Kingdom Come 7: Veejay vs. James Howard

[Richard Blonoff]

(Description to come later)

Deadline is Tuesday, November 10th, at 11:59PM CST. Extensions available upon request.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

Deadline has been extended by 24 hours.

 

[Shotaro]

February 2nd 2015
Scottrade Centre; St Louis, Missouri

“Listen James, you barely passed the physical.” Doctor Stein says firmly as he places a large manila folder onto the desk. “Honestly I was torn about even medically clearing you for competition, your track record and experience became the deciding factor. I’ll be watching your match closely don’t do anything stupid.”

Howard sighs loudly before briefly chuckling to himself “You know me doc, the definition of moderation.” He leans back in his chair and rests his right leg on his left thigh, leaning onto the right hand arm-rest smirking. “I don’t know why you’re even worried. The last X-ray on my neck showed that it had been fully healed”

Stein leans forward, placing both elbows on the desk and placing his hands in a praying position, covering his nose and mouth. “I think you fail to realise the severity of the injury. You are lucky to be walking let alone…” he is interrupted by a knock on the door as Dinah Howard cracks it open and peeks her head through, ‘Sacrament of Wilderness’ by Nightwish can just about be heard in the corridor.

“Beard and Daggershield are making their entrances, you need to get geared up.” She says, closing the door behind her.

“Listen, Banks has assured me this is a one-off. Take it easy out there and don’t do anything stupid.” Stein says as Howard rises to his feet and walks out of the room.

“Sure thing doc.” Howard says as he closes the door.


45 minutes later…

The stark white of the corridor contrasts with the furious red on James Howard’s sweat drenched face. He marches down the corridor, shoulder checking at least two different crew members too foolish to get out of the way straight to the make-shift backstage office of Mr. Banks. Howard slams the butt of his clenched fist against the door, almost knocking the ‘no cameras’ sign off its pins. It swings open and Howard steps inside, through the closed door you hear Howard loudly demand a rematch.


April 4th 2015
WZCW Head Offices

Once again, James Howard is sat in the office of Doctor Stein, his legs spread wide and his elbows resting on his knees he sits stiffly in the corner of the room hood pulled up and over his head. Stein sits sternly on his side of the desk.

“So, when I told you not to do anything stupid your response was to hop the rails and attack Chris K.O.?” Stein said as he slammed the increasingly thick manila folder on the desk. “You do realise that if you go out there and fight Derek Jacobs who, need I remind you, is the man who broke your neck in the first place, I could get my license revoked?” Stein stood as he spoke in a crescendo, walking around his desk and leaning in towards Howard with his arms folded. “I’ve put my neck on the line for you too many damn times.” He leans in further “let me lay it out for you. If you receive another neck, shoulder, back or head injury I won’t be able to sign off on you being in that ring ever again. You understand that right?” Stein paused as he does Howards head rises, his eyes ablaze.

“We done here?” Howard says curtly.

Stein shakes his head as he walks back around his desk, waving Howard towards the door. “Sure.”


The Present
James Howard’s Home; San Francisco, California

“I don’t want to hear it doc.” Howard asserts over his freshly cleaned breakfast bar, a half-eaten granola bar in his still taped hands. “Don’t even finish the sentence.”

“James you need to listen to me” Stein says as he reaches into his bag, the manila folder now impossibly large. “These resu…” Stein is cut off by Howard reaching out his hand.

“Do you have any idea what I’ve been through doc? I mean really? Do you have even the vaguest concept of what my life has been like since I joined this company? So what you’re going to tell me I have to back out of Kingdom Come? Tell me I have to run away with my tail between my legs? You know me too damn well to know that is never going to happen. I’ll be damned if a jumped up little prick like Veejay gets to retire me by default.” Howard continues walking around his kitchen as he talks, the granola bar seemingly forgotten in his hands.

“I’ve been a two-time Tag Team Champion, I’ve been the Eurasian Champion, and I’ve been the Elite-X Champion. I’m not finished yet. I’m not even close to being ready to call time on my career. My wife left me and I’ve finally got her back, along with my infant son and with another on the way. Life is on the up for me doc. I’m not done yet. I’m barely even started and until I get my chance at the big one and prove to myself that I’m one of the greatest of all time I’m not going anywhere.” Howard takes a bite of his granola bar and takes some medicine out of the bottle.

“James, I can’t help but feel like you’re not listening to what I’m saying.” Says an increasingly agitated Stein.

“Doc, I know exactly what you’re saying. I don’t think you are listening to me.” Howard says as he points accusingly. “I don’t care if my neck is screwed. I’m on medication for my anger issues. I’m in the best shape of my career and I still have my mean streak and it is a goddamn mile wide. Serra is the real problem here, she’s all over my ass about my attacking people. She never gave a shit when it was Ty Burna or Steven Holmes or Constantine or any of the other guys who would beat people down to gain an advantage. I was sick doc, what was their excuse?”

