AfterBurn for Vertigo E22

[FGA Office]

Catch up with your favorite FGA grapplers on AfterBurn! Get their thoughts on the latest, their opponents, and other backstage happenings right here, only on AxxessNet!

[Noelle Smith]

Spencer Burke follows closely behind Noelle who is heading to the trainer's for her check up after her hard fought match against former World Champion Johnny Cannon. She has a small towel under her nostrils and is pinching the bridge of her nose to keep it from bleeding everywhere, her look towards him isn't that welcoming but he persists having missed her last week.

Spencer Burke: Noelle! Noelle how do you feel right now, after coming so close against Johnny Cannon?

Noelle pauses mid-stride and pivots on the ball of her foot, rounding on the interviewer and even though her voice sounds odd because of her nose, speaks.

Noelle Smith: I feel better than you want me to. I feel better than Zee wants me to. I feel better than Cannon wants me to.

Spencer Burke: But you lost, and...

Noelle Smith: There's no 'but' to it. I gave him a fight but in the end he got me. That's what everyone expected, right? But I know they didn't expect me to be able to even stand up a minute against that machine either, but I did that too. Unlike some people I care about what I do in that ring, and I am working hard to get better. I'm going to keep working hard, no matter what because this means something Spencer. It means something and I'm not going to give up because people want me to. They want me to boo hoo and whine and make excuses because I didn't get shot at Fujiko. I didn't beat Johnny Cannon this time. And I mean that too. This time. I'm going to do what it takes to get better, to be better, to be the best I can be and that hasn't changed.

She sneezed, but the towel kept blood from going everywhere at least and she rolls her eyes.

Noelle Smith: You'll see. I'm going to take the hand that's offered to me and I'm going to learn everything I can. Watch me.

Spencer Burke: Does that mean...

Noelle Smith: You'll see what it means when everyone else does.

Noelle walks away then, leaving Spencer blinking.

[ChrisMadison]

We find Chris Madison sitting on a steel folding chair in one of the locker rooms with only his fight shorts still on. He reaches down into a duffle bag thats been placed on the floor between his feet and pulls out a towel. He dabs his forehead and then wipes both sides of his face, drying up whatever sweat has built up. One of the Afterburn camera crew members films and presses the returning wrestler about his re-debut.

Voice: Don't think that could have played out any better...

Chris Madison: Yeah, not too bad.

Voice: You don't seem too happy about the win.

Chris Madison: Eh... I've always been my toughest critic. Glad I got the win. I felt good out there, considering it was my first match back in FGA and we were in Rick Young's backyard.

Voice: But...

Chris Madison: But as decisive as it was, I made a few mistakes that could have really changed the outcome of the match. Case in point, following Rick Young out of the ring; an environment that he thrives in. I was so wrapped up in making a good second impression that I had a momentarily lapse in judgement.

Chris rolled the towel up into a ball and spiked it down into the duffle bag.

Voice: What kind of expectations do you have about your second tenure in FGA?

Chris Madison: I'm not worrying about setting goals or eyeing specific prizes. One of the biggest mistakes I made the first time around was trying to throw my weight around and make demands. I lost focus of the basic nature of this industry; just go out there and win matches, everything else will fall in place.

Voice: It's like you're a whole different person. We're a little accustomed to the Black Hand version of Chris Madison.

Chris Madison: Yeah, well, the Black Hand version of Chris Madison couldn't amount to anything in FGA!

The camera man wraps up the post-match interview and the feed cuts out to black.

[Christum Furor]

The feed fades into a reflection of a masked figure, more specifically a man wearing a burlap sack. The iconic disguise belongs to one Magnus Gunner, better known as Christum Furor to the more insisted. As the lighting and picture becomes clearer, we see more and more reflections of the eloquent madman emerge from the darkness. Suddenly, his voice addresses the world, his tone almost sound in stereo as if it's being amplified in some capacity.

Magnus Gunner: Dreams…

More and more reflections manifest, going around in a circle, as his burlap sack appears at all angles.

Magnus Gunner: A succession of emotions, ideas and sensations… an ideal forged in our subconscious of which we live our lives attempting to bring to fruition. I once had a dream, Savannah. I had a dream of a world void of inherency, void of justification, void of the antiquated philosophies of morality that serve as the pillars of a broken system.

As more light is added, it's revealed that the reflections are captured by various mirrors, Morris that the Michigander’s ominous voice voice off.

