Getting Back in the Game

[Jacob Stevens]

There's nothing fancy about tonight... I don't know why I'm doing this anymore.

A month ago, this all seemed like a good idea to him. Get in the ring again just to prove that VWE wasn't just his "lucky shot." It seemed like a chance to prove that he was more than just a one-hit-wonder, and when he saw Joe on the television one night, he knew GCW would be where his new beginning started.

Almost a year ago, I was on top, and now I turn around to be the one watching him in the spotlight? Well, that should end soon...

Standing in front of the wrestler entrance of the GCW arena, Jacob thrusts the door open and carries his bag inside. Then, he shuts the door. Violently.

I'm going to prove to everyone out there that I've still got what it takes. I'm going to show everyone in this locker room that Jacob Stevens was not and will never be a one-hit-wonder...
Jacob, now close to the ring entrance, grabs a microphone, but he pauses before he walks through the curtain...

I'm going to prove to myself that I still belong to the wrestling community...

Since it's his first night in GCW, he has no music, pyro, or anything he would have had when he was in VWE. Nevertheless, Jacob throws back the curtain and walks onto the stage. He throws the crowd a single, solitary fist in the air and shakes his head up and down.

This seems to be a good crowd. Let's do this!

He begins walking down the ramp, slapping hands with some of the fans on both sides. Maybe some of them were around when he wrestled with VWE... Not likely, but they seemed to warm to him anyway. Jacob walks up the steps and jumps over the top rope to a roar from the crowd.

Man, they just cannot make what's about to happen easy, can they?

Jacob stands in the middle of the ring and raises the mic to his mouth.

Now, since this is my first night here in GCW, I should introduce myself. I am Jacob Stevens, and I've come to prove that I still belong here in the wrestling world. Now, I've seen these superstars of today, and I honestly don't think that some of them are actually cut to be on top. But there is one certain superstar that comes to mind whenever I think "star," and that's Joe Bruiser.
He's a talented superstar, and he deserves everyone's respect. Since I've been out of the wrestling community, I've observed most of his matches, and he's done great in all of them, even if he hasn't won some. I can see that same passion that I had just one year ago, and seeing him wrestle made me want to be back in the community.
So, here I am, ready to give this all another go, and it would be a pleasure if Joe would come out here and talk with me for a second.
Joe, if you're back there, go ahead and walk your way to the ring...

[Joe Bruiser]

Eye of the Tiger hits over the arena and the fans go WILD as Joe makes his way out onto the stage. He is wearing his red sunglasses, red muscle shirt, and sky blue shorts. He smiles and spins around and flex's his arms as he begins to make his way down the ramp. He claps hands with some of the fans along the way before he makes it to the ring. Once down there Joe climbs up the stairs and gets into the ring. Joe begins to jump and throw some air punches while the fans give him a huge pop. He receives a Mic and looks at Jacob.

[glow=blue,2,300]What else can I possibly say right now, except Thank You. I wish I could say Thank You Led Zeppelin style, but that just wouldn't be my style. Jacob Stevens you said? It is very nice to know that I have influenced an individual in the way that I have. Id like to think that I have influenced everyone that has ever watched a match of mine, but once again that would also not be my style.[/glow]

Joe pauses as you hear some fans scream.

[glow=blue,2,300]I do have to say, I have watched some of your matches before. Last being about 2 years ago, and I was impressed. Then, I never herd or seen from you again? What happened? Well, that doesn't matter now since you are here and have signed a contract with GCW then it is all good man. You know, your like the 3rd new guy that I have met this week. Nice to see that GCW is hiring alot of new talent to go along with its already top superstars.[/glow]

Joe pauses for a moment.

[glow=blue,2,300]How far you go is up to you my friend. Some go far, some don't, some grow old, some don't. This business can be very hard on a person. How you handle it is what makes you...you. The only question I have for you Jacob is...are you TRULY ready to give this another go? Just because someone like me can do this for a living and make it look easy, does not mean that you can. This is a hard life, are you ready to TAKE control of it? Are you ready Jacob Stevens?[/glow]

Joe lowers the Mic and the crowd starts to cheer as Jacob speaks.

[Jacob Stevens]

Jacob looks at the ground for a minute while he strokes his 6 inch goatee with his thumb and finger on his right hand. The things Joe said really struck a cord somewhere deep inside him. Was he really ready for this, or was he just kidding himself like last time? Was he just kidding himself about his chance at being in the limelight? Did he even really know how to get a crowd over anymore? Did he...

