- Messages
- 15
- Points
- 13
Canada Life Centre
Backstage
11/22/2024
Inside the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the locker room of Fire & Ice, Raven Roberts and Rex McAllister, is a cozy, well-appointed space. The room's neutral color palette is offset by the duo's personal touches, including a bold, silver "Fire & Ice" logo emblazoned on the wall. A large, maple-wood locker bears the team's name and logo, while a nearby bench is adorned with a vibrant, red-and-orange throw blanket.
Back at the Fire and Ice locker room moments after the backstage cameras had captured their conversation that led them to the office of Co-General managers Kensingten Calhoun-Astor and Richard Grant, Raven and Rex had found their seating on the bench area between their lockers. They were both rather indifferent coming away from their short meeting with their bosses. They had agreed to be participants in a tri-branded tag team match to take place at Road To Redemption, where they would face Charlie Marr and Veena Adams of Showdown and the other husband/wife tandem of Voltage in Adam Lucas and Dr. Bethany Blue. The married couple were dressed in street clothing for the most part.
Having both failed to gain any traction in separate singles qualifiers for spots in the Extreme Elimination Chamber, and despite not being too thrilled initially about the opportunity that was laid out by Kensingten Calhoun-Astor and Richard Grant. Raven and Rex were anxious to get back at it inside the squared circle as a unit to continue building off their momentum they'd taken away from House of Glass weeks ago. The past couple of months following the opportunity they had at the Unified Tag Team Championships at Territorial Invasion was one they'd just as soon forget about since they were barely booked aside from their separate qualifying matches respectively. They wanted more opportunities, but they also knew they had to continue to prove how much the position they held within the company meant to them. That's what they were fully set on doing this coming Dynasty.
The voice of the Lionheart was calm and measured, his tone even-keel as he spoke, his words dripping with a quiet confidence. "I know this tri-branded tag team match wasn't exactly what we had envisioned for ourselves with Road to Redemption looming on the horizon, Ray," he began, his eyes locked intensely on Raven's, "but I genuinely believe this may be our most viable path back to the pinnacle we had reached going into Territorial Invasion." He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts before continuing, his voice unwavering. "We were on the cusp of battling for the Unified Tag Team Championships, and now, this match presents us with a second chance – an opportunity to rectify the past and emerge victorious, with another shot at the titles finally within our grasp."
The Bird of Prey’s voice was laced with an unyielding determination, her words dripping with a fierce conviction as she spoke. Her eyes blazed with an inner fire, her jaw set in a resolute line. "I know. You’re right. This isn't exactly the ideal scenario I saw us in either, but we'd be absolute fools to pass up an opportunity like this." Her words tumbled out in a passionate torrent, her voice rising with excitement. "We've been knocking on the door for far too long, and it's high time we kick it down and take what's rightfully ours. Those Unified Tag Team Championships are still well within our grasp, I can feel it.” Her eyes locked onto Rex's, burning with an unyielding intensity. "I know we've been through hell and back, but we've always emerged stronger, both of us together. This match might feel… I don’t know, almost throwaway as a concept, but maybe that’s the point. Take this shot against two other teams of big name talents and make it our launching pad back to the titles. I mean we’ve only lost one tag match together since we’ve been back, and that was to the champions themselves, not that I want to sit here singing praises to the Jaded Hearts. This tri-branded tag team match is just the beginning. We've beaten Charlie and Veena as a team in the past, and we both have history with Dr. Bethany Blue and Adam Lucas in some way or another. We know their strengths, their weaknesses, and I know we've got what it takes to exploit them. No one is as unified as we are, no one has our connection, the same seamless communication, the same instinctive understanding. We're the complete package, Rexy, and we're going to prove it to the world. We're going to go out there at Road to Redemption, we're going to give it our all. And when we do, when we finally get our hands on those championships, no one is going to be able to take that away from us. It isn't 2020 anymore, but it doesn't have to be for us to be champions again. We're going to make our own history, Rexy – a history that's going to be etched in the annals of time forever.”
