ROLEPLAY NUMBER: 02
NEXT OPPONENTS: UNDISPUTED ERA, AGE OF THE FALL, & ROAD WARRIORS
EVENT: ECW ANARCHY
DATE: 12/29/2024
STIPULATION: FOUR CORNERS ELIMINATION TAG
CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAKE: ECW TAG TEAM TITLES



________________________________________________________



’Course, that’s not to say their arrival had gone exactly as they had drawn it up. Their first encounter with villainy had found them the betters, that much was true. They had emerged from the short skirmish with nary a scratch, their heads and hands held high…but like I said before, this is ECW, where revelry is often as short-lived as a fart in a dust storm. The rules of engagement, already little more than a suggestion, had been tarred and feathered by the very men they were supposed to be governing. The sheriff had thrown his hands up. What was left was an all-out, no-holds-barred slobber knocker where the last pair standing would be able to claim, if only for the moment, that they were the baddest men in the land.



________________________________________________________




It’s a few days before Christmas, and the Old School Heroes have been lined up for a local appearance to promote the upcoming episode of Anarchy. In the next lot over from where the expo is scheduled to take place there just happens to be a large shopping mall, and that shopping mall just happens to be the setting for a most magical story.

Decorations stretch on as far as the eye can see as the people inside mill about with their bags, entering and exiting stores and carrying on conversations over the festive holiday music in the background. A few seconds pass before Steve Corino and Dusty Rhodes emerge from one of the crowds, chatting and taking a leisurely stroll to kill some time before the event.

DUSTY RHODES - "Ya know thomethin’, Thteve…when I wath a little kid, we didn’t have a whole lot. You know that, everybody knowth that. Heh…BOY, I hated Chrithmath. I hated it becauthe I KNEW I wathn’t gonna get much, and I knew I wath gonna have to watch all my FRIENDTH out on Chrithmath Day, laughin’ and happy..playin’ with their new..roller thkateth and BIthycleth. Onthe I moved out on my own, I didn’t thelebrate the holidayth for YEARTH becauthe…well, I gueth I held on to that childish BITTERneth…"

Steve watches the tiles on the floor slowly pass underfoot as he walks beside one of his childhood idols, quietly listening for a refreshing change of pace.

DUSTY RHODES - "Lookin’ BACK on it, though, I realithed that my mama and daddy did the betht they could for me…and I wouldn’t go back and change it for anything in thith WORLD. Thee, onthe a year ‘round thith time we would get all guthied up in our Thunday threadth..we’d PILE into the family thtation wagon, and we’d head into town for thupper and to look at all the decorationth. Thometimeth when dad wath feelin’ extra FETHtive we’d thtop at thith tiny thtrip mall we had, and they'd thtring LIGHTH all around and we'd jutht walk through like we’re doing now. That became one of my favorite MEMorieth of my folkth, and that'th why every year, no matter where I AM..at home, on the road..I find a mall with thome lights and thome muthic and I walk my fat ath THROUGH it becauthe to ME...well, to ME, thith ith CHRITHmath..."

The two pause for a moment, looking around in silence at the various holiday paraphernalia. Steve nods slightly, seeming to have a newfound appreciation for the normally trivial decorations that surround them.

????? - "Pssst…..PSSST!"

Rhodes and Corino turn to see a man of about fifty years old, skinny and balding, peeking his head out from the hallway that leads back to the bathrooms. After looking nervously up and down the main thoroughfare, he motions for the duo to come closer, which they cautiously do.

????? - "Oh please…oh PLEASE, you’ve got TO HELP me!"

DUSTY RHODES - "Woah, woah, thettle DOWN there, thir. There’th no need to get hythTERIcal. Now, what theemth to be the thituation?"

The man stares blankly at Rhodes for a few seconds, trying in vain to translate before looking over at Steve.

STEVE CORINO - "What’s wrong?”

????? - "Is THAT what he said?!"

DUSTY RHODES - "Now LITHEN here-"

????? - "NO no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…please, I can’t afford to have YOU mad at me TOO. Look…right down there is our Santa’s Village…and there about THIRTY screaming children down there, about to be murdered by their PISSED OFF parents because our VILLAGE has no SANTA!!"

