T.B.D. | Some Things Never Change

Pyro explodes around the ring.

Confetti pours down from the the heavens.

The cheers from the crowd, a song you never want to end.

From the Cyborg Invitational until now, this is what the tandem of Tyson Cage and Suraci dreamed of accomplishing...even if calling the road to get here a rocky one would be the understatement of the century. Here they are, though, standing in the middle of the ring with the Fusion Tag Team Championships in their hands, staring at their new cherished possessions as if they can't believe this moment has finally happened.

Suraci gets to his feet and turns around just as Cage puts out a hand for a shake. The sudden movement startles Suraci, who was clearly expecting something else. Suraci stumbles backward and lands on his ass from where he looks up at Cage who is repeatedly trying to reassure him that he doesn't want the team to end. He puts out his hand again in an offer to assist Suraci off the mat.

Just like that all the joy and jubilation that filled the room just moments before has dissipated like a car in a sinkhole. The masses watch while holding their breaths. They watch anxiously to see if this is when the increasingly paranoid Suraci finally snaps. They watch with aching hearts to see if this is when Cage reveals his "true" colors.

Instead, they watch as Suraci slides himself away from Cage until his back touches the ropes. He never takes his eyes off of Cage, as though fearing an attack the moment his back is exposed.

Now Cage watches as Suraci rolls out of the ring with his half of the tag team championships in tow. Suraci backs up the ramp, his eyes unreadable as they remain locked on Cage.

All we can do is keep watching this ticking time bomb while wondering what the damage will be when it finally explodes.

The camera crew catches up with the Bickering Duo backstage after their win against Mr. Money in the Bank and his best friend. Suraci is midway down the hallway with Cage yelling out after him to just stop so that they can hash somethings out. Finally, before disappearing around a corner, Suraci spins on his heels and in a few strides gets right into Cage's face. He doesn't say anything at first, merely searches his tag partner's eyes for the ticking time bomb he swears is nearing explosion.


So you finally did it, huh? You finally get to the call yourself a tag team champion. Congratulations, friend. I bet it felt amazing, standing there on the grandest stage, holding that title in your hand, feeling vindicated for everything that you've done to get to this point.

And I bet that after party was amazing. The drinks, the music, the women, the beard experts, I'm happy you had a grand old time basking in your moment. Except for one thing, right? The fact that you were saddled with deadweight. With a man you'd replace with anyone else on the roster in a heartbeat.

So I'm wondering, and I've been wondering since that match: now that you've gotten your moment...now that you can finally call yourself a champion...you must be itching to move on, huh? Singles gold is calling your name, and all you have to do is find a way to get rid of me and the belts. But instead of admitting that, you're going to keep playing this game where you won't make the call to put this team to rest.


Tyson takes a step back. And his face saddens with the distrust of the man he wants to be friends with.


Dude. Why you got to be this way. I know you have beef with the dude that turned on you, but when are you gonna get it through your thick skull that I am not him, that I am someone that you have changed for the better.

I didnt just want to be a tag Champion and the just drop it. No. I want to become the longest reigning tag team champions in CMV history. I can't do it with just anyone. I can't do it with Xander Slate, I can't do it with Bloody Justice, hell even if one half of #TRENDINGWORLDWIDE ask me to attempt to break the feat that is the longest reign, I would have to turn it down. I only want to do this with you. Cause no matter how much you don't trust me, I will always trust you. 

And I believe in you. So don't end this. I don't want this to end.


Suraci's eyes soften for just a moment as Cage's words sink in, but that lasts less than a second before that wall shoots back up.


Is that so?

Well then let's put your money where your mouth is. Let's see how much you're willing to stand by those words, because I'm willing to bet my career that deep down you don't actually give a damn.


He pauses a moment to consider what he just said, then smiles.


Yeah, that sounds about right. If we don't get...let's make it three, that's the magic number, ain't it?...three title defenses under our belts, then I'm gone. Suraci is fired, and you get what you always wanted.

Let's see how hard you fight now.


Suraci doesn't wait for Cage to respond or protest. He turns and walks off, leaving the weight of his comments to rest on his partner's shoulders.

An interviewer catches up with a surprisingly smiling Suraci moments after The Bickering Duo suffered a loss to the scorching hot Blood & Stone.