"I get that completely, I do," Rex responded knowingly to this, his tone measured and deliberate. His voice had a hint of skepticism, his words infused with a dash of uncertainty as he pondered the possibilities. His eyes narrowed slightly, his brow furrowing in contemplation "British Invasion is up next, and perhaps they may be capable of pulling off an upset." He paused, his voice trailing off into a thoughtful silence. "I don't know, though. I guess I just don't see it." His words were tinged with a hint of doubt, his expression a mask of calm, collected uncertainty. "The Jaded Hearts are the standard for a reason," he continued, his voice dripping with a quiet respect for their opponents, glossing over the immediate look of disdain from his wife regarding all parties in the upcoming tag team title match. "And I fully expect they're likely going to take care of business when they realize..." His sentence hung in the air, unfinished, as he trailed off into a thoughtful silence, his eyes never leaving Raven's face.
"The British Invasion is still the British Invasion," Raven drawled, her tone dripping with condescension. "A lot of talk without so much of the walk behind it. They can reform, rebrand, whatever. They’re the same as they were last year.” Raven's words were infused with a sense of superiority, her voice rising ever so slightly as she emphasized the Invasion's lack of substance.
Rex pointed his index finger at Raven's statement. “This.” He smirks a little, his tone was low. A grave affirmation that spoke of him being in full agreement with his wife’s assessment. “And after all, there's still plenty of the season left and whether we're still at it as a team or in singles I know we'll do just fine with any opportunity that we get. That was proven when you went up against Hans Grayson. That was proven when it was Chris Elite standing opposite of this end. We both gave it everything we had, and we'll be back there again. There's more than one path we can take to achieve gold in this place. Only time will tell if we're on the right one.” Rex said, completely resolute in his stance for Raven and himself.
Raven leaned in, wrapping both of her arms around Rex’s bicep and pulling herself close. She looked deep into the eyes of the man she admires more than anyone else. “Till death do us part.” She winked, referencing their marriage vows. “And it’s going to take a lot more than this to kill us.” She gives his arm another squeeze, pressing her forehead into his shoulder before relenting. Rex smiled and leaned in, placing a gentle kiss atop her head before she pulled away.
Both elitists began to pack up their bags knowing their night was all but finished having not been booked on the show, which was sure to change now that they had a clear direction to go in as Road To Redemption was quickly drawing near.
Scene fades out…..
***
SaskTel Centre
Backstage
11/27/2024
The camera panned across the bustling backstage area, the sounds of murmured conversations and rustling equipment filling the air, before coming to rest on the impeccably dressed Max A. Million. Resplendent in a tailored business tuxedo, his eyes gleamed with a warm, welcoming smile as he grasped the microphone with confident ease. The cameraman's nod was the cue he needed, and Max's smile broadened as he began to speak. "Hello, EAW Universe!" His voice boomed, rich and resonant, filling the space around him. "Happy early Thanksgiving, everyone, and welcome to this EAW backstage exclusive. I'm Max A. Million, and at this time, I'm joined by the team that's going to be joining the Showdown team, Charlie Marr and Veena Adams of Ad Infinitum, along with Adam Lucas and Dr. Bethany Blue, in a tri-branded tag team match to take place at Road to Redemption." He paused, his eyes sparkling with excitement, as he gestured grandly to his right. "Representing the Dynasty brand... I give you Raven Roberts and Rex McAllister! Fire and Ice!!!" The words hung in the air, a palpable sense of anticipation building as the camera panned to reveal the well known husband and wife duo, Raven and Rex, their eyes set with a certain anticipation as they stepped into the spotlight.
Rex chimes in and speaks up for himself and Raven before Max can continue, a hint of soured amusement in his tone. “Thank you for that….welcome, Max…but as much as Fire & Ice love going out to that ring to compete every time we get the chance on Friday nights to put on a show for all our supporters. We're not necessarily doing it because we feel some obligation to represent the ones who are in charge of the Dynasty Brand. Fire & Ice is already a brand all unto itself, Max. Just putting it out there.” Rex looks to Raven who was completely onboard with her husband’s stance.
