CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT I don't rattle and I don't run from a challenge.

Raylan

The Alpha Assassin
EAW ROSTER
Messages
55
Points
18
The scene opens inside an EAW studio. There is a skeleton crew operating things due to social distancing precautions. EAW reporter, Amber Stephens, sits in a chair opposite Raylan Brees, who is seated in a chair of his own, six feet apart from her. Raylan is dressed in a gray suit with a white dress shirt and a light blue tie. He fidgets with the microphone attached to his lapel as Amber Stevens and the cameraman make their final preparations for the interview.

Amber Stephens asks, “Are you ready, Mr. Brees?”

Raylan stops messing with his mic, looks Amber in the eyes, and replies, “This is your show, ma’am; I’m ready when you are. After being caught off-guard and unprepared for last weekend’s battle royal, completely my fault, by the way, I just want to say thanks for having me.”

Amber Stephens quickly follows up with a question. “Speaking of which, were eliminated in the Pain for Pride Battle Royal by rushing, arguably too fast, into a move, and having he rope pulled low from under you. What is your reaction to your elimination there, and how does that compare to how you feel about your performance this season, abbreviated as it was, as a member of the Showdown roster?”

Raylan instinctually lifts his left hand and rubs the face of his watch as he considers her question. “Well, Amber, I have no excuses for the battle royal. I think that I was caught off guard by the prospect of the match, and coupled with the fact that it came on the heels of what was essentially my second consecutive handicapped match, which I won, and then my only singles, and arguably best overall match, even though it came in a loss, in EAW, I wasn’t as focused as I should have been.” Raylan taps his chest. “But that’s 100 percent on me. Jon Kelton pulled the rope from under me there, and not only do I have to tip my cap to him for the cagey way in which he eliminated me this weekend, or for winning the whole dam thing, but also because his grit, determination, and the right way in which he approaches matches has been a worthy example and inspiration for a beginner like myself. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t like losing and I hope that our paths cross again sometime soon for some payback, but still, I have to respect the guy.”

Amber Stephens nods her head and briefly casts her eyes down to consult her notes. “Raylan, you seemed to be turning a real corner in June, but if you don’t mind me pointing it out, you ended the season on a losing streak with the battle royal and your match against Constance Blevins. I think even you would agree that your overall record during your short time here in EAW is a bit disappointing. Would you characterize your two months here as a failure?” Being the professional that she is, and having been in this position many times before, Amber Stephens slightly braces and readies herself for a barrage of expletives or being called any number of names for broaching such a subject. But that never comes.

Raylan Brees remains composed and attempts to answer her question thoughtfully. “You will get no arguments from me about my overall record being disappointing so far. I certainly feel that way. And I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t weigh on me a bit while at the gym, alone at my apartment, or while hitting the showers after a show. What I mean to say is, losing sucks, and it bothers the hell outta me.” Raylan smiles and shakes his head.

Amber Stephens returns the smile, a bit relieved at the lack of tension she was expecting with such a pointed question.

Raylan continues, “But as far as considering it to be a failure? Honestly, I don’t feel that way at all.” He shifts his weight and sits up a bit in his chair. “In my brief time as a professional wrestler, which was a long time removed from my time as an amateur wrestler, I have only had one singles match. I was put into two tag-team matches with a, let’s say, less than an ideal partner, a 5-man elimination match, a triple-threat match, and a battle royal. The way I look at it, I’ve had the kitchen sink thrown at me from a match and preparation standpoint. And I’ve been trying to retrain my body and wrestling muscle memory, and learn the ins-and-outs of this business at the same time! Has that led to more losses than I’d like and some disappointments in the short time? Yeah, it has. But do I think that it has been a necessary crash-course that will ultimately pay off when I enter my first real season here in EAW? Absolutely. I’ve seen and experienced so much in such a short amount of time here. The downside is a few losses at the very beginning of my career; the benefit is that now I know how to strategize and prepare for these different match styles and number disadvantages when it comes to my opponents. Does that sound like some hokey ‘glass half full’ sunshine shit?” He shrugs. “Maybe. But I’ve been in tight spots, hopeless situations before, and I know that there is a lot of good that I can take from my first six weeks here, even from the losses. I truly believe that. Hell, it was basically the theme of Pain for Pride last weekend. ‘Stand up. Battle on.’ Don’t let your wounded pride or injured body keep you from crossing the finish line. My daddy was no poet, but he did teach me to recognize a nugget of wisdom when I hear it. And that message is what I’m carrying with me into my first full season.”

