Post by Alicia "Atomic" Kitsune on Oct 28, 2004 16:04:55 GMT -5
Crashes are heard backstage, and then Ridley storms out from behind the curtain. The crowd reacts noisily; TNT and Latino though are too busy with each other to notice until Ridley’s in the ring and only about a foot away, staring at them both. His gaze draws both of them, and its sheer intensity is enough to not only shut up the superstars but the rest of the arena as well. So when Ridley speaks, although it’s in that same soft and highly dangerous tone that he has when he’s right on the edge, every single person hears his words with perfect clarity.
Ridley: You. FUCK OFF. NOW.
Everyone with more than one braincell knows that you don’t argue with Ridley when he’s like this, and TNT and Latino are gone in less than a second. Ridley says nothing else; he simply turns and faces the titantron, waiting. There’s total silence…until a short, unnerving burst of laughter echoes across the arena. The titantron switches on…..and there’s a sharp, involuntary intake of breath from the crowd.
The shot is of Rose; she’s only half – awake, and the bruising and such from Skurai’s previous attacks are still vividly visible against her white skin. The camera pulls back to reveal Skurai himself, smiling coldly and holding Rose close to him. He runs a hand across her cheek; Rose pulls away, such as she can, and the crowd hisses and boos. Ridley’s expression is still the same, but deep, deep within his pupils the weak filament of his self – control is shaved down just a little more.
Skurai: Ah, Ridley….good to see you again. Isn’t it a delightful evening? Of course, we hardly ever see it, do we? So I thought I’d find somewhere and take in the view.
Skurai gestures with his free hand; the camera swings across slowly, and now everyone can see that the scene is unfolding on top of a high building. In the background, a sign on a stairwell door says, “ACW Property: No Entry”, and the crowd twigs that Skurai is on the arena roof. After doing a circle the camera returns to Skurai, and then the shot cuts back to Ridley in the ring.
Ridley has been silent most of the evening, and now his words are brief, loaded and to the point.
Ridley: Skurai...let her go...right the fuck NOW.
He hasn’t raised his voice once; and if anything this is more frightening than when Ridley’s screaming the place down. Skurai’s smile gets a little wider.
Skurai: Let her go? Exactly what I had in mind, Ridley,
Skurai takes a few steps away from the camera…..and toward the edge of the roof. Skurai glances into space for a moment, and the crowd starts to get worried.
Skurai: Rose will be down in a few moments, Ridley. Won’t that be nice?
The almost childlike choice of words fused with unmitigated malevolence is a horrifying combination, but Ridley doesn’t react. Skurai raises an eyebrow.
Skurai: What’s this? No verbal rape attempt from the Lord of Darkness? No threats to disembowel me and make cocktail savories out of my eyes? Could it be that the all – powerful Ridley left his thesaurus of insults at home today?
Skurai leans in a little closer to the camera.
Skurai: Or…..is it that you realize that you’re powerless to stop me doing whatever I want? Perhaps that beating taught you that I’m simply BETTER?
There’s a gasp from the crowd at Skurai’s bravado. Everyone waits for Ridley to strike back, but…..no. Ridley just stands, seething in silence. Several moments pass, the pair staring at one another even though there’s no direct eye contact….until Skurai’s expression abruptly hardens and darkens.
Skurai: Pah. All right, Ridley. If you don’t want to engage with me…..then there is no point in continuing this.
Skurai steps right to the edge now and holds Rose up in the air. He leans back a touch, about to throw…..
Ridley (very, very quietly):………….all right.
The crowd’s distress makes Ridley’s words almost inaudible, but Skurai hears and pauses, listening, and the crowd silences itself in a heartbeat.
Ridley:......all right....ALL RIGHT, fine...I'll give you whatever you want....just release her.
There’s a long pause…..and then Skurai starts to laugh, quietly at first, then louder. The audience still can’t quite believe that they heard Ridley give ground. Skurai faces the camera, still holding Rose, and his expression is a mix of contempt and triumph.
Skurai: Hehehee…..Oh, Ridley, you have already given me EXACTLY what I want……..ultimate REVENGE.
That one word, “revenge”, tells Ridley all he needs to know – that Skurai has no intention of letting Rose escape with her life. In a millisecond he springboards from the ropes and hits the ground running; he’s out of the arena and heading for the stairs before the camera can even think about tracking him properly.
