at the top of the tag team division suggests that he must have been at least somewhat successful at adding a few more strings to his bow.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Hammond may have succeeded in earning a match for the EurAsian title but he still drags around the stigma of being the alsoran to Toyota's star. He will therefore view us as a way to further his own career and he is going to bring his 'A' game in the hope of escaping that rather hefty shadow. The fact that I hold two high profile victories over Blade, the champion Hammond will soon be facing, will only egg him on further.
Myles: These are all very promising insights and the idea of you facing an opponent that it could be said that you would expect to defeat bring an added dimension that you will have to deal with more and more if you continue to climb the ranks - people will look at you as a scalp to further their own careers; someone against whom they can test themselves to see how far they have come. So how do you plan on dealing with him?
Барбоса: As is what you might call my forte, we plan to use these strengths against him. His diversifying as a performer will have weakened some of his core skills and even if he has kept them honed, if he thinks that he can outwrestle us, he will be in for a surprise.
Also much like Reynolds last week, Hammond will allow himself to get distracted but this time not only will our opponent be looking passed us to Blade, he will also be out to prove that he was not the fraternal weakling that will fade into obscurity.
And once he takes his eyes off of us, he will find himself blind-sided and beaten.
*Myles takes stock of this analysis but not without a slight tinge of perplexion on his face.*
Myles: You certainly seem to have done your homework
especially considering you only found out that Hammond is your opponent less than
*Myles looks at his watch.*
Myles:
five minutes ago.
Барбоса: Just think what I will know with days to prepare.
*There is a brief moment of silence.*
Myles: I was also glad to see that you heeded my warnings about not interfering in Meltdown matches.
Барбоса: I was only following orders and it turns out that Kravinoff did not need our help in gaining legal possession of the KFAD briefcase. He defeated Dave as decisively as both he and we have done in the past.
Myles: Yes
Kravinoff with the briefcase is a whole other publicity problem.
Барбоса: Do you not think Kravinoff will make a good KFAD and future World Heavyweight Champion?
Myles: I am not bound to answer your questions about other competitors but on Kravinoff being a good KFAD, its not a no but let's leave it at that Ugandan is in as much need of rehabilitation as you are.
Барбоса: Oh
well, we are just happy for him. I think it is well deserved and now WZCW has a dominant King.
Myles: I do have just one question though. What were you going to say to Big Dave before he stopped you?
Барбоса: I were just going to wish him luck and tell him that, as per your order, he had no need to worry about us interfering.
*Myles leans back in his chair, clearly a little suspicious of what might have really happened had Dave not seen Barbosa coming.*
Myles: Well
then perhaps it is time for the next step in his rehabilitation. It is time to talk business. If you are going to prove yourself a valuable asset to me, you need to generate business and personal relationsips that are a benefit to WZCW and that means we need to get your face out there. Therefore, regardless of how your match against Hammond turns out, next week you will be going on a whistle stop tour of western America.
*Barbosa looks a little restless in his chair, like something is boiling up inside him trying to escape. However, he manages to keep it under control and Myles chooses to ignore those moments of uncomfort.*
Myles: Yes, after I mentioned it at our last meeting, I went back and looked at your Las Vegas promo for Lethal Lottery. It was extremely entertaining, furthered your character and most importantly got a good response from the audience. We need to tap into that Three Stooges routine you perform so well and at the same time have you make personal appearances, signing autographs for fans and pressing the flesh with sponsors. If all goes well and the right location can be found, maybe you could shoot promotional material for Apocalypse.
*Barbosa continues to look somewhat uncomfortable, squirming about in his chair. This time Myles does comment on it.*
Myles: Is there something wrong? You seem to be very fidgety, almost like you need to use the bathroom.
Барбоса: Oh no, Mr Myles. We am fine. Completey fine.
Myles: Okay then, back to this tour. Here is an itinerary of where you will be going. There is plenty of time built in for personal appearances, promotional filming and some special events with sponsors and even a job with the Wish Upon A Star coporation. Unfortunately, you will be on the road so much that you will have to miss Meltdown or Ascension that week but I think it will be time well
Барбоса: Actually, Mr Myles, we
errr
do need to use the bathroom.
Myles: Ah
okay. We are almost done. I would just like to go over the finer points of this tour
Барбоса: It is rather urgent, sir. It turns out that Thai food does not sit too well with me
us
me.
Myles: Ergh
just go then.
*Barbosa jumps out of his seat and almost runs to the door.*
Myles: Wait, you had better take this with you.
*Myles waves the bit of paper with Barbosas itinerary on it.*
Manic: Why? Has the bathroom run out of paper
Барбоса: *ahem* Yes, thank you, Mr Myles. This is a great opportunity for us to further our career. We shall not let you down.
Myles: You had better not
*With that Barbosa takes the itinerary from Myles and then rushes out of the office. He does not stop until he gets to an empty stall in the nearest bathroom. Despite professing his acceptance of the promotional tour, there is still something amiss and once he is out of Myles' ear shot, he lets himself know what he really thinks about the prospect of touring.*
The Smoker: What the hell was that?
Manic: Do we not need the bathroom then?
The Smoker: You acquiesced to this moronic idea of going around shaking hands, kissing babies and being exposed to the WZCW Universe. It's enough to make us want to puke.
Manic: Well, the toilet is right here. Besides, the tour will be a lot of f
The Smoker: And why is he telling us this now? It is distracting us from our match with??? And then taking away the opportunity to capitalise on our inevitable victory by forcing us to skip the next round of matches!
Manic: But we will get to travel around meeting all of our fans! This itineererary says that we will even get to visit Canada!
The Smoker: OH COME ON!
Depressive: Mr Myles is testing us; testing us to see if we really have changed, to see if we really are worthy of his backing; pushing our buttons to see if we will fall into old habits. We cannot let that happen.
The Smoker: But it is going to be SO boring!
Depressive: While we may not have enjoyed our last excursion for WZCW, Mr Myles is correct in what it did for our profile. This tour is a means to an ends and by winning the backing of a general manager, once we get into the main event we will stay there, even if it means doing things we do not like.
*Barbosa sits quietly on the throne, taking in what he has said.*
Manic: Come one, guys. We have not got time to stand here and argue! We have to get to Hunt's party! He and his briefcase won't start the party without us!
*With a sigh, Barbosa flushes the toilet and leaves his stall.*
The Smoker: From the bathroom to the crowning of a King
this game of thrones does seem to be taken rather literally.
