Post by Rated R on Jul 17, 2015 2:22:53 GMT -5
Hollyweird
A Trace Demon Roleplay
Twentieth Century Fox; Los Angeles Film Lot
10th July 2015
Trace Demon: I’ve got to warn you you’re fighting a losing battle here.
Jonah Marlowe: C’mon man, just let me show you about the place, this could be a really big for you.
I’m on location at some film shoot, not sure exactly which one. The studio sent me out all the details but I didn’t pay too much attention to them, wouldn’t be here at all if the WFWF’s marketing department didn’t sweet talk me into it. They think it’ll be good for publicity if the owner is spotted with Hollywood big wigs. “You don’t even have to do anything, just be seen and we’ll get everyone talking”. By everyone they mean gossip rags, TMZ, that kind of s**t. None of this is my style and there’s nothing Jonah can say that’ll convince me otherwise. But still, publicity means more eyes and more eyes mean more money, and I’m a businessman after all.
Trace Demon: I’m not interested in this whole thing, it’s not offering me anything I don’t already have.
Jonah Marlowe: Come on, you don’t want to make movie star money?
Trace Demon: I already make Trace Demon money, there’s not a movie star in the world who wouldn’t look at my bank balance and weep just a little bit.
Jonah’s an agent, one of the big time ones, works for the same agency that guys like Hardy and Gosling are signed to, you know, the kind of guys all the women in your life secretly wish you were. His agency seems to think that my image and charisma would make for a very marketable star name and, according to Jonah my “acting is clearly top notch given how often you trick people into trusting you”. I think he meant that to be a compliment when he said it.
Jonah Marlowe: Just think of the lifestyle, all the women-
Trace Demon: I’m seeing someone, kid and all.
Jonah Marlowe: Then the parties-
Trace Demon: I’m a recovering alcoholic.
Jonah Marlowe: The drugs?
Trace Demon: I’m also a recovering addict.
He’s struggling, bless the poor bastard, but he tries not to show it. He’s used to people eating out of the palm of his hands, that much I can tell. Young, confident and handsome if you’re thing is what if Bieber grew up and wasn’t a complete and utter dick. Still, he tries too hard and when you’re talking to someone who has to deal with people’s bullsh*t on a daily basis his desperation is particularly grating.
Jonah Marlowe: You don’t need the money, that’s cool man, let’s talk your language. Publicity. You’ve already got serious buzz with every studio going, they all heard you were meeting with us and they were on the phone wanting you to play every crazy character under the sun. You name it, we can do it. Mad Max sequel, they want you for some painted up, monster truck driving psycho. Star Wars eight or whatever they’re on now, they want to dress you in a cloak, keep the hair and let you cut down some tiny bears. You know the new Harry Potter, well, probably not, it’s not big news yet, but they want you for-
Trace Demon: I get it, what I don’t get is your point. How does any of that help me?
Jonah Marlowe: Like I was saying. Publicity, you get in on all this and your face is everywhere! Couple big films a year and everyone will be showing up to your whole wrestling thing just to get a glimpse of you. Attendance goes through the roof, you get more money in your pocket-
Trace Demon: It isn’t about money, for f-
Jonah Marlowe: Hey Kara!
He rushes off before he lets me finish which, given the nature of what I was about to say, is probably for the best. I have to up the pace to keep up as he goes after some redhead straight out of college.
Jonah Marlowe: Kara I got someone I want you to meet.
I recognise the girl from some movie posters stuck up in Emily’s room, just her type from what I can tell. The punky, rebellious looking type who is probably stoned half the time.
Jonah Marlowe: Kara Hayward, meet Trace Demon.
Kara Hayward: Seriously, Trace Demon? What kind of stage name is that?
Trace Demon: It’s not a stage name.
Kara Hayward: Right on.
I dislike her already.
Jonah Marlowe: You might of seen Kara here in-
Trace Demon: I haven’t.
Jonah Marlowe: You don’t even know what I was gonna say.
Trace Demon: It wouldn’t of mattered.
Nothing brings me more joy in life that knocking someone down a couple of pegs, and from the girl’s scowl you can damn sure bet I did that.
Jonah Marlowe: Trace here is gonna be our next big star.
Trace Demon: Like I said, losing battle.
Jonah Marlowe: Oh come on! Look at him Kara, seriously look at that. The hair, that freaky murderers glare, the whole post-grunge look! Just look at the guy and tell me he’s not made for the movies.
This isn’t exactly my idea of comfortable. Attention has never been my thing. In the ring sure, I want to be the main event, I want to be the star, I want everybody’s eyes on me because that means I’m the best there is. But out of the ring, day-to-day and all, I don’t want people getting into my life, I don’t want cameras following me about, I don’t want people writing about my life, not more than they already do anyway.
Kara Hayward: I can see it.
Trace Demon: It’s a shame I’ve got no interest then isn’t it.
Jonah Marlowe: What is wrong with you? I’m offering you the world on a silver platter here! Kara, do me a favour and take this idiot out and show him exactly what he’s missing out on would you? Explain to him what a bad decision he’s making.
Trace Demon: Don’t waste your time, it really isn’t-
Kara Hayward: Here.
She scribbles down some details on a piece of paper, a time and a place.
Kara Hayward: My agent is throwing this big mixer in a couple of days time, I’ll get you on the guest list. You come along and I promise you you won’t be turning down the offer by the end of the night.
Jonah can obviously still see the lack of interest in my expression because his increasingly needy tone is getting ever-more desperate.
Jonah Marlowe: Come on, think about it, what harm is there in tagging along? If you’re not gonna listen to me find someone who’s opinion you trust, anyone, and they’ll tell you exactly what you’re missing out on.
Well, there is someone I’ve been meaning to drop in on, and this is right up his alley…
< *** >
Championship Connections
11th July 2015
Trace Demon: I was expecting it to be bigger.
I gander around at the office, surprised at how unassuming and quite frankly unimpressive it is.
Trace Demon: My office is bigger.
Josh Dean: Are you here to compare size or are you going to tell me what you’re doing booking an appointment with my company? Mary said you wanted to talk about a film deal or something?
Trace Demon: Yeah, speaking of your receptionist, that’s Penny new piece right?
