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X-treme Wrestling Federation »   » Archives » War Games 2020 PPV Board
The Meeting
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Tula Kealiʻi Offline
Registered but either hasn't added self to a roster yet or doesn't RP



XWF FanBase:
The IWC

(gets varying reactions in the arenas, but will be worshiped like a god and defended until the end by internet fans; literally has thousands of online dorks logging on to complain anytime they lose a match or don't get pushed right)


#1
05-22-2020, 06:05 AM

------Thursday, March 12, 2020------

Well, here we go.

It has been six months since I made the decision to speak to my father's old business partner, Centurion, about the possibility of joining the XWF. Six months of putting off this meeting, and racking myself full of self doubt and misery. I can't wait any longer. This needs to be done - now.

Centurion invited me out to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he is spending some time. Apparently he was supposed to take part in some parade, but the rapid spread of COVID-19 has cancelled everything - parades, sports, picnics. It's even cancelled local MMA shows, which is why I can't sit around and wait. If I don't suck it up and talk to Centurion now, I'm going to go broke.

I stand outside Trax Platform Lounge, the bar connected to the Radisson Hotel, where Centurion is staying. I am wearing a suit I bought from Goodwill a half hour ago. I went back and forth on what to wear. Part of me thought he would respect me more if I came dressed down, and the other part of me saw this as a job interview. I'm still second guessing myself, but it's too late now. He's expecting me.

I take a deep breath before walking in. The place is nice - it's certainly no dive bar. There are very few people around. That's either because of fears over the pandemic, or because it's 3 PM on a Thursday. Either way, it was pretty easy to spot Centurion, who is at a table against the wall. It was also easy for him to spot me, and he immediately stands up.


"Tula!"

Fear number one is out of the way - he DOES recognize me. Not that it would be too difficult - there aren't a lot of Hawaiian women in Northeast Pennsylvania.

As I walk up to Centurion, he gives me a big hug. After he's done, he takes a step back, looking me up and down.


"What's with the monkey suit?"

"I didn't know what to wear."

I look at what he is wearing - a polo shirt and a pair of khakis, which would be considered "casual" by Centurion standards.

Centurion points to his table and takes a seat. I sit on the opposite side of him. He looks eager to speak to me. I probably look like I'm ready to faint.


"How have you been? How's your dad?"

My stomach drops. No one told him. It was my brother's job to inform as many people as he could of our father's passing, so of course he found a way to fuck it up.

"Dad's dead."

I see the light in Centurion's eyes dim. True sadness washes over his face. It's the first time I've seen someone genuinely sad about my father's death since the reading of the will.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! When? What happened?"

"It was about two years ago. Stomach cancer. He had it when he was younger - fought through it, but he always talked about how sick he was and how he never wanted to go through it again. So when it came back, he just decided he had enough. Both his kids were grown, he wasn't married, so he just...passed."

It's the first time I have talked about Dad's death in a while, and I surprised myself by keeping it together. Centurion, meanwhile, looks despondent. Although Dad was older than him, it wasn't by much - he was only 57 when he passed. He wasn't an old man by any means. And now, with Centurion's only daughter grown and no longer being married, I'm sure it hits pretty close to home.

We don't have time to discuss it, though, as the waitress steps between us, looking for our order.


"Vesper martini. And the lady will have..."

"Bourbon. Neat."

Centurion looks impressed as he nods over to the waitress. He has a tab open. Normally, I would insist on buying my own drinks... but I think he will be fine paying this go around.

"Well, that sure is shit news. Your father was a brilliant man. We made a lot of money together. I always told him he should have run for governor of Hawaii."

"He briefly thought about it once, but he didn't want the stress of having to kiss so many people's asses."

"That sounds about right. So did you get the business?"

"No. I didn't want it. Kaniela got it."

Centurion cringes and puts his head back.

"That honestly might be worse news. Why did you let him take it without a fight? Your brother is, if you don't mind me saying...a prick."

I smile for the first time since I got here. Kaniela's personality is... unforgettable.

The waitress returns with our drinks. This conversation is now on a timer. I don't know how long it takes before Centurion gets absolutely shitfaced, but I do know that I need to say what I have to say before that moment arrives.


"So, I need your help with something."

