CALL YOUR SHOT
We return from commercial to see Vince Howard standing in the ring.
Vince Howard: Please welcome at this time…the Five Star Champion! The Next Diamond! NATE! COOOLLLLLLTOOOOOOOONNNNNN!!
Eagles. “Tryin’.”
RRAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!
A diamond-shaped “C” with a smaller “N” inside appears on the PRIMEview, much like it did at Culture Shock. Just before the first verse hits, Nate Colton steps through the curtain and stands in the middle of the entrance platform, arms outstretched and palms up. Check him out in his blue jeans, satin ring jacket, and of course, the Five Star Championship belt.
I’m just arriving in the city
And there’s music on my mind
Lookin’ for my destination and
My home is far behind
The Next Diamond quickly walks to the ring, but makes time to shake a few hands on the way.
Nick Stuart: Nate looks like he’s recovered from a grueling Culture Shock weekend. Not only did he have that close call against Tyler Adrian Best on Night One, but he spent more time in the ring than anyone else in the Culture Shock Battle Royal on Night Two!
Richard Parker: And then Cecilworth Farthington kicked him in his dumbass face! Good times.
‘Cause it’s a long road ahead
And you can make it in the end
I’m gonna make it with my friends
And I’m tryin’
Colton climbs the steps, steps through the ropes, and waves at the crowd. He opens his jacket a little and shows off the shirt underneath, which features the same diamond logo from his PRIMEview video. Is that a new shirt, soon available at the PRIMEporium? Maybe.
Nate shakes hands with Vince Howard, and accepts the microphone.
Nate Colton: What’s up, OKLAHOMA CITYYYYYYYYY!!!
RRAAAAAAAHHHH!! says the crowd, because they love it when someone says the name of their town.
Nate Colton: Y’all catch Culture Shock? That was a wild ride, right? Sure was for me; that might have been the toughest weekend of my life. But here I am…still standing, and STILL the Five Star Champion!
He undoes the snaps of the belt and holds it up for the crowd’s approval, which they give. Very friendly crowd here in OKC.
RRAAAAAAAHH!!
Nate Colton: Hell of a way to cap off my first year in PRIME. Been through a lot of changes…but there’s one thing that’s still the same, and that’s my focus. ‘Cause if you asked me what’s been my toughest challenge, my biggest match, my greatest accomplishment…the answer’s the same as it was a year ago.
A bit of a smirk. The kid’s feelin’ it.
Nate Colton: The next one.
Another cheer from the crowd, and Nate starts to bounce in the ring a little bit as he feeds off their energy.
Richard Parker: “The next one.” This kid’s more corny than his whole-ass home state.
Nick Stuart: Maybe, but the fans appreciate his attitude.
Richard Parker: Well, I would have appreciated help getting into that club BUT NOOOOO–
Nate Colton: Now. I’ve got a HUGE challenge on the horizon, ‘cause Cecilworth Farthington…
RRAAAAAAHH!
BOOOOOOOO!
Nate Colton: …has a title shot in the bank in a few months. I fully intend to be holding this belt heading into Tropical Turmoil…but I don’t intend to make it easy on myself. See, this title means something to me, and I want everyone to feel that. The world should know that the Five Star Championship is not a stepping stone to greatness. It’s where greatness starts.
Nick Stuart: Colton is using his title as a bully pulpit tonight, and I’m all for it!
Richard Parker: Sounds boring. I bet he’s never even kicked someone in the nards.
Nate Colton: With that in mind…earlier today I had a meeting with the boss. And she asked me who I thought should be the next challenger.
Richard Parker: Picking his own challengers now? Sounds like Colton family politicking at work.
Nick Stuart: You’ve been talking to FLAMBERGE again, haven’t you?
Richard Parker: He…has not responded to my voicemails. Yet.
Nate Colton: So here’s what I told her. I said, I want to face one of the best wrestlers in the world. Someone who hasn’t got a shot yet, but absolutely deserves one. A wrestler who’s gonna be just as hungry to take this belt as I am to keep it. We looked at our options…and there was one name that stood out, above all the others. That’s why, at ReV27, I’ll be defending the Five Star Championship against…
A pause, to draw out the tension. The audience gets excited. Richard Parker gets annoyed.
Richard Parker: Just say it, you dork!
Nate Colton: CORAL. AVALON.
RRAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!
Nick Stuart: The Crownless King himself! What an announcement!
Richard Parker: What a disappointment. Should have been someone cool, like Hoyt.
The crowd starts to stand and look towards the entrance ramp. There’s no fanfare when Coral Avalon appears through the curtains in his street clothes. There’s no pomp or circumstance. There’s not even the guitars of Monster Siren’s “Real Me” to serenade him to the ring. He’s just out here, now, and that’s everyone’s problem. They react to this problem by cheering for him.
Nick Stuart: And here’s the man himself!
Richard Parker: Oh, cool. Someone else who doesn’t know what a good, old-fashioned nard-kicking should be.
Avalon never takes his eyes off of Colton as he jumps up onto the apron and steps into the ring to join him. Even when he walks across the ring to accept a microphone from the timekeeper, his eyes never leave Colton’s. When he turns to face the 5-Star Champion, he has to wait for the crowd noise to die down before he gets right to the point.
Coral Avalon: Challenge accepted.
He smiles as the crowd cheers raucously for the match being made official, just like that. He has to again wait for the crowd noise to die down before he continues.
Coral Avalon: Nate, it’s an honor that you thought of me first. Really. I’ve always respected you and the whole Colton family. I can think of no other opponent I’d like to face for that championship of yours than you.
Richard Parker: Ugh.
Nick Stuart: Ssh.
Coral Avalon: But you should know that I don’t intend to be your tune-up match for Lord Farthington. I’m coming to take that belt from you, no matter what.
Colton grins, and his eyes light up at the boldness of Coral’s proclamation. He’s a man who loves a challenge, after all…and this is definitely a big one.
Nate Colton: Wouldn’t have it any other way.
The crowd cheers again as the two men shake hands.
Nick Stuart: This is an absolute bombshell, folks! In two weeks, Coral Avalon will challenge Nate Colton for the Five Star Championship! If you love wrestling, that is a match you don’t dare miss!
Richard Parker: And if you love fun…
Nick Stuart: Richard.
Richard Parker: …yeah, that’s going to be pretty bad ass.