Tuesday, December 13, 2016

PPW Presents "Parlay at the Prestigio"

*It is 8 pm on Tuesday, December 13th, 2016. The camera fades into the Prestigio Arena in freezing Westchester County, just 30 miles north of New York City.  The seats have all been sold out and fans are going wild with enthusiasm and that flu-like thing going around the northeast. They are holding up signs referencing PPW, Destiny, UBL, OG-FPD, FPCPP, and other fun combinations of letters.  Cameras provided by Destiny are everywhere, broadcasting this event worldwide.

The owner of Prestige, Thomas Mills Sr., comes out with the Quarterly Conqueror champion, Samuel Hearst.  Mills is wearing a navy blue business suit while Hearst is in a white tuxedo. The fans are surprised to see Mills come out at all and are even more surprised that Samuel isn't coming out to his entrance music.   A stagehand gives microphones to both men after they get into the ring.*

[Mills:] "Welcome to 'Parlay at the Prestigio,"

[Samuel:] "Now known as the event heard 'round the world.'"

[Mills:] "We made history with the anticipation for this show. News travels as fast as light these days, all thanks to the newspaper industry laying the foundation for our present day media."

[Samuel:] "Speaking of light..."

[Mills:] "We all heard what Ruby Moreno had to say last week after our show was announced. But let me put your minds at ease. We are still in control of this show.  Yes, there are Destiny cameras around this arena. I allowed those, of course. Why on earth would I object to them?"

[Samuel:] "It's free publicity."

[Mills:] "Exactly - her threat to expose us is actually helping us get more attention."

[Samuel:] "So what's she and her goon-"

[Mills:] "Careful."

[Samuel:] "Staff doing backstage?"

[Mills:] "I was just about to ask the same thing. If she truly wants to shine the light of truth on us, she should meet us when it's on her too.  Please Miss Moreno, we are inviting you out to let us clear the air.  We know you have been backstage for the past few hours, exploring every nook and cranny in this arena, looking for UBL wrestlers.  I think it's time we get your special report."

*"Dies Irae" plays as Ruby Moreno comes out, flanked by Jeff and Jack Monroe.   They are dressed in their ring gear with stoic looks on their faces. She is wearing a gold pea coat and fakes a shiver.*"

[Ruby:] "I don't understand why you people willingly put up with this weather. It's inhumane."

[Mills:] "We can't all live in California,  Miss Moreno.  But, ironically, your tone seems less chilly now than when you addressed everyone last week."

[Samuel:] "One thing I found interesting was Miss Moreno talking about defamation to a newspaper owner while making false claims about him.  Do they have irony in California?"

[Ruby:] "Samuel, I can call you Samuel, right?"

[Samuel:] "It's my name. Samuel Hearst - the Scourge of the Written Word."

*Ruby laughs while the Monroe Brothers continue to stand there emotionless.*

[Ruby:] "My my, how droll.  You really have everything set up here, don't you? The arrogant Champion with golden blonde hair and a cozy relationship with the owner.   Do you think I am impressed by that?  You are a dime a dozen.  Every small promotion in this country has someone like you doing their best 'Dick Slender' impression.  In fact, even I started my career that way.  But I evolved, Samuel, unlike the dying newspaper industry.  So you should think twice about lecturing me, at least until you come up with your own act. Or do they not have novelty in New York?"

*The fans ooh as Samuel Hearst falls uncharacteristically silent.*

[Mills:] "All right, let's take this hostility down a shade. Miss Moreno-"

[Ruby:] "You can call me Ruby."

[Mills:] "Ruby, what Samuel was trying to say is that you made a lot of false claims about me.  I have no association with UBL or OG-FPD or anything like that. I bought this arena from Geese in December of 2011 but have not had any contact with him or anyone close to him since then.  I have never once talked to Arthur Wingate or Drake Yoshida.  My son knows them but that is all."

[Ruby:] "Your son who is very close friends with UBL Nexus Champion, Matt Rivers."

[Mills:] "Look, Thomas was in UBL for years. He made some friends there. What do you expect to happen? But he's not working for them anymore.  He's here and -"

[Ruby:] "You put him in a match to take away the Championship held by Jace Stone, a Destiny member. Tell me again how you aren't working against our cause?"

[Mills:] "Because it's a standard Title match between two wrestlers on my roster.  I'd be working against your cause if I never gave Mr. Stone any competition, thereby devaluing his Title."

[Samuel:] "And you know what? The only constant UBL presence on this show is you, Moreno. You and your goons have been on more UBL shows than most of their roster have in years."

[Ruby:]  "Again, your command of irony is thrilling but empty.  Of course we were on their shows...as an invading force! We have been trying to take them down for years. How would we do that without facing them head-on?  Sorry Samuel, but your special move, a nasty letter to the editor, wouldn't work this time.  Being a scourge of the written word only takes you so far."

[Samuel:] "You evade the question rather than telling us why you hate UBL to begin with-"

[Mills:] "Samuel-"

[Samuel:] "No, I want to hear this.  She's taking up time on our show, taking away attention from my Title match, and she's never once publicly said what her problems with UBL are.  How did you get to this point, Moreno?  What gives you the right to take over any show that your paranoid mind thinks smells even passingly of UBL? What gives you the reason?  Inquiring minds want to know."

*Ruby is silent.*

[Samuel:] "That's what I thought, You probably don't even remember anymore."


"No...she remembers quite well," a disembodied voice suddenly says.

*Everyone's glance immediately shoots up to the old Battle-Tron which suddenly comes online.