Magnus Gunner: I wanted to destroy this system, tear down the false idols, and rebuild a new world, an enlightened future, a New Age rules by those who transcended the shackles of humanity, evolving to become more than just homosapiens. Those who accepted their vices, accepted their demons, accepting themselves. We were GODS and Monsters.

The madman can be heard cackling in surround sound.

Magnus Gunner: And you were one of us, Savannah. I rescued you from oblivion. I showed you the path. I gave you power, and you help you ascend past your limits. You became more than you ever thought you could be. Your loss, without friend, without a family, without love. And I gave you ALL of that. I accepted you. I welcomed you with open arms. And you betrayed me.

As the light reaches capacity we see Magnus Gunner standing in a middle of a small room, encompasses by mirrors, almost like a house of sort his reflection is literally everywhere, his cold blue eyes staring into the souls of the viewers.

Magnus Gunner: You turned your back on me and everything we built. You left me behind to pursue worldly pleasures and superficialities. To chase after a fantasy. I died with my dream to give birth to yours. But I've risen again, Savannah. As I did before, I have been rechristened and resurrected, ascending my former being, becoming more than Magnus Gunner, even more than Christum Furor… what I am is DEATH. I am a GOD that TAKES. I am the one who clears the board. Who balances the system. I am the one who decides whose dreams become reality, and whose dreams become nothing.

The madman suddenly poses in his iconic crucifix pose as the mirrors suddenly crack, glass shattering all around him as the light suddenly goes out, shrouding him in darkness.

Magnus Gunner: And at Retribution, I will shatter your dreams.

[The Mason]

We cut to the parking lot area where Evan Envi marches through the parking lot, duffel bag thrown over his shoulder. He is making a beeline toward a blue, running ‘16 BMW 320i. The headlights shine on Envi as he makes his way to the passenger side, but he’s stopped as Spence Burke runs into frame.

Spencer Burke: Evan!

Evan pauses, fingers on the handle of the door. He looks at Burke oddly for a moment before a faint smile crosses his lips. He places his hands on his hips instead.

Evan Envi: Spence! Jeez. This is a nice change, isn’t it? You, tracking ME down for a change, doing your job, reporting instead of being your antagonistic, aggravating self. Look at this. I LIKE this. I LIKE this us. Do this more.

Spencer sighs loudly but he carries on.

Spencer Burke: Evan, you defeated Nero Darling earlier this evening, despite perhaps questionable methods--

Evan: Wow, sometimes I just lose track of where my feet are. Dang.

Spence Burke: --but despite claiming you would not get involved in the Pride Championship match, you definitely stuck your nose, quite literally, in Molly Reid and Fujiko Mine’s business earlier tonight. Can you explain that? Can you justify that?

Evan: Well, heck yeah I can! I was just tryin’ to get Molly to like, level three. Which is like, incidentally, halfway to my level. AND I DID. I didn’t interfere! I didn’t give Molly and Fuji these hands, now did I?! I coulda! I shoulda! But I did not!

Spencer Burke nods a little.

Spence Burke: All the same, you were there and though you were ejected and sent to the back, you’re aware of the outcome…

Evan: Oh. Oh, definitely. Molly’s the BRAND NEW Pride Champ. Kudos, y’know? But here’s my thing… with Fujiko’s mom so disgusted by Molly’s victory that she’s fallen ill because of it, thus taking Fujiko Mine out of the picture, WHOOO is next to challenge for the Pride Championship? Hm?! I mean-- we could give the champ Retribution off but is THAT what these people deserve? Is THAT what the Pride Championship deserves?

Evan shakes his head.

Evan: FGA deserves better. I’d be more than willing to fill that void for the greater good!

His expression grows slightly more serious. He draws nearer to Spencer, voice growing lower.

Evan: Sooner or later though, man, I’m gonna get that title. I’m gonna become the Pride Champion. And I will hurt Molly for what she did to me.

Spencer and Evan look at each other for a few seconds before Spencer finally speaks.

Spencer Burke: When?

Envi narrows his eyes at the interviewer. For moments, they don’t say a word. Evan looks almost offended by the question, but the corners of his lips tug into a familiar smile, even if a defensive one.

Evan: Goodbye, Spence.

With that, he pulls open the passenger door of the BMW and climbs inside with the camera never capturing a clear shot of the driver. As Spencer watches the car pull away, we fade to black.