A Celebration and a Proposition

(Ghosts in My Machine, by Annie Lennox begins to play, to the confusion of the fans in the arena. A mysterious red-haired woman makes her way down to the ring holding Cael Wheeler's case. She enters the ring and grabs a microphone.)

???: Hello, ladies and gentlemen! I'm just new at this, so you'll have to bear with me. My name is Willa Fleming, and I am Cael Wheeler's temporary replacement. That means that for the time being, I am serving as a manager and trainer. But you don't want to hear about me. You want someone else.

(The Crowd begins to cheer.)

Willa: So, with that in mind, let me introduce someone to you. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor of introducing your hero, my employer, the current Warrior of the Night champion, Mr. Stewart D. Coleman!

(How to be a Millionaire hits and the arena erupts into cheers. Coleman appears at the top of the ramp with the title around his waist, holding his cricket bat. As he approaches the ring, he often pauses for pictures or to let a fan touch the title. Once he enters the ring, Coleman takes off the championship belt and holds it high. Then he grabs the belt and bat and climbs all four turnbuckles to the delight of the fans, before returning to the center of the ring.)

Coleman: At last! At last! It took some time, but your Warrior of the Night Champion...

(Coleman is drowned out by the cheers of his fans.)

Coleman: Thank you, so much. I did this for each and every one of you, and I will defend this title in the same way! I think a lttle celebration is called for! Willa, the champagne, if you please.

(Willa reaches into the case and pulls out a bottle, which Coleman opens. Willa also pulls out two glasses and hands them over. Coleman fills them and passes one back.)

Coleman: Cheers!

(They both drink.)

Coleman: It's been a while since I've had anything to drink, but I should be fine. I'm sure you all remember THAT story.

Willa: Do you remember much about what happened yet?

Coleman: Bits and pieces. Something about dancing, and tables, and a place called the Wonder Bar. Oh, and a bartender that kept filling up my leaky glass.

Willa: That story just keeps getting more interesting. I noticed though that you had five glasses packed. Is there a reason?

Coleman: You never know how many people might want to join our little party. I could invite some of my fans...

(The fans again drown out Coleman with cheers.)

Coleman: I thank you. Every time I defend this championship, I'll do it for you. My fans are what keep me going in this business. Give yourselves a hand!

(And the fans do!)

Coleman: However, as most of you know, I never come out to the ring just to celebrate or hear myself talk. I come out in front of all of you when I have something to say. And that something is...I'm sorry. Jack Legacy, I wasn't here when you were ambushed and beaten down. I was busy preparing for tonight and working with my staff, and I took my eyes off of what I shouldn't. I was caught with my guard down, and you paid the price. So tonight, I am asking for forgiveness, for a second chance. Let's make this right.

(The fans begin to chant "S. D. C." and "Not Your Fault!")

Willa: I'm sorry. You were training me yesterday...

Coleman: No. It is my fault. Jack got put through a world of pain, and there wasn't a single thing that I could do about it! Well, that's all going to change. I'm tired of having to constantly explain myself to a bunch of dark warriors! This title, I've put all of my hopes and dreams on holding one for YEARS. It doesn't matter what I had to spend to get here, all that matters is YOU! And the very fact that a dark warrior may have what it takes to get this belt off of me...well, I know what you all think about THAT.

(The audience begins to boo the thought of Coleman losing the title.)

Coleman: I made it up the MOUNTAIN. And at the top of that mountain, I found two paths. One was light and has led me to my DESTINY. The other, however, was all darkness and strewn with bones and blood! I knew that this could only lead to sewing the SEEDS of my own DESTRUCTION. Bet you're all glad I chose the right path, aren't you?

(The fans are appreciative, and chant "S. D. C!" again.)

Willa: But, I know your record backwards and forwards! You have given in to the darkness on more than one occasion!

