Prodigal

[Dan Herrera]

All roads out of hell lead home.

~Shannon L. Alder~

[ Begin Scene I | The Return ]

[ Setting: Dan Herrera’s Home ]

[ Location: Raleigh, North Carolina ]

[ Cast: Dan Herrera, Peaches ]

(I held the phone to my ear and listened as I watched Peaches walk into the kitchen. I held up a finger letting her know I’d only be a few more minutes. She leaned against the island waiting as I stood with my back against the counter on the other side of the island.)

Dan Herrera: Yeah, that sounds great. I agree, that’s probably our best strategy this week.

(I stood waiting as I listened once again to the voice on the other side of the phone.)

Dan Herrera: Yep. I’ll be there a few days early as well. We can meet up then and talk in person a bit. Excited to get this going… yep. See you then… bye.

(I hung up the phone and looked at Peaches. I raised my eyebrows as if to say, “this is happening”.)

Peaches: Was that Cordy?

Dan Herrera: It was. We were just talking a bit more strategy. She and I are definitely on the same page as to what we think would be the best way to go about things this week.

(Peaches pursed her lips and then smiled.)

Peaches: Oooh. So do tell, what’s the big plan?

(I looked at her as if she expected something that wasn’t as complex as it really was.)

Dan Herrera: It’s nothing too big or elaborate there Peaches. We’ve just been discussing the team dynamic we want to set going forward. She’s an established tag team wrestler. I’ve dabbled in tag team wrestling before with Hadley, but nothing too extravagant. We were just talking about how we need to play it safe this first week. Make sure that we’re tagging each other in and out and not pushing ourselves too far that we get overtaken. You know, try to make sure we get ourselves gelling together at Vertigo. We’re both great singles wrestlers, but we can’t turn this into personal attempts to make ourselves look good and go too far. We have to work as a team or this whole thing was for nothing.

(Peaches nods her head.)

Peaches: True. If you can’t trust your teammate, or you don’t trust them… well it’s kind of pointless to decide to be a tag team. But hey, I know you and Cordy are both motivated to be there and make this return work together.

Dan Herrera: Absolutely. Until she called me, I hadn’t thought about returning really. But the idea of teaming with her and getting back into that ring again were too much of a draw. The biggest draw being that I wasn’t going to be doing it on my own. We’re both coming back after time away and we both want to make an impression. Working together we can definitely do that.

Peaches: The two of you being a great tag team, I’m not worried about that one bit.

(Peaches comes around the side of the island over to where I’m standing. She puts her arms around my neck looking into my eyes. She smiles for a second before kissing me.)

Peaches: I just want to know that you’re ready for this. I know the idea of it got you very excited and you barely even thought about it before saying yes. But, how are you doing with it now?

(I looked away towards the living room as I answered.)

Dan Herrera: Well I know that I’ve been working my butt off for the last month making sure I was in shape. I’m as close as I could be in that little of time to being in ring shape. I’m actually right where I need to be I think for this first match back to hopefully continue to push forward and make sure there are even more in this tournament going forward. You know?

(She put her hand on my cheek, pressing my gaze back to her beautiful eyes.)

Peaches: I’m not talking about that.

(She taps on my temple with her finger.)

Peaches: I’m wondering what you’re thinking up here.

(I tossed my head back for a second before answering her, looking back into her eyes.)

Dan Herrera: Well, I mean. Going out of the Frontier Lions Cup last year when I did, then suddenly retiring has weighed deep on my mind ever since I did it. I mean, that loss was not a defining one for Dan Herrera, but it sure did sting. Having spent all this time away after going out on a loss has been tough for me. And now I’m stepping back into that ring with an amazing teammate wondering if this time I’ll be able to right the ship. It’s the same song and story every time I step back into the FGA ring. I feel like I’ve got something to prove, even if I don’t. And it’s no different this time than it was a year ago. I’m a name fans remember, but for what reason? You know?

(Peaches puts her hand on the back of my head pressing her forehead against mine.)

Peaches: Dan, people remember you for being a fighter. People remember you not putting up with people going around the locker room and behaving in ways unbeneficial to the company or the wrestlers that fought in it. People know you as the good guy. They know you as the guy that fought his hardest whenever he got into the ring. No one is watching you return and thinking that a man with a penchant for losing has returned. They are excited to see you get back into that ring and show everyone once again what made you one of the toughest competitors that FGA has ever seen.

And you’re going to do that Dan. You’re going to show them all once again why when an FGA fan thinks of a spear, they think of you taking people out of their ring boots when you hit them. That’s what the fans are waiting to see, you’re strength and power on display once again.

(Peaches left me heading towards the refridgerator. She pulled out two beers before snapping their caps off with the counter top. A trick that even I still can’t seem to get right. She handed me a beer and I took it taking a sip.)