Josh Dean: They’re hanging out. Whoa hold on, since when do you go around the water cooler?
Trace Demon: I keep tabs on things. All you guys talk a lot of s**t backstage and on the road, well the crew do as well, and everything eventually gets back to the top whether I care or not.
He’s looking at me like I’ve just told him I’m nineteen eighty fouring the entire roster, as if I care enough about their personal lives to give a damn.
Trace Demon: Anyway, down to business. A particularly high brand talent agency have made me an offer.
Josh Dean: I know.
Trace Demon: You know?
Josh Dean: It’s all over the web, if I were a betting man I’d put my money on the agency leaking the news. It's an old insider trick, but a smart play if you ask me. You’re playing hardball with them, so they show you a sample of the press you'd get.
Trace Demon: I don’t like people trying to play me.
Josh Dean: I don't believe they're playing you, but you're stepping onto their turf. You can’t go and get violent with a load of talent agents, because they'll ruin any crossover appeal you might have.
I sit down opposite him and throw my feet up on top of his desk, a simple power play. It gets the required reaction as he bats the feet off, looking agitated.
Trace Demon: Come on then big shot talent man, give me some of that world class insight of yours. You think I should take the offer and go off and make movies.
Josh Dean: I personally don't care what you do. If you do change careers, I don’t have to see that mug of yours in person anymore. That said, in action films fight scenes are designed with no contact and producers won't take kindly to cheap shots. So if you weren't already made aware, your usual antics aren't going to fly. I doubt that works for you because you're not satisfied unless you can hurt someone.
Trace Demon: If I could do you think I’d be sitting here? No, I’d be taking up every film role going that involves a fight scene with all those wannabe action stars. Except for Chuck Norris, because I’m not a total idiot.
This is where most people would drop a Chuck Norris fact, but this is 2015 and I’m not 10.
Josh Dean: Let’s lay it out, cards on the table. You’re worth what, millions?
Trace Demon: And increasing every day.
Josh Dean: So money isn’t an issue. You’ve got a house, a family, the WFWF, so it’s not like you need something stable. Not that Hollywood is stable in the first place, but that's beside the point. I know it can't be the lifestyle because you’re a recovering alcoholic and addict. There’s nothing you need out of this agency, so the only reason to actually do it would be if you wanted to do it. But it's pretty clear you don’t.
Trace Demon: You’re actually pretty good at this.
Josh Dean: What, you thought that bit about Dave's suspension was a fluke?
I offer a little round of applause for the man. He tries not to look impressed but I can just tell that beneath that glare and the stony exterior that he appreciates my appreciation. After all it’s not every day you get called competent by a king.
Josh Dean: Cut the bullsh*t.
I cut my round of applause short. Guess some people just can’t handle adoration like those that really deserve it.
Josh Dean: Listen, I know you don’t give a sh*t about this film deal because there's too many things tying your hands to accept. I played along because I thought at some point you’d realize I'm not stupid and skip the circus act. I don’t like being in the same confined space with, you so tell me what you want and stop wasting my f*cking time.
It’s a talent to get under peoples skin. People might think that it’s a passive effect of my abrasiveness but in truth it is often purposeful. You cut through things a lot quicker this way, see people for who they really are, see the worst in them. You’ve got to know the dark side of a person before you can ever truly know who they are.
Trace Demon: Alright Josh, you got me. This was… let’s call it an olive branch. A display of humility from me to you, to show that I respect you for whatever it is you do here, and I respect you as a man. I want you to know that all those fears you’ve got about me and Nikki, all those little paranoid visions of me breaking your girls back over my knee, they’re just that, paranoia. I’ve got no interest in hurting your precious wife.
Josh Dean: Right...you really expect me to believe that just because you waltz in here and say she’s safe?
Trace Demon: Pretty much, my word is my bond and all that s**t.
Josh Dean: Well excuse me if I have a hard time believing pathological liars, Trace. I know you only say what benefits you. Now I don’t know exactly what you’re getting out of this whole tag tournament because the tag titles aren't your deal, but whatever it is I will not have it effecting Nikki. She’s just come back from injury and got her career back to where it was. I will not let you derail that.
Trace Demon: Josh, let’s make something perfectly clear. If I wanted to hurt Nikki, for any reason, I’d do it and you wouldn’t be able to stop me.
I smile, lean back in the chair casually.
Trace Demon: But I don’t. I was put in this tournament so I want to win this tournament and to do that I’ve got to work with Nikki and she’s got to stay in tip top shape. I like her, I honestly do, she’s all about family and winning, that’s something I can very much relate to. She’s got spirit, she’s a fighter, she came back from an injury and whipped Ante Whitner like the b***h that he is. I like the girl and I respect her and, unless she crosses me, I won’t cross her. Now I’ve said my bit, I’ll leave you in peace. Say hi to Penny for me.
He stays quiet until I make it to the door.
Josh Dean: I don’t know what you’ve got up your sleeve Trace. But since we're making things perfectly clear, if you hurt Nikki, I'll hurt you.
No, no you don’t Josh. And no, I assure you you won’t.
< *** >
Opera Nightclub; Los Angeles
12th July 2015
For the record, this was not my idea:
Not my idea at all.
The place is nice, in a gaudy nightclub kind of way. Large chandeliers hover over a sunken dance floor. Unlike most places it seems pretty simple to move around the booths to get to the bar, but I make sure to avoid that at all costs. The stink of alcohol is rife in this place and it’s taking most of my willpower not to grab the first whiskey I see on the menu. The clientele is exactly what you’d expect in here, a lot of young, impressionable girls with dreams of being actresses and a lot of old men with the power to exploit them.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game. But also stab the player in the eye for being such a disgusting old dick about it.
Kara Hayward: Hey, demon dude, over here!
Demon dude? Really? What is it with today’s crowd and trying to sound cool, it’s like clichés just spew forth like they f*****g belong.
Kara Hayward: Gotta be honest, did not expect you to show up. Drink?
Trace Demon: Not for me.
Kara Hayward: What about a party favour?
