The Long Road Here

“I am no rookie.”

[The scene opens to the voice of Michael Archer Jr as we see what appears to be footage of a younger Michael, standing on the top of an entrance ramp at a high school gym, evidenced by the basketball goals hanging on the wall.]

[colro=blue]“In fact, I’ve pretty much been doing this my whole life.”[/color]

[the footage switches to an old home video of Michael, and his father grappling around a makeshift ring of old mattresses in their backyard.]

“I’ve tasted success.”

[We see footage of Archer Junior, drenched in sweat holding up a belt that reads, TSWA Heavyweight Title, as he stands in the middle of a ring.]

“I’ve paid my dues.”

[The footage switches to Michael on a scaffold positioned above a wrestling ring, we see a man punching him off the scaffold and through a flaming table in the ring, men run in with fire extinguishers as we hear scattered screams throughout the arena.]

“I walked away from the sport I love.”

[We see what appears to be more home video footage, this time set in a hospital. Michael is sitting up in a hospital bed with an I.V in his arm, and a bandage over his right eyebrow. Ashley stands in front of him in blue jeans, and a yellow tank top as she holds the hand of a little girl standing beside her wearing a red dress.]

Ashley: “Why don’t you go with uncle Jason to give some candy okay Piper?”

[Ashley says to the little girl before looking toward the camera, the camera moves up and down as if someone holding it is nodding. Piper runs toward the camera as we see a man’s hand stretch out from behind the camera to meet the little girl’s, they walk out of the room and around the corner to a vending machine. The cameraman turns his attention back to Ashley, and Michael watching them through the glass on the outside of the room.]

Ashley: “So are you gonna quit or not?”

[Michael sighs as he looks down at the tile on the hospital room floor.]

Michael: “I told you babe, this is my career, my life…”

[Ashley cuts him off.]

Ashley: “No, we’re your life, your family should be your life, and if you keep doing this stupid wrestling thing, and putting your body on the line it’s gonna be a short one. We don’t deserve this Michael, Piper doesn’t need to see her father in the hospital, I don’t need to worry about if my husband is going to make it home or not.”

[Michael simply continues to stare at the floor, choosing not to respond, unable to find a response his wife might accept. There is a long moment of silence as we hear Ashley begin to tear up.]

Ashley: “Please.”

[There is another long moment of silence after Ashley’s plea before, Michael simply nods his head. Ashley feins a smile as she leans into her husband, Michael wraps his arm around her as the little girl and cameraman walk back into the room, Piper runs toward her mother and father with a candy bar in her hand, she stands beside them throwing her arms around both of them and joining in their embrace.]

“But then…”

[The scene changes to a graveyard on a dark stormy night, the camera focuses in on a gravestone as lighting illuminates the inscription on it.]

Michael Archer Sr.

May 2, 1958 - August 27 2019.

[The footage switches over again, this time we see Michael, and Ashley sitting next to each other at a kitchen table. Michael looks down at something on the table as, Ashley faces him, rubbing his arm in an attempt at comfort. Ashley holds a little baby boy in her free arm.]

Ashley: “Just do it.”

[Michael’s head darts up in shock.]

Ashley: “It’s what your dad would’ve wanted, all he ever wanted was for you to follow in his footsteps, besides Jensen’s never got to see his daddy wrestle.”

[Ashley looks down at the baby in her arm with a smile as she bounces him on her knee. Michael turns his attention back to the table, not sure how to respond as his thoughts swirl around his head.]

Michael: “Are you sure? Because I won’t do it if your not sure.”

[Michael looks back toward his wife who tries to hide her concern behind a smile as she nods her head.]

Ashley: “Just promise to be careful okay?”

[Michael quickly looked away, another long moment of silence followed before he finally nodded his head. He lied, Michael knew that in this sport, being careful was for the weak, for losers. No one ever accomplished anything of note in the wrestling ring by being careful, this business was made for the bold, those few brave men willing to put their lives on the line for one little moment of glory. Michael was one of these men, Michael knew he had to be willing to die in the ring to compete with the best, but Ashley didn’t need to know that, and he wouldn’t be the one to tell her. The camera zooms in on the table as we finally see what Michael was staring at, a flyer advertising XWF’s Lethal Lottery event. The scene fades to black briefly before it comes back up to the sight of Michael standing alone in a dark room, there is a spotlight pointed directly on him. Michael stands with his arms crossed behind his back as he begins to speak.]