“We’re on the team. Therefore we have to wear the jersey. But it doesn’t mean it matters to us at all.” Raven gleams with a selfishly prideful smirk. “I’ve been a part of EAW during 6 different seasons. I’ve only ever been on Dynasty these last six months. It’s no disrespect. It’s… well it’s indifference for me. And Rex, well personally I just like to think he stands in solidarity with me because I’m his and he’s mine.” Raven bats her eyelashes playfully at her husband. “But I know it’s because it doesn’t matter whether it’s the gold team, the blue team, the red team, or hell even if we brought back the old purple team… it would make zero difference. Because the team we fight for is each other. We have both a mutual passion and a mutual respect, a desire to see each other succeed. A drive to push each other to new limits and to seek a new horizon everytime we reach the previous one, to do better for each other and see each other be better. That’s the mix that makes us. Before the wedding, before we even started dating. Our competitive nature let us know that we could set aside the differences we had because we held a common goal. And now to say that we have a common goal means so much more than it did then. A lot of people like to tout the whole brand loyalty thing, and for some maybe there’s reality to it, god knows Rex has always been loyal to Captain Charisma. But for the most part, people get up into this whole ‘brand pride’ thing as a way to kiss management’s ass. We just prefer to be a bit more honest about things. Besides. I’m pretty sure if I allude much more to the word ‘Pride’ and different color banners, Richard will instinctively blow what’s left of his heart.” She rolls her eyes at the end of her statement with her voice dripping in satire and sarcasm, her feelings about Dynasty’s management hardly veiled.
Max A. Million's expression transformed, his face lighting up with an infectious enthusiasm as he nodded vigorously, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh, absolutely! Fair enough!" he exclaimed, his voice booming with conviction, as he gestured emphatically with his hands. "I'm following you both a hundred percent!" He paused, his gaze darting briefly to the camera, as if to ensure the audience was fully invested in the conversation. "It's Thanksgiving week, guys. It's a time to be festive! Besides, I'm just making sure we're giving those very clamoring fans the proper introduction to just a piece of what's on tap and still to come at the Commonwealth Stadium on December 14-15th in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for Road to Redemption!" His words tumbled out in a rapid-fire sequence, each one building upon the last to create a sense of anticipation and urgency. "You don't want to miss it!" he concluded, his voice rising to a crescendo, as he flashed a dazzling smile, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief, daring the audience to resist the allure of the upcoming event.
Rex and Raven share the same soured amusement, but knowing the camera is rolling they both instinctively keep their wits about them as Max A. Million continued.
Max A. Million's expression transformed, his face breaking out into a bold, cheeky grin as he posed the question, his eyes glinting with a mischievous spark. He leaned forward, his voice taking on a slightly provocative tone, as if daring Raven and Rex to respond. "Now, Raven and Rex," he began, his words dripping with a hint of playful skepticism, "it's pretty well documented how you two came together a few months back after starting out this new season lowly and slowly seeking more success as a tandem." He paused, his gaze flicking back and forth between the two, as if studying their reactions. "How would you two assess your progress so far, considering you've faced some pretty poorly put-together cupcake teams and one really stacked, almost unfair juggernaut in the current Unified Tag Team Champions?" The question hung in the air, a challenge implicit in Max's tone, as he waited with bated breath for Raven and Rex's response.
