A broken down, battered and punished black limo sat in the parking lot of the arena that was set to hold this week's Warfare extravaganza. One might assume that it had been plucked straight from a junkyard but the vehicle was still in working condition. Mostly. A hubcap rolled off as the brakes screeched and scraped the pavement and brought the automobile to a halt. A large crack was visible in the windshield and a side view mirror hung downwards, wires and such hanging from the compartment. Matt Striker gave a stare towards the ominous contraption that was a few feet away from him. Slowly he began to approach the limousine as one of the windows rolled down and a hand slid it's way out.
| Brian Kendrick | Come inside. It's magical.
The hand motioned for the interviewer to come closer before disappearing back inside. Striker hesitantly complied with this request and he gripped the rusted handle of the door to pull it open. But when he did this the entire frame of the door became unhinged. Striker nearly fell from the surprise of the added weight but hopped backwards the door slammed onto the ground with a thud.
| Brian Kendrick | That is coming straight out of your paycheck.
It was obvious by the dull and lifeless tone of Kendrick's voice that he couldn't care less about the condition of his 'ride'. Striker crept his way inside where he found Brian Kendrick sitting in the middle of the torn leather seats while Tiffany sat on his right. She had her cell phone slid open, texting away with little regard to what was transpiring around her. Kendrick reached forward and took a bottle of champagne from a cup holder of sorts. He poured enough into a glass that it began to overflow before handing it over to The Teacher.
| Brian Kendrick | This calls for a toast.
| Matt Striker | I really shouldn't.
| Brian Kendrick | Drink it.
Matt's reluctance is understandable. If the limo is terrible shape then who knows how the condition of anything inside of it. Still, he drinks. He smiles politely and nervously and raises his glass.
| Matt Striker | Mm.
| Brian Kendrick | Appreciate my hospitality.
Kendrick slumps low in his dimly lit transporter of choice as some strands of hair hang in front of his face. Striker nods in understanding.
| Matt Striker | Noted.
| Brian Kendrick | Now tell me. Who's limo would you rather party in? Mine or Evan Bourne's?
| Matt Striker | Well, I--
The glass is snatched from Striker's grasp and throw forward against the glass that separates the driver from the passengers. Liquid and shards fly about and Striker throws his arms in front of his face to protect himself. Tiffany only looks up momentarily before going back to her urgent texts.
| Matt Striker | Your limo! Your limo. I would rather party in here.
| Brian Kendrick | I bet. Would you like to get down to the task at hand? There's something about you that is really killing the atmosphere.
| Matt Striker | Right, right. Let's get straight to it. You're going to be facing a master of aerial combat, Evan Bourne this week at Warfare.
| Brian Kendrick | One moment.
Kendrick looks over to Tiffany and swipes the phone from her. This snaps her to attention and she doesn't look very pleased by this development. After pushing his hair away from his face, Kendrick begins to type in silence.
| Matt Striker | Excuse but is now a good time for you to be sending a text?
| Brian Kendrick | I'm not sending a text. Idiot. I'm tweeting.
| Tiffany | You're logged in under my name!
| Brian Kendrick | I seriously care.
| Matt Striker | I'm afraid I'm confused.
| Brian Kendrick | This is how we wrestlers deal with our opponents. We threaten each other over twitter. In one hundred and forty characters. Now shut up. The subtle nuances of my keystrokes are going to be overlooked if you keep interrupting me.
Striker looks to Tiffany for some kind of help in the interview process but she just huffs as she's more concerned with someone sending tweets on her account.
| Brian Kendrick | ...And...I'm...done.
Having no further use for the device, Kendrick carelessly flings it away and towards the opposite window.
| Tiffany | OHMYGOD!
Luckily for her, she is able to snag the phone in mid-air before it meets it's demise. The blond fumbles with it before holding it protectively close to her chest. She opens it back up to inspect her recent tweets.
-EBWFDivaTiffany: I am going to throw Evan Bourne's Grandmother down an empty elevator shaft.
EBWFDivaTiffany: I WILL DESTROY EVERYONE IN MY PATH. NO ONE WILL BE SAFE. DO YOU HEAR ME, BOURNE?! I'LL KILL YOU. =)
EBWFDivaTiffany: @RealKendrick You are so big.
| Matt Striker | Evan Bourne--
| Brian Kendrick | Is around my height and weight, right?
| Matt Striker | Uh, yes, I do believe the two of you are similar in that regard.
| Brian Kendrick | Right on. It doesn't happen very often so I consider this an early Christmas. A rare chance to show off my frightening level of strength. It's almost too bad I have to kill him. I'm sure we have a lot of common ground in the whole 'underdog' thing.
| Matt Striker | Evan Bourne is our inaugural Breakout Champion and he held that title for an impressive one hundred and eighteen days. He could possibly be the most prolific high flyer in the company and has pulled off some impressive victories as of late.
| Brian Kendrick | Do you really think that after all of the obstacles that have been thrown in my path that I'm going to let Evan Bourne steal a victory from me? Hm? You can't truly believe that is humanly possible. I know he has a nasty habit of getting victories out of nowhere but he's never faced someone like me.
