S07E02 - The Qualifier
Jul 7, 2016 15:53:27 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2016 15:53:27 GMT -5
I wolf whistle as I flick through the pages of the magazine; the angelic face of Ali Michael staring back at the camera from beneath that Playboy header, but we all know it’s not her shoot I’m looking at. “Not bad,” I muse as I turn the magazine ninety degrees to look at the double page spread. “Do you think you’ll be in the mood to autograph this on Saturday night, Annie? I mean, you’re not that much of a sore loser, right?”
The Playboy gets tossed to the side, landing with a thud on a nearby table as I turn back to the camera, running a hand through my jet black hair as I chuckle to myself. “All else fails I’ll ask you before the match, when you’ll undoubtedly be in a good mood. When you’re readying yourself for the match you’ve been wanting for so long. The match you’ve been waiting for, for as long as you can remember. One more former World champion for you to try and beat, right?”
“I know the feeling,” I admit with a shrug of the shoulders. Again, I run a hand through my hair as I stare out just above the camera, my ‘Still Probably Better Than Trump’ t-shirt visible for all to see. “There have been moments in my career when I’ve had to face those people I admire, that I revere, that I idolize…” I remain straight faced, “…and I know all about those butterflies you’ve got floating around in your stomach. For me it was Final Frontier 2014 when I stepped into dog collar match against Malcolm Drake; it was my series of matches as I traded the Global title with Legacy in SCW; it was having to face the other members of Ascended Supremacy back in SCCW. But, personally, I take these challenges in my stride, just like I did at All Star Showdown…”
I pause for a second, sighing as I roll my eyes involuntarily. “Look, I’ll address the elephant in the room. I hear what people like Paco and his ilk are saying about me; they want to know if I had anything to do with Izzy’s kidnapping…” I shrug my shoulders, “…I told Izzy we were done after All Star Showdown, and I meant it. I told her not to listen to those petty and vindictive voices get into her head, or else they’ll steer her in the wrong direction. They’ll get her into situations she doesn’t want to be in; she chose to interpret that as start dating that person. So, no, I didn’t do it, I’m not involved in it; I don’t want to waste any more of my time on Izzy than I already have.”
“And I told you all that after All Star Showdown I was going to turn my attention to the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title. To my attempt to become the first ever Grand Slam champion here in FGA. To complete the Golden Crown–” I scoff, “–and settle for second place after Cordy Stevenson.”
“I’m blaming you for that one, Dan,” I shake my head, “helping her win the Dynamic Duos. To win the FGA World Tag Team titles – congrats by the way, bro!” I shoot the camera a thumbs up, “You deserve that. I just wish you had a different partner, but this is the hand we’ve been dealt. Cindy was retiring, so Cordy needed a new partner. I was injured, so you couldn’t have your first choice – I understand. But I’ve won the tag titles, I’ve won the Dynamic Duos.”
“I need new challenges…” the crooked grin spreads across my face, “…which brings me right back to you, Annie. And I’ll be honest right now, I’ve wanted to face you for the longest time too. From when you debuted in HKW, to when you came here to FGA. But back then it was for a different reason; I wanted to be the one to wipe that ever-present smile from your face. I wanted to be the person to send you home crying into your Starbucks cup–” I smirk again, thinking to myself about how times have changed, “–but now?”
“Now you have the title I want.”
“Now you’re standing in my way of finally getting to enter the Frontier Lions Cup.”
“No fourway tag title match to stop me. No World title match to get in my way–” I pause for a second, “–it’s not 2014 anymore. And there’s no Cindy Parker to shave my head this year…” at that moment I take the opportunity to run both hands through my hair, showing that same volume and shimmer for which I was once famous. “…it’s grown back well if I do say so myself. But this year I’ve rid myself of these distractions; I’ve got my sights set on two goals and I will get what I want. One way or another, through hell or high water, no stopping until I’ve got the Grand Slam. No stopping until I’ve achieved the Golden Crown…”
“And this would be so much easier if they hadn’t just announced Salem Cartier as the next challenger for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title. This would be so much easier if I still wanted to kick Annie’s teeth down her throat,” I throw my hands up in frustration, “maybe it’s because I’m indebted to her for what happened last year at Final Frontier. Perhaps I don’t feel stopping Izzy at the Gold Rush Rumble made up for it. Maybe I’m just going soft in my old age…” I raise an eyebrow, “…you don’t want me when I’m soft do you, Annie? You want me at my best, at my toughest, so nobody can tell you that you didn’t earn that win. Because beating a man when he’s a shell of his former self isn’t that much of an achievement. Because kicking a man when he’s down isn’t something to be proud of.”