Peaches: People are excited for your return Dan. You should be too.

(I held my beer out in front of me and she tapped it with her bottle. We both quickly took a drink to make sure it didn’t spill out of the bottle.)

Dan Herrera: Don’t get me wrong Peaches. I have reservations, but that’s how I always am. I’m excited to step out from behind that curtain and hear the roar of the crowd. I’m excited to hear the ring announcer call my name. I’m excited for that opening bell. This is going to be one hell of a Vertigo.

Peaches: That’s the spirit. Now instead of living vicariously through me in Portland, you can get back to being the man your own self.

Dan Herrera: Hey, but living though you has been so much fun in itself.

Peaches: Well you can do both then. How’s that? Double dip. But if you want it to last you have to win this week.

(I nodded at her and smiled.)

Dan Herrera: I’ll make sure to keep that in mind at Vertigo then.

Peaches: Good, cause I want to double dip too.

(We both let out a laugh as we began to sip our beers once again. I looked off again towards the backyard where Flash was out in the yard barking at the birds in one of my trees thinking about what was coming and what I was coming back to. A smile spread across my face as I realized that everything was going to be great.)

[ End Scene I ]

---

[ Begin Promo I | Prodigal Son ] 

Well FGA, the return of the prodigal son is upon you. 

Yeah, that’s a bit prophetic and for some may seem a big egotistical, but to me it’s just right. I’m the guy that kept order for most of my time in Frontier Grappling Arts. The guy that the fans expected to be there when someone was causing trouble. The guy that fought like hell every time he was in the ring to the point where people knew what moves when I hit, the chase was over. To put it simply, I was THE GUY.

Now, in my absence, new guys have arrived on the scene. And I gladly stepped to the side and gave them that spotlight. I moved away from being the frontman of this company because it was time for me to take a step back. It was time for people to step up to the plate and fight at the forefront. This place has grown leaps and bounds in the last year, and they didn’t need me to do it. 

But the time of my return has come. In the Dynamic Duos tournament this year I come back to show that I still have what I showed back in the first round of my FGA career. I come back not to step back into the forefront, but to add to what is already here. To become something on this roster that makes it even better than it already is. 

And what a way to do it right? Dan Herrera teaming up with Cordy Stevenson. Two big names of FGA days past teaming up and coming back to the company at the same time.

When Cordy approached me, I almost couldn’t believe it. Pitting myself and Cordy on the same team didn’t seem fair. And I still feel that in many ways, it’s not. But at risk of sounding like a pompous ass, I’ll continue to say that I feel as though me and her have to be the ones with the best odds of winning this thing. 

But I wouldn’t put that margin of victory very hard. With teams like “Silk and Cyanide”, “Le Pacte des Immortels”, and “The Blood Brothers” among others… we’re in for one hell of a fight.

But that’s the way I like it. 

I like to fight.

It’s been too long since I was last thrust into the ring and allowed to let loose my power on another man or woman. To allow myself to lose control and let it all out. Whether the person across from me was my best friend or my fiercest enemy. I’ve missed being allowed to put it all out there, personal frustration and competitive fire alike.

And for my first match back, Asa and Zorro are in for one hell of a fight. I can admit that I don’t know alot of about them, which is never a good thing when you head into a match. But I’m doing my best to look over anything and everything I can find on them. Cordy’s doing the same and we’ve shared what we’ve found. But even still, it’s going to be a whole new ballgame once we’re standing across from them and that bell rings.

The good news is that I know they have a good idea of who we are. I know that it’s not that hard for anyone in FGA to find tape on Dan Herrera or Cordy Stevenson. And while that may help them to gameplan, I’d hope it keeps them honest too.

Dan Herrera and Cordy Stevenson are not flukes.

We are not one hit wonders.

We are consistent.

We fight to the death, and with our last breaths put the arm over the body and get that three count. 

No amount of trickery. No lucky roll ups. No shortcuts are going to work against us. This fight is going to go until the very end. And the ones standing at the end of the match with their hands raised, there will be no doubt that they are the ones that earned this victory.

You can bet on that. 

So Asa and Zorro. I wish you luck. I hope that we are as much as of a challenge to you as you look to be to us. Simple fact is, if you are not… then this one will be over before it starts. But from everything I’ve seen, the fans are in for a treat at Vertigo. 

FGA, I’ve returned and I hope that I can bring you back to your feet in the same way that I once did. I promise to do everything in my power to advance, to keep advancing, and to win this year’s Dynamic Duos. 

I’ve been gone for far too long and to be able to return to the company that I’ve loved for so long means a whole lot to me. 

I hope it does to you too.

If not, pay attention. You’ll learn to love me again. You’ll learn to love Cordy again.

You’ll learn to love Status Quo.

See you at Vertigo.

Thank you, That is All.

[ End Promo I ]