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FIRE

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The scene opens up with an orange and red fire burning brightly, the crackling noise of the fire echoing throughout. After a while the fire dies out, leaving nothing but embers and ashes. The ashes then begin to shift and stir until something begins to rise from them; but not a phoenix as most would expect… Instead, a man reaches up with both arms and then brings them down at his side and uses them to push himself up. As he rises, ashes and embers fall off, revealing the ‘new’ him. He tilts his head slowly from left to right, back and forth, and as he stops, his eyelids open, revealing bright green eyes. The crackling of the fire fades away and his voice is heard.


We zoom in on the man’s eyes, then our view changes to his as the scene shifts from the CGI world to the real world. In front of us now is the remains of burnt down house with the only thing still standing is a cobble stone chimney. It is nighttime, a bit chilly but nothing that a nice biker leather jacket can’t handle; it’s Xavier’s favorite and it is a gift from a friend he lost long ago. He has his hands inside its pockets as he just stands there admiring what remains of his home.

Suddenly he turns towards us….

Xavier: What that world is going to look like however, I just don’t know…

He turns back around and begins walking towards the debris.

You know, of all the places I thought I would find myself in 2021, XWF wasn’t one of them.

There are many reasons for this, I have my own and I’m sure you will all come up with a bunch more, it’s what you all do now-a-days: Speculate, speculate, and speculate some more. You’re probably doing it now as you watch this scene: who’s house is that? Is that his house? Who burned it down? Wait, did he do that? Was anyone inside? Oh God is he the assassin some claim he is?

Relax guys… Let me just give you the one reason that finally trumped all others: I want to get back to the top; I want to wrestle at the highest level there is.

The competition here in XWF is top notch, everyone knows this, but I know this because in the last year I have seen their talent come through the promotions I have been a part of and not one of those wrestlers failed to impress or succeed. Some of them I crossed paths with right away, some I just watched from a distance, but all did very well, and it made me wonder… ‘What if instead of waiting for talent from XWF to come to me, why don’t I go to it?’

He begins to look through the debris, not for anything in particular, just to see what if anything survived the blaze that consumed this home.

For those of you that don’t know me, I won’t give you a long background story, the short story IS on my bio here in XWF. What I will tell you is that in those promotions, I have also impressed and succeeded. As you will see on my bio, I’ve only been back in the business a little over a year and I came back not to see if “I still got it”, because I know I do… I came back to see if I could make it in ‘today’s wrestling’. I was able to do very well in the two promotions I was in prior to the one that I am currently in, where I am off to a great start, having just taken down one of your favorites (and mine): Robert “The Omega” Main.

But the thing about these three promotions is that they are considered “independent” promotions, the first one being based out of Dallas, second out of Key West and the third and current one out of all places: Huntington, West Virginia. Now regardless of how I feel about that last state, the promotion itself is top notch run by a former rival I respect. But none of them can be considered global, yet, like XWF has been for decades now.

I have been at the global stage before you see, when I was young, and just starting out and where I stablished myself as a wrestling superstar. Though back then we were called “New Legends”, and legends did we become. But don’t worry, I’m not an egotistical prick that wants to be addressed as so. In due time you will get to see that my wrestling and my work ethic are more than enough to earn such a moniker. Anyway, in that promotion we travelled not only all over the US but the World, much like XWF does. But that was over 10 years ago and like I said, things have changed, today’s wrestlers are so different, so self-involved and dare I say, just fucking weird… But never mind that, plenty of time to dissect one and all of the talent here in this promotion, including ‘the one’ Tommy Gunn…

In the last year I have proven I am able to compete in today’s wrestling with the best wrestlers the indie scene has to offer and so, it is time to turn up the heat. It’s time to set the XWF a blaze, but to answer your question, yes, this was my home, and yes someone burnt it down in hopes that I would burn down with it. As you can see, they failed, here I stand, on top of the ashes and like the phoenix, I will rise…

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ICE

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The scene switches suddenly to a tent set up in the middle of a frozen tundra. The sound of a helicopter approaching is heard, and after a while it arrives, hovering some 30 feet above the tent. A rope ladder is dropped down and a single passenger gets out and makes their way down carrying a large bag on their shoulders; decked out in heavy winter clothes, dark gray in color. Once the person touches down on the iced grasslands with their heavy boots, the rope ladder is pulled up as the helicopter heads back the way it came from. The person makes their way over to the tent and then drops their bag right in front of it; before finding a way to open the tent. The person then takes off the heavy hood and removes the goggles and pulls down the winter scarf to reveal Xavier Lux.