Raven's eyes narrowed, her gaze flashing with a hint of disdain as she regarded Max A. Million's cheeky grin. Her lips curled into a subtle, dismissive smile, as if amused by the interviewer's audacity. “Yeeeaaahhhh… I do not care for you.” Her hips and shoulders shift as she crossed her arms, a finger gently tapping away at her opposite bicep in an attempt to subdue to desire to punch the interviewer, giving show of the feelings Raven held for reigning tag team champions that Max had so clearly chosen to prod at. “What can I say? I’ve admitted it before. It’s not the old days. Competition has elevated around here. And for me, I know I’ve still got catching up to do. A lot of work to be done if I’m ever to be regarded as I once was. But your flimsy attempt at shade only goes to prove the point I made a while back. There’s an obvious lack in the tag division because of the Jaded Hearts. We have a couple remaining tag teams, sure. But they demand a level of fear from people that makes the division unhealthy and drives out many potential challengers. To the point that the teams that you oh so eloquently pointed out to be utter dog shit, were quite literally the best Dynasty could offer the two of us as any kind of warm up competition. You can call it a dominant reign. Fine. But when the division looks like it does with no real competition to help it stand up across brands and the few real contenders have to sit and just wait their turn, where is the really headed? Now check yourself before you decide to poke us like that again or that microphone is going where I know you out it when the cameras turn off.” She glares at Max who is suddenly heavily off balance, regretting his choices as Raven eyes him with a cold and threatening expression. Rex's expression, on the other hand, remained impassive, his eyes never leaving Max's face. His jaw was set, his features chiseled from granite, as he regarded the interviewer's provocative tone with a mixture of amusement and annoyance. His voice, when he spoke, would be low and even, a subtle warning that he would not be swayed by Max's attempts to ruffle their feathers. Together, the duo exuded an aura of quiet confidence, their body language screaming that they were the ones in control, not Max A. Million.
Rex's voice was low and even, a subtle warning underscoring his words as he began to speak. "Look, Max," he said, his tone measured and deliberate, as he took a subtle step closer to the interviewer, his eyes locked onto Max's face. His hand reached out, a friendly yet firm warning, as he placed it on Max's shoulder, the gesture a clear indication that Rex was drawing a line in the sand. The pressure was gentle, yet unmistakable, a reminder that Rex would not tolerate disrespect. As he spoke, Rex's gaze flicked to his wife, Raven, his eyes studying her facial expression with a deep understanding. He knew her moods, her triggers, and her limits. He could see the simmering annoyance in her eyes, the tension in her jaw, and he knew that Max A. Million was playing with fire. Rex's expression remained calm, yet his eyes flashed with a hint of warning as he turned back to Max. "We get what you're trying to do here, Max," Rex continued, his voice dripping with a subtle condescension. "And in a way, it's cute coming from someone like yourself who hasn't moved up from his own position for years to be speaking on ours." The words were laced with a hint of sarcasm, a gentle yet pointed jab at Max's perceived lack of credibility. Rex's expression remained impassive, yet his eyes seemed to bore into Max's very soul, as if daring him to respond. Rex's tone took on a slightly ominous tone as he concluded, "In another way, it's a very bold stance to take, knowing my wife here isn't someone who turns the other cheek and lets things go unchecked, if you catch my drift?" The words hung in the air, a veiled warning that Raven would not hesitate to unleash her wrath upon Max if he continued to push their buttons. Rex's expression remained calm, yet his eyes seemed to gleam with a hint of anticipation, as if daring Max to test Raven's patience.
Max A. Million's expression underwent a subtle transformation, his cheeky grin faltering for a moment as he absorbed the weight of Rex's words. His eyes, which had sparkled with mischief just moments before, now seemed to gleam with a hint of wariness, as if he was recalculating his approach in light of Rex's clear warning not expecting he'd be challenged right back in that manner by the highly regarded elitists. He took a deep breath, his shoulders squaring slightly as he composed himself, determined to stay within the lines that Rex had drawn. "Rex, I do appreciate your candor," Max began, his voice measured and respectful, a clear acknowledgment of the line in the sand that Rex had drawn. "And I'll be the first to admit, I did try to push your buttons a bit. But I assure you, it was all in the spirit of getting a good story out of you both." He paused, his eyes flicking to Raven’s unchanged stare of death before returning to Rex. "That being said, I do understand where you're coming from. And I apologize if my approach came across as disrespecting your accomplishments or your legacy as a team." Max's tone was conciliatory, yet still professional, as he sought to find a balance between acknowledging Rex's concerns and maintaining the integrity of the interview. "Let's start fresh, shall we? I promise to keep the questions respectful and on point.”
