Ace Stevens
Challenge Accepted
Hard rock music blasts out of the speakers as fireworks on the stage light up the arena, bathing thousands of wrestling fans in a golden glow. The spectators themselves are on their feet, anticipating a night of fun, frolics and, of course, wrestling. This is unmistakably a WrestleZone Championship Wrestling house show.
Then everything stops. The music is replaced by silence. The light, by darkness. The once exuberant fans are now little more than confused.
From out of the darkness, and out of the silence, a voice emerges. Not an ominous voice. Not even a scary voice.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome 'the Headliner, 'the Real American', 'Brooklyns Favourite Son', 'Mr. MSG'! ACE STEVENS! Sure, the voice sounds like the native New Yorker putting on a slight accent, but lets overlook that.
Suddenly,
Born In The U.S.A. begins playing throughout the arena. The familiar sight of Ace Stevens appears on the stage, fist pumping in time with the beat of the song. As the smoky tones of the Bruce Springsteens voice kicks in, Ace turns around and makes his way down the ramp. By adjusting his hair and leather jacket, Ace tries to look as cool as possible in front of the capacity crowd. This posturing continues all the way to the ring, where Stevens picks up a microphone to do what he does best: talk.
Now, the Lethal Lottery is coming up, and I still aint booked in a match to face Steven Kurtesy for his paper championship. I aint even in the Lethal Lottery match. So until I get my match against Kurtesy, Im going to turn my attention to Justin Cooper and his Mayhem title. But first, I need an interviewer. I need someone who can tap into the mind of one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. I need Leon Kensworth.
Stevens motions to the stage, but there is no activity.
I need Leon... KENSWORTH!
Again, there is no sign of anyone coming out to interview Stevens.
Yo, Leo, thats your cue. Now come out and do your damn job.
At this point, the infamous WZCW ring announcer
Truman Harrys grabs Aces attention from outside the ring. Without microphones and with the increasing restlessness of the crowd, their conversation is hardly audiable.
Kensworth isnt here... house show... no interviewers...
Stevens returns to the now booing crowd.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been informed that Leo Kensworth is not here tonight. However, everyones favourite ring announcer has selflessly agreed to take his place. Truman Harrys, everyone!
While Harrys is an ever popular figure in WZCW, the crowd are relentlessly booing Stevens for seemingly coercing the ring announcer. Harrys, meanwhile, immediately protest from outside the ring, waving his hands.
Hey, you can wave your hands all you want, but its happening, doughnut boy. Get this man a microphone.
Harrys makes his way up the steel steps and into the ring, being handed a micropohone on his way. As he begins, the crowd is shocked when they hear that rarest of things: Truman Harryss speaking voice.
A-Ace, I really dont know what to say. This isnt my job...
Dont worry about that. I have your questions written down.
Ace reaches into the inside pocket of his leather jacket, and hands Harrys a folded sheet of paper.
Everything you need to ask is on there.
OK. Last week on Aftershock, you joined an elite club the undefeated club. How do you feel about never having lost a match?
Thats a very good question, Truman. Ya see, a few people seem to think I did lose last week. Clearly, they werent watching the the show I was on. Stevenson Marquel knew he couldnt beat me. So what did he do? He let me do all the work, and then stole the pin. Next question.
Right. You have announced tonight that you plan to challenge that asshole Justin Cooper for the Mayhem Championship. However, a few lesser stars have also expressed their interest in answering his open challenge at the Lethal Lottery pay-per-view. What are your thoughts on these nobodies?
My thoughts? MY THOUGHTS?! My thoughts are that these people dont deserve to be anywhere near a championship. Can you imagine any of them being a champion? Hiro Kota Koji? The guy who got pinned? Stevenson Marquel? Please, that moron couldnt draw a dime if I gave him a box of crayons. Oh, look at me. I used to be bad but now Im good who gives a rats ass? Joe West, Darren Bull, James Howard? Theyre as dull as their names would have you believe.
Youve talked about why a match not involving yourself would be a bad idea. Could you please explain why a championship match that does involve you would be the biggest match in the history of professional wrestling?
Ya see, at the Lethal Lottery, Ace Stevens vs. Justin Cooper is the only way to go. Sure, the Lethal Lottery is a big pay-per-view. But think about how bigger it could be when you have Mr. MSG Ace Stevens on your card. Im known all over the world! I sold out Madison Square Garden three nights in a row. In. A. Freakin. Row. No one has ever done that. Hell, this company has never done that. Im bigger than this company, Truman. The numbers dont lie. Book it, Vance. The Real American Ace Stevens vs. Justin Cooper, the guy whos part Eminem, part Charles Manson and everything thats wrong with this company.