“Don’t worry,” I state matter-of-factly, “I can still go in that ring. Two weeks ago I beat the most dominant Legacy champion in FGA history, I beat the winner of the inaugural Rookie X Cup. After six months on that injured shelf I came back with a vengeance. Just like I will this Saturday when I take on you; the current Legacy champion, the former two-time FGA tag champion, the winner of the Titan of Trios, a champion on three continents, in the second round of the Global Tag Tournament over in HKW, Playboy’s Miss July 2016…” I glance towards the magazine on the table again, “…your career is on the up, and that’s just what I want.”
“While you don’t want to beat me when I’m at my lowest, I don’t want you at anything less than your best, Annie. After everything we’ve been through together here in FGA, I think I deserve that from you. So when I take my place in the 2016 Frontier Lions Cup, nobody can tell me I didn’t earn it. Nobody can take this away from me. So if they tell me I’ve lost a step since I reigned atop this promotion-” I wince, “-they might be right on that one. But I’ll get it back; form is temporary, class is permanent, after all. But I’ve got too much to prove right now to let this one slip through my hands. Too many critics to silence.”
“And I want to try and do it without leaving a pile of bodies in wake,” I admit, solemnly, “to not carve a path of destruction like The Murder did way back when.”
“I want to turn over a new leaf,” I say, looking straight at the camera, “and you can try and take the credit for that if you want, Annie. Claim I saw the error of my ways; maybe I just don’t want to inspire any more Izzy Anders’. But that lust for victory hasn’t lessened at all. That thirst for competition hasn’t been quenched. And the desire for success hasn’t waned at all. So this Saturday, Annie, I’ll come to you face to face and say to you what I need to say. Then we’ll step in that ring, and I’ll take what I’ve waited four years for – a place in the Frontier Lions Cup. And you get to find out first hand why they say Harter Hits Harder…” that crooked grin crosses my face again as I walk away out of shot, making sure I pick up the Playboy as I go, and the scene comes to an end.
“Aren’t you supposed to be training?” I say as I enter the kitchen, stopping suddenly as I let out a shocked yelp. Katie looks a little worse for wear after her no disqualification match against Merlot Ayano on Monday night.
She turns to scowl at me. “I’m taking some time to heal up. Jerk.” The insult is said playfully as Katie eases herself down at the breakfast bar, wincing slightly as she does so. A plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee in front of her.
“Fair enough, just make yourself at home then,” I joke, but it doesn’t get a reaction. I grab a cup out the cupboard and pour myself a coffee. “Come on, that was funny.”
She fakes a laugh, “Sorry, Dommy, I’ve just got some things on my mind.”
“It’s not the result on Monday, so what is it, career stuff? Bondo treating you badly – want me to rough him up?” I use my tough man voice for that one, and it gets a giggle from Katie.
“No, he’s a sweet heart as always. Rhys is really taking to me being around more often. I got to make my FGA television debut the other week, even if nobody knows it was me.”
“You two were great, by the way,” I say, interrupting her.
“Of course we were, the Small Boob Wrecking Crew are always fantastic, Dommy. And then on top of that I’m the RISE champion, NKP tag champion, I’ve got the LDFC tag title match coming up.” She shrugs before shovelling more pancakes into her mouth, “But right now I’m sore and Annie’s still kind of mad at me–”
“How come?” I ask.
“Oh,” she pauses, “it’s not important.”
“It’s important enough to make you feel upset,” I say in jest, “just tell me what’s bothering you, kiddo.”
“If you promise it won’t leave this room,” she demands, staring at me intently.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” I even make the scout’s sign with my hand so she knows I’m serious. Or it’ll cause her to roll her eyes; I swear she has no sense of humour sometimes.
