Post by "Showtime" Mark Solomon on Jul 25, 2009 19:22:57 GMT -5
*The camera is focused on the Wreckage Arena parking lot, where all is quiet until thundering bass can be heard echoing off the walls, quietly at first but gradually getting louder. A cobalt blue 2008 H3 pulls into a space, and "Showtime" Mark Solomon kills the ignition and hops out. Despite his loss last week to Harrison Rines, he is upbeat and in a fairly good mood. He grabs a rolling suitcase from the back and heads into the arena. Terry Branch approaches him from off-camera.*
Terry Branch
Excuse me Showtime, could I have a moment of your time?
*Showtime pulls down his SAWFLY shades and looks at Branch with a mix of confusion and disdain.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
I'm sorry... who are you?
Terry Branch
I'm Terry Branch, ETR's backstage interviewer.
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Really? What happened to the really hot chick who used to do that before I left?
Terry Branch
Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you about. Do-
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
The hot chick whose job you took?
Terry Branch
No, about your absence and return against Harrison Rines. Do you feel like ring rust may have played a part in your losing the match?
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Simply put, Mark Solomon does not suffer from 'ring rust,' as you put it.
*Contemplative sigh*
The beautiful thing about this business is that any man can beat another man on any given night. Does me losing that match mean Rines is better than me? I'll leave that for the people on the internet to discuss. The way I see it, one thing and one thing only determines who is better than who: championship gold, which I've held more often than anybody in this industry.
Speaking of championship gold, I heard there was a tournament announced for the reborn ETR Championship...
Here in ETR, I've been a World Champion on every brand I've ever competed on, but during my time there were always multiple brands and multiple champions. I never held a single belt that said I was the best, the undisputed world champion in ETR. Now I have that opportunity; I just wonder who I'm going to be facing first.
*Showtime puts his shades back on and begins to walk off, but Terry has one last comment.*
Terry Branch
Umm, Showtime, you're not actually *in* the tournament.
*Showtime comes to a dead halt and turns around very slowly, as if taking in what he has just heard takes more effort than it really does. He removes his shades once again, and this time a near-demonic fire can be seen burning in his eyes. Make no mistake about it; Mark Solomon is *pissed,* and bad things often happen to good people when that happens.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
What the hell did you just say?
Terry Branch
GM Lucas King announced the brackets a few minutes ago, and you're not in the tournament.
*Naturally, Showtime is infuriated. He fumes for a moment, but thinks better of going with his first violent impulse to do grievous bodily harm to anyone within arms' reach, which would be this unfortunate reporter in front of him. After all, he didn't make the decision; the general manager did.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Lucas King... I'll have to have a talk with him later on.
*Showtime walks off with a visibly calm stance. Anyone who knows Mark knows that he is boiling inside at the slight; hell, how can one even say the word 'championship' in ETR without his name being mentioned in close context. He goes to the GM's office but finds it empty; an explanation will apparently have to wait. Instead, he goes to his own locker room. His name is still on the door but the interior is empty from months of disuse. The only thing in the room apart from the open closets and a single folding chair is a simple white envelope. Mark picks it up and opens it; inside is a simple handwritten message.*
TBC by: Anyone with a message for Mark Solomon.
Terry Branch
Excuse me Showtime, could I have a moment of your time?
*Showtime pulls down his SAWFLY shades and looks at Branch with a mix of confusion and disdain.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
I'm sorry... who are you?
Terry Branch
I'm Terry Branch, ETR's backstage interviewer.
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Really? What happened to the really hot chick who used to do that before I left?
Terry Branch
Actually, that's what I wanted to ask you about. Do-
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
The hot chick whose job you took?
Terry Branch
No, about your absence and return against Harrison Rines. Do you feel like ring rust may have played a part in your losing the match?
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Simply put, Mark Solomon does not suffer from 'ring rust,' as you put it.
*Contemplative sigh*
The beautiful thing about this business is that any man can beat another man on any given night. Does me losing that match mean Rines is better than me? I'll leave that for the people on the internet to discuss. The way I see it, one thing and one thing only determines who is better than who: championship gold, which I've held more often than anybody in this industry.
Speaking of championship gold, I heard there was a tournament announced for the reborn ETR Championship...
Here in ETR, I've been a World Champion on every brand I've ever competed on, but during my time there were always multiple brands and multiple champions. I never held a single belt that said I was the best, the undisputed world champion in ETR. Now I have that opportunity; I just wonder who I'm going to be facing first.
*Showtime puts his shades back on and begins to walk off, but Terry has one last comment.*
Terry Branch
Umm, Showtime, you're not actually *in* the tournament.
*Showtime comes to a dead halt and turns around very slowly, as if taking in what he has just heard takes more effort than it really does. He removes his shades once again, and this time a near-demonic fire can be seen burning in his eyes. Make no mistake about it; Mark Solomon is *pissed,* and bad things often happen to good people when that happens.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
What the hell did you just say?
Terry Branch
GM Lucas King announced the brackets a few minutes ago, and you're not in the tournament.
*Naturally, Showtime is infuriated. He fumes for a moment, but thinks better of going with his first violent impulse to do grievous bodily harm to anyone within arms' reach, which would be this unfortunate reporter in front of him. After all, he didn't make the decision; the general manager did.*
"Showtime" Mark Solomon
Lucas King... I'll have to have a talk with him later on.
*Showtime walks off with a visibly calm stance. Anyone who knows Mark knows that he is boiling inside at the slight; hell, how can one even say the word 'championship' in ETR without his name being mentioned in close context. He goes to the GM's office but finds it empty; an explanation will apparently have to wait. Instead, he goes to his own locker room. His name is still on the door but the interior is empty from months of disuse. The only thing in the room apart from the open closets and a single folding chair is a simple white envelope. Mark picks it up and opens it; inside is a simple handwritten message.*
TBC by: Anyone with a message for Mark Solomon.