Amber Stephens folds her hands in her lap as she processes Raylan Brees’ response. She offers a follow-up question. “I certainly cannot fault you for keeping your head up and maintaining a positive outlook, Raylan. So then you do not ultimately believe that a few of these losses have done lasting damage to your reputation or personal ability to perform and achieve your goals here in EAW?”

Without hesitation, Raylan shakes his head and opens his palms. Talking with his hands in an old habit of his. “Not a bit. You ain’t wrong in saying that I’ve put a bit of a positive spin on some of my losses here, but I also won’t deny that they happened. I’ll own every one of them, even the ones when I had to carry Alex Blade as my partner.” He chuckles but quickly cuts himself off and resumes his response to Amber’s question. “And if any of those losses causes me to have a brief setback with the EAW higher-ups, then I’ll accept those consequences. But here’s the thing people should know about me, Ms. Stephens.” He extends his hand flat with his palm facing down. He shifts in his chair to find a camera on his left. Raylan stares unflinchingly into the camera as he continues to hold out his hand, steady as a rock. “I’ve been in firefights and taken part in combat missions all around the globe. I don’t get sweat on my brow, my hand does not shake, I rarely get rattled, and I sure as hell don’t run from a challenge.” He lowers his hand and turns back to face Amber Stephens. “So any setbacks or smudge on my reputation aren’t a very big concern because I plan on them being short-lived. We are spending an awful lot of time talking about losses that I’ve suffered, and don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with those questions, but do you know how many times I have been cleanly pinned to the mat here in EAW?”

Amber Stephens recognizes that this is a rhetorical question, so she does not attempt to answer.

Raylan Brees does not make her wait very long for the answer as he slowly raises his index finger in the air. “One time, Amber. One. So while I’ve taken some lumps at the beginning of my pro wrestling career, I haven’t suffered any debilitating defeats or actually even been outwrestled very often. Does that absolve me of those losses? Hell no. I was clearly a bit green and more than a little naïve about how certain members of the roster operate around here. People tend to get desperate when they are in the ring with me and some of them clearly don’t hesitate to cheat to eke out a win. While I don’t have any respect for that type of crap, I also have to admit that it says just as much about me as it does them. It’s slimy and cowardly on their parts, but I also need to have my head on a swivel and be ready for the eye rakes and the low blows. And in season 14, I will be!” Raylan sits forward in his chair and returns his attention to the camera on the left. He looks dead into the lens of the camera and points his finger. “You see, I know that I’ve talked a lot about ‘rising above’ stuff, overcoming odds, and not letting the losses get me down.” He shakes his head and alters his voice as he says the last part, really playing up his slight southern accent. “But I don’t want to leave you with the impression that I’m some nice, humble-as-pie Kentucky boy. There is no false modesty here. I have big goals and an ambitious pace planned for season 14. I have no intention of taking any losses in stride because I just don’t plan on doing much losing. The real reason I’m not sweating these early losses is that when I do eventually achieve my goals here in EAW, I want to know, for everyone to know, that I didn’t take any shortcuts. That I weathered the bad times, said ‘piss on average’, kept moving forward, and EARNED my place in this company. There have been several people here in EAW who may have gotten wins against me but they did not earn them. Well, you can have those cheap, early wins at the start of my career, but you better enjoy them now. Because I’ve learned a lot about this business in a short amount of time, I’ve put in the work and the training and shown that I’m damn good at this. Eye rakes and cheap stuff is no longer going to do the trick boys and girls. If you want to beat me in season 14 then you better be ready to earn it, because if you’re not, then you will be left in the dust as I keep blazing my trail forward.” Raylan leans back, clears his throat, and calms down a bit. “There is no question in my mind that I will achieve every one of my goals here. And when I do, I’ll have done it the right way. If you aren’t willing to do the same, and you get in the ring with me, then there is no illegal hit, no referee distraction, no scenario where I let you win.” It is now Raylan who sits back and folds his hands in his lap. He is silent and content with what he has gotten off his chest.

Amber Stephens addresses the camera first and then Raylan Brees. “Strong words there from Raylan Brees and a strong outlook on what season 14 will have in store for him. Raylan, thank you for your time today; I can tell that you are very eager for the EAW Draft and the beginning of season 14. We look forward to seeing where you end up and whether you are able to reach your lofty goals for the season.”

Raylan thanks Amber in kind and the scene fades out.
 
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