“While we were in Germany Annie wanted to … do something for Chase, and she needed my help…” my ears perk up; I try to hide my interest in the statement but between the ears and my raised eyebrows I think Katie knows where my attention lies. “…apparently they’re going through a rough spot. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Dommy?”
I shake my head, “Not a clue,” I lie.
Katie rolls her eyes again, “Well Chase has a penchant for videos of girls kissing…” my ears perk up again. “…and I might have got ‘carried away’.” She grumbles, making air quotes with her hands around the last two words.
“I might need to see this video to know what we’re dealing with,” I suggest, but Katie only laughs. She stares me straight in the eye and runs a finger under her nose. Nice.
“That’s for Chase’s eyes only.” I’ll have to ask Annie. “Besides, don’t you have enough videos of her, Dommy?” she hints at me. “She told me about the shower incident before you try and deny it.”
“Oh…” is all I can muster up in response. “…I can explain.”
“It’s pretty obvious. You want what you can’t have,” Katie states; I successfully refrain from laughing, not wanting to let her know how wrong that statement is. Katie doesn’t need to know about the threesome in Lakeland, or the few times it’s happened since Annie got back from Portland. She certainly doesn’t need to know that I’m probably the reason why Chase is upset, and why Annie felt the need to recruit Katie to try and curry favour with him. “But they’re married now, so you shouldn’t be interfering.”
“I…” can’t explain this, I think to myself, but don’t say aloud. “…don’t want them to split up either. And no, I’m not particularly proud of myself for what I’ve done. But you don’t have to worry about us, Katie; we’re going to work it all out, and Annie won’t hold a grudge against you for too long. I bet when Chase sees it she’ll forgive you right away.”
“You think so?” she asks.
“I wouldn’t hate it if I were him,” I say semi-jokingly.
“Then I’ll just have to worry about when it’s time to get out of development and move up to the big leagues,” she sighs.
“And make those big bucks,” I give her a nudge.
Katie laughs though, “I’ve got the Brutal sponsorship, and a million dollar contract with NKP,” she boasts; my jaw drops though, that can’t be right. She’s earning almost as much as I was working both SCW and FGA. “But I’ll figure it out. All else fails I can come join you in FGA, can’t I?”
“I think I’ll come join you in NKP if they’re paying that much.” I reply, bringing a smile to Katie’s face as the scene comes to an end.
The Playboy gets tossed to the side, landing with a thud on a nearby table as I turn back to the camera, running a hand through my jet black hair as I chuckle to myself. “All else fails I’ll ask you before the match, when you’ll undoubtedly be in a good mood. When you’re readying yourself for the match you’ve been wanting for so long. The match you’ve been waiting for, for as long as you can remember. One more former World champion for you to try and beat, right?”
“I know the feeling,” I admit with a shrug of the shoulders. Again, I run a hand through my hair as I stare out just above the camera, my ‘Still Probably Better Than Trump’ t-shirt visible for all to see. “There have been moments in my career when I’ve had to face those people I admire, that I revere, that I idolize…” I remain straight faced, “…and I know all about those butterflies you’ve got floating around in your stomach. For me it was Final Frontier 2014 when I stepped into dog collar match against Malcolm Drake; it was my series of matches as I traded the Global title with Legacy in SCW; it was having to face the other members of Ascended Supremacy back in SCCW. But, personally, I take these challenges in my stride, just like I did at All Star Showdown…”
I pause for a second, sighing as I roll my eyes involuntarily. “Look, I’ll address the elephant in the room. I hear what people like Paco and his ilk are saying about me; they want to know if I had anything to do with Izzy’s kidnapping…” I shrug my shoulders, “…I told Izzy we were done after All Star Showdown, and I meant it. I told her not to listen to those petty and vindictive voices get into her head, or else they’ll steer her in the wrong direction. They’ll get her into situations she doesn’t want to be in; she chose to interpret that as start dating that person. So, no, I didn’t do it, I’m not involved in it; I don’t want to waste any more of my time on Izzy than I already have.”
“And I told you all that after All Star Showdown I was going to turn my attention to the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title. To my attempt to become the first ever Grand Slam champion here in FGA. To complete the Golden Crown–” I scoff, “–and settle for second place after Cordy Stevenson.”