Stein begins to open his mouth but Howard begins talking before the sound can escape.

“And Veejay? Really? The Bollywood Titus? You ever seen Bollywood’s Superman movie doc? It’s called Dariya Dil. Google it. Tell me, if that guy is a Bollywood star what does that tell you about Veejay? He’s the Dariya Dil of Titus for crying out loud. With his goddamn little rat tail in his hair talking about how pissed off he is all the time. Don’t get me wrong he can fight, the kid has some impressive victories and I know how badly he wants his Kingdom Come moment retiring a guy like me but I’m telling you doc, it ain’t happening.”

Stein rises to his feet and throws a smaller copy of the manila folder onto the counter. “Read it, show it to Dinah and tell me if you change your mind.”

“Fine” Howard says as he walks Stein to the door. He sits down and opens the folder it contains a single sheet of paper with typed and hand-written notes.

Patient: James Howard
MRI SCAN RESULTS.
Brain stem and spinal cord both show no cause for concern.
Dark mass on brain; possible meningioma.

Below the typed words are scribbled notes. You need a biopsy immediately after your match, almost certainly benign but needs removing. This could explain your anger issues. It’s small, the prognosis is good.

Howard leans forward, head in his hands and breathlessly speaks “Fuck.”

 

[CyberPunk]

Road to Kingdom Come


Veejay (voice over): Being back felt good. I didn’t win, but I felt good. The ring felt good. Everything felt good. Everything, except one: James Howard. James attacked me from behind after the show. What a coward! I will…

Veejay: OUCH!!

Doc: That’s it!

The doc finishes up stapling Veejay on the forehead.

Doc: An inch lower and it could’ve been your eye. You are very lucky.

Veejay: May be. But the man who did this is going to be very unlucky. I will…

Before he could finish, Saffron storms into the room. She is furious.

Veejay: Hey, Saff! You’re back! How was Germany?

Saffron: Cut it! What the hell, Veejay!? What had I told you?

Veejay: I…I don’t exactly remember. Was it was something about cooking and not partying too much?

Saffron: Don’t act cute! What did I tell you about going back to wrestling?

Veejay (mumbling): Don’t ever go back to wrestling.

Saffron: What?

Veejay: Don’t ever go back to wrestling.

Saffron: Still you did! Do I mean nothing to you?

Veejay: Baby…

Saffron: Don’t ‘baby’ me!

Veejay: Calm down, darling. Let’s go home and then we’ll talk.

Saffron walks out. Just as Veejay reaches the door, Dilip enters.

Veejay: You moron! Why did you tell her?

Dilip: I didn’t have to. She saw you wrestling on TV.

Veejay: I am talking about this. Why did you bring her here?

Dilip: She insisted. I couldn’t lie to her.

Veejay: Now I am done!


*********************************************************


We are at Veejay’s Hollywood hills house.

Saffron is pacing up and down the hall. Veejay sits there nonchalantly. Finally, Saffron sits on the couch beside Veejay.

Saffron: Why do you want to wrestle again?

Veejay: Honey, you know how much I miss wrestling. I love being there in the ring performing in front of thousands of those people.

Saffron: I get that. But it’s too dangerous! Last time I saw you in a ring, you were attacked by Slaughter. The first night you’re back, you get your head stapled because James Howard attacked you. I will not be able to live with myself if something happens to you.

Saffron gets up again. A tinge of sadness is evident on her face.

Veejay: I love you, Saff. You know I really do. I stopped wrestling because of you. But being away from it made me realize how much I want to do it. Acting and making movies have been great, but wrestling makes me feel more alive than anything.

Saffron: But…

Veejay: Saff, I know what you’re thinking. I know that you’re worried about me. I totally understand it. If I would’ve been in your place, I would’ve been worried too.

Saffron: You don’t understand. (She hugs Veejay tightly) You’re everything to me! I cannot see you get hurt.

Veejay looks in her eyes. He could see tears building up.

Veejay: I know, Saff. I know how much you love me, and I know you don’t want me to get hurt. I am thankful to god for you. I was an angry, bitter person. Your love changed that. You taught me how to live. And I would do anything for you.

Veejay walks across the hall towards the picture of her mother above the fireplace.

Veejay: There are lots of things life has snatched away from me. You’re the only good thing it has added in a long time. I’ll never do anything that hurts you.

Saffron: Then why do you want to wrestle again?