She offers me a white tab as she leads me over towards a private booth in the corner of the room, surprisingly empty. I was expecting her to have some mob of hangers-on trying to leech off her fame. Maybe she does, maybe she’s smart enough to have kicked them out into the wilds of the drunken dance floor. Who knows? Who really cares?
Trace Demon: Again, I’ll pass.
Kara Hayward: You’re loss.
She drops the tab herself and we make camp in the booth, and I can see now why she’s away from the action. Over here nobody can see her, she can be seen only when she wants to, illusiveness is the key to maintaining a marketable image, only let them see what you want them to. Josh was right, I didn’t go to see him because I needed help with business because I’m a veritable genius at this stuff. How else do you think my antics remain hidden despite my name value?
Trace Demon: Look I don’t actually care about any of this, the only reason I turned up is because my sister would moan me to death if I didn’t get your autograph, so just sign this and I can get out of here.
I slide a sharpie and a piece of paper across the table and, to her credit, she signs without fuss. Then she slides the paper into her bag.
Kara Hayward: You get this back at the end of the night. Prove you’re the big evil demon the internet says you are.
Trace Demon: The internet?
Kara Hayward: I googled you.
Trace Demon: You googled me?
Kara Hayward: Of course I did, guy like you, hair like that, the agency sniffing all over you, I was curious. So I googled you. Got to say, didn’t expect a guy like you to own so much.
Trace Demon: I always made good money with the WFWF, after I quit drinking and the drugs I wasn’t doing much with it so I figured I may as well invest it.
Kara Hayward: The WFWF, right, so you must work with Jayson Garrett right?
I perk up, interested in what this vapid excuse for a human being has to say for the first time.
Trace Demon: Work with, kick the s**t out of, whatever you want to call it. How do you know Garrett?
Kara Hayward: Hollywood man, everyone knows everyone else’s business round here. Can’t say anyone was all that surprised when he ducked out and started wrestling of all things. He was always weird, and the ego on the guy. F*****g hell did he think highly of himself. Truth is most of us don’t know how he ever got any roles. Rumour was he was bending over the table for some producer.
I try not to judge what people do to get ahead, but giving up your ass for a job is way over the line of respectability for me. Not to say he actually did it, I wouldn’t want to go being accused of slander now.
Kara Hayward: Anyway, glad he’s your problem now. He always did fancy himself an action hero, just a shame nobody else thought the same.
She laughs at her own joke, if you could call it that, the tab taking hold of the little bit of sensibility she has left.
Kara Hayward: Now, let’s get shots!
< *** >
Opera Nightclub; Los Angeles
13th July 2015
A Little (Or a Lot) After Midnight
It takes me some time to get away from Kara and her drunkenness, but no sooner did I do that than I got pulled in by one of Jonah’s underlings, clearly sent there to make sure I was having a good time. He was even harder to ditch, but ditch him I did, escaping the club out into the Los Angeles night. I made sure to park a miles walk away just so I wouldn’t be able to drive in the event that my resolve was weaker than my cravings. It wasn’t, and I remain as sober as when I turned up, if not a little stupider thanks to the company I just had to keep.
As I walk past the alleyway by the side of the club I hear the very familiar sound of vomiting, which brings back more than it’s fair share of bad memories. I’m not surprised in the slightest by who I find down there.
Kara Hayward: Trace! You came back!
She’s a mess, an embarrassment to herself, an embarrassment to me given that people have actually seen me with her. I should have empathy, I’ve been here more than a few times, but that was when I was struggling, when I had nothing but the drugs, she’s famous, she’s got everything she could want and here she is, a f*****g embarrassment. If you have talent then you use it, you don’t just drift through life only showing up when you want. You use that talent and you fight every single time even if it’s hard.
Trace Demon: Come here.
I grab her by the arm and drag her up onto her feet. I can’t bear to look at her down there.
Trace Demon: Where’s your ride?
She drunkenly points off down the alley towards the front of the club and I drag her in that direction. The driver must see us coming because the car door opens up before we get there. This guy looks as embarrassed as I feel just to be associated with her, opening the back door for us and then immediately getting back in the front, not wanting to be a part of this any more than he has to.
Kara Hayward: You’re a good guy, you know that?
Trace Demon: I’m not, but I’m better than you.
Kara Hayward: Ooh, snarky too. I like you.
She pulls me in, trying to kiss me, and I immediately push her away but not quick enough to avoid the smell of vomit on her breath. She falls into the car door and then half inside the back of it. I grab her and push her all the way inside. I reach into her bag and pull out the signature that I was promised earlier.
Trace Demon: I’ll take this as payment for my good deed.
I slam the door shut and tap the car on the hood, the driving taking that as his signal to head off. She’s his problem now. I can’t help but wonder who the f**k would want to be part of this life, this hollow pathetic existence? It’s all well and good being able to say you’re rich and famous and you’re in the movies but what good is that if you can’t look at yourself in the mirror in the morning? One things for certain, I don’t want any part of Hollywood.
It just breeds losers.
< *** >
?
14th July 2015
You ever talk to yourself when you’re on your own? Not that regular sh*t where you’re just having a conversation with yourself, I’m talking completely distinct voices, all your own, going at it at the same time, as if your thoughts are running wild with yourself. I do. A lot.
He’s doing it again, he’s talking to himself when nobody is listening.
Why do we do that? This is weird as hell already. Why are we even here?
I stand outside, leaning against the car, a far enough distance away from the house so that I won’t be seen. I’ve even got a cap on to hide the hair just in case, red is a very noticeable colour even from a distance. I know I shouldn’t be here, I know this is going to open up a lot of awkward questions that I don’t want to answer, but I couldn’t resist making a quick stop on the way to the airport. Even if that stop is considerably out the way. It’s only fuel right? What’s an extra hundred dollars of fuel matter to a millionaire?
I don’t know man; this feels a whole lot like stalking. We’re not about to break and enter are we? We swore no more home invasions.
Nah he’s staying put, definitely just some minor stalking. Think he’s got a thing for this girl.
You’re way off, our boy’s only got eyes for Alexa. He’s ploting.