STEVE CORINO - "..Okay, where’s he at?”

????? - "WHOKNOOWS…who knows? He was supposed to be here a half an hour ago but he’s not HERE. Without Santa, there are no PICTURES with Santa…without PICTURES with Santa, there’s no MONEY for pictures with Santa…without MONEY for pictures with Santa, there’s no Christmas bonus for BEAUFORT…and without a Christmas bonus for BEAUFORT, there’s no trip to FIJI with SPARKLES!"

DUSTY RHODES - "Who’th THPARkleth? Ya DOG?"

Dusty’s question earns him a quick smirk and side eye from Corino.

STEVE CORINO - "That’s ONE way of putting it. So what do you need from US? I mean…THIS isn’t Santa. I can SEE how you could make that misTAKE, though. Maybe if you squint REEALLY hard..”

BEAUFORT - "AHA, now you’re starting to underSTAND. See, if HE would be willing to step in as Santa, just until the REAL one shows up, then we can take the pictures…we can take the MONEY…and I can take my SWEET two weeks!"

DUSTY RHODES - "And…the KIDTH…"

BEAUFORT - "Yes, YEEES, and the kids get to see the jolly FAT man. So what do you say? Will you help me out?"

STEVE CORINO - "Look, we’d love to help, REALLY, but we’ve kinda got this THING we have to get to and-”

DUSTY RHODES - "Where’th the thuit?"

STEVE CORINO - "How did I KNOW that was coming?”

DUSTY RHODES - "It’th for the KIDTH, Thteve…for the KIDTH. Look, you gander 'round and thee if you can find the REAL Thanta Clauth, BRING him back down to hith VILLAGE, and we’ll be at the on-thale before anyone’th any the WITHER.."

Realizing he is outnumbered, Steve lets out a deep sigh in acceptance of his new fate.

STEVE CORINO - "Alright, fine…I know when I’m cooked…but wh-…how am I even supposed to FIND this guy?”

BEAUFORT - "Might I suggest…trying the TRAIN…"

Beaufort glances off behind Corino, and when Steve turns around there is a red, Christmas-themed, ten-and-a-quarter-inch gauge locomotive sitting on tracks that seem to stretch on forever.

STEVE CORINO - "Nooow THAT wasn’t there a second aGO…how did you-”

He spins back anxious for an explanation, only to find that his tag-team partner, along with the strange man, have vanished into thin air.

STEVE CORINO - "Beaufort?...Dusty?...GUYS?”

CONDUCTOR - "All aBOOOARD!"

The bell on the train begins to ring, and steam begins to billow from the chimney as Steve approaches one of its cars.

STEVE CORINO - "Oooh…WHAT the hell…I guess things can’t get much WEIRDER than they already ARE… ”

He goes to step into the compartment but suddenly his foot slips, he hits his head on the roof, and falls unconscious onto the bench inside. Now, I want you all to bear with us for just a moment because Steve is wrong. Things do get much weirder. See, that train may be starting off inside the mall, but it won’t stay that way for long because as it rounds the first corner it emerges into a vast, snowy plain under the stars: Steve is at the North Pole.

He starts to come to, groggy and disoriented but with his mission firmly in mind as the station finally appears up ahead. A minute later and he is on his feet…then on his face…then on his feet again and on the hunt for his elusive, plump prey. His first stop is Santa’s workshop, but not a creature is stirring. A note on the door informs Corino of a recent elf labor union and subsequent strike, resulting in the temporary suspension of global operations. A foreboding start. Next, he visits Mrs. Claus, where he learns the unfortunate news that she had served Santa with divorce papers only weeks ago over his alleged affair with Mother Nature. You’re welcome for THAT image. His final destination is the neighborhood tavern, where he makes his third grim discovery; Santa had just recently paid off and closed out his years-running tab. Fearing the worst and out of ideas, Steve decides to head back to the station when he is stopped on the street by a transient snowman, who offers him a cryptic clue.

