HWA Message Board: Chaos

Our view fades into the backstage area at Havoc.

You’re without a match tonight, not something that you’d want in truth, given Ringmaster was the next event, but with it being a shortened line-up focused more on the recent additions to the roster getting their fair run out, it meant a lot of who you’d consider the ‘obvious challengers’ were in the same boat.

A small grimace at that thought, the competitor in you railing at needing to be on the sidelines.

You dampen those thoughts, you’ve a job to do right now, watching Professor Hoff face Stu-E.

Mundane thoughts surface as you walk towards where the Havoctron has been built and with it, the ramp to the ring, something you’re grateful for.

‘I wonder if he really is a professor, or is it an online thing?’

As much as you try to hold on to that thought, you’re torn right back to the spike of adrenalin and barely repressed inferno in the pit of your stomach as Erica had walked into the office.

You’d clamped down hard, but not hard enough, letting slip that quip towards her.

‘Like a rookie… scheiße, you need to be better.’

It wasn’t that you felt unable to let slip in the presence of Butch, Wisdom or Matthew… lord knows they’d been in the trenches long enough with you to understand what you faced in Erica, it was the optics of it…

‘Another chance for her to say the deck is stacked against her…’

That, that is why you’d cursed yourself the moment you’d let your gums flap.

You had no more control over Butch and Wisdom than anyone else on the roster. Frankly, you had to go out of your way to almost oversell that… much to Maniac’s voiced displeasure at times…

You do find yourself smirking at that thought.

‘Gut, sehr gut… let him twist in the wind more.’

No love lost there. Clearly.

You round the final corner heading towards gorilla.

In your back pocket is the old notepad you’ve had since first returning to the HWA. You dwell briefly on watching that first show back from one of the booths, jotting down observations…

An old habit, when reviewing opponents, one you’d looked to transition into pupils. An eye towards helping, rather than exploiting what you’d learn from watching them.

You sigh, you’d been ribbed by Butch earlier, asking if you’d plan on slapping anyone with it, à la
Tobias.

‘Scheiße, I should get an iPad or something…’

Your next thoughts are of your wife, and how she’d be glad of an idea for something to get you for your upcoming birthday, followed by the twinge of regret that you weren’t there with her right now. HWA had brought you together, it still felt strange being here solo…

Up ahead, waiting with a camera crew is Roderick Sterling.

He catches your eye, and your thoughts get quashed, time to be in the moment.

(Roderick): Hans.

(Hans): Roderick, guten abend.

You shake hands.

(Roderick): Do you have time for a quick interview?

(Hans): Jah, of course, always.

Almost caught off guard by how easily you agreed, Roderick takes a moment to register your acceptance, before gesturing to the camera crew to begin.

Hoisting the mic up, he begins.

(Roderick): Hans… in just a few minutes we’re going to get our first real ring-look at HWA newcomer, and your partner for Ring Master… Professor Hoff. Are you here to observe the match?

(Hans): Jah, something like that. I definitely have an invested interest in seeing what I’m getting myself into at Ring Master. Jesse Draconis and Legion… I know what they’re capable of. Young, hungry talent and I’ve got The Professor.

(Roderick): You don’t sound too excited about your partner.

(Hans): The luck of the draw is what is. Like I said, I’m gonna see what he’s got up against Stu-E who for sure will put him task, and then I’ll know what I have to work with come Ring Master. Map out my battleplan if you will, accordingly.

(Roderick): Makes perfect sense. We know this will be your third Ring Master and I did a little digging. Your first go, you didn’t make it past the first round. The second time… you made it all the way to Round 3. Is it going to be Third Times the Charm for you this time around?

Hans exhales, rubbing the well-manicured light beard on his face.

(Hans): It’s interesting… I’m sure like me you’ve walked around all day and listened the last few weeks to all the guys saying the same thing. “This is my year” or “Nothing’s going to stop me” yada yada yada, and I hate to sound like a broken record but I don’t just want this win… I need this win. This is the one empty checkbox in the book of my career and this current chapter… you can bet your ass is going to end with a bang.

(Roderick): Well Hans, I wish you the best of luck and I know I speak for everyone when I say I’m so excited and pumped for Ring Master… I just can’t wait.

You nod at this, both knowing the short interview was at an end, and with a small pat of Roderick’s shoulder out of the camera’s line of sight, you head over, taking a seat at Gorilla Position to watch the match ahead.

As you unfurl the notepad, smoothing it out, preparing to jot down what you spot, you can’t help but be amused at yourself and how you act at times on camera.

It’s almost a conscious effort at times to not let your mannerisms flare up, forcing the words out in English rather than dip in and out of your native tongue. You could already picture the roll of the eyes and gleeful amusement your wife would have at some of the lines you’d come out with just there.

‘Bet your ass? What made me say that?’

Almost mouthing it now, you shake your head, as your see both Stu-E and Professor Hoff begin to make their way towards the curtains and the ramp behind it. A nod at both of them, and then you’re locked into the moment, observing, critically analyzing… thoughts of Ringmaster at the periphery.

‘How much will I need to carry Hoff? How can I use him? Will Legion and Jesse even be able to work together in the first place?’

The music and pyro hits for Professor Hoff, and you attend to your notes…

Fade out.

Fade in.

Your elbow hits… well, someone. You’re sure it was the person you meant to connect with, but in this swirling melee, it’s anyone’s guess.

You know what Butch was wearing, you know what Wisdom was dressed in, Matthew is clothed in the same manner as yourself… and no, whoever you hit wasn’t in the blue of the security team.

‘Good.’

Something that ultimately couldn’t really be used to describe the situation you find yourself in.

A car’s on fire, despite someone using a fire extinguisher on it. Smoke is billowing through the parking lot and the overall mass of bodies is at war with itself.

That flight home you were thinking you’d catch… you weren’t getting it. No one here was.

You duck a thrown punch, a swift uppercut your response, followed by a follow up from your boot directly to the person’s sternum, hurling them back. You caught a glimpse of long hair, but ultimately, that could be used to describe more than a few on the roster.

Matthew’s to your right, grappling. You move to assist, only for a chair to be hurled at you, smacking into the meat of your left shoulder, spinning you round.

‘Where the f*ck did this chair come from?’

Nevermind that, time to avoid another thrown punch.

You bodily throw yourself at whoever is aiming at you, you’ve no idea if it’s the same person who threw the chair, frankly you don’t care.

Chaos reigned at this time. You couldn’t abide that thought.

A small smile forms, as you chop at the chest, before grabbing at the ears, hauling the person down to connect their nose with your knee.

No, Chaos will not reign.

You look round, the fire is starting to diminish now, but the fighting continues.

‘Perhaps this is the perfect test before Ringmaster…’

Another smirk, before you launch back into the fray.

The scene fades to black.