It’s hard to describe how my mind works, because there are so few people capable of comprehending it. I’m always thinking, always planning, always running through the possibilities of what’s about to go down, but you can’t do that on your own, you need someone to bounce ideas off, someone you can trust. Turns out that someone is myself but sometimes, most of the time, my mind gets away with itself, runs wild, has a voice all of it’s own. More than one in fact. I’d like to say this was their idea, but they don’t control anything, they’re just my subconscious, this was all on me.
I’ll give him credit, he got lucky on this one, plenty of room for manipulation, just don’t see why we’re out here jeopardizing the whole thing. We’ve got a good thing going, a stone-clad insurance policy, we shouldn’t risk that.
Couldn’t help himself could he, he was drawn here. He’s seeing too many strings to pull, too many toys to play with. We’ve got to reign it in, can’t rush this if we want to run it right.
There’s always opportunities if you look properly, and I’m not talking malicious here. If you want to be a winner you’ve got to do what it takes to win, you can’t just rely on natural talent, not when everybody else is using whatever trick they can find. So I plan and I prepare, I find openings to exploit and then if I need them, if natural talent alone isn’t enough, I use those openings. And this, this is an opening.
She’s not going to be easy to crack, she’s a fighter.
Don’t need to crack her, just use her to crack the rest.
I don’t want to manipulate them, I really don’t, I’d rather this see out it’s course naturally and then I’ll just move on to the next thing. But it’s too good, it’s too easy, they’re rising again and they’re still united, well, as united as you can be given the circumstances. I need ammunition just in case, and this is perfect, this is everything you could ask for in a smoking gun.
You think he’ll have to break her? Finish off what everyone knows that injury started?
If he has to, he will. She’s nothing special, not really. Family or not, she’s just like the rest. An outsider. She’s not our family.
I don’t always like the things I do, but sometimes they have to be done, and as I enter the car and drive off past the home of Josh and Nikki Dean I know one thing.
If the opportunity presents itself, I’ll make sure there’s no salvation to be had.
< *** >
There’s a lot of people out there questioning exactly what glue is keeping the teams of Trace Demon and Nikki Dean and Hollywood Unhinged together. What is the common denominator that keeps these teams together when they could oh so easily disintegrate and tear each other apart? But really the answers are obvious, so clearly staring you in the face. For myself and Nikki it’s family, it’s fight, it’s being willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people you care about. For myself and Nikki the glue holding us together is respect and a mutual desire to win. But for Hollywood Unhinged the answer is much more… pathetic.
Yes, Hollywood Unhinged. There’s nothing 2.0 about them given that Diamond Jack Sabbath is just a pallet swapped Chase Landon given both of their penchants for being non-factors in their matches. Think about it, Chase Landon spent the better part of a lengthy title reign not being bothered enough to show up, compare that to last week when Jack Sabbath basically didn’t bother to show up either, that’s how much of a contribution he made to getting them through that triple threat qualifier. But, you didn’t come here to listen to me tell you something you already know, you came here to know why Jayson Garrett and Jack Sabbath belong together, why they make such a perfect team, why they’d be lost together.
Simply put, they’re both actors. They’re both two regular, everyday men acting at being wrestlers. They’re two nobodies acting as if they’re something more. Jayson Garrett likes to claim he comes from Hollywood, he’s from the movies! But tell me Jayson, why is it that you came from a career that you claim to be made for and set up shop in the WFWF? Is it because you realized that you’re acting ambitions were a lost cause? That you’re simply not good enough? I think it is, I think that’s exactly why you high tailed it out of there and came here because you thought, with all your Z-list talent, that you could act as if you had any kind of semblance of wrestling ability. But aside from being known as one of the worst WFWF Tag Team Champions of all time all you’ve managed to do is prove that this is another industry that you don’t belong in.
Then we’ve got Jack Sabbath. I’ve got a lot of history with you Jack, we had more than our fair share of run ins over in the XWA before I went and bought that company as well and made you my b*tch. But see the one thing I realized, the one thing I know about you that nobody else seems to recognise, is that you’re not this crazy, demented psycho you paint yourself as. You’re just a man, a man with delusions of grandeur and a serious narcissism complex that you haven’t come close to earning. You’re just like your partner, you’re just a man acting, pretending to be something that will garner attention because you know the regular Jack Sabbath just isn’t all that interesting. You know that if you were yourself people wouldn’t give a s**t about Jack Sabbath, they’d drop you like they’ve dropped every next big thing in history.
I get the feeling they’ve dropped you both already, because let’s be honest here what have you really done but win the battle of losers to get this far? You couldn’t hang with the deserving semi-finalists so you had to prove you’re the best of a sh*t lot. Shame really. See, the glue that holds you together is that you’re both actors pretending to be far more than you really are, but the thing about actors is that they’re exactly that. When an action hero finishes filming he doesn’t go and blow up some cars and save some lives. He goes home, probably gets drunk and f*cks some whore that he picked up down the boulevard. The roles they play are not who they are, behind closed doors they’re just the same as everyone else, just people, just average joe’s with no real discernible talent. If an action hero came up against a marine I know who I’d bet my money on. If Robert Englund met a serial killer I know who’d be leaving in a body bag. When Jayson Garrett and Diamond Jack Sabbath meet two real wrestlers in Trace Demon and Nikki Dean you know what’s gonna happen?
You’re façade will be torn apart and you’ll be shown up for what you really are.
Nobodies.
Losers.
Actors pretending to be real wrestlers.
When actors meet the real thing there’s no contest. When you meet us there’s no contest.
It’s time to show these wannabes a thing or two about what it really takes to win.
A Trace Demon Roleplay
Twentieth Century Fox; Los Angeles Film Lot
10th July 2015
Trace Demon: I’ve got to warn you you’re fighting a losing battle here.
Jonah Marlowe: C’mon man, just let me show you about the place, this could be a really big for you.
I’m on location at some film shoot, not sure exactly which one. The studio sent me out all the details but I didn’t pay too much attention to them, wouldn’t be here at all if the WFWF’s marketing department didn’t sweet talk me into it. They think it’ll be good for publicity if the owner is spotted with Hollywood big wigs. “You don’t even have to do anything, just be seen and we’ll get everyone talking”. By everyone they mean gossip rags, TMZ, that kind of s**t. None of this is my style and there’s nothing Jonah can say that’ll convince me otherwise. But still, publicity means more eyes and more eyes mean more money, and I’m a businessman after all.
