Bringing The Fight

[Jensen Banks]

June 11th, 2013

Sean Sands' Home

Cincinnati, OH

Sean Sands: I...I just can't believe it. I mean, we were just about ready to form back together and now...your career might be over? Your life might be finished?

I did not want to sound like an asshole or be the guy who pointed out everything bad with this situation, but the words could not stay trapped by my closed lips. I have heard of these knee injuries. These injuries were very bad, some taking up to a year of someone's career. And now...it was about to take some of my best friend's career. A few months to a year of my son's godfather's career, if not his entire career. This injury is about to plague the career of Xavier Daniels.

Sean Sands: All right, man. Just listen up. Go to another doctor tomorrow and get a second opinion. You may be injured for 9 months or your injury could heal up even faster. After you go get your second opinion, call me and tell me what's up, all right?

Xavier agrees and I take a deep breath as I take my left hand, the hand not holding the phone, and run it through my long hair. With this injury, the two of us will have to bow out of the Dynamic Duos tournament to determine the first FGA tag team champions. To say I am disappointed is one thing. To say I am just pissed off about all of this, especially at the fact that I can’t do anything, is an understatement.

Sean Sands: All right, bye.

I close the phone, then release a sigh as I walk away from the dresser in the bedroom I share with my wife and walk over to my side of the king sized bed, where I plop down face first, burying my face into my pillow. This was just plain old frustrating. Why did this have to keep happening to me? Why did this injury have to happen to my best friend, my tag partner, the man I trusted most on the FGA roster? Now what was I to do?

---

June 7th, 2012

Atlanta, GA

The Arena

I entered the Future Shock locker room dressed in a pair of jeans and a Future Shock t-shirt, my bag with all my ring gear on my left shoulder, and a smile on my face. Tonight, we would have a house show where we were showing a preview of the upcoming tag tournament. It would be Future Shock taking on the team or Armstrong and Daize. But, upon entering the locker room, I noticed we were one man short. Storm was already in his ring gear and so was Young. Juhani seemed to have just arrived a few minutes before me, so he was still dressed in street clothes. The only one missing was…my tag team partner…Xavier Daniels.

Sean Sands: Well, it seems like ALMOST all of us are here. Where is that knucklehead?

I chuckled, not knowing of the events that transpired just a few hours ago. Young and Storm just looked at me like I was a lost child looking for his mother, while Juhani kept the same straight face he always kept, regardless of the news. Finally, after a few seconds of chuckling, I looked around at all three men before asking again.

Sean Sands: Where’s Xavier? Is he not gonna make it tonight?

I could feel my smile fading as I looked around the room once more. Nobody was speaking up, and this was angering me. I have never liked being kept in the dark about anything. I have never liked secrets and it seemed like they were keeping one from me, which they were.

Sean Sands: Anybody willing to tell me where the fuck Xavier is? I’m getting kinda tired of you guys not saying a damn word.

Jordan Storm: He’s not here.

Tristan Young: I…I…I wish we didn’t have to tell you this.

I looked at both Jordan and Tristan and slightly tilted my head, not sure of what these two are talking about.

Sean Sands: What are you two talking about? If Xavier’s not here, then where is he?

Juhani: He’s…not with the company anymore, Sean. He asked for his release earlier today.

I unintentionally dropped my gym bag on the floor as I stared out into their faces, not being able to think of a single thing to say as I walked over towards Tristan and sat down next to him on the locker room bench, burying my face in my hands. I don’t know what I wanted to do at the time. I didn’t want to cry, but I didn’t want to get angry either.

Juhani: Are you all right, Sean?

I didn’t know what to say. One of my friends had not only quit the company, but quit on his other friends. Xavier quit on me. Why? Why did he decide to quit now? Just as we were ready to enter the tag team tournament and take the tag team titles, he decided to quit. I just did not understand it. Xavier had not even called. That was the worst part about it all.

Sean Sands: *sigh* Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just tell me who I’ve got tonight. If I can’t tag with someone, I guess I’ll have to kick some other heads off, huh?

---

June 14th, 2013

Sands Residence

Cincinnati, OH

I can’t fall asleep. Just thinking about what transpired these last few days makes me sick to my stomach. My wife has already gone to sleep, that little whistle she makes when exhaling in full mode tonight. Xavier had gone to get the second opinion from the doctor, but it wasn’t the news I was hoping for. It now seems like Xavier’s injury may be career ending, and that was not something I wanted to hear. Hell, I almost felt like crying after hearing the news. I never want to see anyone lose their career over injury, ESPECIALLY my best friend.

Sean Sands: I can’t fucking sleep.

I get out of my bed, not bundled under cover tonight due to the hot weather, and begin to walk towards the bedroom door. As I open it, I try not to make any noise, since I do not want to wake up my wife. I begin to walk down the corridor, passing the bathroom door on the right and stopping at the first door on the left, which is closed. I reach for the door handle and turn it slowly, not wanting to wake up anyone in the household, especially since both of them get cranky.

As I push the door open, I walk into the room on the tip of my toes, trying to be as quiet as possible. I smile when I see the crib in the room, placed towards the left side of the smaller room. I slowly walk towards the crib, a lullaby playing softly as I see the small table next to the crib with the baby monitor and the small radio playing the light music. I peer over the crib and see my son, Stefan, his right thumb in his mouth, the pacifier seemingly spit out. My smile grows even wider as I look at my son and begin to whisper to him.