Coleman: Looking into the abyss is a bit different than plunging in. Since I have seen a path of destruction, I always pull back. But these others...they don't know what's fair! They refuse to see what is right! I talk about being a force for good in the MWF. Look, I'm Stewart D. Coleman. Of course I'll give you the truth, and the truth is that I can't do this alone. If the MWF is to be cleansed, I will need help. So I have a little proposition...

(The fans begin to chant "Let us Help!)

Coleman: It might be wiser if you would leave this to the professionals, though I appreciate the enthusiasm. We must protect everyone, and stop these forces of darkness from taking over the entire federation! Jack Legacy, I know that I wasn't there for you, but I'm here now and am asking you to join me. You have thrown off Dark Ceschi, and that's great, but together we can do more than we can alone! You need any help, I'm here, and I'm sure that the same is true of you. 'The Incredible Dream' Mark McBride, I'm sending out a call for you as well, a WARRIOR'S CALL. You have helped Jack Legacy in the past, so I know you're open to this. Imagine the three of us together...but wait, I'm not finished. This last call is for Auron, 'The Golden One'. We have worked together in the past, and I know what you can do. You are the best federation tag I've had, and that's saying something when the competition is Black Jon and Hank Gently. I would like to ask all three of you to come down to the ring. We can be the change that the WORLD is asking for!

Willa: Will they come, do you think? The problem can't be as bad as all that, can it?

Coleman: I hope they will heed the call. As for this problem...I fear that the dark is rising, Willa.

Willa: Is it DESTINY?

Coleman: No...but it is...inevitable.

Coleman and Willa wait patiently for any of the three to make their way to the ring.)

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A/N: And there you go. I hope that this meets expectations (I tried to make it as interesting as possible, and I hope that it reads well.) I also hope that the rationale is strong enough (being tired of dark warriors and their actions and wanting to stop them and clean up the MWF before they become too powerful ought to do it).

The bass riffs of "Its My Time to Fly" by The Urge kicks on and Jack Legacy limps out onto the stage, looking worse for wear. He has a bandage wrapped around his forehead, where the stain of blood is still apparent for all to see. A second bandage is wrapped around his waist. He is limping noticeably.
Across his shoulder is the Wrestling Legacy Championship belt.

As SD Coleman and Willa look on, Jack Legacy works his way from ring post to ring post, climbing each, and holding the WLC belt aloft with one hand while slapping his chest with his other hand. Hundreds of strobe lights go off as those with the benefit of flash photography take the opportunity to capture their hero on film and digital photographs.

Jack moves to the side of the ring apron, and asks for a second microphone. He then steps to the center of the ring and addresses the crowd.

Jack Legacy: "My name IS JACK LEGACY and I am STILL YOUR WLC CHAMPION!"

He raises the belt as he says this to the deafening roars of the thousands in the stadium. He lowers the belt and the cheers die down as he raises the mic to speak again.

Legacy: "First off, SD, let me tell you: You know that I have a special place in my heart for Wheeler. I love that man."

Jack then looks appreciatively at Willa.

Legacy: "But if your going to replace him, even temporarily, I just have one word for your replacement: DAMN!"

The crowd chuckles and cheers with approval and agreement at Jack's description of Willa. Then Legacy continues on.

Legacy: "Last night I wrestled Dark Ceschi, and my motives were pure. To defend my title. To end this lingering feud between us. To bring closure to a chapter in our careers and our lives."

Jack turns to SD Coleman and speaks sincerely,

Legacy: "You know, until recently, I would have called your talk of Dark Warriors and forces of darkness to be many things. Delusional? Yes. Hysterical? Maybe. Hypersensitive? If I knew what it meant, I'd say sure.

"Last night, I felt the truth. I felt it in my head, I felt it in my stomach. I felt it in my legs.

"Darkness is rising. The shadow that is being cast threatens all of the good that has been done in this FEDERATION."

Jack turns away from SD and faces a corner, looking down.

Legacy: "I was naive. I was focused on other things. Important things to be certain. But so focused that I lost sight of what was right in front of me. "

Jack turns back to SD Coleman, with fire in his eyes.

