AWS American Championship
Beach Ball (Monster's Ball) Match
Ricky Rhodes vs. Drake Nygma ©

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Thunder shattered the still calm of the air. A gentle summer’s day now lay broken, the peace had been disturbed by nature itself. Nature was a fierce beast, cold and warm in equal measure, this was known by all who understand the ways of the world. Dark eyes opened, blinking once every few seconds.

 

“Ricky Rhodes it seems you and I are to do battle a third time. You are persistent I’ll give you that. But persistence alone won’t be enough to win this war, nor to give you a victory. No. Victory is the result of effort, of strategic planning. Bring your twisted steel, bring your ten gallon hat, bring your grit and experience. I’ll give you a lesson in what it means to fight against chaos itself.”

 

Drake Nygma’s features turned almost eerily calm, a composed expression tilting his features. It was a rare man who could be calm in the heat of battle, a man used to weathering storms. Despite his youth Drake Nygma knew first hand what it was like to fight against a more seasoned opponent. 

 

“Experience can be like a winter thunder on a wild wind, rolling in from a distance, breaking hard in alarm, but sometimes a storm is just a storm. In your case Ricky Rhodes, your experience is the storm breaking hard in alarm, I am the wild wind that battles against your storm.”

 

Slow relaxed breaths pulsed outwards, even as energy rose and coiled through the air like that of a winged creature assessing its prey. Something dark unfolded in the eyes of Drake Nygma, a thousand mysteries coming to life. 

 

“Our paths do cross once more, again we find ourselves standing across the ring from one another. One might argue that this is the start of a fight that may yet rage on for the duration of our lifetimes. Of course a more practical person would simply look at this as another opportunity to prove themselves. The question is which are you, a believer in the path to be walked or someone who values only the fight”.

 

Flickering orange hued flames rose up into the air, tendrils of flame dancing of their own accord. Amidst the currently darkening sky, a momentary glimpse of something older, far more ancient flickered upon Drake Nygma’s face. 

 

“I’m not done yet, I won’t stop. I cannot stop. Everyone wants to build a legacy. I’ll build mine at the expense of yours. Maybe you’ll win, maybe you won’t. Is winning worth the price you’ll pay now that The Sphinx has awoken?.”

 

An amused curious look filtered outward, a mocking smirk was all that could be seen. Slowly the flames died out as darkness fell over the land like a monstrous creature returning once more to the land it knows as home.

 

All that’s left behind is the ashes of the former fire that had been lit, Drake’s form having vanished into the darkness as though he were born into it.

This ain’t no vacation 

We see the beautiful Turtle Bay Resort in the distance, the elegant golden beaches surrounding it with the clear blue ocean waters beating against the beach. People are laughing & enjoying life in Hawaii with the camera focusing in showing a few AWS staff & wrestlers as it pans the beaches swimming, drinking, riding jet skies & just living the the dream. 

 

We then see Ricky Rhodes on a different part of the island, a much darker part with the golden beaches or beautiful water. It’s a place of rocks,jungle overgrowth & volcanoes in distance growling filling the air with fumes. Ricky is working out heavily doing burpees, jumping jacks, sit up’s, push ups covered in sweat but continues to push himself to his limits.He looks up noticing the camera & begins to speak 

 

“It appears to me that to damn many people are considering Clash At The Beach to be a damn vacation. They laugh soaking up the sun &  lay on the beach like flopping fish. Not me because to me this is more a war than a clash. It’s another beach invasion to me. My eyes have been opened,I’ve walked through fire & a beast has been awakened. July 10th a line will be drawn in the sand with war being declared against the AWS. 

 

Drake Ngyma I had thought you had opened your eyes to the greatness before you. I had thought you were ready to sit under the learning tree known as Ricky Rhodes, to be taught the secrets it takes to be truly legendary in this sport. I had thought even you had saw that I had been screwed by officials & had the AWS legacy title stolen from me when it was given to Vin Halsted. You battled side by side with me until you let your own greed,pride & inexperience take over by turning on me after the Iron Man match. Let’s just say HUGE MISTAKE!! 