Rex's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing slightly as he began to respond. His voice was low and measured, each word carefully chosen to convey his thoughts. "We can do that, sure," he said, his tone neutral, as he nodded in agreement to Max's corrected approach. His gaze locked onto Max's, his eyes boring into the interviewer's as he continued. "But you did pose the question about how we feel about our progress so far. So let's run it down right now to get it out of the way." His tone was matter-of-fact, yet laced with a hint of challenge, as if daring Max to dispute his assessment. As he spoke, his expression turned introspective, his eyes clouding slightly as he reflected on their past matches. "Is it true that mismatched teams like Hans Grayson and Kirk Redwood, or Mia Santoro and Saori Aizen, weren't exactly on the same page when we were lined up against them in the lead up to our war against the Jaded Hearts?" His tone was inquiring, yet laced with a hint of confidence, as if he already knew the answer. His expression turned respectful, his eyes gleaming with a hint of admiration as he spoke of the Jaded Hearts. "That's a pretty fair assessment, right? After all, the Jaded Hearts are exactly who I said they were back then. They are the champions, and they deserve that acknowledgment and recognition because of their dominance." His tone was grudgingly respectful, yet laced with a hint of resentment.
As Rex continued, his expression turned resolute, his jaw setting in a determined line. "It just doesn't take away from the fact that they've hijacked the Tag Team division and largely have turned it into nothing more than their personal playground no other team is able to play on." His voice was low and even as he spoke of the Jaded Hearts' dominance. The Lionheart's gaze snapped back into focus, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity as he spoke of their victory over Bea Valentine and Michael Machina. "Bea Valentine and Michael Machina? Two of Voltage's prized up and coming commodities? They did have some chemistry and had some incentive to win going into House of Glass, and yet we handled them with relative ease after Michael got a little overzealous in his quest to make a statement against us." His tone was confident, yet laced with a hint of disdain, as he spoke of their victory. His expression turned resolute, his eyes burning with a fierce intensity as he delivered his final statement. "No matter how you or anyone else wants to label our run since coming back together as Fire & Ice? None of it changes a thing, Max. We feel that together we are a step above the rest, and this Tri-branded match we'll have at Road To Redemption will be our opportunity to prove it to anyone else who has any doubts." His voice was low and even, yet laced with a hint of defiance, as he threw down the gauntlet, daring anyone to question Fire & Ice's superiority.
“We aren’t ones for gaudy misnomers,” Raven started, finally relinquishing her agitation if for only a moment. “But I could easily make an argument that there’s was a time Rex and I were the king and queen of EAW. Tag team champions together while simultaneously main eventing PFP in world championship matches. Both having world championships at nearly the same time mixed with our tag title run in such a quick succession all while I would also win the women’s No Way Out match to put myself in the main event while Rex would be a defending world champion to go into Pain for Pride. There’s so much we were doing all at the same time that I don’t even think the way I just said all of it even makes sense. But it happened. All of it. That Pain for Pride we may not have won in the main events but we still retained our tag titles despite it all. Some of the biggest things you can do as singles competitors all while Fire and Ice sat atop the tag division. I’m rambling and starting to repeat myself. But the TL;DR of it all is that we were at the top of everything we competed in. With some argument to be made, everything we touched turned to gold.” Raven stopped, taking a breath after such a long winded moment to wax poetic. “Those days are long past us. But they aren’t impossible to replicate. We’ve said it all along. We know what we did before. We are proud of what we did before. But we want more. This is 2024, soon to be 2025. And we want to not just exist in EAW, we don’t want to be tagalongs who are stuck just waiting for something to do. We want to be a part of things and drive this industry forward again. Rex spent the majority of last season contending for the world championship. I spent it trying to find my footing in this new era but still grinding my way up to a title picture and getting there all in my own right. We aren’t ready to be relegated to the retirement. There’s is blood in our veins still and we will show everyone what still lies within us. This match at Road to Redemption is just scratching the surface. Watch and see.”