Things aren't always as they seem,
Is this real or just a dream?
If who you seek is Père Noël,
Return to where you rang your bell!

Before he can even process the words, a blinding flash of light sends him stumbling backwards and onto a nearby bench.

CONDUCTOR - "Next STOP…Santa’s VILLage!"

The pain in Steve’s head slowly subsides as his vision begins returning to normal.

STEVE CORINO - "What the...HELL just happened…wait a second…Santa’s Village…DUSTY!”

Corino sits up to find that he is back inside the train, back inside the shopping mall, and indeed approaching what looks to be Santa’s Village. Rubbing his forehead he jumps out of the car and begins walking faster than the train, which draws a nasty look from the conductor.

CONDUCTOR - "Yeeah, SCREW you TOO!"

Steve turns around ready to give a piece of his mind, but as seems to be theme on this day, the man, the train, and the tracks have all three disappeared without a trace.

STEVE CORINO - "Why WOULDN’T he be gone…whatever, I don’t have time for this. I’ve gotta get back to Dusty, he’s probably got the kids in a…Bunkhouse BRAWL or something by now..”

As he gets closer, though, Corino hears the sounds not of shouting and fighting and tables being broken, but of laughing and playing and presents being opened. He can hardly believe his eyes as he enters the village to see all of the children play harmoniously amongst each other in the imitation snow, showing off their new toys to each other and their parents. He finally spots Dusty, who is sitting in a large ornate chair, still in bearded costume, with a lumpy, red velvet bag beside him on the floor.

DUSTY RHODES - "HEY, Thteve! Look, I found the thack of goodieth!"

STEVE CORINO - "So I SEE..”

Just then Beaufort appears across the room, eyes wide and mouth agape as he surveys the spectacle.

BEAUFORT - "Oh no…no NO, what have you DONE?! So many toys…so much MONEY…I’ll be fired…RUined…DESTITUTE!!"

He falls to his knees, sobbing with head in hands as the merriment continues around him.

STEVE CORINO - "Looks like SPARKLES is gonna have to find another way to FIJI..”

DUSTY RHODES - "Heh, yeah yeah, THPARKLETH!...Oh HEY, did you find the real Thanta Clauth?"

Looking around at the scene and with renewed Christmas spirit, Steve smiles as he pats Dusty on the shoulder.

STEVE CORINO - "I THINK I did, big guy…I think I DID…”

Rhodes reaches down, pulls another toy out of the bag, and hands it to a passing child as the shot slowly fades.



________________________________________________________




It's old school.

It's brand new.

It's the brand new Old School Heroes t-shirt, and it's just in time for the holidays!


--------------------


Find it wherever ECW merchandise is sold. Order from our online shop within the next twenty-four hours and get guaranteed delivery by Christmas, PLUS we'll throw in a free seven-day trial of MAX so you can experience the Anarchy for yourself, live and in living color!

Be a hero, and buy the wrestling fan in YOUR life the Old School Heroes t-shirt this holiday season. It's a guaranteed VICTORY!



________________________________________________________




It’s near freezing outside, but the crowd on hand is red-hot as they gather around the makeshift stage in the parking lot next to the aforementioned shopping mall. The cameras pan over the fans as they jump and cheer in excitement, waving their homemade signs and starting up the obligatory ECW chant. A few moments later, a bundled-up Joey Styles walks up the steps and onto the platform to a big pop from the crowd. He cups his hands and blows into them, obviously feeling the effects of the cold as he steps up and grabs the microphone from the stand.

JOEY STYLES - "HELLO NEW YYORK CITYYY!!!”

The crowd greets Styles with another thunderous reaction.

JOEY STYLES - "WHO’S READY FOR A LITTLE ANARCHYYY?!! ”

Again the fans erupt in approval, the steam from their breaths creating a fog-like atmosphere around the stage.

JOEY STYLES - "Without any further aDIEU…and before certain parts of my anatomy get FROSTbite…allow me to introduce our guests at this time. They are one QUARTER..of our upcoming main event ELIMINATION match for the ECW Tag Team TITLES. They are Dusty Rhodes…and Steve Corino…they are the OLD. SCHOOL. HEROOOES!!”