Yes, I have to say I'm ready for all of this. Even though in the back of my mind I have my doubts about getting back in the ring, I know that I'm truly ready to give it another go.

Jacob lowers the mic and steps back for a minute. The crowd is cheering for both Joe and himself at the moment, but in his mind that's all about to change.

So, Joe, since I'm ready to try again, and you just happen to be the one that inspired me to lace up the boots again, how about you give me my first match? I mean, you have nothing to lose from a simple match with me, and I can see how I rank up to those who are already here. So, how about it?

Jacob lowered the mic again, but quickly raised it to speak one last time.

Oh, and you can make it any match that you want it to be. So, what do you say?

Jacob lowers the mic for the last time and waits for Joe to give his reply.

[Joe Bruiser]

Joe gives Jacob and the crowd a SHOCKED look as he raises the mic up to his mouth. He removes his sunglasses before speaking.

[glow=blue,2,300]Challenge me? Right here? Right Now? In this very ring? You got balls kid but have you not signed your contract yet? Don't get to far ahead of yourself kid, that will get you nowhere.[/glow]

Joe then starts to pace as he speaks.

[glow=blue,2,300]But I do have to say, if I were in your shoes I would probably do the same thing. I would want to not just prove to all these fans out here that I can still get it done, but also prove to the man who inspired me to get back into the ring. But most of all, you want to prove to yourself that you can still do it. If you can't prove it to yourself then how you going to prove it to me? to these Fans? To the staff and our boss lady? Don't EVER forget that. You understand me?[/glow]

Joe pauses for a moment.

[glow=blue,2,300]Any match that I want? ANY match? hmmmm....[/glow]

Jacob speaks.

[Jacob Stevens]

Ok, ok, ok! I get what you're saying with me getting ahead of myself, but I'm not getting ahead of myself at all. I know that I haven't signed a contract yet, but if you'd step out from behind those glasses more than once a night, you'd see the genius layout of my plan! I mean, honestly, did you actually think that I, even being gone for two years, would just step in the ring and begin wrestling without a contract? I may have forgotten most of the rules and have a bit of rust on my shoulders, but I will never forget the contract. How else am I going to get money? Beg the fans to give it to me just because I have "great people skills?" Come on, you've got to be kidding me!

Jacob puts down the mic and walks around laughing for a minute while receiving his first mixed reaction of the night. These people just will not give him any leeway to get away from them. Jacob picks the mic up again and starts to speak.

Now, I have to question my initial offer of letting you choose the match we will have because if you can't even see that I know I need a contract to wrestle, then how can I honestly entrust you with the stipulation of a single match? Man, was I really so wrong about you? Are you just like all of those other asses in the back who can't see their feet from their hands because there's this huge ego in the way?

Jacob lets Joe ponder this before he goes on to speak again. By now, the crowd has completely turned against him and they are bombarding his ears with "boo" and "you suck." Ah, exactly what he was going for in the first place. He never thought it would be this hard to be hated, though...

So, what is it? Are you one of those guys, Joe? Are you one of the faces who gets protected because the fans just love him? Do you get what you want just because all the fans are buying your merch and you do a couple of signings a month? If you are, I really did misjudge you! That kind of person just makes me want to throw up, and I can smell it all over those cheap sunglasses you have in your hand. What a shame you are to my eyes now!

Jacob lowers the mic to an increasingly loud "you suck" chant. He doesn't leave the ring, though, because he's interested in what Joe will have to say in reply.

[Joe Bruiser]

[glow=blue,2,300]Talk about egos, as if yours is not as high as Obama's right now. You see, that is what I meant by not getting ahead of yourself Jacob. And the snake bit you just like it has a NUMBER of people in this world. You my friend, just did the ONE thing that ONLY happens in RACES. You crossed the line, crossed it with that big bubble coming out of your damn head saying... [/glow]

Joe begins to speak like a crying girl.

[glow=blue,2,300]OOHHHHHHHH JACOB YOU ARE THE MAN. THE CHICKS LOVE YOU JACOB, OH MY GOD THEY DO. AMANDA WALLACE WILL GIVE ME THE BIG BUCKS ALL BECAUSE I THOUGHT I COULD BE AS BIG AS JOE BRUISER IS.[/glow]

Joe smiles as the crowd is laughing there ass off.