On the roof, Skurai sees this on the small monitor he has set up to keep an eye on the show, and he laughs again. Rose struggles, but Skurai is far too powerful for her to get away, and he turns to face into the black night, gazing at the ground far below.
Skurai: He won’t make it here in time, my dear. I’m afraid you’ll be flying alone this time…..
Ridley: You. FUCK OFF. NOW.
Everyone with more than one braincell knows that you don’t argue with Ridley when he’s like this, and TNT and Latino are gone in less than a second. Ridley says nothing else; he simply turns and faces the titantron, waiting. There’s total silence…until a short, unnerving burst of laughter echoes across the arena. The titantron switches on…..and there’s a sharp, involuntary intake of breath from the crowd.
The shot is of Rose; she’s only half – awake, and the bruising and such from Skurai’s previous attacks are still vividly visible against her white skin. The camera pulls back to reveal Skurai himself, smiling coldly and holding Rose close to him. He runs a hand across her cheek; Rose pulls away, such as she can, and the crowd hisses and boos. Ridley’s expression is still the same, but deep, deep within his pupils the weak filament of his self – control is shaved down just a little more.
Skurai: Ah, Ridley….good to see you again. Isn’t it a delightful evening? Of course, we hardly ever see it, do we? So I thought I’d find somewhere and take in the view.
Skurai gestures with his free hand; the camera swings across slowly, and now everyone can see that the scene is unfolding on top of a high building. In the background, a sign on a stairwell door says, “ACW Property: No Entry”, and the crowd twigs that Skurai is on the arena roof. After doing a circle the camera returns to Skurai, and then the shot cuts back to Ridley in the ring.
Ridley has been silent most of the evening, and now his words are brief, loaded and to the point.
Ridley: Skurai...let her go...right the fuck NOW.
He hasn’t raised his voice once; and if anything this is more frightening than when Ridley’s screaming the place down. Skurai’s smile gets a little wider.
Skurai: Let her go? Exactly what I had in mind, Ridley,
Skurai takes a few steps away from the camera…..and toward the edge of the roof. Skurai glances into space for a moment, and the crowd starts to get worried.
Skurai: Rose will be down in a few moments, Ridley. Won’t that be nice?
The almost childlike choice of words fused with unmitigated malevolence is a horrifying combination, but Ridley doesn’t react. Skurai raises an eyebrow.
Skurai: What’s this? No verbal rape attempt from the Lord of Darkness? No threats to disembowel me and make cocktail savories out of my eyes? Could it be that the all – powerful Ridley left his thesaurus of insults at home today?
Skurai leans in a little closer to the camera.
Skurai: Or…..is it that you realize that you’re powerless to stop me doing whatever I want? Perhaps that beating taught you that I’m simply BETTER?
There’s a gasp from the crowd at Skurai’s bravado. Everyone waits for Ridley to strike back, but…..no. Ridley just stands, seething in silence. Several moments pass, the pair staring at one another even though there’s no direct eye contact….until Skurai’s expression abruptly hardens and darkens.
Skurai: Pah. All right, Ridley. If you don’t want to engage with me…..then there is no point in continuing this.
Skurai steps right to the edge now and holds Rose up in the air. He leans back a touch, about to throw…..
Ridley (very, very quietly):………….all right.
The crowd’s distress makes Ridley’s words almost inaudible, but Skurai hears and pauses, listening, and the crowd silences itself in a heartbeat.
Ridley:......all right....ALL RIGHT, fine...I'll give you whatever you want....just release her.
There’s a long pause…..and then Skurai starts to laugh, quietly at first, then louder. The audience still can’t quite believe that they heard Ridley give ground. Skurai faces the camera, still holding Rose, and his expression is a mix of contempt and triumph.
Skurai: Hehehee…..Oh, Ridley, you have already given me EXACTLY what I want……..ultimate REVENGE.
That one word, “revenge”, tells Ridley all he needs to know – that Skurai has no intention of letting Rose escape with her life. In a millisecond he springboards from the ropes and hits the ground running; he’s out of the arena and heading for the stairs before the camera can even think about tracking him properly.
On the roof, Skurai sees this on the small monitor he has set up to keep an eye on the show, and he laughs again. Rose struggles, but Skurai is far too powerful for her to get away, and he turns to face into the black night, gazing at the ground far below.
Skurai: He won’t make it here in time, my dear. I’m afraid you’ll be flying alone this time…..