Trace Demon: I’m not interested in this whole thing, it’s not offering me anything I don’t already have.
Jonah Marlowe: Come on, you don’t want to make movie star money?
Trace Demon: I already make Trace Demon money, there’s not a movie star in the world who wouldn’t look at my bank balance and weep just a little bit.
Jonah’s an agent, one of the big time ones, works for the same agency that guys like Hardy and Gosling are signed to, you know, the kind of guys all the women in your life secretly wish you were. His agency seems to think that my image and charisma would make for a very marketable star name and, according to Jonah my “acting is clearly top notch given how often you trick people into trusting you”. I think he meant that to be a compliment when he said it.
Jonah Marlowe: Just think of the lifestyle, all the women-
Trace Demon: I’m seeing someone, kid and all.
Jonah Marlowe: Then the parties-
Trace Demon: I’m a recovering alcoholic.
Jonah Marlowe: The drugs?
Trace Demon: I’m also a recovering addict.
He’s struggling, bless the poor bastard, but he tries not to show it. He’s used to people eating out of the palm of his hands, that much I can tell. Young, confident and handsome if you’re thing is what if Bieber grew up and wasn’t a complete and utter dick. Still, he tries too hard and when you’re talking to someone who has to deal with people’s bullsh*t on a daily basis his desperation is particularly grating.
Jonah Marlowe: You don’t need the money, that’s cool man, let’s talk your language. Publicity. You’ve already got serious buzz with every studio going, they all heard you were meeting with us and they were on the phone wanting you to play every crazy character under the sun. You name it, we can do it. Mad Max sequel, they want you for some painted up, monster truck driving psycho. Star Wars eight or whatever they’re on now, they want to dress you in a cloak, keep the hair and let you cut down some tiny bears. You know the new Harry Potter, well, probably not, it’s not big news yet, but they want you for-
Trace Demon: I get it, what I don’t get is your point. How does any of that help me?
Jonah Marlowe: Like I was saying. Publicity, you get in on all this and your face is everywhere! Couple big films a year and everyone will be showing up to your whole wrestling thing just to get a glimpse of you. Attendance goes through the roof, you get more money in your pocket-
Trace Demon: It isn’t about money, for f-
Jonah Marlowe: Hey Kara!
He rushes off before he lets me finish which, given the nature of what I was about to say, is probably for the best. I have to up the pace to keep up as he goes after some redhead straight out of college.
Jonah Marlowe: Kara I got someone I want you to meet.
I recognise the girl from some movie posters stuck up in Emily’s room, just her type from what I can tell. The punky, rebellious looking type who is probably stoned half the time.
Jonah Marlowe: Kara Hayward, meet Trace Demon.
Kara Hayward: Seriously, Trace Demon? What kind of stage name is that?
Trace Demon: It’s not a stage name.
Kara Hayward: Right on.
I dislike her already.
Jonah Marlowe: You might of seen Kara here in-
Trace Demon: I haven’t.
Jonah Marlowe: You don’t even know what I was gonna say.
Trace Demon: It wouldn’t of mattered.
Nothing brings me more joy in life that knocking someone down a couple of pegs, and from the girl’s scowl you can damn sure bet I did that.
Jonah Marlowe: Trace here is gonna be our next big star.
Trace Demon: Like I said, losing battle.
Jonah Marlowe: Oh come on! Look at him Kara, seriously look at that. The hair, that freaky murderers glare, the whole post-grunge look! Just look at the guy and tell me he’s not made for the movies.
This isn’t exactly my idea of comfortable. Attention has never been my thing. In the ring sure, I want to be the main event, I want to be the star, I want everybody’s eyes on me because that means I’m the best there is. But out of the ring, day-to-day and all, I don’t want people getting into my life, I don’t want cameras following me about, I don’t want people writing about my life, not more than they already do anyway.
Kara Hayward: I can see it.
Trace Demon: It’s a shame I’ve got no interest then isn’t it.
Jonah Marlowe: What is wrong with you? I’m offering you the world on a silver platter here! Kara, do me a favour and take this idiot out and show him exactly what he’s missing out on would you? Explain to him what a bad decision he’s making.
Trace Demon: Don’t waste your time, it really isn’t-
Kara Hayward: Here.
She scribbles down some details on a piece of paper, a time and a place.
Kara Hayward: My agent is throwing this big mixer in a couple of days time, I’ll get you on the guest list. You come along and I promise you you won’t be turning down the offer by the end of the night.
Jonah can obviously still see the lack of interest in my expression because his increasingly needy tone is getting ever-more desperate.
Jonah Marlowe: Come on, think about it, what harm is there in tagging along? If you’re not gonna listen to me find someone who’s opinion you trust, anyone, and they’ll tell you exactly what you’re missing out on.
Well, there is someone I’ve been meaning to drop in on, and this is right up his alley…
< *** >
Championship Connections
11th July 2015
Trace Demon: I was expecting it to be bigger.
I gander around at the office, surprised at how unassuming and quite frankly unimpressive it is.
Trace Demon: My office is bigger.
Josh Dean: Are you here to compare size or are you going to tell me what you’re doing booking an appointment with my company? Mary said you wanted to talk about a film deal or something?
Trace Demon: Yeah, speaking of your receptionist, that’s Penny new piece right?
Josh Dean: They’re hanging out. Whoa hold on, since when do you go around the water cooler?
Trace Demon: I keep tabs on things. All you guys talk a lot of s**t backstage and on the road, well the crew do as well, and everything eventually gets back to the top whether I care or not.
He’s looking at me like I’ve just told him I’m nineteen eighty fouring the entire roster, as if I care enough about their personal lives to give a damn.
Trace Demon: Anyway, down to business. A particularly high brand talent agency have made me an offer.
Josh Dean: I know.
Trace Demon: You know?
Josh Dean: It’s all over the web, if I were a betting man I’d put my money on the agency leaking the news. It's an old insider trick, but a smart play if you ask me. You’re playing hardball with them, so they show you a sample of the press you'd get.