At first all we see is a logo:





The camera focuses on the ring where Arthur Wingate, the owner of the UBL stands. He smiles.*

[Arthur:] "Greetings everyone and Happy 13th Anniversary to the OG-FPD!  Ruby, you have left me with a wealth of options to respond to your drivel. But I'd like to start by taking you to task for the first thing you said.  New York is certainly cold but California isn't so tropical this time of year either.  In fact, quite a few of my wrestlers had to wear heavy jackets on their way to this arena tonight."

*Ruby looks confused. The Battle-Tron video focus fades out to show Arthur standing in the middle of a ring in front of a full crowd in the LAWLitorium in Los Angeles, California.  The fans in the Prestigio erupt in applause as Ruby's eyes go wide. She actually starts trembling from anger.*

[Ruby:] "Wh...what are...how dare you! How could you even be there? Security!! Get him!"

[Arthur:] "The Reyes sisters, well two of them, have been quite accommodating.  You may own OG-Joshi but you don't own LAWL or the arena itself.  Although I was quite surprised that Marie voted against my proposal, Gloria and Grace both granted me permission to bring UBL here tonight."

*Ruby is so furious that she can't even talk. Jeff Monroe appears to be concerned about her.*

[Arthur:] "I would like to wish Prestige a successful show tonight and apologize for the intrusion.  Your operation is very impressive and I am very open to doing business with you in the future."

*Thomas Mills Sr. looks nervously at Ruby who is relieved to see that Ruby's eyes are still fixed on Arthur so firmly that you'd think they were glued on him,  Mills nods respectfully to Arthur.*

[Mills:] "I appreciate the gesture but...the timing...well, we kind of have a situation here."

[Ruby:] "Situation? An incoming massacre! You will all pay dearly. None will be spared!"

[Arthur:] "Now, now, don't be such a sore loser, Ruby.  This is your fault, after all. As I overheard some kids say in Los Angeles today, you played yourself. It is rare to see such a gratifying self-fulfilling prophesy. One could even call it a causaLAWL loop. *Arthur smiles*

Months ago we heard through the grapevine, and not the new LAWL tag team obsessed with leg submissions, that Prestige was planning this show for tonight.  The potential of of the situation was obvious. We immediately began discussing terms with Gloria Reyes.  It was clear that you would take all of your Destiny goons *Samuel smiles* and invade this show, expecting to find us. You didn't realize that very action allowed us to occupy your home arena, free of any Destiny stench."

*Ruby closes her eyes and takes a deep breath to briefly regain her composure.*

[Ruby:] "Misdirection is below you all. It's prestidigitation just as I said last week."

[Arthur:] "But it wasn't misdirection since Mills didn't desire any of this. He simply wanted to put on his show as planned.  And I had no part in Prestige's show.  Mills was being honest when he said there was no connection between us.  He didn't tell me about this. There was no conspiracy to trick you. My 'magic power' was simply predicting your behavior.  I read you, Ruby, as I have done many times before. This is me, once again, beating you in chess. Destiny, we have your Queen again."

*Ruby is starting to hyperventilate due to anger. She meditates and forces a calm state.*

[Arthur:] "But time is getting short for both Prestige and UBL in presenting our shows tonight."

[Ruby:] "No, there will be no such thing! They both end now!"

[Arthur:] "It will take you at least five hours to return here, Ruby. Our show will be done by then. Thunder Strike has already done a sweep of the arena and it is entirely Destiny free.  Your militarized Gauntlet forces at Destiny compound won't be allowed here as this is not your property.  J.U.S.T.I.C.E. has already seen to it that any attempts to enter this building will fail "

[Ruby:] "Then Prestige will pay for your sins. I will end this promotion tonight."

[Arthur:] "Now Ruby, it wouldn't look good for Destiny to have it's enlightened leader order the execution of an innocent promotion. They have done nothing wrong, as you just declared. I must admit: I didn't foresee this, Ruby. I didn't think you would discard all of your organization's goodwill tonight by punishing people whom you know have not wronged you.  You lost the battle to me, don't sacrifice the entire reputation war to assuage your ego. That is below you and, quite frankly, it would bore me to see you and Destiny go out like this.  It is way too easy, I expected more from you.  Take the loss and live another day.  Taking it out on Prestige will eliminate that quality from Destiny."

*Ruby thinks for a second and sighs.  She points to the cameras and makes a throat-cutting motion.*

[Ruby:] "Fine, but I don't have to help them.  I'm shutting this broadcast down.  Your show is back to being in print, Mills.  Wingate, I want you to remember one thing.  Even if UBL is truly back now, you aren't free from us. We still have three spots on your roster thanks to Joachim and his Trial Series. Two of those un-designated spots will now be occupied by the gentlemen behind me. We will take all of your Titles, we will eliminate all of your heroes, and we will force you out of business."

[Arthur:] "No, you don't want us out of business.  To answer Samuel's question from before, the reason you want to punish UBL is to make me so miserable that I sell it to you. That way you can finally own both of Orochi Geese's created promotions: OG-Joshi and UBL.  When you have those bargaining chips, you expect to lure him and Robin Walker out of retirement based on their pride.  Defeating them would be the crowning achievement of Destiny.  That's your whole motivation, but it won't work. Not because of him, but because of me and our roster.  You got us kicked out of Europe but the United States is an entirely different game, one we are already beating you in."

[Ruby:] "If it's a game worth playing, then it is far from over. Unlike this show. Cut it!"

*Ruby gestures again for the Destiny team to cut the cameras. Wingate also gestures at the same time and a URL quickly flashes on the screen advertising UBL's show in progress RIGHT NOW.*

http://ogubl.proboards.com/post/2685/thread


(Yes, Ruby Moreno was correct, I used misdirection. The REAL Anniversary Show is above! UBL Is back with actual matches and happenstances and maybe you even win something by watching!)