Around five minutes later, a HWA representative stands up from his seated position to Gabriel's right after the last pockets of journalists and media have taken their seats, motioning for quiet.
(HWA Rep): Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen and thank you for attending this conference giving you the chance to pose your questions to several of the HWA's roster members. We have quite a few scheduled to appear today but first let me introduce to you two of the HWA's rising stars. They have taken the tag team division by storm and will challenge DNA for the HWA Tag Team Championships at the Other Side. Please welcome Michael and Gabriel, the Archangels.
A light smattering of applause trickles through the gathered throng of media and both brothers acknowledge with reciprocating waves.
(HWA Rep): Michael and Gabriel will now answer any questions you may have or have prepared for them.
As soon as the rep finishes speaking and takes a seat, a sea of hands, pens, Dictaphones and pads are raised in the air accompanied by a wave of voices all amalgamating together to form an indecipherable babble. Michael takes the liberty of pointing out a specific member of the crowd who stands up.
(Tina Carlyle): Good afternoon gentlemen. My name is Tina Carlyle, freelance writer, can I ask you about your thoughts regarding Havoc and your victory over the Sons of Anarchy that has led you to your title match against Anton and Davis for the tag team titles.
(Michael): Thank you for your questions Ms Carlyle, and to answer it; my brother and are not normally very boastful when it comes to rubbing salt in the wounds of those who we have defeated but to say we were very satisfied with the outcome of my match at Havoc would be tantamount to defeat. After what both Mr Draconis and Anarchist Vampire had said in the days and weeks leading up to the match, it was very, very rewarding to shut them up and to finally have our first legitimate chance of competing for championship gold.
(Gabriel): Like Michael said, the Sons of Anarchy were happy enough to go around bragging about one solitary victory that they managed to gain over us but we should at Havoc that when the chips are down and it's time to put up or shut up, we can step up to the plate when it really matters. As for Anton and Davis, you'll probably find my brother being more diplomatic than myself. DNA, granted have had a couple of title defences, one of them the gauntlet match a couple of weeks back, but have they truly cemented themselves as the top tag team in the HWA? Not in my estimations. They have a very long way to go when it comes to being a top team.
No doubt we'll probably hear something regarding our own success on the back of these words and I'll gladly answer that before it's even said. We are by no means the top team in this company, quite frankly there isn't one. Would I go as far as to say we're the mostly technically gifted? Yes, and at the Other Side, no matter what stipulation they name for the match, I am one hundred percent confident we will beat them, beat them soundly and become the new tag team champions.
(Tina Carlyle): And Michael? Your thoughts?
Michael exhales loudly through his mouth, his brow wrinkling.
(Michael): I'm not entirely sure what I can say that wouldn't be a repetition or watered down version of what Gabriel has just said. Having said that, I watched them a couple of hours ago, and they seem to have finally decided on every possible stipulation fused into one match. I believe it's a tornado, no disqualification, pinfalls count anywhere match? No doubt some sort of ridiculous ploy to drag us out of our comfort zone but like Gabriel said, it matters not what the stipulation of the match is, our goal and our game plan will remain exactly the same. We know for a fact we can beat Anton and Davis; we've done it before convincingly and we can most repeat that feat on the much grander stage at the Other Side.
A young man in the crowd stands up this time, thin-set and gangly, wearing thick-framed glasses and a short sleeved shirt over a long-sleeved t-shirt.
(Benjamin Gray): Hello guys, my name is Benjamin Gray, I'm a college intern. What do you think of the young up-and-coming tag team of Kaleb Cross and Malik Jordan?
A confused look crosses Gabriel's face and he exchanges glances with Michael.
(Gabriel): I'm sorry, but….who?
The young intern looks a little taken aback by Gabriel's puzzled look.
(Benjamin Gray): They are the new tag team in HWA, called HATE; they've graduated from Talon Wilkinson's ICEBOX.
(Gabriel): And are they the ones that DNA call Ebony and Ivory?
A little trickle of laughter seeps through the audience of journalists and even Michael manages a light smile as he subtly shakes his head.
(Benjamin Gray): Yes, that's Kaleb and Malik.
(Gabriel): The same duo that Logan Neilson called Kaleb Crotch and Darth Malik?
More laughter, louder this time, erupts throughout.
(Benjamin): Yes…the very same.
(Gabriel): Well, they've got a load to prove that's for sure. They came in making all this noise, demanding title matches and expecting instant success just because they've "graduated" from Talon Wilkinson's wrestling school. So far, they've shown some skill yes, but they've shown little to no respect to anyone who's stood in front of them. They're at the start of a very long road and if they want to be successful, they'll need to buck up their ideas and learn a bit of patience.
(Michael): Like Gabriel just said, they've definitely got the skills to go far in this business but if you don't have respect for your peers and those around you, that goes a long way. If they can distance themselves from the circus-soap-opera dramas of the NWO and concentrate firmly on cementing themselves as a solid respectable tag team, they can really make it big. But professional wrestling is a very harsh business and a lot of promising young competitors, both single and tag team alike have crashed and burned before they've even gotten their feet off the ground. For the HWA's sake, I hope that doesn't happen in this instance.
Another woman arises this time, petit blonde pushing late thirties, her hair tied up in a doughnut.
(Melanie Chambers): Good afternoon, Melanie Chambers here, Pro Wrestling Weekly, what are your feelings towards Jack Bookman, the man recently hired by Senester to replace David Willyard as overseer of both the Spotlight and tag team divisions.
(Michael): Well it's no lie to say the man is a little bit eccentric in the business sense of the word. I'm not in a position to question Senester's decision to hire him but he's certainly not shy of pushing the boundaries and raising a few eyebrows. The surprise stipulation he put into effect after my victory over Draconis was definitely not something I expected or particularly pleased about at the time, but it boosted the ratings and gave the audience a very good match and of course, it bore unexpected fruit with Gabriel and I earning a shot at DNA's Tag Team Championships. From what I seen earlier, he hasn't really endeared himself towards Kaleb and Malik but this is not a popularity contest and not every decision made is going to please everybody. I hear he even made a match between those two.
(Melanie Chambers): Yes that's correct, Kaleb Cross and Malik Jordan are scheduled to face off at The Other Side.
(Gabriel): Goes to show that they're not willing to compete against each other even if it means getting an extra pay cheque and making an appearance on pay-per-view television. I know I'd take Michael on in a second if given the chance.
Michael smirks.
(Michael): Oh I know you would brother.
The HWA rep in attendance smiles along with everyone else at the last comment before standing up.
(HWA Rep): Thank you ladies and gentlemen but unfortunately Michael and Gabriel have a flight to catch in Los Angeles, but again thank you very much for coming and for asking your questions.
And with that, Michael and Gabriel stand up, politely waving to the media who continue to shower them with questions as the scene concludes and fades to black.
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