Interviewer: Suraci, most people would be upset after a loss in such a close match, but you appear to be taking it in stride.

Suraci: That I am, Mr. Interviewer Man, because this match has brought me peace.

Interviewer: What do you mean?

Suraci: It just answered a lot of questions I’ve had lurking in the back of my mind. The biggest one being, does Tyson Cage, really care about this team: for those who missed the match, the answer was a resounding no.

Interviewer: What do you mean? I haven’t personally spoken to Cage, but from what he’s said to even having that new logo for the team commissioned, he seems to be more in favor of the team carrying on than ever before.

Suraci: Yeah, that logo was real cute wasn’t it? I bet it’s just his way of mocking me. A way to throw in my face that he’s just about ready to see this all come to an end. He didn’t even try to break that pin. And remember the last time he missed that knee? Yeah, neither do I.

Interviewer: Suraci, forgive me if this is me speaking out of line, but for weeks now, your paranoia about the past catching up with you is causing you to self-destruct. You’re throwing your career away for literally no reason.

Suraci: No, there is a reason.

Interviewer: What is it?

Suraci: It’s...it’s...look, the point is, we had Blood & Stone right where we wanted them before it all fell apart. They’re a great team, and they’re going places, but between Police Squad showing up and referees getting taken out, tonight isn’t how a title match would play out. We’ve been knocked down before by a team, from Police Squad to Desolation, and come back harder when the stakes were high. After tonight, I wish I could say the same for Battle Scars. But I’m not gonna just lay down and give up, that’s not my style. Even if I’m the only one on my team who gives a damn, I’m gonna fly until my wings give out.


----

open to cage

Tyson slowly walks behind Suraci, hearing everything that he had told the interviewer. 


Tyson: Hey. I don't know how many times and how many people have to tell you that I am not gonna betray you. I had this logo made in the hope of it uniting us as a team working out.  I was wrong. It didn't. I am sorry that you are so blinded by how much you hate the thought of teaming with me. I am not letting you ruin your career. If you quit, you be letting yourself down. Please listen to me Suraci, I'm not that guy in NGCW, I'm not him. I am Tyson Cage, a man that ran from home with no friends no family, til I met you, you became my best friend, and I can't let your dreams die. If you quit, I am gonna leave Fusion. But the way you are now, we ain't gonna be on fusion for long. Get your head in the game, and stop destroying yourself.

Tyson begins to back up, and stares at Suraci


----


Open to Suraci, if not Tyson walks off.

Suraci stands there for a few moments silent.

Interviewer: Suraci, I don't want to get involved, but I, and millions of people out there don't want you to throw you career away because of your paranoia. You're the only one holding yourself to that ultimatum, no one hold it against you if you change your mind.

Suraci again doesn't say anything as Cage looks at him expectantly. Finally, he takes in a deep breath.

Suraci: Maybe you're right.

Cage almost starts to smile.

Suraci: And maybe you're not.

That smile disappears as Suraci looks him dead in the eyes, his expression softening, but almost for a second, before the masked man turns and walks off.

A video is uploaded onto the CMV website at some point during the day before Fusion goes on air. The footage depicts Suraci, unmasked, sitting on the front stairs of his apartment building.


So this is it, huh? The end of the road.

Didn’t see things playing out the way that they did.

I never thought that it would all come to that moment at Battle Scars.


He breathes in deeply.


Yet here we are.

Tyson had a lot to say, and the humor in how quickly he tried to absolve himself of any blame wasn’t lost on me. Every time I looked into his eyes, every time I really listened to his words, every time that I thought about whether the heart of man could truly change, I felt the darkness lurking within him. Just as it did with Mathias, except this time I was ready for it.

Still there was nothing I could do to stop it.

I flew, and I fell, but I’ll fly again.

Funny thing is that I don’t blame him at all for how this team ends. He is who he is, and he showed his true colors just as I expected him to. Did I have to make that ultimatum? No. But I needed to, and at Battle Scars we all saw that I was right all along. Now Tyson wants to make a big show out of leaving Fusion because deep down he has to get the last laugh.

I won’t be watching to see where he goes next, because unlike him, I can sleep knowing that I gave this team everything I had right until the bitter end.

I feel free.


Another deep breath as he considers his next words carefully.


As for me?

I think it’s time I fly home.