 

Your right Drake this is our third time meeting in the ring, but this time there is a huge difference. This is the first time it’s just YOU & ME no distractions. You ask if I believe in a path that needs walked or if I just believe in the fight. I’ve been forced to fight to continue my path & it just so happens your the next fight on that path. I was told by our owner good ole Charlie Boy I’d have to prove myself before I’d get a shot at Vin Halsted on my own, he then puts me in a Asylum Rules match against his baby boy KD & now he has me going up against you at the pay per view. I know what he thinks that if he keeps me busy with people like you that I’ll never make it to win my Legacy Title that was robbed from me. 

 

Drake you’re like a bad dream that just keeps coming back. You sit in the darkness & shadows but maybe you’re onto something. This maybe my path to use my experience to weed out the weak from AWS, to see if people like you can stand up to the challenges & to show you what it truly takes to build a legacy in this business. You are my project Drake & here in Hawaii, one on one will we see who the better man is. You already showed your weakness by saying maybe you’ll win & maybe you’ll lose proving you don’t believe you got what it takes to be a WINNER. You got a huge win over Jake Ryan. You have the opportunity to enter a 5 man tournament for title at Madness before we meet, but instead your focused on me & a match you know you can’t win.How is that gonna build your legacy? Don’t worry kid on August 11th the 3rd time will be the charm. I’ll be in my best shape with my mind focused on my path to educate you on what a legacy 1-2-3 at a time!!” 

 

Rhodes stops talking & goes right back to working out as camera fades out & pans back over the beach. 

 

 

 

 

A darkness flowed forth, an impassive look astride the facial features of Drake Nygma. It had become clear that Ricky Rhodes was a man of a lesser intelligence, one who did not understand the bigger picture. Rolling his eyes, Drake’s features grew tight, cold, hard, akin to a razor blade.

 

“I turned on you? This would imply we were ever allies in the first place. Let me be clear, we were never allies. You can think that you were screwed, you can imagine yourself to be a victim of some plot to deny you a championship. Believe that which makes you feel good, that which feeds your ego.”

 

A pulse rumbled through the air, eerie energy reminiscent of an entity older than this mortal realm seized control, an icily controlled style of speech slipping past the lips of Drake Nygma.

 

“Nothing infuriates us more than someone who does not possess the cognizant mental ability to grasp that which is spoken, that which is made clear. You consider me your project? In turn we aim to showcase your lack of intelligence. You Mr Rhodes are all brawn no brains. Your closest ancestor would be the neanderthal caveman. Don’t tax your simple inefficient brain, just keep on acting like a big unintelligent brute.”

 

Drake’s expression remained hard, his facial features set in a mask that betrayed zero emotion. 

 

“Such a tiny brain, what must it be like in there. I’ve indulged you and your simplistic ways thus far because it’s been amusing. Now I find myself growing tired of your boorish ape-like ways. At Clash at the beach, you’ll see how the mind overcomes strength. Technical prowess against strength. I for one am looking forward to seeing what you do when faced with a mind that is far sharper, far more intelligent than anything you’ve ever seen.”
 

Drake Nygma leaned back in a decadent looking chair which resembled a throne. His form was clad in a sharp black suit, suggesting that he had become one with the darkness, his identity altered into something new, something darker. Something vastly more intelligent, with a penchant for showmanship. 

 

A single glass of single malt whiskey lay at his side, the choice of drink implying that this newer version of Drake Nygma was sophisticated on one hand, brutality serving as the other half of his personality.

 

“I'm beyond the archetype, And the vultures all start circling, They're whispering, you're out of time Ricky Rhodes. In your case, yours specifically I’m the one to take you down. To make sure you are forever changed.”

 

Downing the drink in an elegant fashion, the gesture indicative of the classier side of his character. Showman and instrument of chaos both. This is what it means to be Drake Nygma.

 

His expression never altered from its impassive state, a state that acted like armour, separating his former emotionality from his lack of emotions.

 

In all the history that Drake Nygma had experienced, emotions had never been his strong point. They never would be. Emotions made you weak after all, susceptible to manipulation, something that he saw all too often in those who he fought. AWS was full of people driven by emotions, driven by sentiment.

 

“A man with nothing that he loves…is a man who cannot be bargained. A man that cannot be betrayed. A man who answers to no one… but himself.” Drake Nygma spoke, his tone full of cunning and reflecting his crafty, intelligent nature.

 

With no words spoken Drake Nygma turned on his heel, his footsteps echoing in the quiet still air, his words were an ominous foreshadowing of the events to come.