Legacy: "You see, I almost missed the forest for the trees. I was going to build my LEGACY, on that MOUNTAIN, following the GOLDEN PATH to the top and plant the SEEDS OF VICTORY, in my GARDEN OF DESTINY."

Jack turns back and starts to pace the ring.

Legacy: "But what I didn't see, was that for every MOUNTAIN that is CLIMBED, there is a VALLEY OF DARKNESS. It's in these DARK VALLEYS that EVIL lay. Silent. Vigilant. Waiting for the chance to STRIKE.

"Last night, it STRUCK, with fury, with vengeance, and without mercy. I lay there, in the ring. Battered....bloody...broken.

"And as I lay there bleeding, as my life-force drained out of me, the thought that continually played over in my mind spoke volumes to me:

"Jack, you fool
Jack you fool
Jack you fool."

Jack Legacy turns and speaks directly to SD Coleman, approaching him nose to nose.

Legacy: "You weren't there.

"You shouldn't have been.

"You didn't have to be there.

"You weren't expected to be there.

"And even though your help was missed, and would have been appreciated,

"it most certainly was NOT YOUR FAULT."

The crowd erupts in cheers of agreement, and chants of "not your fault" fill the arena.

Legacy: "You want to fight these forces of darkness? You want an Ally?"

Jack turns away for a second. The crowd senses the brief hesitation and cheers encouragingly.

Legacy turns back and grabs SD Colemans hand and pulls him into a manly hug. The crowd goes wild, with chants of 'Thank You Jack' and 'SD Coleman reverberate throughout the crowd. He releases him and puts the microphone back up.

Legacy: "YOU'VE GOT ONE!"

Willa begins jumping up and down in excitement. SD Coleman pumps his fist in victory. And Jack Legacy turns with an upraised arm, playing to the crowd.


OOC: Hope this works well. Waiting on you McBride and Auron. Obviously if I lose the match and my belt, I'm going to have to do some editing to the beginning. Excellent promo SD. Gave me a lot to role-play off of. Hope you didn't mind the manly hug.

*Hero by Skillet starts to play as Auron walks on to the entrance ramp. The crowd goes wild with cheers and chants of "Auron!". Auron grabs a microphone from the commentator's table and enters the ring. He shakes Jack's, Coleman's, and Willa's hands before speaking*

Auron:First of all, Thanks Coleman. YOU'RE the best person I'VE ever tagged with...though that might be because I've never tagged with anyone before...

*the crowd starts laughing and Auron starts to laugh with them...when his expression turns serious*

Auron:...But you're right...the darkness is here. *sigh* You know, I should have seen this coming....Last season, I kept having these feelings...feelings of dread and despair. I just ignored them, chalking them up to nerves or the pain of being put through two tables...but even after I healed and defeated Homicide at Lunar Eclipse, those feelings remained.

Auron:My mind was sensing the evil, but my judgement was clouded...and it prevented me from seeing the truth. By the time I realized what was happening...It was to late. Jack Legacy was attacked and left a bloody mess...there was nothing I could do.

*Auron turns to SD Coleman*

Auron:Coleman, I consider you a friend...

*Auron turns to Legacy*

Auron:...and you're SD Coleman's friend...which makes you my friend too.

*Auron raises his arm and slowly turns 180 degrees*

Auron:...and the MWF arena and the MFW itself...I consider it my home.

*Auron turns bake to face SD Coleman and Jack Legacy*

Auron:...I am a guardian. I will do everything I can to protect my home and my friends...

*Auron takes off his sunglasses and looks at Coleman and Legacy straight in the eyes*

Auron:...I accept! I will join you in fighting the darkness...and in cleansing the MFW of evil!

*Auron offers his hand to Coleman and Legacy as the crowd goes wild. Both shake Auron's hand and Willa offers Auron a glass of champagne*

Auron:Thank you, Willa.

*Auron takes the glass and turns to face the entrance ramp*

Auron:...and then there was one...We're waiting for you...*Auron raises his glass*...Mark McBride!