MD 65: Black Dragon vs. Scott Hammond (Non Title)

[Ty Burna]

Deadline is Tuesday, November 22nd at 11:59 PM Central Time

 

[Low_Ki]

The scene fades into the backstage area of a local house show. A fire escape door opens and Scott Hammond walks in wearing a fine black suit and a pair of sunglasses. As he walks through the backstage area, many wrestlers turn and look in disgust, including Ricky Runn, who discerningly shakes his head as he walks past. He gets to the end of the corridor and out of nowhere, Blade emerges. They stare at each other for a moment, before both smiling and giving each other a hug.

Man you look great!

Thanks man, I thought I'd treat myself, special occasion and all that. I'm really sorry about the title loss last week, it...

Wasn't your fault, I know. Don't worry, its onwards and upwards. You ready?

Born ready. First step is this week against Black Dragon. But hey, we can go over things in a little bit, I got some interview time with Becky.

All good, just give me a shout when your done.

Both men shake hands as Hammond walks off towards the interview area. Becky Serra can be seen waiting for him with mic in hand

Where have you been? Your almost 20 minutes late.

Didn't you get the memo Becky, you work on my time, not the other way around. If I want to be 20 minutes late, I will be.

Can we get started, I have a lot of questions that need answering.

I'm not a man who gives answers to those who demand them Becky. Ask nicely and I might talk.

Whatever, lets get started.

The cameraman lifts his camera and signs that they are rolling.

I am here with Scott Hammond, a man who last week turned his back on the friendships and bonds he had formed with the fans and some members of the locker room after losing his cool after...

WHOA! Becky, that's deep stuff your saying there. I'm actually quite hurt. I turned my back on no one.

What about Chris Beckford, your long time friend and allie.

What about him? He was expendable.

Okay, lets make this easier, why did you do what you did last week?

That, my dearest Becky, is not to be answered here and now. But if those that have followed me all these years saw what I did last week and still had to question why I did it, then maybe they should go and support someone like the Internet Warrior or something.

Can you tell us anything about what happened on Meltdown?

You saw what happened. My shoulders were pinned to the mat while I had my hand on the ropes. Its all relative now Becky. The wheels are in motion on one of the biggest things to happen to WZCW in a very long time. No longer will I or Blade stand for the mediocrity that plagues this once great organisation. What happened on Meltdown was the very beginning of something new, and revolutionary. You will see come Meltdown exactly what I mean, but for now, I must focus on my match this week.

Which is against the man who pinned you to win the...

NO BECKY, HE DID NOT PIN ME! HE DID NOTHING BUT CHEAT! The man is walking around with a title he does not deserve. And what do the precious powers that be do, they make this match a non-title match. Do you know why Becky?

Um, because...

I WILL TELL YOU WHY, IT WAS A RHETORICAL QUESTION BECKY! It is because they are worried. They had the greatest EurAsian Champion ever in Blade, he made them money. Fearing that given a clean match with a competent referee, I will triumph over that imposter champion Black Dragon and make it so that he has one of the shortest reigns in the history of the company. How embarressing for all parties would that be? I will crush Black Dragon on Meltdown and I will make sure he never forgets who the better wrestler is. I mean, on any given day I could out wrestle Black Dragon, and most importantly, who is this man? I have slogged my guts out in this place for the better part of three years, and guys like Black Dragon come in and in no time they are taking my place. NOT ANYMORE!

So that is what this whole thing is about?

NOOOO Becky, its so much more than that. But I shall divulge no further. There is work to be done, and if you will excuse me, I have business to attend to.

One last question.

If you must.

Why Blade? Why align yourself with this man after the months of torment?

Logic, Becky. It was the logical decision. A referee screwed me out of a match. After that, everything that Blade ever said made sense. Sometimes, you just have to go where the tide takes you Becky, and sometimes, you have to make the waves. Good day.

Hammond walks off towards Blade's dressing room as Becky stands, with a confused look on her face as the scene fades to black

 

[Gelgarin]

***Better late than never***

Book of the Dragon​

~ Chapter 13 – Suffer Not Injustice ~​

Details change, but the world remains the same. Hearts, minds and circumstances may shift like the wind, men may rise and fall, but evil shall always be with us in one guise or another. Tonight I withdrew my list of judgement hoping to cross off my first name, instead I find myself adding one.

Hammond.

What possesses a man to turn towards darkness? What convinces a man to sell his soul? It is a question I have often asked myself, but those who embrace shadow are seldom able to form a coherent answer. When the time comes to dismantle Hammond it will be with a small amount of regret that the man will never have the capacity to explain his fall from grace to me. Hammond had his body savagely picked over by Blade, had his livelihood taken away from him by Blade, and last night finally had the opportunity bring vengeance down upon his attacker… yet he traded it all in so that he could serve as Blade’s boot boy. What possesses a man to throw away his honour, his morality and his sense of dignity?

Is it fear? Is he so afraid of pain that he is willing to debase himself in order to stay safe? Like a minnow that swims along inside the mouth of a shark, cleaning the monster’s teeth in exchange for not getting eaten. Safety for a time, until one day the monster just has to stretch its jaw, and suddenly all the minnows disappear. Perhaps it is Stockholm Syndrome. Hammond perhaps believes that his pain was deserved, and has reconciled this self loathing in the only way he could see how, by aping his destructor. Whilst truly pathetic, this does leave open the interesting possibility that a supplementary beating might be all that is needed to set Hammond back on the right path.

Well sorry Hammond, but I’m not here to save your soul. I have enough problems keeping mine in check, and what you do with yours is entirely your own prerogative. Blacken it, stain it with blood, or discard it all together… that’s your business. I deal in vengeance, not rehabilitation. Perhaps in time someone will come along and deliver to you beating that you so desperately need, but I intend to deliver to you the beating that you deserve. You have embraced a heart of darkness and now you must pay the piper. No bad deed goes unpunished, and for you Hammond, I have all night.

Of course, eagle eyed readers will note that Hammond’s collapse into a pool of sin is not the only change in happenstance since last night. I returned home the not especially proud owner of an oversized belt buckle celebrating my prowess in the field of dropping people on their heads. In one way or another my entire life has been spent training how to fight – be it enduring the bite of the old man’s belt, trading kicks inside the cage or fighting for survival on the streets of Carson, every moment I have experienced has brought me towards this point, but I cannot say that I wish to be commended for it.

Violence is a means that is justified by the ends, but it is not something to be applauded. I am going to take Hammond apart piece by piece, but doing so does not make me a hero or a champion, it just makes me a janitor, someone who does what needs to be done. As such I am left at something of a loss as to what to do with my trinket. I dropped it in a river for a short while in order to indulge my own paranoia (Bateman would be a fool if he had no way of tracking his championships) and now it sits locked away in the bottom of a dresser, out of sight and out of mind. Muse seems unaccountably encouraged by my victory, or perhaps it is just relief considering the alternative.

A purpose for the belt is beginning to form in my mind – a candle with which to catch a very special breed of moth. Those who live in darkness with be drawn towards the flame, not realising until too late that what they thought was a burning candle was in fact the throat of a Dragon, advancing towards them at full speed. Alas, before I can go hunting new prey I might finish cleaning up after myself, and this week that means dealing with Hammond.

Alex, you have one week in which to revel in your new found darkness. I suggest making the most out of it. You’re on my list and you’re in my way, the wrong person in the wrong place at the wrong time. You sold your soul to Mephistopheles, the price was high, and I intend to prove to you that the rewards were never worth it.