“I’m blaming you for that one, Dan,” I shake my head, “helping her win the Dynamic Duos. To win the FGA World Tag Team titles – congrats by the way, bro!” I shoot the camera a thumbs up, “You deserve that. I just wish you had a different partner, but this is the hand we’ve been dealt. Cindy was retiring, so Cordy needed a new partner. I was injured, so you couldn’t have your first choice – I understand. But I’ve won the tag titles, I’ve won the Dynamic Duos.”
“I need new challenges…” the crooked grin spreads across my face, “…which brings me right back to you, Annie. And I’ll be honest right now, I’ve wanted to face you for the longest time too. From when you debuted in HKW, to when you came here to FGA. But back then it was for a different reason; I wanted to be the one to wipe that ever-present smile from your face. I wanted to be the person to send you home crying into your Starbucks cup–” I smirk again, thinking to myself about how times have changed, “–but now?”
“Now you have the title I want.”
“Now you’re standing in my way of finally getting to enter the Frontier Lions Cup.”
“No fourway tag title match to stop me. No World title match to get in my way–” I pause for a second, “–it’s not 2014 anymore. And there’s no Cindy Parker to shave my head this year…” at that moment I take the opportunity to run both hands through my hair, showing that same volume and shimmer for which I was once famous. “…it’s grown back well if I do say so myself. But this year I’ve rid myself of these distractions; I’ve got my sights set on two goals and I will get what I want. One way or another, through hell or high water, no stopping until I’ve got the Grand Slam. No stopping until I’ve achieved the Golden Crown…”
“And this would be so much easier if they hadn’t just announced Salem Cartier as the next challenger for the Mid-Atlantic Legacy title. This would be so much easier if I still wanted to kick Annie’s teeth down her throat,” I throw my hands up in frustration, “maybe it’s because I’m indebted to her for what happened last year at Final Frontier. Perhaps I don’t feel stopping Izzy at the Gold Rush Rumble made up for it. Maybe I’m just going soft in my old age…” I raise an eyebrow, “…you don’t want me when I’m soft do you, Annie? You want me at my best, at my toughest, so nobody can tell you that you didn’t earn that win. Because beating a man when he’s a shell of his former self isn’t that much of an achievement. Because kicking a man when he’s down isn’t something to be proud of.”
“Don’t worry,” I state matter-of-factly, “I can still go in that ring. Two weeks ago I beat the most dominant Legacy champion in FGA history, I beat the winner of the inaugural Rookie X Cup. After six months on that injured shelf I came back with a vengeance. Just like I will this Saturday when I take on you; the current Legacy champion, the former two-time FGA tag champion, the winner of the Titan of Trios, a champion on three continents, in the second round of the Global Tag Tournament over in HKW, Playboy’s Miss July 2016…” I glance towards the magazine on the table again, “…your career is on the up, and that’s just what I want.”
“While you don’t want to beat me when I’m at my lowest, I don’t want you at anything less than your best, Annie. After everything we’ve been through together here in FGA, I think I deserve that from you. So when I take my place in the 2016 Frontier Lions Cup, nobody can tell me I didn’t earn it. Nobody can take this away from me. So if they tell me I’ve lost a step since I reigned atop this promotion-” I wince, “-they might be right on that one. But I’ll get it back; form is temporary, class is permanent, after all. But I’ve got too much to prove right now to let this one slip through my hands. Too many critics to silence.”
“And I want to try and do it without leaving a pile of bodies in wake,” I admit, solemnly, “to not carve a path of destruction like The Murder did way back when.”
“I want to turn over a new leaf,” I say, looking straight at the camera, “and you can try and take the credit for that if you want, Annie. Claim I saw the error of my ways; maybe I just don’t want to inspire any more Izzy Anders’. But that lust for victory hasn’t lessened at all. That thirst for competition hasn’t been quenched. And the desire for success hasn’t waned at all. So this Saturday, Annie, I’ll come to you face to face and say to you what I need to say. Then we’ll step in that ring, and I’ll take what I’ve waited four years for – a place in the Frontier Lions Cup. And you get to find out first hand why they say Harter Hits Harder…” that crooked grin crosses my face again as I walk away out of shot, making sure I pick up the Playboy as I go, and the scene comes to an end.
