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~~Egyptian Snow Pharaoh~~ · (11-27-2013)

These Final Hours
Part 2

Here we are, interview already well in progress and I've agreed to answer a few questions about Tony Santos for Liz Weinberg.

"Great. I wanted to just quickly touch on a few of Tony's comments from earlier today. I'm not sure if you're aware he aired a promo today that was heavily geared toward you; have you seen that?" Liz waits for my answer as I have trouble justifying a response. There's only one answer I can think of to what Liz just asked me...

"It honestly doesn't matter if I've seen it or not," now turning my eyes back to Liz and squinting just a little as I add, "you do realize that, correct?"

"I see. So you have no response to Tony's claim that you're using 'schoolyard tactics' against him? When you focused on the fact that he responded to you earlier in the week, he took that as a rather petty attack against him." Liz does bring up an interesting point here. I might as well get this over with...

"Well you know something, Liz? He might actually be right." (a gasp from Liz) "After all, I am dealing with a child, am I not? I've got to keep things somewhat simple at all times here. Why would I play a game so advanced that he is incapable of participating with me? How would I beat him then?" I roll my eyes, shaking my head and almost laughing. I'd kill to hear his response to this one as it would likely be quite comedic.

"But more importantly, Liz; do you remember when I made it clear that I knew Tony would address me regardless of my actions or comments? Let's change the setting and replay Tony's accusation here... shall we? Let's say we're in the middle of a match and by me mentioning Tony in my promos, it's comparable to if I struck first in the match. Yes?"

"Alright, go on..."

"So let's say I land that first strike on Tony and send him sailing out of the ring, cracking his head against the ringside barrier and momentarily getting knocked unconscious. This is most likely how the match would begin if he and I were going one on one or were both starting out in a tag match."

"I'm right there with you."

"Now let's say he gets back up eventually, crawls into the ring, and hits me back... but it's one of the weakest strikes that has ever been delivered in a wrestling ring. It literally doesn't even phase me and hardly anyone watching even realizes it was an offensive maneuver because of how pathetic it was delivered. Let's assume it was some kind of backhand chop gone horribly wrong."

"Ok..."

"Now, if I address this situation that just took place in the ring—according to Tony Santos and the train of thought he's shown us—I'd be playing a schoolyard game. Me laughing at his failed attempt to strike me back would be me acting childish. Me not laughing, but pointing out how my initial strike threw him so far off his game that his response was a joke is also me acting childish, however. Hell, Liz, me stepping out of the ring and just walking to the back because I know he needs the win more than I do after a display like that... would be me acting childish."

"Hmmm, I think I see what you're saying."

"It's quite clear if you think about it. Tony is basically attacking my ability to recognize his flawed reactions. It's similar to the way he reacts when I do take the time to address him verbally; to Tony Santos, that's me taking bait."

"Yes he did mention something along those lines. Tony seems to believe you are quite easily baited."

This is where I have to hesitate because I wonder if I'm the only person here who sees the obvious problem. I'm easily baited? Hmmmm... A few seconds pass before I begin, "If Tony Santos were to run up and jab me in my eye in the hallway, I'd make it a point to find myself standing over his unconscious body soon after that encounter. To Tony... that would be me taking the bait... and I guess it's true." I look at Liz as I continue, "If Tony or anyone provokes me, I'm going to take them down and there's no question about that. If John Black decides to slap me across my face tonight, you can bet I'm going to make it a point to deal with him in the very near future..." I lean in and raise my tone just a slight notch as I say, "and if I'd give John Black that attention, what makes Tony Santos think so lowly of himself that he must take exception to me giving him the same treatment? I've gone on record as stating that Tony Santos is miles above the rest of the competition here. I've made it clear that I see him as the man right on my heels, waiting to trip me up if the day ever comes that my senses malfunction. I've made it clear that I see Tony's journey through this tournament as an accomplishment no other could have given us. Nobody else would still be here in the final round if they were met with the same set of circumstances Tony was."

"This is where some people seem to get a little confused. There are times you speak as if Tony couldn't even harm you as much as a roach would be able to do, and then there are other times you speak so highly of him. Aren't you just being sarcastic when you speak highly of him?"

"No, Liz. No. I'm being serious and I'm stating facts that can be researched and confirmed by anyone watching today. Tony Santos really is on another level when compared to the rest of these commoners, but when you compare him to me... it's like comparing a child to a gladiator. Yes, the child had no problem squishing the ants outside when he was playing but it will be a very different result when it's not ants he's stepping on. Tony spent all of September squashing those helpless ants... He was unmatched! October comes around and I walk over Tony Santos without even fully realizing he's one of the top competitors at the time, and I take 'Star of the Month' away from him without even trying. Going by Tony Santos logic, he officially baited me into the spot of becoming Star of the Month. What he fails to realize in all of his 'bait' backwash is that I will always, always take the bait..."

"The only problem is I don't stop there. I keep going... I take every piece of bait I can find and I devour every last man behind it. Any child can buy a bucket of bait and put it to use, and yes there will be results... but those results just might be too much for any child to handle. Perhaps that's why I've spent almost 100% of my XWF career so far overshadowing Tony Santos in everything from Star of the Month, beating him in matches, and winning all the matches he gets teamed with me for. Tony is so loose and flexible to my every whim and whirl, I'm almost afraid to sneeze."

"So in essence, it's correct to say that Tony has at least in some way led you to water... and you drank. That's one way to look at his side of this," says Liz as I can't help but smirk for a second.

"Oh, Liz... don't you see? I've been drinking from Tony Santos since the day I arrived." Liz looks slightly taken aback or disgusted, completely not expecting that answer. "I've been draining River Santos since I discovered this land, Liz. Tony is like a rare, succulent fruit in a desolate wasteland. His natural bait caught my eye from light years away and I've been slowly draining his sustenance to keep him alive as long as possible, but tonight his life source runs dry."

"Wow," Liz checks her watch and realizes more time has passed than she thought. "We're running short on time. I guess you were able to talk a lot more about Tony than you originally intended. It only makes sense considering the journey you two have taken together."

"Yes, I've taken the Santos bait again, Liz..." I remain straight faced. My poor attempt at a joke seems to confuse Liz as she seems unsure of how to respond. I love putting these simple XWF minds into such uncomfortable situations...

But what's this?

Ah, Chuck...

- - - - - D-r-2u - - - - -

Egyptian Snow Pharaoh; may I have your attention, please. Tonight is a very important night for us; all of us. Your role in all of this has been made clear to you and you've been supplied with the required physical and mental tools to complete the tasks required. In the short time I've been in control of you, I've been very pleased with everything you've shown me. The only flaw some might see is the way you can get caught up in a verbal dispute, but I'll go ahead and attribute that to the fact that you're a woman. There's not much we can do about your drive to argue, but as we move forward I'd like you to focus more on performance and less on speaking. There was no need to waste as many words as you did addressing Tony Santos when you've already demonstrated your ability to defeat him. In fact, it hardly even matters that you stole Star of the Month from him, or that you won his tag team matches... those things really don't even apply when we already know you can crush the man.

My advice to you, Pharaoh, is to walk into the ring and take Tony Santos for the piece of living bait he really is. Santos is the bait; NAZI is the arm dangling the bait; the Black Circle is the body behind it all. Swallow that bait whole, bring NAZI down with it, and watch the wounded Black Circle squirm while we bide our time and make them watch their own demise slowly closing in around them.

Most important of all, Pharaoh...

Remember what is to commence in the ring after the defeat of Santos and Nathaniel tonight. This marks the successful end of one quest as we peek around the door toward a much grander deliverance; one that will move universes instead of mountains....

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