Harrys looks to his notes, surprised to see that the next question directly references the last comment by Stevens.
Um, w-what do you mean when you say everything thats wrong with this company?
Let me tell ya. Do you think Justin Cooper makes money?
Well, ye-
Ace taps the piece of paper Harrys is holding.
Reading what it says, Harrys simply replies
no.
Exactly. No one thinks he makes money. When he walks into an arena, you can hear a pin drop. On cotton. No one gives a crap about the guy. But me, everyone cares about me. All these people bought their tickets to see me. To see Brooklyns Favourite Son do what he does best, which is be the best.
Finishing that brief rant, Stevens prompts Harrys to ask his final question.
Oh, um, do you have any final words for this interview?
As a matter of fact, I do. When youre the best wrestler in the world, they got a name for ya. They dont call you the best in the world, they call the Headliner. They call you Brooklyns Favourite Son. They call you Mr. MSG. They call you Ace Stevens. Now get out of my ring, doughnut boy. Ive got one last bit of business to take care of.
As Harrys leaves the ring, relieved that the interview is over, Stevens grabs a microphone.
Luckily for you people, Ive done a lot of talking tonight. But now I feel like beating someone up. I feel like giving Justin Cooper a small taster of what hes going to get at Lethal Lottery. Cooper announced an open challenge on Aftershock, confident that no one would step up. But me, Im not a coward. I want someone to step up. So here tonight, I challenge any and I mean any wrestler in the back to come face the next Mayhem Champion. Provided that theyre not contracted to WZCW and weigh no more than two hundred pounds.
Ace awaits his challenger, pacing around the ring.
Come on, I know at least one of you must be hanging around back there. We get no-marks like you in all the time. Come on!
After at least twenty more seconds of silence, Ace finally gives up.
Ya see, I could have made you famous. But if you aint buying, Im no longer selling.
As Ace prepares to leave the ring, the all too familiar sound of generic rock music kicks in. A short, yet well built figure appears on the stage. With short brown hair and what appear to be the most boring attire in the history of professional wrestling, the mystery wrestler screams average. However, despite his modest appearance, he receives a warm welcome from the crowd who are just happy to see someone step up to the plate. The fans continue showing their appreciation as Stevens stays in the ring, looking distinctly unimpressed.
Who in the blue hell are you?
Im Aiden Johnson he replies in a rough English accent, inflected with a significant amount of aggression.
Ace immediately replies in an English accent of his own, one which fails to reflect the authentic tone of his adversary.
Alright, guvnor! Youre English! Well, then lets get this match...
Ace strikes his opponent with a cold, stiff microphone to the side of the head and immediately sets to work, stomping away at the downed Johnson. Not content with using his feet, Stevens goes to ground, unleashing a flurry of fists and forearms to the head of his opponent. Jumping back up to a vertical base, Stevens drags Johnson to his feet and delivers a textbook butterfly suplex, characterised by Stevens natural aggression.
Taking a break from the match, Stevens looks to the ramp and proceeds to shout to the back. Even in the midst of competition, Stevens cant resist running his mouth.
Justin Cooper, are you watching this, you coward?! Your precious High Society cant save you from me. he shouts, almost inaudibly over the loud reactions of the crowd, which due to the target of the remarks - arent entirely made up of jeers.
However, taking his eyes off of the opposition proves problematic for the American as Johnson, despite is relatively small stature, delivers a powerful dropkick to the larger Stevens. Rocked by the powerful offence of a much smaller opponent, Stevens proceeds to receive multiple stiff kicks to his body, sending him into the corner. The strong strikes of Johnson, coupled with Stevens defence leads to a small brawl in the corner. As the referee pulls Johnson away, the self-proclaimed Mr. MSG hits a well placed thumb to the eye, sending his opponent to the other side of the ring to recover. Seeing his opportunity, Stevens hits a vicious Last Laugh to the side of his adversarys head. One... two... THREE!
The man in the stripes calls for the bell, and Stevens immediately begins celebrating his victory on the top turnbuckle to a loud chorus of boos.
I AM THE NEW MAYHEM CHAMPION! OH!