At the house of The Franchise, at the midnight hour, the view focuses in on the foggy front door of Michael's estate. As the door nears closer to view, it creaks open slowly. A familiar voice breaks the silence.

Michael: I'm going to relay a story to you. About a rabbit, hopping down a trail. Off in a distance, he sees a snake slithering onto the highway from his trail, then just as quickly as it moved onto the pavement a truck runs the snake over. The rabbit made his way to the snake, assuming it was dead. He picked the snake up and took it back to his den, realizing it was still barely alive. The rabbit nurses the snake back to health there, and as the snake lies motionless he started to come to. He realized the rabbit had taken care of him, kept him alive and fed. The snake tells the rabbit, "Don't you know I'm a snake? You can't trust me." The rabbit tells the snake, "I know what you are, but I wanted to make you my friend. I wanted to help you." And so he had, just as he had wanted to do. As the rabbit returned to the den with more food and water, he realized the snake had left. As he turns around, the rabbit sees the snake behind him and the snake says to him. "I told you already, I'm a snake. I'm going to have you for dinner now, Rabbit." going into the upcoming event in athens my opponents reminds me of the rabbit in my story!! just plain dumb and naive


As Michael told his story the view slowly moved throughout the dark house. As it approached the kitchen, it moved past and to the right. Coming into focus now were two figures at the bar. One was standing, pouring liquid into a glass as the other sat in front of them, smoking a lit cigarette.

Michael: [/color]We all have fears we have to face at some point in our lives. Not knowing when that moment will arise, can drive one insane. As we reach the 9th of November, live in Athens, Greece, I make my debut inside of the squared circle of the XWF. Don't get me wrong, there are some intimidating opponents, but that's something I've never worried myself with.


In the distance, the standing shadow figure moves from the bar to the double-glassed doors, turning on the light. As the view closes in, LeAnna and Michael are revealed as the two figures in the room. Michael is wearing a hooded-jacket, the hood pulled over his head. LeAnna, nearest the light switch, is wearing a pair of girl's boxer-brief shorts and a cut off t-shirt.

LeAnna: Michael, you know when you leave for work it always frightens me. I never know how you'll come back to me.. or in how many pieces I should say. I don't know why you try so hard to prove yourself to everyone. You already know you're the best, baby. But, I guess that is what makes you the best, isn't it? Your hard-will and determination to do the job and do it right. So, where to this time? Athens, Greece? I remember a trip we took there.. but this is different. This is a match. How do you feel on this? Isn't it a fatal four way? I mean, just the other day you said there was a female as an opponent? That's insane! It's like throwing a lamb to a pack of hungry lions. I thought this was a male sport.

LeAnna walked back towards the bar, sliding in next to Michael in the empty chair to his left. Michael lets out a low sadistic laugh and drags his cigarette slowly then pulls the smoking stick from his lips.

Michael: Well, LeAnna, like I tell you over and over again- that's the game. You have to put your body on the line to prove your point. And yeah, I have to go to Greece one more time. Only, not for pleasure this time.. for business. Having a female in the match is.. an oddball type of thing, yes. But, anything can happen in the world of professional wrestling. That brings me to you, Eliza Thorne, I know your type. A rich, college girl, out seeing the world on daddy's dime. I watched an interview you did, I love how you think I'm thirsty for the approval of the fans. But, that's far from the truth. You see, I could care less about them. When it's time for me to go to work, I could give a damn what the fans think! The only thing I think about, Ms. Thorne, is getting the job done. You know, when I was little I would see my father beat on my mother for no apparent reason. I always wondered what it would feel like to take out my aggression on a female. And now i have that sick chance to witness my sick fantasies i've had for so long become reality!!!And Ms. Thorne i have you to thank

Michael kills the last of the cigarette as he speaks, lifts his drink to his lips and swallows some of the liquid, then makes his way over to the glass doors. He gazes out to the pit-bull kennel in the family's backyard.

