The Comeback Trail

The scene fades in and we find ourselves in the living room of Mike Harrison’s Malibu beach home. It is expensively furnished, yet at the same time maintains a down to earth and modest feel. The cameraman pans slowly around the room. He stops on the back wall which has four framed pictures, two on either side of a large antique painting. Inside the framed pictures are four career defining events in Mike Harrison’s career to date. From his debut back in Manchester, England to his championship win in Japan, to his championship win in Canada, and to finally his world championship win in America. Each event has helped define the man who is now stood in front of the camera, wearing a pair floral shorts and a white shirt unbuttoned half way to reveal a chiseled beach body. He looks intently at the camera, then smiles warmly as he begins.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“May I welcome the XWF universe to my Malibu, beach home. I am your newest superstar. Normally my name would not be needed at this point, but alas, my name is Mike Harrison, and it is nice to meet your acquaintance.”

|| Steve Wujcik ||
“Erm Mike, I’m meant to introduce the scene...”

Mike turns sharply and stares at Steve Wujcik in disbelief that he just interrupted him.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“Does it really matter?”

|| Steve Wujcik ||
“Of course it does, remember you’re paying me to be your personal interviewer.”

|| Mike Harrison ||
“This isn’t an interview, it is an introduction. So sit down and be quiet, your time will come soon enough.”

Steve is about to protest but upon seeing the look in Mike’s eyes he decides to do as he is told. He has far too many memories of witnessing Harrison lay a beat down to people who disobey him, and to those that don’t get beaten down, they tend to suffer a vocal attack so severe that many would have preferred being beaten down physically.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“Now where was I, before I was so rudely interrupted?”

|| Steve Wujcik ||
“You were introducing yourself and welcoming everyone to your home...”

Harrison holds back the urge to slap Steve Wujcik. Instead he simply smiles, brushes back his flowing blonde locks, and focuses his entire attention on the camera in front of him.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“Thank you, Steve. Now that the pleasantries are over, I want to address my debut match this week. I was informed the other day that my first opponent will be Jason E Smith, when I venture down to San Diego for my debut XWF event. I can’t think of any better place to make my debut. I love San Diego, well, everything bar the Chargers!”

Harrison chuckles and hopes to have touched a nerve and annoyed some temperamental San Diego Chargers’ fans. A few moments pass before Harrison’s jolly face breaks into a serious look.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“You know what strikes me about you, Jason?”

He pauses briefly for effect.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“It is that you aren’t very good. I mean you can come down to the ring and blindside someone, attack them, and put them through a table. But when it comes to getting the job done in the ring, you seem unable to put your opponent away...

Don’t worry it is a common problem for meatheads like you. You are more brawn-than-brains. You rely on your size and strength advantage, all in hope of it being enough to get you across the line. But unfortunately, sunshine, in the big leagues size and strength does not guarantee you ANYTHING!”

He shakes his head and wags his finger side to side.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“You see, Jason, what wins you matches and titles is having the aptitude up here [*taps his temple*] to get the job done. You can have all the skill in the world, but if you don’t have the aptitude up here [*taps his temple again*], then you will lose more times than you will win. By no means do you lack skill, but instead you don’t have the mentality to back it up. Let’s look at some of your recent career to date:

First up is your match against Toadie at Warfare. I will give you credit, where credits due; you dominated parts of that match, and at one point had your opponent on the brink. The momentum was going all your way, but you lost the advantage because you got sloppy. When you nailed him with that thunderous clothesline that rattled his teeth, at that point, winners put their opponents away. They don’t let them get back up. They don’t give them one inch. Winners are MERCILESS. They go in for the kill, like a shark when it smells blood. But what did you do? You got cocky. You thought you could do whatever you pleased to him and he wouldn’t have enough in the tank to fight back. In the end it was quite pathetic, and to be honest, it was somewhat apt that you lost in the way you did because you failed to respect your opponent and the game. Your lack of mentality to back up your brawn cost you that match, just like it cost you your match the following week on Warfare...”

He scoffs and then motions to Steve Wujcik to get him a drink. Steve gets up and theatrically bows for his master and scuttles off to get a drink from the kitchen. Steve’s antics bring an amused smile to Mike’s face.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“The following week you entered the gauntlet match. You ended up being quite well placed. You had the perfect opportunity to make your presence in the match felt when you came in to face Sebastian Duke. Your opponent at that point had been in since the beginning. He was bleeding. He was hurt. He was ‘begging’ to be put down. Your eyes lit up like sapphires. But you know what you forgot, Jason?