Max A. Million's expression turned inquisitive, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he posed the question. His voice was smooth and measured, each word carefully chosen to elicit a revealing response from Fire & Ice. "Knowing who your direct competition will be going into Road To Redemption," he began, his tone building anticipation, "the big names involved being without question for a match like this..." He paused, his gaze flicking to Raven and Rex, as if inviting them to share their thoughts. "Do you both approach this matchup any differently than the others you've encountered so far?" The question seemed to be one that challenged Fire & Ice to reveal their strategy for tackling the formidable set of opposition awaiting them at Road To Redemption.
“Big names, or not, we're not exactly chopped liver by any means, and they should know that. Those teams, their talent, and their status? It can't be ignored, and it won't be. But you know, some of our peers tend to forget, or choose to overlook, the fact that we've been very much as dominant as we've ever been. Take your pick of who they deem should be seen as threats. But the cream always rises to the top, Max. Our approach has always been consistent with how we've carried ourselves over the years, and it doesn't matter how much clout each name in this match has garnered. Every match is a new experience with a few familiar twists mixed in, but we're not letting our guard down for a moment to drop the ball on this opportunity. We'll adjust as we need to, plain and simple.”
“Personally,” Raven begins, her confidence shining in her eyes as she places a hand to her own chest, speaking openly. “I think we’re going to approach this match as we do any other match. We’ll take our time and develop some strategies for our opponents, we know them well after all. But at the end of the day, we are Fire and Ice. That may not mean as much to some people today as it once did, but suffice to say, we know that the only certainty we have when we step inside that ring is each other. We stay calm and we focus on setting one another up for success, covering when one of us is down, playing the game for all angles that may come. We do that and we know we’ll come out with the win. And we intend to start reminding people of that this week on Dynasty.”
Max A. Million's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes sparkling with interest as he referenced the candid comments made by Charlie Marr and Veena Adams on Showdown. His voice was smooth and measured, each word carefully chosen to elicit a response from Fire & Ice. "Well put, really," he began, his tone acknowledging the valid points made by Raven and Rex. "Both of you have some great points." He paused, his gaze flicking to Rex, as if inviting him to respond to the challenge laid down by Charlie Marr. "What do you both take away from the candid comments made by both Charlie Marr and Veena Adams on Showdown a few days ago?" He paused, his tone building anticipation. "Rex, in particular, Charlie proclaimed his dominance over you from a season ago." Max's gaze flicked to Raven, his expression turning thoughtful as he continued. "Him and Veena referenced their recent success this season at Territorial Invasion, where Showdown found themselves earning victory for the first time ever at the event in large part due to their contributions as captains of their respective teams." His tone was neutral, yet laced with a hint of intrigue, as he referenced the impressive achievement. His eyes locked onto Fire & Ice as he concluded. "They have made it clear you two have no real dog in the fight. How do you wish to respond to that?" The question hung in the air, a challenge implicit in Max's tone, as he waited for Fire & Ice to respond to the bold claims made by Charlie Marr and Veena Adams.
“Ah, Charlie Marr and Veena Adams, always so quick to run their mouths and make bold claims based on the past or recency bias.” The Lionheart chuckled, shaking his head. Here's the thing, Max. They can talk all they want, especially Charlie. He can talk all he wants about his supposed “dominance” over me from last season. However, at the end of the day even with what he's accomplished in recent times it doesn't even begin to spell the name of the game this time around. This time around his sneaky tactics won't go undetected. He won't be able to cheat his way to another victory when I've got the one partner who I know wholeheartedly will be watching my back just as I will hers to ensure things don't get out of hand out there. This won't be like any of our previous bouts against one another, and it's no secret in the least. I owe Charlie a few receipts and soon it will be time for Charlie to pay up.” Raven nods in agreement, her eyes flashing with intensity as Rex continues. And as for Veena? She can choose to speak with all the venom at her heart's desire. She wants to talk about her anger and her need to get revenge, but let's be real, Max. She treated that National Elite Championship with a certain type of honor and wanted to make some more history with it before it was snatched away from her when she least expected it to be.” He smirks, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, poor Veena. Life's just not fair, is it?” Rex's expression turns serious, his eyes locking onto Max's as he concludes. “As for their claims that we have no dog in the fight, that's just laughable. Raven and I are Fire & Ice, the most dominant and successful tag team in EAW history. We've got a reputation to uphold, and we're not about to let Charlie Marr and Veena Adams come in here and disrespect us. So, to answer your question, Max, we're going to respond to their claims by doing what we do best: dominating them in that ring and proving why we're still a couple of the best, period.”