A clip of “Old School Style” by Boner blasts through the speakers, and the people in attendance somehow get even louder as the duo make their way up onto the stage. Sporting jeans, cowboy boots, and black hoodies with their new t-shirts over top, Corino and Rhodes work the crowd for a few moments before Steve walks over and receives the microphone from Styles.

STEVE CORINO - "Joey…I’m gonna cut ya a little BREAK…I’m gonna let you go ahead and get back to the heated sanctuary of the proDUCTion truck…because the HEROES have got a few things we need to SAY!”

Styles nods and bows slightly, apparently not too upset by the excusal as he descends the steps with a wave to the crowd.

STEVE CORINO - "Ya see, it’s high NOON in Extreme Championship Wrestling…and one of the wildest shootouts in HISTORY is about to happen just a short drive down the ROAD. On December twenty-ninth, eight MEN will walk into the Elks Lodge in Queens, New York, with the same GOAL…to become the ECW World Tag Team CHAMpions…and only TWO will be successful.”

Steve holds up two fingers, a gesture that is mimicked by some of the fans to the amusement of the Heroes.

STEVE CORINO - "Now on the last episode of ANarchy, Dusty Rhodes and I made quick work of those two FLUNKIES, Matt MeNARD and Angelo PARKer. As a matter of fact, right about NOW those boys are probably somewhere doing Chris Jericho’s LAUNDRY. Well FELLas…nothing PERsonal?...but we hope that squash tasted as good to YOU…as it did to US!”

Dusty nods and smiles as he rubs his belly, which incites scattered laughter throughout the audience.

STEVE CORINO - "So that earned us a SPOT…a spot in a WAR with three other teams just as hungry as WE are to get their hands on that GOLD…three teams that are gonna be mighty disapPOINTed come Monday MORNing. The Age of the Fall…the band that’s back toGETHER on a tour of redemption…the team HUNGRY for a taste of the success they ONCE had. Well AGE…I hate to rain on your paRADE…but none of that sucCESS you’re trying to relive happened in this company beFORE…and it’ll be over our broken BODIES that it happens THIS time! You want your former GLORY? Go chase the Ring of HONOR tag straps! Go back and politic your way to the top in PWG or All-American if you want a fairytale reUNION, because things are a little DIFFERENT around here. See, this is ECW…these are The King of OLD School’s stomping grounds...these are The American DREAM’S stomping grounds…this IS, HAS been, and always WILL be…Old School HERO territory!”

The cameras scan the cheering crowd again, picking out a number of people waving Old School Heroes signs.

STEVE CORINO - "Next up, we have the Undisputed ERA…although unFORTunately, it looks like we’re going to be getting the Kyle O’Reilly/Bobby FISH version. Now don’t get me WRONG, you guys aren’t a bad TEAM. You’ve had your share of title reigns, and Kyle, you and Adam COLE have even won the big tournament named after THIS guy..even if it WAS shady business. But like I just told Black and Jacobs, this isn’t NXT. This is a far CRY from Ring of Honor. See, all the violence and brutality you two have been through…all those bloody battles you’re going to look back on, and THINK they’ve prepared you for what’s in store this Sunday? They will pale in comPARIson..to the absolute carnage of ECW. All your mixed martial arts training, Black? MEANINGless when you’re lying on your back, tangled in a spool of barbed WIRE. O’Reilly? All of that technical PROWess? All of those innovative maNEUvers? IrRELEvant when you’re crashing head-first through a flaming TABLE to the concrete FLOOR. No, to make it in THIS organization you have to be a different BREED…you have to be GLADiators…you have to be….WARriors…”

Corino pauses momentarily as the fans cheer, and a “Road Warriors” chant slowly begins breaking in segments of the crowd. Steve steps over and hands the microphone to Rhodes, who smiles as he shakes his hips to the rhythm of the chant.

