Demetrius Burrell vs JJ Halme

[Ryan Cooke]

Good luck to both!

[Mikko]

They say a man is only as good as his reputation. Is that the truth, or something that simple men say to seem as smart as their enemies? In most of the modern world it would seem to be true. But then again, there is much mystery unfolding these days. Millionaires are being revealed to be some of the greatest con artists of all time. A major departure from the prominent role of entrepreneur’s of modern industry. Yes folks, images can in fact be misleading. As such is the man we focus on today, J.J. Halme.

His history, as far as PPW is concerned, is that of a ruffian. He has shown himself to be someone who has no regard for tradition or the slightest intent for sportsmanship. Some would interpret some of his actions as those of a coward even. With a seemingly blindside attack on Chris Kaladaro being one of the more recent displays. The very recent history would point to an incident involving a blatant attempt at intentional disqualification. A successful attempt this author is inclined to make note.

But the real focus here should be that of an earlier tale. You may even wish to call it his beginning. One refers obviously to the Scramble Six of January 4th. This even saw J.J. again, purposely disqualify himself from competition. It was an action that cost him the possibility to call himself the first PPW champion and labeled him a scoundrel. One man especially has the first hand experience to back that sort of label. The man it all started with on that fateful night, Demetrius Burrell.

J.J. sits in a quiet corner of his new home in Järvenpää, Uusimaa, Suomi. For those unaware, Suomi is the Finnish name for Finland. The lighting isn’t particularly great, but he still avoids the cliché of being shrouded in shadows. In fact, the sun pouring in from the window completely illuminates his figure against the white wall. He sits back in a rocking chair of all things. Nothing fancy, in fact it gives off quite a homemade appearance. Nothing ludicrously shaped as though it came straight out of an Ikea box. His hair is also shorter, extending perhaps a couple of inches past the shoulders.

He stares out the window, seemingly deep in thought. I can assure you also, this time he is not on his cell phone. Leena Saari sits on the floor below the window, leaning back against the wall. Her expression is as usual, odd. It stands somewhere between a smile and a menacing glare. Seriously, what the hell is with this chick!? She decides it’s time to break the silence and does so by opening her arms toward J.J., as if presenting him. The sound from her lips is just as ridiculous as the expression on her face.

“Tah-dah!”

J.J. shakes his head ever so slightly as he continues to sit in his chair. He continues his gaze out the window as he begins to speak.

“Demetrius, I wanted to make sure I had the chance to speak first. I felt it necessary to get my word in, before you ran your mouth about our upcoming contest.”

A large, all white Akita walks into the scene. It sits faithfully by Jukka’s side and places its head on his thigh. He gently scratches the fur atop its head as he continues.

“I don’t want you to expect the results you’ve been used to from me. I won’t be looking to put a boot through the referee’s spine. In fact, I hadn’t even intended for that to be the way in our last encounter. It was purely improvisation. I needed to show myself distancing from C.J. Rowell. The other, slightly more obvious reason was to ensure you and Chris wouldn’t win on terms other than my own.

“Much the same as you should not anticipate a repeat of January 4th. Mustamakkara is nowhere in my thoughts for this contest, so don’t think this will be as easy as that. I am coming straight for you with intent on victory. Strictly to inform the world, yourself, and even C.J. Rowell that it very well could have been me holding the PPW championship. I do not need to prove this; I’ve shown my dominance at great lengths since that night. If you don’t believe me you can take it up with Deontre Jackson, I’m sure he’ll sing a different tune this time around.

“Demetrius, it’s worth noting that I truly have no personal vendetta against you. At that time I was simply a man hired to do a job. A job I carried out with complete success mind you. There is no reason for me to lose this contest. There are no obstacles other than the limitations of our bodies and the strengths of our wills. My edge comes simply from one all so important truth. It’s the fact that I am better than you.

“So, leave your steroid accusations and preconceived notions about what I’m all about at home. Let your woman take care of them and enter the ring with me as a man. Face me with nothing by the desire for victory and let’s show them who the real champion of PPW is. At least then, when you’re still down and out staring up at those bright lights, you’ll feel a little bit less like you’ve been cheated out of something.”

That appears to be the end note for this broadcast. Jukka turns his attention fully to his dog now. He continues to scratch the top of its head while speaking to it in Finnish. Leena leans in to the camera and sticks her face mere inches from the lens.

“Näkemiin!”

The camera is swatted away and the vision turns to empty space immediately. J.J. seems focused on this one. But as mentioned earlier, a man is only as good as his reputation. Or is he?