Sean Sands: Oh, Stefan. I’m starting to think you hate these pacifiers.

I lightly chuckle, trying not to wake up my son, even though I highly doubt I can seeing as he seems to be in a knocked out mode. I take my right hand and place it on top of his head, smiling as I do this.

Sean Sands: You probably miss your soon-to-be godfather, huh?

I start to sort of bring my hand across his left cheek, it being as rosy as ever, the pain of talking about Xavier is still somewhat fresh, but when I had something that bothered me, I either spoke to my wife or came into my son’s room while he was sleeping and talked to him. Perhaps, when he gets older he can come to me and ask me some questions and I’ll be able to give him some good advice. Perhaps.

Sean Sands: Well, your godfather is going through some problems…and I don’t know how to exactly handle this situation either, son. I’m trying to be a good friend, but the fact that his career might be over may just stop me from being just that. I just don’t know, son.

I pulled my hand away as I sighed. I had never felt like this before.

Sean Sands: I don’t know what I have to do, but if I do, I promise that I will do it.

---

June 16th, 2013

Al Norris School for Wrestling

Cincinnati, OH

I sit in one of the few seats in the crowd area as I watch these two amateurs try to learn new moves, Al yelling at them. Al was always tough on people, especially me, and I am his favorite student. The only other people sitting in the “stands” are a boy, who is most likely the son of one of these wrestlers, and a woman, who may be a girlfriend because she doesn’t have a ring around her finger. I smile as one of the wrestlers in the ring pulls off a perfect suplex, though Al still yells at them. I also smile as the camera comes on and I know it is time for another promo that was to be posted on the FGA website.

Sean Sands: Obviously, I was never supposed to be in this match.

I turn to face the camera, my dark blue jeans making a noise as I do so.

Sean Sands: I was supposed to be in a different four way match, but I was supposed to have someone watching my back in this other match. Unfortunately, there had to be some rescheduling due to an “undisclosed knee injury” to Xavier Daniels.

I do the air quote signal with my fingers, mocking the post made on the FGA website a few days ago.

Sean Sands: I’ll tell you the truth. It doesn’t seem good for Xavier. We’re not only unable to team for this tag team title tournament, but we may never team again.

I take a sigh as I try not to lose my cool right now. The last thing I need is for my opponents to think I am easy prey.

Sean Sands: But, that doesn’t matter. I have a match at All Star Showdown 2 and that needs to be my main focus, like this promo. Now, I do have three very interesting opponents in front of me. First, Noah van Dyke. Noah, I hear that you are a man of God. I respect that. There are not many men or women with actual morals in this business, but you seem to have those morals. This is something I respect and won’t speak ill of. I do have a one little problem with you.

It’s your reliability on God. You rely on the fact that you will win because He said so. Because He has spoken. I think you should rely a little less on what God says…or what you believe he says, and rely a little more on your training. On your strategy for our upcoming match. When you enter the ring at All Star Showdown 2, expect to win, but only expect it if you have busted your ass off training and strategizing for this match. Only then can you actually prove to be an opponent that can be taken serious.

Next, Heather Halliwell, the only female in this match. Possibly one of the only people I think has earned my full respect. Whether you believe it or not, I actually have followed your career. You have made your mistakes, but you have made up for them. You have a family that you take very good care of, or so I’ve heard, and that is a respectable act. Then, we come to the wrestling side of things. You claim yourself as the queen of submission wrestling, and I’m inclined to believe that. You have the experience in this match because, despite the fact that I am almost 29 years old, I have about as much experience as the next guy.

But, don’t get too confident there. While you may have the experience and possibly better strategizing abilities than us all, does not mean you will be walking away the victor. This match will come down to who wants it more. I most likely will be seeing you in the final two and when I do, I plan on throwing you everything and plan on beating you, because I WANT IT MORE. I want this victory more than anyone else because I am the man who has to prove the most on this roster. You don’t. You already have a shot at the EXODUS Pro World Championship. You have already proven you can make it to the top of the ladder. If I defeat you, it’ll begin my career here in FGA. This is a victory I want.

Then we come to Wade Nolan. The man who defeated my best friend and *sigh* FORMER tag team partner, Xavier Daniels. You were impressive in your debut, I will admit that. On paper, you seem like one of the favorites, big, bad, and tough as nails. Yet, you weren’t one of the favorites to win this match. I bet that give you a chip on your shoulder, huh? Well, good! Bring that chip on your shoulder, because as dangerous as you were in that ring a few weeks back, you can be even more dangerous when angered.

This doesn’t mean I fear you. In fact, as much as I like Ms. Halliwell, I would rather have you standing on the other side of the ring with me. Yes, Heather does have the experience, but you have something else. You have my friend’s career. No, I’m not blaming you for his injury. That injury could’ve stemmed from years of wrestling. I’m just angry that you may have been his last opponent. So, I plan on correcting that mistake by defeating you. Bring all your power and toughness, because at All Star Showdown 2 I plan on being the tougher dog in the junkyard. I plan on kicking your ass, even though I don’t paln on it being an easy fight.

Train, watch the tapes, and strategize. At All Star Showdown 2, I’m bringing the fucking fight. Hope you have an answer.