You forgot that a wounded animal can be much more dangerous because it becomes fearless. It will fight to survive. That is what Duke was last week – a wounded animal – and when you went in you did what most would do in your position, when you went in for the kill. Problem is, sunshine, you need to be careful in situations such as that. You have to be careful. You have to be smart. You have to know when to go full throttle, and when to take your foot off the gas to allow you to maintain the pace that gives you the time to ensure that each move is done with precision, in order to reduce the possibility to a minimum that your opponent can counter. Problem is, you didn’t do that. You got a rush of blood to your head and you went gun-ho. Against lesser opponents you might get away with that, but generally when you face people at this level they can make you pay for it. That is what happened against Duke. Once again you got sloppy, and it cost you...”

Harrison can’t help but look disappointed as he takes the bottle of Budweiser off Steve Wujcik and proceeds to have a long swig. Seconds pass before Harrison lowers the bottle and continues.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“These past few weeks you have made the same mistakes over, and over, and OVER again. Am I surprised? No, not really. I know full well that early on in your career you had some decent wins against enough wins against Benjamin Crane, Bryce and International. But you have never pushed on from these wins. Your career is the epitome of stop start. Now sure, you have proven that you can win at this level, but you have also proven to be VERY inconsistent. And why is that, Jason? Is it because you aren’t good enough or lack ability? No, not really. Or is it because you are a loose cannon?”

The edges of Harrison’s lips curl into a knowing smile.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“Every match I have watched, Jason, has shown that you have a temper. You are a big angry man that likes to hurt people, for no other reason than it gives you orgasmic pleasure. I saw it in your eyes when you took out that crowbar and used it on your opponent. You attacked them whilst they were weak and helpless. As I already mentioned, the other week you blindsided someone and lay a beating upon them. You know what those actions say to me?

They don’t say that you are a man of honour. Nor do they say that you are a man not to mess with. Instead, they simply say that you a penny short of a pound – and just in case you don’t understand that metaphor – it means you are a lunatic!”

Harrison chuckles and shakes his head. He looks to Steve Wujcik and makes a hand signal, which is met by a nod, and Steve proceeds to leave the room.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“People like you, Jason, are always inconsistent because they cannot fight their urges. They take over them. They dominate them. And when that happens it can either lead to them going on an unstoppable rampage; or, more likely it will lead to them not being able to make the decisive moves that win you wrestling matches because you are too hell bent on breaking your opponent in half, instead of doing what you should be focusing on, and that is beating your opponent!

You see, Jason, this week you are facing a veteran. I have been in this business for well over a decade. I have wrestled around the world. I have won matches and titles aplenty. I have faced people shorter and lighter than me, and I have also faced people far bigger and stronger, yet come out on top. Why? The answer is simple, because I know how to get the job done. Like you, I am willing to do whatever it takes; but unlike you, I am in full control of my emotions. Every move I make, every attack, is calculated. It is decisive. It is done with precision. When I have the advantage I don’t let it slip. When I have my opponent on the brink, I put them away with no mercy...

This week at Warfare, Jason, you are facing someone that knows how to deal with ‘men’ like you. I have made a career out of being the guy that gets the job done, and this week I will put you down. If I have to go move for move with you and put you down by pin fall, so be it. But I am also quite capable of facing you in a technical contest and making you tap out. You see, I am not a one dimensional wrestler. I am a well rounded athlete. I have mastered my craft and many styles around the world through hard work and dedication. That makes me a significant threat to you this week, Jason, and one in which can lay further pain and misery onto your pathetic career to date!”

Harrison pauses for a second and flashes a million dollar smile at the camera and arches an eyebrow.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“And if you don’t like that, Jason, do you know what you can do?”

Another pause as he builds himself up for his big finale.

|| Mike Harrison ||
“THEN YOU CAN CHOKE ON THAT, SUNSHINE!”

Harrison glares at the camera with his cold, piercing blue eyes showing an intent that would strike fear into most men. Deep down Harrison knows that Jason won’t be intimidated, and instead will be up for a fight. But that is ok with Harrison because he wants a fight. He wants to make an impact in XWF from day one, and what better way than putting down the play ground bully?

Moments pass before Harrison signals to the camera man to stop filming, and with that our scene fades to black.