[demetrius]

“Capturing a world championship has been the only thing that has been on my mind since I started my wrestling training so many years ago, I can still remember the first match I ever had in a company by the name of The Revolution Wrestling Federation. I was very green and the moment they told me I was going to step into the squared circle with a veteran the nerves instantly hit. I went out there and gave it my all. Only to end up losing to a super plex sure we train our bodies to take such impact but at that moment all the nerves and the shock of the fall knocked me out. Am I proud of that moment in my career hell no, cause now I have been through worse. I have taken a lot more punishment, I have grown up I am no longer green. I am a main player but yet a Heavyweight title has still eluded me. I have that chance now as I am slated to wrestles the PPW Champion C.J. Rowell at Pure Pro Wrestlings next super show entitled Redemption. The only thing is my mind is focused on revenge, I am focused on beating the ever living hell outta the man that came and took my dream away from me, like a bully takes a kids lunch money. When I step into the ring with Rowell I will get my revenge and the PPW Title will be an added bonus. First things first though I have to face the monsters known to the world as J.J. Halme. Am I prepared? Hell Yeah... Am I focused? No doubt about it. Is this going to be an easy match? Fuck No! But I am ready for you Halme and I am going to give it my all”

( We open to Demetrius Burrell standing firmly against a wall, We hear a few cars pass by as he sits there watching and waiting. He reaches in his pocket and pulls out his cell phone checking the time and making sure that he hasn't missed any calls, he puts his phone back in his pocket and sighs.)

“Man I swear this fool is always late, how hard is it to say that you are going to be at a place at a certain time and actually be there in time.”

(Demetrius walks away from the wall and looks around the corner checking for the person that he is looking for. He stands there, he begins to pace as he is clearly getting impatient.)

“I might have to walk away from this little meeting cause I have other things I need to do, I can sit here forever.”

(Demetrius begins to walk away when he hears a voice in the background, he thinks nothing of it as he still walks away.)

“HOLD ON, I'M HERE!!!”

(Enter Marcus Storm, Demetrius Burrell's cousin and one time tag partner from back in the day. Demetrius just shakes his head. As Marcus walks up to him Demetrius extends his hand and the two embrace.)

“Man, can you ever be on time?”

(Marcus just smirks.)

“Heh, I have things going on man, I could just up and leave that stuff hanging.”

(Demetrius rolls his eyes as Marcus looks at him like what.)

“Let me guess you had another chick over, that you couldn't get rid of?”

(Marcus smirks again.)
“Nah, man it wasn't anything like that. I had to take care of some business that's all.”

(Demetrius just smirks back at his cousin.)

“Yeah, sure I believe that, so what did you want to meet about man, I actually have some business I need to take care of myself. I am doing big things ya know.”

(Marcus nods.)

“Yeah I know, we haven't had much time to catch up so I thought it would be a good idea to see how my cousin is doing and kinda touch base about things.”

(Demetrius simply nods.)

“Cool, Cool but is there a place we can sit and talk cause it's fucking cold outside and even though I have been in Minnesota all my life I still hate the cold.”

“Yeah man just follow me.”

(The two walk to the building that Demetrius was sitting on which turns out to be a small bar, as they get inside Marcus waves to the bartender and all the workers as the two sit down at a booth, As a waitress brings over two Coors Lights. Marcus smiles at the Waitress.)

“Don't tell me that is one of your flings as well?”

(Marcus shakes his head.)

“Nope, just a really good friend she always takes care of me when I come to this joint.”

(Demetrius just smiles and nods.)

“So how are things going with ya Dee. The last time we talked was around the time Ciana was born, I feel bad I haven't been able to come around and see you and your family as much. I just have a lot of things on my plate at the moment.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“It's all good I understand how the work life is, but things are good Tasha and I are still as in love as before and Ciana is getting big.”

(Marcus smiles.)

“That's good to hear cuz it really is. How is your mom and dad doing.”

“Good everyone in the family is staying strong man, just taking everything that life has to throw at us one day at a time.”

(Marcus nods.)

“Well that is really all you can do. Things are hard right now, for awhile there my wrestling school didn't have many new students coming in, but now business is picking up again so everything is going good on that aspect.”

(Demetrius nods as he takes a sip of his beer.)

“So, how are you Dee what is going on in your world?”

(Demetrius simply shrugs.)

“Come on cuz I know we lost touch for awhile but I am still like your brother so you can talk to me man you know I got your back.”

“It is what it is Marcus, I'm just going out in the ring and doing what I love to do night in and night out.”

(Marcus takes a sip of his beer then smiles.)

“I'm glad you still loving being active in the ring, I still think that you should retire and come teach at my school. We could use someone with your ability, the kids I have could learn a lot from you.”

(Demetrius sighs.)

“Maybe, one day but right now there is still a shit load of things I need to do in the ring before I can give up being active.”

(Marcus nods.)