DUSTY RHODES - "Road WahYUUUTH, Hawk and Animal! Now…anybody that wath a FAAN back the EIGHTieth..or anybody who’th THEEN the showth from the eightieth…KNOWTH that there with a thpan of over five YEEUHTH…when Duthy Rhodeth and the Road Wahyuth were rompin and-a THTOMPIN’ all over thethe United THTATETH! The battleth involvin’ the three of UTH are the thtuff of LEGend, both ath partnath…AND ath advertharieth. The BLOODshed and BARbarithm we dithplayed will go DOWN...in the annalth of HITHT'RYYY. Thee, There are TWO TEAMTH, Hawk and Animal..that have a dithTINCT advantage in eckthPERIENTH in thith match, and that’th YOU…and that’th UTH. Now, the THMART thing to do would be for uth to work toGETHer…join FORtheth, if you weel, and eliminate the OTHER two teamth from the compeTItion. Then may the betta team win…and it dam sho’ WOULD. Now like I thay, that would be THMART thing to do…but I never claimed to be a GENiuth, and I KNOW YOU two dumb ath a bockth of ROCKTH, tho…what’th motht LIKELY to happen ith we jutht gonna get in there and there’ll be fithth and feet and ATH flyin’ everywhere! Well THO BE it…because that’th the way thethe FANTH LIKE IT…and that’th the way the HEORETH LOVE IT!"

The people pop again, and Dusty is just about to drop the microphone when a long, white limousine comes pulling into the parking lot. The fans part down the middle, trying to get a look inside the car as it pulls right up beside the stage and glides to a halt. Steve cracks a smile, grabbing the microphone back from a confused American Dream.

STEVE CORINO - "Ha…silly ME…I Almost forgot! Considering how this is the holiday SEASON and all…I took the liberty of getting everyone a little GIFT. Now, this gift is for all of the FANS…this gift is for my PARTNER, Dusty RHODES…and this gift is even for those three TEAMS we’ll be facing at Anarchy this Sunday. Ya see, I was in the BACK last week watching that CLUSTER of a match between the Age of the Fall and the Road Warriors and something DAWNED on me. We’re just a little outNUMbered. I mean, the FALL is probably gonna have those two chicks and that crazy LIZARD guy with ‘em…the Undisputed ERA are ALWAYS as thick as thieves…and Luna VaCHON is worth like three guys on her OWN! Heh, I know Jack is GOOD and all, but even HE wouldn’t be able to contend with those odds. So I got to THINKin’…and I decided to call in a little bit of BACKup. I think you all KNOW the guy…Dusty, please don’t have a HEART attack…he’s the son of a SON…and a son of a GUN…HE’S DUSTIIIN…RHOOODES!!”

Dusty’s jaw drops and his eye go wide, and the crowd lose their collective minds when the limousine’s back door swings open and out steps The Natural along with Jack Victory. Sporting Heroes t-shirts of their own, the pair slap hands with the fans as they make their way to the stage and up the steps. Dusty and his son share a laugh and a hug before Dustin turns and bumps fists with Corino. Taking the microphone, he looks out into the sea of humanity and shares a few words of his own.

DUSTIN RHODES - "How ‘BOUT it, New York City, HUH??! I don’t know about Y’ALL…but looks to ME like the sides just got a little more EVEN around here, whaddya SAY?! See, I might not be officially SIGNED to ECW, at least not YET…but you can bet your bottom DOLLAR I’ll be at the Elks Lodge for Anarchy this Sunday. I might come out to RINGside, I might NOT…but I’ll be there, and if any ONE of you characters in the back feel like you wanna get inVOLVED in this match? If you think double, triple...quadRUPLE-teaming my FATHER, or my good friend Steve Corino is gonna be a GOOD idea? Well, LET'S just saaay...that’ll be one of the BIGgest misTAKES...of YOUR liiives!”

Dustin glares into the camera before he drops the microphone and reaches up under his hoodie, producing a solid steel branding iron. The four men stand tall on the stage, peace signs in the air as “Old School Style” hits the speakers once more. The fans continue cheering and clapping, savoring the moment in time even through the bitterness of the cold.