[Jay Phillips is in the backstage interview area]
Jay: Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here with the latest tag team to announce their participation in the upcoming tournament, “Hardcore” Adam and Tornado!
[Adam and Tornado step into view.]
JP: Adam, this will be your second shot at tag team gold. Give us your thoughts?
HCA: Well Jay, last time I was tag team champion, it was with a Hall of Famer. This time, it will be with the son of another Hall of Famer. We will win this tournament and quite frankly, I feel one of the belts is still mine. After all, I was never beaten for it. I was stripped of it when Mike Blood retired. So, we’re going to right the wrong, and bring that tag belt back around my waist.
JP: Adam, you mentioned Hall of Famer, Cyclone. Tornado, your father is legendary and was in just-as-legendary tag teams, winning the SCSF tag team titles with the iconic Crunchy, and then with the devastating Alien.
T: Jay, I watched my father from the crowd as a little kid. I saw him hold those belts and then some. I don’t need to be reminded of what he did. Adam and I are going to win these belts and I’m going to start my legacy. I was just on the phone with my father last night and he thinks people need to stop bringing him up every time they talk to me or they’re going to overlook something special right in front of them. I understand that I have big shoes to fi---
Off-Camera Voice: Whatever! Nobody cares about your daddy issues!
[Jay, Adam, and Tornado look off to the direction of the voice. The camera pans over The 4 Elements--Tommy Violence, Marcus, Max Destruction are standing next to Jay. Next to them is Mikey Armstrong in a wheelchair.]
Tommy Violence: Seriously. Give it a rest. Nobody wants to hear it. If all you are bringing to the table is a “stepping out of my father’s shadow” sob story, well, then take a spot behind Mark Blood. He already paved his way to failure with that tired, boring drama.
Marcus: See, this is how it works around here *does scare quotes with fingers* “Hardcore” Adam and Tornado. The people who pay money for tickets deserve better than you two. They need real heroes. And that’s why we’re also entering the tag team tournament. Tommy V and I will take of the tag team brackets…
Max Destruction: And when they’re done with that, I’ll be winning the #1 contender ladder match! And right after that, I’m going and I’m laying a beat down on Bruno Kowalski and taking the NRWL Championship belt for myself! All the gold will be locked up here, with The 4 Elements. Bruno, you made yourself a big mistake distancing yourself from me. You made a bigger mistake not making me your tag team partner. And you made the biggest mistake putting me in the #1 contender match. Enjoy your last few days with the NRWL Championship.
[Mikey Armstrong wheels closer to Jay. He pulls a crutch out from the back of the wheelchair. Slowly and almost exaggerated shakes, and stands up out of the wheelchair and leans on the crutch.]
Mikey Amrstrong: Look at that, Jay. I got up on my own two feet and am standing….all by myself!
JP: Well...you needed the crutch--
MA: I’m recovering from a career-ending, paralyzing injury.
JP: You just hurt your leg. That’s hardly paralyz--
MA: The outpouring of support and get-well soon from all the men, women, and children has been overwhelming! They really want to see me back in action! And I want to say to them, I’ll be back in the ring, dazzling audiences before you know it! You won’t have to put up with hacks like these two for much longer!
[At that line Tornado rushes towards Mikey, who quickly runs behind the other 3 members while holding his crutch up like a baseball bat. Tommy V, Marcus and Max form a wall, and Tornado and Adam stand face-to-face with them]
Tommy V: Easy there, junior. Do you really want to try something? Mikey in his injured state could take you both by himself, let alone having to deal with the rest of us.
[Tornado turns away]
Tommy V: Maybe if you were your dad, I’d be a little nervous…
[Tornado spins and slaps Tommy across the mouth. Marcus and Max are about to rush Tornado but Tommy holds them back. He steps up to Tornado.]
Tommy V: That was your freebie. You try anything else, and you can forget the tag team belts, because you’ll be in a body cast.
[“Hardcore” Adam pulls Tornado away from the confrontation and out of the camera view. Tornado and Tommy never stop staring into each others eyes. The scene fades out.]