Trace Demon: I don’t like people trying to play me.
Josh Dean: I don't believe they're playing you, but you're stepping onto their turf. You can’t go and get violent with a load of talent agents, because they'll ruin any crossover appeal you might have.
I sit down opposite him and throw my feet up on top of his desk, a simple power play. It gets the required reaction as he bats the feet off, looking agitated.
Trace Demon: Come on then big shot talent man, give me some of that world class insight of yours. You think I should take the offer and go off and make movies.
Josh Dean: I personally don't care what you do. If you do change careers, I don’t have to see that mug of yours in person anymore. That said, in action films fight scenes are designed with no contact and producers won't take kindly to cheap shots. So if you weren't already made aware, your usual antics aren't going to fly. I doubt that works for you because you're not satisfied unless you can hurt someone.
Trace Demon: If I could do you think I’d be sitting here? No, I’d be taking up every film role going that involves a fight scene with all those wannabe action stars. Except for Chuck Norris, because I’m not a total idiot.
This is where most people would drop a Chuck Norris fact, but this is 2015 and I’m not 10.
Josh Dean: Let’s lay it out, cards on the table. You’re worth what, millions?
Trace Demon: And increasing every day.
Josh Dean: So money isn’t an issue. You’ve got a house, a family, the WFWF, so it’s not like you need something stable. Not that Hollywood is stable in the first place, but that's beside the point. I know it can't be the lifestyle because you’re a recovering alcoholic and addict. There’s nothing you need out of this agency, so the only reason to actually do it would be if you wanted to do it. But it's pretty clear you don’t.
Trace Demon: You’re actually pretty good at this.
Josh Dean: What, you thought that bit about Dave's suspension was a fluke?
I offer a little round of applause for the man. He tries not to look impressed but I can just tell that beneath that glare and the stony exterior that he appreciates my appreciation. After all it’s not every day you get called competent by a king.
Josh Dean: Cut the bullsh*t.
I cut my round of applause short. Guess some people just can’t handle adoration like those that really deserve it.
Josh Dean: Listen, I know you don’t give a sh*t about this film deal because there's too many things tying your hands to accept. I played along because I thought at some point you’d realize I'm not stupid and skip the circus act. I don’t like being in the same confined space with, you so tell me what you want and stop wasting my f*cking time.
It’s a talent to get under peoples skin. People might think that it’s a passive effect of my abrasiveness but in truth it is often purposeful. You cut through things a lot quicker this way, see people for who they really are, see the worst in them. You’ve got to know the dark side of a person before you can ever truly know who they are.
Trace Demon: Alright Josh, you got me. This was… let’s call it an olive branch. A display of humility from me to you, to show that I respect you for whatever it is you do here, and I respect you as a man. I want you to know that all those fears you’ve got about me and Nikki, all those little paranoid visions of me breaking your girls back over my knee, they’re just that, paranoia. I’ve got no interest in hurting your precious wife.
Josh Dean: Right...you really expect me to believe that just because you waltz in here and say she’s safe?
Trace Demon: Pretty much, my word is my bond and all that s**t.
Josh Dean: Well excuse me if I have a hard time believing pathological liars, Trace. I know you only say what benefits you. Now I don’t know exactly what you’re getting out of this whole tag tournament because the tag titles aren't your deal, but whatever it is I will not have it effecting Nikki. She’s just come back from injury and got her career back to where it was. I will not let you derail that.
Trace Demon: Josh, let’s make something perfectly clear. If I wanted to hurt Nikki, for any reason, I’d do it and you wouldn’t be able to stop me.
I smile, lean back in the chair casually.
Trace Demon: But I don’t. I was put in this tournament so I want to win this tournament and to do that I’ve got to work with Nikki and she’s got to stay in tip top shape. I like her, I honestly do, she’s all about family and winning, that’s something I can very much relate to. She’s got spirit, she’s a fighter, she came back from an injury and whipped Ante Whitner like the b***h that he is. I like the girl and I respect her and, unless she crosses me, I won’t cross her. Now I’ve said my bit, I’ll leave you in peace. Say hi to Penny for me.
He stays quiet until I make it to the door.
Josh Dean: I don’t know what you’ve got up your sleeve Trace. But since we're making things perfectly clear, if you hurt Nikki, I'll hurt you.
No, no you don’t Josh. And no, I assure you you won’t.
< *** >
Opera Nightclub; Los Angeles
12th July 2015
For the record, this was not my idea:
Twenty Four Hours Earlier
Emily Hall: I cannot believe you met Kara Hayward! And she invited you to an actual Hollywood party! That is so cool!
Caitlyn Lucia: Who knew you were actually cool old man.
Trace Demon: One, I’m only twenty eight, and two, it doesn’t matter because I’m not going.
Emily Hall: Oh you’re going.
Trace Demon: No, I’m really not.
Emily Hall: If you don’t go to this party and at least get me an autograph or a photo then I will never ever forgive you.
Caitlyn Lucia: She’ll be moodier than usual.
Emily Hall: So much moodier.
Caitlyn Lucia: Do you really need that?
Emily Hall: Like really?
Caitlyn Lucia: Really?
Both: Really?
Trace Demon: I hate you both so much right now.
Emily Hall: I cannot believe you met Kara Hayward! And she invited you to an actual Hollywood party! That is so cool!
Caitlyn Lucia: Who knew you were actually cool old man.
Trace Demon: One, I’m only twenty eight, and two, it doesn’t matter because I’m not going.
Emily Hall: Oh you’re going.
Trace Demon: No, I’m really not.
Emily Hall: If you don’t go to this party and at least get me an autograph or a photo then I will never ever forgive you.
Caitlyn Lucia: She’ll be moodier than usual.
Emily Hall: So much moodier.
Caitlyn Lucia: Do you really need that?
Emily Hall: Like really?
Caitlyn Lucia: Really?
Both: Really?
Trace Demon: I hate you both so much right now.
Not my idea at all.
