3 Doors Down’s “Never Will I Break” begins to play out over the PA system and there’s a mixed reaction in the crowd.
#Lay me down#
#Wash this blood off my hands for me while I cry, cry out#
Baxter- Who the hell is this?
Regi- It’s not music I associate with anyone, but I have heard it recently in those YouTube teaser promo’s that everyone’s been talking about.
Poe- Promo’s that started a couple of weeks ago online and look set to come to a head here tonight!
#Don’t let me die before I go to sleep#
#And I can’t keep going#
#But I can’t start again#
The lights in the arena cut out and the music stops dead. A brief moment later there’s a bright light on the entrance ramp and the silhouette of two men stood in front of it. One is a couple of inches taller than the other but both are of an athletic build and both have short hair. They’re stood with their backs to the arena so it’s hard to make out anything about them, but one appears to be wearing a suit and the other a long coat. Pyro explodes all along the stage and the music re-starts.
#The road I walk is paved with broken promises I’ve made#
#At least a million times I’ve fallen#
#But never will I break#
The pair turn around and throw a fist up into the air as a spotlight finally illuminates them. The first, the taller of the two, is in a smart grey suit, white shirt and light blue tie. The second is wearing a long grey coat which is open and reveals smart grey pants and a light blue shirt. Both men have short brown hair and both men’s faces are hidden by wrestling masks; white with light blue designs on them.
Baxter- I ask again… who the hell is this?
Poe- I get this feeling that, if you shut the hell up and listen to what these two have to say, you may just find out!
Regi- I gotta say, I’m intrigued!
The two men make their way to ringside and walk up the steps and into the ring. One of them takes a microphone from the ring announcer and the two stand, looking out at the crowd, waiting for their music to stop.
Man1- It’s been a long time since I stood in a wrestling ring here in Japan. And damn if it doesn’t feel good to be back.
The crowd reacts positively, applauding the man who speaks with an English accent.
Man1- I’ve been here on numerous occasions; fought countless tough opponents. But it’s not always been the best of times for me. Some of the biggest decisions I’ve had to make in my career have been done right here in Tokyo. One in particular I am filled with regret about to this day. That decision has often come back to haunt me. Some called it the beginning of the end for my career and thing’s certainly haven’t been the same for me since that day.
The Englishman pauses for a moment before continuing.
Man1- Just when I thought it was all over, when I was about to hang up my boots forever, I met this man. He convinced me to try again, to rekindle the hope that had long since died, to recapture the glory of days gone by.
The second man is passed the microphone.
Man2- I’ve just been here the once, a little over a year ago. It was a significant night for me, it signalled the end of a chapter in my career and the start of another. I thought that was going to be a positive thing, but it turned out to be the beginning of a downward spiral. For that reason I fucking hated Tokyo.
The crowd begin to boo the Canadian sounding man until he interjects.
Man2- BUT… several months ago I was at my lowest, my life took an unexpected twist and everything seemed to be turning to shit. And at that point I stumbled into someone that would pick me up, dust me off and turn my career around. That man, the one standing right beside me tonight, has long been a hero of mine. Someone I always looked up to, hoped to emulate. It’s because of him that I’m here tonight, looking forward to making some positive memories of Tokyo!
The crowd cheer as the microphone is passed back to the Englishman.
Baxter- I got it… I know who these two losers are!
Regi- Care to share?
Baxter- An Limey and a Canuck, right? It’s Andersen and Blayze!
Poe- Oh, puh-lease!
Man1- Separately we failed here in Japan. We failed in Madison, Wisconsin. We failed in Fayetteville, Georgia.
Man2- But together? Together these two Rising Sons will reach our potential. We will be dynamite! We will be the people’s choice!
Regi- What!?
Poe- OH HELL NAW!
Baxter- I was… wrong?!
The two men reach behind their heads and slowly pull off their masks, revealing their faces to a crowd cheering wildly at The Peoples Choice, August Joyce and MWA Hall of Fame inductee, Tim Worthington!
Poe- Joyce & Worthington?
Regi- Well there’s a combination I never thought I’d see!
Poe- Former Millennium Champion, August Joyce and two time MWA World Champion, Tim Worthington. I never thought I’d see the day…
Tim- Rising Sons 2002, I was thrown off the top of a cage by Johnny Grrrrr and put on the shelf for months. Rising Sons 2003, I walked out of the Egg Dome during a World Title match. I brought disrespect on Lifeless Joe, on the MWA World Championship and on the fine people of Japan. From being at the top of the business I fell, crashed to a career low. I never challenged for the MWA Title again. I lost my family. I lost faith. My last MWA appearance… I got wiped out by Dan Divine before I even got to the ring.
August- Rising Sons 2010; I was broken, battered, exhausted. That was before my tag match against Black Hollywood. I’d been the subject of a kidnapping and no-one noticed I was gone for eighteen months, that’s how much the MWA and its fans cared about me. I turned up here unfit to fight. My friend did his best to keep me out of the match but as soon as I came into this ring it was all over, as was my MWA career.
Tim- This city, this event, has seen the worst of us. But tonight, with you as our witnesses, there is a new day dawning for us. Tim Worthington and August Joyce are BACK.
August- And NEVER will we break!
The crowd cheer wildly as the two men drop their mics and head out of the ring to the sound of their new entrance music.
#Lay me down#
#Wash this blood off my hands for me while I cry, cry out#
#Don’t let me die before I go to sleep#
#And I can’t keep going#
#But I can’t start again#
Baxter- I still say Andersen and Blayze would have been better!
Regi- And I still say you’re a moron.
Poe- I can’t believe what I’ve just seen. I never thought we’d see either man back here in the MWA, but together? If they’ve really got their heads in the game the MWA better watch out!
Baxter- It’s all very well doing these mystery promos, building them up and talking the talk here tonight. But we’ve seen both men crash more times than Windows ’98! Until they prove themselves in a competitive match I’m staying on the fence.
Regi- Porkchop, I think I’m ill. What Kent said actually made sense to me!
Poe- You aint ill, Regi. But I think maybe Kent is, because he’s right. As good as it is to see these guys back and apparently raring to go, nothing matters until that bell sounds for their first match.
#The road I walk is paved with broken promises I’ve made#
#At least a million times I’ve fallen#
#But never will I break#
The two men are on top of the entrance ramp and again raise a fist into the air before heading to the back.