Raven shakes her head. “Are we supposed to be surprised that dumb motherfuckers said dumb fucking things?” She rolls her eyes yet again, her stance unchanging from her confident poise. “Listen. I hate those two slimy wads that should’ve been swallowed, but we are where we are. The only way we can go is forward. Veena won at Pain for Pride by pinning Miku. Yes. Charlie snuck his way out of every conceivable contest with Rex. Also yes. They won at Territorial Invasion while we lost our match. Also yes. But making these blanket ass statements would be like me simply saying Elon Musk has made a fortune running a tech company, then giving no context to all of the atrocities of business decisions that surround that statement. And all in the name of brand loyalty? Really? The only thing those two have to appreciate their brand for is not being around Captain Charisma because he would always call them on their bullshit. If anything we have even more reason to fight than any other team. We’ve made it clear all season that we want the tag team titles. Charlie and Veena are talking about the world titles only, and Bethany and Adam are… whatever the fuck that nonsense of a ticking time bomb is now. We have every reason to take this match and not only get back wins over people we owe some payback to, but also show that we are the superior couple when it comes to tag team action, hands down.”
Max A. Million's expression turned inquisitive, his eyes sparkling with curiosity as he referenced Fire & Ice's appearance on Showdown. His voice was smooth and measured, each word carefully chosen to elicit a revealing response from the duo. "You both made an appearance on Showdown this past weekend," he began, his tone building anticipation, "during the Lumber Jack & Jill main event match between Veena Adams and Miku Sakai." He paused, his expression turned knowing, his eyes glinting with amusement as he posed the question. "Can we call it scouting the competition?" he asked, his tone laced with a hint of playful skepticism. "Or gauging the situation?" He waited for Fire & Ice to reveal their true intentions behind their appearance on Showdown.
"Max, everyone knows us well enough to know that I'm always looking for ways to gain an edge, yourself included, and that's exactly what Raven and I were doing on Showdown. We were scouting the competition, gauging the situation, and getting a feel for what Veena is capable of." Rex briefly pauses, thinking for a second. "I mean, let's be real, Max. The Interbrand Tag Team Showcase match at Road to Redemption is a huge opportunity for us, and we're not going to take it lightly. We're going to do everything in our power to make sure that we come out on top, and that includes doing our homework on the competition. So, yeah, you could definitely call it scouting the competition. We're not just going to walk into that match blind and hope for the best. We're going to be prepared, and we're going to do everything we can to make sure that we're the ones standing tall at the end of the night.”
Raven stifles a laugh. “Truth be told, you can call it whatever you want. Mind games. Scouting the competition. Doesn’t matter. The reality is that there’s a certain level of familiarity between most people in this match. And Rex and I don’t back down from anything. So yeah. I wanted to see how Veena would fare in the match. I also wanted to watch her and Miku get their shit kicked in by the rest of their roster. I got a level of pleasure from that, sue me. But the biggest piece of it is not letting anyone just sit their and pretend they’re the star of what’s going to happen at Road to Redemption, as I well know Charlie, Veena, and even Bethany are prone to do. No. Quite simply, for me, I wanted our presence to be felt. Plain and fucking simple.”
