HWA Message Board: Preparing for the Masses

Los Angeles, CA – HWA Headquarters and Academy

Adding to the already traumatic announcement of Netflix’s upcoming new docuseries was now the commotion over WWE Executive’s comments clearly aimed at HWA. As if the phones were not already ringing, emails flooding the server, and social media out of control with rumors and speculation beyond their control…Butch and Wisdom were now more obliged to respond than before. They’d made no statement about Netflix and the docuseries, but with WWE thrust into the picture as well…the time had come for them to make some official statements.

They’d discussed putting a few press releases together today, and with their morning routines out of the way, they couldn’t put things off any longer. Wisdom knocked on Butch’s door before she entered. He looked tired, his face weary as his eyes lifted to see her come in. His leg had been better this week, he wasn’t limping around as much as the week before, but he still sat and rested getting his hulking weight off of it. She didn’t even have to nag him this time around. She walked over to his desk, her nails gently clawing into his scalp as she stroked his hair from front to back, then leaned in as he titled his head back and she kissed his lips.

(Wisdom): George called again, asking if we had decided on the whole Dallas situation. As if we didn’t have more important things to deal with right now, he’s just itching to parade celebrities around our ppv for “good publicity!”

She sighs, sitting on the edge of Butch’s desk. His arm raises to rest his hand on her leg. Her short skirt exposed the luscious legs he loved so much that smelled delightfully of the Champagne Pear body cream she used.

(Wisdom): Well…we’re gonna be here a while so I ordered us some lunch, one of the assistants will bring it up when it arrives, and some ice…I don’t know about you, but I’m going to need a drink or two to get through this. So what shall we tackle first my love, Netflix, WWE, or Fatality?

Butch turns his head towards her, and the look on his face says, “None of the Above!”

(Butch): I’m tired, Wis. I’m tired of it all. What happened to the dream we had when Elizabeth Shevington gave us the keys to this kingdom?

An almost defeated exhalation whooshes out of his nose. He makes eye contact with his wife whose eyes narrow at his words, she shifts rather uncomfortably in her seat at his mention of Elizabeth’s name. He knew how haunted she was by it despite the outcome and good relationship they’d had after all was said and done, but what did he mean their dream? Butch saw her reaction and immediately moved to put her mind at ease.

(Butch): Sorry, ignore me, I’m just tired, sore and feeling sorry for myself. Netflix, WWE, or Fatality?

Butch sounds the words in time with tapping his fingers rhythmically on Wisdom’s leg.

(Butch): Do we even need to acknowledge the Netflix thing? The moment we acknowledge it and recognise it, the moment it becomes real. Like we’re acknowledging him. WWE is different, I don’t care what Paul put on Twitter or X or whatever the hell it’s being called these days, it’s never sat well with him that we exposed his golden boy for who he really is, that he came over to our neck of the woods and I beat him. So, I’m not buying that bullshit half-assed cop-out of an apology he posted. Maybe we should speak to Mandy, set up some sort of video reply, face it head-on, y’know?

He looks to Wisdom for some sort of affirmation.

She’s just now noticing the slight puffiness around his eyes and remembered that he was a bit restless in bed last night. Her poor baby, her lion certainly felt the weight of the kingdom on his shoulders. They’d faced troubles and odds before, but things were coming at them from all directions now, they were back in the spotlight, back at the top of the wrestling world, back in the media but in truth…they hadn’t been at the helm long before things went down in 2015 and this was their first real got at standing before the firing squads.

(Wisdom): We don’t have to say anything about Netflix if you don’t want to. Although, I’m sick of everyone looking at us like we’re about to make some goddamn presidential state of the union address over it. We don’t even know what’s in the damn thing, so I’m perfectly fine waiting to see if there’s anything for us to comment on or not when it comes out.

She sighs, pulling herself up from the desk, going around and sitting in a chair across from him. Paul on the other hand. If he weren’t in the condition he was in, we’d make this past Havoc’s Intergender Tag Night look like kids playing in a ball pit. You and me vs. him and Stephanie anytime, anyplace, anywhere. “Netflix and Chill” is all they would be able to do when we laid their asses out flat.

(Butch): Yeah…. I’m all for making a statement, but let’s not actually try to literally kill the competition. I booked Sean on Busted Open podcast by the way. You know, the one Mark Henry and Bubba Ray run? I figured they’ll probably try and get his slant on what’s happened. I told him to be mindful of what he says but I trust that he’s not going to say anything that will reflect badly on the company. Hans messaged me as well by the way, he went to the hospital to see Erica. Things got pretty heated; she tried to leave but got kept in on psychiatric observation. That’s another thing, who the hell is targeting him, Wis? Like he said, no one apart from us knows Kai’s name…

She sighs heavily, not having forgotten by any means Hans’ situation, but having placed it on the side as other things flew in her face. Her face becomes exasperated.