[glow=blue,2,300]FAILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL...your setting yourself up for fail my friend. You came from where again? Who were you? Who am I? Those are things that the people are saying Jacob. You don't want to piss me off Jacob. Just ask the fans and ANYONE backstage that. You know what thell say? They will say go to youtube.com and look up Joe vs. 187. Watch ANY of them and only then will you know my friend what a PISSED OF JOE BRUISER CAN and WILL SAY and DO. [/glow]

Joe pauses for a second.

[glow=blue,2,300]Oh by the way, these Sunglasses aren't cheap. You outta know, you paid for it. Your tax dollars man, what can I say man. Once I get the money back from the government I always make new merchandise. So next time THINK before you SPEAK. I WILL choose WHATEVER MATCH I decide on. Because I do accept this so called offer of yours for a match. You want to be a Jackass Jacob? Feel free to, but I will GLADLY give you your shit right back.[/glow]

Fans go nuts after that.

[glow=blue,2,300]You have NO idea what you have gotten yourself into Jacob. That smell you smell? Blood I think it is? That is the smell of ME KNOCKING YOU OUT.[/glow]

Fans cheer loudly again.

[glow=blue,2,300]Because...[/glow]

Crowd joins in...

[glow=blue,2,300]2 HITS IS ALL IT TAKES, 1 HITTING YOUR JAW AND YOU HITTING THE FLOOR.[/glow]

Joe has a more serious look on his face as he lowers the Mic before the screaming crowd.

[Jacob Stevens]

At the utterance of Joe's catchphrase, Jacob can't hold his laughter in anymore, and he would have fallen on the mat if the ropes hadn't been there to hold him up. It took him a minute or two to regain his focus, but nevertheless, he finally did.

Wh...Wha..What do you call that!? I'm...I'm terribly sorry, Joe, but that just made me...Oh, goodness...Ha ha!

Jacob wipes the tears that have come to his eyes away on his street clothes, and he finally gains his composure for good.

Thank you for the laugh, there, Joe! Even I need to laugh sometimes, and I'm glad that it was in this moment when you were trying to intimidate me!

Then, Jacob cast a serious look at Joe as if he was staring right through to his soul.

I'm not that easily intimidated, Joe. A simple catchphrase and some turn about on my comments is what you're supplying, and the demand for that shit has gone out the window. Step down from your pedestal and stand by me for a second. Maybe...

Jacob turns to look at the crowd, which gives him another rousing chorus of Joe's catchphrase. He almost loses it again, but somehow he keeps it together. He turns back to Joe and walks toward him until their noses almost touch. Jacob looks Joe in the face for a second before raising the mic to his mouth.

Maybe then you'd see just how foolish you look to me right now. You're getting paid off my dime? No way, Kimosabe, anytime I've ever seen you it's been free of charge, and that's the way it should be to everyone else. When you're talking to me like this, you look like such a huge joke that all these blonds in the crowd don't get yet. I guess I'll have to be the one to make them finally see the truth, won't I, Joe?

Jacob backs up again, but he never lets his eyes shy away from Joe's. He takes off the zip-up Metallica hoodie he was wearing to reveal an old Stranglehold Inc. jersey with Jacob stamped across the back. He raises the mic once again.

You just sound like a lot of talk to me, Joe. I had to take my hoodie off because all the hot air you're blowing is making it get stuffy in here. You see this shirt, Joe? This is from VWE back when Matt Mosh and I formed the first team to beat the tag team champions in their almost 4 month reign. You don't think that means something? Well, you'd be right there, I guess, because Matt and I broke up right after VWE, and I haven't seen him since.

Jacob turns away for the first time in 5 minutes, but he still has something to say.

The past is the past, and that's where it will stay forever. The future is untold, but it seems like my star will burn bright in just a couple of months. Today is a gift, and that's why I choose to live in the moment because if I didn't, well, I guess that's how you got on top, isn't it? I slipped up and started trying to plan my next move and then my whole career flew off the cliff. Luckily, I had a parachute to save me from certain destruction and a life working as a bag boy in the local Wal-Mart...

The fans seemed to be confused at the moment. Jacob was pouring his soul out for some unknown reason...

I tell you that boring story to explain why now is the time for the truth to come out. Now is the time for these brain dead fans to realize that you aren't what you say you are. Now is the time for you to realize that you've been deceiving yourself all this time and you've become something you didn't start out as when you came here. You've become a spineless crowd pleaser who isn't exactly sure what he wants anymore. Isn't that why I don't see any gold around your waist at the moment? You just need to go back to where you came from and assess your goals, and you need to step aside for those of us who actually know what it is we want out of this business.