Who the fuck books a wrestling even in the north pole?! Snow Miser, is that you? We better get a tour of Santa's workshop included with this card; I’m freezing my nuts off.

Xavier goes inside the tent as the scene fades to black momentarily, when it comes back it is now night time and a fire has been set up just outside of the tent and a thermal chair sits in front of it. Xavier walks out, wearing a good thermal beanie, sweater, pants and boots but has taken off the big jacket. He sits in front of the fire and enjoy as a sip from an unknown hot drink he had by the fire. Once he is nice and settled down, he begins.

This coming Saturday, on Christmas day, I make my debut in XWF against this promotion’s head of security: Tommy Gunn; inside of a mutha f’n igloo. Yeah, let that sink in… Why do you think I am out here in the north pole? Trying to get my Californian/Miamian ass used to the damn cold! I’m a hot-blooded man, I love the tropical weather, this shit ain’t for me but… hey, we all gotta start somewhere right?

At least I’m not facing a literal gorilla like Peter Vaughn did, right? I’m good with my bare hands but not so much with guns, tranquilizer or otherwise, regardless of what you may have heard.

Look I know the talent in this federation run deeps, so I know I’m going to have to work my way up to the big names and I’m completely fine with that. Bring in Tommy Gunn, who is no slouch by the way; the guy is 8-2. Now I don’t know how long it has taken him to get the record, could be a few months, could be years, but it doesn’t matter. The man is a bonafide bad ass, ex-military and a hero of war; I solute that patriot and thank him for his service.

All you gotta do really is take a quick glimpse at his bio to know that he means business. Who wants to start their career here by getting their face broken? Not me, that’s for damn sure. No, I want to be just the third man to make Mr. Gunn taste defeat, and while I know it won’t come easy, the alternative is just not an option for me.

Like I said, I am here to compete on the big stage again, and I cannot do that if I start off with a loss, I simply can’t. So yeah, I know his whole mission on Christmas day is going to be to break my face, but my mission is going to be to treat him like a naughty fucking child and hit him with a sack full of coal. For those that don’t know me, which I’m sure it includes Mr. Gunn, there are two things that make my style unique.. I’m one fast son of a gun, pun intended, and I am known for being one of the most hardcore wrestlers out there.

I bring up the first point because it’s hard to break someone’s face when you can’t catch them, when you can’t get your hands on them. I may be in my thirties but the fat level in my body is under 10% and I am still damn fast, last time I ran the 40, I was just under 4.9… Now some of you will probably throw that right back in my face and say ain’t nobody running 40 yards in wrestling. While true, I can run circles around my opponent in the ring until I make them dizzy as hell at which point I can just move in for the kill and believe you me Mr. Gunn, I got many ways to kill you.

I bring up the second point because I notice the match has been labeled as a “XMAS HOLIDAY CHEER” match. Now I haven’t got a damn clue what that means, but it’s probably just some cute Christmas cover up name for some sort of hardcore or extreme match up. If that is the case, then my chances of winning increase because if Mr. Gunn can’t catch me inside the ring, I know he can’t catch me if we are running around that damn igloo. All I gotta do is get my hands on a block of ice, drop it on his head ‘SAW’ style and he’s done.

Xavier’s cellphone rings and he takes a sip of his drink before putting it down by the fire and heading inside the tent. He answers it, talks briefly with whoever is on the other side and then comes out after a moment, placing the phone on the armrest of the chair before taking a second to stretch and take in the scenery. Up until now he had not notice how great the view is of the aurora borealis. He gets mesmerized by them until the person on the phone speaks up, breaking him out of the trance.

Oh hey, sorry about that. Who did you say you were again?

This is Steve Sayors, top interviewer for XWF!

Wow, top interviewer huh?

That’s right, I’m the best.

Are you now?

Um, yes.

Really?

OK fine, I’m trying to be, that’s why I am calling you, to get the hot scoop!

Trust me pal, ain’t nothing here hot; it’s colder than Frosty’s snowballs.

Ah so you have already arrived at the North Pole? Great! What hotel are you staying at?

Not staying at a hotel, just camping out here in the wild.