The place is nice, in a gaudy nightclub kind of way. Large chandeliers hover over a sunken dance floor. Unlike most places it seems pretty simple to move around the booths to get to the bar, but I make sure to avoid that at all costs. The stink of alcohol is rife in this place and it’s taking most of my willpower not to grab the first whiskey I see on the menu. The clientele is exactly what you’d expect in here, a lot of young, impressionable girls with dreams of being actresses and a lot of old men with the power to exploit them.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game. But also stab the player in the eye for being such a disgusting old dick about it.
Kara Hayward: Hey, demon dude, over here!
Demon dude? Really? What is it with today’s crowd and trying to sound cool, it’s like clichés just spew forth like they f*****g belong.
Kara Hayward: Gotta be honest, did not expect you to show up. Drink?
Trace Demon: Not for me.
Kara Hayward: What about a party favour?
She offers me a white tab as she leads me over towards a private booth in the corner of the room, surprisingly empty. I was expecting her to have some mob of hangers-on trying to leech off her fame. Maybe she does, maybe she’s smart enough to have kicked them out into the wilds of the drunken dance floor. Who knows? Who really cares?
Trace Demon: Again, I’ll pass.
Kara Hayward: You’re loss.
She drops the tab herself and we make camp in the booth, and I can see now why she’s away from the action. Over here nobody can see her, she can be seen only when she wants to, illusiveness is the key to maintaining a marketable image, only let them see what you want them to. Josh was right, I didn’t go to see him because I needed help with business because I’m a veritable genius at this stuff. How else do you think my antics remain hidden despite my name value?
Trace Demon: Look I don’t actually care about any of this, the only reason I turned up is because my sister would moan me to death if I didn’t get your autograph, so just sign this and I can get out of here.
I slide a sharpie and a piece of paper across the table and, to her credit, she signs without fuss. Then she slides the paper into her bag.
Kara Hayward: You get this back at the end of the night. Prove you’re the big evil demon the internet says you are.
Trace Demon: The internet?
Kara Hayward: I googled you.
Trace Demon: You googled me?
Kara Hayward: Of course I did, guy like you, hair like that, the agency sniffing all over you, I was curious. So I googled you. Got to say, didn’t expect a guy like you to own so much.
Trace Demon: I always made good money with the WFWF, after I quit drinking and the drugs I wasn’t doing much with it so I figured I may as well invest it.
Kara Hayward: The WFWF, right, so you must work with Jayson Garrett right?
I perk up, interested in what this vapid excuse for a human being has to say for the first time.
Trace Demon: Work with, kick the s**t out of, whatever you want to call it. How do you know Garrett?
Kara Hayward: Hollywood man, everyone knows everyone else’s business round here. Can’t say anyone was all that surprised when he ducked out and started wrestling of all things. He was always weird, and the ego on the guy. F*****g hell did he think highly of himself. Truth is most of us don’t know how he ever got any roles. Rumour was he was bending over the table for some producer.
I try not to judge what people do to get ahead, but giving up your ass for a job is way over the line of respectability for me. Not to say he actually did it, I wouldn’t want to go being accused of slander now.
Kara Hayward: Anyway, glad he’s your problem now. He always did fancy himself an action hero, just a shame nobody else thought the same.
She laughs at her own joke, if you could call it that, the tab taking hold of the little bit of sensibility she has left.
Kara Hayward: Now, let’s get shots!
< *** >
Opera Nightclub; Los Angeles
13th July 2015
A Little (Or a Lot) After Midnight
It takes me some time to get away from Kara and her drunkenness, but no sooner did I do that than I got pulled in by one of Jonah’s underlings, clearly sent there to make sure I was having a good time. He was even harder to ditch, but ditch him I did, escaping the club out into the Los Angeles night. I made sure to park a miles walk away just so I wouldn’t be able to drive in the event that my resolve was weaker than my cravings. It wasn’t, and I remain as sober as when I turned up, if not a little stupider thanks to the company I just had to keep.
As I walk past the alleyway by the side of the club I hear the very familiar sound of vomiting, which brings back more than it’s fair share of bad memories. I’m not surprised in the slightest by who I find down there.
Kara Hayward: Trace! You came back!
She’s a mess, an embarrassment to herself, an embarrassment to me given that people have actually seen me with her. I should have empathy, I’ve been here more than a few times, but that was when I was struggling, when I had nothing but the drugs, she’s famous, she’s got everything she could want and here she is, a f*****g embarrassment. If you have talent then you use it, you don’t just drift through life only showing up when you want. You use that talent and you fight every single time even if it’s hard.
Trace Demon: Come here.
I grab her by the arm and drag her up onto her feet. I can’t bear to look at her down there.
Trace Demon: Where’s your ride?
She drunkenly points off down the alley towards the front of the club and I drag her in that direction. The driver must see us coming because the car door opens up before we get there. This guy looks as embarrassed as I feel just to be associated with her, opening the back door for us and then immediately getting back in the front, not wanting to be a part of this any more than he has to.
Kara Hayward: You’re a good guy, you know that?
Trace Demon: I’m not, but I’m better than you.
Kara Hayward: Ooh, snarky too. I like you.
She pulls me in, trying to kiss me, and I immediately push her away but not quick enough to avoid the smell of vomit on her breath. She falls into the car door and then half inside the back of it. I grab her and push her all the way inside. I reach into her bag and pull out the signature that I was promised earlier.
Trace Demon: I’ll take this as payment for my good deed.
I slam the door shut and tap the car on the hood, the driving taking that as his signal to head off. She’s his problem now. I can’t help but wonder who the f**k would want to be part of this life, this hollow pathetic existence? It’s all well and good being able to say you’re rich and famous and you’re in the movies but what good is that if you can’t look at yourself in the mirror in the morning? One things for certain, I don’t want any part of Hollywood.
It just breeds losers.
< *** >
?
14th July 2015
You ever talk to yourself when you’re on your own? Not that regular sh*t where you’re just having a conversation with yourself, I’m talking completely distinct voices, all your own, going at it at the same time, as if your thoughts are running wild with yourself. I do. A lot.
He’s doing it again, he’s talking to himself when nobody is listening.
Why do we do that? This is weird as hell already. Why are we even here?