(Wisdom): Jesus, I don’t know. Vanessa is beside herself of course and I’ve been racking my brains and riding Mandy’s ass to find something out. It makes no sense that nobody saw anything out of the ordinary. We have to do something babe. Hans is as loyal as they come but he’s been through the ringer and he doesn’t need this shit. You don’t think…

She stops as a thought enters her head. The name not spoken between them comes to mind, the looming darkness….“him.” She brushes it off not wanting to rouse Butch.

(Wisdom): …nevermind. I’m surprised he visited Erica, well not surprised really…it’s the kind of man he is, but you know what I mean. She’s just not all there and she’s still refusing any assistance from the Talent Relation Division. Anyway… this podcast thing with Sean…I don’t know much about it but I trust him to represent us well. I know he’s got that Parker hot headedness at times but I think he’s really understanding more than ever what it means to be a top talent. It’s not just what you do in the ring that matters. The whole Make-a-Wish visit he did last week…huge publicity. They were flooded with requests for him once other kids saw him visiting that boy.

Butch nods in agreement.

(Butch): I figured he could use the distraction after Havoc, get some of that frustration out of his system in a constructive way before Fatality. This match with Matthew means the world to him so he’ll want to be on his game. We really need to make a big deal of this at Havoc babe. After everything Matthew has done for us, whether he wants the limelight or not, he deserves some pomp and circumstance. As for Hans, you’re right but I don’t know what else to do.

(Wisdom): Mandy’s due for a check-in soon, I’ll see what she’s come up with. I just don’t want Hans to think we’re not on top of this, but you’re right…I’m not sure what else we can do ourselves. The police already have an arson investigation going and we obviously have to pay damages to the arena, they’ve already filed the insurance claim. Whoever this is or people are, will have a lot to answer for I can tell you that. As amenable as he is, Hans hasn’t exactly be in the let things slide mood lately, but back to Fatality…

This is huge for Matthew and for Sean, and we do need to do something special for Matthew. This is the last time he’s going to step into the ring as a competitor and he’s more popular now than he ever was. Starlight Kid presented a fabulous idea for the ppv and Michelle seems on board as well. They want to bring them flowers to the ring, it’s a traditional show of respect in Japanese culture, and streamers I guess to hand out to the fans. I thought that was a great idea and would be a nice touch. I think at Havoc we should honor Matthew and show some of his old matches, maybe you can get I touch with others he knows and we can do some video messages from them wishing him well dispersed through the show.

Butch nodded his head affirmingly, his spirits immediately lifting with the subject moving to honouring his friend. Matthew was always the silent type, happy to let others take in the adulation. So the fact that they had an opportunity to put his name in lights was something, given everything that had been going on lately, he was happy to do.

(Butch): I’ll maybe see if I can get in touch with Muta. I’m not sure Paul will take kindly to reaching out to Shinsuke but maybe Tanahashi might be more receptive; he’s running things for New Japan now. They’re bound to have some archival footage in their records when he was a young lion. I like that idea from Starlight as well, I can’t think of a better way to give him the send off he deserves. She’s certainly coming out of her shell, isn’t she?

(Wisdom): She and Michelle both, I think they really compliment each other. It doesn’t surprise me they’ve made such god friends so fast. They’re both relative strangers in a newer environment. I was really proud of Michelle’s performance at Havoc and for someone who doesn’t have a full-time interpreter Starlight’s really giving it her all to absorb and understand as much English as she can. I can tell you she’s not about to be the next Shohei Ohtani and get had for her money. But, moving on…

Wisdom reaches down to some of the papers she brough in with her and hands a folder to Butch.

(Wisdom): Take a look at this. We’ve got a formal request from “both” Stu-E and Maniac for a new match concept for Fatality. No doubt who came up with it, but I’m a little surprised that Stu-E’s on board for it.

Wisdom waits in silence watching as Butch’s eyes examine the document. Ten seconds later, he looks up.

(Butch): Seriously? Thumbtacks? It’s bad enough we had Maniac and Matt almost kill each other with explosives…

Butch pushes the document away from him, leaning back and gestures towards it as if it were Maniac himself.

(Butch): I don’t even…

He mops his face with his hand before looking at Wisdom.

(Butch): What’s your thoughts on this?

(Wisdom): Are you kidding? It’s a recipe for disaster. The only reason, and I mean the “only” reason I was even keen on that damn Asylum match was because Matt wanted it and I thought we owed it to him. He’d been by our side since day one of this and had never asked for anything in return. I didn’t care that George and the CBS pencil pushers were looking for a boost, that was for Matt…but look what happened there.