I catch him mid sip. His eyes grow a bit wide - I'm sure he didn't expect us to jump straight into it, but we can do the small talk later. I didn't travel across the country to talk about my idiot brother.

"Sure. What's up?"

"The past few years, I've been trying to pursue a career in MMA. I'm good, but the money on the small circuit isn't there, and I don't have time to move up the ranks. I need to make money, and I need some stability in my life. So I was wondering if you could get me into the XWF?"

Centurion let's out a light chuckle. I have to be honest, that wasn't the reaction I was expecting. That can't be good for me, though. I'm sure he gets this request all the time, and now some random...

"Tula, you don't need me to "get you in". You literally just have to fill out a roster sheet. They let almost everyone in."

What?

"What?"

"Seriously, they have a drunk Russian, literal teenagers, a time traveling assassin, a handicap kid in a wheelchair, and whatever the fuck Mini Morbid is. This place will give pretty much everyone a match."

Well, now I look like a fool. All this time, I've heard about the XWF - it's 20 year history and it's strong lineage of champions. I always just sort of assumed it was some exclusive company that only the best or the connected got into. I never thought of the possibility that they would just...let me in.

"Now, you don't sign a big contract right away. You're going to have to prove yourself for that. But there's plenty of openings, especially on Vinnie's show Anarchy. Get in, get a couple matches under your belt, and they'll be moving you up in no time."

"It's seriously that simple?"

"Well, it's a lot harder than I made it sound. There's a reason so many wrestlers burn out after their first couple of matches. The XWF is like the wild west. It's completely out of control. If you can't handle chaos, you won't last long."

"I did four tours in the Middle East as an Army ranger. Chaos will be a step up from some of the things I've seen."

I see Centurion crack a smile as he reaches for his drink. He takes a sip as he nods.

"I knew you were in the service. I didn't know you were a ranger."

"Ten years. Decided to go after college. I got a degree in business administration from Hawaii Pacific University, but...it just didn't feel right to me. I wasn't meant to be cooped up in an office. I was meant for action. That's why I joined the Rangers, and started training while I was in the service. Started doing MMA professionally at the age of 30. Now I'm looking to start a new career in pro wrestling at 33. I'm a crazy person, and I'm happy with that."

The gears in his head are turning. Dad used to get this same look about him - they go through so many possibilities in their mind. I'm sure the thought just dawned on Centurion that me joining the XWF means he has an ally in his corner, something that is hard to come by, apparently.

"Alright. Let's get you a contract."

[Image: 5c426312bede9.image.jpg?resize=400%2C266]

I know what my role is supposed to be. I'm here to be a supporting character. I'm supposed to try my hardest and give it all I've got, but in the end, I'm supposed to help Centurion achieve victory. I'm not expected to be there at the end. If I make it all the way to the main event, it will be considered a miracle by many. I'm not supposed to be a survivor at the end of the night, and honestly, I'm not going on with that expectation, either.

...but what if?

What if I AM still standing at the end of the night? What if I run through the gauntlet of top superstars and come out the other side as one of the biggest names in the company? Will I be showered with praise? Will people speak of my accomplishment for decades to come? Will I be handed a Universal Title shot and instantly be promoted as one of the faces of the company?

Or, will find some way to bury me, and completely scrap the War Games concept in order to avoid such a disaster in future years?

I don't know. I don't have the answer to that question. Honestly, neither does the management of the company. They're not going in with this expectation. In fact, they probably don't even expect our team to get out of the first round. After all, the opposing team is lead by the Universal Champion. He NEEDS to be in that final match. Me? Centurion? Robbie Bourbon? Chris Chaos? We're all expendable. The ultimate goal is to provide an entertaining outcome and to make your big stars look massive.

However, in my short time in this company, I have noticed that most things don't go according to plan. A month can seem like a lifetime in this place. People rise and fall with the currant. So while there is a distinct possibility that the final participants will be Shawn Warstein and Robert Main, it's also equally as likely that the final participants will be me and Jenny Myst.

I'm not going in with any expectations, but don't expect me to be a meatshield, either. I look across the ring from me at out first round opponents, and other than the aforementioned Universal Champion, I don't see anyone on that team that I can point to and see "they are clearly better than me." I can beat any of them, and that's a fact. There's one guy wrestling in his first match. There's another guy who is creepy and weird and may not be a real person. And there is Big D, a man I am told has skills, but is nothing to write home about. I have never gotten the chance to see him in the ring, but I have seen him randomly show up at every event I've been to. I don't know if he's good, but he sure is annoying.

