Battlefield
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[The lights are dimmed down in the hospital room where Brandon "B2" Barajas is currently convalescing from his attack at the last BattleZone. The Blue Room has always been regarded as a safe spot for wrestlers, but that only applies to people contracted to MWA. Since Morrigan has no contract, she is not bound to the rules. Brandon is currently sleeping soundly. Also in the room is Maximum Violence, who is very much awake. He has been sitting in the room for nearly 3 hours now waiting for Brandon to rouse from his deep sleep. In his hand is the same envelope he found on Barajas' unconscious body after his victory over Marie AnnaBelle Williams and Jason Talbot at BattleZone. He holds it between two fingers, as if he didn't want to soil his hands with it. His face is filled with what appears to be a mixture of rage and patience. He just sits and stares at the tile on the floor. Finally, Barajas begins to stir from his deep sleep. After a couple of coughs, he reaches for the television remote and turns the television on. The light of the television reveals Max and startles Barajas.]
Barajas: Fucks sake! What the hell?
[Max says nothing, but continues to stare at the ground. Barajas hits the mute button on the television and rests his head back on his pillow.]
Barajas: Why didn't you wake me up?
Max: You seemed too peaceful...I didn't want to disturb you.
Barajas: That's sweet.
[He rolls his head towards Max.]
Barajas: Did you let everyone know how I was doing?
Max: Yeah. Let your grandparents know. They weren't too pleased.
[Barajas laughs.]
Barajas: It's days like these that I wish I would have just stuck with the family business.
[Barajas waits for a reaction from Max, but gets nothing. He continues to stare at the ground, dangling the envelope between his fingers. Barajas finally notices the envelope.]
Barajas: What is that? Fan mail already? I knew my fan base was growing, but this is a bit overwhelming.
[He mockingly dries a tear from his eye. Again, no reaction from Max. Barajas' can't understand why he can't get a rise out of his friend.]
Barajas: You alright?
[Max opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Finally, after much thought..]
Max: I'm going to ask you a question. And I can't express how important it is that you don't lie to me. I know you better than you know yourself Barajas, and I can tell when you lie. This is going to be a two part question.
[He leans back in his chair, as if he is exhaused. He glare is unchanged as he continues.]
Max: If you had an opportunity to go back in the past and right a great wrong in your life, would you do it? No matter what the sacrifice?
[Barajas searches Max's face for any sign that he is joking around. Finding none, he lays his head back on his pillow, staring at the ceiling.]
Barajas: Of course I would, but I think I'd need a few trips.
Max: Good...that's good. Part B is very important.
[His eyes slowly rise up to stare at Brandon for the first time. Barajas meets his stare.]
Max: Tell me what happened the night after I left for Japan. Tell me everything.
[Barajas blinks, as if the question startled him.]
Barajas: What are you talking about?
Max: Answer me. What happened after I left?!
[Max tightens his grip on the envelope, now gripping it in his hands. Barajas sees this, and drops the startled look from his face.]
Barajas: ..Alright. That was the day that I got the call that you had been invited to a tour of Japan, and you wanted me to come along with you. I was super stoked for you, and I was excited at the prospect of getting your name back out there. I was getting my things together and preparing for a trip when the phone rings. It's Carrie, and she's in tears. She filled me in on what had happened between the two of you the night before.
[Barajas turns his stare to the ceiling again.]
Barajas: She told me that you told her that there was no room for her in your life anymore, and you had to say goodbye to her. You told her that a relationship would only take away from your focus, and while it killed you to do it, you had to end it before it became a problem. She begged you not to end it, that she would only be a positive influence on this new journey in your life, but you shot her down. She didn't want to be alone, so I invited her out to my place. She was my friend, and at that point, I didn't give a shit about you or Japan.
[Barajas turns to Max.]
Barajas: You really destroyed her, man. She had put so much into your career, and for you to kick her to the curb like that....well....it's something I didn't even think you were capable of at the time.
[Max doesn't react to this. Barajas continues.]
Barajas: So, she came over. We had a few drinks, and...
[Barajas struggles to continue.]
Barajas: ..and something happened that I regret.
Max: Say it.
Barajas: You know what I mean.
Max: That doesn't mean shit to me. Say it.
Barajas: We fucked! Jesus!
[Max's face is that of stone.]
Max: She told you that I ended it with her? That's...convenient.
Barajas: Convenient, but the truth.
[Max's stare breaks, and he begins to smile.]
Max: I have to give that woman credit. The Irish are known for their manipulation of emotions.
