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Post by PANGAEA on May 13, 2015 18:57:34 GMT
 -v-  [Single Match] Armada vs. Avalon Blake |
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Post by Armada on May 17, 2015 22:33:23 GMT
LIVE STYLES - THE SIXTH MOST POPULAR LATE NIGHT TALK SHOW IN SWEDEN
"We're back live with our esteemed guest! A four-time online gaming champion, a podcaster, streamer, spokesman for..."
Armada smiles shyly while flashing his Altitud energy drink at the camera.
"Lots of stuff."
"A spokesman for lots of stuff and now, get this, a professional wrestler! He hurts people for a living, but look at this face - such a nice face! He's just a nice Swedish boy, right? He has to be! Give a warm welcome to Erik Modin - the e-sports sensation Armada!"
The studio audience cheers as Armada shrugs his shoulders and waves. A particularly peppy techno song plays over the speakers; he raises his eyebrows at the choice of music. He gives the perky female host Alina Wahlström a hug and as their eyes meet, they share a smile.
"Nice to be here, nice to be here!"
"So Armada - I get paid to just talk nonsense every night. Not even every night, we have vacation days. You get paid to play video games and fight people you don't like. I'm sorry but isn't the world, like, great?"
"It's wonderful, I'd recommend it to anyone. You know, if you're going into space or something - stay right here."
"And for everyone who doesn't follow professional gamers on Instagram, where exactly are you wrestling now?"
Armada shakes his head and smiles.
"Moving to the cheap plug like what, a minute in?"
Alina raises two fingers.
"Second cheap plug."
"Wow, we're good. I'm working for PANGAEA Professional Wrestling now, we're doing shows in Europe. Last week was Rome, this week is Munich. I don't know if we're doing a Sweden show but everything is up on the website for free, you can watch me live in the ring next Thursday!"
"And how'd you do live in the ring last week?"
Armada tugs the collar of his shirt and winces.
"Leeet's go to the video!"
Armada and the audience, both in the studio and at home, are forced to watch a heavily edited clipshow of his encounter with Cesar Salazar. A warning reads "THE FOLLOWING FOOTAGE MAY BE DISTURBING AND TERRIBLE" in both English and Swedish. Armada is shown slapping the big man and laughing before getting kicked in the head, spitting blood, getting pinned and spewing the rest of the blood at a fan - in that exact order. Drowning Pool's classic "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor" served as the backing track.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Armada!"
His face is bright red. Only some of the audience cheer - they don't really know what to do. Many are visibly repulsed on a deep level.
"But my personal favorite moment from that show..."
This time they show a clip of Avalon Blake powerbombing Vashta Nerada from the apron to the concrete floor. The Swedish audience groans in one shared voice as the masked man thuds against the ground.
"Now Armada, the punchline is..."
"I'm actually fighting that gigantic woman. Next week."
Alina smiles and holds her arms outstretched.
"Like, what do you even do to prepare for that?"
"Well, I'm lifting weights. But I only have like ten days, so I kind of missed the boat there."
"What are they feeding that girl? You probably know better than I do. Do you see her in catering just devouring live chickens or what?"
"Ham? I'd say ham. Corn, maybe protein shakes? These are all guesses - you wanna look like that?"
"Not really. But it would be cool for one day to just be like...graaaagh! And start throwing little masked wrestlers around."
"That guy in the mask, he actually won that match."
"So even if you beat her..."
Armada's face turns solemn.
"Got the escape route all planned out already."
"Now it's early, and I know our audience here in Stockholm loves you..."
They cheer, but not overenthusiastically.
"And I'm pulling for you too. But you aren't a very popular figure in your wrestling company. You spat blood at people, you tried to punch Salazar somewhere no man ever wants to be punched. And people think that because of your success in e-sports, your following, maybe the money you made, you have a bit of an attitude."
"There are people in this company who are twice my size, there are people who are stronger than me, meaner than me. I'm a nice kid. I'm a team player. I built myself up by my bootstraps. Have you even seen some of those guys? Cutter Driftwood? They should be in prison. I'm learning as I go but there are people with so much experience. Back to Salazar, he's a fourth generation wrestler. Some of his great-grandparents were doing this."
"What did your great-grandparents do?"
"I think I come from a long line of accountants? But they're tall accountants, so that's something."
Alina smiles before asking the next question.
"You've already lost once in Pangaea. What are you going to do this time to bring a victory to Sweden?"
Armada clears his throat a little.
"I think there are a lot of things about yourself - and this goes to the audience, you, me, whoever - there are a lot of things that you just hold to be true. You never have to question them. And if one day you're in a wrestling ring, a bar, a fight, and there's some huge angry bastard trying to break you in half, you might find out that some other things are true. My parents raised me well, I love my fans, my family, but if it's you or me? I have to make sure it's me. And I can't feel guilty about that, I can't feel shy about that. Go ahead and watch that show. I'll do everything it takes to come out a winner."
Alina, looking a bit shocked, leans back in her chair.
"Weeeell, I think I'm gonna stay right here in this job. A lot easier. Erik Modin, everyone! Armada!"
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