MD50: Blade vs. Phoenix

[Phoenix]

An ongoing rivalry that's brewed since the events of Redemption will see things come full circle, or be blown wide open as Blade and Phoenix finally face off once again for the first time since Unscripted. No other competitors or restrictions will get into these two as both men will look to gain some precious momentum going into the Lethal Lottery. Rumours that Chuck Myles will add a stipulation to this match, but nothing is confirmed.

Deadline is Tuesday 14th December 23:59 EST

 

[Blade]

Blade is in his locker room, the dim light flickering overhead. Blade is sitting on the couch, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, rocking back and forth slightly.

A great man once said that actions are the seed on fate that grows into destiny. Well Phoenix, our seeds have been sown for some time now and have become a vine of thorns that is our rivalry. I have not forgotten everything you’ve done to me. You betrayed me when I wanted to align myself with you when I saw how we could control this very federation and change the face of history. You were always too selfish for that though, determined to never end up like you did with you first tag team again. I have not forgotten how you lied your way to a victory in our first blood match, where you hid the wound that I had given you early in the match. I know you still have that scar on your arm, and I hope it reminds you of what a coward you are. I don’t need any reminder; your atrocity is still fresh in my mind even months after it occurred. You have your inner demons and inner torments, but I hope that it’s your cowardice and cheating that eats you up most inside.

Blade lights up a cigarette and takes a drag. He rubs his forehead in the spot where Phoenix made him bleed during that aforementioned first blood match.

It in choices, not chance that leads us to destiny. And it is your choices that have caused me to lose the respect I once had for you. It is your choices that have caused us to be intertwined in such a vicious and brutal rivalry. A rivalry that needs to end now or else our careers, health and lives will never be the same. This rivalry has taken so much out of us, that I don’t ever care about giving you the beating and punishment that you deserve. I just want the redemption that I deserve. This rivalry has broken me down so much. Not just because of your actions, but because I know that you’ve wronged me on many occasions, proving that you’re half the man you claim to be. I have gone to the edge of insanity from wanting to get my hands on you, to finally have this match, this one chance to put this all behind me.

Blade takes a large drag on his cigarette, the ash falling to the ground as Blade continues to stare downwards at the floor.

Put it all behind me. Throughout my entire career, I have always brought those who have wronged me to justice, from Baller, to Karnage, and even that pathetic worm DK Wilton. So this is it. After months of waiting, the match has been made. Phoenix, I know you better than you fake it. You’ve made a career at taking your misguided anger out on others, focusing your hatred for yourself on your victims. But I vow not to become another one of your victims. Perhaps you’re at your best when you’re most angry. But I’m at my best when I truly have something to fight for. And I’m not talking about physical possession. For the first time ever, I don’t care about any title belts or the fact that Lethal Lottery and a chance to headline Kingdom Come are just around the corner. No, I mean when I’m fighting for myself. And that’s what I’ll be doing at Meltdown. I want so badly to be free from nightmares when I sleep and be able to look myself in the mirror with pride once again. Maybe you’re used to being haunted, but I’m not. I’ve been thinking that perhaps my destiny is not in winning the world title, but to be able to get to a point where I can help erase scum like you from the world.

Blade puts out the cigarette in the table, burning a hole through the wood.

And the sad thing is, while I’m the one who can’t look myself in the mirror anymore, it should be you who can’t look at yourself. You’ve wronged me, tried to cost me my health and you’ve done it all without realising that you are everything that’s wrong with this world. You take shortcuts, and leave people in shambles just to get where you want.

The dim bulb flickers weakly again, clearly on its last legs.

So when you come out to the ring, I will do everything in my power to beat you. Not because beating you is my destiny, but because your destiny is for you to finally be pushed down to hell where you deserve to be. I am putting too much into this to fail again and lose to you. I will hit you with everything I have. I don’t care where Meltdown is held, I don’t care where we are on the card. I don’t care about any damn stipulation.

Blade takes out his lighter and goes to light a cigarette, but suddenly the light bulb finally goes off and all that’s left is the lighter, providing a small flame under Blade’s face.

Phoenix, at Meltdown 50, this ends.

Blade lets the lighter go, plunging him into darkness.

Your darkness is your strength. But I will erase your darkness into nothingness.

Blade opens the curtains of the locker room, letting a brilliant and powerful sunlight. He looks out through the window, and the faintest sign of a smirk crosses his tired face before he turns around and exits the room, going for the ring for his date with destiny....

 

[Thriller Ant]

All good things must come to an end.

The words come out of darkness, but still, a presence can be felt through it. A couple flicks of a lighter can be heard until it lights successfully and a candle is ignited in the center of the room, in front of a seated Phoenix. His face looks nearly naked, only a thin layer of pale white paint stands between the viewer and his actual identity.

This saying fits in so well here, doesn’t it, Blade? I mean, look at us. We are both driven, determined and talented. When either of us is on top of his game, we are nearly unstoppable. Together, WZCW could have knelt before us. We would have been domination incarnate. But that wasn’t meant to be, was it? I suppose not. This partnership, this force, the likes of which would be unlike anything since the rWo has become nothing more than a “what-if,” destined to be forgotten in the annals of WZCW history.

Phoenix pauses for a moment, before digging into a bag on the floor that cannot be seen by the camera. He begins sitting back up after seemingly finding what he was searching for and blows out the candle before speaking again.

What resulted instead was one of the most unusual feuds in wrestling history. Back and forth we’ve gone, costing each other shots at both the World and EurAsian titles. Each passing week, the question wasn’t if we would interfere in each others' matches, but rather when we would.

In a way though, it was just another display of how well we would have done as a team. It didn’t matter who else was involved in the matches, as we still did as we pleased week after week. But now, there are no more sneak attacks. No more jumps from behind. No more interfering in matches. Just me standing in one corner, you in the other. The better man walks out the victor.

Some more shuffling can be heard in the background as Phoenix pauses for a moment. The noise stops almost as quickly as it began and he begins to speak once more.

This is the part where I’m supposed to talk about how I’m going to win and all that jazz. I think we are above that though, Blade, don’t you? We’ve been on this game of one-upsmanship for a couple months now and finally, on the 50th episode of Meltdown, it will come to an end. One of us, whether it is you or me, will be able to say, without any doubt, “I am the better man.” I promise to pull no punches and reach as deeply into my bag of tricks as possible to try and make sure that is me. Don’t forget, Blade…

The lighter flicks again, lighting the candle and showing Phoenix wearing the same bright red face paint he wore the last time the two men faced off.

I beat you last time. And while I may not guarantee the same result to our match, I do guarantee that neither one of us will walk out unscathed. The better man will earn this victory. And this good thing that has occupied us for the past couple months will come to an end.

The candle is blown out, sending the scene into darkness once more.