Michael: “As I prepare for my match in a few short days, I am reminded of Homer’s Odyssey, specifically the tale of Odysseus and Polyphemus. Polyphemus being the giant Cyclops who ate Odysseus’ men, Odysseus however was a rather smart man, he was able to convince Polyphemus to get drunk. When Polyphemus asked Odysseus his name, thinking quickly on his feet he simply replied, Nobody, and then when this monstrous Cyclops was good and inebriated, Odysseus stabbed out the monster’s eye, allowing he and his men an escape route, This monster, this beast was defeated, vanquished by nobody.”

[Michael laughs before continuing.]

Michael: “I find it fitting that, as my opponents have enjoyed pointing out for the last two weeks, I am walking into this match as nobody, and do you know what? They’re right. As far as the XWF faithful are concerned I am nobody, until this match was announced nobody in the XWF universe had even heard the name of, Michael Archer Junior. Why would they? They weren't there in every high school gym, every bingo hall across the continental United States that are layered in my own blood sweat, and tears. They weren’t there for the glorious victories, the painful defeats, they witnessed absolutely none of it. So I enter this match as nobody, as a rookie starting from scratch, and I have to say, I must count myself lucky. Not everybody gets a shot at a prestigious Championship in their first match, not that it’s going to be easy, I would never discredited the accolades of my various opponents, former champions, future legends, but I must admit however, I quite like my odds. Because as I said while my opponents have what some consider historic pasts, and what based on the level of competition in this match I can only assume legendary futures, this is my time. This Wednesday night I will be playing the role of the nobody who does the unthinkable, the nobody who slays the massive beast. Speaking of massive beasts, Robbie Bourbon.”

[Michael gives the camera a sly grin.]

“You know Robbie I find it funny that you refer to me as generic, while you paint yourself into the corner of one trick pony, that trick being Robbie smash. I mean seriously Robbie how many times do you have to tell one person your going to kick their ass before it becomes repetitive? I mean other than continually bringing up my little flub which I already addressed, it seems to be all you have to say. Now I’m sure your response would be something like “Well you just don’t seem to get it kid, so I’m gonna keep drilling it into your head until I finally get the chance to show your ass.” But the truth is Robbie, I get it, I get that you own the size advantage against me, I get that you're a monster, but the fact remains I just don’t care Robbie. I don’t care how big you are, like the old saying goes, the bigger they are the harder they fall. You see Robbie while you are indeed a monster, come this Wednesday night I will be playing the role of Odysseus to your Polyphemus, I will be the nobody who outsmarts and slays the beast, and while I honestly find your repetitiveness somewhat entertaining if not mildly annoying, you find yourself in the unfortunate spot of my first target, the first victim of the Marksmen Era. Who knows Robbie maybe after the match you and I can go out for a couple of beers, and you can call me by whatever surname your little drunken heart desires, that is of course after I stomp your face into the mat.

But Robbie as I said you will be my first victim, there are however three other men in this match. Which brings me to victim number two, the great Barney Green, another tower of a man in his own right, although while not as physically impressive as Robbie, he is a monster in his own right. What can I say about Barney that a million people haven’t already said a million times? You suck Barney, your a loser, you don’t belong here. I’m sure you’ve heard all the same rhetoric over and over again, as have I, so you see Barney I more than anybody understand just how dangerous a man you really are. I understand how constantly being looked at as inadequate can fuel a man, can drive them to madness, drive them to do whatever it takes to prove the world wrong, to prove that you do belong, and more importantly to make all who doubted you eat their words. Unfortunately for you Barney, you will be walking into this match with me, and while I understand exactly how you feel. I understand exactly how badly you want this win on your record, and exactly what your willing to do to make that a reality. I am the man who wants it just a little bit more than you.”

[Michael pulls his right arm around from his back and holds out his index and thumb finger leaving little space in between them.]

“I’m just that must hungrier than you Barney, I want this just that much more than you, and that’s why you will fail. You see Barney, if this was any other match, if you were entering that ring against any other opponent, you might get that signature win you so crave, that shining moment in your career, but not this time Barney. This time when your pod opens you will be stepping out into the ring against possibly the one man in this company who wants this win more than you, the one man who needs to make an impression, who needs to make his mark, and I plan on making that mark of you Barney. So Barney I’m not gonna sit here and poke fun at your weight or your physical appearance like some might, instead Barney I will simply apologize. I apologize for being your own personal spoiler, for stealing the moment that I’m sure you believe to be rightfully yours, and for that Barney I truly am sorry.”