[Max begins to tell Barajas about what really happened that night. How Carrie was the one that gave Max the ultimatum that day. He wanted her to come with him, but she was having none of it.]
Max: ...you know that I would do anything for that woman, but she made me choose over the one true love in my life. I would choose what I do over anyone in my life, but I always bring them along for the ride. It's always been my way of having my cake and eating it too.
[The smile fades from his face.]
Max: I guess that's the only reason I'm not choking the life out of you at this very moment.
Barajas: I can't believe she is using this as a form of blackmail. I can't believe she manipulated me like that!
[Max lets out a bit of a laugh.]
Max: You think she is using that against me? You weren't that good, my friend.
[Max rises, still clutching the envelope in his hand.]
Max: I hope she was worth it, Barajas. Your little discretion has cost us dearly.
[Barajas looks at Max quizzically.]
Barajas: Us? So I'm assuming I still have a job?
[Max rests the envelope on Barajas' lap, and walks toward the door.]
Max: I've already lost someone over this. I need to keep what friends I have close to me. Yeah, you still have a job.
[He opens the door.]
Max: But whether or not you keep that job is entirely up to you. I'll see you after BattleZone.
[And with that, he closes the door, leaving Barajas with the envelope. He is hesitant to even touch it. Finally, he opens it, and removes the contents. There are no photos, as he had assumed, rather just a few documents. He scans them quickly, and sets them down.]
Barajas: Son of a bitch..
[Scene fades.]
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I think that when a man or woman is faced with adversity, that is when we see them for who they truly are. Glory Braddock is a good example. She is faced with either ultimate reward, or ultimate sacrifice, and she continues to persevere. Even the MWA, the very place I fight to restore every time I step into that ring, is beginning to show the colors of olde. It's good to know that I'm doing a bit of good here. That's my only desire: to succeed, and to have my organization succeed as well.
But, even through all the good that has been achieved, even the past can come back to haunt you. I have been the victim of my decisions many times in the past. It seems that one choice in particular has reared it's ugly head to cause me problems. And, as the case has been in my past, that problem comes in the form of a woman....a very vindictive and spiteful woman. She has taken many forms over her lifetime: eager learner, vigilant survivor, and apparently spurned lover.
I have never touted myself as the perfect man. Hell, anyone that can make that claim is a damn liar in my book. That's why I can't really hold Barajas responsible for what happened between the two of them. It's obvious what she was trying to do, and a woman scorned is something very difficult to handle. That's the past......ancient history. When I came to the MWA, I swore that nothing would stop me from my goal. Whether it's in the ring or outside of it, anything that means to distract me will fall by the wayside.
I've always found respite and therapeutic effects when entering the ring. It's like all my worries and cares wash away when I pass through those ropes. I get to rid myself of all that negative energy...that rage. It builds up like bile in the back of my throat on a daily basis. But only when I am in the ring is when I'm truly free of all of it. And that bodes rather ill for you, Jason. You see, I've been having a pretty month. First, I wreck my favorite Jeep. And shortly thereafter, I'm given a ride by the very woman who has been giving me grief for the past month. Adding to that shit sundae, she gives me a ride to the house of the very man she had set up for sexual assault the night before!
Oh, it gets even better. Then she assaults my only friend and leaves a cryptic calling card that revealed to me that my best friend bumped uglies with someone whom, only 24 hours previous, had been one of the few people I really let into my life, my true life. She knew me as Malcolm. No one ever calls me Malcolm anymore, not even Barajas. I sometimes forget my name is Malcolm...
That's a lot to digest...
So, I have all this fury built up inside of me. It has penetrated every fiber of my being, and I can't keep it bottled up anymore. You only got a small taste of what I am capable of in London. You are going to receive the full focus of my anger in Mexico. You'd have better luck drinking the water and then being able to use the toilet without breaking out into tears...
That's a lot to digest, too..
I bet this is how the ancient warriors of the past felt before their great battles. The Aztecs, Apaches, the great Vikings, they were all great warriors. When the time came for battle to begin, they faced it without fear, or regret. They knew that this may be their last battle, but it was going to be a glorious one if that be the case. How are you going to meet your fate, Talbot? Are you going to meet it head-on and without fear? Or will you stumble at the line, and run for the brush like a scared gazelle. Look at my history Jason. Most of those names you don't hear about anymore. It's going to take a lot more than what you got to stop me. In the end, you're going to be nothing more than a highlight clip on a post-show, believe that.