As the scene begins we can hear the crackling of a fire, and into shot fadesa luxurious looking fireplace. Its dark green marble features are only broken by the golden trim running along its edge. Beside the fire, sitting back in a thick black leather chair, sits Magnus Maximillian. He has glass of what looks to be scotch in his right hand, his legs crossed and a content yet arrogant looking smile on his face. Bookshelves fill the wall behind him, and the only other features of the room from this view is a small table next to the chair, loaded with papers and a bottle of the drink Magnus has. He takes a long sip of his drink before addressing the camera.
Ricky Ricky Ricky, what are we going to do with you. You just cannot take a lesson like a man can you my boy. You see, last week on Meltdown, my Manzo was only returning the favour from the Lethal Lottery. You stood up to Manzo, which makes you brave. You then organised the elimination of Manzo. That, that makes you stupid.
Magnus leans forward on the chair, placing the drink down to the side near the papers, and points right at the camera.
You see, it an army to stop Manzo at the Lottery. It took the Elite X and the Tag team Champions, as well as the number one contenders for those titles, and even yourself, the hardcore icon, to eliminate Manzo. This week, you will have no one. Ricky my boy, last week was a taster, it was a demonstration of what Manzo can do, of what happens when you cross him and me. In case you have forgotten, I am Magnus Maximillian. I could buy and sell you a hundred times and youd never know about it Ricky because you will never, NEVER, be at my level. You work in dimes, I work in millions. To everyone else, you are a superstar. To me, you are a commodity. And by having my Manzo destroy you again this week, you will make his stock rise even higher. Already people are fearing for their titles at the hand of this man, but after Meltdown theyll fear for their careers.
Magnus gets up out of his chair grabbing the paperwork as he does so. As he stands, it becomes obvious just how expensive his attire is. Silk and diamons are, as usual, in abundance and it is clear that when Magnus speaks of the level of his wealth, he is not exaggerating. Walking past the fireplace, he stands before a great glass and redwood cabinet. Inside, mounted on small golden hooks, are six wrestling title belts..
These Ricky, these are part of my legacy. These are the ISW World Tag Team Championships. Those Championships stayed with me for six months. For six months they were mine.
Magnus jesters to a pair of titles, a white leather strap forming their body, decorated with the ISW symbol.
This Ricky, this is the ISW High Impact Championship, and above it is the ISW Maelstrom Championship. Both the midcard and the hardcore titles of the ISW. Both of them were in my hands when the organisation folded, and had been there for four months a piece.
Magnus raises his hands to the top now, where only two titles remain. The first is obviously decorated once again with the ISW logo, but the other looks nothing like the rest. It is lavishly decorated in gold and jewels, and instead of a fedartion logo there is simply a large diamond M in the centre.
The first of these Ricky my boy Im sure even your pitiful little mind could guess by now. The first of these Championships is the daddy itself, the ISW World Championship. Mine for eight months. You think this Joseph Rios has a title reign? Joseph Rios has a trickle. He has had a splurge of a reign, a pale ghost of a reign when measured against the standard of Me.
Magnus turns fully to the camera now, and waves his hands across the Championships arrayed before him on the wall.
And the greatest thing of all Ricky, is that all these titles were mine at the same time, and yet none of them have been around my waist. You see Ricky, whilst you were busy doing video skits and making the crowds smile and enjoy watching your antics, I was out there buying more commodities. I took men from around America and I brought them together and I owned them all. You think Dynasty is something? Its nothing. Dynasty is a collaboration of egos that hopes for the best. I bought the best. I bought Jamie Drakeweld, and I groomed him into a hardcore monster of a man that destroyed his opponent to win the Maelstrom title in a scaffold match. I took Gangkhar and Tank and made them the undefeated World Tag Team Champions. I took Jack Dawn and sculpted him into a two-time High Impact Champion, and best of all, I took Jason Heartford, the Broken Hearted, and made him the most dominant world champion ISW ever had. I took them all, and made them the best at what they do. I dont manage wrestlers, I own Champions. Their stock rose, my stock soared, and I made millions. I made so much and ruled with a grip so tight I even had this made.
Magnus reaches up and brings down the lavish unnamed Championship, throwing it over his shoulder.