[Michael rolls his eyes at the “sincerity” of his own apology.]

“But don’t worry Barney because you won’t be the only man I leave my mark on, because when that second pod opens a self proclaimed XWF Legend will be stepping out, the walking contradiction himself, Chris Chaos. It’s funny Chris you say your not one to tout your own accomplishments, but honestly I wouldn’t know half of what you’ve done here if you hadn’t told me yourself. I get it Chris, you’ve been around for awhile, your getting older so maybe that little pea-brain of yours doesn’t work as good as it use to, hell maybe your body doesn’t work as good as it used to, which is unfortunate for you Chris, because you will be stepping into that ring with a man in the best shape of his life. You were right about one thing though Chris, this match does mean a whole hell of a lot to me. This is my first chance in the limelight, my first shot at glory, and as I said that makes me the most hungriest man in this match, it also makes me the most dangerous. What you wrong about though Mister Chaos, is that this could be the sole bright spot of my “Short” career, because you see Chris I don’t plan on going anywhere anytime soon, I plan on having a very long career here, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. Now I’m sure you think that once you get in that ring it will be the end of my career, I’m sure you think that your going to run in guns a blazing Ala John Wayne and squash me like the little piss-ant I am, because I’m...what was that word again?”

[Michael strokes his chin for a moment as if deep in thought before his face lights up.]

“Oh yes that’s right, nobody. Need I refer you back to the story of Odysseus Chris? Nah I’m sure you get it by now, of course if you don’t by the time that bell rings signalling the end of the match you will. While it’s fun running you down and exposing you for the fraud, for the washed up has been that you are. I do have to stop and thank you for the advice, for the kind words of encouraging you shared, however Chris you need not worry, because I’ve had a long hard road to get to this very moment, I’ve paid my dues, learned my lessons and I plan on having many, many W’s here in the XWF...Starting this Wednesday night.

But I’m sure there’s at least one other man who would refute that statement, one other man on the long list of men quick to refer to me as nobody. The Champ himself, Centurion. Cent, do you mind if I call you Cent? Everyone else seems to, actually never mind I don’t care if you mind or not. You see Cent, you are a man on a noble quest. A quest to be the greatest Hart Champion of all time, and for that I applaud you. It’s a shame you won’t see your quest through though, because the powers that be have seen it fit to put me directly in the way of your, self perceived destiny. Call it luck, call it lack of depth, call it whatever the hell you want to. The fact of the matter is Cent, it doesn’t matter how I got in the match, how in my first match in the XWF I am pitted against four of the very best for one of the biggest prizes in company history, all that matters is that I am here. All that matters Cent is whether you believe it or not, when your Pod opens I will be standing in the middle of the ring waiting for you, and while you may think I’m walking in like a wounded Cow into a gladiator pit, I have a different opinion. I will walk into this match as nobody, a title that will soon fade as soon as that bell rings, because as soon as this match starts the XWF universe, yourself included, will finally understand exactly what I’m capable of, so you can put that little thought of embarrassing me so badly that I simply pack my bags and go home, and you can burn it along with the memory of your very short title reign.

Centurion, I fully understand that you are an experienced, fearsome competitor, so is everyone else in this match, but I am nobody. Nobody slayed a monster though, and that’s exactly what my Christmas plans for this year entail Cent. You see Cent you mentioned a few names that decided that this sport wasn’t the best career choice for them, that found success elsewhere and that’s good. But for me? This is the only career for me, this is my life Cent, I am very content to go out and die in that ring as long as it means I go down in the history books, so don’t you worry your ugly little head about me Cent, because win, lose, or draw, I’ll be here for a long time, and I look forward to doing battle with you in that ring time and time again, but this time? This is my time, who knows, maybe the next time will be yours, maybe after I shock the world by coming in as nobody and walking out as a champion, you’ll get your shot at revenge. Maybe then you’ll beat me in a one on one competition, but if I’m being honest Cent I doubt it, not because your not good at what you do, you are, your damn good, I’m just matter, and you will realize that fact in due time.

This Wednesday Night, Wednesday Night Warfare, Nobody will once again shock the world, I will slay the monster, and after everything I’ve been through, after the long hard road I’ve traveled to get to this very moment I will finally have my glory, and the era of the Marksmen will begin.”

[With that the scene fades.]