You know it’s like 11 degrees out there?

Feels colder, look Stephen Savers, I doubt you called me to talk about the weather, how did you even get my number by the way?

It’s Steve Sayors and we all have each wrestlers’ number in case of emergencies.

Who gave you my number Steve?

A man never reveals his sources.

When I get to the igloo on Saturday, I am going to reveal my foot on your ass; how’s that?

Alright, alright, I hacked the XWF system, but look I needed a win badly, I haven’t had a good interview in forever and you’re one of the hottest wrestlers we have signed lately so I need this please. Can you help me out?

Geez man, alright fine. Shoot.

Thank you so much! You won’t regret it. How does it feel to be the newest member of Exile?

Wait, what the f-?! Not here in this promotion too! What makes you think I am in Exile Esteban?!

It’s Steve! Well you helped Peter win at the Bad Medicine Pay Per View! Why would you help him win if you weren’t in cahoots with him?!

Listen to me guy and listen to me well, because I don’t want to be misquoted in your little interview. I am not in Exile. The only reason I attacked Drew Archyle was because he was attacking Peter.

They were having a match!

Yeah well I didn’t know that did I?

What, explain!

OK first of all, lower your voice.

Yes sir, I’m sorry sir.

Second of all, the reason why I was at pay-per-view was to sign my brand-new contract with Theo Pryce. I didn’t have time to stick around and watch the show sadly as I had somewhere else to be, so when I was on my way out, I happened to look down a hallway and what did I see? My old rival, but somewhat of a friend, Peter Vaughn getting viciously attacked by some guy I didn’t know then. I didn’t see the ref, my view was blocked so I did what any man would do when he sees someone getting viciously attacked, I went to help. I popped him once to get him off Peter, I popped him twice to ensure he didn’t attack me and then I threw him into the closet so he wouldn’t retaliate.

Are you serious?!

As serious as hypothermia.

You were choking him!

I lifted him with a chokehold to toss him into the closet, wasn’t trying to kill the guy.

You do realize how hard this is to believe right? Especially when you came out with Peter later that night as part of his stable to attack Alias.

Look after I saw the ref and he called for the invisible bell, I realized the mistake I had made, getting involved in the match so I took Peter to his locker room to apologize for getting involved and it was then where he filled me in on his war with Apex and he asked me if I wouldn’t mind sticking around as they were outnumbered. Since I felt bad for interfering in his match I had no choice but to oblige.

Wait you apologized to Peter?

Yes.

Why? He won the match.

Yeah, but he didn’t win it on his own like he wanted to and like I’m sure he would have done. Look despite how this may appear, that is not me. I don’t get involved in people’s matches, I don’t join people’s stables, all that crap is just not for me. I’m a loner, I always have been. I am here in XWF for myself and nobody else.

Did you apologize to Drew Archyle?

Nah, fuck that guy!

Aha!

Aha what? Just because I say that, doesn’t mean I’m in Peter’s super-awesome stable. That just means exactly what it means…

Fuck.

That.

Guy.

Like you, the whole Apex crew has jumped to conclusions and accused me without merit in TPW and have been talking so much shit about me without giving me a chance so yeah, fuck them guys, all of them. It doesn’t mean I’m going to join Exile, hell Peter has some members who I don’t like either and truthfully Peter and I aren’t best buds… We were allies at best one time during this pay-per-view where if you didn’t make allies, you were going to be dead meat so I came through for him and he came through for me but that was it. He doesn’t owe me anything and I don’t own him. This whole thing is just a big misunderstanding.

Just a misunderstanding? You expect the XWF universe to buy this?

I don’t give two big pieces of frozen monkey crap what the universe buys, I ain’t selling anything… I’m just speaking the truth, and if you are the top reporter you claim to be, you will do your job and report this truth I am speaking.

The truth.

Yes, the truth. I am here for myself and only for myself and the only thing in my mind right now is making a successful debut against Tommy Gunn on Saturday.

That’s all?

All I want for Christmas is my first XWF win Steve-o, that’s all, nothing less, nothing more.

Wow, OK, well I have so many more questions. So Iet’s-

Let’s not, I’m going to have to end this call as I’m going to try to get some shut eye. Thanks for the call Mayors, see you Saturday maybe.

No please, wait!

Xavier hangs up the phone.

I think that’s more than enough for my first day.

Scene fades to black.

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