Michael: You see, Ms. Thorne, upon my debut- you make yours as well, at the November 9th Edition of Wednesday Warfare. I'm not doubting your love for the sport, but I don't think you've paid your dues to come up to my level in this industry, just yet. While you were being a young college whore, I was carving out the legend that is now known as Michael Graves. Ms. Thorne, you're a sparky one, indeed, but for your sake I really hope you can hold your own in what is to be our first encounter. Because, not only are you facing me, you're facing two other individuals that I'm sure are far from being polite. This match isn't for the faint of heart, Ms. Thorne, and just like in the world of motorcycles.. when a woman back talks a man, she needs to be handled properly. I'll be sure to pay very close attention to you, in fact, I have something special for you. Ms. Thorne, you have a very quirky way of saying things. The name, Franchise, isn't from a wrestling name generator. You see, I'm part of a very Elite group of individuals who have paid their dues, traveled all over the world, are not in it for the money- but instead for the respect. You know, LeAnna, I wonder if our pit-bulls are hungry? Should I feed them?

Michael turns his attention from the kennel outside to LeAnna, behind him, waiting for her response. LeAnna slowly gets up and walks towards Michael, sliding her left arm around him once she reaches her place beside him.

LeAnna: Well, Michael baby, I'm sure they are. They haven't been fed today. You know I don't like going out there with that raw meat and gunpowder you feed them. Those dogs are mental!

Michael: With a slight laugh, he slowly places his arm back around LeAnna, hugging her closer to him. Ms. Thorne, with your comments I have a very special interest in you. I'd like to show you what hungry pit-bulls do when they haven't eaten for awhile and finally get some food in front of them.

Michael pulls back slowly from LeAnna and makes his way to the refrigerator. He opens the door and pulls out what appears to be four packs of raw steak meat. As he has the meat in his hands, he goes to the counter top and places the meat down there before he begins to arrange the steaks in a line, side by side. After doing so, he makes his way to LeAnna at the bar, then leans to her right and pulls out a box of gunpowder. He opens the box and pours the contents onto each steak on the counter-top.

Michael: Now for the viewers at home, who don't know what I've just done... you might be asking yourself why I poured gunpowder onto this meat. Well folks, the reason for this is, it makes the dogs more vicious. Must be something in the gunpowder. As my lovely lady here has already stated, it makes them more.. psychotic.. if you will.

He picks up the steaks, tells LeAnna that he'll be back in just a few moments and disappears through the glass doors. The camera follows him as he walks down some steps, to the left, and into a somewhat large building there. Once inside, he reaches into the doorway and flips the light-switch to come on. Even as the light was on, the view of his face was hard to make out. As the camera moved from left to right, multiple pit-bulls can be seen in cages. They're pacing, hunger-gazed at Michael while their drool splashes to the floor at their feet.

Michael: As I was saying, Ms. Thorne, don't you like my kennel? *As the camera stayed on his back, hood still pulled over his head, Michael moved his arms to wave the packed meat from right to left. He stops at the first caged pit to his right, opening the door and tossing one of the steaks into the kennel.* Some of my most prized pits reside here in this kennel. Now Ms. Thorne, look as my beautiful pit-bull tears into this piece of meat. You see how precise, how savagely he tears into it now yes at the moment he is showing signs of being disobedient not wanting to clam down on his own ? Well ya see ms thorne with just a few uttered words i can make my beautiful baby boy here obey me very well , that's exactly what I'm going to do to you eliza you've been a very bad girl and its time to obey the master. In front of millions of viewers in Athens, Greece. I'm not going to hit you with Haven's Rage, and let you feel the grace of that move. No, I have something a little more special for you. I'm going to make you go to sleep. I'm going to hit you with the GTS. Yeah, that's going to be just for you. [/color]

As the minutes continued with Michael in the kennel, he finished throwing the steaks to the numerous pits within it's cages. Michael veers off to the right, through another door inside the kennel, standing in the doorway both cameraman and Michael enter the room before them. It's pitch black, no surroundings can be made out other than Michael as a shadow. He sits in the middle of the room and lights a cigarette.