Then there's Vanessa Gibson, the other woman in this match. I'm sure she's going to be mad that I singled her out, which is exactly why I did it. Is it fair that women have to constantly compete against each other, and that we're always compared to one another? No, but it's the reality of life. I would love nothing more than to stand side by side with other women and tear down the patriarchal structures that prevent us from reaching our true potential, but I also want to win, and I know Vanessa Gibson won't give a single shit about me once that bell rings.

If anything, Vanessa should be happy - I consider her a stronger challenger than most of the men on her team. It would be a surprise if Doug Whitford or LeStrange were in the main event. It would not be surprise if Vanessa Gibson made it. So hey, chalk one up for feminism! But only one of us can move on, and if I have to snap her arm in half in order to be in that main event, that's exactly what I'm going to do.

I'm not stupid. I know I got selected to the team I did, at the round I did, because of the business relationship my father had with Centurion. He's doing me a favor. If that's a weakness, so be it. I'm sure every single person who says something about our team will mention that. I'm perfectly fine with it. It just means I have more to prove than most people.

Was I selected too high? Maybe. But remember, Hanari Carnes selected both Mastermind and Michael Graves before me. Shane selected Dick Powers, who I don't even know. I want you to think for a second, and actually be honest with yourself - do you think I'm worse than any of them? I'm not saying "worthy" - I understand that Mastermind has won some titles and Graves has been floating in and out of this place long before I ever heard of it, but when you watch my first couple of matches in this company, and you watch the entire body of work of those wrestlers...do you really think I'm somehow worse than them?

If you answer "yes", you're either lying or just plain wrong.

I was picked exactly where I should have been. I think of all the people selected after me, and I wonder who would have been a better choice. Maybe Thunder Knuckles, the Television Champion? But that would be a massive risk. Centurion doesn't like him, and there's no guarantee he's going to want to even try in this match. Thunder Knuckles could be in the main event, or he could be walking home immediately depending on what mood he's in that day. In fact, you can say that about all of the folks drafted after me - Big D, Hired Gun, Shooter Syn, Russian Rose. They all have the same problem - they can't seem to figure out when they want to bring out their A game.

With me, you know what you're going to get. I will leave it all out there. And it may not be enough, but I sure as hell aren't going to leave wondering what MIGHT have been if only I tried a little harder.

I don't have the background, or the...we'll call it strength...of Robbie Bourbon. Quite frankly, if Centurion would have selected me in the first round when Robbie was still on the board, I would have slapped him. And I know Centurion doesn't necessarily trust Chris Chaos, but he was the best available at that time. And we're not even sure if Calvary is still alive. But I look at our team, and it may be the most well rounded team in the competition. There may only be four of us, though everyone's final pick has left a lot to be desired, but the four we're coming with can stand toe to toe with any other group of four out there. If Calvary does show, that's just icing on the cake.

I hope everyone underestimates me. I hope every single wrestler thinks I'm some kind of rookie scrub that can easily be dispatched. Nothing would make me happier than that. I have been shocking people my whole life. I'm sure Chris Page and Robert Main, if they're thinking about me at all, consider me to be easily disposable. I'm sure Hanari Carnes is laughing at the possibility of facing me again after he defeated me a few weeks ago. I'm sure Shane ...

...I actually don't know if Shane thinks at all. Not only is he a lifeless bloodthirsty cadaver, but he also willingly drafted Peter Gilmour to his team.

But I know what I'm worth. I know what I can contribute and bring to the table. And I have the opportunity to not only reward Centurion's faith in me, but to prove my strength as a warrior. And as I rack up the eliminations on my way to the main event, it will be the last time anyone in this company underestimates me.

[Image: tenor-3-1.gif]
9-10-0
2x Anarchy Champion
1x and current XWF Micronesian Champion
XWF Star Of The Month - October 2020
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[-] The following 4 users Like Tula Kealiʻi's post:
Chris Page (05-24-2020), Michael McBride (05-22-2020), red-x (05-22-2020), Theo Pryce (05-31-2020)




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