*The hyped up crowd in attendance for the first episode of Saturday Night Precision’s third season are driven into a frenzy by the music of Jack Rogue, the veteran that has pledged to fight for them and defend the promotion they love. The red-headed former Precision Champion bursts through the curtain onto the stage with a huge grin, pumps up the crowd either side of him, then sprints down to the ring and slides under the bottom rope. Rogue holds his arms out for the crowd and the hard camera, before striding over to the far corner of the ring and collecting a microphone from the timekeeper with a nod and a smile. As his music fades away, Jack does what has done so often before*
Jack: Ladies and gentlemen of Seattle, Washington!
*The cheap pop rings around the arena and visibly hypes Rogue up. Jack reins himself in though, and is surprisingly pensive and measured in his speech*
Jack: You know, I’ve done this what feels like a thousand times. I run to this ring, I say the name of the city into this mic, you guys cheer and I get a kick like nothing else in this world. Then I talk for a couple of minutes about whoever Trent Kingsley has put me up against, I shout my catchphrase and I go and prep for my match. And I’ve been thinking about this process because, over the season break, a close friend asked me a question that has stuck with me: why bother?
*The unnamed friend is instantly unpopular with Seattle, who boo that sentiment roundly. A slightly worried expression crosses Jack’s face, getting his friend booed obviously wasn’t his intention, before Rogue continues*
Jack: Sure, it’s a whole lot of fun, but I’ve done it a lot of times… how many more? After all, I’ve proven that I’m one of the best in the world, I’ve fought evil time and time again and won, I’ve been near-consumed by the darkness that exists within all human beings and fought back from the brink. I’ve had a career of hardship, trauma and glory that would be more than enough for most people, even most people in this sport. So why bother? The answer is very, very simple: my principles are at the core of who I am, and I am here because I have a debt to pay. Not a financial one, thanks to all of you I don’t have to worry about money, but a moral one. This company and its spiritual predecessor have been through so, so much, yet they gave me everything. But after all that, one of the things they had to endure was me. I ran roughshod over this place and did heinous, heinous things at a time when I didn't control myself. I have a conscience to clear and a promotion to champion. So I will put this place on my shoulders, I will protect it from plagues of corruption and callousness that threaten to infect it…
*Rogue pauses, and a look of steely determination in his eyes replaces one of defiant passion*
Jack: …and the other reason is that, I have to champion it in more ways than one. I’ve never truly been to the mountaintop. I was Precision Champion, yes, but despite my best efforts to make it mean something, and the great battles I had for it, that title deserves to be dead and buried because of why it existed in the first place. And I’ve still never been World Heavyweight Champion. The Precision title taught me what it takes, and so did coming within inches of the real “big one” at Duality only to have my lights knocked out by Will Neilson after half an hour of war. Unsurprisingly, that man is the champion now as he was all those months ago and he’s very much in demand. After all, this entire roster has had months to plot and scheme, and he’s the only man with a target on his back. So even getting the chance to redeem myself and claim the gold I seek from the man who took my last belt from me will be no mean feat, but it’s as simple as this: I will beat whomever I have to. If it requires a winning streak longer than Joseph Diamond’s list of daddy issues that is exactly what I will produce. And that starts tonight, with Antonio Stark.
*The audience boo once again for the cold, ruthless, infamous son of The Anarchist*
Jack: The man who won the Money In The Bank match that bereavement forbade me from being in, then went on to steal that title from someone who actually earned it. Stark has had everything in life, including his career, handed to him by his slightly more talented father. He represents everything wrong with this business and this world, and I will have no qualms and no difficulties in disposing of him like I have done before. This match is also a qualifier for the United States Championship, and that’s great. I mean, I’ve literally just been talking about why that isn’t what I’m here for this season, but it is gold and you all know how much hardware means to me – it is respect in this business. And if I win that title, whether it inhibits me from my true goal or not, I will hold and defend it with pride. It’ll be part of repaying my debt.
Jack: So, Antonio: you have the misfortune of being the first step by a one-man army on a crusade. I have never been more motivated in my entire life. And that means you’re about to hurt more than you did after getting your ten million tattoos, after I kick your head…
*The noise of the crowd builds, charging up the fan favourite who looks like he might explode with energy*
Jack: …CLEAN OFF YOUR SHOULDERS!
*Rogue roars into the microphone then spikes it into the canvas, prompting a cheer from the crowd before he rolls out of the ring. Jack walks up the ramp, high-fiving fans, as Precision fades to a commercial break*
-End of segment-
Mentions: @Sanic, @CiV, @The Anarchist
OOC: Here we, here we, here we go again!