“Can't say that I didn't try, but are you truly happy being in the ring still, isn't your body just about ready to give out on ya?”

(Demetrius shakes his head.)

“The only thing that gets me here and there is my knee, but other then that I am in the best shape of my life. I was actually going to call it quits until Tasha's brother got me to join Pure Pro Wrestling”

“I heard he bought some company or some shit like that. I was going to try and send some of my students over there if they are ever ready for something like that.”

(Demetrius smiles as he takes another drink of his beer.)

“It would be worth a shot.”

“So what was the main selling point to get you to rethink about retiring.”

(Demetrius takes a deep breath.)

“Winning the big one.”

(Marcus looks at Demetrius confused.)

“What do you mean winning the big one, you have a few heavyweight titles under your belt.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“I know I do.”

“Well then what makes this any different?”

“The competition Marcus, every other company have been in has been nothing but pure amateurs I would go out there and win night in and night out. Hell there was companies I would win their title 3 or 4 times. It just started to get really old, but now the guys I have been having to face have pushed me more then I have ever been pushed in my career.”

(Marcus nods.)

“That's understandable, I thought for sure you won a strap in the AWA and the WCWA when you took on those two ventures.”

“I did but it never was the big one, right now I am so close in PPW I can taste it , I'm already the number one contender for the title, but the guy I have to face is a fucking snake, he always seems to get the drop on me.”

“It's never like you to say when someone is getting the drop on you.”

(Marcus says shocked.)

“Yeah, but I'll never tell him that to his face. I think Rowell has a lot of talent and is very skilled but the way he goes about things are very under handed and someone needs to put him in his place. Someone needs to knock him down the size, and who better to do that then yours truly?”

(Demetrius says with confidence in his voice.)

“You gotta do what you gotta do bro, just make sure that his little mind games he plays don't get to ya, I know how easy it is for you to lose focus, and how short of a fuse you have.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“Your right about that, but I have gotten better I don't think I have been this focused in a long time, but I still have another match to get through before I can even get my hands on Rowell.”

“Against who?”

(Demetrius frowns as he grabs his beer and takes another drink.)

“Some big bastard from Finland that goes by the name of J.J. Halme.”

“Oh, that's the guy that kicked you in the dick and got himself dq'ed from the scramble six it was right?”

(Demetrius nods his head a little confused that his cousin knew what happened.)

“Didn't think you kept up on much wrestling these days, all I thought you did was run your school.”

“I keep tabs here and there, besides I have to know how you are doing. Anyway, Halme is a big fucker, but you have been taking on guys his says all your career so it should be no different.”

“I wish I was so sure about that, there is something about Halme that is different, the man does what he wants and when he wants. He claims that he is in this for the sport, but who knows if he is going to blow his fuse and try to take me out before I can even make it to Redemption.”

(Demetrius says with a hint of worry in his voice.)

“Well that's why you just need to go in there prepared for anything and everything that he is going to try and throw at you. Hell your small and quick use your speed to advantage don't let him get a hold of you, throw the big man off his game and you will be in the clear man. Just think of it like running away from the cops.”

(Demetrius and Marcus laugh.)

“I already planned on it, I'm going to run circles around Halme, he isn't going to know what hit him.”

(Suddenly Marcus gets a serious and stern look on his face, he looks Demetrius dead in the eyes and then frowns.)

“So what is this shit I am hearing about you using?”

(Demetrius just rolls his eyes.)

“Some, dumb shit by the name of J.C. Mason is accusing wrestlers of being on roids, he has openly admitted to using himself, he is just trying to brings others into so that if Derek takes him down that others will be taken down with him. That's all it is.”

(Marcus still with the stern look on his face nods.)

“Are you sure? Your not using or anything?”

“Your fucking kidding me right? Why in gods name would I do that, you know when we first got into the business how against it I was, so why would that change now. I have a family to worry about and I know how much that shit fucks you up I would never and I do mean never touch that shit.”

(Marcus smiles.)

“Good I just had to make sure you still had your head on straight that's all. I'm just looking out for You and your family.”

(Demetrius nods.)
“I know and I appreciate that. This little talk was nice but I have some things I have to do, we will have to catch up again sometime. I have to go home to the wife.”

(Marcus and Demetrius stands up, they step outside the booth and embrace again)

“Good luck with your career Dee, like I said if things don't work out you know there is always a spot for you at the school.”

(Demetrius nods.)

“I know, but Marcus I have a good feeling this is my year and I am going to be on top before I know it, I'm not called the “Main Attraction” for nothing.”

“Well that's the spirit, best of luck to ya cuz.”

(Demetrius shakes Marcus's hand before turning away and leaving the bar and the scene.)

FADES TO BLACK