Wisdom huffs in equal frustration to that which Butch is displaying.

(Wisdom): I for one rather not see the World Title in this position. They don’t even have major issues with one another that I’m aware of, there’s been no escalation of anything, this just seems like it’s for shits and giggles and that’s not what the title is about. They pull this out and all I see is a broken winged eagle belt, with shitty tape holding it together. I don’t see prestigious glistening gold. Why the hell would Stu-E even back this?

For the first time, a semblance of a smile tugs at the corners of Butch’s mouth.

(Butch): I couldn’t agree more. Maniac, of course he wants mayhem and claret. But Stu-E? I really thought he was better than this. You’re right, the World Championship that I held, that Buff held, Ronnie, Talon, Hans… it meant something, it stood for something. It wasn’t an excuse to shorten our lifespans unless the situation absolutely called for it. To me, the Hardcore in HWA was never literal. It was about the passion for pro wrestling. We were never a high-end ECW. This is a no-go, for me, Wis. I don’t care how big a tantrum Maniac throws.

Wisdom takes the paper off the desk and rips it in half tossing it in the air behind her.

(Wisdom): That’s settled that then, you can tell him "No" when you see him. So, George and this celebrity thing…

Wisdom rolls her eyes as she slumps back into her seat. She crosses her legs and the top one starts jutting up and down.

(Wisdom): Unless you’ve changed your mind and want to chime in, I think I’ve made my mind up. I’m going to give him the green light but I swear to God Butch…

Her finger goes up forcefully with purpose and intent, pointed at Butch but not “at” him.

(Wisdom): I swear if one thing goes off track that’s it, I don’t want anyone bringing anything up about a goddamn celebrity, or tv, or social media personality to me ever again.

Butch holds his hands up in apologetic, innocent fashion.

(Butch): Hey, just because I’m not completely against the idea, doesn’t mean I’m completely on board with this whole thing George is suggesting either. Like you said, no one was exactly lining up to help us when we were at our lowest, let alone any Gen Z f*cking TikToker who doesn’t have a clue about what we do and disappears between commercial breaks. So, I’m on board, but as you said, one thing goes tits up and that’s.

There’s a knock at the door and Butch commands whomever is outside to “Enter” seconds later an assistant comes in with a large bag.

(Assistant): Mrs. Parker, your lunches have arrived?

(Wisdom): Great! Thank you, I’ll take them.

Wisdom gets up from her seat and takes the bag smiling at their assistant.

(Assistant): I’ll be right back with your ice.

(Wisdom): You’re amazing, thank you.

Some food was probably exactly what he needed right now. He felt a slight headache coming on. Butch eyed the bag as Wisdom set it on his desk and began to unpack the containers. He saw two large Salmon Cobb salads, one Loaded Baked Potato soup that she set in front of him, a Miso Soup for her, a sharable sized Fruit Bowl, and she smiled at him as he eyed the bag like a little boy. She knew what he was waiting for and smiled as she pulled out two nice slices of Cookie Dough Cheesecake. His face melts as he looks at her.

(Butch): I love you!

She walks back around to his desk, leans in and he’s ready for her kiss but she reaches down grabbing his crotch instead, her eyebrow arching as she leans into him whispering in his ear.

(Wisdom): I love you too, and I’m going to remind you of that when we get home tonight.

She flicks his earlobe with her tongue and saunters back over to the opposite side of the desk as he clears his throat trying to refocus.

(Wisdom): So…we know what Sean is doing and others are sure to add their two cents in, but what are we going to do about your bestie Mr. Levesque? This video message you’ve got in mind….think its enough?

She scoots her chair closer to the desk and takes the first sip of her soup as Butch opens the lid on his own.

(Butch): What I have to say will be plenty enough to get the message across.

(Wisdom): You know he’s just going to hide behind his little X messages and probably continue to make his coward-ass remarks to the media.

(Butch): Probably….we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

(Wisdom): I think I better sit this one out for now, I got enough stirred up the last time with Brandi.

(Butch): That’s wasn’t all on you and you know it.

(Wisdom): I know, but still…we don’t need any more eyes on us or fingers pointed in our direction than we already have. Obviously I was born to be a Parker, I can be just as stubborn and hotheaded as the rest of you if not more.

Butch chuckles a little. It felt good to laugh. To have a moment, however fleeting of normalcy amidst the chaos of the last few weeks.

(Butch): Well, lets get on with it then. I’ll set something up with Mandy this week. Right now I want to focus on Havoc and celebrating Matthew and getting the rest of this Fatality card set.

(Wisdom): Agreed.

Wisdom shifts through some papers on the desk as they simultaneously begin to dive into their food and their now official “working lunch” as the scene fades to black.