Sitting at one of the tables near the back is Hans ‘The Baron’ von Richtoven, taking the time before the day begins proper to savour a coffee and a bite to eat.
This place, he’s been here enough times now to be classed by the old lady that runs the place as a ‘regular’, so he’s no longer at the stage where he needs to say what he’s wanting, it’s simply rung up as he approaches the counter.
The thought of mixing up the order every now and then is there, but what he likes is made so well and tastes that delicious that he’d just be denying himself.
He’s currently sipping on his drink, wireless ear buds in his ears and eyes focused on his iPhone, catching up with the various promos that he’d queued up from the HWA Youtube channel..
Some are recent, a recap of Stu-E Price’s appearance on a podcast, Roderick Sterling running down the highlights and select quotes.
Hans’ face doesn’t react much as he hears them. Nothing to take offence at, nothing to stir the soul, he’d made dozens of similar comments in his time, he’d no doubt say something similar before long when the time to do the promo rounds for the next Havoc or the next PPV came around. The last set does spark an interest in him however.
(Roderick Sterling: And finally, he said the following when talking about the two men he’ll face off against alongside Jeremy Branson at the upcoming Havoc. "I've shown the fans just how much of a great wrestler Maniac can be in the right circumstances, and I think everybody knows how good Hans is too. But can they really co-exist? I've spent time with both of them, and I'm not so sure."
Lifting the coffee cup to his lips, he takes a sip, nodding his head as he mulls over the words he’s heard.
(Hans): Fair point…
His words are said more to himself than anyone else.
Next up, are Jeremy Branson’s comments towards Draconis.
(Jeremy): I should have known you’d side with Maniac, a man such as yourself that’s been on his own path of redemption from a wayward past. “Matt was not a victim,” is that what you said? You’re smoking something other than Texas BBQ if you think he wasn’t a victim. Our very first Havoc Matt went one-on-one with Maniac and what happened? Instead of taking his win and walking away, he sucker punched him after the match and beat him down going on about “teaching him a lesson.” Then he runs Matt’s name through the mud, playing mind games and pushing every button he could exploit, sending him over the edge. Yeah, it was Matt that got the jump on him later, but it was Maniac that turned a simple brawl into a violent fight. The same night he put Sarah down on the concrete and tried to run them all over outside. Poke, poke, poke and poke, week after week. It’s what he said he wanted… the chaos.
Hans places down his coffee, tilting his phone up to better absorb what’s on screen before him.
(Jeremy): It saddens me to say Butch’s vision is dead. I tried so hard for so long to hold on to it, but I can’t anymore. It’s what held me back all year long, instead of adapting I held on to that little bit of hope that we’d all get along, and everyone would see that competitive landscape model, that we’d be one great big wrestling family and that the veterans would come in and lift up us newer guys, we’d learn from you and you’d learn from us and be renewed by our vigor, and we’d just enjoy this business and our fanbase. I was so fu*king naďve.
(Hans): Nein, you were not Jeremy…
A low and quiet sigh, shoulders slumping, as Hans reaches back for his coffee, swirling it round gently.
(Hans): Not all of us wanted to change what HWA had become…
The promo is still airing, as Jeremy toasts the various roster members.
(Jeremy): To Hans and Sensei the last bastions of what we once hoped this industry might become.
(Hans): Scheiße…
Hearing those words genuinely seem to have struck deep, a somber veil being draped over him, completely at odds with the blazing sunshine outside and the bright and airy decor of the coffee shop.
(Jeremy): Let's drink to Maniac… the herald of the return of the HWA of ole. Without him, we’d still be having silly little wrestling matches trying to outdo one another with just skills in little gyms for little crowds, and little money…… and while we’re at it we’ll throw another one back for him because hey… he’s trying to change right and by God that means something?
A few moments pass, Hans having hit pause on the playlist.
Lifting the coffee cup to his lips, he takes a sip.
Another few seconds go by, the somber mood still very much evident.
With a shake of the head, he hits play, the promo changing to one of Sarah Callahan’s.
(Sarah): I’ve heard every word you’ve said. But……… I don’t give a good God damn, who you say you were, or possessed with, or possessed by, at the time. Ain’t nobody got time for that split personality bullshit. I don’t even believe in that mess. You know damn well what you did and why you did it, and I’m not going to sit around and listen to you act….that’s right…I said “Act”… act like you even have a shred or remorse. This is HWA, not the Golden Globes…you ain’t about to win no award around here baby. As a matter of fact…. wait a minute… hold up……
With pursed lips, he’s fully intent on listening and digesting her words.