Michael: Ms. Thorne, to come to an end to you and allow more focus on the other opponents, quite frankly, I'm not trying to be the hero of the XWF. That's the furthest thing on my list of achievements to be made in this upcoming match. But you'll soon find out the reason behind my name, The Franchise. For that matter, I honestly don't think you should be in this match with three other monsters that could impose their will on you at any given time. I hope your passion for professional wrestling helps you through this match, because you will be targeted and the hunter will become the hunted. Moving my sights onto a different subject, Mr. Bear Braddock, you've intrigued me. I feel your pain. I know what you've gone through. Dealing with an orphanage, not having a mother or father around to guide you along the way of your journey's, having to do everything on your own. I know what that's like. Even though I had parents, they were more like roommates. You know you wanna talk about, the dark side, and being able to just.. impose your will on anyone, at any given moment, I know what that feeling's like. To have that built up hate, and frustration. To have that resentment. The foul things you've had to do along the way are the same things I've had to do, in a different setting and way. You see, I've made my fate with the devil. I know what the dark side is all about. You're not telling me anything I don't already know, big man. I know you stand at 6'6", whopping in at 230 lbs of nothing but pure destruction. But you see, the difference in you and I, you are an imitator. I'm an innovator. You are a follower, I am a leader. We all have skeletons in our closets, yet I don't think you've come to terms with yours Mr. Braddock. To fear the unknown could drive a man to do anything and let down his guard because of the unknown. Your size and strength doesn't scare me at all. Yeah, it may be a battle of good and evil, you were right on that. As we make our way to Athens, Greece, I'm going to be finding out if you've sealed your fate with the devil as I have.

Michael slowly gets up from his chair, tossing his cigarette to the floor and smothering the flame with his boot. He takes off his hood, pulling the jacket from his torso and lays it on the floor next to him. Turning to face the camera, Michael's skull painted face gazes into the camera. As the wide shot focuses in on Michael, he bends slowly with his arms behind his back.



Michael: As I've already said, we all have skeletons in our closet. Some of us try to run from them. While others choose to embrace them. Braddock, I've embraced mine. Have you embraced yours? Never underestimate something, you know nothing about. As I've said many times before, I am the Clubber Lang of the XWF. I have the will, the drive, the determination. Most importantly, the heart. And that's something that's too big for you to carry. Nostalgia, that leads me to you. What a monster you are. Standing at 6'6" and 270 lbs, that's a bad day for anybody. But, my friend, you're about to be in for a rude awakening. As D-Day approaches, all the talk, the wondering, the worries will come to an end. I may have been misunderstood before, but let me set the record straight one more time. I could care less of what the fans think. I'm here to do a job, and get paid. When I walk in the backstage area, and I put that gear on, it's time to clock in and take care of business. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm sure we're going to bring the house down and be the best match on the card. But as I pave out the legend of Michael Graves, I'm going to do it my way. Any means necessary. And boy, oh boy, what a night of thrills and chills it will be! To come to conclusion, Bear Braddock, I see us as two gunslingers coming up on both sides of the hill. Both in my mind, and yours, knowing the XWF isn't big enough for us both, what you have to ask yourself, big man, is... are you willing to pull that trigger? To take that risk? I hear the hot smoke you're blowing, but when that day comes you're going to have to prove it. Me, on the other hand, I have nothing to lose. Yeah, I have a family. But when it comes to professional wrestling, pathetically speaking, that's the love of my life. Oh yeah, Ms. Thorne, Ms. Thorne, boy I can't wait to see what you're made of. See if you're really the type of professional wrestler you claim to be. One thing you had wrong, I'm not a hero, but one thing is for sure.. I am a monster! Your worst nightmares are about to come true. Nostalgia, for you my friend, you'll be nothing but a victim of the brutality that lays in wait come the 9th of November.

Michael stands back up, glaring into the screen of the camera with a sadistic smile on his lips. He takes a deep breath and continues to speak.

Michael: Roadblocks you all are, standing in my way to achieving what I'm trying to achieve here in the XWF. Guys, I'll be your Huckleberry. I never back down from a fight. I never have, I never will. But this story ends with your carcasses piled for me to stand on, basking in my victory. As I've said before, as this man broke me into the sport, he allowed me to use this saying. "Beat me if you can, Survive if I let you!" See you guys in Athens, Greece. [color=#FFD700]


The scene slowly fades to black...