Jacob produces a smirk on his face, and then, just to add more insult, Jacob talks again.

Got it, kid?

[Joe Bruiser]

[glow=blue,2,300]Why is it always gold that everyone wants nowadays? Does nobody even fight for the pride and joy of wrestling? You see I am young but even I know that GOLD or MONEY isn't everything. Money or Gold doesn't bring happiness what so ever. Jessica Simpson, Micheal Jackson, and Jennifer Hudson would vouch for that. SO it appears that I sense other then confusion is the lust for gold. I do have to admit, being poor would make me want gold. [/glow]

Joe just shrugs his shoulders as he continues to speak.

[glow=blue,2,300]I also need to say that I need a laugh every once in awhile myself. Only I don't watch The Jacob Stevens show. I put on Seinfeld or The Office or hell, Dane Cook or Conan O' Brian. I read somewhere that The Jacob Stevens Show was getting canceled. But, some would say that the show never really got started.[/glow]

Joe making a word about how Jacob has not signed a contract and that he is not funny at all.

[glow=blue,2,300]Fortunate for me and everyone else, we have choices. And we all choose to not watch the show. Anyways, back to business. From what I can gather from this you just wanted to come out here and ATTEMPT to embarrass me. Are these the WWE Storyline writers writing your stuff? Your best plan is to embarrass me? [/glow]

Joe looks around at the fans.

[glow=blue,2,300]Hmmmm...[/glow]

Joe puts his hand on his chin as he stares down at the ground.

[glow=blue,2,300]I'm still standing here, the crowd is still with me,...[/glow]

The fans scream.

[glow=blue,2,300]And at Absolution I get to face you in a FALLS COUNT ANYWHERE Match...[/glow]

Fans go NUTS.

[glow=blue,2,300]AND THEY STILL LOVE ME.[/glow]

The fans scream like crazy as Joe has an angered look on his face. He then gets into Jacob's face.

[glow=blue,2,300]IIIIIII...know what I want, and I want TO BEAT THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF YOU AT ABSOLUTION.[/glow]

Fans continue to go nuts as the two men are at a stare down. Then Joe speaks raises the Mic up to his mouth and speaks.

[glow=blue,2,300]You can't talk the talk, but lets see if you can walk...the walk.[/glow]

Joe lowers the Mic as the two men continue the stare down.

[Jacob Stevens]

The two continue their stare down for what seemed like forever. Neither of the two stars in the ring wanted to let their gaze stray from the other's. Then, Jacob raised his mic to talk.

You talk like you know my life, Joe. Or are you just speaking from experience? Have you completely lost your mind since you've been here? Gold is everything in this damn company anymore. Yeah, I may be poor, but I've got the passion to push me past some two-bit face like you.

Jacob steps away, finally averting his glare somewhere else.

Now, you want to have a falls count anywhere match? That's just fine with me because it will prove to one and all that I can beat you anywhere in the arena! You're on for that match in March, but right now, I guess I have no other reason to look at that stupid expression that you have on your face.

WITH PERMISSION

Jacob drops the mic and throws a right into the cheap sunglasses that were on Joe's face. They fall to the mat, broken, and Joe stumbles back a little bit. Jacob throws another right in Joe's face, a left into his stomach, and then an uppercut to finish it off. Joe falls to the floor, and Jacob walks over to pick him up. Jacob picks him up and sets him up for the Immortal Death (Last Call). Jacob hits it and immediately picks Joe up and whips him into a turnbuckle. He climbs out of the ring and climbs up the turnbuckle. He's setting Joe up for the Soul Roll (Diamond Dust). Jacob flies over Joe and lands Joe's chin to the mat. All that's left to do is his finisher: The Mortalizer.
Jacob picks Joe up and puts him in the power bomb-like grasp. But then....

[Joe Bruiser]

****WITH PERMISSION***

Joe reverses the Powerbomb like hold and BKO's Jacob in front of a screaming packed house. Joe throws his arms up in the air as he begins to run towords the ropes. He leans against the ropes and then runs towords Jacob and hits the 5-Knuckle Shuffle on Jacob. Joe jumps back up real fast and then drops ANOTHER fist drop. But then begins to punch the living shit out of Jacob until...