This one Ricky? This one is mine. This is a symbol of my ownership of all the others. This title came about because the rest became meaningless, just extensions of my will. This was the only Championship that mattered because this Championship Ricky, this Championship meant that I owned it all. And believe me when I say, Ill do it again.
Magnus hangs the title back in the cabinet, brushing it with his hand, a smile of supremacy on his face. Holding up the papers, he address us all once again.
These Ricky, and everyone else out there in the WZCW, these are contracts and statistics for numerous talents both within and outside of the USA. I have learnt through business that sometimes the best opportunities are not just in your own backyard; you have to go further a field.This time around, I plan to go multinational. I will bring the biggest and the best to WZCW, and I started with Hatchiyama Manzo.
Magnus walks across the room to where Manzo is sitting. A three seater leather sofa is filled by his massive frame, and even though Magnus is himself no small man, he is dwarfed by Manzo, who has the same emotionless calm face he had last week when he assaulted Steamboat Ricky in his rematch against Maxx.
Im sure you dont need me to tell you just how dominant this man here is ricky. You found out last week. You dont have to overcome the odds against Manzo, you have to do the impossible. It took the best WZCW had to offer just to throw him over the top rope once. He has never been knocked down, and stronger people than you have tried Ricky. He has never been beaten. He has never been pinned or submitted. He is a practiced dedicated machine that you cannot beat Ricky.You come out, week after week, and run your promos with dead Mexicans and old Japanese men, and you run a sketch Id expect to see on a Saturday Night Talk show. And the kids laugh, and their friends laugh, and everyone finds it oh so amusing, but you know what? Those wonts help you beat Manzo. Because whilst you entertain, Manzo trains. Whilst you talk to your parrot and swab the deck of your pitiful little junk of a boat, Manzo trains. Whilst you give the people what they want, Manzo trains You dont have the skills he has, you dont have the training he has, you dont have the size, power, speed, strength, anger or focus he has.You step into the ring this week Ricky, you will lose. Its not even a competition Ricky.
Magnus laughs and places his hand on Manzos huge shoulder. Manzos calm face turns into a snarl of aggression and hostility. Magnuss laugh becomes deeper and more forceful, and his voice is loud and arrogant when he next speaks.
You see, whilst all you poor people are out there polishing the few pennies you have left at the end of a pay check, Ill be riding around in another of my little toys. And whilst all the other wrestlers out there beating each other to pieces, trying to be survivors, Im sitting back relaxing and contemplating my next move. You see, everyone out there thinks they need to be the toughest to survive. And all you Steamboat fans think they need to work hard and be grateful to survive. Well, Ill tell you what you need to survive. Money. Lots of money, and I have tonnes of it. And Ill show you all just how far that money can go each and every week.
Magnus puts the papers down, and reaches behind the sofa for a black suitcase. Bringing it up, he passes it to Manzo, who holds it for Magnus to open. The locks click, and inside is even more paperwork, and a huge stack of hundred dollar bills. Magnus takes the pile and holds it up to the camera as Manzo places the case back on the ground.
"You see this Ricky? You see what this is? This is ten thousand dollars. Now I know you could use ten thousand dollars Ricky, hell just by looking at you I know you could use a lot more, so heres what Im going to do. Im going to give you a way out. Im going to offer you, right now; ten thousand dollars to just stay in the back at Meltdown. Show everyone that no one is beyond my reach and take the money. Stay in the back and just give up the fight. If not, youll need more than ten thousand dollars just for the medical bills.
Magnus goes to give the money back to Manzo, but stops, smiling to himself, and turns back to the camera..
You know, Manzo could do with a week off. So Im making this offer out there, just in case Ricky is too stupid to see sense. Anyone else who wants to make ten thousand dollars, all you have to do what seemingly no one has done yet. Keep Ricky down. Thats right, a ten thousand dollar bounty on Steamboat Ricky.
The smile on Magnus face breaks into the loud confident laughter of before, as he passes the bounty across tio Manzo, who is staring intently on the camera. Magnus walks away, still laughing, as the camera closes in on the huge imposing frame of Manzo.
Well see you at Meltdown Ricky my boy.
The camera fades out on Manzos fierce snarl, and Magnuss laughter ringing in the background.
