Post by geoff on Mar 25, 2022 13:52:02 GMT
Ever since the match at Ascension that put the best tag teams in the world against each other it was bound to come down to this. For the past several weeks and thousands of miles across the United States and Canada the team of Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin have fought their way to become the number one contenders and a spot in the biggest tag team title match in the history of WLCW.
The history of WLCW….
Shortly before the wheels of the private jet that has flown the Machine Guns around North America touched down it was announced that WLCW would be suspending operations after the Clash at the Canyon. There had been hope that a buyer could be found for the company and the company could continue on as usual. It did not take very long for those rumors to drift over the mind of the Icon, Steve Borden. That is where our story begins.
It was a little over three months ago that Steve Borden stood in front of a group of press to formally introduce the re-united Motor City Machine Guns. Now Steve Borden was standing in front of an even larger group of press to address the speculation that he would be leading a group of investors to take over WLCW and ensure the survival of the promising organization. Absent from the proceedings are the two men that he has brought back together and will step into the ring as the challengers for the tag team titles.
Borden steps out from behind the curtain and looks down at the floor. He has been in this position before. The first time was when he wrestled Ric Flair in the final match of WCW Monday Nitro. He eventually made it to WWE and watched as that company imploded from over reach and over spending on ventures like Linda McMahon’s two failed Senate campaigns.
STEVE BORDEN Good evening everybody….
A FEW HOURS EARLIER
The cracks and pops of the fire in front of them helped fill the silence that was growing between Alex and Chris. What was supposed to be the climax to one of the best runs the tag team has had in a very long time, they were looking at what very well could be yet another period of questions and uncertainty about their future. A wave of sparks pops up from the fire as Alex shuts his phone off and waves a small wisp of smoke away from his face.
ALEX SHELLEY I have been getting messages non stop ever since we landed. If I had a dollar for every person that has come out of the blue and asked me “How are you guys doing?” or “What are you going to do?” I swear I would never need to work a day in my life again.
Chris glances down at his phone and quickly scrolls through the messages before shutting off his phone. He slips the device into his pocket and looks into the fire. Sabin has been here before. The last promotion he was with ended two weeks after he claimed their top prize. Back then it came with just a phone call that the company was shutting down. No “suspension” of operations with the hope of starting back up again. It was over and he would be their last world champion.
CHRIS SABIN: What was it like after we split up and you walked away?
Alex was taken aback by the question because it was so direct. Usually he would dance around such a tenuous subject considering how the Guns ended their first run as a team. Chris had made the decision to go out and see the world as a singles wrestler to great success while Alex was left behind.
ALEX SHELLEY I drifted from promotion to promotion for a little bit and even tried my hand at being a singles guy. To be honest I wanted to chase you down and take everything from you. God damn was I angry for a long time. That never really came together so I hung up my boots and played with the idea of opening up a wrestling school. I had the funding in place but it never really got off the ground. That was when I met Erica and things settled down. To answer your question though, it was some of the worst times in my life.
The words did not surprise Chris; it was the tone and the weight that Alex put behind them. He just looked over at Alex and let the man talk. Shelley leaned forward and looked at the ground for a moment before continuing.
ALEX SHELLEY One of the worst feelings in the world is waking up and not knowing what to do with yourself. Now you may never have felt this way, Chris but believe me when I tell you that it is something you never want to experience. It feels like you are just drifting even though your feet are still on the ground. Nothing you do matters and there is this fear in the back of your head that nothing you do ever will. That is what it felt like for me. Like a dream you can’t wake up from but you know you have to. You see Chris, it was not what you did but how you did it. If you had just told me “hey man I am thinking about doing some stuff on my own” I can promise you I would have been cool with it. What was fucked up was me having to hear it from somebody else and us not being able to end things our way.
Chris stayed silent for a few minutes but he had heard these words from Alex before. There was nothing that Chris could say that would make everything that Shelley had gone through go away. Sabin took in a few breaths and looked over to his partner.
CHRIS SABIN: I am not going to try and justify what I did because I have told you many times that I did things the wrong way. It was disrespectful and I had my head up my ass. I let everything get to me and if I could go back and do things differently I would. What I did not know is everything else. I figured that you never really wanted to hear from me after it all went down so that was on me for not picking up the phone. What we do have though is a chance to rewrite our history.
Alex nodded slightly and glanced back at his tag team partner.
ALEX SHELLEY Yeah we do….We get the chance to beat the living hell out of the Wingmen and take home the gold. Those wombats are tough as hell and we are going up against three guys and not just the two wearing the belts. Everything we have ever done and all of our experience is going to be needed for these guys.
The serious look on Chris’ face turns hopeful as he envisions what could be the last stand of the Motor City Machine Guns. The fire pops out a shower of sparks as he leans back in his chair.
CHRIS SABIN: Taking them down and putting those belts on our shoulder one more time wouldn’t erase what has happened but it will put things in perspective for the both of us. I know it has not always been easy getting back into the ring and getting to where we are.
Alex glances at Chris and nods in agreement.
ALEX SHELLEY One shot left, we better make it count. No matter what happens it has been one hell of a ride. You know what they say though about all good things…..
Sabin smiles and lets out a massive laugh.
CHRIS SABIN: Yeah…they never fucking stop.
Shelley waits a few moments since those weren’t the words he was expecting. Shaking his head slightly at first he finally lets out a laugh which builds between them as the scene fades away with the two men sitting in front of the fire facing the unknown and laughing in its face.
OOC: I just wanted to thank Craig and the entire roster for this experience. He and I have been in different orbits for the better part of a decade and when he reached out to me to consider joining up there wasn’t a second thought. Even though we haven’t gone head to head in any extended feud it was a privilege working with you. You guys in this place have put out some of the best work I have ever seen and I do hope that we can go head to head down the road. My best to everybody.