(Sarah): You know what Maniac, I take that back… my bad. So silly of me, right? You’re not acting like you have remorse…because fact of the matter is you’ve never apologized. All you’ve had to say was “It wasn’t me!” No, I’m Sorry, No, I apologize, No, Please Forgive Me… just “It wasn’t me!” That’s how everybody knows you’re full of shit. What next… now that you’re outed you’ll say you didn’t apologize because no one would believe it was sincere, or you’re such a good guy now that you didn’t say it because you didn’t think you deserve forgiveness. Nice try… Legend! You’ve been playing this game for over 20 years, don’t you think we can see all your old little tricks by now? Fake personalities, fake therapists, all your smoke and mirrors.
As the scene ends, the next video to play is from the previous Havoc
He swipes the HWA app to close it, opening up the camera app and placing it to the video option, flipping the screen back to have it facing him.
Taking another sip of coffee, he places the cup off to one side before he hits the record button.
(Hans): Guten morgen HWA fanverse.
Glancing around, no-one is paying attention to him, the occupants of the coffee shop fixated on their own routines. He’s recorded in here before, partly why he likes choosing the seat at the back. Old habits die hard though. Satisfied he’s not causing a scene, he carries on.
(Hans): As you know, the card for the next Havoc has been out for the last two days.
A small pause, a swallowing motion, could easily be to clear the remains of his coffee and get rid of residue, or to stop the rising bile from his stomach…
(Hans): Und so I am in the main event… I’m sure many of you are happy to hear that… certain new members of the roster, perhaps less so, especially given where they are on the bill…
A low chuckle ripples through him, the forced attempt at humour more of an effort to lift the shadow sitting on his shoulders still from hearing Jeremy’s words.
(Hans): Herr Price, Jeremy… both superb competitors, und both of whom I’ve wanted to be back in the squared circle with, so on one hand, jah, very excited.
Another small pause, another swallowing motion, this time with the addition of a steeling of the gaze and a tug at one corner of the mouth, tensing.
(Hans): Das ist ‘March Madness’, so how appropriate to be paired alongside Herr Chaos…
His nostrils flare, as he glances down at the remaining coffee off the side, and then back at his phone.
(Hans): I can’t think of anyone I’d be less inclined to step into that ring with at my side… well, male member of the roster, at any rate.
A waggle of the finger at the camera, Hans recalling old memories.
(Hans): Herr Chaos… my second stint in das HWA, I had my very own white whale to hunt and consume me… or black whale, even, Ronnie McNeil. A superb wrestler, jah, I can admit that. An atrocious human being however. The chip on his shoulder, mein gott, you could have stood the tallest building in the world on it and it’d be rock solid.
He wanted respect. Nein, he demanded respect.
Und when he didn’t get it, he went out of his way to force the issue.
I was assaulted one show while in the bathroom, laid low and left on the cold tiles. Meine freundin… my girlfriend as she was then, Vanessa, was humiliated with videos being played on the Havoctron, going out to a national, nein, an international audience… unt then, on top of that, the barrage of insults and threats… he attacked me once more at a show, injecting me with an unknown liquid. Never once then apologizing for his actions, never once showing remorse or caring to explain why he did that or what he’d injected me with. Never once justifying what he’d done. Just more of the same, ’why don’t you respect me?’.
To this day Herr Chaos, I honestly despise him.
To this day, I still glance at the spot on my neck where he injected me when I look in a mirror.
To this day I still hate that I was forced to tag with him several months later. Still none the wiser as to why, still minus an apology… still being told I should be respectful.
One hand reaches for his coffee, and the remainder is drained in one gulp.
(Hans): I’ve been here before. Surely you can see there are a lot of similarities then, to what I’ve experienced more recently thanks to you Herr Chaos.
You, playing your part in aiding und abetting Erica… you, attacking me backstage, you, blindsiding me in both our matches with hidden weapons… you, who made threats to my wife…
I could go on, but I’d be treading over ground I’ve already dragged you over. Ground that I feel should be covered by others right now.
You say you’ve changed?
Actions speak louder than words Herr Chaos, und one swallow doesn't make a summer.
Another brief pause, Hans trying to shake the anger that these unwanted memories have dredged up.
(Hans): Jeremy, Herr Price… I look forward to facing you both, even if I’m unlikely to look back on this match with any great love. I hope we can face one another again soon.
Considering adding more, Hans refrains, simply nodding towards the screen and hitting the stop button on the screen.
Tapping a few more times on his phone, he uploads it to the HWA Youtube channel and then gets to his feet, exiting the coffee shop having smiled and waved at the staff as he does so, ultimately making his way towards his McLaren nearby.
The scene fades to black.
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