“Aren’t you supposed to be training?” I say as I enter the kitchen, stopping suddenly as I let out a shocked yelp. Katie looks a little worse for wear after her no disqualification match against Merlot Ayano on Monday night.
She turns to scowl at me. “I’m taking some time to heal up. Jerk.” The insult is said playfully as Katie eases herself down at the breakfast bar, wincing slightly as she does so. A plate of pancakes and a cup of coffee in front of her.
“Fair enough, just make yourself at home then,” I joke, but it doesn’t get a reaction. I grab a cup out the cupboard and pour myself a coffee. “Come on, that was funny.”
She fakes a laugh, “Sorry, Dommy, I’ve just got some things on my mind.”
“It’s not the result on Monday, so what is it, career stuff? Bondo treating you badly – want me to rough him up?” I use my tough man voice for that one, and it gets a giggle from Katie.
“No, he’s a sweet heart as always. Rhys is really taking to me being around more often. I got to make my FGA television debut the other week, even if nobody knows it was me.”
“You two were great, by the way,” I say, interrupting her.
“Of course we were, the Small Boob Wrecking Crew are always fantastic, Dommy. And then on top of that I’m the RISE champion, NKP tag champion, I’ve got the LDFC tag title match coming up.” She shrugs before shovelling more pancakes into her mouth, “But right now I’m sore and Annie’s still kind of mad at me–”
“How come?” I ask.
“Oh,” she pauses, “it’s not important.”
“It’s important enough to make you feel upset,” I say in jest, “just tell me what’s bothering you, kiddo.”
“If you promise it won’t leave this room,” she demands, staring at me intently.
“I promise I won’t tell anyone,” I even make the scout’s sign with my hand so she knows I’m serious. Or it’ll cause her to roll her eyes; I swear she has no sense of humour sometimes.
“While we were in Germany Annie wanted to … do something for Chase, and she needed my help…” my ears perk up; I try to hide my interest in the statement but between the ears and my raised eyebrows I think Katie knows where my attention lies. “…apparently they’re going through a rough spot. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you, Dommy?”
I shake my head, “Not a clue,” I lie.
Katie rolls her eyes again, “Well Chase has a penchant for videos of girls kissing…” my ears perk up again. “…and I might have got ‘carried away’.” She grumbles, making air quotes with her hands around the last two words.
“I might need to see this video to know what we’re dealing with,” I suggest, but Katie only laughs. She stares me straight in the eye and runs a finger under her nose. Nice.
“That’s for Chase’s eyes only.” I’ll have to ask Annie. “Besides, don’t you have enough videos of her, Dommy?” she hints at me. “She told me about the shower incident before you try and deny it.”
“Oh…” is all I can muster up in response. “…I can explain.”
“It’s pretty obvious. You want what you can’t have,” Katie states; I successfully refrain from laughing, not wanting to let her know how wrong that statement is. Katie doesn’t need to know about the threesome in Lakeland, or the few times it’s happened since Annie got back from Portland. She certainly doesn’t need to know that I’m probably the reason why Chase is upset, and why Annie felt the need to recruit Katie to try and curry favour with him. “But they’re married now, so you shouldn’t be interfering.”
“I…” can’t explain this, I think to myself, but don’t say aloud. “…don’t want them to split up either. And no, I’m not particularly proud of myself for what I’ve done. But you don’t have to worry about us, Katie; we’re going to work it all out, and Annie won’t hold a grudge against you for too long. I bet when Chase sees it she’ll forgive you right away.”
“You think so?” she asks.
“I wouldn’t hate it if I were him,” I say semi-jokingly.
“Then I’ll just have to worry about when it’s time to get out of development and move up to the big leagues,” she sighs.
“And make those big bucks,” I give her a nudge.
Katie laughs though, “I’ve got the Brutal sponsorship, and a million dollar contract with NKP,” she boasts; my jaw drops though, that can’t be right. She’s earning almost as much as I was working both SCW and FGA. “But I’ll figure it out. All else fails I can come join you in FGA, can’t I?”
“I think I’ll come join you in NKP if they’re paying that much.” I reply, bringing a smile to Katie’s face as the scene comes to an end.