I stand outside, leaning against the car, a far enough distance away from the house so that I won’t be seen. I’ve even got a cap on to hide the hair just in case, red is a very noticeable colour even from a distance. I know I shouldn’t be here, I know this is going to open up a lot of awkward questions that I don’t want to answer, but I couldn’t resist making a quick stop on the way to the airport. Even if that stop is considerably out the way. It’s only fuel right? What’s an extra hundred dollars of fuel matter to a millionaire?
I don’t know man; this feels a whole lot like stalking. We’re not about to break and enter are we? We swore no more home invasions.
Nah he’s staying put, definitely just some minor stalking. Think he’s got a thing for this girl.
You’re way off, our boy’s only got eyes for Alexa. He’s ploting.
It’s hard to describe how my mind works, because there are so few people capable of comprehending it. I’m always thinking, always planning, always running through the possibilities of what’s about to go down, but you can’t do that on your own, you need someone to bounce ideas off, someone you can trust. Turns out that someone is myself but sometimes, most of the time, my mind gets away with itself, runs wild, has a voice all of it’s own. More than one in fact. I’d like to say this was their idea, but they don’t control anything, they’re just my subconscious, this was all on me.
I’ll give him credit, he got lucky on this one, plenty of room for manipulation, just don’t see why we’re out here jeopardizing the whole thing. We’ve got a good thing going, a stone-clad insurance policy, we shouldn’t risk that.
Couldn’t help himself could he, he was drawn here. He’s seeing too many strings to pull, too many toys to play with. We’ve got to reign it in, can’t rush this if we want to run it right.
There’s always opportunities if you look properly, and I’m not talking malicious here. If you want to be a winner you’ve got to do what it takes to win, you can’t just rely on natural talent, not when everybody else is using whatever trick they can find. So I plan and I prepare, I find openings to exploit and then if I need them, if natural talent alone isn’t enough, I use those openings. And this, this is an opening.
She’s not going to be easy to crack, she’s a fighter.
Don’t need to crack her, just use her to crack the rest.
I don’t want to manipulate them, I really don’t, I’d rather this see out it’s course naturally and then I’ll just move on to the next thing. But it’s too good, it’s too easy, they’re rising again and they’re still united, well, as united as you can be given the circumstances. I need ammunition just in case, and this is perfect, this is everything you could ask for in a smoking gun.
You think he’ll have to break her? Finish off what everyone knows that injury started?
If he has to, he will. She’s nothing special, not really. Family or not, she’s just like the rest. An outsider. She’s not our family.
I don’t always like the things I do, but sometimes they have to be done, and as I enter the car and drive off past the home of Josh and Nikki Dean I know one thing.
If the opportunity presents itself, I’ll make sure there’s no salvation to be had.
< *** >
There’s a lot of people out there questioning exactly what glue is keeping the teams of Trace Demon and Nikki Dean and Hollywood Unhinged together. What is the common denominator that keeps these teams together when they could oh so easily disintegrate and tear each other apart? But really the answers are obvious, so clearly staring you in the face. For myself and Nikki it’s family, it’s fight, it’s being willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people you care about. For myself and Nikki the glue holding us together is respect and a mutual desire to win. But for Hollywood Unhinged the answer is much more… pathetic.
Yes, Hollywood Unhinged. There’s nothing 2.0 about them given that Diamond Jack Sabbath is just a pallet swapped Chase Landon given both of their penchants for being non-factors in their matches. Think about it, Chase Landon spent the better part of a lengthy title reign not being bothered enough to show up, compare that to last week when Jack Sabbath basically didn’t bother to show up either, that’s how much of a contribution he made to getting them through that triple threat qualifier. But, you didn’t come here to listen to me tell you something you already know, you came here to know why Jayson Garrett and Jack Sabbath belong together, why they make such a perfect team, why they’d be lost together.
Simply put, they’re both actors. They’re both two regular, everyday men acting at being wrestlers. They’re two nobodies acting as if they’re something more. Jayson Garrett likes to claim he comes from Hollywood, he’s from the movies! But tell me Jayson, why is it that you came from a career that you claim to be made for and set up shop in the WFWF? Is it because you realized that you’re acting ambitions were a lost cause? That you’re simply not good enough? I think it is, I think that’s exactly why you high tailed it out of there and came here because you thought, with all your Z-list talent, that you could act as if you had any kind of semblance of wrestling ability. But aside from being known as one of the worst WFWF Tag Team Champions of all time all you’ve managed to do is prove that this is another industry that you don’t belong in.
Then we’ve got Jack Sabbath. I’ve got a lot of history with you Jack, we had more than our fair share of run ins over in the XWA before I went and bought that company as well and made you my b*tch. But see the one thing I realized, the one thing I know about you that nobody else seems to recognise, is that you’re not this crazy, demented psycho you paint yourself as. You’re just a man, a man with delusions of grandeur and a serious narcissism complex that you haven’t come close to earning. You’re just like your partner, you’re just a man acting, pretending to be something that will garner attention because you know the regular Jack Sabbath just isn’t all that interesting. You know that if you were yourself people wouldn’t give a s**t about Jack Sabbath, they’d drop you like they’ve dropped every next big thing in history.
I get the feeling they’ve dropped you both already, because let’s be honest here what have you really done but win the battle of losers to get this far? You couldn’t hang with the deserving semi-finalists so you had to prove you’re the best of a sh*t lot. Shame really. See, the glue that holds you together is that you’re both actors pretending to be far more than you really are, but the thing about actors is that they’re exactly that. When an action hero finishes filming he doesn’t go and blow up some cars and save some lives. He goes home, probably gets drunk and f*cks some whore that he picked up down the boulevard. The roles they play are not who they are, behind closed doors they’re just the same as everyone else, just people, just average joe’s with no real discernible talent. If an action hero came up against a marine I know who I’d bet my money on. If Robert Englund met a serial killer I know who’d be leaving in a body bag. When Jayson Garrett and Diamond Jack Sabbath meet two real wrestlers in Trace Demon and Nikki Dean you know what’s gonna happen?
You’re façade will be torn apart and you’ll be shown up for what you really are.
Nobodies.
Losers.
Actors pretending to be real wrestlers.
When actors meet the real thing there’s no contest. When you meet us there’s no contest.
It’s time to show these wannabes a thing or two about what it really takes to win.