Max A. Million's expression turned inquisitive. His voice was smooth and measured, each word carefully chosen to elicit a revealing response from Fire & Ice. "Now this week, you both will be running up against the team of 'Super Starr' Jay Starr and a man who refers to himself as the 'Walking Main Event' in Nejari Young," he began, his tone building anticipation. "Two of the newer elitists installed on the Dynasty roster..." Max's gaze flicked to Raven and Rex, his eyes locking onto theirs as he continued. "And as we've all come to understand about Fire and Ice, you both thrive on the level of competition you're put against." His tone was knowing, his expression turning thoughtful. "How would you both assess your competition this time around?" The interviewer waited for Fire & Ice to share their thoughts on the formidable opponents awaiting them.
"You know, Raven and I, we've been in this game long enough to know that every match is a new challenge, a new opportunity to prove ourselves. And this week, we've got a hungry competition ahead of us with Jay Starr and Nejari Young. Let's talk about Jay Starr for a moment. The guy's got confidence, and I'll give him that. He's looking to build a reputation as being one of the most charismatic guys in the business, sure. Part of that means being able to back it all up in ring, which he's still trying to get that part to match up with that attitude he exudes. But, you know, confidence can be a double-edged sword. Sometimes, it can make you complacent, make you think you're invincible. And that's when you get caught off guard." Rex takes a second to address how he sees Jay's partner, Nejari. "As for Nejari Young, he's a different story altogether. The guy's got heart, Max. He's a fighter, and he's always looking to prove himself. He's got a lot to gain from this match, and I think he's going to come at us with everything he's got. So, how do I assess our competition this week? I think we've got a good challenge ahead of us, but I'm confident in Raven and myself. We've been working together for a long time now, and we know each other's strengths and weaknesses inside and out. We're a well-oiled machine, Max, and I think we're going to come out on top this week."
“I could ask you the same question you just asked us earlier, Max.” Raven let’s her comment linger in the air but Max looks back confused. She grins before going on to elaborate. Lets look at this on paper. Jay Starr and Nejari Young are stepping into this with a chance to take down the biggest tag team Dynasty can offer. A pair of names that no matter what anyone says about recent history, still hold more weight than most across this company. I can easily state that this is one of, if not the very biggest match the two of them have ever had. And in it being so, they find themselves lumped right along all the teams you named off earlier as… what was it? One of those pretty poorly put-together cupcake teams? That’s the reality of the situation. Rex and I are looking to walk in and dominate like we know we can and build up towards Road to Redemption where we will fight for the righteous honor and birthright of the glorious House Dynasty or some shit.” Raven places her hands behind her head in an almost arrogant fashion. Rex looks at his wife with a raised eyebrow before nudging her. She looks up at him, the two having a silent conversation with only their looks before Raven sighs and shows a smile. “Fine. I’ll play nice. But only for you,” she says while pointing a finger at Rex who smirks back. She turns back to Max before continuing. “Starr and Young are stil very fresh to this roster. The reality is they’ve already had a microcosm of ups and downs in their own right. Both of them have the oppor to do something great here. Both of them show the capability of being far more than most would realistically give them the chance to be in EAW. But I’m just being real about it. When it comes to this match, on paper or however you look at it, there’s no universe where you favor their odds against us. They don’t begin to have the cohesive union that Rex and I share. The dynamic movements that we’ve spent years perfecting as a team. Good luck guys. But luck won’t be enough to take down the two pillars that hold up Dynasty’s entire tag team division.”
Max A. Million hypes up what's still to come on this week's edition of Dynasty. "Good stuff, both of you! The EAW Universe most certainly will be looking forward to it this weekend, you all don't want to miss it this Friday night on Dynasty! Raven and Rex, Fire and Ice, everyone! Thank you both so much for your time!"
“Thanks, Max. It was…” Rex looks to his wife, proud of her for being who she was and never wavering, and then to Max A. Million. “....it was our pleasure.” Rex then turns to Raven again, a polite grin appears on his face, offering his arm to her to which she proudly interlocks her hand to. “Shall we?” Both elitists leave the shot as the scene slowly fades out.
“Have fun with your microphone, Maxxy!” Raven teases as the pair walk off arm in arm. “Don’t do anything the internet already knows you do!”
The camera pans back to Max A. Million who keeps his smile but looks very clearly exhausted from the interview that just took place.