| Matt Striker | Evan has been under the tutelage of John Layfield, a man who held also had an astounding reign as World Champion at one point. Layfield knows how to win and you must know that he's going to impart some of that wisdom down to Evan Bourne.
| Brian Kendrick | That all sounds like a deadly combo doesn't it? His athleticism mixed with Layfield's experience. But there is a problem. Both of them are greedy. Me? I can't relate. I've been patient. I've clawed my way from the bottom to where I am now. I've had to go through the Austin Aeris' and the Goldust's of the world before I started smacking around the Cena's and the Edge's. But Bourne obviously needs to have instant results. He was The Breakout Champion but that wasn't enough. He wanted more. That's why he has Foghorn Leghorn at his side. To give them that extra little boost. And this...
He spreads his arms around to show off his rancid surroundings.
| Brian Kendrick | This is the bastardization of everything Evan Bourne is striving for. The wealth. The nice cars. Fancy suits. He truly must think that these things will make him a champion again. But he's wrong. Dead wrong. Everything he's surrounding himself in is not going to make him what he wants to be. He doesn't have that key ingredient that separates the two of us. A killer instinct. A complete and total lack of regard for your opponent. Bourne just wants cash. If he loses this match he is still going to get paid. If I lose this match? The higher up's will try and kick me back down the ladder. They would put me in a three thousand man, barbed wire, zero gravity match in order for me to earn my spot back. I won't let that happen.
| Matt Striker | Have you considered that, perhaps, with your growing status in the company that Bourne may have extra motivation? A win over you could send him into contention for a title and boost his stock, as it were.
| Brian Kendrick | Oh, are you implying that I might have a target on my chest? Because I seriously don't think that anyone wants to hunt me. Breaking into John Cena's girlfriends house and almost setting him on fire was cool but I'm looking to top myself. So maybe I'll stab Bourne's house pet's to death and stuff them into Layfield's ten gallon hat. Wouldn't that be something? I don't know if Evan has in it him to do something like that. People always used to say "That Evan kid! He's such a good person! He does neat flippy things!" But now he's been corrupted by money. And I know Layfield does have it in him to do some horrible, awful things. I once watched John beat up a midget in a steel cage for like ten minutes or something. It was a laugh riot. So maybe I'm wrong and Evan will surprise me. I guess we will just have to find out, won't we?
He leans forward and taps on the glass that the driver is hidden behind.
| Brian Kendrick | Hey, what do you think about Evan Bourne?
The glass lowers but we aren't able to make out the shadow figure gripping the steering wheel.
| ? | ...His shooting star press isn't all that impressive.
| Brian Kendrick | Really? You think so? Everyone seems to think it's pretty awe inspiring. I know I wouldn't want to be hit with it.
| ? | ...I've seen better.
| Brian Kendrick | Come to think of it...so have I.
While Kendrick scratches his chin in thought, Striker tries lean forward and get a glimpse of this mystery man. He's cut off, almost literally, by a piece of glass directed towards his throat courtesy of the cup that was shattered earlier. Kendrick rubs it's fingers along it's smooth edges and Striker wisely sinks back in his seat.
| Brian Kendrick | Don't go ruining the surprise. Don't you know that's the first rule of a party? Give me another reason to carve you up. Pay no attention to the man behind the glass.
The tinted panel shifts back upwards and separates the driver from the group once more. Kendrick allows the sharp shard to drop from his hand.
| Brian Kendrick | I guess I don't want to waste that on you anyway. I should save all of my energy for Evan Bourne and Layfield. You really are a distraction, you know that? With that punchable face of yours. And that slice worthy nose..and ears..and eyeballs..
Striker quickly attempts to get the subject back onto the world of wrestling and not his own horrific dismemberment.
| Matt Striker | One final question.
| Brian Kendrick | Shoot.
| Matt Striker | Our World Champion Edge is going to be at Warfare this week. We've been told he's going to address his next challenger. Do you have any thoughts on this?
| Brian Kendrick | I do. But I'm not going to tell you. I'm just going to watch. And maybe after I'm done giving Evan Bourne massive internal trauma I'll go and pay the champ a visit. We'll see. And I believe I would like you to leave the party. You weren't even invited. Now if you don't mind...
| Matt Striker | R-Right. Right. Thank you for your time.
Striker wastes no time in leaving the vehicle but before he can get too far...
| Brian Kendrick | Close the door on your way out.
Striker looks down at the door that had fallen to the ground earlier. He tries to hoist it up to his chest, bending at the knee's, but it's not very easy. Attaching it back is even more difficult. He knows it's impossible but also knows that Brian Kendrick is unpredictable and could react poorly if he didn't give it a go.
| Brian Kendrick | You're letting a draft in.
After trying in vein, the Aggression announcer gives up. Only because the bottle of champagne had been whipped in his direction from inside of the limo. Dropping the door, and his head, he hastily departs as the bottle collides into the wall behind him. The camera backs away from ravaged limo as the dark colored liquid from the broken bottle trickles along the concrete.