-Geoff
The history of WLCW….
Shortly before the wheels of the private jet that has flown the Machine Guns around North America touched down it was announced that WLCW would be suspending operations after the Clash at the Canyon. There had been hope that a buyer could be found for the company and the company could continue on as usual. It did not take very long for those rumors to drift over the mind of the Icon, Steve Borden. That is where our story begins.
It was a little over three months ago that Steve Borden stood in front of a group of press to formally introduce the re-united Motor City Machine Guns. Now Steve Borden was standing in front of an even larger group of press to address the speculation that he would be leading a group of investors to take over WLCW and ensure the survival of the promising organization. Absent from the proceedings are the two men that he has brought back together and will step into the ring as the challengers for the tag team titles.
Borden steps out from behind the curtain and looks down at the floor. He has been in this position before. The first time was when he wrestled Ric Flair in the final match of WCW Monday Nitro. He eventually made it to WWE and watched as that company imploded from over reach and over spending on ventures like Linda McMahon’s two failed Senate campaigns.
STEVE BORDEN Good evening everybody….
A FEW HOURS EARLIER
The cracks and pops of the fire in front of them helped fill the silence that was growing between Alex and Chris. What was supposed to be the climax to one of the best runs the tag team has had in a very long time, they were looking at what very well could be yet another period of questions and uncertainty about their future. A wave of sparks pops up from the fire as Alex shuts his phone off and waves a small wisp of smoke away from his face.
ALEX SHELLEY I have been getting messages non stop ever since we landed. If I had a dollar for every person that has come out of the blue and asked me “How are you guys doing?” or “What are you going to do?” I swear I would never need to work a day in my life again.
Chris glances down at his phone and quickly scrolls through the messages before shutting off his phone. He slips the device into his pocket and looks into the fire. Sabin has been here before. The last promotion he was with ended two weeks after he claimed their top prize. Back then it came with just a phone call that the company was shutting down. No “suspension” of operations with the hope of starting back up again. It was over and he would be their last world champion.
CHRIS SABIN: What was it like after we split up and you walked away?
Alex was taken aback by the question because it was so direct. Usually he would dance around such a tenuous subject considering how the Guns ended their first run as a team. Chris had made the decision to go out and see the world as a singles wrestler to great success while Alex was left behind.
ALEX SHELLEY I drifted from promotion to promotion for a little bit and even tried my hand at being a singles guy. To be honest I wanted to chase you down and take everything from you. God damn was I angry for a long time. That never really came together so I hung up my boots and played with the idea of opening up a wrestling school. I had the funding in place but it never really got off the ground. That was when I met Erica and things settled down. To answer your question though, it was some of the worst times in my life.
The words did not surprise Chris; it was the tone and the weight that Alex put behind them. He just looked over at Alex and let the man talk. Shelley leaned forward and looked at the ground for a moment before continuing.
ALEX SHELLEY One of the worst feelings in the world is waking up and not knowing what to do with yourself. Now you may never have felt this way, Chris but believe me when I tell you that it is something you never want to experience. It feels like you are just drifting even though your feet are still on the ground. Nothing you do matters and there is this fear in the back of your head that nothing you do ever will. That is what it felt like for me. Like a dream you can’t wake up from but you know you have to. You see Chris, it was not what you did but how you did it. If you had just told me “hey man I am thinking about doing some stuff on my own” I can promise you I would have been cool with it. What was fucked up was me having to hear it from somebody else and us not being able to end things our way.
Chris stayed silent for a few minutes but he had heard these words from Alex before. There was nothing that Chris could say that would make everything that Shelley had gone through go away. Sabin took in a few breaths and looked over to his partner.
CHRIS SABIN: I am not going to try and justify what I did because I have told you many times that I did things the wrong way. It was disrespectful and I had my head up my ass. I let everything get to me and if I could go back and do things differently I would. What I did not know is everything else. I figured that you never really wanted to hear from me after it all went down so that was on me for not picking up the phone. What we do have though is a chance to rewrite our history.
Alex nodded slightly and glanced back at his tag team partner.
ALEX SHELLEY Yeah we do….We get the chance to beat the living hell out of the Wingmen and take home the gold. Those wombats are tough as hell and we are going up against three guys and not just the two wearing the belts. Everything we have ever done and all of our experience is going to be needed for these guys.
The serious look on Chris’ face turns hopeful as he envisions what could be the last stand of the Motor City Machine Guns. The fire pops out a shower of sparks as he leans back in his chair.
CHRIS SABIN: Taking them down and putting those belts on our shoulder one more time wouldn’t erase what has happened but it will put things in perspective for the both of us. I know it has not always been easy getting back into the ring and getting to where we are.
Alex glances at Chris and nods in agreement.
ALEX SHELLEY One shot left, we better make it count. No matter what happens it has been one hell of a ride. You know what they say though about all good things…..
Sabin smiles and lets out a massive laugh.
CHRIS SABIN: Yeah…they never fucking stop.
Shelley waits a few moments since those weren’t the words he was expecting. Shaking his head slightly at first he finally lets out a laugh which builds between them as the scene fades away with the two men sitting in front of the fire facing the unknown and laughing in its face.
OOC: I just wanted to thank Craig and the entire roster for this experience. He and I have been in different orbits for the better part of a decade and when he reached out to me to consider joining up there wasn’t a second thought. Even though we haven’t gone head to head in any extended feud it was a privilege working with you. You guys in this place have put out some of the best work I have ever seen and I do hope that we can go head to head down the road. My best to everybody.
-Geoff