Veejay: Because I realized that I love it way more than I’ve loved anything in my life, second to only you. Even when people booed me, I could feel the energy radiating through them that made me push harder in everything I did. And that’s a feeling I have been missing for some time. When I had my last match against elegANT a few months ago, I saw what I was missing by not getting into the ring. I wanted to get back in that ring and feel all of that again. I wanted to make a mark in world of wrestling. I am ready to give up my acting career just to have a go at the world of wrestling. I want to become a proud WZCW World heavyweight champion some day and show everyone what this means to me, how it can make a difference and how it makes lives better.

Saffron: I understand that, Veejay. But wrestling is not all about good pure wrestling guys who let it all out in the ring. People like James also exist.

Veejay: That’s why I need you more than ever! I need you to watch my back. And I want you to be there when I take this son of a bitch down!

Saffron: I don’t know. You have been out of the ring for quite some time while someone like James has been out there every week. How are you going to prepare for this?

Veejay: I am already on it. Come with me. I have something to show you.

Veejay holds Saffron by hands and takes her with him.

Veejay: Dilip , tell the driver to get the car ready. We are going to our new training facility.


*********************************************************


Somewhere in Hollywood hills - Veejay’s new training facility

Veejay shows Saffron around his new training facility. Complete with a gym, a ring, a small recreation center, the facility is everything that anyone can hope for.

Veejay: So, what do you think?

Saffron: This is amazing! Who built this place?

Dilip: This whole place has been put together by me. Isn’t it awesome?

Saffron: It is! I have to say this place is amazing. But a facility alone is not enough. How are you preparing yourself?

Veejay: That’s the best part! Thanks to Dilip, I was able to train with someone who’s not only a hall of famer in WZCW, but an absolute legend in the world of pro-wrestling. Ohh! Here he comes!

Veejay, Saffron and Dilip all look in the direction of the entrance of the facility. Their eyes are fixated on the figure that has just entered the place. He’s none other than EVEREST!

Saffron: This can’t be true! I don’t believe this. You’ve been training with Everest?

Veejay: Yes! If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best. And he is the best!

Everest walks up to Veejay and shakes his hand. He shifts his attention to Saffron and approaches her with an outstretched hand to shake hers.

Everest: Ms Hanson. I am a big fan of yours.

Saffron: And I yours! By the way, I go by Mrs. Hanson–Chauhan.

Everest: Yeah, I got the news that you’re married to Veejay now. That’s great!

Saffron: Indeed. Well, I’ll let you guys at it. (To Veejay) I am not sure if this is right for you. But if this is what you want, I am right behind you. Always and forever!

Saffron kisses Veejay and bids adieu to everyone.

Dilip: I too have a few errands to run. If you need anything, just buzz me.

Dilip takes leave as well. Everest and Veejay take it to the ring. After a rigorous training session, they finally call it off.

Veejay: Kingdom Come is almost upon us. What do you think I should do?

Everest: You are a very skilled wrestler that much I know. But I also see a very angry man in you. It may seem justified as well seeing how James jumped you. You shouldn’t let it get to you.

Veejay: I know. I have had some temper issues in the past but I want to leave all that behind.

Everest: That will be for the best. Remember, James is a veteran. I have seen him fight clean and I have seen him fight dirty. For all the skills you have, you are going up against someone who has done this for years, so you have to be careful.

Veejay: I understand. I know he has all the experience in the world. However, I think I can beat him.

Everest: Yes, you have to believe that. James is not in a good place right now. He is having anger issues; he lost his Elite X title and has failed to regain it. I see him losing control. Use it to your advantage. It’s easier said than done, but this is your best chance. Do not let him get to you. Do not let the occasion get to you.

Veejay: I am used to the big crowds. I don’t think that’ll be a problem.

Everest: May be not. But Kingdom Come is a unique stage. The emotions can run wild. Harness your emotions. Harness your anger. Channel it. Once you get in that ring, it’s going to be a battle. You know that. He knows that. He’s fighting for his survival, so expect him to come hard at you. This is going to be a war of attrition. Wear him down and look for that opening.

Veejay: I’ll keep that in mind. And Everest, I’d like to thank you for all the help. It’s been great training with you. Thank you! From here on, it’s going to be James vs Veejay!

Everest: Anytime, son!


*********************************************************


Kingdom Come VII- Backstage

Veejay (voice over): I am finally here. My first ever singles match at the grandest stage of them all. I’ve been in situations like this before, but this feels different. At least I am in a good place. The people I love are right behind me. My wife, my friend, my mentor, all of them. All I need is to focus. Focus! Focus hard! James, you made a mistake when you attacked me. You want to cement our legacy; I’ll do that for you. It’s time I repaid you in full, inside that squared circle.

It’s my time to seize my keys to the Kingdom! Here I come!